Bonjour! Summer is served in this issue - it's time to kick back and enjoy the best of France. You'll find loads of gorgeous destination pieces including Provence with a focus on the Drome department - the part that's not well known, as well as the secret bits of Provence by two locals who share their favourite places. We look at Paris, Burgundy and the VendĂŠe, the sensational Samoens in the French Alps and the Jazz Festival at Marciac. There are practical guides for expats and those who dream of moving to France, plus some fabulous recipes, and a focus on gastronomy in Nice and Paris, There's also "Your Photos" and a whole lot more. Don't forget to enter our competitions - we've got some wonderful books to give away as well as some award winning, delicious rosĂŠ wine, just perfect for those summer days and a taste of France. If you like this issue please share it with your friends - it's completely free, and always will be,
Bisous from France Janine
CONTRIBUTORS
Barbara Pasquet James is a US lifestyle editor, speaker and urban explorer who writes about food fashion and culture, from Paris. She helped launch, write and edit USA Today’s City Guide To Paris and her photo blog is at: FocusOnParis.com.
Justine Halifax is a multi award-winning writer hand journalist. She writes for the Birmingham Mail, Birmingham Post and Sunday Mercury both in print and online. Recent journalism awards include winning Midlands Feature Writer of the Year 2014.
Peter Jones is a writer and photographer. He presents a weekly travel and food show at Puritans Radio in the UK.
Sara Neumeier is a New York food stylist who shares a summer home in the Dordogne with her parents. She and her recipes are featured in the memoir Beginning French by Les AmĂŠricains.
Rupert Parker is a writer, photographer, cameraman & TV Producer. Read about his latest adventures on his website Planet Appetite & follow him on Twitter @planetappetite.
Lucy Pitts is a writer and Deputy Editor of The Good Life France. She is a professional copywriter who runs Strood Copy. She divides her time between France and the UK.
Editor: Janine Marsh contact editor (at) the goodlifefrance.com Deputy Editor: Lucy Pitts Advertising: Mark sales (at) thegoodlifefrance.com Digital support: Umbrella Web Solutions
CONTENTS
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P. 30
P. 18
FEATURES 8 The Other Provence – Drome Lucy Pitts discovers a romantic and unspoiled region of lavender fields and vineyards 14 Nyons the last Provencal Frontier Lucy Pitts explores the dramatic beauty of a little known town in Provence 18 The Secrets of Provence Susana Iwase Hanson and Jeanny Cronk reveal the most beautiful secret destinations of Provence 26 Nice – a gastronomic paradise
Janine Marsh gets greedy in Nice but shares her favourite restaurants with you! 30 Va va voom to the Vendée Lucy Pitts takes her kids to the Vendée and finds a pocket of France that’s a hidden gem 36 Outdoor Adventures in Samoens Rupert Parker goes up up and away in the French Alps
P. 42
42 Paris Photo Montage Paris in gorgeous photos 48 The Rules of Boules Mary Neumeier reflects on the French national game 52 Zoom in on Burgundy Janine Marsh on what makes Burgundy so utterly special 58 Le Nord! Justine Halifax visits the far north of France and finds its perfect for the whole family
P 52
78 Two tales of a city Jemma Hélène explores Antibes and discovers a tale from World War II 82 Pilgrimage to the Somme Doug Goodman visits the Somme to honour a lost relative
Regulars
64 Jazz in Marciac Peter Jones goes jazzy in the southern French town, plus the best of the jazz fests in France
62 A page from the history of France Susan Cahill looks at the legacy of King Henri IV in Paris
70 Learning French at 50+ Keith Van-Sickle reveals his top tips for learning French
68 Your Photos The most popular photos on The Good Life France Facebook page shared with you here.
72 The best chomping grounds in Paris Barbara Pasquet-James checks out the finest restaurants in the city
84 - 86 GIVE AWAYS Fab books to read this summer and some delish rosé wine to win
P. 90 P. 112
Life in France 88 I spy with my Expat Eye Keith Van-Sickle goes to the butchers and finds it’s an experience!
104 Banking for expats
90 The Good Life in the Gers Janine Marsh talks to an artist with a penchant for chickens, plus a look at some dream homes in the area
Gastronomy
94 The Good Life in Riberac Janine Marsh meets a couple who run gites and a cake business in the lovely Dordogne, plus a look at dream homes in the area 116 My Good Life in France
100 Ask The Experts 101 Pension legislation Plus a savings question answered
106 Tips for moving to France
108 Bonnes Vacances Catherine Berry on the pitfalls of planning a perfect picnic 110 Omelette a la Mere Poulard The famous Normandy dish revealed by Mary Pochez
111 Tarte au citron Sara Neumeier shares an easy peasy lemon squeasy tart recipe 112 Moules Marinières Chef Spence’s delish Normandy recipe
If you love the south of France and the romantic call of the lavender fields, a visit to the Drôme will reveal an unspoiled region that will truly delight says Lucy Pitts... Drôme is one of the two most southerly departments of the Rhône Alpes region, with the Ardèche to the west and to the south and east, the Vaucluse and the Hautes Alpes departments. Drôme is a department of contrasts and if you’ve spent time travelling the steep and craggy roads of the Ardèche gorges, then the flat plains of Provencal Drôme in the south makes for a dramatic change. High, winding and mountainous roads and heady views suddenly transform into long, flat, straight roads and you cannot escape the smell of the Mediterranean and the feel of Provence. Avoiding the motorway which runs north to south, I peeled off the main road about an hour south of Valence (the capital of the department) and a little over half an hour
from Orange and headed east. There’s an instant sense of calm as you leave the traffic and bustle of the Rhône behind you. Mont Ventoux and the Alpes are faintly visible in the distance and in summer the sight of mile after mile of perfectly neat rows of lavender is completely glorious.
A deserted village From the flat fields rise sporadic pinnacles; ancient villages clinging on like giant mole hills dot the landscape. Valaurie is a quiet medieval village keeping guard across the vineyards and lavender fields along with its neighbour Roussas. Both cling to a hill side under the watch of their respective chateaux. Both are unbelievably quiet and hopelessly pretty with a distinct medieval legacy. In Roussas I decided to climb to the top to explore the chateau which is not far from an enormous church (enormous for the size of the village). Roussas boasts a population of about 350 all of whom were notably absent on the day of my visit. I wound my way around narrow cobbled streets, up steps, around fortifications and walls, and up more steps, catching glimpses of the vineyards and lavender fields below. There’s a flower tour you can
do around the village to discover different roses and Mediterranean flowers, the village specialises in honey plus a special goats cheese called Foujou. I picked a handful of small ripe figs, that were bursting out of their skins with flavour and ate them on a wall looking back out over Drôme below. I didn’t see a single person. I did reach the 12th century chateau which sadly was all locked up, so I carried on my meander around the narrow streets of the village, discovering pretty little houses and courtyards, stocking up on figs and enjoying the warm September sunshine. By the time I got back to my car, I’d been in Roussas for some time and still not seen a soul. This is a different side to the Provence most of us know, as yet unspoilt by an endless stream of tourists and I was almost relieved to see a car in the distance.
Lavender, truffles and wine The Domaine de Grangeneuve is a short drive through the country from Roussas. The family who own it have been here for the last 50 years having returned from Algeria. Back then the “domaine” consisted of a derelict farm building, an over grown plot of woodland and the remains of a Roman villa. Today they grow Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvedre for their reds and Viognier, Marsanne, Roussanne and Grenache for their whites and are part of the AOC Grignan Les Adhemar. Their wines are soft, elegant and balanced and this is a beautiful spot to get to grips with a landscape that in addition to lavender and wine, is famous for truffles, olives and wonderful local produce.
Their philosophy at Grangenwuve is to be the best possible and as you enter the main farm courtyard, there’s a beautiful vaulted cellar filled with oak barrels and vintage wines of the estate. You can discover the region in a variety of ways from here: there are two hiking trails and an electric bike route. They offer wine tasting, wine workshops or a day in the vineyards and winery. You can also enjoy cookery and gourmand workshops or discover local truffles – all washed down with a fine wine of course! They also do a fabulous picnic hamper bursting with local products which they’ll bring to you at one of their picnic tables and the focus here is very much on the gourmand. After all, as owner Henri Bour told me, “wine is a noble concept”.
A night at the mill Drop back down and out of the clutches of the Mistral, to the flat fields surrounding Valaurie and head to Le Moulin de Valaurie. This rather beautifully restored mill sits about a mile or so from the village and has views of it across the sunflower fields. Arrive at dusk to watch the sun slowly dropping behind Valaurie. Le Moulin de Valaurie is a 3-star restaurant and hotel and is utterly charming. It’s managed to hold on to its rural past but feels elegant and chic too. It’s the perfect place to relax, unwind and refuel before you head deeper into the delights of Drôme.
INFORMATION For details of Domaine de Grangeneuve and Le Moulin de Valaurie visit: domainesbour.com lemoulindevalaurie.com For more information about Drôme visit: www.ladrometourisme.com Transport to Drôme: Valence has a TGV station and it’s possible to get trains from the UK or Paris: tgv.uk.voyages-sncf.com Although valence has an airport, most flights are to Lyon or Grenoble.
The Last Provencal Frontier
Nyons Lucy Pitts explores the dramatic beauty of this little known part of Provence
Who doesn’t love a good French market? It’s such a thoroughly sensual and deliciously medieval experience, with people stacking their produce high and squeezing their stalls into any available space, even if they’re clinging to the edge of a roundabout. The market in Nyons is no exception and it’s just one of the reasons to visit this remote little town in Drôme, in the south of the Rhône Alpes region.
Head east, off the beaten track Nyons is some way off the beaten track to the east of Valence in the north and Avignon to the south. It feels like the last town before the frontier and it sort of is, as
its position nestled in the Pre Alpes foothills means there are no significant towns beyond it for some time. This region is famed for its olives, lavender, fruit trees and sunflowers and as you drive east from the Rhône, long, wide, straight, flat roads take you through the olive groves. There are giant terracotta olives just in case you were in any doubt and all the time, you can see the rugged rise of the mountains in the hazy distance. Eventually, as the mountains draw you gradually nearer, you bear right and as the road starts to gently undulate and bend, you know that you’re nearly in Nyons.
A holiday feel
A climb to the top
Nyons dates back to before the 5th century and you’re welcomed by a large open square surrounded by covered arcades, plane and palm trees and pavement cafés and bars. It feels Mediterranean and in the evening the trees are lit up, and there’s a holiday feel with helmetless moped riders buzzing about and old French cars that smell like they’re belching out 2 stroke (if anyone else remembers that smell). Because of its position tucked right into the foot of the hills, you’re sheltered from the Mistral and in September it’s still warm enough to eat lunch and dinner outside.
The Thursday market starts before the sun has crept fully into the streets. The market seeps out from the square into the veins of the town, including out through the Saint Jacques gate (the only gate in the defensive wall), into the medieval Place des Arcades and on through a series of narrow streets. North of the main square is the Place Josesph Buffaven and to the side of that you’ll notice a set of intriguing steps and a first floor corridor looking over the square. If you’re waiting for the market to get into full swing, now is the time to explore.
This part is the Rues des Grand Forts and the old quarter that takes you up above the town. Tiny cobbled roads, just wide enough for a horse or a walker, take you slowly higher and higher and you feel like you’ve entered a secret world of picturesque but miniature houses and streets. You catch views across the hills in one direction as the sun climbs and glimpses of the scurrying shoppers at the market in the other. You’ll also stumble across the Tour Randonne. This 13th century chapel with its ornamental bell tower is quite a surprise. Back in the town and the market has erupted into life. Nougat, apricots, roasting chickens, olives and lavender draw you in. The school in Nyons is right next to the square, making the smells and sounds of market day, part of their weekly education. It’s no wonder this fabulous market tradition survives.
Lavender and Romans Nyons has a vibrant economy and apart from olives and fruit, lavender is also a key player. There’s a beautiful Roman bridge on the edge of the town and just before that, there’s a lavender distillery, the Distillerie Bleu Provence. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the harvesting, distilling process and the quality of the essential oils. If you’re lucky enough to get a tour with the owner, Philippe Soguel, you’ll get a rare insight into the passion that drives lavender production in this area and the search for more efficient and more ecologically sound methods of harvesting and processing. You can also try some of their ice cream including geranium, lavender and thyme flavours, all of which are delicious..
Explore and enjoy
INFORMATION Nyon Tourism: www.paysdenyons
There are all sorts of reasons to linger here. Nyons is famed for its black olives and is an olive “appellation contrôlé” area. You can discover the olive groves on foot as part of the “Sentiers de l’Olivier” and there’s also a “Jardin des Arômes” to explore with 300 different species of fragrant plants. Or just hire a bike and take to the vineyards. Nyons is a wonderful mixture of sensual colours and flavours, history and nature. It feels very special tucked away at the foot of the hills and you won’t want to leave Although it’s bustling, it feels strangely calm and welcoming and you're sure to want to stay as long as you can.
www.ladrometourisme.com For a tour of the lavender distillery visit: www.distillerie-bleu-provence.com For places to stay: Hotel Colombet is ideally placed in Nyons centre, not far from the tourist office with tables and dinning overlooking the square. www. hotelcolombet.com Transport to Drôme: Valence has a TGV station and it’s possible to get trains from the UK or Paris: uk.voyages-sncf.com Although valence has an airport, most flights are to Lyon or Grenoble.
The Secrets of
Provence
Susana Iwase Hanson and Jeanny Cronk, locals of Provence share their favourite, secret places
The Var is a departement that includes Provence. It stretches from the rugged mountains of the Verdon to the glamorous beaches of St Tropez and is within touching distance of Aix-en-Provence, Marseilles and Cannes encompassing different landscapes and touristic experiences. The non-coastal areas (Centre et Haut Var) were plain, agricultural terrain until only a few decades ago and this is reflected in the authentic architecture of the little villages built into the hillsides. Locals Susana Iwase Hanson and Jeany Cronkselect their favourite five destinations to visit in this beautiful area...
1
Bauduen at the Lac du Verdon
The great nature reserve around the Lac St Croix is a visitors' paradise. The landscape resembles that of the great nature parks of North America, complete with a huge Canyon filled with lagoon green water called “Les Gorges du Verdon” between St Moustiers Marie and Castellan. There are endless walking, boating and sporting possibilities in the area and it’s well worth a trip, especially during the hotter period when it feels a little more fresh and less crowded rather than down by the coast. Make for picturesque Bauduen, a village by the lakeshore with its back built into the rock. There is a little pebble beach perfect for kids and you can hire pedaloes and paddleboards. Take a dip in the crystal clear waters of the Lac, which is actually a drinking water reserve. You can also hire a sailboat if you're feeling more energetic.
A few crèperies and cafés line the lakeshore, but we recommend you head up to the Café Du Midi which has a small but lovely menu and perfect views of the lake. The staff are friendly and kids can roam around the boules square next to the restaurant. The village is tiny with charming stone houses, but has many cute and photo worthy corners. If you’re making a day of it, pop to the neighbouring artists village of Moustiers-St-Marie where where you can enjoy a culinary feast at Alain Ducasse’s Bastide de Moustiers. Boat Hire: location-bateau-verdon.fr Restaurants: Café du Midi (booking essential in high season): +33 4 94 70 08 94 (mid range price) Bastide de Moustiers (Moustiers St Marie, booking essential): bastide-moustiers.com (pricey, but nice)
2
COTIGNAC
At first glance Cotignac wows visitors with its large limescale cliffs reminiscent of ancient troglodyte living. Houses are literally carved into the cliffs and anyone can climb the steps that lead up to the old cave dwellings for a 2 euros entry fee during visiting season.
(Tuesdays). Just a few doors down is the Centre d'Art La Falaise where seasonal exhibitions of regional artists can be seen. Mirabeau Wine has a shop underneath where you can sample award winning rosé and buy beautifully selected locally produced home wares.
The village has 2,300 inhabitants and is typically Provençale. The population quadruples to over 10,000 in the summer months when glroious sunshine, festivals, markets and concerts lure visitors.
More information about Cotignac www. provence-living.net Tourist office: la-provence-verte.net/ ot_cotignac/
Our favourite restaurant, the Café du Cours, Café du Cours, 23 Cours Gambetta on the Cours Gambetta, serves steak tartare, tuna tataki, pastas, burgers, and Mirabeau Wine Showroom: www. pizzas fresh out of the oven. Service is mirabeauwine.com always excellent and it's a great place to people-watch especially on market day
3
Estagnol Beach, Bormes les Mimosas
Bormes les Mimosas is situated on the stretch of coastline connecting Toulon and St Tropez and is home to swanky villas and Châteaux of the rich and famous plus some of the best beaches in France. Our favourite is Estagnol. The coastal road, called Route de Léoube, which runs between La Londe-les-Maures and Bormes-les-Mimosas is spectacular – you’ll spot huge and ancient cork tree forets and vineyards that literally touch the ocean. There are two famous beaches on this stretch of road, both with private parking (paid): Le Pellegrin and L’Estagnol. We prefer Estagnol for it’s a beautiful bay with clear waters, which are not too deep for small children, lined by beautiful old pine trees. It’s small and gets busy, so avoid
peak times or plan to arrive early or late. “L’Estagnol” is the perfect beachside Restaurant, not fancy like in St Tropez, but good food including lots of choice for little ones. It’s fun, colourful and efficient and just behind the dunes of the beach. Off-season it’s a great idea to walk the coastal footpath that runs behind the beaches through the dunes where you breathe in the scent of sea salt and the flora and fauna of this protected area. If you’re not too sandy and tired, pop into Château Léoube for a Rosé Tasting in an extraordinarily beautiful setting. Restaurant L’Estagnol (booking advised): restaurant-lestagnol.fr Château Léoube: www.chateauleoube.com
4
Tourtour
Tourtour is like a village in the sky, set on top of a windy hill (elevation 900 meters) with sweeping views all the way out to Frejus and the Mediterranean with the Mount St Victoire between.
restaurants serve simple yet freshly made food which of course goes rather well with a nice glass of chilled rosé. It’s about a 20 minutes’ drive from Cotignac, via either Aups or Villecroze which, by the way, are also both villages worth a detour should time allow.
The population is just under 500 but the locals are a tight knit group who put on one of the most amazing festivals known as the All the cafés and bars here serve casual Fête de l’Oeuf (egg Festival) around Easter food (great frites at La Farigoulette) but every year. there is also the more distinguished “La Table” restaurant with one Michelin star Tourtour is listed as one of the most where you will find dishes like sautéed Ray beautiful villages in France and is well or Guinea fowl. Prices here start at 28 euros worth a visit. Take a walk through tiny per person). streets to admire the well-restored village houses with their manicured gardens. The More information: Tourtour Tourist Office
5
St-Maximin-la-St-Baume
St Maximin is a mid size town surrounded by two impressive mountain ranges and boasts the largest Basilica in Provence. The cathedral is surrounded by a beautiful cloister complex. The small, charming roadsare lined with cafĂŠs and shops. A fantastic food and local produce market takes place every Wednesday, which attracts stallholders from far and wide. The CafĂŠ de la Renaissance is situated in a
good spot with a raised terrace at the Place Malherbe. The owner trained at a nearby Michelin star restaurant and by all accounts has transferred some of his skills to this more relaxed setting. CafĂŠ de la Renaissance, 6, Place Malherbe Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume
About the authors: Susana Iwase Hanson runs the popular Provence Living website and Facebook Page. Jeany Cronk is co-founder of award-winning Mirabeau Wines; she writes widely on the Southern French lifestyle and has been featured regularly in the international press. Both live in Cotignac.
Nice is a city that honours it's gastronomic heritage - it's one of only two cities in France to do so. Lyon often called the gastronomic capital of France, is the other one. Lyon had better look out though because Nice is catching up and if you ask a Nicois they will of course assure you they haven't just equalled but overtaken their gastronomic rival. Fruit, vegetables, cheese, fish and a strong Italian influence - after all the border is just 20 minutes by car - make the sunny cuisine of Nice full of flavour.
"People here are in love with good food - it's in their DNA" says Italian born Caterina who's now a Nice local, what they call a ‘Nicoise de coeur’. "In Nice there is respect for the landscape, the geography, the season...we learn how to cook with fresh produce when it's available". There are two big markets in Nice, the famous Cours Saleya, a stone’s throw from the Mediterranean Sea and the”local’s market” at Liberation.
The market at Cours Saleya Colourful stands of local Socca and Pissaladière will tempt you to stop for a nibble. Homemade jams, exotic spices, local fish, organic honeys, juicy fruits, olive oil, sea salt and lush vegetables will have you inhaling the scents and flavours of Nice. And all in the most perfect setting, lined with gorgeous pastel coloured buildings, thriving cafés and, glimpsed through the arched entries to this square of paradise, the blue waters of the sea. Open Tuesday to Saturday 07.30 – 18.00; Mondays are about antiques and Sundays are reserved for the flower market.
Marche Liberation The indoor market is a hub of activity as locals throng to buy the freshest fish, fabulous produce and just baked bread. A couple of kilometres inland, it tends to be a little cheaper here and much more homely with a friendly little café where people stop for a seriously wake-me-up coffee or a Pastis before pushing on to complete their shopping or take it home. Opening hours Tuesday – Sunday 06.0012.30
Cuisine Nissarde
A Buteghinna - lush lunch venue
Taking advantage of the wonderful array of produce, a number of restaurants which specialise in the Nicois gastronomy have been recognised for their special contribution. It’s a way of creating flavours and tastes that has taken centuries to define and refine and no visit to the city is complete without a taste. You’ll find the ‘cuisine Nissarde' label at around 16 restaurants and you can get details from the tourist office.
Sophie, Marcelle and Evelyn have a deep love of tradition and food. This led the three friends to open a tiny restaurant in old Nice back in 1992. They had no kitchen, just a couple of electric hobs. They made traditional foods and the locals loved it. Over the years they've upgraded to a tiny restaurant that seats 10 maximum indoors and outdoor seating for about 20. They also have a take-away counter and locals stop by to pick up a snack like "maman used to make".
Eat yourself to a standstill Now I know what you expect of me so, of course I’ve tried several restaurants on your behalf in Nice and here are some of my favourites:
Marcelle makes the desserts and believe me, you want to leave room for something sweet. Sophie makes the savoury food and Evelyne serves and keeps everyone happy with her beaming smile.
Blink as you pass their place, and you'll miss it but you can’t avoid the delicious smells that waft out the door. They don't want their business to grow bigger, it isn’t about making lots of money for them, it’s about good food. "If we grow too big, we may lose our passion" says Marcelle. "This is home cooking - it's personal". It's also absolutely delicious. It's a Nice secret, one that the locals know but most tourists don't notice tucked away on a beautiful alley opinion Old Nice. This is food like your grandma cooked if you were born in the south of France, Socca chips, tiny delicate pastries filled with seasonal veg, tourte de blette, a sweet tart made with, of all things – the vegetable chard (it works by the way, brilliantly). They cook everything fresh in the tiny kitchen and only open for lunch. If you want a true taste of Nice, a memory to cherish and an absolutely amazing eating experience accompanied with good
humour and a big smile then head to A Buteghinna -which means in Nicois "the little place" and don't forget to book your table, it's very popular! A Buteghinna 11 rue du marché
La Storia - the perfect location Its location in the heart of old Nice makes La Storia a popular venue pretty much all year round. At No. 1 Cours Saleya it doesn’t get much better than this. In its touristic setting, service may not be speedy as it can get very busy – everyone wants to sit in this lovely corner of the market square. If you’re in a rush, let the waiter know. Better still, take your time, enjoy the sun, the scenery and people watching while you indulge in some tasty dishes which are not expensive. Moules, pizza, pasta are pretty good and with a 3 course menu at around 20 Euros – it’s a bit of a steal. Restaurantlastoria
Sentimi - will make you want to move Tip: Don’t leave without having the ice cream – it’s icy heaven. to Nice Sentimi serves Italian influenced food and it doesn’t get much better than this. It’s not a touristy type place, this is where the locals go because they know the food is top notch and not at all expensive.
2-4 Place Garibaldi Facebook page: Sentimirestaurant
Restaurant Influence - fabulous food
A relative newcomer to the Nice food scene The courtyard setting with a huge olive tree the restaurant has made an impact very growing inside the restaurant is absolutely quickly thanks to the young chef’s truly superb menu. A graduate of the Paul lovely. The terrace seating on Place Bocuse institute (the most revered chef in Garibaldi couldn’t be nicer. The menu is France), everything is home made and has fabulous, I wanted to try absolutely a secret ingredient – passion. It must have everything on it and found it really hard to behave myself! I asked the waiter what the been very hard work to get this new eaterie speciality is and he recommended ottima a on the map but the locals love it and no type of pizza. One word. Memorable. Okay wonder, the chef’s deft touch and more words – completely scrumptious. I’ve innovative dishes are knock out. The menu is not expensive but the food is of the been to Italy many times, my family are highest quality, tasty and delicious - you’ll from Milan and I have never had a better want to go back to time and time again pizza anywhere. Go here on an empty stomach and make the most of it. I’d Influence-nice.fr 31 rue Bonaparte recommend you make a booking, they do speak English so if you don’t speak French, Website Nice Tourism for more foodie not a problem. I could actually move to recommendations. Nice just so that I could go to this restaurant more often.
Va va voom to the Vendée to visit an authentic and very special part of France
Lucy Lucy Pitts Pitts and and her her three three children children discover discover the the area area has oodles of charm and loads to do for families has oodles of charm and loads to do for families
There’s a little pocket of France which remains one of its hidden gems says Lucy Pitts who has a home in the area. It hovers across four departments, right on the cusp of where north meets south. The area is well served by airports and motorways yet is still distinctly rural in feel and as one local described it to me recently (as he apologised for not speaking English), it’s still very French.
It’s a place where cuisses de grenuoilles (frogs legs), escargot (snails) and andouillette (a sausage not for the faint hearted made of, amongst other things, intestines and sometimes tripe) are still very much in evidence on local lunch menus. Shops shut for lunch, restaurants have a habit of shutting for August, some schools still close on a Wednesday and a few of the locals speak in a heavy patois (well my neighbour there does at least and
I wonder if I’ll ever understand him). It’s also a place where one minute there are rolling green hills and thick, lush woodland and then in the blink of an eye, you’re driving across burnt orange planes dodging the melon stalls. Sunflowers morph into vineyards, and huge lazy rivers transform into a vast network of orderly canals making up one of the largest marshlands in France.
The area sits neatly between La Rochelle, Nantes and Poitiers across the departments of the Vendée, the Deux Sevres, the Charente and the Vienne. It’s diverse, quirky, occasionally infuriating and surprisingly lacking in tourists (well ok, there’s a few but not compared to other areas). Almost in the centre of this quiet little triangle is the renaissance market town of Fontenay le Comte which stretches down in a gloriously straight line from a lofty, green square at the top of the town, across the River Vendée and then up again. It’s a little sleepy unless you arrive on market day but if you head to the other end of town and climb up to the Donjon des Cimes there are amazing views across the roof tops as well as huge enclosed nets up
in the trees for the kids to play on. It’s in Fontenay that you first start to get a taste of the south and it’s not a bad place to be based to explore. To the west of Fontenay by about an hour you have the Atlantic coast with its seaside towns, the Bay of Aiguillon (home to mud flats, salt marshes and hundreds of thousands of migratory birds) and Les Sables d’Olonne. To the north lie the rolling hills of the ‘bocage’ and the forest of Mervent. 4,000 hectares of oak, chestnut and beech surround a vast lake here, the result of damming the 2 rivers that flow through the forest (the Vendée and the Mère). Ravines, panoramic views, fortified villages, wildlife and 200km of walks are the order of the day here and make Mervent a spellbinding place.
Top left: Fort Boyard, just off La Rochelle; far left: the Forst of Mervent, left Fonteay; centre: roof tops of Fontenay; above: Mervent
The landscape south of Fontenay is dramatic in contrast; flat and hot with a Mediterranean feel. Yet as you head south east, it all changes again, and you find yourself in the pretty and ingenious world of the part of the Marais Poitevin known as the Green Venice. With canal side towns, ancient abbeys and intricate, arboreal waterways, it was all created by man out of what was once little more than a silty bay. It’s not just the whirlwind of changes in landscape that makes this little corner so compelling. Dotted amongst the cornfields, valleys and rivers there are all sorts of interesting things going on. The world famous Puy du Fou theme park for a start, is to the north. Here you’ll find historical enactments on a dramatic scale: Viking boats rise out of the waters, fires stream
out of a moving chateau and huge birds of prey swoop so close their feet almost scratch your cheek. You know it’s not an ordinary theme park when you’re warned that dangerous animals are in amongst the audience and not to eat while you’re watching the show. And that’s before you get to the gladiators! Further south there’s the Indian Forest of Adventures (tree top adventures taken to the next level) and in a similar vein half an hour north of Fontenay there’s the Parc D’Adventure; high octane Go Ape at half the price. There’s also a zoo at Mervent where you can walk with some of the animals, cycle riding in abundance, gentle water sports or a spot of fishing.
Left: Futuroscope; right: giant elephant at the Island of the Machienes, Nantes; below: happy holiday makers
In Nantes, you have the Les Machines de l’île, a fascinating experiment in the old dockyards which will have you riding on a 12 metre high mechanical elephant or a 4 metre ant and sailing round on a merry go round in a cranking, metal crustacean. The vision of two artists, the concept is described “as visualising a travel-throughtime world at the crossroads of the 'imaginary worlds' of Jules Verne and the mechanical universe of Leonardo da Vinci”. And that undoubtedly captures the spirit of your day here. Yet at the other end of the spectrum and just a couple of hour’s drive to the east is Futuroscope, with all that is modern and high tech. There’s a new water park too, ancient abbeys perched on marooned little islands and chateaux to explore in abundance. But despite the dozen or more major attractions in this area, it doesn’t feel busy. You’ll get a table without booking at lunch
and your 2 hours will never be rushed. You’ll find history hand in hand with adventure, nature to suit every palate and activities for every generation and speed. I’ve visited this area in all seasons over the years and I don’t travel light. As often as not, I’m to be found to be travelling with three small children, two huge dogs, a couple of elderly parents and their small dog with mental health issues It’s a region therefore that has to satisfy everyone’s many demands (including my not infrequent need for solitude). And in all the many times that I’ve visited, I don’t remember it ever to have been found lacking. Each trip, it offers up something new and compelling, a different pace, a different atmosphere or challenge. With its Mediterranean micro climate and laid back pace, this year I explored Green Venice and the Marais Poitevin, La Rochelle and then Futuroscope for the first time, and once again, this little corner of France didn’t disappoint.
Key places of interest: Award wiinning and fabulous theme park: Puy du Fou.com One of the most popular theme parks in France: Futuroscope.com Indian Forest of Adventures: indian-forest-atlantique.com Huge fun at the Parc d’Adventure: parc-aventure-79.fr Magnificent, mesmerising Mechanical machines at Nantes: lesmachines-nantes.fr Tourist Office: www.vendee-tourism.co.uk/
Outdoor adventures in
SAMOENS Rupert Parker discovers the sporting delights of this picturesque alpine area...
Samoëns is a pretty “ville fleurie” in the Haute-Savoie region in south-eastern France. It sits in the Vallée du Giffre, in the French Alps, and is only an hour by car from Geneva. Long a winter skiing destination, it’s also great in the summer and I’m here to try out some of its many activities. On offer is everything from river rafting to paragliding and I’ve got 24 hours in this lovely part of France to get a taste.
lunch by the Lac aux Dames. There’s easy kayaking here but I’m still worrying about the white water.
After ploughing through a huge foie-gras salad, probably not the wisest choice for bouncing on the water, I get equipped. Wetsuit, life jacket and helmet are all essential and we are soon on our way to the launch site with our inflatable dinghy. We each get a paddle and our guide shows us It’s a glorious sunny day and we start off how to use them – there are four early with a mountain bike tour along the commands – Paddle Forward, Paddle Back, Giffre River. This is where we’ll be rafting Stop and Get Down! The first three are later and I can’t help but notice that it’s obvious but the last is an order to sink to doing a very good impression of a raging our knees and prepare for an imminent torrent, the result of the previous day’s rain. collision. This is too much for one of us who We follow the river until it enters a narrow suddenly loses it: “I don’t want to be steep-sided gorge, and then climb above it. responsible for killing you all” she screams. After another hour of easy climbing we turn We talk her round and soon we’re floating round and make our way back down to down the river at great speed.
The trick is to wedge your feet in the gap between the floor and sides of the boat so you don’t get thrown out, but one guy is soon in the water. Fortunately he doesn’t lose his paddle and we manage to pull him back in. As we approach the narrow gorge, the guide pulls us into the shallows and goes off to inspect. He declares it safe but only if we work as team, not something we’ve managed so far. It’s very narrow, the water is flowing fast and we’re constantly crashing into the rocks and spinning round. We lose someone else in the water but he’s quickly hauled back to safety and we make it to the end of the ride without further mishap. As I climb onto the bank, every bone in my body is aching. There’s more fun to come, however, as we’re told that conditions are perfect for para-gliding, but we must go
now. The women opt out, so it’s left to the three men, all pretending to each other that they’re not frightened. In fact, we’re not going to be flying solo, the plan is for each of to hang on to an experienced pilot in what’s known as tandem flight. We’re driven up the mountain to 1600m with our flying companions and disguise our fear by exchanging pleasantries. Conditions are perfect, no wind, 100% visibility and good thermals. They tell me it can be cold in the air and ask if I need a jacket, but I’m sweating in anticipation. I ask my pilot Adrian how long he’s been doing this and he says 15 years, although he looks young to me. There’s no briefing, no forms to sign, and we’re just told to keep running until we lift off. We’re harnessed together and I put on my helmet, then told “go”.
I’m running downhill, worrying whether I’m going too fast or too slow, but suddenly the land falls away before me and I’m airborne. We’re soon above the trees and, even though I’m not good at heights, I realise there’s nothing I can do, as the pilot is in complete charge. We’re circling, trying to find thermals, and climb higher, experiencing some turbulence. I’m told there’s nothing to worry about unless I start feeling sick. Apparently, at this point, some people experience severe nausea with the expected results and it can’t be pleasant cleaning up afterwards. We keep spiralling upwards and I see one of my friends way above me. The views are tremendous down the valley and I begin to feel I could stay up for ever. Indeed, in conditions like this it’s normal to travel for miles, harnessing the thermals to soar over the mountains. After about 45 minutes, I begin to hanker for solid ground and am relieved to find we’re starting to descend. On the way down, I’m offered the controls
Rupert has a bird's eye view of the valley from his sky high position
but I politely decline - better to leave it to the professionals. As the valley floor comes nearer, there’s a tractor mowing the grass dangerously close to the landing site. Not to worry, my pilot can land on a dime, but he does instruct me to stand up immediately he gives me the order. I see the freshly mown grass rushing towards me, I’m worrying about twisting my ankle, or smashing my feet, and it looks like we’re going too fast. He tells me to stand, I stay sitting and land flat on my bottom, much to his disgust. I’m just relieved to be down, glad to have survived intact and pleased I’ve done something I’ve always dreamt of. Find information about Samone's summer activities: samoens.com Hotel Les Glaciers makes a comfortable base: hotel-les-glaciers-samoens.com
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SPECIAL: PARIS IN PICTURES
PARIS PHOTO MONTAGE Paris is the most visited Tourist destination in the world, it’s probably the most photographed too! And yet, we never tire of seeing pictures of the beautiful city of light. We're loving these pictures taken in Paris by photographer John Woods from Madison, Wisconsin, US. He and wife Nancy say any time is good to take a photo in Paris but John especially likes "getting up early and walking down to the Seine to capture Notre Dame, the bridges across the river, the Louvre, Place de la Concorde, Montmartre, the gardens, the streets, the people, the monuments—really just about anywhere."
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Right: Arc de Triompe; below apero hour typically Paris
Montmartre, the arty & fabulous hill top village of Paris...
PARIS IN PICTURES
Left: the arcades of Place des Vosges; below: covered passage
INFORMATION Recommended restaurant in Paris: Moulin de la Gallette for its history, fab food and friendly service. Website: Lemoulindelagalette.fr Recommended Hotel in the centre of Paris: Hotel Marignan for its location just off the Champs-ElysĂŠes, gorgeous rooms, friendly staff and for making guests feel welcome and brilliantly looked after. Website: hotelmarignaneleseesparis.com
Top left: Window at Notre Dame Cathedral; Above: gargoyles of Paris
More on Paris, just click to read: Top ten Paris visits for first timers 5 Brilliant free museums in Paris 5 off the beaten track things to do in Paris, including the house of a man who appears in a Harry Potter story! Rue Mouffetard - the oldest street in Paris
Marty Neumeier reveals how to make friends in France over a game of bo Anton crouches, motionless. He cups a scuffed metal ball in his right hand, his face the picture of concentration. Seconds go by. A minute. The other players are silent as they wait for his throw. Then, without moving the rest of his body so much as a centimetre, he turns his hand over and flips the ball into the air. It floats there as if the law of gravity has been suspended. When the ball comes down with a thud, it rolls to within inches of the marker.
wins. The boules court is a flat, sandy patch in back of the village salle des fêtes, the town’s banquet hall. Mature trees surround the court, and floodlights hang from the trees to illuminate late games.
Anyone can show up and get on a team. Regulars are Anton and Sophie, Robert and Jeannine, Jean-Pierre and Josette, and Peter and Christine. The four couples are usually joined by Gilbert, Marco, and Baako, older men who live nearby. Then there’s Aimée, a Robert shakes his head. “Boule devant, sassy teenager who arrives by motorcycle boule d’argent.” A front ball is a money ball. and cries “Oh, putain!” whenever she It can easily block opponents from getting misses a shot. But the de facto leader of closer to the marker. the group is Jean-Pierre. We’re not exactly sure why this is. He’s short and shy with a Friday night is boules night in the village. round belly held in place by a sleeveless The official name of boules is pétanque, undershirt. Not the classic attributes of a meaning “feet fixed.” There’s no difference leader—but leader he is. between pétanque and boules, but boules is one syllable shorter, so in our book it
boules must have a pattern of lines that distinguishes them from those of the other players. In the village, players tell their boules apart by the number of scratches and the color of the rust. I was delighted when Sara gave me a set of boules for my birthday. Yet whenever I use them I feel slightly embarrassed. The best players have boules that are dark and rough with age; mine are still as shiny as silver dollars. When everyone’s boules are thrown, mine stand out from the others, usually somewhere outside the grouping. I feel this is a metaphor.
oules... The objective of the game is simple: To get your boules closer to the marker ball, or cochonnet, than those of your opponent. (Cochonnet is French for “piglet,” named for its smaller size; some are even pink.) There are two sets of rules for achieving the objective: the official rules and the village rules. For example, the official rules call for no more than three players per team. In the village, it’s come one, come all. If people show up late, Jean-Pierre just sticks them on a team and gives the other team a couple of extra throws. In the official rules, players are required to toss their boules from within a perfect circle drawn exactly 50 centimetres in diameter. In the village, players throw from behind a scuff mark made by Josette with the heel of her shoe. The official rules say that each player’s
Josette steps up to the line with a boule in each hand. She’s the polar opposite of Anton. Anton plays like a professional— muscular, precise, strategic. Josette just walks up to the line with a giggle and tosses the ball. If the throw happens to be a crucial one, she’ll stick out her tongue for added accuracy. Surprisingly, Anton’s and Josette’s styles seem to be equally effective. Josette’s first ball lands just to the side of Anton’s.“Merde, pas la!” She throws her arms up in disbelief. Her second ball is right on target. It nudges Anton’s slightly to the left, replacing it with her own and holding the point for the team. She does a little victory dance, chubby arms and legs flying every which way. “Pas mal,” says Anton, grudgingly. Next up is Baako. Baako and Marco originally came from Italy, so they speak a sort of “Fritalian.” “Troppo fort!” says Marco, as he throws his boule too hard, sending it past the cochonnet. He mutters something decidedly un-French, and casts his eyes heavenward. Taking a deep breath, he goes back to the line. His second ball falls short. “Oh, la la. Maintenant troppo faible!” Too weak!
Josette says that the ball probably hit a caillou—a pebble. “Ce n’est pas de ta faute,” she says, touching his arm. He seems reassured to think the pebble may be at fault.Peter goes next. He’s tall and thin compared to the French, and looks more like cricket bowler than a boules player. He’s about to go into shooting mode. Shooting is a strategy in which the player throws the ball hard enough to knock an opponent’s boule away from the cochonnet, or the cochonnet away from an opponent’s boule.
Up comes Marco, a man so old that he doesn’t actually walk. He simply rocks back and forth while leaning forward. His throwing style is a miracle of efficiency: he stands ramrod straight under his sailor hat, imagining the course of the boule; then he opens his hand. The boule rolls down his fingers, onto the ground, and continues to the target as if pulled by a magnet. This time it rolls right up to the cochonnet and holds the point.
Jeannine is the last to go. Her throwing style could be described as no style at all. Most Just as Peter is about to throw, Robert players lead with the back of the hand as emits a barely audible clucking noise. Peter they lob the boule into the air, but Jeannine stops in mid-windup. He puts his hands on just tosses it out there underhand. his hips, tilts his head, and stares at Robert. Their running joke is that Peter turns Her boule lands short of Marco’s, then rolls chicken whenever he throws. Robert looks up close to it. So close, in fact, that all the away and feigns innocence. players rush up to see who has won the Peter winds up again, and Robert clucks round. Jean-Pierre stares at the two balls again. This time Peter follows through and and the cochonnet. He squints and rubs his his boule misses Josette’s by a mile, chin. He looks at Robert, who is walking skittering off into the trees. Robert can’t from one side to the other to get a better contain a guffaw. view. Sophie says it’s Jeannine. Christine thinks it’s Marco. Members of both teams On his second throw, Peter is ready for him, are down on their haunches to get a better and he knocks Josette’s boule off to the look at the situation. Opinions are running right with an explosive crack, leaving the about fifty-fifty. There’s no resolution in cochonnet open. sight.
Simple rules of boules The game is played between two teams of 1, 2 or 3 players - singles or doubles. To start a coin is generally tossed to decide who begins the game and has the right to place the cochonnet (the small ball - literally piglet). You can also use an a stone or cork from a bottle. A circle is drawn by the winning team of the coin toss. Players must not step outside while throwing. The circle should be about 0.5m in diameter. The cochonnet is tossed between 4m and 8m, or 6 to 10 paces from the circle in any direction.
A player from the coin toss winning team throws the first boule. The aim is to get it as close as possible to the “cochonnet” without touching it. Both feet must stay together on the ground and within the circle while throwing and until the boule has landed. A player from the other team steps into the circle and aims to throw a boule closer to the cochonnet than their opponent, or to knock the opponent’s boule away. You must throw within 1 minute of your turn starting. More details on the rules of playing on The
“Attention!” I shout. I’m standing just outside the group, waving my iPhone. On the screen is the Pétanque-ometer, a clever little app that David Stuart told me about. You hold your phone over the cochonnet, and the app draws concentric rings to show precisely which ball is closest. I push my way into the middle of the group. “Regardez,” I say, lining up the phone with the boules. The whole group leans in. They look at the phone. They look at me. Then Robert starts clucking. Low at first, then louder. Soon everyone is imitating a chicken. “Look at the screen,” I say, “It’s Jeannine. Jeannine is closest!” The clucking gives way to out-and-out heckling. “Merci, monsieur iPhone,” says Robert. He turns to the crowd: “Mesdames et messieurs, c’est Steve Jobs!”
Aimée runs over to a lavender bush and breaks off a length of stem. She runs back and stretches it from the cochonnet to one boule, and then to the other. She looks up at Jean-Pierre. “C’est Marco!” he cries. The players nod their heads in agreement. Jean-Pierre looks at me pityingly, and says I can throw out the marker to start the next round. “Allez, monsieur iPhone,” he says, handing me the cochonnet. Eileen and Sara beam from the sidelines. We were in. Marty Neumeier is the author of Beginning French by Les Americains. Find out more at his website: Beginning French
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Janine Marsh visits Burgundy and falls in love with its many charms
Photo: Dave Fenwick
burgundy
Photo: Chateau Tanlay, Yonne
Burgundy has it all: glorious countryside, vineyards, amazing gastronomy, a fabulous history, picturesque villages, awesome towns, the Burgundy Canal and an incredible capital city – Dijon. There are also more chateaux in this region than any other in France many of them available to the public as hotels with well stocked wine cellars, gourmet restaurants and swimming pools.
Wine, chateaux, gastronomy!
Franche-Comté
Of the hundreds of reasons why you will fall in love with Burgundy, or to give it its French name Bourgogne, and be tempted to visit again and again - these three stand out for me: the wonderful wines - some of the best in the world; the plethora of delicious cheeses and the astonishingly beautiful chateaux.
The Dukes of Burgundy were once more powerful than the royal family of France. Hugely wealthy, they were patrons of the arts and spent fortunes on making Dijon as beautiful as possible. An enormous palace, wide open squares, medieval streets with gorgeous mansions – their legacy is there on every corner.
Not to mention the diversity of the local landscape, the chance to stay in a fabulous chateau, amazing heritage, picturesque villages, the waterways, the peacefulness of the countryside, amazing cycle routes, the friendly people, delicious gastronomy and a city that's quite simply extraordinary Dijon…
Wander round Dijon town and soak up the beauty of this historic town that bears so many traces of its illustrious and very prosperous past. Pop into a modern clothes shop and discover an ancient well left over from the 15th Century. Dip down an alleyway and find a hidden medieval house that looks like it was built yesterday.
Dijon Capital of Bourgogne-
The unique and free to enter Museum of Burgundy Life in Dijon has an eclectic and rather wonderful mix of objects from giant snail sculptures to a clock in the shape of the Eiffel Tower. The recreations of shops and their contents from the 19th and early 20th Centuries are truly superb.
Dine out in Dijon Rest your feet and people watch at Place Francois Rude, encircled by cafés and bars whose tables spill onto the pedestrianised square. A lively place named after the Dijon-born sculptor of “La Marseilleise” which graces the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The locals call it Place du Bareuzai thanks to the statue of a naked man treading grapes; the name means ”red stockings” (from bas rosé) which the winegrowers had after crushing grapes with their feet. There’s a huge choice of places to eat in
Dijon but I really love Les Oenophiles restaurant for its 15th century pigeonnier, 17th century dining room, 100% home cooked food and incredible tasting boeuf bourguignon, the region’s signature dish.
A perfect Day in Dijon My perfect day would start with a visit to Dijon market lapping up the atmosphere, followed by coffee in the square with a nibble on a nonette, the local gingerbread cake. Then I'd browse the second hand book stalls, have lunch in the Place Francois Rude and wander the shops and museums in the afternoon. After which I reckon it would be time for an apero at the hipster houseboat Peniche Cancale and then dinner at Les Oenophiles.
The Eiffel designed market at Dijon
Beaune the winetastic town
From Dijon you can take a train or tram to The beautiful covered market at Dijon was Beaune for some serious wine tasting in designed by no less than the great Gustave the home of the famous and really quite magnificent Hospices de Beaune. Eiffel, creator of the famous tower in Paris who was born in this city. It’s a pretty town where they take their wine seriously. When one of the locals Burgundians love their food and in this discovered that robbers had been market you will really see, smell and taste tunnelling from her wine cellar into the local the love that goes into preparing it. From bread with little heart shaped ends to snail bank, she called the robbers “idiots” for ignoring her wine collection which she felt cake, divine chocolate nibbles and was far more worthy than the gold or amazing cheese such as Epoisses money in the bank! produced in a little village of the same name - all washed down with locally The Hospices de Beaune was a cutting produced wine such as Chablis. edge hospital in the 1400s and incredibly parts of it stayed open until the 1990s. It is There is a café in the centre of the market a fascinating place to visit with a fabulous that simply oozes joie de vivre as happy collection of paintings and THAT roof. customers sit and chat… and eat.
Useful Sites Burgundy Tourism: burgundytourism.com Chateaux in Burgundy: bourgogne-visit.org Auxerre Tourist Office: ot-auxerre.fr
Great activities for families in Burgundy
Don’t miss Chateauneuf- en-Auxois is a fairy-tale
Enjoy a picnic along the famous Burgundy looking picture perfect hill top Burgundian canal, better yet, take a fabulous cruise and enjoy it in true style on a barge - I did it with Captain Jason and Chef Dawn of the Barge Saroche, one of my best ever holidays.
Cycle – there are 800 km of cycle routes and 5 major routes. One of the most fun and relaxing ways to see the area by bike is with Headwater Holidays. They provide bikes, ferry your luggage around, book you into restaurants and hotels and make sure you get to see the best of the region without having to work hard at it.
country town. It overlooks the Burgundy Canal and is officially one of the “Plus Beaux Villages de France”. A great place to spend a relaxing day chilling out though there is not a lot to do other than wander, wonder and eat - the views alone are worth the detour.
Auxerre: a recognised city of "art and
History" and one of the most beautiful cities in France. The medieval architecture, half-timbered houses and wiggly streets are a window to the past. There are lots of great restaurants and bars, museums and tourist attractions plus the 1000 year old A must-see is the Chateau of Guedelon, Yonnne, a medieval castle being built in the majestic Abbey Saint-Germain. 21st Century. (Open March – November)
LE NORD
The North of France, or Le Nord, is a region that won't fail to delight your senses, no matter what your age says Justine Halifax‌
chose to eat in most nights, but we ventured out one night at an amazing estaminet that was recommended by Eric and Francoise, the lovely couple who run Le The area is brimming with character, history Manoir du Bolgaro. and fun activities. Whether it's gastronomy, the great outdoors, architecture or taking a The Estaminet de la Longue Croix, just a 10 close look at the Great War battlefields minute drive away, is a popular, cosy and which drives your itinerary, you’ll certainly family friendly restaurant brimming with not be disappointed when you pay this historical and regional character. There are fabulous area a visit. old artefacts hanging from the ceiling and they serve tasty regional fare here. You can My family spent three wonderful nights at a even play traditional Flemish wooden magnificent property called Manoir du games at your table - provided for your Bolgaro at Morbeque, near Hazebrouck. It’s enjoyment! I highly recommend you try the an impressive, luxurious getaway, which I roti porc and "The Welsh". The service was highly recommend for a get together with fantastic, the restaurant was very family or friends. atmospheric and welcoming for families. There were nice little touches for the A manor house dating back to 1540, set on children - a glow stick bracelet with pudding a huge, beautiful, secluded swathe of land, and place mats to colour in between meals. this amazing, three storey gite, steeped in But, be warned, this is so popular that character, can sleep up to 12 people. Eager tables must be booked a couple of weeks to enjoy and soak up as much of this in advance so plan ahead before you travel. atmospheric property as we could, we
WHAT TO SEE There are many reminders of WW1, including museums and a host of tourist attractions. These include the famous Cistercian abbey at Mont des Cats on Flanders hill – where you can buy the beer brewed by the monks who reside there to this day; the towns of Bailleul, Cassel and Bergues; the city of Lille, where there’s lots to visit or you can just sit and soak up the atmosphere; famous Flemish gardens of Mont des Récollets, Cassel; les gigottos automates for children in Esquelbecq – and there’s also a small craft brewery here that can be viewed by appointment called Brasserie Thiriez.
In Dunkerque there’s the Museum of the Port, which includes climbing on board a couple of docked ships; UNESCO Listed 58-metre St Eloi belfry, and Mémorial du Souvenir, where you can learn about WW2 Operation Dyanamo; for a trip to the seaside you are close to Bray-Dunes; if you want to simply enjoy the outdoors then there’s the Avesnois regional nature park. To find out more about Maroilles cheese that the region is also famous for, take an insightful tour at Ferme du Ponts des Loups at Saint-Aubin, which includes sampling its cheese-y delights before buying some to take home.
The first known taste of Maroilles dates back to the 7th century. It comes from the village of the same name in the Avesnois, Nord, where the abbey monks transformed milk into in cheese. It's the only AOC (appellation d'origine contrôlée - a recognised mark of quality) from the Nord. More than 4000 tons are eaten in France each year!
If your family that loves the great outdoors then Val Joly is the place to head for. Just 90 minutes from Lille, the family orientated resort is nestled in a picturesque natural park surrounding the largest lake north of Paris. It boasts a host of kids activities ranging from water sports, like windsurfing, sailing, canoes, catamarans, electric and pedal boats. There's a great tree climb adventure; an equestrian centre where you can take a pony ride, riding lessons or a full day ride; trampolines; an aquarium; archery; laser tag; mini golf; bike and scooter hire; fishing; craft activities; or you could simply enjoy local nature walks. Our home while there was a cosy wooden cottage, on the edge of the lake.
INFORMATION For more on Val Joly visit www.val-joly.com Website for: Manoir du Bolgarno Recommended restaurant: When staying at Le Manoir du Bolgaro don't miss the Estaminet de Longue Croix in Hondeghem. Traditional Flemish Games: If you would like to buy any local Flemish wooden games, Justine recommends artisan carpenter Philip Lefebvre at 76 Rue de la Poissonerie in Saint Omer
NEW SERIES...
A page from the history of France
Susan Cahill reveals the legacy of King Henri IV in Paris... If you know Paris, you will have walked over the Pont Neuf , the creation of King Henri IV (1553 - 1610), visionary, lover, pluralist, urban designer, and soldier, who inherited the throne (1594) as the bloody civil Wars of Religion between Catholics and the “heretic” Protestants were still raging. The fanatics hated him because he was Protestant. A pragmatist, and disenchanted to say the least with partisan religions, Henri became a Catholic to calm Catholic Paris. (There is no evidence that he ever said, “Paris is worth a Mass.” as some claim). He was crowned Rex Christianissimus in Chartres.
cruelty... “ The same year he undertook the Pont Neuf (1598) he issued the Edict of Nantes, granting tolerance and freedom of worship to the Protestants.
Paris was still a war zone of filthy ruins after decades of war. But Henri was determined to transform it, “to make this city beautiful, tranquil, to make it a whole world and a wonder of the world.” (He adored beautiful women, having had, according to myth and/or history, 53 mistresses and many bastards.) After opening the famous bridge over the Ile de la Cite, between the Left and Right Banks - some consider the view from the Pont Neuf the most beautiful prospect Within a few years he had made Paris a city in Paris - he extended the Louvre, building of tolerance saying "Those who genuinely its Grande Galerie; designed the Orangerie; follow their conscience are of my religion - the lovely Place Dauphine directly across as for me, I belong to the faith of everyone from the bronze horse on the bridge with who is brave and true... We must be Henri in the saddle. brought to agreement by reason and kindness, and not by strictness and
NEW SERIES...
Far right: Pont Neuf; right the leafy Place des Vosges, legacies of Henry IV of France...
His most superb creation was the Place des Vosges in the Marais. He envisioned a large open public space surrounded by handsome pavilions of red brick and golden stone, with vendors in the arcades, bordered by rows of lime trees, and framed by the pavilions’ salons where literature, sex, and music would entertain the rich and royal. Henri ordered his royal square coupleted in l8 months. The Place to this day is still a dreamworld in the early morning light; Sundays are festivals of families, Parisians, and tourists looking for brunch. In the l7th century, it was “the fun part of town.”
garlicky man, not fond of the bath, he is remembered in Paris “as a charmer, his eyes full of sweetness... his whole mien animated with an uncommon vivacity.” He remains the most beloved king of France.
The up-dated story of his political marriage to the much maligned Catholic Marguerite Valois - (described by male historians as a fat nymphomaniac) is fascinating. Her medieval hotel still stands in the quiet southern Marais, on the Seine. Her story is as complicated and shocking as her husband’s as well as the story of the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre at the time of their wedding which - miraculously - did But then a drop-out monk, another fanatic, not kill them both. Margot hid Henri under stabbed him to death with a kitchen knife her bed and inside her closet while Catholic when Henri's carriage was stuck in traffic. royalty and their courtiers beheaded All Paris changed... "everyone began to wail thousands of Protestant wedding guests and cry, with women and girls tearing their and tossed their heads out the windows of hair out.” Though Henri was reputedly a the Louvre... Susan Cahill is the author of THE STREETS OF PARIS: A Guide to the City of Light Following in the Footsteps of Famous Parisians Throughout History (St Martin’s Press, June, 2017). A brilliant read which brings to life 22 dramatic stories of brilliant and passionate Parisian characters in their physical settings, along the streets that tell the stories of their inspiration, of how they became the icons that Paris - and history, and are still celebratde. Available from Amazon.
Peter Jones waxes lyrical... Tucked away in the small valleys of the Gers in south west France is the classic bastide town of Marciac. It’s not huge, it has a population of around 1300. The town is dominated by a central village square whose town hall is its main feature, lined with shops and cafés. But one thing makes Marciac unique came out of retirement to play his only amongst the many bastide towns of France concert in the world that year. What, I and that is Jazz. asked, bought him to play his music in a little bastide town in Gascony, “when Jean Back in 1978 a small group of friends led by Louis asks, you say yes, he is a very special school teacher Jean-Louis Guilhaumon man” he said, and smiled. started a small jazz festival. Nearly 40 years later, it has become one of the most One time school teacher Jean-Louis important jazz festivals in the world. Guilhaumon is now mayor of Marciac and President of the Marciac Jazz festival. He is More than 250,000 people visit the also Vice-President of the regional council Marciac Jazz Festival and 65,000 attend of the Midi-Pyrenees. concerts in the Chapiteau (a huge marquee) erected on the town’s rugby He is immensely proud that the college he pitch. It’s here that not just some, but taught at, now has Jazz on the curriculum. nearly all of the biggest names in Jazz have 20 pupils from the area have gone on to be played over those 40 years. professional musicians and the town has a permanent concert venue, the very modern The highlight of the 2016 festival for many 500 seat L’Astrada , which hosts music, people was a performance by the theatre and dance throughout the year. legendary Ahmad Jamal. At 86 years old he
© Francis Vernhet
Jazz in Marciac
Music is everywhere when the festival is on. Every bar, street corner and alleyway has musicians playing their hearts out. The square is one huge free festival, vibrant, exciting and great for the trip jazz fan or not. Over the years, luminaries such as Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Nina Simone and Ray Charles have played Marciac. But Marciac is not just a town for the jazz festival, it is worth visiting anytime in the year. The Jazz Museum Les Territoires du Jazz is also well worth a visit as are the local Armagnac vineyards and those of Plaimont wine growers where you can even sponsor a vine named after a jazz musician!
information Jazz in Marciac 2017 has a whole raft of international names lined up and this is one event that any music and jazz lover will not want to miss: Norah Jones George Benson Herbie Hancock Didier Lockwood Manu Dibango And many more of the world’s best jazz musicians are set to thrill in the sun from July 28 – August 15. Details: jazzinmarciac.com
Website: Les Teritoires du Jazz Museum Practical stuff: Reserve tickets before you go : www.jazzinmarciac.com
See next page for more jazzy festivals in France...
The tourist office has details for accommodation in the area: www.marciactourisme.com
Around and about at the Marciac Jazz Festival The gorgeous Gers is famous for its stunning landscape but did you know that it’s also one of the best wine making areas of France? It’s not just awesome Armagnac that’s made here, but also sublime wines. The vines grow alongside fields of bright sunflowers on steep hills, in natural valleys, in rolling, lush countryside in soil that’s rich. Wine buffs are calling the Gers “the new Bordeaux” and raving about the quality of wine that’s being produced here. Oenologist and wine writer Tom Fiorina from the US but now living in France, is letting people in on the secret. He is running a tour in the Gers in which he’ll take you to visit family-run vineyards and charming and authentic domains where you’ll receive a warm welcome and a memorable tasting visit. You’ll learn about the history of wine and production and it’s importance to the way of life in the region known as Gascony. Take the tour of Gers fabulous vineyards with Tom Fiorina, French Country Adventures: July 28-30, 2017. Click here for details and more insider tours of Gascony at: French Country Adventures
Jazz in Juan-les-Pins, Antibess Jazz in Nice The cultural heart of the Cote d’Azur is a place to sit and watch the world go by. It’s also where you’ll enjoy a jazz festival in what must be one of the most lush settings in the world. Cannes is in the background, the Mediterranean Sea glistens in the sun, the scent of pine trees fills the air . The longest running of European jazz festivals islegendary. jazzajuan.com read our review
Nice is home to one of the oldest jazz festivals in Europe. It opened in 1948 and headlining the bill was one Louis Armstrong and his All Stars. Held annually in July, in the height of the summer sun, it’s a mellow, fun and fabulous festival that takes place in the centre of the sunny city with up to 9000 spaces for jazz fans over 5 nights of music and mayhem. nicejazzfestival.fr
Jazz in Normandy
Jazz in Paris
In late spring the apples trees vibrate to the sound of music as Coutances, in the department of Manche turns from a sleepy medieval market town to a thronging jazz town. Punching way above its weight, the eight-day festival spills out of marquees, social halls, bars and church buildings on to streets thronged with music lovers. 50 plus concerts, presenting a kaleidoscope of jazz styles, from Dixieland and boogiewoogie to avant-garde: read our review jazzsouslespommiers.com
Seven weekends of jazz events in the lovely Parc Floral make for a music lovers dream come true. This event has become ever more popular since it was founded in 1994 and now attracts more than 100,000 spectators. From mid June to the end of July, the city hums and Parisians flock to the park to enjoy jazz in the open air. You pay to enter the park, the concerts are free. Take a picnic and chill – it’s a great way to feel like a local and experience authentic Paris. parisjazzfestival.fr
YOUR PHOTOS Every weekend, we invite you to share your photos on Facebook - it's a great way for everyone to see "real" France and be inspired by real travellers snapping pics as they go. Every week there are utterly gorgeous photos being shared and here we share the most popular of each month. Share your favourite photos with us on Facebook - the most "liked" will appear in the next issue of The Good Life France Magazine...
MARCH: The Eiffel Tower looking blooming lovely in spring. Posted on her birthday, 31 March this photo stole the show. With almost 6000 likes and more than 2000 shares reaching more than 200,000 people on Facebook - this lovely photo by Kenny Emptage was our March winner!
APRIL: This colourful photo of the Roman amphitheatre in Arles, south of France made thousands of people long to go there. 3000 likes on Facebook made Jenny Lloyd our April photo of the month winner.
MAY: The gorgeous Cathedral of Reims in Champagne, 2,800 likes on Facebook for Margaret Fleming's beautiful photo.
Join us on Facebook and like and share your favourite photos of France...
Keith Van-Sickle reveals his top tips for learning French... Research shows that learning a second language offers proven benefits for intelligence, memory and concentration, plus lowered risks of dementia and Alzheimer's. Learning French can be challenging but fun - and it makes trips to France that much more rewarding. Here’s how I learned French in my 50s:
Build a Foundation You need some rudimentary knowledge to get started, like the fundamentals of grammar and pronunciation. So take a beginner’s course - you can easily find one online or at a local college or community center. Start by building that foundation.
Talk Talk Talk It is fascinating to talk to French people in their own language. By far the best way to
learn a new language is to speak it. But who wants to talk to a newbie who can barely string three words together? The answer is – another newbie. A language partner. Websites, like mylanguageexchange.com, help you find French speakers who want to learn English. Find someone whose level is the same as yours. This other person faces the same challenges you do, so they will be patient as you struggle with French as they know exactly what you are going through. You are helping them and they are helping you. I found Skype calls once or twice a week really accelerated my learning. I do them for about an hour at a time, the first half in French and the second in English. Pro tip: Video calls are better than voice, especially when you need to pantomime (and you will.)
Listen, Too When you are first learning French and someone speaks to you, the words can kind of run together. You need to “tune your ear” so you can distinguish individual words. The way to do this is by listening to a lot of it. Happily, there are French-language podcasts on just about any subject. You like cooking, history, sports? There is a podcast for you. Listen to these podcasts as you walk the dog or work in the garden. At first it will be a blur, but slowly your brain will adapt and you’ll be able to hear the different words. That’s a big step to learning French.
You Don’t Have to be Perfect No one likes to make mistakes, so there is a natural tendency to avoid talking until you are really good. But that creates a kind of Catch-22 because you need to talk in order to get really good. Stop worrying and learn to laugh at yourself.
friends, shocked, explained that this meant hashish. Oops.
Anticipate a Few Ups and Downs Language learning is a funny thing – it happens in spurts. You seem to make no progress at all, sometimes for weeks, and suddenly you take a big leap forward. So don’t be discouraged when you feel like you are working hard and not getting anywhere. And enjoy the leaps when they happen.
Have Fun! This is going to take a while and you need to have fun to stick with it. So find ways to enjoy the language as you are learning. Take a trip to France to try out your new skills. Watch French movies. Go to a French restaurant and chat with the waiters.
I subscribe to a US newspaper and a French one. I look for stories that both papers have covered and read them in English and then in French (I read English first because that helps me understand People appreciate it when you make an what the story is about.) It can be effort to speak their language. I have found fascinating to see two perspectives on the that French people smile and encourage same subject. me when I try to speak French. It shows respect for their culture. Who doesn’t After following this approach, I can now appreciate that? hold meaningful conversations in my second language. I have friends in France and even read French books. It still Sometimes when you make a mistake, you get a funny story out of surprises me because I was terrible with languages as a kid. it. French and English share a lot of words, like nation and pause. If I don’t know a word in French I sometimes fake it by using the English word with a French accent. It usually works, but not always. I once served some French friends a cheese with edible ash on it. I announced it in French as a cheese with ash. My
Parlez-vous français? You can do it! Keith Van-Sickle is the author of One Sip at a Time: Learning to live in Provence, a charming book about starting a new life in France... Available from Amazon
Barbara Pasquet-James a writer who lives in Paris, is no stranger to the temptations of the city's restaurant scene but even she was impressed by just how good it can be when she
Paris is indisputably one of the best food cities in the world. Its marvelous markets and shops touting eye-popping droolinducing produce, pastries, chocolates and more, are fodder for thousands of food blogs, and there are enough neo bistros and restaurants to keep food reviewers busy for a lifetime just revisiting old chomping grounds.
My mission, which I cheerily chose to accept, was to snag reservations at some of the hardest-to-get tables in town on relatively short notice. There would be eight fantastic restaurants in four days: lunches and dinners. We would eat and drink our way round the city.
Juggling bookings at sought-after Paris eateries can be a challenge: most are open So imagine being contacted by insatiable on certain days only. Others just for dinner foodie friends from California, with whom and incredibly, starred players are closed you’ve shared many a stellar meal, on weekends. But I was both pistonnée announcing that they are returning to Paris (food writer/guest eater at chefs’ tables) not for the shopping, not museums or and very persistent. monuments, but for four days of “extreme fooding” - a marathon of restaurants they’d Our only restriction: no fish or shellfish for been dreaming about for ages, and they’d one in our party. We were afraid this would love it if you (and in my case, French hubby prove to be an obstacle at places with fixed as well) would join them? tasting menus but happily, it wasn’t.
Alain Passard alum David Toutain reboots a conceptual menu daily. Labor intensive and well-thought out, Toutain’s inventive menus induce reverie in his faithful, many of whom migrated with him from Agapé Substance in Saint-Germain. Give him a root vegetable and he’s a magician: sweet potato gnocchi, celeriac tagliatelle with white alba truffle. Toutain’s signature smoked eel with black sesame and green apple left us speechless. Throughout, the term “neo-Nordic” kept springing to mind as many of the courses would have been just as much at home in a forest as on our plates. Dessert of cauliflower coconut vanilla cream with a chef’s surprise of quince chips and white chocolate ice cream by Jacques Genin was followed by fire-roasted figs with mascarpone and root vegetables “churros” with chocolate and smoked salt. A stunning start. David Toutain (multi-course tasting menu); 29 Rue Surcouf 75007 Paris
Wednesday Lunch
Wednesday Dinner
Scoring a table at Frenchie on short notice imparts an enormous sense of accomplishment. Yet its laid-back location on a narrow backstreet in the Sentier garment district makes one wonder what all the international fuss is about. It’s about the food, the wine, and terrific service. Nantes native Gregory Marchand hit it right by offering gorgeous seasonal farm-to-table fare paired with just as gorgeous wines. An unpretentious cave à vins and Frenchie’s To Go followed, along with gourmet food shops, and now, just a visit to Frenchie, especially if combined with nearby market street rue Montorgueil, is a gourmet experience. Our multi-faceted meal included perfect duck breast, pumpkin ravioli packages that exploded with flavor and crunchy Brussels sprouts topped with crumbled cheese. Frenchie’s signature maplesyrup-glazed scones with bacon from the chalkboard next door put in an appearance and amused our geueles. Fabuleux. Frenchie (multi-course tasting menu); 5 Rue du Nil 75002 Paris
Under the Les Halles canopy a modern Michelin-starred French bistro-brasserie signed Alain Ducasse is open every day of the week. A view of the ancient Church of Saint-Eustache and modern graffiticovered walls are a backdrop to French classics such as boudins, oysters, foie gras, beef tartare, duck and snails that share a simple carte alongside ricottaspinach ravioli, smoked salmon, salads and oven-fresh soufflés, a specialty. Kicking off with a coupe de champagne we tried two raw fish starters: sea bream in citrus fruit shavings, black pepper and basil, and sea bass with carrot, fresh lime and ginger. Spectacular. This was followed by the copious house salad (romaine, shaved radish, fennel, carrot, beets. cucumber dressed in a tart yogurt mint vinaigrette), all forerunners of two sky-high soufflés - one cheese, the other in-season asparagus - both exploding with flavor and Thursday Lunch obscenely generous. Wines were expertly paired with each course. By the time dessert arrived - pistachiolaced salted butter caramel soufflé, we almost stood up to applaid. But we were too full. Champeaux Brasserie Bar & Lounge; Forum des Halles La Canopée 75001 Paris Since the opening of this superstar starred neo-bistro on a street behind Bastille, chef Bertrand Grébaut has never looked back. A relaxed decor belies top talent in the kitchen. Grébaut’s menu of pure seasonal ingredients complements a wine list of carefully selected small producers who avoid additives. All of the dishes were beautifully presented. Synergies of flavors and textures were showcased: white asparagus with an oyster sauce gribiche; pork tenderloin with slivered radishes; steamed cod with pickled turnips and yuzu sauce. A dessert, every French schoolchild’s fave, riz au lait vanille, creamy rice pudding tanged up with a passion fruit coulis, arrived with an old favorite, a deconstructed Mont Blanc of sweetened feta with its familiar chestnut cream “spaghetti,” making this meal a knockout, just as we’d hoped it would be. Next. Septime (multi-course tasting menu);80 Rue de Charonne 75011 Paris
Friday Lunch (multi-course tasting menu) Book well in advance
Verjus is the happy outgrowth of The Hidden Kitchen, exquisite dinner parties once hosted by Laura Adrian and Braden Perkins in a private Paris apartment.The view is of a theater reminiscent of New Orleans’ old French Quarter and below, in a small intimate room, is their wine bar with its ever-changing chalkboard. I’d not dined at Verjus before because we’d fill up on the apéro plates downstairs - pork belly with sesame seeds, indescribable Parmesan “churros,” duck terrine maison with pistachios - and felt no need to go upstairs for the nine-course extravaganza. However on this night, oysters from Utah Beach with rhubarb, gougères dusted with seaweed and salt, perfectly roasted pork, foie gras with walnuts and a jaw-dropping beet tarte tatin, plus more, kept us happy all the way to dessert: caramelized Jerusalem artichoke ice cream with apple and cinnamon. We vowed to return. Verjus (multi-course tasting menu);52 Rue de Richelieu 75001 Paris Book well in advance
Friday Dinner
LiLi at the HOTEL PENINSULA Being escorted through the opulent Hotel Peninsula then seated in LiLi’s spacious dining room felt like we’d arrived on a Hollywood film set. This gastro Chinese temple was our choice for Saturday lunch, not so much for a change from French cuisine, but to sample their reputed authentic gourmet Cantonese dim sum, and more. Excited, we went for the Menu Dim Sum: steamed lobster dumplings with asparagus, Shanghai-style steamed pork raviolis, chicken and eggplant dumplings with XO sauce, pan-fried minced pork dumplings with bok choy, each deliciously succulent and elegantly presented. But, as the saying goes, “Chinese food goes right through you,” we decided to loosen our belts and go for some mains: Peking-style duck, wok-fried Brittany blue lobster with ginger and spring onions, braised French beef with fried ginger and, to wash it down, martinis with lemon twists which, beautifully cleansed our palates between courses. Dessert? Not this time. Dinner would be in a few hours. LiLi at the Hotel Peninsula; 19 Avenue Kléber 75016 Paris; Note: The Lobby Restaurant at the Hotel Peninsula has a 48 Euro 2 course lunch/dinner menu that's very good.
Saturday lunch
Our last stop after such a raffinée experience at lunch, standing-room-only wine-bar-tapas bar L’Avant Comptoir seemed a natural choice for dinner. Loyal fans of chef Yves Camdeborde since his La Régélade days in the far-flung 14th way back when, we’d followed him to SaintGermain-des-Prés. First-timers here are always astounded when they see the ceiling, a forest of banners with photos of dozens of small plates. An impressive selection of wines, sausages, and an enormous hunk of salt-studded butter dominates the zinc counter with its country loaves cut into chunks, still warm, mustard, cornichons, and fleur de sel for the taking. We joined the throng and ordered away: crunchy calamari and crunchier fried chicken with house fries and sauce gribiche; fried cheese; waffles topped with an artichoke cream and Bayonne ham; foie gras with piquillo kebabs; caramelized pork belly; sautéed cèpe mushrooms with garlic. We did it. Bordeaux and dry rosé by the glass and endless toasts with total strangers, and it was over. L’Avant Comptoir; 3 Carrefour de l’Odéon 75006 Paris
Saturday Dinner
By Jemma Hélène
Finally I did something I’d wanted to do all summer.
morning sky. As I tried to enjoy the experience I’d longed to savour, I only wanted to dive into the neighbouring There’s a lone bench at the end of l’Ilette restaurant and continue reading under an peninsula, a stub of land that juts into the umbrella, cold drink in hand. But I couldn’t Mediterranean near Antibes’ rampart walls. do that. They’d suffered here on l’Ilette The bench faces the bay, looking onto the peninsula. I should, too. old town, or if you peer over your right shoulder when seated there, the Cap I squinted through sunglasses as the sun d’Antibes. Smack in the centre of that view bounced off the pages. Duel of Wits by lies our summertime home, Bellevue. Peter Churchill. I’d found a beaten-up copy Below the bench the sea rolls onto the through a community college in Indiana. rocks. Next door is an upscale beach When the book arrived in Toronto, I packed restaurant – but this, you could say, is a it away for our summer in Antibes. new addition. Flipping the pages brought forth the The bench itself is unremarkable, an familiar, musty-paper smell of my youth. It unforgiving union of two cement slabs. beckoned me into a bygone world. Behind it stands a tall shard of limestone Churchill dedicated his work to Arnaud – with a copper plaque that has gone green code name for Captain Alec Rabinowitch, a with age. What I wanted to do that summer radio operator who died in his pursuits. was quite simple: to read a particular book These writings, the author explained, sitting on that bench near that monument. covered four secret missions into wartime So there I sat, water bottle beside me, book France. He’d entered twice by submarine in my lap. and twice by parachute between July 1941 and April 1943. Being the height of the Côte d’Azur’s season, the sun scorched in its late
I skipped to the biographical index at the back – anything to avoid the hard work of the inside pages in that blazing light. I recognized some names from my research: Julien (Captain I Newman) – captured and executed. Louis of Antibes – Did I recognize this name? Or was it “Antibes” that sprang from the page? – captured and died on an evacuation march from a concentration camp. Matthieu (Captain Edward Zeff) – captured and survived. Taylor, Lt-Cdr “Buck” – commanded his own submarine. Survived. Vigerie, Baron d’Astier de la – never captured. They were characters in a story I’d found online, translated into French. Across a wide ocean, with Toronto’s thermometer lingering well below freezing, it had read like a thriller. A British submarine, the H.M. S. Unbroken, had entered the Baie de la Salis – the very bay beneath me – one night in April 1942. In charge of the
operation was the book’s author, a member of the British Special Operations Executive. Churchill rowed ashore in the pitch night and climbed steps that led up l’Ilette peninsula – landing there, right there, on the ground beneath my bench. If someone had lingered that night on the terrace of our Bellevue, they would’ve witnessed the landing in its moving shadows. Churchill’s mission was to deliver two radio sets and two radio operators (Matthieu and Julien) to the home of Dr Elie Lévy, a kingpin of Antibes’ Résistance movement who lived three blocks inland on Avenue Foch. Under the cover of night, Churchill navigated the streets alone, locating Lévy’s house before returning for his colleagues and supplies. Then, already clutched by adrenaline, the secret agent ran into Lévy himself on l’Ilette peninsula. With him was Baron d’Astier de la Vigerie, a diplomat who became a last-minute addition to Churchill’s passenger roster as the submarine departed the bay beneath Bellevue.
So that’s what I would recreate: a living history of Antibes through the allegorical eyes of Bellevue. All summer long, Antibes revealed herself to me on two levels, past and present. Plaques, monuments and street signs – timeworn tributes that had faded into everyday life over the years we’d been coming here – shared their stories. And there, mounted above a lighting shop three blocks up Avenue Foch, the trunk road I’d taken more than a hundred times, was an unassuming marble plaque: Here lived Dr. Elie Victor Amedee Lévy, Captain; arrested May 4, 1942; died in deportation to Auschwitz; hero and martyr of the Résistance; died for France.
That was the story I wanted to read in English, right there on l’Ilette peninsula. A fat drop of sweat ran down my calf and deposited itself on my ankle. Skimming was the only way. I flipped to the book’s midsection and hunched over its yellowed pages. A breeze kicked up. Instant airconditioning. I was doing the right thing. Some would say I’d been behaving oddly all summer. I biked around town with one eye on the road and the other scouring second-floor facades of buildings where plaques might appear. Friends began calling me a history-buff. Really? History was never, ever my thing. It always seemed a jumble of useless dates and wars – except, of course, when my grandmother told vibrant stories about the wagon train bringing my ancestors from Pennsylvania to Iowa. History only mattered to me when there was a story behind it. History was interesting only when it was alive.
The story endured. As I continued to read on l’Ilette peninsula, I realized I’d forgotten the story’s details – even important ones. I’d forgotten, for instance, how Churchill’s surprise encounter with Lévy had begun. On that dark night in April 1942, while they huddled in the darkness of their clandestine work, Lévy launched a question to Churchill – before even bothering to introduce the diplomat loitering alongside them. Where, the doctor wondered, were the faked baptismal certificates for his two daughters? Churchill had promised these papers so that Lévy, a Jew, could avoid having his house – purchased in his daughters’ names – confiscated by the Germans. My cheeks were burning. The water bottle was almost dry. I’d continue reading elsewhere. But before leaving that eventful site, I lingered before the copper-green plaque. It was written in English and French, but as with so many translations, the two halves offered different information.
\the monument commemorated the landing of the H.M.S. Unbroken submarine, under Captain Peter Churchill, on April 21, 1942, and all those who took part in the operation. It was presented to Major Camille Rayon (another major Résistance player) by Lieutenant-Commander C.W. Buck Taylor (who steered the submarine that night) on May 23, 1992.
directed this operation and died in deportation. I’d learned the story of the H.M.S. Unbroken through the eyes of Peter Churchill, a British secret service agent. But the collective memory of the local people filtered through a different lens. It was Lévy, an Antibois, who was the heart of this mission, not Churchill.
The last line caught my eye. It spanned the centerline of the plaque, occupying both the English and French sides, and protruded from the stone’s face:
There’s a whole other world occupying the sunny Côte d’Azur. It lives invisibly alongside the sandy beaches and glitzy shops. And it’s breathing, shallowly, appearing only to those who seek it.
En hommage au Docteur ELIE LEVY (LOUIS) qui dirigea cette operation, et mourut en Déportation In tribute to Dr Elie Lévy (Louis), who
Jemma Hélène is the author of French Lessons Blog: www.frenchlessonsblog.com
A family pilgrimage to the Somme by Doug Goodman In September 1916 High Wood in Picardy was a vision of tree stumps and mud – a deathly landscape. It was here on the morning of 15 September that a boy soldier from Wandsworth, London fell in the battle to take the Wood. Bertram Alec Reader – known as Alec – was the eldest of 5 children. In the summer of 1915, at the age of 17, he made a trip to Somerset House, London, and joined the 15th Battalion London Regiment, Prince of Wales’ Own, Civil Service Rifles (CSR). Having passed the medical inspection he left as Private B. A. Reader 3623. In March 1916 Alec sailed for France.
seeing the name in his father's wartime diary. Alec's family had always known the time and place where he died but not how. In his diary Vern wrote:
‘We were happy when we knew definitely what time the ‘kick off’ was, uncertainty made one nervous and irritable. We attempted a little breakfast in the early hours but the jam tasted of paraffin so we gave it up. A substantial rum ration however soon satisfied us, there was actually some rum to spare as some of the lads would not participate as they wished to have all their senses about them when the great time came. Others were quite All of Alec’s letters home survive and his merry and personally I had consumed story has been pieced together by his plenty... At last ‘zero’ came (6.20am) and nephew Roger Goodman who, along with the guns that had quietened towards the his brother Doug, traced Alec’s life on the dawn broke out with a terrible clatter as Somme. After making all their research they put down one of the terrible barrages available to historians through the archives that made advancing much easier for the at The Imperial War Museum, Alec's story infantry. We clambered over the top of the has featured in several books. Through one parapet and were immediately met with a of these books contact was made by the murderous machine gun fire, some of my son of a private soldier, Vern Wilkinson, pals falling at once... who served alongside Alec. He had read a book featuring Alec and remembered
INFORMATION The Somme is about 90 minutes drive from Calais and DFDS Seaways has daily crossings from Dover. The Historial de la Grande Guerre Albert Museum Beaumont Hamel memorial park Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Photos: far left: Doug Goodman; centre left: family photo shows Alec Reader; top: Doug and family members lay a weath at Thiepval; left: Alec Reader with pals.
...Young Reader fell at the side of me with a groan and blood rushed from a wound in the head. I just turned to glance at him and could see that death was instantaneous and so passed that cheerful spirited lad to whom everything was ‘very cosy.’’
two researchers made a pilgrimage to High Wood where they laid a wreath on the 47th (London) Division Memorial. They held a private ceremony before joining a memorial service at the Thiepval monument where three generations of the Goodman family, Doug, his nephew Paul and great-nephew Alec’s story is a poignant one as he was Charles laid a wreath on behalf of Alec’s waiting to return to England. Those who family. "This ‘cheerful spirited lad, to whom had joined as underage (18 was the everything was very cosy’ will never be minimum age for joining up) could be forgotten and his short life will continue to reclaimed by their parents and had the be remembered for generations to come" choice of being repatriated. However, Alec’s said Doug Goodman. father’s request was delayed due to administrative issues and before Alec High Wood as returned to its natural state could return home the Battle of Flersand it's estimated that the remains of Courcelette began. Alec was buried near several thousand British and German the north-west corner of High Wood but troops are still there as the area was never due to continued fighting the details of the cleared of munitions. In total around 8000 place of burial was lost and Alec is listed as deaths occurred in the square km. of private one of the missing of the Somme; his name wood during the Somme Battle that lasted appears on the Thiepval monument. from July to November 1916. High Wood was the scene of the last cavalry charge and the On the morning of 15 September 2016, 100 first tank attack. years to the day he died, Alec’s family and
BOOK GIV But you are in France Madame by Catherine Berry Catherine Berry, her husband and three children unzipped and discarded their comfortable Australian lifestyle and slipped on life in the country of haute couture. On arrival, there was no celebrity designer waiting ready to pin and fit their new life to them. So, they threw it on and wore it loosely, tightly, uncomfortably, any old how—until they learned for themselves how to trim, hem and stitch à la française. This book is testament to the joyous, but not always easy, journey that they took along the way. Read our review
CLICK ON THE PICTURES TO ENTER THE DRAWS Uncorked by Paul Shore Celebrating the “uncorking” of a few tightly held traditions that are near and dear to hearts of the locals of the Cote d’Azur and Provence. Like being taught to play pétanque (boules) under the clandestine cover of darkness; drinking pastis before noon; navigating narrow village roads at top driving speed. Shore also “uncorks” personal awakenings about the value of following roadsless-travelled and making time to smell-the-roses, as we cultivate friendships and traditions. And, through exposure to the life of artist Marc Chagall, Shore reflects on the challenges that all newcomers face to gain acceptance in a foreign land. Read our review
VE AWAYS See over the page for more great give aways including some delish rose wine! Chateau for Sale by Carrie Parker Can someone really be in love with two people at the same time? Kate thinks so when she falls for Nick. But inevitably she has to choose. Escaping to Nick’s château in southern France seems like the answer. The betrayal of her beloved husband, Alastair, leaves Kate racked with guilt, but things are only going to get worse. She neveer imagined how fiercely loyal Alastair’s best friend, Richard, would prove to be, nor the dire consequences of his loyalty. Instead of the new start that she’d hoped for, Kate’s life at the château descends into a nightmare, taking her to the brink of despair,and when you’re desperate you’ll do anything... Read our review French for Divorce by Carys Evans British Catherine and French Jacques live the good life in France until Jacques starts fraternising with a colleague and Catherine realises all is not equal in love and war. Facing her own personal Brexit, Catherine becomes a character in her very own surreal adventures, to the backdrop of chic restaurants, chalets and chateaux. The couple’s colourful allies of French gendarmes, champagne-guzzling best friends, improbable lovers and a charmingly chauvinistic father-in-law accompany them down their road to disunion or reunification in a country that gives infidelity the Presidential seal of approval. Read our review
Leonardo da Vinci: The Amboise Connection by Pamela Shields A fascinating book about one of the greatest men who ever lived. he lived in the Loire Valley as the guest of a king at the end of his life. He was a tourist attraction then, and still is. The book is full of interesting facts and anecdotes about Leonardo's time in the Chateau de Clos Lucé in Amboise a must read for all Da Vinci fans and visitors to this lovely part of France. Read our review
MORE FAB GIVE AWAYS! Winetastic give away of award winning delicious rosé wine from MIRABEAU Provence Our wine making friends at Mirabeau in Provence are feeling generous! They have two cases of 6 bottles of their award winning Classic rosé to give away. With its delectable raspberry pink hues and intense aromas, expressive red berry fruit remain the essence of this delectable rose'. Mirabeau Classic has a beautiful concentration, with strawberry and raspberry flavours taking centre stage, balanced by fresh acidity and leading to a sumptuous finish with notes of redcurrant. A perfect aperitif for an alfresco moment, it’s also great with flavoursome food, or drink it as they do in Provence, anytime and with almost anything! Just click on their website & subscribe to their newsletter to go in the draw: Two winners will each win a case of 6 bottles of Classic. Just nip onto Mirabeau’s website here & sign up to enter the contest which will end 30 June 2017. Legendary actress Brigitte Bardot led fashion revolutions throughout her career; this retrospective includes BB’s comments on her iconic style in a rare, intimate interview. Brigitte Bardot is a style icon whose legacy has undeniably shaped the face of fashion as we know it. In photographs that capture her attending prestigious receptions or on glamorous visits to the United States, in fashion shoots and on film sets, this volume illustrates all the key looks that BB wore and brought to the international spotlight as she invented and edited her own highly imitated style. With personal comments on the photos, Bardot explains the context of the often vanguard fashions she wore, making headlines wherever she went. A must for BB and fashion fans... Draw ends: 28 July 2017
And it always will be...
A French town without a baker - it's unthinkable - everyone would move away!
Sometimes the phone rings and the butcher answers it – it’s usually an order for A butcher is almost as important to French a big meal. This leads to a long discussion village life as a baker. The butcher sells the between the person on the phone and the usual roasts and chops and chickens, as butcher and his wife. How many people do well as a variety of prepared foods. they need to feed? What spices will they use? Should they pick it up at 11:00? No, My wife Val and I live part of the year in St.- maybe 12:00. No, 11:00 would be better. Rémy-de-Provence, a charming town Okay, they’ll come at 12:00. between Arles and Avignon. We love going to our favorite butcher shop, a place that Once we went to the butcher to get a gigot has been serving the good people of St.d'agneau (leg of lamb.) We were having Rémy for decades. It's run by a husband some friends over and figured a gigot and wife who take great care in the quality would be easy to make in advance and of their products and service. When you would feed a large group. order a piece of meat, the butcher will ask you how you plan to prepare it. Then he will We explained what we wanted. For how slice off any extra fat, trim around the bone many people, the butcher asked. Ah, the and cut it into the size you want. If you gigot in my cabinet is not large enough for want hamburger, he will take a piece of your dinner for ten, he said. beef, run it through his grinder and form it for you. Burger by burger. So off he went to the back to get a larger one. He appeared two minutes later The butcher takes the time to chat with carrying the entire back half of a lamb. Oh, every customer - waiting in line is like my. But at least the wool had been having a free French lesson. How is the removed. family? Are your bunions bothering you? How will you prepare the stew? For how This doesn’t happen where we live in many people? Do you salt your food? This California. usually prompts a general discussion on salt. It’s like watching a French sitcom.
He prepared the meat deftly and then came the cooking discussion. How were we preparing it? Our marinade met with his approval, but under no circumstances were we to use a temperature higher than 180 degrees Celsius. The butcher looked at us gravely to make sure we understood this important point. And did we want the bones he had just removed? We should place them next to the lamb, cover them with some olive oil and butter, and add a full head of garlic, herbes de Provence, and salt. It would make a nice jus for the meat. This kind of advice is common in France. If you are in a rush and go to a French butcher be preapred to be there for at least a half an hour. But if you do, the food will be delicious and the floorshow can’t be beat... Keith Van Sickle is the author of One Sip at a time: Learning to live in Provence
The Good Life in .... When British artist Perry Taylor and his Dutch wife Caroline moved to rural Gascony, south west France, one of the things they were really looking forward to, apart from the gorgeous countryside, fabulous cuisine and wines and laidback lifestyle… was keeping chickens. “We live in a 250 year-old farmhouse and in the past it’s been home to cows, pigs, rabbits and various animals. We keep just chickens though. Having them around makes for a homely feeling, bringing the courtyard and garden to life. We started with the Light Sussex and over time we've had a real hotchpotch of blacks, greys, browns and speckled egg layers. They’re always on the look-out for something to eat, they follow you around, especially when working in the garden, waiting for some grub or worm to be thrown to them”.” says Caroline.
the gers
Not only do the couple enjoy the eggs from the chickens but there are other benefits too - Perry, an artist, found that the chickens were a rich source of inspiration for his quirky drawings. “There’s Queeny – she’s really bossy and Cinderella, she’s at the bottom of the pecking order… they all have different personalities and we love them all. Little Cilla Black became a favourite when she and Floppy (light Sussex) were the sole survivors of a fox's visit. They became inseparable, so when Floppy died, we got a new batch of different breeds. Cilla immediately went from underdog to queen bitch and pecked them all into order, except a white one that looks like Floppy. These two firm friends now take the highest perch in the coop, along with Rusty, a cockerel”.
Top right: Perry and Caroline; above: "Jeu de Poules"; right: black chicks
Perry loves to sit and observe the chickens going about their daily lives and sometimes that creates the basis for a drawing idea. Caroline says “We were once playing boules and when we threw the 'pois', a couple of chickens came running after it, probably thinking it was food. Perry’s drawing 'Jeu de Poules’ came from this”. Perry recalls seeing four chickens and Rusty the cockerel all cleaning themselves under their wings and tails and for one magic moment, none of their heads were visible, which gave rise to his painting titled ‘Headless Chickens'. Caroline explains how another favourite came about “Our neighbour has black Gascon chickens. One day one got loose and came over to inspect our Light Sussex. Perry wondered what would come out if they bred. His 'Black chicks' drawing was the result”!
Over the last few years Perry has become quite a celebrity in Gascony as his witty and whimsical paintings have truly captured the charm and authentic spirit of French rural life. Popular in France, Britain and with Francophiles around the world, his first book ‘Petites Gasconneries’ featuring some of his most popular chicken drawings was a sell-out. His just published new book ‘Bon Moments’ went the same way.
Perry says of his birds “their curiosity and mannerisms are fun to watch and when they get used to you, they like to be in your company. Ours like nothing more than nestling down or preening right next to us, which really does give us a feeling of wellbeing.” Not many people have a chicken as a muse but for artist Perry Taylor it works well! Website: perrytaylor.fr
FIND YOUR DREAM HOME IN THE GERS Local property agent Julia Grange says "Gers is often described as the Tuscany of France; others have compared it to Devon. It is a very rural, agricultural area, with fresh, clean air as there is no polluting industry. It produces some excellent wines such as Madiran (scientifically proven to be the best red wine for your health), and is world-famous for its Armagnac. There are lots of pretty bastide towns, one of which, Larressingle, is known as a mini-Carcassonne. I live in the west of the Gers. From here I can be surfing or swimming on the Atlantic coast in 1h30, winter skiing in Cauterets in 1h30, and in Spain in 2h. There are lots of walking groups and cycling groups and for sports fans, rugby is very popular here. There are also several golf courses. In summer, the world famous Jazz festival in Marciac is very popular with many big-name stars appearing. The nearest airport with UK links is Tarbes-Lourdes (Ryanair), but there is also Toulouse, Bordeaux and Biarritz." There are a few of Julia's top property picks for the Gers: This village home in Fusterouau is renovated and with its small garden would be an ideal second home. Only 8km to the popular market village of Aignan and 133km to Toulouse airport. Click here for more details
€169,000 A beautiful 5-bedroom home in Maupas, ready to move into. South-facing to capture the sun, with views of the Pyrenees, 5 minutes to the nearest shops, and less than 2h to the airports of Toulouse and Bordeaux Click here for more details
€299,995
€874 500 Set in a lovely location in Couloume Mondebat, a beautiful big property with business potential. 3 Stables, separate gite and 13 ha of land with fabulous bviews to the Pyrenees. Click here for more details
Click here to see Julia's portfolio of gorgeous properties in the Gers
The Good life in...
Riberac
We talk to British expat Linda James who with her Husband Alex runs Le Pommier gites and a cake making business in Riberac, Dordogne department, Aquitaine, south west France. What inspired you to move to Riberac?
I originally came here on holidays with my family in the 1980s as my cousin and her husband moved here with their three children. I fell in love with the sunny weather, the stunning countryside, being able to swim in rivers and lakes, the beautiful villages, markets, fêtes and the food. Although my cousins moved back to the UK for a short while, they couldn’t keep away and returned to France. There are now four generations of our family here as my aunt moved over just before us. She was 91 a couple of weeks ago! We searched a much wider area for our property but decided we might as well be close enough to pop round for coffee, or meet up at the market. And after some property viewings further down in the Dordogne, we decided we liked it better
here.
Tell us about your gites and cake business Our property consists of a three bedroom house, one bedroom apartment and two bedroom gite. The gite is popular through the whole season as its a comfy space for couples as well as the families who come in the school holidays. The house is bright and spacious with a new bathroom that gets the response ‘wow!’ from guest. The large stone terrace overlooking the pool and garden and countryside are perfect for aperos and the spectacular sunsets we get. We’ve also launched a cake business. The idea started when I made cupcakes for a wedding last year, then a café in Ribérac needed cakes to serve with tea and coffee. Coffee and Walnut cake is really popular. We have several walnut trees and shelling them is a time-consuming process so I often do it in the evening while watching telly! I’m beginning to take orders for
Tell us about your house The buildings are 18th century farm workers cottages linked by a large barn, forming an L-shape. We have a lovely stone well attached to our house and the grounds are made up of pretty gardens, a small orchard and a bigger garden with swimming pool and walnut trees. It’s typical for the area. We found it via an estate agent on our High Street in Portishead that listed Leggett Immobilier properties. They set us up with viewings. My dream was to run gites but it felt like the timing wasn’t right when I first started looking so I went back to my job. It got to the stage where I felt I could couldn’t stand waiting any longer so I gave in my notice and left at Christmas in 2013. We jumped in our campervan in the February and I said “we’re not coming home until we find our house in France”. Penny (our agent at Leggett Immobilier) took us to see six properties a day, then persuaded us to see one we had thought was too small. It was a beautiful sunny day and we walked into the gite and I said “I think this it!” That was mid-February. We moved in at the beginning of June. We also found a house 10 minutes away in village square for my in-laws. We had our first gite guests less than two weeks after we moved in! We didn’t have to do major work as it was beautifully renovated with lovely old beams but we updated bathrooms and wood burners and gave everything a fresh coat of paint and generally redecorated. We replaced a wooden terrace with a grand stone one. Our French neighbour calls it the Acropolis!
How have you found running a business in France? It was challenging at first as we didn’t know how to get set up as non-retirees, we had to have a business to get into the health system for instance. There is a local online network called the Dronne Valley Network, The Franco British Chamber of Commerce and Industry advertised their services through it, and we went to see them. They guided us through the set up process. They also do a monthly informal social gathering for people to exchange experiences and information.
What tip would you give anyone following in your footsteps? This is a difficult one! We took a leap of faith really – and underestimated how much money we’d spend getting everything sorted, and how challenging it would be to earn enough money. We know a couple of people who’ve managed to retain jobs in the UK– they work remotely from here and go back once a month for face to face meetings. A reliable income helps enormously.
What do you love about your area? We’re living in beautiful countryside and have plenty of places to visit within a short distance. The people are friendly and there’s lots going on – vide-greniers and brocante markets, music, art exhibitions. We absolutely love the fact that we can be outside more because the weather is so good... and having a swimming pool! Sharing our lovely space with holiday guests is a real bonus and we love to make new friends. The quiet roads and lack of traffic is brilliant. Wine. Cheese. Website: Le Pommier Gites, Riberac
See over for what to see/do in Riberac and fabulous properties in the area...
5 things to see around Riberac 1. Brantome (above) One of the most visited towns in the area thanks to its gorgeous good looks. A stunning abbey, a riverside setting that looks like a painting come to life and a pretty town that's perfect for wandering and sitting at a cafe watching the world go by. The Abbey’s Church belfry, built into the rock, is said to be the oldest in France dating to the 11th century. Tip: Behind the Abbey are caves which go back to the 8th century and one of them contains a depiction of the “Last Judgement” from the 15th century – well worth a look.
2. Aubeterre sur Dronne A beautiful village with a spectacular monolithic church carved out of the rock. Do the tour because you can only appreciate it from the inside. The village is arranged around a lovely square with shops and restaurants but do explore the roads around the square to discover the second church and other businesses. At the bottom of the hill there is a sandy beach and river swimming.
3. Riberac
4. Verteillac
5. Perigueux
Have a wander around to discover a variety of small shops, café/bars and restaurants. The Office de Tourisme has plenty of local information. On Friday Riberac hosts the biggest market in the area.
A village with cafes and restaurants, but if you’re here on the first Sunday of the month there is a large Brocante (antique) market.
A city with a maze of medieval lanes lined with shops opening into squares with restaurants. The cathedral is stunning (walk down to the river for the best view) and is illuminated after dark.
FIND YOUR DREAM HOME IN THE RIBERAC AREA We talk to Penny Armstrong, the local agent who helped Linda and Alex James to find their ideal property in Riberac: "Having bought our property here over 30 years ago, I know the region well. The Dronne Valley has so much to offer. Stunning scenery, tranquility, plenty of outdoor activities, yet not isolated, with beautiful towns and villages close by. In this area communities mingle together, French, British and many other nationalities in a friendly and helpful way..."
Charming 2 bedroomed character cottage set in the heart of Montagrier, a beautiful village, walking distance to bar, restaurant and epicerie with "depot de pain". Tucked away and offering large covered terrace leading to plunge pool and garden. Click here for more details
€146,000
Situated on the outskirts of Riberac, this is a lovely Perigordine house with four bedrooms and two covered terraces. The family sized accommodation is light, airy and spacious. It has a summer house in the garden. Garaging for three cars, tool-shed and workshop. A generous sized property, all in excellent order. Recently reduced from €328,600 to €235,400. Click here for more details
€285,000
€235,400
This property has been lovingly cared for and is spacious light and airy. With 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a 2 bedroomed gite, garage, large shed, pool and wonderful views it has a great deal to offer in versatile accommodation. Close proximity to Riberac with all amenities yet set in lovely countryside, this property is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Recently reduced from €315,000 to €285,000 Click here for more details
Click here to see Penny's portfolio of fabulous properties in Riberac
ask the experts If you have a question about finance, law, currency, banking, property, satellite services or any other aspect of living in France, you can email it to us here and we'll put it to our panel of experts and try to help you.
Question: I've been told that there have been changes to Pension legislation that might affect British expats in France - can you explain what it's all about? Answer: from Jennie Poate at Beacon Global Wealth In 2017 there have been a raft of changes to the international pension scene, forcing financial advisers to dramatically rethink the way they plan for their clients. One hugely significant change affecting the Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS)* market came in April. HM Revenue & Customs updated its list of these international pension products after a temporary suspension. The result was that nine countries fell off of HMRC’s list completely when it was republished. The suspension followed a shock announcement by UK chancellor Philip Hammond to impose a 25% charge on pension transfers outside of the EAA** if the ‘QROPS’ destination is not the same country in which the retiree is living. This list is due to be suspended and republished in June 2017.
To be clear, this does not affect (currently) those who live and have their pensions in the EAA. So for those living and paying tax in France who have a pension in the UK, you will remain unaffected. For those planning to live and pay tax in France going forward there is currently no change. One would assume that the UK will be part of the EAA in some shape or form going forward but of course we can only deal with the here and now. This makes uncertain times for those looking to move their UK pensions into something more international and flexible. Beacon Global Wealth Management are treating these concerns seriously, and as with all of our advice we obtain full information from the client and the pension scheme before providing any advice which as a minimum comes in two stages. See over for more info and * **
We only use jurisdictions for pension transfers that are within HMRC regulation and in the best interest of the client to move their pension with a full explanation of the options, advantages and disadvantages. The current pension regulation still provides a marvellous opportunity for people to take control of their funds inside their pensions and have more flexibility for income and cash.
former being very low. Once you have exchanged your pension pot for an annuity you can’t change your mind and it is fixed for life. Nowadays people want more flexibility and choice which would include the choice of when to take income, how much and for how long and to pass the residual balance to their loved ones. Please do contact me if you’d like obligation free information or just a chat.
It’s quite a complex subject but to try and explain it without taking up too much space, currently with UK providers, the only option is to have an annuity. These are based on interest rates and longevity, the
Question: I have about £100,000 lump sum from my pension in the UK. When I move to France I wonder if there is a savings account or vehicle that I can put my money in that will pay me interest? Answer: Jennie Poate Beacon Global Wealth As a UK tax resident, you can draw 25% PCLS or Pension Commencement Lump sum tax free. However as a French resident you have an obligation to declare the income and pay tax on it. There are several ways this can be taxed but the usual is that a 7.5% fixed rate tax would be levied plus a now new 7.1% CSG or ‘social charge. So if you move to France before you effect the drawdown, on
that basis, already £14,600 is payable in tax. There are other ways this can be paid so check with your accountant or adviser as to the best route. It would be prudent to keep some funds in an ‘emergency’ account running alongside your current account so that if for instance the boiler breaks down you have instant access to funds.
* A Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme, or QROPS, is an overseas pension scheme that meets certain requirements set by Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). A QROPS must have a beneficial owner and trustees, and it can receive transfers of UK Pension Benefits. **The European Economic Area (EEA) is the area in which the Agreement on the EEA provides for the free movement of persons, goods, services and capital within the European Single Market, as well as the freedom to choose residence in any country within this area. The EEA was established on 1 January 1994 upon entry into force of the EEA Agreement. There is more to it than this but with the current issue of Brexit ongoing we’ll have to see if there is any change for the UK or not.
There are several tax free bank deposit accounts; the nearest equivalent being a cash ISA. The interest rate is a government set rate currently (June 2017) 0.75%. There are two types of account and you can hold them both:
different types of investment according to need and the level of risk you want to want to take.
Livret A:
There is no limit to how much you can place in one of these vehicles but they usually require a minimum of £20,000 £30,000 and some offer the opportunity for monthly contributions.
in which you can place a maximum of €22,950 per person plus accrued interest
It has great tax advantages for the policyholder as well as inheritance benefits.
Livret de Développement Durable: In which you can place a maximum €12,000 per person plus accrued interest. All banks and the post office offer them. They aren’t spectacular at giving you interest but keeping a level of available cash is always a good idea. With the remainder of the cash, there are several things to consider. Do you want income? If so how much? Do you want a nest egg? If you are investing more than €30,000 and are under the age of 70, then the following option could be considered: A ‘Contrats d’Assurance Vie’ or life investment policy. The short version of what is means, is that it is an open ended investment policy that can potentially hold multi-currencies and
They are often considered an 8 year policy as the tax benefits ramp up at that stage but they are generally open ended. Some companies have a penalty clause for early closure Want to know more? Then please do contact me for more information, there’s no obligation.
Jennie Poate can be contacted at: jennie @ bgwealthmanagement.net
Beacon Global Wealth website: BGWealth.com
See next page for more questions
The information on these pages is intended only as an introduction only and is not designed to offer solutions or advice. Beacon Global Wealth Management can accept no responsibility whatsoever for losses incurred by acting on the information on thiese pages. The financial advisers trading under Beacon Wealth Management are members of Nexus Global (IFA Network). Nexus Global is a division within Blacktower Financial Management (International) Limited (BFMI).All approved individual members of Nexus Global are Appointed Representatives of BFMI. BFMI is licenced and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission and bound by their rules under licence number FSC00805B
ask the experts Question I'm shortly hoping to be a second-home owner in France (sadly not an actual Expat yet!), and looking to spend about 4-5 months in France . I need to open a French bank account to pay utility bills etc and would prefer to use one of the local banks in the nearest town, which is well represented by branch offices. However, is it true that French banks don't have the same mix of branch and online facilities which we enjoy in the UK? I'm thinking in terms of practicality if I need to sort out a French banking issue whilst I'm in the UK. Will I be better just going for an internet only option? I've heard about Britline, but not any others. Any advice gratefully received! p.s. I always enjoy your weekly newsletter, which gets my weekend off to a good start!
Answer BritLine Credit Agricole (English language banking for expats in France)
Some banks may “switch off” the online banking facilities they provide if you are classed as a non-resident. This may not always make sense as being a nonresident is usually when you need more than ever this type of access. The bank may decide to do this for security reasons to protect your account but unfortunately this can backfire if you are due to receive electronic statements. It is possible to find English speaking banking services and some banks provide a website in English. Often these are very limited and online banking is still not available. Other services available are English speaking telephone based teams, for example CA Atlantique Vendée, AnjouMaine and Aquitaine. Sometimes English speaking advisors can be found in branches eg CA Charente Perigord.
Up to now the service that provides everything under one roof from banking, insurance, mortgage and savings to a bespoke International Payments Service for currency exchange, with a team of 40 bilingual and bicultural advisors, is us at CA Britline. At CA Britline we have also developed an app ‘My Britline’ which enables you to have online banking facilities in English. Therefore perhaps in your case if you live in France then yes CA Britline would be adapted to you, as our criteria is not about nationality but where you pay your taxes and are fiscally resident. Website for Credit Agricole Britline: www.britline.com
Dreaming of moving to France? Top Tips to help you make the move... Have you been considering a move to France but don’t know where to start? We talk to the experts at Renestance who help English-speakers to settle in France about their key tips to help you make a smooth start...
Dream vividly but not wildly What are you hoping to find? Blue skies, time to travel, better social life, lots of wine? Be specific about how you imagine your future life in France. Is part of you expecting life in France to be better in every way? Be careful of unrealistic expectations and issues that follow you wherever you go. What do the people you’re moving with dream of? Are your visions compatible?
Measure twice, cut once Explore the areas that interest you – try to do some reconnaissance trips. Match your nesting place to your timeline. Do you plan to live there year-round indefinitely, do a two-year sabbatical, or just stay for summers? If you’re rebuilding your nest in France permanently, visit during low season and under the rain, if possible. Also consider renting before buying.
Mind your money
account (especially if American) – you’ll need a proof of address in France and a thick dossier of papers. Understand the tax implications of earning and investing money in France. Find out how your retirement savings will be impacted by your move.
Get your affairs in order at home What will you do with your home? Do you need to plan for trips back to manage property? Do you have family or work-related issues at home that will require your presence?
Go electronic Even if you keep an address back home, you’ll need to access all accounts, statements and records from France.Make sure you have internet connected in your new home ASAP. Choose a provider with free calls to mobiles and fixed lines back home. Skype and Facetime are great to see AND hear them, but it does require good bandwidth.
Arm yourself for administrative battles
Are you allowed to work or run a business Find the best way to exchange currency in France? Do you already have a job here? and move money across borders. If not, will you find a job you’re qualified for? Can you work remotely for a non-French Expect hurdles setting up your French bank company?
If moving with children, make sure you know grade level equivalencies, school start dates (not January as in AUS/NZ!), and entrance requirements.
information when you’re settling in, but they are often your bridge to meeting French locals.
Expect to panic
Obtain sufficient health coverage in France (visas for non-EU nationals require it) and Even if you’ve lived abroad before, are not bring your medical records and crossing several time zones, nor making a prescriptions if you have ongoing issues. radical change in your lifestyle (just married, retiring, starting a business…), the sheer volume of unknowns and differences Parlez français will likely overwhelm you at some point. You will constantly confront cultural Yes, everyone’s innate language ability is differences. Things take more time to get different. done. People are not as smiley/friendly and Yes, you’ve heard about people living in aren’t afraid to contradict you. If you’re France for 20 years and getting by with coming from outside Europe, everything is smaller in France. Basically, it can seem like only English. nothing is easy! But your experience will be more enriching the more comfortable you are with the You are no longer in a place where you master the environment. It can be quite language. And no, there is no easy app or trick to becoming fluent in French - it takes humbling to be ‘the foreigner.’ hundreds of hours of practice listening, speaking and reading - but one day you Trust yourself will succeed! If you’ve followed the tips above, you know Make friends with the natives…or this isn’t just a poorly-planned whim. Have faith in your vision and your preparation. not Give it time. ‘There’s no place like home,’ and it’s natural to wonder when/if you’ll Meet and talk to as many people as possible, even if it’s hard for you. You never ever feel at home in France. One day you will, and you’ll know because you went know what you might have in common with someone, or who will introduce you to home and found it doesn’t really feel like it anymore. Then you’ll look forward to going your next best friend. Don’t expect the home to your nest in France. French to seek you out and include you in their social circles right away. They Renestance can assist you during each probably had friends before you arrived step of the way. Whether you're thinking and tend to build friendships at a more about moving, in the planning phase, or cautious pace. have been in France for a while now and could use some help with administrative Pursue your passions and interests. What matters, visit www.renestance.com for more better way to find like-minded people and information. become part of your community, all while doing what you love? Get a monthly recap by signing up for our free newsletter! Don’t exclude expats for fear of speaking too much English or not integrating with locals. Not only are expats a wealth of
Omelette a la Mère Poulard Mère Poulard at Mont St Michel makes the most legendary omelette in France. It’s cooked over an open fire, in a copper pan with a very long handle. Although her recipe is a well-kept secret, many French chefs claim to know it and there is a plethora of theories: no whites, whites whipped separately, adding crème fraiche, Normandy butter, etc etc. But no one really knows! So if you visit Mont Saint Michel, and can afford a €35 omelette, it’s a historic experience. American Mary Pochez who runs cookery classes at the stunning 18th century Château de la Barbée in the Loire, shares her take on this classic recipe.
Ingredients for one large omelette 4 eggs 12 cl of crème fraiche Salt and pepper 40 gr of butter Optional: Mushrooms, cheese and lardons 1. In a bowl, crack open 2 eggs. Add the yolks of 2 more, leaving 2 whites aside.
should be slightly liquid still – then fold in half**.
Whip the eggs on low speed for 5 minutes and add the crème fraiche, beating for another 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper.
Serve immediately while it’s still hot, with a green salad and/or fried potatoes.
2. Whip the 2 other whites into soft peaks and fold gently into the rest of the eggs. 3. Melt butter in a non-stick frying pan and pour egg mixture into the hot pan*. Cook slowly for about 5 minutes, the surface
*If you want to add cheese, sprinkle on top while cooking. ** Fry mushrooms and lardons and sprinkled on top before folding
Find more recipes and details for Mary's fabulous cookery courses: www.lavieduchateau. com/
Eeasy, peasy, lemon squeezy Tarte au Citron... A lush recipe from Sara Neumeier, inspired by her neighbour Christine in France. It’s perfect for summer with just five ingredients and no baking! To adjust the level of sweetness, you can add or subtract from the amount of condensed milk—it’s pretty fool proof.
Ingredients: Serves 8 8 ounces gingersnap cookies, finely ground 5 ounces unsalted butter, melted 16 ounces mascarpone cheese Finely grated zest of 2 lemons Juice of 3 to 4 lemons, depending on desired tartness 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (about half a 14-ounce can) 1. In a medium bowl combine gingersnap crumbs and melted butter. Press evenly into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart tin. Set aside. 2. Using a hand-held or standing mixer on low, combine remaining ingredients until smooth. Pour into reserved crust, smoothing top with a spatula. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight before serving. That’s it! Bon appetit! Sara Neumeier is a New York food stylist who shares a summer cottage in the Dordogne with her parents. She and her recipes are featured in the memoir Beginning French by Les Américains
MOULES Marini res Chef Spencer Richards from Normandy Cooking Days gives a lesson on how to make the most perfect Moules Marinieres... Moules Marinières, that oh-so-French dish that we all love – did you know though that if you add cream to the stock, it’s called Moules Normandie?! So let’s start with a few basics. You will find great moules at markets in France as well as in shops. You should be able to find them at supermarkets and fishmongers in most towns around the world. They come in different sizes, personally I prefer the smallest ones, I find them sweeter and a stronger colour than the big ones. It takes longer to eat them, but what’s the hurry? You have a delicious bottle of chilled Chablis to drink them with, right? I like to buy them in the morning and leave them in cold water for the day to give them a final wash. You should discard any that are broken and any open ones should close when you tap them, if they don’t chuck them away – they’re dead. Then cut or pull off any rope (beards) left attached to the shell. You can cook the mussels in batches if you only have small pans, but remember to retain the stock for each batch.
"Always use the shells as pincers to eat the next one with"
You'll need A large pot with a lid (or a moules pot) 500g of fresh mussels in the shell per person 1 Large Onion 1 Head of Celery 2 or more Cloves of Garlic Bouquet Garni Butter or Olive Oil ½ litre of water 1 glass of Dry White Wine Parsley Optional Extras: Cream; apple juiceor still Cider orCalvados (apple brandy) 1. Rough dice the onion and celery and sweat them in your biggest pot with some olive oil (or butter). 2. Add the garlic and sweat the mix some more (you do not want to caramelise or colour any of this). 3. Add the water and a pinch of salt and the wine (check it’s up to standard first). 4. Add the bouquet Garni. Let it all come up to the boil and then add the mussels. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes or until they have all opened. (Discard any that didn’t open during the cooking process). Serve in bowls, cover with stock, sprinkle some fresh parsley over and eat with fresh baguette and good friends. To give your moules dish a Normandy twist, add a splash of flat (not fizzy) cider or better still Calvados ( apple juice for those on a detox) and then a couple of tablespoons of cream. Always use heavy or double as single will split.
La Vie du Chateau - brilliant
cooking classes in an 18th century chateau in the Loire Valley. Learn to make classic French dishes, English language cookery lessons that are fabulous and fun in a unique & gorgeous setting in an all inclusive holiday. Click to read more about it Website: Lavieduchateau.com
Hidden Veggie Pop up restaurant in Haute Vienne at
Saint Laurent-sur-Gorre, close to Limoges. Enjoy a delicious flavour-popping vegetarian (or vegan) homecooked dish in the home of a local in a fun and authentic atmoshphere. Click to read more about it
Normandy Cooking Days - learn
Cookies Campers - the ultimate
Click to read more about it Website: Normandycookingdays. co.uk
Click to read more about it Website: Cookies-campers.com
to cook with a British chef in Normandy close to Mont St Michel. On this one day course you'll shop at the markets, create classic, scrumptious Norman dishes & learn about the famous gastronomy of Normandy
glampervan holiday in the south of France. Hire a luxury campervan & enjoy the freedom of the open road and the glorious outdoors. Go where you want, when you want & stop off where you like in the sunny south.
Experience (My) France tours of
Expat Dating France
Click to read more about it Website: experiencemyfrance.
Click to read more about it Website: Expatdatingfrance.com
Artistic Gourmet Adventures
Paris Chanson If you love French music, culture, history and fun facts then click onto Radio Paris Chanson, English language radio for Francophiles everywhere. They play the "golden age" of music, share loads of great facts and anecdotes
Click here to read more about it Website: artisticgourmetadventures.com
Click here to read more about it Website: radioparischanson.com
Aveyron. Veronique, a local, will show you this little known part of France in all its stunning glory. Medieval villages, flowery meadows, forested gorges & vineyards that cling to the sides of steep hills. This is a part of France to be savoured...
Holiday in France that inspire Tours that show you real France with an itinerary that's perfect for you and that won't rush you on and off a bus with hundreds of others. Have an adventure of a lifetime with one of these fabulous, luxury tours...
If you're looking to make new friends in France or perhaps to find someone to share the good life with, Expat Dating in France may just be the thing. Set up by an expat who herself found it hard to make friends, it's a great way to meet like-minded people
Tours du Tarn - cycling holidays. Offering some of the best cycling terrain in France, this brand new centre based company is opening up the Tarn for all levels of riders. Training breaks, guided, selfguided, beginners, weekends & longer fabulous cycling holidays in a stunning location.
The Happpy Hamlet Discover a stunning retreat in a centuries old farm-hamlet in southwest France, Tarn et Garronne. The perfect get-away with lush accommodation, fabulous food and wine & loads of activities from music and art to yoga & well-being and more.
Click here to read more about it Website: Tarncyclingholidays.
Click here to read more about it Website: Thehappyhamlet.com
It's been a crazy few months for me and things have been quite topsy turvy at home. The reason is - I wrote a book, and it got published. I've got to tell you it's quite surreal to walk into a branch of WHSmith in the UK and see your name on the shelf! I have been taking selfies surreptitously, grinning like a fool next to book "my" shelves in Waterstones. It's even in Shakespeare & Co. one of my favourite book shops in Paris (and it's in WHSmith at 148 Rue de Rivoli Paris, opposite the Tuileries Gardens!). Okay that is the shameless plug almost over with - except if you'd like to buy it, "My Good Life in France", my story of how I came to France by accident, gave up my dream job for love and acquired 60 animals and an understanding of the culture of my adopted country and a whole lot more, is out in the UK (Australia 1 July and Us soon) and on Amazon everywhere! My animals of course have not noticed any of this furore going on. To them I am simply the maid, cleaner, cuddler and mad woman who gets up early every morning to feed, water, walk and love them. "Do you need grounding now you're a famous author" asked my sister, I think she was joking. Anyway the answer is no, not really, not when I have to clean out chicken coops after I've just been interviewed by the Daily Express. Not when I have to worm the cats, after I've just done a live radio show. Not when I have to clear up after two orphaned baby chickens who had to live in the house for three weeks as they needed some special TLC just as I'm about to be interviewed by Woman's Own Magazine. Writing a book is a dream come true for me and I thank you all because everyone who follows me on Facebook or Twitter, who visits my website, who reads this magazine - you've been my inspiration. Thank you. Bisous from France, Janine xx