La rentrée
La rentrée, the period at the start of September, in France is a really big deal. In the UK, we call this ‘back to school’, but in France it is so much more than that.
If you’ve been to France in August, you may have noticed that a lot of things are closed - bakeries, restaurants, cafes, even pharmacies. They’ll have these signs, sometimes handwritten, that tells you the dates they’re closed. You’ll find that they don’t always update their hours online. These places are often closed for three weeks. This happens in big cities like Paris, but also in small towns all across the country. This is part of the French culture, after all we have 5 weeks paid holiday per year as a legal minimum. The start of September doesn’t just mean back to school, it’s also the return to the office, return to your normal day job.
At the start of September, I had my annual eye checkup. My ophthalmologist was telling me that she takes time off in August, not necessarily because she wants to, but because she has to - all of her clients are on holiday. This is cultural, and impacts so many sectors. (Don’t worry, there will always be some doctors working during summer).
(if you’re curious to why I picked this photo, it’s because it’s taken from inside a university in Paris. If you visit the museum of the history of medicine, you’ll get to walk through this hall!)
La rentrée is part of the culture. I’ve had people from the US on my tours recently who have told me they’re excited to decorate for fall (or autumn as we call it in the UK). The seasonal decoration isn’t a big part of the culture here. On my tours, we spend time talking about French history, but also about French culture!
Book a tourIf you live in France, you’ll know about the associations, these are essentially clubs that you can join. (If you apply for French nationality, there’s a good chance they’re going to ask if you’re part of one). Sports, poetry, sailing, arts and crafts, yoga, and a whole lot more. A lot of towns will have an open day at the start of September where all of the associations have small stalls so you can see what your town offers and ask any questions you may have.
It’s also the time of year when a lot of the museums have new exhibitions starting. Museums often need a few weeks to change the exhibitions. There’s a lot of work and care that goes into moving pieces of art around the world. From mid September, we’ll see a lot of new openings in Paris. How exciting!
So the start of September, there’s a buzz in the air. The excitement, the start of something new. There’s also a little but of panic of picking up the things you didn’t finish before les vacances, the last minute school supplies and the getting back into routine. In a week or so, everyone will settle back down into their routines. But while the buzz is here, I’m going to be enjoying it.
I personally think the start of September is a great time to visit Paris. It’s a lot quieter because the schools are back (in many places around the world) and the weather is still great. A lot of the monuments that have had long lines over summer are incredibly quiet now.