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Jonathan Meades scrutinises the 95 per cent of France that Brits drive through and don't notice en route to the 5 per cent that conforms to their expectation
Now playingMiniseries, Episode 1
Watching1. Fragments of an Arbitrary Encyclopaedia
Jonathan explains why Lorraine has become the symbolic heart of France and a stronghold of a romantic nationalism expressed by diverse means.
2. A Biased Anthology of Parisian Peripheries
Jonathan inspects the Parisian palaces of tyrannical colonial dynasties and the village where the Ayatollah Khomeini lived in exile.
3. Just a Few Debts France Owes to America
Jonathan looks at how the French delude themselves that they are indifferent towards the USA, despite huge evidence of cultural indebtedness.