French Club Cheese Tasting

You are invited to the French Club Cheese Tasting this Thursday, 30th of March! Come along to a selection of French Cheeses provided by the French Club. It'll be great! 🇫🇷 🇫🇷 🇫🇷 We'll be in the Eagle Bar from 4:30. See you there :)

Movie Night!

Hello French Clubbians, please come along to our movie night on the ninth of July! Bring along some snacks and enjoy the atmosphere with fellow francophiles. Find further information on our facebook page!

Bonjour French Club, vous êtes cordialement invités à notre soirée cinéma sur le 9 juillet! Apportez des snacks et profitez de l'ambiance avec des autres francophiles. Pour plus d’informations, allez sur notre page Facebook.

Melbourne Event: Alliance Française Open Day

Discover all things French that the Alliance Française de Melbourne has to offer at their forthcoming Open Day!

Enjoy complimentary coffee and croissants, test your language skills during one of the speed testing sessions organised throughout the day and attend a free trial class (for adults and children aged 6 to 12).

What? Free croissants and activities!

When? 10am to 2pm, Saturday 14 September.

Where? Alliance Française, 51 Grey Street, St Kilda (off Fitzroy Street).

Open Day

Yesterday, It was Open day @ La Trobe University. A great opportunity for the French Club to be present and give an hand to the Staff . We can thank Simone, Nopporn and Sam for being here and talk about the French Program and the French Club.

They can talk better than a teacher about their real experience of French @ La Trobe and were give a real feedback of the program. With this event, we prove once again that the French Club is very active and French community @ La Trobe is a real bonus.

Melbourne French Theatre: Auditions for “Espèces Menacées”

MTF auditions are opening soon!

The life of mild-mannered accountant Yvon Lemouël hits turbulence when he picks up a briefcase identical to his, but containing an enormous amount of cash at the railway station... A brilliant play of comic mayhem, lies and hapless misunderstanding, Espèces Menacées by Ray Cooney is the forthcoming production from the Melbourne French Theatre and is seeking a cast!

As always, the production will be entirely in French with English sur-titles (just like sub-titles, but projected overhead). So, can you speak French? Are you fabulously dashing and courageous and funny? Are you available from the end of June till 7 September 2013? Then direct yourself post haste to the company’s website to register your interest!

When? Auditions are being held on June 22 and 24.
Where? 203 to 205 Canning Street, Carlton. Corner Neill Street. Enter via corner door.
More info? Enquiries should be directed to (03) 9349 2250. Stay abreast of MTF news on their website and Facebook.

Podcast: Pascale Chifflet’s Careers Seminar

From the procedural intricacies of prosecuting war criminals to the difficulties of mastering the English accent, Pascale Chifflet’s lecture at the French Club’s inaugural Careers Seminar was nothing short of awe-inspiring! A former Legal Officer and Legal Translator at the United Nations International War Crimes Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, Pascale opened up about her life, career and the mechanisms of this impressive legal institution. Now available as a free podcast.

Le Goût de la Francophonie Wrap-Up

Today, the French Club took to the Agora for a spectacular food event: Le Goût de la Francophonie! Featuring food from around the French-speaking world, today was an opportunity to discover culinary delights from France, Belgium, North Africa and Mauritius.

Not only did the 2013 French Club Committee display some exceptional culinary prowess (with special mentions going to our head chefs, Nawsheen, Jess and Adrianna!), but we also had the good fortune to attract the attention of some French exchange students, who assisted us with our crepe-making techniques!

With perfect weather and lots of wonderful people coming along, Le Goût de la Francophonie not only provided scrumptious global delicacies but was also a perfect setting to catch up with club members, new and old alike. Merci to everyone who came and enjoyed this beautiful day with us!

Interview: Alex Perrin, fondatrice de La Petite Bibliothèque

It is with immense pride and excitement that we chat to Alexandra Perrin, who last year launched La Petite Bibliothèque, La Trobe French Club’s very own French library! Although still only in its infancy, La Petite Biblio has already grown enormously and is a unique resource available to all La Trobe French students.

How did La Petite Biblio get started?

I don’t remember exactly. I came to Australia with some books, and I didn’t know what to do of them after reading, so I put them in the office. It started with ten books on a shelf.

La Petite Biblio has grown enormously over the past year! How has this happened?

I gave a lot of my books. But I’m a huge reader of sci-fi, fantasy, young adult and manga. I wanted opinions from other people, so I contact  friends and community members from a big French forum to see if some wanted to get involved, help and give some books. I am still surprised that over 500 books has been donated to this project.

Committee Member: Tobias, General Committee 2013

Tobias Henriksen

What are you studying at La Trobe?

Currently doing my first year here at La Trobe Uni and so far I am loving it!! I am studying Animal and Vet Bioscience, after which I hope to transfer over to Melbourne Uni and do a Vet Science degree.

Ever since I was young I have always loved animals, so as long as I am working with animals in the future I will be happy, though I am aiming to become a qualified vet.

What do you love about French language and francophone culture?

What isn’t there to love about the French language? Other than it is a completely different language, it is a language used in many places of the world, it can be seen as quite a sophisticated, and even our own English language has been greatly influenced by the French language ... awesome!!

Ohh and the culture!! Love the food! Love the music! Love the cinematography! Love the Language! Love the history! Love everything!!

Any francophone movies/books you could recommend?

It really depends on one’s own personal preferences. Au Revoir Les Enfants is a beautiful piece set in the time of the second world war. The song “Fils de France” by Damien Saez ... I can listen to for hours on end! This piece is all about France and how the people stay strong during times of conflict, both internal and external.

Just a general read or viewing of anything French is a change from our day to day English culture. It really is something special to experience a new culture and a really think the best way to be part of the French culture is to immerse yourself in everything French.

Podcast: Interview with La Trobe lectrice Marion

In our sixth podcast, we chat to La Trobe’s exceptionally lovely lectrice from Le Mans, Marion Moulin. She opens up about language immersion, la francophonie, her difficulties with le français québécois and more.

Marion takes part in many of La Trobe French Club’s events, and is a regular at our weekly Conversation Sessions (every Monday at 5pm in HU3 234, chocolate included!).