Alliance activities

Add a unique French dimension to your life

A membership in the Alliance Française de Seattle brings you more than just reductions on language classes and access to free events. We bring together people interested in all aspects of French and francophone culture, so we help you socialize as you learn. You will discover much about other places and cultures but, equally, you will learn more about the people and international character of our own region.

French and francophone celebrations

By joining the Alliance, you add a second calendar to your normal year! Our members unite to celebrate a range of French holidays, from occasions such as la Chandleur (“crêpe day”) to the two-month range of francophone customs that prolong the Christmas season into every New Year. Of course, many of these traditions revolve around food and drink, so we hold regular déjeneurs and soirées for members, their families and friends. With the help of our region’s French, francophone and Francophile businesses, you will learn about French folklore, manners and family customs. You will also want to join in festivities such as our quatorze juillet (Bastille Day) and la Büche de Noël, not to mention the joys of Pacques (Easter, when church bells instead of the bunnies bring young children chocolate) and our beautiful summer. With our French school year, l’année scolaire, come new ways to look at every season.

Other special activities

You might learn about the bande dessinée (Franco-Belgian graphic novel), as we helped members do during summer 2008's "La Semaine de la Bande Dessinée'. Or you could experience theatre in the French language, then meet the actors. Learn the French vocabulary for shopping in a local boutique, attend a bilingual wine-tasting or learn about French table manner. Because most activities are conducted in both French and English, only a few require full fluency.

Ciné-club and film screenings

Our free in-house Ciné-Club enlivens the darker days with lively evenings centered on watching films in French. Instead of sitting alone with a DVD, members enjoy refreshments then discuss in French what they have seen. We show French films with English subtitles, although we also hold special "V.F." (Version française) screenings for students and members. Alliance screenings are free to members and their friends and most screenings are open to others for the price of a modest donation. We partner with other organizations to hold special screenings and your Alliance membership card allows you two-for-one rentals at Scarecrow Video: our region’s best source for French films.

French Scrabble

Would you like to sharpen your French language skills while sharpening your mind? Join us to play French Scrabble every month! You will enhance your French vocabulary, improve your spelling, and meet other members! Intermediate to advanced French is advised. Free to all Alliance members.

Other activities and offers

Our members meet all year to sample chocolate, read books, taste wines, cycle - or just sit in cafés and make conversation. They enjoy discounts such as 20% off bande dessinées (comics) and other books at the Fantagraphics bookstore. In sum, you’ll find our calendar and offerings as enriching as learning the French language itself!