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France Celebrates Bastille Day


French army soldiers open the traditional Bastille Day parade on the Champs Elysees in Paris, July 14, 2011
French army soldiers open the traditional Bastille Day parade on the Champs Elysees in Paris, July 14, 2011

France celebrated its Bastille Day holiday on Thursday with a traditional military parade along the Champs-Elysees.

The celebration commemorates the storming of the Bastille prison on July 14, 1789, which symbolized the birth of modern France.

This year's parade was dedicated to France's overseas departments, territories which are fully-fledged parts of France.

A military aerobatic display team flew overhead, trailing smoke in the French colors of red, white and blue.

Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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