-
Roads to avoid as people travel for a bank holiday weekend away
It is the last long weekend before the summer holidays and many people will be going away
-
American on Interpol’s wanted list found during routine check in France
He is accused of sexually assaulting a student at a Pennsylvania college in 2013
-
EXPLAINED: Why France has declared state of emergency in New Caledonia
Three people have been killed in riots since the start of the week
Champagne fizzes to new records
An unofficial barometer of the state of the French economy hints that the future may be bright
Champagne sales are regarded in some circles as a bellwether of a country's economic fortunes - and that means that the outlook for France is excellent heading into 2018.
Fizz sales smashed through the €5billion barrier in the past 12 months as purchases soared by 6% on the previous year, according to official figures. And, for the first time in six years, half those sales were made in France, hinting that optimism is rising across the country.
America, meanwhile, has been the main driver of champagne sales overseas, as French houses celebrated record sales in the States. Trans-atlantic success was enough to compensate for a slump in sales in French bubbly's traditional export market leader, Britain, where sales have dipped markedly in the past 12 months.
Stay informed:
Sign up to our free weekly e-newsletter
Subscribe to access all our online articles and receive our printed monthly newspaper The Connexion at your home. News analysis, features and practical help for English-speakers in France