So this is a revised old post of mine as traditions are meant to be kept. We do the best anywhere we are and one nice tradition we took as ours is Thanksgiving. Of course, in Paris or major cities is easy to get some,but as we are now in the west of France in the region of Brittany is much more difficult, hardly non existance. Anyway, this one is for the memories of always in living in Versailles and working in Paris ! Therefore,here is my take on Thanksgiving Americana in Paris! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
Often I have been asked about American celebrations in France. I have done this piece in December 2010 in my blog, one of my first posts as began the blog in November 26 2010. The idea like any immigrant group and I should be an expert with four passports, that we carry our traditions wherever we go regardless of the new ones we pick up. One that really comes on top is Thanksgiving. Do we have it here? Is it the same at the table? Are you giving stuffings? Cranberry sauce? How, Where, can one enjoy this wonderful tradition while away from home and in Paris France.
Thanksgiving, the big American tradition and traffic jams and airports loaded and even Amstrak trains lol!! The works all in one, but is repeated every year with love and tender family and friends gatherings all over. Here in my belle France, it is not well known but it is celebrated by the American community in major towns where it is available by restaurants or place that have the ingredients to do it. In my neck of the woods of Morbihan there is nothing. At this American holiday, it is customary to enjoy a turkey with the family. American expatriates compete with ingenuity to perpetuate the tradition of Thanksgiving abroad. A large number of Parisians as well have now converted and celebrate this Thanksgiving Day with family, friends, home or church. We do our best to gather the ingredients or go if possible to a place that has setup the meal for the celebration. Much better in Paris or surrounding cities. I have attended many Thanksgiving 2003-2011.
The answer is very simple, YES, its alive and well with many places offering caterings for groups and restaurants offering a set menu. In Paris ,you can follow all is the melting pot of Europe at least. However, once you move to the provinces or countryside the choices are limited or none. In my new area I have no restaurant set menu or catering even thus we go out to get the turkey for at home celebration. After all we are celebrating immigrants coming to a new country! You have the usual way of getting American goods in Paris, and do it yourself at home. There were two places to get American products but unfortunately as told before Thanksgiving store/resto has closed. There is still one The Real McCoy
The Real McCoy grocery store, 194 rue de Grenelle, 75007 Open 10h-20h contact tel +33 (0) 1 45 56 98 82, metro Ecole Militaire.. They have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/therealmccoy.paris/
I have done too is to partake with the French-American community at Joe Allen restaurant 30 rue Pierre Lescot 1éme arrondissement very near Metro line 4 Etienne Marcel. Webpage: https://www.joeallenparis.com/
I like to add, spent many nights at Joe Allen and still stop by once in a while visiting Paris from the Morbihan breton!
Another popular place is at Breakfast in America, yes you can do that too home style but on Thanksgiving they give away for the traditional meal at Breakfast in America; 17, rue des Ecoles, 5éme. webpage:: https://breakfast-in-america.com/fr/restaurants/
La Grande Epicerie 38 Rue de Sévres 7éme or 80 Rue de Passy 16éme you can buy American products and pre order as well on special dates. webpage: https://www.lagrandeepicerie.com/fr/nos-magasins/nos-adresses
In addition to these diehard places I have enjoyed over the years, you can ask the US embassy American Citizen Services in Paris for organisations where the event is held. Often , organisation organize this event in Paris and you are all invited for a fix price. Contact org like the Association of American Residents Overseas, (AARO) , Association of American Wives of Europeans (AAWE) , American Chamber of Commerce (L’AmCham France) , American University Clubs of France (AUC), or the Paris Alumni Network (PAN) as some I know , and used to be a member of some while in the Paris area.
The last one for me was the Thanksgiving at Les Arches du Marais, 11 rue de Braque,(one way street) , 3éme arrondissement; metro Rambuteau line 11. This is on the back of the Archives National hotels a very nice quaint area of Paris. This event was organised by the AUC/PAN org. Les Arches du Marais located in the heart of old Paris, in a unique historic setting with exposed stones and vaulted cellars. Offer four connecting reception rooms located in the heart of old Paris, near the Georges Pompidou center. In the basement of Les Arches du Marais, the adjoining vaulted cellars accommodate a hundred people for a cocktail party on approximately 80m². This was while still in Versailles in November 2010 as I left for the Morbihan Breton in June 2011.
I have read lately that the noise especially from the place has started a chain of complaints against the Les Arches du Marais and even ask for its closure. The place as restaurant is closed, but you can still rent it out for events . A magical and relaxed setting. And for contact them: https://les-arches-du-marais.eatbu.com/?lang=en
A bit of history I like tell us the first commemoration of Thanksgiving dates back to 1621. One year before that date, precisely on 26 November 1620, the separatist Pilgrim Fathers landed in the Plymouth area of Massachusetts colony, fleeing the persecution of the bad King of England and the actions of the church in their country. When they arrived in the colony, their survival was quite complicated, as many of them ,more than half ,were attacked by scurvy and died. The survivors were saved only by the intervention of the Wampanoag, a local tribe. They agreed to a bilateral agreement where the native tribe taught visitors new cultures, fishing and hunting, and in return the Pilgrims fathers defended them from their assailants. This agreement bore a great deal of fruit, because in 1621 the first harvest was a very successful one. Governor William Bradford therefore decreed three days of thanksgiving to thank God, the land and the native Indians. It was historically the first Thanksgiving. It was in 1789, on October 3, that it was declared for the first time officially a United States National Day by first President George Washington.
The ingredients have not change much over time. On the table, we find the products of the season crops: corn, green beans ,squash, sweet potatoes, onions, green salad ,spinach , but also, the cranberries, pecan nuts ham, not forgetting of course the traditional turkey. Many Americans also like to watch the Thanksgiving parade, on television or in town. Big stores in several major cities organize these parades. The best known is Macy’s in New York city which is huge and very famous for its magnificent chariots, huge flying balloons and celebrities.
And there you go, it is possible to keep your traditions at least in Paris. Otherwise, buy your ingredients and do it at home. It sure brings back nice memories. Again , hope you enjoy the post on Thanksgiving Americana in Paris! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 