Prepare for your halls to be extremely decked, because Sydney’s Circular Quay is set to transform into a delightfully festive village of French chalets, mulled wine and gooey cheese for an authentic French Christmas market next month.
Even though it’ll be the thick of the Aussie summer, the forecourt in front of Customs House is set to turn into a wintery European market for four days over the weekend before Christmas.
You know what that means? You can absolutely go there and panic-buy a last minute present for your second cousin’s new boyfriend. Does he like cheese and French wine? He does now.
It’s being put on by the same group who bring the annual Bastille Festival to the water’s edge in Sydney every year, after they were unable to hold this past July’s festival thanks to COVID.
Kicking off on Friday, December 17, the market plans to bring the crème of the white Christmas experience to the city, with stalls offering French wines, melted cheeses (hello raclette), Frence crepes, and all the things you’d expect from a French wintery market. There will be carols a-singing, nutcrackers a-nuttin’, and a nightly dumping of Sydney summer-friendly snow.
If you’re keen on something a little more luxe while you’re wandering around the markets, there will even be an oyster and champagne bar for you to sit, sip and slurp to your heart’s content.
The dedicated bar, put together by Newtown’s Pistou kitchen, will be serving up a street degustation of ocean boogers paired with delicious flute of champers. Bloody delish, and the perfect combo of Aussie and French festivities — throwing back oystie boys and bubbles while surrounded by snow and the smell of mulled wine and Christmassy spices.
The French Christmas market is completely free to attend, and will run until Sunday, December 20. Again, a perfect run-up to the silly season, and a chance to grab some last-min presents you 100% forgot to organise.
