France’s Bastille Day parade meets the Olympic torch relay in an exceptional year

Paris is internet hosting an extra-special visitor for France’s nationwide vacation Sunday — the Olympic flame lighting up town’s grandiose navy parade for Bastille Day.

Simply 12 days earlier than the French capital hosts exceptionally bold and high-security Summer time Video games, the torch relay is becoming a member of up with 1000’s of troopers, sailors, rescuers and medics marching in Paris beneath roaring fighter jets to mark Bastille Day.

Whereas folks round France mark the day with concert events, events and fireworks, here is a have a look at what the vacation’s about, and what’s completely different this yr:

What does Bastille Day rejoice?

On July 14, 1789, revolutionaries stormed the Bastille fortress and jail in Paris, heralding the beginning of the French Revolution and the top of the monarchy.

The vacation is central to the French calendar, with occasions throughout the nation. It goals to embody the nationwide motto of ”liberty, equality and fraternity,” although not everybody in France feels the nation lives as much as that promise.

The Paris parade is the vacation’s spotlight. This yr, it is paying tribute to those that freed France from Nazi occupation 80 years in the past, with a re-enactment of the D-Day landings of June 6, 1944, and a show of emblems of the 31 nations whose troops contributed to the liberation. About half are African nations that had been underneath French colonial rule throughout World Conflict II.

Who takes half?

Some 4,000 folks and 162 horses will march within the tightly choreographed present, amongst them items that served in NATO missions in japanese Europe, in opposition to Islamic extremists within the Sahel, defending French territories within the South Pacific and world transport corridors. They’re joined this yr by three German officers from a cross-border brigade.

The decorative uniforms are wealthy in symbolism – most notably these of the French International Legion sappers, with lengthy beards, leather-based aprons and axes from their unique position as route-clearers for advancing armies.

Overhead, 65 plane will fly in formations, together with a British Storm fighter alongside French Mirages and Rafales, rescue helicopters and plane utilized in missions from Afghanistan to Mali or worldwide drug busts.

President Emmanuel Macron and dozens of dignitaries will preside over all of it.

These are scaled-back numbers in comparison with earlier years, due to Olympics safety measures. Round 130,000 police are deployed round France for the vacation weekend.

What is the political context?

This yr’s Bastille Day affords Macron a second of distraction from political turmoil he unleashed with snap elections that weakened his pro-business centrist social gathering and his presidency.

The outcome left a deadlocked parliament with nobody clearly in cost. The prime minister may depart workplace inside days, whereas the left-wing alliance that received essentially the most seats is struggling to agree on a proposed alternative.

In the meantime, Russia’s struggle in Ukraine is threatening Europe’s safety. At a gathering with navy leaders Saturday, Macron stated France will sustain help for Ukraine and known as for larger protection spending subsequent yr due to ”approaching threats.”

What’s completely different this yr?

The Olympic torch relay reaches Paris simply in time.

The parade wraps up with the arrival of the flame, escorted by riders on horseback, 25 torchbearers, and cadets forming the shapes of the Olympic rings.

Often, the parade travels from the Napoleon-era Arc de Triomphe to the Concorde plaza, the place France’s final king and queen had been beheaded.

This yr, Concorde has been reworked into an enormous Olympic venue for breakdancing, skateboarding and BMX. So the parade route heads to the Bois de Boulogne park on town’s edge as a substitute.

Olympic venue building across the Eiffel Tower means spectators cannot collect beneath the monument to observe its annual fireworks present, both.

After its Bastille Day look, the torch relay will swing by Notre Dame Cathedral, the historic Sorbonne college and the Louvre Museum earlier than heading to different Paris landmarks Monday.