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July 14 in the shade of the coronavirus. After months of fighting the pandemic and while the multiplication of clusters in France raises fears of a possible "second wave" of contamination, the National Day is celebrated at least Tuesday. A military parade of less than normal size is planned in Paris, while many provincial towns have chosen to cancel their traditional fireworks. At midday, all eyes will be on Emmanuel Macron, who must detail his recovery plan post-health crisis during a long television interview. Follow the situation live.
Information to remember:
- A July 14 "mini-parade" will begin around 10:30 am in Paris, in the presence of Emmanuel Macron
- The Head of State will then speak for 45 minutes on television, from the Elysée Palace
- Most cities in France have given up their traditional fireworks due to the coronavirus epidemic
A minimum military parade in Paris and in the provinces
In the capital, the parade of July 14 will be replaced by a military ceremony at least Place de la Concorde. The system was reduced to 2,000 participants and around 2,500 guests, including 1,400 representing the French on the "front line" during the epidemic: caregivers, relatives of caregivers who died of coronavirus, teachers, cashiers, funeral agents, police ...
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Emmanuel Macron is expected around 10:40 am in front of the stands installed on the square. On the program: mini-parade - without mask, but with sanitary distances - and double overview of the Patrouille de France. The French flag will be displayed by twenty caregivers during a ceremony repeated on Monday: find our report here.
And in the provinces? Several military ceremonies are maintained, but in reduced format. In Bordeaux, the air parade with "passage of the Caracal helicopter" of military transport "and Alpha Jets", will take place, according to the prefecture. In Lille, the parade will be replaced by "a ceremony in tribute to those mobilized and on the front line during the health crisis". Just like in Marseille, where a static ceremony, bringing together civilian and military carers, will be organized at Parc Borély.
Significant traffic restrictions in the capital
In Paris, it will be very difficult to circulate on the Champs-Elysées and in the surroundings, all day, because of a very consequent security device set up around the celebrations, even reduced. Six metro stations are closed. We summarize the details of the restrictions in force in this article.
# July 14 | During the government ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, July 14, 2020, find all of the security and traffic in the capital.
See our press release for more details. pic.twitter.com/FIONT9bzdK
A firework display will be well fired around 11 p.m. in the capital, from the Eiffel Tower, but without an audience, just like for the Radio-France concert on the Champ-de-Mars, which will take place behind closed doors. "A large exclusion zone will be set up around the site in order to ensure the safety of the fire and to prevent any eventual crowd of people," explains a press release from the prefecture of police and the City, inviting Parisians "to follow the televised retransmission of the fireworks ".
A much awaited speech by the Head of State
At the end of the Parisian ceremony, it is in the very traditional format of a live interview from the Elysée Palace that Emmanuel Macron will explain himself for 45 minutes, from 1.10 p.m. on television. The president should talk about his upcoming program, just after changing Prime Minister and part of the government. "There is a need for expression on the last stage of the quinquennium, on the 'new path' that the President wants to draw", explains his entourage to Europe 1. "All questions cannot be asked" to the head of the 'State, for its part warned Gilles Bouleau, who will question him alongside Léa Salamé.
>> SPECIAL EDITION - Follow Emmanuel Macron's speech from 1 p.m. live on Europe 1
Fireworks canceled in many cities
In most cities in France, National Day celebrations are reduced due to health restrictions on Tuesday evening. In Lille, Lyon, Strasbourg, Bordeaux and even Marseille, the traditional fireworks are canceled "in a desire to ensure public tranquility and to limit gatherings, due to the health situation linked to Covid-19", explains notably the town hall of Lyon. Other municipalities such as Le Mans have decided to maintain fireworks but to limit the number of spectators, who will have to strictly comply with the barrier measures.
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In Brest and Auray (Morbihan), street shows replace the usual multicolored rockets. In Pau, it will be a release of "biodegradable and fireproof" lanterns and in Strasbourg, a participatory picnic is planned for Tuesday along the Rhine. In Nice, where there is no longer any fireworks fired on July 14 since the attack that left 86 people dead on the Promenade des Anglais in 2016, a ceremony of homage to the victims "sober and intimate" and " reserved for families "will take place in the morning at Villa Massena, which houses a temporary memorial.