The Périgord Local Issue 1 March - April 2018

March – April 2018 Issue 1

The

érigord Local The Region’s FREE magazine in English

Welcome to our 1st Edition

Spring Edition Inside – Gastropods, Violets and Goats Cheese Ice-Cream A Missing Bugatti French Tax Changes Lalinde and Domme www.perigordlocal.com

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 3

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ISSIGEAC Sylvie and Hervé Rodot look forward to welcoming you to their lovely restaurant where the dining room has a bit of a train theme; or to their floral terrace for a lovely summer meal.

The restaurant is about 800m outside the medieval village of Issigeac in lovely leafy countryside.

Opening Hours: 12h15 – 13h45 19h15 – 20h45 Open all year and every day except Monday lunchtimes, all day Thursdays and Sunday evenings You are advised to call and make a reservation Le Relais de l’Ancienne Gare - Sylvie & Hervé Rodot - Route d’Eymet - 24560 Issigeac 05 53 58 70 29 relais.anciennegare@orange.fr www.relais-anciennegare.com Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • December 2017-February 2018

4 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Welcome to the very 1st edition of The Périgord Local. This is a sister-publication to the one we have been producing for eight years now in the Quercy region, so not that far away!

This magazine is for the people, businesses and limitless culture of the ancient Périgord region. What we include in future editions is led by what people want to tell us about. Our job should really be just coordinating what we’re told about and simply providing a printed platform to showcase what is happening. Getting a first edition out with a publication like this was always going to be a ‘tricky ask’ as nobody knew what we were talking about. But, somehow, we got there.

CONTENTS Pioneer France - Currency

Lalinde

p.8

Domme

p.14

Le Vin de Domme Goats Cheese Ice Cream

p.7

p.18

p.20

From Testicles to Brandy and Beyond

Cancer Support France

p.22 p.23

In each edition we hope to feature two towns. We ask people from each of these towns to tell us what goes on there. It’s a chance for us to highlight local associations, great local businesses, people, history and specific cultures. In this edition we’ve looked at Lalinde and Domme and we’ve already learnt a lot already about the ‘often bloody’ history of the region! In our May edition we’ll be visiting Eymet and Belvès. So, if that’s where you live: why not get in touch?

Twilight – retirement home for dogs

p.24

Wine, Food & Song – local courses

p.26

If you have a new or interesting business and you want some help getting people to hear about it. Or, if you work tirelessly for a ‘good cause’ and want some help raising awareness then please contact us.

Open Gardens/Jardins Ouvert

Changes in French Taxation

p.37

A Missing Bugatti

p.38

On our website you can• Read a copy of this and subsequent magazines.

• Subscribe to receive copies to your home address – anywhere in the world.

• Subscribe to our monthly newsletter.

• Send us details of your business for listing on our free, on-line, business directory.

Anna

We will be publishing in March, May, July, September and December each year. www.perigordlocal.com theperigordlocal@gmail.com

26

Annual Shakesperean Tour

The Scented Emporer – violets

p.29

Gastropods

p.30 p.32 p.34

A Driving Ambition – classic cars

p.40

Pour une cuisine équitable (FR)

p.42

Un Bon Produit Summonsing Help SOS The Good Samaritan Law

p.43

p.44

p.45

Ennershop – renewable energy Samantha Brick’s Périgord

Chloé Moore, French Business Management

41

p.46 p.48 p.50

42

This is a free magazine and so we are totally dependent on advertisers. So, please do support them whenever the opportunity occurs.

You can follow us on

@Perigord_Quercy

quercy.local

Instagram - perigordandquercylocals

The Périgord Local ISSN: en cours. No part of this publication may be copied, used or reproduced without the written consent of the proprietor. No responsibility is accepted for any claim made by advertisers. All content accepted and printed in good faith. Please check that all advertisers are registered businesses in France or in their home country. The Périgord Local is owned and managed by A Atkinson (Las Razes, Touffailles,( 82190) Siret: 518 460 605 00018. It’s produced by the Magazine Production Company, West Sussex, UK. Printed by Gráficas Piquer.

French admin; Valérie Rousseau. Assistant; Tom Burns.

THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 5

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Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • December 2017-February 2018

6 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

We are really pleased to be able to bring you this first edition of our brand-new sister magazine!

W

e have published The Quercy Local for eight years in that ‘oh so difficult to find the edge of’ region of Quercy. Effectively large parts of the Lot, Lot et Garonne and Tarn et Garonne.

Why this new magazine?

Well, we found that we were already creeping over into the Périgord region with our distribution of The Quercy Local. So, it became clear that we should either, produce a joint magazine for the two regions or launch a second magazine covering just the region of Périgord.

There are many similarities between the two ancient regions. They fit together quite neatly and clearly both represent some of the most beautiful, gastronomical and historical areas of France.

What’s the plan?

Well, we are planning on keeping things very similar to the Quercy magazine, same size, shape and layout.

Things are bound to evolve but they will evolve along similar lines, together.

What’s the biggest challenge?

Well, you know just how big the region is! We almost feel the need for a helicopter to cover what are now two, huge regions.

recorded. With the new magazine we are having to forge new partnerships, and work with new Tourist Offices and businesses throughout the new region to get everything agreed. Not forgetting, that this new magazine will also be available inside Bergerac Airport.

It’s going to be a busy year!

Interested?

Well, you’ll be able to read the new magazine from our website. We’ll also be arranging subscriptions just as we do for the Quercy magazine and they now go right around the world! Also, on our website you will be able to find our distribution points.

Get Involved These magazines aim to cover what people tell us about and what they are interested in. If you’ve an interesting new (or old) business, an interest or passion that you want to share then we would love to hear from you. We love to help get new businesses seen and we find that people love to hear about them too.If you can suggest wonderful places where we could arrange to deliver this magazine for people to pick up, then please do let us know.

We look forward to hearing from you. theperigordlocal@gmail.com

How will we do it?

Well, the publication dates are the same – and we cannot be everywhere distributing at the same time.

We couldn’t do that with just the one region. We’ll be increasing our reliance on the courier firm, GLS. The magazines arrive, at the office, on pallets packed in large boxes and are then repacked following a preagreed (and constantly changing) delivery schedule.

Within 48 hours of arriving, they’re re-boxed (into varying sizes of smaller boxes), labelled and off to their distribution points.

We joke about the number of spreadsheets it takes to make this work, but it’s actually very true.

Things only go smoothly if we have everything properly

March – April

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The Périgord Local • March - April 2018 Please support our advertisers and tell them you saw their advert in The Périgord Local

1

THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 7

This is the first in a regular series of articles about Foreign Exchange matters in discussion with Harris Raphael, Managing Partner of Dordogne-based Pioneer France FX

MAXIMISING YOUR HOUSE SALE PROCEEDS BE SMART – ACHIEVE THE BEST EXCHANGE RATE POSSIBLE “It’s a shame when sellers of French properties who have tried so hard to achieve the best price for their house then relinquish an unnecessary chunk of these funds because they use old fashioned, expensive banking methods when transferring their money back into sterling, dollars or other currencies”, says Harris Raphael, Managing partner of Dordogne-based Pioneer France.

“The seller often relinquishes thousands which could have been easily avoided had they used a specialist Foreign exchange broker. Our historic data shows that the average loss is equivalent to e3600 per transaction”, comments Harris.

Pioneer France’s data shows that French property sellers are less likely than incoming buyers to use the services of such a specialist. Harris believes that this is primarily because the profile of a typical seller is usually older than that of a buyer and they are more likely to used traditional banks for their transfers, therefore being reluctant to use ‘newer methods’.

ENSURE PROTECTED FUNDS “I understand this completely, especially when it concerns one’s major asset”, says Harris “However, Pioneer France’s foreign exchange brokerage has been operating for nearly 40 years, and is one of the world’s largest, trading over e22billion on behalf of over 100,000 clients a year, and covering over 80 currencies. It is also one of the very few

The Pioneer France FX team, from left: Harris, Simon, Tanya, Zoe, James and Steven

international brokerages that is fully authorised and regulated by the FCA, with the additional right of establishment in France. Moreover, all client funds are placed into segregated accounts, ensuring maximum security”.

“As such, our brokerage can provide real security of funds and, very importantly, is licensed to offer expert currency exchange guidance to aid our client’s decision making, which the banks are not licensed to do. Moreover, there are no hidden fees or commissions. The rate and amount you are quoted is what you receive”, advises Harris.

So, with currency volatility the norm at present because of challenges such as Brexit, US protectionism and the fluid EU political landscape, contact Harris and his team to help save you thousands whether you are house selling or buying, or simply moving money, investments or pensions from one country to another.

05 53 07 06 27 info@pioneerfrance.com www.pioneerfrance.com Pioneer France FX was recently voted number one for foreign exchange rates and service Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

Two Towns A Tale of

In each of our editions we’ll be taking a closer-look at two regional towns or villages. In this edition we’re visiting Lalinde and Domme both situated on the magnificent Dordogne river.

FIRSTLY, LALINDE Around 20km East of Bergerac, along the Dordogne river, lies the small bastide town of Lalinde (24150).

Founded in 1261, Lalinde, was the first ‘English Bastide’ to be built in the Périgord (by English Bastide we mean English Governed) it was constructed on the site of an old, Roman, fishing-village; and was first mentioned in 1242 where the Occitan name Lalinda was used.

Its existence is due to Prince Edward, oldest son of Henry III Plantagenet and governor of Guyenne. A charter from 1267 gave residents land on which to The Périgord Local • March - April 2018 Please support our advertisers and tell them you saw their advert in The Périgord Local

THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 9

La Petite Cuillère Bar - Restauration Salon de Thé - Glaces Café Littéraire Soirées Musicales á themes Vente de Déco Vente de Thés 12 rue des Déportés, 24150 Lalinde 05 53 27 36 39 La Petite Cuillère

CRÉDIT PHOTO: ARCHIVES “SUD OUEST”

Tour de France – Disaster Strikes

build their houses. As well as the permission to govern themselves. The King’s seneschal, Jean de Grailly, oversaw the construction of the town, with its four roads running at right angles to the central, quadrangular market place.

By the 15th century when Aquitaine had become French once again, the Kings of France twice ratified the (1267) charter – in 1516 and 1614.

As you might expect with an ‘English Bastide’, trouble was somewhat inevitable, and Lalinde proved no exception. The 100 Years’ War (between the French and English over the French throne, 1337-1453, with just a few stops for tea) was the first conflict to take a real toll on the town.

After this, there was over a hundred years of rest from the ravages of war. No doubt a welcome break, not only for this small town, but for the whole of France.

Then 1562 arrived and with it the Wars of Religion between the Roman Catholics and Huguenots. Once again, the town of Lalinde was in the thick of it. These conflicts have meant that only small sections of the fortified-wall, surrounding the town, stand today.

Sadly, the Wars of Religion wouldn’t be the last local tragedy. Along with so many other French towns

On 11th July 1964, during the 19th stage of the Tour de France, the worst accident in the history of the Tour took place in Lalinde. A tanker driven by a gendarme ran into spectators at a narrow bridge crossing the canal at Port-de-Couze. Nine people died and another 13 were injured. There is a stone marker in the town to commemorate the tragedy.

Christophe Bricart: Secrets de Pays

WW2 also left its mark. On June 24th, 1944 a small group of Resistance fighters, from the town, fought off a German military unit (SS Das Reich Panzer Division), a 20,000-strong unit armed with the latest Panzer V tanks. The Resistance fought with

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

10 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Lalinde Canal

The canal runs parallel to the Dordogne river and was built to aid transportation along what was a very important commercial route. It was constructed between 1838 and 1843 between the villages of Mauzac and Tuilières. Then, after all that effort, the canal became obsolete when the transport of goods via waterways declined. So, the locks, basins, aqueducts and lock-keepers’ houses (all of which form part of a masterpiece of civil-engineering) are now valued as a place of peace, a spot for fishing, walking and cycling.

incredible bravery, buying valuable time for the Allied Forces landing in Normandy by delaying the German units’ advance. There’s no doubt that the actions of these Resistance fighters

helped secure the liberation of France and the defeat of Hitler’s Germany.

Thursday’s been market day in Lalinde, for nearly 700 years. It’s a very popular market with both visitors and residents, and a wonderful place to find great, local-produce at any time of year.

There are many events taking place during the year – here are just a few: 4th March – the 36th annual 50km de Lalinde – one for the athletic – varying distances possible.

17th - 18th March – Salon du Chocolat 1st May – Flower Fair At the end of July, each year, there’s the 2-day Tradigordines Festival which celebrates the region’s deep vein of traditional Occitan music and dance.

Then during August, The Lions Club Bastides du Périgord holds its annual Fête des Vins et de la Solidarité, a three-day festival of food, wine and song.

At the end of August, visitors can enjoy the Festival Lire en Bastides. Where 10 informationpanels are arranged around the town, creating a historical trail (translated into English). These explain some of the town’s history. There’s also a booklet to accompany this ‘heritage trail’ available from the Tourist Office.

The Tourist Office can provide full information www.pays-bergerac-tourisme.com Photo credit: Pays de Bergerac, Vignoble et Bastides OTunless otherwise stated.

The Périgord Local • March - April 2018 Please support our advertisers and tell them you saw their advert in The Périgord Local

THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 11

The Legend of Coulobre

Historically people living by water were superstitious, and the people living along the Dordogne were no exception. The rapids at Gratusse encouraged the superstitious of Lalinde. These were swirling, dangerous waters and they inevitably took the lives of river-people.

In a cave high above the river, lived a Coulobre (Occitan word for ‘snake’). This monstrous winged reptile lived in water, on land and could even fly.

Reportedly, when her head was down by the river taking a drink, the tip of her tail was still up by her cave. The townsfolk feared the Coulobre, and rightly so. Legend suggests that she took people to her lair and devoured them.

Eventually, a contingent of people from the town went to summon help from the Bishop of Perigueux St Front. The Bishop made his way up to the cave and on seeing the beast, made the sign of the cross and ordered the Coulobre back to the ocean from where she’d come. Remarkably, it worked and the Coulobre rushed into the Dordogne and was never seen again.

The people were delighted and to celebrate they built a chapel, on the left bank of the river and dedicated it to St Front. However, the Coulobre does still have some presence locally as she still appears on the ‘coat of arms’ of the town of Bergerac.

Your own Château in Lalinde and a title to go with it!

Walk through the gates of this one-off château and a delicious shiver runs up your spine. Romance and history combine in a unique and unforgettable property.

You cannot miss the 30m keep, dating back to the 11th century. During the 100 Years’ War this château (once ruled by Alienor of Aquitaine) passed frequently between French and English control. In times of danger the local people sort refuge in the keep.

The château’s chapel has been converted into a very stylish 3-bedroom home with many original features. The château’s grounds extend to over ½ an acre and provide many quiet spots to reflect all that the ancient, stone-walls must have witnessed.

This property is owned by an interior designer and is being sold with all its very stylish furnishings.

This home offers a magical setting for summer events and an impressive home with complete privacy in a stunning village setting. The real jewel in the crown – the new owner becomes the Châtelain or Châtelaine of the village – a title awarded with the château.

To find out more about this very special property contact Beaux Villages Immobilier quoting ref. BVI18582. enquiries@beauxvillages.com

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

12 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Eugene Cuniac the man from Lalinde who became Mayor of Saigon

Lalinde’s ver y own family of swans Many people visiting Lalinde enjoy watching the swans (there can be as many as 150 of them) who’ve happily, adopted this peaceful spot as their home.

Where did the swans come from?

In 1973 the collection of money taken during a wedding at the local Town Hall (as was customary, for good works in the town) was used, at the couple’s request to purchase a pair of swans and release them. The Deputy Mayor duly went to the Limousin to purchase a breeding pair, who were released and their family have prospered.

What better way to commemorate a wedding than to bring these beautiful symbols of eternal love to the town for what’s turned out to be, possibly, forever.

Taken from the original text of Françoise Cheyrou, © Espirit de Pays Topacki

Alternative explanations have been suggested– including that these swans had been sent by the spirit of the legendry Coulobre in remembrance of the souls of people taken from the river and devoured. We prefer the wedding-favour explanation.

François Jean Baptiste Cuniac (who called himself Eugene) was born close to Lalinde in 1851. After a colourful and somewhat capricious professional and private life he left France; returning to a previous legal career, joining the Bar in Saigon in 1885. This move allowed him the time and opportunity to further his political career. A calling perhaps more in line with his lively personality.

He became a councillor in Saigon and then Deputy Mayor, finally reaching the office of Mayor in 1892.

His rather difficult temperament meant there were several resignations and re-appointments between this date and 1916. Whilst in office he did oversee a great deal of Saigon’s modernisation including the installation of the electrified tram-way.

He returned to France (but not Lalinde) on many occasions to deliver speeches on the ‘colonial economy’. It was during one these visits, this time to Nice, that he died aged 65. He was succeeded by his son as Mayor of Saigon.

The city of Saigon honoured Eugene Cuniac by naming a city square after him ‘Place Cuniac’.

This name remained in place until Independence was declared by Indochina.

From the original text by Christian Bourrier © Espirit de Pays Topacki

The Périgord Local • March - April 2018 Please support our advertisers and tell them you saw their advert in The Périgord Local

THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 13

E - IC RD V A SER AW NG I N IN W DROP IN AND SEE US IN LALINDE OR VERTEILLAC

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • December 2017-February 2018

14 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Two Towns A Tale of

The second of our two regional towns or villages – Domme

DOMME The picturesque Bastide town of Domme (24250) sits 285m above sea level atop a rocky outcrop overlooking the Dordogne river (sometimes referred to as “Akropolis des Périgord”). The town itself was established in 1281 by the deceptively named Philip the Bold (the ‘Bold’ being due to his skill as a horseback-fighter and not as a reflection of his personality or political leadership. In fact, he was quite the opposite of bold, apparently from being crushed by the strong personalities of his parents).

The town is a brilliant example of medieval, militaryarchitecture. Unusually for a bastide, and because of the cliff at the edge of the town, the town is trapezoidal in shape.

Today the village enjoys membership of the Les Plus Beaux Villages de France and many tourists enjoy the striking historical architecture; which looks as if it has many tales to tell! Amongst the notable buildings are the Maison du Batteur de Monnaie, a legacy from the time Domme was granted permission to produce its own coins; the coin-makers house. Then there is the Eglise Notre Dame de l’Assoption. This church was built in the 17th century by a master stone mason from

Monpazier, from the stone left by the previous church’s ruination in the Wars of Religion. There are two squares in the town dating back to medieval times. One, the Place de La Rode, was used to entertain the medievalpublic with the ‘instrument of torture’ known as The Breaking Wheel.

Domme suffered heavily during the 100 Years’ War (1337-1453) when the town was repeatedly passed from French to English control. Then, following a period of relative calm, the peace was broken by the Wars of Religion, which was the next large-scale conflict to

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 15

The Breaking Wheel – an afternoon of medieval entertainment

The Breaking Wheel was a medieval torture device.

Criminals (or suspected criminals) would be lashed to the wheel and their limbs beaten with a club, the gaps in between the wheel spokes allowing their bones to break. On their eventual death (which could be hours or even days later) the bodies were left attached to the wheel and hoisted above the ground where they were left to rot (not good days for drying washing outside).

trouble the region. In 1588, Protestants scaled the cliffs and town walls, led by Captain, Geoffroy de Vivans to open the gates and allow the conquest of the town, including the destruction of the Eglise Notre Dame de l’Assoption. However, four years later a stronger army of Catholics re-took the town.

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

16 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Beneath the town there are remarkable caves which, during the various historical conflicts, have provided shelter to the town’s people. In the caves today there are around 450m of stalactite filled galleries and even a glass lift to return you back to the surface.

During excavation works in the caves the remains of rhinoceros and bison were found, and these remain on display today. The cave system is the biggest in the Périgord Noir and is open from the beginning of February until the 11th of November each year.

Unusually, for a bastide town, much of the original fortification has survived. There are three principal entrances. Firstly, the Porte del Bos, which acts as a main entrance to the town along with the 13th century, Porte de la Combe. These two entrances are linked by a protected walkway behind the ramparts. This walkway offers lovely views of the river as well as some very attractive houses and gardens just inside the town’s wall.

Then there’s the third entrance, and one of the town’s key features, the Porte des Tours This was converted in 1307 into a prison to house arrested members of the Knights Templar. The Order of the Knights Templars was hugely influential across the Kingdom of Christendom but the, then, King was suspicious of them (and coincidentally, deeply in debt to the Order). This suspicion (and debt) were cause enough for the members of the Templar to be imprisoned. The old prison still contains coded carvings made by the Knights (research in the 1970s discovered additional invisible coding). The Order of the Knights Templar were disbanded, in 1312, by Pope Clement V. However, to this day the Knights Templar hold a special place in the heart of conspiracy theorists, novelists and historians.

Much of the town’s success and wealth came from the quality of the grapes grown in the region and the wine it was able to transport down the river. After several setbacks over the centuries this local wine production is beginning to take hold again (see p.18).

There are regular events planned throughout the season in the town and a market is held every Thursday morning. A programme of events is also organised locally by the Association culturelle des arts en Dordogne and it is worth looking at their website. www.acadine.fr Visitors to the town, especially those with children, will be pleased to find a seasonal ‘small train’ providing small trips around the town’s key points.

More information about this and the many other attractions in the and around the town can be found at the Tourist Office. www.perigordnoir-valleedordogne.com Photo credits: Office de Tourisme, Périgord Noir Sud Dordogne

Stallholder

The Périgord Local • March - April 2018 Please support our advertisers and tell them you saw their advert in The Périgord Local

THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 17

In Domme there’s a house with the finest view in Périgord and a sprinkling of movie magic

March – April

2018 Issue

March – April 2018 Issue 1

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Spring Edition Inside – Violets and Gastropods, Ice-Cream Goats Cheese A Missing Bugatti French Tax Changes Domme Lalinde and

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Spring Edition Inside – Gastropods, Violets and Goats Cheese Ice-Cream A Missing Bugatti French Tax Changes Lalinde and Domme

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Spring Edition Inside – Gastropods, Violets and Goats Cheese Ice-Cream A Missing Bugatti French Tax Changes Lalinde and Domme l.com

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If you’re looking for more than a ‘room with a view’, maybe a ‘home with a view’ then this may be the property for you. It has, quite probably, the best view in the Périgord Noir!

From its position in the Bastide village of Domme, you can watch the Dordogne River meander below and the valley stretch far into the distance.

A spacious home with a walled parkland-garden, mature trees, old stone steps and peaceful grassy glades. This must be one of the most attractive places to live and that’s really saying something in this stunning part of the world.

This exceptional property was completely restored in 2006 and lies right in the heart of the village.

If the centuries of history already soaked into the honey coloured stone walls, small-turrets, vaulted ceilings and wisteria glad terrace are not sufficient reason for you to take a look at this piece of Périgord. Then a sprinkling of movie magic might help, this property belongs to the family of Stanley Kubrick!

If you would like to find out more about this very special property, then contact Agence Immobilière Sanfourche-Peiro, contact@sanfourche-peiro.com, quoting Ref 5079.

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

18 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Tasting a lot more

Travels to Domme Tasting The Lot, travels around tasting food and wine and encouraging anyone and everyone to try local food and wines. We’ve the phrase ‘what grows together goes together’ etched on our minds. And now Tasting a Lot More has branched out to the Dordogne, Bordeaux and Gaillac regions as a feasting gourmet travel guide!

Over the next year, or so, we’ll be travelling around these regions, comparing foodstuffs, wines and regional recipes and of course, sharing as we go.

O

f course, many people reading this will already be very familiar with virtually all that’s available. However, sometimes it’s nice to try and find new things. I’ve spent over 30 years enjoying the wines of S W France and each trip, whether business or pleasure, has always taught me something new.

In this edition we’re staying close to the Lot boundary to visit a region called IGP Périgord, found in the area around the town of Domme. It’s only when you spend time in, or live in a region that you start to discover and appreciate the smaller vineyards. This wine region, is a delight to visit and we would suggest doing so often!

Le Vin de Domme et les Vignerons des Coteaux du Céou (24250) IGP Périgord was established on the 31st Dec 2011, from vineyards that had been gradually planted since 1994. These vineyards are planted on the slopes of Céou, a small tributary river of the Dordogne, and at an altitude ranging between 200 and 300 meters. The cooperative winery took its name from this lovely river.

The cooperative has brought together winemakers and local-producers who then benefit from shared knowledge and great new cellar facilities and equipment. It’s been the passion and commitment of many local growers that has helped to put Le Vin de Domme back on the wine-lovers map, where it firmly belongs.

These vineyards grow many grape varieties 20ha, including Merlot 53%, Cabernet Franc 36%, Malbec 6%, Chardonnay 4%, Sémillon 1%. These lands creep ever so slightly into the Lot region at Salviac.

Wine from this region can be traced back to 1118 AD. When the vineyards were planted by the monks.

During the middle-ages, in common with most regions of France, wine from Périgord became a very valuable commodity and was soon to be shipped to England, Northern Europe, Russia and Asia. This was despite the

good people of Bordeaux attempting to block the flow of this wine from their city.

Around 1880, phylloxera (that vile little louse that has plagued the world since) hit the vines hard and the wine region was reduced from 27 000 ha to nothing.

So, to the wines themselves. Which did I prefer?

Well, my favourite was the Périgord Noir, unsurprisingly since that was exactly where I was! It was delicious.

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 19

It is made from a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec. Fermented in stainless steel tanks (this keeps the fermentation inert, meaning that only the flavour of the grapes is in the wine, at this stage). Then malolactic fermentation takes place, this means the harsh malic acids (they taste similar to green apple) are converted to lactic acid, this gives the wine a smoother taste. The wine is kept in stainless steel tanks until April, racked at least twice (racking means taking off the clearer wine from the top of the sediment). Then the wine is placed in 400-litre French Tronçais oak barrels, from the government owned forest in central France.

The wine remains in these barrels for 12 months, it’s racked again, if required, and then all the wine is put back in steel tanks again and bottled.

If this vineyard’s wine itself was not enough to get you to visit, then how about also viewing Tower of Moncalou, right next door, with offers a magnificent view of the Périgord. www.vindedomme.fr

Now a little ‘wine’ Do-it-Yourself

Walnut Leaf Wine

If you fancy making wine yourself at home without all the fabulous equipment found in wineries here is a simple recipe to try. You will need, a demijohn, fermentation lock and a dark place to ferment in!

Walnut leaf wine (well we are in walnut country and these leaves make a delicious wine!) 1 good handful of walnut leaves 4.5 litres of water 1.4kg demerara sugar 16oz honey (1 lb jar) Yeast.

Dissolve the sugar and honey in boiling water. Put leaves in a bowl and pour on the boiling syrup. Leave for 24 hours, strain and add the yeast to the wine.

Follow instructions on packet of yeast bought. Go for a neutral yeast. Ferment in a demijohn or other large wine bottle. Keep an eye on the fermenting lock, make sure you see when the fermentation stops, the bubble will stop popping. Syphon off wine and bottle back into cleaned demijohn. Seal and store for 6 months. Syphon again and bottle seal and store for as long as you can manage before drinking. Make sure you label things, I have many unlabelled bottles!

You can follow Tasting The Lot and Tasting A Lot More on Facebook.

Open Weekend – Easter Weekend Le Vin de Domme et les Vignerons des Coteaux du Céou March 31st, and 1st and 2nd April Including an Easter Egg Hunt on the afternoon of Sunday, April 1st.

The winery will be open on all 3 days from 10am to 6pm; with free tastings and visits to the cellar.

During this event we will be releasing the new vintages: dry rosé Florimont 2017 and the demisec rosé Gourmandise 2017.

More information available soon via our website.

www.vindedomme.fr

Cuvée Solidaire In common with virtually all wine-growers Le Vin de Domme et les Vignerons des Coteaux du Céou’s grape crops were devastated with the Spring Frost of 2017.

So, this year they are also going to be offering a Cuvée Solidaire – IGP Perigord red wine (100% Merlot) from the Sigoules cooperative cellar. A rather fruity wine, easy drinking and one for all palates. This will replace some of their red-wine stock, lost to the frost and is a great opportunity to work again with local colleagues and friends.

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

20 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Tasting the lot

in 2 places at once!

At last we’re into the New Year! I love the beginning of a new year, a clean page on which to plan a year of exploring these amazing regions. This new year sees the start of a new magazine The Périgord Local, a sister-publication to The Quercy Local. The Quercy shares so many of the same foodstuffs with the Périgord it’s a wonderful opportunity to have a reason to visit and compare flavours.

F

or those who aren’t terribly familiar with the Périgord’s food, I hope to share, with you, some of my foody notes. Being, Tasting The Lot, food (and wine) are my main interests rather than architecture, walking or literature, although I am a Martin Walker fan! (See p.23) Each area of Périgord has been assigned a descriptive colour. The south-east is called Périgord Noir because of its dense oak forests. The limestone area around the River Isle and Périgueux, (capital of the region), is called Périgord Blanc after the light colour of its rock. Périgord Poupre refers to the south west wine-growing area around Bergerac. And the very green, wooded area and pasturelands to the north is Périgord Vert. I link these colours with food!

Black: Prunes and Truffles, and the amazing wild boars that I drive past, always, on my way to somewhere else!

White: Ducks! Everywhere! And amazing creamy coloured cheese made by nuns and equally amazing wines, making a pleasing change to the Malbec wine that I do love.

Green: Cows and thereby beef! Everywhere, I have driven, in whatever season, so many beautiful palecoloured cattle seem to be grazing. Then there’s the dark-green box-trees, reminding me of the box-wood handle on my father’s favourite knife, made at Nontron.

A lovely village with a fascinating history surrounding its knives – the perfect picnic tool.

Purple: Grapes! Plums! Wine lovers’ noses! All of which makes me smile as I look at Cyrano.

At, Tasting The Lot, we are interested in what grows, in each month, so that we can enjoy it fresh. January: Duck, goose, confit and foie gras. Although these are available all year-round, for me, the run up and aftermath of New Year is centred around recipes for these delicious local treats. February brings the beginning of spring: Lamb. March: goats cheese, April: Garlic, May: Figs, June: Lavender, July: Melons,

August: Prunes, September: Saffron, October: Walnuts, November: Chestnuts, and December is Truffles.

As this is a March magazine we are sharing a recipe for goats cheese. So, either Rocamadour cheese for those in the Lot and for people in the Périgord, the same style of cheese, Le Chèvrefeuille, which takes us back to my favourite village of Nontron (and its knives). (www.fromagerie-chevrefeuille.com) Now, nobody should be afraid of my recipe this month! This ice cream is delicious. It has more of a cheesecake taste than tangy, goats cheese.

Try it, it’s local and different. It’s also so much more exciting than just toasting your goats cheese.

Although we have to admit that’s fabulous too!

Luci Cox

www.tasting-the-lot.com

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 21

SUMMER 2018 - BISCARROSSE PLAGE Light, sunny and spacious apartment, with ocean views, sleeps six.

To let direct from owner from June 15 to Sept. 15.

Situated in the centre in one of the resort’s best apartment blocks, 150 m from the beach, the second-floor accomm. includes sitting room with two balconies, south & west facing, double bedroom with balcony and two bunk beds.

Separate fully equipped kitchen. IT compatible music system. Lift. Parking – one vehicle. Pets allowed.

July & August 650e per week June & Sept 550e per week

Roasted Fig and Goat Cheese Ice Cream Ingredients Goat Cheese Ice Cream 225g fresh goat cheese, 360ml thick cream 360ml milk, 85g cup sugar, 10 egg yolks pinch of sea salt, 30ml whisky, optional but it does make ice cream smoother Roasted Fig Compote 225g ripe figs or 200g dried figs soaked overnight in cold tea to plump them up. Make sure you also destalk them. 30ml balsamic vinegar, divided in 2 15g brown sugar Method Crumble the goat cheese into a large bowl. Heat the cream, milk, and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches a bare simmer. While the cream warms, whisk together the egg yolks in a medium sized bowl.

Gradually pour the warm cream into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and return to cooking over medium heat.

Stirring constantly and scraping the bottom as you stir, keep heating the custard until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spatula (about 5 minutes).

Stir in the salt and whisky, to taste, and remove from the heat. Using a fine mesh strainer, strain the custard over the bowl of crumbled goat cheese. Gently whisk the goat cheese into the custard until it is smooth. Cool the custard for 15 minutes over an ice bath, stirring frequently. Place everything in the fridge, to finish chilling completely, for at least 3 hours.

While the custard cools, make the roasted fig compote.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the tough stems off the figs then slice the figs into quarters. Place the figs in a baking dish and toss with one tablespoon of balsamic

vinegar and brown sugar. Cover the baking dish with foil and roast for 15-20 minutes or until the figs are soft.

When cool enough to handle, puree the figs in a food processor or blender with the remaining balsamic vinegar. Put the mixture in a bowl and place in a fridge to cool until ready to mix into ice cream.

Begin by freezing a container to put the finished ice cream in. Churn the ice cream custard in an ice cream machine, according to manufacturer’s instructions.

Scoop about half of ice cream into the prepared frozen container. Spoon a couple heavy lines of fig compote over the ice cream. Then add the second half of the ice cream. Spoon another couple of heavy lines of fig compote over the ice cream. Then cut through the lines of fig compote, with a spatula or spoon, to spread the streaks of fig compote through the churned ice cream.

If you don’t have a fancy ice cream maker (I don’t) place the ice cream mixture in old ice cream container and keep stirring it as it freezes. If you forget to stir, it will form ice crystals and be less creamy.

Freeze, serve and enjoy!

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

22 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

From Testicles to Brandy and Beyond It would appear that cycling is the most drug-riddled sport around. A view skewed by the fact that professional cycling undergoes many more drug tests than any other sport; so naturally more people are caught. By Tom Burns

T

he most famous case (possibly now 2nd most famous following the recent scandal of Russian track and field athletes) of course involves Lance Armstrong. Lance was not the first (and will not be last) to be caught, however, the manner in which he cheated was pretty shocking.

At the height of his powers he used bullying to involve people around him. It’s worth remembering that in many of the Tour de France races he won using PEDs (performance enhancing drugs) the 2nd and 3rd placed riders were also cheating (whilst riding for different teams) so he wasn’t alone.

He became the figurehead for drug-taking sportspeople but drug-taking has been going on as long as competitive sport.

The Ancient Greeks’ ‘performance enhancing potions’ were consumed to stave off the effects of fatigue. These included herbal and hallucinogenic wine-cocktails, and the consumption of animal hearts and testicles to get that extra boost! In the late 19th C French cyclists, as well as a champion Lacrosse team, drank ‘the wine of athletes’, a mixture of wine and coca-leaf extract. The cocaine and coca were a popular choice as they kept hunger and fatigue at bay during hard physical exertion.

During WW2 American, British, German and Japanese soldiers regularly took (were given) amphetamines as these were believed to increase endurance, heighten mood and again keep fatigue under control. They were used as a substitute to cocaine as they could be taken in tablet form and the effects lasted much longer. In the 1950s the amphetamines used by the soldiers would find their way into cycling and other endurance sports.

Up until 1928 the taking of drugs in sports was considered fairly normal so no harm- no foul. The IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation) was

the first governing body to ban doping for athletes but this did not concern the cyclists. Pressure on sporting agencies/governing bodies to ban drug taking/ performance enhancing substances did not really start until 1967. During the 1967 Tour de France British cycling star Tommy Simpson died during the 13th stage, whilst ascending Mont Ventoux. His body effectively shut down, whilst still on his bike, due to the excessive mixture of brandy and amphetamines he’d consumed to combat an illness picked up during the race. Tommy was at the pinnacle of his sport when he died, and although people had died during the Olympics it was this fateful event that lead to the drug testing and banned substance list we have today.

It’s easy to look at the professional pelotons of the 1960s and find it almost amusing to discover what they would take to boost their performance. The thing to remember is that almost everyone did it, as Tommy Simpson said “if 10 will kill you, take 9 and win”.

The big difference between then and now is the science involved in sport. Modern training methods and equipment are much better so that it’s possible to race a 3-week Grand Tour race without the need for PEDs; even so a few still try to cheat and undermine the efforts of the clean athletes. However, it’s worth remembering that even if you are doped ‘up to the eyeballs’ you still have to train hard, and that doping in cycling is often initiated by the team managers and not just the individual cyclists who, on discovery, are sacked on the spot.

So maybe if there’s a particular climb you find tough on your cycle routes a big glass of brandy might be the answer. I would, however, leave the amphetamines alone as it’s hard enough to find your bike with those things let alone ride up the Tourmalet!

The 2013 documentary ‘The Armstrong Lie’ is well worth a watch to see the lengths Lance Armstrong went to for the sake of winning.

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 23

Cancer Support France – working hard for everybody!

For many of us living here in France it is the realisation of a long-held dream.

Often the translation of sun filled family holidays into a new life and a new adventure here in France. Sadly that dream can sour when illness strikes.

A diagnosis of cancer in any of its many forms is overwhelming but can be particularly traumatising in a country when we are often without the support of family and friends. This is where Cancer Support France can help.

We are a national association that was formed in August 2007, to provide support to English speaking people who are affected by cancer. This can be the person directly affected, or their spouse, partner, family or friends. It is a free confidential support by men and women, with a sympathetic approach and the offer of practical help to those affected by cancer. Clients contact CSF through the local helpline : 06 35 90 03 41 or by email to president Heather Moorhead using delot-president@cancersupportfrance.org Our volunteers undertake many different support roles, but the key direct supporting role is that of Active Listener. Our trained Active Listeners provided support as required by the client and this is done by establishing and maintaining a tailor-made relationship.

The key to this relationship is in listening to the client’s situation and using questioning skills to help the client identify and address whatever is of concern. Support is provided by telephone, personal home visits, accompanying hospital appointments, and translation and interpreting services. We have a good knowledge and experience of the health system in France so can help find answers to the questions that frequently go unasked during challenging medical appointments. All Active Listeners have a good standard of French but are also backed up by a small team of translators fluent in French.

Cancer Support France Dordogne Est & Lot covers from Sarlat in Eastern Dordogne to Figeac in the far west of the Lot, and in the north from Brive down to Lalbenque, south of Cahors. We say cancer has no boundaries - wherever you live - we are here to help and support you. In addition to supporting all those touched by cancer we are always looking for members to join us. This can be in different ways. Simply join as a member for e5 euros a year or perhaps think about becoming one of our Active Listeners.

Contact us via our Local Helpline 06 35 90 03 41 or by email: delot-president@cancersupport.org www.cancersupportfrance.org Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

24 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Twilight

The Twilight Retirement Home for Dogs is no ordinary refuge. Nestled in the verdant countryside of the French Perigord Vert, this family home is an oasis of love and tranquillity where the old, sick, lame and unwanted come to spend their final years, months or days, with all that a dog needs to make him or her as well and as comfortable as possible. It’s about having the best of life to the very moment of crossing the Rainbow Bridge, ensuring that a dog’s last memory is of being loved.

W

hen Mike and Leeanne Whitley left the rat race over fifteen years ago, seeking a quieter pace of life in France, little did they realise that they would find their true calling in life, tackling head-on the shocking reality of the life of an older dog. The couple brought with them their three golden retrievers, Abby, Kizzy and Teg, who were already in their teens. Over the years, the two older dogs passed on and they quickly realised that Teg was mourning the loss of her friends.

So began the search for a new friend, an older dog, and the discovery that life for an old, abandoned dog in the many local refuges was not good. Older dogs tend to be overlooked for rehoming, and many suffer a premature end. What’s more, not all refuges have a policy of no euthanasia. There are also a large number of dogs who are simply abandoned when the cost of their medical treatment becomes too much, or when their elderly owner dies, or goes into a home, and the family don’t want to, or cannot take on the responsibility of their pet.

There was no shortage of suitable companions for Teg. Over the next few years, Mike and Leeanne took in a number of dogs, young and old, sick and mistreated.

They settled on taking in older dogs, whose need was greatest, and the concept of a retirement home for dogs was born. The number of dogs gradually increased and eventually Twilight outgrew its semi-detached village house and it was time to move to the current base, an isolated, rural, detached house with large grounds for the dogs to run about and play. But this is no typical dog refuge.

This is Mike and Leeanne’s family home, and all the dogs live inside, as members of a large doggy family.

The house has been adapted to suit the needs of the dogs – in the Whitley household the dogs come first!

There are ramps, sofas, beds, a washroom with special dog bath, quiet areas, warm log fires in winter, sunny decking and a lovely fenced two-and-a-half hectare field in which to run, bark, sniff or simply relax and enjoy the fresh air.

At any one time Twilight looks after, on average, thirty dogs. Illnesses and disabilities are cared for with firstclass medical treatment, and every dog knows love right to the end. In the last nine years, Twilight has cared for around three hundred dogs. This fantastic work is completely voluntary and has taken over the lives of the couple, who are supported by a team of volunteers.

No one who has ever visited Twilight can fail to be moved by the dogs’ stories and by the calm, loving kindness they all receive. Twilight’s philosophy is that no

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 25

Expat Citizen Rights in EU - ‘ECREU’ ECREU is a lobby and self-help group set up to make sure your rights are foremost in the minds of those negotiating your future within the EU. We are working to get British MPs and Brussels representatives on your side and willing to state your case in any discussions and negotiations resulting from the UK’s decision to leave the EU. So if you are concerned for your wellbeing as an expat citizen living in another EU country after Brexit, you will not be alone.

You can join ECREU (no charge) at www.ecreu.com

dog should die alone.

Leeanne and Mike work selflessly to provide love, companionship, pain relief, medical care, good food and the freedom to be the doggie that every dog deserves to be, to every dog that passes through Twilight’s doors.

In Leeanne’s words: ‘We do what we do for the love of the dogs. Twilight is self-funding, and the support we receive means we can take in and save more old dogs, give them the quality of food and medical support they need, and most importantly provide the dignity and help they might need in their ageing or sick years, and even help them to pass across the Rainbow Bridge.’

Twilightdogshome www.twilightchiens.com

Introducing the Twilight biography ‘Paws Before Bedtime – the story of Twilight the retirement home for dogs’ written by Liz Brown.

A high quality professionally printed paperback of 260 pages, illustrated with over 200 colour photographs.

It costs e15, or can be posted to any address in France for e20.

100% of the profits goes to the Twilight dogs.

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

26 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Wine, Food & then Song and how to get better at all of it!

This region means many different things to different people. Time spent in a field on a cold and foggy January day is as much Périgordian as an afternoon under a tree on an August afternoon (possibly after a rather nice bottle of local Rosé wine). It’s this diversity, and the way the region morphs from season to season, that makes life here rather more interesting than a life in perpetual sun or even endless damp. This seasonality brings with it anticipation and a heroic determination to live life ‘right now’ and to its fullest.

Here are a few ideas for learning more about three things we love. Wine, Food and Song.

Firstly, WINE and go on, why not a little truffle too?

Duck & Truffle, based at Tremolat (24510) host out of season Truffle & Wine weekends as well as 1-day, wine-tours all year round. These tours can be personalised to suit individual groups.

If you’ve ever wanted to learn a little bit more about the wine that surrounds you. Or you’ve visitors coming that would love a chance to get a real understanding of what’s growing (above ground and below it) then speak to Kate, Emma, Max and Simon, the four friends that run Duck & Truffle.

The team at Duck & Truffle live in the region and want to share with you its bounties and their passion for the local food and wine. Their tours visit family run vineyards and local truffle farmers. The tours are led

by Max, their multi-lingual sommelier, who’s a longstanding local-resident with a wealth of knowledge and passion for the local gastronomy.

On the morning of a typical Truffle & Wine tour day, you’ll meet local truffle hunting experts, Sebastien and his dog Falco, and then go in search of the famous Périgord Black Truffle. You’ll learn about the different types of truffles, hunting techniques and enjoy a fabulous truffle tasting. You may then move to Bergerac for a fabulous lunch at La Tour des Vents, a gastronomic restaurant in the heart of the Monbazillac vineyards. Then during the afternoon, you may visit two vineyards where you’ll experience everything from the luminous Bergerac Sec to the creamy Monbazillac via Pécharmant, a full-bodied red. But, of course your itinerary is up to you, contact the team to discuss.

As Max explains: “I’ve always been surrounded by wine – I grew up on a vineyard in Piedmont, North-West Italy and now live in the heart of the Dordogne surrounded by Bergerac

wines. I’ve had the opportunity to taste and visit some of the best, and lesser known vineyards of these regions. As well as living in and around vineyards, I’ve worked in the food and wine industry for over 25 years and passed a sommelier course in Italy.

In 2016, I changed my profession and no longer work in restaurants giving me more time to share my wine passion through Duck & Truffle”.

To find out more – www.duckandtruffle.com or email the team at duckandtruffle24@gmail.com

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 27

First Wine – and now to FOOD Learning new ‘food’ skills in the heart of one of the world’s greatest ‘gastronomy’ regions.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been cooking, or even if you’ve never started – learning from someone passionate and with a knowledge of local produce must be truly joyful. So, if you fancy improving your skills then look no further than Nadia Graves’ Cookery School at Maison Travers, nestled in the Périgord countryside close to the market town of Le Bugue (24260).

Nadia’s well-travelled and a self-confessed foodie and she explains: “I have always had a passion for food. Growing up in South Africa with a French mother who loved travel and was a great cook, I developed very early on a love for cooking and eating. I started off my career as a Chartered Accountant working in the accounting world, hospitality and entertainment world before moving to Paris in my mid-twenties. This was heaven for a foodie like me, daily trips to my local market, glorious food everywhere.”

Nadia has attended courses at Le Cordon Bleu and then life took her to Copenhagen, London, back to Paris and even Los Angeles. She then trained as a teacher, got divorced, re-married and moved to France. During all this Nadia continued her love of cookery and has taught small groups for over 20 years.

From her home, Nadia offers private lessons/courses and holidays. Lessons are personalised according to your needs and wishes or, she can suggest a menu

for you. Groups of 1 to 6 can be accommodated and classes can be one, two or three days in length. Classes vary from daily classes which last about 4 hours to all day classes that include lunch and dinner. Everything is included in the price, teaching, demonstrations, meals and drinks.

A one-day course might include a coffee and croissant start, a trip to an outdoor market to shop for the ingredients for delicious, brasserie-style lunch then you’ll help prepare, before all sitting down to enjoy your efforts, either around the kitchen table or al fresco (weather permitting). Nadia is happy to arrange lessons/ courses to suit you as an individual or for groups. So, whether you live locally and fancy doing something different or, you want to suggest a great activity to people coming to stay, maybe Nadia’s cookery school is worth a little look.

Nadia can suggest local accommodation or Maison Travers has its own separate guest house for those wanting to do longer courses.

You can find out more and contact Nadia via her website – https://maisontravers.wordpress.com/

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

28 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Wine and Food over – now for a SONG According to a recent study at Frankfurt University singing strengthens the immune system.

Also, it’s a natural anti-depressant, improves your posture and helps you to sleep better. If that’s not enough to make you want to join a choir or take singing lessons, there’s considerable evidence that singing improves your concentration and memory. Hands up who doesn’t need a little boost in that area!

Furthermore, in a land of big skies, fresh air and plenty of medieval churches, what else would you want to do, but sing? Anke de Bruijn, was trained in Utrecht in musicology and choral conducting. Anke runs ‘Singing Holidays’ in the Lot and Périgord (where she lives). Her gift is enabling singers, of all levels, to free their voices.

In June/July and September, Anke gathers an international group of singers for ‘Singing Holidays’ in the unspoilt area between the medieval towns of Sarlat and Cahors, just on the border of the of the Lot and Dordogne. Singers venture out into the countryside and discover hidden treasures, including, stunning Romanesque churches with great acoustics (some of which you will be able to sing in).

Singers enjoy a week of coaching and choral singing.

They learn techniques that allow them to free their voice and to focus on breathing, vowel formation and posture.

All classes and rehearsals are conducted in English.

It is possible to make this holiday suit you. Anke can include all rehearsals and singing classes together with accommodation and meals in a local Chambres d’Hôtes. Or, you may prefer to cater for yourself or perhaps stay with friends (or at home if you live nearby) and just sign-up for the singing.

If you just want to have help with your singing voice, rather than a singing holiday then Anke also offers ‘Vocal Workouts’ from her home in Florimont (24250).

These 2-hour sessions are called ‘workouts’ instead of

workshops because they stress the physical aspects of singing. This gets everyone involved in investigating and exploring what makes up this often-elusive thing called a ‘voice’.

One of Anke’s Vocal Workout pupils, Anne Kearns tells us: ‘I hadn’t sung in over 30 years when I finally screwed up the courage to attend one of the Workouts last April.

I am hooked on the sheer pleasure of occasionally being able to sing a song without clearing the room.

And I sleep better, feel better and everyone says I look better. What are you waiting for?’

Contact Anke for more details of her Vocal Workouts and Singing Holidays www.ankevocal.com; www.lachoraledecazals. blogspot.fr; info@papageno.net

The Périgord Local • March - April 2018 Please support our advertisers and tell them you saw their advert in The Périgord Local

THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 29

PÉRIGORD & QUERCY’S Annual Shakespearean Tour

Ben Horslen and John Risebero, directors of theatre company Antic Disposition, share their thoughts on the company’s annual tour to Périgord and Quercy, and reveal this year’s production…

This summer, Antic Disposition will be returning to Périgord and Quercy for our fourteenth season of Shakespeare in the sun. Each August, we leave London and bring a company of up to a dozen actors plus a backstage team of five or six down to southwest France for a fortnight’s tour.

Like the strolling players of Shakespeare’s day, we strike out from our base on the banks of the River Lot in the beautiful town of Puy l’Evêque to perform each night in a different open-air location, from huge squares in major towns to tiny private gardens in the most secluded villages. We have played in a total of twenty extraordinary locations to over 15,800 people since our first visit in 2005, against the backdrop of vineyards, sunflower fields and beautiful medieval buildings.

One of the great joys of the tour is the sense of community we experience each year. We have been welcomed to many of our venues for more than a decade – and are always delighted to see familiar faces in the audience – but we also try to incorporate at least one new venue on every visit. As we set up our stage there in the late afternoon, it’s often under the bemused eyes of locals wondering why on earth an English theatre company has descended on their rural village. But once the sun has gone down and the play has started, we’ll often find many of the same people pausing on the edge of the performance, as they pass by on their evening stroll, becoming part of the scene, just briefly, and enjoying a shared experience with the actors and audience.

This year, we’re delighted to reveal that we’ll be bringing one of Shakespeare’s best-loved comedies, Much Ado About Nothing, a tale of romance, quick wits and deception – with a sprinkling of magical music to make the night complete. We hope to see you there!

Much Ado About Nothing will tour Périgord and Quercy from 1st to 13th August 2018. Tickets go on sale to members of the AD Friends on 7th April, and on general sale on 14th April. For full details, and to join the AD Friends, visit www.ad-tour.com

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

30 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

The Scented Emperor

by Mike Alexander

W

hen Napoleon Bonaparte married Josephine in 1796 she carried a bouquet of violets and wore eau de cologne which was developed from these tiny mauve and blue flowers. Josephine passed on her love for violets to her husband. Historical records reveal that he ordered fifty bottles of violet based eau de cologne per month which he liberally poured over his neck and shoulders.

In those days there was not the separation of men and women’s perfumes that we see today. His liberal use of the scent must have come as a welcome respite

to his perfumers who had recently lost so many of their top customers to the guillotine during the revolution.

Josephine’s inability to provide an heir eventually led to the annulment of their marriage and the Emperor quickly began to seek out a suitably fertile replacement. He first considered Princess Maria Augusta of Saxony but at the ripe old age of twentyseven there were fears that she might be a little over the hill and unable to endow him with the heir he was so desperate for. Eventually he settled upon the eighteen-year-old Archduchess Marie Louis.

Amongst his troops and others loyal to him, Napoleon was known as Caporal La Violette. In a speech to the Imperial Guard, just prior to departing for his banishment to Elba, he said “But know that I shall return when the violets bloom.”

True to his word he stepped ashore at Frejus on the 20th of March 1815 just as the tiny flowers were coming out. He was greeted by hundreds of loyal followers. The women wore violets in their hair and the men in their epaulettes as signs of their continuing support. During his exile a cottage industry had developed selling postcards, rings and snuff boxes depicting the flower and thus demonstrating clandestine allegiance to the exiled Emperor rather than King Louis XVII. Josephine died while Napoleon was banished on Elba, but despite having arranged for the annulment of their marriage, Napoleon never lost his love for his first wife. Within a year of his return from Elba the fateful Battle of Waterloo ended his reign. He was again exiled, this time to Saint Helena Island where

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 31

CSF DORDOGNE EST ET LOT ASSOCIATION ARE HOLDING A SPRING MARKET SATURDAY APRIL 21ST, 10H:00 - 16H:00 AT L’OSTAL LAVACANTIÈRE 46340 It is proposed to have a variety of stalls:- cakes; plants & flowers; books; soft furnishings; local produce as well as tombola and activities for children.

Refreshments will be available throughout the day and there is the possibility to also buy food from Cod en Bleu and La Saucisserie.

L’Ostal is situated on the edge of Lavacantière village so there is easy access and excellent parking facilities. he eventually died. When he was buried he was found to have some dried violets in a locket he always wore around his neck. The petals were said to have been taken from plants he had placed on Josephine’s grave prior to his exile.

In Napoleon’s day violets were a crucial ingredient to many perfumes. As flowers they have a delicate woody scent which is sometimes quite elusive as the plants produce ionones which temporarily dull our ability to smell. This soon passes and so we tend to capture the odour in waves rather than as a steady stream. Modern perfume producers have moved away from using the actual plants and instead utilize synthetic substitutes.

This may have caused a drop-in business for the nursery men, who were heavily invested in supplying the perfume industry, but they were quick to adapt and find other markets for their products. Toulouse, nick named The Violet City, had built a large industry around the Violette de Toulose which was a cultivar said to have been introduced by Napoleon III. That city now still has many shops selling violet related products that range from scented soaps through to crystallised violets and violet liqueur. As an alternative to Kir with its usual additive of crème de cassis you might like to try Kir à la violette which has a pale mauve colour and a more subtle flavour.

The plants grow well in most of the west of France.

Wild ones are five petalled and come in colours of purple, white and blue. In many gardens they seem to appear of their own accord and grow so prolifically that they almost become weeds, all be it, with a fine French history to them.

Come and help us celebrate Spring and at the same time support our CSF Association which provides help and support to English speaking people living in France affected by cancer.

For anyone with an interest in the ‘real’ history of the Périgord, its people and the natural world, then you need go no further than the publications produced by Secrets de Pays and Esprit de Pays.

They produce books and periodicals and an incredible website which, in all honesty, must be the most interesting and well presented set of historical articles that I can remember coming across. There books and periodicals are available throughout the region.

We are delighted that Jean-Françoise Tronel and Jacky Tronel have allowed us to include a few bits and pieces from their website in this magazine. We hope that we will be able to call on their huge resource in the future.

You can find out more about their publications and read some incredibly interesting articles on http://espritdepays.com/ Editor

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

32 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Gastropods Getting rid of

It is spring, and people everywhere are getting busy in their gardens. Unfortunately, so are slugs and snails. These pesky gastropods are a nuisance all year round, but in the warm, damp climate of spring, they thrive, and young spring shoots in your ornamental beds and pottagers are particularly vulnerable.

T

hese molluscs are partial to many plants, especially beans, celery, lettuce, peas and potatoes in the veggie garden, and dahlias, delphiniums, hostas, sweet peas and tulips in the ornamental garden. They eat many parts of the plant: buds, flowers, fruit, leaves, stems, roots, corms, bulbs and tubers, and are especially fond of, and inflict catastrophic damage upon, fresh young seedlings and new, soft growth.

Signs of slug and snail infestation include slime trails, holes throughout plants, and entire seedlings being completely devoured. Most damage occurs at night, especially during warm humid periods.

It’s virtually impossible to eradicate these ubiquitous creatures, so the best course of action is to target your efforts around your most vulnerable plants, and to consider employing a number of pest control techniques. Delay transplanting fragile seedlings until they have grown bigger and sturdier, growing them on in pots instead, and utilise any or all of the following methods.

Prevention, of course, is better than cure. Hopefully you have been raking up fallen leaves throughout autumn and winter, for a tidy garden and to create leaf mould; as well as cultivating your soil ready for the spring season. This also has the benefit of exposing slugs’ eggs so that birds and other predators can easily eat them, thus reducing your future slug population.

One of the easiest but most effective things you can do is time your watering schedule so that it is beneficial for your plants but not for molluscs. They thrive in damp conditions, so avoid watering late in the day, which creates an optimum environment for their nocturnal activities. Instead, irrigate in the early morning. The water has time to soak down to the plants’ roots and the heat of the day will dry out the surface level of the soil by the evening.

A basic and time-consuming, but effective, method is to manually remove these voracious pests. Go into

your garden (preferably in the evening) and remove them by hand, relocating them far away from any gardens, killing them with salt, or feeding them to your chickens or ducks. Similarly, you can encourage other predators into your garden to pick them off for you: hedgehogs love to eat them, as do various birds, ground beetles, frogs and toads. Creating a pond or boggy area will attract these beneficial creatures.

Gastropods, either dead or alive, make a good addition to your compost heap. Dead ones rot down and add to the compost, while live ones will love that environment, and stay there, and do a good job breaking down the compost.

You can put spent kitchen products to good use.

Coffee is a repellent, and you can sprinkle coffee grounds around vulnerable plants, to both form a mulch

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 33

and to dissuade slugs and snails. A coffee solution is even more effective, so that leftover coffee that’s gone cold in the bottom of the pot – don’t tip it down the sink, pour it onto the soil in your garden, or spray directly onto your plants.

Any craft beer fans out there? I like to use the dregs of each bottle, with the yeasty sediment, to make slug and snail traps. Sink a steep-sided pot into the ground, leaving it slightly protruding so beetles don’t fall in (you want them alive and munching on the molluscs) and half fill it with beer. The slugs and snails will be attracted to the beer (can’t blame them for that!) and will fall in and drown. Surely the classiest control method around – almost too good for the slimeballs!

Fruit rinds also make a good lure. Place empty halves of orange, lemon, melon or grapefruit in your garden. The gastropods love them and will gather underneath these fragrant domes, in search of food and shelter, ready for you to collect and dispose of in the morning. Similarly, wooden planks will attract slugs, as they seek shelter from the sun.

Copper gives slugs and snails an electric shock.

You can buy ready-made strips, rings, tapes and barriers in different sizes, or create your own with coppers from your small change. Ensure that no leaves cross over the copper barrier to form a bridge.

Alternatively, you can buy, or make, a battery powered electric slug and snail fence. You can also use companion planting to repel them, forming a barrier with fragrant plants that gastropods dislike. Chives, garlic, geraniums, lavender, mint, sage, rosemary and thyme can all be planted around the edge of the garden to help keep them out.

Diatomaceous earth is a chalky powder that looks like flour but is very sharp at a microscopic level. It consists of the fossilized remains of diatoms and can be sprinkled on the garden to kill slugs and snails. Other sharp textures can be used to create barriers: sand, gravel and broken eggshells are all worth considering.

Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita nematodes are another excellent natural solution. These microscopic parasitic worms live in the soil and they infect and kill slugs and snails but do not harm humans and animals.

They occur naturally in your soil, but for them to provide an effective pest control, you need to increase their numbers. You can buy them online and they arrive in packets which you add to water and then water into the soil. This is best done from spring to autumn, as a moist, warm soil, with temperatures of 5-20ºC/ 4168ºF, creates an optimum environment.

While all of the preceding methods have been natural, you can, of course, use chemical slug pellets. There are two different active ingredients used in slug pellets: metaldehyde or ferric phosphate.

Metaldehyde is highly toxic and should be kept away from animals and young children, while ferric phosphate is a safer choice. Slug pellets, if used, should be applied sparingly.

Gastropods lay up to 100 eggs after each mating, several times a year. They can live for up to 6 years, and it is estimated that each cubic metre of garden generally contains up to 200 of them. Reproductive activity is most prolific and productive during warm, damp conditions, and while you will never eliminate the entire population, ongoing preventative measures are advisable, especially at this time of year.

by Debbie Wilson

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

Presbytere, 7 Route des Gours, 24420 Saint-Vincent-sur-l'Isle

Dimanche 29 Avril 1030 – 1830 Jardin privé ouvert au public dans l'aide charité. Tous sont bienvenus.

Des boissons et des gâteaux anglais 5 € PASS JOURNEE

THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 35

Opening gardens throughout France to help fund charitable causes Open Gardens / Jardins Ouverts encourages owners to open their gardens to the public.

Admission is by an annual membership card (10e) which entitles the holder to visit any of the gardens throughout the year on their stated open days. The proceeds are donated to charitable organisations in France.

The organisation started in 2013 with a small trial of just 4 gardens in the Creuse, the association has grown rapidly and now has more than 150 gardens in France.

Since we started, our main beneficiary has been an association which organises activities for children in remission from cancer (achacunsoneverest.com) and in that year, our donation was 300e. More recently, we have extended the range of supported charities, mainly directed towards those supporting disabled or ill children and in 2017, our donations totalled 23,500e, of which 15,000e was given to A Chacun son Everest. Thanks to all the volunteers, sponsors, visitors and helpers, we have donated over 50,000e to 12 worthy causes in our first 5 years.

In a very short space of time, the success of Open Gardens/Jardins Ouverts has been amazing and our aim is that it should continue to grow and that, by 2021, there will be gardens throughout France proudly bearing our logo.

We are always keen to hear from anyone who wishes to help us in achieving this goal, particularly in one of these three ways: • Simply by visiting some of the beautiful gardens in our scheme • Opening your garden • Being a local coordinator Our guiding principle of “Gardening and the spirit of generosity” epitomises the two themes of our association and the concept of visiting beautiful gardens in the knowledge that you are also helping worthy causes.

Kevin Weedon, Area Co-ordinator, Jardins Ouverts/Open Gardens, kevinweedon@orange.fr, www.opengardens.eu

Association Acorn

rescuing and re-homing cats

05 53 81 30 44 associationacorn@gmail.com associationacorn.com Acorn Cat Rescue La Puille, 24400 Église-Neuve-d’Issac

This magazine is published every March, May, July, September and December.

To advertise your business in the May edition, please contact us on theperigordlocal@gmail.com Advertising rates and full details can be found on www.perigordlocal.com

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • December 2017-February 2018

36 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

The Blevins Franks Autumn Seminar Our seminar this spring covers the journey of an expatriate’s life in France, from their arrival through to the end of their time here.

We look at all the financial aspects they need to plan for along the way, including residency, tax and estate planning, pensions and investing. We also provide updates on Brexit, the French tax reforms and UK budget.

Seminars

Tue 17 Apr LIMOGES (87) Hôtel Novotel Limoges le Lac Wed 18 Apr VIGIERS (24) Château des Vigiers Thur 19 Apr AUCH (32) Hôtel Restaurant Campanile Auch Timing for all seminars 10 for 10.30am start, until 12 noon Book your seat now

05 53 63 49 19

bergerac@blevinsfranks.com Online booking is also available from our website

www.blevinsfranks.com

S1-fr

INTERNATIONAL TAX ADVICE • INVESTMENTS • ESTATE PLANNING • PENSIONS Blevins Franks Group is represented in France by the following companies: Blevins Franks Financial Management Limited (BFFM) and Blevins Franks France SASU (BFF). BFFM is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK, reference number 179731. Where advice is provided overseas, via the Insurance Mediation Directive from Malta, the regulatory system differs in some respects from that of the UK. Blevins Franks France SASU (BFF), is registered with ORIAS, registered number 07 027 475, and authorised as “Conseil en Investissements Financiers” and “Courtiers d’Assurance” Category B (register can be consulted on www.orias.fr). Member of ANACOFI-CIF. BFF’s registered office: Parc Innolin, 3 Rue du Golf, CS 60073, 33701 Mérignac – RCS BX 498 800 465 APE 6622Z. Garantie Financière et Assurance de Responsabilité Civile Professionnelle conformes aux articles L 541-3 du Code Monétaire et Financier and L512-6 and 512-7 du Code des Assurances (assureur MMA).

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 37

CHANGES TO FRENCH TAXATION IN 2018

By Peter Wakelin, Regional Manager, Blevins Franks France The French tax reforms which were first announced last September came into effect on 1st January 2018. They include significant tax benefits for investment assets and income. Here is a summary of the key changes affecting expatriates living in France.

Income tax rates

There are no changes to French income tax rates for 2018 (payable on 2017 income). The income tax bands for each rate have, however, been indexed for inflation. For example, last year’s e9,710 nil rate band has increased by e97, and the income threshold for the top 45% rate is up e1,523 to e153,783.

NET INCOME SUBJECT TO TAX

TAX RATE

Up to e9,807 Nil e9,807

to e27,086 14%

e27,086

to e72,617 30%

e72,617

to e153,783 41%

Over e153,783 45% The ‘exceptional tax’ remains in place for 2017 income.

This charges an extra 3% or 4% for income over e250,000 and e500,000 respectively, with higher thresholds for families.

Income tax is payable on salaries, self-employment income, pensions and rental income (see below for investment income) and you are taxed as a household rather than as an individual. Take advice to make sure you are taking advantage of available tax-efficient structures in France.

opts for the scale rates. However, since this option is irrevocable, it should be used with care.

Contrats d’Assurance-vie This new system also applies to assurance-vie if the total amount invested is more than e150,000 per person.

However, note that in this case, it applies to all policies set up on or after 27th September 2017, although the flat rate only applies for withdrawals made after 1st January 2018.

For policies set up before 27th September 2017 the old fixed rate system will still be available. If you top it up after this date, the proportion of the gain element relating to the top-up will be subject to the new flat rate of tax.

The allowance for policies held for more than eight years stays in place for all policies (e4,600 for individuals and e9,200 for married/PACS couples).

Wealth tax From 1st January 2018, the scope of wealth tax is limited to real estate assets. In fact, the old “ISF” has been replaced by a new tax called “Impôt sur la Fortune Immobilière”.

Therefore, any savings and investments, including assurance-vie policies, are now exempt from wealth tax, provided they are not directly invested in property. The majority of previous wealth taxpayers are now exempt.

Social charges

All income is subject to social charges as well as income tax. They increase by 1.7% this year for all types of income, so the rates for 2018 are: 9.7% for employment income; 9.1% for pension income and 17.2% for investment income For the new tax, the previous threshold of e1,300,000 (including rental income). stays in place and the scale rates of wealth tax remain the You do not need to pay social charges on pension income, same as before. The 75% limitation also stays in place. including lump sums, if you have EU Form S1 and/or do not have access to the French Other measures healthcare system.

These reforms make this an excellent time to review

Flat tax on investment income

Over recent years, investment income was subject to the income tax scale rates, but this has now changed.

From 1st January 2018, investment income is liable to one fixed rate of 30%, regardless of the amount earned. This 30% flat rate includes both the income tax and the social charges – so the income tax part is equal to 12.8%.

The assumption is that the ‘flat tax’ will be favourable to taxpayers, since the first tax band is 14%. Households in low-income brackets keep the option to choose progressive income tax rates (otherwise they would pay more tax with the new system). The current abatements on dividend income and gains on share sales (only for small and medium-sized companies) remain in place if the taxpayer

your tax planning. Establish exactly what the changes mean for you, and whether you need to consider re-structuring your assets so that you can take full advantage. Seek personalised, specialist advice, so you can ensure your tax planning is designed around your circumstances and objectives, and you are not paying any more tax than necessary.

The tax rates, scope and reliefs may change. Any statements concerning taxation are based upon our understanding of current taxation laws and practices which are subject to change.

Tax information has been summarised; an individual is advised to seek personalised advice.

Keep up to date on the financial issues that may affect you on the Blevins Franks news page at www.blevinsfranks.com

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

38 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

A MISSING BUGATTI; THE CAR; THE HERO AND THE WRITER THE BOOK: Fatal Pursuit – A case for Bruno, Périgord’s famous Chief of Police is a captivating novel written by Martin Walker and based on the enduring mystery of a Bugatti sportscar.

A car that went missing during WW2, as it was moved from the Périgord to Bordeaux. Walker takes what’s known about the missing Bugatti and weaves it into an intriguing, wellwritten story. There’s some artistic license but the actual mysterious tale is based on fact.

The story is based in many towns that’ll be recognised by readers. The various elements of the book and its characters come together seamlessly.

There’s the perfect amount of time given to the development of each character and the plots.

This allows the story to flow well and produces an enjoyable read. There’s murder, romance, and a very well painted picture of the local way-of-life; including some mouth-watering descriptions of local produce!

We’d never heard about this car or the mystery before. We are now intrigued. This book is a real page-turner, and even non-car enthusiasts are encouraged to read it, you may develop your own theories and go on to do some of your own research!

down the car is its most revered feature; the concept car had a fin because of its externally riveted body panels (which were made of Elektro – a magnesium alloy). The production Atlantic kept this feature even though its panels were made of Aluminium.

Only four ‘production’ cars were produced, one’s in a museum in California and the second belongs to Ralph Lauren. The third was partially destroyed when it was hit by a train at a crossing near Gien, France.

The driver and his companion perished but most of the car survived to be confiscated by the police.

In 1965 it underwent a full restoration.

The last, and the missing car, ‘La Voiture Noir’ was never registered. It was used by members of the Bugatti family and their racing driver, William GroverWilliams. The car was on a list of cars sent to Bordeaux in 1941 but was never seen or heard of again.

There’s much speculation that it was taken by the Nazis and scrapped. That would be a sad end.

Maybe it’s worth checking barns in and around the region; it may have been hidden and forgotten!

THE HERO:

THE CAR: A 1936 Bugatti 57S is the star of the book and its full-story remains a mystery. This model of car is believed to be the most beautiful car ever manufactured and the surviving 3 examples the world’s most expensive. The type 57 Atlantic production model was produced in 1936, based on the 1935 concept car known as the Aerolithe. The eye catching ‘fin’ running

William Grover-Williams was the enigmatic man in the middle of the ‘real-life’ mystery of ‘La Voiture Noir’.

Grover-Williams lived (and died) a life of mystery, intrigue and equally great success. Born in France to an English father and French mother he led a colourful early life with mystery surrounding much of his family’s life. He became a racing driver for Bugatti and won 7 GrandPrix titles at the end of the 1920s and early 1930s; including the very first race held at Monaco; where he was not driving for ‘team Bugatti’ but as a private entry.

The Bugatti (normally pale blue) was painted in what was to become ‘English Racing Green’.

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 39

Martin Walker

With the arrival of WW2, William was recruited, by the British, to the Special Operations Executive (SOE) to assist the French Resistance. He recruited fellow racing driver Robert Benoist and they worked in Paris, forming sabotage cells and aiding Allied parachute operations.

In 1943 Grover-Williams was arrested by the Germans and tortured before being deported to Berlin and the Sachsenhausen concentration camp. In 1945, he was reportedly executed by the Nazis.

There’s a theory that Grover-Williams survived the war and lived on under the assumed identity of ‘Georges Tambal’ who lived with his widow for many years. More bizarrely, rumours suggest he was, actually killed, years later after being knocked from his bike in Agen by a car of German tourists. His family deny these possibilities.

THE WRITER: Martin Walker has had a home in the Périgord since the 1990s. He was drawn by the food, wine, history and engrossing intrigue of the region; all of which inspires his now prolific,’ Bruno, Chief of Police’ novels.

Martin, a scholar and historian, has worked for British and American Newspapers and global organisations. He and his wife Julia Watson, novelist and food writer, have two daughters and a basset hound. Their time is divided between Washington DC and the Périgord region of France.

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

40 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

A Driving Ambition ‘If you turn your obsession into your profession, you will never work again’.

However, this was only half the story, and Andy’s real passion was motorsport, which saw him compete in numerous formulas, from top-level British karting championships, racing single-seaters, sportscars and saloons in both UK and European championships.

We’ve caught up with Andy to ask him a few questions about his life with the ‘classics’.

Was there a ‘best moment’ during your driving?

I’ve had many highs and lows during my time in motorsport, made some great friends and raced at some amazing circuits. My last national race season in 2005 proved a success, finishing runner-up in the ‘British Mini Cooper S’ championship, where I went on to represent Great Britain in the ‘World Finals’ in Italy.

W

ell I’m sure it’s not quite as simple as that!

But for Andy Sayle, from Cross Channel Sports Cars, it certainly was the thinking behind him setting-up his classic car business here in South West France.

In Andy’s previous life (for 30 years) he owned and ran a design and marketing agency in Cheshire, where he lived with his wife Ann-Marie and two sons Tom and James.

Andy’s involvement didn’t just stop at competing either. He was also a qualified racing instructor, ran his own race team, raised sponsorship and managed several young drivers, including James Pickford, who in 1998 under Andy’s management became a ‘McLaren Autosport Young Driver of the Year’ nominee, alongside Jenson Button.

So how did the French-connection happen?

Well, it was during our numerous trips to compete at race circuits on the continent, that Ann-Marie and I fell in love with France. In 2005 we bought our first holiday

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 41

During our third season we were looking at how we could expand the business and with the commercial car rental insurance proving very expensive, we decided to change our strategy to focus solely on selling classic cars.

It was a good move as we’re no longer tied up on a day to day basis, and we can return to the UK, more often, to see out family on our many buying trips.

home in the beautiful hill-top village of Roquecor.

We soon realised that this was where we wanted to be and put plans into motion to move here permanently.

We purchased ‘La Forge’ a larger house across the square and in 2012 took the plunge.

Was this your ‘retirement’ dream?

This was not a retirement move, we still needed to earn a living and I was ready for a new challenge, so we decided to start Cross Channel Sports Cars.

We launched the business at the ‘France Show’ at Earls Court in 2013, specialising in classic car rentals with a few sales along the way. The rental concept was very well-received, and we generated a great deal of interest and enjoyed three busy years renting Morgan’s and MG’s to clients from all over the world.

What’s involved?

Our garage in Montaigu de Quercy (82150) is in a great location and we have many clients from all over France travelling a long way to see and buy our cars.

I buy the best cars I can find, but however good they are, they still need various upgrades and improvements. I work closely with my friend and qualified mechanic ‘Andy Smalley’ who specialises in the repair and restoration of classic cars.

We even convert MG’s and Triumphs from ‘right’ to ‘left-hand-drive’ if our clients prefer.

What’s the future for classic cars?

Classic cars are currently proving a very popular investment, with a significant increase in values across all marques.

Many people really do like the idea of investing in something that’ll give them investment potential, endless amounts of pleasure and the opportunity to meet other like-minded people (even petrol-heads).

So, I think the future’s bright and we look forward to welcoming more people to see the beautifulclassics at Cross Channel Sports Cars. www.ccsportscars.com

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

42 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Pour une cuisine équitable A lors que nous consacrons de moins en moins de temps à nos repas, la « food » prend paradoxalement une place de plus en plus importante dans notre quotidien, exacerbée par une production télévisuelle débridée sur ce sujet, une littérature abondante et les réseaux sociaux. Ce phénomène devant beaucoup à la mode, il est courant d’entendre depuis quelque temps que la base d’une cuisine de qualité est l’utilisation de bons produits.

Le discours du bon, du frais, du circuit-court, enveloppé de mots magiques (authentique, terroir…) et ficelé d’un zeste de french touch nous est servi à toutes les sauces et renforce cet engouement croissant pour la cuisine. Bon début ! Mais le chemin pour produire à la source, puis se procurer et enfin transformer ces « bons » produits est sans aucun doute plus facile à dire qu’à faire…

Bien évidemment, comme Chef cuisinier, je suis attentif aux nouvelles tendances de consommation et me trouve pris dans cette évolution. Mais mon constat est que, malgré une bonne volonté générale et des mots rassurants, l’agroalimentaire, l’industrie, le trop sucré, le pré-fabriqué, le surgelé et le sous-vide sont de plus en plus présents dans la consommation de tous les jours… Une telle diversification des produits aboutit pour le consommateur à un fouillis concernant son choix et à une incohérence dans sa façon de se restaurer, avec en prime de sévères répercussions sur sa santé. Trouver un lieu pour se restaurer est aisé, mais connaître la véritable identité d’un restaurant avant d’y avoir mangé ressemble au parcours du combattant. Et même, distinguer le vrai du faux après un repas au restaurant n’est pas toujours évident... Cela malgré un rassurant logo « fait maison » sur le menu ou l’assurance du serveur lorsqu’il répond à votre question sur ce point! Ce monde culinaire aurait-il manifestement (et sciemment ?) perdu la boussole ? A l’opposé, le bio et la biodynamique, bien qu’encore exemplaires dans leur majorité, semblent eux de même inexorablement attirés par les stratégies marketing et business de la grande distribution.

Alors que faire ? Capituler ? Se résigner en consommateur qui ne comprend plus ? Non, car la prise de conscience semble prendre le dessus ces derniers temps.

Les Français, et c’est là LA bonne nouvelle, rejetteraient de plus en plus les aliments et plats transformés! La méfiance fait maintenant partie de l’achat. Pour se protéger, on exige que l’étiquette renseigne sur tout : la provenance, le contenu exact et le mode de production. Alors, la malbouffe aurait-elle enfin pris quelques plombs dans l’aile ? Si c’est le cas, cuistots et aubergistes de tout poil, profitons-en

pour lui tordre définitivement le cou ! Assurer des produits en direct du terroir est toujours le mot d’ordre des quelques restaurateurs qui croient encore au métier qu’ils ont choisi.

Rejoignez-les ! Ils ne sont pas nombreux mais peu importe.

Ces irréductibles, on les rencontre surtout dans le monde rural. Notre Camp Retranché Astérix, nous l’avons trouvé nous, mon épouse et moi, à Cajarc dans le Lot au sein d’un patrimoine gastronomique incroyable. Il nous a fallu un peu de temps pour comprendre en détails les fabuleux produits qui nous entourent, pour établir une relation de confiance réelle avec les producteurs, et surtout, pour magnifier le produit sans le trahir. Il a même fallu que j’arrête de fumer pour mieux comprendre la truffe et le safran. Mais ça en a valu le coup! Notre arme principale : la conviction que sans la connaissance du produit, il n’existe pas de belle cuisine.

La voie à suivre : une démarche d’équité et un rapport de confiance avec celui qui le crée. Par exemple acheter une bête entière, et la transformer dans le respect du travail de celui qui l’a élevée. La carte de notre restaurant L’Allée des Vignes, alors courte et évolutive, s’adapte au travail des champs, de la pêche et non à celui du congélateur. Elle en devient d’autant plus simple et créative. Elle évite aussi la routine et laisse même entrer l’imprévu, puisé ça et là dans des souvenirs, des voyages et la découverte d’autres cultures. Au total, une « cuisine équitable » qui se veut tout simplement une expérience à partager ensemble, vous et notre équipe.

Claude-Emmanuel Robin Et cette FRENCH PAGE n’étant pas à publication unique, nous attendons que d’autres personnes de langue natale française s’expriment dans cette tribune ! Alors, à vos plumes pour l’édition de Mai, à vos choix de sujets, à vos billets d’humeur ou toute distraction onirique pour ravir nos lecteurs de toutes origines

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 43

UN BON PRODUIT By choosing what we eat, we choose the world we want to live in.

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By Valérie Rousseau

hat and importantly how we eat makes a dramatic difference to both the environment and our health. Achieving optimum nutrition and choosing sustainable, fairly produced food should be equally important. To do this we need to buy as locally and as seasonally as possible.

Buying strawberries in December should sound alarm-bells. Something isn’t right! Equally, buying local muddy carrots should reassure us that our food grew in local soil.

Healthy eating is all about achieving balance, this includes finding sufficient time for food preparation and communication. Spending time sharing stories and recipes, passing know-how down the generations. Taking the time to prepare fresh-food in a ‘mindful’ manner (not all ‘mindfulness’ needs to be found on a Smart Phone App) ensures a healthier mind and body. Many great family recipes and techniques have been lost to the modern-day rush and clamber for ‘quick food’.

In this region of France, we’re lucky to have great local food and quality ingredients on our doorstep. Heroic efforts have gone into identifying quality products and ensuring the protection of the many great terroirs. However, with many of the ready-prepared, mass produced foods increasingly available, Bonne Chance is more appropriate than Bon appétit!

Should quality be a luxury? Does eating well have to be expensive? Much depends on how you quantify expense.

Buying what appears to be cheap may prove expensive in the larger context when you consider the need for farm subsidies, clearing up diseases caused by factory-farming conditions, ill-heath and damage to the eco-system caused by toxic chemical usage, and so on. The culture of buying-cheap is to the detriment (often critically so) of the people that work to produce the food. Healthy food costs to produce and has a real value, above and beyond the price we pay for it. We should never want to pay less than ‘a fair price’.

The quality of food is often inversely proportional to its ‘acceptable’ appearance. People are induced to buy highly polished (and flawless) red tomatoes that may have travelled thousands of miles. These will have passed through many-hands since first being picked in a distant land as green, under-ripe fruit. The real quality of our food is found in a reduced supply chain, the freshly picked (maybe a bit knobbly) red, black, purple or yellow tomato grown in your village.

Everybody’s future is served up on our plate! When we eat we invite the environment, society, culture, health and economy to our table. We will not change the world simply with a fork but every little change makes a difference.

There are so many ‘quality labels’.

Just what do they all mean? Here are just a few: AMAP (Association pour le Maintien d’une Agriculture Paysanne) is the French organisation that sets the standards for sustainable and fair production of food.

LABEL ROUGE Where you see this label you’re assured that the producer adheres to very strict, welfare and production rules. Animal wellbeing being paramount and the use of fully traceable products essential. All growth promotors and antibiotics are prohibited in live-stock.

European logo This label indicates (European wide) Organic Farming Certification. This prohibits the use of pesticides and synthetic chemical fertilizers; ensures the protection of groundwater and the virtually-organic feeding of livestock. It also bans the use of anything Genetically Modified.

AB This is a French Organic label for ingredients or processed (cooked products). This requires a greater organic specification in livestock food, for any meat products. The use of anything Genetically Modified is also banned.

BLEUBLANC Coeur This important organisation brings together like-minded producers with the same ecological, quality and fairness principles. https://ouionatousledroitdebienmanger.fr

Shopping – it’s in the bag!

The biodegradable bags in grocery aisles and market stalls are a great step-forward. But, why not take your own and cut down the requirement for new bags altogether? Maybe cloth-bags or even pre-used paper-bags.

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

44 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

FIRST AID THE FRENCH WAY

What if you come across an emergency whilst you are out, or you are unlucky enough to experience one at home? Could you summons help? In a panic your ability to ‘work it out’ may be diminished!

If you need to call an ambulance try to make sure you can give location details and as much detail of the situation as you can.

A few useful words and phrases Emergency

Une urgence

Calling an ambulance in France

Help me

Aidez moi

15 – The national emergency number for medical aid in France. It will get you the SAMU service, with an ambulance (Service d’Aide Médical d’Urgence – Medical Emergency Aid Service).

My location is

Ma localité est

Car accident

Accident de voiture

Elderly person

Personne âgée

18 – The general emergency number (like 999 in the UK) which will get you connected to the most appropriate service.

112 – This is the standard European emergency number, you can call this number from anywhere in the European Union countries from your mobile, landline or payphone. 112 Emergency centres can use an interpretation service covering several languages.

The European Commission website states that if you are unable to tell the 112 operators where you are they’ll be able to locate you – within a few seconds for fixed calls and up to 30 minutes outside working hours for mobile calls.

114 – Text messaging service if you are deaf or hard of hearing.

Tips • Not sure where you are? Your car’s GPS should show the road number, it can also give the GPS coordinates for your location.

I have had an accident J’ai eu un accident Fallen over

Tombé par dessus

Collapsed

S’est effondré

Need a doctor

Besoin un médécin

Need an ambulance

Besoin une ambulance

Heart attack

Crise cardiaque

Stroke

Accident vasculaire cerebral

Epileptic seizure

Crise d’épilepsie

Unconscious

Perdre conaissance

Not breathing

Ne respire pas

Very sick

Très malade

I am in labour

Je suis en train d’accoucher

Pregnant

Enceinte

It is very sore here

J’ai très mal ici

Injured

Blessé(e)

Bleeding

Hémorragie

A & E department – not all hospitals have them.

• Mobile phones can tell you your location (usually from Google Maps) you should be able to easily send someone your location.

• Have a note of essential medication taken by everyone in the household.

• Next to your home phone keep a note of the road number associated with your house.

• If you have people staying with you make this information available to them.

• You may be competent in French, but is the rest of your household? It maybe you in distress?

You may be relying on someone else to get help.

Make sure your GP’s contact details are written somewhere clearly. Have a note of the nearest

• Perhaps keep a copy of ‘what to do’ and telephone numbers in your car’s glove-box.

• Work out, long before you need to know, how to get your location from your phone and your GPS, learning in a crisis is never good!

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 45

Emergency numbers Armand Viré Medical Help/SAMU 15 Text Service for Hard of Hearing 114 Police/Police Nationale (Gendarmerie) 17 Fire & Accident/Sapeurs Pompiers

18

SOS – All Services (calling from a mobile) 112 Child in Danger (child protection) 119 Missing Child

116 000

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THE GOOD SAMARITAN

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hen it comes to answering these questions, there are important differences to note between the governing laws of France (Civil Code) and that of English and Wales (Common Law); France being more in line with the rest of Europe.

In Continental Europe there’s a ‘Good Samaritan Law’ which is a legal concept rather than a written rule.

It has, however, been instrumental in the drafting of the various Civil Codes. To understand its exact meaning, it is necessary to refer to the parable in the New Testament. (Gospel of Luke, chapter 10, verses 25–37) In France, (after Emperor Napoleon’s 1804 codification of the legal system) laws exist to encourage (even urge) you to help, assist or rescue people (even in the absence of what in England would be called a, legal duty of care). French Law, can punish (both as a criminal and civil matter) the bystander who, witnesses a dangerous incident and does not intervene, even though to do so would pose no risk to him or a third party. Criminal Code Art 223-6 For example, the photographers who were (rather too quickly) on the scene following the accident that killed Diana, Princess of Wales were investigated for violation of the French law and ‘deliberately failing to provide assistance to a person in danger’. An offence that can carry hefty fines and/or prison sentences.

Historically, and somewhat harshly, the French legal system was able to sue a ‘rescuer’ for any damage or injury he caused (even accidentally). However, this harshness was mitigated by the ‘Status of Necessity’ defence which was introduced in 1984. Whereas, the Law of England and Wales states that there’s no

criminal liability for failing to act in the event of another person being in danger. ‘the common law does not impose liability for what are called pure omissions’ (Lord Goff in the House of Lords) In other words, there’s no general duty of care owed by one person to prevent harm occurring to another.

So, applying English law, those in the parable who simply passed by the wounded man were entitled to do so. Whatever their moral duty, they were under no legal duty to come to his aid. Whereas, had this been judged under French Law, the passers-by would have potentially offended both the criminal and the civil codes.

However, there are important exceptions to the rule of ‘no liability’ for ‘failing to act’ under English Common Law. There’s a (legal) duty to act ‘reasonably’ when a ‘duty of care’ emanates from an existing legal relationship between assister/rescuer and the person requiring assistance. For example, a ‘legal duty of care’ exists between, a parent or child-minder and a child, a police officer and an arrested man, a nurse and a patient or an airline and its passengers. There’s also a duty on aa person who has created the hazard causing the injury; but, we are now straying into the wonderful world of negligence and the law of torts. Put simply, you cannot (even under English Common Law) dig holes in the ground and just wait and watch (not assisting) as people fall into them!

Failing to summon help for someone in distress is clearly morally repugnant but here in France it is potentially also a civil and criminal offence; and rightly so.

With thanks to John Usher-Davis

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

Image Credit: The Parable of the Good Samaritan by Jan Wijnants (1670)

Could I be sued as a result of giving first aid to a casualty?

Perhaps the real question here is – Could I be sued if I do nothing to assist?

46 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Choose the right heating system for your home with Enershop – the renewable energy specialists

Due to the ever-increasing costs of fossil fuels, home-owners are looking for more energy efficient and cost-effective heating for their homes.

At Enershop, we offer a wide range of products and have had many years of experience of providing heating solutions for properties in France. We will spend time discussing your project and ensuring you make the right choice for your home and lifestyle. Whether it’s a gîte or a château, we’ve the solution for you.

With the abundance of wood in France – the most-obvious choice is a wood fired system but there are different approaches.

• If the boiler/stove is for your main living area, then a wood/pellet boiler stove may be best.

Either traditional or contemporary, all the stoves supplied by Enershop incorporate the latest technology - ensuring they’re highly efficient.

• For a larger output boiler such as a log gasification boiler – then these need to be housed in an outbuilding or un-inhabited well-ventilated room.

• There are also pellet boilers which are programmable and easy to control with automatic fuel feeding and ignition.

We always recommend the use of an accumulation tank, firstly for efficiency but secondly to make your system more flexible. The use of an accumulation tank allows other heating sources to be added, for example – solar thermal panels which complement a wood-fired boiler; working effectively at different times of the year. An accumulation tank can also produce domestic hot water, source underfloor/central heating (which at Enershop we can also design and install) and even heat your swimming pool.

Enershop holds the QualiBois and QualiSol accreditation so our clients can claim credit d’impôts.

For more information: www.enershop.eu or Enershop 0553573001, info@enershop.

Michael Swan, Enershop, Toutvent, 24480 ALLES SUR DORDOGNE The Périgord Local • March - April 2018 Please support our advertisers and tell them you saw their advert in The Périgord Local

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48 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

The Périgord is

Samantha Brick s ’

paradise; a place to call home!

Moving to France inspired her book. But being in France has inspired her to ‘live’.

She adores the region, la vie tranquille, Bergerac Rosé wine, her dogs, vegetable garden and of course her French husband and family. We find out a little more …

Did you plan to write a book when arrived?

When I moved to France I realised I needed to find another form of paid work. I started writing features for French-based papers aimed at expats before starting to write for the British press. I was forever being asked to write about French culture for the female sections of the papers. People constantly remarked that I should write about my life in France – so I did!

You still travel back to the UK to work; how do you find that?

To be honest I don’t travel very often any more.

I have too many commitments on a small-holding.

We have seven dogs, a potager, we’re renovating. It has to be financially worth our while for me to travel.

I’ve taken enough flights to know there isn’t anything glamorous about getting up at 4am and driving in the dark to Toulouse airport! Invariably when I’m asked to appear on TV it’s last minute. It’ll be the last flight out of Toulouse or the first one the following morning.

When I do go though and if I’m lucky enough that the flight timetables allow me to travel from my local airport, there is no greater feeling than landing at Bergerac and pointing the car in the direction of home. The huge open sky, the vineyards and the chateaux that I pass within moments of leaving the terminal remind me just how lucky I am to call the Dordogne home.

Can you tell us a bit about your life before you moved to France and why you moved?

I worked in television for 16 years. I lived in London and Los Angeles with an expense account lifestyle, the soft-top Mercedes, the clothes. Ugh – I really was that cliché!

I met my now husband while on holiday here when I was 36. Everyone, that’s family and friends by the way, said it wouldn’t last! Yet, here I am 10 years later.

Do you think removing yourself from the pace of ‘London living’ has had a positive effect emotionally and mentally?

Absolutely. I sleep better. I’m a better friend. I have more time for loved ones. I try as much as I can to follow the French way of living: ‘working to live’ rather than the other way around. I take holidays, I enjoy family time, I take time out for me. I would never eat at my desk and I won’t work into the small hours either.

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THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL • 49

interested in the latest movie or album. What inspires me are the seasons and what’s growing in the garden.

Are you working on a follow up book to ‘Head Over Heels in France’?

I keep saying Yes. So, I must get cracking!

Has it been a struggle to immerse yourself into the French way of life?

I’m slightly different to many of the expats that move to France in that I immediately joined a French household.

At home we only watch French TV, listen to French radio, socialise with French neighbours and friends.

My French in-laws don’t speak English either. I do have British girlfriends here though. Nothing beats a good gossip over a rosé with a group of fabulous females!

Has your outlook on life changed from the Samantha before, ‘living in France’?

Of course. I’m not materialistic for starters. I don’t care about fashions and trends. Neither am I

Other than family, what do you miss most about the Dordogne when you are away?

Everything! Bergerac rosé is delicious and I prefer it to the Provençal versions now. The food is exquisite.

My secret is to not leave the Dordogne. I have a big enough house now that I prefer to entice loved ones to visit me – and they do! Honestly! I rarely leave my home in the Dordogne – it’s a fabulous life here.

I really have found paradise.

@samanthabrick sammy_brick Sam Brick

Published March, May, July, September and December each year The Périgord Local • March - April 2018

50 • THE PÉRIGORD LOCAL

Meet: Chloé Moore from French Business Management ‘A friendly, dynamic, bilingual team, helping you and your business succeed’ For as long as I can remember, we would spend our summers in the Dordogne. 6 weeks of sun, barbecues, swimming and horse riding, it was always something to look forward to. So, when at the age of 11, my parents suggested moving to France, I jumped at the idea…until they explained that I would have to go to school on Saturday mornings!!

As model parents, they bribed me by saying that they would buy me a pony (providing I worked hard at school) – needless to say, 20 years later and said pony is still with me.

I completed school in France and became completely bilingual. Initially I studied chemistry and then economics in Bordeaux before going on to do a BSc accounting & finance with the University of London external program.

I had various jobs whilst I was a student, I was a manager at Quick, I worked in a juice bar, was a racehorse stud manager, where I acquired yet another horse, (there’s a theme here), and worked in a sport shop before finally going to work for an accountant.

This is where I took the initial French accounting exams.

During my time working with French Expert Comptables I realised that advice and support for the client was lacking, they were happy to simply produce the tax accounts and that was it. There was clearly a gap in the market for someone with professional French qualifications who can provide accurate and reliable advice to English speakers who find themselves baffled by the system.

The birth of my son Edwin spurred me on to set up my own company. I now specialise in offering bilingual business and tax advice to English-speaking people all over France. I regularly work with people looking to set-up a company and provide advice on the appropriate regime to operate under. I liaise with

the French authorities to ensure that the set-up happens smoothly.

My company France Business Management has recently gone into partnership with the Axelium Conseil network, which allows us to work as part of a larger group of professionals and provides us access to an extensive database of up-to-date knowledge – ensuring our information and advice is compliant with current legislations.

Our exclusive partnership with Optimum Experts ensures that your accounting is fully compliant with French laws and is reviewed and approved by a French-registered Expert Comptable. In addition, Axelium Expert hold a “Visa Fiscal” meaning you benefit from the tax benefits of a CGA at no added fee!

Based between Bergerac and Perigueux the services we offer include: Company Registration: business structure, statutes, shareholder agreements – a complete service from conception right through to registration Accounting: Fully compliant French tax and business accounts, along with ongoing support and advice on running your business in France Payroll services: Complete payroll and declaration service (DPAE, DSI, DUCS etc.) ensuring you full compliance to French employment and social law Individual taxation: Tax advice and simulation for individuals, personal income tax declarations You can contact Chloé on: contact@frenchbusinessmanagement.com, +33 (0)5 53 04 27 80 www.frenchbusinessmanagement.com French Business Management La Jaubertie 24380, St-Maime-de-Pereyrol

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