From SuperFrenchie, via A View from Ivry!

Let’s just hope hospital workers don’t go on strike.

The Conseil Constitionnel (the “neuf Sages“) has just given its judgment: the CPE is totally legal.
It’s a court that decides on the constitutionality of laws. Only a few people can apply to it for a decision– the President of France, the Prime Minister, the heads of the Senate and Assembly, and since 1974, also 60 […]

Traditionally towards the end of March, the water level of the river Seine starts rising. Well, it is happening right now as you can see in this shot. Passers by can still walk down the embankment, but at their own risk of being splashed! Pretty soon they are also going to close the road […]

I’ve been learning WHO to call in case of an emergency. In France, for some reason, there is more than one emergency number. When you are panicked, who has time to remember them all?
15 - Paramedics
17 - Police
18 - Firefighters
The difficulty is knowing who to call to do what. Let’s say you witness a […]

Sunday was the first real day of Spring. It was balmy and with the time change it was still light at 8pm. I had my apéro on the balcony and all up and down the street neighbors were doing the same. Everyone had opened their windows and you could see little evening scenes playing themselves […]

C’est La Me articulates one of the peculiar benefits of expat life on her blog: the ability to get away with fashion crimes:
I bought a pair of aviatorish/slightly mirrored (only slightly, I promise)/eurotrash sunglasses. I couldn’t help myself. In defense of the French, I think it was mostly the Italian influence. There are so many […]

L and I have been on our tea trails again, this is a place that we have been meaning to visit for ages. Every time we seem to go for a wander to find somewhere new it rains and the skies are grey. Yesterday was no exception. The miserable time when the weather is […]

When Anaïs and I decided to give blood, it wan’t out of any philanthropic instinct, but because her mother was raving about it.
“You have the most wonderful high afterwards.” It is 1 in the morning and Olga is holding court in her kitchen. She takes a drag on a cigarette and says, “When we […]

Last night I squeezed myself into the packed salle for Erotikon, one of the 5 monthly parties exploring the erotic and its effect on art and culture. I would say it was a theatrical-intello crowd from 25 - 55 years old, a lack of noticeable sleazeballs and a good vibe. But it was busy, thoroughly […]