How to Enjoy Bastille Day

The French national holiday Bastille Day commemorates the infamous storming of the Bastille, a Parisian prison, on July 14, 1789. Because this date marks the beginning of the French Revolution, people have been dancing on the site ever since. It is a day to celebrate freedom for all people and to proclaim, "Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité!"

Things You'll Need

  • French Bread
  • Picnic Lunches
  • Champagne
  • Picnic Basket
  • Picnic Blankets
  • Airline Tickets
  • Champagne Flutes
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Instructions

    • 1

      Plan ahead and travel to Paris to enjoy the celebrations. Expect fireworks, military parades and dancing in the streets.

    • 2

      Look for Bastille Day celebrations closer to home. French restaurants and Francophone organizations are great places to start your inquiry about festivities for the public.

    • 3

      Celebrate by having an evening picnic of wonderful French cheeses, French bread, French wine, grapes, pâté and your other favorite French gourmet treats.

    • 4

      Make a reservation at a local French restaurant, and order something new and different. Alternatively, learn to make your favorite French food.

    • 5

      Memorize the words to "La Marseillaise," the French national anthem since 1795.

    • 6

      Wear blue, white and red, the "tricolore" of France, or don a beret.

    • 7

      Sample true bubbly from Champagne, or conduct a taste test between French Champagne and the American equivalent.

    • 8

      Take a moment to contemplate the freedom you enjoy that many in the world do not.

Tips & Warnings

  • The Bastille, a 14th-century castle later converted into a prison, was destroyed immediately after the revolt; many of the prison's stones are now part of the Pont de la Concorde.

  • Many countries recognize only sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France to be true Champagne. Everything else is simply sparkling wine and may not be called Champagne.

  • Be extremely careful when using fireworks, and make sure that it's legal to use them in your area.

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Comments

  • Jul 14, 2006
    Remember the amazing contributions, spirit and wisdom of the French people, and pray for their leaders on this joyous holiday! And if you are a French national reading this, have a lovely day wherever you are! I will be dreaming of Paris all day myself, it has been too long since my last visit.
  • Jul 14, 2006
    Remember the amazing contributions, spirit and wisdom of the French people, and pray for their leaders on this joyous holiday! And if you are a French national reading this, have a lovely day wherever you are! I will be dreaming of Paris all day myself, it has been too long since my last visit.

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