Hi-ho, The Derry-O, French Farmers Are In The Merde

A crisis building for years in the countryside finally erupts with a "siege" of Paris by rural protestors demanding more radical support for the nation's suffering farmers.

Outsiders can easily fall into the trap of thinking that Paris is France. That the nation is defined by its global luxury brands and artsy films and Haute couture and Michelin restaurants.

If they venture outside of the capital city, perhaps they will visit the urban centers of Lyon or Marseille or Cannes. For those adventuresome spirits who romanticize …