Bob Ney, who was House Administration Committee chairman and thus in charge of congressional cafeterias, that french fries be renamed “freedom fries” in the U.S. In 2003, when the United States was readying to go to war with Iraq - ostensibly vowing to destroy Iraqi weapons of mass destruction and end Saddam Hussein’s regime - France expressed its firm opposition to that action. Sheila Kloc, the current president of Alliance France de Jacksonville and wife of the honorary consul, encouraged the organization's 120 members to attend the art exhibit and bring friends.What’s in a name? An international diplomatic scuffle, apparently. They were about simultaneously remembering what happened one Friday night in France and celebrating centuries of French culture. It's safe to say that each of these gatherings became about more than music, sports, art and wine. Francois Kloc, honorary consul of France, gave an opening address and there was a moment of silence.

competition in a French sport similar to bocce - started the morning after the attacks. The Petanque America Open - the largest U.S. An art exhibition and Beaujolais Nouveau celebration in the office. The Petanque America Open in Amelia Island. Even before the attacks, there were several local events with French themes on the calendar for the week. Maybe it's more fitting now.Īlliance Francaise de Jacksonville recently moved into an office in San Marco. For a variety of reasons, I never got around to it. I thought about writing something about local Francophiles then. When the city and National Park Service held 450th anniversary events in 2012, one of the visitors was Gaetan Ribault, a descendant of Jean Ribault. Long before a ship named Isere arrived in New York with 214 wooden crates containing the copper pieces of the Statue of Liberty, French explorer Jean Ribault sailed three ships with 150 countrymen to our corner of the world in 1562. In many ways, North Florida is a natural place to remember and emphasize ties to France. 'France and the United States have always been very close, and this revives the friendship.' 'I think it's always been there,' Carrell said.

But as was the case in the wake of previous terrorist attacks, there have been stories of courage and resiliency and love. It's hard to find silver linings in something as horrific as what played out in Paris. My family called me and said they're safe, but they're trying not to change their way of life, not to give into the terrorists. 'Of course it upsets me very much,' she said. Like everyone else, she has been following the news from Paris. Augustine, a city with a French massacre at the heart of its 450-year story. When Carrell was awarded France's Legion of Honor Medal in 2002, former Congressman Charles Bennett called her a 'priceless asset to both our country and France.'Ĭarrell, 93, now lives in St. Along with Robert Duss, a local attorney, she founded Alliance Francaise de Jacksonville more than 50 years ago.Īlliance Francaise is a non-profit - and non-political - organization with independent groups around the country striving to encourage knowledge of the French language and foster exchanges between the United States and France. She founded the Congress of French Culture, an annual French competition for Florida high school students. She started the French department at Jacksonville University and taught there for 35 years. Her dual affections led to decades of French connections. She immediately fell in love with his home but never stopped loving hers. They married and, after the war, moved back to his native Jacksonville. Some in Florida have been saying this for years, in no small part because of Suzanne Carrell.Ĭarrell, a French native, met a U.S. In the past week, President Obama and candidates to become the next president have referred to France as 'our oldest ally.' And the American people have said (at times literally): 'Vive la France!'

Freedom fries