Brisbane’s South Bank will be converted into a French wonderland when Le Festival 2019 takes place from tomorrow, Friday 5 to Sunday 7 July.
Le Festival in Brisbane is just one of four French festivals happening in Australia in July. Bonjour Barossa is also on in the Barossa Valley this weekend and Sydney and Melbourne each have their own French festivals next weekend.
To eat and drink
Expect to eat your fill of omelettes, crêpes, smallgoods, mussels and fries, flammekueche (French style pizza), French sausages, bœuf bourguignon, poulet chasseur, chicken blanquette and seasonal fruit pies,
Or if you’re wanting some cheesy goodness: cheese, raclette, croques monsieur, loaded fries, baked camembert, fondue savoyarde.
Or for something sweet: Eclairs, meringue tarts, tartes noisette (hazelnut cream and caramel mousse) and delicious cakes like Religieuse (choux pastry filled with coffee custard), macarons and madeleines. You can also purchase Nougat Limar, Australian made French style nougat.
Or you could even try some French Caribbean food.
All of that washed down with your glass of wine or champagne at one of the four bars at Le Festival 2019! The bars are: the Canard-Duchêne main bar, the prestige bar, the rosé bar and cocktail bar. In addition there is also a champagne trail and a wine trail. For more info on the bars and what they’re serving take a look here: https://lefestival.com.au/le-festival-champagne-and-wine-bars/
To market, to market
You will also be able to purchase French products such as soaps, books in French, French fashion and accessories, as well as the true French-made Laguiole cutlery and Provençal and Jacquard tablecloths, handmade market baskets, gorgeous stationery, pocket mirrors from Grenoble, and a huge range of other French-inspired gifts and home décor including retro French and Australian wall prints, greeting cards, and tea towels.
France at Home will also be exhibiting and will have some of its range available for sale including LU biscuits, pates, rillettes, Amora mayonnaise and mustard. For the full list of what is going to be available click here: https://lefestival.com.au/exhibitor-list/france-at-home/
There will also be stands with children in mind selling books and French brand toys.
And if you want to a souvenir of Le Festival 2019, la Boutique de Maurice is where you need to go to find t-shirts, scarfs, berets, etc.
Entertainment
There’s plenty of entertainment, covering all tastes including acrobatic cabaret from Ben Noir, folk music from New Caledonia’s Tyssia as well as world-folk music from Brisbane’s own Estampa. Avalon Swing is an art-deco inspired celebration of music.
Jazz surreal will play you French waltzes, upbeat swing and of course jazz. Eddie Gazani will also perform jazz, along with gypsy jazz and Latin songs inspired by French style.
Amadeus Orchestra, a 30 piece orchestra, will be performing works from the French popular and folk repertoire. Chantefique, the Alliance Française’s own choir will also perform at Le Festival 2019.
Electronic music trio Julia Paul will wow you with their live instrumentation, no pre-recorded sequences here. DJ Orelee will have you dancing into the night Friday and Saturday of Le Festival 2019.
The Can Can dancers will perform each night of Le Festival 2019. And on a similar theme, the Viva La Showgirls Mini-cabaret. Heilani School of Polynesian Dance will allow you to experience the Polynesian culture through dance.
If theatre is more your thing, Brisbane French Theatre will perform Notre Dame, inspired by Victor Hugo’s “Hunchback of Notre Dame”.
There are also cooking demonstrations by Le Cordon Bleu.
You can also learn more about a variety of French things by taking a Masterclass.
MASTERCLASSES
Beer and cheese tasting
http://boutique.lefestival.com.au/tickets/beer-and-cheese-tasting-masterclass/
French appreciation isn’t just for champagne but also for beer! Frenchies Brewery will explain the beer making process and cheese expert Peter Gross from Black Pearl Epicure will show you how to pair beers and cheeses.
Friday 5 July 5:45-6:45pm
Price: $63.75
Canard-Duchêne champagne masterclass and tasting
http://boutique.lefestival.com.au/tickets/canard-duchene-champagne-masterclass-and-tasting/
Amanda Reboul, finalist in the Professional Division of the Vin de Champagne Awards in Australia in 2014 leads this masterclass. She will guide you through five cuvées from Canard-Duchêne.
Saturday 6 July 11:15am – 12:15pm
Sunday 7 July 10:45am – 11:45am
Price: $84 early bird price or $105 from tomorrow
Sensational wines of South-West France
http://boutique.lefestival.com.au/tickets/sensational-wines-of-south-west-france/
Craig Underhill from DiscoverVin will introduce you to exceptional wines from the Bordeaux region. You will taste white wines from Bergerac and Jurançon and red wines from Bergerace, Madiran, Saint Mont and Cahors.
Saturday 6 July 4:30pm- 5:30pm
Sunday 7 July 4:00pm-5:00pm
Price: $68 early bird price of $85 from tomorrow
The Ultimate Cheese 101
http://boutique.lefestival.com.au/tickets/the-ultimate-cheese-101/
Pierre Lantourne of Le Fromage Yard will guide you on a tasting of six French cheeses from fresh to blue vein and everything in between. You will leave the class with the knowledge to approach the most daunting of cheese counters and to the perfect cheese platter.
Saturday 6 July 2:45 pm – 3:45 pm SOLD OUT
Sunday 7 July 2:15 pm – 3:15 pm
Price: $65
Paint and Sip
A Saturday night activity with a difference! In this two-hour painting workshop, you will get to experiment with watercolour paints and create your own French themed artwork to take home. Marcel Desbiens of Brisbane Painting Classes will lead the class and demonstrate watercolour painting and provide subjects for your inspiration.
No need to have any prior experience to attend this class – this class is for everyone (well anyone over 18).
Saturday 6 July 7:00-9:00pm
Price: $65
For Teens: Breakfast baking for young chefs
This class for 15-18 year olds will guide you in making the perfect croissant. You will learn the steps from the preparation and lamination of the dough to the shaping and baking of the croissants. And of course get to taste your creations at the end!
Sunday 7 July 9:00 – 10:00am
Price: $40
SOLD OUT CLASSES
French Perfume Masterclass – SOLD OUT
http://boutique.lefestival.com.au/tickets/french-perfume-masterclass/
Friday 5 July 7:30-9pm
Price: $140
Epic Truffle Masterclass with Le Cordon Bleu and the Truffle Man – SOLD OUT
Saturday 6 July 1-2pm NOW SOLD OUT
Price: $60
Indulgent Caviar Masterclass with Le Cordon Bleu and The Truffle Man – SOLD OUT
Sunday 7 July 12:30 -1:30pm SOLD OUT
Price: $60
Le Mini Festival
There is a zone dedicated to children at Le Festival: Le Mini Festival. Activities for little ones include:
- Face Painting
- French Polynesian Dance
- The popular ‘’Pêche aux canards’ is back!
- Discovery of France game
- Reading French Corner
- Yoga for kids
- Fairy Floss ‘’barbe a papa’’ & French food for kids available on site!
- Scientific & smelling activities
Le Mini Festival zone will be open from 9am to 4pm on the Saturday and Sunday of Le Festival. The Mini Festival programme will be available at this link closer to Le Festival: https://lefestival.com.au/mini-festival/
VIP LOUNGE
https://lefestival.com.au/vip-lounge/
A 45 minute session in the Fromager D’affinois VIP Lounge includes:
- Tasting from three different cheeses from Fromager d’Affinois :
- Tasting from three different champagne from Canard-Duchêne:
- Canard Duchêne Cuvée Parcelle 181 Extra Brut Bio
- Canard Duchêne Authentic Vintage 2008
- Canard Duchêne Charles VII Blanc de Noir
- one Le Cordon Bleu surprise gift bag per participant
Your ticket for entry into the VIP Lounge also includes entry into the festival. VIP Lounge ticket costs $59 – book quickly as Saturday’s sessions have already sold out and some of Sundays have also.
TICKETS AND INFO
TICKETS
The first 1000 tickets purchased online cost $5 for each individual day of Le Festival. Tickets purchased after the initial allocation will revert back to $10 per day.
Children under 12 enter for free.
There is also a $15 three day pass which covers all three days and nights which is only available on the website.
You can purchase your admission ticket here: http://boutique.lefestival.com.au/tickets/le-festival-2019-admission/
You can purchase tickets for the masterclasses here: http://boutique.lefestival.com.au/event-category/masterclass/
Tickets for the Fromager d’Affinois VIP Lounge, where you will get to enjoy a champagne and cheese tasting away from the crowd (the area is capped to 25 participants at a time) cost $59 and can be purchased at this link:
https://boutique.lefestival.com.au/tickets/fromager-daffinois-vip-lounge/
TIMES
Le Festival will take place on:
- Friday 5 July from 5pm to 10pm;
- Saturday 6 July from 9am to 11pm; and
- Sunday 7 July from 9am to 6pm.
Are you attending Le Festival 2019?
