Country National Days are celebrated every year and different countries place different emphasis on the extent and importance that is bestowed on their national day. Of course, the day in question will also play a part in the historic development of any country’s history.

On the 14th July, France will celebrate la Fête Nationale, or affectionately known worldwide as #Bastille Day.  This celebration is carried on not just in France but recognised in other countries across the globe by French descendants.

But what exactly does Bastille Day celebrate and how long has it been a national holiday? We have some interesting facts to help!

1.            No one calls it ‘Bastille Day’ in France.

Officially, France call it la Fête Nationale, or “The National Holiday.” Bastille day is an English term for the day that is it known as by non-French individuals

2.            It commemorates the Storming of the Bastille

The storming of the Bastille took place in 1789. At the time tensions were at an all-time high between the people and royalty and the day they revolted and stormed the bastille is seen as the beginning of the French revolution and the basis of the constitution of modern-day France.

3.            The Bastille was a Royal Fortress Prison

The Bastille was stormed as it became a symbol of the people’s dislike of the monarchy. It was originally used as a fortress in the Hundred Years War but became a royal prison in 1417. It housed anyone who revolted against the King which was why storming it felt like a liberation for the people.

4.            It’s the Oldest Parade in Europe.

On the day there is a large military parade on the Champs Elysees in Paris. It began in 1880 and is not only the oldest but also the largest regular military parade in Europe.

5.            It took 91 years to become a national holiday.

Although the first celebration took place a year after the storming of the bastille, it wasn’t until 1880 that a law was passed to make it a national celebration.

At Rowland Brothers International we celebrate national days with our colleagues across the world. We are the experts in global repatriation, which means knowing as much as we can about the countries we work with and finding solutions to repatriation wherever we get enquires from. We can repatriate from all corners of the globe with the expert understanding to make it as easy as possible.