The Secret Governing Body of the French Resistance and its Plan for “Happy Days”

In today’s political climate where bipartisanship is increasingly rare, I found this relatively obscure story about the French Resistance to be particularly hopeful. In 1943, under the iron grip of German occupation, an improbable group of 19 Frenchmen met in secret to design a plan of retaliation as well as…
An Unexpected Mourner and Flowers for Mother’s Day
The Foremost Photographer Of The Belle Époque’s Superstars

I’ve previously written about Nadar, the colorful French author, artist, and entrepreneur who first made a name for himself in the middle of the 19th-century as a caricaturist. Nadar’s Panthéon is a colossal lithograph containing a long parade of 250 heralded writers of the day. It took Nadar two years…
French Presidential Election, The Left Turns its Back on Macron

A punishing 3-hour debate between Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen on Wednesday revealed stark differences between the two candidates. Yet, many wonder if Macron has done enough to garner support from the disillusioned left. On Sunday, French citizens will head to the polls for the second and final round…
Marie Antoinette’s Most Famous Portrait Briefly Silenced her Critics
“Under the Bridges of Paris”—Contrasting French and American Cultures
A Brief History of Famous French Fools, Farce, and Fanfare

From the time of ancient kings, people have appreciated humor arising from the behavior and appearance of fools. Throughout history, such characters have taken many forms. Comedic actors have created entertaining personas that reappear in performance after performance. Others adapt idiotic conduct to real-world figures in an attempt to mock…