Was this really necessary France 🇫🇷?

For Joseann, and the comments about Macron and his apparently faulty watches (other fancy makes are available, not just Longines?!) - maybe he'd seen the opinion polls and was getting ready?

His swift call for a snap election, trying to cut the legs off any momentum the Far-right groups may be building up, surely came with some analysis & planning?

And, as poor soaking wet Mr Sunak found recently, it doesn't matter how many watches you have, there's only 24 hours in a day to work with?!

Gundy, you've missed the point 👉

Good to know Glorianny. Interesting to know given that UK are not part of the Schengen area. I've got a friend travelling across three EU countries this month, I'll ask whether he's had to show his passport at border checks.

Joseann

Yes, that was explained by the chief French customs officer in my earlier post.

France has 6 or 7 (?) countries with which it shares a land border. (Germany has the longest border, I think, running down the East of France. Spain along the South.) These countries all signed the treaty to let people pass between them without a passport check. Even if as a British passport holder I am say in Italy, I can go to France with no checks.

I recently flew to Berlin via Amsterdam. Went through Passport control at Amsterdam and walked straight out the airport at Berlin.

I don’t Think anyone…

My understanding was that it was all a recreation for effect of what happened 80 yrs ago.

Checking each passport this time is all for national security reasons. I don’t anyone should question that. Huh?

Some posts you just have to ignore.

My goodness the footage from France over the past few days has been pretty impressive.

Good to see the allies bonding over these ceremonies, they are more important than ever given the state of Ukraine and the threat to Europe.

A very sobering piece in the observer today.😟

*Land border, that is.

Sorry, my Geography was a bit off there. (How did I manage to get that O Level?)
Germany isn't France's longest border.

Yes, that was explained by the chief French customs officer in my earlier post.

France has 6 or 7 (?) countries with which it shares a land border. (Germany has the longest border, I think, running down the East of France. Spain along the South.) These countries all signed the treaty to let people pass between them without a passport check. Even if as a British passport holder I am say in Italy, I can go to France with no checks.

Freshair

Casdon, I think you'll find that American troops arrived in Germany at a U.S. airbase prior to taking off to jump alongside the British troops. As they were coming from outside of France on the day of the jump, they should have been subject to the same rules.

France and Germany are Schengen…

Casdon, I think you'll find that American troops arrived in Germany at a U.S. airbase prior to taking off to jump alongside the British troops. As they were coming from outside of France on the day of the jump, they should have been subject to the same rules.

Freshair

The Americans didn't show their passports. Why was that then 😕

Because they were in France already, they didn’t arrive over the channel on the day from the USA?

Obviously no other EU countries' soldiers needed to show their passports eg Belgium. Our guys should have refused, what would they have done then 🤔

The Americans didn't show their passports. Why was that then 😕

Italian wine never gives me a headache, however much I drink!🍸

maddyone

I don’t agree that French wines are the best. They have a few of the more expensive wines that are good, but their wine is far more likely to give me a headache that wines from other countries which are more pure in my opinion. This has been the case with me for years. My choice of wines would be Italian or New Zealand wines.

NZ or Chile for me!😃

win

All the criticising on a day like today, a lot of this thread is horrible and it just goes on and on. As said above none of it is necessary today, on a day where we should just show our respect and be extremely grateful.

Exactly that. So sad.

All the criticising on a day like today, a lot of this thread is horrible and it just goes on and on. As said above none of it is necessary today, on a day where we should just show our respect and be extremely grateful.

win I honestly don’t follow what you’re trying to say to me.
What ‘can’t I stop’?
🤔

GranJan60

I read reports that the French officials were actually asked to be there as many of those taking part wanted a stamp in their passport to commemorate the event.
It was heartwarming to see the enthusiasm with which the veterans were greeted and lovely to read about the thanks they received.

I agree with you. Everything I watched showed the affection the liberators were held in by the French.

My DH watched some of the old footage of survivors talking about their experiences. One was of a German gunner who was slaughtering the others as they landed. Apparently he kept saying to himself, why do they keep coming, why don't they stop. He did in the end - he walked away.

We forget that on all sides there were very young men, doing as they were told.

Sorry Joseann this was not meant for you but for Urmstongran

Joseann

^Meanwhile, our PM left the event early to helicopter back for a TV interview. Respectful or what^?
Yes, I did wonder about that. It wasn't a live interview was it?
Yesterday, evening in France Macron was interviewed on live TV at 8pm, so dedpite his earlier wonky time keeping, ⌚️ , he managed to fit everything in. He talked about the EU elections, Ukraine and Israel/Gaza. Interestingly, I am reading reports today that Macron might have used up too much air time in the interview, because during election campaigns in France, the amount of time given to a certain candidate or party is counted according to strict rules. It's the same for the Head of State.

You just cannot stop can you?

I think it has more to do with stamping passports with the exact date - 6th June 2024 - as the anniversary of D Day. Which is something that cannot be taken away from the troops parachuting in.
"I was there on the anniversary and here is irrefutable proof of that" sort of thing.