The First and Best "Quatorze Juillet"

Mardi, 15 juillet.

Bonjour and Happy Bastille Day!

Bastille Day -- or le quatorze juillet as it is commonly referred to in France -- has been celebrated annually in France since the 1880s. It commemorates the storming of the Bastille fortress by the French people in 1789, an event that kicked off the French Revolution. Although le jour national is celebrated all over France (and in countries with French ties worldwide), the biggest and best celebrations happen, of course, in Paris.

After a day of parades and special events, the day concludes with a fireworks display at the Tour Eiffel. This year, the celebrations kicked off around 9:30 with a live concert.

After finishing their performances, all the singers returned to the stage to lead the audience in a rendition of La Marseillaise, the French national anthem. And then the fireworks started...

 

Keep scrolling for more photos and some awesome videos of Bastille Day 2014!

 

The fireworks lasted over half an hour, accompanied all the while by a live orchestra. (Except for the two-minute John Lennon interlude.) Want to see more from the event? Check out these great videos to get a sense of what it was really like!

Feu d'artifice du 14 Juillet au Champ de Mars

The entire fireworks spectacle!

A video from the Champ de Mars of the singing of La Marseillaise.

"Eee-magine all zee people..."

What an incredible night!