20 July 2011

Bastille Day: the Only Day of the Year when...


This is a scene you will only see on Bastille Day, July 14th. It's the only day in the year when restaurants and private individuals may display the French flag. On every other day of the year it is only to be seen on public buildings in France. Vive la Révolution!

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C'est une scène que vous ne verrez que le 14 Juillet, anniversaire de la prise de la Bastille. C'est le seul jour de l'année où les restaurants et les particuliers peuvent arborer le drapeau français. Tous les autres jours de l'année, on ne le voit que sur les bâtiments publics en
France. Vive la Révolution!

8 comments:

  1. That's interesting Jilly, here you quite often see a flagpole in a private house with usually either an Australian or English flag.

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  2. I never knew that. In the USA car dealerships like to display huge American flags.

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  3. That explains it! We've been wondering why the Swiss flag is everywhere, but not the French flag!

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  4. Fascinating. In the U.S. flags are everywhere, all the time. Is there an explanation about this French flag display rule?

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  5. that is so interesting really! here the us flag is hung every where, private residences (we have on on our porch) businesses, schools, on vehicles, just about every where you look, every day of the year!

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  6. This is such an interesting fact. Only the government may display the flag in France? It is completely opposite in the USA. Our flags are everywhere, especially after September 11 sparked a renewed spirit of community. I am a little self-conscious about how many photographs I post incorporating Old Glory. It looks like I am perhaps overly patriotic, but the fact is, many homes and buildings here feature flags and banners.

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  7. It always used to amaze me in America to see flags everywhere, even in people's front gardens. Brattcat, I don't know why but it's the law. Are laws logical? As the French would say 'c'est comme ca.'

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  8. How interesting - I never knew that. I wonder if tourists ever inadvertently break that rule.

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