26/10/2026
The unrest in France: What's it really like?
If you've been following the news about the protests and violence in France, you might think the country has descended into chaos. But that’s just not true.
Yes, the unrest is real. I've seen the fires, smelled the tear gas, and walked past boarded-up shops. But I've also visited an exhibit, traveled from Paris to Nice, and enjoyed an evening of jazz and dinner with friends.
Don’t be fooled by the media, serving up the same disturbing images over and over, making the violence seem constant and everywhere. Fearmongering.
Here, we are accustomed to demonstrations (and the outbursts that can come with them), and while we take sensible precautions, life goes on.
In this week's Nouvellettre®, I share what it's really like to be here, and why we refuse to live in fear. There’s so much more to life in France than what you’re seeing on the news.
Last week, one of our readers was angry at me for not writing more about the unrest and vandalism that's taken place all over France this past week. There