Bastille Day parade on Champs-Élysées will require online registration for the first time, as 500 foreign troops open the march

New entry rules for the public

Spectators hoping to line the Champs-Élysées for the 14 July parade will face an unprecedented hurdle: mandatory online registration. The Paris prefecture and the Élysée announced on 9 July that access will be granted only to those who sign up on the Élysée events website, providing their full name, date of birth and email address. Each registrant receives a nominative QR code, which must be shown alongside a valid ID at the entry point. The gates open at 7:30, the parade begins at 10:00, and the latest arrival time for spectators is 8:30. Prohibited items include sharp objects, folding chairs, motorcycle helmets, bottles, flasks and pets. In previous years, the event was open to all after standard bag searches and pat-downs.

This year, public access, excluding invited guests, will be exclusively by prior registration and presentation of the nominative QR code you will receive.

A European opening act

Around 500 soldiers from the 35-nation coalition of volunteers will lead the parade, marching ahead of the French contingents. They will be followed by 25 Ukrainian service members, a gesture the Élysée describes as a powerful symbol of a Europe that is waking up to global dangers and taking its destiny into its own hands. The display is meant to illustrate both France's strategic rearmament and a broader European strategic awakening. It is the tenth and final Bastille Day parade for Emmanuel Macron as head of state.

A strong symbol of Europe becoming aware of the world's dangerousness and the need to take its destiny in hand.

Record scale and modernised hardware

The parade will be the largest in recent memory, with about 6,800 troops on foot, nearly 300 vehicles, around 100 motorcycles, 95 aircraft, 35 helicopters and 193 horses of the Republican Guard. Total participants approach 8,500. The Élysée notes a 30% increase in vehicles and aircraft compared to previous editions. For the first time, aircraft carrying dummy weapons will fly over the avenue, and helicopters will pass above tanks to replicate battlefield conditions. The defence budget, the Élysée points out, will have doubled between 2017 and 2026.

The French army is part of a network of solid and credible allies and partners.

Rehearsals and voices from the ranks

In the final days before the event, thousands of soldiers have been drilling on the Champs-Élysées. A young officer cadet, Sous-lieutenante Léa, admitted that perfect alignment remains a challenge: "In the lines, it's hard to be truly perfect. In the columns too, since we're filmed from every angle, it really has to be aligned on all sides." Aspirant Alexandre called it a childhood dream and an immense pride for his family. Premier-Lieutenant Enzo, one of 21 Luxembourg soldiers taking part, spoke of a positive stress to perform well and show the best of Luxembourg's capabilities.

Leaders' summit on the eve

Around 30 heads of state and government will watch the parade from the official stands. Confirmed attendees include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the leaders of Germany, Italy and Spain. The full list is still being finalised. The day before, on 13 July, the same leaders will gather in Paris for a meeting that will, according to Ouest France, address the fight against… (the article cuts off).