Check out today’s Seattle Times, for a very nice article penned by Bethany Jean Clement, celebrating 25 years of Le Pichet. I was so glad that Bethany especially featured the wonderful group of people who have worked at Le Pichet during those 25 years, who prepared the meals and washed the dishes and brewed the coffee and served the wine and made our guests feel so at home. They are the real heroes of Le Pichet’s 25 year (and counting!) success story.

Thanks very much to Bethany for a great article and congratulations to Michael, Marcel and everyone who spent time as part of the Le Pichet team!

In the Pyrenees, fall means the end of the summer mountain grazing season that began in the spring with the depart of the herds toward higher altitudes, known as the transhumance. The shepherds and their flocks, aided by their herding and guard dogs, have spent the summer in the rich, high mountain pastures, getting fat on summer wildflowers, herbs and grasses. In September, it is time to return to their lowland farms for the colder months.

Both the beginning and the end of this age-old practice is marked with traditional celebrations. Having taken part in the celebration of the transhumance in the Vallée d’Aspe at Lourdios in the spring, we of course, wanted to be on hand as the sheep, cattle, and horses returned this fall, at the celebration of the Fête des Bergers at Aramits, also in the Vallée d’Aspe.

The Fête des Bergers is a three day event, with a parade of the returning flocks,  a market of local artisan producers, a judging and tasting of locally produced mountain cheeses and communal lunches and dinners everyday. There are performances of song and chant in the local Béarnais dialect, and dancers in costume traditional to the region.  Some even danced on stilts, a nod to the days when shepherds used stilts to improve their field of vision on their wide ranging wards.

The most anticipated event is the annual competition to crown  the most skilled shepherd/herding dog team.  Each dog, guided by its owner, must find a herd of sheep located some hundreds of yards distant, then guide them through a series of obstacles before herding them into an enclosure at the finish.  It is mesmerizing to watch the synchronicity between dog and human, communicated only through whistles and shouts. The event spooled out over two days, with qualifying and a final round with the top 12 teams.

On August 31, 2022, I spent time at Le Pichet as an employee for the very last time. It was a sad moment, as I said goodbye to colleagues, with whom I have worked side by side for many years, and also to friends we have welcomed as guests since 2000. But it was also a happy moment, when Joanne and Sheila and I could reflect with satisfaction on the good years we shared there. To everyone, both staff and guests, job well done! Together, we created something special! We have loved being a part of Le Pichet for all these years!

If you have not yet met new owners Michael Chick and Marcel Boulanger, I hope you will stop by to offer your support as they set out to chart their own history at Le Pichet. They both know the restaurant inside and out and they have the tools, the team and the desire to carry on its legacy. Best of luck to you, boys, I know you will be great!

As I look forward to a new life in France, I can only say THANKS to everyone for your support, your encouragement and your love of good cooking, good wine and the joy of the table.

You asked and we listened!

As of September 17th, Le Pichet is open at 9am on Friday, Saturday & Sunday!

Current Hours of Operation:
Wednesday & Thursday 10am to 9pm
Friday, Saturday and Sunday 9am to 9pm

lepichetseattle.com

You asked and we listened!

Starting September 15th , Café Presse is now open until 10pm

Hours of operation:
Wednesday through Sunday
9am to 10pm

Why cook when you can pique-nique instead?

The forecast is for hot weather ahead. Let us prepare a pique-nique for you! Moving into summer, we have updated our pique-nique menu to use the best of seasonal produce.

Pique-nique for two: $50

Poulet rôti à votre commande  
Washington State free-range natural chicken roasted to order with butter, sea salt and pepper, served with mayonnaise. Add pommes frites for two: $9

Demi baguette de Grand Central Bakery
Grand Central Bakery half-baguette, with butter

Gâteau aux foies de volailles
Smooth chicken liver terrine, dried cherry compote, grain mustard, cornichons

Salade au bleu d’Auvergne
Curly endive, green beans, garlic croutons and bacon lardons tossed with creamy bleu cheese dressing

Pain au chocolat « à l’ancienne »
Bittersweet chocolate melted on baguette

Add a bottle of rosé   $15.75
Domaine Montrose Pay’s d’Oc rosé from the Languedoc.. This wine has a screw top, so no corkscrew needed!

Pack your pique-nique in our custom tote bag  $16.50
2 sided Le Pichet/Café Presse, 100% heavy duty cotton, made in America

For this special menu, NO SUBSTITUTIONS PLEASE.
PLEASE ALLOW 1 hour 15 minutes preparation time

To order your Pique-nique, call Cafe Presse during regular business hours or use the
online link below.

Fresh organic cherry tomatoes, to be featured in the new preparation with our famous steak-frites. Starts today!

100% grass fed petit top sirloin steak, cherry tomato confit with shallot, garlic, zucchini and summer savory, with pommes frites.

Special today at Cafe Presse:
Rabbit and pork boudin blanc sausage, grilled and served with creamy polenta, Washington asparagus, rich poultry jus and chives.

We are bringing back our VinExpresse Happy Hour!

That means all of our In-House bottles of wine at Take-Out prices, bottles starting at $13

Plus a menu of wine-friendly snacks at Happy Hour prices.

Everyday we are open from 3pm to 5pm

Starts June 2nd, 2021

Current hours of operation
Wednesday to Sunday 9am to 9pm

You asked and we listened!

Starting June 2nd, Café Presse is now open more days and hours…Hope to see you soon.

Hours of operation:
Wednesday through Sunday
9am to 9pm