| Welcome to French Culture Class by FrenchPod101.com! |
| Can you learn French by watching TV? |
| You're about to find out. |
| Salut, je suis Pierre! |
| Hi everyone! I’m Pierre! |
| In this lesson, you’ll learn about the best series and TV shows for French learners. |
| And for series and TV shows, we mean entertaining series that you can use to boost your French learning. No matter your level or tastes, we have a show for you! |
| In this video you'll learn about the most interesting TV shows for all levels and all type of learners, from glamour lovers to French history fanatics! |
| The Best TV Shows for French Learners |
| Let’s start with the best shows for TV drama lovers. |
| First is Dix pour Cent |
| [SLOW] Dix pour Cent. |
| This is a show between fiction and reality, and is ongoing with two seasons to date. |
| It is perfect for intermediate French learners, and is available on Netflix and FranceTV.fr |
| If you love French cinema and wish you could sneak behind the scenes, Dix pour Cent might just make your dream come true! |
| In each episode, a famous French actor, such as Christophe Lambert and Juliette Binoche, plays his or her own role. It’s a unique show! |
| Another good show for TV drama lovers is Les Bracelets rouges. |
| [SLOW] Les Bracelets rouges |
| The topic is more serious but it includes some fun moments! It is about some teenagers that live in a hospital and how they live their life even though some are disabled or some are suffering from a serious disease. |
| If you’re a soap opera lover and love to cry out all the heavy feelings in your heart by watching TV shows, then you should really watch Plus Belle la Vie! |
| [SLOW] Plus Belle la Vie. |
| This soap opera has been around for quite a while — and by quite a while we mean for 10 years! They have produced fourteen seasons already. It will definitely captivate the hearts of all the intermediate French learners! |
| One of the best parts of this show that kept the people talking is the fictitious district of Marseille, Le Mistral. The inhabitants of Le Mistral have captured the attention of the French for a long time. With its 3500 episodes, we won’t be surprised if you learn the language perfectly after watching all of them! |
| Now let's move on to some reality shows. |
| The most popular of all is probably Koh Lanta |
| [SLOW] Koh Lanta. |
| This show didn’t make it to twenty-two seasons to date for no reason! |
| The exciting lives of two teams of candidates stranded on a desert island and the difficult challenges they have to fight in order to survive will leave you in awe. |
| This show is no doubt one of the best out there that won’t just serve as entertainment, but a great French show for both beginners and more advanced students to master the language without difficulty as well! |
| Another good show is Danse Avec les Stars |
| [SLOW] Danse Avec les Stars. |
| This is the French version of the British show Strictly Come Dancing. It’s available on YouTube and TF1.fr and it’s a fantastic French show for those just beginning to learn the language. |
| Every season, three famous French dancers judge the dance performances of well-known French artists: singers, actors, comedians, and models. Luckily for them, the candidates are coached by their partners, who are also famous French dancers. |
| Is there anything similar in your country? |
| We’re pretty sure learning French is as important as your desire to learn how to read and speak the names of French food. |
| Don’t worry food lovers — we are here to help! |
| Check out the reality show Un Dîner Presque Parfait [SLOW] Un Dîner Presque Parfait. |
| This program earned its recognition as a staple of French pop culture, which means that you’ll learn a lot of things from watching it. |
| The show finished up after nine seasons, but you can watch it on Youtube and 6play.fr. |
| It is inspired from the British reality show Come Dine with Me. Four people face each other in a friendly competition wherein French hospitality and gastronomy is at stake. |
| Un Dîner Presque Parfait will keep you wondering which person performs the most lavish, perfectly arranged dinner party for the three others. Would you be interested in joining this type of competition? |
| Okay now let’s proceed to another famous French show called Top Chef |
| [SLOW] Top Chef |
| This is a reality show perfect for beginners, not just to sharpen their French vocabulary but to level up their culinary level as well! |
| This series is still running with nine seasons to date and they’re all found on Youtube and 6play.fr . Some of the famous people included in the cast are Cyril Lignac and Hélène Darroze. |
| Top Chef helps showcase the skills of exceptionally talented amateurs by putting them up in a competition, impressing four of France’s best chefs with their most delicious self-made recipes! |
| All of the fourteen talented candidates may or may not have professional training but their biggest dream is to open their own restaurant. As they fight to stay in the show and not be eliminated, you’ll learn French food names and correct pronunciation in no time as well! |
| We also made sure to include Le Meilleur Pâtissier in our list of the best series and TV shows for French learners under the food category! |
| [SLOW] Le Meilleur Pâtissier. |
| Some of the most famous actors and actresses that are a part of this show are Cyril Lignac, Jacqueline Mercorelli, and Pierre Hermé. This talented cast didn’t disappoint its viewers by introducing some of the most delicious desserts there are on the planet! |
| It’s almost similar to Top Chef but it focuses on French’s favorite: la pâtisserie. |
| It’s not just one of the best French cooking shows excellent for beginners, it’s also great entertainment that will keep you at the edge of your seat as the contestants compete to win the judge’s favor through various exciting challenges! Do you have a sweet tooth like us? If yes, then this show is perfect for you! You can watch it on YouTube and 6play.fr. |
| Up next, some of the best series and TV shows for all the fun French learners! |
| The first series we want you to watch is Un Gars Une Fille |
| [SLOW] Un Gars Une Fille. |
| This comedy show lasted for five seasons, starring Jean Dujardin and Alexandra Lamy. Its lighthearted and is perfect for beginners and advanced learners! Be sure to check it out on Youtube so you can see what we’re talking about! |
| Another fun show you’ll surely love and can only be found on francetv.fr. is H |
| [SLOW] H. |
| H stands for Hôpital |
| [SLOW] Hôpital |
| It’s a parody of famous hospital series that talks about the inner life of seemingly dysfunctional hospitals, starring some of the most famous French comedians: Jamel Debbouze and Eric &Ramzy. |
| Although the show only made it four seasons, it is full of French lessons — making it a must-watch series for intermediate French learners! |
| Another hilarious comedy show we highly recommend for beginners is Bref |
| [SLOW] Bref |
| The main cast, Kyan Khojandi and Bérengère Krief, gave justice to the story of the life of an average French millennial through a series of brief scenes, making their viewers laugh and cry at the same time! It’s a new series but is already considered a common French pop culture reference! |
| Have you watched a show before that made you laugh and cry at the same time? It’s crazy to think, but a very good show can really affect us that way! |
| Next is Kaamelott |
| [SLOW] Kaamelott |
| This is a one of a kind historical comedy show — it made it to our list because any intermediate or expert French student can totally learn a lot from it! |
| The sarcastic take on King Arthur’s court shows how much the French love to make fun of the English. The show may have ended after six seasons but it surely left its mark on people who want to have a good laugh! Search it on 6play.fr. if you ever decide to give this one a shot! |
| Last but not least is Au Service de la France |
| [SLOW] Au Service de la France . |
| Currently available on Netflix and arte.tv, Au Service de la France demonstrates the perfect illustration of self-deprecation which is exactly the source of French humor. It’s similar to OSS 117 movies, wherein the French secret service during the sixties are made fun of. |
| The first season just started, which means advance learners can still watch it without worrying about getting behind! |
| Now it’s time to introduce the best series for French learners who are fascinated with France’s rich history! |
| Fortunately, French TV leveled up the regular high school social studies and classes by creating some of the best TV shows, making history lessons more interesting to learn! |
| First on our list is Versailles |
| [SLOW] Versailles |
| Versailles is suitable for intermediate learners. It’s a historical drama that lasted three seasons and can now be found on mycanal.fr. |
| Any history geek will find this show super educational! The court of the Roi Soleil is everyone’s favorite period of France’s history and if you’re into glorious decor, colorful costumes, and mysterious intrigues of this time period, then this show should be on the top of your must-watch TV shows! |
| For all the advanced French learning students, make sure to look up Un Village Français on francetv.fr. |
| [SLOW] Un Village Français |
| This is another exciting historical series that made it up to seven seasons. In Spite of the sensitivity of the subject, Un Village Français was brave enough to talk about WWII’s Occupation and has kept the people talking because of it’s surprising, intelligent, yet famous take on the subject! In this series you’ll learn about the collaboration, resistance, communism, loss, and courage shown by the inhabitants of a fictitious French village from the year 1939 to 1945. |
| Does your country talk about history through TV shows? |
| We didn’t forget all the aspiring detectives and advanced French learners out there who are curious about French thriller series! |
| One of the most recent mystery shows in France that lasted after two seasons is Les Revenants |
| [SLOW] Les Revenants. |
| This show is great for all advanced learners who love thrillers with a supernatural twist! It’s about a few individuals who live in a small mountain town and who came back from the dead...this is perfect if you like scary stories. |
| Next up is Engrenages |
| [SLOW] Engrenages. |
| This show is best for advanced learners to watch, especially if you love everything that has to do with cops. It’s inspired by real affairs and will soon be available in the UK and the US. If you’re curious, go over tp mycanal.fr and watch the entire seven seasons, this intense thriller will not disappoint you! |
| Another great series is Malaterra |
| [SLOW] Malaterra |
| It ended with only one season but we highly recommend every advanced French learners to watch this French adaptation of Broadchurch set in the beautiful landscapes of the island of Corsica. |
| This spine chilling series will turn you into a real detective, once you learn about a boy’s corpse discovered on the beach and the secrets hidden by the nearby villages! |
| It’s available on Netflix and frenchtv.fr . |
| If you’re looking for another thriller to watch, consider La Forêt |
| [SLOW] La Forêt. |
| The story revolves around a teenager’s body found in a forest and the past of an orphan and a wild man. Pretty interesting, right? |
| This show will be of great advantage for all advanced French students as it offers an opportunity to learn and be entertained at the same time! Check it out on Netflix now! |
| Another suspense series perfect for those who’re already feeling confident with the French language is La Mante |
| [SLOW] La Mante. |
| It only has one season and is available on Netflix and tf1.fr. |
| It’s the story of a serial killer’s son who became a cop forced to face his past after a mysterious person copies his mother's crimes! |
| What do you think you would do if you found out you were the son of a serial killer? We know it’s kind of morbid to think that, but that’s exactly why you should really watch La Mante — to end your curiosity! |
| Animation |
| We also have some suggestions for the younger learners. |
| The French take animation shows very seriously and that’s one of the reasons why there are French artists working at Disney and Pixar Studios right now to help create amazing shows like the ones we’ll be sharing with you today! |
| The first one is Les Aventures de Tintin |
| [SLOW] Les Aventures de Tintin. |
| Available on Netflix, francetv.fr, and Youtube — this animated mystery is the French adaptation of a young boy’s adventures named Tintin. Any youngsters will surely enjoy this fantastic TV show while learning the French language as well! |
| Another great show perfect for a beginner French student who loves action is Code Lyoko |
| [SLOW] Code Lyoko. |
| This series is about a group of tech-savvy teenagers who go into battle with a demonic entity attempting to control their school. |
| Next is Totally Spies |
| [SLOW] Totally Spies |
| This is another great show suitable for young learners. This kid-friendly version of Charlie's Angels that involves three teenage girls who live a double-life as spies will keep you and your little kids entertained and you’ll learn French at the same time! Make sure to check it out on tf1.fr and Youtube. |
| Next up is Miraculous |
| [SLOW] Miraculous |
| It’s an exciting cartoon and is currently on its second season. Beginners and advanced students can enjoy watching it on Netflix and join super-heroes Ladybug and le Chat Noir in their adventures around the city of Paris. |
| Keep in mind that most of the American cartoons have a dubbed version in French! Don’t hesitate to check that as well. This is the case for Avatar the Last Airbender for instance. |
| And because we love our viewers so much, we made a list of shows that French learners should stay away from — I repeat — stay away from! |
| Let’s see why. |
| First is Les Marseillais |
| [SLOW] Les Marseillais |
| French people were disappointed by this show mainly because of the poor dialogues. Also, the accent in the series is not something that you will understand easily. When you learn French, it is better to listen to people that have a standard accent, like the one from Paris. |
| Le Chalet is the last show we recommend that French learners should avoid watching. |
| The actors in this show speak too quickly and don’t sound normal at all. |
| In this lesson, you learned about many kinds of TV shows that are not just meant to entertain, but are beneficial in your French learning as well! |
| We also gave you the sites where these shows can be found! |
| Want to learn the language fast with PDF cheat sheets? |
| You get cheat sheets for all kinds of topics: travel, hobbies, love and much more... |
| ..and you'll learn all of the must-know words and phrases for each. |
| So click the link in the lesson description |
| and sign up for a free lifetime account to get them. |
| That’s it for today! |
| See you next time! |
| A la prochaine! |
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