An Englishman in Gay* Paree

Unlike Hutton L'Etang La Ville has shops. It was most refreshing to be greeted by the guy who owns the small newsagents with ' Bienvenu Monsieur Nous avons votre Guardian' or words to that effect(Last saw him in July) and after some small talk (in my case,very small)he reminded me: n'oubliez pas L'Observer arrive a dix heures le Dimanche. They go like hot cakes (Approx translation) They do indeed as the area is lousy with Brit expats-more of the Fascist Sunday Times variety but enough Grudian readers to provide healthy competition for les oiseaux de passage like Huttonian. Indeed the local railway station St Nom de la Breteche is known as St Nom de la British.

A Dimanche said my friend. Not so: I'll see him to day for a second helping og the Gerdian-if I am spared.

It is -10 C

And falling

* In the old sense. For Nouveau Gay scene see Lonely Planet Blog-ed

PS Note the clever French nomenclature for a newsagents. The third image is of the village christmas trees. Duns (Pop 3000) has one, L'Etang la Ville (Pop 300) has two point five

Labels: Christmas in Paris, English in Paris, L'Etang La Ville

  ¶ 8:20 AM (0) comments

 
Le Bon Voyage

So its from the Merse to L'Isle de France via National Express and Eurostar. The simple pleasures of merging into the French Suburban scene: the trek to the boulongier for croissants chocolat, getting lost in the huge Carrefours-I'll meet you at the Horse meat, if you can remember where that was. The pleasure of using one's schoolboy French in search of Gallic Culture 'Es que Vous avez La Guardian' and 'Et L'Observer on trouve ici aprez 10 heures La Dimanche?' ' Desole M'sier Il-y-a seulement un Mail on Sunday-edition Ecosse' -Canard* that for a lark. Fortunately, unlike Paris proper the people of Isle de France are patient with the abuse of their tongue, and in L'etang la Ville, they are used to the British settlers and their simple pleasures. And toujours la politesse. Never omit the Bon Jour or the Monsieur/Madame, and the merci beaucoup. or the Pardon when some geezer barges past you on the Metro to grab the last available seat. One does not want to give the impression that we are not a race of hommes gentils. 'Un futball 'ooligan? Anglais? 'Ce N'est pas possible. Tous les 'ooligans sont Allemand or Italiens. Ne c'est pas?'

And don't mention the Rugby World Cup

* Slang rhyming: Canard equals Duck. Geddit? Blog-ed

I am endebted to Old Grey Wolf for the image taken during my last visit. I wonder how that would go down on the outskirts of Hutton?

Labels: English in Paris, Paris

  ¶ 4:30 PM (0) comments