History

Travelling through Burgundy? A highly recommended stop is the Abbey of Fontenay. Situated an hour's drive to the east of Vézelay, this Cistercian monastery was founded by Saint Bernard of Clairvaux in 1118. It...

A new museum in Paris brings to light the two-pronged struggle for freedom during the Second World War: the extensive military efforts from the outside, and the eroding force of the Resistance from within....

Just 3 hours on the A6 from Paris will bring you (back) to a remarkable era in French religious history. Situated in the Yonne department in Burgundy, Vézelay is a designated UNESCO World Heritage...

Chloe Govan pieces together the story of the real-life "beast", 16th-century courtier Petrus Gonsalvus, and discovers how his cruel treatment at the hands of a diabolical queen inspired a fairy tale The 2017 Disney blockbuster...

Chloe Govan goes foraging 50 metres below ground amid the sinuous limestone caves champignonnières of the Loire Valley In the eyes of most, the Loire Valley is famed for its fairy-tale châteaux and acres of...

On the 150th anniversary of Alphonse de Lamartine’s death, Marion Sauvebois unspools the life of the beloved poet, national hero, abolitionist and enduring enigma, whose passing sparked a furious race for the privilege to...

The road to paradise, where dreams are lived In Greek mythology, the Elysian Fields was a paradise reserved for the immortal souls of the heroic and virtuous. The name is given to one of the...

Inside the legend of the murderous creature and the cross-dressing soldiers enlisted to defeat it The year was 1764, and villagers across the land were hysterical with fear over the mysterious “Beast of Gévaudan” and...

For persecuted playwright Oscar Wilde, Paris was the only place he could truly feel at home. Chloe Govan retraces the famous libertine’s footsteps in the city that embraced him According to the British press, poet...

Learn about the region’s history and heritage at these great institutions Related article: En Passant Par La Lorraine MÉMORIAL DE VERDUN The Verdun Memorial commemorates the Battle of Verdun, where so many French and German soldiers died...