The herault Times Issue 15 (September 2013=

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAGAZINE FOR THE HERAULT

The Herault Times Issue 15 - September 2013

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THT September 2013

Contents THT 04 05 06 07 09 10 11 12 13 17 18 19 21 22 25 26 28-31 31

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Editorial Letters My Place And Another Thing Restaurant Review Wine Times Business / Legal Garden / Nature GTBY Lifestyle What’s On History E-Male Art Subscribe Recipe Times Classifieds Sport

For your consideration

HT Features

HTArt

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5 in the afternoon

No Taxation...........

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Herbal Medicine

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Hakim A.

Couleurs Plossu

Competition

WINNERS -

Mademoiselle et Chocolat Gourmande Hamper PĂŠzenas Architectural Heritage A 2CV for a day -

Holly Chevalier Bryan Dixon Marion DesRochers Diana Davies

To enter all competitions send your answer by email to:

competition@theheraulttimes.com

The HT Charity The HT is proud to support CSF. CSF is a self-funded and voluntary organisation doing wonderful work in the region. If you can help or donate to this important charity please do.

The HT Online

An IFA Writes

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Food & Wine7

The Herault Times 1 Grand Rue, St Thibery,34630 Publisher: Gatsby B Editor : Emma F Advertising Director: Tom Buchanon Art Editor: Daisy B Art: L.A.

“By all these lovely tokens September days are here, With summer’s best of weather And autumn’s best of cheer.”

EDITORIAL editor@theheraulttimes.com

Editorial

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END

ISSN: 2261-561X

- Helen Hunt Jackson, September, 1830-1885

M

ale swimwear has been an on-going theme this summer, but the recent discovery of a particularly unwelcome fish in European waters dubbed ‘The ball cutter’ may just swing the pendulum in favour of swimming trunks as opposed to shorts.

Body image may just have to humbly bow to self-preservation. The fish, recently spotted off the Southern coasts of Sweden, is a relation of the piranha found in the Amazon. Although not necessarily dangerous to humans, it does however have a viscous bite and a certain propensity for male genitalia.

There are numerous reports of fisherman in South America and Papua New Guinea losing their tackle in the jaws of these fish. Fish expert Henrik Carl reported to the English-language newspaper in Sweden The Local: “They bite because they’re hungry.”

Although he was keen to reassure swimmers that they need not worry too much, “You’re more likely to drown

than get your nuts bitten off.”

Just have to hope that they don’t reach Cap d’Agde until winter!

A

nd from balls to bulls... in this month’s feature Stephen Morris explores the emotive issue of bull fighting, which although banned in many major Spanish cities such as Barcelona, still takes place in cities across France: Toulouse, Nimes, Béziers, Arles, Dax and Bayonne. It is described by some as ‘a tradition of tragedy’, whilst in defense some point to Ernest Hemmingway in his book ‘Death in the Afternoon’. You will have to make up your own mind whether or not you wish to view or follow the art and study of tauromaquia.

W

ith over a year of fabulous recipes from Bassie Scott, we are opening the kitchen door to locally based, reputable chefs to join Bassie and share some of their favourite recipes with you over the coming months. This month we welcome Michelin

trained Craig Charlesworth, co-owner and Head Chef of En Bonne Compagnie in Homps. Richard Fowler interviews pied noirJean-Luc Saur for ‘My Place’; Hugh MacCamley ponders the issue of ‘No taxation without representation’, whilst photo journalist Emilie Wood shares her powerful profile on French blind football champion Hakim Arezki.

M

eanwhile, as part of her series on English for ex-pat children, Laura Smith suggests ways to support your children going back to school. The shops are already stocking up with glue sticks, exercise books and educational paraphernalia for the rentrée on 3rd September.

We, on the other hand, can look forward to the weekend traffic gridlocks on some of our major roads being nothing more than an ethereal memory whilst continuing to enjoy the warm weather and the spirit of the impending harvest…. **

September and it all seems familiar....

1981 - Egypt arrested more than 1,500 opponents of the government.

1982 - Mexican President Jose Lopez Portillo closed all the country’s private banks.

WRITERS

T

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.

The Cover Story The HT and The AT promote original artwork.

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

Barry Beckett 2013 All rights reserved

dharmacamera@googlemail.com 4

Letters Letter I am gay. Would the woman who wrote to you last month like to meet up? I always enjoy healthy discussion and am happy to agree to differ if required. And thank you for printing it whatever your personal beliefs, good journalism. Mike, Lattes Outraged by Return With regard to the homophobic letter in last month’s issue. We should all feel so very sorry for somebody who is obviously so terrified. Remembering that ancient Greek saying; “The sister of ignorance is fear, and the sister of fear is hatred”. These poor people are to be pitied.

Ursula van Clapp Summer loving Can I recommend that no-one goes on the roads on a Friday and Saturday if you are resident here. The bouchons (traffic jams) created by all those visitors and foreigners make the roads a nightmare and I think that a little common sense goes a long way.

Georgia J, Montpellier Brilliant Georgia, really brilliant. Stay in if the roads are busy. Here’s another for you, take an umbrella if it looks like rain.

Roberto Fonseca concert I was so lucky to win these tickets . Roberto Fonseca and his musicians were absolutely brilliant . Loved every minute they played 2 encores and finished well after midnight -what a show. Thanks again to the Herault Times.

Editorial Sir / Madam, I read your editorial (issue 14) and was surprised but gratified to see that you gave praise to teachers. We are often forgotten and given no credit for the efforts that we put in and the personal pleasure that we gain from the success of students. I have not taught in France but have in inner city schools in London and on behalf of teachers in any country

thank you for taking the time to acknowledge our efforts. by text

that people should forget.

V. Marseille Béatrice Testet I don’t normally read the art pages in your magzine but I was strangely pulled towards the art of Béatrice Testet in your last issue. I wanted to tell you this as I have now gone back through the previous issues and am astounded by the amount and different types of art that we have so close to us. Thank you very much, it is true that it is never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. Yvonne by email

Bats I am noticing that there is a loose theme subliminally transmitted throuth the HT and it is Batman.

References to Batman, Christian Bale and now the murder of bats by wind farms (Tim King) are you a fan or a vigilante mocking the authorities?

Olly, Olanzac Oh I so want to be sarcastic but I love the link (however tenuous) you have made. Now I’m off to put on my suit with latex nipples and save mankind.....

Montpellier Sir, I do not live in Montpellier and this letter is not against Montpellier in particular.

“Tramlines and road signs”.

Does anybody else find it too easy to suddenly be driving down a tramline instead of a road? In various locations it is very difficult unless following another vehicle to see where the road separates from the tramline.

Might I suggest a campaign to change this, maybe a wide red line on the road to highlight trams only perhaps. My daughter and I recently found ourselves facing a tram by the Hotel de Ville after accidently taking the wrong turn. Adrian, Ganges

How Green is this Energy Yet another ‘green’ article trying to put down and suppress the saving of our environment from fossil fuels and corporate greed.

I’m sorry about the bats and the birds and all the other animals you claim are being injured or killed in many different ways but to quote Mr King, ‘collateral damage’ caused by the pollution and damage continuously produced by coal and gas and nuclear energy is far worse than trying to find ways to save our planet. Our home here in France will have a view of the wind farms and I support it and so should everyone who cares.

SD, Lodève and Perth

I myself have done this Adrian and had a tram in front of me and another looming large in my rear view mirror.

I am of course a tramdriver so no problem for me!

Good points SD, thankyou...

NOW please explain ‘Lodève and Perth? Scotland or Australia is irrelevant. Did you drive here?

In a Prius? Fly here? By glider?

This is your second home? Oh goody, a ‘green’ with two houses, a massive carbon footprint to get between the holiday home and the other home and then hates bats and preaches to the locals!

Lipstick Re. Lipstick, last issue.

Please, please, please let me meet the owner of those luscious lips.

But don’t tell the wife!

Please leave my name off Hi Dan, thanks for writing!

Thankyou Can I thank you very much for talking about the Féte de Fauberg. This is a day that does not have the same impotance as it used to when I was with family and younger. It is not something

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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Lipstick 2 “Women on average own 7 lipsticks”. I showed this to my girlfriend and she slapped me!

Last count... 48! Ian Tambourin My family and I, youngest 11 and oldest I won’t say, recently went to one of your advertised Tambourin events out of curiosity and a lack of anything else to do. I would like to apologise for using the event as a filler for a quiet day, it was fast and furious and very skillful. We spoke to one of the competitors about the ‘bat’ and they allowed all of us to have a go and explained that anyone can play but it takes time to be good. I congratulate you on publishing this and want to say thank you to the person whose name I didn’t get for making my family a part of the day.

Joseph F, Marsaillon Cover The Hockney inspired cover shot on Issue 15 was magnificent.

Thank-you. Gerard, Beziers Why thank-you Gerard. And all the covers will be available to buy from the website shortly. ** 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.

Jean-Luc Saur - From Algeria to Haut Fabrègues.

Interview by Richard Fowler

T

he Domaine de Haut Fabrègues, owned by Jean-Luc Saur and his family, lies on the path of an old roman road which went from Béziers to

been pretty devastating. Less than a decade later came the call to arms in 1939 when their 20 year old son André was drafted into the Free French Army to fight through Tunisia and Italy, all the way to Germany.

André survived (today he is 93); however the close of the II World War was followed by De Gaulle’s attempt to hang on to an ‘Algérie-Française’. There was solid, indigenous support for this ideal.

France had invested considerably in the country and the bonanza of oil exploration made it difficult to leave. Unfortunately ‘the winds of change’ were ignored and assassinations and disturbances pursued by a growing minority enforced the desire for Algerian independence. (I remember seeing Ben Bella, one of the leaders, as a child. He was a prisoner under armed guard being promenaded on a Brittany beach. I can’t imagine that happening today! In fact he only died last year. Another survivor!)

The Saur’s domaine struggled on through Independence in ’62. Growing the renowned Carignan, Grenache, Cinsault and Aramon, temperatures could fall to -10° C, whilst the summers were hot, punctuated by severe hail storms. The soil was a deep, rich red volcanic lime clay like Gabian. There were also almonds, oranges, corn and olives yielding crops of 60 to 80 hectoliters. 80% of the wine was sent to France including a top of the range quality ‘Muscat Mascara’ and the ‘Cuve de President’.

Nevertheless, by 1964 the Accords d ‘Evian that awarded compensation rights to colonists fell apart and most fled for their lives. There were divided loyalties amongst the indigenous Kabyles and the soldiers who had fought for France. Spared from the massacres, Jean-Luc spent his youth in an unstable and pressured environment where, outside of the family cocoon, attacks, sirens and curfews where daily occurrences. Like the rest of his family, he developed the mentality of working hard to survive.

Heartbroken the Saurs left Algeria, arriving in Béziers with nothing. Cap in hand they took out the 60million franc loan from SAFER (sociétés d’aménagement foncier et d’establissment rural) to buy Domaine de Haut Fabrègues with its existing 60 hectares of vines. Another 32 hectares were planted and unlike many in this situation, the family

My Place

Cahors, passing through Murviels-LesBéziers, Domaine de Coujan, Haut Fabrègues, Aigues Vives and on to Lamalou-Les-Bains and Rodez. (There is a walk in Aigues Vives along part of this ‘voie Romaine’ where you can see wheel tracks marked in the rock - chariots perhaps?)

The Saur family bought their 180 Hectare domaine with the aid of a loan from the French government that was available to Pieds Noirs, the French settlers forced to flee Algeria at its moment of independence. There is no derogatory intention behind the meaning of pied noir. The accepted definition is ‘Algerian wine growers of French origin’ whose feet became black from treading

the grapes!

The Saurs originally came from Villeneuve-sur-Lot in south western France.

In 1913, Ferdinand Saur, who was an orphan, married Claire Acker in Algeria, they had four children: Alberte, Jean-Luc’s father André, Georges, and Janine. Claire’s father Ernest had come over from Alsace; his family was likely to have been amongst the first settlers of the French colony proclaimed in 1870.

Algeria had previously been ruled by indigenous Berbers, the Ottoman Turks and the French, beginning with Napoleon III. The family home was an old French barracks, Domaine du Bey near Médéa in southern Algeria. Situated 900m above sea level, the climate is similar to areas of the Languedoc, i.e. cold in winter with snow and good rainfall which helps produce good crops. However, in 1930 the Phylloxera aphid swept through the vines which must have

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has paid back the loan in full.

Jean-Luc has no desire to return to Algeria.

Although he still has a few friends in Médéa, for him the country has changed, there is no place for them anymore. Once their home, Domaine du Bey has since been split to accommodate fifteen families. Three quarters of the vines were ripped out.

He says he has been welcomed into the Faugère community, perhaps because many of the residents have also come from elsewhere.

Now his son Cedric, married to Séverine and their three children continue a life devoted to maintaining the family domaine and its place in the renowned Faugère appellation. Today 50 hectares of vines is plenty to manage. * Above: Jean-Luc Saur today Below: Jean-Luc Saur in Médéa, age 11 (1958) Left: Médéa

And another thing.......says Abse Hot or Cold

T

his year has been a good one for reassessing one’s responses to heat – or the lack of it. Firstly we had a freezing winter and a cold spring, then we’ve had a hot summer – which is, in case you doubt me, A GOOD THING. Then there’s been the swimming in our local river, the Cesse. Which is cold. A bit too cold for my liking. And finally this week I have been facing some even colder water...

Our shower.

You see our boiler died last week.

Or as my plumber says, “it’s a water heater, not a boiler”. What the difference is I don’t know - and please don’t bother trying to tell me, it’s not that interesting. All I do know is that a couple of days after it stopped working we had no more hot water in that there hot tank thing there, and this made it hard to wash up, difficult to shave and has had a surprising effect on our showering. Because you see in this hot weather it’s nice to shower at least twice a day, to cool down. A cold shower, obviously – I mean you don’t want a hot shower in this weather do you? But when you haven’t had a water heating boiler thing for a few days you start to realise the importance of that very slight little bit of

Agustarello Affré

T

he renowned French tenor Agustarello Affré was born in Saint Chinian in 1858. He possessed a powerful and firm voice which garnered him the nickname the “French Tamagno” in comparison to the great Italian tenor.

He developed a large repertory, appearing in C. W. Gluck’s Armide and also in the first performances at the Opéra of Entführung and Pagliacci.

In 1891 he sang in the première of

warmth you normally add to a cold shower that makes it bearable, and even nice. That makes it refreshing to stand under for several

minutes going “aaaaaaaaaahh”. As opposed to the fierce, icy freezingness of it we have

Le Mage by Jules Massenet, who found his voice ‘vibrant as pure crystal’.

At Covent Garden in 1909 his roles were Faust and Camille Saint-Saëns’s Samson. He went to the USA in 1911, appearing at San Francisco and New Orleans, where in 1913 he became director of the Opera House when it came under the ownership of Tulane University, remaining there until the house burnt down in 1919.

Affré died in Cagnes-sur-Mer in 1931 at the age of 73 and is buried at the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. **

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now, which makes you stay under it for as short a period as possible making the noises “ooh ooh aah aah ee ee ooh ow!”.

In fact in these circumstances it seems one becomes quite adept at imitating a chimpanzee standing on a hot plate.

Don’t know what that sounds like? Go stand under an ice cold shower. I’m sure you think I’m some sort of a pathetic wimp, but I’ll have you know I cycled naked to the South Pole and it wasn’t as cold. That was just after I did my stint in the SAS and just before my astronaut days. So you can see that I’m as tough as old boots and entirely trustworthy.

Anyway, it turns out the water heating machine thing is broken because the water here is really hard (just like me), and it is, I am told “all calced up” which surprisingly is nothing to do with calculus I gather.

The good news is that the plumber is coming back next week with a new hot water boiling heater thing, which he’s going to fit with some stuff attached to make sure the boiling thing doesn’t clog up again with that hard stuff, and I can have a shave and a slightly less cold shower. But I can still impersonate monkeys and am available for parties.

NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION

The HT asked Hugh MacCamley to look at the subject of No taxation without representation.

Here are his thoughts......

O

nce a slogan associated with the eighteenth century revolutions in America and France resounds in our ears today – or does it?

The 144 “Notables,” assembled by Louis XVI in 1787 to discuss reforms in France, ultimately led the way toward dismantling royal absolutism. They developed arguments for change that brought about popular demands for representation where financial issues were concerned. Their arguments contrary to royal fiscal proposals, frequently seen as merely a reactionary defense of privilege, in fact gave the country a political programme demanding greater participation in government. Thus, as in America some years earlier, the idea was forged into the democratic political maxim of “no taxation without representation”.

In October 2010 on the floor of the European Commission (EC), in Brussels, an articulate, bold and fluent Mr Nigel Farage of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) & Co-President of the EFD group, stood up yet again to upbraid the EU and its President for effectively levying taxation on the peoples of Europe without having a democratic mandate to do so. Among other factors, he accused José Manuel Barroso of tryng to impose “taxation without representation”. He has frequently drawn public attention to the fact that Mr Barroso as President of the Commission is unelected by the people of Europe directly but only in reality selected or approved by secret ballot as the unique candidate of choice by the EC. Such observations have been repeated on several occasions. At the time, he was proposing a large direct tax to be levied by the European institution on the peoples of the continent, as a remedy for the ailing economies of the EU.

By May 2013 nothing very much has changed for the better. With unemployment at a record high and rising, the situation worsens on a weekly basis. The problem according to Otmar Issing, a former European Central Bank (ECB) board member from Germany, resides in the solutions being proposed to solve the crisis. These, he claimed, would violate the fundamental democratic principles of no taxation without representation.”Political union is impossible to achieve within a few years. It cannot be a means of crisis management”. (27 May 2013 Financial Times). Does the 10% “savings tax” on banks levied in deeply recessional Cyprus recently form part of this undemocratic model to “crisis management”?

Another proponent of the responsibility of governments to respect the liberty of the individual from excessive state interference, that taxation illustrates, is the American Senator Ron Paul. He has unreservedly condemned consecutive US administrations for military overspending and the illegitimacy of direct taxes such as those on income. An immense disservice by the mainstream media has been done to the American and European public by painting him as an irresponsible eccentric. It can be objectively substantiated that state administrations can use indirect tax revenues alone to govern sensibly and that massive government revenues including direct components 8

Commonality? Ron Paul, Louis XIV, Nigel Farage, Francois Hollande, Jose Manuel Barroso

do not result in greater infrastructural benefits for the people they are supposed to serve.

Judging by the way the EU is currently shifting billions of taxpayers Euros around to “bail out” failing banks and fiscally profligate member states, Senator Paul virtually validates the salient observations he continues to make. He is both frank and perceptive when he claims that excessive government revenue collection leads to disproportionate waste and overspending.

Considering US governments have spent over one trillion dollars on military affairs since the Iraq invasion to oust Saddam Hussein, he can justly claim Americans are being taxed without any political representation for their general dissatisfaction with fiscal policies.

In France, under the present socialist direction of François Hollande, the question of direct taxation itself is inflammatory.

On one side we have those who are being highly taxed on their income over a defined threshold of earnings and, on the other, people who reside in France without necessarily being enfranchised but who still have to pay income tax. Over this complex of personal circumstances stands a government desperate to turn around a long-troubled economy, while at the same time endeavoring to satisfy waning support with continued promises of social equality.

At this juncture, we need to remind ourselves of the so-called trinity of Jacobin rights, “citoyenneté, nationalité, droit de vote” or “citizenship, nationality and the right to vote”. As one aspiring to French citizenship noted in Le Nouvel Observateur in 2010, ‘It is impossible to think of one of these hypostases without the two others..hi très unum sint”; these three are one, to use parallel theological language. In other words, the actual concept of a person living like a citizen in France but without the right to vote impinges upon the central theme of our subject here.

Nikolas Sarkozy spoke on voting at local elections in Le Monde in 2005. He was in favour of enfranchising those who had been living in France for 10 years, working, paying taxes and integrating into the French system. In stark contrast, however, in November 2011 he had altered his perspective at local election time. His own political party in government was not prepared to shift its position on the issue and Mr Sarkozy reflected his inability to act otherwise when he declared that to allow enfranchisement in this way constituted a risk at a time when the French people needed to come together.

In the meantime, the French media and the suffering public have noted those many well-known priviligiés who profit from their star-studded careers and who avoid paying French taxes anyway by living overseas (see Midi Libre 10/09/12). They court both empathy and sharp criticism depending on how arguments are rationalised. Nevertheless, the fundamental issue remains a constant source of aggravation.

The aftermath permits us to wince at the undemocratic flavour of cynicism as we watch politicians, urged on by unelected financial advisors, deciding how to spend the fruits of our labour without any reference to us. It is also an incitement to protestagainst this contravention ofwidely espoused eighteenth century principles upon which our political systems are founded.

The FOOD Review

Good Food in the places that YOU find.

Next Month The Lunch Review

This Month: Domaine de Verchant 1 Bd. Philippe-Lamour. Castelnau-le-Lez Tel: 0467.072600 (open everyday)

daubed with mint yoghurt with a mousseline of asparagus. The effect was beautiful, elegant and delicious.

My main was monkfish that had been cooked in a soft oriental bouillon of soya, surrounded by oriental vegetables like bean sprouts, Chinese cabbage, crowned with coriander. The fish was perfectly made and all the accompaniments were absolutely balanced save for three Parmesan wafers that detracted from the subtle tastes, only making the plate heavier which took away from what would have otherwise been a nine had I been giving it points.

The dessert list was also a creative combination of offerings and the one I chose was of strawberries in a saffron soup, topped with mint ice cream. It was a light, scrumptious way to end the meal and, indeed, I felt the well being the menu is meant to convey having eaten extremely nicely and still feeling light except perhaps in my wallet.

Without it being overly encyclopedic the wine card has more than enough to choose from, for all occasions and pockets. Perhaps even more importantly the listed houses are top of the line and one can expect some excellent drinking. This is, of course, a working domaine so its own wines are well represented. Our table had a white from Ermitage Pic St. Loup made chiefly from the Roussane, Viognier and Marsanne grapes. What can I say other than it reminded me of Ben Franklin’s saying, that” God gave us wine because he likes us and wants us to be happy”.

The out front brigade tends to be young but friendly and generally willing to do their best to make sure everyone is well attended. While there were one or two hiccups along the way, it was not because of lack of good will.

To sum up, the cuisine here is top notch and if you stick to the luncheon menu for 26€ extremely good value. This is modern, creative cooking in a wonderful setting that is bound to make you feel a bit pampered and while we may not be able to own a Matisse we can eat a Matisse as it were.

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ocated less than ten minutes from the center of Montpellier and surrounded by a 17 hectare wine estate the Domaine de Verchant offers the tranquility and subdued luxury that fits in perfectly with its surroundings. The restaurant is part of a hotel with the same name and sitting outside either facing the park or the pool allows one the feeling of being on vacation whether one is or not. The décor has been done in

tasteful modernity while respecting the beauty of the original structure, which dates from the 16th century. There is also a state of the art spa on the premises; this is an address to indulge the senses.

The restaurant certainly does that. The Pourcel brothers (of Jardin des Sens fame) who act as the executive chefs have prepared the menus and what they have come up with is healthy, attractive food that celebrates Mediterranean cuisine. There are 2 menus for lunch: 2 courses for 26€, three courses for 33€ and what is called the menu for Bien Etre at 55€. There is also an à la carte selection. The menus are changed often but at the moment, an attractive starter on the 26€ menu was a tarter of raw salmon smoked with granny smith apples, highlighted with yoghurt cream and lime. Another cracker of a first course was the octopus salad cooked with lemon confit and decorated with black ink pasta. The octopus was absolutely luscious, tender and delicate while the spaghetti not only gave it gave it a powerful, dramatic look but added to the overall complexity of taste. If I had to give suggestions of the best of what this area’s cuisine is capable of achieving, this would be on my short list. My own starter as part of the more expensive menu was a plate of baby vegetables and edible flowers made to perfection: cooked but still maintaining crunch and

The 3 minute review. by Ben Cras Restaurant Name: L`Asphodele 2, place des Ecoles, 34210 Oupia Your review: We often use this restaurant because it has never failed to please us or our guests in the last year. The menu is varied with 3 choices for each course. Not just good taste, freshly prepared but also well presented. Latest main course, we enjoyed was “pintade grenadine”....cooked to perfection even to the bone and delicately flavoured. One choice for dessert was a light crême caramel renversée.....delicious. Owners Patrick (chef) and Laurence (front of house) aim to please and they succeed. Only criticism.... sometimes too much for a starter!

Another plus, convenient parking.

Price (per person) : 14.70 inc. wine for lunch.

Out of 20: Food = 18 Service = 19 Value = 19 9

Wine

Rosemary George

Rosés......

From the Coops

H

igh summer is the time for rosé.

They are versatile and multifaceted; some provide a refreshing aperitif and others are more substantial food wines. The pitfalls of rosé can be a flavour of what the French call bonbons anglais, or boiled sweets, when the fermentation is too cool, and you can get notes of rather sour amylic acid. Also a rosé must look appealing – too deep in colour and it is more like a light red; too light in colour and it looks anaemic, but these days there is a fashion for very pale rosé, led by the rosés of the appellation Côtes de Provence. The best rosé to drink is usually the youngest.

There is rarely any virtue in keeping it.

So all my recommendations are from the 2012 vintage.

What follows is a selection of my favourites from some of my local coops.

Les Coteaux de Capimont in Hérépian has some of the coolest vineyards of the Languedoc in the Haute Vallée of the Orb. I liked their Syrah rosé, for 3.10€ a bottle.

It was quite rounded and ripe, with good acidity and depth, and a little more character than the Cabernet Rosé, also for 3.10€. However, it was the Cabernet rosé that won a coup de coeur at this year’s competition of the femmesjournalistes.

Les Caves de Molière in Pézenas, has a smart welcoming shop on the avenue de Verdun. Their 2012 Rosé de Caux at 4.70€ is very appealing.It is made from pure Cinsaut, which is one of the best grapes of the Languedoc for rosé, and has

a pale colour, with a delicate nose and a touch of raspberry. It is light and fresh, with good acidity.

Also try their 2012 Entr’acte, Syrah, Rosé de Caux, at 3.90€. It is quite fresh and crisp, with light raspberry fruit.

Note, the name of the cuvée picks up the theatrical associations with Molière.

From Adissan, the rosé en vrac at 1€ a litre, 12˚ is surprisingly acceptable. A very pale colour, with soft raspberry fruit on the nose and palate and a soft finish.

The coop at Fontès has created a bit of a reputation for its rosé, and offers several different wines. The 11.5˚ vrac wine is a blend of Carignan, Cinsaut and Grenache at 1.20 € a litre. There is a little colour and it is light and fresh andmakes for easy drinking – what the technical director, Olivier Plut, cheerfully referred to as la buvette. And there is a BIB, that is a blend of Cinsaut and Grenache, for 11.90€ for 5 litres or 17.90€ for ten litres. The nose is dry and the palate is ripe and supple with a touch of raspberry. M. Plut explained that the terroir of Fontès gives freshness, with fruit and body. A bottle of pure Cinsaut is 3.25€ and the wine is a pretty pale colour, with delicate fresh raspberry fruit and a touch of elegance. And if you want something a little more substantial there is Prieuré St. Hippolyte, Cuvée d’Excellence, a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah.

This is a food wine, with some raspberry fruit and some body and balancing acidity. And for those who like a bit of oak, they also made Mazers rosé at 6.25€ a bottle. It is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, and has spent 12 months in barrel. The colour is deeper and there is vanilla and weight on the palate, but the oak was a little obvious for my tastebuds.

Bessan too has a reputation for its rosé.

I like their cuvée spéciale, Rosé de Bessan, best of all. It is a blend of 80% Syrah with Grenache and Cinsaut at

10

4.50€ The colour is a very pale pink, shown off in a clear bottle, with some rounded strawberry fruit on the nose and some fresh raspberries on the palate.

The fruit comes from the Syrah and the Grenache gives the wine more depth and weight. And you can even buy it in a magnum for 9.70€ or a jeroboam (4 bottles) for 24.70€ At Neffiès, the best rosé is currently Vénus, which comes in a BIB, or a bottle for 4.95€. Don’t confuse it with their vrac wine, which is nowhere near as nice. It is a blend of Syrah and Cinsaut with a delicate pink orange colour, and the palate is quite rounded with some ripe fruit and a delicate finish. In contrast 2012 Buffe Vent, a blend of 80% Syrah with 20% Grenache, for 3.10€, is drier with more substance and structure.

At Montpeyroux, with a smart shop, which has recently been revamped, I liked the Cinsaut rosé best. You can buy it in a BIB for 11.00€ or 4€ a bottle. The colour is a pretty pale pink and the wine is crisp and fresh, with a herbal note on the finish. Extreme Gris, for 5.00€, is a blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre, which is rounded with a delicate finish.

I also checked out the wines of Cabrières, but was disappointed with their rosé. That was a surprise as Cabrières’ historic reputation is based on rosé. And St. Saturnin too does better for red wines.

Rosemary George MW / www.tastelanguedoc.blogspot.com

Business / Money / News Business and Economy

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funny thing happens when you go on vacation.

Things look better.

Egypt is falling apart at the seams and Spain is going to go bankrupt (you heard it here) and I still believe that the dithering and ruminations of the Hollande government mean that we will have to go lower before we begin but......

There are shoots of optimism if you look amongst the dust bowl and unwatered garden that is France’s economic scenario.

Michael D’Artag

Small businesses are being targeted as a future growth area. There are discussions in corridors about the tax burden on individual entrepeuneurs and businesses and technology is still strong (especially in the South).

Tourism is holding it’s own and the insular “It’s my ball and I get to be captain” mentality is slowly being replaced by “does someone have a better idea.”

And how do I know this? I just came back from Cyprus!!

Summer News

A

s the sizzling summer temperatures continue, it’s pretty difficult to think about tax, investments and inheritance planning. So nothing from me on taxes this month.

However, there are two things that I do want to briefly share with you (more detailed information can be found on the Business Pages section of The Herault Times website).

First, we have a new structured product offering, which provides a competitive rate of interest on half your money, while the other half provides for exposure to stock market gains with the reassurance that, in the event that the market falls, there will be a minimum return in the form of a Capital Bonus. Added to this is the advantage that it is all put inside a tax-efficient wrapper, which mitigates your own personal taxes and provides valuable additional inheritance allowances for your dependants.

This type of investment may not be suitable for everyone, since everyone’s situation is different. However, if you are currently suffering from the effect of low deposit rates, then it is worthwhile contacting me for more information.

Second, we are again holding our popular financial seminars across France – “Le Tour de Finance - Bringing Experts to Expats”.

Our industry experts will be presenting updates and outlooks on a broad range of subjects. The dates for the local seminars are:

5 Reasons why France deserves more credit than it gets • Of the top 500 companies in the world, 32 are French. This 6.4% participation is twice that of France’s GDP’s share of world GDP, so France punches above its weight.

• When it comes to competitiveness, France is actually 21 out of 144 on the World Economic Forum’s list.

• France is the world’s largest exporter of electricity, thanks to its booming nuclear business.

• France is well educated, and unlike Germany, which is expected to see the size of its workforce shrink, France’s will grow through 2100.

• The mortgage system is quite sound.

 Thursday, 10th October 2013 at The Grand Hotel Avignon; and  Friday, 11th October 2013 at the Domaine Gayda, Brugairolles (near to Carcassonne).

66 days and still Microsoft haven’t given permission to release the interview. 4 Letters and counting.............

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

The Spectrum IFA Group advisers do not charge any fees directly to clients for their time or for advice given, as can be seen from our Client Charter at http://www.spectrum-ifa.com/IndependentFinancialAdviceinEurope-Charter. html

If you would like to have a confidential discussion on this subject, please contact me either by e-mail at by e-mail at daphne.foulkes@spectrum-ifa.com or by telephone on 04 68 20 30 17.

Daphne Foulkes SIRET 522 658 194 00017 Numéro d’immatriculation ORIAS 10 056 800

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Gaura Rosy Jane

In The Garden

Nature Notes Colin Trickett

with Gill Pound

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he heat and drought of the summer months will usually change some time in September with the arrival of the first autumn rains. For the vast majority of shrubs and perennials the autumn is the best time to plant – there is warmth and moisture in the soil and the plant starts to develop roots before the cold of winter and in mild winters may keep growing during the winter thus producing a more established plant – better able to withstand dry winds and heat - next summer.

In general the autumn planting season can start once we have had September rain and can extend until early December. Remember that when planting it is a good idea to dig a hole twice as deep and twice as wide as the pot, take this soil out and mix some of it with terreau de plantation or compost (organic material) and clean sand or gravel, use this mixture to give your plant a better start in life!

Before planting fill the planting hole with water and allow it to drain away several times, this will ensue that there is moisture at depth for the roots to seek out. Whenever possible plant small plants rather than large specimens, they are less susceptible to wind rock, will establish faster and long term will result in healthier plants.

If you haven’t yet done so now is the time to buy spring flowering bulbs from garden centres (jardineries) or by mail order, there are many online sources. I have found that anemones (De Caen hybrids and Anemone blanda), native Gladiolus communis and Scilla peruviana (which is a Med native despite the name) do well. Botanical or species tulips such as Tulipa greigii, kaufmaniana, saxatilis & fosteriana are

particularly successful here as well as other Med natives such as grape hyacinths and Star of Bethlehem. When buying bulbs make sure that what’s in the packet are firm, healthy looking bulbs with no signs of premature sprouting.

During September think also about the following tasks: *continue to deadhead perennials to prolong the autumn show of flower *take cuttings of tender perennials such as geraniums (Pelargoniums strictly speaking) *prune late summer flowering shrubs *trim evergreen hedges *clip back lavenders after flowering – use hand shears and clip back to just above the old flowering stem, don’t cut back into old wood as the plant may not reshoot.

September is a month in which there is still much of interest in the garden. This is a time when the warm climate ornamental grasses such as Pennisetum species and more particularly Miscanthus sinensis cultivars look really good. These grasses do best if cut hard back at the end of winter, Pennisetum species will usually start to flower at the beginning of July and continue well into the autumn.

There are many, many cultivars of Miscanthus sinensis, some of the earliest will start to flower in late July, most are looking splendid during September and October and we shouldn’t forget that there are many with very effective variegated foliage (such as Miscanthus Cosmopolitan) that can look terrific in a border.

For more information contact Gill on 04 68 78 43 81 or email Gill@lapetitepepiniere.com

W

ith the intense heat of the summer I habitually sleep with a wide open window, mossy net in place. I say ‘sleep’, but that it is a bit of a challenge (unusual for me!).

The cicadas keep up their cacophony until late in the evening and are quickly followed by the crickets who chirrup until dawn. At dawn it is the turn of the Hoopoes and the playful young golden Orioles to serenade me, often interspersed by the calls of the Hen Harrier seeking an early breakfast. Then, full circle, it is the cicadas one more.

However, it is in the middle of the night that seemingly ‘the hunt for the Red October’ re-enactment takes place. Sonar ‘pings’ from both ground and air, invading my semi-consciousness as if a cold war attrition between submarines and their hunters was taking place just outside my open window.

Is it a boat? Is it a plane? No... It’s a bird and a reptile!

The bird in question is the Scops owl.

The male spends the night issuing its sonar ping “Kiou” call and the female responds with a slightly higher pitched, double syllable “Gi-Ou”.

At the same time emitting from the damp areas of the river Carbou I hear a similar sonar ping, but from the ground. This submariner is the Midwife Toad which actually is a frog.

By now another call of nature gets me up from my bed and then it’s out with the dogs... another day! *

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Good To Be Young

Listening to right now:

Bang Bang - will.i.am Come & Get It - Selena Gomez Play Hard (Ne-Yo & Akon) [New Edit] David Guetta Hott in Herre - Nelly

The Gaming Codex: Online gaming

action, this is important as this is what keeps players coming What started out as a tech demo quickly evolved to today’s back. Popular franchises such as Activision’s Call of Duty, a biggest entertainment service (Text by Master C, 14.) game that breaks the record each year in terms of sales has a solid put the player in a “First person” perspective tarted in 1975 at the University of New place in the online gaming industry due to it’s where all he could see was his hands and the Hampshire (USA), on the DEC quick and fluid game engine, user interface weapon that he was equipped with, system-10 mainframe several video games and high frame rates, the latter has proved allowing you, the player, to be behind the were being played thanks to the network efficient for what players appreciate in their Marine’s eyes. support of the innovative PDP-11 processor experience.

Of course we cannot forget other iconic that played a vital part for future server Regardless, fast paced games are not all that titles that came to the industry, titles such as computers. counts sometimes.

World of Warcraft and Everquest, these IP’s Of course, we mustn’t forget the pioneer gave birth to the MMO genre. Being a These first “online” games (heavily based in multiplayer gaming, and what made it Massively Multiplayer Online IP, they on the sci-fi universe of Star Trek) were popular and helped the now large gaming called STAR, OCEAN (a battle of community to grow. I am talking about Halo ships, submarines and helicopters 2, developed by Bungie and published by with multiple players divided up Microsoft game studios in 2004. between the two combating cities) This creation lead to new ways of and CAVE. (based on Dungeons innovative gameplay, for example the and Dragons). ability to dual wield guns or to shoot while These IP’s were created by in a vehicle. Also groundbreaking sandbox Christopher Caldwell. choices and interfaces, like hijacking an However, due to their active vehicle or destroying it in the process popularity these games were and even to detach a one-hundred pound banned in Universities computer minigun from it’s tripod! These new forms systems due to the excessive RAM of play, now completely a standard in today’s (memory) consumption. games, influenced developers to create their necessitated fixed servers placed around the This caught the attention of other small own sandbox games and styles of approach globe to expand the availability of the game companies and programmers and inspired that lead to today’s most iconic titles. in other countries. them to create their own titles and one of Now with the recently announced gaming Customization is becoming more and more those games led to the rise of today’s most consoles, and server expansions, upcoming intricate and a key factor in mutliplayer popular gaming genre, the First Person games have a better chance to use the system gaming. Giving players the ability to define Shooter. That game was called Doom. to their advantage to create blockbuster their virtual character and weapon choices The game put the player in the shoes of a franchises and with the hopes of introducing is crucial to the success of your game but it “Space Marine” that was trapped in a military new innovative gameplay forms to push the isn’t everything. What a lot of players want complex on the planet mars overrun by some gaming industry to exciting new directions. in their multiplayer experience is fast paced mysterious demonic force< The developers

S

On the music side Musician / music critic Lilian Armand reviews:

Franckie 4 Fingers ♫♪ « Shut Up & Drive… »♪♫

H

i folks !

Here’s another band I wanted to talk about... I have the honour to introduce my former music teacher’s band. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Franckie Four Fingers!

Composed of Christophe GOMAR (Vocal, guitar) Laurent “Frizman” Graziani (Guitar, recording & mix, artwork) Fred

MUFFET- (Bass) and Ghyslain BLANDINIERES (Drums), this rock stoner band formed in 2009 knows how to make your head bang all night long without feeling tired at all!

Add loads of powerful, devastating guitar riffs to monstruous bass lines and drum sounds and then you have Franckie IV Fingers, whose biggest influences are big bands such as Queen of The Stone Age, Tool, Metallica, Foo Fighters and more!

If you pay attention to their two albums, Shut Up and Drive and the second one coming soon, you’ll understand that Rock’n’roll never dies!

Improving their skills everytime they jump on stage, all they want is to drive you insane, sending you back to the Stone Age where everyone shares the same passion : Nothing but Rock!

Obviously, don’t forget to check their band page, you won’t regret it ! : - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Franckie4Fingers - Bandcamp: http://franckie4fingers.bandcamp.com/ - Myspace http://www.myspace.com/franckie4fingers - Twitter 13

http://twitter.com/fivf You can also contact them here: franckie4fingers@gmail.com And at last, you can see them performing at the Festcoubilles music festival on August 30th in St Géniès de Fontedit (34) and September 21st at the Black Sheep in Montpellier!

“For those about rock... We salute you !”

AT FIVE IN THE AFTERNOON

By Stephen Morris

T

here are few subjects which provoke such passionate responses as the sport of bullfighting. There are no halfway stances or fences to sit on, for by its very nature it is a controversial and dividing subject which creates alienation, bitterness and anger as well sincere beliefs from both sides.

It is a topic which divides opinion fiercely, yet we only become aware of the subject when once more it is annually presented on our doorsteps and again we begin to take notice. In fact, here in France, we are closer to the sport than the people of Catalonia, where bullfighting has been forbidden for the last five years. Oddly, in France, the sport survives and as years pass it appears to flourish from Béziers to Nimes to Arles as well as numerous smaller venues scattered around the region.

To visit a bullfight is an extraordinary and quite an overwhelming experience and emotions can run very close to the surface. For the ‘afficionarioes’ the spectacle has moved from a cruel, inhumane sporting event to what is termed as an ‘art form’.

Thus the controversy begins.

To attend a bullfight can be quite a traumatic experience. There is understandably, an air of expectation and spectators can be easily seduced by the atmosphere knowing deep down that they are to witness something that is not an everyday occurrence. The whole spectacle of the bullfight is without doubt superbly dramatic. Young men (and occasionally a woman) strut out, dressed in their suit of lights, into the bright sunlight to face possible death. That in itself is pretty dramatic. As the matadors enter the ring they receive rapturous applause for what could be turned into a massive sacrifice, perhaps of their own lives even. However, it should be emphasized that the bullfighter rarely dies and the bull always does. In terms of its glamour and fascination it is difficult to objectively draw the line between the concept of what is art and what is sport and what is basically nothing more than a barbaric and ritualistic destruction of life in front of huge

money paying crowds.

The subject is contentious and controversial. One cannot ignore the fact that bullfighting and its surrounding rituals, have in the past stimulated many great artists and writers from Pablo Picasso to Ernest Hemmingway as well as the superb Spanish poet Garcia Lorca who wrote the haunting and quite brilliant poem “At Five in the Afternoon”. His poem reveals the pathos,courage and beauty that surrounds the gamble with death and certainly romanticises the spectacle. However, in order to question the actual bullfight, one perhaps has go a few degrees above the actual killing and examine what some would term as the artistic merits of the sport. It may be possible to make an objective judgement but one really would have to have an understanding of the ritualistic performance and dig deeply into the history of the sport.

Hemingway’s ‘Death in the Afternoon” which is now considered and accepted as a classical text book on the subject, covers this perfectly. Little though has changed since the publication of the book in the 1930’s. The bull still dies in a ritualistic and obscene way and whichever way one tries to justify it or believe it, yet alone accept it ‘ this should be below the dignity of human beings... Can this ‘sport’ be really considered as an art form one may question? Well maybe it is and some may argue rather cynically that cooking and eating a tender beef steak could be considered an art form.

The justification for the continuation to hold bullfights is financial and cultural as well as traditional and ironically it attracts tourists.

The young men in their ‘suits of lights’ are incredibly well paid. By any standards the matadors do reveal a degree of courage that few other people on the planet could emulate only perhaps on a battlefield.

These young men certainly have courage. For example, the actual size of the bull when he first appears in the ring is quite terrifying. The bull snorts, he chases, he wants to kill and destroy anything that moves. Of course the bull tires and the ritual of death begins. The matador gently 14

executes a series of passes, each having a merit of its own and this enables the bulls to reveal their individual bravery. As the ritual develops the bull becomes more tormented as he has up to six ‘pics’ plunged into his back. The blood dramatically begins to run down the sides of his body quite freely and the bull naturally reacts to the torture and provocations and tries to fight back. As the battle to the death develops the more frustrated the bull becomes as the bullfighter executes more and more ‘artistic’ passes. The tempo increases, the small band begin to play and the ritualistic ‘kill’ commences. The matadors’ sword is plunged into the heart of the bull and the animal slowly collapses, first on to his knees then keeling over as life flows from his body. The crowd cheer hysterically, and the matador strides around the arena waving and blowing kisses to the spectators. If he has

made a clean kill he may be awarded the ears, which are sliced off the head of the dead bull before it is dragged from the ring. The ritual ends only to be reinacted again and again as new ferocious bulls rush into the ring.

One would probably have to return to the past and witness the use of the guillotine during the French Revolution to make some comparisons. The crowd at the bullfights seem to actually enjoy the event and are excited and stimulated by the public death as a spectacle. There are not any sporting or artistic comparisons. To witness a bullfight has no real legal comparisons in modern life.

We know that animals are slaughtered, yet in the bull rings people pay money to witness something which appears to bring out the worst in mankind rather than the best and that cannot be good.

15

Herbal Medicine in France Elise Girard explores the current law regarding the use and practice of herbal medicine.

F

rance is the exception in Europe in not officially recognizing herboristerie/ herbalism (the study and use of medicinal properties of plants) as a profession. The practice of herbalism and the relevant diploma was suppressed in 1941 under Vichy who handed the monopoly over to dispensary chemists. Those already qualified as herbalists before this date were however allowed to continue with their practice, although needless to say there are

few still practicing today. There is however a growing demand for herbal medicine.

The question therefore remains as to why a provision passed more than 50 years ago still applies today?

The current situation is counterintuitive and most certainly confusing: Officially, if you wish to treat yourself with plants you can go to a pharmacy, where pharmacists are allowed to sell you herbal medicine and give you advice on how to use them. Pharmaceutical training includes some courses on plants, but it is not as in-depth as the herbalist diploma so advice may be hesitant. It also becomes quickly apparent that many pharmacists have no interest in selling herbal medicine.

Whether this is for ethical reasons, effort (locating good suppliers, storage, and preparation) or because there is less profit to be made than allopathic medicine is not clear.

And yet, there are many herbalist shops in France. There are two kinds: those owned by

a pharmacist keen to offer complimentary health care options like herbalism to their clients; or a ‘herboristerie’, which can be opened by anyone. However, without a pharmaceutical qualification owners of ‘herboristeries’ are not allowed to sell plants as curatives, make recommendations or advise their customers.

To boot, neither can they sell plants which are not on the ‘over-the-counter’ list of 148 plants. Doing otherwise is risky. This year, 90 year old Michel Pierre, a practicing herbalist for over 40 years and owner of the oldest herboristerie in Paris defended a lawsuit against him for the illegal practice of medicine. Despite his in-depth knowledge as there is not an official diploma his experience cannot be recognised. Like most people advocating the use of medicinal herbs, Monsieur Pierre does not claim to be a doctor or wish to take the place of pharmacists.

He sees himself as providing complementary care, advising customers to see a doctor when necessary.

Clearly, inappropriate use of plants can be dangerous so it is understandable that the selling and practice of herbal medicine is regulated. In order that the benefits of herbal medicine are safely available to the public, surely the solution would be for France to reestablish a diploma in herbalism under the supervision of the Department of Health, thus ensuring that herbalists are rigorously trained, conforming to a national standard.

Government proposals are slowly making their way through the system, notably by Senator Jean-Luc Fichet in 2010, however there is no immediate sign of adoption. ** The diversity of plant life in Hérault has earned it the title ‘The birthplace of traditional western herbal medicine’.

Below are a handful of plants commonly found: Sea holly, Eryngium maritinum (urinary remedy, diuretic and antilithic and useful in cases of renal colic and enlarged prostate; also considered to be a digestive remedy with liver action and an aphrodisiac.)

Buck’s Horn Plantain, Plantago coronopus (Old-time salad green which possesses the 16

same multitude of medicinal properties as common plantain)

Prickly glasswort, Salsola kali (the juice and seed vessels are diuretic) Sueda fruticosa Forsk (flowers and seeds aid scar formation and are used in a poultice for cuts and abrasions)

Bermuda Grass, Cynodon dactylon (diuretic and astringent used to stop bleeding) Liquorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra (one of the oldest-described and most-used medicines in the world) Samphire, Crithmum maritinum digestive tonic) Dyer’s madder, Rubia tinctorum (diuretic, antilithic and liver remedy)

Pierrevives win RIBA Award

Yoga Posture of the month

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Dandayamana Janushirasana – Standing Head to Knee Pose

he Pierrevives building in Montpellier by acclaimed architect Zaha Hadid has won a Royal Institute of British Architects European award 2013.

The RIBA award citation said: “Pierrevives is a dramatic and imposing building.

The competition-winning project was the only one to combine archives, sports administration and a multi-media library in one monolithic but dynamic building… the building is a tour de force in a barren landscape and a magnet to a part of the community previously cut off from the city centre. It has already been a catalyst for regeneration.”

Develops concentration, patience and determination. Strengthens abdominal and thigh muscles, improves flexibility of sciatic nerves and strengthens the endons, biceps of the thigh muscles and hamstrings.

The first area of concentration in this posture is locking the knee by engaging the thigh muscles. Contraction of the abdominal muscles is also very important. As a beginner you will find focusing on these areas quite enough to occupy your attention. As your practice progresses you will be able to scan more of your body for correct alignment. Flexing the foot of the kicking leg back (toes to the nose) as hard as possible is necessary. You should never be able to see your toenails in the front mirror. www.yogabikrammontpellier.fr

Did you know:

Montpellier University was the first university in France to offer a diploma in Phytotherapy?

Talk to Maggie We get what we focus on!

A

n old Cherokee Chief told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

‘My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. One is evil – It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is good – It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.’

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: ‘Which wolf wins?’

The old Cherokee simply replied, ‘The one you feed the most.’

This is so apt for how we may be living our lives. We get into the habit of focusing on the negatives in our lives, and then feeding this part until it wins the battle and we forget how to be different.

If we can focus on the good things, substitute anger for empathy, regret and sorrow for compassion and bring more

generosity and love into our lives every day, then we will begin to feed this part of us more.

One way to do this is to write a Gratitude or Appreciation Diary.

Every day find three things that you are grateful for and write them down. It only takes a few minutes and you’ll be amazed how easy it becomes. Even if there are days when you might find this difficult, there is always something that you can write down –someone smiled at you or you saw a lovely flower by the roadside. The Universe loves gratitude and once you begin to acknowledge what you appreciate and are grateful for, you’ll begin to notice that you start to attract more positive things into your life. You’ll notice more and more what makes you feel alive and less and less what isn’t working for you.

Reduce negativity in your life and get into a new habit of feeding the positive side of you and make sure that this is the wolf that is fed the most and wins the battle.

LEGGETT

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SATURDAY 24TH AUGUST PRIORY OF ST JULIAN ARDEO QUARTET

UNTIL APRIL 21ST 2014 ESCALE A SETE DAYT MARITIME TRADITIONS

Until SUNDAY 25TH AUGUST LAMALOU LES BAINS OPERA FESTIVAL MONDAY 26TH AUGUST MONTPELLIER BASKET BALL MATCH: FRANCE VS SPAIN WWW. EQUIPEDEFRANCEBASKET. COM UNTIL TUESDAY 27TH AUGUST SAINT LOUIS FESTIVAL, SETE

UNTIL 15TH SEPTEMBER BADARIEUX: HOME OF THE ARTS BARBARA SCROEDER EXHIBITION

UNTIL FRIDAY 30TH AUGUST CONCERT AND EXHIBITIONS PENITENTS SPACE, CLERMONT L’HERAULT

SUNDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER PALAVAS LES FLOTS, EXHIBITION HALL FOIRE AUX ASSOS

UNTIL SATURDAY 31ST AUGUST CHRISTIAN DUBOIS EXHIBITION QUAI GENERAL HURAND – MACARONADE HALL OF STAIRS, SETE

SUNDAY 15TH SEPTEMBER, 6PM ORLAGUES CHURCH CONCERT + MEDIVAL THEMED PARTY

SUNDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER 9PM ST PAULS CHURCH, CLERMONT L’HERAULT WWW. FESTIVAL-MUSIQUES-ET-PASSIONS. FR 3RD – 28TH SEPTEMBER ART CUBE EXHIBITION WORKSHOP 27, VAILLAN SATURDAY 7TH-8TH SEPTEMBER, 9:30PM-9PM PALAVAS LES FLOTS ANIMAL CRAZINESS SALON UNTIL SUNDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER STREET TERMINAL – CHAPEL AREA HIGH, SETE GUETE AND HOYER EXHIBITION

Every Wed & 1 Thursday of the month - Marseillan Marseillan Historique’s Visitor Centre (on main boulevard) offers walking tours of the ancient village and the old port. Village tours are every Wednesday and port tours are the first Thursday of each month.

Tours start at 10h30 sharp and are in English. Group tours are by arrangement at any time. Contact Mike or Patrician Worsam 06 86 37 86 06. www.marseillanhistorique.com

THURSDAY 20TH- SATURDAY 22ND SEPTEMBER PALAVAS LES FLOTS AUTUMN FESTIVAL UNTIL 29TH SEPTEMBER DOMINIQUE BAGOUET SPACE ALBERT DUBOUT EXHIBITION UNTIL 30TH SEPTEMBER ABBAYE CASTLE OF CASSAN PHOTO EXHIBITION UNTIL 30TH SEPTEMBER THE SONS OF MARS – THE ROMAN MILITARY EQUIPEMENT OF THE REPUBLIC AT THE END OF THE EMPIRE HISTORIC ILLUSTRATIONS BY GRAHAM SUMNER

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What’s in a name....

Sue Hicks continues her look into the history through Street names

P

aris was in uproar. France had declared war on her ever more powerful neighbour on 19 July 1870. Six weeks later, news of the French defeat at the battle of Sedan reached Paris. Emperor Louis Napoleon had written “As I cannot die at the head of my army, I lay down my sword at the feet of your majesty” and then surrendered personally to Kaiser Wilhelm I of Prussia. Thousands of Frenchmen had died or been taken prisoner along with their Emperor.

On Sunday 4 September some weary members of the Corps Legislatif resumed the debate which had begun in the early hours while others judged it prudent to slip away quietly. Before they had finished their deliberations and agreed a plan of action, a huge crowd, whipped up by various factions, gathered outside and threatened to overwhelm them with cries of “Live Free or Die”.

Troops had surrounded the building but took no action. The 32 year old republican Leon Gambetta, already well-known as a gifted orator, “leapt to the rostrum” and seizing the moment declared that Louis Napoleon, nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte, and his dynasty were overthrown. Fearing danger and disorder, the crowd were invited to go the Hotel de Ville and streams of citizens were lead noisily along both banks of the Seine. The Third Republic was declared that afternoon.

There was some uncertainty among the leaders as to the basis for this declaration so it was decided that the provisional government, led by General Trochu, should be formed by the elected deputies of Paris until elections could be held.

Meanwhile, the Empress Eugenie who was acting as Regent in the absence of her husband at the war was persuaded by a deputation of parliamentarians to stand down. She fled overnight to the home of a Doctor Evans, an American society dentist, who helped her to reach the channel coast and persuaded an English captain to take aboard the Empress who was posing as a lunatic from an asylum on her way to visit relatives. Eugenie was Spanish by birth but had attended a school in Bristol (in a building now named Eugenie House) and soon settled

in Chislehurst where she was joined some months later by her husband, who had also lived in England previously. Louis Napoleon died in 1873 but Eugenie lived on until 1920 and the couple are buried with their son (who died in 1879 in South Africa while serving in the British Army) in Farnborough.

Back in Paris on 4 September 1870, telegrams were sent out to the provinces announcing the Third Republic. A telegram was sent to Victor Hugo, in exile since the coup d’etat of Louis Napoleon in 1851, with the agreed message “Bring the children immediately” and he left for Paris the following day. Throughout France, citizens tore down plaster busts and insignia of Napoleon III and celebrated wildly. The Second Empire had ended and the Third Republic had been born without a drop of blood being spilt. The FrancoPrussian War ended in 1871with a total French surrender, a huge reparations bill and the ceding of territory including AlsaceLorraine.

Most street signs do not give a year for the date 4 Septembre. It is unlikely that they commemorate 4 September 1346, the day when the English began the Siege of Calais during the Hundred Years’ War. Eleven harrowing months later, 6 rich burghers with nooses around their necks and carrying the keys to the city surrendered to the English fearing ransom or execution. Edward III, possibly at the urging of his pregnant wife but also perhaps fearing reprisals at a later date and seeking ransoms, spared their lives. This event is commemorated by Auguste Rodin’s statute The Burghers of Calais which stands in front of Calais town hall. A copy was purchased by the British government in 1911 and stands in the Victoria Tower Garden adjacent to the Houses of Parliament in London.

Street signs for 4 septembre marking the foundation of the Third Republic can be found throughout France and have not been superceded by commemorations of the founding of the two later republics.

Did You Know: Montpellier was originally called Monspessulanus. It originally came from Mont Pele, “the naked hill” that Montpellier is situated upon.

Une Belle Expression

S

ome words have more than their obvious meaning.

Take the word beau. Everyone knows that it means fine, beautiful. However, in the expression ‘au beau milieu’, it means ‘slap in the middle’; ‘bel et bien’ means ‘well and truly’, as in “j’étais bel et bien trempé sous la pluie” (“I was absolutely soaked in the rain”). When you do something ‘de plus belle’ it means with renewed force.

“Après une petite pause les musiciens ont recommencé à jouer de plus belle” Then, when used with the verb avoir the meaning becomes really obscure: “Tu as beau chercher tu ne trouveras jamais la bague que j’ai cachée.” This could translate as, “No matter how hard you look you’ll never find the ring I’ve hidden”. Avoir beau faire quelque chose = to do something in vain.

Bobbie Trickett 19

“In 2001, I lost my sight, I came to France. It was a radical change, like a second birth almost. It happened during a peaceful protest.

We were students; there had been nearly a year of riots in Kabylie. The State, the gendarmes, opened fire at us with real bullets. I was hit twice, one of which destroyed my optic nerve.

The last image I remember was a gendarme crouched down, a kalachnikov, then a bright flashing light, and then nothing.”

The history of Blind Football

B

razil and Spain are the most prominent pioneers of blind football, which has been an organized sport since the first half of the 20th century. The first tournament took place in Brazil in 1974. Blind football was accepted into the 2004 Paralympic Games, an important step in the sport’s worldwide development.

The Second life of Hakim A. Portrait of a French champion of blind football

By Emilie Wood, photojournalist

Rêve D’Intérieur

Rêve D’Intérieur 8 avenue Maréchal Foch 34800 Clermont L’Hérault (next door to Fou d’Anglais) 04 67 44 67 05 Monday to Saturday 9am- 7pm (Saturdays 6pm)

Visit Réve D’Intérieur 400m² of tiles, parquet, bathrooms and kitchens Professional service at affordable prices

“English spoken, Free quotes.” Ask for Cedric “Is your terrace ready for spring?”

“Like a brand new kitchen for the summer?”

“Get the bathroom you want” 20

H

akim Arezki is 28 years old. He lives in Boulogne and works as a piano tuner. He plays the guitar, the mandolin and is adept with a bell football. He is blind. A player in the French team (European champions, 2011) and captain of his club, Saint-Mandé; he has been playing ‘cécifoot’, the football adapted for the visually impaired, competitively for the last seven years.

Cécifoot is played five a side: four visually impaired players and one non-impaired goalkeeper. To negotiate the pitch players listen for the sound of the ball and for the other players who make their presence known by repeating the word ‘Voy’ (Spanish for ‘I’m here’) in order to avoid frontal impacts.

Each team member has two guides who give the players directions.

All of the visually impaired players cover their eyes with blindfolds. In that way everyone is equal: those who have some vision and those who live in total darkness. As is the case with Hakim.

Hakim’s world was turned violently upside down. In April 2001, he was a student at a peaceful protest in Kabylie, his home town in Algeria, when the police opened fire on the crowds. A bullet took his sight.

After five days of inadequate care in a hospital in Algeria he was transferred to France, where he was brought back from the point of death. He has had to learn how to live again without sight, to start again from zero.

It has been a long struggle to pick himself up and reconstruct his life; the memory of his friends who never got up from that ‘printemps noir’ in Kabylie will remain with him always.

“Blind football has helped me become more independent in my daily life. It is still a really challenging handicap in today’s society: but I’ve made quite good progress. I have a job, a sport that I play as often as I can, national and international competitions, an apartment…

I think I’m quite normal!”

To see the video on Hakim Arezki ‘Les Bleus sans les Yeux’ please visit www.dailymotion or use the QR code

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

G

reetings and salutations purveyors of keyboard art. There is a vicious rumour that it is hot outside but alas, all this means is that mushrooms grow in my workspace.

And on the subject of vicious rumours, I have received a number of mails asking about ‘Trolling’.

Trolling is a dispicable act of cowardice utilised by pathetic and sad individuals!

By using the internet (Facebook, Twitter and online Forums etc), a troll is a bully.

It is based on deception.

Trolls often befriend their

2012 Olympics, London, UK

victim to gain trust and then give bad advice or intimidate, mock or threaten. Some say it is cutting humour but with the spate of suicides in the UK, the US and Spain this does not hold up.

And while I’m at it.....

Flaming: Making rude remarks or comments is NOT trolling, this has it’s own term, ‘Flaming’.

So if someone just shouts at you online (uses capital letters for everything they type) or uses bad language consistently this is flaming. Many people engage in this with the goal being to make you ‘shout back’ (use capital letters).

In summary, you idiots need to get off the internet and leave the 3% that isn’t taken up with gambling and pornography to us lovers and afficianados of all things web.

Ciao ciao. image: razor 21

www.lheraultart.com

Couleurs Plossu: sequences photographiques 1956-2013 Dominique Aclange

T

he work of world renowned French photographer Bernard Plossu is currently being shown at Pavillon Populaire, Montpellier.

Born 1945 in Vietnam, Plossu spent his childhood and adolescence in Paris.He took his first pictures in the streets in 1956-1957 with a Brownie Flash, a camera given to him by his father. From 1965 to 1985 he travelled extensively in Mexico, India, Africa and the U.S.A as his pictures witness. He has won many rewards for his work.

My encounter with Plossu’s work was an unexpected treat, like suddenly discovering a magnificent ice cream shop in the heart of a hot city. In complete contrast to the images and photographs we are usually surrounded by, Plossu’s photographs inspire with their depth and simplicity and are as refreshing as a cool breeze on a stifling summer’s day.

Couleurs Plossu gathers together for the first time about 240 Fresson prints (photographic prints made on charcoal paper, a technique dating from 1899) as well as argentic and digital photographs.This exceptional and largely previously unpublished corpus of colour photographs highlight the varied and different photographic techniques developed by Plossu during his career.

The exhibition is spread over the two floors and divided into five sections. On the ground floor a vast central space gathers about 60 Fresson prints, most of them exclusive: objet trouvé, Clé de Zanot, (Milan 2009), Le sofa rouge de Carlos (Serrano, Madrid 1975) Shoes (Toulon 2004).

Several series of photographic experiments reveal different facets of the use of colour, from Plossu’s first Parisian photographs in the fifties up to his use of disposable and toy cameras (simple inexpensive cameras such as Agfamatic, Instamatic, Panoramic Prestinox) from 1990 to 2010.

On the first floor two complementary series on his extensive travels.

On one side about sixty images of amazing European landscapes, revealing France, Italy, or Belgium under cloudy or foggy skies.

On the opposite side, fifty American road movie pictures dating between 1965-1985, from Mexico to New-Mexico via a “hippie” California.

Plossu’s colour photographs are linked by the recurrence of the colour red. Often the ‘red sign’ serves as guidepost for the viewer. The Fresson prints speak like paintings, a matt paper with a slight grainy texture serves as interpreter. The Fresson photographs are of interiors, seats, sofas, shoes, the banality or classicism of shop windows, whilst Robes de femmes series (1976) shows provincial fashion . A high point for me is the Foire du Trône (a Parisian fun fair) series. Here again the intensity and the presence of red accentuates the nostalgic effect of the photo, without losing the sense of reality.

But Bernard Plossu isn’t pretentious.

What’s more authentic than an old pair of boots on the sand taken with a disposable camera? - A black and white print next to a colour one of the same shot to show how the mood is changed.

An atmospheric photo using a red sofa.

Blurry roof tops.

His photos give meaning to the meaningless.

Items are photographed just because they are there, red his signature colour, the couleur Plossu.

I love his daring artistic eye.

Pavillon Populaire-Espace d’art photographique, Montpellier until 6 October, 2013.

Tuesdays-Sundays, 11h-13h and 14h-19h.

Free entry

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www.l-artiste.com

SMALL

IS BEAUTIFUL

Review: Pearl Casteleyn

The 33rd International Mini Print Exhibition in the Taller Galeria Fort, Cadaqués

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The 33rd International Mini Print Exhibition in the Taller Galeria Fort, Cadaqués offers more than 600 prints from artists worldwide, ranging from Iceland to Brazil and Japan to North America.

Each print displayed is restricted in size to 10cm x 10cm and surrounded by a passé-partout (mount or a frame). Hung together they create a visual patchwork, offering not just a visual feast but also a stimulus for the imagination. These prints decorate the white walls of two floors of an old print workshop in Cadaqués. This workshop, the centre still dominated by an old printing press, holds memories of famous artists. And who knows, looking at the quality of the prints displayed and the creativity of the artists, perhaps some of the future.

The subjects are as varied as the techniques used.

Traditional techniques include: Monotype,

Rejoice

One artist, chosen as one of the 6 winners is locally based artist/ printmaker Patricia Niemira.

As a winner her prints took centre stage for a week. Her work is influenced by her life in the north of England where more subtle, colder colours prevail, whereas now in France the work is dominated by warmer, brighter colours. Not only fine in detail, her prints were created to give depth and texture.

For me the secret of this exhibitions’ success is not just the quality of the craftsmanship, the diversity of subjects from shape and colour, but also the detail and differences within the prints. Through this eclectic collection I enjoyed new discoveries.

The prints are also available at at very affordable prices.

Linocut, Dry point and Aquatint.

Newer works embrace Collograph and Chine-collé as well as Digital art. My eyes feasted on subjects, perhaps influenced but not copied, by known Masterpieces. In place of ‘The Scream’ there is ‘The Smile’. Bursts of colour erupt from the exhibits. Animals respected and treasured by some are also represented… dogs from Japan, small and prolific, with just a suggestion of elephants from Thailand. A chromatic drawing from Iceland indicates greyness and ice whereas many from Spain are full of bright and vibrant colours associated with warmth and sun. Prints from India carry recognisable characteristics - the richness of the reds, greens and golds associated with that diverse country.

Landscape V

J’imagine III

he prints may be small but the overall impression is great colourful, elegant and certainly beautiful.

This exhibition is open until 30 September at Cadaquès but will be repeated later in the year in Wingfield Barns (near Cambridge) UK; in Les Pineda de Mar near Barcelona and nearer to home in The Gallery d’Étang d’Art, Bages, near Narbonne www.letangdart.com .

The exhibition in Bages will run from 16th November ,2013 until 14th January 2014. For more information see: (www.mininprint.org) Featured prints: Patricia Niemira

june 2013 145

june 2013 132

23

English for Expat Children An indispensable guide

L

aura Smith has a BA (Hons) in English and a background which includes nannying, running ‘arts’ groups for children, supporting early readers, teaching English as a foreign language in Spanish and Italian schools and examining children for the Cambridge Examining Board.

September Rentrée So, what steps might you and your children take to get preparations under way..?

• Keep it relaxed: Shopping trips and conversations about what’s needed for the upcoming year can be fun!

Make preparation your friend; let it generate anticipation. Run through new routines and responsibilities, making games of them. A stopwatch can be a great tool to make things both fun and cunningly efficient. Children might even enjoy the chance to prepare their own study space.

• Keep talking: Having relaxed into a holiday routine together you will probably find that your ease of communication has really developed. The start of a new year is a great opportunity to nip potential worries in the bud by maintaining this level of communication.

Summer may have dissolved all sorts of your child’s school-related concerns, but as and when things arise it’s so helpful for you all to feel approachable.

Establishing communication with teachers is really valuable too. If you are looking for language support for your children’s French then get in there as soon as possible and remain persistent without pestering (unless entirely necessary!).

• Socialise: Make arrangements for your child to see friends, particularly those who’ve not been about as much over the holidays. Getting these connections re-established early on, or before the year starts, will help friendships mesh with the school environment again.

Along with these general ‘back to school’ preparations, begin to gently re-engage with academic areas that have required your extra support in previous years. Hopefully you have encouraged a complete break from focused study over the holidays, so please don’t worry if your children have lost ground in any of these areas, it is perfectly normal. Should your child happen to notice and feel disappointed that they have some refreshing to do it’s ideal to have you there for reassurance and help. School is only the jumping off point for learning, your attention and input will accelerate their pleasure and curiosity generally, ultimately expanding their many capacities. Especially if you find ways to enjoy it yourself..

This year I am starting groups in the Herault to support multi-lingual children with their English skills.

If you are interested in starting a group in your area and would like to get in touch then please contact me directly via email: englishforexpatchildren@gmail.com Regularly updated resources and ideas are always available via englishforexpatchildren.webs.com which provides links to my pinterest boards and blog.

Parc Naturel Régional Haut-Languedoc

T

(photography Alain Baschenis, text Santiago Mendieta) o mark 40 years of existence, the regional natural park situated in the South of the Massif Central within the Aveyron, Hérault and Tarn departments, is celebrating its anniversary with the publication of this book which shares the stunning scenery of the park and also puts in the spotlight some of the men and women who live in the area.

The vast territory of the park covers some 306,000 hectares and is home to diverse natural riches. The authors have attempted to relay all of this beauty and complexity. From the somber pine forests of the Montagne noire where the source of the Canal du Midi originates and the beech covered mountains of Lacaune, to the Lake plateau… Welcome to the Parc Naturel du Haut-Languedoc Published by Editions Privat. 32€ ISBN: 978-2-7089-5918-7 Want a copy? We have 1 to give away. Send us an email and tell us - Who won The Tour de France this year? Entries to: competition@theheraulttimes.com

Under the stars with the Planetarium Galilée Elise Girard

A

s part of an ongoing series the Planetarium Galilée have organized open air events to make

astronomy more accessible to the public. I recently went to one held in Le Clapiers.

The evening includes a picnic, observation of the sun through a filter, ancient tales about stars and planets, music, talks and finally 4 giant telescopes (500, 600, 625 and 760mm) for everyone to look at the universe through.

If you are as green as I am in this field, there are lots of interesting facts to learn, such as where the names for the days of the week come from, what the morning star actually is (here is a clue : it is not a star) and current thinking on the origin of our universe.

One gem of knowledge which I can’t resist sharing with you is why the Great Bear constellation looks just like a saucepan? Well, it’s because we can’t see all the stars which are part of it anymore. It is not that they have disappeared, there is just too much 24

light on earth now due to all our big cities illuminating the night so it is never dark enough for us to see all the stars the Ancient Greeks used to see. What they named originally as the Great Bear once looked much more like a bear than the constellation we see today.

One of the astronomers brought amazing simulation software along which allows him to chart the position of the stars at any time by removing the light excess and the atmosphere thus revealing previously hidden stars; the software is also able to zoom in and out from the Earth. I felt very tiny as he was zooming out, watching our solar system and then our galaxy and then galaxies, ours being only one of so many. (cont next page)

Fou D’Anglais Clermont L’Herault

8 Ave Maréchal Foch (opp Clermont Medical Centre)

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

VEEM

means welcome in any language.

S

eptember is the time of year when schoolchildren go back to school and continue their education. But it is not just these kids who will partake of this annual ritual in Languedoc and more specifically

around the region. For the more ambitious, our gentle hikes through the Languedoc countryside help newcomers find out more about the country’s heritage.

No modern association would be complete without its social activities and VEEM is very much in favour of this important section. Here people can interface with other members whose mother tongue is different from their own. It is an excellent way for members to practise their

the Minervois.

VEEM looks forward to meeting new members VEEM will be sponsoring a new event, hoping to join or merely wanting Portes Ouvertes – Ateliers de Langues to know more about this friendly organisation. at the Salle Geo. Brassens in Olonzac between 10am and noon.

Here the public and members alike can test their French and non-anglophones their English. linguistic skills. They will also be able to talk to Some events organised by VEEM are open to the people who take the workshops of French and the local residents of the village where it takes English. There will be an opportunity to register place. This idea has been welcomed by the Mairies as members so that they can join the language some of whom have been proactive by helping to workshop of their choice. promote it.

A few days later on Friday September 13, memStarted only four years ago, VEEM, now has bers will be gathering for their Réunion d’Entrée well over 200 members from about twenty difagain at the Salle Georges Brassens. They will ferent countries worldwide but we are looking to hear from the Conseil d’Administration about the engage many more new members during 2014. To new and existing activities that will be offered in this end, VEEM will be taking a stand at the Fothe following 12 months. rum des Associations on September 8 in Olonzac.

But becoming a member of VEEM is not just a Vivre Ensemble en Minervois matter of going back to school. The association offers a variety of activities from gardening groups Email: info@veem.fr and conferences to learning about wine tasting and 22 Ave. de Béziers Olonzac 34210 Telephone: 04 68 91 17 17 Website: www.veem.fr visits to the many interesting historical sites in and (cont) The best part however was definitely looking through the different telescopes, each operated by a specialist who explained what we were looking at.

I can’t decide which was the most breathtaking: watching a star which had just died or seeing Saturn.

The final evening in the ‘under the stars’ series is on: 13th September, Stade municipal, Saint-Drézéry, 19h-00h (free event) www.planetarium-galilee.montpellier-agglo.com

SUBSCRIBE

Astronomy Associations in Hérault *Sétoise d’Astronomie en pays de Thau Contact : Michel Fabre : jm7534@orange.fr Tel :0499 57 11 07 *Ciel ami Ami (Montpellier) Contact : Michel Gravereau www.cielmonami.com email: ciel.mon.ami@free.fr

*Société astronomique de Montpellier Contact : Jean-Marie Lopez http://perso.modulonet.fr/astromontp/ email : sambabote@free.fr *MJC Trencavel (Béziers) Contact : Thierry Raffaelli www.mjc-beziers.org email : info@mjc-beziers.org *Neptune Astronomie (Cap d’Agde) Contact : Christian Meunier www.association-neptune-astronomie. com

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Recipe Times -

The Chef Spot

This month we are delighted to feature recipes from Craig Charlesworth, co-owner of the restaurant En Bonne Compagnie, 6 Quai des Negociants, 11200 Homps.

Head Chef Craig Charlesworth

C

raig left home at 17 to join the foodie gentlemenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s club, Boodles, where he carried out his apprenticeship under a member of the Acadamie Culinaire de France.

Before setting up En Bonne Compagnie he worked in two Michelin starred restaurants in London, aboard the Queen Elizabeth II and for several distinguished private clients.

FIG CHUTNEY

1 RED ONION DICED 4 TABLESPOONS BROWN SUGAR 1 TEASPOON MUSTARD SEEDS 1 CINNAMON STICK 1 STAR ANISE 1 TEASPOON GINGER (DRIED OR PUREED) 4 TEASPOONS RED WINE VINEGAR 4 FIGS (CUT INTO QUARTERS) Place all the ingredients apart from the figs in a pan and cook slowly until the onions are soft. Add the figs and cook slowly for 5 - 10 mins until the figs start to break down. Remove from the heat and allow to cool

26

GOATS CHEESE MOUSSE

CHOCOLATE FONDANT

* 300G SOFT COMBEBELLE GOATS CHEESE (CAILLE PRESSED FOR 24-36 HRS) * 200ML CRÈME LIQUID CHILLED * 100G CHICKEN BREAST CUT INTO PIECES * 1 CLOVE GARLIC * BUTTER TO GREASE THE MOULDS * SALT AND PEPPER * 4-6 TIMBALE MOULDS OR SMALL RAMEKINS

125G BUTTER 125G CHOCOLATE (MINIMUM 55%) 4 TABLESPOONS CASTER SUGAR 2 TEASPOONS FLOUR 2 EGGS AND 2 YOLKS BUTTERD AND FLOURED RAMEKINS Melt the butter and chocolate over a pan of simmering water. Whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar until light and fluffy. Fold in the melted chocolate and then add the sieved flour. Put the mixture into the buttered ramekins 2/3 full. Bake in a preheated oven 220c/ gas 7 for 9mns. Once cooked turn out on to a plate and serve with a fruit coulis or compote of seasonal fruit.

Take the bowl of a food processor and put it in the fridge for ½ hr.

Brush the moulds with butter.

Remove the bowl from the fridge.

Place the chicken breast, garlic and a pinch of salt into the chilled bowl. Process the chicken mix for 30 sec in the food processor. Slowly add half the crème liquid. Stop the processor and scrape down the mixture then add the goats cheese and the remaining crème liquid. Do not over process the mixture. You should end with a smooth mousse consistency. Spoon the mixture into your buttered moulds and cover with buttered tin foil. Cook in a preheated oven (160c/325f/gas m 3) in a water bath for 20 mns or until set. The mousse will souffle slightly but will settled back once removed from the oven. You can serve these warm or cold and is perfect served with fig chutney

Craig and Valerie have been buying their cheeses for many years from La Chevrerie de Combebelle.

The Cheverie is in a beautiful location (10km from Bize Minervois) and welcomes visitors everyday between March and October. www.afondlesud.com

Bassie Scott will return in December

27

Classified Adverts ASSOCIATIONS

The Tuesday Club A lively group of English speaking people from all nationalities meet to hear talks, exchange ideas and socialise. www.tuesdayclub.eu tuesdayclub.fr@gmail.com **

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 **

Anglophone Group Languedoc Roussillon (AGLR) Adults & childrens’ activities including bridge, golf, French conversation, cooking, excursions in convivial atmosphere www.anglophone-group-languedoc-roussillon.com/ AGLRSete@yahoo.co.uk **

Fabulous, affordable, beauty treatments

We meet at Maison pour Tous, Florensac, second Thursday of each month, at 1430h (except July & Aug).

Info: 0467771906 www.wicmediterranee.org. ** The Church of England at St. Pargoire, Holy Communion 2nd Sunday each month at 10 am.

Everyone welcome.

Details achstp@gmail.com ** International Chapel of Montpellier Worship Services in English Children’s Bible Class provided Services held every Sunday at 11:00am Website: www.internationalchapel.eu **

Nathalie Esthetic 4, Place du Marché St Thibéry (Tue-Sat, Monday and evenings by special arrangement) Tel : Nathalie on 06 47 40 10 45 **

Want horses in your life but don’t know where to start?

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 **

SERVICES

Commercial Cleaning Machine for hire.

Cleans soft furnishings, rugs, mattresses, sunbed cushions, car interiors, etc.Contact Trudi: 0499570589 trudi@ppm34.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.

References available Tel: 0778 17 81 26 **

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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 ** ADVERTISE ONLINE FOR FREE AT CLASSIFIEDS.THEHERAULTTIMES.COM

**

PROPERTY SERVICES/ GARDENING SERVICES Perfect Property Management Professional, reliable company for all of your property needs. Changeovers, pool maintenance and repairs, project management. Siret registered.

Contact Trudi: 0499570589 trudi@ppm34.fr www.perfectpropertymanagement.com **

Gray Solutions Bilingual building and renovation project management, with excellent tried and tested teams covering all trades.

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 ** 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 **

**

Classified Adverts Enjoy your Summer Garden Watering Systems, installation and modernisation, mediterranean plants and dry lawns.

Upkeep and Garden Creation English Spoken Mathieu Goudou - Le Jardinier Tel: 0623 46 35 42

**

CPS

All aspects of your property and pool care during the year. Over 10 years exp.

Siret Reg. Tel: + 33 (0) 6 73 96 84 87 colombierspropertyservices@neuf.fr ** 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! ** 29

Garden maintenance available all year round - grass cutting on regular basis, - hedge trimming - weeding - planting www.facebook.com/pages/My-FourSeasons 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

** BEAUTY Fabulous, affordable, beauty treatments

Nathalie Esthetic 4, Place du Marché St Thibéry (Tue-Sat, Monday and evenings by special arrangement) Tel : Nathalie on 06 47 40 10 45

SALES New!

127 kinds of Belgian beers at Nébian : Chimay, Chouffe, Delirium, Grisette, Boon, Kasteel, Lindemans, .....

By bottle or case.

Brasserie Caroux Nébian 10 avenue Marcellin Albert 34800 Nébian

**

Classified Adverts TAXI

CLASSES

Tel: 0033 (0) 467 21 72 38 e-mail: agenceviastaxi@free.fr Any Distance - Up to 8 Passengers E-mail Reservations welcome Estimates Given. All enquiries welcome

**

London black cab with driver

Bespoke massage, Mobile service Group bookings taken.

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

Susannah 0652752445 / 0467243142 Based in Ceps / Cazedarnes ** 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 **

Watercolour classes in Pouzolles, near Roujan.

All levels welcome. Materials supplied.

Contact Monica or Simon Roberts.

0761 94 91 38. info@studio-roberts.com Further info at www.painting-in-france.com **

** ENTERTAINMENT

Weddings, events, parties, marketing etc.

Comfortable seating for five passengers.

Disabled and wheelchair access ramps.

Tel: (0680) 438977 or email: kent.terry@mac.com

**

www.cornelia-rentaduck.com

WELL-BEING

**

** Centre d’Ostéopathie et d’Intégration Structurelle (®Rolfing) Recently opened in Lodève Annette Beckett qualified osteopath since 1992 cranial osteopathy for adults, children, babies annette@beckettosteo.com Barry P. Beckett Certified Rolfer, Rolf Institute 1993 Structural Integration, Postural Improvement, Osteopathics. motionpresent@gmail.com 06 30 64 88 40 **

Shenanigan’s Irish owned and run, family pub and restaurant.

Come and join us for the best prices in the Languedoc. All rugby, Gaelic and Hurling shown live. Guinness & Bulmers Home cooked food, prepared daily.

Plate of the day 10e with a glass of wine.

Taxi available. Open all year.

Vias centre – 0430 17 83 87.

**

FOOD AND WINE

Gourmet Walking Tours Sète and Montpellier Stroll the streets past historical buildings while sampling local specialties, meeting merchants, getting historical and cultural tips.

45 € pp Sète / 55€pp Montpellier; nancy@ southernfranceluxury.com tripadvisor reviews -Savouring_Southern_France-Sete ** Practise Yoga in Pezenas with an English-speaking teacher Now it is possible!

Practise adapted to all conditions Every Monday 9 a.m / 10.15 Dance studio « Ballerine » Avenue Emile Combes Starting Monday September 9th Information 04 99 43 88 84

**

Abri Creative Writing Courses at Gardoussel Retreat, Gard (30) poetry, prose and memoir for 2013. Courses are full-board and residential in a magnificent mountain setting. Delicious vegetarian meals, swimming, massages available. 595 Euros/week all-inclusive. tel. 04 66 60 16 78 www.abricreativewriting.com 30

Restaurant L’Armindine 3 Place du 14 juillet, 34450, VIAS In the historic centre of Vias village, traditional, family restaurant, serving fresh local produce & quality wines Open daily for lunch & dinner English Spoken Tel: 04.67.30.29.78.

**

Advertising in The Herault Times is from as little as €15 per Issue.

For more information visit the website www.theheraulttimes.com or call us on 0624 63 63 77

HT Sport

B&B

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

PEZENAS - Centre Historique​ Charming Appartment for sale in the centre of Pézenas (Historical area). http://maclangdoc13.wix.com/appartement avendre T: 06 88 88 77 19 **

PETS

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

MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS

English Books and Cards available at The English Bookstall: These markets; Monday - Bédarieux, Tuesday Marseillan Ville, Wednesday Clermont l’Hérault, Saturday - Lodève.

Kerith 0467 96 68 87 ** Le Bookshop - Librairie Anglophone / café 8 rue du Bras de Fer - Montpellier T: 04 67 66 22 90 contact@lebookshop.com www.lebookshop.com ** English Books at the Bourse, Pézenas.

First Sunday of every month from 10 to 12. The Café de la Bourse is next to the Hotel Moliere in Pézenas. All books are 1 Euro or less. Excellent coffee and company. Want to book a table?

Call Carole on 0467905910 **

In Partnership with

Comité Sport Tambourin Hérault Sports by Stuart Turpie

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nd so the Premier leaugue football (soccer) season has begun in England and the Ashes have been retained in cricket. The last golf major of the year is complete and 2 British men have won the last 2 Tour de France.

Before we read Stuarts review of The Tour please diary the following dates and come along to play or watch or have a go at Tambourin. * 8th September – 10h - 18h, Viols-le-Fort (tambourin court): Prêt de Tambourins, teaching session and practice for the Hérault championship finals. Organised by the Comité Sport-tambourin Hérault.

Montpellier (Park Montcalm): Organised by Sport-tambourin Club Montpellier - Wednesdays 11th and 18th September free trial session in park Montcalm from 10h to 12h (7-10 yrs) and from 14h to 16h (11-15 years).

- Saturday 14th and 21st September, free trial session in the park Montcalm from 10h12h (adults and 16+ years).

22nd September, St-Georges d’Orques (Tambourin court Léopold Bellas): Prêt de tambourins, teaching session and practice during the meetings of the Grand-Prix du Conseil Général. Organised by the Comité Sport-tambourin Hérault.

29th September, Gignac (Tambourin court) : Introductory workshop and practice 10h-11h, then 13h-16h for the Tambourin fete, organised by the Communauté de Commune of the Vallée de l’Hérault. ** fter waiting for 99 Tour de France races a British rider finally won last year.

Then in the 100th Tour the feat of Sir Bradley Wiggins was matched by Chris Froome who astonished the French media by his dominance.

For British fans it was a different race. As Wiggo approached his win there was always a hidden sense of disbelief that at last a win was possible. This year Froome was the favourite after his victories in races like the Dauphiné and he had been second last time. The race went to plan with a brilliant team performance by the Sky team.

After a tricky first week Froome burst into action up the slopes to Ax 3 Domaines . The Sky team forced a tremendous pace, burning off rivals before Froome launched his attack to gain valuable time and to win the stage.

The effort made by Australian Richie Porte that day on behalf of Froome was revealed the next day when he could not keep up in the second mountain stage. Chris was forced to defend his lead on his own against the young Colombian climber Naido Quintana, Alberto Contador and the other major contenders.

Quintana was the revelation of the Tour, finishing second overall and gathering the

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white young riders jersey and the polkadot King of the mountains.

In the region I was fortunate to watch the finish of the stage from Aix to Montpellier. The air was incredibly hot in the concrete environs of the road passing the Stade Yves du Manoir.

What it must have been like to race at over 40 kms per hour for 200 plus kms from Aix I do not know! The blistering finish was won by André Greipel. Mark Cavendish who recovered from a crash was a brave third to the German in the sprint. Cav went on to win two stages but the young German Marcel Kittel won four, including the sprint in Paris. Cav now has some serious competition on his hands.

Chris Froome cemented his hold on the yellow jersey with an amazing win at the top of Mont Ventoux. The french media could not cope with this triumph on the lunar Ventoux mountain top. Rather than celebrate, all the talk was of possible doping.Froome diplomatically dealt with the media. He understood the atmosphere of the Lance Armstrong revelations and the sad state of the sport in recent years.

Needless to say, when Christophe Riblon won at the top of Alpe d’Huez, which the riders had to climb a ridiculous two times, to give the French their only stage win, there was not the same media reaction! Chris Froome added a time trial stage to his honours before mounting the podium in Paris. The reaction of the media and some fans with Chris actually being booed on some occasions has left a sour taste in the mouth. Fair enough, the recent revelations have placed big question marks over the sport as a whole. The 100 m athletics scene has also been marred by negative publicity. To his credit Chris Froome has risen above all this with his calm response.

His victory remarks on the podium when he said that his yellow jersey would stand the test of time were incredibly statesmanlike. Of course some previous winners like Armstrong and Contador have had their victories erased from the record books.

We are left with some interesting thoughts to ponder. The professional preparation of the Sky team under the management of Dave Brailsford has astonshed the sport. Utter dedication and focus with a training regime second to none has disturbed the French. Attention to detail, investment of time and money and a ruthless will to win fairly, jar a bit with the French love of panache and an almost amateur approach.

Can the Brits keep it up? Cavendish is now third in all time Tour stage wins! Even more intriguing is the part now to be played by Sir Bradley Wiggins if he can return to form.

Everyone seems to know that he and Chris Froome are not close friends. This is a story that is going to run and run. Can’t wait for the 101st Tour de France which begins in Leeds.

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