Jul 26th, 2009 · The grueling cycling race comes to an end on the Champs Elysee in Paris today. Lance Armstrong came out of retirement to return to the race this year. Host Liane Hansen talks to NPR's Eleanor Beardsley in Paris.
Jul 4th, 2009 · The Tour de France starts today in Monaco, and despite all the turmoil and troubles of recent times, this year's Tour is forecast to be one of the most exciting ever. The organizers hope to re-emphasize the race as a test of the riders, not their supporting technology. Drug testing will be tougher than ever, and Lance Armstrong will be hoping to restore his reputation as King of the Tour against some fierce competition. Host Scott Simon talks with Eleanor Beardsley in Paris.
Jun 7th, 2009 · President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are in Europe this weekend attending commemorations marking the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy. Their daughters are joining them to check out the delights of Paris. Eleanor Beardsley is in Paris and speaks with Host Liane Hansen about the First Family's visit.
Jun 6th, 2009 · The small villages in Normandy have a long tradition of honoring the American, British and Canadian soldiers who fought and died on the D-Day beaches in 1944. As the generation who witnessed those landings dies out, the French are determined the next generation will continue that tradition. Eleanor Beardsley reports.
Mar 29th, 2009 · The Obama administration has been calling for European countries to step up stimulus spending as a way of dealing with the global economic crisis. But as world leaders prepare for the G20 summit in London, many Europeans are rejecting that strategy. They say the social safety net they offer their citizens helps maintain spending, and what the world needs is tighter regulation of financial markets. Eleanor Beardsley reports from Paris.
May 28th, 2008 · Fifty years ago, Beneteau was a small, family-owned company that made fishing boats in a French village. Now it's the world's top sailboat maker, with dealers in 50 countries. Reporter Eleanor Beardsley has more on the woman who transformed the company.
Mar 1st, 2008 · Scott Simon speaks with Eleanor Beardsley about Boeing's loss of a lucrative aircraft contract with the U.S. military. The $40 billion deal was instead awarded to a consortium of businesses that includes Boeing's chief rival, European-owned Airbus. Europeans reacted with glee over the prospect of new jobs and an economic boost.
Jan 9th, 2008 · Lively Alsatian eatery Bofinger -- the city's oldest brasserie -- dishes up a grand dining experience in a Belle Epoque setting. Paris correspondent Eleanor Beardsley says it's both a historic symbol and a temple to the French way of eating.