France’s never-ending Budget debate continues, farmers plan major disruption in Strasbourg, Champions League football returns, and it is a big week for students looking for places at university in September.
Monday
University applications — The Parcoursup university application platform opened in December, allowing students planning to enter higher education in 2026 to take a closer look at courses they might be interested in.
Registration formally opens on January 19th, allowing them to start putting their names forward for courses they would like to take at establishments they would like to attend.
Tuesday
Budget — The contested 2026 Budget returns, possibly. On Thursday, the government announced that agreement on the second part of the budget was “impossible” and suspended debates.
It said it had given itself until Tuesday to decide how to proceed – with the most likely options being using one of two possible constitutional powers to push the budget through without a vote. This could result in a no-confidence vote and the fall of another French government.
Protest — Farmers are planning a massive protest in and around Strasbourg, and plan to be at the European Parliament building at 11am.
Haute couture — Paris Fashion Week men’s fall/winter 2026/27 collection gets under way.
Cybersecurity — The European Commission will propose a revision of EU rules on cybersecurity.
Football — Ligue 1 sides Paris Saint-Germain and Monaco are both in action as the seventh day of the Champions League pool phase kicks off.
Wednesday
Anniversary — the 50th anniversary of Concorde’s first commercial flight will be marked in Paris.
Rugby — France manager Fabien Galthie will announce his initial extended 42-player squad for the 2026 Six Nations.
Football — Ligue 1 side Marseille host Liverpool on the seventh day of the Champions League pool phase.
Saturday
Anniversary — The 60th anniversary of the crash on Mont Blanc of an Air India Boeing 707 flying from Bombay to New York will be remembered in Chamonix.
Festival — If you can’t celebrate Saint-Vincent Tournante, the patron saint of winegrowers, in France, where can you celebrate him?
This annually moveable two-day celebration in deepest Burgundy, which will take place on January 24th and 25th in 2026, is to thank the saint for the last harvest and ask his protection for the next one. One of the oldest festivals on the calendar, it has its roots in the Middle Ages.