Latest news with #TalkingFrance
Local France
a day ago
- Politics
- Local France
Inside France: A smoky surprise and the Macrons' marital moment
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. Le slap I've been very amused at the cascade of articles, especially in the anglophone press, on what the Macron slap/shove tells us about the couple. In truth it tells us nothing about them unless you a) know exactly what happened - which isn't possible from viewing the video - and b) have personal knowledge of their relationship. These articles do, whoever, tell us a whole lot about the authors and about their notions of France and French clichés. I've seen several British and American journalists contend that the video 'barely raised comment in France' and er, no. At one point Le Parisien had five separate articles on this topic on their homepage while other news outlets had multiple articles, analysis and comment pieces. The French, like everyone else, love a good gossip and the fact that many people strongly dislike the president means that there was a fair amount of glee at the thought of him getting some kind of comeuppance. Talking France We discuss the Macron's marital moment - and what it tells us about France and Russia - on the latest episode of the Talking France podcast, along with farmer and taxi driver strikes, the worst French cities to be in during a heatwave, plus some Paris expo recommendations. Listen here or on the link below. Advertisement Stubbing it out We also had a little bit of speedy policy making this week - with not much in the way of debate or discussion, the health minister has announced a ban on smoking in outdoor areas "where children may be" such as beaches, parks and bus shelters, effective from July 1st. In truth this is perhaps less radical than it appears, since many local authorities have already enacted such a ban, but the law standardises the rules across the country, and introduces the idea of smoking bans in outdoor spaces, albeit only some. Specifically excluded from this rule, however, are café terraces , almost certainly due to lobbying from café and bar owners who fear that such a ban would damage their business. Café terraces have been something of a smoking battleground since the indoor smoking ban was introduced in 2007, especially in winter when many café owners erect temporary walls and a roof to create a sheltered smoking area for their customers. Such spaces are sometimes hard to distinguish from a fully indoor space, but this is the working compromise that has crept up in the last 20 years, although the recent ban on terrace heaters (albeit for environmental, not health reasons) is the latest blow to the indoor/outdoor smoking space of the terrace. I think that the ubiquity of smoking on café terraces is the reason that many foreigners think that France is smokier than it really is - although it remains above the European average, the number of smokers has in fact declined quite drastically in recent years and there are significant regional variations . Advertisement Another thing that I notice often surprises foreigners, especially Americans, is how common it is to see characters in a French film or TV show light up. Unlike widespread bans from Hollywood studios, French film has no restriction on the depiction of smoking. Having said that, I'm not sure that French TV would today screen this completely bonkers Serge Gainsbourg tribute from a group of schoolchildren - all dressed up as the iconic singer and puffing away at fake versions of his ubiquitous cigarette. Advertisement Party of the week There was only one place to be in France this week if you like days-long celebrations - Bordeaux where the Bordeaux-Bègles rugby club won the Champions Cup for the first time in the club's history. The party - both in dressing room at Cardiff after the match and on the streets of Bordeaux in the following days - threw up a lot of very fun images, but I think my favourite is this one, in which the prop Ben Tameifuna finds himself down a side street cradling the trophy and also somehow wearing a police stab vest (which looks like a crop top on his massive frame). 🗞️ BREAKING NEWS 🇹🇴🍇 Hearing reports that Big Ben Tameifuna will be unavailable for UBB for the rest of the season. He is said to have retired with immediate effect and has joined the Bordeaux Police Force 👮♂️ [image or embed] — Rosbifs Rugby ( @ ) May 27, 2025 at 11:16 AM 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.
Local France
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Local France
PODCAST: What that 'slap' says about the Macrons and French farmers fight the future
Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France's Emma Pearson, Genevieve Mansfield and John Lichfield for the latest episode of the Talking France podcast. The team starts this week off with the story making headlines in France and across the world: the viral video that appears to show French President Emmanuel Macron being shoved by his wife, Brigitte. We discuss the reaction to the video, plus other disinformation campaigns that have targeted the French president and his wife. You can find the Talking France podcast on Spotify or Apple, download it here or listen on the link below From recent protests by French farmers and taxi drivers, to a surprising power cut in the south of France which affected the last night of the Cannes Film Festival, the Talking France team also give you the latest on disruption around the country. Advertisement We also discuss how the stereotype that all French people are slim and in good shape may be false, particularly considering the country's rising obesity rates and the government's latest plans to tackle the health issue. And we'll finish this week off with the French cities that suffer most from the 'urban heat island effect' and why you may want to avoid them during a heatwave, plus how some of France's most famous museums and galleries are planning to charge non-EU residents higher fees. Stick around till the end to hear our recommendations for the best exhibits (or expos ) to visit in Paris this summer. EXTRA READING: Eight of the biggest sex scandals that rocked French politics Fire cuts power to 45,000 in French Riviera as sabotage suspected OPINION: Tractor protests expose the hypocrisy of French farming policies How serious is France's obesity problem? MAPS: The top five worst French cities to spend a heatwave in French museums plan to hike prices for non-EU visitors Talking France is a free podcast made possible by the support of paying members of The Local - you can find out more about becoming a member here . You can also help us by leaving a nice review, sharing the podcast on social media, or just telling a friend about us.
Local France
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Local France
Inside France: Taxi strikes, translation fails and Napoleon's code
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. Boiling point Sometimes in France you get disputes that simmer away in the background for ages and then suddenly erupt onto the national stage. Last year's farmer protests were one example - suddenly going from turning village signposts upside down to nationwide roadblocks and calls to 'besiege Paris' - and this week's taxi protests are another. Taxi drivers have been protesting for more than a year about plans to lower the fares they can charge for medical transport; taking patients to and from medical appointments in trips that are reimbursed by the state . This week, however, their grievances exploded into the public consciousness via a series of rolling roadblocks, blockades of sites like airports and highly photogenic confrontations with police . PM François Bayrou has now said he will meet with them to discuss their grievances. At the opposite end of the spectrum are strikes that are billed as likely to cause absolute mayhem, and end up being quite underwhelming. These are often public sector strikes, especially transport strikes, which are talked up in advance by union chiefs - predicting une semaine noire is a standard part of the negotiating process. There are a whole group of strike/protest soothsayers in France who try to predict where the next disruption will come from, but it's far from a precise science, although there are signs you can learn to read . READ ALSO How I learned to stop worrying and love French strikes Advertisement Talking France In the latest episode of the Talking France podcast we discuss hospital waiting times, the UK-EU reset and the best place to buy a second home in France (plus Smurfs). Listen here or on the link below. Napoleon is complex Here at The Local we're used to slightly left-field questions from readers, but this one was unusual: Why does France still have the Napoleonic Code? The answer is that it doesn't, really - the civil law code introduced by Napoleon in 1804 has in many areas been revised or rewritten, or superceded by more recent laws or international treaties like the European Convention on Human Rights. Some parts of it remain in place, however, especially France's strict laws on inheritance rights (which, it turned out, this reader was referring to) which forbid parents from disinheriting their children and give kids equal rights to a parental estate, regardless of where they are in the birth order. At the time this was quite radical, moving away from the previous 'oldest son inherits all' system, and in fact there are several parts of the Napoleonic code that remain the basis for modern French law. In many areas, however, the Napoleonic code reversed laws passed after the French Revolution. But to modern sensibilities, it was the legal changes of the Revolution that seem more palatable; legalising homosexuality, outlawing slavery, giving women legal and property rights. Even the machine that became the symbol of the nightmare that the Revolution descended into was introduced for humanitarian reasons. The guillotine was intended as a humane method of execution and its introduction was part of a legal code that ended barbaric practices like boiling people to death or having them torn apart by horses and ensured a single execution method for all, regardless of class. It also ended the practice of confiscating property from the families of executed criminals. Advertisement Offaly unfortunate And is this France's least appetisingly named restaurant? Paris restaurant Bowel Kitchen. Photo: The Local A close look at the menu reveals it serves various types of Bowls, so I am persuaded that its name is just an extremely unfortunate spelling mistake. Although I'm not confident enough to back when it's open and try its cuisine (if anyone has eaten at the Bowel Kitchen, do get in touch and tell me what it was like!) 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.
Local France
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Local France
PODCAST: France hit by 'sordid kidnappings' and the best place to buy a second home?
Host Ben McPartland is joined by The Local France's Emma Pearson, Genevieve Mansfield and John Lichfield for the latest episode of the Talking France podcast. After a brief diversion to the Brittany town that has banned to sale of alcohol to Smurfs, we start by looking at a worrying spate of crimes - the kidnapping of French crypto-currency bosses and members of their families. You can find the Talking France podcast on Spotify or Apple, download it here or listen on the link below After two Americans were attacked with mini Eiffel Towers in Paris we look at safety issues for tourists and France's strict privacy laws which also cover filming or photographing people in the street. Advertisement Headlines about the UK's post Brexit 'reset' deal with the EU tend to focus on issues like fishing and defence, but the deal also contains things that would have a big impact on the lives of Brits who live in France or visit regularly - we break down the details. Also up for discussion are hospital waiting times in France, including the areas with the longest and shortest wait times, and the measures that could improve things. And finally, what is the best part of France in which to buy a second home? We look at the advantages and drawbacks of each part of the country, and some questions to ask before purchasing. EXTRA READING: What does UK-EU 'reset' deal really mean for Brits in France? Everything you need to know about buying a second home in different parts of France French town breaks world record for number of smurfs The 14 scams that tourists in Paris need to be aware of French crypto boss hails 'heroic' duo for foiling kidnap bid Talking France is a free podcast made possible by the support of paying members of The Local - you can find out more about becoming a member here . You can also help us by leaving a nice review, sharing the podcast on social media or just telling a friend about us.
Local France
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Local France
Inside France: Macron's swansong, Sarkozy's tag and a booze ban for Smurfs
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. Macron marathon I spent Tuesday night channel hopping between the semi final of the Eurovision Song Contest and Emmanuel Macron's three-hour TV interview - a slight change of pace but both had an overly complicated format and at least one man in a muscle vest (in Paris that was the fitness influencer Tibo InShape, not Macron). One other thing that they have in common is that both are unlikely to have any significant impact on French domestic politics. Macron's performance was, as ever, impressive - eloquent, assured and thoroughly across the details of a wide range of policies. But will it save him from two years as a lame duck president? It seems unlikely, with the parliament as deadlocked as ever. Our politics expert John Lichfield described it as "a premature political obituary". Talking France We discuss Macron's attempted reset, and the political landscape between now and 2027, in the latest episode of the Talking France podcast. We also talked about 'urban rodeos' and French bureaucracy, as well as a move by MPs to promote to late Captain Alfred Dreyfus, and why the Dreyfus Affair is still relevant to modern politics, despite happening 130 years ago. I find this topic fascinating and although I was only able to give a very brief summary of it on the podcast, I have included some suggestions for books, films and podcasts about the case if anyone is inspired to find out more. Listen here or on the link below. Tag team In December 2024 France's ex president Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced - after more than a decade of trials and appeals - to wear an electronic tag for one year. The tag was fitted in February (after Sarko enjoyed a nice holiday somewhere sunny) and then on Thursday - May 15th - it was removed . It turns out that the 70-year-old was entitled to apply for an early parole on the grounds of his age, which was approved. Advertisement As you can imagine, this sparked a certain anger at the apparent leniency of his punishment (although he has other ongoing legal matters which could result in stiffer penalties). Why is it so hard to send French politicians to jail? One commentator jokingly suggested donating it to a museum of political scandals at his Les Républicains party headquarters, along with François Fillon's suit and Jean-François Copé's pain au chocolat (you may remember that Fillon accepted 'gifts' of suits worth €48,000 while Copé attracted mockery by estimating the cost of a pain au chocolat at "10 or 15 centimes"). 🔴 URGENT : le bracelet électronique de Nicolas Sarkozy sera installé dans une vitrine à l'entrée du siège du parti LR, en compagnie des plus grandes reliques qui ont fait l'histoire du parti (les costumes de François Fillon, le pain au chocolat de Jean-François Copé, etc.). [image or embed] — Olivier Varlan ( @ ) 15 May 2025 at 12:01 Smurfew My favourite story of the week is undoubtedly this one - French mayor bans sale of alcohol to Smurfs . The thing about this municipal decree (which just to be clear is a joke, it's timed for Saturday when the Brittany town attempts to break the world record for the largest gathering of people dressed as Smurfs) is that it's far from the first bizarre mayoral decree. Recent examples include the mayors who ordered the rain to stop , and the mayor who banned mosquitoes . Advertisement Which just goes to show that not only do some French mayors have a good sense of humour, they also have a surprising degree of power . They can and frequently do enact local bylaws that are both real and far-reaching. Astérix And if you are looking for more French humour, I really recommend the new Astérix & Obélix series which is delightful - sweet, funny and with a great soundtrack and lots of topical French jokes (like the clan using ' le quarante-neuf trois ' to replace their chief with Obélix in order to win a fight). Considering all the Gauls have names ending in 'ix', I thought the writers showed heroic restraint by waiting until the end to introduce a character named after the streaming service the show appears on. 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.
