The Alliance Française de San Francisco's blog


We are thrilled to partner with Maria Castellucci Moore, a local award-winning children’s author who is donating a portion of proceeds to our organization! Her book, Vivienne in Paris, teaches kids about French culture through the eyes of a young girl who uses her five senses to explore Paris.  …

Earth Day Special - Mousse au chocolat anti gaspillage

Earth Day Special - Mousse au chocolat anti gaspillage

If you decide to make hummus this week, don't forget to save the chickpea juice to make a dessert! :)


🇫🇷ARTICLE IN FRENCH! 🇫🇷 Niveau : B2
Le jour de la Terre approche à grands pas ! Cet événement mondial qui est né aux Etats-Unis devient de plus en plus important chaque année. Son but ? Mettre en avant les préoccupations environnementales. Découvrons ce duo franco-britannique qui a traversé la France en ramassant tous les masques chirurgicaux jetés dans la nature.  

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Easter is a religious Catholic holiday, but it is nevertheless celebrated by many families in France, religious or not. As Easter Monday is a national holiday in France, French enjoy three days weekend each Easter. French word for Easter is Pâques, coming from Latin pascua, meaning passover. …

BRIOCHE DE PÂQUES

BRIOCHE DE PÂQUES

Easter is coming soon! If you are tired of eating chocolate, you can choose the Brioche de Pâques :) 

MOULES MARINIÈRES

MOULES MARINIÈRES

Discover with us the most common recipe in Belgium and northern France!


🇫🇷ARTICLE IN FRENCH! 🇫🇷 Niveau : B2/C1
En France, les blagues, canulars, rires et poissons sont à l’honneur le 1er Avril ! Mais pourquoi ? Découvre avec nous d’où vient cette tradition de coller des poissons dans le dos des autres !

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French Macarons

French Macarons

These small round cakes with different tastes are very famous in France. The cake has existed since the Middle Ages but the idea of assembling the two parts with ganache in the middle appeared in Paris in 1830. 


🇫🇷ARTICLE IN FRENCH! 🇫🇷 Niveau : B1/B2
L’Europe réunit de nombreuses cultures différentes propres à chaque pays qui la compose. De nombreux monuments célèbres sont la source même de l'activité touristique de ce territoire. En voici quelques-uns…

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World capital of wine, home to the largest reflecting pool in the world, breathing with art and history: if you are wondering which French city to visit, Bordeaux should definitely find a place to your list! …


🇫🇷ARTICLE IN FRENCH! 🇫🇷   Niveau : B1
Dans la liste des 29 pays francophones, nous retrouvons le Canada. En effet, le français est la deuxième langue maternelle de la population canadienne. Cependant, selon Statistique Canada, seulement 22,8% de la population y parle français comme première langue officielle. …


French cinematography has undoubtedly been providing the film industry world-wide with countless high-quality features throughout this and last century. Here are our tips for six French classics that you should definitely watch: …


Writer, philosopher, feminist, professor: Simone de Beauvoir is widely recognized for her writing as well as for laying foundation for a modern feminist movement. …


In this month of March, which celebrates International Women's Day, the Alliance française de San Francisco dedicates its week to women from Francophone countries. This year, the theme of the International Women’s Day is #EmbraceEquity. This year's theme is not only about women's struggle but also about inclusivity in general.  

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Although San Francisco is blooming in spring, Canadian snow-covered peak are in full skiing mode. Canadian Rockies are among the world-class ski resorts attracting thousands of winter sports lovers from all over the world. There is a great variety of resorts to choose from throughout the whole country, the most famous one are probably located in British Columbia and Alberta. Here are our tips for six five ski resorts in Canada: …

Champagne Ardent

Champagne Ardent

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone! It is time to savor a cocktail especially for this day, mostly based on Champagne, this name comes from the region in the North-East of France...


14th of February is a celebration of love in many countries all around the world. In some countries, like Spain or Finland, it is not just a celebration of romantic love, but also a celebration of friendship and generally people you love. With Paris being considered one of the most romantic cities in the world, City of Love some would say, France is of course also celebrating this special day! …


Have you ever noticed these photographs on the Alliance Francaise's walls? Inspired by Bresson, Bill's passion is street photography but also interesting angles of Paris and other cities! …


Are you a traveller searching for piece and calm and quietness? Are you tired of the hustle and bustle of the city life? New Caledonia is a heavenly paradise, still quite undiscovered by hoards of tourists, offering gorgeous beaches, rich culture and history and many remote islands. …


“To its great men, the grateful fatherland, ” says the inscription at the entrance of the Panthéon in Paris, a magnificent mausoleum honoring many heroes of French history, including Jean Jacques Rousseau, Victor Hugo or Voltaire. Only six of them are heroines though. Let’s uncover who these exceptional women were and what their stories that keep inspiring until today are.  …

Aligot

Aligot

This one is definitely a winter recipe! Aligot is a dish traditionally made in the south of Auvergne from melted Tomme cheese blended into mashed potatoes, often with garlic!


Are you a nature lover? Turquoise lakes, magnificent mountains, never-ending views? If yes, you have to visit Canada and its nationals parks. With over 17.2 million square foot of protected natural land, Canada was the first country in the world that established a national park service! …

Crêpes

Crêpes

Every year in February, France observes La Chandeleur, (Candlemas in English). The day is dedicated to eating crêpes, so here is our favourite recipe!


UNESCO World Heritage sites, dynamic university, vibrant atmosphere, cobblestone streets, rich culture and history: Lyon, France’s third largest city, has so much to offer! …

Parmentier de confit de canard

Parmentier de confit de canard

A real comfort food recipe! This shredded duck confit, topped by puréed potatoes is a must-try dish! 


Maria Curie is one of the most important and celebrated scientists not only of the 20th century, but of all time. Curie made noteworthy discoveries in the field of chemistry, physics and medicine with far-reaching influence up to this day. …

Ratatouille

Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a bright, thick summer vegetable dish, rich in olive oil, a vegetable dish from the south of France, particularly from the Nice region. It’s perfect to bring some summer vibes to this cold weather.

Moelleux au chocolat

Moelleux au chocolat

An easy recipe for a delicious French style moelleux au chocolat (also called molten chocolate cake), with liquid chocolate inside that runs out when cut... Miam!

Biscuits de Noël

Biscuits de Noël

In France too we have Christmas cookies! These are very popular in the Christmas markets in Europe. With a good taste of cinnamon, simple and easy to make, they will delight the whole family for the festivities!

Croque aux figues

Croque aux figues

A recipe inspired by the famous croque-monsieur, revisited for Christmas!


The holiday season is officially upon us! Today, let’s have a look at how French celebrate Christmas and what are their not so well known traditions during this holiday... Let’s uncover some of the differences between French Christmas and Christmas in other countries!  …

Brioche praline roses

Brioche praline roses

This dessert bread, topped with red pralines, is an iconic recipe from Lyon, France. It was made famous by baker Auguste Pralus in 1955!

Cocktail clementine spritz

Cocktail clementine spritz

This unique recipe made up of unique flavors that goes perfectly together will please the whole table for Christmas or New Year's Eve!

Pain d'epices

Pain d'epices

An old-fashioned classic, pain d'epice, also known as gingerbread, are perfect for the holiday season! This timeless and easy to make recipe is very popular in France!

Muffin chorizo

Muffin chorizo

Hearty and tasty, chorizo muffins are perfect for breakfast, lunch.. or even dinner! Healthy and protein-packed, it is one of our favorite recipes!

Camembert aux figues

Camembert aux figues

We forget everything with this recipe so comforting after a long week. A rich, runny, creamy, oven-baked camembert with a little rosemary and its gourmet, sweet touch provided by the figs roasted with honey and walnuts.

Tarte au chocolat

Tarte au chocolat

A true classic, the Tarte au chocolat is perfect for the holiday season! 


Christmas is slowly knocking at our door, but there is a period of waiting and preparing for Christmas, called Advent. How is it like in France? …


Mountains, greenery, beaches, historical sites: Haiti is a beautiful country located on the island of Hispaniola, third largest by area and the most populous in the Caribbean, inhabiting almost 12 million people. Haiti declared its independence from France in 1804, but French language still remain to be on of the official ones together with the Haitian Creole. Capital city is Port-au- Prince. Today we offer you 5 tips for what to do if you decide to visit Haiti. …


It is said that Normandy is the "orchard of France". Normandy, its apple orchards lined with green grass, as green as an apple! This fruit offers multiple gustatory possibilities and above all, seems to appreciate the oceanic climate of the region. Let's go and meet this fruit symbol of the Normandy region! …

Tarte normande aux pommes et à la crème

Tarte normande aux pommes et à la crème

The Norman pie is a culinary specialty of Normandy. It is an apple pie with a filling of flour, eggs, cream and sugar. In any case, the Norman pie is an essential element of the Norman cultural identity. The production of apples is important in all the territories of Lower and Upper Normandy, and each Norman country prides itself on producing the best Norman pie.


We continue the world tour of the French-speaking world. This week, the Alliance française de San Francisco takes you to Cambodia! Cambodia is a country in Southeast Asia known for its Angkor Wat sites and temples, its heavenly beaches and its Khmer culture. Because of the French colonial past, Cambodia has today 400 000 French speaking people Planning to visit Cambodia? Discover our selection of must-sees to enjoy the many wonders of the land of smiles! …

Quiche Lorraine

Quiche Lorraine

🍽️ This week's menu: quiche lorraine! The true traditional recipe of the quiche lorraine, it is a beautiful pure butter pastry, eggs, cream, smoked bacon but no cheese. Easy and essential. The first written records of quiche lorraine are found on March 1st 1586 at the Duke of Lorraine's house, then in Nancy just a little later.


Marvelous coastline, fascinating countryside, impressive castles and churches and picturesque ancient towns: this week we invite you to explore the French region of Normandy! …


Françoise Sagan (real name Françoise Quoirez) is a French novelist born on June 21, 1935 in Cajarc (Lot) and died in Honfleur (Calvados) on September 24, 2004. In 1954, when she was only 18 years old, she met the success and the celebrity... Described as a "charming little monster" by François Mauriac, she also published biographies, plays, songs, and collaborated in the writing of screenplays and film dialogues. But she is also known for having regularly defrayed the social and judicial chronicle. …

Célion Dion: international French-speaking star

Célion Dion: international French-speaking star

Discover today the biography of Celine Dion, whom you already know for her international career in English. But did you know that Celine Dion is also a French-speaking star? We tell you everything in this article!

Panisses

Panisses

Discover today one of the specialities of the south of France: the panisses!From Italy to Provence, Panisse is one of the well known specialties of Nice and Marseille.

Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived !

Beaujolais Nouveau has arrived !

It's almost time to celebrate Beaujolais Nouveau in France! Every third Thursday of November, the French celebrate the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau. But what does this wine festival consist of? We tell you everything in this article!


France has several mountainous areas, including the most famous, the Alps. And wherever you go, one thing you can be sure of is a spectacular mountain landscape. Among the 232 ski resorts open in France, we have prepared a selection of the best places to spend your vacations.  France has the best of the best in ski areas. From the smallest to the biggest, from the most exclusive to the most authentic, from the festive to the family-oriented, you are bound to find what you are looking for! Let's get started! …


Today, in our series of powerful French women, discover the figure of Simone Veil, probably one of the most important French politicians. Young Auschwitz survivor, Minister of Health at the origin of the legalization of abortion, President of the European Parliament, immortal at the French Academy... A look back at an exceptional career. Discover the story of this woman with an incredible destiny. …

Les gougères

Les gougères

The gougère is a Burgundian speciality, composed of choux pastry and cheese, the cheese being mixed with the choux pastry still warm before cooking. The Burgundian gougère is mentioned from "goiere" at the end of the 14th century, with the meaning of cheese pie. The gougère is a dish eaten after the dish, at the time of the cheese, it is today frequently consumed with the aperitif, it is also appreciated during the tasting of wines.


Today, the Alliance française de San Francisco takes you to discover the Burgundy region with the city of Chalon-sur-Saône, located between Dijon and Lyon. 

Discover below a selection of must-do's to discover the city of Chalon-sur-Saône and its surroundings. …

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1345 Bush Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
Tel: +1 (415) 775-7755
E-mail: afsf@afsf.com

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