Paris: As fires burned in the streets of the French capital, one couple made it clear their evening out was not up for negotiation.
A video showing a man and a woman calmly enjoying drinks on a cafe while flames rise just behind them has become one of the most talked about clips to emerge from the unrest in France.
The footage was filmed on Saturday, October 17, near the Arc de Triomphe and shows the pair sipping drinks and smoking as objects burned in the street behind them. Shared by RT, it shows at least two large fires blazing in the background while the couple carry on chatting, barely glancing at the chaos outside.
A couple in France refuse to let a little civil unrest ruin a perfectly good evening
— RT (@RT_com) October 19, 2026
...the cigarettes aren't going to smoke themselves pic.twitter.com/UObslhiu91
Online, viewers were quick to draw comparisons with the famous “This is fine” meme, in which a cartoon dog sips coffee in a room engulfed by flames. Others saw it as the most French response possible. British broadcaster Piers Morgan joined in, praising the French on X and writing that “nothing stops them having a drink, a smoke, and a gossip.”
The video has racked up hundreds of thousands of views, though not everyone was laughing, with some pointing out how close the flames were to the cafe.
The protests began over the rising cost of living and have escalated into clashes, fires and looting. Authorities estimate around 550,000 people took part in protests across France in recent days, while organisers put the figure closer to 800,000. On Monday, Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu imposed curfews across parts of the country, including areas of Paris and Marseille.