![](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/5-ways-improve-french-listening-french-radio.png\")
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RTL and RTL2 are sister stations that are great for uncovering your favorite French pop and rock songs. The stations are some of the most popular in France.<\/p>\n
The only disadvantage with these stations is the popularity of American music in France! For every French song you hear, you\u2019ll hear an American one as well.<\/p>\n
But the quick-talking announcers are sure to keep you on your toes, and you\u2019ll discover a lot of French classic rock like Jean-Jacques Goldman and Serge Gainsbourg, as well as some more modern singers.<\/p>\n
2. Best for Retro Music Fans: Nostalgie<\/a><\/h2>\n![\"Nostalgie-French-radio-station-logo\"](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/Nostalgie-French-radio-station-logo.jpg\")
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Nostalgie is a French radio station that specializes in playing classic hits from past decades.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The station primarily plays music from the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, focusing on popular and iconic songs from these eras. It lives up to its name by evoking a feeling of nostalgia with its retro music.<\/p>\n
In addition to music, Nostalgie features programs and shows that often include themed playlists, interviews and segments dedicated to revisiting musical memories.<\/p>\n
3. Best for Exclusively French Music: Chante France<\/a><\/h2>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Chante-France.png\")
<\/a>Chante France offers a host of French classics, both old and new. It features pop music, top 40\u2019s and hip hop, with a special emphasis on including only French language music.<\/p>\nIf you don\u2019t want to be bothered by familiar American songs, you may benefit from listening to Chante France.<\/p>\n
Be aware that you\u2019ll be hearing a lot of the same songs over and over again, but that will only help you get to know them!<\/p>\n
4. Best for News Junkies: France Inter<\/a><\/h2>\n![\"learn](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/5-ways-improve-french-listening-french-radio2.png\" "\\"5")
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France Inter offers music, podcasts, news stories, talk radio and more. You’ll find plenty of French content from cooking shows to book programs.<\/p>\n
Hosts of France Inter often bring successful artists and entrepreneurs onto their shows to discuss topics like art and business. Here are some France Inter programs you can listen to:<\/p>\n
\n- Le masque et la plume<\/a> <\/em>(The Mask and the Feather):<\/strong><\/strong>\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>The host, J\u00e9r\u00f4me Garcin, and a group of critics discuss, analyze and criticize recent artistic and cultural events, including recently released movies<\/a> and books<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li>\n
- L’humeur vagabonde<\/a><\/em> (The Wandering Mood):<\/strong> On this show, Kathleen Evin talks to men and women who have become successful because of their originality. They discuss their dreams, mistakes and successes.<\/li>\n
- On va d\u00e9guster<\/strong><\/a><\/em><\/em> (We’ll Indulge): <\/strong>If you’re a foodie, then this show is for you. Elvira Masson and Dominique Hutin talk about everything related to food and drink, bringing chefs, bakers and artisans onto the show.<\/li>\n
- La bande originale<\/a> <\/em>(The Original Soundtrack)<\/strong><\/strong>: <\/strong>Hosted by Nagui, La bande originale<\/em> features a table of commentators and a guest, and they talk about the guest’s most recent project or endeavor.<\/li>\n
- La t\u00eate au carr\u00e9<\/a> <\/em><\/strong>(Earth Squared):<\/strong> If you love science, this one’s for you. Mathieu Vidard hosts the show and interviews researchers and scientists from all over the world about their latest findings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
5. Best for Comedy Lovers: Rire et Chansons<\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n![\"learn](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/5-ways-improve-french-listening-french-radio1.jpg\" "\\"5")
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If you\u2019d rather your music be interspersed with jokes as you listen to the radio in French, try Rire et Chansons <\/em>(“Laughter and Songs” in English).<\/p>\nHumor is famously one of the toughest things to learn in a foreign language, so don\u2019t worry if you feel a bit lost at the beginning. Soon enough, you\u2019ll be picking up on the jokes.<\/p>\n
Bear in mind that much of French humor is based on references to general culture and wordplay, so listening to France Inter may help you understand this station even better!<\/p>\n
6. Best for Learners: Radio France International (RFI)<\/a><\/h2>\n![\"learn](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/learn-language-with-radio1.jpg\")
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For new listeners, Radio France International (RFI) does a daily news show called Journal en Francais Facile<\/a><\/em>\u00a0(Easy French News).<\/p>\nThe announcers speak slowly and clearly and use simple words to explain the day’s breaking news, with a transcript so you can follow along and easily identify words you don’t know yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n
RFI also has a host of other podcasts<\/a> on subjects as diverse as technology, travel, music and more. I love the show Grand Reportage<\/a> <\/em>(Big Report), which takes you on a 20-minute-long journey to a different part of the world every week.\u00a0<\/p>\n7. Best for Canadian French: Radio-Canada<\/a><\/h2>\n![\"learn](\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/3\/learn-language-with-radio.gif\")
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This Montreal radio station offers a wide range of programming, including news, documentaries, dramas, entertainment and cultural content.<\/p>\n
Popular programs include Tout le monde en parle <\/em><\/a>(Everyone’s Talking About It) and Le T\u00e9l\u00e9journal<\/em>, which presents the evening news. Find the broadcasts from each province by searching for “Le T\u00e9l\u00e9journal”<\/em> here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\nRadio-Canada operates both national and regional services, providing coverage and content tailored to different areas of Canada, including Quebec<\/a>, Ontario and Atlantic Canada.<\/p>\nBenefits of Listening to French Radio<\/h2>\n
There are many reasons why listening to the radio in French is a great way to learn the language. Here are a few:<\/p>\n
\n- There’s a great diversity of French radio shows. <\/strong>For every taste in music or talk radio, there’s a French radio channel that can be streamed internationally. You can easily find a station that covers the topics you’re interested in or genres you enjoy.\u00a0<\/li>\n
- Radio fits into your busy routine. <\/strong>Even if you have a full schedule, radio is easy and convenient to listen to. You can listen while you get ready in the morning, on your commute to work, while you\u2019re waiting in line or doing household chores for convenient exposure to the language.<\/li>\n
- You’ll adjust to the normal speed of conversation.\u00a0 <\/strong>French radio hosts talk quickly, and it can be hard to keep up. As you continue to listen, it becomes easier to follow the flow of conversation. Your ears will begin to adjust, and you’ll get better at following everyday conversations in French, too.\u00a0<\/li>\n
- You can immerse yourself in authentic French. <\/strong>Listening to the radio is a great way to immerse yourself in the language as it’s really used by native speakers. You’ll hear French slang<\/a>, common expressions<\/a> and a variety of vocabulary related to themes like sports, politics and music.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
For additional French immersion with learning tools and a video component, you can use a language learning program like FluentU<\/a>. FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n<\/p> \r\n
You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n
<\/p>\nIf you don\u2019t want to be bothered by familiar American songs, you may benefit from listening to Chante France.<\/p>\n Be aware that you\u2019ll be hearing a lot of the same songs over and over again, but that will only help you get to know them!<\/p>\n France Inter offers music, podcasts, news stories, talk radio and more. You’ll find plenty of French content from cooking shows to book programs.<\/p>\n Hosts of France Inter often bring successful artists and entrepreneurs onto their shows to discuss topics like art and business. Here are some France Inter programs you can listen to:<\/p>\n If you\u2019d rather your music be interspersed with jokes as you listen to the radio in French, try Rire et Chansons <\/em>(“Laughter and Songs” in English).<\/p>\n Humor is famously one of the toughest things to learn in a foreign language, so don\u2019t worry if you feel a bit lost at the beginning. Soon enough, you\u2019ll be picking up on the jokes.<\/p>\n Bear in mind that much of French humor is based on references to general culture and wordplay, so listening to France Inter may help you understand this station even better!<\/p>\n For new listeners, Radio France International (RFI) does a daily news show called Journal en Francais Facile<\/a><\/em>\u00a0(Easy French News).<\/p>\n The announcers speak slowly and clearly and use simple words to explain the day’s breaking news, with a transcript so you can follow along and easily identify words you don’t know yet.\u00a0<\/p>\n RFI also has a host of other podcasts<\/a> on subjects as diverse as technology, travel, music and more. I love the show Grand Reportage<\/a> <\/em>(Big Report), which takes you on a 20-minute-long journey to a different part of the world every week.\u00a0<\/p>\n This Montreal radio station offers a wide range of programming, including news, documentaries, dramas, entertainment and cultural content.<\/p>\n Popular programs include Tout le monde en parle <\/em><\/a>(Everyone’s Talking About It) and Le T\u00e9l\u00e9journal<\/em>, which presents the evening news. Find the broadcasts from each province by searching for “Le T\u00e9l\u00e9journal”<\/em> here<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Radio-Canada operates both national and regional services, providing coverage and content tailored to different areas of Canada, including Quebec<\/a>, Ontario and Atlantic Canada.<\/p>\n There are many reasons why listening to the radio in French is a great way to learn the language. Here are a few:<\/p>\n For additional French immersion with learning tools and a video component, you can use a language learning program like FluentU<\/a>. FluentU<\/strong> takes authentic videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.<\/p>\r\n <\/p> \r\n You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app<\/a> or Android app.<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/a>Chante France offers a host of French classics, both old and new. It features pop music, top 40\u2019s and hip hop, with a special emphasis on including only French language music.<\/p>\n4. Best for News Junkies: France Inter<\/a><\/h2>\n
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5. Best for Comedy Lovers: Rire et Chansons<\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n6. Best for Learners: Radio France International (RFI)<\/a><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\n7. Best for Canadian French: Radio-Canada<\/a><\/h2>\n
<\/p>\nBenefits of Listening to French Radio<\/h2>\n
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