🗼 Bastille Day Public Celebrations

France's national day on 14 July commemorates the storming of the Bastille fortress in 1789 with the world's oldest and largest regular military parade on the Champs-Élysées, followed by fireworks over the Eiffel Tower. Throughout the country, free outdoor balls (bals des pompiers, hosted by fire stations) invite all citizens to dance in the streets. The day embodies the republican ideals of liberté, égalité, and fraternité through shared public space.