Sure, the number of automotive flambees went down a notch compared to last year. But the fact that there is such a stat and its decline is touted says…something.

Vandals torched 372 cars as France celebrated the New Year, down on the figure last year after a night the police described as “relatively calm.”

Cars are burned fairly regularly in France and the image of vehicles in flames in poor suburbs became symbolic of riots in 2005 when angry youths set fire to thousands of cars.

There is usually an increase in the number of cars torched on New Year’s Eve compared to other days of the year.

“The night was relatively calm, without notable incident, there were very few direct clashes with the security forces,” said a spokesman for the national police.

Without notable incident…if you don’t count the nearly 400 cars that were burned all over the country.