June 8, 2011
The price of French stamps is increasing
From July 1st 2011, the price of stamps in France is increasing, both for national and international mail
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December 9, 2010
Da Vinci manuscript found in Nantes library
A coded manuscript by Leonardo da Vinci has been discovered in Nantes by a journalist searching through the collection, donated in 1872, by Pierre-Antoine Labouchere.
October 21, 2010
Strikes and protests in France – your views please
France continues to suffer from the strikes and protests against the governments plans to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62, and the full state pension age from 65 to 67. This is causing hardship for ordinary people who live and work in France, frustration for the government, bitterness and anger amongst young people and union members, and reticence on the part of foreign investors and tourists.
October 19, 2010
No Panic petrol buying here then ?
Most petrol stations now have restricted opening hours and are limiting the amount of fuel purchased to between 15 and 30 euros. And now the lorry drivers have joined the demonstrators. Today, there are national strikes across France. Most schools and public offices will remain closed as employees protest.
October 15, 2010
Sarkozy v Oil refinery workers
The French love a strike and a demonstration. Last year dairy farmers caused chaos as they demonstrated over falling milk prices. They refused to supply cheese factories and took to tipping trailer loads of manure in supermarket car parks. Now, it is the oil refinery workers. They are not at all happy about the governments
August 25, 2010
200 years of the ‘boîte de conserve’
200 years ago Nicolas Appert invented the conserving of food by heat sterilisation and hermetically sealed container. He created the World"s first conserving factory with an invention that changed millions of lives, including sailors for whom the invention meant less chance of scurvy. Read about conserving food & La Belle Iloise in Brittany
July 17, 2010
Champagne at £45,000 a bottle?
Divers off the coast of Finland in the Baltic Sea have found 30 bottles of Clicquot Champagne on the seabed that pre-date the French Revolution whilst exploting a wreck. The Champagne is apparently still drinkable, due to the cold and dark environment, and it is expected that the remaining bottles could fetch up to £45,000 [...]