Eleanor Beardsley
Eleanor Beardsley began reporting from France for NPR in 2004 as a freelance journalist, following all aspects of French society, politics, economics, culture and gastronomy. Since then, she has steadily worked her way to becoming an integral part of the NPR Europe reporting team.
Beardsley has been an active part of NPR's coverage of terrorist attacks in Paris and in Brussels. She has also followed the migrant crisis, traveling to meet and report on arriving refugees in Hungary, Austria, Germany, Sweden and France. She has also traveled to Ukraine, including the flashpoint eastern city of Donetsk, to report on the war there, and to Athens, to follow the Greek debt crisis.
In 2011, Beardsley covered the first Arab Spring revolution in Tunisia, where she witnessed the overthrow of the autocratic President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. Since then she has returned to the North African country many times.
In France, Beardsley has covered three presidential elections, including the surprising win by outsider Emmanuel Macron in 2017. Less than two years later, Macron's presidency was severely tested by France's Yellow vest movement, which Beardsley followed closely.
Beardsley especially enjoys historical topics and has covered several anniversaries of the Normandy D-day invasion as well as the centennial of World War I.
In sports, Beardsley closely covered the Women's World Soccer Cup held in France in June 2019 (and won by Team USA!) and regularly follows the Tour de France cycling race.
Prior to moving to Paris, Beardsley worked for three years with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo. She also worked as a television news producer for French broadcaster TF1 in Washington, D.C., and as a staff assistant to South Carolina Sen. Strom Thurmond.
Reporting from France for Beardsley is the fulfillment of a lifelong passion for the French language and culture. At the age of 10 she began learning French by reading the Asterix the Gaul comic book series with her father.
While she came to the field of radio journalism relatively late in her career, Beardsley says her varied background, studies and travels prepared her for the job. "I love reporting on the French because there are so many stereotypes about them in America," she says. "Sometimes it's fun to dispel the false notions and show a different side of the Gallic character. And sometimes the old stereotypes do hold up. But whether Americans love or hate France and the French, they're always interested!"
A native of South Carolina, Beardsley has a Bachelor of Arts in European history and French from Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina, and a master's degree in International Business from the University of South Carolina.
Beardsley is interested in politics, travel and observing foreign cultures. Her favorite cities are Paris and Istanbul.
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The U.S., France and Germany have recently announced plans to send armored fighting vehicles to Ukraine. The Western-designed weapons are an upgrade, but they're not the tanks that Ukraine wants.
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The war in Ukraine is transforming Europe in more ways than one. Ukrainian refugees in France are helping to fill jobs in places where there aren't enough French workers.
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A fallout between France and Italy over migrants rescued in the Mediterranean is poisoning diplomatic relations between the two countries.
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The World Cup begins next month in Qatar. France is the defending champion, but French cities have decided not to show the games at public gatherings to protest Qatar's record on human rights.
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The state funeral is over and the long procession through London has concluded. In a private ceremony, Queen Elizabeth will be interred at Windsor Castle next to her late husband.
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Europe's energy ministers meet Friday to present a common front against Russia shutting off gas supplies. They're expected to announce considerable belt tightening measures.
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With airlines shut down and many of the country's road's destroyed, Ukraine's train system has been both the literal and figurative lifeline for the country.
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The Russian invasion is destroying much of Ukraine's economy. In some cases, however, companies that adapted are not just surviving but thriving.
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Mexican photographer Graciela Iturbide has won international renown for her portraits of indigenous and marginalized peoples across the globe. (This story first aired on ATC on April 8, 2022.)
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French President Macron has won a second term, beating far-right leader Marine Le Pen with 58% of the vote. His majority is solid, but still 10 points below his total in 2017.