Vichy and the Nazis: A Deal with the Devil | Parts 1, 2 & 3 | PURE WW2

Jul 15, 2025 | Summer 1942. A real manhunt took place in Paris, then in occupied France, and even in the ‘zone libre’ (free zone). Close to 80 000 Jews were rounded-up and deported to the concentration camps. Almost none of them ever returned. Without the help of the French authorities and police, these operations carefully planned by the Nazis would never have existed. How did the Vichy regime collaborate with the Nazi dictatorship in order to send it 79 convoys of men, women and children? Thanks to immersive re-enactments and archives footage for some unpublished, this film delves into the last elements revealed by historical research to make us live, from the inside, these waves of massive and violent arrests. One of the darkest episodes in history that still remains little-known.

Title : Vichy and the Nazis: a deal with the devil
Directed by : Pauline Legrand & François Pomès
Production : Label News for RMC Découverte

A French Beach Town’s Plea to Tourists: Keep Your Clothes On

THE NEW YORK TIMES: “A little restraint, please!” wrote the mayor of Les Sables d’Olonne, who is leading an effort to stop visitors from wandering the town in just their swimwear.

A seaside town in France is clamping down on tourists who venture beyond the sand in their swimsuits. “A little restraint, please!” Yannick Moreau, the mayor of Les Sables d’Olonne, pleaded on social media last week to the flocks of mostly French tourists who visit each summer.

Mr. Moreau said in an interview that the behavior had become more prevalent in recent years: Visitors leave the beach and walk into the town’s markets, grocery stores and restaurants in their bathing suits. He has seen enough.

“If you go to a market to buy local food — fruits, vegetables, meat — you cannot be half-naked with hair falling onto vegetables,” he said, adding, “It’s a matter of decency.” » | Jenny Gross | Friday, August 1, 2025

Les États-Unis et 13 pays occidentaux accusent l'Iran de mener une politique d'«assassinats et d’enlèvements» à l'étranger

LE FIGARO : Washington et une dizaine d’États alliés, dont la France, ont critiqué la «violation flagrante» de leur souveraineté perpétrée par les services de renseignement du régime de Téhéran.

Les États-Unis et une dizaine de pays alliés ont accusé l'Iran ce jeudi 31 juillet de mener une politique «d'assassinats et d'enlèvements» à l'étranger, selon une déclaration commune rapportée par l’AFP. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | jeudi 31 juillet 2025

Will French Recognition of Palestinian State Make a Difference? | Inside Story

Jul 26, 2025 | France says it’s ready to recognise an independent Palestinian state. The announcement comes at a time of growing international outrage against Israel’s war on Gaza. Several European countries - including Spain, Ireland, and Norway - have already recognised Palestinian statehood. And pressure is mounting on the United Kingdom to do the same. But would any recognition lead to change on the ground? And how will France navigate any backlash from Israel and the US?

Presenter: Adrian Finighan

Guests:
Jacques Reland - Senior Research Fellow at the Global Policy Institute
Ulrich Brueckner, a professor of political science at Stanford University in Berlin
Afif Safieh - Former Palestinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom and United States

Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette: The Fall of the French Monarchy | FULL DOCUMENTARY

Jul 23, 2025 | A lavish drama-documentary chronicling the final days of the Bourbon dynasty under the ill-fated Louis XVI and his Queen Marie Antoinette.

Unlike his highly sexed forebears, it takes Louis seven years to consummate his marriage. And his performance as ruler of France is no more distinguished than his efforts in the royal bed chamber.

The French people are starving but the aristocracy is too busy partying inside the gilded palace of Versailles to take much notice. Louis tries to make a difference but his every attempt at reform is blocked by his greedy relatives. Marie Antoinette gets much of the blame for the excesses of the rich, even if she never uttered the famous words ‘Let Them Eat Cake’.

As he drifts into depression and madness, Louis and his Queen attempt to stave off a revolution. Spoiler alert: they don’t succeed.

Documentary: The Rise and Fall of Versailles EP3 : Versailles Countdown to Revolution – Louis XVI (2011)
Directed by: Thierry Binisti
Production: Les Films d’Ici

French Culture Minister to Be Tried for Alleged Corruption While an MEP, Source Says

THE GUARDIAN: Rachida Dati denies lobbying for Renault-Nissan carmaker

The French culture minister, Rachida Dati, is to go on trial over alleged corruption and abuse of power while she was a member of the European parliament, a judicial source has said.

Dati, 59, who had hoped to run for Paris mayor in next spring’s municipal elections, was charged in 2019 on suspicions she lobbied for the Renault-Nissan carmaking group while an MEP. She has denied the allegations and has repeatedly sought without success to have the charges quashed.

Dati is accused of accepting €900,000 in lawyer’s fees between 2010 and 2012 from a Netherlands-based subsidiary of Renault-Nissan, but of not really working for it. She was an MEP from 2009 to 2019. » | Angelique Chrisafis in Paris and agencies | Tuesday, July 22, 2025

France 1942: When the Police Deported Their Own – Historical Documentary

Jul 16, 2025 | July 16, 1942: 13,000 arrests in 48 hours.

VÉL D’HIV (THE VÉLODROME D’HIVER): The Vélodrome d'Hiver (or "Vél d'Hiv") roundup was the largest French deportation of Jews during the Holocaust. It took place in Paris on July 16–17, 1942. Read about it here

These Two Kings "Slept" Together to Reconcile between the Two Kingdoms?

Jun 24, 2025 | A legendary king of the Crusades… once shared a bed with the very man considered England’s greatest rival.Sounds unbelievable, doesn’t it?They called him Richard the Lionheart—heart of a lion, hand of God, the king who shattered Jerusalem’s gates and made all of Europe tremble.But before he rode into battle, before he ever swore an oath to God… Richard lay in the same bed as Philip II of France—and declared it “an unbreakable alliance.”

That night, the two most powerful men in Europe dined together, toasted one another... and rested their heads on the same mattress. No scribes. No servants. Just two hearts, two colossal egos… and one secret that was never fully confessed.But this isn’t just a story about one night. It’s a question that has whispered across eight centuries: Did England’s greatest warrior-king live a life no one dared to name?

And if he did… We may need to rewrite what we mean by “masculinity,” what we call “heroism,” and what we expect from a king.But before we answer that—You need to hear about the strangest confession ever whispered inside a pope’s private chamber. Because that is where Richard began to hint at what no one dared to say.Are you ready? This isn’t a history lesson. It’s a journey into the soul beneath the golden armor of a king who never bowed.


WIKIPEDIA: Richard I of England »

WIKIPEDIA: Philip II of France »

UK and France Have Struck 'One in, One out' Migrant Deal

Jul 10, 2025 | The UK and France have announced a new agreement aimed at curbing migrant crossings in the English Channel. The deal follows a three-day state visit to the UK by French President Emmanuel Macron.

Under the agreement, stricter controls on migrant processing will be introduced, though the measures will begin on a limited scale. This has led some to question the deal’s potential for success. TRT World’s Joel Flynn has the story.

Police Raid Headquarters of French Far-right National Rally Party

THE GUARDIAN: Investigation into alleged illegal campaign financing denounced by party’s leader, Jordan Bardella, as ‘harassment campaign’

Police have raided the headquarters of France’s far-right National Rally (RN) and seized documents as part of an investigation into alleged illegal campaign financing that was denounced by the party’s leader, Jordan Bardella, as “a harassment campaign”.

The raid came a day after EU financial prosecutors in Brussels said they had launched a separate investigation into the alleged misuse of €4.3m by the former far-right Identity & Democracy (ID) group in the European parliament, which included the RN.

It also represented a fresh setback for the party after its figurehead, Marine Le Pen, was convicted in March of embezzling EU funds and barred from running for office for five years, effectively scuppering her hopes of running in 2027 presidential elections. » | Jon Henley in Paris | Wednesday, July 9, 2025

Wildfire Forces Closure of France's Marseille Airport

Jul 9, 2025 | Wildfires in France’s second-biggest city, Marseille, have forced the closure of the city's airport until further notice. Firefighters are 'waging war' on wildfire, says the city's mayor. Hundreds of firefighters are battling to contain the blaze, which is spreading rapidly due to winds of up to 112 miles per hour. Meanwhile, Spain is also tackling fires fuelled by a lethal combination of high winds and ongoing extreme temperatures. Paul Hawkins has more.

France Says au revoir to Public Smoking

THE OBSERVER: This week’s restrictions are the latest step towards the country’s target of creating a tobacco-free generation by 2032

A loosely dangled cigarette would once have been de rigueur for anyone spending a summer’s day at a beach or park in France.

So what? Now it is evidence. A ban on smoking in outdoor spaces is not just a health intervention. It’s a milestone in a 50-year cultural shift that has seen

• tobacco consumption fall across France;
• smoking restrictions extend deeply into public life; and
• the French people fall out of love with Gauloises and Gitanes.

Continue reading » | Xavier Greenwood | Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Quel dommage ! France will never be the same again! – © Mark Alexander

Guerre en Ukraine : dans un premier échange téléphonique depuis 2022, Macron appelle Poutine à un cessez-le-feu «dans les meilleurs délais»

LE FIGARO : LE POINT SUR LA SITUATION - Les deux chefs d’État ont évoqué au cours de leur conversation le conflit entre l’Ukraine et la Russie, ainsi que le programme nucléaire iranien, précise l’Élysée.

L’Ukraine mène régulièrement des frappes sur des infrastructures en Russie, en riposte aux bombardements russes qui dévastent l’Ukraine depuis 2022. Ce mardi, une attaque de drones ukrainienne a fait «des morts et des blessés» dans la ville russe d’Ijevsk, a annoncé les autorités de la région. Pendant ce temps, la Russie accélère sa progression, avec un contrôle total ou partiel sur près de 19% du territoire ukrainien, et une hausse du nombre d’attaques de drones longue portée. Le Figaro fait le point...

C’est une grande première depuis 2022 et le début du conflit entre la Russie et l’Ukraine : Vladimir Poutine et Emmanuel Macron ont échangé au téléphone ce mardi. Les deux présidents ont notamment échangé sur le programme nucléaire iranien et sur la guerre en Ukraine, précise l’Élysée. Emmanuel Macron a appelé son homologue à un cessez-le-feu «dans les meilleurs délais» et va continuer à «échanger» avec lui. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 1 juillet 2025

France Implements Smoking Ban at Beaches and Parks in Step towards ‘Tobacco-free Generation’

THE GUARDIAN: Under new rules anyone who lights up on a beach or in a public park from Sunday will be breaking the law

Anyone who lights up on a beach or in a public park in France will be breaking the law from Sunday under new rules aimed at protecting children from the dangers of passive smoking.

Bus shelters and areas in the immediate vicinity of libraries, swimming pools and schools will also be affected by the ban, which is coming into force one day after its publication in the official government gazette on Saturday.

The rule is being imposed one week before the beginning of the school holidays in France in a bid to immediately protect children from smoke on the beach.

However, to the disappointment of some anti-tobacco activists, the ban does not cover the terraces of bars and restaurants where many French still happily smoke.

They are also unhappy that the ban does not apply to electronic cigarettes. » | Agence France-Presse | Sunday, June 29, 2025

The fun-loving French, the very people from whom we have borrowed the term joie de vivre, have been turned into Puritans! As a fun holiday destination, France must surely be a country to avoid now. When I was a smoker, I used to love a drag on the beach! That was one of the highlights of my day out.

Over the years, people have complained bitterly of being ruled by men, they have complained of patriarchy. Now, because of the influence of women in politics, one would be forgiven for concluding that the system is being turned into a paedocracy!

Once upon a time, children had to fit in to an adults’ world; now, the opposite is the case: adults have to fit in to a children’s world.

France has just lost its allure. – © Mark Alexander

LIBÉRATION : Fumer à la plage, au parc, sous un Abribus ou près des écoles interdit dès ce dimanche : Le décret annoncé par le gouvernement pour étendre l’interdiction, avec l’objectif de protéger les enfants, est effectif à partir d’aujourd’hui. Les terrasses des cafés et restaurants, tout comme le vapotage, ne sont pas concernés. »

France to Ban Smoking in Public Spaces, New Restrictions Take Effect

Jun 28, 2025 | Starting Sunday, France enforces a sweeping ban on smoking in many public spaces. The new measures prohibit lighting up on beaches, in public parks, at bus stops, on outdoor train platforms, and in streets surrounding schools and sports venues. The policy aims to curb smoking rates and protect public health, but it has also sparked debate among smokers and civil liberty advocates.

I used to be a fan of Macron’s. But Macron is destroying what it means to be French. Get rid of him! Kick him out of office! This isn’t the France I knew and loved. Macron and his henchmen are destroying the very essence of what it means to be French. – © Mark Alexander

Vague de chaleur en France : des températures déjà très au-dessus des normales ce mercredi

LE FIGARO : CARTE – Ce début d’été météorologique est marqué par des températures inhabituellement élevées.

Ambiance estivale avant l’heure. Ce mois de juin 2025 s’ouvre par une vague de chaleur généralisée, inédite par sa précocité et son intensité. Jamais une telle douceur n’avait été observée aussi tôt dans l’année et sur une aussi large portion de l’Hexagone. «Il y a un consensus des modèles en faveur de températures supérieures aux moyennes saisonnières», confirme Régis Crépet, météorologue à La Chaîne Météo*. Selon ses prévisions, juillet pourrait même devenir le mois le plus chaud de l’été en France. De son côté, Météo-France annonce dans son bulletin saisonnier publié fin mai que «le scénario plus chaud que la normale est le plus probable pour la France, pour les mois de juin, juillet et août». Depuis le début de la semaine, une dynamique de surchauffe s’installe, et l’intensité est encore montée d’un cran ce mercredi. » | Pa Horia Mustafa Douine | mercredi 18 juin 2025

Penelope Gate : François Fillon condamné à quatre ans de prison avec sursis

LE FIGARO : L’ancien premier ministre a été condamné ce mardi 17 juin à une peine de quatre ans de prison avec sursis ainsi que de 375.000 euros d’amende et cinq années d’inéligibilité.

Dans l’affaire des emplois fictifs de son épouse Penelope, François Fillon a vu mardi 17 juin 2025 sa peine réduite à quatre ans de prison avec sursis, 375.000 euros d’amende et cinq ans d’inéligibilité, à l’issue d’un troisième procès ordonné par la Cour de cassation. » | Par Le Figaro avec AFP | mardi 17 juin 2025

A French University Is Offering ‘Scientific Asylum’ for US Talent. The Brain Drain Has Started

THE GUARDIAN: The Trump administration is cutting funding, while specifically targeting institutions like Columbia. No wonder academics want out

In six weeks, the Trump administration’s “rapid scheduled disassembly” of American science has been as sharp and deep as its trashing of the US’s alliances and goodwill; Earth science, weather forecasting and early warning systems, medical research (including cancer research), Nasa. Academic grants more broadly have been cut, paused and subject to review for a long list of banned words (including such contentious terms as “political” and “women”).

This has caused universities across the country to reduce their intake of PhD students, medical students and other graduate students, introduce hiring freezes and even rescind some offers of admission. More than 12,500 US citizens currently in other countries on Fulbright research grants recently had their funding paused, along with 7,400 foreign scholars currently hosted in the US, leaving them financially stranded. And, when it came to one foreign academic visiting the US, detaining them and refusing them entry. » | Alexander Hurst | Monday, March 23, 2025

Can Germany and France Unite to Strengthen Western Democracies? | Berlin Briefing Podcast

Mar 21, 2025 | Donald Trump is rapidly reshaping the relationship with America’s allies. Will Trump’s policies push EU states to finally speak with one voice? Why should anyone who cares about democracy be paying close attention to the relationship between Germany and France? Why is Germany tightening its travel advice for the US? And what does the Statue of Liberty have to do with it all? In this episode of Berlin Briefing, DW’s Nina Haase discusses the future of Franco-German relations with her guests Max Hofmann, head of News and Current Affairs at DW, and Jacob Ross, a research fellow at DGAP.

Europeans should dump Trump and turn their backs on the US. Trump thinks he’s making America great again, but in fact he’s destroying it. – © Mark Alexander

France Issues ‘Survival Manual’ to Prepare Citizens for Invasion

THE TELEGRAPH: New 20-page booklet outlines range of safety measures in event of both military and natural dangers

France will issue survival manuals to prepare citizens for invasion and any other “imminent threat” to the country.

A new 20-page booklet reportedly includes 63 measures to help the French in case of armed conflict, as well as natural disasters, industrial accidents or a nuclear leak.

It will contain advice on how to protect “yourself and those around you”, what to do if a threat is imminent and details of how to get involved in defending your community, including signing up for reserve units or firefighting groups.

The French government denies that the three-part booklet is being produced as a result of Russia’s war in Ukraine, despite President Emmanuel Macron urging France and Europe to prepare to confront the “Russian threat” and the possibility of America disengaging from the continent.

If approved by François Bayrou, the prime minister, it will be sent to households before the summer, French media reported. » | Henry Samuel | Wednesday, March 20, 2025