Paris July 9 - 17 Bastille Day
 

Hi I am filling my bucket list and have added July days in Paris to my trip.
Decided it would be fun to be there for Bastille Day.

Any recommendations on what events of the day and week to enjoy..

merci
m margaret

We enjoyed a fireman's "block party" in yhe Place St.Sulpice the night before Bastille Day, It was the closest I've ever felt to the Parisians.

On the Paris municipal website, there will be a full list of firemen's balls and the dates (sometimes on the 13th, sometimes on the 14th, sometimes both).

There are also a few stages set up in major areas (such as Bastille) for outdoor dancing.

Apart from that, there are the military parade and the fireworks.

We attended the fireworks at the Eiffel Tower a few years ago for Bastille Day and it was a truly unforgettable experience. Bring a picnic to the Champs de Mars early, relax, and enjoy the evening.

I am leaving Paris early on the 14th; is metro on a special schedule? Are taxis hard to get?

Been in Paris 3 times for Bastille Day and once in Cannes. The link to a discussion on Bastille Day in Paris is below -- see comments from Marcy and me -- it turned out we were on the same boat for the fireworks.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...in-paris-8.cfm

Essentially, though:

13 July: The firemen's "bals" (big public party, involving lots of drinking, music & dancing -- free entry) are located in the firestations (they have outdoor spaces) and each arrondisement has its own firestation. The major ones are at the Bastille and St. Suplice. Get there early, because there will be lines to get in. If you do not like crowds, avoid it like the plague.

Firecrackers will be going off around Paris on the 13th and 14th. Be mindful of this -- it can be loud and sometimes a little frightening.

14 July: Military parade -- I recall it starting at 10 a.m., but because it goes down the Champs Elysees and winds up near the Assemble Nationale, there are many street and Metro closures, particularly along the Champs Elysees. If you want to see the parade along the Champs Elysees, you need to get there super early and camp out -- bring food if you can. They sell periscopes up and down the boulevard from street vendors to help see over the crowd. Get off the Metro at Kleber and walk.

Picnics in the Park: Depending on weather, many of the Parisians spend the afternoon in the park having a picnic. One year we were there they had an event called (translated) "Picnic in the Park" at the Luxembourg Gardens -- it was lots of fun! Buy your food and drink provisions the day before. If you're up early, you can buy fresh bread generally from bars on the 14th -- pastry shops are generally closed.

Musee d'Orsay: Unless the 14th falls on a day when the museum is closed, it will be open -- at least it was the last time I was there for Bastille Day -- and it was surprisingly not busy.

Fireworks: at the Trocadero/Eiffel Tower area. Picnics also abound under the Eiffel Tower and along the Parc du Champ de Mars. Fireworks start around 10:30 - 10:45 and is choreographed to music piped over outdoor speakers if you are in the Eiffel Tower area. Be prepared to walk back to your hotel -- the Bir Hakeim Metro station will be packed after the show.