Inside France: Pensions, Paris flooding and love in the presidential palace
From pension strikes to the president's love life, via the history of complaining in Paris and the 'French bastards', our weekly newsletter Inside France looks at what we have been talking about in France this week.
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.
Aux barricades !
After three years of pandemic and general strangeness there is something comforting about coming back to familiar scenes and topics - and in France this of course means strikes.
Unions have promised the 'mother of all battles' as they unite to oppose Emmanuel Macron's planned pension reform. The first strike day has been called for January 19th but I highly doubt it will be the last - the notoriously militant CGT oil refinery workers are already talking about blockades on petrol depots.
My weekend plan is buy a new pair of trainers in the winter sales - I foresee not many Metro journeys and a lot of walking in my immediate future, since I don't anticipate Macron or his government backing down on this issue.
Talking France
After a Christmas break the Talking France podcast is back and we are of course talking pension strikes, as well as the threat of violence from far-right extremists, Emmanuel Macron's love life, property taxes in south-west France, the future of the French ski industry and how to save money on train tickets.
And if you want to learn more about Macron's love love - check out this really interesting interview that he gave to a group of journalists with autistic spectrum disorders. It's a fascinating insight into both the work of specialist magazine Papotin (entirely staffed by people with ASD) and the president.
Thread of the week
If you have a spare couple of minutes I highly recommend giving this thread - about Haussmann's remodelling of Paris - a read. It's all fascinating but particularly interesting to me is how many people hated it at the time and accused him of destroying the historic charm of central Paris.
In the 19th century Paris was torn down and totally rebuilt according to the urban plan of just two men.
It might be considered one of the world's most beautiful cities now, but people at the time hated this new version of Paris... pic.twitter.com/OFeV7PYzr0
— The Cultural Tutor (@culturaltutor) January 12, 2023
Still on a Paris theme, check out this amazing film from the great flood of 1910, when the Seine rose eight metres above its normal level and flooded huge parts of the city.
Des images vraiment rares et exceptionnelles de #Paris en janvier... 1910. Incroyable.https://t.co/lEYcJwOCj4 pic.twitter.com/oQJTEtKjXz
— (Re)découvrez PARIS, le compte 100% PARIS 🇫🇷 (@parisvisites) January 9, 2023
Franglais
Yes, I am a fool, but I've only just realised that the French chain Izipizi is supposed to sound like 'easy-peasy' not 'izzy-pizzy' - part of an ever-increasing trend of French businesses choosing English or 'franglais' names. Although my favourite is still the 'rock'n'roll boulangerie' of Oberkampf named The French Bastards . . .
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 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.
Aux barricades !
After three years of pandemic and general strangeness there is something comforting about coming back to familiar scenes and topics - and in France this of course means strikes.
Unions have promised the 'mother of all battles' as they unite to oppose Emmanuel Macron's planned pension reform. The first strike day has been called for January 19th but I highly doubt it will be the last - the notoriously militant CGT oil refinery workers are already talking about blockades on petrol depots.
My weekend plan is buy a new pair of trainers in the winter sales - I foresee not many Metro journeys and a lot of walking in my immediate future, since I don't anticipate Macron or his government backing down on this issue.
Talking France
After a Christmas break the Talking France podcast is back and we are of course talking pension strikes, as well as the threat of violence from far-right extremists, Emmanuel Macron's love life, property taxes in south-west France, the future of the French ski industry and how to save money on train tickets.
And if you want to learn more about Macron's love love - check out this really interesting interview that he gave to a group of journalists with autistic spectrum disorders. It's a fascinating insight into both the work of specialist magazine Papotin (entirely staffed by people with ASD) and the president.
Thread of the week
If you have a spare couple of minutes I highly recommend giving this thread - about Haussmann's remodelling of Paris - a read. It's all fascinating but particularly interesting to me is how many people hated it at the time and accused him of destroying the historic charm of central Paris.
In the 19th century Paris was torn down and totally rebuilt according to the urban plan of just two men.
— The Cultural Tutor (@culturaltutor) January 12, 2023
It might be considered one of the world's most beautiful cities now, but people at the time hated this new version of Paris... pic.twitter.com/OFeV7PYzr0
Still on a Paris theme, check out this amazing film from the great flood of 1910, when the Seine rose eight metres above its normal level and flooded huge parts of the city.
Des images vraiment rares et exceptionnelles de #Paris en janvier... 1910. Incroyable.https://t.co/lEYcJwOCj4 pic.twitter.com/oQJTEtKjXz
— (Re)découvrez PARIS, le compte 100% PARIS 🇫🇷 (@parisvisites) January 9, 2023
Franglais
Yes, I am a fool, but I've only just realised that the French chain Izipizi is supposed to sound like 'easy-peasy' not 'izzy-pizzy' - part of an ever-increasing trend of French businesses choosing English or 'franglais' names. Although my favourite is still the 'rock'n'roll boulangerie' of Oberkampf named The French Bastards . . .
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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