French TV and Radio

[Anton Redman]

Any recommendations for viewing or listening  - French Terrestrial TV plus RMC or French radio ? In the next two weeks.

 

In broad terms I like France and I like the French – otherwise I would not be living here. Anything technical I can read and understand in French. I fight my way through half a dozen of works of low brow fiction in French each year. I like French films – The Wages of Fear is in my all time top ten movies. I enjoyed ‘les Enfants du Paradis’ . It is not all highbrow stuff ‘Hotel de la Page’ , ‘Les Visiteurs and any Asterix movie are good fun and stand alongside Monty Python or any Carry On.

 

So why can I not find anything I want to watch on French TV ?  It is either and rarely intellectual talking heads or crass US imports and games shows. There is no middle ground.

 

Equally French Radio has a Jazz programme which last year carried an hour long discussion about the development of St James Infirmary Blues from the Streets of Larado. The Classique station makes Radio Three seem mass market. Against this the rest of the output makes Classic Gold seem intellectual.

 

Comments sparked by watching ‘Larkrise to Candleford’  followed by ’80 Gardens’ and wondering if I can stay awake for ‘ South Bank Awards’

[lorna]

Our favourite program is Taratata. It is a music program on France 4 every Friday at 20.45. The program is hosted by Nagui who interviews the musicians inbetween sets. The musicians always play live and there is a complete mix of styles and nationalities. Nagui interviews in either French or English whatever his guests prefer and translates for his audience when necessary. You can get a flavour of the program by looking at mytaratata.com as the site has videos of individual performers and I think of past programs.

There is a compilation program transmitted on France 2 once a month - I think towards the end of each month and usually late in the evening. We used to watch France 5 in the UK and Taratata is occasionally transmitted on that channel.

 

[Anton Redman]

Thanks I wil give it a go.

[Mark]

I guess you've tried France Inter and rejected it?  If not, try it.  I listen to it every day - good mix I think, certainly if you want to improve your linguistics a bit.  Otherwise, try France Culture, which is occasionally interesting, but more often hilariously up its own frequency in its highbrowness.

[raindog]

Watch the news on any of the channels to improve your French. Apart from that the only thing worth watching on French tv is rugby. You can forget the rest.

[Chas]

I tend to listen to whatever is on "France Bleu La Rochelle" in the car  - for the language rather than any particular interest and really only watch soccer/rugby on French TV, which frees up UK satellite for other users![:)]

[Maricopa]

FR3 every night 1840-2000, for the mix of local, regional and national news, and on saturdays on the same channel at 1620-1745 there is/are locally based magazine/factual type programme(s).  Here in herault, the local weather presented by a local organisation/ event can be hilarious!

[raindog]

Yes, Maricopa has reminded me - on saturday afternoons there are regional magazine type programmes on FR3. I can't speak for other regions, but where I am they are sometimes the only good thing on the box all week. Often about local artists, artisans or farmers, cooking etc - worth a look.

[Chancer]

FR3 for the regional programs as stated and for me Arte for its brilliant (european) programming, nature and travel documentaries.

I also like FranceO for regional programming from the Dom-Toms which is more intersting to me than the usual world news.