HI. We have a chance to be in Paris the week of Bastille Day 2016. What is it like? fun? activities for kids? or super crowded and to be avoided? thanks

Unless you go to the Champs Elysées in the morning (military parade at 10am) or the Eiffel Tower in the evening (fireworks at 10:45pm), you are unlikely to notice anything out of the ordinary on July 14.

is it a national holiday or are restaurants and museums open? are the fireworks amazing?

We were there in 2011 and there were some shops closed. Also the night before for the firemen's balls. We avoided the parade and big attractions and didn't notice anything out of the ordinary. There will still be restaurants/cafes open.

So it is no big deal. We were going to move our weeks around to be in Paris for Bastille Day but it does not seem like it is anything amazing then.

The fireworks are amazing, but you must be able to deal with crowds. It is best to be on the Champ de Mars by 7:30pm.

My family have been there (intentionally) 4 times in Paris, and once in Cannes for Bastille Day.

Our son (starting around 5 or 6 years old)LOVED the parades in the morning, and LOVED the fireworks in the evening.

We would NOT take him to the bals in the fire stations the night before (it gets pretty wild), but we like going to the one at St. Suplice, which is hugely popular.

We've found it least crowded (the parade) near the end of the line at the area around the National Assembly . . . and easiest to get to, since the Metro stations along the Champs Elysee close down before the parade starts and don't open until well after, so that involves a LOT of walking.

There are special boats to watch the fireworks . . . you can book around 30 days in advance, and the view, with the Eiffel Tower behind you and the fireworks in front of you (all choreographed to music) is beyond anything you've ever seen.

Downside is all of the walking after the fireworks to get out of the area and to the Metro. Generally, after the fireworks, the Metro is free.

There must be an air show involved in there somewhere. We sat on the tarmac at CDG for 1 hr on July 14 and the pilot said that all planes had to do this because of the air show going on at that time.

Stu Dudley

I was in Paris once for Bastille Day--just worked out that way. It was mostly a pain, but certainly no crushing crowds except for the military defile on the Champs. The flyover was cool, but I found the parade a bore (tanks aren't my thing).

The fireworks were gorgeous. Not daring to face the crowds, we watched from the Pont des Arts. What I mostly remember is absolutely freezing--Paris was having a cold, damp week, and the temps were in the 50s!

Many restaurants were closed, and we wound up eating catch as catch can. I don't think I'd run from Paris on July 14, but I wouldn't make a special effort to be there, either. Are your kids into military stuff? if so, they might enjoy the parade--if they can see it through the people jamming the street.

My son and husband would love the tanks, and I thought the fireworks could be amazing. We typically rent an apartment in the 7th that is walkable to the Eiffel Tower.

what are the balls that folks are referring to?

The firemen's balls are held in quite a few of the fire stations on the 13th and also on the 14th for a smaller number of them. There is normally no official entrance fee, but contributions are welcome.

The Paris website will list all of the addresses as the date approaches.

The bals can get a little celebratory, with dancing floating out into the streets, along with a lot of drunken revelry.

http://www.pompiersdeparis.com/le-ba...-de-paris.html

They can be a lot of fun, but you need to be high energy and not mind crowds.

Here is the report I made one year: http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com.../firemens-ball

Kerouac, thanks. I too thought it was a ball like in Cinderella. Appears not!

If you are going to Paris, you might want to brush up on a little history and find out what it commemorates. It sounds like you don't even know what that day is since you asked if it were a national holiday. This could be embarrassing.

What would you think if someone came to the US and asked whether the Fourth of July were a national holiday?

I was in Paris last year for Bastille Day and had a great time. The parade route is very crowded, with people in pens along the route for security reasons. We found a fantastic spot to view the parade, with no restrictions at the SW corner spur of Ave. Montaigne and the Champs Elysees. The main parade went by across the circle from where we were standing, but we had no one in front of us and could see the whole parade well. President Hollande was on a tank, which accounted for the high security.

The air show was excellent with Air Force jets releasing red, white and blue smoke while flying in formation.

After the parade the military equipment is staged around Paris for all to enjoy. In front of Invalides helicopters hovered while soldiers repelled from them.

The day before military from around France gathered at Luxembourg Gardens for a ceremony and practice.

We enjoyed lunch at Fish between events.

The fireworks were spectacular last year, better than a few years ago when we first went. You must arrive hours before and even then it'll be totally filled with people. During the fireworks everyone stands up which does affect your views somewhat. It's a bit difficult leaving with so many people. A police car blocked the route a bit where we were located and people continue moving forward, which was a bit worrying for several minutes. Just plan on walking out, the metros will be extremely overcrowded.

Is it worth it, for us yes, we've been twice, but probably won't attend again.

<I>We found a fantastic spot to view the parade, with no restrictions at the SW corner spur of Ave. Montaigne and the Champs Elysees.</I>

Yes, Rond Point des Champs Elysées is always the place that I recommend for seeing the parade (on either the Montaigne side of the Franklin Roosevelt side) since it offers an obstructed view of both the soldiers marching along the avenue and also the flyovers without the trees getting in the way.

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Christina, I had read that the Lourve was open and usually museums are closed on National Holidays so that is what confused me.

Municipal museums (Petit Palais, Carnavalet, etc.) are closed on holidays. National museums are usually open.