SHE was beyond elegant. Immaculately coiffed, exquisitely tailored, equally prêt for shopping on the Champs Elysee, or a stroll through the Bois du Bologne, writes Christopher Strong.
Her dancer’s body arcing delicate, repetitive motions with effortless grace. As I crossed the courtyard, our eyes met.
IF you enjoy a crossword and want to improve your French vocabulary skills, then here is another chance to try out your skills.
The latest French language crossword, created by Beverley Dinerstein, is based on words relating to the family and hopefully will offer up a challenge.
You can download a two page .pdf file offering up the quiz and with the answers at the foot of page two.
THE weather here in the Dordogne has taken a real wintery turn in the past couple of days, so the wood burners are fired up and smoke is rising from many chimneys.
Stocks of logs are being whittled away and the job of keeping the home fires burning falls upon the shoulders of who ever is nearest the fire.
I HAVE just called the English language helpline offered by France Telecom and been informed that that it is now reachable via a new number.
The number is 09 69 36 39 00, although the call is no longer free and is charged at a so-called ‘standard rate’ which I’ve tried to source but drawn a blank.
The France Telecom Contact Us page provides details of the number you can call in France, as well as how to call if you are outside the country, +33 (0)9 69 36 39 00.
France Telecom has also swapped the options around, so the first one is for technical questions about your telephone and internet access, whilst the second is for account queries and setting up a line.
France Telecom’s English-language helpline is open Monday to Friday, between 9am and 5pm.
Update (26/11/09): Thanks to Geoff in the comments another telephone number is available enabling you to contact the English language service from France Telecom for free – 01.55.78.60.56
A COLLECTION of photographs from the past few weeks, taken in sight of the church at Loubejac (map).
THE fight to reinstate benefits to Britons living in other EU countries and Switzerland continues.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) still refuses to reinstate disability allowances, withdrawn when claimants who made legitimate moves to live in other EEA Member states, but campaigners are making steady progress.
Here Tina Hamilton provides an update on where the campaign now stands:
Although some progress appears to have been made in the case of exportable benefits, insomuch that a handful of claimants have received appeal submissions from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), hundreds more are still being subjected to delays and procrastination from the exportability team, based in Blackpool.
WHAT preparations do you have to make, and what pitfalls do you need to look out for, if heading out on a cycling tour of France?
IF you are a regular internet user then there is a good chance you will have heard of Twitter.
Even if you are not then it made the headlines recently in helping The Guardian break a gagging order that restricted it reporting on a parliamentary question.
One of the most popular ways that people use Twitter is through a piece of software called TweetDeck as it makes it easier to follow the messages of friends and keep up to date with news stories.
IF you need to end an internet contract or maybe write a letter of complaint about a service, then more than 100 letter templates are available on the Institut national de la consommation website.
The letters will help you resolve disputes and are grouped by topics such as insurance, banking, internet and money, they are free to copy and paste into whatever office software you use or just to email direct.
You can narrow down your search by clicking on the options in the left hand column, there are tick boxes for different services such as banking, insurance and internet services.
It is also possible to get sample letters in French for business purposes or if you are involved in an association.
Each letter provides an explanation of how it can be used, then you need to update name and date fields and it is usually wise to send correspondence by registered post, or lettre recommandée.
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.