America250: Following America’s Footsteps in Paris Region

It all begins in Paris in 1776 when Benjamin Franklin settles in the French capital, quickly becoming a central figure among intellectual circles and at the court of Versailles. Soon after, the Marquis de Lafayette embodies a generation committed to forging lasting ties between France and the emerging United States.

Today, this shared history still resonates across the Paris Region. It reveals itself in historic landmarks, statues, squares, and memorial sites, each subtly telling the story of a founding alliance between France and America.

For those who take the time to look up, Paris becomes a true map of hidden clues. The Statue of Liberty, a universal icon born in France, unfolds as a symbolic thread linking Paris and New York. On the Île aux Cygnes, just steps from the Eiffel Tower, the most monumental Parisian version stands facing west along the Seine River, echoing its American counterpart.

Further on, another version blends into the landscape of the Luxembourg Garden, while the Musée d’Orsay and the Musée des Arts et Métiers preserve additional models—testaments to the creative process of sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. Even a discreet statuette lies hidden within César’s monumental Centaur sculpture on Place Michel Debré in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.

Beyond political and intellectual exchanges, the Franco-American history was also shaped by the most tragic moments of the 20th century. Across the Paris Region, several memorial sites pay tribute to the commitment and sacrifice of American soldiers who fought on French soil.

In Meaux, near the World War I Museum Musée de la Grande Guerre, the landscape still bears the memory of the battles of 1914. This legacy is extended by the presence of the American Monument, a powerful reminder of the crucial role played by U.S. forces in France during the First World War.

Just outside Paris, on the slopes of Mont-Valérien, the Suresnes American Cemetery offers a particularly moving place of remembrance. Overlooking the capital, this small 3-hectare piece of American soil is home to more than 1,500 graves of American soldiers who fell for France during World War I, and 24 graves of unknown soldiers who died during World War II.

Today, this connection lives on in museums and cultural landmarks across Paris. From the Enlightenment era to contemporary expressions, American influence in Paris can be traced through rich and diverse collections.

At the Carnavalet Museum, dedicated to the history of Paris, paintings and archives highlight Franco-American relations, particularly the role of La Fayette and the intellectual exchanges of the 18th century.

In the 7th arrondissement, along the Quai d’Orsay, this legacy extends with the presence of the American Church in Paris—the first American church established outside the United States in 1814. A short walk away, near the Champs-Élysées, the American Cathedral of Paris on Avenue George V stands as another powerful symbol of this longstanding bond. Still active today, it regularly hosts concerts and cultural events, offering visitors a unique way to experience this historic site.

On the Left Bank, just steps from Notre-Dame Cathedral, the legendary bookstore Shakespeare & Company embodies the deep connection between Anglo-American literature and Parisian cultural life. Within its narrow corridors and book-lined walls lingers the presence of literary icons such as Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, James Joyce, and Allen Ginsberg.

This spirit also lives on in more discreet yet essential venues. The American Library in Paris, located in the 7th arrondissement, is the largest English-language library in Europe and has, since 1920, been a hub where literature, ideas, and contemporary creativity intersect. Nearby, Brentano’s bookstore, an iconic stop on Avenue de l’Opéra close to the Palais Garnier, offers another window into the enduring cultural ties between Paris and the United States.

Then there are the places where time seems to slow down. At the legendary Bar Hemingway at the Ritz Paris, the famed American writer—one of its most loyal patrons—is said to have helped popularize the iconic Bloody Mary cocktail, now enjoyed around the world while Harry’s Bar, literally imported from Manhattan in the early 20th century, continues to keep alive in the 2nd arrondissement—between Avenue de l’Opéra and Rue de la Paix—the art of cocktail-making that has become universal.

Not to be missed is Lafayette’s, located within the former private mansion of the Marquis de Lafayette on Rue d’Anjou in the 8th arrondissement—once the setting for legendary receptions. Today, it keeps that cosmopolitan spirit alive, blending historic heritage with culinary influences from both sides of the Atlantic.

These restaurants and culinary spots in Paris invite visitors on a true American-inspired food journey—without ever leaving the French capital.