France celebrates Bastille Day

Military jets trailing exhaust in the red, white and blue of the French flag opened Francois Hollande’s first Bastille Day parade as president on Saturday and parachutists gliding in on chutes in the same patriotic colours ended it, thumping down on Paris’ famed Champs-Elysees in front of the new French leader.

Under an overcast sky, the pomp celebrating the 1789 beginnings of the French revolution began with bagpipes, dressage and several renditions of the Marseillaise national anthem. Booming jets then flew past in formation before a stream of military units and tanks began rolling down the Champs.