https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The Talking France podcast is back with another episode, exploring one of far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s most controversial proposals, the strange story behind a train derailment in rural Normandy, the challenges facing France’s education system and the strength of the French film industry. https://www.thelocal.com/20260917/podcast-could-france-really-favour-the-french-over-foreigners-and-who-derailed-the-normandy-train Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:00:50 +0200 podcast-could-france-really-favour-the-french-over-foreigners-and-who-derailed-the-normandy-train The Talking France podcast is back for another episode looking at the recent scandal involving the Iron Lady (the Eiffel Tower, that is), verlan, tipping in France, and a closer look at a growing split within the country's far-right political party. https://www.thelocal.com/20260910/podcast-new-tipping-culture-drives-the-french-mad-and-far-right-fractures-deepen Thu, 10 Sep 2026 07:49:53 +0200 podcast-new-tipping-culture-drives-the-french-mad-and-far-right-fractures-deepen The Talking France podcast is back with a 'rentrée special' on France's latest political developments, Marine Le Pen's proposed hijab ban, whether the French really hate Parisians, big changes to French cheeses and why September is the best month of the year in France. https://www.thelocal.com/20260903/podcast-le-pens-vile-election-pledge-and-why-french-cheese-could-lose-its-taste Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:10:55 +0200 podcast-le-pens-vile-election-pledge-and-why-french-cheese-could-lose-its-taste The Talking France podcast is back from its summer break with a new episode looking at France's difficult summer, why the country relies so heavily on volunteer firefighters, the political and social challenges facing France as September approaches - and why French people love to correct foreigners. https://www.thelocal.com/20260826/podcast-food-prices-and-strikes-how-the-hellish-summer-has-hit-life-in-france Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:41:04 +0200 podcast-food-prices-and-strikes-how-the-hellish-summer-has-hit-life-in-france The Talking France podcast interrupts its summer break with a special episode on the wildfires raging across the country - why is this fire season so severe, how is it affecting daily life and travel, and are France's political leaders finally waking up to the worsening climate crisis? https://www.thelocal.com/20260729/podcast-france-ravaged-by-climate-crisis-as-wildfires-and-drought-blight-summer Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:39:00 +0200 podcast-france-ravaged-by-climate-crisis-as-wildfires-and-drought-blight-summer The Talking France podcast is back, discussing the ongoing debate about air conditioning in France, the dos and don'ts of drinking wine in the summer and why the country is perhaps the best place in the world to practice naturism. https://www.thelocal.com/20260702/podcast-french-clash-over-air-conditioning-and-how-france-became-the-place-to-get-naked Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:55:20 +0200 podcast-french-clash-over-air-conditioning-and-how-france-became-the-place-to-get-naked The Talking France podcast is back, discussing why France is under-prepared for increasingly severe heatwaves, plus the biggest worries people have about moving here and why there are so many French players at this year's football World Cup. https://www.thelocal.com/20260625/podcast-is-france-prepared-to-face-more-hellish-heatwaves-and-why-are-the-french-ruling-the-world-cup Thu, 25 Jun 2026 06:45:39 +0200 podcast-is-france-prepared-to-face-more-hellish-heatwaves-and-why-are-the-french-ruling-the-world-cup The Talking France podcast is back, looking at Emmanuel Macron's 'diplomatic swansong', debating whether Lyon is really the gastronomic capital of France, giving a tips for off-the-beaten track places to visit this summer and tackling the biggest question of all - does France really have half the world's roundabouts? https://www.thelocal.com/20260616/podcast-macrons-swansong-why-france-is-mad-for-roundabouts-and-how-lyon-became-the-home-of-gastronomy Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:24:09 +0200 podcast-macrons-swansong-why-france-is-mad-for-roundabouts-and-how-lyon-became-the-home-of-gastronomy The Talking France podcast is back with an episode looking at the political storm that has erupted following the death of an 11-year-old girl, what France's population could look like by 2070, and which region offers the better quality of life: Normandy or Brittany. https://www.thelocal.com/20260611/podcast-70000-outstanding-complaints-france-rocked-by-scale-of-child-sexual-violence Thu, 11 Jun 2026 08:08:33 +0200 podcast-70000-outstanding-complaints-france-rocked-by-scale-of-child-sexual-violence The Talking France podcast is back, discussing how France deals with sexism, how the country is coming to terms with its involvement in the slave trade and why French football victories always seems to lead to violence. https://www.thelocal.com/20260604/podcast-will-france-pay-for-its-role-in-slavery-and-why-the-violence-after-psgs-triumph Thu, 04 Jun 2026 07:51:26 +0200 podcast-will-france-pay-for-its-role-in-slavery-and-why-the-violence-after-psgs-triumph The Talking France podcast returns this week with a look at the major controversy that kicked off at the Cannes Film Festival, a few things you need to know about renovating a French home, and why Britons have been refused entry into the country in recent months. https://www.thelocal.com/20260521/podcast-france-frets-over-contaminated-baguettes-and-how-to-avoid-renovation-nightmares Thu, 21 May 2026 08:20:51 +0200 podcast-france-frets-over-contaminated-baguettes-and-how-to-avoid-renovation-nightmares The Talking France podcast is back with a look at the possible disappearance of rent controls in France, the latest on swimming in the Seine, the €16 million French château scam and the many different ways to say 'sorry' in French. https://www.thelocal.com/20260513/podcast-the-e16m-french-chateau-scam-and-why-2027-could-be-a-scary-year-in-france Wed, 13 May 2026 08:31:05 +0200 podcast-the-e16m-french-chateau-scam-and-why-2027-could-be-a-scary-year-in-france The Talking France podcast is back with a look at the plague of mosquitoes targeting France, the latest on the presidential elections, where the French go to get good food, and the many different ways to say 'you're welcome' - plus a little diversion into French colonial adventures in the USA. https://www.thelocal.com/20260505/podcast-frances-new-anti-mosquito-measures-and-where-the-french-go-for-good-food Tue, 05 May 2026 13:44:14 +0200 podcast-frances-new-anti-mosquito-measures-and-where-the-french-go-for-good-food The Talking France podcast returns this week, covering Elon Musk’s missed meeting with French prosecutors, the potential consequences of scrapping the country’s low-emission zones, and the risk of flight cancellations this summer linked to the war in the Middle East. https://www.thelocal.com/20260423/podcast-france-takes-on-musk-and-will-french-airports-run-out-of-jet-fuel Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:01:28 +0200 podcast-france-takes-on-musk-and-will-french-airports-run-out-of-jet-fuel The Talking France podcast is back, this week discussing the 'sacred' May 1st public holiday, why France's most unique region wants independence, and how the country is set to lose 1.7 million children over the next decade. https://www.thelocal.com/20260416/podcast-france-to-lose-1-7-million-kids-and-far-right-photoshoot-causes-stir Thu, 16 Apr 2026 07:53:03 +0200 podcast-france-to-lose-1-7-million-kids-and-far-right-photoshoot-causes-stir The Talking France podcast is back with the tale of French tax woes over takeaways, the new plan to cut waiting times for residency cards, why one part of France doesn't have motorway tolls and whether France is really running out of fuel. https://www.thelocal.com/20260409/podcast-french-tax-traps-to-avoid-and-why-paris-is-divided-in-two Thu, 09 Apr 2026 09:01:42 +0200 podcast-french-tax-traps-to-avoid-and-why-paris-is-divided-in-two The Talking France podcast is back with a look at how the war in Iran is affecting daily life in France, the likely runners in the 2027 presidential election, why the French love Celine Dion so much and the different ways to say 'hello'. https://www.thelocal.com/20260401/podcast-oil-crisis-fuels-french-anger-and-is-france-sleepwalking-into-a-far-right-presidency Wed, 01 Apr 2026 07:54:56 +0200 podcast-oil-crisis-fuels-french-anger-and-is-france-sleepwalking-into-a-far-right-presidency The Talking France podcast returns with a special edition looking at all things local elections - from results and reactions, to what this means for the 2027 presidential election. https://www.thelocal.com/20260323/podcast-the-verdict-on-what-the-local-election-results-mean-for-france Mon, 23 Mar 2026 16:02:06 +0100 podcast-the-verdict-on-what-the-local-election-results-mean-for-france The Talking France podcast returns with a look at the results from the first round of France’s local elections, regions where you can buy a home for under €200k and lunches recommended by the French health ministry. https://www.thelocal.com/20260317/podcast-tense-french-elections-head-for-super-sunday-climax-and-5-french-towns-worth-moving-to Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:53:32 +0100 podcast-tense-french-elections-head-for-super-sunday-climax-and-5-french-towns-worth-moving-to The Talking France podcast is back after a two-week break looking at everything surrounding the upcoming French local elections, the rising petrol prices in the country, and why so many Americans are moving to Montpellier. https://www.thelocal.com/20260310/podcast-why-french-local-elections-really-matter-and-macron-walks-middle-east-tightrope Tue, 10 Mar 2026 17:53:43 +0100 podcast-why-french-local-elections-really-matter-and-macron-walks-middle-east-tightrope