The Government announces the end of Saturday morning School throughout France.

Whilst we in the Lot have enjoyed not having to go through the School Bus Rush on Saturday mornings as well, those of you who live just over the département border in Corrèze have not been so fortunate.

Well from next rentrée all that changes, with all schools conforming to a 4 day week, Wednesday being a day off, with the school week dropping from 26 to 24hrs teaching.

PS British children attending primary school here in France will learn to sing the Marseillaise alongside their French colleagues.

Now is not the time to be buying cheap TV sets in the petites annonces, unless you check first that they are not analogue and are TNT enabled, because the whole of France is going digital.

TNT (Télévision Numérique Terrestre) will be rolled out France-wide by November 2011 - some communities will switch over sooner.

So what does this mean to you. Well, if you are happily ignoring French National TV channels in favour of your Sky dish and Free to Air satellite programmes - relax, you do not have to do anything. But if you are struggling through the endless quiz games and American re-dubs on French TV in the never-ending quest to improve your French - then you will need to do something about how you receive those National TV signals.

Old TV's can receive the new digital signals with the addition of a Set-Top-Box which converts the signal. These are on sale in stores now for around €30.

If you are buying new - beware - the TV MUST by law, be TNT compatible.

Beware, as from 1st July 2008, it became compulsory to carry an approved warning triangle and luminous safety vest in your vehicle.

If you break down, the triangle must be placed between 30 and 100 metres behind your vehicle to warn other drivers. After you have put on your reflective yellow vest of course.

Failure to comply will result in an on the spot fine of €90 from your friendly local gendarme. But not until 1st October, apparently, as gendarmes are not meant to actually enforce this law until then. Er?

You have been warned.

Better remind you again late September. Ed

Lost your passport - need help? If you have lost your credit card too... don't phone the British Embassy Passport Helpline - you will not get past the recorded message.

The "We are here to help British citizens in France", the British Embassy in Paris are getting a bad press for charging callers to their Passport "Helpline" €1.60 per minute on its Passport Helpline.

The thing is, they do not get the money - the people who run the service do. Don't ask.

Tel: 08 92 23 01 75 - have your credit card ready!

With the press full of stories about people filling their cars with vegetable oil, here is a new twist on things... car engine oil in your Frial. Yep, reports that Vegetable oil for frying and other products containing vegetable oil have been contaminated with mineral oil have been confirmed. Don't worry though, apparently you can swallow a few grammes of Castrol GTX a day and be none the worse for wear. Seriously, Brussels states that 10% of motor oil in your lunch is OK. Right.

Anyway, whilst Greece has banned brands contaminated, France has no plans to follow suit. So the choice is yours.

According to English language newspaper French News, products most likely to contain mineral oil are all Unilever products: mayonnaise; taramosalata; Béarnaise sauce; chips; low-fat viniagrette; surimi; celeriac salad; preserved fish soup; breaded fish fillets; veal paupiettes; tuna and sardines in oil; chocolate spreads; jam waffles; cereal bars; cookies.

Lesiure: Fruit d’or, Epi d’or, Frial, Isio 4, Oli, Carapelli, Saupiquet.

Unilever: Amora, Planta Fin, Maille, Knorr, Magnum, Miko.

Further information: European Food Safety Authority