In keeping with this month’s theme, the letters forming the perimeter of this puzzle, running clockwise from the bottom left-hand corner (ie, starting at square 27), show a lover’s demand, having declared the fruitlessness of procrastination (4,4,4,2,5,3,6). As usual, answers may be in English or French, the choice often suggested by the clues, and all accents are ignored.

ACROSS

8 Small prospector in France? (6)
9 Ridiculous tale spun, yet unfolds (8)
10 I lay off 149 mistakenly – it’s not off the record! (10)
11 What changes needed for warmer weather? (4)
12 Recover in new alcohol legislation (4,4)
13 Patriotism is the scoundrel’s last, said Johnson (6)
15 Cause and effect of desertification (2,5)
17 French stretch what ‘e rented out (7)
20 One found in gas – or another (6)
22 Record keeper sounds to be a researcher (8)
24 Incredible vessel? (4)
26 Lateral tan can make one hop! (10)
27 Knitters make such as love tokens (8)
28 Violently unseat author (6)

DOWN

1 Creator of the Tour de France? (6)
2 Novel like thrown pieces reassembled (10)
3 Cross-dress in water (8)
4 Cheery with dissimilar direction first (7)
5 Pole carries the old operator on cats (6)
6 Encountered one in butcher’s stock (4)
7 Green rat, oddly enough, is alien to France (8)
14 The Last Supper, for example? (5,5)
16 Last words of the famous (8)
18 Joint producer of strange wan tones (5-3)
19 Digs bark at increase (3,4)
21 Uphill before 10? How foul! (6)
23 Hidden when away, like peanuts, maybe (6)
25 County reveals sunken treasure? On the contrary! (4)