The cercle de l'Union interalliée, also known as the Cercle interallié, is a private sports,

social Social organisms, including human(s), live collectively in interacting populations. This interaction is considered social whether they are aware of it or not, and whether the exchange is voluntary or not. Etymology The word "social" derives fro ...

and

dining club A dining club (UK) or eating club (US) is a Social club, social group, usually requiring membership (which may, or may not be available only to certain people), which meets for dinners and discussion on a regular basis. They may also often have g ...

established in 1917. The clubhouse is the Hôtel Perrinet de Jars at 33

rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré The Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré () is a street located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France. Relatively narrow and nondescript, especially in comparison to the nearby Champs-Élysées, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, it is cited as being on ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. It adjoins the British Embassy and an annex of the embassy of

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

. Because of its very central Paris address (a stone throw from the

Place de la Concorde The Place de la Concorde (; ) is a public square in Paris, France. Measuring in area, it is the largest square in the French capital. It is located in the city's eighth arrondissement, at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées. It was the s ...

), its majestic interiors and its beautiful French gardens, the clubhouse is often considered as one of the most beautiful if not the most prestigious in France. The club's second president was

Ferdinand Foch Ferdinand Foch ( , ; 2 October 1851 – 20 March 1929) was a French general, Marshal of France and a member of the Académie Française and French Academy of Sciences, Académie des Sciences. He distinguished himself as Supreme Allied Commander ...

Marshal of France Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...

, Field Marshal of the United Kingdom,

Marshal of Poland Marshal of Poland () is the highest rank in the Polish Army. It has been granted to only six officers. At present, Marshal is equivalent to a field marshal or general of the army (OF-10) in other NATO armies. History Today there are no living ...

and supreme commander of the

Allies of World War I The Allies or the Entente (, ) was an international military coalition of countries led by the French Republic, the United Kingdom, the Russian Empire, the United States, the Kingdom of Italy, and the Empire of Japan against the Central Powers ...

. The club includes royalty and political figures among its international members. The sports facility offers a 25m (5 lanes) swimming pool, squash courts, saunas, hammam, gym and training rooms, and is completed with a casual restaurant overlooking the swimming pool. A formal club dining room on the 1st floor and out in the garden during the summer months complete this club's amenities.

History

The Union Interalliée was founded in 1917, at the time of the official

American entry into World War I The United States entered into World War I on 6 April 1917, more than two and a half years after the war began in Europe. Apart from an Anglophile element urging early support for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British and an a ...

. This was after the voluntary aviators from the

Lafayette Escadrille The La Fayette Escadrille () was the name of the French Air Force unit escadrille N 124 during the First World War (1914–1918). This escadrille of the History of the Armée de l'Air (1909–1942)#World War I (1914–1918), ''Aéronautique Mil ...

had come to France to increase the number of those who were fighting for the same cause on French soil. The founders of the Union Interalliée (the Count of Beaumont, Paul Dupuy, the Count J. de Bryas, Arthur Meyer, MJ of Sillac) suggested establishing a place of welcome providing moral and material resources to the officers and personalities of the Allied nations, in order to develop the allied life that had just begun. Thanks to the support they received from several statesmen, ambassadors and field marshals and the assistance from new collaborators (Count of Andigne, Bardac, du Breuil Saint-Germain, André Citroën, L. Dumontet, the Count of Fels, who created, along with the former, the directing committee, chaired by Vice Admiral Fournier), they founded the Union Interalliée in one of the most beautiful mansions in Paris, the ''hotel Henri de Rothschild'', which had been generously offered to them. In 1920, the club, having set up a real estate company, acquired the building for the equivalent of today's €1,067,143. The war having ended, the need for the Union Interalliée was apparent to everybody, as it was more necessary than ever to maintain harmony between the people who had fought together. The work that had begun in 1917 received an official consecration in 1920 when the public authorities recognized its importance in diplomatic relations between the allied nations. On 1 June 1920, Marshal Foch became the second president of the Cercle. Since 1980, the Union Interalliée houses on its 3rd and 4th floor a separate club, the

Nouveau Cercle de l'Union A ''nouveau'' ( ), or ''vin (de) primeur'', is a wine which may be sold in the same year in which it was harvested. The most widely exported ''nouveau'' wine is French wine Beaujolais ''nouveau'' which is released on the third Thursday of N ...

. While all the members of that club are necessarily members of the Union Interalliée, this strictly

social club A social club or social organization may be a group of people or the place where they meet, generally formed around a common interest, occupation or activity with in an organizational association known as a Club (organization), club. Exampl ...

has its own identity and holds separate events. In 2004, Chilean-born American interior designer Juan Pablo Molyneux designed the interiors of the clubhouse.Charlotte Cowles
ARCHITECT OF DREAMS: JUAN PABLO MOLYNEUX: Designer Juan Pablo Molyneux creates his own castle in Manhattan.
''Harpers Bazaar'', January 27, 2015

Club founders in 1917

*Count Marc de Beaumont *Marquis de Bryas *Paul Dupuy *Arthur Meyer *Jean de Sillac *Count d'Andigné *S. Barbac *Mr. du Breuil de Saint-Germain *

André Citroën André-Gustave Citroën (; 5 February 1878 – 3 July 1935) was a French industrialist and the founder of French automaker Citroën. He is also remembered for his application of double helical gears. Life and career Born in Paris in 1878, A ...

*Léon Dumontet *Count Edmond de Fels *Vice-admiral Fournier

Presidents of the club

*1917-1920 : Vice-Admiral Fournier *1920-1928 : Marshal of France

*1928-1935 :

Jules Cambon Jules-Martin Cambon (5 April 1845 – 19 September 1935) was a French diplomat and brother of Paul Cambon. As the ambassador to Germany (1907–1914), he worked hard to secure a friendly détente. He was frustrated by French leaders such as Ray ...

*1935-1937 : Former President of France

Gaston Doumergue Pierre Paul Henri Gaston Doumergue (; 1 August 1863 in Aigues-Vives, Gard18 June 1937 in Aigues-Vives) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1924 to 1931. Tasked with important ministerial portfolios, he was first appo ...

*1938-1942 : Charles-Louis de Beauvau-Craon *1942-1953 : Admiral

Marie-Jean-Lucien Lacaze Marie-Jean-Lucien Lacaze (22 June 1860, Pierrefonds, Oise – 23 March 1955, Paris) was a French admiral, minister of Marine, préfet maritime and académicien. Biography Lacaze was born in Pierrefonds, Oise to a physician of Réunion, wher ...

*1953-1959 : Count Stanislas de Castellane *1959-1975 : Prince Jean-Louis de Faucigny-Lucinge *1975-1999 : Count Jean de Beaumont *1999-2009 : Pierre-Christian Taittinger *since 2009 : Count Denis de Kergorlay

Notable members

Alain Juppé Alain Marie Juppé (; born 15 August 1945) is a French politician. A member of The Republicans, he was Prime Minister of France from 1995 to 1997 under President Jacques Chirac, during which period he faced major strikes that paralysed the c ...

Jean-Charles de Castelbajac Jean-Charles, marquis de Castelbajac (born 28 November 1949), also known as JC/DC, is a French fashion designer. He has enjoyed international success with some of his creations, including a coat of teddy bears worn by pop star Madonna and by su ...

Valéry Giscard d'Estaing Valéry René Marie Georges Giscard d'Estaing (, ; ; 2 February 19262 December 2020), also known as simply Giscard or VGE, was a French politician who served as President of France from 1974 to 1981. After serving as Ministry of the Economy ...

* Nadine de

Rothschild Rothschild () is a name derived from the German ''zum rothen Schild'' (with the old spelling "th"), meaning "to the red shield", in reference to the houses where these family members lived or had lived. At the time, houses were designated by signs ...

* Maréchal Foch *

Hélène Carrère d'Encausse Hélène Carrère d'Encausse (; née Zourabichvili; 6 July 1929 – 5 August 2023) was a French political historian who specialised in Russian history. From 1999 until her death in 2023, she served as the Perpetual Secretary of the Académie Fra ...

* HRH Prince Jean of Luxembourg, Prince of Nassau * Sir Li Ka-shing

Reciprocal clubs in the world

There are a number of reciprocal clubs worldwide including: *Australia : Tasmanian Club; Australian Club, Sydney; Melbourne Club; Athenaeum Club, Melbourne;

Adelaide Club The Adelaide Club is an exclusive Gentlemen's club (traditional), gentlemen's club situated on North Terrace, Adelaide, North Terrace in the South Australian capital city of Adelaide. Founded in 1863, the club comprises members of the Adelaide E ...

*Belgium : Cercle Royal Gaulois *Canada :

Royal Canadian Yacht Club The Royal Canadian Yacht Club (RCYC) is a private yacht club in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1852, it is one of the world's older and larger yacht clubs. Its summer home is on a trio of islands (RCYC Island, South Island and North Chip ...

; Vancouver Club; Mount Royal Club; Royal Canadian Military Institute *Colombia : Gun Club; Jockey Club *England :

Royal Automobile Club The Royal Automobile Club is a British private Club (organization)#Country or sports club, social and athletic club. It has two clubhouses: one in London at 89 Pall Mall, London, Pall Mall, and the other in the countryside at Woodcote Park, ne ...

; The Arts Club;

Carlton Club The Carlton Club is a private members' club in the St James's area of London, England. It was the original home of the Conservative Party before the creation of Conservative Central Office. Membership of the club is by nomination and elect ...

;

East India Club The East India Club is a gentlemen's club founded in 1849 and situated at 16, St James's Square in London. The full title of the club is East India, Devonshire Club, Devonshire, Sports and Public Schools Club, Public Schools' Club due to mergers ...

;

The Hurlingham Club The Hurlingham Club is an exclusive private social and athletic club located in the Fulham area of London, England. Founded in 1869, it has a Georgian-style clubhouse set in of grounds. It is a member of the Association of London Clubs. Hi ...

; National Liberal Club; Naval & Military Club;

Oxford and Cambridge Club The Oxford and Cambridge Club is a traditional London Gentlemen's club, club. Membership is largely restricted to those who are members of the universities of University of Oxford, Oxford and University of Cambridge, Cambridge, including men an ...

;

Reform Club The Reform Club is a private members' club, owned and controlled by its members, on the south side of Pall Mall, London, Pall Mall in central London, England. As with all of London's original gentlemen's clubs, it had an all-male membership for ...

; Savage Club; Cavalry and Guards Club; Royal Air Force Club *Finland : Helsinki Bourse Club *Germany : Industrie-Club, Düsseldorf; International Club Berlin, IC-B, Berlin; Übersee-Club e.V., Hamburg *Hong Kong : Hong Kong Club, American Club of Hong Kong *Italy :

Circolo Canottieri Aniene The Circolo Canottieri Aniene is an Italian :it:Società polisportiva, multi-sport club based in Rome, founded in 1892. Main athletes Below is the list of the main athletes who have been in force in the ''Circolo Canottieri Aniene''. Swimming ...

, Rome; Circolo Artistico Tunnel, Genova; Circolo Bellini, Palermo; Circolo dell'Unione, Venezia; *Japan : Tokyo American Club *Kenya
Muthaiga Country Club
*Malta
The Casino Maltese
*The Netherlands: De Industrieele Groote Club, Amsterdam; Sociëteit De Witte, The Hague; *Peru: Club Nacional *Portugal
Club Portuense
*Singapore :

Tanglin Club The Tanglin Club is a private members' club in Singapore. The club has 4,000 principal members and reciprocal partnerships with over 130 private clubs. Its memberships begins at $100,000. History The Tanglin Club was founded in 1865. That year, ...

*South Africa : The Cape Town Club *Spain: Sociedad Bilbaina, Bilbao. Circulo Ecuestre, Barcelona. Real Gran Peña, Madrid *Sweden : The Royal Bachelors' Club, Nya Sällskapet, Stockholm *Switzerland : Club Baur au Lac, Grande Société de Berne *Turkey : Circle D'orient *United States : Harmonie Club of New York City, Army Navy Club of Washington, DC;

Cosmos Club The Cosmos Club is a 501(c)(7) private social club in Washington, D.C., that was founded by John Wesley Powell in 1878 as a gentlemen's club for those interested in science. Among its stated goals is, "The advancement of its members in science, ...

; Delaware Dining Society; Francisca Club, San Francisco;

Harvard Club of Boston The Harvard Club of Boston is a private social club located in Boston, Massachusetts. Its membership is open to alumni and associates of Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, and Fletcher School of Law and D ...

; Jonathan Club, Los Angeles;

Los Angeles Athletic Club Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC) is a privately owned Sports club, athletic club and social club in Los Angeles, California, Los Angeles, California, United States. Established in 1880, the club is today best known for its John R. Wooden Award pr ...

; Racquet Club of Philadelphia; Rainier Club, Seattle; Somerset Club, Boston; Standard Club of Chicago; Sulgrave Club, Washington, D.C.; Union Club of Boston; University Club of San Francisco; University Club of St. Louis; University Club of Washington, DC Metropolitan Club, San Francisco, CA; Algonquin Club, Boston, MA; Yale Club of New York City, New York City;

Century Association The Century Association is a private social, arts, and dining club in New York City, founded in 1847. Its clubhouse is located at 7 West 43rd Street near Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan. It is primarily a club for men and women with distinctio ...

, New York City; Metropolitan Club, Washington, DC.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cercle de l'Union interalliee Clubs and societies in France Dining clubs 1917 establishments in France