So, here's the rundown on the holidays of our dear French this summer 2023.
 

Summer 2023 and vacations, that's precisely our topic of conversation this week in my French conversation group. You can practice your French up to 7 times per week with other motivated learners to gain confidence in speaking and express yourself more naturally in French. 
 


 

First, quite a few of us won't go on vacation this summer, a good third even, 35% to be precise. You wonder why? Well, inflation, the cost of living going up, all that stuff. It's especially people with the most modest incomes who are affected.
 

But don't worry, we're not all stuck at home. Two out of three French people will still sunbathe. So, who are the lucky ones? Mostly, it's families, childless couples with two incomes, and especially, people from higher socio-professional categories.
 

On the budget side, brace yourself, it stings a bit. With inflation, vacations are more expensive this year. A household of two adults and two children will pay an average of 2,450€ for vacations. And if you compare it to last year, that's an increase of 730€. It's going to hurt the wallet, but hey, we really need these vacations, right?
 

With these prices, some will have to save. Fewer restaurants, more home cooking, destinations not as far and shorter stays.
 

Now, let's talk about destinations. It seems like the big return abroad is underway. 29% of French people want to go abroad, compared to 15% two years ago. Europe and neighboring countries are the most popular, but some have wanderlust and want to go even further, like to the United States or Asia.
 

But what about ecology in all this? Yes, there is an awareness, but we can't say that it stops everyone.

But what about ecology in all this? Yes, there is an awareness, but we can't say that it stops everyone. Long-haul flights are back, even if the train pollutes 14 times less than the plane.
 

And what about France in all of this? Well, the majority of our compatriots, 80% to be precise, will stay in France. And the coast is popular, unlike the mountains. Well, these are only intentions for the moment, nothing set in stone. We'll see where everyone really ends up going.

 

Source : https://www.ouest-france.fr/leditiondusoir/2023-06-16/inflation-fin-du-covid-climat-a-quoi-vont-ressembler-les-vacances-d-ete-2023-des-francais-f56286bd-d0d0-4f27-9c02-c387c15abb6b

 

Vocabulary Exercise: Politics and the French: