Cover photo: Giovanni di Pier Andrea di Bernardo da Verrazzano, "Captain Commandant at Sea for the Most Christian King François Ier, and Discoverer of New France"

Giovanni da Verrazzano? Or Giovanni da Verrazano with one z, as is often the case in English? Or Janus Verrazanus? Or Jehan de Verrazane, as in his will, preserved in the Archives Départementales de Seine-Maritime, dated 11 May 1526 and signed in Rouen, France ? Or Jean de Verrazane, as he is remembered in France?

Visitors to the French General Consulate at 934 Fifth Avenue can see a bronze plaque in the vestibule entrance of the mansion. Of course, the few words on the plaque do not tell his life story. This being April 17, 2023, 499 years day for day after he dropped the anchor of his ship La Dauphine in the Narrows, it is appropriate that we narrate his remarkable achievements, including his many other discoveries, from North Carolina to Canada, including his discovery of Le Refuge, present-day Newport, Rhode Island.

Next time you drive on the Belt Parkway, nearing the Verrazzano-Narrows bridge, please look up towards Fort Hamilton. You will spot a marker installed in 2021 by our friends of the Lafayette Trail to honor Lafayette's visit of September 8, 1824 near that site, formerly Fort Lafayette, demolished in 1964 to make way for the eastern pillars of the bridge.

We are proud to be active participants in the Bicentennial Committee of the triumphal farewell tour of General Lafayette, led by the American Friends of Lafayette, as part of America250 celebrations ordained by the US Congress.

There are other anniversaries looming on the horizon. In 2025, we will celebrate the Tricentennial of the birth of another illustrious Frenchman, whose decisive contribution to American Independence is often overshadowed by Lafayette: we are talking, of course, of the count of Rochambeau. Already, next month on May 20th, our friends of the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route (W3R) in Westchester County, along with the Friends of Odell House-Rochambeau Headquarters, are preparing a day-long celebration open to the general public. Make sure to bring your children to see re-enactors and tents of the encampments of the French and Continental armies, less than 45 minutes drive from Manhattan. Details are provided below.

Anyone thinking that our activities are only centered on a distant past would be mistaken. We are pleased to inform that our sculpture of Le Petit Prince by Jean-Marc de Pas is now at the foundry, and will be transported from France to New York courtesy of Air France.

The official inauguration's exact date (most likely in September) will be announced soon. In the meantime we are proud to share with you a couple of photographs and illustrations, courtesy of sculptor Jean-Marc de Pas. We will also duly recognize all our individual and corporate donors who made this memorable project possible, and first and foremost the Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation.

Please mark your calendar for May 15 at the National Arts Club in Manhattan: we will have the honor to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Le Petit Prince with MM. Olivier d'Agay, President of the Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation and nephew of the author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Nicolas Delsalle-Mun, General Delegate of the Saint-Exupéry Youth Foundation, and Ms. Stacy Schiff, co-President of the Honor Committee for the sculpture of The Little Prince over drinks.

It is easy to donate: simply click on www.SouvenirFrancais.USA.org/donate

Another way to support us is to buy the e-book Memories of France at: Amazon.com. All royalties go to our association. You can effectively support us by downloading it from Amazon.

Top: Portrait of François Ier (1494-1547), king of France (Known as Francis I in English) by Jean Clouet  (1480–1541) Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30275305

Bottom clockwise: Château de Chambord, Loir et Cher, France, Photo by Patrick Giraud https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=601617 • François Ier at the Battle of Marignano (1515) By Alexandre-Évariste Fragonard Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7842833 • François Ier receiving the last breath of Leonardo da Vinci in 1519, by Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres, painted in 1818, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29835895 • Château de Clos-Lucé (Leonardo da Vinci's residence) , By Nadègevillain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16980784

1524 is the year of the first exploration of North America by a French vessel, La Dauphine, under the command of Giovanni da Verrazzano, a Florentine captain at the service of King François Ier.

• Why was King François Ier interested in America?

When the Pope decided to divide the new world between Spain and Portugal, (Treaty of Tordesillas, 1494), the French King was outraged. He declared: "The sun shines for me as it does for others. I would very much like to see the clause of Adam’s will by which I should be denied my share of the world".

• What was the goal of the exploration?

• Why did King François Ier choose Giovanni da Verrazzano?

As a side note, Italians of the Renaissance era were particularly appreciated by François Ier. Certainly the most famous of all is Leonardo da Vinci (known as Léonard de Vinci in France), who died in his estate of Clos Lucé, near the château of Amboise, another royal residence of King François Ier (pictured above). Another, strong link, among countless other, between France and Italy: Catherine de Médicis, born in Florence, married François Ier's second son, Henry d'Orléans in 1533, became Queen of France, and mother of three French kings...

Back to our subject: King François Ier was also intent on establishing a permanent presence in the New World. Ten years later, in 1534, he sent navigator Jacques Cartier to the Saint Lawrence river in Québec to find "certain islands and lands where it is said there must be great quantities of gold and other riches" and Jean-François de Roberval to Canada in 1541 to settle the land and "spread the Holy Catholic faith". Unfortunately, François Ier was embroiled in constant continental wars with the Habsburg dynasty and never focused on the vast land between Florida and Canada named "Francesca" in his honor - - thus leaving to the English and the Dutch the settlement of colonies instead.

Cover, Jacques Habert, "Quand New York s'appelait Angoulême" ("When New York was called Angoulême")

Up until the turn of the 20th century some scholars doubted that the expedition even took place. Thanks to the discovery of long lost manuscripts, and after decades of research in the United States, Italy and France, Jacques Habert succeeded in reestablishing the facts. Following his thesis at Columbia University in 1954, and thanks to the constant lobbying of the Italian-American community, the suspension bridge located at the entrance of New York inaugurated in 1964 was officially named the Verrazano-Narrows bridge. Renamed the Verrazzano (with two "z"'s) -Narrows bridge in 2018, it underlines the fact that the Englishman Hudson had a predecessor in the service of the King of France.

"In the past we wrote the names as we heard them and that produced mistakes... Names, even the most illustrious, underwent incredible transformations. Thus, that of Amerigo Vespucci is written Améric Vespuce, Albericus, Albericus Vesputius, Amerigo Vespuche, Amerrigo, Amerigo de Espuche, Vispuche, Déspuchy, Vespuchi, Morigo, Morigo Vespuche'. Christophe Colomb was named Colombo, Colombus, Colon, Colom, Colomo and, which is a Germanic pearl, Chrislojfel Dawber, that is to say 'Christopher Pigeon Male''. How can we be surprised, after that, that Verrazano was made Verrazzano, Verrazanus, Verrasane, Varassanne, Verazano, Verazze, Varesam? It is no further from Verrazano to Varesamque from Amerigo Vespucci to Morigo Vespuche or from Colombo to Male Pigeon. “

- Excerpt from "Giovanni Verrazano's voyages to the American coasts with Norman sailors, on behalf of the King of France, in 1524-1528" / by M. Gabriel Gravier. 1898, National Library of France - Gallica

What is interesting to note is that he himself signed either in Latin: "Janus Verrazanus" or in his will of 1526: "Jehan de Verrazane".

In all official documents concerning the armaments of ships, he is designated in the "Frenchified" form of his name.

Whether or not he was born in Lyon or near Florence around 1481, he spent his school years in Italy. His father's name is Piero Andrea da Verrazzano and his mother's name is Fiametta Capelli. Son of a rich Florentine family, he undoubtedly benefited from a solid education. No document has been found to ascertain how and where he studied navigation.

As a young man, he spent several years in Cairo as a commercial agent (his brother was a banker). It is likely that in the early years 1501-1507 he worked in the Middle East for rich Italian traders. And it was undoubtedly in the eastern Mediterranean that he learned navigation as he visited Syria, the Greek isles.. which he later evoked in his writings places such as Rhodes, Crete.

He eventually join rich Florentines established in Normandy and pursue trade with Asia. While in Rouen, Verrazane did several trips to the Mediterranean for silk merchants, and possibly even took part in an expedition to Newfoundland in 1507. What is established is that he was based in Normandy, in Rouen from 1508 then in Dieppe, Fécamp, Le Havre and Honfleur from 1522 to his first voyage to America.

Top: Le Havre de Grâce in the 16th century. Drawing by Jacques de Vaux published in Le Havre d'Autrefois by Lemale and Roessler.1883 (Public domain)

Middle top: Voyage map

see http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immagine:Viaggioverrazzano.jpg, via Wikimedia Commons

Middle bottom: "La Dauphine", replica 1/5 model of the Musée Maritime de Rouen "Nearly five centuries later, a group of enthusiasts wants to give back all its historic place to this extraordinary adventure. The model was done by the volunteers of the association, supervised by the Master Carpenter Patrice Mabire, and by the participation of the students of the Colleges of Haute-Normandie. The 1/5th replica of “la Dauphine” is 7 meters long." 13, Quai Emile Duchemin, 76000 Rouen, France

Photo: https://www1.musee-maritime-rouen.asso.fr/atelier/la-dauphine/

Bottom: Girolamo de Verrazzano's 1529 map of his brother Giovanni's 1524 voyage along the East Coast of America, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=70985464

What follows is the narration of the first official contact of a European with the territory of the future United States (with the exception of Florida, approached by the Spaniards earlier in 1513). The territories of America that he

discovers are named by him “Nova Gallia”. Nova Gallia, which extends from Florida to Newfoundland, will become Nueva Francia, Neuve France at the time of Jacques Cartier, and finally Nouvelle France, New France.

• While partly funded by rich silk merchants from Lyon and Rouen, the voyage was undertaken at the express instructions of King François Ier. Documents have been found that show all the lengthy preparation for such an expedition. His brother Girolamo, a cartographer, accompanied him in his voyages. François Ier gave clear instructions signed on March 16, 1523 at Bray-sur-Seine and addressed to Vice-Admiral du Chillou at Le Havre, to facilitate the departure of 4 ships: La Dauphine, La Normande (the names of the two others are not specified). Antoine de Conflans was the captain with authority on the crew, but Jean de Verazane was the leader of the expedition. Due to the weather and other accidents, only La Dauphine made the crossing of the Atlantic.

La Dauphine, was built in 1518 at the Royal Dockyard of Le Havre, Normandy and displayed the typical shape of a Norman nef (carrack). She had a tonnage of about 100. The vessel could hold approximately fifty people. It was named for the Dauphin of France, François III, Duke of Brittany, the heir to the French throne who was born in 1518 to Claude of France, daughter of Louis XII of France, and King François Ier of France.

• "Cèllere Codex:"

Jean de Verazane wrote a letter to François Ier on July 8, 1524 to report on his voyage. This letter known under the name "Cèllere Codex" and was reproduced in 3 original versions. One of them is at the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York.

"...In another XXV days we sailed more than four hundred leagues, where there appeared a new land which had never been seen before by any man, either ancient or modern. At first it appeared to be rather low-lying; having approached to within a quarter of a league, we realized that it was inhabited, for huge fires had been built on the seashore...."

"They go completely naked except that around their loins they wear skins of small animals like martens, with a narrow belt of grass around the body, to which they tie various tails of other animals which hang down to the knees; the rest of the body is bare, and so is the head. Some of them wear garlands of birds’ feathers. They are dark in color, not unlike the Ethiopians, with thick black hair, not very long, tied back behind the head like a small tail. As for the physique of these men, they are well proportioned, of medium height, a little taller than we are. They have broad chests, strong arms, and the legs and other parts of the body are well composed. There is nothing else, except that they tend to be rather broad in the face: but not all, for we saw many with angular faces. They have big black eyes, and an attentive and open look. They are not very strong, but they have a sharp cunning, and are agile and swift runners..."

• A second landing took place on March 25, 1524 near Cape Fear which he called Land of the Annunciation (in present-day North Carolina).

• In Virginia, at the end of March 1524, Verrazano stepped on land again and baptized these new lands in homage to François 1er, Francesca, a name which would become Francescane (and recognized as such by the Spanish and Portuguese).

• A third landing took place on April 2. He and a good half of his crew did an incursion inland. He named the region Arcadia because of the beauty of the landscapes, "...[We] continued to follow the coast to the northeast which we baptized “Arcadia” on account of the beauty of the trees.."

He probably was inspired by the mythical Arcadia of ancient Greece celebrated by poets. Samuel de Champlain eventually changed the spelling by dropping the "r" from the name Arcadia to designate Nova Scotia some 80 years later.

• Capture of a young Indian:

"...after fifty leagues we reached another land which seemed much more beautiful and full of great forests. We anchored there, and with XX men we penetrated about two leagues inland, to find that the people had fled in terror into the forests. Searching everywhere, we met with a very old woman and a young girl of 18 to 20 years, who had hidden in the grass in fear. The old woman had two little girls whom she carried on her shoulders, and clinging to her neck a boy -- they were all about eight years old. The young woman also had three children, but all girls. When we met them, they began to shout. The old woman made signs to us that the men had fled to the woods. We gave her some of our food to eat, which she accepted with great pleasure; the young woman refused everything and threw it angrily to the ground. We took the boy from the old woman to carry back to France, and we wanted to take the young woman, who was very beautiful and tall, but it was impossible to take her to the sea because of the loud cries she uttered. And as we were a long way from the ship and had to pass through several woods, we decided to leave her behind, and took only the boy."

As was customary at the time, in order to bring back tangible proof of his voyage to his financial backers, Verrazane captured an Indian boy and brought him back to France. It was also a way to give the young boy an education and teach him French, in order to send him back to his tribe and thus have an able interpreter. He was also destined to be presented to King François Ier, however we do not know what became of him...

• From April 8 to 13, 1524, Verrazano recognizes the coast of present-day Delaware and New Jersey where promontories are named Cap Alençon, Cap Bonnivet and a large Vendôme river (today the Delaware River)... before approaching...

Navesink Highlands seen from the Atlantic Ocean while on approach to New York Harbor

By Lithium6ion - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16348898

....a high land by the sea, which was sighted for the first time by our navigators. It is called the Navesink Highlands nowadays. Verrazano named it Hill of Saint Pol in homage to the King's confident and general François Bourbon-Vendôme, comte de Saint-Pol, who had pushed back the English in front of Paris the previous December.

Illustration: author unknown, https://giovannideverrazano.weebly.com/exemples-de-travail.html

• In his letter to François Ier, he described New York Bay:

"After a hundred leagues we found a very agreeable place between two small but prominent hills; between them a very wide river, deep at its mouth, flowed out into the sea; and with the help of the tide, which rises eight feet, any laden ship could have passed from the sea into the river estuary. Since we were anchored off the coast and well sheltered, we did not want to run any risks without knowing anything about the river mouth."

“...So we took the small boat up this river to land which we found densely populated. We went up this river for about half a league, where we saw that it formed a beautiful lake, about three leagues in circumference [the mouth of the Hudson]. Suddenly as often happens in sailing, a violent unfavorable wind blew in from the sea, and we were forced to return to the ship, leaving the land with much regret on account of its favorable conditions and beauty; we think it was not without some properties of value, since all the hills showed signs of minerals.” 

"We entered the country. We found it densely populated. The people were dressed in feathers of birds of various colors. They came to us cheerfully, uttering loud cries of admiration and showing us the safest place to land. We ascended the river (the channel) half a league inland. There we saw that it formed a very beautiful lake about three leagues in circumference. stops on all sides about thirty small boats manned by a crowd of people passing from both banks to see us".

Bad weather prevented the Normans from staying longer, which he wished he could have done: "We left this land reluctantly, because of its advantages and its beauty."

• Verrazano had just discovered the port that would become New York and baptized the area Terre d'Angoulême in homage to François 1er. (He was known as François, count of Angoulême before becoming king).

• He proceed to name Long Island “Flora,” Block Island “Louisa.” (in honor of King François Ier's mother, Louise de Savoy).

His brother Girolamo’s outline of North America was, along with a contemporary chart by the Napalese cartographer Adrien Maggiolo, the first to include New York Bay under the French name Angouleme. This denomination persisted on French and Italian maps until Hudson’s explorations in the early 17th century.

The discovery of Le Refuge,

Top: La Nuova Francia, (New France) by Gastaldi, Giacomo, circa, 1556 , Ramusio, Giovanni Battista, 1485-1557 published [In Venetia :Giunta],1556, Domaine Public, Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec

Bottom: close-up, showing Angoulême (New York), Port du Refuge (Newport, R.I.)

..."We discovered a triangular-shaped island, ten leagues from the mainland, similar in size to the island of Rhodes; it was full of hills, covered in trees, and highly populated to judge by the fires we saw burning continually along the shore. We baptized it in the name of your illustrious mother [Louise of Savoy], but did not anchor there because the weather was unfavorable..."

Taking up the initial comparison of Verrazano, the English will make it Rhode Island. This is the only surviving name of his discovery in 1524 of the current United States, Acadia being in Canada.

• On April 22, ... "We entered another very beautiful port that could also house a large fleet that we baptized Le Refuge" (and which would become Newport).

“In this bay are five very fertile and very pleasant islets, covered with tall and wide trees. Any large fleet could stay there in safety without having to fear storms or gusts. Towards the south, on each side of the entrance to the port, there are graceful hills and many streams whose clear waters fall from the heights in the sea. In the middle of the bottleneck is a living stone rock, of natural origin . It would be easy to install batteries or a fort there to protect the port. »

• The crew spent two weeks there with members of the Narragansett and Wampanoag Tribes in perfect harmony. He writes:

"These people are the most beautiful and have the most civil customs that we have found on this voyage. They are taller than we are; they are a bronze color, some tending more toward whiteness, others to a tawny color; the face is clear-cut; the hair is long and black, and they take great pains to decorate it; the eyes are black and alert, and their manner is sweet and gentle, very like the manner of the ancients. I shall not speak to Your Majesty of the other parts of the body, since they have all the proportions belonging to any well-built man " [...]

• He also adds:

"They did not appreciate cloth of silk and gold, nor even of any other kind, nor did they care to have them; the same was true for metals like steel and iron, for many times when we showed them some of our arms, they did not admire them, nor ask for them, but merely examined the workmanship. They did the same with mirrors; they would look at them quickly, and then refuse them, laughing. They are very generous and give away all they have"...

• The crew explored at length the surroundings area.

Jean de Verrazane writes:

"...we found it as pleasant as I can possibly describe, and suitable for every kind of cultivation grain, wine, or oil. For there the fields extend for twenty-five to thirty leagues (75-90 miles); they are open and free of any obstacles or trees, and so fertile that any kind of seed would produce excellent crops.”

• On May 6, La Dauphine left Le Refuge, continuing her progress towards the northeast (present-day Cape Cod, New Hampshire, Maine) without ever losing sight of the coast, but the tribes are not as friendly.

• Several islets in what is now Penobscot Bay was called the Three Daughters of Navarre. On May 28, 1524, after more than 2,000 miles of American coastline, and five months of navigation, and almost out of food and beverages, Verrazano decided to head back to Dieppe in France after a final stop at Terre aux Bretons (Newfoundland) to get some fresh water and wood for cooking.

• On July 8, after 41 days of navigation during which Jean Verrazano finished his report, the Dauphine arrived in Dieppe, from where the Codex was sent to François Ier.

Illustration above: a map from the "Ecole de Dieppe" which flourished a few years after Jean de Verrazane's voyages. A common denominator to all the maps of the Dieppe school, also called world maps: they ignored longitude, and indicated latitude in degrees, after observation by astrolabe or quadrant. Many shipowners or monarchs such as Henry II of France or Henry VIII of England placed orders with the school of Dieppe, its reputation having largely exceeded the borders.

In the company of his brother Girolamo, he left Dieppe with three ships with the aim of crossing the Cape of Good Hope to go to Asia. this expedition was also under the patronage of the king, as evidenced by a contract concluded that year by Chabot, the admiral of France, with Verrazzano and other investors for the loan of three vessels. In addition to trade, the purpose of the trip was also to find the untraceable passage to Asia. He first aimed for South America, passing through Brazil, then he crossed towards the Cape of Good Hope where a storm prevented him from continuing. He brought back brazil wood (called Pernambuco wood) which was sold back in Dieppe.

On the third trip that left in the spring of 1528, on its way to Brazil or Panama trying to find yet another passage to the Pacific ocean, Jean de Verrazane was captured on land (probably in the West Indies, maybe in Guadeloupe or in Jamaica) in August.

Jean de Verrazane was killed, roasted and eaten by cannibals under the horrified eyes of his brother Girolamo and the crew who had stayed on board, anchored at a distance and unfortunately out of gunshot range.

Top: The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge looking toward Staten Island

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan Snyder - http://www.navy.mil; exact source, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4190125

This file is a work of a sailor or employee of the U.S. Navy, taken or made as part of that person's official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain in the United States.

Bottom: The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and New York harbor from 5,000 feet at dawn, by Thierry Chaunu © 2019 American Society of Le Souvenir Français Inc.

• While plans for a bridge linking the boroughs of Brooklyn and Staten Island existed had existed since the 1920's, it was finally decided to build a one in the 1950's, inaugurated in 1964 and for many years the longest suspension bridge in the world.

• Interestingly, there was initial resistance to naming it Verrazzano. It took a lot of lobbying from the Italian Historical Society and the Italian-American Chamber of Commerce to overcome prejudices. Initially it was named Verrazano with one "z" as it was argued that it was the American way to spell the name. When president John F. Kennedy was assassinated, there were motions to rename the bridge after him. In the end, the Idelwild airport became JFK instead. It was only in 2018 that Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a law adding two "z"'s (existing signs, however many have been left intact due to budget constraints).

GPS: 40.704387, -74.016383

The official description of the monument, plus brief histories of Verrazzano and the statue itself can be read at: https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/battery-park/monuments/1628

and also at: https://www.italianhistorical.org/monument.html

• In 1909, the City of New York celebrated the 300th anniversary of the discovery of New York by Henry Hudson. Except that the Italian-American community was outraged at this re-writing of history.

• Carlo Barsotti, the publisher of the most influential Italian-American newspaper at the time, the Italian language newspaper Il Progresso, decided to pay out of his own funds a statue to the glory of the lesser known Florentine navigator.

• Ettore Ximenes (1855–1926), a famous Italian sculptor was selected, and designed the monument which was inaugurated on October 9, 1909 while the celebrations to Henry Hudson were taking place. In this statue, Verrazzano is flanked below by a beautifully rendered female figure bearing a torch, represent Discovery.

• The engraved inscription is located at the rear of the granite pedestal of the statue states the historical truth:

• Inscription:

“IN APRIL 1524

LED THE FRENCH CARAVEL LA DAUPHINE

AND NAMED THESE SHORES ANGOULEME

IN HONOR OF FRANCIS I KING OF FRANCE” 

GPS: 38.247367, -75.152100

Photo: By Fritz Geller-Grimm - Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1428678

• Inscription:

“Named in 1976 for the courageous Florentine navigator, Giovanni da Verrazano (c. 1485-1528.) In the ship La Dauphine under a commission from King Francis I of France, he explored the Atlantic coastline of North America in the spring of 1524, searching in vain for a rout to Asia. In the crew of 50 was his brother, the map maker Girolamo da Verrazano. Some historians believe the navigator came ashore near here, calling the land Arcadia because of the beauty of the trees.

Erected by Maryland Department of Transportation and Maryland Historical Society.”

Top: Approaching the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge in North Kingston, Rhode Island, By Juliancolton - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7638024

Bottom: Giovanni da Verrazzano, La Dauphine, and the Discovery of Narragansett Bay

The Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge spans the West Passage of Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island, United States. It is part of Rhode Island Route 138 and is on the route to Newport, Rhode Island for traffic heading northbound from Interstate 95.

"Dauphine Day"

Universal Citation: RI Gen L § 25-2-17 (2014)

Photo: By Thierry Chaunu © 2021 American Society of Le Souvenir Français, Inc

GPS: 40.774061, -73.965716

"In April 1524

The caravel "La Dauphine"

Commanded by Antoine de Conflans

Led by Jean de Verrazane

Discovered New York Bay

The name of "Terre d'Angoulême" was given

To the site where today stands

New York City"

• Signature (In English):

"Erected by the Central Committee of French Speaking Societies, New York

On the 425th anniversary of the discovery of New York Bay"

A public middle school in Lyon, France, bears his name.

Photo: Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon / P0981 003 00021

There is also a Place Jean de Verrazane in the 7th arrondissement of Lyon:

GPS: 45.733540, 4.822956

Photo:By Romainbehar https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76752391

Located Rue Montaigne, bordering the avenue Pasteur, quai de Boisguilbert, and quai Gaston-Boulet 76000 Rouen, France

GPS: 49.443250, 1.077111

Photo: https://rouen.fr/pasteur#h2-3

Above Left: current Coat of arms of Le Havre The salamander is the symbol of François Ier. The lion is from the Belgian coat of arms; it replaced a fleur-de-lis in 1926 to honor the Belgian government in exile in Le Havre during the First World War.

By Spedona - Own work, via Wikipedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4565311

Above right: Flag of Florence (plain with lily shown at City Hall), first used by the Guelphs By Kanchelskis - Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3825817

English navigators who later sailed along the North American coast, such as John Smith or Henry Hudson renamed all the spots identified on Verrazano's maps. This was their practice around the world, such as the Clipperton island in the middle of the Pacific, originally named île de la Passion in 1711 by Michel Dubocage.

François Ier had imprudently declared that it was not enough to have discovered a new land to own it, but that it was necessary to maintain a presence there to guarantee its sovereignty, which he did not do, being too busy fighting in Europe. This neglect by France caused it to lose all claims to the coast between Florida and Canada.

Below: Flag of France during the 14th through 16th centuries, before the Bourbon dynasty.

• President James Monroe invited Lafayette, the last surviving major general of the American Revolutionary War, to tour the United States, officially to celebrate the nation's 50th anniversary but also to instill the "spirit of 1776" in the next generation of Americans at a time of great political divide. His tour drew large crowds and sparked a renewal of patriotism.

• From July 1824 to September 1825, Lafayette made a tour of all 24 States in the United States. He was received with a hero's welcome everywhere he stopped. Immense crowds, children, old veterans would come from miles away and wait hours to have a chance to see him, approach him, touch him. Many honors and monuments were presented to commemorate and memorialize the visit.

• The 24 states visited were: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine (ex-Massachusetts / North part), Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington D.C.

• The main means of transportation were stagecoach, horseback, canal barge, and steamboat.

• Throughout the years 2024 and 2025 each city will celebrate this most illustrious Frenchman, ranked alongside the Founding Fathers, practically on a par with George Washington. If anyone harbors any doubt about it, one only needs to read some of the hundreds of local newspaper articles and the accounts or memoirs of contemporary witnesses accounts.

• Several of his stops are memorialized with markers and plaques, some decades-old, and an increasing number of brand new ones, thanks to the energy and enthusiasm deployed by Julien Icher, president of the LafayetteTrail.org, whose goal is to dedicate all 175 markers by 2024.

• These new markers from the LafayetteTrail.org are all made in the same distinctive blue and red cast metal and signed by the William C. Pomeroy Foundation which is generously funding this gigantic project.

• The American Society of Le Souvenir Français Inc. is honored to partner with these two like-minded organizations, as well as all other American patriotic associations and volunteers who are participating in these celebrations, under the umbrella of America250.

As we started with the August 2022 Bulletin, we continue our narration every month with some of the most salient episodes of this remarkable journey of the corresponding month 199 years ago, while keeping you abreast of the many celebrations planned by the local committees of the American Friends of Lafayette in 2024 and in 2025.

For this series we borrow primarily from the testimonies of a privileged close witness, Auguste Levasseur, Lafayette’s personal secretary, who traveled along with the Marquis and his son, George Washington Lafayette, and who published his extensive daily journal: “Lafayette en Amérique 1824-1825, ou Journal d'un voyage aux Etats-Unis" (Published by the Librairie Baudoin, Paris, in 1829). We also rely on other well-documented sources, such as Samuel Lorenzo Knapp. “Memoirs of General Lafayette : with an Account of His Visit to America and His Reception By the People of the United States; From His Arrival, August 15th, to the Celebration at Yorktown, October 19th, 1824”(Published in November, 1824)

• April 3 – Arrived in Montgomery

• April 4–6 – Party boards the Balize and the Henderson and makes its way over the Alabama River through Selma, Alabama, through the capital city of Cahaba, and then meet with members of the French "Vine and Olive Colony" near Demopolis, then makes an overnight visit to Claiborne, where he was entertained at a ball in the Masonic Lodge, still standing today.

• April 7 – Arrived in Mobile, Alabama

• April 8 – Governor Israel Pickens accompanies Lafayette by steamboat down Mobile Bay to Mobile Point, where he joins an official welcoming party from Louisiana, then boards the steamer Natchez which takes him to New Orleans

• April 11 – Arrived in Chalmette, Louisiana, site of the 1815 Battle of New Orleans, lodges in The Cabildo, site of the Louisiana Purchase transfer ceremonies in 1803

• April 15 – Departs New Orleans on the steamer Natchez up the Mississippi River towards Baton Rouge, Louisiana

• April 16 – Baton Rouge for a reception and banquet, leaving just before nightfall, April 18 – Stopped at Natchez, Mississippi

• April 28 – Natchez ties up for the evening at Carondelet, Missouri

• April 29 – Visits St. Louis, Missouri

• April 30 – Governor Edward Coles hosts Lafayette in Kaskaskia, Illinois, once the French capital of Upper Louisiana; dignitaries included Pierre Ménard and William Stephen Hamilton, son of Alexander Hamilton

An apotheosis drawing, likely created between 1810 and 1820, depicts the Marquis de Lafayette receiving laurel wreaths from figures that represent American Indians and France. (Illustration from Colonial Williamsburg https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/trend-tradition-magazine/autumn-2016/my-heart-was-enlisted/)

GPS: 32.406767, -87.018183 

• Inscription:

American Liberty

Placed by the Cherokee Chapter

Lafayette in Montgomery, Alabama

GPS: 32.379950, -86.311867

• “We passed the next day at Montgomery, and left it on the night of the 4th and 5th, after a ball, at which we had the pleasure of seeing Chilli M’Intosh dance with several beautiful women, who certainly had little idea that they were dancing with a savage...” [Chili M’Intosh was a 28 year-old Indian well educated in a US school who accompanied Lafayette and his party for a short segment of the trip].

• Inscription:

Erected by Society of the Sons of the Revolution in the State of Alabama".

GPS: 31.516733, -87.496917

Photo: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 - https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/highsm/item/2010639811/

• Inscription (excerpt):

Erected in 1824 with funds from a public lottery. Lower floor served as a Baptist Church and a Court Room in which William B Travis, then a resident of Claiborne, practiced law. Visited by General LaFayette April 6, 1825

Erected 1971 by Alabama Historical Association.”

• A few feet away is a marker from the LafayetteTrail.org:

GPS: 30.689033, -88.044117

http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2152

American Revolution hero Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834), in an 1873 engraving commissioned by Johnson, Wilson and Company Publishers for the book Portrait Gallery of Eminent Men and Women of Europe and America by Evert A. Duyckinck.

...“The arrival of the steam-boat in the bay, was announced by discharges of artillery from Fort Condé; and when we reached the wharf at Mobile, the general found the committee of the corporation and all the population assembled to receive him. He was conducted to the centre of the town under a triumphal arch" […] “He was then led to an immense hall, expressly constructed for his reception. He there found all the ladies, to whom he was presented by the governor” […] “In returning his thanks to the orator and the citizens of Alabama, the general took a rapid survey of the struggles for liberty in which he had borne so important a part, and concluded by expressing his deep conviction of the necessity of the closest and most intimate union among the states. The inhabitants of Mobile, hoping that the general would pass some days with them, had made great preparations for entertainments to him, but the most part were rendered useless. Limited in his time, he was obliged to yield to the solicitations of the deputation from New Orleans, who pressed him to depart the next morning. Nevertheless he accepted a public dinner, a ball and a masonic celebration; after which we went on board the vessel which was to take him to New Orleans, to obtain a few hours of that repose, which a day filled with so many pleasant emotions had rendered absolutely necessary.”

• Inscription:

“Erected 1975 by the Historic Mobile Preservation Society.”

GPS: 29.957533, -90.063833

Photo: By Infrogmation of New Orleans - Photo by Infrogmation, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2869033

• ...“Astonished at the cries of Vive la liberté, vive l’ami de l’Amérique! vive Lafayette! in the French language, we hastened on deck. What was our surprise on seeing the shore covered with French uniforms! For an instant we believed that we were transported back to the bosom of our country, once more freed, and our hearts beat with joy. General Lafayette disembarked in the midst of the thunder of artillery, and the acclamations of an immense multitude...”

• Inscription (excerpts):

"Here on December 20, 1803, were signed the documents transferring the Louisiana Purchase Territory from France to the United States. In 1825 the Cabildo was converted into a fine residence for the visiting General Lafayette.

Erected 1963 by the Orleans Parish Landmarks Commission and the National Park Service."

GPS: 29.948529, -90.070753

• Inscription:

(Obverse) ”Planned in 1788 as a public place for Faubourg Ste. Marie, the City's first suburb, this Square honors American Revolutionary War Hero, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette. He declined the invitation to become the first Governor when the United States purchased Louisiana. During his April 9-15, 1825, visit to the City of New Orleans, his popularity was evidenced by resounding cheers of "Vive Lafayette, Vive Lafayette!"

(Reverse) ”Conçue en 1788 comme place publique du Faubourg Sainte-Marie qui fut la première banlieue de La Nouvelle-Orléans, cette place commémore Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, héros de la Guerre d'indépendance Américaine. Lafayette déclina l'offre qui lui était faite de devenir le premier gouverneur au moment de l'achat de la Louisiane par les Etats-Unis. Entre le 9 et 15 avril 1825, Lafayette visita La Nouvelle-Orléans et fut chaleureusement accueilli.”

Erected 1985 by France-Amérique de la Louisiane."

GPS: 30.449933, -91.189650

Photo: Image capture Mar 2022 (c) Google 2022

• “On leaving Baton-Rouge, we had the mortification to part again with some of those who had accompanied us from New Orleans, and among others, with Mr. Duplantier, senior, whose active and tender friendship, as well as that of his son, had been of great service to the general.”

• Inscription:

Legendary site

1825 visit.  

Erected 1991 by Isaac Monet Chapter

GPS: 31.559585, -91.411273

Wikimedia Commons., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14800016

• ...“The general willingly complied with this wish of the children of Natchez, who marched in order before him, placing successively one of their little hands in that which had fought for the liberty of their fathers. The parents, spectators of this scene, contemplated it with silence and emotion. On its termination, I heard them congratulate each other on the happy influence which this day would have upon the future characters of their children. “When they have grown up,” said they, “and come to read their country’s history, they will find the name of Lafayette intimately connected with all the events which led to the freedom of their fathers, they will recall the gentleness of his manners, the mildness of his voice, when he received them in their infancy, and will feel an increased love for a liberty won by such a man.” Auguste Levasseur. “Lafayette in America in 1824 and 1825", Vol. II. p. 254

• Inscription:

GPS: 31.561833, -91.406467

Photo: Image capture May 2022 (c) Google 2022

• “The inhabitants of Natchez neglected nothing which could contribute to the pleasure of their guest during the twenty-four hours he remained with them. The public dinner concluded with toasts, To the Nation’s Guest—The triumph of Yorktown—France fighting for the liberty of the world—The victory of New Orleans—in fact to all glorious and patriotic American recollections. It was not until after the ball which closed about daybreak, that the general could think of embarking. The ladies employed all the charms of mind and person to retain him as long as possible, but our minutes were counted... ” Auguste Levasseur. “Lafayette in America in 1824 and 1825", Vol. II. p. 254

• Inscription (excerpts):

When the Spanish laid out the town of Natchez about 1790, they set aside land on the bluff for use as a public park.[..].” The Bluff Park has long been a center of public activity. The Marquis de Lafayette, a French hero of the American Revolution, spoke in the Bluff Park in April 1825. ” [...]

GPS: 38.560517, -90.242300

Photo: Image capture May 2022 (c) Google 2022

• “On the evening of the 28th, we arrived at a poor little village which the French formerly founded under the sad name of Empty Pocket, better known at the present day by the name of Carondelet. [...] “No sooner were the inhabitants of Carondelet informed of the presence of General Lafayette in their vicinity, than they came in crowds on board the boat to see him. They were nearly all Frenchmen.” Auguste Levasseur, “Lafayette in America in 1824 and 1825", Vol. II., p. 272

• Inscription (excerpts):

1825 ~ On his triumphal return visit to our Country, LaFayette stopped here.” [...]

Erected 1970 by Carondelet Historical Society

GPS: 38.560517, -90.242300

•...“an elegant calash drawn by four horses approached the shore, to conduct him to the city, through all the streets of which he was drawn in the midst of the acclamations of the people. He was attended by Mr. Augustus Choteau, a venerable old gentleman by whom St. Louis was founded, Mr. Hempstead, an old soldier of the revolution, and the mayor. These gentlemen conducted him to the house of the son of Mr. Choteau, prepared for his reception, which was thrown open to all citizens without distinction, who desired to visit the national guest. Among the visitors, the general met with pleasure Mr. Hamilton, son of General Alexander Hamilton, the former aide-de-camp to Washington, whom he so much loved, and an old French sergeant of Rochambeau’s army named Bellissime. This last could not restrain the joy he felt on seeing a countryman thus honoured by the American nation.” Auguste Levasseur. “Lafayette in America in 1824 and 1825", Vol. II. p. 273

• Lafayette was feted at the home of Pierre Chouteau (Auguste Chouteau’s son), at Locust and First streets. Lafayette’s promenade partner was Alzire Menard, daughter of Illinois Lt. Gov. Pierre Menard. She wore a Paris-made dress of embroidered white muslin. Lafayette slept that night on the Natchez, which headed downriver in the morning.

You can click on the photos throughout our bulletins and also on the links indicated in blue for more information and direct access to sources.

Next month in May we will devote our Bulletin to all the statues of Joan of Arc throughout the United States.

For the record, our association had already honored Antoine de Saint Exupéry in the year 2000, by placing a plaque at 3 East 52nd Street, but wanted to pay homage to him with a sculpture, as is the case in several countries. The idea of a sculpture was first proposed by the late Colonel Roger Cestac, president of our association in the 1990's.

Antoine de Saint Exupéry wrote The Little Prince entirely in New York, and his name is among the 463 volunteers and conscripts from New York who “Died For France”.

Originally intended for Central Park, it couldn't be materialized for a host of reasons and the project lingered for several years. Immediately upon his election at the head of our organization in 2021, Thierry Chaunu, along with fellow Board Members Jean-Hugues Monier & Francis Dubois decided to make it a top priority.

With the unfailing and constant support of The Antoine de Saint Exupéry Youth Foundation headed by its Vice-president Mr. Olivier d'Agay (great-nephew of the author), Nicolas Delsalle-Mun, General Delegate of the Foundation, and members of the Saint-Exupéry family, a “Steering Committee” composed of MM. Nicolas Delsalle, Jean-Hugues Monier, Francis Dubois and Thierry Chaunu pursued the project from start to finish.

The Board of our association selected the renowned French sculptor Jean-Marc de Pas in March 2022.

This project received in May 2022 the high patronage of the French Ambassador in the United States Mr. Philippe Etienne and the General Consul of France in New York, Mr. Jérémie Robert.

An Honorary Committee, co-chaired by American author Stacy Schiff (Pulitzer Prize) and Mr. Olivier d'Agay was formed in June 2022 and co-signed a fundraising campaign, to which many French and American donors, individuals and companies, responded enthusiastically.

Finally, among several possible locations, the choice of Cultural Services-Villa Albertine on Fifth Avenue was chosen in September with the active support of the Cultural Attaché Mr. Gaëtan Bruel.

We officially presented the project on October 13, 2022, at the French Cultural Services - Villa Albertine in New York.

To date, the sculpture is in the process of being examined by the Landmark Commission, after having received a very favorable opinion during a preliminary hearing (8 votes "for", 1 abstention) on March 14, 2023.

The final version of the sculpture is about to be transported to the foundry, then will be transported to New York by Air France, for an installation in August and an inauguration scheduled for around September 20, 2023.

We will keep you informed in the coming Bulletins.

On Tuesday June 13 a gala dinner by the Paris American Club will be held at the National Arts Club to pay tribute to Antoine de Saint Exupéry, author of The Little Prince. Stay tuned for more details!

We are pleased to announce the release of episode 21 of Follow The Frenchmen, our Video Series about the Lafayette Trail! The episode takes place in Norfolk, VA.

You may also view episode 21 by visiting our official YouTube Channel. 

GPS: 40.104526, -75.437874 (Chapel)

The Treaty of Alliance between France and the United States, signed in Paris in February 1778, turned the tide of America's struggle for independence during the American Revolution.

Every year, on the first Sunday in May, Washington Memorial Chapel at Valley Forge commemorates the Treaty and its celebration at the Valley Forge encampment on May 6, 1778. This year, the Chapel's commemoration service will take place on Sunday, May 7 at 2:00PM. A representative of the French Embassy will attend the service, deliver an address, and lay a wreath in tribute to soldiers and sailors, French and American, who died in the struggle for American independence.

The Chapel is both a place of worship and a memorial to George Washington, the Founders and Patriots, and the Continental Army. It seeks to ensure that the ideals and principles of the American Revolution are understood and kept alive by contemporary and future Americans. The mission of Washington Memorial Heritage, a 501 (c ) 3, is to preserve the Chapel and support its secular mission.

For more information, contact: Board@wrmheritage.org

Sunday, May 7, 2023 - Eglise Notre-Dame at 11:00AM – Mass of the

Victory of May 8, 1945 by Father Michael Holleran, Chaplain of the

Federation. This mass will also celebrate the Mass of the Deported of WWII, as well as the mass of Saint Joan of Arc. There will be a wreath-laying ceremony in front of the marble plaques of the 463 "Morts Pour la France", French and American conscripts and volunteers from New York City who Died for France in the two World Wars.

A luncheon will be held at the restaurant Le Monde – 2885

Broadway. For reservations please contact Alain Dupuis, President, at alaindupuis24@aol.com

Sunday May 28, 2023 – 10:00AM - Park Avenue Armory at 643 Park

avenue – 66 & 67th Street: Ceremony organized by Brigadier General (Ret) Thomas J. Principe of the New York National Guard facing the memorial

of the Seventh Regiment (67th street & fifth Ave).

Monday May 29, 2023 – Little Neck – Douglaston – Memorial Day parade.

Details to follow in our next bulletin.

For more information visit: http://frenchwarveterans.com/

Yorktown Site, 99 Moseman Road, Yorktown, NY (one of five 1781 encampment locations, AKA Yorktown Grange Fairgrounds)

GPS: 41.019507, -73.816878

GPS: 41.268805, -73.770598

GPS: 41.126083, -73.694067

(Details to follow)

REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS SUNDAY, APRIL 30^th

This year’s registration fee is only $200 which includes all meals from Thursday night through Sunday morning and all transportation within the itinerary.  Your registration fee also includes a weekend PACKED with scholarly and fun activities.  We will see Lafayette artifacts and places he visited.  We will see art devoted to Lafayette, including paintings, sculptures, architecture, drama, music, and dance.  It could be the most unique itinerary we’ve ever seen. 

This robust itinerary can be found by clicking here: ITINERARY or here for pdf.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE IS SUNDAY, APRIL 30^th

Support our organization! Purchase or offer this e-book which makes great reading for all ages. All royalties go to the American Society of Le Souvenir Français, Inc. Simply click on this link: Amazon.com

• The exact transcription of the inscription appearing on the pedestal or plaque

• To preserve the memory of the French soldiers, sailors and airmen who gave their lives for freedom, and who are buried in the United States.

• To honor French Citizens who did great deeds in the United States, or with a strong connection with the United States, 

• To strengthen the long-standing traditional bonds of friendship between the American and French peoples, and to this end: erect or maintain memorials and monuments and encourage historical research, public presentations and publications in the media. 

Françoise Cestac, Honorary President • Thierry Chaunu, President • Yves de Ternay, Treasurer • Patrick du Tertre, 1st Vice President • Henri Dubarry • Francis Dubois • Alain Dupuis, 2nd Vice President • Daniel Falgerho, General Secretary • Pierre Gervois • Caroline Lareuse • Clément Mbom, Education Advisor • Jean-Hugues Monier, Auditor • Harriet Saxon • Nicole Yancey

Jacques Baisnenou, Great Lakes and Midwest • Bruno Cateni, South

Prof. Norman Desmarais, New England • Alain Leca, Washington D.C. •

Marc Onetto, West Coast • Brigitte Van den Hove – Smith, Southeast • Nicole Yancey, Yorktown & Virginia, former Honorary Consul of France in Virginia

Email: tchaunu@SouvenirFrancaisUSA.org Tel: (212) 847-1371