Fridays from 5:30-7pm
Led by Thierry Bidault
$59 per workshop

Discover key moments in the history of France, from its birth to the present day.

• Fri, November 19 - 5:30-7pm - Secrets des grands châteaux et monuments de France

  This workshop is not just a guided visit of French chateaux and monuments.  We will travel through time to discover the history and famous inhabitants of such well known places as Verailles, Fontainebleau, Chambord, Chantilly and the cathedrals of Notre Dame, Chartres, and Reims.  We’ll discover the secrets of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, Mont St Michel, as well as the fortress of Carcassone and the Roman ruins in Provence.  At the end of this workshop, you’ll be ready to impress the locals with your in-depth knowledge of the French history and culture related to these landmarks!

• Fri, December 3 - 5:30-7pm - Great French writers and their inspiration

  This workshop will look not only at famous French authors and their works but also what inspired them, notably the events of their time and the world around them.  You may just learn some new details about your favorite work of French literature that you didn’t know before!

  Authors studied: Alexandre Dumas – Victor Hugo – Émile Zola – Marcel Proust – Marcel Pagnol – Albert Camus – Jean Paul Sartre – Simone de Beauvoir – Eugène Ionesco – Françoise Sagan – Patrick Modiano.

• Fri, January 21 - 5:30-7pm - Great French writers and their inspiration

  This workshop will look not only at famous French authors and their works but also what inspired them, notably the events of their time and the world around them. You may just learn some new details about your favorite work of French literature that you didn’t know before!

  Authors studied: Alexandre Dumas – Victor Hugo – Émile Zola – Marcel Proust – Marcel Pagnol – Albert Camus – Jean Paul Sartre – Simone de Beauvoir – Eugène Ionesco – Françoise Sagan – Patrick Modiano.

• Fri, January 28 - 5:30-7pm - The history of Paris, from 50 B.C. to today

  This workshop will cover the history of Paris, starting from 50 B.C. through the present day. Using texts, photos, and videos, we will discuss many exciting and historical moments, from the founding to the installation of many of its famous monuments and sites. You will learn surprising new facts about the “City of Light” and have a list of new places to see on your next trip.

• Fri, March 11 - 5:30-7pm - The French Revolution

  The French Revolution was not just a period of upheaval in France. It unleashed a wave of global conflicts and changes that extended from the Caribbean to the Middle East. The Revolution deeply altered the course of modern history on a large scale since it later helped Napoleon bring many of its principles to areas he conquered. Despite what many think, the Revolution was not only a people’s movement, it was also the Bourgeois and “Petite noblesse” who took part as well. Many of those who led the revolution actually had a comfortable statute in the society. We can even think that some of the Revolutionary leaders were more interested in power than in providing real change for the people of France. During this workshop, we will take another look at this exceptional period and we will reopen the often hidden “dossiers” of abuses and unfair decisions.