L’ESCARGOT
FASHION
L’EXPLOITATION: THE DARK SECRET OF HAUTE COUTURE
XOXO LE DÉTECTIVE ROSE
When you think of ‘haute couture’, French brands like Chanel, Jean-Paul Gaultier or Louis Vuitton spring to mind These brands pride themselves on their image of luxurious, well-made clothes designed by the fashion industry’s top players. It is because of this that France has become known as the world’s centre of fashion, but beneath this glamourous façade a dark secret lurks: the exploitation of young creatives who bring the designs to life
During King Louis XIV’s reign in 17th century, the fashion industry in France exploded from being merely prominent, to becoming the paradigm of French culture due to the monarch’s great appreciation for fashion and extravagance. But it wasn’t until the turn of the twentieth century that France was given the title of the ‘fashion capital of the world’ that we know it as today Moving forwards to the modern day in France, fashion still holds a deep cultural significance, having a meaning much more profound than merely the clothes a person wears The differentiating factor of fashion in France in comparison to fashion globally is that it has never tried to conform to trends and please its customers French high fashion brands are known for their focus on a creatively driven process, instead attempting to satisfy the wants of consumers.
In France, to work in fashion is something highly respected, with designers and brand owners being esteemed members of society. But it is the cultural attitude of idolising designers and viewing them as being better than ordinary people which contributes to the industry’s toxic nature, reveals Giulia Mensitieri, author of the controversial publication ‘Le plus beau métier du monde’ (the most beautiful job in the world) Published in 2018, her book was the first to uncover the mistreatment of workers within the French fashion sector and bring awareness to the issue
“The message is, you don’t have to be paid because you are lucky to be there at all. Working in fashion is hyper socially validating, even if you’re unpaid That’s an important point for me Fashion presents itself as something exceptional, a world outside the ordinary,” she said, in a 2018 interview with The Guardian newspaper It is this ‘lucky to be here’ attitude which has come at a cost of creative workers' rights in France.
An example of this given in Mensitieri’s book is of an Italian fashion stylist “Mia” who moved to Paris. The Chanel shoe wearing, Prada handbag carrying, business class flyer exuded opulence but, despite her appearance, didn’t have enough money to pay rent. In fact, the young stylist relied on couch-surfing at a friend’s flat and having fast food for every meal to get by
FASHION
For jobs with luxury brands, she never knew when she would be paid, or how much and precarity became a constant in her life. One brand gave her a £4,500 voucher as payment for a week’s work instead of monetary compensation As great as this sounds, this voucher could not pay for an apartment or suffice the grocery bill. Further to this, in the industry, this voucher was expected to be used by Mia to keep herself dressed in luxury clothes for work as, in the fashion industry, looks matter.
Another young designer of a luxury fashion brand interviewed for Mensitieri’s book explained that her boss “ was earning €13,000 [£11,700] a month but [she] was on the minimum wage. Just €100 [£90] a month more would have made the difference to [her] But [her boss] wouldn’t do it ” For workers at the bottom of the fashion food chain, there is no trickle-down effect in wealth despite the industry’s status as second biggest in France Examples like these show that designers are not and have never been held accountable for their actions.
The uncovering of this scandal meant ‘Le plus beau métier du monde’ certainly made a splash in the waters on its release. Jean-Paul Gaultier himself responded to the book’s comments, insisting that “[fashion] is like a family” If fashion is like a family, it is certainly a dysfunctional one The author did, however, note that many workers came out in support of the book, saying they “began to see the big picture and little fragments of their own experiences and once they understand the big picture, they can’t look at fashion and their job in fashion or themselves in the same way.”
Despite this positive response, Mensitieri shared her disappointment at the lack of change in the industry around the release of her book in 2018. However, it is clear that change just takes time, as in February 2022, hundreds of workers from several of Louis Vuitton’s leather-goods workshops in France staged a walkout to demand higher wages and better working hours Action like this cannot be brushed off by high-fashion brands, showing that there is a hope for change
Haute Couture and fast fashion have so much more in common than one might have originally thought two fashion outputs relying on the exploitation of others to make a profit. However, as society becomes more informed of the consequences of fast fashion, it is only right for us to address the similar issues on the flip side of the coin. Next time you see someone in a Chanel outfit, maybe you should question where it came from. After all, the devil does wear Prada
FOOD
THE CHEESE’S THIEF
XOXO MAYA HERCHEL
France, known for its high-end debauchery and cuisine, especially with its extravagant ranges of cheeses and wines, without a doubt lures in and snatches the hearts of its many travelling tourists, leaving them hungry and ravenous for more. A couple of famous meals consist of ‘boeuf bourguignon’, ‘confit de canard’, ‘tarte tatin’, however there are many more, all of which are equally as pleasant and salivating. Furthermore, the French culinary tourism market accumulated a market value of 29 9 billion dollars in 2022, contributing almost 10% to France’s annual GDP
Therefore, to the naked eye, whilst food in France remains as an excellent tool for gaining money and popularity, in truth, France’s passion for food stretches beyond attracting tourists and has more protective and sentimental values.
France’s protectiveness of food in fact dates centuries back to 1411. In that year, Roquefort, a cheese famous for its pungent smell and characteristic blue veins of mould, was the first cheese to receive legal protection when King Charles VI, the Beloved or the Mad, depending on which of his moods or psychotic episodes you caught him in, granted the residents of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon the sole right of producing and ripening Roquefort cheese after a dispute with neighbouring villages; this was perhaps France’s first move in protecting their culture
Moreover, this legal protection for a product made within a geographic designation was the inspiration for the later Appelation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system adopted by France in 1925, which is still being utilised nowadays, and which later became the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) scheme of the European Union, what we use in the United Kingdom
Therefore, despite King Charles being perceived as somewhat wild and nefarious, his schemes were indeed the foundation and blueprint to countries protecting their own food and cultures - perhaps he’s cleverer than perceived. What’s more, Roquefort cheese now has several strict production guidelines, most importantly of which is that the cheese must be aged in the Combalou Caves - very specific!
However, why does France remain so protective of its laws about food? We cannot know the true answer nor see the inner workings of Charles’ mind, therefore we can only assume. Specialists say that food brings people together; the French know this, which is why they cherish the time that they get to spend with each other over a meal, but what’s more, perhaps they cling to their cuisine as a mean to overcome their fear over the perceived loss of French identity and culture in the European system Perhaps, Charles’ move was to unite the people of Roquefort-sur-Soulzon over their creation of their cheese, or perhaps he was merely an avaricious being, wanting the cheese all for himself
Alas we shall never know, but nonetheless, Roquefort-sur-Soulzon’s population now rests at just over 200 people, where they must bond over their shared survival of the cheese.
ART
THE THEFT OF THE MONA LISA
XOXO LE DISCIPLE DE DA VINCI
On the morning of the 21st August 1911 Leonardo da Vinci’s La Giocanda/ La Jaconde, or most famously known as Mona Lisa was stolen, almost in plain sight, with very few clues as to the identity of the thief. Seen as one of the most prominent scandals in the art world at the time and to this day, the theft was significant in elevating the Mona Lisa to ‘celebrity status’ in France and around the globe where she now attracts more than 6 million fans each year who seek to capture a glimpse of her enigmatic smile
When we typically think of an art heist, a figure clothed in black, skulking in the shadows carrying a crowbar may come to mind yet the pilfering of the Mona Lisa was not exactly a cinematic heist It was a Monday, and the Louvre was closed for maintenance The thief, who had previously worked at the Louvre as a handyman and painter had hidden inside a broom closet overnight, emerging from his hiding place in the morning wearing a smock similar to that of the Louvre staff As is often the case with successful art heists, the security was relatively ‘lax’ in the Salon Carré (the room in which the Mona Lisa was displayed) so when left completely unguarded the thief seized the opportunity: he took the painting off the wall, concealed it under his white smock and exited the premises taking the it to his one-room hotel apartment at 5 rue de l’Hôpital Saint-Louis, not far from the Gare de l’Est in the 10th arrondissement where he hid it in a trunk
It took until the following day for the painting to be discovered missing Once museum officials realized the truth, the Louvre was shut down The French border was sealed, and ships and trains searched By the time the museum re-opened nine days later, the theft was front page news around the world Thousands of people lined up at the Louvre just to see the empty spot coined the ‘mark of shame’ where the painting once hung…
Whodunit?
When news broke of the scandal, conspiracy, allegations and conviction closely followed; French police had launched an extensive search with headline of the New York Times reading ‘60 detectives seek stolen Mona Lisa, French public indignant,”. Some speculated that the theft was attributed to the ‘modernist enemies’ of traditional art and therefore it was no surprise when the avantgarde poet and playwright Guillaume Apollinaire was arrested in September and questioned for a week before being released. More allegations followed as the search for ‘The Louvre’s lost treasure ’persisted Found to have ties with Apollinaire, Picasso, a foreigner in France was the next prominent suspect, but again little evidence was found against him
The scandal that resulted in the Mona Lisa becoming a household name
For 2 years the trail ran cold. The whereabouts of the Mona Lisa were based on arbitrary and disconnected reports: she had been shipped to Switzerland, she had been left in an apartment in Bronx or she was at a private gallery in St Petersburg. But after 2 years of silence in 1913, the thief, contacted a Florentine art dealer, Alfredo Geri, with the hope that he would help him dispose of his ‘hostage’ in return for some cash. Alarmed yet intrigued with this new contact, Geri played along and after authenticating the painting, turned the thief, who was revealed to be a man called Vincenzo Perugia, into the police.
As with most crime stories, the criminal always turns out to be ‘right under our noses’ all along Indeed, Peruggia for 2 years, had held the Mona Lisa in a trunk in his apartment in Paris just a mere mile away from the Louvre It was found that Peruggia’s primary motivation for stealing the work of art was to ‘ revenge himself upon France for the depredations of Napoleon in Italy’. Peruggia at his trial had labelled himself as an Italian patriot who wished to return Da Vinci’s painting to its native land Despite his patriotic statements they held little truth as Da Vinci had indeed gifted the painting to Francis I when he joined the kings court 250 years before Napoleon was born Therefore, needless to say, Peruggia’s efforts were coined as the ‘biggest art repatriation blunder in history’ as well as the biggest theft of the century
Perugia - The thief
The legacy of the Mona Lisa: Absence makes the heart grow fonder?
It was famously said that the ‘Mona Lisa left the Louvre a work of art’ and ‘she returned an icon’ This was indeed true The scandal of the Mona Lisa’s theft and subsequent recovery elevated her to celebrity status.
Indeed, it was her theft in 1911 and the international publicity that accompanied this which helped to launch Leonardo's great painting into the stratosphere of fame. The blank space on the wall of the Salon Carré served to contribute to the mystique and enigmatic quality of the painting that viewers still seek to decipher today.
Her absence did indeed make the hearts of many grow fonder The scandal of 1911 catapulted the Mona Lisa and her elusive smile into the public consciousness allowing her to leave an indelible mark on France’s cultural identity for the centuries to come
Vincenzo
MUSIC
BREAKING THE SILENCE WITH ANGÈLE'S "BALANCE TON QUOI"
XOXO AVA DAVIES
In the diverse world of French music, scandal has often played a significant role, shaping both the industry and societal norms.
My favourite and a well known scandal that sent shockwaves through the music industry is Angèle's revolutionary anthem, "Balance Ton Quoi." Released in 2018, the song became more than just a musical piece; it became a hit across the country and the world, sparking conversations and challenging the status quo
Angèle, a Belgian singer-songwriter, released "Balance Ton Quoi" as a response to the #MeToo movement, a global initiative against sexual harassment. The song's title translates to "Expose Your What" in English, provoking people to join the movement and speak out on sexism and double standards The lyrics are unapologetic and empowering, encouraging individuals, particularly women, to speak up against inappropriate behaviour
The chorus is powerful and defiantly declares, "Balance ton quoi, c'est mon corps, c'est pas le tien '' ("Expose your what, it's my body, not yours' ') These lyrics turned the song into more than just music; it became a shout for change.
Matching the powerful lyrics is an entertaining yet impactful music video directed by Charlotte Abramow. The video challenged gender roles and expectations whilst being funny at the same time. It pushed the boundaries of cultural conversation and raised key problems faced by women in France and the rest of the world
However, with great influence comes great controversy "Balance Ton Quoi" also came with harsh comments and disapproval. Conservative people criticised Angèle, deeming the explicit content and direct approach inappropriate, especially for younger audiences The controversy reached every part of French society, with debates on whether the song was a necessary awakening or an unwarranted disruption Yet, in the midst of criticism, Angèle stood firm, embodying the rebellious spirit of her anthem.
The effects of "Balance Ton Quoi" extended far beyond the controversy it generated The song became a catalyst for vital discussions on feminism, consent, and the role of music in addressing societal issues Angèle's fearlessness in tackling these subjects resonated with a generation eager for change. It was not merely a scandal but a cultural shift, a turning point in the way French music engaged with and influenced societal conversations
For me, this song is important, it shows key messages for change but is also a great songs everyone should enjoy Angele speaks out on key messages that shouldn't be just pushed aside and not addressed.. We should recognise "Balance Ton Quoi," for its lasting impact. Angèle, with her anthem, inspired a new wave of artists to use their platform for social change, challenging norms and encouraging debates on issues that matter. The controversy, rather than overshadowing the song, became an integral part of its movement , emphasising the power of music to provoke thought, start discussion, and drive positive change
If you have time, take a moment to listen and watch this inspiring song. Angèle, with her rebellious anthem, has left a lasting impression on French music, reminding us all that sometimes, the most powerful songs are the ones that make us question the world around us
CINEMA
WANTED: ROMAN POLANSKI
XOXO L’AGENT MEDUSE
Roman Polanski is a film director and actor. He has won many awards, including the Palme d’Or in 2002 for directing The Pianist
Born in Paris and brought up in Kraków, he has connections to both France and Poland. Polanski was arrested in 1977 for drugging and raping 13-year-old Samantha Gailey, now Samantha Geimer, in Los Angeles He pleaded guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Subsequently, other women, such as Charlotte Lewis, an English actress, claimed he sexually assaulted them when they were teenagers He denies these accusations
After learning that his judge intended to imprison him for 50 years, Polanski fled to France. As a French citizen, he is protected from extradition, the transfer of someone accused of a crime to another jurisdiction. He, therefore, will not be arrested unless he is charged under French law or travels to a country that would comply with the United States’ requests. Considering he hasn’t returned to the USA since he left in 1978, this is unlikely. In 2009, he travelled to Switzerland to the Zurich Film Festival to receive his lifetime achievement award Upon arrival, he was arrested at request of the United States but released after two months by Swiss authorities In 2016, the supreme court of Poland also rejected The United States’ request for his extradition
The only punishments he has endured are Geimer suing him in 1988, the fact that he can’t return to the United States, and his experience with the media He claims that the press sensationalised his case, stating “If I had killed somebody, it wouldn't have had so much appeal to the press”, also suggesting they have treated both him and his victim horribly
About 70% of the French population want him extradited but many celebrities wish to see him continue in the film industry, having signed a petition to keep him directing and producing 40 years later, Samantha Geimer wishes to move on and requested that the US dismiss the case against Polanski. Although unsuccessful, she said in an interview with his wife “what happened with Polanski was never a big problem for me.” They both claim that the media made them suffer more than the incident itself. Polanski stated, “She is a double victim: My victim, and a victim of the press ” Polanski’s achievements in the film industry continue to be celebrated, while he hides behind French law He, his victim, and fellow celebrities agree that he has suffered enough, but are these opinions outweighed by those of the public? Is it four decades too late?
CELEBRITY
THE SONG THAT MADE ‘FRENCH ICON’ JANE BIRKIN FAMOUS
XOXO LA FILLE BONBON
J
ane Birkin, aged 76, died just last year in July in her home in Paris. French President Emmanuel Macron called her ‘a French icon’ and Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, named her the ‘most Parisian of the English’ . So, who was she and what did she do to leave such an impact?
Jane Birkin was a British and French actress and singer. Although born in the UK, she made France her home in the late 60’s, where they were charmed by her imperfect grasp of the language and her infamous British accent when speaking it. Birkin became an icon of European film and fashion – the Hermès CEO JeanLouis Dumas even designed and named the Birkin bag after her! Throughout her seven-decade-long career however, Jane Birkin’s romance with Serge Gainsbourg was a defining moment.
Serge Gainsbourg was a French singer and actor, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop. The two met in 1968, when Birkin was in her early 20s, filming the movie ‘Slogan’ Gainsbourg starred in it and Birkin, despite not knowing a word of French, was also cast.
As they fell in love, Birkin became his muse – although their partnership was largely collaborative. Born of their relationship was the biggest scandal of Birkin’s career, which rocketed her to stardom. The hit song Je t’aime… moi non plus (I love you… me neither) made both Birkin and Gainsbourg famous. Highly suggestive and sensual, the song was considered a worldwide scandal.
Gainsbourg originally recorded the song with his then-girlfriend actress Brigitte Bardot but after she refused to release it for fear of the potential backlash, Jane Birkin offered to sing the duet instead.
Reflecting on it, Birkin claimed ‘Jealousy drove me to perform the song’ , with the same lack of timidity that characterised her career.
Je t’aime moi non plus caused all the scandal that Bardot had predicted and more; the song suffered radio bans in several countries including Italy, Sweden, Spain, Britain and elsewhere. It was banned by the BBC and even condemned by the Vatican. However, the song was a success despite this, selling millions of copies and shooting to number one in the UK (the first foreign-language song to do so).
Birkin went on to release other music and, although her artistic partnership with Serge Gainsbourg continued, the couple eventually split after 12 years. Outside of music, she received acclaim as an actress, performing in movies directed by those such as Jacques Doillon and Jacques Rivette. Overall, she appeared in over 65 films in her career and released around 20 albums.
Throughout her career, Jane Birkin was always willing to push boundaries, be that through her at times provocative art or her activism. She was well known in France for fighting for women’s and L.G.B.T.Q.+ rights as well as for animal welfare, which was close to her heart. Above all, she refused to compromise her values and remains a beloved figure both in France and the wider world.
MYSTERY
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF LOUIS LE PRINCE –COINCIDENCE
OR CONVENIENCE?
XOXO CLARA SUSS-FRANCKSEN
Throughout time, history has commended Thomas Edison and the Lumière brothers for the fathering of cinematography, when really it was French inventor Louis Le Prince who first pioneered the creation of a working motion picture, before strangely disappearing
Le Prince’s 19th century prototype captured a moving image of his family milling about on the lawn – a revolutionary spectacle for the time Later hoping to develop the camera to be commercially viable, Le Prince was scheduled to display his work in New York City when mysteriously, he vanished Le Prince went missing in 1890 and was last sighted leaving Dijon platform, conveniently paving the way for inventor Thomas Edison to introduce his Kinetoscope, a model strikingly similar to Le Prince’s design, 4 years later What is most peculiar, is that Edison filed a caveat only a few weeks after the disappearance. For decades to follow, the mystery of Louis Le Prince remained a Conan-Doyle-style whodunit, with clues indicating the established innovator to be the most suitable antagonist.
In October of 1890, a corpse was found in the Seine that vaguely resembled Le Prince This led to theories suggesting Le Prince had reached a creative stalemate in his career and, heavy in debt, chose to take his own life However, the body was claimed too short to be Le Prince The most conceivable theory is that of creative theft and tactical sabotage.
Scandalous suspect, Edison, filed a pre-patent in 1890 for his invention, giving him time to establish a full application In theory this meant that he only had to sketch down rough ideas of an invention and let someone else do the hard work, claiming the finished product for his own: this would not be the first time either for he was a man notorious for exploiting other people’s inventions
It was clear to those enraged by Edison’s nerve that he had stolen Le Prince’s invention and probably had him killed to keep him from patenting it Edison, who initially saw no commercial value in his Kinetoscope, considered the technology a ‘toy’, and in many ways, Le Prince was ahead of his time in regarding film as more than just a profit-oriented product—he acknowledged the cultural significance of film, which is still valued today, particularly in France. Perhaps, Edison’s head was turned at the recent news of Le Prince’s discovery and more importantly its commercial value and the appearance of competitors like American Mutoscope, prompting him to go to extreme lengths for his last great invention
Over the next decade, Edison’s lawyers fought to establish that a caveat had been filed in 1888 proving he, not Le Prince, had invented ‘the fundamental underlying concept of motion picture ’ In hindsight, it’s intriguing to consider what might have happened if Le Prince had survived and how it could have changed the future of cinema in France as it is today, had he not been rubbed out of time by the scandalous Edison
HISTORY
SIMONE DE BEAUVOIR’S SECRETS
XOXO MARGAUX HILL
It’s easy when learning about figures of history to feel distanced from them by social attitudes of their era or that their views don’t apply to us now But these feelings surely cannot be applied to Simone de Beauvoir, born in 1908 in Paris, a pioneer of feminist thought and one of the most iconic philosophers of the 20th century
Her seminal work ‘The Second Sex’ (1949) is an exploration of the condition of women in a maledominated society In it, De Beauvoir examines the historical, cultural, and biological factors that contributed to society being constructed around men. She argued that women had been cast as the "other" in relation to men, leading to their oppression and objectification De Beauvoir's existentialist perspective added a unique dimension to her feminist analysis, asserting that women must transcend their assigned roles and embrace freedom and individuality The iconic line ‘ one is not born but rather becomes a woman’ perfectly epitomises her view on femininity. It transcends biology and psychology, as femininity is a role that society has created that impresses itself on women throughout their lives, for better or worse. The existentialist influences clearly show themselves here, as she expresses that destiny is not a cosmic force but rather something that humanity has made and exists within
It was well known even at the time that she had a partnership with the decorated philosopher JeanPaul Sartre, but they never consecrated their relationship in marriage.
They didn’t have children, had an open relationship and lived in separate apartments, but in ‘Letters to Sartre’, which she published in 1983, it was evidenced that they shared a profound intellectual bond. Throughout their lives, they were seen as symbols of free love and thought but ironically enough, because of the way that society saw unmarried women, De Beauvoir’s works weren’t as revered as maybe they should have been. Many academics even now believe her works to simply be reformulations of Sartre’s rather than original and monumental
‘Letters to Sartre’ was a turning point in her life. Although she denied it in interviews, De Beauvoir did have sexual relationships with women, and the letters also showed that she was jealous of the attention Sartre afforded his other partners. Newspapers at the time were inundated with scathing correspondence from their readers about how the two viewed the people around them and who they had relationships with. The newspaper Libération depicting her as ‘ a macho, petty woman’s life of little schemes and plots’ Sartre had died three years before their publication, leaving De Beauvoir to deal with the ramifications alone. She died in 1986 from a pulmonary edema, not before writing memoirs of Sartre, saying, ‘His death does separate us. My death will not bring us together again. That is how things are.’ She adopted her companion Sylvie Le Bon to continue her work, leaving on her death in a legacy that continues to shape contemporary discourse on existentialism and feminism.
HISTORY
THE AFFAIR OF THE DIAMOND NECKLACE
XOXO JULIETTE BESWICK
This scandal of 1784-85 incorporates fraud, imposture, and theft, where Marie Antoinette (Queen Consort of France at the time) was allegedly accused of refusing to confirm payment for a diamond necklace she supposedly agreed to buy.
This all came about when King Louis XV had commissioned a necklace for his mistress, Madame du Barry, however his death meant that the jewellers could not sell it to them. Due to its high value, since it was made up of 647 diamonds, only the royals could afford it - the jewellers, Boehmer and Bassenge, offered the necklace to Marie Antoinette however she refused to purchase it.
The point of scandal begins with Jeanne, Comtesse de la Motte, and her ploy to regain her family’s fortune - she believed her circumstances could be resolved through the stealing and selling of the necklace.The Comtesse claimed to be a royal courtier to the Queen and sought Cardinal Rohan, who she believed would help her to get the jewellery, of course, by lying to him. She falsely revealed to Cardinal Rohan that the Queen was interested in purchasing and acquiring the necklace for herself. Desperate to rebuild a good rapport with the queen, after spreading unsavoury rumours about her and her mother, Cardinal Rohan hoped to become a minister in King Louis XVI’s court: he agreed to facilitate the purchase.
In order to obtain the jewellery, forged letters were written, as well as an organised rendezvous between Rohan and a prostitute (who greatly resembled the Queen) to confirm the deal.
Once the deceiving Comtesse de La Motte gained possession of the necklace, it was immediately deconstructed and sold. The Queen claimed to have no knowledge of the purchase, however societal discontent at the time grew as the French became further disillusioned with the monarchy. It is also true that Marie Antoinette was blamed for exchanging information with foreign powers at the expense of the security of France. Although the Comtesse was later trialled and convicted, Antoinette’s reputation continued to significantly deteriorate; the scandal only exacerbated discontent, thus triggering a revolution thereafter.
RELIGION
LAICITE: DIVERSITY OR DISCRIMINATION
XOXO LE PAPILLON JAUNE
In France, the separation of Church and State holds great importance, with article 1 of the French constitution stating, “La France est une République indivisible, laique, démocratique et sociale” (France is an indivisible, secular, democratic and social republic) For many, this is interpreted as emphasising the importance of a government and public facilities that are free from any kind of religious influence, so as to welcome people of all backgrounds into France. However, often this can have the opposite effect, imposing limits on freedom of religious expression in places such as schools that feel restrictive rather than accepting.
This kind of interpretation of the constitution has led to laws banning religious garments such as hijabs, turbans, crosses and Stars of David from being worn in schools, and in other government funded establishments Dubbed ‘negative laicité’, many, including former President of France Nicholas Sarkozy, have called ‘positive laicité’ that celebrates the culture and diverse backgrounds of all religions represented in France. However, this is not an approach that President Macron has chosen to follow, demonstrated by several scandals involving rigid enforcing of secular laws, including upon athletes representing France at the 2024 Olympics
France’s minister for sport, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra stated “the representatives of our delegations, in our French teams, will not wear the headscarf”, highlighting that Muslim athletes would not be permitted to wear a headscarf, for many a key symbol of their religion and faith Athletes were told they had to remain neutral, and devoid of any kind of religious bias.
Despite this, the policy has been blasted as discriminatory by many, including the United Nations’ human rights office A spokesperson of the UN’s human rights office stated that “No one should impose on a woman what she needs to wear, or not wear”, highlighting that this policy imposes arbitrary restrictions on an article of clothing that should have no impact on the way in which a woman competes in her sport.
As of 2019, there were 3 35 million Muslims in France, showing that policies like these can have a significant impact on a significant amount of people within a country and leads to expressions of religious identity being seen in a negative light, rather than as a way to further connect with your own faith and to strengthen that bond. For many young Muslim children in France, being able to see Olympic athletes wearing hijabs could be incredibly inspirational and empowering, something that restrictive religious laws in France has taken away.
Though these restrictions are born from a place of apparent practicality, it is clear that France has a desperate need to redefine what they mean by ‘laicité’, and focus on a celebration of religion, rather than suppression
POLITIC
MARINE LE PEN AND HER SCANDALS
XOXO LE PETIT POIROT
Marine Le Pen is the leader of the National Rally, the farright French political party Born in Paris and brought up in Kraków, he has connections to both France and Poland
In the last presidential election in April 2022, Le Pen almost won, with Emmanuel Macron narrowly beating her with 58.5% of the vote to her 41.5%. Support for her party is ever increasing, and many people are worried that she might be the next President of France. Along with her scandalous views on immigration, Le Pen herself has been involved in a couple of scandals. As proved many times before in history, in difficult times, people look towards more radical leaders With the current economic crisis in France, including a lack of pension benefits, and high taxation rate of 55 4%, the second highest rate of personal income tax in Europe Le Pen has a focus on the cost of living, attracting many struggling French citizens She has risen to become the second favourite political personality in France, behind former prime minister Edouard Philippe
Politically, Le Pen is a controversial figure She is anti-immigration, and feels like ‘Europeans’ are becoming outnumbered in multi-ethnic areas of France, like Marseille, and worries about crime. She believes in ‘France for the French’ - where native French people would be prioritised over non-French people for welfare benefits, jobs, housing, and healthcare. She calls the Muslim headscarf ‘ a uniform of totalitarian ideology’, and would be banned from all public places. Furthermore, she wanted to strip dual-nationality Muslims with extremist views of their French citizenship, a view traditionally associated with the far right
In April 2017, Le Pen was placed under formal investigation over an alleged European parliament funding scandal The parliament suspected that €5 million (£4 million) went to her assistants of the National Front who were not working for MEPS, but in National Front party work in France The alleged fraudulent payments, from as early as 2012, involved her and several other party MEPs. Le Pen and her party refuted these allegations, saying the case was politically motivated
In her everyday life, there are many cases of Le Pen being anti-Semitic, racist and Islamaphobic In her Presidential campaign poster in April 2022, she appeared to be making a gesture associated with neoNazis. Her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, was also her predecessor in the party, and had extreme views. He was convicted racist, being anti-Semitic and Holocaust denier- saying that Nazi gas chambers were ‘ a detail of history’ Under her father’s rule, the National Rally wanted to deport 3 million foreigners, showcasing his xenophobic views.
Although Le Pen did denounce her father’s comments in 2015, and expelled him from the party, her views aren’t modest by any standards In December 2017, Le Pen announced she would end free education for the children of undocumented immigrants, saying in a speech in Paris "If you come to our country, don't expect to be taken care of, to be looked after, that your children will be educated without charge”.
L’Escargot Rouge
CROSS WORDS
4. another name for the Mona Lisa painting
5. something that discourages religious involvement in government affairs
6. a colour
8 an action or event that shocks people and makes them feel disapproval
9 capital city of France
10. name that appear in two articles
1. dairy product produced in a wide range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein.
2. a gastropod, especially one having an enclosing shell, into which it may retract completely for protection
3 woman who has the same rank as a count or earl, or who is married to a count or earl.
7. the name of the French president
L’Escargot Rouge
CROSS WORDS (ANSWERS)
4. another name for the Mona Lisa painting (joconde)
5. something that discourages religious involvement in government affairs (laïcité)
6. a colour (red)
8 an action or event that shocks people and makes them feel disapproval (scandal)
9 capital city of France (paris)
10. name that appear in two articles (louis)
1. dairy product produced in a wide range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. (cheese)
2. a gastropod, especially one having an enclosing shell, into which it may retract completely for protection (snail)
3 woman who has the same rank as a count or earl, or who is married to a count or earl. (countess)
7. the name of the French president (macron)
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
L’Escargot Rouge
Fashion - L’Exploitation: the dark secret of Haute Couture - XOXO Le Detective Rose aka Olivia cccccccccHudson Y12
Food - The cheese’s thief - XOXO Maya Herchel Y12
Art - The Theft of the Mona Lisa - XOXO Le Disciple de Da Vinci aka Anoushka Sood Y12
Music - Breaking the Silence with Angèle's "Balance Ton Quoi" - XOXO Ava Davies Y11
Cinema - Wanted: Roman Polanski - XOXO L’agent Meduse aka Katie Borlin Y13
Celebrity - The song that made ‘French icon’ Jane Birkin famous - XOXO La Fille Bonbon aka ttttttttttttttttLucy Harris Y12
Mystery - The Disappearance of Louis Le Prince – Coincidence or Convenience? - XOXO Maya qqqqqqqqHerchel Y12
History - Simone de Beauvoir’s secret - XOXO Margaux Hill Y12 - The Affair of the Diamond Necklace - XOXO Juliette Beswick Y12
Religion - Laicite: Diversity or Discrimination - XOXO Le Papillon Jaune aka April ttttttttttttttHouten Y13
Politic - Marine le Pen and Her Scandals - XOXO Le Petit Poirot aka Lizzie Wadham Y12
Editing: Emma Meignen & Taina Juliard
