Tag: France

10 Fascinating Facts About Mont Saint-Michel: the Medieval City on a Rock

Rising hundreds of feet above a rocky islet amidst vast sandbanks exposed to powerful tides stands a Gothic Benedictine abbey surrounded by a medieval village.

Built between the 11th and 16th centuries, Mont St Michel is a testament to the ingenuity of man inspired by God.

It takes your breath away.

Here are 10 fascinating facts about this incredible “island city”.

For added atmosphere, play the soundtrack.

1. Mont Saint-Michel was conceived in a dream

It was 708 A.D.

One night, Bishop Aubert of Avranches had a vision.

Saint Aubert, bishop of Avranches in the 8th Century, saw in dreams Archangel Michael, who ordered him to build a sanctuary on Mount Tomb. Credit Tango7174

The Archangel Michael, who had defeated Satan in the war in heaven, appeared in a dream and instructed Aubert to build an oratory on the rocky island at the mouth of the Couesnon river.

“build it and they will come”

Mont Saint-Michel as viewed along the Couesnon River in Normandy, France. Credit David Iliff

At first, Aubert ignored the vision, until the Archangel burned a hole in his head as a gentle reminder, whispering “build it and they will come”.

And come they did—pilgrims from all Christendom, and today, tourists from all corners of the world.

Aubert’s skull is displayed at the Saint-Gervais d’Avranches basilica bearing the scar of Michael.

Mont Saint-Michel soars 302 ft towards the heavens.

Mont-Saint-Michel Aerial View. Credit Sylvain Verlaine

2. Mont Saint-Michel is a structural hierarchy of feudal society

On top, there is God, then the abbey and monastery; below this, the Great halls, then stores and housing, and at the bottom, outside the walls, the fishermen’s and farmers’ housing.

Spire of the abbey on Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy France

Historical monuments under the villa Saint-Michel. Credit EdouardHue

3. Mont Saint-Michel was one of the most important pilgrimage destinations

Second only to Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Mont-Saint Michel was an important pilgrimage of faith during the Middle Ages.

Such was the difficulty of the journey that it became a test of penitence, sacrifice, and commitment to God to reach the Benedictine abbey.

Mont Saint Michel, Normandy by Edward William Cooke, R.A., 1838

Mont Saint-Michel. Credit Nicolas Raymond, flickr

Chosen by Richard II, Duke of Normandy, the Italian architect, William of Volpiano, designed the Romanesque church of the abbey, daringly placing the transept crossing at the top of the mount.

Many underground crypts and chapels had to be built to compensate for this weight, forming the foundation for the supportive upward structure that we see today.

Mont Saint-Michel Abbey Church Nave. Credit Jorge Láscar, flickr

Standing separate, not linking the abbey buildings, the cloister is a place to meditate, with the fragrance of herbs, flowers, and the sea filling the air.

Mont St Michel Cloister. Credit Jorge Láscar, flickr

Nestled at the foot of the abbey in the main street, the parish church of Église Saint-Pierre (Church of St Peter) is a little gem often overlooked by visitors.

When the abbey was secularised in the 19th century, the church became the focus of the pilgrimages to Mont Saint-Michel.

Eglise Saint-Pierre du Mont Saint-Michel. Credit Jordiferrer

Église Paroissiale Saint-Pierre - Mont St Michel. Credit Jorge Láscar, flickr — Église Paroissiale Saint-Pierre – Mont St Michel. Credit Jorge Láscar, flickr.

4. The English couldn’t conquer Mont Saint-Michel

During the Hundred Years’ War, the Kingdom of England made repeated assaults on the island but were unable to seize it due to the abbey’s strong fortifications.

Mont Saint-Michel Tower. Credit Nicholas Raymond, flickr

Besieging the Mont in 1423–24, and then again in 1433–34, the English forces under the command of Thomas de Scales, 7th Baron Scales abandoned two wrought-iron bombards (cannon) when he gave up his siege.

Known as “les Michelettes”, they remain on site to mark the impenetrable fortress protected by God.

Cannons abandoned by Thomas Scalles at Mont Saint-Michel on 17 June 1434

5. Mont Saint-Michel inspired Joan of Arc to victory

When news of the island’s stand against the English reached a young peasant girl in Orléans, south-west of Paris, the tide would turn against England in the Hundred Years’ War.

Statue of Joan of Arc next to the transept door of the Saint-Pierre church of Mont-Saint-Michel, Manche, France. Credit EdouardHue

That girl was Joan of Arc, and so inspired was she at the story of resistance at Mont St Michel, she would help recapture France from the English.

Joan of Arc at the Siege of Orleans by Jules Lenepveu

6. Mont St Michel has a counterpart in Cornwall, England

In 1067, the monastery of Mont Saint-Michel gave its support to William the Conqueror in his claim to the throne of England.

St Michael's Mount, Cornwall, England. Credit Chensiyuan — St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall, England. Credit Chensiyuan

Rewarding the monastery with properties and grounds on the English side of the Channel, he included a small island off the southwestern coast of Cornwall which was modeled after the Mount and became a Norman priory named St Michael’s Mount of Penzance.

St Michael's Mount, Cornwall, England. Credit ukgardenphotos — St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall, England. Credit ukgardenphotos

The two mounts share the same tidal island characteristics and the same conical shape, though St Michael’s Mount is much smaller.

7. Mont Saint-Michel served as a prison

With its popularity and prestige as a center of pilgrimage waning during the Reformation, by the time of the French Revolution, there were very few monks in residence.

Closed in 1791, the abbey was converted into a prison, initially holding clerical opponents of the republican regime—up to 300 priests at one point.

Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel north face. Credit Ibex73

Nicknamed “bastille des mers”, meaning “Bastille of the sea”, it was named after the fortress in Paris that served as a state prison during the Ancien Regime.

Serving as a windlass, a treadwheel crane helped hoist supplies high up to the prison walls.

Prisoners would rotate the wheel by walking inside it like hamsters.

itTreadwheel crane served as a windlass, installed when Mont Saint-Michel was a prison, to bring supplies prisoners. Some prisoners would walk inside the wheel to rotate it. Credit Jorge Láscar

Treadmill cranes were commonly used for lifting heavy objects on medieval construction sites.

Life on a 13th century fortress castle construction site, showing treadmill crane

After a series of high profile political prisoners were held at Mont Saint-Michel, influential figures, including Victor Hugo, launched a campaign to restore what they felt was a national architectural treasure.

Closing the prison in 1863, Napoleon III ordered the 650 prisoners to be transferred to other facilities.

8. Mont Saint Michel has deadly tides

Popularly nicknamed “St. Michael in peril of the sea” by medieval pilgrims making their way across the flats, the tides can vary by as much as 46 ft between high and low water marks.

Aerial view of Mont-Saint-Michel. Credit cea +

Connected to the mainland by a modern causeway built in 2014, the tide poses dangers for visitors who choose to walk across the sands—threatened by a tide that is said to travel at the speed of a galloping horse.

Mont Saint-Michel and its new light bridge at high tide. Credit Mathias Neveling

People walking along the clay sands of the bay around Mont-Saint-Michel. Credit tiger rus

Polderisation and occasional flooding have created salt marsh meadows that are ideally suited to grazing sheep.

Mont Saint-Michel in September morning. Credit Vlasenko

Richly-flavored meat resulting from the sheep’s diet in the “salt meadow” makes a dish called agneau de pré-salé “salt meadow lamb”, a local specialty served on the menus of restaurants at the mount.

9. Mont Saint-Michel and its bay are UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979, Mont Saint Michel and its 11th-century Benedictine abbey have become a favored destination for pilgrims and tourists alike.

One of the most important sites of medieval Christian civilisation.UNESCO

One of the charming little restaurants in Mont St Michel. Credit Trey Ratcliff, flickr

The Streets of Mont Saint Michel. Credit Trey Ratcliff, flickr

Recommendation: Mont St. Michel should be placed on the World Heritage List because of its exceptional combination of natural and cultural elements.UNESCO, 1979

Le Mont St. Michel by night. Credit William Warby

10. Mont Saint-Michel is a top cultural attraction

Barely bigger than its gothic abbey, the island is cut off from land twice a day at high tide and yet attracts more than 3 million visitors a year.

The Grand Rue throw Le Mont-Saint-Michel seen from above. Credit Supercarwaar

Ground floor of the hotel of the Siren of Mont-Saint-Michel. Credit Edouard Hue

Enjoy the video as seen from where only a drone can go!

Tags Arc, France, Joan, mediaeval, medieval, Michel, Mont, Normandy

Lafayette—the Hero of Two Worlds

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, was a French aristocrat and military officer.

To many of us, he is simply the famous Frenchman who fought in the American Revolutionary War.

But there is much more to this amazing man than meets the eye.

Here are 10 fascinating facts about the Marquis de Lafayette that you may not be aware of.

1
Lafayette was made a King’s Musketeer at age thirteen

At just 13 years old, Lafayette entered the King’s Musketeers as a junior commissioned officer.

He was in exalted company alongside legendary musketeers like Charles de Batz de Castelmore d’Artagnan—the real-life historical basis for Alexandre Dumas’s character d’Artagnan in the novel The Three Musketeers.

Reserved for nobles, the Musketeers were among the most prestigious of the military companies of the Ancien Régime—the old political and social system that had been in place in France since the late Middle Ages.

D'Artagnan at the monument to Alexandre Dumas, Paris, France — D’Artagnan at the monument to Alexandre Dumas, Paris, France

Founded in 1622 to guard the king while he was outside of the royal residences, the uniform changed from the flamboyant cavalier style of d’Artagnon to the more utilitarian dress that Lafayette would have worn (shown as the two central figures below).

Uniforms of Musketeers of the Guard, 1660-1814

In 1664, the two companies were reorganized into “Grey Musketeers”, from the color of their matched horses, and “Black Musketeers”, mounted on black horses.

Lafayette’s six years in the Black Musketeers must have served him well for what lay ahead.

2
Lafayette was instrumental in the outcome of the American Revolutionary War

Not only was Lafayette effective as a military officer with hands-on engagement in several battles, for which he was commended by Washington himself, he was also instrumental in securing French finance, troops, and ships to aid the American cause.

Charming, tall, and idealistic, the 19-year-old Lafayette had defied the French king’s orders and enlisted to fight in America for the prospect of glory, chivalry, and liberty.

Nation Makers by Howard Pyle depicts a scene from the Battle of Brandywine

Shot in the leg at his first battle at Brandywine Creek in Pennsylvania, it wasn’t long before Lafayette was back on his feet again, spending the winter of 1777 camped at Valley Forge alongside Washington and the Continental Army.

Starvation, disease, malnutrition, and exposure killed more than 2,500 American soldiers by the end of February 1778.

Despite his privileged aristocratic upbringing, Lafayette willingly endured the hardship along with everyone else.

Lafayette (right) and Washington at Valley Forge

So severe were the conditions at times that even Washington was in despair.

unless some great and capital change suddenly takes place… this Army must inevitably… starve, dissolve, or disperse, in order to obtain subsistence in the best manner they can.

A year later, Lafayette returned to France, where his wife Adrienne gave birth to a son they named Georges Washington Lafayette.

And he also secured the promise of 6,000 French troops.

Marie Adrienne Francoise de Noailles, Marquise de La Fayette (1759-1807)

Lafayette sailed for America once more in March of 1780 in the frigate Hermione.

3
Lafayette became an American citizen before becoming a French citizen

After the Revolutionary War in 1784, Lafayette visited America again.

He met Washington at Mount Vernon, addressed the Virginia House of Delegates and the Pennsylvania Legislature, and went to the Mohawk Valley in New York to help make peace with the Iroquois.

For his troubles and gratitude for his selfless service during the war, Harvard granted him an honorary degree, and the states of Maryland, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Virginia granted him American citizenship.

Lafayette later boasted that he had become an American citizen before the concept of French citizenship even existed.

Greater coat of arms of the United States

4
Lafayette was a lifelong abolitionist

Washington and Lafayette at Mount Vernon, 1784 by Rossiter and Mignot, 1859

Lafayette was a staunch opponent to the concept of slavery.

His writing was adopted as part of the French Constitution and included revolutionary ideas such as the freedom and equality of all men.

Although his work never specifically mentioned slavery, he made his views clear in letters to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson.

Hoping that Washington and Jefferson might adopt his ideas to free the slaves in America, he proffered that slaves could be made free tenants on the land of plantation owners.

But his ideas fell on deaf ears, so in 1785, he bought a plantation in the French colony of Cayenne to put his experimental ideas into practice.

A lifetime abolitionist, he was also a pragmatist and recognized the crucial role slavery played in many economies.

George Washington did eventually begin implementing Lafayette’s practices in his own plantation in Mount Vernon.

And Lafayette’s own grandson, Gustave de Beaumont later released a novel discussing the issues of racism.

One of Lafayette’s publications was monumental in expediting France’s abolition of slavery in 1794—the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.

5
Lafayette helped write the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

Passed by Frances’ National Constituent Assembly in August 1789, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen is an important document in the history of human and civil rights.

Directly influenced by Thomas Jefferson, it states that the rights of man are held to be universal and valid at all times and in every place.

It became the basis for a nation of free individuals protected equally by the law.

Inspired by the Enlightenment, the Declaration provided the rationale for the French Revolution and had a major impact on the development of freedom and democracy in Europe and worldwide.

Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen

6
Lafayette created the French Tricolor

After the French Revolution broke out, Lafayette was appointed commander-in-chief of the National Guard of France, tasked with maintaining order.

He proposed a new symbol for the Guard: a blue, white, and red cockade.

French revolutionaries wearing Phrygian caps and tricolor cockades and sans-culotte carrying earlier tricolor

Combining the red and blue colors of Paris with the royal white, it was the origin of the French tricolor.

Multiple French flags as commonly flown from public buildings

7
Lafayette and his family narrowly escaped execution in the French Revolution

As the French Revolution deepened, it became ever more extreme.

Lafayette had tried to maintain order and steer a middle ground.

But when radicals asserted control, a Reign of Terror ensued that swept even Lafayette into mortal danger.

Lafayette criticized the growing influence of the radicals and called for their parties to be “closed down by force”.

It was a risky move in the political climate of the time.

Marie Antoinette's execution in 1793 at the Place de la Révolution

An escape attempt by King Louis XVI and his family dubbed the “Flight to Varennes” had extremists like Georges Danton pointing the finger at Lafayette for allowing it to happen on his watch.

And one of the most influential figures of all—Maximilien Robespierre—labeled Lafayette a traitor.

Georges Danton and Maximilien Robespierre

Sensing the public mood had changed against him, Lafayette left Paris and Danton put out a warrant for his arrest.

8
Lafayette spent 5 years in prison

Hoping to return to the United States, Lafayette traveled through the Austrian Netherlands in what is now Belgium.

Expecting right of passage as a fleeing refugee, Lafayette’s luck ran out when he was recognized by the Austrians and treated as a dangerous revolutionary.

Held prisoner until such time as the monarchy was reinstated in France, he tried to use his American citizenship to secure his release.

Although unsuccessful, Washington and Jefferson were able to use diplomatic loopholes to get money to Lafayette, which he was able to use to secure his family’s safety.

U.S. Minister to France and future president, James Monroe used his influence to win the release of Lafayette’s wife Adrienne and their two daughters.

Lafayette is reunited with his wife and daughters

9
Lafayette’s reputation was used to gain support for entry into World War I

Lafayette’s name and image were repeatedly invoked in 1917 in seeking to gain popular support for America’s entry into World War I.

In a speech given in Paris during the First World War, Charles E. Stanton included a memorable expression that would become the famous phrase, “Lafayette, we are here.”

WWI poster 'Lafayette, we are here now' — WWI poster ‘Lafayette, we are here now’

Stanton visited the tomb of Lafayette along with General John J. Pershing to honor the nobleman’s assistance during the Revolutionary War and assure the French people that the people of the United States would aid them in World War I.

America has joined forces with the Allied Powers, and what we have of blood and treasure are yours. Therefore it is that with loving pride we drape the colors in tribute of respect to this citizen of your great republic. And here and now, in the presence of the illustrious dead, we pledge our hearts and our honor in carrying this war to a successful issue. Lafayette, we are here.

Sadly, Lafayette’s image suffered as a result when veterans returned from the front singing “We’ve paid our debt to Lafayette, who the hell do we owe now?”

10
Lafayette is buried under soil taken from Bunker Hill

Lafayette died on 20 May 1834, and is buried in Picpus Cemetery in Paris, under soil taken from Bunker Hill.

For his accomplishments in the service of both France and the United States, he is sometimes known as “The Hero of the Two Worlds“.

Death of General Lafayette by Gondelfinger, 1834

US Marines Decorating Grave of Lafayette, Picpus Cemetery, Paris 1889

American journalist, historian, and author, Marc Leepson, concluded his study of Lafayette’s life:

The Marquis de Lafayette was far from perfect. He was sometimes vain, naive, immature, and egocentric. But he consistently stuck to his ideals, even when doing so endangered his life and fortune. Those ideals proved to be the founding principles of two of the world’s most enduring nations, the United States and France. That is a legacy that few military leaders, politicians, or statesmen can match.

Statue of Lafayette on north end of University of Vermont Green, sculpted by John Quincy Adams Ward, 1883

Tags abolition, abolitionist, America, Brandywine, France, Musketeer, revolution, Robespierre, slavery, Tricolor, United States, Vernon, War, Washington

Versailles: the Grandest Palace of Them All

King Louis XIV was so proud of Versailles that he would often give tours to visiting dignitaries himself and even wrote the first guidebook.

Ah, here he comes now. Why don’t we just see if we can tag along on his next tour.

Equestrian portrait of Louis XIV of France by René-Antoine Houasse, c.1670

Greetings.
Welcome to my home, my court, and of course, my playground: Versailles.
I am Louis XIV, the greatest French King who ever lived.
Those closest to me say I am the best King in the world!
It is true, no … ?
Be careful with your answers, my friends …
Ah, but enough about me, let us enjoy this tour of my magnificent home.
We shall begin with les jardins … excusez moi, the gardens.
Come, come, my little petit pois, follow me …

To say that Louis liked space is somewhat of an understatement. By the end of his reign, Versailles covered a staggering 37,000 acres—bigger than the city of San Francisco.

After the revolution, only a fraction remained, but even so, today it still covers 2,014 acres—twice the size of New York’s Central Park—making it the largest royal domain in the world.

The Palace of Versailles c. 1668 by Pierre Patel

It takes aerial views to fully appreciate the sheer scale of Versailles. The multiple wings and hidden courts of the palace are just part of a huge complex around the town of Versailles.

The landscaped Gardens of Versailles have 200,000 trees, and each year, 210,000 flowers are planted.

Aerial view of the Grand Trianon, Domain of Versailles

At almost a mile long, the Grand Canal appears to vanish into the distance.

Aerial View of the Domain of Versailles. Credit ToucanWings

Built in the shape of a cross, the Grand Canal runs east to west, traversed by arms running north to the Trianon Palace (a little getaway for the King) and south to the Menagerie (a precursor to the modern zoo).

This east-west orientation was no coincidence. It meant that the sun would rise and set in alignment with the palace.

Palace of Versailles seen from the end of the Grand Canal

Orangery Garden and the Swiss Ornamental Lake, Versailles. Credit ToucanWings

Housing more than a thousand trees in planters, most of which are citrus, the Orangerie is a grand extension to the gardens built to store delicate plants during the winter months.

The Orangerie of the Château de Versailles c. 1695

Citrus fruits were expensive and highly prized in the 17th century and the preserve of the wealthy.

Between May and October, the plants are moved outdoors to the Parterre Bas for display.

Orangerie at Versailles. Credit Panoramas

While the French populace starved, Louis was far too preoccupied with his water problem to notice.

He couldn’t get enough water pumped to the gardens to run his 1400 fountains simultaneously.

Along came the architect André Le Nôtre (1613–1700) to the rescue—the undisputed master of the baroque garden. His skills with mechanical engineering, chemistry, and horticulture made Versailles’s fountains a reality.

Le Nôtre created a network of reservoirs and canals stretching for 18 1/2 miles outside the château. A massive pumping machine thought to be the Eighth Wonder of the World brought water from the Seine River.

View over the palace gardens and the palace at Versailles in c.1860

Leakage and breakdowns of the pump meant that it only supplied half the required amount of water. So Louis gave the go-ahead for an extravagant plan to divert water from the River Eure over 60 miles away.

One tenth of France’s entire military worked on the project, digging a canal and aqueduct, plus all the shipping channels and locks to keep the workers supplied with raw materials.

Were it not for the outbreak of war bringing the work to a halt, Louis’s big water problem would have been solved.

Fountain in the Gardens of Versailles. Credit edwin.11

Le Bassin d'Apollo - the Greek god Apollo rising from the sea in a four-horse chariot. Credit J. degivry — Le Bassin d’Apollo – the Greek god Apollo rising from the sea in a four-horse chariot. Credit J. degivry

Fountain in the Parc de Versailles. Credit edwin.11

Fountain in the Parc de Versailles. Credit Gaudry daniel

Scattered throughout the gardens are over three hundred statues and sculptures of everything from flute playing shepherds (Acis), to daydreaming princesses (Ariadne), to sea monsters, and Trojan priests (Laocoön) being attacked by giant serpents.

Acis Playing His Flute by Jean-Baptiste Tuby, 1674

Daydreaming Ariadne at Versailles. Credit Yair Haklai

Sea monster sculpture in the Gardens of Versailles. Credit Gaudry daniel

Laocoön and his sons (1696). Credit Adesio2010

Louis XIV of France by Nicolas-René Jollain Le Vieux

Ah, there you are my little petit bonbons.
As you can see, I’m working on my next building project.
How did you like mes jardins? … excusez moi, my gardens?
Exquisite, no?
Bon. You answered correctly. You are keeping your head today.
Come along, come along, follow me—we have much to see inside …

Marble Courtyard at the Palace of Varsailles

At the beginning of each day would be a routine called the levee—the royal awakening ceremony.

To see the King rubbed down with rose-water, watch him shave, or even go to the bathroom, was considered a great honor.

The King's Apartment, Palace of Versailles — The King’s Apartment, Palace of Versailles

Palace of versailles, Hall of Mirrors. Credit Thibault Chappe

Following this elaborate wake-up ritual, Louis would then pass through the Hall of Mirrors on his way to the chapel.

Facing the gardens and the rising sun, shafts of sunlight would stream into the room, filling it with a golden light.

Halls of Mirrors at Versailles. Credit Myrabella

Self-styled the “Sun King”, Louis chose the sun as his personal symbol.

Naturally, his courtiers thought the sun shined out of his derrière. One look from Louis in their direction had their heads spinning.

When the King condescends to glance at someone, that person considers his fortunes made and says to others “the King looked at me!”Primi Visconti, chronicler to the French court

Cunning as he was, Louis was a master at keeping people dangling with the words, “we’ll see.”

Louis's sun symbol on the gates of Versailles. Credit Dennis Jarvis — Louis’s sun symbol on the gates of Versailles. Credit Dennis Jarvis

In the chapel, he required all in attendance to face him, not the altar, so that they could witness the King worshipping God.

He saw himself as the living embodiment of the Greek God Apollo—god of music, prophecy, healing, and the sun.

Chapel in Palace of versailles. Credit Thibault Chappe

Royal chapel of the Palace of Versailles. Credit Jebulon

Bonjour, my little petit fours.
How do you like my stockings? Ooh la la! You will not find a finer pair in all the world!
Bon. You answered correctly.
I must leave you now for my little “coucher”—my sundown ceremony.
Enjoy yourselves, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do …
Au revoir.

Bravado might well have been Louis’s middle name—he certainly had the stats to back up the swagger:

700 rooms, over 2,000 windows, 1,250 fireplaces, 67 staircases, 5000 pieces of furniture, 6000 paintings, 352 chimneys, hundreds of mirrors (357 in the Hall of Mirrors alone), dozens of chandeliers (43 in the Hall of Mirrors), and even its own opera house!

The Palace of Versailles stands at a crossroads in history. Copied throughout Europe, it marks the pinnacle of decadence and the beginning of the end for absolute monarchy.

Queen's grand apartment. Credit Dom Crossley — Queen’s grand apartment. Credit Dom Crossley

Bedchamber of the dauphin. Credit Tim Schapker

Small apartment of the king - Louis XVI Library. Credit Fanny Schertzer — Small apartment of the king – Louis XVI Library. Credit Fanny Schertzer

Small apartment of the king in the Palace of Versailles. Credit Lional Allorge

Antechamber of the Emperor at Grand Trianon at Château de Versailles. Credit Moonik

The peace salon, Versailles. Credit Coyau

Grand Condé's reception in Versailles by Jean-Léon Gérôme — Grand Condé’s reception in Versailles by Jean-Léon Gérôme

Stairway inside the Petit Trianon. Credit Trizek

Pet Salon Petit Trianon, Versailles. Credit Heleashard

The King's Desk. Louis XV's roll-top secretary, designed between 1760 and 1769. Credit TCY — The King’s Desk. Louis XV’s roll-top secretary, designed between 1760 and 1769. Credit TCY

Royal Opera House, Versailles. Credit Tanya Hart

Visit of Queen Victoria to Paris in 1855, the dinner offered by Napoleon III in the hall of the Opera of Versailles, August 25, 1855

Who were the real heroes of Versailles? Not those who lounged in its luxuries, surely?

The real heroes were the architects, builders, laborers, and the 30,000 soldiers drafted in to help, many of whom died from fever and disease in the swampy conditions of the early Versailles.

We salute you, citizens of France. You did not die in vain. Your work lives on as a testament to human achievement.

The construction of the Palace of Versailles by Adam Frans van der Meulen

Such excesses don’t last forever. The revolution brought sweeping change and streets filled with the blood of the decadent.

And across a blue ocean, a new country was in its infancy. A land that would welcome the downtrodden masses with open arms.

Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!
Emma Lazarus

Château de Versailles at night. Credit Romaric Juvanon

References
Wikipedia.
The Sun King’s Garden: Louis XIV, Andre Le Notre and the Creation of the Gardens of Versailles by Ian Thompson.
The Khan Academy.

Tags France, king, Louis XIV, Palace

The Statue of Liberty — Enlightening the World

The story of the Statue of Liberty is one of the most compelling celebrations of freedom and democracy the world has ever known.

It was 1865. The American Civil War had just ended, and along with it, slavery abolished.

After-dinner conversation

Across the Atlantic in France, two men sat engaged in an after-dinner conversation. One was French legal scholar and anti-slavery activist Édouard René de Laboulaye, and the other, French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi.

Édouard René de Laboulaye (left) and Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi

Laboulaye had been thinking about ways to strengthen the relationship between France and the United States. But more than that, he hoped that by helping the US celebrate freedom and democracy, the French people would be inspired to rise up against what he saw as the repressive monarchy of Napoleon III.

A gift of friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and a universal symbol of freedom and democracy

“How fitting it would be if France and the United States could build a monument together to celebrate our solidarity for freedom,” Laboulaye said to Bartholdi.

“What a magnificent idea,” Bartholdi agreed. “Imagine a colossal statue of the Roman goddess Libertas—the very embodiment of Liberty.”

“Madame Liberté!” exclaimed Laboulaye. “She could carry a torch and tablet inscribed with one of the most important dates in history—July 4, 1776.”

Detail of the tablet with inscription July IV. MDCCLXXVI

War and Republic

But France was fast approaching its own war—the Franco Prussian War of 1870. Madame Liberté would have to wait.

Lasting less than a year, the war came to an end in May 1871. Laboulaye got his wish, with France becoming a Republic. Bartholdi started work on the great statue.

Workmen constructing the Statue of Liberty in Bartholdi’s Parisian warehouse, 1882

The Franco-American Union

Laboulaye envisioned France paying for the statue itself and the US providing the pedestal.

First to be completed and exhibited was the torch-bearing arm, put on show in 1876 at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia and again in Madison Square Park, Manhattan from 1876 – 1882.

Statue of Liberty Arm, 1876, Phildadelphia Centennial Exposition

Can you imagine Lady Liberty’s arm on display for a whole six years in Manhattan? Such was the reality, as Americans hunted for funding to complete the pedestal.

Crowdfunding

It took a drive for donations by Joseph Pulitzer, publisher of the New York World newspaper before enough funds were gathered. 120,000 people contributed, with most paying less than a dollar.

The American Committee charged with building the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty didn’t complete it until May 1886—10 years after the centennial of the Declaration of Independence.

Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses

Also contributing to the fund raising effort was a young American-Jewish poet by the name of Emma Lazarus. She wrote a heartwarming poem called “The New Colossus” which challenged the original philosophy of the great statue as being for shared republican ideals between the United States and France.

Through her poem, Emma Lazarus offered a new vision for Madame Liberté, not as a monument to military might, but as a symbol of freedom, enlightenment, and compassion. A beacon of light where there was darkness. A land of hope where there was tyranny.

The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus… (Click to view)

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame,
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
—Emma Lazarus

Constructed in France, then shipped in crates to Liberty Island—then known as Bedloe’s Island—assembly of the great statue on the completed pedestal began in May, 1886.

Sections of Liberty

Presided over by President Grover Cleveland, the great statue of Bartholdi was opened in 1886. New York held it’s first ticker-tape parade to celebrate.

Statue of Liberty unveiled by Edward Moran, 1886

Liberty Enlightening the World

Millions and millions have since come through New York Harbor from every corner of the globe, gazing upon the outstretched arm of the Statue of Liberty and dreaming of a new life.

Welcome to the land of freedom – an ocean steamer passing the Statue of Liberty, 1887

Not war and conquest, but freedom enlightenment and compassion.
—Alicia Ostriker

Tags 4th of July, France, Statue of Liberty, United States

Prince Louis Napoleon: The Last Hope of the Bonapartes

On June 1, 1879, Louis Napoleon was killed in action during the Anglo-Zulu War.

Louis Napoleon (1856 – 1879) was the son of Napoleon III (1808 – 1873), Emperor of the Second French Empire until its collapse during the Franco-Prussian war of 1870-1871.

Prince Louis with his parents in 1861

Trained as a soldier in Britain, at the outbreak of the Anglo-Zulu War in South Africa, Louis jumped at the chance to serve alongside British forces.

Louis was no stranger to military action—at the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War, he had accompanied his father to the front and had come under fire at Saarbrücken.

Napoléon Eugène, Prince Imperial, at age 14

With France now a republic, many in Britain saw Louis Napoleon as the last chance for France to reinstate a monarchy.

Queen Victoria reportedly believed it was the best hope for peace in Europe. There was even speculation that Louis might marry Queen Victoria’s youngest daughter, Princess Beatrice.

The Imperial Prince Louis Napoleon, 1878

With this in mind, there was some reluctance to allow Prince Louis to take part in the African conflict.

Frederic Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford (1827-1905)

It was only after significant pressure from Louis’s mother, Empress Eugénie, and from Queen Victoria herself that permission was granted.

Attached to Commander Thesiger’s staff, the intention was that Louis would only be an observer.

Louis’s close friend, Lieutenant Arthur Brigge warned him not to do anything rash, to avoid taking unnecessary risks, and to think of the Empress, his mother, at home, and the party of supporters that were full of hope to see him as the next Emperor.

Thesiger thought that attaching Louis to the Royal Engineers, whose duties were transport and reconnaissance, would not put the prince in any danger.

“don’t do anything rash, and avoid running unnecessary risks”

Tasked with ensuring Louis’s safety, Colonel Richard Harrison of the Royal Engineers was told that a strong escort must accompany Louis at all times.

When a forward scouting mission was planned for June 1, Louis was allowed to participate in the mistaken belief that the route would be safe.

Early in the morning of June 1, Lieutenant Jahleel Brenton Carey, a French speaker from Guernsey led the scouting party into the African bush.

Eager to see some action, Louis couldn’t believe his luck—at last, some excitement!

To avoid delays, he had persuaded Carey that there was no need for the full escort. After all, what could possibly go wrong—the route was safe.

What he lacked in military seniority, he made up for with a powerful personality. The young prince swiftly asserted command over the troop.

Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (1856-1879), Prince Imperial, unique child of Napoleon III of France and his Empress consort Eugénie.

This was the life he had wished for—adventure on the African plains!

At noon, they stopped to rest, make some sketches of the terrain and start a camp fire. No one was posted on lookout duty—why bother? It wasn’t as if they were in any danger.

Famous last words.

Just as they were about to set off again, all hell broke loose.

Screaming and yelling filled the air as about 40 Zulu warriors came running towards them, armed to the teeth with spears and shields.

Louis instinctively reached for the gun holster on his horse’s saddle, but the screaming had startled the horse and it bolted, Louis’s hand still grasping the holster.

Some one hundred yards of being dragged through the bush, the strap broke and Louis fell beneath the horse, his right arm getting trampled.

Drawing the gun with his left hand, he started to run, but the Zulus were too fast.

A searing pain shot through Louis’s leg as a Zulu spear pierced his thigh.

Filled with adrenaline, Louis pulled the spear free of the searing wound then fired on the Zulus.

Again, a sharp burning burst of agony as another spear struck his shoulder.

Death of the Prince impérial during the Anglo-Zulu War, detail of a painting by Paul Jamin

Still the Prince fought on, facing the attackers with the spear he pulled from his leg.

But it was all in vain.

Surrounded and overwhelmed, the spears came thick and fast, one bursting through his right eye and sinking into his brain. When finally his body was recovered, it had eighteen spear wounds.

Two of the troop were also killed and another missing. The four survivors included Lt Carey, who had made no effort to fire upon the Zulus.

Following an inquiry and pressure from Empress Eugénie and Queen Victoria, Carey was court marshaled and shunned for cowardice by his fellow officers for not standing and fighting.

Europe shuddered. The last of the Bonapartes had met his day of reckoning.

Had hopes for a lasting peace in Europe died with him?

Tags Africa, France, Napoleon, Zulus

40 Pissarro Paintings of French Country Life

Camille Pissarro (1830 – 1903) loved to paint rural scenes from nature.

He loved to express the beauty and truth of nature as it exists in its purest form without adulteration.

Preferring to finish paintings outdoors “en plein air” in a single sitting, it gave his work a more realistic feel.

This is how he explained his technique of painting to a student:

“Work at the same time upon sky, water, branches, ground, keeping everything going on an equal basis and unceasingly rework until you have got it. Paint generously and unhesitatingly, for it is best not to lose the first impression.”

Blossoming trees, light reflections in water, flowering gardens, and village life—Pissarro captured the mood of changing seasons and times of day.

Let Pissarro lift your mood—simply scroll and enjoy!

Apple Trees, Sunset, Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1896

The Banks of the Oise by Camille Pissarro, 1877

Morning, Sun Effect, Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1899

Morning, Autumn Sunlight, Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1900

Spring Morning, Cloudy, Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1900

Vegetable Garden in Eragny, Morning by Camille Pissarro, 1901

Road along the Loing canal by Camille Pissarro

Les mathurins, Pontoise by Camille Pissarro, 1877

The Garden at Pontoise by Camille Pissarro, 1877

The Vegetable Garden with Trees in Blossom, Spring, Pontoise by Camille Pissarro, 1877

Resting in the woods Pontoise by Camille Pissarro, 1878

A Path in the Woods, Pontoise by Camille Pissarro, 1879

A Street in Pontoise by Camille Pissarro, 1879

Cottages at Auvers, near Pontoise by Camille Pissarro, 1879

A Street in Auvers (Thatched Cottage and Cow) by Camille Pissarro, 1880

Landscape at Chaponval by Camille Pissarro, 1880

Le Valhermeil, near Pontoise by Camille Pissarro, 1880

Sunset at Valhermeil, near Pontoise by Camille Pissarro, 1880

Kitchen Gardens, Pontoise by Camille Pissarro, 1881

View Towards Pontoise Prison, in Spring by Camille Pissarro, 1881

The Snack, Child and Young peasant at Rest by Camille Pissarro, 1882

Young Woman and Child at the Well by Camille Pissarro, 1882

Landscape at Osny near watering by Camille Pissarro, 1883

Little Bridge on the Voisne, Osny by Camille Pissarro, 1883

View of a Farm in Osny by Camille Pissarro, 1883

A Servant Seated in the Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1884

Old Houses at Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1884

Apple Trees in Flower, Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1895

The Banks of the Epte at Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1884

View of Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1884

Mirbeau's Garden, the Terrace by Camille Pissarro, 1892 — Mirbeau’s Garden, the Terrace by Camille Pissarro, 1892

Flowering Plum Tree, Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1894

Morning, Flowering Apple Trees, Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1898

The Artist's Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1898 — The Artist’s Garden at Eragny by Camille Pissarro, 1898

Apple Trees and Poplars in the Setting Sun by Camille Pissarro, 1901

A Field in Varengeville by Camille Pissarro, 1899

Landscape with Strollers Relaxing under the Trees by Camille Pissarro, 1872

Tags art, Camille Pissarro, France, impressionism, Impressionist, paintings

30 Beautiful Impressionist Paintings from Frank Myers Boggs “An American in Paris”

The Impressionist painter Frank Myers Boggs loved France.

He loved the quays and monuments along the Seine in Paris. He loved the old harbor and the pretty townhouses in Honfleur. He loved the marina, the fish market, the stepped streets, and the tranquil squares of Marseille.

Myers Boggs was one of several young American artists who crossed the stormy seas of the North Atlantic in the 19th century to live, breathe, and paint the “old world” that is France.

He used a somber tonal palette and restrained impressionist technique to capture marine, harbor, and street scenes.

If you love moody skies, if you love the way golden afternoon light falls on old stone buildings, if you love the pale light of misty mornings, the stillness of reflections and cities filled with spires, then you will love the work of Frank Myers Boggs.

Here are 30 Impressionist paintings to feed your soul today.

The Seine at Paris with the Pont du Carousel by Frank Myers Boggs – 1896

Honfleur by Frank Myers Boggs

Pont St. Michel by Frank Myers Boggs

Market Day, Dreux by Frank Myers Boggs

Honfleur, France by Frank Myers Boggs

Scene of a Street in front of the Church of Saint-Medard, Paris by Frank Myers Boggs

The Port of Marseille by Frank Myers Boggs

The Seine, Quay Henri IV, Paris by Frank Myers Boggs

In Port by Frank Myers Boggs

Grand Opera House, Paris by Frank Myers Boggs

French Harbor Scene by Frank Myers Boggs

The Church in Normandie by Frank Myers Boggs

Paris, the Porte Saint-Denis by Frank Myers Boggs – 1905

The Harbor at Honfleur by Frank Myers Boggs

View of Paris by Frank Myers Boggs – 1900

View of Notre Dame by Frank Myers Boggs – 1898

The Pont Carousel, Paris by Frank Myers Boggs, 1889

Armistice Day, Paris, 1918 by Frank Boggs

On the Quai, Dieppe by Frank Myers Boggs, 1880

The Seine at Paris by Frank Myers Boggs

The Moulin Rouge and the Rue Lepic as Seen from the Place Blanche by Frank Myers Boggs

The Seine and Notre Dame by Frank Myers Boggs

Our Lady of the Double Bridge by Frank Boggs, 1900

Le Quai de Valmy by Frank Boggs, 1905

Paris Street Scene by Frank Boggs, 1893

Paris, the Seine, Quai Notre Dame by Frank Myers Boggs

Cathedral in Paris by Frank Myers Boggs

Dieppe by Frank Myers Boggs – 1881

Street Scene in Paris by Frank Myers Boggs – 1878

Quai at the Seine in the Paris Moonlight by Frank Myers Boggs

Tags 19th century, American, France, Frank Myers Boggs, Impressionist, paintings, paris

10 Amazing Facts About the French Medieval City of Carcassonne

The medieval walled city of Carcassonne sits in the luscious valley of the Aude river—the gap between the Pyrenees and the Massif Central.

Slate roofs glint in the sun atop 13th-century towers that dominate the horizon.

Surrounded by mountains and vineyards, the scent of pine shrubs, spicy herbs, and sweet flowers is carried on the cool winds. Known as the garrigue (gah-REEG), it is the signature scent of the south of France.

View of the medieval city of Carcassonne amongst vineyards. Photo Harry. Photo Dennis Jarvis

Here are 10 amazing facts about this medieval wonder that you might not know.

1. The walls of the city are 1.9 miles (3 km) long

Cité de Carcassonne. Photo erjk.amerjka

Aerial view of Carcassonne. Credit Chensiyuan

The Walls of Carcassonne. Photo Vicente Villamón

2. The city walls have 52 massive towers

Towering above. Photo candi... — Towering above. Photo candi…

The fortified city has a concentric design having two outer walls with 52 towers and barbicans, designed to prevent attack by siege engines.

The shining turrets of Carcassonne. Photo Ad Meskens

3. A Roman tower housed the Medieval Inquisition

The shallow-pitch terracotta tile roofs and red brick layers identify these towers as Roman, one of which is called “The Inquisition Tower”.

The Medieval Inquisition’s purpose was to root out and prevent the spread of Cathars and Waldensians—followers of religious movements that were denounced by the Catholic Church.

Gallo-Roman Towers of Carcassonne. Photo José Luiz

La Délivrance des emmurés de Carcassonne by Jean-Paul Laurens, 1879

Extracts from a letter written around 1285 by the Consuls of Carcassonne to Jean Galand, a Dominican Inquisitor at Carcassonne, describe what conditions were like in the Inquisition Tower:

… you have created a prison called “The Wall”, which would be better called “Hell”. In it you have constructed small cells to inflict pain and to mistreat people using various types of torture. Some prisoners remain in fetters … and are unable to move. They excrete and urinate where they are … Some are placed on the chevelet ; many of them have lost the use of their limbs because of the severity of the torture … Life for them is an agony, and death a relief. Under these constraints they affirm as true what is false, preferring to die once than to be thus tortured multiple times.

4. Carcassonne was the first fortress to use hoardings in times of siege

Overhanging wooden ramparts attached to the upper walls of the fortress provided protection to defenders on the wall and allowed them to shoot arrows or drop projectiles on attackers beneath.

Two of the towers that are on the right side of the entrance. Photo Dennis Jarvis

A view of eh wooden hoarding from inside the castle walls. Photo Dennis Jarvis

5. Edward the Black Prince failed to take the city during the Hundred Years’ War

During the 1355 Great Raid by the English in the Aquitaine–Languedoc region, Edward “the Black Prince” crippled southern France’s economy through the practice of chevauchée. This involved burning and pillaging enemy territory to reduce the region’s productivity.

When the Black Prince passed through Carcassonne, his army razed the Lower Town, but couldn’t take the extremely well defended walled city.

Carcassone’s position as a key defensive fortification on the border with Spain remained until the Treaty of the Pyrenees was signed, which effectively pushed the border further south—diminishing Carcassone’s strategic importance.

The 16-year-old Black Prince at the Battle of Crecy by Julian Russel, 1888 — The 16-year-old Black Prince at the Battle of Crecy by Julian Russell Story, 1888

6. In 1849, the City of Carcassonne was nearly demolished

Not the news this Carcassonne gargoyle wanted to hear.

Carcassonne was struck off the roster of official fortifications under Napoleon and the Restoration.

It fell into such disrepair that the French government decided that it should be demolished, causing an uproar among local citizens.

Mayor of Carcassonne, Jean-Pierre Cros-Mayrevieille, and writer Prosper Mérimée, inspector of ancient monuments, led a successful campaign to preserve the walled city.

The architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc was commissioned to renovate the entire city.

7. The French poet Gustave Nadaud made Carcassonne famous

Cité de Carcassonne. Photo Javier Medina

He wrote a poem about the lament of a peasant man who dreamed of seeing Carcassonne before he died, but was never able to visit. His poem inspired many others and was translated into English several times.

Carcassonne by Gustave Nadaud

8. In 1898, Pope Leo XIII upgraded Carcassonne’s Gothic Church to a Basilica

The minor Basilica is entirely inside the city walls. Famed for its stained glass windows—some of the oldest in the south of France—the Basilica of Saints Nazarius and Celsus is a national monument.

Basilica of Saint-Nazaire (11th - 14th century), the jewel of this medieval city, Carcassonne. Photo Dennis Jarvis — Basilica of Saint-Nazaire (11th – 14th century), the jewel of this medieval city, Carcassonne. Photo Dennis Jarvis

Basilica of Saint-Nazaire is noted for its stained glass windows. Photo Dennis Jarvis

9. The city was named after a fairy-tale princess

In the 8th century, Carcassonne was under Saracen rule and besieged by Charlemagne’s army. Lady Carcas, a Saracen princess, fed a pig with wheat and threw it from the city walls, fooling Charlemagne into thinking the city had abundant food. Charlemagne lifted the siege, and in celebration, Lady Carcas rang the city bells. Thus, the city was named Carcassonne, meaning “Carcas rings.”

Although Lady Carcas is fictional, such oral traditions were commonplace in the 12th century and perpetuated in writing in later centuries. Similar legends link a number of historical characters in other times and places with similar ruses.

10. Carcassonne vies with Mont St Michel for the title of most visited monument in France

The citadel was restored at the end of the 19th century and in 1997 it was added to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites.

References and credits
Featured image: Alain Mach
Wikipedia.org
Living in the World’s Greatest Walled Cities—Lindsey Galloway for the BBC
The Inquisition Against the Cathars of Langeudoc

Tags castle, castles, fortress, France, medieval

A Journey Back in Time Down the Avenue des Champs Élysées

The Avenue des Champs Élysées is a boulevard in Paris 1.9 km (1.2 mi) long and 70 m (76 yds) wide, which runs between the Obelisk of Luxur at Place de la Concorde, and the Arc de Triomphe at Place Charles de Gaulle.

Champs Élysées means “Elysian Fields”—the final resting place for heroes from Greek Mythology.

In France, they call it la plus belle avenue du monde “the world’s most beautiful avenue”.

1200px-Avenue_des_Champs-Élysées,_street_sign

Listen to Gabriel Fauré as we travel back in time down the Avenue des Champs Élysées.

Atop the Arc de Triomphe, one hundred years unfolds in the following two images.

Where once cobbles clattered and horse-drawn carriages danced, where the air hummed with the melody of strolling musicians and the lively bustle of Parisians in elegant hats and flowing robes, engines now roar, neon signs hiss, and the air pulsates with the murmur of a million conversations.

The Champs-Élysées as seen from the Arc de Triomphe in 1900.

Whispering stories of a bygone era, the Avenue has become a vibrant tapestry of lives, a melting pot of cultures, and a testament to the ever-evolving soul of Paris.

The Champs Élysées as seen from the Arc de Triomphe 2011. — The Champs Élysées as seen from the Arc de Triomphe, present day.

Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile. Credit Hansueli Krapf — Arc de Triomphe de l’Étoile. Credit Hansueli Krapf

From the Place de la Concorde to the Rond-Point, we travel through the Jardin des Champs Élysées (Gardens of Champs Élysées), a park which has the Grand Palais, the Petit Palais, the Théâtre Marigny, and several restaurants, gardens and monuments.

The Champs-Elysees by Jean-François Raffaëlli c1880.

Before Louis XIV, the area of the Champs Élysées was fields and kitchen gardens.

In 1667, French landscape architect André Le Nôtre, who had designed the gardens of Versailles, extended the Tuileries Garden to form the Champs Élysées gardens—together, a place where Parisians celebrated, met, promenaded, and relaxed.

At the Champs Elysees Gardens by Victor Gabriel Gilbert – 1897.

By the late 18th century, the Champs Élysées had become a fashionable avenue. Trees on either side formed elegant rectangular groves.

Lane of Trees on the Champs-Elysees by Jean-François Raffaëlli – circa 1893.

Gardens of townhouses belonging to the nobility backed onto the formal gardens of the Champs Élysée. The grandest of these was the Élysée Palace, which became the official residence of the Presidents of France during the Third French Republic.

The Promenade on the Champs-Elysees by Jean-Georges Béraud.

Le Nôtre planned a wide promenade, lined with two rows of elm trees on either side and flowerbeds in the symmetrical style of the French formal garden.

View of the Champs-Elysées from the Place de l’Etoile by Edmond-Georges Grandjean – 1878.

Scene on the Champs-Élysées by Jean-Georges Béraud

In 1828, footpaths and fountains were added, then later gas lighting.

Evening, Champs-Elysees by Frederick Childe Hassam - c. 1898. — Evening, Champs-Elysees by Frederick Childe Hassam – c. 1898.

Parisienne Au Rond-Point Des Champs-Elysees by Jean-Georges Béraud.

In 1834, under King Louis Philippe, the architect Jacques Ignace Hittorff was commissioned to redesign the Place de la Concorde and the gardens of the Champs-Élysées.

April Showers, Champs Elysees Paris by Frederick Childe Hassam – 1888.

The main monument of the Boulevard, the Arc de Triomphe, was commissioned by Napoleon after his victory at the Battle of Austerlitz.

After Napoleon’s fall from power in 1815, the Arc de Triomphe remained unfinished—eventually being completed by King Louis Philippe in 1836.

The Champs-Elysees, The Arc de Triomphe by Jean-François Raffaëlli.

L’Arc de Triomphe, Paris by Eugène Galien-Laloue

Emperor Napoleon III selected the park as the site of the first Paris international exposition—the Exposition Universelle of 1855.

Covering 322,000 sq ft, a giant exhibit hall once stood where the Grand Palais is today.

Exposition Universelle 1855.

Detail of the engraving 'Paris in 1860. Bird's eye view, taken above the Champs-Elysees roundabout' representing the Palais de l'Industrie — Detail of the engraving ‘Paris in 1860. Bird’s eye view, taken above the Champs-Elysees roundabout’ representing the Palais de l’Industrie

Grand Palais des Champs-Élysées. Credit Eric Pouhier

Following the Exposition, in 1858, the gardens were transformed from a formal French design into a picturesque English-style garden, with groves of trees, flower beds and winding paths.

Beautiful rows of chestnut trees replaced the old tired elms.

The Champs-Elysees during the Paris Fair of 1867 by Pierre Auguste Renoir – 1867.

In 1860, merchants along the Avenue joined together to form a syndicate—the oldest standing committee in Paris—to promote commercial interests along the Champs Élysées.

La Patisserie Gloppe au Champs Elyssées by Jean-Georges Béraud – 1889.

Portrait of a Lady on the Champs Elysees by George Vaughan Curtis - 1893. — Portrait of a Lady on the Champs Elysees by George Vaughan Curtis – 1893.

Traditionally home to luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Lancel, Guerlain, Lacoste, Hôtel de la Païva, Élysée Palace and Fouquet’s, the Champs Élysées now also hosts popular chain stores.

Woman at the Champs-Élysées by night by Louis Anquetin.

Tags Champs, Elysees, France, French, paris, Travel