Explore every episode of the podcast City Breaks
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marseille Episode 09 In the Footsteps of Marcel Pagnol | 04 Sep 2024 | 00:24:47 | |
The author and film-maker Marcel Pagnol is inextricably linked with Marseille – where he lived, set some of his early works and is buried – and with the Provencal countryside around the city. The area's garrigue landscape provides the backdrop to his popular autobiographical works, La Gloire de Mon Père (My Father's Glory) and Le Château de Ma Mère (My Mother's Castle) and is also the setting for his gripping novels, Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources. This episode gives a little biographical information, an idea of where to ‘find’ him in the area today and some appetite-whetting snippets of his work. Reading Suggestions Autobiographical works My Father's Glory and My Mother's Castle (double volume) 3 Plays set in Marseille (in French) Marius Fanny César
Two novels set in Provence Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources (double volume)
Links for this post Information on walks in Marcel Pagnol territory Marcel Pagnol’s Birthplace Aubagne Tourist Office Le Petit Monde de Marcel Pagnol Village des Santons in Marseille Guide to La Treille Château de la Buzine City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time! Check our website to find more episodes from our Marseille series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk And if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be very much appreciated!
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| Marseille Episode 08 Food and Shopping | 31 Jul 2024 | 00:31:47 | |
This post introduces you to two great pleasures in this Provencal city: Marseille food and Marseille shopping, beginning with the signature dishes and key ingredients of the city's cuisine, plus a few ideas on where to look for restaurants. Then, we outline key items to buy as souvenirs of Marseille, followed by a rundown of the city's main shopping areas and what you can expect to find in each one. Reading Suggestions Garlic, Mint and Sweet Basil by Jean-Claude Izzo The Marseille Caper by Peter Mayle
Links for this post More Information Foodie Guide to Marseille Shopping in the Le Panier district Eating out in the Le Panier district Information on Cours Julien Santons of Provence Shops and places to visit Bar de la Marine Musee du Savon de Marseille de la Licorne La Cure Gourmande Olympique de Marseille Souvenir Shop Torrefaction Noailles Maison de la Boule Maison Yellow Santons Village in Aubagne 3 Santons shops in Marseille Escoffier Arterra Marcel Carbonel
City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time! Check our website to find more episodes from our Marseille series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk And if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be very much appreciated! | |||
| Bordeaux Episode 09 St Emilion and other Day Trips from Bordeaux | 01 Nov 2023 | 00:24:56 | |
This post gives ideas for day trips from Bordeaux, focussing first on nearby St Émilion, attractive both for its history and its world-renowned wine industry. To wander its cobbled streets is to find photo opportunities on every corner, both architectural gems and splendid scenery. Then we cover ways to explore the countryside around Bordeaux and also the beaches and resorts along the nearby Atlantic coast. Hikes and bike rides, boat trips and oyster tastings are all ways to enjoy the Nouvelle Aquitaine culture surrounding Bordeaux.
USEFUL LINKS Guided Tours in St Emilion Introduction to St Emilion The King’s Keep Les Cordeliers Macarons de St Émilion Macarons Moulierac St Èmilion Open Doors Festival Ban des Vendanges Festival Hot Air Balloon Festival Finding Beaches near Bordeaux Cycle route from Bordeaux to Lacanau Hiking trail around Bordeaux Oyster tasting in Arcachon Boat Trips from Arcachon More ideas for trips out from Bordeaux
City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time! Check our website for the blogpost accompanying this episode, to find more episodes from our Bordeaux series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk
We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk And if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be very much appreciated!
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| City Break Ideas Episode 09 | 13 Dec 2020 | 00:27:03 | |
Loads of inspiration for future city breaks from three great travel websites. We're off to the Middle East, then taking in both Tuscany and southern Italy, as well as venturing into Eastern Europe for some New Year celebrations. Something for everyone! Useful links our website: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk to find us on twitter: @citybreakscast to e-mail us: citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk Colour me Dubai: https://www.colourmedubai.com/ Postcard Stories Blog: http://postcardstoriesblog.com/ Gay Puglia Podcast: https://www.gaypugliapodcast.com/ | |||
| City Breaks Update November 2020 | 18 Nov 2020 | 00:14:47 | |
City Breaks is taking a short break and this update gives you information about that, as well as introducing the brand new City Breaks series which will be launched shortly.
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| City Break Ideas Episode 08 | 11 Nov 2020 | 00:31:32 | |
Lots of ideas for cities for a Christmas break, plus more inspiration for future city breaks from three great travel websites. There's an Italian slant today, with visits to Turin and Venice, but we also take a look at Bratislava. Useful links our website: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk to find us on twitter: @citybreakscast to e-mail us: citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk Vire-Volte: https://www.vire-volte.com Travel the World Club: https://traveltheworldclub.com
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| City Break Ideas Episode 07 | 04 Nov 2020 | 00:28:51 | |
Some home-grown city break inspiration, plus three intriguing ideas from listeners. One takes us to central Spain, another gives a new take on an old favourite and the third makes a lively suggestion for a city break with music, fun and ghost stories. To finish, there's a selection of spooky tales from other cities. Useful links our website: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk to find us on twitter: @citybreakscast to e-mail us: citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk
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| Bath Episode 14 Glastonbury | 28 Oct 2020 | 00:30:20 | |
Our latest episode – the last in the Bath series – takes you on a day out to Glastonbury, home of the abbey ruins, the Tor, the King Arthur legends and one of the country's most unusual high streets. Find out what happened to destroy the abbey, why a tree from Glastonbury was on Britain's Christmas stamps in 1986 and what starring role the town played in the opening ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics. Useful links https://glastonbury.uk https://www.glastonburyabbey.com | |||
| Bath Episode 13 A day out to Wells | 21 Oct 2020 | 00:35:28 | |
Less than an hour's drive from Bath, Wells is England's smallest city and makes a lovely day out. Hear about the main attractions, including the cathedral and the Bishop's Palace and learn lots of fascinating snippets: everything from bell-ringing swans to England's last fighting Tommy, via a fight in a vineyard, the stabling of horses in the cathedral and a record-breaking Olympic gold medal. Useful links https://www.wellscathedral.org.uk https://bishopspalace.org.uk https://bishopspalace.org.uk/whats-on/swan-news https://www.wellsmuseum.org.uk https://wellswalkingtours.co.uk/wp https://www.visitwellssomerset.co.uk http://www.wellssomerset.com | |||
| Bath Episode 12 Lacock and Corsham | 14 Oct 2020 | 00:29:44 | |
The first of three episodes suggesting days out from Bath, this one takes you to Lacock and Corsham. Hear about the widowed Mum of eight who founded Lacock Abbey in the 13th century, about the life of the nuns there and the village's role as a popular film set. You've probably seen it in Pride and Prejudice, Wolf Hall or Harry Potter. Secondly, off to Corsham, home of Corsham Court and of a 17th century almshouse and schoolroom. Useful links https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock-abbey-fox-talbot-museum-and-village http://www.corsham-court.co.uk https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk | |||
| Bath Episode 11 A Bath Anthology | 07 Oct 2020 | 00:30:32 | |
Squeezed into our anthology are lots of authors who wrote about the city and whom you'd enjoy reading before a visit or afterwards when you want to reminisce. Or indeed when you are actually there: a spot of Jane Austen in Sydney Gardens, perhaps. On this episode you will hear a selection of diary entries, travel-writing and fiction, all of it centred on Bath and providing plenty of new perspectives. Useful links https://mrbsemporium.com (the best bookshop in Bath! Bound to have a good selection of the authors mentioned here, as well as lots of other books on the city.) | |||
| Bath Episode 10 Theatre and Music | 30 Sep 2020 | 00:24:50 | |
Hear a little of the history of theatre in Bath, including the story of the 'Theatre Royal', now more than 200 years old, and its predecessors. Find out how Richard Brinsley Sheridan and Sarah Siddons made their theatrical name in Bath, and hear about one of the city's finest musical traditions, the genteel combination of tea and music in the Pump Room. useful links https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk https://www.bathvenues.co.uk/pump-room-history https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk | |||
| Bath Episode 09 Parks and Walks | 23 Sep 2020 | 00:29:25 | |
A genteel walk - or 'parade' as it was known in the 18th century! - is a very 'Bath' thing to do and this episode will take you on lots. We visit some of the loveliest parks and explain their history; think Jane Austen at a fireworks display and a brief glimpse of Queen Victoria's ankles. And we suggest some excellent city centre routes which take you past the things you most want to see, plus some more energetic ideas for leaving the city centre and getting out into the surrounding countryside. | |||
| Bordeaux Episode 08 Food and Shopping | 04 Oct 2023 | 00:32:26 | |
Food and Shopping: two of the major reasons for visiting Bordeaux! This episode lists some of top-notch products from Bordeaux’s Atlantic coastline and the rich agricultural land surrounding it and highlights the areas of the city and some of the restaurants where you can enjoy them. Then we do the same for shopping, listing specialities and highlighting the shopping streets and markets you should look out for in different areas of the city. Don’t forget, there’s already been an episode on Bordeaux’s wine. Useful Links Bordeaux Food Tours The Épicuriales Festival Le Chapon Fin Grand Hotel, Place de la Comédie Brasserie Bordelaise Café du Levant Les Halles Le 7 (Restaurant at Cité du Vin ) Galéries des Grands Hommes L’Intendant Librairie Mollat Quai des Livres City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time! Check our website for the blogpost accompanying this episode, to find more episodes from our Bordeaux series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk And if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be very much appreciated!
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| Bath Episode 08 Museums and Galleries | 16 Sep 2020 | 00:37:25 | |
Here we present a selection of Bath's best museums and galleries: the Fashion Museum, housed in the Assembley Rooms and featuring clothes, ranging from Elizabethan-era gloves to the very latest 'dress of the year'; the house where astronomer William Herschel discovered Uranus; the Postal Museum, telling the story of Bath's revolutionary postmaster whose profits helped finance the Circus and the Royal Crescent and Bath's two best known art galleries, the Holburne Museum and the Victoria Art Gallery. Useful links https://www.fashionmuseum.co.uk https://herschelmuseum.org.uk http://www.bathpostalmuseum.co.uk https://www.holburne.org https://www.victoriagal.org.uk https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk | |||
| Bath Episode 07 Jane Austen's Bath | 09 Sep 2020 | 00:31:47 | |
Jane Austen's novels are a window into life in Regency Bath, a city she lived in for a period and over whose ways she often raised a quizzical eyebrow. Hear what Jane herself did in Bath and how she presented the city in her writing, then find out where in the city today you can have some Jane Austen experiences. Useful links https://janeausten.co.uk https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bath-assembly-rooms https://www.bathvenues.co.uk/pump-room-history https://visitbath.co.uk/listings/single/pump-room https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/pump-room-restaurant | |||
| Bath Episode 06 The season, 18th century style | 02 Sep 2020 | 00:28:02 | |
Hear what all those elegant visitors were actually doing all day (and evening!) when they came to 'do a season' in 18th century Bath. Find out about the flamboyant master of ceremonies, Beau Nash, and the buildings you can still visit today which will conjure up the atmosphere for you: the Pump Room and the Assembly Rooms. Useful links https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bath-assembly-rooms https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/bath-assembly-rooms https://www.bathvenues.co.uk/pump-room-history https://visitbath.co.uk/listings/single/pump-room https://www.romanbaths.co.uk/pump-room-restaurant https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk | |||
| Bath Episode 05 Gorgeous Georgian Architecture | 26 Aug 2020 | 00:32:14 | |
Bath's 18th century building boom left a legacy of lovely crescents and squares which are still today the most impressive areas of the city. This episode takes a look at how they came to be built, at the design ideas behind them and at what life was like inside, for the wealthy owners and also for their servants. Useful links https://museumofbatharchitecture.org.uk https://no1royalcrescent.org.uk | |||
| Bath Episode 04 Taking the Waters | 19 Aug 2020 | 00:27:14 | |
It's over eleven thousand years since Bladud is said, thanks to his pigs, to have discovered the healing properties of the waters in Bath. This episode looks at stories of people bathing and 'taking the waters' in the city over the centuries, with a particular focus on the medieval and Georgian periods, then bringing things right up to date at the 21st century Thermae Bath Spa. Useful links https://www.romanbaths.co.uk https://www.thermaebathspa.com | |||
| Bath Episode 03 In and around the Abbey | 12 Aug 2020 | 00:29:27 | |
This look at life in medieval and early modern times in Bath centres on a visit to the Abbey and to the streets around it. Find out why the coronation of Edgar, in Bath Abbey in 973, was so crucial for English history (and for all coronation services in the thousand plus years since then) and hear what to look out for on a visit. Learn too about daily life in the city long before the Georgians and their elegant manners changed things radically. Useful links | |||
| Bath Episode 02 Roman Bath | 05 Aug 2020 | 00:27:36 | |
Nowhere in the UK will you see better preserved Roman baths than in the city of Bath! This episode centres on them and on the adjoining museum and explains what you can see there and what they tell us about the life of the Romans who built them: their advanced engineering skills, the key role the baths played in their social and business lives and something about their beliefs and customs. Useful links https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk
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| Bath Episode 01 Introduction | 29 Jul 2020 | 00:25:09 | |
Our introduction to Bath, which many people think is the UK's most elegant city, will give you an overview, geographically, historically and culturally, and an introduction to the remaining 13 episodes: the places you will visit, the stories you will hear and the characters who have influenced the city over the centuries.
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| City Break Ideas Episode 06 | 22 Jul 2020 | 00:26:33 | |
Four more city break ideas to tempt you. This week, a US West Coast city known for its very particular vibe, and Germany's oldest university town where you can walk in the footsteps of philosophers and visit a jail built specially for students. We're also featuring a suggestion for a visit to sunny Cyprus and another to a UNESCO World Heritage site in south-east Asia.
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| A Virtual Visit to Paris | 15 Jul 2020 | 00:29:21 | |
This virtual visit to Paris takes you on a tour of websites, YouTube videos and books which will bring the spirit of the City of Light alive for you even if you can't go there right now. Tour beautiful Paris by day and then by night, find out how to market-shop and then cook like a French chef, cherry-pick from gallery websites and videos on the best baguettes, cheeses and patisserie the city has to offer. Enjoy extracts from the writings of authors who will bring aspects of Paris alive for you. It's the next best thing to an actual visit! | |||
| Bordeaux Episode 07 3 Bordeaux Art Galleries | 06 Sep 2023 | 00:23:57 | |
This post introduces 3 Bordeaux art galleries, the long-standing Museum des Beaux Arts (Museum of Fine Arts), the always surprising Musée des Arts Contemporains (Museum of Modern Art) and the Bassin des Lumières, France’s largest digital art gallery where parts of the World War II submarine base have been re-purposed to provide a new way of enjoying art in an unexpected setting. And finally, a little about the Bordeaux-born artist, Rosa Bonheur, 19th century animal painter extraordinaire who has recently been enjoying something of a renaissance.
Reading Suggestion Rosa Bonheur by Sandrine Andrews (in French) Useful Links Bordeaux Museum of Fine Arts Bordeaux Museum of Contemporary Art Bassins des Lumières City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time! Check our website for the blogpost accompanying this episode, to find more episodes from our Bordeaux series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk And if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be very much appreciated!
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| City Break Ideas Episode 05 | 08 Jul 2020 | 00:28:15 | |
Among this week's five inspiring city break ideas you will find a smart new city in South East Asia, a picturesque canals-and-cobbles city in northern Europe and our first ever suggestion from North Africa! Plus, new ideas from an old favourite and an Italian coastal resort which is a big hit with British visitors. Plenty of choice! | |||
| A Virtual Visit to Seville | 01 Jul 2020 | 00:29:53 | |
This virtual visit to Seville takes you on a tour of websites, YouTube videos and books which will bring the spirit of the city alive for you even if you can't go there right now. Find out - or reminisce - about the enticing blend of medieval and moorish architecture in the Alcazar and the art-deco splendour of the Plaza de Espana. Take a little tour of highlights at the Museo de Bellas Artes or the tapas restaurants in the city centre. Hear what writers who travelled to the city had to say about its food, its Arabic roots and its bullfighting traditions. | |||
| City Break Ideas Episode 04 | 24 Jun 2020 | 00:31:15 | |
Five more inspiring city break ideas, mainly suggested by listeners. There's one of the planet's brashest neon-lit entertainment centres, then there's the UK's smallest city, plus (what some would call) the home of football, a former East European capital with a long and chequered history and a well-known 18th Century centre of enlightenment. Surely something for everyone! | |||
| A Virtual Visit to Toulouse | 17 Jun 2020 | 00:29:24 | |
This virtual trip to Toulouse references websites, YouTube videos and books to take you on a virtual tour of this lovely southern French city, often voted the place where the French themselves would most like to live. Tour the city's streets and squares, find out what cultural treats it has to offer, enjoy some regional cuisine and pay a few out-of-town visits to the Canal du Midi and to two nearby World Heritage Sites: Carcassone, with its medieval hilltop fortress and Albi, home of the Toulouse Lautrec Museum. Whether you are reminiscing or planning a visit, there's plenty to enjoy. | |||
| City Break Ideas Episode 03 | 10 Jun 2020 | 00:28:49 | |
Five more inspiring city break ideas from our listeners. Find out which cities they recommended and why. Perhaps there is something on the list to tempt you to book your next city break! | |||
| A Virtual Visit to St Petersburg | 03 Jun 2020 | 00:35:01 | |
Enjoy a virtual visit to St Petersburg, a tour which refers to websites, YouTube videos and books to tell you about the cultural and historical aspects of the city. Fly by drone over St Petersburg, both in winter splendour and during the White Nights, pay virtual visits to the Hermitage and the Memorial to the defenders of Leningrad 'meet' Catherine the Great and Pushkin, find out how to make Russian pancake fritters. All this and more is possible in this episode and will be useful whether you are planning a trip, enjoying reminiscing or just want to find out more. | |||
| City Break Ideas Episode 02 | 27 May 2020 | 00:31:30 | |
This is our 100th episode, and after a small celebration of that and some bits and pieces of City Breaks news, we offer you more city break inspiration, via listener suggestions and the fruits of our research. Prepare to feel like booking a trip! | |||
| A Virtual Visit to Munich | 20 May 2020 | 00:34:38 | |
If an actual trip to Munich isn't possible just now, you can always enjoy this virtual visit instead. Go on a tour of websites, YouTube videos, books and films which will whet your appetite for the cultural and historical aspects of the city. Pay virtual visits to the Residenz and the main art galleries, 'meet' Ludwig II and his best friend Wagner, then spend the evening relaxing at the Hofbrauhaus. It's all possible in this episode and will be useful whether you are planning a trip, enjoying reminiscing or just want to find out more. | |||
| City Break Ideas Episode 01 | 13 May 2020 | 00:16:07 | |
What kind of city break do you enjoy most? Which city would you like to visit next? Here are five tempting possibilities to consider. | |||
| A Virtual Visit to Florence | 06 May 2020 | 00:31:22 | |
You can't go to Florence right now. But there's nothing to stop you going on a virtual visit and this episode will tell you all about the best resources to help you do just that. Hear about the websites, videos and books through which you can imagine yourself in Florence, and maybe reminisce a little, or start planning your next actual visit. | |||
| Bordeaux Episode 06 Wine in Bordeaux | 02 Aug 2023 | 00:31:52 | |
Bordeaux wine – could two words be more inextricably linked? No, said the author Henry James: ‘Bordeaux is dedicated to the worship of Bacchus’. This post gives a little background, then focuses on where in the city to find out all about this most important product, whether than is learning about it, buying it, drinking it. We finish with 5 quirky reading ideas, everything from a great wine scandal to what Samuel Pepys thought about Bordeaux wine. Reading Suggestions From Bordeaux to the Stars by Jean-Michel Cazes On Bordeaux Tales from the World's Greatest Wine Region by Jane Anson The Complete Bordeaux Vintage Guide 150 years from 1870 to 2020 by Neal Martin The Billionaire’s Vinegar by Benjamin Wallace The Bordeaux Club by Neil McKendrick Links for this post Self guided wine walk around Bordeaux 2nd wine walk around Bordeaux L'Intendant Bordeaux's best wine shop Cite du vin Huge museum on everything to do with wine 9 km self-guided bike tour of Bordeaux's vineyards 23 km self-guided bike tour of Bordeaux's vineyards 30 km self-guided bike tour of Bordeaux's vineyards Vineyards you can reach by public transport Top pick of vineyards and chateaux to visit Guided tours of vineyards outside Bordeaux Maison du Vin wine-tasting, courses, etc 20 wine bars to visit in Bordeaux Reviews of 2 Bordeaux wine bars Bordeaux Wine Festival 4 days in June Chartrons Wine Festival 2 days in October
City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time! Check our website for the blogpost accompanying this episode, to find more episodes from our Bordeaux series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk And if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be very much appreciated!
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| Paris Episode 22 Literary Moments | 29 Apr 2020 | 00:32:22 | |
A last look at Paris, this time through the eyes of authors who have set their work there. Four different novelists take us from the observation of murder and its aftermath in dingy 19th century back-street Paris, to an insider’s view of an elegant 21st century apartment block and its inhabitants. We look too at some short story collections, further extending the range of writing styles, eras and corners of Paris which are covered. | |||
| City Breaks Update 01 April 2020 | 28 Apr 2020 | 00:07:23 | |
News on what the plans are for the continuation of City Breaks during the coronavirus pandemic. https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk
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| Paris Episode 21 Moments of History | 22 Apr 2020 | 00:26:41 | |
A look at Paris through history books and historical novels, offering plenty of reading ideas to inspire your next visit! Biographies of Queen Marie Antoinette or of Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir can provide plenty of background material. So too can fiction set in the past, such as Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities, or Robert Harris’ treatment of the Dreyfus Affair, An Officer and a Spy. | |||
| Paris Episode 20 Memoirs of Paris | 16 Apr 2020 | 00:28:36 | |
This episode sets out to enjoy the work of a number of writers who loved Paris and wrote their memoirs about living or working there. Hear some gossip from 17th century high society via the pen of Mme de Sévigny, enjoy the reminiscences of past writers like Ernest Hemingway and George Orwell and find out about life in more contemporary Paris as experienced by the writer Adam Gopnik or the chef and food-writer David Lebowitz. | |||
| Paris Episode 19 Two Literary Houses | 08 Apr 2020 | 00:28:10 | |
We visit the two best-known literary museums in Paris, the Maison de Balzac in the 16th district and the Maison de Victor Hugo in the Place des Vosges and give an idea of what there is to see in each. In addition, brief biographical notes for each author are coupled with extracts to give a flavour of their work, from Eugène de Balzac's novels Père Goriot and Eugénie Grandet and from Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Les Misérables. | |||
| Paris Episode 18 Buried in Paris | 01 Apr 2020 | 00:29:12 | |
Visits to the Panthéon, where Paris pays homage to France's most respected citizens, and to the city's cemeteries are always fascinating. The world's most-visited cemetery, the Père Lachaise, contains the graves of, for example, Oscar Wilde and Edith Piaf, those in Montparnasse and Montmartre are also the last resting place of many famous writers, musicians and artists. We also take in Passy, the burial ground at the elite end of the city and the Picpus Cemetery, with its gruesome reminders of so many victims of the Revolution. | |||
| Paris Episode 17 Cafe culture | 25 Mar 2020 | 00:25:36 | |
'The last time I saw Paris, her heart was warm and gay. I heard the laughter of her heart in every street café.' (Oscar Hammerstein II). Paris welcomes you to its corner cafes, its bistros and its restaurants. Discover the history of the Paris café, with its properly attired waiters, its bread baskets and its cluster of little tables, spilling their contents onto the pavements. Find out about the 'must-visit' establishments and the famous Parisians who made them their own. https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk | |||
| Paris Episode 16 Le shopping | 18 Mar 2020 | 00:25:18 | |
Shopping in Paris is always a delight, whether you are popping to a local food market to choose some of the very best seasonal produce, wandering the 'passages', the maze of little covered shopping arcades dating from the nineteenth century or visiting one of the high-end department stores whose art deco interiors and piled-high top brands lure visitors from all over the world. From the macaroons of Ladurée to the latest word in fashion footwear from Christian Louboutin, you will find it all in Paris. | |||
| Paris Episode 15 Modern Art | 11 Mar 2020 | 00:27:30 | |
A rundown of some of the events and 'happenings' in Paris which celebrate modern art, plus a visit to three of the big hitter museums where you can see 20th and 21st century works: the National Museum of Modern Art in the Pompidou Centre, the City of Paris Museum of Modern Art and the Musée Picasso. To finish off, some ideas on other places to enjoy contemporary art in all its many forms, be that painting, sculpture, sound and video installations or photography. | |||
| Paris Episode 14 The Louvre | 04 Mar 2020 | 00:29:22 | |
The world's grandest art gallery, the Louvre's enormity presents both a pleasure and a challenge. It is said that it would take a hundred days to see everything, if you stopped at each exhibit for 30 seconds. So this is a whistle-stop and rather esoteric tour, stopping off at some pointers to French history and at some representative examples of the best of French painting, with also a very quick nod to a number of sculptures and foreign block-busters. | |||
| Bordeaux Episode 05 Finding World War II in Bordeaux Today | 05 Jul 2023 | 00:28:00 | |
Strolling through Bordeaux today, you can be largely unaware of the fascinating story of the city under German Occupation between 1940 and 1944. This episode recounts a little of the history and highlights three places to visit in the city today to find out more. Prepare for tales of hardship, persecution, courage, betrayal, resistance and, eventually, liberation. Reading Suggestions Life in Bordeaux under the Occupation by Jane Anson Jewish Fates in Bordeaux during the 2nd World War Game of Spies by Paddy Ashdown Histoire de Bordeaux by Madeleine Lassère (French only) Useful Links Bassins à Flot Bassins des Lumières Great Synagogue of Bordeaux City Breaks: all the history and culture you'd research for yourself if you had the time! Check our website for the blogpost accompanying this episode, to find more episodes from our Bordeaux series or to browse our back catalogue of other cities which are well worth visiting: https://www.citybreakspodcast.co.uk We love to receive your comments and suggestions! You can e mail us at citybreaks@citybreakspodcast.co.uk And if you like what you hear, please do post comments or a review wherever you downloaded this episode. That would be very much appreciated!
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| Paris Episode 13 St Germain | 26 Feb 2020 | 00:30:43 | |
The Parisian district of St Germain oozes class and intellectual allure, being home to the Sorbonne, and also to some of the big publishing houses, the Académie Française, proud guardian of the French language, and the lovely Luxembourg Gardens, so fondly described in many a memoir. This pot-pourri of an episode also considers the area's political importance as the home of the Assemblée Nationale and the Sénat and its artistic inheritance, centering on two museums, formerly the homes of the Romantic painter Delacroix and the sculptor Rodin. | |||
| Paris Episode 12 The Seine and the Champs Elysees | 19 Feb 2020 | 00:32:12 | |
This episode looks at two of the loveliest ways to see Paris, wandering along the Seine and strolling down the Champs Elysées. Informed by a little history, some travel writing and a snatch or two of poetry, we take a closer look at some of the famous places you will pass on these two routes. We also make time for such highly Parisian details as the role of the bouquinistes and the reason why the Pont des Arts has always been so popular with artists. | |||
| Paris Episode 11 Montparnasse and the Latin Quarter | 12 Feb 2020 | 00:25:25 | |
A well-known Parisian saying tells us that the right bank may be for spending and shopping ('La rive droite dépense'), but that the left bank is for more intellectual pursuits ('La rive gauche pense'). This episode looks at the Quarter Latin, where the city's best known university, the Sorbonne, has its roots and at Montparnasse, the adopted home of many of the 20th century's best-known writers, both expats (Hemingway, James Joyce) and Parisian (Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir). | |||