La Belle Vie: French phrases to use during a heatwave and escaping to the north-west
As France battles another intense summer heatwave, I've taken some precautions against the hot weather. The shutters are closed, the fan is on, and my water bottle is full.
Despite my best efforts, as I write this edition of
La Belle Vie
, I am still covered in sweat. I take some consolation in the many accurate (and graphic) French phrases at my disposal to complain about the sticky weather.
One such expression is
avoir des rillettes sous les bras
, which more or less translates as having chunks of paté or meat paste in your armpits. Nice, clear mental image.
'Paté in the armpits' – 10 ways to say you're sweating in French
Heatwaves are becoming more common - and intense - in France, but two heatwaves still stand out in France's collective memory.
The 2003 heatwave lasted over two weeks and claimed the lives of some 15,000 people, while the 2019 heatwave brought record-breaking temperatures, including France's highest ever temperature of 46C in Verargues (in Hérault).
France is currently battling what is likely another historic heatwave, with several of the local heat records established in 2003 and 2019 broken in the past couple of days.
MAP: Which French towns beat their heat records this August?
Heatwaves are a time when I notice the ways Paris and parts of northern France just were not built with high temperatures in mind, such as Paris's zinc rooftops.
I understand the hesitancy to bring in air conditioning, but I am often surprised by the lack of easier, minor changes, like screens on windows to keep bugs out during the night. Ceiling fans would also help to circulate the air, but they're rare in the north.
That said, the French do have some innovative responses to dealing with the heat. I read recently that the RATP has been
testing 'cool jackets'
(
vestes rafraîchissantes
) for Paris Metro drivers.
7 ways to keep your French home cool without air conditioning
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An alternative solution is moving to Brittany or Normandy. These parts of France are historically cooler and rainier, and these days manage to evade some of the worst temperatures during French heatwaves.
I should warn that these regions are not immune to other issues, such as flooding and sea level rise.
But as people reckon with the future of the climate crisis, Brittany and Normandy are becoming more attractive places to buy property, and I can see why.
All you need to know about buying a second home in Brittany or Normandy
Even though it's beginning to feel like every August comes with a heatwave, there is still one thing I love about this month in France: the unapologetic
'vacances'
note on shop doors.
From your local butcher to the nail salon and your favourite café around the corner, no one hesitates to leave a note informing customers they will be closed for two to three weeks of the month.
For those of us with computer-oriented jobs, this shows up in the ubiquitous August bounce-back email informing the recipient that the sender is off on a beach somewhere with their alerts switched off.
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That said, it is a bit of an overstatement to claim that France completely shuts down in August, especially given the importance of the month for the tourism industry.
Factcheck: Do French people really take off the entire month of August?
And finally, August does come with one bank holiday - Assumption, or August 15th. This year, we are lucky enough for it to fall on a Friday, giving workers a built-in three-day weekend.
Assumption is one of a handful of Catholic holidays that remains an important fixture in the calendar of secular France.
Reader question: Why does secular France have so many Catholic holidays?
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Local France
15 hours ago
- Local France
La Belle Vie: French phrases to use during a heatwave and escaping to the north-west
La Belle Vie is our regular look at the real culture of France – from language to cuisine, manners to films. This newsletter is published weekly and you can receive it directly to your inbox, by going to your newsletter preferences in 'My account'. As France battles another intense summer heatwave, I've taken some precautions against the hot weather. The shutters are closed, the fan is on, and my water bottle is full. Despite my best efforts, as I write this edition of La Belle Vie , I am still covered in sweat. I take some consolation in the many accurate (and graphic) French phrases at my disposal to complain about the sticky weather. One such expression is avoir des rillettes sous les bras , which more or less translates as having chunks of paté or meat paste in your armpits. Nice, clear mental image. 'Paté in the armpits' – 10 ways to say you're sweating in French Heatwaves are becoming more common - and intense - in France, but two heatwaves still stand out in France's collective memory. The 2003 heatwave lasted over two weeks and claimed the lives of some 15,000 people, while the 2019 heatwave brought record-breaking temperatures, including France's highest ever temperature of 46C in Verargues (in Hérault). France is currently battling what is likely another historic heatwave, with several of the local heat records established in 2003 and 2019 broken in the past couple of days. MAP: Which French towns beat their heat records this August? Heatwaves are a time when I notice the ways Paris and parts of northern France just were not built with high temperatures in mind, such as Paris's zinc rooftops. I understand the hesitancy to bring in air conditioning, but I am often surprised by the lack of easier, minor changes, like screens on windows to keep bugs out during the night. Ceiling fans would also help to circulate the air, but they're rare in the north. That said, the French do have some innovative responses to dealing with the heat. I read recently that the RATP has been testing 'cool jackets' ( vestes rafraîchissantes ) for Paris Metro drivers. 7 ways to keep your French home cool without air conditioning Advertisement An alternative solution is moving to Brittany or Normandy. These parts of France are historically cooler and rainier, and these days manage to evade some of the worst temperatures during French heatwaves. I should warn that these regions are not immune to other issues, such as flooding and sea level rise. But as people reckon with the future of the climate crisis, Brittany and Normandy are becoming more attractive places to buy property, and I can see why. All you need to know about buying a second home in Brittany or Normandy Even though it's beginning to feel like every August comes with a heatwave, there is still one thing I love about this month in France: the unapologetic 'vacances' note on shop doors. From your local butcher to the nail salon and your favourite café around the corner, no one hesitates to leave a note informing customers they will be closed for two to three weeks of the month. For those of us with computer-oriented jobs, this shows up in the ubiquitous August bounce-back email informing the recipient that the sender is off on a beach somewhere with their alerts switched off. Advertisement That said, it is a bit of an overstatement to claim that France completely shuts down in August, especially given the importance of the month for the tourism industry. Factcheck: Do French people really take off the entire month of August? And finally, August does come with one bank holiday - Assumption, or August 15th. This year, we are lucky enough for it to fall on a Friday, giving workers a built-in three-day weekend. Assumption is one of a handful of Catholic holidays that remains an important fixture in the calendar of secular France. Reader question: Why does secular France have so many Catholic holidays?
LeMonde
2 days ago
- LeMonde
Once a rarity in France, temperatures above 40°C have become increasingly common with climate change
40°C in the shade: This round number, once out of the ordinary, is as alarming as it is now commonplace. At this level of heat, is it really safe to go for a walk with children, to play sports or to take the dog out in the early afternoon? Year after year, people in France have learned to live with temperatures at or above 40°C. The current heatwave, especially severe in the Southwest and Southeast, has not escaped this new reality. On Monday, Météo-France (the French national meteorological service) recorded 42.9°C in Montat and 42.6°C in Mirande. Several records were set: 42.3°C in Angoulême, 41.6°C in Bordeaux. Temperatures above 40°C continued to be recorded on Tuesday, August 12, and on August 13. "We are now overwhelmed by temperatures above 40°C, whereas for a long time, meteorologists and climatologists in France used the 35°C threshold to measure very high heat," said Christine Berne, director of the climatology department at Météo-France. By the end of this episode, likely at the beginning of the week of August 18 to 24, dozens of stations among the 120 of Météo-France's main network will have exceeded this threshold. These increasingly high peaks are a direct consequence of human-caused climate change. In a temperate climate like France, temperatures above 40°C were rare for decades. According to Météo-France data, this threshold was surpassed only five times between 1952 – in Allier, at the Vichy-Charmeil station – and 1980, notably on September 17, 1975, in Ajaccio, during a sirocco event. Since 1981, things have accelerated: 27 occurrences between 1981 and 2000.
LeMonde
3 days ago
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Heatwaves deliver lasting blows to the economy
In the northern French town of Gravelines, four nuclear reactors have been shut down since Monday, August 11. In a scenario seemingly drawn straight out of a science fiction movie, a massive number of jellyfish had clogged the filters at the pumping stations that draw in seawater to cool the plant. Two days earlier, reactor number two at the Bugey power plant, in Alpine eastern France, was shut down to avoid discharging overheated water into the Rhône river, thereby protecting the local fauna and flora. These two examples highlight the consequences of climate disruption for certain economic sectors, while others stand to benefit (cinemas, shopping centers, ice cream vendors, air conditioner and portable fan sales, etc.). Since Friday, August 8, France, like the rest of Europe, has been suffocating under a heatwave, forcing many industries to adapt to scorching temperatures and compelling companies to step up efforts to protect their employees' health. On Wednesday, three quarters of mainland France were placed on alert, including five departments on red alert and 68 on orange (out of 96). On Tuesday, a temperature of 42.9°C was recorded in Saint-Laurent-du-Pape, and 42.6°C in Romans-sur-Isère, both in southeastern France. The prefect of the Rhône department, where both towns are located, suspended all outdoor construction work. To the south of the western Maine-et-Loire department, the Cholet inter-municipal authority rescheduled household waste collection to evening hours – between 7 pm and 3 am – and is only opening waste collection centers in the morning, when it is still relatively cool.
