​
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

​​http://www.franco-british-society.org/edith-piaf-january-2017.html

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.

 ​

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.     
​

​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.

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. ​

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. ​

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.
​

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

'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 ​

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)

Helen Castor, Joan of Arc: A History  (London: Faber & Faber, 2014).


Winner of the Franco-British Society Book Prize, 2014.

 

Statues of Joan of Arc, canonised by the Pope in 1920, can be found in nearly every church in France. Churches in Rennes, Rouen, Nice, Orléans, Le Touquet, Versailles and many other places are dedicated to this Saint. Yet, as Helen Castor informs us, Joan of Arc was a name Joan never used. With so much mystery and myth surrounding the subject, Castor succeeds in the difficult task of unravelling the gossip and revealing facts based on archival research.

 

She commences this tripartite book by setting the scene at the bloody battle of Azincourt (Agincourt to the English) in 1415, the victory of the English and their King’s claim to the throne of France, ‘heaven’s mandate in action’ (19). Far from a peaceful outcome, the cauldron bubbles fiercely as rival forces gain power and strength and are more and more determined to win ground. There is conflict between England and France and between the Burgundian and Armagnac claims. This is a story of treachery, destruction, starvation, epidemics and endless warmongering. Castor depicts the lawlessness of France, against a backcloth of a belief in the divine right of Kings. Her style is engaging such as her vivid description of the assassination of John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy on the bridge over the river Yonne at Montereau: ‘As the duke knelt, doffing his black velvet hat in obeisance to his prince, he could hear the water moving softly all around […]. The moment was fleeting. Then the bullet struck: the steel blade of a war axe, driven deep into his skull. There was blood, pooling around the falling body of John of Burgundy, dripping in great gouts from the axe in the hands of Tanguy du Châtel’ (36).

 

No wonder a saviour is needed in the shape of Joan the Maid whose prized virginity is ascertained by several examinations. We marvel at the illiterate Maid’s linguistic ability to speak and persuade her followers of her special Divine powers and right (98), and that she has come at God’s command to fight the English (106). Even the foreskin of Christ, a sacred relic that offered special protection in childbirth, plays a part in this story. To what extent one can believe in its entirety the story of Joan of Arc is left to the reader.

 

This complicated story is facilitated by clearly presented family trees, a cast of characters and some delightful illustrations in colour.

 

Cynthia Gamble

Honorary Research Fellow, University of Exeter.

Dear members,

 At times like these with so much uncertainty about the future directions of European policy in Britain and in other member states, it is more important than ever that the Franco-British Society exists to facilitate understanding and foster friendship.

Our society depends on the voluntary help provided so generously by members of the committee and I would like to thank them for all that they have done in 2014.

We also depend critically upon our Secretary and our debt to Kate Brayn who left us in 2014 after 15 years is immeasurable. I am also delighted to welcome Isabelle Gault who has taken over the role with enthusiasm and determination.

One of the tasks that will face us and Isabelle in 2015 will be the design and implementation of a new website- vital in communicating with younger people, attracting new members and generating fresh ideas on future activities.

We also welcome the arrival of the new French Ambassador to the Court of St. James, Sylvie-Agnes Bermann whose last appointment was in Beijing. With her arrival we salute the departure of His Excellency Bernard Emie who is going to Algeria, an important part of the Francophone world.

We value greatly our relationship with the French Embassy in London and look forward to the closest cooperation in 2015.

The program for next year is not yet finalized but is already rich with promise and our AGM is now set for Monday 27th April.

 Meilleurs voeux pour la nouvelle année,

 Lord Watson of Richmond CBE FRTS

Commemoration and culture were the themes of the Society's trip this year to Northern France, with battlefields, monuments and museums aplenty – vivid  reminders of the fighting in both World Wars.  But there were also cultural treats, old and new.

 Our coach left Victoria early on 29 May and after crossing through the Eurotunnel we went straight to Bourbourg to visit the 12th century Saint-Jean-Baptiste Church - badly damaged during WWII when a British pilot apparently crashed into it to avoid the houses of the town. It has been gradually rebuilt and the late Sir Antony Caro, a major sculptor of our time, was invited to transform the  east end. His Chapel of Light was inaugurated in 2008; its scope is epic and complex with 15 sculptures devoted to the themes of water and the creation of the world and made from a combination of materials. 
He also designed two tall oak towers, which we climbed with interest, sculptures in their own right. We continued to our hotel in Lille's main square and later dined together at the Alcide Restaurant in the main square.

The following day we crossed - hardly noticing the border - into Belgium for a full day of commemoration. With our knowledgeable Flemish guide, we travelled along the Messines Ridge, the area of the largest mining operation of WWI, and looked at the reconstructed German trenches at Croonaert Wood before going round the Hooge Crater Museum with its collection of arms and equipment from WWI.

 In the afternoon, we visited the Worcestershire Regiment Memorial, where by remarkable chance a member of our group discovered the grave of a relative. We went to the Passchendaele Museum, which recalls powerfully through images and films the 500,000 casualties of the offensive which was meant to knock the Germans out of the war.  But the breakthrough did not come. We went on to the enormous Tyne Cot Cemetery, the largest of its type in the world, where 12,000 bodies lie, and finally to Ypres. The original town, reduced to rubble by the war, has been rebuilt as it was before.  There we attended the deeply moving Last Post Ceremony, which takes place every evening under the Menin Gate, inscribed with the names of some 55,000 men whose bodies were never found. It had been day full of reminders of the horror and tragedy of war.

 The following morning, we went to Arras to visit the Carrière Wellington, a museum created 20 metres underground in a section of the tunnels dug by the British Army in WWI. The work of the New Zealand Division is particularly commemorated.  Over 20,000 soldiers of the Commonwealth were gathered in this secret subterranean base to prepare a surprise attack on German positions in April 1917. The tunnels connect with original tunnels and quarries dating back to the Middle Ages. We emerged blinking from this dark and chilly setting into bright hot sunshine.

 We visited the Ploegstreert Memorial to the Missing before looking at the site of the famous Christmas Truce of 1914 (now an anonymous looking field of crops).


 

Early on Sunday morning, we drove through quiet streets to Douai to visit the Musée de la Chartreuse, an art museum in a former Carthusian monastery with fine paintings from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. In the afternoon, we went to see some very different art at the Matisse Museum in Cateau-Cambresis, the artist’s birthplace. The fine collection is housed in the Fenelon Palace, displayed according to his precise instructions. We were given a detailed tour by an expert guide, which was a treat for those of us - I include myself - who are fans of Matisse. We were surprised to come upon a work by Rothko at the end of our tour. Our guide explained that it was on loan in exchange for a work lent to Tate Modern for their major exhibition of Matisse cut-outs. We returned to Lille for a convivial dinner together at a restaurant close to our hotel.

 We set off next morning on our return journey, stopping off at the charming walled town of Montreuil sur Mer - the sea has receded over time. The town played a major part in WWI as the location for the General Head Quarters of the British Army. On arrival, over refreshments, we were told by a British resident about the plans of the Expeditionary Trust to establish a museum to recall in detail Montreuil's historic role; the plans had stalled because of a change in the team at the Town Hall. We visited an interesting temporary exhibition on this theme and walked around the ramparts to enjoy superb views of the surrounding countryside.

 We continued on to the Tunnel and back to London at the end of what, by common consent, had been a successful tour. For this we thank the organisers, our excellent guides and our superb good-humoured driver, whose skill in manoeuvring our bus through the often narrow streets was remarkable. We thank especially Kate Brayn, whose last trip it was as Executive Secretary. Finally, thanks to all the group for making it such an enjoyable trip. 
Monica Harper and Jonathan Noakes

 In September the Hon Lady Keswick FKC gave us an illustrated talk about her father, Brigadier Lord Lovat.  Lord Lovat’s family originates from Normandy, coming over to Northern Scotland following 1066.  Simon Lovat was born in  1911 at Beaufort Castle in Inverness and educated at Ampleforth and Magdalen College Oxford. He succeeded his father to the title in 1932 to become 15th Lord Lovat and 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser.

 In the second World War the commando training depot for Allied forces was set up by Lord Lovat in Achnacarry in the Scottish Highlands.  Among those to undergo the harsh selection and training and to be awarded the coveted Green Beret was the Free French naval unit (Fusiliers Marins Commandos) under Commandant Philippe Keiffer. 

 At 8.40 am on 6 June 1944 Lord Lovat led 2500 British commandos of 1st Special Brigade on to Sword Beach to the rousing sound of the bagpipes played by his personal piper  Bill Millin. Also at Ouistreham and  fighting through to Pegasus Bridge* was No 4 French Commando. In the 1962 Oscar-winning film The Longest Day,  Lord Lovat was portrayed by Peter Lawford and Philippe Keiffer by Christian Marquand.

 On the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the townspeople of Ouistreham joined forces with ‘Shimi’ Lovat’ s family to honour his name, and a bronze statue was unveiled on the beach during a ceremony attended by more than 100 members of the Fraser clan as well as French and British dignitaries.
Brenda Davies

'I found it both an original and inspiring topic, which was extremely well executed by professor Jean Louis Haquette. He showed an interesting array of photographs, paintings, quotes and diagrams to illustrate the rise of the landscape garden in France. The talk suited any age group, and being a young professional myself I left overflowing with ideas of design and composition for the garden in my new home. 

The event was captivating and well organised, followed by a dinner at the Bistrot at the French Institute.

Who knew the British had contributed so much to the 'Culture Française!'  Melonie Gault

‘I am very proud to be a part of the Franco-British Society. Brenda and I look forward to seeing you all at our next event, where you will be able to meet and enjoy the company of new and current members, from both sides of the Channel.

Let’s raise our glasses and toast to the New Year 2015.

With very best wishes’

Isabelle Gault, Executive Secretary FBS

 Photographs by David Barrett (Facebook) and by Alan Boswell, Melonie Gault, Richard Gault  (Newsletter  december 2014)

NEWSLETTER – DECEMBER 2006
CHAIRMAN’S LETTER

 Dear Friends,
The year seems to have flashed by but, when we look at the many events organised by the Society, the time has certainly been productively spent. From a memorable visit to the Tate Modern to see the Rousseau exhibition, right through to the Brooks's wine tasting, we have had a rich and varied diet. For me, the highlight was our visit to Picardy, written up by Monica Harper elsewhere in this newsletter. It happened that we were in Picardy just before the national and international commemorations took place, and the combination of our own experiences and the significant timing made the whole thing unforgettable.

 Next year, an excellent programme is in course of preparation, with a visit to Cathar country at the end of May. Of course, in France, the political focus will be on the elections in May. We shall all look forward to hearing some insider views as the time approaches.
Thanks to Kate Brayn and her colleagues, the Society goes from strength to strength.
- GILLIAN SHEPHARD

 ANNUAL VISIT TO FRANCE: PICARDY, BASED IN AMIENS
To think of Picardy is to recall memorials to the fallen of the Great War, red poppies and the equally evocative song 'Roses of Picardy'. Dr Gamble's illustrated talk in March this year had already added an appreciation of Amiens - Ruskin's 'Venice of France' - and its magnificent Cathedral. We were to discover on our tour that Picardy had much more waiting to surprise, delight and move us.

We set off in sunshine from London on 9 June and, once through the Tunnel, we headed south from Calais to the Jardins de Valloires attached to the beautiful Abbaye. In the 1980s the French Regional Tourist Authority decided to recultivate the gardens which had fallen into disuse when the monastery closed and to accommodate a botanical collection from a local nurseryman. With around 4000 species of plants, the results are spectacular; a classic formal French garden, shaded pathways, meandering waterways, a 'Garden of the Five Senses' and the rich colours and scents of seemingly endless rows of rose bushes, including the special red tinged with pink 'Rose of Picardy'. This rose was presented in 2004 in the presence of the Duchess of Gloucester to celebrate the centenary of the Entente Cordiale. After this delightful beginning, we drove to Amiens and to the comfort of the Carlton Hotel which was to be our base.

We started a full Saturday at Amiens' magnificent Notre Dame Cathedral. The largest in France (Notre Dame in Paris would fit into it twice) and one of the finest examples of Gothic architecture, the Cathedral is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It miraculously escaped bomb damage in the last century and, recently cleaned, it stands, sublime, as it has for eight centuries, testimony to the faith and skill of those who built it in just 49 years, and to the ancient wealth of Amiens derived largely from woad (a regional plant much used at the time in dying fabric). With its vast proportions, abundance of carved saints and statues, its beauty is truly 'Gothic pure, authoritative, unsurpassable' (Ruskin).

 NEWSLETTER – DECEMBER 2005

 

 

 
At this year’s AGM held at the RAF Club in May: Baroness Shephard, the new Chairman of the Society;

former Chairman Sir John Fretwell with Yves Djimi, President of the Franco-British Student Alliance at the LSE; and Sir John Holmes, HM Ambassador to France, who gave a talk on ‘Britain, France and the European Challenge’.

 CHAIRMAN’S LETTER
The time since my appointment as your Chairman at the last AGM has passed so quickly. I have been so impressed by the enthusiasm and energy of Kate and of our members, and indeed of our French colleagues. For me the highlight so far was of course our Paris trip . Laura's account (below) brings it back vividly. But we have had other highly successful events, the FBS mix of serious content and great enjoyment. Looking ahead, Kate and the committee are preparing a whole series of occasions for the forthcoming year. There is a lot to look forward to.

 It has been fascinating to be part of the FBS at a time when such change is going on in France. Our visit to Paris took place just after the momentous No Vote. Since then, France has been shaken by a number of other events, not least the problems in their inner city areas. At times like these, we need to remember that our friends are there to encourage us, and to share difficult experiences. The FBS has an important role to play, now and in the future.

I look forward, as we all do, to a busy and productive year ahead.
- Gillian Shephard

VISIT TO PARIS  
FBS members entering the Château de Breteuil for a guided tour; and at lunch later when the Marquis gave an informal address of welcome.

 A scene from ‘Romeo and Juliet’ in the delightful Shakespeare Garden in the Bois de Boulogne

 
So what could puss in boots; Shakespeare and Rue St Honoré have in common.  Well all those lucky enough to go on the Franco-British trip in June will know exactly what I am writing about…

 What a very special few days we all had, arriving in Paris starting our visit with a wonderful outdoor performance of Romeo and Juliet in the delightful “Shakespeare Garden” in the Bois de Boulougne. Madame Loussouarn of the ESU had kindly held the start until our arrival hot-foot from the Gard du Nord. As part of a season performed by British actors we enjoyed the theatrical experience as well as admiring the beautiful and quite exotic rock garden into which this open-air theatre nestles.  The production itself was in modern dress and a very contemporary touch was the two young lovers' secretive talk on the balcony carried out on mobile phones. It was a testament to the actors' professionalism that the intermittent inclement weather did not interrupt the flow throughout this very enjoyable afternoon.

Our first afternoon was perfectly concluded with champagne and strawberries at the near by Club de Paris – the Hurlingham Club of Paris with immaculate tennis, swimming and boules facilities – not that any of our party threw themselves on the courts or dived in the pool!

 

One of the main attractions of the trip was to see the Château of Breteuil.  With extraordinary connections to Britain particularly during the period before and after the Entente Cordiale, the Count de Breteuil gave us a very insightful and amusing tour around his delightful château.  Perfectly formed, the Château was both imposing in its proportions but not so large as to be intimidating in its size.  And this same character was mirrored in the interior.  Beautiful rooms with delightful and interesting furniture illustrated how this château conveyed both warmth and a family atmosphere while impressing with their wonderful possessions.  However it was the history of the family that was particularly interesting for us Brits! 

 

The Breteuil family was instrumental in the signing of the Entente Cordiale, forging links with Britain that each and every generation of the family have sustained.  The Count’s affection for Britain and the warmth of him and his wife captivated us all, as did their great generosity in inviting us all for a delicious lunch with typically excellent French food and wine.  But it was also the omnipresence of “puss in boots” that intrigued and amused us all.  Stuffed cats in riding boots scattered the château, part of a collection put together by the Breteuil family and based on Les Contes de Perrault.

 

Having stayed far too long engrossed with Breteuil and its charms, we then went to visit Courson.  Another perfectly formed château with spectacular gardens, it is renowned as hosting one of France’s leading garden festivals.  The château was filled with exquisite art displayed in large and imposing galleries.  However it was the main salon that took our breath away.  Very large with Italianate panelling, this room was designed as many of its time with no corridor.  As a result it had the unusual feature of having ceiling to floor windows on both sides of the room bringing in light and providing one with wonderful views.  A truly impressive and remarkable salon.  The family were so very kind to host us and most of us left feeling that we just wanted to go back for more.

 

Exhausted we returned to Paris to our delightful hotel for an early and relaxing evening to recover from the richness of the day.

 

But our treats had not come to an end.  Our last full day in Paris offered us an opportunity to do something few ever have the chance to enjoy.  Through the Society’s excellent efforts – and not least the help of our former Chairman and his wife Sir John and Lady Fretwell, we had a wonderful guided tour around the British embassy in Rue St Honoré.  Having been there a couple of times before for parties, I realised on this trip how much I had missed in terms of the history, the art and the extraordinary furniture in the embassy.  And to think that the embassy was almost sold off in the 1980s!  We had a wonderful guide in the person of Ségolene, the wife of Giles Paxman who was imminently to take up the role of British Ambassador to Mexico. She explained to us both the historical and some of scandalous past of the embassy.  Napoleon’s sister lived in the house for several years when the house no doubt saw more than its fair share of lovers and parties.  We also had the additional benefit of the Fretwells’ commentary on the house and their personal experiences, which brought so much of the atmosphere of the embassy to life.  Lady Fretwell’s reminiscences of dinner parties for 50 people in the enormous dinning room invoked the true grandeur of the embassy and she particularly amused us with stories of her guests playing footsie under the table. 

 

On Monday evening we crammed into the intimate La Huchette Theatre to see Ionesco's play 'La Cantatrice Chauve'. The play has been running there for many years, and shows no sign of flagging. An impressive cast of seasoned actors skilfully confounded us, as the author no doubt intended. We were joined at this performance by many members of the AFGB, with whom we went on to dinner across the Boulevard St Germain. Our thanks go to Gérard and Dominique for organising such a novel and enjoyable evening, and for giving us the opportunity to make many new French friends.

 

I know that we would all like to thank Kate for all the wonderful organization and providing us with a remarkable insight into so many beautiful houses!  And also to welcome Gillian and Tom Shephard to the “family” on Gillian’s first Franco-British trip as Chairman.

- Laura Sandys

 ‘Nelson and Napoleon’

 Visit to the Royal Naval College and the National Maritime Museum on 5 October  

Although Greenwich Park was first enclosed during the reign of Henry V and the manor transformed into a castle, it was not until William and Mary decided to turn the old palace building into an hospital for disabled and retired seamen, along the lines of the Chelsea Hospital for soldiers, that Wren was appointed as Surveyor of Works to begin the work which would be augmented by, among others, Hawksmoor and Vanbrugh.  The population of the hospital swelled to over 2500 in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, but by 1869 dwindling numbers forced a move to new premises.

 We started our guided tour in the Painted Hall in the King William Building.  The painting of the walls and ceiling by James Thornhill have been acclaimed by Nikolaus Pevsner as “the most effective piece of Baroque painting by any English artist”, and it took him 19 years to complete, for which he received £1 a foot for the walls and £3 a foot for the ceilings.  The Painted Hall was judged too grand for the pensioners, who normally had to eat in the vault below, and where there is a 140-year-old SkittleAlley, where some of us tried our hand.  In the Chapel, in the Queen Mary Building, we saw the very fine altar-piece by BenjaminWest of “The Shipwreck of St Paul”, and the 1789 Samuel Green organ.  We then returned to the King William Building where lunch was served in the pleasant ambience of the undercroft of the Painted Hall.

 The “Nelson and Napoleon” Exhibition in the National Maritime Museum, which we visited in the afternoon, does more than commemorate the 200th anniversary of Nelson’s victory and death at Trafalgar.   It aims to present the two men as representatives of Britain and France during the conflicts of their time, and it avoids presenting a solely British perspective.

 There is an interesting section on the French Revolution, which without attempting to dispel its equation with the Terror, suggests its early hopes and aims, and its sustenance through war.  There is a brief overview of both men’s rise, and the impact of the women in their lives.  There is also plenty of evidence of the long-standing exchange of ideas and fashions between France and Britain in this period. The results of the team of scientists and men of letters who had accompanied Napoleon during the Egyptian campaign were also studied with great interest in both countries.

 The events leading up to and during the Battle of Trafalgar obviously have a very important place in the exhibition, but we are reminded that the events of the next ten years proved what a threat Napoleon still continued to be for England, even if invasion by sea was not likely in the immediate future.
- Richard Peskett

 

« La Maison Française d’Oxford :  A la croisée des chemins »

Une conférence par M. Alexis Tadié, le Directeur de la Maison Française d’Oxford,

à l’Institut Français à Londres le 15 novembre

 
The FBS President, Lord Strabolgi, with Lady Strabolgi and M. Alexis Tadié at the French Institute

 La Maison Française d’Oxford fut fondée en 1946 après la deuxième guerre mondiale par les Universités de Paris et d’Oxford pour créer un lien culturel entre la France et l’Angleterre.  C’était un symbole de solidarité franco-britannique consacré à l’accueil d’étudiants des deux pays avec le financement du Ministère français des Affaires Etrangères en collaboration avec les deux universités.  Elle fait partie de l’Université d’Oxford en offrant aux étudiants la possibilité d’approfondir leur connaissance de la culture et de la langue française profitant d’une très belle bibliothèque et collection de films français.

Dans le passé La Maison Française d’Oxford fut uniquement un centre culturel et recevait des écrivains célèbres tels que Jean Cocteau, André Gide et André Maurois.  Plus récemment elle a accueilli les écrivains tels que Edouard Glissant, Gilles Keppel, Jean Starobinski et Jean-Pierre Vernant.

Au cours du temps La Maison Française a évolué en centre de recherche dû à son association avec le CNRS (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique) qui attrait et finance la recherche des chercheurs anglais et français de très haut niveau et leur donne la possibilité de se réunir au cœur d’une des universités les plus prestigieuses de toute l’Europe.

Ces deux ailes de la Maison Française – le centre culturel et le centre de recherche – créent ainsi un lieu de rencontre entre des intellectuels franco-britanniques et offrent au public un programme de conférences et séminaires prestigieux dans le domaine de la littérature, les sciences humaines et la politique, dont figurent des débats sur les questions européennes.

Donc, la vie intellectuelle ne s’arrête pas à la Maison Française d’Oxford, ni son évolution, dont témoignent ses plans de modernisation du bâtiment et de ses services.  Elle est sûrement à la croisée des chemins.

- Barbara Stevens

 
Thanks again to all the Members who contributed to the funding of the Franco-British Society’s Entente Cordiale centenary plaque. This has now been installed on the wall of the French Embassy in Knightsbridge, on the Albert Gate side at the top of the steps to the entrance. 

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Chairman's Letter
The centenary of the Entente Cordiale gave a major boost to Franco-British relations at all levels, including the highest. The Queen’s brilliantly successful State Visit to Paris was complemented by President Chirac’s return visit in November, which included a magnificent supper in Windsor Castle. I had the privilege of attending on behalf of the Society and was much impressed by the splendour and personal warmth of the event. After the difficulties of the previous two years this was a high-water mark in the long and sometimes turbulent Franco-British relationship.

Our own programme was centred around the Entente anniversary and included Joyce Quin’s speech at the AGM, a special workshop at the Public Records Office in Kew, which put on display the original documents embodying the 1904 agreements, and our Reception at the House of Commons in November. We had strong French representation at the Reception both from London-based organisations and from the Association France-Grande Bretagne. Kate has written an account of this evening for the Newsletter. Another highlight of the year was the Society’s visit to the Côte d’Azur, which included an afternoon at a local celebration of the Entente, addressed by both the British and French Ambassadors. Frances Taylor has written a personal account of the whole visit, which will give members the flavour of it.

Some of the other main events have been written up by members, whose accounts appear below. I would also single out Cathal Breslin’s beautiful piano recital at the Residence of the French Ambassador and the private tour of Windsor Castle arranged and led by Christopher Lloyd, a veritable fountain of fascinating information about the Castle and its contents.

 It remains for me to thank the members who have energetically supported our activities throughout the year, especially those who contributed to the cost of commissioning our Entente Cordiale plaque and in due course erecting it at the French Embassy in Knightsbridge. I hope that all those who enjoyed our programme of activities will encourage others who share an interest in France to join the Society: we do still need more members and especially younger members. I must also express my heartfelt thanks to Kate, who works for us with incredible devotion, and to Brenda and Peter who put in long hours to keep the Society in good order.

And finally I must recall that I am now approaching ten years in the role of your Chairman and as I indicated at our last AGM I am looking to hand over the reins in 2005. Thank you all for the confidence you have accorded me. I have enjoyed the privilege of being your Chairman, but it is certainly time for someone new.