On Bastille Day, July 14, 2024, Paris played host to both the annual military parade and the Olympic torch relay. The torch's arrival in Paris marked a significant milestone as it prepared for the upcoming Summer Games.
The Olympic flame arrived in Paris on July 14, twelve days before the start of the Olympics. Thierry Henry, a soccer legend from France, received the torch at Rond-Point des Champs-Élysées. The torchbearer then carried it through the streets of Paris to various landmarks such as Sorbonne University and Notre Dame Cathedral.
The military parade on Bastille Day was a grand spectacle with thousands of soldiers, sailors, rescuers, and medics participating. However, due to Olympic security measures and the closure of Place de la Concorde for Olympic events like break dancing, the parade took place on Avenue Foch instead. Despite these changes, overhead more than 60 aircraft flew in formation during the parade.
The arrival of the torch in Paris provided a momentary distraction from France's political crisis. The country is currently without clear leadership as no ruling majority has emerged from parliament following a snap election that weakened President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party and presidency.
Bastille Day commemorates the start of the French Revolution in 1789, which marked the end of monarchy rule. The holiday embodies France's national motto of 'liberty, equality and fraternity.'
