From a 2007 source. Since 1963 only six Englishman have received this honour from France. Can you name it? Can you name the last recipient?

Legion d'Honneur.Harold Pinter became a Chevalier of the order in 2007.[Acute accent on the E of Legion: one day I'll find out how to get E acute on a qwerty keyboard ]

No ,not "Légion d'honneur " Fred. Good reply but I am looking for something else which is also a high honnor.

A clue , the last person to earn this honnor was a ......lawyer and a ..."sir".

Hmm. Not many lawyers are knights.All our High Court judges are.Is the profession of the law relevant to the honour?

Yes it is. BTW he already holds la " Légion d'honneur". (I just found out).

Can't think of any French honour which is specific to or relevant to, the law

We have 'knights' (chevaliers) of 'ordres' in France. A knight is a 'Sir'

Apart from the Legion d'Honneur, we have other orders. We have one 'des Arts et Lettres' which has been awarded to foreigners as diverse as Kylie Minogue (who'd be a Dame, not a Knight, here ), Jackson Pollock and Sir George Christie, director and founder of the Glyndebourne Opera House.

We have others e.g. for merit in Agriculture, for merit in Maritime practice and two, more distinguished orders viz. one 'du Merite National Publique' (for services to the French nation) and one 'des Palmes Academiques' (for great intellectuals)

None of them demand knowledge of law though.

Am I getting close?

Well, it is something I didn't know either, Fred. I'll give it away!

Prof Sir Basil Markesinis QC was awarded the blue sash and gold insignia of a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit

"Who he? Ed."

Gosh, I'm tired. I've only just got off a plane and just must get to bed. But reading the link from the Daily Telegraph fills me such sorrow, indeed fear, for the future of journalism in the UK.

quote:

Originally posted by Colin, Paris, France:
But reading the link from the Daily Telegraph fills me such sorrow, indeed fear, for the future of journalism in the UK.

Why, Colin?

Fred, you jest. I hope. For I know that (you too) find that writing is an art. And that there article just don't cut the mustard.

quote:

Originally posted by Colin, Paris, France:
Fred, you jest. I hope. For I know that (you too) find that writing is an art. And that there article just don't cut the mustard.

Granted it's not Le Monde, but, to me, it didn't seem particularly badly written. The tone was a little patronising to the reader though. I don't take The Telegraph daily but the piece seems to be of their normal standard.