This French Life

Oldest European marsupial found in Charente-Maritime

EVIDENCE of what is believed to be the oldest known marsupial in Europe has been discovered in Charente-Maritime.

Science Daily reports that researchers found a small tooth, near Rochefort-sur-mer, from a tiny mouse-like animal named Arcantiodelphys marchandi, one of the oldest and most primitive marsupial known in the world.

The work was carried out by a team from the Centre national de la Recherche Scientifique and l'Université de Rennes 1, the French language press release can be read at Découverte du plus ancien marsupial européen en Charente-Maritime.

Related article: Dinosaur footprints found near La Plagne, Savoie

Père Noël opens his digital office

THE doors have been swung open on Père Noël's electronic office in La Poste to process all the letters he is set to receive.

The website is very simple to use and allows you to enter postal details and a short message to Père Noël, in return children receive a card in the post.

Ever since 1996 he has had an online branch and the actual letters and drawings that kids send are sorted by La Poste in a building in Gironde, and the company expects to send over a million cards in reply.

Catch up with news headlines from France

Invité de FranceInfo: Rachida Dati envoyé par FranceInfo.

HERE is a look back over the past few days at what has been making the headlines in France. For a daily update see the French news page.

French corridors of power open to corruption

ONE of the findings of Transparency International's Global Corruption Report 2009 is that France 'has much progress to make in terms of the integrity of relationships between public officials, politicians and businesspeople'.

Research by the organisation into the tactics and methods used by businesses around the world to gain influence has found that it has a detrimental impact on their staff, but ultimately on consumers.

In France gaining influence has shifted from bribery to event sponsorship, financing of study trips and the hiring of relatives of public servants.

Debate opens on what it means to be French

THE government has launched a website allowing people to take part in a debate about what it means to be French.

A look at French news headlines

HERE is a quick catch up on what has been making the headlines in France over the past few days, and check the archive of French news stories.

Mon Journal Offert provides free newspapers to young

IN an attempt to boost readership of newspapers amongst 18 to 24 year olds, the French government has launched Mon Journal Offert.

The scheme, which is open to the first 200,000 young people who sign up, offers the chance to receive a free copy, each week, of a national or regional newspaper for a year.

Minister of Culture, Frédéric Mitterrand, announced the launch of the scheme, saying that readership of a daily newspaper amongst younger people was less than ten per cent in 2007.

Around 60 newspapers have signed up for the Mon Journal Offert scheme, which will have a budget of €15 million over the next three years.

French news headlines from past few days

HERE is a look back over the past week to see what has been making the headlines in France, including Asterix, ancient Greeks and students struggling to find accommodation.

France slips down press freedom league table

FRANCE has slipped down the Press Freedom Index compiled by the Paris-based Reporters Sans Frontières, leaving it behind both the UK and the US, as well as countries such as Mali, Macedonia and Chile.

The annual report is based upon a questionnaire that is completed by journalists from around the world, with France falling eight places to lie in 43rd place.

Reporters Sans Frontières said that France slipped down the index because of judicial investigations and arrests of journalists and raids on news media, and also because of meddling in the media by politicians, including President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Journalists in other European countries such as Spain and Italy said they had been physically threatened, with Reporters Sans Frontières saying new laws being introduced by governments were making news reporting more difficult.

Changes to number plates, tax and heating oil

SOME recent changes to rules and regulations have come into force, or been outlined, in the past few weeks that you may want to read more about.

New style number plates have been introduced for second-hand cars, while budget proposals from the French government will see an end to the support offered for those with oil heating and tax changes.

Catch up with news headlines from France

HERE is a quick catch up on the news headlines from France over the past couple of days.

Tous au Numérique website for digital TV advice

YOU may have spotted advertisements on French television highlighting the website Tous au Numérique, offering advice on the switch over to digital television.

The advert features red and blue television shaped characters who help people discover if their TV equipment is able to receive digital services.

The coverage offered by the digital service, called TNT and which is similar to the UK's Freeview, will eventually be the only way to receive television channels.

Capturing the flight of the cranes across France

AT this time of year people living in France roughly from the north east corner to the south west will spot a real wonder of nature.

The migratory route of the crane (la grue) from northern Europe to Spain sees the birds cross over France, and the massive flocks high in the sky are a real sight to see.

It is estimated that there are around 160,000 birds in the west of Europe and when migrating they fly at an altitude of between 200m and 1km.

For more details take a look at the European Crane Working Group.

News reports from 24/24 Actu

IF you are a bit of a news hound, and want to improve your French language skills, then a new online video site from Orange might appeal.

24/24 Actu draws together video reports from a number of news sources such as BFM TV and France 24, but you can also listen to individual radio reports as well as click on through to news articles from newspapers such as Le Monde and Le Parisien.

The website is organised by categories such as politics, society and sport, with each individual story drawing in a variety of sources and I've always found watching and listening to news reports is a simple way to boost your language skills.

Dinosaur footprints found near La Plagne, Savoie

FOSSIL hunters have found what is believed to be some of the largest ever dinosaur footprints in the Jura Mountains of eastern France.

The footprints are believed to be around 150 million years old, are about 1.5m wide and were made by a large herbivore weighing around 30 tonnes.

You can take a look over the official French language press release announcing the discovery from the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, as well as browse a collection of images of the footprints themselves.

Catch up with news headlines from France

HERE is a round up of news headlines from France covering the past few days, and you can catch up on more articles via the news and blogs page.

My first parasol mushroom of autumn

WELL I am pretty sure it is a parasol mushroom - but I spotted this whilst out this morning taking the dog for a walk.

Parasol mushrooms are fairly common around this corner of the Dordogne and are often fried in a little butter and garlic before being piled on top of some crusty bread.

Many farmers are also busy at the moment collecting chestnuts, and despite long lengths of netting being placed beneath the trees it is still a time-consuming task to collect them.

With crisp, fresh mornings giving way to warm, sunny afternoons there is a mix of autumn and summer in the air - click on the thumbnail to see the larger image.

News headlines from France

IT has been a busy week in France with the Clearstream trial, the closure of a makeshift camp for asylum seekers in Calais and problems for French animal charity the SPA.

Police move in to clear the 'jungle' in Calais

FRENCH riot police have detained 278 migrants in a dawn operation to dismantle the "jungle", a network of makeshift camps set up by illegal migrants, mostly Afghans, near the northern Channel port of Calais.

Here is a round up of headlines from news websites:

Sterling takes a tumble against the euro

BAD news for those relying on sterling income as it has hit a five month low in relation to the euro.

The BBC reports that it was as low as €1.1016, a point not seen since April, but still higher than it was at the beginning of the year.

The Bank of England's quarterly report blamed the weakening of sterling on foreign investors turning their backs on UK sterling assets and the need for the UK economy to rebalance.

How has sterling's weakness affected your everyday life in France, or have you any times to help people's cash stretch further? Please feel free to leave a comment below.

Catch up with news headlines from France

IF you have been out and about over the past few days then get up to speed with what has been happening in France.

Here are a selection of recent headlines, and if you want to stay up to date with things thoughout the week drop in on the French news and blogs section.

DNA tests begin on Fromelles war dead

Heart-shaped leather pouch contained solid gold cross. Photo: Oxford Archaeology via MoD

WORK has started to perform DNA tests on the remains of hundreds of British and Australian soldiers buried in mass graves during World War One near Fromelles in northern France.

Boost for fruit and veg sales

IN an attempt to help fruit and vegetable producers the government is to allow special sales of products in the coming weeks.

In a statement the Ministry of Agriculture said producers will be able to sell their stock at supermarkets, and other retail areas, at weekends on July 24 and 25, July 31 and August 1, as well as August 7 and 8.

The products available on promotion are melon, nectarines, summer pears, apricots, leeks, courgettes, artichokes and tomatoes.

Promotional events are set to take place to raise awareness of the sales, so it is most probably worth checking to see if your local store is taking part.

News headlines from France

HERE is a look back over the past few days at some of the major news stories that have made the headlines. For regular updates throughout the week drop in on the news section of the site.

News from France from the French Embassy

THE French Embassy in the US offers a monthly round-up of news and views for lovers of France that is free to download.

The newsletter comes in .pdf format so should open on nearly all computers and provides news on what's happened in France as well as details of events taking place in the US.

In the latest issue you can learn more about events which marked the 65th Anniversary of the Normandy landings both in France and on the other side of the Atlantic, as well as how a Rodin sculpture is on display in a park in New York state.

Army records from Hundred Years War online

Beynac castle, a French stronghold during the Hundred Years War

THE military service records of medieval soldiers who served during the Hundred Years War have been made available online.

Vote for Français of the Year in UK

THERE is often much made about Brits invading France and buying run down houses and land, but with an estimated 350,000 French people living in London alone there is quite an exchange between the two countries.

And it is with this exchange in mind that the third Français of the Year awards were launched to celebrate the most talented French person living in the UK.

Artefacts found in Fromelles graves

The remains of a First World War gas mask recovered during the dig.

THE work on recovering the bodies of British and Australian soldiers buried in mass graves during World War One near Fromelles in northern France has turned up some intriguing objects.

News headlines from France

HERE is a look over the past few days of what has been making the news headlines in France.

Catching up on headlines from France

HERE is a quick look over some of the headlines that have been making the news in France in recent days.

One for the bug hunters

I HAD to slowly back away from the computer screen after opening an email from reader Steve Pritchard with a photograph of this bug attached.

He is hoping that other readers of the site will be able to identify what type of beetle it is, he saw it whilst out walking near a vineyard at Peyriac de Mer just west of Narbonne (map).

Click on the thumbnail image to get a better view of the beast, and if you know what it is please leave a comment below.

British man Peter Fuller murdered at Dordogne home

BRITISH businessman, Peter Fuller, was found bludgeoned to death in his Dordogne home on Saturday, the media has already been busy covering the story.

Murder inquiry after golf course designer Peter Fuller is found dead - The Times
Peter Fuller, 67, who built a golf course by his property when he moved to France, had been beaten over the head repeatedly with a blunt instrument, according to a French state prosecution source.

Catching up on French news headlines

WITH dial-up internet connection now operating, as well as the This French Life website itself, I've been catching up on the news headlines from the past few days, here's what I've been reading.

Dates for summer sales in France

THE summer sales date has been published by départements in France, which free up regulations on the discounting of stock for businesses.

The sale period is limited to twice a year and can only run for a maximum of five weeks, most regions open their sales on June 24, but some like the Alpes-Maritimes has decided to open theirs later on July 8.

Anything that you buy in the sales has exactly the same guarantee as a normal item and the previous price must be clearly marked.

Enjoy Space from the Cite de l'espace

THE Cité de l'espace theme park in Toulouse has launched a new website for people interested in all things space.

Périgord life. Je t’adore, 24

Large round hay bales scattered across the fields of Loubejac

WHEN I moved to a small house in sight of the church tower at Loubejac in the south of the Dordogne, one of the first people I met was Roger Clifford-Banks.

He first arrived in the Périgord region in 1972, and over the years has lived on and off in Loubejac with his wife and three children.

New Fromelles cemetery begins to take shape

Computer visualisation of how the cemetery will look once completed later this year

WORK has started on the new cemetery at Fromelles, in northern France, which will provide a final resting place for around 400 British and Australian soldiers.

Thanks to advertisers who help the site

I HOPE you enjoy exploring the corners of France that I point to through the site, and it is thanks to the support of advertisers that I am able to continue to do so.

Each week I highlight the businesses who help keep the This French Life website up and running, and I hope you will drop in on their sites to see if they can help out.

You can find out more about advertising on This French Life, but first check out the websites below:

Marking the 65th anniversary of D-Day

NOW that the diplomatic row over whether the Queen should have been invited to the 65th anniversary of D-Day is at an end, the servicemen themselves can finally be honoured.

Prince Charles will be representing the Royal family, while a number of events are taking place in Normandy on June 5 and 6 to mark the date Allied Forces invaded occupied France.

Training French dogs and their owners

A DOG’S life in France can very often be spent at the end of a chain in a dusty courtyard, with their owner seeing them more as a guard dog than a pet.

But James Conroy sees such dogs as an opportunity to help them have a better life, as long as their owners are willing to understand the psychology of owning a dog.

James has completed a course in Avignon, overseen by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, which aims to help people with dangerous dogs control their animal so that both the dog and others are safe.

First days back in the Dordogne

I HAVE already had to make my apologies a couple of times for completely misjudging the distances involved and dropping in on friends 15 to 20 minutes late.

If there is one thing I had forgotten about driving around the twisting, turning roads of the Dordogne it’s that what looks a short hop on a map, turns into quite a drive once en route.

Making plans for a new French life

DOES travel and living overseas broaden the mind? I hope so as in just over a week I will be heading back to France on a permanent basis.

It is nearly four years since I packed up the car and headed out of the small Dordogne village of Loubejac, but I don't think I ever really left the place behind as This French Life took up more and more of my time.

French inflation at lowest level since 1957

THE French national statistics office, INSEE, has said that inflation currently stands at its lowest level since 1957.

Figures from April show the prices rose on a monthly basis by 0.2 per cent, but in comparison to April 2008 the year-on-year increase was just 0.1 per cent.

Increases in transport costs over the spring holiday period, as well as communication costs, have been highlighted as one of the reasons behind the slight increase, but manufactured goods feel in price.

Related article: The cost of living in France

Questions over African leaders' wealth in France

WHILE a light is being shone on the amount of taxpayers' money being received by MPs in the UK to cover their expenses, the French government is trying to dodge accusations of corruption in African states.

Campaign group, Transparency International, has brought a case questioning how a large amount of expensive real estate and other assets in France were acquired by three African presidents.

Charles Bremner, of The Times, highlights how President Sarkozy is trying to block the case as it would appear he needs his friends in France-Afrique.

French news round up

Télézapping : Roquefort vs hormones, la trêve by lemondefr

CATCH up with what has been happening in France over the past few days and for more stories check out the French news headlines section.

Below you can find out more on the return of Roquefort to the US, trouble by prison staff as they protest over working conditions and how a World War Two pilot is being remembered.

More protest days announced by unions

LOOK out for more days of protest organised by unions in the next month or so as they keep up the pressure on the French government.

Following joint protests from the eight leading unions on May 1, the group has said that more protests are planned for Tuesday, May 26 and Saturday, June 13, 2009.

Unions are pressing for the government to do more for workers and the unemployed, instead of as they see it support being focussed on big business.

Following the protests marking the Fête du Travail, the employment ministry issued a notice saying the government was supporting the people of France as well as businesses.

Blog for the Fromelles website

THE task of exhuming the bodies of around 400 Australian and British soldiers from pits dug during World War One near Fromelles in northern France will soon start.

Whilst the Fromelles website offers details of the battle and also the work being done to trace the families of those soldiers buried, there is also an often updated blog following the progress of the exhumation.

Recent stories mention the installation of temporary buildings and power cables so that work can be undertaken on site, and how media relations are being handled by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Related article: Website for Fromelles war dead

France's forgotten concentration camps on Radio 4

A VERY interesting half hour of radio about the concentration camps built in the Pyrénées-Orientales during the Spanish Civil War is to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

France's Forgotten Concentration Camps will look at what was called La Retirada which saw thousands of people kept in make shift camps on the beaches of southern France.

At first Spaniards were kept locked up but then Jews, gypsies, Algerians and other groups were forced to live in shelters, with some living in holes dug in the sand.

The programme will be broadcast on Monday, May 4 at 8pm UK time.

Round up of news stories from France

Hadopi à l'Assemblée: une vraie pièce de théâtre! by LePostfr

IF you have had a busy week then catch up with some of the main news headlines from France over the past few days.

The battle over internet snooping by the authorities to catch illegal downloading is back in Parliament, plus more bad news for car manufacturers and has the father of Rachida Dati's baby been named?

Conservative party target UK expats

ON June 4 European Elections will be held in the UK and the Conservative party is looking to target the UK's five million expats in an attempt to ensure they cast their vote.

It will be the first time that Gordon Brown has faced the ballot box, and considering recent events things could get pretty interesting.

The Conservatives Abroad website is currently pressing people to ensure that registration forms to vote are in by Tuesday, May 19.