Advertisement

Glance around France: French students move into care homes and violent storms head for the south

The Local France
The Local France - [email protected]
Glance around France: French students move into care homes and violent storms head for the south
Photo: AFP

Our round-up of the stories from around France on Wednesday include French students moving into nursing homes in Montpellier and storm alerts in the south east.

Advertisement

French woman becomes first woman to win World’s Best Pastry Chef award

French pastry chef Christelle Brua has become the first woman to be awarded the title of World’s Best Restaurant Pastry Chef.

Brua, who is the head pastry chef at three Michelin-starred restaurant Pré Catelan in the swanky 16th arrondissement of Paris, was handed the prestigious Prix Valrhona title for Best Pastry Chef in Morocco on Wednesday. 

The prize was awarded to her by restaurant association Les Grandes Tables du Monde.

The dish that clinched her the title was her apple sugar soufflé, with caramel, cider and popping candy ice cream.
 

For more on this story CLICK HERE.

Storm and flood alerts in south east and Corsica 
 
A total of seven departments in the south east and Corsica have been placed on orange alert -- the second highest warning -- for storms and flooding.
 
The Bouches-du-Rhone, Herault, Var, Gard Aveyron, as well as Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud were placed on alert at 10 am on Wednesday and are expected to remain so until at least 6 am on Thursday. 
 
People in these areas are advised to be vigilant due to the risk of dangerous weather. 
 

 

For more on this story CLICK HERE.

French students move into care homes in Montpellier

Students in the southern French city of Montpellier are moving into care homes for the elderly allowing them to benefit from cheap rent as well as provide some much needed company for the older residents. 
 
So far, 11 students are living in nursing homes (Ehpad in French), paying between just €140 and €250 in rent each month. 
 
In return, they are expected to socialise with the elderly residents, befriend and talk to them for several hours a week, encourage them to be more active and help them with everyday tasks.
 
 
Rats take over in Beziers
 
Paris isn't the only French town struggling with its rat population. 
 
In fact, the southern French town of Beziers is so overrun with rats that an elderly lady was recently bitten by one in her own home, leading to a petition from local residents in a bid to get the local authorities to do something.
 
However the mayor of the Beziers isn't convinced its down to the authorities to solve it, claiming it is the fault of residents for littering and leaving their bins outside. 
 
"We have ordered local police to educate people who leave their bins out ... I thought that it was enough to explain and teach, it is not enough," Robert Ménard told the French press, adding that he will introduce a 1,500 euro fine for littering. 
 
 
Agricultural workers hospitalized in Angers
 
A total of 61 people working in a plant nursery near the western French city of Angers were recently hospitalised after being poisoned at work.
 
Their symptoms included breathing difficulties, nausea and irritated eyes after a suspicious odour spread through the nursery. 
 
"Subject to confirmation by a thorough investigation, the origin of these intoxications could be due to the spreading of a phytosanitary (plant) product being produced in the nursery," said the prefecture.
 
"The product concerned probably contained sodium methane, which can cause lung disorder," they said.
 

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also