Though showing sparks of life lately, the US economy remains weak, hobbled by stagnant household incomes and hesitancy on the part of businesses to invest until the growth outlook clears.

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This peaceful riverside enclave sparks to life during the weekly Thursday morning market, when you will hear vendors and shoppers trading the melodic sounds of Occitan (the original language of the region, spoken today by about 1.5 million people in southern France).

BBC: A road trip through provincial France