Last weekend, France celebrated its National Day on July 14th.

Several events took place in Melbourne throughout the weekend:

• Opening Ceremony of the Festival

On Friday evening, the opening ceremony of the Bastille Day French Festival was held at the State Library Victoria, with the traditional breaking of the BAGUETTE! On the  French side, there were HE. Mr Pierre-André Imbert, Ambassador of France to Australia, Myriam Boisbouvier Wylie, Honorary Consul General de France in Melbourne, Elsa Barberio-Dehornoy, President of the Bastille Day French Festival, and on the Australian side, the Hon. Colin Brooks MP, Minister for Creative Industries , The Right Hon. Lord Mayor of Melbourne Nicholas Reece and Richard Welsh, MP, representing the leader of the opposition, under the watchful eye of the Master of Ceremony Gabriel GATE. 

-The Bastille Day French Festival

The Bastille Day celebrations took place for the second year in a row at the Queen Victoria Market, during the weekend of July 13th and 14th. It was a real success for the festival, which welcomed nearly 30,000 visitors this year. There were many stalls offering French products such as cheese, saucissons, champagne, crepes, and more.

Performances, featuring singers and their bands, entertained the audience and created a fabulous ambiance. The iconic dancers of the French cancan, famous for their dances at the Moulin Rouge, were also honored with a highly colorful show.BDFF volunteers worked throughout the weekend at the various market stalls, whether at the bar offering delicious mulled wines or at the information point to guide and assist visitors.

Estelle and Mary, interns at the Consulate, were particularly active throughout the weekend, from the bar to the information booth, they were everywhere!

• July 14th at the Shrine of Remembrance

Like every year, July 14th was celebrated by the French Veterans of Victoria at the Shrine of Remembrance, in honour of the French and Australians who lost their lives defending the cherished values of Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity of the French Republic. Myriam Boisbouvier-Wylie, Honorary Consul General of France in Melbourne, reflected on the declaration of human rights  freedom, before laying a wreath in their honor.