British hairdresser brings the "Hair bus" to a part of rural France

You're probably familiar with the idea of mobile libraries, bakers or even butchers in France; serving mainly (although not exclusively) remote rural areas and a definite Godsend to many.

But how about a mobile hairdresser?

Mark Collett (screenshot from TF1 news)

Yes they exist too - at least one does in the département of Haute-Vienne in the southwestern region of Limousin and it's run by an enterprising British hairdresser, Mark Collett, and his French wife, Isabelle.

"Hair bus", le salon de coiffure itinérant

Collett and his wife Isabelle are both hairdressers and since last September (according to the regional daily la Montagne ) have been running a mobile service for those living within 30 kilometre radius of their base, the village of Saint-Bonnet-Briance.

They are both are both hairdressers and since last September (according to another report in the regional daily la Montagne ) have been running a mobile service for those living within 30 kilometre radius of their base, the village of Saint-Bonnet-Briance

They invested in an old (British) minibus previously used for transporting the disabled and adapted it to suit their needs.

"We chose that type of vehicle because we wanted to make it easier for people who had reduced mobility to take up our service,' Collett told the paper.

It took the couple almost 18 months to remodel the minibus and file the necessary official paperwork, but TF1 news reported on Monday, it certainly seems to be successful.

"We're very happy although sometimes it's pretty unpredictable who'll turn up in certain villages," admits Isabelle.

"But we manage - cutting hair for men, women and of course children."

At €9,50 for men and €13,50 for women their prices are a snip (sorry - inevitable) and customers, judging from the TF1 report, seem to be happy.

And there's no need to make an appointment.

Now that's an enterprising spirit!

The "Hair bus" screenshot from TF1 news)

Farmer fined again for "parking tractor" in Paris

Even though Patrick Pilak has a right to be annoyed and frustrated, he seems to be keeping a remarkably cool head.

He has just received another fine for parking illegally in tenth arrondissement of the French capital.

(from Wikipedia)

Something of a surprise really as spaces are plentiful in August when many Parisians are on holiday and it's not that difficult to find a place to leave your vehicle without picking up a ticket.

But of course this is no ordinary case of "illegal parking".

You see Pilak isn't from Paris and the vehicle in question isn't exactly one that would go unnoticed if you saw it parked in the rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, where the ticket was issued.

It's a tractor.

Pilak uses it for his job.

He's a farmer in the village of Gouzougnat in the département of Creuse - almost 400 kilometres from Paris.

OK. OK. So it's a simple mistake - right?

Well, not so simple as it's not the first time he has received a fine for apparently parking his tractor in Paris.

Just after Christmas last year he opened his mail to discover the first of what has now amounted to three different tickets for a clearly impossible parking infringements.

Back then he joked about it, sent a letter by registered delivery saying there must have been some mistake and thought no more of it.

He didn't receive any response.

In May a second ticket plopped through his letterbox - the same registration number (his tractor), the same street - rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis in Paris.

This time he wasn't so amused, as he told the regional daily, La Montagne.

"Once again I sent letter by registered delivery and I also filed a complaint," he told the paper.

"The first time it made me smile, but for it to happen a second time means that it's clearly not a computer error."

The response? There wasn't one - well not to his letter.

But there was another parking ticket - a third one - that arrived this week. Same registration number (his tractor of course), same street.

"To me it's obvious that someone is driving around with false number plates," he told RTL radio.

"I've half a mind to drive to Paris just to see if I can actually drive a tractor along rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis and, who knows, perhaps I'll actually find the vehicle that's driving around with the same licence plate."

Should Pilak actually carry out his "threat" he would likely have the backing of the mayor of Gouzougnat, Eric Yoth, who thinks the whole story has now gone beyond a joke.

"It surely can't be that difficult to find the vehicle or the owner as three tickets have now been issued - all in the same street," he told Agence France Presse.

"This ridiculous story has to have an end."