Last week I mentioned that the all-French television station TVA will be added to our basic cable on May 1. There is a vibrant French community here in the city, and indeed in many urban centers across the country, and enough English speakers who enjoy French culture that make this station a necessary addition.
I am willing to bet that many Edmontonians don't even know all the great French resources out there. For starters, when I want to read about the latest news in the French community, I go pick up a copy of Le Franco -- it's a 16 page weekly newspaper that tells of upcoming events in the community, as well as related news. It is in the French language and I find it a great way to practise my French reading skills. The center of the French community in Edmonton is a new cultural centre that officially opened about a year and a half ago. It's called La Cité Francophone and it is the home to a small theatre and several French businesses such as the office for Le Franco, Le Librarie Carrefour, the only French book and music store in the city, and Café Amandine, a bistro with all sorts of delicacies from Québec and France. L'Alliance Française is the perfect organization for people who want to improve their French language skills and make new friends. Members are invited to an informal conversation group every Thursday evening, and are kept up to date of French entertainment in the city. The official organization that oversees the French community in Edmonton is the Edmonton regional office of the French Canadian Association of Alberta. The A.C.F.A. Régionale D'Edmonton is a great starting point to find information about various French educational and cultural organizations in the city. Previous Features
