Guide anecdote

The day Napoleon had to retreat... in the face of an army of rabbits

In 1807, Napoleon was reportedly stormed by an army of rabbits. Two centuries later, a few hundred meters from his tomb, a colony of rabbits is camped on the lawns of the Invalides... History loves a wink.

Are you familiar with the "Bread Decree", the law that governs the art of the baguette in France?

In France, we love baguettes, but do you know how? To make sure it's well made, there are codes, and even a law: the Décret Pain. We tell you all about it.

Disneyland Paris: did you know? Anthony Daniels was the voice of C-3PO in Star Tours

Did you know that at Disneyland Paris, Anthony Daniels, the interpreter of C-3PO, lent his voice to the French version of Star Tours when the park opened in 1992? We tell you all about it!

Did you know? The surprising story behind the iconic round shape of the champagne glass

The champagne glass has a much more surprising history than you might think. Behind its rounded curves lies a legend intimately linked to an emblematic royal figure in French history...

Did you know? Latin was spoken in the Latin Quarter of Paris... hence the name!

Located on the left bank of the Seine, the Quartier Latin intrigues as much as it fascinates. Its atypical name has its roots not in its ancient past as Lutetia, but in the capital's university history. Here's a look back at a district where Latin was the living language.

Why do we see bricked-up windows in Paris? The story of a tax that doesn't run out of air

We sometimes walk past them without seeing them... but once we do, curiosity takes over. Boarded-up windows on old buildings. While it's not uncommon to see boarded-up windows in squatter areas, in this case the reason is quite different. At the root of these false windows lies an astonishing tax on... air. We tell you about a time when breathing could be subject to taxes.

Did you know? "Midinette" is a typically Parisian word... but with a very misunderstood meaning.

Nowadays, the word "midinette" often conjures up images of naïve, dreamy, romantic young girls. Yet this light-hearted image conceals a much more surprising story, far from the clichés it's given - a story born in Paris at the end of the 19th century...

Did you know? Gustave Eiffel's tomb is not in Paris but in Levallois-Perret (92)

Intriguing and discreet, the tomb of the famous engineer Gustave Eiffel lies not in Paris, but in the cemetery of Levallois-Perret. Discover this historical nugget, between legend and reality, just a stone's throw from the capital.

Did you know? Marie-Antoinette's challenge led to the creation of the Château de Bagatelle in Paris.

Did you know that a simple bet between Marie-Antoinette and her brother-in-law, the Comte d'Artois, was the origin of the Château de Bagatelle? We tell you all about it!

Marie-Antoinette: historic places to visit in Paris dedicated to the last Queen of France

Marie-Antoinette is a character who continues to fascinate to this day. Would you like to immerse yourself in the history of France's last queen? Here's a list of places to visit in Paris dedicated to this tragic figure in French history.

Do you know the Parisian origins of New York's Statue of Liberty?

Before becoming an American symbol, the Statue of Liberty was built in Paris, in the 17th arrondissement. Here's a look back at its little-known history, from rue de Chazelles to Liberty Island.

Did you know? Île-de-France: once the world's largest vineyard!

Discover how vines, planted as far back as antiquity, made the Île-de-France the world's leading vineyard in the XVIIIᵉ century (over 40,000 ha), and explore the urban and rural vineyards that are resurrecting this prestigious tradition today.

Did you know? The green parakeets seen in Europe first landed in Paris.

London, Berlin, Amsterdam or Seville... in the four corners of Europe, you may be surprised to see green parakeets whose presence on the old continent arouses curiosity. It's not a question of a migratory flow: to come here, they took the plane and landed in Paris. We tell you all about it!

Did you know? Why was Place l'Hôtel de Ville called Place de Grève?

Long known as the Place de Grève, today's Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville in Paris has seen many uses: as a trading port, a place of public execution, then as the center of municipal power from 1357. Discover its history!

Did you know? This graffiti, dating from 1764 on the Place des Vosges, is the oldest in Paris.

Here's an amusing Paris anecdote! In the Marais district, on the Place des Vosges, you'll find the oldest graffiti in the capital... Did you know that? You do now! But what does it say? When was it done? Discover its history!

Why is the Parisian town of Kremlin-Bicêtre called Le Kremlin?

Nestled at the southern gateway to Paris, the commune of Kremlin-Bicêtre in the Val-de-Marne region of France is intriguingly named. Combining Russian and French references, this unusual name is the fruit of a history as surprising as it is original.

What's this strange, saucer-like antenna tower to the east of Paris?

Have you ever looked up at this strange radio tower near Les Lilas? Impossible to miss, with its flying saucer shape resting on a shaft, it intrigues. Built in the 1980s to broadcast TV, radio and the Internet, and designed by Claude Vasconi, this 141-meg tower is now classified as Remarkable Contemporary Architecture. We'll take you on a tour!

What are the two leaning towers in Paris whose architecture gives the impression that they are about to fall?

In the 13th arrondissement of Paris, two sloping, vertiginous towers stand out for their unusual architecture, which almost gives the impression of defying gravity. We explain what the Duo towers are all about.

What are those twin towers you can see from the ring road east of Paris?

If you take the ring road around Porte de Bagnolet, you'll see two tall twin towers dominating the surrounding area to the east of Paris. But what are they, and what purpose do they serve? We tell you more about the Mercuriales.

Les poulets de la Commune: when the police squatted in a market... for poultry

During the Paris Commune in 1871, police officers were relocated to an old barracks built on a former poultry market. According to legend, this is how their nickname of "poulets" came about. While this anecdote may make you smile, it should be taken with a grain of salt...