The wine-growing region of Bordeaux is considered synonymous with French wine: in the entire world, there is said to be no larger contiguous wine-growing region …
Louis de Funès: A Comedian is Born (1.)
He began his career not as an actor but as a pianist in various Parisian establishments: originally, de Funès was descended from Spanish immigrants who …
Beaujolais: Minimal Tannins, Full of Character
One often hears that a red wine has to mature for a long time in the barrel before it develops an intense aroma and becomes …
Barbara: The Singing Pianist
This article is published on the 25th anniversary of Barbara’s death on 24 November 2022. Her chansons all had autobiographical features: there was no such …
Lino Ventura: A Man of Stature
In contrast to his idol and mentor Jean Gabin, Lino Ventura did not have to complete a trip through European vaudeville and music halls before …
Tarte flambée: Alsatian tradition
In the past, baking tarte flambée was a way to estimate the temperature of a wood-burning oven without a thermometer: Today, tarte flambée is a …
Yves Montand: Chanson, Charm, Chic (2.)
In 1966, Yves Montand starred in the Formula One film Grand Prix, which was originally planned to feature Steve McQueen. To this day, Grand Prix remains a unique film: the realistic footage of the racetrack, shot at enormous expense, still amazes.
Montand plays the fictional Ferrari driver Jean-Pierre Sarti in the film.
Although the sixties were an era of professional success for Yves Montand, two strokes of fate occurred in that decade…
Yves Montand: Chanson, Charm, Chic (1.)
His big idol was Fred Astaire: Yves Montand (civil name Ivo Livi) was born on October 13, 1921 in Tuscany and grew up in humble circumstances. In 1924 Yves Montand’s family fled to Marseille: the political situation in Italy destroyed the Livis’ existence…
Jean-Paul Belmondo: Legend of the French cinema
He was a legend of French cinema: Jean-Paul Belmondo. From the 1960s, Jean-Paul Belmondo was one of the most famous actors of his generation.At the …
The Baguette: French National Icon
There is nothing that represents France as much as the baguette: the long white bread with the aromatic taste is famous all over the world. …