The Crossroads of Sound: France as Global Musical Meeting Point

France's colonial history, geographic position, and cultural policies have made it one of the world's great musical crossroads. From the African griots performing in Parisian metros to Arab orchestras in Marseille, from Caribbean zouk heating Antillean nights to Vietnamese traditional music in the 13th arrondissement, France resonates with global sounds. This chapter explores how these diverse traditions transformed French music while finding new expressions in their adopted home.