The New Paris Podcast

As you may know, chocolate isn’t created equal, and French style is very different from Belgian and Swiss confections. There are chocolate shops and pastry chefs who dabble in chocolate all over Paris, but within that network, there are clear differences in quality. Lisa Allen, a chocolate educator, pastry chef, and guide who runs Tarts & Truffles, joins me to talk about some of these distinctions, what she’s learned about chocolate over the years, and where she recommends you go for all your chocolate needs in Paris. 

Mentioned in this episode

Lisa Allen, Tarts & Truffles

Lisa on Instagram

Chuao

Dandelion Chocolate

Ferrandi Paris

Ara Chocolate

L'Instant Cacao

Patrick Roger

Jacques Genin

Plaq

Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan

⁠Music by Little Glass Men⁠

What happens when you trade fifteen years of working in law for a professional kitchen? In the case of today’s guest, you get one of the most flavorful and unique dining experiences in the city. Priscilla Tram, the chef and founder of Trâm 130, has changed the conversation about what 'personal' cooking looks like in Paris today. We’ll talk about her career, why Paris was finally ready for her unique culinary voice, and chat about her brand-new project, Trâmette, opening soon in the 11th arrondissement.

Mentioned in this episode:

Trâm 130

The Hood

Rori

Yasube

Le Dauphin

Gramme

Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan

⁠Music by Little Glass Men⁠

What if Made in France for crafts could be a form of activism? Paramaz, a leather workshop, boutique, and café, is doing just that. I'm joined today by the co-owner and creative director, Marianna Stepanian, whose journey from diplomacy at UNESCO and the Dutch Embassy to the workbench of a local craft boutique offers a fascinating look at cultural preservation in action. We discuss how she and her partner Hagop Markarian are reviving the intimate "maker-client" relationship just steps away from Paris’s luxury giants, the vital role their space plays in highlighting Armenian heritage during turbulent times, and why the city is finally embracing the beauty of a multi-functional space where you can witness a bag being stitched while enjoying your espresso.

Mentioned in this episode:

Marianna Stepanian

Paramaz

Astrig Agopian exhibition at Paramaz

Safety for Women Journalists exhibition at UNESCO

Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan

⁠Music by Little Glass Men⁠

How does technology play into the paradigm shift the world is experiencing?  I'm joined by digital anthropologist, author, and public speaker Rahaf Harfoush to talk about resilience and how global interconnection means we cannot speak about the future of France without considering the impact of decisions made much further afield, by other nations. We discuss geopolitical shifts and innovation in France amid global disruptions, and how cultural values must shape our response to crises and technological evolution. What does the future of France look like? Listen to find out.

Mentioned in this episode:

Rahaf Harfoush

@Foushy

Hypernormalization

Emmanuel Grégoire + Station F

The French Tech Journal

European Unicorn Report

Black Swan by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

On Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber

AI 2027 Report

Palantir deal with France

Participatory local politics in Paris

Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan

⁠Music by Little Glass Men⁠

There is some relief to be shared right now for many Parisians— voters sent Rachida Dati walking and opted for Emmanuel Grégoire, formerly Anne Hidalgo’s first deputy, as the French capital's new mayor. The Socialist party has governed Paris for 25 years and the majority has spoken. But that isn’t the full picture. To give you a sense of what his win means, how many people really turned up to vote, where the finger pointing is being aimed now by major political parties, and what Grégoire plans to do for Paris, I asked political journalist and author Léa Chamboncel. Here's what to know.

Mentioned in this episode:

Léa Chamboncel 

Popol Media 

Emmanuel Grégoire wins Paris mayoral race

French elections are still a warning to the left 

Edouard Philippe’s beard 

Adrien Quatennens, LFI, domestic violence case
Léa’s new book: à qui profite la lutte? 

Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan

⁠Music by Little Glass Men⁠

We are nearing the end of an era. Anne Hidalgo, Paris mayor since 2014, will soon be leaving office. And this weekend, we vote on her replacement. In fact, there are elections all over the country. But in Paris, there are changes to how that’s going to go down this year and who is likely to take over. I’m joined by Phineas Rueckert, a Paris-based journalist who covers politics and social issues for The Nation, Jacobin and New Lines Magazine, to unpack what’s at stake, who’s running, why this election is so important, and what legacy Anne Hidalgo leaves behind.

Mentioned in this episode:

Phineas Rueckert

Phineas's substack Becoming French

Le Monde on Hidalgo's legacy

France's elections at risk of foreign interference

France's local elections, 2026

Elections as a preview for Europe

Quentin Deranque, political flashpoint

Lyon as French capital of political violence

Sarah Knafo copies Mamdani

Phineas's report for The Nation on Sarah Knafo

Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan

⁠Music by Little Glass Men⁠

Almost two years ago, I met today’s guest on an art deco journalist jaunt around Greater Paris and have followed her work ever since. Maïa Morgensztern is a French art historian and culture journalist living in London but returns to Paris monthly, usually for an exhibition. Given how much has changed in the art world in the last year, I wanted to get her take on Paris vs London, the historical contexts of both cities in their approaches to culture, and the impact of Brexit on the art world. We talk about government and private funding in the arts, access to cultural institutions, and the class divides that influence who engages with art. You’ll also hear where she likes to go, every time she’s in town. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Maïa Morgensztern

Maïa on Instagram

Louvre strikes

Sackler family museum funding

Fondation Cartier

Museum upgrades in Paris

Carnavalet Museum (free entry)

London's free museums

Fondation Giacometti

Comédie Française

The Good Life

Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan

⁠Music by Little Glass Men⁠

Nearly 12 years I ago, I became a French citizen. Since then, a lot has changed. Most notably, the criteria for nationality have tightened this year. Given how many more Americans, in particular, are looking to move to France, I thought it was time to dig into the process, how it’s gotten harder and why — at least for everyone except George Clooney— and to do so, I brought on a friend of the show, France 24 journalist, and new French citizen, Charli James.  

Mentioned in this episode:

Charli James

Stricter French requirements, fewer resources: Immigrants face new hurdles

France defends decision to grant George Clooney citizenship

Les procédures d'accès à la nationalité française 

Immigration : polémique sur des tests de français 

A new civic examination for foreigners wishing to settle in France

How France’s far right changed the debate on immigration

In Brussels, the far right can no longer be ignored

Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan

⁠Music by Little Glass Men⁠

Whether you have children or not, chances are you’ve heard that France’s childcare system is among the best in Europe, both in terms of public and private options. There’s the crèche, subsidized daycare, shared nannies, au pairs, and full-time Nannies who make, or should anyway, a living commensurate with their experience and hours worked. Since more and more foreigners are moving to Paris with children or with the intention of having children, it’s important to understand the landscape. I happen to know someone who works in this world and wanted to get her story, her views on child rearing in Paris specifically, the options that exist, the dark side of the business, and how it all compares with the UK and Germany, where she has both lived and worked. Meet Lise Scott.

Mentioned in this episode:

Lise Scott

Norland nannies

French nursery (crèche) shortage

Paris childcare options

Options and unequal access

Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan

⁠Music by Little Glass Men⁠

To kick off season 10 a few days into a year that’s already turbulent, I thought I’d keep things lighter and more casual with a friend of the show. I crossed town the day after Paris was submerged in snow to chat with Jay Swanson, YouTuber and creator of Paris in My Pocket, about coffee in the city, the cost of things, pearl-clutching newspaper stories, and what we hope for Paris in 2026. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Jay Swanson

Paris in my Pocket

Galette des Rois

Substance Café

The Guardian article

Audio production & editing: Matthew Jordan

⁠Music by Little Glass Men⁠