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| This edition posted 1st July 2008 |
| No More Saturday School |
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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.
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| TNT Is Coming |
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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.
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| New Motoring Law |
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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
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| Passport "Help"
if you can pay for it |
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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 Embassey 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!
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| Marseillaise |
| As part of the recently announced primary school reform, all
children (foreign nationals included) will now be taught the
French national anthem. At least it is better than own, dreary
"God Save the Queen"! |
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| No British
Blood Donors |
| Or Irish, for that matter. Did you know that if you lived
in the UK or Ireland for a year or more between 1980 and 1996,
the French blood transfusion people will not allow you to give
blood? Phew! Carry on with a clear conscience and ignore those
"DONNEZ" posters with head held high. |
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www.st-cere.com
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