Day 2335 (Monday) 30th October 2023

Today’s lovely photos…

This is Villefranche sur Mer

and this is Menton.

It was miserable this morning and it stayed that way all day. It rained from time to time but not very much. Huw took me into Nice to work with Charlotte at International House and he went shopping for curry spices. He picked me up and brought me home and we just missed the rain.

As usual on a Monday I looked at the Local France to find out What’s happening in France this week.

A cafe decorated for Halloween in Paris (Photo by MARTIN BUREAU / AFP)

From Halloween to the opening of a museum totally dedicated to the French language and a day off from work, here's what is happening in France this week.

Monday

School holidays - it's the second week of the Toussaint school holidays, so expect holiday opening hours at public sites like leisure centres.

Opening of the 'French language museum' - Originally intended to open in mid-October, the brand new ‘Cité Internationale de la Langue Française’ located at the Château de Villers-Cotterêts in northern France – between Paris and Reims, will be officially opened by Emmanuel Macron. It will be open to the public from Wednesday. 

Tuesday

Halloween - While Halloween is not as widely celebrated in France as it is in the United States, some families do 'trick-or-treat' and decorate the exterior of their homes. There are also events at amusement parks, like Parc Asterix and Disneyland Paris.

Wednesday

Storm Ciaran - An 'exceptionally intense' storm is forecast to hit northern France and the English Channel on Wednesday and Thursday.

Public holiday - Wednesday, November 1st is the public holiday of 'Toussaint' (All-Saints Day). Most employees have the day off. 

Start of France's annual trêve hivernale – The winter eviction truce begins on November 1st. From that date until March 31st, landlords are forbidden from evicting tenants struggling to pay their rent. Utility companies also cannot disconnect supplies because of unpaid bills.

Winter tyres - Motorists must equip their vehicles with all-weather tyres, winter tyres or snow chains in certain mountainous areas from November 1st to March 31st. This new law affects 34 French départements, but this year police will simply remind motorists of the new rules, rather than issuing fines. 

Dispute settlement - Starting on November 1st, the amicable settlement hearing (ARA) will be introduced in France for civil disputes. The aim is to make the justice system faster and more efficient, as well as to resolve civil disagreements amicably.

'Senior index' - As part of France's pension reform, companies with at least 300 employees will be required, starting on November 1st, to publish annual indicators related to the employment of older employees and the measures taken to taken to foster their continued employment within the company.

Thursday

Paris Games Week - Thursday marks the second day of France's biggest video games show, bringing video game fans from across the country. It will run from November 1st to 5th at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. 

ARTE Concert Festival - Each year, the Franco-German TV channel ARTE puts on a three-day festival. This year it will be held at la Gaîté Lyrique, with all kinds of music offered - from classical and pop to rock and metal.

Sunday

Apple festival in Creuse - For those living in central France, the annual Creuse apple festival will kick off on Sunday. 

End of autumn holidays - November 5th is the last day of autumn 'Toussaint' holidays for French schoolchildren. Pupils will head back to the classroom on Monday. It is possible there will be more traffic on French roads, as families start to return home from their trips.

French Expression of the Day: Les chiens ne font pas des chats

Photo: Annie Spratt/Unsplash/Nicolas Raymond

This French expression could be useful in family gatherings, especially if you're with older relatives.

Why do I need to know les chiens ne font pas des chats?

Because you might want to describe a striking resemblance.

What does it mean?

Les chiens ne font pas des chats - roughly pronounced lay she-ahn nuh fohn pah day shah - is an old-school French expression that is still in use today, though more likely by members of the older generation. 

It translates literally as ‘dogs do not make cats’ or ‘dogs do not give birth to cats’.

The expression is usually used when discussing a resemblance between a parent and their child, whether that be in behaviour or in their physical appearance. 

In English you might say 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree' or describe the child as 'a chip off the old block'. 

For example, if a child went on to become a doctor, like her parents, friends might say ‘Les chiens ne font pas des chats’.

Another example might be speculating whether a couple with red hair will also have a red-haired child. Their friend might shrug and say ‘les chiens ne font pas des chats’.

If you are looking for a similar expression, you might say ‘tel père, tel fils’ (which is more or less, like father like son).

Use it like this

Les chiens ne font pas des chats, tu ressembles exactement à ta mère au même âge. - Well the apple doesn't fall far from the tree - you look exactly like your mother when she was your age.

Ma mère n'est pas très douée en cuisine. Les chiens ne font pas des chats, et moi non plus. - My mother isn't very good in the kitchen and neither am I - a chip off the old block, really 

A few more idioms…

Tenir au courant

Literally: to hold to the current

Meaning: you generally use this expression to say you keep yourself or someone else up to date.

For example, if you plan to meet someone during the week, but don’t know when exactly, you may say “je te tiens au courant”.

English counterpart: to keep up to date, to keep posted

On se voit où demain ? Je sais pas, je te tiens au courant.

Where do we meet tomorrow? I don’t know. I’ll keep you posted.

J’aime bien me tenir au courant de l’actualité.

I like to keep up on news

Un coup de main

Literally: a stroke of hand

Meaning: Un “coup de main” is the action of helping someone most of the time just to be nice.

English counterpart: a helping hand

Un coup de main ne serait pas de refus.

I wouldn’t say no to a helping hand.

Est-ce que vous pouvez me donner un coup de main s’il vous plaît ?

Could you help me, please?