This French Life

Ullrich and Basso out of Tour

LOOK at that, I write just yesterday that this weekend is going to be a great time for French sport and the Tour de France self-destructs.

The credibility of the competition has been shattered with the news this morning that pre-race favourites Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso are out of the race.

Putting a village on the web

MANY holiday home owners will help each other out so, for example, if one property is full they will pass on the potential customer to another owner nearby.

And naturally this offer of a helping hand is returned in a variety of different, but one village in France has taken it a step further.

A picture that stirs deep emotion

A RECENT addition to the This French Life Flickr photo album is this picture of the American World War Two memorial at St James, in Normandy.

Taken by threejumps in 1988 it shows his daughter stood in the cemetery on a hot August day.

As the family walked around the headstones they were moved by the sight of brothers, including two sets of twins, buried side by side.

Weekend of sporting fun

IT is set to be a busy sporting weekend in France with the quarter final against Brazil in the World Cup and the start of le Tour.

Saturday will see France take on Brazil in a repeat of the 1998 final that les Bleus went on to win 3 – 0, thanks to a couple of goals from Zinédine Zidane.

Avignon route from Eurostar

EUROSTAR begins its popular rail service to Avignon on July 8, offering travellers the chance to reach the south of France from just £99 return.

The high-speed train takes a little over six hours from London and gives passengers a chance to begin their holiday en route.

French health care best in EU

A PATIENT research group has said the French health system provides its citizens with the best care and support in Europe.

A report from the Health Consumer Powerhouse group claims France, as well as the Netherlands and Germany, came top as the countries who provide the most patient-friendly services.

Can you help Mike and Rion?

I HAVE been following the story of Mike and Rion, two New Yorkers, who moved to Paris in the past few months and their tales of life in the city.

Well they have hit a brick wall of French bureaucracy over setting up a postal address, Rion writes:

Every morning I wake up to a fresh new day in Paris. And everyday I’m excited to do so… But I do this knowing that everyday is going to be about trying to execute the same three things over and over again. More >>

TF1 buy into community website

FRENCH television channel TF1 has launched a new website that allows people to build their own pages and post words, music and video.

But intriguingly TF1 has said the site will form the basis of a new channel that will allow people to create their own programmes, and see themed shows being made available online.

de Villepin turns back on top job

ALTHOUGH in reality he stood little chance after recent events, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin has said he is not interested in running for President.

He told a regular monthly news conference, "I have no presidential ambitions."

Taking in France on the web

WITH France slowly drifting into holiday mode the Telegraph’s correspondent Colin Randall offers some tips on travelling through France.

If you are heading to the south of France from the UK it is quite a challenge to do it without an overnight stop – so he says make an adventure of it.