This French Life

Irish Ferries offer 40% saving on Rosslare to Cherbourg

IRISH Ferries has cut 40 per cent off fares to France with an autumn offer that sees fares start at €99 each way for a car plus two passengers with each additional passenger travelling from €30 each way.

Sailing from Rosslare to Cherbourg on the ferry Oscar Wilde the fare includes the provision of two reclining seats, with cabin accommodation available for a small supplement.

Bookings must be made before October 20, 2010 either online at Irish Ferries or call 0818 300 400.

Portsmouth to Bilbao from Brittany Ferries offers SW France link

BRITTANY Ferries is to begin a new service from Portsmouth to the Spanish city of Bilbao, offering a link to south west France.

Two crossings a week, which take 24 hours, will operate from next spring, enabling drivers to cross the Spanish border and reach Bayonne in around two hours and Bordeaux in four.

Deficit tackled by French budget

IN an attempt to control its budget deficit, the French government has said it will continue to reduce civil service staff levels and target tax breaks.

In a statement after a Conseil des Ministres the government outlined its budget proposals for 2011.

Only 50 per cent of retiring civil servants will be replaced, the continuation of an existing measure, while tax breaks worth €10bn will be withdrawn, but no new taxes will be introduced.

The budget relies upon a growth level of 2 per cent, above many estimates, and the government forecasts a record deficit of 7.7% of GDP this year, 6% in 2011, and aims to hit 3% by 2013.

Boost your website with Google's updated SEO Starter Guide

WHEN people ask me how to improve the chances of their holiday home website being found on the internet I point them to Google's own SEO guide.

Well Google has now updated their SEO Starter Guide, which you can download for free, and so get up to speed on Title tags, using text for links, best practice for images and a wealth of other handy tips.

The new version of the guide has been made easier to read, with explanations of some of the techie terms being used, as well as a focus on ensuring your site is suitable for mobile phones.

Villeneuve sur Lot hosts Horizon Vert exhibition

IF you are keen to find out more about eco building then the Horizon Vert exhibition in Villeneuve sur Lot takes place this weekend.

Taking place on October 2 and 3, 2010, this is the 22nd staging of the event which is held at the town's parc des expositions.

A wide range of talks and presentations will be open to visitors, covering subjects such as straw build housing and solar power, as well as wider ranging subjects such as climate change.

The entrance fee for the Horizon Vert exhibition is €3.

Two more days of strike action in France announced

THE battle over pension reform in France is being cranked up with unions announcing two more days of strike action.

The CGT union is to be joined by others on Saturday, October 2 as they attempt to draw private sector workers into the protests.

And a second day of action will take place on Tuesday, October 12 as the proposals are being debated in the French Senate.

This week's protests saw the travel plans of many disrupted with rail services cut and flights cancelled, while schools and other public services closed for the day, so it is likely similar disruption will occur this time as well.

The Link - business network in Dordogne launches

IF you are looking to start a business in the Dordogne, then you might want to stay in touch with The Link.

This new networking service aims to provide a link between English and French-speaking communities and businesses.

Run by Alexandra Thevenet, who was involved in the setting up and development of the Franco British Chamber of Commerce & Industry in the Dordogne, The Link draws on her past experience of helping businesses, both large and samll.

News round up: Riviera train for Russia

HERE is a look over some of the news headlines from France in the past few days, taking in a new rail route to Russia, pension protests, fizzy water and more.

Giant puffball mushrooms - some as big as your head

OUT on a narrow country road and what are those large white balls in a field?

Stopping the car to get out we see they are puffball mushrooms - some as big as your head.

The mushrooms had taken root in a circle on the edge of a field, with a second circle a little higher up the field towards the crest of the hill.

Up close some of the mushrooms were really big, a good 30cms wide, and smaller ones would be gathered around a larger example.

Thanks to a Wikipedia page on Giant puffball mushrooms I was able to read that they are edible in their current state - a broken one showed a solid, completely white interior.

If you are sure you have a giant puffball mushroom one way to cook it is to begin by slicing it up into 1cm thick slices and fry with a knob of butter.

EcoCentre2 offers insights into green building

THERE were still a few rough corners to rub down, and even a floor to lay, but the EcoCentre2 opened its doors to visitors recently, showcasing 'green' building techniques and technologies.