The Belle Époque or La Belle Époque is a period of French, Belgian and European history, usually considered to begin around 1871–1880 and to end with the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Occurring during the era of the Third French Republic, it was a period characterised by optimism, regional peace, economic prosperity, colonial expansion, and technological, scientific, and cultural innovations. In this era of France's cultural and artistic climate , the arts markedly flourished, and numerous masterpieces of literature, music, theatre, and visual art gained extensive recognition.