OOH-LA-LA!

The French in Swindon have a busy weekend ahead of them, with the most important French national today and the World Cup final tomorrow.

Ruskin Junior School held a magnifique Bastille Day event yesterday to mark ‘La fete nationale’.

Teachers and pupils dressed in the red, while and blue colours of the Tricolor, ate baguettes and pain au chocolat, and played boules.

Principal Andrew Bignall said: “Our event started two years ago, rather randomly, and it’s quickly become a tradition.

“It’s good for the children to get so immersed in another culture, especially with French on the curriculum.

“The year 6 pupils helped put everything together, then other classes and years joined in.

“We’ve been talking about England in the World Cup a lot and now that they’re out, it’s nice that the kids have another team to support.”

French speakers in Swindon are hoping that the French football team have that special je-ne-sais-quoi to lead them to victory in Sunday’s match.

Pascale Philippe is the secretary for the Anglo-French Club de Swindon, which hosts regular talks, lectures and film screenings in French at St Joseph’s Church in Wroughton.

She said: “It’s very exciting, I always hope that France get to the final and we haven’t lost a match this year, which is superb.

“It’s been 20 years since they won the World Cup in 1998, so I’m hoping history repeats itself.

“My daughter was born a few days after they won.

“I’ll be watching it at home with my husband and three daughters while messaging the rest of my family, who are watching in France.

“It would have been a bit awkward if England had got through to the final, I would have had to hide my joy when France win.

“People say because I live in England I should support the England team, but my heart is always for France.”