France Politics

The profound emotion felt around the world upon seeing images of Notre-Dame in flames opens up a series of questions: Why was everyone so deeply moved? Why does Notre-Dame so clearly crystallise what our civilisation is about? What makes ‘Our Lady of Paris’ the soul of a nation and a symbol of human achievement? What is it that speaks so directly to us today?

The Hundred Years War was a series of conflicts waged between England and France between 1337 and 1453. The war involved several generations of kings on both sides and was fought over a single issue: whether the English had the right to rule the kingdom of France. The Hundred Years War was an important element in the creation of modern Europe and in the definition of the national characters of both England and France. This audiobook tells the story of this long, complex, and fascinating conflict.

Raised in a lush suburb of 1920s Paris, Noor Inayat Khan was an introspective musician and writer, dedicated to her family and to her father’s spiritual values of harmony, beauty, and tolerance. She did not seem destined for wartime heroism. Yet, faced with the evils of Nazi violence and the German occupation of France, Noor joined the British Special Operations Executive and trained in espionage, sabotage, and reconnaissance. For crucial months of the war, Noor was the only wireless operator in France sending critical information to London.

France is one of the most enchanting countries in the world — so what are you waiting for? Passport to European Travel Guides offers this comprehensive, yet quick and concise, guide to France — one of the most romanticized countries in the world!

Jamais ils n'en avaient parlé. De quoi ? De ce qui est au centre de la société française, dans tous les domaines : le mépris. Tapie, Pinault, Onfray, Sarkozy, Hidalgo, Luchini et bien d'autres... Tous ont un point commun : à un moment ou à un autre, ils ont été confrontés à cette épreuve dont ils ont fait une force. Avec une liberté de ton à laquelle nous ne sommes pas habitués, ils se sont confiés à Sébastien Le Fol.

At the age of 17, Adolfo Kaminsky had narrowly escaped deportation to Auschwitz and was living in Nazi-occupied Paris, using forged documents to hide in plain sight. Due to his expert knowledge of dyes and his ability to masterfully reproduce official documents with an artistic eye, he was recruited to join the Jewish underground. He soon became the primary forger for the Resistance in Paris, working tirelessly with his network to create papers that would save an estimated 14,000 men, women, and children from certain death.

In many ways it is fitting that Maximilien Robespierre (1758-1794) is one of the best known figures of the French Revolution. The early years of the Revolution were fueled by Enlightenment ideals, seeking the social overthrow of the caste system that gave the royalty and aristocracy decisive advantages over the lower classes. Few were as vocal in their support of Enlightenment ideals as Robespierre. But the Reign of Terror became the most memorable aspect of the Revolution, and Robespierre's position made him the Reign of Terror's instrumental figure.

A major biography of the Marquis de Lafayette, French hero of the American Revolution, looks past the storybook general and selfless champion of righteous causes who, at the age of 19, volunteered to fight under George Washington, casting aside fortune and family (from one of France's oldest families; his ancestors served in the Crusades and alongside Joan of Arc) to advance the transcendent aims of liberty and justice.

Angered by assaults on a nation he knows and admires, the distinguished French intellectual Jean-Francois Revel has come to America's defense in Anti-Americanism, a biting and erudite book that, paradoxically, given his country's especially vehement attack on the U.S., spent several weeks last year at the top of France's best seller list.

De toute la monarchie, il reste dans la bouche du peuple un nom - Henri IV - et deux chansons - "Charmante Gabrielle" et "Malbrouk s'en va-t-en guerre". Ah ! il est resté un mot aussi : la poule au pot.

Between 1796 and 1815, the continent of Europe was held in thrall by one of the most remarkable personalities of modern times, a man whose name was on the lips of every man, woman, and child: Napoleon Bonaparte. Certainly, one would have to go back to the time of Charlemagne to find his equal on the field of battle, in the halls of diplomacy, or in the courts of jurisprudence.

Saint-Simon fut souvent considéré comme l'un des plus grands écrivains de la langue française. Il fut contemporain de Louis XIV et ses Mémoires, écrites en vingt volumes, constituent un témoignage essentiel de ce que fut cette époque et nous offrent une plongée fascinante dans l'univers du Roi Soleil, le plus célèbre de tous les rois. Les pages qui suivent sont issues d'une sélection effectuée au cœur de ces mémoires dont la teneur résume, sans avoir besoin de lire l'ensemble de l'œuvre, l'atmosphère qui régnait à la Cour du Roi.

Explore the life of one of the medieval world’s most memorable figures. Eleanor of Aquitaine became the queen of both France and England, the wife of two kings, and later the mother of two kings. Heiress to the rich French provinces of Aquitaine and Poitou, she was undoubtedly one of medieval Europe’s most powerful and wealthiest women.

Two-time president of France, mayor of Paris, and international politician, Jacques Chirac stands with Mikhail Gorbachev, Helmut Kohl, and Margaret Thatcher as one of the most iconic statesmen of the 20th century. In this revealing and informative memoir, Chirac looks back at his 50 years in politics, giving us both an intimate window onto the challenges of leadership and a broad reference for much of our recent history.

When Anne of Brittany's father dies in 1488, she becomes Duchess of Brittany, her country's ruler at age 11. For the next three years, the unmarried, orphaned duchess is pursued by suitors while Brittany is invaded by its larger, more powerful neighbor of France. With no other way out, at age 14 she agrees to marry Charles VIII, King of France, to save her country. Better to be a queen than a prisoner.... Unexpectedly, a passionate relationship ensues. Yet Charles cannot shake off bad habits he has brought into their marriage, and Anne cannot help him in his darkest area of struggle.

Le trafic et la consommation de drogue ont explosé en France depuis dix ans. Une enquête exclusive au cœur du système et des secrets de la lutte anti-drogue. Le livre révèle l'ampleur inédite du trafic de drogue en France et décrit les coulisses de la guerre contre les organisations criminelles. Il s'appuie sur des rapports officiels mais surtout sur des témoignages exceptionnels de policiers, douaniers, magistrats, informateurs, trafiquants et consommateurs.

Une heure de promenade auditive en compagnie de Christiane Cohendy pour comprendre ce qu'est La philosophie à partir du texte d'André Comte-Sponville, telle est l'invitation de ce livre audio.

"Le Front populaire a changé concrètement la vie des gens. Pas de grands théâtres comme sous la Révolution française, pas de grands moments susceptibles de grandes fresques sous le pinceau d'un David, mais des petites choses. Des petites choses qui permettent à Jean Renoir ou à Fernand Léger de mettre en scène ou montrer les congés payés. C'est-à-dire des gens qui partent à bicyclette, en tandem et qui pour la première fois de leur vie découvrent la mer". Michel Onfray.

The thrilling story of the Bonnot Gang, a band of anarchist bank robbers whose crimes terrorized belle époque Paris, and whose escapades reflected the fast-paced, dizzyingly modern, and increasingly violent period on the eve of World War I. For six terrifying months in 1911-1912, the citizens of Paris were gripped by a violent crime streak. A group of bandits went on a rampage throughout the city and its suburbs, robbing banks and wealthy Parisians, killing anyone who got in their way, and always managing to stay one step ahead of the police.

Mieux connue comme la fiancée d'Azincourt d'Henri V, de la pièce Henri V de Shakespeare, Catherine de Valois était une femme de foi, courage et conviction extraordinaire dans un âge de femmes puissantes politiquement. La plus jeune fille du roi Charles VI de France terrorisé par sa maladie mentale, Catherine de Valois survécut les ravages de sa schizophrénie, une guerre civile dans son pays, et la guerre d'Henri V contre la France pour devenir une des reines les plus courageuses et fascinantes de la Renaissance.