National Day of Yerres

The National Day in Yerres

Each year, the town of Yerres celebrates the National Day with a festive program that beautifully takes advantage of its exceptional natural setting. Located on the banks of the Yerres river, in a preserved green environment, this town in Essonne offers an enchanting backdrop for the July 14th festivities.

The Lantern Procession

The highlight of the evening begins with the lantern procession, a particularly moving republican tradition in Yerres. The procession starts from the Coubertin market at 10 PM, and participants are invited to join the procession with their own lanterns. This nocturnal torchlight procession, accompanied by music and patriotic songs, winds through the streets of the town to reach the riverbanks.

The lantern procession is a magical moment that brings together all generations: children wave their colorful lanterns, families walk together, and the flickering glow of the lanterns creates a fairy-tale atmosphere in the streets of Yerres. This tradition, dating back to the 19th century, recalls the illuminations that accompanied the great national festivals since the French Revolution.

Fireworks at the Maison Caillebotte Park

The climax of the evening takes place at the Maison Caillebotte park, an exceptional site overlooking the banks of the Yerres. At 11 PM, the grand fireworks display illuminates the sky of Yerres in a quality pyrotechnic show. The reflection of the luminous bursts in the river waters creates a doubly magical effect, reminiscent of the Impressionist paintings of Gustave Caillebotte, who painted these very banks of the Yerres with such poetry.

The choice of the Maison Caillebotte park is not accidental: this site, the painter's family property in the 19th century, is now a classified public space maintained by the town, which has transformed it into one of the most beautiful parks in Essonne. Celebrating July 14th here means uniting art history and national history in a moment of shared beauty.

Yerres and the Caillebotte Heritage

Yerres is a town of about 30,000 inhabitants, known far beyond its borders for its connection to the Impressionist painter Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894). He spent a large part of his childhood and youth in the family property on the banks of the Yerres, and painted many canvases there that are now exhibited in the world's greatest museums—including the famous *Rowing Boats on the Yerres* (1877).

The town has successfully leveraged this exceptional heritage by restoring the Caillebotte property and transforming it into a museum and park open to the public. Every summer, Yerres organizes *Impressions sur Seine*, a festival dedicated to Impressionist art. On July 14th, in this same park, residents celebrate the Republic as heirs to a cultural and artistic tradition that is the pride of the entire town.

The Banks of the Yerres, an Ideal Natural Setting

The Yerres river, a tributary of the Seine, flows through the town from east to west and offers a preserved and green natural setting. Its shaded banks, accessible riverbanks, and bucolic landscapes make the *banks of the Yerres* a highly appreciated place for walks and relaxation for the inhabitants. For the July 14th festivities, this natural setting provides an ideal backdrop, both poetic and festive, giving the republican celebrations their full magical dimension.