Do the Rooftops of Paris Have “Outstanding Universal Value”?
Looking out over the rooftops of the city the view is romantic for some, lusty grey for others, a commercial dream for roofers—altogether Paris. In recent months the most attractive view over the capital has been from District Hall of the 9th arrondissement, where District Mayor Delphine Bürkli is spearheading the committee to present the rooftops of Paris as a candidate for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Ville Impériale (Imperial City), a New Trademark, Promotes Napoleonic Tourism
The European Federation of Napoleonic Cities, created by Charles Napoleon, launches the trademark and logo “Ville Impériale” (Imperial City) in the town of Rueil-Malmaison, home to Josephine's Chateau de Malmaison.
A Seat in Paris: 100 French Chairs 1951-1961
Imagine sitting in avant-garde style in Paris between 1951 and 1961. Pascal Cuisiner invites visitors to take a seat, or at least a view of a seat, in the lap of those years through an exceptional collection of 100 chairs from what he calls “the first modern French designers," presented at two locations in Paris.
Paris on the Edge: Does the French Capital Need High-Rises and Towers to Stay...
One doesn't usually think of this low dense city having much in the way of a skyline, but Paris is now in the well advanced planning stages for the most significant changes to the city’s architectural profile in 40 years.
Matrimoine in Paris: A Guide to Women Who Made French History
Cherchez la femme? Even in Paris that’s not an easy task from a historical standpoint. Psychologist, author and feminist Edith Vallée sets out to rectify that in Le Matrimoine de Paris, a new guidebook that tracks the city's female history-makers through 20 itineraries, 20 arrondissements.
Fluctuat Nec Mergitur and the Coat of Arms of the City of Paris
Fluctuat nec mergitur, the motto that appears on the heraldry or coat of arms of the City of Paris, came to the forefront as Parisians and others began to rally around slogans in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of November 13, 2015. This is the occasion to recall the history of the city’s heraldry and the significance of the elements that make up the city’s coat of arms.
Sarah’s Key, an interview with film director Gilles Paquet Brenner
Young French director Gilles Paquet-Brenner reflects on his latest film, Sarah’s Key, in an interview by Daniele Thomas Easton on the occasion of the...
Benjamin Franklin, a Philadelphian Who Lived the American Dream in Paris, Then Went Home
Shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, Benjamin Franklin accepted a mission from the Continental Congress to seeking an alliance with...
The Reawakening of the Hotel Lutetia: Living Large on the Left Bank
On April 14, 2014, the Hotel Lutetia will close for a three-year renovation. This article, written in early 2013, provides a "before" view of this historical hotel as its owners were seeking a new path to glory that eventually led to its closure for a major overhaul.