She Was 27, a Widow, and About to Change Champagne Forever

About this episode

The episode tells the story of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, a young widow who transformed the Champagne industry with her leadership of Veuve Clicquot.

👉 Download your FREE “ Champagne Empire ” Guide → https://www.frenchteachercarlito.com/lp-the-champagne-empire-guide In this episode, I tell you the story of Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin, the young widow behind the yellow label of Veuve Clicquot. At 27, with a failing business and everyone telling her to give up, she made a different choice. I take you through the cellars of Reims and the life of a woman who built an empire and kept her widow's name as her signature.  ⭐ Enjoyed the episode?  A 5 star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify really helps the podcast grow, thank you so much for your support. 📩 Have a question for me?  Email me at carlito@frenchteachercarlito.com I read every message personally. Merci et à très bientôt,  Charles

People in this episode

Host: French Teacher Carlito

Topics covered

• Champagne
• Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin
• Veuve Clicquot
• entrepreneurship
• history
• women in business

Keywords

• Champagne
• Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin
• Veuve Clicquot
• widow
• business
• empire
• Reims
• history
• entrepreneur

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Veuve Clicquot

More episodes of Intermediate French with Carlito

• Why French Movies Feel So Different to Americans · May 31, 2026 · 25 min
• This French City Has More Roman Heritage Than Anywhere Outside Italy · May 25, 2026 · 14 min
• What a Paris Hotel Receptionist Actually Says to You · May 17, 2026 · 16 min
• Why Coco Chanel Lived at the Ritz Paris for 37 Years · May 10, 2026 · 12 min
• Why This French Handkerchief Has a 200-Year-Old Secret · May 3, 2026 · 11 min
• Van Gogh Painted 70 Masterpieces in 70 Days — In This French Village · April 27, 2026 · 13 min