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 to 6:30 p.m. in the Local History Room at Fletcher Free Library. 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
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.