UPCOMING EVENTS

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• VU041 Seine Bridge Walk - Part 3 of 3

  • When
    04 Jun 2025
  •  
    8:00 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Location
    South end of Pont Royal, in front of La Frégate, 1 rue du Bac
  • Spaces left
    0

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  This is the 3rd of three walks that aims to traverse (on foot) all 35 of the bridges that cross the Seine River in Paris.
  

  Starting at Pont Royale, and walking our way west, during this uncurated walk we will cross the last 11 remaining historic bridges that connect both sides of the Seine inside the boundaries of Paris. At each bridge, the guide will discuss a bit about the history of that bridge.
  

  We will meet at 08:00 at the south end of Pont Royal, in front of La Frégate, 1 Rue du Bac, 75007.

  There is no charge for this walk, although registration is required.

  About the Organizer
  

  Rick Jones is an avid walker and the founding member of the Paris Flâneur and Boulevardier Society. He is a part-time WICE walk leader.
  

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• VU112 From the Bassin to the Buttes: A Walk in the 19th Arrondissement Part 1

  • When
    11 Jun 2025
  •  
    10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    HQ French Communist Party, Place Colonel Fabien

  Register

  In this first part of a two-part walk around the 19th arrondissment, you will hear some gory stories and horrible histories! Find out about building bridges and discover a couple of cute churches. This walk covers a lot of subjects and you will find out how the (literal) cess-pit of Paris cleaned up its act…

  Starting with the many stories around Place du Colonel Fabien you will head towards Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad and the Rotunda. Next, is a stroll along the Bassin de la Villette before heading to Avenue Jean Jaurès, Rue de Meaux and Rue du Crimée before finishing at Place Armand-Carrel in front of the Parc des Buttes Chaumont.

  
  

  Meet outside the HQ of the French Communist Party, 2 Place Colonel Fabien (the curved Modernist building opposite the Metro).

  Metro Line 2, station Colonel Fabien; Bus 46 or 75

  Deborah has lived near Paris since 2019. She is originally from Edinburgh, Scotland with a background in museums and culture. She enjoys exploring new places and sharing her knowledge with others.  As with her previous walks for WICE, you will find out about the social history, famous names and interesting buildings encountered along the way.

  The walk lasts about 2 hours at a relaxed pace. It does not involve steep climbs and will avoid steps, so are suitable for people who may be a little less mobile. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• VU181 Beauty and the Buttes: A Walk in the 19th Arrondissement Part 2

  • When
    18 Jun 2025
  •  
    10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
  • Location
    HQ French Communist Party, Place Colonel Fabien

  Register

  In this second part of a two-part walk around the 19th arrondissment, you will discover there’s much more to this area than you might think. Urban planning has transformed an area of heavy industry and social strife into one of enviable residences and charming parkland.  You will also discover a real WWII heroine!

  From place du Colonel Fabien you walk around the housing estate of Buttes-Bergeyre. Your next venue is the park of Buttes-Chaumont, exploring its history and features. Then discover the educational establishments on Rue Edouard Pailleron before heading to the Avenue Secrétan and Rue Jean-Nohain, finishing at Rue Armand Carrel/Place de la Bataille de Stalingrad (Métro Jaurès).

  N.B. The first part of the walk includes a moderate gradient - if you might have difficulty with this, miss the part around the Butte Bergeyre and meet up at the Parc Buttes-Chaumont (contact Deborah for details).

  Meet outside the HQ of the French Communist Party, 2 Place Colonel Fabien (the curved Modernist building opposite the Metro).

  Metro Line 2, station Colonel Fabien; Bus 46 or 75

  Deborah has lived near Paris since 2019. She is originally from Edinburgh, Scotland with a background in museums and culture. She enjoys exploring new places and sharing her knowledge with others.  As with her previous walks for WICE, you will find out about the social history, famous names and interesting buildings encountered along the way.

  The walk lasts about 2 hours at a relaxed pace. 

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• FN031 Talk: The American Revolution in Paris - Talk 1 of 4

  • When
    03 Nov 2025
  •  
    3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Location
    TBA
  • Spaces left
    41

  Join WICE in a fascinating tour de force of the places in Paris that are intimately associated with the American Revolution.
  

  Through a combination of four PowerPoint presentations and three walks—based on the book "Paris:  Birthplace of the U.S.A."—attendees will gain an in-depth understanding of the critical role France played in the success of the American Revolution.

  During this first session, our talk and presentation will explore and showcase:

  • Hôtel des Ambassadeurs de Hollande, rue Vieille du Temple, once the headquarters of Beaumarchais and the fictitious trading company that channeled arms, ammunition, and uniforms to the American Insurgents.
    
  • Hôtel de Coislin, on Place de la Concorde, where the Treaty of Alliance and the Treaty of Amity and Commerce were both signed on the same day (the latter being the treaty by which France recognized the independence of the USA).  
  • Cimetière de Picpus, rue de Picpus, site of the graves of La Fayette and his wife, which allows a discussion of La Fayette’s military career in America and France.
    
  • John Paul Jones’s residence, rue de Tournon, where Jones spent his last years after a brilliant naval career in the American Revolution and after.  
  • The residence of Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau, on rue  du Cherche-Midi, which allows discussion of his actions during the American Revolution, including the Battle of Yorktown, and founding of the Society of Cincinnati. 
    

  About the Series
  

  This is a fundraising activity for WICE, and the series is open to all interested persons. The cost is €20 apiece for individual talks / walks, or €100 for the entire series of seven talks / walks.

  Note: The dates, times, and location are provisional until the autumn trimester begins on 08 September 2025.
  

  About the Organizer

  Mary Jo Padgett is a journalist, teacher, former elected official, public relations consultant, and independent historian, with a special interest in the French connection to the American Revolution.

  While living in Paris she was introduced to the book "Paris: Birthplace of the U.S.A." She has used this book as the foundation for walks and presentations, which she has conducted since 2013 for the American Library in Paris, the American Embassy, private groups, and WICE.

  She lives in North Carolina, and does presentations at Lifelong Learning programs at community colleges, Furman University, Wofford College, and others. She is donating all proceeds from this series to WICE.

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• FN051 Walk: The American Revolution in Paris - Part 1 of 3

  • When
    05 Nov 2025
  •  
    1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
  • Location
    Metro Michel Ange-Auteuil, street level, on rue d’Auteuil (Sortie 2)
  • Spaces left
    13

  Join WICE in a fascinating tour de force of the places in Paris that are intimately associated with the American Revolution.
  

  Through a combination of four PowerPoint presentations and three walks—based on the book "Paris:  Birthplace of the U.S.A."—WICE members will gain an in-depth understanding of the critical role France played in the success of the American Revolution.

  This first walk begins in Autueil and ends approximately three hours later on the Champs Elysées. During the walk we will visit and discuss the hotel where John Adams and family lived 1784-85 and the historical marker for his eccentric neighbor Madame Helvetius, who was a great friend of Benjamin Franklin.

  We’ll metro to Passy to see where Benjamin Franklin lived and had his office, print shop, and research station for studies with electricity. Then we'll visit Square Yorktown (near Place du Trocadéro) with its handsome statue of Benjamin Franklin to honor the Victory for the Americans in the Revolutionary War. An important monument here lists all the French soldiers and officers who died at Yorktown.

  We’ll see the magnificent statue of George Washington at Place d’Iéna, learn why the statue of Rochambeau nearby is pointing west, explore the many mementos at Place des Etats-Unis, and see where Thomas Jefferson lived as America’s second Ambassador to the Court of Versailles.

  At the end of the walk we can settle into a local café and discuss what we saw.

  Note: Participants will gather at 13:30 at metro Michel Ange-Auteuil, street level, on rue d’Auteuil (sortie 2).  The organizer, Mary Jo Padgett, will have on a gray silky scarf.  After the first site visit, participants will take the metro to Passy, so please be prepared to provide your own metro ticket.  From Passy participants will walk to all other locations, ending the day’s tour at the Champs-Elyseés.  Altogether, we expect the walk to take about three hours, so please be prepared with comfortable walking shoes, water, umbrella, the usual things you need in Paris.

  About the Series
  

  This is a fundraising activity for WICE, and the series is open to all interested persons. The cost is €20 apiece for individual talks / walks, or €100 for the entire series of seven talks / walks.

  Note: The dates, times, and location are provisional until the autumn trimester begins on 16 September 2024.

  About the Organizer

  Mary Jo Padgett is a journalist, teacher, former elected official, public relations consultant, and independent historian, with a special interest in the French connection to the American Revolution.

  While living in Paris she was introduced to the book "Paris: Birthplace of the U.S.A." She has used this book as the foundation for walks and presentations, which she has conducted since 2013 for the American Library in Paris, the American Embassy, private groups, and WICE.

  She lives in North Carolina, and does presentations at Lifelong Learning programs at community colleges, Furman University, Wofford College, and others. She is donating all proceeds from this series to WICE.

  Show details
• FN101 Talk: The American Revolution in Paris - Part 2 of 4

  • When
    10 Nov 2025
  •  
    3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Location
    TBA
  • Spaces left
    41

  Join WICE in a fascinating tour de force of the places in Paris that are intimately associated with the American Revolution.
  

  Through a combination of four PowerPoint presentations and three walks—based on the book "Paris:  Birthplace of the U.S.A."—WICE members will gain an in-depth understanding of the critical role France played in the success of the American Revolution.

  This first walk begins in Autueil and ends approximately three hours later on the Champs Elysées. During the walk we will visit and discuss the hotel where John Adams and family lived 1784-85 and the historical marker for his eccentric neighbor Madame Helvetius, who was a great friend of Benjamin Franklin.

  We’ll metro to Passy to see where Benjamin Franklin lived and had his office, print shop, and research station for studies with electricity. Then we'll visit Square Yorktown (near Place du Trocadéro) with its handsome statue of Benjamin Franklin to honor the Victory for the Americans in the Revolutionary War. An important monument here lists all the French soldiers and officers who died at Yorktown.

  We’ll see the magnificent statue of George Washington at Place d’Iéna, learn why the statue of Rochambeau nearby is pointing west, explore the many mementos at Place des Etats-Unis, and see where Thomas Jefferson lived as America’s second Ambassador to the Court of Versailles.

  At the end of the walk we can settle into a local café and discuss what we saw.

  Note: Participants will gather at 13:30 at metro Michel Ange-Auteuil, street level, on rue d’Auteuil (sortie 2).  The organizer, Mary Jo Padgett, will have on a gray silky scarf.  After the first site visit, participants will take the metro to Passy, so please be prepared to provide your own metro ticket.  From Passy participants will walk to all other locations, ending the day’s tour at the Champs-Elyseés.  Altogether, we expect the walk to take about three hours, so please be prepared with comfortable walking shoes, water, umbrella, the usual things you need in Paris.

  About the Series
  

  This is a fundraising activity for WICE, and the series is open to all interested persons. The cost is €20 apiece for individual talks / walks, or €100 for the entire series of seven talks / walks.

  Note: The dates, times, and location are provisional until the autumn trimester begins on 16 September 2024.

  About the Organizer

  Mary Jo Padgett is a journalist, teacher, former elected official, public relations consultant, and independent historian, with a special interest in the French connection to the American Revolution.

  While living in Paris she was introduced to the book "Paris: Birthplace of the U.S.A." She has used this book as the foundation for walks and presentations, which she has conducted since 2013 for the American Library in Paris, the American Embassy, private groups, and WICE.

  She lives in North Carolina, and does presentations at Lifelong Learning programs at community colleges, Furman University, Wofford College, and others. She is donating all proceeds from this series to WICE.

  Show details
• FN121 Walk: The American Revolution in Paris - Part 2 of 3

  • When
    12 Nov 2025
  •  
    1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
  • Location
    TBA
  • Spaces left
    13

  Join WICE in a fascinating tour de force of the places in Paris that are intimately associated with the American Revolution.
  

  Through a combination of four PowerPoint presentations and three walks—based on the book "Paris:  Birthplace of the U.S.A."—attendees will gain an in-depth understanding of the critical role France played in the success of the American Revolution.

  The second walk, which will last about three hours, starts at the Palais du Luxembourg, which was a prison during the French Revolution and was where American Patriot Thomas Paine was held.

  From there we stroll to John Paul Jones’s residence on rue de Tournon.  We’ll drop by 10, rue de L’Odeon to see the plaque noting where Thomas Paine lived 1797 till his return to the U.S. in 1802. 

  Next, Café Procope, which was patronized by Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Paul Jones, Voltaire, etc.  We’ll walk along Quai des Grands Augustins, following in the steps of Thomas Jefferson where he bought many books, which were eventually used to establish the U.S.Library of Congress. 

  Next, Hotel des Monnies, quai de Conti, the Royal Mint, which was a brand new building when Franklin and Jefferson were in Paris (it was completed in 1777).  Jefferson was interested in the production of coins for the new American government, so was a frequent visitor here. 

  We’ll finish at Hotel d’York, rue Jacob, where the Treaty of Paris was signed, giving independence to the American colonies.  

  At the end of the walk we can settle into a local café and discuss what we saw.

  Note: Participants will gather at 13:30 just inside the gate to Jardin du Luxembourg labeled Porte l’Odeon, to the LEFT of the Palais du Luxembourg on rue du Vaugirard. The gate is across rue du Vaugirard from the Odeon Theater.  The organizer, Mary Jo Padgett, will have on a scarf.  Participants will gather inside the garden gate, and then walk to sites in the Odeon area, along Quai des Grands Augustins, and finish on rue Jacob.  We expect the walk to take about three hours, so please be prepared with comfortable walking shoes, water, umbrella, the usual things you need in Paris.

  About the Series
  

  This is a fundraising activity for WICE, and the series is open to all interested persons. The cost is €20 apiece for individual talks / walks, or €100 for the entire series of seven talks / walks.

  Note: The dates, times, and location are provisional until the autumn trimester begins on 16 September 2024.

  About the Organizer

  Mary Jo Padgett is a journalist, teacher, former elected official, public relations consultant, and independent historian, with a special interest in the French connection to the American Revolution.

  While living in Paris she was introduced to the book "Paris: Birthplace of the U.S.A." She has used this book as the foundation for walks and presentations, which she has conducted since 2013 for the American Library in Paris, the American Embassy, private groups, and WICE.

  She lives in North Carolina, and does presentations at Lifelong Learning programs at community colleges, Furman University, Wofford College, and others. She is donating all proceeds from this series to WICE.

  Show details
• FN171 Talk: The American Revolution in Paris - Part 3 of 4

  • When
    17 Nov 2025
  •  
    3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Location
    TBA
  • Spaces left
    6

  Join WICE in a fascinating tour de force of the places in Paris that are intimately associated with the American Revolution.
  

  Through a combination of four PowerPoint presentations and three walks—based on the book "Paris:  Birthplace of the U.S.A."—attendees will gain an in-depth understanding of the critical role France played in the success of the American Revolution.

  During this session, our talk and presentation will explore and showcase the important French military assistance during the 8 years of the American Revolution provided by Admiral de Grasse and others, the neighborhoods where Benjamin Franklin and John Adams lived while negotiating French support, and where the treaty was signed that ended the War of Independence. We will discuss:
  

  • Eglise Saint-Roch, rue Saint-Honoré, where Admiral de Grasse is entombed.  We see the large plaque in the back of the church and discuss the important contribution of this great French admiral to the success of the American Revolution.  
    
  • Square Yorktown, Place du Trocadéro, a small square with a fine statue of Benjamin Franklin and a plaque that lists the French officers who died at the Battle of Yorktown.  We’ll discuss this significant battle and its main players.
    
  • Place des Etats-Unis, a lovely tree-lined square and garden that is full of mementos of the Franco-American alliance in the War of Independence.  Monuments, streets, statues, markers – we’ll see all the ways this square honors the American Revolution.
  • Hôtel d’York, rue Jacob, the building where the Treaty of Paris was signed that ended the war and the independence of the colonies was recognized by England.
    
  • Hôtel de Valentinois, corner of rue Raynouard and rue Singer, where Benjamin Franklin lived during his 8 years negotiating support from the Court of Versailles for the American War of Independence.
    
  • Hôtel Antier, rue d’Auteuil, the building where John Adams and his family lived.  This allows discussion of Adams’s part in the American Revolution.

  About the Series
  

  This is a fundraising activity for WICE, and the series is open to all interested persons. The cost is €20 apiece for individual talks / walks, or €100 for the entire series of seven talks / walks.

  Note: The dates, times, and location are provisional until the autumn trimester begins on 16 September 2024.

  About the Organizer

  Mary Jo Padgett is a journalist, teacher, former elected official, public relations consultant, and independent historian, with a special interest in the French connection to the American Revolution.

  While living in Paris she was introduced to the book "Paris: Birthplace of the U.S.A." She has used this book as the foundation for walks and presentations, which she has conducted since 2013 for the American Library in Paris, the American Embassy, private groups, and WICE.

  She lives in North Carolina, and does presentations at Lifelong Learning programs at community colleges, Furman University, Wofford College, and others. She is donating all proceeds from this series to WICE.

  Show details
• FN191 Walk: The American Revolution in Paris - Part 3 of 3

  • When
    19 Nov 2025
  •  
    1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
  • Location
    Starting at Musée D'Orsay Plaza
  • Spaces left
    5

  On the third walk, we celebrate ways France and the young American country continued a close relationship even after the end of the War of Independence.
  
  We meet at Musée d’Orsay plaza to talk about the Hotel de Salm, next door, and its importance to post-Revolutionary history in America. Thomas Jefferson watched it being built. We’ll pass by the statue of Thomas Jefferson across the street at Passerelle de Solferino and learn why it’s located there.
  
  Crossing the passerelle, we’ll stand along the parapet across the river/road to see the angle that Jefferson enjoyed while watching construction of Hotel de Salm. A stroll through the Tuileries takes us to Place de la Concord and Hotel de Coislin, where the Treaties of Friendship, Commerce and Alliance were signed and the independence of the U.S.A. was recognized by France.
  
  On rue de Rivoli we'll find a plaque on a column of the gate to the Tuileries, which describes that the legislative assemblies of the French Revolution met here in the Royal Manege. Around the corner on rue Saint-Honoré, we’ll see St. James and Albany Hotel, which was previously Hotel de Noailles, where Lafayette met with Marie Antoinette when he came home for a year during the American Revolution.
  
  Eglise Saint-Roch is next, where the tomb of Amiral de Grasse is housed. King Louis XVI called on this great French admiral to help the Americans in 1781, so he sailed on the flagship “Ville de Paris,” with 120-guns, three decks, and with 28 ships in the fleet to help out at Yorktown.
  
  

  A walk to rue du Richelieu allows discussion of the four American presidents – John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, and John Quincy Adams – who stayed at hotels along this street from time to time (1778-1815). Crossing through the garden of the Palais Royal, where many of the Revolution-era Americans hung out, we arrive at La Bourse de Commerce, built as the City’s Halle aux Blés in 1766. This building is closely related to the lives of Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, and we will discuss why.

  About the Series
  

  This is a fundraising activity for WICE, and the series is open to all interested persons. The cost is €20 apiece for individual talks / walks, or €100 for the entire series of seven talks / walks.

  Note: The dates, times, and location are provisional until the autumn trimester begins on 16 September 2024.
  

  About the Organizer

  Mary Jo Padgett is a journalist, teacher, former elected official, public relations consultant, and independent historian, with a special interest in the French connection to the American Revolution.

  While living in Paris she was introduced to the book "Paris: Birthplace of the U.S.A." She has used this book as the foundation for walks and presentations, which she has conducted since 2013 for the American Library in Paris, the American Embassy, private groups, and WICE.

  She lives in North Carolina, and does presentations at Lifelong Learning programs at community colleges, Furman University, Wofford College, and others. She is donating all proceeds from this series to WICE.

  Show details
• FN241 Talk: The American Revolution in Paris - Part 4 of 4

  • When
    24 Nov 2025
  •  
    3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
  • Location
    TBA
  • Spaces left
    29

  Join WICE in a fascinating tour de force of the places in Paris that are intimately associated with the American Revolution.
  

  Through a combination of four PowerPoint presentations and three walks—based on the book "Paris:  Birthplace of the U.S.A."—WICE members will gain an in-depth understanding of the critical role France played in the success of the American Revolution.

  In this final presentation, we discuss Post-American Revolution, when strong connections between the two countries continued.  Between the end of the American Revolution in 1783 and the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789 and after, mutual exchanges of respect, information, and philosophy occurred. Topics include:

  • Hôtel de Salm, rue de Lille, is now known as the Palais de la Légion d’Honneur.  The elegant structure was being built when Jefferson was ambassador and he was enamored by its design.  The architecture of this building would inspire similar buildings in the new United States.
    
  • Revolutionary Assemblies, rue de Rivoli, where American patriot Thomas Paine was an elected delegate to the French National Convention in 1792.  For this he was eventually sent to prison during the French Revolution.
  • La Conciergerie, quai de l’Horloge, which was a prison during the French Revolution and where many French heroes of the American Revolution ended up.  We learn who was imprisoned here and what happened to them.
  • Palais du Luxembourg, rue de Vaugirard, served as a prison during the French Revolution and it’s where Thomas Paine was held, along with others who were notable figures in the American War of Independence.
  • Hôtel des Invalides, Esplanade des Invalides, is an enormous complex built in the late 17^th century by Louis XIV to house 3,000 invalid soldiers and officers who had served in his many wars. When George Washington died, this was the site of an impressive honorary memorial service for him.  The Musée de l’Armée here has an exhibit room with mementos of the American War of Independence.  

  About the Series
  

  This is a fundraising activity for WICE, and the series is open to all interested persons. The cost is €20 apiece for individual talks / walks, or €100 for the entire series of seven talks / walks.

  Note: The dates, times, and location are provisional until the autumn trimester begins on 16 September 2024.

  About the Organizer

  Mary Jo Padgett is a journalist, teacher, former elected official, public relations consultant, and independent historian, with a special interest in the French connection to the American Revolution.

  While living in Paris she was introduced to the book "Paris: Birthplace of the U.S.A." She has used this book as the foundation for walks and presentations, which she has conducted since 2013 for the American Library in Paris, the American Embassy, private groups, and WICE.

  She lives in North Carolina, and does presentations at Lifelong Learning programs at community colleges, Furman University, Wofford College, and others. She is donating all proceeds from this series to WICE.

  Show details