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LIVING IN FRANCE

Crit’Air stickers, road signs, and rentrée rules: 6 essential articles for life in France

France’s environmental Crit’Air stickers explained, a new road sign to watch out for, avoiding roaming charges in France, health insurance advice and how to find a really good French restaurant.

Published: 13 August 2023 08:34 CEST
Crit’Air stickers, road signs, and rentrée rules: 6 essential articles for life in France
School's nearly not out for summer... (Photo by JEFF PACHOUD / AFP)

One national UK newspaper reported this week on France’s “Crut’Air” (sic) stickers, warning innocent British motorists that they were ‘an easy target’ for £155 fines (wait till they hear about France’s flight tax plan to pay for the railways).

In this article from the archives, we explain how the Crit’Air (as it is actually named) sticker system works, and how to avoid a fine by going through the simple process of getting one.

Crit’Air: How France’s vehicle emissions stickers work

But there is a new road sign in France that motorists will need to get used to – and ignoring it could land you a fine you could really do without. Readers, we give you the car pool lane sign…

The new French road sign that can net you a €135 fine

More money-saving tips… If you’re visiting France from outside the EU you risk running up a huge phone bill in roaming charges – but there are ways to keep your internet access while avoiding being hit by extra charges.

How to avoid huge ‘roaming’ phone bills while visiting France

France has a problem with food. Its reputation as a global gastronomic giant raises expectations. And if those expectations aren’t met, disappointment follows. Often public ‘French food is overrated’ disappointment.

The problem is that a lot of people visiting France aren’t doing French restaurants right…

8 tips for finding a good restaurant in France

Anyone living in France knows about the importance of getting a carte vitale to access healthcare. Once you have one, you may want to look into getting a complementary healthcare plan, or a Mutuelle. Here is what you need to know about top-up insurance in France.

Health insurance in France: What you need to know about a mutuelle

And finally, as experienced parents of school-age children look longingly at the beginning of September and the blessed release of the rentrée scolaire, those preparing for it for the first time may feel a little nervous about what – officially and unofficially – happens at the school gates and beyond. Don’t worry, we’ve been there. We’ve got your back.

What you need to know if your child is starting school in France

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LIVING IN FRANCE

5 tips to have the best possible night at France’s Fête de la musique

It can be the most fun day of the year - when France goes music crazy and bands suddenly appear on every street corner - but there are some tips to make your Fête de la musique experience as good as it can possibly be.

Published: 24 June 2024 11:26 CEST
5 tips to have the best possible night at France's Fête de la musique

First, a caveat – this is an entirely personal manifesto based on the things that I have enjoyed over my Fête de la Musique outings over the years. It’s not intended as any kind of hard-and-fast rule and plenty of people will have different experiences.

Feel free to disagree and/or share your festival tips in the comments section below!

1 Ignore the big-name artists

There are always a few big-name artists or concerts in major venues on the Fête de la musique (which happens every year on June 21st).

Ignore them. Sure, stadiums gigs can be great and huge venues can have a wonderful atmosphere – but you can do that any night of the year. It’s not what Fête de la musique is about.

The true spirit of the Fête is the smaller acts who play on street corners, in bars and community venues. They’re free, you can wander between them and stay as long as you like – and there is always something else around the corner.

2 Ignore the big towns

You might think that the big cities have the best music, but if you have the choice, go for a small town or a suburb.

I’ve enjoyed some good Fêtes in Paris, but the best experiences had have been smaller towns or the Paris’ suburbs (Montreuil is good – a commune that carefully cultivates a small-town / village vibe, albeit a very diverse small town where everyone is a hippy, a leftist, or both).

It’s partly a practicality thing – in big cities the acts are spread out and you have to make plans to see something and meet up with friends. In small towns, you just wander along to the main square, then when you’ve seen the acts there, you can saunter up the side streets, each of which will have dozens of bands playing, pausing only to grab a beer and snacks.

But it’s also the vibe; in big cities you can hear good live music all the time and the population is consequently complacent – small towns truly appreciate the Fête de la musique and properly go wild.

Once, in Paris, I was watching a blues band play in the street when a woman tipped water on their heads from her apartment window because she was tired and wanted to go to sleep. Small towns appreciate it when bands play for them.

3 Experiment

There’s a lot of variety on the night, so take advantage – this is your opportunity to hear all kinds of live music from rock to swing, jazz to classical, choirs to DJs.

Didn’t think that a five-piece oud band is your thing? Fête de la musique may change your mind. It’s the night of the year when anything goes, musically, so it’s also the night to try something new.

If you hate it – well it’s free and there’s another band down the street that might be more your thing. But you might discover a lifetime passion for oud music – in fact, by this time next year you might be playing in the oud band. Thanks to the Fête de la musique.

4 Don’t insist on quality

You’ll hear some great bands, but you’ll also hear some that are more about enthusiasm – and that’s all part of the fun.

You’re going to be hearing everything from classic rock to reggae to blues to the above-mentioned five-piece oud band, and as well as the styles the quality may be variable to.

For me, the true spirit of Fête de la musique is the 50-year-old accountant rocking out on his guitar and enjoying the one night of the year when he can dream that if only he hadn’t given up on his high school band, he could now be rich, famous and selling out stadiums, as opposed to filing tax declarations in an office above the florist.

5 Dress comfortably

Some people like to dress up for the Fête and that’s great – it’s a party after all – but the key thing is to wear something that is comfortable and allows you to shake your stuff.

Yes, you will be dancing – you’ll be dancing on street corners, in parks, cafés and perhaps on street furniture if things really get going, and you’ll be dancing with kids, dapper 70-year-old gents and everyone in between.

You need comfortable shoes and clothes that you can really move in.

Dance like no-one is watching. They may be watching, but they won’t be judging. Much. It’s Fête de la musique.

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