Annie Sargent
100 episodes listed below
PRESS PLAY
Planning a trip to France? Join Us in France is the podcast for you! On this podcast we have conversations about our trips to France, chat with tour guides, share tips on French culture, the basics of French history, explain how to be savvy traveler in France and share our love of French food, wine and destinations in France. You won't want to miss out on all these great conversations about one of the most beautiful countries on earth! Subscribe now so you don't miss an episode. And if you're planning your own trip soon - start listening now so...
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Annie Sargent makes France more navigable by pairing precise travel questions with cultural, historical, and everyday detail.
Annie Sargent turns France into a set of answerable questions. Her conversational interviews move comfortably between planning a barge trip, finding vegetarian food in Paris, understanding residency and driving rules, and tracing the life of Vincent van Gogh.
A French driving test and a barge shower both get more attention than your guidebook gave them.
Press play if you want
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A practical canal-planning episode that makes the trip feel genuinely bookable.
The episode reads more like a usable planning guide than a loose travel mood piece, and that is its strength. It stays concrete about the choices that matter: which rental companies tend to reply, how a route chart helps map the time between stops through the locks, why booking…
A family-friendly Versailles conversation with local detail that makes the city feel lived in.
This episode treats Versailles as a place people actually live in, not just a palace stop. Katie, an American mom who has lived in Versailles for over 10 years, adds the kind of local detail that makes the city feel calm, practical, and family-friendly, from hidden gardens and…
Paris is treated less like a postcard here and more like a place best learned through movement and small, practical details.
Paris comes through here as a city to be learned by moving through it, not by admiring it from a distance. Annie Sargent and Brian shift from the letdown of a Louvre visit that felt both overwhelming and underwhelming to advice that is plain, practical, and easy to use.
A practical Basque Country travel discussion with a steady case for learning French later in life.
Join Us in France keeps its focus on the Basque Country, with Bayonne, Biarritz, and Saint-Jean-de-Luz serving as the core stops while French after 50 runs alongside it.
A steady case for Saint-Etienne as an overlooked, usable trip.
Saint-Etienne comes across as a city most travelers would miss if they did not go looking for it. The episode ties together coal mining, bicycles, metalworking, ribbons, and design, then brings that history down to earth with museums kids can enjoy, easy nature breaks, local…
Repeat France trips work best when one experience comes first and everything else follows.
Janice Chan's forty trips to France give the conversation a practical edge: the question is less where to go than what still feels worth doing. Her advice is simple and sturdy, with one experience chosen first and the airfare, museum visits, or long walks arranged around it.
A practical Brittany day trip with castle lore, island quiet, and flexible timing.
Southern Brittany comes through as a day trip with enough shape to feel usable: a chateau with royal history, a quiet isle shaped by sea stories, and a coastline that adds variety without turning the outing into a vague scenic detour.
A tight Paris day built around the Orangerie, a Seine walk, and a late brasserie in the 16th.
A Paris day with a clock on it stays grounded in what can realistically fit. Annie Sargent and Rick McGurk move through the Orangerie, a walk along the Seine, and a late brasserie finish in the 16th, so the day has a clear shape without pretending to do more than it can.
Weekly multi-segment travel interviews pairing European destinations with historians and explorers.
Deep Disney parks talk, right down to the signage.
Real family routes, practical travel stories.
Everyday curiosities, explained with a sideways grin.
Annie Sargent interviews Elena Fedorek, who at 70 embarked on a month-long solo trip across France using trains and buses on a budget.
This episode features a conversation with Juliana and Craig Linson about their experiences and plans for buying a home and moving to the Var region in the South of France.
This episode stays on the practical side of moving to France, with a long stretch on what happens when driving there becomes part of the equation.
Join Us in France episode 575 features Annie Sargent talking with Mally Arndt about home exchange, which Mally has used for 14 years and about seven times in France.
Join Us in France episode 568 focuses on Sarah Bernhardt, with Annie Sargent talking to Elise Riven of Toulouse Guided Walks about the actress often called Sarah Bernard in French.
Rick McGurk maps out a May 2024 Paris blitz built around one extra day after a business trip, his eighth visit to the city, and a plan to fit in Luxembourg Gardens, Saint-Sulpice, Notre Dame, the Louvre area, the Marais, and the Eiffel Tower.
I think it was during the reign of Napoleon III, who was very big on restoring a lot of the things t
Annie Sargent talks with Amber Haggerty about being vegetarian in Paris.
Join Us in France episode 564 visits Saint-Lizier in the Ariège department with Elise Riven of Toulouse Guided Walks, and Annie Sargent describes it as a tiny hilltop village with fewer than 200 year-round residents.
Join Us in France episode 570 centers on Katie Danger, who has lived in Versailles for over 10 years and runs the website Welcome to Versailles.
This episode explores the tragic life and artistic genius of Vincent van Gogh, detailing his mental health struggles, influential relationships with artists like Gauguin and Pissarro, and his prolific output in France.
Annie Sargent interviews Bobby Heath about renting a boat on the Canal du Midi in France.
Annie Sargent interviews Elise Riven about southern Brittany's hidden gems, including the majestic Chateau de Sucinio with its 1,000-year history and the serene Isle of Ars with its megaliths and maritime heritage.
Heather Addison recounts her multi-generational family trip to France over Christmas, covering Paris and Provence with nine people.
Annie Sargent interviews Elise Riven about Louise Michel, a 19th-century French revolutionary and anarchist who played a key role in the Paris Commune.
Annie Sargent interviews Abigail Carter, a widow who bought a 12-bedroom chateau in rural France after losing her husband on 9-11.
Jackie Barnes planned a March-April 2022 road trip around the plus beaux villages de France, using a book and map to cluster stops in the Dordogne and Aveyron.
Annie Sargent interviews Renée and Dixie Poche, a mother-daughter duo from Louisiana, about their trip to France, exploring cultural ties between Cajun and French traditions, favorite destinations like Nice and Paris, and unique experiences from champagne tasting to the Moulin Rouge.
Annie Sargent interviews Janine Lurie, who moved from New York City to the Gers region in France, discussing her journey, life in rural Gascony, and her tour business Taste of Gascony.
Annie Sargent interviews Lys Van Montfort about using home exchange to travel affordably in France, including staying 20 nights in Paris without paying rent.
Join Us in France episode 577 features Annie Sargent with returning guest Janice Chan, who has visited France 40 times and says it feels like home.
Brian Revelle, a Vancouver transit worker, says Paris now feels cleaner, friendlier, and easier to navigate, especially when using transit apps for tickets, alerts, and route planning.
Annie Sargent talks with immigration lawyer Daniel Tostado and friends Brenna and Jeff about moving to France.
Join Us in France episode 582 centers on Saint-Étienne, with Annie Sargent and French professor Brooke Kos-Cunningham discussing why the city is often overlooked by American travelers.
The conversation starts with the practical side of travel.
Alexandra Crapanzano says her pandemic cookbook project began as a small plan for French cakes and turned into 250 cakes, then into Gâteau and Chocolat.
Annie Sargent interviews Debra Pham Vansoua about the Basque Country's cultural highlights, including its architecture, traditions, and travel tips, followed by a discussion on effective strategies for learning French after age 50, emphasizing comfort and practical immersion.
Annie Sargent interviews Elise Riven about Charles de Gaulle's life, from his military career in both world wars to his presidency.
Annie Sargent interviews Olivier Andrieu about his 100-day walk along the Via Francigena from England to Rome, where he quit his corporate job to embrace slow travel.
A travel podcast offering tips, conversations, and insights about visiting France, covering destinations, culture, food, and history.
Annie Sargent interviews Elise Riven about the life and legacy of French writer Émile Zola, exploring his influence on literature and society.
A travel podcast episode featuring a conversation about a three-week family trip to France, including Olympic events and lavender fields, with practical travel advice.
A travel podcast episode about reconnecting with France, exploring Paris, and real estate shopping in the Loire Valley.
Annie Sargent interviews travelers about their adventures in Paris and the French countryside, sharing hidden gems and practical tips.
Annie Sargent interviews Carol Handel about planning a leisurely trip to France, covering slow travel, cycling routes, French markets, and tips for watching the Tour de France.
Annie Sargent interviews Elise Riven about the historic city of Béziers, exploring its past, cultural significance, and modern evolution for travelers and culture enthusiasts.
Annie Sargent interviews Emily Wimster about her family road trip through France with older teens, sharing tips and highlights.
An interview with an expert on moving to France, sharing travel tips and advice for exploring lesser-known French gems.
A family trip report exploring Paris and Nice with kids, including ballet, food, and cultural activities.