History - activities

Heritage Days: history, origins and dates 2025 of this key cultural event

The European Heritage Days return on Saturday September 20 and Sunday September 21, 2025, with a new theme. Although the cultural event is celebrating its 42nd edition this year, few people actually know the origins of this not-to-be-missed back-to-school event. We'd like to tell you about the history of the Journées du Patrimoine, created in 1984 by the French Ministry of Culture.

Ephemeris of September 28 in Paris: Fire at Le Printemps department store

On the morning of September 28, 1921, 40 years after the first fire, Le Printemps department store was the scene of a fire that ravaged the interior of the second building under construction.

Ephemeris of September 23 in Paris: The first flight of the balloon Le Neptune during the Siege of Paris

On September 23, 1870, with Paris under siege from the Prussian army, the first balloon took off from Place Saint-Pierre. Christened Le Neptune, the aircraft took off carrying 125 kilos of official dispatches for members of the government who had retreated to Tours.

Ephemeris of September 17 in Paris: Bomb attack in front of Tati, rue de Rennes

On September 17, 1986, Paris was once again the target of a terrorist attack on the rue de Rennes. For two weeks, the capital had been the scene of a series of attacks, claimed by a pro-Iranian terrorist network working on behalf of the Lebanese Hezbollah. The bomb, planted in front of the Tati store, killed 7 people and wounded 55, putting an end to this "black September".

Ephemeris for September 15 in Paris: Attack on the Publicis drugstore in Saint-Germain-des-Prés

On September 15, 1974, a grenade exploded in the Saint-Germain drugstore, killing 2 people and wounding 34 others. The attack was blamed on the revolutionary terrorist Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, known as Carlos.

September 10th Paris Ephemeris: Tornado wreaks havoc in the heart of Paris

On September 10, 1896, a tornado formed in the heart of Paris, just a stone's throw from Place Saint-Sulpice. In just a few minutes, the phenomenon swept across the capital, ravaging everything in its path.

Ephemeris of September 7 in Paris: The requisitioning of Parisian cabs, the "cabs de la Marne".

On September 6 and 7, 1914, 1,300 Parisian cabs were requisitioned by the French army to send reinforcements to the front line of the Battle of the Marne. The "Taxis de la Marne" carried 6,000 infantrymen, helping to halt the advance of German troops towards Paris.

Did you know? Why is there an old safe in the basement of the Monoprix on the Champs-Elysées?

Did you know that the basement of the Monoprix on the Champs-Élysées hid an enormous safe door? We tell you the story.

Paris is worth a party: our photos of the popular festival with banquet, balls and historic village

If you're a history buff or a lover of the city of Paris, this is the festival for you! With a historical parade, a Liberation dinner-show, an Olympic ball and an atmospheric village where you can travel back in time to the Middle Ages, the Liberation and the Belle Époque!

Ephemeris of September 4 in Paris: Gambetta proclaims the Third Republic

On September 4, 1870, Léon Gambetta proclaimed the Third Republic in the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, following the fall of the Second Empire after Napoleon III's defeat at Sedan, and in the face of the obstinacy of the Parisian people.

Moon Festival or Mid-Autumn Festival: meaning and origins of this Asian festival

Every year, several Asian countries celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, better known as the Moon Festival, on the evening of the 15thᵉ day of the eighth lunar month. This year, the date is Tuesday, September 17, 2024. So, what's the story behind this festival and where does it come from? Let's find out.

Ephemeris of September 2 in Paris: The September Massacres

On September 2, 1792, the Sans-Culottes broke into Paris prisons and massacred a thousand inmates suspected of being counter-revolutionaries and in favor of the King's return.

Ephemeris for September 1st in Paris: The founding of the Sorbonne

On September 1, 1257, the Sorbonne was founded by Robert de Sorbon, chaplain and confessor to King Louis IX. Initially dedicated to destitute students, the school quickly became Europe's leading cultural and scientific center, thanks to the quality and wealth of its teaching.

Ephemeris of August 28 in Paris: The Black Death epidemic

In August 1348, Paris faced a terrible disease that spared neither women, children, nobles nor the poor. Within 4 years, the Black Death epidemic would decimate a third of the Parisian population.

Ephemeris for August 26 in Paris: Opening of the first railway line from Paris

On August 26, 1837, the first railroad line out of Paris was inaugurated. This new railway line, which was also the first in France to be built solely for passenger transport, linked the capital's 8th arrondissement to Le Pecq station in the Yvelines.

Ephemeris of August 25 in Paris: General de Gaulle's speech at the Hôtel de Ville

On August 25, 1944, back in Paris, Charles de Gaulle gave his famous speech "Paris outragé! Paris brisé! Paris martyrisé! mais Paris libéré!" at the Hôtel de Ville. An impromptu speech celebrating the city's liberation and calling for national unity.

Ephemeris of August 24 in Paris: The St Bartholomew's Day Massacre

On August 24, 1572, 4,000 Huguenots were brutally murdered in Paris during the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre, the culmination of the Wars of Religion between Catholics and Protestants.

Did you know? This small cannon in the garden of the Palais-Royal was used as a clock in the 18th century.

The capital really is full of little curiosities, not least in the gardens of the Palais-Royal, where a small cannon takes pride of place. Between 1786 and 1911, it was used not as a weapon, but as a clock! Find out how.

Why is August 15 a public holiday in France? The Assumption: history and origins

This August 15, it's the Assumption. Alongside other feasts such as Christmas, Ascension and All Saints' Day, Assumption Day is celebrated by many Catholics every year. But do you know the history and origins of this holiday in France? We tell you all about it.

French flag: who created it and why blue, white and red? The history of the national emblem

It's well known that the French flag is the national emblem of France, but do you know its history? What stories lie behind its distinctive blue-white-red colors?