Paris in Bleu Blonde Rouge

Episode 19 - The 1887 Sale of the French Crown Jewels

The jewels of the French Crown were never just glittering ornaments. They were symbols of power, legitimacy, dynasty, and empire. For centuries, they adorned kings, queens, emperors, and empresses, surviving revolution, theft, exile, and war. But after the fall of Napoleon III in 1870, the new Republic feared that these treasures represented something even more dangerous: the possibility that France might once again embrace a monarchy. In this episode, we uncover the extraordinary story of the 1887 auction of the French Crown Jewels, a sale that shattered centuries of history in the name of politics. From the bloody aftermath of the Paris Commune to the heated debates inside the National Assembly, the Republic set out to erase the symbols of royal power forever. Historic crowns were melted down, imperial settings destroyed, and priceless jewels scattered across Europe and America into the hands of royalty, Gilded Age millionaires, and legendary jewelers like Tiffany & Co. and Garrard. We’ll step inside the packed Salle des États at the Louvre, once Napoleon III’s throne room, transformed into the most exclusive auction Paris had ever seen. We’ll follow the jewels themselves: the Regent Diamond, the emerald tiara of Madame Royale, Eugénie’s pearl tiara, the dazzling Grand Corsage Bow Brooch, and the infamous reliquary brooch containing Mazarin diamonds once worn by Louis XIV’s court. This episode also traces the incredible journeys of the jewels that survived, the pieces painstakingly recovered by the Louvre over the last century, and the devastating 2025 theft that once again thrust the Crown Jewels into headlines around the world. Some pieces returned home after more than a hundred years in exile. Others may now be lost forever. The 1887 sale was meant to destroy the memory of the monarchy in France. Instead, it became one of the greatest cultural tragedies in French history. Welcome to the story of the jewels France tried to erase. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2557975/support]

Episode 18 - The Tragic End of Good King Henri IV

On May 13, 1610, after finally giving in, Henri IV watched his wife, Marie de Medici, be crowned as the queen of France in the Basilique Saint Denis.  The next day, his life would end In this week's episode, we look at the tragic end of the beloved king of France.  With twists and turns that include his skull, which may have been found three hundred years after he died, and where you can find him in Paris.  For more info and photos, check ClaudineHemingway.com Coming to Paris? Book a walking tour or let me customize your time in Paris.  ClaudineHemingway.com [http://www.claudinehemingway.com/] IG @claudinebleublonderouge [https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/general/] FB @bleublonderouge  [https://www.facebook.com/BleuBlondeRouge] And find my live from Paris videos and more at my YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJdy-4ozqYsghE7DdeWe_dg] channel ClaudineBleuBlondeRouge Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2557975/support]

Episode 17 - The Final Days and Return of Napoleon

On May 5, 1821, 205 years ago, at 5:49 pm on the remote island of Saint Helene, Napoleon Bonaparte took his last breath at the young age of 51.  Between 1814 and his final day in 1821, Napoleon was exiled twice. Toss in Waterloo in the middle, and his last years didn't really play out as he had hoped.  In this episode, we take a closer look at his final months, battling cancer and ending in his grand return to Paris and his final resting place at Les Invalides.  For more info and photos, check ClaudineHemingway.com Coming to Paris? Book a walking tour or let me customize your time in Paris.  ClaudineHemingway.com [http://www.claudinehemingway.com/] IG @claudinebleublonderouge [https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/general/] FB @bleublonderouge  [https://www.facebook.com/BleuBlondeRouge] And find my live from Paris videos and more at my YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJdy-4ozqYsghE7DdeWe_dg] channel ClaudineBleuBlondeRouge Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2557975/support]

Episode 16 - The Louvre Pyramid of IM Pei

In 1981, the newly elected president, François Mitterand, announced his Grand Travaux project that would change the face of Paris, and none more so than the Musée du Louvre.  Mitterand had one man in mind for the job, the Chinese American architect I.M. Pei, a master architect who blended glass, concrete, stone, and metal.  In this episode, we dive deep into the project and the design elements of the pyramid, including just how many panes of glass are really in the pyramid, and one of my favorite movies that adds the pyramid as a main star.  For more info and photos, check ClaudineHemingway.com Coming to Paris? Book a walking tour or let me customize your time in Paris.  ClaudineHemingway.com [http://www.claudinehemingway.com/] IG @claudinebleublonderouge [https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/general/] FB @bleublonderouge  [https://www.facebook.com/BleuBlondeRouge] And find my live from Paris videos and more at my YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJdy-4ozqYsghE7DdeWe_dg] channel ClaudineBleuBlondeRouge Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2557975/support]

Episode 15 - The Louvre Heist of the Crown Jewels

It was 6 months ago, on October 19, 2025, on a Sunday morning in Paris, that a brazen heist of the French Crown jewels struck the  Musée du Louvre.   In this week’s episode of the Paris in Bleu Blonde Rouge podcast, we go deep into the details of the theft, the history of the stolen jewels, where they are in the investigation, and what has changed at the Louvre.  For more info and photos, check ClaudineHemingway.com Coming to Paris? Book a walking tour or let me customize your time in Paris.  ClaudineHemingway.com [http://www.claudinehemingway.com/] IG @claudinebleublonderouge [https://www.instagram.com/direct/inbox/general/] FB @bleublonderouge  [https://www.facebook.com/BleuBlondeRouge] And find my live from Paris videos and more at my YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJdy-4ozqYsghE7DdeWe_dg] channel ClaudineBleuBlondeRouge Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2557975/support]