French adopting our style of pubs

As time passes I am thinking increasingly about life over the next half of my years.

Most of our friends are now beginning to contemplate this or have already made the move — and hence, as a bit of "research", we have spent quite a bit of the summer enjoying different areas of France.

For a long time France represented what most European countries seemed to have got wrong — crazy employment practices leading to huge unemployment rates, bureaucracy to induce immediate torpor, etc.

From a UK perspective we were getting everything right — lower unemployment, a vibrant economy, a new confident dynamism, sensible public finances. From a distance, enjoying sun and wine — and in discussion with French friends and Francophiles — it now seems a bit different. We both now have public finances that are wrecked — but at

least they built an infrastructure to go along with them first; we have mindless bureaucracy, unemployment has exploded and we seem to be mired again in a lack of confidence that many of us last felt in the

mid 1970s.

But in at least one area they seem to be coming our way, as a noticeable trend appears to have emerged.

For example, I watched the final hours of the Ashes win in a pub in Paris — I drank real ale and observed that a real mix of customers were enjoying all that we associate with our pubs.

This picture was repeated in a number of different locations in areas not necessarily renowned for beer. I asked a number of French friends what their thoughts were on this. Many said they really liked the informality and flexibility of these pubs — they offer a range of reasons to go, whereas the more typical French bar was a quite restrictive place to visit.

They mentioned that they had picked up this bug on stays in the UK, and expected many more pubs to open and prosper in France. In towns further south and particularly in some of the heartland of rugby this trend is perhaps very understandable.

It is also remarkable how they are thrilled to have English players coming to play in France — even if it is only for the money! But one thing is for sure — they all love Jonny Wilkinson. Perhaps the teetotal fly half would be a great ambassador for English pubs — home and abroad.