This Thursday, July 14, France will celebrate La Fête Nationale (or Bastille Day in English-speaking countries) with fireworks, parades, parties and communal meals. But you don’t have to be French to join the festivities. We’ve rounded up six local Bastille Day events, along with French restaurants, boulangeries and pâtisseries, to visit on France’s national day. Bonne fête nationale!
All events will be held on Bastille Day, Thursday, July 14, unless otherwise noted.
Events
Goguette Bread, Santa Rosa
Family-owned Santa Rosa bakery Goguette Bread, specializing in French-style, levain-based breads, will celebrate France’s national day with a festive Bastille Day pique-nique from 6-9 p.m. The al fresco event will include the bakery’s handcrafted, long-fermented organic breads along with other picnic accouterments, including cheese, charcuterie, croque monsieurs, wine and homemade ice cream. There is no entry fee, and guests are encouraged to bring the whole family as the soirée will include lively French music and a kids parade fit for all ages.
59 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, goguettebread.com
the girl & the fig, Sonoma
This French-inspired Sonoma restaurant will serve a week-long special menu celebrating Bastille Day, from July 14 to July 20. The three-course, pre fixe plats du jour menu will include authentic classics, such as French onion tartine with gruyere, coq au vin (chicken braised with wine, mushrooms, carrots, marble potatoes and house bacon), and raspberry meringue mille feuille with blueberry caramel. The girl & the fig also boasts an award-winning wine list that includes plenty of Rhône varietals for those who want to celebrate the day with a French aperitif.
110 West Spain St., Sonoma, 707-938-3634, thegirlandthefig.com
Auberge du Soleil, Rutherford
This Napa Valley five-star resort houses a restaurant founded by French restaurateur Claude Rouas in 1981, having earned 13 consecutive Michelin stars since. The restaurant will celebrate Bastille Day with champagne on the terrace overlooking a sprawling vineyard, along with a three-course lunch paired with French wines from the estate’s award-winning wine cellar. Hotel guests can also enjoy poolside cocktails and champagne tastings throughout the day and when checking into the resort spa. Reservations required.
180 Rutherford Hill Road, Rutherford, 707-963-1211, aubergeresorts.com/aubergedusoleil
Bouchon Bistro, Yountville
Napa County’s Bouchon Bistro will host its 21st annual Bastille Day celebration from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 16. The festivities will include food, drinks, live music and children’s activities. Food and beverages at the celebration must be purchased with tickets, which can be pre-ordered here and picked up at Finesse, The Store on Washington Street on the day of the event. Prices for ticket packets range from $30-$120.
6534 Washington St., Yountville, 707-944-8037, thomaskeller.com/bouchonyountville
Raymond Vineyards, St. Helena
Raymond Vineyards, owned by French vintner Jean-Charles Boisset, will host St. Helena’s inaugural Bastille Day Invitational Car Show to celebrate all things French and classic automobiles. The free event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and includes food and wine.
1584 St. Helena Highway, St. Helena, 707-963-3141, raymondvineyards.com
Left Bank Brasserie, Larkspur
Left Bank will celebrate Bastille Day with authentic French dishes, live music, entertainment and festive decor. In addition to its regular menu, the brasserie will have a special Plats de la Révolution menu, including heirloom tomato salad with French feta, chicken fricassee with a summer vegetable ratatouille, steak au poivre with French potato salad, a stone fruit clafoutis with honey crème fraîche and a French champagne flight. Staff will be dressed in their best Parisian ensembles and there will be live music from noon to 8 p.m., along with a mime, stilt walker and magician to entertain guests.
507 Magnolia Ave., Larkspur, 415-927-3331, leftbank.com
French bakeries and restaurants to visit
If you can’t make it to one of these Bastille Day events, there are plenty of restaurants and patisseries in the North Bay where you can celebrate with French dishes and sweet treats on July 14 or any day of the year. Here’s where to go and what to order.
Sonoma County
Pascaline Patisserie & Cafe
Cannelés de Bordeaux, kouign-amann, meringue, pain aux raisins, croque monsieur, French onion soup, croissants and quiche.
4552 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol, 707-823-3122, pascalinepatisserieandcafe.com
Patisserie Angelica
Gâteau Parisien, croquembouche, chocolate soufflé, gâteau basque and macarons.
6821 Laguna Park Way, Sebastopol, 707-827-7998, patisserieangelica.com
Costeaux French Bakery & Cafe
Macarons, tarts, brioche, baguettes, croissants, quiche, pain perdu, Monte Cristo and French onion soup.
417 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-1913, costeaux.com
Sarmentine
Baguettes, croissants, canelés, brioche, sucre, quiche, pain au chocolat, marjolaine, éclairs, dune blanche, entremets, tartelettes and chouquettes.
52 Mission Circle, Suite 112, Santa Rosa, 707-623-9595, sarmentine.com
La Gare
Escargots de Bourgogne, cuisses de grenouille, quiche lorraine, boeuf wellington, demi canard à l’orange, vis de veau financière, carré d’agneau persillé, crème caramel beau rivage, meringues glacées chantilly, crème brulée and mousse au chocolate.
208 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-528-4355, lagarerestaurant.com
Les Pascals Patisserie et Boulangerie
Galette des rois, tropéziennes, macarons, éclairs, quiche, croissants, baguettes, apéritif ficelles, brioche, brownies à la Française, babas, madeleines, palmiers, raspberry feuilletés, financiers, petit fours, cannelés de Bordeaux, raspberry sablés, Breton biscuits, chouquettes, chocolate chaussons and kouign-amann.
13758 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-934-8378, lespascalspatisserie.com
Basque Boulangerie Café
Vienna loaf, baguettes, braided brioche, croissants, gâteau basque, French custard and fruit pie, chocolate mousse and éclairs.
460 First St. East, Sonoma, 707-935-7687, basqueboulangerie.com
Napa County
Le Paris Artisan and Gourmet Cafe
Croissants, crème brulée brioche, quiche, macarons, éclairs, madeleines and French almond cake.
828 Brown St., Napa, 707-927-3623; 3921 Broadway, American Canyon, 707-731-0948, lepariscafe.com
Angèle Restaurant & Bar
Escargot, smoked salmon mousse, pâté de campagne, beef tartare, croque monsieur, cochon in a blanket (French hot dog in a puff pastry), salade niçoise, lamb printanier, chocolate mousse gâteau, salted caramel pot de crème and vanilla bean crème brûlée.
540 Main St., Napa, 707-252-8115, angelerestaurant.com
Bistro Jeanty
Truite fumée pommes a l’huile, oeufs mimosa truffés, friture d’éperlans, pâté de campagne maison, escargots, parfait de foie blond, quenelles de brochet, coq au vin, cassoulet, steak tartare, tarte aux pommes, profiteroles, crêpe suzette and crème brûlée au chocolat.
6510 Washington St., Yountville, 707-944-0103, bistrojeanty.com
Marin County
Le Marais Bakery
Croissants, pain aux raisins, kouign-amann, brioche, quiche, salade niçoise, croque monsieur and madame, pan bagnat, French onion soup and poulet sans tête.
250 East Blithedale, Mill Valley, 415-888-3695, lemaraisbakery.com
Miette Patisserie & Confiserie
Macarons, chocolate sablés, tartlets and other sweets.
2009A Larkspur Landing Circle, Larkspur, 415-464-1000, miette.com
Bordenave’s Bakery
Baguettes, croissants, chaussons aux pommes and other French-style baked goods.
1512 4th St., San Rafael, 415-453-2957, bordenavesbakery.com
Le Comptoir
Beef tartare, frogs legs Provençal, lightly fried Camembert, moules marinières, poulet rôti, nonnettes and profiteroles.
1301 4th St., San Rafael, 415-454-5454, lecomptoirsr.com
Le Chalet Basque Restaurant
Pâté maison, escargots, frog legs, chicken cordon bleu, poulet chalet basque, boeuf bourguignon, marquis au chocolat and gâteau basque.
405 N. San Pedro Road, San Rafael, 415-479-1070, chaletbasque.org
Amélie Café and Wine Bar
Escargot, lamb tartare, French onion soup, coq au vin, croque monsieur and madame, quiches, salade niçoise, poulet rôti, steak and tuna tartare, chicken liver mousse and croissants.
71 Broadway Blvd., Fairfax, 628-253-5161, ameliefairfax.com
Le Garage
Panisse, tuna tartare, salade niçoise, pan bagnat, brioche croque monsieur, quiche lorraine, bouillabaisse, ratatouille, crème brûlée, apple tarte Tatin and chocolat fondant.
85 Liberty Ship Way, Suite 109, Sausalito, 415-332-5625, legaragesausalito.com
