Alliance Francaise de Minneapolis/St. Paul

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About Alliance Francaise de Minneapolis/St. Paul

The mission of Alliance Française Mpls/St Paul, an independent chapter of a worldwide organization, is to serve our community by promoting the use and appreciation of French language and cultures through language classes, cultural programs, social events and information resources.

Our vision is to build a community of people passionate about francophone culture in all its global diversity, and want to become–through high-quality native language instruction along with authentic and exciting cultural activities and social events–the indispensable destination for all things French!

Founded in Paris in 1883, the Alliance Française promotes French language and culture. Worldwide there are over 1,135 chapters in 138 countries, with 130 chapters in the United States. The Alliance Française is the largest cultural network in the world. Each Alliance Française is governed locally and is operated as an independent, non-profit, non-political, non-discriminatory organization.

The Alliance Française began in Minnesota in the 1920s with a small group interested in the language and culture of France, led by University of Minnesota Professor Jacques Fermand. By the 1950s, our local chapter had around 100 members. On October 29, 1975, the chapter was incorporated as a non-profit organization in the state of Minnesota. Today, the AFMSP has more than 1,000 members and over 900 students annually.

Every month, the Alliance Française hosts many cultural events for French speakers and Francophiles of all ages. Monthly activities include film groups and book clubs of varying levels of French. Also, we have a club for high schoolers, a young professionals group and monthly breakfast conversation groups for the community. Additionally, the Alliance Française hosts a Bastille Day celebration, musical events, concerts, lectures, conferences, holiday celebrations and more throughout the year.