Lime Magazine

REGIONAL FOOD DRINK TRAVEL

SPRING 2015

langans on land & sea

reader offers stylish luggage musical cruise lake Garda

local heroes

forager scours the hedgerows

smallholder grapples with rams

chef works wonders with scallops

spring is here!

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Welcome to lime transmanche

contents MARCH/APRIL 2005

food LUNCH AT LANGANS 6 Interview with chef owner Richard Shepherd THE FORAGER 16 Local grazers, walking on the wild side THE SMALLHOLDER 20 Local heroine, Sandra Brown is not about to hang up her boots MUTTON AND TURNIP PIE 22 Special recipe from Mark Hix, chef director at The Ivy TABLE ART 30 Belgian art and food at its best HEAVEN ON EARTH 33 Quality chocolate to die for LIFE AFTER COOK-IN SAUCES 38 Cookery course in Normandy LOCAL DISH 41 Guest chef Blaise Vasseur works wonders with scallops FOOD FOR THOUGHT 44 Richard Johnson reviews two spiritual eateries

EDITOR/PUBLISHER Jane Murrell

drink

PRODUCTION James Easley Bill Hutton ISDN: 01304 614509 ADVERTISING Audrey Robins 1st media T: 01795 832 134 E: Audrey@1stmedia.co.uk ACCOUNTS Katrina Osborne © 2005 Transmanche Publications Ltd, 43-45 Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9DN. Printed in the UK by Precision Colour Printing.

Published bi-monthly. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited.

To contact us: T: 01304 620804 Email: jane@lime-mag.com Write: Lime Transmanche, 43-45 Strand Street, Sandwich, Kent CT13 9DN

ORGANIC WINES The pros and cons BALANCED WINE Bordeaux

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DEAL townplanner MOVING TO FRANCE Take some advice before you go GHENT townplanner LES PUCES... ...Paris flea markets to you and me!

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travel 24 26 36

regulars PERSONALLY SPEAKING BBC2 Full on Food presenter Richard Johnson GOSSIP What’s new?

COMPETITION WIN an Antler luggage beauty case QUICK GUIDE To restaurants READER OFFER Page & Moy travel offers to Russia and Italy

9 10 29 42 49

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from the

editorcontributors

Forget ‘The Borrowers’ - those fictional diminutive housebound gatherers

Richard Johnson

of artefacts whose antics beneath the floorboards are well documented

Well known food critic working for The Independent, Richard also writes regularly for the Sunday Times, The Guardian and co-presents the BBC2 Full On Food programme.

in the story books and, more recently, on film, .No. They are so passé. The new kids on the block, so to speak, in Kent at least, are The Foragers, better known as Miles Irving from Petham and Fergus Drennan from Herne Bay. No lurking furtively in dark corners of the home for them. They

Penny Visman

recently and discovered some fascinating facts about the benefits of

A travel writer for 25 years, Penny Visman is a member of the British Guild of Travel Writers, and a frequent contributor to various newspapers and magazines. Hotels, food and wine are among her specialist areas of knowledge.

gathering in the woods( page 16).

Carol Evans

prefer to be outdoors in all weathers scouring woodlands and fields for bittercress, nettles, wild garlic and all manner of other wondrous common plants that form the basis of a richly varied but little-used country cuisine.

Our contributor Amanda Fisher had the great pleasure of their company

I personally think this issue is the best yet in terms of the breadth of topics

Carol has written features on subjects as diverse as travel, outdoor pursuits and the arts for local magazines while still maintaining an interest in the newsroom of a regional daily newspaper.

covered. But don’t just take my word for it. Take a closer look at the

Michael Leech

Now, to have concentrated so intently on the feature about the foragers implies the rest of the magazine has less interesting topics. Not a bit of it.

feature on Sandra Brown, for instance, an absolutely remarkable woman running a smallholding near Ashford. Grappling successfully with rastafarian rams is just one of her many skills.

It would be untruthful of me if I said all the features catch my imagination equally. But each to their own. You, on the other hand, will have your own opinion. Why not take a look and let us know what you think of the content. We are always pleased to receive your comments and will be publishing readers’ letters in future issues. Look forward to hearing from you.

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Michael Leech actively enjoys the performing arts - theatre, visual, dance - and is equally passionate about food and drink. He is both a member of the Guild of Food Writers and British Guild of Travel Writers.

Amanda Fisher Amanda Fisher has been reporting on Kent life and people for 20 years. A news hound at Television South, researcher on Country Ways, she moved into producing programmes for Channel 4, BSkyB and the BBC, before returning to the Kent Messenger Group.

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twenty four

Rhodes

There’s nothing like a well-fed river to start me thinking. It makes me contemplate the earth and its atmosphere, and how the liquid ratio between the two remains constant – never a drop more, never a drop less. It’s a profoundly moving story of circular infinity. So I was worried that Gary Rhodes’ new restaurant, with its tables overlooking the brooding waters of the Thames, might be too much for me to bare.

Because Rhodes Twenty Four, in the City of London, has the best river views I’ve ever seen.

From the 24th floor of the NatWest building (now known as Tower 42), the waters unfurl right beneath you. Well, you are 590 ft in the air.

And on a clear day, you can see all the way to kent. But Rhodes invited me along to witness the food – not the view.

The place smelt new. The cruet sets were still on order, and the staff were busy picking fluff off the woollen carpets. This is an important venture for Rhodes. He is opening somewhere new in Grenada before the end of the year but, for the time being, Twenty Four is his baby. I say “his” – he doesn’t own it. Like he says, he doesn’t want to worry about the VAT. With prices like these, his accountant will be happy. The restaurant is in the middle of the City. Which explains the expense-account prices – at £10 for a starter and £20 for a main course, it would take a stock market meltdown to leave Twenty Four cruelly exposed. But what the hell. The Dow is up, and the reservations book is looking healthy.

Rhodes is driving in every morning, from his home near Bromley. He is at the cooker by 6.45am. the man’s energy seems boundless.

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And looks good for a 43-year-old. It helps that he’s cut his hair. His PR says the spiky hairstyle was “his security blanket”. And shaving it off was a difficult decision to take. He is still gelling.

Or waxing. But it’s more fitting style for a man of his years.

I started with the individual braised oxtail cottage pie.

Because it can be extremely tough (depending on the age of the animal), an ox tail requires a long, slow braise.

And it takes 20lbs of ox tail to produce 4lbs of useable meat. At £9.80, its clear to see that the best of British doesn’t come cheap. But the wisp of buttery mashed potato sat atop the thin pastrycase rammed full of sweet tail meat was the kind of dish I could eat every day of my life.

So were the fried pork and gammon crubeens (£9.80).

Rhodes likes to keep his menu brief. So he doesn’t bother to explain that

“crubeens” are pig’s trotters. Crubeens do sound nicer. The meat (there is more meat on a hind trotter) is fried in breadcrumbs, so that the crisp shell gives way to a doughy interior, ribbed with fatty flesh. This was more than comfort food – this was a real shoulder to cry on.

dining out

Richard Johnson explores Gary Rhodes latest venture with a river view to dine for.

The rather thin and disappointing turkey consommé was served with an intense cranberry and chestnut pate – like Christmas on a slice of buttered toast. But the highlight of dinner was a roast bitter duck (£19.50). The skin of the bird was burnt. It’s a trick I’ve perfected at home. But Rhodes does it deliberately. The duck’s bitterness, enhanced by treacle, sat well with the spicy puree of parsnip and date, and one single roast potato, soft and tender enough to cut with a pair of chop sticks.

So much of taste is memory, and Rhodes still delights in pulling those strings. Especially with desserts like Jaffa Cake pudding and rhubarb and custard. He decided to put his signature bread and butter pudding on the menu (£7.50), but with a twist. Gordon Ramsay’s twist is to make it with a baguette and lace it with Baileys liqueur. Rhodes has replaced the burnt bread, which gives the pudding its bittersweet quality, with a brulee.

I’am afraid the end result leaves a little too much residual sugar. It was served with bread and butter ice cream, and bread and butter custard – a tricksy conceit that I prefer to chocolate cappuccino cups and marzipan spoons. And it made me smile almost as much as the glum

French waitress saying “roly poly” (so that it sounded like an Italian coastal resort). The roly poly arrived with a jug of custard – a nice, relaxed touch with a surprising sense of theatre from Rhodes.

The Broadgate Horticultural Trust, the Kentish home of the National Fruit Collections, has no fewer than 2,300 native varieties of apple.

Rhodes has been a fan of British apples ever since he learnt to cook at Thanet Technical College. But his favourite is the Bramley. The sharp, rounded flavour is used to its full effect in Rhodes’ mousse, with a side order of warm Cox’s and lady’s finger biscuits (£7.50).

Rhodes Twenty Four Tower 42 25 Old Broad Street London EC2N 1HQ t. 0207 877 7703

The mousse wasn’t especially light. Or, creamy.

And the thin layer of sponge it sat upon was rather too wet. But the Kentish fruit sang on its own. Our apples aren’t as flavoursome as they once were because imported apples are coming to supermarkets earlier, so British farmers have to pick early to complete. Rhodes decided to wait until fruits were at their best.

Believe me, it was worth it.

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food l personality

lunch Richard Shepherd

with

What a treat to be at a table for two with Chef. This was at Langan’s Brasserie in Piccadilly, and Chef, as he is called by his staff, is Richard Shepherd, the owner.

Words Penny Visman

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After being Head Chef at London’s Capital Hotel, Richard joined the restaurant founder Peter Langan and business partner Michael Caine 27 years ago. Now there are five London restaurants in the group. This is a man who listens to what people want. He told me he wants to give people a good ‘package’ (food, wine, service ambience) and not rip them off. And what a good idea that you can eat here anytime between noon and midnight.

Witty and amusing, Richard is a charming host, with that rare knack of greeting others whilst remaining attentive to the person he is with. Everyone is made to feel special.

I was there to hear about Langan’s Brasseries at sea.

Clearly a man who enjoys life, Richard told me he thinks all aspects of travel should be a pleasure. When he floated the idea of installing replica Langan’s on their ferries P & O happily went with the flow. And now passengers look forward to eating in Langan’s as an important part of their ferry trip.. In fact Langan’s at sea has become a destination in itself. Cruise a la Carte attracts food lovers who do a return crossing without getting off.

The décor on board echoes the London restaurant, with shaded wall lights and black and white photographs of celebrities. But creating the menu was a challenge, due to maritime regulations. Menus, changed seasonally, are tried and tested in P & O’s Control Production Unit at Dover, and staff go to Langan’s in London to see how things are done there. On-board menus always feature Langan’s favourites: Field Mushrooms with Bacon and Lancashire Cheese will be one of the six starters, and Bangers (all Langan’s sausages are made to a secret recipe) and Mash with White Onion Sauce among the nine main courses. Crème Brulee is the star of the puds, being a tricky triumph for a ship’s galley. Steak, fish and vegetarian dishes are always on offer. Breakfast is hugely popular with Champagne and smoked salmon; Full English with black pudding; or steak and eggs.

knew to bring a little plate of extra crackling). For me a splendid Sea Bass with braised fennel and shallot butter.

Chef’s wine choice of Rupert Rothschild Classique 2001 went down very well indeed.

We were sitting below a large painting of the retreating figure of Peter Langan. What a legacy Richard has ensured for his friend (who died in l988). It was Peter Langan who first had the idea of replicating the buzzy ambience of a classless café society restaurant similar to that of Brasserie La Coupole in Paris. But it is Richard Shepherd who made, and keeps it viable (he bought Michael Caine out 5 years ago). When I asked how he thought Langan would react to his restaurants at sea, Richard replied ‘I think he’d be smiling’.

Langan’s Group of London restaurants:

Langan’s Brasserie Stratton Street, Piccadilly T: 020 7491 8822

Odin’s 27 Devonshire Street T:020 7935 7296

Shepherd’s Marsham Court, Marsham Street, T: 020 7834 9552

Langan’s Bistro,

The menu in Langan’s Brasserie in London is of course far more extensive. It changes daily, but core dishes are always included.

26 Devonshire Street

To start I had Spinach Soufflé, pierced at the table before the delectable anchovy sauce was poured in. Richard told me that he took this off the menu once but had so many protests from regulars it had to be reinstated. For Chef it was succulent-looking prawns with a dip, followed by Roast Lion of Pork with apple and onion stuffing (the waiter

Langan’s Coq d’Or,

T: 020 7935 4531

254-260 Brompton Road T: 020 7259 2599 Peter Langan

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Michael Leech discovers why organic wines are proving to be both ea

I admit I am lucky – I occasionally review

means avoidance of chemical inputs

“We use low dosage sprays of sulphur, but

restaurants. The fare can be varied, yet what

(artificial fertiliser, pesticides, weed-killers

are trying a method of eliminating its use

they all offer is a range of wine, usually good

etc), but it goes further. My vineyard and

over the next year or two. It’s the only input

and sometimes sublime. A well-prepared

farm are as self-sufficient as possible using

in our vineyard not totally natural. Organic

meal with wine is an ideal marriage. You enjoy

home-grown compost, minimising wastage.

philosophy continues into the winery, where chemicals are avoided, the wine left as

your food more, and the rosy glow from the wine lubricates conversation and aids

The key to success in organic viticulture lies

much as possible to its own devices. This

digestion. Increasingly

in nurturing soil to optimum health, feeding

can only be done when the fruit is close to

soil microbes with green manure crops and

perfect condition and ripeness. Wines are

composts.

fermented by natural yeasts that occur on

the hidden powers of wine are being revealed – it’s nice to think

grape skins, rather than innoculating with

it does you good (in moderation!) and from Thus the vines get the best chance of

commercial yeast strains. Both our vineyards

conception too. So watch out after a boozy

maintaining a healthy state and producing a

are registered with the Soil Association, but

dinner!

premium crop. Disease is a key element of

all winemaking takes place in East Sussex at

recent research red wine may assist with

UK viticulture. We combat this using

Rotherfield. I do feel our wines have a purity

However wine drinking has increasingly

compost teas, plant extracts and liquid

of flavour and a character we could never

made my regular dining companion less

manures.”

obtain with the use of chemicals.”

then happy. She loves wine as much as I do, but recently unpleasant after-effects made

So does he retain pest control with what

her beg off. Soon it was no longer a bottle

most growers would regard as the

for us, but just a glass (for me).

absolutely essential sulphur spraying?

Mostly reds, but often whites, left her with an unhappy stomach. Then she tried organic wines – hurray, they didn’t seem to bother her digestion. Could it be chemical additives and not the wine itself is part of the problem? Only medical tests can prove that, but how often do we stop to query what’s been added to the food and drink we buy? (I never eat tinned soup: tiny print on labels listing additives suggest it’s better to make my own. You know what has gone into it.)

So where can you find organic wine in Kent and what exactly are organic wines? Not so long ago most wines were naturally organic.

I asked Will Davenport, who owns and runs two vineyards producing them, (one at Rotherfield in E Sussex, the other in Kent at Horsmonden) what exactly the term ‘organic’ means for wines?

“The organic philosophy is to grow the best fruit possible using only sustainable methods. It’s all linked closely to nature. This

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organ

drink

asier on the head as well as the stomach.

Will Davenport offers tours for groups of 15 or more including a tasting of the wines. £4 per head, allow about 2 hours.

Groups must be prebooked. Limney Farm, Castle Hill, Rotherfield, East Sussex TN6 3RR, United Kingdom, tel: 01892 852 380.

(No visits at Horsmonden.)

Aside from being harder to find, organic wines are usually more expensive and English wines have the disadvantage of being more heavily taxed than those of other

countries. Some local vineyards produce organic wines – which provides the pleasing possibility of a visit and a tasting. To visit them look for those European-inspired brown signs featuring a bunch of grapes. At Barnsole they produce the elegant Pilgrim’s Harvest (not organic).

Most supermarkets offer organic wines. In

Or when on holiday follow the grape signs

Hythe Waitrose offers at least six wines – a

and drop into such producers as Wroxeter

mix of Italian, French and German, ask to be

Roman Vineyard in Shropshire.

directed by the helpful staff. Aldi has several: reds (a warm hearted Cabernet Sauvignon from Mendoza, Argentina) and a white.

ic wines Sainsbury has a range at Kent stores.

Almost a score of choices with the accent on French, Italian, American and really worth trying - Argentinian wines. Safeway has organics on sale at Canterbury. The Wincheap store beside the A2 should have several if you ask. Tesco has from 15 to 20 selections at any time.

There are lots of plusses for organics -

Will was at the annual English Wine

though to find more you may have to resort

Producers St George’s Day tastings at

to tracking down outlets. For example

Vinopolis, by London Bridge. You can try-

Matthew Cooper, wine buyer for Ellis of

and-buy at his vineyard. Organic wines are

Richmond, introduced me to a French

available through some independent retailers

organic, Chardonnay Grenache 2001, a

in Kent. Vinopolis is open to the public as is

A full well rounded wine with a slight bite, worth noting. The more you ask for organic

good year in the Languedoc.

wines at your local dealer, the more they are

Rotherfield wine at Heath Stores, Horsmonden, Kent TN12 8HT, tel:01892 722 221

Perfect Partners, 7 Stone Street, Cranbrook, Kent TN17 3HF, tel: 01580 712 633

Brenchley Wine Company, High Street, Brenchley, Kent TN12 7NQ, tel: 01892 723094

Vinopolis, 1 Bank End, SE1, information, tel: 0870 241 4040

Planet Organic at 42 Westbourne Grove in London 7221 7171.

Ask at any Waitrose, Sainsbury or Safeway store for organic wines – they will often order them for you if not in stock.

Aldi has stores in Dover, Hythe, Margate, Ramsgate, Sittingbourne and Swanley.

Planet Organic in West London. There seems no central site in Kent, but if we hear of one we will keep you posted. And if you find one that you like, please let Freedom know.

likely to try to find them for you.

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Why is it that nothing tastes quite as good as handfuls of sweet juicy blackberries fresh from the hedgerow on a country walk?

the foragers Words Amanda Fisher Photos David King

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food l localgrazers

The thrill finding a henge of horse mushrooms to fry with breakfast, or stripping lacy elderflowers for effervescent wine, is made all the better for knowing that each of these culinary delights will cost you absolutely nothing.

It was the realisation that anyone with a little inside knowledge of nature’s bounty could eat very nicely thank you whatever the season that led Richard Mabey to write Food For Free – a guide to the edible wild plants of Britain in 1972. An instant hit, it’s never been out of print since. And it remains one of Miles Irving’s valuable source books, even though he was only five when it was first published.

Miles, from Petham, joined forces two years ago with fellow wild food enthusiast Fergus Drennan, from Herne Bay, to set up Forager, a specialist service providing fresh wild vegetables, herbs, fruits, fungi and roots to top class restaurants in London and the South East.

Miles said: “Richard Mabey has done a great deal to remind us all of the rich but neglected heritage of plant use we have in this country.”

food expert chef Antonio Carluccio.

“We set out to scour East Kent for plants featured in the book,” Miles said. “To our delight, we came across almost all of them within 15 miles of our home.”

According to Miles, Kent is a unique area for wild food because of its temperate climate and varied terrain: salt and freshwater rivers, rolling chalk hills, woods, cliffs, marshes and one of the longest coastlines in the country.

Listening to Miles and Fergus planning future forays, I was astonished to discover how many common plants growing in even the most meagre field boundary, forest and hedgerow form the basis of a richly varied and little-used country cuisine.

“In spring we scour woodlands and fields for Alexanders, wild garlic, nettles, fat hen, Judas ear and St George’s mushrooms, while sea walks produce sea purslane and sea beet,” Miles explained. “Summer gleanings include ceps, rowan, wild cherries and strawberries, crab apples, green walnuts, elderflowers, plantain, watercress, sea beet, marsh samphire, sea lettuce.

In autumn blackberries, elderberries, bilberries, hazelnuts, walnuts, chestnuts, cobnuts, sloes and a wealth of wild mushrooms are on our list, while throughout winter we harvest bittercress, wild chervil, winter chanterelles, ceps and honey fungus.”

...until a person’s senses are attuned to their Mabey and that other doyen of free wild foods, Roger surroundings for the Phillips, are following an agepurpose of finding old tradition of plantsmen authors, who include the food, they are not 17th century Kent herbalist truly alive.

Nicholas Culpeper.

“Throughout the centuries, an awareness of local plants was the key to getting fed,” said Miles.

According to Miles, the poet Ted Hughes once said that until a person’s senses are attuned to their surroundings for the purpose of finding food, they are not truly alive.

It’s not surprising that Miles and Fergus Drennan are such enthusiasts. In their thirties, both have been keen foragers from childhood.

“My grandfather, who worked for the Ministry of Agriculture, introduced me to the notion that things you find in the woods could be eaten,” said Miles. “He taught me about some of the better known species of wild fungi, I learnt to gather winkles on the shore, and although at the age of six, I though it pretty strange when he made soup from nettles, I'm very proud of him for it now!”

Miles continued to forage for things wild and edible in a modest way, until he moved to Kent in 1997. At that time he and his girlfriend, Ali, (now his wife), were fascinated by a cook book written by wild

The foragers have built up a database of exact locations where plants grow and can be gathered at different seasons.

“It’s updated by friends and contacts around the county who find interesting additions,” said Fergus.

Half the fun of running a business like theirs is rootling around ancient woodlands, strolling by the sea, along country lanes, down disused railway tracks, tramping the Downs and through the chalk streams to garner whatever they can from the untapped natural harvest around us.

“Foraging allows us to follow the seasonal cycles. We read the signs and literally following our noses at times,” said Miles.

According to Miles and Fergus, our consumer society means people get cut off from the living process. Nowadays most foods come sealed in plastic.

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travellproperty

Photo: Daniel Thierry, Ville Campagne

we want to

move... to

Words John Saunders

France

The roses that bloom in Picardy fill many

John Edmonds of Ashford solicitors

can realise enough equity in his house to

an imagined garden with their scent as

Kingsfords, specialises in helping clients

invest in property abroad.

Englishmen huddle around the mid-winter

with French properties.

television, soaking up the latest news full of doom and gloom. It’s an enduring mystery why, when so many want to come to the UK, so many of us want to leave. But, despite the continuing fall in the value of the pound against the euro, more Brits than ever are looking across the Channel to buy property,

A lot of different factors are influencing the

“Some of our clients have owned a house

market. Ease of travel helps to boost

in France for years,” he says. “ The

interest, with low cost airlines flying into

Channel Tunnel, and competitive ferry

regional airports not previously served by

services, have made travel so much easier,

scheduled flights. Local authorities in

but what has really driven this market is the

France are keen to sign agreements with

increase in UK property values.”

companies like Ryanair, and invest heavily

A house in France was once the preserve of the rich, but now the man in the street

in improved airport facilities. They know that their investment will pay dividends in the local economy.

UK & International Removals & Storage 24 Lime Transmanche

In the UK, the traditional second home targets

you hoped for. If you plan to holiday let then

of the Celtic fringes are practically bought out.

remember that you’ll pay French tax on the

Resentment against incomers in places like

income, and may have to employ a local agent

North Wales has put off many potential buyers.

to manage the property.

More of us are travelling abroad for summer and winter holidays and picking up a taste for good weather, good wine, and the relaxation promised by what often seems to be a more laid-back attitude to rules, regulations, and life in general.

10 tips 1

Don’t rush in. Get to know the local property market, make more than one inspection of the

The process of house buying in France is very

property and only make an offer after careful

different from that which you will have

consideration.

experienced in England, as John Edmonds explains. “ If you like a house you are being

2

shown around then the estate agent will produce a contract for you to sign. That

John Edmonds sounds a note of caution.

contract then goes to the Notaire. Although

“Fragrant memories of a superb family holiday

you pay the Notaire’s fees he is not acting on

are not always the best investment advice. A

your behalf. It’s his job to ensure that the

typical client might buy an apartment in a ski

property title is good, and that the transfer of

resort after a great holiday. Next year the best

title is properly made and recorded. It’s not his

snow will be somewhere else. The resort might

job to conduct the kind of broader searches

change in character, and children will definitely

that a UK solicitor does as a matter of course.”

grow up and not want to spend holidays with

If you want to know about any restrictions on

parents. Buy with your eyes open, and don’t

development, public rights of way through the

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4

Get to know the area and the facilities available in the neighbourhood well before committing yourself.

Take legal advice before signing any Contract.

Be clear as to your longer term plans for the property and appreciate that French inheritance laws are very different from ours. You will, therefore, need legal advice as to how to structure

5

the purchase.

Have your finance arranged before signing. Be aware that re-mortgages as we know them do not

assume that it will be a gold-plated long term

garden, or plans to build a toll road through

investment.”

your toilet, this will cost you extra, and not all

property for cash, you will not be able to re-

Notaires will be prepared to help you. Local

mortgage it at a later date.

Unlike some communities closer to home the French are generally very welcoming to incoming buyers. They have seen their rural housing dilapidating for years. Their young people left for the bright city lights long before Brits drove up local house prices, and they welcome this new source of investment in the rural infrastructure. John Edmonds’ advice is to get to know the local community before you invest. “ When you do buy, make sure you use

building controls and planning are very much in the hands of the Mairie, which underlines the

threshold by stripping the equity of your UK

job done properly.”

home and hiding it in France, think again. The

you plan to raise funds against the new property then bear in mind that in France you can borrow less as a multiple of your annual income. If you borrow against your UK property

estimates from local qualified tradesmen before

agent that your English lawyer will be dealing

They should know all the wrinkles of getting the

principle before you even start house hunting. If

being obtained. If any works are required, obtain

that contract in the estate agents office. Tell the

will follow your instructions.”

7

children, which may not be what you had in mind.

With demand continuing to drive up French

Double check the boundaries and the situation of the property. This is particularly important with inspected in high summer will look very different in mid winter. Check by inspection if any neighbours appear to exercise rights across the property. If

integral part of your estate. Bear in mind also reserves a share of your estate for your

committing yourself.

rural properties. Be aware that a property

property will be valued on your death as an that inheritance law in France automatically

property before signing. If in doubt, arrange a the contract conditional on a satisfactory survey

and sure,” says John Edmonds, “don’t sign

with the purchase, and then offices like ours

Be certain you are happy with the condition of the survey preferably before signing, otherwise make

community. “If you want to be absolutely safe

If you think you can escape the Inheritance Tax

hard work begins. Find out about finances in

6

importance of getting to know the local

local tradesmen for any work that needs doing.

The decision to buy is the easy part. Then the

exist in France, and if you have purchased your

8 9

they do, make further enquiries before signing.

Check if planning permission or other official Consents will be required for your proposed use.

If selling a property in England to finance the purchase, do ensure that the Contract in France is

this is likely to be a sterling loan. Currency

property prices you will be considering

conditional on the English sale taking place and be

fluctuations could leave you short of the

investing a significant amount of money.

aware, that unlike the position in England, it is very

completion price if the euro gets stronger.

Without careful thought and good advice those

difficult to fix an exact completion date in France.

Completion dates can be difficult to agree in

mid-winter dreams could turn into a

You should, therefore, not expect to tie in the

France, and you may have to wait longer than

nightmare.

completion dates of the sale and purchase.

10 Learn French and try to integrate into the local community.

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travel The splendid city of Troyes. It’s one of those charming surprises that France excels in. Words by Michael Leech.

I FIRST DISCOVERED TROYES ONE COLD WINTER WEEKEND WHILE RESEARCHING THE CHAMPAGNE ARDENNE FOR A GUIDEBOOK. A LARGE TOWN OF HIGH TIMBERED AND TILED BUILDINGS IT’S RIPE WITH HISTORY. IMAGINE STRATFORD-UPON-AVON MULTIPLIED SEVERAL TIMES, AND WITH TALLER BUILDINGS TOO, AND YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF HOW THIS ANCIENT CITY APPEARS. ALONG NARROW WINDING STREETS HUGE OLD HOUSES LEAN AND RECLINE, MOSTLY OF WOODEN CONSTRUCTION BUT OCCASIONALLY YOU FIND AN EARLY PALACE OF EXPENSIVE STONE. THEY ARE IMMACULATELY PRESERVED NOW, FOR THE CITY EMPLOYS A TEAM OF SPECIALISTS WHO LOVINGLY RESEARCH AND RESTORE EACH HOUSE AS IT BECOMES AVAILABLE FOR TREATMENT. THE RESULT IS NOT A BLACK-ANDWHITE EFFECT, BUT OF OVERSAILING AND GABLED HOUSES WITH EXTERIOR BEAMS STAINED WITH SOFT COLOURS, FROM PALE PINK AND APRICOT TO SOFT BLUE AND PALE MINT GREEN. MIXED AMONG THEM AND PRESERVING THE STREET LIFE ARE MANY SMALL SHOPS, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS,

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Lunch in Ostend en route to a getaway in Ghent Words Penny Visman Photos Tourism Flanders

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travel l townplanner As well as all those delectable chocolates, gourmet restaurants, brilliant beers and famous frites, Belgium has great art galleries and fascinating history.

Easy to get to, as well.

Less than an hour after leaving Calais we were parked just off the Visserkaai (fisherman's quay) in Ostend where there is a cluster of fine fish restaurants. One of the local specialities is those tiny pink-brown shrimps known as delicieuse d'Ostendaise.

Our destination was Ghent, a 45 minute drive from Ostend. As we saw the signs for the city a half -remembered poem by Robert Browning came to mind: "How they brought the good news from Ghent to Aix". Well that was about the Battle of Waterloo. The good news now is that in April Ghent will be bursting into bloom for the FLORALIEN. Held here every five years, it is Europe's largest flower and horticultural exhibition. And did you know that Ghent has the most listed monuments in Belgium, seven major museums plus several others, and that people make pilgrimages to see the city's great art treasure, Van Eyck's triptych Adoration of the Mystic Lamb.

But, hey, Ghent is no living museum; it has a bohemian quirky side and large student population. Interesting design and fashion as well (how about the latest creations by Belgian designer Dries van Noten) Ghent has dozens of cafes, bars and restaurants and every taste is catered for. One of the local culinary specialities is Waterzooi, which has a cult following throughout Flanders. This is an aromatic creamy chicken casserole, made with leeks, celery, carrots, onions and herbs. Fresh cream and eggs are mixed in at the end of the cooking and it is

served with boiled potatoes. Fish was once the main ingredient of Waterzooi, due to the many rivers, moats, ditches and canals in Ghent. Apparently the inhabitants could just fish from the windows of their houses for pike, perch, eel and carp. Now with the fish long gone from Ghent waters, chicken is used instead.

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The best introductory overview is on St. Michael's Bridge, in the centre of town, from where you can see three of the city's landmarks in line: St. Bavo's Cathedral, St. Nicholas' Church and the Belfry. The river is flanked by magnificent medieval houses and guild buildings that flank The Graslei and Korenlei (Herb Quay and Corn Quay). Its all so photogenic that chances are you will run into a film crew. These buildings reflect different periods of history and the activities of the old guilds. Boat trips depart from here. A short walk away there is The Castle of the Counts, built in 1180, once a mint, then a jail, and now a museum.

Contact the quirky independent information centre: Use-it, 43 Bagattenstraat Monday to Friday 1-8 pm T: 00 32 (0)9 324 39 06 E: info@use-it.be www.use-it.be for free maps highlighting insider information on sightseeing tips, budget accommodation and offthe-wall, often hilarious, urban myths. Their CafĂŠ Plan lists 275 pubs and bars, with short objective description alongside useful info such as beers on draught, the music being played, the specialities of the house.

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Stroll around at night to see the floodlit buildings

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Eat Waterzooi

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Visit Gentse Vleehuis, on Groenmarkt, barn-like building which used to house the meat market, now bar, cafĂŠ and delicatessen with regional specialities.

Go into one a chocolate shops Take a boat trip from the Graslei or Korenlei to explore the maze of canals and hear historic tales.

Go between 16-25th July for the Ghent Festivities when the citizens are said to really let their hair down.

Take an amuse guile walking tour to taste specialities of 4 different restaurants (4 hrs) VIZIT T: (0) 9 233 76 89 other tasting tours available.

Eat Belgian waffles from a street stall in the Korenmarkt and Groentenmarkt Walk with town crier to 5 typical Sunday morning markets (May-Sept) T: (0) 9 220 4802 www.towncriers.be

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Walk to the end of Deal pier for a panoramic vista of the town. It could be the setting for a costume drama.

Words Penny Visman Photos Robin Murrell.

THE HISTORY OF DEAL SUGGESTS PLENTY OF CHARACTER PARTS: SAILORS, SMUGGLERS, REVENUE MEN, PRESS GANGS AND WOMEN OF THE NIGHT. STORIES OF SHIPWRECKS AND MURDERS CAN ADD A FRISSON OF FRIGHT. DEAL'S NOTORIOUS PAST AS A SMUGGLING TOWN IS DETAILED ON ILLUSTRATED INFORMATION PANELS POSITIONED ALONG THE TOWN TRAIL WALKING TOUR. MIDDLE STREET IS A GOOD PLACE TO START. CROSSED BY PASSAGEWAYS, ALLEYS AND COURTYARDS, WHERE LATTER DAY WHITE-VANMAN COULD EASILY HIDE, THIS WAS ONCE A DANGEROUS PLACE AND CENTRE FOR SMUGGLERS' LOOT: TOBACCO, SPIRITS, TEA, LACE AND SILK.

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Now it is a conservation area and the rows of 17th and 18th century houses with their bow windows, mansard roofs and Flemish gables are beautifully preserved. Part of Middle Street was redeveloped in the l960s to provide a central car park, but thankfully a public campaign in l964 saved the rest of one of Deal's finest streets.

The history of Deal goes right back to Julius Caesar, who landed at Walmer Strand in 55 BC. But better known are the three castles built by Henry V111 to counter the threat of

The fascinating historic and marine ambience of Deal attracts artists, writers, musicians and actors, resulting in a lively arts scene with good galleries and a theatre.

Deal is also a popular sailing, rowing and fishing resort, and has four golf courses nearby. The variety of individual shops is a delight, ranging from antiques and antiquarian booksellers to fashionista boutiques and traditional fishmongers. Deal is twinned with Saint-Omer in France and Vlissingen (Flushing) in Holland.

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invasion. Deal Castle is well worth a visit. A few stones are all that remains of Sandown, which was pulled down to stop it falling into

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Buy whelks, crab, eels or lobster from the Deal Shellfish Stall opposite the pier.

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Imagine living in one of the delightful houses in Middle Street. Easy

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Walk, or cycles, part or all of the 7-mile flat coastal stretch from Sandown to Walmer Strand where concerts are held at the Memorial Bandstand that commemorates 11 Royal Marine musicians killed by a bomb at Deal barracks in 1989.

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Browse the antique and charity shops for outrageous bargains and the boutiques for must-have accessories.

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Look out over the Goodwin Sands.

Information panel on promenade opposite Dolphin St. (leads to Alfred Square) Wrecks sometimes seen at low tide. There is an annual picnic on the sandbanks.

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Check out Astor theatre and arts centre (Patron Sir Norman Wisdom O.B.E.), Stanhope Road. Box Office T: 01304 381134 www.astortheatre.co.uk

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Climb the Timeball Tower. The iron ball on the roof used to drop at 1 p.m. to signal accurate time to ships. Museum open weekends Easter-Sept. T: 01304 368824 www.dealtimeball.tripod,com

the sea. However, as the official residence of the Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, Walmer has been transformed over the centuries from a fortress to a small stately home with glorious garden (open to the public). The late Queen Mother famously held the ancient title of Lord Warden for 23 years. Admiral Lord Michael Boyce (former First Sea Lord) is her successor.

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Walk along the pier. Built in l957 to replace the Victorian predecessor damaged in l940 when a Dutch merchant ship ran into it.

Go on Saturday for the market Go late July or early August to join 'Trail of Blood Street Theatre' when a narrator guides you around the streets and alleys.

More Information

Tourist information leaflets available in Deal Public Library (next to car park in Middle Street) www.whitecliffscountry.org.uk www.deal.gov.uk www.cinqueports.net

Margate Chatham Ramsgate

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Canterbury Maidstone

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Dover M20

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Places to eat and sleep

Bistro Oregano St. Georges Passage, Deal T: 01304 372319

Prices differ during the year so check when booking

Excellent cafĂŠ, restaurant and delicatessen.

See separate review in Quick Guide (pages 42/43).

Royal Hotel Beach Street T: 01304 375555 www.theroyalhotel.com The sole reminder that buildings once stood on the seaside of Beach Street. Some say Nelson caused a scandal by staying here with Lady Hamilton.

Today's romantics can enjoy four-poster beds in rooms with balconies overlooking the sea.

Owners Shepherd Neame serve Fresh from the Garden of England food sourced from Kentish producers in the restaurant, bar, and seaside deck.

Dunkerleys 19 Beach Street T: 01304 375016 www.dunkerleys.co.uk Motto: Come for dinner stay for breakfast.

16 rooms, some with Channel views and Jacuzzis. Famous for fish and seafood. Most fish caught off the Goodwin Sands. Kent reared meat and vegetarian dishes. Kentish Cream Teas.

King's Head 9 Beach Street T: 01304 368194 www.kingsheaddeal.co.uk

And way out past the Royal Cinque Ports Golf Club...

Chequers Restaurant Golf Road T 01304 362288 www.chequersrestaurant.com Became known as Chequers Inn in 1547, when it was the only place on the Canterbury to Dover road where travellers could exchange cheques for money. Owner Pieter van Zyl, from Capetown, has created menus featuring Cape Malay dishes such as Sosaties and Boboties as well as Modern English cuisine with fish, meat and vegetarian dishes.

Places to visit Deal Castle T: 01304 372762 Open lst April to 31 October 10 am-6pm car park adjacent.

Explore the long dark passages and walk the battlements. Dfence Exhibition in basement.

Walmer Castle & Gardens T: 01304 364288 Open lst April-31st October Grassed-over moat is filled with flowers.

Queen Mother's Garden was designed for her 95th birthday. Plants on sale. Gift Shop, Home-made food in Lord Warden's Tea Rooms. Legacy of fine furnishings from previous Lord Wardens includes the camp bed and famous boots of the Duke of Wellington.

Further information on Deal and Walmer castles www.englishheritage.org.uk Deal Maritime and Local History Museum 22 St. George's Road T: 01304 381344 Open afternoons March-September Permanent exhibitions of Maritime history.

Special exhibitions this year include Seaside Costumes & The Deal that Nelson Knew.

Locally recommend residential pub (next to Dunkerleys) offering good range of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes, plus cask ales.

The Bohemian 47 Beach Street T: 01304 374843 www.bohemianbythesea.com Called a modern bar and eatery. Interesting modern food for lunch and dinner. Sunday brunch: Scallops and Champagne anyone ?

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