MOIS DE LA

FRANCOPHONIE

March is Le Mois de la Francophonie , a global celebration of the diversity of those who speak French. There are over 369 million French speakers on the planet. In 1970, the OIF (International Organization of French language and culture) established March 20 as International Francophonie Day (French: Journée internationale de la Francophonie ), to celebrate the French language and Francophone culture. This was expanded in 1995 by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication to span a week or more, and now the celebration extends to the entire month of March.

In 2018, the OIF accepted Louisiana as an observer member. The organization represents over one-third of the United Nations’ member states, with a combined population of more than 900 million people on five continents.

French is the fifth most widely spoken language in the world. Francophone countries and member states account for 16 percent of global gross domestic product. Being a member of the OIF will bolster trade opportunities, offer greater opportunities for cultural exchanges, and pave the way for better funding for French-immersion schools. 

Louisiana is home to an estimated 250,000 French speakers. Another 5,500 students are enrolled in French immersion. Considering that, just a generation or two ago, Louisiana had a million French speakers, celebrating the French language and culture is hugely important for a state with such a rich history and connection to the French-speaking world.

This listing of Francophone-related events in the Acadiana area is offered by the Lafayette International Center , Lafayette Consolidated Government’s division of International Trade and Development, in collaboration with CODOFIL (Council for the Development of French in Louisiana), Alliance Française de Lafayette, and the Consulate General of France in New Orleans.

For more information on the International Center and its programs, contact Christophe Pilut at (337) 291-5474 or clpilut@LafayetteLA.gov .

O.I.F. flag raising

Thursday, Mar. 3 | 9:15 | Lafayette City Hall

Lafayette Consolidated Government will raise the flag of the OIF, the International Organization of La Francophonie, to underscore the importance and significance of French language and culture for our area.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, contact Roxsan Godeaux (337) 291-5474, ragodeaux@LafayetteLA.gov

French Proclamation

Thursday, Mar. 3 | 9:15 | Lafayette City Hall

Following the flag raising (above), Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory will issue a proclamation naming March 20 as French Language and Culture Day, coinciding with the annual, international observation of Journée Internationale de la Francophonie (International French language day).

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, contact Roxsan Godeaux (337) 291-5474, ragodeaux@LafayetteLA.gov

Council Presentation

Tuesday, Mar. 8 | 4:30 PM, 5:30 PM | Council Auditorium, Lafayette City Hall

The Parish and City Councils have invited Mr. Calvin Leger to speak about his French Language and Culture Day. The Council meetings are televised on Acadiana Open Channel. Visit https://video.ibm.com/channel/lafayette-consolidated-government-council-meeting

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, contact Roxsan Godeaux (337) 291-5474, ragodeaux@LafayetteLA.gov

Vincent Darré, Surrealist French Interior Designer

POSTPONED. Monsieur Darré had to cancel his original flight to Louisiana; he plans to hold these events on Thursday, April 7 .

·          Thursday, Apr. 7 | 4:00 PM | Hilliard Art Museum, 710 East St. Mary Boulevard Lafayette. Lecture – in English

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

·          Thursday, Apr. 7 | 12:00-1:15 PM | Lafayette Petroleum Club (Board Room, upstairs). 111 Heymann Boulevard, Lafayette. Design professionals luncheon—in English.

Reservations required. Tickets: $50 at Eventbrite-DARRÉ ; limited to the first 15 who respond.

 Vincent Darré is a unique phenomenon in the world of 21st-century Interior Design. His career began in fashion and, for many years, he was a personal assistant to Karl Lagerfeld in Paris. Today, he is globally known for his Surrealist Interior Design, which he conceived for hotels and night clubs, such as Le Montana in Paris, Le Serpent à Plume café, the Boutique Villa Noailles, Mon Appartement Parisien, the patio of five-star luxury Hotel Prince de Galles, and the Le Baron nightclub in New York, among others. Influenced by Dadaism and Jean Cocteau in particular, Darré's furniture designs and interiors combine effortlessly the modernist tradition of the twentieth century with older styles, such as the luxurious abundance of Neapolitan Baroque churches. One critic has called Vincent Darré's interiors to function like "an old Neapolitan chapel inhabited by a psychoanalytical anatomist." Dreams and the imagination of travel are essential ingredients of these humorous and visually intense settings. Darré, the proprietor of the famous Maison Darré interior design firm in Paris, is also known for his performances involving song and dance.

These events are sponsored by the Fondation Louisiane, in collaboration with the School of Art, Louisiana State University; with the support of the Lafayette International Center, CODOFIL, the Consulate General of France in Louisiana, the Alliance Française de Lafayette, the Hilliard Art Museum, and Ravi Daggula and the John Nickerson House Event Center.

For details, contact Roxsan Godeaux (337) 291-5474, ragodeaux@LafayetteLA.gov

Saint Luc Rotary Club

Thursday, Mar. 10 | 5:00 PM | Arnaudville City Hall, Arnaudville, Louisiana

      The Saint Luc Rotary will conduct their meetings in French during the month of March.

For details, call 337-453-4223 or email nunucollective@gmail.com .

Pétanque

Saturday, Mar. 12 | 9 – 11 AM | Lafayette Farmers and Artisans Market (in front of Moncus Park), Lafayette

Pétanque is a French game with roots in ancient history. Similar to horseshoes and bocce ball, the game requires precision, finesse and a great deal of concentration that may not be apparent to the casual spectator. This popular lawn game is played throughout the world, both for fun and as serious competition.

The local pétanque club is a group of people who share a love of the outdoors, good conversation, and a healthy appetite for fun. They play on a regular monthly schedule, but also whenever the weather is nice and the mood strikes. They are affiliated with Alliance Française de Lafayette, whose mission it is to promote the French language, so they frequently do their socializing in French. (all equipment is provided)

      OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Le Deuxième Samedi Open House

Saturday, Mar. 12 | 11 AM – 4 PM | NUNU Arts and Culture Collective, 1510 Bayou Courtableau Hwy, Arnaudville, LA 70512

Featuring Mardi Gras themed paintings by French-speaking artist Cynthia Alleman . Also on display, textiles by Carole Lancon and clay pieces by Carol Miller.

      OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, call 337-453-4223 or email nunucollective@gmail.com

La Table Kreyol

Saturday, Mar. 12 | 2 – 4 PM | NUNU Arts and Culture Collective, 1510 Bayou Courtableau Hwy, Arnaudville, LA 70512

Join us for coffee and conversation in Louisiana Creole every second Saturday of the month, in house with Herbert Wiltz , and via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87142400801 . Part of the DICI (Diversity Initiative for Cultural Inclusion), in partnership with Saint Luc French Immersion Cultural Campus, Louisiana C.R.E.O.L.E., Inc. and Acadiana Open Channel (AOC).

      OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, call 337-453-4223 or email nunucollective@gmail.com .

Screening: The Quiet Cajuns: One Heritage. Two Generations. One Disease

Saturday, Mar. 12 | 5 - 7 PM | Acadiana Center for the Arts, 101 West Vermilion Street, Lafayette. A Special Event of Festivals Acadiens et Créoles

There are hundreds of Cajuns who have never heard a fiddle waltz and who lose their vision because of a genetic quirk that came here with the Acadians over two centuries ago. This documentary tells the story of Acadian Usher Syndrome, which has sprinkled many Cajun family trees with deafblind aunts, uncles and cousins.

Documenting the genealogy of families like the LeJeunes, Babineauxs, Desormeauxs, Heberts and Benoits helped researchers uncover its molecular basis and bring us to the brink of a cure. Now technology, services and education are eliminating isolation, thus setting yet another vibrant culture on the path to assimilation.

      This screening will offer special accessibility though the support of Affiliated Blind of Louisiana.

      OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, call 337-233-7060 or visit https://acadianacenterforthearts.org/event/the-quiet-cajuns/ .

Joe Hall Trio

Saturday, Mar. 12 | 7:30 PM | NUNU Arts and Culture Collective, 1510 Bayou Courtableau Hwy, Arnaudville, LA 70512

      A fundraiser for Festivals Acadiens et Créoles. $20 suggested donation. Doors open 6 PM, music starts 7:30 PM.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, call 337-453-4223 or email nunucollective@gmail.com .

Pétanque

Sunday, Mar. 13 | 2 – 4 PM | Girard Park (at the end closest to St. Mary Blvd.), Lafayette

 Pétanque is a French game with roots in ancient history. Similar to horseshoes and bocce ball, the game requires precision, finesse and a great deal of concentration that may not be apparent to the casual spectator. This popular lawn game is played throughout the world, both for fun and as serious competition.

The local pétanque club is a group of people who share a love of the outdoors, good conversation, and a healthy appetite for fun. They play on a regular monthly schedule, but also whenever the weather is nice and the mood strikes. They are affiliated with Alliance Française de Lafayette, whose mission it is to promote the French language, so they frequently do their socializing in French. (all equipment is provided)

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

AFL Fête le Cinéma

Sunday, Mar. 13 | 1:30 – 7:30 PM | Cité des Arts, 109 Vine Street, Lafayette, Louisiana

The Alliance Française de Lafayette will present three films in French—all with English subtitles. Schedule and prices as follows:

1:30-2:30 pm Vanille, $5 (snack and beverage after the movie) (AFL members get one free adult with paying child)

3:00-5:00 pm Rémi sans Famille, members $5 / non-members $10

5:00-5:30 pm Complimentary Snacks and Drinks

5:30-7:30 pm Petit Pays, members $5 / non-members $10

DAY PASS: members $10 / non-members $20

All prices include a snack and beverage - theater doors open 15 minutes prior each movie.

Vanille (31 minutes) (for younger children, set in Guadeloupe) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEdSkAgBGDc

Remi sans famille (approx 1h50) (Family movie, most of story in France)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhe-8LSwXqI

Petit Pays (approx 1h50 min) (Adults, set in Burundi/Rwanda)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_naMzpdkHk

      OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

      For details, visit French Movie Day March 13

The Metropolitan Opera: Cendrillon (Cinderella)

Sunday, Mar. 13 | 2:00 – 4:30 PM | Acadiana Center for the Arts, 101 West Vermilion Street, Lafayette

      Acadiana Center for the Arts is bringing back the Metropolitan Opera in HD! Please join us for a wonderful Sunday afternoon streaming of the Met Opera in HD.

      French composer Jules Massenet’s Cendrillon is presented in an all-new English translation in an abridged 90-minute adaptation. Charles Perrault’s 1698 fairy tale, the classic telling of the Cinderella story, is an excellent source for an opera—providing color, romance, and relatable themes for audiences of all ages. The work includes many moments in which Massenet is at his best and most widely accessible, from the pageantry and glowing musical nostalgia for the French baroque in the court scenes to the otherworldliness of the love music to the wit and humor that permeate the work as a whole.

      Tickets are $15 ($10 for members). Seating is general admission, no assigned seats.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, call 337-233-7060 or visit Cinderella .

A Mayor’s Proclamation

Tuesday, March 15 | 6:00 PM | Arnaudville Meeting Room, 107 Rue de Jausiers Avenue, Arnaudville, LA 70512.

Take part in the Town Meeting to witness Mayor Meche’s proclamation declaring March to be the French Month, and to commit to the development of French in Arnaudville—the Jewel on the Teche. For information on Arnaudville, visit www.arnaudvillela.com

Cajun French Music Association (CFMA)

Mar. 16 | 7 PM | La Louisiane Banquet Hall 5509 La Hwy 14, New Iberia

Cadiens Du Teche CFMA chapter meeting Wednesday, March 16. We will have door prizes, split the pot (50/50), and cake walk; entry fee is $10 for great Cajun music, dancing and promotion / preservation of our culture plus a meal! Entertainment by Donny Broussard and the Louisiana Stars!

The Cajun French Music Association a non-profit organization comprised of Cajuns and non-Cajuns whose purpose is to promote and preserve, not only Cajun music, but also various aspects of the Acadian Heritage. The CFMA was founded in Basile, Louisiana in November of 1984 with Harry LaFleur of Eunice as its founder. Since its beginning of less than 30 persons, it has grown to a membership of approximately 2,000 families serving seven Chapters in Louisiana and three Chapters in the Cajun Region of Southeast Texas.

For details: Larry Landry at bayoucajun5@gmail.com or visit https://cajunfrenchmusic.org/

Belizaire the Cajun: 35th Anniversary Screening

Thursday, Mar. 17 | 6 - 10 PM | Room 112, James R. Oliver Hall (UL Lafayette Campus) 301 East Lewis Street, Lafayette

      Special Collections services of Edith Garland Dupré Library will be hosting a free screening to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the 1986 classic film. Following the film screening, Professor Conni Castille will lead a panel discussion with Glen Pitre (writer/director), Allan Durand (producer), and Michael Doucet (music). You’ll also get to enjoy a live musical performance by Michael Doucet, who will perform music from the film’s soundtrack.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Space is limited. Reserve your seat today at https://bit.ly/clubdupre .

University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Mar. 17-18

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) will host Madame Nathalie Beras, Consule Generale of France in New Orleans, as part of the celebration of the “Mois de la Francophonie ”. ULL is in the process of becoming member of the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) as it strengthens its partnership with francophone colleges and universities. The visit will include academic and research briefings and visits to laboratories and research centers, as well as a reception to honor Consule Generale Beras.

The University currently has exchange programs in place with nine schools in France, and is poised to become the first university in the United States to join the AUF, the Francophone University Agency, which brings together 944 universities, colleges, university networks and scientific research centers that use the French language, in 116 countries. Founded almost 60 years ago, it is one of the largest associations of higher education and research institutions in the world.

Tournée consulaire

Friday, Mar. 18 | 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Lafayette International Center, 735 Jefferson Street

The Lafayette International Center will host a consular office for the Consulate General of France in New Orleans, in order to receive the voting proxies of French citizens in southwest Louisiana for the upcoming presidential and legislative elections

Paid parking is available on the street at parking meters.

For details, contact election.la-nouvelle-orleans-fslt@diplomatie.gouv.fr

Signage Ribbon Cutting

Friday, Mar. 18 | 1:00 PM | Vermilion Street at Jefferson Street, downtown Lafayette

Lafayette Mayor-President Josh Guillory and French Consule Generale Nathalie Beras will officially inaugurate the “Route Lafayette” bilingual wayfinder signage system. The Route Lafayette project, which began a couple of years ago, will involve totems 21 inches wide that will stand over 7 feet tall being installed for directions and other informational purposes. With text in both French and English, the signs also include maps and icons to denote locations and make them easier to interpret.

Funded by the Evangeline Thruway Redevelopment Team, Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission, and Lafayette Consolidated Government, the project is a collaborative effort between Lafayette agencies SO Studio Architecture and Makemade.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, contact Roxsan Godeaux (337) 291-5474, ragodeaux@LafayetteLA.gov

Festivals Acadiens et Créoles

Mar. 18-20 | Girard Park, Lafayette, Louisiana

      The first Tribute to Cajun Music in 1974 took Cajun and Creole music out of the dancehalls and onto a concert stage at Blackham Coliseum. Forty-three years later, the tribute has grown into a three-day celebration of music, food, art, crafts, museum exhibits, symposiums, film screenings and more. The celebration is a giant among Lafayette’s festivals, attracting people of all ages, of many different nationalities from all over the world. Admission is free.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, visit https://www.festivalsacadiens.com/

Re-Opening of the Acadian Memorial/African American Museums 

Acadian Memorial Heritage Festival

Saturday, Mar. 19 | 10 AM to 3 PM | Evangeline Oak Park (2 blocks off Main Street)

121 South New Market Street | St. Martinville, LA 70582 

       The Festival will honor the ARCENEAUX and LEGER families. A reception Friday at 6:00 PM at the Acadian Memorial will feature special guest Astronaut Hayley Arceneaux, who grew up in St. Francisville, the only Cajun astronaut, and the youngest American to go into space.

Calling All Cajuns to celebrate. Cajun food demonstrations with sales of the delicious cuisine; Cajun music/ dancing; a re-enactment of the Arrival of the Acadians to St.Martinville on the Bayou Teche; an acting troupe, "Theatre Cadien," recounting the historical story of an Acadian family's deportation memories as seen on the mural of  “The Arrival of the Acadians in Louisiana"; guest speakers and more. Crafts, Acadian Boutique, Sweet Shop and more.  The Acadian Memorial Foundation encourages all to participate by volunteering, dressing in Cajun costumes, and sharing a day learning about the Acadian/Cajuns history, culture, and traditions.  Vive l’Acadie.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, contact Brenda Trahan, 337.288.5914 or  brendacomeauxtrahan@gmail.com

Bayou Teche Live French Table / Acadian Memorial Heritage Festival

Saturday, Mar. 19 | 11 AM to 12 PM | Evangeline Oak Park (2 blocks off Main Street)

121 South New Market Street | St. Martinville, LA 70582 

Free admission. The Bayou Teche Live French Table will hold a session for all those who want to practice Cajun French.  We will have words and phrases for those who want to practice their native tongue and we welcome all those who attend the Festival from far and wide.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, contact Anthony "Rogers" Romero,337-369-1614 home or 337-519-7942 cell or  laman35@gmail.com or rommo1@aol.com .

French Mass (Festivals Acadiens et Créoles)

Sunday, Mar. 20 | 9:00 AM | Girard Park, Lafayette, Louisiana

      A part of the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles for several years, this Roman Catholic Mass is offered in French.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, contact Roxsan Godeaux (337) 291-5474, ragodeaux@LafayetteLA.gov

Little Big Cup

Sunday, March 20 | 131 Fuselier Road, Arnaudville, LA 70512

Taste a special French martini (vodka, Chambord, and pineapple!) to celebrate the Mois de la Francophonie. For more information, phone: 337-754-7147 or visit www.thelittlebigcup.com

Recite the American Pledge of Allegiance—in French

Sunday, March 20 | 1 PM | Russell’s Food Center | | 114 Main Street, Arnaudville, LA 70512

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For information, call 337-754-5722.

French Porch Gumbo in the Frozard Cultural District

Sunday, Mar. 20 | 4:30 – 6:30 PM | at Peg Ramier’s residence, 7214 Louisiana 93, Arnaudville, LA 70512—across from the fire station

Gumbo and conversation in French. Donation of $10 requested; includes gumbo, bread, tea.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For information, visit Front-Porch-Gumbo

Saint Luc Rotary Club

Thursday, Mar. 24 | 5:00 PM | Arnaudville City Hall, Arnaudville, Louisiana

      The Saint Luc Rotary will conduct their meetings in French during the month of March.

For details, call 337-453-4223 or email nunucollective@gmail.com .

“Spend the Day en Français” at Vermilionville

Saturday, Mar. 26 | Starting at 9 AM | Vermilionville, 300 Fisher Road, Lafayette, LA 70506

      Come and have a crêpe or a French 75.  Hear writings from around the world.  Dance in French backed by award-winning Cajun musicians!  Maybe toss a few boules in pétanque. Grab a seat for lunch in La Cuisine de Maman—with a special discount for French-speaking tables. Converse with French speakers and organizations from across the state, or even take it as an opportunity to get started on your journey with one of the most commonly spoken languages in the world.

Starting at 10:00 that morning, we’ll be celebrating French around the world with food, music, poetry, film, tours, and more in French.  Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page to see how the event develops! For details, call 337-233-4077 or see Vermilionville and Facebook .

      OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

La Table Française d’Arnaudville / Menteur-Venteur-Raconteur

Saturday, Mar. 26 | 9:30 – 11:30 AM | NUNU Arts and Culture Collective, 1510 Bayou Courtableau Hwy, Arnaudville, LA 70512

Join us for coffee and conversation in French every last Saturday of the month, in house with Mavis Arnaud Frugé , and via Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85053560820 . Part of the DICI (Diversity Initiative for Cultural Inclusion), in partnership with Saint Luc French Immersion Cultural Campus, Louisiana C.R.E.O.L.E., Inc. and Acadiana Open Channel (AOC).

MENTEUR, RACONTEUR et VENTEUR: A special feature of the March Table Française will be a competition to see who can tell the wildest tale, be it the liar, the storyteller, or the braggart; the winner will reign for an entire year. This promises to be a hilarious morning, and is planned to be an annual event.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, call 337-453-4223 or email nunucollective@gmail.com .

Faire la Cuisine

Saturday, Mar. 26 | 10 AM – 2 PM | After La Table Française | NUNU Arts and Culture Collective, 1510 Bayou Courtableau Hwy, Arnaudville, LA 70512

Crêpes, crawfish étouffée, potato salad & cane syrup cake. Call to “put your name in the pot!” $30 per person, including wine!

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For reservations or info, call 337-453-4223 or email nunucollective@gmail.com.

Le Grand Pique-Nique d'Immersion en Ibérie

Sunday, Mar. 27 | 12 Noon until 3 PM | New Iberia City Park under the Oaks (near the Gazebo) 300 Parkview Drive, New Iberia, LA 70563

The Iberia Parish French Immersion Program will celebrate its 20th year with a picnic celebration. Les Amis de l’Immersion Française (the friends of the French Immersion program) is planning this event to give teachers, students and families an opportunity to come together and celebrate the program they all embrace.

In addition, it will showcase Francophone culture with music and dance performances by French Immersion teachers and students.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For more information, please contact Ebrar Reaux at joeroe@att.net or 337-349-7343 (anytime between 4-10 p.m. daily).

Plant Brown Cotton

Tues-Thurs, Mar. 29-31 | 9:00 AM - noon | 860 Seven Arpents Road, Arnaudville, LA

A unique way to learn how to speak French! Explore a part of South Louisiana’s cultural heritage—plant brown cotton with Mavis Frugé and converse in French. Visit Brown-Cotton

ONGOING EVENTS

Twenty Years of Marais Press: Imprinting a Campus and Collection

Through Aug. 20 | Hilliard Art Museum, 710 East St. Mary Boulevard

Lafayette, Louisiana – in English

Exhibition on the Marais press, which was named dually to evoke the Louisiana swamps, and to evoke the sophistication of the Paris neighborhood.

The Museum is also considering to translate their weekly eblasts into French so it would go out bilingually, at least in March.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For more information, please call 337 ‐ 482 ‐ 0811 (during Museum hours) or visit https://hilliardmuseum.org .

Un Petit Café à Maison Stéphanie

Month-long | in the Cecilia Cultural District | 1862 Bushville Highway, Arnaudville, LA 70512

Visit this outstanding 1796 home sitting on 20 acres of Bayou Teche property, and have coffee with proprietors Ken and Richard.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

      For information, call 337-278-4035 or visit www.maison-stephanie.com

French-Friendly Survey

Month-long | online

Help identify French-friendly companies and organizations, and those with French-speaking individuals. Go to Oui initiative or email mjustus@crt.la.gov .

Bayou Teche Brewing

month-long | 1106 Bushville Highway, Arnaudville, LA 70512

Eat and drink special, French-inspired creations to celebrate the Mois de la Francophonie:

·          Raclette andjambonpizza

·          French-style Bière de Garde

·          Ti Punch Vieux cocktail with rum, Louisiana Agricole rhum, lime and cane syrup

For more information, phone 337-754-5122.

Illuminating the LITE egg

month-long | 537 Cajundome Boulevard, Lafayette

LITE has agreed to illuminate the “egg” portion of the building throughout the month, with the colors of the OIF flag.

Poupart’s Bakery

month-long | 1902 W. Pinhook Road, Lafayette, Louisiana 70508

Poupart’s has agreed to create a special cookie, iced in the colors of the O.I.F. logo, to celebrate the Moisde la Francophonie.They also created a “king” cake, done the same way, to celebrate the month. For more information, call 337-232-7921.

Carpe Diem Café & Wine Bar

month-long | 812 Jefferson Street, Lafayette, Louisiana 70501

Carpe Diem is featuring their Marquis de La Fayettecognac, to celebrate the Moisde la Francophonie.Or try their “Franco-float”—a French 75 with lemon sherbet!

For more information, call 337-534-4155.

St. Thérèse’s Thrift Shop

Every Monday in March | 7:30 AM - noon | 370 Main Street, Arnaudville, LA 70512 | with Mavis Frugé and Girley Olivier

Located next to Butch's Store and across from the K.C. Hall in Arnaudville, the Thrift Shop has gently used clothing for all members of the family. Household items also available. St. Therese's lends support to those in need. Help out and visit in French at the same time.

Visit https://www.facebook.com/StTheresesResaleShop/ or

Frenchie, a podcast

online

The Frenchie Podcast is dedicated to the stories and legacies of the French-speaking Cajuns of WW II, as told by the veterans themselves. Historian Jason Theriot has recorded oral history interviews with WW II vets from Louisiana who used their bilingual abilities in overseas military service. These Cajuns grew up speaking French. But unlike generations before, they experienced ridicule for speaking French and an Americanization process that sought to do away with this so-called “back-country language” and culture.

      When the young Cajuns GIs arrived in French-dominated territories, like North Africa and Europe, their ability to speak French proved invaluable to military operations—and it had a profound impact of their sense of a Cajun identity. What emerged from this unique wartime experience was long-lost pride in their heritage.

      The project will convey to the listeners the importance of preserving cultural traits, in particular the non-written Cajun French language and dialect that is endangered of being lost to history.

For details, visit www.jasontheriot.com/current-projects/ .

Saint Luc Immersion

The Saint Luc French Immersion and Cultural Campus is housed in the former Saint Luke Hospital in Arnaudville, and offers a space for long-term residential and short-term adult opportunities to learn French, dealing with such topics as cultural economy, environmental preservation, genealogy and cultural conservation. The Campus, with its partners and volunteers, is bringing French in Louisiana back to life.

One current offering for speakers of French is a literacy course that was begun by Earlene Broussard in 1998, aiming at making Cajuns more literate. Since then, Brenda Mounier has taught the course at various places in the area, and now, at Saint Luc. The students learn to read from Cajun songs, ads, newspapers, poems—all written by people here, something that surprises them and inspires them to write, too.  

For learn more about the activities of the Campus and to find out how to learn (or improve your) French, visit Saint Luc Immersion , Facebook , Immersion Campus , and Cultural Revitalization.

Volunteer at Saint Luc

Every Friday in March | 9:00 AM – noon | Saint Luc French Immersion and Cultural Campus; 225 Guidroz Street, Arnaudville, LA 70512

Join Mavis Arnaud Frugé and her team of volunteers in order to clean the outside of the old Saint Luke General Hospital and while doing so, learn French.

Visit Volunteer-at-Saint-Luc

French Tables

      French Tables have been taking place in southwestern Louisiana for decades, gatherings that take place at area restaurants and in homes and spaces, such as art galleries, where participants converse in French for a couple of hours and go home.

Most French Tables have not been meeting in person because of the COVID-19 crisis. To find out how a specific table is handling the situation, contact the organizer of that table, or contact Marguerite ( mjustus@crt.la.gov ) if the table's description does not include contact information.

For more visit www.CODOFIL.org/tables , or contact mjustus@crt.la.gov.

Bayou Teche French Table

Thursdays | 7 AM | the MacDonald’s at Center Street and Admiral Doyle Drive, New Iberia

Mondays | 9 AM | by Zoom—contact Rogers (below) for an invitation. (Put “Table Française” in your subject line.)

Free admission. The Bayou Teche French Table meets every Thursday in person for all those who want to practice Cajun French.  We will have words and phrases for those who want to practice their native tongue. The Zoom version has participants from across the US and across the world.

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

For details, contact Anthony "Rogers" Romero,337-369-1614 home or 337-519-7942 cell or  laman35@gmail.com or rommo1@aol.com .