One thing we take for granted, especially in the industrial era, is the keeping of time– and a stable, standardized way to measure its passage. […]
The French Revolutionary Calendar: An Odd Relic From the 1790s
History of Paris
Remembering the Paris Commune: What it Was and Why We Should Care
When most people talk about the French Revolution, they’re in fact referencing the first one, which began in 1789. The famous revolt marked by the […]
Remembering Olympe de Gouges, France’s First Revolutionary Feminist
Despite holding a significant place in the annals of French revolutionary history, Olympe de Gouges is hardly a household name. Many will easily recognize figures […]
The Interview: Pastry Maestro & Cookbook Author David Lebovitz
It’s been years since I started following the writing and recipes of David Lebovitz, a pastry chef and bestselling author of cookbooks and memoirs such […]
Looking for Roman Paris: Ancient Ruins From Lutetia
Hoping to see significant Roman ruins in Paris on your next trip? Probably not. Unlike Pompeii, Lyon (the former capital of Roman Gaul, once called […]
The Curious History of the Croissant (& How It Became France’s Favorite Pastry)
There’s something mysterious– maybe even alchemical— about the qualities that have to come together to yield the “ideal” croissant. To fit the bill, it should […]
Champs-Elysées “Garden” Project Approved Amid Wider Greening Plans for Paris
It’s a sprawling Avenue famous not only for its expensive sidewalk brasseries and high-end shops, but also for its headache-inducing traffic, noise and air pollution. […]
8 American Women Who Moved to Paris– & Made History
Many people interested in American contributions to Parisian art or literary history beeline to the Hemingway Bar at the Ritz, but couldn’t tell you where […]
The Catacombs of Paris: History & How to Visit
In the French capital, few places inspire the kind of morbid curiosity that the Catacombs of Paris do– and for very good reason. The relatively […]
The American Revolution in France: Key Sites to Visit in Paris
Especially since I became a dual Franco-American citizen, I’ve been fascinated by the “dialogic” nature of the American and French Revolutions. By that, I mean […]
The Tour Saint-Jacques: An Enigmatic Treasure in Central Paris
During my early years living in Paris, I passed a nondescript construction site in the city center on a semi-daily basis. Clad with scaffolding and […]
Why to Visit the Victor Hugo House in Paris: An Inside Look
Victor Hugo is a French writer whose presence continues to loom large in the city he called home for much of his life. Best known […]
Some of the Most Beautiful Restaurants in Paris: 5 Stunning Settings
Recent trends in food have tended to de-emphasize the importance of the dining room from an aesthetic point of view– or at least pretend to. […]
Voices from Drancy, one of France’s Most Important Holocaust Memorial Sites
In March of 2020, I made a short trip from Paris that was a long time coming. I boarded a train, then a bus, to […]
France’s Bastille Day Once Celebrated Constitutional Monarchy (& Other Curious Facts)
On July 14th, 2021, Paris will once again celebrate Bastille Day, or the Fête Nationale (National Holiday) with all the pomp, circumstance and vibrancy we’ve […]
The Forgotten History of Paris’ Wine Market (Halle aux Vins) & Warehouses
The area around the Quai St-Bernard at the edge of Paris’ Latin Quarter is strikingly contemporary– in contrast to most of the 5th arrondissement, where […]
Inside Le Train Bleu, One of the Most Beautiful Brasseries in Paris
During the heyday of train travel in the late nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries, rail stations in major cities were places where wealthy travelers showed off […]
An Elegant Paris Building– With a Dark History of Nazi Collaboration
On the Place des Petits Pères in central Paris, a sense of calm abounds these days. The Basilique Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church graces the square, and the […]
10 Memorable French Quotes, Followed by a Quiz: Who Said It?
While the art of the witty quotation is often attributed to English-speaking writers and thinkers– from Wilde to Swift– comparable quips in French tend to […]
5 French Paintings that Depict Paris (& Transport You There)
My partner and I recently framed and hung a new print to liven up a blank wall in our house: an enigmatic painting from Marc […]
