french culture

We love Paris, but today we’re going to escape the city’s hustle and bustle. Join us as we discover historic, delicious, fascinating and enchanting destinations you can reach from Paris by train on a day trip. And we’ve made sure that nowhere takes longer than 2 hours by train. We’ll share what to see and do, the must-sees, the secrets and some top tips and fun facts.

Discover Claude Monet’s house and gardens in Normandy, captivating cities like Bordeaux, Lyon and Strasbourg, magnificent castles including dazzling Chantilly and fabulous Fontainebleau, and many, many more amazing places that are easy to reach from Paris in a day and all by train. Ready to explore? Let’s go!

Plus a listener asks “What is the Frenchest of French food?” We reveal all…

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Queen Marie-Antoinette's life was a blend of luxury, controversy, and tragedy. Her story is a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of royal life and the turbulent times of late 18th century France – no wonder we remain fascinated with her tale.

We talk about some of the most important times in her life, her marriage at just 14  years old, fashion style – and big hair (really big hair, with things hung in it), her spending habits, bathing practices (which were unusually regular in a day and age when the French nobles pretty much just washed the worst bits when they had to, and her husband recorded he took 43 baths in 26 years), her astonishing shoe collection, motherhood and her family including several children she adopted.

We’ll also share where to find traces of her legacy in France, from her favourite castles including one with a room for sulking in, to the shops she frequented…

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When you’ve ticked off those must-see sites on your list – the Palace of Versailles, Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, a dazzling little island that makes you feel you have stepped back centuries, the Louvre, the world’s most visited museum and the sun-kissed French Riviera, the boulevards of Paris and the majestic castles of the Loire Valley - there are a million more thrilling sites and places to discover – prehistoric caves, troglodyte villages, the steep cobbled streets of Saint-Emilion in Bordeaux, the medieval town of Annecy in Haute-Savoie and Claude Monet’s house and garden in Giverny, Normandy.

So let’s talk about how you’ll get there… 

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In this episode we’re going to be uncovering Paris to explore some of the most amazing hidden gems, the secret places you might miss if you don’t know they are there. 

It's not just the landmarks, like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre museum, that make us fall in love with Paris. It’s also the little moments: finding a jazz band playing in a cosy café or in a cobblestone alley, the smell of fresh pastries from a boulangerie – there are more than 1700 in Paris, so you’ve got a lot of choice - or a sunset view from the bridges over the Seine. 

Paris really is a city where every street corner has a story. We go beyond the guidebooks to bring you secret Paris – where every street corner has a story to share.

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How much do you know about France?

In this episode we’re doing a quiz that everyone can join in with! We’ll ask some questions on all sorts of topics – gastronomy, history, culture, language and more, and we’ll give you the answers and if you got the question right, you can award yourself some points! We’ll also share some fascinating and extraordinary facts that bring history alive as we go.

There are a million points up for grabs – who wants to be a millionaire! 

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A tour through the charming, amusing, and sometimes misunderstood world of French stereotypes. 

We’re going to take a light-hearted look at some of the common stereotypes about the French - from fashion to rudeness and smoking like chimneys. From the famed French culinary prowess to reputation for romance. A land where people apparently say 'Oh là là' every five minutes and eat frogs’ legs at a drop of a hat (or beret).

Let's separate the fact from the fiction and have some fun along the way… 

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Bread in France is more than just food; it's a cultural cornerstone. It’s about community, tradition, and the French way of life. 

We'll discuss the role of bread in daily French life and how it reflects the values and rhythms of French society. 

In these crusty chronicles we’ll explore the history of bread and especially the UNESCO-listed French baguette. The French are besotted with baguettes, UNESCO says that eating a baguette is “a sensory experience” (someone at UNESCO really likes baguettes!).

In France bread is art, bakers are artists – and every loaf is a masterpiece…

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The Eiffel Tower isn’t just a symbol of Paris, but a symbol of France. But this wasn’t supposed to happen. The Tower shouldn’t even be there. 

We have to go back in time to the beginning of her story, she is known as the Iron Lady, la Dame de Fer in French, to find out why this towering icon is even there in the first place! 

And then we'll share some of the incredible facts about this towering icon, how she was almost sent to Montreal in Canada all 2.5 million rivets and 18,000 pieces! How a conman 'sold' her for scrap. And how Gustave Eiffel made an absolutely fortune from her!

Plus a whole heap more! It’s an amazing story… 

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Ghosts, ghoulies and Halloween in France. In this episode we’ll talk about haunted castles – there are loads of them in France. 

Plus ghost stories - including the tale of a wooden leg that walks alone. And French Halloween habits – and yes France does celebrate Halloween but in its own unique way! 

This is a spooky, spine tingling but fun podcast with possibly the worst Halloween jokes ever!

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Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy is one of France’s most iconic, legendary, and visited landmarks. 

This little island in one of the officially most beautiful bays in the world is a record breaker, a place conceived with the help of an angel with a pointy finger, a building that seems to defy gravity, and a site so wondrous that it has inspired artists, musicians, and writers for centuries from Monet to Marilyn Monroe. 

Kings, Queens and presidents have walked its streets just as much in awe as any tourist. Its spiritual Gothic beauty has influenced many films including the Lord of the Rings.

This “pyramid of the seas” is a miraculous marvel and one of the wonders of the world.

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Sometimes the French can be very different from everyone else!

We look at some of the more unusual and unique habits such as never, ever, ever being wrong. And not only that, we explain the surprisingly and really rather strange way the French deal with it if they are wrong.

Of course, this being France food comes into the story – anyone fancy a plateful of sheep testicles flavoured with lemon and parsley (of course, must have some flavourI). Or how about something sugary? Raw beef flavoured sweets – anyone? Yes. Really. And they aren’t for dogs – they’re for humans, made by monks in Burgundy.

Backed up with anecdotes and true-life stories of life in France to prove that the French really do have some very weird and French habits, this is a laugh out loud episode brought to you by Janine Marsh a British writer who’s lived in France for 20 years and Frenchman Olivier Jauffrit. 

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Autumn in France and La Rentrée – a very French thing! It literally means ‘the return’, which sounds quite mysterious, like a thriller film but it’s not at all. We explain all about la rentrée and the best places to visit in France in the fall. 

We share some of the best seasonal festivals – especially foodie festivals - and events, from giant flea markets, arty party nights and wine harvest events in Paris – yes there is a wine producing vineyard right in the centre of Paris to a chocolate fair where they hold a fashion show in which the models wear clothes made from chocolate! 

And we share our favourite places that may be a bit more crowded in the summer months but are ideal in autumn. 

Plus we answer a reader’s question – how many times should you kiss – and what cheek do you start with?! 

Fun, entertaining and authentic – entente cordiale in a podcast! 

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Versailles – the palace, the people, history and legends. The extraordinary story of this mighty castle, built in a swamp on the outskirts of Paris stars a heavyweight cast of royals and played a key role in the destiny of France…

As breath-taking today as it was some 400 years ago when King Louis XIV of France, AKA the Sun King (and not for his sunny nature), turned a humble hunting lodge into one of the wonders of the world. Architecturally glorious, gilded and grand, with gardens to match, the palace is full of secrets and its walls have witnessed events that have determined the course of history. 

We talk about the people who lived here, the history of the palace and the most fascinating facts about Versailles… 

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Ever wondered where the French go on holiday, and what their secret favourite places are? Well, no secrets here, we reveal all, as well as some of the quirky habits of the French on holiday and some frankly downright weird aspects of French life! 

France is the most popular tourist destination in the world (and beyond apparently – just listen in to find out!) and it’s easy to see why - more than 40,000 chateaux and fortresses, glorious beaches, snowy mountains, historic cities, picturesque villages, Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy, a dazzling little island that makes you feel you have stepped back centuries, the Louvre, the world’s most visited museum and the sun-kissed French Riviera, the boulevards of Paris and the majestic castles of the Loire Valley - there are a million more thrilling sites and places to discover- the sheer diversity of the culture, landscapes and attractions of France is staggering. 

So where do the French go faced with all this choice? Find out more…

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Bastille Day is France’s biggest national holiday. Find out what it’s all about and why French people have no idea what you’re talking about when you call it Bastille Day – they don’t call it that at all!

We explore the history of this famous day and uncover fun facts such as the DNA of a king discovered in a dried pumpkin (yup, really), how Marie-Antoinette loved the tune to the Marseillaise, even though the words called for her demise. And how the wife of a ship’s captain from Maine, USA almost had the royal family as house guests… The history, the legends and the weird and wonderful snippets uncovered…

Plus, the French go wild on 14th July but really this special day starts the night before and involves dancing at Fireman’s balls, Bals des pompiers – yes really! The big day includes parties, parades and fireworks – discover how the spirit of revolution is celebrated in France.

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What secrets do the French hold when it comes to living well and enjoying the simple pleasures of life?  Join us as we chat with Cathy Yandell, author of The French Art of Living Well: Finding Joie de Vivre in the Everyday World.
Discover how French culture values celebrating the senses, taking time, and making time.  Cathy shares her experiences attending a French wedding and the atmosphere in Paris during the 2018 World Cup, both of which highlight the importance of conversation in their society.  Cathy also discusses the differences between France and America and shares her recommendations for places to visit, things to do, shopping tips, and more.
BOOK:
The French Art of Living Well by Cathy Yandell on Amazon or Bookshop.
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Discover some of the most amazing castles of France, the most haunted, tallest and oldest. 

The castles with amazing histories like Vaux-le-Vicomte near Paris, built by a King’s minister and so beautiful it made the King seethe with jealousy and what followed was an epic tragedy and also kickstarted the Palace of Versailles project. The castle that Napoleon loved best, the one where you can stay for the night and a Duke will bring you breakfast in bed! 

France has more than 40,000 castles and whilst we can’t cover them all in this episode, you will discover some of the most incredible chateaux and their fascinating legends, histories and the people who lived in them… 

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Notre Dame + Centre Pompidou

By placing listening devices on the surfaces of built and natural monuments, artist Bill Fontana captures uncanny natural music that reveals that these bodies are alive with sound. Fontana’s latest project amplifies the voice of Notre Dame. Since the devastating fire of 2019, the ringing of the cathedral's bells has ceased. To create his new work, Silent Echoes, Fontana attached sensors designed to detect vibrations to each of the ten bells of Notre Dame. As the bells reverberate in response to the ambient sounds of Paris the live feed is transmitted to a series of speakers at the Centre Pompidou, creating a haunting, immersive sound sculpture. In this episode, Alcôve's Alisa Carroll interviews Fontana in San Francisco, and very special guest Davia Nelson of The Kitchen Sisters meets with Fontana in Paris.

In this episode (in French), Sophie Wahnich is Laurent Dubreuil’s guest. Together, they explore the manifold repercussions of the myths and realities of the French Revolution on contemporary political life in France. In particular, this discussion considers the current reactivation of revolutionary moments in grassroot activism, including the Gilets Jaunes/Yellow Vest movement.

Dr. Sophie Wahnich is a Director of Research in History at the Centre national de la recherche scientifique.