France Commemorates Both Revolution and WWI With Bastille Day Parade

C'est le quartorze juillet and France is celebrating.

In July 1789, crowds of Parisians stormed the infamous French prison — the Bastille — signifying the beginning of the French Revolution, the end of Louis XVI's reign over France and future independence.

On July 14, 1790, France commemorated the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille with the fête de la fédération, which has now become known as the fête nationale for the French or Bastille Day for foreigners.

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The most famous Bastille Day celebration is the military parade down the Champs-Élysées — the oldest and largest military parade in Europe — on the morning of July 14. This year in particular, soldiers carried the flags of 76 countries down the famous street to celebrate not only French independence 224 years ago, but also the centenary (100th anniversary) of World War I. Read more...

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