Page 38 - Demo

Clockwise from top left: During his travels, George overlooked Paris from Montmarte with Guillaume du Cheyron; visited Amaury de Montleau at his home, La Buzinie, in Champniers; saw the Basilica of Saint-Sernin in Toulouse with Pierre de Bausset; joined Adrien d’Esclaibes at the Museum of Franco-American Cooperation; and experienced innovation in action at the Airbus factory in Toulouse.
In the center of Vendôme, Louis Vuitton was setting up a new workshop for onshore production and had invited local artisans and designers to display their works. Nathalie de Gouberville and I met a luxury tilemaker from Britain who had moved to the countryside in
the Loire Valley and outsourced much of his manufacturing to southern China. Even in the rural heart of France, globalization is inescapable. Its effects were evident in towns transformed
by the hollowing out of the industrial base. However, this also demonstrates how France has adapted in a changing world.
Pierre de Bausset brought me to the Airbus factory in Toulouse where I learned how a complex network stretching across Europe comes together with precise timing to produce cutting- edge jetliners. At the new facility built for the A350, optimism about France’s role as a leader in this European project filled the air. While the wider European project is in flux at this moment, standing on the bridge across the Rhine with Alexandre Berthier and imagining how many campaigns had crossed that river (including ones commanded by his original member) made me reflect on the significance of the peace maintained in Europe for the last seven decades.
Although globalized trade has forged new international connections, the unique friendship between France and America has also been
forged by our shared struggles. Visiting the American Cemetery in Normandy with Adrien d’Esclaibes was one of the most powerful experiences of my trip. The vastness of the cemetery gave me a sense of the magnitude of the sacrifice. It is even more powerful when I stood overlooking the graves and understood that they represent only a fraction of the total men who died alongside our allies in the liberation of France. Beyond Normandy, there are local churches that display memorials to the Americans and other allies who gave their lives. The
relationship between France and America can be complex, but the memory of our shared sacrifices over the past two and half centuries provides the basis for our ongoing connection.
One of the many shared memories I learned about on my trip was the story of General Jean- Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval, who is famous for standardizing French artillery. Before France’s official entry into the American Revolution, de Gribeauval supported our cause on behalf of the French king covertly by sending “obsolete” cannons to the Americans. Accused of embezzlement by other members of the court, de Gribeauval accepted the verdict against him because he could not reveal that France had been supporting America before officially entering the war. This story illustrated the importance of individuals as the foundation of diplomacy and friendship among nations.
Jacques de Larosière, who told me the story of
de Gribeauval, also explained how, in moments of crisis during his long career in monetary policy, it was the character of the individuals involved and their relationships with one another that mattered the most. Strengthening Franco- American bonds at the individual level and preserving our shared heritage is an important task that distinguishes the Cincinnati from
other hereditary organizations.
During my trip, my hosts welcomed me like
I was family and I will be forever grateful for their hospitality. I hope to stay in touch with the friends I made for many years to come. This program is unlike any other and its existence reflects the Society’s continued dedication to the fraternal bonds between French and American members. I want to thank my hosts who graciously welcomed me, the organizers of this incredible journey, and everyone who works
to keep the Society strong on both sides
of the Atlantic.
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