Bastille Day

Is it a good idea to plan a first time holiday to Paris over Bastille Day or will all the attractions be shut?

Are there fireworks that day?

I assume is is a Bank Holiday so will the shops be shut too - if so how many days do they shut for?

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Spending Bastille Day in Paris is a very unique experience that I definitely recommend if you can spare a day to take a break from the traditional sightseeing stops. Since it is the Fete Nationale, the vast majority of shops and attractions will be closed. However, there are still a good number of cafes that will be open. Also, many of the parks and movie theaters around the city are open.

We were there this year and had no problem finding lots to do (and I had a group of 12 teenagers to entertain, I was their study abroad leader!). There is the Grand Defile (military parade) down the Champs Elysees in the morning which you should arrive at early to guarantee a good spectating spot. Since the Champs is so touristy almost every single store/cafe/restaurant was open on Bastille Day.

The fireworks are absolutely amazing and should not be missed! The best viewing spot is from the Champs de Mars, where Parisians will set up their picics HOURS before the fireworks/light show begins around 10:45-11:00 pm. The show is spectacular and lasts about 40 minutes - they combine fireworks, lights and music on the Eiffel Tower and it is truly better than any fireworks show that I%26#39;ve seen here. Keep in mind that it is very crowded and transportation (via metro, taxi, etc) will be extremely difficult in the time following the show.

Since this past Bastille Day fell on a Thursday, many businesses did indeed %26quot;fait le pont%26quot; and closed for the long weekend. Also you will find that many Parisians take off for the weekend for their country homes, so the city feels like it is left with just tourists. Regardless, Bastille Day was a great experience!

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Things are closed, but it%26#39;s fun.

You could go to the Comedie Francaise for free that day, see a real Moliere play! They are great...but if you don%26#39;t speak french it might not be fun.

L

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We%26#39;re always there for la Fête Nationale. Many restaurants and cafes are open, as are many small shops in the touristy areas. The balls at the fire stations on July 13 and 14 are a lot of fun. This past year, members of the various armed services parked their vehicles at locations throughout the city after the défilé. Now I%26#39;m not a particularly militaristic person, but it was really fun watching the soldiers lifting up little kids and letting them look around the inside of tanks, humvees, helicopters, etc. (I really think it was more of an excuse for their daddies to get an up-close look, though!) There are fireworks the evening of the 14th. You can choose to join the hordes of people on the Champs de Mars, or you can pick out a spot on one of the bridges and watch from a distance (just as pretty, but you can%26#39;t hear the music).

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Hey Truffaut,

I%26#39;ll rent you my kids next summer if you%26#39;d like to get a closer look at those humvees on your own!

The soliders are quite dapper, each sporting some brightly colored ascot tie that somehow works in a quintessentially French way, despite clashing with the obligatory camaflage and dress wear. Every year my husband is shocked to find his pacifist wife get all excited about such an over whelming show of strength.

Last year we had two US soldiers for dinner on the 13th and they were thrilled to learn that they could enjoy a bring your own picnic lunch with some local military at the Place St Sulpice. An annual must for you military buffs out there!

The fireworks are also cool, if you can stop calculating the cost per minute that is going up in smoke, which could be used to feed starving children. Bt then, I am probably in the minority on that one and don%26#39;t recommend such neurotic thinking to others!!!

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If travelers ever get the chance to celebrate Bastille Day in France, celebrate it in Carcassonne! It has the most beautiful fireworks! people from all over come to celebrate.

The year we were there; the French also had the huge picnic across the country. We went during the day up to the forest to participate.