What changes in France in February 2024
From the French pancake day to electricity price increases, a school strike and a key EU meeting about ongoing farmer protests, here is what is on the agenda for February 2023 in France.
Strike - February begins with a strike as teachers walk out on Thursday, February 1st. The one-day strike is over education reforms, plus comments made by the new education minister over state schools.
EU meeting/farmer protests - February 1st is also the date of a key EU meeting about agriculture. The French government hopes that enough concessions can be made to halt the ongoing farmers' protests which have seen roads blocked around the country. You can find the latest on the farm protests here.
La Chandeleur – Friday, February 2nd marks La Chandeleur aka the French pancake day. As well as eating lots of delicious crêpes, the French also have a complicated and fun set of superstitions around this day which apparently bring good luck for the year ahead.
READ MORE: La Chandeleur: The day the French get superstitious and go crazy over crepes
New name for Pôle Emploi – Thanks to the employment law passed in December, the French body handling unemployment benefits, Pôle Emploi, will be renamed 'France Travail'. The gradual rollout began on January 1st, but the transition onto a new website (francetravail.fr) will start from February.
Road Tolls – Toll rates on the main motorways across France are set to go up by an average of 3 percent starting on February 1st. However, price increases will depend on the motorway and the company operating it.
READ MORE: What are the most expensive autoroutes in France you might want to avoid?
Electricity bills – Starting February 1st, electricity rates rates will increase in France. The rises will be 8.6 percent for those on basic rate plans, and up to 9.8 percent for those who use 'peak-off-peak' (tarifs heures pleines-heures creuses) plans. On average, households will pay around €100 more per year.
Taxis and VTCs – On February 1st, new minimum fares for trips with taxis and VTCs (including Uber and Bolt) will be put in place. As such, drivers will be paid at least €9 per trip, but customers will have to pay at least €10.60 per trip due to added commission charged by VTC platforms. This is part of negotiations for increased driver remuneration, which will also guarantee them a minimum income of €30 per hour.
Paris referendum - the city of Paris holds a referendum on Sunday, February 4th on the subject of its plans to charge extra parking fees for heavy vehicles such as SUVs.
The end of the Soldes – This year, the winter sales began on Wednesday, January 10th in most of France, and they will run until Tuesday, February 6th. In France’s overseas territories the sales periods are often completely different - for example the islands of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin have their sales in May.
Six Nations Rugby Tournament – The annual championship will run until March 16th. France take on Ireland (the defending champions) on Friday, February 2nd at the Orange Vélodrome in Marseille. More info here.
Valentine's Day – The holiday of love, or la Saint Valentin as French people refer to it, may not be as widely celebrate in France as it is in the US or UK, but you will still see chocolate shops and jewellery stores preparing for the occasion.
READ MORE: How do the French really feel about Valentine's Day?
School holidays – schools have a two-week holiday in February, but the exact date depends on which zone you are in. Zone C (including the Paris region) holidays will run from February 10th to February 26th; Zone A holidays will go from February 17th to March 4th; Zone B holidays will run from February 24th to March 11th. More info here.
Farm show – France's annual Salon de l'Agriculture will take place from Saturday, February 23th to Sunday, March 3rd. Each year, farmers from all over France pick out their finest cattle and drive all the way into the capital to participate in the fair, which is held in the Paris at Porte de Versailles. This year, the atmosphere may be a bit more tense than usual, owing to the farmer's protests.
READ MORE: 5 things to know about France's most famous farm show
Nice Carnival – If you've got the winter blues by February, consider a trip to the south coast where two weeks of festivities bring the Mediterranean city of Nice to life and mark the end of the winter hiatus. It will run from February 17th to March 3rd.
There are Carnival Parades (Corsi) day and night plus the elegant Flower Parades. Lots of floats decorated and presented under the season’s theme (2024's is King of Pop Culture) parade to the rhythm of street art troupes and musical groups from all kinds of backgrounds (from all over the world), all in a colourful, festive, family atmosphere.
If you want to keep up to date with French politics, there are also usually some extremely unflattering depictions on floats of the current least popular politicians. More info here.
Menton lemon festival – Not to be outdone by its larger near-neighbour, the resort of Menton tempts more than 200,000 visitors every year for a spectacular 15-day celebration of all things citrus. It will also run from February 17th to March 3rd.
Yep, that's right - there are carnival floats made out of lemons, the town is decorated in lemons and there's every variety of lemon-themed food and drink that you could possibly imagine. More details here.
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Strike - February begins with a strike as teachers walk out on Thursday, February 1st. The one-day strike is over education reforms, plus comments made by the new education minister over state schools.
EU meeting/farmer protests - February 1st is also the date of a key EU meeting about agriculture. The French government hopes that enough concessions can be made to halt the ongoing farmers' protests which have seen roads blocked around the country. You can find the latest on the farm protests here.
La Chandeleur – Friday, February 2nd marks La Chandeleur aka the French pancake day. As well as eating lots of delicious crêpes, the French also have a complicated and fun set of superstitions around this day which apparently bring good luck for the year ahead.
READ MORE: La Chandeleur: The day the French get superstitious and go crazy over crepes
New name for Pôle Emploi – Thanks to the employment law passed in December, the French body handling unemployment benefits, Pôle Emploi, will be renamed 'France Travail'. The gradual rollout began on January 1st, but the transition onto a new website (francetravail.fr) will start from February.
Road Tolls – Toll rates on the main motorways across France are set to go up by an average of 3 percent starting on February 1st. However, price increases will depend on the motorway and the company operating it.
READ MORE: What are the most expensive autoroutes in France you might want to avoid?
Electricity bills – Starting February 1st, electricity rates rates will increase in France. The rises will be 8.6 percent for those on basic rate plans, and up to 9.8 percent for those who use 'peak-off-peak' (tarifs heures pleines-heures creuses) plans. On average, households will pay around €100 more per year.
Taxis and VTCs – On February 1st, new minimum fares for trips with taxis and VTCs (including Uber and Bolt) will be put in place. As such, drivers will be paid at least €9 per trip, but customers will have to pay at least €10.60 per trip due to added commission charged by VTC platforms. This is part of negotiations for increased driver remuneration, which will also guarantee them a minimum income of €30 per hour.
Paris referendum - the city of Paris holds a referendum on Sunday, February 4th on the subject of its plans to charge extra parking fees for heavy vehicles such as SUVs.
The end of the Soldes – This year, the winter sales began on Wednesday, January 10th in most of France, and they will run until Tuesday, February 6th. In France’s overseas territories the sales periods are often completely different - for example the islands of Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin have their sales in May.
Six Nations Rugby Tournament – The annual championship will run until March 16th. France take on Ireland (the defending champions) on Friday, February 2nd at the Orange Vélodrome in Marseille. More info here.
Valentine's Day – The holiday of love, or la Saint Valentin as French people refer to it, may not be as widely celebrate in France as it is in the US or UK, but you will still see chocolate shops and jewellery stores preparing for the occasion.
READ MORE: How do the French really feel about Valentine's Day?
School holidays – schools have a two-week holiday in February, but the exact date depends on which zone you are in. Zone C (including the Paris region) holidays will run from February 10th to February 26th; Zone A holidays will go from February 17th to March 4th; Zone B holidays will run from February 24th to March 11th. More info here.
Farm show – France's annual Salon de l'Agriculture will take place from Saturday, February 23th to Sunday, March 3rd. Each year, farmers from all over France pick out their finest cattle and drive all the way into the capital to participate in the fair, which is held in the Paris at Porte de Versailles. This year, the atmosphere may be a bit more tense than usual, owing to the farmer's protests.
READ MORE: 5 things to know about France's most famous farm show
Nice Carnival – If you've got the winter blues by February, consider a trip to the south coast where two weeks of festivities bring the Mediterranean city of Nice to life and mark the end of the winter hiatus. It will run from February 17th to March 3rd.
There are Carnival Parades (Corsi) day and night plus the elegant Flower Parades. Lots of floats decorated and presented under the season’s theme (2024's is King of Pop Culture) parade to the rhythm of street art troupes and musical groups from all kinds of backgrounds (from all over the world), all in a colourful, festive, family atmosphere.
If you want to keep up to date with French politics, there are also usually some extremely unflattering depictions on floats of the current least popular politicians. More info here.
Menton lemon festival – Not to be outdone by its larger near-neighbour, the resort of Menton tempts more than 200,000 visitors every year for a spectacular 15-day celebration of all things citrus. It will also run from February 17th to March 3rd.
Yep, that's right - there are carnival floats made out of lemons, the town is decorated in lemons and there's every variety of lemon-themed food and drink that you could possibly imagine. More details here.
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