The
Belle Époque or
La Belle Époque (;
French for "Beautiful Era") was a period of
Western European history. It is conventionally dated from the end of the
Franco-Prussian War in 1871 to the outbreak of
World War I in around 1914. Occurring during the era of the
French Third Republic (beginning 1870), it was a period characterized by optimism, regional peace, economic prosperity and
technological, scientific and cultural innovations. In the climate of the period, especially in
Paris, the arts flourished. Many masterpieces of literature, music, theater, and visual art gained recognition. The
Belle Époque was named, in retrospect, when it began to be considered a "
golden age" in contrast to the horrors of World War I.