THE YEAR
September is the real new year
La rentrée, the ponts, and the August shutdown.
- The country restarts in September, all at once
La rentrée is school, politics, publishing and work resuming on the same week, and everything from book releases to legislation is scheduled around it.
- In August the shutter comes down and stays down
Congés annuels close small businesses for weeks. It is not a rumour and it catches newcomers every year.
- May is mostly bridges
A cluster of public holidays falling midweek produces the ponts, and the calendar is planned around them months ahead.