Host Ben McPartland is joined by Emma Pearson, Genevieve Mansfield and John Lichfield for the weekly look at all things French and France-related.

We start with the farmers protests that are sweeping the nation – leading to blockades on dozens of roads. Just why are the farmers so angry? Is it all the fault of the EU? And will the French government cave in to their demands?

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

As the French film Anatomy of a Fall scoops five Oscar nominations we look at the French ‘cultural exception’ and ask how much funding French film-makers really get from the state. 

A seemingly quite pedestrian scheme to expand parental leave and offer free fertility checks has sparked a war of words in France – here’s why Emmanuel Macron’s demographic plan has become controversial.

We’re taking a trip to France’s ‘forgotten département’ and finding some reasons to visit and we conclude with the history of French fries – are they French at all? And what other ‘French’ things actually come from here?

You can find all previous episodes of Talking France here, including special episodes where we answer our listeners’ questions about life in France and predict what will happen in France in 2024.

READ MORE:

• French farmers have legitimate complaints but it’s not all the EU’s fault
• Are French fries really French?
• Birth rate in France falls to lowest rate since WWII
• Could France’s forgotten département see the return of train services?
• Oscars revenge for film ‘Anatomy of a fall’ after French snub