 Because of the strict rules prohibiting jet aircraft (and in  particular, fighter jets) from flying over Paris airspace, director  Gérard Pirès got permission to shoot the films climactic final  sequences over Paris on only a single day, Bastille Day (July 14th),  with an additional rehearsal day on July 12th. Because of bad  weather, the July 12th rehearsal had to be canceled, thus forcing  the crew to rehearse and film everything over a critical few hours  on the 14th. Although all of the most important shots were achieved  on the 14th, a small propeller plane was brought in for some  additional footage of the ground later on, and the film was sped up  by 4 times to match that shot by the Mirage 2000 camera perfectly.  In addition, all of the footage shot from the ground of the planes  during the final sequences was filmed on Bastille Day, the only time  in the entire year that the French government proudly displays its  military forces in the capital. The military parade shown in the  film is the largest in France held on Bastille Day, and it is held  on the Avenue Champs