The French History Podcast

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A weekly history podcast that will cover France from 3 million years ago to present. Presented by Gary Girod, with contributions by numerous scholars.

Gary Girod


    • May 30, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 41m AVG DURATION
    • 352 EPISODES

    4.3 from 338 ratings Listeners of The French History Podcast that love the show mention: french history, france, chronological, great history podcast, gary, roman, great start, films, well researched, rather, guest, engaging, informative, good, happy, great job, easy, topics, entertaining, look forward.


    Ivy Insights

    The French History Podcast is an incredible podcast that takes listeners on a fascinating journey through the history of France. Hosted by Gary, the podcast offers a comprehensive and detailed account of French history, from ancient times to the present day. The podcast is a treat for history buffs, with Gary's measured tone and easy-to-understand style making it accessible to all listeners. The chronological episodes are filled with great information and become even more enjoyable as the podcast moves into the post-Roman period. Additionally, the special guest episodes provide deep dives into specialized topics that may not fit into the regular chronological episodes, offering listeners a diverse range of subjects to delve into.

    One of the best aspects of this podcast is its balance between nitty-gritty reviews of French history by Gary himself and insightful conversations with guest speakers who offer unique perspectives on various cultural and historical topics. This combination keeps the content fresh and engaging, catering to both Francophiles and general history enthusiasts. Moreover, the podcast goes beyond simply recounting historical events; it also explores social and political changes, identifying significant inflection points that have resulted in major cultural shifts throughout French history. This rich storytelling approach adds depth and context to the narrative, allowing listeners to gain a deeper understanding of France's complex past.

    While The French History Podcast excels in providing a thorough exploration of French history, some listeners may find that at times Gary becomes too caught up in Roman history rather than focusing on Gaul/French history itself. While acknowledging that Roman influence played a significant role in shaping France's history, these individuals believe that dedicating over 30 episodes solely to Roman history may be excessive. However, this minor criticism does not detract from the overall quality and educational value of this podcast.

    In conclusion, The French History Podcast is an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning about French history or expanding their knowledge of world history. It stands out due to its ability to connect France's past with the rest of the world, showcasing how interconnected historical events truly are. Gary's expertise and dedication to research shine through in each episode, making this podcast a must-listen for history enthusiasts. Whether you are a Francophile or simply enjoy engaging and informative history podcasts, The French History Podcast should definitely be on your regular rotation.



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    Latest episodes from The French History Podcast

    86: Calm Amidst the Storm

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2025 15:28


    Philippe II's reign comes to an end. He leaves behind a France that is stronger than it has ever been. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    World Expos in France with Charles Pappas

    Play Episode Listen Later May 24, 2025 39:41


    Renowned expo expert Charles Pappas talks about the World Expos that made France what it is today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    85: King Philippe II's Reign

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2025 45:00


    A look at Philippe II Augustus remarkable rule of the Kingdom of France. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    france kingdom king philippe
    Lesbianism in France with Dr. Tamara Chaplin

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2025 97:54


    Dr. Tamara Chaplin discusses the modern history of lesbians in France. Click here for Adventure Travel inspiration from our friends at Explore Worldwide. Don't Just Travel, Explore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    84: The Battle of Bouvines

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2025 50:57


    Philippe II wins one of the most important battles in European history. Click here for Adventure Travel inspiration from our friends at Explore Worldwide. Don't Just Travel, Explore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Listen to American Criminal Now! The Murder of Medgar Evers

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 4, 2025 20:17


    In the 1960s, the US is rocked by a series of high-profile assassinations of civil rights leaders, beginning with the shocking murder of Medgar Evers in his own driveway. This season covers how a complex web of structural privilege and systemic racism protected the killer of an American hero. Listen to American Criminal: the Murder of Medgar Evers on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Making Modern Counterinsurgency with Dr. Terrence Peterson

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2025 39:08


    Dr. Terrence Peterson talks about how the Algerian War led to modern counterinsurgency. Click here for Adventure Travel inspiration from our friends at Explore Worldwide. Don't Just Travel, Explore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Rival Empresses: Eugénie and Elisabeth with Nancy Goldstone

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2025 37:20


    Nancy Goldstone talks all about two rival empresses and how they reshaped Europe. Click here for Adventure Travel inspiration from our friends at Explore Worldwide. Don't Just Travel, Explore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Slavery & Freedom in the French Indian Ocean World with Dr. Sue Peabody

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2025 32:36


    Dr. Sue Peabody tells the incredible story of a man who spent decades fighting for his freedom in France's Indian Ocean World. Click here for Adventure Travel inspiration from our friends at Explore Worldwide. Don't Just Travel, Explore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    83: Destroying an Empire, Uniting a Kingdom

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2025 46:06


    Philippe II goes to war with England's King John, uniting France and destroying the Angevin Empire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    82: Grappling with a Lion

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2024 32:30


    Philippe II wars with Richard the Lionheart for control of France. This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    81: The King's Crusade

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 27:10


    Philippe II and Richard the Lionheart go on Crusade, though they might spend more time fighting each other than the enemies of God. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    80: Philip Augustus

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2024 38:03


    Philippe Auguste ascends to the throne of France. Half of his kingdom was in the hands of the Angevins. From humble beginnings, Philippe becomes the greatest of all the Capetian monarchs. The French History Podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    French-Canadians in America with Denis Ledoux

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2024 55:58


    Denis Ledoux talks all about the trasnformation of French settlers of Canada from French to French-Canadians, then French-Americans with anecdotes from his own life as a Frenchie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    79: Louis VII "The Young"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 7, 2024 82:28


    A prince groomed for the church ends up on the throne. Louis VII will war across France and lead the Second Crusade, but is he up to the challenge? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Green Fairy and France with Dr. Nina Studer

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 25, 2024 42:24


    Dr. Nina Studer talks about the absinthe craze and peril in France from the 1830s to its ban in 1915. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The People's Revolution of 1789 with Dr. Micah Alpaugh

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 10, 2024 23:59


    Dr. Micah Alpaugh talks about how all of France and its colonies participated in the French Revolution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Lost Gauguin with Dr. Stephanie Brown

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2024 52:48


    Dr. Stephanie Brown talks about a missing painting by the great Paul Gauguin and how it was found. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The French in Modern Haiti with David Ritter

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2024 20:17


    Documentarian David Ritter talks about the ethnic French population in modern Haiti. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Viking attacks on Noirmoutier with C.J. Adrien

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2024 35:36


    Scholar and popular author C.J. Adrien talks about a little-known island off the coast of West France & how it remade the Viking world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    78: Louis VI “The Fat”

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2024 44:46


    Louis VI defies a king, and emperor and his barbaric vassals to assert his right to rule. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    louis vi
    Beur & Banlieue Cinema by Kévin Drif

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2024 20:52


    A look at 20th century cinema by Arab immigrants to France. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Mass Surveillance in France & Britain: The Age of the Individual

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2024 51:16


    Terrorists, anarchists and Irishmen! Government surveillance transitions from the masses to subversive individuals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Mass Surveillance in France & Britain: The Age of the Masses

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2024 56:07


    The history of mass surveillance in France and Britain from the French Revolution until the 1880s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Mass Surveillance in France & Britain: The Aristocratic Age

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2024 64:06


    Part 1 of 3 looking at the history of government surveillance in France and Britain from the Norman Conquest to World War I Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    77 The First Crusade Complete

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2024 558:18


    An epic 9-hour long history of the First Crusade Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    77 Epilogue: How the First Crusade Changed the World

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2024 28:13


    A retrospective on an event that changed human history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    77 Chapter 15: Remaking the Holy Land

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2024 28:24


    The Holy War conquers the Holy Land. Caught between an empire and a caliphate, the lords forge their own path. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    77 Chapter 14: The Holiest of Holies

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2024 30:05


    The holy war finally reaches its destination. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Napoleon's Library with Louis Sarkozy

    Play Episode Listen Later May 3, 2024 60:11


    Louis Sarkozy discusses Napoleon's little-known obsession with literature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Madame Tussaud and the French Revolution by Dr. Gavin Whitehead

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2024 58:36


    Gavin Whitehead talks all about Madame Tussaud, the French Revolution and the oddities that ensue. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    History of the Louvre Chapter 10: The Louvre under Siege

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2024 58:59


    WW2 threatens the destruction of the Louvre and its masterpieces Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    77 Chapter 13: The Battle of Antioch

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2024 32:05


    The holy war is starved and trapped by an army twice its size. Only a miracle can save the Western armies from dying thousands of miles from their home. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Occitania

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2024 17:56


    A special episode about the land and language of southern France Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Desecration of Saint-Denis by Everything, Everywhere Daily

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2024 12:09


    Everything, Everywhere, Daily talks about the French Revolutionaries' attack on one of France's most historic churches. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Breton Werewolves by Carlos A. González

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 28, 2024 19:06


    Scholar Carlos A. González tells the story of a poem about monsters from Brittany. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The Unseen Kingdom, France & Cambodia with Dr. Matthew Jagel

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 16, 2024 40:13


    Dr. Matthew Jagel discusses the colonization of Cambodia, it's place in WW2 and the decolonial struggle against France. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    77 Chapter 12: The Siege of Antioch

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 10, 2024 46:44


    The Iron Men face their greatest challenge yet: an impregnable fortress on the way to Jerusalem. Meanwhile, Turks raise army after army to throw at the First Crusade. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Feed Drop: Philippe Petit Walks Between The Twin Towers by History Daily

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 15, 2024 22:19


    History Daily tells us all about the Man on Wire who in 1974 walked between the Twin Towers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    77 Chapter 11: The Eastern Prince and the Bandit Lord

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2023 21:14


    Two Western lords are already trying to make themselves masters of the East; but the Eastern Roman Empire looms over all. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The forgotten star: Kiki de Montparnasse with Dr. Mark Braude

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 16, 2023 39:10


    Kiki was 'Queen of Montparnasse,' a superstar of her time. Who was she and why has she been forgotten? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    77 Chapter 10: The Battle of Dorylaeum

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2023 19:25


    The Sword-Lion launches a trap that catches God's warriors off-guard. They will emerge as Iron-Men Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    77 Chapter 9: The Siege of Nicaea

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2023 22:06


    After over a year of preparation and marching the Crusaders finally meet their foe. But the greatest enemy of the holy war may be its own leaders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Fake History! with THE Fake History Hunter

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 25, 2023 58:15


    The Fake History Hunter talks about things that never happened. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    77 Chapter 8: The Emperor's Gamble

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2023 30:03


    Seven lords and an emperor vie for control of the holy war before it begins its conquests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Terrorism in France with Dr. Chris Millington

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2023 45:41


    A history of terrorism in France from the late 19th century to present. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Feed Drop: The Fench Revolution Podcast by Grey History: The Three Estates

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 41:50


    The first episode of an incredible podcast on the French Revolution Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    How France turned the Forbidden Fruit into an Apple with Dr. Azzan Yadin-Israel

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 4, 2023 55:23


    Dr. Azzan Yadin-Israel explains the incredible story of how medieval French artists turned the Biblical Forbidden Fruit into an apple in Western iconography. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    War Angel Valérie André with Charles Morgan Evans

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2023 36:37


    A talk about France's first female helicopter pilot, her many dangerous missions in the First Indochina War and the legacy she created. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    77 Chapter 7: Race to Constantinople

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 21, 2023 34:33


    Seven armies trek across Europe to Constantinople, facing the storms, brigands and hostile forces to get there. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    The French History Podcast & Fabulously Delicious talk France & Food

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2023 66:42


    A conversation between two Francophiles on the finer things in life. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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