Join Us in France Travel Podcast

Are you dreaming about growing roots in the southwest of France? Georgia Broome does and tells us all about it! Welcome to the Join Us in France Travel Podcast where we look around France so you can best enjoy France as a destination. We talk about French culture, history, gastronomy and everything it takes to have a lovely experience in France. Today Annie Sargent brings you a conversation with Gerogia Broome about growing roots in the southwest of France. Georgia lives in England right now, but she grew up in France and has been on the lookout for a place of her own in France. She fell in love with a house she saw on-line, jumped on the opportunity despite the fact that this "maison de maître" needs a lot of TLC. Follow Georgia's adventures on her Instagram account.   Advice for People Looking to Buy Property in France Le Bon Coin is a wonderful resource. Find an estate agent you trust and remember that they can approach the seller for a home they don't list in their agency. Know what you're buying into: termites, lead paint, asbestos, be on the lookout for those problems. Tradesmen are expensive in France, more expensive than in the UK. Promptly setup to pay local taxes on-line so you don't incur any penalties. You can use TransferWise to move money around, and you can also use them before you have a bank account in France because they can give you a RIB (relevé d'identité bancaire which are your bank details). Don't read all the negative stories because you'll talk yourself out of doing anything that way. Ask around for recommendations on workmen. Links You'll Need if Buying a Property in France This website gives you prices of properties per zip code This is a big "for sale by owner" site for France Le Bon Coin is a great place to buy or rent everything, including properties The French government publishes the official actual sale price of real estate by zip code An AI that lets you see properties for sale based on your criteria More episodes about moving to France Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/344 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking

What's new in Paris in 2021? Top of our list: the Carnavalet Museum! Annie and Elyse LOVED the Carnavalet museum in Paris. In this episode we explain why and we point out all the things you should not miss when you're there yourself! There is a lot more new in Paris such as La Bourse du Commerce and Le Musée de la Marine. Let's talk about it! #joinusinfrance #paris2021 This episode features my frequent guest Elyse Rivin. You can book a tour with her through her website and you can also support her on Patreon. Useful Links: Book your free ticket to the Carnavalet museum (Just FYI there are scammers charging for free tickets and they appear on top of the google search as I post this episode) Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/343 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking

In this podcast episode Annie Sargent, Patricia Perry and Elyse Rivin discuss the new normal in Paris in the summer and fall of 2021 now that the Covid-19 is almost in the rear-view mirror. We're back in Paris after staying away for 18 months and it's so good to be back! #joinusinfrance #paris Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/342 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking

In this episode of the podcast, Annie Sargent has a chat with Paulette Geragos about how things went when she bought an apartment in Paris. We go into the nitty-gritty details about what was strange about it, what went well and what didn't go so well. Paulette tells us what she wishes she had known about the process of buying an apartment in Paris. Links You'll Need if Buying an Apartment in Paris This website gives you prices of properties per zip code This is a big "for sale by owner" site for France Le Bon Coin is a great place to buy or rent everything, including properties The French government publishes the official actual sale price of real estate by zip code Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/341 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking

On today's episode Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin take you on a stroll in the village of Auvillar in Occitanie. It is one of the most beautiful villages of France and (unlike a few other villages in that category) it is usually lively. Auvillar is remarkably scenic and was also a place where nuns protected Jewish children during WWII. A beautiful place all around, take a listen to the episode to see if you need to add it to you list! #joinusinfrance #occitanie This episode features my frequent guest and licensed tour guide Elyse Rivin. You can book a tour with her through her website and you can also support her on Patreon. There are a lot of B&B, Gîtes and Chambres d'Hôte to choose from in Auvillar, as well as a few hotels nearby. Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/340 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking

In France, levels of education of girls have increased steadily since WW2, but it took us a long time to get there. As discussed in this episode with Rebecca Rogers, 210 years ago Napoleon Bonaparte put a big emphasis on educating boys while mostly ignoring the education of girls in France. But not entirely, he setup some fine institutions for the education of girls in France. Napoleon's "oversight" did not get resolved fast. In episode 79 of the podcast we discussed the difficulties Marie Curie encountered doing her research in the early 1900s. It probably would have been just as bad or worse in many countries, but Marie Curie was yesterday! Why did it take us so long to realize how important it is to educate girls in France? Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/339 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking

So many people who have done trip reports with Annie Sargent have mentioned Rocamadour as one of their favorite places in France! And she's  been there about a million times growing up in Toulouse because it’s a favorite for locals too. So it was high time to do a proper episode dedicated to Rocamadour where we explain why it's so amazing. For those of you who are new to the podcast and haven’t heard it mentioned so much, this is a really scenic village where much of the village and the church were built hanging on the side of a cliff. It's incredibly scenic and still an important place of pilgrimage. Resident tour guide Elyse Rivin will explain that in the middle ages in this part of France the ability to retreat into the cliffs was vital. There is a lot to see around Rocamadour as well and we go into the best there is to enjoy around there as well: le Gouffre de Padirac and La Forêt des Singes because the two that come to mind first. The largest city in this area is Cahors in the Lot and it is only about 30,000 people. When you're in Rocamadour you're not far from the Dordogne and the Haut Quercy. You can visit this as a day-trip from Toulouse, but it's really perfect as a week-end getaway to the countryside. This is a selection of hotels we'd consider for Rocamadour. You need a parking lot because there isn't much in terms of street parking. And, if visiting during the warmer months, you also need a swimming pool to keep the children happy and to cool off at the end of a long day of walking the up and down the hilly streets of Rocamadour. This episode features my frequent guest Elyse Rivin. You can book a tour with her through her website and you can also support her on Patreon. Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/338 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking

Categories: Burgundy Area, French Culture, French Food & Wine There is no doubt that Burgundy wine and gastronomy are some of the best in France. That's one of the reasons my guest, Ellen Shaunessy, decided to visit this part of France with a friend. Plus it's easy to get to from Paris on the TGV train and driving in this part of France is easy. Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | BookingPatreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking Ellen has a great advance over most visitors to France because she speaks French fluently from her work in Paris years ago. She knows how to ace a trip to France and has taken several trips with friends who trust her good advice. Let's hear what she has to say! To see the day-to-day details click on Guest Notes below. Tips for New Visitors to France Start your trip in Paris because that's when you have the most energy. If you have budge constraints stick with trains (car rentals, gas and tolls add up fast in France). Use the site Gite de France to find accommodations with locals outside of Paris (this is especially great if you intend to use your French!) If possible it's best not to plan anything on the day you arrive somewhere. Use the time to explore and get your bearings. In Paris you'll probably feel like you're always missing something because there is so much going on. Pick one activity for the day. For example a vineyard tour day or a cooking class day. Burgundy Wine and Gastronomy Tours Ellen selected a tour company called Authentica Tours so they could see some of the countryside without renting a car. This is a small company that runs their tours in a small van. There were only 4 or 5 people that day, so it's almost like a private tour. They drive you around the countryside, tell you about the history of the region (there is a lot of Roman history in this area). They do both wine and cheese tasting tours. Ellen and her friend also took a free walking tour of Dijon offered by the Tourist Office. Even if you don't find a free walking tour, going to the Tourism Office is always a good idea because they have a lot of information for you. Wine Tasting and Cooking Class in Beaune While staying in Dijon they took an early train to Beaune to be there in time for their market tour that started at 11 AM. This tour is only offered on market days. They had a chance to browse the market before they met up with the Cook's Atelier ladies. The ladies introduced them to local vendors. They cooked the food and shared a meal with them which was wonderful. Following the cooking class they went to the exhibit called Cave des Aromes. They learned a lot even though they mostly enjoy wine without being trained. They also went to the Hospices de Beaune, which is a must-see. What's interesting is that there used to be a boulangerie in Corgoloin (where they were staying at a gite), but it's now been replaced with a boulangerie truck! Have you ever seen one? They are common in rural France. This gite is an easy walk to the train station and provides bikes for people who want to explore on a bike. They went to Nuit-Saint-Georges on the bike. The area is pretty flat, so it's doable even if you're not an avid biker. Must Try Burgundy Regional Specialties Bœuf Bourguignon Coq au vin Poulet de Bresse Œufs en meurette Charolais beef – hamburgers are amazing here Gougères Escargot Anything with crème de cassis, including Kir (an apératif) Pain d’épices Époisses cheese More episodes about Burgundy FOLLOW US ON: Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter   Discussed in this Episode Dijon Châteauneuf-en-Auxois Vercingétorix Monument Semur-en-Auxois Tonnellerie Francois Frères [29:00] Château de La Rochepot Puligny-Montrachet Meursault Châteauneuf-en-Auxois Kir and Kir Royal Castelsarassin (Occitanie) Subscribe to the Podcast Apple Google Spotify RSS Support the Show Tip Your Guide Extras Patreon Audio Tours Merchandise If you enjoyed this episode, you should also listen to related episode(s): The Rules of Driving in France, Episode 16 Wine Touring in Beaune, Burgundy, Episode 128 The Saint Vincent Tournante Burgundy Wines Festival, Episode 98 Southern Burgundy, Episode 61 Burgundy Region and Wine, Episode 57 Ellen (middle) and two of her friends in Burgundy. Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/337

Today Annie Sargent brings you a conversation with Elyse Rivin about the lovely village of Penne in the Tarn. It’s a small place (600 inhabitants) with a ruined castle on top of the hill and gorgeous views all around. This episode features my frequent guest Elyse Rivin. You can book a tour with her through her website and you can also support her on Patreon. This medieval village does not have any sort of special label like “Most Beautiful Village of France” so it’s definitely under the radar. But it's such an interesting place! We often get asked about memorable places to visit with children and Penne is definitely one of them! Children will love the adventure of exploring the ruins and watching restoration work go on (if you go at the right time, check their website for specifics.) Penne is north east of Toulouse. The name comes from a Latin root that means high pointy rock and the castle is indeed on top of a high pointy rock. This ruined castle got its start in the 800s at a time when local inhabitants needed protection from various invasions. The Village of Penne Today Today a lot of arts and crafts people have moved into the village because in a normal year Penne gets quite a few visitors. You'll find some shops and cafés and scenic narrow streets (see Annie's photos on Instagram). What's different is that this village doesn't have a monastery and it is not a bastide. It was developed primarily around the defensive castle which speaks to the difficult political situation of this area during the Middle Ages. You should wear good walking shoes as you will be walking up fairly steep cobblestone. It's not taxing physically because you don't have to go a long way, but may be impossible for people with mobility issues and difficult with a stroller. Attractions and Accommodations Nearby It will only take half a day to visit Penne (unless they have special events going on), but the great thing is there is plenty to see nearby. Bruniquel, Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, Castelnau-de-Montmiral are good candidates in our opinion. Here are some good accommodation around Penne. Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/336 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking

Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/335 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking This week in France we are celebrating the bicentennial of Napoleon’s death and so today Today I bring you a conversation with Kurt Weihs about Napoleon. I am excited to release this episode because I have been working on it for several months. My guest Kurt Weihs did an amazing job helping me summarize Napoleon’s life and why he has had such an enormous imprint on France. If you’re interested in learning how France ticks and why, you’ll love this episode. On this episode we want to look at the big picture of Napoleon's life. The man, his ideas and some of the major turning points in his life. In this episode we paint with a broad brush, but by the end of this episode you'll have an idea of who Napoleon was and why he made his mark on so many places in France. Books Annie read to prepare for this episode: From French historian Max Gallo: The Song of Departure and The Sun of Austerlitz 1815: The Return of Napoleon by Britten Austin Wellington & Napoleon: Clash of Arms by Robin Neillands The Road to St Helena: Napoleon After Waterloo by J. David Markham The Words that Define Napoleon In order to make sense of Napoleon's full and complicated life, it is useful to try to distill things down to a few ideas. Kurt's 5 Words for Defining Napoleon Romanticist: Napoleon was very much in love with Josephine and let his emotions guide his choices. Fairness: Napoleon expected to be treated fairly and believed people would keep their word. This was not always the case in reality. Order: Napoleon loathed disorder and chaos. He hated insurrections and attempted to tamp them down. Image: Like most authoritarian dictators, Napoleon used the media for propaganda  and used out-right lies to shape his public image. Endurance: During his campaigns he spent days and days on horseback, he attacked swiftly and tirelessly. Annie's 5 Words About Napoleon Family: His family was from Corsica and functioned much like a clan. After he became Emperor, Napoleon placed his brothers into high positions and married his sisters to men in high position. Ambition: Any time he felt his influence was threatened he rushed back to Paris to set everyone straight. Dictator: He gave a lot of power to the police and kept a thumb on anyone who didn't like him. Law: He instituted the Napoleonic code which is still the rule France lives under. Institutions: He created institutions of learning (high schools and the baccalaureate), financial institutions (the French central bank) and new distinctions for anyone who served him (la légion d'honneur). Napoleon's Early Victories Napoleon was not well-liked among his superiors because he was so demanding and ambitous. They sent him away to fight battles they thought were hopeless and he surprised them all by doing a great job. One example of that is when he took command at the Siege of Toulon and later at the Campaign of Italy. Napoleon took care of his men and they loved him in return. Napoleon was good at talking to the men and getting them excited about battles. He also allowed them to loot and didn't intervene when they behaved horribly towards the populations they were invading. He spent money to equip and feed the troops better than was the norm before him. The troops loved him and did their best in battle. The Annexation of Egypt didn't go as well. They were able to take Malta and Alexandria initially, but the battle of Nile against Lord Nelson went poorly. At this time Napoleon also rushed back to Paris because he feared enemies were plotting against him. The scientific endeavor in Egypt was a lot more successful than the military attempt. By 1799, But within a month of returning to Paris from the Egyptian Campaign Napoleon had orchestrated a coup and put himself at the head of a new regime for France that we call the Consulat. From the time Napoleon established himself as the Premier Consul until he crowned himself Emperor, only 4 years passed. Napoleon was young and blindingly ambitious. He had the support of most French people because Napoleon instituted reforms that were popular with the people. Popular Reforms Napoleons Put in Place Creation of the Civil Code Stronger property rights Civil marriage becomes an institution further reducing the influence of the Catholic church Departments and Préfets are created to handle local matters Central bank and stable currency Napoleon encouraged food production, agriculture and industry Built roads and canals Created public high schools and a new standard diploma: the Baccalauréat Napoleon made improvements to Paris, including many to his glory: La Colonne Vandôme,  La Madeleine Church, two new bridges over the Seine Austerlitz and Inéa. Overall France was very prosperous under Napoleon despite his never-ending wars. Napoleon As a Dictator and Other Unpleasant Traits Under Napoleon only gave lip service to the basic freedoms established by the Declaration of Human Rights established by the French Revolution. Under his leadership the police were all powerful. They read your mail and watched who hung out with you. No more freedom of the press. He punished his enemies and promoted those who praised him with a new medal La Légion d'Honneur. He believed women should be pretty and should make children and should never concern themselves with politics. Madame de Staël is an example of a woman he did not approve of. He established the family order with men at the top and women never being allowed to challenge her husband. At the same time he didn't want men abusing their wives and put some protection in place against that too. The Code Civil famously says Le mari doit protection à sa femme et sa femme obéissance à son mari. This means that a man must protect his wife and she must obey her husband. Napoleon re-instituted slavery when it had been abolished by the French Revolution. Napoleon's Biggest Victory: Austerlitz This happened 6 years after Napoleon fled Egypt and a year after he became Emperor. It takes place in a small town that's now in the Czech Republic but was part of the Austrian Empire. The battle was the climactic final act in the series of battles that made up the War of the Third Coalition. The Allied strategy was to let the French Army exhaust itself chasing them while avoiding direct confrontation.  To avoid this Napoleon had to entice the allies to fight him.  He did this by a mix of making fake gestures for armistice and having one of his corps falling back from the Pratzen Heights at Austerlitz.  The French appeared on the edge of breaking.  They were anything but that. The victory at Austerlitz was responsible for sweeping change in Europe. It pretty much ended the war of the 3rd Coalition (there was still minor fighting in Italy but Napoleon’s power was no longer challenged, for now). The centuries old Austrian Holy Roman Empire collapsed. Austria survived but the Empire was unable to continue. The resulting vacuum allowed the formation of the Confederation of the Rhine. A strong French ally. Treaties with Austria and, later, Russia pretty much left Britain on her own to continue the fight against Napoleon. Napoleon's Biggest Loss: Waterloo Napoleon abdicated his throne and was exiled to Elba in 1814. On March 1 of 1815 Napoleon was back in France and headed for Paris. He retook power as Louis XVIII fled north into Belgium seeking protection from the British. In the following three months Napoleon rebuilt the French Army back into a continental fighting force. Despite Napoleon’s protestations for peace it became clear that the monarchs of Europe would not accept Napoleon as ruler of France. War was inevitable the only question being where it would happen and it turned out to be in Belgium at Waterloo. On June 15th, 1815 the French Army crossed the border into Belgium. They immediately encountered small groups of Prussian troops who began falling back to the northeast. Napoleon split his army into two forces. One, commanded by Marshal Ney, who would continue on to Brussels while his second, commanded by Marshal Grouchy, would pursue the Prussians and hopefully bring them to battle before they could link up with the British. The battle started late because the ground was still soddened from the rain. At 11am things had dried out enough that Napoleon was content to move forward. What followed was a grueling full day of battle. Both sides fought hard with many back and forth attacks. At 1pm, though, Napoleon’s worst fears were imagined as he saw the Prussian Army appear almost like magic on his right flank. By this time both the British and French army were like punch-drunk boxers. The addition of fresh Prussian reinforcements tipped the scales and gave the allies the strength they needed to pull off the victory. As evening came on Napoleon fled the field while his most precious soldiers, the Imperial Old Guard blocked pursuit in a suicidal rear-guard action. By the next day, Napoleon was back in France, but the writing was on the wall. France was going to fall, and it was up to Napoleon how this would happen. Abdication After Waterloo Up until then, Napoleon had experienced very few failures. Like a gambling addict Napoleon continue to up the stakes with each new “game.” The slowness and lack of initiative that hampered Napoleon’s efforts throughout the Waterloo campaign continued to be an odd problem. There were roving Prussian armies in France who wanted nothing more than to find Napoleon and shoot him. Yet, he seemed reluctant to leave France despite the repeated suggestions that he do so, now. He complained that he needed a passport to travel to the United States, which appeared to be his favorite option. The French government continually stated “oh, it’s in the mail, you don’t have it yet?” On July 15th Napoleon put his faith in the British and turned himself over to them. He hoped they would either let him proceed to America or at least allow him to settle on a pleasant estate like they had allowed his brother, Lucien. The British government would have none of it, though. They did not trust Napoleon and the last thing they wanted was a Bonapartist uprising in Kent or some other such mischief. Napoleon was denied any meeting with royalty and instead shipped off to Saint Helena in exile. Napoleon at Saint Helena St Helena is a big volcanic rock of an island in the middle of the Atlantic weeks away from the next port. It is approximately 10 miles by 7 miles and well known for its foul climate. Napoleon’s first few months on the island were tolerable. He was not allowed to mingle with the people of the island, but he had the company of the Balcombe family who gave him a place to stay until the Longwood House was ready for him to move in. After his move to Longwood House, though, things became worse. Restrictions on his movement increased and Hudson Lowe, the governor of the island, insisted that Napoleon remain under constant watch. Rather than allow himself to be watched Napoleon began to lock himself up indoors. The lack of exercise and harsh climate started to impact his health. Hudson Lowe feuded continuously with Napoleon over his access to doctors. The people around Napoleon began to note an obvious decrease in his health. In 1818, Hudson Lowe forced many of the few friends that Napoleon had to leave the island. He was continually paranoid that Napoleon would escape somehow. In his final months in 1821 Napoleon fought a worsening battle against abdominal pain and what appeared to be stomach ulcers. In his last days Napoleon was delirious most of the time. On May 5th, 1821 Napoleon died from what appeared to be stomach cancer though conspiracy theories abound to this day that he was assassinated with poison. Conclusion There are so many what-ifs to consider about Napoleon’s life after his abdication. He could have lived like his brother, Josef, in the USA. Of course, he could have also been imprisoned in a Scottish border fort if the British had wished. Would Napoleon have enjoyed the life of a private citizen? I don’t think so. Napoleon hated a life of mediocrity. He spent a lot of time talking about his desire to just settle down and relax, but throughout his life anytime things became ‘settled and relaxed’ he found a way to stir things up. I think the English were wise to not let him land and stay in England. Unfortunately, the alternative was not pleasant.  More episodes about French history