What is the best city to enjoy Bastille Day?

It's wherever you are and what you make of it. If you are in a countryside village or small town, there will be a street dance, fireworks, and maybe a community parade in the evening. If you're in Paris you can go to the Firemen's Ball at any of the firehouses. The celebration begins in the evening of the 13th and then you sleep it off the morning of the 14th. It doesn't depend on the town; it depends on you.

I'm not sure if you're only considering the four cities you listed. If not, I'll add Carcassonne. We loved the Bastille Day celebration there! Early in the evening we walked down to the lower city, bought some baguettes for dinner and joined the crowd sitting on the curbs along the way. We were treated to the most amazing fireworks display over La Cite. That night alone was worth the trip there.

Thank you! We will actually be coming to an end of a one week stay in Paris. We were debating if we should stay an extra day in Paris for Bastille Day and watch the fireworks over the Eiffel Tower or start the next leg of our trip in Provence at one of the other three cities that I listed. Still undecided where we should stay for the next part of our journey. But that was a question I posted earlier today with no responses just yet. (It showed up as "sunriseunit" as the author instead of "Rose.") :)

I totally misunderstood the question! Nonetheless, have fun at one of the dances and the fireworks no matter where you are.

Hands down, CARCASSONNE! My husband was born on July 14th and we celebrated his 50th birthday in Carcassone because we had read that the town had the most spectacular fireworks in all of France...and they were right! That was 20 yrs ago and to this day, we still speak of the incredible display. Spectacular is the right word. The castle is utilized in the displays...there are aerial displays, of course, but also ground displays and very unique displays. You will not be disappointed and the region is lovely. We arrived by air into Toulouse and travelled to , Carcassonne and then, slowly drove East, incl. visits to Coullioure, Montpelier, and finally, Marseille from where we flew home. All those cities were lovely and memorable.

Avignon! The people of the town have a progressive march through the streets with lit torches...as the crowd passes by houses people come out, join the crowd, and it grows and grows the closer to town it gets. Just join the crowd and walk! Everyone sits down on the banks of the river and the fireworks are set off just above the water...it's one of the most thrilling fireworks shows I've ever been to in my life...a little scary because they are so close and loud but an experience of a lifetime! I don't know if they shoot off the fireworks in the same place every year but it was truly amazing when we were there...

Wow - Those cities sound like wonderful places to spend Bastille Day. There are very high praises for Carcassonne and Avignon. I just judged that the fireworks would be pretty spectacular in Paris too. Probably sharing it with only a million more people though!

Pretty much anywhere in France is great for Bastille day - it's a VERY big deal all over. Smaller towns can be pretty fantastic too -- we were in a very small town in France one summer and really didn't know what to expect. They put on an excellent firework show and then afterwards there were horrible cover bands playing in the town square - mostly local kids and young people from the community but the pride in these little local bands and the festive atmosphere made it wonderful! Sometimes it's nice just to be somewhere and see what happens!

We spent it once in a small town in the countryside where there was a dance on the town square and once in Paris where it all happened of course and there are wonderful fireworks as well as a military parade and each district has its own party. We partied with the pompier in the 20th where we were staying. More recently we were in the countryside on that day and there was nothing happening much in the town where we were -- it is always hopping in Paris.

You might want to know that the French do not call July 14 Bastille Day; it is Fete Nationale and some are offended by the Bastille Day term.