The series of commemorative events began in the morning with the traditional tribute by the head of State to General Charles de Gaulle at a statue erected in his name on the side of the iconic Champs-Elysees avenue, where the national anthem, La Marseillaise, resounded.

Accompanied by the Republican Guard, the president proceeded up the avenue toward the Arc de Triomphe, where he laid a wreath and rekindled the flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, after reviewing the troops participating in the ceremony.

Along with La Marseillaise, songs of the partisans who fought the Nazis in occupied France were heard.

One of the most anticipated moments of the tribute was the flyover by the air patrol, its trail of the national colors—blue, white, and red.

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