7 Ways To Celebrate Bastille Day

This year French Restaurant Week returns for its ninth edition! Between July 2 and July 15 you will have the opportunity to enjoy meals in French restaurants all over NYC for special prix-fixe—$17.89 (bar option), $25 (lunch option), $38 (dinner option) and $178.90 (dinner option for two and a bottle of wine)—in honor of the French Revolution. For a full list of which restaurants are participating, click here!

Daniel Boulud’s Upper West Side casual bistro will be taking over their outside terrace with can-can dancers and live music in an all-French celebration. Jambon and gruyere crêpes, saucisse on mini baguettes, salmon rillette, sweet crêpes, and choux à la crème will all be up for grabs. Of course, it wouldn’t be a celebration of the French Revolution without wine. At Bar Boulud you can try some Rosé, Pol Roger, Beaujolais, Vin Blanc, and even hard cider from Normandy.

Another staple of Bastille Day celebrations in NYC is the Bastille Day at 60th Street. On July 15, head out to 60th Street between 5th and Lexington Avenues and enjoy 238 local crafters, artists, merchants, and food vendors. The festival will feature food, arts and crafts, rides, antiques, live music, and much more. Seems like the perfect way to spend a summer Sunday afternoon with the family!

If you want to celebrate Bastille Day in a more sophisticated way, then you must go to the Bastille Day Ball. Under the patronage of Gerard Araud, the Ambassador of France to the U.S., Francois Delattre, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN, and Anne-Claire Legendre, the Consul General of France in New York, this ball is a musical celebration of France’s Independence Day. Be ready for the jazz band and the DJ and dance the night away!

Once again, a massive Bastille Day celebration is returning to Cobble Hill this year outside of Bar Tabac, and this is the 16th year in a row. The obligatory French food, cold drinks, and music will be accompanied by a game of Petanque where 72 teams of three people will compete on the packed sand courts. Just be prepared for a big crowd—the bar mentions an attendance number of 20,000!

You can get crepes and baguettes pretty much everywhere in NYC, and not just on Bastille Day. For an immersive culinary experience, this July 12 join the James Beard Foundation and Loire Valley native chef Bruno Davaillon for a refined menu, Goat cheese–zucchini tarts with lemon zest, boudin noir with grilled peaches, chicharrón and watercress, and rabbit with carrots and cumin is only a taste of what you’ll get to try. Don’t forget to get your tickets!

If for some reason you are unable to attend any Bastille Day celebrations, but still want to celebrate French culture, then why not take up French lessons? The French Institute Alliance Francaise offers 10-, five-, or two-week intensive group classes, language workshops, private lessons, and online classes. Check out their website for more information!