Fireworks and the Crowd

There was little sign of the pushing and shoving of the crowd last night. Getting around in Lyon can often involve moving among crowds of jostling commuters, shoppers, and onlookers.

Last night we joined thousands of Lyonnais to watch the firework display marking la Fête Nationale de la France. This day is France’s national day and a public holiday.

It was on our walk home that we realised how calm, quiet, and easy it had been getting around.

We watched the fireworks from a good vantage point on one of Lyon’s many bridges. People covered the bridge. Many sitting in small groups on the road waiting for the event to begin.

When an ambulance needed to cross the bridge, the crowds parted quickly and with impressive coordination. As the vehicle passed, the small groups reformed and returned to sitting and waiting without fuss.

I managed to film the entire fireworks show and came away with gigabytes of video data. The footage is not ideal with a street light encroaching and the odd bump from others in the crowd moving the frame. The complete show is available in High Definition on YouTube.

After the fireworks we walked along the riverside and enjoyed the live music.