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This past July, I found myself in Paris on Bastille Day while visiting my friend, Christelle, before attending a writing workshop. Little did I know that the events of that day would permanently cement Paris’s place in my heart forever.
It was an unexpected feeling, since I’d visited Paris once before, and thought I’d made up my mind about the city. I enjoyed it, to be sure, but didn’t feel the same passion for Paris that many other travelers seem to have.
In the days before the writing workshop, I wrote about this change of heart in the short essay below. While I ultimately did not end up using this essay for the workshop, I still wanted to share it here because it is such a happy memory for me.
For those who’d like to replicate this experience, I’ve also included some practical Paris Bastille Day tips at the bottom.
How the Bastille Day Fireworks Changed My Relationship With Paris
A few Christmases ago, my husband, Aaron, gave me a silver necklace from Tiffany’s, with a little Eiffel Tower charm hanging from its fine chain. Anyone who loves travel (and nice jewelry) as I do should’ve been thrilled to receive such a gift, but I was hesitant.
At the time, I hadn’t actually been to Paris yet. Plus, I didn’t exactly grow up dreaming of the “city of love”; going abroad didn’t seem like a possibility back then. Instead, I opted to learn Spanish and my first major trips were to the Caribbean, rather than Europe.
All the same, Aaron and I were heading to Paris eight months later for Christelle’s wedding. Despite this, the necklace still felt premature. While elegant, it didn’t hold much meaning for me, since I’d never experienced the thrills and struggles of navigating a single arrondissement.
That first August trip came and went, with Aaron and I spending two quick days in Paris before the wedding outside Fontainebleau. We visited the Eiffel Tower, and even appreciated its majesty from the Bateaux Mouches while gliding lazily down the Seine.
Nevertheless, I still wasn’t feeling the special connection to Paris that I’d hoped for. However, I began to wear my silver necklace more often, since I at least felt that I’d earned it by that point.
This relationship changed three years later, when I found myself in Paris again for Bastille Day. This time, I was in the city without Aaron, instead meeting up with Christelle and her husband Aymeric. The two of them had an entire day planned for us, beginning in Montmartre and ending with watching the fireworks over the Eiffel Tower.
Originally, we were planning to join a dinner cruise on the Bateaux Mouches to watch the fireworks from the Seine. Unfortunately, that ended up being sold out by the time we looked. Plan B was picking one of the Seine’s many beautiful bridges and camping out there to await the feu d’artifice.
The fireworks were planned for 11:00pm, and we arrived at Pont Neuf around 9:30pm. Already, it was filling with people, and all of the bridge’s benches were taken. The three of us picked a spot on the wall of the bridge to lean against.
Eventually, the soreness in my legs from our fun-filled day got to me, and I climbed up onto the wall to sit on its thick ledge, as many others were doing. Aymeric looked at my positioning and gave a word of warning, nervous I might fall. Christelle was toughing it out against the wall, eventually sitting on the ground to rest for a bit.
In the meantime, the bridge was filling more and more. Around 10pm, the Eiffel Tower sparkled on the hour, as it normally does at night. But then five minutes later it did it again, and then again in another five minutes. This magical interval repeated for the next hour. Then finally, a little after 11:00pm, the fireworks began. From my perch on the bridge, I had a lovely view, even though the bursts of light were a little far away. I felt bad for Christelle, being shorter than me and struggling to see, so I invited her to join me.
“I can’t, I don’t trust myself,” she said, glancing towards the water. So it was then, that I remained on the bridge alone, with Christelle and Aymeric standing a short distance in front of me. For around a half hour, the explosions of hues like gold, pink, purple, blue, and red over the Eiffel Tower held my full attention. I was enraptured in the moment, lost in my surroundings.
Beneath me was the hard surface of the bridge, with the Seine flowing peacefully below. The occasional Bateau Mouche ambled by, with partiers on board shouting festive greetings towards us. With the crowd all around me engaged in the lights show up ahead, I felt a part of something bigger.
Here I was, in Paris for the Fete Nationale, realizing I was the honored guest at a yearly ritual. I sat among visitors and locals alike, oohing and ahhing, soaking in the night while enjoying an annual fireworks show that always delivers on astonishing beauty. The lights of the Eiffel Tower danced in sync with the colorful explosions around it. A half hour later, the last of the fireworks dazzled the crowd. The tower went dark, the crowd clapped, and the spell was complete.
As I left with the masses from the bridge towards the metro, it felt like something had clicked where it hadn’t before. Braving the crowds to see the show with Christelle and Aymeric, grabbing my tiny bridge spot among the sea of people, and finally taking in the spectacle had somehow made this city a permanent part of me.
Now when I wear that necklace, it will never seem like it is a mere outfit accessory ever again. From now on, almost like the Pensieve in Harry Potter, it’s as though the object itself stores the memories of that special night.
Tips for Spending Bastille Day in Paris
Will you be in Paris for Bastille Day next July 14th? Below is some practical information for enjoying the festivities:
- 10:00am: Annual parade along the Champs-Élysées, where the French military marches and the president makes an appearance.
- 10:45am: Keep an eye out for the flyover by the Patrouille Acrobatique de France, which leaves trails of blue, white, and red smoke over the Champs-Élysées.
- Afternoon: Many of Paris’s biggest museums are open for sightseeing as usual during the day!
- 9:00pm: On July 13th and 14th, head to one of these fire stations around Paris to attend les Bals de Pompiers. These informal parties full of drinking and dancing have been a tradition for over a century.
- 11:00pm: Fireworks and concert at the Eiffel Tower. Head to the Champ de Mars or plan a Seine river cruise for the best views. Also, consider Montparnasse Tower, where you can enjoy awesome views of the Eiffel Tower (and all of Paris) with a glass of champagne.
- Note: For all of the above, expect very large crowds and beware of pick pocketers. Also, be sure to arrive at least one hour early to the above-mentioned events to get a spot.
- Suggested Stay: Lenox Montparnasse. I was able to take the train to this hotel directly from the airport. I also loved this hotel’s easy metro access and proximity to places like the Paris Catacombs and Montparnasse Tower.
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I hope you enjoyed my story, and that maybe it motivates you to someday visit Paris for Bastille Day. In all honesty, Christelle, Aymeric, and I mostly opted to avoid crowds, and I followed their lead for the day. Whether you dive into the local scene or experience the most famous Bastille Day festivities, Paris is bound to seal itself in your heart forever!
How would you spend Bastille Day in Paris?
