Brooke in Paris

Here is some background information on Bastille Day:

Bastille Day is France’s most important national holiday. There’s a huge military parade on the Champs-Elysées, and further celebrations take place all over the city.

The holiday commemorates the storming of the former high-security prison and the uprising that marked the beginning of the French Revolution.

The evening before the big day is spent dancing in the Bastille square and at numerous balls that are organised around the city. Worth a look-in are the many parties held by the fire service in their stations, at which the fire-fighters themselves are usually the star attraction (their uniforms providing a lure for the ladies).

There is also a big outdoor Gay Ball if you fancy something more boisterous. If that doesn’t take your fancy, try sitting down to the Incredible Picnic, one of the largest in the world, taking place in some 20 of France’s départments on Bastille Day.

On the big day itself, the crowds come out and line the Champs-Elysées to watch the military parade which, led by the President and accompanied overhead by jets in formation, marches from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde. Bringing up the rear and receiving the loudest applause are the fire brigade, perhaps suffering from a hangover or two. It’s wise to arrive early if you want to get a good view.

The partying continues all day and later thousands of people come together again at the Champ-de-Mars to watch the fireworks at the Trocadéro. On top of all that, most bars and clubs stage their own celebrations, so take your pick. If you’re not in Paris, don’t worry: every single village in France has their own dance, with champagne, fireworks, street fun and lots more. Everyone should take in at least one Bastille Day in their lives.

Although nothing now remains of the Bastille fortress itself, the place where it once stood remains an enduring symbol of the ideals of liberté, egalité and fraternité.

While I did not get to do all mentioned above, I think I experienced the highlights and got an authentic experience. I am at work now so I am unable to upload pictures and videos but I will give a brief synopsis for now.

Sunday night(The night before Bastille Day)

12:00 AM: We went to Canal St Martin around midnight where we saw a huge street festival/party filled with people dancing, grilling and drinking bottles of wine. The mood was festive and upbeat and there was a band playing fun 70s soul/disco. It is funny that on a French holiday they would be playing Earth,Wind and Fire but I suppose music has universal appeal and everyone loves to dance to good music.

1:30 AM: We stopped at this dance club for a bit and walked around but things started to get a little seedy in the area but we stay close and form a little chain with our hands through the crowd.

1:45 AM:  My friend was grabbed by a total stranger for entirely too long. We decide it is time to leave.

2:00 AM: Finally get a taxi but not without a fight.

2:30 AM: Decide to get off at the crepe stand by the house so we can order cheese crepes to eat at the apartment.

2:45 AM: Start watching Thomas Crown Affair but all begin to fall asleep on the couch

Monday Bastille Day

12:00 PM: Finally wake up

1:00 PM: Went too lunch with Abteen. I realized I don’t really love eating at French restaurants or cafés because they pretty much all serve the same thing and it was a bit too early for foie gras, tartare and carpaccio. We found a nice Mediterranean restaurant and I got grilled salmon and shrimp kebabs with rice which was very good.

2:00 PM: Went shopping for straw hats. It’s not very chic to wear a baseball hat(especially in Paris) and I needed a way to keep the sun out of my face(for all of those outdoor people watching meals) so I went to this store by our apartment that specializes in straw hats. They are all really beautifully made and they carry a range of styles. I decided to get a wide brimmed white one. It’s really elegant and it reminds me of the one’s you see in old movies. It was actually the last one they had.

5:00 PM: Me and Abteen go to the Luxemburg Gardens to take pictures (with my new hat of course) I think they turned out well. I will put pictures up later.

8:00 PM: Pack a picnic of bread, brie and fruits and head to the Eiffel Tower where we will be able to see the fireworks at 10:30PM.

9:00PM: Arrive at Trocedéro with thousands of other people. (Video coming soon) The scene was very family friendly. The only problem were the port a potties but what should I have expected?

11:00 PM: The fireworks went off and everyone cheered! They looked incredible against the Eiffel Tower and they were set to really dramatic music. The show lasted for about an hour (Pictures and video also to come).

After this it took about 2 hours to get home because the metros were overcrowded and we had to walk a lot but it was all good because it was a beautiful night and I was wearing comfortable shoes.

I will update later tonight with pictures and videos of all mentioned above. For now it’s back to work!