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INSIDE FRANCE

Inside France: Art, revolution, runners and the ‘city of light’

From art to revolution - and depictions of revolution in art - via a marathon with a difference, our weekly newsletter Inside France looks at what we have been talking about in France this week.

Published: 22 April 2023 15:03 CEST
Inside France: Art, revolution, runners and the 'city of light'
A visitor views French Romantic artist Eugene Delacroix's painting 'Liberty Leading the People', at the Louvre. Photo by THOMAS SAMSON / AFP

Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.

Are the French revolting?

Another French Revolution? In my opinion this is dramatically over-stating things (which doesn’t mean that it’s not being called for on the street), but I think it’s true that the pension protests have now become a bit more of an existential crisis for France.

How do its governing structures actually work? And should they be changed? The model of Fifth Republic – with its strong powers for the presidency at the expense of parliament – is increasingly being questioned and calls for a Sixth Republic are no longer only heard among the radical fringe.

Actually agreeing on what changes should take place, however – well that’s a whole other thing . . .

Spirit of liberty

One things about French revolutions – and of course there have been several, it’s not all about 1789 – is that romantic and artistic depictions of them are truly baked into the national life (check out Marianne on the top of every single official communication).

Just one of many examples is this amazing sculpture of Alphonse Baudin – an MP killed on the barricades in 1851 protesting against the coup d’état of Napoleon III – depicted in the moment that he expires, symbolically clutching ‘the law’ in one hand.

It’s in the Petit Palais in Paris, which incidentally is hosting a great exhibition dedicated to actress Sarah Bernhardt right now.

Podcast

We’re talking about the ‘revolutionary spirit’ in this week’s Talking France, as well as how living in France changes you. Listen here or on the link below.

We’re also talking about French ‘chanson’ music, and I had fun putting together this playlist that gives a taste of this quintessentially French artform. 

Let it shine

And if you want to run a marathon that’s a bit different – check out the Paris Marathon Pour Tous. Part of the 2024 Olympics, the marathon will be run over the same course as the Olympic event, but at night. The theme is ‘light up the City of Lights’.

You might find me by the side of the route enjoying the atmosphere with a glass of rosé in hand.

Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.

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INSIDE FRANCE

Inside France: French political discourse, tax loopholes and sharks in the Seine

From political sharks to sharks in the Seine, via tax loopholes (which really aren't loopholes) and European elections, our weekly newsletter Inside France looks at what we have been talking about in France this week.

Published: 1 June 2024 08:17 CEST
Inside France: French political discourse, tax loopholes and sharks in the Seine

Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.

Dumbing down?

I started a new French course this week (my battle with the subjunctive continues) and in the section on honing your debating skills I was amused to note that the textbook described debate as the “veritable sport national en France“.

It’s certainly true that political debates in France are of a higher calibre than in many other countries – in the run-up to elections it’s not uncommon for primetime TV to show a two-hour debate between candidates, and during these debates the politicians are really expected to be across the details of a wide variety of policy areas and to display impressive debating skills.

But do these actually make any difference to voters? Last week’s debate between prime minister Gabriel Attal and far-right party candidate Jordan Bardella was widely agreed by independent observers to have been ‘won’ by Attal who succeeded in exposing some of the gaping holes and contradictions in Bardella’s party policy.

However several viewer polls reported that Bardella made a better impression and came over as more sympathetic to voters despite – or perhaps because – of his stumbles, mistakes and evasions. Attal may have won the debate, but does that matter if voters think he is an unsympathetic clever-dick Parisian (I’m paraphrasing, but only slightly)?

I hope this doesn’t herald the dumbing down of politics in the ways seen in the UK and the US where people with genuine expertise are dismissed in favour of those with ‘good vibes’. One of the things that has always impressed me about French politicians of all stripes is that they are intelligent people usually having real discussions about real issues.

It would be a shame if the French became – in the perhaps slightly inflammatory words of Attal himself – like “the British, who cried after Brexit”.

Talking France

We’re talking more about the European elections in this week’s Talking France podcast, plus the changes to addresses in rural France, new wildfire regulations for property owners and the mysterious ‘Paris Syndrome’ that afflicts some visitors and new arrivals to the city. Listen here or on the link below.

In-Seine ideas

I couldn’t agree more with British actor and writer Simon Pegg’s comment on the tremendous missed opportunity for a film named ‘Shark de Triomphe’.

The Netflix flick (Sous la Seine in French) is due out this summer – and I note from the trailer that it features swimming competitions in the Seine.

So at least the filmmakers are optimistic about the City of Paris’ plans to make the Seine clean enough for swimming (currently on track for the Olympics) – even if they then suggest that swimmers will have bigger creatures to worry about than e-Coli bacteria.

To clarify – there are no sharks in the Seine. Although there is a rumour that a crocodile lives in the Canal Ourcq in northern Paris. 

Tax troubles

We’re fully into the swing of tax season now and as usual The Local is getting lots of queries from readers who are struggling with the rather complicated forms – you can find our Tax Guides here.

READ ALSO The bumper 2024 French tax guide

One thing I have noticed is that among the people who are truly having major problems with the system, almost all of them have set up complicated arrangements (often on the advice of accountants) to try and minimise their tax bill – for example setting up a limited company to own a holiday home or paying themselves as CEO of a nominal company.

While these things are not illegal they almost always create extra complications with your tax affairs – especially if you declare yourself as a business as that takes you out of the system for individuals (designed so that you can do your own tax declaration) and into the considerably more complicated world of business taxation and reporting.

There really are very few genuine loopholes in the French tax system and while some workarounds may save you some cash on your tax bill, setting up a complicated system virtually guarantees that you will need to pay an accountant to do your taxes every year (which might even negate the savings on your tax bill).

Reeling

And if you like your news in a more visual format, check out the reels that my colleague Genevieve has been making for The Local France’s Instagram account – and have your say of her latest poll of overrated French tourist attractions.

Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.

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