PODCAST: Pension strikes to intensify, Vendée rebels and the myth of the 'sexy French'

Host Ben McPartland is joined by Local France editor Emma Pearson, journalist Genevieve Mansfield, politics expert John Lichfield and historian Emile Chabal to talk all things France and French related.

France is a country that lends itself to stereotypes and one of the most pervasive is of the French themselves as romantic, seductive and sexy - but where does this actually come from?

Emile Chabal, reader in history at the University of Edinburgh and an expert in European political thought of the 20th century, told us: "A combination of French cinema in the 20th century, French music, prominent women in French intellectual life like Simone de Beauvoir - all of these different figures add up to create an idea of France that is particularly open and free, especially in the domain of love and sex. But it's an image that's wrong in many ways."

You can find the Talking France podcast on Spotify, Apple or Google podcasts, download it HERE or listen on the link below.

On the subject of both very attractive French people and enduring clichés - this week actress Eva Green blamed "my Frenchness coming out" when she was caught being extremely rude about her colleagues. But are the French actually rude? Or is it just a big misunderstanding with foreigners?

We are of course looking at the latest from the pensions battle, with the help of our politics expert John Lichfield, who told us: "I think in the end the unions are going to have to play hardball because Macron is playing hardball and if they do that they risk losing public support. So it's a bit of a game of chess that is going on, but I think in the end the numbers on the streets - impressive as they are - cannot win this alone."

Articles linked to podcast:

• ANALYSIS: Who is winning the battle over French pension reform?
• Calendar: The latest French pension strike dates to remember
• Pensions: What should I expect if I worked in both France and a non-EU country?
• OPINION: Who are really the rudest – the French, tourists or Parisians?

And we're travelling to the west of France to a controversial theme park, examining how French pensions work for foreigners and talking about our favourite French noises. 

You can find all previous episodes of the Talking France podcast HERE, or on Apple, Spotify or Google podcasts.