Paris celebrates Bastille Day with fireworks and 1,600 drones

Paris – July 14, 2026: Paris celebrated Bastille Day on the evening of Monday, July 13, with a grand fireworks display and a formation of 1,600 LED drones. The Eiffel Tower show combined pyrotechnic imagery, lighting design and drone formations presented over the Champ de Mars and Trocadéro. According to witnesses and media reports, visible motifs also included the Statue of Liberty, as well as symbols centered on freedom and republican values.

The 2026 event was exceptionally held one day early. The celebration did not take place on Bastille Day itself, July 14, but was scheduled for the evening of July 13. The City of Paris said the date was changed because July 14 marks the tenth anniversary of the 2016 Nice terrorist attack. July 14 will therefore be reserved for commemorating the dead and injured, as well as official memorial ceremonies.

At the heart of the show was the Eiffel Tower, with both sides—toward the Trocadéro and the Champ de Mars—included in the drone display. The City of Paris had previously announced that 1,600 aircraft would be used on both sides of the structure for the first time. The choreography was therefore designed for spectators viewing it from different perspectives, while fireworks lit up the night sky above the landmark.

According to the City of Paris, this year’s event presented several historical and cultural themes. In addition to the motto of liberty, equality and fraternity, the program also covered connections between Paris and Rome, the Seine and the history of the French Navy. The Statue of Liberty also pointed to the close historical relationship between France and the United States. This light display was part of a total of 12 themed visual sequences.

Before the fireworks display, the Paris Concert was once again held at the foot of the Eiffel Tower. For many years, this classical music concert has been part of the capital’s Bastille Day events, and this year it was also held on July 13 due to the date change. Attention then turned to the light and fireworks display, visible from much of the Champ de Mars and the surrounding riverbanks.

The date change also required organizational arrangements around the landmark. The Eiffel Tower was closed to visitors on July 13 to allow for preparations and security measures for the concert, drone show and fireworks. The monument was scheduled to reopen to the public on July 14. The City of Paris also reminded visitors of the changed date and access restrictions in the Champ de Mars area.

By holding the celebrations early, Paris clearly separated the festive program from national mourning. The fireworks display the previous evening drew large crowds to the center of the capital. In contrast, the focus on Tuesday, July 14, was on commemorating the Nice attack: 86 people were killed on the Promenade des Anglais on Bastille Day in 2016.