Nantes
Photo: Jibi44, CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons, cropped)
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- Oct 8
Student protests in France draw 71,500 nationwide as Lecornu faces pressure
Students marched across France on Thursday, with 24,500 in Paris and clashes at Place de la Bastille. The government has promised funded education measures only by the end of October.
- Oct 6
French high school protests ease, ministry says, as students plan new blockade Tuesday
The government says the lycéen movement is slowing, with 141 of 3,700 lycées closed on Friday morning. Students and unions plan a new mobilisation on Tuesday 13 October, while the 3,000 replacement teachers promised by Édouard Geffray are due to be assigned early next week.
- Sep 26
Thousands join 260 climate marches across France after summer heatwaves
Demonstrators staged roughly 260 rallies throughout France on 26 September, calling for emergency ecological policies and wealth taxes after a summer of severe heatwaves and wildfires.
- Aug 28
Celine Dion opens 26-date Paris residency with first full concert in six years following neurological illness
The Canadian singer performed a 25-song set at Nanterre's Plenitude Arena on Saturday night, launching a 26-concert residency after recovering from stiff person syndrome.
- Aug 27
Electrical failure at Paris-Montparnasse station halts rail traffic across western France
A power outage in a supervision room halted all train movements at Paris-Montparnasse on 27 August 2026, causing three-hour delays and cascading cancellations on high-speed lines to western France.
- Aug 26
ZooParc de Beauval abandons €45m dolphin sanctuary after cost increases and legal opposition
ZooParc de Beauval has cancelled plans to build a 2.5-hectare dolphin facility in central France, leaving the fate of 15 captive dolphins unresolved following the closure of Marineland d'Antibes.
- Aug 23
Rodez beats FC Nantes 5-2 at La Beaujoire to leave hosts bottom of Ligue 2
Rodez AF scored four second-half goals to defeat FC Nantes 5-2 on Saturday, condemning the hosts to a third consecutive defeat at the start of the Ligue 2 season.
- Aug 20
France records 1,243 excess deaths in July heatwave as 2026 toll reaches 7,300
Health agency Santé publique France attributed 1,243 excess deaths to the heatwave from 3 to 22 July, bringing the country's provisional summer mortality total to 7,300 across 78 affected departments.
- Aug 15
Patrick Bruel's travel ban lifted six weeks after rape charges, Nanterre prosecutor appeals
French singer Patrick Bruel, charged with rape and sexual assault in four cases, had his travel ban lifted on July 21. The Nanterre prosecutor appealed, calling the decision unjustified and excessive.
- Aug 13
Forest fire in Brittany burns over 200 hectares, 96 evacuated near Saint-Just
A forest fire near Saint-Just, about 50 km south of Rennes, burned more than 200 hectares and forced 96 people from six hamlets to evacuate on 12 August 2026. The fire was declared under control the next morning.
- Aug 9
France: 28 departments on orange heatwave alert as temperatures retreat eastward
Météo-France maintained 28 French departments on orange heatwave vigilance for Sunday 16 August as temperatures retreat westward, while the southeast faces continued heat until mid-next week and severe storms threaten the southwest.
- Aug 4
Hervé Renard returns as Ivory Coast coach, 11 years after Africa Cup of Nations win
The French coach, who led the Elephants to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations title, replaces Emerse Fae after the Ivorian federation declined to renew his contract despite a historic World Cup run.
- Aug 1
French holiday gridlock peaks at 1,041 km of jams as black-alert Saturday grips motorways
Cumulative traffic jams across France hit 1,041.2 km at 11:50 on Saturday 1 August, the peak of a day rated black for departures nationwide during the great summer crossover weekend.
- Jul 21
Burning car triggers Nantes fire, destroys Roma caravans and 10 hectares, no casualties
A car fire in a traveler camp east of Nantes on Monday grew into a large blaze that swept through 10 hectares, destroying caravans and shantytown dwellings. About 150 firefighters brought the fire under control after several hours, and no casualties were reported.
- Jul 18
France records 708 km of traffic jams as summer holiday departures peak on Saturday
Bison Futé recorded a peak of 708 km of cumulative traffic jams at midday on Saturday, with the A7 motorway alone accounting for 170 km, as the country was placed on red alert for departures.
- Jul 8
French bac 2026 results published: pass rates between 90% and 97% across eight academies
Results for the 2026 French baccalauréat (general series) were released on Tuesday 7 July, with pass rates before the rattrapage ranging from 90% to 97% across eight academies.
- Jul 6
Biohacker Bryan Johnson reveals autoimmune gastritis diagnosis, pushes back against critics
The tech entrepreneur, known for his $2 million-a-year longevity project, disclosed he has autoimmune gastritis, a condition where the immune system attacks the stomach lining. He attributed the disease to his earlier unhealthy lifestyle and dismissed critics who blame his extreme biohacking regimen.
- Jul 4
France sees heavy but manageable traffic as summer holidays begin, with A7 jam shrinking and 8 million travellers on the road
Bison Futé placed much of northern and western France under a red alert for departures on Saturday, the first weekend of the school summer break, as nearly 8 million travellers took to the roads.
- Jul 4
Thousands march across France demanding comprehensive law against sexual violence after Lyhanna murder
A month after the rape and murder of 11-year-old Lyhanna, tens of thousands marched in 80 to 110 French cities on Saturday, demanding a comprehensive law to combat sexual violence against women and children.
- Jul 2
France swelters under severe heatwave: 67 departments on orange alert, temperatures hit 42°C
Météo-France has placed 67 departments under orange heatwave alert as a 'severe and lasting' episode pushes temperatures to 42°C, with wildfires forcing thousands to evacuate.
