Day 3280 (Monday) 1st June 2026

This is Antibes in the winter

and this is Petite Afrique in Beaulieu.

It was another lovely day with the sun shining and the hugely expensive ship is still in the bay. Some of our flowers are looking good but we decided to go to the Garden Centre to get some more.

Before going to the Garden Centre we went to Saint-Jean Cap-Ferrat to share a delicious quiche.

While we were eating we saw this beautiful plant and using my App I found out it’s called a Lion’s Tail.

Saint-Jean is pretty much in full bloom.

The Garden Centre was pretty impressive with lots of different flowers.

As always on a Monday here’s What’s happening in France this week. The Local France.

Performers take part in Pilar Albarracin's performance "Les Sevillanes" at a previous Nuit Blanche night-time art festival in Paris. (Photo by GEOFFROY VAN DER HASSELT / AFP)

D-Day commemorations, a host of sporting spectacles, an increase in the minimum wage and one final tax deadline are on the calendar for the first week of June.

Monday

Gas prices – The “supply” portion of gas pricing changes on June 1st, 2026, following a decline in gas market prices in April after a sharp increase in March caused by the outbreak of the war in Iran. As a result, the benchmark gas sale price will decrease by an average of 4.8 percent including tax on June 1st, leading to an average reduction of €1.26, including tax on June bills for consumers whose contracts are indexed to the benchmark gas sale price. 

Minimum wage – France’s minimum wage (SMIC) will increase on June 1st, following a 2.2 percent inflation rate recorded in April. The increase represents €44 more in gross monthly pay. As a result, the pre-tax monthly minimum wage for a 35-hour work week rises from €1,823.03 to €1,866.78. 

Anjou – The second-biggest outdoor theatre event in France kicks off on June 1st and runs to June 16th. 

Tuesday

Strike – Teaching assistants at collèges and lycées across France are set to strike in a dispute over pay and working conditions. 

University – Students who have applied to attend university in France in September will start to receive offers of places on the Parcoursup portal.

Thursday

Tax declarations – Inhabitants of the French départements numbering 55 to 96, as well as the overseas territories, must turn in their French tax declarations by 11.59pm on June 4th. Residents of all other départements, as well as those who live outside France but have French income, should have submitted their declarations in May.

Friday

Parks and Gardens – Nearly 3,000 parks and gardens across France will host special events from June 5th through to June 7th as part of the Rendez-vous aux Jardins weekend. You can find an event near you on the Ministry of Culture website.

Saturday

D-Day – The 82nd anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France. Throughout the month, there will be several events to commemorate the Allied invasion of Europe that helped end the Second World War, in addition to official ceremonies on the day.

Nuit Blanche – Paris celebratesits annual Nuit Blanche, when venues across the capital stay open all night and host free indoor and outdoor cultural events across the city. For this 25th edition, more than 200 free performances, installations and art trails are also planned across several towns in the Île-de-France region and as far away as Le Havre in Normandy.

Tennis — The women’s singles final at Roland Garros. Who will succeed Coco Gauff as champion?

Rugby – It started on the first weekend of September. And on June 6th, it’s the final round of the regular Top 14 season, when league placings – and qualification for the post-season play-offs, which run for another three weeks, and next season’s Champions and Challenge Cup competitions are officially confirmed. All seven matches kick off at 9pm. Earlier, the ProD2 champions will be crowned following the final at Toulouse’s Stade Ernest Wallon. That match kicks off at 6pm.

Sunday

Tennis II – The men’s singles final brings the curtain down on tennis’s second Grand Slam tournament of 2026 at Roland Garros.

Monaco Grand Prix – Glitz, glamour, boats, and specially designed cars travelling relatively quickly and loudly through the principality’s narrow streets. It all kicked off on Friday, but the race proper is on Sunday.

As it’s the first of the month, here’s Everything that changes in France in June 2026. The Local France.

Paris Pride parade on June 28th, 2025. (Photo by Julie SEBADELHA / AFP)

From Pride month to a rail strike and a decrease in gas prices - here’s what is happening in France in June 2026.

Rail strike 

France's four main railway unions have given notice of a strike for June 10th, criticising internal restructuring measures that they say are detrimental to staff health.

Significant disruption is expected on TGV, TER, Intercités, Transilien and RER services and the transport plan will be published 48 to 72 hours before the strike on the SNCF Connect website or app.

Gas prices

The “supply” portion of gas pricing will change on June 1st, 2026, following a decline in gas market prices in April after a sharp increase in March caused by the outbreak of the war in Iran.

As a result, the benchmark gas sale price will decrease by an average of 4.8 percent including tax on June 1st, bringing it to €152.86/MWh including tax, compared with €160.54/MWh including tax on May 1st.

The CRE (France's energy regulation commission) estimates that this will lead to an average reduction of €1.26, including tax on June bills. This decrease applies to consumers whose contracts are indexed to the benchmark gas sale price. Households that subscribed to a fixed-price offer are therefore not affected by this change.

Tax declaration deadlines

Inhabitants of the French départements numbering 55 to 96, as well as the overseas territories, must turn in their French tax declarations by 11.59 pm on June 4th. Residents of all other départements, as well as those who live outside France but have French income, should have submitted their declarations in May.

Increase in minimum wage

France’s minimum wage (SMIC) will increase on June 1st, following a 2.2 percent inflation rate recorded in April.

As a result, Labour Minister Jean-Pierre Farandou announced on France Info that the SMIC will rise by approximately 2.4 percent starting June 1st. This increase is part of France’s legal wage adjustment system - whenever inflation exceeds 2 percent, the minimum wage is automatically raised by a similar amount. 

In practical terms, the increase represents about €44 more in gross monthly pay. As a result, the gross monthly minimum wage for a 35-hour workweek would rise from €1,823.03 to approximately €1,866.78. 

Anjou Festival

The second-biggest outdoor theatre event in France kicks off on June 1st and runs to June 16th. 

Nuit Blanche

On June 6th, Paris will celebrate its annual Nuit Blanche, when venues across the capital stay open all night and host free indoor and outdoor cultural events across the city.

For this 25th edition, more than 200 free performances, installations and art trails are also planned across several towns in the Île-de-France region, stretching as far as Le Havre in Normandy.

D-Day

June 6th also marks the anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France. Throughout the month, there will be several events to commemorate the event, in addition to official ceremonies on the day.

Tennis

The finals of the Roland-Garros tournament take place on June 6th and 7th this year.

Father’s Day

Father’s Day is on Sunday, June 21st this year.

Pride month

The month of June marks Pride Month for members of the LGBTQI+ community. Pride parades (or marches des fiertés in French) are set to happen across France. Paris’ Pride parade - on Saturday, June 27th - is the largest, attracting thousands of participants and spectators.

Festival de Nîmes

The Festival de Nîmes, which starts on June 11th and runs to July 26th, brings modern music to the famous Roman Arena. This year’s line-up includes Neil Young, the Black Eyed Peas, Lenny Kravitz, Katy Perry and The Cure. 

Fête de la Musique

Every summer solstice, France celebrates the Fête de la Musique, in which towns and cities across the country enjoy a day of concerts, music events and street musicians.

This takes place every year on June 21st, which this year is a Sunday.

Summer sales

For the majority of the country, the summer sales (soldes d’été) will start on Wednesday, June 24th and will run until Tuesday, July 21st. If you’re in Corsica, you’ll have to wait until July 8th for the sales to kick off. 

French films to see

Lost in Frenchlation is a Paris-based club that runs screenings of French films - both new releases and timeless classics - with English subtitles, in order to allow language learners to appreciate the offerings of French cinema.