Besides Christmas and New Years Eve, one of the most important French holidays, especially for the citizen of Paris (Parisians) is the 14 of July. In this day, the French remember the event that became the beginning of the French revolution: the taking of the Bastille (14th July 1789). The Bastille was a very big prison in the downtown of Paris where a political prisoner (mostly people that were opposing the king and his power) where kept. Following months of political crisis, the citizens of Paris entered in the Bastille and free the prisoners. As mentioned, this is considered the beginning of the French revolution: few months after this event King XVI and Queen Maria Antoinette were arrested and the Republic was proclaimed. During this time the French national Song La Marseillaise (the song from Marseille) was composed and the motto ` Liberté, Fraternité and Egalité´ (Freedom, Brotherhood, Equality) become famous all around the world.
Still today, the people party in the street remembering the event and a big parade is organized every year in Paris.
On the other hand, a much more Hollywood – style event takes place every year in the South of France: the Cannes Film Festival. For about a week, all the most important directors, actors, and producers meet on la Croisette (area of the city where the festival take place) and present the new movies of the season. The winners get as a prize a small golden palm branch and become the person that every TV and magazine want to interview.
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