Vive L.A. France!

That annual French holiday to end all holidays, Bastille Day, is about to spread its je ne sais quoi on LA quicker than you can say "Nicolas Sarkozy." The 14th of July is when the French celebrate their very own Independence Day just ten days after ours.

You might think that won't impact you, living in Los Angeles. But there is a rather impressive French expat community here that takes this holiday as an opportunity to proclaim its Frenchness to all LA locals who will listen. LA is even home to a French school (which I happen to have gone to) called Le Lycee Francais, in West LA. And a few months back, the Coco de Mer Film Festival at the Directors' Guild drew crowds of French-speaking Angelinos and their American friends.

But where to go on Bastille Day this year? Maison 140 in Beverly Hills is throwing a Bastille Day shindig with DJs spinning French music, along with a selection of champagne, French wine and cheeses. The festivities take place from 6 to 11 p.m. Tickets are available through their website.

Just about any nice French restaurant is also a great bet. La Poubelle in Los Feliz always has a fun, lively, even madcap vibe. The Little Door and its sister bistro Little Next Door, on Third, are the real deal. There's even French food in the Valley at the Sherman Oaks mainstay Café Bizou (which also has a Pasadena location).

Photo © Maison 140