Those of us lucky enough to be in Paris on certain anniversary’s are in for a treat. This year, we all happened to be so lucky.
Bastille Day is a national Holiday. Referred to as the 14th of July, this is the celebration of the Republic. On the 14th of July, the fortress at Bastille was stormed for mostly gunpowder and ammo. Typically, this fortress also housed political prisoners, but at the time, no one of major importance was in residence (unless, of course, you talked to their mothers).
The celebration this year took place on the Champ’s du Mars and the Jardin du Trocadero. Wedged in between, of course, is the Eiffel Tower.
The main act of the evening was Johnny Hallyday. This man is a legend in France. Think if Elvis was French and still living. He is a cornerstone of modern French music and certainly a piece of French pride. Being a national celebration and the 120th birthday of the Eiffel Tour, he was a natural choice. The grand finale highlighted with the lights of the tower was a magnificent ending to a wonderful set.
But that was just the beginning.
The most amazing part of the evening was the combination light show and fireworks display. This was a whole new level of show.
As it turns out, a space-age light system is rigged to project onto the tower. This is no ordinary light system; it can project, in full clarity, onto the 324 meter structure.
Pretty bad-ass, non?
The show presented a history of France for the past 120 years. Simply, it was amazing. The artistic vision lit on the tower was moving, even for a foreigner. The addition of music and fireworks were synthesized masterfully.
Even more surprising was the honesty of the pieces presented. True historical miseries were not glossed over. Yes, the national pride overwhelmed you, but even on this evening, it was humbling to see admissions that everything was not perfect in the last 120 years.
This was not some small show, either. 1 million people showed up.
Of course, the metro is not designed for 1 million people.
It was a nice walk home.
Remember when they strapped Johnny Hallyday to a big-ass firework and fired him off the top of the Eiffel Tower, and the explosion was in the shape of Johnny Hallyday? What a showman.
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