 | CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE |
Dear members,
I am writing to you to wish you a very happy and successful 2017. It will be a year of hectic change in Europe and the United States.
We have seen how the horrors that were inflicted on France by acts of terror awakened the real emotional solidarity that joins our two countries.
2017 will demonstrate how important that solidarity is at a time of political uncertainty, volatility, and anxiety.
Elections in France and Germany, the start of the Brexit negotiations, the trans-Atlantic relationship with an unpredictable President in the White House will all combine to confuse our view of the future. What we will need to rely upon is the friendship between Britain and France, the values we share, the culture and creativity that characterize our two peoples and our two languages.
This is what the Franco-British Society is all about.
However, what we must also recognise is that the Society is short of funds and short of people. We need many more young members and in my view we must build links with the many French businesses and French people working and investing here in Britain. We need corporate members.
From the 1st of February 2017 our annual membership fees will increase to £30 for one person and £35 for a couple, £10 for a student.
Sadly, I will have to step down as Chairman in 2017 for personal and professional reasons. My book, Churchill’s Legacy, about which I spoke at the Lycee International at Wembley in November has taken much of my time this year and a further book will do the same over the next two years.
I am honoured to have served as your chairman and I will continue to support the Society as it faces up to the challenges ahead.
Anglo-French partnership is more vital than ever. It is the commitment of brain and heart that is needed.
With all best wishes for the new year,
Alan
Lord Watson of Richmond CBE FRTS
Dear members,
I am writing to you to wish you a very happy and successful 2017. It will be a year of hectic change in Europe and the United States.
We have seen how the horrors that were inflicted on France by acts of terror awakened the real emotional solidarity that joins our two countries.
2017 will demonstrate how important that solidarity is at a time of political uncertainty, volatility, and anxiety.
Elections in France and Germany, the start of the Brexit negotiations, the trans-Atlantic relationship with an unpredictable President in the White House will all combine to confuse our view of the future. What we will need to rely upon is the friendship between Britain and France, the values we share, the culture and creativity that characterize our two peoples and our two languages.
This is what the Franco-British Society is all about.
However, what we must also recognise is that the Society is short of funds and short of people. We need many more young members and in my view we must build links with the many French businesses and French people working and investing here in Britain. We need corporate members.
From the 1st of February 2017 our annual membership fees will increase to £30 for one person and £35 for a couple, £10 for a student.
Sadly, I will have to step down as Chairman in 2017 for personal and professional reasons. My book, Churchill’s Legacy, about which I spoke at the Lycee International at Wembley in November has taken much of my time this year and a further book will do the same over the next two years.
I am honoured to have served as your chairman and I will continue to support the Society as it faces up to the challenges ahead.
Anglo-French partnership is more vital than ever. It is the commitment of brain and heart that is needed.
With all best wishes for the new year,
Alan
Lord Watson of Richmond CBE FRTS
Isabelle et Brenda vous souhaitent un joyeux Noel et une heureuse année 2017.
Elles vous attendent l'année prochaine pour de nouveaux événements:
23 January 2017: Talk by Professeur David Looseley; Edith Piaf - a cultural History at the French Institute
http://www.franco-british-society.org/edith-piaf-january-2017.html
20 February 2017: Talk by Baroness Quin and Senateur Olivier Cadic - The House of Lords and The Sénat
2017: Talk about Sartre with the Anglo-Belgian Society
April: next AGM in a prestigious venue
June 2017: Talk by Tatiana de Rosnay
Concert and more on www.franco-British-Society.org
Mid-May or September : Suggested trip to France – Beaulieu.
May or July: suggested day trip to Highgrove.
If you are interested in the day trip or the trip to France, do let us know.
Elles vous attendent l'année prochaine pour de nouveaux événements:
23 January 2017: Talk by Professeur David Looseley; Edith Piaf - a cultural History at the French Institute
http://www.franco-british-society.org/edith-piaf-january-2017.html
20 February 2017: Talk by Baroness Quin and Senateur Olivier Cadic - The House of Lords and The Sénat
2017: Talk about Sartre with the Anglo-Belgian Society
April: next AGM in a prestigious venue
June 2017: Talk by Tatiana de Rosnay
Concert and more on www.franco-British-Society.org
Mid-May or September : Suggested trip to France – Beaulieu.
May or July: suggested day trip to Highgrove.
If you are interested in the day trip or the trip to France, do let us know.
http://www.franco-british-society.org/edith-piaf-january-2017.html
EVENTS IN 2016
 Pierre Skira  Pierre skira with Madame L'Ambassadeur at the Redfern Gallery |  Isabelle with members of Londres Accueil  |
EVENTS IN 2016
Tuesday 12 January
At The Redfern Gallery founded in 1923 in the heart of London’s Mayfair, Pierre Skira who is one of the most distinguished living exponents of the medium of pastel with his own unique forms and colours. He was born in Paris, the son of the renowned Swiss publisher Albert Skira who worked with many of the leading European artists of the 20th Century including Matisse, Dalí and Picasso. Pierre Skira gave a talk In French to a mixed group of people including the French lycée (Students and Art teachers), a French Association, FBS Members. The talk was followed by a Private View of his exhibition with the clients of gallery.
 Tuesday 23 February JOAN OF ARC: A HISTORYOur Guest Speaker was Dr Helen Castor, the winner of the Franco-British Society Book Prize.The talk in English which took place in the Salons was followed by a buffet lunch at the Bistrot of the French institute. Dr Helen Castor works extensively for the BBC including presenting Radio 4's Making History and She-Wolves on BBC Four. |  Friday 18th March PAINTING THE MODERN GARDEN Monet to MatisseMonet, arguably the most important painter of gardens in the history of art, once said he owed his painting “to flowers”. Using the work of Monet as a starting point, this landmark exhibition examined the role gardens played in the evolution of art from the early 1860s through to the 1920s. FBS were joined by some members from Londres Accueil for a Power Point in the Reynolds Room at the Royal Academy of Arts in Piccadilly and a visit of the exhibition. |
| Monday 25th April ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING At the Residence of H.E. Sylvie Bermann, French Ambassador to the UK. Our Guest Speaker was Dominic Grieve QC MP, our President The Referendum - Choices and Consequences. |  |
The FBS book Prize winners 2015
Professor David Looseley with his book Edith Piaf : A cultural history and Professor Edward J. Hughes with Critical lives - Albert Camus received their prize from Madame L'Ambassadeur. They were introduced by Dr Cynthia Gamble, one of our Book Prize judge.
Professor David Looseley with his book Edith Piaf : A cultural history and Professor Edward J. Hughes with Critical lives - Albert Camus received their prize from Madame L'Ambassadeur. They were introduced by Dr Cynthia Gamble, one of our Book Prize judge.
| Wednesday 11 May Delacroix and the Rise of Modern Art We had an interesting talk in French by Agnès Anquetin-Dias at More House. |  |
Sunday 12th June THE PATRON’S LUNCH
Despite the rain, 50 Members of the FBS came to the Mall for a wonderful Picnic to celebrate the 90th birthday of Her Majesty The Queen.
Despite the rain, 50 Members of the FBS came to the Mall for a wonderful Picnic to celebrate the 90th birthday of Her Majesty The Queen.
TRIP TO PARIS (29SEPT-3OCT) Frances Lambourne, FBS members, wrote:
| Somehow my home looked a little dull on my return. We had spent the weekend in the most superb chateaux and hotels particuliers. Large rooms packed with masterpieces, porcelaine, spectacular tapestries, carpets, large ornate chandeliers, gilded mirrors, intricately designed clocks, libraries packed with large leather bound books were beginning to feel like my natural habitat. We got delayed for 40 minutes approaching Calais on Eurostar due to someone on the line. Sobering to think of their desperate situation – so very different from ours as we set off on our trip to Paris. We stayed in a hotel in Rue Joubert, a stone’s throw from l’Opera, Printemps and Galeries Lafayette, just off the Boulevard Haussmann. We dined our first evening with some members of the Association France– Grande Bretagne Paris at the Brasserie Mollard, an easy walk from the hotel. Beautiful interiors decorated with frescoes and mosaics from the 19th century. We sat amongst our counterparts and everyone had a good evening with nothing lost in translation. It made me think how specially important the Franco British Society is at this time. |   |
 | Friday morning our first visit was to the Ile de la Cité to Sainte Chapelle located in the grounds of the Palais de Justice. It was built to house holy relics but they unfortunately disappeared in the French revolution and the chapel was damaged. I was amazed on arriving in the lower chapel – the light shining through the stained glass windows took my breath away, |
| But the upper floor where the king worshipped was quite spectacular. It consists of 1,113 stained glass windows, predominantly deep blue and red, telling the story of the old and new testaments. |  |
 | We went on to visit the Conciergerie next door which was the home of the Kings until Charles V decided to move to the Louvre. It is a wonderfully imposing sight seen from the opposite river bank. The enormous medieval halls housed around 2000 people in the service of the royal family and there were huge fire places where the cooking was done. Later it became the law courts and prison cells. During the revolution the revolutionary Court was held there and it was the principal prison. We saw the tiny cells where as a prisoner your lifestyle depended on how much money you had. Marie Antoinette was imprisoned there and we saw a reconstruction of her shrouded figure writing her final letter in her cell. Roads were closed off as a security precaution as we left the Conciergerie – Paris being on high alert. Fortunately it was a false alarm, coinciding with our lunch break. All the young police were armed and some were on roller skates. |
After a quick lunch, onto the Bois de Boulogne for a visit to the Louis Vuitton Foundation. A very different example of how amazing glass can look: Bermard Arnault commissioned Frank Gehry the American architect to design a new space, and that it certainly was. It is twelve glass sails built on an area the size of a bowling green. It must have been something of a challenge for the actual builders as nothing was as you would expect – very little was in a straight line. In 2016 Daniel Buren, a French conceptual artist covered the sails with 13 different coloured filters so the light shining in again was breathtaking. Panels on the lower ground floor were yellow reflected all around through mirrors and water gave a magnificent yellow glow.
Saturday we were off to the Chateau of Chantilly. In spite of it being the weekend of the Arc de Triomphe there was little traffic due to good timing of our charming guide Terence who kept us up to time with our busy schedule. He is an art historian who had been a student in Paris and with us last year in Nantes.
Chantilly was built starting in 1484 by the Montmorency family. Like most of France’s old historic buildings it had had several incarnations. It is the setting of the wonderful film Vatel - the character played by Gerard Depardieu. Louis XIV goes for a three day visit to the chateau to visit his cousin the Duke de Condé. Vatel is the Maitre Domo who amongst his many talents invented Crème Chantilly. The weekend is based on the memoires of Madame de Sévigné. Molière’s play Les Précieuses Ridicules was first performed at the château in 1659. It was destroyed during the French revolution, confiscated from the then Duc de Condé who had attempted to repair it and owned for a time by the English Bank Coutts. It was entirely rebuilt in 1875-1882 by the Duc D’Aumale who inherited it from his god father. He was the 5th son of the King Louis Philippe. Aumale was exiled to Twickenham after the abolition of the monarchy in 1884 and returned to Chantilly, a widower and having lost his two sons aged 18 and 21.
He threw his energy into collecting having no heirs and left Chantilly to the Institut de France. In his will he stipulated that it should be open to the public and that nothing should be moved from where he had placed it. Hence a painting recently identified as a genuine Rembrandt is not with the other Rembrandts. No paintings are allowed to be loaned to other museums so it remains exactly as he intended it to be to this day having first opened to the public in 1898.
The library has a huge collection of manuscripts and leather bound books.
The library has a huge collection of manuscripts and leather bound books.
The garden was designed by Le Notre who then went on to do the gardens at Versailles.
Then a quick visit to the stables. Built by the Duc de Condé who died in 1791. He believed he would come back as a horse so the stables are very grand. To my great delight there were horses living there. All different breeds and sizes including a tiny little dappled Palomino stallion. I think this is owned by the Aga Khan who has a house nearby. Behind the stables is the Museum of the Horse. Time was running out so a quick look round the Conde Musueum for more wonderful paintings collected by the Duc d’Aumale.
Then a quick visit to the stables. Built by the Duc de Condé who died in 1791. He believed he would come back as a horse so the stables are very grand. To my great delight there were horses living there. All different breeds and sizes including a tiny little dappled Palomino stallion. I think this is owned by the Aga Khan who has a house nearby. Behind the stables is the Museum of the Horse. Time was running out so a quick look round the Conde Musueum for more wonderful paintings collected by the Duc d’Aumale.
We drove back to Paris via Chateau d' Ecouen built by Anne de Montmorency’s family, again from 1538. A French renaissance chateau housing an eclectic collection including some of the most wonderful and enormous tapestries I have ever seen. An early copy of Da Vinci’s last supper painted by a disciple of his, an early wire making machine housed in an intricate marketry casing, and a clock shaped like a golden galleon owned by Charles V (a great clock collector) with musicians who play their instruments on the hour. From 1807 to 1962 it was a school for the daughters of Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur.
Our excellent driver Gary collected us from the chateau at the appointed time in our small coach. It just fitted 14 comfortably. He insisted on coming over the cobbles to the nearest point to gather us up colliding with a wedding. Neither would give way so we climbed into the bus surrounded by the bride, photographer and wedding guests in stiletto heels trying rather inelegantly to negotiate the cobbled path. Another example of Gary’s desire to please was when he backed the whole way up a one way street (as if he was driving forwards) so he could drop us at the entrance of our hotel.
Then driving back through Paris we saw Syrian families with placards beside the road. As the sun was going down and we sat in a Paris traffic jam I gazed out of the window at the depressing scenes of life in the grey banlieue seemingly to stretch for miles. A sad contrast to the splendour of our day.
Then driving back through Paris we saw Syrian families with placards beside the road. As the sun was going down and we sat in a Paris traffic jam I gazed out of the window at the depressing scenes of life in the grey banlieue seemingly to stretch for miles. A sad contrast to the splendour of our day.
Back in our world, Paris was buzzing with Paris Fashion week and the Motor Show. Sunday morning just after Kim Kardashan was tied up and robbed of £5 million pounds of jewellery we were off to see another form of Parisian wealth. André and his artist wife Nellie Jacquemart built their mansion on the Boulevard Hausmann now known as the Jacquemart André museum. His large fortune came from a protestant banking family. They devoted their lives to collecting art works, mainly from Italy where they frequently travelled. It is some of the best Italian art in France. This all housed in this beautiful Hotel Particulier with an incredible winter garden, mosaic floor with palms and an extraordinary double helix staircase leading to a gallery of Italian sculptures. There was an exhibition of Rembrandts called Rembrandt Intime. 30 paintings and 20 graphics which naturally inspired great interest and was somewhat crowded.
 |  |
Then on our free afternoon some of us went to another hotel particulier - The Cercle de L’union interaliée for a snack lunch. It is next door to the French embassy and very similar in style. Again more 19th century interior design. After a “ballade" round the garden we sat and enjoyed the warm autumn sunshine on the terrace admiring the elegant guests that spilt out of the French windows into the garden. All managing their stilettos more efficiently than the previous day.
Other members visited the interesting and atmospheric Hotel de Camonde, a beautiful preserved mansion overlooking the Parc Monceau; owned by a prominent Jewish family, it was rebuilt in the early 1900s.
Other members visited the interesting and atmospheric Hotel de Camonde, a beautiful preserved mansion overlooking the Parc Monceau; owned by a prominent Jewish family, it was rebuilt in the early 1900s.
Our final dinner together was at the Café de Procope, originally a coffee house set up by Francesco Procopio from Palermo in 1686. Possibly the first literary café where every French author of any note spent time. During the revolution various well known revolutionaries met there and later Napoleon left his hat there. – now on display. Possibly he had no money on him to pay his bill. And a copy of the last letter Marie Antoinette wrote from her prison cell was framed on the wall. It had a nostalgic ambiance and one could well conjure up all the characters who had plotted, brawled, or made merry there. Possibly our Charles Dickens, though I didn’t see any mention of him.
On Monday morning we were all packed up and ready to leave our hotel by 9.30 for a visit to the British Embassy arranged by Jonathan Noakes (FBS Council member). Charming diplomats took us in for coffee in a glass room overlooking the garden.We enjoyed the welsh cakes and short bread that I remember from our previous visit served by staff in tartan. The full length portrait of a very young and pretty Queen Victoria still dominated the hall, with a life size portrait of Pauline, Napoleon’s sister who designed the house and sold it to Wellington. Her half naked statue by Canova had been moved upstairs but remains on view.
The Chargée d' Affaires Susan Le Jeune- In charge between Ambassadors - gave us a topical briefing on the Embassy's priorities, which were wide ranging although obviously Brexit was the major theme. On Calais-related issues, she was complimentary about the French authorities' willingness to enter into a dialogue.
The Chargée d' Affaires Susan Le Jeune- In charge between Ambassadors - gave us a topical briefing on the Embassy's priorities, which were wide ranging although obviously Brexit was the major theme. On Calais-related issues, she was complimentary about the French authorities' willingness to enter into a dialogue.
Then the final highlight was a visit to the Palais de Luxembourg the seat of the Senate which along with the National Assembly is one of the two chambers of the French Government. A visit arranged by Isabelle and Olivier Cadic who joined us for lunch. Olivier was recently elected as a senator and lives in England representing the French expat community. He was a very keen Anglophile and I am sure will remain so. Yet another wonderful dining room and and the most delicious lunch including including the best “pintade” I have ever eaten.
Then we had a tour with a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide Corinne. The original building was built by Marie de Medicis in 1615 with Medicis money along the lines of the Pitti Palace in Florence where she was brought up. It was a prison during the French revolution and Napoleon redesigned it with the help of the architect Chalgrain and King Louis Phillippe enlarged it in 1836. During the last war it was the headquarters of the Luffwaffe and then in 1958 when Charles de Gaulle created the 5th Republic it became Le Sénat as we know it today. We stood in a small room where the guide told us a rather poignant story. Marie de Medici was fed up with the power Richelieu had. Louis XIII could take this family feud no longer and galloped off to his hunting lodge at Versailles (later to become Versailles as we know it). Richelieu pursued him, brought him back and his poor mother Marie was banished for ever. At least she has the legacy of her palace which today has an important role and is beautifully restored and maintained.
It was then onto the Gare du Nord for our journey back to St Pancras. All went according to plan with no delays at Calais. It was a tremendous action packed weekend and enormous thanks to Isabelle and Brenda for all their hard work in making it so. Frances Lambourne (FBS member) photos © Isabelle Gault
It was then onto the Gare du Nord for our journey back to St Pancras. All went according to plan with no delays at Calais. It was a tremendous action packed weekend and enormous thanks to Isabelle and Brenda for all their hard work in making it so. Frances Lambourne (FBS member) photos © Isabelle Gault
Thursday 20 October
Critical lives - Albert Camus; A talk by Edward J. Hughes, joint FBS book prize winner 2015 who is Professor of French at Queen Mary, University of London.
We were very grateful to Pasteur Stéphane Desmarais, his wife Cindy and Thibault Lavergne (President of their Consistory) for inviting us to their beautiful French Protestant Church in Soho Square in London. A great evening.
Critical lives - Albert Camus; A talk by Edward J. Hughes, joint FBS book prize winner 2015 who is Professor of French at Queen Mary, University of London.
We were very grateful to Pasteur Stéphane Desmarais, his wife Cindy and Thibault Lavergne (President of their Consistory) for inviting us to their beautiful French Protestant Church in Soho Square in London. A great evening.
copyright I. Gault
'The event was very instructive and set in a unique location. Through an interesting analysis by Professor Edward J. Hughes, we learned about one of France’s most high-profile writers - the ins and outs his public and private life in an age of pressing ideological conflict.' Melonie Gault
All photos Copyright I Gault.
Tuesday 15 November FBS Dinner and talk at The House of Commons
We all agree that the evening at the House of Commons was remarquably organised by Isabelle and also Brenda, and that it was a complete success owed to the prestige of the venue, thanks to Dominic Grieve. Owed to the quality of its speakers : our Président the Rt Hon Dominic Grieve KCMG OBE - and now Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur, Sir Richard Dearlove KCMG OBE and Mr Éric Chaney, Chief Economist AXA Group, and to the presence of HE Madame l' Ambassadeur de France Sylvie Bermann.
It was very well attended.
After the complexities of the necessary police control and having walked up and down the various routes of the House, we soon realised that "cela valait le détour !".
As a personal note I shall add that we were so well looked after by the house-steward of the House staff who, at the end of the party took us through secret passages directly to a taxi. Luce Geas (FBS member)
We all agree that the evening at the House of Commons was remarquably organised by Isabelle and also Brenda, and that it was a complete success owed to the prestige of the venue, thanks to Dominic Grieve. Owed to the quality of its speakers : our Président the Rt Hon Dominic Grieve KCMG OBE - and now Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur, Sir Richard Dearlove KCMG OBE and Mr Éric Chaney, Chief Economist AXA Group, and to the presence of HE Madame l' Ambassadeur de France Sylvie Bermann.
It was very well attended.
After the complexities of the necessary police control and having walked up and down the various routes of the House, we soon realised that "cela valait le détour !".
As a personal note I shall add that we were so well looked after by the house-steward of the House staff who, at the end of the party took us through secret passages directly to a taxi. Luce Geas (FBS member)
Monday 21 November
Ceremony to award the insignia of Chevalier de l’Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur
to The Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC MP, our President.
With Madame L'Ambassadeur, Sylvie Bermann, at the Résidence de France.
Ceremony to award the insignia of Chevalier de l’Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur
to The Rt Hon Dominic Grieve QC MP, our President.
With Madame L'Ambassadeur, Sylvie Bermann, at the Résidence de France.
Monday 21 November
The Franco-British Society (FBS) and the Association des parents d'élèves du Lycée Winston Churchill (APLIL) organised a talk in English by Lord Watson of Richmond CBE and Mr Randolph Churchill.
Many thanks to Lord Watson and Randolph Churchill for the great evening. It was well attended by parents, pupils (14-17 years old) and members of the Franco-British Society. Many thanks to Mireille Rabaté, the Proviseur for inviting us to the Lycée. Amélie Mallet, the President of the APLIL- parents association, Mrs Martine André, Mrs Sofi Liot, parents of the Parent's Association, Brenda Davies, Frances Lambourne and Edward Gault from the FBS contributed also to the success of the evening.
The Franco-British Society (FBS) and the Association des parents d'élèves du Lycée Winston Churchill (APLIL) organised a talk in English by Lord Watson of Richmond CBE and Mr Randolph Churchill.
Many thanks to Lord Watson and Randolph Churchill for the great evening. It was well attended by parents, pupils (14-17 years old) and members of the Franco-British Society. Many thanks to Mireille Rabaté, the Proviseur for inviting us to the Lycée. Amélie Mallet, the President of the APLIL- parents association, Mrs Martine André, Mrs Sofi Liot, parents of the Parent's Association, Brenda Davies, Frances Lambourne and Edward Gault from the FBS contributed also to the success of the evening.
