French women are the longest-living in Europe according to figures just released by the French statistics institute - 84.4 years. En revanche, their men only have an average life-span of 77.5 years. Suprising, considering the number of women you see smoking here. Then again, predominantly young women, so maybe the figure will start dropping in a few years. Then again, maybe not. The French also have the highest birth rate in Europe...
Talking of smoking, signs that a rebellion against the loi anti-tabac may be about to begin. A bar-tabac owner in small village near Nantes has just started a hunger strike in protest. Claims his turnover will drop by 30-40%, and that other small commerces in the village will suffer a knock-on effect. He is demanding a relaxation of the law for bars in small villages. There have also been a handful of other bar owners defying the law, following the Lyon trailblazer, and another has started a petition on the internet. Perhaps I should start a counter-petition...
Meanwhile, a nightclub on the Côte d'Azur is getting round the law by defining a separate upstairs smoking room as a "private" club. Smokers pay a nominal fee to join the club...
Le président continues to hog the headlines. Sarko's current, relatively low-key visit to the Gulf has been overshadowed at home by a story in a local paper yesterday claiming that he and new squeeze Carla Bruni married in secret at the Palais de l'Élysée last Thursday. Two days after he'd told a press conference with 200+ journalists that they'd only learn about it after the event. The leak is rumoured to be ex-wife Cecilia, via one of Sarkozy's sons. The former Mme Sarkozy recently failed to stop the publication of a book about her, which includes some choice quotes about the hyperpresident:
"womaniser", "skinflint", "incapable of loving anyone, even his children"...
Next stop Venice & the voyage de noces, according to Italian papers. Quelle soap opera...
