Day 2639 (Thursday) 29th August 2024

This is Antibes

and this is Villa Kerylos in Beaulieu-sur-Mer.

  

We’ve entered another canicule (heatwave) and it was seriously hot this morning – 42 degrees on the thermometer on the balcony.

 

We had a check-out in the big apartment yesterday but there’s no big rush to get it ready for the next guests so we did a few hours this morning, the air-con was wonderful.

Today is the anniversary of the liberation of Villefranche-sur-Mer after the war– it was 80 years ago today that Villefranche was liberated from the Nazis. We’ll go into town in a bit to watch the jeeps and the ceremony – this is the schedule…

At this time of year most French people feel quite flat because the August holidays are nearly over and it’s time for ‘la rentrée’…

Why 'la rentrée' means so much more in France than a new school year

Photo by PASCAL PAVANI / AFP

As we arrive at la rentrée, here's a look at this French word which, while it's often translated as merely the start of a new school year, in fact has a cultural significance that goes much deeper.

La rentrée simply means re-entry or return but its arrival heralds a shift in the winds in France every September, here's why.

If you have spent any time in French cities in August you will have noticed that they were pretty empty - many smaller independent shops close up and if you email anyone about a work-related or official matter you're likely to get an auto-reply informing you that they are out of the office until September.

And because the long August holiday is such an embedded tradition in French life, the return in September is a big deal.

Here are some of the things that la rentrée means and why it defies easy translation into English;

Schools restart 

La rentrée scolaire is when schools begin again for the new academic year. There is a tradition that this cannot happen until September, so this year schools go back on Monday, September 2nd, though teachers head back for a 'planning day' on August 30th. 

A side-effect of la rentrée scolaire is the appearance in shops of huge collections of stationery as stressed-out parents head out to buy the dozens of items on the official lists that schools send out, all of which are deemed essential to educational life.

Return to work

Of course, key workers continue to work throughout the summer but many offices close completely for some or all of August as it's not at all uncommon to receive out-of-office replies simply telling you that the person will be back in September and will deal with your query then.

Many smaller independent businesses including boulangeries, florists, pharmacies, clothes shops and bars also close for some or all of August as their staff and owners enjoy a break.

If you work in an office, the first few days after la rentrée is often a time for chatting to colleagues, hearing other people's holiday stories and generally easing yourself back into work gently so it's not too much of a shock to the system.

Return to parliament 

The French parliament takes a break over the summer. Traditionally, the president goes to the presidential holiday home - a villa in Bregançon on the Riviera and enjoys a few weeks of sun, outdoor activities and rest.

But then it's time to go back to work... La rentrée politique is not only the time when politicians return to work, it's when governments lay out their plans for the next 11 months. Expect to see a sudden rash of TV and newspaper interviews with ministers laying out their priorities for the new parliamentary term and the legislation that they wish to pass.

As well as a peak time for big-ticket bills, autumn is also the time when MPs begin to debate the Budget for the following year. However, 2024 is far from a normal year, with a caretaker government in place following snap elections in early July. President Macron returned from his holidays in late August to tense talks on a new government. 

As of August 26th, no new prime minister had been appointment, and no cabinet was in place, leaving the timetable for the new parliamentary session very much in the air. The only certainty is that the Constitution sets a latest date of October 1st for a MPs to start sitting after the summer break. 

New books are published

There is also a phenomenon known as la rentrée litteraire, which is when hundreds of new books are published in the busiest part of the literary year.

This is partly related to people coming back to work, but is also linked to the fact that many of France's major literary prizes - including the Prix Goncourt, the Prix Renaudot, and the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française - are held in October and November.

Publishers therefore release books that they believe have a chance at a prize in late August or September in the hope that they will be fresh in the judges' minds.

Summer activities end

As people head back to work and temperatures begin to cool, many summer activities and facilities close down too, from small town festivals and open-air cinemas to the Paris plages urban beaches that are dismantled in the last weekend of August.

Traffic chaos

With most of France heading home from its holidays at the same time, the final weekend in August is usually the subject of warnings about traffic jams, so if you have the option it's better to avoid being in the car this weekend.