Day 3056 (Monday) 20th October 2025

This is Place Massena in Nice

It was overcast and a bit cold this morning and it stayed that way all day – I had to put socks on for the first time this year. It’s just for one day and the forecast for tomorrow is good. As always on a Monday here’s is What’s happening in France this week. The Local France.

A person prepares chili peppers (Piments d'Espelette) in Espelette, southwestern France in 2012. (Photo by GAIZKA IROZ / AFP)

From a property tax bill deadline to another volume of France's favourite comic book series and a spicy festival, here's what is happening in France this week.

Monday

Property tax bills - People who pay their French property tax, la taxe foncière, have until Monday, October 20th, at midnight to either pay or set up a direct debit.

2026 budget - France's draft 2026 Budget, the projet de loi de finances will be examined by the parliamentary finance committee on Monday at 9am.

Tuesday

Sarkozy goes to jail - Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is due to begin his prison sentence at La Santé prison in Paris from October 21st. A French court last month sentenced him to five years behind bars for criminal conspiracy.

Thursday

Money laundering trial - 11 people, including a Corsican organised crime figure and a former police officer, will be tried for money laundering in France starting on Thursday. The trial will run until November 14th.

Release of Astérix comic - Thursday will mark the 41st volume of the Astérix comic book series, which will be set in Portugal.

Friday

Art Basel Paris - The art fair will be held at the Grand Palais starting on Friday, October 24th and ending on Sunday, October 26th. 

Moody France credit rating - The credit ratings corporation will issue an update of France's credit rating on Friday. In September, the US ratings agency, Fitch, downgraded France's credit rating, amid the country's political instability and difficulty in reducing debt.

Pompidou party - The Centre Pompidou will host two nights and two days of 'grande fêtes' starting Friday, October 24th to celebrate the modern art centre before its closure. 

Saturday

Fête du Piment - Are you a fan of spicy food or chilli peppers? If so, you should consider visiting the Fête du Piment in France's Basque Country at the picturesque town of Espelette. The festival runs from October 25th to October 26th. 

Clocks go back - This year, we all get an extra hour in bed on the night of Saturday, October 25th, into Sunday, October 26th.

Seven ways to make a great impression at a French home

Photo by Scott Warman on Unsplash

If you get invited to a French home for the first time, there are a few small ways you can leave a positive impression.

Be more or less on time, but not early

France is generally a timely country, but depending on the social event, you can safely arrive a few minutes behind, but no more than 15 minutes. In fact, arriving early at someone's home might be seen as a little rude.

In French, there is the concept of a quart d'heure de politesse, which means the quarter-of-an-hour courtesy. For some French people, it is considered courteous to arrive roughly 15 minutes late to give the host time to finish the last-minute preparations. 

However, not all French people expect guests to be 15 minutes late, so you should try to arrive on time or just a couple of minutes behind. If you are running late, send a text message as a warning.

Don't neglect the greetings

When you arrive, make a point to say hello to your host - even if one of them is in the kitchen or surrounded by other people.

If you are attending a party, you might be expected to go around and say hello to everyone individually...and the hello will probably consist of la bise (cheek kisses).

A reader of The Local once recounted a story of arriving late to a party at a friend's house. She only knew one person aside from the host, so she immediately went to sit down with her friend.

Later on in the evening, while smoking a cigarette out the window with a couple of other party attendees, they asked where she was from. When she responded that she was American, they said, "Oh, that's why you did not say hello to anyone. We thought you were just rude".

Offer to take off your shoes

Removing your shoes before entering someone's home is courteous in many cultures, including in France. While your host might be happy for you to leave your shoes on, the minimum you should do is offer to take them off. 

In large cities, your shoes might track in dirt (or worse: dog poop) from the sidewalk, while in the countryside, you want to avoid bringing in any sand or mud. If you're in an apartment, its courteous to the people in the apartment below to avoid walking around in shoes.

Bring the right thing

If you are going to a French person's home, make sure you understand the event. If they have invited you over for a goûter (afternoon snack/ tea), you can offer to bring biscuits or something sweet to share. If they invited you for apéro, offer to bring a savoury snack, such as fancy chips/crisps, a saucisson or a dip such as hummus. 

If you have been invited to a dinner party, then you might be tempted to bring wine. While this is very normal for young people, some older, more traditional folks might prefer you to bring flowers or chocolates, as they would have already picked out the perfect wine to pair with dinner.

If in doubt, do not hesitate to ask your host for a suggestion.

Wait to sip the wine or start eating

Obviously, this depends on the type of event you are attending. If it is a casual house party, there is no need to wait to sip your beer. In fact, your host will probably just point you to the fridge and let you figure the rest out yourself.

However, if the event is more formal and alcohol is offered, then the tradition in France is to wait until everyone has a drink in hand before toasting.

With food, if you are sitting at a table, then you should not start eating until everyone (including the host) has been served.

Know when to leave

You don't want to overstay your welcome, but you also want to avoid leaving early. Figuring out the perfect time to leave will depend on the event. If you have been invited to a birthday party, try not to leave until after the cake has been served. 

For dinner parties, especially formal ones, you should expect multiple courses. Normally, the last course will either be cheese, dessert or a digestif. Once the meal has officially ended, you can offer to help your host with any cleanup. If they decline, then you can take this as your invitation to start heading out. 

Thank them for the food

And of course - be sure to say thank you for the food and hospitality. As you exit, remember that there is a similar expectation to make the rounds and say goodbye to everyone.

Do not filer à l'anglaise (make an English exit).