Happy Bastille Day!

July 14th is La Fête Nationale in France. While this is the date of the storming of the Bastille, the holiday is actually to commemorate the Fête de la Fédération. It is a symbol of the uprising of the modern nation and of the reconciliation of all the French inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic during the French Revolution.

Last year I celebrated in Sanary, a commune situated east of Marseille in the department of Bouches-du-Rhone in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur region in southern France.

It’s a charming seaside community and fishing port. This area is famous for beautiful beaches, stunning views and boat tours to the Calanques, an area that features towering cliffs and dramatic inlets. We had taken one of those boat tours earlier in the day, but were now enjoying the festivities on the port.

The streets were lined with festival tents and booths where local craftsmen and artisans sold their wares, while performance artists entertained children and adults alike. We weaved through the crowds, checking out the special menus at the restaurants along the bay, until settling on a small pub near the place we had chosen for our fireworks viewing.

As the sun went down in the horizon, the parade of boats began. Sail boats, fishing boats and yachts, decorated with lights and ornaments, circled the harbor as patriotic music resounded through a centralized sound system. The crowds became thick in anticipation of the coming fireworks, but we found a semi-secluded spot on one of the docks.

The original celebration occurred on July 14th, 1790. The popular General Lafayette took his oath to the constitution, followed by King Louis XVI. After the end of this four day feast, people celebrated with wine, fireworks and running naked through the streets in order to display their great freedom.

I kept my clothes on, but sat with my legs swinging free over the water and enjoyed a scoop of mango ice cream. The fireworks exploded against the picturesque landscape and festive port, and I was transported back in time to a child mesmerized by lights and sounds, free from worry, heartache and fear, free to be…and that is reason to celebrate.