Bastille Day & Music - La Fête Nationale

 La Fête Nationale 2015 - "Paris is not the only city to observe le 14 juillet. From big cities to small villages, festivities across the lands are marked by sports, cultural events, and gastronomy.
Some hold picnics and music, or a bal musette (French dance accompanied by an accordion band) and of course firework shows. Others commemorate on the side of the road, cheering and waving flags for the French contenders of the Tour de France. What an honour to win one of the Grande Boucle stages on July 14!
Across the country, people of all ages come together to celebrate, and simply enjoy the public holiday." Excerpted via nt.rendezvousenfrance.com/en/events/bastille-day

Bastille Day 2015

"The Bastille is a medieval fortress and prison in Paris. Many people in France associated it with the harsh rule of the Bourbon monarchy in the late 1700s. On July 14, 1789, troops stormed the Bastille. This was a pivotal event at the beginning of the French Revolution. Fête de la Fédération was held on July 14, 1790. This was a way to celebrate the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in France.

Official celebrations were held in Paris on June 30, 1878, to honor the Republic of France. On July 14, 1879, more official celebrations were held. These included a military review in Longchamp near Paris and celebrations all over the country. A politician named Benjamin Raspail proposed that July 14 should become a holiday in France in 1880. The law was enacted on July 6, 1880. Bastille Day was a public holiday for the first time on July 14, 1880." Via: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/france/bastille-day