3 Podcasts to Help You Discover the Real Paris (Not the One from Emily in Paris!)

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When I first moved to the US, people asked me where I came from. I said Paris, France. Not that this was entirely wrong. It had been the last city I lived in while in France.  But not completely right, either, as I am a proud “Bretonne” (from Brittany, in the North West of France). My vocabulary did not allow me to provide much geographical nuance and so I’d said the thing I thought was easiest for others to understand. I remember one of my colleagues who immediately said “Paris? Your life must have been so romantic.” It made me smile.

Fast forward to December 2021: I have a bad cold, I am tired and I am on vacation. My day had Netflix written all over it. When I saw that the second season of Emily in Paris had been released, I decided it was fate and binged the whole season in a day. I won’t go into a deep critique of the show (Frenchly did it really well right here already). I am usually hard to disappoint but I think we can all agree that this show is full of clichés. That’s actually the whole point of it.

After watching Emily in Paris that day, I realized that I wanted to give you more flavor about what France is really like. In my opinion, podcasts are the best way to discover…well, anything at all. They allow you to indulge in a language, a culture, a whole world, even, while stimulating your imagination. 

As a reminder, here is what the headphones next to the titles mean: one headphone, like this: ?  is for shorter and more tractable French and up to three headphones like this:  ?  ? ?  for longer and more complex. New: I now make sure to include both English- and French-speaking podcasts. You’ll identify them with flags: the French one ?? for French and the American one ??  for English.

 

The New Paris, Lindsey Tramuta ? ??

What it’s about

Lindsey Tramuta is an American who has lived in Paris for over 15 years. She came as a student, fell in love, and became (almost) French. She is an international writer now, and author of the bestselling book The New Parisienne. She created the first episode of her podcast, “The New Paris,” in 2017 and has since produced almost 100 episodes. She describes Paris as “a city that is as gritty as it is chic, as maddening as it is enriching, and as messy as it is manicured. All of these layers, including the less pleasant ones, make up its character.” In “The New Paris,” Lindsey Tramuta focuses each episode on one aspect of Paris, the new and real Paris.

What I like about this show

“The New Paris” offers a wide diversity of topics about French culture and in the choice of guests. The conversations are deep, some are fun, some are very heated, but all of them are really sharp. And even as a born-and-raised French lady myself, I learn a lot by listening to it. The New Paris is also a book where Tramuta offers detailed insights into everything that makes the reputation of Paris.

An episode not to miss

Do not miss this episode with Sutanya Dacres, the host of the podcast Dinner for One which is one of my favorites. In it, Lindsey and Sutanaya react to season 1 of Emily in Paris and discuss the different “categories” of foreigners living in Paris. It’s fun and smart, and you truly hang on the edge of your seat. 

Sens de la Visite, Jérémie Thomas ?? ??

What it’s about

“Sens de la Visite” literally refers to the navigational signs on the wall you see while visiting an art exhibit.  This podcast aims to bring us closer to art and to the places where one can find it. You will hear from a variety of people,  ranging from experts to amateurs talk about the art, the artist, or even the museum.

What I like about this show

The newest season of this podcast takes us directly right to the art. I love  the way we hear from complete strangers about their relationships to art and the impact it has on their lives. 

An episode not to miss

I really loved the Louvre episode with Marion. She is 24 and used to work for The Louvre as a surveillance agent. In this episode, she takes us behind the scenes, and far far away from the Joconde and the Venus de Milo to introduce us to her favorite pieces. 

Cerno l’anti-enquête, Julien Cernobori ?? ??

What it’s about

This podcast is a bit of a UFO here. Why is a true crime podcast part of my selection for podcasts about the “Real and Authentic Paris,” you may ask? Because this podcast is so much more. Reporter Julien Cernobori discovered a serial killer lived in his apartment building. From there, Cernobori goes on a life-long quest, literally what he calls an “anti-investigation,” where he honors the memory of the killer’s victims by retracing their lives. He also visits crime scenes and tries to understand the killer’s motives. 

What I like about this show

While it could be a very dark podcast, Cernobori offers us an ode to life where he celebrates the humanity inside all of us. Because of how old the crimes are, he interviews a lot of senior people which is truly fascinating as so much wisdom comes from these encounters. The reporter takes us through the streets of Paris to conduct a life-long documentary — far from the Champs Elysées et Rue de Rivoli, far from “Emily in Paris’” headquarters! 

An episode not to miss

Impossible to only pick one! However, my recommendation is to absolutely listen to the episodes in the order of how they were released for the whole “anti-investigation” to make sense to the listener. 

 

 

 

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