Day 3254 (Wednesday) 6th May 2026
These are the pointus of Nice Old Port. (A pointu is a pointy ended boat.)
and this is the lift and the stairs up to Castle Hill in Nice.
We were very happy to see that the sun is back out and the chilly wind has dropped so we took the scooter into Nice to enjoy our weekly kebab in the park. It was great to take off our jackets and soak up the sunshine. While we were there we heard the monthly siren, we are used to it but some tourists were quite shocked by the awful noise.
When we got home I found this article about the siren…
Warning siren on the 1st Wednesday of the month: do you know what this signal is for?
Every first Wednesday of the month, at midday, an alarm sounds in France's major cities. Where does this particular warning siren come from, and what does it mean? (in Nice the siren sounds at 12.15 because of the midday cannon.)
Residents of major cities are used to it: every first Wednesday of the month, between 11:45 and midday, depending on the city, an alarm sounds for a few seconds. These are the monthly tests of the SAIP (Système d'Alert et d'Information des Populations) alert and information system, a system for rapidly warning citizens in the event of a military attack, natural disaster or other civil security problem.
The French Ministry of the Interior website offers us a little history lesson: " In France, since the Second World War, sirens have gradually replaced the tocsin (the ringing of bells). From 1948 onwards, the Réseau national d'alerte (RNA), a network of sirens located mainly along land borders, fulfilled the function of alerting populations. Inherited from passive defense, i.e. the protection of populations in the event of war, it was initially designed as a response tool to the airborne threat. "
After the Cold War, these sirens were installed throughout France. This warning network is managed by the French Air Force, but it is not only of military interest: it is also used to warn people in the event of natural disasters such as tsunamis. It is used " to warn the population of a civil-security disaster of natural or technological origin." In September 2019, it had notably been switched on due to a major fire at the Lubrizol plant in Rouen, Le Parisien reminds us.
Every month, during drills to ensure that the equipment is working properly, this siren sounds for one minute and 41 seconds. In the event of a real threat, this signal is repeated three times. If this situation arises, the French Ministry of the Interior recommends taking shelter in an enclosed space, blocking openings and vents, and staying away from windows. Then listen to the radio for further instructions from the government.
On a brighter note…
10 surprising things you need to know about France
France is a country rich with culture, art, design, beauty, and history and is also famously known as the country of love and romance. But like any country in the world, France also has its little secrets. And we are about to reveal 10 of them to you, right now.
1. France didn’t invent the croissant
France might be the home of the croissant, but it was actually invented in Austria. The kipferl – prototype of the croissant, was made in the coffee shops of Vienna in the 13th century – was the crescent-shaped cookie. Later, kipferl crossed the border to France and became the famous croissant.
2. French fries aren’t French
We all eat them, almost all around the world. Everyone calls it French fries but they are not actually French, they are Francophone. And there is a very interesting story behind it.
The original fries were invented in Namur in Francophone Belgium, where the locals were very fond of fried fish. When the River Meuse was frozen in one cold winter in 1680, people had to fry potatoes instead of the fish they were used to eating, and the fries were invented.
3. A 1910 law bans couples kissing on train platforms
It’s true. In 1910, a French law prohibited couples kissing on train platforms. The ban was brought to prevent stations from getting overcrowded but how much difference it made is anyone’s guess. Don’t worry, today there’s no ban for a train-station kiss, which is great news for lovers heading for France.
4. There are more than 400 kinds of cheese made in France
France is the biggest cheese consumer on the planet, with almost half the population eating cheese on a daily basis. Moreover, hundreds of different kinds of cheese are produced in France. Made from goat, cow, or sheep milk, you choose.
5. You can marry a dead person, if the French President agrees
Weird right? But there is a reason behind it. This law is used mostly for the spouses of soldiers who died at war. On the condition that the dead person you wish to marry should have started the paperwork before their death, then the President can allow you to marry them.
6. France is the most popular tourist destination in the world
France welcomes some 89 million visitors every year. Spain comes in second place with some 82 million visitors, and the USA comes in third with 78 million.
7. France is the biggest country of the European Union
France has a land area of 547,000 square kilometers, making it the largest country in the EU. But if you compare it with all European nations, then France comes in third place, behind Ukraine and Russia, which dwarfs the rest.
8. Hi-Tech French military still have pigeons on duty
That’s right. French military used them in World War I to carry messages over long distances when all other means were down. Even though they have been out of mainstream use for many decades now, French military still train them in case of emergency.
9. It was forbidden for women to wear pants in public until 2012
French law is a never-ending source of interesting facts. It turns out that the government forgot to remove this law from 1800 stating that women were forbidden to wear pants in public unless riding a bike or a horse. In 2012, the government removed this law, making thousands of criminals free of charges.
10. There are no STOP signs in the entire city of Paris
Cars do not come to a full stop at any intersection without traffic lights in Paris. There was only one “STOP” sign in Paris until 2012. It was located at the exit of a building materials yard in the 16th arrondissement. But in mysterious circumstances, that was removed and the culprit still unknown.
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