Bastille day

We will be arriving in Paris on the 13th of July~ Has anyone ever been to Paris during this time??? I would like to know where to go to get the best pics of the fireworks behind the Effiel Tower~ or where to hang out during the festivities and during the parade~

Sue

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Yes I was in Paris last year for Bastille Day, and I had such a fabulous time I%26#39;m doing it again this year.

For starters, last year on July 13-14 most arrondisements were hosting Les Bals de Pompiers which is a lot of fun if you like drinking and dancing in the streets/courtyards with a young crowd. If I recall correctly they were from about 10 pm- 4am. The one I went to last year was on the rue du Vieux Colombier near St Sulpice. Check out the France tourism website for more details when the fete approaches.

The parade was also a great time. Get there EARLY! And expect long lines for security.

The fireworks were the best I%26#39;ve ever seen anywhere. Just pick a spot in the Champ de Mars and look up, you can%26#39;t miss %26#39;em.

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For photos of the tower/with the works you may want to place yourself at the Palais de Chaillot across the Seine. Or maybe the Ile des Cygnes.

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Bastille day is a fun party. Not only big fireworks, dances at the firehouses all night on the 13th, parade on the Champs but picnics everywhere....music....free concerts. You can view the fireworks from many areas around town. We watched them from in front of the Pantheon last year. The parade has a huge, huge crowd and only goes from the Arc to Concord along the Champs. Jet fighters fly overhead and the French militiary dominates the marching in the parade....The only way to see it well would be to get along the route very, very early, or watch it on TV. They close the metro stops near the route and few buses run. Some people even bring step ladders to see over the crowds.........

Then the Parisians of the city pack up and go on vacation and the tourists arrive. Traffic is much lighter, some stores are closed and the beaches are jammed.

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luveurope~

You said you were there last year on Bastille day~ Could you possible e-mail me at susanaq27@aol.com so I can ask you some specific questions about that day?

Thanks Sue

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Susan, sure I could email you, but why not just ask your questions here?

Since you have AOL, you also might want to check out the AOL Paris board.