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GR, GRP, PR: What do the French hiking signs mean?
What are the coloured symbols on French hiking routes? Who paints them there and why?
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Miss France: glam - but not sexy
Miss France organiser Geneviève de Fontenay fears she is fighting a losing battle to protect her 'Cinderella dream' from vulgarity
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Normandy Landings visit for Queen
Queen Elizabeth has confirmed a state visit to France, ending rumours she is handing over duties to Charles
Gastro-enteritis epidemic declared
New diarrhoea bug sparks warning to wash hands frequently to avoid outbreak spreading
OUTBREAKS of gastro-enteritis across France have been classed as an epidemic by medical watchdog Sentinelle and people have been reminded to wash their hands frequently.
Country-wide, there are around 300 cases per 100,000 inhabitants - with the epidemic level being set at 282 cases - and Sentinelle says that figures could worsen with updated reports now children are back at school.
Nord-Pas-de-Calais is the worst-affected part of the country with 884 cases per 100,000.
However, the south-west has a strange situation with Midi-Pyrénées having just 50 cases per 100,000 while its neighbours on either side are worse affected. Languedoc-Roussillon has double the limit at 571 cases and Aquitaine has 308.
Elsewhere, Basse-Normandie has 339 cases, Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur 327 and Alsace 319.
The youngest case is of a new-born just one month old while the oldest is of a 102-year-old. The average of those affected is 28 years, with 43% of them being men.
