The Battle of St Louis
Saint or sinner? Recent demonstrations in the American city of St. Louis are just the latest battle for the legacy of a medieval French king.
France
The Culinary Enlightenment
The belief that you are what you eat emerged in 19th-century France, where the pleasures of the table were sautéed with philosophy and medicine.
The Wrongful Death of Toussaint Louverture
Toussaint Louverture’s lonely death in a French prison cell was not an unfortunate tragedy but a cruel story of betrayal.
The Combat of the Thirty
A chivalric form of planned battle took place on 26 March 1351.
The Rights of France
Since the late 19th century, French politics has provided a testing ground for right-wing populism.
Catherine dei Medici and the French Wars of Religion
For thirty years Queen Mother of France, Catherine dei Medici tried to pursue a middle way through the political and religious problems of the age.
There’s Something About Marie
Going beyond the clichés to reveal Marie-Antoinette as a political operator with real influence.
History in Ruins
The changing fates of one of France’s grandest castles are a microcosm for its history.
Enemies of the Habsburgs
An alliance between Louis XIV and a Transylvanian prince was just one aspect of the Sun King’s ambition to dominate Europe.
The Lost Voice of Notre-Dame
The devastating fire at Notre-Dame destroyed more than just bricks.