Fifteen centuries of Parisian history took over Rue Soufflot this Sunday, September 13, 2026: the grand parade of the Fête de Paris set off from the Panthéon in the 5th arrondissement, to reach Place André-Honnorat and the Esplanade Gaston-Monnerville, at the gates of the Jardin du Luxembourg, on the 6th arrondissement side. All for free, and for the fourth year running.
Despite a few stray showers during the wait, there was nothing else to worry about: the sun and warm weather were finally on hand for this lively edition, organized by the Paris-Geneviève Association.
Across nearly two kilometres, about 1,000 period-costume extras took turns in front of us. From the Sun King to Napoleon, via Henry IV and Joséphine Baker, they were all there, whisking us from monarchy to the Liberation of Paris.
The start was no accident. It began at Place du Panthéon, just steps from Saint-Étienne-du-Mont church, where Sainte Geneviève lies—the patron saint of Paris who, in 451, is said to have diverted Attila and his Huns away from Lutetia with nothing but her prayers.
The parade then traced the arc of time, from Paris's defense up to August 25, 1944. Each participant donned a costume and played their character, so that knights, musketeers, grognards and Resistance fighters mingled in the same line.
The theme of this 2026 edition paid tribute to Josephine Baker, a Parisian artist and resistance fighter, with theatre and the Paris of 1876 serving as the through line. In other words, declamations and brass bands were never far from the crowd.
Upon arrival, the historic village set up at Place André-Honnorat and in the Observatory gardens took over the scene, running until 6 p.m. this Sunday. About sixty artisans were running their workshops there: manuscript illumination, calligraphy, jewelry, painting, and wood carving.
You could move from a Viking encampment to a medieval town, then to a Belle Époque quarter and to a liberated Paris, all within just a few hundred meters. Béhourd battles and musketeers’ assaults drew the curious, while the giant guinguette and the gourmet hall took on the air of a village fête, in the very heart of the 6th.
The event was completely free. It drew 58,000 visitors last year, and organizers were hoping for more than 80,000 this year, a surge that was clearly felt along the parade route. The officers beside us said the crowd was bigger than for the Tour de France—and that’s saying something.
In short, this outing pulled off its gamble of taking us back in time for an afternoon. It isn’t every day that we salute the Sun King or that a waltz fills the street, as a procession of magnificent vintage cars rolls by.
To catch a procession through the capital’s streets, head to the Course des triporteurs, Paris’s quirky end-of-September parade. And to extend the time-travel vibe without waiting for next year, browse our guide to historic Paris and its oldest sites.
Location
Paris Pantheon
Place du Panthéon
75005 Paris 5
Route planner
Access
Metro: Luxembourg / Cardinal Lemoine / Maubert Mutualité
