Like the British, the French have several proverbs (old wives’ tales, if that’s what you’d rather call them) about the weather. Here is a selection:
RAINY SAINTS’ DAYS
‘St. Swithin’s day if thou dost rain
For forty days it will remain
Saint Swithin’s day if thou be fair
For forty days ’twill rain nae mair.’
Saint Swithun (the preferred spelling) was Saxon Bishop of Winchester.
Saint Swithun’s day is 15th July.
À la Saint Thierry aux champs jour et nuit;
s’il pleut à la Visitation, pluie à discrétion.
(St Thierry’s day is 1st July, la Visitation is 2nd July)
À Saint Henri suée, mauvaise moissonnée.
(St Henri’s day is 15th July)
S’il pleut à la Saint Médard, la récolte diminue d’un quart.
S’il pleut à la St Médard, le tiers des biens est au hasard.
S’il pleut à la Saint-Médard, Il pleut quarante jours plus tard
Mais vient le bon saint Barnabé Qui peut encore tout raccommoder
(Saint Médard is 8th June, and St Barnabé is 11 June)
S’il pleut pour la Saint Paterne, l’été sèche ta citerne.
(There are 4 different St Paternes. I presume the proverb refers to the oldest and most important, who was the first bishop of Vannes in the 4th century AD. His day is 16th April)
S’il pleut le jour de l’Ascension, tout s’en va en perdition.
SUNSET AND SUNRISE
Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight. Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning.
Ciel rouge le soir laisse bon espoir, ciel rouge le matin, pluie en chemin.
Le jour de la Saint Vincent, si le soleil luit comme un chapeau, on aura du vin à pleins tonneaux.
(Saint Vincent’s Day is 22nd January)
WARM WEATHER
Till April’s dead, change not a thread.
Ne’er cast a clout till May be out. (Actually, this May probably refers to hawthorn blossom rather than the month).
En mars crains les frimas, en avril ne te découvres pas d’un fil, en mai, fais ce qui te plaît.
(Since France is further south than England, winter is safely over a bit earlier).
Henry VIII did England a disservice. Think of all the saints’ days and associated proverbs we have lost.
