On January 1st 2011 a Grenelle energy law was passed; the new and improved GRENELLE 2. That's deux, not duh, perlease. French president Nikolas Sarkozy has been quoted as saying that "Grenelle de l'environnement" is as hard for Americans to translate as it is for us to understand. Well let me help you.

Grenelle is a neighbourhood in the 15th arrondissement of our fair capital, Paris. The area takes its name from the Latin, Garanella, meaning 'a wooded area where rabbits live'. The name eventually became Guarnelles and Garnelles before ending up with its modern-day name. Okay I confess, this particular Wikipedia information has absolutely nothing to do with the new energy law.

In fact, what the Grenelle 2 law means is that you can no longer even advertise a property in an agency window without its Energy Efficiency Rating (Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique) being made known to any possible new owners or tenants. This will have a major impact on the majority of Riviera properties with their rows of little-to-no insulation, single-paned French windows (so unfair as they invented them). The Grenelle 1 was actually introduced way back when in 2007 and it was the beginning of the French Ecological Revolution. And fair dues, it's been a while since our hospitable natives had a really grand show of discontentment.

The apparent desired principle aim of the Grenelle 2 is to try to reduce the national energy consumption and to make France a better / greener / happier / clappier place. But sceptics (*cough*) think it's been introduced because our electricity grid is hanging on for its dear life by a crumbly croissant. Jury's out but the law is well and truly in. You heard it here.

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