The Aude Times October 2013 Issue 04

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAGAZINE FOR THE AUDE

THE AUDE TIMES Issue 4 October 2013

ISSN: 2268-7599

www.theaudetimes.com

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AT October 2013

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Editorial

For your consideration

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his month, the enigmatic Gnaeus considers the legacy of the Cathars, the Mayor of Narbonne, Jacques Bascou talks to us in ‘My Place’ and we hear the frank and engaging opinions of a Syrien resident in France in ‘A View from France’. Meanwhile, we are very happy to welcome Laurence Turetti of ‘L’Atelier des Vignerons’ in Limoux as our regular wine columnist.

However, leaving all of that aside - you can read it later - we think the following comments by French director/producer Gilles Legrand on what interests him in the world of wine summarises what’s most important for so many this month: “Everything, I love everything except bad wine!

Obviously I like wine, the diversity of the grape varities and flavours. I love the vine, gnarled and generous, the scheduling and constraint that is required to plant them, the geometry and architecture of the vineyards.

They offered magnificent opportunities. But I also love the cellars, aging cellars under the arches and especially Cistercian cellars, alignments of barrels and bottles, silent underground, the smells, materials, colours, light... It is simple, the vine and the wine awaken the senses! And the side effects are intoxicating.

The physical intoxication of course, but also the power, money, talent, passion. It is a very demanding environment. For the winegrower must excel at all stages, from the vineyard to the cellar. I am fascinating by these passionate people who have extreme rigor and are sometimes almost neurotic. It leads to the vine. If you want to make good wine you must excel everywhere. The transformation of grapes into wine is one of the most beautiful things to know.” (extract for an interview about Gilles Legrand’s latest film starring Niels Arestrup released in August this year, Tu Sera Mon Fils, a film in which blood is only marginally thicker than wine!) **

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The AT Charity The AT is proud to support Cancer Support France If you can help or donate to this important charity please do.

06 My Place 07 And Another Thing 09 Restaurant Review 10 Wine Times 13 Business / Legal 10 / 11 Garden / Nature 12 GTBY 16 /17 Lifestyle 18 What’s On 19 History 22 / 23 Art 26 / 27 Recipe Times 28-31 Classifieds 31 Sport 3

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Letters The AudeTimes 1 Grand Rue, St Thibery,34630 Publisher: Gatsby B Editor : Emma F Advertising Director: Tom Buchanon Art Editor: Daisy B Art: L.A. EDITORIAL editor@theaudetimes.com PUBLISHER gatsby@theaudetimes.com gatsby@lapublishinggroup.com SUBSCRIPTIONS www.theaudetimes.com/subscribe or contact us on info@theaudetimes.com ADVERTISING For display advertising, print classifieds please call 0624 63 63 77 or mail advertising@theAudetimes.com For online advertising please visit http:// classifieds.theheraulttimes.com www.theheraulttimes.com PYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER

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Energy Dear Madam, I would like to start an intelligent debate about energy.

I agree that burning fossil fuels is bad for the environment (or is it? - the last time we had high CO2 we also had a cultural and environmental good time - the time of the great composers, great agriculture -e.g. sradivarius - that was due to close grained wood; but I digress). However, the so called “green” energy sources will never produce all the energy we need, without nuclear generated electricity. The contribution by wind (when it blows at an accetable speed), tide, wave and hydro are less than 10% and are unlikely to produce no more than 25% in the future. Therefore, efforts should be made,urgently to improve methods of coping with nuclear residues.

Bill Deas. Le Pouget

unless we cover half the planet.

Tidal turbines are wonderful but transportation of the energy is not environmentally friendly and mining on the moon is not yet happening. Honesty is not something that springs to mind when the ‘green energy’ brigade appear in the media.

William James, Montpellier Energy 3 I really enjoyed the article on wind farms by Tim King. But please do not just talk about wildlife, we all need to save the planet and I am not a hippy but an ex- civil servant who has opened my eyes and I implore everyone to take a moment to consider what happens if we don’t.

Kristina And we had a lot more correspondence on this subject. I suggest Michael Crichtons ‘State of Fear’. A good story and a lot of facts that may surprise many.

But write and tell us what you think. Overhyped? Overpriced?

Untested or the future and only option left?

Energy 2 Sirs, I respect the opinion of Mr Tim King to use wind turbines as a focal point for his article on the devastation taking place (allegedly) in the bat populations near to wind farms but I feel that the title (‘How Green is this energy’, issue 15) is misleading.

We are continuously informed that green energy is required to ‘save the planet’, safeguard our childrens’ futures’ etc. but the facts do not stand up. What does stand up is that the green energy lobby is funded extremely well and that part of the campaign (as used by many others) is one of fear. Fossil fuels have provided the enhancements to medicine, health, food supply and other progressions too many to mention that we, that includes you and I, take for granted.

Fossil fuels are still with us and with nuclear energy (surely the only alternative that can provide the output required) we should all take a step back and look at the facts. Wind farms are inefficient

Hakim Inspirational, magnificent and a piece that made me stop and be thankful for all that I have.

Edith Hakim A. What a wonderful example of how you can overcome huge obstacles and not only move forward yourself but also inspire others, able bodied or not. I hope and pray that many of us read this and took a long look at our own lives. My thanks to Hakim A, the writer and the Herault Times. Magnificent.

Withheld Bullfighting Sick, sick, sick. Why write about and publicise this barbaric act?

What, boxing??

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Bullfighting About 10 years ago, when Spain was contemplating a referendum on whether to ban bullfighting, I spoke to a national park ranger in the Sierra Nevada mountains of the south east. He loved the animals in his care, particularly wild boar, and was strongly opposed to bullfighting, believing it to be barbaric. But he was also opposed to the referendum proposal [though he considered it might well succeed] because he thought it would irrevocably and disastrously divide the country.

Notwithstanding the ban in Catalonia, the situation in the rest of Spain and particularly Andalucia is unlikely to have changed.

Patricia, Montpellier Bullfighting Sir, At the risk of a tart comment I would like to state that I am an afficianado of bullfighting as a spectacle. It is a performance steeped in tradition and although I accept the dice are heavily loaded in favour of the house there are instances where the magnificent creature turns the tables. The history and the economic value of these spectacles are legendary and should be considered before another bout of health and safety and love of animals fills your letters page as I am sure they will. These animals are respected and looked after much better than the majority of bovine food products that you happily devour.

Why is it that this society is so quick to glance at history, jump on a bandwagon (that does have some relevant points) but ignore food preparation management and just quote the needs of the masses to justify abject cruelty in other areas?

The wellbeing of a country’s psyche and the economic value of these events are not to be neglected in discussion.

Sadly withheld

Letters Bullfighting Nice pictures, a reference to a magnificent author but there is no place in this world for this terrible, terrible, terrible cruelty.

I of course am referring to your article on bullfighting. The only positive I can see is that the author appears to feel afraid to say what he thinks and I think that speaks a thousand words.

Mike, Beziers Hmm, I know, for all those in favour, we’ll put you in a ring.

For all those against, you can be picadors and stab those in favour.

But don’t forget, if you do it you become them then I put you in the ring! Brilliant eh? And I just created a new pastime and saved the bulls! Roll up, roll up for the human bullfight......

Fig Chutney Simple and yet inspired.

The recipe pages this month were magnificent. Not only easy to make and delicious but my husband and I visited the restaurant. More please (but glad Bassie will be back).

SD, Caux Recipes Visited the restaurant and chef who did the recipe pages after the wife read it. Good food and never heard of it till then. Well done.

M.H, Carcassonne Bloody Tourists Hi, With a note to Georgia J (Issue 3 September) from one of those pesky tourists that ‘make the roads a nightmare’, I’m sorry if our visiting makes life hell for you, we can take our tourist dollar to another European country where we can assist their economy if you like.

One thing though, maybe take a

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closer look at the drivers of your own country first in regards to common sense. Maybe on small rural roads not sitting in the middle of the road on blind corners, or even not riding up the rear of the car in front, who by the way is doing the speed limit might be considered common sense. Or I know I am really crazy here for saying it but maybe in the tiniest little streets in some beautiful country road it might be considered common sense if you don’t double park and stop all cars trying to drive in both directions.

Or ...... No best have some common sense and stop now before one is considered a flaming whinger! Try finding parking or driving in our tourist spots in Australia any time of year!

Pat McL, Sydney, Australia

e are proud to have the talents of Mr Barry Beckett producing the wonderful original covers that you currently see.

And online now you can purchase these beautiful images and have a piece of the Languedoc in your own home.

Prints and selected Limited Editions available.

Barry Beckett 2013 All rights reserved

dharmacamera@googlemail.com

How exciting.....letter rage!

For the English amongst you let this be a lesson to you all.

Australians don’t like losing at cricket and may sometimes be seen weaving across the road as they remember happier times!

This is not bad driving..... ** Note Please e-mail us letters or use the website to send them in.

Or if you know what this is below, send us a text now.

WRITERS

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he writers and contributors are the stars of this magazine and without them I would have all of my hair and would not be drinking gin at 9am every day. Having said that, you should know more about them. All their bios can be found at www.theheraulttimes.com. Please read them, they deserve to be recognised for their fantastic contribution and for being patient and generous to me.

IMPORTANT:

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his magazine is intended for the use of the individual(s) who picked it up.

This magazine may contain information that is helpful, opinionated and can at times be unsuitable for overly sensitive Persons with no cultural credibility.

If you are not sure then may we politely suggest that you pass it onto someone else as to continue reading is not recommended and may constitute an irritating social faux pas. No animals were harmed in the making of this magazine, and believe it or not one single opinion is definitive- period.

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The Cover Story

Mayor of Narbonne, Jacques Bascou Jacques Bascou was born 1953 in Castlenaudry, Aude, although his family originated from Narbonne. He obtained a post graduate diploma in economics at the University of Montpellier and a Masters in economic sciences; ever since he has dedicated his professional career to politics, serving under two successive

deputies in the Aude riding and as Deputy during three mandates. He is a member of the National Assembly of France and President of the Grand Narbonne Communauté d’Agglomeration. In January 2013 he was awarded the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur.

My Place

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e met Jacques Bascou in the reception area of Narbonne Agglo.

He was waiting for us. A warm and modest countenance, he is a man with a vision for the city he loves and its surrounding 38 communes. He has been mayor for 6 years and is running again in the forthcoming 2014 elections, keen to bring to fruition the various projects already set in motion during his time in office.

The meeting was not a straight Q&A but more a touching on a point and letting the conversation flow.

What is your manifesto and vision?

Key to Narbonne is the management of the city.

As the city grows it is important to make sure there are schools for the children and buildings and infrastructure need to be maintained to a high standard. My time is for politics. It is what I prefer to do. This includes investing time into situations of injustice and time focused on my city.

And goals?

Realising the huge potential to create employment and a town attractive to tourism, heritage and cuisine and wine of the area.

And will this change Narbonne?

The Heritage of Narbonne is very important. The history of Narbonne is linked to the opening of the Mediterranean and our important Roman heritage, which must be remembered and protected while changes take place.

Narbonne is multi-cultural.

How do you manage this?

Diversity is very important.

Everyone should be and is welcome in Narbonne. This evening I’m going to a meal at the mosque being held for the different religious leaders in our community. I am very keen that everyone coming to Narbonne feels welcomed and valued.

What makes you laugh?

Or sad?

English humour makes me laugh and England beating France at rugby makes me cry!

And what of the far right, do you perceive that to pose a threat to European politics?

The apparent growth of the extreme right across Europe and indeed in France is nothing new. It has always existed. Politicians have a responsibility to call into question its politics, its hopes, what it says and what it does.

That the confidence of the Narbonnais is repeated and I have the opportunity to continue my project for Narbonne.

What achievement are you most proud of?

I can’t summarise my satisfaction with just one achievement. In municipal politics, all projects are linked.

What motivates you personally?

The happiness of my family and friends.

What is your objective this year?

And later?

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And as we said goodbye Jacques Bascou was already to go to his next meeting. A politician who is obviously passionate and committed to his city.

And another thing.......says Abse October Is The Cruellest Month

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S Eliot didn’t say that... he had it in for April. He thought (I remember my O’ Level English teacher telling me) that April was cruel for giving you hope.

I don’t know. It’s October I don’t like for taking all the hope away. No more hot days, no more shorts and T-shirts, no more roof open in my car. Life is hard here in the south of France. To make matters worse I always seem to start October in the UK, for some reason or other (low price flights mainly) visiting my family. This year it’s for my dad’s 90th birthday celebrations. Amazing isn’t it?

Especially as I’m only 26.

October in the UK is OK, actually. It’s dull, cloudy, sometimes wet… in fact a lot like any other month you care to mention, but there’s nothing worse than leaving France wearing shorts and returning in a woolly jumper. And this is exactly what I’ve done for the last few years. It’s also kind of a nothing month in other ways – what important dates happen in October? I can’t think of any –and don’t throw Halloween at me because that’s only the last couple of hours of 31 days, and was probably put there at all only to celebrate the end of the month. And then to prove the point there’s Toussaint on November 1st, and no official holiday at all during the month.

In the USA they have “Thanksgiving” of course. But please can somebody tell them that the rest of the world has no idea what this is and only knows about it at all from watching “Friends”? But to be fair to the USA some detailed research (I looked at Wikipedia) has revealed that in America October is designated as a special month for a number of groups and causes.

A lot of groups and a lot of causes: It’s LGBT History Month, it’s Pregnancy Loss and Infant Loss Awareness Month, National Arts and Humanities Month, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Fair Trade Month, Dwarfism Awareness Month, Rett

Syndrome Awareness Month, Clergy Appreciation Month, National Cyber Security Awareness Month, Tera Melos Awareness Month, Brain Tumour Awareness Month, Autism Awareness Month, Auto Battery Safety Month, National Stamp Collecting Month, Italian American Heritage Month, German American Heritage Month, Polish American Heritage Month, National Hispanic Heritage Heritage Month,

Infant Death Syndrome AwarenessMonth, National Pizza Month, Popcorn Poppin’ Month, National Pork Month, National Sausage Month and last (and quite possibly least) National Squirrel Awareness Month.

Filipino American History Month, Celiac Sprue Awareness Month, National Dental Hygiene Month, Healthy Lung Month, Health Literacy Month, National Lupus Erythematosus Month, National Physical Therapy Month, Spina Bifida Awareness Month, American Pharmacist Month, 3d Ultrasound Awareness Month, Sudden

stamps, worrying about my car battery and my teeth nor thinking about all the different heritages and their histories, and only eating pizzas topped with popcorn and sausages.

Here I can have a nice calm month and the only thing I need to worry about is which woolly jumper to wear.

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And so come to think of it I’m so glad I’m in France and not in America. I don’t have to spend my month being aware of some really nasty diseases (and squirrels), collecting

By Mehdi Roland, a member of the Béziers branch of the CCIF, a national organization founded to work towards a society where there is no place for islamophobia or racism.

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he CCIF (Collectif Contre l’Islamophobie en France / ’Collective against Islamophobia in France’) was established ten years ago to counter racism against Muslims in metropolitan France and more recently across Europe.

The work of the CCIF was recognised in 2010 by the U.N. who nominated it as a consultant member on these issues. The association’s annual report is also submitted to the President of the Republic and the Minister of the Interior.

There has been a significant increase in acts against Muslims over the last few years. But the numbers are still less than the reality as many victims fail to report incidents. Béziers set up its own local group in 2013, one of whose roles is to inform and help victims deal with discrimination or aggression. In 2012, the national CCIF reported 469 incidents towards institutions or individuals, in contrast to 269 in 2011 and 188 in 2010, which is an increase of 57.4%.

In 2012, 40 mosques were targeted, 95% more than in 2011. 418 incidents were reported targeting individuals, an increase of 156 acts more than the previous year and 60% more individual victims. 80% of those victims were women. Attacks on the Grande Mosque in Béziers has trebled in the last 10 years (insulting slogans or Nazi crosses, broken windows, throwing bottles of alcohol, etc…)

The increase in islamophobia is due to a number of factors: * Uncorroborated press coverage against Muslims which plays on fear even though the threat is non-existent. In 20 years, there has been one reported death in France linked to Islamic terrorism or an Islamic pretender. Comparatively, 800 people have died as a result of homicide, 60,000 by cigarettes, 40,000 by alcohol, or one woman dies every three days as a result of domestic violence. But we exacerbate the terrorist threat in the media and in opinion polls (ex: 75% of French people fear attacks source: M6). Europol affirms that 0.4% of terrorist acts are attributable to Muslims in Europe. Out of 249 terrorist acts affecting 9 European states, 163 were carried out by separatist groups, 45 by the extreme-left and 3 by Islamists. There appears to be a desire to sustain paranoia and disinformation based on a crude link between terrorism and Islam on the one hand and on the other between terrorism and reality. * Policies which perpetuate an Islamophobic atmosphere and draconian laws against Muslims are denounced in Europe and the United States. In essence, secularism means the neutrality of the state vis-à-vis religion; it allows for everyone to freely practice their beliefs in both the private and public zones to the extent that this freedom does not restrict one over others, as stated in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. However, the fact is that France uses a ‘secularism of exclusion’ which rather than

emancipating women, protecting children, ‘integrating’ Muslims into society, marginalizes and stigmatizes them, not unlike the experience of the Jewish people at the dawn of the Second World War. In Béziers, both before and since the launch of our local CCIF branch, we can confirm the national trend. To mention but a few examples: refusal to treat a patient by a doctor; physical aggression towards a mother with her baby in arms; the refusal to respond to complaints by the commissariat; and discrimination and islamophobic comments in driving schools, school establishments, training institutes, shops, in the street, etc. This summer, the extreme right- wing municipal counselor Alain Ricard published in his space the ‘Tribune Libre’ in the ‘Journal de Béziers’, an anti-Muslim diatribe concerning the opening of the new mosque in rue Raspail with words to the effect: ‘It is up to us Biterrois and French, whether to adapt ourselves to new foreign cults and costumes” (although the Muslims are equally Bitterois and French, and Islam is the second religion of France) and “It is an invasion”. The article was not censored by the town. And Robert Ménard, the 2014 Béziers mairie candidate, stated in the right-wing weekly publication ‘Valeurs Actuelles’ that Islam in France is “always more obtrusive, aggressive and seeking to conquer”. In reality, these politics have nothing to do with Islam; on the contrary they ensure and provoke extremes.

From the point of the view of the victims, we observe a flagrant lack of information of their rights. Our job is to inform people of their rights and help them seek legal help if necessary. Complaints are not always admissible but reporting them is important for monitoring purposes.

The CCIF is a platform for the many failings of rights which violate the dignity of the individual.

Hence, national communication campaigns. At the end of August the CCIF scaled Mont-Blanc as an expression of condemnation of Islamaphobia and announced from the ‘rooftops of Europe’ its new project “IMAN”: Islamophobia Monitoring and Action Network, bringing together European associations under the slogan: “Europe United Against Islamophobia!”

“The CCIF Béziers was born in the offices of the association Esprit Libre Béziers, which promotes the development of interreligious understanding. Every two months Catholics, Protestants and Muslims gather in the association’s offices and learn more about each other, in order to act together for peace. Serenity, laughter and sharing punctuate these meetings. The CCIF Béziers encourages initiatives which challenge misperceptions and reinforce national sorority.”

For more information: Mehdi ROLAND, CCIF Béziers (page facebook) or www.islamophobie.net

Copyright BarryBeckett

Challenging Discrimination

Fine Dining

Good Food with Apicius.

La Table Saint-Crescent

68 Ave. du General Leclerc Narbonne Tel: 0468.413737 (Closed Sat. lunch, Sun. dinner and Mon.)

From the Heavenly to the Earthly

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important lesson that when there is a word in the description one doesn’t understand ask for an explanation and not assume that because you know the dish it will come out as you think it should. Fortunately the other main course for our table was a success: monkfish topped by slightly minty courgettes and surrounded by olive paste, grilled almonds and raspberries in an almond emulsion. Everything was cooked to perfection with the berries lending it a special dimension.

Even the bread was a revelation: a whole loaf of several sorts to pick from including olive and country style.

Desserts are really innovative. My peach soup with Muscat jelly and verbena sorbet was light and satisfying but the star of the show had to be the pineapple tomato texture with tomato sorbet set inside a tomato- looking ball of edible meringue (see photo). It was scrumptious to eat, rather special and certainly quite a meal finisher.

Wines as one might expect are up to the high standards of the food.

There are no slouches on this list with prices in keeping with the quality of each domaine. And lo and behold, there are even good half bottles to choose from. I was drinking a wonderful red from Chateau d’ Negly from neighboring La Clape. It was a case of the three D’s: deep, dark and delightful.

And now we come to the service.

Apart from the sommelier, who was cheerful and clearly enjoying his job, the rest of the serving staff, especially the two women need to go back to charm school. There was a whole range of gaffes here from not saying, ”Good day” when we arrived, reaching across diners when placing or removing silverware to a bored and disinterested mien when reciting the menu. They are certainly doing chef Lionel Giraud a disservice because the food coming out of his kitchen is wonderful and deserves much better representation.

What a pity.

kay, lets start with the obvious in that the location on a traffic roundabout with tacky fast food outlets as neighbors is not what you are prepared for when going to a Michelin star restaurant. The upside, however, is that parking is easy and all is soon forgotten upon entering the restaurant for La Table Saint-Crescent in a medieval oratory is swathed in simple almost Zen like elegance. While there is a pleasant enough terrace the main room has an “it “ quality that makes one realize that this is an essential destination for the gourmand.

There are several menus ranging from a weekday lunch one of three courses for 30€ to a nine course gourmet extravaganza for 85€. I chose the business lunch for 30€ and my companion the 55€ menu called “L’Impromptue.”

An interesting amuse bouche arrived that was a deconstructed version of tomatoes, olive oil, basil, croutons with a cream of mozzarella.

Sounds banal, doesn’t it. Well it was anything but, and we knew we were in for a meal that would raise the bar.

As it turned out that was not to be the case for the both of us but I digress.

My starter was of marinated salmon, dappled with olive oil with a fennel salad crème. While it was certainly appetizing its charm was not in being spectacular but simply a nicely made dish using good ingredients. The fireworks were for the other starter: a piece of cooked lobster on vegetable ravioli in chilled vichyssoise of celery and crispy fennel. To say it was merely delicious would be doing it an injustice.

It was sumptuous in looks and taste with all sorts of textures, colors and flavors working in harmony.

Wow, was it good and I know because I was allowed a taste.

Next up were the mains. Mine had purported to be a beef tartar.

What appeared was something that reminded me of hamburger with some greens on top of it accompanied by sautéed potatoes and onions.

Upon questioning the waiter it seems the beef had been cooked. All well and good, but that’s not beef tartar. While it was more than eatable it had the same frisson as week old pizza and I learned an

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Wine Laurence Turetti

We welcome wine expert Laurence Turetti as AT wine columnist

(10€50), produced from chardonny, chenin and a touch of pinot, has a more rounded flavour of wild strawberries that brings to mind colourful sunsets and romantic dinners.

After stopping in Limoux, you can go to Magrie, another circular village – the provision of its streets protects it from the wind, the sun in summer and cold in winter, and in the past, from possible attacks.

The church adjoined to an old templar house is also charming. Just below, is Domaine du Moulin d’Alon, organically cultivated by Alain Cavaillès. Intervention in his steep vineyards has been delayed due to the sheer amount of spring rain. A very sunny month in July stimulated growth: grass and leafage burgeoned quickly in the vineyards, the vigneron racing against the clock so that the fruit could grow without hindrance. In his vineyard of 6 hectares, Alain Cavailleès has created no less than 3 varieties of sparkling wine.

Micromégas displays roundedness, Etincelle Originelle has great vigor and ‘height’ and Résilience, our preference, is the variety of equilibrium. Discover his Crémant de Limoux Résilience 2011 (10€90), remarkable for the persistence of its bubbles and a full and balanced palate.

Finally, you cannot leave the Limoux vineyards without visiting its medieval cradle, Saint-Hilaire, to meditate in the cloister of the Abbey, which would have produced the first sparkling wine in the world, and taste their sparkling house wine Crémant Antech made from the vines around the village. Françoise Antech pays homage to his male and female ancestors who produced wine with his Crémant Héritage 1860 (11€). It charms with its fine nose, slightly sweet bready flavour and its elegant, airy bubbles. It is a heady crémant, the perfect accompaniment to a meal.

Laurence Turetti is a historian who has a ph.D. from the University of Metz. Born in the Aude into a family of vignerons, she returned to her home more than ten years ago.

Head of a wine boutique in the centre of Limoux, L’Atelier des Vignerons, she continues her search of discovery across Languedoc-Roussillon for the pearls of the vineyards.

An Autumn in Limoux

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ines and medieval villages mingle on the lanes of Limoux.

Autumn tenders the loveliest light on the landscape far from the main tourist routes. The most important task right now is of course the grape harvest. In every plot the walker will find busy teams, and pass containers teetering along the narrow country lanes. The grape varieties of l’AOC Limoux, chardonnay, chenin and mauzac, are picked by hand, one of the most wonderful traditions. This year, a cold, wet spring has led to a late harvest, meaning that the vignerons, ever attentive to the good health of their vines, have had little respite. Good grapes make good wines and, as a result of this reality, they have had to keep an eye on their cuttings like milk on a flame. The grape harvest is the decisive event of the wine producers’ year and it is always a great relief when the harvest begins.

An autumnal visit can start from the pretty circular village of Digne d’Aval: stone houses narrow into a spiral around the picturesque church, which was a stopover on the route of Saint-Jacques de Compostelle – the pilgrimage route to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, northwestern Spain. From there, the vines of Domaine J.Laurens are visible. This year, Jacques Calvel, owner of the domaine, has doubled his team of pickers so that the chardonnays and pinots keep their acidity, a key concept in the sparkling wines of Limoux. His Blanquette of Limoux, Le Moulin (8€50), 2010 vintage, seduces with its beautiful balance: « A simple and very good batch,” comments Jacques Calvel with modesty. Zesty notes and an attractive liveliness come together in this wine, which is very agreeable as an aperitif. His crémant (sparkling) rosé Rose no 7

Domain addresses: Domaine J.Laurens – La Digne d’Aval – 04 68 31 54 54 Domaine du Moulin d’Alon – Magrie – 04 68 31 11 01 Maison Antech – Limoux – 04 68 31 15 88 Boutique : L’Atelier des Vignerons – 2 place de la République – Limoux – 04 68 20 12 42 (ouvert 7 jours sur 7) Boutique en ligne / Expéditions France et Europe : www.languedocwineshop.com

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tropical or temperate zone plants; they will perform better and require less watering. * sowing seeds of plants that will flower early next year such as larkspur (pied d’alouette), wallflowers (giroflé), sweet peas (pois de senteur) and hollyhocks (rose tremière) * pruning summer flowering shrubs such as Cestrum and oleanders. ** Timed to coincide with the beginning of the autumn planting season we shall be offering our popular two day course: An Introduction to Gardening in Summer Dry Climates at La Petite Pépinière on Tuesday 8th October (11am – 1, 2 – 5pm) and Wednesday 9th October (10am – 12.30, 1.30 – 4pm) 2013. Full details on the HT website **

In The Garden with Gill Pound

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t the time of writing we are still enjoying warm and sunny weather and hoping for some rain. Many summer flowering perennials are still in flower but plants which come into flower in the autumn and provide new interest are particularly welcome. Some of the late flowering Salvias such as S darcyii, S regla and the slightly tender (so mulch the rootstock well in winter) S leucantha give a splendid show of colour late in the year. Autumn flowering bulbs such as the yellow crocus relative Sternbergia lutea and the charming Cyclamen hederifolium are good at this time of year too. ** Tasks for October include: * if you have not already done so; planting bulbs - planting instructions will be on the packets but in general plant the bulb at about three times the depth of the bulb and a similar distance apart. Remember to look at the flowering times on the packet when buying so that you maximise the season of interest.

Remember too that most spring flowering bulbs come from areas with summer dry climates and prefer sunny positions with good drainage. * dividing herbaceous perennials and ornamental grasses. * once we have had some rain - planting trees, shrubs, perennials and hedging plants. Do incorporate some organic material (terreau or compost etc) and some river sand or gravel to improve the clayey soils that most people in this area have and water the plants well after planting. Most plants, even if they are ultimately drought resistant will need supplementary watering during their first summer or two. When you are choosing new plants for the garden remember that this is a difficult climate; we have hot, dry summers, quite cold winters in much of the region and strong winds. Choose plants which come from Mediterranean climate zones of the world, or from other areas with similar climates rather than

For further information contact Gill Pound at La Petite Pépinière de Caunes (shrubs and perennials, ornamental grasses, unusual plants and plants for dry climates, garden advice and consultation), 21, Avenue de la Montagne Noire, 11160, Caunes-Minervois.

Tel: 04 68 78 43 81, email Gill@lapetitepepiniere.com Website: www.lapetitepepiniere.com

Top: Salvia darcyii Left: Sternbergia lutea Right: Salvia regla

Redstarts

Nature Notes The flora and fauna of the Languedoc

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By ornithologist Alan Kennedy

edstarts are small songbirds belonging to the genus Phoenicurus. They are all about the size of a robin but somewhat slimmer.

The genus comprises eleven species but only two are found in Languedoc. These are the (Common) Redstart Phoenicurus phoenicurus and the Black Redstart Phoenicurus ochruros. They are named for their red tails, which quiver and bob about as the birds hop around or engage in courtship displays, and which distinguish them from all other European songbirds.

The (Common) Redstart is the more colourful of the two species, the male having a grey back, black face and throat, and a red breast, while the male of the Black Redstart is, as the name suggests, mostly black or dark grey. Females of both species are drab beige in colour on the whole, but both retain the distinctive red tail. Both the (Common) Redstart and the Black Redstart are insectivores, feeding mostly on winged insects, although they do eat some vegetable matter.

The (Common) Redstart is migratory, breeding in the Languedoc in summer, but by and large migrating to Africa for the winter, while the Black Redstart, while migratory over much of its range, is generally resident throughout the year in the south of France.

The females of the two species are very difficult to distinguish one from the other but a female encountered in winter in the Languedoc is most likely to be a Black Redstart. In their natural environment both species are found, among other places, on rocky sites, hill slopes and cliffs. They tend to avoid heavily forested areas, and it seems that the Black Redstarts, in particular, have adapted to living in villages and cities in the Languedoc. They can be found hopping along the tiles of the rooftops in villages and even going as high as five stories in apartment buildings in the cities. They regularly make their nests in the open ends of tiles on roofs.

Both species of Redstart are still common in the Languedoc, although there seem to be increasingly difficult problems at the margins of their range. ** 11

G T B Y

Good To Be Young

Introducing young journalist Theo King’s column, ‘My Way’ Interviews with professionals about how they got to where they are today, the rewards and the frustrations.

Written by Under 20’s for the Under 20’s.

Name:

Rudy Ropital

Occupation: Gendarmerie Grade: Chef d’escadron (Commander at Béziers) Salary: €4,500 per month plus free housing. No Overtime.

Holidays: 7 Weeks Week: Any hours, 2 days off in 7.

RUDY ROPITAL Born: Dunkirk, 1980 Diplomas: Bac S; 2 year classe préparatoire at the Prytanée National Militaire, La Flêche; master in engineering from the Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr

Up to 18 “As a child I wanted to be a vet, no one in my family was in the gendarmerie, the military or even the police. At 14 I knew I wanted to be a boss, to organize and command people.

I also wanted to live something different, an adventure. So I decided to be an officer in the Army.”

Studying 18-24 “After my bac I did two years’ classe préparatoire to get into the highly competitive officers’ military academy at St Cyr. The three year training there is both academic and military, but most of all it’s very tough. St Cyr changed me. I became a man. Responsible for my life and the lives of others. However, I didn’t want to spend my life preparing for a war which I thought would never occur.

It felt better to serve my country from the inside – as a gendarme. You’re waging a war everyday, always facing the unexpected. So I spent a year at the gendarme’s officer school at Melun and at 24 I graduated as lieutenant.”

The job “I’ve been working for 9 years, the last two as company commander in Beziers (we

change location every 4 years). I command 14 brigades, that’s 185 gendarmes in the western sector of the Hérault. It’s a management job more than working in the field. I give orders, direct operations. I am responsible for the security of 120,000 civilians, excluding the town of Béziers which is controlled by the police. My second duty is looking after the lives of my gendarmes, men and women. My direct superiors are the Colonel in Montpellier, and as civilian authorities the sous-Prefet and the Public Prosecutor.

“In the gendarmerie, we are not limited to one area of policing, we are attached to an area of the country, so the work is more general.

A gendarme has to adapt, be multi-skilled. As commander I have to be ready at any time, day or night, if the situation requires it.”

Rewards “When a job is accomplished successfully or when you change a situation for the better.

That’s really satisfying. But also when I can help one of my gendarmes, in a career issue, a family problem.

The Gendarmerie Nationale, like the other armed forces, offers tremendous opportunities. If you work hard you can climb the

School days to become shorter

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s part of the current political moves to reform education in France, led by the minister of national education, Vincent Peillon, trials are currently taking place in a number of schools to reduce the amount of time pupils spend there each day. French school children’s day is one of the longest in the world ( fitted into the shortest school year).

Currently, primary school children (ages 5-11) do

social ladder. You get responsibilities you wouldn’t otherwise, at 24 I was responsible for 30 men. I carried a gun, broke down doors, arrested criminals. I spent seven months training police officers in Afghanistan. I’ve been to Northern Ireland and England.”

What pisses me off?

“The paperwork. As a commander, I have to write an assessment of all my 185 gendarmes once a year. It’s very stressful not so much because of the task as the sheer number, my time for each one is too limited – and of course that’s on top of my usual duties.”

Future prospects “My ambition? The Ecole de guerre in Paris, which is not as warlike as it sounds. You learn political science, geopolitics, management, communication, defence economy. To get in there’s another concours, but once you graduate you move up to higher responsibilities.

Gendarmes can be sent to embassies all over the world. My dream? The French embassy in London.”

not attend school on Wednesdays, which means that teachers have to make time during the rest of the week to cover the required curriculum. This year, as part of a research programme to be analysed at the end of the academic year, primary schools in 10 communes (Castries, Clapiers, Cournonsec, Jacou, Le Crès, Lavérune, Saussan, Murviel-lès-Montpellier, Saint Drézéry, Sussargues) will open on Wednesday mornings, joining collèges and lycées with a Wednesday half day.

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Business / Money / News Business and Economy

Michael D’Artag

Who’s in Charge Here?

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ike a federal employee in Detroit, I’m not sure I believe my employer......

Spain didn’t win the Olympics with their ‘spend no money’ but please save us bid and Greece will be out of recession in 6 years because they told us they would and the Olympics worked out well for them didn’t it?

Franny Hollande is turning into Bill Clinton. First it was Mali and now like a schoolboy who knows the answer Obama asks for help in Syria and Franny is there with his hand in the air and his, “me sir, me sir, I’ll come with you sir.” And isn’t it good because we can ignore any economic issues at home eh?

Cameron in London is a humanitarian now he can’t play with uncle Obama in Syria and what is Obama going to do anyway? He needed the ‘chem weapons destroy program’ as he had no clue what to do anyway.

I know, we’ll all chant ‘Hope’ and well....just hope, voted him in last 2 times didn’t it? And if I don’t have enough fun with Berlusconi, Franny, Hope Obama and others, Tony Abbott is in charge of Australia. Well, in charge may be a little generous, he barely controls his own party and did he win or was he handed victory? We’ll ask those better qualified to comment than me, Australians A & P Kennedy who promise to keep the rating below PG. And next month we look at France Telecom....in detail.

All Change Australia?

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Checks and Balances

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t this time of the year, we carry out certain ‘checks and balances’ in our household. In other words, this is when we have own annual household financial review. In effect, it is both a short-term and a long-term review.

For the short-term, current income and expenditure is analysed and an estimate of what we might need for the year ahead is calculated. For the longer-term, we review our savings and investments, as well as pension plans, to make sure that our objectives are being met and our expectations are on target. It is also the time when we review whether or not we need to make any changes to our own investment strategies.

Throughout the year, I go through the same process with my clients. Sadly, when I meet clients for the first time, it is sometimes the case that they have never seen their financial adviser since their investments were originally set up. Years may have passed without a review taking place. If this is the case for you, please do not hesitate to call me if you wish me to carry out a review with you.

If you would like to find out more about the service that we provide, you can take the opportunity to meet us at one of our client seminars - “Le Tour de Finance - Bringing Experts to Expats”that are taking place during October. Full details can be found on our website at http://www.spectrum-ifa.com/seminars/ and the local events are:  Thursday, 10th October 2013 at The Grand Hotel Avignon; and  Friday, 11th October 2013 at the Domaine Gayda, Brugairolles (near to Carcassonne).

Places are limited and must be reserved, in advance. So if you would like to attend any of the seminars or would anyway like to have a confidential discussion about any aspect of financial planning, please contact me either by telephone on 04 68 20 30 17 or by e-mail at daphne.foulkes@spectrum-ifa.com.

e are Australians who have spent several months in the Languedoc most years for the past decade.

As it has turned out we have missed the last two Australian elections, neither of which seems to have been at all edifying.

What the result of the election for the lower house would be has been known for months; what is not yet clear is whether the conservative coalition government will be able to control the Senate (the Upper House) and thereby get whatever legislation it wants passed. If it does we shall be even more glad to be out of The Spectrum IFA Group advisers do not charge any fees directly Australia than to have been absent for the election campaign. to clients for their time or for advice given, as can be seen from our The Labor Party brought its loss on its own head in large part by Client Charter at deposing two Prime Ministers shortly before two successive elections www.spectrum-ifa.com/IndependentFinancialAdviceinEurope-Charter.html. and in doing so manifesting an egregious lack of concern for its members and the Australian population. The Rudd government steered Daphne Foulkes the economy through the financial crisis of 2008-9 but otherwise SIRET 522 658 194 00017Numéro d’immatriculation ORIAS 10 056 800 achieved little. The Gillard government was quite different. It maintained the economy on a sound footing and other achievements include the creation of the National Disability country, certainly of (but not in) his Liberal party.

Insurance Scheme, the adoption and institution of What the new government will actually do, apart from the Gonski education reforms, the beginning of the repealing the carbon tax (a task with many unwelcome National Broadband Network (likely to be altered by ramifications), and ensuring that asylum seekers will be the new government) and the carbon tax. And that treated even worse than presently, will be interesting. government achieved these things despite having a There are very few real policy differences between the minority of seats in both Houses, facing an parties. The Australian economy is slowing, though it Opposition leader whose sole policy was to oppose, is still well ahead on most measures than those of the and being obliged to weather appalling behaviour at UK, US and EU. Absurdly, Australians have been told Federal and State levels by Labor representatives. for years that they are doing it hard and deserve better.

However, for such a masterly negotiator and One of the most admirable and shrewd of Australian efficient administrator, and notwithstanding politicians, Tony Windsor, an independent who retired disgusting behaviour towards her by the media at the 2013 election, said, after negotiating with both (particularly the Murdoch press) and other partisans Labor and the coalition about who would form of the opposition, Ms Gillard was remarkably inept government in 2010, that he did not think Tony Abbott at managing perceptions of her and her governhad the temperament to head a minority government.

“My Country ment, and in her choice of advisors. The new Prime Minister Mr Abbott will have a substantial lower house defeated his predecessor by one vote in a party room ballot My budgie.....” majority; whether he can deal with a Senate which he in December 2009, and that man, Malcolm Turnbull, is Tony Abbott does not control remains to be seen. said now to be perhaps the most popular politician in the Be careful what you wish for.

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Synonymous with the Languedoc, why do the Cathars continue to be such a significant subject today? Are they just a good tourist pull or is there something deeper?

a more focused lifestyle based on the principles of perfection, poverty and evangelising the message.

Ordinary followers, credenti or believers did not live to such an austere level.

In contrast, the state of Parfaits and Parfaites or “Perfects” was considered the ultimately desired stage of the Cathare ascetic leading to full enlightenment and an end of the rebirth cycle. This meant one would have been mostly freed from earthly desires and ready to enter into paradise. It meant three 40 day fasts per year. It also entailed no physical touch with members of the opposite sex. Therefore, they held the body to be essentially evil, rejecting marriage and sex.

Further, the Elect did not eat meat, though fish was permitted.

From their canon of prayers and special formulaic but simple institutionalised rituals, we can understand that Catharis had a very definite identity. The Parfaits also wore black predominantly although when the period of persecution came in the thirteenth century this changed.

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he beliefs of the Cathares were not entirely original when they began to grow as a movement in the 12th century.

However, they became a distinct sect of Christians who reacted gradually in various parts of western Christendom to what they perceived as a corrupt Roman church, prior to its own necessary reforms in the 13th century.

The basic elements of this approach relate back to Manichaeus or “Mani” (216-276AD) who elaborated ideas about the duality of an evil physical world in tension with the spiritual world, seen as good. Born in Iran (Mesopotamia) he believed that the words of Christ, Buddha and Zoroaster were incomplete. This gnosis or higher mystical spiritual insight or knowledge spread rapidly east and west by the 11th century.

It competed strongly with Roman Christianity alongside the pagan world. The Manichaean belief system was both elaborate and, by modern standards, inter-confessional.

CATHARES

What we need to establish is why some eight centuries later the concept of Pays Cathare and the gnostic spirit of the Cathare movement still appears to be very present. Is this no more than a marketing ploy of the tourist development agencies, locally and nationally? If not, is there still a real Cathare spirit in the region?

How is this represented?

Among the many tourist brochures and web sites of the Aude département, we find several well-illustrated ones inviting us to visit the Pays Cathare. Evocative are the associated ruins of châteaux and the rugged, often isolated landscapes surrounding them. These with their pocket-histories appeal to us to participate in a very particular tourist experience. Going further, it is literally possible to take the piste cathare or follow the trail of historical and cultural sites making the Albigois appear ever-present.

The list is an impressive one. Apart from Carcassonne, names such as Montségur, Peyrepertuse, Fanjeux and Quéribusare but a few.

Several abbey sites are involved too: Saint Papoul, Caunes-Minervois and Alet, among others. They pepper the entire area with Perpignan included at the south eastern edge.

The movement went beyond the region we are told. Some people have said that when they walk round these places they can almost feel the presence of the many souls who inhabited such castles; a few have even claimed to hear the voices of the inhabitants and those who sought what was only momentary protection within their stubborn walls. Their ruins seem to speak to us still.

Have these impressions been instilled into us by this tourist literature n and by those who apparently infatuated with their subject, write about Catharisme as though it is somehow crucial to the understanding of how the French think?

In the 19th century, a history of the Albigoisin several volumes by the protestant pastor, romantic poet and historian Napoléon Peyrathas

While Catharist beliefs developed along trade routes in such places as Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Italy & Spain, its influence was possibly greatest in Languedoc.They had much in common with the Bogomils or “Friends of God” in Thrace (split between modern day Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece) In fact, it was so influential that its membership cut across families and even attracted into it a few Roman Catholic priests. Catharis (Albigois) or “Bons Hommes” (Good Men) and “Bonnes Femmes” (Good Women) as they were known at the time, had what we might call neo-Manichaean ideas. One of two universal principles was their belief in two equally powerful gods, as it were, one good in the spiritual domain associated with Jesus Christ in The New Testament, while the material world was governed by a malevolent god and associated with the evil found in the Old Testament. They had only one Sacrament called “Consolamentum”, a long form of instructed but consensual adult baptism by laying on of hands. The Roman Church has always had seven. They also rejected the priesthood as such alongside the notion of incarnation. Instead, they believed in reincarnation and the need to break the cycle of rebirths by living a higher form of life in the present.

The call was

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added a Cathare mythology.

Archaeological and historical discoveries have appended their own glosses. Michael Baigen et al., in ‘The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail’ (1982) infused a large measure of conspiracy into the movement. In contrast, Marie-Elise Gardel in 1999 produced archeological studies from Cabaret, Lastours.

Michel Roquebert has published 5 volumes of Cathare history in L’Épopée Cathare. There have been many more besides and several during the 1990s by other authors.

From its idealisation in the nineteenth century more recent studies have a more objective feel about them.

Many questions remain to be answered. Was the death of Guilhèm Belibaste who was burnt in 1321, the end of all Cathare

Masons, Illuminati, Theosophists and Rosicrucians. Gnostics believe they have discovered a secret to existence and human salvation confided only to a select few. The Parfait believed to have found this

While Goths, Visigoths & Romans have disappeared from The Aude, the Cathares still remain.

CATHARES lineage in Languedoc, as it is thought by historians of this extraordinary period? Are there any alive today who can link their families to the Albigensian heritage? Herein lies a mystery.

There exist those not only in Languedoc but elsewhere also who

pathway. Today, some have claimed to be reincarnated Cathares descended from the Elect who had been enfranchised by the Consolamentum. This has gone as far as being reborn as an Elect member. Others contradict their own reincarnation by saying they were Parfait in a previous life.

Heretics to some, occultists to others, the Cathares took themselves seriously enough to leave behind them not only a large number of historical monuments but they also passed on to the generations to come a tradition of thought that has influenced many other religious and philosophical groups. It is in these we may find their ideas alive in our times.

In his publication Itinéraires cathares, lieux sacrés et initiatiques (1994) Éric le Nabour states that it is with these medieval structures, their symbols marking the landscape, the interplay of shadows and sunlight, the silence of the caves with their ornamenting stalactites and stalagmites, that a relief is given to their itinerary.

Gnaeus

live as their gnostic ancestors several hundred years ago. There is the North American Fellowship of Cathars, well-organised and with web site. They have exchanges with members in France, Bulgaria, Bosnia and the Ukraine.In France, there is The Gnostic Catholic Church or l’Eglise Gnostique Catholique de France which finds much inspiration from Catharisme, although founded in 1888. This esoteric trend could be found already in the beliefs of the Albigois with various aspects at different times finding homes later in the 15

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apoléon Buonaparte is reputed to have observed, “The French complain of everything, and always.”

We must remember that Napoléon was Corsican. Also, he had suffered humiliations at military academy at Brienne-le-Château, being teased by peers there for his poor accent and his weak spelling. However, two centuries later, we still hear in various places and hear it said that the French gripe frequently.

In May 2010, the little short of reliable Mail Online, quoted a MAAF survey of over 1,000 French participants who, it claimed, mostly appeared to confirm with some pride that the French felt their reputation as moaners was merited. Banks and other financial institutions provoked enormous anger among the French; 31% of women said their husbands or boyfriends were the biggest cause of irritation. A noteworthy 25% of French people even said that they moaned as ‘a way of relaxing’, with retired people generally seen as the most argumentative. Only 3% of the sample found British people groaned regularly about issues.

Anyone who has studied French history over the last 200 or more years understands that at one end of the complaint-continuum, France has a marked revolutionary tendency.

One recalls the barricades, street-fires and guided-missile paving stones of 1968 serving as reminder of what is possible when the French are provoked beyond their limits.

Nonetheless, having participated in demonstrations in the UK, it is possible to find Britons who can turn nasty during a protest hurling objects towards the symbols of authority and shouting sentiments of frustration at them. Further, judging by the recent violent street protests in Greece & Spain about overwhelming economic distress in the EU and the reasons these give for complaining about the unfairness and difficulties of life, we can clearly illustrate

that the French are not the only people who enjoy a good moan.

Whatever the case may be, is it actually fair to write France off as a nation of whingers?

In the first place, we should be wary of surveys until we know the method of sampling or how and in what percentages different types of people are asked to participate. We have to assume MAAF’s poll

- Is it really just the French or do we all do it? was properly conducted.

To be more specific, we need to focus on particular areas of complaint, for example, which customers complain the most about customer service? From a survey of 30,000 respondents across 30 countries a few years ago, first came Sweden with 41% of customers saying they had made a complaint in the last 12 months. Next came the United Kingdom with 36% and France was lower down the list with 17%. In 2011, another poll of 11,000 people across Europe indicated the British (92% of the 3,000 British shoppers polled) were the most likely to complain, especially about service standards and product quality. The French came last at 42%.

Surprisingly, British shoppers hated queuing for more than 5 minutes becoming agitated after that time. Who was it said the British were patient in queues while the French could not keep still for two minutes?

On the encouraging side of this, complaining does have therapeutic benefits.

Additionally, it has provided retailers with important feedback as it enables them to understand consumers’ needs and make subsequent improvements. This is even more significant now since 2011, EU Consumer Rights Directives have encouraged consumers to expect the best customer service, delivery and returns policies from all retail outlets.

It is on the level of official expressions of dissatisfaction that we must turn our attention.

With product guarantees and warranties so readily available in Europe for durable goods, few people, French or otherwise, would ignore their rights. It is a simple case of having these stamped by the retail outlet concerned and filing the document at home for easy access in case a complaint and eventual replacement of the item is necessary.

Where services are in question we have a more sensitive abstract problem to deal with.

Some places, such as banks for example, have their own procedures. In the first instance, it is always better to see the bank in case. In case of failure the next stage is to send a letter to the Service Relations Clientèle of the bank. This particular example demonstrates that the French do have systems in place for taking complaints seriously and not just paying lip-service to consumer rights.

If this is unproductive main banks have their own independent ombudsman, called a Médiateur. This is granted two months to review the case and provide a report. The recommendations of the Médiateur are not binding on either parties in the case but their reports are generally respected by both 16

Hugh MacCamley

sides. Alternatively, the Fédération Bancaire Française also have a Médiateur contactable at Fédération Française des Bancaires, 18 rue La Fayette, BP 151, 75422 Paris, Cedex 09 or mediateur@fbf.fr Elsewhere, even French officials have a frequent gripe at bureaucracy and the apparently infinitesimal universe of regulations and protocols governing each facet of daily life in France.

At Albaret-Sainte-Marie in the Lozère, the officials intimate they are being “strangled” on a daily basis by new EU rules and regulations. There are so many, it is impossible to activate most of them for reasons of practicality and cost. The article in The Washington Post (17 April 2013) claimed that, among countless others, only government approved electricians could

change light bulbs on city property, while all pavements have to be the width of two wheelchairs. It also points out that while it costs France about 10 billion Euros annually, such directives constitute 3.7% of the total Gross Domestic Product of each EU country.

This is increasing each year.

A final word should be given to the French here because they also repine the encroaching use of English language across the nation.

The Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault recently warned his cabinet ministers and their departments to stop using English terms such as “Silver Economy” and “hashtag”.

Please lodge all protests with the Académie Française.

Consumer Rights in France Who should I contact?

DGCCRF The key organization for advice on consumer rights in France is the DGCCRF (Direction Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes) who provide information on how and who a consumer should contact in the event of their rights being abused. You can also download PDF information on your rights (sometimes available in English) on issues such as disputes, car repairs, bank card payments and restaurants/cafés.

Tel : 3939 Mon-Fri 8h-19h http://www.economie.gouv.fr/dgccrf

Talk to Maggie Are we speaking the same language? s we go about our daily lives, there are millions of bits of information each second of the day that we could focus on. If you close your eyes, what colour is the carpet, or the person’s eyes you are talking to? Are you noticing the sensation in your big toe? In reality, our brain is only able to focus on between 5 and 9 pieces of information at any one time. We therefore all use a filtering mechanism to determine what we need to be aware of. You may not be thinking about your right thumb whilst you hammer a nail into the wall, but if you miss and hit it, you soon become very aware of that bit of information! We all use these filters to make sense of our world, but most individuals have a preference for one over the others.

Visuals: see pictures, shapes & colours (40%) Kinaesthetics: experience the world through feelings (40%)

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Audio Tonals: make sense of the world through sounds (10) Audio Digitals: experience the world with data processed through thoughts (10%).

The quickest way to identify our own, or another person’s preferred filtering system, is to listen to the words used to describe things.

Imagine that someone is recouinting their holiday: Visuals: Great sights, golden sands, everything looked lovely Kinaesthetics: Holiday felt relaxing, the sea was warm Audio Tonals: Sound of the birds, the waves crashing on the sand Audio Digitals: Great experience, went swimming then went for dinner We prefer to be with people most like ourselves, so if you need to collaborate with others, communicating using language in line with their own preference will enable you to achieve far more successful outcomes. Try it with your friends, partner or even children and if you’re talking to an audience, by ensuring you include words and phrases for each type, you’ll keep everyone engaged, whatever their preference.

Consumer Associations

There are 17 consumer associations who represent the range of consumer products and services, including transport, accommodation, food and goods. They are listed on a website for the National Institute of Consummation (in French) with links to the relevant associations and information on consumer rights: www.conso.net

For the Consumer Safety Commission

(Commission de la Sécurité des Consommateurs): www.securiteconso.org/english/presentation

Internet Purchases

Service Public France, ‘Vente à distance’: www.vosdroits.service-public.fr

Returns policy

Under French law (article 121-20-1, la Code de la Consommation) a consumer has the right to return a product within seven days, without explaining why and without penalty (apart from the actual cost of returning the product). Reimbursement must be made as soon as possible, and within 30 days.

Situations when this law doesn’t apply: • If the consumer has waived their right to the seven day period • Purchase of food and other products which can go off • Audio, video or computer software that has been opened by the consumer • Purchase of magazines and newsletters • Services regarding transport, accommodation or leisure activities

Spam, Fraud and Advertising

An independent administrative body exists to provide information on consumer rights and obligations regards spam, fraud and advertising: CNIL (Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés) 8, rue Vivienne, CS 30223, 75083 Paris CEDEX 02 Tel: 01 53 73 22 22 www.cnil.fr/english 17

Email Maggie at maggie@maggieminter. co.uk if you would like to complete a short questionnaire to identify your own filtering preference, or if you’d like to speak to her personally.

Yoga Posture of the month Utkatasana

(aka the ‘Chair Pose’) This posture tones muscles in the arms and shoulders as well as those of the legs. To the onlooker it looks like a yogi sitting in an imaginary chair.

However, when you do the pose it is definitely not a passive pose. A deep squat, Utkatasana engages the strength of your legs, back and ankles. The arms should be held tight with the muscles contracted throughout all three parts of the posture; elbows and wrists locked.

TIP: For the arms to be parallel to the floor, keep the fingertips in line with the tops of the shoulders.www.yogabikrammontpellier.fr

The Calendar / Days Out in Association with:

The Calendar / Days Out Daily What’s On Calendar (in English) on www.theaudetimes.com

Aude Escapades

to the family cats as well. Great to see people just doing their own thing on a small scale with such enthusiasm.” (A reviewer) Another reviewer completely fed up with the Disney industry said she had her faith restored in the world of fairy stories and myths following her visit to the Museum. So, if you feel you need such a tonic then you will enjoy this experience.

Children will love this place and cat lovers too.

Open: Refer to the contact details as these are very complex.

Mediterranean Centre Of The Image

Cost of entry:

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Adult rate: 6.00 € Child rate: 4.00 € f you are looking for a day or half-day of Other rates are available adrenaline pumping excitement or a more Credit & bank cards, cheques, holiday vouchers & prolonged form with overnight stays then this cash are accepted is the place to contact. You decide what your next adventure will be. Suggested activities: Canyoning , Course d’orientation, Climbing, Snowshoe walking, Microlighting, Via corda, Via ferrata...

It is safe thanks to qualified, experienced and passionate state qualified instructors who make sure you follow the right instructions.

Base: Verdun Lauragais, between Carcassonne and Castelnaudary, at the foot of the Black Mountains and the Pyrenees, in heart of Cathar country. There are orientation courses and other possibilities with equipment included in the hiring.

For information it is better to go to Aude Escapades - cost, how to get there, when courses are available, what you need to take with you and other enquiries.

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n Malves-en-Minervois in the enclosure of the Château, the Mediterranean Centre of The Image regularly holds contemporary design exhibitions which include artists in residence, symposia, photography and plastic arts, among others.

This is probably not so interesting for children and it is better to contact the Centre directly for all information.

AUDE ESCAPADES Moulin d’amont, 11400 VERDUN-EN-LAURAGAIS 33 (0)4 68 24 75 30 - 33 (0)4 68 23 49 09 33 (0)6 03 50 00 85 hubertcombes@gmail.com http://www.audescapades.com **

Robot Museum

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isitors can discover more than 100 robots in this mechanical pantomime in a series of worlds where characters inspired by stories and myths stand side by side with the Venice Carnival and other fantasies. There are tours of the creative workshop.

“Small family run concern, really welcoming and the young man who makes the automates is happy to show people round his workshop too. Nice coffee on the terrace afterwards where you get introduced

MUSEE DES AUTOMATES 4 rue Anne-Marie Javouey, 11300 LIMOUX 33 (0)9 63 49 81 96 33 (0)6 70 39 01 74

CENTRE MEDITERRANEEN DE L’IMAGE Château de Malves, 11600 MALVES-EN-MINERVOIS

museautomates@yahoo.fr

33 (0)4 68 77 53 91 33 (0)4 68 71 65 26 contact@graph-cmi.org www.graph-cmi.org

http://www.lemuseedesautomates.com **

**

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What’s in a name....

were held. Joan said she thought she was 19 years old. The English and their Burgundian allies needed Joan to be found be a heretic in order to destroy the legitimacy of Charles Sue Hicks continues her look into history through Street names to VII as his position would have been achieved through the intervention of the devil. Joan, little educated and illiterate as most women were at that time, put up a spirited defence and proceedings were moved to her prison cell. Joan was condemned as a heretic, handed over to the secular arm and was burnt at the stake by English soldiers on 30 May 1431. Her body was shown to the assembled rance was in turmoil. Since 1422, there had been two claimants crowd before being burnt again and the remains thrown into the river to to the throne – the infant English King Henry V1 and the 19 ensure that no relics remained. year old French Henry VI was crowned King of France in Paris dauphin Charles in December 1431, the only monarch ever to be who had been disinherited king of both England and France. English losses by his father. The Hundred continued, Burgundy changed sides and by 1453 Years War between France the English only retained Calais (until 1558). and England had been The Hundred Years War was over although waged intermittently since English monarchs carried the title of King of 1337 with marauding troops France until George III dropped his claim to the of soldiers wrecking life French throne and the fleur-de-lis was removed in the countryside between from British royal coat of arms. military engagements. The In 1456, a posthumous retrial of Joan resulted kingdom was cut in two in the annulment of the sentence and thus the with the English and their stain on Charles VII that he owed so much to allies including the someone that the Inquisition had declared a Burgundians controlling heretic was removed. The many witnesses North and East of the Loire. included Joan’s mother. The intensity of the There were rival factions prime sources – the record of the trial and the who sought to exercise rehabilitation trial - have inspired historians, power and influence. There novelists, artists, playwrights and film makwere two popes - one ers throughout the years. Joan was eventually supported by the French canonized in 1920. and the other by the Anglo / So many famous women have achieved Burgundian allies. immortality by being queen, consort, a beauty, In the spring of 1429, a nun or a mother. The virgin Joan, dressed in a teenage girl dressed in men’s clothes or as soldier, blazed for only two men’s clothing from a farm years on the French stage and became an in Domremy, Lorraine enduring symbol of national integrity. As an arrived at the court in icon, Joan has been brought out to fortify causes Chinon and demanded an throughout the generations including by General audience with Charles. de Gaulle, in exile in London in 1940, who chose Jeanne d’Arc claimed that, guided by the voices of three saints, she had the cross of Lorraine as a symbol of the Free French Forces. come to drive the English out of France and crown the dauphin King.

A mighty myth has been created around her but the true story has epic Charles is said to have hidden among his courtiers but been recognised qualities. Jeanne d’Arc – the Maid – captured the hopes of France in immediately by Joan who took him aside for an hour long private desperate times and just the mention of her name continues to inspire. conversation which convinced him of her authenticity. In May, Joan ** joined the troops at the siege of Orleans. Her arrival, perhaps heralded by talk of a prophecy coming true, inspired troops and citizens to fight and despite being injured in the neck Joan regained the standard which she carried aloft and the siege was lifted within days. A series of French military successes followed which broke the English hold on the Loire.

At the urgent instigation of Joan, Charles travelled through hostile territories to reach the cathedral at Reims, the traditional place for French coronations. On 16 July 1429, Joan looked on as he was anointed with holy oil and crowned Charles VII. The symbolic effect of this ceremony where Charles at last received God’s mandate was enormous and people who had previously wavered were drawn to his cause.

On 23 May 1430, only a year after the success at Orleans, Joan was “pulled from her horse by the long panel of her golden surcoat” outside the besieged town of Compiegne. A huge ransom was expected to be achieved and she was handed over to the Burgundian feudal overlord and imprisoned. There is no record of the king trying to ransom her and in December she was sold to the English for £10,000. One explanation of why the English were prepared to pay such an enormous sum and to try her judicially at great expense is that the English now believed in the power of Joan the Maid – after all, only supernatural forces could account for the recent English losses after the glories of Agincourt only 15 years before – more than the newly confident French.

Joan was moved to the English-held Rouen castle and from January 1431 investigations, interrogations and a trial involving the distinguished French theologians Bishop Couchon and members of the Inquisition

Joan of Arc

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The Wine Addition(s) As containers full of freshly harvested grapes teeter along roads across the region, we ask regular contributor, vigneron Simon Coulshaw, for his take on the ingredients not always listed on the label that go into making wine…

The scene: La “Cave Atemptor” somewhere in the World Two wine enthusiasts / geeks coming over all Jilly Gouldenesque whilst sampling the wines from the above mentioned Cave.

“I’m getting a hint of pub carpet and just a faint blush of Baboon armpit......no wait a minute, no it’s not Baboon, no, no it’s actually Gibbon armpit, probably the left.”

“Yes, I’m with you and I’m finding also a soupcon of fish bladder, a frisson of carbon followed by a satisfying burst of bovine liver on the finish.”

Followed by much stroking of beards etc............

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ll pretty absurd I hear you say and so it is yet the second comment is not quite as loony as it appears, indeed the Cave in question should be in fact a warning to all buyers as they would certainly not be alone in being guilty off adding all sorts to their wine whilst keeping the customer in blissful ignorance.

It’s a fact that under EU laws written by litigators in order to protect against litigation, nearly all wine additives have no requirement to be listed on labels. Strange but true!

The most common substances added to wine are probably sugar, tartaric acid, potassium carbonate, citric acid, ascorbic acid, cultivated yeasts, enzymes (of which there are hundreds) and of course sulphites, the only product the winery must put on the label. These products are added in an attempt to improve the wines desirability by changing its character, often quite radically and to protect the wine against spoilage.

Unfortunately buying Bio certified (organic) wines does not protect the consumer from these additives, as most of them are authorised for use.

Now I don’t have a problem with adding something like sulphur dioxide (the sulphites) to a wine to

help keep the wine clean and without fault as long as it’s added in minimal doses. I do not agree however that sulphur dioxide should be added liberally in order to correct poor wine making habits and a lack of hygiene.

As for adding acid (normally tartaric in powder form), or potassium carbonate to de-acidify, cultivated yeasts to give notes like “black current” or “pear drop” or whatever else to the wine, enzymes (yes, sometimes extracted from a cow’s liver) that perform all sorts of roles, some necessary but all too often to change the profile of the wine; well let’s just say I’m not a fan. If you pick high quality, healthy fruit from great vineyards at the right time and vinify and blend it it correctly, you will produce fruit forward, wellbalanced wines with no need for adulteration and all the more satisfying for it.

I know that “natural wines” (an uncertified wine making philosophy involving winemakers who believe in minimal intervention) get a lot of stick, probably most of it justified for being over priced and quite often a bit fizzy, a little animal or dirty tasting, but at least you know what you will be imbibing is good old fermented grape juice.

A lot of the wine additives used today as in the second critique above, the activated carbon, Isinglass (a collagen extracted from the dried swim bladders of fish) and the cow liver enzyme, Catalase are all used to help clarify and stabilise wines and are again, just not necessary. Of course these products will only exist in the wine in minute doses and are completely undetectable aromatically or taste wise, but the application of temperature control in most cases will achieve the same result. Maybe not as surefire but I’d rather take the risk and perhaps one day drink a wine with a slight haze and know it’s natural, 20

but on that point I suspect I’m in the minority.

A product known as Velcorin, chemically, dimethyl dicarbonate, used to sterilise wine, is so toxic it will burn your skin and is potentially fatal if inhaled. Yes again it’s added in small doses and completely breaks down in the wine, but even so I’d rather not take the risk. So if you can find naturally made wines that are clean, of high quality and affordable, even if there may be a small premium to pay, I think you’re on to a good thing. We’re very fortunate here in the Languedoc, as it’s an area that is truly at the heart of global natural wine production.

In conclusion, additives that are used to stabilise and protect the wines are often added unnecessarily and is the result of “safety first” winemaking. Not great, but perhaps understandable. The trick is, is to work hygienically and only add something to help the wine that is as natural as possible and at the lowest feasible dose when absolutely critical. Products that are added to essentially change the profile of the wine, hide its faults and hoodwink the customer, are in my opinion unacceptable. In both cases these products should certainly be listed on the label in order to help the wine drinking public make an informed purchasing decision.

As a self confirmed “natural winemaker” working as sensibly as possible in an attempt to bring “terroir” driven, fruit forward wines to the market, I can in no way claim to be impartial on this subject. There are of course, horses for courses and every opinion is valid but at least it would be nice to have some transparency in letting the public know what they have chosen to drink.

Caveat Emptor!

Intergenerational cohabitation:

An economic and convivial solution to accommodation.

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forward thinking project to help reduce accommodation costs for young people in education or training whilst providing a solution for seniors living in isolation has received funding from the Conseil Générale de l’Hérault.

Concorda Logis, a 1901 association, is a pioneer of intergenerational lodgment.

Their aim is to pair young people in education or training with older people who share similar interests. The older person welcomes a young person into their home, providing a bedroom with access to a kitchen and bathroom in exchange for shared time together (a walk, meal or activity) and help with the occasional services (feed

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the cat, pick up a delivery, etc).

The cost for young people to participate varies from between 150-250€. The association will support both parties throughout the duration of the stay and ensure that the engagement is respected. “The object,” says the association’s directress Oana Barré, “Is that neither the senior nor the young person find themselves in a situation of hardship. Caring and empathy are values which must be shared by both parties.” Gaelle, originally from the Gers and “nervous by the idea of living in a large town”, chose this solution in order to ‘find a familiar environment’ when she came to Montpellier to study.

Not convinced by sharing with young people her own age, the prospect of living with an older person appealed to her. The young language student shared her day to day life with Geneviève with whom she discussed, read magazines and went on walks. It was such a successful arrangement that Gaelle and Geneviève renewed the contract for her following academic year.

For more information see http://www.concordalogis.com/

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Tea And Coffee Salon fter many years of turning an idea around in her head, Heidi Komarek-Freysinet decided to dive into her dream project and lifetime passion for baking.

Having lived in Narbonne since 2000, she formed her project around everything she loved and missed from her homeland the United States. Finding a lack of a tea and coffee shops in Narbonne to meet up with friends or family or just to enjoy a moment of peace with good friendly service- Heidi created and successfully opened in August 2013. Happy to bring to her customers homemade deserts, excellent teas (working exclusively with Theodor Paris along with a private selection of her own teas and pure coffees such as Colombian Tula,

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• Each engine of a jet on a flight from London to New York generates 10TB of data every 30 minutes • In 2013 internet data, mostly user-contributed, will account for 1,000 exabytes. An exabyte is a unit of information equal to one quintillion bytes • Open weather data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has an annual estimated value of $10bn • Every day we create 2.5 quintillion bytes of data • 90% of the data in the world today has been created in the past two years • Every minute 100,000 tweets are sent globally

Heidi also offers special order cakes for all occasions.

T Salon de Thé 21, rue de l’Ancien Courrier 11100 Narbonne, France Tel: 04.34.44.45.14 Facebook: T-Salon de Thé

French-English translations

Independent Anglophone translator helping English speakers to understand foreign documents.

All texts considered - none too small!

Working languages: French, Spanish, English.

Contact Alison Reid at aer.translations@gmail.com

Talk Tech and IT with the Geek we call ‘E-Male’

’m told that summer is ending. Oh you people don’t know when you’ve got it good do you? I haven’t seen sunshine in years and like Julian Assange in a Bolivian embassy I sit here seeking the truth for you. And here are the latest facts and figures for you this month.

Ethiopia Limu and the ever so famous Jamaican Blue Mountain. With an original menu of ice creams and bio sorbets it would be hard not to find your pleasure at “T”.

Whether you are interested in taking out or enjoying a moment with a view of her flowered courtyard- this might be one stop away from home not to be missed!

• Google receives two million search requests every minute And so for the 91 people who have written asking why their computer has slowed down alarmingly I offer you the previous facts to highlight how hard they work!

But actually this months column is to warn you about ‘Registry Cleaners’. Many of you have asked about these pop-ups that offer to ‘scan your registry’, ‘speed up your computer’ or ‘scan your computer for problems free of charge’.... They don’t!!

They just appear to run and tell you all of the problems you have and tell you to pay for the full program to fix the issues now!

It is rubbish.

This week someone paid me to remove the 18 programs they had to fix the problems I was called to fix. And worse, many contain trojans and you know what I think of Helen of Troy don’t you?

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www.lheraultart.com

Archeological Museum, Narbonne

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he archeological museum in Narbonne is one of the richest provincial museums in France, ranked third after Lyon and Dijon. Located in the beautiful premises of the Palais des Archevêques, its rooms house an outstanding collection of Roman murals, pottery, funeral carved stones, and Stone Age objects. A section of the Via Domitia linking Italy to Spain is visible in front of the Town Hall near the museum itself.

Besides an important selection of fresco

fragments, the museum displays a complete assortment of everyday objects used during Roman times: combs, hair pins, spoons, thimbles, pens, oil lamps, amphora, vases and even glass pots, some of which are in perfect condition.

The exceptional frescos from a villa named Clos de la Lombard were hailed nationally in Paris at the Luxembourg Museum in 1993.

Their colours and the skilful depictions of fauna and flora as well as of the human face and body are a testimony to the amazing techniques of the Roman artists. Its floor mosaics, designed using geometrical shapes in black and white, decorate the porches of the house. These are made of marble cubes measuring about 1cm, each cube individually cut.

The Colonia Narbo Martius or first Roman colony in Gaul was founded in 118 BC. Although still small at the time of the conquest of Caesar, the colony developed fast and reached its peak during the first two centuries of our era, when it became the

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capital of the whole of Southern Gaul, the name given to the whole province of Narbonne.

It was considered a major centre of commerce, producing mainly ceramics, wheat and wine.

Under Augustus, the elite lived in the outskirts of the city in beautiful villas such as the Clos de la Lombarde. These villas were built and decorated according to the model of the City. The frescos on display are the most important ones discovered and are of exceptional quality and rarity. They demonstrate the importance of the décor in Roman villas. Floors and pavements were covered with mosaics and walls with painted frescos. Narbo Martius soon became the wealthiest city in southern Gaul and was appointed by the emperor Augustus as capital of Gallia. Narbonne is the province which stretched from Toulouse to Geneva.

Artifacts such as a Roman boat anchor and a mosaic with the inscription Navi Narbosenses demonstrate the prosperity of the port of Narbonne, then the most important in Gaul (although the area now lies 20km from the sea!)

Ceramics from the South of Gaul named sigillum - meaning seal or stamp in latin, and characterized by a red-orange colour, were extensively traded. Oil lamps made in clay and sometimes in bronze were imported from Italy. They had a reservoir, a nozzle with a small hole for the wick with varied patterns.

Finally, the archeological museum offers a selection of Stone Age artifacts such as stone axes, necklaces, arrows stone,as well as an original sepulture.

The old building of the Archdiocese enhances in a remarkable way this formidable display making for a pleasant and instructive tour.

Musée Archeologique, Place de l’Hôtel de Ville, Narbonne D Aclange

www.l-artiste.com

IS THE ART WORLD AGEIST? Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.

“Wanted - Young emerging artists only.

Fresh, interesting works and new ideas.

Artists between ages 24 to 34.”

George Macdonald

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he Art world is at a crossroads. The art world, a place of tolerance and acceptance. Read on.

But is this really the issue?

Age is not relevant if you want to be an artist. In fact all age groups are required to The fawning adoration of the young and the make art. trendy, the media experts and manipulators So is it about experience or lives led? and the purveyors of ‘cool’ are running out of No it isn’t, because if you have to have gas. And what is left behind? ‘lived your life’ or Artworks that devalue (Hirst.), artists who experienced different are in court for plagiarism ( Fairey), art that things then that in doesn’t stand the test of time. (Don’t get me itself becomes elitist started) and precludes young, Is this fair or is it just another chance to hungry, talented write something negative’ as is so often the artists from success. case?

I know what you I believe that the media profiles created, are thinking here. You nurtured and sold as an art form by these think I am going to young and trendy artists is partially r attack the esponsible for the thousands and thousands of galleries and curators column inches that we see daily in and ‘closed circle’ of newspapers, magazines and even this buyers and art publication. And because of these column aficionados but inches the public is more aware than ever of you’re wrong. the art world and the artists have more They too have existed opportunity to make money and careers out for hundreds of years. of their art (even though being an addict or In an ideal world, the public would promiscuous or ‘a little weird’ helps). recognize a few artists from a defined age But these media friendly ‘artists’ grow group, a defined style and a defined older, or wiser or even grow up and even they demographic. Here you automatically see must look sometimes and wonder just when it different works by the same age group or was that ‘personality’ overtook the art. different genres by demographic. The idea Tracey Emin is 50 by the time you read this. being that you can then expand your own Remember her work? mind and not be ‘press-ganged into deciding Tampons, unmade beds and tents with the what is ‘good’ or ‘bad’. names of the people she slept with.

We have gone through a period where art Well, growing up is ok here: ‘I made two was not the precursor to what sold or ‘led’ seminal pieces of those column art, I made My inches we Tent and My Bed, mentioned earlier. they’re well known The art world, a place of Art was not and whatever, I looked at ‘for art’s tolerance and acceptance? wouldn’t make that sake’ but more for work now, would I? ‘marketing’s sake’ Why not Tracey? and the backlash If it is art it is has begun from It is a place of extreme art.......or is it that some sides. manipulation where ageism you are older The public, and a little more having been and sexism dominate interested in your beckoned down drawings and your a media-led road place at the Royal for so long have Academy? turned it on its head and are now beginning to I hope so because I think your drawings are look at the art first and the artist second. The wonderful and emotive and show an artist big players are looking at quality and who has grown....but I‘m afraid I can’t really application rather than just buying to be be seen looking at them, because you are too seen. The economic crisis has caused many old and not media cool. Sorry. people to look first at an investment of €80 or

No.

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€8million and reflect on whether it is actually something they want to look at, not based only on the signature in the corner.

And so the age of an artist, or gender, or sexual preference is no longer the sole

precursor to what people want to see.

Artists of any age with genuine talent should be welcomed at the table.

Young artists desperate to succeed are oft manipulated and molded and ruined before they have had a chance to develop at their own pace and in their own way; whilst older artists are ignored due to media requirements.

Well here’s the wakeup call.....

Individuals and galleries are beginning to send shock waves through the status quo by ignoring what we are told to like, instead they are choosing for themselves . And it’s not the history or the age of the artist, it is something far more tangible...........It is the art.

I for one salute this, but be warned, female artists still only account for 0.75c in every dollar of art sold and young artists represent about 0.95c on the dollar while those over 50 average approximately 0.65c on the dollar.* The art world, a place of tolerance and acceptance?

No. It is a place of extreme manipulation where ageism and sexism dominate but in the words of Bob Dylan....

“The times they are a changing....” *National Endowment for the Arts Issues Research Note on Women Artists: 1990 to 2005

First printed in L’Artiste Magazine Sep 2013 www.l-artiste.com

The French VIEW _

Translation by Alison Reid

Syrian and living in France, I have to talk to my family in Damascus in code

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To understand the thoughts and opinions of a country and a people you have to read and listen to what they say. Not always the easiest thing to do in another language.

Alison Reid will regularly translate for you a selection of topical blogs and opinion pieces by French writers, journalists and thinkers…

was 20 years old when I left Syria for cash register; it’s being kept nice and warm for the destruction of a world heritage site.

France. At the time, it wasn’t uncommon in bank accounts in Russia. Incidentally, new External military intervention, for students to go and continue their gas projects were supposed to be finalised a question of survival. studies abroad. Every family wanted one of with Moscow in 2014, hence Russia’s clear At the root of the revolution is the corruption their children to become a doctor, an engineer opposition to any outside military and the impression of impunity asserted by or a lawyer. That was the Syria of the 1980s, intervention. many, in particular the police. In winter 2011 the Syria where Damascus looked like Paris.

Corruption has been poisoning Syria for a in Daraa, some youths wrote ‘down with My sister has been missing for one year long time. To be honest, ever since the French Assad’ on a wall. They were arrested, beaten Today, half of my family are still living in – who were given the mandate over Syria and imprisoned. When their fathers arrived at Syria. Well, ‘living’, I’m not too sure…my after the First World War – decided to adhere the police station to ask where their children sister has been reported missing for one year to the saying ‘divide and rule’ by putting the were, the police officers answered “Bring now. Is she dead, imprisoned, has she been Alawites, a minority group in a country that your wives here, we’ll teach you how to make raped? Impossible to know. Because it’s not was 75% Sunnite, in power. children,”. This event was the spark. When the deaths that are the worst, it’s the people Before I emigrated, I could already see that Bachar al-Assad appeared a few days later who have disappeared; there are tens of if there wasn’t too much poverty in Syria, on television, not to condemn the attitudes of thousands of them. there wasn’t too much freedom, either. Out the police officers, but to announce that the Another part of my family has fled to Egypt of the question to criticise – ‘disappearances’ youths were terrorists, it was an embarrassor to Turkey. Nothing is as it was in my were common place. Everything was done ment. It is this story in particular that is at the country, 3 million exiles have been under the table. You constantly had to slip a root of the Syrian revolution. documented – including 1million Today, the whole country is in ruchildren – and almost six million ins. We have leapt 50 years back people have been displaced. in the past. I’m scared for the The Syrians are a brave and united people.

Anyone who stays where they are children. The other day, I cried as When a shell explodes, people don’t run will see their chances of dying I listened to one saying on televifor cover. On the contrary, they run to the multiplied by ten. sion “I just want a cucumber,” I still manage to communicate I’m scared for the young people: explosion to help those injured. The army sporadically with some members what will they become after three has understood this and has now gotten into years without going to school? of my family that remain in the Damascus region, from where I The government would prefer the habit of dropping a second bomb in the originate. We use pagers or uneducated fools. They’re easier same place a few minutes later… mobile phones and we use codes. to manipulate. I’m scared that For example, the other day my the war will change the Syrian aunt told me, “There’s a huge fly people, a people that hated to talk above my head, I’m going to have to go. Do note to this or that person. about religion and who lived so well, Sunyou have them at your place, as well?” The Here is a prime example: after my studies, nites, Shiites, Jews, Christians and Druses, all fly was in fact an aeroplane preparing to drop I decided to stay in France and to start a together… And I’m scared that we will have bombs. business (much to the discontent of my this for ten years, like in Lebanon or in Iraq.

The Syrians are a brave and united people. father). But obligatory Syrian national service Despite everything, I am entirely in favour When a shell explodes, people don’t run lasted three years. It was out of the question of an external military intervention. It’s a for cover. On the contrary, they run to the for me to leave my budding business for that question of survival. People say that amongst explosion to help those injured. The army has long, so I was forbidden from re-entering the rebels there are Islamists who have come understood this and has now gotten into the Syria for 17 years and I no longer had a from abroad, fanatics. Right now, it doesn’t habit of dropping a second bomb in the same passport. This was up until the adoption of matter, any help is welcome. In any case, the place a few minutes later… a new law in the 1990s allowing people to Syrian people will not allow themselves to be Assad’s mafia buy the right not to complete their national governed by religious extremists, they won’t The Assad family has been in power for 50 service. I was asked for 10,000 francs. Once accept it. years now. It’s a sort of mafia, a sect. The at the desk, I handed them over, and there the If the opposition arrive in power, somefamily has built its spider web all over the employee made two piles: 5000 francs in his thing I hope for with all my heart, they will country and is keeping it prisoner. It’s not a pocket (before my very eyes!) and 5000 in the get rid of the Russians. This will be a good religious problem, or a community problem. cash register and written on the receipt. This thing done. Syria is a chess board for the No one has a problem with the Alawites as was the price I had to pay to return home. entire world, and there are many games being such; it’s Bachar al-Assad who needs to be It was notably to discover that the Ghouta played out on it. Certain people are pulling removed. No human being can accept that the oasis, a little piece of paradise on earth near the strings, and they are not strings attached man supposed to be his leader massacres his to Damascus, was no longer there. The Assad to one or two million dollars, but tens of own country and his own people. family had covered it in concrete, distributed billions.

On top of Bachar, there is also his brother building permits and you now had to drill Written by Zoheir H., Syrian. to be reckoned with: Maher al-Assad, who 50m to find a drop of water. My father could Edited by Hélène Decommer keeps the army, as well as Iran and Russia, have called a doctor, or sacrificed a sheep; I http://leplus.nouvelobs.com as well paid, loyal allies of the regime. The didn’t speak for two days. On top of everySyrian oil money never arrived in the State’s thing else, the Assad clan could be prosecuted 24

English for Expat Children

An older primary child might like a round of whispers. Get together a reasonably large group of people (of any An indispensable guide age) for this classic listening game.

A phrase is thought up and passed Laura Smith has a BA (Hons) around the whole group one by one, in English and a background only to see if the original phrase is which includes nannying, intact by the last listener. There are no running ‘arts’ groups for repetitions and secrecy is critical! children, supporting early readers, teaching English An even older child who is looking as a foreign language in Spanish and Italian to push their vocabulary should try schools and examining children for the the dictionary game which is a bit like Cambridge Examining Board.

Call my Bluff. Using a dictionary and competing against the other group members, the aim of the game is to trick October other players into voting for your definition. hose of you with English speaking The players take turns to choose a word they children in the French school sysdon’t understand from the tem might be primarily interested in dictionary. When they find one, they read it bolstering your child’s English reading and out to the group. Should any of the players writing skills; skills that will develop, usually in the group know the definition of the word from reading to writing, over an extended then they must admit it and the player looking period of time. Regardless of their stage of for the word will re-choose. When they have progress in reading and writing, it is always a word that no one knows, everyone in the worth thinking of ways to extend your child’s game writes down an invented definition. vocabulary; something that develops The player with the dictionary writes down primarily through speech. English speaking the real definition. All the definitions are then is likely a real strength in your child, and collected (being sure to hide the definitions their vocabulary will develop perfectly well well to avoid any peeking!) and read out by without specific attention, but, if you can the player along with the real definition. They come up with an activity that introduces them should be read in a neutral way and the other to new words, or finds a way of honing their player’s should aim to make their definitions pronunciation, then why not? convincing. The last stage of the game is the Younger children will probably enjoy vote, where each player votes for the songs. Nursery rhymes are particularly good, definition they believe is correct. If the not only for pronunciation (music is also an definition you invented tricks anyone into excellent memory tool) but also for unusual/ voting for it then you get a point for each archaic language.

Fou D’Anglais Clermont L’Herault

T

Listen Carefully

‘this coming night’ or ‘last night’ *‘louer’ can mean ‘to BEWARE! Some French words have rent/hire’ or ‘to rent/hire out’ OPPOSITE meanings: *‘un hôte’ can mean ‘a *‘tout à l’heure’, or host’ or ‘a guest’ ‘tantôt’ can both mean ‘presently’ or ‘just a short We have to listen carefully... while ago’ Bobbie Trickett *‘cette nuit’ can mean

8 Ave Maréchal Foch (opp Clermont Medical Centre)

Grocery Shop Tea Room www.foudanglais.fr 04 30 40 29 54

vote. And if you chose the word and no one votes for the real definition, then you get a point too!

I hope you get to spend some time on vocabulary building! Please let me know if you have any other suggestions for vocabulary games by getting in touch directly through englishforexpatchildren.webs.com or the email below. If you are interested in starting English support groups in your area you can contact me at englishforexpatchildren@ gmail.com

F

rench Police Chief Mireille Ballestrazzi, 58, is the first woman to head Interpol. She made her name fighting organised crime in Corsica. Her four year term as president of Interpol began in November 2012. Her past positions include: Vice-President for Europe at the Interpol Executive Committee, and Deputy Central Director of the Judicial Police in Paris. She is a recipient of the Légion d’honneur and a graduate of the French National Higher Police

Academy. On her appointment as the first woman to hold this position, “I am proud for women because this can have an impact and I am proud for France.”

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Recipe Times

S

he has cooked for the British and Spanish Royal families, run catering businesses and corporate hospitality, owned and run an award winning guest house and restaurant with her daughter, was runner up to Gordon Ramsey in the quarter finals of Chef of the Year and was awarded Chef of the Year North Wales, not to mention runner up in the Best Apple pie competition, Great Britain.

This month Posi Williams shares her philosophy on cooking and eating through these delicious, easy recipes...

M

y vast experience of food, people, cooking and places are like a reference library of characters, situations and settings. For me eating properly to a budget, large and small, is very important, as is passing on that knowledge to help people eat nutritionally within their own budgets. Because living is changing in today’s society so many people are now producing their own foods. We need to encourage production and eating seasonal food at its best. Buying and preparing food is all important and from a considerate range of sources. After choosing quality and price and quantity, taste may be enhanced by inclusion of other compatible elements, herbs, oils, spices. Storage/hygiene is very important.

Fresh tuna steak with mango salsa 1 small piece of tuna (cut at least 1/2in thick), 1 mango, 1 orange, a few capers, 1 small bunch of fresh mint, 1 clove garlic, splash soya sauce, 2 spring onions (1 for garnish 1 for salsa), salt and pepper (approx. cost 4.15€) 1) Prepare the mango salsa by dicing mango into a bowl with one of the chopped spring onions. Add crushed garlic clove and a little zest from the orange. Add the capers and chopped fresh mint. You can use orange juice to thin the sauce, but not too runny.

You will see once you have cut up the mango if very ripe that its juice will be sufficient. Season to taste – set aside.

2) Place the tuna into a hot frying pan

and watch it cook. Turn over when heat takes hold - the colour changes at the edge of the meat as it cooks through. Turnover, the same for the other side. DO NOT OVERCOOK… otherwise it will go rubbery! Will look a little raw inside but don’t worry - that’s the correct way to eat this tuna meat!

3) Take tuna off the heat to rest it for a couple of minutes, which lets the juices relax. Then place on your dinner plate - drizzle soya sauce on top and garnish with the other chopped spring onion. Serve with the mango salsa.

4) Amazing flavours and colours you will love this one! (optional green salad on side)

26

Herby goats cheese spread 1 tub of low fat cream cheese, 1 round, soft goats cheese, 1 garlic clove, 2 stems of fresh thyme, 1 small bunch of flat parsley, salt and pepper, optional milk. (approx. cost 2.85€) Into mixer place crushed garlic, cream cheese, goats cheese, 2 sprigs of thyme (off stem), small bunch of flat parsley, salt and pepper (season to your taste).

Whizz together.

If the consistency looks too thick add a couple of drops of milk. Should be at spreading paste consistency. Put into bowl; cover and refrigerate. Will last 3 days cold temperature.

Great standby for your sandwiches, with brown seed bread, no butter… garnish with slices of tomato or cucumber or again use as an instant dip with crudities and pitta slices.

Enjoy enjoy….

“Food is life to be enjoyed rustic food makes you smile and feel good. My way of life is simply family harmony, the togetherness of providing food is not a task but a labour of love.”

Beetroot and orange salad 1 x large cooked beetroot, 1 x orange, raspberry vinegar, olive oil, tbs honey, 1 small red onion (approx. cost 1.40€) 1) Grate or dice small beetroot into a bowl 2) For the dressing: In another bowl put 2 tbs spoons raspberry vinegar and two of oil together with a tbs of honey.

3) Now prep the orange, take off the pith and place segments on top of beetroot. Add the juice of the orange into dressing bowl.

4) Prep. the small red onion by chopping finely and place with beetroot and orange

Roast tomato and basil soup 8 x large fresh tomatoes, 1 small onion, 1 pint chicken stock, /s-p/tomato puree,1 tinned tomatoes,1 clove garlic,1 red pepper*, Fresh thyme and basil, oil, salt and pepper (approx. cost 3.25€) *Red peppers in brine from Lidl are the best produce to use or roast pepper over a flame on the cooker and place in oiled bag for a minute or 2 to remove skin! Choice and time is yours.

1) Place halves of tomatoes on cooking tray, seasoned and oiled and cook until roasted browned and shrivelled up.

2) Into a large saucepan cook through a chopped onion until softened with a crushed garlic clove and thyme off the stem, basil

segments. (If it looks like too much onion don’t put it all in, you can always add afterwards.)

5) Now taste the dressing and adjust to your taste! Combine dressing with the beetroot orange segments and onion, stir altogether.

Cover and put in fridge.

Nb.Optional spring onions delicious on top instead of red onion, and chopped parsley makes additional colour for garnish and again very good for you. Sprinkle seeds and nuts on top or in the salad for a some additional goodness.

leaves, a tin of tomatoes, a tbs of tomato puree and the red pepper. Then add the cooked, roasted tomatoes together with chicken stock.

3) Cook through to boiling point. Taste and check seasoning. When happy with the flavour, cool a little then place all mixture through the mouli or food mill/sieve. Put mix back into the pan, this should be a thickened consistency. Again check seasoning before serving.

There should be plenty of this soup to hold in the fridge for 3 days or bag and freeze for another day!

Delicious hot or even cold, you could dress it up with a spoon of yoghurt or cream and a drizzle of oil or basil leaves.

27

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Women’s International Club, Languedoc- Roussilon Meets in Saint Chinian, 1st Thursday of month , 2.30pm., at Salle de L’Abbatiale.

Our meetings are conducted in French and English. info@wic-lr.com www.wic-lr.com **

SERVICES

Commercial Cleaning Machine for hire.

Cleans soft furnishings, rugs, mattresses, sunbed cushions, car interiors, etc.Contact Trudi: 0499570589 trudi@ppm34.fr ** Door Restore Is your Front Door showing its age, Try Door Restore specialists in the restoration and repair Of all wooden exterior and interior doors and shutters. Quick on site repairs or workshop restoration Call or email for a site visit and free quotation Door restore 0671526193 Door-restore@hotmail.fr ** Enhanced Business English Training Realise Your Potential RYP Training Consultants prepare you for any aspect of anglophone business from CVs and job interviews to presentations and meetings. www.ryp-associates.eu.pn ** Babysitting.

18 year old Female available for babysitting, dog sitting, house sitting at weekends. References available Tel: 0778 17 81 26 Narbonne **

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Bernie Gray 06 49 21 55 71 www.gray-solutions.co.uk ** Roofing and Building Services Roofs replaced or repaired: Leaks, Insulation, Velux, Guttering, New beams, Structural, Terraces. Building maintenance and repairs. References.

Professional – Reliable longden888@lycos.com Karl : 06 04 45 63 57 Paul : 06 34 95 19 71 www.roofingbuildingservices.com ** Dyson Property Renovations English Qualified Builder Kitchens, Bathrooms, Decorating and Renovations - Professional and reliable Free Estimates – References Available No Job Too Small Tel: 0647 09 38 65 m: roydyson36@yahoo.co.uk www.dysonpropertyrenovations.com **

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28

Roquebrun Property Management Personalised services for holiday homes and seasonal rentals. Full or ‘pay as you go’ service. Homes available to rent for 1- 15 people. Call Sue on 0652752445. wwwroquebrunproperty.com ** For All Your Property Care Needs Complete pool care inc. winter shutdown, gardening inc strimming, changeovers, general painting interior and exterior, varnishing, oiling shutters etc.

Siret registered est 10 years Tel: 04 67 24 83 72 06 87 64 97 29 www.property34fr.com **

LANGUEDOCPROPERTYSERVICE.com Help in Hérault with property repairs & garden maintenance, pools, decoration, keyholding & changeovers.

Established. Bilingual.

Reliable. 06 31 74 45 88 ** RT MULTISERVICES No job too small - property maintenance, keyhoding, painting & decorating, land clearance & gardening, vehicle registration & French administration.

Reliable, local, bi-lingual depts. 11 & 34. Chris 06 84 29 34 34 **

Dick Fowler Construction Liner Pools, Solid Pools All house renovation and construction work Email; fowlerbatiment@gmail.com Port: 0670 91 12 17 Check out www.houzz. com/decklevel-pool-designs and then call me! ** Plasterer, Painter Decorator Honest and reliable 20 years experience as ‘Homemaker’ in the UK. - References Available Tiling and General Building undertaken too.

Free quote and advice.

Gary Jackson 0044 793 40 68 833 **

TRANSLATION SERVICES

Classified Adverts B&B

PROPERTY SERVICES/ GARDENING SERVICES

www.cornelia-rentaduck.com Hire a 2cv Convertable for the day or longer.

A wonderful slice of French Culture.

More info at: www.cornelia-rentaduck.com

HANDYMAN/ SKILLED CARPENTER WITH VAN All types of repairs. Tiling, plumbing, electrics, painting. Furniture/ stor-age solutions built. Flatpack assembly. Removals. Rubbish/ Garden clear-ance/maintenance. No job too small. Col O’Neill at 06 48 86 98 66. Pho-tos at www.meubles-creatifs.fr Autumnal Nurture for your Garden.

Now is the time to think about garden improvement. Pruning, Planting, Earthmoving and Contruction.

Mathieu Goudou - Le Jardinier Tel 0623 463542 Creation and Maintenance.

Prompt, reliable, English Spoken

WELL-BEING

**

Maison De L’Orb, Béziers Beautiful five bedroom bed and breakfast overlooking Pont Vieux and river.

Private garden, bathing pool, fantastic breakfast. Book now: www.maisondelorb.com info@maisondelorb.com **

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Marseillan Ville (Hérault) Four bedroom three story vigneron Marseillan Ville Two large bedrooms ensuite, master bedroom with balcony, garage to fit four cars, large kitchen / dining and living area on the top floor, large terrace. OFCH and Air Con throughout. Contact 0035 38 72 41 4002 ado_carey@yahoo.com **

PETS Bespoke massage, Mobile service Group bookings taken.

Thai massages, Reflexology, Neck and face massage, Reiki, Oil massage.

Susannah 0652752445 / 0467243142 Based in Ceps / Cazedarnes **

Canine Behaviourist and Dog Trainer Crate a harmonious relationship with your dog.

Many references from satisfied customers Call Richard : 06.25.21.21.21 or see www.psychodog.net

**

HORSES

Want horses in your life but don’t know how

**

where to start?

Garden maintenance available all year round - grass cutting on regular basis, - hedge trimming - weeding - planting www.facebook.com/pages/My-Four-Seasons Maria: (06) 95859499

PERSONALS

**

STILL SEARCHING FOR THAT SPECIAL SOMEONE ?

Let ‘Connecting People’ search for you (France/UK). Professional/focused matching process. No initial fees - only payable on mutually agreed Introductions.

No loss/only gain.

Call Sylvia + 33 (0) 622769530 (Fr) or + 44 (0) 7501911409 (UK) or email : sylvia3fr@aol.com

**

The Belvedere, Quarante hosts “Spa days”.

Bookings now being taken for October 10th and November 14th Also available for private parties Tel: Susannah on 0652 75 24 45 95€ including sauna, jaccuzzi, 1hr massage and Lunch ** Alexander Technique Learn to free yourself from habits of posture and movement that are at the root of pain.

Wendy McKnight (STATcertified) For an appointment in Lodeve: 06 38 88 27 79 www.alexandertechniqueherault.weebly.com **

ADVERTISE ON THESE PAGES FOR AS LITTLE AS €15.00 PER ISSUE OFFICIALLY THE FASTEST GROWING ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAGAZINE(S) IN FRANCE

Join us today

advertising @theheraulttimes.com 29

Local, expert advice on all aspects of horseriding & keeping horses in the region for novices or experienced.

Contact Kitty 06 61 51 54 59 kitty@toosh.biz **

** WANTED Reliable Car Economical runaround wanted Reliable, good condition.

Will pay up to €1500. posiwilliams@ymail.com **

Classified Adverts POSITION OFFERED

Advertising Manager Wanted for The Hérault Times.

Generate advertising for the highest print run magazine in the Hérault Bi-lingual, the position is home based reporting directly to the publisher.

Self employed, car and phone necessary Highest commission rate in the Hérault Hours to suit. For further information please call 0644 80 24 32 or email your cv or covering letter to: gatsby@theheraulttimes.com **

POSITION OFFERED

Advertising Manager Wanted for The Aude Times.

Generate advertising for the highest print run magazine in the Aude Bi-lingual, the position is home based reporting directly to the publisher.

Self employed, car and phone necessary Highest commission rate in the Aude.

Hours to suit. For further information please call 0644 80 24 32 or email your cv or covering letter to: gatsby@theaudetimes.com

FOOD / OCCASIONS / MEETING

T

Salon de Thé Cafés Gateaux Américains Cupcakes & autres douceurs 21 rue de l’Ancien Courrier 11100 Narbonne 0434444514 t.delight@hotmail.fr **

Cakes by Ann since 1980.

Traditional Christmas Cakes.

Rich fruit cakes with marzipan and festive icing, handmade to order Tel: 0689 61 06 88 Email: helen.remnant1@orange.fr **

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php, mysql, javascript, html, css, xml my English is jolly good mon Français c’est vraiment bon mein Deutsch ist ganz gut info@webgast.nl **

TRANSLATION SERVICES French-English translations

Independent Anglophone translator helping English speakers to understand foreign documents. All texts considered - none too small! Working languages: French, Spanish, English.

Contact Alison Reid at: aer.translations@gmail.com

**

FOR SALE Velux Window GGL3000 M08 78 x140 EDW M08 Best offer secures t: 0681 02 65 07 Hérault **

Fostering

W

FOR SALE

Modern, contemporary nearly new furniture for sale.

Including two leather sofas, dining furniture and beds. Please call 0686311508 or email: kayandandrew@icloud.com for pictures and prices **

FOR SALE

Upright Romhildt piano.

Light wood finish, good condition , played regularly . 500 euros ono.

Includes piano stool. Buyer collects.

Bernie Tournay 0467248421Mike Laschet 0467248039 Neffies 34 **

here possible the SPA Carcassonne prefers to place some of their rescue dogs in foster homes which enables them to assess how they react to different situations and work on their house- training and socialisation where required. This also makes the transition for dogs much less stressful when they are finally adopted and gives adopters more confidence as to the character of their new family member.

We have a network of foster carers but we are always in need of more.

As a fosterer you will play an extremely valuable role in reintegrating our dogs into a normal loving family environment. In our experience rescue dogs have a much smoother transition into their permanent homes if they have received care and rehabilitation from a committed foster home.

20 words €15

We can supply fosterers with dog food, bedding, bowls collars/leads etc, and all vet treatments are covered, providing you live in Carcassonne or near enough to visit our vet.

If

you think you would like to help please contact Julie and we can arrange for you to meet us and some of our lovely dogs. http://dogrescuecarcassonne.co.uk/

Your ad here Private Advertisers

30 words €20 40 words €25 50 words €30 Add an image or a logo for €10

Mail your advert now to gatsby@theaudetimes.com 30

AT Sport

Numbers Service

Number

Police

17

Fire - Pompiers

18

Medical - SAMU

15

Sea Rescue (From Land)

112

Sea Rescue (From Sea) Channel 16 SOS Europe

112

Child Abuse

119

I

Markets

n every village and every town the Aude has a chance for you to visit and explore the magnificent produce and wares that it offers.

Below is a selection for you to explore Carcassonne - every morning (except Sunday) in Les Halles; Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning, Place Carnot Narbonne - every morning in Les Halles inc.

Sunday; Thursday morning opposite the hospital, clothes and diverse until 16h by the canal; Saturday morning, Organic market, place Forum Lézignan-Corbières - Wednesday mornings (centre); Grand Foire every first Wednesday in the month until 16h Castelnaudary - Monday morning (Place VerdunCours de la République) Bram - Wednesday morning Espéraza - Thursday and Sunday morning Gruissan - Monday, Wed & Saturday morning Limoux - Friday morning Olonzac - Tuesday morning Port La Nouvelle - Saturday (place de l’église) and Wednesday morning Sigean - Tuesday and Friday morning Quillan - Wednesday and Saturday morning Trèbes - Sunday morning Saint Pierre la mer - Every morning

Sports by Stuart Turpie

T

he Autumn season for team sport in the Aude immediately brings to mind rugby played at XV and XIII a side. The Department has two clubs in the Pro D2 in the fifteen man game. Racing Narbonne with their neat 10000 seat stadium, the Parc des Sports et de l’Amitié, still regards itself as a first rank club and have twice been champions of France.

Béziers fans point out that the last win was back in 1979 however! A steady mid table performance last year in Pro D2 augers well for Racing. A youngish side they still include Englishman Richard List who has become a regular in the front row. The aim this term is to battle for a playoff spot.

In the annual pre-season game Racing edged Beziers.

A bad tempered match with frequent fights and cards both on the field and in the tunnel could hardly be described as a friendly! Racing plays ASBH away in December.

O

n 26th October Narbonne play the Aude derby at Carcassonne. USC have survived a possible relegation for financial problems and stay in the Pro D2. They clearly wasted money last season on some imported players. They beat some strong sides but also dropped points against teams well below them. Pre season form has been suspect due to uncertainty.

Inexplicably the club has signed a group of imports again like Andre Pretorius and Tuilaga in the back row. Watch those finances!

T

here is a lot of excitement in Aude Rugby League that all 3 big clubs will be competing for silverware. ASC Carcassonne is joint favourites with Olympique Toulouse for the championship. Plenty of new players will help but the key man will be half back Maxine Gresque. If he has a strong season, his dynamic leadership and experience could make the difference for the Canaries. The Grizzles of Limoux have their best XIII on paper for years.

With Temata and Taylor as coaches, both able to play if necessary, and new stars 31

Ferriol, Greenshields and McGuire they could be formidable. You cannot rule out FC Lezignan either. They have a similar side to last year but have added much travelled Dustin Cooper and the Tongan, Leivaha. French international Cyril Stacul and Ryan O’Hara from Hull KR could make a big impact too. O’Hara missed last season with injury and the Tongan is still young, so the jury is

out on these signings.

C

arcassonne kick off on Sept 21st v St Esteve, Limoux meet Villeneuve and FCL play Avignon on the Sunday.

The first derby is Limoux v FCL on 13 October. This season also sees France playing in the Rugby League World Cup. Les Bleus confront New Zealand, the holders at Avignon on 1st Nov at 20.00 and Samoa on 11th Nov 20.00 at the Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan. The French need to beat Samoa at least to get through to the quarter finals. Limoux fans note that season tickets for a couple at only 150€ are a bargain. Enjoy the season and get behind your XV or XIII. ** More sport can be found on the ‘Times’ websites at: www.theaudetimes.com www.theheraulttimes.com

FINE ART PRINTING ELEPHANT-PRESS

www.elephant-press.com Open 20/10/2013

Artist and Gallery Specialist Printers GiclĂŠe Printing, Limited Edition Prints Archival Papers - Polymer based Pigment Inks Contact Us for a quote info@elephant-press.com t: 0644 80 24 32