Well, it looks like Nicolas Sarkozy is the new French president, and France is bracing for riots, just in case. I’m disappointed, but I’m not surprised.
France
French Gestures
As part of an initiative to encourage British tourism in Paris, French gestures have been “revealed,” for what you would think was the first time ever. It seems practically every online newspaper has an article about this “guide to understanding Parisians,” and I can only laugh when I check the publication date on my original photo gallery of French gestures: February 2001. Not to mention the fact that I have a lot more than 8.
Ségolène Royal
Ségolène Royal won the Socialist party nomination yesterday, making her an official candidate for the French presidential elections, the first round of which will be held in April. If elected, Ms. Royal would be the first female French president.
The Age: Populist “Sego” gets Royal assent from France’s left
It’s raining doo-doo in Toulouse
This video was done by the City of Toulouse to encourage dog owners to clean up after their pets. Can you imagine a government-sponsored ad like this anywhere outside of France? I love it!
Warning: this animated video contains gross-out material which some may find offensive.
Not going to France yet
If you’re subscribed to my French newsletter, you know that I didn’t leave for France on Thursday as I’d planned. Why? Because my visa was turned down. Why? No reason given (!) but they said I could appeal. So I wrote a long letter of appeal, but you can imagine how tricky that is when you don’t know what exactly it was that they objected to. Anyway, that was nearly two months ago, and the only response I’ve received was a letter of acknowledgement. My ticket was non-refundable (natch), so I had to eat that, but the real drag is the fact that I expected to be in France by August and I’m not, and I don’t know when I will be. 🙁
Photo Gallery: Toulouse
Toulouse, also known as la Ville rose (Pink Town), is the fourth largest city in France. Located in the southwest of France, within a few hours of the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterreanean Sea, and the Spanish border, Toulouse is a beautiful town filled with friendly people and interesting architecture.