France’s 1950s economic boom led to substantial changes in French lifestyles and some of society’s fundamental structures. Near the turn of the century, the French people had come to enjoy greater comfort and security than their ancestors; they had come to rely on automobiles, modern appliances, and vacation homes that were once considered luxuries. French people began buying installments from supermarkets and spending less money on food and drink instead of paying attention to health and leisure activities. They were better protected from illness, unemployment, and a neglected old age by the expanded social security system after World War II. Modern technology and a new managerial spirit ushered France into the post-industrial era in the industrial regions. Unskilled workers declined in favor of technically trained specialists, and middle-management positions increased sharply.
The Marshall Plan organized intensive tours of American industry. Four hundred and seventy-one French businessmen and experts visited factories, farms, stores, and offices in the U.S. Many were amazed at how easy it was to buy a new automobile for a low price after nine months of work versus 30 months in France. A few companies in France resisted Americanization, but the most profitable ones, especially in chemicals, oil, electronics, and instrumentation, took advantage of the opportunity to attract American investments and expand their markets.
After the Second World War, Paris quickly regained its status as one of the world’s great centers of intellectual creativity. There was a cluster of brilliant thinkers and writers competing for influence, attracting followers abroad and in France. Jean-Paul Sartre led the first postwar wave, which made existentialism the leading ideology at the time.
Below are some stunning photos that will take you back to the 1950s in France.
#1 Azay-le-Rideau. Religious procession, Rue Balzac, France, early 1950s
#2 Arromanches les Bains, Landing Museum, 1958
#3 Arromanches les Bains, Landing Museum, 1958
#4 Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes, 1958
#5 Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes, 1958
#6 On the beach, Cannes, 1958
#7 Outside Hotel L’Amiraute, Place de la Gare, Cannes, 1955
#8 Possibly taken near the Plage Royale. The buildings in the background may have been demolished, Cannes, 1958
#9 View from Jette Albert Edouard, Cannes, 1956
#10 View from Jette Albert Edouard, Cannes, 1956
#11 View from Jette Albert Edouard, Cannes, 1956
#12 View of the USS Intrepid in the Golfe de la Napoule from Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes, 1956
#13 Chartres Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres), Cannes, 1956
#14 Chateau de Maintenon, Cannes, 1958
#15 Chatres Cathedral, Cannes, 1958
#16 Front portal, Chartres Cathedral, Cannes, 1958
#17 Lacemakers in traditional dresses outside Chartres Cathedral, Chartres, 1958
#18 View from the tower, Chartres Cathedral (Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Chartres), Chartres, 1956
#19 Deauville Casino (the white building to the right), and the Hôtel Barrière Le Normandy (the brown building on the left) from Rue de la Mer, 1958
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Clearly not Deauville Casino (the white building to the right), and the Hôtel Barrière Le Normandy (the brown building on the left) from Rue de la Mer
#20 Deauville, France, 1958
#21 Deauville, France, 1958
#22 Le Planches de Deauville (cnr Place Claude Lelouch), Deauville, 1958
#23 Le Planches de Deauville (cnr Place Claude Lelouch), Deauville, 1958
#24 Le Planches de Deauville (cnr Place Claude Lelouch), Deauville, 1958
#25 Chateau Fontainebleau, Fontainebleau, 1953
#26 Chateau Fontainebleau, Fontainebleau, 1953
#27 Château Azay le Rideau, Loire Valley, 1950s
#28 Château d’Amboise, Loire Valley, 1950s
#29 Château de Blois, Loire Valley, 1950s
#30 Le Château de Valensay, Loire Valley, 1950s
#31 View from Rue Gambatta of Château de Langeais, Langeais, Loire Valley, 1958
#32 View of the Spire of St Peters Church and the Cessart Bridge from Château de Saumur, Loire Valley, 1958
#33 Looking towards the Cathedral, Gros Horloge (Big Clock) Street, France, 1956
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This is Rouen, In Normandy. This road is now on pedestrian since a long time ago…
#34 Produce market, Rue Fortia, Marseille, 1953
#35 Produce market, Rue Fortia, Marseille, 1953
#36 Mont St Michel, France, 1958
#37 At the beach, Nice, 1955
#38 At the beach, Nice, 1955
#39 Le Negresco and the garden wall of Villa Massena, Nice, 1956
#40 Promenade de Angais, and Le Negresco, Marseille, 1956
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This is in Nice, not Marseille
#41 Sunbathers in bikinis, Marseille, 1955
#42 View from around 142-154 Boulevard Carnot, Mont Boron of Port Lympia, Marseille, 1956
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This is a view of the Nice port
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absoutely
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#43 On Gros Horloge (Big Clock) Street, France, 1956
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Seems Rouen.city
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This is Rouen. Wow – much better now as it’s pedestrian only and cleaned !
#44 Orléans Cathedral (Basilique Cathédrale Sainte-Croix d’Orléans) from Rue Jeanne d’Arc, 1956
#45 9 Rue de l’Échelle, 1st Arrondissement, then the Le Gourmet Sans Chiqué Restaurant, now the Metal Flaque Bridal Shop, Paris, 1953
#46 Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel, Paris, 1950s
#47 Arc de Triomphe, Paris, 1950s
#48 Eiffel Tower and the Golden Statues of Palais Chaillot, Paris, 1950s
#49 L’Arc de Triomphe at night, Paris, 1956
#50 L’église de la Madeleine, Paris, August 1955
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Not Eglise, seem Le Pantheon or L’Assemblée Nationale
#51 L’Hôtel national des Invalides (The National Residence of the Invalids), Paris, 1956
#52 Moulin Rouge at night, Paris, 1956
#53 Notre Dame de Paris, Paris, 1956
#54 Notre-Dame de Paris, 1950s
#55 On Avenue du General Lemonnier looking towards the Pavillon de Marsan, Louvre, Paris, 1956
#56 On Rue du Chevalier de la Barre, looking towards Sacré-Cœur Basilica, Paris, 1953
#57 On Rue du Mont-Cenis (cnr of rue du Chevalier-de-La-Barre), 1953
#58 On the Avenue des Champs-Elysees looking toward the Arc de Triomphe, Paris, 1950s
#59 Palais Garnier (Home of the Paris Opera), Paris, 1956
#60 Palais Garnier (Home of the Paris Opera), Paris, 1956
#61 Pavillon Sully, Palais du Louvre, Paris, 1956
#62 Petit Palais, Paris, 1956
#63 Petit Palais, Paris, 1956
#64 Pissoir, Paris, August 1955
#65 Rue de Rivoli, Paris, 1950s
#66 The Obelisk from the Tuileries Garden, Paris, 1950s
#67 The Panthéon, Paris, 1956
#68 View from Avenue de Tourville of the Monument to Marshal Gallieni & the Palaise Les Invalides, Paris, 1950s
#69 View from the Cour Carrée, Louvre, Paris, 1956
#70 View from the Eiffel tower towards Arc de Triomph, Paris, 1953
#71 View from the Eiffel Tower, 1956
#72 View from the Eiffel Tower, 1956
#73 View from the southern bank of the River Seine of the Notre Dame de Paris, 1956
#74 View from the southern bank of the River Seine of the Notre Dame de Paris, 1956
#75 View towards the Eiffel Tower from the Arc de Triomphe (the soldier is Canadian), 1953
#76 Chimney Flues, Rue Robert de Coucy, near the Reims Cathedral, Reims, 1956
#77 Crossing Tower of the Church of St. Ouen, Rouen, 1956
#78 Street scene, 97 Gros Horloge (Big Clock) Street, France, 1956
#79 Village in the Jura Mountains, France, 1953
#80 Hyères, 1957
#81 Anthéor, 1957
#82 Anthéor, 1957
#83 Anthéor, 1957
#84 Anthéor, 1957
#85 Anthéor, 1957
#86 Anthéor, 1957
#87 Bar Pique Nique, Anthéor, 1957
#88 Cote D’Azur , 1957
#89 Eiffel Tower, 1957
#90 Le Pont d’Avignon, 1957
#91 Nice casino, 1957
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Palais de la Méditerranée, Nice
#92 Nice, 1957
#93 Notre Dame, Paris, 1957
#94 Paris, 1957
#95 Probably between Grenoble and Nice, 1957
