August 2024: Catch up with French history: 10, 50 and 100 years ago
From Macron becoming the fresh face in government, to a tricky balancing act and the first 'Deaflympics'
Philippe Petit was the subject of 2015 film, The Walk
Credit: Atlaspix / Alamy Stock Photo
August 2014
Macron makes the Cabinet
On August 26, 2014, Emmanuel Macron was catapulted from mere presidential adviser to economy minister as part of a Cabinet reshuffle under then-President François Hollande. At 36, he became France’s youngest economy minister since Valéry Giscard d'Estaing in 1962, and replaced Arnaud Montebourg, who had only held the office for four months.
Reporting on the “fresh face in government,” a BBC article at the time explained that Macron’s key selling point was that he shared the president's pro-business, centre-right vision - unlike his predecessor.
As minister, Macron promoted a package of reforms known as the loi Macron (“Macron law”) to boost a declining French economy.
However the legislation, which included loosening restrictions on conducting business on Sundays and re-regulating some professions, triggered a revolt from the left wing of the Socialist Party.
It was only passed by invoking Article 49 of the French constitution, (back then) a rarely used measure to pass a bill without the consent of parliament.
Read more: Macron letter to French people sets out terms to name new prime minister
August 1974
Man on Wire
French acrobat Philippe Petit walked across a high wire between the twin towers of New York’s World Trade Center on August 7, 1974.
The feat was a team effort. Petit, with a group of seven, spent months preparing, including visiting the site multiple times, building a scale model of the roofs of both buildings, and working out how to bypass security. He stepped out shortly after 08:00 local time, and performed for 45 minutes, making eight passes along the wire. He was 410m above the ground.
Despite being arrested after the stunt, Petit was released when he agreed to give a free aerial show for children in Central Park. His highwire walk was a much-needed publicity coup for the Twin Towers, which had been completed the previous year to much criticism of their size and design.
The documentary Man on Wire (the title taken from the police report that led to Petit’s arrest) was released in 2008.
Read more: Why US filmmakers are flocking to France right now
August 1924
First Deaflympics
The inaugural edition of the Deaflympics was held in Paris from August 10-17, 1924. It was the first ever international sporting event for participants with a disability, preceding the World Wheelchair and Amputee Games in 1948, which became the Paralympic Games in 1960.
Masterminded by deaf Frenchman Eugène Rubens-Alcais, the ‘Silent Games’ were held just two weeks after the end of the 1924 Summer Olympics, also in Paris, and modelled on this event. Nine countries sent 148 athletes to compete in seven sports: athletics, road cycling, diving, football, shooting, swimming, and tennis.
The athletes cannot be guided by sounds (such as starting pistols or referee whistles) and so rely on visual clues, including lights and flags.
The Deaflympics are now held every four years, and are the longest running multi-sport event in history after the Olympics.
Read more: Did you know? Football fans have French to thank for World Cup
