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NewsletterOctober 2004 WeatherDuring early September this year France experienced sun but not much heat. Fall is here with winter not far away. I strongly suggest that anybody thinking of living in France spend some portion of the fall/winter months here. Staying here during that time, allows you to see if you, can 'take' those months. Months that normally consists of very little sun and lots of rain. Only in a few areas does it really get cold in France. VendangeMy wife and I just spend most of the last week of September working the 'Vendange' or grape harvest. We picked grapes for the Domain Digioia-Royer in the little wine village of Chambolle-Musigny. Chambolle-Musigny is located about 12 miles south of Dijon where we live. It's all vineyards around Chambolle-Musigny; it is amazing no other crops are grown. Just about every square inch is used for raising wine grapes. ElectionYou might have not heard but France just had an election, the third this year following regional and European elections. This time it was for the French Senate or upper house of parliament. A third of the 321 members were up for reelection along with ten newly added seats. Senators in France are elected through indirect voting, i.e. an Electoral College. The college consists of over 50,000 people, including lawmakers from the lower house of parliament and locally elected officials. The French Senate has less power than the directly elected Lower House of parliament: for example it cannot cast censure votes against the government. But it has one very important function in the French constitution. Should the sitting French President leave office, the President of the Senate becomes the President of France until a new President is chosen through an election. Follow @jeffsteiner |
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