From Emmanuel Macron’s war of words with Donald Trump to French plans to accelerate electrification, via flying bells and how France is annoying Swedes, Inside France is our weekly look at the news and talking points from France.
Inside France is editor Emma Pearson’s weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.
Elegance
If you’re looking for a truly withering put-down, may I suggest describing someone as “ni élégant ni à l’hauteur” – neither elegant nor up to standard?
Here’s Emmanuel Macron using this phrase to dismiss Donald Trump’s comments about the state of the Macrons’ marriage, before also stating that world leaders have somewhat more important to things to talk about right now, such as war, men and women in combat, civilian deaths and of course the economic consequences of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran, leading to a spiralling conflict across the Middle East.
Mercredi, le président américain avait une nouvelle fois assuré que son homologue français «se fait maltraiter par sa femme et il se remet à peine de la droite qu’il a reçue à la mâchoire».
— Le Figaro (@lefigaro.fr) 2 April 2026 at 13:02
There’s something so incredibly French about dismissing someone as ‘inelegant”, it probably goes back to the court of Louis XIV or something.
Transition phase
On to those more important things . . .
The war in the Middle East is naturally terrible for those directly involved, especially civilians in Iran subject to aerial bombardment, but also is also making its effects felt in Europe with spiralling fuel prices and threats of shortages.
In France, naturally, it did not take long for price rises to translate into protests – with a week of roadblocks by the hauliers’ association, calling for more government help to deal with escalating costs.
While hauliers, farmers and fishermen are the most exposed to fuel price rises, these will gradually have a knock-on effect on all parts of life, even for those of us lucky enough to live in a place where a car is not required.
READ ALSO: Fuel, food and mortgages: How the war in the Middle East is affecting France
There’s a growing political row about the help that the government will – or indeed can, given its financial problems – offer to businesses and households, as well as accusations of profiteering by fuel companies and by the government itself, due to fuel taxes.
Somewhat under the radar is Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu’s instructions to his ministers – prioritise electrification.
The PM has instructed ministers to identify existing electrification projects that can be accelerated, while the public accounts minister is tasked with identifying extra revenue from fuel taxes and diverting it to electrification projects.
Now, whether this actually happens or whether it gets diverted, delayed or disrupted is anyone’s guess – but if it did, it would be the truly far-sighted response to this crisis.
There’s long been a case for renewables (in which category France includes nuclear, which produces around 80 percent of the country’s electricity) for environmental reasons, but the current crisis certainly underlines the security case for them as well.
Talking France
We discuss the fuel protests on Talking France this week, as well as turning our attention to 2027, plus the French love of Celine Dion. It also features a very controversial opinion from Ben. I want to be clear that I do not subscribe to his extremist views on the use of coucou . . . Listen here.
Snuffed out Swedes
Among the new laws that come into effect in France in April is one that is apparently causing consternation in Sweden – a ban on snus, a type of tobacco or tobacco-free nicotine pouches that are tucked under the top lip.
I had never heard of these, and I’m pretty sure most French people haven’t either, but apparently they are extremely popular with Swedes – when Sweden joined the European Union in 1995, it did so on the condition that it would be exempted from the EU’s ban on snus.
The ban got barely any media coverage in France, but was leading Swedish news sites as apparently Swedes living in, or simply visiting, France are panicking at the thought of having to be without their delicious addictive pouches.
The Swedish government even got involved – Benjamin Dousa, Sweden’s trade minister, told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that the French ban was “completely unreasonable”, adding: “It sends a message that you’re not allowed to be Swedish in France.”
This is, of course, the same Swedish government that is never done telling immigrants that they need to integrate more, an irony that I’m sure is lost on Benjamin.
Bears
I have a film recommendation for this week – Un Ours dans la Jura (a bear in the Jura), which was released back in 2024 but has just landed on Netflix.
It’s a very dark comedy starring the always excellent Belgian actor Benoit Poelvoorde (you might not recognise the name but if you’ve seen a few French films you will definitely recognise him) and trades outrageously in French stereotypes about the inhabitants of the Jura region in eastern France.
Without giving any spoilers I can also say that it’s definitely not a morality tale – unlike Hollywood films absolutely nobody gets their just desserts and life remains very unfair.
For further Jura viewing I can highly recommend Vingt Dieux (released in English as Holy Cow), an affectionate portrait of the region by the Jura-raised first-time director Louise Courvoisier.
Flying bells
And if these films entice you to move to eastern France, then definitely consider the historic Alsace-Lorraine region, since you will benefit from two extra days of holiday a year, including Good Friday which is not a holiday in the rest of France.
Here the Friday before Easter is a normal working day with one difference – no church bells ringing. This is because the bells have all magically flown to Rome in order to be blessed by the Pope. They will fly back on Easter Sunday, bearing chocolate eggs for kids.
Happy Easter!
Inside France is editor Emma Pearson’s weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.
