By Caroline Wyatt BBC correspondent in Paris

Parisians woke up to a new sound this week - Paris Live Radio, the city's first commercial English-language radio.

The French capital already has a vibrant radio spectrum, offering everything from Jewish radio to Serbian and Arabic stations, but until now nobody had thought about the needs of its 400,000 English-speaking expatriates.

The station is mainly aimed at ex-pats and tourists

But what do the French themselves make of it? Is this yet another example of the creeping Anglo-Saxon challenge to the French language, French music and French culture?

On the Champs Elysee, Parisians of all ages seemed surprisingly keen on the idea.

"It's necessary in Paris, because French people don't speak very well English," says one smartly-dressed French businesswoman. She says she may well listen in to improve her own English.

"Personally, I prefer English to French music," admits one Parisian in his mid-thirties.

"I am in favour of a strong Europe, and more cultural exchanges between different countries so having an English-language station here is great news."

New music

One French teenager also seems enthusiastic, though for rather less exalted reasons.

"It could bring more English girls to France, " he says with a hopeful look. "And that will make Paris a more cosmopolitan place."

It could bring more English girls to France French teenager

Paris Live offers listeners a mixture of music and news, broadcast from a studio next door to the more famous Moulin Rouge cabaret.

So far it's only available on cable, satellite and the internet, but soon Paris Live Radio hopes to take its place on FM - alongside the city's many other foreign language stations.

Founded by an Australian barrister, Renzie Duncan, it's aimed mainly at expatriates, and the millions of tourists who visit each year.

Fans of English-language music, though, may be disappointed. By law, radio broadcasters in France have to play a minimum of 40% of their music in French - a law passed to protect French pop from being swamped by Anglo-Saxon imports.

Paris Live says up to half its music will be in French - including show-casing young up and coming French bands. The station's staff are just as international as its potential audience - with presenters from Britain, Australia, France, Japan, and Ireland.

Judging by Parisians' enthusiastic response to the idea, Paris Live could prove a surprise hit in this usually rather conservative city.