American life in Paris: clubs, churches, holidays

Americans have been putting down roots in Paris since before Hemingway, and it shows. You'll find a century-old American library, two landmark American churches and a deep bench of clubs, and it's easy to plug in during your first month.

The short version

The American Library in Paris, founded in 1920, is the community's living room, on rue du Général Camou in the 7th [1].
The American Church in Paris on the quai d'Orsay and the American Cathedral on avenue George V are big English-speaking congregations and community hubs, whatever your faith [2][3].
AAWE, the Association of American Women in Europe, runs events, publications and a well-known international school fair [4].
The US Embassy sits on avenue Gabriel, next to the place de la Concorde. Enroll in STEP [5].
Democrats Abroad France has a dozen chapters around the country, including Paris [7]. Republicans Overseas works through its national organization; we found no France chapter listed [8].

Thanksgiving in Paris

Thanksgiving is a regular Thursday in France, so you'll either take the day off or move the feast to the weekend. Most Americans do both: a "Friendsgiving" with French friends who've never had sweet potatoes with marshmallows, plus a community event.

Where to find one this year:

The American Cathedral listed a Thanksgiving Dinner 2026 under parish life and A Concert of Thanksgiving on its site when we checked [3]. Register early; these fill up.
The American Library has a Thanksgiving Pie-Tasting for all ages on November 28 [1]. Pie and fellow Americans in one room: a no-brainer.

The turkey itself takes planning. Whole turkeys aren't a standard November item at every French supermarket, so order ahead from a butcher. Our guide to American food in Paris covers turkeys, canned pumpkin and where to watch football that day.

The Fourth of July and America at 250

The Fourth is a regular summer day in Paris, and Bastille Day follows ten days later on July 14, which tends to steal the fireworks. Americans mark the Fourth with backyard-style barbecues in parks (bring your own hot dogs) and community events.

The year 2026 is the US semiquincentennial, and the embassy's site carried information on Freedom250, the 250th anniversary programming in France, when we checked [5]. France's role in American independence makes this a big one here: you'll see Lafayette's name everywhere.

The embassy's home page also carried a notice for Americans attending the NFL's game in France [5]. If you'd rather watch on a screen, Sunday NFL games land in the evening Paris time, and the Super Bowl means a very late Sunday night.

The institutions Americans lean on

Place	Where	What it's good for
The American Library in Paris	10 rue du Général Camou, 7th	English-language books, author talks, kids' storytimes, teen nights [1]
The American Church in Paris	65 quai d'Orsay, 7th	Sunday worship at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., fellowship and young professionals groups [2]
The American Cathedral in Paris	23 avenue George V, 8th	Episcopal worship, music, Thanksgiving dinner [3]
AAWE	Members across France and Europe	Women's network, school fair, guides on education and retirement [4]
US Embassy, consular section	4 avenue Gabriel, 8th	Passports, CRBAs, notarials, emergencies [5]

The American Library in Paris

Open since 1920, the Library is a natural first stop for English-language books and for meeting people. It's open Tuesday through Sunday, with late hours until 9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and closed Mondays [1]. The November calendar when we checked gave a sense of the mix: a board game club, poetry and food-writing talks, an American Movie Night for teens, and bilingual storytime for kids ages 3 to 7 [1]. Membership details are on its site.

The American Church in Paris

The American Church, on the Left Bank along the Seine, is an English-speaking Protestant congregation. Beyond Sunday services at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., it runs Bible studies, women's and men's fellowships, a young professionals group, a children and youth choir and even an au pair group [2]. Plenty of newcomers come for the community events first.

The American Cathedral in Paris

The American Cathedral on avenue George V, just off the Champs-Élysées, is part of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe [3]. It's known for its music and its parish life, and it offers worship in person and online [3].

AAWE

The Association of American Women in Europe is a bicultural community of American women, mostly in France [4]. It publishes practical guides, including a Guide to Education, Paris Parents, Bilingual Education in France and Retire and Thrive, and runs an International School Fair in Paris [4]. Its AAWE Bazaar 2026 is open to the public on Saturday, December 5, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with RSVP required [4]. AAWE's outreach work includes voting help [4].

The US Embassy and staying safe

The embassy is at 2 avenue Gabriel, with consular services at 4 avenue Gabriel, both in the 8th arrondissement. The main number is +33 1 43 12 22 22, and it works for emergencies after hours too [5]. From anywhere, the State Department's 24/7 line is +1-202-501-4444 [5]. There are also US consulates in Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Rennes and Strasbourg [5].

What the consular section handles for you:

Passports, including kids' passports (both parents usually need to be involved).
A Consular Report of Birth Abroad if your baby is born in France.
Notarial services for US paperwork, like selling a house back home.
Emergency help: arrest, serious illness or injury, a death, crime victims and parental child abduction [5].

Enroll in STEP, the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, so the embassy can reach you with security updates [5]. See STEP and help from US embassies.

On safety: when we checked the State Department's France page on November 6, 2026, its advisory said to "exercise increased caution in France due to terrorism and civil unrest," and the page showed a last-updated date of July 26, 2023 [6]. Day to day, the hassle in Paris is pickpocketing in the metro and around the big sights, and strikes and demonstrations that close stations.

Democrats Abroad and Republicans Overseas

Both major parties have organizations for Americans abroad, and you can join either one.

Democrats Abroad France is the Democratic Party's country committee here. It lists chapters in Paris, Avignon, Bordeaux, Brittany, Grenoble, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Normandy, the Riviera, Strasbourg and Toulouse, plus caucuses including veterans and military families and young Democrats [7]. It focuses on helping Americans in France register and vote, with meetups, panels and screenings [7].
Republicans Overseas is the Republican-aligned organization for Americans abroad. When we checked, its leadership page listed a vice president for Europe but no France chapter or France leader, so contact the national organization directly [8].

The 2026 midterms just wrapped on November 3, and the next presidential race is 2028. Whatever your politics, the Federal Voting Assistance Program is the neutral place to register and request your ballot: see Voting from abroad: the FPCA and FVAP.

Making it home

The institutions above are great for a soft landing, but the Americans who love Paris longest usually build French friendships too. Language exchanges, a sports club, your kids' school gates and the regulars at your neighborhood café all count. Be patient: Parisians can seem reserved at first, and the bise (the cheek kiss) takes practice. Our guide to August, holidays and French customs explains the unwritten rules.

For a crowd that gets both halves of your life, join our community group for Americans in France.

American life in Paris: Thanksgiving, the Fourth and where Americans gather