Happy Bastille Day
- Details
We at Cle France are still working ergh! but... Happy Bastille Day to everyone!
What do people do on Bastille day?
Many people attend large-scale public celebrations. These often include:
Military and civilian parades.
Musical performances.
Communal meals.
Dances.
Balls.
Spectacular fireworks displays.
There is a large military parade in Paris in the morning of July 14. Service men and women from various units, including cadets from military schools, the French Navy and the French Foreign Legion, participate in the parade. The parade ends with the Paris Fire Brigade. Military aircraft fly over the parade route during the parade. The French president opens the parade and reviews the troops and thousands of people line the route. Other people spend the day quietly and eat a celebratory meal or picnic with family and close friends.
Some Helpful french phrases.
Cette semaine on fête le 14 juillet ou la fête nationale or Bastille Day as it’s known in English speaking countries. Le 14 juillet is something like la version française (the French version) of the fourth of July.
Pendant le 14 juillet there are a few big celebrations: le défilé militaire (the military parade) during the day and then at night les spectacle de feux d’artifice (the fireworks shows). However, cette semaine (this week) I learned something about les feux d’artifice that I didn’t know before.
Au 13 juillet, while at home I suddenly heard the loud bangs des feux d’artifice going off in the distance. I thought I’d missed le spectacle!
It turns out that les spectacles de feux d’artifice are spread out over a few days. Smaller towns have their spectacles earlier so that everyone is sure to come to the bigger cities during la fête nationale.
One other way to fêter (celebrate) is, bien sûr, to have a good time avec tes amis (with your friends). Just be careful, if you have too much fun you might wake up the next day with la gueule de bois (a hangover)!
Voici un petit vocabulaire de feux d’artifice :
Black snake - Pharaoh’s serpent le serpent du pharaon
Bottle - rocket la fusée
Firecracker - le pétard
Firework - le feu d’artifice
Fireworks show - le spectacle de feux d’artifice
Fountain - la fontaine
Roman candle - la chandelle romaine
Sparkler - le cierge magique
Public life
Bastille Day is a public holiday in France so post offices, banks, and many businesses are closed. Restaurants and cafes outside of tourist areas may also be closed. However, bakeries and some stores in Paris, as well as at airports and railway stations and along major highways, are open.
Public transport service schedules vary depending on where one lives and intends to travel. Roads in the centres of villages, towns and cities (particularly in Paris) may be closed for parades and other large public events.
Background
The Bastille is a medieval fortress and prison in Paris. Many people in France associated it with the harsh rule of the Bourbon monarchy in the late 1700s. On July 14, 1789, troops stormed the Bastille. This was a pivotal event at the beginning of the French Revolution. Fête de la Fédération was held on July 14, 1790. This was a way to celebrate the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in France.
Official celebrations were held in Paris on June 30, 1878, to honour the Republic of France. On July 14, 1879, more official celebrations were held. These included a military review in Longchamp near Paris and celebrations all over the country. A politician named Benjamin Raspail proposed that July 14 should become a holiday in France in 1880. The law was enacted on July 6, 1880. Bastille Day was a public holiday for the first time on July 14, 1880.
The military parade in Paris has been held every year since 1880, except during World War II. The Free French Forces paraded on this date in London, England from 1940 until 1944. Jean Michel Jarre held a concert in Paris that attracted one million people, then the largest recorded crowd at an outdoor concert, in 1979. Special celebrations were held for the 200th anniversary of the French revolution in 1989. The French football team became world champions on July 12, 1998. This sparked celebrations throughout France on Bastille Day.
Bastille Day celebrations are held in French communities and the Institut de France around the world. Such events in the United States are held in Milwaukee, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle. There are festivals of French culture in Franschhoek, South Africa, and Hungary.
Symbols
The Eiffel Tower in Paris and the French national flag, or tricolour, are important symbols of Bastille Day. The French national flag is one-and-a-half times as wide as it is tall. It consists of three vertical bands of equal width coloured blue, white and red. The same colours are displayed in bunting and banners of many shapes on Bastille Day. People may also wear clothing or face paint in these colours.
Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.
Market Insight - 4th July 2026
- Details
Don't leave your currency exposed during the Labour leadership race.
What happens next:..
Keir Starmer has announced he is stepping down as Labour leader. Labour now needs to choose a successor, who would become the next Prime Minister. We expect this to take approximately 6 to 8 weeks.
What happens next:
1 - Caretaker PM. Keir Starmer remains as caretaker Prime Minister throughout the leadership contest.
2 - NEC sets the rules. Labour's National Executive Committee establishes the timetable and process for the election.
3 - Nominations. Candidates must secure the required level of support from MPs to qualify.
4 - Ballot. If more than one candidate qualifies, party members vote to decide the winner.
5 - New government. The winning candidate is invited by the King to form a government, since Labour holds a majority in the Commons. No general election is required.
We expect a new leader to be in place between late July and early September, with September the most likely timeframe. A single candidate with broad support could shorten this considerably.
Key dates for your calendar:
With Starmer's departure confirmed, the process to appoint his successor now begins.
JUL 9th - Nominations open. The race to lead the Labour Party officially begins.
JUL 16th - Nominations close. If only one candidate comes forward, they become leader without a contest. If more than one candidate qualifies, a full party leadership election takes place.
SEP 1st - Deadline. Parliament returns from recess. Labour must have a new leader in place by this date.
What this means for your exchange rate:
A 6 to 8 week leadership contest is a long window to leave currency exposure unhedged. Sterling is likely to stay sensitive to political developments until a clear frontrunner emerges, and a contested race would add further pressure on the pound.
If you have a transfer coming up in the next two to three months, here's how we can help:
- Lock in your rate now, so you're protected regardless of what happens next.
- Set a target rate and we will watch the market and act the moment it's hit.
- Put a forward contract in place to fix today's rate for a transfer further down the line.
So what next, what should you do?
If you have a property completion, business payment or regular transfer coming up in the next two to three months, now is the time to talk to us. Our dealers can lock in your rate, set a target rate, or put a forward contract in place so your money is protected whatever the political picture looks like.
If you have a transfer to make, or simply want to understand your exposure, reply to this email or give us a call on +44 (0) 1872 885 172 and we will talk you through your options.
Our friendly currency experts are here to assist you and guide you through the markets, we offer a first-class service and even an online platform so you can monitor your transaction in real time.
Our business ethos is based on bank beating rates and fantastic customer service, click the link below for a no obligation quotation and see the savings for yourself.
Don’t wait. Contact us now.
Or to find out our latest rates, click below.
Get ahead of the game and read our Guide to Foreign Currency Exchange.
Download the Guide Here - with no obligation of course.
Kind regards,
David Evans
Co-Founder of Cle France.
- Great exchange rates
- Quick and easy transfers
- No transfer fees
- Expert help and guidance
- Authorised by the FCA
Current rates:
Saturday 4th July 2026 at 10:15
£1.00 GBP = 1.1675 EUR
£1.00 GBP = 1.3350 USD
£1.00 GBP = 1.9250 AUD
£1.00 GBP = 2.3385 NZD
£1.00 GBP = 1.8960 CAD
£1.00 GBP = 1.0720 CHF
-
Want to Learn More?
- We have created a selection of Free PDF Guides for you to download covering many aspects of buying property abroad, visit our PDF Guides Page today or download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.
-
- At Clé France / Regency FX, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
- We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
- As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Regency FX.
How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers
- Regency FX can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
- Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
- All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
- Cle France has partnered with Regency FX, a trusted and fully safeguarded currency exchange provider, to bring you even better service and exclusive benefits when transferring money internationally.
For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk
Don't leave your currency exposed during a 10-week leadership race
- Details
What the Labour leadership race means for your currency transfer
Following the announcement that Keir Starmer intends to step down as Labour leader, the expected timeframe for Labour to select a new leader therefore a new Prime Minister is approximately 6–10 weeks.
The process is expected to proceed as follows:
* Keir Starmer would remain as caretaker Prime Minister during the leadership contest.
* Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) would establish the detailed rules and timetable for the election.
* Candidates would need to secure the required nominations under Labour Party rules.
* If more than one candidate qualifies, a ballot of party members would take place.
* Once a new Labour leader is elected, they would be invited by the King to form a government, as Labour continues to hold a majority in the House of Commons. A general election would not normally be required.
Current expectations are that a new leader could be in place between late July and early September, with September being the most likely timeframe. However, if a single candidate emerges with broad support and there is no meaningful contest, the transition could occur more quickly.
Key dates for your calendar:
With Keir Starmer's departure confirmed, a process will now begin to appoint his successor.
9 July - Nominations open for the new Labour Party leader.
16 July - Nominations close and Parliament enters summer recess. If only one candidate comes forward, they become leader without a contest. If more than one candidate qualifies, a full party leadership election takes place.
1 September - Parliament returns from summer recess. Labour must have a new leader in place by this date.
What this means for your exchange rate:
A 6 to 10 week leadership contest is a long window to leave currency exposure unhedged. Sterling is likely to remain sensitive to political developments until a clear frontrunner emerges, and a contested race would add further pressure on the pound..
So what next, what should you do?
If you have a property completion, business payment or regular transfer coming up in the next two to three months, now is the time to talk to us. Our dealers can lock in your rate, set a target rate, or put a forward contract in place so your money is protected whatever the political picture looks like.
If you have a transfer to make, or simply want to understand your exposure, reply to this email or give us a call on +44 (0) 1872 885 172 and we will talk you through your options.
Our friendly currency experts are here to assist you and guide you through the markets, we offer a first-class service and even an online platform so you can monitor your transaction in real time.
Our business ethos is based on bank beating rates and fantastic customer service, click the link below for a no obligation quotation and see the savings for yourself.
Don’t wait. Contact us now.
Or to find out our latest rates, click below.
Get ahead of the game and read our Guide to Foreign Currency Exchange.
Download the Guide Here - with no obligation of course.
Kind regards,
David Evans
Co-Founder of Cle France.
- Great exchange rates
- Quick and easy transfers
- No transfer fees
- Expert help and guidance
- Authorised by the FCA
Current rates:
Wednesday 24th June 2026 at 13:30
£1.00 GBP = 1.1610 EUR
£1.00 GBP = 1.3160 USD
£1.00 GBP = 1.9085 AUD
£1.00 GBP = 2.3340 NZD
£1.00 GBP = 1.8735 CAD
£1.00 GBP = 1.0695 CHF
-
Want to Learn More?
- We have created a selection of Free PDF Guides for you to download covering many aspects of buying property abroad, visit our PDF Guides Page today or download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.
-
- At Clé France / Regency FX, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
- We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
- As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Regency FX.
How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers
- Regency FX can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
- Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
- All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
- Cle France has partnered with Regency FX, a trusted and fully safeguarded currency exchange provider, to bring you even better service and exclusive benefits when transferring money internationally.
For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk
Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, Resigned This Morning, What Now?
- Details
Sterling under pressure as Starmer announces resignation
This morning, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced his resignation as both prime minister and leader of the Labour Party, just two years after Labour's general election victory in July 2024.
Andy Burnham is widely expected to succeed him without a full leadership contest.
Political uncertainty of this kind moves currency markets quickly, and sterling is already feeling it.
What this could mean for you ? Read on...
Sterling is under pressure this morning and analysts expect further volatility while the leadership picture remains unclear.
A Burnham-led government is seen by markets as a potential shift toward higher public spending, which could weaken the pound further if fiscal discipline is perceived to loosen.
A slow or contested handover would add further risk to sterling. A swift, orderly transition may limit the damage.
If you have a property completion, business payment or regular transfer coming up, now is the time to review your position.
Our dealers are watching every move in the market today. We can lock in your rate, protect your transfer from further falls, and make sure your money moves at the right time.
So what next, what should you do?
If you have a transfer to make, or simply want to understand your exposure, reply to this email or give us a call on +44 (0) 1872 885 172 and we will talk you through your options.
Our friendly currency experts are here to assist you and guide you through the markets, we offer a first-class service and even an online platform so you can monitor your transaction in real time.
Our business ethos is based on bank beating rates and fantastic customer service, click the link below for a no obligation quotation and see the savings for yourself.
Don’t wait. Contact us now.
Or to find out our latest rates, click below.
Get ahead of the game and read our Guide to Foreign Currency Exchange.
Download the Guide Here - with no obligation of course.
Kind regards,
David Evans
Co-Founder of Cle France.
- Great exchange rates
- Quick and easy transfers
- No transfer fees
- Expert help and guidance
- Authorised by the FCA
Current rates:
Monday 22nd June 2026 at 10:25
£1.00 GBP = 1.1545 EUR
£1.00 GBP = 1.3225 USD
£1.00 GBP = 1.8985 AUD
£1.00 GBP = 2.3080 NZD
£1.00 GBP = 1.8740 CAD
£1.00 GBP = 1.0675 CHF
-
Want to Learn More?
- We have created a selection of Free PDF Guides for you to download covering many aspects of buying property abroad, visit our PDF Guides Page today or download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.
-
- At Clé France / Regency FX, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
- We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
- As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Regency FX.
How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers
- Regency FX can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
- Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
- All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
- Cle France has partnered with Regency FX, a trusted and fully safeguarded currency exchange provider, to bring you even better service and exclusive benefits when transferring money internationally.
For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk
Market Insight - 16th June 2026
- Details
Interest Rates Ahoy
Huge week for interest rate decisions...
The European Central Bank held their rate at 2.25% last week.
Overnight Japan raised its rate to 1%. This follows over 20 years of deflation and a negative -0.1% base rate following a crash in most asset classes such as shares and property.
Tomorrow sees the FED (America) release its decision which looks to be a nailed on hold at 3.75%.
The UK inflation number at breakfast tomorrow could sway the Bank of Englands decision on Thursday, but it's unlikely there will be a change from their 3.75%.
All eyes are now on the peace talks with Iran. Current rhetoric indicate its a done deal....time will tell over the next 72 hours.
Certainly the markets believe it's over with the price of oil normalising and stability returning to most asset markets.
This is important because inflation was expected to climb sharply if the Iran conflict continued and therefore interest rates were supposed to tick up.
Now the decline in interest rates seen pre conflict may come back to the table, and the global economy might continue to return to more stable conditions.
Watch this space.
Here at Regency FX we've helped our clients through the past couple of months with fixed rate forward contracts and market watching for those with no immediate requirement.
Your dedicated account manager is always on hand to provide assistance.
- Economic calendar:
UK: Wednesday 07:00 Inflation Report
US: Wednesday 18:00 FED Interest Rate Decision
UK: Thursday 12:00 BoE Interest Rate Decision
UK: Thursday 12:00 MPC Vote Count
So what next, what should you do?
As ever we look forward to keeping you in the loop and so please look out for our next update.
Our friendly currency experts are here to assist you and guide you through the markets, we offer a first-class service and even an online platform so you can monitor your transaction in real time.
Our business ethos is based on bank beating rates and fantastic customer service, click the link below for a no obligation quotation and see the savings for yourself.
Don’t wait. Contact us now.
Or to find out our latest rates, click below.
Get ahead of the game and read our Guide to Foreign Currency Exchange.
Download the Guide Here - with no obligation of course.
Kind regards,
David Evans
Co-Founder of Cle France.
- Great exchange rates
- Quick and easy transfers
- No transfer fees
- Expert help and guidance
- Authorised by the FCA
Current rates:
Tuesday 16th June 2026 at 10:00
£1.00 GBP = 1.1565 EUR
£1.00 GBP = 1.3420 USD
£1.00 GBP = 1.8990 AUD
£1.00 GBP = 2.3035 NZD
£1.00 GBP = 1.8795 CAD
£1.00 GBP = 1.0665 CHF
-
Want to Learn More?
- We have created a selection of Free PDF Guides for you to download covering many aspects of buying property abroad, visit our PDF Guides Page today or download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.
-
- At Clé France / Regency FX, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
- We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
- As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Regency FX.
How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers
- Regency FX can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
- Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
- All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
- Cle France has partnered with Regency FX, a trusted and fully safeguarded currency exchange provider, to bring you even better service and exclusive benefits when transferring money internationally.
For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk
