History

Following a well-trodden literary path taken by authors such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway and hoping to join their illustrious ranks, 25-year-old George Orwell (or Eric Blair – as he...

The places you really should see while you are in this remarkable region of central France. Related article: Le Berry, The Green Heart of France BOURGES A UNESCO-listed cathedral, medieval city and tranquil marshland area make the...

Cahors is one of south-west France’s most unspoilt ancient towns. Formerly the capital of the old province of Quercy, the town perches dramatically on a rocky peninsula on a series of horse-shoe bends along...

It is, and always has been, one of the most popular covered arcades in the French capital. Jeffrey T Iverson meets the people who give the Passage Jouffroy its unique air Stepping into one of...

Still popular with celebrities, a century ago Les Deux Magots and the Café de Flore were the haunts of some of the greatest thinkers of their day "If you are lucky enough to have lived...

Home to the atmospheric Pink Granite Coast, with its dramatic capes and glorious beaches, smatterings of historic villages and ancient landmarks, Côtes-d'Armor is Brittany's best-kept secret. Keen to explore its rich heritage? Here are...

One of the world’s most famous cathedrals has emerged resplendent after a recent restoration, though some say it has lost something There is nothing like it in all of France. Rising like an apparition from...

From the cheese emergency that brought down the monarchy to Napoleon’s fondness for waffles, we lift the veil on royals’ guilty pleasures What makes a feast fit for a king? The long and short of...

The Boulevard Haussmann is the beating heart of Parisian shopping, but who is the man behind the name of this prestigious address? Baron Georges-Eugène Haussmann is responsible for much of the transformation of Paris from...

Separated from Great Britain by a narrow stretch of sea, the twin départements of Nord and Pas-de-Calais are pleasantly familiar yet delightfully different. Gillian Thornton explores the region’s coast, countryside and culture Standing on the...