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LIVING IN FRANCE

The 8 signs that August has arrived in France

Summer holidays are popular the world over, of course, but France takes the tradition of les grandes vacances particularly seriously. Here's what to expect now that August has arrived.

The 8 signs that August has arrived in France
Children cool off in a fountain in Colmar, eastern France in August 2020 (Photo by Sebastien Bozon / AFP)

1. Cities are largely deserted

If you’re in a city, especially in Paris, prepare for it to feel strangely empty outside of the obvious tourist destinations.

This is because all sensible French people have packed up and gone to the beach or the countryside for a month. Next year, you will know to do the same.

READ ALSO 5 reasons to spend August in Paris (and 5 to stay away)

2. But beaches are packed

France has long been a nation of staycationers, and in August French people flee to the countryside or the beach. More recently, they’re heading to the western coast in Brittany.

Expect resorts to be packed and hotels, Airbnbs and campsites to be fully booked, especially as international tourism rebounds to pre-Covid levels.

3. Shops have cheery ‘back in September’ signs

Shop workers and owners take time off like everyone else and it’s very common for small independent businesses like boulangeries, pharmacies and florists to close up for a month.

Some will tell you when they expect to reopen, others just put up a cardboard sign saying fermé jusqu’à la rentrée – closed until September. 

4. Everyone you email is out of the office

Likewise office workers are also usually on holiday and a great many offices close altogether for three or four weeks.

Forget about out-of-office email replies suggesting an alternative contact or that the person will be checking their email sporadically – they will be on the beach and whatever you want can wait until they are back.

This also applies to any kind of government bureaucracy.

5. Brumisateurs are everywhere

Obviously the summer means that it is (usually) hot, and most municipalities in France have their own hot weather plans.

The summer of 2023 appears to be an exception, as much of northern and western France are expected to see cooler temperatures and storms. 

But in a typical year, you will see French cities prepping for the heat, with extra water fountains, dedicated cool rooms for the elderly or the delightful brumisateurs (misters) which spray out clouds of cool water vapour for you to walk through if you are getting overheated.

Likewise fountains are regarded as legitimate places to cool down on a hot day.

Cool off with a water mister. Photo by GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP

6. No Metro lines are running

Many city authorities take the opportunity of a quiet month to do vital repair or improvement works on their public transport networks and this is particularly pronounced in Paris where you can expect a significant number of the Metro lines to have some sort of temporary closure in August as work goes on (so yes, there is one group who work in August). 

READ MORE: Metro, tram and RER: The disruption on Paris transport this summer

7. Every road has a traffic warning

Bison futé, the nation’s traffic forecaster, gets good use of its red pen in August as most weekends there are red traffic warnings on dozens of roads as people head off on holiday or return from holiday.

The one to avoid at all costs is the weekend closest to the end of July and the beginning of August, when the juilletistes (July holidaymakers) return at the same time as the aoûtiens (August holidaymakers) set off.

The final weekend of August, when people head home in time for la rentrée (the return to school and work in September) is also best avoided.

8. Supermarkets are full of stationery

Looking ahead to la rentrée, supermarkets begin stocking up their stationery aisles so that parents can buy the 29 items of stationery that are apparently necessary for every child attending a French school.

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MONEY

‘Energy cheque’ to be sent out to households in France in April

France's voucher to help low-income households afford energy bills will begin to be sent out starting on April 2nd to the eligible households.

'Energy cheque' to be sent out to households in France in April

What is the ‘energy cheque’?

France’s chèques énergie scheme is to help households below a certain income level to pay their utility bills. The cheques can be used to pay electricity bills, gas bills or for heating fuel.

How much money are we talking about?

Depending on your income, the amount can be between €48 to €277 per year, according to the French government website Service-Public.

When and how does the money come?

All households concerned receive their cheque by post sometime after April 2nd, 2024, depending on their département (see the calendar 2024 HERE).

Who qualifies?

Eligibility is calculated based on income and the number of people per household. Whether you are entitled to an automatic payment is decided on your most recent tax returns. 

For this you need your Revenue fiscal de référence (RFR), this is your total taxable income and you can find your RFR on your annual tax declaration, according to Service-Public.fr.  

The RFR is then divided by the unité de consommation (UC) or energy consuming units, otherwise known as people living in the household.

One person equals 1 UC, the second 0.5 UC, the third 0.3 UC, and so on, which means the more people are in a household, the higher the income threshold for benefiting from the energy scheme gets (although the rise flattens out as more people are added, as the picture below shows).

The amount given also increases the more people there are in the household. One person living alone with an RFR below €5,600 will get €194, while two people with the same RFR get €240.

For 2024, the government’s chèque énergie website states that those who benefitted in 2023 will also be eligible in 2024.

If you are not sure whether you will benefit, you can use this government simulator to find out.

Beware of scams

As the cheque will be sent out to those who are eligible, you should not expect to receive any phone calls seeking out personal information, and especially not banking information.

If you need any assistance with the cheque, you can call the help number 08 05 20 48 05 or send a message using the online contact form. 

READ MORE: What to do if you have fallen victim to a scam in France

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