Cambridge Society of Paris

Meet with the Vice Chancellor, Stephen Toope: The Global University in an Age of Anxiety
2019-04-02 19:00 - 21:00 (Europe/Paris) | HSBC Building, 109 Champs ElysÃ©es, Paris, 75008, France
Tue 2nd April 19:00 â€“ Meet with the Vice Chancellor, Stephen Toope

Professor Stephen Toope, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, is coming to Paris and we have set up an opportunity for our members to meet him and get first hand information on how he sees the future of the University and what is being done to mitigate against the potential impact of Brexit.
Members and guests will be welcomed in the presitigious Dining Rooms of the HSBC Headquarters on the Champs-ElysÃ©es. Professor Toope will give aÂ talk onÂ “The Global University in an Age of Anxiety”, including a Q&A session, before we mix informally for you to be able to chat with the Vice-Chancellor over a cocktail.
Professor Stephen Toope
Professor Stephen J Toope joined Cambridge after a distinguished career as a scholar and academic leader. He was Director of the University of Torontoâ€™s Munk School of Global Affairs (2015-2017), and before that President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of British Columbia (2006-2014). He served as President of the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation (2002-2006), and as Dean of Law at McGill University (1994-1999).Â On 2Â October 2017Â Professor ToopeÂ became the 346th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge.
Born in Montreal, Canada (1958), Stephen Toope studied History and Literature at Harvard University, graduating magna cum laude (1979), before earning degrees in common law and civil law at McGill University (1983). He is an alumnus of Trinity College, Cambridge, where he completed a PhD under the supervision of Sir Derek Bowett (1987).
Professor Toopeâ€™s academic interests are in international law, human rights, international legal theory and international development.Â
He has been Chair of the Board of Universities Canada, and President of Canadaâ€™s Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences. He is a past Director of the Public Policy Forum, of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, and of the Royal Conservatory of Music â€“ from which he received an Honorary Fellowship.
Among the distinctions he has received are the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (2012), the United Way of Canada Presidentâ€™s Award of Distinction (2014), various honorary degrees, and the John Read Medal of the Canadian Council of International Law (2015). Â In recognition of his service and accomplishments, in 2015 he was inducted as an Officer of the Order of Canada â€“ one of Canadaâ€™s highest honours.Â
Stephen Toope is married to speech therapist and musical theatre composer Paula Rosen. They live in Cambridge and have three adult children.

April-Monthly Drinks
2019-04-03 08:00 - 17:00 | Murphy’s House, 10 rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, 75009, France
Wed 3th April 19:00 – Monthly Drinks
Come and join us from 7pm to meet up for an informal evening. All Oxford and Cambridge Alumni and their friends are warmly welcome.Â This month we have invited alumni from UCL to join us.

We have renegotiated the deal with Murphyâ€™s and you will need to present a copy of the offer voucher attached to benefit from the prices agreed. Details of the drinks and snacks included are given on the voucher.
Murphy’s offer voucher

Murphy’s House – 10 rue de la ChaussÃ©e d’Antin, 75009 Paris.Â Metro OpÃ©ra – RER Auber – vÃ©lib: station 2015 rue Louis le Grand.

Last Supper in Pompeii
2019-04-11 19:30 - 21:30 | Les Noces de Jeannette, 14 rue FavartÂ and 9 rue d'Amboise, Paris, 75002, France
The President and Committee of the Oxford University Society of Paris are pleased to invite our members and guests to aÂ dinnerÂ which will be addressed by:Â Dr. Paul Roberts, Â Sackler Keeper of Antiquities at the Ashmolean Museum and governing body Fellow of Wolfson Oxford, MA Cantab (Downing 1980)Â on the subject of the exhibition he is curating:Â “Last Supper in Pompeii“Â onÂ Thursday,Â 11thÂ April,Â 2019 at 19:30Â atÂ Les Noces de Jeannette,Â corner ofÂ 14 rue FavartÂ and 9 rue d’Amboise, 2Ã¨meÂ (MÂ°s Richelieu Drouot, OpÃ©ra; RER Auber)

Dr. Robertsâ€™s research interests focus on the archaeology and art of the Classical Mediterranean, in particular the day-to-day lives of ordinary people, from 4th.century BC to 6th. century AD. He has excavated in Britain, Greece, Libya, Turkey and in particular Italy, where he directs excavations in the Sabine hills near Rome and near Campobasso in Molise. The exhibition Paul is curating, which will be held at the Ashmolean from July of this year until January 2020, will demonstrate the important role of food and drink in Roman society, from dining to religion.Â New research from Oxford and Italy has unveiled secrets from vineyards, graves and even the people of Pompeii themselves; and Paul will illustrate his talk with slides.

The price of the three-course dinner, â‚¬55pp for members and their guests (â‚¬65pp for non-members and their guests), includes anÂ apÃ©ritif, red and white wines, mineral water, coffee or tea.

If you would like to attend, please complete the attached registration formÂ and return it to paris@ousoc.oxon.org at the latest by Friday, 5th. April, 2019

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â either indicating your payment by bank transfer,
Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â or indicating that youâ€™re also sending a hard copy of it with your cheque to Carol Amouyel Kent, 16 avenue de la Grande ArmÃ©e, 75017 Paris.

Â The Oxford Society looks forward to seeing as many of us as possible for what should be a fascinating journey back in time to Ancient Roman cuisine while we enjoy 21stÂ century fare.

The Glory Days of Paris lecture: Artists of Montmartre: The Pilgrims of Babylon
2019-05-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Les Pavillons de Bercy – Musée des Arts Forains, 53 Avenue des Terroirs de France, Paris, 75012, France
Thurs 16th May -Â The first Glory Days of Paris lecture
Artists of Montmartre; the Pilgrims of Babylon : Douglas Lyndon-Skeggs
There is no name more evocative of Bohemian life, of high spirits, decadence, poverty and revolutionary art in Paris than Montmartre, home to some of Franceâ€™s greatest artists. Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec and Picasso would paint canvases that would shake the very foundations of Western art. This lecture sets the scene for Glory Days, leading from 1870 to 1910 when Picasso moved from Montmartre to Montparnasse, the start of our mythical Ã©poque.
The lecture will be given by Douglas Lyndon-Skeggs who read fine arts at Magdalene College Cambridge, has lectured on art and history since 1980, is the author of several books, creator of TV documentaries, and was a former director of The New Academy of Art Studies.
The talk will also be supplemented by a private guided tour of Montmartre at 14:30 on Thursday 28th May, commencing at Metro Anvers.
NB: the Artists of Montmartre Lecture and the Guided walk are two independent events so you can opt to do either or both, but the walk will be limited to 25 participants
Metro: Court St. Emilion: Line 14: 5 minutes from ChÃ¢telet
Bus:Â Lines 24, 109 and 111: Stop: Terroirs de France
Car Parking:Â Bercy Cars, 6 Rue des Pirogues de Bercy

A weekend in the Aude at a ChÃ¢teau and Winery
2019-05-17 - 2019-05-19
Fri 17th May 19:30 to Sunday 19th May 16:00 â€“ A weekend in the Aude, at a ChÃ¢teau and Winery
Graham Nutter (Fitzwilliam 1996) runs the ChÃ¢teau St Jacques dâ€™Albas, a wine chateau in the Minervois region of France, approximately 20 minutes from Carcassonne and 90 minutes from Toulouse. He proposes that Cambridge Alumni come along to meet and enjoy the area, including scenic walks, historic sites â€“ and of course to partake in some regional wines, accompanied by regional dishes. Peter Elliott (Trinity 1971) lives nearby and will be leading one of the walks and bringing wine from Rose + Paul MalpÃ¨re for a tasting.
He has put together what we hope you will find to be an attractive programme, from the evening of Friday 17th May to late afternoon on Sunday 19th May, with an option to stay on for Sunday night for those who would prefer to travel home on Monday.
Here is the link with all the information, but highlights include:

A tour of the St Jacques winery, with wine tasting
Visits to the propertyâ€™s 11th Century Chapel, a tour of the nearby historic town and Abbey of Caunes, a visit to the Gouffre de Cabrespine,
A piano concert of Bach, Chopin and Ravel given by David Bismuth
A morning walk on Sunday, either round the St Jacques property or on a guided walk â€˜Following the Tracks of the Visigothsâ€

The cost, excluding accommodation, is â‚¬230 per person covering the activities and all meals except Saturday lunch (which will be paid directly to the restaurant by each guest). For accommodation, 13 options ranging from gÃ®tes to hotels are suggested in the on-line brochure and participants should contact their preferred location and make their own arrangements.
This is an excellent opportunity for those alumni living in South-West France to spend some time with fellow alumni and is an excellent initiative by Graham and Peter.
To book, please compete the attached reservation form and send it Â to Tony Banton, either by email or post as indication on the reservation form.

The Annual Garden Party
2019-05-23 18:30 - 21:30 | British Ambassador’s Residence in Paris, 39 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, Paris, 75008, France
Thursday 23rd May at 6:30pm (sharp) The Oxford & Cambridge Garden PartyÂ at the British Ambassador’s Residence

The British Ambassador, Lord Llewellyn, has again agreed to welcome us at his Residence for our annual Garden Party. This year, in addition to members of the Oxford Society and their guests, members of the Cercle Franco-Britannique of Sciences Po Alumni will join us in the beautiful garden of the Residence.
The Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Lord Patten,Â andÂ Pierre Heilbronn, Vice-President, Policy and Partnerships at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development,Â will speak on the subject ofÂ European Identity

Venue:
The British Ambassador’s Residence, 39, rue du Faubourg Saint HonorÃ©, 75008 Paris.
Cost:

â‚¬ 48 each for members under 30 and first guest
â‚¬ 69 each for membersÂ and first guest
â‚¬ 78 each for additional guests and non-members

Booking procedure:
The Oxford Society is managing registrations this year. Please click here to download the reservation form, which should be sent to Charles Tatham of the Oxford Society (payment details are included on the form) by Thursday 16thÂ May at the latest.
For security, The Embassy requires a list of names in advance; please provide your own name in full, together with those of your guests, as per their photographic ID (passport or ID card) which must be presented at the gate to gain access.
Once your payment has been received, you will be sent a “Pour MÃ©moire” invitation as a confirmation of your registration.
This is traditionally an enjoyable evening and a prestigious event in our season, so make sure you book as soon as possible.

The Glory Days of Paris lecture: The Artists of Montmartre: The guided walk
2019-05-28 14:30 - 16:30 | Metro Anvers, 41 Boulevard de Rochechouart (near to), 75018, France
THE ARTISTS OF MONTMARTRE – Â Guided walk in Montmartre on Tuesday 28th May at 2:30pm

There is no name more evocative of Bohemian life, of high spirits, decadence, poverty and revolutionary art in Paris than Montmartre, home to some of Franceâ€™s greatest artists. Renoir, Toulouse-Lautrec and Picasso would paint canvases that would shake the very foundations of Western art. This lecture sets the scene for Glory Days, leading from 1870 to 1910 when Picasso moved from Montmartre to Montparnasse, the start of our mythical Ã©poque.
NB: the Artists of Montmartre Lecture and the Guided walk are two independent events so you can opt to do either or both, but the walk will be limited to 25 participants

Shakespeare in the Bois de Boulogne: The Merry Wives of Windsor
2019-06-04 18:30 - 21:30 | Shakespeare Garden Bois de Boulogne, AllÃ©e de la Reine Marguerite â€“ Route de Suresnes Le PrÃ© Catelan â€“ Bois de Boulogne, Paris, 75016, France
Tue 4th June – Shakespeare in the Shakespeare Garden, Bois de BoulogneÂ (PrÃ© Catalan)
The Merry Wives of WindsorÂ by the Tower Theatre Company
The Women of Windsor take on Sir John Falstaff and his cronies, in a garden party extravaganza of Shakespeare’s classic comedy. Laundry baskets at the ready!
Ford and Page have a problem. Sir John Falstaff is broke, and plans on seducing them in order to get to their husbands’ money. But Falstaff is a creep, and the Wives are cunning. They’ll outmanoeuvre his tricks and humiliate him instead. In a town and society with men at the centre, the women of Windsor must come together, and teach them all a lesson they’ll never forget.
To book your tickets

Tickets are â‚¬22 per person (â‚¬12 for children under 14). This includes the play as well as strawberries and champagne at the interval.
To book, please download theÂ reservation form and send itÂ to Clare Hohler, either by email or post as indicatedÂ on the reservation form. Â Tickets will be issued at the gate from 6.30pm. but if you would like prior confirmation of your booking please request this by email to Clare.

Annual General Meeting
2019-06-17 19:00 - 21:30 | Maison de la Vie Associative et Citoyenne du VIIe, 4 rue Amélie, Paris, 75007, France
Annual General Meeting
Presentation by David Klemperer, a 2018 Trevor Brown Bursary student, on:
â€œThe Development of Neo-Socialism in 1930â€™s Franceâ€
Our AGM will be held on Monday, June 17th 2019 at 19:00 at the Maison de la Vie Associative et Citoyenne du VIIe/VIIIe, 4 rue AmÃ©lie, 75007 Paris (nearest Metros Invalides et Tour Maubourg).
After the meeting, one of the students awarded a Trevor Brown Bursary in 2018 will give a short presentation on his project. Guests are most welcome to attend the presentation, although of course they will not be able to vote at the AGM.
We look forward to seeing you on 17th June as there will be an excellent opportunity for you to help shape the future of our Society as well as enjoying the fruits of the Trevor Brown Bursary.

Glory Days of Paris lecture: The philosophical framework, Dadaism and Surrealism
2019-06-28 19:00 - 21:00 | Christies’s Paris Office, 9 avenue Matignon, Paris, 75008, France
Glory Days of Paris is a series of six lectures delivered over two years, 2019 and 2020, focusing on the Parisian literary and artistic world of the 1920s and â€˜30s, with an introductory lecture to precede this period and a concluding lecture set in the â€˜50s and â€˜60s. The lectures will be held in iconic locations reflecting the topic of each lecture and, over and above, there will be ancillary events including themed walks, visits and exhibitions, in Paris and the UK.
The first lecture, The Artists of Montmartre, was given on 16th May at the MusÃ©e des Arts Forains. Booking is now open for the second lecture in the series, The philosophical framework, Dadaism and Surrealism, which will take place in Christieâ€™s Paris auction rooms, where so much of the art to be covered in the talk goes under the hammer.
The modern world that burst upon Paris during the inter-war years was not just an artistic revolution that questioned and destroyed perceived convention, it was also the fruit of philosophy. First, the Dada movement founded in Zurich by artists such as Tristan Tzara and Hans Arp, and then Surrealism under the aegis of AndrÃ© Breton, drawing into its vortex artists and intellectuals including RenÃ© Magritte, Man Ray, Max Ernst and Salvador Dali.
Speaker: Dr Alyce Mahon, fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, reader in Modern and Contemporary Art History.Â Dr Mahon specialises in the dynamic between the body and the body politic in modern art, photography and film, from Dada to Surrealism and the sixties. Author of Â Surrealism and the Politics of Eros, and curator of a major forthcoming exhibition at Tate Modern on Surrealist Dorothea Tanning.
Tickets are â‚¬25 per person. To apply for tickets please complete the booking section. By booking through this site, you can pay

by cheque, to be sent to Tony Banton, Hon. Secretary, 39 rue de Bazeilles, 59200 Tourcoing
by bank transfer to the Society’s SociÃ©tÃ© GÃ©nÃ©rale account IBAN: [REDACTED] BIC: SOGEFRPP. Please use the reference box to record â€œGlory Days 2 June 2019â€ with your surname
or, NEW, by credit card directly on the site

Glory Days of Paris - Guided Tour of the Destribats Collection
2019-07-02 09:00 - 10:30 | Christies’s Paris Office, 9 avenue Matignon, Paris, 75008, France
We are delighted to announce thatÂ an event has been added related to the second Glory Days of Paris lecture, on Dadaism and Surrealism. Christie’s has agreed to give us a private guided tourÂ of the outstanding Destribats collection, at Christie’s Paris, at 9am on Tuesday 2nd July.
The Books Department of Christie’s, in partnership with experts Jean-Baptiste de Proyart and Claude Oterelo, are arranging the sale of the Avant-Garde Library collected by Paul Destribats (1926-2017).
This exceptional jewel of books and manuscripts has been kept jealously for sixty years – only a limited number of researchers and a few friends have had access. The Avant-Garde Library comprises 6,000 books, leaflets and manifestos from the 20th Century. The first three sales will include more than 600 titles spanning from 1910 to 1945 including many works by members of the Dada and Surrealism movements in Paris. The sales will take place on 3rd, 4th and 5th July in Christie’s Paris.Â A fuller description, in French, can be downloaded here.
This really is a special opportunity to see these works that have been kept secret for so long and you can attend the guided tour whether or not you come to the lecture on Friday 28th June.

Dordogne Cambridge Society Summer Visit
2019-07-05 10:00 - 14:30 | Cadouin, Place de l'Abbaye, Le Buisson-de-Cadouin, 24480, France
Join the Dordogne Cambridge Group for their upcoming visit to the Cloisters of Cadouin.
This is a break with tradition: dwhen our group began, most people lived in this part of the Dordogne and had already seen the main places of interest in the area, so those places were not usually chosen for group outings, but some conversations last summer made me realise that so many of us live in other parts of the region that many members have never visited the Dordogne sites.
So this is a chance to see one of the most beautiful of them all, which draws people from all over the world. Even if you have been there before, you will definitely not be bored: the opulence of the carving is incredible.
A bonus is that our tour will be followed by lunch at much-appreciatedÂ Restaurant de lâ€™Abbaye which is just across the road.
More info on this too will follow soon, so we can make the necessary reservations in good time.

Queens' College Choir is coming to Paris
2019-09-14 18:00 - 2019-09-18 16:00 | Paris, France
Alumni and guests are invited to join Queens’Â College Choir for their concertsÂ in Paris from the 14th – 18thÂ September.

Saturday 14 September at 6pm – Evensong in the American Cathedral, 23 Avenue George V in the 8th
Sunday 15 September at 11am – Morning Eucharist in the American Cathedral, 23 Avenue George V in the 8th
Monday 16 September at 8:30pm – Concert in St-Eugene Ste-Cecile, 4 Rue du Conservatoire in the 9th
Wednesday 18 September at 4pm – Concert in La Madeleine, Place de la Madeleine in the 8th

These concerts are open to all, so do come along with your friends.

Freshers' Welcome Drinks
2019-09-16 19:00 - 21:00 | Frog Revolution, 9 rue de Bastille, Paris, 75004, France
Each year, CamSoc takes part in the Universityâ€™s world-wide program of events for those students who have recently been successful in gaining a place at Cambridge, whether as an Undergraduate or a Graduate.
The aim is to give them an opportunity to meet other new students coming from France and to chat to members about their experience in Cambridge so they are better prepared on arrival in their College at the end of the month.
We have again booked the upstairs room of the Frog Revolution, 9 rue de la Bastille (metro Bastille) with drinks and snacks provided.
There will be a charge of â‚¬20 per person for members, although admission is free for all current students of the University whether members of CamSoc or not and, of course, the Freshers.

Glory Days of Paris 3 - Guided Walk in Montparnasse
2019-09-28 14:00 - 16:30 | Montparnasse, Paris, 1 Rue campagne PremiÃ¨re, Paris, 75014, France
GLORY DAYS OF PARIS
Guided Walk in Montparnasse to accompany the third lecture of the Glory Days Series
“The Artists and Writers of the 1920s and ’30s”
Unfortunately, because of ill health on the part of our Lecturer, Mary McAuliffe, the third lecture in the Glory Days of Paris series has had to be postponed. However, the accompanying guided walk will still take place at:
14h15 on Saturday 28th September
Meeting point: 1 rue Campagne PremiÃ¨re
End of walk: La Coupole, Bvd. Montparnasse (approx 16h30)
Price: â‚¬17 per person
There will be either tea or an aperitif at La Coupole at the end of the walk, although the cost of this is not included in the price.
“Paris is a feast” wrote Hemmingway. This guided walk, full of interesting and amusing anecdotes, will illustrate the history of Les AnnÃ©es Folles in Montparnasse, an area of Paris already well known for its festivity, its Guingettes and the Rue de la GaÃ¯tÃ©. Maud Hacker, our guide, will reveal secrets of the wild evenings that took place enlivened by the rhythms of jazz and the dance of Josephine Baker. We will also discover the painters’ studios of Picasso, Modigliani, Foujita, Man Ray… and their muse Kiki of Montparnasse. Hidden courtyards and gardensThe famous cafÃ©s around Rue Vavin: Le DÃ´me, La Rotonde, Le Select and La Coupole. And there we shall stop for a cup of tea or, 1920s style, an aperitif.
Hope to see you on Saturday 28th September.

Challenge Debate against Trinity College Dublin
2019-10-10 19:00 - 21:00 | Irish Embassy Paris, 12 avenue Foch, Paris, 75116, France
Thursday 10th October at 7 pm – Challenge Debate against Trinity College Dublin
Booking has now closed for this event
THIS HOUSE BELIEVES THAT THE BEST IS YET TO COME
In similar fashion to our challenge to the Cambridge Union, two years ago, the Cambridge Society of Paris has challenged Trinity College Dublin to a debateÂ and we will be speaking in favour of the motion that the best is yet to come.
Our speakers, Andrew Lyndon-Skeggs and Edward Archer, will be joined by Alan Riding as guest speaker. Alan graduated from Bristol University and was, for 30 years, a foreign correspondent for The New York Times. Alan spent two decades covering Latin Americaâ€™s dictatorship, armed rebellions, drug wars and economic meltdown. He was later the newspaperâ€™s Paris bureau chief and European cultural correspondent. He is author of books on Mexico, Shakespeare and Opera and, most recently, of â€œAnd The Show Went On: Cultural Life in Nazi-occupied Paris.â€ He remains a resident of Paris. Andrew and Edward need little introduction to most of our members, Andrew being the current President and Edward a past President of our Society.
TCD have put forward an impressive team, with Edward Donalon, Declan McCavana and their guest speaker David Doyle. David is H.E Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO of St. Kitts and Nevis, while Declan is President of the French Debating Association. Edward is a Barrister and worked for the OECD before becoming an independent consultant in Regulatory Management.
HE Ambassador of Ireland to France Patricia O’Brien has kindly agreed to host the debate, which will take place at the Irish Embassy, 12 Avenue Foch, 75116 Paris. The Debate will be followed by drinks and the event is expected to conclude at 8:45 pm.
Tickets are now on sale: â‚¬20 per person for Society members and their guests, with a discounted price of â‚¬10 per person for members or guests under 30 years of age. Early booking is recommended as we anticipate that demand may exceed the number of places that have been allocated to us. For members who are not able to book their place through the website, a PDF booking form can be obtained by contacting Tony Banton on admin@camsocparis.org.
Unless all tickets are sold before, the final date for booking your place is Sunday 6th October, as the list of participants then has to be provided to the Embassy’s security staff.
As the debate takes place in the Irish Embassy, members and guests must bring photographic ID in order to be admitted to the event.

The second Cambridge Cutting Edge Lecture:Â Professor Sir Roger Penrose
2019-10-23 12:00 - 14:00 | Conservatoire des Arts et MÃ©tiers, 292 rue Saint Martin, Paris, 75003, France
BOOKING NOW OPEN
SECOND CAMBRIDGE CUTTING EDGE LECTURE
PROFESSOR SIR ROGER PENROSEÂ
â€œHAWKING POINTS IN THE COSMIC MICROWAVE SKYâ€
12 noon Wednesday 23rd October 2019
Conservatoire National des Arts et MÃ©tiers
292 Rue Saint-Martin, 75003 Paris
MÃ©tro Arts et MÃ©tiers (lines 3 or 11) or RÃ©aumur-SÃ©bastapol (lines 3 or 4)
Following the resounding success of the first Cambridge Cutting Edge Lecture delivered by Sir Venki Ramakrishnan at the Institut Pasteur, we are immensely lucky to have another scientist of world renown for the second lecture, Professor Sir Roger Penrose, and to have been permitted most generously by the Conservatoire National des Arts et MÃ©tiers to hold this lecture in their beautiful, historic amphitheatre AbbÃ© GrÃ©goire. This event is very highly recommended.
Sir Roger Penrose OM FRS is an English mathematical physicist. He studied at University College London and at St Johnâ€™s College Cambridge and is now the Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of mathematics at Oxford.
The son of a psychiatrist and geneticist, grandson of a physiologist, brother of a physicist and of a chess grandmaster, Roger Penrose has won numerous prizes and awards and is one of the most important living scientists in the world. He worked closely with Stephen Hawking and appeared in the film, a Brief History of Time.
The work undertaken by Roger Penrose has been wide ranging and of immense importance. Taking but two examples: in 1964 he revolutionised the mathematical tools used to analyse the properties of space time and, later, his epoch-making paper â€œGravitational collapse and space time singularitiesâ€ lead to the cosmology of Big Bang and Black Holes which he worked on with Stephen Hawking.
In lighter vein, Roger Penrose also devised the Penrose Triangle which he described as â€œimpossibility in its purest formâ€ which he conveyed to the artist M.C. Escher.
The topic of Professor Penroseâ€™s Cambridge Cutting Edge Lecture is â€œHawking Points in the Cosmic Microwave Skyâ€ in which he will reveal his theories of cosmology and his scientific belief that our Universe is in fact just one of a series of Universes, or eons, each commencing with a Big Bang that had its origins in the dim distant past of a preceding Universe.
Having attended one of Roger Penroseâ€™s lectures in London, I can only say that it was utterly astounding. Deep, cutting edge, completely incomprehensible science delivered in a way that was, anyway superficially, understandable by all, holding the audience enthralled. By the end, my head was spinning with ideas and revelations beyond my wildest expectations.
Over and above, there will be the delight of seeing the Conservatoire National des Arts et MÃ©tiers and the beautiful historic amphitheatre AbbÃ© GrÃ©goire, built in the 1840s, named after the founder of the Conservatoire, an important political figure during the French Revolution depicted in Davidâ€™s famous painting The Serment du Jeu de Paume.
This lecture by Professor Sir Roger Penrose will probably be a one-off ever and a landmark experience for many. It is definitely not to be missed.
Andrew Lyndon-Skeggs
President
Cambridge Society of Paris

Poetry Reading at the American Cathedral
2019-11-22 19:00 - 21:00 | American Cathedral, 23 Avenue George V, Paris, 75008, France
The American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Paris
Poetry Reading by Sir Michael Edwards, OBE
7.00pm Friday 22nd November 2019
A novel and charming event combining poetry and music, in the American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Paris.
The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, the American Cathedral in Paris, has decided to instigate poetry readings in the Cathedral and, through the Dean and Rector, the Very Reverend Lucinda Laird, the Cambridge Society of Paris has been invited to co-host the inaugural event. We are honoured and delighted.
This first event will be a reading by Sir Michael Edwards of poems from his latest publication: At the Brasserie Lipp. Following the poetry reading, there will be a reception with drinks and light snacks, accompanied by piano music played no one of the magnificent grand pianos at the American Cathedral.
As well as the event itself, for anyone who does not already know the American Cathedral, this will be a revelation and joy, being one of the finest examples of English Gothic Revival architecture in Europe, founded by Dr John Brainerd Morgan, cousin of J.P. Morgan.
Sir Michael Edwards, Honorary Fellow of Christâ€™s College, Cambridge, is very well known as being the first Englishman ever to have been elected to the CollÃ¨ge de France (2002) and to one of the 40 seats of the AcadÃ©mie FranÃ§aise (2013). Following his reading, Sir Michael will make available signed copies of his book, At the Brasserie Lipp.
In the spirit of the occasion, this event is entirely free of charge, though there will be a voluntary collection, to be donated to the cathedral and to cover the costs of the evening.
You are very warmly invited to this inaugural and delightful event.
Andrew Lyndon-Skeggs.

Carols at the Travellers
2019-12-16 18:30 - 20:00 | The Travellers Club, 25 avenue des Champs-Elysées, Paris, 75008, France
We are sorry, but this event is now sold out. You can register to be put on the waiting list. If places become available, we will let you know.
Â Annual Carol Singing at
â€œThe Travellersâ€
25, avenue des Champs-ElysÃ©es, Paris 8’eme
From 6:30 PM on Monday, 16th December, 2019
Vin chaud and mince pies will be served prior to the singing
Numbers are limited to 100 in total. Places will be allocated on a â€œfirst come, first servedâ€ basis
Please apply by booking through the “Tickets” section below. Cost per person is â‚¬20.
NB: Please note that the Travellers Club
requires gentlemen to wear jackets and ties

The 2020 Boat Race - cancelled
2020-03-29 16:00 - 19:00 | The Bowler, 13 rue d'Artois, Paris, 75008, France
Sun 29th March from 16:00Â â€“ The 2020 Boat Race
The 2020 Boat Race on the Thames has been cancelled, in the light of the current situation relating to Covid-19, as is of course our viewing in Paris at the Bowler.
We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Dinner with Professor Nicola Padfield - cancelled
2020-04-01 19:00 - 23:00 | Le Zimmer, 1 Place du ChÃ¢telet, Paris, Paris, 75001, France
in the light of the current situation relating to Covid-19 in Paris, we have, regretfully, decided to cancel the dinner that had been planned on Wednesday 1st April with Professor Nicola Padfield as our speaker.
We are sorry that we will miss out on what was to be a most interesting and topical talk and we hope that we may be able to re-plan this event later in the year or perhaps next.
We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Hot Topics for Top Minds
2022-04-28 20:00 - 21:00 | Virtual Zoom meeting, Your location, France
The Society’s quarterly virtual meeting to debate topics considered to be of interest by the participants, proposed in advance, will be held on Thursday 28th April 2022 from 8pm to 9pm. Places will be limited to a maximum of 20 so everyone is able to have their say on each topic.
The critical thing is to have a range of interesting topics, which is down to you please. The topics can be on almost any subject – topical, scientific, philosophical, serious or amusing, it is up to you to suggest what you would like to discuss. Having thought of ideas, please include them in your booking form, or if you come up with an idea later, you can send your contributions directly to the Society’s President, Terry Quinn, on president@camsocparis.org. Terry will then compere the event.
This event will be hosted on Zoom. A meeting link will be sent to all registered attendees two or three days in advance of the event.

A dinner talk 23 February 2023 7.30 PM at the BRASSERIE BOFINGER
2023-02-23 19:30 - 23:00 | BRASSERIE BOFINGER, 5-7 Rue de la Bastille, Paris, 75004, France
A dinner talk 23 February 2023 7.30 PM at the BRASSERIE BOFINGER

We are delighted that Professor Robert Lethbridge will be our speaker at a dinner on Thursday 23 February 2023 for 7.30 PM at the BRASSERIE BOFINGER

Coupe de Cremant at 19h00, followed by a seated 3-course set dinner : cost 60 €
– vegetarian options will be available on request
The BRASSERIE BOFINGER is a ‘gem’ located in the Bastille area (Metro lines 1 , 5 and 8)
Further information : mail to events@camsocparis.org
‘Mastering Oxbridge‘, Professor Robert Lethbridge, former Master of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge will share with us the role of the Master in changing times giving us all an intimate view of the position.
A stimulating topic exploring what that role entails in modern Cambridge and how it is changing with the current increase of non-academic Heads of House. Most former students would be hard-pressed to define that role even during their own College careers!

Professor Lethbridge was Master of Fitzwilliam from 2005 – 2013, and Provost of the Gates Cambridge Trust from 2010 – 2013.
Professor Lethbridge was educated at the University of Kent at Canterbury (B.A., 1969), McMaster University (M.A., 1970) and St John’s College, Cambridge (Ph.D., 1975). His first academic post was as Leathersellers’ Teaching Fellow in French at Fitzwilliam College. He was Senior Tutor for the decade 1982-92. In 1994, he was appointed to the Chair of French Language and Literature at Royal Holloway, University of London, where he was successively Head of Department, Dean of the Graduate School and Vice-Principal. He has been a Life Fellow of Fitzwilliam since 1994. Before his return to the College, he was Director of the British Institute in Paris, now renamed as the University of London Institute in Paris. He has held Visiting Professorships at the University of California at Santa Barbara and at the University of Melbourne.
He is Emeritus Professor of French Language and Literature in the University of London. His current research and postgraduate teaching is now in association with Cambridge’s Department of French, where he was a University Lecturer until 1994 and is now Honorary Professor. His work is focused on late nineteenth-century France and, in particular, the relationship between literature and the visual arts in that period. He was made Commandeur dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques in 2013 for services to French culture and scholarship. He has written several books.

Fontainebleau Day
2024-11-09 12:00 - 16:00 | Fontainebleau
Fontainebleau Day – Cambridge Society of Paris
An invitation to live like a sovereign for a day, right in the heart of Fontainebleau!
Saturday 9th November 2024

CamSoc’s very own committee member and Fontainebleau resident Sylvie Leger is very kindly organising a visit to the town across Saturday 9th November.
Sylvie will host a lunch at l’Empreinte, the new restaurant of the Napoleon Hotel, followed by an address from Fonact (Fontainebleau’s Anglophone acting school) before leading the way to the town’s exquisite Château (summer residence of France’s sovereign rulers for eight centuries) for a visit to the internationally renowned Salon du Chocolat.
Coming to Fontainebleau, a town of character next door to Paris, will give you the opportunity to feel immersed in a stunningly welcoming universe. Spending one day in Fontainebleau will not only give you an insight into the splendours of its famous Château, but also a chance to live like a Bellifontain(e)!
AGENDA
Lunch & Speaker
12h00: Lunch at L’Empreinte, the newly opened restaurant of the Napoleon Hotel-Spa a few steps away from the Château.
After lunch, a speaker will introduce you to the fantastic work carried out by Fonact, the renowned Anglophone School of Acting, performing at the city theatre on a regular basis.
Tickets for the lunch, which includes soft drinks and wine, are €50 per person.
Salon “Impérial Chocolat & Gastronomie”
After the speaker’s address: Sylvie Leger will lead the group to the annual Salon taking place at the Château itself (outdoors and indoors), supervised by the famous chef Fréderic Cassel who owns a store in Fontainebleau.
The making of chocolate, tasting, chocolate sculptures of animals, and famous Parisians monuments are amongst the highlights. For those staying longer, the salon lasts three days: Saturday 9th November through Monday 11th.
Tickets for the Salon are €9 per person.
Fontainebleau Visit
16h00: Sylvie will guide a walking visit of the highlights of Fontainebleau (weather permitting!) for those interested, starting from outside the Salon.

TICKETS
Registration for the Lunch and the Salon are available below for Cambridge Society of Paris members and their guests. You can attend just the lunch, or just the Salon (in which case meet at the restaurant at 14:00 to get your ticket) but we hope most of you will come to both. You are also welcome to purchase Salon tickets separately via the official website on on-site, if you wish to visit on a different day.
If you have any questions about the day, please contact Sylvie Leger.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
i) Train from Paris
You are welcome to make your own way to Fontainebleau, but if you follow the schedule below, Sylvie will be waiting to guide you on arrival at Fontainebleau-Avon station.
Departure from Hall 1 Gare de Lyon, 10h16
Arrival time at Fontainebleau-Avon 10h56
(Stops: Melun; Bois le Roi; Fontainebleau-Avon. The train ride lasts 40 minutes. The train continues to Montargis or other towns. They are surface trains. Make sure you « punch » your tickets before getting on the train.
Tickets are €5.00 one-way. You can buy tickets from the machines located near the platform (usually letters between J and M).
ii) Bus to Fontainebleau
Upon arrival at Fontainebleau-Avon station, Sylvie will be there on the platform to welcome you.
A 10-minute bus ride will take us to the town centre. Tickets are €2.50 one-way.
Bus and train tickets and are not included in the event registration to accommodate those wishing to make their own way.
iii) Restaurant l’Empreinte
Address: l’Empreinte 9 Rue Grande, Fontainebleau.
2-course meal (main course and dessert)
Soft drinks, wine included
iv) Salon du Chocolat
Address: Château de Fontainebleau, Place Charles de Gaulle, 77300 Fontainebleau
v) Return to Paris
Sylvie will indicate the bus station in town, so that everyone can go back to the railway station according to their own schedules.
There are trains approximately every 30 minutes back to Paris, Gare de Lyon.
For those of you who would like to stay overnight and enjoy Sunday morning market, there are many options. Sylvie can easily advise you if you need directions or inspiration.
If you have any questions about the day, please contact Sylvie Leger.

Oxford and Cambridge "First Wednesday" Monthly Drinks
2025-09-03 19:00 - 22:00 | Frog XVI, 110 bis Avenue Kléber, Paris, 75016
First Wednesday drinks
BACK TO THE FUTURE!
Yes, after 7 years at various Frogs, we are returning to MURPHY’S HOUSE for our Monthly Drinks from 1st October.

All Oxford and Cambridge Alumni, whether or not members of the Paris Societies, are cordially invited to join us for our Monthly drinks get-together at this centrally located bar – very close to Opera metro and Auber RER stations – at 10 rue de la Chaussée d’Antin, 75009 Paris.

We have arranged to use the first floor area, but if you don’t find us ask the staff where we can be found. However, do note that this is a European Champions’ League date with both PSG (away) and Monaco (at home) playing so there may be noise from the screens in other areas of the pub.
