Unforgettable Spectacle: France’s Bastille Day Parade United with the Olympic Torch Relay in an Exceptional Year
Paris Welcomes Olympic Flame for an Extraordinary Bastille Day
Paris is set to celebrate France’s national holiday on Sunday with an extraordinary addition to its traditional Bastille Day military parade: the Olympic flame. This event comes just 12 days before the Summer Games return to the French capital, adding a unique twist to the annual festivities. The Olympic torch relay will join the grand parade, which includes thousands of soldiers, sailors, rescuers, and medics marching beneath thundering fighter jets.
Bastille Day, celebrated on July 14, marks the storming of the Bastille fortress in 1789, signifying the start of the French Revolution and the fall of the monarchy. This year’s parade will pay homage to the 80th anniversary of France’s liberation from Nazi occupation with a re-enactment of the D-Day landings and a tribute to the 31 countries that contributed to the liberation, half of which are African nations formerly under French colonial rule.
Approximately 4,000 participants and 162 horses will partake in the meticulously choreographed parade. Units that served in NATO missions, counter-terrorism in the Sahel, and global shipping protection will be featured, alongside three German officers from a cross-border brigade. Notably, the French Foreign Legion sappers will don their distinctive uniforms.
In the skies, 65 aircraft will perform, including a mix of British and French fighter jets, rescue helicopters, and mission aircraft. President Emmanuel Macron and numerous dignitaries will oversee the event, which has scaled back participation due to heightened security for the upcoming Olympics, with 130,000 police officers deployed nationwide.
This year’s event also provides a diversion for Macron amidst political turbulence following snap elections that resulted in a deadlocked parliament. Additionally, the parade’s route and viewing areas have been adjusted due to Olympic venue construction, preventing spectators from gathering beneath the Eiffel Tower for the traditional fireworks show.
After its Bastille Day debut, the Olympic torch relay will visit iconic Parisian landmarks such as Notre Dame Cathedral, the Sorbonne University, and the Louvre Museum, continuing its journey through the city.
Original Story https://www.livemint.com/news/world/frances-bastille-day-parade-meets-the-olympic-torch-relay-in-an-exceptional-year-11720934492736.html
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