Bastille Day is the name given in English-speaking countries to the French National Day, which is celebrated on the14th of July of each year. In France, it is formally called La Fête Nationale (The National Celebration) and commonly le quatorze juillet (the fourteenth of July). It commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789; the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation, and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution.
Events and traditions of the day
Festivities and official ceremonies are held all over France. The oldest and largest military parade in Europe is held on the morning on the Champs-Élysées avenue in Paris in front of the President of the Republic, French officials and foreign guests.
Bastille Day is a day of celebrations of French culture. Many large-scale public events are held, including a parade in every town, as well as communal meals, dances, parties and fireworks.
