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AT this time of year many people will enjoy eating a galette des rois, but if you buy one from a boulangerie just outside Caen you could be in for a surprise.

Baker Julien Vitrebert will place two tiny ingots of gold, worth €400 (£386) each, in two of his galettes over the coming weeks, quite a change from the usual plastic toy that sees the winner wear a paper crown.

So you can expect quite a queue outside Julien Vitrebert’s shop in Frénouville, and he has said he will be the only person who knows which two tarts will have the ingots, not even his wife will know.

CONTINUING the collection of short pieces from people who have featured on This French Life as they look forward to 2009 and ponder on what it will bring personally but also to France.

Richard Stewart, of Guide2PoitouCharentes
2009 could be the toughest year that many people will have faced, and I hope that the many British small businesses here in France are able to survive the current difficult trading conditions.

As a small business ourselves, we will be doing everything we can to help, by adapting our products and prices, and introducing innovations to our site that will benefit our clients and visitors.

For France, I hope that the country does not sell its soul in search of economic recovery. We all want changes that will help business, but not those that destroy the things that make this a great place to live.

Beryl Brennan, of Galgo News
Personally I’d like to see strict control of breeding, health care and living conditions for all dogs in Spain and Spanish Islands, in particular for my beloved galgos and podencos, the abolition of all forms of cruelty to these dogs and absolute enforcement of the laws which exist to protect them.

For France? Encouragement for small businesses such as is available in the UK, in the form of monetary grants, waiving of payment of taxes and social charges until the business gets some income, greatly reduced paperwork and bureaucracy, and a considerably reduced number of public service employees!

Anna Fill, of The Riviera Woman
It is all about the situation really. It appears the world has got itself into a bit of a mess. I think everyone knew it was coming (the crash) but didn’t know when and how it would affect us. Maybe it isn’t and won’t be all bad.

Perhaps all the one-up-man-ship will stop and people will believe in each other and in communication and working together. I started my website in 2008, The Riviera Woman to bring together mainly women, who wanted to be their own person but not feel isolated and alone and to feel that they could still feel encouraged and motivated even when all around is so hesitant.

I believe we all have a right to be different and unique and by working together, we actually form a unity that can make a difference no matter how small.

The Riviera is a good place to be. It is well positioned and has a beautiful landscape to admire. Contrary to its reputation, it is not excluded from the financial situation that is happening in the rest of the world… but I have discovered so many talented women who are eager to build new careers and voice their experiences.

We are all spread across the Rivieras of France and Italy but one thing unites us all… The Riviera Woman. This is my Constellation. Each one of us is like a little star sitting brightly alone far from the next but together form an luminous spectacle which has an amazing presence.

For 2009, I see The Riviera Woman growing stronger and brighter. We will all learn to network better, consider the needs of others and at the same time by being observant, be able to build new careers which is good for us, good for France and good for The Riviera Woman.

Coral Luke, of This French Life
I am involved in a project to start a French class for non French people around where I live.

We are proposing cultural talks on the way of life in France, nature walks, getting guest speakers to talk on a range of subjects and generally help people to integrate more by opening up possibilities for them.

I cannot see things getting much better regarding the economy in the near future. We have French friends who have been laid off work, those that have had their hours cut and had a month long holiday for Christmas and New Year.

The papers do not make for pleasant reading, but many people are now becoming more self sufficient which will be ecologically friendly.

Looking forward on the coming year – part 1