THE RUN-UP

© sixnations

So, the XV have been announced for England’s first VI Nations match against Scotland and while the team sheet looks fairly strong, I don’t think we should get carried away with the ‘Jonny’s back’ headlines which dominated the rugby news yesterday. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean to insult Saint Jonny, it’s just that rugby is a team effort after all and one player does not a victory make. And although I really wanted to see Richard Wigglesworth’s name somewhere in the line-up, I’m still glad to see Harry Ellis, as well as Joe Worsley and Jason Robinson there, but we’ll see what they’re capable of on Saturday.

Meanwhile, I have to say I’m more excited by the prospect of the Italy-France game this week-end. Berbizier has gathered an impressively strong Italian team and if Italy play as fiercely as they did last year and France have their usual first match wobble, there could be a so-called upset!

SF-TOULOUSE

Another immense match at the Stade de France last night even if there were some silly mistakes. And rugby is, after all, a contact sport: Rémy lost a contact lens at one point, Mauro knocked someone for six in a tackle. And there was suspense: a drop goal or a penalty and Toulouse could have won. And I was waiting and waiting for Mirco to make an appearance. Alas, in vain. Final score: 22-20 in Stade’s favour! Now: bring on the VI Nations!

VI NATIONS 2007

© bbc

As the VI Nations approaches (it starts next week - yaaay!), there has been discussion in the media about the appropriateness of this Tournament’s position in the rugby calendar and whether or not it, or other matches, should be moved. Some arguments are that sensibly, logically, it should be moved to the summer, not least because it would mean a more coherent rugby season, a more constructive training schedule, more convenient travel for supporters. But as Mick Cleary (Telegraph's rugby correspondent) says, who wants to listen to the head when the heart is pleading to be cheered up in the depths of winter? I say: move the VI Nations to January and play rugby ALL year round, please! In the meantime, the Top 14 continues apace with Stade Français meeting Toulouse this evening at the Stade de France! Come on Stade! :)

FUSS? WHAT FUSS?

© whiteninja

You know by now how much I like to observe the natives and how their behavioural patterns compare to my own. And I’ve noticed that, although they can be very vocal in their complaints when they are not happy about something, nevertheless, they really do manage to take everything in their stride, in stark contrast to us who hardly ever complain and all the while make a big fuss about how we are not making a big fuss. Example 1: sitting in a café in St-Germain-des-Prés, a spontaneous riot erupted, complete with noisy crowd and burning tyres. Yet, almost literally within two minutes, the police and fire brigade had arrived, restored calm and efficiently put out the offending tyres. With no fuss whatsoever. Example 2: this morning, giant screens were put up on the Parvis outside Notre Dame for the funeral service of Abbé Pierre. Afterwards, they were taken down. Just put up, watched, then taken down. Uh-oh, and now, true to form, I’ve drawn attention to this lack of fuss ..

WINTER TIME

This week, the temperature has really dropped and when I arrived at school yesterday, it was snowing thickly enough to lay a blanket of white on the ground and at break time, all the pupils were penned in like wild sheep. Of course, Paris intra muros is really cold and the sky is certainly bleak and threatening, snow flakes have even been seen in the air, but unfortunately no snow.

BERTHILLON

In the centre of Paris, in the middle of the Seine, there are two little islands, and on one of these islands, you will find the famous Berthillon ice cream maker with its own tea house which serves THE most delicious ice creams in almost any flavour you could wish for. I think you know how much I adore ice cream but my usual haunts have somehow so far been in the Marais and the Vème, and although I have tasted this famous Berthillon ice cream before at one of its revendeurs, I have never visited its home. That is, until this week-end. And now I think it could become a regular haven of mine! It should be on everybody’s ‘to-do-to-eat’ in Paris list.

WAAAY!

© stade.fr

Great news: after this week-end’s overwhelming 47-6 victory in the pouring rain by Stade over Calvisano with SEVEN tries (of which not one from Mirco ..), they are now in the quarter finals of the H-Cup! Which means: an away match; to Leicester; at the end of March; after the VI Nations tournament .. All the same, I (am trying to) remain optimistic!

JE M’AVENTURE

© turtle foundation

Yesterday, I learned a new word and did two whole rectangles at the swimming pool (still with float). And I can feel, and indeed see, myself moving away from the edge and from that overwhelming sense of ‘out of control’ fear I feel when I am aware that my body is totally surrounded by just water. Little steps, well swims, but immense progress.

A VERY ENTENTE CORDIALE

© renault

Today is the 300th anniversary of the Act of Union between Scotland and England and, coincidentally, it was announced yesterday that some papers have ‘recently’ come to light about the possibility of another strange union: that of post-war France and Britain; to the point even of sharing a monarch (ours obviously, since they violently beheaded theirs). Figurez-vous!

A British Cabinet paper from the time reads: “When the French Prime Minister, Monsieur Mollet, was recently in London, he raised with the Prime Minister the possibility of a union between the United Kingdom and France”. And yet, despite our famous love-hate relationship, we seem to rub along together quite well most of the time without all these political machinations. In fact, didn’t we build a little tunnel in order to make it easier to reach each other? Or maybe that was so that we Brits could get to their nice wine and food and weather.

Anyway, the next year along came the EEC and the rest is, indeed, history.

OSPREYS-SF: MATCH NUL

© stade.fr

Well, what can I say? Except that some times I despair MADLY of my team. When they have gained quite a distance in points, they always, ALWAYS, seem to take their foot off the pedal and start coasting. Don’t they realise by now that you should never, NEVER, give up against these home nations teams? And that if you do, you will be PUNISHED and concede 13 points in no time at all. All very exciting stuff but not good for anybody’s blood pressure.

GIRLS LIKE RUGBY TOO, YOU KNOW

© stade.fr

Each time I buy my ‘MIDOL’ (twice-weekly newspaper especially dedicated to rugby) or my ‘attitude rugby’ (monthly treat), the chappies at the newspaper stands always seem to express some sort of surprise that a girl should be buying such reading material. Okay, we might not always understand the reason for a five-metre scrum or why a charge-down is not considered a knock-on but still, we’re not watching it for the nice legs and bottoms (well, not only that ..). Anyway, back to serious things, Stade are away to Ospreys later today. A tough match, from which I hope they are going to emerge victorious. Even if Mirco is on the bench and Mauro has been left at home. Allez Stade!

HOT WATER BOTTLE, PLEASE

© drew

Sometimes, to entertain myself in my boring, uneventful life, I while away my time reading about other people’s blog lives. I think I have mentioned another 'petite anglaise' who blogs about her life and her adventures much more revealingly than I do. Her most recent entry struck a chord, concerning, as it does, a particular English foible about not liking to make a big fuss about things. Especially noisy neighbours. And also sex. And, most especially, noisy neighbours having sex. I am particularly fortunate this year in that I don’t have any noisy neighbours (in fact, sometimes I even wonder if I do actually have any neighbours). But last year, I had a mad clarinet-playing neighbour, and an opera-singing neighbour, and a neighbour with a dog, and a neighbour with noisy shoes, oh, and also upstairs neighbours whom I could hear in their – ahem - ‘nocturnals’ and sometimes even ‘diurnals’. Well, I suppose this is Paris after all. ;p

NEW SHOOTS

You may remember from one of my visits to the Jardin des Plantes that a favourite tree had been removed, and that I had been a bit upset on discovering this, but that I had also taken some branches in the hope that new life would grow. Well, I am thrilled to report that tiny new leaves are appearing on its branches. It’s like spring has come early! :)

RUDE AWAKENING

© tex

Today, I joined in with one of my classes in a French grammar exercise, something I thought would be quite fun. I was soon brought to earth with a bump when I realised that nearly all my knowledge of the past historic tense (if it ever existed) had forsaken me. Also, I recently learned the French word for a pencil sharpener. Really, have I never needed to sharpen a pencil here before? All of which leads me to wonder: how do I ever manage to survive on a day-to-day basis here? So, now I have revision exercises to do for beloved tutor. Thank goodness, he didn’t give me detention as well.

PLANTS

For the past couple of months, the flat has been rather lacking in greenery, which is somewhat unusual for me since I love gardening, even the indoor sort, but I was trying to find something beautiful and yet hardy enough to withstand the variable temperature. But now I’ve found two perfect specimens: an olive tree and an orchid and both are very happy in their new home.

BAYONNE-SF

Aw fup, Stade lost 29-27 against a strong home Bayonne team. A try from Mirco and the defensive bonus point go a little way in making up for the loss but does anyone know any good jokes? :(

PROMENADE PLANTÉE

In 1988, the Parisian authorities had the brilliant idea of opening an old, abandoned railway track in the east as a park. It’s really lovely to stroll along this sheltered, elevated garden, high above the streets of Paris (seven metres to be precise), enjoying the many shrubs, including lavender and rose bushes. I imagine it will be even more lovely in the spring.

TRAINING

It felt good to be back at Jean Bouin watching the training under the Parisian sunshine yesterday, it means that the rugby season is starting again – this Saturday, in fact, away to Bayonne. And more good news, I’ve finally got a pair of those shocking pink socks. Prepare to be dazzled! :)

CHIMERAS

One of my favourite places in all Paris is up on the chimera balcony of Notre Dame. Usually, I am too busy gazing at these weird figures to be enjoying the wonderful views across Paris but somehow these strange, almost human-sized, stone creatures sometimes hold far more fascination for me than this beautiful city.

TOUR MONTPARNASSE

In the south of Paris, near the gare Montparnasse, there is a strange beast: a very tall, very black, office block. It seems to me to be a more masculine attempt at dominating the Parisian skyline but it in no way really compares with its older sister by the river. But it does serve a very useful purpose in providing wonderful views across Paris from its roof. Oh, and there’s skating at the bottom in the winter.

A WISH!

Sometimes it’s nice to sit back and enjoy Paris like a tourist and part of yesterday was spent aboard a bateau mouche navigating the river from Île de la Cité to the Eiffel Tower round the Île St Louis and back again. From the river, you get quite a different perspective on the sights and can appreciate the magnificent architecture of (some of) the 34 bridges spanning the Seine. On passing under the Pont Marie (above) apparently you have to make a wish and, according to legend, if you want your wish to come true, you have to kiss the person sitting next to you. Honestly, these French will use any old excuse to do more kissing!

A NEW YEAR!