Following the success of the previous three event seasons in 2018, 2020, and 2023, the renowned French culinary festival “Balade en France” is set to take place in Hanoi early next month.
**Festival of Food and Sports**
| The press conference for the 2024 Balade en France Festival was held on March 27. Photo: French Embassy in Vietnam |
Co-organized by the French Embassy in Vietnam and the Hanoi People’s Committee, the fourth edition of the largest French gastronomic festival in Vietnam will be held at Thong Nhat Park in Hanoi from April 5 to 7. The opening ceremony of the festival will be held on April 5 at 7 pm.
Balade en France 2024 will feature around 80 stands showcasing French food, wine, and cosmetics, as well as stands promoting French tourism and fashion. The number of booths is expected to be one and a half times that of the previous festival.
According to Olivier Brochet, French Ambassador to Vietnam, this year’s festival will be held under the theme “Distinctive Flavors – Sports Spirit”.
To complement the Olympic Games that Paris will host this summer, “Balade en France 2024” will also feature a 300-square-meter “Sports Village” offering a wide range of sports activities, including basketball, golf, badminton, archery, and tennis.
| The poster of the event |
“We encourage the Vietnamese people to adopt healthy lifestyle habits by choosing quality food and engaging in sports activities,” said the Ambassador.
**Promoting ‘French Spirit’ through Cuisine and Street Art**
The event will feature a French market with over 80 stalls offering French agricultural and food specialties. Cooking demonstrations will also be conducted by both French and Vietnamese chefs. Renowned chef Nguyen Manh Hung (Hungazit) will prepare French-Vietnamese dishes using fresh ingredients imported from France.
The event aims to introduce key French products to local customers, such as chocolate, bread, cheese, sausage, fruit, and wine. French restaurants in Hanoi, including La Table Hanoia, Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, and Saint Honoré Bakery, will showcase their finest offerings at the festival.
| Cakes prepared by the French bakery Saint Honoré. |
At the press conference for the event held on April 27, French Ambassador Olivier Brochet commented on the similarities between Vietnamese and French cuisine, as well as their respective peoples.
“The world-famous Vietnamese dish banh mi is believed to be derived from the French baguette. Meanwhile, the French dish of beef stew ‘The Pot Au Feu’ enjoys similar popularity in France as the Vietnamese pho bo. Additionally, both Vietnamese and French people share a passion for savoring delicious cuisine,” he said.
“Beyond its commercial significance, the ‘Balade en France’ festival aims to introduce the ‘art of enjoying French cuisine’ to the Vietnamese public. It also serves as a platform for cultural, culinary, and artistic exchanges between France and Vietnam,” he emphasized.
| The booth of “Taste France” at the Balade En France 2023. French Embassy in Vietnam |
This year’s event will be further enhanced by street art performances featuring conductor Dong Quang Vinh and artists from the Suc Song Moi (New Vitality) Symphony Orchestra, Vietnamese singers Thu Thuy, Hua Thanh Tu & Etienne, DJ Jahmadinho, and Hoang Dung.
The Balade En France – All in One 2024 Streetdance Festival and performances by Francophone schools in Hanoi will also take place during the two and a half day festival.
The Balade En France Festival 2024 is free and open to the public.
