Image: Paris.fr

Tomorrow begins festivities for le quatorze, France’s national day of celebration commemorating the storming of the Bastille in 1789. Here’s a roundup of how Paris is getting it’s fête on.

Tomorrow and Saturday nights are the Bals des Pompiers, whereby the fire stations of Paris throw open their doors and welcome us all in for a wee dance and a drink, in order to raise funds for the stations, not to mention the esprit de corps amongst the crews. Festivities start at 21h and go on until about 04h00, there is either a small cover charge or firemen will be wandering around collecting money throughout the night. Be warned – things have been known to get surprisingly rowdy. A full list of participating stations within the city centre is included below.

Le quatorze itself will start with a military parade along the Champs-Elysées. Watch out for the flypast of the jets streaming tricoloured smoke behind them. I mean literally watch out – those things fly LOW.

The traditional massive free concert at the Eiffel Tower will take place this year. Revelers will gather along the Champ de Mars from 14h00, with the show starting at 18h.

The main event is of course the firework display at Trocadero at 23h. The recommended metro stations to aim for in order to watch are Dupleix, Cambronne, Emile Zola, La Motte-Piquet, Ségur, St-François-Xavier, Varenne, as well as Javel, Invalides and Austerlitz on the RER. It should be noted that some of those stations will close for the duration of the fireworks, so get where you’re going early – and be prepared to walk (slowly) back home.

Participating Bals des Pompiers fire stations

MONTMARTRE
12 rue Carpeaux – 75018
July 13

MENILMONTANT
47 rue Saint-Fargeau – 75020
July 13

BOURSAULT
27 rue Boursault – 75017
July 13

LANDON
188 quai de Valmy – 75010
July 13

BITCHE
2 place de Bitche – 75019
July 13

BLANCHE
28 rue Blanche – 75009
July 13

CQG
Voie publique, 1 place Jules Renard 75017
July 13

ARÈNES DE LUTÈCE, 4 rue Monge – 75005
July 13

CHALIGNY
26 rue de Chaligny – 75012
July 13 and 14

MASSENA
37 boulevard Masséna – 75013
July 13 and 14

COLOMBIER
11 rue du Vieux Colombier 75006
July 13 and 14

GRENELLE
6 Place Violet – 75015
July 13 and 14

ROUSSEAU
21 rue du Jour – 75001
July 13 and 14

SEVIGNE
07-09 rue de Sévigné – 75004
July 13 and 14

PORT-ROYAL (CSM)
53-55 boulevard Port-Royal 75013
July 13 and 14