DISCOVER THE XXᵉ CENTURY - WORLD WARS AND RECONSTRUCTION

A century of fractures and rebirths

The XXᵉ century opened with the splendour of the Belle Époque, but soon Paris experienced the dark hours of the World Wars. The city, battered, resisted and rebuilt itself, while entering modernity head-on.

Why take an interest?

Because the XXᵉ century was one of major political, social and cultural upheavals that still shape the Paris of today. To understand this period is to grasp the evolution of a capital that has managed to survive and reinvent itself.

A brief history and anecdotes

During the First World War, Paris was bombed and threatened, but held out heroically. In 1940, the capital fell to the Nazis, before being liberated in August 1944 to the acclaim of the people. After the war, Paris became a major intellectual and artistic centre, welcoming existentialists, surrealists and film-makers. The cobblestones of May 68 still resonate as a symbol of protest.

Landmarks of the XXᵉ century

- 1914-1918: First World War and the Battle of the Marne
- 1940-1944: Occupation and Liberation of Paris
- 1958: De Gaulle founds the Fifth Republic
- 1968: student and social revolts
- 1980s: major presidential works (Pyramide du Louvre, Grande Arche, Bibliothèque Mitterrand)

Tips for further study

- Visit the Museum of the Liberation of Paris
- Explore the emblematic sites of May 68, such as the Latin Quarter
- Observe the modern architecture of major presidential projects
- Read personal accounts by members of the Resistance or post-war writers

Through the audio guide

🎧 Listen to our immersive account of Paris in the XXᵉ century, between war, hope and modernity, on History Guide City Paris!
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