18 NOVEMBER 1995, Page 38

All hetero together

Sir: In an article dealing with homosexuali- ty (Books, 4 November), Mr Anthony Blond states that France accords equal rights to concubines as to married couples. True, but what he fails to add is that the concubines in question are heterosexual. Of the 36,000-odd 'communes' in this country only three have even broached the subject of extending these rights to civil benefits to the homosexual couple, and if a recent attempt to do so at St Nazaire is anything to go by it will be a long time before such a practice becomes widespread. The good citizens of the Atlantic seaport town would have nothing to do with such an idea.

C.KH. Cuff 1 rue Mirabeau, 4900 Angers, France