https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed An ancient wall discovered in central Paris was hailed as a "major breakthrough" this week, as the archaeological find may have settled a long-standing debate about the location of the city's original settlement. https://www.thelocal.com/20260924/major-archaeological-breakthrough-could-confirm-origins-of-paris Thu, 24 Sep 2026 18:34:34 +0200 major-archaeological-breakthrough-could-confirm-origins-of-paris A French linguist has been making waves with his boldly titled book 'The English language does not exist - it's just badly pronounced French', but does the professor actually have a point? https://www.thelocal.com/20240423/is-the-english-language-really-just-badly-pronounced-french Tue, 23 Apr 2024 16:35:27 +0200 is-the-english-language-really-just-badly-pronounced-french Eight decades after World War II, Switzerland on Monday repealed sentences that were handed out to 466 Swiss citizens who fought in the French Resistance. https://www.thelocal.com/20260616/eight-decades-on-switzerland-clears-french-resistance-fighters Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:51:26 +0200 eight-decades-on-switzerland-clears-french-resistance-fighters American president Donald Trump has threatened to pull thousands of American troops out of Germany, with other European military bases potentially following suit. This is not an issue in France, however, which has no US military presence on its soil - here's why. https://www.thelocal.com/20260507/explained-why-france-doesnt-have-any-us-military-bases Thu, 07 May 2026 17:48:52 +0200 explained-why-france-doesnt-have-any-us-military-bases In French town after French town, you’ll see famous names from history honoured on street signs - but who wins the prize for the biggest number of streets, avenues and boulevards bearing their name? https://www.thelocal.com/20230511/which-french-figure-has-the-most-streets-named-after-them Thu, 11 May 2023 13:23:29 +0200 which-french-figure-has-the-most-streets-named-after-them This week two investigations have been launched into 'historical revisionism', both relating to comments made about World War II and the Holocaust. Here's what the law says about this in France. https://www.thelocal.com/20251120/explained-why-holocaust-denial-is-illegal-in-france Thu, 20 Nov 2025 12:42:10 +0100 explained-why-holocaust-denial-is-illegal-in-france One of France's most famous national monuments may be getting a revamp after calls to change the inscription on the front to acknowledge the fact that women exist. https://www.thelocal.com/20250901/calls-to-change-sexist-inscription-on-french-national-monument Mon, 01 Sep 2025 14:55:19 +0200 calls-to-change-sexist-inscription-on-french-national-monument A petition has been launched in France to try and prevent the loan of the historic Bayeux Tapestry to the UK, calling the move "a crime against French heritage". https://www.thelocal.com/20250819/french-launch-petition-against-bayeux-tapestry-going-to-london Tue, 19 Aug 2025 13:29:40 +0200 french-launch-petition-against-bayeux-tapestry-going-to-london The American veteran of the Normandy landings known to his thousands of TikTok followers as 'Papa Jake' has died at the age of 102, his family announced. https://www.thelocal.com/20250721/american-d-day-veteran-and-tiktok-star-dies-aged-102 Mon, 21 Jul 2025 17:20:24 +0200 american-d-day-veteran-and-tiktok-star-dies-aged-102 As French MPs vote in favour of promoting Alfred Dreyfus, 130 years after his wrongful conviction, John Lichfield examines why the case still matters to France, and what it has to teach the rest of the world. https://www.thelocal.com/20250604/opinion-130-years-on-the-dreyfus-affair-still-matters-to-france-and-the-world Wed, 04 Jun 2025 11:29:43 +0200 opinion-130-years-on-the-dreyfus-affair-still-matters-to-france-and-the-world A 102-year-old man has launched legal action against the French government over being sent to Germany to do forced labour during World War II. https://www.thelocal.com/20250226/frenchman-102-sues-government-over-wwii-forced-labour-in-germany Wed, 26 Feb 2025 13:43:24 +0100 frenchman-102-sues-government-over-wwii-forced-labour-in-germany The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics wasn't just a spectacular event, it was also packed with references to French culture, art and history - did you get them all? https://www.thelocal.com/20240729/how-many-of-the-french-references-did-you-get-in-the-olympics-opening-ceremony Mon, 29 Jul 2024 16:26:21 +0200 how-many-of-the-french-references-did-you-get-in-the-olympics-opening-ceremony Monday May 6th marks the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Channel Tunnel, considered one of the greatest engineering feats of all time. Here are some of the most important moments in its history as well as some iconic pictures. https://www.thelocal.com/20240506/in-pictures-30-years-ago-france-and-the-uk-opened-the-channel-tunnel Mon, 06 May 2024 11:58:48 +0200 in-pictures-30-years-ago-france-and-the-uk-opened-the-channel-tunnel It's often said that Austria in fact invented the croissant - and some even claim that Marie Antoinette brought it to France - but the real story is a little more complicated than that. https://www.thelocal.com/20240417/did-austria-really-invent-frances-iconic-croissant Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:43:49 +0200 did-austria-really-invent-frances-iconic-croissant France is set to make a little piece of political history on Monday, and it will do so in a historic setting - the Palace of Versailles which remains an important part of French political life, long after the departure of the royal family. https://www.thelocal.com/20240304/why-frances-versailles-palace-is-more-than-just-a-tourist-attraction Mon, 04 Mar 2024 13:01:54 +0100 why-frances-versailles-palace-is-more-than-just-a-tourist-attraction When I interviewed Marine Le Pen a decade or so ago - writes John Lichfield - I asked her a would-be clever question: 'If you had been alive in June 1940, who would you have supported, Charles de Gaulle or Marshall Pétain?' https://www.thelocal.com/20240226/opinion-which-side-would-le-pen-be-on-in-world-war-iii-french-history-gives-a-clue Mon, 26 Feb 2024 11:03:18 +0100 opinion-which-side-would-le-pen-be-on-in-world-war-iii-french-history-gives-a-clue A chapel deep in the French countryside featuring a Holocaust-themed mural needs a new owner to save it from falling into disrepair, local officials say. https://www.thelocal.com/20231121/french-chapel-with-holocaust-mural-seeks-saviour Tue, 21 Nov 2023 14:27:06 +0100 french-chapel-with-holocaust-mural-seeks-saviour Archaeologists working a vast Neolithic site in northeast France have uncovered what they say is the last piece of the puzzle - traces of a permanent settlement. https://www.thelocal.com/20230828/neolithic-village-discovered-in-northern-france Mon, 28 Aug 2023 11:05:18 +0200 neolithic-village-discovered-in-northern-france You don't need to be a history expert to know that the French chopped off the head of their king - but 230 years later there are still several groups in France dedicated to the restoration of the monarchy. https://www.thelocal.com/20230809/who-are-frances-modern-royalists Wed, 09 Aug 2023 18:52:12 +0200 who-are-frances-modern-royalists The remains of three Canadian soldiers who died in World War I, 105 years ago, but were only recently identified have been reburied in France at an emotion-filled military ceremony. https://www.thelocal.com/20230612/canadian-wwi-soldiers-reburied-in-special-ceremony-in-france Mon, 12 Jun 2023 12:29:07 +0200 canadian-wwi-soldiers-reburied-in-special-ceremony-in-france