News

• Where to Celebrate la Fête de la Musique in North America?

  On June 21, 750 cities in 120 countries will participate in Make Music Day, or “Fête de la Musique.” Originating in France, this festival was created by French Cultural Minister Jack Lang in 1982 to be an annual celebration of music in its most welcoming form. Free for the public and open to musicians of any genre or skill level,...

• French Legislative Election: The Results of the Second Round in North America

  The 200,179 French voters registered in the U.S. and in Canada have spoken. With some 79.73% of the total votes, Roland Lescure (La République en marche) has won the second round of the French legislative election. As a "député" elected at the "Assemblée nationale," he will represent French citizens residing in North America for the next five years. The North-American Results...

• Dinner in New York, Dessert in Paris

  Air France is set to open a pop-up restaurant in New York to showcase some of the French cuisine it serves in-flight. As a final course, diners have a chance to win a flight departing immediately after the meal that will land winners in Paris for dessert. Eat dinner in New York and dessert in Paris. This dream could come...

• American Media on the French Legislative Election

  Le 11 juin dernier se tenait le premier tour de l’élection qui choisira les 577 députés qui siègent à l’Assemblée nationale française et votent les lois. La presse américaine décrypte la victoire de La République en marche, le parti d’Emmanuel Macron, dont une majorité de candidats sont arrivés en tête des scrutins. Ils étaient peu à s’être déplacés dimanche dernier. Le premier tour...

Opinion

• France Discovers Vetting

  Both the French and American presidents have the power to appoint people of their choosing to thousands of public sector positions, starting with their cabinet. The difference in France, however, is that no vetting of their background is required. Presidential nominations are not subject to any checks in France, whereas the equivalent appointments in the United States are generally preceded by...

• A Short Honeymoon

  La majorité présidentielle contrôle désormais 65% de l’Assemblée nationale française. Cette victoire retentissante, toutefois, sera de courte durée : Emmanuel Macron aura fort à faire à la rentrée. Macron dispose des pleins pouvoirs. Ce qui, en réalité, lui donne seulement quelques mois de liberté pour accomplir la réforme essentielle, celle du droit du travail, entamée en 2016. A la rentrée, il...

• Macron as an Enlightened Despot

  According to early estimates, the République en Marche ! party headed by President Emmanuel Macron is set to control more than 70% of the National Assembly. A rare case of political domination in French history. Macronism is a representation of a French passion: Enlightened despotism, that of Bonaparte and De Gaulle, the quest for a Savior. Its origins are ancient, with Voltaire immediately springing...

• Beware of King Macron

  Emmanuel Macron's movement won by a landslide the first round of the French legislative election, held in North America last weekend. There is a real danger the domination of the En Marche ! movement will change the nature of the Republic. Macron’s candidate Roland Lescure came away with 57.53% of the votes in the United States and Canada, putting him 43 points...

Culture

• Château de Blérancourt Restored with Two Million Dollars from U.S. Patrons

  The Franco-American museum, Château de Blérancourt, in Picardy, has been closed for renovation for 12 years, and will reopen on Sunday, June 25. This major project was made possible by a U.S. charity, the American Friends of Blérancourt. The Executive Director of the American Friends of Blérancourt, Larry Horne, is preparing for the big day in his office, located on...

• French-Speaking Comedians On-Stage in New York

  The French Comedy Festival offers five French-speaking comedians a chance to perform on-stage in New York from June 21 to 24, 2017. The French Comedy Festival was founded in 2016, and this year will be hosting five comedians — two French, one American, one Canadian and one Belgian — across four New York venues. “The festival aims to promote French culture through humor,”...

• Bertrand Tavernier: “French Cinema is not Limited to the Nouvelle Vague”

  Bertrand Tavernier is the man behind "Coup de torchon," "A Sunday in the Country," "Round Midnight" and "Captain Conan," and is now back with a documentary looking at 50 years of French cinematic history. The French filmmaker will be presenting his work in Los Angeles on June 15 and in New York on June 20-24. The film will then be released...

• Los Angeles Swings to Jazz by Django Reinhardt

  The Lycée Français de Los Angeles is celebrating all things swing! The Lycée's Théâtre Raymond Kabbaz will be hosting the first edition of a festival in honor of renowned French jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt on June 17 and 18, 2017. Jean Reinhardt was born in Belgium in 1910, and his life could well have taken a turn for the worse....

Business

• Provence in the Mail with Good Morning South

  Whether you’re after embroidered bags, tapenade, scented candles or almond-based body care products, Good Morning South delivers Provence to your door. The French website was launched on June 5, 2017, and aims to introduce the American public to the Provence region and the expertise of its artisans. We met with Marseille-born Lucille Pinero, 31, who co-founded the website. France-Amérique: How was this project born?...

• The Macaron Franchise Frenzy

  Macarons are a symbol of true, French sophistication, and now enjoy their own franchise in the United States. Founded in 2009 by two French expats in Florida, the Le Macaron French Pastries chain recently inaugurated its 50th boutique in Yonkers, New York. The Yonkers macaron boutique is located between a Gap store and an H&M. While wandering through the open-air...

• “Rosé Is the Champagne of American Millenials”

  While seen as old-fashioned in France, rosé wine is blossoming in the United States. Pierrick Bouquet spotted an opportunity in the wine’s growing success, and founded two popular events: La Nuit en Rosé, from May 18 until 20, and Pinknic, from June 24 until 25. The 34-year-old Parisian explains how rosé has become the "champagne of the millennials." France-Amérique: How...

• Meet Shapr, the French Networking App That’s Taking Off in the U.S.

  Sponsored Content: Anyone who has ever moved cities (or countries!) knows how challenging it can be to build a network in a new place. However, your network is the single most important professional tool you have for your career. Your network can get you in the door at interesting companies, advise you on your ideas and help introduce you to...

Education

• The Alliance of French and American Universities

  The Alliance Program, a partnership between Columbia University in New York and three French institutions — Ecole Polytechnique, Sciences Po and Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University — has awarded 700 dual-degrees in the past ten years. Each one of these graduates spent half of their schooling in Paris and the other half in New York, making their education an equal product of...

• A Public Immersion Program for Pasadena

  Two French-English bilingual classes will open next August at the Pasadena, California, school district. In a state where public schools are rare, this free program is quick to seduce parents. Gary Prézeau is from Sherbrooke in the Quebec province. His wife, Kerry, is Australian. Based in Pasadena, California, since 2001, the couple endeavor to raise their son “in a bilingual environment.” Their five-year-...

• Bilingualism Becomes a Government Affair in Salt Lake City

  Public schools in Utah are focusing on dual language immersion to create a generation of cosmopolitan citizens and attract international investors. With a total of 3,900 children involved in the Francophone part of the program, Utah is the second American state — just behind Louisiana — with the highest number of pupils learning French. Room 216 is an ordinary classroom, with a whiteboard, 30...

• Are Online Classes the Way Forward for French Departments?

  French departments threatened with closure in the United States are finding a solution online. Four universities in Georgia recently joined forces to create the first online bachelor’s degree in French Dorothée Mertz-Weigel meets her French students for an advanced conversation class every Monday at 9pm. The discussions takes place online via Skype. The students include office workers, soldiers and homemakers,...

Gastronomy

• Thierry Rautureau: Out of the Kitchen and onto our Small Screens

  Thierry Rautureau is perhaps best known to Americans by his nickname, “the Chef in the Hat”. Having been a Seattleite for 30 years, the chef from the Vendée region hosts a weekly radio show and regularly appears on cooking programs on The Food Network, PBS and Bravo. His small screen appearances act as a second storefront for his café, Luc, which will be...

• Jacques Torres Inaugurates his Chocolate Museum in New York

  Choco-Story is the very first chocolate museum in New York, and opened in the SoHo neighborhood on March 7. Founded by French chocolatier Jacques Torres, the new institution looks back over the history of cacao. A Mayan manuscript sits proudly in a showcase. The artifact is a reproduction of an original codex dating back to pre-Columbian societies in the third...

• Jacky Robert’s Gastronomical Family Heritage

  Normandy-born chef Jacky Robert is continuing his family traditions in Boston. Starting out alongside his late uncle Lucien Robert, he helped make the restaurant Maison Robert into a showcase for French gastronomy, popular with Julia Child and the Kennedy family. Since 2005, the French chef has delighted the Boston smart-set with his own restaurant, Ma Maison, which will be taking...

• Bouche, a Slice of Provence in New Mexico

  From appetizers to desserts, the bistro Bouche blends French and American influences. Heading up this Santa Fe restaurant, American chef Charles Dale offers a menu showcasing the American southwest while paying homage to his childhood on the French Riviera and his years spent in New York alongside French chef Daniel Boulud. Bouche is also one of the 50 restaurants taking...