France

Asterix in Germany: France’s Irrepressible Gaul to Conquer Neighbor

A theme park based on the beloved French comic strip series Asterix is to open in Germany, the first time the adventures of the pugnacious Gaul are to be the focus of an attraction outside France, its operator said on Tuesday. An existing theme park called Belantis outside the east German city of Leipzig is to morph into an Asterix theme park by ...

Historic Pont Neuf Set to Become Artist JR’s Latest Monumental Installation

French artist JR, who made his way from tagging graffiti on the street to being one of the most recognizable figures on the country's art scene, has told AFP how he plans to turn the oldest bridge in Paris into an "immersive cave" for his latest project. Once hailed as the "French Banksy" after the secretive British street artist, JR has become ...

Maroon 5 to Headline Chambord Live in Only French Date of 2026

Maroon 5 will perform their one and only French show of 2026 on June 27 at the iconic Château de Chambord, organizers AZ Prod confirmed Tuesday to AFP. Known for their signature blend of pop, funk and R&B, and for global hits like Sugar, Memories and Girls Like You, the American band will take the stage in one of France’s most celebrated ...

Boualem Sansal Calls for Bold Steps Toward Franco-Algerian Peace

“If there’s the will,” reconciliation between Algiers and Paris “can move very fast,” says French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal in an interview with AFP. According to him, Algerians “are eager for peace” with France. Released on November 12 after nearly a year in detention in Algeria, the novelist says it is up to leaders in both ...

Pianist Behind Paris ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Flash Mob Aims Higher

The man behind a recent viral video featuring musicians playing Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody to stunned bystanders in a Paris square has revealed to AFP the meticulous work that went into his latest, even bigger production. The "flash mob" Queen video has been viewed roughly 600 million times since being posted online in early ...

Boualem Sansal Breaks His Silence After Release From Algerian Custody

In his first public remarks since being freed by Algeria and returning to France, French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal said on Sunday that he had always sought “reconciliation” between the two countries, while acknowledging that diplomatic sensitivities still constrain what he can say. Imprisoned in Algeria for a year over comments he made ...

Princess Diana enters Paris waxwork museum

The Grevin waxwork museum in Paris unveiled a new star attraction on Thursday: Princess Diana in the "revenge dress" she wore after public revelations about her then-husband, Prince Charles's, infidelity. The Grevin Museum in central Paris, similar to Madame Tussauds in London, already has models of Charles, who is now King Charles III, and his ...

Louvre Closes Gallery Due to Structural Weakness

The Louvre Museum said Monday that it was closing one of its galleries as a precaution after an audit revealed structural weaknesses in some of the beams in the building. The Campana Gallery, which houses nine rooms dedicated to ancient Greek ceramics, will be closed while investigations are conducted into "certain beams supporting the floors of ...

When French Luxury Meets India’s Deep Fashion Traditions

The globe's biggest luxury brands have dreamt of India's vast consumer base for decades, but navigating the market has proven to be a complex task. French retailer Galeries Lafayette is the latest to try its luck, opening its first Indian store on Sunday: a sprawling five-floor outlet in Mumbai, the country's financial capital. Its ...

France’s far-Reaching Focus: From Naqoura to Damascus

France’s focus on Lebanon is closely aligned with that of its American and Saudi partners. French envoys in Beirut highlight active coordination with Washington and Riyadh on a range of critical issues, most notably the military situation in the south, Hezbollah’s disarmament, financial reforms—particularly the proposed fiscal gap law—and ...