Best Baudelaire Podcasts (2025)

1
Rue du Paradis 14:28

2M ago14:28

14:28

This episode walks along the wonderfully-named rue du Paradis. I was inspired by the beautiful ceramic murals here, and by the 1790s party hostess, Madame Hamelin. The fashionista-Merveilleuses are a fascinating aspect of the Directoire post-Revolutionary era; Josephine Bonaparte herself was part of this fast crowd, and lived nearby for a while. Fo…

1
René Lalique: refreshing glass 17:11

4M ago17:11

17:11

This episode focuses on a lovely detail in the grand streetscape of Paris: one specific address in the tony 8th arrondissement, where glass artist René Lalique lived and worked. Lalique mastered not only Art Nouveau jewelry, but Art Deco designs as well. For photos, please check out my website. Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical exp…

1
The Paris Hours of the Duc de Berry 17:07

5M ago17:07

17:07

This episode explores the medieval manuscript business of Paris; I was inspired by the gorgeous Book of Hours belonging to the Duc de Berry, currently on display in the Paris suburbs. Books by authors like Christine de Pizan were copied and illuminated on rue de la Parcheminerie & rue Boutebrie in the Latin Quarter. For photos, please check out my …

1
Writers & War Heroes: rue Victor Schoelcher 15:23

7M ago15:23

15:23

This single block in Montparnasse has it all: history, design, art, writers, photographers, models and World War II heroes... from photographer Lee Miller to Resistance leader Colonel Rol-Tanguy, from abolitionist Schoelcher to writer Anais Nin, and even my own near-miss with philosopher Simone de Beauvoir's apartment. For photos, please check out …

1
James Baldwin on affirming the light 39:32

7M ago39:32

39:32

Baldwin’s lessons are so relevant that his message seems to collapse time. From Go Tell It on the Mountain, to Sonny's Blues, to Another Country, or The Price of the Ticket—from his essays to his plays—there is so much to say, so much to revere, that it feels like it would take a lifetime to articulate the complexities of that utterance. But I’ll t…

1
Alexandre Dumas hosts a party 11:05

8M ago11:05

11:05

For the mad month of March, this episode focuses on a party hosted by writer Alexandre Dumas in 1833. Wine bottles by the hundreds, wall decor by Delacroix... it was a 9th arrondissement costume ball crammed into a small apartment, and it's well worth a walk-by nearly 200 years after the fabulous event. For photos, please check out my website. Than…

1
Charles Baudelaire & the Club des Hashischins 18:04

9M ago18:04

18:04

In honor of the moody month of February, we visit Ile Saint-Louis, retracing Baudelaire's drug-induced dreams. Our route goes along the central main street, rue de Saint-Louis-en-l'Ile, from West to East. The first mansion on our route is the Hôtel de Lauzun - where Revolutionary "it girl" Thérésa Cabarrus Tallien lived. For photos, please check ou…

1
In the Shadow of Notre Dame 12:22

10M ago12:22

12:22

In this episode, we celebrate the reopening of the Grand Dame of Paris by strolling in the shadow of the great Cathedral Notre Dame, looking at narrow medieval streets on the Island of the City which survived the great upheaval of Haussmann renovations. We talk about rue Chanoinesse--where there is a surprisingly beautiful police garage! And we wal…

1
Sublime & Seedy: Delacroix on rue Visconti 14:40

1y ago14:40

14:40

In this episode, we check out the atmospheric rue Visconti on the Left Bank, tucked around the corner from chic rue Jacob. This sometimes-maligned little street was home to painter Delacroix (this is where he painted his friend George Sand & her lover Chopin!) and writer Balzac ran a printing press here. For photos, please check out my website. Tha…

1
Surrealism, Lee Miller, & Blue 20:29

1y ago20:29

20:29

In this episode, we check out CAMPAGNE-PREMIERE just below boulevard de Montparnasse. The street is barely one block long, but a surprising number artists and writers lived here during the first half of the 20th century, including Man Ray, Lee Miller, Yves Klein, Foujita, Elsa Triolet, and Louis Aragon! If streets are haunted by past creative shade…

1
Mary Oliver on stewardship of the planet 37:17

1y ago37:17

37:17

Poet of the ordinary, the common, the very drab, Mary Oliver was willing to listen, to hear. From that willingness emerges a body of work that is as humble as it is wise. She sang with open throat the prayers of the grass, the waggle of honey bees, the flowing river, the waiting sun, and asked on behalf of the earth crumbling under our carbon footp…

1
Anais Nin, Henry Miller, & the Villa Seurat 17:44

1+ y ago17:44

17:44

In this episode, we stroll into a hidden gem behind the well-known streets of Montparnasse: the Villa Seurat. This is a small street described in the famous Diaries of Anais Nin. Villa Seurat also appears in the work of her lover, Henry Miller, although he disguises the identity of the street by calling it “Villa Borghese”. This part of the 14th ar…

1
Pop songs & cigarettes - Serge Gainsbourg on rue de Verneuil 18:33

1+ y ago18:33

18:33

In this episode, we visit a classic Left Bank street, the rue de Verneuil... which has a lively 20th century cultural record: This is where writer James Baldwin first landed in Paris, where singer Juliette Gréco lived, and where songwriter Serge Gainsbourg wrote, loved, smoked, and drank--today, his former home is the location of the Gainsbourg mus…

1
Theatre & Decadence in La Nouvelle Athènes 14:39

1+ y ago14:39

14:39

In this episode, we visit the "New Athens", a newly-restored neighborhood once inhabited by theatre stars, courtesans, and painters. Find out who Napoleon Bonaparte bought bedroom furniture for, admire some truly lovely 1820s architecture, and admire the decadent visionary artistry of Symbolist painter Gustave Moreau. For photos, please check out m…

1
The Passage des Panoramas 18:58

1+ y ago18:58

18:58

We focus on the Passage des Panoramas & the Passage Jouffroy--two of my favourite covered passageways in Paris today. Back in the 1800s, Parisians window-shopped, met for pastry and tea, and browsed music stories to find the latest compositions in these arcades, and really, things haven't all changed that much. This episode includes the story of th…

1
Back to the Grands Boulevards 20:35

2y ago20:35

20:35

In this episode, we continue our stroll along the Grands Boulevards, exploring some wild stories, literati, and even an assassination attempt that resulted in the brand new Garnier Opera house being built. And I get to chat about some of my favourite Parisians from the past, including General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, the Revolutionary hero & father …

1
Belle Epoque Spectacle: Grands Blvds (part 1) 24:07

2y ago24:07

24:07

In this episode, we celebrate the holidays with a stroll past the Opera Garnier. Bright department store windows, glittering performances, and even cinema lights: the Grands Boulevards has it all. This is where the Lumiere Brothers introduced film to Paris audiences, and where Nadar ran his 19th-century photography studio. As always, for more info,…

1
Pablo Neruda on living with passion 40:48

2y ago40:48

40:48

“Neruda’s poetry touches the depth of things. One feels its interdimensional layers in the way fragrance or taste can harbor time. But with him, it seems to go further than that; down, down, and into the fabric of what is being played out in the landscape of the lived moment. Neruda’s song marvels at appearance, investigates texture, inhabits cells…

1
Mme de Pompadour, the French President, and me 19:45

2y ago19:45

19:45

Today's podcast visits the French President's palace, L’Élysée. The 365-room mansion has a history that oozes personality: once the home of Madame de Pompadour, Napoleon Bonaparte's sister Caroline also lived here for a few years. Caroline was described as "having the body of Venus and the brain of Machiavelli", which was probably not intended as a…

1
Rue Bonaparte, a Left Bank classic 12:48

2y ago12:48

12:48

Visit the street where New Yorker writer Janet Flanner lived, where the Beaux Arts school still stands, and of course, where de Beauvoir and Sartre once held court... The rue Bonaparte is a Left Bank Saint-Germain classic. For photos, check out my website! Thanks as always to Bremner Fletcher for technical expertise, and general know-how. The Impro…

1
Zola's complicated life on rue de Bruxelles 20:12

2+ y ago20:12

20:12

Writer Emile Zola was once so poor, he pawned all his clothes and kept only a single bedsheet to sleep in. But by the time he moved into the quiet rue de Bruxelles below Place de Clichy, he had become a respected member of the middle class, a well-known journalist and a prolific novelist. Paris-born, Zola was a complicated man, and in this podcast,…

1
The Library on the Left Bank 11:19

2+ y ago11:19

11:19

In this episode, we visit the American Library in Paris, on the easily-overlooked little street of General Camou. This is a very short street, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, and it's worth visiting both for the library, if you're an English-language reader, and for the architecture--both extremes of the 20th century are represented within one b…

1
The University of La Nouvelle Vague 13:09

2+ y ago13:09

13:09

In this episode, we start in front of the beautiful Sorbonne and walk down the single block of rue Champollion. Named for the man who first successfully translated Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics, this street includes a movie theatre that's now an historical monument. For film times (!) and extra info about rue Champollion check out my website! Than…

1
Matsuo Basho on cultivating focus and humility 30:49

2+ y ago30:49

30:49

Basho’s poetry delves into the present moment and leaves us with flashes, echoes of ordinary things made extraordinary because he took the time to look at them. Short and seemingly simple, it is the very spaciousness of the Haiku that allows him to open the doors of contemplation for us -- and that is what he does, when we let him. Hosted by Ausha.…

1
Medicine, Monks, and Revolutionaries 20:35

2+ y ago20:35

20:35

In this episode, we walk along the medieval rue de l’Ecole de Medecine, the Street of the School of Medicine, on the edge of the Latin Quarter. This street was also the birthplace of the Divine actress Sarah Bernhardt, and extremely important to the Revolutionaries like Marat & Danton. Our inspiration comes from an 1866 photograph taken by fascinat…

1
Art Nouveau into Nouveau Paris 17:26

3y ago17:26

17:26

In this episode, we focus on architecture & successful new approaches to urban design, from the Haussmann era's Square des Batignolles, up to the brand new street named for cellist Mstislav Rostropovitch. This route includes gorgeous Art Nouveau apartment buildings, the surprisingly lovely, brand-spanking-new, Tour Unic by Yansong Ma, and a secret …

1
Stendhal's Red and Black (Le Rouge et le Noir) - Phi Fic Ep. 46 1:29:08

3y ago1:29:08

1:29:08

One of Nietzsche's favorite novels, Le Rouge et le Noir contains some of the most profound psychological analysis in all of fiction. The novel tells the story about a young man from a modest background who seeks a glorious career, but ends up in enormous trouble as a result of his love affairs. The novel is divided into halves, with the first half …

1
The Insomniac on rue de la Bûcherie 15:34

3y ago15:34

15:34

In this episode, meet the 18th-century insomniac writer & printer, Restif de la Bretonne. Paris is chilly in January, so it seems appropriate to walk along the rue de la Bûcherie, where logs were once unloaded from boats on the Seine, back in the days when Parisians heated their apartments with wood-burning fires. This is the Left Bank street where…

1
The Defender of Time 15:03

3y ago15:03

15:03

In this episode, I chat with Heather Stimmler about the Quartier de l'Horloge, in the 3rd arrodissement beside the Pompidou Center. We visit restored automaton, admire its music, and discuss whether a breathing dragon would make a reassuring clock... Happy New Year from everyone here at Improbable Walks, and big thanks to Heather! Check out her Sec…

1
Walt Whitman on love of self and country 38:52

3y ago38:52

38:52

Whitman's song catalogs a profound empathy for the other, whom he in many ways identified as himself. That sense of oneness pervades his poetry, and in my mind stands as his most important message--that we are one and must therefore include the other. These ideas are conveyed with forward intimacy, a closeness that engages and reflects with you, a …

1
The Queen's Flower Market 16:12

3y ago16:12

16:12

Today, let's visit a flower market on Ile de la Cité, right in the middle of Paris. Two good reasons to check this area out now: first, the Marché aux fleurs is due to be renovated, and second, back in 2014, the market was named for Queen Elizabeth II--this is highly unusual, in France. We'll talk about why. We'll also discuss Mad King Louis (or, m…

1
The Custom of the Country by Edith Wharton 1:15:00

3y ago1:15:00

1:15:00

Join Nina, Daniel, Fabrice, and Rob us as we discuss Edith Wharton's 1913 satire of American ambition, The Custom of the Country.

1
The Roman Arena Hiding in Plain Sight 16:13

3y ago16:13

16:13

This Latin Quarter episode begins at Place Émile Mâle and features the strange story of the disappearing Roman arena. We also talk about the discrete author of The Story of O, and the wonderful botanist, Bernard de Jussieu, who is responsible for my all-time favourite tree. This episode wraps up in the lush Jardin des Plantes, where so many Parisia…

1
Reading the stars on rue Sauval 13:14

3+ y ago13:14

13:14

Today, we're walking along a small street near the Louvre that's packed with history. Let's talk about Catherine de Medici's personal astrologer, the 1940s Resistance fighters of Les Halles, and talk about successful vaccines of the 1700s. Visit my website for images. I am using a new microphone for this episode - if you have any thoughts about whe…

1
The Poetry Episode (Dickinson, Baudelaire, Bishop, Byron) 56:33

3+ y ago56:33

56:33

Each of the four contributors picked a different poem to read and discuss for this episode. The poems we picked are listed below. Also below are links to the poems and the starting point for each segment. Emily Dickinson, "The Brain is Wider Than the Sky" - 2:35 https://drupal.yalebooks.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/TOC/edelman_wider.pdf Charl…

1
Rumi on wisdom: knowledge seasoned by love 29:46

3+ y ago29:46

29:46

Rumi's poetry speaks to us from a state of deep inspiration. The luminescence of his verse carries hope, delivers method and the emotional depth needed to find our way to the knowledge seasoned by love—wisdom. From reading Rumi, one learns that there is a rigor to love. That it reaches beyond attachment to something closer to what we do. “Let the b…

1
The Most Famous Avenue in the World 14:40

3+ y ago14:40

14:40

Today, we're walking along LES CHAMPS ELYSEES, the most famous avenue in the world. From an inclusive coffeeshop to the Guerlain perfume legacy... and most particularly, my favourite steampunk historical fact: in the early 1900s, inventor Alberto Santos-Dumont used to park his dirigible (yes, a flying machine) outside his apartment on the Champs. V…

1
Impressionists in Clichy 16:49

3+ y ago16:49

16:49

Once upon a time, the Avenue de Clichy was the place to meet the great Impressionist painters. Why? Because this was the location of the famous CAFE GUERBOIS. In this episode, we check out the place where artist Edouard Manet used to buy his paint supplies, learn about Claude Monet's friends (and how they kept him alive), and stroll through the gor…

1
Coffee and Revolution in the Cour du Commerce-de-Saint-André 15:46

3+ y ago15:46

15:46

Wow, did April ever whoosh past in a blaze of work & sunshine here in Paris! Today, we're walking through a gorgeously historic "passage" near Métro Odéon on the Left Bank--we look at coffee in the 1600s, and brilliant Revolutionaries like the printer Marat and the orator Danton. Visit my website for some images, to give you a better feel for the h…

1
PHI FIC #43 Bleak House by Charles Dickens 1:37:37

3+ y ago1:37:37

1:37:37

1
Toni Morrison on the pursuit of goodness 35:16

4y ago35:16

35:16

“Out of the gospel of the middle passage, the blues of slavery, the jazz of big city ghetto nights,” the Nobel Prize winning Toni Morrison whose generative depth and sounding of interiority produces a lyricism that is radiant in its generosity and in my mind can only be described as song. Morrisson rivets because she has an ear tuned to the complex…

1
Picasso on the rue des Grands Augustins 16:09

4y ago16:09

16:09

Artists Sonia Delaunay, Robert Delaunay, and Pablo Picasso all lived on this little Left Bank street. Poet Apollinaire stayed here briefly. And King Louis XIII was crowned right here in the road, when he was just a child! The rue des Grands Augustins is a stroll down memory lane for me, because I lived on this street in the late 90s. As always, Imp…

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