The Normandy Advertiser - December 2012

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ISSUE 36

DECEMBER 2012

publishers of

News and What’s on information for Normandy and the surrounding area

We sell happiness, says oyster grower P24 Photo: Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse

Photo: Georges Biard/Wikimedia

Actor has always loved region

Depardieu prepares Normandy retreat

French actor Gérard Depardieu looks set to spend more spare time in Normandy after organising the start of building work on a luxury new house near the seaside resort of Trouville.

His first house in the town, Villa Lierrement, is now lived in by his ex-wife Elisabeth Guignot but the actor, currently starring in the Asterix film On Her Majesty’s Service, is known for loving the region.

He has begun work on a 750 square metre wooden framed house on a piece of land down a small country lane. The home is being designed by a Breton architect and will be spread over three floors with seven rooms and an outdoor terrace overlooking the countryside.  Turn to page 4

NORMANDY WINE (YES WINE!) WINS ACCLAIM P5

Hope for tourism boost from 2013 Tour

by RAY CLANCY

A MODERN TAKE ON WAR PICS Impressive Normandy photo project P7

Tourism chiefs and business owners in lower Normandy are hoping that the arrival of the Tour de France, the world’s most famous road cycling race, next year will revive the industry which suffered one of its worst years for decades in 2012.

The announcement that the race, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, has a stage between Avranches and Mont-Saint-Michel in 2013 has been greeted with enthusiasm.

Not only will it attract extra visitors from all over France but the fact that it was won this year

by Briton Bradley Wiggins should ensure a good turnout of British visitors, many of whom deserted foreign holidays this year to save money and watch the London Olympic Games.

Jean-François Le Grand, president of the Manche conseil général is credited with having the vision to bring the Tour to the south of the region over a year ago and told the organisers

that as one of the most iconic of French sites, the Mont-Saint-Michel ought to feature in the 100th birthday race.

So 12 days after the 2013 teams leave the start line in Corsica the Tour will roll into the region for a 33km stage on Wednesday, July 10.

“Everyone must put this date in their diary.

“The whole of the region can benefit from those wanting to watch to hotels, restaurants and shops.

It will be an enormous boost for our image and the local economy,” said Mr Le Grand.

“The Manche, with its D-Day beaches, its natural heritage and its jewel, Mont-SaintMichel, has absolutely all the assets necessary to welcome a stage.  Turn to page 2

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2 News

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December 2012 Photo: MaxPPP

Contact us With a story, email: normandynews@connexionfrance.com (please include a daytime contact number) With a subscription or advert query call: From France: 0800 91 77 56 (freephone) From UK: 0844 256 9881 (4p per minute) or by email: sales@connexionfrance.com The Advertiser is published by: English Language Media Sarl, Le Vedra, 38 rue Grimaldi, 98000 Monaco.

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Contents News What’s On Feature Leisure Time

1-7 8-11 12-13, 24 14

Food and Pets 15 Directory 16-17 Home and Garden 18-19 Property and Finance 20-23

Useful Numbers EMERGENCY NUMBERS 18: Emergencies: Calls the fire brigade (Sapeurs Pompiers), but they deal with medical emergencies and are usually the first port of call in rural areas. 112: Emergency calls from your mobile: Be ready with your name and where you are calling from and do not hang up until told to do so. 17: Police (gendarmes) 119: Child abuse. 1616: Sea and lake rescue.

01 40 05 48 48: Anti-poison centre (Paris) 08 10 33 30 + your department number (eg 76 for Seine-Maritime): Gas & electricity emergencies UTILITIES FRANCE TELECOM Website in English: www.francetelecom.com To report a fault online: www.1013.fr (click on the UK flag). English-speaking helpline: 09 69 36 39 00 (from France); + 33 1 55 78 60 56 (outside France).

ORANGE: English-speaking helpline: 09 69 36 39 00. SFR: 1023 (+ 33 6 10 00 10 23 from outside France) FREE: 1044 Bouygues: 1034 EDF: 24 hour breakdown line: 08 10 33 30 87; Helpline in English: 05 62 16 49 08; From outside France: + 33 5 62 16 49 08; Email: simpleenergywithedf@edf.fr GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS CAISSE D’ALLOCATIONS FAMILIALES CAF: www.caf.fr; Tel: 08 10 25 14 10.

L’ASSURANCE MALADIE (AMELI, formerly known as CPAM – the health service): www.ameli.fr; Tel: 36 46 (Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm) English spoken.

URSSAF: English-language website: www.anglais.urssaf.fr - Calvados - 22 rue d'Isigny, 14045 CAEN CEDEX 9 Tel: 08 20 39 51 40 | Manche - 50013 SAINT LO CEDEX Tel: 08 20 39 55 00 | Orne - Pôle d'activités d'Ecouves, Rue François Arago, 61250 VALFRAMBERT Tel. 08 20 39 56 10 | Eure - Parc d'activité de la Forêt, Rue Henri Becquerel, BP 250 27092 EVREUX CEDEX 9 Tel: 08 20 39 52 70 | Seine-Maritime - 61 rue Pierre Renaudel, BP 2035X, 76040 ROUEN CEDEX 1 Tel: 08 20 39 57 60 PREFECTURE: Calvados - rue Daniel Huet, 14038 CAEN CEDEX 9 Tel: 02 31 30 64 00 | Manche - place de la

Préfecture, CS 10419, 50009 ST LO CEDEX Tel: 02 33 75 49 50 | Orne - 39 rue Saint Blaise, 61019 ALENCON CEDEX Tel. 02 33 80 61 61 | Eure boulevard Georges Chauvin, 27022 EVREUX CEDEX Tel: 02 32 78 27 27 | Seine-Maritime - 7 place de la Madeleine, 76000 ROUEN Tel: 02 32 76 55 00 OTHER HELP IN ENGLISH Counselling in France: for a qualified therapist near you or counselling over the telephone; www.counsellinginfrance.com SOS Help: Similar to the Samaritans, listeners who are professionally trained; Tel: 01 46 21 46 46; www.soshelpline.org No Panic France: for help with anxiety disorders; Tel: 02 51 28 80 25; www. nopanic.org.uk Alcoholics Anonymous: Bilingual meetings French/English: Picauville (50) At: Centre Socio-Culturel, Prieuré (opposite the church) Tel: 02 33 40 66 53, Friday at 20:00 | Alençon (61) At: 22 Rue Porchaine, Alençon Tel: 02 43 24 88 40 Monday at 20:30-22:00 Cancer Support France: for advice and someone to talk to: www.cancersupportfrance.info National Office: Email cancersupportfrance@ orange.fr; Tel: 05 45 89 30 05. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association Forces (SSAFA): In France: 05 53 01 64 54; Email: france@ ssafa.org.uk AVF: Help with French life www.avf.asso.fr OTHER INFO Yellow Pages: www.pagesjaunes.fr Speaking clock: 3699. Weather: 08 92 68 02 + dept. number. Last incoming call on your phone: 3131, then ‘5’ if you wish to connect.

BRITISH CONSULATE British Consular Services, Paris: Postal address: British Embassy, BP111-08, 75363 Paris Cedex 08. Tel : 01 44 51 31 00 Tel (after hours Emergency Service only): 01 44 51 31 00 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS THIS MONTH December 25: Christmas Day

Mont stage for 2013 Tour

From page 1 “Historically, the Manche is a land of cycling and this helped us win the stage. The Tour represents a magnificent opportunity to promote the department and is a godsend for tourism and the economy,” he added.

Christian Prudhomme, general director of the Tour de France, confirmed that as one of France’s great sites it would have been hard not to include the Mont-Saint-

Michel in the 100th race.

“It is a region that is proud of one of our national jewels and it has the enthusiasm to receive such a prestigious sporting event,” he said.

Jacky Bouvet, the Manche councillor in charge of sport, said that the spectacular aerial shots which accompany the race will show off the Mont-Saint-Michel and the surrounding countryside to a global

audience. “This will not just benefit the local economy and tourism in 2013 but in the years to come.

“It is one of the best ways possible to tell the world about our wonderful countryside,” he added.

And for Mr Le Grand it does not finish when the race moves on to the next stage.

He is now planning his bid for the race to start in the Manche in 2016 or 2017.

The stop for the free buses that take visitors to Mont-Saint-Michel is to be moved next to the car park but visitors face having to pay more as the transport company involved wants millions of euros in compensation for making the changes.

It seems likely that the current parking charge of e8.50 will increase to e10 when the new system is introduced in the spring of next year.

Laurent Beauvais, president of the Syndicat Mixte de la Baie Mont-SaintMichel which runs the world heritage site, is currently in negotiations with Veolia Transdev about the compensation.

A figure of around e4million has been mentioned.

“The central question is the cost of making the changes. It is a complicated issue,” he said. Mr Beauvais added that parking charges for 2013 must remain accessible. He does not want the price for

a car to increase above e10 and is in favour of a staged pricing structure depending on the size of the vehicle.

“The cost of visiting this exceptional site must remain affordable. By the spring we hope to have answers for the public to the issues that occurred in 2012 including navette stops and accessibility.

“We now have a chance to evaluate the issues so that when the development of the site is complete in 2014 everything is in place,” Mr Beauvais said in a statement. “The aim of the syndicate is to guarantee that prices will remain accessible for the variety of different visitors to the site. The range of prices could be widened.

“This could include reduced tariffs in the evening and for people living locally.

Whatever happens the navettes will remain free,” he confirmed.

The new navette stop will be next to the car park and the information centre sav-

ing a walk of almost a kilometre which is believed to be one of the main reasons for visitor numbers falling by 20% since the navettes were introduced in April this year.

There will also be a new stop next to the navettes for the horse-drawn carriages called maringotes whose introduction was delayed because they were not deemed to be safe. A modified version is now in operation but unlike the navettes there is an extra charge.

The two different transport options will follow different routes. The navettes will go through the current shopping and hotel area at La Caserne and the horsedrawn carriages will follow the pedestrianised route with both meeting up at La Barrage for the crossing to the Mont.

Other improvements proposed for 2013 include a shelter next to the navette bus stop and better lighting and signs to make it easier for visitors to get around.



Trade decline prompts bus change

Normandy Clubs and Associations Alliance Anglo-Normande A helping hand to integrate through French lessons, meetings and a social calendar, with members of many nationalities. Based between Livarot and Vimoutiers. secretary.normande@orange. fr www.alliance-anglo-normande.info Amicale Culturelle Européenne Offers cultural events and welcomes all nationalties www.amicale-culturelle.eu president@amicale-culturelle.eu Calvados Polo Club Polo matches and events in Lisieux area (14). Open to non-members.

Mme Garmond: 02 31 31 19 85 calvadospoloclub@free.fr

Writers in France Relaxed, friendly creative writing group which meets on first Tuesday of every month at the Bistrot du Coin in Passais kitty.stephens@virgin.net Royal British Legion Normandy/Calvados district branch Goona Naidu: 02 31 78 36 40 Ron Matthews: elronmat@wanadoo.fr www.rblnormandy.wordpress.com "Ville-Beau-Son" Choir Anglo-French choir based in Villebaudon (50). Welcomes enthusiastic singers of all abilities. Meets every Wednesday at 20.30 at the Salle Culturelle.

Sylvia Miles: 02 33 59 21 81or 02 33 51 13 20 moulin50410@hotmail.com

The changes will make it easier for drivers to get the shuttle bus to the Mont – but the charge may be increased

Normandy Advertiser

New owner for your local paper

Med students asked not to leave Normandy Persuading medical students in Normandy to stay and work in the region, especially in rural areas, has been declared a priority.

Marc Lefèvre, vice president of the Manche council, has visited students at the medical faculty at Caen University to encourage them to stay on in the department once they have finished their studies.

He told 77 new students studying general medicine that the department has many attractions as a great place to work including a dynamic culture, exceptional environment and good quality of life.

Mr Lefèvre also outlined a number of benefits that have been introduced for those who decide to work in the area as the department has a chronic shortage of GPs, especially in the countryside.

The council decided last June to extend the grants available to GPs in training.

The grants include e500 per month during training up to a maximum of e35,000 on the condition that they stay working in the department for five years.

They can also claim a grant of up to e1,800 towards moving expenses or as a deposit on somewhere to stay.

A number of new health centres are being set up to make it easier for newly qualified doctors to get into general practice. Two are already open in Villedieules-Poêles and Saint-James and eight more are planned. Local housing will also be made available.

Le Havre looks to improve healthcare Photo: Ray Clancy

As of the end of this month, the Normandy Advertiser will have a new publisher.

English Language Media, which launched the Advertiser three years ago, has sold the title to the Solo Group of the UK. The firm plans a redesign and relaunch in spring 2013.

Sarah Smith, director of ELM, said: “ We are sad to part company with the paper, having seen it grow from launch to 24 pages, and we thank advertisers and readers for their support but we are also looking forward to seeing the new publishers’ plans put into action and the paper grow further.”

We have written to all our subscribers – but if you subscribe and have not received a notice from us please contact our office on 0800 91 77 56 (free from a French landline.)

ELM continues to be the publisher of The Connexion, France’s English-language newspaper.

It also publishes more than 15 helpguides on the different practical issues of life in France. Topics include income tax, education, healthcare and inheritance law.

For more details see www.connexionfrance.com

News 3

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December 2012

Tomorrow’s GPs: Incentives for students in Caen to set up a practice locally This comes on top of plans to create more multi-discipline health centres with a minimum of two GPs and two other health professionals.

There is also a shortage of doctors in rural areas in other parts of Normandy.

Earlier this year when four GPs retired in Evreux they could not find replacements.

Figures from the Union Régionale des

Médecins Libéraux show that the number of GPs per 100,000 people is 84 in Calvados, 75 in Manche and 70 in Orne.

Caroline Collignon, vice president of the organisation representing GPs in training, said everyone has to work together to solve the problem as parts of the region have become deserts as far as doctors are concerned.

Le Havre has become the third area in HauteNormandie to sign a new local health contract which will see more money put into preventative medicine and the promotion of healthy living.

Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray and Val-de-Reuil have already put in place new contracts to oversee a better delivery of preventative health services from now until 2015.

“The aim is to put in place health prevention measures and promote healthy living as well as helping people to do more for their own health,” said Claude d’Harcourt, director general of the regional health authority.

The three biggest health problems leading to hospitalisation are cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes and the three biggest causes of death are cancer, circulation problems and trauma. Lung and colon cancers are also prevalent.

“Health services have not been bad but not particularly good. There is room to improve,” said Edouard Philippe, mayor of Le Havre.

‘Short-sighted’ ward closures may endanger mothers-to-be An earlier protest over cuts to the bus pick up points

69 school bus stops reinstated Parents in some parts of rural Normandy are continuing their fight to get school bus stops reinstated.

It is almost six months since the department of Manche announced it was getting rid of 1,800 bus stops to save money and increase security.

Parents living in rural areas were unhappy that their children would have to walk up to two kilometers along small country lanes with no pavements and no lighting.

Since they launched their campaign to save the bus stops some 69 have been reinstated but they still want another 170 put back.

From September onwards they have continued to mount protests and block roads as well as protest outside the headquarters of the council in SaintLô and outside other council meetings.

by RAY CLANCY Pregnant women in some parts of Basse-Normandie face travelling up to an hour to give birth if plans go ahead for the closure of a number of maternity units in the Normandy region.

Some doctors are concerned that the number of maternity units have been steadily closing since 1990 and warn that it is only a matter of time until issues arise due to women in labour having to travel so far, especially in winter when the roads can be hazardous.

The regional health department has confirmed that plans to close two of the seven maternity units in Calvados have been put on hold for the time being.

Vire closed in July but could be reopened if it is able to recruit two obstetricians by the middle of January.

In neighbouring Manche there are now just four maternity units – in Cherbourg, Coutances, Saint-Lô and Avranches – following the closure of units in Granville and Saint-Hilaire-duHarcouët.

There have been rumours

that the unit in Coutances could shut.

Women in the south-east of the department have also been affected by uncertainty over the future of Vire.

Mothers-to-be in some locations, most notably Picauville, Portbail, Ger and Le Tilleul face a 50-minute to an hour’s drive when they go into labour.

Just a few weeks ago a woman lost her baby when she began giving birth in a car on the motorway on her way to the maternity unit at Brive in the Lot, an hour from her home.

Dr Casimir Muszynski, an obstetrician based in Coutances and co-ordinator for medical specialists in the Manche, fears that a similar incident could happen in Normandy.

He believes that local and national politians are being “short-sighted” when it comes to shutting maternity units and doing so is a false economy.

He pointed out that if there is a problem, such as a woman going into labour early, then she faces going even further to access specialist treatment.

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4 News

Depardieu looks for peace and quiet in Calvados From page 1 The actor, who is well known for appreciating the good food and calvados of Normandy, is hoping for privacy once the house is finished. When locals complained about being disturbed by the extra traffic from construction vehicles and lorries he ordered the builders to modify the amount of noise and frequency of traffic.

The new house in Chemin de Callenville is being built not far from that of his old friend Claude Davy who lives in the area.

Depardieu bought his first house in Trouville in 1985.

His ex-wife took it over as part of the couple’s divorce settlement in 2006, some 14 years after they separated.

The actor, who is most famous for his roles in the film Cyrano de Bergerac and the Asterix franchise, often attracts controversy.

However, he seems to keep a low profile when he is in Normandy. 

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Famous voices help nativity play become national success What do Johnny Hallyday, Jane Birkin, Alain Delon and Fanny Cottençon all have in common?

They have all been the narrator for France’s best known living crèche nativity play which takes place at Christmas every year in Normandy.

The spectacle which is organised by a team of volunteers in Saint-Hilairedu-Harcouët is celebrating its 30th anniversary with one of France’s biggest stars Johnny Hallyday doing the voiceover this year.

His voice will join 40 actors and 15 animals to tell the story of the birth of Jesus in a very traditional play which draws people from all over the region and from as far away as Paris and Nantes.

The nativity play is put together by a massive group of volunteers. They include local women who make the costumes and local schoolchildren who take part in the show.

Each year between 10,000

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Actors and animals take part in the best-known nativity play in Normandy every year and 12,000 people watch the play and the organisers reckon that since it started over half a million people have attended.

But this year there are concerns that it might be the last. Producer Patrice Deniau is calling it a day and next year’s production will depend on finding a

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Mr Deniau is credited with making the show into such a nationwide success after he had the idea of getting famous people to do the narration. As a result French television reported on the show and the rest is history.

He said he needs a rest from the amount of effort

needed in the organisation.

For this year’s show his work began back in April when he was in Paris with Johnny Hallyday recording the voiceover. He kept it a secret until a few weeks ago and says he has other surprises up his sleeve for his last show as producer. n More info: page 9

December 2012

Business exchange opens up markets Selling jam to the English might seem like a hard task for a French company but a business exchange scheme has resulted in a firm from Dieppe getting its first international order.

The Ateliers d’Etran, which specialises in a preserve made from apples, butter and sugar, is getting ready to supply its first batch across the Channel.

The business decided to take part in the Development of Economic Exchange Dieppe and Sussex (DEEDS) programme launched to promote cross channel business between the two areas because it wanted to export to England.

They are now designing new labels in English and working out the best route to transport the jam to the UK. Other companies who took part in the business group visit to England included Biocar, Eurochannel logistics and Vialog. There were also representatives from secondary schools whose pupils are interested in work experience in the UK.

War cemetery top in TripAdvisor poll

The American cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer has been voted the best to visit in France with two other Normandy cemeteries also making it into the top five.

It is praised by visitors for its peaceful position overlooking Omaha Beach and for symbolising the sacrifice made by the Allied soldiers during and after D-Day in June 1944 in a survey carried out by travel site TripAdvisor.

Those who voted for the cemetery described it as “magnificent and moving” and as an essential place to visit to remember a powerful moment in history.

The site was first used just two days after the D-Day landings as a temporary burial place for American soldiers. It is known for its semi-circular colonnade with maps of the military operations and its bronze statue called Spirit of American Youth. It contains the graves of 9,387 soldiers.

In second place was the Commonwealth cemetery at Bayeux, the biggest British military cemetery in France. Visitors praised its impec-

cable green lawn and flowers and said it has a calm and respectful atmosphere.

The cemetery contains 4,648 graves and opposite it is the Bayeux memorial which commemorates more than 1,800 casualties of the Commonwealth forces who died in Normandy and have no known grave The German cemetery at La Cambe came in fifth place with visitors mentioning its regimented stone crosses, its small museum and beautiful gardens. The German war dead from the Normandy campaign were scattered over a wide area, many of them buried in isolated or field graves so La Cambe was established as one of six cemeteries by the German War Graves Commission after the war.

It has the remains of more than 12,000 German soldiers which were moved in from 1,400 locations in the departments of Calvados and the Orne. Some 207 unknown soldiers and 89 identified are buried in a mass grave below the central tumulus. n Impressive war photo project: page 7

Normandy Advertiser

December 2012

News 5

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‘Exceptional’ vintage for region’s leading vineyard The group is very active

Walking group welcomes foreign members

Gérard Samson expects this vintage to be an exceptional one at Les Arpents du Soleil, near Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives in the Côte-d’Or where they produce exceptional wines. At Arpents du Soleil it is dry, we get less than 60cm a year of rain, around 25 days of rain less than Caen which is just 25km away,” he added.

He expects his 15th vintage to be an exceptional one. “I reckon there is more sugar in the grapes this year and that is good for the quality of the wine.

We may have fewer grapes but they are good,” he said.

It may come as a surpise but there

RSI says it is here to help

by RAY CLANCY Small business owners and selfemployed people who are not satisfied with the service they get from the RSI, the regime for compulsory personal contributions, should not hesitate to ask for advice and complain if necessary.

Christophe Lefèvre, RSI business relations manager, told a meeting organised by the Normandy Business Group and the Franco-British Chamber of Commerce’s Caen branch, that there is help and advice available and people should not be concerned about making demands.

Understanding the system for paying health, retirement and social charges is regarded as a major problem for many British people when they set up in France, often because they do not speak French well enough.

But Mr Lefèvre said that many French people also find it troublesome and British people should not hesitate to ask for help.

“If you have an issue that is not being dealt with then complain,” he told the meeting. He added that a complaint letter should be marked clearly with the word réclamation and it would get priority over less urgent letters.

He explained that a new service this year means that people can check their circumstances online including verifying what payments have been made, declaring their revenue and print out documents such as statements and certificates. There are also leaflets available in English and if your local RSI office does not have them then ask them to get them.

He also offered a number of tips.

and soil on the vines and now produces a wide selection of dry white wine and some red with 11 being classified as Vin de Pays du Calvados, a recognition of their quality.

They are now being sold in shops in the region and in some high quality restaurants.

Mr Samson also has a stall at the Christmas market at Saint-Pierre-surDives, one of the biggest in the region, which takes place over the first weekend of December.

were vineyards in this part of Normandy from medieval times until the end of the 18th century.

“In times gone by people were much more in tune with nature and they understood the land. They realised that this part of the region got a lot of sun. It was the unique climate here that directly led to the vineyard being revived,” said Mr Samson.

After training in Burgundy he also visited vineyards in Kent in England to understand the effects of climate

Photo: Ray Clancy

The walking club Amicale des Marcheurs du Roumois et de l’Oison (AMRO) is based in Hectomare (Eure) and has around 55 members.

It was formed 15 years ago and membership costs e35 for one person and e55 for a couple. The price includes membership of the French Walking Federation plus full sports insurance to cover accidents.

They organise two all-day walks a month as well as periodic weekends and longer trips of a week or even a fortnight's hiking.

“We go for a week’s walking in snowshoes in the winter and we do another week in the spring,” says the association's vice-president, Roger Lepelletier, who is also a founder member. We go to the Alps, the Jura, Vosges... we go somewhere new every year. In 2013 it will be BelleÎle-en-Mer.” Walks are around 20 to 25km long and the pace is a moderate 4km per hour, meaning that walks take around six hours.

“Anyone who walks regularly can do it,” says Mr Lepelletier. “A lot of our members are active seniors.

We take a picnic lunch with us, and always stop somewhere at midday.

“It’s a simple sport. All you need are walking boots and sensible clothes. People talk about their lives, their problems, about cooking, travel, everything.

“And walking in a group is better than on your own, you don’t get lost, or hurt, or too exhausted to carry on.

“We have a guide and we walk at a reasonable pace so that we don't get out of breath, and everyone can finish the walk.

“People are welcome to come along for free the first time, and see if they like it, and then if they do they’re welcome to join the association.

“We really welcome foreigners and non-French speakers, it makes it all the more interesting.”

For more information contact AMRO president Michel Gaillard either by telephone 02 32 62 75 47 or email amrorando@yahoo.fr

Normandy is known for its cider, pommeau and calvados but now it is making a name for itself in the world of wine with one vineyard gaining a growing reputation for the quality of its products.

Hidden in a valley near Saint-Pierresur-Dives, the Arpents du Soleil vineyard has been producing white and red wines since the vines were planted on a south facing slope in the 1990s.

Winemaker Gérard Samson says that the earth and the climate in this part of the heart of Normandy have helped to make the wine a success and this year although the harvest is smaller the grapes are of excellent quality.

“We have a microclimate here that is generally dry and warm. The vines are planted on a south facing slope and benefit from the right kind of soil and consistent weather,” he explained.

But despite that he admits that it is not easy being a winemaker in this part of the world. Anxiety creeps in as the harvest approaches, with everyone hoping there will not be a lot of rain.

“This year has been complicated. We started the harvest a week later than usual but we are lucky to have exceptional land which copes with climatic hazards.

“Whatever happens we seem to get beautiful ripe grapes.

“The same weather conditions in another part of Normandy would be a catastrophe but it works well for the vines here,” said Mr Samson.

“To produce good grapes the vines need regular water and soil that heats up quickly. Here it is very like the soil

Christophe Lefèvre: it pays to complain, not put off dealing with problems “Make sure you have filled in a form to declare your chosen GP (médecin traitant), otherwise you will get lower repayments,” he said.

He also pointed out that health check-ups and flu vaccines can be obtained free as part of the organisation’s preventative medicine scheme.

And he recommended that those nearing retirement should see a local representative to check on what they are entitled to, especially if pension payments from the UK need to be taken into account.

For people who are in difficulty paying their charges he revealed that there is an annual fund of e450,000 set aside in Basse-Normandie to help. Payment plans can also be set up but people should not ignore letters just because

they do not understand them.

He also warned people to beware of fake demands purporting to be from the RSI. “There are companies out there who call themselves RSI and their stationery and letters look like ours. They often ask you to sign up and demand a direct debit but once you have done so it is very hard to get out of it,” he said, adding that if in doubt people should check documentation with their local office and not reply to any doubtful letters especially those asking for personal details such as bank accounts.

The meeting also heard from lawyers, accountants and business and tax consultants on various aspects of business life and more information meetings are planned.

New help for young to work BASSE-Normandie has become the first region in France to sign an agreement with the French state to create 1,750 jobs for young people by the end of 2013. The deal is particularly aimed at those aged 16 to 25 with few or no qualifications who are finding it hard to get employment.

The latest figures show that there are 18,000 young people in the region registered to receive unemployment benefit of which 12,000 are currently doing nothing.

The fact that 10% of young people are unemployed is causing concern. “It is a serious situation, particularly for those aged 16 to 25 who have no qualifications,” said Michel Lalande, préfet of the region.

Under the plan the French state will pay 75% of the salary for jobs created in the public sector and 35% in the private sector. In certain hard hit rural areas the opportunities will be open to all young people as part of a larger strategy to keep people working in the countryside.

The aim is to give young people their first experience of full-time employment so that they can put it on their CV and go on to find other jobs in the future.

The most up-to-date figures show that overall in Basse-Normandie, the number of unemployed increased by 1.3% in September to 62,857. The rise is worst in Calvados at 2.3% while in the Orne the figure increased by 0.6% and by 0.2% in Manche. On an annual basis there has been an increase of 9.8% in the region.

In Haute-Normandie those registered for unemployment benefit increased by 2.2% in September compared with the previous month. In a year unemployment in the region has increased by 10.8%.

6 National News Trial brings new hope for Parkinson’s cure RESEARCHERS may have made a breakthrough in treating Parkinson’s disease with a gene therapy that is injected directly into the brain of sufferers. Fifteen patients (12 in France and three in the UK) received injections of a modified virus that stimulated production of dopamine, a natural substance that is known to help control movement. French team leader Professor Stéphane Palfi, a neurosurgeon at Henri-Mondor Hospital in Créteil and a researcher at CEA/ Inserm, Paris, said that early results showed that the treatment was “well tolerated” and produced “encouraging results, especially at higher doses”.

VAT rise will make life more costly in 2014 MOST everyday products and services are expected to cost a little more as of 2014 after the government unveiled plans to raise VAT. Under the plans, the basic rate of VAT will rise from 19.6% to 20%, expected to bring in about e3.3billion in extra tax a year. Tax on goods and services at the intermediary rate of 7% will rise to 10% (generating e3.8 billion), including restaurant meals and hotel or campsite stays, transport, home help, cinema, museum visits, home renovation work and non-reimbursable medicines. The lowest 5.5% rate, on essentials like food and energy, will be slightly dropped, to 5% - a measure meant to help less well-off families, who spend the largest proportion of their incomes on these.

Psychiatrist faces jail for releasing killer A PSYCHIATRIST has been accused by a Marseille court of being responsible for the death of an 83-year-old man after releasing a schizophrenic patient from a secure hospital. The doctor, Danièle Canarelli, faces up to five years in prison and a e75,000 fine if found guilty of manslaughter. She had allowed her long-term patient, Joël Gaillard, to leave the Edouard-

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Metro bans ‘inclusive’ poster for its politics AN anti-Islamophobia poster campaign has been banned from Paris’s public transport system because of its political and religious connotations.

The publicity arm of the bus and Metro authority RATP banned three posters (one of which is shown right) by the Collectif Contre l’islamophobie en France (CCIF).

The CCIF has made public a letter explaining RATP’s conclusion that the appearance of symbols like the veil, payots (side curls worn by Orthodox Jews) and crucifixes alongside the phrase “We (too) are the nation” plus the French flag was politically charged.

One of the posters of the “We (too) are the nation” campaign is a reworking of the Tennis Court Oath (pictured inset right) painting by Jacques-Louis David (depicting a key meeting in the run-up to the French Revolution), redesigned to give a more diverse range of religious and ethnic identities to the figures involved.

Toulouse hospital in Marseille on interim release - although his family said he risked further violence if allowed to return home. Days later, in March 2004, he attacked 83-year-old Germain Trabuc in Gap (Hautes-Alpes) with an axe, killing him.

No CFE property tax for auto-entrepreneurs AUTO-ENTREPRENEURS have been given a reprieve from paying the business tax cotisation foncière des entreprises (CFE) for 2012. The tax, which replaced taxe professionnelle is based on the value of your premises (in auto-entrepreneurs’ case this is often their home) and could be unrealistically high for many of these small businesses. Now more time has been given to analyse how they should be taxed.

Teenager’s ‘Come Back Sarkozy’ ode is hit A TEENAGER’s song pleading for Nicolas Sarkozy to return to politics in France has passed one million views on YouTube in a month.

Josh Stanley, 16, from Monaco, has recorded a song begging Sarkozy to return and save France from François Hollande.

The song also refers to “taxes that are sinking us” and Peugeot and Renault which have “broken”.

Josh who was born in Monaco to a British father and German mother, has made previous songs from his bedroom, including one called The Good Life about his life, and won “Idées jeunes 2012” - a competition held by the Monegasque education authorities for people aged 15-25.

Young computer genius tagged for phone virus

Photo: Photopqr/Le Courrier Picard/Frédéric Douchet

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A 20-YEAR-OLD from Amiens, Picardy, who created a virus that infected at least 17,000 smartphones is to be electronically tagged for six months. Dylan Caron, who dropped out of school at 15, said he did it to prove he is “as good as people with diplomas”. He made software which is free to download to Android phones but which, unknown to users, sent premium rate texts from their phone. He then recuperated small payments from the texts. He is said to have made about e4,000, which he used to buy IT equipment and computer games.

His victims are thought to have lost around €500,000. Passing judgment, the judge remarked that “for a first try at committing a crime it was a masterstroke”.

Operations postponed as surgeons strike

MANY operating theatres have been shut due to a surgeons’ strike over perceived threats to their freedom and pay. Several medical unions took part, including hospital surgeons’ union Bloc, although the three largest doctors’ unions, which recently came to an agreement over fees with the health minister, were not involved. The campaigners are opposed to the recent agreement placing new limits on doctors’ rights to charge fees higher than the basic state tariffs (called dépassements d’honoraires) – for example Bloc thinks surgeons should be able to charge more than was agreed.

Algerian remembrance date set for March 19 FRANCE has set March 19 as a day of remembrance for the victims of the Algerian war.

The move ends years of disagreement over what to do about the 1954-62 war, with March 19 marking what some see as France’s defeat with the signing of the Evian accord to end the fighting. Right-wing senators voted against the move, saying the date would stir up old hatreds.

Thousands of North African-born French citizens known as ‘pieds noirs’ were repatriated to France after March 19. It is thought that 80,000 Harkis, Muslim soldiers who had fought for France, were killed after the war ended.

Authorities investigate ‘big cat’ sightings AUTHORITIES are investigating a rash of big cat sightings in the south of France. A spokesman for the prefecture of the Alpes-de-Haute-

Provence said: “We are studying all hypotheses, including that of a big cat and that of a black panther.”

The national office for hunting and wild animals has set up a trap near a village where the beast was spotted, but hunters have been ordered not to shoot it. Several sightings have been reported over a few months: the cat has been spotted drinking from a swimming pool, crossing a road and sleeping in a bush. Footprints of 10cm diameter have been discovered in the hills near the village of Oraison.

Long-term ill prescribed sport for treatment SPORT on prescription is being trialled in Strasbourg, where doctors are prescribing diabetics, the chronically ill and obese and those with heart problems a new diet of swimming, rowing, Nordic walking or cycling.

The project, a pilot for France, is being run with the city, the Alsace health agency, the local Assurance Maladie, the prefecture and education authority.

Fifty volunteer doctors will prescribe exercise for their patients under the “Sport-santé sur Ordonnance” scheme.

The prescription will allow patients to visit special trainers and get a coupon for a free enrolment for an activity.

Mixed reaction for Hollande press briefing PRESIDENT Hollande’s first twoand-a-half hour speech and press conference since his election six months ago reinforced his image of a statesman but failed to address key voter concerns, critics say. During the recent conference, which was billed as an opportunity to educate the public on issues, Hollande defended his policies, including VAT rises and budget caps, in front of 400 journalists at the Elysée Palace.

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News 7 Photos: Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse

The impressive series of Photoshopped pictures take historical images from around Normandy in the Second World War and superimpose the exact location as it appears today

War ghost pics merge then and now “I wanted to know more about where they IT IS as if the clock has been turned back 68 came from and who made them so I started to years and Allied soldiers are again marching do some research. through the streets of Norman towns in places “To find out if I was right about the locations that are as familiar today as they were at the I saw in some of the photos I went to the same height of the Second World War. These ghostly images created by Dutch histo- spots, took photos and compared them in Photoshop. So it was just a research tool at ry researcher Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse merge first. But after I put them online people got scenes from the days after the landings when Allied soldiers swept across Normandy in their excited about them and I decided to do it with more historical photos,” she quest to free France with explained. the same places today.

She did further research and She combines historifound hundreds of old photos cal pictures with photos that she could combine with taken on exactly the present day photos to recreate same spot today to creher ghostly images. ate spooky but stunning “Where I live the history of the images that are a Second World War is all around, reminder of what hapyou can’t avoid it. Every year we pened on the streets in remember those who died, we front of ordinary people celebrate the liberation and during the liberation of every grandmother and grandthe country. father seems to have a war time “I wanted to make peoexperience to talk about,” said ple realise that history is Ms Teeuwisse. all around us. That where She has been interested in hisyou live, work or go to Researcher Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse tory since she was a little girl school, once people when she first started dreaming fought, died or simply and reading about the past. She is particularly experienced a different kind of life,” she said. interested in the 1930s and 1940s and takes part What started as a small research project after in historical re-enactments as well as running a finding some rare negatives in a flea market in historical consultancy specialising in the period.

Amsterdam where she lives has now become a “I also think it is important to try and make major study with people from all over the people think about the past, to remember and world wanting to buy prints of her recreations respect the sacrifices the generations before us and a potential book in the offing.

made,” she added.

Her work also covers other parts of occupied France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany during the Second World War including the concentration camps.

Working on the photographs of Normandy has made her want to visit the region. “I have visited Normandy but it was a long time ago

and during a regular holiday with my parents.

Unfortunately at the time I didn’t get to visit many historical locations so I’d love to return,” she said.

To find out more: n tinyurl.com/ghostsofwar n facebook.com/thenandnow ghostsofhistory

8 What’s On

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December 2012

Photo: © Barbara Cabot - Ville de Rouen

December

Seine-Maritime

Rouen

FESTIVAL

All month Rouen Givrée – Once again this year the magical world of Christmas takes over Rouen. The Rouen Givrée (Frozen Rouen) festival includes a host of activities, events, decorations and lights that give Rouen the feel of a Christmas village. In the heart of the city, a huge skating rink will allow budding skaters to show what they can do. The less energetic can admire the city from the ferris wheel, and the many Christmas markets will help you to stock up the cellars and buy all the goodies required for a Christmas feast. Children and adults will find plenty to keep them entertained. Rouen cathedral is also a spectacular sight on a winter night. For more information call the tourist office on 02 35 08 69 00.

Photo: © Barbara Cabot - Ville de Rouen

Photo: © Barbara Cabot - Ville de Rouen

Seine-Maritime

Calvados

Le Havre

MUSIC

Grandcamp Maisy FOOD

Photo: © helenedevun - Fotolia.com

December 8 - 9 Fête de la Coquille Saint-Jacques – Grandcamp Maisy honours the Coquille Saint Jacques (scallop) every winter at this major shellfish festival.

Lots of activities are planned to mark the occasion such as the sale and tasting of scallops and seafood, fishing boat tours, exhibitions, concerts, a gourmet food market, cooking workshops and more. To find out more, call Grandcamp mairie on 02 31 22 64 34.

Until January 20 The Navigator’s Dream – Artist Riera i Arago is one of the leading ambassadors for the Catalan cultural and artistic scene. Influenced by Joan Miro, his work reflects on the nature of space and time, deeply connected to the marine world. The Musée André Malraux in Le Havre presents works produced between 1980 and 2011.

Entry e5, concessions e3. Call 02 35 19 62 62 or see musee-malraux.ville-lehavre.fr

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Eure

Le Neubourg

What’s On 9

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December 2012

Calvados

FOOD

Falaise EXHIBITION

December 8 Foie gras market – As a foretaste of Christmas, the producers of the Association des Fermiers des Becs offer a wide selection of duck steaklets and duck or goose foie gras from birds bred in the Norman countryside. It takes place in the centre of Le Neubourg from 9.30-12.30.

Until January 6 La Belle au Bois Dormant – The Château Guillaume le Conquérant brings to life the classic fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty with this schools-friendly exhibition featuring projections, scenes and musical effects. Daily from 10.00. Entry e5.50 for adults, e2.50 for children. www.chateau-guillaume-leconquerant.fr Photo: Nitot - wikipedia.org

Manche

Calvados Deauville FESTIVAL

Saint-Hilaire-duHarcouët FAMILY December 15-30 Crèche Vivante – Forty actors and 15 animals re-enact the story of the Nativity in this impressive show, including narration

by Johnny Hallyday. More than 10,000 spectators flock to Saint-Hilaire each year for the show in the Salle des Fêtes, now in its 30th year. Shows take place hourly at 15.00, 16.00 and 17.00 over 10 days around Christmas and the New Year. Entry is e7, or e4 for children under 12. To find out more call 02 33 90 80 09 or visit www.creche-vivante.org

 December 1 – Valframbert, Bolbec, Déville-lès-Rouen, Grigneuseville, La Bouille, Les Baux-Sainte-Croix, Montmain, Nonancourt, Rouen, Saint-Marcel, Étrépagny  2 – Chandai, Ger, Saint-Aubin-d’Arquenay, Éraines, Bolbec, Brosville, Calleville-lesDeux-Églises, Déville-lès-Rouen, Elbeuf-surAndelle, Fécamp, Heuqueville, La Bouille, Les Baux-Sainte-Croix, Nonancourt, SaintAntoine-la-Forêt, Saint-Aquilin-de-Pacy, Saint-Marcel, Saint-Ouen-du-Breuil

Photo: Marc Lagneau/Flickr

Christmas markets

December 31 Deauville parade – Every winter, Deauville celebrates the last day of the year with a big street parade, starting from the market square at 17.30. Street theatre company Les Quidams has imagined a show featuring four metre-tall giants and huge flying fish. The parade is free to watch. See www.deauville.fr

Photo: Sandrine Boyer

Enjoy the Christmas season in La Manche!

Corneville-sur-Risle, Forges-les-Eaux, Heudreville-sur-Eure, Tilly, Vernon, Écouis  14 – La Ferrière-aux-Étangs, SainteScolasse-sur-Sarthe, Les Andelys, Pavilly  15 – Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, Langrune-surMer, Valognes, Bourg-Achard, Les Andelys, Tourville-la-Rivière

 7 – Argentan

 16 – Bagnoles-de-l’Orne, FeuguerollesBully, Saint-James, Valognes, Boissey-leChâtel, Bourg-Achard, Houlbec-Cocherel, Les Andelys, Tourville-la-Rivière, Toutainville

 8 – Argentan, Billy

 17-18 – Les Andelys

 9 – Argentan, Escoville, Falaise, Ambrumesnil, Bardouville, Bois-Guillaume, Bolbec, Canteleu,

 19-24 – Les Andelys, Evreux  23 Cintray, Les Andelys, Evreux

Find delicious Heritagelocal produce to make your soirées really special!

Graphic design: CDT50 Photo copyrights (all rights reserved): C. Prigent, J. Lacquemant for CDT50 & La Maison du Biscuit - X - 10/11

Go for Gastronomy an amazing tour of Mont Saint-Michel’s Christmas illuminations!

For further information, brochures and special deals, contact Manche Tourism on: + 33 ( 0 ) 2 33 05 98 70 / manchetourisme@manche.fr or book online on : www.normandy-peninsula-holidays.com

The Charles Léandre museum continues to charm visitors thanks to the originality of its museographic presentations. Discover the works of the caricaturist and painter Charles Léandre (1862-1934), collections

by Norman artists, together with temporary painting and sculpture exhibitions. From 02/01/2012 to 31/12/2012: 9.30am-12.15am/2.30pm-6pm Tel: 02 31 69 41 16

Musée Eugène Boudin in Honfleur Ethnographic collection of Norman origin, several 19th and 20th century paintings by artists from Honfleur and around the estuary (Cals, Dubourg, Jongkind, Monet, Courbet, Pecrus, Dufy, Gernez…), together with a collection of drawings and paintings bequeathed by Eugène Boudin to his hometown in 1898. From 01/10/2012 to 31/12/2012: 2.30pm5.30pm - Tel: 02 31 89 54 00

Family Friendly Museums

Paléospace l'Odyssée in Villers sur Mer Plunge into the Jurassic period! Some 160 million years ago, Normandy was beneath a warm sea...

Via spectacular reconstructions and interactive discoveries that arouse the senses, Paléospace literally takes you back in time to a period when the great predators ruled supreme. Many fossils have been discovered around the 'Falaises des Vaches Noires: over 30-feet-long pliosaurs, ichthyosaurs, salt-water crocodiles, ammonites, urchins, sponges...

The deposit has even unveiled the remains of dinosaurs! From 01/11/2012 to 31/12/2012: 10am6pm - Tel: 02 31 81 77 60

ART & HISTORY

THEMED MUSEUMS

Musée de la Tapisserie de Bayeux

Musée des Ballons in Balleroy

The Bayeux Tapestry, a unique document, is in fact a wool embroidery on linen fabric, produced during the 11th century. Around 70m long and 50cm high, it tells the story of the Norman Conquest of England on the 14th of October 1066

by William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy.

From 16/11/2012 to 31/12/2012: 9.30am-12.30am/2pm-6pm - Tel: 02 31 51 25 50

Musée des Beaux-Arts in Caen One of France's finest art galleries. Extremely rich collection of 16th to 20th century paintings and an exceptional collection of engravings comprising over 50,000 individual works, presented in alternating themes. Open all year round: 8.30am-6pm Tel: 02 31 30 47 70

Musée et Sites Archéologiques Vieux la Romaine Vieux la Romaine is an archaeological site south of Caen consisting of a museum, a Roman-style garden, and offering visits to restored sites and to those currently under excavation. Three centuries of discoveries are presented in displays that are as spectacular as they are evocative. From 01/09/2012 to 31/12/2012: 9am-5pm - Tel: 02 31 71 10 20

NATURAL HISTORY Maison du Fossile in Lion s/ Mer Fine and extensive collection of Normandy fossils (exhibition area 150m2) offering descriptions of Normandy's key geological sites. Walking guided tour by appointment around Lion-sur-Mer: the 'Confessionnaux cliffs' geological site and 'Discovering of high-Lion'. Guided tour on bike: 'Heritage and Karst of Lion' and 'Watland of Colleville'. Open all year round: 2pm-6pm Tel: 02 31 96 88 00

Created in 1975 upon the initiative of Malcolm Forbes, the museum is located within the castle's outbuildings and retraces the history of the aerostation. From 16/10/2012 to 31/12/2012: 10am- 12am/1.30pm-5pm - Tel: 02 31 96 88 00

Automates Avenue in Falaise An amazing tour! Automates Avenue: a unique collection of over 300 automata, both witnesses and protagonists of the early 20th century to the 1950s. Via the reconstruction of Parisian streets, these automata, all masterpieces by artists such as Eiffel, Peynet and Dubout re-enact their age-old movements and gestures. From 01/10/2012 to 31/12/2012: 10am 12.30am/ 1.30pm-6pm Tel: 02 31 78 71 06

Les Maisons Satie in Honfleur Scenographic and musical trail paying tribute to the musician and composer Erik Satie, born here in 1866. The animated display offers each and every visitor an enlightening insight into Erik Satie's life and works. From 01/10/2012 to 31/12/2012: 11am–6pm - Tel: 02 31 89 11 11

* Libre Cours . Caen - Photo : Tapisserie (Mairie de Bayeux), G. Wait, J-M.Gatey, x

Looking for ideas of days out or events near you?

Espace Musée Charles Léandre in Condé sur Noireau

What’s on in December?

Musée de Normandie in Caen A museum on history and society, boasting a wealth of major archaeological and ethnographical collections and offering a panoramic view of the lives of the people who have occupied Normandy's entire territory, from prehistory to the massive migrations during the Middle Ages and up to the transformations brought by the industrial revolution.

From 01/11/2012 to 31/12/2012: 9.30am–6pm Tel: 02 31 30 47 60

Visit: www.calvados-tourisme.com

Calvados, the true spirit of Normandy

Christmas market and fairs throughout Calvados during this month. Visit our website for details.

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

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December 2012

What’s On 11

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What’s On in the capital

Photo: dalbera/Flickr

Two wine rendezvous this month

Walk with dinosaurs FAMILY

December 19-23 – After touring more than 200 cities worldwide and being seen by seven million spectators, the extraordinary Walking With Dinosaurs spectacle is back in Paris at Bercy. Worldrenowned designers have worked with scientists to create 20 life-sized dinosaurs including the terrible Tyrannosaurus Rex. This is a stunning family show with great special effects. Opening times vary according to day.

Entry from e30 to e60.

See www.bercy.fr

FOOD AND DRINK

MUSIC

December 3 – French singersongwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sébastien Tellier plays one night at the Casino de Paris (which is a concert venue, not a casino) from 19.30.

Tickets range from e55 to e199 from the usual outlets. 16 rue Clichy, 9e.

Photo: Sweetsofa/Flickr

Festive fun in the city of light

OUTDOORS

Show has all things nautical EXHIBITION

Star Wars toy display EXHIBITION imagination year after year.

This year Dior will take pride of place at Printemps while Galeries Lafayette is joined by Louis Vuitton to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its giant dome.

Hundreds of streets will have special illuminations – but for the best photo head to the foot of the Champs-Elysées and take a snap of the beautiful avenue bathed in light with the Arc de Triomphe at the top.

Christmas markets abound – two of the biggest are at the ChampsElysées and La Défense, selling

Christmas treats, vin chaud, decorations, gifts and warm food.

At La Défense, you will find no less than 350 chalets offering a multitude of gifts, handcrafted objects, gourmet food and plenty of decorative ideas.

Santa will be there every day for a photo with the children. Open daily 10.00-18.00.

Then head over to the square at the front of the Hôtel de Ville and get your skates on. Rentals cost e5 – and the 1,300m2 open-air rink is open daily until 22.00 from December 18 until March.

Paris stage for Cirque du Soleil Photo: Bytemarks/Flickr

December 8-16 – Porte de Versailles transforms into a nautical dream for this major boat show that draws more than 250,000 visitors annually with exhibits, demonstrations and events.

The show, called Nautic, aims to appeal to as wide an audience as possible with something for every age and every taste. Some 30 different sectors will be represented including sailing and watersports activities, major races and events, river tourism and sailing equipment. Almost 800 boats will be on show including 200 brand new designs. Open daily 10.0019.00. Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles.

Entry e15. For full details, see www.salonnautiqueparis.com

All month – December is a great time to visit Paris, as the city is bathed in sparkling Christmas lights, elaborate window displays, markets and outdoor ice skating rinks.

Starting with the window displays, the place to head to is Boulevard Haussmann where Printemps and the Galeries Lafayette do battle each year for the most spectacular show.

Top designers and stylists are invited to participate in the creation of the set design and the figures, which outdo each other in magic and

Photo: bibi95/Flickr

Sébastien Tellier

Photo: simononly/Flickr

December 8-9 – Twenty of the finest organic winemakers in France will be showing off their work for the third year running at Vignerons en Seine. It takes place on the Melody Blues barge, moored next to the Pont de Tolbiac near Bercy Village. Entry is e6 including a souvenir glass. Open 10.0019.00. www.verrebouteille.net Meanwhile, from December 14-16, the Maxim’s barge at the Pont de Suffren, near the Eiffel Tower, puts on its annual Salon des Grands Vignobles showcasing fine wines and foie gras.

Booking is essential. See grandsvignobles.blogspot.com

FAMILY

Until December 2 – The Cirque du Soleil’s latest touring show, Alegria, spends a week in Paris this winter.

The show’s themes are many: power and the handing down of power over time, the evolution from ancient monarchies to modern democracies and old age and youth. Kings’ fools, minstrels, beggars, old aristocrats and children make up the cast along with clowns. Palais Omnisports de Paris Bercy, 20.00 plus some matinée performances. Tickets from e36 to e78. www.cirquedusoleil.com

Until March – The Star Wars Toys exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs on the Rue de Rivoli retraces 35 years of the history of the toys and products derived from George Lucas’s popular space series. Everything from games and toys to comics and other unusual products is on display – 400 items in total. Open Tuesday-Sunday 11.00-18.00, late night on Thursday. Entry e9.50. www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr

Top French horse show SPORT

December 1-9 – The Salon du Cheval is the annual rendezvous for horse fans and features prestigious international equestrian competitions, including the Gucci Paris Masters. It is the biggest horse show in France, with more than 400 exhibitors. Parc des Expositions, Paris Nord Villepinte, on the RER B towards Charles de Gaulle airport. Daily from 10.00.

Tickets from e14 to e18. www.salon-cheval.com

12 News Practical 00

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From the very start, buying a home in France is a different process to that of the UK. It is highly regulated to offer security for buyer and seller, writes OLIVER ROWLAND BUYING a home in France is a two-stage process, with the first legally-binding step usually being a compromis de vente.

When an offer has been accepted (usually verbally) both parties will typically arrange to meet with a notaire to sign this important presale contract.

The compromis is similar in most respects to the final acte de vente (sale contract) signed about three months afterwards. The main difference is that the compromis has a sevenday “cooling off ” period, when the buyer can pull out without explanation. (In the case of commercial properties this is not always

automatically the case).

If the buyer pulls out after this, the deposit, paid at the signing stage, is lost, compensating the seller. Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov set the bar high for this in 2010, when he lost his e39 million deposit after pulling out of buying a Côte d’Azur villa for e390 million.

It is theoretically possible for individuals to complete the compromis stage between themselves without a notaire (by using a model contract), but “it’s the best way to get things wrong,” said an English-speaking notaire from Rennes, Olivier Jammet.

Photo: © Jörg Hackemann - fotolia.com

Sign first, ask questions later when buying a French home

In any case, the acte de vente must involve a notaire and using one from the start will cost you no more, he said. Typically the content of the compromis goes into the final act, so it is not to be taken lightly. It is also legal for the compromis stage to be organised by the estate agent selling the home, though if this is proposed you are not obliged to accept.

Typically the parties will meet at the seller’s notaires. A notaire is a state official and is meant to be impartial, however buyers also have the right to involve a notaire of their own choice, if they wish to have the extra reassurance of a lawyer who is unambiguously on “their” side and can double check the compromis to make sure it contains nothing prejudicial to them and contains all the clauses that may benefit them.

Where two notaires are involved there are arrangements to share fees and it is at no extra cost to the buyer.

What is the compromis?

It is a multi-page contract naming the location and nature of the property and the identities of buyer and seller and noting that they agree respectively to buy from and sell to each other.

It includes all the conditions of the sale including any clauses suspensives, which cancel the sale if not fulfilled, and it names a date by which the signature of the acte de vente must take place (though this can be altered later if necessary, on agreement between the parties).

This date is the one when the parties could legally take action to force completion. The contract should take into account all relevant factors, like the marital situation of the parties (and type of marriage contract), how the purchase will be financed, if the home is currently rented to tenants etc.

(Note that there is also a version called the promesse de vente, used in the Paris area, which involves some legal differences, notably that

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understood all important elements of the compromis, though he or she does not have to go through it line by line. Where he or she is English-speaking – as many French notaires are – the notaire may provide English explanations. If so, it will be noted in the acte de vente that this was done. Otherwise a sworn translator may attend to translate the notaire’s words.

The notaire must summarise the content of the document and answer all of the buyer’s questions. The buyer will have received a draft copy of the proposed compromis before the meeting so as to consider questions or changes.

Mr Jammet said that, as these are long documents, it is rarely practical for all of it to be translated, though the buyer could have this done at their own expense if they wished.

However he added that the notaire should make themselves available to answer questions “before, during and after” the meeting.

What if the buyer is abroad and cannot attend to sign?

There are several options for the compromis stage. Mr Jammet said: “For the compromis it is easy to organise a proxy signature, for example

by a clerk of the notaire; or the compromis can be sent by post to Britain and returned by post.” However he added that given the importance of the matter it is always best for all parties to be present in person if possible.

For the acte, however, both parties usually attend, although it is possible, but complicated to make other arrangements at this stage.

What if the buyer speaks little French?

The notaire must make sure the buyer has

Buying a home in France - the helpguide The Connexion has a helpguide written in partnership with the Conseils des notaires de France - the publishing arm of France's national notaires group. You can order a printed copy from our website for e9.50 Visit www.connexionfrance.com or call 0800 91 77 56 if you have any problems and we will send you a printed version

The dépôt de garantie A deposit will be agreed between the parties and mentioned in the draft compromis, which should be handed over by cheque on the day of signing it. This is usually 10% in Paris but often 5% in other parts of France, though legallyspeaking none is obligatory (unless the notaire negotiated the sale of the home). The buyer should make sure their bank account contains sufficient funds as the notaire is entitled to bank it immediately.

If they withdraw, it should be refunded within 21 days.

Withdrawal by the buyer Only the buyer has a legal right to withdraw and this runs for seven days starting from the day after he or she has these are long documents, received a signed copy of the compromis. If it is rarely practical for all of it attending the office to The diagnostics The seller must sign this will be the day to be translated, however the inform the buyer after the meeting. If the of the condition of process is done by post, notaire should be available to the home by prothe buyer will sign and viding legallysend back a copy, then answer questions required diagnoswait for it to be returned tics. These are certo them, at which point tificates drawn up the retraction period after checks by a professional diagnostiqueur. runs from the day it is presented at their home This is to help the buyer in their decision on (eg. by international recommended post). whether to go through with the sale and in The seven days are calendar days and expire assessing if the home is worth the asking price. at midnight on the last day, but if the last one These include: falls on a Sunday or bank holiday then the n Natural and technological risks – is the limit is prolonged for an extra day. property in a zone at risk of earthquakes or The decision to retract is by recommended flooding etc? post with reception slip and the buyer is in time if they send it back on the seventh day. n Energy performance – this includes the Mr Jammet said there is sometimes a clause award of a letter from A (good) to G (bad) in the compromis saying the buyer will cover indicating the property's energy-efficiency. the notaire’s fees of around e200 in this case. n Floor space in square metres (called the However where this is not included the notaire Loi Carrez diagnostic) – usually only for flats. accepts not to receive payment if the sale does n Infestation by termites – required in not go ahead. risk zones.

“

where the buyer pulls out after the cooling-off period they only lose their deposit, whereas with the compromis the seller could also take legal action to force the buyer to complete).

n Lead – concerns properties built before 1949. Notably examines if there is any lead paint in a degraded state (eg. with flakes coming off). n Gas/electricity – checking the safety of installations: for homes 15 years old or more. n Asbestos – check on its presence and condition in homes built before July 1, 1997.

For the more technical ones the seller may wish to seek expert advice as to the seriousness and potential cost of rectifying any problems.

Notaires will also be aware of any local problems, Mr Jammet said. “For example in Brittany there are often problems with fungus – there is no obligatory check, so we will recommend the buyer has one done. In Paris the risk is quarrying – holes under the building... so we would run checks.”

Photo: pandore - fotolia.com

Clauses suspensives A variety of clauses may be inserted, meaning that the contract ends if they are not fulfilled. A common one is the requirement that the buyer should have a formal offer of a loan from a bank by a certain date.

Mr Jammet said it would also be possible to insert one saying “on condition I sell my home in the UK”, however he said this would only apply if a buyer had already been found (but later dropped out), not if the home was merely on the market.

As

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French-themed crossword

What’s in a word?

Easy

Down

2. Magasin specialising in stationery (9) 8. Teatime equivalent of cafetière (7) 9. Toile de tissu for jeans manufacture, whose name derives from the capital of the Gard department (5) 10. Crainte or inquiétude (4) 11. Formerly part of a franc, now of a euro (7) 13. Purchases in a bazar, hypermarché etc (6) 15. Heraldic and precious metal – or cash (6) 18. Lemon _______ or verveine, whose leaves are often used for a refreshing tisane (7) 20. Sweet food made by les abeilles (4) 23. Stew of beef braised in wine, garlic, vegetables and herbes de Provence (5) 24. Soft fruits rouges produced by a plant of the rose family (7) 25. Eleventh month of the Republican Calendar (9)

1. Mediterranean port and resort known as the Venice of Languedoc (4) 2. In its masculine form it is used for heating, in its feminine for frying (5) 3. Classic Godard film, _______ le Fou, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo (7) 4. In music, un intervalle de trois degrés (6) 5. Paris-born sculptor best known for works such as Le Penseur and L’homme qui marche (5) 6. Synonym for neigeux (7) 7. Léon ________, a founder of the Third Republic, who escaped from the siege of Paris in a balloon and briefly became prime minister (8) 12. Alcoholic drink from the Basse-Normandie region (8) 14. River which rises in the Cévennes and flows into the Mediterranean near Agde (7) 16. Arthur _______, restless young poet whom Victor Hugo once described as ‘an infant Shakespeare’ (7) 17. “Une femme sans ______ est une femme sans avenir”; Coco Chanel (6) 19. Young mind attending an établissement scolaire (5) 21. Action d’un oiseau qui s’envole (5) 22. Describes someone with big bones (4)

The France quiz

by Paul Masters

bougie banned from manufacturing in a number of cities and towns throughout Europe.

Bougie became synonymous with candle and eventually replaced the Latin word in France, it also took on a second meaning in modern French. Les bougies can also be found under the bonnet of your car - they are your spark plugs. (Belgian Jean J. Lenoir is credited with their invention). The rise of the oil industry, and the subsequent use of paraffin-wax candles led to the disappearance of beeswax, and thankfully tallow, during the last century. However, the invention of the internal combustion engine has given a new lease of life to the town's name.

So as you decorate your home over Christmas you can spare a thought for the north African town that lent its name to your bougie wonderland.

Intermediate

 1 ROGUE trader Jérôme Kerviel lost his appeal against a prison sentence. How much of Société Générale's money did he lose (and now has to pay back)?  2 How many Bond girls have been French (including Bond-girl and villain Sophie Marceau, pictured above)?  3 WHICH artist is responsible for the biggest-selling album in France?  4 WHO wrote the Hunchback of NotreDame (French title Notre-Dame de Paris)?

 5 THE first Frenchman in space (also the first Western European) Jean-Loup Chrétien escaped the atmosphere in which year?  6 "WE say time is a great teacher, unfortunately it kills all its students." Which French classical composer coined this gem?  7 THE Statue of Liberty was a gift from France to the USA - who raised the funds for the pedestal on which she stands?

(Clue: He named journalism's most famous prizes).  8 How many former French presidents are still alive?

Difficult

CROSSWORD ANSWERS. Across 2 papeterie; 8 théière; 9 denim; 10 peur; 11 centime; 13 achats; 15 argent; 18 verbena; 20 miel; 23 daube; 24 fraises; 25 Thermidor Down 1 Sète; 2 poêle; 3 Pierrot; 4 tierce; 5 Rodin; 6 enneigé; 7 Gambetta; 12 Calvados; 14 Hérault; 16 Rimbaud; 17 parfum; 19 élève; 21 essor; 22 ossu FRANCE QUIZ ANSWERS: 1. e4.9billion; 2. Nine; 3. Celine Dion (D'eux 1995). Victor Hugo; 5. 1982; 6. Berlioz; 7. Joseph Pulitzer 8.Three (Chirac, Sarkozy and Valéry Giscard d'Estaing)

Sudoku

Across

Photo: Andrey Lunin/Wikimedia

BATHED in sunshine on the south coast of the Mediterranean Sea lies a city which has the distinction of bearing three names. The official name on Algerian maps is Béjaia, but many of the inhabitants speak the Berber language, and use the name Bgayet. For Europeans, however, the city is known as Bougie.

The city's current fortunes are based on an oil pipeline running from Hassi Messaoud, deep in the Sahara desert, but the name of Bougie was widespread centuries before the petrochemical industry began.

Long before oil, gas and electricity were used to power our homes, Bougie exported beeswax to Europe. Much of it was exported to Genoa, where it was used in the manufacture of fine candles for the wealthy and the Church. The poor had to make do with tallow candles, made from the fat of cows or sheep, and which had the distinct disadvantage of giving off a really awful smell. So awful in fact, that the chandlers or candlemakers were

by John Foley

Oysters: the real raw deal

Marinated oysters with Sauterne wine sauce



Serves: 4 Preparation: 15-20 minutes Cooking: 25-30 minutes  1 kg rock oysters, opened and kept chilled  150 ml Sauterne wine  4 large egg whites  25 ml white wine vinegar  a pinch of salt For the wine sauce:  250 ml light fish stock  150 ml Sauterne wine  150 ml double cream  salt and pepper For the garnish:  1 tbsp butter  1 small plum tomato, quartered  1 button mushroom, quartered  sprigs of chervil  large handful of tarragon sprig tops

Photo: Rivière/Photocuisine

Method



To prepare oysters: n Rinse and brush them n Put a tea towel over your left hand (if you are righthanded), and hold an oyster in it with the pointed end towards you and the flatter side on top. n Insert the knife three-

quarters along the right-hand side (starting from the point) then cut towards yourself with a side-to-side motion to cut the muscle that holds the shell halves together, then twist it to open the shell.

For the best flavour do not eat oysters straight away: tip out the water inside – la première eau – and leave the oysters to one side for about a quarter to half an hour before eating them.

Most oysters in France are huîtres creuses – rounded oysters – as opposed to the other variety (plates – flat).

The Atlantic coast in the Marennes/Oléron area is especially famous for them.

They come in different size calibres, from 5 (the smallest) to 0, with descriptions indicating how full and fleshy they are (spéciales are the meatiest), or whether they were finished off in special maturing beds – de claires.

Oysters should be kept in the bottom of the fridge, for no more than a week.

CUT OUT & KEEP!

ingredients

English-speakers may be unsure about the Christmas delicacy of oysters but, as France is Europe’s top producer, it is time to lose the inhibitions and get cracking the traditional way to eat oysters during Christmas and New Year in France is raw.

You need minimal equipment to prepare them, though it is worth investing in an oyster knife to avoid struggling or slipping while opening them. These have a rounded handle for a firm grip and a small, firm, triangular blade.

Otherwise, use any small, sharp, knife, holding it so as to work just with the tip. You need a tray to put the oysters on and simple accompaniments such as lemon juice or wine vinegar with chopped shallots, plus crusty bread and butter – then you are ready to go.

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 Combine the oysters and 150 ml of the Sauterne wine in a bowl, cover and chill until ready to serve.  Prepare the sauce by reducing the fish stock by half in a saucepan before adding 150 ml of Sauterne wine.  Reduce again by half, then add the double cream.  Bring to the boil and reduce over a moderate heat until you have a thick coating consistency.  Adjust the seasoning to taste and keep warm to one side.  Fill a large saucepan with boiling

water and stir through the white wine vinegar.  Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl until they form stiff peaks.  Form large quenelles of egg white and poach them, turning occasionally until firm yet springy to the touch.  Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.  Melt the butter in a frying pan and sauté the plum tomato and mushroom

quarters briefly, seasoning as you do.  Arrange the oysters in the centre of serving plates and carefully pour the sauce around them.  Sit a quenelle of poached egg white on top and top with a quartered plum tomato and piece of mushroom.  Arrange the tarragon tops around the sauce at intervals before garnishing the top of the poached egg white with a sprig of chervil.  Serve immediately.

Good will to all men, and their friends Pets prefer a quiet time during the festive season which brings extra dangers around the house says SAMANTHA DAVID Everyone loves Christmas but it is a time of year which poses special dangers to pets. Obviously animals should never be given as presents.

Even if the household is ready and willing to take on a pet, wrapping an animal up in a box is cruel.

Introducing an animal (especially a baby one) into a household full of flashing decorations, noisy crackers, party-poppers, tipsy visitors and over-excited children is not a good start. If you have decided to give a pet (and a responsible adult has agreed to spend the necessary number of years looking after it) just provide a photograph of them on Christmas Day, and collect it from its former home in the New Year when life has calmed down and there is time for house-training etc.

For furry friends already resident

Pet Care in your house, try to see Christmas through their eyes. They still need regular food, clean water and (for dogs) walks. So if you are staying out late, or overnight, or all day long, plan ahead.

If necessary search online for garde d'animaux and find a professional cat feeder/dog walker for around 10-15 euros per visit. (If you don't know them, ask for a photocopy of their carte d'identité before handing over the house keys.)

Even during the season of goodwill, pets still need a quiet retreat in which to sleep, so try and provide

This column is sponsored by

quiet spaces for them.

It is a rare animal which seriously wants to dress up as a fairy or pretend to be a reindeer, so try to protect them from over-excited toddlers. Teach children to leave sleeping animals alone.

There are specific Christmas dangers too.

Poinsettia, holly, ivy and mistletoe are all toxic, so keep them out of reach. Wire Christmas trees securely in place so that they will not fall over if your young cat climbs into them, or your dog wags overenthusiastically.

Do not use glass ornaments which can fall off, smash and cut pets' feet. Ensure that tinsel is out of reach and that electric wires are taped down or run underneath carpets to stop animals chewing through them or tripping over them.

Keep anti-freeze locked away and clean up any spills

Photo: © B.Stefanov - fotolia.com

immediately. Cats love the taste of anti-freeze but even the smallest amount will kill them. If your cat walks through a small puddle of anti-freeze on the drive or in the garage and later licks its paws, it will very probably die.

Christmas foods are full of ingredients which are toxic to animals.

The major danger is chocolate You are more (the darker the more dangerous) likely to enjoy these costumes which is poisonous to both cats and dogs. So never leave boxes of than your pets chocolates where your dog can find them and never, ever allow anyone to give your animals chocolate.

Unless you have a pet toothbrush (yes, they do exist) do not allow anyone to feed pets anything containing sugar.

Remember that turkey bones can cause choking, and that onions, garlic and grapes are all toxic to animals. If you want to spoil your pets, it is best to buy proper pet treats rather than feed them titbits or scraps.

Tel. 06 58 01 82 76 Web. www.seulementnaturel.eu Email. marc.somsen@chardeyre.com

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Advertise here all year from just e75HT Call free on 0800 91 77 56 or email directory@connexionfrance.com

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HOW TO BOOK AN ADVERT Choose the size of your advert from the examples on the left. You can have a black and white advert; or you can choose a colour from the list below. Finally, you can choose to have rounded corners to the box to help make your advert stand out (See right). Then, when you have made your choice,

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Directory adverts are available in 3 sizes and in colour or black and white.

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ADVERTISING FEATURE

Unique sale of 15th Century Chapel Neo-Gothic style 15th Century Chapel for sale in the heart of Normandy Sale of 15th Century Chapel built on a fortress from the eleventh century.

Restored in a neo-Gothic style the 19th century.

Located in Normandy, near Rouen on Abbey Road with stunning views of the Seine.

120 m2 of living space, three bedrooms, a bathroom, a shower room, fitted kitchen, utility room and living room with mezzanine.

Gas heating.

Dependence including a cave used as a cellar.

Terrace and an orchard. Energy class D.

Vend Chapelle du quinzième siècle édifiée sur un fortin du onzième et restaurée au dix neuvième siècle dans un style néo gothique.

Elle est située en Normandie à proximité de Rouen sur la route des abbayes avec une vue imprenable sur la seine.

120 m2 habitables, trois chambres, une salle de bains, une salle de douche, cuisine équipée, arrière cuisine et séjour avec mezzanine. Chauffage au gaz. Une dépendance et trois troglodytes dont une servant de cave. Une terrasse et un verger. Classe énergie D. Contact: 06 68 12 03 58

This 15th century chapel is located near Rouen with views of the river Seine

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Based in St. Germain de Tallevende (14).

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+33 (0) 4 94 40 31 45

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Super Fast Broadband for everyone

Tel: 02 33 91 69 29 Email: chrishutt@wanadoo.fr

www.woodstovestudio.com info@woodstovestudio.com Tel 02 33 12 57 26 Siret 498 597 632 00013

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Ad No. 19187

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FIVE STAR REMOVALS Light Removals to and from Northern France. Best prices, best service.

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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

CLASSIFIEDS WANTED: CHILDMINDER To cover 2 weeks in Jan/Feb 2013. Full responsibility of 4 children. Must drive, non smoker, experience essential. Area 61. Please contact: melissaoneill@live.co.uk

18 News DIY 00

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2012 Helpguide to Death in France

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The Connexion has published a newly-revised 12-page guide to the formalities surrounding a death in France. Having the procedures to hand can help alleviate some of the stress at this traumatic time. The guide explains, in straightforward language, what forms and certificates are needed, how to find a funeral director and what to look for on their quote, cremation and burial in France, repatriation of a body to the UK, inheritance and bank accounts. The guide also includes a page of actual reader questions and answers.

Published October 1, 2012

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Subscribe Enjoy 12 papers for the price of 11

France, in English News, interviews, practical info & more

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Santa should surprise children, not homeowners

The helpguide is now on sale for 5 for a downloadable or printed version Excluding (printed version does not include p&p) P&P You can order at the helpguide section of www.connexionfrance.com or call (free from France) 0800 91 77 56 or 0844 256 9881 from UK (4p/min) to pay by credit card

The Connexion

Must Christmas always surprise?

Photo: © st-fotograf - Fotolia.com

ONLY

DIY tips Sponsored by

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Normandy Normandy Advertiser Advertiser December Month 2012

Online www.connexionfrance.com Call FREE from France 0800 91 77 56 Or for just 4p/min from the UK 0844 256 9881 Lines are open between 9am - 1pm Post this coupon to

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GIVEN we know exactly when Christmas is going to show up, and how frequently, it is surprising how reluctant people are to make a few tiny, permanent, adjustments in their home to accommodate the annual festival.

Outdoors, rather than attempting to use temporary fastenings, it is better to position proper metal loops and hooks discreetly and leave them in place all year.

Indoors, careful rearranging of furniture can allow you to drill holes for decorations that can be covered over for the rest of the year.

Choose a dry day to install fastenings and hooks for outdoor decorations; a hook on the front door for a wreath, wiring for Christmas lights, a base for an outside Christmas tree, for example.

If you have to run power through an external door, instead of attempting to jam the cable under the door, drill a small hole through the frame, remove the plug, run the wire through the hole and then put the plug back on. (Use mastic to block any draughts.)

Getting the Christmas tree to stand up can be a challenge.

Even if it is cut, planting it in a bucket of tightly-packed, moist, compost or earth will stop the needles falling off.

Otherwise, take a large solid board and mount two or three large shelf brackets on it. (Mismatched old ones are fine.)

Then screw or wire the tree to the brackets. If your household includes children or other pets, wiring the tree in place will help it withstand climbing, claws and giddy playtime collisions. Drill discreet holes and fill them with rawl plugs at skirting board level, or behind pictures and furniture where they will not be noticed when things go back into position. Then use screw-in hoops which can either be left in place all year or unscrewed in the New Year. This works best if the tree is in a corner.

Do not forget to buy a selection of plug boards, adapters and cable covers to keep pets and children safe. If you have animals which might chew cables, spray them with répulsif from pet shops.

Homemade Christmas presents have a new fashionable cachet this year and anyone with DIY skills, especially carpentry, can shine. It is easy enough to make little boxes; lacquer them if your skills are up to it and the box is made of hardwood, or paint and decorate them with collage if you need to hide filler and plywood. Think carefully about what might go in the box (photos, jewellery, fishing hooks, tea bags, CDs, letters, etc) before deciding on the size.

Keep children busy making pomanders to hang up near a fireplace, kitchen stove or radiator. To make one, run a piece of ribbon around an orange so it divides it into four parts.

Use dressmaking pins to keep the ribbon in place, and leave the long ends to hang it up by. Then fill in the four exposed quarters of orange peel with cloves. Large wool needles are useful for making the holes for each clove. These pomanders smell marvellous and make good presents.

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Normandy NormandyAdvertiser Advertiser December Month 2012 2012

Home and Garden 19 News 00

Gardening Find the best brocante Facts

Sponsored by

deals - and no early starts

Black Cat Services Photo: © Julius Kramer - Fotolia.com

The antiques trade is finding a new life online through sites that spot bargains on your behalf

Hedgehogs are a friend in the battle against slugs

Nature can rest, not you

December is a light month in the garden. It is time to pick any remaining brassicas, including brussels sprouts in the vegetable plot, they do not keep well if you just leave them, and choose a mild day to lift your parsnips too.

If you have a sheltered, sunny spot in the vegetable garden with rich, well-drained soil, you could try planting some early broad beans this month. If all goes well, you will have your first harvest as early as May. Either plant directly into the earth or germinate in the greenhouse first.

You will have to watch out for frost, and keep cloches, polytunnels or fleece to hand in case temperatures plunge.

Take cuttings of currant and gooseberry bushes by simply cutting off a good-looking length about 30 cm long and pushing it halfway into the ground.

Check any pots that you are planning to leave outside all winter, move them into the shelter of the house and swathe them in bubble wrap against the frost. Use more bubble wrap in the greenhouse if you have one.

Think about encouraging wildlife in your garden. Bird feeders and drinkers need to be placed out of feline reach and regularly replenished. (Especially on cold days when the water will freeze solid.) This will encourage birds into the garden, and apart from being lovely to watch, they can help keep pests down. Birds eat all sorts of insects and garden pests like slugs.

If you really want to make a bird sanctuary, this is also a good time to position nesting boxes but again, think about scheming cats. You can either buy the boxes in DIY shops or make your own. (They make an ideal project to do with children.)

To feed your birds, let some plants form seed heads, and sow some areas of the garden with indigenous plants.

Hanging up a dried sunflower head will also keep birds happy through the winter.

An undisturbed woodpile can provide shelter for insecteating toads or even a hedgehog. Both will happily eat lots of garden pests. If you have any piles of leaves in the garden, remember that they might also be sheltering a hedgehog.

Choose a dry day to go through the garden looking for decorative thistle heads, pine cones and nicely-shaped twigs which can be spray-painted gold and red. If you do not have a holly bush, perhaps a walk through the local woods might be a good idea? Do not forget that ivy adds a good green splash to Christmas decorations.

Finally do not forget to check all your gardening equipment (including electrical items), seed stocks and books. Clean the lawn mover and run an oily cloth over the blades to prevent rust. Also check over hand tools and store them clean and oiled. Go through your gardening diary and note what you might need for next season's garden projects.

Black Cat Services Expert Chimney Sweep Registered and Insured Mess-free Service Certificat de Ramonage Issued

Steve Bainton-Smith

02 33 50 84 91 steve@baintons.com

Banaborose.com specialises in children's furniture and restoration to order

by Oliver Rowland IF YOU are looking to give your home an authentic, personalised French touch an online brocante (antiques and secondhand goods) site could be the solution.

Whether you are after classic “Lotus” design cups or bowls, a Henkel “apple motif ” pitcher, a cast-iron bed or perhaps a rocking-chair, a growing selection of sites offer to take the effort out of bargain hunting.

Instead of going to marchés aux puces (fleamarkets) or vide-greniers (car-boot sales) yourself, these firms do it for you and put a choice selection online. Most of them also tidy them up and make sure they are in good working order. www.banaborose.com is especially known for children’s furniture and specialises in restoring pieces for customers. Its items are not necessarily cheap but are full of character. For example, e360 for a distinctive olive-green 1950s bedroom cabinet/chest of drawers or e170 for a 1950s desk and chair set in red formica and stainless steel.

Founder Lisa Guillot said she has been in business for three years. “Online selling of brocante took off about four

It's as if they can visit 10 brocante sales at once and they don't need to rush around

Online brocante founder Stéphanie Rottée

years ago. It’s linked to the fashion for vintage.

"My clients like the fact that for a price not much more than those in the big furniture chains they can order very good quality, robust wooden furniture in the colours they want.

"They know they’ll have something individual that they’re not going to see all over the place. People might email saying ‘I’m after a chest of drawers in red and black’ – and I send photos of furniture I’ve got in but not done up yet and I decorate it to order. I also work to match what they have at home.

“I find families often want to mix old and new – they might have a cot and changing table by a well-known baby products brand – then have a retro chest of drawers.”

The styles of Another site, www.madamelabroc.com, the 50s and specialises in items from the 1950s to 70s are the 1970s. Founder Stéphanie Rottée said: speciality of the site www. “Coming to my site means my customers madamelabroc. don’t have to get up at 7.00 to go and look at car boot sales in the rain – not com everyone likes that kind of thing or has the time. I bring together lots and lots of objects, so it’s as if they can visit 10 brocante sales at once and they don’t need to rush around."

“I also have delivery solutions so they don’t need to have a car to transport their

stuff.

There’s a transporter who does the whole of France and also abroad including the UK, and a little one for the Paris region.”

Her items range from a pair of big “Lotus” breakfast cups at e10 to an old bathroom cabinet in off-white wood, with a decorative glass front (e110) or vintage-material cushions for e15 each. www.lapetitebrocanteuse.com aims especially at value for money, said owner Emmanuelle Cleyn. For this reason her largest items can only be delivered in Paris and the surrounding area (for e20) as she is still looking for a good-value national transporter. They can also be collected. However postal delivery is possible for boxes up to 1.2m, she said.

“My items are mostly from the 1930s to today,” she said. “I am very careful that the prices are competitive. I created my site as an alternative to Ikea and based my prices on them.”

A cast-iron child’s bed - or a seat if one side is lowered - priced e120, would just fit the postal box size.

Lovers of kitsch might especially like to check out http://viedpuce.canalblog.com/ where you can pick up old Eiffel Tower glass salt shakers for e30 or snow globe desk calendars from e6.

Other brocante sites include: beigefluo.blogspot.com lesdedees.blogspot.com www.sofasurfer.fr www.edmond.tm.fr retourdechine.canalblog.com www.abracadabroc.com tohubohu-vintage.blogspot.com

20 Property

www.normandyadvertiser.com

Normandy Advertiser

December 2012

Houses for sale across France

Buying or selling a property?

We can help.

Our website www.connexionfrance.com carries details of more than 14,000 homes for sale across France.

We also feature properties for sale in this dedicated section of the paper each month. To find out more about any particular property, go to www.connexionfrance.com and enter the ref: code shown under the property.

age costs just 200TTC and gives you three months online advertising as well as a print advert in three editions of The Advertiser. Our 6+6 package is best value at 330TTC and provides the same, but for six months via each channel.

New Consumption and Emission Chart - e.g. Energy rating C & F refers to C for Consumption and F for Emissions

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

For sellers, the adverts are also displayed across a range of popular English- speaking websites and are seen by thousands of potential buyers EVERY day. Our 3+3 pack-

www.connexionfrance.com

Simply enter the code under each home to find out more Properties in NORMANDY

45,000

81,980

86,400

Montigny, Manche One bedroom house to renovate consists of living room, kitchen, bathroom, shed, workshop, garage and garden.

Pont-d'Ouilly, Calvados Two bedroom house consists of living room, kitchen, bathroom, conservatory, garage and outbuildings.

Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët, Manche Three bedroom house consists of living room, kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, garage and garden.

Ref: 14025D

Energy rating = F & F

Ref: XJN02780

Energy rating = F & F

Ref: 14135D

99,000

120,000

160,000

Le Gast, Calvados Two bedroom house set on an acre of land comprises living room, fitted kitchen, utility room, separate toilet and two storey stone barn.

Courson, Calvados Three bedroom house comprises lounge, kitchen/eating area, workshop/garage and outbuilding.

Sourdeval, Manche Three bedroom house set on 0.68 acre of land consists of lounge, kitchen/ dining area, bathroom, shower room and small utility room.

Ref: 700616

Energy rating = G

Ref: 700646

Energy rating = G

Ref: MNB01599

179,850

199,000

200,000

Roullours, Calvados Two bedroom house comprises large open plan living space, fitted corner kitchen, shower room, en suite shower room, utility room, conservatory and attached barn.

Le Mesnil-Villeman, Manche Three bedroom house set on 1/4 acre of land consists of lounge, dining room, large kitchen and shower room.

Montaigu-les-Bois, Manche Three bedroom house comprises living room, dining room, fitted kitchen, bathroom, garden, double garage, workshop and conservatory.

Ref: 700258

Energy rating = G

Ref: 700373

Energy rating = D

REF: 700312

243,800

278,200

296,800

Lingreville, Manche Three bedroom house set on 0.75 acre of land comprises living room, fitted kitchen/dining room, bathroom, shower room and detached garage.

Rauville-la-Place, Manche Three bedroom house set on 3.63 hectares of land includes outbuildings.

Saint-Romphaire, Manche Three bedroom house set on 3 acres of land comprises fitted kitchen, dining room, bathroom, shower room and outbuildings.

REF: 700923

Energy rating = D

REF: 700219

Energy rating = G

REF: 700511

328,600

375,000

384,950

Roullours, Calvados Two bedroom and one bedroom house with outbuildings set on 37 acres of land.

Crasville, Manche Three bedroom house and three bedroom guest wing with separate access includes garden and outbuildings.

Vimoutiers, Orne Four bedroom house and two bedroom cottage currently run as a very successful B&B and Gîte business.

REF: 700497

Energy rating = E

REF: 700944

Energy rating = C

REF: IFPC22612

395,000

432,500

473,000

Vire, Calvados Two modern open plan 3 bedroom houses overlooking a 18 Hole golf course.

Near Saint-Pois, Manche Three bedroom house and one bedroom gîte set on 4.5 hectares of land.

Juilley, Manche Four bedroom house and two bedroom cottage set on 9,443 m2 of land.

REF: IFPC22799

Energy rating = c & e

REF: BNO-637

Energy rating = E & c

Ref: 14075D

493,500

535,600

670,000

Le Mesnil-Garnier, Manche Five bedroom house set on 7.5 acres of land comprises modern living room, fitted kitchen, dining area, shower room, utility room, stables and outbuildings.

Etrépagny, Eure Four bedroom old mill house consists of living room, kitchen, two bathrooms, shower room, wine cellar, garden, small storage building and small house.

Falaise, Calvados Five bedroom house comprises drawing room, dining room, kitchen, three bathrooms, showroom, two en suites, large dressing room, two basements and double garage.

Ref: 700185

Energy rating = C

REF: 83003151870

Energy rating = e & c

REF: IFPC22227

Energy rating = e & f

Energy rating = C & D

Energy rating = E

Energy rating = d

Energy rating = e & f

Energy rating = C & B

Energy rating = D & D

The adverts above cost from just 200TTC for three months of web advertising and three months of print advertising.

Let our distribution get you a sale. Contact our sales team on 0800 91 77 56 (freephone in France) or email sales@connexionfrance.com

Normandy Advertiser

December 2012

Business and Legal 21

www.normandyadvertiser.com

Finance

SUZANNE PEARCE has lived and worked in France as an Estate Agent for nine years and has set up her own estate agency called Suzanne in France Agence Immobilière. She has recently taken over as the organiser of the Normandy Business Group and regularly hosts Normandy Jelly meetings.

Make some work

For many of us December is a quieter month for our businesses and, even if we are not involved in office parties and compulsory holiday leave, Christmas is in the air.

Some of us will be sorting out invoices and receipts for our annual returns as many businesses have December 31 as their year end for accounts.

Others, particularly those involved in retail, will be working flat out to fulfil Christmas orders.

Whatever your situation, if you have a little “down time” now is a great time to regain control of your business so you can move forward into the New Year without anything to hold you back.

Here are some suggestions of what you can do: n Get involved in social media – use LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc. Your potential clients are increasingly looking to find out more about you and your

business before the point of purchase; they want to feel that they know you, like you and that they can trust your service and product. If you already use Social Media take the time to update your profiles – check they are all up to date and that they reflect what you do and that they have searchable keywords in your profile. n Review your website – Do the links and contact buttons work? Is it still relevant? Is it optimised to work best with SEO? Are the testimonials current? Add a blog or twitter feed so your website is constantly updated – this will help with searchability to rank you higher on Google. n Get your book-keeping up

to date – even if this is not your year end, get started and avoid later work. n Join a networking group – never underestimate the power of meeting new contacts. Take time to build a long term relationship, and don’t expect immediate

“

If you have a little “down time”, now is a great time to regain control of your business

results. For every one new person you meet you will be indirectly expanding your contacts by the power of 10 (at least) as your contact has clients, contacts or friends of their own. If in Normandy, email chris.mcmanners@ francobritishchamber.com and/or look at www. normandybusinessgroup.com n Set some goals – break them down into small “bitesize” chunks ie; If you want to earn more money next year, work out how much money you want and then how to get there. Now might be the time to do some brainstorming with a mentor, coach or trusted friend. Try to find someone in the same line of business and preferably someone who has “walked the walk”!

Photo: © violetkaipa - Fotolia.com

Use the down time to clear the decks for action in the new year

Sponsored by

them. Update your contacts list. Take the time to interact with them. Ask how you can help them with their business development – you may be surprised with the results that this will bring! It is the way that Joint Ventures are born. n Sort out your office and paperwork – Use Evernote instead of Post-Its and whiteboards for your day plan. n Clean up your computer – take off unused desktop icons, defrag and back up.

Check your file labels are easy to find. n Create email templates – check which emails you send regularly and building a template to save yourself time. n Use your online calender for scheduling reminders as well as appointments. n Take stock of your year and analyse your business: what is working? Analyse your advertising statistics: where did you get most feedback and/or orders? This will help plan your advertising budget for 2013. n Improve your French – if your spoken or written French could do with some improvement why not enrol in a local class or book a week’ s intensive lessons and combine it with a holiday?

n Thank the contacts you have made this year for the time you have spent with

Suzanne can be contacted through The Advertiser or by email: suzanneinfrance@gmail.com Suzanne is on Twitter at @NormandyBizGp

How to reduce tax on home-letting I have heard that even as a second home owner I will be subject to CSG on my rental income for 2012 and that this will not be allowable against my self-assessment return in the UK. Do you have any tips on how I can reduce my tax exposure?

Renting out your holiday home is a great way to make use of your second home, to generate an income which will help cover the fixed costs of running your property.

However, it is important to be aware of the legal requirements, security and other issues before you get started.

You will be taxed on the income in France, and, with the new higher taxes, it is even more important to make sure that you plan your tax declaration, taking full advantage of allowable deductions.

Many people with second homes do not realise that they may be running a business that needs to be declared as an activity in France. Depending on the circumstances, it can either be declared to the French tax authorities, or if you are running the business at a “professional” level, it may also need to be registered with the chamber of commerce (chambre de commerce) Choices for the structure of your business include: n Entreprise individuelle This is a kind of self-employment registration, with an option known as the régime du bénéfice réel, which gives a business model that takes account of the actual income and expenses of the business - resulting in the equivalent of a standard profit-and-loss type account in the UK, with allowances for capital items (depreciation), mortage interest etc. If your business is registered with the chamber of commerce, there is an obligation to pay French social charges, calculated on the profit of the business – not normally applicable if you are not resident in France. n Micro-entreprise Another option, known as micro-entreprise, allows you to work out your profits by a specified deduction for expenses – this is 50% of your income in most cases. So, if you earned e10,000 in letting income, your “micro profits” would be e5,000. The micro system is useful as it offers a simplified accounting system, and, once the gite is up and running, a 50% deduction for expenses is quite generous.

How will I be taxed?

If you register as self-employed under one of the systems mentioned above, you will be taxed under either the micro regulations (a fixed deduction de 50% from your sales income) or the réel basis (actual income less actual business expenses). In the latter case, if you make a loss after allowing for capital expenses and other expenses, then there will be no income tax to pay from the gite rental business. The French income declaration is normally be made in May for French residents and at the end of June for non residents.

If you do decide to opt for the réel registration, then you have to keep proper books and records and make an annual profit/loss declaration at the end of April each year in addition to making your personal declaration (although keeping records is recommended for any businesses). You have the advantage of depreciation of the building and fixtures and fittings if you opt to put the property in your books.

Income tax is charged to non-residents at a flat rate of 20% (current rate on 2011 income). Social contributions (including CSG) are also applicable on this income at15.5% A credit for tax paid will then be available when you complete your UK self assessment return, but only for the 20% deduction, not the CSG which is considered by HMRC to be a social levy. The réel regime with depreciation and mortgage interest may give the best result , so it is worth checking with an accountant which is the best regime for you. Tax options for 2013 will have to be confirmed by 31/1/2013.

22 Property

www.normandyadvertiser.com

Normandy Advertiser

December 2012

Properties AROUND FRANCE

59,000

64,500

70,300

Baud, Morbihan, Brittany One bedroom house comprises kitchen, small shower room, loft, storage room, garden and garage.

Bédarieux, Hérault, Languedoc Two bedroom house living room/dining room, kitchen, bathroom, shower room and garage.

Paule, Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany Two bedroom cottage consists of open plan living room, corner kitchen, shower room and small private garden.

Ref: ZXC00107

Energy rating = G & D

Ref: 5232vm

Energy rating = d & e

Ref: 3270

80,000

82,500

83,500

Remoulins, Gard, Languedoc Two bedroom town house comprises living room, open kitchen, shower room and bathroom.

Guern, Morbihan, Brittany Two bedroom renovated house consists of lounge, open plan kitchen/dining area, new bathroom, garage and large garden.

Jumilhac-le-Grand,Dordogne Two bedroom semi-detached house has been completely rebuilt and decorated upstairs to expose original features.

Ref: G815

Energy rating = E & C

Ref: 700325

Energy rating = E

Ref: 700937

92,000

99,000

108,900

Saint-Nicolas-du-Tertre, Morbihan, Brittany Three bedroom house set on an acre of land comprises living/kitchen room, shower room, conservatory and outbuildings.

Near Le Buisson-de-Cadouin, Dordogne Two bedroom house comprises garden of 1,365 m2 and outbuildings.

Saint-Martin-de-Ribérac, Dordogne One bedroom house consists of large living room with corner kitchen, shower room and fenced garden of 3,500m2.

Ref: 83003139610

Energy rating = e & f

Ref: 3367

Energy rating = G & D

Ref: 700560

115,000

129,500

135,200

Jumilhac-le-Grand, Dordogne Four bedroom partially restored townhouse bursting with originality.

Cessenon-sur-Orb, Olargues, Languedoc Two bedroom house consists of living room, kitchen, bathroom and small roof terrace.

Châteauneuf-du-Faou, Finistère, Brittany Three bedroom house set on 1/4 acre of land comprises country kitchen, living room, dining room, family bathroom, two stone outbuildings and barn.

REF: 700781

Energy rating = E

Ref: 340631322

Energy rating = d & c

Ref: 3259

143,775

165,000

179,950

Saint-Nicolas-du-Pélem, Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany Four bedroom house consists of lounge/dining room, kitchen, two bathrooms, conservatory, summer kitchen and garage.

Uzès, Gard, Languedoc Three bedroom house consists of living room, open kitchen, bathroom, workshop and garage.

Near La Tour-Blanche, Dordogne Two bedroom house comprises sitting room, kitchen/ breakfast room, bathroom, shower room, garden, barn, swimming pool and pool house.

Ref: PLM01657

Energy rating = e & f

Ref: K428

Energy rating = e & f

Ref: IFPC22783

180,000

194,250

200,000

Uzès, Gard, Languedoc Two bedroom house set on 3,561 m2 of land comprises living room, kitchen, bathroom, terrace and large garden.

Saint-Nicolas-des-Eaux, Morbihan, Brittany Four bedroom house consists of living room, fitted kitchen with vaulted ceiling, breakfast room, bathroom, garden and outbuildings.

Lodève, Hérault, Languedoc Three bedroom house consists of living room, kitchen/dining room, two shower rooms and detached garden.

Ref: W458

Energy rating = C & A

Ref: ZXC00103

Energy rating = e & d

Ref: 5572vm

205,000

216,000

234,990

Eymet, Dordogne This three bedroom detached bungalow comprises living/dining room, kitchen, bathroom, utility room, garage, garden and luxurious swimming pool.

Evriguet, Morbihan, Brittany Three bedroom stone house comprises three reception rooms, kitchen, bathroom and gardens.

Eymet, Dordogne Five bedroom house comprises living/dining room, semi-open kitchen, bathroom, separate WC, garage, workshop, swimming pool and house.

Ref: AQU-496

Energy rating = e & c

REF: 700570

Energy rating = D

Ref: 71500

245,000

251,450

265,000

Near Villefranche-de-Lonchat, Dordogne Three bedroom bungalow comprises open plan living room/ kitchen, bathroom, utility room, garage, garden and swimming pool.

Callac, Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany Two bedroom house comprises private courtyard, gatehouse entrance, workshop, two stone buildings and large barn with three horse boxes.

La Roche-Chalais, Dordogne Three bedroom modern bungalow comprises large lounge, kitchen/dining room, two shower rooms, office, cellar, double garage and garden.

Ref: AQU-693

Energy rating = D & B

Ref: 700413

Energy rating = F

Ref: 700872

272,000

288,000

315,000

Beaucaire, Gard, Languedoc Three bedroom villa set on 1000 m2 of land comprises lounge, kitchen, bathroom, office, storage room and utility room.

Rouffignac-SaintCernin-de-Reilhac, Dordogne Three bedroom house comprises living room, open kitchen, bathroom, garage, garden and swimming pool.

Lodève, Hérault, Languedoc Six bedroom house comprises living room, kitchen, bathroom, shower room, large garden and swimming pool.

REF: E835

Energy rating = C & D

Ref: V5914

Energy rating = D & A

REF: MLP334

318,000

320,000

349,000

Bourg-du-Bost, Dordogne Large building spilt into three bedroom house and two bedroom house includes two garages and walled garden.

Near Bergerac, Dordogne Four bedroom detached house includes living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, shower room, study, integral garage, and swimming pool.

Escueillens-et-Saint-Just-deBélengard, Aude, Languedoc Three bedroom house comprises of open plan living, kitchen, bathroom, shower room, conservatory, terrace, garden and garage.

Ref: 700565

Energy rating = b

Ref: IFPC22356

Energy rating = E & F

Ref: 700724

Energy rating = G & F

Energy rating = E

Energy rating = D

Energy rating = g & g

Energy rating = F & B

Energy rating = D & E

Energy rating = D

Energy rating = D

Energy rating = c & d

Energy rating = c

Normandy Advertiser

December 2012

Properties AROUND FRANCE

350,000

Sponsored by Energy rating = C & B

Legal Notes

David Crawford B.A.Solicitor

(non–practising)

Photo: © crimson - Fotolia.com

Near Le Bugue, Dordogne Six bedroom house set on 4,620m2 of land.

Answered by

www.worldfirst.com +44 20 7801 1050 Recession on Continent is likely to extend into the mid-part of 2013

372,000

Inheritance rules cause problems Photo: © gcpics - Fotolia.com

Ref: 3272

Currency Notes Jeremy Cook, chief economist at foreign exchange company, World First, talks about the Euro and other currencies.

Quimper, Finistère, Brittany Six bedroom house comprises living room, open kitchen, bathroom, en suite, separate toilet, back kitchen, garage and garden.

Ref: IFPC22720

Property / Finance 23

www.normandyadvertiser.com

Energy rating = E & E

395,000 Capendu, Aude, Languedoc Four bedroom villa consists of living room, kitchen, bathroom, double garage, summer kitchen and swimming pool.

Ref: 110154664

Energy rating = c & d

Making a simple declaration can ease problems

400,000 Lodève, Hérault, Languedoc Three bedroom villa comprises living room, kitchen, three bathrooms, garage, garden and heated swimming pool.

Ref: LAR-491

Energy rating = d & b

438,000 Nages-et-Solorgues, Gard, Languedoc Three bedroom villa consists of living room, kitchen, two bathrooms and garden.

REF: 481v

Energy rating = D & B

449,000 Near Beynac, Dordogne Four bedroom house set on 7 hectares of land consists of lounge/dining room, kitchen, shower room, separate WC, terrace, conservatory and outbuilding.

Ref: FPBC3260C

Energy rating = e & b

450,000 Ploërdut, Morbihan, Brittany Five bedroom house set on 2 acres of land comprises living/ dining room, kitchen, bathroom, conservatory, large cellar and garage.

Ref: 700411

Energy rating = D

465,000 Nages-et-Solorgues, Gard, Languedoc Five bedroom villa and apartment includes swimming pool.

REF: 475v

Energy rating = c & c

495,000 Cazouls-lès-Béziers, Hérault, Languedoc Nine bedroom classic French Bourgeoise house consists of French garden, courtyard, garage and swimming pool.

Ref: 342431473

Energy rating = e & f

564,000 Carcassonne, Aude, Languedoc Four bedroom house consists of living room with kitchen, bathroom, double garage, terrace, swimming pool and garden.

Ref: 110154179

Energy rating = C&A

Making early plans may give stability Recent suggestions that the Eurozone looks like it is finally beginning to climb out of its debt hole are greatly overstated.

With Greece, Spain, Italy and all the rest still nowhere near the point of return, the fact is that a recession on the Continent is likely to extend into the mid-part of 2013.

Unfortunately debt and GDP levels are only going one way: the wrong way, and this has clear implications for anyone who is looking to transfer money in or out of France as the euro continues to struggle as a consequence.

To the south, Spain has continued to dither on requesting funds, and this in itself has caused problems. From a political point of view the Spanish prime minister has very little to gain from applying for an ECB bailout, but his reticence leaves him open to the accusation he has wilfully harmed the Spanish economy’s prospects, thus causing further market pressures, while the cost to the taxpayer and the size of the bailout increases.

In Madrid’s corridors of power, the hope must therefore be that Spain eventually There is no clear gets a bailout, after being told to have one following total path ahead as to European political gridlock – how much euros i.e. a scenario that can be blamed on everyone else. The will be worth market reaction to a junking Jeremy Cook of the Spanish sovereign bonds will only lead to more bailout chatter but, at the time of writing, nothing has been agreed and the pressure continues to mount on the Eurozone countries and the single currency itself.

Such problems in struggling Eurozone countries like Spain and Greece have caused the euro value to fluctuate fairly dramatically this year, and 2013 is not looking like it is going to be stable either. This will obviously present problems for anyone who needs to make international currency transfers and some careful forward planning is advisable.

For French expats, it has been a challenging period and unfortunately there is no clear path ahead as to how much euros will be worth in the long term. There are ways of fixing exchange rates in advance to take volatility out of the equation and with the continuing economic uncertainty in the Eurozone, this is the kind of step those looking for financial confidence might want to pursue sooner rather than later.

“

For more information about making international money transfers with World First visit the website www.worldfirst.com or call +44 20 7801 1050

INHERITANCE is an issue that troubles clients as the French have a “reserve heir” system where offspring, generally, cannot be disinherited. One child can claim one half of his deceased parents’ estates, two children one third each and three or more can get their hands on 75% divided equally. The balance – the disposable quota – is generally free to be left to whoever you want.

This can cause trouble: principally over what the surviving spouse can have (who is a reserve heir only in the absence of others, but still has rights, especially regarding the home), whether an ungrateful child can be disinherited and, in second marriages, where there are children from earlier relationships and the present one. Do these rules affect British citizens who have holiday homes in France or those who live here permanently?

The answer to the last question is: Yes, quite a lot actually.

Your French real estate, – land and anything built on it – must devolve according to French law even if you have never set foot in France. Your personal estate will also do so if you are “permanently or habitually” resident here. Your executors will have to deal with your affairs through two different legal systems. UK affairs will devolve according to UK law and French ones, or some of them, to French law.

That is why the EU brought in new rules – which the UK, Ireland and Denmark have not signed up to – which mean those who have their final habitual residence in a signatory country can nominate which legal system will govern their estate’s devolution. An English person living in France can say the laws of England and Wales are to determine who is to inherit from him rather than the reserve heir rules briefly outlined above.

How and when can it be done? Firstly, make a simple declaration (a professio juris) in your will saying you want your estate administered according to the laws of England and Wales (or wherever). This can be done immediately.

However, the new rules do not come into force until August 17, 2015, and you must survive until after that date.

Be aware that local inheritance tax laws still apply. In France, as in the UK, surviving spouses inheriting from their spouse pay no inheritance tax. But if you leave your estate to your children, each can have only e100,000 before tax starts at 5% increasing to 40%. Non-family are taxed at 60% with no reliefs. Step-children are taxed similarly unless you have adopted them. In France a Frenchman can adopt a “child” of any age, but UK nationals can only do so up to the age of 18, in line with the UK adoption age.

France has two kinds of adoption: adoption simple, where it is done for inheritance tax and the “child” remains the offspring of the natural parents. In Adoption pleinière on the other hand the child and natural parents cease to have any legal relationship. Under adoption simple the child can inherit, and on a reduced tax basis, from four parents.

It is possible for a reserve heir to renounce their entitlement by signing a document to that effect in the presence of two notaries before or after the death of the parent.

David Crawford B.A.Solicitor (non–practising)

Fellow of The Institute of Linguists, Director Opalegal Limited, “Merville”, 22 North Parade, Llandudno, Conwy, LL30 2LP, Great Britain

Tel: +44 (0) 1492 877 014 +44 (0) 7813 067 519 David.Crawford@buyingfrenchproperty.com

24 People

www.normandyadvertiser.com

Normandy Advertiser

December 2012

Oysters are not only the centrepiece of festive meals in France, they are also nutritional stars – low in calories (around 10 calories each) and packed with anti-oxidants, vitamin B and minerals including iron.

New Year’s Eve without a platter of oysters would be unthinkable and while the old saw says they should only be eaten in months containing an “r” modern production techniques and refrigeration means there is no reason not to eat them all year round.

In the summer they can have a slightly milky look about them, but the taste remains the same.

When buying oysters, check they are tightly closed and feel heavy for their size. The largest (sizes 1 and 2) are best for cooking; size 3-4 are best eaten raw and tiny ones (size 5) are often served with drinks at an apéro.

Open (shuck) oysters immediately before serving and discard the water inside. It will produce more liquid, which is consumed with the oyster.

Surprisingly, oysters will keep for up to 10 days in the fridge between 5C and 15C. Remove any suffocating plastic, but leave them in their pack-

4 coastlines = 4 different tastes Photo: Gilles Marquis

Celebrations would not be the same without a plate of oysters – but they can be intimidating for novices.

SAMANTHA DAVID gets to grips with the shellfish

Photo: Jérôme Houyvet

Oysters make for real celebration Plump Saint-Vaast oysters have the smell of the sea and a nutty taste

THE FOUR main production sites in Normandy produce different oysters: Baie des Veys in Isigny sur Mer oysters are perfectly rounded, with full shells, with a firm texture and a mild taste, perfect for cooking.

Côte de Nacre oysters are the most recent type on the market, and being cultivated in strong sea currents, are large and exceptionally tasty.

Côte Ouest oysters are exposed to strong winds and tidal currents and have pale shells, a scent of iodine, and a full flavour which many love.

Saint-Vaast-La-Hougue oysters are plump, scented with iodine and are famous for having a slightly nutty taste. aging and put them in the bottom of the fridge.

They are traditionally served with a very dry chilled white wine, but go equally well with a dry Normandy cider, or champagne. They are often served with lemon wedges on a bed of seaweed, and if you buy a lot of oysters, often the seller will throw in some decorative seaweed. Otherwise, serve them on a bed of rough sea salt.

Oysters can be eaten hot as well as cold, and barbecue easily. No need to open them, just put them directly on the hottest part of the grill for a few minutes until they open on their own.

Serve with a chive sauce made by mixing finely chopped chives and shallots with yoghurt, and flavouring with salt, lemon and dried ginger.

If not, angels on horseback (oysters wrapped in bacon) are very popular.

We sell happiness - it’s exhausting but rewarding

Exhausting work is rewarding says Louis Teyssier

ALTHOUGH he was born in Lyon, Louis Teyssier counts himself as an adopted son of Normandy. “I emigrated to the coast!” he jokes. “I’m an expat!”

He always wanted to do something connected to the ocean and, when younger, worked on a trawler. “It was a huge industrial boat and every night we caught hundreds of tons of fish, but I didn’t enjoy it.”

Louis started working with oysters in 1984 and works with his brothers-in-law, Patrick and Martin. He thoroughly enjoys it and has never looked back.

“The geography is ideal here, the tides go out for miles and miles meaning there’s plenty of space for oyster beds. We set up what we call tables and we cultivate the oysters in pockets.

“It’s exhausting work. Very hard on the back, because you’re always bending over.

“It takes two years to grow an oyster and it’s almost all done by hand. As they grow you have to stop them sticking to each other and growing into strange shapes. You have to move them by hand all the time so they grow into a nice round shape.”

The rewards, he says are huge: he works in a beautiful natural site and is proud of selling a natural product.

He loves eating oysters as much as he likes cultivating them and says: “I could talk about it for two weeks solid.

“The flavours are always different and it’s a friendly, party product. We sell pleasure.

“People eat oysters when they

want to celebrate, mark an occasion. And many customers are connoisseurs, some of them are very elite and artistic, so I get to meet all kinds of people.

“People NEED oysters to stay happy and maintain their sense of joy – we sell happiness!”

One point of pride for him is being able to explain the whole production chain from start to finish. “I know where they came from, where and how they were grown, and who is going to eat them!”

He and his brothers-in-law have a medium-sized business and sell quite a lot of their output to wholesalers, although some is packed into small cases to go wholesale to fishmongers.

But what he really enjoys is selling oysters on the market.

“Way back, about 20 years ago, we made the choice to develop the business towards either industrial sales for supermarkets or traditional sales in markets and that’s what we chose. I prefer the market, it’s a better quality of life, and less stress.

“My private customers don’t argue about prices or market forces, or profit margins or promotions or publicity. All that is dangerous because you don’t know what your prices are going to be, you struggle all the time.”

Normandy is the nearest oyster-producing area to Paris, he said: “So of course we sell on the market there, too. We have quite a lot of English clients, and they eat a lot of oysters in Paris.

“In fact, I’d say they eat oysters all the time!”

ADVERTISING FEATURE

The modern way to sell a French property

In spite of the ongoing economic crisis, Houses on Internet has seen its best ever sales this year, and its website sell your house in France is therefore become much more complex and old Houses on Internet has is visited by over 115,000 people from crucial.” school advertising simply does not do made use of the latest For more than four years, Houses on all over the world every month. the job anymore. online advertising “Reaching today’s buyers simply Internet has been successful in selling Today’s buyers do not have time to techniques to record its cannot be done without a top ranking visit the region of their choice regularly French properties to people from all over the world, including most parts of on Google,” said Richard. to go window shopping, and will not best ever year of sales The Houses on Internet websites Europe, the Americas, Australia, Africa have time to drive through the counhave had a page one ranking for more and Asia.

WHEN it comes to the property mar- tryside all day to spot houses. than a year now - something that few “We would never have achieved These country roads have now been ket, things used to be so simple. these results if we had not fully used all other companies can lay claim to. replaced with a digital highway - othA house in France could be pur“Maintaining this level is hard work, erwise known as the internet - and for the possibilities the internet has to chased and enjoyed for a number of but definitely worth it,” added Richard. over 98% of property buyers, this is the offer,” said Richard. years - either permanently or just for “It requires constant knowledge of only medium they use when searching the holidays. the latest techniques, frequent updates Then, when an owner decided it was for their dream house. of the websites and a lot of Google “And there are other things that time to sell, they would put up a sign advertising. have changed,” said Richard Kroon, and ask the local agent to hang up a “For example, our online adverts director of Houses on Internet. “No photo of the house in his window.

Reaching today's buyers were shown over 3.1 million times last Prospective buyers who happened to longer are there just the 'traditional' simply cannot be done month buyers, like the French, British, pass by showed their interest, and on over 10,000 websites worldwide.

Belgians, or Dutch. often it was soon sold, allowing the without a top ranking “This means that anyone looking for “Today's market is truly a global owner to move on. But times have on Google French property - whether far away or one, with over 25 nationalities buying. changed. living in the next village - is just one A worldwide coverage when trying to The French property market has

“

Company founder Richard Kroon

click away from viewing your house.”

Visit the website now to get your house online, as this is the time prospective buyers will be planning their early spring viewing trips.

05 55 65 12 19 www.housesoninternet.com