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Recipe: Gratin Dauphinois
With the arrival of winter, there is nothing like a good gratin dauphinois to warm up and enjoy! Follow the recipe!
Reconstruction de Notre Dame : Deux Années après l'incendie
The reconstruction of Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral is finally ready to begin following 2 years of efforts to save the remaining parts of the
iconic structure after it was damaged in a devastating 2019 fire. The project is seeking to meet President Emmanuel Macron’s ambitious
plan to reopen the cathedral within 5 years just in time for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Recipe : Soupe au potiron
The fall has come, and our recipes come with it! Discover the recipe for the Soupe de Potiron, not to be confused with Pumpkin soup. Potiron is a smaller sweeter, and nuttier version of the pumpkin making for an even better soup!
L'Arc de Triomphe Empaqueté : Tribute to Artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude
The Arc de Triomphe - one of the most famous monuments on Paris - is currently shrouded in fabric, as a tribute to the late artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude. The art installation will be in place from September 18th to Oct 3rd and has drawn throngs of visitors and art lovers to see the work.
France-Amérique launches its app!
To celebrate la rentrée in September, France-Amérique Magazine is launching its mobile app, available to download for free on the App Store and Google Play. Remember, AF members get 30% OFF their yearly subscription!
French tips: perfect your French with the Bonjour French film course
Bonjour French Films is a class that touches all facets of cinema to help people discover its richness. The students are led to discover a new way of appreciating the short films and trailers, the extracts, the posters, the actors and finally, the synopsis of a film which will be support of exchanges and discussions. A fun way to continue to progress in French and to discover the Francophonie!
French tips: Learn French with songs
Listening to music is not only a great way to learn new vocabulary, but also to learn more about French culture through the lens of different artists. Discover some Francophone artists here...
Recipe: Salade Niçoise
French people love eating salads and you can easily find this delicious Salade Nicoise in a high end restaurant to ready-to-go deli section. Let’s find out and eat what makes this salad so healthy and delicious!
Demystifying the French: A Panel Discussion
We have all heard clichés about the French: they would be rude,romantic or would eat frogs. But what is true?
The Federation of Alliances Françaises USA is hosting an online discussion to demystify the French...
Joséphine Baker: Activist américaine to enter French Panthéon
American-born French performer Joséphine Baker will enter into Paris' Panthéon of national heroes, making her the first black woman to receive the honor. Her induction into the Panthéon recognizes her contribution to the performing arts and her courage in actively resisting Nazi Germany during the war.
Recipe: Kouign Amann
We are sure you will love this pastry essentially made of butter, sugar, butter, dough, and of course, butter! Discover the recipe for the well-known Kouign-Amann of Bretagne, a flaky buttery caramelized sugar filled pastry!
Marseille in Focus: Where Reality meets Fiction
Marseille is in the news this week. French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled a multibillion-euro plan to turn Marseille into what he calls a world port city with programs to improve crime, schools and culture. Many of these same themes played out in the original NetFlix series called Marseille. See where reality meets fiction.
Francophonie - Expressions
Are you interested in speaking French like a native? One of the ways to master your French is to learn expressions and idioms to describe situations and talk about daily life.
La Rentrée en France: A Time for New Beginnings
Early September marks a unique annual event in France – la rentrée. Summer holidays have come to an end, and it’s time for work, school and normal life. There is new stock in the shops, new TV programmes, new book releases and cultural events all over the country.
En Vadrouille 9...La Suisse Romande
Let yourself be guided during a walk to discover the French-speaking part of Switzerland, along Lake Geneva. An itinerant discovery that will take us to Vevey and Montreux.
Monet by the Water
“The illusion of an endless whole, of water with no horizon and no shore” - Claude Monet. This December, an immersive Monet exhibition is coming to San Francisco, learn more about this unique digital art exhibition already featured in Barcelona, Brussels and Turin.
Understanding French Schools from La Rentrée to Le Bac
With all of the recent Back to School (La Rentrée) activities kicking off the new school year, you may be wondering about how the French education system works.
French Tips: Discover Switzerland and some vocabulary!
Discover a travel checklist of activities to do in Switzerland , useful vocabulary for your trip, and an episode of our podcast En Vadrouille about this beautiful country!
Le Grand Débat: Patrimoine: faut-il tout préserver?
Students in one of our B1 classes argued in a piece of French writing either for or against the preservation of Le Patrimoine. We would like to share with you some of the great work done by these students!
Discover the new AFSF learning method: the "Inspire" method.
French would be too difficult to learn?
At the Alliance Française de San Francisco, we have chosen a new learning method called "Inspire", which places the student at the
heart of the learning process and develops his/her autonomy in French.
Les Parfums de France: Discover Mysteries the Nose Knows
Explore the art of creating French perfumes which can be as complex and mysterious as the world of winemaking. A new documentary Nose exposes secrets about the sensory magic of making transportive perfumes.
Recipe: Crêpes
Would you like a quick and easy recipe to enjoy with others? Discover the recipe for orange blossom crepes!
Get ready for your French journey! #2 - About Covid-19, etc.
You are planning a trip to France soon or you are already in France and you wonder about the latest news and requirements to travel to France from the USA and to visit the country? Here are some useful links for you.
August 15: What is this French holiday about?
You know about Bastille Day on July 14, but do you know what is celebrated on August 15, the second summer holiday in France?
French Tips: Mon Quotidien News for Tweens and Kids
DIscover essential newspapers en français for your kids. Its real news adapted to younger readers. Interesting themes are explored in each issue with brief articles and informative graphics that draw the readers in.
Recipe: Croque-Monsieur
Discover this week's recipe for croque-monsieur, an easy-to-make dish with plenty of alternatives to suit everyone's tastes!
Discover the "Immersive Van Gogh" exhibition
Experience Van Gogh's art like never before with the ''Immersive Van Gogh" exhibition!
French Focus on Reading : La lecture déclarée Grande Cause Nationale
La Lecture Grande Cause Nationale aims to revitalize the relationship that younger generations have with books promoting the practice of reading at all ages. The program addresses illiteracy and promotes the French language around the world.
Recipe: Pain perdu (French Toast)
Looking for a quick and easy way to finish your leftovers? Check out “Pain perdu” (or French Toast)!
Swiss National Day celebrated in Northern California
On August 1st, 2021, let's celebrate Swiss National Day with our hosts, Diane Wagner and Erich Sonnberger! On that occasion, featuring Swiss clubs all over Northern California, a virtual TV show and an online auction are organized by the United Swiss Societies of Northern California, Inc.
French Literature in the USA : Rencontre des Auteurs Francophones
Rencontre des Auteurs Francophones introduces French-language authors from around the world to increase their awareness in the USA and provide a source of exchange between French-speaking writers and readers.
Recipe: Madeleines
Discover the recipe for madeleines, delicious cakes to share for a snack!
French Tips: Discover the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and some vocabulary!
The Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region has the place of honor! Discover a travel checklist of activities to do there, useful vocabulary for your trip, and an episode of our podcast En Vadrouille about this beautiful French region!
En Vadrouille 8...Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
En Vadrouille... is back with a special all-level episode! We meet today for a slow bike ride on along the Via Rhôna...
"Say très good" - A Mediterranean bistro with Parisian influences
Wanna support small hidden food gems located in the Bay Area? In this new episode, the team of "Say très good" brings you to a Mediterranean bistro with Parisian influence, in San Francisco.
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.