News
Notre-Dame de Paris: Donate to Rebuild the CathedralNotre-Dame de Paris, a jewel of Gothic architecture from the 12th century and a symbol of French civilization, was ravaged by a fire on Monday evening. The cathedral’s two towers have survived, but two thirds of the roof, including the spire, have been destroyed. The tragedy sparked a wave of solidarity all over the world. France-Amérique and Chargeurs are contributing to the...
The Ambassador of France in Washington Steps DownGérard Araud has been the ambassador of France in the United States since September 2014, and will be retiring on April 19 of this year. His successor has not yet been named. The ambassador has worked with two American presidents, and celebrated his retirement at a reception at the ambassadorial residence in Washington D.C. on Wednesday evening. Gérard Araud, 66,...
Two Americans Decipher the French Yellow Vest CrisisOver the last few months, around 100,000 French people have transformed the hi-vis vest designed for road safety into a symbol for their anger against tax hikes on fuel and an emblem of the divide between the winners and losers of globalization and urban and rural populations. But are the Yellow Vests just more incorrigible French protesters 50 years after...
Karl Lagerfeld: Iconic, Enigmatic, TransatlanticFashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, who passed away on February 19, 2019, at the age of 85, was as much at home in Paris, where he had lived since the 1950s, as in New York, where he opened his first boutique last April. Karl Lagerfeld appeared as an emperor of fashion, rarely seen without his black sunglasses, diamond-patterned tie, and ponytail...
Opinion
Gérard Araud: “My Career Working Under Two Presidents”The ambassador of France in the United States since 2014, Gérard Araud retired on April 19. Before stepping down, he shared his experience with France-Amérique. The full version of his "diplomatic testament" is to be published in the May issue of our magazine. After being appointed ambassador of France to the United States, I presented my credentials to Barack H. Obama...
We’ll Always Have Notre-Dame de ParisNo one could have predicted the global swell of emotion inspired by the fire in the cathedral in Paris. The French are generally so divided and there are few regular churchgoers. And yet they suddenly found themselves united in collective mourning. Condolences flooded in from all over the world as if every French person had lost a loved one, and...
Give the People What They Want. But What Exactly?In an effort to reply to demands from the Yellow Vest movement, Emmanuel Macron has launched a major national debate that has so far had some success. The initiative is similar to one suggested by Louis XVI before the French Revolution, when citizens were invited to present “grievance books” to the king. The French have a soft spot for revolutionary...[Subscriber]
To Be or Not to Be Politically CorrectCan we still teach Mark Twain, whose hero is referred to as a "nigger," now that the word has been banished? What about Hergé's comic books and their grotesque depiction of women, Jews, Blacks, and Arabs? In the United States, as in France and other countries, populist movements are shaking up intellectual and political norms. New leaders are announcing that...[Subscriber]
Culture
Nathan Ambrosioni, the Young Prodigy of French CinemaAt 19 years old, French director Nathan Ambrosioni already has heads turning. His feature-length film, Paper Flags (Les drapeaux de papier), paints an emotional picture of a man released from prison who reconnects with his sister after a 12-year absence. The movie has been praised by critics and audiences alike. The young director has already been compared to Ken Loach...
Le Pouvoir Discret or Le Soft Power? How French Is Fighting Back Against GlobishIt should have been a celebration of French language and literature; instead it kindled a controversy. Last month’s national book fair, Livre Paris, was rocked by the organizers’ decision to highlight la littérature “Young Adult” (rather than jeune adulte) through a series of equally ill-named events. Say hello to la Bookroom, le Photobooth, le Bookquizz, and even un Brainsto (presumably...
Abd Al Malik: “In France, We Are Living in a Two-Tier Society”May Allah Bless France! is an autobiographical film by Abd Al Malik, a French rapper of Congolese origin, and will be screened on April 12 at NYU as part of the Black Experience in French Cinema festival. In 2015, we met with the artist and spokesperson for underprivileged populations. France-Amérique: May Allah Bless France! is the adaptation of your autobiographical...
Christo Has Paris in (W)rapturesAt the age of 83, Christo is about to make a life-long dream come true. As far back as 1962, the Bulgarian-American artist and his wife, Jeanne-Claude, already wanted to use a huge canvas to cover the Arc de Triomphe, a leading symbol of France. Entitled Projet pour Paris, Place de l’Etoile-Charles de Gaulle, this work will be on show from...
Business
Le Chocolat des Français, When Taste Meets BeautyThe French brand Le Chocolat des Français has called on artists, illustrators, and graphic novelists to create the packaging for its chocolate bars, which can now be found at the MoMA Design Store and at Bloomingdale’s in New York. “We wanted people to think twice about ripping the paper used to wrap our chocolate bars,” says Paul-Henri Masson, the founder...
Pop! The Rise of American Sparkling WineThe consumption of sparkling wine in the United States has doubled since the 1970s. Thanks to champagnes imported from France, "American champagnes," and sparkling wines produced by French companies established on the U.S. West Coast, the American market is bubbling over! Since the first cases of champagne were delivered to the Thirteen Colonies in 1750, French bubbly has enjoyed a...
Amédée 1851, French Scarves with a Transatlantic TwistThe scarves, squares, and throw blankets by French brand Amédée 1851 are a celebration of cruises from times past and the industrial heritage of the town of Roubaix, which was the world’s wool capital until the 1970s. The label’s first collection of accessories made with premium, eco-friendly fibers will be available for purchase online as of December 4. The models...
A French Company in Every U.S. StateThere is not a single American state without a French business within its borders. From New York to Alaska, companies such as Airbus, Michelin, Bel, Louis Vuitton, Safran, Saint-Gobain, and Sodexo are creating jobs and contributing to the U.S. economy. In its most recent annual report, the department of economic affairs at the embassy of France in Washington offers a...
Education
Are French Classes Under Threat at American Universities?According to the latest report from the Modern Language Association, which conducts an annual survey on the status of language learning in higher education in America, 129 French programs were discontinued between 2013 and 2016. Karl Cogard, education attaché at the embassy of France in Washington D.C., offers his take on this worrying situation. France-Amérique: The Modern Language Association’s report...
The École, a Bilingual School in New York, is Growing![Partner Article] Located in the heart of Manhattan, The École, which has recently expanded the size of its campus, is getting ready to admit new students to its bilingual program and reaffirm its original educational project. "Agile Minds, Open Hearts, Bright Futures." This is the motto of The École. Formerly known as the École Internationale de New York (EINY), it...
The Boom in Dual-Language Classes in New York (3/3): The Future of Education is in Two LanguagesIn the third and final part of our series on bilingualism, Fabrice Jaumont, education specialist and author of The Bilingual Revolution: The Future of Education is in Two Languages, looks at the future of French-English dual-language classes in New York. Fourteen public schools in New York have opened a French-English dual-language program since September 2007. Four have been discontinued due...
The Boom in Dual-Language Classes in New York (2/3): “Demand is High Enough to Open 50 More Schools!”In the second part of our series on bilingualism, Fabrice Jaumont, education specialist and author of The Bilingual Revolution: The Future of Education is in Two Languages, explains the role of parents in the creation of the French-English dual-language classes in New York. More than 80,000 people living in New York speak French at home according to the latest data...
Gastronomy
“Banning Foie Gras Is Easier than Going After the Poultry Industry”In 2005, Chicago Tribune reporter Mark Caro didn’t know a thing about foie gras. He then spent five years interviewing producers in the U.S. and in France as well as animal rights advocates, and published a book on the topic, The Foie Gras Wars. Ten years after the book’s release and in light of the ban recently introduced by the...
The Challenges of Banning Foie Gras in CaliforniaThe production and sale of foie gras have been banned once again in California. The law became enforceable on January 7, but how will it be applied and what are the consequences for the market? We interviewed key players in the sector and those who support the ban. Tara Gallegos, spokesperson for the California Attorney General’s Office, which is responsible...
Foie Gras Officially Banned in CaliforniaThe appeal by producers and restaurant owners has been rejected by the Supreme Court, and the law banning the production and sale of foie gras in California came into effect on January 7. While the appeal was still underway, foie gras remained legal in California. And the procedure filed in March 2018 by the Quebec Association of Duck and Goose...
King Cake: A French Tradition Little Known in the U.S.This golden, frangipane-filled cake appears in boulangeries and patisseries at the end of December. King cake or la galette des rois, is traditionally eaten with the family on the first Sunday after New Year’s Day, but many enjoy it from December 31 and throughout the whole month of January! Along with Yule logs and Easter eggs, this is another unmissable...