Why do the French celebrate Bastille Day?

Bastille Day, celebrated annually on July 14, is celebrated as the most important day in France’s modern history. It commemorates the storming in 1789 of the Bastille prison in Paris by a mob of some 900 Parisians, the event that ignited the already simmering French Revolution (1789-’99). This led to the abolition of the French monarchy and the birth of France as a sovereign nation, initially with the First French Republic in 1792.

The storming of the Bastille symbolises the struggle against oppression and the quest for freedom. Bastille Day embodies the principles of liberty, equality, and fraternity – cornerstones of the French Republic. The day is marked with military parades, fireworks, parties and concerts and is a powerful display of national unity. A feature of the celebrations is the largest and oldest military parade in Europe, staged on the Champs-Élysées in Paris and attended by the President of the Republic and countless other dignitaries.

Beyond France’s borders and culture, Bastille Day serves as a reminder of the power of the people to effect change and the importance of safeguarding the freedoms won.