Provence in December

Slow down? What, us?
You have to hand it to the Union pour la Democratie Francaise (UDF). With just thirty French MPs, their annual congress does not rate many column inches in the national press, except that is, when they lead the opposition to a highly unpopular government measure. The UDF ridiculed government attempts to reduce the speed limit on autoroutes from 130 kph to 115 kph in order to reduce oil consumption...
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Possession is Nine Points of the Law
A UK driver who removed all the wires connecting his radar detector but left the device attached to his dashboard still received a large fine levied by the French police. They also ripped out the device, because simply being in possession of it is illegal in France.

 A chilling tale

The story of how the wine from Champagne became le champagne is much told and familiar.

How the World’s Most Glamorous Wine Triumphed over War and Hard Times by Don & Petie Kladstrup, William Morrow, 2005.

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That's not a bag, that's packaging
UMP deputy Laurent Wauquiez surprised the national assembly by supporting the proposed ban on plastic bags from 2010, because 5,000 of his constituents are employed in the industry. It turns out, however, that Wauquiez simply advocates a ban on non-biogradable bags given away in hypermarkets, which are made elsewhere in France. He wants plastic packaging, much of which is made in his constituency in the Haute-Loire, to be exempt from the new measure.

Christmas in Provence

Discover the intriguing traditions of a Provençal Christmas  Sainte Barbe Christmas Crèche Santons Veillées Calendales 13 Desserts Midnight Mass Pastoral plays

You could save up to 12.5% in 2006