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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

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

From an important state visit to two public holidays and QR codes for Paris residents, here's what is happening in France this week.

Published: 5 May 2024 13:58 CEST
Updated: 6 May 2024 08:06 CEST
On the Agenda: What's happening in France this week

Monday

Xi Jinping visiting France – China’s President XI Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, will be in France from Monday to Tuesday for a state visit. French President Emmanuel Macron will welcome them in the Hautes-Pyrénées in southern France. The visit is a recognition of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and China.

30th Anniversary of Channel Tunnel – The Channel Tunnel was inaugurated by Queen Elizabeth II and France’s then president François Mitterand on May 6, 1994 – 30 years ago.

Wednesday

Bank holiday for VE Day – Most workers across France will get a day off for Victory in Europe day on May 8th. You can expect the day to involve military parades and remembrance events in towns and cities around France. This year will mark the 79th anniversary of the end of the war.

Olympic torch arrival – The Olympic torch, which already started its journey from Greece, will arrive in Marseille on May 8th before beginning its relay around France. You can see the route here.

Thursday

Bank holiday for Ascension – This year, the Christian festival of Ascension falls on Thursday, May 9th. This means workers in France will enjoy two back-to-back jours fériés (bank holidays).

Friday

QR code for Paris residents – People who live in the area closest to the Seine river in Paris will need to sign up for a QR code to access their homes and neighbourhoods during and shortly before the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games. If you plan to host guests, you will also need to register them for security purposes.

You can see the area that will be encompassed within the security zone HERE. As for signing up for the QR code, the website to sign up will be posted by the Paris Police Préfecture in the coming days, and it is set to open on Friday, May 10th.

READ MORE: Which areas will be closed in Paris during the Olympics?

Faire le point – With two public holidays in the middle of the week, many people in France will take advantage of the opportunity to ‘faire le pont’ (make the bridge) by taking off work on Friday.

MotoGP Grand Prix – Fans of motorcycle racing will undoubtedly be excited for the French MotoGP Grand Prix, which will run from Friday May 10th to Sunday May 12th at Le Mans, along the Bugatti circuit. You can find full information for the event here.

Saturday

Eurovision – Saturday marks the finals of the Eurovision song contest, but you can also watch France compete before that. The semi-finals are set for May 7th and May 9th (although France goes straight through to the finals every year as one of the ‘big five’ who fund the contest). France will be represented by the artist Slimane. 

READ MORE: 5 things to know about France’s 2024 Eurovision song

Sunday

Mother’s Day in the US – With UK Mother’s Day having passed and French Mother’s Day not until the end of the month, it is easy for Americans in France to forget that US Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday of May. Consider this a helpful reminder to make your reservations or send your letter, flowers or gifts ASAP.

Heavy traffic on French roads – Traffic watchdog Bison Futé predicts that return travel will be congested on Sunday, as holidaymakers head home after enjoying the May public holidays. Traffic is expected to be ‘black’ (extremely slow) in the north-west, while the rest of the country has been marked in red for (very slow). You can consult their predictions here.

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