Dear Readers

A Francophile’s Dream since 1943

This May 23, France-Amérique is celebrating its 80th anniversary! Launched in New York City during World War II, the oldest French media outlet still operating in the United States is continuing its journey through the 21th century.
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© Francesco Bongiorni

The world has changed enormously since 1943, and so has France-Amérique. Since it was founded, the original newspaper has constantly evolved to become the premium magazine you are reading today. However, its calling has remained the same: maintaining a dialogue between France and the United States – two closely linked cultures, despite their differences – and moving past our mutual misunderstandings to find the best of both worlds.

Unsurprisingly, the cover story this month is about the political debate that divided New York City’s “French colony” in the early 1940s. This “Phony War” then spread to the American public, before finally uniting both communities under the banner of freedom. Jean-Paul Sartre referred to these events as “the Battle of New York,” and this clash led to the birth of France-Amérique, on May 23, 1943.

Acting as a narrator, our historian-in-residence Diane de Vignemont has immersed herself in the France-Amérique archives, revealing our publication’s major part in the fight to save democracy. These documents will be brought together in an anniversary exhibition this fall, looking back at 80 years of French-American relations.

It is certain that this role as a historical witness explains the unprecedented longevity of France-Amérique. I have chosen these words without pretention, but not without gratitude. You – our readers, advertisers, and partners – are the reason for the continued success of our magazine. Without you, France-Amérique would not exist.

Merci to you all!

Now, more than ever, your support is needed to ensure this magazine’s future and to help it continue its mission: recounting the mutual destinies of France and the United States in a joyful combination of information and entertainment. So that every month, France-Amérique can remain, in the words of one reader, “a Francophile’s dream.”


Letter by France-Amérique director Guénola Pellen, published in the May 2023 issue. Subscribe to the magazine.