A year in the merde

the long version

They do eat a lot of cheese, some of which smells like pigs' droppings. They don't wash their armpits with garlic soap. Going on strike really is the second national participation sport after pétanque. And, yes, they do use suppositories.In his first novel, Stephen Clarke gives a laugh-out-loud account of the pleasures and perils of being a Brit in France. "A Year in the Merde" tells you how to get served by the grumpiest Parisian waiter; how to make amour - not war; and how not to buy a house i