Join Us in France Travel Podcast

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 tip...

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 t...

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 is...

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 histor...

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 n...

This is episode 600 of Join Us in France — a milestone worth celebrating. Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin dig into the life of Coco Chanel. Born Gabrielle Chanel in rural poverty in the Corrèze, she clawed her way into Paris society and revolutionized the way women dress. She invented the little black dress, launched Chanel No. 5 — still the world's best-selling perfume 104 years later — and freed w...

Antoine and Annie Ksadzhikyan bought an apartment in Nice, France, without ever seeing it in person. They did it from Los Angeles, over FaceTime, and they have zero regrets. Annie Sargent talks with them about finding the right neighborhood, making an offer in two hours, and securing a French mortgage as Americans — no small feat. You'll also hear what daily life looks like when you split your tim...

Joan of Arc was not a shepherdess. She was a determined teenager who broke an arranged marriage, heard voices, and convinced a chain of noblemen to take her to the French king. Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin of Toulouse Guided Walks tell the full story. From her village in Lorraine to the battlefields at Orléans. From her betrayal to her execution at 19. And why there are now over 20,000 statues of...

Craig Anderson road-tripped northern France after a week in Belgium. He loved it, and you will too. Annie and Craig talk Dunkirk, Calais, Boulogne-sur-Mer, the Battle of Agincourt, and a spontaneous day trip to Amiens Cathedral. Craig breaks down why you need a car, where to base yourself, and how affordable this overlooked region really is. Listen to this episode ad-free Annie also covers the Par...

Annie Sargent sits down with licensed tour guide Elyse Rivin to talk about Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc — the self-taught architect who left his mark on Notre-Dame, Carcassonne, and Saint-Sernin in Toulouse, among many others. Listen to this episode ad-free They dig into how he taught himself everything, refused the Beaux-Arts at 18, and still ended up reshaping France's most iconic medieval lan...

Annie Sargent talks with Sally Schokman, an Australian solo traveler who spent 23 nights in southern France without a car. Sally took the train everywhere — Bordeaux, Toulouse, Albi, Avignon, Nice, Lyon, and Paris. She shares what surprised her, what she'd do differently, and which museums blew her away. They also dig into real logistics: booking trains during school holidays, Ouigo versus InOui T...

Melanie Dixon loves France and has done home exchange multiple times, both as a guest and as a host. She joins Annie Sargent to talk about what can go wrong — and it turns out, quite a bit can. Moldy bathrooms. Grimy sinks. A washer you're not allowed to use. An angry WhatsApp from a host who didn't like your honest review. Annie has her own war stories too. They also cover the red flags to watch...

Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin are back, and this time they're settling the big question: which famous destinations in France actually deliver, and which ones need a reality check? Listen to this episode ad-free They cover prehistoric painted caves, perched medieval villages, Loire châteaux, mountain valleys, and coastal wonders. They also get honest about the places that disappoint — bad weather,...

First Trip to France? Here's What You Really Need to Know from 50 Years of Visits. This is what Annie Sargent explores in this episode with Nancy and Michael Armstrong, and it's packed with the kind of advice you only get from people who have done this over and over again. Listen to this episode ad-free They talk about what has changed in France travel and what hasn't. They share how much easier t...

Buying a Home in France: Lessons from a Real-Life House Hunt in the South of France is the focus of this episode of the Join Us in France Travel Podcast. Annie Sargent chats with Juliana Linssen and her husband Craig about their journey from California to Provence and what it's really like to search for a home in France. Listen to this episode ad-free They share what drew them to France in the fir...

French food has an incredible reputation around the world. Many people imagine elegant pastries, complicated recipes, and chefs carefully assembling perfect plates in restaurant kitchens. But everyday food in France is often much simpler—and much more interesting. Listen to this episode ad-free In this episode of the Join Us in France Travel Podcast , we explore some of the most common myths about...

In the episode "The Guédelon Project: A Modern Take on Medieval Construction," Annie Sargent and Elyse Rivin explore the fascinating world of the Guédelon Project. They discuss how a team of builders, artisans, and historians are constructing a real medieval castle using only 13th-century techniques and tools. Listen to this episode ad-free Annie and Elyse delve into the history of the Guédelon Pr...

In "Taste of Gascony: Life, Food, and Tours in France's Hidden Gers Region" , Annie Sargent welcomes Jenine Lurie, a New Yorker who swapped city life for the rolling hills and medieval villages of the Gers. This episode dives into Jenine's journey—from volunteering on a pig farm 15 years ago to building a new life (and a tour business) in one of France's most authentic, off-the-beaten-path departm...

This episode dives deep into a dream many Francophiles share: owning a piece of Paris without the full-time commitment or price tag. In this episode, host Annie Sargent sits down with Marie Tartar, a fractional apartment owner in the Marais, to break down everything you need to know about this smart alternative to traditional real estate. If you've ever wondered how to enjoy Paris like a local—wit...

From Cajun Country to the French Riviera: Louisiana Meets France takes you on a lively, honest, and sometimes surprising journey through France with Annie Sargent and her guests, Renee Poche and Dixie Poche , a mother-daughter duo from Cajun Country in Louisiana. Listen to this episode ad-free This episode explores what happens when Cajun French culture meets modern France. Renee and Dixie share s...

Paris, 1871. The city is under siege. The government has fallen. And in the heart of the chaos, one woman stands defiant with a rifle in hand. Welcome to Louise Michel: The Fearless Revolutionary of the Paris Commune , an episode of Join Us in France that brings history to life like never before. Listen to this episode ad-free Host Annie Sargent and historian Elyse Rivin dive deep into the dramati...

"One Day in Paris: How to See the Best of the City in 24 Hours" —ever wondered if you could really experience Paris in just one day? In this action-packed episode of Join Us in France , host Annie Sargent sits down with Rick McGuirk , a seasoned Paris visitor who turned a quick layover into an unforgettable adventure. Whether you're squeezing in a solo day, showing a first-timer the highlights, or...

Is Saint-Étienne France's Most Underrated City? PLUS: Tips for Learning French! If you love discovering hidden gems in France, this episode is for you! Annie Sargent chats with Brooke Koss Cunningham , a French professor and passionate Francophile, about Saint-Étienne —a city most travelers overlook but absolutely shouldn't. Once known for its coal mines and heavy industry, Saint-Étienne has trans...

Ever thought it might be possible to stay in  Paris for 20 nights without paying rent ? In this episode, Annie Sargent chats with Liz Van Montfort , a traveler who's cracked the code on home exchange —the savvy way to explore France (or anywhere!) without breaking the bank. Liz shares how she spent three weeks in a Parisian apartment during the Rugby World Cup using Guest Points , plus a night in...