Histoire et traditions de la Saint-Valentin

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The French Quarter, 3530 SW Multnomah Blvd. Portland

Explore the origins and history of Valentine’s Day, from ancient pagan celebrations of love and fertility to their transformation within Christian tradition.

The presentation highlights the earliest known valentine—a love poem written around 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orléans, and features reflections on love through quotations from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Jacques Prévert, George Sand, and Alphonse de Lamartine.

Led by Odette Kermorvant (Cercle Français), this partner event is co-presented by Cercle Français, the Alliance Française, and the Multnomah Village French Quarter.

Event logistics

The presentation (30 minutes) will be followed by a 30-minute Q&A. It will take place in the food court of Multnomah Village’s French Quarter and will be accompanied by slides. Guests are welcome to grab lunch from one of the food trucks on site and enjoy it during the talk. After the presentation, attendees are invited to stay and mingle. The venue is indoors; as with any covered food court with heating, we recommend dressing warmly.

Free event — RSVP requested to guarantee enough room for all attendees.

Bus line #44 Stops at Capitol Hwy & 35th (1 minute walk to the French Quarter) Address: 3530 SW Multnomah Blvd, Portland


Multnomah French Quarter

3518 SW Multnomah Blvd, Portland, OR 97219

Founded by native Frenchman Yves Le Meitour, the French Quarter was designed to capture the spirit of a small town in western France—a welcoming village square where people can eat, shop, and connect. Managed with his daughter, Sara Le Meitour, the space brings together diverse, women-owned, and internationally represented businesses. Today, the French Quarter is known for its vibrant food carts, unique boutiques, and strong sense of community—built by a family, for families.

Odette Kermorvant

ODETTE KERMORVANT-SELLON was born on the South shore of Brittany in the presqu’ile de Quiberon. Later she spent the second part of her adolescence in Charente Maritime where she attended a boarding school, a “lycée” in a medieval town 70 miles North of Bordeaux. She concluded her secondary education at PSU and taught Special Education for multi-handicapped students with Multnomah Education Service District for 15 years. She switched careers and was a Real Estate Broker in Oregon for 35+ years. She became an American citizen in 1987. Her hobbies include singing, playing the Mountain Dulcimer and Hammered Dulcimer, knitting, reading, travelling, and working in the yard. She has lived in Tigard for the last 40+ years. Every year, she visits her family and many friends in France. 






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PARKING

Street parking on SW 20th St. facing the Kamm House is limited. Free parking is available in Lot A at SW 18th and SW Columbia. Please obtain a parking pass from the office. After 6 pm weekdays, students may park in the Willamette Dental lot at SW 20th and SW Jefferson as available.

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The Alliance office is open 10am-3pm Monday through Friday.
Call us at 503.223.8388 during business hours or leave a message.
Email us at  info@afportland.org.

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