Passage to the year 2020 in music on the Arc de Triomphe

For the 6th consecutive year, Paris is celebrating the New Year in style with a sound and light show on the Arc de Triomphe.

Each year, all the cities of the world offer a pyrotechnic spectacle for the passage from one year to another but the French capital is distinguished by a sound and light realization before the fireworks on the Champs Elysées.

This year, despite the temperature and the difficulties associated with transport, a crowd of Parisians and tourists had gathered on the most beautiful avenue in the world to enjoy this unmissable show made from image projections. We counted nearly 400,000 people who came on foot, by bicycle, by scooter or by taxi to admire the spectacle. In order to avoid any overflow, a police device filtering with searches had been installed at the entrance to the perimeter of the Champs Elysées until 3 am and any demonstration of « Yellow Vests » prohibited. Around 100,000 police and gendarmes, 5,000 soldiers and nearly 40,000 firefighters but also civil security personnel ”had been deployed (see Ministry of the Interior).

Each year, the theme of the event changes, that chosen for the transition to 2020 was « Paris, capital of music » and had the support of the house « Dior ». Since September, more than 350 people have worked on the development of the show, according to the stage manager, Damien Masset. From 9 p.m., the atmosphere was launched by 2 DJs: Mr Bonus and Miss Caro, residents of Rosa Bonheur. From 11 p.m., a musical pre-show then 40 minutes later, the pyrotechnic sound and light show on the Arc de Triomphe dominating the flamboyant avenue des Champs Elysées adorned with its rubies for the occasion.

About The Author

VERONIQUE YANG

See author's posts