This French Life

News, advice and information for those from the UK, the US and other English speakers who want to live life the French way...

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2008-10-23 1:19pm

YOU can tell that autumn hangs heavy in the French air when wood smoke drifts through villages and chestnuts are in abundance.

And as Clare, of Dordogne Quilter fame, spotted in a shop window those chestnuts pop up everywhere and even have their own special kitchen equipment.

If you have any photographs you want to share with readers of This French Life then just pop them in the Flickr photo pool.

Or if you are a little shy, why not spend some time browsing around the work of others and explore France with them.

2008-10-22 1:30pm

A REGULAR commuter service between Pas de Calais and London has been supported by local organisations in both England and France.

The Daily Telegraph reports that a so-called Transmanche Metro could operate regularly between northern France and Kent, before arriving in London.

It is supported by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) and its French counterpart, the Prefecture of the Nord Pas de Calais, with both claiming it would improve employment prospects and have economic benefits.

Eurostar has said it is open to seeing other rail operators offer a link between the UK and France, most probably confident in the fact that overall rail use is on the rise.

2008-10-22 11:57am

THE Tour de France 2009 will drop in on six different countries, visit Barcelona and the day before the finish in Paris send competitors up the stunning Mont Ventoux in Provence.

The race will set off from Monaco on July 4 before heading across the south of France to the Pyrenees and spending two days in Spain.

There will be a leap from Tarbes to Limoges before the race heads towards the Jura mountains and then the Alps, with the dramatic Mont Ventoux, at 1,912m, providing the backdrop for the whole race before the Tour ends in Paris on July 26.

Route of Tour de France 2009:

Saturday 4 July: Monaco > Monaco, 15 km
Sunday 5 July: Monaco > Brignoles, 182 km
Monday 6 July: Marseille > La Grande-Motte, 196 km
Tuesday 7 July: Montpellier > Montpellier, 38 km
Wednesday 8 July: Le Cap d’Agde > Perpignan, 197 km
Thursday 9 July: Gérone > Barcelone, 175 km
Friday 10 July: Barcelone > Andorre Arcalis, 224 km
Saturday 11 July: Andorre-la-Vieille > Saint-Girons, 176 km
Sunday 12 July: Saint-Gaudens > Tarbes, 160 km
Monday 13 July, rest day Limoges
Tuesday 14 July: Limoges > Issoudun, 193 km
Wednesday 15 July: Vatan > Saint-Fargeau, 192 km
Thursday 16 July: Tonnerre > Vittel, 200 km
Friday 17 July: Vittel > Colmar, 200 km
Saturday 18 July: Colmar > Besançon, 199 km
Sunday 19 July: Pontarlier > Verbier, 207 km
Monday 20 July, rest day Verbier
Tuesday 21 July: Martigny > Bourg-Saint-Maurice, 160 km
Wednesday 22 July: Bourg-Saint-Maurice > Le Grand-Bornand, 169 km
Thursday 23 July: Annecy > Annecy, 40 km
Friday 24 July: Bourgoin-Jallieu > Aubenas, 195 km
Saturday 25 July: Montélimar > Mont Ventoux, 167 km
Sunday 26 July: Montereau-Fault-Yonne > Paris Champs-Élysées, 160 km

And if you want some stats on the race this is the 96th Tour de France will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,500 kilometres, with three mountain finishes and eight new stopover towns.

2008-10-22 10:34am

BRITONS living abroad are feeling the squeeze from the credit crunch, but most are happy where they are and won't be looking to head back to the UK.

That was the finding of a survey undertaken by Bupa International of 1,354 expatriate policyholders, who also said they were now spending less and that they were finding it difficult to save money.

However, over three quarters believe their lifestyle is better in their new country, with most citing the weather and the way of life as the key benefits of an international lifestyle.

Over a third say their health has improved since moving, due to more exercise and a healthier diet.

2008-10-22 8:25am

THE French arm of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) placed around 1,600 papier mache pandas at the Trocadéro, to highlight the number of pandas it believes currently exist in the world.

A number of pandas also appeared in Bordeaux and on October 25 the panda army will be in Grenoble, at the Place de la Caserne de Bonne and then at the Festival de Calvi from October 29 to November 2.

And the WWF has made available a number of large format images you can use as computer wallpapers featuring the pandas in Paris (via Frogsmoke).

2008-10-21 1:55pm

THE world's smelliest museum has reopened its doors after a major refurbishment.

The Musée International de la Parfumerie, in Grasse, is the spiritual home of the perfume industry and after fours years of work the museum has doubled its display area and features over 3,000 artefacts.

And the museum intends to be more than just a repository for bottles and jars from the past, it will feature items that mark modern perfumery and the work of designers, while welcoming school visits and playing host to workshops.

2008-10-21 8:13am

2008-10-20 2:42pm

2008-10-20 1:19pm

And that place has become The Dharma House, a centre for people to study ecology, undertake meditation and learn how to lead a more sustainable life.

Nick Blue was one of that original group of friends and has seen the centre grow to become a place for people from around the world to gather, as well as make a connection with the local community.

"We all had quite stressful jobs in Brighton, the usual fast and furious life," Nick said. "I was a social worker and was busy throughout the day and we all fancied doing something different.

"France was high on the list as we all could at least speak a little French and were just attracted to the culture so we looked around and it took about 18 months to find this place and it was ideal really."

The Dharma House sits on a hillside overlooking a nature reserve, with the Cévennes mountains in the distance, and was originally a working farm with both viticulture and a large olive grove.

The nearest town, Alès, is around 25 minutes drive away and with connections to Nîmes, Montpellier and Marseille fairly close the courses that the centre now offers draws people from around the world.

"We wanted to take a pragmatic look at ways people could set things up to live a more sustainable life, for example, how to design your own solar hot water system from things you can find lying around," Nick said.

"Meditation classes are available, which have a Buddhist tradition, but we were keen not to turn the place into a centre for one religion so we hope to appeal to all comers and people from the UK, but also France, the US and Australia see the place as a bit of a refuge, which is what we wanted for ourselves."

An area that The Dharma House is seeing more interest in is self sufficiency and the practice of permaculture, which has its origins in Australia.

"Permaculture was developed by an Australian farmer called Bill Mollison who was disillusioned with standard farming methods and the use of pesticides and fertilisers, so he looked at techniques from the past that allowed people to grow food naturally," said Nick.

"Much of it draws on ancient skills and the work of farmers, carpenters, metalworkers to have an overarching philosophy that can help tackle climate change by looking to promote local food production and reduce our reliance on large trucks to transport produce."

But how was this group of friends with their alternative lifestyle accepted by the local community, especially with its existing traditions of the countryside and conservative outlook on life?

Well The Dharma House team had a secret weapon.

"Whilst researching the move to France we had heard a few horror stories from other centres of local people fearing the arrival of a sect or cult in their area," Nick said.

"But one of our members, who is English, is also fluent in French and had studied business law here so she was dressed up really smart and went off to the mairie to outline our plans.

"She charmed the pants of the mayor and he has been great ever since. There is a bit of a game to these sort of things so you have to play it a little."

Now though The Dharma House has set its sights on new horizons as they are already outgrowing their current home.

"We have been here around three years now and one of the ideas is to buy somewhere bigger, to offer more courses and have a larger community living together," said Nick.

"The dream would be to build more sustainable housing using techniques from both the UK and France, so things like cob housing or straw bale buildings could be used.

"This would let us provide a living example and share knowledge through some type of co-housing; it's a long term plan although I'm sure we will have some paperwork to get through first."

Website: The Dharma House

2008-10-20 11:43am

IF you have set your sights on travelling to France early next year then easyJet is offering up to 25 per cent off flights.

Savings can be made on tickets booked for travel between January 1 and March 28, 2009, and if you book a hotel stay or car rental you can also save on the price.

But you will have to be quick as tickets need to be booked before midnight on Tuesday, October 21, 2008.

2008-9-26 2:01pm

2008-9-26 11:04am

TODAY marks the European Day of Languages, which features a programme of events backed by the Council of Europe to promote linguistic diversity and learning.

And it would appear the Council has got its work cut out in the UK as a recent survey found that half of adults had forgotten the languages they'd learnt at school.

For some time now the number of pupils in UK schools learning French has been on the decline, with other languages fairing little better.

The BBC website reports that the survey, undertaken on behalf of language software firm Rosetta Stone, also found that most people agreed languages were important, while 69 per cent said they were jealous of people who were able to speak another language fluently.

2008-9-26 9:07am

2008-9-26 8:52am

THE period of 'education' on new rules covering the need to carry a warning triangle and high visibility jacket in your car comes to an end on October 1.

From that date the gendarmerie will begin to enforce the regulations, failure to have a triangle or jacket in your car will mean a fine of €90 for each offence, and the equipment has to meet EU standards.

Also on the same date rules requiring cyclists to wear high-visibility jackets will be enforced, requiring jackets to be worn when outside towns, at night or when visibility is poor during the day.

NB: There was much comment on an earlier article I wrote about the need for cyclists to wear high-vis jackets.

The problem is I have seen two different presentations of the rules namely:

Les cyclistes (conducteur et passager), doivent revêtir un gilet de sécurité pour circuler hors agglomération de nuit, ou de jour lorsque la visibilité est insuffisante, à compter du 1er octobre 2008.

and

Le port d’un gilet de sécurité est également obligatoire à partir du 1er octobre 2008 pour tout conducteur et passager d’un cycle circulant hors agglomération, de nuit (ou de jour lorsque la visibilité est insuffisante).

To my reading, and of course the beauty of having comments is you can help out here, is that the comma between hors agglomération, de nuit can change the meaning.

So I've erred on the side of caution and interpreted the text to mean that a jacket should be worn by a cyclist when outside of a town, even during the day, better to be safe than sorry, as well as possibly €35 out of pocket.

Naturally I would be permanently in your debt if someone was able to drop in on their local gendarmerie and clear this up :-)

2008-9-26 7:40am

IT would appear the magical powers of image editing software have been at play in the offices of Paris Match, as Nicolas Sarkozy apparently grew an extra leg when meeting Pope Benedict XVI.

A photograph of the president alongside the pope was published in Paris Match, but in an attempt to erase a bodyguard who was stood in the background, magazine staff cut out his upper body but left behind the guard's leg.

So as Nicolas Sarkozy is seen smiling alongside the pope, a mysterious leg and shoe can be seen coming out of the president's left hip.

Not surprisingly other staff on the magazine have voiced their anger, it's not the first time magazines have edited images of the president, and ultimately it chips away at the credibility of Paris Match.

2008-9-25 1:55pm

THE French authorities have ordered that products from China that may include milk derivatives such as biscuits and sweets be removed from sale.

The Ministère de l’Agriculture et de la Pêche said it has made the precautionary move following the crisis in China over milk contaminated with the industrial chemical melamine.

The European Commission has also said all imported products from China containing more than 15 per cent milk powder will be tested, although no food contaminated with melamine had been found in the EU so far.

2008-9-25 8:25am

I'VE got Irene Nemirovsky's Suite Francaise, which tells of her experiences in France under German occupation during the 1940s, next on my reading list.

But Irene Nemirovsky's story didn't come to light until 60 years later when her daughter published the manuscript that was found in a suitcase, and it is these papers that form the centrepiece of an exhibition in New York's Museum of Jewish Heritage.

Museum visitors will be able to view the Suite Française manuscript in its entirety using an interactive computer program in the exhibition.

Visitors can flip through the manuscript, and witness for themselves the tiny writing, evidence that the author knew that paper was limited and that she was not sure when she would obtain more, and that time itself was a scarce resource.

Even if you can't visit the exhibition in New York the museum's special online section about Irène Némirovsky provides you with an insight into her life, as well as audio interviews with those involved in setting up the exhibition.

Perhaps the most poignant artefact that will be on display is a note with Irène’s last written words to her daughters, hastily written at an internment camp before being deported to Auschwitz, where she died.

"Courage and hope," she wrote. "You are in my heart, my loved ones. May God help us all."

Miraculously, the note reached the girls.

Woman of Letters: Irène Némirovsky and Suite Française opened on September 24 and runs until March 22, 2009 at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

2008-9-25 7:56am

2008-9-25 7:41am

IF you have a ski chalet, or look to appeal to winter sports lovers as much as summer holidaymakers, you might want to cast an eye over some internet search results from Hitwise.

The company tracks search engine enquires for a number of companies and recently highlighted a steep rise in requests for information about ski holidays, which if similar to recent years will increase all the way to Christmas.

They also found that more and more people were searching for specific ski resorts, with Chamonix proving most popular and Morzine coming in at number four.

2008-9-25 7:22am

PEOPLE whose pension plans were hit by the collapse of Equitable Life in 2000 are being asked to contact a European coordinator based in France.

Graham Richards, who lives in Nerac, is helping people living in Europe lobby for compensation through the Equitable Members Action Group (EMAG).

"Like a lot of other professional men and women I took out a pension with Equitable Life," Graham said. "I was 60 years of age in June and calculate I have lost at least half of what I was told I was originally entitled to and probably up to two thirds.

"This has caused a lot of worry and distress. Why is it that the government discriminates between bailing out Northern Rock and not Equitable Life?"

In July the government’s ombudsman Ann Abraham released a report which criticised the UK government and recommending that a compensation scheme be set up immediately.

This will mean the government paying up to four billions pounds that policyholders lost through negligence by the regulators who should have kept better control of Equitable Life.

Graham, a retired former independent consultant to various investment banks, is hoping to contact other European based policyholders to offer them advice on what they can do.

Tel: 0033 (0) 553 65 51 72
Email: graham.richards@emageurope.org

2008-9-11 8:45am

I WROTE a few days back about my pal at The Liverpool Daily Post who was set for a busy weekend covering the spectacle that was La Princess as the giant mechanical spider stalked the streets of Liverpool.

The spider was built by the Nantes based engineer François Delarozière, and a conservative estimate of 500,000 people saw the machine, which was part of Liverpool's Capital of Culture celebrations.

And to mark the event the newspaper has produced a bande dessinée style magazine you can browse online telling the story of La Princess (click the full screen option to read it best).

2008-9-11 8:10am

2008-9-11 7:48am

I SUPPOSE it shouldn't come as any surprise, but ever since Eurostar made it easier for people to transport their bikes on the train use of the service has rocketed.

In April a new service was introduced that let travellers book a place for their bike on the same train that they were travelling on.

Previously people left their bike with Eurostar and it was sent across on a different train to the owner, meaning cyclists had to head back to the station to pick it up.

But between April and August this year, the launch of the reservation system has increased the number of bikes carried to 1,377, an increase of 300 per cent on the same time last year.

The new reservation system was introduced following discussions with CTC - the UK National Cyclists’ Organisation - and after calls from other cycling groups to make it easier for passengers to plan a cycling holiday using Eurostar.

Cyclists who have folding bikes, or who can dismantle their bike and place it in a bike bag, can take their kit on board the train as part of their normal luggage allowance.

For those who want book a bike onto the same train they are travelling on (as long as there is space in Eurostar’s luggage holds) call 08705 186 186 and have your Eurostar ticket booking reference ready, also see Eurostar's bicycles section.

The service is currently available at St Pancras International, Paris Gare du Nord and Brussels Midi.

Related article:
Taking your bike on the Eurostar

2008-9-10 11:43am

2008-9-10 10:00am

WITH the busy days of the tourist season now out of the way, many towns and villages will be pleasant places to visit.

And at this time of year there will be many events to mark local harvests and celebrations of a region's produce, so here is a quick look at some of the festivals taking place around France.

Besançon Classical Music Festival, Franche-Comté, September 10 to 20
The annual classical music festival in the capital of Franche-Comté offers major symphony orchestras performing during two weekends ending with an international competition of young conductors.

Antique and arts exhibition, Grand Palais, Paris, September 11 to 21
A red-letter rendezvous for the arts market, features a wide range of specialities presented by internationally acclaimed professionals in the fields of antiques, the fine arts and jewellery.

Journées Européennes du Patrimoine, across France, September 20 and 21
The festival offers you chance to explore behind the scenes of public buildings such as the Élysée, the Senate, government ministries and embassies.

Fête des Chiens des Pyrénées, d'Argelès-gazost, Pyrenees, September 20 and 21
More than 300 mountain dogs and their owners descend on the Pyrenees to celebrate the working dogs, but also the culture and traditions of the region.

Military music festival, Tarbes, September 19 to 21
The 5th international military music festival will see more than 350 musicians, and seven bands, bring their music to the town.

Organ music festival, Toulouse, October 3 to 19
The event celebrates organ music with a diverse range of concerts and performances, which includes a program of approximately 60 events taking place in Toulouse and the Midi-Pyrenees region.

British Film Festival, Dinard, October 2 to 5
The popular film festival dedicated exclusively to British films taking place in Dinard, this year will have a special focus on Daphné du Maurier and the town's biggest cinema, the Palais des Arts, hosts the event.

Fête de la Châtaigne, Villefranche du Perigord, October 18 and 19
My favourite village in France hosts a market and competitions to mark the harvesting of the chestnuts, including the World Chestnut Spitting Championships.

2008-9-10 6:56am

2008-9-09 4:35pm

But to my astonishment I was the one asked to cut the 'ribbon', which was in fact greenery, to celebrate the opening of the path.

This particular path is Le Sentier des étangs des Moines en Forêt Dominale de Cîteaux, and is a few miles from the l'Abbaye de Cîteaux and Nuit Saint George, and was constructed by l'Office National des Forêts (ONF).

It was amazing to think that we were all stood in an area that until just a few short months ago had previously been a forest.

Through a conversation group that my husband and I belong to we met Jean-Pierre Nadaluti who works for l'Office National des Forêts.

He knew I wrote about disability issues and told me about the work the of ONF and how they created beauty spots and places of interest accessible to people with all kinds of disability. He said he would arrange for me to receive an invitation to the inauguration of the pathway.

Jean-Pierre and his colleagues have previously constructed accessible pathways at other forestry sites in the area, such as Lac de Pont near Semur en Auxois, Sentier de Baulme le Roches at Sombernon, Sentier des Falaises de Saffres, Saint Rémy near Montbard and Sentier de la Madone above Pouilly en Auxois.

Each and every one is different, but all are constructed to a high standard and with financial support from le Conseil Régional de Bourgogne, la Caisse d'Epargne de Bourgogne Franche-Comté and Lion's Club de Dijon.

The inauguration site was in the car park which has been constructed close to the pathway and has a view of the lakes.

About 20 invited people, apart from from myself and my husband, represented l'Association des Paralyses de France, l'Office de Tourisme, l'Office National des Forêts, partnership associations and a monk from l'Abbaye de Cîteaux.

Although I was surprised that there was only myself and the representative from l'Association des Paralyses de France who were disabled.

The evening was truly glorious and cast superb shadows over the lake. We were welcomed by everyone and people were interested to find out why a wheelchair user would want to be living in the Cȏte d'Or.

I was particularly welcomed by le Directeur de l'Agnce de l'Office National des Forêts Sud-Bourgogne, Sylvestre Chagnard.

He asked me about the articles I write and I explained I like to write about things happening in France but am really interested in travel, tourism and access for the disabled.

I told him about the totally accessible flat that is part of a complex in a converted cotton mill in Brittany, which I've written about in the past, see we all need a holiday sometime.

Sylvestre Chagnard thought was a great idea as there is very little in the way of totally accessible holiday accommodation in France.

When we were ready to commence the opening ceremony M. Chagnard asked me to cut the 'ribbon' which was greenery across the path.

Embarrassed and just a little shocked I asked Yvonnick Champel from l'Association des Paralyses de France to assist me.

Then we walked to the hide erected for birdwatching over the lake. There are heron, mallard, crested grebe, moorhen, cormorants and egrets; a cormorant teasingly sat on a branch in the middle of the lake but at too far a distance to get a photograph.

On the walk back to the car park I was constantly asked if the path, with 50cm depth of gravel, was suitable for the wheelchair, mainly as at le Sentier de la Madone the pathway had been difficult for wheelchairs at first until the gravel had compacted; but this was perfect.

Sylvestre Chagnard explained that in June the area had been forest but due to the work put in we were presented with a beautiful area which could be enjoyed by everyone.

The idea of constructing these sentiers had first arisen in 1994 but it took until 2005 before they were realised. A team was put together to move the plans forward and create places for people of varying disability.

The project still has to be totally completed as the notice boards and maps have yet to have braille added, coloured signs have to be erected on the walks and different textures on the ground. The pathway is 220 metres and gives views on to the lake and to the forest.

Pine benches are situated along the path which, like the notice boards, were made by disabled people in Beaune. The wood cleared to make the pathways has been reused to make the furniture ensuring the forest environmentally managed.

I had commented that one thing I felt was missing were toilet facilities. It seems a questionnaire, several centimetres thick, was issued to two blind people, one deaf person and a physically disabled person but the consensus of opinion was toilets were not necessary.

"But," I said. "Disabled people have more of a need than others for toilets as well as elderly people. Not every one can find a 'petit coin'."

My argument was backed up by Yvonnick Champel from the Paralyses de France. I explained about the dry toilets used in Australia and Sylvestre Chagnard thought they would be a good idea; my views were mentioned in his speech, the English person stirring it up again.

The ceremony was wound up with un vin d'honneur and pastries which were quite delicious. The perfect end to a glorious day.

The Sentier des étangs des Moines is off the D 996 just past l'Abbaye de Cîteaux, see map. And for more photographs visit Coral's album on Flickr.

View Larger Map

2008-9-09 4:08pm

AFTER a rise in profits, Flybe has said it has its eye on new routes to France from airports in the UK.

Speaking to the Manchester Evening News, the airline's chief commercial officer, Mike Rutter, said it would restore a connection between Manchester Airport and Lyon.

While up in Scotland, he said that its commitment to Aberdeen Airport may see it look to start a new service to Paris.

2008-9-09 8:30am

2008-9-09 6:12am

ACCORDING to the VeloNews website, Lance Armstrong is to come out of retirement and compete in next year's Tour de France.

Citing unnamed sources, the magazine said Lance Armstrong will take part in the Amgen Tour of California, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Georgia, the Dauphine-Libere and the Tour de France.

If the story is true, Armstrong would race for the Astana team and receive no salary or bonuses, however a spokesperson for Astana has said they have no plans to work with the seven times Tour de France winner.

2008-8-28 1:07pm

WHILST it has been possible for people to add subtitles to their video clips on YouTube, the service has now been made much easier for them to be properly synchronised.

As PaidContent reports video producers can now add subtitles to their clips in a variety of languages, including French.

For example, a clip from the BBC's Top Gear programme has been enabled with French subtitles, and a number of others, letting you watch Richard Hammond gassing on while the translation runs below.

I struggled to find too many videos with the subtitle captions, but you are looking out for clips with an 'up arrow' button in the bottom right hand corner of the video player.

Hover over it and a small, red CC button appears and you can make your pick of languages, as well as turn the captions on or off.

Considering Jeremy Clarkson has many a word to say about France, it will be fun to see the translated version running alongside his heavily laden sarcasm.

Related article:
Translate video clips the dotSub way

2008-8-28 10:28am

2008-8-28 8:02am

2008-8-28 7:46am

LOW-COST operator Ryanair seems determined to squeeze its competitors as it gets set to launch two new routes to France.

From its base at Luton Airport, the airline will operate three flights a week to Biarritz and two flights a week to Beziers, with the routes set to start from October 27.

Ryanair is also offering deals on flights in September and October across its network.

2008-8-28 7:29am

2008-8-27 3:18pm

A STUDY by consumer watchdog Que Choisir found that supermarket prices rose by 6.6 per cent between September 2007 and May 2008.

Liberation reports that a comparison of a range of goods was made, with the worst offender being Monoprix, whose prices rose by nine per cent.

And even picking up the supermarket's own branded products wouldn't have helped consumers, as these items increased by 7.7 per cent the study found.

Related article: Cost of living on the rise

2008-8-27 2:35pm

IN a sign of Entente cordiale, police officers from Kent joined up with their counterparts across the Channel to advise British drivers heading out of Calais on the rules of the French road.

Three officers from Kent spent the weekend with the Gendarmerie Nationale's traffic section to raise awareness of speed limits, with the local force claiming some Brits have been caught speeding at over 200kph (124mph).

The patrols also highlighted rules on the carriage of high-visibility vests in cars, as well as the need for motorcyclists to wear the vests, with police officers from France set to spend some time in the UK next month.

As an aside the Kent Police website features a useful page on how to report a crime in France.

2008-8-27 7:47am

WHY would the marketing director of one of the word's most famous newspapers give it all up to move to the Cotswolds, and then leave that corner of England behind to head to the Auvergne?

For Ian Walthew there were a number of complicated reasons but deep down he knew there was something missing, both in his heart and the countryside around him.

"For me personally England was a place of loss, it was where I lost my brother, it was where I lost my father and that personal loss was mirrored in the loss of the English countryside around me," said Ian.

"The future of the local pub was that it was to become a gastro-pub, the future for my neighbour, who was a struggling farmer, was that at some point his barns would become executive homes for accountants from Oxford.

"There was just a prevailing sense of imminent loss, including local knowledge as very few people I met were true country people who understood and respected it, so the personal loss I had and that sense of loss in the English countryside came together."

These thoughts were worked out by Ian in his book A Place In My Country that tells of his move from the offices of the International Herald Tribune in Paris to the Cotswolds were he learnt about the local life of the village and more importantly about himself.

After progressing to worldwide marketing director for the newspaper, and putting together the strategic plan for the department's move to London, he realised that he did not actually want to move back to the UK after spending ten years abroad, but he accepted an offer he could not refuse.

"I went back to England just for the money really and I was dreading it," Ian said. "I had an apartment in Paris and was enjoying that life with my wife, but there was something about England which I didn't understand.

"But being back in London triggered severe depression, it was bad enough already having to commute into Docklands, but it was increasingly difficult to balance my professional life when the 'black dog' lay on top of me and you still have to go to work.

"I decided that I had to get out and use my salary to buy a place in London, but we happened to go to the Cotswolds one weekend so that my wife Han, who is Australian, could visit a different part of England and that's when we saw a house for sale."

Within a few weeks the couple were owners of a small village house, with a downstairs toilet and a tiny back garden that was surrounded by fields and woodland, and neighbour to a farmer with an uncanny ability to appear near people when they were on his land.

That neighbour was Norman and he became a link for Ian into an English way of life that was slowly disappearing, and whose demise could be traced back over 200 years.

"When we first moved into the house I just wanted to get better and so went running and spent some time at the pub which was a traditional English-style place," said Ian.

"It was the only way to meet people as nobody came and knocked on the door with a welcome pack, although it used to be done, it was stopped because the turnover of people was continual.

"There is an idea that an English village is a place of great continuity and stability, and that you have multigenerational families but that's not true as the Enclosures Act of the late 18th century saw the land of many people stolen due to Parliament.

"Many families had lived on the same land for hundreds of years but they became reliant on the landowners or ended up moving to the growing cities, people became very mobile.

"And I see those same divisions today which are still essentially along class lines, so with our first baby on the way we went to ante-natal classes at the local NHS hospital yet there was a parallel service for those mothers who wanted to take the private option.

"The same was happening in education, if a community doesn't share a school where are you? Are these people part of the community? Then people don't share the same doctor, some go private while the rest have their seven minutes with the GP.

"The things that really matter, education and health, were split along fault lines with the English social class system providing that divide so that people lived on one side and another set were on the other, and the two shall never meet.

"But I was the same when I was younger as I went to boarding school and didn't know any of the kids in my mother's village, my social network was related to people like me, but coming back to the UK after spending so long away made me see it all again and I knew that was another reason why I had to leave."

With a young daughter now part of the family Ian and Han left the Cotswolds and eventually landed in the Auvergne, an area of France they knew little about, but which offered them a chance to buy a larger house especially as the couple hoped to have more children as well as the opportunity to find a home with some land.

Now three years on and with two small boys now added to the family, Ian spends some of his day working on the house and land, but also finds the time to learn more about his local village, the surrounding countryside and keep a daily record through his blog, A Place in the Auvergne.

"The interesting thing about France is that during the time of the Enclosures Act in Britain the Revolution took place and many people got their land back," said Ian.

"In regions like the Auvergne, and for example around here where the land wasn't very good, a seigneur would have the responsibility to collect a rent, but the local one to us didn't bother for about 50 years before the Revolution.

"And the deputy mayor of the commune during the time of the Revolution, his family name is that of out current mayor. Yes there was a huge loss of people from the Auvergne, particularly after WWII, but there are still surnames from the past in the hamlets and villages.

"My neighbour, who is 86 years old, lives in a house that his grandparents built and during his life he has only had three different neighbours, we are that third lot.

"So as the English were seeing their land being taken away from them and tremendous social mobility in the countryside, the French were getting hold of the land and digging in even deeper than they already were."

The Auvergne is an area bypassed by many people as they head off to the Mediterranean coast for their holidays and a lack of low-cost flights has seen the area slip under the radar of many English-speaking property hunters.

But this isolation has also seen it struggle to attract new business and many millions of euros have been pumped into the region in an attempt to attract companies and help small artisans, and Ian sees similar parallels to the UK.

"The current administration in France seems as determined as those in the UK to cut back on essential services. My youngest son, who is two, was born in our local hospital which is 12 minutes away down the hill and he was the penultimate child to be born in the maternity ward before it was closed down," Ian said.

"There are women in the village who are set to give birth this winter and should they go into labour at three in the morning, in January and in the snow it is going to be quite a job to get to the nearest hospital.

"They are closing the local court, the tax office and will reduce the surgical block in the hospital, post offices are being closed.

"What worries me is that these important public services, and what makes living in the countryside practicable, are being closed and whilst in England other services may be 30 minutes away, over here you are looking at an hour and a half, the distances involved are much greater.

"You have got money pouring into the Auvergne, the poorest region in France, yet at the same time the government is closing all the things that would attract people to live here in the first place."

Now though Ian feels that his life is on the right track with a sense of balance, and although the changes and loss of services close to his home may impact on him, a stability now exists in his life.

"I think in my heart of hearts, even when we were at our happiest in the Cotswolds, I knew I wasn't going to stay in England," Ian said. "We've also been incredibly lucky in finding a place where out neighbours have welcomed us and invited us in.

"But the main difference is that I have put down my suitcases, or déposez les valises as the French say, and unless there is something major we are not moving. I've got an incredible sense of place, something I couldn't find in my own country, and with that community, warmth and contentment you know you won't be moving on."

Website: Ian Walthew
Blog: A Place in the Auvergne

Title: A Place In My Country
Pages: 309
Publisher: Phoenix

2008-8-25 2:52pm

SOME interesting posts and entertaining photographs from a few of the bloggers I follow who provide a sneaky peek into their French lives.

So take the chance to follow a tour across France, dropping in on some tourists stops, as well as an opportunity to read about a fan of the rail system and how trees are tracked in Paris.

What's up with the "sénateur noir" - Sarkozy the American
Some simple searches of Google throw up some interesting insights into how US presidential hopeful Barack Obama is described in the French press.

Within the last month, the term "black senator" only appears 28 times in the English press, sometimes not referring to Barack Obama, and many times coming from minor media outlets.

Le Gouffre de Padirac - Le Franco Phoney
A new discovery for me is the site of April Hollands, an Aussie now living in France, and who has written about the places she visited whilst crossing the country, including an underground boat ride in the Lot.

A gouffre (pronounced ‘goof-rrr’) is a cave, and this one is massive. Apart from stalictites and staligmites, the gouffre offers an underground boat ride at a constant 12°C.

Take the train - St Bloggie de Riviere
Sarah has given up on the plane and reckons the way to travel from the south of France to the UK is by train, here she writes about a recent trip.

Despite delays and such, I do prefer train travel. I love train stations where I detest airports. Stations are romantic (or the big ones are), while airports are functional and full of stress.

The peculiarities of sheep - The mountain dweller
You are sure to enjoy The Mountain Dweller and her photographs which tell of one woman's move from 'UK suburbia to Alpine pastures, or from shops to sheep as it were'.

Usually the sheep go up a mountain for breakfast, but this time my husband took them down to graze for a few hours in a recently harvested field of barley.

Trimming the Paris trees - ParisDailyPhoto
If you want to follow Eric as he takes you around the streets of Paris then make sure you subscribe to his site, here he explains why the trees in the capital are microchipped.

Soon it will be fall and this morning, I happened to witness a tree triming. Doing a little research on the web, I found out that there are no less than 95 000 trees in the streets of Paris

2008-8-25 12:31pm

THE French public purse will be able to help out new parents, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, should they wish to take take up child benefits to help support their six children.

After giving birth to twins, Knox and Vivienne, in July the family will be eligible to receive around £1,400 a month the Daily Telegraph reports.

Whether the couple, who it is estimated earn around £20 million a year, take up the opportunity to receive the payments is unknown, but it highlights the financial support the French government offers to large families.

Alongside payments linked to the number of children couples have, support is also available for rail travel and parents can take up generous maternity leave, such measure are reflected in France enjoying one of the highest birth rates in Europe.

The official Caisses d'Allocations Familiales oversees the child benefit system, while the Union Nationale des Associations Familiales campaigns for families.

2008-8-21 8:26am

WORKERS in France saw their average earnings increase by 2.6 per cent last year, down on the previous year and amongst the lowest in Europe.

A report published yesterday by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions that the increase in average earnings fell by 0.1 per cent, whilst employees whose wages are determined by collective agreements faired even worse.

These workers saw their pay increase by 1.7 per cent, which was one percentage point less than in 2007, and was the lowest amongst European Union members.

The study also found that the average earnings of women in France compared to their male counterparts was 88 per cent of men's wages.

2008-8-20 3:19pm

I AM set to chat about all things France on BBC Radio Manchester tomorrow morning - I have been pencilled in for 8am.

If you want to listen to me waffling on, and don't live in Manchester, then you can listen online through the station's website.

UPDATE: I spoke with BBC Radio Manchester's Eamonn O'Neal and Dianne Oxberry about the different attitude in France to children in restaurants, and I highlighted how dinner table manners start in the school canteen and the importance in the French home of gathering together at mealtimes. Listen out for 20-month-old Lilly who steals the show.

BBC Radio Manchester interview

2008-8-20 7:25am

KNOWLEDGE is power, as the saying goes, and the internet has really helped people cut their costs and share information in the blink of a mouse click.

One area that's seen more information being released is in property, but there is still a vast array of detail wrapped up in these websites, and it has never been particularly easy to track changes to prices and descriptions.

This is where Property Bee comes in.

It is a little tool that you plug-in to the Firefox browser, which lets you track changes to property details across a number of websites, including Rightmove which currently has nearly 8,000 properties in France.

I first read about it on the website of Joe Gravett who used the tool to highlight how estate agents were trying to pull the wool over his eyes.

Property Bee works by following your searches on the Rightmove website and keeping a copy of its findings on your computer, listing things like price, when you last viewed it and most importantly any changes.

So when you head back to undertake another search you can see straight away if any details have been changed, not only to the description of the property but also price.

And with that knowledge comes the power to squeeze out a better deal for yourself.

Unfortunately the property websites that Property Bee currently checks is quite limited, but on the site's forum people are able to press for others sites to be included.

And just having an awareness of price changes for similar properties can be very useful to know.

2008-8-19 2:30pm

IF there is one thing that will improve your language skills it is speaking to French people to help you absorb new vocabulary and learn how phrases are really spoken.

But that can be quite a challenge if you live outside France and only have text books to work through, or radio programmes to decipher, instead you are left wondering just how much progress you are making.

And it is that sharing of language between both Brits and French people that binds together easy-going exchanges run in London by Grace Kennedy.

"I really believe that the only way to learn a language is through conversation," Grace said. "In the past I had been involved in one-to-one exchanges which to be honest can be quite painful if you don't click.

"But it is also difficult to meet local people if your language is only at an intermediate level, you can't just go walking into a bar and start talking, so it was out of this that the idea of the Language Scene came about."

After working in the head office of McDonald's, and studying French and Spanish at Southampton University, Grace began to look for a way to bring together her love for languages and a desire to run her own business.

"McDonald's was fine, and I was running the exchanges in my spare time but felt I needed to give it my full-time attention, so I started researching options online for meet-ups and found a few but there was no real structure," said Grace.

"So I try and ensure that the group is evenly split between British people and those from France, with many of the Brits coming from a professional background who have thoughts of living abroad, whilst I also work with language schools to ensure there is a good range of people."

The regular meetings cost £10 to attend and take place in a quiet area of a bar in London with two English and two French speakers sat around a table for about 45 minutes, there are daily newspapers and handouts covering different topics of discussion for those 'awkward' moments, but the aim is to talk in just the one language.

And then once the first part is over, and after a short break, people are mixed up again and then the other language is spoken, which funnily creates a sense of camaraderie.

"People really help each other out as they know that in an hour it is their turn to speak in the other language, so they have to be nice to each other," said Grace. "This creates an easy, relaxed atmosphere and often people will meet up outside the meet-ups to keep practising."

And what language tips does Grace pass on to those who come along to the exchanges?

"Try and listen to as much conversation as possible, don't just read text books, so head to the BBC's French language pages on their website and use the audio and video they have.

"I also find reading French newspapers is useful and I download loads of podcasts off iTunes that will really improve your French, there are so many different ones and you can listen to them wherever you are."

Website: Language Scene

2008-8-19 7:23am

IN 1864 the city of Paris bought the domain of Les Sources de la Seine in order that they could appropriate their will completely over the river that runs to the capitol.

A year later the sculptor, Jouffroy, carved the statue to the Goddess Sequana; a symbol of purity.

Les Sources de la Seine originate from the Gallic era, then the Gallo-Roman (Sequana is the latin name for the Seine) followed by the Christian era (Saint-Seine.) During excavation of the site evidence of pagan worship, that testified to the thanksgiving plaques of wood, were found in abundance.

Much revered, Les Sources de la Seine (Sequana), attracted many pilgrims as the area was renowned for miraculous and curative virtues.

One person who grew up with legends of the mystery of Sequana and Les Sources de la Seine is now sharing this with people who are eager to learn of the legends and immerse themselves in the mystery.

Marie-Jeanne Fournier-Lamarche was the daughter of the custodian of Les Sources de la Seine, Paul Lamarche, a position commissioned by the city of Paris. Her parents owned a café, frequented by tourists and she stamped the post cards they bought.

The second bridge of Les Sources de la Seine is named Pont Paul Lamarche after her father. The small, stone bridge was built in the 1970s to stop people getting wet feet whilst crossing the source.

Her parents felt privileged to live in such a special location and Marie-Jeanne learnt the legends of the Goddess from them. Her father has passed away and the café no longer exists but her mother still lives in the same house.

Marie-Jeanne Fournier-Lamarche was a French teacher in the Congo and she worked with young adults in the north east of France, she has also run writing workshops in Lorraine for the last 13 years.

This summer she has returned to her old home to run workshops in partnership with L'association des Sources de la Seine and l'Office de Tourisme du Pays d'Alésia who believe the region will be popular with an ever growing number of second home owners and tourists.

She has set up some interesting workshops which ask people to associate themselves with La Source and its history, and the pilgrims who would come to pay homage to the Goddess. The writers are encouraged to write from the heart, in whatever medium they prefer, then read out loud to the group.

Marie-Jeanne has also developed a walking workshop of the Seine. She leads a 10 kilometre walk to Saint-Germain and Blessey and during the walk people are given a scenario for their writing: that they imagine themselves as Sequana immersing herself in the beauty and wealth of the area.

Another workshop, Les Nuits d'encre, are evenings spent writing by candlelight around Sequana's statue.

The municipality of Saint-Germain Source Seine are enthusiastic about the workshops and encouraging tourism to Les Sources de la Seine.

Telephone for information: 03 80 35 82 95 or 03 80 96 89 13

2008-8-17 9:31pm