The Mistral in Provence / Mitigating factor?
#16
Re: The Mistral in Provence / Mitigating factor?
Having lived in the Provence for 22+ years, I can assure you it can drive you mad !
I remember 1 February where it was blowing the whole month.
On the + side, the washing dries in 15 minutes
but playing golf is nearly impossible with the bal, hit against the wind, coming back at you.
I now live in Charente Maritime and the Mistral is the 1 thing I don't miss.
I remember 1 February where it was blowing the whole month.
On the + side, the washing dries in 15 minutes
but playing golf is nearly impossible with the bal, hit against the wind, coming back at you.
I now live in Charente Maritime and the Mistral is the 1 thing I don't miss.
#17
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Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 25
Re: The Mistral in Provence / Mitigating factor?
I've received a couple of links that mention not the Mistral, but le vent d'Autan. An extract reads: 'On raconte même que sous l’ancien code pénal de Toulouse, les crimes commis en périodes d’autan étaient amnistiés ou bénéficiaient de circonstances atténuantes'.
https://lopinion.com/articles/cultur...-vent-des-fous
https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/201...-medicale.html
Interesting . . . the plot widens . . .
https://lopinion.com/articles/cultur...-vent-des-fous
https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/201...-medicale.html
Interesting . . . the plot widens . . .
#18
Re: The Mistral in Provence / Mitigating factor?
I've received a couple of links that mention not the Mistral, but le vent d'Autan. An extract reads: 'On raconte même que sous l’ancien code pénal de Toulouse, les crimes commis en périodes d’autan étaient amnistiés ou bénéficiaient de circonstances atténuantes'.
https://lopinion.com/articles/cultur...-vent-des-fous
https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/201...-medicale.html
Interesting . . . the plot widens . . .
https://lopinion.com/articles/cultur...-vent-des-fous
https://www.ladepeche.fr/article/201...-medicale.html
Interesting . . . the plot widens . . .
I note in the second the comment, 'One of these legends, which is difficult to verify, is that in the old Toulouse penal code, crimes committed during the Autan period were amnestied or benefited from extenuating circumstances.'
And the first article certainly raised a sneaky smile, especially the passage, Moreover, a saying from the Tarn states: "when the Autan blows, the fools of Albi dance". The Tarn - a delightful French department which I know so well. Now I couldn't help wondering whether the author of that article knew my mother-in-law - she was born and lived all her life in Albi.......
Fortunately her daughter Mme TP is not into dancing, with or without the vent d'autan!
#19
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Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 25
Re: The Mistral in Provence / Mitigating factor?
Thank you Annetje and Tweedpipe for your interesting observations.
I have been wading through the Code Pénal of 1810 to see if there were references to 'crimes of passion'. There are references to 'en flagrante' but anything else seems quite nebulous and may have fallen to the discretion or whim of a particular Judge or Court, opening the possibility
to the Mistral, Autun, Fohn, etcetera, being introduced as mitigation 'whilst the mind was temporarily disturbed'.
I found the following article from Le Figaro, from which I quote:En France, le Code pénal ne donne aucune définition juridique du crime passionnel. «Il y a toujours un côté sensationnel et romanesque dans le crime d'amour mais il ne recouvre aucune réalité juridique», explique Me Florence Rouas-Elbazis, avocate au barreau de Paris. Il peut arriver en revanche que l'histoire d'amour constitue un élément de plaidoirie. «Bien entendu, un avocat peut chercher des éléments pour sensibiliser l'auditoire. Mais c'est loin d'être systématique, tout dépend du dossier. La Cour prête attention au contexte, aux éléments de personnalité, au passé de l'accusé, etc.»
Source: https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-fr...ime-a-part.php
The rest of the article documents the evolution of some of these ancient codes, bringing them at long last into the 21st Century . . .
I have been wading through the Code Pénal of 1810 to see if there were references to 'crimes of passion'. There are references to 'en flagrante' but anything else seems quite nebulous and may have fallen to the discretion or whim of a particular Judge or Court, opening the possibility
to the Mistral, Autun, Fohn, etcetera, being introduced as mitigation 'whilst the mind was temporarily disturbed'.
I found the following article from Le Figaro, from which I quote:En France, le Code pénal ne donne aucune définition juridique du crime passionnel. «Il y a toujours un côté sensationnel et romanesque dans le crime d'amour mais il ne recouvre aucune réalité juridique», explique Me Florence Rouas-Elbazis, avocate au barreau de Paris. Il peut arriver en revanche que l'histoire d'amour constitue un élément de plaidoirie. «Bien entendu, un avocat peut chercher des éléments pour sensibiliser l'auditoire. Mais c'est loin d'être systématique, tout dépend du dossier. La Cour prête attention au contexte, aux éléments de personnalité, au passé de l'accusé, etc.»
En cas d'adultère, le meurtre était «excusable»
Le crime passionnel a pourtant existé en droit français. Il fut un temps où l'adultère était un délit et le crime commis «sous l'emprise de la passion» pouvait être excusé. Il faut se replonger dans le Code pénal de 1810 pour s'en rendre compte. Son article 324 disait: «Le meurtre commis par l'époux sur l'épouse, ou par celle-ci sur son époux, n'est pas excusable (...) Néanmoins, dans le cas d'adultère, prévu par l'article 336, le meurtre commis par l'époux sur son épouse, ainsi que sur le complice, à l'instant où il les surprend en flagrant délit dans la maison conjugale, est excusable.»Source: https://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-fr...ime-a-part.php
The rest of the article documents the evolution of some of these ancient codes, bringing them at long last into the 21st Century . . .