Join Us in France Travel Podcast

This week Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin decided to have some fun with the whole idea of a Francophile". Elyse knows a lot about France, but is she enough of a Francophile? As a matter of fact, dear listener, are YOU a proper Francophile? Face your fears and take the Francophile test right here! As you take the test you will be climbing up the Eiffel Tower and only the most consummate Francophiles will get to the top or “le sommet” as we call it in French. Can YOU do that? This episode features our frequent and very popular guest Elyse Rivin. If you enjoy her episodes, please consider supporting her on Patreon. What Does It Take to Be a Francophile? Is it the music you listen to? Is it the fact that your French is impeccable? Do you have to be a snob to be a Francophile? I know it's not how many times you've visited France because there are genuine Francophiles who've never set foot in France. There are also people who love a style called "French Country" that doesn't have that much to do with most of the decor you see in reality in France. None the less, there  are a lot of things Francophiles have in common, let's see how you stack up, shall we? Face your fears and take the Francophile test right here! When Can Americans Come Back to France? Everybody wants to know the answer to that question and I've usually responded that I don't have a crystal ball. But this time we have something official to go on. President Macron went on on CBS's Face the Nation and he was asked that question among many others. His response was that France is putting a system in place to be able to open the country to all. French people who are still living under many restrictions but also foreign visitors. If you'd like to watch the part where President Macron answers this specific question, click here. Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/334 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking FOLLOW US ON: Email | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter Categories: French Culture, French Customs & Lifestyle

Knights Templar have a romanticized and exotic imagery attached to them. But reality is different from the lore that surrounds them. Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin talk about it in this episode of the podcast. The movie by Ridley Scott The Kingdom of Heaven is a great example of a romanticized version of the Knights Templar. But is is based on real people and things could have happened the way he showed it in this excellent movie. The events happened so long ago we have to fill in a lot of stories. What is for sure is that Knights Templar were a reflection of their times and what was happening in French culture at the time. Let's talk about their amazing rise and precipitous fall. 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. Discussed in this episode: Who Were the Knights Templar in Reality? A Brief Recap of the History of the Knights Templar The Knights Templars Were Warriors First Les Commanderies in France The Downfall of the Knights Templar Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/333 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking

Today Annie Sargent brings you a conversation with Eva Jorgensen about the Paris Saint-Ouen flea market. It is one of the biggest, most famous flea market in the world. This flea market gets almost 5 million visitors a year which is impressive because it’s only open 3 days a week! In this episode of the podcast, we talk about vintage clothes shopping, antiques, and wonderful old items you could bring back in your suitcase. It's really about the thrill of the hunt, and the wonderful surprises you might find at the Marché aux puces de Saint-Ouen. Eva is the author of Paris by Design 10 Pro Tips About the Paris Saint-Ouen Flea Market Go on a Monday if you'd like to see it on a quiet day. Fridays: Supposedly the flea market is ONLY open on Friday mornings for dealers. Eva went on a Friday morning and nobody asked if she was a dealer (she's not). So, if you can only go on a Friday, it's also a possibility, but only in the morning. It's best to AVOID the Porte de Clignancourt metro stop, even though that's the way Google Maps will tell you to go. If you go that way you'll run into the giant highway and all the people who setup on the sidewalk and sell junk and trinkets. Generally, Annie avoids any metro stations called "porte de" around Paris as explained in Episode 194 about Dicey Paris neighborhoods. You'll have a better experience going to the Garibaldi metro station on line 13. You cross the street and go through the garden on the side of the church (called Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire-Saint-Ouen, it's big, you can't miss it) and you'll exit the garden at rue des Rosiers (93400) turn right and walk 1 kilometer. You'll enter at the back of the Paris Saint-Ouen Flea Market. Part of Saint-Ouen is definitely sketchy, but if you take this way to the market, you'll walk through a quiet residential neighborhood. Eva walked there by herself and felt totally safe going that way, whereas she didn't enjoy going via the Porte de Clignancourt station. See map below. If you arrive at the Paris Saint-Ouen Flea Market via the Garibaldi metro station, you'll get to the Marché Paul Bert first. One way to make sure you don't miss it is to tell your favorite map app on your phone to take you to a restaurant called Ma Cocotte. Stick to the market itself, it is completely safe. At lunch time notice how several vendors will eat together around a folding table and maybe play some cards or something. It adds to the friendly atmosphere. At the Paul Bert café don't miss the chocolat chaud à l'ancienne (hot chocolate), Eva also likes the classic bistro lunch like croque-madame with a side salad. Le Comptoir des Puces is a little hideaway place inside of Marché Serpette, a great place for a break. The official page for the Paris Saint-Ouen flea market in English. The episode page for this episode is here: https://joinusinfrance.com/332 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | PayPal | Booking

On this episode of the podcast, Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin discuss Avignon and all the things you should not miss there. Of course, we love the palace, the bridge, the festival and the gastronomy. Should you put it on your list? Let's talk about it! 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/331 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking  

In this episode of the podcast Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin discuss the pros and cons of Airbnb for people who visit France.  The apartment rental giant is facing more and more scrutiny because it has disrupted the travel market and now rents more rooms than several hotel chains combined. 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. Even if you think it's great that the hotel industry is facing increased competition there are some things you need to think about before booking an Airbnb in France: Neighbors getting fed up with ever-changing occupants. Owners canceling a few days before you're due to arrive. Local residents being priced out of the rental market. Apartments with hidden flaws. Owners taking a long time when there is a problem. Having said that, there are times when Airbnb is the best option. This is true for visitors who have special dietary needs and will cook for themselves. The same goes for groups who need more bedrooms. We're not anti Airbnb but we think there are better options, especially in France. Get the Real Local Flavor France is littered with Maisons d'hôte aka Bed and Breakfast. They are all over the country and there are even some in central Paris! There is no better way to meet locals. The question is how do you find such accommodations without searching for days? Booking.com makes that easy! We also love the Gites de France site and the properties they list. A Gite is a furnished apartment or house you can rent for a few days or a few months. There are none in Paris, but they are literally everywhere else in France. If you're driving around the French countryside and would love to stay in a French chateau, you MUST check out the Relais et Chateaux. Some of them are surprisingly affordable! There are some in Paris as well. The Plum Guide is like Airbnb but they visit the apartment before listing it so you're sure to have a well-appointed place. Home Stay and Holiday Homes are also possibilities. Annie uses a website called MindMyHouse which is great for longer trips when she wants her dogs and cat pampered at home. Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/330 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter | Booking  

On today's episode of the podcast Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin talk about bastides in the southwest of France. What do tour guides mean when they tell you that a place is a Bastide? Why is that important? There are a lot of bastides in the southwest of France. For this episode we use the example of Castelnau de Montmiral a charming village in the Tarn. But bastides were a small revolution at the heart of the Middle Ages and Elyse will explain that they sprung up  #joinusinfrance #podcast Patreon | Boutique | Newletter 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 Wikiloc Visorando Les Musicales de Montmiral Related Episodes Cordes-sur-Ciel, Episode 88 Sorèze and Revel, Great Day Trips from Toulouse, Episode 156 Mirepoix, Episode 81 Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/329

Thinking about taking a trip to France with your baby? Listen to this! Jessica took a vacation in the French Alps with her 9 months old. She worried about the logistics, but she soon found out that France is a family-friendly destinations and how to care for her baby's needs the French way. #joinusinfrance #podcast #travelwithkids French Alps Hotel Recommendations In Lyon: Hotel Carlton In Annecy: Hotel du Palais de l'Isle Full show notes for this episode are here: https://joinusinfrance.com/328 Patreon | Boutique | Newletter  

On today's episode of the podcast, Elyse Rivin tells us about the legend of Saint-Antonin and how a monastery was named after him and grew into the beautiful town of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val on the Aveyron river. We’ll tell you about the wonderful history of Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, but also about hiking, scenic drives and gorgeous overlooks, caves and chateaux you can visit nearby. It’s also a great place to rent a canoe and enjoy the view from the Aveyron river. Perfect for active vacationers and families with kids. And easy access to great local food and wine too! Now is the time to select a few new places to visit in France and we don’t think you can go wrong with Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val and nearby towns. After my conversation with Elyse I’ll also update you on the likelihood of visitors being able to come back to France for the summer of 2021, how French President Nicolas Sarkozy was condemned to 1 year in jail, and a quick update on the renovation of Notre Dame in Paris. Click on the blue button that says Show Notes for more on that. Patreon | Boutique | Email Newsletter

A lot was happening in Paris in 1900. But the two items I would like to focus on today were the Exposition Universelle of 1900 and the Inauguration of the Paris Metro. Paris had a lot to live-up to with the 1900 universal expo. After all the 1889 expo gave rise to the Eiffel Tower and how do you top that? In 1900 they had a pavilion on electricity and lots of gorgeous country pavilions that boasted the best of their respective countries, but what was exciting and new in Paris? The Paris Metro, of course! While not as glamorous and visible as the Eiffel Tower, the Paris Metro transformed the city and continues to be a central part of Parisian life. Book Recommendation: This week Annie read The Matchmaker of the Perigord by Julia Stuart. While not an earth-shattering read, it's pleasant and does not break any rules of life in France. They started thinking about adding a large transportation system in Paris in 1871 and there were several competing ideas. They wanted to have something operational by 1889 for the Paris Word Fair. But they didn’t manage it and the first metro started service on July 19, 1900. Ding-a-Dong by Teach In, Eurovision winner and a superbly happy song. Check out how much fun the guy with the xylophone is having! Annie's Patreon | Elyse's Patreon | Newsletter | Boutique The Inauguration of the Paris Metro They did not inaugurate the Paris Metro to great fanfare because it was a controversial project and politicians felt it was safer to keep everything low-key. Before they got to this inauguration, they went through a lot of proposals and opposing ideas being battled out in the newspapers. But the real issue was choosing the right metro technology for Paris. There is a lot to think about and those decision will impact life in the city for decades to come! There were lots of proposals, I'll just go into two that caught my attention. The photo below is the Angely proposal for a suspended rail system

On today's episode of the podcast Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin have a conversation about Bruniquel. Bruniquel is one of those little towns in the south west of France that are beautiful and tell a great story. And look at all the other wonderful places you can visit nearby! Gaillac, Albi and Saint-Cirq-Lapopie are nearby (link to episodes dedicated to those places below). We'll also publish episodes in the next few weeks about Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val and Castelnau de Montmiral. Annie particularly enjoyed the chateau of Penne. Puycelsi is good too. It is possible to see two or 3 of these villages in a day. Lots to see and enjoy in the southwest of France! There are a few places you can stay in or near Bruniquel, take a look at your options here. If you're interested in wine, take a look at the Vin du Quercy. Annie's Patreon | Elyse's Patreon | Newsletter | Boutique   Categories: Off the Beaten Track in France, Toulouse Area