L.A.’s French impressions

Paris SANDOW understands that a vacation isn’t something to be consumed and forgotten. It’s to be savored and, where possible, relived at home. The Santa Monica vocational counselor with the romantic first name had just returned from traveling in -- appropriately enough -- Paris, when he made a pleasing discovery.

“I found myself missing the European treats that I had been eating daily. Walking down Main Street in Santa Monica, I came upon a small shop called Chocolat. And when I stepped inside, I was magically transported back to Europe,” Sandow says. As the proprietress wrapped his purchase like a gift in fancy paper, he mentioned that he missed Paris.

“She took a step back, looked at me, and then said that she understood, that the city of Paris, to her, was more important than life itself.”

It’s the little things, like a shopkeeper’s wistful memories, that can bring out the Francophile in ordinary people. It may be the distinctive lilt of Parisian French spoken by your cafe waitress. It could be a kind of gypsy jazz that drifts from the windows of a tiny club. Or perhaps it’s the unmistakable musk and tang that waft from the open doorway of a cheese shop.

The surprise is when those indelible moments occur as you step into a cafe in downtown’s Fashion District, or into a Belmont Shore jazz club or into a gourmet shop in Silver Lake. Throughout Southern California, nascent and die-hard Francophiles can at least momentarily re-create the atmosphere of France and its culture.

Today, as the French at home and abroad celebrate Bastille Day (known in France as “le 14 Juillet”), the Tricolore will be flying not just as a symbol of the French Revolution but also as a reminder of the widespread influence of French culture. The estimated 30,000 French natives who populate L.A. have re-created portions of their homeland here. They bring us their food, festivals (including a Bastille Day celebration at the George C. Page Museum gardens on Sunday) and an appreciation for small pleasures -- a fine wine, a fragrant lavender lotion, an elegant journal, a loyal dog.

Though several organizations, including the General Consulate of France, help disseminate information about the country and its culture here, the city lacks a central French neighborhood. There is no Little Paris or Frenchtown. Mention “Paris,” and people in this town think “Hilton.”

Instead, the region is dotted with isolated hubs that provide a constant but low-profile Gallic presence. A stretch of Robertson Boulevard may seem like a fashionable district in Paris. One of the boutiques is French apparel maker Agnes B., which last month celebrated the DVD release of “Heart of the Festival,” a documentary on the Cannes Film Festival. And the stretch of Main Street that captivated Sandow also includes Paris 1900, whose Art Nouveau storefront hints at the lacy finery inside. On the west side of Main, Le Sanctuaire, a modern culinary supply store, is devoted to exceptional equipment, literature and ingredients.

Los Angeles is home to re-creations of idyllic French streets, shops and gardens that represent a romanticized ideal of France and its capital. Those places, such as the Two Rodeo shopping plaza in Beverly Hills and the Grove at the Farmers Market, look vaguely European, while their French-born Rodeo Drive neighbors at Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton and Celine aspire to an international standard of glamour that speaks of no particular nationality.

The native French in Los Angeles are, not surprisingly, a lot like natives from anywhere else. They want to dine at friendly and affordable places, shop at the local market and keep up on news from home to help maintain a connection to their nationality.

Naturally, that quest begins with food. Ask a French chef where he goes for a taste of France and he is likely to cite the Wednesday Santa Monica Farmers Market for its fresh produce. Chefs also mention the Farmers Market at 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue. The open-air stalls, the quaint wood-slat shopping carts and the lively street scene remind chefs such as Jean Francois Meteigner (La Cachette) of how Europeans like to shop for food. One of the Farmers Market tenants is a French market and restaurant, Monsieur Marcel. The packed shop carries dozens of varieties of French olives, wines, cheeses, charcuterie and chocolates, and it hires French ex-pats who say they wouldn’t work anywhere else.

Chefs regularly cite the authenticity of the tiny Angelique Cafe in downtown’s Fashion District. Owners Florence and Bruno Herve-Commereuc offer breakfast and lunch menus featuring homemade charcuterie, pate, classic omelets and salads that appeal to a mix of fashionable sales representatives from the nearby California Market Center and also to tattooed downtown denizens.

In Venice, French-speaking patrons populate the outdoor tables at the French Market Cafe, a rustic spot on Abbot Kinney Boulevard where dogs nearly equal the number of diners. (Dogs are especially French. Travelers to Paris know that restaurateurs there welcome the occasional canine or feline at the table, sometimes even at the Ritz.) The French Market Cafe also houses a market, where French gourmet specialties and periodicals are for sale. Lilly’s, a French wine bar and cafe on Abbot Kinney, attracts wine collectors and fans of authentic French cuisine.

Peter Roelant, who was executive chef at the Four Oaks in Bel-Air for 16 years, heads to Cafe Mimosa on Beverly Boulevard, where for eight years chef Jean-Pierre Bosc has created basic French food with original flavors.

“He makes fantastic cassoulet. It can’t be more authentic than that,” Roelant says. Of the rest of the menu, he says, “It’s stuff that will bring back memories from when you were a child.” Roelant, who is Swiss-born, has cooked in the French style for more than 20 years and is a past president of Club Culinaire, the Southern California organization of chefs, restaurateurs and purveyors who promote French cuisine.

The club’s recent 25th annual Picnic des Chefs lived up to its billing as a culinary tour of France for the general public. Prepared by French chefs, the Griffith Park event attracted a mix of English- and French-speaking picnickers who lined up for menus created around specific regions, including steak frites from Paris, ratatouille from Provence and a Lyon-style sausage with potato salad. The event was proof of how widespread French cuisine has become in America: Even finicky toddlers were happily eating French baguettes, pomme frites, lamb chops and chocolate eclairs.

Club Culinaire also sponsors ongoing dinners and galas at which the culinary professionals share information with other aspiring chefs and aficionados. The dinners aren’t so different from the ones they stage for themselves.

“When we really get homesick, we put on a dinner,” says Meteigner, whose restaurant is known for California-light fine French dining. “I just did a completely French bistro leek salad with lardons and frisee and poached eggs. And leg of lamb with flageolet. We put French linens on the table and drink Ricard and Chablis and Bordeaux,” says the chef.

Sometimes, at the Rancho Park courts inside the city park in Cheviot Hills, he and his compatriots will play petanque, an outdoor bowling game played with small wooden and metal balls. Who knew Rancho Park had a petanquodrome?

It’s easy to miss the Frenchness of Los Angeles, which overwhelms with its vastness and diversity. Newly arrived French speakers may find their way to the Los Angeles Accueil, a 14-year-old group that sponsors leisure activities and compiles lists of governmental, commercial and social resources. When they’re not attending dinners at the French Consulate on Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood, some of the 240 member families are organizing dinners at area cafes or staging outdoor activities such as roller skating, golfing, bicycling and discovering museums.

The members can share relevant information that perhaps only a native Frenchman can appreciate, such as where to shop for the best French groceries, including rabbit, says President Brigette Groche.

“We are used to eating rabbits,” says Groche. “It is something that you Americans find very disgusting. It’s like you eat your own dog.” And for the rest, she says Trader Joe’s offers a nice selection of Dijon (for that lapin with mustard sauce) and when the bank account is full, culinary supplier Surfas or the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills are good spots for creamy goat’s milk cheeses and accompaniments.

Other members of Los Angeles Accueil follow French jazz musician Fabrice Vignati and his band, the Hot Fab Djazz Club (named in honor of 1930s gypsy jazz musician Django Reinhardt), to performances at Cafe Marly in Beverly Hills, Cafe Laurent in Culver City or La Palapa Restaurant in Belmont Shore, and other places where French ex-pats gather.

“We do associate food, wine and music together,” says Vignati. “We never separate.” He too shops for crottin de Chavignol at the Cheese Store of Beverly Hills, and for more home flavor, he recently added the 24-hour French-language channel TV5 to his television satellite system.

“You don’t know how good it is to be able to see the news and the president talking,” Vignati says. “You feel like you’re in France.”

The French may hold their cultural hallmarks dear while still seeking to assimilate. Eight years ago, Thierry Boisson came to L.A. from France, where he owned three crepe restaurants. He started selling crepes from mobile booths at farmers markets and festivals, and two years ago opened Acadie Hand Crafted French Crepes, a restaurant on the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica.

This weekend his crepe makers will be swirling batter onto hot platters at the Santa Barbara French Festival in downtown’s Oak Park. The festival also celebrates various iterations of French culture, offering Cajun cuisine, Moroccan belly dancers, opera and cabaret music a la Maurice Chevalier and Edith Piaf. Boisson may see a few natives at the festival, but mostly, he’ll see the same kinds of people who come to his Santa Monica restaurant, those who wish to re-create the experience of eating freshly made crepes ordered from a sidewalk window.

“It is like the experience in Europe,” says Boisson. “People love it.” But his French colleagues? They’re busy learning about Americans.

“We try to melt into society. We don’t try to make a separate community,” Boisson says. “Usually, they come here because they want to come out of the country and try another experience. They want to have some air, you know what I mean? They want a different life.”

*

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX)

All things French

Restaurants

Acadie Hand Crafted French Crepes: Thierry Boisson’s 2-year-old restaurant even offers sidewalk service for an authentic late-night Paris experience. 213 Arizona Ave. (at the Third Street Promenade), Santa Monica, (310) 395-1120, www.crepescompany.com.

Angelique Cafe: In the heart of downtown’s Fashion District, this petite dining spot is a daytime destination revered among the French-born for its way with charcuterie. 840 S. Spring St., Los Angeles, (213) 623-8698, www.angeliquecafe.com.

Cafe Tartine: Every tartine, or open-faced sandwich, at this cafe is made with the famous dense breads of the Poilane bakery of Paris. Loaves are imported daily and sell for $26, or a half for $14. 7385 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, (323) 938-1300.

Cafe Stella: The crispy pommes frites, leisurely diners and cramped seating indoors and out give this Silver Lake cafe authentic French credentials. 3932 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 666-0265.

Clafoutis: The alfresco dining spot in Sunset Plaza is a favorite among fans of the chicken in tomato and basil sauce, with obligatory pommes frites. 8630 W. Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 659-5233.

Figaro Bistrot: Late sleepers of Los Feliz gather for croque-monsieur or brioche French toast at this bar and restaurant. The all-organic ingredients are 21st century, but the antique decor looks like a bistro of the 19th century. 1802 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 662-1587.

French Market Cafe: French chefs and natives linger at the tables and eat bistro food. A market sells French gourmet food and publications. 2321 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, (310) 577-9775.

Frenchy’s Bistro: For nearly a decade, chef Andre Angles has been serving traditional French bistro food, including duck in orange sauce and braised lamb shanks Provencale and the locals’ favorite, sand dabs. 4137 E. Anaheim St., Long Beach, (562) 494-8787, www.frenchysbistro.com.

La Cachette: Chef Jean Francois Meteigner has made this Century City restaurant an elegant destination for upscale but lower-fat French cooking for 11 years. 10506 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, (310) 470-4992, www.lacachetterestaurant.com.

La Frite: These popular San Fernando Valley casual dining spots feature French bistro food. Open daily, their Saturday and Sunday brunches attract crowds. 15013 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, (818) 990-1791; and 22616 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills, (818) 225-1331.

Le Pain Quotidien: Long wood tables, rustic loaves, brioche and tartines re-create the experience of dining at the Paris branch of the restaurant. 8607 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, (310) 854-3700; 9630 Little Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, (310) 859-1100; 11702 Barrington Court, Brentwood, (310) 476-0969.

Le Petit Cafe: Chef owner Robert Bourget serves escargot, nicoise salad and duck confit at this casual French Provencal bistro. 2842 Colorado Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 829-6792, www.lepetitecafe.info.

Le Petite Bistro: With packed tables, hyper-efficient waiters and a menu of traditional fare, the bistros look, feel and sound like Parisian bistros. 631 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 289-9797; 13360 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks.

Lilly’s French Cafe and Wine Bar: The greatest hits of classic bistro cuisine are served in the airy restaurant and patio, a favorite of French natives. 1031 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, (310) 314-0004, www.lillysfrenchcafe.com.

Mimosa: Francophiles and French chefs mention Jean-Pierre Bosc’s casual restaurant as a favorite for cassoulet, mussels mariniere and frisee Lyonnaise salad. 8009 Beverly Blvd., L.A., (323) 655-8895, www.mimosarestaurant.com.

Moustache Cafe: Ex-pats frequently cite this bistro as one of their favorite gathering places. 1071 Glendon Ave., Westwood, (310) 208-6633.

Pastis: As the name suggests, this 10-year-old contemporary bistro uses the aperitif frequently in cooking. The restaurant is staging a Bastille Day celebration tonight, with music, movies and special menu items. 8114 Beverly Blvd., L.A., (323) 655-8822.

Taix French Restaurant: With its long history, huge menu and unpretentious atmosphere, Taix has become an Echo Park institution that draws French ex-pats. 1911 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, (213) 484-1265.

Wine Bistro: Chefs are loyal to this Valley spot, which has a three-course menu revolutionnaire for $32.95 tonight for Bastille Day. 11915 Ventura Blvd., Studio City, (818) 766-6233, www.winebistro.net.

Shops

Farmers Market: Gourmet food purveyors, a creperie, open-air booths, wood-slat shopping carts, newsstand and eclectic clientele are a microcosm of the French marche. West 3rd Street at Fairfax Avenue, L.A. (323) 933-9211, www.farmersmarketla.com.

Boule: Chef Michelle Meyer’s French-infused pastry shop features French macaroons, croissants, fruit jellies, ice creams and chocolates. 420 N. La Cienega Blvd., L.A., (310) 289-9977.

Du Vin Wine and Spirits: Known for specializing in French vintages, this well-regarded shop stocks a range of European wines: 540 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, (310) 855-1161.

L’Artisan du Chocolat: Christian Alexandre and his wife, Whajung Park, create traditional French chocolates and innovative flavors such as ganache infused with jasmine, laurel, fennel, lavender, thyme or basil. 3364 W. 1st St., L.A., (213) 252-8722.

Le Palais des Thes: As the only North American branch of the Parisian tea shop, this Beverly Hills emporium offers a selection of teas, cultivated with a French eye. 401 N. Canon Drive, Beverly Hills, (310) 271-7922. www.palaisdesthes.com

Paris 1900: Since 1976, Susan Lieberman has been providing an instant trip to Belle Epoque France in her Santa Monica store, which sells new and vintage lace, linens and clothing. 2703 Main St., Santa Monica, (310) 396-0405, www.paris1900.com.

Relish: Proprietor CeeCee Capotosto has curated a seaside shop full of European luxury items, including an extensive selection of French soaps, lotions and fragrances. 208 Pier Ave., Santa Monica, (310) 314-0080.

Soolip Paperie and Press: Peruse fine pens, European papers, handmade greeting cards or order custom letterpress stationery to display your appreciation of endangered printing techniques. 8646 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, (310) 360-0545.

For the table

Cheese Store of Silver Lake: Proprietor Chris Pollan stocks wines that match well with his cheeses and gourmet products. On Saturdays after 2 p.m. and Sundays after 1 p.m., Pollan and wine expert Julian Davies stage wine and cheese tastings. 3926-28 W. Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, (323) 644-7511, www.cheesestoresl.com.

Chocolat on Main: When you’re handed a pastry or praline wrapped like a gift, the distinctly European flourish of the presentation whisks you back to France. 2510 Main St., Santa Monica, (310) 396-9979, www.chocolatonmain.com.

Le Sanctuaire: The name may sound like a spa, and in a way, it is -- for cooks. The spare and contemporary space is a library for cookbooks, a rare ingredient emporium and a high-end kitchenware supplier. 2710 Main St., Santa Monica, (310) 581-8999, www.le-sanctuaire.com.

Monsieur Marcel: This gourmet market, restaurant and bar brims with imported French cheeses, wines, condiments, deli items and the French-born experts to explain them. Farmers Market, West 3rd Street and Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, 323-939-7792, www.mrmarcel.com.

Say Cheese: Owner Glenn Harrell stocks imported cheeses, mustards, wines, chocolates and more. 2800 Hyperion Ave., Los Angeles, (323) 665-0545.

Culture/Social

Bastille Day: From noon to 8 p.m. Sunday, a free event celebrating the holiday will include food, music, a Parisian waiter race, a petanque tournament and more at the George C. Page Museum gardens, 5801 Wilshire Blvd. (at Curson Avenue), Los Angeles. (323) 656-6083 or www.bastilledaylosangeles.com.

Club Culinaire: Now in its 25th year, this group of French chefs promotes the cuisine of France and its many incarnations through a picnic, bistro meals and formal dinners at a revolving list of restaurants. www.clubculinaire.org.

Eighteenth annual French Festival: Billed as the largest French festival in the Western U.S., the Santa Barbara celebration is a destination for Francophiles. There’s even a poodle parade. Admission is free. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Oak Park, Santa Barbara. (805) 564-PARIS, www.frenchfestival.com.

General Consulate of France: 10990 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 300, Los Angeles, www.consulfrance-losangeles.org. The links on the consul’s website can help newcomers and natives locate French organizations and resources.

Hot Fab Djazz Club: French-born jazz singer and guitarist Fabrice Vignati’s five-member band sings jazz in the style of 1930s gypsy guitarist Django Reinhardt. The band plays a free concert tonight at 7 at Memorial Park, 85 E. Holly St., Pasadena. The group also plays at the Bastille Day celebration at the Page Museum at 2:15 p.m. Sunday. www.fabriceweb.com

Les Sans Culottes: This Brooklyn-based Francophile band brings its faux-French ‘60s pop to Silver Lake on Friday and Saturday. Doors open at 9 p.m.; show at 10 p.m., El Cid, 4212 Sunset Blvd., L.A., (323) 668-0318. Admission, $10.

Los Angeles Accueil: This French hospitality group is like the city’s version of the Welcome Wagon for new arrivals from the home country. President Brigette Groche compiles French resources, and the group sponsors such activities as coffee clubs, golf, hiking, biking, quilting and roller skating. www.losangelesaccueil.org

Los Angeles Petanque Club: Since 1983, this group has staged tournaments and weekly games. Cheviot Hills Park, 2551 Motor Ave., L.A. (310) 837-5186. www.losangelespetanque.com