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On the Agenda: What’s happening in France this week

The Local France
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On the Agenda: What’s happening in France this week
(Photo by JACQUES DEMARTHON / AFP)

From end of the Christmas holidays to rail strikes and the delicious Galette des Rois cakes you'll get to enjoy on Friday, here's what is happening in France this week.

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January 1st marks the day when a host of new laws come into place, plus changes to financial support for households dealing with rising prices.

What changes in January 2023 

Monday

Back to work - With New Year's Eve and Day falling over a weekend, many people will be heading back into the office on Monday, as it is not a public holiday. However, the holidays are not yet over for France's parliament. Lawmakers will reconvene next week.

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Big day for travel - With families coming home the day before schools start up again and workers heading back into the office, the roads are expected to be busier than usual in France. The Paris region and much of eastern France will be "Orange" - indicating "heavy traffic conditions" according to the traffic watchdog Bison Futé. 

Strikes in the Bordeaux area - Rail transport in Bordeaux and the surrounding region is likely to be disrupted, as Monday marks the last day of a local transport strike. 

Doctors strike - Medecines généralistes (GPs or family doctors) take another week of strike action this week in their ongoing call for more investment in community healthcare. The strike runs from Monday to Sunday inclusive.

If you need non-urgent medical care during this time, here are your options.  

Tuesday

Back to school -  Schoolchildren across France will be returning to the classroom after Christmas break on Tuesday.

Strike action impacting the Eurostar - For those travelling to or from the United Kingdom on Tuesday, Eurostar has warned that travel may be disrupted on January 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th due to an RMT strike involving "Network Rail and 14 train companies in the UK." Similar strike action before Christmas saw some services cancelled but most running as normal. You can find more information here.

Friday

Epiphany - This is not a public holiday in France (unlike neighbouring Spain where they go mad for the Three Kings), but the day is marked with a special cake – the Galette des rois – which has a lot of fun and complicated rituals for consumption.

READ ALSO Everything you need to know about Galette des rois

Sunday

Last day of the Lumières en Seine festival – If you missed Lyon's light festival this winter, you can still make it to one in Paris. The Lumières en Seine is held in the Parc de Sainte-Cloud, in the Bois de Boulogne just to the west of the city, and it runs until January 8th. The park is decked out in beautiful light displays for a night-time wander. Tickets are €20.

 

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