17 October riots: more than 2,000 shops hit according to CCI France, meeting at Bercy
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The damage is put at “hundreds of millions of euros”. On the 19th the government brought together retail and insurance representatives, with no aid measure decided at this stage.

In this article
What scale?
The president of CCI France estimates that “we will exceed 2,000” shops directly affected, for damage of “hundreds of millions of euros” (BFM Business). The retail federation puts it nearer 1,500: 2,000 is therefore a high estimate. According to ICI, more than 80 shops were looted or vandalised in Lille.
The meeting at Bercy
Trade Minister Serge Papin summoned shopkeepers, distributors, hoteliers, restaurateurs, banks and insurers to Bercy from 9 am. Sébastien Lecornu’s crisis cell also deals with the economy-trade and insurance sides. Aid measures are not yet known.
Can shopkeepers be compensated?
According to France Épargne, two routes exist. First, the professional multi-risk contract, provided it expressly covers riots and popular movements; the deadline to report a theft cannot be less than two working days. Second, a claim against the State: without cover, you send a compensation request to the prefect, the State being liable without fault for damage caused by crowds. Photograph the damage, file a complaint, draw up an inventory. This is not legal advice.
To keep in mind
The figures are estimates by professional organisations, not final tallies. Cover depends on each contract: ask your insurer.
Learn the grammar
French grammar
Learn sentence patterns and usage from the article’s own sentences.
01The present indicative
est / sont + attribute (noun, adjective, prepositional phrase)
La fédération du commerce chiffre plutôt autour de 1 500 : 2 000 est donc une estimation haute.Key pointsÊtre in the present is est for a singular subject and sont for a plural one. It describes nature, state or place (“is”, “is located”). If what follows (the attribute) is a noun, adjective or prepositional phrase, it is not a passive. If a past participle follows, it is a passive (est annoncé). Headlines and summaries often use the present to describe the current situation.
02The passé composé
present of avoir + past participle
Le gouvernement a réuni le 19 les représentants du commerce et des assureurs, sans mesure d’aide arrêtée à ce stade.Key pointsThe passé composé is the most common past tense, used for “did” and “has done” — actions completed in the past. It is formed with the auxiliary avoir (a / ont…) in the present + a past participle. Past participles of -er verbs end in -é (annoncer → annoncé); learn the irregular ones (faire → fait, prendre → pris, voir → vu). In the negative, ne … pas wraps the auxiliary (n’a pas annoncé). In the news it reports facts that have already happened, such as “announced” or “voted”.
03The futur simple
stem (infinitive) + -ai / -as / -a / -ons / -ez / -ont
Le président de CCI France estime que « l’on dépassera les 2 000 » commerces directement touchés, pour des dégâts de « centaines de millions d’euros » (BFM Business).Key pointsThe futur simple means “will do” or “is planned to”. Add -ai, -as, -a, -ons, -ez, -ont to the infinitive (participer → il participera). Watch the irregular stems: être → ser-, avoir → aur-, aller → ir-, faire → fer-, pouvoir → pourr-, voir → verr-. In the news it is used for fixed plans and outlooks.
04The present subjunctive
il faut que / pour que / bien que + subject + subjunctive
D’abord le contrat multirisque professionnel, à condition qu’il couvre expressément émeutes et mouvements populaires ; le délai de déclaration d’un vol ne peut pas être inférieur à deux jours ouvrés.Key pointsThe subjunctive expresses wish, need, purpose, doubt and feeling rather than “fact”. It is used inside a clause with que. Triggers: il faut que (must), pour que / afin que (so that), bien que / quoique (although), avant que (before), souhaiter que, vouloir que and others. Formation: stem of the ils present minus -ent + -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent. Irregular: être → soit, avoir → ait, aller → aille, faire → fasse, pouvoir → puisse, savoir → sache.
05The passive in the passé composé
a / ont été + past participle
Selon ICI, plus de 80 commerces ont été pillés ou vandalisés à Lille.Key pointsThe past passive means “was done”. Its form is present of avoir + été (past participle of être) + past participle. Été does not change, but the last participle agrees with the subject in gender and number (la loi a été votée / les textes ont été votés). It is frequent in news reporting results such as votes, decisions and announcements.
06The imperative
present vous form (-ez) / nous (-ons) / tu
La prise en charge dépend de chaque contrat : renseignez-vous auprès de votre assureur.Key pointsThe imperative expresses commands, requests and advice. It has no subject: the sentence starts with the verb (Consultez les informations.). The vous form ends in -ez, nous in -ons (Restons prudents.), and tu in -e for -er verbs (Consulte). It is very common in notices and warnings (Vérifiez, Consultez, Restez informé).
07Pronominal verbs
se / s’ + verb
Les dégâts se chiffrent en « centaines de millions d’euros ».Key pointsA pronominal verb is used with a reflexive pronoun (me, te, se, nous, vous) before the verb. It can mean “do to oneself”, “be done” or “do to each other”. In the news, se traduire (to result in), se tenir (to take place), s’agir de (to be a matter of) and se diffuser (to spread) are frequent. The pronoun changes with the subject (il se tient / ils se tiennent / je me souviens).
08Negation and its scope
ne / n’ … pas · ne … plus
Les mesures d’aide ne sont pas encore connues.Key pointsNormally ne and pas wrap the verb. Before a vowel, ne becomes n’. Check which part of the sentence the negation covers. Ne … plus means “no longer”.
09Citing a source with selon
selon + noun / organisation
Selon ICI, plus de 80 commerces ont été pillés ou vandalisés à Lille.Key pointsSelon means “according to”. Put a person or organisation after it as the source. It separates facts the writer checked directly from what another body or report said. Citing a source does not turn a forecast into an accomplished fact.
10Pouvoir: ability and possibility
peut / peuvent / pourrait + infinitive
D’abord le contrat multirisque professionnel, à condition qu’il couvre expressément émeutes et mouvements populaires ; le délai de déclaration d’un vol ne peut pas être inférieur à deux jours ouvrés.Key pointsPut a base-form verb after pouvoir. Peut means “can” or “may”; the conditional pourrait gives a more reserved possibility, “might”. It does not necessarily mean implementation is settled.
11Million and milliard followed by de
number + million(s) / milliard(s) + de + noun
Les dégâts se chiffrent en « centaines de millions d’euros ».Key pointsMillion and milliard are nouns, so use de before what is counted. Before a vowel it becomes d’. Mille works differently: look at the quantity as a whole instead of applying the same form.
12Marking a starting point
dès / depuis / à partir de + point in time
Le ministre du Commerce, Serge Papin, a convoqué à Bercy dès 9 h commerçants, distributeurs, hôteliers, restaurateurs, banques et assureurs.Key pointsDès means “as early as” or “as soon as”, and à partir de means “from … onwards”. Depuis basically shows a state or period continuing from a point in time. All deal with a start, but they are not used the same way.
Japanese grammar
Understand the structure and usage from the text.
01Citing a source: によると
noun + によると
ICIによると、リールでは80店以上が略奪や破壊の被害を受けました。Key pointsAs in “LCPによると”, it shows where the information comes from. What that source reported follows. It is used differently from “私にとって”, which gives one’s own opinion.
02Polite negation and plain form
〜ではありません / 〜ではない
法的な助言ではありません。Key pointsThey negate a noun and similar content. “ではありません” is the polite form and “ではない” the plain form. “成立ではありません” shows that it cannot be said to have been concluded.
03The polite past ました
verb stem (連用形) + ました
政府は19日、商業団体や保険会社を集めましたが、支援策はまだ決まっていません。Key pointsIn “発表しました”, ました makes a verb polite past. The negative is “ませんでした”. Read the actual date together with the date and time in the text.
04Quoting with と: content and report
plain-form sentence + と + verbe de parole (報じる, 説明する…)
被害額は「数億ユーロ」とされています。Key pointsと takes the content that is reported or explained. In “改定する方針だと報じました”, “改定する方針だ” is what the report said. Separating the content from who said it and how makes long sentences easier to read.
05Possibility in Japanese: できる・られる
verb potential form / 〜ことができる
盗難の届け出の期限は契約で決まりますが、2営業日より短くはできません。Key pointsできる is the basic verb for ability. The potential form of 受ける is 受けられる. The same られる can also be passive or honorific, so decide from the meaning of the sentence.
06Linking actions with the て-form
verb て-form + next expression
CCI France(商工会議所)の会長は、直接被害を受けた店は2,000店を超えると見ており、被害額は「数億ユーロ」になるとしています(BFM Business)。Key pointsThe て-form links actions in a series, in order or as a reason. In “確認して、出発する” the relation is judged from the content. In “〜ている” it can show an action in progress or a continuing state.