Bastille Day is one of the most beloved national holidays in France. On July 14, the French annually celebrate the capture of the Bastille, the former royal prison, which served as the signal for the armed uprising of 1789 and the beginning of the French Revolution.
This day is widely celebrated in all parts of the country. However, most modern French people no longer regard him as revolutionary. Today Bastille Day is a bright and joyful holiday that unites all citizens of the country, regardless of nationality, age and religion.
The official program of the festive events includes a series of special balls, the most important of which is the Grand Ball, which takes place on the eve of Bastille Day, July 13, in the Tuileries Gardens.
Traditionally, in honor of the holiday, a solemn military parade is held on the Champs Elysees. The procession starts at 10 am from Étoile and moves on to the Louvre, where the French president is hosting the parade. The procession is attended by military personnel, special equipment, equestrian units of the French armed forces, as well as aircraft and helicopters.
Fun reigns in Paris and throughout the country literally all day. In the evening, several thousand people gather on the Champ de Mars to watch an unforgettable pyrotechnic performance held in the immediate vicinity of the Eiffel Tower.
At the same time, most Parisian cafes, bars and nightclubs organize their own theme parties dedicated to the holiday. And practically in all towns and villages of France there are mass celebrations with dances, fireworks and famous street performances.
However, in our time Bastille Day is often accompanied by unpleasant incidents. Groups of young people, dissatisfied with the government's policy, organize mass arson of cars in Paris, the outskirts and other cities of the republic. So, in 2009, in Paris alone, 317 cars were destroyed, and 13 gendarmes were injured in clashes with young people.
