short historical introduction

La Belle Époque, – the Beautiful Era – is an expression, born after the First World War, created to evoke the period stretching from after the Napoleonic campaigns until the watershed in Europe of the Great War: the years from 1890 to 1914.

The name Belle Époque encompasses the 1901 building designed by Jules Lavarotte, Parisrealities of expansion, carefree attitudes, a faith in progress, and an affluence spreading down through society, together with a certain nostalgia. This nostalgia was an embellishing memory of reality coming out of the trauma of the First World War. [Note that the term Belle Epoque was not widely used by the French.]

The social disruption, turmoil and loss of the Great War, caused by the millions of young men sent away from their families and work, never to return, marked Western Europe and its societies. Women having to cope without men and replace them at work resulted in female emancipation and independence, while returning military turned against the almost feudal nature of civilian society.

The Belle Epoque was coined to describe the years of peace and prosperity that marked middle-class life in France, before the Great War changed so much. The name soon spread to include many other countries in the West.

The Bell Epoque had notable features, such as dress, art and, with the optimism generated by a new century, engineering feats and technological progress. Art included painting such as the Impressionists, furniture and architecture, much styled by Art Nouveau and the English Arts and Crafts movement.

the Belle Epoque in Europe

After the Franco-Prussian War, Europe saw a long period of peace, at those times unusual yet favourable to economic and technical progress. This progress touched particularly France, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary.

People at that period were very optimistic and carefree about the future, thanks to the extraordinary technological advances. Positivism (Faith in science) and scientism (Science explains everything) made their appearance. La Belle Époque was manifest mainly on the streets of European capitals, in cafés and cabarets, in workshops and art galleries, concert halls and salons – places frequented by middle classes who benefited from economic progress.

in France

After the 19th century Great Depression of 1873/4 to 1895/6, France entered a period of sustained growth in what was termed the Second Industrial Revolution.

The French population, while remaining hierarchical, became aware of belonging to a single nation. The rail network extended and helped open up the countryside, although France’s population remained largely rural.

The English, from different social groups, would come to France during this period. They came both for holidays where the seaside was an attraction, especially in winter when they could escape the bleak northern winters, and because France was a cheaper and socially more accepting place to live.

Exiles from the harshness of UK society included Oscar Wilde, and later the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and Oswald Mosley and his wife. Hitler chose Hendaye on the south-west coast to meet Franco, a town where later Winston Churchill would come to convalesce after World War Two. Decca Mitford lived in Bayonne when she and her reporter husband , Esmond, ran away to join the Spanish Civil War.

At this period, those of very limited means and the idle classes travelled to France because of its low prices, and for fun in the sun. For the richer people, there were virtually no borders, and they discovered the newest means of touring by motor car and coach.

The English disported themselves in casinos and on the Mediterranean coast, on the Côte d’Azur. There were so many English people staying in Nice that the main road along the sea front was named la Promenade des Anglais – the Promenade [seaside walkway] of the English. The English also came to the southern Atlantic coast, particularly to sojourn at Biarritz, with its sheltered beaches and more affluent commerce.

technology

During this period, there were a succession of inventions that fundamentally altered people’s lives: the harnessing and use of electricity, the internal combustion engine, vaccinations against disease [invented by Louis Pasteur], the photograph, films, the bicycle. There was also immense progress made in chemistry and steel. These technological advances made life easier at all levels of society.

In France, the growing command of engineering in steel were manifest in the Eiffel Tower, the Viaduct de Garabit and the Grand Palais in Paris.

As well as the national demonstrations of engineering prowess, there were more local examples like the funicular train up the Rhune mountain in Pyrenees Atlantiques, built as a tourist attraction and still growing strong in the 21st century, and the moving pedestrian ramp at Biarritz, sadly dismantled to help the Great War war effort [page under preparation].

All this progress gave people a feeling of optimism, that anything was possible.

From 1889 postcard of the Eiffel TowerThe World Fair of 1889, when the Eiffel Tower was opened to the public, and the Universal Exhibition of 1900 put Paris and France on the map as lively, expanding places in international society. For the Universal Exhibition, many new buildings were erected for the exhibition, often lit by the then novel electric lighting, while gas lamps illuminated the streets. Thus, Paris became an early City of Lights.

These major exhibitions were symbols of the Belle Epoque.

The Belle Epoque was marked, particularly among the wealthier, by particular dress styles.

1890-1900 Marked by leg of mutton sleeves, very small waists and skirts flared like a cone. Often, women wore an ensemble of a tailored short jacket and skirt – a suit.

1900-1907 Better-off women wore corsets which altered their silhouette to an S-shape. High-collared necks during the day gave way to very low decolleté scoop necks in the evening. Sleeves were wide and loose, held in by a wrist cuff.

1908-1914 Corsets extended downwards, to make the body look much slimmer and willowy.

Fashion Era is an impressive web site with sections on fashion from many historical periods.

art, particularly impressionism

Cancan poster for the Moulin Rouge club, Montmartre, ParisThe cultural scene flourished and took on new forms with Impressionism and Art Nouveau, the realistic novels of Gustave Flaubert and Emile Zola, cabarets, the French Cancan.

After 1880, Neo- or Post-Impressionism outgrew the school of painting, that had arisen first in France, called Impressionism.

Dejeuner sur l’herbe by Eduard ManetImpressionists had burst onto the French art scene in the 1860s. They painted in a fresh new style with colour, light, strong brush strokes, compositions taken directly from life and painted in the open air, not keeping to accepted formal rules of sombre presentation and historical and religious subjects, painted only indoors in a studio.

The Impressionists’ new style was rejected by the establishment in the guise of the Paris Salon, managed by the Académie des Beaux-Arts and founded by Emperor Napoleon III. However, it was Napoleon III who, in due course, supported the alternative Salon des Refusés – Exhibition of the Refused – so the general public could decide for themselves the merit of the new painting style.

Impressionists in France included Eduard Manet, Claude Monet, Pierre Auguste Renoir, Alfred Sisley, Paul Gauguin, Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Berthe Morisot, Armand Guillaumin, Frédéric Bazille.

Neo-Impressionists in France included Georges-Pierre Seurat, Camille Pissarro, Paul Signac, Charles Angrand, Maximilien Luce, Henry Edmond Cross.

The great radical Dutch painter, Vincent Van Gogh, was a pioneer of a movement known as Expressionism. He lived in France from 1886 until he died there in 1890.

art nouveau

Dancer by Alphonse Mucha, 1898The creators of the Art Nouveau [New Art] had the ambition to break ties with the past, and to invent forms of art which would employ new techniques and new materials. Art Nouveau would be expressed in an original style, without precedent.

The source of paramount, sometimes exclusive, inspiration was nature and its seasons. Everything in the choice of the lines and forms was provocative, coming very close to disrespecting tradition. All lines were based on a stylisation of plants.

Art Nouveau was both a reaction against the established culture of historical art and a response to the Industrial Revolution, with its new materials and techniques, and sometimes shoddy standards of production.

This new artistic movement encompassed many areas of everyday life as a “total work of art”, or Gesamtkunstwerk: buildings, furniture, textiles, clothes, and jewellery. These were all designed to conform to the principles of Art Nouveau, which started in about 1890 and ended in 1914 with the coming of the Great War.

It is thought that this movement acquired its name from a shop in Paris, also called Art Nouveau and opened in 1895.

Paris Metro staion by Henri Guimard“It is always from Nature we must seek advice”, said in 1899 by Hector Guimard, architect and designer of many Paris Metro entrances. The Art Nouveau designers and artists were attracted by the linear qualities of plants and their expression of an organic force. Plants preferred were iris, umbelliferae, water lilies, sometimes made more stylised, with designs inspired by the stems rather than the flowers. There was also the influence of Japanese art, particularly tusche paintings.

Despite the desire to achieve an art for all and allow for some industrialised manufacturing, often unique or small series were made. These were mainly the work of craftsmen such as woodworkers, sculptors, workers in marquetry, and so expensive and accessible only to the wealthier.

Art Nouveau arose almost simultaneously in most West European societies. Here is a list of proponents in several countries:

In France
the fin de siècle [end of century] movement, Hector Guimard and his designs for Paris Metro entrances, René Lalique’s jewellery

In Britain
Walter Crane, Arthur Mackmurdo, Arthur Lasenby Liberty, Charles Ashbee, Aubrey Beardsley, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the PreRaphaelite painters, William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement

In Belgium
Franch Theophile Alexandre Steinlen, Alphonse Mucha, Victor Horta, Henry van de Velde

In Spain
Antoni Gaudí, Modernisme

In Austria
Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser, Josef Hoffmann, Secessionism

In Germany
Abstract speed – the car has passed by Giacomo Balla, 1913 Hermann Obrist, August Endell, Jugendstil

In Italy
Giacomo Balla, Boccioni, Futurists

In the Netherlands
Piet Mondrian

In United States
Rookwood Pottery of Cincinnati, Tiffany Studios of New York City, Louis Sullivan
art nouveau furniture

Chair by Henri GuimardFundamental elements of Art Nouveau design are the line and the curve. Slim and stringy iron constructions were invented. Horta used lines and curves as graphical ornaments, Guimard tried to bring lines into space and created compositions of iron, glass, and air. However, van de Velde considered a dynamic, abstract line as intrinsic construction element. He said:

“A line is a force, acting like all elementary forces; several associated but antagonising lines provoke the same as antagonising forces.”

Thus, the legs of furniture are usually made of curves, flaring outwards, that the plan is often curved, sinuous moulding and carved decoration or applied bronzes, well integrated to the structure, Walnut, oak and above all pear, tamarind or mahogany wood are preferred.

timeline

Sangrada Familia, still under construction in 20071885 Beginning of the construction of Sagrada Familia
by Gaudi in Barcelona

1889 The Eiffel Tower is built for the Paris World’s Fair.

Jane Avril at the Jardin de Paris by Toulouse Toulouse-Lautrec1893 Paris Japanese prints exhibition organized by Siegfried Bing.
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec paints Jane Avril at the Jardin de Paris.
Posters by Toulouse-Lautrec for the Moulin-Rouge.
Lithograph by Bonnard for the White Review.

1894 Claude Debussy completes L’après-midi d’une faune

Poster with Sarah Bernhardt by Alphonse Mucha 1895 The Lumière brothers screen the
first moving picture, of workers leaving a factory.
René Lalique designs Dragonfly woman corsage ornament.

1896 Opening of the gallery Art nouveau
by Seigfreid Bing in Paris

1898 Guimard builds the Manor house
Béranger, first Art Nouveau building in Paris.
Jewels by Lalique.

1899 Ceramics by Gauguin.
Furniture by Majorelle, lamps and objects by Tiffany.

1900 Paris: Loïe Fuller Pavilion, Pavilion Bing, and other Art
Nouveau designs triumph at the World’s Fair.
Paris metro opens using Hector Guimard’s Metro station entrances.

1903 Pierre and Marie Curie share Nobel Prize

1905 Exhibition at Salon d’automne by artists
named collectively, les fauves.

St. Georges Avenue is a residential street in North Vancouver, a scenic city across the Burrard Inlet from Vancouver, known for its blend of urban amenities and natural beauty (e.g., proximity to the North Shore Mountains). It runs through the Central Lonsdale neighborhood, a bustling area with shops, restaurants, and community services. The street is part of a well-connected residential zone, with easy access to key local landmarks and transit options, making it a desirable place to live or visit.

The Saint George Apartments is a multi-faceted community on or near St. Georges Avenue. It offers studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom apartments, and 3-bedroom townhomes, featuring amenities like in-suite laundry, in-floor radiant heating, and stainless-steel appliances. Located near Central Lonsdale, it’s close to Lonsdale Quay Market, retail shops, and outdoor attractions like water and mountain vistas. It emphasizes a “better way of life,” appealing to those seeking modern living with access to nature, suggesting St. Georges Avenue is a hub for young professionals, families, or retirees.

St. Georges Avenue is well-integrated into the city’s road network, accessible via major arteries like Lonsdale Avenue. Its location near Central Lonsdale places it within walking distance of public transit (e.g., SeaBus to Vancouver) and the Highway 1 corridor, enhancing connectivity.

As of 2025, North Vancouver’s real estate remains competitive, with Central Lonsdale seeing steady demand due to its amenities and views. Prices for condos or apartments on St. Georges Avenue likely range from CAD 600,000 to over CAD 1 million, depending on size and condition.

Central Lonsdale, where St. Georges Avenue is located, is known for its vibrant community feel, with local favorites like the Lonsdale Quay Market offering fresh produce and artisan goods. The area’s proximity to parks (e.g., Lynn Canyon) and outdoor activities aligns with Vancouver’s active lifestyle culture. The population includes a mix of young families, professionals, and older residents, with a growing international community reflecting North Vancouver’s diversity. North Vancouver is generally safe, with low crime rates compared to Vancouver proper. St. Georges Avenue’s residential nature suggests a quiet, family-friendly environment, though its central location means some traffic noise.

St. Georges Avenue in North Vancouver is a residential street in the heart of Central Lonsdale, offering modern living options like The Saint George apartments, strong connectivity, and proximity to shopping and nature. It’s an attractive spot for those seeking a balanced urban-outdoor lifestyle, with a real estate market reflecting its desirability.

A campaign is drawing attention to a a medical condition that affects people worldwide.

Luteolin is a bioflavonoid that neutralizes free radicals, reducing oxidative stress, which is held to be associated with aging. It is naturally occurring in many foods including artichoke, celery, parsley and peanuts.

Like PEA, luteolin has several mechanisms of action. It inhibits mast cells, as well as mast cell-dependent T cell activation. Luteolin modulates microglial activation and inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokine production. It also acts on GABA and opioid receptors in the spinal cord.

The combination of PEA with luteolin has been shown to decrease mast cell activation significantly more than PEA or luteolin alone, and to reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-6) and chemokines (MIP-1 alpha, MIP-2) significantly more than PEA or luteolin alone. Additionally, PEA with luteolin was shown to reduce oxidative and nitrosative damage more effectively than PEA or luteolin alone.

Broadway is a major east-west thoroughfare in the city of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In Vancouver’s numbered avenue grid system, it runs in place of a 9th Avenue, between 8th and 10th. The street has six lanes for most of its course. Portions of the street carry the British Columbia Highway 7 designation.

The route begins as “West Broadway” at the intersection of Wallace Crescent and 8th Avenue, in the affluent residential neighbourhood of West Point Grey, a few kilometres east of the University of British Columbia (UBC). Past Alma Street, Broadway takes over from 10th Avenue as one of Vancouver’s major thoroughfares, as it enters Greek West Broadway (or Greektown) section of Vancouver’s Kitsilano district. East of here are several blocks of generally trendy, upscale shops interspersed with low-rise apartment blocks and small supermarkets. The surrounding neighbourhoods generally consist of large, older homes dating from the early twentieth century, many of which have been subdivided into rental suites.

As Broadway approaches Arbutus Street, the commercial establishments become larger before transitioning into a mix of small to mid-size apartment blocks. East of Burrard Street, the apartment blocks get progressively taller, and commercial establishments larger and busier. Between Burrard and Main Street, Broadway can be considerably congested by vehicular traffic. Past Granville Street, Broadway yields completely to medium-to-large commercial structures and high-rise apartments and condominiums. Between Cambie and Main, the commercial establishments become smaller and somewhat more downscale.

At Ontario Street, two blocks west of Main, the route becomes “East Broadway.” After bisecting Main and Kingsway, traffic on Broadway eases somewhat, and the character returns to a mix of small-to-medium apartment buildings and commercial establishments, interspersed with older homes – all considerably less affluent than those to the west. At Commercial Drive, Broadway passes by the Commercial–Broadway SkyTrain Station. Past here for several blocks, the neighbourhood consists predominantly of older residential homes.

As Broadway travels east of Renfrew Street, the neighbourhood once again becomes mixed, with older homes to the north and larger industrial, commercial, and warehouse establishments to the south. Broadway finally ends at Cassiar Street, just short of the Vancouver-Burnaby boundary, where it becomes the Lougheed Highway.

Broadway was created at the turn of the 20th century, along with other gridded roads south of False Creek, to meet the needs of an expanding population in Vancouver. The name of the route was changed from 9th Avenue to Broadway in 1909, at the behest of merchants around Main Street (at that time the hub of Vancouver commerce), who felt that it bestowed a more cosmopolitan air. Commercial establishments originally spread out around the intersections of Cambie and Main Streets, while the character of the rest of the route remained predominantly single-family dwellings.

By the 1970s, the length of Broadway had become a major arterial route in Vancouver, conveying commuters from downtown to the neighbourhoods of the west and east sides. With the growth of UBC and the expansion of the Vancouver General Hospital (one block south of Broadway between approximately Oak and Cambie), traffic demands accelerated. In the 1990s, the agency then responsible for public transit in Greater Vancouver — BC Transit — introduced an express bus route, the 99 B-Line, to help reduce congestion. The Vancouver transportation plan for Broadway notes that congestion is such that the bus service is at capacity, and will not be eased until a new rapid transit line is built paralleling the street. It is anticipated that the SkyTrain’s Millennium Line will be extended to Central Broadway by 2021; the extension is expected to connect with Canada Line at Broadway-City Hall Station, at the intersection of Broadway and Cambie Street.