A French language and cultural organization is returning to Santa Cruz County for the first time after a pandemic hiatus.
On Sunday, Aug. 17, the Alliance Française Silicon Valley (AFSV), a nonprofit dedicated to the French language and culture, is marking its return with its first French-language hike, randonnée en français, at Forest of Nisene Marks State Park.
The 7-mile hike and a potluck-style picnic to follow are open to Francophones and Francophiles of all levels. Thomas Célérier, a board member of the organization and president of the French-American Chamber of Commerce of California, will lead the hike from the Safeway parking lot at 16 Rancho Del Mar in Aptos at 9 a.m.
This event marks a local return for AFSV, which was named Best Learning Center by SFGate in 2024 and was a finalist for the award this year. The organization left Santa Cruz County during the COVID-19 pandemic due to health restrictions and a lack of qualified French instructors. It now offers online and on-site classes in Los Gatos and Palo Alto.
For more information, visit afscv.org.
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