Presentation

How did Paris become the world's most beautiful city? The French Library is pleased to make available a series of seven lectures about the evolution of the urban landscape of the City of Light from Roman times until today, given by Russell Kelley for the cultural organization WICE in Paris between April 8 and May 20, 2020. The lectures are each between 60 and 90 minutes long and are accompanied by over 1,000 maps, prints and photographs, focusing on the structures that can still be seen today. One new lecture will be made available each Thursday for the next seven weeks, starting on May 14 and ending on June 25. The entire lecture series will be available for viewing until July 31, 2020.

Russell Kelley is the author of The Making of Paris, illustrated with more than 120 historical maps, prints and photographs, to be published this fall by Globe Pequot Press. He has lived and worked in Paris for over 25 years. A dedicated flâneur, he has personally walked every street and admired every existing structure mentioned in his lectures.

PART 3 THE MAKING OF PARIS:

FROM LOUIS XIII TO THE REVOLUTION (1610-1789)

As the British historian Alistair Horne put it, Louis XIV “inherited a city of brick and left it of marble.” His successors built on his legacy of grandeur until the Revolution of 1789 spelled the end of the Ancien Régime of the Bourbons.



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts

(French) Love is in the air

With Valentine’s Day in a few weeks, there’s no better time to celebrate the timeless love stories that have shaped French culture. France has long…

Read More

Paris: The City That Taught Me How to Dream

“Paris is always a good idea,” whispers Audrey Hepburn to the stiff yet strangely alluring Humphrey Bogart. This famous line is from the film Sabrina…

Read More

Louis Sel: A Sprinkle of Magic from the Special Salts of Brittany

My love affair with France began in high school when my father let me tag along on a business trip. Armed with my high school…

Read More

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

What is more French and fun than enjoying cooking with your friends? With this series, you will learn how to make essentials of the French cuisine : "filet mignon de porc en croûte avec une sauce au porto"

Read More
Wednesday, February 12, 2025

Join us at the French Library for a conversation about Heureux les heureux by Yasmina Reza. We invite you to read the book in its entirety and meet us on February 12th, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM.

Read More
Thursday, February 13, 2025

Take a private tour of the Art of the Americas Wing at Boston's MFA, led in French by trusted MFA guide Isabelle Slotine. Discover iconic treasures and explore American art through a fresh, French perspective on its history and significance.

Read More