Tag Archives: le roi soleil
Mind your manners Posted by Tim Hildreth on Feb 28, 2017
The French are very big on manners and following the rules of étiquette. You can read here about the rules for gift giving, here for proper greetings, and here for the rules for kissing (yes, they even have rules for that!). But do you know where the rules come from? The rules of French etiquette…
Lyon’s Most Famous Fountain by the Statue of Liberty Sculptor Posted by Hichem on Mar 9, 2013
The most famous fountain in the city of Lyon was made by a Frenchman whose name is not likely to tell you much: Auguste Bartholdi, originally from the Alsace region. Doesn’t really ring a bell, non? His other work, however, is one of the best known monuments in the world. Ever heard of New York‘s Statue of Liberty…
Welcome to Versailles: The Dream of a French King Posted by Hichem on Mar 16, 2012
“Filmed in the spectacular staterooms, bedrooms and gardens of Versailles itself, this beautifully photographed drama-documentary brings the reign of one of Europe’s greatest and most flamboyant monarchs triumphantly to life, with the help of interviews with the world’s leading experts on his reign. Samuel Theis delights as the Sun King who wants to create a…
L’Homme au Masque de Fer: The Man in the Iron Mask Posted by Hichem on Sep 30, 2011
Today’s article is about une énigme (an engima) of l’histoire de France. But don’t get too excited while reading the title above: It’s got nothing to do with any comics fictional character—Fans of “Iron Man“, really désolé, but stick around nevertheless! Usually, les secrets d’états (state secrets) take a few decades before they are divulgués (divulged) to le public, but it seems that some secrets are…
L’Homme Providentiel (The Providential Man) Posted by Hichem on Jun 18, 2011
“L’Homme Providentiel“, the “Providential Man”, the “Savior of the Masses”, is one of those “dynamite figures”, so to speak, that have for long jalonné (punctuated) the History of France: From Louis XIV, “le Roi Soleil” (The Sun King), to his Supreme Highness, le Grand Empreur Napoléon Bonaparte—To, finally, the much less sophisticated “parodical figureheads” of later pedigree… Much…
When France was “Diagnosed” with The “Folies d’Espagne” (Spanish Folia) Posted by Hichem on May 17, 2011
Instead of the litany of “follies” that thrashed France from le nord (the North), especially by way of la Manche (the English Channel), from the London-inspired “Folies Bergère” to the outbreak of la vache folle (mad cow) disease (a British bovine concoction of highly “symptomatic” character), consider, for a refreshing change, this passionate form of pure esprit musical (musical…
The Mini-story of NRJ Posted by Hichem on Jan 20, 2011
Launched by Jean-Paul Baudecroux, the proud son of the Frenchman who brought to you, mesdames (ladies), the very first rouge à lèvres indélébile (indelible lipstick) in the history of mankind, “Rouge Baiser” (or “Red Kiss”), this station de radio with a name that deliberately spells “ENERGIE” (The three letters N-R-J convey the English word “energy” as well) comes today en deuxième position…