Big Picture

Topical, tantalising... and caught on camera. When France is at her most-eye-catching, we reveal the story behind the stunning image.

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Striking a pose for changing fashions

1960s fashion snapper Peter Knapp changed fashion photography, as a new exhibition reveals

Lazy days of Doisneau in the Dordogne

Legendary lensman Robert Doisneau loved visiting the Dordogne on holiday, camera in hand. A new exhibition of images taken there impresses Jane Hanks

Exploring France's golfing roots

With Ryder Cup fever hitting France this month, Samantha David explores the country’s golfing roots... and the current state of play

Photographers to the rich and famous

Portraits from Paris’s fashionable Harcourt studios have been coveted for decades, as Samantha David finds

Vélocipédia dandies are still on a roll

A fun-loving cycling association keeps the tradition of dandy horses alive and well, writes Samantha David

French artist has passion for painting Brittany

Samantha David meets the artist who has brought his favourite corners of Brittany to the canvas

Stars aligned for Anglo-French liaison

Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg’s romance captivated France, says Samantha David

Tribute to Revolutionaries gets revamp

Jane Hanks looks at Place de la Bastille’s iconic homage to freedom fighters

The fine art of weaving a Tolkien tale

Drawings by beloved children’s author J.R.R.Tolkien are being recreated in tapestry form at the world famous Aubusson HQ. By Samantha David

The iconic photographer still in vogue

As a new book about Robert Doisneau comes out, Samantha David talks to the lensman’s daughter about his work

Big art – there’s a ghost on my house!

Dotted all around France you can spot oversized pieces of art. Samantha David on the work of CHD

Art restored with a time-travel flourish

Jane Hanks talks to the artist Blase about how he gives abandoned paintings a fresh twist

On the range with a Catalan cowboy

Saddle up with Perpignan’s Western rancher Nick Verges

Photo festival puts nature on display

Montier-en-Der, in Haute-Marne, is hosting its annual animal photo festival from October 16-19.

French flying car crosses Channel

It sounds like a cross between Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang and Around the World in 80 Days, but a French man has driven - and flown - from Paris to London in a single vehicle

'Bringing light' back to Chambord

A contemporary chandelier-maker was thrilled to be asked to help with the restoration of historic lighting at the famous Château de Chambord in the Loire Valley.

'Super-tide' reveals Dunkirk wrecks

At very low tides, shipwrecks still appear on the beaches of Dunkirk, ghostly reminders of one of the most famous episodes of the Second World War.

Epic sled odyssey for man and his best friend

One of the longest and toughest dog-sled races in the world takes place in the French Alps, drawing thousands of winter sports fans.

Welcome to new Lascaux ... just like the real Lascaux

Long-awaited €57million replica of prehistoric art gallery will open in December 2015

Trip the flight fantastic in zero gravity

In France, members of the public can experience zero gravity during a flight without going into space.

Rock out as historic venue celebrates 40th

Rebuilding the faces of history

Before the age of photography, and outside of the circles wealthy enough to attract portrait artists, once a person had died, their face would be forgotten. Now, in his Visualforensic workshop within a laboratory of the University of Versailles-Saint-Quentin, Philippe Froesch is using 3D computer technology to make virtual reconstructions of the forgotten faces of history.