France

The outlook for Europe appears dangerous. Expanding the single market would change things. But can it be done?

Louis XIV built a Xanadu at Versailles – and sealed his family’s fate. But amid the extravagant luxury was thrilling innovation

Neither culture is flawless but, together, we could become more than the sum of our parts

With his conspiracy theories, pro-Russian propaganda and hatred of migrants, Le Pen inspired a generation of far right leaders across Europe

When the staff of the French satirical newspaper were murdered by extremists, France was united in defiance and grief – but the consensus soon began to fall apart

The daughter of a songwriter and from a long line of composers, the woman born Isabelle Gall was predestined for a career in music

A defunct commodities exchange in Paris, owned by a billionaire, is the setting for an exhibition of a radical art movement that used lowly materials to react against consumerism

Colourful stories abound of how local vintners deceived and humiliated German troops in occupied France. But the truth is rather more complex

The city’s working class banlieues have produced superstars like Kylian Mbappé and Thierry Henry. Could they now take Paris Saint Germain to the next level?

The trial that shocked France and the world is a pivot point for relations between the sexes. Men everywhere must learn from the verdict

Macron seems to think his new choice of prime minister is the answer to France’s problems. He might be the only one who does

Marine Le Pen stands accused of risking her country’s stability to keep herself out of jail. Sound familiar?

Reform’s leader has been touting a French-style health system that is coming under increasing pressure

Barnier’s budget was relatively mild - but Tweedledee and Tweedledum said he had to go

The success of Notre Dame's comeback depends on whether we view it as an architectural gem or a functional religious building

At a glitzy Paris art fair, a dose of reality from eight photographers who have something to say about the world

President Macron said Notre Dame would be rebuilt within five years and would be even more beautiful. And so it came to pass

The country is in a tunnel and there is no light at the end of it. But I still need to get my hair cut

Ridiculous borrowing, impossible promises and an unwillingness to face reality have led to budget deadlock and talk of a Greek-style financial crisis

Following a rise in politically motivated sentences after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, prisoners in Russia and Belarus have come to rely on letters from strangers

The 643 villagers of Oradour-sur-Glane were wiped out by the Nazis. Untouched by order of de Gaulle, the place where they lived and died is now a shrine

For Indochine and The Cure, two of the greatest bands associated with France and Britain respectively, pessimism is their signature sound

For well over a decade, Beaujolais Nouveau day was a British obsession. How did an unsophisticated bottle of plonk become big business?

The relationship between Jean Marais and Jean Cocteau was one of the great romances of 20th-century European culture

As arguments about Notre-Dame’s restoration rage on, a new exhibition gathers together stained-glass windows that caused their own controversy in the 1930s

One Leaver says she’s still glad she voted for it... but there’s a good reason for that

Our 2024 Person of the Year has changed the rules, reversed the language and given women permission to reject shame

The photographer’s extraordinary images of ordinary lives get a new showing in her centenary year

For an expat, French cuisine and culinary culture takes some getting used to

Europe's greatest ever treasure hunt is over, leaving thousands bereft

The Frenchman won seven Grand Slam singles titles in the 1920s before becoming an innovator in the world of sportswear and tennis equipment

The word repechage was heard regularly at this summer’s Olympics, but its modern usage bears little relation to its original meaning