Normandy Advertiser - August 2011

NORMANDY

ADVERTISER

publishers of

August 2011 - Issue 20 FREE www.normandyadvertiser.com GRATUIT

What’s On

For children

Try riding

The pick of the top events p6-7

Teach them to be gourmets p10

Ponies, horses and festivals p8-9

Full speed ahead for tourist season Photo: © MAXPPP

Ne pas jeter sur la voie publique

Tourist industry enjoys a welcome boost as the French choose to holiday at home

Visitors flock to region for Tour de France and 1,100th birthday celebrations

Gîte and B&B owners optimistic as bookings start to rise after slow start to summer

FULL STORY PAGES 2-3

2 News Welcome to your new-look Advertiser Dear reader, From this edition we have changed our printers and have used the opportunity to give the newspaper a revamp.

You will still find the same popular mixture of news, features and community articles and contacts inside but with a fresh new design.

We hope you enjoy the edition and, as always, welcome your feedback.

Email us at normandy @connexionfrance.com

Contact us The Normandy Advertiser is published by English Language Media Sarl, Le Vedra, 38 rue Grimaldi, 98000 Monaco.

Directrice de la publication: Sarah Smith.

Printed at Nice-Matin, 214 Route de Grenoble, 06290 Nice Cedex 3.

Mensuel Depôt légal – a parution ISSN: 2106 - 7902 To contact a reporter, email: normandy@connexionfrance.com Subscription or advert queries call From France: 0800 91 77 56 (freephone) From UK: 0844 256 9881 – 4p/min

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Normandy Advertiser

August 2011

Stay-at-home French boost Normandy tourism With the height of summer upon us,

HEDLEY GRENFELL BANKS looks at how the region’s tourism industry is performing this year

TOURISM leaders and B&B owners have reported a positive start to the summer tourist season in Normandy, helped by major events including the Tour de France and the region’s 1,100th anniversary celebrations.

Research by Normandy regional tourist board (CRT) shows two-thirds of owners and managers are happy with the season so far and looking forward to excellent figures for the rest of the summer holidays.

The CRT gathers figures from the management of hotels, B&Bs, campsites and gîtes. Some 40% of these are seeing more British visitors than last year, and 43% are reporting more Americans.

Laure Gébert, from Michèle Fréné

Where are region’s best beaches?

THE Pavillon Bleu (Blue Flag) laureate is awarded to the best beaches in each department. Marked on ecology, safety, cleanliness and accessibility, a Blue Flag beach will have many desirable features, including staff, sanitary facilities, disabled access and low pollution.

Normandy’s Blue Flag beaches are: Calvados (14): Colleville Montgomery, Courseulles-sur-Mer, Honfleur Manche (50): Agon Coutainville, Barneville-Carteret (pictured), Bréhal, Gouville-sur-Mer, Les Pieux, Portbail, Siouville Hague Seine-Maritime (76): Criel-sur-Mer, Hautot-sur-Mer, Le Havre

Les Médiévales de Domfront in August will feature medieval food, artefacts and jousting - even the children get to join in Photo: Guerre et Chevalerie

Conseil, the company co-ordinating the 1,100th aniversary festival, said: “We got off to a really good start in April, and every event is being well-attended.

“Thousands of people are coming to Normandy from the rest of France and all over the world to join in. It has given a tremendous boost to tourism in Normandy.

“With the holiday season now properly under way, we expect more and more visitors between now and October.”

According to industry analysts Protourisme, the French themselves are staying at home this year – 85% of French people will holiday in France and many of them will head for Normandy.

Other Europeans are pouring in; bookings from Eastern Europe in particular have increased.

Dave and Jan Tarbuck, who run the B&B Le Mesnil de Créances in the Manche, on the Cotentin peninsula directly opposite Jersey, said: “The season started well; we were pretty full in May-June, which was a relief after a poor 2010.

“Early July has been slow, but bookings are picking up. Let’s hope it will turn out to be a good year.”

Thomas Dowson has a B&B and a gîte at Blangy-sur-Bresle (Seine-Maritime). He said: “May was quiet, but June started well, and bookings have picked up. It looks as if British people are booking later. The Dutch are still coming, and we have high hopes of a good season.”

Join the marks a THIS year marks Normandy’s 1100th anniversary, and the occasion is being marked across the region with a series of celebrations.

There has been a tremendous proliferation of festivities to celebrate the anniversary.

More than 200 events are taking place in every corner of the region, under the general title of ‘Happy Birthday, Normandie’.

Exhibitions, re-enactments, concerts, lectures, visits, dinners, festivals, treasure hunts, and son-et-lumière shows will take place in abbeys, castles, gardens, squares, sports grounds, village halls, even on railway platforms and onboard trains.

Local restaurants are serving medievalinspired meals, to be downed with Norman cider; Jersey joined in with a Norman market; and there’s even a cocktail called ‘Drakkar rouge’ (red longship).

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August 2011

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News 3

Photo: Amarok

Horses will be a draw for visitors to island THE project to turn the Mont Saint-Michel back into an island continues, with a slight change in the timetable.

The new car park on the mainland and the tourist shuttles to the island were expected to come into service progressively from November 2011.

Local authorities, however, have decided to work through the winter and bring the whole scheme into operation for the first long weekend of 2012, beginning on April 28. From that date, access to the island will be by free shuttle, on foot or in ‘Maringottes’.

A Maringotte is a horse-drawn doubledecker bus, carrying up to 50 passengers. Unlike the standard shuttles, there will be a charge for the two-kilometre crossing to Mont SaintMichel on a Maringotte, but they are expected

to appeal to a large number of tourists. As well as providing an original experience, they will show off the local horse breeds; the teams will be made up of Percherons, Norman Cobs and Breton post-horses.

The shuttles will continue to use the existing causeway for another two years, until the new causeway and bridge are completed in 2014.

The last 120 metres of the new route will be submerged at the highest tides producing what is picturesquely called “total insularity”.

However, a word of warning – the new car park is several hundred metres from the dam which regulates the flow of the river Couesnon, and the shuttle service will depart from the dam.

Special arrangements for the handicapped are currently under development.

Heritage plan for D-Day beaches has new urgency

Photo: Office de Tourisme Bayeux

In Bayeux, the sound and light show ‘Rendez-vous à la Cathédrale’ has been improved, and will be shown every night. As well as spectacular illumination of the cathedral, images of historic events are projected on the facade of the Hôtel du Doyen opposite.

party as region special birthday In the autumn of the year 911, there was great commotion in the little town of SaintClair-sur-Epte, where the Ile-de-France meets Picardy and Normandy. King Charles III (the Simple) had come to make peace with the invading Vikings.

Under the treaty agreed that day, the Norseman chief Rollo was given the suzerainty of the region ‘between the Epte and the sea’ – which is now HauteNormandie. In return he was expected to defend the kingdom against other Vikings, undergo baptism and pay homage to the King.

The first two were agreed, but Rollo couldn’t bring himself to kneel down and kiss the King’s foot, so he turned to one of his vassals and said: “Kiss the King’s foot on my behalf.”

The vassal bent down, grabbed the King’s

foot and raised it to his lips, tipping His Majesty off the throne in the process.

In that way, the future Duchy, Province and Region of Normandy was born, precisely 1100 years ago.

In June, Saint-Clair-sur-Epte saw a reconstruction of the events; a medieval village sprung up overnight on the banks of the Epte, and a party of 20 Vikings marched from La Roche-Guyon to Saint-Clair, wading across the river waist-deep, as they did in 911.

They were met by the King and Queen of France and surrounded by 100 Frenchmen and Normans in full costume. The village, a commune of 900 inhabitants, splashed out €50,000 from its budget for the celebrations.

For more information and a calendar of events, go to the festival website: www.happybirthdaynormandie.com

EFFORTS to have the D-Day beaches listed as a world heritage site are gathering pace, and the region will find out this autumn if the bid makes it to the next stage in the process.

The official proposal has been made by the Basse-Normandie region and the Mémorial museum in Caen, and is supported by ex-minister Simone Veil.

It will go forward to national selection in the autumn, and if chosen will be submitted next year to the international jury of world heritage body Unesco.

Interest in the idea was re-awakened by the announcement of a government plan to build a vast wind farm off the coast, near Juno beach. As Unesco has recently forbidden such a plan in the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, the listing of the invasion beaches took on a new urgency.

Next April, the Boy Scouts of America are holding their jamboree in Normandy, and hope to assemble 3,000 people on Omaha Beach to spell out the words “Normandie, Land of Liberty”.

4 News

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August 2011

Giraffe set to be star of Rouen river bank

Photo: PHOTOPQR/SUD OUEST

The station at Bordeaux was the scene of hostage drama

Préfet’s wife held hostage THE WIFE of Orne préfet Bertrand Maréchaux was involved in a terrifying incident when she was held hostage on a train by a man wielding two Japanese swords.

Céline Maréchaux, who is a senior manager for SNCF, was travelling on a train between Nantes and Toulouse when a young armed man tried to stop a number of passengers from leaving the train when it arrived at Bordeaux.

Most of them managed to get out, leaving six, including Mrs Maréchaux, held hostage for more than two hours.

The GIPN (National Police Intervention Group) was quickly on the spot, along with six CRS vehicles, fire engines, the local

Normandy Advertiser

préfet, the director of security for the Bordeaux area and a representative of the public prosecutor, whose presence was demanded by the hostage-taker.

Mamadou Berthe, 25, who had left prison just a week earlier, was demanding a review of his conviction for assault against police officers.

Police negotiators and the préfet himself boarded the train, and eventually the hostage-taker was disarmed.

Mrs Maréchaux was taken to an ambulance, but appeared to be none the worse for the incident. At a press conference, the préfet of the Gironde, Patrick Stéfanini, praised her great self-control.

THE MAYOR of Rouen has announced the winner of a competition to redesign the left bank of the Seine, in the heart of the city.

The local architectural firm In Situ has designed a series of parks and meadows which will join the quaysides to the upper levels of the area. It will include space for the annual fair, Foire SaintRomain, as well as a skatepark, volleyball courts, a swimming pool in summer and an ice rink in winter.

The old river port and its industrial buildings will be replaced, but there will still be moorings for boats.

The Waddington peninsula, in the heart of the old dockland, will be landscaped and available for outdoor events such as concerts, circus and the visits of tall ships.

The most controversial feature of the plan is the Giraffe, a 30-metre tower connecting the upper and lower levels, and overlooking the river opposite the historic centre; a sort of mini-Eiffel Tower which may one day become the symbol of Rouen.

Work on the project will begin with the first, central phase in Summer 2012. The rest of the left bank and Waddington will be redeveloped in 2013. The whole project is expected to cost €18m.

Water limits still in place HOSEPIPE restrictions remain in place throughout Basseand Haute-Normandie.

Although June was a comparatively wet month, water tables in most of Normandy remain low, at the level normally expected at the end of the summer and the long-range forecast gives little hope of improvement.

The ban on using hosepipes applies daily between 10.00 and 20.00.

Ginette still a cut above IF YOU are retired and live near Alençon, we can suggest a hairdresser who really understands the problems of ageing hair. After all, she is 81 herself.

Ginette Baiété opened her salon in Rue Saint-Blaise 45 years ago. Her son, Olivier, runs it now, but Ginette still comes in every Saturday to help with the weekend rush.

Sofa thieves take a seat THREE men lifted a green leather Chesterfield sofa from a display in front of a furniture shop in Granville. Police found the thieves a few minutes later, lounging on the sofa on the beach.

House prices recovering PROPERTY values in Normandy are stabilising, after a sharp drop at the beginning of the recession. House prices fell 6.5% last year, but have regained 6% since.

According to Notaires de France, Calvados is the most expensive Normandy department to buy a house, at an average price of €189,000, followed by Seine-Maritime (€173,900), Eure (€167,700), Manche (€143,000) and Orne (€114,600).

Brits buying in Normandy (and there are still plenty of them) seem to go for holiday homes, with small, lowmaintenance gardens and little need for renovation. This means there are still bargains for those envisaging a permanent move and prepared to put in some work.

Bac success for our top candidates NORMANDY students have put in another impressive performance in this year’s baccalauréat.

A young Rouennais, 17year-old Anthony Rougier a pupil at the Lycée Ferdinand Buisson at Elbeuf, managed the near-impossible feat of averaging 20/20 on all his papers.

This does not mean that Anthony did not make a single mistake in all his exams – he only managed a score of 18 in maths, for example – but he took extra optional subjects (Latin and music) which bumped up the average.

Nevertheless, Anthony is one of only about 30 of the 650,000 candidates nationally to obtain full marks.

Dorothy Sue Edwards, from Le Havre, was the oldest candidate in Normandy to pass this year, securing her bac pro at the age of 60, thanks to the oral catch-up tests.

The pass mark in the bac is 10/20, so the average of 16.8 achieved by Victoria Castro, from Ouistreham (Calvados), is impressive when you discover that she is only 13.

She is so young that no school curriculum could accommodate her, and she has been home-schooled all her life. Victoria also plays piano and cello, and has a diploma in computer music.

Last year Déesse, a pupil at the Lycée Camille Saint-Saëns in Rouen, passed her baccaleuréat at 14 years old, instead of the usual 18.

Normandy Advertiser

August 2011

THE 1100th birthday of Normandy will see several visits to our coasts by a replica Viking longship, the Dreknor.

The name comes from drekki, Norse for dragon, and Nor from Normandy. The story of the ship dates from 1999 when Marc and Nathalie Hersent of Cherbourg, inspired by the visit to the port by the Tchaika, a reconstructed Cossack galley, decided to build a Scandinavian longship.

Several of these boats have been recovered from Viking grave sites and exist in museums, notably the Oseberg and Gokstad boats in Oslo.

The Oseberg has long, fine lines and rich decoration, while the Gokstad is more imposing and majestic, designed for battle. It was this ocean-going version that provided the basis for the construction of Dreknor.

The Dreknor visited Trouville in July, and will be at Saint-Valéry-en-Caux (Seine-Maritime) on August 20-21 for the Fête de la Mer et des Marins.

Thousands turn out as Tour visits region

Photo: MaxPPP Teamshoot

four since 1964) have always produced a sprint finish; this year was predicted to be too long for that to happen, but once more spectators witnessed a dash for the line.

There was a British element in the win, too: Hagen rides for Team Sky, whose principal is Dave Brailsford. This is only the team’s second year, and a stage win is an important milestone for them.

Lisieux has close links with the Tour de France. Every year, mayor Bernard Aubril – a keen cyclist – organises a celebratory gathering for competitors, 48 hours after they cross the finish line on the Champs-Elysées.

Lisieux was the finishing point for the longest stage in this year’s Tour de France

Police car is built for speed TRAFFIC police in the Eure have invested in a very special new car, a Renault Mégane that was designed for racing.

The Brigade Rapide d’Intervention’s new RS Coupe de France is capable of 0 to 260kph in 30 seconds. Not only is it blindingly fast, but it

is also equipped with cameras to provide hard evidence of offences.

Let’s hope you never see its other feature: a messageboard above the rear window reading “Gendarmerie Nationale: Suivez-moi” (police car: follow me).

Did you know?

Photo: FranceinPictures

Dragon boat will star at festival to mark anniversary

THOUSANDS of spectators lined the streets of Lisieux to watch an exciting sprint for the finish line in the Normandy stage of the Tour de France.

It was Norwegian Edvard Boasson Hagen, who won the stage, and the leader’s yellow jersey went to Thor Hushovd, who followed him in.

The longest stage of this year’s Tour – 226km – started from Dinan in Brittany and passed close to the Mont Saint-Michel before climbing through hills to Vire, Falaise and on through the Pays d’Auge to Lisieux.

Stages involving Lisieux (there have been

News 5

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Mounties’ role in law and order NORMANDY’S longestablished equestrian links extend to the gendarmes as well: the Gendarmerie Nationale has a cavalry detachment in Etretat (Seine-Maritime) with officers working all over the region.

The Gendarmerie Nationale is the oldest regiment in the French army, and its origins are in the cavalry. The base at Etretat is one of 12 cavalry bases in France.

Horses can often go where vehicles have difficulty, and the gendarme mounties are used for patrolling forests and beaches, and come in useful for search and rescue missions in difficult terrain.

A police officer on horseback can see much further than one on foot, and the horses pick their way over difficult ground with an instinct no 4x4 can match.

The same ability to see above head height makes the mounties especially useful at events which attract large crowds of people. In the

summer season in Normandy, they patrol places such as Deauville and attend large local gatherings; in the Manche. They have been seen at the Foire de Lessay, which attracts 400,000 visitors over three days, and at the Fête de la Carotte in Créances, where up to 40,000 people pack the streets and foot patrols find it difficult to move about.

Becoming a mountie takes

a lot of work; basic police training for at least a year, success in the exams for under-officer status, six months’ special training, and a high standard of horsemanship are needed before selection can take place.

After that, in addition to normal police duties, the mountie has a horse to take care of, day and night. It’s hard work, but, they all agree, it’s well worthwhile.

6 What’s On

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August 2011 Photo: © FranceInPictures.com

Seine-Maritime Dieppe

CULTURE

August 13 – Guided tour of private courtyards 15.00.

One of the joys of French towns is the glimpse through half-open doors of a hidden world. Every courtyard has its small history, its architectural surprise, its endearing detail. Dieppe is a warren of private corners, so many in fact that this tour is different each year.

The commentary will be in French, but these secret places speak for themselves. Don’t forget your camera!

Meet at 15.00 at the Office de Tourisme, Pont Ango.

Adults €5; students 12-25 €3; under 12 FREE Call 02 35 06 62 79 www.dieppe.fr/agenda_interactif/evenements

notice board Photo: Carole Head

Seine-Maritime

Eure

Bolleville OUT AND ABOUT

Gisay-la-Coudre FAMILY

Club centres on growing interest

NORMANDY Jelly is a casual monthly co-working event for homeworkers, freelancers, small business owners and office-based people.

The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at the Jug and Jazz in Ger, Manche, from 10.00 until 15.00.

The next meeting is August 2, and following that, September 6.

There is free wifi, workspace and a nominal charge for unlimited tea and coffee. Places are limited, so you must book. Find out more at tinyurl.com/normandyjelly

Promote your community event, send details to eventsnormandy@connexionfrance.com

Eure

Saint-Aubin-le-Guichard

WORTH VISITING August 20 & 21 – “De Pomme, de Terre” festival celebrating apples, cider, country crafts and more, 14.00-19.00.

Demonstrations of the old-fashioned way of crushing and pressing apples. Cider museum with tasting sessions; demonstrations of building with torchis (Norman mud brick), pottery and ceramics, ploughing, and visits to the orchard cellar.You can buy cider, calvados, pommeau, apple juice, perry, apple jam, cider vinegar and honey.

The farm, le Manoir du Val, is open every day in July and August, but this is their big show day.

Entrance FREE, cider from €2.

Call 02 32 43 45 19

Eure

Lisors WORTH VISITING

Photo: © FranceInPictures.com

Homeworkers’ chance to gel

August 15 – Fête de la Moisson (Harvest Feast) from 10.00.

More than 120 vintage tractors, old and new farm machinery, local poultry breeds, a blacksmith, a farrier, a baker and a basket-maker at work; harvesting with scythes, threshing, ploughing old and new style; barrel organs, pony rides, processions, folk groups, fireworks – it's all happening at Bolleville for the bank holiday.

Entrance is FREE.The day starts with a church service at 10.00, the exhibitions open at 11.00 and the demonstrations and other attractions begin at 14.00.

Of course, there’s also a market of local produce, and plenty to eat and drink.

Call 02 32 70 46 32 Photo: © FranceInPictures.com

welcome to all nationalities, especially French gardening enthusiasts. There are currently about 60 members, with about 35 people attending most visits.

Recently the group met at the La Paix Lavender Farm, just outside Vassy at Saint-Germain-du-Crioult, Calvados. A walk around the lavender fields was followed by a talk about lavender oil extraction, the best lavender varieties for the purpose (there are more than 400 of them) and coffee and cakes at the lavender farm café. In the afternoon, the group went on to the gardens at the Château de Pontécoulant, just a few miles away at Vassy where, after a picnic lunch, those with sufficient stamina not only walked around the extensive grounds but took advantage of a guided tour of the château too.

Upcoming visits include the Jardins de Castillon-Plantbessin, just south of Bayeux, near Balleroy, and a walk around the topiary garden created by one of the members. Then, in the late summer, there will be a talk by Mike Bisson on taking cuttings, when the group will also have the chance to see how his garden has developed over the last year or so. September has planned visits to other members’ gardens, one of which is alongside a lively stream and the marshier areas are being reclaimed to provide walks through newly-planted avenues of trees, examples of bog planting and well-managed herbaceous borders.

To find out more, conact Carole Head on 02 33 59 53 16 or email carole.head@gmail.com

Photo: © FranceInPictures.com

SET up a few years ago by gardening writer Mike Bisson, Bocage Gardeners is an informal club of gardening enthusiasts in the Bocage area of Normandy.

The club’s membership centres on Vire in Calvados, but visits are arranged to gardens, plant nurseries and châteaux from Bayeux and SaintLô down to Domfront and across to Avranches. The group has even ventured as far as Pont d’Ouilly in the Orne – one of the members there, John Willott, is a well-known dahlia expert. Last year he gave a talk and demonstration on growing and exhibiting dahlias and included a guided walk around his very wellstocked garden, pictured above.

The Bocage Gardeners are mainly enthusiastic amateurs – with a few very friendly experts – who are happy to offer advice on all aspects of gardening. The meetings also facilitate exchanges of seeds, plants and cuttings grown by the members and there’s a big collection of gardening books which members can borrow.

Membership of Bocage Gardeners is free, although there is occasionally an entrance charge to go into a château or garden. The club is run by the members for the members, who are relied upon to come up with good ideas for visits and activities. An informal committee exists to ensure meetings are arranged and communicated efficiently.

While principally aimed at Englishspeaking residents of Normandy, Bocage Gardeners extends a warm

Photo: © FranceInPictures.com

August 15 – Donkey races and festival 10.00 to 18.00.

Donkeys, donkeys, donkeys; this event features an exhibition of the three Norman breeds of donkey, old trades that used donkeys, donkey rides, donkeycart rides; and finally the 30th running of the Great Annual Donkey Race.

Altogether a busy and colourful day out.

Entrance from €2; under 12s FREE Call 02 32 44 38 86

August 14 & 15 – The Medieval Normandy Festival at Mortemer Abbey is a chance to sample life in the Middle Ages.There will be a well-populated military campsite with knights, men at arms, wenches and children; professional stuntmen giving fighting demonstrations and jousting; artisans at work; and stories of courtly love played out in the cloister.

Children are encouraged to join in and can borrow costumes.There will also be a medieval market.

Open both days 11.00 to 19.00.

Entrance to the abbey grounds costs €3; and a guided tour of the interior is another €3.

Call 02 32 49 54 34 / 02 32 49 54 37 mortemer@orange.fr

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What’s On 7

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August 2011

Calvados

Cabourg

FAMILY

August 7 – Afternoon Tea in period costume 15.00.

Cabourg saw its greatest days as a fashionable resort at the end of the 19th century.The young Proust spent his summers here, and the Impressionist painters revelled in the play of light and movement in the view of the sea from what is now the Promenade Marcel Proust.

From 15.00 the Compagnie Théatrale Grains de Sable will provide entertainment and at teatime the Trio 1900 will strike up the great classics of salon music, as originally played by the White Star Line Orchestra, which later went down with the Titanic. A nostalgic event in the capital of nostalgia, part of the “Musicales de Normandie”.

FREE entry, charge for tea.

Call 09 53 23 27 58

August

Calvados

FAMILY

August 5-7 – Viking Invasion 10.00-18.00.

Normandy celebrates its 1100th birthday this year, but the Normans arrived well before that as North Men, the Vikings.

For two days the marsh of Villers (dry at this time of year) will be the scene of a Viking invasion and camp.

More than 80 re-enactors in full costume will show you how to work wood, horn and leather the Viking way.

Entrance is FREE for the invasion, but they are sure to be selling things.

Call 02 31 87 01 18

Manche Avranches

Photo: © FranceInPictures.com

Villers-sur-Mer

Photo: © SETIANI LEON - Fotolia.com

Calvados

Falaise CULTURE

August 12-14 – Festival des Jeux games festival Activities centre around castle builders and knights, with events and shows in town and inside the castle.

An exhibition, running until October, with events in the summer months, was designed with help from the castles of Colchester, Rochester, Dover and Norwich and the Tower of London Call 02 31 41 61 44 www.chateau-guillaume-leconquerant.fr

GARDENS

All Summer – The Jardin des Plantes in Avranches is spectacular. Opened in 1796, it has gradually developed since, and has everything you could wish for in a park.There are 13 separate gardens, a ruined abbey, a large number of spectacular trees (many, including a famous cedar, were lost in the storms of 1987 and 1999, but their replacements are already impressive), and that staple of French parks, pictorial flowerbeds in what is called mosaïculture.

Above and beyond all this, however, is the site – a hillside facing west towards the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel, with probably the most wonderful panorama in France.The river Sée winds towards the sea in the foreground and Mont Saint-Michel itself is silhouetted against the sunset. On summer evenings the park is softly lit, and hidden loudspeakers play gentle classical music as the sun goes down.You'll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.

Entrance FREE from 08.00 until nightfall Call 02 33 79 57 00 www.ot-avranches.com Photo: © exaim - Fotolia.com

Orne

Argentan

FAMILY

Orne

Domfront WORTH SEEING

Photo: © FranceInPictures.com

August 5-7 – Les Médiévales festival with street entertainment, medieval market, music, drums, troubadours and a medieval banquet (dinner and show – book in advance).The festival takes place every other year, and features free performances in various corners of the town.

Contact and booking: 02 33 38 56 66

Photo: © FranceInPictures.com

Every Tuesday and Thursday, until September – Haras du Pin Les Mardis du Pin, Les Jeudis du Pin open from 14.15; show at 15.00.

Stallions, mounted or in hand; mares, foals, caracoling horses; a carousel of coaches; and a procession of carriages demonstrating the skill of their drivers – these are among the many spectacles on offer.The collection of horse-drawn vehicles is itself a listed part of the national heritage.

Even if you’re not a horsey person, this is a show not to be missed.The very best of anything is always worth seeing. If you’re not in the Orne, the same thing happens on Thursdays at the Haras National in Saint-Lô (Manche).

Spectacle only: €6; visit, discovery circuit and show: adult €13, student €11, child €9.

Call 02 33 36 68 68 harasdupintourisme@orange.fr

8 Horses

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Normandy Advertiser

August 2011

Horse sense Riding and competing in equestrian events are becoming increasingly popular in France, but in order to enjoy them to the full, you have to stick to the rules, as JOHN GILMORE explains Jump to it RIDING in France is en plein boom, says the Fédération Française d’Equitation with an increasing number of licences each year and it the country’s third most popular sport.

Nearly one person in three rides regularly or occasionally and surveys show riding is parents’ preferred pastime for their children. Half the population say they would consider a horseback holiday.

You can get information on riding on the French Horse and Country site, aimed at the English-speaking community, www.frenchhorseandcountry.com people take. In order to compete at a higher level you have to have passed these tests.”

In theory, riders taking the Galop 7 should pass practical and theory tests in French, but many riding clubs simply watch them to verify their skills and, if they are satisfied, apply for a competition licence.

Alternatively, British residents in France who are experienced riders can ask the British Horse Society for documentation showing that they have competed in affiliated competitions in the UK. “There is no such thing as an unaffiliated event in France,” explains Ms Pugh, “otherwise the showjumping competitions are very similar to the UK.” A competition licence costs €80 and you apply through your riding club. You must provide a medical certificate and, for children, a parental permission form must be signed.

For youngsters, there is no shortage of local pony competitions and they can lead to participation in national events for under-18s, such the annual competition held in July at the Parc Equestre Lamotte-Beuvron in the Sologne.

Photo: Pixizone.com

THE PAST 20 years have seen equestrianism enjoying a huge surge in popularity throughout France, with the numbers of registered riders increasing by almost 400%. The French Equestrian Federation (FFE) now has more than 650,000 riders on its books. For British residents who wish to take up riding seriously, however, it is worth bearing in mind that the rules governing the sport here are different from those in the UK. The first port of call is the local poney club, which will generally welcome children as young as four. Anyone attending a riding club is required to have a licence pratiquant, which costs €25 for children and €36 for adults.

Sarah Pugh runs a riding club at Saumort in the Poitou-Charentes region. She says: “Children join a pony club at any age from four upwards, starting on Shetland ponies, often riding without stirrups for some time until their balance is sound.

“The clubs link in with the school calendar and lesson costs include an annual subscription, an FFE licence and a fee for the term.

During the holidays, the clubs run day courses, but normal lessons stop. Annual costs can vary immensely from region to region, but in my area the cost would be around €1,000.”

Most clubs provide the pony and tack, but you will need to hire or borrow a riding hat and wear suitable footwear. Riders in France are quickly taught how to groom a pony or horse, as they are expected to get their horse groomed and tacked for lessons, unlike in the UK, where it is done for you.

More experienced riders who wish to participate in one of the many competitions that take place all over the country need a licence compétition from the FFE and are expected to pass riding tests. “The FFE have a fantastic countrywide system called Galop tests,” says Ms Pugh.

“The main ones are Galop 1-7, which most

Xavier Bourdon, PR manager for Pixizone, an equestrian events company, says: “The French national pony championships cover all disciplines – showjumping, eventing and dressage – with many categories depending on the age of riders and the level of skill.”

In August, Lamotte-Beuvron is host to the Sologn’Pony French national breeding championship, featuring pedigree breeds such as New Forest, Shetland, Welsh Cob and Connemara, and also some competitions. This year’s championship takes place on August 18-21.

Young riders with talent who wish to progress to senior showjumping events will need parents with deep pockets.

A good three-year-old pony with showjumping potential will cost between €20,000 and €50,000, while the very best will command prices up to €100,000, or even more for an animal with a proven record in competition.

On top of that, there are the costs involved in stabling and transporting animals to events.

That is why many competitors are children of former riders and landowners. On the other

hand, showjumping horses can still be competing at 10 years old or more.

Sarah Pugh, though, points out: “You can do a lot more competing here without your own horse than in the UK. Some people do choose to buy their own, but not all.

“Many have their own land so can keep a horse at home, but if they want to compete they have the horse in livery at the club, and that can be quite expensive.”

Equestrianism is extremely well-organised in France, but it is also true that it is quite tightly regulated. Even Ms Pugh, a very experienced riding instructor who set up a small livery and riding club at Saumort eight years ago, had official hurdles to overcome.

“The main problem was that initially my English qualifications were not recognised here, so all I could do was hire horses to people to ride alone,” she said.

“The regulations here were enormously strict and complicated. Over the years, my husband Zak and I have managed to establish a small loyal customer base of liveries and riders by

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August 2011

Photo: FFE PSV

Normandy Advertiser

word of mouth. Now, though, I have the right to teach, the right to run shows and to award Galop tests. The insurance costs are not too scary, so we are hoping the business will expand and we’ll be able to do some riding holidays too.”

It is important that anyone thinking about investing in riding, and especially of buying a horse, is aware of the commitments involved, particularly the costs. Otherwise, things can go badly wrong.

Ann Heighington, who runs the AngloFrench equestrian charity Epona Trust in La Lucerne d’Outremer, near Avranches, Normandy, says: “Ponies and horses arrive at our trust as a result of financial difficulties or a family split. Sometimes the animal is neglected and may have to be removed from the owners.

“We provide hay to animals that are left without feed and we also pay for vets to visit a sick animal if the owners have no money or refuse to pay. Any equine that comes to the refuge will be provided with housing, feed and medication.”

Horses 9

Left: a competitor clears a fence at the Sologn’Pony event, held in August. Above: youngsters are introduced to riding with the Fédération Française d’Equitation

Where to go riding in Normandy IN NORMANDY there are more than 300 equestrian centres across the region, from Rouen to Cherbourg and Alençon.

Many offer leisure riding, horse trails and livery stables, but there are 12 specialised pony clubs operating under the banner of the Ecole Française d’Equitation and 18 others which offer special children’s sections.

Prices for children’s lessons start at €600 during the school year from September to June, depending on whether you ride all year or for only some hours from day to day.

Riders with the talent to progress to more serious jumping at junior or senior level would benefit from the instruction of Nicolas Duprez, who is in charge of the advanced level training at the Deauville International Equestrian Complex.

Top international showjumping riders from the Normandy region include: Pénélope Leprévost, Patrice Delaveau and Olivier

Guillon (the team who won the silver medal in the World Equestrian Games at Lexington, Kentucky, last year), Kevin Staut, Timothée Anciaume and Franck Schillewaert.

Major competitions this summer: August 4-7: National Showjumping Grand Prix of Ezy-sur-Eure August 5-7: National Showjumping Grand Prix de Saint-Lô (Manche) August 13-15: Saint-Lô August 18-20 and 23-25: August of Auvers (Manche) September: 9-11: National Showjumping Grand Prix de Saint-James (Manche) Contact addresses: Comité Régional d’Equitation de Normandie Telephone: 02 31 84 61 87, email: normandie@ffe.com website: www.chevalnormandie.com

Poney Club of Cabourg (Calvados) Tel: 02 31 91 80 94, email: poneyclub.cabourg@wanadoo.fr The Poney Express of Cotentin (Manche) Telephone: 02 33 22 40 46, email: pec50@hotmail.fr Sarah Pugh Telephone: 05 49 05 30 75, website: www.saumort.com Advanced level: Deauville International Complex Tel 02 31 14 04 04 email: contact@pole-internationalcheval.com website: www.pole-international-cheval.com The Epona Trust: Telephone 02 33 61 88 41 email: info@eponatrust.org

10 Food

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Normandy Advertiser

August 2011

How to turn your children into gourmets After she was chosen as first BBC Masterchef in 1990 JOAN BUNTING was soon writing a food column and doing BBC local radio. Now the former advisory teacher has retired and has moved permanently to her home in France but is still keen to tell Advertiser readers about good food SUMMER holidays should be the perfect time for relaxed, happy, al fresco meals, a time to introduce your children, grandchildren and other assorted small people to healthy, abundant seasonal produce and regional specialities. But unless they are long-time gourmets, your efforts are unlikely to elicit coos of appreciation, rather groans of disgust.

“Don’t like that.”

“Yuck! I want baked beans.”

“I hate tomatoes.”

“What’s that funny stuff on the lettuce?”

Until they were about four years old, our children and grandchildren ate just about anything, from snails to quails and olives.

Everything we offered was tried and enjoyed.

Then their tastes seemed to change.

We tried to fight back in a subtle way, starting with getting them to help Grandad in the potager. At Easter they dug, planted and sowed seeds, and when summer came they reaped the rewards of their efforts, picking and digging up all the produce.

We extended this education to market visits

where they chose less familiar things. At the the fish stall it was gambas or squid, at the cheese stall there was “mouldy” cheese or creamy goat cheeses.

Then they moved on to the fruit stall where we encouraged them to try nectarines if the peaches were too “furry”. Apricots were “cool” and melons were always popular. What about reine-claudes? They look sour but taste like honey. Sometimes closing your eyes and trusting helps.

In France we are lucky because merchants realise the importance of encouraging future customers. Samples and smiles are always on offer for nervous young palates. Here, with patience and imagination, fussy kids can be turned into shoppers and cooks and even real foodies. Simple things such as allowing children as young as two to make dressing for a salad, tossing it messily and serving it on their own, make them feel good.

I must confess that, having been a teacher for 30 years, I rely on my training and instincts when it comes to helping children to be brave and creative with food. Of course this usually involves a bit of risk and a lot of mess, but what fun it is to be allowed to wear a chef ’s hat and to be trusted with Granny’s big knife and, with careful supervision, to be allowed to cut up the vegetables they have picked or bought for a ratatouille inspired by the film. Suddenly a child who has been unable to look at an aubergine becomes an addict.

Let them cook what they have picked or chosen, let them taste what you have chosen when eating out – and remember that we all have to try a new taste about 15 times before we accept it.

Joan’s grandson Haydon was already playing his part in the kitchen at the age of seven

Quick, easy and delicious corn cobs Now for a recipe loved by all ages in this house. Fun and simple to do, it can be cooked in the oven or under the grill as well as on the barbecue.

Barbie Sweetcorn (serves 8) 8 corn cobs with husks 250g butter 1 tsp Dijon mustard 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs

2 tbsp lemon juice Seasoning Mix together all the butter ingredients (clean hands are fine). Peel back the corn husks but leave intact, remove the silk and soak the cobs in water. Rub a tablespoon of the butter on each cob. Cover with the husks then wrap in foil.

Cook on the coals, or in the oven, for 10-15 minutes or until tender, unwrap and serve with any remaining butter.

Advertising Feature

A collection of restaurants

in Normandy

To advertise your restaurant with us call 0800 91 77 56

Normandy Advertiser

August 2011

FINANCE Sponsored by

My husband has been a self-employed artisan in the Orne for the last year. I have two children, and now that they are at school, I have been advised to become a conjoint collaborateur. What would this mean financially and could I start up a part-time business alongside being a conjoint collaborateur?

Joanna Reintjes, from AFA Expertise, responds: As a conjoint collaborateur it is assumed that you will be working full time (and it is a requirement that you are “available” full time). You may benefit from maternity rights, should you decide to have more children.

The status of conjoint collaborateur for a husband-andwife business (Pacs included) recognises the partner working in the business, allowing them: a) social cover to work in the business; b) provision of their own pension rights.

If your husband is running an enterprise individuelle then you can either be a conjoint collaborateur or be “employed” with a salary. The social charges that you pay for either choice can be deducted from your husband’s results, provided that he is on the réel regime rather than the micro.

There are various choices available which affect how much you pay in extra cotisations (social charges): Option 1 – Standard basis – equivalent to one third of the social security limit (€11,784 currently). The cost of a full year’s charges will be €3,022 for an artisan’s conjoint.

Option 2 – One third or half of the business owner’s net income, without a profit share. So if your husband earns €30,000 per annum and you opt for a third, you pay your cotisations on €10,000 – €2,565 for the year. Your husband’s social charges will not change.

Option 3 – One third or half the business owner’s income with profit share. So if your husband earns €30,000 per annum and you opt for a third with profit share, you pay your cotisations on €10,000 profit share, so €2,565 for the year; but your husband’s charges will be worked out on €20,000 profits, so he will pay less in cotisations.

What will I be entitled to?

With these social contributions, you will each build up your own pension rights. But please note that the retirement rights and the validation of “quarters” under the French retirement system are calculated according to the amount of income on which you pay your charges: so to be able to validate four quarters annually, the incomes for both of you should not be lower than 800 times the hourly rate of the Smic minimum wage (€7,200 for 2011).

Your own self-employment If you chose to run your own business it can only be on a very limited basis if you are a conjoint collaborateur. You should not provide the same services nor work for the same clients, otherwise your businesses could be amalgamated by the tax office, and that could take you over the VAT threshold (if you are not currently in a VAT regime).

If you are employed part-time, there are fewer restrictions.

You will need to work the figures through with your accountant to make the choice that is right for you.

Business 11

JUDY MANSFIELD has lived and worked in Calvados for

nearly nine years. She is an agent commercial, and worked at an estate agency in Lisieux for several years before branching out into business development, primarily for currency specialists First Rate FX and latterly for small businesses in Normandy.

Setting up a home office MY first home office was a desk in the loft in our previous house. I kitted it out with a computer, a desk and a phone extension, plus a spare dining chair and I was away.

What I hadn’t bargained for was that it was baking hot in the summer and so cold in the winter that I sat at the keyboard trying to type with gloves on.

The chair gave me a bad back, as there was insufficient support to work at a desk for more than half an hour at a time.

What I also hadn’t thought about was the loneliness of being shut away. I had believed that peace and quiet would make me more productive. It didn’t. I found any excuse to pop down to the kitchen – a cup of tea, or even cleaning out the cutlery drawer all found their attractions in the bid to be less isolated.

My office now is a small area off the sitting room. I am part of the comings and goings in the house, and I don’t feel “shut away” as I did previously. The bonus is that when the weather is lovely, I can pick up my wireless laptop and cordless phone and enjoy working in the sunshine. If I need to work in the evening, I can watch TV at the same time with my husband and neither of us feel cheated of company.

One woman who is very generous with her time and expertise in the area of home-working is Judy Heminsley, whose book Work from Home is a down-to-earth, practical and friendly guide and a must for those who run a home office. Although a couple of the chapters (notably about finance and red tape) are aimed at the UK market, there is plenty to help those of us who work from our maison in France.

Real practical hurdles we face – such as feeling isolated, time wasting and managing your family, who may think you are interruptible at any time simply because you are at your kitchen table or at your desk under the stairs – all these are covered and more. Here are some more practical tips from her book: Remember health and safety rules apply to your home office too. Trailing

Photo: nyul - Fotolia.com

Photo: Yuri Arcurs - Fotolia.com

Joining forces

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You need a place in your house that makes you feel comfortable and productive cables, that sticking up bit of worn carpet, sticking drawers... if you are hurt, you cannot earn.

How much room will you need? You need at least enough space for a desk, a chair, and some storage – unless you are restoring furniture, or repairing car engines for example. The important thing is that you feel comfortable and that your workspace enables you to be productive.

If possible, choose a space with a window where you will get some natural light. If you need artificial lighting, ensure it doesn’t cause glare by reflecting off your PC screen.

Make sure your chair is decent. You may be sitting there for hours at a time (though you should schedule in regular breaks to stretch and walk about). If your budget won’t stretch to new, look in the brocantes, vide greniers or on websites such as Le Bon Coin for a second-hand office chair. Judy Heminsley advises to get a swivel chair on castors, as this is much less tiring than pushing back a normal chair. Armrests could be a nuisance, especially if it stops you tucking the chair under the desk.

On the subject of IT equipment, be aware that France doesn’t use the Qwerty keyboard, so you may find yourself typing gibberish if you touch type on the French Azerty board. If you would prefer a UK computer, there are providers in Normandy – check the directory pages or the Normandy Business Group.

If space is at a premium, consider a laptop rather than a full-sized PC. You can also buy a multi-function printer that acts as fax and photocopier too. Watch the costs of replacement ink cartridges for your printer – some are eye-wateringly expensive and your running costs will be more than the initial purchase price.

Next month, I’ll be focusing on how to keep motivated, and how to cope with cold calling. As ever we welcome your thoughts and input – do get in touch.

To win a copy of Working from Home, share your own top tip on how to work from home by email: normandybizgroup@orange.fr before August 20. We will select a favourite and print a selection of your ideas in a future issue of The Advertiser

Judy can be contacted through The Advertiser or by email: normandybizgroup@orange.fr She is also on Twitter at @NormandyBizGp

12 Directory

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Normandy Advertiser

August 2011

Advertise here ALL YEAR from just €165HT Call free on 0800 91 77 56 or email: directory@connexionfrance.com

NORMANDY

ADVERTISER

NORMANDY DIRECTORY English-speaking firms near you For your security, we check that the French businesses in this section are officially registered with the authorities

Find registered tradespeople quickly and easily GOLDENWAY INTERNATIONAL PETS

World Wide Pet Transporter / Relocator Ministry approved

Chenil Les Mille Calins English Run

5 Star accommodation for Dogs/Cats Comprising of underfloor heated kennels Qualified staff Top Quality food and exercise Only 45 minutes south of Caen Convenient Ferry Access

No. 61195004 – 61195001 Offices CDG Airport Paris Offices and Kennels Normandy Tel: 01 48 62 87 25 CDG Paris Tel: 02 33 38 41 32 Normandy www.goldenwaypets.com Siret: 397549551

Chenil du Val Kennels Small, friendly, professional kennel Special care/attention for your pets.

Quarantine alternative

Contact Angie: Tel 02 33 17 17 61 Between Periers/Coutances/St Lo

Email: angie.clarke@wanadoo.fr

Siret 48914001200019

ANIMAL COURIERS

Experienced couriers specialising in pet travel between France / UK / Spain or within France.

Pet passport advice.

Tel: 0044 (0) 1483200123 Email: animals@animalcouriers.com Web: www.animalcouriers.com

David Pickering Complete Building Services Specializing in Installation of Fosse Toutes Eaux - Mini Digger/Dumper Hire Email: david.pickering@wanadoo.fr Tel: 02 33 17 24 82 Mobile: 06 20 14 73 69 Siret: 481 189 991

Roofs, Loft conversions, Plumbing & Electrical, Groundworks.

Experienced team for all renovation work. __________________________

Siret 488081233

Mesnil Renovation Areas 14/50/61

Full / Part Renovations, carpentry, masonry, plastering, tiling, kitchens, replacement windows and doors. www.buildersnormandy.com Tel. 02 31 09 26 54 Siret 48423125300010

www.AcornKennelsandCattery.com Tel: 02 33 49 63 22 Siret: 479 825 168 00012

( Many can be Viewed ) Backed up by 10 year Insurance 14 years working in France

Tel: 02 31 67 62 51 Mob: 06 19 91 29 48

Qualified bilingual teacher

Small groups, 1 to 1 online, intensive courses, translation Tél: 02 33 65 39 73 Mob: 06 15 76 37 34 www.normandyfrenchtuition.com

Stuart Upton CARPENTRY & ROOFING Full 10 year Insurance Backed Guarantee Tel: 02 33 64 89 28 / 06 06 43 52 28 Email: upton_stuart@hotmail.com Regions Covered 61, 14, 50 Siret 48036552700013

French Without Tears

Your Own Personal Language Course.

Tuition with Accomodation www.cours-a-cucugnan.com Tel: 06 78 15 19 29 Siret: 521701474

English Carpenter/Joiner Michael Bambridge BSc Very experienced in renovation and carpentry including stairs and furniture Tel: 02 33 50 40 24 Email: summit@west-telecom.com Siret: 48131662800017

JS Menuiserie John Shipton - 02 33 55 15 90

Carpenter/Joiner All kinds of handmade furniture and carpentry work. From door fittings to kitchens.

email: jshippo1962@gmail.com siret 499 313 658

Andrew Morgan

Electrician

All works guaranteed and carried out to French regulations standard.

Tel: 02 31 67 34 40 Email: morbox@orange.fr Regions Covered: 50,61,and 14 - Siret: 49427469900011

Email: ave.goosey@wanadoo.fr Siret: 48877612100011

GENERAL BUILDER

Eradication of rot and woodboring insects 20 year certificated guarantee covering all France Tel: Jim +33 (0) 679274563 Email: jimdanmoto@aol.co.uk

Qualified and professional care of your pet while you are away

www.devilleservices.com Areas: 14 , 50 , 61 Siret: 5026366000018

Large or Small Projects

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Acorn Kennels & Cattery

TEL: 02 31 67 76 90

WWW.BOCAGE RENOVATIONS.COM For All Your Building & Renovations Works

www.goldenwaypets.com Telephone 02 33 37 49 19 Emergency 02 33 38 41 32 Fax 02 33 38 44 16

Small, caring and qualified English run kennels and cattery Contact Jon or Sue Tel 02 31 67 93 48 Near Vire Dept 14 www.normandykennels.com jonathan.moir@orange.fr

Barn & attic conversion specialists.

We undertake all aspects of renovation & improvement projects.

We legally employ English speaking staff & do not sub-contract.

Full 10 year insurance backed guarantee.

Siret 50993743900016

SAFETY COMFORT AND CARE FOR YOUR PET, PEACE OF MIND FOR YOU

NORMANDY KENNELS

DEVILLE PROPERTY SERVICES

NORMANDY FRENCH TUITION

Andrew Hadfield

BUILDER All building works undertaken.

Mini digger, Full Registered, 10 year decennale insurance.

Tel: 02 33 61 72 90 - Email: lizrom@sfr.fr Area: Near St Hilaire - Siret: 499 532 059 00015

FRENCH LESSONS

LOW COST PRINT IN NORMANDY

Business Cards - Leaflets - Flyers - Postcards Banners - Vehicle Graphics - Colour Labels www.AardvarkPrintandDesign.com 02 33 91 88 16 info@aardvarkprintanddesign.com

SW COMPUTERS PC repairs,upgrades, sales.help with internet connections, call out or bring to us.

Tel: Mark 02 33 90 64 93 Mob: 06 72 66 61 51 www.swcomputers.eu Siret: 48397386300028

Penny Graphics

websites from

75€

including design, hosting and domain name

pennygraphics.net 02 33 90 92 15

Conversation and grammar Private lessons for 1, 2 or 3 Native French Teacher Tel: 02 31 32 28 83 near Livarot dept 14 http://frenchcourse.canalblog.com

English and Fluent French speaking agent, always needing more houses for sale, 8 years experience info@normandyandbrittanyhousesforsale.com TEL FR: +33 (0) 6 19 17 34 61 TEL UK: +44 (0) 7880 501 116 www.NormandyandBrittanyhousesforsale.com Siret: 519 751 465

Mascha Tania Translation-Administrative Help Lifetime experience of the French system.

Privacy Guaranteed Tel: 02 31 67 60 55 / 06 79 86 22 69

HOUSES ON INTERNET

Siret: 451 736 318 00010

Do you want to sell your house quickly?

Our fee is only 2.5%

Help with the French system

Find out how on:

• Paperwork, Phone calls • Translation, Interpreting

Call Hilary Reynolds 00 33 (0) 2 33 59 17 07 www.leapfrogservices.net

Crafts at Les Landes Spinning and other crafts.

Half, Full day tuition or residential B&B www.crafts-at-leslandes.com tel: 00 33 (0)2 33 960904 SIRET No 489 459 438 00011

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bml angloagence.com

English registered cars House insurance - Health cover 1700 British clients trust us 02 96 87 21 21 contact@angloagence.com Dinan, Brittany

AXA INSURANCE J. LECLUZE ST HILAIRE DU HARCOUET - 50600

HOME - CAR - HEALTH We insure UK registered cars

LE BREWERY 10 years of brewing in Normandy

Art is an Ale Great beer for all occasions www.le-brewery.com Tel: 02 33 37 77 26 61320 Joue-du-Bois

Kilrush Cars Ltd

A large selection of European

Left Hand Drive Cars

One owner - FSH - C.O.C Tel: 00 44 (0) 1252 782883

www.kilrushcars.com

Le Chateau de Crosville sur Douve Welcomes you to our new restaurant Varied menu each week Open Thurs, Fri & Sat evenings Sunday lunchtimes Tel: 02 33 41 67 25 / 06 98 76 60 60 Photos on www.chateaucrosville.com email: chateaucrosville@orange.fr

New and restauration / Chimney Sweep

02 33 38 28 86

With 10 years insurance - Siret: 50792761400010

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Tel: 02 33 90 92 28 Mobile: 06 68 74 83 41

Email: markdupee@hotmail.com Siret 49509842800016

GARDEN MAINTENANCE

Garden Clearance - Grass Cutting Hedge Cutting - Strimming and Weed Killing Tel: Charlie 02 33 91 78 05 Email: habin.charlie@wanadoo.fr St Sever Area Siret 49763502900018

Seans Garden Services Lawns – Hedges – Trees Overgrown plots cleared.

Free quotes for one-off jobs.

Call Sean 02 31 09 27 00 Email: sean.melanaphy@wanadoo.fr Siret: 50139841600013

Tel: 02 33 70 88 24 Email: john.hipwell@orange.fr Regions Covered: 50,14,61,22

COMPLETE RANGE OF ALARMS GATES- GARAGE DOORS -CCTV FREE ADVICE & QUOTES

VIRE - 02 31 68 95 00 CAEN - 02 31 85 27 62

TEMPLIERS SECURITE PROTECTION PRIVEE ALL ASPECTS OF PERSONAL & PROPERTY SECURITY EVENT SECURITY MANAGEMENT STUD FARMS 152 Ave de Flandre 75019 Paris Tel: 09 81 72 17 02 Mobile : 06 61 32 77 91 Email : templierblanc@hotmail.fr www.templierssecuriteprotectionprivee.com

ELECTRICIAN / PLUMBER and HEATING ENGINEER

CHIMNEY SWEEP PROPERTY MANAGEMENT DEPT 50

Stephen Ramsbottom - 0233172361 e-mail: manchepropertyservices@hotmail.com

Straight-forward, honest advice on the best house, car, life & health insurance policies for you Over 15 years experience in French insurance markets English, Dutch & German spoken.

siret: 51114827200012

SELF STORAGE FACILITY 61 SECURE SITE NEW STORAGE CONTAINERS COMPETITIVE PRICES Tel: 02 33 30 89 20 Email: martinpj@wanadoo.fr Web: www.pjmselfstorage.com

ENGLISH TV INSTALLER TV & Internet - all works guaranteed

www.ashnormandie.com Tel: 02 33 91 69 29 Email: chrishutt@wanadoo.fr Siret: 491 624 367

CAR HOME HEALTH

ENGLISH LANGUAGE FUNERALS

Christophe Marie, Vire - Tel: 02 31 68 01 96 Email: christophe.marie@agents.allianz.fr

Your needs, your wishes 09 65 35 17 56 www.englishlanguagefunerals.fr

ZA Route de Coutances 50450 Gavray

tel: 02 33 91 16 80 www.directloisirs.com

CHIMNEY SWEEP Black Cat Services Expert English Sweep, Mess Free Registered, Insured.

Certificate de Ramonage Issued

Tel : 02 33 50 84 91 Email: steve@baintons.com ROOFING SPECIALIST Complete works/repairs undertaken Based in the Somme area All Northern regions Considered Contact Chris or Barbara Wood

Tel: 03 22 32 59 50 Barbara.wood@wanadoo.fr Siret: 502368103

- Full lining and installation of all Stoves - Free Survey and Advice in Depts 14,50,61 - Stoves eligible for Credit d'impots - 20 yrs experience - HETAS and NVQ Qualified Tel 02 33 17 25 21 thestoveshack@gmail.com www.thestoveshack.eu

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FISHFACE REMOVALS

LE BON CHOIX DEPOT - VENTE

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• Weekly Service • Full & Part Loads • Container Storage • BAR Members • On-line Quotation • Internet Shopping Deliveries

Tel: 02 43 03 37 72 www.lebonchoix depotvente.com

WOOD STOVE STUDIO Wood burning stoves and Cuisinieres from

Cashin Camina Cleanburn Esse Hunter Parkray Stovax on display at our dept 61 showroom

Selkirk chimney and flexible liner Full installation service

00 44 1722 414350 info@reflexmoodys.com www.reflexmoodys.com

www.woodstovestudio.com info@woodstovestudio.com Tel 02 33 12 57 26

Company Regn No: UK 5186435 TVA / VAT No: UK 864 7217 04

Siret 498 597 632 00013

D & K REMOVALS

WOODBURNERS Ash Grove Stoves Supplier of Hunter - Villager

Light Removals to and from France. Best prices, best service.

T: + 44 (0) 079705 30723 E: classicalternatives@msn.com

INVICTA INTERNATIONAL LIGHT HAULAGE SERVICES

Store Collections, General Removals, Motorcycle Recovery.

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Email: invicta@invicta-international.com

Chris Hutt

www.insurance.fr Tel: 33 00 05 62 29 20 00 Email: contact@insurance.fr

Visit our permanent display in Gavray.

ESSE - HUNTER - WOODWARM

Tel: 02 33 64 99 31

Philippe Schreinemachers

DIRECT LOISIRS can offer sites to rent or buy in small residential parks.

WOODBURNERS

BY THE STOVE SHACK

ELECTRICAL & PLUMBING SERVICES ALL WORK FULLY INSURED.

HOME & PROPERTY SECURITY SOLUTIONS LANDSCAPE GARDENER

sale of mobile homes and chalets. Looking for a plot by the sea?

POWER & LIGHT SERVICES

SARL QUESNEE

Mark Dupee

DIRECT LOISIRS N°1 in all of France for direct

15 Years experience in roofing and zinc

For people who live in / own property in France

Siret N° ORIAS 07/022 348

Siret: 494799968

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French Registered - Over 35 years experience David Christie - 02 33 51 05 91 Mobile: 06 31 97 58 15 Email: Christie.david@wanadoo.fr Siret: 481 604 411 00019 South Manche

Insurance in Lower Normandy

Iain Davison www.propertycarepeople.com Tel: 02 33 14 09 55 Email: property.care@orange.fr

BERTIN COUVERTURE

FRENCH INSURANCE IN ENGLISH

AllianZ Insurance

Chimney Sweep Wood Stove Installation Property Management

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ENGLISH SPOKEN (call Angeline) - 02 33 49 12 34 agence.lecluze@axa.fr

RCS Auch B479 400 657 - Regions: All France

Directory 13

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August 2011

SIRET Number 51407345.1-0001.5

MOVING TO OR FROM FRANCE? Weekly services to & from France Full or part loads, 4 wks free storage, 25 Years experience Contact: Anglo French Removals Tel: +44 (0) 1622 690 653 Email: info@anglofrench.co.uk

www.anglofrench.co.uk

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Clean Burn - Fire Visible Boiler versions available Deliveries all over France Prices on our website Lowest Prices Guaranteed Tel: 00 44 (0) 1392 861579 www.ashgrovestoves.com sales@ashgrovestoves.com

BRITISH BEDS

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14 Property

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Normandy Advertiser

Tell nuisance insects to buzz off this summer

Reclaim your garden and enjoy the great outdoors without being troubled by mosquitoes. Follow our tips. the ants go there instead of to your patio.

A glass of elderflower cordial, for example, left to stand around for a few hours will catch a lot of black ants.

Mosquitoes It makes sense to keep the

grass cut as short as possible and remove any containers with stagnant water in which mosquitoes love to breed.

Used alone, no method is likely to be effective. Plants around your terrace will attract insects so you could

D I Y tips Sponsored by

move these on to your lawn if you have visitors.

Mosquitoes pick up on body functions such as lactic acid, CO output and body heat so there is very little we can do other than using repellent. You can use citronella candles and a mixture of different products on the market. Lemongrass is another natural mosquito repellent which can be planted around the patio.

For a more environmentally friendly option, you could build a bat house. Bats naturally control mosquitoes and the houses are often available from garden centres and bird box suppliers.

You can also build your own using scrap wood. See tinyurl.com/bathouseguide Follow the instructions to put the houses up at the correct height and amount of sunlight, then sit back and watch in the sunset as the bats do their work.

Flies Electronic fly killers buzz in the corner of the patio but avoid those which have an electric current as the insects will explode. This is unpleasant to look at and smell and you can end up with bits of leg and body in

Bring back shine to terracotta tiles Photo: antmoose/Flickr

Wasps If you are eating outside the last thing you want is to have to wear or do anything special to protect yourself from insects. Instead we suggest three easy tips: Use simple traps, apply repellent to exposed body parts and eliminate any nests you find.

You can buy ‘lure traps’ so the pests are more likely to go for these than your food. If you use a trap, add a couple of drops of washing-up liquid. This reduces the surface tension of the water so wasps actually sink in and cannot skate on it.

Also, look for nests under the tiles on your - and your neighbour’s - roof. Use an expert to get any removed.

Ants Pest control experts advise putting sugar in an area so

Photo: Kzenon - Fotolia.com

AUGUST is a month when we would all like to be out on the terrace but mosquitoes, wasps, ants and flying insects can take the pleasure of a garden barbecue away.

Here are a few tips to claim your patio area back from nuisance insects.

Outdoors or in, terracotta tiles can be difficult to clean

Photo: LaurenWebb14 - Flickr.com

Build your own bat house your food. Glue boards which you buy in a hardware or camping shop are probably the most effective.

Fleas and tics If you suddenly start getting bitten in the garden or grass surrounding your patio, a fox or other wild animal may be regularly following the same track through your garden. A professional would spray a residual chemical on to the area and you can make sure the animal doesn’t return by putting something in its way.

Tips compiled with help from Simon Berenyi of Wasp Kill UK – www.waspkilluk.co.uk

August 2011

MANY old houses throughout France have old terracotta tiled floors. This lovely flooring can, over time, become stained and dull and, being porous, can be difficult to clean.

However, instead of replacing it with more practical modern tiling, have a go at restoring the tiles and bringing them back to their former glory.

The first step is to get rid of any old dirt and watermarks.

There is only one way to achieve this and that is through elbow grease and scrubbing. Use either a stone floor cleaner or black soap and warm water. Apply the soap or solution and leave for at least 15 minutes, then go back over the area with a scrubbing brush. If marks are stubborn, apply pure soap to them, wait and scrub again. Finish this step by mopping up the residue and rinsing the floor with warm water, then dry mop the floor.

Next, prepare the floor for oiling. The tiles must be completely dry after the first step – it is worth waiting at least a couple of days to make sure this is the case – and the floor should be protected during this period. Once dry, the floors must be as free from dust as possible.

Traditionally, boiled linseed oil is used for protecting terracotta floors. It also gives them a nice finish. To make the oil easier to apply, leave it overnight somewhere warm and apply to a warm floor that has either been heated up naturally by the sun or turn on the heating in the room a few hours before application. Apply freely with a paintbrush – the more the tiles absorb the more resistant they will be.

After application, wait for about 20 minutes and check to see whether there is any excess oil. If so, go over these patches again with a brush to spread it out. If, after another 20 minutes, there are still patches of excess oil, remove with a piece of cloth. Leave the tiles overnight, or for at least eight hours, before applying a second coat.

Once the two coats have been applied and have dried, it is a good idea to apply a coat of oil-based stone floor sealer.

Finally, test the floor for water-tightness. Simply pour a small amount of water onto a tile and check 15 minutes later whether it is still visible or not. If it is, your floor is water tight. If it has been absorbed then it is wise to apply another coat of sealer.

Maintain the floor by mopping up any spills straight away, hoover and mop when needed and every year test for water-tightness.

TOLLEVAST

QUERQUEVILLE

02.33.88.54.54

02.33.01.88.00

www.mr-bricolage.fr

Normandy Advertiser

Houses for sale in and around Normandy

Gardening Facts

Sponsored by

Mayenne53 Plantes et Bulbes

Photo: illustrez-vous - Fotolia.com

August brings an abundance of fruit and vegetables

Enjoy the fruits of your labour AFTER a year of hard work, August is the month when gardeners can take a rest and enjoy the rewards – with flowers in bloom and an abundance of fruit and vegetables ready to consume.

Courgettes, aubergines, peppers, tomatoes, beans, onions, radishes, cucumbers, cabbages, spinach and potatoes should all have reached maturity by now, and figs, oranges, peaches, pears and prunes will also be ready for a delicious summer fruit salad.

The hot, dry weather is certainly a better time for lazing around in the garden than working hard in it, but there are a few tasks that can be done this month to keep the garden in good shape and prepare for the autumn.

Plants will need watering and tidying – but you should check about water restrictions in your area beforehand. If you are heading away on holiday, consider moving potted plants to the shade so that they do not suffer in your absence, especially with the exceptionally dry weather France has had so far this year.

Keep a daily eye on remontant roses and cut off any wilted flowers to give others the best chance of flowering later this month and through September.

Also on a tidying theme, remember to remove dead leaves and other plant matter on a regular basis. This is particularly important if you live near woodland – there are strict rules on débrousaillement that are designed to prevent forest fires, as too much vegetation on the ground helps fires to spread.

There also limits on when you can burn vegetation on your land, and how close tree foliage can be to buildings. Check with your local mairie.

The hot weather encourages aphids and other nasty bugs to spread. Treat your plants regularly and look out for early signs of mildew and other fungi and parasites.

Finally, late August is the time to plant spinach, radishes, turnips and parsley.

French August weather proverbs Temps trop beau en août, annonce hiver en courroux (if the weather is too good in August, prepare for wrath of winter).

Tels les trois premiers jours d’août, tel le temps de l'automne (the first three days of August are a sign of the autumn to come).

Jamais d’août la sécheresse, n'amène la richesse (a drought in August will never bring richness).

Mayenne 53 Garden Supplies

Bare-root trees available to order now! www.mayenne53.com Tel 02 43 13 06 56 jardinerie53@gmail.com

Property 15

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August 2011

Buying or selling a property in or around Normandy?

We can help.

Our website www.connexionfrance.com carries details of more than 14,000 New Consumption and Emission Chart homes for sale - e.g. Energy rating C & F refers to C for Consumption and F for Emissions across France.

We also feature properties for sale in this dedicated section of The Advertiser every month. Use the code under each property to find out more on the website.

For sellers, the adverts are also displayed across a range of popular English-speaking websites which ensures they are seen by thousands of potential buyers EVERY day.

Prices start at €119TTC for a year’s online advertising.

Online advertisers can also place adverts in The Advertiser for an extra €60TTC for one month, €150TTC for three and €275TTC for six.

Contact us on 0800 91 77 56 (freephone in France) or email sales@connexionfrance.com

More details on all these properties - and how to contact the seller directly - can be found in the property for sale section of

www.connexionfrance.com Simply enter the code under each home to find out more

PROPERTIES IN NORMANDY

€194,400 Conde Sur Iton Care has been taken in the renovation of this beautiful imber framed cottage to provide a light and airy and extremely comfortable 3 bed 2 bath home.

Plot just under an acre.

REF: FP-20290EL27

ENERGY RATING = Not given

€315,000 Pont-Audemer Spacious `colombage` house set in 2200m2. 6/7 rooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 WCs, kitchen, 2 reception rooms, habitable space - 300m2, cave and garage.

REF: DOM1293

ENERGY RATING = Not given

€397,000 Avranches Two houses on 8 acres, substantial outbuildings, 2 fishing lakes in the woods.

The Cottage - 2 bedrooms The Mill, 30yds away - 4 beds REF: IFPC20776

ENERGY RATING = Not given

16 Profile

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Normandy Advertiser

August 2011

Get inside story on local riches When it comes to discovering the treasures of Normandy, there’s no better person to lead the way than official tour guide Dominique Eudier. HEDLEY GRENFELL-BANKS found out what she believes are the area’s highlights.

DOMINIQUE Eudier is a lively, friendly lady with enormous enthusiasm and near-perfect English. She is a freelance licensed interpreter-guide and lecturer with 12 years’ experience taking groups and individuals around Normandy (where she lives), as well as Brittany and the Loire Valley.

She explained: “I do tours in English, so English-speakers are my main clientele. They are mostly Americans, British, Australians and Canadians. Sometimes Japanese, South Africans or people from south-east Asia book tours.

“I set up my website five years ago to reach out to individuals, and I’m delighted to say that this side of the business has developed well; it gives me the chance to meet lots of different people.

“I also work with a large number of groups, especially those on steamboat cruises along the Seine.”

The most popular areas for tours come as no surprise; the D-Day

Tour guide Dominique Eudier is passionate about showing visitors around the lesserknown riches of Normandy, as well as the tourist hotspots beaches, Mont Saint-Michel, Monet’s garden at Giverny, and the Pays d’Auge are most often requested.

As for her personal favourites, Dominique is less certain.

“It’s hard to say. I like them all! I

especially like doing themed visits, which allow me to give a more in-depth coverage of the subject, and leave my clients feeling they’ve learned what they came to find out.”

In order to become a professional guide, Dominique had to take the

exams organised by the State in the préfecture of each department to obtain a Carte Professionelle de Guide – this shows that she has a sound knowledge of the region.

She said: “I love my job. It’s my passion, and I think that to be good

at this job, you have to be passionate about it.

“I was born in Paris, and I lived there until the end of my studies at the Sorbonne, and then, after travelling round the world, I settled down in our family home near Alençon 25 years ago. So I’m halfParisian, half-Norman.”

Apart from the well-trodden tourist routes, Dominique likes to show visitors something different.

“The Orne, where I live, is the least known of Norman departments, but it’s full of riches.

It’s off the beaten track.

“There’s the Perche region with its wooded hills and ancient manor houses; the Suisse Normande and Alpes Mancelles, which are neither Swiss nor Alps, but full of magnificent scenery; the National Stud at the Haras du Pin, Alençon and its superb lace – wonderful places.

“For history buffs, the Orne was also the scene of the grim final days of the Battle of Normandy.”

Her tours include the landing beaches, the main tourist sites such as Mont Saint-Michel, Bayeux, Honfleur, Rouen and the Pays d’Auge, and the back roads of the Orne. She also offeres themed itineraries; The Battle of Normandy, William the Conqueror, Saint Teresa’s footsteps, the Plantagenet heritage and more. www.guided-normandy-tours.com