Day 3391 (Monday) 21st September 2026

Both of these photos were taken a long time ago, it hasn’t changed a bit.

It was yet another lovely day and Huw had ordered some shopping from Super U so we had to stay at home to accept the delivery. There was another cruise ship in the bay and the passengers had a lovely day to visit. I spent a few hours on the balcony this afternoon, it was so nice to not sweaty.

This evening we have a parade and a free concert in the square, should be lovely.

What’s happening in France this week

Pope Leo XIV arrives in France for a three-day visit this week. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)A Papal visit, the clocks go back, more strikes and protests, and Brigitte Bardot memorabilia goes up for auction

Monday 

Auction – Personal items owned by actress, animal rights activist and far-right campaigner Brigitte Bardot, who died in December 2025, are up for auction at Hôtel Drouot in Paris. Among the 285 items up for auction are baby seal plush toys, a painting given to her by Alain Delon, a rattan armchair, a poster, and a rocking chair. 

Radio – Staff at Radio France are set to walk out on another 24-hour strike in protest at the hiring of Charles Sapin, deputy editor of hard-right publication Valeurs Actuelles as a Sunday political commentator on France Inter. The walkout is expected to affect the France Inter, France Culture, Franceinfo and ICI network.

Wednesday

Equinox – Autumn officially begins – astronomically speaking – when the sun crosses the plane of the equator as it heads south for winter. This year that happens at 2.05am (France time) on September 23rd. Monaco – The Union des syndicats de Monaco and the Syndicat des agents de l’État et de la commune have called on workers across the principality for a demonstration in protest at wages and working conditions.

Thursday

Strike – Pilots with budget airline easyJet are expected to walk out on a delayed 24-hour strike in protest at the “chronic instability” of their work schedules. Walkout – SFR staff are set to strike over job security concerns linked to the company’s sale to a Bouygues Telecom/Free/Orange consortium. Customers should expect delays in customer services, support and some technical operations. There is no indication, yet, of any direct impact on networks.

Friday

Court – A man convicted in 2024 of the theft of a piece of Banksy street art painted on the back of a road sign near the Georges-Pompidou Centre five years earlier appeals against the sentence handed down. 

Taxes – French tax authorities will automatically collect owed taxes from your bank account starting September 25th. Amounts of €300 or less will be taken in one payment, while larger bills will be split into four payments from September to December. Pope – Pope Leo begins his three-day visit to France, where he will visit Paris, Lourdes and Metz. 

Football – The French senior men’s national team – under new manager Zinedine Zidane – are in Turkiye for the opening match of the Nations League at Kocaeli Stadyumu. The match kicks off at 8.45pm and will be broadcast on TF1.

Saturday

Paris – Pope Leo will celebrate a public mass at Place de la Concorde. An estimated 600,000 people have registered to attend the event. Road closures and public transport disruption are expected around Concorde, the Champs-Élysées, Invalides and the Assemblée nationale. 

Climate protest – Demonstrations are planned in some 400 towns and cities across France demanding stronger action on heatwaves, wildfires and climate change. 

Rugby – France women will take on world number three side and losing World Cup finalists Canada in La Rochelle on the final weekend of the European leg of their WXV Global Series challenge. The match kicks off at 5.45pm, and is broadcast on France 2. Les Bleues will then head to New Zealand for the southern hemisphere leg of the Series, featuring three matches against the Black Ferns in October.

Sunday

Religion – Pope Leo will deliver a mass on the meadow at the Sanctuary of Lourdes. 

Senate – Elections to France’s Senate take place. Unlike municipal, legislative and presidential elections, senate seats are not decided by universal suffrage, but by local electoral colleges – meaning the results of May’s municipal elections are likely to have an impact on the shape of the French parliament’s upper house.