What’s coming up? The week ahead in France

Last day of SNCF advantage card discount deal

Today (August 29) is the last day to benefit from SNCF’s 50% discount offer on Jeune, Adulte and Senior advantage cards.

This means that until tomorrow, eligible age groups can buy these cards for €25 instead of €49.

SNCF advantage cards normally enable holders to get 30% off their fare for full-price journeys as well as discounts on food and other services on board trains.

You can find out more on SNCF Connect.

Read more: French train firm SNCF offers railcards at 50% off for one week only

La rentrée

This week will also see la rentrée, the traditional return to school and work after the summer holidays.

School pupils across mainland France will go back to the classroom on Thursday (September 1), with those in Corsica following on Friday.

Read more: Christmas, Easter: See the dates for France’s school holidays 2022-23

Changes to government fuel discount

The French government’s 18-cent-per-litre fuel discount will be changing on Thursday (September 1), as it increases to 30 cents per litre.

This change will remain in place throughout September and October, before dropping to 10 cents per litre in November and December.

December 31 will be the last day of the discount, which originally began in April.

Workers’ ticket restaurant limit to be increased

The maximum amount that can be spent by workers paying with tickets restaurant in a single day is rising this week.

The limit was increased from €19 to €38 during the Covid crisis but later put back down to €19 on June 30.

However, this week, a change boosting the maximum amount to €25 is expected to be passed and should come into effect in the coming weeks.

Ticket restaurant validity will also be extended to all food products, while before it was only possible to use them for items which could be consumed then and there, and not dried rice or pasta, for example.

The Deauville American Film Festival begins

The Festival du Cinéma Américain de Deauville will begin on Friday (September 2).

This festival has been running since 1975, and although it began as a non-competitive celebration of film, it now awards its Grand prix spécial Deauville and the Grand prix du cinéma indépendant américain, among others.

Previous winners have included the likes of Being John Malkovich, Little Miss Sunshine, Whiplash and Bull.

You can find out more about the festival on the official website.

Prime minister to ask businesses to reduce energy consumption

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne is to ask businesses to reduce their energy consumption by 10%, amid concerns over potential shortages this winter.

Ms Borne will be giving a speech at the Rencontre des entrepreneurs de France (REF), which is taking place today (August 29) and tomorrow.

The Festivals du parc floral draw to a close

The Paris Jazz Festival returned to the Parc Floral in Vincennes at the end of June, and is now approaching its final week.

Most of the remaining shows are free to attend and will be held in the open air in the park.

The festival will come to an end on September 7.

You can find out more about the festival line-up on the website.

Opening of funds for collège-age students

From September 1, families can apply for funds of €105-€459 per student of collège age (middle school).

These bourses grants are also means-tested and can be added to the prime de rentrée scolaire, which depends on a family’s income, number of children and their age.

The collège bursaries, which are paid three times a year, can help pupils with their lunchtime canteen expenses and with buying resources such as textbooks.

Further information on applying for a bourse is available on the government’s Service-public.fr website.

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