All About Bastille Day—And How L’Alliance New York Is Celebrating

What’s behind the July 14th parades, fireworks, champagne toasts, balls, and other Bastille Day revelry? A historic moment, and a commemoration that’s rippled from France throughout the world. Where our little corner of the earth is concerned, L’Alliance New York takes the gâteau for New York City’s largest Bastille Day celebration—and this year’s will be bigger than ever. Here’s everything you need to know about Bastille Day, and how you can join L’Alliance for all the fun.

Bastille Day’s Beginnings

The Fête nationale française (or, colloquially, “le 14 juillet”) marks the public’s storming of the Bastille—a massive prison and fortress in Paris that became symbolic of King Louis XVI’s oppressive reign—on July 14, 1789, which sparked the French Revolution. Prior to this day, French citizens suffered in poverty under the corrupt rule of its rich monarchy—you’ve heard the phrase, “Let them eat cake,” right? It may or may not have been uttered by French queen Marie Antoinette in response to news that her subjects were starving and had no bread, but it became emblematic of how the country’s late 18th-century nobility viewed their citizens, and why the public sent its royals to the guillotine. The events of Bastille Day birthed the modern French republic, and its echoes remain a testament to its people’s power.

Bastille Day Traditions

In Paris, the yearly celebration begins early July 14th with a large outdoor gathering where the Bastille once stood (revolutionary leaders made quick work of tearing it down in 1789) in Paris’ Place de la Bastille. It’s followed by a massive military parade (the biggest and oldest in the world!), which takes place along the Champs-Elysées, beginning at the Arc de Triomphe (erected, in part, to honor those who fought and died during the Revolution) and ending at the Place de la Concorde, where the infamous guillotine once stood. Hundreds of thousands also picnic at the Champ de Mars park at the base of the Eiffel Tower, in the exact spot where the first Bastille Day was marked in 1790. The day ends with a massive fireworks display, filled with pyrotechnics tinged in the French flag’s blue, white, and red.

Some other beloved Bastille Day customs observed by Parisians and francophiles everywhere include:

• Firemen’s Balls (Bals des Pompiers): In a nod to an 1806 tradition when barracks were opened to the public, neighborhood fire stations in Paris and throughout France throw popular parties filled with dancing, bubbly, and live music.
• Food and Drink: Just as the original revolutionaries joined to break bread and nourish themselves, people from all walks of life continue in their spirit by enjoying iconic French cuisine like crêpes, tarts, baguettes, wine and champagne, cheese and charcuterie, and pâté. 
• Outdoor Enjoyment: One important factor about Bastille Day observances is that—in honor of those who took to the streets to gain their freedom—they carry an emphasis on merrymaking en plein air (weather permitting, of course!) 
• Très Patriotic: Carrying French flags (or wearing its colors), painting your face with blue, white, and red, and singing La Marseillaise (the French national anthem) are all fitting ways to mark the day. 

Bastille Day at L’Alliance New York

30,000 people gather on Madison Avenue from 59th to 63rd Street for L’Alliance’s annual Bastille Day festivities, which has been a cornerstone event in NYC for over two decades. This year’s theme is the Paris Summer Games, and there’s plenty of entertainment planned!

• Booths and Vendors: 50+ food and lifestyle purveyors will be set up at the Market Booths on Madison Avenue between 61st and 63rd Streets, along with premiere shopping in The French Garden on 60th Street, which includes beauty, fashion, and food offerings from more than a dozen luxury shops. 
• Inside Out Photo Truck: Be part of a city block-long mural on display all day! Stop by the photo truck from 12:00pm to 6:00pm, to have your larger-than-life portrait taken and displayed along Madison Avenue. Inside Out is a global art project created by French artist JR in 2011 to highlight the diversity of the French-speaking world. 
• Blank Placard Dance, Replay: L’Alliance will host a timely reenactment of the 1967 performance Blank Placard Dance, Replay by Anna Halprin. French choreographer Anne Collod will recreate the piece with 30 dancers accompanied by a marching band, and the Bastille Day audience is invited to participate in their walk uptown.
• DJ Julien Bouguennec: DJ Julien will spin all day, and his dynamic selection of new music will infuse the atmosphere with sunny vibes as you explore the French-themed booths lining Madison Avenue.
• Rosé and Bubbly Parties: Enjoy a selection of summer wines and champagne courtesy of GH Mumm, Sainte Marguerite en Provence, and Henri Giraud, coupled with sweet bites from La Maison du Chocolat, at wo ticketed sessions held in the newly renovated L’Alliance Skyroom at 1:00pm and 3:30pm. You’ll sip and snack to the sounds of live jazz by the Margot Sergent Quartet. 
• Movie Screenings: Catch César Award-winning animated film Chicken For Linda!, a heartwarming family drama filled with vibrant hand-painted animation, or the New York premiere of Daaaaaalí!, French director Quentin Dupieux’s 2023 comedic film tribute to Salvador Dalí. Tickets are $5 for everyone under 28 years old.
• Free Family Games: Kids of all ages can play soccer and pétanque, take part in a fencing demo, and enjoy special Paris-themed activities at several locations, including the Président and L’Alliance booths. 

Now that you’re up to speed about Bastille Day, come fête the occasion with us on Sunday, July 14 from 12:00pm–5:00pm. We’ll have information booths set up on site so you can learn more about our offerings, and—as a special bonus—we’re giving a 10% discount on L’Alliance New York memberships and French classes all day. Vive la France!