France to cut restaurant prices from July 1st (maybe)

kitchen
Originally uploaded by malias.

From July 1st 2009 TVA (VAT) in restaurants in France will drop from 19.6% to as low as 5.5%. The cut was agreed with EU finance ministers back in April in order to kick start trade in the sluggish restaurant industry.

In theory this cut should be passed on directly to the consumers whether cafes and restaurants do this in practice remains to be seen.

Certainly there is a feeling that restaurant prices in Paris are too high maybe this cut will start bringing customers back to the tables.

Tefl Courses in France

Jon Davies
Originally uploaded by malias.

If you've recently lost your job as a result of the financial crisis or you are fed up with your current position and are looking for a new direction, then you might like to consider English language teaching (TEFL) as an option. It's a challenging career and one in which you can work almost anywhere in the world.

For those wishing to embark on such a career it's advisable to get yourself a certificate in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) first. These are intensive four week courses providing you with theory and great deal of classroom practice to prepare you for life as a TEFL teacher.

If you're interesested in getting your TEFL certificate in France then I would highly recommend studying at a new school just opening up in Toulouse Tefltoulouse. The Director of TEFL Toulouse is Jonathan Davies a friendly Brit with many years of teacher training experience in Spain and France before opening up his own training school in Toulouse.

La Nuit de Musees

Saturday 17th May 2008 is la nuit de musees (night of Museums). This is a 24 hour event mainly in France but several other European countries are taking part where the museums are open late into the night. Entry is free and many museums are putting on guided tours and special events just for the occasion. One such event is a video projection in the gardens of the Rodin museum but there are many to choose from.

In Paris and the Ile de France area 133 museums and galleries are taking part. Full details found on the website nuitdesmusees.culture.fr/

So if the bars are noisy and smell on Saturday night make your excuses and go feast your eyes on a Renoir or a Da Vinci. It's never too late for a bit of culture.

The Paris Project

Like This
Originally uploaded by malias.

Here is a new project that you might like to participate in. You will need to be in Paris and have access to a digital camera or a mobile phone with a video function. Go to you favourite place in Paris and film yourself saying 'Welcome to Paris' in your own language then film what's around you.

To see the film and for more information follow this link The Paris Project the video is also on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fF3MVYYdEtA try guessing the languages and the locations.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Strikes in France

velib girls
Originally uploaded by malias.

The two things that can impede your life in France more than anything else are the bureaucracy and the strikes. I’ve already grumbled at some length about bureaucracy. As for strikes October has been a prime month.

Earlier this month France was paralysed by a strike caused by 8 transport unions over changes to pension rules. Most of the SNCF network was down and in Paris the Metro ground to a virtual standstill. It was practically impossible to get anywhere even the Velibs were all taken. Most people had to either stay at home or trudge long distances on foot.

At the moment some workers in the public sector can retire as early as 50 which the government believes is economically unsustainable. Air France flight staff have also been on strike this week causing chaos at the airports. More transport strikes are planned for November.

The bicycle industry seems to be the one growth sector in France.

Paris Free Museum Day

Watching the People watching the Pictures
Originally uploaded by malias.

Every regular visitor to Paris knows that all the national museums are free on the first Sunday of each month. So this includes all the major galleries such as Musee d' Orsay, the Orangerie, Musee Picasso and the Louvre amongst others.

Unfortunately, this means that that the places get clogged up with art deprived tourists and frugal locals. I know that it would be so much easier just to pay the 7 or 10 Euros entry fee and enjoy a more pleasent, stress free visit but sometimes you just get caught up in the momentum. So you ended up straining your neck and standing on tiptoes to peer over a crowd on the off-chance of getting a glimpse of the arse of one of Rodin's statues.

However there is a principle at stake too. In London all the major museums are free. It is believed that the great works of art should accessible to everybody rich and poor and not jut the culture loving middle classes.

Furthermore, much of the work in the Louvre was. shall we say, acquired under dubious circumstances. It seems odd that a Greek or an Egyptian should have to pay to gain acces to view works of antiquity taken from their own countries.

Sarkozy has stated that he would like to make the national museums free in France. I hope he does this before I do myself an injury.

Trying to be interesting

"I TOLD YOU NO PHOTOS!!"
Originally uploaded by malias.

I'm not much of a writer but I do like to put pen to paper (or is it fingers to keyboard) whenever I have a free moment.

I've always had an interest in history and with this in mind I've added a new section the website I'm involved in. I was looking for a theme and in I decided on two things. Firstly, there must be a connection (no matter how vague) to Paris, France or the French language (as it's a Paris based website) and secondly it must be interesting.

So far I've compiled 5 tales plus one page about franglais.

So if you want to see the first film ever made and learn about its filmaker, Louis Le Prince and how he mysteriously disappeared.

Or, how the British poisoned Napoleon

Or how it was the English who invented Champagne

Or how a Bohemian con man sold the Eiffel tower.

Or find out about the history of absinthe and how it got banned around the world

Then follow this link. Interesting, very interesting

Bastille Day Paris

Demonstration Paris
Originally uploaded by malias.

Am I right in thinking that France is the last county in Europe to hold a giant military parade on its Fête Nationale (national day) every 14th of July. It reminds me of those black and white images of Stalin waving from the balcony of. Lenin’s Tomb during May Day military parades in the Soviet Union.

The rest of the world seems to have moved on but not France. This time Sarkozy invited soldiers from France's 26 EU allies to take part in the parade.

There were even soldiers from Luxembourg here which is a very small country.

So my question is; who's defending Luxembourg?

If Eiffel In Love With You

If Eiffel In Love With You
Originally uploaded by malias.

I've been in Paris 4 years and I still haven't been up the Eiffel Tower. Last Saturday afternoon with time on my hand I wandered West to the Champ des Mars with half a mind of doing just that. However, when I say the queues which stretched around 100 metres beneath the base of the tower I soon put that plan to rest. Getting to the front of the queue would have taken something like 2 1/2 hours. And once at the top would it be worth it. After all, from the summit you can't see Paris's most famous monument - the Eiffel Tower itself. You're better of climbing the Montparnasse Tower.

I had my camera with me and I wondered whether it would be possible, in any way, to take an original photo of this, probably the most photographed monument in the world. The answer is, no, it isn't possible. At least not for me.

Fete de la Musique Paris

place De Vosges
Originally uploaded by malias.

So today 21st June is the longest day. Make the most of this long summer evening because from now on it's a downward spiral to the dark, cold, wet winters just around the corner.

Here in Paris and elsewhere in France it is celebrated with the Fete de la musique a 24 hour music festival which takes place all over the city. The events are free and a great way to spend the day is to wonder around the city from place to place enjoying a taste of a wide range of music on offer. A timetable of events is available on the website.

Paris Outlaws Snacking

Walking along a Paris street the other day I spotted this.

At the bottom of this ad for a hamburger there is a government health reading which reads Pour votre santé, évitez de grignoter entre les repas. http://www.mangerbouger.fr/ Which translates as; Don't snack between meals it's bad for your health.

First they informed us that smoking was a killer, then they encouraged us to practise safe sex and drink less alcohol all with good reason. Now it's snacking. But perhaps this is a warning too far.

Does the French government really need to tell us when we can and can't eat a croisssant or a pain au chocolat? I realize that obesity is a serious problem but some things should be beyond the realm of state intereference. Surely it should be left to the parents and the schools to educate the young on how to eat properly. I can't see this having any positive effect at all.

And what will the next warning be about? "Take a shower at least 3 times a week or else you'll smell", "Watching reality TV will turn your brain to mush", "Mixing strips and checks is a bad fashion combination".

Let's wait and see.

French Election Posters or Are They?

Election Posters
Originally uploaded by malias.

I spotted this collage of election posters on rue Oberkampf (75011 Paris) . From a distance it looks just like a jumbled up bunch of images but if you look closer you see that the posters have been subtly doctored to create grotesque characatures of the candidates. It's very funny. The artist is Gil Bensmana.

It really makes the candidates look ridiculous. But then again don't they anyway?

The French Elections Round One

So the first round of elections is over and Sego and Sarko will battle it out for the presidency in two weeks' time. I was happy to see that the vote of the National Front was significantly down on last time. Elsewhere, the Communist Party who covered my neighbourhood of Paris with about a million posters got around 1% of the vote. José Bové has his HQ just across the road from me. His slogan is "Osez Bové?" (dare you go for Bové?) well, actually, no they didn't dare. He got about 1% too.

France, The Big Question

eggs
Originally uploaded by malias.

Everyone in France is talking about it. In the streets of Paris and in its bars and restaurants they discuss it in hushed murmurs. The left and the right, the young and the old alike. Way beyond the shores of this nation there are so many who want to know. Today and for some time the same big, big question has been on everybody's lips.

Why do the leave boiled eggs on the counters in French cafes?

Election Fever in Paris

So tomorrow the French go to the polls to cast their votes. Great swathes of rouge cover my quartier - this is certainly Royal territory they have even set up some tents in the street, with music playing, nibbles and flowers for sympathetic passers by. They are in an ebullient mode. But will they win?

Not so sure.

Bureaucracy in France

One of the shocks for an Englishman moving to Paris is amount of everyday paperwork and bureaucracy you have to face. from popping into the post office or trying to open a business it's a real burden.

Whereas opening a bank account is relatively straightforward in the UK here it can take months. I've been turned for a bank account several time in Paris because:
"You are out of our geographical zone" I lived 5 minutes away by Metro.
"We only accept, applications from people invited by other customers" why?
"We are going on holiday, please could you come back in September" This was in July.
Even when they say yes, it's not that simple. The amount of paperwork you have to produce is really annoying. And there seems to be some unwritten law that whatever, information you provide for them there is always one bit of paper that is missing.
"Did you bring your passport", "yes"
"recent electriciy bill","yes"
"recent telephone bill", "yes"
"letter from landlord", "yes"
"contract from employer", "yes"
"Astrological chart of your ancestors stretching back to the 17th Century", "huh?"
"Oh dear, I'm afraid......"

And then the fees that they charge.........but that's another story.

Crudite au Thon

Crudite au Thon
Originally uploaded by Refracted Moments™.

Paris boulangeries are wonderful places the quality and range of bread and pastries is amazing. However, one small gripe I have is that sometimes hygiene leaves a little bit to be desired. In London it's customary to wear gloves when touching food but this isn't always the case here.

The other day, finding myself a little peckish I popped into a Paris bakery to pick up a filled baguette for lunch. The greasy man with the moustache behind the counter several sizes too big for his Ohio state University t-shirt took my order. I asked for a crudité au thon The precise filling of the sandwiches on offer were not evident from the outside nor were they labelled correctly. So he opened up the baguettes with his grubby hands and manually inspected the crevices of the bread for signs of Tuna.

Exasperated I said in my best French "Is it really necessary to touch the food with your hands?" To which he replied.

"Who the hell do you think you are Howard f***ing Hughes?"

Alright I made the last bit up actually he just stared at me and grunted something incomprehensible.

Sometimes when things look too good to be true that's because they are.