parade

The French government has announced that the yearly Bastille Day grand military parade through central Paris, a tradition since WW1, is cancelled because of the Covid-19 virus pandemic and the associated requirements for social distancing, but will include the traditional flypast which this year will pay tribute to medical personnel.

The traditional July 14th military parade along the Champs-Elysées avenue in Paris, which involved more than 4,200 military personnel, was not all smooth going on Saturday, when two gendarmerie motorbike riders collided and the jet flypast spreading the tricolour smoke ribbon of the French national flag mixed up the colour coordination. 

Marching in the open was a security headache for secretive forces of the military and police who normally wear masks to hide their identity.