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)
Audio tours of the revolutionary era in Paris
In preparation for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution beginning in 2026, the chapter has created three historical audio tours around Paris, each focusing on a different aspect of the Franco-American relationship during the revolutionary period. The hour-long walks are free and available for listening to virtually if you don’t happen to be in Paris, on the VoiceMap.me application.
The text was written by chapter member Ellen Hampton and edited by chapter member Janet Hill. Benjamin Franklin’s voice is performed by Mark Primmer, of the Benjamin Franklin VFW Post 605, Paris; the Marquis de La Fayette’s voice is that of Claude Urraca, former journalist, and the former dean of The American Cathedral in Paris, the Very Rev. Zachary Fleetwood, lends his native Virginia accent to the voice of Thomas Jefferson. Yorick de Guichen, of the Society of the Cincinnati, kindly provided the French version of the Benjamin Franklin tour.
The Benjamin Franklin tour, in the 16th arrondissement, is here in English and ici en français. The Marquis de La Fayette tour, in the 2nd and 8th arrondissements, is here, and the Thomas Jefferson walk, in the 7th and 6th arrondissements, is here.
Let us quote Jefferson for just a minute on this: “A walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty and the point of life.”
Enjoy your visits!
