The Other D-Day

June will mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, when Allied troops landed in Normandy and began their push towards Berlin. Today, places like Omaha Beach and Pointe du Hoc offer a moving testament to the courage and sacrifice of those who helped free Europe from tyranny.

But that wasn’t the only D-Day! There was another one as well, in the south of France near St-Tropez. It followed the Normandy landings by a few weeks, where military units with names like Camel and Garbo hitting the southern beaches.

The operation met with spectacular success, pushing German troops almost all the way to the German border. Today you can visit monuments to this “Operation Dragoon” in Toulon and other nearby towns.

Read all about it in The Good Life France!

The Great Women of France, Part 2

Who are the great women of France? There are so many, it is hard to list them all! But let’s start with 15 who have played important roles in the history of la belle France.

There is so much to say that I’ve divided my list into three different articles, each discussing five women. This second article covers the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.

Some of the women you are probably familiar with, like the author George Sand. But did you know that the mathematician Emilie de Chatelet not only corrected some of Isaac Newton’s theories, but also developed an early form of financial derivatives? Or that Berthe Morisot was considered one of the finest of the Impressionist painters? And how about the salonnières, the women who ran the famous salons of the Enlightenment, sometimes called “the cradle of the French Revolution”?

Read all about these and other great women of France in My French Life!

The Great Women of France, Part 1

Who are the great women of France? There are so many, it is hard to list them all! But let’s start with 15 who have played important roles in the history of la belle France. You’ll find a few surprises on my list, like the woman who was not even French, but that’s part of the fun of learning about these extraordinary women.

There is so much to say that I’ve divided my list into three different articles, each discussing five women. This first article covers the period up to the end of the 16th century.

Some of the women you are probably familiar with, like Joan of Arc. But did you know that Saint Geneviève, the patron saint of Paris, once saved the city from Attila the Hun? Or that Catherine de Medici brought haute cuisine to France? And is it true that Mary Magdalene arrived in Provence by boat?

Read all about these and other great women of France in My French Life!

10 Historic Jewish Sites in Provence

France has a thriving Jewish community, the third largest in the world after Israel and the United States. And while today Paris is the center of French Jewish life, this wasn’t always the case. For centuries, that center was Provence, thanks to a surprising protector: the Pope! I’ve written about ten historic Jewish sites in Provence, most of which you can visit today.

Would you like to visit the oldest synagogue in France? Or a museum rich with Jewish and Provençal history? Or maybe you’d like to attend a Jewish music festival!

Read all about it in Perfectly Provence! And Happy Hanukah!

See Prehistoric Art by Torchlight

The Grotte Chauvet 2 is one of the wonders of France. Called “the cave of forgotten dreams,” it is the near-perfect replica of a grotto filled with paintings made more than 30,000 years ago—the oldest ever discovered. Not only is the art recreated, but the entire cave is replicated down to the smallest detail, with stalagmites and stalactites, and bear skulls scattered on the ground. Walking through it, and seeing paintings of lions and rhinos, is like stepping back in time.

And now there’s something new—tours by torchlight. Small groups are led by guides armed with torches, viewing the stunning artwork in their flickering light. Visitors can see the paintings as our ancestors did, with the works coming to life as the shadows play on the walls’ nooks and crannies.

Read all about it in Perfectly Provence!

 

Did Italy Teach France to Cook?

If you visit Italy and compliment the food, someone will invariably tell you, “Well, we taught the French to cook, you know. They ate like savages before we rescued them.”

The story goes like this:

Catherine de Medici was the daughter of the Duke of Urbino, of the powerful de Medici family of Florence, and in 1533 she was married off to the future king of France.

Florence was then the home of the Renaissance, the beating heart of European culture. The sophisticated Catherine brought with her an entourage which included her talented Italian chefs. Over the course of her long reign as queen, Catherine’s court developed the first haute cuisine in France.

Is it true? I looked into the question and you might enjoy finding out what I learned.

Read all about it in Frenchly!

The History of Jewish Provence

France has the largest Jewish population in Europe and the third largest in the world after Israel and the United States. Half of French Jews live in and around Paris, in neighborhoods like the Marais, Belleville and Le Sentier. The city is home to more than a dozen synagogues, including the magnificent Grand Synagogue.

While Paris is the center of Jewish life in France today, this wasn’t always the case. For centuries, that center was Provence. And the Jews there had a surprising and powerful protector: the Pope.

Read all about the history of Jewish Provence in France Today!

10 Surprising French Inventions

France has a long history of innovation, in fields ranging from science to consumer goods to fashion. You might already know, for example, that the French invented photography, motion pictures, hot air balloons, and the hair dryer. But that’s not all!

How about the Etch a Sketch? Or margarine? Or the bicycle? Yes, they are French inventions all.

Read all about 10 surprising French Inventions in France Today!

The Cave of Forgotten Dreams

I still remember walking into that cave.  There wasn’t much light and I could barely make out the stalactites, one of them twisting its way all the way down to the floor. As I walked further in, I could see bones scattered about—not human, I hoped. Then I saw bear skulls, arranged in a semi-circle. Spooky!

I kept going, stepping carefully, and suddenly there they were, straight ahead of me: paintings, beautiful paintings. I could see horses and buffalo and rhinos that almost seemed alive. It was mesmerizing.

I was in the Grotte Chauvet 2, a nearly-perfect recreation of a nearby cave. It’s like the famous cave at Lascaux, only the paintings are older–the oldest ever found. How old? Let’s just say Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals were still duking out for control of Europe (spoiler alert: we win.)

A trip to the Grotte is a must-do if you are in the area. Read more about this fascinating place in Frenchly!

 

The French Village That Saved Thousands of Jews

Many of us have heard of Oskar Schindler, of Schindler’s List fame. This German industrialist saved thousands of Jews during World War II, through a combination of bravery and guile. Less well-known, but equally remarkable, is the story of a small French village that saved thousands more.

Le Chambon-sur-Lignon sits in a remote part of south-central France, and was settled long ago by French Huguenots fleeing religious persecution.

This history of persecution and distrust of authority led the villagers to oppose the wartime Vichy government. They refused to cooperate with the regime, refused to take an oath of allegiance to leader Marshall Pétain, and refused to ring church bells in his honor. Villagers also opposed the government’s anti-Jewish policies, seeing the Jews as a fellow persecuted religious minority.

Led by a charismatic pastor, they banded to together to save thousands of Jews, despite the enormous risk. It is a remarkable tale of bravery.

Read all about it in France Today!