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Monday, July 14, 2008

Bastille Day in Brooklyn: The French Conquer Smith Street

Petanque, Gauloises cigarettes, Ricard, French music, French food, even a guillotine. Smith Street celebrated Bastille Day Sunday and there was something for everyone.

Again this year, a couple of blocks were covered in sand for the famous petanque tournament, played with tennis-ball-sized metal balls, hosted by restaurants Bar Tabac and Robin des Bois.


Music was provided by the big band Baby Blue Orchids, shown in the video below, and the Francois Wiss Ensemble, playing French gypsy music. Pockets of dance broke out spontaneously.






Actual French people were everywhere, smoking cigarettes and speaking actual French.


People were laughing and talking to strangers.
They played games ...


The young and the reckless competed in the skateboard tournament.






More great photos and commentary at the Pardon Me For Asking Blog.
More Bastille Day video at StreetFilms.

UPDATE: Who won the petanque tournament? See the Brooklyn Eagle

- Brooklyn's Bastille Day: Smith Street, Sunday
- Bastille Day in Brooklyn -- La Rue de Smith Sautait!
- Bastille Day Rendez-Vous 2008: Pétanque, Bal Musette And... The Solex: Pardon Me for Asking

- Smith Street Goes French Again Brooklyn Eagle
- Bastille Day Means Pentanque on Smith Street Bergen Carroll


Photos and videos by MK Metz

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