Fête du Quatorze Juillet
Jun 22nd, 2012, 07:51 AM
#1
Original Poster
Fête du Quatorze Juillet
Vedettes de Paris finally posted the link to get tickets online and I finally was able to get my tickets for the fireworks cruise! The price has gone up a wee bit this year -- 39 Euro for the cruise, show, and a glass of champagne (or soda for those who don't imbibe).
I think this may be the first year they are trying to do this entirely on-line, so they haven't worked out all the kinks. Need a little patience and hitting the "back" button (as opposed to refresh) to deal with the secure online payment part of the ticketing process.
Also, it is not yet translated into English, even though there's a button to click for English. Even though I'm pretty good in French, I like the security of confirming that my understanding of all the rules is correct. So I used a second window with google translate. It helped me understand the statements that after you set up an account, give them an email address, and pay, they send you a confirmation with the tickets; followed by a second email later that gives you the passes that allow you to pass from the the bridge down onto the quai, which is closed off and there's no access unless you have this pass.
Anyway, passing this information on -- this will be my 4th time, and I'm really looking forward to it!
I think this may be the first year they are trying to do this entirely on-line, so they haven't worked out all the kinks. Need a little patience and hitting the "back" button (as opposed to refresh) to deal with the secure online payment part of the ticketing process.
Also, it is not yet translated into English, even though there's a button to click for English. Even though I'm pretty good in French, I like the security of confirming that my understanding of all the rules is correct. So I used a second window with google translate. It helped me understand the statements that after you set up an account, give them an email address, and pay, they send you a confirmation with the tickets; followed by a second email later that gives you the passes that allow you to pass from the the bridge down onto the quai, which is closed off and there's no access unless you have this pass.
Anyway, passing this information on -- this will be my 4th time, and I'm really looking forward to it!
Jul 15th, 2012, 01:53 AM
#4
Original Poster
Last night's fireworks, along with the giant disco ball hung like a huge Christmas ornament inside the Eiffel Tower (used to bounce off colored beams of laser light) were SPECTACULAR!
After a final quick rain shower (which was off and on all day long), the sun came out as we passed through the police barriers to head down the ramp at Bir Hakeim, past some amazing private party boats to Port Sufferin and the boat. As a result, we COULD sit outside the boat (warmly dressed, of course) for the nearly 2 hour tour of the Seine, then back in place under the Eiffel Tower for a front row seat for the fireworks.
I've said this before, and I'll say it again, the Paris fireworks put our puny L.A. 4th of July fireworks to shame!
As happens every year (well, at least to the 4 I've been to), you know the magic is about to start when the lights on the Eiffel Tower go out. And they did just that at almost the stroke of 11 p.m., and the magic lasted a good 45 minutes.
The disco ball, and the interplay between the fireworks and the lighting effect of the Eiffel Tower and laser effects -- along with choregraphed music was absolutely brilliant!
Note to self: don't believe what they say when you're told that Bir Hakeim will be closed at 6 p.m.
For this year -- Javel was indeed the best place to get back on the Metro -- the Metro runs late this special night AND it is FREE -- so don't try putting in tickets to get on. If it doesn't open automatically, even old stale ones work.
After a final quick rain shower (which was off and on all day long), the sun came out as we passed through the police barriers to head down the ramp at Bir Hakeim, past some amazing private party boats to Port Sufferin and the boat. As a result, we COULD sit outside the boat (warmly dressed, of course) for the nearly 2 hour tour of the Seine, then back in place under the Eiffel Tower for a front row seat for the fireworks.
I've said this before, and I'll say it again, the Paris fireworks put our puny L.A. 4th of July fireworks to shame!
As happens every year (well, at least to the 4 I've been to), you know the magic is about to start when the lights on the Eiffel Tower go out. And they did just that at almost the stroke of 11 p.m., and the magic lasted a good 45 minutes.
The disco ball, and the interplay between the fireworks and the lighting effect of the Eiffel Tower and laser effects -- along with choregraphed music was absolutely brilliant!
Note to self: don't believe what they say when you're told that Bir Hakeim will be closed at 6 p.m.
For this year -- Javel was indeed the best place to get back on the Metro -- the Metro runs late this special night AND it is FREE -- so don't try putting in tickets to get on. If it doesn't open automatically, even old stale ones work.
Jul 24th, 2012, 11:21 AM
#9
Excellent to get a report from someone who was actually there. I do recommend to everyone every year to head for a metro station "upstream" after the show, and Javel-André Citroën is one such station.
