Beautifying Paris
The Avenue des Champs-Élysées (Elysian Fields) will look far more heavenly once Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo’s plans to turn it into a garden thoroughfare go through. (The Guardian)
Out, damned plastic!
Strict new rules to be implemented this year will severely cut back on the use of plastic in France. (The Local)
French history
Was Napoleon’s death in exile on the island of Saint Helena in 1821 caused by poisoning? We will probably never know for sure, but a rare piece of evidence, a letter from his doctor describing his symptoms, was recently sold at auction. (Smithsonian Magazine)
Paris architecture
A preview of architecturally interesting new buildings set to open to the public this year, including two in Paris. (Dezeen)
Death in Life
Once a French court falsely declares you dead, life is hell, as one Frenchwoman discovered. (The Local)
A drink for the ages
Everything you’ve always wanted to know about Chartreuse, the herbal elixir whose recipe is known to only two people, made by Carthusian monks. (The New York Times)