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 […]
Olympe de Gouges, France’s First Revolutionary Feminist (Biography)
Famous Parisians
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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
10 Famous 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 […]
Seeking Josephine Baker in Paris: A Bit of History & Places to Visit
When most people think of Josephine Baker, they imagine her dancing in some glamorous Paris venue at the height of the jazz age. While this […]
Saint-Germain-des-Prés District in Paris: What to Do
Put on your Sunday best and head over to Saint-Germain-des-Prés, an upscale Parisian neighborhood with centuries-old literary, revolutionary and artistic roots. Situated on the left […]
Parisian Legends: Interview with Patrick Roger, France’s Own Willy Wonka
I’ve pulled up an interview from my archives: a conversation with one of France’s celebrated chocolate-makers. It was originally published on About.com Paris Travel in […]
Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris: Walking Paths & Famous Graves
Opened in 1824, Montparnasse Cemetery sits on a site that was once occupied by three farms, in what was then a rural, sleepy corner of […]
Academie de la Grande Chaumière: The Paris Art Studio Favored by Modigliani, Miró and Lempicka
On a quiet side street in Montparnasse that seems worlds apart from the frenetic Boulevards and terraced cafes just feet away, there’s a typically Belle-Epoque […]
La Coupole, a Montparnasse Brasserie Haunted With Artistic History
Referring to the legendary Parisian brasserie on Boulevard de Montparnasse, French historian Georges Viaud once remarked: “If the tables [here] could talk, they would tell […]
Inside Lapérouse, a Romantic Paris Restaurant With History Galore
First opened in 1766 as “La Maison Lapérouse”, this distinguished restaurant and bar situated smack on the banks of the Seine is a favorite spot for […]
Seeking Edith Piaf in Paris? Visit These Places
Affectionately dubbed “the little sparrow” and “la môme” (the kid) in France, Edith Piaf is a musical legend who has (rather surprisingly?) resonated with successive generations […]
Short Biography of Simone Veil, a Passionate French Advocate for Women’s Rights
In June 2017, France lost Simone Veil, one of the most important figures in the long battle for women’s rights. Little-known outside the French-speaking world, […]
Simone de Beauvoir on Freedom (For the Occasion of Global Women’s Marches)
“Se vouloir libre, c’est aussi vouloir les autres libres” (“To want to be free is to also want others to be free”) –Simone de Beauvoir […]
