The Consulate General of France in Boston will be hosting a number of events tomorrow in honor of the 74^th annual Massachusetts Lafayette Day, celebrating French-American friendship. The day is named in honor of Marquis de Lafayette, a French General that served under George Washington and fought for the colonies during the American Revolution. Due to his unrelenting commitment to American independence he was made an honorary citizen of the United States – the first of only six people the same honor has ever been bestowed upon.

The celebrations kick off at 9:30 am at the State House with a reenactment of Lafayette’s famous visit there to meet with dignitaries of the time, one of many trips he would take to the city. Other activities during the day include a ceremony to present five American veterans that fought in the liberation of France in WW II with the Légion d’Honneur (France’s highest civilian and military distinction), a procession from the State House to the Lafayette Monument where a wreath will be laid and a “liberty tree” will be planted, a panel on France’s participation in the American Revolution, and a public lecture on Lafayette’s role as an anti-slavery abolitionist.

For the full schedule and to learn more about this extraordinary historical figure, please visit the Consulate General of France in Boston.

À bientôt!

Coming up on May 27 and 28 we will be holding our annual school games, with five teams of students representing various French-speaking countries: France, Monaco, Switzerland, Belgium, and Canada. We will be learning about each country, finding them on the map, playing games, and even trying some of their traditional foods from each country for goûter — waffles from Belgium, maple syrup from Canada, baguettes from France, jam from Monaco, and chocolate from Switzerland! We love teaching our students about different countries, and Les Francofolies gives children a way to experience parts of each of these distinct cultures.

À bientôt!