The Center’s Bastille Day celebration has been a decades-long summer staple in the Back Bay neighborhood. La Fête Nationale, celebrated on le quatorze juillet, marks the turning point in the French Revolution (you can read more about the day's history here!) In addition to being historic, it also gives francophones and francophiles an excuse to get together, share great snacks, and cheers to la France !
Whether you’re able to join us in celebrating in person this year or through our online offering, we hope you’ll try some of these recipes for a perfect Bastille Day menu.
In crafting your perfect menu for July 14th, charcuterie and cheese boards with cornichons are a great place to start. Our blog team also recommends savory muffins and Pissaladière, a flatbread dish traditionally topped with caramelized onions, black olives, and anchovies from Nice and Liguria.
To round out the menu with something sweet, embrace cherry season with a clafoutis! If you want to embrace the festive colors that represent both France and the US, you can also make this delicious dessert with red strawberries and blueberries. Looking for other options for the sweet tooth in your party? Check out this list of easy, 5-ingredient recipes.
Want to add a specialty cocktail to your Bastille Day menu? How about one connected with popular culture? If you are an American who wants to highlight the special connection between the US and France as part of your Bastille Day Celebration, look to the famous musical Hamilton. Since its meteoric rise fans have learned of “America’s favorite fighting Frenchman,” the Marquis de Lafayette. Portrayed by Daveed Diggs in the original cast, Disney Dishes Blog took this historic character and created America's Favorite Fighting French Martini.

For more of our recommendations, check out our apéro events. Each features a recipe for a shareable snack and cocktail. You can find our previous listings here.  See what other French inspiration exists in this article here for your international celebration at home.

What would you add to our ideal Bastille Day Menu? We’d love to see how you’re planning to celebrate! Tag us on instagram @frenchculturalcenter

Ingrid began her passion for French through the immersion program in Milton, MA, and has followed it around France and the world. She took a break from this first love to pursue a B.A. in English with a minor in Irish Studies at Boston College and a Masters of Library and Information Sciences at Simmons College. She is thrilled to meld her excitement for libraries and French language and culture in her position at the Center!

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Upcoming Events

Member Event

Theater Club in March

In-person, Indoor Event in French

Wednesday, March 22, 2023 6:30 PM To 8:00 PM

Come join us for the new Theater Club at the French Library, a place to read, watch, discuss and recite contemporary and classic French plays with fellow enthusiasts.

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Thursday, March 23, 2023 4:30 PM To 5:30 PM

Join us in reading La vérité sur Marie by Jean-Philippe Toussaint for the library's book club en français. You will discover what makes « Les éditions de Minuit » a unique publishing company.

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Story Time

L'Heure du Conte

French story time!

Saturday, March 25, 2023 11:30 AM To 12:00 PM

We invite parents and children to gather in the children's room of our library for a magical story time in French!

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