We are currently inParis and planned to go to the parade tomorrow, May 8' 2012' which is VE Day. We have been here many to times in the past,but we cannot locate thetimeofthe parade on the Champs and the wreath placed at the tombof the unknown soldiers. Cansomeone help us right away? Also,do you know if Sarkozy or Hollande will perform the honors? thanks, Jan
Posted by
Seattle
4637 posts
Paris liberation day is on August 25th. Because Paris was liberated 8-25-1944.
Posted by
Boulder, CO, USA
719 posts
Hollande doesn't take office until the 15th. Incidentally, this is what I've found online:
"I had to call the Mairie de Paris today to ask another question, and while I had them on the line I asked about the 8th of May and whether or not there would be a parade on the Champs-Elysées this year. The man I was talking to had to put me on hold to ask someone, and when he came back he said that the answer was no. There will not be any commemoration ceremonies for the 8th of May in Paris this year. He said, "The President decided that all ceremonies for May 8th would be held outside of Paris this year" Seems legit.
Posted by
Boulder, CO, USA
719 posts
Sorry, Jan. That post above is not from 2012. I can't find anything on the parade this year. Even Paris event calendar that I view has nothing listed for May 8th.
Posted by
OP
NEWPORT BEACH, CA, USA
38 posts
thanks so much everyone. I am still a little confused as they have the stands built all around the Arc, unless someone's just going to just lay the special wreath. Also,I didn't mean to duplicate posts and I found VE Day, also called WWII Victory Day,but I listened to my hubby and he said it was Liberation Day. that will teach me!
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10625 posts
There will be a ceremony tomorrow, Tuesday. According to news articles on Yahoo France, Sarkozy has invited Hollande to accompany him to lay the wreath. The article didn't say what time the ceremony would be. Searching further on the historical monuments website, the only clue I could pick up was that the Arc de Triomphe would be open to tourists in the afternoon on the 8th, indicating that the ceremony would be in the morning. Actually, it marks the end of the war in Europe.
Posted by
Seattle, Wa, USA
449 posts
Hi Jan: I was in Paris in 1995 on V-E Day. You would think that there would have been a big celebration to remember 50 years since the end of World War II. But no. The only thing that happened was a fly over by some jets. No big parade - that it reserved for Bastille Day. I was told that the Parisians celebrate the liberation of their city in August rather than V-E Day but I don't have the exact date. If you are around for another week or so you can see the change of power as the new president rides up the Champs accompanied by the Republican Guard mounted unit which is impressive to see. Back in 1995 there were great celebrations in Moscow and in London but not in Paris.