Salvador Dalí and Man Ray Photographed by Carl Van Vechten in Paris, 1934

In 1934, Carl Van Vechten took a group of photos of Salvador Dalí and Man Ray in Paris against a backdrop of posters peddling toothpaste, cheese, fabrics and other sundries. They posed for the American photographer and writer in an ersatz publicity still.

Van Vechten, whom had just launched a belated photographic career in his fifties, was especially drawn to rising stars of the cultural avant-garde (he was Gertrude Stein’s most fervent advocate) and Dalì and Man Ray fit the bill. Both artists were inextricably associated with Surrealism, even though they were sidelong associates. Man Ray never officially joined the group and Dalì had just survived temporary excommunication for apparent fascist leanings. While Van Vechten captured the duo in an optimistic stance, with Dalì enthusiastically pointing to unseen vistas, both artists would flee France.

Tina Turner Posing on the Eiffel Tower for a Photoshoot, 1989

In 1989, Tina Turner stunned the world by climbing the Eiffel Tower in heels for a daring photoshoot with photographer Peter Lindbergh. Suspended high above Paris, with no visible safety gear, Tina posed confidently on the iron beams, turning fear into art. The shoot captured her fearless spirit and later became iconic imagery for her Foreign Affair album.

Turner wore a shimmering haute couture dress created by iconic Tunisian designer Azzedine Alaïa. Photographer Peter Lindbergh famously suggested she climb the tower barefoot and let him edit her heels into the frame later to ensure her safety. Turner flatly refused, and proceeded to scale the structure in her signature high heels.

True to Lindbergh’s signature vérité street-photography style, the shoot was entirely authentic. No harnesses, wires, or safety nets were utilized during the session. He later recalled: “We worked a lot together, and it was very easy to do outstanding pictures with her. And then she did an album called Foreign Affair and then we said, ‘Well, why don’t you be in the Eiffel Tower for that?’ We went up on the Eiffel Tower, did no tricks, no nothing, and she climbed in the thing, and we said, ‘You know, we can try to put your heels after, Tina’ and she said, ‘You must be kidding.’”

While the image appears as though Turner is hanging precariously hundreds of feet in the air, the extreme perspective was achieved through clever camera positioning. Lindbergh used a forced-perspective technique. Turner was actually safely positioned just a few feet above a lower structural platform, meaning a fall would not have been fatal, despite how terrifying the final composition looks.

The Timeless Beauty of Sophia Loren and Mona Lisa at the Louvre, Paris, 1964

In February 1964, Sophia Loren visited the Louvre in Paris and was photographed posing in front of Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. The images capture an incredible meta-moment: one of the 20th century’s ultimate international symbols of cinematic beauty standing face-to-face with the world’s most famous painted smile.

At that exact peak of her career, Loren was dominating European and American cinema, having already won her historic Best Actress Oscar for Two Women a few years prior and filming high-profile projects like The Fall of the Roman Empire around that time.

Paris Street Life: 30 Vintage Photos From 1968 and 1970

These compelling vintage photos offer a raw and intimate look at Parisian street life during two pivotal years: 1968 and 1970.

Captured in the aftermath of the explosive May 1968 protests, the images reflect a city in transition: a fascinating blend of lingering revolutionary spirit, emerging fashion trends, everyday hustle, and the timeless charm of Parisian life.

From bustling boulevards and smoky cafés to quiet moments along the Seine and young people navigating the changing social landscape, these photos beautifully preserve the energy, atmosphere, and unique character of Paris at the turn of a new decade.

Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Paris, May 1968

Arc du Triomphe, Paris, May 1968

Boats on the Seine in Paris, May 1968

Eiffel Tower, Paris, May 1968

Eiffel Tower, Paris, May 1968

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Photographs of Teenage Celine Dion in Paris for the Very First Time on July 10, 1982

On July 10, 1982, Celine Dion went to France to record her new album Tellement j’ai d’amour…. This was the first time Celine visited Paris. She was photographed in front of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe among other places in the city. They were also photographed in the restaurant “Chez Guy et Dodo” on the rue Cadet in the 9th district.

While 1982 was indeed the year she first set foot in the city that would become her second home, her most famous “first” of that year was her international debut at the Yamaha World Popular Song Festival in Tokyo, which took place later that October. However, her arrival in Paris in the summer of 1982 was the true beginning of her conquest of France.

In July 1982, a 14-year-old Céline arrived in Paris for a promotional tour arranged by her manager (and future husband), René Angélil. She made her very first appearance on French television on the iconic show Champs-Élysées, hosted by Michel Drucker. Drucker famously recalled that Angélil had begged him to listen to “this kid from Quebec,” and after hearing her sing, Drucker predicted she would be a superstar.

It was during this period that she began promoting the song “D’amour ou d’amitié.” By early 1983, she became the first Canadian artist to be certified Gold in France for that single, selling over 500,000 copies.

In various biographies, Céline has recalled being overwhelmed by the scale of Paris compared to her small hometown of Charlemagne. She often mentions how René took her to see the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Élysées for the first time during this specific summer trip.

It’s a beautiful moment to look back on, before the 250 million albums sold and the sold-out stadiums, she was just a teenager with a suitcase and a voice that the French public was about to fall in love with.

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Masked Spectators Pose With Dalmatian Dogs After a Screening of “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” in 1961

Masked spectators pose with dalmatian dogs after a screening of Walt Disney’s One Hundred and One Dalmatians on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on December 14, 1961.

Based on the children’s novel by Dodie Smith and released in 1961, it became the first animated film to take $10 million at the box-office. As of this year and including reissues, it ranks third in the highest-grossing animated features of all time.

A Summer to Remember: Relaxing on the Banks of the Seine in 1967

During the 1960s, the banks of the Seine served as the ultimate sanctuary for Parisians seeking a slow-paced escape from the city’s post-war modernization. This era captured a unique “joie de vivre,” where the riverbanks were not yet dominated by heavy traffic or massive tourism.

On sunny afternoons, the stone quays were dotted with students from the Sorbonne, young lovers, and solitary readers, all basking in the gentle reflection of the water. Men in slim-fit trousers and women in chic shift dresses or simple capri pants would sit with their legs dangling over the edge, often accompanied by a transistor radio, a sketchbook, or a simple picnic of baguette and wine.

The atmosphere was one of effortless cool and bohemian freedom, a timeless scene where the rhythmic flow of the river matched the unhurried spirit of a generation defining its own sense of leisure. These vintage photos capture people relaxing on the banks of the Seine in 1967.

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The Amazing Story of the Family Journey From Sydney to Paris on a Scooter in 1956

In 1956, the Montin family of four made an extraordinary 12,000-mile (over 19,000 km) journey from Sydney to Paris on a single Lambretta Lambro 150 FD three-wheeled scooter. The family consisted of French father Guy Montin, his British wife Beryl, and their two young children, Charles (4) and Yvonne (2).

A Lambretta Lambro 150 FD, a three-wheeled light commercial vehicle, not a typical two-wheeled scooter. Guy custom-built a small cabin of marine plywood and canvas on the back to accommodate his family and their luggage, which could also be used for sleeping. The vehicle had a top speed of just 25 mph (around 40 km/h). Beryl referred to the modified scooter as “the contraption.” The total journey took several months, with the main Sydney to Paris leg taking over two months of actual travel, plus extended stops due to weather and hospitality.

The family first drove 3,000 miles across the Australian outback from Sydney to Perth, where they boarded a ship to Colombo, Sri Lanka (then Ceylon). From there, they sailed to Bombay (Mumbai), India, where the main overland journey began. Their route then took them through: India, Pakistan, Persia (modern-day Iran), Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia (former), Italy, and France.

The Montins had initially planned to spend six weeks in India. Guy had carefully studied the seasonal movement of the monsoon rain and come up with a way of avoiding it. Nonetheless, it was the monsoon which eventually brought their travels to a stop, at which point Guy, Beryl and the children had to rely on the hospitality of the Indian people to offer them shelter. Their stay ended up lasting more than four months. An Indian newspaper focused on the family’s daily baths in the Ganges River and their strict adherence to vegetarian food as the main reason for their good health.

Later, Guy Montin wrote a letter to the Lambretta company. He explained that he has constantly been told that he’s insane, and that no one has at any point believed that they would reach their goal. In Sydney, no one thought they would even reach Perth. In Colombo, people swore that they could not reach Lahore through the monsoon. In Lahore, that it would be impossible to reach Quetta. In Quetta, they were perceived as mad if they really thought that they would be able to drive through Persia.

In the letter, Guy wrote – triumphantly and with great pleasure: “Eppoi si muove we are in Teheran...” Eppoi si muove translates to something along the lines of: Yet, we’re still moving... He continued the letter: “We have passed the worst. We now know for certain a family of four can eat, sleep and travel fifteen thousand kilometers on a Lambretta Furgoncino. We are not mad. In fact we are, the four of us, in splendid mental and physical shape. Just wait until you see us.

“Meanwhile we must stress an important fact: it is through no fault on the part of our machine that we have taken over six months to cover this part of our trip. It is the people who will not let us go. The engine purrs like a cheetah in the crisp morning air, the children have been fed, clothed and ‘potted.’ Mama has just retrieved Papa’s lost goggles. We are ready for the days three hundred kilometers...”

Eventually, they finally reached Paris and spent the night camping in their trusty Lambretta within the Bois de Boulogne park in the outskirts of the city. They have traveled through 11 different countries and have encountered everything from meter-high snow to heatwaves and monsoon rain. They’ve met primitive tribes, thick jungle and relentless desert. They’ve been plagued by dysentery and not least by the serious accident in the Australian outback. They sum up their spendings during their epic roadtrip: A total of 350 pounds – 80 for petrol, 200 for food and 5 for goatskin jackets and gloves. The rest was spent on repairs, visas and ferry tickets.

Back in England, The Sunday Express focused more on a couple of remarks made by Beryl. Under the headline: “One lipstick – on a trip half around the world” Beryl confessed that it wasn’t even the lack of daily baths which bothered her the most. It was the long and tiring route from Quetta in Pakistan to Mashed in Persia. This stretch was almost 3,000 km long and took them several weeks to put behind them, during which they lived solely off dried goat cheese and fruit. Still, Beryl did admit that not having a warm bath since leaving Sydney did eventually affect her mood, and it brought great joy when they finally had warm baths again in Persia.

Guy got to visit his family in Cahors in south-western France, and Beryl received a very warm welcome from her family in her hometown of Margate in the UK.

It had been a true adventure for the Montin family and a colossal, life-defining experience for the children Charles and Yvonne. Guy took a few notes during their trip, but mostly about the conversations they had, and seemingly mostly for personal use. Short episodes were captured by newspaper articles published as the family made their way through the many countries. In a time devoid of social media and before the need for self-promotion, tales from their travels are sparse. Even so, it’s food for thought and will surely energize most people’s fantasies. Just imagine all the adventures and experiences encompassed by a family roadtrip around half the globe on a three-wheeled scooter with 2hp and a total load of maximum 500 kg.

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40 Fascinating Photos of Paris Street Scenes in the Mid-20th Century

In the mid-20th century, the streets of Paris were alive with a unique blend of history and modernity. Wide boulevards designed by Baron Haussmann in the 19th century still framed the city, but the daily rhythm reflected a changing world. Classic café terraces spilled out onto sidewalks, where Parisians gathered for coffee, conversation, and cigarettes, while flower vendors, newspaper stands, and street performers added vibrancy to everyday life.

The streets were filled with a mix of iconic automobiles, such as the Citroën Traction Avant or the 2CV, mingling with bicycles and pedestrians. Fashionable men and women, often dressed in tailored suits, dresses, and hats, embodied the elegance of the era. Markets, bookstalls along the Seine, and bustling intersections revealed the timeless charm of Paris, even as it embraced modernity in art, cinema, and culture.

These mid-century street scenes capture not only the beauty and romance of the French capital, but also a moment in time when tradition and innovation coexisted, making Paris a symbol of style, creativity, and everyday life in Europe. These fascinating photos capture street scenes of Paris in the 1950s and 1960s.

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40 Fascinating Black and White Photos That Capture Paris Street Scenes in 1973

Street scenes of Paris in the 1970s capture a city in transition—where timeless charm met changing times. From the cobbled alleys of Montmartre to the busy cafés along Boulevard Saint-Germain, the streets buzzed with everyday life: vintage cars, newspaper kiosks, smoky brasseries, and pedestrians in flared trousers and trench coats.

These fascinating photos were taken by Peter Marshall on a stay of several weeks in Paris in August 1973 “when with my wife I walked around most of the city and a little outside taking photographs in what as my first real photographic project. They include both holiday snaps and more serious photographic work.”

Metro Autobus, Paris, August 1973

Barges and Pont des Arts, Paris, August 1973

By Pont Neuf, Paris, August 1973

Exit from Palais Royal, Paris, August 1973

Flea market, Paris, August 1973

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Mugshot of Vincenzo Perugia, the Thief of the ‘Mona Lisa’

Mugshot of Vincenzo Perugia, the Italian man who stole the Mona Lisa out of the Louvre Museum in Paris. Perugia claimed he completed the act out of patriotism, insisting the painting belonged in Leonardo da Vinci’s home country, Italy, and not France.

The police record of Vincenzo Peruggia in 1909, two years before the theft of Mona Lisa. (Photo by Roger Viollet via Getty Images)

Vincenzo Peruggia, an Italian handyman who had previously worked at the Louvre, stole the Mona Lisa on August 21, 1911. He entered the museum dressed in a worker’s smock, hid in a closet overnight, and then, while the museum was closed, removed the painting from its frame and walked out with it hidden under his smock.

Peruggia kept the Mona Lisa hidden in a false-bottom trunk in his Paris apartment for two years. During this time, the theft caused a sensation, and even famous artists like Pablo Picasso were questioned as suspects.

Peruggia’s motive, he claimed, was patriotic: he believed the Mona Lisa had been stolen from Italy by Napoleon and wanted to return it to its homeland. However, Leonardo da Vinci had actually sold the painting to King Francis I of France centuries earlier.

Peruggia was finally caught in December 1913 when he attempted to sell the painting to an art dealer in Florence, Italy, named Alfredo Geri. Geri, along with Giovanni Poggi, the director of the Uffizi Gallery, authenticated the painting and then alerted the police, leading to Peruggia's arrest at his hotel.

Peruggia was put on trial in Florence and, due to his claimed patriotic motives, received a lenient sentence, serving only seven months in jail. The theft, ironically, propelled the Mona Lisa to unprecedented global fame.