Past Events
This very popular weekly meeting is held every Tuesdays from 11.30am to 13pm at l’Alliance française Cambridge!
It is open to anyone who wants to speak French. The meeting is free: May you get yourself a drink and join the conversation!
This very popular weekly meeting is held every Tuesdays from 11.30am to 13pm at l’Alliance française Cambridge!
It is open to anyone who wants to speak French. The meeting is free: May you get yourself a drink and join the conversation!
The défi inter-alliance is an international challenge with numerous other alliances around the world. It is a free and exciting experience in which you will get a chance to prove your knowledge of French language and culture.
If you win, you will access the nationale finale and eventually the international one, with numerous prices along the way, including the final price of a week-long vacation in Rouen Normandie!
Register here now or send us an email at culture.alliance.cam@gmail.com
The défi inter-alliance is an international challenge with numerous other alliances around the world. It is a free and exciting experience in which you will get a chance to prove your knowledge of French language and culture.
If you win, you will access the nationale finale and eventually the international one, with numerous prices along the way, including the final price of a week-long vacation in Rouen Normandie!
Register here now or send us an email at culture.alliance.cam@gmail.com
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the texts we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Texte n°1 – extrait de Huis Clos
Texte n°2 – extrait de La Nausée
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you will be able to join the session on the 12th of October, at 4:30pm.
Click here to see the full program of 2021-2022
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the texts we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Texte n°1 – extrait de Huis Clos
Texte n°2 – extrait de La Nausée
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you will be able to join the session on the 12th of October, at 4:30pm.
Click here to see the full program of 2021-2022
La Cantatrice chauve is a play written by Eugène Ionesco in 1950, which exemplify perfectly Ionesco’s absurd and inventive theatre. The play two main characters are Mr. and Mrs. Smith. As they discuss we immiediately notice something is wrong and insanely funny with the way they speak and think. This is the first play of Ionesco and holds till this day the word record of the more program played in the same theatre consecutively! A masterpiece to (re)discover!
Click here to see the full program of 2021-2022
La Cantatrice chauve is a play written by Eugène Ionesco in 1950, which exemplify perfectly Ionesco’s absurd and inventive theatre. The play two main characters are Mr. and Mrs. Smith. As they discuss we immiediately notice something is wrong and insanely funny with the way they speak and think. This is the first play of Ionesco and holds till this day the word record of the more program played in the same theatre consecutively! A masterpiece to (re)discover!
Click here to see the full program of 2021-2022
The Book Club, taking place on Mondays, is a unique opportunity to discuss literature in a friendly and dynamic group environment. This club is about expressing your views and opinion towards a book, explaining why you appreciated it -or not-, and what moved you or made you laugh. 7 sessions are scheduled for this year, giving you time to read it fully and peacefully. You may join us for the entire period or choose which sessions you would like to attend.
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the texts we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Texte n°1 – Heureux qui comme Ulysse
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you will be able to join the session on the 28th of September, at 5:00pm.
Click here to see the full program of 2021-2022
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the texts we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Texte n°1 – Heureux qui comme Ulysse
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you will be able to join the session on the 28th of September, at 5:00pm.
Click here to see the full program of 2021-2022
“Literature in Time” provides for an alternative to the Book Club. It focuses on the analysis of small texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptable according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team. The texts being smaller than an entire book, there is a session every two weeks, but you can choose to join us whenever you desire.
Click here to access the program of the following sessions
One week before the scheduled start of the Olympics in Japan, join us to explore the rich history of the Games and the values that they project, learn about their growth and expansion, and the upcoming role of France in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
This online talk in French, free and open to all, will be led by Eric Monnin, delegate on the programme l’Olympisme – Génération 2024. He will discuss the evolution of the Olympics over the centuries to its current-day form as an important International showcase that symbolizes the strength and power of competing nations in peacetime.
One week before the scheduled start of the Olympics in Japan, join us to explore the rich history of the Games and the values that they project, learn about their growth and expansion, and the upcoming role of France in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.
This online talk in French, free and open to all, will be led by Eric Monnin, delegate on the programme l’Olympisme – Génération 2024. He will discuss the evolution of the Olympics over the centuries to its current-day form as an important International showcase that symbolizes the strength and power of competing nations in peacetime.
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the texts we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Texte n°1 – Mignonne allons voir si la rose
Texte n°3 – Quand vous serez bien vieille
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you will be able to join the session on the 22nd of June, at 6:00pm.
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the texts we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Texte n°1 – Mignonne allons voir si la rose
Texte n°3 – Quand vous serez bien vieille
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you will be able to join the session on the 22nd of June, at 6:00pm.
Pour un oui ou pour un non” is a play written by Nathalie Sarraute in 1981. The core of the synopsis is a futile -yet of great importance- argument between two friends, about a single sentence, pronounced before the begining of the play : “C’est bien, ça”. The tone, the intention behind it and the circomstances are meticulously analysed, giving us a clear impression of the unspeakable nature of language.
Pour un oui ou pour un non” is a play written by Nathalie Sarraute in 1981. The core of the synopsis is a futile -yet of great importance- argument between two friends, about a single sentence, pronounced before the begining of the play : “C’est bien, ça”. The tone, the intention behind it and the circomstances are meticulously analysed, giving us a clear impression of the unspeakable nature of language.
The Book Club, taking place on Mondays, is a unique opportunity to discuss literature in a friendly and dynamic group environment. This club is about expressing your views and opinion towards a book, explaining why you appreciated it -or not-, and what moved you or made you laugh. 7 sessions are scheduled for this year, giving you time to read it fully and peacefully. You may join us for the entire period or choose which sessions you would like to attend.
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the texts we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Texte n°2 – Ruy Blas, Acte III, scène 2
Texte n°3 – Les Misérables – extrait
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 22nd of June, at 5:00pm.
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the texts we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Texte n°2 – Ruy Blas, Acte III, scène 2
Texte n°3 – Les Misérables – extrait
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 22nd of June, at 5:00pm.
“Literature in Time” provides for an alternative to the Book Club. It focuses on the analysis of small texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptable according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team. The texts being smaller than an entire book, there is a session every two weeks, but you can choose to join us whenever you desire.
Ro join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the texts we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 1st of June, at 5:00pm.
Ro join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the texts we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 1st of June, at 5:00pm.
Two main parallel plots are followed through the book. The first is that of ten-year-old Sarah Starzynski, a Jewish girl born in Paris, who is arrested with her parents during the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup. Before they go, she locks her four-year-old brother in a cupboard, thinking the family should be back in a few hours. The second plot follows Julia Jarmond, an American journalist living in Paris, who is asked to write an article in honour of the 60th anniversary of the roundup.
Two main parallel plots are followed through the book. The first is that of ten-year-old Sarah Starzynski, a Jewish girl born in Paris, who is arrested with her parents during the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup. Before they go, she locks her four-year-old brother in a cupboard, thinking the family should be back in a few hours. The second plot follows Julia Jarmond, an American journalist living in Paris, who is asked to write an article in honour of the 60th anniversary of the roundup.
The Book Club, taking place on Mondays, is a unique opportunity to discuss literature in a friendly and dynamic group environment. This club is about expressing your views and opinion towards a book, explaining why you appreciated it -or not-, and what moved you or made you laugh. 7 sessions are scheduled for this year, giving you time to read it fully and peacefully. You may join us for the entire period or choose which sessions you would like to attend.
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the text we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 4th of May, at 5:00pm.
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the text we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 4th of May, at 5:00pm.
“Literature in Time” provides for an alternative to the Book Club. It focuses on the analysis of small texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptable according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team. The texts being smaller than an entire book, there is a session every two weeks, but you can choose to join us whenever you desire.
English-French Translation: A Practical Manual allows advanced learners of French to develop their translation and writing skills. This book provides a deeper understanding of French grammatical structures, the nuances of different styles and registers and helps increase knowledge of vocabulary and idiomatic language.
English-French Translation: A Practical Manual allows advanced learners of French to develop their translation and writing skills. This book provides a deeper understanding of French grammatical structures, the nuances of different styles and registers and helps increase knowledge of vocabulary and idiomatic language.
The manual provides a wealth of practical tasks based around carefully selected extracts from the diverse text types students are likely to encounter, from literary and expository, to persuasive and journalistic. A mix of shorter targeted activities and lengthier translation pieces guides learners through the complexities and challenges of translation from English into French.
This comprehensive manual is ideal for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students in French language and translation.
In June of 2020, Harriet published her first work of fiction, Final Transgression, a harrowing story of love and loss during the Nazi occupation of France. In Final Transgression, 85-year-old Caroline Aubry tells the tale of the tragic wartime destiny of her beloved younger sister, Severine, a beautiful and intelligent woman but obstinate and unaware, two traits that will ultimately seal her fate.
In June of 2020, Harriet published her first work of fiction, Final Transgression, a harrowing story of love and loss during the Nazi occupation of France. In Final Transgression, 85-year-old Caroline Aubry tells the tale of the tragic wartime destiny of her beloved younger sister, Severine, a beautiful and intelligent woman but obstinate and unaware, two traits that will ultimately seal her fate.
Harriet Welty Rochefort grew up in Iowa, traveled to France after graduating from college, and never left. She is the author of three nonfiction books about the French. Harriet lives with her French husband, Philippe, in Paris.
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the three texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. Le Petit Prince – Chapitre I
Texte 2. Le Petit Prince – Chapitre II
Texte 3. Le Petit Prince – Chapitre XXI
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 20th of April, at 5:00pm.
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the three texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. Le Petit Prince – Chapitre I
Texte 2. Le Petit Prince – Chapitre II
Texte 3. Le Petit Prince – Chapitre XXI
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 20th of April, at 5:00pm.
“Literature in Time” provides for an alternative to the Book Club. It focuses on the analysis of small texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptable according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team. The texts being smaller than an entire book, there is a session every two weeks, but you can choose to join us whenever you desire.
In an empty city half destroyed by war, Marie falls. Shewas supposed to meet her boyfriend Steph this afternoon. Their meeting was meant to be the occasion of a reconciliation and a true reciproqual declaration. Unfortunately, she is shot as she was walking in the empty street. She now has only one goal: find Steph and give him the message she wanted to give him in the first place.
In an empty city half destroyed by war, Marie falls. Shewas supposed to meet her boyfriend Steph this afternoon. Their meeting was meant to be the occasion of a reconciliation and a true reciproqual declaration. Unfortunately, she is shot as she was walking in the empty street. She now has only one goal: find Steph and give him the message she wanted to give him in the first place.
The Book Club, taking place on Mondays, is a unique opportunity to discuss literature in a friendly and dynamic group environment. This club is about expressing your views and opinion towards a book, explaining why you appreciated it -or not-, and what moved you or made you laugh. 7 sessions are scheduled for this year, giving you time to read it fully and peacefully. You may join us for the entire period or choose which sessions you would like to attend.
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the two texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. Bérénice, Acte IV, scène 5
Texte 2. Phèdre, Acte I, scène 4
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 6th of April, at 5:00pm.
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the two texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. Bérénice, Acte IV, scène 5
Texte 2. Phèdre, Acte I, scène 4
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 6th of April, at 5:00pm.
“Literature in Time” provides for an alternative to the Book Club. It focuses on the analysis of small texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptable according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team. The texts being smaller than an entire book, there is a session every two weeks, but you can choose to join us whenever you desire.
French Film Festival UK are bringing you a series of special screenings this month on their fff@home platform. Running from Friday 12 to Saturday 27 March, the exciting selection includes six great titles, starring some of the big names from French cinema, including Jean-Paul Salomé’s César-nominated crime comedy Mama Weed starring Isabelle Huppert, and Régis Roinsard’s gripping thriller, The Translators, starring The Imitation Game’s Alex Lawther.
Tickets are on sale now. Click here to book your films.
French Film Festival UK are bringing you a series of special screenings this month on their fff@home platform. Running from Friday 12 to Saturday 27 March, the exciting selection includes six great titles, starring some of the big names from French cinema, including Jean-Paul Salomé’s César-nominated crime comedy Mama Weed starring Isabelle Huppert, and Régis Roinsard’s gripping thriller, The Translators, starring The Imitation Game’s Alex Lawther.
Tickets are on sale now. Click here to book your films.
Light microscopy was already old when Victor Hugo pondered its “grander” view 150 years ago. Today, microscopy continues to develop…
The Alliance Française Cambridge joins with the Cambridge Festival and CIMR to suggest you a lecture led by Stefan Marciniak, professor or respiratory science at the university of Cambridge. We will try to answer to one question: “How modern microscopy illuminates a rare disease?”
Light microscopy was already old when Victor Hugo pondered its “grander” view 150 years ago. Today, microscopy continues to develop…
The Alliance Française Cambridge joins with the Cambridge Festival and CIMR to suggest you a lecture led by Stefan Marciniak, professor or respiratory science at the university of Cambridge. We will try to answer to one question: “How modern microscopy illuminates a rare disease?”
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the three texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte n°3 A l éclair violent de ta face divine
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 23rd of March, at 5:00pm.
To join our next literary session, follow the information below.
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the three texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte n°3 A l éclair violent de ta face divine
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 23rd of March, at 5:00pm.
“Literature in Time” provides for an alternative to the Book Club. It focuses on the analysis of small texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptable according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team. The texts being smaller than an entire book, there is a session every two weeks, but you can choose to join us whenever you desire.
Jérémie Tshibi is a Congolese musical artist, both pianist and singer. Since 2015, he has led his folk group Tshokwenandeka and now he wants to share and promote his culture and his passions to as many people as possible.
The Alliance Française Cambridge is delighted to offer you this unique online concert!
Jérémie Tshibi is a Congolese musical artist, both pianist and singer. Since 2015, he has led his folk group Tshokwenandeka and now he wants to share and promote his culture and his passions to as many people as possible.
The Alliance Française Cambridge is delighted to offer you this unique online concert!
The Alliance Française Cambridge hosts a very special event for the 130th anniversary of Rimbaud’s death. A collective analysis of one of his most famous poems : Le bateau ivre. To join us, please follow theses steps:
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the poem we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 9th of March, at 5:00pm.
The Alliance Française Cambridge hosts a very special event for the 130th anniversary of Rimbaud’s death. A collective analysis of one of his most famous poems : Le bateau ivre. To join us, please follow theses steps:
Step 1: Click here to register by following the instructions
Step 2: Read the poem we have selected. You can find it by clicking here :
Step 3 : Once you have registered, you should receive your zoom link by mail, and will be able to join the session on the 9th of March, at 5:00pm.
“Literature in Time” provides for an alternative to the Book Club. It focuses on the analysis of small texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptable according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team. The texts being smaller than an entire book, there is a session every two weeks, but you can choose to join us whenever you desire.
The American youtuber and Ancient Languages teacher Luke Ranieri, alongside the Alliance Française Cambridge is hosting a very special event. This unique quiz is to be held in Latin. Luke will make you guess words only by describing them in this old -yet not extinct- language. Romance language speakers might be able to understand and make wild guesses. Will you be one of them?
The American youtuber and Ancient Languages teacher Luke Ranieri, alongside the Alliance Française Cambridge is hosting a very special event. This unique quiz is to be held in Latin. Luke will make you guess words only by describing them in this old -yet not extinct- language. Romance language speakers might be able to understand and make wild guesses. Will you be one of them?
Inspired largely by her own adolescence in French Indochina, Duras wrote this novel in 1950, just after divorcing her first husband and remarrying. The story presents a widow living with her two children. Their living conditions are deplorable : The mother, disillusioned after seeing her dams destroyed by the invincible Pacific and harassed by a corrupt administration, begins to sink into madness.
Inspired largely by her own adolescence in French Indochina, Duras wrote this novel in 1950, just after divorcing her first husband and remarrying. The story presents a widow living with her two children. Their living conditions are deplorable : The mother, disillusioned after seeing her dams destroyed by the invincible Pacific and harassed by a corrupt administration, begins to sink into madness.
The Book Club, taking place on Mondays, is a unique opportunity to discuss literature in a friendly and dynamic group environment. This club is about expressing your views and opinion towards a book, explaining why you appreciated it -or not-, and what moved you or made you laugh. 7 sessions are scheduled for this year, giving you time to read it fully and peacefully. You may join us for the entire period or choose which sessions you would like to attend.
To join our next literary session follow the information below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 23rd of February.
Step 2: Read the three texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. L’invitation au Voyage
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 23rd of February, at 5:00pm.
To join our next literary session follow the information below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 23rd of February.
Step 2: Read the three texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. L’invitation au Voyage
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 23rd of February, at 5:00pm.
“Literature in Time” provides for an alternative to the Book Club. It focuses on the analysis of small texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptable according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team. The texts being smaller than an entire book, there is a session every two weeks, but you can choose to join us whenever you desire.
To join our next literary session follow the information below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 9th of February.
Step 2: Read the four texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 9th of February, at 5:00pm.
To join our next literary session follow the information below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 9th of February.
Step 2: Read the four texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 9th of February, at 5:00pm.
“Literature in Time” provides for an alternative to the Book Club. It focuses on the analysis of small texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptable according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team. The texts being smaller than an entire book, there is a session every two weeks, but you can choose to join us whenever you desire.
To join our next literary session follow the information below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 26th of January.
Step 2: Read the two texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. Extrait de Thérèse Raquin
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 26th of January, at 5:00pm.
To join our next literary session follow the information below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 26th of January.
Step 2: Read the two texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. Extrait de Thérèse Raquin
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 26th of January, at 5:00pm.
“Literature in Time” provides for an alternative to the Book Club. It focuses on the analysis of small texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptable according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team. The texts being smaller than an entire book, there is a session every two weeks, but you can choose to join us whenever you desire.
Our third session will focus on the novel of Madame de La Fayette, La Princesse de Clèves. Published anonymously in March 1678, it is regarded by many as the beginning of the modern tradition of the psychological Novel.
The action takes place between October 1558 and November 1559, and the story recreates that era with remarkable precision, while a passionate yet impossible love story is emerging.
To join us, or to get any more information, please write an email to our cultural team at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com
Our third session will focus on the novel of Madame de La Fayette, La Princesse de Clèves. Published anonymously in March 1678, it is regarded by many as the beginning of the modern tradition of the psychological Novel.
The action takes place between October 1558 and November 1559, and the story recreates that era with remarkable precision, while a passionate yet impossible love story is emerging.
To join us, or to get any more information, please write an email to our cultural team at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com
The Book Club, taking place on Mondays, is a unique opportunity to discuss literature in a friendly and dynamic group environment. This club is about expressing your views and opinion towards a book, explaining why you appreciated it -or not-, and what moved you or made you laugh. 7 sessions are scheduled for this year, giving you time to read it fully and peacefully. You may join us for the entire period or choose which sessions you would like to attend.
To join our next session follow the informations below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 5th of January.
Step 2: Read the four texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 2. Colombe poignardée et jet d’eau
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 5th of January, at 5:15pm.
To join our next session follow the informations below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 5th of January.
Step 2: Read the four texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 2. Colombe poignardée et jet d’eau
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 5th of January, at 5:15pm.
“Literature in Time” provides for an alternative to the Book Club. It focuses on the analysis of small texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptable according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team. The texts being smaller than an entire book, there is a session every two weeks, but you can choose to join us whenever you desire.
The Oxford and Cambridge French Societies, alongside the Cambridge and Oxford Alliances Françaises are happy to present the first edition of their brand new film festival ‘The Coco Film Festival’ !
The Coco Film Festival is a unique opportunity to demonstrate the flamboyance of your imagination and your ability to turn a dream into a film. It is your chance to set foot into the ever-surprising world of cinema.
You can find every important information about this event by clicking on this very page, or here
The Oxford and Cambridge French Societies, alongside the Cambridge and Oxford Alliances Françaises are happy to present the first edition of their brand new film festival ‘The Coco Film Festival’ !
The Coco Film Festival is a unique opportunity to demonstrate the flamboyance of your imagination and your ability to turn a dream into a film. It is your chance to set foot into the ever-surprising world of cinema.
You can find every important information about this event by clicking on this very page, or here
The Coco Film Festival is a unique opportunity to demonstrate the flamboyance of your imagination and your ability to turn a dream into a film. It is your chance to set foot into the ever-surprising world of cinema.
The Coco Festival will feature two distinctive categories:
• Parodies of existing films or genres with a maximal duration of 1.30 minutes.
• Original short films centered around the unintelligible concept of ‘Frenchness’ lasting between 5 and 8 minutes.
If your love of cinema is not strong enough to justify this artistic effort, then maybe the following prizes will be.
Second Category : £220
To join our next session follow the informations below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 8th of December.
Step 2: Read the two texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. Les Fourberies de Scapin Acte II Scène 7
Texte 2. Le Misanthrope, Acte I, scène 1
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 8th of December, at 5:15pm.
To join our next session follow the informations below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 8th of December.
Step 2: Read the two texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. Les Fourberies de Scapin Acte II Scène 7
Texte 2. Le Misanthrope, Acte I, scène 1
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 8th of December, at 5:15pm.
Our second session will focus on the novel of Maylis de Kerangal, Réparer les vivants. The book chronicles the events following the death of 19-year-old Simon Limbres in a car accident. It focuses on the transplantation of Simon’s heart and how it affects those involved in the process, over the course of twenty-four hours.
To join us, or to get any more information, please write an email to our cultural team at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com
Our second session will focus on the novel of Maylis de Kerangal, Réparer les vivants. The book chronicles the events following the death of 19-year-old Simon Limbres in a car accident. It focuses on the transplantation of Simon’s heart and how it affects those involved in the process, over the course of twenty-four hours.
To join us, or to get any more information, please write an email to our cultural team at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com
The Book Club is a return to the previous and most appreciated format. Big books and a long time between sessions so that you can read them fully and peacefully. The Sessions are mainly focused on discussion and thoughts about the books with the group and the cultural team
Irineï et le Grand Esprit du Mammouth is a wonderful story, taking the reader through the heart of Siberia to Los Angeles. Irineï is a young boy who, by his powers of connection with invisible worlds, brings back to life a mammoth extracted by American palaeontologists from the frozen Siberian soil and taken to the United States.
Full of suspense and humour, this novel also promotes animal protection and taking care of Nature.
The book is available on the Culturethèque platform
You will find here a video presentation of the Novel by the Author
Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com to join us on the 25th November, 5pm and meet the Author!
Irineï et le Grand Esprit du Mammouth is a wonderful story, taking the reader through the heart of Siberia to Los Angeles. Irineï is a young boy who, by his powers of connection with invisible worlds, brings back to life a mammoth extracted by American palaeontologists from the frozen Siberian soil and taken to the United States.
Full of suspense and humour, this novel also promotes animal protection and taking care of Nature.
The book is available on the Culturethèque platform
You will find here a video presentation of the Novel by the Author
Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com to join us on the 25th November, 5pm and meet the Author!
George S. Patton, Jr. is best known for leading an Army through France in WW2. Few realize however that Patton’s relationship to France began two years prior to WW1, giving him a clear advantage through intimate familiarity with the terrain and culture that would serve him greatly and help lead to victory in Europe.
In a rare and illuminating live presentation, Helen traces her grandfather’s numerous trips through France and share the trajectory of Patton’s comprehension of the country that was his honeymoon destination, military training ground, and nearly his final resting place after being severely wounded during a tank assault between Reims and Verdun during the final days of WW1.
Helen will share her fascination with seasoned commander driven to unshackle the very land and people that formed an ambitious young lieutenant named Georgie; and how the bond was adopted by Helen and transformed into a mission of reconciliation, picking up where Patton left off in his sweep through France.
To register, please contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com
George S. Patton, Jr. is best known for leading an Army through France in WW2. Few realize however that Patton’s relationship to France began two years prior to WW1, giving him a clear advantage through intimate familiarity with the terrain and culture that would serve him greatly and help lead to victory in Europe.
In a rare and illuminating live presentation, Helen traces her grandfather’s numerous trips through France and share the trajectory of Patton’s comprehension of the country that was his honeymoon destination, military training ground, and nearly his final resting place after being severely wounded during a tank assault between Reims and Verdun during the final days of WW1.
Helen will share her fascination with seasoned commander driven to unshackle the very land and people that formed an ambitious young lieutenant named Georgie; and how the bond was adopted by Helen and transformed into a mission of reconciliation, picking up where Patton left off in his sweep through France.
To register, please contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com
To join our next session follow the informations below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 10th of November.
Step 2: Read the four texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. Vous ne saurez jamais
Texte 4. Cantilène pour un joueur de flûte aveugle
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 10th of November, at 5:15pm.
To join our next session follow the informations below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 10th of November.
Step 2: Read the four texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. Vous ne saurez jamais
Texte 4. Cantilène pour un joueur de flûte aveugle
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 10th of November, at 5:15pm.
Would you like to join us for the Literature in Time session? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 20th of October.
Step 2: Read the four texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 2. Poème à mon frère blanc
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 20th of October, at 5:15pm.
Would you like to join us for the Literature in Time session? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 20th of October.
Step 2: Read the four texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 2. Poème à mon frère blanc
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 20th of October, at 5:15pm.
“Literature in Time” is based on the recent experience with the transition of the Book Club to an Online format. It focuses on the analysis of smaller texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptabe according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team.
Would you like to join us for the Literature in Time session? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 6th of October.
Step 2: Read the three texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. Il n’y a pas d’amour heureux
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 6th of October, at 5pm.
Would you like to join us for the Literature in Time session? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Step 1: Contact Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 6th of October.
Step 2: Read the three texts we have selected. You can find them by clicking here :
Texte 1. Il n’y a pas d’amour heureux
Step 3 : Once you have received your zoom link by mail, you will be able to join the session on the 6th of October, at 5pm.
“Literature in Time” is based on the recent experience with the transition of the Book Club to an Online format. It focuses on the analysis of smaller texts from various authors selected by the cultural team. The selection is adaptabe according to the group’s desires and aspirations. The sessions are mainly based on the discussion and analysis of the extracts with the group and the cultural team.
The first session of this year will be focusing on Yasmina Reza’s play: Le Dieu du Carnage. Written in 2008. It is about two sets of parents, one of whose child has hurt the other at a public park. They agree to meet to discuss the matter in a civilized manner. However, as the evening goes on, the parents become increasingly childish, resulting in the evening devolving into chaos.
To join us, or to get any more information, please write an email to Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com
The first session of this year will be focusing on Yasmina Reza’s play: Le Dieu du Carnage. Written in 2008. It is about two sets of parents, one of whose child has hurt the other at a public park. They agree to meet to discuss the matter in a civilized manner. However, as the evening goes on, the parents become increasingly childish, resulting in the evening devolving into chaos.
To join us, or to get any more information, please write an email to Gaël at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com
The Book Club is a return to the previous and most appreciated format. Big books and a long time between sessions so that you can read them fully and peacefully. The Sessions are mainly focused on discussion and thoughts about the books with the group and the cultural team.
Would you like to join us for the next book club session? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Would you like to join us for the next book club session? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Step 1:
Contact the cultural team at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 30th June.
Step 2:
Read the three texts of Victor Hugo, available here
Text 1: https://www.poesie-francaise.fr/victor-hugo/poeme-demain-des-l-aube.php
Text 2 : https://www.poesie-francaise.fr/victor-hugo/poeme-l-art-et-le-peuple.php
Text 3 : https://www.poesie-francaise.fr/victor-hugo/poeme-invocation-du-mage-contre-les-deux-rois.php
Step 3:
Once you have received your link by e-mail, you will then be able to join the session on the 30th June, at 4pm.
Nicolas Klein is a Spanish teacher for a classe préparatoire (intensive foundation degree) in Nancy (Northeast France). Nicolas is specialised in the history of contemporary Spain and is a former student at the École normale supérieure (ÉNS) in Lyon. Translator and author of various books about Spanish History and current affairs, he often publishes articles in several French and Spanish university reviews and newspapers.
Nicolas Klein is a Spanish teacher for a classe préparatoire (intensive foundation degree) in Nancy (Northeast France). Nicolas is specialised in the history of contemporary Spain and is a former student at the École normale supérieure (ÉNS) in Lyon. Translator and author of various books about Spanish History and current affairs, he often publishes articles in several French and Spanish university reviews and newspapers.
This talk will focus on the bilateral diplomatic relations between France and Spain during and after De Gaulle’s presidency. His diplomacy as the president of the French Republic (1959-1969) is well-known amongst experts and the general public. This knowledge is inclusive of the relations between France and its neighbors (Germany, UK), its former colonies in Africa and Asia, the major powers of that time (US, USSR, China) or some defined cultural areas (Latin America).
However, it seems the Franco-Spanish relations are not so well known. De Gaulle’s France and Franco’s Spain did maintain diplomatic relations, particularly in the economic and cultural fields. In 1970, after he resigned, Charles de Gaulle even visited Spain and met Francisco Franco in Madrid. But what was the nature of these diplomatic relations?
To get your link, contact the Cultural Team at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com
Camille Claudel and August Rodin formed one of the most artistically successful couples in French Art. Sixteen creative, passionate, violent years in which the two produced hundreds of sculpted works that have come to constitute an essential part of modern French sculpture (The Thinker, The Gates of Hell, The Burghese of Calais) and that are today renown throughout the world. However, behind the most brilliant artistic creation of its time hides a tragic destiny…
Camille Claudel and August Rodin formed one of the most artistically successful couples in French Art. Sixteen creative, passionate, violent years in which the two produced hundreds of sculpted works that have come to constitute an essential part of modern French sculpture (The Thinker, The Gates of Hell, The Burghese of Calais) and that are today renown throughout the world. However, behind the most brilliant artistic creation of its time hides a tragic destiny…
Contact the cultural team at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the lecture.
Would you like to join us for the next book club session? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Would you like to join us for the next book club session? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Step 1:
Contact the cultural team at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 16th June.
Step 2:
Read the four texts of Rimbaud and Verlaine, available here
Text 1: https://poesie.webnet.fr/lesgrandsclassiques/poemes/paul_verlaine/mon_reve_familier
Text 2 : https://www.poetica.fr/poeme-533/arthur-rimbaud-sensation/
Text 3 : https://poesie.webnet.fr/lesgrandsclassiques/poemes/arthur_rimbaud/le_dormeur_du_val
Text 4 : https://poesie.webnet.fr/lesgrandsclassiques/Poemes/paul_verlaine/clair_de_lune
Step 3:
Once you have received your link by e-mail, you will then be able to join the session on the 2nd June, at 4pm.
Would you like to join us for the next book club session? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Would you like to join us for the next book club session? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Step 1:
Contact the cultural team at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 2Nd June.
Step 2:
Read the three texts of Boris Vian, available here
Text 1: https://www.le-parolier.net/paroles-vian-la-complainte-du-progres.html
Text 2 : https://poesiecontemporaine-ou-pas.over-blog.com/2019/02/l-evade-de-boris-vian.html
Text 3 : https://www.paroles.net/boris-vian/paroles-le-defile
Step 3:
Get ready for the session by thinking about the following questions: What are your impressions? What do you think of the end of the texts? What, in your opinion, did the author want to say about society?
Step 4:
Once you have received your link by e-mail, you will then be able to join the session on the 2tnd June, at 4am.
We will explain a little about the history of English wine; then talk about how the climate makes English winemaking more viable nowadays and explain about some of the grape varieties used. Why is sparkling wine is so successful? There are several reasons.
We will also discuss pricing and what the future might hold for English wines. All this will be compared with what happens in France and we will explain why some French companies are watching English wine production VERY closely!
We will explain a little about the history of English wine; then talk about how the climate makes English winemaking more viable nowadays and explain about some of the grape varieties used. Why is sparkling wine is so successful? There are several reasons.
We will also discuss pricing and what the future might hold for English wines. All this will be compared with what happens in France and we will explain why some French companies are watching English wine production VERY closely!
Be part of our entertaining Online Quiz night.
The questions will test your general knowledge, you must think on your feet! Its suitable for all abilities and a great opportunity to get together and meet new people. We be using quizizz.com.
The winning prize is not only unlimited bragging rights, but also 8 weeks of French lessons for the summer term.
Sign up with l’Alliance Française Cambridge at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com
Be part of our entertaining Online Quiz night.
The questions will test your general knowledge, you must think on your feet! Its suitable for all abilities and a great opportunity to get together and meet new people. We be using quizizz.com.
The winning prize is not only unlimited bragging rights, but also 8 weeks of French lessons for the summer term.
Sign up with l’Alliance Française Cambridge at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com
Born and raised in Normandie, Garance is a singer-songwriter, artist and French teacher (Alliance française Cambridge UK and Canberra Australia).
Would you like to join us for this event? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Born and raised in Normandie, Garance is a singer-songwriter, artist and French teacher (Alliance française Cambridge UK and Canberra Australia).
Would you like to join us for this event? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Step 1:
Contact the cultural team at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a link for the session
Step 2:
Once you have received your link by e-mail, you will then be able to join us!
Christopher Johnson studied French & German at Cambridge University in the mid-1970s and, after a brief spell as a language teacher, worked for over 30 years in banking and investment, including 22 years with a French bank.
On his retirement he moved to South-West France, where he acted as a voluntary mentor to small businesses and served for 6 years as a Municipal Councillor in a small town 50 kilometres south of Toulouse. It was here that he encountered the Occitan language, the subject of tonight’s talk.
Christopher Johnson studied French & German at Cambridge University in the mid-1970s and, after a brief spell as a language teacher, worked for over 30 years in banking and investment, including 22 years with a French bank.
On his retirement he moved to South-West France, where he acted as a voluntary mentor to small businesses and served for 6 years as a Municipal Councillor in a small town 50 kilometres south of Toulouse. It was here that he encountered the Occitan language, the subject of tonight’s talk.
Now back in Cambridge, he volunteers with the University’s Newcomers & Visiting
Scholars organisation and tries to keep in touch with French language and culture,
partly by doing talks like this, which is his third for the Alliance Française.
Would you like to join us for this event? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Step 1:
Contact the cultural team at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a link for the session
Step 2:
Once you have received your link by e-mail, you will then be able to join us!
Would you like to join us for the next book club session? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Would you like to join us for the next book club session? All you have to do is to follow the steps as explained below.
Step 1:
Contact the cultural team at info.alliance.cam@gmail.com, so that we can send you a zoom link for the session of the 5th of May.
Step 2:
Read the three texts of Jean de La Fontaine, available here
Text 1: https://www.la-fontaine-ch-thierry.net/amourfol.htm
Text 2 : https://www.la-fontaine-ch-thierry.net/courlion.htm
Text 3 : https://www.la-fontaine-ch-thierry.net/louagneau.htm
Step 3:
Get ready for the session by thinking about the following questions: What are your impressions? What do you think of the end of the texts? What, in your opinion, did the author want to say about society?
Step 4:
Once you have received your link by e-mail, you will then be able to join the session on the 5th of May, at 4pm.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Faïza Guène will lead a conference at l’Alliance Française Cambridge on the 7th of March 2020.
Faïza was born in France in 1985 to Algerian parents and wrote her first novel, Just Like Tomorrow, when she was 17 years old. It was a huge success in France (titled in French, Kiffe-Kiffe Demain) selling translation all around the world.
Just Like Tomorrow was shortlisted for the Young Minds Book Award 2006 and longlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2007.
On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Faïza Guène will lead a conference at l’Alliance Française Cambridge on the 7th of March 2020.
Faïza was born in France in 1985 to Algerian parents and wrote her first novel, Just Like Tomorrow, when she was 17 years old. It was a huge success in France (titled in French, Kiffe-Kiffe Demain) selling translation all around the world.
Just Like Tomorrow was shortlisted for the Young Minds Book Award 2006 and longlisted for the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize 2007.
In its original version, it is also a set text at French A-Level.
The author has since published four more novels, three of which have been translated into English by Sarah Ardizzone.
This conference is open to everyone and especially recommended for French A-Level students and teachers who will have the unique privilege to meet, in person, the author of the book they have been studying for months.
A talk – illustrated with photos and images of original artwork – about aspects of the history, the landscape and the people of this rugged Auvergne départment and how the speakers became increasingly enchanted with it after setting up a second home in a small hamlet near Yssingeaux. Compared with other parts of France, this corner of La France Profonde tends to be less well known, even to many French people.
A talk – illustrated with photos and images of original artwork – about aspects of the history, the landscape and the people of this rugged Auvergne départment and how the speakers became increasingly enchanted with it after setting up a second home in a small hamlet near Yssingeaux. Compared with other parts of France, this corner of La France Profonde tends to be less well known, even to many French people.
Mention will be made of the 13th century convent initially abandoned to wolves but which later became a major abbey (despite the Mother Superior who became a gangster’s moll!), of the remarkable women known as Béates who lived alone in remote rural communities instructing the young and looking after the old from the 17th to the 20th century, of the strange beast that so terrorized the population in the 18th century that Louis XV had to send his best hunters to track it down, and of the courage of local people who hid refugees from the Nazis during World War II and became France’s most formidable resistance group.
Martin has written about these and other stories, including the experiences of his family in getting to know the local culture, in a book of narrative verse: Song of France – Ode to the Haute-Loire. Published last year, this is illustrated by his wife who is a professional artist (see www.songoffrance.com). Copies of the book will be available at the talk.
Come enjoy French cinema at the Alliance Française Cambridge!
Plot:
French drama set in the 1950s following a young woman who is kept firmly in check by her father. However, another opportunity presents itself. She makes the acquaintance of a manager called Louis Echard. Impressed by her natural abilities at the keyboard, Louis appoints himself her trainer for a speed typing competition.
Come enjoy French cinema at the Alliance Française Cambridge!
Plot:
French drama set in the 1950s following a young woman who is kept firmly in check by her father. However, another opportunity presents itself. She makes the acquaintance of a manager called Louis Echard. Impressed by her natural abilities at the keyboard, Louis appoints himself her trainer for a speed typing competition.
Reviews
July 2020
I enjoyed the talk on Friday given by Nicolas. All praise to him for delivering it in such good English.
July 2020
Je voulais juste dire que moi aussi j’ai aimé ces petits amuse-bouche de la littérature française donnés au cours du book club en ligne pendant le confinement. C’était d’autant plus agréable que je pouvais y accéder de ma ville à 40 km de Cambridge! Merci Gaël pour vos explications sur les auteurs et les textes.
July 2020
Merci d’avoir mis en place le Book Club en ligne. Je trouve que nos séances ont été réussies même chez Zoom, tout le monde a eu l’occasion de participer, même plus peut-être que dans notre situation normale. Le choix de courts morceaux – contes, poèmes – a donné la possibilité de beaucoup de variété dans la même heure, la discussion n’a pas tari, et merci à Gaël de nous avoir fourni tant de mises en scène.
July 2020
I have been happy with all the teachers we have had and all the subject matter – bottom line for me is that it is French and there is always something to learnI am also very much enjoying the Club de Lecture never having been able before Covid to attend.Gael is very ‘sympa ‘ and knowledgable.
July 2020
Je suis super-contente avec les clubs de lecture. Félicitations à toute l’équipe – mais surtout à Gaël …. !