PODCAST: The story of Brittany's killer algae and where you can avoid the tourists in France

Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France's Emma Pearson, Genevieve Mansfield and John Lichfield for all the latest news and talking points from France.

We start with the toxic algae that is spreading in Brittany and is, a court has ruled, responsible for the death of a local jogger - it's a verdict that potentially has big implications for the region, and for France's farmers.

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Following successful Olympic trials last summer, swimming in the Seine will be opened up to the general public - we're explaining how you can take a dip in the river, and the conditions for doing so.

Champagne might be a luxury product, but there is a definite dark side to the industry, as an ongoing human trafficking trial has exposed.

And France broke its own tourism records last year and is set to do so again this year - there's no doubt the country is massively popular as a holiday destination, but how has it managed to avoid protests against over-tourism like those seen in Spain, Italy and Portugal?

We finish off with a list of France's most over-crowded sites, with our recommendations for alternatives that are just as good (perhaps even better) but less well known.

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