La Belle Époque

The Beautiful Era in Europe lasted from the late 1800's to WWI.

During this time champagne was perfected, (Painting by Alphonse Mucha, a fabulous Czech Art Nouveau painter - I saw his works in Prague and loved, loved, loved them.)

haute couture was born (heavy on the fur and feathers), 

railways linked cities in Europe (Restaurant Le Train Bleu - still going strong and gorgeous, make sure you stop for a spot of tea or a coupe de champagne when in the Gare de Lyon in Paris. Coco Chanel, Bridgitte Bardot, Jean Cocteau, Salvador Dali and Jean Gabin have all eaten there.), 

cabaret theater became the norm (haven't done that yet!), 

Art Nouveau art the style (Sarah Bernhardt in Gismonda by Mucha)

Gustav Klimt (Thank you Patty!)

and literary realism was born with authors like Emile Zola, James Joyce, Franz Kafka, William Butler Yeats, Marcel Proust and D. H. Lawrence. 

Franz Kafka

Marcel Proust

It's all rather glamorous, n'est ce pas?

Gros bisous et a demain!

Love, Charley