So French!
The podcast from Paris about French current affairs, culture and politics. Hosted by Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries
Episodes
October 22, 2025 • 8 mins
🎉 We’re Back! So French Returns After 5 Years 🇫🇷
After a five-year hiatus, So French is back — and celebrating 10 years since our very first episode! In this special relaunch, co-hosts Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries reunite to reflect on the past decade of podcasting about life in France, #politics, scandals (yes, plenty!), and the ever-evolving French society.
Join us as we talk about what’s changed — and what hasn’t — s...
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January 20, 2020 • 33 mins
It's the seventh week of the National Strike. Will we see any major developments, or will the country stay chaotic over the next couple of days?
What's at stake in the upcoming local Elections? Will the pension reform diminish Macron's chances? And who will become the next Mayor of Paris?
A dustman in Paris was fired because someone tweeted that he was taking a nap. What's behind this story?
Recorded in Paris, 19 January 2020.
What's at stake in the upcoming local Elections? Will the pension reform diminish Macron's chances? And who will become the next Mayor of Paris?
A dustman in Paris was fired because someone tweeted that he was taking a nap. What's behind this story?
Recorded in Paris, 19 January 2020.
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December 2, 2019 • 29 mins
This week: Black Thursday is coming! On December 5, a national strike will paralyze the country. It could well last until the New Year. How to survive what could become the biggest strike in decades?
Another black day for the French Army, when 13 soldiers died in a helicopter accident during an anti-jihadist operation in Mali. France’s military involvement in Africa is now in question.
Turning Black Friday green? As the infamous Nove...
Another black day for the French Army, when 13 soldiers died in a helicopter accident during an anti-jihadist operation in Mali. France’s military involvement in Africa is now in question.
Turning Black Friday green? As the infamous Nove...
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November 16, 2019 • 35 mins
Parlez-vous franglais? The French are not known for speaking English fluently. Or any other foreign language. Our guest, Giuseppe Fantigrossi of the start-up Play2Speak, will tell us why that is the case, and more importantly: how the French can finally improve their foreign language skills.
This weekend, it has been one year already that the Yellow Vests started their protests. And they are continuing. There were violent clashes in...
This weekend, it has been one year already that the Yellow Vests started their protests. And they are continuing. There were violent clashes in...
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November 3, 2019 • 29 mins
Seine-Saint-Denis is France's poorest district. In 2024 it will be the main site of the Olympic Games. This week the government presented a plan to improve life for its 1.6 million inhabitants. What are the challenges? And is the plan sufficient?
Bad news for New York Foodies: in 2023, all foie gras will be banned. We talk with New York Chef Hugue Dufour, who is not amused with the ban.
On this side of the Ocean, Halloween is getting...
Bad news for New York Foodies: in 2023, all foie gras will be banned. We talk with New York Chef Hugue Dufour, who is not amused with the ban.
On this side of the Ocean, Halloween is getting...
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October 20, 2019 • 29 mins
Once every while debate rages in France about Muslim veils. This week another high-point was reached: the topic was discussed in no less than 85 (!) TV programmes, with 286 talking heads, not one of them being a veil wearing muslim woman...
In the country that has 'Liberty' and 'Equality' in its publicity slogan, many people would like to see restrictions on the way people dress. And by 'people', they often mean 'Muslim women'. Is ...
In the country that has 'Liberty' and 'Equality' in its publicity slogan, many people would like to see restrictions on the way people dress. And by 'people', they often mean 'Muslim women'. Is ...
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October 4, 2019 • 28 mins
Hosts Sara and Stefan are baffled by this week's media frenzy following former President Jacques Chirac's death. Why did French media go bananas with their coverage? They also discuss the fire at the chemical plant in Rouen. The aftermath showed once again that French citizens have very little trust in government institutions. And to a certain extent, that distrust is justified by the way French authorities has been handling some s...
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September 21, 2019 • 29 mins
The schools have started again, the Rentrée is almost forgotten, yet the debate on how to reform the old fashioned and underperforming French education system is still raging.
The OECD published a report comparing school systems around the World, and the French are not the best pupils. We go into detail of these findings with our special guest Juliette Buisson, Middle School Teacher in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
And also: Patrick Balka...
The OECD published a report comparing school systems around the World, and the French are not the best pupils. We go into detail of these findings with our special guest Juliette Buisson, Middle School Teacher in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
And also: Patrick Balka...
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September 7, 2019 • 23 mins
The crazy hot Europan Summer is over and that means we're back with So French! It is our fifth Season already. And we are recording in a brand new studio not far from the Eiffel Tower.
In this week's episode: France is getting serious about violence against women, while Brazil is insulting Macron. Also: the families of the victims of Air France flight 447 were shocked to learn that the investigating judges will drop their inquiry in...
In this week's episode: France is getting serious about violence against women, while Brazil is insulting Macron. Also: the families of the victims of Air France flight 447 were shocked to learn that the investigating judges will drop their inquiry in...
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July 13, 2019 • 34 mins
A special guest: Lindsey Tramuta, from Lost in Cheesland
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May 15, 2019 • 35 mins
Three French 'B’s' are competing for a spot on the World Cultural Heritage List. Will it be the baguette, the bistro or Paris’s bouquinistes that gets the official heritage stamp from Unesco's much-coveted seal of approval? We’ll try to make up our mind of what we think is the most important French tradition to preserve!
France’s top political power couple since almost four decades goes on trial! Politicians Isabelle and Patrick Ba...
France’s top political power couple since almost four decades goes on trial! Politicians Isabelle and Patrick Ba...
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April 28, 2019 • 39 mins
President Emmanuel Macron gave his first press conference since his election almost two years ago. We were there and give you a summary.
The Notre-Dame trauma, turning into a Notre-Dame drama, with controversy regarding everything from the funds donated for its reconstruction, the state of the French heritage sites and WHAT the new Notre-Dame should look like
French drug dealers taking on new methods to retain their clients, or how...
The Notre-Dame trauma, turning into a Notre-Dame drama, with controversy regarding everything from the funds donated for its reconstruction, the state of the French heritage sites and WHAT the new Notre-Dame should look like
French drug dealers taking on new methods to retain their clients, or how...
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April 7, 2019 • 28 mins
This week:
While trying to fight fake news, Emmanuel Macron fell on his own sword. Facebook and Twitter resued a European election campaign made by the French government because of breaking the new French Fake News law. Our guest Jackson Webster, a cybersecurity expert of Legalcluster in Paris, talks to us about the difficult relationship between social media and governments.
Would you like to buy an appartment in Paris? Dream on! Th...
While trying to fight fake news, Emmanuel Macron fell on his own sword. Facebook and Twitter resued a European election campaign made by the French government because of breaking the new French Fake News law. Our guest Jackson Webster, a cybersecurity expert of Legalcluster in Paris, talks to us about the difficult relationship between social media and governments.
Would you like to buy an appartment in Paris? Dream on! Th...
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March 8, 2019 • 29 mins
This week we try to find an answer to essential life questions like should we keep Summer Time or Winter Time? And do we say 'pain au chocolat' or 'chocolatine'?
We also discuss the start of the conviction of the Cardinal of Lyon in a child's abuse case and Emmanuel Macron's start of the campaign for the European Elections.
Recorded in Paris, March 7, 2019.
We also discuss the start of the conviction of the Cardinal of Lyon in a child's abuse case and Emmanuel Macron's start of the campaign for the European Elections.
Recorded in Paris, March 7, 2019.
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February 6, 2019 • 28 mins
This week we talk about the controversy regarding French police’s non-leathal flash-ball weapons, about food and about France's entry for this year's Eurovision Song Contest.
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January 13, 2019 • 32 mins
To satisfy the yellow vests, Emmanuel Macron launched his Grand National Debate. But will it be enough to calm down the profound anger in French society?
In the mean time, Renault's CEO Carlos Ghosn is still in a Japanese prison, are the French smoking less and less and was the country eating a lot of galette des rois...
Recorded in Paris, 12 January 2019
In the mean time, Renault's CEO Carlos Ghosn is still in a Japanese prison, are the French smoking less and less and was the country eating a lot of galette des rois...
Recorded in Paris, 12 January 2019
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December 29, 2018 • 35 mins
We are having a coffee with author Agnès Poirier in the fancy Café de Flore. She is a journalist and writer of “Left Bank”, a lively account of the intellectual and artistic life in post-war Paris.
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December 23, 2018 • 28 mins
Yellow vest protests have disrupted more or less everything in France's everyday life. What happens now? Will the anger be back after Christmas?
And in the middle of this, the environment weems to be the collateral damage. Over a million French now want to sue the government to force them to take action to save our planet.
And in the middle of this, the environment weems to be the collateral damage. Over a million French now want to sue the government to force them to take action to save our planet.
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November 6, 2018 • 27 mins
The mystery of the babies born without arms. A new health scandal, and a possible cover-up by authorities? We’ll talk you through the story that’s grappling France.
Emmanuel Macron took some rest, he was allegedly very tired. Yet, making fun of the President, is a lucrative business. Tens of thousands of euros to migrants and homeless people thanks to Macron’s best - or worst - quotes.
Emmanuel Macron took some rest, he was allegedly very tired. Yet, making fun of the President, is a lucrative business. Tens of thousands of euros to migrants and homeless people thanks to Macron’s best - or worst - quotes.
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October 19, 2018 • 28 mins
At least ten people said 'non' to Macron, but after two weeks of looking for candidates, the French President finally managed to reshuffle his government.
Police raided the offices of Les Insoumises, the left-wing party, and that didn’t go down very well with its leader Jean Luc Mélenchon...
Will a new measure to improve air conditions in France’s major cities: will car tolls save it’ inhabitants from pollution?
Football Star Kylian...
Police raided the offices of Les Insoumises, the left-wing party, and that didn’t go down very well with its leader Jean Luc Mélenchon...
Will a new measure to improve air conditions in France’s major cities: will car tolls save it’ inhabitants from pollution?
Football Star Kylian...
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