-
French towns take action to reduce percentage of second homes
A new town is to offer ‘tiny homes’ to rent all year round from just €100 per month. Around 25 other French communes are working on similar projects
-
2024 bank holiday dates in France and how they are celebrated
There are technically 13 statutory holidays in 2024 in France - although some are only celebrated in one area. Here are the dates to note
-
Property taxes, car sales, pharmacy strike: 5 French practical updates
Our round-up of recent practical articles you may have missed
Man finds grass snake in his beans
A man was shocked to find a grass snake in the can when he opened up some beans on his return from holidays.
‘Fabrice’, from Sarthe in Pays-de-la-Loire, told local paper Le Maine Libre it was among yellow wax beans (haricots beurre).
“It was soaking in the juice and it was hard to make out what it was at first – I checked on the internet and it was a grass snake; dead of course.
“I wonder how it could have got in there.”
The incident brings to mind the expression avaler des couleuvres – to swallow grass snakes (which fortunately, Fabrice did not).
It originally meant to be subject to insults or other unpleasant situations without being able to protest, but now usually has the sense of accepting all manner of (dubious) claims as being true without objecting to them.
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France