It got cold, suddenly. The streets aren’t empty, but the French aren’t happy—around here, people can take the rain, not temperatures between 0°C and 10°C.

Granted, unlike in Canada, it’s cold indoors too. Energy prices are high, and I’m currently typing this under two blankets with a hot water bottle by my side. “French people are doing the right thing for the planet,” political leaders like to say, conveniently avoiding the fact that many simply can’t afford to pay their heating bills.

And here I am, a former local with 23 years of Canadian winter experience. I hate cold weather. I hate being cold. For me, anything below 20°C is cold. Yet apparently, I can handle it because my body goes into a “been there, done that” mode. The day Ottawa was colder than Mars, the endless snowstorms, the freezing rain, and the months of temperatures so low you can’t feel your face, body, or hands—all of that taught me something.

I run away from winter in Canada whenever I can, but trust me, I’ve spent plenty of winters stuck in Ottawa, freezing my ass off. Fun fact: I had to wait a week to cash my first Canadian paycheque… because the mailbox was hopelessly frozen.

“But how do you dress when it’s –20°C?”

Suddenly, my Canadian training is valuable.

“See the Black Blocs? Kind of like that. It always feels vaguely illegal to step into a supermarket or a bank with a beanie pulled low over your ears and a scarf covering everything but your eyes…”

The French would never do that. They stay fashionable—and cold. The top winter accessory is one of those oversized scarves draped casually around the neck. And don’t get me started on shoes. The traditional Doc Martens aren’t fur-lined and don’t keep your feet warm—ask the grungy 1990s me how I know.

It’s okay, we’re all going to survive the cold spell. At least in France, it’s just that: a cold spell. The temperature won’t keep dropping week after week. Plus, the Christmas market has just opened, and everyone is sipping mulled wine all day long.

We had a lovely fall, though. Here are the people of Nantes, Angers, and Le Mans—fall 2025 edition!