Pardon the fact that I've technically never been to Paris, but I feel as if my love affair with the City of Light is already in full swing. Earlier this week, Garance Doré broke down the je ne sais quoi of French style, and while mention of Christian Dior and Agnès b. will always set my heart a flutter, I owe this blissfully naïve belief to the sounds of Edif Pilaf, Francoise Hardy, and Serge Gainsbourg.
French is the language of love, and for me, it rings truest when it comes to music. A love ballad transports me to the river Seine, a groovy Yé-Yé track sets the scene for a hopping '60s discothèque, and an instrumental serenade makes me want to grab a stiff drink at the Hemingway Bar.
For now, I have to settle on being an American pretending to be in Paris. Fortunately, I've got enough French records in my repertoire to help me bide the time. If you're in the same boat, or just counting down the seconds till your next Parisian jaunt, here are 25 tracks that will indulge your inner Francophile faster than you can sing "Zou Bisou Bisou."
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