During the Second World War, the Mosque of Paris protected French Jews from the Nazis by supplying them with Muslim Identification cards. A law dating back to the 18th century still technically exists in France, forbidding women from wearing pants in Paris without police permission. Although largely ignored today, it wasn’t officially removed until the 2010s. While escargot might seem exotic to outsiders, in France, eating snails is traditional, especially in Burgundy. The French enjoy them as a delicacy, usually cooked with garlic butter and herbs.
In the Pyrenees, there’s an abandoned train station that leads to no destination, built during World War II. It’s eerie, mysterious, and a favorite for urban explorers. Marie-Louise Béclard, a French inventor, patented one of the first modern bras in the early 20th century, showing how French innovation has influenced even the smallest details of daily life. In the late 19th century, the French military experimented with using large dogs to carry equipment or messages, although the project didn’t last. France has always had a quirky approach to innovation.
