cathedrals, cultural and religious importance, damage, devastating fire, france, gothic architecture, notre-dame cathedral, paris, resilience, restoration, symbol of french identity

Rising from the Ashes: The Restoration of Notre-Dame

As an enduring symbol of Paris, the cathedral of Notre-Dame, or Notre-Dame de Paris (Our Lady of Paris), has captured people’s imaginations for centuries. However, when flames engulfed its attic and spire in 2019, the world watched in stunned silence. Yet even as smoke billowed into the evening sky, plans were underway to resurrect this ...

Viena Abdon

Notre-Dame burning.

The Dragon of Calais: A Mythical Artwork

Have you ever experienced an artwork so captivating that it felt like it had a life of its own? Step into the enchanting world of the Dragon of Calais — a masterpiece that delights tourists from all corners of the globe and wins the hearts of locals alike. This extraordinary puppet is named after the picturesque ...

Haidene Go

The Dragon of Calais.

Impressionists’ Classical Music: The Legacy of Debussy and Ravel

Throughout much of the 18th and 19th centuries, classical music artists concentrated on emotional expression in their compositions. However, by the end of the 19th century, budding musicians like Debussy and Ravel, known as impressionists, were craving new and exciting ways of exploring their talents. Impressionism shook the music world from the 1890s to the ...

David Clapp

Impressionist painting by Claude Monet.

175,000-Year-Old Underground Circles Built by Neanderthals

All too often, Neanderthals are seen as thick-browed thugs. As recently as the late 1990s and early 2000s, the mainstream scientific community rejected the idea that Neanderthals were intelligent or sophisticated. Over the years, after their discovery, scientists have tried to understand why Neanderthals died out and we survived, with the assumption that they were inferior in ...

Troy Oakes

Neanderthal's face.

A Look Into the Enchanting Fragonard Musée Du Parfum in Paris

Our olfactory system works in strange ways. It draws tangents for us that others often find impossible to understand. When you bring Fragonard Musée du Parfum into the mix, you will be transported to a different world. A smell can transport us back in time and make us relive important moments of our lives. For ...

Raven Montmorency

Fragonard Musée du Parfum: Vintage perfume bottle at Fragonard store, Paris, France.

Purple: Travel Our Enchanting Planet by Uplifting Color

Purple is the most powerful visible wavelength of electromagnetic energy. It is a color often associated with royalty, spirituality, luxury, and creativity. Wagner must have recognized purple inspires creativity, as he composed his greatest works in a room with purple draperies. Purple is known to create a balance of awareness and peace. When I think ...

Jessica Kneipp

A lilac breasted roller.

The Island of Jersey: Does Britain Still Rule the Waves?

Brexit has shown what importance is placed on fishing in UK waters as a row erupted in the British Crown Dependency of Jersey on May 5, 2021. Up to 70 French fishing boats made an early morning crossing to blockade the harbor at St. Helier on the UK island of Jersey located just off the ...

Helen London

The Jersey protest boat.

Vegan Restaurant First Such Michelin Star Restaurant in France

For a long time, it was looked down upon and derided as rabbit food, odd, or spacey. Now, not only is a vegan diet regarded as healthy, it has turned posh. The vegan diet and restaurants have entered the world of vogue, chic, classy, and high fashion. ONA, a vegan restaurant based in Southwest France, ...

Armin Auctor

Veganism.

French Museum Cancels Genghis Khan Exhibition After Chinese Interference

A museum in France recently decided not to go ahead with an exhibition of Mongol leader Genghis Khan. The Château des ducs de Bretagne history museum in the western city of Nantes said it was putting the exhibit about the 13th-century leader on hold for over three years. The Chinese government apparently interfered and asked ...

Nspirement Staff

Château des ducs de Bretagne.