Apart from the many, densely packed strangers readily available for slaughter, there was the added symbolism of the day itself.
EPA/Olivier Aringo
With the Nice attack and other terrorist events continuing to occur, the freedoms built on trust and confidence may not be sustainable.
Adolf Hitler and his entourage take a stroll in Paris on June 23, 1940.
German Federal Archives/Wikimedia Commons
One publisher spent over 40 years trying to profit off Hitler’s hateful tome.
EPA/Ian Langsdon
Angela Merkel and François Hollande are now alone at the top table, and there are no prizes for guessing who is drawing up the seating plan.
Austrian Freedom Party presidential candidate Norbert Hofer took the far right to the brink of victory in the recent election.
Reuters
Radical right populists are on the brink of power in Austria and making gains across the region. And the European leaders who once were willing to publicly condemn them are silent now.
Bravo les British!
Chris Radburn/PA Wire
Getting rid of Britain could help reinvigorate the EU, and France’s place within it.
France’s Olivier Giroud (right), Paul Pogba, Laurent Koscielny and Antoine Griezmann train for Euro 16.
REUTERS
France’s performance at Euro 16 could provide the country with a much needed boost – if its footballers can stand up to the test, that is.
Sebastian Nogier/EPA
Recent attacks in Paris and Brussels have taught the French some important lessons about how to deal with the threat of terrorism.
The open goal.
Igor.Stevanovic
Your guide to how the French extravaganza compares to the other big events in sport.
The Germans limbering up.
EPA
Spare a thought for the cast of thousands that has to worry about player fitness and team logistics in a major sporting event.
Not much liberty, fraternity or equality round here.
pbombaert
Some Gallic goals might cheer up the French, but they certainly won’t save Hollande.
And so it begins …
EPA
France are favourites, Albania are playing and there are more teams than ever before. Your essential guide to Europe’s summer football festival.
David Gulpilil as Jagamarra Jurunba, Mark Weaver as Bellyup, Dougie McCale as George and Cameron Wallaby as Pete in Satellite Boy.
A Satellite Films production Photo by Matt Nettheim SAB
The French capital will light up to the sights and sounds of Cleverman, Samson and Delilah, and The Sapphires.
Louis XIV in new TV drama Versailles.
BBC
From the halcyon days of Louis XIV, the French global seat of power was soon pulled down by corruption, elitism and arbitrary rule. Sound familiar?
Actress Charlize Theron strikes a pose on the red carpet at the 69th Cannes Film Festival.
Yves Herman/Reuters
Does it matter that money plays such a big role in festivals like Cannes?
Blockade of Toulon by Thomas Luny.
Wikimedia Commons
The British blockade of France wouldn’t have worked if it wasn’t for an ingenious experiment conducted half a century earlier.
European collaboration: great in theory, exclusionary in practice.
www.shutterstock.com/Kingarion
The EU may claim it is “united in diversity” but the reality is very different.
Reuters/Jacky Naegelen
A brisk ten-minute walk from where I currently live gets me to Place de la République. Before you get there these days you will see large numbers of gendarmes in riot gear, hear the sounds of a largish…
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Defence Minister Marise Payne today awarded the $50 billion future submarine to French bidder DCNS.
Mick Tsikas/AAP
Industry and research spillovers could generate a benefit well in advance of the net cost of the submarine project.
DCNS’ ‘Shortfin Barracuda’ was the winning design for Australia’s next submarine fleet.
AAP/DCNS Group
The Conversation’s experts respond to key aspects of the announcement that French company DCNS will be build Australia’s next fleet of submarines.
Benoit Tessier/Reuters
Around the world, leading universities have established themselves as well-known brands. In France, we haven’t yet entered the race for global higher education.