Podcast

In a country like France, where tradition reigns supreme, even a suggestion of change or newness has long been met with skepticism by the locals. This is no longer the case, I will argue in my new podcast. Think of it as a side dish to my book “The New Paris”.  In season 1, I was joined by co-host Alice Cavanagh, a fashion journalist and author of the latest Wallpaper Guide to Paris, and an assortment of other local experts, to take a closer look at the people, places and ideas that are changing the fabric of the storied French capital. Season 2 through 4 go deeper, with me and guest experts continuing the discussion. Listen to the episodes below or on the following platforms: 

 iTunes  / Spotify / Stitcher/ Anchor 

Music by Little Glass Men 

EPISODE 1:
An introduction to The New Paris podcast, with writer Lindsey Tramuta and co-host and fellow writer Alice Cavanagh. In this episode we delve into the highs and lows of early expat life in Paris and our experiences as impatient outsiders in a city that took it’s sweet time to reveal itself to be (thankfully) more than a pretty postcard.

EPISODE 2:
As a capital of gastronomy, it’s no surprise that a new and dynamic food scene heralded the first wave of change in Paris in recent years. In this episode, Alice and Lindsey pinpoint the names and addresses that have been at the forefront of this movement. Lindsey also sits down with French food writer and author Clotilde Dusoulier of Chocolate and Zucchini to discuss where food is headed (and where it needs to head), and later with Canadian chef Lina Caschetto, who talks about the Vancouver cooking style she’s brought to Paris and about an emerging focus on minimizing waste in the kitchen.

EPISODE 3:
Lindsey talks innovation with digital anthropologist and best-selling author Rahaf Harfoush. Canadian-born and based in Paris for the past five years, Rahaf teaches innovation and emerging business models at Sciences Po and also contributed to The New Paris book. Rahaf talks to Lindsey about the tech hub of Silicon Sentier, in which sectors France is leading the way, and the promise of potential change in the upcoming election.

EPISODE 5:
In this episode, we talk about some of the very physical changes happening in the city, namely a flurry of hotel renovations and openings that have seen the Paris hotel scene step up its game in both design and experience. We welcome designer and interior architect Raphael Navot, the man behind one of city’s most exciting new addresses, Hotel National des Arts et Métiers, which opened earlier this month.

Episode Guest:
Raphael Navot, interior architect

Links and Mentions:
Raphael Navot 
Hotel National des Arts et Métiers 
Hôtel de Crillon 
Ritz Paris 
Silencio 

EPISODE 6:
Paris has long held the title as the fashion capital of the world but a landscape dominated by big brands like Dior and Louis Vuitton has made it tougher for emerging brands. In recent years this has all started to changed thanks to an influx of young talent, like Glenn Martens of Paris-based brand Y/Project who is the special guest on this episode. Glenn talks about the competition and his thoughts on the industry-at-large.

Episode Guest:
Glenn Martens, designer Y/Project

Links and Mentions:
Y/Project
ANDAM Award
LVMH Prize
L’Eclaireur concept store
Colette

EPISODE 9:
How much of our image and understanding of Paris is shaped by what we see in the media? Or even more relevant to a younger generation, how much is shaped by social media? Do locals have a responsibility to present all sides of the city? To discuss the old vs new and the cliché vs the real, we chat with Arash Hajianpour, cofounder of design firm Optimistic Future, and Jane Bertch, co-owner of La Cuisine Paris cooking school.

Links and mentions:

Optimistic Future
La Cuisine Paris 
The Paris Syndrome
Le Trumilou
L’Instant Parisien

EPISODE 10:
How does language shape or challenge our identities? Lauren Collins, staff writer for The New Yorker and the author of “When in French” (now in paperback!) joins us to discuss linguistics, the French language police, and navigating life in Paris as an Anglophone working to master a second language.

Links and Mentions:

“When in French”
Paris 2024

EPISODE 11:
Coffee in Paris has gone from maligned to revered in a relatively short time but the movement is still taking shape. Joining the discussion today are two individuals contributing to shaping and nurturing the Parisian java scene, Mihaela Jordache, head roaster at Belleville Brûlerie, and Daniel Warburton, co-founder of Honor Café and Neighbours.

EPISODE 12:
Paris certainly has no shortage of green spaces, from parks to beautiful squares, but it’s only recently that a plant life movement has emerged in the city. To talk about this green and floral boom, Lindsey is joined by Elodie Love, creator of the blog Madame Love, and Judith de Graaf, co-author of the popular book “Urban Jungle: Living and Styling with Plants”.

Links and mentions:
Judith de Graaf 
Elodie Love 
Urban Jungle Bloggers/Book
Flowered by Titi la Tige 
Le Cactus Club 
Peonies Paris 
Officine Universelle Buly 
Keukenhof (Tulip Park in Holland) 
Mama Petula 
Les Succulents Cactus

EPISODE 13:
Following the Harvey Weinstein allegations, stories of sexual harassment and misconduct have been pouring out and saturating our news feeds, and not only in the United States. On this week’s episode, we’ll be tackling the timely subject of systemic harassment, gender equality and feminism in France with Lauren Bastide, the journalist and feminist podcaster behind La Poudre, one of France’s leading podcasts for women.

Links and Mentions:
La Poudre
Nouvelles Ecoutes
Banquette podcast
Splash podcast 
Stuff Mom Never Told You podcast 
Here’s The Thing
Hélène Cixous
Julia Kristeva
Universalism vs Intersectionality 
Laurence Rossignol
Amandine Gay 
#BalancetonPorc
Rebecca Traister’s NYMag feature
Catherine Deneuve defends Roman Polanski (FR)
Les InRocks Cover Controversy 

EPISODE 14:
How many times a week do you have a glass of wine? How often do you talk about wine? If you’re Parisian, probably quite frequently. For me, it wasn’t something I indulged with any regularity until I was researching and writing my book and finally discovered what I enjoyed drinking and knew what sorts of questions to ask. For wine writer, James Beard award winner and author Jon Bonné, it’s an abiding preoccupation. On this episode, we speak to him about his new book “The New Wine Rules”, the wine scene in Paris and what it’s like being in the wine world today.

Links and mentions:
Jon Bonné
The New Wine Rules
Beaujolais
Malolactic Fermentation

EPISODE 15:
For the finale of season 1 of The New Paris, we’re joined by journalist and fellow podcaster Oliver Gee (The Earful Tower) to chat about what drew him to Paris nearly three years ago, what he finds inspiring about the city, and what exactly makes this ‘New’ Paris so special.

Links and mentions:
The Earful Tower 
Live episode: 
November 13th attacks

SEASON TWO 

EPISODE 16:
Artists of all walks of life are a venerated group in Paris and that is especially true for filmmakers. Based in Paris for the last year, American filmmaker, actor and writer, Dan Sickles joins me to kick off season 2 of The New Paris with a discussion on filmmaking in France, following(or not following) the rules, his humanist vision for non-fiction documentaries and the local scene’s approach to cinema.

Mentioned in this episode:
Dan Sickles
“Mala Mala”
“Dina”
Sundance 2017 Grand Jury Prize
Le Brady

EPISODE 17:
The last time we spoke about innovation in Paris was last year in the run up to the presidential election. Now that Emmanuel Macron has been in office for nine months, we revisit the discussion and look at the state of start-up culture, the creative scene and business development in the capital. Bringing their deep insights on the scene are Liam Boogar, of Rude Baguette and most recently of Algolia, and Abby Klein, founder of the Radical Departures podcast which highlights innovative men and women contributing to France’s thriving startup ecosystem.

Mentioned in this episode:
Radical Departures
Liam Boogar
Rude Baguette
Algolia
DataIKU
La French Tech
Macron’s Tech Visa
Boston Dynamics’ Scary Robot
Numérique, En Marche
Station F

EPISODE 18
Do you know what’s in the food you’re ordering at restaurants? Where the meat from the supermarket comes from? How the animals you eat were treated on the farms they were reared on? Do you think about the livelihoods of the food artisans producing the goods you regularly consume? These questions are abiding preoccupations today and transparency is now the gold standard of consumption. Today’s guest, Charles Guirriec, cofounded Poiscaille as a result. His is a service that connects ingredient-conscious consumers with sustainably-sourced fish at affordable prices, delivered to their doorsteps. We speak about the sustainable and transparent food movement in Paris and beyond.

Mentioned in this episode:
Poiscaille
US consumers CSF/seafood finder
UK consumers
Restaurants Poiscaille works with — Septime, Clamato, Mokonuts, Les Bancs Publics, Les Résistants, Ellsworth, La Robe et le Palais, Le Verre Volé, Les Déserteurs, Les Grands Verres, Bistrot Papillon, among other.

EPISODE 19
Baron Haussmann, celebrated as one of the greatest urban planners in European history, is credited with having transformed Paris from an overcrowded, dirty and disease-riddled city in the 1840s to a breathable, walkable city with wide, well-lit avenues, cobbled streets, and ashlar buildings with wrought-iron balconies. But there’s more to the Parisian urban landscape than contributions from the 19th century. To talk about urbanism and the changing face of Paris, I chat with Alice Cabaret, a French urban strategist with international experience in the fields of creative industrial reconversion and urban innovation. She is the Founder of The Street Society, a collaborative urban agency based in Paris which promotes innovation in the fields of property development and urban transformation.

Mentioned in this episode:
The Street Society
The Maboneng Precinct
Le Grand Paris project
Paris Olympics 2024
Paris and its Estranged suburbs
Anne Hidalgo’s Plans for Green Paris Falters
Les Grands Voisins
Ground Control
La Petite Ceinture

EPISODE 20
The latest trend in Paris? Leaving Paris! There’s been an influx of Parisians decamping to the countryside or smaller French cities like Montpellier or Bordeaux. Driven by a desire to return to the land, step away from the frenetic urban pace, lower cost of living or simply explore parts unknown, this exodus is on the rise. Today’s guests are chefs Lise Kvan and Eric Montéleon who left Paris with a mission to uncover the people and places preserving traditional farming, baking, argiculture, winemaking and more. It’s called Bon Fond.

Mentioned in this episode
Bon Fond
Bon Fond Instagram
Cafe Méricourt
First 5 producers Lise and Eric have met and worked with

EPISODE 21
The literary and artistic ties to Paris run deep. From Hemingway to Stein, Davis to Coates, the city’s appeal is everlasting. Today’s guest continues that legacy. Cody Delistraty, named a young writer of the year by British Vogue, is a cultural critic who talks to Lindsey today about working in Paris, the state of art, and his next big project.

Mentioned in this episode
Cody Delistraty’s writing
A conversation with Noemi Lefebvre
Macron’s Pledge to Return African Artefacts Ignores Deeper Colonial Injustices

EPISODE 22
For Frenchman David Santori, Paris has largely been a place to visit. For nearly 20 years, he has lived in the United States, returning each year to his hometown only to visit family. What changes in Paris are most obvious to him, I wondered? Is « The New Paris » part of a subtle shift or something bigger? We talk about the changing city, linguistic codes, neighborhoods and his bi-cultural sense of self.

Mentioned in this episode
David Santori, @FrenchieYankee
#TheOtherDC
«Du Coup»
«Juste»

EPISODE 23
Some 23 million travelers from around the world descended on Paris last year. And if they’re like locals, they know there is more than one way to get around the city. But it is by foot that Paris is best experienced. Today’s guest is author and illustrator Jessie Kanelos Weiner, co-creator of the new book ‘Paris in Stride’ which offers clever and beautifully illustrated walking tours of the city, and speaks about the advantages and challenges to working as an artist in Paris, where she seeks inspiration, and what she enjoyed most about creating the book.

Mentioned in this episode
Paris in Stride
Edible Paradise
Jessie Kanelos Weiner
Jessie’s Etsy shop

EPISODE 24
I met today’s guest 3 years ago at a café. He was conducting research on French Islam, I was writing my book on Paris. That café was a source of comfort for both of us after the Nov 13th attacks which killed and injured hundreds. These attacks, carried out by French or other European nationals affiliated with or inspired by the Islamic State, raised serious questions about France’s security, treatment of Muslims in the country, and policies toward integration and deradicalization. Andrew Aguilar, then a visiting scholar at Science Po, had his own views on the issue.

Today, Andrew is a PhD candidate in political science at Science Po and continues his research about what’s really at play when we speak about French Islam. On this episode, I speak to Andrew about immigration, Macron’s new quest to restructure Islam in France and how the country’s Muslims feel about their place in French society.

Mentioned in this episode
Andrew’s Letter to the Opinion Editor in the Washington Post
France attempts to “reform” identity
A French variant of Islam
La France Insoumise

EPISODE 25
Think it’s only French food that dominates the dining scene in Paris? You’d be mistaken. And some of the best food is cooked by foreign chefs who came to the city to train, learn, handle some of the world’s highest quality products and give back. Some bring their cultures to the dining landscape while other offers their interpretations on Gallic classics. Today’s guest is Peter Orr, an Australian Chef who brings his experience cooking on three different continents to Robert, his new restaurant.

Mentioned in this episode
Robert
Bar Martin
Au Passage
Le Grand Bain (Edward Delling Williams)

EPISODE 26
Ah, Gay Paree. It’s an expression firmly anchored into the collective imagination that speaks to the fin-de-siecle period wherein Paris became known as the capital of pleasure. Today, say Gay Paree and it almost certainly refers to and evokes a more modern understanding. Joining me today to talk about gay culture, history and the continuing fight for acceptance is Dr. Bryan Pirolli, a fellow Philadelphian, journalist, and the founder of the tour company, the Gay Locals.

Mentioned in this episode
The Gay Locals
Rainbow crowsswalks in Paris
The Gay Games
Vandalism
Hidalgo fights homophobia

EPISODE 27
It’s 5:30 pm on a Monday evening and that means, it’s time for a drink and a nibble or two. That drink in France would be part of the beloved tradition of l’aperitif or apero as we so commonly refer to it. It’s a shared moment before dinner, usually among friends and with a few snacks to whet your appetite. But it’s also the name for an entire genre of French spirits, consumer during apero hour. Both of these are the focus of a new book appropriately called “Apéritif: Happy hour the French Way.” On this episode, I’m joined by the author Rebekah Peppler to talk about the book, the tradition and how best to celebrate it.

Mentioned on this episode
Rebekah Peppler
Order the book
Rebekah on Instagram
Joann Pai (photographer)

EPISODE 28
#Metoo, body shaming, fatphobia, feminism, PMA, representation. These are among the words, movements and themes that have gone from niche or seldom addressed to the forefront of conversation across nearly all social stratums. In season 1, I invited Lauren Bastide of the feminist podcast La Poudre to discuss the outcome of #MeToo in France and the rising influence of a new generation of feminists who are raising their voices and taking to the streets. Now a year later, I go deeper into the conversation, looking at how #MeToo has or hasn’t awakened the national consciousness, the issue of representation, and the latest discriminations impacting women, with two important voices on the topics, Rebecca Amsellem, author and creator of Les Glorieuses and the book Les Glorieuses, chroniques d’une féministe, and Jennifer Padjemi, journalist and host of the new podcast Miroir Miroir.

Mentioned in this episode:
Les Glorieuses
@LesGlorieuses
Miroir Miroir
Jennifer Padjemi
Serena Williams bodysuit ban
Rebecca’s commentary on the Serena Williams issue
Fertility rights (PMA)
#MeToo backlash
Brazil’s Presidential Elections

EPISODE 29
The end of season 2 and, perhaps more importantly, the end of 2018, merits a special discussion. Joining me back in the studio for a chat about some of the events that have defined the year in Paris and France is author and staff writer for The New Yorker, Lauren Collins. We talked about France’s World Cup 2018 win, SNCF strikes and, the big-hippo story of the year, the Gilets Jaunes (yellow jacket) movement and whether it’s safe to visit Paris (spoiler: YES IT IS).

Mentioned in this episode:
Lauren Collins on the Gilets Jaunes
SNCF strikes
Macron under fire (« cross the street » to find work )
World Cup 2018 win: on Identity
Gilets Jaunes and Mobility