On Sat, 9 Feb 2013 Sacha wrote:

In the first episode, which is the only one I saw all the way through,
he just said 'Bien' a lot. It would be better for everyone's
credibility if they just did a straightforward programme. He doesn't
speak French, or if he does, they're not allowing him to do so.

In fact you do hear French from him. I've just looked at the second
programme again and, in both programmes, he does speak quite a bit of
French.

Take the programme in which the Italian chef, Giorgio Locatelli and
English art expert, Andrew Graham-Dixon, toured Italy. The Englishman
really could speak Italian well and was allowed to do so.

Yes, that was a good series.

And we're pretty sure the 2CV changed number plates halfway through!

There are two 2CVs. He uses one when in the north of France and the
other in the south. I suppose that emphasises just how large a country
it is and that it would take too long to actually drive from the north
to the south! They didn't explain that but then why should they?

And the music PLEASE.

The choice of music was very good, I thought. It didn't irritate me as
the music in some television programmes. In additional to the
traditional French accordion-type music (whether played on the accordion
or not) there was some Verdi (La Forza del destino), Fauré and Satie.
Tastefully done and not too repetitive. Some programmes repeat the same
bit of music again and again. While there was a little repetition it
wasn't obtrusive.

David

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David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK