This French Life

Author: Craig McGinty

  • Handy compact calendar for France

    Compact-calendar IF you have need of an ultra lightweight calendar that is displayed on one sheet of A4 paper with plenty of room for notes, then head over to designer David Seah’s website and read up on his compact calendar for 2011.

    For the past couple of years I’ve had a French version of the calendars up on the kitchen wall and it can prove very useful for noting official holidays and more importantly when it is likely businesses will faire le pont.

    There are now calendars from many different countries, just slide down the page on David’s site and you will see the French version.

    It is produced as a .pdf document you can print off as well as a spreadsheet in Excel, but also features official holidays and the school holiday periods for the different zones in France.

  • A Merry Christmas to you all

    This-french-life-three JUST a quick note to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.

    Plus a big thank you to everyone who keeps dropping in on This French Life and for all the great feedback I get from the site’s visitors.

    So take care and I’ll soon be back to living life the French way…

    – Craig

  • Dangerous goods caution for Christmas travellers

    The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is reminding anyone posting gifts by airmail, or travelling with presents on board an aircraft this Christmas, that certain items are prohibited for carriage by air.

    The CAA’s advice comes after incidents in the UK where people have posted potentially dangerous items either as gifts or as sale items from online auction sites, such as ebay. Recent cases include several attempts to post cigarette lighters, which have been responsible for numerous fires when carried improperly by air.

    via www.caa.co.uk

  • Stay safe when driving in winter

    Winterfrance2411AN icy blast has already caught out some drivers in France, with the Dordogne experiencing snowfalls and cities suffering freezing temperatures.

    This is not the time of year to be stuck on an isolated road in the heart of France with little in the way of protection.

    The simplest advice is to not travel if you know that bad weather is on the way. Keep an eye on local reports and check out the 24-hour Bison Futé traffic website.

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  • Review of The Camargue, Portrait of a Wilderness

    Camargue-wilderness-reviewFOR centuries man has attempted to control and master the Camargue, from the creation of vast salt pans to the promotion of modern day tourism.

    And it is many of these attempts that Edwin Mullins chronicles in his book The Camargue, Portrait of a Wilderness, as well as the rich stories and often violent history of a region that still excites and intrigues.

    Starting with the river Rhone that sets out from the Alps you are introduced to the Romans and the important role they played in establishing trade links and creating an infrastructure, evidence of which can still be seen today.

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  • Stroll through scenes of Loubejac


    USING the cool tools offered up by Animoto take a stroll around the countryside of Loubejac, here in south west France.

  • Offering support to UK Armed Forces from France

    Ssafe-forces-france
    THE Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen & Families Association (SSAFA) – Forces Help has been providing vital support to our servicemen and women and their families for 125 years, writes Lesley Blake.

    In 2009 SSAFA France, based in Castillonnès, assisted 81 families and 2010, which is SSAFA’s 125th Anniversary, is proving to be another busy year.

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  • Chestnut spitting comp marks Fête de la Châtaigne

    Chestnut-spitting
    IT is châtaigne time around the corner of south west France where I live, with people gathering in the nuts and popular fêtes set to take place.

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  • Giant puffball mushrooms – some as big as your head

    Puffball-mushroomsOUT on a narrow country road and what are those large white balls in a field?

    Stopping the car to get out we see they are puffball mushrooms – some as big as your head.

    The mushrooms had taken root in a circle on the edge of a field, with a second circle a little higher up the field towards the crest of the hill.

    Up close some of the mushrooms were really big, a good 30cms wide, and smaller ones would be gathered around a larger example.

    Thanks to a Wikipedia page on Giant puffball mushrooms I was able to read that they are edible in their current state – a broken one showed a solid, completely white interior.

    If you are sure you have a giant puffball mushroom one way to cook it is to begin by slicing it up into 1cm thick slices and fry with a knob of butter.

  • EcoCentre2 offers insights into green building

    Ecocentre-dordogne
    THERE were still a few rough corners to rub down, and even a floor to lay, but the EcoCentre2 opened its doors to visitors recently, showcasing ‘green’ building techniques and technologies.

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