This French Life

Warning over influence of sects

AN official report has charged organisations such as the Church of Scientology with infiltrating the troubled suburbs of French cities.

Sects and cult-like organisations are watched by an official body, MIVILUDES, and in a recently published report highlighted three main areas of concern.

Tax advice in the Dordogne

IF you are scratching your head when it comes to understanding the French tax system, the Dordogne authorities are opening their doors once again.

Officials from the Direction des services fiscaux are to hold two English-language presentations, in the morning and afternoon, on May 5.

French TV archives online

WITHIN a day or so of each other the BBC and French television opened up their archives on the internet, with differing degrees of success.

The BBC’s programme catalogue unfortunately only has written details of shows and news items, no actual clips to watch.

Slow move towards smoking ban

I RECENTLY spent a weekend in Cork, where smoking in pubs and bars is banned, and could see the advantages of the ban and most of Europe seems to be following suit.

Scotland joined Ireland recently with a similar ban, and England is set to do the same next year, but Jacques Chirac is not rushing to bring in such measures in France.

The Cyberbudget challenge

THE French government has taken a novel approach to try and find a solution to the country's financial challenges.

Budget Minister Jean-Francois Cope has launched an online Cyberbudget game that will allow people to balance the books.

Top Gear exits Paris car park...

...with great difficulty.

Keep ticks at bay

A CAMPAIGN has been launched across Europe to raise awareness of the danger to humans of tick borne diseases.

Many people who head to France know that their pets face real danger if bitten by a tick, but few know that the bugs can cause terrible illness to them as well.

Buying a French farm

THE possibility of working within French agriculture is an attractive proposition for many British farmers.

Farming in France is seen as a vitally important part of the economy even though the numbers actually working in the sector are falling.

Nettles, wine and markets

IF nettles plague your garden then fight back by turning them into a soup.

That is the recipe on offer today from Chocolate and Zucchini and this most dangerous of plants is soon tamed with some onions, pepper and a blender.

The Impressionists on the BBC

FANS of Monet, Dagas and Renoir are in for a treat next Sunday as a three-part drama on their lives begins on BBC One.

The Impressionists will provide an insight into the rivalries, the romance and the struggle for recognition the group experienced when their paintings shocked the art world.