Alliance Francaise du NS (IL)

Alliance Française du North Shore (IL)
Founded in 1912 as "The French Club of Evanston"
P.O. Box 1750, Evanston, IL 60204 USA alliancefn[@]yahoo.com

Put a little French in your life
and join our
Alliance Française du North Shore (IL).

We are but one chapter of the not-for-profit cultural and educational Alliance Française organization, a worldwide network of not-for-profit chapters which seek to educate its members about francophone cultures, language, history and literature.

Is your French a little rusty? Pas de problème! Come and enjoy the camaraderie of French-speaking people in Chicago's northern suburbs along the west shores of Lake Michigan (northern Cook County & southern Lake County). Benefit from our excellent lecture programs which take place once a month (on Monday afternoons) during our September-April Lecture Season, and benefit from our many year-'round activities.

Il y en aura pour tous les goûts!

If you are interested in being part of a friendly francophone environment, visit one of our Lecture programs for the nominal sum of ~$10 at the door. If you wish to join for the year (June1-May31),$50; print out our Membership form , and mail it to us with your check. All skill levels welcome, beginner to fluent. Our 70 members range from native speakers to present-and-former French teachers to present-and-former French students. We do not have any office space, so please write to us at AFduNS, P.O.Box 1750, Evanston, IL 60204, or by email, alliancefn @ yahoo.com.

Si vous voulez améliorer votre compréhension et expression
de la langue française, venez vous joindre à nous,
pour écouter et converser en français.

AFduNS Membership Benefits
Among the many benefits of an annual membership:
--You will receive monthly reminders of upcoming Lecture-Program Topics and Café events by postcard or e-Rappel;
--Members receive their own copy of our annual Member-Directory (published each November),
--Members receive one or two "NewsBrief" newsletters snail-mailed each year.
--Our Lecture-Program entrance fee is waived for members.

--Members are also extended privileges at our club's small 'lending library', to borrow from our small collection of French-language books, magazines, publications which are on offer before each Lecture. Ask for Chantal Shapiro or Monique Whiting. Do you have subscriptions to francophone newspapers or magazines such as Paris MATCH, or l'Express? Once you have finished, please bring your old copies to our 'lending library' so they can be circulated to interested members.
--Members are also elegible to access the Members-Only activities such as: Cercle de Lecture, Cercle des Contes, Ciné Club, Conversations à thèmes, and Mercredi Soir Classe de Conversation.

AFduNS Year-'Round Activities

--- Café Conversations ---
" Café Conversations - Morning Edition ":
One Monday-morning a month, (usually first Mondays) at 10:00am, we meet at a café "pour bavarder en français." Rendez-vous at the Panera (Wilmette), at 1199 Wilmette Ave, (just east of the C&NW rail tracks).
Bring a friend! Purchase your refreshment and then look for us at the pulled-together tables near the south exit. Open to Members and non-Members, beginners to fluent. Listening in French is required. We generally have 18 to 24 participants each month. Join us! Mark your calendar now for :

- - - Aug. 2, 2010, 10am-11am
- - - Sept.6, 2010, 10am-11am (yes, Labor Day)
- - - Oct. 4, 2010, 10am-11am
- - - Nov. 1, 2010, 10am-11am

" Café Conversations - Evening Edition ":
One Monday-evening per month (usually the second or third Monday nite of the month) at 7:30pm, we meet at a café for friendly conversations in French. Rendez-vous at the Panera for one hour.
The venue has moved to Evanston: Panera-Evanston is at the intersection of Sherman and Church, inside the former Marshall Field's building (1700 Sherman). Purchase your optional refreshment and look for a small French flag at the tables that are pulled together towards the west-end.
Open to Members and non-Members, beginners to fluent. Listening in French is encouraged. Mark your calendar now for :

- - - August 9,2010, 7:30pm-8:30pm (Panera-Evanston - 1700 N. Sherman at Church St.)
- - - September 13,2010, 7:30-8:30pm (Panera-Evanston - 1700 N. Sherman at Church St.)

" Café Conversation à Thèmes " :
Niveau: Posséder une bonne connaissance du français permettant une participation active à des échanges et des débats. On se réunir dans un café à Wilmette. Limite 12 participants. Veuillez contacter Mme.Rano c/o alliancefn[@]yahoo.com . Membership Required to join this activity.

AFduNS Lecture Season:

--Our Lecture Programs start promptly at 1:00 PM . Please arrive by 12:50pm to find your seat.
--Members admitted free; Guests and Visitors pay $10.00 at the door to help defray our expenses for the meeting.

Program
Date
@1PM sharp. Planned Lecture Topics ('10 - '11)

Sept. 20, 2010
« Un Français qui vit le rêve américain » , in French, with M. Pascal Berthoumieux, native of Bordeaux, currently owner-manager of Evanston's Bistro Bordeaux restaurant, http://www.lebistrobordeaux.com.

Oct. 18, 2010
« _____ », in French, with _____

Nov.15, 2010
« ______ », in French, with _____

Dec.13, 2010
«_____» , in French, with _____

Jan. 10, 2011
"Causerie", in French, an annual opportunity for conversation circles centered on various pre-selected Discussion-Topics.

Feb.14, 2011
« _____ », in French, with _____

At this point, AFduNS Memberships are now available at half-price (and run through balance of fiscal year) at $xx.00 and may be purchased at the door or by mail. Become a Member! Print Membership Form from this site.

Mar.21, 2011
«_____», in French, with_____

Apr.18, 2011
«_____ » , in French, with _____

May xx, 2011 Déjeuner de printemps:
Our annual Spring Luncheon, in French, will be held at aNorth Shore restaurant .
Begins at NOON. Pre-paid Reservations MUST be received by our Treasurer by ~May 10th. ~$3x.00 for Members, ~$4x.00 for non-Members. (Tax and Tip included.) Prices and menu to be determined.

NOTES:

--Please arrive a bit early, at 12:45pm, to socialize in French and/or browse our ''lending library'' (a tableful of materials in French).
--You will also hear announcements of current local francophone events which are also posted on our club's bulletin board (tableau d'affichage) on display during the meeting.
--Our Guest Speakers and Presenters give a 45 to 60 minute program.
--We present complimentary refreshments after the Lecture, contributed by members, and socialize in French.
--We generally conclude by 2:45 or 3:00pm.
--Our Conference topics are also announced in local papers such as the Pioneer Press' Clubs, Lectures, or Community calendars found in its "Diversions", "Images", or "Peek-at-the-Week" pages.
--Nearly all our Presenters are fluent francophones.

This view looks north towards The Wilmette Public Library, 847-256-5025, 1242 Wilmette Avenue, Wilmette, IL, 60091

W.P. L. is located just 1 block west of GreenBay Road. (At the corner of Park Avenue and Wilmette Ave). The convenient #213 Pace Bus runs on GreenBay Road nearby.

AFduNS Classe de Conversation, mercredi soir (for Members Only):

AFduNS Classe du mercredi soir: Fall Quarter begins September 22, 2010, 7pm.
We offer one class. It is a " Classe de Conversation" suitable for Advanced-Intermediate & Advanced Level students (par Prof. Roland Dubosq) on Wednesday evenings (7:00 to 9:00 p.m.) at the Wilmette Library classroom.
Various materials are used: articles, poems, songs, grammar worksheets; no text is required, current events are followed on TV5-Monde.
The next quarter of Classes runs Sept.22-Dec.8 (except Nov. 24). Fee is still just $154.00 for a full 10-11 week term. Winter Quarter runs December 15,2010 through March 9, 2011. Spring Quarter will run March 16, 2011 through May 18, for a $140 fee (10 sessions).
[Students may easily join this class part-way thru the series, for a prorated tuition, whenever there are open seats, to a maximum of 14 students. You may also request to be added to the waiting list if the enrollment is currently full.] AFduNS Membership is a prerequisite. Each 10-11 week series will not be offered unless 8 or more students have registered and pre-paid before the first meeting of the quarter. For current information, email the club at alliancefn@ yahoo.com or contact Mary Sproul. If you wish to audit one class to see if the level and format suit you, please email the club to arrange your visit.
If you are looking for other levels of French, call Mme Janine Pefley at 847-251-6517 or call the New Trier Extension office (NTX), Northfield, Illinois, to leave a message at 847-446-6600, or visit their "NTX Course Catalog Online" at http://www.newtrierextension.org/ where you will find 10 to 16 excellent courses for francophones on a semester schedule (16-week).

AFduNS Cercles (for Members Only):

AFduNS Cercle des contes:
This conversation group usually meets the last monday of the month, in the early afternoon, at a member's home, to discuss a short literary work which was assigned at a previous meeting. The selection is usually suited to advanced-beginners and intermediate-level students of French. AFduNS Membership is a prerequisite. Enrollment is limited, so you might have to be put on a waiting list. Send us an email to request further details or ask Monique Whiting, Caroline Erbmann, or Chantal Shapiro.

AFduNS Cercle de Lecture:
This conversation group usually meets every 6 to 8 weeks to discuss a renowned, full-length francophone literary work. The reading and discussion level is suited for both very-fluent, advanced-level francophones and native speakers. AFduNS Membership is a prerequisite. Enrollment is limited so you might have to be put on a waiting list. Send us an email to request further details.

Cercle de lecture titles for the '10-'11 Season will be:

1: l'Élégance du hérisson by Muriel Barbery
2., 3., 4.: Six contes moraux by Eric Rohmer (trois contes)
5: J'apprends by Brigitte Giraud

Cercle de lecture titles for the '09-'10 Season were:

1. Elle s’appelait Sarah by Tatiana de Rosnay (October)
2. Un secret by Philippe Grimbert (November)
3. L’été meurtrier by Sébastien Japrisot (January)
4. L’arrière-saison by Philippe Besson (March)
5. Les âmes grises by Philippe Claudel (April)

Cercle de lecture titles for the '08-'09 Season were:

1. Je l'amais by Annie Gavalda
2. La femme rompue by Simone de Beauvoir
3. Les jardins de l'Observatoire by Gilles Perrault
4. L'amour dure 3 ans by Frédéric Beigbeder
5. Victoire, la saveur et les mots by Maryse Condé

Cercle de lecture titles for the '07-'08 Season were:

1. L'attentat by Yasmina Khadra
2. Aliocha by Henri Troyat
3. Extension du domaine de la lutte by Michel Houelleberg
4. La dentellière by Pascal Lainé
5. La petite fille de Monsieur Link by Philippe Claudel

AFduNS Ciné Club (for Members Only):

Ciné Club Spring '10:
May 24, 2010
de 13:30h à 16h

Film : Le diner des cons (The Dinner Game).
(A comedy)
Sortie du film: 1999, 80 minutes.
Réalisateur: Francis Veber
Vedettes : Thierry Lhermitte, Jacques Villeret, Francis Huster, Daniel Prévost, Alexandra Vandernoot

This film is a humorous farce with a bit of misanthropic spirit. The action takes place in current day France.…

To be shown in N.W. Evanston, seating limited to 16-22.
Reservations required in advance .

Members may sign up to view the private showing of these films,
followed by conversation in French as a group, exploring aspects of the film. (Séance suivie de discussion animée par une/un membre.)

FILM Titles being considered for our '10-'11 Ciné Club are:
-- xxxx[title not available at time of publication]
-- xxxx[title not available at time of publication]

FILM Titles for our '09-'10 Ciné Club were:
-- Le diner des cons, and
-- xxxx[title not available at time of publication]
-- xxxx[title not available at time of publication]

FILM Titles for our '08-'09 Ciné Club were:
-- La Petite Lili, and
-- xxxx[title not available at time of publication]

FILM Titles for our '07-'08 Ciné Club season were:
--Au revoir les enfants,
--Être and Avoir, and
--Avenue Montaigne.

AFduNS Membership Form: Print, then snail-mail it Membership Form

AFduNS Officers and Committees through May 31, 2010: Conseil
The success of our club relies on active participation of our members. What is your favorite aspect of our AFduNS activities? Please consider helping out. You will also have the benefit of making new francophone friends. Just mention your interest to one of our current committee members. Your ideas and participation are awaited.

AFduNS History (Historique): our chapter history

AFduNS ByLaws: view our chapter ByLaws

AFduNS Guest Speakers of our past Lecture Seasons: ...past seasons' guest speakers and topics

-- OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES for local francophones: -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

-- Annual "Grande Dictée" held at NU-Evanston campus -- On a Saturday morning in January, usually $5 per person-- eMail to Prof. Pavlovich at NU for info, mpa347 @northwestern.edu -- Three levels of competition: High school, adult students and teaching professionals; great prizes such as Dining Certificates or francophone reading material, offered/sponsored by the AATF-Northern Illinois/Chicago chapter.

-- Parisian Salon Concerts in Northbrook-- always a Friday, always Free, always 7:30pm. First FRIDAY of the month at Northbrook Public Library. Various talented musicians perform. Parisian anecdotes are offered, in English, by hosts Didier and Jane Lepauw. For upcoming program details, visit them online at http://northbrook.info/com_parisian_salon.php Oftentimes, several audience members speak French together after the music program concludes.

-- LesBavards -- NW Suburban Chicagoland (O'Hare area) -- First Wednesdays of the month, 6:30pm dinner, at a fine-dining restaurant north of O'hare Airport. Informal conversation in French during the meal. This popular monthly dining group was founded in 1999 by Sally Lipscomb. Contact lesbavards @ yahoo.com or visit http://lesbavardsfrancophones.blogspot.com

-- LesBavards du Nord -- NW Suburban Chicagoland (Buffalo Grove Area)-- Third Saturdays of the month, lunch at a casual restaurant in Buffalo Grove. Informal conversation in French. This popular monthly dining group was founded in 2004 by Janet Evans. Contact lesbavardsdunord @ yahoo.com or visit http://lesbavardsfrancophones.blogspot.com

-- LIAISON newsletter -- Francophone activites & listings for Chicagoland, updated monthly by the staff at the Consulate General of France in Chicago. See a sample at http://www.consulfrance-chicago.org

-- Evanston Public Library -- EPL circulates over 140 films in French, which are listed by epl's Laura Hirshfield in a handy, 19-page booklet, with a descriptive overview for each film. The booklet is revised occasionally to reflect newer acquisitions. The films are on VHS or DVD, and require a $1 fee in addition to your library card in good standing ( Wilmette or Skokie cardholders must also bring proof-of-residence and photo ID to register for EPL privileges).

-- Wilmette Public Library -- WPL circulates over 100 films in French, they are listed on a three-page list called "Foreign Films on VHS".
- - - -The village of Wilmette is named in honor of Antoine Ouilmette, a French-Canadian fur trader. For his part in persuading local Native Americans (Potawatomi) to sign the Treaty of Prairie du Chien in 1829, the U.S. government awarded Ouilmette 1,280 acres (5.2 km²) of land in present-day Wilmette and Evanston. In 1848, he sold the land to farmers and developers and it eventually evolved into modern-day Wilmette.

-- Mount Prospect Sister Cities Commission -- Mount Prospect has established sister cities status with Sèvres, France. Spring and Fall activities with visitors from Sèvres are open to the public and francophones. Check the latest news at www.mountprospect.org/sistercities

-- American Association of Teachers of French, AATF, Chicago/Northern-Illinois Chapter. Their web site: http://www.aatf-chicnorthil.org

-- Alliance Française de Chicago -- The Chicago chapter of Alliance Française has numerous classes and francophone activities every week, supported by hundreds of active members. Visit their site at www.af-chicago.org for the latest info.

-- Alliance Française of Dupage, du Comté de DuPage, Illinois (Naperville) -- The DuPage County chapter of Alliance Française has francophone activities west of Chicago. Visit their site at http://www.afdupage.com for the latest info.
- - - - The DuPage River took its name from a French fur-trapper and trader who had settled on the stream below the fork prior to 1800.

-- U.F.E.- Chicago -- L'UFEC assure la défense des droits et des intérêts des Français de l'étranger et aide les expatriés et les entreprises qui les détachent à bien réussir leur installation, leur intégration et leur retour. There are numerous Chicagoland francophone UFEC activities and outings visible at their outstanding website, http://www.ufechicago.org (Fluent francophones are welcome to participate in their events.)

--Facets Multi-Media, Inc. -- founded in 1975, is a non-profit, 501(C)3 organization, and a leading national Media Arts organization. There are often screenings of foreign-language films, or classes addressing aspects of francophone films. 1517 W. Fullerton Ave, Chicago. http://www.facets.org

-- French In Chicago .com -- FrenchInChicago.com is a recently-founded, not-for-profit, local website owned and managed by the ChicagoWorldCup LLC and is a FREE and interactive portal serving the French community to provide listings to access all activities, stores, cultural, sports events, social groups, etc...related to the French/francophone/francophile community in Chicago. Visit their site at http://www.frenchinchicago.com & you may choose either French or English for the latest info and events.

-- Palatine, Illinois Sister City -- Palatine has established relations with Fontenay-le-Comte, France. Learn more at http://www.palatinesistercities.org/fontenay.htm

--Chicago, Illinois' Sister Cities -- Chicago has over 27 Sister/Partner/Friendship cities. Three of them are: Paris, France Casablanca, Morocco and Lucerne, Switzerland.
- - - Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable was declared the "Founder of Chicago" by the State of Illinois and the City of Chicago on October 26, 1968. Pointe du Sable's father had sent the young Jean Baptiste (born in the French Caribbean before 1745) to study at a catholic school in France. Jean Baptiste first arrived on the western shores of Lake Michigan about 1779, where he built the first permanent nonindigenous settlement as a fur-trading post, pre-dating Fort Dearborn by about 30 years.

-- Centre de la francophonie des Amériques, founded in Québec, Canada -- Learn more at www.francophoniedesameriques.com The Center has quite a few exciting programs and contests for fellow francophones to get to know one another. (Estimated 33 million francophones in the Americas - 11 million in USA, almost 10 million in Canada, almost 10 million in Caribbean, almost 3 million in Central+South America.)

-- Contact us at our e-mail address to make any request for your not-for-profit, Chicagoland, francophone activity or resource to be considered for mention here, alliancefn @ yahoo.com .

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Other sites you might enjoy:     favorite_links

Federation News: " One Book - One Federation " is a program sponsored by the Federation of Alliances Françaises USA to promote French literacy throughout the United States by encouraging the reading of the same book by all chapters during a single year. The 2010 selection will be revealed by the AFUSA committee in the near future.

Previous “One Book - One Federation” Selections:
2009 - Héroïnes Françaises, 1940-1945: Courage, Force et Ingéniosité by Professor Monique Saigal.
2008 - not available at time of publication.
2007 - Victoire: les saveurs et les mots by Maryse Condé.
2006 - Le gone du Châba by Azouz Begag.
2005 - Les âmes grises by Philippe Claudel.
2004 - Le testament Français by Andrei Makine.

Bienvenue! You are visitor NUMBER [an error occurred while processing this directive] .
  Since our web debut during October of 2000, we have had over 30 to 50 visitors per week.
   Please come back again soon!

Our Alliance site is generously hosted by The Wilmette Public Library Wilmette Public Library's hosting service for community-based organizations.

(dernière mise à jour : 19 juillet, 2010 par olearymel [@ yahoo.com)

Efforts have been made to provide accurate and up-to-date information. The material contained on this site is given for informational purposes only; information relating to current events may be incomplete and cannot be guaranteed; the purpose is to inform and assist Internet users in locating francophone activities in the suburbs north of Chicago, also known as the northern Cook-County area.

Program Date @1PM sharp.	Planned Lecture Topics ('10 - '11)
Sept. 20, 2010	« Un Français qui vit le rêve américain » , in French, with M. Pascal Berthoumieux, native of Bordeaux, currently owner-manager of Evanston's Bistro Bordeaux restaurant, http://www.lebistrobordeaux.com.
Oct. 18, 2010	« _____ », in French, with _____
Nov.15, 2010	« ______ », in French, with _____
Dec.13, 2010	«_____» , in French, with _____
Jan. 10, 2011	"Causerie", in French, an annual opportunity for conversation circles centered on various pre-selected Discussion-Topics.
Feb.14, 2011	« _____ », in French, with _____ At this point, AFduNS Memberships are now available at half-price (and run through balance of fiscal year) at $xx.00 and may be purchased at the door or by mail. Become a Member! Print Membership Form from this site.
Mar.21, 2011	«_____», in French, with_____
Apr.18, 2011	«_____ » , in French, with _____
May xx, 2011	Déjeuner de printemps: Our annual Spring Luncheon, in French, will be held at aNorth Shore restaurant . Begins at NOON. Pre-paid Reservations MUST be received by our Treasurer by ~May 10th. ~$3x.00 for Members, ~$4x.00 for non-Members. (Tax and Tip included.) Prices and menu to be determined.