I recently had the privilege of being the Keynote Speaker at a French Immersion Weekend hosted by the Alliance Francaise of Cincinnati. The two day event was filled with French culture, language exercises, art history, wine tastings and more. It was my first time visiting Cincinnati but unfortunately wasn’t able to do any sightseeing or exploring. I arrived on Friday afternoon at the host hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott Midtown/Rockwood. First on the agenda was a French Wine and Cheese pairing event at The Wine Merchant, conveniently located down the street from the hotel. Guests enjoyed an array of French cheese and wine while improving their French language skills. I can’t think of any better way to practice my French.
The following morning, was the start of a full day of French culture. Guests were put into groups based on language level and we worked together on lessons to improve our French. All lessons were spoken in French; which really forced me to listen closely and further strengthen my vocabulary. The hotel provided a French inspired lunch of homemade quiche and salad and then it was back to an afternoon of breakout sessions. The event ended with a happy hour with more French wine, light bites, a talented young accordian player and my keynote speech (yes I was nervous).
The event details were so well thought out and I loved that they incorporated all aspects of life and culture in France, not just in Paris. I met so many lovely guests and fellow Francophiles. If you live in the Cincinnati area, I definitely recommend joining this local AF and attend their events. Each guest received a great Alliance Francaise tote bag filled with French goodies including a large bottle of my favorite Le Petit Marseillais body wash, travel sizes of L’Occitane de Provence, a helpful guide from Rail Europe, French vocabulary book and more.
In case you haven’t heard LE PETIT MARSEILLAIS is now available in the US! You can find my favorite French body wash as seen in BRIGHT LIGHTS PARIS at Target, Walgreens, and CVS. Even more recently, their collection of body lotion, hand cream and hand soap are now available exclusively at WalMart.
To learn more about booking train travel through Rail Europe, visit RailEurope.com. Not just for train tickets and Rail Passes, but they also offer a great selection of small tours, including Walking and biking tours, and day trip excursions. Follow their adventures throughout Europe on Instagram for daily wanderlust HERE
Merci Beaucoup Tracy and Jennifer for arranging such a wonderful French weekend and inviting me to speak to the group. I had a wonderful time!
Join Alliance Francaise Cincinnati or google your town to find the Alliance Francaise near you. There are currently 111 chapters in 45 states.
xx, Angie
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