WICE upcoming events

BA101 French 4.3 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (17 Apr 2026)

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Course Description

French 4 is designed for upper-intermediate learners who want to move toward advanced proficiency. The course strengthens fluency, accuracy, and confidence while expanding students' ability to express complex ideas with nuance both in formal and informal settings.

Real-Life Situations Practiced:

Participating in professional or academic meetings
Presenting and justifying a project or idea
Managing misunderstandings and clarifying meaning
Writing formal emails or structured texts
Debating cultural or social issues with well-supported arguments.

This course will not meet 1 May or 8 May.

Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BA102 French 5.3 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (17 Apr 2026)

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Course Description

French 5 is an advanced conversation-focused class created for learners who already communicate fluently and aim to reach near-native mastery. The emphasis is on rhetorical finesse, persuasive speaking, and highly nuanced comprehension.

Focus of the Conversation Training:

Persuading, negotiating, and convincing with credible arguments
Defending a viewpoint under pressure
Handling complex, fast-paced discussions
Subtly adjusting tone, register, and rhetorical strategy depending on audience

This course will be held in French once a week on Zoom for 90 minutes. This class does not meet on French holidays: 1 May and 8 May.

Please contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

LA171 Café Littéraire: "Lives Other Than My Own," by Emmanuel Carrère (17 Apr 2026)

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Lives Other Than My Own is a deeply moving work of literary non-fiction that blurs the boundaries between memoir, reportage, and philosophical inquiry. The narrative centers on two devastating tragedies that occurred within months of each other: the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which Emmanuel Carrère witnessed while vacationing in Sri Lanka, and the terminal illness of his partner’s sister back in France. Through these interconnected stories, Carrère explores the profound randomness of life-altering events and the fragility of human existence.

The first half of the book provides a haunting, firsthand account of the tsunami’s aftermath, focusing on a French couple who lost their four-year-old daughter to the waves. Upon returning to France, Carrère turns his attention to Juliette, a young judge and mother of three who is succumbing to a long battle with cancer. Rather than a simple wallow in grief, Carrère investigates the "wealth of human solace" that follows loss, detailing Juliette’s meticulous planning for her family’s future and her professional partnership with Étienne, a fellow judge and cancer survivor.

Precise, sober, and emotionally astute, Lives Other Than My Own is a meditation on the "extraordinary beauty and nobility of ordinary lives". A strong discussion angle for the group is Carrère’s role as a "witness" and how he uses the suffering of others to interrogate his own capacity for love, commitment, and empathy.

Winner of the 2010 Globe de Cristal for Best Novel/Essay.

The book group meets at the organizer's apartment. The directions, door code, telephone number, etc., are sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails, following registration.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered before 15 March, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the April meeting opens on Saturday, 21 March.

BA103 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (17 Apr 2026)

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Friday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

Looking for a relaxed and welcoming place to practice and improve your French or English? WICE conversation groups allow you to practice your language skills in an easy, convivial atmosphere with native speakers.

The Friday group meets upstairs at the Le Nelsons, near Les Halles, from 15:00 - 16:30. Participants are divided into small groups of 5 - 6 people, and the conversations are 45 minutes in French and 45 minutes in English. The subjects are of the group’s choosing. Though an intermediate level of English and French is expected, there is a wide range of abilities.

There is no need to register, just show up and look for the WICE tables upstairs.

Le Nelsons, 16 Rue Coquillière, 75001. Metro lines 1/4/7/11/14, RER A, B, D, and buses 74, 85

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA032 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (17 Apr 2026)

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

We meet online (Zoom) every Friday. Participants are divided into small groups of 5-6 members. We converse 45 minutes in French and 45 minutes in English. Conversations are free-form and address topics of interest to the individual group members.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SA181 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (18 Apr 2026)

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE members Caroline Harvey and Rick Jones.

Open to all WICE members, but registration is required. This is a public restaurant, and anyone can go, but WICE reserves 10 seats together, and if you don't register you may not be able to sit with us.

Registration for this event opens on Sunday, 5 April.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

Le Sarah Bernhardt is located at 2 Place du Châtelet. It can be reached by metro lines 1, 4, 7, 11, and 14 (Châtelet, Secteur Seine, Sortie 17), and buses 38, 67, 69, and 72.

SA181 WICE Women's Lunch (18 Apr 2026)

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Ladies of WICE . . . by popular demand, join us for a pay-for-your-own women's lunch!

This is a great opportunity for WICE women to meet each other and to hang out for a few hours to discover common interests and such over good food and beverages.

We meet upstairs at Le Nelson, a charming and warm Parisian restaurant located in Châtelet that has a very good relationship with WICE.

Registration opens on Sunday, 22 March.

VA181 Gothic Studies: Legacy of Gothic Architecture (18 Apr 2026)

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Gothic architecture was born 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. Paris, with its rich layers of history, contains traces of each phase of the Gothic style as it evolved from its Romanesque roots through to the Renaissance. Over the course of four sessions, these walks aim to reveal those layers by visiting eight churches in roughly chronological order, each church offering a window into the ways in which Gothic architects, artisans, and patrons experimented with light, structure, and technique to create a reflection of heaven in their medieval world.

The fourth and final part of this series on Gothic architecture in the parish churches of Paris will begin at Saint-Nicholas-des-Champs which provides an interesting insight into how Gothic sensibilities married Renaissance ideas about architecture. Concluding our series, we’ll walk towards Les Halles to the French Renaissance wonder that is Saint-Eustaches, a grand and highly enigmatic church whose proportions if found in any other city would surely be a cathedral.

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).

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (20 Apr 2026)

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

Each class will take place in a lively and friendly atmosphere that encourages students' enjoyment and active participation. Along with linguistic exercises, references to French culture and gastronomy will also be presented.

The course meets twice a week for 90 minutes (1.5 hours on Zoom on Mondays and 1.5 hours at the Impact Cafe on Thursdays) and is conducted in French. When necessary, supplementary explanations may be given in English.
This class does not meet on French holidays: 6 April, 14 May, and 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions

About the instructor

Nathalie Allain is a native French speaker with a master’s degree in FLE (French as a foreign language) who is also fluent in English, German, and Japanese. To future students, she says: “In addition to textbooks, I like to make French come alive by using the language to discover the culture and history of Paris in one field trip each month.”

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (20 Apr 2026)

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This lively French course will improve your ability to deal with an array of everyday life situations in French. This level is for students who understand simple, straightforward information and can express themselves in familiar contexts and take part in an everyday conversation on simple, predictable topics.

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

Geared for learners with an intermediate knowledge of French, the course meets twice a week for 90 minutes (1.5 hours on Zoom on Mondays and 1.5 hours in person downstairs at the Impact Cafe Thursdays) and is conducted in French.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SA201 Pub Quiz! (20 Apr 2026)

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:40:00 GMT

In the grand tradition of pub quizzes across the anglophone world, join a team of fellow WICE members for a bilingual evening of trivial merriment. On a bi-monthly basis, WICE has reserved space with Paris Quiz Mistress to participate in a quiz night that consists of four rounds of trivia in English and French on a wide variety of topics, movies and TV, pop culture, geography, fashion, and anything strange and peculiar that comes through the mind of the Quiz Mistress Host.

This is not a WICE-exclusive event. We have reserved spaces for two teams of 5 (the maximum number of participants per team). There are prizes to win for the top teams and the best team name. A WICE volunteer will be at each event to help you identify our group.Please note that the quiz location changes depending on the night of the week, so please pay attention when registering to make sure you are going to the correct pub.

This event is free for members, but registration and the purchase of food or a beverage is required.

WF171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (21 Apr 2026)

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

This fiction workshop (meeting weekly via Zoom) is designed to help you make significant progress on a project you’re already working on and raise your craft to the next level. Whether you’re exploring short-story writing or knee-deep in a novel manuscript, you’ll have ample opportunity to workshop your writing and troubleshoot obstacles. We will supplement participants’ own works-in-progress with published pieces of fiction carefully selected based on the specific genres and craft issues participants are grappling with, analyzing the ways other authors have tackled those challenges themselves.

In a supportive, generous, intellectually curious, and motivating atmosphere, we’ll dive into stories aiming to understand how they work, what they’re trying to achieve, and how to more fully realize their vision.

The extended 12-week format will allow for greater investment in each other’s writing, more occasions for each writer to receive peer and instructor feedback, and a stronger sense of community and mutual support among participants.

Instructor

Noah Weisz has an M.F.A. in Fiction from the University of Texas at Austin and over a decade of experience teaching creative writing. A past winner of the F(r)iction Short Story Contest, the Katherine Paterson Prize, and the Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award, his short stories for children, teens, and adults have been widely published in literary magazines. Based in Paris, he regularly teaches creative writing to undergraduates at Sciences Po as well as to American study-abroad students through CEA CAPA.

SA211 Morning Coffee at Les Editeurs (21 Apr 2026)

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for coffee on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday mornings of the month (and occasionally the 5th Tuesday) at Les Editeurs with hosts Mary Bartlett and Hilary Kaiser. It's a great opportunity to hang out with fellow WICE members, make new friends, and enjoy those special experiences unique to Paris.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 8 April.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café (and pay for it before leaving).

Les Editeurs is located at 4 Carrefour de l'Odéon, 75006. It can be reached by metro lines 4 and 10 (Odéon), and busses 58, 87, and 89.

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.

BA071 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (21 Apr 2026)

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

The Tuesday group meets at the Maison Communale, 69 rue Violet , 75015 Paris from 15:00 - 16:30. Participants are divided into small groups of 5 - 6 people, and the conversations are 45 minutes in French and 45 minutes in English. The subjects are of the group’s choosing. Though an intermediate level of English and French is expected, there is a wide range of abilities.

There is no need to register, but if it is your first time to participate in person in Tuesday's group, please contact Christian Paolasso at c.paolas@laposte.net (primary), or Ellen Bryson at ellen.bryson@wice-paris.org (secondary) and let one of them know you are planning to come.

Maison Communale, 69 rue Violet , 75015 Paris. Metro line 8 stop Commerce, and buses #42, #70, #88.

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA072 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (21 Apr 2026)

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

We meet online (Zoom) every Tuesday. Participants are divided into small groups of 5-6 members. We converse 45 minutes in French and 45 minutes in English. Conversations are free-form and address topics of interest to the individual group members.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

BA091 French Language: Renoir et L'Amour (23 Apr 2026)

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:30:00 GMT

This new course will be conducted in French and is suitable for those with a higher level of French comprehension (High A2 and above). For those who have taken Nathalie's classes, this course is a natural outgrowth of her love of teaching French through the art, literature, and culture of France. The class is inspired by an upcoming exhibit at the Musée d'Orsay entitled, "Renoir et L' amour." The class will read relevant materials and listen to lectures about Renoir, and the people, culture, and events surrounding his life. The class will include visits to the Musée d'Orsay exhibit as well as to the Musée de Montmartre. (Students will be responsible for purchasing their own tickets to both museums.) The class will meet once a week in person at the Impact Café.

There will be no class on the French holiday: 14 mai.

About the instructor

Nathalie Allain is a native French speaker with a master’s degree in FLE (French as a foreign language) who is also fluent in English, German, and Japanese. In addition, Nathalie graduated in art history from l'Ecole du Louvre.

GA231 Mindfulness Meditation (23 Apr 2026)

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Can you imagine a life where your mind is a source of peace and strength, where calmness flows through you like a gentle river even amidst daily challenges? What if you had the power to observe your thoughts without judgement, steady your emotions, and tap into a deeper well of wisdom within yourself? What if you could have moments of freedom between the triggering events of your life and your responses to them, moments of choice?

The pressure of daily life can leave us feeling overwhelmed and trapped, with no space for movement or reflection. Meditation offers us a more spacious life, an opportunity to descend to a more profound and rich experience of our lives and our relationships with ourselves, others and the world we inhabit. In terms of daily life and routine activities, regular practice can help the body regulate itself more effectively. It can help with getting a more relaxed and sound sleep or decreasing the severity and/or frequency of migraine headaches. It’s a pathtoward mental clarity, emotional resilience, and enriched creativity.

WICE members can join us for a biweekly hour of meditation practices. One variety is Vipassana, a mindfulness practice focusing on direct nonjudgmental observation of body and mind in order to cultivate greater awareness and ease. Others include heart practices such as generation of lovingkindness, compassion and equanimity. These practices are available as non-sectarian techniques, open to anyone seeking to understand their mind and body.

We’ll meet for about an hour on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month. We’ll start with a few minutes of self-introduction, then some guided meditation, followed by a period of silence, then finishing with some final minutes of conversational reflection. Whatever level you are, beginner to advanced, you are welcome! Hosted by Lori Zeller and Cheryl Purvis, who have been meditating on and off for a total of over 70 years between the two of us, all the while taking classes, joining groups and going to retreats.

SA231 New Member Lunch (23 Apr 2026)

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Welcome to WICE! Are you new to Paris, or just living your meilleure vie associative? WICE President Pamela Combastet would love to welcome you to the WICE family. Join her for a casual lunch and a free-flowing discussion regarding your ideas and aspirations for WICE, as well as getting to know our association a little bit better.

Please note: this lunch is organized by WICE, but you are responsible for paying for your own order.

Registration opens on Friday, 27 March.

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (23 Apr 2026)

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

LA231 Living Room Players: "A Streetcar Named Desire," by Tennessee Williams (23 Apr 2026)

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Set in the humid, restless atmosphere of New Orleans A Streetcar Named Desire follows the tragic unraveling of Blanche DuBois, a fragile and fading Southern belle who arrives unexpectedly at the modest apartment of her younger sister, Stella Kowalski who welcomes her warmly, but Blanche quickly clashes with Stella’s husband, Stanley Kowalski.

Through the clash between Blanche’s fading romantic ideals and Stanley’s raw realism, author Tennessee Williams explores themes of illusion versus reality, desire, class conflict, mental fragility, and the changing social landscape of the American South. The play remains one of the most powerful examinations of human vulnerability and cruelty in modern theatre.

The general concept of The Living Room Players is that people receive the script by email about a week before the reading, and then roles are assigned at the meeting. Attendees sit around a living room and simply read their parts with as much theatrical flourish as they care to give (but there are no expectations of real acting).

The readings take place at a member's apartment in the Marais. The address, door code, and phone number are sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered seven days before the event, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the April reading opens on Friday, 20 March.

BA093 English Guided Discussion (23 Apr 2026)

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

This English Guided Discussion Group is open to people who have a strong intermediate or advanced level of English. Our group leaders suggest interesting topics and readings prior to each group discussion. If you enjoy reading, speaking, presenting, and engaging in diverse topic-centered discussions, this group is for you. In addition to learning and developing through guided conversation with other participants, you will also have the opportunity to get personalized constructive feedback. The group speaks only in English for one
hour.

The class will not meet on 14 mai.

Note: A Zoom link will be provided the day before the
course begins. Be sure to check your email for it.

Contact languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

Ce groupe de discussion guidée anglaise est ouvert aux personnes qui parlent anglais presque couramment (niveaux intermédiaire-avancé ou avancé). Nos animateurs proposent des sujets intéressants et des textes avant chaque groupe. Si vous appréciez la lecture, la communication, la présentation et la participation à des discussions
diverses, ce groupe est pour vous. En plus d’apprendre et se développer à travers des discussions guidées avec d'autres participants, vous aurez également la possibilité d'obtenir des
commentaires constructifs. Ce groupe de discussion guidée est un endroit idéal pour rencontrer d’autres passionnés de la langue anglais. Le groupe ne parle qu’anglais pendant une heure.

Facilitators

The group will be led by several native English speakers of varying interests and backgrounds.

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (23 Apr 2026)

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

BA101 French 4.3 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (24 Apr 2026)

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Course Description

Participating in professional or academic meetings
Presenting and justifying a project or idea
Managing misunderstandings and clarifying meaning
Writing formal emails or structured texts
Debating cultural or social issues with well-supported arguments.

This course will not meet 1 May or 8 May.

Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

GA241 Yoga for Well-Being (24 Apr 2026)

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Yoga classes for physical and mental well-being focused on mindful, precise movement, breath awareness, and the mind-body connection. You can expect asanas (yoga postures), breathwork exercises, and simple guided meditations designed to help you feel safe and empowered in your body.

Each class starts with a short check-in and is adapted to the students’ current needs and abilities. All levels are welcome. If you have had any surgeries or have physical injuries, please contact Ola prior to class (contact information will be provided upon registration).

Following class, members are encouraged to meet upstairs in the cafe for coffee, tea, cake, or other delicious creations made by the team at the Apycem cafe, to which the studio belongs.

Cancellations may be made more than 3 days before the first session. Please notify wice@wice-paris.org to cancel so that someone on the waitlist may attend in your place.

A word about Ola:

I am an experienced yoga teacher and psychologist. I teach yoga that supports body awareness and gently explores the inner world, combining movement with tools for stress management and emotional regulation.

What matters most to me is the person in front of me, their needs, story, and intention. I enjoy accompanying people in their self-discovery and witnessing their growth through yoga.

More information: https://practicewithola.com/about

BA102 French 5.3 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (24 Apr 2026)

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Focus of the Conversation Training:

Persuading, negotiating, and convincing with credible arguments
Defending a viewpoint under pressure
Handling complex, fast-paced discussions
Subtly adjusting tone, register, and rhetorical strategy depending on audience

This course will be held in French once a week on Zoom for 90 minutes. This class does not meet on French holidays: 1 May and 8 May.

Please contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BA243 American Film Classics (24 Apr 2026)

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

Discover and discuss masterpieces of American cinema in this class for intermediate and advanced English speakers. You’ll watch a film at home on streaming, or borrow the DVD from your local library, before a lively and engaging discussion in class. You’ll be assigned one scene to watch at least three times! Every month you’ll view a film from an influential director so you’ll come to know the stylistic hallmarks of favorite genres and filmmakers.

If you love the movies, this course is an enjoyable way to increase vocabulary, get comfortable with idiomatic expressions, improve your conversational skills, and deepen your understanding of American culture and cinema.

In the Spriing trimester, we'll discuss three films from 1939, arguably one of the best years for American cinema.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington by Frank Capra with Claude Reins, James Stewart, Jean Arthur.

A naive youth leader is appointed to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate where his idealistic plans promptly collide with corruption at home and subterfuge from his hero in Washington.

The film was controversial when it was first released, with attacks from many politicians claiming that it brought Washington into disrepute. However, it was very successful at both the domestic and international box offices, and it made Stewart a major star.

Only Angels Have Wings by Howard Hawks with Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, and Rita Hayworth.

At a remote South American trading port, the manager of an air-freight company is compelled to risk the lives of his pilots in order to win an important contract as a traveling American showgirl stops in town. A romantic adventure, the film is generally regarded as among Hawks' finest films, particularly in its portrayal of the professionalism of the pilots, the atmosphere, and the flying sequences.

Stagecoach by John Ford with John Wayne and Claire Trevor. On the stagecoach to Cheyenne, an eclectic group of passengers must work together to survive the arduous journey and the Apache attacks.

Widely considered to be one of the most influential films every made, Stagecoach has not escaped controversy. Like most Westerns of the era, the film's depiction of Native Americans is simplistic and reductive.

About the instructor:

Ellen Feldman grew up in Philadelphia and currently lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She holds a Ph.D. in cinema studies from New York University and has taught film studies at the State University of New York, Geneseo campus, and Brooklyn College.

LA241 Booker Books: "The Rest of Our Lives," by Ben Markovitz (24 Apr 2026)

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Rest of Our Lives is a quiet, meticulously observed "state-of-the-nation" novel that transforms the standard mid-life crisis into a profound meditation on the "slow erosion of the will". The story follows Tom Layward, a fifty-five-year-old law professor who has spent twelve years harboring a secret resolution: to leave his wife, Amy, the moment their youngest child leaves for college. After dropping his daughter off at university in Pittsburgh, Tom chooses not to return to his New York home, instead continuing to drive west in a "vague, peripatetic" quest to revisit the ghosts of his past.

Moving across the American landscape from New Jersey to California, the narrative is structured around Tom’s encounters with old flames, estranged friends, and his own brother, punctuated by pickup basketball games where he briefly recaptures his youthful vitality. Yet, beneath the familiar tropes of the American road novel lies a deeper, more clinical tension: Tom is keeping secrets not only from his wife but from himself, including a looming career crisis and a mysterious, worsening medical condition that he refuses to acknowledge. Markovits employs a "disarmingly plain-speaking" voice to peel back the layers of a thirty-year "C-minus marriage," exploring how resentment and love can exist in the same stagnant air.

Often compared to the works of Richard Ford and John Updike, The Rest of Our Lives is a "wry, poignant" study of masculine vulnerability and the "unreliable edges" of self-narration. A strong discussion angle for the group is Tom’s insistence on "grading" his life and relationships—and whether his cross-country flight is a rational pursuit of freedom or a desperate, pathological retreat from a reality he can no longer control.

Shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered by one week prior to the meeting, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the April meeting opens on Saturday, 28 March.

BA103 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (24 Apr 2026)

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Friday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

There is no need to register, just show up and look for the WICE tables upstairs.

Le Nelsons, 16 Rue Coquillière, 75001. Metro lines 1/4/7/11/14, RER A, B, D, and buses 74, 85

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA032 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (24 Apr 2026)

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SA251 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (25 Apr 2026)

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE member Kim Hodges.

Open to all WICE members, but registration is required. This is a public restaurant, and anyone can go, but WICE reserves 14 seats together, and if you don't register you may not be able to sit with us.

Registration opens on Sunday, 12 April.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

Le Sarah Bernhardt is located at 2 Place du Châtelet. It can be reached by metro lines 1, 4, 7, 11, and 14 (Châtelet, Secteur Seine, Sortie 17), and buses 38, 67, 69, and 72.

LA251 Left Bank Lit: "Paris Was Yesterday," by Janet (Genêt) Flanner (25 Apr 2026)

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Few writers observed expatriate Paris with as much wit, elegance, and insight as Janet Flanner. Her collection Paris Was Yesterday, 1925–1939 gathers selected pieces from her celebrated “Letter from Paris” column in The New Yorker, written under the pen name Genêt.

Living in Paris for decades, Flanner chronicled the city’s transformation from the exuberant café society of the 1920s through the political tensions and cultural upheavals of the 1930s. Her dispatches capture both the glitter and the gravity of the era—portraits of artists like Picasso and Colette sit beside reports on fashion, scandal, and the rise of fascism. With her cool, incisive style and cosmopolitan detachment, Flanner stands apart from her contemporaries on the Left Bank: neither romanticizing Paris like Hemingway nor mythologizing it like Barnes, but recording it as it was—vivid, contradictory, and alive.

Paris Was Yesterday offers an incomparable window onto the daily rhythms, personalities, and anxieties of a city—and a generation—on the edge of modern history.

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (27 Apr 2026)

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (27 Apr 2026)

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

PA131 Fearless Photography: Breaking the Rules (27 Apr 2026)

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:00:00 GMT

This two-session virtual course is for photographers (beginners and advanced) who dare to break a few rules along the creative path.

Session I (Monday, 13 April):

We will begin with a review of photography “best practices” and what makes a memorable photo. You have to be aware of the “rules” to know when the moment is right to break them.

We will explore the beauty and drama of intentionally going rogue and why that might make a photograph even more memorable. We’ll study the dissidents—for example, Robert Frank, Diane Arbus, Saul Leiter, and Sally Mann. And we will tackle assignments that will push boundaries and upend perspectives … all with a goal of yielding truly creative results.

Session II (Monday, 27 April):

In the second session we will discuss the photos you completed during the first class and your follow-on homework assignments. We'll learn, as always, from the varying reactions and insights of the class members.

Price:

The price for both sessions, held on Zoom, will be included in the initial fee.

You will automatically be registered for the second session when you register for the first one.

The Zoom link will be sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails.

Refund for cancellation is available until 8 April.

Requirements:

For photography and art lovers of all levels
Suitable both iPhones and cameras

Students can expect to:

Become familiar with photography best practices
But know when to break the rules to make memorable photographs
Participate in a friendly critique session of their work

About the Instructor

Meredith Mullins is a popular photo instructor and fine-art photography mentor, an internationally exhibited photographer, and a winner of international photography competitions, including the Grand Concours Photo sur Paris, PX3 Competition, Julia Margaret Cameron Award, Photographer’s Forum, and Worldwide Gala Photo Awards. She is the author of the award-winning book In a Paris Moment, a leader of photo adventure tours, and the Co-Founder and Director of the International Fine Art Photography Competition.

www.meredithmullins.artspan.com

Photo Credits: Meredith Mullins

WF171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (28 Apr 2026)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

Instructor

SA281 Morning Coffee at Brasserie Le Bullier (28 Apr 2026)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for coffee on Tuesday mornings. And, if the weather permits, perhaps a walk through the Luxembourg Gardens afterwards.

Members meet at Brasserie le Bullier, named after the famous ball located opposite the "Port Royal" station, to which the whole of Paris once flocked.

Offering a beautiful interior and exterior space, where everyone's privacy is preserved, Le Bullier gives each guest the feeling of the warmth of a Parisian salon and the decor of the Brasseries of yesteryear.

WICE member Brise Rickey, who has lived in the neighborhood for several years, hosts the Tuesday morning coffees twice a month. It's a great opportunity to hang out with fellow WICE members, make new friends, and enjoy those special experiences unique to Paris.

It is expected that everyone will order a beverage or food item appropriate for sitting around a café in the morning (and pay for it on the way out).

Open to all WICE members, but registration is required. This is a public restaurant, and anyone can go, but WICE reserves 12 seats together, and if you don't register you may not be able to sit with us.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 15 April.

Brasserie le Bullier is located at 22 Av. de l'Observatoire, 75014. It can be reached by RER B (Port Royal), metro lines 4 and 6 (Raspail), and busses 38, 82, 91.

BA071 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (28 Apr 2026)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

Maison Communale, 69 rue Violet , 75015 Paris. Metro line 8 stop Commerce, and buses #42, #70, #88.

Participation is free with WICE membership.

LA281 The Long View: "Salt: A World History," by Mark Kurlansky (28 Apr 2026)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Salt: A World History is a "brilliant, multi-layered" work of narrative non-fiction that transforms a common tabletop condiment into the central protagonist of human civilization. Mark Kurlansky traces the global impact of sodium chloride—the only rock humans eat—from the dawn of recorded history to the modern era, revealing how the quest for this "white gold" has shaped empires, ignited revolutions, and dictated the patterns of human settlement.

The narrative moves fluidly across continents and centuries, detailing how salt’s unique preservative qualities allowed for the first long-distance trade and exploration. Kurlansky explores its role in diverse historical turning points: from the building of the Great Wall of China and the financing of the French Monarchy via the hated gabelle tax, to its central role in the American Revolution and Gandhi’s 1930 Salt March against British colonial rule. Along the way, he provides a "fascinating cabinet of curiosities," including ancient recipes for garum, the development of salt-cured cod and ham, and the complex chemistry of how salt interacts with the human body.

Written with a "dry wit and an eye for the telling detail," the book is a meditation on how a substance we now take for granted was once the world’s most sought-after commodity. A strong discussion angle for the group is Kurlansky's "micro-history" approach—how focusing on a single, mundane object can provide a more vivid and honest understanding of global history than traditional political or military narratives.

Winner of the 2003 James Beard Foundation Award for Writing on Food.

Due to the unusually large interest in "The Long View"'s last book, A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived, we had an unusually large waitlist of people who wanted to join but could not. Priority registration for this book discussion will go to them, and people on this waitlist will get priority registration for the next book discussion.

General registration opens on Thursday, 12 March.

This book is 496 pages long.

BA072 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (28 Apr 2026)

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

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.

BA091 French Language: Renoir et L'Amour (30 Apr 2026)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on the French holiday: 14 mai.

About the instructor

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (30 Apr 2026)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

BA093 English Guided Discussion (30 Apr 2026)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 14 mai.

Note: A Zoom link will be provided the day before the
course begins. Be sure to check your email for it.

Contact languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

Facilitators

The group will be led by several native English speakers of varying interests and backgrounds.

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (30 Apr 2026)

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

GN11 Yoga for Well-Being (01 May 2026)

Fri, 01 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Following class, members are encouraged to meet upstairs in the cafe for coffee, tea, cake, or other delicious creations made by the team at the Apycem cafe, to which the studio belongs.

Cancellations may be made more than 3 days before the first session. Please notify wice@wice-paris.org to cancel so that someone on the waitlist may attend in your place.

A word about Ola:

What matters most to me is the person in front of me, their needs, story, and intention. I enjoy accompanying people in their self-discovery and witnessing their growth through yoga.

More information: https://practicewithola.com/about

LY011 Murder, They Read: "The Blessing Way," by Tony Hillerman (01 May 2026)

Fri, 01 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

While investigating a murder on the Navajo Reservation in the Southwestern US, Navajo Police Officer Joseph Leaphorn encounters what appear to be ritualistic elements linked to Navajo beliefs. Meanwhile, Leaphorn’s friend, anthropologist Bergen McKee, while visiting the Navajo Nation for his research on witches, becomes entangled in a particularly challenging series of events in the canyons. This novel, first in the Navajo Tribal Police series, blends elements of danger and adventure and a compelling mystery with depictions of Navajo culture, landscape, and spirituality

The Navajo Nation awarded Hillerman the title of Special Friend to the Diné, and his love of the people and the country they inhabit shines through in this book.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered seven days before the event, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration opens on Saturday, 04 April.

BA103 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (01 May 2026)

Fri, 01 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Friday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

There is no need to register, just show up and look for the WICE tables upstairs.

Le Nelsons, 16 Rue Coquillière, 75001. Metro lines 1/4/7/11/14, RER A, B, D, and buses 74, 85

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA032 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (01 May 2026)

Fri, 01 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SY021 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (02 May 2026)

Sat, 02 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE members Caroline Harvey and Rick Jones.

Registration for this event opens on Sunday, 19 April.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

Le Sarah Bernhardt is located at 2 Place du Châtelet. It can be reached by metro lines 1, 4, 7, 11, and 14 (Châtelet, Secteur Seine, Sortie 17), and buses 38, 67, 69, and 72.

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (04 May 2026)

Mon, 04 May 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (04 May 2026)

Mon, 04 May 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WF171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (05 May 2026)

Tue, 05 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

Instructor

SY051 Morning Coffee at Les Editeurs (05 May 2026)

Tue, 05 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Wednesday, 22 April.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café (and pay for it before leaving).

Les Editeurs is located at 4 Carrefour de l'Odéon, 75006. It can be reached by metro lines 4 and 10 (Odéon), and busses 58, 87, and 89.

BA071 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (05 May 2026)

Tue, 05 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

Maison Communale, 69 rue Violet , 75015 Paris. Metro line 8 stop Commerce, and buses #42, #70, #88.

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA072 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (05 May 2026)

Tue, 05 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SY061 Morning Coffee in the 9th at Le Grand Comptoir d'Anvers (06 May 2026)

Wed, 06 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join us for a relaxed and welcoming morning coffee hosted by Pam Combastet at Le Grand Comptoir d’Anvers — a stylish and vibrant café-brasserie nestled in the heart of Paris’s 9th arrondissement. Situated conveniently just a short stroll or metro ride away for members living in the 9th, 10th and 18th arrondissements, with its warm wood-panelled interior and large windows, Le Grand Comptoir d’Anvers offers an ideal setting for catching up, meeting fellow members, and enjoying beautifully brewed coffee (or tea!) in a welcoming atmosphere.

Stay for as little or as long as you like, and enjoy friendly introductions, new connections, and the joy of relaxed attendance. Pam will be there to welcome you, introduce you to fellow members, and make sure it’s a memorable start to your day. Come unwind, engage, and start your morning in good company. We look forward to seeing you there!

Registration opens on Thursday, 16 April.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

BA081 French Guided Discussion (06 May 2026)

Wed, 06 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Course Description

This French Guided Discussion Group is open to people who have a strong intermediate or advanced level of French. Group leaders provide participants with engaging weekly readings on a wide range of topics prior to each dynamic and fast-paced seminar. If you enjoy reading, speaking, presenting, and engaging in varied, topic-centered discussions, this group is for you. In addition to learning through focused conversation with other participants, you will also have the opportunity to get personalized constructive feedback. The French Guided Discussion group speaks only in French for 90 minutes which gives participants an excellent space to practice.

Please note: the Discussion moves to Wednesday evening this trimester so that Paris based members can attend the WICE apéro on Thursdays. As usual, this class does not meet during vacances scolaires: l2 22 et le 29 avril.

A Zoom link will be provided the day before the course begins. Be sure to check your email for it
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions

About the Instructors

Brice Dardel and Brigitte Le Quéré, both native French speakers with extensive experience leading discussions, alternate weekly sessions.

BA091 French Language: Renoir et L'Amour (07 May 2026)

Thu, 07 May 2026 08:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on the French holiday: 14 mai.

About the instructor

SY071 WICE Lunch (07 May 2026)

Thu, 07 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Come enjoy a lively lunch with fellow WICE members. Catch up with old friends and meet new ones over a fun and leisurely meal in a charming café in the Latin Quarter.

We normally stand, mingle, and chat for 30 - 45 minutes, and then sit down to eat at about 12:30 or 12:45. So please plan accordingly.

You pay for what you eat and drink, no extra fees, but registration is required.

Served by metro line 10 (Sorbonne-Cluny), metro line 4 (Saint Michel), and busses 21, 27, 38, 63, 86, 87, and 96.

Registration opens on Friday, 3 April.

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (07 May 2026)

Thu, 07 May 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

BA093 English Guided Discussion (07 May 2026)

Thu, 07 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 14 mai.

Note: A Zoom link will be provided the day before the
course begins. Be sure to check your email for it.

Contact languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

Facilitators

The group will be led by several native English speakers of varying interests and backgrounds.

BA233 Exploring French History through Novels (07 May 2026)

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Free for WICE members! Come with us on a captivating journey where literature and history intertwine to offer a uniquely vivid perspective on France's past. You’ll plunge into a vibrant tapestry of pivotal events, cultural shifts, and influential figures…while falling under the spell of some of France’s best historical novelists. And then the discussion begins!

Our meetings take place in French so you'll enhance your understanding of the past while simultaneously improving your French reading, comprehension, and speaking skills in a friendly convivial group.

Group facilitator: Claudia Oudet, French teacher, editor, and translator, will offer linguistic help and literary/historical insights. (Please note: Claudia will be unable to join us on 20 November.)

We'll meet in person at Le Nelson's Café, 16 rue Coquillière, 75001

Métro : Lignes 1/4/7/11/14 RER A/B/D Châtelet Les Halles
Bus : 74 – 85 : Louvre – Etienne Marcel / Bourse du commerce

Préparez-vous à discuter:

Les Rois maudits, tome 7: Quand un roi perd la France

Dans ce septième et dernier volume des Rois maudits, c'est le règne de Jean II qui est retracé. L'Histoire a surnommé ce roi Jean le Bon, mais ce monarque fut, en fait, aussi vaniteux et cruel qu'indécis et incapable. À l'époque la France est en crise: les clans et les factions se disputent le pays, l'Angleterre revendique le royaume, les impôts sont écrasants, la peste fait des ravages et le roi accumule les erreurs. On suit, à travers le récit d'un haut personnage de ce temps l'évolution du règne. Une épopée malheureuse et sanglante qui va mener le roi au désastre de la bataille de Poitiers, où il sera fait prisonnier des Anglais.

Come prepared to discuss:

The Accursed Kings volume 6, When a King Loses France

This seventh and final volume of The Accursed Kings recounts the reign of John II. History has nicknamed this king John the Good, but in fact, this monarch was as vain and cruel as he was indecisive and incompetent. At the time, France was in crisis: clans and factions were fighting over the country, England was laying claim to the kingdom, taxes were crushing, the plague was wreaking havoc, and the king was making mistake after mistake. Through the account of a prominent figure of the time, we follow the evolution of the reign. It was an unfortunate and bloody epic that would lead the king to disaster at the Battle of Poitiers, where he was taken prisoner by the English.

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (07 May 2026)

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

GN81 Yoga for Well-Being (08 May 2026)

Fri, 08 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Following class, members are encouraged to meet upstairs in the cafe for coffee, tea, cake, or other delicious creations made by the team at the Apycem cafe, to which the studio belongs.

Cancellations may be made more than 3 days before the first session. Please notify wice@wice-paris.org to cancel so that someone on the waitlist may attend in your place.

A word about Ola:

What matters most to me is the person in front of me, their needs, story, and intention. I enjoy accompanying people in their self-discovery and witnessing their growth through yoga.

More information: https://practicewithola.com/about

BA103 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (08 May 2026)

Fri, 08 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Friday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

There is no need to register, just show up and look for the WICE tables upstairs.

Le Nelsons, 16 Rue Coquillière, 75001. Metro lines 1/4/7/11/14, RER A, B, D, and buses 74, 85

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA032 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (08 May 2026)

Fri, 08 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SY091 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (09 May 2026)

Sat, 09 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE member Kim Hodges.

Registration opens on Sunday, 26 April.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

Le Sarah Bernhardt is located at 2 Place du Châtelet. It can be reached by metro lines 1, 4, 7, 11, and 14 (Châtelet, Secteur Seine, Sortie 17), and buses 38, 67, 69, and 72.

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (11 May 2026)

Mon, 11 May 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

LY111 The New Yorker: Short Stories (11 May 2026)

Mon, 11 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

WICE’s “The New Yorker Short Story Group” is for anyone interested in reading short stories written by some of today’s very best emerging and established authors. Each discussion will focus on 2 short stories published in The New Yorker in the preceding month. The selected stories will be posted here on May 1, 2026.

Visit The New Yorker Fiction & Poetry page to find a complete list of New Yorker short stories (listed in chronological order beginning with the most recently published).

Digital subscribers can access the stories via The New Yorker website or app. (A digital subscription includes access to all New Yorker content, including audio versions of short stories read by the author. Digital subscriptions can be purchased for $5/month or $52/annually here). If you are not a subscriber, you may be able to find the stories in PDF version on-line or through your local library (including the American Library of Paris).

Registration opens on Tuesday, 14 April.

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (11 May 2026)

Mon, 11 May 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WF171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (12 May 2026)

Tue, 12 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

Instructor

SY121 Morning Coffee at Brasserie Le Bullier (12 May 2026)

Tue, 12 May 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for coffee on Tuesday mornings. And, if the weather permits, perhaps a walk through the Luxembourg Gardens afterwards.

Members meet at Brasserie le Bullier, named after the famous ball located opposite the "Port Royal" station, to which the whole of Paris once flocked.

It is expected that everyone will order a beverage or food item appropriate for sitting around a café in the morning (and pay for it on the way out).

Registration opens on Wednesday, 29 April.

Brasserie le Bullier is located at 22 Av. de l'Observatoire, 75014. It can be reached by RER B (Port Royal), metro lines 4 and 6 (Raspail), and busses 38, 82, 91.

LY12 Classic Mysteries: "The Murder at the Vicarage," by Agatha Christie (12 May 2026)

Tue, 12 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Murder at the Vicarage, by Agatha Christie, is a classic country-village mystery that introduces one of Christie’s most enduring creations: Miss Jane Marple. Set in the seemingly tranquil English village of St. Mary Mead, the novel begins when the universally disliked Colonel Protheroe is found shot dead in the vicar’s study—promptly providing the village with more suspects than anyone expected.

As gossip spreads and alibis multiply, Miss Marple quietly observes from the margins, drawing on her deep understanding of human nature to see what others overlook. Christie contrasts official police methods with Marple’s deceptively simple insights, showing how small habits, grudges, and hypocrisies can conceal darker truths. Wry, sharply observed, and ingeniously plotted, The Murder at the Vicarage blends classic detective puzzle-solving with social comedy, using village life itself as both setting and source of clues. The novel established Miss Marple as a new kind of detective—unassuming, incisive, and profoundly attuned to the moral complexities beneath everyday respectability.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered before 07 May, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 15 April.

BA071 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (12 May 2026)

Tue, 12 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

Maison Communale, 69 rue Violet , 75015 Paris. Metro line 8 stop Commerce, and buses #42, #70, #88.

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA072 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (12 May 2026)

Tue, 12 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

BA081 French Guided Discussion (13 May 2026)

Wed, 13 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Course Description

A Zoom link will be provided the day before the course begins. Be sure to check your email for it
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions

About the Instructors

Brice Dardel and Brigitte Le Quéré, both native French speakers with extensive experience leading discussions, alternate weekly sessions.

GY141 Mindfulness Meditation (14 May 2026)

Thu, 14 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT

SY141 WICE Men's Lunch (14 May 2026)

Thu, 14 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

WICE men . . . join us for a pay-for-your-own men's lunch!

This is nothing mysterious, it's just a chance for guys to hang out with other guys for a few hours and discover common interests and such over good food and beverages.

We meet at Au Trappiste, a Parisian brasserie located in Châtelet that offers 120 bottled beers and 20 draught beers, and specializes in mussels and chips and sauerkraut. A different pastry every day and Flemish carbonade to try!

Registration opens on Friday, 10 April.

BA101 French 4.3 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (15 May 2026)

Fri, 15 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Course Description

Participating in professional or academic meetings
Presenting and justifying a project or idea
Managing misunderstandings and clarifying meaning
Writing formal emails or structured texts
Debating cultural or social issues with well-supported arguments.

This course will not meet 1 May or 8 May.

Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

GN151 Yoga for Well-Being (15 May 2026)

Fri, 15 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Following class, members are encouraged to meet upstairs in the cafe for coffee, tea, cake, or other delicious creations made by the team at the Apycem cafe, to which the studio belongs.

Cancellations may be made more than 3 days before the first session. Please notify wice@wice-paris.org to cancel so that someone on the waitlist may attend in your place.

A word about Ola:

What matters most to me is the person in front of me, their needs, story, and intention. I enjoy accompanying people in their self-discovery and witnessing their growth through yoga.

More information: https://practicewithola.com/about

BA102 French 5.3 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (15 May 2026)

Fri, 15 May 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Focus of the Conversation Training:

Persuading, negotiating, and convincing with credible arguments
Defending a viewpoint under pressure
Handling complex, fast-paced discussions
Subtly adjusting tone, register, and rhetorical strategy depending on audience

This course will be held in French once a week on Zoom for 90 minutes. This class does not meet on French holidays: 1 May and 8 May.

Please contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BA103 French Film Discussion (15 May 2026)

Fri, 15 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

COURSE DESCRIPTION: For this advanced French course, you will watch a film at home (available on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Canal Plus, Orange, YouTube and other platforms) before a lively and engaging discussion in class. Each month a new film provides a basis for an immersive lesson with authentic spoken language and cultural reference points. If you love movies, there’s no more enjoyable way to increase vocabulary, improve conversational skills, and deepen your understanding of French cinema and culture.

Les femmes à l'honneur ce printemps

Trois films de réalisatrices françaises, trois portraits de femmes filmées dans leur complexité, leurs nuances, et explorant à fines touches leur reconstruction.

L’Avenir de Mia Hansen Love (2016) avec Isabelle Huppert, André Marcon, Judith Magre

Nathalie, mariée et mère de deux enfants déjà adultes, enseigne la philosophie avec implication et passion. Sa mère très âgée se fait de plus en plus possessive. Quand son mari lui annonce qu'il a rencontré une autre femme et qu'il part s'installer avec elle, elle voit sa vie sous un autre jour. Portrait d’une femme qui se libère de ce qui pourrait l’enfermer et la transformer en victime. Ours d’Argent au festival de Berlin.

Un beau soleil intérieur de Claire Denis (2017) avec Juliette Binoche, Xavier Beauvois

Isabelle, une artiste-peintre divorcée et mère d'une fille, cherche le grand amour au tournant de la cinquantaine. Elle s'essaye à de nombreuses rencontres, avec des hommes très différents, sans jamais trouver le bonheur, ni même la sérénité dans aucune d'entre elles. Finalement, profondément déprimée, elle se rend chez un voyant qui lui prédit un avenir surprenant. Claire Denis est considérée comme l’une des plus grandes depuis les années 90 avec « Chocolat », « Trouble Every day », « White Material »

Revoir Paris d’Alice Winocour (2022) avec Virginie Efira, Benoit Magimel, Grégoire Colin

A Paris, Mia est prise dans un attentat dans une brasserie. Trois mois plus tard, alors qu’elle n’a toujours pas réussi à reprendre le cours de sa vie et qu’elle ne se rappelle l’évènement que par bribes, Mia décide d’enquêter dans sa mémoire pour retrouver le chemin d’un bonheur possible. Film d’une réalisatrice qui joue sur des gammes variées depuis ses débuts et explore la mémoire post traumatique des attentats de Paris, entre regard concret et vision poétique.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: A graduate of Sciences Po Paris and ESCP Business School with a master's in political philosophy, Pascale Borenstein co-founded the first professional training course for screenwriters, the Conservatoire Européen d'Ecriture Audiovisuelle (CEEA), which she subsequently directed. From 2004 to 2017, she was Director of International Relations and Continuing Education at France's national film school, La Fémis, where she collaborated with the film departments at NYU, Columbia University, and Calarts. Pascale is the co-author of "Histoire de films français" published by Bordas and a lecturer at l'ICART (École du Management Culturel & Marché de l'Art).

LY151 Café Littéraire: "Adele," by Leïla Slimani (15 May 2026)

Fri, 15 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Adèle is a provocative and tensely strung character study that explores the "hellishness of the ordinary" through the lens of addiction. The novel centers on Adèle Robinson, a successful Parisian journalist who appears to have a flawless life, complete with a surgeon husband, a young son, and an elegant apartment in the 18th arrondissement. Beneath this polished veneer of bourgeois respectability, however, Adèle is consumed by a relentless and insatiable compulsion for anonymous sexual encounters.

Written in "bracingly spare" and clinical prose, the narrative follows Adèle as she orchestrates her life around one-night stands and clandestine affairs, leading a double life that begins to unravel as her compulsions grow more reckless. Rather than an erotic exploration of pleasure, Slimani depicts Adèle’s addiction as an anhedonic struggle—a "perpetual flight from herself" fueled by a deep-seated sense of meaninglessness and an "aching void". The story reaches a turning point when her husband, Richard, discovers her secret, leading to a stark shift in control as he moves the family to the Normandy countryside in a desperate, suffocating attempt to "cure" her.

Often described as a modern-day Madame Bovary, Adèle is a dark meditation on female subjectivity, maternal anxiety, and the stifling nature of social expectations. A strong discussion angle for the group is the novel's refusal to offer easy psychological diagnoses or redemption for its protagonist. Instead, it invites readers to interrogate whether Adèle is an aggressor destroying her family or a tragic figure trapped by her own "nothingness" and a society that offers no real liberty.

Winner of the 2015 La Mamounia Prize for Moroccan literature.

The book group meets at the organizer's apartment. The directions, door code, telephone number, etc., are sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails, following registration.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered before 15 March, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the May meeting opens on Saturday, 18 April.

BA103 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (15 May 2026)

Fri, 15 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Friday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

There is no need to register, just show up and look for the WICE tables upstairs.

Le Nelsons, 16 Rue Coquillière, 75001. Metro lines 1/4/7/11/14, RER A, B, D, and buses 74, 85

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA032 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (15 May 2026)

Fri, 15 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SY161 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (16 May 2026)

Sat, 16 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE members Caroline Harvey and Rick Jones.

Registration for this event opens on Sunday, 3 May.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

Le Sarah Bernhardt is located at 2 Place du Châtelet. It can be reached by metro lines 1, 4, 7, 11, and 14 (Châtelet, Secteur Seine, Sortie 17), and buses 38, 67, 69, and 72.

SY161 WICE Women's Lunch (16 May 2026)

Sat, 16 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Ladies of WICE . . . by popular demand, join us for a pay-for-your-own women's lunch!

This is a great opportunity for WICE women to meet each other and to hang out for a few hours to discover common interests and such over good food and beverages.

We meet upstairs at Le Nelson, a charming and warm Parisian restaurant located in Châtelet that has a very good relationship with WICE.

Registration opens on Sunday, 19 April.

LY161 Left Bank Literature Walk (16 May 2026)

Sat, 16 May 2026 12:00:00 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.

LY161 Tea and Tattered Pages: Adventures in Poetry (16 May 2026)

Sat, 16 May 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Tea and Tattered Pages: Adventures in Poetry

"If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know this is poetry." -Emily Dickinson

Program Description:

Tea and Tattered Pages is a multi-faceted program designed to bring poetry closer to the fore in our lives, and perhaps create a small community around it. Our activities include reading, writing, discussing, reciting, and trying to live poetry.

There will be no fixed agenda for events; rather, forthcoming events will usually be decided by vote as we move through the year, and published as things are decided. You can get a sense of what sorts of activities we will be doing on the program's web page:

Tea and Tattered Pages

May Agenda

The May agenda is being developed and will be posted no later than Saturday, 18 April. Registration will open as soon as the agenda has been developed.

Instructors:

Heather Hartley

Heather Hartley’s poetry collections include Adult Swim and Knock Knock, both published by Carnegie Mellon University Press. She was Paris Editor for Tin House magazine for over fifteen years.

Her short fiction, poems, essays and interviews have appeared in or on PBS Newshour, The Guardian, The Literary Review and other venues. She teaches creative writing at the University of Kent’s (UK) Paris School of Arts and Culture and has also taught at the American University of Paris and the University of Texas El Paso MFA program.

www.heatherhartleyink.com

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (18 May 2026)

Mon, 18 May 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (18 May 2026)

Mon, 18 May 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SY181 Pub Quiz! (18 May 2026)

Mon, 18 May 2026 17:40:00 GMT

This event is free for members, but registration and the purchase of food or a beverage is required.

Registration opens on Tuesday, 19 April.

WF171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (19 May 2026)

Tue, 19 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

Instructor

SY191 Morning Coffee at Les Editeurs (19 May 2026)

Tue, 19 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Wednesday, 6 May.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café (and pay for it before leaving).

Les Editeurs is located at 4 Carrefour de l'Odéon, 75006. It can be reached by metro lines 4 and 10 (Odéon), and busses 58, 87, and 89.

BA071 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (19 May 2026)

Tue, 19 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

Maison Communale, 69 rue Violet , 75015 Paris. Metro line 8 stop Commerce, and buses #42, #70, #88.

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA072 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (19 May 2026)

Tue, 19 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

GN191 Spinefulness Workshop (19 May 2026)

Tue, 19 May 2026 17:00:00 GMT

WICE is partnering with John Raven from Spinefulness to offer an introductory class on relieving back and joint pain and improving posture through natural alignment. Are you suffering from back or joint pain while sitting, standing or moving? This is the class for you.

Spinefulness, also known as Aplomb in France, is a unique practice rooted in the work of pioneering French women. It is based on decades of detailed, rigorous observation of pain-free cultures and young children who still maintain their natural alignment and balance with gravity in everyday life.

John's eye-opening presentation and individual assessment will show you exactly where the problem lies and what to do. Experience how a few simple shifts in how you sit make you feel better over and over again.This empowering, restorative class is for all ages and body types. You’ll leave feeling better than when you arrived—and with tools you can use anytime, even while sitting at your desk.

Please wear looser-fitting softer pants—jeans do not work well!

Want to learn more before registering? Here is an article from National Public Radio (USA) with more information.

About the instructor: John Raven is a certified Spinefulness instructor who has been studying the art of natural pain-free posture and movement for 16 years and teaching it for 8. As an American expat in France, John serves as a bridge between the pioneering French experts and the leading American teachers of this groundbreaking work.

SY201 Morning Coffee in the 9th at Le Grand Comptoir d'Anvers (20 May 2026)

Wed, 20 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Thursday, 7 May.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

BA081 French Guided Discussion (20 May 2026)

Wed, 20 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Course Description

A Zoom link will be provided the day before the course begins. Be sure to check your email for it
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions

About the Instructors

Brice Dardel and Brigitte Le Quéré, both native French speakers with extensive experience leading discussions, alternate weekly sessions.

BA091 French Language: Renoir et L'Amour (21 May 2026)

Thu, 21 May 2026 08:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on the French holiday: 14 mai.

About the instructor

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (21 May 2026)

Thu, 21 May 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

LY211 Living Room Players: Play To Be Determined (21 May 2026)

Thu, 21 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The May play selection and description will be posted on or about Friday, 17 April (or before).

The readings take place at a member's apartment in the Marais. The address, door code, and phone number are sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered seven days before the event, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the May reading opens on Friday, 17 April.

BA093 English Guided Discussion (21 May 2026)

Thu, 21 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 14 mai.

Note: A Zoom link will be provided the day before the
course begins. Be sure to check your email for it.

Contact languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

Facilitators

The group will be led by several native English speakers of varying interests and backgrounds.

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (21 May 2026)

Thu, 21 May 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SY211 Monthly Apéro (21 May 2026)

Thu, 21 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Each month, we come together to celebrate the friendships and community that make WICE special. Join us for an evening of lively discussions with fellow members, where you can share ideas, reflections, and experiences. Our Board of Directors is eager to hear your insights and visions for the future of WICE. Enjoy a nice selection of beverages and snacks, perfect for sparking conversation and connection. And don’t miss the chance to win our special door prize!

Come and celebrate our community – we look forward to seeing you there!

Note: Registration required. Registration opens on Friday, 17 April.

The fees are as follows:

10€ for regular members
€5 for new 1-year members attending their first apéro
€5 for WICE volunteers

If you are having trouble registering, please contact wice@wice-paris.org.

BA101 French 4.3 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (22 May 2026)

Fri, 22 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Course Description

Participating in professional or academic meetings
Presenting and justifying a project or idea
Managing misunderstandings and clarifying meaning
Writing formal emails or structured texts
Debating cultural or social issues with well-supported arguments.

This course will not meet 1 May or 8 May.

Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BA102 French 5.3 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (22 May 2026)

Fri, 22 May 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Focus of the Conversation Training:

Persuading, negotiating, and convincing with credible arguments
Defending a viewpoint under pressure
Handling complex, fast-paced discussions
Subtly adjusting tone, register, and rhetorical strategy depending on audience

This course will be held in French once a week on Zoom for 90 minutes. This class does not meet on French holidays: 1 May and 8 May.

Please contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

LY221 Booker Books: "Creation Lake," by Rachel Kushner (22 May 2026)

Fri, 22 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Creation Lake is a coolly brilliant, genre-bending novel that masks a profound philosophical treatise within the sleek framework of a spy noir. The narrative is led by "Sadie Smith," a thirty-four-year-old American undercover agent of "ruthless tactics and clean beauty," who has been hired by shadowy corporate interests to infiltrate a radical eco-activist commune in the Guyenne region of rural France. Tasked with inciting provocation to justify a government crackdown, Sadie maneuvers through a landscape of ancient farms and "real Europe" distribution warehouses, viewing the idealistic activists with a detached, cynical eye.

The novel’s propulsive energy is regularly punctuated by the intellectual ruminations of Bruno Lacombe, the commune’s eccentric mentor who lives in a prehistoric cave and communicates only via email. As Sadie intercepts and reads Bruno’s missives, she becomes unexpectedly mesmerized by his theories on Neanderthals, whom he believes were a superior, more empathetic species than Homo sapiens. These "counter-histories" begin to erode Sadie’s carefully maintained detachment, forcing her to confront a "piercingly moral" awakening as she realizes she may be the architect of a catastrophe that threatens her own humanity.

Written in taut, "vaulting" sections, Creation Lake is both a high-stakes thriller and a meditation on the "failures of self-liberation" in a world dominated by late-stage capitalism. A strong discussion angle for the group is the contrast between Sadie’s performative identity and Bruno’s search for an authentic, ancient past—and whether Sadie’s ultimate "salt," her core essence, is as hard and nihilistic as she initially claims.

Shortlisted for the 2024 Booker Prize.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered by one week prior to the meeting, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the May meeting opens on Saturday, 25 April.

BA103 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (22 May 2026)

Fri, 22 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Friday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

There is no need to register, just show up and look for the WICE tables upstairs.

Le Nelsons, 16 Rue Coquillière, 75001. Metro lines 1/4/7/11/14, RER A, B, D, and buses 74, 85

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA032 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (22 May 2026)

Fri, 22 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SY231 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (23 May 2026)

Sat, 23 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE member Kim Hodges.

Registration opens on Sunday, 10 May.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

Le Sarah Bernhardt is located at 2 Place du Châtelet. It can be reached by metro lines 1, 4, 7, 11, and 14 (Châtelet, Secteur Seine, Sortie 17), and buses 38, 67, 69, and 72.

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.

SY261 Morning Coffee at Brasserie Le Bullier (26 May 2026)

Tue, 26 May 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for coffee on Tuesday mornings. And, if the weather permits, perhaps a walk through the Luxembourg Gardens afterwards.

Members meet at Brasserie le Bullier, named after the famous ball located opposite the "Port Royal" station, to which the whole of Paris once flocked.

It is expected that everyone will order a beverage or food item appropriate for sitting around a café in the morning (and pay for it on the way out).

Registration opens on Wednesday, 13 May.

Brasserie le Bullier is located at 22 Av. de l'Observatoire, 75014. It can be reached by RER B (Port Royal), metro lines 4 and 6 (Raspail), and busses 38, 82, 91.

BA071 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (26 May 2026)

Tue, 26 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

Maison Communale, 69 rue Violet , 75015 Paris. Metro line 8 stop Commerce, and buses #42, #70, #88.

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA072 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (26 May 2026)

Tue, 26 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

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.

BA081 French Guided Discussion (27 May 2026)

Wed, 27 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Course Description

A Zoom link will be provided the day before the course begins. Be sure to check your email for it
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions

About the Instructors

Brice Dardel and Brigitte Le Quéré, both native French speakers with extensive experience leading discussions, alternate weekly sessions.

BA091 French Language: Renoir et L'Amour (28 May 2026)

Thu, 28 May 2026 08:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on the French holiday: 14 mai.

About the instructor

GY281 Mindfulness Meditation (28 May 2026)

Thu, 28 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT

SY281 New Member Lunch (28 May 2026)

Thu, 28 May 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Please note: this lunch is organized by WICE, but you are responsible for paying for your own order.

Registration opens on Friday, 24 April.

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (28 May 2026)

Thu, 28 May 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

BA093 English Guided Discussion (28 May 2026)

Thu, 28 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 14 mai.

Note: A Zoom link will be provided the day before the
course begins. Be sure to check your email for it.

Contact languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

Facilitators

The group will be led by several native English speakers of varying interests and backgrounds.

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (28 May 2026)

Thu, 28 May 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

BA101 French 4.3 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (29 May 2026)

Fri, 29 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Course Description

Participating in professional or academic meetings
Presenting and justifying a project or idea
Managing misunderstandings and clarifying meaning
Writing formal emails or structured texts
Debating cultural or social issues with well-supported arguments.

This course will not meet 1 May or 8 May.

Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BA102 French 5.3 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (29 May 2026)

Fri, 29 May 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Focus of the Conversation Training:

Persuading, negotiating, and convincing with credible arguments
Defending a viewpoint under pressure
Handling complex, fast-paced discussions
Subtly adjusting tone, register, and rhetorical strategy depending on audience

This course will be held in French once a week on Zoom for 90 minutes. This class does not meet on French holidays: 1 May and 8 May.

Please contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BA243 American Film Classics (29 May 2026)

Fri, 29 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

In the Spriing trimester, we'll discuss three films from 1939, arguably one of the best years for American cinema.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington by Frank Capra with Claude Reins, James Stewart, Jean Arthur.

A naive youth leader is appointed to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate where his idealistic plans promptly collide with corruption at home and subterfuge from his hero in Washington.

Only Angels Have Wings by Howard Hawks with Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, and Rita Hayworth.

Stagecoach by John Ford with John Wayne and Claire Trevor. On the stagecoach to Cheyenne, an eclectic group of passengers must work together to survive the arduous journey and the Apache attacks.

About the instructor:

BA103 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (29 May 2026)

Fri, 29 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Friday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

There is no need to register, just show up and look for the WICE tables upstairs.

Le Nelsons, 16 Rue Coquillière, 75001. Metro lines 1/4/7/11/14, RER A, B, D, and buses 74, 85

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA032 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (29 May 2026)

Fri, 29 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SY301 No-Host Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (30 May 2026)

Sat, 30 May 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for no-host morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

The no-host aspect of this coffee is an experiment. Because there will be no host to introduce people and keep things flowing, each registrant will write a few sentences about themselves when they register, and the list with all the names and self-descriptions will be emailed to all registrants before the coffee. That way everyone can see a little bit about their fellow coffee goers and seek out those they would like to talk to. Keep in mind, this is an experiment.

Registration opens on Sunday, 3 May.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

Le Sarah Bernhardt is located at 2 Place du Châtelet. It can be reached by metro lines 1, 4, 7, 11, and 14 (Châtelet, Secteur Seine, Sortie 17), and buses 38, 67, 69, and 72.

PWW5 Short Fiction Masterclass - Kevin Brockmeier (31 May 2026)

Sat, 30 May 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Your full workshop package includes: Welcome reception, five-day masterclass, individual teacher consultation, a (BYO) lunch-time session on Paths to Publishing, early evening panels, student readings, and closing reception.

Click here for full program schedule.

Instructor:

Kevin Brockmeier is the author of the novels The Illumination, The Brief History of the Dead, and The Truth About Celia; the story collections Things That Fall from the Sky and The View from the Seventh Layer; the children’s novels City of Names and Grooves: A Kind of Mystery; a memoir of his seventh-grade year called A Few Seconds of Radiant Filmstrip; and, most recently, a collection of flash fiction called The Ghost Variations: One Hundred Stories. His work has been translated into eighteen languages. He teaches frequently at the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and he lives in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he was raised.

Course Description:

Orson Scott Card said that "there are a thousand right ways to tell a story, and ten million wrong ones, and you’re a lot more likely to find one of the latter than the former your first time through the tale." Our goal for this course will be to read each other's stories and to help each other, as writers, find one of the thousand right ways to tell them. Whether you regard yourself as a genre fiction writer, a mainstream fiction writer, a realist, a fantasist, or something else altogether, as long as you arrive in Paris with an interest in improving your work and making discoveries, our workshop will offer a welcome environment for you.

We will devote roughly an hour to discussing each student’s manuscript, drawing the writer’s attention to its virtues, flaws, delights, confusions, lulls, and enticements. It's likely that we’ll also read a handful of published stories by masters of the form, authors who approach their work with vision, craft, and a complex and absorbing sense of what it means to be alive, with the goal of examining their stories for whatever creative lessons they might offer us. For writers of all levels.

Preparation:

I’ll ask each of you to submit a single double-spaced short story, between 10 and 25 pages long, by 1 May 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Please include your masterclass name along with your materials. Your classmates and I will read your manuscript in advance of our week together, prepare a letter for you, and come to the table prepared to discuss our observations in detail.

Agent Consultations:

Available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass, you can register for one or two agent consultations for an additional fee. Space is limited.

More information on Oliver Munson here.

More information on Chris Wellbelove here.

Cancellation Policy:

Full refund through 15 April 2026 minus 100€ admin fee
Half refund through 30 April 2026 minus 100€ admin fee
Sorry, no refund possible after 30 April 2026

In the event of unforeseen circumstances, PWW reserves the right to replace an instructor.

Photo credit: © Benjamin Krain

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWW4 Novel Masterclass - Lan Samantha Chang (31 May 2026)

Sat, 30 May 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Click here for full program schedule.

The Novel class is full. Consider another class or join the waitlist

Instructor:

Lan Samantha Chang is the author of The Family Chao, a winner of the Anisfield-Wolf Award for Fiction. A twenty-fifth anniversary edition of her first collection, Hunger: A Novella and Stories, was recently published by W.W. Norton & Company. She is also the author of All Is Forgotten, Nothing Is Lost and Inheritance, which won the PEN Open Book Award. Her short stories have been published in Harper’s Magazine, The Atlantic and The Best American Short Stories. Since 2006, she has directed the Iowa Writers' Workshop at the University of Iowa.

Course Description:

This workshop is designed for people who are somewhere in the often-surprising process of writing a novel. It’s my goal to create a constructive and supportive novel writing community in which we will explore key aspects of the form and process. How does a novel differ from real life? What are the parts of a novel and what obstacles does each pose to the writer? What are some of the greatest pleasures and frustrations of writing a novel, and how are they specifically related to the nature of the form? What are some useful methods to keep track of a novel-in-progress, and how can we come to terms with our own habits of productivity?

Preparation:

Participants should send a chapter of up to 6000 words, as well as a one-page synopsis, by May 1, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Please include your masterclass name with your materials. Your classmates and I will read your manuscript in advance of our week together and be prepared to discuss our observations.

Agent Consultations:

Available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass, you can register for one or two agent consultations for an additional fee. Space is limited.

More information on Oliver Munson here.

More information on Chris Wellbelove here.

Cancellation Policy:

Full refund through 15 April 2026 minus 100€ admin fee
Half refund through 30 April 2026 minus 100€ admin fee
Sorry, no refund possible after 30 April 2026

In the event of unforeseen circumstances, PWW reserves the right to replace an instructor.

Photo credit: © IfeOluwa Nihinlola

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWW2 Memoir Masterclass - Jeannine Ouellette (31 May 2026)

Sat, 30 May 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Click here for full program schedule.

Instructor:

Jeannine Ouellette’s lyric memoir, The Part That Burns, was a Kirkus Best Indie Book and a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Award in Women’s Literature. Her other books include Mama Moon and The Good Caregiver with Robert Kane, M.D. Her essays and short fiction have appeared widely in journals and anthologies, including Narrative, North American Review, Los Angeles Review of Books, and Masters Review. Her bestselling Substack, Writing in the Dark, explores writing as a metaphor for life.

Jeannine teaches writing at the Minnesota Prison Writing Workshop and the University of Minnesota. Her craft book, One Word at a Time: A Creative Practice for Transforming Your Writing and Your Life, is forthcoming from Rodale Books.

Course Description:

This workshop will move writers beyond “what happened” toward embodied memoirs that allow readers to not only understand the story but to live it. The memoirist, like the novelist, must articulate the story’s narrative arc and move readers along it with an engaging narrator. This is complex because to narrate memoir is to experience oneself as a trinity: the author at the keyboard, the narrator or constructed persona, and the character whose experiences form the story. This threefold perspective is key to plotting an unforgettable memoir that captures experience and meaning with strong emotive capacities to move readers and live on in their imaginations. For writers of all levels.

In class we will explore:

Finding the premise, timeframe, narrative arc and “aboutness” of your memoir
Writing scenes that keep readers turning the page, while building the story’s larger architecture
Navigating the trinity of roles as author, character and narrator
Externalizing the internal to dramatize emotion

Preparation:

By May 1, 2026, please send to admin.pww@wice-paris.org:

your memoir’s opening or most compelling scene (max 10 double-spaced pages). If you're just starting your memoir, no worries! This course is beginner friendly! Just send whatever you can and we will meet you wherever you're at.
a cover letter (2 pages max) describing yourself as a writer and the history of your project, including how long you’ve been working on it, current word count, and any challenges you face
please include your masterclass name with your materials

Your classmates and I will read your submission in advance of our week together and be prepared to discuss our observations in detail.

Agent Consultations:

Available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass, you can register for one or two agent consultations for an additional fee. Space is limited.
More information on Oliver Munson here.
More informatin on Chris Wellbelove here.

Cancellation Policy:

Full refund through 15 April 2026 minus 100€ admin fee
Half refund through 30 April 2026 minus 100€ admin fee
Sorry, no refund possible after 30 April 2026

In the event of unforeseen circumstances, PWW reserves the right to replace an instructor.

Photo credit: © Max Ouellette-Howitz

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWW1 Screenwriting Masterclass - Gabrielle Demeestère (31 May 2026)

Sat, 30 May 2026 22:00:00 GMT

Click here for full program schedule.

Instructor:

Gabrielle Demeestère wrote and directed the feature film Yosemite starring James Franco and Henry Hopper, which Variety called “an impressive debut” and was released theatrically and on Netflix. She sold her half-hour comedy pilot Putain! to Topic Studios and has worked as a script doctor for Working Title Films. She is currently in pre-production on her second feature film, Terra, which participated in the Torino Film Lab and Gotham Week Project Market, and is being produced by Luca Borghese (Eddington, A House of Dynamite.)

Gabrielle has taught in the graduate film program at Columbia University, Rutgers, Bard College at Simon’s Rock, Tufts, and Syracuse University. She is currently an Assistant Professor in Screenwriting at Emerson College in Boston.

Course Description:

Whether you’re writing your first feature-length screenplay or already have some experience as a screenwriter, meeting other writers, exchanging ideas, giving and receiving feedback is an invaluable part of the writing experience.

Our screenwriting masterclass will focus on character, structure, plot, dialogue and subtext, and help you develop your own, unique voice as a screenwriter. Our classes will be devoted to learning about screenwriting concepts, sharing your work with other participants, and writing exercises. The goal is for participants to bring an idea for a feature film or TV and leave the workshop with a visual pitch and the first 5-10 pages of a new screenplay.

Preparation:

Students are asked to send by May 1, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org an idea for a TV show or feature film for the first class: a one-sentence logline and short synopsis (500 words max).

Choose an active main character and come up with a few key plot points that help establish the character’s main conflict, as well as indicate where the story is heading (you don't have to know the whole story yet). Include a few sentences about why you're passionate about telling this story (why you and why now). Your classmates and I will read your submission in advance of our week together, and be prepared to discuss our observations in detail.

Please include your masterclass name with your materials.

You are also encouraged to read the screenwriting book Into the Woods by John Yorke beforehand.

Agent Consultations:

Cancellation Policy:

Full refund through 15 April 2026 minus 100€ admin fee
Half refund through 30 April 2026 minus 100€ admin fee
Sorry, no refund possible after 30 April 2026

In the event of unforeseen circumstances, PWW reserves the right to replace an instructor.

Photo credit: © Joey Kuhn

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (01 Jun 2026)

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (01 Jun 2026)

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SU021 Morning Coffee at Les Editeurs (02 Jun 2026)

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Wednesday, 20 May.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café (and pay for it before leaving).

Les Editeurs is located at 4 Carrefour de l'Odéon, 75006. It can be reached by metro lines 4 and 10 (Odéon), and busses 58, 87, and 89.

PWWU021 Agent Consultation - Chris Wellbelove (02 Jun 2026)

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

Chris Wellbelove is an agent at Aitken Alexander, where he is head of the Books Department. He represents writers of fiction and nonfiction including Kaliane Bradley, Sophie Elmhirst, Daisy Johnson, Gary Stevenson and Evie Wyld. He is drawn to literary writing that exhibits originality, imagination and personality.

In nonfiction he can be interested in books on any subject, provided the idea feels original and the telling unique. He works with a wide range of writers, from journalists and memoirists to thought leaders, academics and cultural figures.

https://aitkenalexander.co.uk/literary-agents/chris-wellbelove

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Chris Wellbelove) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU021 Agent Consultation - Chris Wellbelove (02 Jun 2026)

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

https://aitkenalexander.co.uk/literary-agents/chris-wellbelove

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Chris Wellbelove) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU021 Agent Consultation - Chris Wellbelove (02 Jun 2026)

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

https://aitkenalexander.co.uk/literary-agents/chris-wellbelove

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Chris Wellbelove) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU021 Agent Consultation - Chris Wellbelove (02 Jun 2026)

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

https://aitkenalexander.co.uk/literary-agents/chris-wellbelove

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Chris Wellbelove) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

BA071 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (02 Jun 2026)

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

Maison Communale, 69 rue Violet , 75015 Paris. Metro line 8 stop Commerce, and buses #42, #70, #88.

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA072 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (02 Jun 2026)

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

PWWU021 Agent Consultation - Chris Wellbelove (03 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

https://aitkenalexander.co.uk/literary-agents/chris-wellbelove

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Chris Wellbelove) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

SU031 Morning Coffee in the 9th at Le Grand Comptoir d'Anvers (03 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Thursday, 21 May.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

PWWU021 Agent Consultation - Chris Wellbelove (03 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

https://aitkenalexander.co.uk/literary-agents/chris-wellbelove

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Chris Wellbelove) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU021 Agent Consultation - Chris Wellbelove (03 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

https://aitkenalexander.co.uk/literary-agents/chris-wellbelove

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Chris Wellbelove) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU021 Agent Consultation - Chris Wellbelove (03 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

https://aitkenalexander.co.uk/literary-agents/chris-wellbelove

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Chris Wellbelove) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU031 Agent Consultation - Oliver Munson (03 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

Oliver Munson is a director at the London based A.M. Heath Literary Agents. His author list includes award winning writers of both fiction and non-fiction, with a particular emphasis on commercial fiction.

Many on his list include bestselling authors of crime, suspense, and thrillers. He also enjoys high concept speculative fiction (not science fiction), and compelling underdog stories with unlikely heroes and heroines.

On the non-fiction front, he enjoys sports writing and narrative non-fiction exploring contemporary social issues.

https://amheath.com/agents/oli-munson/

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Oliver Munson) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU021 Agent Consultation - Chris Wellbelove (03 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

https://aitkenalexander.co.uk/literary-agents/chris-wellbelove

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Chris Wellbelove) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU031 Agent Consultation - Oliver Munson (03 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

On the non-fiction front, he enjoys sports writing and narrative non-fiction exploring contemporary social issues.

https://amheath.com/agents/oli-munson/

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Oliver Munson) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU021 Agent Consultation - Chris Wellbelove (03 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

https://aitkenalexander.co.uk/literary-agents/chris-wellbelove

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Chris Wellbelove) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU031 Agent Consultation - Oliver Munson (03 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

On the non-fiction front, he enjoys sports writing and narrative non-fiction exploring contemporary social issues.

https://amheath.com/agents/oli-munson/

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Oliver Munson) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU031 Agent Consultation - Oliver Munson (03 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

On the non-fiction front, he enjoys sports writing and narrative non-fiction exploring contemporary social issues.

https://amheath.com/agents/oli-munson/

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Oliver Munson) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

BA081 French Guided Discussion (03 Jun 2026)

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Course Description

A Zoom link will be provided the day before the course begins. Be sure to check your email for it
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions

About the Instructors

Brice Dardel and Brigitte Le Quéré, both native French speakers with extensive experience leading discussions, alternate weekly sessions.

PWWU031 Agent Consultation - Oliver Munson (04 Jun 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

On the non-fiction front, he enjoys sports writing and narrative non-fiction exploring contemporary social issues.

https://amheath.com/agents/oli-munson/

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Oliver Munson) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU031 Agent Consultation - Oliver Munson (04 Jun 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

On the non-fiction front, he enjoys sports writing and narrative non-fiction exploring contemporary social issues.

https://amheath.com/agents/oli-munson/

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Oliver Munson) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

BA091 French Language: Renoir et L'Amour (04 Jun 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on the French holiday: 14 mai.

About the instructor

PWWU031 Agent Consultation - Oliver Munson (04 Jun 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

On the non-fiction front, he enjoys sports writing and narrative non-fiction exploring contemporary social issues.

https://amheath.com/agents/oli-munson/

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Oliver Munson) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU031 Agent Consultation - Oliver Munson (04 Jun 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

On the non-fiction front, he enjoys sports writing and narrative non-fiction exploring contemporary social issues.

https://amheath.com/agents/oli-munson/

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Oliver Munson) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

PWWU031 Agent Consultation - Oliver Munson (04 Jun 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

On the non-fiction front, he enjoys sports writing and narrative non-fiction exploring contemporary social issues.

https://amheath.com/agents/oli-munson/

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Oliver Munson) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

SU041 WICE Lunch (04 Jun 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Come enjoy a lively lunch with fellow WICE members. Catch up with old friends and meet new ones over a fun and leisurely meal in a charming café in the Latin Quarter.

We normally stand, mingle, and chat for 30 - 45 minutes, and then sit down to eat at about 12:30 or 12:45. So please plan accordingly.

You pay for what you eat and drink, no extra fees, but registration is required.

Served by metro line 10 (Sorbonne-Cluny), metro line 4 (Saint Michel), and busses 21, 27, 38, 63, 86, 87, and 96.

Registration opens on Friday, 8 May.

PWWU031 Agent Consultation - Oliver Munson (04 Jun 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Spend 15 minutes of uninterrupted time with a literary agent. You get to pitch your book, and the agent gets to ask clarifying questions.

Agent consultations are available exclusively to participants who have enrolled in a masterclass. Subject to availability.

On the non-fiction front, he enjoys sports writing and narrative non-fiction exploring contemporary social issues.

https://amheath.com/agents/oli-munson/

Preparation: Please send a synopsis and your first chapter by May 15, 2026 to admin.pww@wice-paris.org. Include the agent’s name (Oliver Munson) with your materials.

Cancellation Policy: Sorry, no cancellations.

Back to PWW Homepage - Click here

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (04 Jun 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

BA093 English Guided Discussion (04 Jun 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 14 mai.

Note: A Zoom link will be provided the day before the
course begins. Be sure to check your email for it.

Contact languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

Facilitators

The group will be led by several native English speakers of varying interests and backgrounds.

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (04 Jun 2026)

Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

BA101 French 4.3 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (05 Jun 2026)

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Course Description

Participating in professional or academic meetings
Presenting and justifying a project or idea
Managing misunderstandings and clarifying meaning
Writing formal emails or structured texts
Debating cultural or social issues with well-supported arguments.

This course will not meet 1 May or 8 May.

Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BA102 French 5.3 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (05 Jun 2026)

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Focus of the Conversation Training:

Persuading, negotiating, and convincing with credible arguments
Defending a viewpoint under pressure
Handling complex, fast-paced discussions
Subtly adjusting tone, register, and rhetorical strategy depending on audience

This course will be held in French once a week on Zoom for 90 minutes. This class does not meet on French holidays: 1 May and 8 May.

Please contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

LU051 Murder, They Read: "Harlem Shuffle," by Colson Whitehead (05 Jun 2026)

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Harlem Shuffle,by 2 time Pulitzer Prize winner and MacArthur fellow Colson Whitehead, follows Ray Carney, a small businessman living in 1960s Harlem. Carney sees himself as an honest businessman trying to climb into the middle class, but due to the need to support his family and the difficulty of doing so, he sometimes steps over the line. When his ne’er do well cousin Freddie involves him in a plan for a robbery, Carney is pulled deeper into crime. As the years pass, he navigates corrupt police, gangsters, and shifting Harlem politics while trying to protect his business and family. Blending crime story and social portraiture, the novel explores ambition, survival, and the complicated line between respectability and criminality in a changing Harlem.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered seven days before the event, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration opens on Saturday, 02 May.

BA103 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (05 Jun 2026)

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Friday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

There is no need to register, just show up and look for the WICE tables upstairs.

Le Nelsons, 16 Rue Coquillière, 75001. Metro lines 1/4/7/11/14, RER A, B, D, and buses 74, 85

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA032 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (05 Jun 2026)

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SU061 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (06 Jun 2026)

Sat, 06 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE members Caroline Harvey and Rick Jones.

Registration for this event opens on Sunday, 17 May.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

Le Sarah Bernhardt is located at 2 Place du Châtelet. It can be reached by metro lines 1, 4, 7, 11, and 14 (Châtelet, Secteur Seine, Sortie 17), and buses 38, 67, 69, and 72.

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (08 Jun 2026)

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

LU081 The New Yorker: Short Stories (08 Jun 2026)

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Visit The New Yorker Fiction & Poetry page to find a complete list of New Yorker short stories (listed in chronological order beginning with the most recently published).

Registration opens on Tuesday, 12 May.

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (08 Jun 2026)

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SU091 Morning Coffee at Brasserie Le Bullier (09 Jun 2026)

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for coffee on Tuesday mornings. And, if the weather permits, perhaps a walk through the Luxembourg Gardens afterwards.

Members meet at Brasserie le Bullier, named after the famous ball located opposite the "Port Royal" station, to which the whole of Paris once flocked.

It is expected that everyone will order a beverage or food item appropriate for sitting around a café in the morning (and pay for it on the way out).

Registration opens on Wednesday, 27 May.

Brasserie le Bullier is located at 22 Av. de l'Observatoire, 75014. It can be reached by RER B (Port Royal), metro lines 4 and 6 (Raspail), and busses 38, 82, 91.

BA071 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (09 Jun 2026)

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

Maison Communale, 69 rue Violet , 75015 Paris. Metro line 8 stop Commerce, and buses #42, #70, #88.

Participation is free with WICE membership.

LU091 Classic Mysteries: "The Moving Toy Shop," by Edmund Crispin (09 Jun 2026)

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Moving Toyshop is a quintessential "Golden Age" mystery that prioritizes intellectual high spirits and surreal wit over gritty realism. The story follows Richard Cadogan, a frustrated poet who travels to Oxford in search of inspiration, only to stumble into a locked toyshop in the middle of the night where he discovers the body of a strangled woman. After being knocked unconscious, Cadogan wakes up to a baffling reality: the toyshop has completely vanished, replaced by a mundane grocery store that appears to have been there for years.

To solve the impossible disappearance, Cadogan enlists his old friend Gervase Fen, an eccentric Oxford Professor of English Language and Literature who moonlights as a reckless amateur detective. What follows is a "breezy, Hollywood-style romp" through the streets of Oxford as the duo careens about in a beat-up sports car, deciphering clues hidden in Edward Lear’s limericks and uncovering a complex web involving an insane will and a cast of colorful suspects. Crispin’s writing is famously "donnish," peppered with literary allusions, wordplay, and meta-fictional nods—including Fen’s habit of breaking the fourth wall to complain about the plot.

Described by P.D. James as one of the most riveting crime novels ever written, The Moving Toyshop is a "darkly comic requiem" to the traditional detective story, blending situation comedy with genuine suspense. A strong discussion angle for the group is Crispin’s use of Oxford as a "progenitor of unlikely events"—a setting where the line between academic eccentricity and criminal absurdity becomes delightfully blurred.

The novel’s climactic merry-go-round sequence famously served as the uncredited inspiration for the finale of Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered by five days before the group meets, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 13 May.

BA072 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (09 Jun 2026)

Tue, 09 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

BA081 French Guided Discussion (10 Jun 2026)

Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Course Description

A Zoom link will be provided the day before the course begins. Be sure to check your email for it
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions

About the Instructors

Brice Dardel and Brigitte Le Quéré, both native French speakers with extensive experience leading discussions, alternate weekly sessions.

BA091 French Language: Renoir et L'Amour (11 Jun 2026)

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on the French holiday: 14 mai.

About the instructor

GU111 Mindfulness Meditation (11 Jun 2026)

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 09:00:00 GMT

SU111 WICE Men's Lunch (11 Jun 2026)

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

WICE men . . . join us for a pay-for-your-own men's lunch!

This is nothing mysterious, it's just a chance for guys to hang out with other guys for a few hours and discover common interests and such over good food and beverages.

Registration opens on Friday, 15 May.

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (11 Jun 2026)

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

BA093 English Guided Discussion (11 Jun 2026)

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 14 mai.

Note: A Zoom link will be provided the day before the
course begins. Be sure to check your email for it.

Contact languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

Facilitators

The group will be led by several native English speakers of varying interests and backgrounds.

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (11 Jun 2026)

Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

BA101 French 4.3 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (12 Jun 2026)

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Course Description

Participating in professional or academic meetings
Presenting and justifying a project or idea
Managing misunderstandings and clarifying meaning
Writing formal emails or structured texts
Debating cultural or social issues with well-supported arguments.

This course will not meet 1 May or 8 May.

Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BA102 French 5.3 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (12 Jun 2026)

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Focus of the Conversation Training:

Persuading, negotiating, and convincing with credible arguments
Defending a viewpoint under pressure
Handling complex, fast-paced discussions
Subtly adjusting tone, register, and rhetorical strategy depending on audience

This course will be held in French once a week on Zoom for 90 minutes. This class does not meet on French holidays: 1 May and 8 May.

Please contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

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.

BA103 French Film Discussion (12 Jun 2026)

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Les femmes à l'honneur ce printemps

Trois films de réalisatrices françaises, trois portraits de femmes filmées dans leur complexité, leurs nuances, et explorant à fines touches leur reconstruction.

L’Avenir de Mia Hansen Love (2016) avec Isabelle Huppert, André Marcon, Judith Magre

Un beau soleil intérieur de Claire Denis (2017) avec Juliette Binoche, Xavier Beauvois

Revoir Paris d’Alice Winocour (2022) avec Virginie Efira, Benoit Magimel, Grégoire Colin

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR: A graduate of Sciences Po Paris and ESCP Business School with a master's in political philosophy, Pascale Borenstein co-founded the first professional training course for screenwriters, the Conservatoire Européen d'Ecriture Audiovisuelle (CEEA), which she subsequently directed. From 2004 to 2017, she was Director of International Relations and Continuing Education at France's national film school, La Fémis, where she collaborated with the film departments at NYU, Columbia University, and Calarts. Pascale is the co-author of "Histoire de films français" published by Bordas and a lecturer at l'ICART (École du Management Culturel & Marché de l'Art).

BA103 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (12 Jun 2026)

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Friday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

There is no need to register, just show up and look for the WICE tables upstairs.

Le Nelsons, 16 Rue Coquillière, 75001. Metro lines 1/4/7/11/14, RER A, B, D, and buses 74, 85

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA032 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (12 Jun 2026)

Fri, 12 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SU131 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (13 Jun 2026)

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE member Kim Hodges.

Registration opens on Sunday, 24 May.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

Le Sarah Bernhardt is located at 2 Place du Châtelet. It can be reached by metro lines 1, 4, 7, 11, and 14 (Châtelet, Secteur Seine, Sortie 17), and buses 38, 67, 69, and 72.

LU131 Tea and Tattered Pages: Adventures in Poetry (13 Jun 2026)

Sat, 13 Jun 2026 12:30:00 GMT

Tea and Tattered Pages: Adventures in Poetry

"If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know this is poetry." -Emily Dickinson

Program Description:

Tea and Tattered Pages

June Agenda

The June agenda has yet to be determined, but we are considering joint readings by poet-in-residence Heather Hartley and haiku writer/teacher Anna Eklund-Cheong.

The agenda will be finalized by 9 May.

If you have any questions, please contact literature@wice-paris.org

Instructors:

Heather Hartley

Heather Hartley’s poetry collections include Adult Swim and Knock Knock, both published by Carnegie Mellon University Press. She was Paris Editor for Tin House magazine for over fifteen years.

www.heatherhartleyink.com

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (15 Jun 2026)

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (15 Jun 2026)

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SU151 Pub Quiz! (15 Jun 2026)

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 17:40:00 GMT

This event is free for members, but registration and the purchase of food or a beverage is required.

Registration opens on Tuesday, 19 May.

SU161 Morning Coffee at Les Editeurs (16 Jun 2026)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for coffee on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday mornings of the month (and occasionally the 5th Tuesday) at Les Editeurs with host Hilary Kaiser. It's a great opportunity to hang out with fellow WICE members, make new friends, and enjoy those special experiences unique to Paris.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 3 June.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café (and pay for it before leaving).

Les Editeurs is located at 4 Carrefour de l'Odéon, 75006. It can be reached by metro lines 4 and 10 (Odéon), and busses 58, 87, and 89.

BA071 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (16 Jun 2026)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

Maison Communale, 69 rue Violet , 75015 Paris. Metro line 8 stop Commerce, and buses #42, #70, #88.

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA072 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (16 Jun 2026)

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

BA081 French Guided Discussion (17 Jun 2026)

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Course Description

A Zoom link will be provided the day before the course begins. Be sure to check your email for it
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions

About the Instructors

Brice Dardel and Brigitte Le Quéré, both native French speakers with extensive experience leading discussions, alternate weekly sessions.

BA091 French Language: Renoir et L'Amour (18 Jun 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on the French holiday: 14 mai.

About the instructor

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (18 Jun 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

LU181 Living Room Players: Play To Be Determined (18 Jun 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The June play selection and description will be posted on or about Friday, 22 May (or before).

The readings take place at a member's apartment in the Marais. The address, door code, and phone number are sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered seven days before the event, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the May reading opens on Friday, 22 May.

BA093 English Guided Discussion (18 Jun 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 14 mai.

Note: A Zoom link will be provided the day before the
course begins. Be sure to check your email for it.

Contact languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

Facilitators

The group will be led by several native English speakers of varying interests and backgrounds.

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (18 Jun 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SU181 Monthly Apéro (18 Jun 2026)

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Come and celebrate our community – we look forward to seeing you there!

Note: Registration required. Registration opens on Friday, 22 May.

The fees are as follows:

10€ for regular members
€5 for new 1-year members attending their first apéro
€5 for WICE volunteers

If you are having trouble registering, please contact wice@wice-paris.org.

BA101 French 4.3 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (19 Jun 2026)

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Course Description

Participating in professional or academic meetings
Presenting and justifying a project or idea
Managing misunderstandings and clarifying meaning
Writing formal emails or structured texts
Debating cultural or social issues with well-supported arguments.

This course will not meet 1 May or 8 May.

Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BA102 French 5.3 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (19 Jun 2026)

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Focus of the Conversation Training:

Persuading, negotiating, and convincing with credible arguments
Defending a viewpoint under pressure
Handling complex, fast-paced discussions
Subtly adjusting tone, register, and rhetorical strategy depending on audience

This course will be held in French once a week on Zoom for 90 minutes. This class does not meet on French holidays: 1 May and 8 May.

Please contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

LU191 Café Littéraire: "Life: A User's Manual," by Georges Perec (19 Jun 2026)

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Life: A User’s Manual is often described as an "encyclopedic" tapestry of human existence. Set within a single fictional apartment block at 11 rue Simon-Crubellier in Paris, the novel is frozen in time at the exact moment of a resident’s death: June 23, 1975, at 8:00 PM. From this static instant, Perec meticulously "dissects" the building, moving chapter by chapter through its rooms to reveal the interconnected lives, histories, and secrets of its inhabitants.

The narrative is famously governed by an intricate set of mathematical and formal constraints—a hallmark of Perec’s work with the Oulipo group. The order of the 99 chapters follows a "knight’s tour" across a 10x10 grid of the building’s layout, ensuring the reader visits every room without ever repeating a path. At the heart of these nested stories is the eccentric Englishman Percival Bartlebooth, who devises a 50-year plan to travel the world, paint 500 watercolors of seaports, have them turned into jigsaw puzzles, and ultimately destroy them so that no trace of his life’s work remains.

Both a playful puzzle and a mournful meditation on the "unquenchable thereness" of objects, Life: A User’s Manual transforms a mundane apartment block into a microcosm of the world. A strong discussion angle for the group is Perec’s use of exhaustive detail—inventories of furniture, lists of books, and descriptions of paintings—and whether these rigid structures succeed in capturing the "totality" of life or merely underscore its ultimate incompleteness.

Winner of the 1978 Prix Médicis.

The book group meets at the organizer's apartment. The directions, door code, telephone number, etc., are sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails, following registration.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered before 15 March, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the June meeting opens on Saturday, 16 May.

BA103 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (19 Jun 2026)

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Friday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

There is no need to register, just show up and look for the WICE tables upstairs.

Le Nelsons, 16 Rue Coquillière, 75001. Metro lines 1/4/7/11/14, RER A, B, D, and buses 74, 85

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA032 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (19 Jun 2026)

Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SU201 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (20 Jun 2026)

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE members Caroline Harvey and Rick Jones.

Registration for this event opens on Sunday, 7 June.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

Le Sarah Bernhardt is located at 2 Place du Châtelet. It can be reached by metro lines 1, 4, 7, 11, and 14 (Châtelet, Secteur Seine, Sortie 17), and buses 38, 67, 69, and 72.

SU201 WICE Women's Lunch (20 Jun 2026)

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Ladies of WICE . . . by popular demand, join us for a pay-for-your-own women's lunch!

This is a great opportunity for WICE women to meet each other and to hang out for a few hours to discover common interests and such over good food and beverages.

We meet upstairs at Le Nelson, a charming and warm Parisian restaurant located in Châtelet that has a very good relationship with WICE.

Registration opens on Sunday, 17 May.

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (22 Jun 2026)

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (22 Jun 2026)

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SU231 Morning Coffee at Brasserie Le Bullier (23 Jun 2026)

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for coffee on Tuesday mornings. And, if the weather permits, perhaps a walk through the Luxembourg Gardens afterwards.

Members meet at Brasserie le Bullier, named after the famous ball located opposite the "Port Royal" station, to which the whole of Paris once flocked.

It is expected that everyone will order a beverage or food item appropriate for sitting around a café in the morning (and pay for it on the way out).

Registration opens on Wednesday, 10 June.

Brasserie le Bullier is located at 22 Av. de l'Observatoire, 75014. It can be reached by RER B (Port Royal), metro lines 4 and 6 (Raspail), and busses 38, 82, 91.

BA071 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (23 Jun 2026)

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

Maison Communale, 69 rue Violet , 75015 Paris. Metro line 8 stop Commerce, and buses #42, #70, #88.

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA072 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (23 Jun 2026)

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

FMK241 La Vie en Rose: The Rosé & Champagne Experience (23 Jun 2026)

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:00:00 GMT

La Vie en Rose: The Rosé & Champagne Experience

Pour, Sip, and Explore the Radiant Artistry of French Rosé.

While many see Rosé as a simple summer refreshment, its true depth lies in its diverse winemaking styles. Join us for an evening dedicated to exploring the palette of pinks, where we’ll journey from the prestige of Champagne to the sun-baked vineyards of the South to uncover the techniques and terroir that define France’s most versatile wines.

The Deep Dive: The Elegance of Pink Champagne

We begin at the pinnacle of effervescence. We’ll deconstruct the artistry behind Rosé Champagne—exploring the delicate balance of red fruit and structured elegance. We’ll compare the two distinct methods of creation: the traditional Assemblage (blending) and the rare, bold Saignée (bleeding) technique used by the most daring houses.

The Discovery: A Journey of Craft & Style

Once we’ve mastered the bubbles, we’ll expand our horizons across France’s most iconic regions. This is a true stylistic comparison, moving past a single shade of pink to explore how skin contact and grape variety change the character of the glass. Our flight features:

Cru Classé de Provence: The gold standard of elegance. Sophisticated, bone-dry, and estate-grown in the most prestigious soils of the South.
Tavel: Known as the "King of Rosés." A deep, structured wine from the Rhône—robust enough to rival a light red.
Clairet de Bordeaux: A historical "missing link." Darker and richer than a typical Rosé, this Bordeaux specialty offers a unique, berry-forward intensity.
Cabernet d’Anjou: The sweet side of the Loire. A lush, medium-sweet delight that showcases how balanced acidity and fruit can create a unique tasting profile.

What to Expect

A Curated Flight: Taste 6 hand-selected wines, ranging from prestigious Champagne houses to unique "Cru Classés" and bold regional gems.
Expert Guidance: Learn how to "read" the color of a wine to predict its taste, the secrets of skin-contact maceration, and why a darker hue doesn't always mean a sweeter wine.
Technical Insights: Master the differences between regions and understand the impact of various winemaking methods on the final personality of the wine.

Whether you’re a Rosé devotee or a curious novice looking to understand the craft behind the color, this event is designed to celebrate the sophisticated diversity of the pink pour.

Tickets are limited—secure yours today and let’s raise a glass to the French Art de Vivre!

Registration opens 23 April.

Further information: Due to the upfront costs of the event, Payment is required on booking to secure your spot.

Please note: refunds are available up to two weeks in advance of the event. After 9 June, refunds are still available but only if your spot can be replaced by someone on the waiting list.

About the Instructors:

A native of Bordeaux, Elisabeth Iriart started her career in the wine business for Bordeaux wine merchants, where she developed her knowledge and love of wine.

She earned her WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) diploma and started her own business in Paris in 2011. She leads tasting classes and training for WSET in wines (Levels 2 and 3), as well as in spirits (Levels 1 and 2). In 2012 she was certified as a Cognac Educator for the BNIC (National Office of Cognac), and in 2017 she was certified as a Bordeaux wine educator for the Bordeaux Wine School. She currently works all over France in the area of wine and spirit education.

Elisabeth will be supported by Felicity Pritchard-Witts, who some may know from her Development role at WICE. Felicity passed her WSET Level 3 in wines in June 2024 and is now studying for her French Scholar qualification.

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.

SJ241 Morning Coffee in the 9th at Le Grand Comptoir d'Anvers (24 Jun 2026)

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Thursday, 4 June.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

BA081 French Guided Discussion (24 Jun 2026)

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Course Description

A Zoom link will be provided the day before the course begins. Be sure to check your email for it
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions

About the Instructors

Brice Dardel and Brigitte Le Quéré, both native French speakers with extensive experience leading discussions, alternate weekly sessions.

BA091 French Language: Renoir et L'Amour (25 Jun 2026)

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on the French holiday: 14 mai.

About the instructor

GU251 Mindfulness Meditation (25 Jun 2026)

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 09:00:00 GMT

SU251 New Member Lunch (25 Jun 2026)

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 10:30:00 GMT

Please note: this lunch is organized by WICE, but you are responsible for paying for your own order.

Registration opens on Friday, 29 May.

BA092 French 2.3 (Beginner DELF A2) (25 Jun 2026)

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 11:30:00 GMT

Course Description

This course is designed for "post-bonjour" beginners, either for first-time learners with a smattering of French or those who want to refresh their French at a basic level.

Throughout the course students will acquire the essential French skills (writing, speaking, pronunciation) needed to function in everyday-life situations.

About the instructor

BA093 English Guided Discussion (25 Jun 2026)

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 14 mai.

Note: A Zoom link will be provided the day before the
course begins. Be sure to check your email for it.

Contact languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

Facilitators

The group will be led by several native English speakers of varying interests and backgrounds.

BA094 French 3.3 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (25 Jun 2026)

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 13:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will help you develop your vocabulary, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation.

This class does not meet on French holidays: 14 May or 25 May.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

BA101 French 4.3 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (26 Jun 2026)

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Course Description

Participating in professional or academic meetings
Presenting and justifying a project or idea
Managing misunderstandings and clarifying meaning
Writing formal emails or structured texts
Debating cultural or social issues with well-supported arguments.

This course will not meet 1 May or 8 May.

Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BA102 French 5.3 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (26 Jun 2026)

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Course Description

Focus of the Conversation Training:

Persuading, negotiating, and convincing with credible arguments
Defending a viewpoint under pressure
Handling complex, fast-paced discussions
Subtly adjusting tone, register, and rhetorical strategy depending on audience

This course will be held in French once a week on Zoom for 90 minutes. This class does not meet on French holidays: 1 May and 8 May.

Please contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

Audrey Charmont has a Masters in Marketing and Communications as well as a DAEFLE (French as a Foreign Language). She has many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BA243 American Film Classics (26 Jun 2026)

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

In the Spriing trimester, we'll discuss three films from 1939, arguably one of the best years for American cinema.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington by Frank Capra with Claude Reins, James Stewart, Jean Arthur.

A naive youth leader is appointed to fill a vacancy in the U.S. Senate where his idealistic plans promptly collide with corruption at home and subterfuge from his hero in Washington.

Only Angels Have Wings by Howard Hawks with Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, and Rita Hayworth.

Stagecoach by John Ford with John Wayne and Claire Trevor. On the stagecoach to Cheyenne, an eclectic group of passengers must work together to survive the arduous journey and the Apache attacks.

About the instructor:

LU261 Booker Books: "Flashlight," by Susan Choi (26 Jun 2026)

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Flashlight is a sprawling and ambitious historical saga that mines the "tides of 20th-century history" to explore the enduring ripples of family trauma. The narrative is set in motion during a summer in a coastal Japanese town, where ten-year-old Louisa and her father, Serk—a Korean émigré and academic—take a walk out on a breakwater. When Louisa wakes hours later, washed up on the beach, her father has vanished, an event that shatters her small family and leaves a void that reverberates across decades and continents.

The novel skillfully criss-crosses between the post-war Korean immigrant community in Japan, the rigid North Korean regime, and the quiet suburbs of America. As the mystery of Serk’s disappearance slowly unravels, the story expands to include Anne, Louisa’s secretive and increasingly isolated mother, and Tobias, the son Anne was forced to give up for adoption years earlier, who eventually drifts back into their lives. Choi balances these "intimate dramas" with "geopolitically bold" themes, moving from a poignant family mystery into a riveting exploration of identity, race, and national belonging.

Elegantly written and emotionally profound, Flashlight is described by critics as both a "capacious" historical reconstruction and a high-concept meditation on the "unreliable edges" of memory. A strong discussion angle for the group is Choi’s use of "narrative layers" and how the characters are shaped more by what they cannot see or remember than by the objective truths of their past.

Shortlisted for the 2025 Booker Prize and longlisted for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Fiction.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered by one week prior to the meeting, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the June meeting opens on Saturday, 23 May.

BA103 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (26 Jun 2026)

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Friday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

There is no need to register, just show up and look for the WICE tables upstairs.

Le Nelsons, 16 Rue Coquillière, 75001. Metro lines 1/4/7/11/14, RER A, B, D, and buses 74, 85

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA032 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (26 Jun 2026)

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SU271 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (27 Jun 2026)

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE member Kim Hodges.

Registration opens on Sunday, 14 June.

Also, it is expected that all attendees will purchase at least one beverage or other item appropriate for sitting around a café.

Le Sarah Bernhardt is located at 2 Place du Châtelet. It can be reached by metro lines 1, 4, 7, 11, and 14 (Châtelet, Secteur Seine, Sortie 17), and buses 38, 67, 69, and 72.

LU271 Left Bank Lit: "The Autobiography of Alice B. Tolkas," by Gertrude Stein (27 Jun 2026)

Sat, 27 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Gertrude Stein’s The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas (1933) is one of the most charming and paradoxical works of modernist literature—a memoir written by Stein, but in the voice of her lifelong companion, Alice B. Toklas.

Through this playful act of ventriloquism, Stein recounts their shared life in Paris from the early 1900s through the 1930s, when their apartment at 27 rue de Fleurus became the heart of the city’s artistic avant-garde. On Saturday evenings, their salon gathered an extraordinary constellation of painters and writers—Picasso, Matisse, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Pound, and many others—who came to debate, provoke, and be seen. The book mixes gossip and genius, art history and personal mythmaking, with Stein’s distinctive, rhythmic prose giving the whole an almost musical quality. Both self-portrait and social chronicle, captures the exuberance and eccentricity of a generation inventing itself in real time. As the closing work in your series, it returns the reader to the source: the Left Bank as a living ecosystem of conversation, experiment, and friendship—a “moveable feast” of its own making.

Registration opens on Sunday, 24 May.

BA071 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (30 Jun 2026)

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Tuesday In-Person French - English Conversation Group

Maison Communale, 69 rue Violet , 75015 Paris. Metro line 8 stop Commerce, and buses #42, #70, #88.

Participation is free with WICE membership.

BA072 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (30 Jun 2026)

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Tuesday Online French - English Conversation Group

There is no better way to practice your foreign language than by conversing with native speakers, and WICE can help you do just that.

The group is open to WICE members at all language levels. However, to get the most out of the conversations, an intermediate level in both languages is helpful.

Participation is free for WICE members.

To participate, contact Mike Franks at: mike.franks@wice-paris.org.

SL021 WICE Lunch (02 Jul 2026)

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Come enjoy a lively lunch with fellow WICE members. Catch up with old friends and meet new ones over a fun and leisurely meal in a charming café in the Latin Quarter.

We normally stand, mingle, and chat for 30 - 45 minutes, and then sit down to eat at about 12:30 or 12:45. So please plan accordingly.

You pay for what you eat and drink, no extra fees, but registration is required.

Served by metro line 10 (Sorbonne-Cluny), metro line 4 (Saint Michel), and busses 21, 27, 38, 63, 86, 87, and 96.

Registration opens on Friday, 5 June.

LL131 The New Yorker: Short Stories (13 Jul 2026)

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Visit The New Yorker Fiction & Poetry page to find a complete list of New Yorker short stories (listed in chronological order beginning with the most recently published).

Registration opens on Tuesday, 9 June.

SG061 WICE Lunch (06 Aug 2026)

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Come enjoy a lively lunch with fellow WICE members. Catch up with old friends and meet new ones over a fun and leisurely meal in a charming café in the Latin Quarter.

We normally stand, mingle, and chat for 30 - 45 minutes, and then sit down to eat at about 12:30 or 12:45. So please plan accordingly.

You pay for what you eat and drink, no extra fees, but registration is required.

Served by metro line 10 (Sorbonne-Cluny), metro line 4 (Saint Michel), and busses 21, 27, 38, 63, 86, 87, and 96.

Registration opens on Friday, 3 July.

LG101 The New Yorker: Short Stories (10 Aug 2026)

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Visit The New Yorker Fiction & Poetry page to find a complete list of New Yorker short stories (listed in chronological order beginning with the most recently published).

Registration opens on Tuesday, 14 July.

LS141 The New Yorker: Short Stories (14 Sep 2026)

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

WICE’s “New Yorker Short Story Group” is for anyone interested in reading short stories and novellas written by some of today’s very best emerging and established authors. Each monthly discussion will focus on 2-3 stories recently published in the New Yorker. Selections will be announced one month prior to the next scheduled meeting.

Stories for Monday, 14 September will be announced on or about 11 August.

Registration opens on Tuesday, 11 August.

LS181 Café Littéraire: "The Great Swindle," by Pierre Lemaitre (18 Sep 2026)

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Great Swindle is a sweeping, picaresque epic that examines the "murky virtues of remembrance" in the hollow aftermath of World War I. The story begins in the final, desperate days of the war, when the ruthless Lieutenant Henri d’Aulnay-Pradelle orchestrates a senseless skirmish, an act of treachery that binds together the fates of two subordinates: Albert Maillard, a timid former bank clerk, and Édouard Péricourt, a brilliant artist from a wealthy family. While saving Albert’s life, Édouard is hideously disfigured—becoming a gueule cassée (broken face)—and subsequently fakes his own death to avoid returning to his estranged father.

Moving from the trenches to the "glittering but dark" streets of 1920s Paris, the narrative follows the two veterans as they struggle with poverty, morphine addiction, and a society that seems to "revere its dead more than its survivors". In a cynical act of revenge against the country that abandoned them, they devise an audacious scam: selling fraudulent monuments to honor the very war heroes the nation is so eager to memorialize. Meanwhile, the villainous Pradelle launches a ghoulish swindle of his own, profiting from the exhumation and reburial of fallen soldiers in cut-rate coffins.

Lemaitre, a master of suspense, employs a dry, ironic tone to craft a "darkly comic requiem" that feels like a 19th-century novel updated with modern clinical precision. A strong discussion angle for the group is Lemaitre’s exploration of the "great swindle" of the title—whether it refers to the characters’ specific scams or the broader, abominable treatment of the ordinary soldier by a state more interested in the aesthetics of grief than the reality of its victims.

Winner of the 2013 Prix Goncourt.

The book group meets at the organizer's apartment. The directions, door code, telephone number, etc., are sent in the 7-day and 1-day reminder emails, following registration.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered by five days prior to the meeting, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

Registration for the September meeting opens on 01 September.