BASTILLE DAY – HOW THE FRENCH CELEBRATE

THE FRENCH celebrate Bastille Day with a variety of social events and spectacles. The parades, festivals and parties culminate in a spectacular fireworks display. French flags are displayed everywhere and there are parades through the streets that are very similar to those in the Unites States for the Fourth of July.

No French celebration is complete without a lavish and delicious meal. In some regions of France it is traditional to have a picnic. While French cooking is known to be heavy on the butter and the cream, in summer

the dishes are somewhat lighter and there will be more emphasis on herbs, fruit and vegetables. A delectable dessert will be the crowning glory of the meal.

If you are lucky enough to be in France on 14 July, you can choose from a number of parties - but if you are in Paris, make sure you can see the Eiffel Tower when the fireworks display is held. Some good viewpoints include Montparnasse, from the roof of the Centre Georges Pompidou, in Montmartre or Belleview.

A quirky tradition is the opening of the firehouses - for a small donation at the door, you can join a dance party and see live demonstrations from the firefighters. A huge ball is also held on the Place de la Bastille, which is where the stormed prison once stood. This is a more formal dance party where the guests dress up according to a different theme each year, wearing elaborate costumes and dancing to live music until dawn.

South Africans can celebrate Bastille Day right here at home with Frenchthemed dinners, complete with fireworks, or if you don’t feel confident about your French culinary skills, book a table at your local French restaurant - they are bound to have special menus planned in celebration of this special day.