Independence Day celebrations don’t have to end with the Fourth of July. Celebrate France’s national holiday, Bastille Day, on July 14 and commemorate the beginning of the French Revolution and the storming of the bastille. Westchester has experienced its own French invasion, with French restaurants, pastry shops, and even a wine school popping up. Here are some of the best places in Westchester to celebrate with the wine and cheese loving French.
Garden Bastille Day Celebration
Sunday, July 13
Le Château
1410 Route 35
South Salem
(914) 533-6631; http://www.lechateauny.com/index.php?did=27
$38
This extravagant dinner, held on the night before Bastille Day on July 13, features a selection of traditional French fare, including a salad bar, entrée, and dessert. Enjoy the decadent Croque Monsiuer, a traditional French grilled cheese with ham and Béchamel sauce, or the Plateau de Fruits de Mer, with oysters, clams, shrimps and Jonah Crab Claw. Live music will be playing through the Tudor-style mansion, featuring beautiful gardens and outdoor dining.
Bastille Day Celebration in New Rochelle
Monday, July 14; 10 am
New Rochelle City Hall
515 North Ave
http://afwestchesterny.org/events/celebrates-bastille-day/
Free
This annual event held on July 14 is a more traditional Bastille Day celebration featuring the raising of the flag and singing of Marseillaise, along with an introduction from the mayor and a speech about the meaning of the day. Refreshments will be offered and a formal dinner is held after.
Piermont’s Bastille Day
Saturday, July 12; 12 to 8 pm
Piermont Ave
Piermont, NY
http://www.piermontchamber.org/#/events/4572433294
Free
Head over the Tappan Zee to Rockland Piermont’s annual Bastille Day Festival, featuring live music, costumes, and all day outdoor dining. There’s brie, baguettes, and even a guillotine for guests to take pictures with. This street fair is the perfect way to get your French food, music, and culture fix.
Bastille Day on 60th Street
Sunday, July 13; 12 to 5 pm
60th Street between Fifth and Lexington Avenues, NYC
http://www.bastilledayny.com/index.shtml
Free
You won’t want to miss New York City’s ultimate French festival held on July 13. The French Institute Alliance Française’s annual street fair features delicious French crêpes, éclairs, and fromages and other gourmet treats. Celebrate in the streets with live music, face painting, arts and crafts for the kids, and exceptional French wine for the adults. Don’t forget to enter the festival’s famous prize drawing, with a grand prize of an eight-day trip to France for two.
La Panetière
Monday, July 14
530 Milton Road
Rye
(914) 967-8140; http://www.lapanetiere.com/index.htm
$85 per person, $135 with wine pairing
Celebrate at this elegant Rye restaurant with their Bastille Day menu, featuring delicacies like the Emmenthal cheese soufflé with morel mushrooms or the roasted tenderloin of beef in a béarnaise sauce. Pair this decadent meal with a bottle of wine from their old-world cellar, which was used as a meeting place drinking forbidden libations during Prohibition.
Bastille Day Wine Class
Thursday, July 10; 7:00-8:30 pm
Wine Geeks Armonk
559 Main Street
Armonk
(914) 273-9463 http://winegeeksarmonk.com/home.html
$35 per person
Prepare for Bastille Day a bit early with this French wine class. Sample wines from all across France to pick the perfect one for your holiday celebration.
Date Night: Tour of France
Sunday, July 13; 4-6 pm
Sur la Table
1 Ridge Hill Boulevard
Yonkers
(914) 652-9647; www.surlatable.com
Immerse yourself in French culture with this hands-on cooking class. With your date by your side, learn to cook French specialties like Dijon crusted salmon with lemon vinaigrette and a bittersweet chocolate tart. Use these new skills to cook at home and make every night as French and spectacular as Bastille Day.
