Spotlight on France - Podcast: Scorched grapes, paying family caregivers, and France's love affair with McDonald's

Loading player...
The Languedoc Roussillon region produces good quality, reasonably-priced wine, but for how long? In June winegrowers were hard hit when temperatures reached 46 degrees Celsius, literally scorching the grapes on the vines. Extreme weather used to be the exception, now it's becoming the norm. We report from a village near Montpellier where winegrowers, on the frontline of climate change, are working with INRA to find ways to adapt and survive.

Also, at least 11 million French people could be considered caregivers, taking care of elderly parents, disabled spouses, chronically-ill family members. Dr. Hélène Rossinot calls them the invisible backbone of the French healthcare system, and warns that the lack of recognition can lead to burn-out. She talks about what caregivers do, and what France should do for them.

And the French love affair with burgers! McDonald's marks its 40th anniversary in the land of haute cuisine. But there's more to the official story.

 

In this episode:

- Robin Williamson, winemaker, Domaine de Saumarez

- Joel Anthérieu, winemaker, Le Clos d'Isidore

- Régis Sudre, winemaker, Domaine St Julia

- Nathalie Ollat and Jean-Marc Touzard, of INRA, the French National Institute for Agricultural Research

- Helene Rossinot, doctor, author of Aidants, ces invisibles (Those invisible caregivers)

 

Subscribe to the Spotlight on France podcast on iTunes (link here) or Google podcasts (link here).

For more stories about France and beyond, visit www.rfienglish.com.
19 Sep 2019 English South Africa News

Other recent episodes

Podcast: Assisted dying in France, Pagnol at Cannes, meet the neighbours

As French lawmakers consider legalising assisted dying, a look at the citizen's assembly that carefully considered the issue. Also, a film about the writer – and filmmaker – Marcel Pagnol at the Cannes film festival, which is finally tackling sexual harassment in the industry. And the man who created the…
22 May 28 min

Podcast: US science 'refugees' in France, doctor shortages, 8 May massacre

France is opening its arms to foreign scientists, particularly from the US, as the Trump administration pulls back from climate research. French GPs and trainee doctors are up in arms over proposals to address 'medical deserts', which they say would make the problem worse. And as Europe marks the 80th…
8 May 34 min

Podcast: War economy, France's supercomputers, La Marseillaise and the Republic

A French-German weapons manufacturer ramps up production to meet the needs of France's war economy. An encounter with France's largest supercomputer dedicated to artificial intelligence. And how the Marseillaise national anthem has contributed to reinforcing French values and ideals. Shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President…
10 Apr 29 min

Podcast: French wine in Africa, confronting obesity, video game giant

The Nigerian woman helping Bordeaux wine find new markets in Africa. Confronting France's fatphobia by classifying obesity as a disease. And the story of the French video game company behind the hit game Assassin's Creed. As French people consume less wine, and exports to China are slowing down, the wine…
27 Mar 29 min

Podcast: Women wage outrage, farmers face organic slump, Ravel's Bolero

Despite a raft of laws and programmes in France to address the gender pay gap, women still earn less than men. Organic farmers try to adapt to a drop in demand for organic food. And the story of Ravel's Boléro – the world's most performed piece of classical music. There…
13 Mar 30 min