At which Paris square does the Bastille Day military parade traditionally finish?

The Bastille Day military parade traditionally finishes at Place de la Concorde in Paris. The procession moves west to east along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, beginning near Place Charles de Gaulle and the Arc de Triomphe before reaching the square.

Place de la Concorde provides a ceremonial setting for the parade’s conclusion. The French president, government officials, parliamentary figures, the mayor of Paris and foreign ambassadors traditionally gather there to receive the marching troops. The square’s broad layout also allows space for official displays and the final stages of the ceremony.

The route is often confused with the Bastille itself because the national holiday commemorates the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789. The parade does not finish at the modern Place de la Bastille, however. Its present route reflects the Champs-Élysées’ role as a major national ceremonial avenue. Before the First World War, the parade was held at Longchamp Racecourse; it shifted to the Champs-Élysées after the 1919 victory procession.