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Tag Archives: french revolution

A Revolutionary Calendar Posted by on Jul 18, 2017

Before we leave juillet (July) and our observances of the French Revolution* behind for another year, I thought it might be fun to explore briefly one of the odder ‘inventions’ of the First French Republic.   The French Revolution and France’s First Republic which it led to gave us many enduring ideals including the Déclaration…

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5 Facts about the Bastille Posted by on Jul 17, 2017

As you probably know, la fête nationale, or the French national holiday, is celebrated every July 14. As Tim explains in his Bastille day post, this celebration is held (partly) in commemoration of the storming of the Bastille in 1789, an event that is often noted to have begun the French Revolution. But Bastille Day…

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Who Changed the Names of the Parisian Neighborhoods? Posted by on Apr 3, 2014

Did you know that the names of many French cities were once completely changed, practically du jour au lendemain (overnight)? Some of them had their age-old names simply canceled, such as Marseille, which became known as “Ville-sans-Nom” (“City-without-a-Name”)! When did took place? During the tumultuous times of la Révolution française, when the government decided the sudden déchristianisation of the country that was…

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A Mysterious Little “English Garden” in Paris Posted by on Jan 1, 2013

Although the Parc Monceau is wide open to the general public, it is certainly the “weirdest” park in Paris, and that is on more than a single level! Curiously enough, next to it stands a small edifice where it is said that a fifth-generation park watchmen closely monitor its nine gated entries. What is so special…

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The “French Connection” Linking Victor Hugo, Verdi, Batman, and the Film “Se7en” Posted by on Aug 9, 2011

Today, Opera composer Giuseppe Verdi is widely celebrated as one of the major figures of what Italians proudly call “il Risorgimento“, the movement which, exactly 150 years ago, gave birth to l’unification de l’Italie (the Italian unification.) Many people, however, still ignore, even in today’s Italy, that their beloved maestro italiano was in fact born a Frenchman! The reason being that, when Verdi was born…

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La Tulipe Noire in the French Revolution Posted by on Feb 6, 2011

What if the world of les vengeurs masqués (masked avengers) were to be thrown into the tumultuous times of la révolution française? L’acteur iconique of the French, Alain Delon, incarnated “La Tulipe Noire.” An 18th century Zorro unleashed in the French Revolution! A decade later, inspired from the Delon movie, the Japanese had to fall for the…

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