Editor's blog November 2006

The French are hugely chauvinistic about their food - witness the paucity of ethnic restaurants in France which reflects the national belief that if your food is the best in the world, why eat other people’s cuisine?

There was a time when it was impossible to buy a bad meal in France. Now, sadly, you can eat rubbish here too and there has been an alarming increase in the amount of TV and ready meals in French supermarkets over the past few years.

Nowadays there are more top 10 world rated restaurants in Britain than in France and no doubt M Chirac, who famously made an ill received joke about British cooking, was put out when a recent survey for British Food Week found that more British youngsters, inspired by trendy celebrity chef programmes, enjoy cooking than French.

But let’s not be disingenuous here. You still have a much better chance of getting and excellent cheap lunch in France and, equally, if not more, importantly, the French beat us hands down at school dinners. When I was writing about French school meals for The Times recently I spent a morning in our local school canteen and discovered it does not even have a freezer as everything is freshly prepared - on rare chip days the cook comes in 45 minutes early to peel all the potatoes!

I hope the French don’t give up family meals round the dining table as this is fundamental to the quality of life - which includes placing high importance on the family - which drew many of us to France in the first place.

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We are thrilled to welcome two new contributors to the Rendezvous this month. Food writer Brigitte Tilleray lived in England for over twenty before returning to her native Normandy this summer and will be writing for us on foodie issues. Her tips for eating out in Normandy are on P3 and her favourite restaurants on P6. Denise Stuart is a consultant astrologist with an international clientele including A list celebrities. She works for many UK newspapers and radio and television networks. Starting this month she will be reading your stars in the Rendezvous - see what lies ahead on P 10.

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One of the great things about living in Normandy is the number of friends and family who come to stay. Sometimes it feels like one of the worst things! If you were overwhelmed by visitors this summer and are now preparing for the Christmas rush, read this month’s My Restoration where Bob Billings shows us how you can make it easy on yourself by moving them into the garage.

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Finally - to all who have asked “where is that fantastic dépôt vente featured on last month’s cover?” The answer is: Printimeuble between La Haye du Puits and St Sauveur le Vicomte (www.printimeuble.com)