History - activities

Why is November 1st a public holiday? History and origins of All Saints' Day

In France, as in many other countries, November 1st is a public holiday. But do you know exactly why All Saints' Day is a holiday, and what its history and origins are? We tell you.

Did you know? This is the oldest clock in Paris and its fascinating history.

Do you know the oldest public clock in Paris, still in operation? Mounted on the walls of the Conciergerie in the heart of the Ïle de la Cité, this clock has been telling the time since 1371. Commissioned by Charles V, the clock marks the king's time. This public clock, still in operation today, embodies six centuries of history and impressive mechanics, we tell you.

Did you know? The ring road, once inhabited by the poorest of the poor, was called the Zone.

Before it became a huge thoroughfare around the capital for motorists, the Paris ring road had a less than glorious past. At the edge of the city, between Paris and the suburbs, this space was long nicknamed the Zone, the only place where the poorest could find housing.

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.