Free entry to students to Esher French Circle’s talk on 18 February 2026
Esher French Circle is pleased to offer free entry for students to our February talk. The free entry offer applies to any full-time students – sixth-formers, undergraduates or postgraduates. All we ask is that you let us know in advance, so that we can put out enough seats.
Le Panthéon : the church of the patron saint of Paris that is now the temple to France’s great men and women
Talk (in French) by Maryse Wright
Esher French Circle
7pm, Wednesday 18 February 2026
Village Hall, West End, Esher KT10 8LF
Maryse Wright’s talk (in French) will be about the Pantheon’s changing role over the centuries. King Louis XV laid the foundation stone of the Église de Sainte Geneviève in 1764, since when the building’s function has changed no less than six times.
The building in the Paris Latin Quarter became Le Panthéon during the French Revolution. Following the death of Mirabeau in 1791 and while the church was still under construction, it became France’s national necropolis for illustrious men. Voltaire and Rousseau were buried there in 1791 and 1794 respectively.
Following the burial on 21 February 2024 of French Resistance hero Missak Manouchian, the Pantheon now houses the remains of more than 80 well-known figures, including six women.
A relaxed way to keep up with France and the French
Esher French Circle offers monthly talks – in French – by native or fluent French speakers, for anybody interested in keeping up or improving their French, in a relaxed and convivial setting. The talks take place in West End Village Hall, Esher – except for March and April 2026, when they will be held at the Albert Arms in Esher.
The meetings are on the third Wednesday of most months and the doors open at 7pm. There is ample opportunity to mingle and chat over a cup of tea or coffee and biscuits before the main talk starts at 7.30pm.
Esher French Circle warmly welcomes anybody with an interest in France and French life, whatever their level of knowledge of the language.
Change of venue in March and April 2026
West End Village Hall will be closed for renovation in March and April, so Esher French Circle’s talks for those months will be held in:
The Albert Arms,
82 High Street,
Esher
KT10 9QS
2026 programme
Esher French Circle’s 2026 programme of talks (all in French), offers a continuing variety of themes and speakers:
18 March, in the Albert Arms: The political situation in France by Constance Bantman
18 April, in the Albert Arms: The French feminist pioneer Olympe de Gouges by Brigitte Thibaut
20 May, in West End Village Hall: Rosa Bonheur – an extraordinary artist by Catherine Greensmith
Our 2025-26 programme covers a range of topics – French life, culture, current affairs, music, history – that may be relevant to French A-level or degree studies.
The full 2025-26 programme is on the Circle’s web site:
www.cerclefrancais-esher.uk/programme-de-la-saison-2025-2026
Whatever the topic, our monthly talks are an opportunity to listen to and practise spoken French, in a relaxed and convivial setting.
For more information, or to discuss a planned visit, please contact the Circle’s secretary:
Anne Bell
annebell121@yahoo.co.uk
m 07796 698097
