14th of July Personal Fly By

Each year on Bastille Day France glories in its airborne military might by doing a fly-by directly over our house!  Then they turn round at the Champs Elysee and come back again.

French flag in smoke

I am the only one in our neighbourhood whose cries of excitement ring out in the street as I hang out of the highest window, yes I, an English woman.







The fast formation flying is so thrilling, the throaty whir of planes from the past, the sky rocking helicopters, each one proud to play its part.

The swifts and the magpies and the jays also get excited, their airwaves are disturbed.   They do not know whether to defend their young, chase off the planes or join in the fun;  shrieking to their friends they hurtle off after the great flying formations.

Birds and helicopters

Red smoke finale over La Defense