France holds scaled-down Bastille Day parade

On Tuesday, France held a scaled-down annual Bastille Day celebration in a concession to the coronavirus epidemic still stalking Europe. None of the usual tanks and troops were parading down Paris’s Champs Elysees avenue.

President Emmanuel Macron reviewed the ranks of socially-distanced troops in the Place de la Concorde square after a flyover by military aircraft.

It is the first time since 1980 that the annual parade has not been held on the Champs Elysees, Reuters said.

The fireworks will go ahead this year, but the park areas around the Eiffel Tower will be closed to the public.