Sesame Street in France- Mon Dieu...Où Est Kermit?

Sesame Street in France- Mon Dieu...Où Est Kermit?

(mohn dee yuh ooh ay Kermit) 

Where is Kermit?

Sesame Street returned to French television screens on 22nd October but the address has changed from ‘1, rue Sésame' to ‘5, rue Sésame'. This time adapted to suit its French audience by the film and television producer Georges Campana for the production company Expand-Drama and shown daily on France 5, the show now reflects French life, with the aim of encouraging children to respect differences, protect the environment, recycle rubbish and with an educational basis in line with the French national curriculum.

In the new series of 75 episodes many of the old characters have gone including Kermit the Frog and Big Bird, who has been replaced by Nac. Alongside Elmo, who is still in the show, we are greeted by several new characters, including Nac, the huge yellow creature with a trumpet nose, who will be the mascot for the TV station; Griotte, a young girl in a wheelchair, who actively participates in the fun and gives a positive image of disabled children; Juliette, a student who works in the kiosk selling real French newspapers and magazines; and Baya, the baker, who, although her origins are not mentioned, appears to be Arabic. The scene is set against a background of tall graffiti-ridden buildings and blue sky, with the bakery, a greengrocers and a market. Now French children could really imagine being there.