In pictures: France marks Bastille Day with spectacular parade Published duration 14 July 2018

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The annual Bastille Day parade - marking the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, an event that helped spark the French Revolution - has been taking place in Paris.

Here are some of the most striking images from the celebrations.

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The day's events saw France's Alpha Jets fly past the Arc de Triomphe...

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... and over the Louvre art museum. But the magnificent view was slightly marred by an apparent mix-up of colours representing the French flag.

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President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte were there.

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Mr Macron rode in a jeep alongside the French army chief of staff Gen François Lecointre and the French Republican Guard on the French capital's famous Champs-Elysées avenue.

Earlier this year, Mr Macron introduced a plan to bring back national service for all 16-year-olds as a way of promoting a sense of civic duty and national unity among French youth.

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Singaporean troops, seen here, and Japanese soldiers were also invited to take part in the parade.

Last year US troops participated, marking 100 years since US forces entered World War One, and President Donald Trump was the guest of honour.

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Gendarmes, firefighters and other units joined this year's parade.

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There were many different colourful uniforms on display - the Alpine Hunters marched in white.

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The wrong plume of smoke was not the only mishap - these two gendarmes on motorbikes collided as they traced patterns around the Place de la Concorde.

Mr Macron and the crowd applauded as they righted their bikes.

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