Firefighters in Paris and its suburbs have decided to cancel their balls as the heat wave hitting the region and much of France puts a strain on emergency services.
The balls are a traditional part of the national holiday on July 14th, when fire stations open their doors to the public for an evening of dancing and entertainment.
The Paris fire brigade said the decision to cancel “iconic” events that are “close to the hearts of the population” is the “most responsible” step to protect everyone.
Leaving room to celebrate Nice
Tourist attractions are closing early and some festivals and major events across France have been canceled due to the heat.
Many cities have banned fireworks displays due to the increased risk of wildfires.
Paris will continue its annual fireworks display from the Eiffel Tower, but on Monday evening rather than on Bastille Day itself, so that July 14 will commemorate the 2016 Nice attack in which 86 people were killed by a man who drove his truck into a crowd celebrating on the seaside.
The Islamic State militant group said it was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in France.
The concert, scheduled before the fireworks, was moved from 16:00 to 21:45 due to the heat.
Ukraine joined the military parade
The annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees will go ahead as planned on Tuesday, with a record 6,800 participants.
They will include 25 Ukrainian soldiers and 500 members of the “coalition of the willing” – key Ukrainian allies – who will march past French President Emmanuel Macron and dozens of other heads of state, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The parade will be Macron’s tenth and final Bastille Day parade as president. It is intended to demonstrate Europe’s new focus on defense and France’s “strategic rearmament” as its military budget doubles between 2017 and 2026, according to the Elysee Palace.
The traditional military flight will involve aircraft from several countries, including two Ukrainian navigators who will take part in the first formation under the leadership of Patrouille de France.
(with news feeds)