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WHAT CHANGES IN FRANCE

On the Agenda: What’s happening in France this week

From the French pancake festival to school holidays and another mass strike, here's what is happening in France this week.

Published: 30 January 2023 08:43 CET
On the Agenda: What's happening in France this week
Photo by FRED TANNEAU / AFP

Monday 

Anti-discrimination plan – Prime minister Elisabeth Borne will present the government plan to combat racism, anti-semitism and discrimination based on origins.

Tuesday

Strikes and demos – January 31st is the second ‘mass strike’ day in the ongoing battle between unions and the government over pension reform. Expect severe disruption on public transport, school closures and possible power cuts. The day will also be marked by demos in towns and cities across France – the last one saw 1 million people take to the streets, and unions are hoping for a similar turnout.

Pension strikes: What to expect on January 31st

Some unions have announced their intention to continue with industrial action into February, so keep an eye on the latest updates HERE. 

Wednesday

Immigration bill – the immigration bill – which includes, among other things a requirement for foreigners to take a language test in order to obtain certain types of carte de séjour – is presented to the Council of Minister, before it comes before parliament.

Language tests and easier expulsion – what’s in France’s new immigration bill?

Electricity bills rise – from Wednesday, domestic electricity bills can rise by a maximum of 15 percent after the 2022 price shield expires.

READ ALSO What changes in France in February

Thursday 

Pancake day – the French festival of La Chandeleur is a celebration of the crêpe. It’s not a public holiday, just a chance to eat lots of yummy pancakes and indulge in some of the stranger pancake-based rituals (crêpe on the wardrobe, anyone?) which are said to bring good luck for the year ahead.

La chandeleur: The day France goes crazy for crêpes

Saturday

School holidays – schools in zone A begin the two-week February holiday on Saturday. The February holidays have different dates in different zones, with one B beginning holidays on February 11th and zone C on February 18th.

Reader question: Is there any logic to France’s school holiday zones?

Sunday

Rugby – France take on Italy in Rome in the opening weekend of the 6 Nations rugby tournament, with the French team hoping to repeat last year’s result, which saw them win the tournament.

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WHAT CHANGES IN FRANCE

What changes in France in August 2024

From a public holiday to the €49 rail pass plus the Olympic and Paralympic Games and - maybe - a new government, here's what changes in France in August 2024.

Published: 24 July 2024 16:55 CEST
What changes in France in August 2024

Savings accounts

The French government will decrease the interest rate on the Livret d’Epargne Populaire savings account, which is available to lower income households (on a means-tested basis) from five percent to four percent starting on August 1st.

No increase in electricity prices

Despite previous plans to increase electricity tariffs on August 1st, the French government announced that this would no longer take place. As a result, French consumers will avoid a one percent rise in their electricity bills.

Rail Pass for young people

France launched its €49-a-month rail pass – modelled on Germany’s successful €49 ticket – for people aged 16-27 to be able to benefit from unlimited travel on TER and Intercités trains. It will be available until the end of August.

READ MORE: How France’s €49 summer rail pass works

New government? 

France is currently governed by a caretaker government, following the results of the snap parliamentary elections in which no party or group emerged with a majority. Coalition talks are ongoing, but French President Emmanuel Macron has said that he won’t appoint a new government until the Olympics have ended. As such, it is unlikely that France will have a new prime minister before – at the earliest – mid-August. You can keep up to date with the never-ending twists and turns of French politics HERE.

READ MORE: Who runs France if there is no government?

Olympic and Paralympic Games

The Olympic Games continue until August 11th, and then there will be a short break before the Paralympics begin on August 28th. They will run until September 8th.

The large security zone along the River Seine for which QR codes are required ends on July 27th, but some smaller security zones will remain in place around Games venues, while some disruption and closures remain in place on public – learn how to check for disruption in the Paris area.

For all practical information about the Olympic and Paralympic Games, head to our ‘Olympics guide section’.

Public holiday

The Christian festival of Assumption, on August 15th, is a public holiday in France. This year it falls on a Thursday, giving workers the option to faire le pont (do the bridge) to create a nice four day weekend by taking off Friday.

Women’s Tour de France

From August 12th to 18th, cyclists will compete in the women’s Tour de France. It will start in Rotterdam in the Netherlands and it will involve eight stages, with the finish line at Alpe d’Huez in France.

Summer festivals

From the Rock en Seine festival on the outskirts of Paris (August 21-25), featuring huge stars like Lana Del Ray, Maneskin and Massive Attack, to the Nice jazz festival (August 20-23) and a festival all about lavender in Dignes les Bains, in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (August 4-8), there are plenty of fun activities to enjoy across France this August.

READ MORE: 26 unmissable summer 2024 festivals and events in France

Back to school allowance 

More than 3 million French families will receive the government back-to-school allowance, ARS (Allocation rentrée scolaire), which was set up to help low-income families pay for their children’s education.

For the 2024/25 school year, the amounts have increased slightly from last year, and they are expected to be paid out to eligible families in mainland France on August 20th.

The amount this year will be:

  • €416.40 per child aged 6 to 10
  • €439.38 per child aged 11 to 14
  • €454.60 per child aged 15 to 18

READ MORE: The 8 signs that August has arrived in France

Last moments of the school holidays

Kids go back to school for a new school year on Monday, September 2nd, although teachers in some schools have a planning day on Friday, August 30th.

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