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DHL strike hits Christmas deliveries in France
‘All packages will be delivered even if they are a little late’, says DHL spokesperson
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Festive French phrases and words for the Christmas period
Joyeux Noël tout le monde - your vocabulary guide to get you through the festive season
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Why is Bordeaux also known as the ‘port of the moon’?
The nickname hints at the long maritime history of the World Heritage city
Where does the French word grève come from?
The French word ‘grève’ which now refers to protest movements and strikes originally came from the Gallic word grava, meaning thick sand and gravel.
In the 17th century, on the right bank of the Seine in Paris there was a port, port de la Grève, which gave birth to a square known as Place de Grève – so named as the place was submerged in coarse sand.
This square – now known as place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville – was a place where executions were frequent and the first guillotine was installed there.
But it was also a place of gatherings for unemployed people to find work. There was a lot of activity around the port and people could easily find a job there.
The expression ‘faire grève’ at the time meant to look for work.
But the meaning changed in the 19th century, when dissatisfied workers gathered in the same square to protest about work conditions and gave us its current day meaning.
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