Want to soak up a French je-ne-sais-quoi before your next trip to France? We've gathered the best playlists so you can adopt the perfect French air! From Brigitte Bardot to Laurent Garnier (with a pit stop through Rone and Massilia Sound System). Let France.fr guide you through the French airways for a nonstop day of French tunes!
7:30 am: Get up on the right side of the bed
Wake up to Brigitte Bardot singing the marvels of a summer along the Côte d’Azur. It's much easier to get out of bed when feel like you're about to open your eyes to a French Mediterranean vista! Listen here
8:30 am: Vintage breakfast
Imagine you're sitting on a wicker chair in a Parisian café, by Pigalle, listening to the legendary banter of the city. On the menu is a café crème, a croissant, and the legendary Édith Piaf. Let your senses take you there... Listen here
10 am: Relax in peace
France and the piano, it's a story of love. One of the best examples is Claude Debussy and his Clair de Lune, one of the most beloved piano pieces in the world, a tinkling tune that takes you back in time.
11 am: Get the island rhythm
France lives on five oceans! From the French Caribbean, the band Zouk Machine pumps out lively zouk, the typical tune of the Guadeloupe Islands. Listen here
12 pm: Lunch in style
The French and the kitchen: a love story. Once we put ourselves in front of the stove, it's serious. We love to get in the zone preparing a bœuf bourguignon to the sounds of Cancan d’Offenbach.
1 pm: Got the blues?
Always prone to nostalgia, the French have forever loved great songs that make you cry! La Bohême, from the great Charles Aznavour, always does the trick. Listen here
2 pm: A naughty nap
After lunch, it's the perfect time for a little sieste—the French have their reputation to protect, after all! If you're cuddling with your sweetheart, the perfect soundtrack is a little Serge Gainsbourg. Listen here
4 pm: Head to the city
Urban French music is little-known overseas: it's too bad, as it's a rich and lively genre. Two cities lead the charge in this genre: Paris, represented by the band NTM (headed by Kool Shen and the indescribable Joey Starr, who has since made a career in cinema) and Marseille with IAM. Listen here
5 pm: Finish the day on a sweet note
Were you into the French music scene in the 90s? If so, you'll find that the electronica landscape of today is still as rich. Beloved since his 2010 album Spanish Breakfast, Rone is a star of this genre. Listen here
7 pm: Some sun for cocktail hour
A country that loves to host, France is enriched by the traditions of its many kinds of people. For decades, the Marseillais from Massilia Sound System have celebrated their love for their home city, its rainbow of cultures, and the golden sun that gives cocktail hour its special hue. Listen here
9 pm: Time to let off some steam
In France, there are a few constants: the Eiffel Tower, inimitable bread, great wine, and Johnny Hallyday! A national treasure, this rock star was so adored by the French that his funeral in 2017 was attended by hundreds of thousands of people across the country. Get your lighter ready and start the show! Listen here
11 pm: Get on the dancefloor
Disothèque à la française: from Daft Punk to Air, so many French groups have helped put us on the map. And once their opening notes start, everyone is compelled to get up and boogie. Listen here
2 am: Feel the Parisian nightclub life
If France is more known for its electro scene, its techno is nothing to sneeze at either. A denizen of the best French clubs, Laurent Garnier is the enfant terrible of the techno music in France! Listen here
By Caroline Revol-Maurel
Journalist passionate about wild nature, travel and rock. As happy to write about bearded vultures as Lou Reed. Often accompanied by my two best critics, my daughters.
