This French Life

Author: Craig McGinty

  • Looking forward on the coming year – part 2

    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
    Richard Stewart2009 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
    Beryl-brennanPersonally 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
    Anna FillIt 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
    Coral-lukeI 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

  • That was the year 2008 that was

    Robert Luc

    Robert Luc takes a group around the streets of la Croix-Rousse, Lyon.

    WITH the year drawing to a close, and 2009 just around the corner, I thought I would take a look through the archives to re-visit stories from the past 12 months.

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  • Visit France in winter through Flickr

    IF you are out and about in France this Christmas don’t forget to keep your camera close at hand just in case you cross a lovely winter scene.

    The This French Life Flickr pool has had some new additions in recent days and you can take a browse around, as well as discover more about the photographers behind the pics.

    A basic account with Flickr is free, and it’s an easy way to display your favourite photographs to friends and family, but if you explore some of the photos posted by others you can discover many hidden corners of France.

  • Offer a helping hand to charities in France

    Chaities-franceAT this time of year many people look back over the past 12 months and begin to think about the changes they might want to make in the future.

    If one of these changes is to get involved more within the local community, or to pass on your knowledge to groups and associations here are a few ideas.

    I have collected together a number of charitable organisation that I’ve written about in the past, who look to work with both English speakers and French, so that you can discover more about their work.

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  • Bumper Christmas quiz for winter nights

    Winter in FranceWITH a dash of festive cheer, Andrew Whittaker, who compiled the book Speak the Culture: France, has created a double whammy of French quiz questions.

    So alongside some teasing challenges about all things France, there are some with a taste of Christmas thrown in, so we have a bit of Père Noël alongside Edith Piaf.

    The list of questions is below, alongside a .pdf that you can print off and take away with you, and feel free to hand them out at a get-together or similar event.

    Plus there are many more questions to tackle in the French quiz archive.

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  • Christmas gifts for lovers of France

    French ChristmasIF you are wondering what to get this Christmas for someone who enjoys all things France, then take a look over what others have been buying.

    I have compiled a list of the most popular items that have been bought through the This French Life Shop on Amazon, including books, music and kitchenware.

    Here is a list of books, from guides to life in France and stories from others, as well as items to put in the home and as always if you buy items through these links it earns the site a small commission and doesn’t cost you any extra.

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  • Inheritance tax fight taken to Europe

    Elspeth AttwoollTHE inheritance tax problems faced by same-sex couples registered in a civil partnership from outside France are to be raised in the European Parliament.

    Scottish Liberal Democrat MEP Elspeth Attwooll has joined a number of colleagues in launching a Written Declaration (number 0076/2008) in the European Parliament to urge the Commission to draw up guidelines for mutual recognition between Member States.

    While the UK recognises the French equivalent of its own civil partnership, the pacte civil de solidarité (PACS), the reverse is not the case.

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  • Possible tax changes for gite owners

    Coins1803A CHANGE to the way tax is calculated on those running a gite accommodation business is slowly progressing through the French parliament.

    Here regular contributor to the site, lawyer Guillaume Barlet, takes a look at the possible implications for those who are considered to operate a location en meublé professionnel or non professionnel.

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  • When Paris flat hunting drives you ‘in Seine’

    Going in SeinePARIS, the City of Lights, can inspire and thrill, as well as make people do the craziest of things at the drop of a hat.

    And Maria Anton is one such person, as she was inspired to write a book about her adventures in buying a small flat that all started during a mobile phone conversation whilst in the toilet.

    “I was in Paris visiting my daughter, Nikki, walking around the shops when I just had to go to the toilet, so we dived into a small bar and I rushed off to the smallest room,” Maria said.

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  • The danger of ticks and Lyme disease

    Bluefrenchlifeblock03040IF there is one thing that will make your skin crawl it’s discovering a tick either on yourself or your pets.

    The BBC website highlights the experiences of one man who turned to the internet to find out why he was feeling unwell, and after asking for tests it turned out he had the tick borne Lyme disease.

    For people living in the French countryside for the first time, learning how to stay clear of ticks and safely unhook them from your skin is an important skill to have.

    Because not only can they pass on Lyme disease, which can see people suffer flu-like symptoms for a long period of time, tick bites can lead to the death of your pets if not treated.

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