Day 2426 (Monday) 29th January 2024

An incredible photo of Nice in the snow in 1985

and this is Saint Agnes.

We both went up to the big apartment to do some work this morning; Huw is still prepping to paint and I started the spring clean, washing all the dishes and inside all the kitchen cupboards. Huw was expecting some paint to be delivered and they were over an hour late so I walked home.

This olive tree really needs to be pruned, we lose the sun way too early in the winter and it’s blocking our view.

What’s happening in France this week

A cook prepares crepes in Ploeren, western France, on November 22, 2017. (Photo by FRED TANNEAU / AFP)

From increased electricity bills and road tolls to a teacher's strike, more farmers' protests and France's special pancake day, here's what is happening in France this week.

Monday

Farmers' protests - protests from farmers are continuing with unions promising the "siege of Paris" from 2pm on Monday while numerous other cities will also see rolling roadblocks, in addition to the blockades on motorways. The largest farming union, the FNSEA, says it wants to continue the actions until at least Thursday, the date of a key EU meeting on agricultural policy. 

Head of Sciences Po back on the job - Seven weeks after his suspension in connection with accusations of domestic violence, the head of Sciences Po Paris, Mathias Vicherat, will return to his post on Monday.

Tuesday

PM speech - France's new prime minister, Gabriel Attal, will give his 'general policy statement' on Tuesday, January 30th before parliament. In the speech, he is expected to give a broad idea of political goals he will pursue as PM.

Agriculture plan - the agriculture minister Marc Fesneau will announce further policies designed to appease farmers and stop the protests. Attal announced a 10-point plan of financial and other aid on Friday, but unions say it does not go far enough.

Wednesday

Cinema releases - In France, new films are often released on Wednesdays at cinemas. This week, the Oscar-nominated film 'Zone of Interest' will become available in theatres in France.

Thursday

Teacher's strike - Unions representing educators have called on them to walk out on Thursday in order to push for more resources, as well as to denounce the "harmful policy and misleading and insulting remarks about state schools and their staff" made by France's new minister for education, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra. Primary school teachers must give 48 hours notice before walking out, while secondary school teachers are not required to give notice.

New name for Pôle Emploi - Thanks to the employment law passed in December, the French body handling unemployment benefits, Pôle Emploi, will be renamed 'France Travail'. The gradual rollout began on January 1st, but the transition onto a new website (francetravail.fr) will start from February.

Road Tolls - Toll rates on the main motorways across France are set to go up by an average of 3 percent starting on February 1st. However, price increases will depend on the motorway and the company operating it. 

Electricity bills - Starting February 1st, electricity rates rates will increase in France. The rises will be 8.6 percent for those on basic rate plans, and up to 9.8 percent for those who use 'peak-off-peak' (tarifs heures pleines-heures creuses) plans. On average, households will pay around €100 more per year.

European Commission meeting - the Commission is holding an emergency meeting on agriculture in the wake of farmer protests sweeping across Europe. Many of the complaints from farmers concern EU policy from the complexity of its rules and paperwork to the lack of a joined-up policy of farming and the environment and the EU's Mercosur treaty with South American. It is believed that Emmanuel Macron will attend.

France v Ireland - The opening match of this year's Six Nations rugby tournament will see France take on defending champions Ireland on Friday, February 2nd at the Orange Vélodrome in Marseille. The tournament continues until March 16th - because of the upcoming Olympics France will not play its home games at Stade de France, but will instead be in Marseille, Lille and Lyon.

As it says above, it’s La Chandeleur on Friday…

La Chandeleur - Friday, February 2nd marks La Chandeleur aka the French pancake day. As well as eating lots of delicious crêpes, the French also have a complicated and fun set of superstitions around this day which apparently bring good luck for the year ahead.

Fête de la Chandeleur

Apart from the well known Mardi Gras, the nearest French equivalent to Pancake Day is the ‘Fête de la Chandeleur’ (Candlemas), also known as ’Fête de la Lumière’, and even the literal translation of ‘jour des crêpes’ in some French speaking countries.

Originally a religious festival dating back to Roman times, the ‘Fête de la Chandeleur’ celebrates the presentation of Jesus, and marks the end of the Christmas season.

It is celebrated 40 days after Christmas on the 2nd February, and has many proverbs and superstitions surrounding it.

The name chandeleur actually comes from the word chandelle or candle, as it is a Christian occasion involving much lighting and blessing of candles. The English word “chandler”, also derives from chandeleur – a sort of grocer who specialised in ship supplies and equipment, and presumably dealt in candles too.

Candlemas Traditions

One tradition was to light a candle in the church and carry it home without the flame going out. If you managed it, this meant that you would not pop your clogs in the coming year. 

‘Celui qui la rapporte chez lui allumée. Pour sûr ne mourra pas dans l’année’

(‘Whoever brings it home lit. For sure will not die within the year’.)

To ensure that the crop would be plentiful for the coming year, it was an absolute must to eat pancakes.

‘Si point ne veut de blé charbonneux Mange des crêpes à la Chandeleur’

If the elected tosser could flip a crêpe with one hand whilst holding a gold coin in the other, the family was assured of prosperity throughout the coming year.

Eating pancakes was also a way of using up eggs and butter before Lent, at a time before fridges and freezers allowed us to keep fresh food more or less indefinitely.

Finally…. time to talk about the weather.
Quand il pleut pour la Chandeleur, il pleut pendant quarante jours.
If it rains at Candlemas, it will continue to rain for 40 days 

Quand la Chandeleur est claire, l’hiver est par derriere; Chandeleur couverte, quarante jours de perte!
If February is clear, winter is behind us. If the Chandeleur is overcast, winter will last another forty days.

….or here’s another  which tells us the opposite!

Soleil de la Chandeleur, annonce hiver et malheur
A sunny Candlemas will bring winter and misfortune

Hmmmm, a little bit contradictory, but it is from this day that the days start to grow longer, evenings slowly grow lighter, and our thoughts turn to springtime.