Blog Masonry
France ends split with Sharon on Jews
France on Thursday patched up a dispute over Jewish emigration to Israel, acknowledging in terse but polite terms a conciliatory speech by Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister.
“We have seen the statements by the Israeli prime minister paying tribute to France for its determined action in fighting anti-Semitism, action which he said was of exemplary value,” said Hervé Ladsous, the spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry.
Health reforms approved in France
Changes include a new charge of one euro (about 65p) for seeing a doctor, an increase in the welfare levy payable by pensioners, and spending cuts.
The moves are a key part of President Jacques Chirac’s attempt to trim the budget deficit, which has exceeded EU limits for three years in a row.
The health care system is facing a 13bn-euro deficit (£8.5bn) this year.
Earlier this year an official report said the standard of care provided by French doctors was among the best in the world. But it said the system was “badly regulated and badly governed”.
It said French general practitioners prescribe drugs worth a total of about 260,000 euros each year.
Weather in february
Hi All,
My wife and I are planning a trip for February and we are very interested in visiting Southern France and the Riviera. What we would like to know is what is the weather typically like during that month? Are we better of going in March or April? We’re leaving seattle to get out of the rain so we don’t want to travel to somewhere where it is miserable as well.
Search people / Help you in French
Hello everybody!
I’m a 24 y/o male , live in Lyon , in France.
I love to travel , I was in Tokyo on May it was really a wonderfull experience. I search people from everywhere in the world especialy in Asia. I will go back to Tokyo next year.
I search also American people for email exchange , I have don’t speak in English since long time and I start to forgot a lot of stuff 
That’s why I want to speak (or write ^_^) in English!
If you want we can write us and I can tell you some French ^^
You will see , this is not a very difficult language!
A bientôt!
my email: maikeru_sempai81@yahoo.fr
Armstrong makes history
Tom Bonnen claimed the glamour leg on the streets of Paris, while Robbie McEwen took the green points jersey.
But the day belonged to Armstrong, who bettered the five Tour wins of cycling greats Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain.
Andreas Kloden clinched second place on the podium, ahead of Italian Ivan Basso and German compatriot Jan Ullrich.
Armstrong’s victory was never in doubt on what was a largely processional last stage.
I am coming to Paris in September…
Salut! I live in Boston and am coming to Paris in September to visit UNESCO…would like to meet/talk to anyone working there…I am an artist/photographer and can speak some french and love being in france…I have taught photo in Aix-en-Provence, Paris and Versailles. Hope to hear from future friends in Paris…plz write to me at ra_desilva@yahoo.com…….Merci….Amities..>Regis
Armstrong all but guarantees record sixth Tour de France crown
Lance Armstrong capped his most dominant Tour de France with another crushing win in the final time trial Saturday, all but guaranteeing he will march into history as the first six-time winner of the 101-year-old race.
Pedalling furiously toward a victory that he didn’t even need to secure his sixth crown, Armstrong overpowered his rivals yet again, quickly building a gaping lead which he carried past cheering crowds to the finish line in Besancon.
The Texan, riding a high-tech aerodynamic bike, with the bright yellow leader’s jersey on his shoulders, was one minute and one second faster that second-placed Jan Ullrich, the 1997 champion and five-time runner-up.
French actor, singer Serge Reggiani dies at 82
PARIS, July 23 (AFP) – The French singer and actor Serge Reggiani died overnight of a heart atack at the age of 82, his agent said Friday.
Born in Italy in 1922, Reggiani came to France with his parents at the age of eight, and after acting school was discovered by Jean Cocteau who gave him a role in his wartime theatrical production of “Les parents terribles.”
He moved into film with Marcel Carne’s 1946 “Les portes de la nuit,” and won his laurels with his interpretation of a hoodlum in love with Simone Signoret in Jacques Becker’s “Casque d’Or.” Over the next half century he appeared in some 80 films.
In 1965 he started a second career as a singer, with the help of Signoret and her husband Yves Montand.
Tour de France fans
I find it dispicable that French fans would spit on Lance Armstrong because their favorite is losing to him. The favorite so far does not have what it takes, and the fans are acting very childish. I think anyone caught spitting should be arrested for assault, as the human mouth is the dirtiest part of the body (germ wise) and who knows what they could expose Lance Armstrong or anyone else to (for that matter). There are several deadly viruses that can be transmitted through human saliva, especially if there is any open sore in the spitter’s mouth. The fans should be polite and not nasty and CRUDE. They may not cheer for him, but they certainly do not need to spit on him. Also for anyone’s information, I am of French descent.