Alliance Fran aise de Milwaukee, founded in 1918, is a nonprofit corporation promoting French language, literature, history and culture and encouraging French-American cultural exchange and friendship. The French language center offers a wide variety of courses, including courses for children, adults and travelers and provides specialized, beginner, intermediate, conversation and short-term courses. The center provides its members with a library carrying audio and video collections, French books and books about the French-speaking world, magazines and selected Web links. The center organizes various events, wine and Christmas parties and discussion forums. It is based in Shorewood, Wis.