Letters from Paris
Xander Brett delivers a weekly report from his home in France
An Ice Broken production for Burst Radio
30th May 2021
Delivering his final letter, Xander looks back on his time as a correspondent in Paris
23rd May 2021
Who would be King of France today? Xander explores the status of French nobility, two hundred years after the Revolution
16th May 2021
An exploration of Paris's place as capital of world cuisine, from the Michelin Guide to the local lunch break
9th May 2021
France is a pillar of the European Union, but its entry has been shaky... and why isn't French the only language of communication?
2nd May 2021
A look at the morning of 31st August 1997, when Paris was the location of an event that stopped the world
25th April 2021
In his final episode before pre-recorded letters, Xander experiences Paris afresh and looks at the stories of the month
18th April 2021
After running across the Swiss border, Xander is back in Paris to discuss the Notre-Dame anniversary, internal flights and the shock new series of 'Call My Agent'
11th April 2021
The French reaction to the death of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Plus, the abolition of l'ÉNA and Brittany
4th April 2021
In a pre-recorded letter, Xander delves into French Easter traditions
28th March 2021
It's Palm Sunday so there's a donkey outside Xander's window. He looks back at the Franc-Euro apex and being stranded in Issoudun
21st March 2021
As Paris enters a hybrid lockdown, we look at the fall-out from the César Awards, the Paris Commune of 1871 and crocodiles in the canals
14th March 2021
After Macron swept passed, Xander discusses the César Awards, the club of former presidents and picking up the pace of the vaccine roll-out
7th March 2021
The Sarkozy verdict explained, and more on the week France marked the thirtieth anniversary of Serge Gainsbourg's death
28th February 2021
Is 'Télématin' under threat? Xander hopes not. Plus: 'WTF Anne' and a national uprising against vegetarians
21st February 2021
Fresh from the frying pan, Xander talks Carla Bruni and Michel Roux Jr
14th February 2021
Circling Paris, Xander follows the route of Joan of Arc, stopping at a red brick school by the railway points
7th February 2021
It's grim up north… where the upstart Emmanuel Macron grew up. Plus, why when Britain should have failed, the EU is instead infuriated by its vaccination success
31st January 2021
Xander is back in Paris! To celebrate the return, he's sharing a few thoughts from his columns
24th January 2021
In his final letter 'to' Paris before returning to the Île Saint-Louis, Xander reminds us how France was one of the last European countries to abolish the death penalty
17th January 2021
Xander explains how he changed his mind about French bureaucracy. While he used to think of it as 'quaint', he now sees how overprocessing fed Brexiteer rhetoric
10th January 2021
Xander remembers fashion designer Pierre Cardin, who died last week aged 98. He also examines the Brexit deal and looks for reasons to be hopeful across the Channel
3rd January 2021
In a pre-recorded letter 'to' Paris, Xander delves into the structure of French local and national government, from the people to the presidency
27th December 2020
In a pre-recorded letter 'to' Paris, Xander delves into French New Year traditions
20th December 2020
In a pre-recorded letter 'to' Paris, Xander delves into French Christmas traditions
13th December 2020
In a pre-recorded letter 'to' Paris, Xander delves into French philosophical thought: a national obsession from the classroom to the boardroom
6th December 2020
An obituary to the former President of France, Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who died of coronavirus this week at the age of 94
29th November 2020
As France is unlocked, questions surround the French police's treatment of migrant camps, and the suitability of a new privacy bill
22nd November 2020
Xander recalls the night of 15th April 2019. As Notre-Dame burned, Parisians and tourists prayed and sang in the streets
15th November 2020
For Trump, it's all over. Xander looks back at the long term game Macron played with the US President, using Gallic charm to fool and deceive him
8th November 2020
In his first Letter 'to' Paris, delivered from his home in England, Xander laments on French lockdown culture and President Erdoğan's claims that Macron is "mentally ill"
1st November 2020
In his last letter from the Île Saint-Louis this term, Xander talks about border hopping and the second lockdown... he also thanks his favourite macaron shop for staying open!
25th October 2020
Xander pays tribute to Samuel Paty, martyr to the French Republic. Paty defended French secularism (laïcité) and Xander explains the importance of this consitutional policy – controversial abroad – to French life
18th October 2020
Xander explains why 'Emily in Paris' reminds the French of their English admiration. Plus, continued coronavirus misreporting and why the new curfew is not a lockdown
11th October 2020
Xander explains why France's 'Première Dame' represents the glamourous ideals of the country
4th October 2020
Xander discusses the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, French-Lebanese relations and an independence referendum in New Caledonia
27th September 2020
Recorded on Friday, Xander delivers his letter during an unfolding attack. He pays tribute to a doyenne of French music and discusses how the nation was betrayed by the death of Georges Pompidou
20th September 2020
Delivering his first letter, Xander introduces his love of France. He explains why Paris is as 'France profound' as it gets, and explains why the Tour de France proves this country is as united as ever
Transcripts of this series are available via Epigram