Fridges, barricades and a really massive pastry

Inside France is editor Emma Pearson’s weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in France that you might not have heard about. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox, by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.

Cold war

Are fridges the new weapons of war? It’s never previously occurred to me to be afraid of a fridge (only angry at it if there inexplicably isn’t any wine inside) – but this week France was attacked via the medium of refrigerators.

Hundreds of supermarkets across the country saw their fridge and freezer cabinets suddenly heat up, forcing the stores to throw away millions of euros of food.

The culprit was networked fridges where the temperature can be controlled remotely – hackers had managed to access the systems of two companies, the Danish Danfoss and the American Coupland, that are widely used by French supermarkets and switch them to defrost mode.

READ ALSO: What we know so far about the cyberattack that targeted French supermarkets

At the time of writing, no one has claimed responsibility and the supermarkets have reported receiving no ransom demands.

And France is not the first country where this has happened; Israel saw similar hacks in the spring while US army bases in both Germany and America reported ‘unexplained switches to defrost cycles’ over the summer.

We don’t really know the motive – but if the hackers or their masters intended to show just how vulnerable internet-linked appliances coupled with modern food supply chains make a country, then they certainly succeeded.

As this defence expert put it: “You no longer need tanks to wage war.”

Heating up the streets

If this is all terrifyingly modern, the tradition of French street protest is very old – students, taxi drivers, farmers, union leaders and a few ‘yellow vests’ are among the groups currently protesting, of which the lycée students are getting the most attention.

Blockades and 60 demos: What to expect on Saturday, October 17th in France

I’ve noticed among foreigners some surprise that parents have gone along to the lycée student demos with their children (or near them if the teenagers deem it too embarrassing to have their parents there), but I think that is to misunderstand the quasi-sacred role of street protests in France.

The students have the support of a majority of the French population, latest polling shows, and they are also seen as being in the tradition of French protests going right back to the foundation story of the modern republic, the Revolution.

The placard below thanks the ‘casseurs‘ (rioters) at iconic events such as the Storming of the Bastille, the establishment of the Second Republic, the Popular Front and the May 1986 protests.

Regardez cette merveille de pancarte Merci @luciecabiac.bsky.social

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— Mathilde Larrère (@mathildelarrere.bsky.social) 13 October 2026 at 15:12

 

Talking France

The Talking France podcast this week attempts to unpick the cyberattacks, as well as what the various presidential election candidates plan for foreigners in France – while we also discuss the risks of moving to France with a French partner. Listen here.

Hero of the week 

This French restaurant owner has dedicated almost two years of his life to the logistical and engineering challenges of producing a pâté en croûte that measures more than two metres long. He succeeded, and has now broken the world record for his 2.87m long meaty-pastry delight.

I cannot think of a better way to spend one’s fleeting moments upon this earth.

Game of the week

Earlier this week I was searching for a social media post that used the phrase ‘ta gueule Jordan‘ (shut up Jordan, as in Bardella) and to say that I found a lot would be a profound understatement. Obviously some are just people who massively disagree with him, but many others refer to the increasing divides within the Rassemblement National party, with party leaders reportedly keen for the young politico to shut up and go away.

Try it, it’s really fun. 

Here’s Joan of Arc, whose story and image are regularly co-opted by the far right, taking a moment to say ‘Shut up Jordan’ as she is burned alive.

#DialogueSurToile

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— Bernard-Henri Lemmy (@bernardhenribery.bsky.social) 3 May 2026 at 10:18

 

Thanks for reading, and bon weekend

PS: If you like my ramblings, we now have a weekly election newsletter with all the latest from the 2027 campaign trail, plus gossip, scurrilous rumours, memes, etc. Sign up here