Opinion

Opinion: Another week off – how I love living in France

One of the many things I adore about the French is their attitude to time off.

‘It is my right to work beyond retirement age - but France says no’

Age discrimination in the workplace is real but hidden, says (soon to be forcibly retired) English teacher Nick Inman

Do you agree? Paris politicians ignore rural France at their peril

Rural voters are looking for leaders outside the Paris bubble who will protect village life, says columnist Nick Inman

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'Targeting golfers in France as a threat in class war is ludicrous'

Stigmatising certain groups for political gain is nothing new, says commentator Nabila Ramdani

‘Farmer crisis is a pig for new French PM and a godsend for Le Pen’

It is tough at the top of the greasy pole of politics, observes commentator Simon Heffer

‘Macron wants higher birth rate - of the right kind of French babies’

The president’s latest bid for Le Pen votes is deeply unsavoury, warns commentator Nabila Ramdani

‘Why France’s ‘boy wonder’ PM may still end up as Macron’s scapegoat’

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal may have presidential aspirations but consider the fate of his predecessors, warns commentator Simon Heffer

‘French far-right fight over rural votes with village-idiot policies’

Political parties which promise to protect a mythic Gallic country life are living in a fantasy world, warns columnist Nabila Ramdani

Are theatre audiences in France better behaved than the UK or US?

Columnist Peter Wyeth notices a genuine appreciation for performers and no reports of anti-social behaviour at shows

‘Unlike English there is a right and wrong way to speak French’

It is wonderfully Gallic that the Académie française exists to keep the language pure and elegant, admits columnist Nick Inman

Your views on American tourist’s claim that France is ‘isolating’

We asked for feedback after her video about a negative experience in Lyon went viral

Talking point: Is France really a meritocracy?

Equality is a pillar of French culture - columnist Nick Inman explores whether the brightest talent can always rise to the top

‘No happy new year for French president chasing a place in history’

President Macron’s problems are stacking up at home and abroad, says columnist Simon Heffer

‘Our kind French neighbours have made us feel so welcome’

The French are often portrayed as ‘stand-offish’ but columnist Peter Wyeth has had nothing but generosity - especially with surplus vegetables

‘I will never rely on an app to translate my thoughts into French’

Online translators are useful tools but people still need to understand the nuance of language, says columnist Nick Inman

10 French songs that have sparked debate over the years

As one of France’s all-time hits is criticised for its right-wing tone, we look at other contested songs

Do you agree? French cuisine is not superior to other foods

Put stereotypes to one side, there are some foods Britain and US do better than France, says Nick Inman

‘A weekend camping 12 minutes away from our French home - why not?’

After a relaxing stay at the local lake, writer Samantha David realises tourist facilities on her doorstep are for locals too

Talking point: Is it really offensive to say ‘the French’?

Columnist Nick Inman mulls over the arguments for and against using this general term

‘Calling French grammar sexy takes the love of this language too far’

It is infuriating to learn yet thrilling to get right, admits Nick Inman

‘Solid metal fences hiding French gardens are a mystery to me’

Attitudes to fencing might highlight a difference in French and American culture, ponders Peter Wyeth

‘Ten recycling bins in Belgium was easy compared to French system’

‘Why is it so difficult to recycle in my village?’ wondered writer Samantha David, so she rang the council to ask them

‘Tax on France’s vegetable gardens would be another Macron scandal’

If rumours of a ‘potager’ tax are true it would strike at the heart of French life, says journalist Nabila Ramdani

Stress-busting tips for when friends come to stay with you in France

Living in France can mean acquiring ‘new best friends’ who invite themselves to stay, columnist Cynthia Spillman helps navigate this with grace

‘Bringing back monarchy to France may not be a ridiculous idea’

A monarch and a President may bring balance - but which aristocrat would sit on the French throne? Journalist Simon Heffer explores

‘Paris proves people will happily pay for great art’

Columnist Nabila Ramdani believes other countries could learn a thing or two from the success of the French capital’s museums

‘Forget raising retirement age in France, AI will lead to job losses’

It makes no sense for France to raise the pension age, with AI set to replace many jobs, says scientist Simon Thorpe

Charles III coronation: What do the French think of the UK’s new king?

The strong memory of Lady Diana plus Charles III’s recently postponed visit to France have not helped his popularity

‘Superb’, ‘nonsense’: Your views on making French mairies fly EU flag

MPs from Emmanuel Macron’s party want to make displaying the flag mandatory

‘Macron is right about pensions – but being right is rarely enough’

Reforming the retirement system is good for France, but Macron must watch out for the political backlash, warns commentator Simon Heffer

‘Stark health warnings on every wine bottle in France is absurd’

Winemaker Jonathan Hesford examines the impact of health labelling on small wine producers and the Mediterranean diet

Why we are on the side of French pension reform strikers

Connexion readers explain what motivated them to join local demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron’s plan to raise the retirement by two years to 64

Secondhand uniforms can still create equality in French schools

As the debate around school uniforms continues, we hear how a British thrift shop idea could be transferred to France with no stigma attached for students

Talking point: Do not believe everything you read about ‘the French’

Nick Inman goes the extra mile to fact check a report that one in 10 French people believe the earth may be flat

‘King’s visit to France chance to rebuild fractured relationship’

Commentator Simon Heffer takes a look at reports King Charles will make a state visit to France in June

Gilles Kepel: ‘Atmospheric Jihadism’ is latest threat to France

Middle East specialist Gilles Kepel speaks to Théophile Larcher about how the terrorist threat in France has evolved in recent years

‘France’s new repair grant for appliances is great – in theory’

Getting her pink kettle fixed through the government’s ecological repair scheme proves easier said than done for writer Samantha David

France, a nation of complainers? Yes, but it’s a good thing

We French are known for grumbling (and studies prove it to be true) but, argues Théophile Larcher, this belies the country’s high expectations and resilience

Updated: more of your feedback on French banks

Readers give their views after surprisingly positive poll shows almost nine in 10 French people surveyed have a good opinion of their bank - and particularly their local branch

Do you agree? DIY machines in France’s La Poste are hindrance not help

Nick Inman just wanted to send a parcel to Britain but when staff are replaced by disobedient computers things get tricky

‘France and Germany are like a couple who argue but always make up’

Columnist Richard Ogier looks at how the countries manage to ‘get along’ on the global stage and in everyday life

Why Americans are choosing Air France flights over US airlines

Tamara Thiessen talks to passengers crossing the Atlantic about customer service, ethics and, of course, food

‘Non, Madame Macron, school uniforms do not mean social equality’

Commentator Nabila Ramdani gives her view on France’s relationship with school uniforms and prejudice in the ‘uniform bill’

Why we drive rather than take the train to ski in the French Alps

A reader from the UK who has been travelling for 40 years to ski defends his choice

Why I am in favour of tighter licence controls for drivers in France

A reader gives feedback on how the UK and France’s driving licence controls differ

French politics: Why the hung parliament could be a big opportunity

Politicians are going to have to find a way forward and, in so doing, they might be able to reinvigorate democracy, argues writer Nick Inman

‘French restaurant 'no children' sign was wrong - use common courtesy’

Commentator Nabila Ramdani gives her view on an Alsace restaurant’s communication policy

‘Bono’s praise for Macron reminds French they could do worse’

Commentator Richard Ogier explores the value of a foreigner’s view of France

‘Macron’s nuclear power push is high-risk and high-reward for France’

Columnist Richard Ogier takes a look at the president’s ‘herculean’ commitment to nuclear energy

‘Hunting in France has changed over the years – not for the better’

Bigger, more aggressive groups and breaches of no-hunting zones are among the main concerns for our reader

Macron should look to history to get a better handle on Putin

If the horrors of two world wars have taught us anything, it is that sometimes leaders cannot be talked down, argues Samantha David

Hunting in France has its place – as long as it is done responsibly

Nick Inman argues that compromise is everything if hunters want their divisive tradition to continue

‘Is French President Macron right or left-wing? It depends’

Columnist Richard Ogier explores Macron’s career, policies and behaviours to conclude perspective is everything in politics

‘Genuine reverence for the Queen from Macron the modern French king’

Columnist Nabila Ramdani gives her take on why Macron is obsessed with constitutional monarchy

‘UK and France must work together now more than ever’

Columnist Simon Heffer explores how Truss and Macron are moving on from the UK PM’s ‘friend or foe’ comment

‘French towns should ditch hanging baskets and learn to love weeds’

Local authorities are losing the battle against weeds following the glyphosate ban but Samantha David thinks we should embrace the dandelion

‘French train travel is a joy compared to Germany’s awful rail system’

Columnist Richard Ogier compares travelling by train in the two countries and why they are so different

‘This is the calm before a stormy winter in French politics’

President Macron must tackle inflation, an energy crisis and the war in Ukraine with an unstable Assemblée nationale - Simon Heffer gives his view

Fascinating France: Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Richard Ogier, an Australian journalist based in Strasbourg, launches a new regular Connexion column by reflecting on France’s future political challenges

Indifference from French shop assistants is not the same as rudeness

Journalist Samantha David explains their polite apathy and does not want it to change

‘Brexit made Scottish independence and EU re-entry more likely’

Experts in Scotland talk to The Connexion’s Thomas Brent about how Brexit impacts a second independence referendum and why rejoining the EU will take time

Heatwave shows a ‘rickety’ French emergency health service in crisis

Columnist Nabila Ramdani shares her view on the heatwave heroes and hospitals buckling under pressure

Culture clash? My worries over long-awaited France to UK trip

Gillian Harvey prepares for her first return visit to the UK in four years and wonders if she is right to be apprehensive

‘Why I’d have moved if my area of France voted in a far-right MP’

British retiree Ian Joiner says a Rassemblement National-run administration would undermine diversity and local cultural life

Crazy world of politics as Macron’s challenges move from Right to Left

Richard Ogier explains why France’s newly re-elected president still has an uphill battle trying to navigate the country’s complicated political scene

Banking in France without a mobile phone is near impossible

Crédit Agricole insist on a mobile phone to receive SMS and security codes for online banking - otherwise ‘tant pis’ says reader

Are the English really guilty of Joan of Arc’s death?

A far-right tradition of visiting Joan of Arc’s statue on May Day puts the medieval warrior-turned-nationalist symbol in sharp focus

Enjoy your victory, Mr Macron, but you and France face tough times

With Le Pen and Mélenchon snapping at his heels, Mr Macron only has five years to create his legacy. Journalist Simon Heffer assesses the recent election and France’s future

Comment: Why don’t the French like the presidents they elect?

Most French presidents only survive one five year term before they are voted out, with two notable exceptions

Comment: Macron election win would prove poor state of French politics

When he eventually got around to revealing his manifesto, barely three weeks before the first round, it was fabulously uninspiring

Schadenfreude, secret envy: Why do the French love the British royals?

Curiously, French people have little fascination for discreet monarchies such as those of Denmark and Belgium, or the Spanish Crown, which is on permanent probation, writes Nick Inman

19 inspirational French women for International Women’s Day

Samantha David takes a look at the life and work of women she admires - who would you add to the list?

France’s cultural and natural variety makes it a tourist hotspot

Museums, galleries, beaches, mountains, canals, hiking, diving, driving…Nick Inman shares his thoughts on why France continues to attract so many holidaymakers

Paris university Russian expert: ‘Putin’s regime is in survival mode’

Professor Marie Mendras, at Paris’ Sciences Po University, gives an insight into Vladimir Putin’s mindset and the consequences of the war in Ukraine

Are the British just not serious enough for the French?

The French would not have elected Boris Johnson in a million years: A man who treats himself as a joke in le Palais de l’Elysée? Non, non et non. Samantha David shares her thoughts on this cultural difference