The best TV and radio shows to improve your French
Alexa’s Complete French Course will take you all the way to complete proficiency in French - but there are other things you can do to supplement your learning and immerse yourself in the language and culture. Watching TV shows and listening to radio in particular are perfect ways to improve your listening skills in an entertaining and informative way.
Luckily, we’re living in a golden age for French-language content. There’s never been so much French language content available, nor has it ever been so accessible.
With so many options, however, it can be difficult to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together some of our favourite French TV and radio channels for immersing yourself in the French language.
Radio and Music
RadioFrance
France's most popular radio station with a wide range of podcasts, music, and more, with subbranches such as Franceinter, Franceinfo, Francebleu, Franceculture, Francemusique, Fip, and Mouv.
Deezer
French music streaming app with plenty of French podcasts, music and quizzes, and the functionality to translate lyrics as you listen to your favourite songs.
Allformusic
This French platform is a great way to find new and old tunes alike, showcasing the most popular music in France at any given time. You can search by genres, artists and even concerts happening in France.
RadioNova
RadioNova is a fantastic resource for French music, interviews, podcasts and other related content.
Free Streaming channels available only in France or through using a VPN
TF1/ TF1+
France’s first and oldest television channel, TF1 features a diverse range of programmes, from news to reality TV shows to sports, including coverage of the Tour de France and FIFA World Cup.
France.tv
Launched in 2017, France.tv has a vast array of popular and exclusive content across a range of genres.
Canal+
A paid service that is often the first to stream new movies and shows, Canal+ also showcases sports, documentaries and other genres.
France Channel
Stream quality French TV and movies from a regularly updated catalogue. France Channel is currently only available in the US, or with a VPN.
Free Streaming channels available to France and some other countries without a VPN
TV5monde & TV5mondeplus
An international French-language television network offering a diverse range of programming, including news, documentaries, entertainment, and cultural content.
ARTE
Styling itself as ‘The European Culture Channel’, Arte is a free Franco-German TV network focused on culture & education. ARTE also has a smart TV app.
Allociné
Free French site for news about TV and film, featuring trailers, showtimes and other information.
France24
Free streaming of French documentaries, talk shows, international news & current affairs. Alongside French, it’s also available in English, Arabic, and Spanish.
Will watching French TV and listening to French radio help me improve my French?
Known as passive learning, immersing yourself in French audio-visual content is one of the best ways to improve your French listening skills, as well as helping you to understand and master pronunciation to improve your speaking skills. We strongly recommend learning French passively in conjunction with active learning, such as by following the Learn French With Alexa Complete French Course.
Other great resources for passive learning include listening to podcasts, watching YouTube and immersing yourself in a French-speaking environment.