Pan-European Bastille Day 2007

By NewsDude , Newser Staff

Posted Jul 14, 2007 8:36 PM CDT

(Newser) – France celebrated Bastille Day for the 127th time today, with a particularly eclectic celebration, as troops from all 27 EU nations marched in the parade down the Champs-Elysees. It is also the first Bastille Day held since Nicolas Sarkozy became president and, as a tough-on-crime rightist, refused to to issue mass prisoner pardons.

In a very nontraditional move, the day was also celebrated with a free, open-air concert headlined by French rocker Michel Polnareff. Also headlining the event was a German pop-rock band called Tokio Hotel.

[Images (8)]

[Videos (3)]

Troops parade on the Champs-Elysees in Paris during Bastille Day, Saturday, July 14, 2007. Troops from all 27 European Union nations marched behind French President Nicolas Sarkozy down the Champs-Elysees... (Associated Press)

Planes of the Patrouille de France fly over the Arc de Triomphe during a Bastille Day parade, Saturday, July 14, 2007 in Paris. French President Nicolas Sarkozy led a Bastille Day parade along the Champs-Elysees... (Associated Press)

A cyclist rides naked near a car through Bastille square in downtown Paris, Saturday, June 9, 2007. Cyclists demonstrated to promote the use of bicycles and to highlight the danger due to lack of cycling... (Associated Press)

French singer Michel Polnareff performs on stages during his concert as part of Bastille Day celebration at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Saturday, July 14, 2007. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, Pool) (Associated Press)

Singer Bill, right, and Georg of the German band Tokyo Hotel perform on stage during their concert as part of Bastille Day celebration at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Saturday, July 14, 2007. (AP Photo/Michel... (Associated Press)

Fireworks light up the sky over the Eiffel tower in Paris as part of the Bastille Day celebrations, Saturday July 14, 2007. France celebrated its national day with a traditional military parade in the... (Associated Press)

French President Nicolas Sarkozy delivers his speech as his wife Cecilia looks on during A Garden Party at the Elysee Palace, as part of Bastille Day ceremonies, in Paris, Saturday July, 14, 2007. Troops... (Associated Press)

Planes of the Patrouille de France fly over the Arc de Triomphe during Bastille Day parade, Saturday, July 14, 2007 in Paris. French President Nicolas Sarkozy led a Bastille Day parade along the Champs-Elysees... (Associated Press)

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bastille day (matty89010 (YouTube))

Lettre a France by Michel Polnareff (Michelcrazy (YouTube))

Durch Den Monsun (scars4life (YouTube))

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