Are you a WICE member staying in Paris for the summer? Do you want to keep on practicing your French/English? Join us in the month of July for a casual, in-person conversation group.

The group will meet at the Jardin Luxembourg - Vavin Entrance on Rue D'Assas (the carrefour of Rues Guynemer, Vavin, and D'Assas). There are plenty of chairs around the entrance and the nearby Pavilion Davioud (pictured below).

In case of rain or general preference, we will gather at Cafe Le Guynemer, just across the street from the Vavin Entrance.

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Êtes-vous membre de WICE et restez-vous à Paris cet été ? Souhaitez-vous continuer à pratiquer votre français ou votre anglais ? Rejoignez-nous au mois de juillet pour un groupe de conversation convivial en présentiel.

Le groupe se réunira au Jardin du Luxembourg – entrée Vavin sur la rue d’Assas (au carrefour des rues Guynemer, Vavin et d’Assas). Il y a de nombreuses chaises autour de l’entrée et près du Pavillon Davioud. En cas de pluie ou selon les préférences, nous nous retrouverons au Café Le Guynemer, juste en face de l’entrée Vavin.

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

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.

Friday 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 evening (Paris time). 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

Normally we don't do lunches in August, be we thought we'd try one this year just to see how it goes.

So 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.

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.

WICE member Valerie Helmbreck-Mascitti (knitting on the left) opens her lovely apartment in the 1st arrondissement every Thursday afternoon to WICE members for an afternoon of needlework: knitting, crocheting, creweling, embroidery, etc..

Any and all WICE needle workers are welcome to attend. Bring your project, and if you're so inclined, something to nosh on (by no means necessary).

Valerie's apartment is conveniently located near the Louvre. For more information, contact Valerie directly at vhelmbreck@gmail.com.                

In the same way that—to some people—lobster is just an excuse to eat melted butter, WICE's afternoon pétanque games can be thought of as an excuse to hang out in a charming locale and have fun with other WICE members.

We play at Place Dauphine (at the western end of Île de la Cité) on the 2nd or 3rd Thursday of the month from 3 pm until the last person decides to leave. A game usually takes about an hour, and generally everyone wanders over to one of the nearby cafés afterwards for beverages and a chat.

Link to Google Map Location

WICE provides four pétanque sets, and—if you're new—instructions on how to play.

The session is free for WICE members, but registration is required, and the registration limit is eight people. If the session is full, please join the waiting list so that we can better plan future sessions.

Look for Jo Jones (left), one of WICE's most seasoned pétanque players, who will be organizing the game:

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE members Georgia Gruen 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 opens on Saturday,  9 August.

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.

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 a few 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.

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 13 August 2025.

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.

WICE member Valerie Helmbreck-Mascitti (knitting on the left) opens her lovely apartment in the 1st arrondissement every Thursday afternoon to WICE members for an afternoon of needlework: knitting, crocheting, creweling, embroidery, etc..

Any and all WICE needle workers are welcome to attend. Bring your project, and if you're so inclined, something to nosh on (by no means necessary).

Valerie's apartment is conveniently located near the Louvre. For more information, contact Valerie directly at vhelmbreck@gmail.com.                

Summer is here, which means a more casual social schedule. To profite bien de l'été, WICE will host several "bring your own picnics" at the delightful Jardin d'Acclimatation. 

WICE will locate seating inside of the park and provide plates/flatware/cups/trash bags. You should plan on bringing your own food or drink, or, even better, something to share!

The Jardin d'Acclimatation is located near the Fondation Louis Vuitton, on the northern edge of Bois de Boulogne. It is serviced by metro line #1 (Les Sablons or Porte-Maillot stops), and the #73 bus (the La Garenne-Colombes-Charlebourg stop).

Note: Although there is no WICE fee, the Jardin charges a €7 entry fee (€5 for seniors).

WICE member Valerie Helmbreck-Mascitti (knitting on the left) opens her lovely apartment in the 1st arrondissement every Thursday afternoon to WICE members for an afternoon of needlework: knitting, crocheting, creweling, embroidery, etc..

Any and all WICE needle workers are welcome to attend. Bring your project, and if you're so inclined, something to nosh on (by no means necessary).

Valerie's apartment is conveniently located near the Louvre. For more information, contact Valerie directly at vhelmbreck@gmail.com.                

On his last day before forced retirement, Mumbai police inspector Ashwin Chopra faces two surprises: the suspicious death of a young man dismissed as accidental, and the arrival of an unusual gift—a baby elephant named Ganesha from an uncle he barely knew. Unwilling to let the drowning case go, Chopra begins an unofficial investigation, venturing from Mumbai’s wealthy enclaves to its poorest slums. Along the way, he navigates corruption, political intimidation, and domestic tensions, with his spirited wife Poppy questioning his secrecy.

Ganesha, more perceptive than expected, becomes a quietly indispensable ally—sometimes in ways that baffle Chopra himself. Together, man and elephant untangle the truth behind the boy’s death, confronting the city’s underbelly while offering flashes of humor and warmth. The novel blends classic mystery with vivid evocation of Mumbai life, launching a detective duo whose bond is as unusual as it is endearing.

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Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered before 01 September, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

The book group meets in the backroom of La Grande Colette café, 10 rue Saint-Martin, 75004.

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 a few 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.

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 11 June  2025.

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.

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!

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE members Georgia Gruen 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 opens on Sunday, 24 August.

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.

Course Description

This course is designed for post-bonjour beginners, either for first-time learners 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 (a total of 3 hrs/week; Mondays in person, Thursdays on Zoom); and is conducted in French. When necessary, supplementary explanations may be given in English. Class will not meet te 20th and 23rd of October during the second week of vacances scolaires. 

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.”

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

 

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 90-minute class will be held in French, twice a week for a total of 3 hours per week.

The class will not meet on the following dates: 27 and 30 October (vacances scolaires).
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 years of French teaching experience in France and abroad.

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.

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.

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

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.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 03 September 2025.

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.

We'll meet in person at Le Nelson's Café,

16 rue Coquillière, 75001 Paris

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 3: Les Poisons de la Couronne”

Les Poisons de la Couronne ressuscite presque jour par jour, les intrigues, les haines et les crimes du règne de Louis X le Hutin, qui ne dura que dix-huit mois, mais dont les conséquences devaient être capitales pour la monarchie française. 

Lorsqu'il meurt empoisonné, en juin 1316, c'est la première fois depuis plus de trois siècles qu'un roi de France décède sans laisser un héritier mâle.

Come prepared to discuss:

“Les Rois maudits, tome 3: Les Poisons de la Couronne” is the third volume in Maurice Druon's historical series, retracing the events of 14th-century France. It recreates almost day by day, the intrigues, hatreds and crimes of the short reign of Louis X le Hutin, which lasted just eighteen months, but whose consequences were to be momentous for the French monarchy.

When he died of poisoning in June 1316, it was the first time in over three centuries that a French king had died without leaving a male heir.

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 30 October (second week of vacances scolaires) or 27 November (Thanksgiving). 

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.

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.

Classes do not meet during the two weeks of vacances scolaires: 18 October - 3 November.
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.

Course Description

This dynamic course will fine tune your abilities in an array of everyday life situations in French. Students at this level have the ability to express themselves on a range of topics. They are comfortable in most situations and have a strong vocabulary with few mistakes. Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will facilitate your progress in vocabulary development, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation. Geared for learners with prior advanced-intermediate French, this course will be held in French once a week for 90 minutes. 

This class will not meet during the second week of school vacation: 24 October. 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 French teaching experience in France and abroad.

Course Description

This dynamic course will fine tune your abilities in an array of everyday life situations in French. Students at this level have the ability to express themselves on a range of topics. They are comfortable in most situations and have a strong vocabulary with few mistakes. Using interactive methods to ensure learner engagement and lasting progress, the course will facilitate your progress in vocabulary development, oral and written expression, comprehension, and pronunciation. Geared for learners with prior advanced-intermediate French, this course will be held in French once a week for 90 minutes.

This course will not meet during the second week of vacances scolaires: 24 October.

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 French teaching experience in France and abroad.

Learn to Shoot & Edit Eye-Catching Videos Using Only Your Smartphone

Join us for a playful, hands-on workshop where you’ll capture cinematic video clips around iconic Paris landmarks and transform them into a stunning short video using CapCut, the powerful (and free!) mobile editing app. This immersive experience is perfect for anyone curious about short-form storytelling and looking to level up their social media or personal video skills.

In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:

• Film Creative Effects: Use your phone camera to record three dynamic video transitions — from timelapse shuffles to clever visual tricks.

• Think Like a Director: Discover how to plan, shoot, and frame your shots with intention, using Paris as your canvas.

• Edit Seamlessly with CapCut: Turn raw footage into a polished 30–60 second video complete with music, filters, and transitions — ready to share or keep as a unique travel memento.

Perfect for beginners, this workshop is all about experimenting, playing with perspective, and having fun while learning easy but impressive video techniques.

Requirements:

• Download CapCut on your smartphone before the event
• Some tech-savviness or a quick-learning mindset is helpful
• Guided workshop; techniques are simple but need a bit of practice (difficulty: 3/10)

This event is FREE!

Whether you're a TikTok newbie, an Instagram story pro, or just love capturing beautiful moments, this creative session will help you see the city — and your camera roll — in a whole new light.

About the Instructor:

San Francisco native and daughter of immigrants, Cathleen Bowen is a world traveler, passionate yogi, and a talented artist with a deep lovefor interior design. Drawing inspiration from her journeys across the globe, Cathleen creates art that reflects the beauty and diversity of the places she's visited. Dividing her time between Paris and her hometown, she brings a unique perspective to her creative projects.

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 a few 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.

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 Wednesday, 10 September  2025.

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.

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert is a landmark novel of 19th-century French literature that explores the tensions between romantic ideals and mundane reality. It follows Emma Bovary, a provincial doctor’s wife who yearns for passion, luxury, and a life of excitement beyond the confines of her dull marriage and small-town life. Influenced by romantic novels and disillusioned with domesticity, Emma engages in affairs and spends recklessly in pursuit of beauty and meaning. But her attempts to escape lead only to emotional turmoil and financial ruin. Flaubert’s style—precise, ironic, and emotionally restrained—offers a penetrating portrait of a woman’s desires clashing with societal expectations. The novel was controversial at the time of its publication in 1857, leading to an obscenity trial, but has since become a foundational work in literary realism. Madame Bovary remains a powerful study of disillusionment, longing, and the tragic costs of self-deception.

Two spaces are reserved for new WICE members. If no new WICE members have registered before 19 September, those two spaces will become available to the general WICE membership.

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.

Registration for the September meeting opens on 01 September 2025.

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt, hosted by WICE members Georgia Gruen 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 opens on Sunday, 14 September.

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.