On September 4, 1870, Léon Gambetta proclaimed the Third Republic in the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville, following the fall of the Second Empire after Napoleon III's defeat at Sedan, and in the face of the obstinacy of the Parisian people.
The Place de l'Hôtel de Ville hasn't always been the lively, cheerful spot in the heart of Paris. Indeed, it was here that many public executions took place over the centuries. You'll never see the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville in the same light again!
For the 82nd anniversary of the Liberation of Paris, Volker Schlöndorff's Diplomatie will be screened free of charge outdoors on the forecourt of the City Hall, on August 25, 2026.
It's probably the capital's most astonishing race: Paris's café waiters and waitresses sprinting with one mission—to keep their tray from tipping, all to your applause. Initially slated for September 2026, the event has been postponed to a later date, currently unknown.
