PARIS (AP) — France commemorated one of the darkest nights in its modern history on Thursday, marking ten years since the coordinated terrorist attacks that turned Paris into a scene of chaos, fear, and heartbreak.
On November 13, 2015, gunmen and suicide bombers launched simultaneous assaults across the French capital, killing 132 people and injuring hundreds more. The attacks struck at the heart of Parisian life — café terraces, the national stadium, and the Bataclan concert hall — leaving a city forever changed.
President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo led a series of solemn tributes at each attack site, beginning at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, where three suicide bombers attempted to breach the gates during a football match. Macron stood silently beside victims’ families as a minute of silence honored those who lost their lives.
From there, the commemorations continued across the 10th and 11th arrondissements — where cafés once filled with laughter became scenes of devastation. The final ceremony took place at the Bataclan, the most haunting site of the attacks, where 90 concertgoers were killed during a rock performance.
For many families, the date marks a painful divide — life before and after November 13. “The wounds remain open,” said Salim Toorabally, who stopped one of the attackers from entering the Stade de France that night. “I live with the memories every day.”
At Place de la République, the city’s symbol of freedom and unity, Parisians gathered to lay flowers and candles at the foot of the statue of Marianne, echoing the same gestures made in the aftermath of the attacks. Large screens broadcast the ceremonies for those unable to attend the official sites.
Parents brought children to participate in quiet acts of remembrance — lighting candles and placing messages of hope — reinforcing how the tragedy shaped an entire generation’s understanding of resilience and solidarity.
Mayor Hidalgo urged calm and reflection, asking citizens to give space to the families of victims. “Paris remembers not only its pain but its strength,” she said. “What was meant to divide us has instead united us.”
The night of November 13, 2015, reshaped France’s sense of security and identity. In the years since, the country has intensified counterterrorism efforts and strengthened surveillance, while fostering a spirit of civic unity in response to extremism.
As bells tolled across the city and candles flickered under the autumn sky, Paris stood in collective silence — mourning the lives lost and reaffirming the values the attackers sought to destroy.
A decade later, the memories endure — not as symbols of fear, but of defiance and shared humanity. Paris still bleeds, but it also stands, unbowed.