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.

Low on l’eau 

This week the French government wants us to spend less time in the shower – part of the water-saving campaign as temperatures rise and France faces another summer of drought. 

After a record-breaking drought last summer, an unusually dry winter means that 60 percent of the country’s water tables are below seasonal norms and already more than half the country is on some level of drought restriction.

But beyond this summer, the issue of water looks set to become a major battle in France – and not only France – as the planet continues to heat and drought conditions spread.

The violent clashes at Saint-Soline in western France – site of a project for huge underground ‘mega-basins’ for water collection – seems to be a foretaste of a conflict that is only going to get more intense. 

I’ve noticed more and more ‘méga-bassines, non merci‘ graffiti around Paris as the conflict comes to be seen as less of a local planning issue and more of a fundamental question for the future; how to balance the needs of farmers with the protection of the environment, and who should control the vital asset that is water? 

Martyr village

This week has seen France mark the anniversary of the massacre at the village of Oradour-sur-Glane in the south-west. On June 10th, 1944, 643 men, women and children who lived in the village were massacred by Nazi soldiers.

After the men were shot, the women and children were herded into the village church, which was set on fire – along with the rest of the village.

After the war, the government decided to leave the burned-out village as a permanent reminder of the horrors of war. These days it’s still preserved and is open to visitors, with an excellent visitor centre which put what happened into the wider context of World War II. I really cannot recommend it enough – unforgettable barely covers it. 

10 juin 1944, Oradour-sur-Glane. 643 villageois, hommes, femmes, enfants sont massacrés par les nazis. En 2013, Marcel Darthout, l'un des derniers rescapés du massacre, témoignait en tant que "passeur de mémoire". pic.twitter.com/4vq70pX5ZT

— France Culture (@franceculture) June 10, 2023

Decathlon dispute

This week’s episode of Talking France looks at the big news events – from the horrific attack at Annecy to the furious reaction to the destruction of prehistoric standing stones at Carnac in order to build a DIY store – as well as some more perennial questions, like why are the French so keen on philosophy. There’s also a mild dispute about Decathlon, and I must admit I don’t really understand my co-host’s love for the French sportswear chain. Maybe I’m missing something . . . Listen here or on the link below

Football

You might think it’s only a game, but footballer Kylian Mbappé’s decision to (maybe) leave Paris-Saint-Germain at some point in the future has dominated the front pages this week, and not only in the sports press.

Even Emmanuel Macron has given his view on this apparently vital topic and as you would expect, that led to a lot of memes and jokes. 

Emmanuel Macron Stays Up All Night Crunching The Numbers On Raising The Retirement Age To 73, To See If That Would Save Enough Money To Buy Kylian Mbappé Himself pic.twitter.com/56wzVLTDnJ

— Le Chou News (@LeChouNews) June 15, 2023

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.