Are The French Laughing At Us?

[choux]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/21/french-get-royal-nod-to-rename-touquet-airport-after-queen-elizabeth

Her late Majesty may have had a fondness for France but I am trying to think of some reciprocation...

[ToraToraTora]

Looks like a nice thing to me, why do you think they are taking the peace?

[choux]

Pure cynicism probably. When I read the report yesterday I thought "what are they after?"

[ToraToraTora]

If they were having a Turkish they'd name it after Jimmy Krankie or something.

[Old_Geezer]

Just take the tip.
Maybe the French have turned the corner.

[William51]

Why should the French be laughing at us?. This is a big tribute to name an airport after our Queen, and shows how good our friendship with France is.

[Canary42]

It certainly made me chuckle.

[Paul22118]

We should reciprocate our new found ally France, by renaming Heathrow Airport - Abdul Aboodah Dinghy Airport.

[Gromit]

The Queen spoke French fluently and that endeared her to many of its Presidents. A nice gesture.

[ToraToraTora]

Gromit, yes I agree.

[choux]

Paul, thank you for tickling my funny bone :) We are on the same wavelength! I translate the gesture as a sop for the French not undertaking their part of the bargain.
https://www.dw.com/en/uk-and-france-sign-72-million-deal-over-channel-migrants/a-63746654#:~:text=The%20UK%20has%20agreed%20to%20pay%20France%20%E2%82%AC72.2,boats%2C%20according%20to%20a%20deal%20signed%20on%20Monday.

[david small]

Entente Cordiale?

[ToraToraTora]

They are a funny lot the old Grenouilles. They have a golden statue of Joan of Arc in Paris. The funny thing is though they burnt her at the stake, her crime? Wearing trousers! I kid ye not!

[Old_Geezer]

Wearing men's clothing was just one part of the heresy charge.

[Buenchico]

The move seems to be simply formalising what was announced a year ago:
https://euroweeklynews.com/2022/09/15/airport-in-northern-france-to-be-renamed-after-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth-ii/

However it might have made a bit more sense prior to November 2018, when the only service between Le Touquet and the UK (operated by LyddAir to Lydd in Kent) was withdrawn.

Le Touquet Airport now has no scheduled flights at all and is used solely by the flying clubs that are based there. So it's possibly not a particularly great honour for someone to have the airport named after them!

[tomus42]

My guess would be that the people of Le Touquet are making a nice gesture in honour of the late queen.

If I were a paranoid xenophobe I'd probably go with 'The French laughing at us' theory though.