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When is French National Day?

On July 14, 1789, the people of Paris captured the Bastille, a symbol of feudal rule, and overthrew the monarchy. In 1880, July 14 was officially established as the national day of France. The French commemorate this day, which symbolizes freedom and revolution, every year. The night of this day becomes a sea of ​​joy, and the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of France, is set against the backdrop of fire trees and silver flowers.

It is often assumed that the official date of the French National Day is 1789, but this is not the case. Although to commemorate the glorious day when the people of Paris conquered the Bastille, July 14, 1789 was once regarded as the National Day.

However, after the restoration of the feudal dynasty in 1814, July 14 was declared as “National Humiliation Day” and “Murderer’s Festival”. In 1870, the republic was restored, in 1879 the Republicans formed a government, and the parliament was moved from Versailles to Paris.

In June of the following year, the French Parliament formally passed a decree to designate July 14, 1880 as the national holiday of France.

French National Day activities: military parade, fireworks show and special activities of the people.

Parade

To celebrate the National Day, France holds a large-scale military parade on the Champs-Elysees every year. On the morning of July 14, the streets were under martial law. The Air Force aircraft group flew over the Arc de Triomphe, and the military parade began. The planes lined up across the Champs-Elysées, with red, white and blue smoke from the tail, like a huge French flag spreading out in the air.

After the plane passed the presidential parade at Place de la Concorde, the Army and Navy columns began to salute the president. At night, over the Arc de Triomphe, bright red, white and blue searchlight columns swayed crosswise, reflecting the huge national flag in the doorway.

The festival lights on the ground and the colorful fireworks in the sky add radiance to each other; the sound of firecrackers and the music and cheers of the carnival blend together, making the festival celebration reach its climax.

Fireworks Show

It will be extremely bustling and noisy, from the Trocadéro garden to the Eiffel Tower, you can see fireworks all the way. Under the Eiffel Tower, people can enjoy music and watch fireworks. At the beginning of the musical evening, the solo singing is performed first, and then the chorus is performed.

Every year the French government also invites some world-renowned musicians to perform. People sang and danced under the tower, and the restaurants, cafes, and restaurants in Paris stayed up all night. After the musical evening, the most solemn event of the night, the fireworks show, will be held, and the sky over Paris will turn into a dazzling ocean.

After the fireworks show, the Eiffel Tower light show will be held as the curtain call. Although the party is over, the noise in Paris will continue through the night.

Popular Activities

The National Day is the most solemn public holiday in France. July 14 is a national holiday. On the eve of the festival, bunting flags are hung in every household, all buildings and public places are decorated with lanterns and garlands, and open-air stages decorated with red, white and blue cloth curtains are erected at street intersections, and orchestras are playing on the stage. Folk pop music.

On the evenings of July 13 and 14, carnival crowds rushed to the streets, with red, white and blue ribbons around their necks, and danced cheerful Camarillo and other folk dances to the music.

French Countryside Celebrations

In rural areas, the celebration of National Day is also very distinctive. The first is the wearing bag race. The main people participating in this kind of race are children. Each participant is put in a big bag containing potatoes, from the foot to the chest. After the race starts, the participants can only jump. Go forward, fall, get up; get up, fall again.

It is different from reviewing the honor guards of the land, sea and air forces in the city. In the countryside, firefighters who are “inspected”. Dressed in uniform, they trumpeted and drummed through the cheering crowd. Afterwards, they had to hold fire-fighting drills in the empty field in front of the church.

After that, people erected a “color-winning pole” in the center of the square. The tall pole was hung with prizes such as ham, sausage, tobacco and alcohol. Whoever climbed to the top of the pole would own the prize. After nightfall, just like in the city, fireworks reflect colorful flags and lanterns. The sound of firecrackers and cheers is one after another, deafening. People sing and dance happily until late at night.