Alex H Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Talking to my neighbours about stage 10 of the TdF starting from Limoges this year.Neighbour: When's that then?Me: Bastille DayNeighbour: When?Me: You know, Bastille Day - le Quatorze JuilletConfused looks all round - Ok says I, what do the French celebrate on 14th July?Various answers from various family members - end of WW1, Liberation of France in WW1, Liberation of France in WW2 - anything but anything to do with the Bastille.Is it me? or is it them? [:D]I've looked up lots on the interweb and they seem to side with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cendrillon Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Were these French of British neighbours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I've always seen 14th July referrred to as the Fete Nationale - I think it's only British people that call it Bastille Day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krusty Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 A quote from wikipedia"Article 17 of the Constitution of France gives the President the authority to pardon offenders, and since 1991 the President has pardoned many petty offenders (mainly traffic offences) on 14 July. In 2007, President Sarkozy declined to continue the practice." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectateur Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I have just checked with Google and got the following:Bastille Day is the French national holiday, celebrated on 14 July each year . In France, it is called Fête Nationale ("National Celebration") Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Whatever they call it ...it all boils down to kids fireing roman candles at you .... Where's the health and safety gestapo when you really need them ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suze01 Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 It was originally the Fête de la Féderation, more here. It was renamed Fête Nationale on the 6th July 1880. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex H Posted May 29, 2009 Author Share Posted May 29, 2009 [quote user="Cendrillon"]Were these French of British neighbours?[/quote]FrenchAlso English Wikipedia says"Bastille Day is the French national holiday, celebrated on 14 July each year . In France, it is called Fête Nationale ("National Celebration") in official parlance, or more commonly le quatorze juillet ("14 July"). It commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789; the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille fortress-prison was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation, and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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