With good weather forecast for this Tuesday, July 14, 2015 (for once!), I suggest a little Parisian selection to fully enjoy this festive day next week.

Firefighters’ balls, fireworks, garden parties, shows, ballet,… To each their own way of celebrating the National Day!

Mademoiselle Bon Plan’s little Parisian selection:

The traditional military parade on the Champs-Élysées

After the parade, Parisians and residents of the Île-de-France region will be able to meet the soldiers of the French army at eight sites, including the Esplanade des Invalides and Place de la Nation. The first aerial parade by the Patrouille de France begins at 10:35 AM, and the closing parade will be at 11:45 AM.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015, parade from 9:10 AM to 12 PM on the Champs-Élysées

Free access to the Louvre Museum

Note that access to the Louvre Museum collections is always free on July 14, however, since the museum is closed on Tuesdays, it won’t work this year, but it’s a good tip to keep in mind for next year!

Concert and fireworks around the Eiffel Tower

Fired from the Eiffel Tower, the traditional July 14th fireworks will be themed Paris welcomes the world this year. It will start at 11:00 PM with Groupe F and last 35 minutes.

It will also be preceded at 9:30 PM by the Paris Concert with the Orchestre National de France, the Radio France Choir, and the Radio France Maîtrise on the Champ-de-Mars. The evening will end with an illumination of the Eiffel Tower.

Tuesday, July 14, 2015
Location: Champ de Mars
Classical concert at 9:30 PM, fireworks at 11:00 PM

Aerial parades and fireworks from the front row at Bar La Vue

The Bar La Vue on the 34th floor of the Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile will exceptionally open on the morning of July 14 from 10:00 AM, allowing its guests to have front-row seats during the aerial parades and enjoy the bar’s services until the evening.

Indeed, in the evening, the bar offers a selection of cocktails.

It’s the perfect opportunity to see (from the best seat, most certainly) the grand finale of the fireworks on the theme “Paris welcomes the world” (starting at 11:00 PM), which promises to be spectacular.

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From 9:00 PM to 1:00 AM, a DJ will also provide music for the bar.

Bar La Vue: July 14, 2014, open from 10:00 AM to 1:00 AM

July 14th offer, from 9:00 PM, one cocktail of your choice from the selection served with an assortment of petits fours: €60

A free ballet at the Paris Opera

Dance enthusiasts should head to the Opéra Bastille, which is offering a free performance of “L’anatomie de la sensation”, a ballet by Wayne McGregor for Francis Bacon.

A little tip: if you want to manage to get a seat, I strongly suggest you arrive several hours in advance because the event is always packed!

Tuesday, July 14, 2014 at 2:30 PM, free entry subject to availability

Opéra Bastille

Place de la Bastille, 75012 Paris

The Garden Party at the Longchamp Racecourse

For an elegant National Day, head to the 16th arrondissement on Sunday at the Longchamp Racecourse for its Garden Party with a giant dancefloor hosted by R3HAB.

On the program: eight horse races, daytime activities for little ones, DJ set, and fireworks.

Tuesday, July 14, 2014 from 4:00 PM to 1:45 AM / price: €8

the tip: -50% on entry with the code WAHR

The July 14th Popular Balls

Final must-do for the July 14th festivities: the popular balls to dance until dawn.

About fifteen Parisian fire stations open their doors to the public, with orchestras, to celebrate in high spirits.

Outdoors in fire station courtyards or by the water, you just have to choose your arrondissement! Careful, these parties, often free or very inexpensive, are very popular with Parisians, so come early to avoid spending your evening on the sidewalk waiting in line.

Balls on July 13 and 14 / from 9:00 PM to 4:00 AM, participation fee depending on the station

The launch of Paris Quartier d’été

For the launch of the festival that will liven up Paris all summer long (and which I already mentioned in my little Parisian Summer Guide), we can go see 2 shows for free:

Violin Phase, a dance show with an abstract choreography that left its mark on its era.

Practical info: to see one of the free performances of Violin Phase, meet in front of the Saint-Eustache church entrance, rue Rambuteau. Tickets (maximum 2 per person subject to availability) will be distributed 1 hour before each performance, i.e., at 6:30 PM for the 7:30 PM show, 7:30 PM for the 8:30 PM show, and 8:30 PM for the 9:30 PM show.

Violin Phase

St-Eustache Church 75001 Paris

Tuesday, July 14 at 7:30 PM / 8:30 PM / 9:30 PM

Sans Objet by Aurélien Bory, a show about an industrial object taken out of its context and which becomes useless.

Practical info: for Sans objet at the Théâtre de la Cité internationale, tickets (maximum 2 per person subject to availability) will be distributed 2 hours before the performance.

Sans Objet

Théâtre de la Cité internationale 75014 Paris

Tuesday, July 14 at 8:30 PM

July 14th in Saint-Ouen

The National Day will be celebrated on Tuesday, July 14 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM in the Grand Parc of Saint-Ouen.

On the program: open-air concert, snacks, pony rides, carousel to delight young and old. The associations Adesca, D’Brouy Jeunesse, and Apeis will offer smoothies, crepes and cakes, sandwiches, and several types of cheeses and wines.

The Pompon, “lucky charm” chocolate for July 14th

A bit of food to finish this article, because I found this “lucky charm” chocolate adorned with the real Navy pompon too cute.

This small dark chocolate filled with salted butter caramel with a very “seaside” look is offered in a box shaped like a bachi (Navy beret), exclusively adorned with the real red wool pompon made by the official supplier of the French Navy.

A unique product handmade in the Sarthe region by Breton chocolatier Pierre Le Petitcorps (Brest and Perros-Guirec).

The legend of the Pompon: in the 19th century, in the port of Brest, Empress Eugénie reportedly gave her white handkerchief to a sailor who had bumped his head… A handkerchief that then became covered in red because of the wound… Popular belief claims that touching the pompon (with the left index finger and without the sailor noticing…) brings luck and offers 24 hours of good fortune. And three pompons in the same day would bring three weeks of luck!!!