Ancient France was a pagan kind of a place. Think Druidic rituals in forests (if you’ve read Astérix, you’ll well picture this) and Celtic chants around bonfires. And then along came King Clovis I, in the fifth century, who decided to convert to Christianity. One way in which he, and various other powers-that-be, successfully converted […]
Paris History
The Signature Sweets of Paris
Gorgeous delicacies can be found all over Paris, but the most classic of Parisian treats are at their scrumptious best in the places where they were created, or else perfected. The Macaron Macaron biscuits — a blend of almond, sugar and egg whites — have been popular in Europe for centuries; legend has it that […]
Where to See Art Nouveau in Paris
Art Nouveau (“new art”) was an ornamental design movement that flourished in Paris at the turn of the twentieth century. It enjoyed mainstream appeal for only around a decade, but its impact was forceful — it was a direct contrast to, and defiance of, the classicism that had kept Paris aesthetically in line for the […]
Paris’s New Smoke-Free Parks
In 1560, a certain Jean Nicot introduced tobacco to Catherine de Medici, raving about its various healing powers. The queen and her court were soon hooked — and the ambassador would go on to be immortalised in the word nicotine. The backstory of tobacco in France has long infused smoking with an air of nobility; […]