Navigating the French
Episodes
Episodes of Navigating the French
Mark All
The image of the French countryside is quite different from the reality, as Kate Hill, the American expat founder of the Relais de Camont Writers and Artists Residency, well knows. She’s spent the past few decades restoring and living in a 300-
Paris may no longer be home to medieval fortification walls, but that doesn't stop locals talking about Paris intra and extra muros. The wall, in this case, is the périphérique ring road, which has long been a stopper between the city and its s
The word "peasant" in English may bring to mind blouses, skirts, or Monty Python sketches, but paysan culture is alive and well, as author Sophie Duncan is here to explore.https://www.amazon.fr/Beyond-Paris-insiders-guide-France/dp/1910779032 h
American enthusiasm makes the French roll their eyes, but the French aren’t exactly as pessimistic as they may seem. To get to the bottom of this cultural misunderstanding, Emily is joined by Véronique Savoye, a jack-of-all-trades who’s made Fr
Parisians go about the daily grind just like any other urban denizens. In Paris specifically, the expression metro-boulot-dodo – metro, work, sleep – is used to evoke the somewhat mind-numbing nature of that day-to-day. Author Andrew Martin's M
When we describe something as exceptional in English, we're alluding to the way it stands out in a positive way. But in French, the opposite is often true, as journalist and writer Hannah Meltzer is here to explore as we navigate exceptionnelle
Maternity in English is most closely associated with pregnancy jeans, but here in France, maternité encapsulates not just where you give birth, but the entirety of motherhood. Here to delve into this and other cultural nuances of being a mom is
When Hemingway called Paris a fête, he wasn't saying it was a party. Instead, he was evoking something far deeper – an essential element of the city that has long captivated many drawn to the French capital. To delve into what exactly that elus
There are as many cooks as there are recipes for salade niçoise – and very few of them contain potatoes. This is just one of many paradoxes Emily is exploring with Rosa Jackson, the owner of Les Petits Farçis cooking school in Nice, as they nav
When you talk about your memories in French, you evoke your souvenirs. So what does mémoire mean? Memoirist Scott Carpenter is here to help us navigate this strange discrepancy between two false friends.https://bookshop.org/p/books/paris-lost-a
Edna Zhou is a journalist who has covered – and worked with – the Olympic games all over the world. As Paris prepares to welcome the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, she's here to help us navigate the French relationship to sports – and working ou
Républicain is a false friend, especially for Americans, but not for the reasons you might think. To explore how and why this term’s meaning varies so widely from France to the U.S., Emily is welcoming Emile Chabal, a historian of twentieth cen
France is synonymous with its food culture, but with a rise in foodies in the U.S., how does France's food culture stand out? Here to discuss the French attitude towards food from a cultural standpoint is Diane Rovner, a former food magazine ed
If you grew up worrying the world was a popularity contest, get yourself to France, where the word populaire is better translated as "working class" or literally, "of the people." Without an apt translation for "popular," French society governs
When we hear the word "brûlée" in English, we're likely thinking about the sweet, shattery topping of a classic French dessert. But when Notre Dame suddenly caught fire in 2019, a whole other meaning of this word came into focus. Marie DeGross
Je ne sais quoi is a phrase American women love to use to describe their French counterparts, but according to Debra Ollivier, best-selling author of What French Women Know About Love, Sex, and Other Matters of the Heart and Mind, the French do
In French, à la mode has got nothing to do with ice cream. Rather, it refers to one of the pinnacles of art de vivre: fashion. Here to discuss how Paris became such a fashion capital – and what the cultural expectations of dressing are – is Kas
The word favorite doesn't really mean favorite, in France. Instead, it evokes a centuries-long tradition of sex, power, and gender roles in the French courts, as sisters and academics Christine and Tracy Adams are here to share. https://www.psu
Baguette may seem like France's most emblematic loaf, but pain de campagne or country bread tells the story of France's relationship with bread far more aptly. Here to trace that history is Apollonia Poilâne, the third-generation owner of Paris
If you start to get along fairly well with a new French acquaintance, you might field the question... On peut se tutoyer ? "Can we say tu?" This phrase allows you to change registers from the formal to the informal at the drop of a hat – someth
While English already boasts the word author, it has also borrowed the French term auteur, a word that evokes a certain artist-driven film genre. Here to explore what that means about the French penchant for near-deification of artists is Dr. G
The French love to speak in negatives: not bad instead of good, not false instead of true. This week, Emily is joined by Phineas Rueckert, an investigative journalist who is particularly intrigued by the way the French wield the phrase c’est pa
Cheese is alive… and to ensure it grows up properly, most cheesemakers rely on the expertise of an affineur or ager. To explore the world of French cheese aging – plus cheese etiquette and desert island cheeses – I’m joined today by Jennifer Gr
In France, a "good" immigrant is one who is intégré, integrated. This concept encapsulates values, language, culture, religion... and has frequently been weaponized against people of color. To delve into the ways in which this value looms large
When you think of a Parisienne, do you imagine a temptress? A svelte fashionista? Well that narrow worldview is such a small part of the truth – something Lindsey Tramuta has sought to address head-on with her book The New Parisienne – and with
Unlock more with Podchaser Pro
- Audience Insights
- Contact Information
- Demographics
- Charts
- Sponsor History
- and More!
- Account
- Register
- Log In
- Find Friends
- Resources
- Help Center
- Blog
- API
Podchaser is the ultimate destination for podcast data, search, and discovery. Learn More
- © 2025 Podchaser, Inc.
- Privacy Policy
- Terms of Service
- Contact Us