How a Former Shipping Canal Became the Heart of One of Paris' Coolest Areas

...plus, a short history of the Seine River, & our tips on where to find non-cliché gifts in the capital

Dear Subscribers,

I’ve always been weirdly fascinated by how cities evolve. What complex social, economic and political factors have to coalesce to turn a whole stretch of a metropolis, for instance, into a hotspot for textile makers, or finance, or antiquarian booksellers?

Another (admittedly odd) semi-obsession of mine: How do red-light districts come …