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France

A French woman from Guadeloupe is the only known person in the world with the "Gwada negative" blood type.

Doctors Detected a Mysterious Antibody in a French Woman’s Body. It Turned Out to Be a Brand New Blood Type

Called “Gwada negative,” it marks the discovery of the 48th known blood group system in humans

A statue of Cézanne is his hometown of Aix-en-Provence

Paul Cézanne’s Hometown of Aix-en-Provence Is Finally Celebrating Its Most Famous Native Son

This summer, the artist’s historic home and studio are opening to the public alongside a massive retrospective exhibition at the museum that once refused his works

The jugs and plates appear to have been made during the 16th century in Liguria, a seaside region in northwest Italy near the French border.

Rare 16th-Century Shipwreck Discovered at Record Depth in French Waters

The 98-foot-long vessel was transporting ceramic jugs, ceramic plates and metal bars when it sank off southeastern France nearly 500 years ago

Vincent Willem van Gogh’s Studio, Kuwakubo Toru, 2015

These Powerful Paintings Show Why van Gogh Fell in Love With Japan—and Why Japan Fell in Love With van Gogh

A new exhibition examines how the Dutch artist drew inspiration from Japanese art. It also explores how he influenced 20th- and 21st-century Japanese painters and photographers

Aerial view of the villa, with thermal baths at the bottom right, the garden and fountain in the center, and the agricultural fields expanding to the left

Cool Finds

Archaeologists Stumble Onto Sprawling Ancient Roman Villa During Construction of a Road in France

Located near Auxerre, the grand estate once possessed an exorbitant level of wealth, with thermal baths and heated floors

Titled The Despair, the sculpture depicts a woman holding her leg.

Cool Finds

This Stunning Sculpture Was Sitting on a Family’s Piano. It Turned Out to Be an Original Rodin

Titled “The Despair,” the rare artwork just sold at auction for $1 million. For many years, its owners had assumed it was merely a copy

Natalia Pavlovna Paley, also known as Natalie Paley, was the granddaughter of Alexander II of Russia and a cousin of Nicholas II.

This Exiled Romanov Princess Fled the Bloodshed of the Russian Revolution and Reinvented Herself as a Fashion Icon

A new exhibition spotlights Natalia Pavlovna Paley, the granddaughter of a czar. She built a new life for herself in France and the U.S., appearing in films and on the pages of glossy magazines

At the Café (1878), the left-hand side of Manet's abandonded painting of the Brasserie Reichshoffen

Manet Cut This Painting in Half 150 Years Ago. Now, the Two Sides Are Back Together for a Rare Reunion

The two resulting artworks, “At the Café” and “Corner of a Café-Concert,” both bear witness to vibrant social scenes from 19th-century Paris

Jane Birkin with her original prototype bag

The Original Birkin Bag Was Made After Actress Jane Birkin Spilled Her Belongings on the CEO of Hermès in 1983

The iconic accessory would become one of the most expensive handbags in fashion history. Now, the prototype is heading to the auction block, where it’s likely to fetch an exorbitant sum

The rare diamond is now the centerpiece of a ring by Joel Arthur Rosenthal, a renowned jewelry designer better known by his initials, JAR.

Smuggled Out of France During a Bloody Revolution, Marie Antoinette’s Shimmering Pink Diamond Is Heading to Auction

The 10.38-carat gemstone, which carries an estimate of $3 million to $5 million, was owned by generations of European royalty

Marguerite Endormie, Henri Matisse, 1920

Meet Marguerite, Henri Matisse’s Eldest Daughter—and One of His Most Influential Models

An exhibition at the Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris examines Marguerite’s indelible influence on her father’s evolving painting styles

The new Banksy mural is on a wall beside a covered street in Marseille, France.

Banksy Unveils New Lighthouse Mural With the Words ‘I Want to Be What You Saw in Me’ in France

The anonymous street artist announced the uncharacteristically personal artwork on May 29. It’s located on a wall in the French city of Marseille

Morrison's mourners covered the bust in graffiti and chipped off pieces to keep as souvenirs before it was stolen in 1988.

This 300-Pound Bust Was Stolen From Jim Morrison’s Grave in 1988. French Police Just Recovered It

Created for the tenth anniversary of the Doors frontman’s death in 1971, the bust stood on his grave in the famous Père Lachaise cemetery in Paris for only seven years

A 17th-century still life featuring a plate of oysters

From Peasant Fodder to Fine Dining, Feast on the Tasty History of How Snails and Oysters Became Luxury Foods

Humans have eaten mollusks for millennia, but they weren’t always viewed as elite treats

The authenticity of Paul Gauguin's 1903 self-portrait has long been the subject of debate.

This Amateur Art Detective Thinks Paul Gauguin’s Last Self-Portrait Is a Fake

The new allegations come from Fabrice Fourmanoir, who previously identified a fraudulent Gauguin sculpture that the Getty Museum had purchased for $5 million

Vanilla producer Bertrand Côme displays bound and dried vanilla beans for sale at his Réunion farm. The beans generally grow as long as 6 to 11 inches.

The Bittersweet Beginnings of Vanilla Cultivation Can Be Traced Back to the Far-Flung Isle of Réunion

A journey to the remote Indian Ocean island reveals the story behind the fragrant, delicious, ubiquitous spice—and the enslaved youth who made it a commercial success

Dumbo octopuses, like the Opisthoteuthis agassizii seen here during a 2019 dive, are the deepest-living group of octopuses known.

Humans Have Seen Only 0.001 Percent of the World’s Deep Seas, Leaving Most of the Planet a Vast Mystery

Researchers argue that expanding deep-sea exploration is vital to understanding and managing these marine habitats

A John Trumbull painting of the death of American General Richard Montgomery at the Battle of Quebec on December 31, 1775

America's 250th Anniversary

How the Thirteen Colonies Tried—and Failed—to Convince Canada to Side With Them During the American Revolution

After peaceful attempts at alliance-building stalled, the Continental Army launched an ill-fated invasion of Quebec in June 1775

Both the sword and the sheath are made from some of the most valuable materials from Napoleon's era.

The Ornate Sword That Napoleon Commissioned During His Rise to Power Is Heading to Auction

Prior to his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo, the French ruler gave the saber to one of his most trusted generals, whose family kept it for generations

Grave adoption programs—some part of structured, longstanding projects, others more individually driven—offer a touching layer of history that takes many visitors and even seasoned war experts by surprise.

History of Now

Meet the Dedicated Volunteers Who Honor World War II’s Fallen American Service Members by Adopting Their Graves

Europe will commemorate the 80th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s surrender on May 8. But thousands of locals remain committed to preserving year-round the memories of those killed while fighting to liberate the continent

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