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The UK's Brexit negotiators were arrogant - not Barnier
'The EU has become stronger as a result of the UK’s exit,' says reader
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French town's ban on drying laundry outside is nonsense
Drying outside saves energy - and avoids damp air inside
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September is such a relief after France's hectic summer
The holidays and social engagements give way to peace and quiet
True stars in the kitchen
Michelin’s system of giving restaurants stars has gone far beyond its initial purpose of indicating somewhere reliable to eat
The restaurant business in France has become a pressurised contest to produce extraordinary dishes using idiosyncratic combinations of novelty ingredients. Top chefs can only try to push ‘best-chef-ness’ beyond its outer limits.
Most diners, however, want something else. They know – although it is heresy to suggest it – that you cannot beat a traditional dish home-cooked by someone who knows what he/she is doing using local ingredients and served in agreeable but unpretentious surroundings.
Anyone who stumbles across such a restaurant does not care whether it has stars or not.
