Blackladder

Bonjour!
Did you know that there has been a President Millerand? (No, not that famous Nazi collaborator and holder of several ministerial posts in the Fourth Republic). Apparently, M. Millerand was President of the Third Republic between 1921 and 24 (if I remember right). I would love to start a thread on 'useless information about France and the French, but let's see if anyone else is interested!
A bientôt
Blackie

Tweedpipe

Ok, I'll play. (Surely you didn't expect me not to!)

In the Norman village of Falaise during the 14th century, a pig was put to death for having mortally attacked a child.
The sow was dressed in men's clothes and executed on the public square near the city hall.

Blackladder

that was a crackling good yarn

Tweedpipe

InVinoVeritas

And it was the other President Mitterand who, in a strange parody of the more recent events surrounding President Hollande, used to visit Anne, his 27-year younger lover, each night at her grace-and-favour residence on quai Branly. Unlike Hollande riding on the back of a bodyguard's scooter, Mitterand had a 36-strong presidential protection unit at his disposition to help him make the journey.

How times change.

Tweedpipe

The family of Dr Joseph Guillotin (who's name became an eponym for the execution machine - although he wasn't the inventor) were so ashamed of the association that they petitioned the French government to rename it. The governement wouldn't, so they instead changed their own family name.
Contrary to common belief, the same Dr Guillotin was not put to death by his 'own' machine. But another Doctor - also named Guillotin - did come to a sharp ending!

Chatter Static

Buried beneath the empty plaques above the front door of posh'ish town houses is a family crest most of them got plastered over in the later end of the revolution to hide the obvious family status.

Tweedpipe

Indeed how times change. And the daughter who was the result of that particular union, was hidden from the press and hence public knowledge for many years.

Tweedpipe

Are you a cheese lover?
Then I'm sure you love the French Mimolette - especially the outer, greyish crust, which is the result of cheese mites intentionally introduced to add flavor by their action on the surface of the cheese. Luvly-jubbly.....

bigglesworth

Not a fan of Mimolette. Too waxy for me.
But on the subject of useless information.


Britain apparently produces more named cheeses (whatever "named" means) than France! Although I doubt there is much difference between Caerffili and Caerphilly.
http://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/bri...-than-france!/

Blackladder

The French invented Poker and took it with them across the Atlantic.

bigglesworth

I thought it was Persian?

Or was that when the French were taking a break from inventing golf?

Tweedpipe

I was always led to believe that it was the French who invented the toilet seat.
Then the English perfected it - by adding a hole in the middle...........

mikelincs

Not sure it's a French invention, but the picture was taken in Paris.

Tweedpipe

For those who never believed shops like this really exist.....