Paris:- Saturday, 7. September 1996:- The big news of the past week - trauma, drama, tears, loathing - is covered in this issue's feature, 'Chaos for 12.4 Million.'

I have no figures for the numbers of the parents of the 12.4 million students involved, but I think I can safely assume that every student has a parent - although some parents have several students - add the teachers and the administration involved, and I guess the Rentrée affects a good third of the residents of France - at least.

Today, the drama continues as the shops are stormed to get school supplies - so don't phone anybody in France to ask them how they're doing if you don't want to hear grown people crying by long distance.

The good news - in the Ile-de-France - is that the weather has been absolutely fantastic all week. Not a cloud in the sky, and warm.

Between the Rentrée and the weather, I noticed - for the first time - that the students are back. They kind of disappear from Paris in June, they slip away; but they were very much in evidence in the Métro and on the streets as I made my rounds this week - and they were looking good! Much easier on the eyes than old crocks like myself - and all the other people who were in the gloomy Métro but not on holidays in July.

Taxes Cut to Match Disinflation

On Thursday evening, the Prime Minister, Alain Juppé, confirmed income that tax reductions will take effect in 1997. Personal income taxes in France are not the government's major source of revenues; and many wage earners are exonerated - and under the new plan many more will be.

Taking simple examples - without the deductions for large families - incomes under 50,000 francs a year are largely free of tax, and the rates of tax have been reduced for higher income households. The other side of the coin is that many deductions that a great number of households have been counting on, will be reduced or eliminated.

At the same time, local - property - taxes will rise, and the already high taxes on tobacco and gasoline will rise yet again. Value-added tax that one pays on everything purchased is already high, with everything except necessities, being taxed at a rate of 20.6 percent at the cash register.

On Thursday, before Mr. Juppé's confirmation, Le Parisien reported that taxes would be reduced by an estimated 25 billion francs in 1997, and then filled up several pages with 'ifs,' 'ands' and 'buts.' The stark truth of the matter is that the French economy has gone negative, with national growth slipping to minus 0.4 and consumption 1.6 percent under zero. Exceptionally strong exports have been keeping the numbers above zero for some time but as public confidence wanes, more people are putting more aside - just in case.

Experts fear that the savings effected by households via lower taxes will go straight into piggy banks, aggravating the downward trend below zero - so the economic effect of the larger than expected cuts may be counter-productive.

One bit of truth has finally emerged out of this. The word 'recession' is now used openly and officially - and not just by the man-on-the-street. It simply means that the government now acknowledges what everybody has known - especially the unemployed - for the past six years.

Cheaper Car Insurance?

Good news for visitors to France is the fact that there have been fewer accidents. Half-bitter news for residents is that this has not been universally reflected by falling car insurance premiums, which in past years has been rising an average of 4.5 percent annually. (Various taxes account of about 30 percent of the premium total.)

Apparently the insurance companies have paid out 8.9 percent less, regardless of the rising cost of repairs and medical treatments. Le Parisien suggests shopping around for insurance coverage by getting prices from various sources and then going to your current agent and haggling.

Down on Your Luck? Become a Movie Star!

Former industrialist, former representative to the National Assembly - he resigned Tuesday - but still representative to the Euro-Parliament, and former football team owner - just about former everything - except possibly, future convict - Bernard Tapie, who stars in the new Claude Lelouch film, 'Hommes, Femmes: Mode d'Emploi' - can be pleased this week because this film sold the most tickets in Paris in five days last week, with 112,445 entries booked, beating out the US-made disaster film, 'Twister,' by a wide margin.

Claude Lelouch, the director, presented a trailer for the film at the Cannes Festival, showing only a rear view of Tapie - and this certainly pumped up support for the movie and possibly for France's sometime 'local hero.' I write possibly, because the very gorgeous Ohpélie Winter is also in it. The establishment is not at all amused by Mr. Tapie's new career, according to Le Parisien. All the same, the film was shown Wednesday evening at the 53rd Venice Film Festival, in the presence of France's minister for culture, Philippe Douste-Blazy.

Hunting Season in France

A million and a half hunters, in 40 departments throughout France, will take to the fields tomorrow to hunt wild animals. Hunters in Alsace and Moselle have been at it since 23. August, and since 1. September in Corsica. Remaining departments will follow later.

It is supposed to be a good year for hares - except for some small areas where European Brown Hare Syndrome is present - and also for rabbits, except in the Alps, Jura and Midi. Rabbits have their own disease and this has to be avoided in the south. Big (?) game is supposed to be in good shape, as are pigeons and doves. So are boars, but ducks are only 'average,' due to the urbanization of France.

The union of hunting opponents has completely different opinions - and Sunday night TV news during the hunting season will feature coverage of various little arguments between hunters and the various friends of wild animals.

The reason I include this item is that popular wisdom advises non-hunters to stay away from hunting areas during this time. If you have to go out for a walk to see the fall season in the woods, do not be surprised to hear the sound of shooting. And try to look like a person and not like some defenseless animal.