July 14th is Bastille Day in France and the whole country will be celebrating in style. Traditionally there are fireworks, parties, games of petanque and much eating and drinking throughout the day and night while in Paris there will be military parades and pomp and splendour.
Bastille Day commemorates the storming of the Bastille – an ancient fortress and prison – an act which marks the beginning of the French Revolution and the dawn of a new nation.
Check out our Bastille Day history feature to read about the history of this eventful day in 1879 that started a chain of events that led to the dark days of revolution, the introduction to the guillotine of the French monarchy and aristocracy and the emergence of democracy in France.
Joyeux quatorze Juillet!
