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Madame de Maintenon, the woman that would start as a secret babysitter and become the unofficial queen of France. Born in 1635, her father was in prison for gambling and counterfeiting and her mother was the daughter of the prison director, straight out of a Lifetime movie. Later she was looked after by her godmother that showed her the fancier side of Paris, taking her to Salons and meeting the intellectuals of the day.

At a Salon, she met poet and writer Paul Scarron and began to share letters until he asked her to marry him. He was 25 years old and suffering from polio, but they had a very close relationship for the short time they were married. After his death on the verge of leaving for Portugal, Madame de Montespan who she had met at a Salon stepped in and asked her to watch over the illegitimate children of the king.

The role got her closer to the king, although he was not too enamored with her at first that would change. While Montespan was swept away in the Affair of the Poisons, Maintenon became closer and closer to the king. Once the queen died, in a very quiet ceremony in front of the archbishop and the king's confessor Pere de la Chaise they were married in the king's bedroom.

More info and photos: https://www.claudinehemingway.com/paris-history-avec-a-hemingway-podcast-1

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Meredith Mullins came for a short visit to Paris 15 years ago … and decided to stay. Pourquoi pas? Dreams can come true.

She is devoted to two passions—photography and writing—and all the adventures that these two ways of seeing offered. She is an internationally exhibited photographer, winner of several major photography competitions, and author of the award-winning book In A Paris Moment. 

Meredith has been a popular photography instructor in Paris for 13 years. She also writes and photographs for several travel and education publications, including National Geographic Education, OIC Moments, Eye Prefer Paris, Bonjour Paris, and France Today.

She was an organizer of the Paris Writers Workshop and Director of the International Fine Art Photography Award—programs that were designed to celebrate the discovery of new talent in the literary and visual arts. 

“Life is about fleeting moments,” she says. “You must be ready, with eyes and heart open.
https://meredithmullins.artspan.com/home

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Madame de Montespan,  was born as Françoise de Rochechouart de Mortemart on October 5, 1641 in Lussac-les-Châteaux. Her family, the house of Rochechouart, was one of the oldest noble families and served the king and queen of France. 

As a child she was sent to the Convent of Saint Mary in Saintes alongside other noble children and at 17 years old she was working in the court of the Palais du Louvre. In 1658 as the lady-in-waiting to the sister-in-law to Louis XIV, Henriette of England, the young Francoise was now close to king Louis XIV. A role given to her by Anne of Austria who her mother served as her lady-in-waiting, it was the family business after all.  

On January 28, 1663 she married Louis Henri de Pardaillan de Gondrin, Marquis de Montespan, although she was in love with Louis de la Frémoille. A lady didn’t have much of a choice back then and was forced to marry Louis Henri. Montespan became the head mistress, mother of his seven children and trusted advisor until her role in the Affair of the Poison was reviled.  Her entire story is at times pretty horrifying and could be sensitive to some. We tried not to get to into the dark stuff, but it is part of her story. 

More info and photos: https://www.claudinehemingway.com/paris-history-avec-a-hemingway-podcast-1

Support Claudine on Patreon and get more of Paris and all her stories and benefits like discounts on her tours, custom history and exclusive content  https://www.patreon.com/bleublonderouge

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Today I chat with French native and Stand up comedian Cedrik Verdure. He is also the author of Laugh your Way through the Louvre!  Cedrik became famous for his hilarious tours, making history fun again! His Airbnb tours are sold out for months and he tells us how he came up with the concept for funny Louvre tours and about his life in France.


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNGqkc__pn9l6fTMIvIxtwA
the book
the Kickstarter
the TV show

Videos: https://www.dailymotion.com/search/cedrik%20verdure

Airbnb tours: https://www.airbnb.com/experiences/434

Facebook: http://www.laughinmuseums.com/?fbclid=IwAR2xrNiaTZ12_RqB5rtoNq0NfYeESExFVpEOeGxPRSrlre0pULX-UAhMY74

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American artist Mary Cassatt was considered one of “Les Trois Grandes Dames of Impressionism” alongside Berthe Morisot and Marie Bracquemond. Born in Pittsburgh on May 22, 1844, to a very wealthy family. Her father Robert Simpson Cassatt made a fortune in the stock market and with land sales. Her mother Katherine came from a banking family that was well educated and believed her own daughter should be as well. 

In 1866, she packed up her brushes and moved to Paris, but the city of artists wasn’t that much easier. Being a woman held her back, she couldn’t go to the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and had to find her own teacher that would take an eager young lady.  Jean-Leon Gérôme who also taught a long list of artists saw something in Mary and took her under his wing.  Spending most of her days with Gérôme in the Louvre copying paintings and mingling with the other young artists of Paris. In 1868 she began to study under Thomas Couture who had also been Manet’s teacher. 

More info and photos: https://www.claudinehemingway.com/paris-history-avec-a-hemingway-podcast-1

Support Claudine on Patreon and get more of Paris and all her stories and benefits like discounts on her tours, custom history, and exclusive content  https://www.patreon.com/bleublonderouge

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JESSIE KANELOS WEINER IS A FRANCO-AMERICAN ILLUSTRATOR, AUTHOR AND FOOD STYLIST BASED IN PARIS AND NEW YORK. BORN AND RAISED IN CHICAGO, SHE WAS A COSTUME DESIGNER IN A PREVIOUS LIFE WHEN PICKING UP WATERCOLOR FOR THE FIRST TIME, DEVELOPING HER HIGHLY DETAILED, WHIMSICAL AND INSTANTLY RECOGNIZABLE STYLE. SHE IS THE COAUTHOR OF “PARIS IN STRIDE” (RIZZOLI),  AUTHOR OF “EDIBLE PARADISE: A COLORING BOOK OF SEASONAL FRUITS AND VEGETABLES” (UNIVERSE) AND 8 COOKBOOKS PUBLISHED BY EDITIONS MARABOUT.  SHE IS CURRENTLY WORKING ON THE NEXT BOOK IN THE “IN STRIDE” SERIES.

HER WORK EXPLORES GASTRONOMY, TRAVEL, LIFESTYLE, ARCHITECTURE AND POP CULTURE FOR SELECTED CLIENTS INCLUDING VOGUE, THE NEW YORK TIMES, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, TMAG, AFAR, VANITY FAIR FRANCE,   M LE MAGAZINE DU MONDE, LVMH, NESPRESSO, FREE PEOPLE, AND PENGUIN PRESS AMONG MANY OTHERS.  IDEAL FOR WORKING WITH CLIENTS WORKING WITH LUXURY BRANDS AND EDITORIAL COMMISSIONS.

illustrator /  Rizzoli coauthor of New York in Stride,  Paris in Stride, and author of Edible Paradise
 jessiekanelosweiner.com / https://thefrancofly.com/

ETSY-  INSTAGRAM - PINTEREST - FACEBOOK

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There were many American expats filling the streets of Paris in the 1920’s but there was one that did it with an extra panash and made an immediate impression.  Josephine Baker was a woman ahead of her time and blazed her own path from the streets of St Louis to the stages of Paris.

Josephine Baker grew up on the streets of St Louis dancing for spare change before at the age of 15 she head to New York and became the highest paid chorus girl in Vaudeville. Shortly after she headed to Paris and was an immediate success on the stage of the Theatre Champs Elysees making a mark with her exotic moves and costumes. 

She would go onto become a member of the Resistance, entertain the troops and adopt 12 children from around the world creating her own family, her “Rainbow Tribe”. 

Listen to her entire story in this weeks newest episode of La Vie Creative - Paris History Avec A Hemingway. 

More info and photos: https://www.claudinehemingway.com/paris-history-avec-a-hemingway-podcast-1

Support Claudine on Patreon and get more of Paris and all her stories and benefits like discounts on her tours, custom history and exclusive content  https://www.patreon.com/bleublonderouge

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Richard Nahem is a native New Yorker with a longstanding love for Paris. A trained chef, Richard ran a successful catering and event planning company for over twenty years in New York City, working with celebrities including Sarah Jessica Parker, Whitney Houston, and Joan Rivers. After a teenage trip to Paris made him an instant Francophile, he visited the city frequently until making it his home in 2005.

Richard’s popular blog, eyepreferparis.com, features beautiful photos and insightful weekly posts on art, fashion, food, history, restaurants, and all things Parisian. His work has appeared in The Guardian, Passport Magazine, Luxury Travel Advisor, and the National Geographic “Walking Tours of Paris” Guidebook. With 25 years of rave reviews from friends and colleagues, Richard decided to offer private tours of “his” Paris to the public. An animated speaker and savvy insider, Richard provides tailored, adventurous, and exciting tours of Paris for the independent-spirited traveler.

For more information, please email [email protected]

http://www.eyepreferparistours.com
http://www.ipreferparis.net

Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/EyePreferParis?ref=search_shop_redirect

Twitter-http://twitter.com/eyepreferparis

FB- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eye-Prefer-Paris/149370348123

Instagram-http://instagram.com/eyepreferparis

YouTube Channel-A Bite of Paris https://bit.ly/2q3Xxsg

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You will know this week's lovely lady from the beautiful painting hanging in the Musée du Louvre by Jacques-Louis David.  Juliette Récamier was a fixture of the Paris Salon scene in the 19th century and lived a very interesting life. 

It all started with a rather strange story. Her mother Marie-Julie Matton came from a wealthy family and her father Jean Bernard was the notary and counsellor to the king. Growing up in Lyon, her father left for Paris to be the Postmaster General leaving Juliette and her mother in Lyon. 

However, there is a large question that Jean Bernard was actually her father. Her mother held Salons in Lyon and a frequent visitor was Jacques Récamier who would marry the young 15 year old girl. That’s correct, her could be father was now her husband. 

Listen to the entire episode for more on how her life turns out. 

More info and photos: https://www.claudinehemingway.com/paris-history-avec-a-hemingway-podcast-1Support Claudine on Patreon and get more of Paris and all her stories and benefits like discounts on her tours, custom history and exclusive content  https://www.patreon.com/bleublonderougefacebook https://www.facebook.com/BleuBlondeRougeInstagram https://www.instagram.com/claudinebleublonderouge/Sign up for the weekly Blue Blonde Rouge newsletter  https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5e8f6d73375c490028be6a76

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Julia Willard moved to Paris where she found herself having to have a camera with herself at all times to capture the way the city had mastered beauty. Her bicycle added to the experience, as it increased her reach outside her little quarter.  She found herself with an immense desire to share this beauty through her photographic eye.

She has been traveling and photographing all over Europe and especially Paris for over 8 years and shares her photographic eye and creativity with us on today's episode.

Learn more about Julia here: http://www.fallingoffbicycles.com/about/

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