Bastille Day, July 14, 2021's military parade: compulsory health pass and mask

July 14, 2021 or Bastille Day will take place with the traditional parade on the Avenue des Champs-Elysées. This is what Military Governor of Paris General Christophe Abad told this Friday June 4 to AFP. As a matter of fact, as the Covid-19 epidemic is declining in France and the entire country is exiting the health crisis, the government marks the occasion and announced the military parade on the Champs-Elysées is back.

It is mainly because of the declining Covid-19 epidemic authorities made this decision. "We are in a rather encouraging context of way out of the crisis. May it continue, this dynamic has to enable us to return to standards with a beautiful July 14th on the Champs-Elysées", the general entrusted with the organization said.

How many people will be allowed to attend the Bastille Day Parade 2021 on the Champs-Elysées? This year, grandstands set all along the parade are said to seat 25,000 viewers, according to AFP. No gauge for the seated grandstands, only the order to comply with health guidelines. Standing paltforms will have to comply with the 4-sqm rule for one. But, the people will be allowed to attend the Champs-Elysées parade. It seems there is no limited gauge.

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Yet, to attend the parade, the audience will have to wear a facemask and show a valid health pass. The Police prefecture said this July 12 that "each person will have to hold one of the three evidences (a complete vaccination scheme, a negative test or a test proving Covid-19 recovery - Editor's Note) constisting in the health pass to enter the parade's perimeter".

How many members of the military and State representatives will parade this year? In all, 5,000 participants, including 4,300 soldiers by foot are expected. As well as 200 horses from the Garde Républicaine, along with 221 vehicles, 71 planes, and 25 helicopters. A genuine life-sized parade like before the health crisis! The theme of the parade will be "Winning the future".

Bastille Day 2020 Parade disrupted

Last year, in an even more tense health context, as gatherings over 5,000 people were still banned in France, the government announced they wanted to celebrate Bastille Day with a very special ceremony. Held on the Place de la Concorde, the event gathered "2,000 participants and about 2,500 guests" in strict compliance with "social distancing rules", according to the Elysée.

Although last year, soldiers did not parade on the Avenue des Champs-Elysées from the Arc de Triomphe to the Place de la Concorde, as they used to, the aerial parade in the sky of Paris was kept.