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The perfect to-do list for a French summer in New York

If you want to add a French touch to your summer in New York, here are our activity suggestions:



Celebrate Bastille Day!

Of course, July 14th is a major holiday in France. Why not join the vibrant French

community celebrating Bastille Day at Carroll Gardens? Every year, the party at Bar Tabac

is the closest thing in the US to a Sud de la France bistrot. And it's a great opportunity to meet French people and, who knows, talk to them in their native language. If you’re in the mood for a big festival, join the French consulate at Central Park. And if you’re feeling competitive, Industry City in Brooklyn has a delayed treat for you on July 18th!


Fall in love with Matisse

At the MoMA, discover the Studio Rouge of the painter Matisse, and fall in love with his creativity, as you measure his influence on the art of his time. This exhibition invites the visitor to participate: a creative space within the exhibition invites you to draw, write, and reflect on the spaces and colors that inspire you. The Red Studio exhibition will be shown at MoMA through September 10th, 2022.


Discover a genius: Frédéric Bruly Bouabré

Another major artist of the French-speaking world is showcased at the MoMA this summer: Frédéric Bruly Bouabré. This Ivorian artist finally is having his first exhibition in the United States. The exhibition explores the breadth of Bouabré's decades-long career, featuring 11 series of drawings totaling more than 1,000 individual works. A major artistic discovery awaits you this summer! The World Unbound exhibition is available until August 13th, 2022.



Work on your French-American style with Louise Bourgeois

Louise Bourgeois, one of the most famous Franco-American artists, is the highlight of the Met’s summer programming. This is the first exhibition of paintings produced by the icon of modern art, between her arrival in New York in 1938 and her turn to sculpture in the late 1940s. And if you want to see more, hop on a train to Dia: Beacon to see her sculptures.




Spend a night with new friends watching a movie at Films on the green

Villa Albertine, Manhattan's French-language arts residency, is offering a series of films screened in parks around the city. This year, the project extends to Boston, Washington DC and Chicago. The theme is the adaptation of novels to the screen. Come and discover films that deserve to be seen, such as The Class (Palme d'Or in 2009), a social drama set in a Parisian high school, or the French-Senegalese film Mandabi. The series ends in style at McGolrick Park on September 9 with the screening of Eleanor's Secret. View the full schedule here.



Treat yourself with a glass of Ricard in the sun

Finally, a very French way to celebrate the sunny weather is to enjoy an afternoon on the terrace, alone or with friends, sipping a Ricard or a mint in water. New York is full of French restaurants, so allons-y!

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