A different school of thought?

France’s School Of English, now there is a concept to make the Wingco weep. Knowing a lot of public schoolboy types as I do, and not having received the privileged education that they have and furthermore having to put up with a great deal of abuse for the writing in this column, designed in the first part to illuminate my readers about how to save money on their foreign exchange transfers by opening an account with Currencies Direct, (with a minimum of just £250!), I was understandably delighted to see that my particular style of writing appears to have been recognised. I was also unaware until I was able to take this photo that I appear to have attracted some high-powered sponsors in the shape of Starbucks and Colonel Saunders himself whose Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets will now never again receive a cruel word in this daily look at life in the Cote d’Azur.

Literary perfection recognised?

Back in France today after surprisingly good weather in London over the past two days, a day of sun and a day of cloud, patchy by Valbonne standards but momentous for the old country, I shall this morning be at Cafe Latin for some meetings and no doubt to sign some copies of my book for my ever-increasing legions of fans. Whilst in London I tried on some salmon red trousers but without my style guru Mr Humphreys to hand (obviously not free to guide me through the vagaries of haute couture in London), I found my determination not to languish in denim and chino wilt as I looked in the mirror. That and they were truly horrible.

I also have some business in curtains. As I may have mentioned some time ago, man mountain Peachy Butterfield is now representing a curtain manufacturer and I have agreed to allow him to debut in Cafe Latin by taking over the pulpit to preach about the benefits of curtains, an alien concept down here of course as we all have shutters. However, I don’t like to see a grown man whimper so I have agreed to introduce him to Mr Humphries if he is free.

My piece about the South Of France English Theatre Company’s production in Cannes yesterday contained the tiniest of errors, it takes place of course tonight in Cannes at Espace Miramar, and there are seemingly loads of tickets left so get down there and support this bold bid to bring the theatre to the Cote d’Azur.

Lunch yesterday at Capriccio’s in Covent Garden, at the expense of Medina Palms was curtailed somewhat by an irksome meeting scheduled for the middle of lunch, 2pm. This is unacceptable and will not be tolerated again. As another acknowledged writer about the South Of France, Peter Mayle, knows, the most important thing in Provence is the word “lunch”. Yes, you are right there is no connection whatever, complaining about an interrupted lunch at an Italian restaurant in London has no relevance to France, except of course my surname. Where as I going with this?.

Havana is in my sights. Next Wednesday I shall be taking the long haul to Havana in Cuba, home to the cigars I love so much. It seems there are few restrictions on smoking on the island and I intend to enjoy the local produce in abundance whilst I am there. However I have some devastating news. I am uncertain of the quality or even the availability of the internet for the near two weeks I shall be absent so it is not impossible that this column may not appear in my absence as regularly as it has in the past, but do not be down cast, I shall be writing it anyway and if unable to post it will all be available here when I get back.

Chris France