Every now and then, the French language tickles me when I come across a fun-to-pronounce word or a word that’s just delightful to my ear. The other day, Tom and I were watching a news program when “les aoûtiens” flashed across the screen. Not knowing what the word meant but having an idea from the context, my ears perked up. Then Tom confirmed the meaning and it made me smile. Of COURSE the French have a word for this.
Who are les aoûtiens?
Quick French lesson: Les aoûtiens
The French (and many other Europeans) live for their summer vacation and often jet off somewhere for 3 or even 4 weeks without their employer batting an eye. It’s their right as an employee and France understands the need for rest and relaxation better than anyone. With a mandatory 5 weeks of paid vacation for employees (plus a handful of holidays), France is onto something so, so good. In my 5 years here, I’ve seen what an integral part vacation plays in the lives of French people, forcing them to get away, unwind, and live life.
Summer vacation is all anyone talks about this time of year with chitchat almost always starting off with something related to where you’ve just returned from or where you’re going. Forget about a measly 2 weeks of paid time off if you’re lucky in the USA; the French know all about the work/life balance and use every single day of their vacation. Again, it’s their right. I love that about France.
This is the France I love… a love letter of sorts >>
So back to les aoûtiens. I may have heard this word over the years but never really paid attention to it. It wasn’t until the news program about weekend traffic the other night that I realized what les aoûtiens meant.
The term refers to people who vacation in August!
Août is the French word for August. Just to tickle you further, they also call those who vacation in July…. you guessed it… les juilletistes. Don’t you LOVE that?
Last weekend was particularly significant because les juilletistes and les aoûtiens were in the process of returning home and setting out on vacation, respectively, and it caused major traffic jams pretty much everywhere.
It’s fitting that the French have a word for this and it made me chuckle. In English, we’d need at least 2 words to express the same thing: August vacationers, August holidaymakers, those who take vacation in August, etc. In French, everyone knows what aoûtiens means and over half of all vacationers aller en vacances in the month of August.
You’ll hear news segments about how les aoûtiens are clogging up the country’s autoroutes and to avoid certain routes at certain hours. That les aoûtiens account for a bump in tourism in certain locales. That les aoûtiens are having the time of their lives at the beach and are out in full force.
The French language has plenty of words that make me smile (and make me hide), but nothing explains the importance of vacation culture in France and their take on life’s priorities as clearly as les aoûtiens. It’s normal. It’s French. And it’s wonderful.
Les aoûtiens refers to so much more than August vacationers. It refers to a way of life in a place that understands how important it is to relax and recharge.
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Let me be all French and ask you about your summer vacation… going anywhere? Are you an aoûtien/ienne? Have any French words made you chuckle?
P.S. In blog news, I have a new look coming soon and I can’t wait to show you!
PIN ME:
I guess I’m an Aoûtienne AND a Juiletiste! It’s not even summer in New Zealand, but that’s the reason I’ve chosen this time to holiday in France. I love it here!
What’s your favorite part of France to visit? Great time to ditch winter in NZ and head for the sun!
Sorry about the spelling mistake, by the way! Well, I tend to base myself in Poitiers, which isn’t a famous tourist spot I know, but I lived there for a year about 8 years ago on a teachers’ award. Nice place. Nice friends.
I had no idea- I love this! These endearing nuances of the French language are what attract me the most, really.
My tiny family is taking its first trip to Nantucket at the end of the month. I’ve lived in Massachusetts my entire life but have never been. 🙂
I thought it was such a perfect term!
Have a GREAT time! I’ve never been there but have visited vicariously through bloggers I follow.
Tip for tourists from the US and elsewhere:
1) go to Paris in August, it’s less crowded
2) head to the beach before July 14th or even better in June or September
Being in the south of France right now, but not directly at the beach, I went to Palavas last Saturday (July 29th). Good idea: the “juilletistes” were gone and the “aoûtiens” still on the road! The beach was almost empty, at least if you consider that it’s summer
Hi there! Yes, great tips. The Parisians are all out of town in August so that’s a great time to visit. Did you take the chair lift in Palavas? (Palavas-les-Flots, right? Sorry if there’s another one and you don’t know what I’m talking about). And how was Iceland??
I hadn’t heard of aoutiens/juilletistes but it doesn’t surprise me. It’s similar to the way the French name residents of towns and cities. Natives of Nantes are Nantais and folks from St Tropez are Tropeziennes for instance.. when tiny places do this, the village where my holiday home is situated refers to it’s residents as Ligneronnaises…it makes me smile as the population is very small indeed.
I have not heard that word, but I have been seeing lots of signs on my local shops saying ” Bonne Vacances-Nous serons de retour le 28 août!” We arrived July 16 and just moved into our apartment in Rennes. We are looking forward to seeing the open shops and the people back from vacation in September.