Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France’s Emma Pearson, Genevieve Mansfield and John Lichfield to discuss all the latest news and talking points from France.

We also have a special guest this week, Simon Kuper, the author of the forthcoming book Impossible City – Paris in the 21st Century who tells us about how Paris and Parisians themselves have changed over the years.

The Talking France team also discusses France’s dozens of passenger, commercial airports. We get into why there are so many of them and what the future holds for the country’s many small-to-medium sized airports, which rely on government assistance to break even.

You can find the Talking France podcast on Spotify or Apple podcasts, download it here or listen on the link below

We also dive into ‘the biggest decision in the last 60 years’ for Champagne and how climate change is bringing our favourite bubbly beverage to south-east England.

A common belief about France’s benefits system is that people on unemployment can take home thousands of euro per month. Our team fact-checks some claims about French unemployment, and why the system might be due for a change in the coming months.

And finally, can you guess the most dangerous animal in France? We discuss whether you need to worry about running into bears and wolves in French forests, plus some tips on how to avoid other deadly animals.

Talking France is a free podcast made possible by the support of paying members of The Local France. You can find all previous episodes HERE, and find out more about supporting The Local HERE

Further reading

• Are France’s loss-making regional airports under threat?
• France to revise its Champagne-making area due to climate change
• How generous is France’s unemployment system?
• What are the most dangerous animals in France?