A French gastronomy festival entitled “Balade en France” will be held this weekend, from January 10 to 12, at the Ly Thai To Garden in Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem district.

Following on from the success of the first such festival in 2018, this year’s holding will stay in Hanoi, jointly hosted by the city’s People’s Committee and the Embassy of France in Vietnam.

The festival aims to bring French culture and cuisine closer to Vietnamese people as well as provide a French-style entertainment playground and shopping area to visitors as the Lunar New Year (Tet) approaches.

The three-day “Balade En France”, or “Wandering around France”, event will provide visitors with a wide range of specialties, wines, and cakes.

There will be about 40 pavilions set up by prestigious hotels, restaurants, and food and wine importers from France such as the Press Club, the Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Red Apron, Chocolat Marou, Saint Honore, Lu, and Fabrik. Many high-quality food and products from France, will also be available, such as traditional crepes, hot wine, cheese, jams, and pâté.

Models of well-known French architecture such as the Eiffel Tower and the Pond des Arts will be set up, according to the embassy, aimed at giving visitors an experience similar to walking around the streets of France in the heart of the Vietnamese capital.

Famous singers and bands from Vietnam and France will perform, creating a musical party for visitors. Organizers will also screen French movies and hold a number of other activities such as street music, painting, and games.