chessfou2

Yes and SJ's great grandmother Hélène (b. 1862) was the daughter of a famous French chessplayer, organizer and journalist - Jules Arnous de Rivière.

Took a while to find it around our way, but maybe because here it is called 'panoufle' [careful to avoid a stray 't' or you'll really confuse the butcher! Google will probably tell you that is mutton, but not round here]. 'Graisse de boeuf' also can work. I have never seen it in any of our supermarkets and not all our butchers do it, mainly because they typically throw it away!

Initially, it was the Sikh community helping with food, but then 15 pompiers & 10 secouristes went over (with 10k testing kits) to help the truckers who were stuck, as did a bunch of doctors from the Polish military, and then there was the German Ambassador, and no doubt more, all pitching in.

We have had goose every year for about 25 years now and it is 'expensive' but a good deal less than £100.

Yes, quite good; both the overview and the guy from the Sorbonne (Vincent Maréchal), but the other 'talking heads' really were not up to very much.

Excellent coverage (by far the best I have seen) of the new 'mutant' strain (B.1.1.7 - one of hundreds/thousands or more) : https://unherd.com/2020/12/how-dangerous-is-.the-covid-mutation/

Go to your favourite caviste - they will be able to help. If they do not have what you need, they should be able to point you in the right direction.

In due course, we will see. However, the only 'rogue state' (excepting, arguably, Hungary & Poland) involved in any way is the UK*, since it is the only one breaking international law (also breaking/circumventing UK law). *Many examples, but the most egregious is yesterday's re-introduction of the illegal clauses in the IMB (which the UK Gov is 'prepared' to withdraw if they get all the cake with some extra cherries on top, but I don't think they are prepared to withdraw the clauses that stuff SCO, NI & WAL). The best analogy I have seen is that the EU is like a medieval walled city. The UK has said that it does not like the conditions in the city and has moved out because living outside is 'better'. The city has many rules and advantages for those who live inside. They do not apply to those outside. Now the UK Gov is complaining that it can't ('like Canada'!) have those advantages (but not the rules). The UK has made its bed and must lie in it. I hope that my elder son and his family will be OK - they live in the part of the UK which will probably be the last to depart, leaving the lights on (assuming some agreement for use of the interconnectors to the EU energy market) for the rump English nationalists. I see only the usual idiots in and around our commune (we have a couple of extreme right-wingers - the French equivalent of UK ERG - 12.8%RN, 2.84% Debout la France & 0.47% Les Patriotes) who continue to speak of Frexit (or Frexeuro).

Our village used to be famous for its gnôle, but I don't think it's possible to buy it anywhere!

'UK ... could go rogue' Already gone: happy breaking international law (Chagos, IMB & more), No.10 breaking UK law as well (failing to publish contracts in due time and I don't know what else). Cronying on with PPE contracts (& others) to husbands, wives, cousins, etc. of Cabinet/MP.s It goes on and on. France is much better, although I suppose that having gained French nationality (my third) last week, I will have to start complaining!

Today I discovered one that is new to me - the French for 'headless chicken' is 'canard sans tête' (France 3, Dimanche en politique). The same, but subtly different.

I would suggest looking SW, say between Albi and a bit East of the A75. An hour or so North of the Med (thus avoiding worst of flooding, crime etc.). If the airport is very important, then probably nearer to (but probably not in) Albi (to be reasonably close to Toulouse) unless Montpellier (readily accessible from A75) is adequate, which also has the benefit of TGV. (4-4.5 hrs to CDG). Weather generally much better than North (brrr!), Centre (brrr & snow), Med (arguably too hot). Much fine countryside and many truly beautiful villages (et la fibre arrive!).

We have an air-air system (originally 'reversible' which has had to be partly replaced once (about 8 years ago) and entirely replaced once (4-5 years ago). I would categorize it as a disaster. It was originally installed in 2004 and we 'inherited' it in 2006. I would never recommend it to anyone. Not least because it sucks up electricity. I'm not sure what % goes on it and what % goes on everything else, but our edf bill averages (last 6 years) €3500 (150m² South facing, thick stone walls). We got chatting to the engineer who last serviced it; he also said he would never recommend it to anyone!

I have been known to say, in English, Porsmousse...

It did P down here, but only intermittently. Lots of lightning and some thunder. The delightful forecast is that there will be rain for the next 12 days or so (a bit less than 40 days & nights). No idea how many may be in town - it's 30+km from here.

"... maybe because we are all older and perhaps consume less red wine. I still believe in its usefulness though." Yes, no and yes (usefulness of red wine).

It is only after your interview (assuming successful) that your dossier will be passed to SDANF. Depending on Préfecture, your dossier is likely to remain at the Préfecture for something between a few months and a year or more before going to SDANF. You are, therefore an absolute minimum of a year (more likely 2+) away from naturalisation (unless you scale 4 floors of an apartment block to save a young child from falling to its death, or have a realistic chance of securing a gold medal for France at the Olympics, or something similar). Yes, you will definitely need to apply for a CDS. I believe that the online system should open in October. https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F35032

For whatever reason (and there are many candidates, especially that other coronaviruses are typically seasonal, peaking in late autumn-winter-spring and largely disappearing in summer), there is a huge difference between now and earlier in the year. Back in March, the number of cases hit 1000, and, about 4 weeks later, the number of daily deaths was 1000+ and growing fast. The figure of 1000 cases/day was again exceeded in mid-late July and now (5-6 weeks later) the mortality figure is ... about 20 and flatlining! https://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/article/2020/05/05/coronavirus-age-mortalite-departements-pays-suivez-l-evolution-de-l-epidemie-en-cartes-et-graphiques_6038751_4355770.html

Depends a lot on your Préfecture. There are several different procedures. You do not say when you had your interview (why do you want to be French? etc. for 30-40 minutes). Normally 'dossier en cours d'instruction' will mean that it is still with the Préfecture. Helpful to know when your dossier is transferred to SDANF (sous direction de l'acquisition de la nationalité française). After receipt by SDANF the current average (and most common) is about 10-12 months (varies from extreme couple of months to several years!), up from 8-10 months or so last year thanks to Covid. It might be a good idea to email your Préfecture and ask whether your dossier is still under instruction or whether (and if so when) it has been sent to SDANF. If you find out that it is with SDANF and then ask them for your Ministerial number (e.g. 2020X... as opposed to the number 2018P or 2019P... you got from the Préfecture), you can guess the most likely date range, so at the moment the peak of the bell curve is about 2019X037 (dossiers received by SDANF circa end Sept or early Oct 2019). Patience is required!

I saw a TV report (probably France 3) about Paris - masque obligatoire for les quais de Seine BUT walk up the steps and mask could be removed to walk across the bridge before being obligatory again after walking down the steps on the other side. That struck me (and the reporter) as being a bit odd.

Félicitations!

I posted in French Language (probably wrong place): No doubt you are all aware of the magnificent work done by TV5monde (forgiven for being Belgian?): https://apprendre.tv5monde.com/en & https://apprendre.tv5monde.com/fr but does anyone know of anything comparable for German, Italian, Spanish? I can now partly answer my own question (for German) https://www.dw.com/en/learn-german/s-2469 How about Spanish & Italian?

No doubt you are all aware of the magnificent work done by TV5monde (forgiven for being Belgian?): https://apprendre.tv5monde.com/en & https://apprendre.tv5monde.com/fr but does anyone know of anything comparable for German, Italian, Spanish?

Well, they were certainly listening in Guadeloupe, Martinique & Guyane (https://www.france.tv/france-o/antilles-la-guerre-oubliee/), not to mention the Île-de-Sein (not so beloved of Marine after her reception there day before yesterday), whence came 130 of the 400 men who joined CdG and which is the unique French commune with more deaths in WW2 than WW1.

La France profonde (maybe profonder), near la France profondest. La France profondest is Cantal/Lozère.