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.

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

#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

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

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

Critics called his paintings smudges. He kept painting anyway. In this episode, Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin tell the story of Eugène Delacroix, the man behind Liberty Leading the People. His father left the family in debt. Géricault became his mentor. Critics attacked nearly every painting he showed. Then seven months in Morocco changed his art forever. Elyse tells the whole story, and Annie shares where to see his work in Paris, from the Louvre to Saint-Sulpice. You'll never look at Liberty Leading the People the same way. Hit play, then subscribe so you never miss an episode of Join Us in France!

Table of Contents for this Episode

• Today on the podcast: a Brief Biography of Eugène Delacroix
• Podcast supporters
• Magazine segment
• Next week on the podcast
• Meet Delacroix
• Romanticism Without Boxes
• Critics and Controversy
• Early Life and Family
• School Music and Art
• Beaux Arts and Géricault
• Decorative Arts Hustle
• Copying Masters and Technique
• England Influence and Color
• Salon Debut Dante Scandal
• Géricault Death Turning Point
• Greek Tragedies and Backlash
• Gavroche Connection
• England Sparks Revival
• Sardanapalus Scandal
• Critics Sting Deep
• July Revolution Canvas
• Liberty Leads People
• Censored Then Louvre
• Baudelaire Backs Him
• Morocco Changes Everything
• Orientalism And Access
• Color Pattern Mastery
• Late Fame And Murals
• Delacroix Paintings in Saint Sulpice
• Jenny And Legacy
• Delacroix Museum Takeaway
• Farewell And Thanks
• Copyright

#JoinUsInFrance, #FrancePodcast, #Francophile, #FranceTravelTips, #RealFrance, #EugeneDelacroix, #Delacroix, #FrenchArt, #ArtHistory, #Louvre, #LibertyLeadingThePeople, #ParisMuseums, #SaintSulpice, #FrenchHistory, #ParisTravel, #VisitParis, #FranceTravel, #VisitFrance, #Romanticism, #ThingsToDoInParis

Five weeks solo in Paris. Twenty museums. Four monuments. And a whole lot of surprises. Annie Sargent chats with Larry Rosenblum to talk about his trip. Larry swims in the Seine. He watches a play at the Comédie-Française through AR glasses. He tours the French Senate during Heritage Days. He even straps on VR goggles and steps straight into the Louvre's history. Larry shares his best planning tips, his favorite discovery (a fairground museum you've probably never heard of), and the one thing he wishes he hadn't skipped: Montmartre. Annie also digs into "La France Moche," the ugly side of French town entrances. Hit play, then subscribe so you don't miss next week's episode.

Table of Contents for this Episode

• Today on the podcast: 5 weeks solo in Paris
• Support and Boutique
• Magazine segment
• Meet Larry Paris Stats
• Apart Hotel Stay
• Getting Around Metro Tips
• Solo Travel Pros Cons
• Swimming In The Seine
• Comedie Francaise AR
• Heritage Days Senate
• Postal Museum Stamps
• VR Louvre History Tour
• Segway Ride Surprise
• Segway Night Tour
• Riding Paris Bike Lanes
• Seine After Dark
• VoiceMap Tour Picks
• AR at Conciergerie
• Planning Five Weeks
• Packing and Safety Tips
• What to Skip and Return
• Goodbyes and Article
• Patreon Thanks
• La France Moche Explained
• Wrap Up and Next Week
• Next week on the podcasts
• Copyright

#JoinUsInFrance, #FrancePodcast, #Francophile, #FranceTravelTips, #RealFrance, #ParisTravel, #SoloTravelParis, #VisitFrance, #TravelToFrance, #ParisMuseums, #HiddenParis, #OffTheBeatenPath, #Louvre, #ComedieFrancaise, #SeineSwimming, #TravelPodcast, #FrenchCulture, #ParisVacation, #FrancophileLife, #BonjourFrance

Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin dig into the life of Alexandre Dumas Père — and it's a wild ride. His grandmother was a slave. His father was the French army's first non-white general. Napoleon destroyed that father, and Dumas never forgot it. He wrote over 100 novels, went broke twice, helped unify Italy, and ran the museums of Naples — including Pompeii. Oh, and he wrote a cookbook. Elyse brings the research, Annie brings the questions, and together they make French history genuinely fun. Hit play. And if you enjoy this, subscribe — a new episode drops every Sunday.

Table of Contents for this Episode

• Today on the podcast: Alexandre Dumas
• Podcast supporters
• Magazine segment
• Meet Dumas
• A Larger Than Life Figure
• His Father the General
• Napoleon and Injustice
• Racism and Early Schooling
• Dreaming of Stories
• Paris and The Stage
• Fame Money and Excess
• Translations and Travels
• Serialized Novels Begin
• Collaborators and Style
• Breakout Novels
• Travel Writing Begins
• Debt and Coauthor Fight
• Theater Gamble and Backlash
• Exile Trips and Hugo Visit
• Garibaldi Adventure in Italy
• Return and Late Career Shift
• Stroke Death and Legacy
• Monumental Output
• Why Films Love Dumas
• Romance Action Style
• History Names Not Facts
• Panthéon Farewell
• Patreon Thanks and Perks
• France Heatwave Update
• Air Quality and Ozone Alerts
• France Air Conditioning Debate
• Heat Pumps and Home Comfort
• Environmental Concerns and Reality
• Travel Tips for Staying Cool
• Hydration and Best Travel Timing
• Cutting Emissions and Going Electric
• Newsletter and Next Episode Tease
• Next week on the podcast
• Final Thanks and Goodbye
• Copyright

#JoinUsInFrance, #FrancePodcast, #Francophile, #FranceTravelTips, #RealFrance, #AlexandreDumas, #FrenchLiterature, #ThreeMusketeers, #CountOfMonteCristo, #FrenchHistory, #HistoricalFiction, #ClassicLiterature, #FrenchCulture, #FranceTravel, #VisitFrance, #Paris, #LivingInFrance, #MovingToFrance, #TravelPodcast, #FrenchLife

Cas McIntyre has visited France seven times and speaks French well enough to land in real trouble, and real fun. She joins Annie Sargent to swap stories that go beyond postcard moments: two and a half days lost in the theatrics of the Puy du Fou theme park, a village potato ball where 400 plates got filled, and a thermal cure in Sète that ended with Cas dancing the Jerusalem at midnight. Travel isn't always smooth. A pickpocket hits Cas at a Paris turnstile, her handbag goes missing on a train in Strasbourg, and Annie admits to losing a camera on a tour bus. Press play for stories you won't find in a guidebook, then subscribe for next week's episode.

Table of Contents for this Episode

• Today on the podcast: Puy du Fou, Arles Bullfighting, and Getting Pickpocketed in Paris
• Support the podcast
• Magazine segment
• Welcome Cas McIntyre
• Why France Keeps Calling
• Speaking French on Trips
• Solo or With Friends
• Train Travel and Packing
• Traveling Heavy and Mailing Home
• Longer Stays and Corsica
• Where to Stay in France
• Puy du Fou Theme Park
• History Shows and Controversy
• Getting There and Language Tips
• Potato Ball Local Immersion
• Bring Your Own Cutlery
• Thermal Cure and Dancing Nights
• Meeting French Friends
• Reciprocal Hosting Friends
• Beachside Local Connections
• Pickpocketed in Paris
• Recovering Cards and Cash
• Phone Safety and Theft Tricks
• Travel Mistakes and Backup Plans
• French Food Favorites
• Favorite French Foods
• Finding Great Restaurants
• Things Not Enjoyed
• Power Banks and Phone Prep
• Arles Cocarde Festival
• Basque Village Spectacle
• Next Trip and Farewell
• Thank you Patrons
• The Louvre Heist 2025
• Pollinarium in Paris
• Next week on the podcast
• Copyright

#JoinUsInFrance, #FrancePodcast, #Francophile, #FranceTravelTips, #RealFrance, #VisitFrance, #ExploreFrance, #FrenchImmersion, #PuyDuFou, #FrenchCulture, #TravelStories, #SoloTravelFrance, #FrenchHistory, #TravelFrance, #FranceTrip, #LearnFrench, #TravelTales, #FranceVacation, #TravelMishaps, #AustraliansInFrance

Annie Sargent just got back from the Allier department, dead center of France, and almost nobody visits it. In this episode, she sits down with Elyse Rivin to talk about Vichy, Moulins and her trip. Annie shares what surprised her: a gorgeous Art Deco café, and a 19th-century mansion frozen in time for a hundred years and empty streets in Vichy in December. Elyse then digs into Vichy's real history, the Romans, hot springs, and a beautiful pottery called sigillée, long before it became famous for World War II. They also cover medieval villages, forests, and a local wine called Saint-Pourçain. Press play to discover a part of France you've probably never heard of. Subscribe to Join Us in France!

Table of Contents for this Episode

• Today on the podcast: Vichy's Story and the Best of the Allier Department
• Podcast supporters
• Welcome to Allier
• Why Allier Is Overlooked
• Vichy vs Moulins
• Moulins Culture Finds
• Guided Tour Frustrations
• Bourbonnais History Bits
• Maison Mantin Time Capsule
• Medieval Villages Stops
• Forests Valleys and Wine
• Winter Travel and EV Cold
• Settling and Getting Around
• Clermont Ferrand Detour
• Vichy WWII Shadow
• Beyond War Memories
• Romans And Hot Springs
• Sigillee Pottery Boom
• Medieval Lull And Renaming
• Sevigne Makes Vichy Chic
• Royal Spa Town Era
• Napoleons Build Modern Vichy
• World War One Hospitals
• Why Vichy In World War Two
• Liberation Without Destruction
• Postwar Identity And Industry
• Vichyssoise Not Vichyste
• Patron Thanks and Perks
• Free Patreon News Post
• Notre Dame Window Controversy
• Court Ruling and Petition
• Modern Stained Glass Favorites
• Spring Cleaning Update
• Newsletter and Credits
• Next Episode and Farewell
• Copyright

#JoinUsInFrance, #FrancePodcast, #Francophile, #FranceTravelTips, #RealFrance, #VisitFrance, #ExploreFrance, #TravelFrance, #FranceRoadTrip, #HiddenFrance, #OffTheBeatenPath, #SecretFrance, #FranceHistory, #Vichy, #Allier, #Moulins, #Auvergne, #MassifCentral, #Bourbonnais, #ThermalSpa

Annie Sargent chats with Bob Soltys, a black-and-white street photographer who has spent decades capturing Paris. Bob shares what gear to actually bring, why night photography beats daytime almost every time, and which Paris neighborhoods deliver the best shots. He also explains phone tricks most tourists never use and when to put the camera down entirely.

In the magazine segment, Annie covers a new underground tunnel connecting Gare du Nord and Gare de l'Est — and why it matters for your next Paris trip.

Hit play. You'll come home with better photos.

If you enjoy the show, subscribe so you never miss an episode.