The French Culture Podcast by Paris Unlocked is a deep dive into the people, historical moments, food, art and trends that have shaped the Gallic world in the modern era. Written and hosted by Courtney Traub, who’s also the Founder and Editor of Paris Unlocked, it’s an antidote to the cliché ideas about France and its citizens that you’ve no doubt soaked up over the years.
Instead of tired stereotypes, you’ll find in-depth stories about everything from the lives and legacies of famous French people, to the weirdly contested history of patisseries, insights into recent cultural trends, interviews with interesting people moving the needle in France, and more.
Follow and Listen:
Find episodes from the podcast on Spotify, Rss.com, Apple Music, YouTube or Substack
This is a heavily researched work of nonfiction that, while aiming to be entirely accurate and factual, may occasionally draw on mythologies, apocryphal tales and explanations to explore French culture in its myriad forms.
Watch the Trailer on YouTube:
Courtney, who conceived, writes and narrates the show, is a Franco-American writer and journalist who’s a longtime expert on Parisian culture and history. She’s a double American-French citizen who came by her French passport the long and hard way (i.e., not through family connections) and feels deeply connected to both countries and cultures. Living away from Paris for much of the year has only fuelled her semi-obsession with French culture and history, and her desire to excavate some of its most compelling stories for an audience of fellow Francophiles.
Season 1: Great French Icons of the 20th Century
In our debut season, we take a look at some of the great writers, musicians, and artists who made an outsized mark on French and Parisian culture last century. The episodes explore the lives and legacies of the artist Henri Matisse, the singer and performer Edith Piaf, the Franco-American dancer, performer, film star and resistance fighter Josephine Baker, the Nobel Prize-winning author Albert Camus, the bawdy provocateur folk singer Serge Gainsbourg, and Louise Bourgeois, considered one of the 20th century’s greatest sculptors.
Season 1 Episodes & Links (More to Come in Late 2026 or Early 2027)
Season 1, Episode 2: The Radically Colorful World of Henri Matisse
Season 1, Episode 3: Edith Piaf, Part 1- Early Life & The Making of a Star
Season 1, Episode 4: Edith Piaf, Part 2- Performing Through a World War, Later Life, & Untimely Death
Season 1, Episode 5: Josephine Baker – Performer, Spy, Civil Rights Hero, Enigma
How to Support The French Culture Podcast?
You can lend your precious support to both the French Culture Podcast and to Paris Unlocked by buying us a coffee– or even better, becoming a “Donor Subscriber” on Substack. In addition to accessing our rich archive of news, reviews, commentary and op-eds and in-depth travel tips on Paris and France, you’ll also be entitled to personalized travel recommendations and tips from me via e-mail, and bonus episodes for this podcast.
Your support is vital, and so appreciated. In an age of AI slop– one in which huge tech companies are scraping illegally stealing content from writers — it’s becoming increasingly challenging for people like me to make a living from creative endeavors like this podcast. Believe me when I say that your contributions— however small— will go a huge way in supporting this project.
Merci beaucoup!
Seeking Josephine Baker in Paris: A Bit of History & Places to Visit
Ada “Bricktop” Smith, a Center of Gravity in Paris’ 1920s Jazz Scene
Seeking Edith Piaf in Paris? Visit These Places
8 American Women Who Moved to Paris– & Made History
10 French Stereotypes & Myths About Parisians to Ditch Now
