Bastille Day 2018: Pomp, pride, and heavy security
The French are celebrating the Bastille Day with a traditional display of military grandeur, albeit with a couple of glitches. Thousands of police and gendarmes are also working to provide security behind the scenes.
"Fraternity in Arms"
Thousands gathered in Paris for the Bastille Day military parade, set to involve 4,290 soldiers, 220 vehicles, 250 horses, 64 jets and 30 helicopters. This year's motto is "Fraternity in Arms," with Spanish gendarmes and Belgian armored vehicles also making an appearance.
Macron arrives
French President Emmanuel Macron greeted the troops while riding in a military vehicle with his chief of staff, General Francois Lecointre. A day before the display on Saturday, Macron announced a military spending boost and pledged he would raise the nation's military budget to two percent GDP within the next seven years.
Collision course
Two gendarmes collided while their motorcycle group was demonstrating a well-rehearsed choreography at Place de la Concorde, with President Macron looking on. However, the riders managed to right their vehicles and continue their journey, to applause from the president and the crowd.
Mounted gendarmes
France's elite Republican Guard includes a cavalry regiment of around 480 riders, the last mounted regiment in French armed forces.
Weapons for sale
France is the world's third-largest weapons exporter, behind the US and Russia, and just ahead of China. Most of its exports are sold to the countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Foreign Legion still going strong
Members of the French Foreign Legion (established in 1831) also made an appearance on Saturday. The highly-trained, 8,900-strong legion is now the only military formation in the world still accepting foreign recruits.
A touch of red
The flyover of French Alphajets marked another glitch: one of the planes is tracing red instead of blue smoke in a formation meant to display the colors of the French flag.
Security behind the scenes
With thousands of soldiers and gendarmes on display in Paris streets, thousands more security forces worked to ensure safety for the crowds of civilians. France has deployed 110,000 police and gendarmes across the country for the weekend, which will also see the French national team play Croatia in the World Cup final.