How to Celebrate Bastille Day

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: February 5, 2023 References

Bastille Day, or la Fête nationale (French National Day), is celebrated every year on July 14 to commemorate the Storming of the Bastille, a turning point in the French Revolution in 1789. Bastille Day celebrations were held the very next year, and about a century later, it became a national holiday celebrated with huge fireworks displays and a military parade down the streets of Paris. No matter how far you are from France this July 14, you can still hold your own le quatorze juillet celebration to recognize this historical day.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Throwing a Bastille Day Party at Home

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Have a picnic to follow French tradition. Many French people opt for low-key Bastille Day celebrations, spending their day off enjoying the warm weather with friends and family. For a relaxed celebration at your own home, invite friends and family over after work and host a backyard picnic or barbeque with French foods and decorations.^{[1]
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- You can set out tables to eat on or lay blankets on the ground for a more traditional picnic.
- To put a costume-party spin on this tradition, invite guests to show up in their best “French” attire, whether that's a beret and striped shirt or old-fashioned suits and Marie Antoinette-inspired dresses.
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Decorate with Tricolor and French themed items. Hang up French flags around your yard and use blue, white, and red tablecloths, plates, and silverware to eat. You can also set out other French-inspired decorations, like berets and mini Eiffel towers, which you can buy online or at a party store.
- You can go all-out with your decorations or keep it more casual to follow the understated tradition of these parties.
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Make ratatouille, crepes, and Parisian sandwiches with fresh baguettes. The most important aspect of any Bastille Day celebration is the food. Prepare simple, satisfying sandwiches with fresh French bread, ham, creamy butter, and seasonal veggies, and serve it with a side of cole ratatouille, or vegetable stew. Top off your guests' plates with savory crepes.^{[2]
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- You can make ratatouille with vegetables like eggplant, tomatoes, zucchini, and red pepper. Go online or check out a French cookbook for a simple recipe.
- To make your own crepes, mix batter from an egg, milk, butter, flour, and parsley and cook it in a flat, thin crepe pan. Then, make a filling with savory foods like ham, smoked salmon, spinach, mushrooms, tomatoes, and Gruyere cheese.^{[3]
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Satisfy your sweet tooth with delicious French pastries. For the perfect dessert to finish off your French picnic, go with sweet pastries like éclairs and macarons—you can make your own or buy them from a local bakery. You can also bake or buy sweet crepes or even creme brulee for even more tasty, sugary options.^{[4]
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- For a more low-key dessert option, serve a simple cake or batch of cupcakes frosted to look like a French flag.
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Drink French wine or fresh lemonade. For refreshments, go with light French wines Pinot Noir or Pinot Grigio, or serve chilled champagne. As a non-alcoholic option, offer citron pressé, or make-your-own lemonade: lay out lemon juice, water, sugar, and ice to let each guest make their drink as tart or sweet as they desire.^{[5]
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- Citron pressé is traditionally served in French cafes, where waiters will squeeze a lemon into the glass and let the customer mix in water and sugar cubes to their preferences.
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Play French trivia for casual entertainment. Look online for interesting facts about France to create your own French trivia game to play with your guests. Separate into teams or play individually and offer the winner a bottle of French wine or a special dessert.
- Mix up easy questions, like “When was the French Revolution?” with harder ones, like “What is the population of Paris?”
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Watch a French movie. Finish off your relaxed Bastille Day celebrations by putting on a classic French film or two. Look for anything with classic French stars like Catherine Deneuve or Gérard Depardieu, or go for more modern options “Amelie,” “Amour,” or “The Artist.”^{[6]
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- You could also watch an adaptation of a French novel, like the 2014 version of “Madame Bovary.”
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Stream the Bastille Day parade, concert and fireworks from Paris. Major news organizations offer live streams of the big Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, including the military parade in the morning and the nighttime fireworks display. Check online for a stream and make sure to calculate your time difference so you can watch the festivities live.
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Look for Bastille day celebrations in your area. If you're near a big city, especially one with a large French or international presence, check your local news to join in on bigger Bastille Day celebrations. Many cities hold smaller parades, festivals, or parties to celebrate la Fête nationale with French people and Francophiles all over the globe.^{[7]
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- In the U.S., check out celebrations in New Orleans, San Francisco, New York City, and Milwaukee.
- In Europe, you can find festivities in many major cities, including London and Prague.
- Other famous Bastille celebrations take place in Sydney, Australia; Cape Town, South Africa; and Pondicherry, India.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Celebrating in France

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Head to Paris to be a part of the most iconic celebration. It's no surprise that Paris is the epicenter for Bastille Day celebrations in France and all over the world. If you can make it to the City of Lights on July 14th, you'll be treated to a military parade, a huge fireworks show, concerts, parties, and more.^{[8]
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- Make sure to make your flights and book accommodation well in advance, as hotels fill up quickly in and around Paris before the holiday.
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Watch the military parade down the Champs Elysées in the morning. Since 1880, nearly every Bastille Day has been celebrated with a traditional military parade from the Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde. There are also marching bands, floats, and an aerial show with acrobatic planes and helicopters for spectators to enjoy.^{[9]
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- The parade starts at 10 am and the route gets crowded, so stake out a spot early on to make sure you have a good view.
- The French President leads the march and the prime minister is always in attendance, often accompanied by other foreign dignitaries.
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Enjoy a spectacular fireworks show at night. Paris' famous Bastille Day fireworks take place at the Champ de Mars, the gardens between the Eiffel Tower and the Ecole Militaire. If you plan to watch from a seat on the crowded Champ de Mars, claim your spot early. You can also get great views from higher ground, like a tower or rooftop, or many of the bridges over the Seine.^{[10]
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- The fireworks often start around 11 pm, but for the best seats on the Champ de Mars, try to arrive in the afternoon. Have a picnic dinner with friends while you wait for the show.
- There is typically a concert before the fireworks, usually starting around 9 pm.
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Head to a club or a Firemen's Ball to celebrate late. A Bastille Day tradition, Firemen's Balls are held by fire departments throughout the city and suburbs, who open their doors to the public for music and dancing. Bring cash—some stations charge admission fees, but most simply invite donations to improve staff working conditions.^{[11]
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- For a full list of Firemen's Balls, see https://www.sortiraparis.com/soiree/guides/53978-bals-des-pompiers-2018-a-paris-et-en-ile-de-france
- If you can't make it to a Firemen's Ball, clubs and bars across Paris often hold celebrations as well.
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Check out cities all over France for unique celebrations. If you're visiting France for the holiday but want to skip the crowded capital, go for the more intimate and unique celebrations in other French towns and cities. As in Paris, the day almost always culminates with a fireworks display and partying. Some places to check out include:
- Versailles, where the overthrow of the monarchy is celebrated in kingly style with a huge fireworks display over the castle's beautiful gardens.
- Deauville, an upscale beach town that celebrates with stylish parties by the water and pool.
- Carcassonne, a medieval walled city in the southwest that celebrates with free entry to theaters and musical performances as well as a huge fireworks display. The city gets busy on July 14, so get there early for good seats to the show!

Warnings

Bastille Day celebrations in Nice were targeted in an attack in 2016, so be careful and alert at any major gathering you attend. Stay close to your friends and family to avoid getting separated and make sure law enforcement is always present at your event.

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