One of the Most Beautiful Things I've Ever Seen

 

History runs deep in the veins of Paris and so they know how to celebrate it! Bastille Day, or La Fête de la Bastille, commemorates the storming of the Bastille, then a prison that held inmates summoned by royalty to serve sentences for crimes that were not disclosed and could not be appealed. On July 14th, a crowd of Parisians fought the royal guard to secure the prisoners' freedom and protect themselves with stolen ammunition against the hostile retribution of the king. This all happened in 1789, yet Parisians still hold the same pride in their city and their freedom. 

Bastille Day is packed with events from morning to night. But really the party starts the night before. Les Bals des Pompiers, or Firefighter Balls, are celebrations with live music and lots of dancing and all of this takes place in firefighter stations. After a long night of dancing, many might be tempted to sleep in, however, then you’d miss the morning parade. Starting bright and early, troops with tanks, military on motorcycles, and even the president walks the streets in a grand parade accompanied by a helicopter flyover. 

If parades aren’t your jam, there are many museums that open their doors to the general public. Notre Dame, Musee d’Orsay, the Louvre, and the Palace of Versailles, are all free of cost on July 14th. I had the honor of spending 3 hours in the Louvre, however, I only managed to see one wing of the 652,300-square-foot museum. 

      

Exploring the art was beautiful but the spectacle that evening was beyond compare. We got to the gardens surrounding the Tour d’Eiffel at 8 o’clock, enough time to secure one of the last few spots on the grass in front of the tower. Starting at 9 pm live music filled the air with opera voices and a booming orchestra. 

                 

We ate our small picnic and listened to the music eagerly awaiting the day’s finale: le feu d’artifice. As the sun set and the tower began to sparkle, we could barely contain our excitement. The sun set and at 11 pm the tower lit up in red white and blue. Then, fireworks burst out from the tower and curled around the monument. French music as well as some English accompanied the show in a beautiful dance of sound and light. It is hard to put into words how breathtaking the view was. If you have the chance, please see this for yourself. It is truly one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. Because I know my words won't be able to describe this event, please take a look at some of my photos from last night!