English-language newspapers, such as the European, the Washington Post, New York Times and the International Herald Tribune, are on sale the same day or the day after publication. Of the French daily papers, Le Monde is the most intellectual; it's widely respected, and somewhat austere, despite a recent makeover which introduced such frivolities as colour photos. Libération, founded by Jean-Paul Sartre in the 1960s, is moderately left-wing, pro-European, independent and more colloquial, with good, if choosy, coverage, while rigorous left-wing criticism of the French government comes from L'Humanité, the Communist Party paper, though it's struggling to survive. The other nationals are all firmly right-wing in their politics: Le Figaro is the most respected. The top-selling tabloid, predictably more readable and a good source of news, is Le Parisien (published outside Paris as Aujourd'hui), followed by France-Soir, while L'Équipe is dedicated to sports coverage and Paris-Turf focuses on horse-racing. The widest circulations are enjoyed by the regional dailies. The most important of these is the Rennes-based Ouest-France – though for travellers, this, like the other regionals, is mainly of interest for its Listings.Weeklies of the Newsweek/Time model include the wide-ranging and socialist-inclined Le Nouvel Observateur, its right-wing counterpoint L'Express and the centrist with bite, Marianne. Comprising mainly translated articles, Courier International offers an overview of what's being discussed in media around the globe. The best investigative journalism is to be found in the weekly satirical paper Le Canard Enchainé, while Charlie Hebdo is a sort of Private Eye or Spy Magazine equivalent. There's also Paris-Match for gossip about stars and the royal families. Monthlies include the young and trendy Nova, which has excellent Listings of cultural events. There are, of course, the French versions of Vogue, Elle and Marie-Claire, and the relentlessly urban Biba, for women's fashion and lifestyle. Moral censorship of the press is rare. On the newsstands you'll find pornography of every shade, as well as covers featuring drugs, sex, blasphemy and bizarre forms of grossness alongside knitting patterns and DIY. You'll also find French comics (bandes dessinées), which often indulge such adult interests: wildly and wonderfully illustrated, they're considered to be quite an art form and whole museums are devoted to them. Some of the growing number of unemployed and homeless people in France make a bit of money selling magazines on the streets which combine culture, humour and self-help with social and political issues. Costing €2, the most well-known of these is the weekly L'Itinérant.
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