Living as I do in a rural(ish) part of France I get very few callers. This week has been an exception. Not only did two Jehovah's Witnesses come calling but I answered a knock on my front door and found a Fireman standing there! Quelle surpise!

As Christmas approaches in France, etiquette dictates that you are supposed to tip all sorts of people. These cash gifts are called les étrennes and, for some reason, are often given in exchange for a calendar. Although frankly there are only so many calendars a person needs.

At the end of each year, French firefighters (or sapeurs-pompiers) go from door to door to offer their annual calendar. Pompiers are allowed to sell their calendars as long as they are in uniform.

I jokingly remarked to a friend that sales would go through the roof if the Pompiers were to take a leaf out of the Calendar Girls’ book and pose in a state of undress. A spot of internet research revealed that a group of firefighters in Buis les Baronnies already pulled this stunt in 2001 in aid of a national charity. This is one of their 'cheeky' shots: