Known as Quatorze Juillet in French, Bastille Day is a national holiday in France celebrating the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, an open act of rebellion against the monarchy that is considered a turning point of the French Revolution and which preceded the emergence of the modern French nation. Two days after the storming of the Bastille, King Louis XVI officially recognized France's new tricolor flag -- the blue, white and red said to symbolize liberty, equality and brotherhood.

The Storming of the Bastille marked the start of the French Revolution, the end of the monarchy and the beginning of the Republic of France.

Défilés du 14 juillet

Many military parades are held in France on the morning of 14 July, the largest and most significant of which takes place on the Champs-Élysées avenue in Paris in front of the President of the Republic.

Fireworks

In Paris, 14 July is celebrated with fireworks at the Eiffel Tower, which many residents observe from bridges crossing the Seine River.

Le Bal de Sapeurs Pompiers

On July 13, with blue, white and red flags waving, French celebrants spill out on the streets for Le Bal de Sapeurs Pompiers - open air dances at local firehouses.