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He painted village funerals on canvases meant for kings. He turned down the Legion of Honor. He died in exile. Meet Gustave Courbet. Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin tell the story of the self-taught painter from Ornans who refused to follow the rules of the French art world. Elyse explains why his paintings caused scandal after scandal, how he got caught up in the Paris Commune, and why the Impressionists owed him so much. Annie shares her visit to the Courbet Museum, where one small room makes every visitor gasp. Then Annie takes you to the Loue Valley, with its viewpoints, hikes and quiet villages. Press play, and subscribe to Join Us in France so you never miss an episode.

Introducing John Legend: How a Voice Breaks Through from Before The Moment with Nile Rodgers. Follow the show: Before The Moment with Nile Rodgers John Legend has always been ahead of the curve. He started playing piano at 4, graduated high school at 16. He grew up with a family surrounded by gospel music, and became a prodigy. After graduating from UPenn, he did what so many aspiring artists do - he hustled. Working a consulting job during the day, singing in clubs at night. Hoping to get someone to notice, to believe in him and to cut him a record deal. Funny to think about because it’s hard to imagine a world where John Legend isn’t a household name, but just goes to show that even the greats started somewhere. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to [email protected].

Forget what you've heard about Marseille. Annie Sargent talks with two locals who see a very different city: Emilie Bonnel from the Marseille Tourist Office and Alexis Steinman, a food writer who guides there. They make the case for a winter visit, with soft light, empty trails in the Calanques and lunch on a sunny terrace. They tell you where to eat a real bouillabaisse, what to order at apéro, and which neighborhood to pick so you actually sleep. You'll also hear how Annie missed the boat to the Château d'If, and how you can avoid doing the same. Press play, and subscribe so you don't miss next week's episode.

Annie Sargent wasn't expecting much from Baccarat. She's not a crystal person. Then she visited this small town in the Grand Est and changed her mind. In this episode, Annie and Elyse Rivin talk about how glass becomes crystal and how to test whether yours is the real thing. Annie takes you inside the Baccarat museum. You'll hear about a red made with 24-karat gold, chandeliers for a tsar, and paperweights worth thousands. She tells you why you should step into the Saint-Rémy church. And she explains why Sélestat's humanist library deserves a stop on the road to Colmar. Press play to hear the whole story. Then subscribe so you don't miss next week's episode on Marseille.

Could you hike the Brittany coast with just a tent and a bus app? Jennifer Gruenke did. She walked the GR34 from Saint-Brieuc to Saint-Malo this summer and never booked a single night. Annie Sargent asks her how it worked. Jennifer explains what those campground stars really mean. She paid 8 to 20 euros a night, plus one euro for a morning croissant. She watched boats on wheels haul in mussels, walked out to a tidal island chapel, and lost cell service so completely her phone welcomed her to the UK. When the hills or the heat got too much, she hopped on a 3-euro bus. Press play, then subscribe so you don't miss next Sunday's episode. Listen to this episode ad-free Table of Contents for this Episode Today on the podcast: Brittany Coastal Camping Guide Podcast supporters Magazine segment Welcome Back Jennifer Why Hike Brittany GR34 Timing Around Heatwaves Route Saint Brieuc to Malo What Are the GR Trails French Campsite Star System Costs Booking and Flexibility Day One Bay and Mussels Camping Village Nature dO Hard Hike or Take the Bus Breizhgo Bus App Tips Finding Stops and Schedules Bus Map and GPS Who Rides and Bikes Pleneuf Val Andre Stay Moules Frites Favorites Erquy Beach and Camping Ilot Saint Michel Highlight Galettes and Breizh Cola Wild Beach No Service Dogs Boats and Beach Rules Chateau de Guildo Detour Saint Jacut Tidal Flats Heatwave Skip to Saint Malo Regional Bus System Advice Farewell and Thanks Patreon Support Thanks Seine Swimming Season Recap Elevator Outage Map App Strolling Rue du Louvre Next week on the podcast More episodes about active vacations in France

Annie Sargent talks with Elyse Rivin about two women honored in the Panthéon. Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz and Germaine Tillion both joined the French Resistance as young women. Both got arrested. Both survived deportation to Ravensbrück, where they met and became lifelong friends. Listen to this episode ad-free Annie and Elyse trace what happened next: one fought poverty for decades, the other became a pioneering ethnologist and later negotiated during the Algerian War of Independence. It's a hard story, but a rewarding one. Annie also shares a Calder exhibition worth planning a trip around, plus a warning about pickpockets targeting tourists in Paris. Subscribe to Join Us in France so you never miss an episode. Table of Contents for this Episode Today on the podcast: Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz and Germaine Tillion Podcast supporters Magazine segment Why These Women Matter Meet the Two Heroes Geneviève Early Life Facing Nazism Early Musée de l'Homme Network Betrayal and Arrest Ravensbrück Camp Friendship with Tillion Release and Aftermath Politics and Anti Poverty Poverty to Despair ATD Fourth World Fight Housing Rights and Families Against Torture and Barbie Trial Evictions and Winter Truce Legacy and Shantytowns Panthéon Honor and Warning Meet Germaine Tillion Ethnology and Algeria Fieldwork Resistance Arrest and Camps Notes Operetta and Survival Algeria Independence and Peace Vigilance and Farewell Patreon Support Calder Festival Overview Venues and Dates Pickpocket Trial How the Ring Worked Safety Advice Newsletter and Credits Next Episode Teaser Copyright More episodes about French history #JoinUsInFrance, #FrancePodcast, #Francophile, #FranceTravelTips, #RealFrance, #FrenchResistance, #Pantheon, #WomenInHistory, #FrenchHistory, #WWIIHistory, #GermaineTillion, #GenevieveDeGaulle, #Ravensbruck, #ResistanceFighters, #AlgerianHistory, #LoireValley, #CalderExhibition, #ParisTravel, #FranceTravel, #ExploreFrance

Annie Sargent chats with Rowena Sjovall, a repeat Bootcamper who just spent a full month living in Tours. Rowena signed up for four weeks of intensive French classes, rented her own apartment, and shopped the local markets like a local. On her days off, she explored Loire Valley chateaux most tourists skip: Loches, Azay-le-Rideau, Chinon, and Blois. She also spent time with the  stunning tapestry of the Apocalypse in Angers and some excellent hole-in-the-wall restaurants in Tours. Annie and Rowena swap stories about speaking French with strangers, riding regional buses, and why a whole month of immersion might be exactly what your French (and mental health) needs. Press play and start planning your own trip. Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Annie Sargent talks with Elyse Rivin about Jean-François de Galaup, Comte de Lapérouse. He was born near Albi. He became one of France's greatest naval explorers. Louis XVI sent him to finish mapping the Pacific after Captain Cook. Listen to this episode ad-free They cover his forbidden love story. They talk about his humane command style, rare for a naval officer of his time. They also cover the 1788 cyclone that ended his voyage near the Solomon Islands. It remains one of France's biggest maritime mysteries, and search parties still look for answers today. Tune in for a story of ambition, love, and disappearance. Subscribe to Join Us in France so you never miss an episode. Table of Contents for this Episode Today on the podcast: Jean-François de Galaup, Comte de Lapérouse Podcast supporters Magazine segment Adventure Setup Why Lapérouse Matters Origins in Albi Childhood and Education Naval Academy to First Battles North Atlantic Campaigns Humane Commander Reputation Rivalry with Britain Indian Ocean Expedition Forbidden Love Eleanor American War Heroics Explorer Mindset and Maps Name La Pérouse Explained Marriage and Royal Mission Epic Pacific Route Cyclone And Disappearance Searches And Legacy Eleanor Waits In Vain Astrolabe Navigation Tech Visiting Albi And Paris Final Recommendations Thank you Patrons  French summer camp for adults. Annie's Updates Next week on the podcast Copyright More episodes about French culture

Annie Sargent chats with Nan and Marty Deniston, two Americans who spent three whole months living in Avignon. They wanted more than a vacation. They wanted real French. Nan started young, studying in Toulouse as a student. Marty didn't start learning until his fifties. Together they hired a private tutor, built their days around lessons and day trips, and leased a car through a program most travelers never hear about. They rented out their own house back home to make the whole trip work. Along the way, they found villages near Avignon that most visitors skip entirely. Press play, get inspired, and hit subscribe so you never miss an episode of Join Us in France. Table of Contents for this Episode Today on the podcast: Learning French Later in Life Podcast supporters Magazine segment Meet Nan and Marty Their France Backstory Nan Learns French Early Marty Starts Later Tools and Practice Habits Why Immersion Matters Planning Three Months Avignon Finding Teachers and Housing Zoom Tutors Anywhere Best Season to Stay Peugeot Long Term Lease Favorite Towns and Gems Avignon Area Highlights Bikes and French Only Tours Talk To Locals French Rhythm Gotchas Slow Down And Savor Skip Influencer Hype Great Food For Less Home Exchange Tips Renting Without Airbnb Toulouse And Day Trips Driving Medieval Centers Farewell And Thanks Thank you Patrons  Journées du Patrimoine Annie's Summer Vacation 2026 Bootcamp 2026 Next Week on the Podcast Copyright More episodes about learning French

Annie Sargent sits down with Elyse Rivin to tell the story of Louis Braille. He lost his sight at age three. He was completely blind by five. That didn't stop him. By his teens, he had invented a whole new way to read. Annie and Elyse trace his path from a small village school to Paris, where teachers resisted his system at first. Then it spread like wildfire. You'll hear how blind students tested it, how one public demonstration changed everything, and why Braille still matters today, even with screen readers everywhere. Annie also shares guide dog etiquette and an update on Igor, her retired guide dog. Subscribe to Join Us in France so you never miss an episode.

Annie Sargent takes you to Lyon in this episode. She met with Mikayla Sibner, an American who's taught French in Lyon for years, and they walk you through the city together. Listen to the episode ad-free You'll hear about secret passageways called traboules, Lyon's surprising silk-weaving history, and murals so convincing you'll swear they're real streets. Annie shares her own week in Lyon: the city pass that saved her money, the Fourvière Basilica, and the food she couldn't stop eating (praline, we're looking at you). Mikayla adds the local's perspective on neighborhoods, museums, and day trips worth taking. Grab your headphones and press play. And if you like what you hear, subscribe so you never miss an episode. Table of Contents for this Episode Introduction Today on the podcast: Lyon Travel Guide, Secret Passageways and Food Specialties Support the Podcast Magazine segment Meet Michaela Sibner Learning French Beyond AI First Impressions of Lyon Airport and Transit Tips Lyon Neighborhoods Explained Fourvière Basilica and Romans City Pass and Ticket Hacks Vieux Lyon and Traboules Cathedral Clocks and Bouchons Day Trips Oingt and Pérouges Miniature and Cinema Museum Movie Props Museum Lumiere Film Origins Justice Palace And WWII Lyon Murals Tour River Cruise And Hills Confluences Museum Food Markets Specialties Food Specialties of Lyon Farewell And Thanks Copyright More episodes about the Lyon and the French Alps area #JoinUsInFrance, #FrancePodcast, #Francophile, #FranceTravelTips, #RealFrance, #VisitLyon, #LyonFrance, #ExploreLyon, #Traboules, #LesCanuts, #SilkHistory, #FourviereLyon, #LyonMurals, #LyonFood, #FrenchCuisine, #LearnFrench, #TravelFrance, #VisitFrance, #FrenchHistory, #FrenchCulture

Camille Claudel trained alongside Auguste Rodin. She fell in love with him. She became a brilliant sculptor in her own right. Then her family locked her away. Listen to the episode ad-free Annie Sargent talks with Elyse Rivin about Camille Claudel's extraordinary life. Elyse traces her early talent, her ten years with Rodin, and the misogyny that kept her from getting the recognition she deserved. Then the story turns dark: her own family had her committed to an asylum, where she stayed for 30 years, until her death. It's a hard story. It's also one you won't forget. Press play to hear it. Subscribe to Join Us in France so you never miss an episode. Table of Contents for this Episode Today on the podcast: Camille Claudel Support and Updates Magazine segment Camille Claudel Camille In Museums Early Life And Family Paris Training Begins Rodin Arrives Love And Collaboration Breakup And Independence Commissions And Misogyny Isolation And Decline Isolation a nd Misogyny Flood And Breakdown Committed By Family Asylum Years And Starvation Erased After Death Great Niece Restores Legacy Movie And Rodin Reassessment Her Sculptures And Influence Final Reflections And Farewell Copyright More episodes about French culture #JoinUsInFrance, #FrancePodcast, #Francophile, #FranceTravelTips, #RealFrance, #FranceTravelPodcast, #ExploreFrance, #FranceCulture, #ParisFrance, #CamilleClaudel, #AugusteRodin, #RodinMuseum, #FrenchSculpture, #WomenArtists, #ArtHistory, #ParisMuseums, #FrenchArtHistory, #ForgottenWomen, #FrenchHistory, #19thCenturyArt

109-word iTunes description: Sacha Cohen and her husband spent two and a half years scouting France. They tried Rouen, Dijon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, and more. Then they chose Paris and moved in December 2025. Annie Sargent talks with Sacha about the whole process. They cover the long stay visitor visa, opening a French bank account, and setting up healthcare. They also dig into apartment hunting, picking an arrondissement, and the homesickness that hits even when a move goes right. Sacha shares what surprised her most about daily life in Paris. She's honest about the hard parts too. Hit play to hear how it really went. Then subscribe so you catch every new episode. Table of Content for this episode Episode Intro ents for this EpisodeToday on the podcast: We Moved to Paris! Support the Podcast Magazine segment Meet Sacha Cohen Why Move In Winter Scouting France First Choosing Paris Work And Midlife Reinvention Blog And Visa Choices Paperwork Stress And Language Driver License Photo Tips Banking And Healthcare Basics Homesickness And Expectations Opening a French Bank Finding Housing In Paris Paperwork Survival Kit Translations And Driving Proof France Moves Slower Renting Realities In Paris Referrals For Daily Life Healthcare Setup Basics Planning Your Move Rent Or Buy Strategy Arrondissement Picks And Transit Resources And Wrap Up Copyright More episodes about moving to France

Two Italian banker's daughters married French kings. Both ended up ruling France. Annie Sargent sits down with Elyse Rivin to sort out Catherine de' Medici and Marie de' Medici, cousins who together span the entire 1500s and into the 1600s. Catherine arrives at 15 to marry the future Henry II. She lives in the shadow of his mistress, buries three sons as kings, and holds France together through brutal religious wars. Marie marries Henry IV by proxy, gets humiliated at court, then loses him to an assassin's blade the day after her coronation. Annie and Elyse trace the schemes, the scandals, and the gardens these women left behind in Paris. Hit play. Then subscribe so you don't miss what's next. Table of Contents for this Episode Introduction Today on the podcast: Catherine and Marie De Medici Support and Announcements Magazine segment Why the Medici Women Queens and Power in France Medici Wealth and Alliances Catherine Arrives in France Diane de Poitiers Shadow Heir Crisis and Breakthrough Henry II Reigns and Tragedy Regency and First Son Charles IX and Religious Tensions Grand Tour and Civil War Marriage Politics and St Bartholomew Henry III and Catherine Final Years Valois Dynasty Ends Marie Medici Henry IV Needs an Heir Marie de Medici Chosen Proxy Wedding Shock Life at Court Humiliation Coronation Then Assassination Regency and Catholic Alliances Concini Murder and Exile Escape and Power Struggles Day of the Dupes Fallout Exile Across Europe Death and Lasting Legacy Copyright More episodes about French history

In episode 607, Annie Sargent talks with Julie Lynch, an Australian costume designer turned painter, about her week-long art retreat in Noyers, a tiny medieval village in Burgundy. Julie traded her precise, detailed style for loose, abstract landscapes made on a gel plate. She and four childhood friends painted all morning, then explored Vézelay, Avallon, and the Château d'Ancy-le-Franc in the afternoons. Annie and Julie talk about wisteria, lilacs, why reservations matter even in small villages, and why a slow retreat beats a packed itinerary. Annie also shares news about her new YouTube channel, Join Us in France Video. Press play and join them in Burgundy. Subscribe to Join Us in France so you never miss an episode. Table of Contents for this Episode Welcome to Episode 607 Today on the podcast: An Art Retreat in a Medieval Burgundy Village Listener Support and Video Plans Magazine segment Meet Julie Lynch From Costumes to Painting Stage Costume Museum in Moulins Why Noyers in Burgundy La Porte Peinte Retreat Art Without Pressure Burgundy in Springtime Afternoon Excursions Nearby Favorite Places in France Life in Tiny Noyers Allotment Gardens Explained Sharing the Harvest Why Choose a Retreat Chablis Market Day Reserve Small Town Meals Menus Without English Self Directed Art Retreat Retreat Types in France Driving and Navigation Tales Slower Travel With Age Lilacs and Village Scents Rural France Weeklong Stays Farewell and Artist Eye Patreon Thanks and Support Brittany Research Trip Plans Launching the Video Channel French Shorts and Visual Guides Subscribe and Comment Vacation Recording Break Newsletter and Next Episode Next week on the podcast Copyright More episodes about the Burgundy area