Who Was Coco Chanel Really? Her Life Story, Unvarnished
May 31, 2026
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...
Getting a French Mortgage as Americans and Buying an Apartment in Nice Sight Unseen
May 24, 2026
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...
Joan of Arc: The Real Woman Behind 20,000 Statues
May 17, 2026
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...
Road Tripping in Northern France: From Flander's Fields to Agincourt
May 10, 2026
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...
Viollet-le-Duc: The Self-Taught Architect Who Shaped France's Medieval Landmarks
May 3, 2026
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,...