France

The Palace of Versailles Brings Statues to Life With AI Conversations

At the Palace of Versailles, visitors now converse with statues instead of listening to traditional audio guides, thanks to an innovation made possible by two artificial intelligence (AI) partners. The château unveiled the project to the press on Monday evening: a joint effort between American AI systems developer OpenAI and French start-up Ask ...

David Lynch Lithographs on Display All Summer in France

Forty-nine lithographs and three experimental short films by David Lynch are on view until September 21 at the Duchamp Gallery in Yvetot, Seine-Maritime. Displayed across two floors in a dreamlike atmosphere characteristic of the American filmmaker’s work, who passed away in January, “they reveal the spirit of David Lynch, a somewhat dark ...

Black Eyed Peas Light Up Chambord Castle to Kick Off French Tour

The Black Eyed Peas, the American group with over 35 million albums sold, kicked off their French tour on Sunday night with a sold-out concert at the Château de Chambord (Loir-et-Cher), performing for more than 30,000 fans. Wearing straw hats and waving hand fans, Carole and Patrick Atline grabbed front-row spots by 4 p.m. despite the intense ...

Macron Says Europeans to 'Accelerate Negotiations' with Iran 

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that France and its European partners would ramp up talks with Iran following more than a week of hostilities between the Islamic Republic and Israel. "I am convinced that there is a way out of war and to avoid even greater dangers," Macron said on X after holding phone talks with ...

How the Seine River Secretly Cools the Louvre and Paris

As Paris braces for a heatwave this weekend, a little-known network of underground pipes will be cooling the Louvre Museum and other storied landmarks using water from the River Seine. Since 1991, the river water has been cooling more than 800 buildings via a humble but hard-working system that is still relatively underutilized worldwide. Paris ...

Hellfest 2025 Opens Thursday with Korn, Muse and Linkin Park Headlining

Rock giants Muse, Scorpions and Linkin Park, the nu metal of Korn, punk legends the Sex Pistols... The 18th edition of Hellfest, one of Europe’s biggest extreme music festivals, kicks off Thursday in Clisson, western France. The headliner on opening day will be the iconic California-based band Korn, considered one of the pioneers of nu metal ...

Gucci-Owner Names Ex-renault Chief Luca de Meo as CEO

French luxury group Kering announced Monday that it had appointed Luca de Meo, who helped drive automaker Renault out of crisis, its new chief executive as sales at its leading brand Gucci have slumped. The appointment "marks a decisive step in the evolution of Kering's governance and strengthens the Group's leadership as it enters a new phase of ...

France Shuts Israeli Weapons Booths at Paris Air Show

Geopolitical tensions roiled the opening of the Paris Air Show on Monday as French authorities sealed off Israeli weapons industry booths amid the conflicts in Iran and Gaza, a move that Israel condemned as "outrageous." The decision added drama to the major aerospace industry event, which was already under the shadow of last week's ...

Kubica Steers Ferrari to Third Consecutive 24 Hours of Le Mans

Former Formula One driver Robert Kubica took the chequered flag in his bright yellow "privateer" Ferrari to give the Italian marque a third consecutive win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans on Sunday. In a thrilling 93rd edition of the race, which saw the top four separated by just over 20 seconds going into the final 15 minutes, Kubica and his ...

France Music Week Showcases Strengths and Struggles of Music Industry

The first France Music Week, an international event kicking off Monday in Paris, aims to promote a French music sector praised for its local networks and export successes—but increasingly showing signs of strain. Spearheaded by President Emmanuel Macron, the initiative targets industry professionals with the goal of “putting France on the map ...

Israeli Embassies in US, UK Among Several Closing Worldwide

Israeli embassies in the United States and the United Kingdom were among several to close around the globe on Friday following deadly Israeli strikes in Iran. "In light of recent developments, Israeli missions around the world will be closed and consular services will not be provided," read a message posted by the country's embassies in the ...

Depardieu to Go Before Rome Judge Over Paparazzi Melee

French cinema icon Gerard Depardieu will appear next week before a judge in Rome accused of assaulting a paparazzi photographer, a lawyer told AFP Thursday. Rino Barillari, the 80-year-old dubbed the "king of paparazzi", alleges Depardieu punched him three times in the face when he tried to photograph him in May last year at Harry's Bar on the ...