La rentrée

It's 'rentrée' time again. After the long summer break, schoolchildren are getting ready to go back to school. However the 'rentrée' is not just for the kids, it's an integral part of French culture. After the 14th of July, the National holiday, it seems that the whole country shuts down until September. Forget trying to contact any part of the French administration, there is of course a skeleton staff, but you can guarantee the person you need is on holiday. Restaurants and shops all over Grenoble post signs informing you that they are closed for the annual holidays. Some companies even close down for the month of August. The motorways are clogged with parting and returning holidaymakers, and the most important news items are the traffic and weather reports. Then just as suddenly it's all over and the first week of September finds everyone back at work and the country grinds back to work.
Les vacannces (holidays) and la rentrée are the two most important moments in the French calendar.