Learning French
Why you should not say le Jour de Bastille
From fireworks to military parades, do you know these words related to France’s fête nationale?
Did you know that Bastille Day is not called le Jour de Bastille in French?
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July 14 marks the national day of France, also known in English-speaking countries as Bastille Day.
Do not fall into the trap of saying, le Jour de Bastille - this direct translation does not work in French. Instead, it is referred to as le quatorze juillet or simply, la fête nationale.
Parties, parades and festivities take place throughout the country on this special day, which is also a public holiday (jour férié) in France, while people wish each other a joyeux quatorze juillet or bonne fête nationale.
We look at some more words and phrases that could be useful to know if celebrating July 14 in France.
Bastille Day traditions
In Paris, traditional Bastille Day celebrations take place along the Champs-Élysées with the spectacle being broadcast live across the country. Tune in to French television channels TF1 and France 2 for coverage from 06:00, with the military parade beginning at 09:50. Le Figaro also typically streams the parade live on their YouTube channel.
The Patrouille de France (the French equivalent of the UK Red Arrows) traditionally opens the parade each year, using coloured smoke to draw the French tricolour flag in the sky.
This is followed by the défilé militaire (military parade), seeing several thousand soldiers, marines, pilots, firefighters and members of the Gendarmerie Nationale (national police force) accompanied by marching bands and musical performances.
It is also common for Bals des Pompiers (firefighter balls/dances) to be hosted by local fire stations. This tradition is thought to date back to 1937 in the Montmartre district of Paris, following the traditional Bastille Day parade.
The day typically ends with a display of fireworks, although some towns and cities around France have been opting for drone displays in recent years.
Do you know the French translations for the following words?
1. National anthem
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A) Hymne national
2. A parade
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A) Une parade, un défilé
3. Fireworks
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A) Un feu d’artifice
4. The French flag
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A) Le drapeau français
5. A public holiday
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A) Un jour férié
6. A funfair
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A) Une fête foraine
If you would like us to explain a particular word or expression, or if you have any other Learning French suggestions, let us know at: feedback@connexionfrance.com
