History
The DAR has been present in France since 1900, ten years after the NSDAR was founded in the United States. The first chapter, named for Benjamin Franklin, was organized in Paris in 1923, and soon counted nearly 40 members. The Rochambeau Chapter was formed in Saint-Cloud in 1934 with the aim of including descendants of French officers and soldiers who fought in the American Revolution.
Following the Nazi Occupation of France, only the Rochambeau Chapter returned to activity; the Benjamin Franklin Chapter was formally dissolved in 1961. Today, the Rochambeau Chapter, with 160 French and American members, works to preserve historical monuments, commemorate patriotic events and increase understanding of the American Revolution, the start of the abiding Franco-American friendship.
The American Revolution in Paris: an interactive map
Due to the close historical ties between the United States and France, built on the American Revolution (1775-1783), there are many monuments in France celebrating Franco-American friendship — and there are excellent guides to discovering them. Along with the interactive map above, the Rochambeau Chapter has compiled a comprehensive guide to monuments in Paris and elsewhere in France.
These guides to NSDAR-linked monuments in France are presented as part of the chapter’s “Open Hospitality” initiative, which aims to promote bi-cultural exchanges between chapter members, associate members and other DAR members, direct descendents of French and American patriots who fought for American independence. Monuments & Landmarks (download pdf)
Enjoy your visits!
