Saturday, July 14. Bastille Day.

Today is Bastille Day, the day celebrating the 1789 people's storming of the Bastille, a fortified state prison where many were imprisoned for speaking out against the French monarchy. Over 200 people died that day. It marks a turning point for the French revolution -- the end of the monarchy and the beginning of the French republic. In the following decade, both Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were killed.

We will join in the celebrations later today. We'll start our evening by going to the Chateau Vaux le Vicomte for a late night candle-lit evening and fireworks. The festivities will begin at 11:00 p.m. This should be interesting to see how many of us older folks can stay awake.

But this morning we'll head out to the studio, maybe take a nap after lunch (that should help), then around 5:00 we will go to Moret sur Loing to paint where Alfred Sisley painted, and where we will too. Then on to the Chateau Vaux Vicomte. I'll post pictures later.

Happy Bastille Day! Vive la France!