Bastille Day - 14 July
Bastille Day commemorates the day, in 1789, when civil unrest led to the storming of Bastille prison and the beginning of the French Revolution. The downfall of the monarchy ensued and “liberte, egalite, fraternite” became the slogan of the new French Republic.
The Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées are today decorated with French and European flags as all the EU leaders have been invited by President Nicolas Sarkozy to celebrate France’s presidency of the EU.
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was the guest of honour at the festivities with two units of UN blue helmets leading off the march.
After watching a fly-past of Alphajets that left a trail of red, white and blue, Mr Sarkozy, first lady Carla Bruni and guests watched the parade of around 4,000 marching soldiers and police, 65 aircraft and 241 mounted horsemen.
Eight paratroopers rounded out the parade with a jump in red-white-and-blue parachutes adorned with UN flags, landing on Place de la Concorde.
The gathering of world leaders has led to an increased police presence of around 6,000 officers who will be conducting bag searches after an attempted assault on Presient Jacques Chirac in 2002.
After the parade, France goes on to celebrate with various local balls and a firework display on the Eiffel Tower. The festivities have been credited with causing France’s sky-high birth rate.
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