Paris
CNN
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In France, summer holidays are sacred. So much so that the government is willing to bend its own Covid vaccination policies to let French workers hit the beach without worrying about their second injection.
Until it did, the public outrage over the prospect that rigid vaccination plans might jeopardize people’s summer getaways was enough to unite one of France’s biggest divides: “juilletistes” – those who holiday in July – and “aoûtiens” – those who prefer August.
To appease these fervent holidaymakers, authorities have agreed to waive guidelines that insisted second vaccinations must generally be received in the same place as the first. Now people can choose the locations, including popular vacation destinations.
The monthly preference of French sunseekers may seem a mere curiosity to the rest of the world, but for those who live there, it’s a serious matter – and one that annually grinds the entire nation to a standstill.
For anyone thinking of visiting France in the summer months, it’s also worth taking note, especially if they don’t want to find their favorite Paris restaurant closed for weeks, or if they want to avoid one of the world’s biggest traffic snarl-ups.
To understand why some people in France prefer August vacations and others prefer July is to make headway into understanding what it is to be French.
“Everyone in France looks forward to summer vacations,” says Julien Louap, a 30-year-old aoûtien. “It’s like Christmas but in summer.”
For Louap, a proud Parisian, the reason why August is better than July for vacation is simple: Paris is too exciting to leave in July. Each year the city organizes a grand firework show for July 14, the French national day, accompanied by public events and private parties.
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This year, French traffic information services are expecting 700 miles of congestion.
When August arrives, the city is taken over by another sensation: calmness. Most of the residential areas of the city will be emptied as residents leave on vacation, which gives Arthur Cuhel, a 26-year-old aoûtien, another reason to not go on vacation in July.
Cuhel doesn’t want to return from vacation at the end of July to an empty city and get stuck at work at the time while most of his colleagues are away enjoying their August leisure time on the beach. Besides, August for him also means better weather, guaranteed sunshine.
“In July there are fewer people,” Cuhel said. “But the weather is also worse and I need the sun.”
But for many juilletistes, a less crowded beach is more valuable than a sunnier and hotter one. Plus, celebrating July 14 on an empty and relaxing beach is equally fun as throwing a party in Paris.
“You have fireworks on the beach,” said Juliette Gache, 21. “While for August 15 it’s usually packed.”
The cost of going on vacation in July is also lower as demands for hotel rooms is usually lower than in August. Vacationers in France booked 23.4 million nights in July compared to 24.8 million nights in August in the summer of 2019, the last pre-pandemic summer holiday season, according to a study published by France’s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.
Despite being divided on many fronts, juilletistes and aoûtiens can agree on one thing that neither of their months is good for: traffic.
“Traffic jams are kind of a tradition,” Gache said. “Even if you leave your house at four in the morning, which my family usually does because we are psycho, you will always end up in traffic jams.”
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Paris is usually quieter in August when many locals vacate the city.
Getting stuck in a tiny, sometimes non-air-conditioned vehicle with three or four other family members on highway A7 is a childhood memory shared by many French people. This highway, linking the French cities of Lyon and Marseille through the Rhône river valley, is nicknamed “the sunshine highway” as it leads to the sunny French Riviera.
“The Rhône river valley is very hot during summertime,” said Lilian Delhomme, 24, juilletiste. “You will just die and then you resurrect once you are at the beach.”
The most infamous annual traffic jam in France takes place every year on the Saturday of the week when July meets August. It’s the day when returning juilletistes clash with departing aoûtiens which results in congestions across the country, called the “jam of crisscrossing.”
“This year, just like in previous years, we are expecting more than 700 kilometers of congestion,” said Fabrice Vella, chief forecaster at Bison Futé – “Smarty Buffalo” in English – French transport ministry’s traffic information service.
In fact, the traffic service was created as a result of a bad crisscrossing jam, the one of 1975, named “the jam of the century.” On August 2, 1975, the 800-kilometer-long National Road 10, which connected Paris to Spain at the time, saw a peak jam of 450 kilometers, meaning that half of the road was blocked by traffic.
Bison Futé currently uses a four-color ranking system to indicate the level of congestion with green on the good end and black on the bad end. France only sees one or two “black days” every year when the entire country is covered in black and usually the crisscrossing day will be one of them, according to Vella.
City at a standstill
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France's most beautiful destinations: There are reportedly more than 6,000 named streets in the French capital -- Paris' great appeal is that it always leaves room for discovery, even for those who think they've seen it all.
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Colmar: Colmar is a town full of colors. The bright flower-lined canals add to the rows of brightly painted houses. Known as the wine capital of the Alsace region, bordering Germany, Colmar is also the birthplace of Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor who designed the Statue of Liberty.
Atout France/Jean François Tripelon-Jarry
Val d'Isere: France is blessed with some of Europe's best skiing terrain, with inter-connected resorts spanning the Alps and Pyrenees. Val d'Isere is among the most beautiful. Its slopes tend toward the technical but there are plenty of runs for intermediates and beginners.
Atout France/Pierre Torset
Mont Saint Michel: Rising 600 meters off the coast of northwest France's Normandy region, Mont Saint Michel is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that pulls in 3 million visitors a year. It's home to a medieval monastery. Adding to the excitement are the tides that regularly cut off the road that connects the island to the mainland.
Atout France/Franck Charel
Marseille: France's ancient port is a teeming blend of Mediterranean influences, packing a punch when it comes to heritage and culture. Come for the Bouillabaisse fish stew, stay for the surprisingly awesome pizzas.
Atout France/Franck Charel
Mont Blanc: The birthplace of modern mountaineering, Mont Blanc towers 4,810 meters over the Alps on France's border with Italy. The world's 11th highest mountain has a beguiling but formidable reputation. Nearby, Chamonix is one of France's most popular ski destinations.
Atout France/Robert Palomba
French Riviera: France's Riviera coastline, including Nice, Cannes and Monte Carlo, is a glorious, glamorous playground of sunshine, beaches and billionaires' yachts.
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Chateau de Versailles: South of Paris, the breathtaking Palace of Versailles was transformed by Louis XIV from a hunting lodge to a prominent chateau. It was the political capital and the seat of the royal court from 1682 to 1789. Highlights of the palace include acres of lawns and fountains, its Hall of (357) Mirrors and its stunning chapel.
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Annecy: In the Alps of southeastern France, Annecy is sometimes called "Little Venice" because of its canals surrounded by beautiful terraces. Its picturesque historical castle, built in the middle of one of the canals, is among romantic attractions that pull in the visitors.
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Lake Annecy: Still in the Alps, and still near Annecy -- Lake Annecy is a crystal clear glacier lake said to be one of the world's cleanest.
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Millau Viaduct: No list of incredible global engineering achievements is complete without France's elegant Millau Viaduct. The highest road bridge deck in Europe, the viaduct sits 270 meters over the River Tarn. Opened in 2004, it's now a vital link on a major route connecting France with Spain.
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Etretat: Soaring natural arches formed by coastal erosion are the key attraction at Etretat, a small town on Normandy's Alabaster Coast.
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Lyon: France's second city, Lyon is considered by many to be its coolest. By and large it's cheaper than Paris and some say it's got better food. It also hosts an amazing winter festival of lights.
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Carcassone: One of the most visited places in France after the Eiffel Tower, the citadel of Carcassonne is a vast collection of medieval towers, drawbridges, cobbled streets and courtyards.
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Mupop: Almost dead center in the middle of France, the town of Montlucon has enhanced its traditional charms with the recent opening of what has to be one of France's, if not Europe's, greatest new museums:
Mupop. Dedicated to the history of pop music, both within and outside of France, this expansive collection features entertaining interactive displays covering everything from rural folk singers to 1960s teen bedrooms and punk recording rooms.
Olivier Roux/Atout France
Vineyards: It may have rivals in New World producers, but France is still the quintessential wine country and the millions of acres dedicated to grape growing are part of its charm. Here the Chapelle de la Madone sits above a vineyard in Beaujolais, central-eastern France.
Atout France/ Franck Charel
Bordeaux: While we're on the subject, Bordeaux is possibly the world's wine capital. But it's not just about the drink -- the city has a lively restaurant scene set among some of France's most elegant streets.
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Provence: Summer finds France's southern Provence region basking in a glorious heat that draws vacationers from across France and beyond. Inland from the region's glorious coastline, beautiful lavender fields like these behind the 12th century Cistercian abbey of Sénanques fill the air with their aromatic scents.
Atout France/Laurent Masurel
Biarritz: A resort town on France's Atlantic coast, Biarritz shares some of the glitz of its Mediterranean counterparts. It's a known haunt of the wealthy and famous, but its long, sandy beaches have a broader appeal, especially among surfers.
Atout France/Daniel Philippe
Le Chateau de Chambord: Le Chateau de Chambord is the largest of several amazing castles built along the Loire Valley. The French Renaissance building features 440 rooms and a double-helix fireplace supposedly based on a design by Leonardo da Vinci.
Atout France/Robert Palomba
Rocamadour: Central France's Dordogne region is a favorite with summer vacationers who love relaxing in its rural greenery interspersed with ancient market towns. A favorite here is Rocamadour, a pilgrimage dominated by the collection of churches and monastic buildings that sit on the cliff tops above.
JC Collet/Saint Malo Tourisme
Saint-Malo: A 12th-century walled city built against the threat of English invasion, Saint-Malo is a classic French mix of ancient city (filled with fabulous seafood restaurants) set against a stunning landscape. The waters around it rise and fall with the world's highest tidal ranges while the skies constantly change to the whims of wild Atlantic weather.
Atout France/Frank Charel
Villages: Wherever you go in France, once outside the main towns and cities, the countryside is dotted with many small, picturesque villages. Often built from local stone, these communities are home to a quieter pace of life. Old timers play petanque, locals sit outside the cafe, the aroma of fresh baguettes drifts out of the boulangerie.
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Gorge du Verdon: France's answer to the Grand Canyon might be smaller than its American equivalent, but it's no less beautiful. The Gorge du Verdon is where an Alpine river plunges down a magnificent valley. The limestone cliffs and natural lakes are served by a maze of hiking, cycling and horseback riding trails connecting tiny villages.
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Jardins de Giverny: Claude Monet's hazy floral paintings immortalized his
garden in Giverny, northwest of Paris. These have largely been preserved to reflect the glorious floral abundance enjoyed by the impressionist artist and are now open to the public.
Maurice Subervie/Atout France
One major reason behind the French passion for summer vacation is that French labor laws guarantee five weeks of paid vacation for most of its workforce. In fact, France was the first European country to implement a generalized two-week paid vacation in 1936, under the socialist government led by Léon Blum, according to Alain Chatriot, professor at Sciences Po university.
In the summer of 1936, for the first time since forever, hundreds of thousands of French factory workers took to the beach and enjoyed their vacation, a privilege previously reserved to the bourgeoisie and aristocracy.
“It remains one of the most symbolic provisions to the labor law,” Chatriot said.
French people’s love for vacation also means that American tourists planning to visit Paris this summer, especially in August, will find most of the restaurants and cafés closed.
A Paris native, Cyril Choisne, 40, has been working in the gastronomic world of the French capital since 2006. Eclipses, his own Michelin Guide-recommended restaurant near Musée d’Orsay, like most other restaurants in Paris, shuts its doors during the first half of August because most of their customers are gone.
“Last year, I tested opening from August 1 to August 15,” he said. Demand “dropped by more than 90%.”
But for Choisne, the tranquility is exactly why he encourages everyone to visit his home city at this time of the year. Just remember one thing, he said, “Always bring a bottle of water and keep in mind that it will be difficult to find a restroom because most of the city will be at a standstill.”