France Travel News 09/12/2010

A single bee has the ability to terrify me, and swarms are the stuff of nightmares for me. But Jon's blog is a fascinating look into the world of beekeeping – right here in France! A great read.

They are the underclass, the outcasts, but over the past few weeks, the Roma — who make up Europe's largest minority — have been the center of attention, because of France's recent program of forcibly sending them back to their home countries. Amid criticism from the international community and even some from within his own government, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has forged ahead with the expulsions, so far sending almost 1,000 Roma migrants (also called Gypsies) back to Bulgaria and Romania — and inspiring several other European countries to take similar steps.

A Muslim stonemason in France has been immortalised by having his face carved on a gargoyle on the side of the medieval cathedral in Lyon. Ahmed Benzizine – a 59-year-old master mason who worked on the renovation – was used as a model for the carving. Fellow stonemason Emmanuel Fourchet decided to carve the gargoyle, nicknamed Ahmed, in tribute to his friend, with whom he has worked on the renovation of religious buildings for several decades. "I'm a Frenchman and a practising Muslim and I've always worked on historic monuments. I could work on mosques or synagogues as well," Mr Benzizine told the AFP news agency.

The dude was from Montpellier! You have got to click through and see the size of this freaking fish.

OK. I don't love listicles, I think his tone a bit snobby, and I don't agree with all of his choices – but who am I to get in the way of you finding a possibly transcendent cheese that will change your life?

"My first travel memory is the Queen Mary from New York to Cherbourg. A long drive across France. I was about ten years old. The highlights were French comic books. Crusty French bread with Normandy butter, dipped in hot chocolate." The entire thing is a must-print-and-carry-with-you-at-all-times.

After as many as 34 years, a village in France that built the country’s only council-funded UFO landing pad has received its first craft. You can't make this stuff up, people.

A national strike will begin at about 5pm today (Monday), and is expected to last until early on Wednesday morning. Air travel between the UK and France is likely to be disrupted, while a number of rail services could also be delayed or cancelled. All long-haul Air France services will operate, according to the airline, but only 90 per cent of short-haul flights from Charles de Gaulle airport and half of short-haul flights from Orly airport will run.

Rolf Potts is traveling around the world with no luggage – MON DIEU! – and his entry and video about Paris is absolutely lovely. Check it out.

Quick, the No. 2 burger chain in France after McDonald's, serves halal-only food in 22 of its outlets, targeting the country's large Muslim population. The bacon has been removed from bacon burgers, replaced by smoked turkey. Quick claimed sales doubled at restaurants that have tested the concept but the move has opened a new chapter in the debate war over how much society should accommodate Muslim traditions.