The Treaty of Versailles became effective 100 years ago on the 10th of January 1920. The agreement, signed by European leaders on the 28th of June 1919, marked the end of World War I. Placing the blame on Germany for the unprecedented devastation of what was then considered as the “war to end all wars”,...Read More
What relics to see in Paris? Objects of reverence, relics are part of a deceased Holy person’s body. Throughout the middle ages, Christians venerated these holy artifacts. Since the time of Charlemagne every church was actually required to have a relic for their altar. Having relics related to Saints and Apostles would give a church...Read More
It is one of the icons of Paris, perched up on the hilltop of Montmartre, overlooking the city. What’s behind Sacre Coeur history? Its unique architecture and location makes it stand out above the City of Light. Sacre Coeur has now become the most visited religious monument in Paris due to the closure of Notre...Read More
I get it, we’re nowhere close to Halloween yet, but in my opinion it’s never a bad time for spooky Parisian stories! I would like to pass onto you obscure tales and folklore which take place in the Père Lachaise cemetery. Those are tales about once famous women that are now almost forgotten, their tombs...Read More
Good time to talk about Paris in WW2 as this year, August 25 marked the 75th anniversary of the Liberation of Paris. The Liberation of Paris was a 6 day battle that culminated with the surrender of Paris, which had been under Nazi rule since June 1940. The Occupation was a terrible time for Paris...Read More
I personally could never set foot in the catacombs of Paris without one of My Private Paris guide holding my hand through it. Our guides have been down there countless times and have all (I think) come back to tell the tale of the famous underground ossuary. Here is a bit of history about the...Read More
Les Journées du Patrimoine, or European Heritage Days, are events happening in all across Europe which aim to promote visits of monuments or buildings normally closed to the public. This event finds its roots in France with La Journée Portes Ouvertes (Open Doors Day) which was held in 1984. Every year, nearly 12 million visitors...Read More
When thinking of a place and a story to tell about the Marais, I thought of Victor Hugo’s house and museum at first, not too far from the famous Place des Vosges. But then I decided for a lesser-known endroit and chose to tell story of the Beguines’ Convent in Marais. This religious community used...Read More
July 14th in France is the Fête Nationale, or Bastille Day, which celebrates the anniversary of the French Revolution of 1789. The French Revolution was an extraordinary moment when people joined together to show that you could rise above an unjust situation and recreate a society. You may argue that this marks the crossroads of...Read More
The whole world mourns the tragic events that took place yesterday in central Paris, as a massive, accidental fire engulfed Notre Dame cathedral last night, taking down the iconic cathedral’s spire among many other damages. Today, we wanted to pay homage to this symbol of Paris, France and Gothic architecture, reminiscing about a few of...Read More
