Tourists visiting France soon learn that certain things can really irritate the natives. Daring to desecrate French bread with butter, speaking English, or mispronouncing a French word are just a few of […]
Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité… and Trousers
The Seven Convicts Who Launched a Revolution
As symbols of revolutions go, they aren’t the most inspiring examples. For one thing, they were all criminals. Yes, it is true that all would-be revolutionaries are criminals in the eyes of […]
How an Unknown Drowning Victim Became The Most Kissed Person in the World
The young girl’s body was dragged out of the Seine River. Police investigators found no signs of trauma or a struggle. The utter absence of bruises and cuts led them to the […]
The Worst Traffic Jam Lasted 12 Days
No one likes to be tied up in traffic. It doesn’t matter whether the slowdown is caused by construction, a patch of ice, or an accident; when sitting in tangled traffic, every […]
The Surprising Age of the Fax Machine
In this age of email, mobile telephones equipped with cameras, and high-speed internet, the fax machine seems comically antiquated. A popular meme shows two people on the phone. One of them asks […]
Parisian Parrots Protect People From Planes
During World War I, citizens of Paris were quick to contribute to the war effort in any way possible. Parisians of all walks of left chipped in, whether poor or rich, young […]
All Meters Go Through Paris
The history of how the unit of length known as the foot ended up being 12 inches is long and varied. When it came time to develop a metric unit of length, […]
Ben Franklin Needed a Sarcasm Sign
Benjamin Franklin is credited with some of the greatest ideas of all time. Not only was he the inventor of bifocal glasses, the Franklin stove, and lightning rod, but as one of […]
Strangled Science
There is a perception among many that scientists collect facts in a calm, dispassionate manner and do not give in to bouts of irrational reaction. That perception is wrong. A perusal the […]
Something Old and Something Neuf
The oldest bridge in Paris, France is Pont Neuf. The name means “New Bridge.”
The Man Who Sold the Eiffel Tower
Victor Lustig was one of the most successful con men of all time.
Commonplace Fun Facts 