It's a national holiday. It's in July. The date starts with "four." How different can it be?Well, assez different.
For starters, there are NO decorations anywhere. No blue, white, and red napkins or streamers in the supermarket, no flags waving outside of people's homes or glued onto t-shirts. No tricolor desserts or face paints for sale. Unless you're in an official military parade, it's really not your place to show any team spirit (expect for lighting fire crackers).
Luckily being a willing spectator isn't that hard of a role to play, especially in Paris.
This year, crowds will gather early in the Champs de Mars. Not to eat hot dogs or watch cheesy reenactments of the storming of the Bastille--or even to sing patriotic ditties. They'll be there for Johnny. But once the night is filled with booms and echoing "oohs," you might well tell yourself, "It's not that different." Who would have thought that after dark, even Parisians can act impressed?
Sophia Loren and Cary Grant as Tom Winters and Cinzia Zaccardi. [Online image] 1958.
