Joyeux 250 Anniversaire aux États-Unis !

As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of its founding, we celebrate not only the birth of a nation but also the enduring friendship between America and France—the US’s oldest ally. This partnership, forged during the Revolutionary War, laid the foundation for more than two centuries of collaboration and also serves as a cornerstone of American Friends of the Louvre’s mission to serve as a cultural bridge between our two countries.

Few figures embody this enduring amitié more than the Marquis de Lafayette and Benjamin Franklin. A young French aristocrat, Lafayette volunteered to serve under General George Washington. With an unwavering belief in the American cause, he became one of the Revolution’s most devoted champions. Alongside thousands of French soldiers and sailors, Lafayette helped secure the decisive victory at Yorktown in 1781, paving the way for American independence.

Across the Atlantic, Benjamin Franklin worked to transform French sympathy into formal support. Sent to Paris in 1776, he won over the French court through his diplomatic skill and international renown. Following the American victory at Saratoga, Franklin helped negotiate the Treaty of Amity and Commerce and the Treaty of Alliance in 1778, formally establishing France as America’s ally. He later served as one of the principal negotiators of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which ended the war and secured international recognition of the United States.

Over the past 250 years, Franco-American relations have been enriched by cultural exchange and a shared commitment to preserving and celebrating artistic heritage, a commitment that endures through the work of AFL. As we celebrate this historic anniversary and look to the future, we carry forward a tradition of collaboratoin that has united our two nations for generations.