Parlez Français avec les autres! In addition to our Social Hours, Francophones and French-language learners can meet pour parler la belle langue in several French conversation groups in our area. All are open to the public:
Burlington: Pause-Café
This group has offered French conversation for decades. Currently they sponsor two weekly conversations: one online and one in person.
In person: Meets Tuesdays from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Burlington Bay Café, College and Battery Streets. For info, email Steve Norman at: pause-cafe+owner@groups.io.
Online: Meets Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. via Zoom at this link. Meeting ID: 724 0906 5430; passcode: nK3E0H
Jericho: Deborah Rawson Memorial Library
French Conversation Chez Henry. Come join this informal French conversation group, named in fond remembrance of our past leader and raconteur sans pareil Henry Weinstock. All levels of French speakers, as well as the French curious, are welcome.
Meets on Tuesdays from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Rawson Library, 8 River Road in Jericho. The schedule may vary—please check the library’s calendar page.
Middlebury: ShireTown Cafe and Market
This group meets every Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at 54 College Street in Middlebury. All levels of French are welcome. If you are interested in attending, email Linda at lindahamptonsmith@gmail.com.
Plattsburgh: Plattsburgh Public Library
This group meets the first Monday of every month at 3:00 p.m. at the Plattsburgh library. Other Mondays it meets at 3:00 p.m. via Zoom. Facilitated by Anne Jobin-Picard. If you’re interested in attending, email Anne for the link: ajobin-picard@cefls.org
Williston Village: Dorothy Alling Memorial Library
This group meets the second Saturday of each month from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. at 21 Library Lane. All levels of French are welcome. Participants rotate through small groups, so that all have the opportunity to talk and listen. Contact romain.feuillette@gmail.com.
French Storytime for children also meets at the library on the second Saturday of each month, from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
Form your own group!
Are you interested in starting your own French conversation group? Reach out to us at info@aflcr.org, and we’ll be happy to help you get started. It’s easy, and one of the best ways to maintain your French-speaking skills!
Alliance Française USA, online
Our national federation hosts a weekly Apéro conversation group via Zoom. It’s for adult participants, ages 17 and up. Your level should be high-intermediate to advanced or fluent; and you must be a current member of a U.S. Alliance Française chapter. You will be assigned to a breakout room of 4-5 people, with each breakout session lasting 14 minutes. The rooms are then are re-created (for a different mix each time). In this way, participants get to meet and chat with a variety of people from different backgrounds, regions, and fluency levels.
The host is Linda Witt. The group meets by Zoom for an hour every Wednesday, at 8:00 p.m. ET. To get on the invitation list, click here.
If you know of a public French conversation group that isn’t mentioned here, let us know at info@aflcr.org.