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French Tips: Getting to know French Wines
The fascinating world of French wines is vast. The many wine names, regions, appellations, grape varieties, and so on might seem confusing indeed! Ever wondered what the terms terroir and appellation mean? Or what French wine to pair with your next meal?
Recipe: Charlotte au chocolat
Combining chocolate mousse and cookie, discover this dessert very appreciated by the French: the chocolate Charlotte!
Get ready for your French journey! #1
New to French and would like to learn some basics before your trip to France? Visit our French for Travelers workshop and worry no more.
Les Fables de la Fontaine: A Bedrock of French Culture
Les Fables de la Fontaine are considered a classic of French literature, and a cornerstone of common French culture. The year 2021 marks the 400th anniversary of the birth of Jean de La Fontaine and celebrations are being held throughout France to honor the famous French poet and fabulist.
Recipe: Flammekueche
Are you looking for a friendly dish to enjoy with friends as an appetizer or starter? Here is the Flammekueche.
Recipe: Crème Brûlée
Looking for an easy-to-cook, single-serve gourmet dessert? Try the Crème Brûlée recipe!
Vocabulary tips: the beach vacation
With the beginning of summer and the vacations coming, it's time to go back to the beach! But do you know the vocabulary of the beach in French? Between the beach clothes, nature, or the various activities, discover new words to perfect your knowledge of the French language.
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Our Partners: San Francisco Playhouse
Discover our partnership with San Francisco Playhouse!
Bastille Day reading on Culturethèque
Bastille Day is a holiday celebrating the storming of the Bastille—a military fortress and prison—on July 14, 1789, in a violent uprising that helped usher in the French Revolution. You can discover many great novels set in this important historical period on your AFSF Culturethèque e-library.
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Discover COLCOA virtual cinema, an organization supported by the Federation of Alliances Françaises USA
Brought to you by the producers of COLCOA FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL, the annual showcase of Premieres and
Awards in Hollywood, COLCOA VIRTUAL CINEMA is your pay-per-view platform in the U.S. dedicated to movies and series
produced or co produced in France.
Lady Liberty to Meet Her ‘Little Sister’
As French and American Independence celebrations kick off in July, how better to honor our shared values of freedom, democracy and equality than with Lady Liberty herself. After gifting the original statue 135 years ago, France is sending a second, smaller Lady Liberty across the Atlantic just in time for July 4th.
Recipe: Macarons
You've seen Emily taste many Ladurée macarons in the series Emily in Paris and you too want to try this delicious pastry? Discover our recipe for homemade macaroons, without having to buy a ticket to eat them in the French capital!
Vocabulary tips: enjoy your summer with a barbecue and a pique-nique
Summer is back! And with it, barbecues and picnics! If you want to enjoy your picnic with your soulmate in France, to impress your grandma at the family barbecue or even just to learn, here are a few vocabulary tips for barbecues and "pique-niques".
LUPIN Inspirational Novel Series on Culturethèque
The French international hit mystery television series LUPIN just released its much anticipated second season this month on Netflix to the delight of its viewers. Be sure to explore the entire inspirational novel series about Arsène Lupin written by Maurice Leblanc on your AFSF Culturethèque e-library.
Recipe: Profiteroles
Want to impress your guests with a gourmet and timeless recipe? Find out how to make profiteroles!
Slam creation by Pallavi for World Music Day
In the framework of World Music Day, some AFSF students have been studying "le slam" (oral, urban poetry, declaimed on a rhythmic in a public place). Pallavi shares her creation with us.
Fête de la Musique 2021 with Alliances Françaises of California
Let's celebrate together World Music Day! On June 19 and June 21, the Alliances Françaises of California bring music to your home!
Let's celebrate Quebec National Day!
En Harmonie: Let's celebrate Québec's National Day with the musical event "En Harmonie"
Proust for Beginners
Have you read Marcel Proust? Do you just pretend to have read him? Are you afraid to even crack open In Search of Lost Time? No need to panic. Barnard’s Caroline Weber, a Proust expert, introduces us to the man, his milieu, his era and his writing.
History of Fête de la Musique
Have you ever asked yourself how did the fête de la musique start?...Born in the early 1980s, the Fête de la Musique is now celebrated in
nearly 120 countries. A popular festival that brings together a multitude of actors, actresses, spectators, between organized and
improvised scenes, from amateur practices to concerts orchestrated by associations and institutions.
Finding an accommodation in Paris
Do you want to move to Paris temporarily or forever, and you don't know how to find housing? Let's see some helpful tips...
Recipe : Honey-roasted Camembert
Wanting to discover a new way to cook French cheese? Here is the recipe for honey-roasted Camembert!
French tips from AFSF learners : Margarita tells you her tips to learn French language
This week, Margarita shares with you her French learning journey with some practice tips.
"Quand j’ai commencé mon apprentissage de la langue française, tout était difficile pour moi: la grammaire, la prononciation, la
conversation et l'écoute - toutes les nuances de la langue..."
French tips from AFSF students: Kim shares her tips to learn the French language
Kim, a French learner in an advanced level class at the AFSF, shares some of her good habits with you to improve your French skills easily each day. Bonus: she wrote her tips in French! So let's practice like her.
En Vadrouille 7 - Centre Val-de-Loire
In this podcast we like to go off the beaten tracks. That's why we will talk with Laura Capazza Durand, the current president of the gallery Capazza. A special place in the lands of Sologne, into the woods, dedicated to contemporary art.
Les châteaux de la Loire
Discover the renowned castles of the Loire. Did you know that the area immediately surrounding the Loire River is home to over 300 châteaux (castles)?
Summer Reading on Culturethèque
The 7th annual Partir en Livre series of events takes place throughout France, from June 30 to July 25, 2021, around the theme “Mer et merveilles” (Sea and wonders). Conveniently timed with the completion of the school year, this annual celebration keeps reading top of mind as children head off on summer vacations with their families.
France's borders reopening
Foreigners and French people are waiting so much for the borders to reopen this summer! Fortunately, the country has planned this reopening in several steps.
Recipe: Tarte Tatin
Looking for a new gourmet way to cook your apples? Let us introduce you to Tarte Tatin! This dessert is originating from Centre-Val de Loire
and was invented according to the legend by two sisters living in the region: Caroline and Stéphanie Tatin. This is how this cake took their
name to be called tarte Tatin!
Frameline Festival
This festival is also known as the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival. Their mission is to highlight LGBTQ+ cinema in the Bay Area and accross the world. For the Pride Month, AFSF presents you 2 movies promoted on Frameline...
Learning French in a group setting
Have you considered what a group course can bring to you ?
Here is a sample of what students say about what they like in their (online) French group courses at the Alliance Française de San
Francisco.
Recipe: Clafoutis
Looking for a delicious dessert made with seasonal fruits? Let us introduce you to Clafoutis.
Gustave Flaubert Bicentennial on Culturethèque
The year 2021 marks the bicentennial anniversary of the birth of Gustave Flaubert, one of France’s most famous and influential writers, and the leader of the literary realism movement. Discover many of Flaubert’s renowned books and publications on the Culturethèque e-library.
San Francisco Documentary Festival
On the occasion of San Francisco Documentary Festival, the AFSF co-presents Laura Lamanda's "Lost and Found in
Paris"(2020)!
"It's a never-ending flow. All day long, people come to the reception desk at the Lost and Found Office. They want to retrieve their
belongings, they're in a hurry. But..."
Virtual Transatlantic Symposium
June 7-9, the Office for Science and Technology of the Embassy of France in the United States, in partnership with the Global Council for Science and Environment (GCSE), will lead a virtual symposium focused on sharing the environmental work of leading French and American universities and research organizations.
Recette - Le poulet basquaise
The "poulet basquaise" is a culinary speciality originating from the traditional cuisine of the Basque country. It is recognized in particular thanks to the colours of the dish which are the same to the colours of the Basque flag (green, white and red).
Paris Capital of Fashion
Paris, the French capital, is known worldwide as the capital of fashion. Why has this city become the capital of fashion and not another?
Paris – Ville de Lumière sur Culturethèque
Explore a host of titles with plots centered around Paris for readers of all ages available on the AFSF Culturethèque e-library. If you find yourself daydreaming about the City of Light, picking up a book set in Paris might be the best solution for your yearning.Bonne Lecture sur Paris !
En Vadrouille 6 - L'Île-de-France
En Vadrouille meets with the parisian fashion house Zyga: Stéfanie Rivière, model maker; Brigitte Galves, stylist, as well as Laura Pianko, communications director. A shock team that puts the spotlight on the fashion capital.
Virtual visits in Paris
Do you want to visit Paris but you can not travel at the moment due to Covid-19? We invite you to discover 3 famous Parisian monuments through virtual tours while waiting for the reopening of the borders!
"Say très good" - where can one find good smoked meat or poutine in the Bay Area ?
Wanna discover some of the Bay’s Area food hidden gems?! Let's do it with Say Très Good! A concept born with 3 French friends and food lovers, who decided to support small hidden food gems located in the Bay Area.
Recipe: Aligot
A French alternative to Mac & Cheese? L'aligot is a dish made of Tomme cheese and smashed potatoes. Take a look at this easy recipe from Auvergne.
Occitania
This region of the South of France attracts many people from all around the world and is full of traditions and customs. Toulouse,
Montpellier, Carcassonne, Nîmes are some of the main cities you may have heard of.
Regional languages in France
Do you know that people speak specific regional languages in several regions of France, also more commonly called “patois”? Although these regional languages are not considered official languages, they are taught in schools where the dialect is spoken.
En Vadrouille 5 - L'Occitanie
Occitania is the third most visited region in France! It has 8 UNESCO sites, including: Cirque de Gavarnie, les Cévennes, Gorges du Tarn, Albi, Canal du Midi, Pont du Gard...Do you know about them?
Perfume Masterclass
To discover more about perfume, its making or significations, the AFSF receives Anastasia Sokolow, founder of French Perfume House, Sulékó.
Discover the Parisian Métro
The popular Paris Métro theme returns to the national Alliance Française stage this Spring, with a focus on the Métro’s influence on the arts.
Benjamin Piat private session for the release of his album "Eldorado"
Exclusive encounter with the artist Benjamin Piat for the release of "Eldorado"
En Vadrouille 4 - La Bourgogne
Meet the master chef Jean-Michel Lorain to discuss about Burgundian gastronomy and his success carreer!
En Vadrouille 3 - La Nouvelle-Aquitaine
La Nouvelle-Aquitaine - Un savoir-faire viticole.
Talking about wine when making a podcast about the French regions is obvious! The question is more to know which region to spotlight. Well,
we have chosen the Nouvelle-Aquitaine, with the wines of Bordeaux!