Tag Archives: France

Nothing to lose but your chains

Posted on February 25, 2012 by

The middle of Les Menuires in February seems an unlikely place for a sit-in, if only because sitting in rather precludes getting out on skis. Seasonnaires aren’t generally the most militant of groups either, being chosen for their laid beck … Continue reading →

Posted in Ski Season | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

Mummy, can I take the bubble wrap off now?

Posted on September 28, 2011 by

Interseason is holiday time, and once again rather than heading for the exotics we find ourselves back in Blighty, this time driving round Wolverhampton on a Saturday afternoon when the local footy team is playing at home, looking for a … Continue reading →

Posted in Pot Luck | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Absolutely marvellous! Or not.

Posted on September 11, 2011 by

It’s a strange fact that people rarely visit tourist attractions when said sites are just next door and require minimal time, effort and expense, when on the other hand they’ll go to great lengths and fork over wedges of cash … Continue reading →

Posted in French Life | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Alpine Graffiti

Posted on September 5, 2011 by

Living as we do in the rural backwhacks of beyond, we remain largely oblivious to much of what is reputed to blight modern life, although with Grenoble a mere 40 minutes away, those of us who really want Kalashnikov-toting youth … Continue reading →

Posted in Pot Luck | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

In my day this was all fields

Posted on August 15, 2011 by

Edward Whymper, illustrator, pioneering mountaineer and all-round general nutcase did us the honour of a quick visit here in the Oisans in the 1860s (taking a little light relief from trying to kill himself on the Matterhorn) and set the … Continue reading →

Posted in French Life | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Ich bin ein tarte tatin

Posted on July 19, 2011 by

Well Zut Alors, pass the snails and break out the Pastis, I seem to be French. Yes, finally the bureaucratic machine has satisfied itself that I might just about be appropriately Gallic enough and has graciously condescended to admit me … Continue reading →

Posted in Pot Luck | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Once more unto the bureaucratic breach

Posted on May 18, 2011 by

As if a disintegrated vertebra wasn’t enough to deal with, JC’s annual end of term accident throws us back into the maelstrom of French administration, with its arbitrary video game rules. Joy, another spring interseason spent leaping over fiery pits … Continue reading →

Posted in French Life | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

End of season Groundhog Day

Posted on April 22, 2011 by

So, just as I thought it was more or less safe to book a holiday for the end of May I get a call from the resort medical centre. ‘Mrs Gimblett? We’ve got your husband here …’. I was tempted … Continue reading →

Posted in Ski Season | Tagged , , | 11 Comments

Is Schrödinger’s cat French?

Posted on August 25, 2010 by

After three abortive attempts to submit an application for citizenship to the French administrative machine, it appears that the relevant fonctionnaires have finally admitted that they suppose I might have a case. Previous supplications were rejected out of hand following … Continue reading →

Posted in French Life | Tagged , , | 9 Comments

“The French have no word for entrepreneur.”

Posted on July 31, 2010 by

Thank you, Mr George W Bush Jr, for that pearl of wisdom, up there with “Africa is a nation that suffers from incredible disease” and “I couldn’t imagine someone like Osama bin Laden understanding the joy of Hanukkah”. You need … Continue reading →

Posted in Pot Luck | Tagged | 12 Comments