Day 3294 (Monday) 15th June 2026

This ship is called the Royal Clipper and it’s in Nice Old Port

and this is Antibes.

 

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

The philosophy paper kicks off baccalaureate exam season. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)

The 2026 baccalaureate exams get under way, G7 leaders meet in Evian, airport workers in Paris are scheduled to go on strike, there's some football and of course it's the Fête de la musique.

Monday

International – France hosts the leaders of the Group of 7 – bringing together the Heads of State and Government of France, USA, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Germany) – in Evian, near the Swiss border.

Exams – The 2026 baccalaureate exams for students in their final year of lycée kick off with the Philosophy paper. Speciality papers follow on Tuesday 16th, Wednesday 17th, and Thursday 18th June. Those studying for their brevet have another 11 days to cram before their exams begin.

Tuesday

Politics – MEPs in Strasbourg vote on a possible US-EU tariff deal.

Health – From June 16th, tests to measure cadmium exposure may be covered by health insurance for certain people in France, such as those living or working in higher-risk areas.

World Cup – France’s men’s national football team kick off their Fifa World Cup challenge against Senegal in New Jersey. The match kicks off at 9pm, CET, and will be broadcast in France on M6 and beIN Sport. 

Wednesday

Heatwave - temperatures are predicted to soar across France on Wednesday, with Météo France predicting a heatwave with temperatures topping 40C.

World Cup – England’s men’s football team face Croatia in Dallas. The match kicks off at 10pm CET, and will be broadcast on W9 and beIN Sport.

Thursday

Strike – A one-day strike has been announced for Thursday June 18th at the three Paris airports: Roissy–Charles-de-Gaulle, Paris-Orly and Le Bourget, over the issuing of security passes for airport staff who work in restricted areas such as baggage handlers or maintenance staff.

Festival – Heavy metal fans assemble in Clisson, from June 18th to 21st. for performances by Iron Maiden, Tom Morello, Limp Bizkit, Deep Purple, Cult of Luna, and Alice Cooper — among others. 

Friday

World Cup – USA v Australia in the Fifa World Cup. The Group D match kicks off at 9pm, and will be broadcast on M6 and beIN Sport.

Rugby – The first Top 14 semi-final in Marseille. The match kicks off at 9.05pm, and is broadcast live on Canal+.

Saturday

Rugby – The second Top 14 semi-final in Marseille. The match kicks off at 9.05pm, and is broadcast live on Canal+.

Sunday

Father’s Day – A reminder that it’s Father’s Day on Sunday.

Music – Villages, towns and cities across France come alive with the sound of music on Sunday, June 21st, to celebrate the sheer joy of live performances in bars, cafés, venues and on the street. Keep an eye on local press — and on the streets on the night itself — for what’s on where you are.

'Curious' dolphin charms French town but experts concerned

A female dolphin, standing 2 metres tall and weighing 200 kg, swims among bathers near the beach in the bay of Saint-Jean de Luz, southwestern France on April 24, 2026. Photo by Gaizka IROZ / AFP

A young bottlenose dolphin has taken up residence in the waters of the French beach town of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, delighting locals and tourists while raising concerns about the animal's safety.

The female cetacean has been lingering just off the southwestern town's central beach since mid-October.

On a recent morning, with the heat already intense and the beach crowded, a dolphin's fin was seen regularly rising above the water just a few metres from the shore, weaving among the swimmers.

Pascale Fossecave, an oceanographer and the city's deputy for environmental affairs who has been observing the animal, said she had apparently been expelled from her pod.

The dolphin has been seeking "social interaction", readily approaching the shore and displaying a marked "curiosity toward humans", Fossecave said.

Measuring over two metres in length and weighing between 200 and 250 kilograms, the dolphin is believed to be between six and eight years old and has not yet reached maturity, she added.

"The reason why she came here escapes us," Fossecave said.

"These animals do not get lost. They can communicate over distances of up to 20 kilometres," she added. "We know she can hear the other animals."

While the dolphin has thrilled locals, her presence has also raised concerns about her safety, as well as that of swimmers, as the summer season approaches and France endures scorching temperatures this week.

Authorities have called on beach-goers to behave responsibly, warning that inappropriate conduct could result in a €750 fine, said Bixente Luberriaga, head of beach safety.

"Unfortunately, we end up managing humans more than the dolphin, because it's human behaviour that causes problems," said Fossecave.

"We see gatherings and attempts to surround her, which can create risky situations."

Experts caution that frequent close contact with humans can be harmful to dolphins, increasing the risk of injury or death. Once they become fully accustomed to human presence, they may lose their natural wariness of people, boats, and jet skis, and most do not survive for long under such conditions.

Fossecave expressed hope that the dolphin would eventually return to open sea.

Across the border in Spain, a dolphin nicknamed Pakito settled in the waters off San Sebastian in the 1990s, where he lived for several years and became both a local celebrity and a symbol of the city.