Bastille

Bastille Day

Bastille Day is the day that marks the beginning of the French Revolution. Bastille was actually a prison which was raided, even though it only held seven prisoners. Because the term "Bastille" holds somewhat negate connotations, French people typically just refer to the holiday as 14 July.

Just like Americans make holidays into holiweekends, Bastille Day simply cannot be celebrated in just one day. Over the weekend, I noticed many shops and businesses shut down, simply to enjoy the time with friends and families. Our class was cancelled not only the Monday of the 14th, but the preceding Friday, as well.

Even though the French people like to relax and enjoy the extended weekend, the real celebrations begin on the 13th of July, starting with the Firemen's Ball. Traditionally, fire houses in every arrondissement  open their doors to the public for a night of dancing and celebrating. Of course, the parties range in size and ambience from fire house to fire house, but after lots of research, it seemed that no matter where you went, you would have a blast. Lindsay and I decide to stay close to home and go to the fire station we pass every day on our way to school. The parties last from 9pm-4am, so we decided to head over shortly before midnight.

What we didn't expect was the hour long line wrapped down the block. We decided to grab a glass of wine at a nearby café and hope the line would dwindle by the time we came back. As it happens in a small bar, we ended up making conversation with the bartender and couple next to us. They then noted that they were pretty well acquainted with the firemen and could help us skip the line. We got right in via the VIP access and were greeted with loud music, both American and French, a massive swarm of people, also American and French, and a great time!

Getting trampled by the crowds. 

The Port-Royal Firemen's Ball. 

Needless to say, we allowed ourselves to sleep in the following morning and missed the military parade. I ended up taking a late afternoon stroll through the Gardens of Luxembourg, just as people were beginning to lay claim on spots to view the fireworks. It was tempting to stay put here myself, however, once again I put well over an hour of research into the fireworks and discovered a hidden gem of an area to watch.

But before we jump ahead, let's talk about our holiday meal. Lindsay and I met for dinner at La Rotonde, a place we stumbled upon it by happenstance. The prices were a bit much, but the holiday spirit had rubbed off on us and we decided to splurge. If you ever find yourself in Montparnasse, I would highly recommend this grand eatery, especially for the beef filet with bernaise sauce. Also, if you're as daring us to try the snails, they too were wonderfully tasteful. Even more delightful than the food though, was the company we met. A friendly American couple was seated right besides us, and in Paris, that means you are practically sharing a table. We started by making small talk with them, and ended up staying for the duration of their meal, even though we were finished before they even received their first course. We laughed over jokes and stories and they graciously shared some insight on life with us. When a street vendor came around selling roses, the husband treated all three of ladies! I just keep learning that traveling brings you closer to humanity through all the amazing people you meet.

Enjoying some snails!

The wonderful couple from Florida!

Finally, after our perfect holiday meal, we ventured off to a spot I read about on another man's blog. We looked into dinner cruises (too expensive) and the famous view from Champ de Mars (too crowded), and finally came across a little area called Place de Catalogne, a high peak of Montparnasse. As we were walking, we could hardly get a glimpse of the beautiful Tour Eiffel, so I was becoming disheartened with this stranger's advice. I was becoming especially doubtful when we started venturing into what looked like the financial district of Paris, with sleek modern buildings and even a high rise. However, after one turn of a corner, the buildings opened up just enough for a picturesque view of the tower. We grabbed a seat on a wide platform in the center of the roundabout and waited with a crowd of about a hundred for the show to start.

Normally, the next segment of this post would describe the fireworks show itself. However, my words cannot do the view justice. I've tried to capture a moment in my photo below, but even still, it is one of those life moments you need to experience for yourself. As much as I love the Fourth of July, nothing will ever quite compare to seeing fireworks shooting out of the Eiffel Tower.

View from Place de Catalogne