Category: French Culture
This episode features our frequent and very popular guest Elyse Rivin. If you enjoy her episodes, please consider supporting her on Patreon.
Sarah Bernhardt: The Most Famous Actress France Ever Produced
In this episode of the Join Us in France Travel Podcast, host Annie Sargent and historian Elyse Rivin dive into the extraordinary life of Sarah Bernhardt — the woman who changed French theater forever.
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If you’ve ever wandered through Paris, visited the Comédie-Française, or admired the Art Nouveau posters by Alphonse Mucha, you’ve already seen Sarah’s legacy. Her story mixes art, ambition, scandal, and pure determination — and it’s one of those moments in French history that reminds us why Paris became the cultural capital of the world.
Who Was Sarah Bernhardt?
Sarah Bernhardt was born in 1844 in Paris. Her early life wasn’t glamorous. She grew up in a chaotic household, was sent to a convent, and was known for her fiery temper and stubborn will. But she had something no one could ignore — a magnetic stage presence.
When she joined the Comédie-Française, France’s most prestigious theater, she brought a completely new style of acting — emotional, physical, and full of life. She didn’t just recite lines. She made people feel them. Critics either loved her or hated her, but the public adored her.
Elyse explains how Sarah became the world’s first true celebrity actress, touring across Europe, the United States, and even Latin America. She performed in French everywhere she went — and audiences didn’t care that they didn’t understand every word. They came for her energy, her voice, and her presence.
The Divine Sarah’s Eccentric Life
Sarah Bernhardt was as bold offstage as she was onstage. She kept a coffin in her home to remind herself of mortality. She slept in it sometimes, just to get comfortable with the idea of death. She owned a menagerie of exotic animals — including a cheetah and a snake.
She surrounded herself with artists and intellectuals like Victor Hugo, Oscar Wilde, and Alphonse Mucha, who turned her image into the visual symbol of the Belle Époque. Those famous Art Nouveau posters you see in Paris gift shops today? That’s Sarah Bernhardt in flowing robes, captured by Mucha’s elegant lines.
Annie and Elyse also talk about Sarah’s courage. During the Franco-Prussian War, she turned the Odéon Theatre into a hospital for wounded soldiers. Later, when she lost a leg to an infection, she didn’t stop performing — she acted from a wheelchair. Audiences didn’t pity her; they cheered her.
Sarah Bernhardt’s Legacy in Paris
If you love exploring the real Paris, you can still find traces of Sarah Bernhardt everywhere.
Visit the Petit Palais, where she exhibited her own sculptures. She wasn’t just an actress — she was also a painter and sculptor. Walk past the Théâtre Sarah-Bernhardt, renamed several times but still standing proudly on Place du Châtelet. Or stop by the Père Lachaise Cemetery, where she rests among other great Parisians like Chopin, Molière, and Edith Piaf.
Elyse points out that Sarah’s name has become shorthand for theatrical passion. Every actor who dares to go “too far” is compared to her. And yet, her influence goes beyond theater — she helped redefine what women could do, how artists could live, and how fame itself worked in the modern world.
In the Magazine Segment
In this episode, Annie also talks about tipping in France — what’s changing, what’s not, and how new digital payment methods are affecting old habits. She also shares her thoughts on the revival of bouillon restaurants in Paris, those lively, affordable eateries where Parisians gather for classic French comfort food.
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Sarah Bernhardt’s story is full of energy, drama, and brilliance — and Annie and Elyse bring her back to life with passion and humor.
If you love French culture, Paris history, and stories about extraordinary women, you won’t want to miss this episode.
Listen to “Sarah Bernhardt with Elyse Rivin” on your favorite podcast app, Spotify, or YouTube.
And if you enjoy learning about France with us, don’t forget to subscribe to the Join Us in France Newsletter.
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TranscriptCategory: French Culture