Alliance Française Gainesville

Upcoming cultural events & Café C. fall dates
2022-09-30 09:00 - 19:30 UTC
Cultural events for 09/30/2022 have been cancelled due to hurricane Ian. New dates to be announced in the future.

French-Francophone cultural connections!

Chers amis,
1. Please visit the Florida Heritage Food Symposium on Friday, September 30, anytime from 9 AM to 4:30 PM at the Blount Center, 401 NW 6th Street.
Registration for this indoor event is here. It is free with parking nearby.
You will enjoy student research and artwork by students in the Humanities at Santa Fe College (SFC). The posters and paintings were done thanks to a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to encourage local farmers to raise crops that match the culinary tastes and traditions of Florida’s increasingly diverse population. One presentation by our own Elizabeth Ziffer on potager herbs will inspire teachers from pre-school to college to do lessons about these plants and their healthful uses. Organic growers and farmers market representatives will also speak. Bring some cash if you want to sample any food truck treats. Attending this event will give you “food for thought” at our next AFG Café Conversation (dates below).

2. Also on Friday, September 30 at 7:30 PM, you may enjoy a concert of classical music including a French composer in the Jackson N. Sasser Fine Arts Hall at the SFC Northwest Campus, 3000 NW 83 rd Street.Tickets are available from the Fine Arts Hall box office at 352-395-4181 or online from Showpass
Pianist Mitch McKay, professor of music in the Fine Arts and Entertainment Technology Department, will be joined by SF’s new viola professor, Maurya Dickerson, and by flutist Christine Alicot of The Gainesville Orchestra.
On the program are works by J.S. Bach, Franz Schubert, Maurice Duruflé and SF Music Professor Sheila Forrester, who is a composer of classical music. Alicot, principal flutist with The Gainesville Orchestra, will join McKay in performance of Forrester”s “Sonata for Flute and Piano.”
While Bach and Schubert need no introductions to classical music aficionados, Maurice Duruflé is not as well known. Duruflé was a French composer, organist, musicologist and teacher who lived from 1902 to 1986. He was assistant organist at Notre Dame cathedral in Paris and the titular organist at Saint-Étienne-du-Mont, also in Paris. His compositions include pieces for the organ, piano, orchestra, and chorus, as well as chamber music. The musicians will end the concert with Duruflé’s “Prélude Récitatif et Variations, Op. 3.”

3. Our Café conversation dates for in-person gatherings are Sunday evenings, October 30 and November 27, and our Winter Holiday party is planned for Friday, December 16. We welcome your suggestions for venues that have outdoor seating.Hoping to see you soon! Stay healthy and safe. Prenons bien soin de nous!
Cordialement,
AFG Board
president@afgainesville.com

https://afgainesville.com/

Vital issues France-USA : le planning familial
2022-10-30 18:00 - 19:00 | Sun Center East, 101 SE 2nd Place, #201-L, Gainesville, FL, 32601, United States
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Vital issues France-USA : le planning familial

Chers amis,
This coming Sunday, October 30, 2022, 6:00 – 7:00 pm, Café Conversation will welcome our AFG member: Dr. Flora Iff-Noel (Assistant Professor in the UF Classics Department). We will have the privilege of learning from Flora about a vital issue: the history of Le planning familial in France!
Interestingly, Flora’s grandmother Simone Iff (née Balfet) was a leader for women’s rights in France, and streets have been named in her honor [Wikipedia] Flora was very close to Simone, and that part of the story is truly heartwarming. Flora will use both French and English depending on her audience’s wishes.
We encourage car-pooling to this in-person event. Parking in the Sun Center is free! Just have your license tag and vehicle information with you at sign-in upstairs (There is no elevator, sorry). If the cozy conference room is not big enough, we will move to the foyer area next door. Masks encouraged.
The address is our very own office and classroom space: Sun Center East, 101 SE 2nd Place – Suite 201-L, Gainesville FL 32601. A sign – or someone live at the glass doors of both the north and south sides of the building – will be there to direct you!
Please note that Flora is also organizing an interdisciplinary conference on the topic at UF which will take place on campus next Tuesday and is free and open to the public. (https://humanities.ufl.edu/event/a-short-history-of-contraception-and-abortion-in-france-and-the-united-states/)
We hope to see you at our event, this Sunday evening! Some of us will be there early at 5:30 for extra French conversation practice, and you may want to join Flora for extended sharing over dinner afterwards at a nearby restaurant with outdoor seating.
Cordialement,
AFG Board
https://afgainesville.com/
president@afgainesville.com

America’s French Roots
2022-11-05 14:00 - 15:00
Bonjour les Alliances Françaises du Golfe du Mexique,
You may be interested in the upcoming event with Trustee Professor and author Joan DeJean. Ms. DeJean will be speaking about her book, Mutinous Women: How French Convicts Became Founding Mothers of the Gulf Coast, and tracing the path of one of these women deported in 1719 all the way to her present-day ancestors, who will be joining us for the Zoom event.
This event is free for all AF members. However, you must pre-register.
You can find the registration link at the bottom of the description page. It is
labeled “Click here to register.”

America’s French Roots

December Events on 12-08, 12-16, and more!
2022-12-08 17:30
Bonjour Members and Friends!

We hope you are starting the Winter Holidays in good health and in good company!

We have three announcements that might interest you this holiday season:
On a musical note, Francophones and Francophiles can attend a free concert on Thursday, December 8, 2022, 5:30 PM, at University of Florida campus, Music Building, Room 101. For parking information, please visit UF’s Transportation and Parking website.

Café Conversation will be on Friday, December 16, 4 PM, at Curia On The Drag, 2029 NW 6th Street. We look forward to conversation en plein air over their coffee shop treats. Bring your questions and ideas for Spring 2023 classes and programs.
Our following Café C. is planned for Sunday, January 22, 2023, 4:30 PM. Deborah Ziffer, Elizabeth’s sister, will talk about her 2-month cycling adventure between France and Spain on Le Chemin de Saint-Jacques. Stay tuned for our future announcements.

Here is a gift opportunity (even for yourself!): The Federation of Alliances Françaises USA, of which we are an affiliate, has negotiated a 50% discount on Bonjour Paris magazine subscriptions as a perk for all AF members. AF members pay half price ($30 for the year instead of $60).
Speaking of reading about France, here is another inspirational story. In this season where the themes of light, respite, and hope for our world are emphasized, Hélène (one of our teachers) asked us to share this article: “France’s plan for solar panels“.
Best wishes to everyone for this holiday season!
AFG Board
www.afgainesville.com
president@afgainesville.com

Journey Through France and Spain
2023-01-22 16:30 - 18:30 | Forest of the Unicorn Club House, 4500 Sherwood Trace, , Gainesville, FL, 32605
Bonjour Members and Friends!

We hope you can attend a special presentation to kick off Café Conversation for 2023 : Le Chemin de Saint-Jacques en vélo (the Way/Camino of St. James by bicycle) by Deborah Ziffer (Elizabeth’s sister) who will show and tell us about her recent two-month adventure.

Your attendance will be a great way to make or renew your Gainesville Francophile and Francophone friendships! Bring a friend and your singing voices. With her guitar, Debby will teach us “Le Chant des Pèlerins” (“The Song of the Pilgrims”) which everyone can join in on for the refrain.

When: Sunday, January 22, 2023, 4:30 PM.
Where: Forest of the Unicorn Clubhouse (4500 Sherwood Trace, Gainesville)
Directions:

From NW 39th Ave, turn north (at the traffic light) onto 24th Blvd. Go to NW 45th Ave (“The Lakes”) and turn left. Take your first right (Sherwood Trace). There will be a fork in the road with an arrow to the clubhouse. Go past the reserved spots (if you do not need accessibility) to more parking in the rear.
From NW 53rd Ave, turn south onto 24th Blvd. Go to NW 45th Ave (“The Lakes”) and turn right. Take your first right (Sherwood Trace). There will be a fork in the road with an arrow to the clubhouse. Go past the reserved spots (if you do not need accessibility) to more parking in the rear.

If you can come to this joyful New Year’s reunion, please let Elizabeth know by replying to president@afgainesville.com

Note that AFG Spring French classes and lessons (private or semi-private) will start on February 13 and run for ten weeks! Check Courses on our website, email us with any questions, and register starting January 30.Cordialement,
Elizabeth Ziffer et Haydée Britton
President and Vice-President
Alliance Française de Gainesville
101 SE 2nd Place- Suite 201-L
Gainesville, Florida 32601
https://afgainesville.com/

February Fun
2023-02-18 08:00 - 17:00
Spring is in the air! Mark these dates:
❥ Feb 1 at 7:30 PM : Pianist Mitch McKay in concert, featuring Christine Alicot (flute) and Maurya Dickerson (viola). This event was originally planned for last September but got canceled due to Hurricane Ian. Santa Fe College, Jackson N. Sasser Fine Arts Hall. Tickets.

❥ Feb 1-12 : registration is open for our Spring courses. Details here!
❥ Feb 18 at 5:00 PM : Café Conversation at Edith Cofrin Nature Park. Come to plan our cultural participation at the Haile Farmers Market on April 8! The theme will be Herbs and Roots! We have exciting ideas (cooking demonstration and tasting, dance, egg hunt, games, songs, speaker), and we would like YOU to help AFG be a strong Francophone cultural presence that morning (la veille de Pâques). RSVP to president@afgainesville.com

❥ Feb 14, 21, and 28 at 12:00 PM : FREE 30-minute Pétanque clinics, Courtesy of Gainesville Pétanque (GP) at San Felasco City Park. GP and AFG have been associated informally for years, and it’s a great time to renew our friendship and affirm our common interests!
❥ Feb 17 at 7:30 PM : Ruby Gala: Celebrating Gainesville Orchestra’s 40th Anniversary at 6 PM, Concert at 7:30 PM. Santa Fe College, Jackson N. Sasser Fine Arts Hall. Details.
Looking forward to seeing you very soon!
Cordialement,
Elizabeth et Haydee
https://afgainesville.com/

Copyright © 2023 Alliance Francaise de Gainesville, All rights reserved.

Upcoming Events In March 2023
2023-03-01
En marche pour mars et début avril :
3 Cafés C. with a purpose + a concert !

Join us at any of the upcoming Café Conversation meetings:
𝄞 Friday, March 3
𝄞 Sunday, March 19
𝄞 Saturday, April 1
We’ll be preparing for a casual group performance at the Roots and Herbs festival at Haile Farmers Market (April 8, 8:30 AM-noon). These practice sessions will be at the shelter of Cofrin Nature Park from 4:30 – 6 PM when the park closes. You do not have to attend all three, but the more often the better!
In case of rain, a notice will be sent to the participants to reschedule.

Our repertoire: “Au clair de la lune” (with harmony) and “Dans la forêt…” (Coucou), and with the children of École Française who will join us: “Sur le pont d’Avignon”, “Alouette”, “Savez-vous planter les choux”.
You don’t have to have a “great” voice – just a love of French tunes and pronunciation! Guitar and other accompanists are welcome. These gatherings are wonderful opportunities to meet up, to converse in French and English, and to network with each other.
We are also organizing a tasting experience of ratatouille aux herbes de Provence to be served from our AFG booth on the April 8th market day. Volunteers needed! The time together is energizing!

On a more classical note:
This Sunday, March 5, 4 PM: Organ concert at First Presbyterian Church by organist Olivier Latry of Notre Dame de Paris. Preregister at First Presbyterian Church , and let us know by return email to president@afgainesville.com so we can sit together! The event will conclude with a Q&A with Olivier Latry. Weather permitting, we can then migrate to a nearby eatery for an outdoor dinner together.
Chanter – c’est la santé!
Elizabeth, Haydée & toute la bande
https://afgainesville.com/

Events in April 2023
2023-04-01 16:30 - 2023-04-30 12:00
Café C. on April 1 and Meet at the Market on April 8!

Join us at these events:
𝄞 Saturday, April 1
Café Conversation (and last practice for April 8th)
𝄞 Saturday, April 8
We’ll be preparing for a casual group performance at the Roots and Herbs festival at Haile Farmers Market (April 8, 8:30 AM-noon).
These practice sessions will be at the shelter of Cofrin Nature Park from 4:30 – 6 PM when the park closes. You do not have to
attend all three, but the more often the better!
In case of rain, a notice will be sent to the participants to reschedule.

Our repertoire: “Au clair de la lune” (with harmony) and “Utreia” and with the children of École Française : “Sur le pont d’Avignon”, “Alouette”, and “Savez-vous planter les choux”.
You don’t have to have a “great” voice – just a love of French tunes and pronunciation! Guitar and other accompanists are welcome. These gatherings are wonderful opportunities to meet up, to converse in French and English, and to network with each other.
We are also organizing a tasting experience of ratatouille aux herbes de Provence to be served from our AFG booth on the April 8th market day. Volunteers needed! The time together is energizing!

Chanter – c’est la santé!
Elizabeth, Haydée & toute la bande
https://afgainesville.com/

Haile Farmers Market
2023-04-08 08:30 - 12:00
Dear AFG volunteers, members, friends, and visitors,
We hope to see you at the Haile Farmers Market, 5213 SW 91st Terrace, this Saturday, April 8, 8:30AM to 12PM! Rain or shine!
Taste delicious Ratatouille (free — Nouvelle Cuisine recipe!) and hear us sing:

9:30 AM “Au clair de la lune” (with harmony and unique lyrics)
10:30 AM “Savez-vous planter les choux?”, “Frere Jacques” (as a round), and more favorites
11:30 AM “Ultreia” (Pilgrims’ Hiking Song)

Come participate in this Herbs and Roots Festival sponsored also by Santa Fe College and Florida Organic Growers. Bring your cash or card to support local farmers and creative vendors. Children welcome!
Cordialement,
AFG Board
https://afgainesville.com

Café Conversation at Cofrin Nature Park
2023-04-22 16:30 - 18:30
Bonjour tout le monde!
Come to our next Café Conversation at Cofrin Nature Park next Saturday, April 22, at 4:30 pm. Let’s meet new friends and learn another folk song with a view to participating at the next market event.
The Haile Farmers Market last Saturday was so much fun! At our own tent, Chef James served 75 cups of fresh ratatouille (nouvelle cuisine recipe, highlighting the cooking use of fresh veggies with herbs that abound in this season). Five volunteers helped prepare the dish the day before at Working Food Community Kitchen. Thanks to their collaboration and thanks to all who sang on stage together, we attracted a variety of visitors.
Looking further ahead: plan to visit our AFG booth at the Grove Street Farmers Market on Monday, May 8, from 4 pm to 8 pm. It will again celebrate in-season crops and will have a distinct international flavor.
Our Francosphere is blossoming! We look forward to everyone’s involvement!
Comité Directeur (AFG Board) (photo de nous)
Alliance Francaise de Gainesville

Café Conversation at Curia
2023-06-24 17:00 - 19:00
Cafe C will take place at Curia Tea & Coffee Shop on Saturday, June 24, at 5 pm.
At the same time, the Florida Heritage Food event on Saturday, June 24, 4 – 6 PM may draw
some of our regulars. The food event requires registration [event registration form].

Chefs Include:
Chefs Awa Kaba and Aisse Kane, Flavorful: West Afro-fusion cuisine
Chef Daniel Mitchell, Daniels Dining: Southern comfort cuisine
Chef Ivan Perez, Taino Roots: Latin-Caribbean inspired dishes
Chef Robert Colon, Working Food: Global dishes with locally sourced produce
Hope you to see you there,
Kathy Denise Anderson
Special Events Coordinator
Florida Local Foods Project Event Coordinator

Picnic Feast on July 14th !
2023-07-14 16:30 - 20:30 | Forest of the Unicorn Club House, 4500 Sherwood Trace, , Gainesville, FL, 32605
Bonjour ! Nine days until le quatorze juillet !
We hope to see you in person at our picnic feast, Friday, July 14, 4:30 to 8 PM, at The Forest of the Unicorn Club House, 4500 Sherwood Trace, Gainesville. Members – free! Guests – $15.
Bring your bathing suit if you like, and your appetite! (Add your towel, a sun hat if you arrive early, and mosquito repellant if needed — we will be indoors in the AC, but seating is also available outside around the pool.)
Menu pour le pique-nique de fête:
Salade niçoise (thon grillé, vinaigrette aux anchois)
Charcuteries (jambon, brési, pâtés, mousses) et baguettes
Légumes blanchis toutes couleurs au grand aïoli
Fromages (brie, chèvre, mimolette, camembert, bleu) et fruits de saison
Clafoutis aux cerises noires
Vins et boissons non-alcoolisées
English Menu:
Niçoise Salad (Grilled Fresh Tuna, Anchovy Dressing)
Cured & Seasoned Cold Cut Meats & French Bread
Ten Blanched Veggies with Roasted Garlic Mayonnaise
Cheese and Fruit Board
Dessert – Baked Black Cherry Custard
Wine and Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Au programme:
4:30 – 5:30 PM Cool off by (or in) the pool. Beverages served.
5:15 PM Formal thanks to outgoing Board of Directors & Welcome to the new Board of Directors.
5:30 PM We sing La Marseillaise, and the Dinner Buffet opens.
6:30 PM Dessert, Toasts, and More Conversation (in French, Frenglish, and English).
7:30 PM On peut danser !
An Evite invitation will be emailed to you soon. PLEASE RSVP TO THE EVITE by Sunday, July 9 if you plan to attend so we know how much food to buy.
Additionally, we remind you that members have free access to cultural conferences provided by the Federation des Alliances USA:

Saturday July 8, 2 PM, enjoy Top 10 Mistakes Not To Make When Buying Property In France

Thursday, July 13, 7 PM, enjoy Mysteries of the Bastille with Roger Mummert

Cordialement,
Elizabeth Ziffer et Helene Hammer
President and Vice-President
PS If you would like to join AFG and be able to attend the Bastille party for free, then you may sign up to be a Member using this link: https://afgainesville.com/members/

Mid-October 2023 Newsletter
2023-10-01 08:00 - 2023-10-31 17:00
Café “gallo” et plus !
This month’s Café Conversation will be in person, Sunday, October 29, 5:00 PM, at UF’s Pugh Hall, Room 302, 296 Buckman Drive. Guest facilitator Marice Caballero will present “Le Gallo, langue en danger.” Please email us soon (info@afgainesville.com) to give your name and cell number. We want to meet up at a nearby parking area in time to walk to the building together. Carpooling is also an option (with masking and open windows).
A new advanced level French course (five weeks) will start soon with Elie Pinta from Paris, excited to share his native language. The link to register is here. Elie is receiving the teaching torch — le flambeau — from Bernadette Cesar-Lee, co-founder of AFG, devoted French professor, and tireless advocate of la Francophonie.
Upcoming online speaking and listening opportunities are only one click away:
1) Every Wednesday, 8:00 pm, on Zoom. Apéro National French Conversation Group (en français) – The group is hosted by Linda Witt of Federation AF-USA. Attendees get assigned to “breakout rooms” of 4-5 people. The rooms are re-shuffled every 14 minutes. It’s a great way to meet Francophones of different backgrounds and various fluency levels, both here in the USA and in Canada.
2) Monday, October 23 @ 4:00 pm. One Film One Federation – October Film Discussion: Léon Morin, prêtre (in English)
3) Thursday, November 9 @ 5:00 pm. “Cassoulet Confessions” with author Sylvie Bigar (in English). We will learn more about this hearty bean dish at our Café in November !
4) Saturday, November 18 @ 2:00 pm. Proust vs. Colette: A conversation with Antoine Compagnon, from L’Académie française (in English)
Again, click here to participate in any of the Federation-sponsored events: https://afusa.org/featured-events/ Events are FREE for AFG members.
Here is our membership link — choose your category, and enjoy all these resources!
More dates to save:

Meet on Monday, October 30 at 3:30 PM to plan our holiday event. Members who wish to volunteer may email us.
Remaining Fall Café dates are November 19 (“Carcassonne, pays natal”) and December 16 (“Goûters d’hiver divers” or French holiday cookies).
Saturday, January 6, 2024, La Fête des Rois, to ring in 2024 (apéros, repas chaud, galette!)
Saturday, January 27 for “Les Petits Okapis, Part 2”, to enjoy an update from Haydee’s children in Kinshasa, DRC.

Profitez de nos beaux jours d’automne !
Compassion et courage aussi !
Elizabeth et le Comité directeur
Alliance Francaise de Gainesville

November-December 2023 Events
2023-11-11 - 2023-12-17
Enjoy a concert on Tuesday & a tour of Carcassonne next Sunday

“Sous le ciel de Paris”, Tuesday November 14, 6:30 pm, with Christine Alicot (flute), Alan Clark (piano), & Dale Fedele (clarinet), at Thomas Center Spanish Court, 302 NE 6th Ave, Click here for more details.
“Carcassonne, cassoulet, et châteaux cathares : une histoire de famille.” Sunday November 19, 5-7 pm, Claire Germain, at Forest of the Unicorn Club House, 4500 Sherwood Trace. Click here for a bilingual preview,

Both programs are free of charge. Due to limited parking and seating at the “Carcassonne…”, Clubhouse event, please send us an RSVP with number of attendees by Wednesday morning. Merci!
MORE AFG HOLIDAY DATES TO SAVE

Sat Dec 16, Open House & Goûters d’hiver divers! (French holiday cookies.)
Sat Jan 6, Fête des Rois (Apéros & repas chaud, Members only). If you can help out on the festivities team, please email us.

Finally, visit our Media Gallery for recent photos. Merci à tout.e.s pour la convivialité !
Elizabeth pour le Comité Directeur AFG
president@afgainesville.com (reminder to rsvp for Carcassonne)
Alliance Francaise de Gainesville

Winter 2023-2024 Events
2023-12-08 - 2024-02-22
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Bonnes Fêtes! Happy Holidays!
Join us for Gâteaux et goûters d’hiver divers, a festive Café C next Saturday, December 16, 4 to 6 PM at Forest of the Unicorn Clubhouse, 4500 Sherwood Trace. Free. Please bring any or all of the following to share:

A small dish of any favorite holiday goodie, sweet or savory
A holiday memento to display and talk about
A French / Francophone song of the season (with wordsheet) and your voice, playing device, or instrument

Your RSVP to info@afgainesville.com is appreciated if you plan to come!

This Café C will double as the Open House for French learners interested in meeting our teachers for new courses beginning the week of February 12.

Early next year, our events are:

Saturday, January 6: Fête des Rois, Apéros et Repas Chaud. Invitations will be sent soon to Members only! To become a member until June 2025 (yes!), here is the link: https://afgainesville.com/members/
Saturday, January 27: Les Petits Okapis, Part 2 with Haydée Britton. Haydée traveled to Kinshasa DRC in July 2023 to visit her adopted children and plan for the future of the next generation. Members and prospects welcome.
Thursday, February 22: Second Language Acquisition Pedagogy with Dr. Jonita Stepp-Greany. Jo had a career of training teachers at Florida State University and is passionate about sharing tips & tools with our language school.

Grands mercis à

All who attended our November Café Carcassonne led by Claire Germain. There was truly something for everyone (history, scenery, memories, recipes, geography…)
Chef Jacques for the delicious servings of cassoulet as well as vegetarian accoutrements!

AFG Members can attend free online one-hour conferences sponsored by Federation of Alliances Françaises USA. Register at https://afusa.org/featured-events/ Upcoming highlights include:

How to Retire in France with Adrian Leeds (Dec 9)
French American Histories… From Allies to Challenges (Dec 11)
Film Discussion Bob le Flambeur (Dec 18)
Apéro Conversation (every Wednesday 8 pm)

Chaleureusement,
Élizabeth et le comité directeur
https://afgainesville.com/

Cafe C --- Presentation at Main Public Library
2024-01-27 15:00 - 17:00 | Main Public Library – Downtown
Bonne Année tout le monde !
Come to our first Café Conversation of 2024 on Saturday, January 27, 3 PM at Alachua County Library Headquarters, 401 E University Ave, Meeting Room B. We welcome especially UF grad students interested in Francophone and Francophile community! Easy parking, but attention: the library closes at 5.
Past VP Haydée Britton will update us about her 25 children in Kinshasa, DRC. Her non-profit Les Petits Okapis has been a personal passion for decades and is now led by the adults she saved from the streets and supported from primary school through college. Come enjoy pictures from her July visit with them. She will have Congolese handicrafts for sale to benefit her group (cash or checks appreciated, and Haydee’s website, okapis.org, takes charitable contributions.) Following Café C, the “convo” can continue at a downtown restaurant.

February 12 is the week that our Spring Sesion begins. Students can register on our Website under Courses. This time around we are offering:

Beginning French Level 1 with Maria McGrey (Wednesday, Zoom, 6:30 – 8 pm)
Beginning French Level 2 with Maria (Thursday, Zoom, 6 – 7:30 pm)
Advanced French Level 1 avec Elie Pinta (Lundi, en présentiel, 17h à 18h30)
Advanced French Level 2 avec Elie (Lundi, en présentiel, 18h30 à 20h)

Contact us if you completed a Beginning level in the Fall of 2023 and want to continue a series of private lessons with Dayana Georgieva. Also let us know if you are interested in Intermediate level instruction, which can be arranged with one of our instructors, even though it is not currently advertised on our website.
Additionally, if you have professional expertise and would like to offer a themed course about any aspect of French or Francophone language, literature, or culture, please send us your proposals.

The Taste of Things (Best Director award at Cannes Film Festival, 2023) is coming to the Hippodrome Theatre February 14 – 23. Weeknight screenings start at 8:30 pm, so it could be a nice after-class activity, as well as a potential topic at our next Café C.
Next Café C dates:

Sunday, February 25 OR Sunday, March 3 (open theme and venue TBA)
Saturday, March 30 OR Sunday, March 31 (Marice Caballero, Second Language Acquisition, venue TBA)

Visit our Media Gallery for a glimpse of January 6 with “La Fête des Rois” banquet, a resounding success attended by 50 AFG members. Thank you to all who came! A special Merci ! to the dozen hard-working volunteers who shopped, cooked, set-up, served, spoke & sang between courses, and cleaned up that night and the next day. Everyone’s participation made the event inoubliable ! We said farewell to Chef Jacques and Pamela, now in Japan, but thanks to their inspiration, conversations are already bubbling about more feasts in the future.
Here’s to another fun and educational year together!
Cordialement,
Elizabeth et le comité directeur
president@afgainesville.com
afgainesville.com

September 2024 Events
2024-09-01 08:00 - 2024-09-30 17:00
Bonjour tout le monde!
We hope your summer was full of exploration and friends. We last saw each other for la Bastille on July 14. Many of you who were out of town sent warm greetings — much appreciated!
Save the dates for two upcoming events:

Thursday, September 5, from 6 to 8 PM, rendez-vous at Superette, 1511 NW 2nd Street, for a meet-and-greet over appetizers with fellow Francophiles. Enjoy sampling the eatery’s “planches.” No charge. Buy your own drink at the counter. Carpooling and walking together encouraged. Extra parking available nearby. Kindly reply to this email ASAP if you plan to attend this gathering so we know how much food to order.

Saturday, September 28, 3:30 – 5 PM, presentation at Milhopper Branch Library by Jonita Stepp-Greany, “Enhancing Communicative World Language Teaching and Learning.” Jonita will show strategies for both students and teachers of second languages to negotiate the tasks of acquiring and facilitating complex language skills. This program will be open to the public.

For learners of French language, please register now. Paid up AFG members qualify for 10% reduced fees. Some courses (group classes) already show the name of the teacher, day and dates, while others are still being arranged. We offer online, in person, and hybrid at all levels. Fall 1 will run once a week from Sep 16 – Oct 18; and Fall 2 picks up from the week of Oct 21 – Nov 22. Contact us with any questions.
We look forward to seeing you soon. A bientôt au restaurant ou/et en classe !
Bien cordialement,
AFG Board (Bernard, Elizabeth, Helene, Janice, Jonita)
president@afgainesville.com
Alliance Francaise de Gainesville
P.S. As a chapter of Alliances Francaises Federation USA, AFG members can enjoy many online events in addition to those we sponsor locally.

January 2025 Outings and Announcements
2025-01-01 08:00 - 2025-01-31 17:00
Dates of our “ecolo” outings:

Wednesday, January 15, 8:30 AM, Sweetwater Wetlands Park with Alachua Audubon Society; attn: pay $5.00 to park, binoculars and telescopes provided!
Sunday, January 19, 9 AM, Bolens Bluff at Paynes Prairie Preserve (to site wildlife, a longer hike through forest and then a flat trek to the observation tower; attn: pay $5.00 to park, bring your own binoculars (tes jumelles). THIS HAS BEEN CANCELLED. CHECK BACK TO FIND THE RESCHEDULED DATE AND TIME.
Thursday, January 23, 10 AM, Leveda Brown Environmental Park-Recycling Center. Due to limited space, please preregister for guided tour with David Hastings, Sierra Club leader, at 727-692-7795

Carpooling (le co-voiturage) encouraged if possible! For any questions, email us back.

Wildlife recently seen at Bolens Bluff, photo by Marie Fishman.

Oiseau en vol sur la Paynes Prairie. Photo par Marie Fishman.

Notre reine de la galette
Nous l’avons celebree un peu en avance. Merci a tout le monde d’avoir participe. C’est Maryvonne qui a eu la feve et du coup a recu la couronne! Ci-dessus, trois sorties ecologiques proposees par elle ce mois.
Happy Kings’ Day which the French celebrate all month! And thank you to all who came to our Fete des rois last Saturday. The galettes were all delicious. Maryvonne Devensky got the “bean”, a whole almond hidden in one of the samples, so she got to wear the crown. She volunteers for the Sierra Club, and encourages us to go “eco” this month by choosing from the activities listed above. Of course we will talk in French as much as we can as we walk!
Cinema Talk, Books, and AFG Courses

Remember to watch Emilia Perez (director Jacques Audiard, 2024) this week and register (same link) for the discussion with critic Peter Debruge on Monday, January 13, 7 PM (event sponsored by Federation des AF, in English).
Volunteer to finish our lending library: this Sunday January 12, 2- 4 PM. Email Elizabeth for details.
AFG courses (all levels) will be posted and registration will open around February 3 (to start week of February 17). Heads up: Bernadette’s advanced course will study Illusions Perdues (realisateur Xavier Giannoli, 2021).

Cordialement,
AFG Board
president@afgainesville.com
Allilance Francaise de Gainesville

Cafe-Conversation on January 4, 2025
2025-01-04 15:00 - 16:30 | Sun Center East, 101 SE 2nd Place, #201-L, Gainesville, FL, 32601, United States
BONNE ANNEE!
Happy and Healthy New Year!
Bring a home-baked or store-bought “galette des rois”, or just come with your tastebuds for a bite! Recipes vary, and hot chocolate or tea will be on the house! In the Catholic tradition, this joyful day for French children commemorates the Epiphany (January 6), the day the traveling Wise Men (les rois) arrived bearing gifts at the stable in Bethlehem.
This first Cafe-Conversation of 2025 will be Saturday, January 4, 3 PM to 4:30PM, at the Sun Center East, 101 SE 2nd Place, Suite 201-L (second floor, same place as last month’s pre-holiday gathering). Come practice your French. Frenglish also welcome–we are patient and encouraging!
Encore des annonces:
Jan.13, 7 – 8 PM: Online discussion of awarding-winning Emilia Perez (2024) (watch film via streaming beforehand, and AFG members wishing to participate for free, register here).
Jan.18, 9 AM (tentative): Weather permitting we will hike together on Bolens Bluff, Paynes Prairie, exact date & time TBA in a separate mailing.
February, TBA: Cafe with Bernadette Cesar-Lee (topic: compare / contrast EU and USA government systems).
March, TBA: Program with Deborah Idowu and le Cercle francais-UF (topic: la Francophonie).
Students and Teachers of French:
Course registration for mid-February will open soon!
Are you interested and qualified to teach French? We welcome your applications!
Meilleurs voeux et amities,
AFG Board
Alliance Francaise de Gainesville
president@afgainesville.com

September 2025 Events
2025-09-05 08:00 - 17:00
A la une ! French Film Festival is here!
Thanks to a grant and sponsorship from various diplomatic and cultural French institutions, as well as partnership with Alliance Francaise de Gainesville, the UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA is bringing six French films to Gainesville. The first one, Vingt Dieux (Holy Cow!), will be shown on Friday, September 12, 7:30 PM, at the Hippodrome Theatre, 25 SE 2nd Place. A “pre-screening toast” will take place in the bar area – 6:30 PM. Click here for the full schedule of viewings.SEATING is limited (76), and all tickets are FREE, available at the Hippodrome Box Office starting at noon on Friday, September 5. The Hippodrome Box Office hours are: Wednesday through Sunday from 12 – 5 PM or 15 minutes after the last event starts (of any day).
Cafe C, Courses, and an AF-USA Cookbook!
We had a good crowd at Curia last Sunday — merci d’etre venu.e.s. ! Our next Cafe C for conversation in French (and English whenever needed) will be Sunday, September 28, 3:30 – 5:30 PM at the pavilion of Alfred A. Ring Park, 1801 NW 23rd Blvd. Parking is near the Elks Lodge. Those who wish (or are curious) may gather around a table to discuss Vingt Dieux, while others can enjoy mingling and practicing their French language on other topics.Registration is open for Fall classes (group) and lessons (private and semi-private). The webpage will be updated soon with specific dates, but the payment buttons are always active. Email us for help finding the right level and learning situation for you.
The national Federation of AF chapters is asking for French and Francophone recipes! Submit yours on this attractive page, https://www.afusa.org/blog/federation-of-af-usa-livre-de-cuisine/ , and help put AFG on the culinary map of the USA! It is a good cause to support, and it could make an original holiday gift!Cordialement pour la Francophonie du monde,
Le comite directeur de l’AFG (photo of us)
Alliance Francaise de Gainesville
president@afgainesville.com

Bastille Day Celebration!
2026-07-12 13:00 - 16:00
Select your admission type: Member, Non-Member or Family (up to four):

Member $20
Non-Member $25
Family $60
