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The Amazing 2013 Bastille Day Fireworks Show in Nantes

Bastille Day, the French National Day, is celebrated on the 14 of July, usually with fireworks. It is not a huge display of patriotism like Canada Day—I can’t remember spotting any French flags in the crowd!—but a chance to party, drink and enjoy whatever festivities are organized locally.

One of my most memorable Bastille Day celebrations was the one I spent in Beijing, China, in 1999. There were still few foreigners and even fewer French in China back then, and we had been invited to the reception at the French Embassy. They had the nicest and largest French food buffet I had ever seen with all-you-can-drink champagne, imported cheese, bread, etc.—basically everything a French in China may crave.

Most summers, I spent Bastille Day by the seaside, at the family house. The National Day isn’t a big deal there, we just had fireworks by the beach.

This was my first Bastille Day in Nantes, and Mark’s first time seeing fireworks. It was pretty cool although securing a good spot was tougher than I had thought. I tend to stay away from the crowd in France because, unlike Canadians, the French can be pretty pushy and drunk, and fights do happen.

Isle of Nantes by Night

Isle of Nantes by Night
Isle of Nantes by Night
Chantiers Navals
The Loire River
Isle of Nantes
Titan Crane
Loire River
Place du Sanitat
Mark’s First Fireworks
Bastille Day Fireworks
Bastille Day Fireworks
Bastille Day Fireworks
Bastille Day Fireworks
Bastille Day Fireworks
Bastille Day Fireworks
Bastille Day Fireworks
Bastille Day Fireworks
Bastille Day Fireworks
Bastille Day Fireworks
Bastille Day Fireworks
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Zhu

French woman in English Canada.

Exploring the world with my camera since 1999, translating sentences for a living, writing stories that may or may not get attention.

Firm believer that nobody is normal... and it’s better this way.

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