A local French culture organisation plans to celebrate Bastille Day the old fashioned way with good food and a game of boules on the lawn.

Bastille Day is the French national holiday similar to Independence Day in the United States. It recognises the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, which sparked the French Revolution.

Alliance Française, an organisation that promotes French culture and language in Bermuda, has organised Bastille Day Weekend this year.

"Because Bastille Day is on the Monday in France, we decided to put some of our activities on the Saturday," said Nicky Gurret of Alliance Française. "Saturday July 12, will be the gala gypsy king night at Coco Reef Resort at 6.30 pm. Dinner will be at 7.30 pm.

"Steve Crawford will be performing. We are asking everyone to wear white with a bit of silver. It is a white theme night to go with the heat of the summer.

"It is supposed to be decadent, like a St. Tropez night," said Priscillia Robineau who is originally from La Rochelle, France.

"I have been in Bermuda five months," she said. "There are a lot of French people here in Bermuda. It is a really good team of volunteers with Alliance Française."

The Coco Reef dinner will include a Mediterranean menu and a raffle with a prize from Crissons.

Tickets to this event are $100 per person.

"We want all the public to come to the event at Coco Reef, because this is a charity event," said Ms Gurret.

Proceeds from the event will go towards scholarships for seven students to study the French language abroad during the summer.

Aliyyah Ahad, Somaine Gift and Chloe Baron won an Alliance Française scholarship to go to France, and Lianna Aggarwal, Matthew Hogan, Lela Sujani and Subira Dill will be going to Quebec, Canada.

The project is largely funded by the Christian Humann Foundation.

On Monday, July 14 the Bastille Day festivities will continue with a traditional game of boules or pétanque.

This will take place at the Bermuda College at 6.30 pm. It is $15 at the court.

"Basically, you have a little ball, a Couchon or pig in English," said Mrs. Robineau. "The team that has the most number of balls nearest to the pig wins. The food is going to be very good."

She said that in order to win it is traditional to try to get the other team to drink as much as possible.

There will be traditional French delicacies on hand.

"Get there early to get your tickets," said Ms Gurret. "There are only a limited supply. They can be purchased at Pulp & Circumstance on Reid Street in Hamilton."

For more information contact Riquette Bonne-Smith at 296-5676.