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Protesters wearing yellow vests walk on the Champs-Elysees Avenue with the Arc de Triomphe in the background during a national day of protest by the "yellow vests" movement in Paris, Dec. 8, 2018. President Emmanuel Macron made an unannounced visit Friday night to a group of anti-riot security officers outside Paris to thank them for their work. The protests erupted in November over a fuel tax increase, which was part of Macron's plan to combat global warming. French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe called for new talks Saturday with representatives of the "yellow vest" movement. He vowed the government would address their concerns about rising living costs. The "yellow vest" movement was named after the safety jackets French motorists are required to keep in their vehicles, which the protesters wear at demonstrations. The weeks of protests have exposed intense resentment among non-city residents who feel that Macron, a former investment banker, is out of touch with struggling middle-class and blue-collar workers. https://www.voanews.com/a/france-braces-for-4th-week-of-violent-protests/4692114.html

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Taking the scenic route: France's Great Alpine Road Â

French government, employers and unions begin final discussions on labour reforms Â

Anyone know the latest about the French election results or even some insider stories? I'll start looking around and sharing what I find below as well. ----------------------------- The first round of the 2017 French presidential election is being held on 23 April 2017. Should no candidate win a majority, a run-off election between the top two candidates will be held on 7 May 2017. Incumbent president François Hollande of the Socialist Party (PS) was eligible to run for a second term, but declared on 1 December 2016 that he would not seek reelection in light of low approval ratings, making him the first incumbent president of the Fifth Republic not to seek re-election. This is also the first French presidential election in which nominees of both the main centre-left and centre-right parties were selected through open primaries. The presidential election will be followed by a legislative election to elect members of the National Assembly on 11 and 18 June. The new President of the French Republic will be proclaimed on 11 May and undergo their investiture ceremony on 14 May at the latest.

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France has banned restaurants from offering unlimited refills of soda and sugary drinks, the latest bid to decrease the rise in the nation's obesity rate. The new order, implemented on Jan. 27, will mean that hotels, restaurants and school cafeterias will no longer have soda fountains. The move is part of a spate of health initiatives implemented by the country, which includes a "soda tax" imposed on sweetened drinks, a ban on vending machines in schools and a limit on the servings of french fries to once a week in schools, the New York Times reports. Even though France's overall obesity rate is relatively low—41% of women and 57% of men between 30 to 60 were obese or overweight—the laws are in accordance with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. WHO presented statistics in 2016 on the good effects of imposing a sugar tax. http://time.com/4653219/france-ban-soda-refills-fight-obesity/

Public witnessing in Toulouse. Public witnessing in Toulouse, France. Photo shared by @kaylesna59 View the full article

http://www.dmagazine.com/nightlife/2016/10/diner-en-blanc-2016/ These are pictures 1-81 as promised under the post showing the history of this tradition , Diner en Blanc, posted under the heading Food and Drink. Just a few samples, and if you so choose you may use the link to see more . Many are really outrageous in my opinion. Some are beautiful.

Three held in France in August for 'planning attacks' Paris (AFP) - Seven people with links to terrorist networks, at least three of whom were planning attacks, have been arrested in France this month, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said Tuesday. Cazeneuve said at a press conference that French police had arrested as many people for terror links in the first half of 2016 as for the whole of last year. He gave no details of the latest arrests, however. On August 8, a 16-year-old girl from the Paris suburb of Melun was remanded in custody on charges of planning a jihadist attack. The teenager was an administrator of a group on Telegram, an encrypted messaging app that was used by two jihadists to plan the murder of a priest in Normandy in July. According to investigators, she "relayed numerous Islamic State group propaganda messages calling for attacks" and also expressed a personal desire to "take action". Cazeneuve and his German counterpart Thomas de Maiziere on Tuesday asked the European Commission to consider legal measures that could be taken against the operators of encrypted messaging services such as Telegram. After a meeting between the two ministers, Cazeneuve said such legislation could "impose obligations on operators who show themselves to be non-cooperative, in particular when it comes to withdrawing illegal content or decrypting messages as part of an investigation." Meanwhile a 19-year-old from the Riviera city of Nice -- who was born to a family of Jehovah's Witnesses but converted to Islam -- was on Tuesday sentenced to three years in prison for glorifying terrorism. He was sentenced for his regular visits to jihadist sites on which he posted "nauseating" comments and photos, said a source close to the investigation. French security services are scrambling to prevent further violence after two attacks in July that shocked the country just as it was starting to rebound from the jihadist bloodshed in Paris in November. On July 14, a 31-year-old Tunisian rammed a 19-tonne truck into crowds of people celebrating Bastille Day in the Riviera city of Nice, killing 86 people and wounding more than 400. And on July 26, two 19-year-olds stormed a church in the northern town of Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray and slit the throat of an elderly priest. Several major cultural and sporting events were cancelled in the wake of the attacks on security grounds. https://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/32421769/three-held-in-france-in-august-for-planning-attacks/#page1

Passersby dropped debris and spat on the spot where Bastille Day attacker Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel

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Portugal 1-0 France (aet) Portugal shrugged off an early injury to Cristiano Ronaldo to claim a first-ever major tournament trophy thanks to Éder's 109th-minute strike. Portugal beat France 1-0 after extra time to lift their first major trophy Sub Éder scores 109th-minute winner, his first competitive goal for country Portugal captain and all-time record scorer Cristiano Ronaldo off injured after 25 minutes Both teams – through André-Pierre Gignac and Raphael Guerreiro – denied by woodwork France's first tournament defeat on home soil in 19 games, since 1960 third-place play-off Portugal are UEFA EURO 2016 champions. The team that drew all three of their group games, that won only once inside 90 minutes all tournament, beat hosts France after extra time at Saint-Denis to get their hands on their first major trophy. They did it without the talismanic Cristiano Ronaldo too, their captain forced off early in the first half through injury. Fernando Santos's side clung on at times but, with Ronaldo orchestrating things from the technical area as much as their coach by the end, they eventually provided the one moment of magic required. Éder's fizzing 20-metre strike in the second half of extra time was just too good. Such a scenario looked impossible after eight minutes, Ronaldo initially continuing after a heavy collision with Dimitri Payet before eventually being replaced. There were tears and a standing ovation from all corners as he was taken off. All the talk, all the analysis, all the predictions – out the window. Off went 61 international goals. Cristiano Ronaldo leads the celebrations One man chasing only his second was Moussa Sissoko. The France midfielder was rampant and threatened to break the deadlock soon after Ronaldo's departure yet his shot was saved. Rui Patrício had earlier thwarted Antoine Griezmann, athletically tipping away the in-form forward's looping header. Portugal offered little in those opening exchanges, three passes straight out of play encouraging the hosts. Kingsley Coman came on for Payet inside the hour and soon teed up Griezmann for surely the chance of the game – Les Bleus' No7 was unmarked but headed over. Though Olivier Giroud briefly got in on the act with a low effort, Rui Patrício was again up to the task. He had to be sharper still to keep out Sissoko's thumping strike later in the half. Only once, well into added time, was the Portugal keeper beaten. Substitute André-Pierre Gignac turned in the box and scuffed a shot into the ground which bobbled towards the net only to bounce agonisingly back off a post. Hugo Lloris had been far less employed in regulation time, only really called into action to claw away Nani's miscued cross and then hold Ricardo Quaresma's acrobatic attempt from the rebound. Though he subsequently dealt with Éder's header, the French captain was rescued by the crossbar when Raphael Guerreiro fired in a free-kick and, with 109 minutes on the clock, could do nothing to keep out the sensational winner. Match analysis from Stade de France Man of the Match: Pepe (Portugal) Pepe missed the semi-final with a thigh injury but returned in style, keeping adidas Golden Boot winner Griezmann as quiet as could have been hoped. "We've written a brilliant page in the story of Portuguese football," said the centre-back. All without Ronaldo The man Portugal's hopes apparently rested on was out of action after less than ten minutes. To watch him battle on for a quarter of an hour was both desperately sad and hugely admirable. It was indicative of his relentless drive to have an impact – a desire that is heightened on the big occasion. For him then to cajole his players before extra time and gesticulate desperately throughout the additional 30 minutes was testimony to his team spirit. He was, if only briefly, a coach as well as a star player. Who needs goals for drama? This was not exactly thrill-a-minute stuff. Clear-cut opportunities were at a premium and some of the biggest names on the field were either not at their best or not on the pitch at all. However, it quickly became evident that one moment would decide this. That knowledge that someone was only a split-second from becoming a hero made for a gloriously nervy night. The tension was palpable throughout the stadium. http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2016/matches/round=2000451/match=2017907/postmatch/report/index.html?xtor=EPR-11-[1107_Daily_EURO_EN_R2]-20160711-[Hero Image]-1148729093197@1

On an emotional evening at the same venue where suicide bombers struck in the November attacks that killed 130 people across the city, Payet ensured the game ended on a high note with a sensational 20-yard strike. France, who triumphed in their last two major tournaments on home soil - Euro '84 and the 1998 World Cup - are favourites to win this time too. But after hitting the post early on through an Antoine Griezmann header, they struggled to find any fluency against a resolute Romania side, who also created good chances. Les Bleus' star-studded attack had to wait until the 58th minute to make the breakthrough, when Olivier Giroud headed home Payet's cross. Romania responded within seven minutes, with Bogdan Stancu scoring from the spot after Patrice Evra clipped Nicolae Stanciu inside the area. A draw looked the most likely outcome until Payet capped a brilliant individual display with his wonder goal in the 89th minute. The West Ham star apart, the hosts' performance was unconvincing but, for the whole of the France, the result mattered far more. The perfect start for France A win was the perfect start to a month of football which, it is hoped, can help to bring together a fractured country that will remain under a state of emergency for the duration of the competition. The scale of the police presence outside the Stade de France on Friday was obvious, with two separate checkpoints where fans were searched and tickets checked, but the day passed without any serious security incidents in Paris. Inside the stadium, the mood was set by a colourful opening ceremony followed by a stirring rendition of 'La Marseillaise' before kick-off but the game itself was far less entertaining. Payet proves he is a star performer Paul Pogba was billed as the star of this France team but it was Payet who was the outstanding performer against Romania. This game will be remembered for his winning goal but he was also behind almost all of France's best moments going forward. Before setting up Giroud's goal, he put chances on a plate for the Arsenal striker and Griezmann but both missed the target. He made no such mistake himself but was overwhelmed with emotion soon afterwards, and was substituted in tears. "At the start of the season, a lot of people would have found it hard to believe I would be here," said Payet after the game. "I have got here by working hard. When I saw the stadium tonight I knew I was going to have fun." Why did France's other players fail to shine? Credit must go to Romania, who showed why they had the best defensive record in qualifying, but some France players were worryingly flat. Pogba had a volley well saved by Ciprian Tatarusanu but failed to get his foot on the ball in midfield - and his side lacked a player who could dictate play from deep. N'Golo Kante put in the kind of all-action display we are used to seeing from him for Leicester but, one swinging crossfield ball apart, did not open Romania up. On top of the lack of balance in midfield, France were worryingly open at the back. Their makeshift central defensive partnership of Adil Rami and Laurent Koscielny has played only two games together before this tournament and it showed. Hugo Lloris rescued them with a brilliant early save from Stancu but better sides than Romania will be more ruthless in front of goal. Man of the match - Dimitri Payet (France) France manager Didier Deschamps said recently that "every time he touches the ball, something happens" and the West Ham star proved him right. He was behind all of Les Bleus' best moments and looked like the only player capable of opening up Romania. What they said France manager Didier Deschamps: "It was a tricky match. Romania made it complicated - for the first 20-25 minutes we had a tough time of it. The opening match of a tournament is like playing in a cup final and we were a bit timid. "But I put four attacking players on to go for the win and I am delighted for the players that they got it." Former France striker Thierry Henry on BBC Radio 5 live: "Dimitri Payet thought he was going to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He was involved in every qualifying game but they took that away from him. "Tonight you saw a man who was hurt. He was saying with that performance 'you didn't take me to the World Cup and I am going to show you'. He wanted every single ball. You can't win a game by yourself. but that strike... oh my gosh. "No one is going to take what is happening to him now away from him. He showed tremendous desire. He was the one that drove the team forward." The stats you need to know Romania have never won their opening game at a European Championship finals tournament (D3 L2). Romania conceded the same number of goals in this match (2) as they did in their entire Euro 2016 qualification campaign (2). Olivier Giroud has now scored eight goals in his last six starts for France. There has now been a penalty given in three of the last four European Championship finals opening games (2004, 2012 & 2016), with all of them coming against the host nation. Kingsley Coman became the youngest player to play for France in a major international tournament (aged 19 years 362 days). What next? The other teams in Group A, Albania and Switzerland, meet in Lens on Saturday - the same day England play Russia and Wales take on Slovakia in Group B. France are back in action when they play Albania in Marseille on Wednesday evening. Romania stay in Paris, and take on Switzerland at Parc des Princes earlier the same day. France have won all six of the European Championship finals matches on home turf (five in 1984, one in 2016) Dimitri Payet made seven key passes (yellow) and one assist (blue) as well as his winning goal Dimitri Payet is the first French player to score and provide an assist in one European finals game since Thierry Henry in 2000 (vs Czech Republic) Source: http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36441485

"The less the occasion weighs on the players, the better," said Didier Deschamps ahead of France's UEFA EURO 2016 opener against Romania. Our preview has all you need to know. Hosts France take on Romania in opening game of UEFA EURO 2016 Didier Deschamps: "This should set the tone for the whole tournament" Anghel Iordănescu: "We are up against one of the best teams" Teams met on 10 June at EURO '96 – 20 years to the day before this encounter Follow our team reporters for the inside track: @UEFAcomDavidC and @UEFAcomPaulDZ Possible line-ups France: Lloris; Sagna, Rami, Koscielny, Évra; Pogba, Kanté, Matuidi; Griezmann, Giroud, Payet. Romania: Tătăruşanu; Săpunaru, Chiricheş, Grigore, Raţ; Hoban, Pintilii; Popa, Stanciu, Stancu; Keșerü. Doubtful: Filip (ankle) Coach quotes Didier Deschamps, France coach The less the occasion weighs on the players, the better. We have been preparing for 10 June for two years. It's important to be back in competition football. Our last official game was the quarter-final against Germany at the World Cup [in 2014]. The others have all been friendlies. The setting is the Stade de France – the opening game – so it is certainly special. This should set the tone for the whole tournament. Obviously we're playing in France, but the Romanian team we're up against will not roll over and they will give their best to achieve a good result. If they want to win this match, they can't just defend. This team know how to defend but it's not the only thing they're good at. I watched their most recent games and they are good going forward. I am expecting them to come with the intention of upsetting us, so it will be an interesting battle over the 90 minutes. France midfielder Paul Pogba in training on Thursday evening©AFP/Getty Images Anghel Iordănescu, Romania coach This game marks the start of a great competition, the greatest on our continent, the European Championship. We are up against one of the best teams in the tournament, among the favourites. I hope and believe our players will do their best to show everybody that we have a good team, a worthy team capable of putting in a good performance. The objective is to qualify, to get through the group, and make a very good impression at the same time. UEFA.com team reporters David Crossan, France (@UEFAcomDavidC) The opening match is France's chance to lay down a marker and prove they are worthy of the favourites' tag that is being bandied about increasingly frequently. Les Bleus are star-studded in midfield and attack, so Romania will have to go some to stop the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Paul Pogba and the in-form duo of Dimitri Payet and Olivier Giroud. The hosts' defence remains a cause for concern, so France's games should prove exciting for neutral observers. Paul-Daniel Zaharia, Romania (@UEFAcomPaulDZ) Napoleon believed that even the most modest combatants had potential within, saying: "Every soldier carries a marshal's baton in his pack." It is useful advice for Romania as they open a major tournament for the first time. A side without big stars, they are up against the hosts and one of the tournament favourites. However, this is a unique opportunity to show the world what they can do. The odds are against them, but what would football be without surprises? Romania are put through their paces©AFP/Getty Images Did you know? Deschamps was in the France midfield, and Iordănescu in his first spell as Romania coach, when the teams faced off at EURO '96. Source: http://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro/season=2016/matches/round=2000448/match=2017877/prematch/preview/index.html

Rennes has been engulfed by violent protests over labor reform that will see longer working hours for less money. The rallies have been happening since March 31, with hundreds of thousands taking to streets all over France.