Bastille Festival is your passport to a weekend in France without the jet lag
Whether you’re a true Francophile or just keen for more joie de vivre in your weekend, the upcoming Bastille Festival is for you – food and wine passports at the ready!
For some of us, high school language classes and watching Ratatouille have been the closest we’ve come to living our best French life – until now.
Because – mon dieu! – the Festival Plaza is getting a glow up à la française for Bastille Festival.
It’ll be taken over by French villages bursting with gastronomy, wine bars, art, live street shows, dancers, DJs, French jazz and more.
Among the twenty food stalls and one restaurant (more on them in a minute), the offerings will include oozing raclette, golden crêpes, freshly baked pastries and flambé and en croute dishes.
For those not familiar with the latter two, they’re staples of French culinary tradition.
“You’ll find them both at festive tables and family gatherings across France, especially when there’s something to celebrate,” says Bastille Festival French event director Vincent Hernandez.
“What makes them so delicious? It’s all about layers of texture and flavour, from the rich, buttery pastry of an en croûte to the smoky, aromatic finish of a flambé.”
Vincent encourages culinary road tripping at Bastille Festival. Purchase of a ‘Food and Wine Passport’ will take the holder on a gastronomic tour (3 stops $55, 5 stops $95) of some of the eight iconic French Regions represented.
Each stop features a signature dish designed to provide a real taste of France without leaving Adelaide.
“From Alsace, you’ll find the hearty and comforting choucroute; from Burgundy, the slow-cooked depth of boeuf bourguignon; and from Languedoc, a rich cassoulet that speaks of long, rustic lunches,” says Vincent, who certainly knows how to sell a French menu.
“Provence brings the sunny simplicity of tapenade, while Bordeaux sweetens the journey with the caramelised crunch of canelés.
“Coq au vin from Beaujolais and the cheesy, indulgent truffade from the Rhône Valley add warmth and comfort, before finishing in the Loire Valley with the beautifully caramelised tarte tatin… Even my mouth is watering saying this!”
Bastille Festival has partnered exclusively with the neighbouring Station Road to also bring their food to Bastille Festival.
Vincent says the restaurant, known for its refined menu and contemporary flair, “brings a sense of authentic elegance to the festival, perfectly complementing our celebration of French culture”.
“One of our goals is to shine a spotlight on local businesses that offer a true taste of France all year round,” he says.
“That’s why we’ve chosen to collaborate with a venue that offers French dishes every day.
“With a focus on seasonal produce, traditional techniques and beautifully presented dishes, Station Road captures the essence of French gastronomy.”
Station Road’s menu features classics, such as poireau vinaigrette and the iconic Paris-Brest, dishes that Vincent says will instantly transport you to a Parisian brasserie.
Of course, France is also famous for its wine.
The Bastille Festival villages will offer a journey through France’s most iconic wine-producing areas of Bordeaux, Rhône Valley, Provence, Burgundy and Alsace, with each village showcasing wines unique to its terroir.
Vincent says it’s like travelling through France glass by glass as he rattles off a list that – just for starters – includes Château Les Mesclances St Honorat (Provence, Rosé), Domaine Ecklé (Alsace, Chasselas), Lucien Rigui Médoc (Bordeaux, red blend) and Domaine de Rocheville Saumur-Champigny ‘Le Page’ (Loire Valley, Cabernet Franc).
Purchase of a ‘Wine Passport’ (3 tastings $29, 5 tastings $49) is the best value for sipping your way through the regions. Similarly, there’s a great value ‘Food Passport’ (3 stops $29, 5 stops $49).
In addition to the bars à vin, there’ll be Champagne, craft beers and mulled wine craft specially for the festival.
Plus, the Firepit Garden offers a chance to warm up around your own fire pit while toasting marshmallows ($25 per person).
Getting back to the chance to practice one’s French, rusty or otherwise, Vincent says many of the stallholders are French speaking and will be delighted to chat.
“Don’t be scared to try, even with a simple ‘bonjour’,” he says.
“It’s all about enjoying the moment and feeling just a little more French than you were before.”
If that leaves you wondering whether you can swap your festival passport for a real French one, Vincent is accommodating… sort of.
“You may not become French on paper, but for one weekend, you’ll definitely be French at heart. After all, belonging to a country starts with learning about and sharing in its culture.
“And while we can’t quite get you through French immigration, we promise you’ll leave with a full belly, a better accent and a heart full of joie de vivre.”
Entry to Bastille Festival is free. For more information and to purchase wine and food passports or Fire Pit Garden tickets, visit the website.