Like every year, Washington hosts many events for Bastille Day on July 14. Here’s where you can celebrate la fête nationale in the nation’s capital.
The French Embassy
The Comité Tricolore Washington DC invites all lovers of France to celebrate Bastille Day to the theme of “cuisine and yellow jersey,” in reference to the Tour de France, on Friday, July 12, from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m. The evening will be a gastronomic tour of France set up in the Embassy’s Maison française. The list of participants is long and includes local restaurants like Bastille, Brabo Brasserie, Convivial, Cuisine Solutions, Esprit du Vin, La Côte d’Or, Lebanese Taverna, Mirabelle, Ottoman Taverna, Pregel, Silver Spoon, Opaline at the Sofitel, and many others. Avalon Jazz Band and DJ Christophe Monot will provide the music during the evening. Tickets are on sale now and cost between $58 and $184. French Morning Washington is a partner of the event. — 4101 Reservoir Rd NW
Picnic at le Sofitel
The French hotel Sofitel will celebrate le 14 juilllet with a picnic, on Sunday, July 14, from 2 to 4 p.m., accompanied by musical performances and caricaturists, blue-white-red snowcones, and rosé and champagne at a special price. A prize will be awarded for the best French costume so dust off your beret! The event is free to attend and open to all. — Lafayette Square, 806 15th St NW
An afternoon in Tenleytown
Tenleytown Main Street and friends of Fessenden Park celebrate la fête nationale with an afternoon of French-inspired entertainment on Saturday, July 13, between 2 and 4 p.m. Sample crêpes and profiteroles, and drink French wines, Perrier and Orangina. You can even plant a sunflower to take home for a bit of the French countryside. Pétanque players are of course welcome to come play a few games in the sun! Tickets are $20 for adults. One child’s ticket (10 years and under) is included free with each adult ticket. Additional children’s tickets and children over 10 years old are $5 each. Tickets include all meals, drinks and activities. All profits from the event will be donated to the maintenance of the park. — Fessenden Park, at Wisconsin Avenue, Fessenden Street and 42nd St
“Le Grand Fête” at Le Diplomate
The French restaurant invites you to celebrate le 14 juillet on July 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Le Diplomate will set up its famous ice cream parlor in the street to make blue-white-red ice cream. In the restaurant, a special Bastille Day menu will be served: poulet aux raisins, boeuf rôti, tartine de tomates or de saumon, baguettes provençales, pâté, and even hot dogs. Face-painting and other activities are also planned during the day. — 601 14th St NW.
The day before at Le Diplomate, the Bastille Noire party will start with a DJ set at 9:30 p.m., followed by a drag show at 10 p.m. Throughout the evening, a caricaturist will be present to memorialize the evening for anyone brave enough to sit for a portrait.
Bastille in Alexandria
If you name your restaurant Bastille, you have to celebrate Bastille Day! The restaurant’s owners, Christophe and Michelle Poteaux, will offer a three-course menu for $35. After the meal, guests are invited to digest and relax around a game of pétanque. — 606 N. Fayette St, Alexandria
Champagne at Brabo Brasserie
As they do every year, the Alexandria brasserie is preparing for a blue-white-red day. From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday, July 14, champagne bottles will be half-price. This special deal will be accompanied by cheese boards of comté, crottin de chavignol, Emmental and Petit Basque. From 3 to 10 p.m., the tasting room will have a singalong to the music of the film Moulin Rouge. — 1600 King St
Selfcare at Caudalie
To look good before the July 14 celebrations, the French brand Caudalie‘s store is offering rosé, macarons, and mini beauty sessions on Thursday, July 11, from 4 to 8 p.m. — 953 Palmer Alley NW
