French podcasts: intermediate to advanced

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jeffers
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French podcasts: intermediate to advanced

Postby jeffers » Sun Aug 15, 2021 12:11 pm

After asking for suggestions elsewhere I spent a lot of time this summer searching for and listening to podcasts for intermediate students. I thought it would be useful to create a list here, and I welcome any comments on any of the podcasts and any suggestions for additions. I will try to update the list periodically, and will add in any new suggestions which meet the criteria.

For every podcast I will give a link to the website (if there is one), mention whether transcripts are available and how to get them, and a description containing things like the duration, pace of speaking, recording quality, etc.

The criteria for "intermediate" podcasts is fairly simple: the podcast is aimed at learners, but should be almost entirely in French (barring the occasional translation). At least one of the podcasts has an English introduction (mentioned in the descriptions below). I am trying to be fairly comprehensive here, listing any intermediate podcast I can find.

The criterion for "advanced" is simply that it's a podcast aimed at native speakers. For advanced podcasts I am being more selective, listing podcasts which are recommended or are very popular.

If you have any podcasts to suggest, state which list it belongs in, and include (if possible) the following points: name, typical duration, transcript availability, recording quality, topics, etc.
Last edited by jeffers on Sun Aug 15, 2021 12:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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jeffers
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Re: French podcasts: intermediate to advanced

Postby jeffers » Sun Aug 15, 2021 12:12 pm

~*~*~*~*~Intermediate~*~*~*~*~

Le français à la une https://www.oui-speakfrench.com/podcast-1
5-6 minutes explaining recent headlines. Free transcripts and pictures of the front pages being explained, on the website only. A bit slow but I really like the concept.

Paris O’Clock https://parisoclock.com/podcast/
20-30 minutes about general cultural topics (history, places, films, etc). Transcripts on the website with a free subscription. Speaking pace is a bit slow but the topics are interesting.

One Thing in a French Day https://onethinginafrenchday.podbean.com/
3-5 minutes, 3 times a week. Transcripts with paid subscription only. I really liked the idea, but the execution is lacking somewhat. The host has quite a soft voice, and when she is recording at home I can hear the noises her mouth makes as clearly as I can hear what she is saying.

Français avec Pierre https://www.francaisavecpierre.com/category/podcasts/
10-20 minute podcasts specifically about learning French. Some interesting topics such as the hardest words to pronounce, common mistakes, etc. Sometimes it is just Pierre, but he is also often joined by a female host. The speaking pace is fairly quick but clear. Not afraid to explain grammar. I couldn’t find any transcripts. The website has different episodes to Google podcasts.

Français authentique https://www.francaisauthentique.com/podcasts/
A variety of topics, some of them specifically about language issues, e.g. “7 locutions figées avec EN et Y”, and « 7 homophones français à ne pas confondre », but others are on more random topics. Most episodes around 10-12 minutes, but a few are longer. Transcripts visible on Google Podcasts, and you can download the mp3 and pdf from there as well. Recording quality isn’t great, but it is still quite easy to listen to.

Flluidité https://podcast.lefranchute.com/
Culture, history, etc. Generally 15-20 minutes, but some as short as 12 minutes and some as long as 30. Transcripts can be downloaded as PDFs for free, from the website or from Google Podcasts. A paid subscription allows you to download bilingual transcripts. Speech is supposed to be “natural and easy” and I find his clarity and rate of speech to be comparable to a news bulletin, so pretty fast but still quite clear. Unfortunately has a full minute long introduction which is the same every time, but at least it’s in French! Some episodes end with an advertisement in Spanish.

Le Français avec Yasmine https://ilearnfrench.eu/podcast/
6-12 minute episodes. Seems just a bit slow to me, so would probably be better at A2.

Ehoui https://ehouionline.com/my-podcast
Mostly 15-20 minutes, but a few episodes considerably longer. Downloadable from the website. No transcripts, but each episode is on YouTube with French subtitles.

Mankai your French
There are two sets of podcasts, Mankai # … and Mankai Island # … . The former are short podcasts on single topics, and range from 3-6 minutes normally. The Mankai Island episodes are longer and each one has a guest. I really like these episodes for the conversation and banter between the host and his guests. No website, just available on podcast providers such as Spotify and Google Podcasts.

Fleur-de-lis: a French podcast
From Quebec, so presumably a bit more Québécois. 6-10 minute episodes on a wide variety of topics. Quite slow. No website, just available on podcast providers such as Spotify and Google Podcasts. No transcripts.

Louis French Lessons https://louisfrenchlessons.libsyn.com/
5-6 minute podcasts. Each one is centred around a single sentence, which is spoken twice and then explained word by word mainly in French, but with occasional translation given of a word or phrase. Unfortunately, it starts and ends with unrelated advertisements in English, and then his own advertisement in English about his podcasts and his courses, making a full 1 minute in English before the podcast even starts! The concept seems like a good idea, but I couldn’t concentrate on it. Perhaps it would be better with transcripts, but I couldn’t find any. The description does have the sentence in French and in English, so that is helpful. However, the full minute of English at the start of every episode is a deal killer for me.

Daily French Pod https://dailyfrenchpod.com/episodes/
Almost identical to Louis French Lessons, made by the same guy, but different topics. No unrelated advertisements, but his own introduction in English takes 20 seconds.

Nouvelles en Français Facile
The written descriptions of the episodes are in Swedish, but the podcasts are 100% French. 5 minute podcasts about the news. Each episode contains short extracts of native news or interviews, which the hosts discuss and explain in clear and simple French. The hosts speak very slowly, so it would be most suitable for A1-A2 students. No transcripts?

Journal en Français Facile
10 minutes of daily news in slightly slow French. Transcript on the website.

Les mots de l’actualité
3-4 minute episodes from RFI, each one explaining a word or short phrase that appears in the news.

News in Slow French
The free 4 minute podcasts actually just consist of the hosts telling you what they will be talking about in the paid podcast for the week. So it’s basically an advert, but it’s in French! Quite slow, so better for A1-A2, although they have different levels for the paid podcasts. The description contains a transcript.

The French Podcast https://www.thefrenchpodcast.com/
“Natural, authentic conversations in French. Listen. Absorb. Produce.” Oriented mainly around conversations, some are probably staged such as “Chez le coiffeur”, others are interviews. Only available on their website, the episodes can be downloaded, but transcripts are for members only. Was weekly, but doesn’t seem to have been updated since early 2020. The recordings are quite amateurish but clear, the conversations seem quite natural.

The French Instinct https://katys-languages.com/
Targeted at “B1-C2”. 10-20 minute episodes on a variety of topics, with the motto “Parle, pense, vis en français”. Very professional in tone, perhaps too professional, the episodes have a lot of music and the introduction lasts for 60-100 seconds. However, the topics are good, the host is engaging and the recording quality is among the best. Transcript can be read on the website (episode links are in the description), and pdfs can be downloaded with a free subscription.

Sooo French Podcast

InnerFrench

L’avis de Marie

Balades
Last edited by jeffers on Mon Aug 23, 2021 10:11 pm, edited 4 times in total.
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Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien (roughly, the perfect is the enemy of the good)

French SC Books: 0 / 5000 (0/5000 pp)
French SC Films: 0 / 9000 (0/9000 mins)

jeffers
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Re: French podcasts: intermediate to advanced

Postby jeffers » Sun Aug 15, 2021 12:13 pm

~*~*~*~*~Advanced~*~*~*~*~

Au coeur de l'histoire
20 minute documentary style podcasts about history.

Transfert
Seems to be one of the more popular podcasts in French. A different personal story every time, so different voices. 20 minutes to an hour. I read somewhere (I forgot where) that this is the most popular French podcast.

Grand Reportage
In-depth news documentary from RFI. I read somewhere (I forgot where) that this is the second most popular French podcast.

Une semaine d'actualité
The week’s news reviewed in 49 minutes. From RFI.

Parler comme jamais
30-50 minutes, discussion of issues around the French language.

Affaires Sensible
55 minutes focused on a single important event of the late 20th century

Kiffe ta race
45 minute episodes about race relations and related issues.

Rives de Seine
12 episodes lasting 6-9 minutes each. A journalist walks along the Seine, describing and interacting.

Change ma vie
10-30 minutes of wellness advice.
Last edited by jeffers on Sun Aug 15, 2021 12:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien (roughly, the perfect is the enemy of the good)

French SC Books: 0 / 5000 (0/5000 pp)
French SC Films: 0 / 9000 (0/9000 mins)

jeffers
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Re: French podcasts: intermediate to advanced

Postby jeffers » Sun Aug 15, 2021 12:14 pm

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French SC Books: 0 / 5000 (0/5000 pp)
French SC Films: 0 / 9000 (0/9000 mins)

jeffers
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Re: French podcasts: intermediate to advanced

Postby jeffers » Sun Aug 15, 2021 12:14 pm

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Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien (roughly, the perfect is the enemy of the good)

French SC Books: 0 / 5000 (0/5000 pp)
French SC Films: 0 / 9000 (0/9000 mins)

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Re: French podcasts: intermediate to advanced

Postby DaveAgain » Sun Aug 15, 2021 12:45 pm

Advanced.
I don't listen to any podcasts regularly, but one I've often return to from time to time is 'toute une vie' (formally 'une vie, une oeuvre'). This is a radio doccy on the life of a famous person. No transcript, 60 > 90 minutes.

This was one of the first podcasts I listened to, I chose the life of person I already knew something about, and that helped me with understanding e.g. Tolkien, Daphne du Maurier.
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Re: French podcasts: intermediate to advanced

Postby MorkTheFiddle » Sun Aug 15, 2021 5:39 pm

Learning a lesson from the past, I copied the last three posts to my own documents lest they get lost in the shuffle or my feeble memory loses track of them.
Very much appreciate the time and effort spent in finding, researching and reporting on these podcasts.
I used to listen regularly to One Thing in a French Day and liked its simple, homely charm. Monetization spoiled it for me, even if I did not want the transcripts.
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Re: French podcasts: intermediate to advanced

Postby Le Baron » Mon Aug 16, 2021 12:31 am

The Transfert comes from the French version of slate here, which has a lot of podcasts. Perhaps too many. They're pretty much like the slew of trendy young podcasts they have over at BBC 'Sounds' these days. I listened to one about some weirdo who stalked his new neighbour because she wouldn't be his friend and invite him round. He laughingly (though also embarrassed) referred to it as: une histoire de perversion...

Le Parisien also does a podcast called Code Source. The two-parter on Brexit was good.

Both are aimed at advanced speakers I suppose, but the Parisien one is pretty clear.
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MorkTheFiddle
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Re: French podcasts: intermediate to advanced

Postby MorkTheFiddle » Mon Aug 16, 2021 6:58 pm

Le Baron wrote:Le Parisien also does a podcast called Code Source. The two-parter on Brexit was good.
I have been looking for opinions about Brexit from folks living in the EU but outside the UK.
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Re: French podcasts: intermediate to advanced

Postby Le Baron » Mon Aug 16, 2021 7:33 pm

MorkTheFiddle wrote:I have been looking for opinions about Brexit from folks living in the EU but outside the UK.

There was also one I listened to from Deutsche Welle, but it wasn't as good. In the French one they called John Bercow a petit bonhomme.
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