Hungarian hussars will march alongside French troops during the Bastille Day parade in Paris on Tuesday, 14 July, highlighting a centuries-old military connection between Hungary and France. The appearance will form part of France’s traditional national day celebrations on the Champs-Élysées.

The French Embassy in Budapest announced the Hungarian participation ahead of the ceremony, describing the event as an opportunity to recall the shared French-Hungarian hussar tradition. 

Hungarian hussars at the 2026 Bastille Day parade

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10 am on Tuesday. French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to attend the military review before the troops, vehicles and mounted units proceed along the Champs-Élysées between the Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde. 

More than 7,000 people are expected to participate in this year’s parade, accompanied by more than 100 aircraft and helicopters and approximately 200 horses from the Republican Guard. The programme includes an aerial display, troops marching on foot, military vehicles, internal security forces and mounted units. 

According to the French Army, representatives from more than 30 foreign countries will be present. The 2026 event has been designed around the theme of Europe’s “strategic awakening”, placing particular emphasis on cooperation between France and its European partners. 

Against this modern security backdrop, the presence of Hungarian hussars introduces a historical dimension to the Bastille Day parade. Hungary played an important role in shaping the French hussar tradition, and several French military formations continue to preserve Hungarian names, symbols and customs.

How Hungarian hussars influenced the French army

One of the most important figures in this shared history was László Bercsényi, known in France as Ladislas Ignace de Bercheny. A Hungarian nobleman and soldier living in exile, Bercsényi established a hussar regiment in Constantinople in 1720 and placed it at the service of King Louis XV.

The unit’s successor is the French Army’s 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment, or 1er Régiment de Hussards Parachutistes. Based in Tarbes in south-western France, the regiment continues to use the name Bercheny and preserves the traditions of the light cavalry formation created more than three centuries ago. 

Another prominent Hungarian name survives in the 3rd Hussar Regiment. The formation was founded in 1764 by Count Valentin Ladislas Esterházy and is still known by its historic title, Esterhazy Houzards. Today, it is an armoured reconnaissance unit serving within the Franco-German Brigade. 

These units demonstrate how Hungarian cavalry tactics and military culture became integrated into the French armed forces. Hussars were traditionally highly mobile light cavalry soldiers used for reconnaissance, raids and rapid attacks. Their distinctive uniforms and reputation for bold manoeuvres were subsequently adopted by armies across Europe.

The historic link is also maintained through modern military cooperation. Hungarian and French units connected to the Bercsényi tradition have held joint commemorations, official visits and professional exchanges, including anniversary events organised by the French regiment in Tarbes. 

More about hussars: PHOTOS: Buried documents of Hungarian hussars discovered in Austria after 80 years

Why France celebrates on 14 July

France has celebrated 14 July as its national day since 1880. The date is commonly associated with the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, one of the defining events of the French Revolution, as well as the Fête de la Fédération held exactly one year later as a celebration of national unity.

The military parade has become the central daytime event of the holiday. The Champs-Élysées has again served as its traditional venue since 1980, although the procession was temporarily relocated in 2024 because of preparations for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

For Hungarian observers, this year’s Bastille Day parade will offer more than the familiar spectacle of aircraft, uniforms and ceremonial cavalry. The joint appearance of Hungarian hussars and French soldiers will serve as a reminder that the military histories of the two countries have been connected for more than 300 years.

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