So French!

France is once again taking to the streets. Sara and Stefan unpack the growing wave of protests and strikes, driven by rising living costs, pressure on public services and deep frustration with the government’s response. With the presidential election approaching, they look at who could benefit from the unrest: Marine Le Pen, Jean-Luc Mélenchon and struggling centre-right candidate Édouard Philipp...

France is facing another explosive wave of protests. In this episode, Sarah and Stefan look at how teenage students, parents, teachers and the Yellow Vests have found common ground, and why that convergence is making the authorities increasingly nervous. They discuss the anger over inflation, insecure futures and a government widely seen as out of touch; the violence on the streets of Paris; smash...

Raphaël Glucksmann isn’t even a Socialist Party member. Last Sunday, he won its primary anyway, with two-thirds of the vote, leaving the party’s own leader on 14 per cent. Stefan de Vries asks what is left of the French Socialists, why the “united left” never got to hold its own vote, and who really gains from Glucksmann’s win: Mélenchon, or François Hollande waiting in the wings. Plus: a new Les...

France is simmering. In this episode, Sara and Stefan unpack the high-school protests spreading across the country: overcrowded classrooms, missing teachers, tense confrontations with police, and what young people are demanding for their future. They also discuss Mediapart’s reporting on alleged past antisemitic messages by Jordan Bardella — and what the political fallout could mean for the Rassem...

What happens when two minutes of political commentary send France’s biggest radio station silent? Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries unpack the mounting pressure on French media—and what it reveals about power, politics and free speech in France. Their guest is Hind Ziane, geopolitical analyst, TV commentator and founder and CEO of Paris-based political strategy and CivicTech company Génération P...

France is back from summer break, and so is its most wide-open presidential race in decades. Political scientist Damien Lecomte joins Sara and Stefan to explain why voters now fear Jean-Luc Mélenchon more than Marine Le Pen, and what that means for 2027. So French! is back for season 7! Sara and Stefan return from the summer break to a France gearing up for the most unpredictable presidential elec...

In this episode, Stefan and Sara discuss France's extreme heatwave, government responses to climate change, transparency issues in French politics, and upcoming French presidential elections. Stefan also tells how his journalistic nosiness led to a radical change in French public spending, or as Sara calls it, the "Lex De Vries".

This week on So French! , Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries look at two sexual abuse scandals shaking France: the killing of 11-year-old Lyhanna and the growing allegations against singer and actor Patrick Bruel. What do these cases reveal about the failures of the French justice system, the protection of women and children, and the way power shields powerful men? And after the darkness, a littl...

At the Cannes Film Festival, the biggest drama isn’t on screen. In this episode of So French, Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries dive into the growing power of billionaire Vincent Bolloré over French media, cinema and politics. Can one media empire shape what Europe watches, thinks and creates? Plus: fresh trouble for presidential hopeful Édouard Philippe, the endless parade of Macron-era politic...

S06E11: One year before France’s 2027 presidential election, the race is already crowded with old political heavyweights, ambitious newcomers and oversized egos. Stefan and Sara discuss the return of familiar names like François Hollande, Dominique de Villepin and Michel Barnier, the chances of Édouard Philippe and Jordan Bardella, and the question hanging over French politics: who comes after Emm...

Ten years after the launch of En Marche , we take stock of the Macron era. What has Emmanuel Macron’s promise of a political movement “neither left nor right” truly delivered? Has France been transformed, or has it become more divided than ever? We also unpack the results of the latest local elections, the final major political test ahead of the 2027 presidential race. What do these outcomes revea...

France heads to the polls and to the table in this new episode of So French . Stefan de Vries and Sara Bertilsson unpack the first round of the local elections, where nearly all races were decided in one go, yet the political landscape looks more fragmented than ever. Is this a preview of the 2027 presidential battle, or just another uniquely French paradox? In Paris, the high-stakes duel between...

A very French week of Power and Pleasure! France had quite a week. Macron deployed the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier to the Mediterranean, reshaped France's nuclear doctrine, and floated the idea of extending the French nuclear umbrella to European allies,  including the Netherlands. Is this the moment Europe finally gets serious about its own defence? Or is this Paris doing what Paris do...

In Episode 7 of So French!, we return to the courtroom, where far-right leader Marine Le Pen is battling to preserve her political future. Prosecutors want her conviction in the European Parliament fake jobs scandal upheld, including a five-year ban from office. Yet they stopped short of demanding immediate enforcement, leaving a narrow legal path that could still see her on the 2027 presidential...

France finally has a budget and, for now at least, a government to go with it. In this episode of So French , Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries unpack how Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu pushed the 2026 budget through parliament using the notorious Article 49.3, why the Socialists backed away from a no-confidence vote, and what this very French political drama tells us about power, compromise,...

A new year, familiar chaos! In the first So French! episode of 2026, Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries look back at a turbulent 2025 in French politics and ask what lies ahead in the final full year of President Emmanuel Macron . From collapsing governments and record-low approval ratings to court rulings that reshaped the political landscape, we unpack the key moments that defined last year. An...

Christmas in France means lights, long dinners… and traditionally, plenty of wine. But something is shifting. In this festive Christmas edition of So French! , Sara Bertilsson and Stefan de Vries meet Sarah Missaoui , founder of Déjà Bu , Paris’s first alcohol-free bar and drinks cellar. As more French people drink less or stop altogether, even during the holidays, what does that mean for a countr...

This week, So French goes deep into one urgent question: what is France really doing in the war in #Ukraine — and what does it mean for #Europe’s future? Two major shocks landed almost at the same time: 🔹 Donald Trump’s surprise 28-point “peace plan” 🔹 A French-Ukrainian deal for up to 100 Rafale fighter jets over the coming decade Grand promises, geopolitical theatre… and hard realities. To sep...

In this episode, Stefan and Sara delve into the complexities of French politics, exploring the cultural psyche that influences political behaviour, particularly the reluctance to compromise. They discuss recent developments, including Amsterdam's new parking regulations targeting French tourists, the ongoing debates surrounding the French state budget, and the implications of Nicolas Sarkozy&#...

Ten years ago today, So French! was born — just one week before the terror attacks that would forever change France. As we relaunch our podcast in a turbulent political and social landscape, Sara and Stefan look back at a decade of transformation: from terror threats to TikTok-era extremism, and from François Hollande to Emmanuel Macron (and still, somehow, Nicolas Sarkozy). This week, we dive int...

🎉 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’...

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? Recor...

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 Bla...

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 conti...

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 si...