Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres

Every February, I remember my first year of Latin --- struggling to translate portions of Julius Caesar’s Commentaries on the Gallic Wars. “All Gaul is divided into three parts” we read.
Many things have changed in France since 51 B.C but Gaul is still divided into three parts at the Ministry of Education.
All French children start school on the same day in early September. Their first vacation is around Toussaint and their second at Christmas. For the last two vacation periods before the longer summer break, school districts or académies are divided into three zones -- A, B and C. Each zone has two two week breaks between February and April. Every year the vacation period is rotated among the zones so that, over three years, each district has the early, middle and late vacation slots.
A number of years ago, after much reflection, the Education Minister of the time revealed a plan to modify the school year. All French children would have 7 weeks of class and then 2 weeks of vacation throughout the year –- with a longer summer holiday. The regular rhythm would ensure less stress and fatigue for the nation’s children and their teachers. This well-thought out plan never saw the light of day. Ski resorts immediately went into protest mode. The February vacation, officially called “vacances d’hiver” (winter vacation) and popularly called “vacances de neige” (snow vacation) or “vacances des sports d’hiver” (winter sports vacation) is a very profitable time for ski resorts. They would much rather see it continue to be spread over an entire month than cut to two weeks for all. Capitulation by the government was immediate. So much for the reduction of stress and fatigue in the school-age population. Vive le ski!.
What amazes me every year is how much greater the myth is than the reality. February newscasts are always full of ski resort stories – how many extra trains have been scheduled, how many tourists are in each mountain village and how much they are spending. There are regular avalanche warnings and news of mountain rescues. Traffic reports tell us every weekend how many hours it takes to reach the resorts. Weather reports inform us whether the snow is “good” or not – and how much of it there is.

Television news records the departures at the Gare de Lyon

Yet statistics show that only 7%-8% of the population actually takes a week’s ski holiday. Some don’t like winter sports; others can’t afford it. Those who live near resorts just go for the day a few times a year.
Still vacations are always good – even if you don’t support the ski slopes. This year Zone C (the zone Paris is part of) has the latest vacation period. I allowed all the avid skiers to get away.


Then I left too – for Charlottesville. They’ve had a lot of winter weather here this year. So, I, too, will be able to talk about my “vacances de neige” when I return to Paris in the spring.