Paris is the most expensive city to live in according to the latest survey from Economist Intelligence Unit, a sister company to The Economist.

The survey assesses the cost of living by comparing housing, food, clothing, transport and utility bills and the like in 132 cities around the world.

The study is aimed at helping companies calculate allowances for executives and their families being sent overseas.

Tokyo comes second, up from sixth place a year ago. The fall in Russia’s currency against the dollar has made Moscow cheaper than it once was.

Karl Lagerfeld has has just been tapped to receive the Légion d’honneur, the highest decoration in France, on the eve of the latest Chanel fashion show.

Lagerfeld was notified of the honor prior to the fashion show in Paris by French President Nicolas Sarkozy. A date for the official ceremony has yet to be set.

In the sun-drenched south of France, the world’s largest vineyard has launched a new, simplified brand called “Pays d’Oc”, creating the number one French wine export to compete against New World brands.

Languedoc-Roussillon covers 35 percent (or 260,200 hectares) of all French vineyards, making it the biggest producer worldwide.

As of the 2009 vintage, soon to hit store shelves, one-third of that production or 760 million bottles of wine will be sold by vintage and grape variety under the Pays d’Oc brand.

This will make them the world’s fifth largest exporter of varietal wine. And with 33 grape varieties in production in the region, the market potential is impressive.

France’s oldest spirit, Armagnac, is celebrating its 700th birthday with a new marketing push vaunting its “40 virtues” as a drink that is good for the body and good for the soul.

The first mention of Armagnac dates back to 1310 when Prior Vital Dufour wrote a treaty on medicine in which he laid out the 40 virtues of the liqueur produced in southwest France.

“This water, if taken medically and soberly is said to have 40 virtues,” wrote Dufour. “It enlivens the spirit, if taken in moderation, recalls the past to memory, renders men joyous, preserves youth and delays senility.”

Chinese tourists to France increased their spending massively on tax-free luxury goods last year despite the economic crisis, overtaking cash-strapped Russians.

The Chinese bought tax-free goods worth 158 million euros (222.5 million dollars) in France in 2009.

That was an increase of 47 percent from the level the previous year, according to Global Refund, a company specialising in tax-free shopping for tourists.

France is the best place in the world to live, according to a survey released January 5, topping the list for the fifth year in a row.

International Living magazine’s 30th Quality of Life Index surveyed almost 200 countries across nine categories, including cost of living, environment, safety and risk and culture and leisure.

France topped the list for the fifth consecutive year, beating Australia and Switzerland; which took second and third place respectively.