The Alliance Française Cambridge- Norwich invites you on the 20th of November 2025 at 6pm for a free talk in English entitled "The Forgotten Century" led by Amira Benbetka Renkal, a French author.

We will take you on a journey from the Louvre to the English countryside of the Regency era, as we reveal the inspirations behind Amira Benbetka Renkal's novel Le tableau du Hampshire. Together, we will explore how art, history, and love connect France and England across time — a tribute offered in the year marking the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth!

Find out more about Amira:

My name is Amira, I am 33 years old and I am from Paris. I have been living in Switzerland for almost three years and it is really since I moved here that I have been able to devote myself fully to writing my novels. I have always been passionate about romance. Being passionate about love stories and history, it was therefore natural for me to combine these two passions through historical romances. In my opinion, they combine emotion, romance and time travel in their narratives. Before publishing Le Tableau du Hampshire (Éditions Château d'âmes), I tried my hand at several literary genres, but my heart kept calling me back to stories that combine history and love. So, with Le Tableau du Hampshire, I decided to lay the foundation stone for this specialisation in historical romance. I like the idea that a love story revolves around the characters' shared literary and artistic passions, and that art is the starting point for the birth of their feelings. I also think that having lived in London for two years and spent my youth visiting museums in Paris has greatly influenced my literary style and the subjects I want to address in my writing.

Registration here