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Seize these amazing opportunities that are part of your exclusive membership benefits! Culturethèque is an online library that grants Alliance Française members FREE  and UNLIMITED access to a vast array of digital resources, such as magazines, e-books, podcasts, and language learning exercises. Do not miss out on this fantastic opportunity! Click Here to follow instructions The 5 sections of Culturethèque Lire (read):  magazines, comics, literature. Ecouter (listen):  audio books, conferences, concerts, albums. Regarder (watch):  fictions, documentaries, conferences, concerts. Apprendre (learn):  french contents, professional training, computing, music. Jeunesse (youth):  resources for kids. If you have any issues with your registration or access to the Culturethèque, please contact us at: afrenonevada@gmail.com

Holiday Greeting Cards ( 'Cartes de Voeux') French people don’t send Christmas cards; they send New Year’s greeting cards instead, and one can wish 'Bonne Ann ée' throughout the month of January with a card or in-person starting a conversation with 'Mes Meilleurs Voeux' (with my best wishes).   Holiday Gift Giving  Étiquette 'Les  É trennes' Traditionally, the word refers to gifts given to workers who provide a regular service:  the mail carrier ('le Postier'),    local firemen (les 'Sapeurs-Pompiers'), and the trash collectors ( les éboueurs ).  In years past, they would ring the doorbell and offer a calendar while accepting a token money gift. Sadly, this tradition is fading because of scammers ('frauders'). One gift-giving tradition, however, has stood the test of time: the Etrennes for a building super (Le C oncierge).  It is customary for building tenants and owners to deliver a handwritten thank you note and a money gift in an 'understated' way consistent with French manners.

Take the Quiz! If you have your story to share about Reno, please feel free to post a comment. Real people read it regularly. Merci!

Yes!... and No! Halloween in France is still a relatively low-key event that only really started in the 1990s, and it doesn't include any of the American glitz and glamour. It's often seen as a "commercial marketing scheme from the Americans," and local supermarkets tend to feel a bit awkward when they start putting out some Halloween costumes and candy. "It's for the children," they always say. For the French, October 31st isn't of much significance. It's La Toussaint, All Saints' Day, celebrated on November 1st, that holds importance. This official holiday is dedicated to honoring all the saints and remembering the deceased. Stores fill with chrysanthemums and cyclamens, and locals attend church before visiting cemeteries to pay tribute to their loved ones. Halloween en France reste encore un événement assez discret, qui n'a vraiment commencé qu'à partir des années 1990, et qui n'inclut pas le côté spectaculaire à l'américaine. On le considère souvent comme une "manœuvre commerciale venue des États-Unis", et les supermarchés locaux se sentent parfois un peu gênés lorsqu'ils commencent à mettre en rayon quelques costumes et friandises d’Halloween. "C’est pour les enfants", disent-ils toujours. Pour les Français, le 31 octobre n’a pas beaucoup d’importance. C’est plutôt la Toussaint, célébrée le 1er novembre, qui est marquante. Ce jour férié est consacré à honorer tous les saints et à commémorer les défunts. Les magasins se remplissent alors de chrysanthèmes et de cyclamens, et les habitants se rendent à l’église puis au cimetière pour se souvenir de leurs proches disparus. If you have your story to share about Reno, please feel free to post a comment. Real people read it regularly. Merci!

Pour son premier déplacement hors de la Baie de San Francisco, @Cardinaux_F est allé à la rencontre des Français de Reno et du Lake Tahoe . Vous pouvez compter sur la France pour renforcer les relations avec le nord du Nevada ! Thank you to the @MayorSchieve  and the @unevadareno  for their warm welcome. We are determined to build a renewed partnership between Northern Nevada and France through the Alliance Française, collaborations in mountain sports and expanded student exchange programs. Let’s be bold! For his first trip outside of San Francisco Bay, @Cardinaux_F went to meet the French people of Reno and Lake Tahoe . You can count on France to strengthen relations with northern Nevada!

"The Biggest Little City in the World?" Excerpt based on Alicia Barber 's KUNR Public Radio post. Some cities have nicknames that are instantly recognizable, like The Big Apple or the Windy City. Reno’s famous slogan, "The Biggest Little City in the World," also has a unique history. But how did it gain such fame? It all began in the late 1800s during the Gilded Age, a period when major cities like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco were booming with skyscrapers, electric streetcars, and thriving industries. Smaller towns, eager to attract attention and investment, began adopting the title "the biggest little city" to promote themselves. Reno was one of these towns, first dubbed the “Biggest Little City on the Pacific Coast” by a local reporter in 1901. The phrase emphasized not size, but ambition—Reno may have been small, but it had big vision, pride, and opportunity. In 1910, as Reno hosted the heavyweight boxing championship between Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries, local businessmen marketed the town as “The Biggest Little City on the Map,” using the slogan on promotional materials handed to thousands of visitors. Though Reno’s population was around 10,000 at the time, it had a surprisingly urban feel with a university, a charming downtown, and a growing reputation for cultural sophistication, helped by visitors seeking Reno's famous six-month divorce process. By 1929, the slogan became official when it won a city contest, and it was soon emblazoned in neon on the iconic Reno Arch. When Nevada legalized gambling and streamlined divorce laws in 1931, Reno saw even more national attention, solidifying its title as “The Biggest Little City in the World all to itself.” Read the original piece here If you have your story to share about Reno, please feel free to post a comment. Real people read it regularly. Merci!

The Alliance Française de Reno Scholarship Fund   is an important program designed to support students with a deep passion for French language, culture, and Francophone studies. This fund provides financial aid to students at various academic levels , from high school seniors to university students, who wish to pursue studies related to the French language, Francophone literature, arts, cultural and specialized programs such as culinary. In general, the scholarship is awarded based on a combination of academic excellence, demonstrated interest in promoting French language and culture, and a commitment to fostering intercultural dialogue. Applicants are expected to show a clear dedication to mastering the French language, as well as a desire to use their knowledge and skills to engage with global Francophone communities, whether through education, arts, international relations, or cultural exchange. The goal of the scholarship is not only to ease the financial burden for students but also to encourage a lifelong connection with the French language and its diverse cultures. Recipients of the scholarship will gain access to unique learning opportunities, including language immersion programs, internships, and events hosted by the Alliance Française. Ultimately, the Alliance Française Scholarship Fund seeks to cultivate future ambassadors of French culture , inspiring them to contribute to a more cul turally rich and interconnected world.

A once in a lifetime lunch! by Josette Marsh A top of the world gastronomic experience that I enjoyed with my husband on the 6th floor of "the Tower", overlooking the Seine, Notre-Dame and the Ile Saint Louis. It was one   of the most breathtaking panoramas of Paris that will remain a timeless experience in our lives.

C’est la fin des grandes vacances d’été ! Connaissez-vous l’histoire de La Rentrée? It's the end of the French Summer Holidays! Do you know its history? This is highly simplified, but. .....In the U.S., Labor Day signals the shift from summer to fall. It's the same in France, but this transition is marked by "La Rentrée ," meaning "the return", which is akin to our back-to-school season, but with a very different twist, à la Française, bien sûr! Of course! Vive la Difference! It follows a  sacred  long-standing French tradition  where nearly all of France takes their  four to six weeks vacation in July and/or August  to "recharge". And La Rentrée is much more than just the return to school. It marks the  release of new books , the debut of  new TV shows and new hosts  or the return of old favorites (or not!), and the  beginning of political planning  for the upcoming year, with 2024 set to be  particularly challenging ! Socially, it's a time when people reconnect  in outside cafés, at friend's BBQ's or at local farmers' markets, sharing stories about their vacations, destinations and, most importantly, comparing their suntans , before finally settling back into their routines—often with a  mountain of work  that will take them weeks to tackle! If you have ongoing business or are waiting for some documents or whatever, do not expect anything to get done before another 3-4 weeks! For many, La Rentrée is a season of celebration, seen as  a fresh start, complete with new resolutions . And don't forget that the next set of holidays is only 6-weeks late r with "La Toussaint", (All Saints Day) from October 19th to November 4th 🤣, with Christmas following about 6 weeks later. If you have your story to share about La Rentrée, please feel free to post a comment. Real people read it regularly. Merci!