Georges Auguste Escoffier
The chef and restaurateur died on 12 February 1935.
France
In Defiance of her Golden Age
Lucie Delarue-Mardrus was at the heart of daring interwar Paris, where she used her influence to defend those left behind by ‘progress’.
Henri of Navarre: The Conclusion of the French Wars of Religion
Henri of Navarre is one of the most complex and fascinating personalities among the ruler of France.
The Battle of Sandwich: England's Lost Victory
A little-known encounter between the English and French navies should rank alongside Trafalgar and the defeat of the Armada.
The Poisoned Will of Jean Meslier
A French priest’s shocking attack on religion called for the fall of altars and the heads of kings.
The Limits of Nationhood
In the interwar period, France and Germany worked towards an integrated Europe.
Léon Blum’s Republic of Broken Dreams
French history since the revolution has been marked by promises of progress that end in bitter failure. The election of Léon Blum’s Popular Front in 1936 was one such example.
Louis Braille and the Night Writer
Louis Braille’s tactile reading system made literacy for the blind a reality, but he was indebted to an officer in Napoleon’s army.
Louis XVI's flight from Paris
The royal flight to Varennes took place on June 20th, 1791.
The Battle of Marignano
So bloody was Francis I’s defeat of the Swiss at the Battle of Marignano in 1515 that it made previous battles resemble ‘children’s games’. Robert J. Knecht traces the French king’s route across the Alps towards war in Italy.