Faced with the fear of new tensions or because of the drought, some municipalities canceled the fireworks of July 14, 2023. Others, however, maintained it, such as that of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille, Lyon, Strasbourg… The point on the fireworks planned (or not).
[Updated July 14, 2023 at 4:49 p.m.] Will you be able to enjoy the traditional July 14 fireworks in your town this Friday evening? Nothing is less sure. Indeed, many cities have decided to cancel the fireworks scheduled for this evening for fear of new excesses, in a country still marked by the violent riots which followed the death of Nahel, killed in Nanterre by a police officer on 27 last June.
This is particularly the case for several municipalities in Île-de-France and in the north of the country. The following cities are concerned: Aulnay-sous-Bois, Bagnolet, Bondy, Charenton-le-Pont, Clichy-sous-Bois, Drancy, Draveil, Évry-Courcouronnes, Fontenay-sous-Bois, Gagny, Gennevilliers, La Courneuve, Le Blanc-Mesnil, Le Raincy, Maisons-Alfort, Mons-en-Barœul, Croix, Montargis, Montreuil, Nanterre, Neuilly-sur-Marne, Noisy-le-Sec, Osny, Pantin, Roubaix, Rosny-sous-Bois, Saint -Denis, Saint-Maurice, Saint-Ouen, Savigny-sur-Orge, Sevran, Sevran-Beaudottes, Tremblay-en-France, Vigneux-sur-Seine, Villemomble and Villepinte. Other municipalities, such as Argenteuil, Bussy-Saint-Georges or even Vaires-sur-Marne have preferred to postpone their pyrotechnic show.
The fear of new urban violence is not the only reason that has prompted some municipalities to cancel their July 14 fireworks. In this summer period, France is hard hit by drought, and the risk of fire is therefore significant. Thus, the cities of Strasbourg, Nîmes, Perpignan, Arcachon or even Lorient have canceled their pyrotechnic show for this reason. However, there are many fireworks planned all over France this Friday evening. Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Bordeaux or Toulouse have indeed maintained the event. Find below detailed information on the fireworks maintained or canceled in several major cities in France on the occasion of the July 14 festivities.
The most spectacular of the National Day fireworks of course takes place in Paris, at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, gathering more than 500,000 people. In the program ? A 35-minute show that will start at 11 p.m. on the Champ-de-Mars, on the theme of overseas and Creole. “The Parisian sky will light up in the colors of the Caribbean, the Portuguese-speaking countries, or even Cuba”, announces the town hall of Paris. The fireworks, as well as the free symphony concert of the National Orchestra of France which precedes it, will be broadcast live on television on France 2, but also on the radio and on the internet, by France Inter.
If the public is admitted, it is always recommended to go there from 8 p.m. to see it in good conditions from the Champ-de-Mars, the gardens and the esplanade of the Trocadéro, the Palais de Tokyo, or from the Debilly, Alma, Pont-Neuf or Alexandre-III bridges and footbridges. While the public is expected at these highlights, there are other vantage points to get away from the crowds. The best places to observe it are the Roof terrace of the Montparnasse tower, the Belleville park, the Trocadero gardens or even from the Seine thanks to the Bateaux Parisiens which await spectators for dinner cruises from 7 p.m. for 2 hours from Port de la Bourdonnais. The ideal is to reserve a place from the Ciel de Paris, the restaurant of the Montparnasse Tower, on the 56th floor, or from the Terrace of the Café de L’Homme at the Trocadéro.
The July 14 fireworks will be fired from the heights of Fourvière in Lyon. On the theme of “Joy”, the sequences will be drawn around 10:30 p.m., lasting 20 minutes, in 5 acts with 150 scenes for 14 sequences. The fireworks can be admired from the banks of the Saône on the Presqu’île side.
The fireworks on July 14 will be fired between the stone bridge and Place de la Bourse, on the banks of the Garonne at 10:30 p.m. It will be observable from the water mirror, the stone bridge, the Chaban-Delmas bridge, the Cité du Vin, the Parc de l’Ermitage, the right bank of the Garonne.
Near Bordeaux, other cities offer their fireworks: Arsac at 11 p.m. on the Soubeyran site, Andernos les Bains at 10:45 p.m. on the esplanade of the jetty, Artigues-près-Bordeaux at 10:45 p.m. at the town hall park , Carcans at 11 p.m. from the stadium, Coutras at 11 p.m. on the town hall square, Soulac-sur-mer at 11 p.m. on the beach, Parempuyre at 11 p.m. from La Gravière or Talence at 11 p.m. at Peixotto park.
The appointment is given at 10:30 p.m. The fireworks will be fired from 16 pontoons on the Vieux-Port lake and from Fort d’Entrecasteaux. The pyrotechnic show will last 30 minutes with music. The best place to see the fireworks is of course on the Vieux Port but also the Quai de la Mairie or the Esplanade de la Tourette. The Pharo garden is open to the public to admire the pyrotechnic show.
The city of Toulouse is offering two fireworks this summer 2023 on the occasion of the National Day. The first fireworks were fired Thursday, July 13, 2023 at 10:30 p.m. from the shores of Lake Reynerie. A real “open air concert” was proposed, to the rhythm of the disco songs of the group ABBA. On Friday July 14, 2023, there will be a second fireworks display at 10:30 p.m. from 24 barges and rafts installed on the Garonne River. The pyrotechnic show will echo the Rugby World Cup!
As part of the Cannes Pyrotechnic Art Festival, the bay of Cannes will be illuminated at 10 p.m. on July 14 on the theme of Dante’s Divine Comedy. The pyrotechnicians will interpret a fresco full of emotions, accompanied by famous or singular melodies. The pyrotechnic show will open with music with Woodkid and end with The Darkness.
The July 14 fireworks will be fired at 11:00 p.m. from the Rocher de la Vierge. Access to the beach remains authorized, but swimming will be prohibited between the Rocher du Basta and the beach of the Côte des Basques, from 9 p.m.
The mayor of Strasbourg Jeanne Barseghian took the decision to cancel the fireworks of July 14 due to “the unavailability of the fire and rescue services” in a context of “high” risk of fires due to Drought.
The city of Perpignan being placed in a crisis situation concerning a potential summer drought, the town hall has taken the decision to cancel the fireworks of July 14, 2023. On the other hand, the fireworks are replaced by a spectacle of lasers , which stands on the Basse near the Quai Vauban.
