history
Latest articles on history in France.
Historian and Resistance hero Marc Bloch joins France’s Pantheon greats
French scholar and Resistance fighter Marc Bloch, who was tortured and executed by the Gestapo in 1944, entered the Pantheon on Tuesday, becoming the first historian to receive the honour bestowed on exceptional figures in politics, culture and science.
Historian and Resistance hero joins France's Pantheon greats
Historian and Resistance fighter Marc Bloch, who was tortured and executed by the Gestapo in 1944, will enter the Pantheon on Tuesday in a rare tribute reserved for France's most revered historical figures.
New ‘heritage pass’ will open doors to 500 historic French venues
France is set to unveil a 'heritage pass' that will give visitors access to hundreds of the country's most beautiful and historic sites.
Macron urges caution on reparations as France confronts slavery legacy
President Emmanuel Macron endorsed the symbolic repeal of royal decrees that governed slavery in French colonies, as France confronts its history and the sensitive issue of reparations.
Why does France want its leaders to ‘channel De Gaulle’ in dealings with USA?
Whenever French pundits and politicians want their leaders to stand up to USA, someone will always invoke the memory of Charles De Gaulle - so what's the real story of France's post WWII leader and his relationship with America?
Who was Saint Sylvester and why does France celebrate him on New Year’s Eve?
Been invited to a 'Saint Sylvester party' in France? Don't worry, you probably won't need to know anything about the 4th century saint himself.
Ancient undersea wall found off French coast
Divers have discovered a long-submerged 7,000-year-old wall under the sea off western France, scientists have said.
France returns skull of beheaded king to Madagascar
France has returned three colonial-era skulls to Madagascar, including one believed to be that of a Malagasy king decapitated by French troops during a 19th-century massacre.
Macron admits French ‘repressive violence’ in Cameroon decolonisation ‘war’
France waged a “war” in Cameroon marked by “repressive violence” during and after the African country’s decolonisation in the late 1950s, President Emmanuel Macron has acknowledged in a letter.
Eggs en Provence: France’s unique dinosaur egg trove
At the foot of Sainte Victoire, the mountain in Provence immortalised by Impressionist painter Paul Cezanne, a palaeontologist brushes meticulously through a mound of red clay, looking for fossils.
France’s Versailles unveils AI-powered talking statues
Visitors to France’s Palace of Versailles can now strike up a conversation with talking statues instead of listening to a traditional audio guide, as part of a new collaboration with artificial intelligence companies, the palace has said.
12 world-changing inventions that came from France
From technology to medicine, transport to fashion, French inventors are responsible for many of the things that shape the modern world (even if they didn't invent the croissant).
Napoleon letter auction denies role in French pope detention
A hand-written letter from Napoleon denying his role in the kidnapping of Pope Pius VII in 1809 will be auctioned this weekend, in a reminder of France’s complicated past relationship with the Vatican.
French fundraiser offers chance to win piece of Notre-Dame
A French organisation dedicated to the conservation of historic heritage is offering a chance for members of the public to win an authentic fragment of Notre Dame cathedral, as part of a fundraising drive.
Normandy to update bid for World Heritage status for France's D-Day beaches
French officials have ‘relaunched’ a bid to have the D-Day landing beaches protected by UNESCO World Heritage listing.
Reader question: When did France stop guillotining people?
For most people the guillotine summons to mind images of the French Revolution, but the lethal contraption remained in use until well into the 20th century.
Events spotlight 10 inspirational women in French history
Two conferences will highlight the French lives and careers of 10 inspirational women
How many of France's '10 most iconic women' can you name?
French women have made an impact on the world, but how many famous names can you recognise. Here are 10 of France's most celebrated women, immortalised during the opening ceremony of the 2024 summer Olympics.
Notre Dame’s dead poet mystery close to solution
A centuries-old mystery surrounding a poet buried in Paris’s Notre Dame could be close to being solved thanks to archaeological digs at the world-famous cathedral.
La Marseillaise: All you need to know about the French national anthem
Aux armes, readers, here's a closer look at the rather bloody song that is so dear to many in France (but not everyone).
Fortress Europe? The Nazi 'wall' that failed to prevent D-Day
As the 80th anniversary of D-Day approaches, what became of the German-built Atlantic Wall defences intended to keep the Allies at bay?
Family in Paris awaits news of relatives from Hamas-hit kibbutz
Three of their relatives have been killed while seven others, including three children, are "presumed hostages" following last month's Hamas attack in Israel.
Impressionist masterpieces set for Tour de France to mark milestone anniversary
The world's leading museum of Impressionist art is sending an unprecedented number of its masterpieces on tour in France to mark the movement's 150th anniversary.