WICE upcoming events

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (11 Sep 2026)

Fri, 11 Sep 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (11 Sep 2026)

Fri, 11 Sep 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.

SS121 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (12 Sep 2026)

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

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

Registration opens on Sunday, 30 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.

VS171 Gothic Studies: From Romanesque to the Parish Church of Kings (12 Sep 2026)

Sat, 12 Sep 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. These walks aim to reveal those layers by visiting six 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.

Beginning at Église Saint-Germain-des-Prés, we’ll see the preeminent surviving example of Romanesque architecture in Paris, in the nave of the church, and compare that to the Early Gothic choir of the same church. From there, we’ll continue across the river and study a superb example of a church built fully in the Gothic style, Saint Germain l’Auxerrois, the parish church of the French kings.

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).

GS141 Spinefulness Workshop (14 Sep 2026)

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 08:00:00 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.

Registration opens August 14.

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.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (14 Sep 2026)

Mon, 14 Sep 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
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.”

LS141 The New Yorker: Short Stories (14 Sep 2026)

Mon, 14 Sep 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 short stories published in The New Yorker in the preceding month.

The stories to be discussed on September 14th

are:

"The Promise," by Rachel Yoder. 2 August 2026.

"Hidden Life," by Madhuri Vijay. 16 August 2026.

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (14 Sep 2026)

Mon, 14 Sep 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SS151 Morning Coffee at Les Editeurs (15 Sep 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 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.

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 Tuesday, 1 September.

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.

GS151 Drawing Club (15 Sep 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join us for coffee and a relaxing, fun opportunity to exercise your creativity. We are excited to interpret the beautiful elements around us, NOT to create the “perfect drawing”. All levels welcome. No experience needed.

What to bring: Small sketchbook such as A5, or loose paper; drawing tools such as pencils, pens, or markers.

Registration opens 25 July.

About Michele: Michèle has recently returned to Paris for good after having stayed away for far too long. She has been a pet portrait artist, an illustrator, and a copy artist at the Louvre. Her favorite medium is soft pastels, and she especially enjoys sketching the world around her.

VS151 EUROPEAN POLITICS AND SECURITY: Who is responsible for the defense of Europe? (15 Sep 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 08:30:00 GMT

A series of sessions will focus on the problems of European security. Is Europe now independent or is it still a dependent of the United States? How will it manage without the US? Topics include NATO, the European Union, American foreign policy and European politics. Suggested readings are available for those who are interested in studying the issues in greater depth.

Session I European Security: Who is responsible for the defense of Europe?

What is NATO’s raison d’être? What is Article V? Is Europe an ally or a protectorate? Can Europeans defend themselves? Does the US need allies in Europe? Is NATO an asset or a liability? European vs American approaches to world order, terrorism, international law, globalization, nuclear proliferation. Can Europe deter Russia without the US nuclear umbrella? Can France provide such an umbrella? Direct vs extended deterrence. What is a strong Europe without a strong Germany? What is a strong Germany without nuclear weapons?

Mark SHEETZ is a member of WICE who lives in Paris. He taught international politics for over twenty-five years, including courses in International Politics, European Security, American foreign policy and US-European relations. Prof. Sheetz received his Ph.D in political science from Columbia University, M.A. in international relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and A.B. in government from Dartmouth College. Prof. Sheetz was a Fulbright Scholar and Chair of Security Studies at the College of Europe. His scholarly articles have appeared in journals such as International Security, Security Studies, Foreign Policy, Economic Diplomacy, and the Journal of Cold War Studies.

Black Expatriate Writers/artist in Paris (15 Sep 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

During the early to middle part of the twentieth century, many African American artists left the United States for France, and specifically Paris. They arrived, in many ways, as refugees and exiles, escaping the racial violence in the United States. Some came with rose-colored glasses, seeing France's motto of Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité as a welcome sign, and in fact, they did experience—some, certainly more than in the US—liberty, equality, and fraternity. Artists such as Josephine Baker experienced this, and in fact, she became, in 2021, the first Black woman and first American-born individual to be enshrined in the Panthéon. However, many, such as William Gardner Smith and James Baldwin, also saw the inequalities in France, notably the disparate treatment they received as "civilized" African Americans in relation to the mistreatment of individuals from France's colonies such as Algeria and Senegal.

This book club, which will take place over three meetings this fall, will explore the ways that the writers mentioned above experienced France and what they learned from their experiences in Paris and beyond. The book club will consist of short walking tours, a brief introduction by Matthew Teutsch for each text, and discussion at places to be determined. We will read the following, in this order.

William Gardner Smith The Stone Face (September 15—2 pm in front of Les Editeurs)

James Baldwin No Name in the Street (October 15—3 pm Top floor in Les Editeurs)

Josephine Baker Fearless and Free: A Memoir (November 11—2 pm; location to be determined)

Book 1: The Stone Face — William Gardner Smith

William Gardner Smith’s The Stone Face follows Simeon Brown, a young African American journalist who leaves Philadelphia for Paris after years of living under the threat of racist violence. At first, Paris seems to offer the freedom and dignity denied him in the United States, but his friendship with an Algerian activist gradually exposes him to the racism and police brutality directed at North Africans during the Algerian War. Set against the violence culminating in the Paris massacre of October 1961, the novel explores race, exile, political responsibility, and the limits of seeking refuge from injustice elsewhere.

Registration will open the day after the previous meeting.

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (15 Sep 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 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.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (15 Sep 2026)

Tue, 15 Sep 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.

SS161 Morning Coffee in the 9th at Le Grand Comptoir d'Anvers (16 Sep 2026)

Wed, 16 Sep 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 Tuesday, 1 September.

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

BS161 French Guided Discussion (16 Sep 2026)

Wed, 16 Sep 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 Thursdauys. Classes do not meet during the two weeks of vacances scolaires: 17 October - 1 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.

BS171 Les Femmes Impressionnistes (17 Sep 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Dive into the art, literature, and culture of France through this eye-opening new course on women impressionists. Focusing on three artists: Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, and Eva Gonzalès, the class is conducted in French suitable for an intermediate level of comprehension (high A 2– C1). Students will view a series of lively PowerPoint presentations, read relevant materials, and visit the Musée Marmottan as well as the Petit Palais. For art lovers, the class is excellent preparation for two upcoming exhibits: “Mary Cassatt, L’Indépendante” at the Musée d’Orsay and the first retrospective dedicated to Eva Gonzalès, Édouard Manet’s only pupil, at the Petit Palais. The class will meet in person at the Impact Café

There will be no class on October 22 or 29 during the French school vacation.

Plongez dans l’art, la littérature et la culture françaises grâce à ce nouveau cours enrichissant consacré aux femmes impressionnistes. Axé sur trois artistes : Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt et Eva Gonzalès, ce cours est dispensé en français et s’adresse à un niveau intermédiaire de compréhension (A2 avancé – C1). Les étudiants assisteront à une série de présentations PowerPoint dynamiques, liront des documents pertinents et visiteront le musée Marmottan ainsi que le Petit Palais. Pour les amateurs d’art, ce cours constitue une excellente préparation à deux expositions à venir : « Mary Cassatt, L’Indépendante » au musée d’Orsay et la première rétrospective consacrée à Eva Gonzalès, l’unique élève d’Édouard Manet, au Petit Palais. Les cours se dérouleront en présentiel à l’Impact Café.

Il n'y aura pas de cours les 22 et 29 octobre, en raison des vacances scolaires.

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.

SS171 WICE Men's Lunch (17 Sep 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 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, 14 August.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (17 Sep 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 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

LS171 Living Room Players: "An Inspector Calls" by J. B. Priestley (17 Sep 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

An Inspector Calls — J. B. Priestley

J. B. Priestley’s An Inspector Calls is a modern morality play set over the course of a single evening in 1912 in the comfortable home of the prosperous Birling family. Their celebratory dinner is interrupted by the mysterious Inspector Goole, who questions each family member about his or her connection to the suicide of a young working-class woman. As the investigation unfolds, the play exposes questions of class privilege, social responsibility, hypocrisy, and the consequences of seemingly private actions.

Please find here a text of the play: an-inspector-calls.pdf

The readings take place at a member's apartment in the 15th. 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 September reading opens on Monday, 17 August.

BS172 English Guided Discussion (17 Sep 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 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 22 and 29 October (vacances scolaires).

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.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (17 Sep 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:30:00 GMT

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. Please contact wice@wice-paris.org for more information. Valerie's address and phone number will be shared with you to coordinate your visit to her.

BS173 French History Book Club (17 Sep 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Notre voyage à travers la France du XVIe siècle commence avec l’ouvrage de Simone Bertière, *Le Beau XVIe siècle*, où nous explorerons la vie, la personnalité et l’influence des reines au cœur de la monarchie française. Nous poursuivrons ensuite avec son deuxième volume, *Les Années sanglantes*, en suivant ces femmes remarquables à travers une époque de plus en plus tumultueuse, marquée par les conflits religieux, les intrigues politiques et les luttes dynastiques.

La lecture et les discussions se dérouleront en français, ce qui vous permettra de vous plonger dans le texte tout en pratiquant et en appréciant la conversation en français.

Préparez-vous à discuter les 25 premiers pages jusqu'a la fin de "metier de reine." Lors de cette première réunion, nous fixerons ensemble un objectif en nombre de pages pour les réunions suivantes.

Pour toute question, veuillez contacter Mary-Jo Reef: maryjo@wice-paris.org.

Our journey through sixteenth-century France begins with Simone Bertière's Le Beau XVIe siècle where we will explore the lives, personalities, and influence of the queens at the heart of the French monarchy. We will then continue with her second volume, Les Années sanglantes, as we follow these remarkable women through an increasingly turbulent era marked by religious conflict, political intrigue, and dynastic struggle.

Both the reading and discussion will be in French, creating an opportunity to engage with the text while practicing and enjoying conversation in French.

Come prepared to discuss the first 25 pages, up to the end of "metier de reine." During this first meeting, together we will set page goals for subsequent meetings.

Contact Mary-Jo Reef with any questions: maryjo@wice-paris.org

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

About the leader: Mary-Jo Reef is a retired professor of Sociology from a U.S. University. She has been an active WICE member for the past 16 years and has called Paris home for nearly 10 years, during which time she led the French-English conversation groups twice a week for five years. "My longstanding interest in French history continues to enrich my life in Paris and deepen my appreciation of French culture and society."

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (17 Sep 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (17 Sep 2026)

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 14:30:00 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 writing short stories or are knee-deep in a novel, you’ll have ample opportunity to workshop your writing and troubleshoot obstacles. We will supplement your works-in-progress with published pieces of fiction carefully selected based on the specific genres and craft issues you 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, and what they’re trying to achieve.

When this course has been offered in the past, students made significant progress toward their personal writing goals and left with extensive, actionable feedback in hand to keep them moving forward on their own.

Instructor

Based in Paris, Noah Weisz has over a decade of experience teaching creative writing at a wide variety of institutions, including Sciences Po and CEA CAPA. His accolades include winning 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. He has an M.F.A. in Fiction from the University of Texas at Austin. Learn more about Noah here: noahweisz.wordpress.com

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (18 Sep 2026)

Fri, 18 Sep 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (18 Sep 2026)

Fri, 18 Sep 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. It does not meet on 30 October, the second week of French school vacation. 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.

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 Saturday, 29 August.

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (18 Sep 2026)

Fri, 18 Sep 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (18 Sep 2026)

Fri, 18 Sep 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.

SS191 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (19 Sep 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

Registration opens on Sunday, 6 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.

SS192 WICE Women's Lunch (19 Sep 2026)

Sat, 19 Sep 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, 16 August.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (21 Sep 2026)

Mon, 21 Sep 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

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (21 Sep 2026)

Mon, 21 Sep 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SS211 Pub Quiz! (21 Sep 2026)

Mon, 21 Sep 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.

Registration opens on Tuesday, 1 September.

GS221 Drawing Club (22 Sep 2026)

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT

What to bring: Small sketchbook such as A5, or loose paper; drawing tools such as pencils, pens, or markers.

Registration opens 25 July.

SS221 Morning Coffee at Brasserie Le Bullier (22 Sep 2026)

Tue, 22 Sep 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 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, but WICE reserves 12 seats together, and if you don't register you will not be able to sit with the WICE group.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 9 September.

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 buses 38, 82, 91.

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (22 Sep 2026)

Tue, 22 Sep 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.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (22 Sep 2026)

Tue, 22 Sep 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.

BS161 French Guided Discussion (23 Sep 2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Course Description

About the Instructors

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

BS171 Les Femmes Impressionnistes (24 Sep 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 08:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on October 22 or 29 during the French school vacation.

Il n'y aura pas de cours les 22 et 29 octobre, en raison des vacances scolaires.

About the instructor

GS241 Mindfulness Meditation (24 Sep 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 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.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (24 Sep 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 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

BS172 English Guided Discussion (24 Sep 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 22 and 29 October (vacances scolaires).

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.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (24 Sep 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:30:00 GMT

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).

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (24 Sep 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (24 Sep 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

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

Instructor

SS241 Monthly Apéro (24 Sep 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 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 Tuesday, 1 September.

The fees are as follows:

10€ for regular members
€5 for WICE volunteers

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

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (25 Sep 2026)

Fri, 25 Sep 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

GS251 Yoga for Well-Being (25 Sep 2026)

Fri, 25 Sep 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

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (25 Sep 2026)

Fri, 25 Sep 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

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.

LS111 The Long View: "The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity", by David Graeber & David Wengrow (25 Sep 2026)

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 13:00:00 GMT

"The Long View: Our Human Odyssey" is a nonfiction book group that will consider books that are oriented towards helping us understand what we—as humans—are, how we arrived here in evolutionary terms (physical, cultural, etc.), and our place in the world.

The Dawn of Everything: A New History of Humanity (2021) by David Graeber and David Wengrow

A dramatically new understanding of human history, challenging our most fundamental assumptions about social evolution-from the development of agriculture and cities to the origins of the state, democracy, and inequality-and revealing new possibilities for human emancipation. Drawing on pathbreaking research in archaeology and anthropology, The Dawn of Everything fundamentally transforms our understanding of the human past and offers a path toward imagining new forms of freedom, new ways of organizing society. This is a book of formidable intellectual range, animated by curiosity, moral vision, and a faith in the power of direct action.

The book is around 700 pages.

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (25 Sep 2026)

Fri, 25 Sep 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.

LS251 Booker Books: "Flashlight," by Susan Choi (25 Sep 2026)

Fri, 25 Sep 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.

Registration for the September meeting opens on Friday, 28 August.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (25 Sep 2026)

Fri, 25 Sep 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.

SS261 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (26 Sep 2026)

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

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, 13 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.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (28 Sep 2026)

Mon, 28 Sep 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

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (28 Sep 2026)

Mon, 28 Sep 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

GS291 Drawing Club (29 Sep 2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:00:00 GMT

What to bring: Small sketchbook such as A5, or loose paper; drawing tools such as pencils, pens, or markers.

Registration opens 25 July.

VS291 EUROPEAN POLITICS AND SECURITY: European politics/economy/defense (29 Sep 2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Session II European politics/economy/defense

What is Europe? Is US a part of Europe? How about Russia? Can the EU move beyond economic cooperation to forge a security community? Can Europeans afford to keep their promises of spending 5% of GDP on defense? Does Europe in fact need its own autonomous defense identity? If so, will it strengthen Europe or weaken NATO? What about die deutsche Frage? What would a nuclear Germany mean for Europe? Risk of a German Sonderweg?

Are we looking at the end of globalization? If so, what are the consequences for Europe? How can EU economies deal with threats from US tariffs and Chinese imports? What about energy policy and the geopolitics of Russia and the Middle East?

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (29 Sep 2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 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.

WS292 Bringing Stories to Life: The craft of scene (29 Sep 2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

For all levels - Memoir, Novel, Short Story

DESCRIPTION

Scene is where stories come alive on the page. It’s where readers feel, understand, and step inside a story’s world. It’s also where the demands of a writer’s craft are greatest: strong scenes hold both action rendered in sensory, dramatic detail and the interior voice that shapes how readers experience the story.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Character & Setting Craft:

Ground story in vivid, purposeful locations;

Create characters with clear motivation and authentic behavior

Develop compelling dialogue that reveals character

Pacing & Structure:

Build tension through countervailing forces
Drive momentum with action and conflict
Practice page-turning pacing techniques

Voice & Subtext:

Weave in distinctive narrative voice and interiority
Add depth through subtext and implication
Balance showing and telling for maximum impact

HOW CLASSES WILL WORK

Each writer is workshopped at least twice over the term; submissions up to 1,500 words per turn, which allows for detailed feedback. Sessions include:

Study of effective published scenes

Analysis exercises mapping scene and expository techniques

Supportive read-alouds of new work

Collaborative workshopping of three participants' pieces

Q&A on scene craft and technique

COURSE OUTCOME

By the workshop's end, you'll have developed a compelling narrative scene and gained the confidence to craft stories that invite readers in and hold their attention.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Becky Ellis's debut memoir, Little Avalanches (Regalo Press, 2024), won the Rubery Book Award for Best Nonfiction Book of the Year and was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. Her work has appeared in Northwest Review, The Ethel, Best Small Fictions, Psychology Today, and others.

Find out more about her at beckyellis.net.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (29 Sep 2026)

Tue, 29 Sep 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.

BS161 French Guided Discussion (30 Sep 2026)

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Course Description

About the Instructors

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

BS171 Les Femmes Impressionnistes (01 Oct 2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 08:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on October 22 or 29 during the French school vacation.

Il n'y aura pas de cours les 22 et 29 octobre, en raison des vacances scolaires.

About the instructor

SO011 WICE Lunch (01 Oct 2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 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, 11 September.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (01 Oct 2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 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

BS172 English Guided Discussion (01 Oct 2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 22 and 29 October (vacances scolaires).

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.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (01 Oct 2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:30:00 GMT

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).

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (01 Oct 2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (01 Oct 2026)

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

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

Instructor

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (02 Oct 2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

OL251 Yoga for Well-Being (02 Oct 2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 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

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (02 Oct 2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 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

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.

LO021 Murder, They Read: Bloody Scotland (02 Oct 2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Bloody Scotland -- An anthology of stories by notable Scottish authors providing opportunities to explore some iconic Scottish locales in the context of crime. Also this would be our first sortie into the anthology form.

"From murder in an ancient Iron Age broch and a macabre act of revenge in an 18th-century mill, to a psychological thriller set within the throng of Edinburgh Castle and a rivalry that turns deadly in an abandoned modernist ruin, these tales expose the dark and deadly connections between people and places."

https://blog.historicenvironment.scot/2019/03/bloody-scotland-origin-story/

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bloody-Scotland-Lin-Anderson/dp/1849176663

Availability: amazon.co.uk paperback & kindle; Momox; orderable from Shakespeare & Co

Registration opens on Saturday, 05 September.

BO023 French Film Discussion (02 Oct 2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 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.

Each discussion will focus on analyzing the film from different angles:

Creation; production; and reception, both critical and commercial
Screenplay, direction, and artistic collaborations such as script, cinematography, acting, and music
Specific features in the director's filmography and its place in the French cinema of his/her era.

Trimestre d'automne: Danielle Darrieux, une actrice dans un siècle

Ses initiales DD ont été célèbres avant celles de BB. Danielle Darrieux (1917-2017) est décédée à 100 ans, après avoir tourné avec les plus grands cinéastes. Elle débute en 1931, à l’âge de 14 ans, et capte la lumière en incarnant la jeune femme moderne du cinéma français. En 1936, elle devient une star internationale avec Mayerling. Hollywood lui ouvre ses portes. Elle devient alors la plus populaire des actrices françaises et un modèle féminin. Dans les années 50, elle triomphe aux côtés de Gérard Philipe, Jean Gabin ou Jean Marais. Elle devient la muse de Max Ophüls. En 1967, Jacques Demy la choisit pour Les Demoiselles de Rochefort. En 2002, François Ozon la dirige dans 8 femmes. Ingénue, libre, inventant un ton et un style sans pareils, Danielle Darrieux incarne la femme française moderne et libre. Parcours en 3 films emblématiques dont le point commun est les années 50, une décennie de reconstruction de la France, où la femme est encore enfermée dans des rôles traditionnels, que Darrieux incarne et transcende par son jeu d’une éclatante modernité.

Madame de (1953) de Max Ophuls

Avec DD, Vittorio de Sica, Charles Boyer

Une histoire prétexte de boucles d’oreilles en forme de cœur qui circulent de mains en mains et de capitale en capitale, pour raconter le destin tragique d’une grande bourgeoise succombant à la passion. La mise en scène totalement virtuose de Max Ophüls, le style de jeu de Danielle Darrieux nous entraînent dans une valse étourdissante et intemporelle. Un des trois films du duo Darrieux - Ophüls.

La Vérité sur Bébé Donge (1952) de Henri Decoin

D’après Georges Simenon, avec DD, Jean Gabin

François Donge, riche industriel, a épousé Elisabeth d’Onneville surnommée «Bébé ». Sentimentalement déçue, incomprise de tous, BB empoisonne son mari. Sur son lit de mort, François revoit son passé et comprend ses erreurs.

Ce film sombre réalisé par le premier mari de Danielle Darrieux rend parfaitement l’univers des romans de Simenon. Ce drame de l’incompréhension, construit en de multiples flash backs, ne juge pas de manière morale l’héroïne, mais montre au contraire la prison patriarcale dans laquelle la société a tenté de l’enfermer. Le film est une autopsie du couple bourgeois et porte un message féministe très en avance pour son époque.

8 femmes (2002) de François Ozon

Avec DD, Catherine Deneuve, Fanny Ardant, Isabelle Huppert, Emmanuelle Béart, Virginie Ledoyen, Ludivine Sagnier

Dans les années 50, à l’approche de Noël, la neige tombée en abondance isole une maison familiale dont le propriétaire est retrouvé poignardé. Le coupable est forcément l’une des huit femmes réunies pour les fêtes et prisonnières de la tempête : sa femme, sa sœur, sa belle-sœur, ses deux filles, sa cuisinière, et sa femme de chambre.

S’inspirant d’un succès du théâtre de boulevard, François Ozon nous propose une comédie grinçante, un sulfureux huis clos au cours duquel les manœuvres les plus basses sont déballées par une famille aux abois. Il offre à ses huit actrices un intermède musical leur permettant de chanter un solo. La mise en scène joue sur le mensonge et les faux semblants. Hommage de François Ozon aux actrices et singulièrement à Danielle Darrieux.

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).

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (02 Oct 2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (02 Oct 2026)

Fri, 02 Oct 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.

SO031 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (03 Oct 2026)

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

Registration opens on Sunday, 20 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.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (05 Oct 2026)

Mon, 05 Oct 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

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (05 Oct 2026)

Mon, 05 Oct 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SO061 Morning Coffee at Les Editeurs (06 Oct 2026)

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Wednesday, 16 September.

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.

GO061 Drawing Club (06 Oct 2026)

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT

What to bring: Small sketchbook such as A5, or loose paper; drawing tools such as pencils, pens, or markers.

Registration opens 25 July.

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (06 Oct 2026)

Tue, 06 Oct 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.

WS292 Bringing Stories to Life: The craft of scene (06 Oct 2026)

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

For all levels - Memoir, Novel, Short Story

DESCRIPTION

Scene is where stories come alive on the page. It’s where readers feel, understand, and step inside a story’s world. It’s also where the demands of a writer’s craft are greatest: strong scenes hold both action rendered in sensory, dramatic detail and the interior voice that shapes how readers experience the story.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Character & Setting Craft:

Ground story in vivid, purposeful locations;

Create characters with clear motivation and authentic behavior

Develop compelling dialogue that reveals character

Pacing & Structure:

Build tension through countervailing forces
Drive momentum with action and conflict
Practice page-turning pacing techniques

Voice & Subtext:

Weave in distinctive narrative voice and interiority
Add depth through subtext and implication
Balance showing and telling for maximum impact

HOW CLASSES WILL WORK

Each writer is workshopped at least twice over the term; submissions up to 1,500 words per turn, which allows for detailed feedback. Sessions include:

Study of effective published scenes

Analysis exercises mapping scene and expository techniques

Supportive read-alouds of new work

Collaborative workshopping of three participants' pieces

Q&A on scene craft and technique

COURSE OUTCOME

By the workshop's end, you'll have developed a compelling narrative scene and gained the confidence to craft stories that invite readers in and hold their attention.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Find out more about her at beckyellis.net.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (06 Oct 2026)

Tue, 06 Oct 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.

SO071 Morning Coffee in the 9th at Le Grand Comptoir d'Anvers (07 Oct 2026)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Thursday, 10 September.

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

BS161 French Guided Discussion (07 Oct 2026)

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Course Description

About the Instructors

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

BS171 Les Femmes Impressionnistes (08 Oct 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on October 22 or 29 during the French school vacation.

Il n'y aura pas de cours les 22 et 29 octobre, en raison des vacances scolaires.

About the instructor

GO081 Mindfulness Meditation (08 Oct 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMT

SO081 WICE Men's Lunch (08 Oct 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 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, 18 September.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (08 Oct 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 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

BS172 English Guided Discussion (08 Oct 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 22 and 29 October (vacances scolaires).

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.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (08 Oct 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:30:00 GMT

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).

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (08 Oct 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (08 Oct 2026)

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

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

Instructor

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (09 Oct 2026)

Fri, 09 Oct 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (09 Oct 2026)

Fri, 09 Oct 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

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.

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (09 Oct 2026)

Fri, 09 Oct 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (09 Oct 2026)

Fri, 09 Oct 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.

SO101 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (10 Oct 2026)

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

Registration opens on Sunday, 27 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.

VO101 Gothic Studies: In the Shadow of Notre Dame (10 Oct 2026)

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Registration opens 13 September.

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 most influential work of Gothic architecture inside Paris is, of course, Notre Dame. We'll admire the cathedral from afar before exploring the tiny chapel of Saint Julien-le-Pauvre, just across the river, which was built contemporaneously and by many of the same craftsman. Then we'll take a quick walk around the corner to see Saint-Severin, a jewel box of Parisian gothic splendor, and discuss the ways in which it was influenced by and riffed on Notre Dame's legacy, several centuries after the cathedral's completion.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (12 Oct 2026)

Mon, 12 Oct 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

LO121 The Karla Trilogy: the World of John Le Carré (12 Oct 2026)

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Book 2. The Honorable Schoolboy

In this age of new technologies and old treaties being revised, it's interesting to read and review John Le Carré's vision of the world (The Soviet Union vs the West and China was still dormant). So many of the terms we use today come from his own private lexicon. We all know what a Mole is! Join us for a read or a re-read and a look at the world today as he predicted it back then.

And if we get a chance, we will read his son’s, Nick Harkaway's, book Karla's Choice, the prequel to Tinker, Tailor.

Over the course of four monthly meetings, we’ll examine clever plots, surprising twists, and the social worlds that shaped these beloved stories. Whether you’re new to classic detective fiction or already a fan, this group offers a warm and lively space to enjoy and discuss these timeless whodunits.

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, 9 September.

LO121 The New Yorker: Short Stories (12 Oct 2026)

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 13:00:00 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 stories recently published in the New Yorker. Selections will be announced at the beginning of the month of the next scheduled meeting.

Stories for Monday, 12 October will be announced on or about 1 October.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 9 September.

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (12 Oct 2026)

Mon, 12 Oct 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SO131 Morning Coffee at Brasserie Le Bullier (13 Oct 2026)

Tue, 13 Oct 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, 23 September.

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 buses 38, 82, 91.

VO131 EUROPEAN POLITICS AND SECURITY: American foreign policy (13 Oct 2026)

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Session III American foreign policy

What is foreign policy? Is it the protection of interests or values? What is Trump’s policy toward Europe? How does this policy compare with traditional US foreign policy? What has changed? Why has it changed? What do the 2025 National Security Strategy and 2026 National Defense Strategy tell us about the geopolitical strategy of the Trump administration?

If the US is focused on the Western Hemisphere and China, who is responsible for Europe?

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (13 Oct 2026)

Tue, 13 Oct 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.

WS292 Bringing Stories to Life: The craft of scene (13 Oct 2026)

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

For all levels - Memoir, Novel, Short Story

DESCRIPTION

Scene is where stories come alive on the page. It’s where readers feel, understand, and step inside a story’s world. It’s also where the demands of a writer’s craft are greatest: strong scenes hold both action rendered in sensory, dramatic detail and the interior voice that shapes how readers experience the story.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Character & Setting Craft:

Ground story in vivid, purposeful locations;

Create characters with clear motivation and authentic behavior

Develop compelling dialogue that reveals character

Pacing & Structure:

Build tension through countervailing forces
Drive momentum with action and conflict
Practice page-turning pacing techniques

Voice & Subtext:

Weave in distinctive narrative voice and interiority
Add depth through subtext and implication
Balance showing and telling for maximum impact

HOW CLASSES WILL WORK

Each writer is workshopped at least twice over the term; submissions up to 1,500 words per turn, which allows for detailed feedback. Sessions include:

Study of effective published scenes

Analysis exercises mapping scene and expository techniques

Supportive read-alouds of new work

Collaborative workshopping of three participants' pieces

Q&A on scene craft and technique

COURSE OUTCOME

By the workshop's end, you'll have developed a compelling narrative scene and gained the confidence to craft stories that invite readers in and hold their attention.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Find out more about her at beckyellis.net.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (13 Oct 2026)

Tue, 13 Oct 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.

BS161 French Guided Discussion (14 Oct 2026)

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Course Description

About the Instructors

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

BS171 Les Femmes Impressionnistes (15 Oct 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 08:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on October 22 or 29 during the French school vacation.

Il n'y aura pas de cours les 22 et 29 octobre, en raison des vacances scolaires.

About the instructor

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (15 Oct 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 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

LO151 Living Room Players: "The Importance of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde (15 Oct 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

The Importance of Being Earnest — Oscar Wilde

Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest is a brilliant farcical comedy about two young men who invent alternate identities in order to escape social obligations and pursue romance. Both find themselves assuming the name “Ernest,” leading to an increasingly elaborate series of misunderstandings involving love, marriage, family origins, and social respectability. Celebrated for its wit and verbal play, the comedy satirizes Victorian conventions, especially the seriousness with which society treats marriage, class, morality, and appearances.

Please find here a text of the play: The Importance of Being Earnest _ Project Gutenberg.pdf

The readings take place at a member's apartment in the 15th. 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 October reading opens on Friday, 18 September.

BS172 English Guided Discussion (15 Oct 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 12:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 22 and 29 October (vacances scolaires).

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.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (15 Oct 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 12:30:00 GMT

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).

BS173 French History Book Club (15 Oct 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMT

La lecture et les discussions se dérouleront en français, ce qui vous permettra de vous plonger dans le texte tout en pratiquant et en appréciant la conversation en français.

Pour toute question, veuillez contacter Mary-Jo Reef: maryjo@wice-paris.org.

Both the reading and discussion will be in French, creating an opportunity to engage with the text while practicing and enjoying conversation in French.

Come prepared to discuss the first 25 pages, up to the end of "metier de reine." During this first meeting, together we will set page goals for subsequent meetings.

Contact Mary-Jo Reef with any questions: maryjo@wice-paris.org

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

Black Expatriate Writers/artist in Paris (15 Oct 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMT

William Gardner Smith The Stone Face (September 15—2 pm in front of Les Editeurs)

James Baldwin No Name in the Street (October 15—3 pm Top floor in Les Editeurs)

Josephine Baker Fearless and Free: A Memoir (November 11—2 pm; location to be determined)

Book 2: No Name in the Street — James Baldwin

James Baldwin’s No Name in the Street is a deeply personal work of memoir and political reflection in which Baldwin looks back on the experiences that shaped his understanding of race, violence, and American life. Moving from his Harlem childhood to his years in Europe, Hollywood, and the American South, he reflects on the assassinations of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. and on the political upheavals of the 1960s. Combining autobiography with social criticism, the book is both an intimate record of grief and a powerful meditation on racism, history, and the struggle for justice.

Registration will open the day after the previous meeting.

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (15 Oct 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (15 Oct 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

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

Instructor

SO151 Monthly Apéro (15 Oct 2026)

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

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

Note: Registration required. Registration opens on Friday, 25 September.

The fees are as follows:

10€ for regular members
€5 for WICE volunteers

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

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (16 Oct 2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (16 Oct 2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 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

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.

BO163 American Film Classics (16 Oct 2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 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.

During the Fall 2026 trimester we'll be discussing three independent American films from the 21st century (or close enough):

1. Fargo, 1996, written and directed by the Coen brothers, starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, and Steve Buscemi. A black comedy crime drama that features inky dark humor; stark, snowy winter; and a pregnant police chief who embodies Minnesota nice.

"McDormand's uproariously sly-spry performance connects with Roger Deakins' bleakly beautiful photography to create one of the Coens' most consistently successful outings..." -- Mike Clark, USA Today

2. Carol, 2016, directed by Todd Haynes, starring Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, and Kyle Chandler. In 1950s New York, Therese, a young department store employee, meets Carol who is seductively older, glamorous, and unhappily married. Complications ensue.

"A serious melodrama about the geometry of desire, a dreamy example of heightened reality that fully engages emotions despite the exact calculations with which it's been made... Carol's lush but controlled visual look is completely intoxicating." -- Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

3. Certain Women, 2016, written and directed by Kelly Reichardt, starring Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart, Michelle Williams, and Lily Gladstone. An anthology of intertwined short stories featuring three different women whose lives are marked by isolation and loneliness.

Guy Lodge of Variety called Reichardt "the quietest of great American filmmakers." In The Guardian, Nigel M. Smith gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and praised Reichardt as "a master at slow-burning, melanchonic dramas."

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.

LO161 Café Littéraire: "Kolkhose," by Emmanuel Carrère (16 Oct 2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Published in 2025, Kolkhose is Emmanuel Carrère’s deeply personal account of his mother, the distinguished historian Hélène Carrère d’Encausse, who died in 2023. The book explores their complicated relationship and the profound influence she exerted on Carrère’s personality and writing. Moving between family memory and self-reflection, Carrère considers love, death, mourning, and the ways writing becomes a means of understanding both those closest to us and ourselves.

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 October meeting opens on Saturday, 19 September.

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (16 Oct 2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (16 Oct 2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 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.

SO171 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (17 Oct 2026)

Sat, 17 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

Registration opens on Sunday, 4 October.

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.

SO172 WICE Women's Lunch (17 Oct 2026)

Sat, 17 Oct 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, 20 September.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (19 Oct 2026)

Mon, 19 Oct 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

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (19 Oct 2026)

Mon, 19 Oct 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SO191 Pub Quiz! (19 Oct 2026)

Mon, 19 Oct 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, 22 September.

SO201 Morning Coffee at Les Editeurs (20 Oct 2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Wednesday, 07 October.

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.

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (20 Oct 2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 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.

WS292 Bringing Stories to Life: The craft of scene (20 Oct 2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT

For all levels - Memoir, Novel, Short Story

DESCRIPTION

Scene is where stories come alive on the page. It’s where readers feel, understand, and step inside a story’s world. It’s also where the demands of a writer’s craft are greatest: strong scenes hold both action rendered in sensory, dramatic detail and the interior voice that shapes how readers experience the story.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Character & Setting Craft:

Ground story in vivid, purposeful locations;

Create characters with clear motivation and authentic behavior

Develop compelling dialogue that reveals character

Pacing & Structure:

Build tension through countervailing forces
Drive momentum with action and conflict
Practice page-turning pacing techniques

Voice & Subtext:

Weave in distinctive narrative voice and interiority
Add depth through subtext and implication
Balance showing and telling for maximum impact

HOW CLASSES WILL WORK

Each writer is workshopped at least twice over the term; submissions up to 1,500 words per turn, which allows for detailed feedback. Sessions include:

Study of effective published scenes

Analysis exercises mapping scene and expository techniques

Supportive read-alouds of new work

Collaborative workshopping of three participants' pieces

Q&A on scene craft and technique

COURSE OUTCOME

By the workshop's end, you'll have developed a compelling narrative scene and gained the confidence to craft stories that invite readers in and hold their attention.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Find out more about her at beckyellis.net.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (20 Oct 2026)

Tue, 20 Oct 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.

SO211 Morning Coffee in the 9th at Le Grand Comptoir d'Anvers (21 Oct 2026)

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Thursday, 8 October.

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

WO061 Chapter One (21 Oct 2026)

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMT

An in-person workshop to get you writing!

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” -E. L. Doctorow

Description

Everyone has a story to tell. This class is perfect for beginners who aren’t sure where to start as well as for intermediate writers who are looking for feedback and inspiration. In this in-person workshop, we’ll examine elements such as tone, character, dialogue, description, and point of view.

Each is an important building block that helps create a story. We will explore fiction and nonfiction excerpts to study how authors have created the unique tones for their stories and characters, then try our hand at finding the pitch perfect tone for our own work.

Short exercises will focus on honing powers of observation and precise language. In a warm, supportive atmosphere, participants have the opportunity to share the stories they have written and to receive feedback. Optional homework assignments are given each week. You will leave the class with the tools you need to continue writing your stories.

Instructor

Originally from Montana, Janet Skeslien Charles came to France to teach for a year, and has now been here for two decades. She's the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, Miss Morgan's Book Brigade, and The Parisian Chapter.

Her essays and short fiction have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Montana Noir. Her work has been translated into 40 languages. She has taught creative writing in the U.S., France, Switzerland, and Ukraine. She looks forward to sharing her passion for writing with members of WICE.

Connect with her at JSkeslienCharles.com.

GO221 Mindfulness Meditation (22 Oct 2026)

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 09:00:00 GMT

SO221 New Member Lunch (22 Oct 2026)

Thu, 22 Oct 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, 25 September.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (22 Oct 2026)

Thu, 22 Oct 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

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (22 Oct 2026)

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:30:00 GMT

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).

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (22 Oct 2026)

Thu, 22 Oct 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (22 Oct 2026)

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

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

Instructor

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (23 Oct 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

OL231 Yoga for Well-Being (23 Oct 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 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

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (23 Oct 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 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

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.

LO231 Booker Books: Book To Be Determined (23 Oct 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The October book selection and description will be posted on or about Saturday, 26 September (or before).

The Booker Book group reads and discusses—in English—books that have either received, or been on the short list for, the Booker Prize.

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

Registration for the October meeting opens on Saturday, 26 September.

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (23 Oct 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (23 Oct 2026)

Fri, 23 Oct 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.

SO241 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (24 Oct 2026)

Sat, 24 Oct 2026 08:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

Registration opens on Sunday, 11 October.

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.

SO271 Morning Coffee at Brasserie Le Bullier (27 Oct 2026)

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:30:00 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).

Open to all WICE members, but registration is required. This is a public restaurant but WICE reserves 12 seats together, and if you don't register you will not be able to sit with the WICE group.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 14 October.

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 buses 38, 82, 91.

VO271 EUROPEAN POLITICS AND SECURITY: Russia/Ukraine and the Future of Europe (27 Oct 2026)

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 09:30:00 GMT

Session IV Russia/Ukraine and the Future of Europe

What is Russia’s interest in Ukraine? Is Russia seeking expansion or security? Is Macron right when he said that there can be no European security without Russian security? Is Russia a threat or just a great power whose time has come and gone? How does Russia’s power match up vis-à-vis the European allies? Can Europe normalize relations with Russia? Does it have to?

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (27 Oct 2026)

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:00:00 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.

WS292 Bringing Stories to Life: The craft of scene (27 Oct 2026)

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 16:00:00 GMT

For all levels - Memoir, Novel, Short Story

DESCRIPTION

Scene is where stories come alive on the page. It’s where readers feel, understand, and step inside a story’s world. It’s also where the demands of a writer’s craft are greatest: strong scenes hold both action rendered in sensory, dramatic detail and the interior voice that shapes how readers experience the story.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Character & Setting Craft:

Ground story in vivid, purposeful locations;

Create characters with clear motivation and authentic behavior

Develop compelling dialogue that reveals character

Pacing & Structure:

Build tension through countervailing forces
Drive momentum with action and conflict
Practice page-turning pacing techniques

Voice & Subtext:

Weave in distinctive narrative voice and interiority
Add depth through subtext and implication
Balance showing and telling for maximum impact

HOW CLASSES WILL WORK

Each writer is workshopped at least twice over the term; submissions up to 1,500 words per turn, which allows for detailed feedback. Sessions include:

Study of effective published scenes

Analysis exercises mapping scene and expository techniques

Supportive read-alouds of new work

Collaborative workshopping of three participants' pieces

Q&A on scene craft and technique

COURSE OUTCOME

By the workshop's end, you'll have developed a compelling narrative scene and gained the confidence to craft stories that invite readers in and hold their attention.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Find out more about her at beckyellis.net.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (27 Oct 2026)

Tue, 27 Oct 2026 17:00:00 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.

WO061 Chapter One (28 Oct 2026)

Wed, 28 Oct 2026 14:00:00 GMT

An in-person workshop to get you writing!

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” -E. L. Doctorow

Description

Everyone has a story to tell. This class is perfect for beginners who aren’t sure where to start as well as for intermediate writers who are looking for feedback and inspiration. In this in-person workshop, we’ll examine elements such as tone, character, dialogue, description, and point of view.

Each is an important building block that helps create a story. We will explore fiction and nonfiction excerpts to study how authors have created the unique tones for their stories and characters, then try our hand at finding the pitch perfect tone for our own work.

Short exercises will focus on honing powers of observation and precise language. In a warm, supportive atmosphere, participants have the opportunity to share the stories they have written and to receive feedback. Optional homework assignments are given each week. You will leave the class with the tools you need to continue writing your stories.

Instructor

Originally from Montana, Janet Skeslien Charles came to France to teach for a year, and has now been here for two decades. She's the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, Miss Morgan's Book Brigade, and The Parisian Chapter.

Her essays and short fiction have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Montana Noir. Her work has been translated into 40 languages. She has taught creative writing in the U.S., France, Switzerland, and Ukraine. She looks forward to sharing her passion for writing with members of WICE.

Connect with her at JSkeslienCharles.com.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (29 Oct 2026)

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 13:30:00 GMT

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).

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (29 Oct 2026)

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

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

Instructor

OL301 Yoga for Well-Being (30 Oct 2026)

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 09:00:00 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

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (30 Oct 2026)

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (30 Oct 2026)

Fri, 30 Oct 2026 17:00:00 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.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (02 Nov 2026)

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 12:30:00 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

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (02 Nov 2026)

Mon, 02 Nov 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SN031 Morning Coffee at Les Editeurs (03 Nov 2026)

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Wednesday, 21 October.

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.

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (03 Nov 2026)

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 14:00:00 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.

WS292 Bringing Stories to Life: The craft of scene (03 Nov 2026)

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

For all levels - Memoir, Novel, Short Story

DESCRIPTION

Scene is where stories come alive on the page. It’s where readers feel, understand, and step inside a story’s world. It’s also where the demands of a writer’s craft are greatest: strong scenes hold both action rendered in sensory, dramatic detail and the interior voice that shapes how readers experience the story.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Character & Setting Craft:

Ground story in vivid, purposeful locations;

Create characters with clear motivation and authentic behavior

Develop compelling dialogue that reveals character

Pacing & Structure:

Build tension through countervailing forces
Drive momentum with action and conflict
Practice page-turning pacing techniques

Voice & Subtext:

Weave in distinctive narrative voice and interiority
Add depth through subtext and implication
Balance showing and telling for maximum impact

HOW CLASSES WILL WORK

Each writer is workshopped at least twice over the term; submissions up to 1,500 words per turn, which allows for detailed feedback. Sessions include:

Study of effective published scenes

Analysis exercises mapping scene and expository techniques

Supportive read-alouds of new work

Collaborative workshopping of three participants' pieces

Q&A on scene craft and technique

COURSE OUTCOME

By the workshop's end, you'll have developed a compelling narrative scene and gained the confidence to craft stories that invite readers in and hold their attention.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Find out more about her at beckyellis.net.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (03 Nov 2026)

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 17:00:00 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.

SN041 Morning Coffee in the 9th at Le Grand Comptoir d'Anvers (04 Nov 2026)

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Thursday,22 October.

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

WO061 Chapter One (04 Nov 2026)

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

An in-person workshop to get you writing!

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” -E. L. Doctorow

Description

Everyone has a story to tell. This class is perfect for beginners who aren’t sure where to start as well as for intermediate writers who are looking for feedback and inspiration. In this in-person workshop, we’ll examine elements such as tone, character, dialogue, description, and point of view.

Each is an important building block that helps create a story. We will explore fiction and nonfiction excerpts to study how authors have created the unique tones for their stories and characters, then try our hand at finding the pitch perfect tone for our own work.

Short exercises will focus on honing powers of observation and precise language. In a warm, supportive atmosphere, participants have the opportunity to share the stories they have written and to receive feedback. Optional homework assignments are given each week. You will leave the class with the tools you need to continue writing your stories.

Instructor

Originally from Montana, Janet Skeslien Charles came to France to teach for a year, and has now been here for two decades. She's the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, Miss Morgan's Book Brigade, and The Parisian Chapter.

Her essays and short fiction have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Montana Noir. Her work has been translated into 40 languages. She has taught creative writing in the U.S., France, Switzerland, and Ukraine. She looks forward to sharing her passion for writing with members of WICE.

Connect with her at JSkeslienCharles.com.

BS161 French Guided Discussion (04 Nov 2026)

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Course Description

About the Instructors

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

BS171 Les Femmes Impressionnistes (05 Nov 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 09:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on October 22 or 29 during the French school vacation.

Il n'y aura pas de cours les 22 et 29 octobre, en raison des vacances scolaires.

About the instructor

SN051 WICE Lunch (05 Nov 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 11:00:00 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, 2 October.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (05 Nov 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 12:30:00 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

BS172 English Guided Discussion (05 Nov 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 22 and 29 October (vacances scolaires).

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.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (05 Nov 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 13:30:00 GMT

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).

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (05 Nov 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (05 Nov 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

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

Instructor

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (06 Nov 2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 09:00:00 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

NL061 Yoga for Well-Being (06 Nov 2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 09:00:00 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

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (06 Nov 2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 10:30:00 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

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.

LN061 Murder, They Read: Better the Blood (06 Nov 2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Better the Blood -- Michael Bennett, New Zealand.

Per amazon.com: An absorbing, clever debut thriller that speaks to the longstanding injustices faced by New Zealand’s indigenous peoples, by an acclaimed Māori screenwriter and director. Kirkus Reviews characterises the book as "a striking debut and a significant addition to Indigenous literature."

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/michael-bennett/better-the-blood/

Availability: amazon.com in several formats; orderable from Shakespeare and Co, Momox

Registration opens on Saturday, 03 October.

BO023 French Film Discussion (06 Nov 2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Each discussion will focus on analyzing the film from different angles:

Creation; production; and reception, both critical and commercial
Screenplay, direction, and artistic collaborations such as script, cinematography, acting, and music
Specific features in the director's filmography and its place in the French cinema of his/her era.

Trimestre d'automne: Danielle Darrieux, une actrice dans un siècle

Madame de (1953) de Max Ophuls

Avec DD, Vittorio de Sica, Charles Boyer

La Vérité sur Bébé Donge (1952) de Henri Decoin

D’après Georges Simenon, avec DD, Jean Gabin

8 femmes (2002) de François Ozon

Avec DD, Catherine Deneuve, Fanny Ardant, Isabelle Huppert, Emmanuelle Béart, Virginie Ledoyen, Ludivine Sagnier

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).

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (06 Nov 2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (06 Nov 2026)

Fri, 06 Nov 2026 17:00:00 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.

SN071 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (07 Nov 2026)

Sat, 07 Nov 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

Registration opens on Sunday, 18 October.

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.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (09 Nov 2026)

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 12:30:00 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

LN091 The New Yorker: Short Stories (09 Nov 2026)

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Stories for Monday, 9 November will be announced on or about 1 November.

Registration opens on Tuesday, 13 October.

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (09 Nov 2026)

Mon, 09 Nov 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SN101 Morning Coffee at Brasserie Le Bullier (10 Nov 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 09:30:00 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).

Open to all WICE members, but registration is required. This is a public restaurant but WICE reserves 12 seats together, and if you don't register you will not be able to sit with the WICE group.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 28 October.

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 buses 38, 82, 91.

LN101 The Karla Trilogy: the World of John Le Carré (10 Nov 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Book 3. Smiley's People

And if we get a chance, we will read his son’s, Nick Harkaway's, book Karla's Choice, the prequel to Tinker, Tailor.

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 October.

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (10 Nov 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 14:00:00 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.

WS292 Bringing Stories to Life: The craft of scene (10 Nov 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

For all levels - Memoir, Novel, Short Story

DESCRIPTION

Scene is where stories come alive on the page. It’s where readers feel, understand, and step inside a story’s world. It’s also where the demands of a writer’s craft are greatest: strong scenes hold both action rendered in sensory, dramatic detail and the interior voice that shapes how readers experience the story.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Character & Setting Craft:

Ground story in vivid, purposeful locations;

Create characters with clear motivation and authentic behavior

Develop compelling dialogue that reveals character

Pacing & Structure:

Build tension through countervailing forces
Drive momentum with action and conflict
Practice page-turning pacing techniques

Voice & Subtext:

Weave in distinctive narrative voice and interiority
Add depth through subtext and implication
Balance showing and telling for maximum impact

HOW CLASSES WILL WORK

Each writer is workshopped at least twice over the term; submissions up to 1,500 words per turn, which allows for detailed feedback. Sessions include:

Study of effective published scenes

Analysis exercises mapping scene and expository techniques

Supportive read-alouds of new work

Collaborative workshopping of three participants' pieces

Q&A on scene craft and technique

COURSE OUTCOME

By the workshop's end, you'll have developed a compelling narrative scene and gained the confidence to craft stories that invite readers in and hold their attention.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Find out more about her at beckyellis.net.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (10 Nov 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 17:00:00 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.

Black Expatriate Writers/artist in Paris (11 Nov 2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

William Gardner Smith The Stone Face (September 15—2 pm in front of Les Editeurs)

James Baldwin No Name in the Street (October 15—3 pm Top floor in Les Editeurs)

Josephine Baker Fearless and Free: A Memoir (November 11—2 pm; location to be determined)

Book 3: Fearless and Free — Josephine Baker

Josephine Baker’s Fearless and Free presents the celebrated performer and activist in her own words, drawing on conversations conducted over many years with the French journalist Marcel Sauvage. Baker recounts her rise from poverty in Missouri to international fame in 1920s Paris, where her performances made her one of the most recognizable figures of her generation. The memoir also traces her work for the French Resistance, her military honors, and her later involvement in the American civil rights movement, offering a vivid portrait of a life shaped by performance, celebrity, political commitment, and a determination to challenge racial barriers.

Registration will open the day after the previous meeting.

WO061 Chapter One (11 Nov 2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

An in-person workshop to get you writing!

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” -E. L. Doctorow

Description

Everyone has a story to tell. This class is perfect for beginners who aren’t sure where to start as well as for intermediate writers who are looking for feedback and inspiration. In this in-person workshop, we’ll examine elements such as tone, character, dialogue, description, and point of view.

Each is an important building block that helps create a story. We will explore fiction and nonfiction excerpts to study how authors have created the unique tones for their stories and characters, then try our hand at finding the pitch perfect tone for our own work.

Short exercises will focus on honing powers of observation and precise language. In a warm, supportive atmosphere, participants have the opportunity to share the stories they have written and to receive feedback. Optional homework assignments are given each week. You will leave the class with the tools you need to continue writing your stories.

Instructor

Originally from Montana, Janet Skeslien Charles came to France to teach for a year, and has now been here for two decades. She's the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, Miss Morgan's Book Brigade, and The Parisian Chapter.

Her essays and short fiction have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Montana Noir. Her work has been translated into 40 languages. She has taught creative writing in the U.S., France, Switzerland, and Ukraine. She looks forward to sharing her passion for writing with members of WICE.

Connect with her at JSkeslienCharles.com.

BS161 French Guided Discussion (11 Nov 2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Course Description

About the Instructors

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

BS171 Les Femmes Impressionnistes (12 Nov 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 09:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on October 22 or 29 during the French school vacation.

Il n'y aura pas de cours les 22 et 29 octobre, en raison des vacances scolaires.

About the instructor

GN121 Mindfulness Meditation (12 Nov 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 10:00:00 GMT

SN121 WICE Men's Lunch (12 Nov 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 11:00:00 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, 9 October.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (12 Nov 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 12:30:00 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

BS172 English Guided Discussion (12 Nov 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 22 and 29 October (vacances scolaires).

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.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (12 Nov 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 13:30:00 GMT

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).

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (12 Nov 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (12 Nov 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

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

Instructor

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (13 Nov 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 09:00:00 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

NL131 Yoga for Well-Being (13 Nov 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 09:00:00 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

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (13 Nov 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 10:30:00 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

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.

BO163 American Film Classics (13 Nov 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Course Description

During the Fall 2026 trimester we'll be discussing three independent American films from the 21st century (or close enough):

"McDormand's uproariously sly-spry performance connects with Roger Deakins' bleakly beautiful photography to create one of the Coens' most consistently successful outings..." -- Mike Clark, USA Today

About the instructor:

LN131 The Long View: To Be Determined (13 Nov 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

"The Long View: Our Human Odyssey" is a nonfiction book group that will consider books that are oriented towards helping us understand what we—as humans—are, how we arrived here in evolutionary terms (physical, cultural, etc.), and our place in the world.

To date we have read and discussed:

"A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Stories in Our Genes,"" by Adam Rutherford.
Salt: A World History" — Mark Kurlansky
"Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" — Yuval Noah Harari

Some of the other titles we are considering for future sessions are:

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" — Jared Diamond
"The Dawn of Everything" — David Graeber and David Wengrow
"The Righteous Mind" — Jonathan Haidt
"Catching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human" — Richard Wrangham

Because these books tend to be longer than the books that are read and discussed in our monthly fiction book groups, we meet approximately every 8 - 10 weeks.

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (13 Nov 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (13 Nov 2026)

Fri, 13 Nov 2026 17:00:00 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.

SN141 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (14 Nov 2026)

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

Registration opens on Sunday, 25 October.

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.

VN141 Gothic Studies: Flirtations with Classicism (14 Nov 2026)

Sat, 14 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Registration opens 11 October.

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.

Beginning at the architectural treasure box which is Saint-Etienne-du-Mont behind the Pantheon, we’ll use this tour to study late Gothic creations and the ways in which Renaissance ideas from Italy start to make their way into ecclesiastical French architecture. Heading downhill from there and across the river, we’ll enter the elegant late Gothic church of Saint Gervais and study its influence on later Classical church architecture.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (16 Nov 2026)

Mon, 16 Nov 2026 12:30:00 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

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (16 Nov 2026)

Mon, 16 Nov 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SN161 Pub Quiz! (16 Nov 2026)

Mon, 16 Nov 2026 18:40:00 GMT

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

Registration opens on Tuesday, 20 October.

SN171 Morning Coffee at Les Editeurs (17 Nov 2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Wednesday, 04 November.

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.

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (17 Nov 2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 14:00:00 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.

WS292 Bringing Stories to Life: The craft of scene (17 Nov 2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

For all levels - Memoir, Novel, Short Story

DESCRIPTION

Scene is where stories come alive on the page. It’s where readers feel, understand, and step inside a story’s world. It’s also where the demands of a writer’s craft are greatest: strong scenes hold both action rendered in sensory, dramatic detail and the interior voice that shapes how readers experience the story.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Character & Setting Craft:

Ground story in vivid, purposeful locations;

Create characters with clear motivation and authentic behavior

Develop compelling dialogue that reveals character

Pacing & Structure:

Build tension through countervailing forces
Drive momentum with action and conflict
Practice page-turning pacing techniques

Voice & Subtext:

Weave in distinctive narrative voice and interiority
Add depth through subtext and implication
Balance showing and telling for maximum impact

HOW CLASSES WILL WORK

Each writer is workshopped at least twice over the term; submissions up to 1,500 words per turn, which allows for detailed feedback. Sessions include:

Study of effective published scenes

Analysis exercises mapping scene and expository techniques

Supportive read-alouds of new work

Collaborative workshopping of three participants' pieces

Q&A on scene craft and technique

COURSE OUTCOME

By the workshop's end, you'll have developed a compelling narrative scene and gained the confidence to craft stories that invite readers in and hold their attention.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Find out more about her at beckyellis.net.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (17 Nov 2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 17:00:00 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.

SN181 Morning Coffee in the 9th at Le Grand Comptoir d'Anvers (18 Nov 2026)

Wed, 18 Nov 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Thursday, 5 November.

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

WO061 Chapter One (18 Nov 2026)

Wed, 18 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

An in-person workshop to get you writing!

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” -E. L. Doctorow

Description

Everyone has a story to tell. This class is perfect for beginners who aren’t sure where to start as well as for intermediate writers who are looking for feedback and inspiration. In this in-person workshop, we’ll examine elements such as tone, character, dialogue, description, and point of view.

Each is an important building block that helps create a story. We will explore fiction and nonfiction excerpts to study how authors have created the unique tones for their stories and characters, then try our hand at finding the pitch perfect tone for our own work.

Short exercises will focus on honing powers of observation and precise language. In a warm, supportive atmosphere, participants have the opportunity to share the stories they have written and to receive feedback. Optional homework assignments are given each week. You will leave the class with the tools you need to continue writing your stories.

Instructor

Originally from Montana, Janet Skeslien Charles came to France to teach for a year, and has now been here for two decades. She's the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, Miss Morgan's Book Brigade, and The Parisian Chapter.

Her essays and short fiction have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Montana Noir. Her work has been translated into 40 languages. She has taught creative writing in the U.S., France, Switzerland, and Ukraine. She looks forward to sharing her passion for writing with members of WICE.

Connect with her at JSkeslienCharles.com.

BS161 French Guided Discussion (18 Nov 2026)

Wed, 18 Nov 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Course Description

About the Instructors

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

BS171 Les Femmes Impressionnistes (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 09:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on October 22 or 29 during the French school vacation.

Il n'y aura pas de cours les 22 et 29 octobre, en raison des vacances scolaires.

About the instructor

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 12:30:00 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

LN191 Living Room Players: "The Skin of Our Teeth" by Thornton Wilder (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Skin of Our Teeth — Thornton Wilder

Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize-winning The Skin of Our Teeth is an unconventional three-part comedy-drama centered on the Antrobus family of Excelsior, New Jersey, who repeatedly struggle to survive disasters that threaten humanity itself. Moving freely across historical periods and deliberately breaking theatrical conventions, the play turns one seemingly ordinary American family into an allegory for the endurance of humankind. At once comic and philosophical, it explores catastrophe, resilience, family conflict, and humanity’s persistent capacity to begin again.

Please find here a text of the play: skin-of-our-teeth pdf.pdf

The readings take place at a member's apartment in the 15th. 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 November reading opens on Friday, 16 October.

BS172 English Guided Discussion (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 22 and 29 October (vacances scolaires).

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.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 13:30:00 GMT

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).

BS173 French History Book Club (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

La lecture et les discussions se dérouleront en français, ce qui vous permettra de vous plonger dans le texte tout en pratiquant et en appréciant la conversation en français.

Pour toute question, veuillez contacter Mary-Jo Reef: maryjo@wice-paris.org.

Both the reading and discussion will be in French, creating an opportunity to engage with the text while practicing and enjoying conversation in French.

Come prepared to discuss the first 25 pages, up to the end of "metier de reine." During this first meeting, together we will set page goals for subsequent meetings.

Contact Mary-Jo Reef with any questions: maryjo@wice-paris.org

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

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

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

Instructor

SN191 Monthly Apéro (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 17:00:00 GMT

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

Note: Registration required. Registration opens on Friday, 16 October.

The fees are as follows:

10€ for regular members
€5 for WICE volunteers

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

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (20 Nov 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 09:00:00 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

NL201 Yoga for Well-Being (20 Nov 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 09:00:00 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

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (20 Nov 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 10:30:00 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

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.

LN201 Café Littéraire: "Life: A User’s Manual," by Georges Perec (20 Nov 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Georges Perec’s Life: A User’s Manual is an extraordinary, puzzle-like novel set primarily within a Paris apartment building, whose rooms the narrative explores one by one. Each space opens onto the life of a resident, past or present, producing an immense collection of interconnected stories—comic, tragic, eccentric, and sometimes deliberately ordinary. Through its intricate structure and enormous cast of characters, the novel transforms a single building into a miniature world, reflecting on chance, obsession, memory, loss, and the curious patterns that connect individual lives.

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 November meeting opens on Saturday, 17 October.

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (20 Nov 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (20 Nov 2026)

Fri, 20 Nov 2026 17:00:00 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.

SN211 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (21 Nov 2026)

Sat, 21 Nov 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

Registration opens on Sunday, 8 November.

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.

SN212 WICE Women's Lunch (21 Nov 2026)

Sat, 21 Nov 2026 11:00:00 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, 18 October.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (23 Nov 2026)

Mon, 23 Nov 2026 12:30:00 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

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (23 Nov 2026)

Mon, 23 Nov 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SN241 Morning Coffee at Brasserie Le Bullier (24 Nov 2026)

Tue, 24 Nov 2026 09:30:00 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).

Open to all WICE members, but registration is required. This is a public restaurant but WICE reserves 12 seats together, and if you don't register you will not be able to sit with the WICE group.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 11 November.

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 buses 38, 82, 91.

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (24 Nov 2026)

Tue, 24 Nov 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (24 Nov 2026)

Tue, 24 Nov 2026 17:00:00 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.

WO061 Chapter One (25 Nov 2026)

Wed, 25 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

An in-person workshop to get you writing!

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” -E. L. Doctorow

Description

Everyone has a story to tell. This class is perfect for beginners who aren’t sure where to start as well as for intermediate writers who are looking for feedback and inspiration. In this in-person workshop, we’ll examine elements such as tone, character, dialogue, description, and point of view.

Each is an important building block that helps create a story. We will explore fiction and nonfiction excerpts to study how authors have created the unique tones for their stories and characters, then try our hand at finding the pitch perfect tone for our own work.

Short exercises will focus on honing powers of observation and precise language. In a warm, supportive atmosphere, participants have the opportunity to share the stories they have written and to receive feedback. Optional homework assignments are given each week. You will leave the class with the tools you need to continue writing your stories.

Instructor

Originally from Montana, Janet Skeslien Charles came to France to teach for a year, and has now been here for two decades. She's the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, Miss Morgan's Book Brigade, and The Parisian Chapter.

Her essays and short fiction have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Montana Noir. Her work has been translated into 40 languages. She has taught creative writing in the U.S., France, Switzerland, and Ukraine. She looks forward to sharing her passion for writing with members of WICE.

Connect with her at JSkeslienCharles.com.

BS161 French Guided Discussion (25 Nov 2026)

Wed, 25 Nov 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Course Description

About the Instructors

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

BS171 Les Femmes Impressionnistes (26 Nov 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 09:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on October 22 or 29 during the French school vacation.

Il n'y aura pas de cours les 22 et 29 octobre, en raison des vacances scolaires.

About the instructor

SN261 New Member Lunch (26 Nov 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 11:30:00 GMT

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

Registration opens on Friday, 23 October.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (26 Nov 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 12:30:00 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

BS172 English Guided Discussion (26 Nov 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 22 and 29 October (vacances scolaires).

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.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (26 Nov 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 13:30:00 GMT

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).

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (26 Nov 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (26 Nov 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

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

Instructor

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (27 Nov 2026)

Fri, 27 Nov 2026 09:00:00 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (27 Nov 2026)

Fri, 27 Nov 2026 10:30:00 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

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.

LN271 Booker Books: Book To Be Determined (27 Nov 2026)

Fri, 27 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

The November book selection and description will be posted on or about Saturday, 24 October (or before).

The Booker Book group reads and discusses—in English—books that have either received, or been on the short list for, the Booker Prize.

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

Registration for the November meeting opens on Saturday, 24 October.

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (27 Nov 2026)

Fri, 27 Nov 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (27 Nov 2026)

Fri, 27 Nov 2026 17:00:00 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.

SN281 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (28 Nov 2026)

Sat, 28 Nov 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

Registration opens on Sunday, 15 November.

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.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (30 Nov 2026)

Mon, 30 Nov 2026 12:30:00 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

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (30 Nov 2026)

Mon, 30 Nov 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SD011 Morning Coffee at Les Editeurs (01 Dec 2026)

Tue, 01 Dec 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Wednesday, 18 November.

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.

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (01 Dec 2026)

Tue, 01 Dec 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (01 Dec 2026)

Tue, 01 Dec 2026 17:00:00 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.

SD021 Morning Coffee in the 9th at Le Grand Comptoir d'Anvers (02 Dec 2026)

Wed, 02 Dec 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Thursday, 19 November.

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

BS161 French Guided Discussion (02 Dec 2026)

Wed, 02 Dec 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Course Description

About the Instructors

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

BS171 Les Femmes Impressionnistes (03 Dec 2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 09:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on October 22 or 29 during the French school vacation.

Il n'y aura pas de cours les 22 et 29 octobre, en raison des vacances scolaires.

About the instructor

SD031 WICE Lunch (03 Dec 2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 11:00:00 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, 6 November.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (03 Dec 2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 12:30:00 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

BS172 English Guided Discussion (03 Dec 2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 22 and 29 October (vacances scolaires).

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.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (03 Dec 2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 13:30:00 GMT

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).

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (03 Dec 2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (03 Dec 2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

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

Instructor

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (04 Dec 2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 09:00:00 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (04 Dec 2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 10:30:00 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

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.

LD041 Murder, They Read: Razorblade Tears (04 Dec 2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Razorblade Tears -- SA Cosby, Southeastern USA. I found this title to be absorbing and a fast read. Set in the Southeastern USA. Made a number of recommended reading lists, including Barack Obama's summer reading list. From Kirkus Reviews: "Violence and love go hand in hand in this...lean, mean crime story about 2 bereaved fathers getting their hands bloody."

https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/s-cosby/razorblade-tears/

Availability: American Library in Paris, Momox (physical), orderable from Shakespeare & Co, Smith&Son, amazon.com

Registration opens on Saturday, 07 November.

BO023 French Film Discussion (04 Dec 2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Each discussion will focus on analyzing the film from different angles:

Creation; production; and reception, both critical and commercial
Screenplay, direction, and artistic collaborations such as script, cinematography, acting, and music
Specific features in the director's filmography and its place in the French cinema of his/her era.

Trimestre d'automne: Danielle Darrieux, une actrice dans un siècle

Madame de (1953) de Max Ophuls

Avec DD, Vittorio de Sica, Charles Boyer

La Vérité sur Bébé Donge (1952) de Henri Decoin

D’après Georges Simenon, avec DD, Jean Gabin

8 femmes (2002) de François Ozon

Avec DD, Catherine Deneuve, Fanny Ardant, Isabelle Huppert, Emmanuelle Béart, Virginie Ledoyen, Ludivine Sagnier

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).

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (04 Dec 2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (04 Dec 2026)

Fri, 04 Dec 2026 17:00:00 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.

SD051 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (05 Dec 2026)

Sat, 05 Dec 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

Registration opens on Sunday, 22 November.

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.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (07 Dec 2026)

Mon, 07 Dec 2026 12:30:00 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

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (07 Dec 2026)

Mon, 07 Dec 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SD081 Morning Coffee at Brasserie Le Bullier (08 Dec 2026)

Tue, 08 Dec 2026 09:30:00 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).

Open to all WICE members, but registration is required. This is a public restaurant but WICE reserves 12 seats together, and if you don't register you will not be able to sit with the WICE group.

Registration opens on Wednesday, 25 November.

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 buses 38, 82, 91.

LD081 The Karla Trilogy: the World of John Le Carré (08 Dec 2026)

Tue, 08 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Book 4. TBD

And if we get a chance, we will read his son’s, Nick Harkaway's, book Karla's Choice, the prequel to Tinker, Tailor.

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, 11 November.

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (08 Dec 2026)

Tue, 08 Dec 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (08 Dec 2026)

Tue, 08 Dec 2026 17:00:00 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.

BS161 French Guided Discussion (09 Dec 2026)

Wed, 09 Dec 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Course Description

About the Instructors

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

BS171 Les Femmes Impressionnistes (10 Dec 2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 09:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on October 22 or 29 during the French school vacation.

Il n'y aura pas de cours les 22 et 29 octobre, en raison des vacances scolaires.

About the instructor

GD101 Mindfulness Meditation (10 Dec 2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 10:00:00 GMT

SD101 WICE Men's Lunch (10 Dec 2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 11:00:00 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, 13 November.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (10 Dec 2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 12:30:00 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

BS172 English Guided Discussion (10 Dec 2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 22 and 29 October (vacances scolaires).

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.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (10 Dec 2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 13:30:00 GMT

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).

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (10 Dec 2026)

Thu, 10 Dec 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (11 Dec 2026)

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 09:00:00 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (11 Dec 2026)

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 10:30:00 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

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.

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (11 Dec 2026)

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (11 Dec 2026)

Fri, 11 Dec 2026 17:00:00 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.

SD121 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (12 Dec 2026)

Sat, 12 Dec 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

Registration opens on Sunday, 22 November.

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.

VD121 Gothic Studies: Legacy of Gothic Architecture (12 Dec 2026)

Sat, 12 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Registration opens 15 November.

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.

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (14 Dec 2026)

Mon, 14 Dec 2026 12:30:00 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

LD141 The New Yorker: Short Stories (14 Dec 2026)

Mon, 14 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Stories for Monday, 14 December will be announced on or about 1 December.

Registration opens on Tuesday, 10 November.

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (14 Dec 2026)

Mon, 14 Dec 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SD151 Morning Coffee at Les Editeurs (15 Dec 2026)

Tue, 15 Dec 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Wednesday, 02 December.

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.

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (15 Dec 2026)

Tue, 15 Dec 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (15 Dec 2026)

Tue, 15 Dec 2026 17:00:00 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.

SD161 Morning Coffee in the 9th at Le Grand Comptoir d'Anvers (16 Dec 2026)

Wed, 16 Dec 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Registration opens on Thursday, 3 December.

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

BS161 French Guided Discussion (16 Dec 2026)

Wed, 16 Dec 2026 17:00:00 GMT

Course Description

About the Instructors

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

BS171 Les Femmes Impressionnistes (17 Dec 2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 09:30:00 GMT

There will be no class on October 22 or 29 during the French school vacation.

Il n'y aura pas de cours les 22 et 29 octobre, en raison des vacances scolaires.

About the instructor

BS141 French 2.1 (Beginner DELF A2) (17 Dec 2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 12:30:00 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

LD171 Living Room Players: "The Odd Couple" by Neil Simon (17 Dec 2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The Odd Couple — Neil Simon

Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple is a comedy about two recently separated men who become roommates despite being temperamentally incompatible. Felix Ungar is anxious, meticulous, and obsessively neat, while Oscar Madison is relaxed, untidy, and accustomed to living amid disorder. Their domestic clashes provide much of the play’s humor, but beneath the comedy is an affectionate exploration of friendship, loneliness, compromise, and the difficulty of learning to live with another person’s habits and vulnerabilities.

Please find here a text of the play: The Odd Couple.pdf

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 December reading opens on Friday, 16 November.

BS172 English Guided Discussion (17 Dec 2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Course Description

The class will not meet on 22 and 29 October (vacances scolaires).

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.

GS101 Needlework at Valerie's (17 Dec 2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 13:30:00 GMT

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).

BS173 French History Book Club (17 Dec 2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

La lecture et les discussions se dérouleront en français, ce qui vous permettra de vous plonger dans le texte tout en pratiquant et en appréciant la conversation en français.

Pour toute question, veuillez contacter Mary-Jo Reef: maryjo@wice-paris.org.

Both the reading and discussion will be in French, creating an opportunity to engage with the text while practicing and enjoying conversation in French.

Come prepared to discuss the first 25 pages, up to the end of "metier de reine." During this first meeting, together we will set page goals for subsequent meetings.

Contact Mary-Jo Reef with any questions: maryjo@wice-paris.org

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

BS142 French 3.1 (Intermediate, DELF B1) (17 Dec 2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 14:30:00 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 during the second week of French school vacation: October 26 and 29.
Contact Languages@wice-paris.org with any questions.

About the Instructor

SD171 Monthly Apéro (17 Dec 2026)

Thu, 17 Dec 2026 17:00:00 GMT

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

Note: Registration required. Registration opens on Friday, 20 Novermber.

The fees are as follows:

10€ for regular members
€5 for WICE volunteers

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

BS181 French 4.1 (Adv. Intermediate DELF B1+/B2-->C1) (18 Dec 2026)

Fri, 18 Dec 2026 09:00:00 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 October 30, the second week of 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 many years of teaching experience in France and abroad.

BS182 French 5.1 (Advanced DELF C1-->C2) (18 Dec 2026)

Fri, 18 Dec 2026 10:30:00 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

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.

BO163 American Film Classics (18 Dec 2026)

Fri, 18 Dec 2026 13:00:00 GMT

Course Description

During the Fall 2026 trimester we'll be discussing three independent American films from the 21st century (or close enough):

"McDormand's uproariously sly-spry performance connects with Roger Deakins' bleakly beautiful photography to create one of the Coens' most consistently successful outings..." -- Mike Clark, USA Today

About the instructor:

LD181 Café Littéraire: "No Exit," by Jean-Paul Sartre (18 Dec 2026)

Fri, 18 Dec 2026 14:00:00 GMT

Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit is a classic existentialist play in which three recently deceased strangers find themselves confined together in a room for eternity. There are no conventional instruments of torture; instead, their punishment consists of their relentless exposure to one another’s judgments, desires, and manipulations. The play gives us Sartre’s famous line, “Hell is other people,” dramatizing his philosophical concern with how the gaze of others can imprison us in identities we cannot fully control.

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 November meeting opens on Saturday, 21 November.

BS113 Friday In-person French-English Conversation Group (18 Dec 2026)

Fri, 18 Dec 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS042 Friday Online French-English Conversation Group (18 Dec 2026)

Fri, 18 Dec 2026 17:00:00 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.

SD191 Morning Coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt (19 Dec 2026)

Sat, 19 Dec 2026 09:00:00 GMT

Join fellow WICE members for morning coffee at Le Sarah Bernhardt.

Registration opens on Sunday, 6 December.

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.

SD192 WICE Women's Lunch (19 Dec 2026)

Sat, 19 Dec 2026 11:00:00 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 November.

SD211 Pub Quiz! (21 Dec 2026)

Mon, 21 Dec 2026 18:40:00 GMT

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

Registration opens on Tuesday, 17 November.

BS081 Tuesday In-Person French/English Conversation Group (22 Dec 2026)

Tue, 22 Dec 2026 14:00:00 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.

BS012 Tuesday Online French-English Conversation Group (22 Dec 2026)

Tue, 22 Dec 2026 17:00:00 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.