Once Upon A Time In France: GDP Glee, CBD Confusion, And Hamburger Horrors
Dreaming of Pont-l’Évêque in Terre d'Auge
Having lived in some places that are tourist magnets, I know that one doesn’t tend to sufficiently explore one’s hometown unless you are dragging a visitor around and trying to find things that might entertain them. And so, as I acclimate to our new home in Northern France, I am trying to be a bit more adventurous about seeing what’s just outside my door.
Last weekend, that brought me to the Saint-Germain-en-Laye tourist office, which was offering a short tour of a 17th-century apothecary it has tucked away upstairs. Our guide led us upstairs to this little gem after recounting a short history of the building that houses the tourist office. Once upstairs, our guide told the story of how these artifacts were preserved from two old hospitals and the meticulous work that had been done to save and maintain all the original woodwork, vases, and jars from that period (including their original contents!)
This little exhibit might only attract a scattering of visitors each month, and so it’s easy to wonder, “Why bother?” But this is one of the aspects of French culture that I love, the fundamental instinct to preserve and celebrate the past which remains an integral part of the present. The guide was clearly proud of this collection, and justifiably so. There is no greater motivation at work here other than to simply shine a small light on the past which led to a conversation of how the various hospitals in the region had evolved over the centuries until the present day.
Of course, in our gloomy present, hospitals across France are feeling immense strain amid the Omicron surge which continues to produce new daily records of cases. Even if the overall severity of this variant is lower, the sheer number of patients has left many institutions overwhelmed.
The frustration over the situation has grown so severe that the head of Paris hospitals stoked a backlash when he suggested that perhaps, just maybe, Covid patients who had refused the vaccine should be charged for their treatment. The very idea of paying for healthcare is so taboo in France that presidential candidates across the political spectrum called for his resignation.
Even as the Covid situation continues to be worrisome, the French economy delivered some unexpectedly good news. By historical measures, France is experiencing an economic boom. That seems to be a rather awkward thing to write in the middle of a pandemic when there is still so much uncertainty. Nevertheless, according to INSEE, the French statistics agency, the country had 7% GDP in 2021 compared to an 8% drop in 2020, aka Year 1 Of Our Lord’s Eternal Pandemic Without End.
GDP got a big boost from tech spending. But notably, book sales also zoomed up 12%, a record in France after years when sales tended to go up or down by about 2% each year, according to Le Figaro. And by the way, one out of every 4 books sold was a comic book, or bandes dessinées (BD) as they are called here. BD sales rose 60% in 2021, helped by the publication of a new Asterix comic and trendy Mangas. Hopefully, that points to a long-term revival, especially for the BD sector where authors have struggled over the past decade.
This era may leave a permanent mark on France in another important way: The number of independent workers has exploded. According to social security agency Urssaf (a French acronym that stands for the Ninth Circle Of Bureaucratic Hell), the number of "autoentrepreneurs" (self-employed) rose 17.2% or about 400,000 in 2021 from 2020. (719,300 new autoentrepreneurs registered and 326,400 left.)
That's good news in some respects. Despite years of digital transformation, the French economy is still fairly rigid. It rewards the person who has one full-time job their whole life in terms of simple administrative requirements and a decent retirement. Striking out on one's own, even after years of reforms to lower the barriers, is still a daunting task in France. That more people are opting for this path can be seen as a tribute to the nation's rising entrepreneurial spirit.
But the Urssaf report carries an important caveat: Of those 719,300 new entrepreneurs, 118,300 were in the sector of "postal and courier activities." Aka, last-mile delivery services like Deliveroo. The rise of gig workers is happening everywhere. But schlepping around burgers on a bike is quite different than launching an e-commerce startup.
Creating a nation of delivery drivers probably isn't the long-term solution to building France's economic future.
CBD Confusion
Last Fall, I attended a startup conference in Paris where I was surprised by the robust presence of CBD startups. (Keep your tote bags! This is swag with a purpose!) While I've been following the rise of the cannabis sector in the U.S., I was less familiar with such startups in France.
But there are a growing number of stores that sell such products, including supermarket chain Monoprix. When I chatted with some of the CBD founders at the conference, I naturally asked them about the regulatory situation. Which they explained was...fuzzy. Rather than waiting for explicit permission, they had just jumped right in. You know, ask forgiveness rather than permission, etc.
Well, things remain fuzzy, but last week a court gave France's CBD industry a boost when it temporarily overturned a government ban on some CBD products. The government had decreed that the "sale of CBD flowers or leaves, either to smoke or to drink in tea, directly to consumers is now banned." The government had argued that it's hard to monitor the amount of CBD in a product, but a court said that didn't hold water. Still, the rules remain unclear for most products. And even the government's position is hazy. (Note: I am making a herculean effort to avoid all bad pot-related puns.)
Last December, the cannabis-industry association (UIVEC) held a conference that included France's Industry Minister Agnes Pannier-Runacher and representatives of the Agriculture Department. Panier-Runacher said:
This variety of possible uses (of CBD) represents an opportunity for our economy since France is the leading European producer of hemp and among the leading producers in the world. We have what it takes to become one of the world leaders in this field.
But following the court ruling last week, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin insisted that "all substances that come from cannabis...are very bad for your health."
For now, the CBD industry will likely just plow ahead in the face of this uncertainty and indecision. It's unlikely the government will muster the will to provide clarity on CBD before the April presidential elections.
Hamburger Horrors
One of the dirty secrets of life in France is that the French love love love hamburgers. France is one of McDonald’s fastest-growing markets in recent years. And now other U.S. burger chains have heard the siren song of La France and are climbing over each other to sprinkle franchises across the land.
Among those is 5 Guys, which was apparently made famous because I guess Obama ordered burgers there once. I know this because literally every story I read in the French media about 5 Guys mentions this Obama fellow. 5 Guys has opened 22 restaurants in France, mostly in the Paris area, natch, but is expanding across the country and may soon open its first 2 in our former hometown of Toulouse.
However, one of those potential expansions in Paris has made the local neighborhood mayor apoplectic. Florence Berthout was shocked — SHOCKED! — to learn that a 5 Guys would open in the former home of a Gibert Jeune bookstore. “Unacceptable! I ask Paris and the State to mobilize alongside me to block this nonsense in the heart of the book district and a stone's throw from Notre-Dame,” she tweeted with righteous indignation.
In calling on the French people and government to man the barricades against this culinary monstrosity, Berthout seemed particularly surprised to learn that the building owner had received no other offers for the space in the year since Gibert Jeune closed its store. Berthout called this claim by the owner “absurd.” How can that be true when France had a GDP of 7% last year (see above), she cried.
Let’s put aside the fact that perhaps only in France could a right-leaning politician such as Berthout be so horrified by the capitalist machine that she is determined to use state power to halt its perceived injustices. Not much is likely to come of this. Except it will be heralded as one more example of America’s cultural and culinary imperialism tearing at the social fabric of France.
Perhaps 5 Guys should consider selling a Woke Burger when it opens.
Dreaming Of France
Terre d’Auge is a region of Normandy located between Caen and Honfleur in the Calvados Department. Pont-l’Évêque is the main town at the heart of this territory, and the perfect starting point for exploring the area’s cuisine, surrounding villages, and outdoor activities.
Pont l’Évêque sits at the intersection of 3 rivers, which once made it an important center of trade and commerce. Gustave Flaubert features the town in his classic book, “Un coeur simple.” Today, it’s known for its historic city center which features Pans de Bois-style buildings and a summer market that brings together local producers and artisans who offer goods that recall the region’s past, including its famed cider, folk dancing, and other activities. You can also see the Joyeuse Prison, named as such because prisoners were allowed to come and go as they wanted.
Outside of town, you can visit one of several nearby villages, such as Beaumont-en-Auge, that feature period buildings and a taste of Normandy’s history.
You can even tour the region in a Citroën 2CV. Or just stop at the Terre d'Auge Lake to swim, rent a canoe or paddleboat or jet ski, swim, or just read on the beach.
Great Reads
The Guardian covered the heartbreaking story of famed Swiss photographer René Robert who “succumbed to hypothermia after falling and spending nine hours sprawled and ignored on a bitterly cold street in central Paris.” People apparently assumed he was “just” some homeless guy and couldn’t be bothered to help him.
The French National Assembly voted to return artwork stolen by the Nazis from Jewish families. Speaking of moving slowly, John Lichfield writing in The Local extols the virtues of traveling France via slow trains. For The New York Times, Lindsey Tramuta profiles Lebanese social entrepreneur Kamal Mouzawak who lives in Paris but has been supporting Lebanon through a variety of ambitious food projects. Closer to home, Mouzawak has just opened Tawlet Paris, “a canteen and grocer.”
Finally, consider this your little moment of zen from France:
Chris O’Brien
Le Pecq, France
Hi Chris ! I discovered your Substack thanks to the directory from Substack Go (I was curious to see who were the other writers based in France :) ) and was so glad I did. I love reading your thoughts about our France and see what subjects held your attention. Looking forward to your future newsletters !