WICE upcoming events

VA211 Talk: Why do smart people do dumb things? (21 Apr 2026)

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Have you ever wondered how otherwise intelligent people can believe that the earth is flat, that vaccines cause autism, or that Bill Gates caused COVID to use nanochips for mind control? In this talk, Dr. John Eigenauer will address the mysteries of irrational beliefs and behaviors with insights into how our brains work.

John Eigenauer is an intellectual historian and professor emeritus of philosophy at Taft College in California. He holds a doctorate in Interdisciplinary Studies from Syracuse University. His work has been published in variety of publications. He has spoken internationally on human rationality and the pedagogy of critical thinking. His book, 'Paris and the Birth of Public Knowledge,' is available online. John lives in Vincennes and has been a WICE member for a year.

VA291 Seine Bridge Walk - Part 1 of 3 (29 Apr 2026)

Wed, 29 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The first of three walks over the course of the next four months that aims to cross all 33 of the bridges inside the city limits of Paris on the River Seine.

The first walk will start at Pont Tolbiac, at the eastern end of the Seine, and will cross the 5 bridges before reaching Île Saint-Louis and the 6 bridges connecting to Île Saint-Louis:

Pont Tolbiac
Passarelle Simone de Beauvoir
Pont Bercy
Pont de Gaulle
Pont Austerlitz
Pont de Sully (x 2)
Pont de la Tournelle
Pont Marie
Pont Louis-Philippe
Point Saint-Louis

In May we will cross the remaining 9 bridges connecting Île de la Cité to the mainland, and then 2 of the bridges west of those. And in June we will cross the remaining 11 bridges at the western end of the Seine.

The exact number of bridges crossed on each of the walks is aspirational, and will depend on the weather and other factors. But the goal is to cross all 33 the Seine bridges over the spring trimester.

Each walk will include a refreshment stop at a café—during or after the walk—to chat and get to know fellow WICE members.

Those who successfully complete all three walks will be inducted into the prestigious "WICE Paris Bridge Walk Hall of Fame."

Registration for this walk opens on Friday, 1 April.

About the Organizer

Rick Jones is an avid walker who has been living in Paris with his wife since the summer of 2018. He is a founding member of the Paris Flâneur and Boulevardier Association.

LY161 Left Bank Literature Walk (16 May 2026)

Sat, 16 May 2026 07:00:00 GMT

A leisurely stroll through the 5th and 6th arrondissements, visiting sites—dwellings, cafés, bookstores—associated with the creative literary outburst that was centered here between the two World Wars.

Sites will include (but not be limited to):

Ernest and Hadley Hemingway's apartment.
James Joyce's digs where he finished Ulysses.
The hotel where George Orwell lived in Down and Out in Paris and London.
Hemingway's morning walk to Place Saint Michel.
The original Shakespeare and Company.
The apartment where Gertrude Stein held her famous salons.

Members who have attended the "Left Bank Lit" book reading group will get priority registration for this event.

General registration opens on 23 April.

VN231 Gothic Studies: Basilica of Saint Denis (23 May 2026)

Sat, 23 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Gothic architecture was born at the abbey church of Saint Denis, just outside of Paris, in the 12th century and sparked a rapid and widespread revolution in art and architecture across France and Europe. Through structural innovations and masterful artistry in stone, glass, and paint, this new style made tangible a mystical philosophy of divine light as a bridge between heaven and the earthly realm.

With this special visit to Saint Denis, we’ll see both the initial masterwork that lit the flame of Gothic architecture for the following centuries, as well as more mature expressions of Rayonnant Gothic as the church evolved over time. We’ll meet outside the basilica to discuss its history and impact on medieval architecture, and then visit the church, the historic necropolis crypt, and the worksite of the fleche, an exciting piece of medieval architecture actively underway today.

The ticket price for this event covers the entry fee to the ticketed areas of the Basilica. You do not need to purchase a separate ticket.

Registration opens 25 April.

Matt Potts is a licensed architect in the US, where he practiced for 10 years after studying architecture in New York and Rome. He has lived in France since 2022 where he founded his own interior architecture firm. Matt is passionate about France’s rich built heritage - whether renovating a 16th-century manor house in the Burgundian countryside for his family, designing thoughtful renovations for his clients’ historic properties across France, or studying great works of Gothic architecture. He splits his time between Paris and Burgundy, enjoying the best of city and country life in France with his wife and their two sons (one human, one canine).

VY271 Seine Bridge Walk - Part 2 of 3 (27 May 2026)

Wed, 27 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

This is the second of three walks that aim to walk across of 33 of the bridges that cross the Seine River in Paris.

Starting at Pont Saint-Louis, and walking our way west, during this curated walk we will cross 9 historic bridges that connect both Île Saint-Louis and Île de la Cité to "mainland" Paris, as well as the 2 just west of Île de la Cité:

Pont de l'Archevêché
Pont au Double
Pont d'Arcole
Pont Notre Dame
Petit Point Cardinal Lustiger
Pont Saint Michel
Pont au Change
Pont Neuf (x 2)
Pont des Arts
Pont du Carrousel

At each bridge, the organizer will discuss a bit about the history of that bridge. We will end at Pont Royal, a few bridges west of Île de la Cité, and then settle into a local café for a late-afternoon coffee or tea or apéro.

We will meet at 2:00 pm on the north side of Pont Saint-Louis.

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

Persons who attended Part I of the Seine Bridge Walk series have priority.

Registration for this walk opens on Thursday, 30 April.

About the Organizer

Rick Jones is an avid walker. He is a founding member of the Paris Flâneur and Boulevardier Society, and leads both walks and day trips at WICE.

VU051 Talk: From a Distance: An Honest Conversation With a Therapist About Living Abroad in Uncertain Times (05 Jun 2026)

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Living abroad has always come with a particular kind of emotional complexity, the joy of building a life somewhere new alongside the ache of distance from home. But right now, many expats are navigating something that feels different: watching events unfold from thousands of miles away, feeling emotionally close to a home that feels increasingly hard to explain. We may be carrying a complicated mix of worry, grief, relief, and for many Americans, a deep sense of sadness or confusion about how our country is showing up on the world stage. Join us for a talk with an American therapist who is living this alongside you, as we explore the unique emotional terrain of being American abroad in this moment, and leave with practical tools for supporting your nervous system, staying connected to your values, and finding steadiness in yourself and your community when the world feels anything but steady.

Registration Opens 8 May.

Caitlin Dwyer, LCSW is an American psychotherapist living in Paris. Her work focuses on helping clients explore meaning, identity, and emotional resilience, particularly in the context of uncertainty, anxiety, loss, and living outside traditional expectations. Caitlin earned her MSW from the University of Pennsylvania and worked at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for 10 years before moving to private practice.

VU121 Canal Cruise (12 Jun 2026)

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Enjoy a pleasant afternoon floating down Canal Saint Martin and out into the Seine with fellow WICE members.

The cruise begins at La Villette, the northernmost point on Canal Saint Martin, and passes under the Crimée lift bridge before continuing along the Bassin de la Villette.

From there it continues down the canal, crossing swing bridges and locks, until it enters the tunnel that travels over a mile under Paris streets to to Bassin de l'Arsenal just past the Bastille.

After passing the Bastille boat basin, the cruise exits out on to the Seine, where passengers see some of Paris's most famous landmarks: the private mansions of Ile Saint-Louis, Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Louvre Museum, the Tuileries Gardens . . . ending at the foot of the Musée d'Orsay for debarkation.

Please note: The canal cruise company cannot delay the cruise for late comers. Our 14:00 start time factors in the 20-minute early arrival that the company requires. If you are late and the boat leaves without you, there will be no refunds. Also, there will be no refunds for cancellations after after Sunday, 7 June.

Registration opens on 17 May.

Additional details will be posted as we get closer to the event date.

VU241 Seine Bridge Walk - Part 3 of 3 (24 Jun 2026)

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 07:00:00 GMT

This is the 3rd of 3 walks that aims to traverse (on foot) all 33 of the bridges that cross the Seine River in Paris.

Starting at Pont Royale, and walking our way west, during this 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 organizer will discuss a bit about the history of that bridge:

Pont Royal
Passerelle Léopold-Sédar-Senghor
Pont de la Concorde
Pont Alexandre III
Pont des Invalides
Pont de l'Alma
Passerelle Debilly
Pont d'Iéna
Pont de Bir-Hakeim
Pont de Grenelle
Pont Mirabeau

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

Registration for this walk opens on Thursday, 28 May.

About the Organizer

Rick Jones is an avid walker and the founding member of the Paris Flâneur and Boulevardier Society.

WICE upcoming events

VA211 Talk: Why do smart people do dumb things? (21 Apr 2026)

VA291 Seine Bridge Walk - Part 1 of 3 (29 Apr 2026)

LY161 Left Bank Literature Walk (16 May 2026)

VN231 Gothic Studies: Basilica of Saint Denis (23 May 2026)

VY271 Seine Bridge Walk - Part 2 of 3 (27 May 2026)

Pont de l'Archevêché

VU051 Talk: From a Distance: An Honest Conversation With a Therapist About Living Abroad in Uncertain Times (05 Jun 2026)

VU121 Canal Cruise (12 Jun 2026)

VU241 Seine Bridge Walk - Part 3 of 3 (24 Jun 2026)