Deratisation

Deratisation: Don’t Let Rats Spoil Your French Leave!

It may sound like something to do with currency markets or the EU, but deratisation is the French word for rat control – and it’s something you need to have in your vocabulary for any trip across the Channel.

Rats have a long tradition in France’s culture – and even its cuisine. Brown rats were regularly eaten in Paris, during the 1870-71 Franco Prussian War, for example, when the city was under siege.

And you’ll find a recipe for grilled rats Bordeaux-style (in which the creatures are brushed with olive oil and crushed shallots) in the Larousse Gastronomique, which claims that these rodents still appear on people’s plates in some French regions.

However, no-one should romanticise these pests. Rats (spelt the same way in French but pronounced rah) brought the bubonic plague into the country, for example. Much more recently, several cases of human cowpox have been reported in northern France, triggered by a craze for pet rats.

With their filthy ways and capacity to spread nasty and potentially life-threatening diseases, rats must be controlled – whether you’re in France on holiday, on business or have moved to our closest continental neighbour.

Happily, when it comes to rat control, there are lots of things that can be done. If you’re staying in hotel, a campsite or other temporary accommodation, tell the management immediately.

They will almost certainly need to call in pest-control professionals, especially if there is a serious infestation.

If you own a property in France, check regularly for droppings, evidence of recent gnawing and paw prints in dusty surfaces. Better still, seal off all potential entry points, and ensure there is no way the pests can get at any food.

If you find evidence of rats, you could also try trapping, and may prefer mechanical ones to those using toxic chemicals. They may feel safer, and disposal of dead rodents is also usually easier. Try to have more rather than fewer traps – but do keep them away from pets and children.

If the weather is soggy, use damp-resistant traps and, if you need to, lash down the bait, so it doesn’t wash away.

Should the problem become too much, however, you are probably better off contacting local professionals, who will deal with rats safely and effectively. Just remember the right word – deratisation.