Charles Bremner – The Times - Paris

To use his own words… “Charles Bremner is Paris Correspondent for The Times. He started out as a journalist in Russia and then moved to the United States. He has reported from all the continents but most enjoys observing the exotic tribe on Britain’s doorstep. Though France is home, he avoids going native by offering what the locals call an “Anglo-Saxon” eye on their country.”

His blog is to be found at… Charles Bremner – Paris Correspondant for The Times.

I doubt that he is huddling round a wood burning stove, trying to make a Pot au Feu last a few more days and considering dashing out to Lidl for a bottle (or two) of that cheap Côtes de Rhone (as many of us in Brittany are doing and shall be doing until the rain stops, sometime in May) but, he does live in France and he does have a blog.

And a very nice blog it is too.

Whereas most of the other blogs listed on this site detail our day to day lives, eating, drinking and sorting out which of our chickies (or dogs, cats, goats or wives, even), are suffering from Broody Hen Behaviour (or other chickeny mysteries), Charles tends to concentrate on higher things.

Such as this article about Why Beauty Queens Still Rule in France.  An insightful study into why 13 percent of the French population tunes in to watch young women parading in swimsuits and high heels.  He manages to take a pop at the wonderful Jean-Pierre Foucalt, calling him an oily host.  Now, that may be true but I do like Jean-Pierre (the host of the French version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?);  partly because he is so much more suave than that chappy who does the English version of the same quiz show but mainly because I tend to do better at the French version of the game than the English one – not sure why that is.  It’s certainly not got anything to with linguistic ability!)

There are plenty of other great posts about subjects as diverse as… Wind Power Bights La Belle France, The French Art of Boar Hunting, Donkeys, Rap and Peace in Deep Rural France and the obligatory post about the pet dog… Sparky and his Headset.

I’m not sure if Charles Bremner likes Nicolas Sarkozy (or, indeed, if Nicolas Sarkozy likes Charles Bremner), but I do get the feeling that Mr Bremner does like writing about the husband of Carla Bruni.

So, overall, not too many posts about blanching carrots, renovating old pigsties or repairing the Fosse Septique but that is made up for with the beauty queen article (see above) and others like this one….Gossip, sex and the French presidency.

I doubt if many people will jack in perfectly good jobs, sell their houses, pets and families and move to France as a result of reading Charles Bremner’s blog but, I’m sure that most of us who have do just that will stay just a little bit saner if we pop in, every now and again, to take a look at Charles Bremner – Paris Correspondant for The Times.

All the best

1 Comment

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  By Terry Cudbird, July 10, 2012 @ 12:51 pm

  The story of my walk around the circumference of France, 4,000 miles. Walking the Hexagon, an escape around France on foot. The best way to get in touch with rural France.

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