France

Simon Kitson explores the prevalence of spying for and against the Nazis in southern France after the German invasion.

The greatest battle of Napoleon’s career took place on December 2nd, 1805. Although it is often called the Battle of the Three Emperors, Michael Adams sees it as a very personal clash between two men struggling for the mastery of Europe.

The future Queen of France was born on November 2nd, 1755

The famous French author Alexandre Dumas never let fact get in the way of a good story: his ability to spin a yarn made his books instant bestsellers. But, having unravelled the stories behind two of Dumas’ most famous works, Roger Macdonald presents a startling solution as to the true identity of the Man in the Iron Mask.

The exhibition that opened in Paris, on October 15th, 1905, 'shocked many who saw, and many more who did not.'

Maxine Berg looks at the commercial battle to dominate Europe that ran alongside the wars with France, and the product revolution that gave Britain the edge in this field.

David Welch looks at the way that public art was used in both France and Britain to celebrate Napoleon and Nelson as national heroes, during their lifetimes and after.

Graham Gendall Norton travels in search of those who fought for the rights of all.

Martin Evans and Emmanuel Godin ask how close was France to becoming a Communist country in the years after the Second World War.

Glenn Richardson looks at almost nine hundred years of enmity, jealousy and mutual fascination, a hundred years after the Entente Cordiale.