Bastille Day: French Military Helps Honour Coronavirus Heroes

The French military has helped thank the country's heroes of the coronavirus pandemic on Bastille Day.

Medics in white coats replaced uniformed soldiers as the stars of the ceremony in Paris as the usual lavish military parade was recalibrated to honour health workers who died fighting COVID-19.

Supermarket cashiers, postal workers and other heroes of the pandemic were also honoured on what is the country's biggest national holiday.

The traditional military parade along the Champs Elysees was cancelled and replaced by a smaller military parade at Place de la Concorde that was closed to the public to prevent new virus infections. 

A military choir sang the Marseillaise national anthem, and troops unfurled an enormous French tricolour flag across the plaza.

Mirage and Rafale fighter jets painted the sky with blue-white-and-red smoke, and were joined by helicopters that had transported COVID-19 patients.

Medics strolled onto the plaza for the climax of the ceremony.

Around 2,000 special guests attended, including nurses, doctors, supermarket workers and others who had kept France going during its strict nationwide lockdown.

Families of medical workers who died with the virus also had a place in the stands.

Troops wore masks as they got into formation but took them off during the ceremony, before putting them on again when it was over.

During the event, medical workers unions' protested - largely peacefullly - in east Paris over equipment and staff shortages in public hospitals during the virus outbreak. 

The battle against the virus was the main focus of the official Bastille Day event, as French President Emmanuel Macron sought to highlight France’s successes in combating its worst crisis since the Second World War.

Mr Macron told military officials on Monday that the ceremony will be "the symbol of our resilience".

This year’s commemorations also paid homage to former president Charles de Gaulle, 80 years after the historic appeal he made to opponents of France’s Nazi occupiers which led to the French Resistance. 

The annual fireworks display over the Eiffel Tower in the evening will be largely restricted to television viewers only because of the pandemic.

More than 30,000 people in France have lost their lives to coronavirus.

Cover image: A military ceremony was held in the Place de la Concorde as the traditional parade down the Champs Elysees was cancelled (Picture: PA).