It is Bastille Day! A time to celebrate and enjoy all things French. You might want to consider making a light Salade Niçoise, a Quiche Lorraine, or a Croque Monsieur for dinner, or if it’s not too hot where you live, try making Coq au vin or Steak frites!
You might want to watch a French film on Netflix for free. You can also watch some old French films such as Marius and Fanny for free on Amazon Prime video, or rent one of my all time favorite films (on Amazon Prime video), Chocolat, starring the French actress Juliette Binoche, with Judi Dench, Alfred Molina and Johnny Depp.
Of course, in my opinion, the best way to celebrate French culture is with French music! In the film Chocolat you can hear French composer Erik Satie’s hauntingly beautiful Gnossienne No. 1. Click below if you would like to play my simplified arrangement of Gnossienne No. 1 from my Songs of the Season: Autumn book:
A true Francophile might like to play the French national anthem, La Marseillais:
You can print both my easy and my intermediate arrangements of Claude Debussy’s Clair de lune for free here.
I love the Edith Piaf favorite La Vie En Rose, but since it is not in the public domain I can’t arrange it for you for free. I did find a site that allows you to download the original sheet music for free here. (Click on the blue “Download” box above the top right corner of the sheet music to print.) If you are a beginner, just play the top vocal line.
I hope you enjoyed mon petite tour du France post today. These days we need to find fun ways to celebrate wherever we can, non?
With love and 🇫🇷 music, Gaili
Author, Upper Hands Piano: A Method for Adults 50+ to Spark the Mind, Heart and Soul
Gaili, thank you for this celebratory post on Bastille Day. My husband and I were supposed to be in France by now but like so many things, that beautiful dream will have to wait. Meanwhile, salade Nicoise and some new sheet music will be perfect. I’ve been working on your arrangement of “Claire de Lune” for months!
Merci from Mary in Trumansburg New York!
Awww that’s sad Mary. I do hope you are able to reschedule your trip sometime in the not too distant future. You might also enjoy watching one of the tours of France on Youtube. Search for “Rick Steves France” and you can vicariously travel to Normandy, Provence, Paris, the Loire Valley, the Dordogne, etc.
What a wonderful idea – thank you. As a Francophile I thought this was a super post.
Thanks! I am a true Francophile too!
I love Bastille Day!
My mom went to a French school in Lebanon, and her parent’s tenants were from France. So I had a French influence growing up too.
Quiche is the order of the day, I enjoy making it and love eating it too:)
Gaili, you’re a wonderful teacher and always enjoy your blog.
Big Hug!
Oh that’s so interesting Ellen! I wish I had gone to a French school, learning the language is so difficult as an older adult! Like playing the piano 🙂
Your quiches are wonderful. It’s great to find fun things to do during these terribly long months. Thanks for your kind words, Ellen. Miss you!
Yay! I’m printing La Marseillaise so I can finally accompany myself on something I sing frequently (for no reason) and not very well!
Fantastic! I have never tried to sing it but I love the tune. How fun!
Greetings from Canada !
Dear Gaili thank you for helping us celebrate Bastille Day in style and for getting us at least for awhile, away from the pandemic
.If you have time you might want to check the following composers Alma Deutscher ( Ludwig Waltz ,I think of you …) and Alexis Ffrench (Dreamland-you can buy the score on Musicnotes)
All the best to you and your family!
Audrey
Hi Audrey! I enjoyed listening to Alma Deutscher! Ludwig’s Waltz did have a French quality, as did Alexis Ffrench’s Dreamland. Thank you for telling us about these fine contemporary composers! How did you hear about them?
I was thrilled to receive your post for Bastille day. I fixed a whole French meal, and even moved bistro furniture from the patio into the dining room (it was WAY too hot outside!) for a sidewalk cafe atmosphere complete with accordion music in the background. My husband was thrilled when he got home to find himself in “Paris”. Thank you for such a fun idea.
Aw that’s great to hear! We have to have as much fun as we can these days, non?!