velcorin

I agree there is a naivity in France when it comes to the disassociation of tax and benefits, something in general Anglo-Saxons take as obvious. I also think the essential paradox, when talking about benefits, lies in the British attitude "It's not fair, I don't get it, so they shouldn't" whereas in France it's "It's not fair, I don't get it, I should have it". AND Woerth's in the papers again (Le Canard Enchaine). Apparently he approved (oh yes he did!) the sale of a state owned racecource, and land, to a mate, for 2.5M, when it's valued at 28M. Let's see where this one goes[:D]

Quillan, I've said it before and I'll say it again. This is being sold as being to ban the Burqa. It's not. It's to stop street demonstrators hiding their identities from the police and cameras. Remember Sarko was Interior Minister when the ados ran rings around the police during the riots. He has a long memory. It goes to the Senate in Sept, then 6 months before it is adopted into the Code Civile.

This could be useful (one of my company's products) http://www.saltidin.com/en/consumer/saltidin It does actually work and is DEET free.

In an opinion poll (LH3) conducted after the broadcast 57% said they no confidence in the President. Also, another French political scandal has appeared in the German press. It seems in order to get French support for the EU bailout fund, Greece had to buy EUR3billion of French helicopters. That's going to go down well with the Greek public! Tough, you're getting a 20% paycut, but look at the nice shiny new French helicopters we've got (and can't afford to put the fuel in).

I'll declare that I do have issues with the French political elite (and leave it at that, I won't explain why!). So, I wasn't surprised when he claimed "France is not corrupt", when the charge was that the UMP and his Govn was corrupt. When he claimed the last political scandel was in Britain, conveniently forgetting the 2 ministers he sacked last week. There is no details on how the fiscal deficit will be reduced, just a target. No information about how Govn borrowing will be corrected. France borrows short term, therefore has to refund roughly 30% of it's national debt each year(2.5% in the UK). No information on the Trillion Euros needed for nuke decommissioning. No information on the CMU deficit. Still, I did like his style!

France2, 20.15 for an hour. Have to agree with you Chancer, "spoilt chilren" is very true. If somebody else has something, they ALL want it[:D]

The poison dwarf, sorry President Bling-bling, sorry I mean Monsieur Le President, will address the nation tonite. Presumeably to lie about, sorry explain, why he didn't commit election fraud, why there is no conflict of interest over Bettencourt, why gagging the media is actually good for everyone, and why Princess Carla spends 47 times SMIC of public money on flowers. Paxman, it won't be....................http://info.france2.fr/france/nicolas-sarkozy-lundi-soir-sur-france-2-64038677.html

[Www][quote user="Chancer"]Wouldnt happen in France [Www][/quote] Mmmm, but doubt anybody on here would know about it. It'd be on the French news. Ignorance is bliss? Just a thought. Maybe if you removed the hundreds and hundreds of reporters, cameramen, photographers, all desperate to find something to feed the ghoulish, voyeuristic public you'd have at least a vague chance of a reasoned debate. Something for I do admire the British. Their ability to be led by the nose by self serving media, and then treat it all as fact[Www]. Wherever the media uses a "conditional" word (might, possibly, could, consider, etc) just ignore it, they've just made it up.

Latest up date. Wall to wall coverage in France. http://www.france24.com/en/20100707-woerth-france-labour-minister-resignation-bettencourt-scandal-sarkozy-corruption

Latest episode of the soap opera introduces a new star http://www.france24.com/en/20100706-nicolas-sarkozy-donation-loreal-heiress-scandal-france-paris-woerth And 2 sacrificial lambs offerred up in the expenses scandel. Seems UK MPs really haven't got a clue. If you're going to take the public for a ride, you really should get the French to teach you!! 10K for cigars!!

I got used to having the DDs taken out of our account before receiving the bills (or never) in Spain and Germany. The option of paying by other methods simply does not exist. In France, I'd totally agree with P-D, the downside in time and effort to not worth it (unless you're retired here). Years ago the first few times some utility ripped me off (Telefonica in Spain said we had 4 phone lines) it took us EUR300 and 12 months of no phone at all to get our (1) phone line back. When you keep getting ripped off it hurts less and less each time.

Stupid me. I've only just read this thread. I must have 10-15 (maybe more) sets of dacron/kevlar/carbon used sails (mains, gennies, jibs, kites) for various racing classes kicking around the barn in Creuse. (Well protected from vermin). All freebies from the big name sailmakers, they never want them back after I've used them a couple of events. Bags and bags of fittings, again mainly hi-tech stuff, accumalated over the years when replaced by something better. All Harken/Fredrickson/Ronstan stuff. No metal spars though. Got some, wooden laminate, and also carbon foils. Sorry, but if anybody wants stuff, PM me and I'll tell you what I've got which will do the job. You can have it for free. None of it cost me. Even got some rolls of UK builders lead, used to bring my boats up to weigh for events, need to keep that (doesn't register on their magnetometers when they scan for dodgy weight correction!) So sorry, should read stuff. Certainly one the GP14 spoon rudder blades would have done (I've got a couple of wood laminated ones that actually decrease the displaced weight by about 20kg, I hated them, but they work fine), and maybe a 5o5 jib for your main.

Not a problem round us, very few non-ethnic restaurants. Guess you're in the sticks, or a tourist area? Rurale Frence is notorious for being not exactly welcoming to outsiders, particularly from ethnic groups.

Couple of questions I now ask myself regarding the truth of the story, and confirm to me it's just one of millions of made up stories. The FA, and Capello, knew the story, but made him captain. A previous captain was removed for what was, arguably, a lesser infraction, in the full knowledge that they'd look really stupid when the story hit the papers after the World Cup. Also, he was supposed to have left his wife. 3-4 months later he's still living in the same house! If there was any truth in the story, he'd have had a hamstring problem, and not gone to the World Cup. Nope, believe it if you want, as really that's all that matters, as when did the truth ever get in the way of a good rumour. Now, 3 French players and underage prostitutes. That really is true. The Police will confirm that one! Though in his defence Ribery did say she looked older!

Looks like the judge has been got at. Trial postponed.

If you referring to what I think you're referring, one of my British colleagues sent it to me late March/early April, even a German asked me about it a couple of weeks before the World Cup. Hardly news, and if I knew, then presumably the UK press knew.

Hondas for Europe are all built in Swindon, Toyotas in Burnaston, Nissans in Sunderland, Minis in Oxford. Buy British! Interesting what you say about Mazdas, they are all Japanese built Ford models ('cept the MX5/Eunos).  

Interesting article Wooly. 4 out of the top 10 manufature pretty well all their vehicles for Europe in the UK. Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Mini. Also interesting how badly the French and German manufatured vehicles faired. My Honda's never given a hint of a problem, whereas the missus' Audi S4 (costing twice as much) spends more time at the dealer than anywhere else.

Another thought. If it is a multinational you could take action against the company in another country, eg the UK. (At least the legal system is cheaper, quicker and (I'll be generous!) less political). A French court would have jurisdiction, but it could be interesting to get the company to react by having to get the case thrown out of the UK court. If it's a French company, try a letter to the PdG. If you PM me, I'll get his (it WILL be a him in France!) name and address.

Have you tried the local CLCV? http://www.clcv.org/sos-juridique.3835.0.html

Need a bit more info............are the guests family, work colleagues, neighbours, acquitances? Nationality? Saturday or Sunday, as you only do aperitifs on a Sunday with family at lunchtime (almost makes the MiL's cooking taste OK if we get p*ssed first[:D] ) We do Saturday lunchtime with family or work colleagues, 12 start. we'd do neighbours and acquitances in the evening, 5 start. As said family only at Sunday lunchtime. Sunday evening for anybody else. English people won't understand the rules, so you could get away with any day or time. Get the Apericube and Ritz crackers sorted, some cassis, white plonk, whisky and pastis and you're away.

The dealer network system, and the geography of the country has an enormous impact on the French car market. There is not an active buy French thought process. Speaking to my BiLs, I'd go as far as to say that most of them have had such bad experiences with French brands they actively think anything but French [:P] I'm assuming most of you live in rural areas, with limited access to the big cities? Certainly round where we live French cars are not so prevalent.  

GM still build the Astra in the UK Will, then brand it eiither Opel or Vauxhall depending where it's being sold. I really don't understand the concept of "British" in the case of cars. Renault build the Clio in Turkey, Twingo in Poland. PSA build the C1 in Poland. Merc build the C Class in SA, their 4x4s in the US, the CLK in the US, Smart in Austria. BMW build their engines in the UK, 4x4s in the US, the Z4 in the US, the 3 Series in Austria. Porsche build the Boxster in Finland, the Cayenne in Austria. And I give up on the VAG Group, following them round Europe is bewildering Eg SEAT Ibiza, VW Polo, Audi A1and Skoda Fabia all come off the same production lines in Slovakia..........so what does that make them?!! We work very closely with the automotive industry OEMS so do have a good insight with what happens. In reality, as Will said of all the brands, Honda and Toyota are the most committed of all to a single country, in this case the UK, the rest are just a complete bunch of polygot mongrels who merely have the corporate headquarters based in the country with which they are identified. Even that is dubious in the case of Daimler (Merc) and VAG (VW, etc) as they are Arab sovereign weath fund owned, and ultimately controlled.

And it gets worse. "No conflict of interest"[:-))] (We'll stick to English.........) http://www.france24.com/en/20100628-loreal-tax-scandal-intensifies-french-minister-woerth-government-evasion-bettencourt-france  

Sorry Odile, I'll never integrate[:D] I'm too nice to animals, not loud enough, won't eat fois gras or veau, don't enjoy oysters, don't eat much at lunchtime......the list is endless. My wife's family are used to it, and make allowances, when they come to us, I make allowances for them. No Chilli, curry, and first thing I do when I get up in the morning is put the haricots verts on ready for lunch. Sorted. Due to my mother's illness I seem to be spending many weekends at my parents. My father is in his sixties, I suspect like others of his generation, he can't, and won't cook. So, I do the shopping and the cooking, no change there, as my wife can't/won't cook either[8-|] I have absolutely fallen in love with Waitrose. The meat! All free range, organic, even tells you the name and address of the farm on the packet. Different qualities of the same meat, with different prices. Vegetables! Non of the French "chuck as many chemicals as you can at" stuff. Real fish, not Panga! Pain rustic that doesn't need a chainsaw. Waitrose is pitched at the upper level of the provisions market in the UK, however I do actually find the prices cheaper for some items than, says Le Clerc, which is pitched at the ASDA/Tesco level. The stores are immaculate, staff are incredible, faultless, and I've never had an error on the cuenta. If like me, you have 1 day a week to do absolutely everything, household shopping is a Saturday dash round the nearest InterClerc. If Waitrose could replicate their format in France they'd clean up, on price, quality and ambiance. 'Cept of course they'd never get the necessary permissions, and would have to employ SMICards. So, I'll just have to struggle on. (And don't get me going on the French on-line grocery market[:D])