Literal translation
it's like the beam from Cabasse
Meaning
it's an absurd, unsolvable problem
Explanation
People reach for this one when a situation turns absurd, with no way out. The full saying pictures a beam too short at both ends, the tale of two carpenters in Cabasse who, each working one end, find it lacking length without ever solving the problem. The village owes its reputation to its own name: cabas means basket in Provençal, and the basket often stands as an image of foolishness. It is still used today for real absurdities, such as an administration asking a deceased man to declare his own death.