La Fayette, We Are Here!

My dear listeners and friends, After four years and over forty episodes, I believe my podcasting days are over. I’ve loved making my podcast, it’s been one of the best experiences of my life. It has allowed me to dig into history as I did when I was younger. I have also had the chance to meet and interview truly wonderful people. I am extremely grateful for that. I have simply reached a time in my...

Imagine growing up with the world’s most famous uncle, the one who conquered Europe and redefined France. For young Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, bedtime stories came with cavalry charges and imperial dreams. In this episode, we follow the nephew who turned admiration into ambition, rising from exile to become Napoléon III, Emperor of the French. Join us as we talk about France's Last Monarch! Ti...

Thomas C. Williams is an American author and historian living in France since 1989. A former U.S. Embassy staffer, he is a leading expert on Volney and Thomas Jefferson’s secret translation of The Ruins of Empires, a radical Enlightenment text that nearly derailed Jefferson’s presidency. He has lectured at the Robert H. Smith Research Facility (Monticello) and the French Senate, published widely o...

In July 1830, Paris erupted. For three days, workers, students, and veterans rose against royal ordinances that trampled the Charter of 1814. Barricades filled the streets, the tricolour flag flew once more, and the Bourbon monarchy collapsed. King Charles X fled, and Louis-Philippe, styled the “Citizen King”, took the throne.  This revolution wasn’t just a power shift; it was a powerful reminder...

If you weren't sleeping through your chemistry classes in high school, you probably heard the phrase "Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed." This is basically what we know as the law of conservation of mass. It was coined by Antoine Lavoisier, the man considered the father of modern chemistry and one of history's most influential scientists. However, h...

The story of the Résistance is the story of ordinary men and women rising to the occasion. Risking everything to fight oppression, to defend their homes, their country, their way of life. Being a résistant could mean many things. You could be part of a network, you could just run errands or messages, you could spy on the Germans or just not answer their questions properly. The Résistance took many...

This is part II of our episode swap on  The Raft of the Medusa from the great podcast Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs by Rich Napolitano . Enjoy this bonus episode and check out Rich's podcast, it's fantastic! The French frigate Medusa shipwreck is one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history, occurring in 1816 off the coast of present-day Mauritania. The ship, intended to transport Fr...

In this very special episode, we interview Thérèse Casadesus Rawson, daughter of the renowned French pianists Robert and Gaby Casadesus. The occasion is the publication of Gaby Casadesus' book My   Musical Notes: A Journey in Classical Piano between the World Wars and Beyond , now available in English. We discuss the book, as well as Thérèse's parents' careers, lives, and enduring l...

We have something special for today, an episode swap! Coming straight from the great podcast Shipwrecks and Sea Dogs by Rich Napolitano, I give you the story of the Radeau de la Méduse, The Raft of the Medusa. The French frigate Medusa shipwreck is one of the most infamous maritime disasters in history, occurring in 1816 off the coast of present-day Mauritania. The ship, intended to transport Fren...

Charles MacKay, PhD, former university history professor at Morehead State University and West Virginia University joins us to discuss Queen Marie-Antoinette and her family, especially her son, the ill-fated Louis XVII. These members of the French royal family suffered terribly during the French Revolution, eventually losing their lives to the guillotine or to mistreatment. Join us for a riveting...

We will traverse the peaks and valleys of five republics, each reflecting France’s evolving spirit and struggles. From revolutionary fervour to imperial ambition, from the trials of war to the triumphs of modern democracy, each republic has contributed to the rich mosaic of France as we know it today. Join us as we unravel the dramatic narrative of the Five French Republics, where every chapter is...

To commemorate the 200th anniversary of La Fayette's grand tour of the USA in 1824, we have a special episode featuring guest Elizabeth Reese . Elizabeth is a public historian whose work focuses on the American Revolution and the Early Republic. She recently published a book on the famed Marquis' visit to America: " Marquis de Lafayette Returns - A Tour of America's National Ca...

Jules Verne is one of the most influential authors who ever lived, from every country and genre. He is the most translated author in the world after Agatha Christie and is by far the most translated French author. Verne's vision, stories and characters still resonate with us today, whether as part of new fictional storylines, or as cultural beacons and references. Verne didn't just write...

On one side, the Catholic majority, unwavering in their devotion to Rome. On the other, the Huguenots, French Protestants inspired by the teachings of Jean Calvin.  Caught in the crossfire of this religious divide was the monarchy, struggling to maintain order amidst growing tension. But their efforts often only fuelled the flames of conflict. And so, in 1562, the first shots were fired in what wo...

When we talk about Napoléon, we often talk about battles or politics, but we don't talk nearly enough about the man. Some dismiss him as a proto-Hitler, others adore him as they would a god. But few actually try to crack open the mysteries of the Napoleonic mind. Author Louis Sarkozy did just that, by studying Napoléon Bonaparte and his most important personal activity: his readings. Louis Sa...

We often see history as a succession of dates, events, wars and political machinations. But we should not forget that history is also forged by culture and by art. Art reflects society's values and aspirations, but also helps create them and move people forward. It also elevates us and makes us better in many ways. Among the many art forms available to us, music is the one that transports us...

For France, the Great War is a serious and deep wound that she partially inflicted on herself. It is painful and has never fully healed. It is something personal, felt by all strata of the nation. From the humblest peasant to the richest industrialist, no layer of French society was spared in the great slaughter that the trenches were. The country itself still bears the scars of battles dating bac...

In this unique episode, we engage in a conversation with Salina B. Baker , an accomplished author of historical fiction, who has received multiple awards for her work. Additionally, she is a historian specializing in the American Revolution and Victorian America. She has just released an outstanding novel titled " The Line of Splendor: A Novel of Nathanael Greene and the American Revolution....

Liberté , égalité , fraternité . This is the French Republic’s motto. Liberty and equality are also in the first article of the "Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen" of 1789. The French are very proud of that heritage, of France’s struggle during and after the Revolution. They think of their homeland as the cradle of liberty in Europe, as a welcoming and understanding lan...

This particular conflict goes by multiple names and definitions. While it is globally recognized as the Seven Years' War, it is more commonly referred to in America as the French and Indian War, and in Canada as the War of Conquest. These wars are all interconnected and are part of a vast global struggle between the two superpowers of the mid-eighteenth century: France and Great Britain. Cons...

King Louis XIII and the Cardinal de Richelieu. These two men are quite important and deserve to be better known. The Cardinal is probably the most known of the two, because of his policies, wars and his long lasting impact on French institutions and Europe's destiny. Louis XIII is often perceived as the weaker of the two, the king who merely signed his minister's recommendation. But hist...

The Nouvelle France (New France) is the French colonization of North America. And by this I mean North America, not just Canada. Over a couple of centuries, the French established settlements all over North America, especially along the St-Lawrence and Mississippi River but also in Nova Scotia, Florida, Louisiana and more. New France basically existed from the first adventures of Jacques Cartier i...

We delve into the life and reign of King François I (Francis the First), who ruled France from 1515 to 1547. Despite facing significant challenges and experiencing notable failures during his rule, François I remains one of the most renowned French monarchs. He is particularly associated with the Renaissance in France and has left a lasting legacy, particularly in the fields of arts and sciences....

In this special episode, I am joined by Sean J. McLaughlin, historian specialized on the relationship between Charles de Gaulle and John Fitzgerald Kennedy.  He is the author of JFK and de Gaulle: How America and France Failed in Vietnam, 1961-1963   (University Press of Kentucky, 2019). Together, we discuss the complex but utterly fascinating relationship between France and America in the post-WW...

"The pearl of the Empire", that's how the French described their colony of Indochina, comprised of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. They took over control in the nineteenth century, exploited the place for decades, and finally got kicked out in 1954-55.  It is a story of violence and exploitation. Of colonization and war. Of exchanges and legacies. And sometimes, of beauty. A story also...