Out of America: The decline of a once mighty magazine is a sign that the media landscape has changed for ever

A Picasso nude once marvelled at by Hollywood stars as they partied in the home of its millionaire owner but which was only ever shown once in public in the past 50 years has set a new record price for a work of art sold at auction.

A beautiful city with low interest rates is tempting, but do look before you leap, warns Chiara Cavaglieri

A taste of the Orient in the heart of Catalonia

France's World Cup preparations were overshadowed today by news that players, including the talismanic Franck Ribery, had been heard as witnesses by police investigating a prostitution network.

'Music for the Royal Fireworks' takes off like a rocket

Inspired by a satirical poem on a convent parrot corrupted by foul language, Vert-Vert was accused of indecency at its London premiere.

A BBC TV special on Fauré tonight highlights a new theory by The Independent’s Jessica Duchen that he was traumatised by war and the Paris Commune, and that this shaped his view of death – and his magisterial music

Macarons were the preserve of wealthy. To the chagrin of French food snobs they're now even in Starbucks

There are few more enchanting experiences in life than shopping in Paris, particularly in the run up to Paris Fashion Week. So to help you make the most of your time in the fashion capital, we've teamed up with Air France to offer the inside scoop on the best back street boutiques and bijou haunts to visit whilst you're there.

Hôtel Parc Saint-Séverin

You don’t need the deepest of pockets to enjoy sky-scraping views of Paris. At the Hôtel Parc Saint-Séverin, an atmospsheric Latin Quarter location is paired with a reasonable price. If you book the terrace room, you can tuck in to breakfast out on a private balcony overlooking Saint-Séverin St Severin church church, one of the city’s iconic buildings.

Hotel Parc Saint-Séverin, 22 rue de La Parcheminerie, 75005 Paris (00 33 1 43 543 217; paris-hotel-parcsaintseverin.com ). Doubles from €167, breakfast €14 per person; if you book a non-refundable room online in advance, rates fall to as little as €114.

First Night Review: Face Au Paradis, Théâtre Marigny, Paris

The country's failure to come to terms with its ethnic mix has been exposed by events on the football field, says John Lichfield

The Emir of Qatar wants to reopen the hotel where the 'master-spy' was arrested. John Lichfield reports on its colourful history