14.7.10

Bastille Day

Today is the « Bastille Day ». To illustrate this, I show you some decorations of the metro stations “Bastille” ....
.... and “Jaurès”.
Both these stations are in open air. They got the wall and glass decorations in 1989 in order to commemorate the 200 years of the symbolic revolution day.

The normal festivities will include fireworks over the Eiffel Tower. I don’t know if I will be there to watch them tonight, but I took some photos of last year’s fireworks, which were spectacular, celebrating the 120 years of the “lady”. Here is one of these photos.

Addendum:

The night before the Bastille Day, all French Fire Brigades invite the population to dancing. These photos were taken last night (13th-14th) at the Montmartre Fire Brigade.

21 comments:

Dianne said...

Hi Peter, loved the fire-works pic - even if it was from last year - very beautiful. the metro bastille art-work is fabulous I'm looking at those guys reading their books at the station-oblivious to the beauty behind them.
Bonne fete
Dianne xx

Olivier said...

la tour eiffel sous les feux d'artifice cela doit etre grandiose a voir

Shammickite said...

I wish I could be there to see les feux d'artifice tonight. And dance with the firefighters!

Rakesh Vanamali said...

Ah, le quatorze juillet! I did read about this in world history many years ago!

Thank you so much for these marvelous pictures. Had I been a teacher today, I would have certainly run a slideshow of your posts to my students!

Vagabonde said...

The French Consulate in Atlanta used to have a party on the 14th of July, but I guess they are on a budget now. Last year I wrote a post about the history of Bastille’s Day as they call it here (here it is in case you did not see it: http://avagabonde.blogspot.com/2009/07/recollection-14th-july-fete-nationale.html.) This evening I wrote another post on it, but not really on the holiday. I wish I were in Paris or somewhere in France this evening – I miss le quatorze juillet.

Cezar and Léia said...

Beautiful homage dear Peter!
Enjoy the holiday there!
hugs
Léia

SusuPetal said...

Bonne fete!

Interesting illustrations. Cool.

It's not so cool in Finland, the heatwave has lasted for a week, yesterday it was 34 degrees Celsius!

Bettina said...

Happy Bastille Day to you Peter !

I love those tiles and glass works in the Metros, and the Eiffel Tower photo is just stunning !

I think these firemen dancings are a great tridition.
I have never been in Paris on July 14. but I would love to be part of these festivities.

Corine said...

Happy Bastille Day Peter! I was watching the French News this morning at 5AM and they were showing the Military Marching Parade down the Champs Elysees. Looks like you need an umbrella out there.
I love the tiles of the revolution at the station, beautiful! And the fireworks at the "lady" how magnificent.
Enjoy your evening.

Starman said...

It has been a long time since I've been to the Bastille station.

Kate said...

The French really know how to celebrate! It's fun to be there around this holiday. The metro tiles really are spectacular. I miss your blog and really need to start visit it regularly again. I just picked up a book, _Remembrance of Things Paris_ ed. Ruth Reichl (food critic and ed. of Gourmet) that is filled with delightful essays of Paris. Read it; you'll enjoy it!

joanna said...

Dear Peter:

Happy Bastille Day to you! Any country that can celebrate freedom is a good thing.

Loved all the photographs.

Joanny

Shionge said...

Wow!!! Happy Bastille Day I can feel the happy celebrative mood here :D

Thérèse said...

Une bien belle ambiance!
Bon ete Peter. J'espere que tu n'as pas eu trop les pieds dans l'eau...

La Brocanteuse said...

Hello Peter, I enjoyed this travel with you on Bastille day..thank you for sharing! warm wishes Colette

Genie -- Paris and Beyond said...

Bonjour Peter, I wish that I could have been there this year for 14 juillet and the "firemen's balls"

Thanks for a great day in the Marais with crazy friends!

Trotter said...

Party, dance, fireworks, three weeks off without dropping a line, no replies to comments... we are definitely in summer... ;)) Et maintenant, tout le monde est parti en vacances... Vive le 14 juillet... (This year I was so busy I couldn't make to the French Embassy... But what was the idea of having a reception between 1:00 and 3:30 p.m. ;))

Jeanie said...

Belated Bastille day! I was thinking of you yesterday as we watched the Tour and it was discussed often! Lovely photos! Looks like a grand celebration!

Simony said...

Great party with the firefighters!
I have heard about it before and sounds like a great place to have fun and see people!

Virginia said...

Now I realize what those tickets were that those cute firemen were trying to sell me last month! Sorry I didn't have a chance to take them up on all that fun! :)
V

lyliane six said...

Comme souvent je n'étais pas en France pour le 14 juillet, Michel non plus, moi en Allemagne à Bonn et lui en Espagne à Grenade.Mais il a fait très chaud, jusqu'à 36°.