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In France, greeting friends, relatives and co-workers with “la bise” — a kiss hello — is more than tradition. It’s essential. Yet Mathieu Avanzi was so baffled by the custom, it left him wondering: did others feel the same? A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3y59bp7.

Every year on June 21st, musicians across France take to the streets to celebrate la Fête de la musique. Growing up, Fanny’s birthday also happened to be on June 21st…and for a long time, she resented having to share her day with the popular French holiday. Until the tradition took on a special meaning for her… A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3O9Ieal.

In the grand French tradition of winemaking, Beaujolais Nouveau wine was once the cool kid on the block. But when wine connoisseurs felt it went too mainstream, they turned their backs on it. So wine lover Anaïs Pertuizet decided to make a new kind of Beaujolais Nouveau, one that would win back their hearts. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3b4LLZb.

The French love their long summer vacations, les grandes vacances. But they hate the massive traffic jams that go with them. To help vacation-bound drivers and passengers have some fun on the road, traffic radio host Francine Thomas has to get creative. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3GWrJM9.

Le repas gastronomique, the true French feast, is a unique part of French culture. Chef Stéphane Ranieri worked his way up the kitchen ranks in some of France’s most prestigious restaurants. Then one day, he decided to take fine dining to a completely different setting: the rugby stadium. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3NK17Qz.

Perfume is France’s everyday luxury. French people love to wear it, to gift it, but also to create it. When one of France’s foremost perfumers realizes that the perfume-making tradition in his hometown of Grasse is in danger, he vows to defend it. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3lJuKpn.

The Duolingo French Podcast is back with new episodes starting May 24, 2022. Listen to the trailer now!

When Kevin Escoffier entered one of the world’s most epic solo boating races, he faced long odds, dangerous waters, and stiff competition. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3iuoCQ2.

Growing up in Cameroon, Euphrasie Mbamba spent a lot of time on her grandfather’s cacao farm. But it wasn’t until she moved to Belgium that she tasted chocolate for the first time, and understood the power of the fruits from her childhood. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3MVLnu7.

A passionate rower trains to build her strength and perfect her technique for the Paralympics… But along the way she also learns the importance of maintaining her mental health. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/35BAMnE.

Ouafa Mameche didn’t speak French when she first arrived in France at the age of seven. But her passion for rap music led her to love the language and find her place in her adopted homeland. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3C46bKW.

In March 2014, Richard Hardin received a phone call that would change his life and cause him to question everything he thought he knew about his family history. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/35iKeLP.

A young woman from the region of Brittany falls in love with the local language, le breton. Through her passion for language learning, she decides to help save the Breton language from extinction. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3oQnABC.

Luc was a maintenance technician in Parisian hotels who dreamed of becoming a bookseller. With little experience, but a lot of passion, he opened a new kind of bookstore, one aimed at serving the busy working people and immigrants living in his suburb outside Paris. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3HCNxfk.

A mountain rescuer in the French town of Chamonix decides to go on one of the riskiest missions of his career. A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3AOV9IV.

The Duolingo French Podcast is back with new episodes starting February 1, 2022. Listen to the trailer now!

In the sixth and final episode of our series, Alexandre experiences life in France’s notorious overseas prison camp, le Bagne. Always the rebel, he attempts the riskiest of escapes… Meanwhile, in Paris, his mother Marie leads a tireless campaign for his release. Will either of them prevail? A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3IFrFzX.

In Episode 5 of this six-part series, the prosecutor of Alexandre Jacob’s trial makes his case. He hopes the Judge and jury will send the rebel thief to the guillotine. But will Alexandre’s impassioned speeches sway the jury…or will they send him to his doom? A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3tZ07lb.

In Episode 4 of this six-part series, Alexandre and two accomplices set out on a routine burglary. After being spotted, the three men flee into the French countryside with the police in hot pursuit. Alexandre has vowed never to use violence…but will he break his own rule? A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/3G3N6sV.

In Episode 3 of this six-part series, Alexandre hones his skill as a master thief. He builds a team of anarchist thieves and strives to remain one step ahead of the police. But how long can his luck last? A transcript of this episode is available at https://bit.ly/34extBL.