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🎄 For children, the ultimate holiday tradition is writing a letter to Santa Claus. But do you know where and how to send it?

✉️ As of November 20, the French Postal Service has officially opened the Santa Claus Secretariat. Along with his 60 elves, Santa reads over a million letters each year and replies to them in French or English, as long as a return address is written on the back of the envelope. No stamp is needed—just address it to “Santa Claus,” and it will reach him! Additionally, 1,300 post offices across France have set up special mailboxes for the occasion.

💻 In today’s digital age, children can also choose to send their letters online at: père-noel.laposte.fr.

📜 Did you know? The Santa Claus Secretariat originated as a volunteer initiative in a small village in Normandy between 1950 and 1958. A postal worker, with the help of her local mail carrier, replied to the children’s letters that passed through her hands.

📆 In 1962, Jacques Marette, then Minister of Posts, Telegraphs, and Telephones (PTT), made the tradition official and tasked his sister, Françoise Dolto, a renowned pediatrician and psychoanalyst, with helping the elves craft the very first official reply letter.

📢 A recent report by the Défenseur des Droits highlights the significant issues plaguing the Administration numérique pour les étrangers en France (ANEF). This platform, intended to streamline administrative processes, has instead led to mounting problems: persistent technical errors, inadequate user guidance, and a lack of support when difficulties arise.

📉 The consequences are severe: many foreign nationals find themselves in irregular situations, despite meeting all legal requirements to obtain or renew their residency permits. This raises critical concerns about fairness and access to fundamental rights.

💡The report outlines 14 essential recommendations, including:
• 🔑 Offering a non-digital alternative for completing applications without preconditions;
• 🖥️ Simplifying and enhancing the performance of the online service;
• 📄 Regularly updating and improving the information available on prefecture websites.

🚀 These measures are critical to ensuring equitable access to rights. Let’s hope public authorities take swift action to address these shortcomings and restore confidence in this vital system.

📞 Navigating the administrative landscape in France can be challenging, but you don’t have to face it alone. If you’re planning to move to France for work, let’s ensure your journey is smooth and your rights are protected. Reach out today to make your relocation seamless!

📍 In 1969, the iconic Les Halles, Paris’ bustling wholesale market at the city’s heart, closed its doors. The space had become too cramped to meet the demands of an ever-expanding metropolis and was replaced by the enormous, modern Rungis market on the city’s outskirts.

💪 This marked the end of the unique atmosphere of the Baltard pavilions: the ceaseless movements of the “forts des Halles” hauling heavy loads on their shoulders with the help of sturdy coltins, the bustling workers, the smells of fresh produce, and the warm meals of onion soup and charcuterie served in nearby bistros.

🌟 An entire era, immortalized by Émile Zola in The Belly of Paris, vanished, leaving behind a sense of nostalgia for what once was.

🏛️ Only one pavilion was preserved and can now be seen in Nogent-sur-Marne. On the historic grounds of Les Halles, a recently modernized shopping center has stood since 1974, replacing the market that had been feeding Paris and its surrounding regions since the Middle Ages.

✨ The season of Advent, from the Latin adventus meaning “coming” or “arrival,” begins on the fourth Sunday before Christmas. In Christian tradition, these four weeks are devoted to preparing for and celebrating the birth of baby Jesus.

📜 In 19th-century Germany, parents would give their children a devotional picture each day during Advent. This practice evolved in the early 20th century when an enterprising publisher introduced the first beautifully illustrated calendars. Later, small windows were added, bringing the joy of daily surprises.

🍫 Chocolate-filled calendars only appeared in the late 1950s. The idea was to teach children patience… but let’s be honest: who hasn’t sneaked a peek and opened a few windows early?

🎁 Nowadays, Advent calendars come in endless variations: themed versions for adults, luxurious treats, or DIY options. Create your own reusable calendar with drawers, matchboxes, or pouches, and fill it with meaningful gifts.

❄️ Do you enjoy the tradition of opening an Advent calendar?

📞 Are you an expat looking to better understand local customs or make your move to Paris smoother? Contact us today for personalized support in your integration and to discover all that France has to offer!

🖋️ Poet, writer, and politician, Victor Hugo was also a passionate advocate for historic monuments, often lamenting their neglect and destruction.

📜 The concept of heritage as we know it today emerged at the end of the 18th century, shaped by the destruction of iconic monuments and works of art during the French Revolution.

📚 A lover of Gothic architecture, Hugo published Notre-Dame de Paris in 1831. The novel’s immediate success drew attention to the deteriorating state of the cathedral, paving the way for its restoration.

⚒️ A year later, in his pamphlet War on the Demolishers, Hugo condemned the ongoing destruction of “what constitutes the soul and history of a country: its monuments.” He called for action: a law was needed to “halt the hammer that mutilates the nation’s face.”

🏗️ In 1837, the creation of the Commission for Historical Monuments allowed Prosper Mérimée to initiate the restoration of numerous sites. However, it wasn’t until December 31, 1913, that a landmark law laid the foundation for the protection and preservation of monumental and movable heritage in France.

🌟 Victor Hugo’s advocacy continues to inspire, reminding us of the vital role monuments play in preserving our shared memory and identity.