Affairs
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The opener
We eye the future of branding and assess the sartorial statement of the ‘gilets jaunes’. First up: the influence of French words and how to bring people together through a love of good food.
Defence
Bulgaria beefs up its airforce, Turkey adds to its missile stocks and Greece tightens its coastal security.
Batten down the hatches: Join the French navy aboard the ‘Chevalier Paul’
As France reasserts itself on the world stage, we visit the historic naval base at the epicentre of its maritime prowess.
Bonjour, tout le monde
French influence spans the globe, be it the wine you drink, the car you drive or the clothes you wear. It’s soft power with a swagger and Breton stripe too.
Mont Dieu
Mont Blanc is Europe’s mightiest mountain, but also its deadliest. Monocle meets the locals who live in its shadow, from rescue teams to entrepreneurs, to separate the beauty from the treachery.
Liberté. Égalité?
France has kept its former imperial outposts close – but some feel the distance. Are they happy being a part of the fraternity?
French lessons
From political machinations and getting the hang of thinking like a local to freedom of the press and a love of flirting, our writers reveal what makes France tick.
Bright future
All but destroyed in the Second World War, the town of Royan took inspiration from Brazil when it rebuilt, swapping drab postwar design for colourful modernism.
Icebreakers: rescue know-how
Finland has obvious natural advantages that have helped it become an icebreaking powerhouse but the country’s dominance in the field is startling. We travel to the Bay of Bothnia to bear witness to the…
