Colour photography was already well advanced in the late 19th century, but was prohibitively expensive. Around 1890 the Swiss company Orell Füssli developed the photochromy: the manual colouring of black and white negatives and printing by means of lithography stones. Photoshopping avant la lettre, a technique that became well known by the American Detroit Photographic Company, which produced a large number of photochromic postcards around 1900. From the first colour photos of France, we made a selection of 22 beautiful photochromic prints of cities and tourist attractions, from Calais to Marseille. 

With a handful of people, quiet streets and undistorted charm Essoyes typifies the entire French Aube department. Embedded between the wide open vineyards of the Ource valley, the town tells the story of the man who made this place for ever famous: Auguste Renoir. Nearly a hundred years after his death the town still breathes at the rhythm of the living environment in which the famous impressionist lived. With his birthday in sight, the municipality managed to get hold of Renoir’s former house. A stroke of luck they say, about which they are very excited. I could already take a look -and I'm very happy about it- behind the scenes of the future  Maison   Renoir,  that will open its doors in 2017.

The Eiffel Tower blows out 133 candles, metaphorically speaking, because as many years ago this typical Parisian icon has been inaugurated solemnly. Even before it was put up as the business card for the world exhibition of 1889 it was already controversial and the intention was that after 20 years it would already disappear again. A giraffe cage according to some, and a treasure to others but heavy is the head that wears the crown. Anecdotes have accumulated over the years and as a birthday present we have put together a list of the 10 most remarkable facts. Happy birthday, sexy Eiffel Tower!

Hurry to the castle and get back on the road again; is the way to describe a typical visit to Versailles. Tourists are brought in by hundreds, often from Paris, dropped off right in front of the castle and a couple of hours later they are already again seated on their train or bus. I admit it; it is an attractive castle. Yet Versailles has much more to offer because around her  'pièce de résistance ' is a lot going on, and you easily need a whole weekend to fully explore the historic city. I pulled out three full days to delve into the epicenter of the French monarchy and discovered a city where you can enjoy yourself unrestrictedly.  And  above all  Versailles is  full of music: Lully, Rameau and Mozart, to the Beatles and Pink Floyd, they were all here.