Arriving in France on Bastille Day...

[MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet]

We're off to France in a couple of weeks, ferrying into St Malo and driving down to the Vendee.

We're arriving on Bastille Day - our ferry company has expressly flagged this to us - but what does this mean in reality?

Are shops open? Will traffic be horrendous? Or will it all be quite entertaining?!

Everything will be shut basically. Like a Sunday but worse. Some boulangerie open in the morning. There's usually a lot of fireworks.

I'd have thought roads would be quieter. Some shops/supermarkets will be open in big towns or touristy places, maybe reduced hours. Will definitely be some great firework shows in the evening.
Bonnes vacances!
As a side note, I lived in France for 20+ years and absolutely no one there calls it Le Jour de la Bastille, it's just Le Quatorze Juillet.

Motorway traffic will be dense but not horrendous. It gets a lot worse during August.
It will be busiest in cities and towns. France have what are known as 'Black Saturdays', which is when the traffic is forecast to be dire. Bastille Day is not a Black Saturday!
Few French towns are quiet on this day: there are street fairs, bake-offs, bandstands and bands, speeches by mayors, dances for all ages, parades, and lots and lots of fireworks. Even the smallest villages have them.
Most shops will be open but they might close earlier than usual. Most motorway services will be open.

Thanks all!

@AncienChateau OK, will bring my earplugs!

@LadyKyliePonsonbyFarquhar and @Ricekrispie22 That's also very helpful. I will check with the gite owners about local facilities, but plan to grab/bring things with me in case....