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

From the end of the summer sales period to income tax reimbursements and the start of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, here's what is happening in France this week.

Published: 21 July 2024 09:16 CEST

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

Australia team members look at the map of the athletes' village for the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics game, in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on July 18, 2024, ahead of the opening ceremony. (Photo by GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP)

Monday

Olympic torch in Paris suburbs – The Olympic torch relay will pass through the suburbs of Paris in the days leading up to the start of the Games. On Monday, it will go through the Essonne département.

READ MORE: Where to see the Olympic torch in the Paris region this week

Tuesday

End of the soldes – The government-mandated four-week summer sales period ends on Tuesday, July 23rd.

Wednesday

Income tax reimbursements – For those who are entitled to a French tax refund, they will be paid via bank transfer either on Wednesday, July 24th or the following week on Wednesday, July 31st, according to French tax authorities.

Friday

Olympic Games opening ceremony – The opening ceremony will take place on Friday, starting at 7.30pm, marking the official beginning of the Paris Games. You can find all the latest Olympic news HERE, and if you intend to be in Paris for the Games (whether as a resident or a visitor) you can find all the practical information on things like security zones, public transport changes and Games venues HERE.

READ MORE: Where to watch the Paris Olympics opening ceremony

Saturday

Gradual loosening of security zones – After the opening ceremony, parts of central Paris that were previously only accessible to pedestrians with a QR code will begin to open up again. You can keep track of Olympics-related disruption, as well as the parts of the city with heightened security HERE.

READ MORE: Explained: How Paris QR codes work during the Olympics

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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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