How to Handle Protests in France: Lessons From October 17, Episode 622
Six listeners were in France during the October 17 riots: tear-gassed in Bordeaux, watching the Limoges city hall burn, sitting it out in Paris and Montpellier. They share what happened and how to handle protests in France so a demonstration doesn’t ruin your trip. Most of the country never noticed.
Northeast France Itinerary: Lille, Metz, Nancy and Alsace, Episode 621
A listener who drives into the northeast of France often explains how she uses Lille as a base for the WWI sites, why Metz deserves more attention, why you shouldn’t visit Nancy over New Year’s, and why Alsace is worth a summer trip. Plus, what the October 17 protests mean for your trip.
Gustave Courbet, the Rebel Painter from Ornans, Episode 620
Elyse Rivin and Annie Sargent tell the story of Gustave Courbet, the self-taught painter from Ornans who defied the French art establishment. His scandals, his politics and his exile in Switzerland, plus what to see in Ornans today: his museum, his studio, the family farm and the Loue Valley.
Marseille Travel Guide: What Locals Want You to Know, Episode 619
Marseille has a reputation, but locals see a different city. Emilie Bonnel of the Marseille Tourist Office and food writer Alexis Steinman share where to eat bouillabaisse, which neighborhoods to stay in, how to get Château d’If tickets, what to do on a cruise stop, and why winter is ideal.
Baccarat Crystal: Visiting the Town and Museum in the Grand Est, Episode 618
Baccarat is a small town between Nancy and Colmar that gave its name to world-famous crystal. We talk about how glass becomes crystal, what to see at the Baccarat crystal museum, why the Saint-Rémy church is worth a stop, and the humanist library in Sélestat on the road to Colmar.
Brittany Coastal Camping Guide: GR34 from Saint-Brieuc to Saint-Malo, Episode 617
Jennifer Gruenke hiked the GR34 in Brittany from Saint-Brieuc to Saint-Malo, camping every night without booking ahead. She explains how French campground stars work, how to use the BreizhGo buses when your legs give out, and where to find mussels, galettes, and a tidal island chapel along the way.
Two Heroines in the Panthéon: Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz and Germaine Tillion, Episode 616
Two women honored in the Panthéon, Geneviève de Gaulle-Anthonioz and Germaine Tillion, were arrested as Resistance fighters and survived deportation to Ravensbrück together. Elyse Rivin joins me to explain how their friendship began there, and why they spent the rest of their lives fighting poverty, torture, and injustice.
Loire Valley Chateaux (Plus a Month of French Lessons in Tours), Episode 615
Rowena Sjovall spent four weeks in immersive French classes in Tours, renting her own apartment and shopping the local markets. On her days off, she explored Loire Valley chateaux most visitors skip, from Chinon to Blois to Angers, picking up restaurant tips along the way.
Jean-François de Galaup, Comte de Lapérouse: France's Greatest Explorer You've Never Heard Of, Episode 614
Jean-François de Galaup, Comte de Lapérouse, was born near Albi in 1741 and became one of France's greatest naval explorers. Elyse Rivin joins me to cover his forbidden love story, his humane command style, and the 1788 cyclone that ended his voyage and became one of France's enduring maritime mysteries.
Learning French Later in Life: A Couple's Avignon Immersion, Episode 613
Nan and Marty Deniston spent three months living in Avignon, chasing real fluency instead of a quick refresher. They found a private tutor, leased a car through a little-known program, and rented out their house to make it happen. Their story proves you can learn French at any age.