France and the United States have been allies since the very beginning. To mark 250 years of this remarkable friendship, the French Library presents a series of events exploring the history, culture, and enduring bond between our two nations.
Tuesday, June 2, 2026 · 6:00–7:30 PM
From Enlightenment to Independence
With Robert Darnton, Harvard Historian
How did French ideas shape the American Revolution? Leading Enlightenment scholar Robert Darnton explores the intellectual forces that connected Paris and Philadelphia.
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Thursday, July 16, 2026 · 6:00–7:30 PM
Adrienne de La Fayette: A Woman at the Heart of Two Revolutions
With Vincent Bouat-Ferlier, Historian
Often overlooked in Lafayette's story, Adrienne emerges as a woman of extraordinary courage — navigating imprisonment, revolution, and a transatlantic legacy.
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Thursday, September 10, 2026 · 6:00–7:30 PM
Lafayette: A Reluctant Sailor
With Vincent Bouat-Ferlier, Historian
Lafayette was a soldier — but also a sailor. This talk explores his transatlantic crossings aboard the Hermione and the essential role of French naval power in the American Revolution.
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French Classes
Paris-Boston: la révolution américaine vue de France
With Flora Amann · Wednesdays, 6:00–7:30 PM · 5 weeks
Explore the deep ties between France and the United States through the eyes of those who witnessed the American Revolution from Paris — from Lafayette to Voltaire to Tocqueville.
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Thinkers, Words, and Acts: The Birth of Democracy (France–USA)
With Loïc Lerme · Thursdays, 10:00 AM–12:00 PM · 5 weeks
How did ideas spark revolutions? This course traces the rise of democracy through the exchange between France and the United States — from Enlightenment philosophy to the texts that changed history.
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