Wilkommen, welcome, bienvenue ! My name is Stefan de Vries [*1970]. I’m a France based journalist, and here you will find news, videos, reports and comments on France, The Netherlands, Europe and other random concepts.
Who are you? Where am I? And Why?
I’m currently working as a freelance journalist in Amsterdam for international outlets such as Euronews, BBC Radio, BNR (Netherlands) and Les Echos (France). In the past, I co-hosted the podcasts So French!, a bi-weekly show about all things French and Fog in the Channel, about Brexit. I provide breaking news coverage, packages and analysis in English for CNN, Sky News, France 24, LBC, ABC Australia, Radio New Zealand and other channels across the globe. I’ve also published Op-Eds in many newspapers and magazines like The New York Times, Libération, Le Monde et al.
In French media (France 24, Arte, France Info, France Culture, Europe 1, RTL) I regularly act as a court jester, analysing and if necessary mocking international and French current affairs.
Biography
I was born in the province of Zeeland (the Netherlands) on the day this song hit the #1 spot in the UK Charts. The tune is as careless as my childhood was, which is not particularly helpful for a writer. After grammar school, I headed north to study law at the University of Amsterdam. After those studies, I started working as a copywriter. During the most recent fin de siècle (1998), I quit my career in the Netherlands to seek culinary asylum in Paris. I started as a Design Director at Prisma Presse (part of Bertelsmann), giving a dozen well-known French magazines their first websites. A few years later, I decided to pursue my dream: I went to Hollywood to study cinema. Here I completed the director’s course at the New York Film Academy. Once back in Paris, I was hoping to become the next Steven, or rather Stefan Spielberg. But alas, my film career never really took off. This gave me plenty of spare time to enrol at the Sorbonne in Paris. A couple of years later, I graduated cum laude (which sounds more impressive than it actually is) in Art History and Archaeology. Finally, in 2005, I became a full-time journalist. In 2021, after 22 years in Paris, I moved ‘back’ to The Netherlands.
Europe
I have always been particularly interested in European politics. I’m a founding board member of Européens sans frontières, I was a board member of Europresse and a member of the Association des journalistes européens. In 2012, my work as a journalist covering the European Union was awarded the Prix de l’initiative européenne in Paris. A year later, the European Mouvement in The Hague named me the Euro Dutchman of the Year.
Books
I have written several books. You can read more on these here. I’m currently working on two new publications, one about contemporary France and another on the history and future of Europe. If you are a publisher and you would like to suggest a project for a book, please discuss this with my literary agent in Amsterdam, Lolies van Grunsven.
Lectures and presentations
My international experience, broad knowledge and unconventional approach make me a popular speaker at conferences. I give talks on Europe, etiquette, fashion, food and drink, art, beauty and journalism. Please contact me for bookings.
Questions?
Do you have specific questions, or are you being tormented by an urgent life matter? Perhaps you want my recipe for tarte tatin à la mangue? Please fill out the contact form. You get a personal reply as quickly as possible. You will find more information about my education and experience in my CV (PDF). If you’re just looking for some random answers, you can also check out my FAQ section.
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Nederlands 
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