French Revolutionary Calendar

Did you know that as a part of the French Revolution they decided to start a new calendar in 1792? If I ever knew this, I had completely forgotten it. They renamed all the months and started the years at zero again. They came up with very sensible names:

January = Pluviôse (rain)
February = Ventôse (wind)
March = Germinal (seed)
April = Floréal (blossom)
May = Prairial (meadow)
June = Messidor (harvest)
July = Thermidor (heat)
August = Fructidor (fruits)
September = Vendémiaire (vintage)
October = Brumaire (mist)
November = Frimaire (frost)
December = Nivôse (snow)

Thus, as of today, we would now be up to the 1st of Frimaire, Year 215. I guess it didn't stick, though.

Last week we saw a beautifully flourishing tree planted in Bayeux, Normandy, France, which is 210 years old. It was planted on "10 Germinal, An V" or Year 5. That is the 30th of March, 1797. The tree is known as "L'Arbre de la Liberté" (the Tree of Freedom). It is right next to the Bayeux Cathedral (whose striking stained glass will hopefully make it into a subsequent post).