It's impossible to imagine July 13 without the traditional firemen's ball. And yet, this popular institution was born by chance, in a fire station in Montmartre. The story goes back to 1937. That evening, after the July 14th military parade in Paris, a group of onlookers joyfully followed the return of the firefighters to the barracks on rue Carpeaux, at the foot of the hill.
They asked the firefighters to visit the premises, and the latter, on the initiative of Sergeant Cournet, agreed, opening their doors wide to extend the party. The atmosphere quickly warmed up: a few dance steps, an improvised orchestra, a shared drink... The first firemen's ball was born.
It was an immediate success: the following year, local residents returned in droves, and the event became an annual rendezvous. From Montmartre, the tradition quickly spread to other barracks in the capital, and then all over France. Today, it's hard to imagine July 14th without these joyous balls, where people come to dance as much as to toast with those who watch over the city. The story behind the red trucks of the 18th arrondissement is one of conviviality!
And if the firemen's ball, with its demonstrations of gymnastics and fire-starting exercises, its refreshment bar and its bal musette, has retained its popular charm, it's undoubtedly because it carries with it that Montmartre spirit: a blend of improvisation, festivity and fraternity, which not even the prohibition during the Second World War managed to curb.
The facade of the barracks is also worth a look! Inspired by the Renaissance, it has a touch of Chambord about it, with its beautiful sloping balustrade railings, which mark the location of the staircases. In 1898, architect Paul Héneux designed the building, all in brick and stone, an architectural style in vogue under Henri IV and Louis XIII. In the center, four arcades, massive entrance doors for fire engines, are topped by a clock and high dormer windows.
Location
Montmartre barracks
12 Rue Carpeaux
75018 Paris 18
