Is Paris is too crowded on Bastille Day?

Hi,

Of all the times I have been to Paris in the summer, somehow on 14 July I was somewhere else in France or Europe, not in Paris to be among les français on that national holiday. In 2009 I made it point to be in Paris on 14 July by backtracking all the way from Germany two days before. Be sure you reserved the hotel first.

I was not along the parade route, watch it on TV when it started at 10 am. But after 1400 I started walking from Gare du Nord to the Opera, where you expect it to be crowded, teeming with people. There were a lots of folks there, tons of international tourists, but it didn't seemed too crowded...all depends on what you're used to. What I know now and "would have done better?" I should have left earlier from the hotel to walk to the Opera.

I've been in Paris many times on Bastille day and unless you're on the Champs Elysées (military parade for a couple hours) you don't even know it's Bastille day. Nothing going on anywhere else in Paris that I was ever aware of. It's never seemed any more crowded than any other July/August tourist season day.

I afeee with Susan , I have been in Paris for quite a few July 14th and honestly unless you are in certain areas ( like the Champs ) you won't even realize it's any different day . There are some street parties out on by the firefighters in various neighbourhoods in the evening ( admission is donated to charities and to support firedtsrions getting new equipment etc) but you problay won't even see them unless you look .

Versailles WILL BE CRAZY BUSY no matter what day you go all season long . Guaranteed .

Thank you Fred, Pat and Susan for your input! This is so great to know that all 3 of you agree that they city is not overly crowded that day. Perhaps I should repost this question so that anyone who has visited Versailles on Bastille Day can weigh-in? I think I'll do that....just for the fun of it! Thank you again so so much for your replies!

It is a big city and always full of tourists, I haven't noticed any difference on Bastille day (which the French call Fete Nationale and some are offended by 'Bastille Day') If it falls on a day other than its usual closure day, the Louvre is free and most tourists don't know this and locals have other things to do. We found the Louvre quite uncrowded when we did this over a decade ago. Except for the actual areas near the parade and later near the fireworks, it is business as usual.

I highly recommend being in Paris during Fete Nationale. The night before, there are parties all over town hosted by the neighborhood fire stations. We sat at an outdoor cafe and watched French service-people (I believe they were with the Navy?) who were on leave and celebrating accept hugs and kisses from total strangers as part of what I was told is tradition for that holiday. We rode bikes all over town, enjoying riding up the wrong way on the Rue du Rivoli which was completely closed to cars and wide open to bikes and pedestrians. We stood on a bridge and watched what appeared to be the entire French air force fly low up the river, Then returned in the evening and watched the fireworks from Pont Neuf. The following evening, there was a huge EDM concert in front of city hall, which our teenage kids really enjoyed.