Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.

Disappearing snow

The unseasonably warm weather in France is good news for energy supplies, with the risk of planned power cuts now ‘increasingly unlikely’ according to the government spokesman.

But it’s wreaking havoc at the country’s ski resorts, almost half of which are currently closed because of a lack of snow.

This is of course a long-term problem linked to the climate crisis, and means that many of the businesses in the Alps, Pyrenees and Jura mountains that have previously relied on the ski industry are being forced to change their business model.

Not wishing to make light of the obviously very serious situation that is climate change – but the diversification of the tourist experience is good news for non-skiers like me – an Alps trip now offers dozens of different activities from snowshoeing and hiking to the terrifying-but-fun summer luge and the more relaxed spa experience. 

Picture of the week

The snow problem is now so acute that local authorities in the Alps have a team dedicated to taking down the rusting and abandoned chair lifts in the lower-altitude areas where ski resorts have closed for good.

Rugby dreams

This week’s Talking France is a special episode looking ahead to the year in France – travel rule changes, politics, pension reform, (possible) riots etc.

Plus the things we’re most looking forward to in 2023 – mine is obviously the Rugby World Cup, held in 9 cities across France in September and October. Allez les bleus!

You can listen to the Podcast HERE or in the player below.

Getting hitched

Over Christmas I made myself quite unpopular during a family viewing of Escape to the Chateau by pointing out that being legally married in France if you don’t have residency or citizenship is actually very difficult.

Yes, OK maybe I should have just relaxed and watched the show – but instead I started researching this article about your options for getting married in a romantic French chateau. The secret is, that for most people it’s basically just a party in the chateau, and the legal bit comes later. 

Cartoon of the week

As French President Emmanuel Macron vows to push ahead with pension reform and unions vow to fight him every step of the way, we can expect social unrest in 2023.

But the other thing we can expect is a lot of jokes and satire based around the proposal that French people stay in work until they are 65 (quelle horreur) – here’s Libération’s cartoonist Coco kicking things off with Macron’s New Year wish to the nation “And good health above all . . . until the age of 65”.

Et surtout la santé… 🍾 Par @Cocoboer pic.twitter.com/dcNLn2HsLS

— Libération (@libe) January 2, 2023

Inside France is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.