Catch up on the news in France

IF you have been out and about enjoying the sunshine and preparing for the summer holidays, here is a quick round up of what's been making the news in the past week.

From eBay getting a bit of a beating in the courts to rosé wine making a comeback; businesses support in London for those heading to the Languedoc and Paris being a little older than first thought, much has been happening.

In the French heartland, the franc lives on: IHT
This isolated village has decided to accept the French franc in everyday commerce, along with the euro.

Court fines eBay over fake goods: BBC
A French court orders eBay to pay 40 million euros in damages to luxury goods group LVMH for allowing the sale of fake goods.

Thousands Protest in Paris Against Iran : NPR
An Iranian opposition group holds a mass rally in Paris on Saturday to demonstrate against the Islamist government in Tehran.

Producers in the pink as 'youthful' rosé becomes a French fashion: The Independent
Rosé, once the mocked poor relation of French vineyards, has overtaken white wine in volume of sales in France for the first time.

Cylopedia: cycling in France with a satnav - Telegraph
Cyclopedia covers a 40-mile (65km) stretch of riverside cycle path centred on Angers, part of the “Loire à Velo” cycle route.

Sarkozy irks female MPs with gift: BBC
Nicolas Sarkozy's office sent a sleek black case to all MPs, male and female, including a pale grey tie.

Dig shows Paris is 3,000 years older than first thought: The Independent
An archaeological dig moves back Paris's first known human occupation to about 7600BC.

Languedoc opens London office: The Connexion
Languedoc-Rousillon is the only French region to establish bases internationally and the London office is the fourth after others in Brussels, Milan and Shanghai.

Ed Ewing goes star-gazing in Provence: guardian.co.uk
I put my eye to the telescope, a fat barrel of a thing fixed on a tripod embedded in concrete, and suddenly I'm floating above the craters and plains of our nearest neighbour.

Midsummer night for French consumers: Expatica
Official figures published on Thursday pointed to a nation of consumers in ever-deepening gloom about living standards, financial prospects, savings and inflation.