What is la Rentrée in France?
September in France is the season of la Rentrée, or 'the Return' and it is like the start of a new year. For school children it is literally the start of the new school year at their école (school) after the long summer holiday. Adults return to work also after their long vacances (holidays) from work.
August is the month that many employees take their holidays to travel with their children and visit family. With the warm, sunny summer weather, August is the preferred time of travel for many French employees, and with four to six weeks of government directed paid vacation time per year, why not enjoy enjoy all that summer has to offer!
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September is the Season of la Rentrée
French residents leave the big cities in mass numbers during July and August to head to their country homes or parent's home for some rest and relaxation. Of course, this can make roads busy with traffic jams on the last days of August as everyone makes their way back home ready for la Rentrée - the return to school and work. Keep this in mind if you plan to travel to France during August and allow extra driving time.
Having so many employees on vacation does mean however, that getting tradespeople to work around your property, dining at your favourite auberge, or attending to official administrative paperwork will be on hold until businesses and stores open up again after la Rentrée.
During our early years of living part-time in France we'd often get caught out during August with shops and businesses closed, but we've adapted ourselves into the French way of life and now plan ahead for these closures.
What to Expect at la Rentrée
French residents leave the big cities in mass numbers during July and August to head to their country homes or parent's home for some rest and relaxation. Of course, this can make roads busy with traffic jams on the last days of August as everyone makes their way back home ready for the return to school and work.
The beginning of September is a refreshing time as everyone looks forward to the new year and what it will bring. Parents energetically head to stores to restock school stationery, clothes and shoes while employees return to their routines, hopefully refreshed and ready to go!
I love viewing the store displays and the clever way they showcase stationery, school clothes and shoes during the la Rentrée season. Check out my photos of a local shoe store at la Rentrée season - what a cute but simple display! The pretty school with its pink flowers is in the village of Plussulien in the Côtes d'Armor region. It's also a village that we went to when viewing possible properties when looking for our French home.
So welcome to September and la Rentrée!
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