Le mot du jour : “Le Quatorze Juillet/La Fête Nationale”
Remember two weeks ago when I talked about “faire le pont” to join your weekend with the next holiday? Well this week in France is going to be the perfect example.
Tomorrow is “Le Quatorze Juillet” also officially called “La Fête Nationale” and known in the UK as “Bastille Day”.
On that day, France celebrates the beginning of its Revolution, when a group of common people took over the royal prison of La Bastille (where people could be imprisoned indefinitely without trial on the order of the king) on the 14th of July 1789.
At the time there were only seven prisoners left, but it was a huge symbol and so was considered the first step of the French Revolution.
So how do we celebrate that day in France ? First by not going to work. You’d better do your shopping the day before, because it could be hard to find anything open on that day.
Then in Paris the military walks on the Champs-Elysées, in a “défilé” (like a catwalk but for tanks and horses and infantrymen…). People clap all along, and it takes the whole morning. This year, health workers are to be honoured and will be walking alongside the army.
After that, the next big events are the fireworks and balls organised in every town and village. They are free to attend (well, payed for by the people’s taxes), so we discovered with surprise the concept of fireworks with fees when we arrived in the UK 🙂
I remember very well going to the ball in my village and dancing until it was sufficiently dark to start the fireworks (usually around 11pm). I have to say, Le Quatorze Juillet is one of my favourite festival in France, as it is in summer and is usually very joyful.
Obviously this year is going to be a little bit different, but I wish all my French friends a very happy Fête Nationale !