Every month in France-Amérique,
discover the best of French and Francophone culture in the United States and Canada.
Analysis of French-American news • French cultural events in the United States and Canada • Interviews with leading intellectuals • Fashion tips • Traditional and contemporary recipes • Reports from across the United States and Canada • Authors’ perspectives on America • Portraits of artists, entrepreneurs, and other French-American personalities • The best of Francophone literature translated into English • French movies and series in theaters and online • French habits and linguistic subtleties • Unique places to visit in France • And so much more…
July-August 2023
Bastille Day, a Taste of French Freedom in the U.S.
140 pages of French culture instead of the usual 92!
To celebrate Bastille Day, we take you to the aptly named La Marseillaise in New York City! A former grocery store, it served as the unofficial HQ of de Gaulle’s supporters during World War II and as a makeshift restaurant and dance hall for the many French soldiers passing through the city. This is our cover story. Also in this issue, discover why the 1789 Revolution still carries so much weight in contemporary French culture; read our profile of French food design pioneer Anna Polonsky; and learn all about the Great Chartreuse Shortage of 2023 – a French-American story pitting monastic life against capitalism. Last but not least, escape to Key West with Françoise Sagan, who spent two gin-soaked weeks there with Tennessee Williams and Carson McCullers back in 1955!
Featured Articles
BUSINESS
ANNA POLONSKY
The French Food Design Pioneer
Born in Paris and based in New York City, the founder of the Polonsky & Friends studio combines her passions for design and cuisine by creating visual identities for restaurants and food brands.
By Benoît Georges
80 YEARS OF FRANCE-AMÉRIQUE
LA MARSEILLAISE
A Taste of Free France in Manhattan
Where could you have once danced to accordion music, met fellow French comrades-in-arms, and even bumped into Marlene Dietrich, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Jean Gabin? All the Free French soldiers who passed through New York City during World War II would have pointed you toward La Marseillaise, on Second Avenue.
By Diane de Vignemont
BEYOND THE SEA
SARAH BERNHARDT
A Scandalous French Superstar in America
Having completed nine tours of the United States during her career, actress Sarah Bernhardt was probably the most famous French woman in America at the time. An exhibition in Paris is currently celebrating the thespian, who passed away a century ago this year.
By Jérôme Kagan
HISTORY
ANNA COLEMAN LADD
The American Sculptor Who Rebuilt Faceless Veterans
During World War I, Anna Coleman Ladd – born 145 years ago this month – moved to Paris and made masks for men whose physical identities had been ripped apart by the conflict. Thanks to her artistic talents, around 100 disfigured veterans were given a new lease on life.
By Clément Thiery
Table of contents
FROM THE NEWSDESK
Pie in the Sky? A Short-Haul Flight Ban Raises Questions. By Anthony Bulger
COME ON OUT
French Cultural Events in North America. By Tracy Kendrick
EDITORIAL
Storming the Bastille, an Endless Fantasy. By Guy Sorman
INTERVIEW
Jacques Schwarz-Bart: “My Identity and Musical Roots Are in Guadeloupe.” By Guy Sorman
THE OBSERVER
Restore Us! The Rise, Fall, and Rise of the Bouillon. By Anthony Bulger
BUSINESS
Anna Polonsky, the French Food Design Pioneer. By Benoît Georges
HERITAGE
A Fantastical (and Historical) Deep Dive into Medieval France. By Jean-Gabriel Fredet
80 YEARS OF FRANCE-AMÉRIQUE
LIFESTYLE
PERSPECTIVES
The Mug Shot, a French Invention. By Dominique Mataillet
BEYOND THE SEA
Sarah Bernhardt: A Scandalous French Superstar in America. By Jérôme Kagan
THE BRIEF
Benjamin Sormonte: “Opening Cafés Is Very Addictive!” By Hélène Vissière
HISTORY
Anna Coleman Ladd: The American Sculptor Who Rebuilt Faceless Veterans. By Clément Thiery
CINEMA
Julie Delpy & Ethan Hawke: An Iconic French-American Romance. By Pauline Guedj
BON APPÉTIT
Chartreuse, Victim of Its Own Success in the United States. By Diane de Vignemont
DECOR
STYLE
Daniel Boulud Reinvents Breakfast at Tiffany’s. By Benoît Georges
BOOKS
BOOK REVIEW
Anne Berest: A Non-Fiction Novel for an Incomplete Memory. By Sophie Joubert
THE WORDSMITH
The Age of Heatwaves Is Upon Us. By Dominique Mataillet
© De Maria
