FOR this year's celebration of Bastille Day in Hongkong, the Consul General of France, Laurent Aublain, will host a traditional French-style cocktail party for the French community at the Lycee Francais.
At the end of his speech, the first verses of Rouget de Lisle's Marseillaise, will be sung to emphasise the patriotic fervour of July 14.
Mr Aublain said the cocktail party would be the highlight of French National Day. However, French comrades would gather throughout the day, for luncheons such as one organised at Au Trou Normand by the Union des Francais a l'Etranger.
So, how will their celebration differ from the French festivities back home? ''Although there are some basic French traditions that the entire country takes part in, celebrations vary according to the region,'' said Philippe Buchel, a member of the French Business Association.
Frederic Grisier, director of Samco, recalled a typical National Day celebration of his childhood.
''Every year, all the children of our village paraded in costumes in the torchlight procession,'' he said.