Bonne Fête Nationale from DublinTown

They may not be celebrating a World Cup victory, but today is France’s day nonetheless!

In case you didn’t know, or haven’t Wikipedia-ed yet, Bastille Day is…

“The French National Day commemorates the Fête de la Fédération on 14 July 1790 which was organized to conciliate the French Nation after a year of political trouble since the birth of the Assemblée Nationale on 21 June 1789.”

Maybe you ‘ll be celebrating today with some fancy French food, a-little-out-of-you-budget bottle of wine, or treating yourself to some new French fashion guilty pleasures (we wish!) – but at the very least, you should check out these fun French places and facts in your very own Dublin town.

 Fun Facts:

• D’Olier Street: The street is named after Jeremiah D’Olier (1745–1817), a Huguenot goldsmith and a founder of the Bank of Ireland. D’Olier was the City Sheriff in 1788 and a member of the Wide Streets Commission. The street was one of the last major interventions in the Dublin city plan to be executed by the Wide Streets Commissioners.
•  Huguenot Cemetery: Those buried there are descendants of Huguenots who fled persecution in France following the revocation of the Edict of Nantes which had guaranteed religious freedom. They were encouraged to come to Ireland by James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde, who had spent twelve years in exile in France, after the Irish and Royalist forces were defeated by those of Oliver Cromwell.The Huguenots quickly established a thriving community in Dublin and elsewhere in Ireland based on their skills in textiles, watchmaking and finance. Within a short time they had become an integral part of the commercial and civic life of Dublin.  A list of 239 surnames of those buried is inscribed on the wall plaque to the left.

 Where to Wine & Dine:

• L’Gueleton (Fade Street, D2): For an authentic French bistro style
• La Cave (South Anne Street, D2): For a modern, cosmopolitan French feel with a specialty in wines
• Pichet (Trinity Street, D2): For a modern take on the classic bistro
• Le Bon Crubeen (Talbot Street, D1):  For an award winning brasserie menu that’ll fit your budget
• Cocoa Atelier (Drury Street, D2): To get your French-sweets fix with handmade macaroons and chocolates
• Le Petit Parisian (Wicklow Street, D2): For a bakery, a patisserie, and the unique culture that transports you to a French coffee shop of 1920s Paris
• La Maison (Castle Market, D2): For a chic and affordable dining experience brought to you by Olivier Quenet

What to Do & Where to Shop:

• Louis Vuitton (Brown Thomas, D2): The wanna-be guilty pleasure of the office, maybe you’ll be able to treat yourself to some new accessories, in celebration of France of course
• Alliance Française Dublin (Kildare Street, D2): Maybe you can go all out and sign up for a French course today, parlez-vous français?

*All information found at Wikipedia.com