belle époque

Or Belle Époque

[bel ey-pawk]

noun

French.

plural

belles époques 

1. the period (1871–1914) between the end of the Franco-Prussian War and the outbreak of World War I, characterized by relative peacefulness in Western Europe and by marked advances and productivity in the arts, literature, technology, etc.

belle époque

/ bɛl epɔk /

noun

1. the period of comfortable well-established life in Europe before World War I

Word History and Origins

Origin of belle époque¹

Literally, “beautiful epoch”

Word History and Origins

Origin of belle époque¹

literally: fine period