14/07/20 at 12:27pm
In the history of each country, there are holidays that become a part of national pride. For France, it is July 14. Every year, on July 14, French people pay tribute to the events of recent years that have radically changed the life of the whole country.
July 14 became the French national holiday by a law of 1880. This date commemorates two revolutionary events :
- the storming of the Bastille, a fortified prison in the heart of Paris, in 1789: the fall of the old fortress, which has become the symbol of absolutism, represents the opposition of the people of Paris to royal power and the effective entry into the revolutionary process.
- the Fête de la Fédération (Festival of the Federation) in 1790: it took place at the initiative of La Fayette, at Champs-de-Mars on July 14, 1790, on the occasion of the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, to celebrate the federates of national guards of France. It was intended to be an event of reconciliation and unity of the French people. The king Louis XVI attended this celebration and took an oath to the Nation and to the law.
July 14 is the occasion for popular celebrations. In many cities, a military parade takes place during the day. In the evening, balls and concerts are organized in all the municipalities of France, usually followed by fireworks. The dates may vary depending on the municipality: generally July 13 is devoted to the popular ball and the 14th to fireworks, but it may happen that the fireworks are fired on July 13 in certain municipalities, so as not to interfere with the festivities of other surrounding towns. If you do it right, you can see two fireworks in two different places !