What's happening in France this week

From the start of school exams to more pension talks, via the Fête de la musique and the sentencing of yet another dodgy politician, here’s what’s happening in France this week.

Monday

Paris Air Show – fans of all things airline related will be headed to Le Bourget for the annual Paris Air Show this week.

Philosophy bac – the French baccalaureate exams get underway, so if you have any 17/18 year-olds in your life they’re likely to be looking quite stressed for the next few weeks as they contemplate these crucial end-of-school exams.

As is usual, the exams begin with the Philosophy paper, which this year takes place on June 16th. Philosophy is a compulsory part of the Bac, so virtually every French person you know will have studied philosophy in school, which could explain a few things.

People-smuggling trial – 10 suspected people-smugglers will go on trial in Lille for manslaughter, in a case that refers to a deadly migrant Channel shipwreck at the end of 2022.

Tuesday

Deadline for pension agreements – remember the changes to the French pension age back in 2023 that people got really angry about? Well, that issue is still not entirely settled (despite people already retiring under the new conditions) and a final meeting will take place on Tuesday to try and find agreement between the government, unions and businesses. Extra talks on this topic were promised by PM François Bayrou as a condition of getting his budget passed – although most of the unions left the consultations in disgust weeks ago, so it’s unlikely to provide any breakthrough.

Fillon sentencing – talking of things that happened ages ago, remember back in 2017 when François Fillon’s presidential hopes were derailed by a ‘fake jobs’ scandal involving his wife Penelope? The gist of it was that Fillon had been employing his wife as his assistant for years, paid for out of the public purse, but there was no record of her ever doing any political work.

A mere eight years later and Fillon faces the court for the final sentencing in the case – prosecutors have requested a four-year prison term (to be served in the community), a €375,000 fine and a 10-year ban on standing for public office.

Thursday

Hellfest – music festival Hellfest gets underway – it runs until Sunday in Clisson in western France. This year’s headliners include Korn, Linkin Park, Muse and Eagles of Death Metal.

Champagne trial – the human-trafficking trial will begin linked to the housing of grape harvesters in France’s Champagne region in undignified conditions. The state contends that the undocumented workers from countries including Senegal, Mali and Gambia had been denied pay and forced to live in filthy and unsanitary conditions.

Labour abuses, especially of undocumented foreign workers, are common within French agriculture at harvest time and authorities have begun stepping up unannounced inspections of housing for grape pickers.

Beyoncé – American super-star Beyoncé will give concerts at the Stade de France, just outside Paris, on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Bordeaux wine festival – the city synonymous with wine holds its annual four-day festival celebrating all things grape-related from June 19th to 22nd this year.

Along the quays of the Garonne, winegrowers and merchants welcome visitors to various pavilions for tasting stops taking in the gamut of all things wine-related.

Friday

Phone rules – New smartphones and tablets sold in France from June 20th will be required to give extra information to the consumer, including a rating on how easy it is to have it repaired, its battery life, durability and resistance to falls and vulnerability to water or dust damage. This is part of an EU ruling on making it easier for consumers to repair and recycle items.

Saturday

Fête de la musique – the annual June 21st festival of music falls on a Saturday this year, making it likely that parties will kick up a notch. Towns, cities and villages across France will stage music events taking in all genres from classical to death metal via jazz and K-pop.

Return of la vasque – After being a huge hit during the 2024 summer Olympic Games in Paris, the innovative hot air balloon which carried the Olympic and Paralympic flames, will return to France’s capital, housed in the Tuileries. The plan is that it will be here all summer and will return each year until 2028 when the flame is formally handed over to Los Angeles. The balloon will be re-installed over the week and will rise for the first time on Saturday night, during the huge free concert being staged in the Tuileries.

Sunday

The Festival de Nîmes – which runs from Sunday to Wednesday – brings modern music to the famous Roman Arena. This year’s line-up includes Korn, London Grammar, Gims, Santana, and Scorpions. Find out more, here.

What’s happening in France this week

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