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The World’s First Paddle Steamers
Although Denis Papin (from Chitenay in the Centre region) developed and built a prototype steam-powered paddle boat in 1704, it wasn’t until June 1776 that the world’s first paddle steamer proper – the Palmipède*, created by Claude-François-Dorothée, marquis de Jouffroy d’Abbans – was actually launched, and sailed […]
France’s Giant Marionettes
Back in 1979, actor, Jean-Luc Courcoult had an idea which would eventually turn some of the world’s major cities into a stage for his astonishing creations. These days, his company, Royal de Luxe, is internationally-renowned for its giant marionettes and street performances which have, quite […]
Blanquette de Limoux
For more than a hundred years before Dom Pérignon’s apocryphal serendipitous Champagne incident, Languedoc-Roussillon had been producing its own sparkling wine, Blanquette de Limoux. Although the vineyards just south of Carcassonne date back to around the 5th century BC, it was not until 1531 that the […]
Post-Revolution Government of France
Since 1792, there have been ten changes in the way France has governed itself: First republic: September 1792-May 1804 First French empire: Napoléon I: May 1804-April 1814 Napoléon I: June 1815-July 1815 Constitutional monarchy: Louis XVIII: April 1814-March 1815 Constitutional monarchy: Louis XVIII: July 1815-September 1824 […]
The French Declaration of Rights
The first universal declaration of human rights on the planet is the 1789 French Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen; however, these rights do not solely apply to French men and women, rather, they extend to all people across the world.
The Marseillaise
Most people know that la Marseillaise is the national anthem of France but did you know that it was actually written in Strasbourg, not Marseille? In 1792, after France declared war on Austria, Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle wrote one of the most instantly-recognizable of European anthems. […]
Is It Possible To Buy Reasonably-Priced Champagne?
Absolutely. There’s no law that says you have to pay hundreds of dollars for good Champagne, and no guarantee that cheaper bottles will be rubbish. The fact is that an increasing number of growers are producing their own excellent bubbly, so why not give them a […]
As Popular As The Beatles?
Sometimes referred to as the French Elvis Presley (as well as Cloclo), and described as being as popular as The Beatles, Claude François, despite meeting an untimely end in 1978 – aged just 39 – is still as popular today as he was when he was […]
River Deep, Mountain High
Where Provence and the Alps meet is the Verdon Gorge (Gorges du Verdon). At 15.5 miles long and almost 3,000 feet deep, it’s Europe’s largest canyon. At around 6,700 feet above sea level, the village of Saint-Véran, in the Hautes-Alpes department is the highest municipality in […]
Shrove Tuesday Pancakes
With Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday as the English speakers among us call it) just around the corner on February 17th, we thought a post about crêpes (pancakes) was in order. After all, what else are you going to eat on pancake day? According to historians, people […]