Now I know why we see little info on Alizée

[ALS]

France loves laws. There are 9,500 in force and parliament passes 70 new ones every year while the state issues some 120,000 decrees. Just about every aspect of French life is governed by a regulation, which means that many are ignored. The 1995 ban on taking photographs without permission is an example.

Here is my list of odd things that you are not allowed to do in France. Some bans, such as winter evictions and price discounts, are supposed to protect the vulnerable (indigent tenants and small shops). Others protect privileges, like pharmacists and the state betting monopoly. Some are just strange. Please add any that I have omitted.

French law provides fines or imprisonment if you

-- Evict a tenant in cold weather, defined as between November 1 and March 15

-- Arrest or search anyone at their homes between 10pm and 6am

-- Cut any chlidren out of your will. All property/real estate must be divided equally among all offspring.

-- Broadcast music on the radio that is less than 60 percent French. Half of that must come from "new talent or new productions and be broadcast during hours of significant audience".

-- Call Nicolas Sarkozy a "bloody Hungarian" (A demonstrator was jailed for one month for shouting at Sarko, when he was Interior Minister: Go back to China, espèce de Hongrois". The offence was "insulting a person who holds authority for public order".)

-- Sell any book at less than 95 percent of its official retail price

-- Broadcast television commercials for books, movie films or political parties

-- Advertise a party or candidate within three months of an election except for small standardized posters on municipal panels and a state-allotted television broadcast. Posters are banned if they are black and white or red, white and blue.

-- Own more than one chemist's shop (drugstore) or open one without official permission

-- Open a hairdresser's shop without two diplomas that take five years to earn.

-- Hold a store sale outside two annual periods set by the state prefect for each département

-- Open a shop on a Sunday more than five times a year (exceptions for tourist zones, bakers, florists and corner shops)

-- Sell goods below cost price "with the exception of products that are seasonal or unfashionable" -- and then only during official sales

-- Take, transmit or publish any person's photograph without their permission

-- Divulge information on anyone's private life

-- Record or transmit any private conversation without permission

-- Collect or keep statistics that mention ethnic origin

-- Gamble on anything except at licensed casinos or with state agencies. Bets may only be placed on horse racing, tennis, rugby, football and Formula 1 motor racing.

-- Buy, sell or display Nazi uniforms, insignia or other paraphernalia

-- Use foreign words in advertising or broadcasting without an accompanying French translation.

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