The commemoration of the national holiday took place on this national holiday, with the Promenade des Anglais transformed into a “Champs Elysées” for the occasion.
Officials from the military, the national police, the national gendarmerie, the municipal police, and the firefighters marched in the presence of Prefect Adolphe Colrat, the president of the region and metropolis Christian Estrosi, the mayor of Nice Philippe Pradal, and the departmental president Éric Ciotti.
At 5:30 PM, the crowd began to gather on the Promenade des Anglais to admire the military parade planned to celebrate the national holiday. Four stands were set up to accommodate veterans, military families, and VIPs. The emotion is palpable, as is a certain tension, visible on the faces of the participants standing stiffly in front of the stands for several minutes, waiting for the ceremony to begin.
The ceremony finally begins under a deafening silence. The lieutenant colonel salutes all the troops and each stand with an unfaltering step. Then arrive Adolphe Colrat, dressed in his prefect outfit, Christian Estrosi, Philippe Pradal, and Éric Ciotti wearing the tricolor sash. Accompanied by the firemen’s band, playing military and national anthems like the “Marseillaise,” the four award the honors: the Military Medal, the Cross of the Combatant, the title of Knight of the National Order of Merit, and the Gold and Bronze Medals of National Defense.
The national anthem, played several times, is followed with great attention by the entire audience. This indicates a rising patriotism, in the difficult context currently faced by the country.
The medal ceremony gives way to the parade. The latter is militarily organized, with all the army and police bodies present in succession. The national police leads the way, with the ground troops marching in almost mechanical precision, unlike one of the mounted police horses, which, perhaps frightened by the music, loses some balance, without any serious incident.
In the sky, three fighter jets fly over the ceremony with millimetric precision.
On the ground, the mechanical vehicles of the police follow one after the other. Cars, trucks, motorcycles, zodiacs, and other jet skis are all presented to the public. The firefighters follow, showcasing their famous fire engines. They are particularly applauded by the crowd.
To close the show, vintage vehicles from WWII make an appearance. Tanks, Jeeps, and automobiles follow, driven or occupied by actors in period costumes, very representative of the time. The French and American flags are lowered, reminiscent of past relations.
No one suspected the horror that would follow just a few hundred meters from there…
Thibault Bourru
