Page "Bastille Day" Paragraph 4

The Bastille Day Military Parade opens with cadets from the École Polytechnique, Saint-Cyr, École Navale, and so forth, then other infantry troops, then motorized troops ; aircraft of the Patrouille de France aerobatics team fly above.

In recent times, it has become customary to invite units from France's allies to the parade ; in 2004 during the centenary of the Entente Cordiale, British troops ( the band of the Royal Marines, the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, Grenadier Guards and King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery ) led the Bastille Day parade in Paris for the first time, with the Red Arrows flying overhead.

In 2007 the German 26th Airborne Brigade led the march followed by British Royal Marines.