Welcome
Welcome to the website of the Cambridge Society of Paris, which is affiliated to the Cambridge Alumni Relations Office (CARO) and enables Cambridge University Alumni in France to maintain contact with each other.
The Cambridge Society of Paris
The Cambridge Society of Paris has been active in the Paris area since 1996 and provides a platform for Cambridge graduates to meet like-minded individuals while participating in artistic, sporting, business, political, musical and often just “plain fun” events together.
As well as bringing Cambridge graduates together, the society also has a wider goal of promoting Cambridge in France and fostering links with the French “Grandes Ecoles”.
Many of our events are organized jointly with these French schools, as well as with the Oxford University Society of Paris and the Paris alumni societies of many other universities such as LSE, Harvard and Johns Hopkins.
We also keep in touch with Cambridge/Paris II “Double Maîtrise” law students during the two years that they spend here.
The Society offers a Bursary each year to one or more current students of the University of Cambridge engaged in research relevant to France or French history.
Our Programme of Events
The Cambridge Society arranges a number of events each year which enable the Members and their friends to get together and pursue common interests and encourages newcomers to join in.
The highlight of each year is our Annual Dinner, with a distinguished Cambridge speaker, generally held in January or February and open to members and their guests.
The British Ambassador kindly hosts a summer Garden Party at his Residence, preceded by talks on a chosen topic given by eminent speakers from Oxford and Cambridge on an alternate yearly basis, complemented by a representative from one of the Grandes Ecoles. The discussion is generally animated and interesting, and it is a great opportunity to meet our French counterparts over an excellent cocktail.
Live viewing of the Boat Race and the Varsity Match are arranged with Oxford in a Paris pub and the Presidents’ Cup Pétanque match against Oxford has become an annual fixture. Other sporting challenges have included both snooker & golf.
Another regular event is the monthly drinks evening on the first Wednesday of each month. This is also arranged jointly with the Oxford Society and allows temporary visitors and newcomers to Paris to meet up with our members. A young Alumni group (Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard & others) meets regularly for drinks on the 3rd Thursday of the month. See Future Events for venue details of this and for other events organized.
We also organise events such as visits to concerts, theatres and exhibitions of interest to our members and ad hoc dinners with visiting speakers, and we enjoy a special performance of the annual Shakespeare production by the Tower Theatre Company in the Shakespeare Gardens in June. The Christmas Carol Singing evening concludes our annual calendar.
Interested in becoming a member?
Most of the members of the C.S.P. are resident in the Ile de France, but the Society welcomes those who visit Paris frequently and wish to keep in touch with fellow “Cantabrigians”. Members of our sister group of Midi-Pyrénées, those of the Cambridge Society of South West France, as well as those of the Oxford, Cambridge and Trinity College Lunches, South France, are welcome to join in our events whenever they are in Paris.
Members are of all ages, disciplines and professions and many are French. The Society has no political or commercial aims, and does not act as a direct fundraiser for the University.
Most members hold Cambridge University degrees, although membership is open to any person who has an appropriate connection with the University, which may include exchange students, research graduates and, of course, teaching staff.
To apply to become a Member, please click on membership in the menu bar to download the on-line form and return it with your payment as directed.
Future Events