Susan Hill Susan Hill

French Notebook

Plus: the Champagne conspiracy; overstaffing in action; and the glory of French storms

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There was a time we all looked forward to on the BBC Today programme, back in the early years of Tony Blair’s first term as Prime Minister. Late July, early August. Blair had scooted off to San Gimignano, Mandelson was probably on a yacht with an oligarch, even Campbell was away battling his weird inner demons somewhere.

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