The French acknowledge: we're the rudest
France is a major tourist attraction. The fact that many tourists believe the Frencgh are among the rudest people on earth can't change that. But there's good news: for the first time, the French officially acknowledge they're rude. Situation is worst in Paris and other big cities.
According to the Glasgow Daily Record a French highly reknowned specialist in tourism published a report, saying the French are way to arrogant. As a high placed tourism official in Paris states: some French refuse to speak English, even if they can speak the language, whereas the Spanish start to use sign language if they don't speak foreign languages.
Posted by Peter at 07:16 AM [2 reactions]
Young woman nearly dead attack on bus
After several busses in paris, now a bus in marseille has been attacked and burned by youngsters, according to Lib�ration. The difference: in paris all passengers could escape. In Marseille, a 26 year old woman got severe injuries. 60 percent of her skin was burned. Docters were not sure if she will survive.
Angry bus drivers in Marseille went on strike all sunday to protest against violence. Le Figaro reports president Chirac has promised family of the victim that everything shall be done to find and punish the guilty guys.
Posted by Peter at 07:00 AM [What do you think?]
Take your umbrella and walk to the nearest plane
L'Express has a story about a new aeroport in Marseille. Marseille-Provence 2 (or MP2 in Fast French) will be the first 'aerostation' that only houses lowcost carriers. The aeroport is lowcost itself, too. So for exemple, there are no gates to the planes. At boarding time, you just walk outside and find the stairs to the nearest plane. So don't forget your umbrella...
MP2 will be the French headquarters of Ryanair. It has flights to Francfort, London, Glasgow, Oslo, Madrid and Eindhoven, among others.
By the way, the aeroport isn't exactly new. What really happened, is that the French refurbished an old freight terminal. But hey, who cares? Remember MP2 is the first aerostation for lowcost carriers in Europe. The French nation can be proud, once again.
Posted by Peter at 07:15 AM [What do you think?]
France doesn't get much more pollution
France is in control of air pollution. That's the conclusion of the national environmental agency, Ifen. In the last 4 years, the ouput of gas that adds to global warming has not increased. Neither has the output of car gas. Even the amount of used car fuel has not increased, thanks to cleaner cars and slower driving.
Isn't there anything to complain then? Of course there is. the cities are still growing. So natural landscapes are attacked and animals are threatened.
If you want to know every detail, you may buy the report at 35 euro. If you're less fact hungry, you may have an outline for free. It's unline, so it's environment-friendly. Is it really? How much power does a computer uses while you're reading 26 pages?
Posted by Peter at 07:01 AM [What do you think?]
Sales 'night': Paris finds an idea in London
Even in a metropolis like Paris, life is a bit calmer in january. According to the Nouvel Observateur the city council and the tourist office would like to change that.
So they looked in London and found a sales night being a huge success. Now the huge department stores in Paris already used to celebrate the start of the sales period with a sales night. However, especially the smaller shops are can add to the liveliness of a city. They're politely asked to participate om january 18th.
But even if they do so, just don't go shopping in the middle of the night. The city of paris just aks shop owners to stay open till 10.00 pm.
Posted by Peter at 07:17 AM [What do you think?]
Forum down
Because of a major upgrade the forum will not be available for some time today.
Update 20.00: The forum can be read again. However, some technical problems prevent from posting, replying and registering. We're doing our best...
Update october 10th, 12.00:The forum is working fine again, thanks to the technical support of Hans and Thoul.
Posted by Peter at 11:53 AM [2 reactions]
Enough: kill the mosquitos
Yellow planes flying low on Corsica usually indicates forest fires. Now small planes are used to fight another problem: mosquitos. Due to the favourable weather conditions this year, the north of Corsica has four times more mosquitos then usual. Especially the eastern plain and Bastia are suffering from the gnats.
France 3 television reports the regional board of North Corsica has sent a crew of 30 people with cars and planes to spray poison. Main concern is the risk the mosquitos may carry diseases.
Posted by Peter at 07:06 AM [What do you think?]
A gay wedding, may be, but stealing is still not allowed
Some things never change. What may change is the opportunity for gay people in France to get married. Two gentlemen, Bertrand Charpentier et Stéphane Chapin, found a mair to marry them in the Bordeaux area two years ago. A judge has declared this marriage to be void, but the French Supreme Court still must decide.
What doesn't change however, is that stealing is not allowed, not even to pay for your wedding party, not even if you're the first gay couple to get married. L'Express reports Bertrand Charpentier et Stéphane Chapin were found guilty of stealing cheques from their high-aged landlord and cashing 4.000 euro on these cheques.
Posted by Peter at 07:12 AM [What do you think?]
At least twelve killed in railway accident
At least twelve people have died in a railway accident, the French media including the TF1 tv station report. Just south of the border with Luxembourg, a passenger train heading for Nancy crashed into an freight train in the opposite direction.
Both train drivers and a railroad worker were killed. The identity of the other victims is unknown. According to the French railroad company SNCF, the driver of the freight train had a green light to go on. On the spot of the accident only one track was available.
Update 13-10-2006: Twelve killed? France 2 Broadcasting reports all victims are counted now: there are 'only' six people killedd in the accident.
Posted by Peter at 05:59 PM [What do you think?]
Smoking prohibited in pubs and restaurants
France is going to forbid smoking in all public builidings. They start in schools, shops and so on next february. Starting 2008, january 1st, Smoking will be prohibitted too in pubs, restaurants and dancings.
If an owner wants to welcome smokers, he has to build special smoke rooms. Staff is not allowed to serve over there. Guests who want to smoke must leave their company.
Offending owners will be fined 150 euro each time, offending smokers 75 euro. the French government estimates they will earn 100 million euro this way. The money will be used to help people stop smoking and to develope new medicines.
Posted by Peter at 07:00 AM [9 reactions]
Modern art, from Renault
Being a self respecting car builder, you have to do something to make clear your vehicles are a true value for culture. The easy way is to build a museum with your old cars, like Peugeot did in Montbeliard (as mentioned before).
However, as good as these cars were, nowadays they give a little outdated image of your valuable mark name. You want to be modern, flashy, ultra-technical. So Renault did something different. At the famous Champs Elysées in in fashion city Paris it opened an 'Atelier' that's more then just a showroom filled with cars. In the Atelier Renault, Renault is the patron of modern arts. Don't complain that the current exhibition is plainly named after Renaults car Scenic, without any ecuse. Just enjoy the works, with a lot of industrial subjects.
By the way, the name 'modern art' shouldn't be taken to literal. Some of these workes were made decades ago...
Posted by Peter at 07:20 AM [3 reactions]
Amazing toilets...
Wondering if squat toilets are the most amazing toilets in the world? well, they may not be sophisticated, but the idea is very old. More amazing, according to writer Morna E. Gregory and photographer Sian James is a moving urinal in Japan, that makes it difficult to aim...
The toilet is in their book Toilets of the World, a title that says it all.
The idea is not original. For over several years now, Bob Cromwell has a website with pictures of toilets from all over the world. But then again, it's easier to take a book with you to the toilets in order to sit and read...
Posted by Peter at 07:13 AM [2 reactions]
Tignes ski resort plays a bit dirty
Well, winter just started. At least, so they claim in the ski resort of Tignes according to the France 3 tv station. Since a few days, everybody may ski the slopes.
However, Tignes plays a trick that's a bit dirty. The only slopes opened are the ones on the Grande Motte glacier. ow these slopes are open even in summer. And just like in summer, you have to be early. Because of the warm weather, the lifts already close at three o'clock.
Butr if you can't wait for the real winter, there are 12 miles of ski slopes waiting for you. And if you feel like doing something more after three o'clock, your ski pass gives free entrance to the swimming pool too.
Posted by Peter at 07:14 AM [What do you think?]
One wine farmer still is a tradional craftsman
he wine industry is a modern business. Everything is handled by machines and the corks are made of plastic these days. Isn't there anything sacred anymore?
TV-station TF3 searched for the last craftsman in wine and found Laurent Habrard in a tiny village north of Valence. Now the grape harvest is ready, he takes of his shoes and staps barefooted on his grapes to press them. Why? Well eh, just because his father and his grand-father did so too.
Posted by Peter at 07:13 AM [4 reactions]
