The Talking France podcast is back with a look at the latest Louvre drama, why French restaurants are falling victim to fast food joints and how comments about France’s WWII leader have caused a political storm and a criminal investigation.
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.
A few weeks after that €88 million jewel heist, Paris’ Louvre museum is back in the news – this time with concerns about ‘structural weaknesses’. Plus, is it really true that the museum’s computer password was ‘louvre’?
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A mass in northern France for the Vichy government leader Philippe Pétain has sparked a political row and a criminal investigation – so who exactly was Pétain, what did he do during World War II, and is it actually illegal to praise him?
We have an update from French politics, of sorts, where the Budget is still grinding its way through parliament. Meanwhile, the far-right’s Jordan Bardella has developed a commanding lead in the polls.
One such budget amendment is the plan for a €50,000 flat tax on fast food franchises – it’s sparked by public health concerns and the fact that in France – the home of UNESCO-recognised gastronomy – fast food outlets now outnumber restaurants.
And finally, unruly, disruptive or violent aeroplane passengers could now face a fine of up to €20,000 after France passed a new decree.
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