The Herault Times Issue 17. November 2013 by Gatsby L'Herault

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAGAZINE FOR THE HERAULT

The Herault Times Issue 17 - November 2013

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ISSN: 2261-561X

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THT November2013

Contents THT

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Editorial Autumn is the second Spring when every leaf is a flower (Albert Camus, 1913-1960)

ot a welcome subject if you happen to be a bit of a bully behind the wheel (you know who you are), but the following French motoring news will nonetheless warm the hearts of many road users who are fed up with drivers who seem to have spatial awareness issues – there must be a 12 step program out there for you – and who can’t distinguish between ‘Hello, do come in’ from ‘Get out of my personal space’ (please see the conversion chart below for distance in metres)[i]. Similar to a system already in use in Switzerland, tailgating cameras which use an algorithm to compare driving speed to the distance from the car in front are being introduced on French auto routes. Maybe these tailgating cameras can be incorporated into the new, all- singing, all-seeing traffic cameras appearing on roads everywhere which already come with built-in coffee dispensers and handy disposable wipes! November… the month that Nobel prize winning author, journalist and philosopher of the ‘absurd’ Albert Camus was born (Sue Hicks takes us through his short but significant life in ‘A History through street names’, pg.19); lest we forget November 11th, Stephen Morris tells Captain Peter Fowler’s story, a cameo of one of the many millions who valiantly lost their lives during World War II. We bring you the art of chocolate and Dominique Aclange picks out the highlights of Monpellier Danse’s new season. Business writer Michael D’Artag casts his inimitable eye at Orange, a company maligned in many Anglophone abodes and asks are they really as bad as we keep saying? Meanwhile, congratulations to the The Women’s International Club Méditerranée who presented a cheque for the proceeds raised at their concert ‘Songs at Sunset’ to ‘La Ligue Contre le Cancer’. Professional Soprano and founder of WICM Heather Curry, along with the local Dutch choir delighted audiences at WICM’s annual concert at Domain du Beaumont, Agde.

For your consideration

06 My Place

08 Old Soldiers

14 Chocolate

20 Vines, Vines

10 Animal IQ

23 Gravure

06 My Place 07 And Another Thing 09 Restaurant Review 10 Wine Times 13 Business / Legal 10 / 11 Garden / Nature 12 GTBY 16 /17 Lifestyle 18 What’s On 19 History 21 E-Male 22 / 23 Art 26 / 27 Recipe Times 28-31 Classifieds 31 Sport

The HT Online

An IFA Writes 3

Text Us

Food & Wine7

Letters 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. EDITORIAL editor@theheraulttimes.com PUBLISHER gatsby@theheraulttimes.com gatsby@lapublishinggroup.com SUBSCRIPTIONS www.theheraulttimes.com/subscribe or contact us on info@theheraulttimes.com ADVERTISING For display advertising, print classifieds please call 0624 80 24 32 or mail advertising@theheraulttimes.com For online advertising please visit http://classifieds.theheraulttimes.com www.theheraulttimes.com PYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER

The Herault Times The Herault Times is owned and published by L’Herault Art L.A. Publishing (51926616300010). The publisher, authors and contributors reserve their rights in regards to copyright of their work. No part of this work covered by the copyright may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means without the written consent of the publisher. No person, organization or party should rely or on any way act upon any part of the contents of this publication whether that information is sourced from the website, magazine or related product without first obtaining the advice of a fully qualified person. This magazine and its related website and products are sold and distributed on the terms and condition that: The publisher, contributors, editors and related parties are not responsible in any way for the actions or results taken by any person, organisation or any party on basis of reading information, stories or contributions in this publication, website or related product. The publisher, contributors and related parties are not engaged in providing legal, financial or professional advice or services. The publisher, contributors, editors and consultants disclaim any and all liability and responsibility to any person or party, be they a purchaser, reader, advertiser or consumer of this publication or not in regards to the consequences and outcomes of anything done or omitted being in reliance whether partly or solely on the contents of this publication and related website and products. The publisher, editors, contributors and related parties shall have no responsibility for any action or omission by any other contributor, consultant, editor or related party. END

Anything else? Sirs, I am rather taken aback. Since finding your magazine you have discussed homosexual weddings, alternative energy, Agde as a ‘swingers’ paradise, alternative energy and anti Islamophobia to name but a few. I applaud you for recognising the intelligence of your readership and wish you continued success. Bravo! Jack Gibson

chocolate lovers. Thank you ever so much for such a great prize!!!! Kind regards, Holly Appeal My former French teacher, John Harris, moved to Clermont l’Herault in the 70s. I believe he died in 2004. Do you have any articles about or written by him? Many thanks AP Anybody with any information please contact us and we’ll forward them.

A Parents response I was unfortunate to miss your issues before No 15 but it seems that there was a homophobic attack in your letters column. As the parent of a gay I would like to say that it was evident from a very early age that he was so, and can only conclude that it is an act of nature and not a matter of choice. In the past many found it politic to suppress their natural feelings in our culture. But why should they now? RN

GTBY I really enjoyed the Good To Be Young interviw with the head of police in Béziers but was it just me or did he sound a little frightening? ‘At 14 I knew I wanted to boss”. I so hope this was lost in translation. Geraldine, Beziers GTBY 2 Does this man really earn €4500 per month and free housing? I thought all the police in Béziers were corrupt. Withheld.

CCIF You gave space to an organisation that is one sided in their arguments. I trust that you intend to allow voice to those of us who have issue with the Islamic takeover of the western world. By text

You see, if you stop selling drugs and join the police you could make a good living Dad.

Hello by text and never answer your phone when called. We will willingly allow intelligent debate on any subject but, and I quote you “the Islamic takeover”? Please tell me you finished basic schooling because if that is all you have feel free to stop reading.

Aussie 1 As an Australian living in the South of France I was disgusted by your picture (issue 16) of Tony Abbott in his ‘budgie smugglers’. This was poor journalism and worse, another example of the complete and utter idiot that we have elected. I guess we only have ourselves to blame. Steve, 34.

We won! Just to let you know that my husband and I (along with our daughter) went to our free brunch at Mademoiselle Chocolat yesterday (Saturday) and had a lovely time. The food was really delicious and very much for

Aussie 2. I was well pleased to read Australians talking about Abbott in your last issue. We have been very lucky during the global recession and although it has changed a little we are still a lot better off than many. I do feel

however that the picture and tag line on Tony Abbott was spot on. And for the Brits amongst you, wait and see, we have expenses scandals as well. Good read, Thanks. H King, ex-Sydney. Aussie 3 I was initially offended by your comments and article on Tony Abbott (last issue) but then I read the intro from Michael D’Artag. This man has no respect for any politicians at all; “Franny Hollande, Hope Obama”. The Level of cynicism is breathtaking. I for one voted for Tony Abbott and am proud to say so. Mike, Montpellier. Wowsers, Aussies on the warpath. I love Australia, some of my relatives may have even been sent there!!! Oh no, not another dig eh? Australia is a stunning country and in economic terms stronger than many but the day an Australian can’t have an opinion is a day I don’t believe I’ll see and I for one am glad. (You’re still not very good at sport at the moment though)! Excellent Hello, I just wanted to drop a line to say thanks for the classifieds. My husband and I have used it regularly for household jobs and for sales. More helpful than you probably realise. Freda Pézenas As a long term anglophile in Pézenas (not English) I am writing to show my despair to a larger audience. When I arrived here some years ago it was as it is now a pretty town with a good selection of boutiques and outlets, some for locals and some for tourists. The summers were always full with throngs of people and I like others to this day complained

Letters about the holidaymakers. And that is all good. But as the season finished as it is now there is a steady increase in shops that close down. For you Brits the British shop has closed down and even though a tenant was available and wanting it the red tape prevented it happening. Rents have increased much more than inflation and even after the wonderful developments there really is not much difference. With the influx of English people it reminds me of when I visited Norfolk and Cambridge in the 90’s and as a town the lack of integration in groups between the French and us ex-pats is saddening to me and violence has increased as we become polarized. I leave soon to go back for family reasons and even with our government in shutdown I feel sad for the Pézenas I knew. Please bring it back. By email The last word on bull...... Thank you, Stephen Morris,

for your excellent article on bullfighting. You omitted to mention, however, that bulls are kept in a dark crate, & without food or water for 48 hours before they enter the ring - so that they are half-crazed & blinded when they do so ! How can the torture of animals ever be considered entertaining ? I was taken to see a bullfight when young ( & left in disgust after the first kill ) & will never forget the horrible sight of the hysterical sadistic spectators - we are no more civilised today than the Romans with their ‘coliseum culture of cruelty’. It’s a sad reflection that this cruel ‘sport’ continues here in France; the local Carcassonne Tourist Office agreed with me that this practice is horrific, but tried to justify it by saying that it brings revenue ! “ The only way for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.” (Edmund Burke ) Please continue your informative articles. L.indsay P **

e are proud to have the talents of Mr Barry Beckett producing the wonderful original covers that you currently see. And online now you can purchase these beautiful images and have a piece of the Languedoc in your own home. Prints and selected Limited Editions available.

dharmacamera@googlemail.com

The ‘Times Covers - Own a piece of the Hérault

The Covers Posters from €30 Limited Edition Fine Art Prints from €675 www.elephant-press.com WRITERS

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

IMPORTANT:

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. 5

The Cover Story

RTS Radio Journalist Martin Jamond Where were you born? I was born in 1988 in Monistrol sur Loire, a little town in Haute Loire, Auvergne. After 5 years of studies I became a journalist in Sète, working for the radio ‘RTS’, which is broadcast all over Languedoc-Roussillon, from Perpignan to Avignon.

Supérieur de Journalisme) in Montpellier at the same time. What aspect of radio journalism interests you the most? Ultimately, it’s not so much the journalism that interests me, it’s the radio. Talking into a microphone, addressing an audience… it’s exciting! Every aspect of the radio is interesting: journalism and the technical side is interesting as well as it’s a challenge just to get everything to work without any hiccups! With regards to journalism, seeing as that’s what I know best, I think that the most interesting part is the presenting. Talking. Delivering the news in a news flash or in a longer report. The stress just before you go on air and the freedom once the microphone is turned on is just fantastic. I love it!

My Place

How would you describe your family? I was born into a typical family: two loving parents and one brother, Tom, who is 19. My mum is an English teacher and my dad a sales representative. I had a fairly strict education, or at least a serious one. At school my parents were demanding; not doing my homework wasn’t an option, something I always had a hard time accepting! My mother also worked closely with me until secondary school: English classes at home, lessons recited from memory, extra dictation practice, etc. All to improve my over all level. It was a pain but it worked. I always had good marks and just after completing my Baccalaureate in 2006 I was awarded a place at ‘Science-Po’ in Strasbourg, a rather prestigious university. Why have you pursued a career in radio journalism? (Private, not public)

It’s been a long process, but a fairly logical one in the end! Ever since I was small I knew that maths and science weren’t my thing…at all! And as I talk all the time and I’m quite open, I always wanted to work in journalism. When I arrived at university a radio association had just been started. I leapt at the occasion to try it out, and I fell in love with it! Every week, I held political debates for 45 minutes in the studios of RBS Strasbourg. I was really taken with it! The radio’s presenter, Stéphane Bossler, saw potential in me and decided to take me under his wing, offering me lots of advice and offering to make me the president of the radio association at Science Po, which I accepted. I later stopped my other studies and came to Sète to work with RTS and study at the ‘ESJ’ (Ecole

As you were growing up, were there any people (real or imaginary) who influenced you? There have always been a lot of people who have influenced me, in a lot of different domains. I am something of a dreamer. I have already seen myself in thousands of different uniforms, in thousands of different places and in thousands of different jobs. And every time there is someone that has made me interested in that particular job. It could be a footballer, an actor or a singer, but also a friend, a relative or a stranger on TV. All of these people have helped me move forward ever since I was a child. I can’t just mention one of them – it wouldn’t be true! But as far as journalism is concerned, there are certain people I consider to be role models. For example, I really like the work of Laurent Delahousse on France 2’s JT. As for the radio, when I was little I used to listen to Europe Sport on Europe 1 with Jean Charles Banoun every evening. And I told myself that one day I would be like him! Then I grew up and realised that in fact, Jean Charles Banoun is extremely talented, perhaps a bit too talented! Today, certain presenters inspire me: Manu Payet for his double career as a presenter on NRJ and also as an actor, Bruno Guillon for his morning radio shows (NRJ, Fun, Virgin), Laurent Ruquier (Europe 1), Nagui (France 2) and Cyril Hanouna (D8). In short, those people who manage to make it look like they’re having fun! That’s the aim, in one area or another – to have fun! Do you have any anecdotes about your work? The world of radio is very fun. We’re always laughing. Of course, there are times when the microphone is left on and we don’t realise: we hear ourselves in the headphones saying things that we didn’t want to go on air! And there was the time when the presenter forgot to come into the studio when it was time for my news flash. I had to do everything all by myself in a panic – the presenting, the news and the technical side! Those were the longest 8 or 9 minutes of my life!

Did you know:

Which of your radio achievements makes you the proudest? It’s something I did for the ESJ in Montpellier rather than for RTS. It was this summer, at the time when the 100th Tour de France was passing through the region. The ESJ had prepared a special intensive session for us based on the Tour. We had to work for France Bleu Hérault all week long, completing more than 30 reports in all sorts of formats and a dozen live interventions at the moment the cyclists arrived. It was a big job and very interesting. One of the missions was to look at the history of the Tour de France in the Hérault. A fairly long format with a 2 minute report. After a few days of research I found a friend of the first man to have won a stage of the race in Montpellier, in 1947. Today, this man is 95. I was able to go and interview him at his house in Béziers for over an hour. A real moment of ‘history’ with plenty of great stories. I was proud of having found this account and of having experienced a moment like that. The only problem was that the recorded sound was poor with lots of echo and so my interview was almost un-broadcastable! But never mind, it was still the best moment of these last few months. What is your goal for this year and the future? This year is full of challenges. Firstly, I will finish my training at the ESJ: I just have to pass the final exam and get my diploma! Next, RTS has changed a lot this summer, with lots of new ideas and so some changes for us journalists as well. After a little more than one year presenting the news in the afternoon, I have been transferred to the morning show. It’s a real upheaval. No more lie-ins, I now get up at 4 o’clock in the morning to be ready for the news at 6. But it’s more exciting because the morning show is the one with the most listeners: more than 20 000 at certain times! Afterwards, I don’t know. I plan to stay in Sète for a while yet, but the call of other countries will no doubt be too strong. At some point it will perhaps be time to leave and discover new horizons, outside of France, and a new way of working…but still radio based!

It was in November in 1789 that a French National Meeting declared all citizens equal under law 6

And another thing.......says Abse Remember, remember the 5th of November

r was it the 4th? Maybe the 6th? I don’t bloody know, I can’t even remember what day it is today. The older you get the more your memory plays tricks on you. It is impossible to remember how long ago things happened: some things feel like they happened only last year whilst other things feel like the dim and distant past, but none of this is reliable. It has become clear that time doesn’t move in a straight line at all and that really we all live our lives like Dr Who whizzing around through time and space - but all with such bad memories no one can tell us “spoilers”. My dad just celebrated his 90th birthday in the same Indian restaurant in South Wales

with the same people (with one or two sad absences) he celebrated his 80th. Many of the people there only see each other rarely, and for me I hadn’t seen a number of them since the party 10 years ago. And yet it felt in some ways that the previous party had only taken place much more recently. In fact I heard a number of people comparing the party to “last year’s” ... The effect was enhanced by noticing the fact that in 10 years the restaurant hadn’t changed a thing - the same wallpaper, the same food, the same waiters, the same beer only the prices, it seemed, had changed. Enhancing the effect further an old friend of

my dad’s reminded me of some funny thing I’d said when I was 5 years old (“it seems like only yesterday”) whilst my sister and I bickered over our own childhood memories, and naturally at a person’s 90th birthday everyone wanted to recount their version of past events. It all got very, very confusing. You have to wonder how Dr Who does it - as he is apparently over 900 years old, and he may have two hearts but he only has one brain. Maybe he backs it all up to a Timelord “cloud”... And then this article was going to go on to something else to do with memory, but I have completely forgotten what that was. Gah! Many years ago (10? 15? 20?) I took a training course called “Improve your memory”, but it didn’t stick - I can’t remember a damn thing I was taught. A number of years before that (8? 12? 15?) I remember sitting in a pub with my friend Mick when the subject of a particular DJ that neither of us liked came up. Despite wracking our brains all evening we couldn’t think of his name. And then at about 3am Mick phoned me to tell me the guy’s name so I could sleep the rest of the night. But can I remember the DJ’s name now? Of course not! If only life were that simple. But rest assured that after finishing writing this piece I will spend several hours trawling Internet lists of annoying British Radio 1 DJs of the 1970s. It’s very important you know. And perhaps there lies the problem- we are all bombarded with too much information all the time including tons and tons of information we neither want nor need: adverts, reality TV, pointless celebrity news stories. ‘Our brains canna take it Captain.’ We need to back up our memories to remote hard drives before they explode! And then when we need to remember something we can just phone the NSA.

Camille Ernst (1900-1983)

uring World War II, Camille Ernst was the administrative secretary-general of Montpellier, which meant that he was the unofficial head of the local gendarmerie. Nevertheless, he helped hundreds of Jews survive the war. In his postwar testimony, Rabbi Henri Schilli noted that Ernst regularly apprised Jews of impending arrests in the vicinity and issued special orders that allowed non-naturalized Jews to remain in his département. These orders undoubtedly helped the Jews survive, for otherwise, they would have been at risk of deportation. Ernst facilitated the release and rescue of hundreds of Jewish children from detention camps in southwestern France, by authorizing their move to Hérault. After they arrived in Hérault, the children were dispersed and accommodated in various institutions sponsored by Jewish rescue organizations with which Ernst was in contact. Ernst’s willingness to help Jews became widely known, and Jews in trouble were referred to him. Malka Shapira, who had despaired after gendarmes arrested her fiancé, was sent directly to Ernst, who arranged the release of her fiancé from his internment camp and thereby saved his life. The Vichy government discovered Ernst’s activities and demanded an explanation. When he failed to account for his inefficiency in arresting Jews, he was handed over to the Germans and sent to Dachau. He survived and returned to France in 1945, his health ruined, feeling like “someone who has returned from Hell.” After he recovered, he was appointed head of the département and later became director of the political department of the French Ministry of the Interior. Camille Ernst was recognised as ‘Righteous among the Nations’ on November 30th, 1971

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By Stephen Morris

n August 1944, the German army, which had spread itself over most of Europe, was finally retreating from the South of France. This followed the Allied landings in Provence. As a part of the campaign to slow down the departing Germans, eight British SOC soldiers, heavily loaded with ammunition landed in Hérault to join forces with the French Underground. The plan was to blow up bridges, block roads and lay ambushes across the area. It had been reported that there were 8,500 German troops in Hérault, along with 80 tanks and over 100 support vehicles which were moving between Castres and Montpellier. One of the eight British soldiers ordered to land in the area was a certain Captain Peter Fowler, whose role was to assist the French Resistance groups, gather information and organise the escape of any Allied personnel who were in hiding. In addition, he was there to assist the Marquis (the guerrilla army of the French Resistance), whose role was to aid the escape of allied airmen who had been shot down and the many Jews and others being hunted by the Vichy Government. The Bir-Hakeim cell, as the Resistance fighters were known, were a group of fighters who had taken their name from an historic battle fought in the Libyan Desert in 1942. The movement operated in Hérault with an aim to cause and create as much disruption as possible for the occupying Germans. Captain Fowler was assigned to this cell in order to support and stimulate their objective. Captain Peter Fowler was born in Godalming, Surrey in 1919. His father was a stockbroker who earned enough money to pay for Peter’s education. He later completed his studies at Trinity College, Cambridge where he read French, German and Law. Little though is on record of Fowler’s early military career except that he was commissioned as an officer into the Royal Fusiliers on March 15th, 1941.

It is quite possible that Captain Fowler was involved with the Special Operations Executive, which throughout the early part of the war had operated behind enemy lines. It is known that he served in Corsica, where he organised escapes for POW’s ; it was therefore highly probable that when he was parachuted into the Midi it was for similar reasons as well as supporting the Resistance fighters. Over the weekend of August 19th and 20th, in addition to other duties, Captain Fowler had been assigned to organise groups connected with the Bir-Hakeim movement for intelligence gathering purposes. Upon receiving information the resistance fighters would then create disruption and organise ambushes with the aim of killing as many Germans as possible. On Monday 21st, August 1944, Captain Fowler left with two French resistance fighters, Francois Pradeilles and Maurice Lebiaron. They were to conduct a recognisance mission along the many minor roads in the region. Their main object was to find out if the retreating German tanks could bypass the Dourbie Bridge and if so how could they be halted. In fact, no Germans had been seen in the area on the morning of the fateful day and the three men set off on a motor bike and sidecar to carry out their mission. There have been many attempts to reconstruct what actually happened on that Monday afternoon in August. It would appear that a group of about twenty young German soldiers had stopped for water in Fontès. They were on bicycles and were heading for Péret. It has been established that most of the group were trainee SS Gestapo troops and were not very experienced with any kind of warfare or conflict. According to the records, on leaving Fontès the group split into two. One half stayed in Fontès and the other headed towards Péret. As the second group approached the junction outside the village, they heard the sound of a motorcycle approaching and naturally took cover. As the motorbike came to where the roads met the young Germans opened fire, mowing down and killing all three men. The memory of their three lives on however. In May 1945, more than 3,000 people formed a procession to the new Monument erected outside Fontès in their honour. And in August 1994, numerous people gathered outside the Marie of Fontès to pay a special tribute marking the fiftieth anniversary of their deaths. These included representatives from resistance organisations, people from the British Consul in Marseille, the Welsh Guards were represented and many floral tributes were laid in honour the victims. Every Remembrance Sunday the ritual continues... the three young victims are remembered, honoured and thanked.

OLD SOLDIERS NEVER DIE

The Dining Review For that special treat

L’ALLIANCE DES PLAISIRS, 8bis Rue du Petit Saint-Jean 34000 Montpellier Tél. 04 34 26 50 94

have been asking to contribute to this page for over a year now. So when I was called and asked for reviews for everyday eating and a special occasion I was, and forgive the pun, ‘salivating with pleasure’. And so to begin. Whether you regularly fine dine or save up for a treat or special occasion there is one advantage of a Michelin or quality restaurant. It will almost undoubtedly be of a certain standard. A fine dining restaurant is recognised and awarded that accolade because the food and service are such, so a critique is either personal, or specific to wine or food accessibility or price. Saying that, there are always favourites by personal taste. And so where to start? Fine dining with a local host! My companion and I visited L’ALLIANCE DES PLAISIRS in Montpellier. The chef is Vincent Valat, young and good looking and originally from Florensac in Hérault. He and his wife Audrey (front of house) run this cosy, intimate restaurant with limited covers available. The menu is limited. We had a choice of two starters and two mains and this is because of the Ménu dégustation, a veritable cornucopia of flavours and textures and very much the preference of the ‘house’ at €48 excluding drinks. If you save up or come here for a special occasion be warned, this is your whole evening. Service is not slow per se but it is, how shall we say, relaxed. But why hurry a good thing? I write this not as a negative but so that you do not get distracted. It is always better to be prepared. (We were here for just under 3 hours). We both picked La Carte as we had previously experienced the magnificent €48 menu and wanted to see if as much care was taken. We both started with the mackerel. Served with a filo pastry it was cooked as you would expect - beautifully. The highlight was a fine pear jelly which I hadn’t expected to enjoy but melted in the mouth and then the sharpness of the vinaigrette left an after taste that lingered on the tongue for moments leaving you craving more. The celery cream that accompanied was light and fresh on the palate, smoothing the way for the next delicious mouthful.

The mains were a while in coming but were worth it. Duck with a balsamic marinade that hinted rather than overpowered, a smoked aubergine caviar and a cassis jus just complimented every mouthful in any order of consummation. Delicious! My companion had the Ballantine of Dorade. (Ballantine is where the fish (or meat) is boned, stuffed and poached and then roasted). This dish can be a little heavy if overcooked but as you would expect when paying top dollar it was perfect. Accompanied by a warmed green vegetable salad, it was mouthwatering and I quote “the emulsion (Tyme and Lemon) is to die for”. Desert was chosen for us, La tarte au citron revisitée and was a tangy finish to a wonderful evening of fine food. In hindsight I would have preferred the L’assiette de gourmandises but the staff are so accommodating they brought me a sample after overhearing my pangs, which only enhanced my frustration! Wines were chosen for us as is so often the best option and would need Rosemary George to explain. Enough to say they complimented the meal beautifully. In all, L’Alliance des Plaisirs lives up to its name. Service may be akin to a gentle ‘adagio’, but this is an experience that deserves your time and attention. Expensive? Yes, but as I said in the beginning, they charge a premium because they are good so it really is just a case of how good and on this visit...exceptional. Next month we offer a hidden gem for all pockets. BBTP

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Wine R Rosemary George

ed wine is where the Languedoc really comes into its own. And there should be no reason why a good village coop cannot produce a cheerful glass of red wine. But that is not always the case. The faults are high yields which dilute the flavours and an ill-considered use of oak. Oak seems to feature for the prestige cuvées, and inevitably makes them more expensive, but that does not necessarily mean better! Another fault is over ripe, sweet and jammy wine. But the best have honest fruit and fruity spicy flavours, with a touch of sunshine. Try Fouberie rouge from the Les Caves de Moliere in Pézenas. Note the association of the name with Molière. A blend of Syrah, Grenache and Cabernet, with a firm nose, and some red fruit and tannin on the palate. It was

Red Wines an honest, straightforward glass of wine for 2.95€ a bottle. More serious is their Marquise du Parc, (after Moliere’s mistress) Pézenas, 2011, a blend of Syrah and Grenache for 6.50€ a bottle. This had some peppery fruit on the nose and spice on the palate, 2010 L’Eglantier rouge from Adissan at 2.70€ a bottle, a blend of Syrah and Grenache is rounded ripe and warm; easy drinking with a touch of spice. Fontès has just won a coup de cœur from Les femmes journalistes, for their 2012 Languedoc, La Fontesole, Les Larmes du Volcan, for 4.70€ It’s ripe with spicy fruit, making for easy

Nature Notes The flora and fauna of the Languedoc

ANIMAL IQ By Colin Trickett

t’s that time again, yes the grape harvest but also the time for ‘bang bang’! Time of course for the intellectually challenged to get out their carbines, buy their cartridges and stride fearlessly off into the undergrowth. Well, in our part of Hérault there has been very little ‘bang bang’. The reason, unbelievable in the eyes of the chasseurs, having shot all the adult partridges and pheasants last year, that there were, shock horror, no babies born this year! This apparent oversight by the hunters fits well with a recently published study on the IQ of both the prey and the hunters by the University of Tousbonne. In brief, the study found that whilst the IQ of the chasseur group was 70-79 ( borderline) prior to taking up the hobby and gaining a licence, after gaining their qualification, it dropped in most cases to 55-69 (mildly retarded) and in some instances to 40-54 (moderately retarded). The parallel study of their prey gave Sanglier and Rabbits a distinct advantage, partridge were on a par and only reared pheasants scored lower. The results have shocked the National

Confederation to its very core and as a result they have promised severe action!: - Licences will not be granted in future unless applicants can be seen to be able to hit a barn door at 5 metres - The shooting of fellow chasseurs, ramblers or passing motorists will be frowned upon - In a move towards good citizenship they must all vow to obey a minimum of 10% of the regulations. Harsh, what! All is not however lost, mes brave chasseurs, I have a solution! - Change the season to July and August - Change the prey from those ferocious furry and feathered beasts to something much more harmful and much more of a nuisance CAMPER VANS AND CARAVANS!! Bon chasse

Wine

from the Coops drinking. Cabrières 11.5˚ vrac is mainly Carignan with a little reached and Cinsaut and is fresh and peppery, with a peppery rustic note on the palate. A bargain at 1.20€ a litre; and the 2011 L’Estabel at 2.90€ a bottle makes a brilliant barbecue wine, served slightly chilled. It has fresh rustic fruit, and a medium weight palate. At Neffiès you can get a Coteaux du Languedoc 5 litre BIB a blend of Syrah and Grenache for 11.00€ the colour is deep and young, and the nose ripe and spicy. The palate has a touch of tannin, with some ripe spicy fruit, hints of liquorice and the garrigues, and a confit note on the finish. 2011 Prince de l’Isle at 3.90€ is a blend of Syrah , Grenache and Carignan. It is easy drinking, with fresh fruit and some tannin, quite rustic and uncomplicated.

St. Saturnin comes into its own with its red wines. Vin d’une nuit, Vin de table 12˚ is 1.30€ a litre, a blend of Cinsaut, Grenache and Carignan, given a short maceration of just one night. So it is light red in colour ,with nice fruit and a fresh tannic streak. And if you buy the 2010 Vin d’une Nuit in bottle for 3.20€ you get even more fruit and flavour, with some peppery notes and fresh tannin and a nice balance. Rosemary George M.W.

In The Garden

www.tastelanguedoc.blogspot.com

flowering perennials such as Gaillardias, Ajania pacifica and sages will give colour until the frosts, as will shrubs such as cassias and Solanum rantonettii. But, autumn interest in the garden comes too from shrubs which have attractive berries such as the Szechuan peppercorn bush (Zanthoxylum simulans) and myrtle (Myrtus communis) and we shouldn’t forget plants which give good autumn foliage colour before leaf fall such as the very attractive native small tree Montpellier maple (Acer monspessulanum) To celebrate this planting season and because it would be much better for young plants to spend the winter in the ground in your gardens rather than in small pots outside at the nursery - we will be offering a number of plants at sale prices at the end of November. This will start on Saturday 16th November with an autumn event at the nursery. There will be a guided tour of the garden at 11am looking at what is of interest during autumn and winter and talking about preparing for the winter and La Table d’Emilie (who provide such wonderful food at our June open weekend) will be offering refreshments and lunch. You will also be able to buy Christmas cakes & puddings and other seasonal specialities.

with Gill Pound

ctober generally brings rain but the ground is still warm so November is the perfect time to plant most trees, shrubs and perennials. Your French neighbours will tell you that, “A la Sainte Catherine (25th November) tout bois prend racine.” Note that slightly tender plants such as bougainvillea or plumbago are best planted in the spring so that they can develop a strong root system before the winter. When planting remember to dig a square hole about twice the depth and twice the width of the pot the plant came in (or root ball if you are planting a bare root plant), mix the excavated soil with some organic material (such as compost or terreau de plantation) and some sand or gravel to improve the soil and use this mix to backfill the planting hole. First, unless the weather has been wet, fill the planting hole with water and let it drain away; meanwhile standing the plant in a bucket of water so that the root ball is moist. Then half fill the planting hole with your soil/ terreau/sand mix and place the plant, fill around the sides with the soil/ terreau mix and firm into place. Keep an eye on the water requirements of your newly planted items. For taller shrubs and trees you may well want to stake the plant so that it isn’t rocked by the Languedoc winds. This is a good month to prune many trees and shrubs, it is best to consult a gardening encyclopedia for the correct pruning regime for any particular plant. Time too to divide or move hardy perennials and herbaceous plants; and remember to label herbaceous plants (i.e. those which disappear completely in winter) so that you know where they are in the spring. There will be plenty of dead leaves around this month – if you have a compost heap the dead leaves can usefully be added to it, or you can use shredded dead leaves as a mulch. As the weather gets colder think about protecting against frost the base of tender plants and/ or plants in containers. Don’t use plastic which traps humidity around the plant but winter fleece or voile d’hivernage, readily available in garden centres. As to what is of interest in the garden during November – late

For further information contact Gill Pound at La Petite Pépinière de Caunes (shrubs and perennials, ornamental grasses, unusual plants and plants for dry climates, garden advice and consultation) 21, Avenue de la Montagne Noire, 11160, Caunes-Minervois. Tel: 04 68 78 43 81, email Gill@lapetitepepiniere.com Website: www.lapetitepepiniere.com

Clockwise from Top *Myrtus communis *Zanthoxylumsimulans *Cassiafl *Solanumrantonettii

G T B Y

Good To Be Young

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

Written by Under 20’s for the Under 20’s. EMILIE WOOD Born: Montpellier 1980 Diplomas: Bacc ES; Communication Studies in USA

Up to 18 “A lot of things interested me but I had no idea what I wanted to do. It’s so hard to know! I was tempted by a thousand different jobs, it was awful. To keep things general I took a Bacc ES. Then we moved to America, following my father who was in the military.” Study: 18 – 25 “In the States I became bilingual. I went to an American college and did a Communication Course – still basically undecided. Then my life changed dramatically, unexpectedly: I was about 21 and I enrolled in a photography class. That was it. Un déclic. I just adored

it. I spent my days taking pictures and my nights printing them in the darkroom. At the beginning I was afraid this passion would pass, like so many others before, but it didn’t. It took me a couple of years to develop my technique, then I took a photography course in England. I continued taking amateur pictures and earning my living at something else until I considered myself good enough to turn professional. Becoming a photographer is a long, ongoing learning process. You can’t simply learn it all in one go at school.” The job “My first big job wasn’t perhaps glamorous

Name: Emilie Wood Occupation: Photo-Journalist Income: Just enough Hours per week: As many as I can. Holidays: Depends on my work

but it was really useful – for two years I was in a team of photographers on a cruise ship taking pictures of the passengers, the places we stopped, but learning the whole time. I came back to Paris, working for agencies covering events and taking portraits. Feeling I still didn’t know enough, I took a 12-month course in photo-journalism at the Ecole des Metiers de l’Information (EMI-CFD). “Being freelance can be frustrating – you come up with a great project, you work hard on it, it’s good, but then you try to sell it – and too often it’s turned down. Or else you have a good idea but no one has the money to back you. To pay the bills most freelancers

hugely satisfying seeing the published result – when it’s well presented. “The very best? I’d spent a couple of years following a Football 5-a-side team for the visually impaired and they put on an exhibition of my pictures. The Federation Française Handisport saw it and gave me the most amazing job – covering the Paralympics in London last year. What an experience!!! Such incredible athletes!!! What other job would let me be that close to these extraordinary people? And it’s opened more opportunities in other parasports.”

need a part-time job. I’m lucky – I manage to live from photography without doing a side job: a good network is essential – and that’s not as easy as it sounds. It takes time and energy. “What kind of person? You need to be curious, creative, have new, original ideas. Having good contact with people helps, being able to communicate. Not easily discouraged. It’s also better to specialize in one area of photography.”

What pisses me off “Not being able to publish my work so others can share it. Building a project, then getting a refusal and it just sits in a drawer. It’s frustrating, but it’s also a waste.”

Rewards “My favourite moment is taking the picture, when you know it’s a good subject. It’s also 12

The future “I’m going to work for a farming newspaper in the Lozère. I just want to keep doing the work I love, coming up with ideas and creating something. There’s an exciting new project to make a documentary about wheelchair rugby. That’s what’s great about the job, always discovering new, unexpected stories and incredible people.”

Business / Money / News / Spectrum Do-it-yourself Garage

he result of dwindling house hold purchasing power has left many of us with less and less disposable income to fork out for essential car repairs. Launched in 2011, the Do-it-Yourself Garage is the brain child of Franck Bruyère and offers clients the opportunity to repair or service their own car or motorbike with or without the help of a mechanic to lighten their bills. After 23 years of experience in the industry, retired car dealer Franck set up “Garage Libre” in Pézenas, followed by a second premises in Saint-Jean-de-Vedas. The principle is simple: from draining to changing brake discs and tires, you can do all of the repairs and servicing yourself. There are car and motorbike ramps available, a comprehensive range of necessary tools, as well as the option to purchase equipment or parts required. For the less experienced there is always a technician available to give support or, if the procedure becomes too complicated, he can take over. Even if you do have to admit defeat, the price of labour is still less costly than average garage charges. Getting one’s hands dirty can save between 30% to 70% off your bill. The idea is taking off. Franck plans to open a third Garage Libre in Montpellier at the end of this year

with long term plans of setting up a franchise. “People,” says Franck, “have less and less spare cash to spend on maintaining their cars and they increasingly buy parts via the internet. Thanks to this concept, rather than doing the necessary repairs on the pavement and emptying their oil in the gutter, they benefit from a secure, well-equipped environment and the expertise of someone for a greatly reduced cost. For me, the initial investment was

high, but in the long terms I believe this approach has really unbeatable advantages.” Garage Libre: 13 rue Edouard Branly-Z.A., Pézenas 34120 Allees de Cyprès, Saint-Jean-de-Vedas 34430 Tel : 06 49 23 82 10 www.garagelibre.fr (website: French/ English/German/Italian)

Checks and Balances The Project de Loi de Finances 2014 was published on 25th September 2013. Compared to previous budgets, this one is not too bad and certainly less austere. People with wealth do not appear to have been targeted. Noticeably, there are no proposals to change the current wealth tax regime (Impôt de Solidarite sur la Fortune). There are proposals to:  increase the income tax bands, which have been frozen for the last two years (this is good news and should benefit anyone that pays French income tax);  reform the capital gains tax regime for gains arising from certain financial assets and also from property and land sales; and  reform the PEA (Plan d’Epargne en Actions). The bill will now be debated by the National Assembly and the Senate, during the weeks ahead and so it cannot be ruled out that some changes may take place before the final text of the draft law is agreed. The final bill will then be referred to the Constitutional Council for review before entering into law. Even at that stage, the bill can still be amended if it is found that a proposed change to the law is not in conformance with the French Constitution. More detailed information on the proposals can be found at the Business Pages section of The Herault Times website. If you would like to have a confidential discussion about how the proposed French tax changes may affect you or on any other aspect of financial planning, please contact me, 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 www.spectrum-ifa.com/IndependentFinancialAdviceinEuropeCharter.html.

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

Monday to Friday. There have been rumours that the line was in jeapordy due to cost cutting but a spokesperson told us that, “Orange, with this special process, consolidates its wish to be the operator which provides a taylor service to its domestic or business clients.”

Problem Solved

Orange (Internet, Television, Mobiles and Fixed Lines)

n recognition of the growing Anglophone community in France, Orange (formerly France Telecom) initiated an English Speaking helpline. This service has been available for a number of years now and is continuing to improve and grow. A spokesperson when asked how many calls were handled replied, “The number of handled calls in a month approaches several thousands and is increasing.” Situated in Paris, there are 19 dedicated bi-lingual operators who can assist in English on new business, account enquiries, basic fault issues and complaints. The technical department now also has English speaking operators. The unique number for this service is 0969 363 900 and operators are available from 0900hrs to 1700hrs (cont)

RENOVATIONS HANDYMAN SERVICES SAT T.V – TNT GARDEN DESIGN 0609540662 – 0499416180 handyman34450@hotmail.co.uk 13

Chocolate One piece of evidence for intelligent design Eaten and written by Hugh MacCamley

For those who do not yet know, chocolate came to us through South America after 1492. The rest, as we say, is history. Also, it may not be known that chocolate grows on trees but not ready packaged. That comes at the end of a fairly complex process from the harvesting of the cocoa bean. The crucial information about chocolate is that it is good for you. There has been too much adverse publicity about it over the years. In fact, when it first arrived in Europe long after the Aztecs,Olmec and Mayans had benefitted from it, there were instructions for the medicinal use of cocoa. For example, The Badianus Codex (1552) prescribed using cacao ďŹ&#x201A;owers to treat fatigue, while the Florentine Codex (1590) offered a prescription of cocoa beans, maize and the herb Calliandraanomala to lighten fever and shortness of breath and

Chocolate his is the time of year when an air of eager anticipation graces

the autumn atmosphere. However, this has nothing at all to do with the weather. Rather, we live in a household that is once more looking forward to the annual Salon du Chocolat in Paris. In fact, on 30 October, Pavilion 5, Viparis, Porte de Versailles, opens its doors right next to the Metro station of the same name. For true lovers of such an exceptional gift of nature, there will be more taking part and occupying even greater surface area than in previous years. The event continues for five sublime days and to make life easier it is possible to buy entry tickets online. 14

to remedy the faint of heart. Manuscripts produced in Europe and New Spain from the 16th to the 20th centuries show it has been used to treat emaciated patients; stimulate the nervous systems of apathetic, exhausted or feeble patients and to improve digestion, anaemia, poor appetite, mental fatigue, poor breast milk production, consumption/tuberculosis, fever, gout, kidney stones, reduced longevity and low virility. The litany goes on. In The Natural History of Chocolate (1719), by D. De Que´lus, the author considered that chocolate was a pleasant food, nourishing, easy to digest and essential to good health. Who could disagree with that? Unfortunately, once chocolate bars were created after 1870 by a new process combined with a variety of ingredients including sugar, milk and even synthetic flavourings health factors have been called into question. Purists have been known to call this contaminated. Nonetheless, research in recent years suggests skin quality can improve as chocolate has UV filters. Chocolate flavenoids have been used in cancer treatments and improve blood flow to the brain, enhancing its performance. Of course, chocolate bingers and chocoholics will have problems but that’s another story altogether. The best programme to follow is the “Ten Step Rule’ – never be more than ten steps away from your source of chocolate. Looking briefly at the different types of chocolate is useful as it points towards quality. This can also

have implications for health matters. White chocolate and milk chocolate are low in cocoa solids and contain emulsifiers, milk, milk solids, sugar and flavourings. It is dark chocolate which has a higher concentration of cocoa and cocoa butter. This can be sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet and unsweetened, rising commensurately in cocoa solids the less sugar it contains. Unsweetened chocolate is for baking purposes being 100% cocoa solids with half of that being cocoa butter. Therefore, it is for culinary not eating use. The real gourmet type is bittersweet from 60 to 85% cocoa solids giving it a dark, intense and to some a sensual flavour. For me personally, a proper balanced diet is a 100gm bar of Lindt “Excellence” in both hands.

In fact, the French really know how to promote this marvellous product. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs promoted the first Salon du Chocolat in 1994. Since then, it has travelled the world and latterly it has been staged in Shanghai and Beijing. Now from East to West; from North to South, chocolate has become a global treat. The Salon transcends brands and individuals although these have their role to play. There will be over 400 participants this year all catching the eye of attendees with various creative, productive and marketing techniques at their disposal. Without a doubt, fashion devotees are already awaiting impatiently to see the latest creations in chocolate. Ah! But yes! For those who have never seen the latest fashion items with frills in this textile there is definitely a massive surprise in store. The mannequin prepares with dresses imaginatively designed as the very latest bespoke and ready-to-wear for those with the professional confidence. However, it is probably wiser just to look and enthuse. Climatic conditions will not permit durable chocolate clothing in any other than the coolest places on the planet. If you go to the Salon, expect to be agreeably astonished. There will be 180 chocolate makers from in and out of Europe. In addition, the cultural Cocoa Show will take place and there will be an unprecedented opportunity for children and adults to try out their skills at a pastry workshop. Prior to the consumer show there is a Trade Show or Salon du Chocolat Professionnel from the 28-30 October. This is at the same place but in Pavilion 4. Chocolate traders, manufacturers and chocolatiers meet to talk about the substance of their livelihoods. There will be several features including the finals of the World Chocolate Masters, the leading international competition for chocolatiers and pastry chefs. They will stop at little to impress. Naturally, some people find chocolate intimidating. Weight-watchers 15

have been known to abandon all efforts at its merest mention. It does represent the zenith of Epicurean gourmet experience. For those struggling with diets though a useful tip is to eat a chocolate bar before each meal as it takes the edge off your appetite and you’ll eat less. Also, a box of chocolates can provide you with a square meal. If that is not enough to coax you into yielding then the hollow chocolate that French people eat in enormous quantities at Easter, has few calories in it. One of the most personally memorable things anyone ever said about chocolate came from the Pullitzer Prize-winning writer David McAlister Barry or Dave Barry as those closer knew him. He remarked that since the beginning, both the hand and the mouth were agreed that where chocolate was concerned, there was no need to involve your brain.

Just enjoy it.

French Designers You Need to Know

rom the little black dress to Schiaparelli’s ‘lobster’ dress, without a doubt France and Paris have been at the vanguard of the global fashion scene since Madeleine Vionnet introduced the bias cut in the 1920s. While the Houses of Chanel, Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Louis Vuitton, Hermès and Balmain spring to mind when you think of French

fashion, today new, accomplished designers are changing the face of French style. From less known brands and household names, to former protégés of Nicolas Ghesquière and the creator of the wedged sneaker craze, the following French fashion designers are the ones to keep an eye on…

Isabel Marant:

Isabel Marant is considered the personification of Parisian nonchalance. Known in America for her acclaimed wedged sneakers, which are practically seen everywhere today, Marant is a designer who blends eclectic bohemia and tomboy chic —a far cry from traditional French fashion. Originally founded in 1994, her label has enjoyed an explosion in popularity in the last few years, especially with the opening of a U.S. flagship boutique in New York’s SoHo neighborhood.

Ophélie Klère & François Alary of Dévastée:

The emerging French label Dévastée is proof that black and white can be vibrant, especially in their Fall/Winter 2013 collection that debuted last week. The duo behind the brand, Ophélie Klère and François Alary (who are business partners and a couple in real life; she cuts and he sketches), add an energetic dimension to their black and white wares with clashing prints and fun motifs, such as cartoon-like characters and crossword designs. Their quirky creations are tipped to win international recognition

Bouchra Jarrar:

Born in Cannes to Moroccan parents, Bouchra Jarrar has made a name for herself with her chic, sleek, and mature ready-to-wear. After assisting Nicolas Ghesquière and Christian Lacroix, she set out to create practical, elegant garments for day and evening. She is among a growing contingent of female designers who consider a modern woman’s comfort despite hectic schedules. Vogue’s Sarah Mower deemed her the French version of Stella McCartney. With assiduous attention to cutting and tailoring, combined with a minimalist palette of colors her success has been growing since presenting her first collection in 2010.

Vanessa Bruno:

Vanessa Bruno’s fashion house founded in 1996 has proved that tousled French chic can be exported to the entire world. From chunky shoes and boots to boyfriend blazers and slouchy trousers she creates casual, yet sophisticated designs. Already with a brace of celebrity fans including Julie Delpy, Vanessa Paradis and Kirsten Dunst, Bruno markets her seasons by collaborating with filmmaker Stephanie di Gusto to produce short films. With a boutique in West Hollywood she is on the way to becoming the next big name for lovers of minimalist French style.

Alice Lemoine of Le Moine Tricote:

From top: Maxine Simoen Dévastée Vanessa Bruno Bag Bouchra Jarrar IsabelMarant Le Moine Tricote

At just 28 Alice Lemoine is quickly making a name for herself in the French fashion world. Her eponymous knitwear brand, Le Moine Tricote, has been praised for its highly coveted hand-made pieces that blend elegance and wearability. After studying fashion design at ESMOD (École Supérieure des Arts et techniques de la Mode), Lemoine developed her work under Rick Owens before launching her own line. 16

Life coach Maggie Minter on the lifestyle pages

One day of teachings with

What are you telling yourself?

Sogyal Rinpoche

he subconscious mind is very astute and remembers everything we do and say. You probably can’t remember your fifth birthday party, but if you were to interrogate your subconscious mind, it would come back with every detail. However, this isn’t information that you need to keep in your awareness, so it’s filed away in the depths of your memories, unless you require to recapture it for any reason. When you first learned to drive, you had to think about every manoeuvre step by step. However, it probably wasn’t long before you were driving huge distances without even thinking about it. Our subconscious mind takes over those repetitious tasks which we do habitually like breathing, eating or crossing the road. We just do it ‘with our eyes shut.’ However, I wonder what else you are telling your subconscious mind to do ‘with your eyes shut.’ Do you ever tell it that you are ugly, useless, stupid, not good enough? You lack confidence, you can’t cook, socialise, communicate. Your subconscious mind is like a computer, it takes in data you give it and submits a result. It goes into your memory bank to look for any evidence to support your statement and usually finds plenty if you’ve been telling yourself the same thing for a long time.Then it all becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy - the more evidence you find, the more you tell yourself it must be true and

A well-known Buddhist teacher and author of the famous ‘Tibetan Book of Living and Dying’

Saturday 23 November 2013 at Lerab Ling (20 min from Lodève) Language: English/French

Fee: €45 More information and online booking: www.lerabling.org | 04 67 88 46 09 the more you manifest the same limiting beliefs.So how would it be if you were able to change the data? Begin to tell yourself that you can, instead of you can’t. Believe that you are beautiful, fit and healthy, confident, clever, good enough? What if then you came up with evidence to support this new argument? Would this have you believe in yourself more? The secret to making the change is consistency. The more you do it, the more habitual it becomes. You’re doing it anyway – so choose what you tell yourself! If you wish to contact her personally, email: Maggie at maggie@maggieminter.co.uk

Yoga Posture of the month Garurasana – The Eagle Pose www.yogabikrammontpellier.fr

onsidered a warm up pose, the benefits of this posture are

excellent for helping open and stretch back muscles as well as opening all the joints in the body. TIP: Constantly pull the elbows toward the floor, working the tips of the fingers below the nose. Eagle is the only posture that opens up the 14 largest joints in the skeletal system.

LEGGETT

Beyond improving flexibilities in the hips, knees, ankles and the rest, Eagle Pose also supplies fresh blood to the reproductive system and sex organs, plus the kidneys, which increases sexual vitality and helps clear up reproductive problems. The higher you can bring one leg up and over the thigh of the other leg, the tighter you will be able to cross and squeeze the legs.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN TRUST

Are you looking to buy or wanting to sell ?

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TIP: When you first bend both knees to crouch into the posture, try to keep the hips at their lowest point, without standing up when you initially lift your leg.

35765RK34 €189,000 Near St Chinian - Hamlet house with great views, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, pool and 12 hectares. 17

35864RK34 €318,000 Saint Chinian - 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom village house with original features, garage and courtyard.

Are you ambitious, driven and love property? We are looking to expand our sales team in Herault. For details contact sarah@leggett.fr Tel: 0800 900 324

The Calendar in Association with: The Calendar Daily Calendar (in English) on www.theheraulttimes.com

Montpellier Danse Season 2013-2014

rom dance festivals to action packed seasons, Montpellier Danse places the art of choreography at the heart of the cultural landscape. From October 2013 to April 2014, the biggest

Montpellier Danse: Season 13/14

Friday 8th & Saturday 9th November Forum: Le Corps, Quel Engin! Friday 8th November David Wampach: Tour Mathilde Ronnier & La Ribot ‘Gustavia’ Monday 18th November & Thurs 21 Nov ]Domaines[ Alain Buffard, ‘Histoires Parallèles: Pays Melés’ Wednesday 27th November 19h Hooman Sharifi : Open Studio performance, Friday 22nd November ‘L’Agora des Auteurs’, Chantal Aubry 19h Tuesday 26th November Alain Buffard, ‘Mauvais Genre’ 20h www.montpellierdanse.fr * Sunday 27th October & Monday 28th Oct St Pons de Thomières Fete de la Chataigne Sunday 3rd & Monday 4th November Olargues Fete du Marron Sunday 25th, 26th, 27th November Lodève Salon des Artisans: 52 stands L’espace Luteva, 10h-19h www.horizons-interieurs.com * Saturday 30th November Traditional Faire of Gignac More than 200 stands offering a huge variety of quality wares, from textiles, decoration,

names in dance and avant-garde artists, based in the region and from abroad, will perform in the international city of dance and surrounding areas. The coming dance year features three major events: A forum on the body, Le corps quel engine!:sexe, science, art et politique (The body what a machine!: sex, science, art and politcs) on the 8 & 9 November at the Corum (free and open to everyone). Areas such as the recomposed body, DNA the sequenced body, and the representation of the body in society will be discussed over the two days. There will also be performances by internationally known dancers such as David Wampach, Mathilde Monnier & La Ribot, Alain Buffard and Corrine Rondeau, to name a few. La Tragédie (Tragedy) by Olivier Dubois, who shows the human body in motion, reduced to the mechanics of movement, naked and stripped of identity. Other dance companies presenting their latest works include SADEH21 from Batseva Dance Company, Azimut from Aurélien Bory, Tangier acrobatic Group, Rayahzone by the Thabet brothers and Hamlet Sonata by Mitia Fedotenko. And finally, to close the season in March, coming

for the first time to Montpellier is future director of the Paris Opera Ballet, Benjamin Millepied and his company ‘The L.A Project’. Less spectacular but an essential part of the programme, the season offers conferences, projections and meetings with artists in residence.

So, enter the dance! For reservations and further information: www.montpellierdanse.com Or telephone 0 800 600 740 Montpellier Danse-Agora, cité internationale de la dan 18 rue Sainte Ursule CS 39520 34961 Montpellier Cedex 2

toys, tools and art. There will be carousels in the Esplanade over the weekend and lots to amuse children and young people. Téléphone : 33(0)4 67 57 01 70 Site : http://ville-gignac.com

Wednesday 20th-Saturday 23rd November Les Nuits du Chat Montpellier, Opéra Comédie International Magic Festival. www.34agendaculturel.fr

Festivals November

Saturday 30th Nov - Sunday 01 Dec Cassan Cracker Fair - Roujan 10h Entry €2 Children Free Chateau Cassan, Roujan

Wed 30th October to Sat 2nd November Festival Mandolines de Lunel: Supported by Led Zepplin member Paul Jones - Lunel www.lunel.com Friday 1st – Saturday 2nd November Festival Somping Saint-Jean-de –Vedas For the 3rd consecutive year the festival STOMPING is at the Secret Place in honour of psychobilly music. Two days dedicated to vibrating to the crazy rhythm of the double bass. International and local artists. For two unforgettable evenings. ”Fly top” and ‘Black leather” essential. Location, The Secret Place. www.toutafond.com Thurs 7th Nov to Mon 11th November Festival George Brassens St Gely du Fesc A show not to be missed, starring Tonton George Trio - Free www.saintgelychantebrassens.fr

WIN TICKETS - See Page 3!! Theatre sortieOuest Concerts Thursday 14th November

Mehliana Featuring pianist Brad Mehldau and drummer Mark Guilana 21h. Two of the worlds most refreshing instrumentalists. Freeform inc Drum and bass * Friday 22nd November Eglise Saint Felix, sortieOuest Piano recital : Marie-Josèphe Jude 21h *

What’s in a name....

the war in Algeria brought much Sue Hicks continues her look into history through Street names him criticism. Several plays and philosophical works appeared before the publication and huge success in 1947 of The Plague lbert Camus: Journalist, novelist, playwright, essayist, theatre making Camus an director, the “James Dean of philosophy”. international celebrity; and Albert Camus was born in Algeria on 7 November 1913, the second he began to dress with style son of a French father who died at the Battle of Marne in 1914 in the and was seen escorting early months of the First World War and a Spanish mother who was deaf, glamorous women. He barely spoke, and illiterate. On the death of his father, his mother took moved between Paris, the boys to live with her deeply religious mother who had “enormous Lourmarin and Algeria and clear cold eyes and a regal posture” and her brother who could only travelled widely. Some saw speak with difficulty. This was an impoverished childhood in the racially him as essentially a solitary mixed area of Belcourt where Camus developed a cosmopolitan outlook private man behind the mask as well as a deep hatred of intolerance. of celebrity and he became in some ways isolated by his own success At school, Camus was a model student and one teacher in and “crippled by charms of women he could not resist”. He became particular, Louis Germain, recognised his talent and helped Camus to increasingly estranged from the French intellectual glitterati. win a scholarship to the lycée. Camus later wrote to Germain, “Without In the post war period, Socialist and Communists who had worked you, without the affectionate hand you extended to the small poor child together during the war found they were divided on many issues such that I was, without your teaching and example, none of this (success) as imperialism, the prospect of nuclear war and, to use a shorthand for would have happened.” Camus also loved football and often played in intense debates, “whether the end justified the means” particularly in goal. At lycée, his communist countries. The two leading intellectuals of the philosophy teacher generation, Sartre and Camus from radically different social Jean Grenier backgrounds, “competed for the same audience, chose different opened Camus to paths and became ever more suspicious of each other’s ambition” the world of ideas had a massive and irrevocable falling out in 1952 following the and he went on to publication and reviews of Camus’ The Rebel (1951). Simone de study at the Beauvoir wrote, “If this friendship exploded so violently, it was University of because for a long time not much of it had remained.” Algiers in 1933, Camus was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1957 for “his although important literary production which with clear-sighted earnestness debilitated by illuminates the problems of the human conscience”. When Camus tuberculosis from died in a car accident on 4 January, 1960 at the age of 46 there was the age of 17. an unused train ticket in his coat pocket – he had accepted the lift Despite opposiat the last moment. A dramatic and sudden end for the man who tion from family and friends, Camus married Simone, a morphine addict explored deeply the question of how humans make sense of a world in but the marriage quickly failed with infidelities on both sides. which the only certainty is that they will die. As a journalist in Algeria, Camus wrote about the oppressed and Sartre paid tribute, “Camus could never cease to be one of the principal impoverished conditions of local Arabs and was also involved in forces in our cultural domain, nor to represent, in his own way the community theatre and football coaching. When war broke out in 1939, history of France and of this century.” Throughout France, Albert Camus he was unfit for military service and he moved to Paris the following is commemorated on street names, lycées and university faculties. year where he became depressed and isolated but completed The Outsider (L’Etranger) a novel in which the hero Mersault “refuses to justify himself following an act without purpose which mirrors a world without meaning”. Camus returned to Algeria within a few months and lived with his second wife Francine (with whom he later had twin children) in Oran. The following year, he went for treatment at a sanatorium near Lyon where he began work on The Plague (La Peste), an allegorical depiction of life under oppression. When Camus moved to Paris and joined the resistance, he met and forged intense relationships with many of the leading intellectuals of the day including Sartre, de Beauvoir, Koestler, and the actress Maria Casares with whom he had a stormy affair and friendship over many years. Camus became editor of the resistance paper Combat and by the end of the war he was a major figure in French intellectual circles, informing public opinion of the crucial issues of the day. The politically active anti-fascist Camus of the 1930’s was caught up in the swirl and contradictions of events in France following the end of the war. A pacifist, he had eventually supported the war against Hitler. A fierce opponent of capital punishment, he changed his opinion over Nazi collaborators. “Despite his life-long support of native Algerians, his identification with poor forgotten whites and castigation of the injustice inherent in Algeria’s political system he seemed unable to contemplate the transformation of his homeland into a country which was not French” and he refrained from comment when war broke out in 1954, possibly for fear of inflaming partisan passions. His self- imposed silence over

Albert Camus

Land use in the Hérault.... Vines, vines everywhere!

Richard Fowler talks to Charly Fabre, Chef du service productions végétales at the Chamber of Agriculture.

ooking over the hedge is a habit that never dies. In the Languedoc the view is undisturbed by such formalities! On our arrival eight years ago the sight of unrelenting ‘patches’ of a single crop spelled only one thing: overproduction, terse competition, the tyranny of paring down production costs , the absence of any alternative crop, the whole scenario was an unremitting nightmare . Poignant to me alone, perhaps, since I drove myself into the ground trying to survive the English hop growing industry‘s own decline

There are some massive canals for bringing water from the Rhone and from the Pyrenees watershed, so where’s the problem? Almeria does it, so why not here? What are the Chamber of Agriculture’s future plans? In the Languedoc cereals and melons are the only significant other crops. Charly also mentioned apples near Lattes grown with Pink Lady as star variety. Division of land use is a staggering 84,540 hectares of vines against 37,417 of other crops, including grazing land. Phenomenal! One crop alone is like a shop selling one item. So, I asked why land isn’t put to other uses?

Charly Fabre

and forced entry into a world market. With time one realises that there are amazing people who find ways to survive. Traditionally in this area the wine quality was poor and quantity production streamed through state aided cooperatives was a formula which obviously has now come to an end. By ‘obvious’ I mean the derelict, deteriorating, bankrupt-looking edifices that often turn into heaps of ground up gravel. The survivors in the wine industry are naturally those who produce good quality and, just as important, they know how and where to sell it. Reliance on state aid is only a small cushion against the reality of the market. So, to find out whether there are any alternatives to the wondrous plant that is the vine, I scoured the internet for agricultural statistics for the region and met up with Charly Fabre, Chef du Service Productions Végétales for the Hérault Chamber of Agriculture – concerned with everything but vines! I had a few questions such as: Why don’t local producers do anything other than grow grapes? What are the gross margins for all the different crops that could be grown? What crops and diversification are possible? What are the limiting factors?

Charly put forward three clear lines of response. 1. The paysans have vine growing in their genes 2. It’s a question of real estate. 3. It’s the climate. In France industrialisation came a lot later than other European countries such as the UK and life spent on the land was not very long ago. The political will to go on pouring tax money into agricultural support has no relevance whatsoever to a Mahgrebin in an HLM towering over a French city. This nostalgia leads to land being held on to, even when there is no obvious benefit to the owner. Napoleonic laws of inheritance are not the cause of ever decreasing sized parcels. Nostalgia can also inhibit the potential for mechanisation and a rational means of developing an infrastructure – such as irrigated water. Charly’s says it’s the effect of tourism on land values that is the crucial factor in the hinterland’s development. Farmland at €10 /m² can become €80/m². Growing vines or just doing nothing passes the time until that happens! A clear enough explanation. Mountain lands present unique problems for mechanisation, but do at least enjoy good rainfall! However, the present property recession could cause landowners to look at 20

alternatives as tourism is discovering new climes in the world. According to Charly there are entrepreneurial farmers who rent land and develop interesting companies - melon growing being a real example. There is also multiplication and development of new varieties of wheat seed. Near Lattes there are progressive forms of arboriculture. Frostfree conditions encourage growers of apples, prunes, apricots and peaches. The third factor is the weather. There can be long periods with no rain here, but then suddenly too much. Or too much sun! Sorghum crops need less water and Soya beans will grow, but there are just not large enough areas available. Yields are low. On the contrary, chick peas and Lucerne for hay do well. Olive oil production hit a problem in 1945 with a parasite, much like the vines with phylloxera , but they can now be grown successfully, grafted on to special rootstocks. Not a natural for short term letting! It would seem a short step to grow olive trees like vines, using the same harvester as in the USA. “Circuit Court” or direct marketing – farmers’ markets are a means of getting product to the customer whilst avoiding the overheads of les grandes surfaces (supermarkets). Direct fruit sales to tourists are a good example. Charly and I moved the topic to other diversifications and what he calls ‘pluriactives méthodes’. He mentioned stevia, an alternative to saccharine and aspartame; grenadine as a drink for sick people; hemp for building insulation and car upholstery; and a new cereal crop called ‘Sarjho’ - a sort of soya bean; as well as the rearing of pullets. To finish, I asked him about the role of the Chamber of Agriculture. He described it as providing education on all things agricultural. It is funded by a taxe foncière on agricultural land. The Ministry of Agriculture is concerned with legislation and INRA conducts research, experimentation and demonstration. The whole is overarched by the PAC or the CAP as we know it! Charly emphasised this paysan soul that lies in every Frenchman’s heart. Agriculture / La Campagne is his Eden, it’s what is craved deep down; it’s a happy life. Every man must have his free time. Personally, I call it misplaced, out of place, nostalgic. There is a future for this land and owners are being dragged towards it with their heels stuck well in the ground. Unless alternatives are created they will be selling their Eden. There are bound to be those who will not miss this opportunity to be creative with it!

Cévenole and Aubrac Sauvés carriage on regardless

he Cévenole and Aubrac are the names given to the two trains that ply the routes from Béziers and Nimes north to Clermont Ferrand; the Aubrac follows the route via Bédarieux and Millau, whereas the Cévenole is the locomotive hauled express from Nimes north to Clermont Ferrand. At present the Aubrac is made up of two class 73 diesel railcars with the‘Auvergne’ regional markings on them One could perhaps be

forgiven a big yawn and say ‘here we go again’. For in effect little if anything has changed. The service has deteriorated, the trains are too slow but the minister had decided not to allow RFF and SNCF to close either lines. In truth the recent Mobility 21 Report recommended that the government stops all new High Speed Line building and concentrates on improving existing services with special attention being paid to TET (Trains Equilibre Territoire) trains, those trains that connect many cities and towns but make a loss. What however does not seem to have seeped through to railway management is that you will only get more passengers if you offer a much improved service.

On the one hand our region is planning to do just that on the main lines south/north from Avignon Nimes to Montpellier, Béziers Narbonne and Perpignan. On the other hand other regional trains are sadly neglected. What is needed is a new approach to these neglected lines, more trains, more stops and better use of these trains. Throughout Europe both east and west many countries are handing over their local and intercity services to private operators who are then going out to buy new trains more suited to the lines. The major Spanish company CAF and the Swiss Company Stadler have developed a range of tram-trains more suited to this sort of service. Cheaper to build and cheaper to run. Concentrating on our line in Hérault from Béziers northwards through Magalas, Bédarieux, Millau and beyond, what is needed are more stops in what is today called the peri-urban part of the line i.e. between Béziers and Bédarieux. Rumours have circulated that there may be new stops on the Béziers to Bédarieux; line two in Béziers, a stop at Boujan, and others at Espondeilhan, Laurens and Faugères. The stops do not need a manned station, rather a small shelter with the ticket collector issuing tickets on board. Ideally a tram-train service. Somehow one gets the impression that this is not the sort of service that our local politicians are ready to put into operation.

Talk Tech and IT with the Geek we call ‘E-Male’ Are you big enough?

English Television reception getting harder.

ou should all get out more! I know, a little cheeky coming from someone who doesn’t know when daylight begins but I have many, many emails forwarded to me about Satellite Television. Now, this is for those who wish to receive English television channels such as BBC, ITV, CH4 etc. After many delayed launches the Astra 2E has been launched to join up with its sister the Astra 2F which was launched in November, 2012. The point of this is to ‘narrow’ the signal transmitted to focus it more on the UK which could mean some of you may have to take up a hobby on those cold winter evenings. So what will happen? In short, the signal that reaches France will be weaker and therefor some of you may lose

Chris Elliott author of ‘The Lost Railway Lines of l’Hérault’ and joint author of ‘Night Ferry 1936 - 1980

BBC - ITV - SKY

Skydigi supplies digital satellite equipment to receive UK TV and radio across Europe. We offer every solution for your viewing needs. Free advice and testimonials offered Call us on 0468 87 18 30 For more information visit our website www.skydigi.fr 21

your dose of the English. Have you lost Channel 5? Channel 4Seven? (HD) Can I be saved? Yes, there is a white knight in the shape of... a bigger satellite dish. The signal will still reach most of France but will just be weaker. Ergo a larger dish allows a better collection of the weaker signal. To have a look go to channel 105 on your Sky box, or channel 140 if you have a Sky HD box. If these are working you may be ok. Alternatively call a local satellite provider (I’m told there are 2 reliable ones in this magazine) and they’ll advise you. So you see, when it comes to watching English television in France, size does matter and geeks really are taking over the planet! Ciao ciao....

www.lheraultart.com

Fabréguat Museum, Béziers

heads which I had never seen before. They outline in a poignant way how noble interiors of that period were. Portrait of a Banker attributed to Hans Holbein the young (1497-1543), witnesses with subtlety and style the return of portraits as a popular art form at that time. Indeed, portraits enjoyed a new impetus with the emergent merchant class wishing to reinforce its prestige through painting. Portrait of a Banker has a painted vanity at the back of the panel whose function was to remind the owner of the inexorable passage of time.A painting by François Bunel the young (1552- about 1995), Troupe de comédiens Italiens (Troop of Italian Actors) is painted in a beautiful composition recalling La Comedia del’Arte. The second floor hosts Classicism and Baroque and has a very different atmosphere.The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple by Jacques Stella (1596-1657) and Adieux de Didon à Enée by Guido Reni (1575-1642) present us with narrative scenes embellishing and softening reality. The double portrait of Pope Gregory the XV and his nephew Cardinal Ludivoco Ludovisi by Le Dominiquin shows a very ill Pope, (who died shortly after the completion of this painting). In the 18th century section, other noteworthy painters are Jacques Gamelin (1738-1803) and his Fish seller, Jean Pillement (1728-1808) and his Shipwreck scene, and Jean-Marie Vien who became first painter to King Louis XVI. Théodore Guéricault (1791-1824), Eugène Delacroix and Camille Corot (1796-1875) are shown on the entresol. A fine naturalist representation by Camille Corot considered the ‘father of Impressionism’ The march of the five cows, is shown alongside Study of a horse (Étude de cheval) by Guéricault. The latter was a fervent horse rider and the painter of the world famous Radeau de la méduse (1818-1819). He sadly died young after falling off a horse. The ground floor is dedicated to contemporary collections and temporary exhibitions; a good effort was made for local artists Marie Rouanet and Yves Rouquette chosen guests of the summer, sculptors and poets. Hervé di Rosa one of the main artists of the movement Figuration Libre is represented alongside Pierre François (1935-2007), who used various surfaces for his colorful paintings. The second room shows the work of glass artist Maurice Marinot (1882-1960); a collection donated by his daughter Florence to the museum in 1974 He produced many powerful pieces with subtle colours in keeping with the style of his era, Art Deco. The Musée Fabréguat hosts some beautiful pieces of art, some of a type rarely seen in museums. I recommend particularly its Renaissance section which is small but quite unique, and Marinot’s glass work.

he Musée des Beaux-Arts or Hôtel Fabréguat in Béziers is a provincial museum located in the heart of town which is full of unexpected surprises. At the end of the 19th century, Auguste Fabréguat former mayor of Béziers left his personal mansion to the town. After some

Portrait of Pope Benedict XV and his nephew by Le Dominiquin

alterations to the building the museum’s main art collection was installed there and the actual museum was inaugurated in 1903. The collection covers several historical periods. The contemporary art collection is on the ground floor, The Middle-Ages to Renaissance and Flemish School are on the first floor, and the Neo-Classical and Baroque paintings are on the second floor. There is also a 17th to 18th century ceramics collection housed on the top floor of the museum. The Renaissance collection has unusual pieces such as carved beam

Dominique Aclange 22

www.l-artiste.com

La Maison de la Gravure Méditerranée *Maison de la Gravure Méditerranée

a Maison de la Gravure Méditerranée is situated outside Montpellier at Castelneau le Lez and has been in existence since September, 2007. Its role is to encourage and promote the artistic use and practice of printmaking. Linked with European and International artists and print making groups, its projects include various initia-

Communication Trans-mediterranée II

Flexibilité

tives and innovative experiences which have grown to support both experienced artist print makers and the broader public interested in learning more. As a former member and founder of the Maison it was a real pleasure to meet with Frauke Furthmann, coordinator, who showed me around La Maison de la Gravure and explained how the association came about and what its primary roles are today. A few years ago (this is how all good stories begin) a handful of artistsamongst whom were Vincent Deuzeuze and Walter Barrientos - decided to open a place with facilities to practice printmaking and the art of engraving. The association was born out of a printmaking workshop, known at the time as the ‘Union of Mediterranean Art’, originally based in Avignon. It relocated to Montpellier in 1980. Another important step the association took was to promote cultural exchanges between France and North Africa, especially Tetouan. It has helped to establish artists from the Mediterranean, such as Saïd Messariis, 23

a Moroccan printmaker who now lives in Spain and Mustapha Belkouch, who exhibited his work in 2011, both are original contributors. The support offered to artists through membership forms the foundation of the La Maison; access to print making facilities and the opportunity to exhibit work through a regular exhibition programme, which in the past has included the work of artists like Patrice Vermeille, Alberto Valverde and Chaha. Artists in residence are also selected and invited to participate on a regular basis. On a day to day basis, La Maison de la Gravure organizes printmaking courses and workshops throughout the course of the academic year. Various techniques are taught by experienced print makers: linocut, lithography, etching, serigraphy, photogravure and mezzotint. Courses are informal and friendly which are open to all. It also offers outreach workshops intended to introduce printmaking to children in schools. Weekly Workshops Etching and livre d’artistes (Monday 14h-17h and18h30-21h30, and Tuesday 18h30-21h30). Day workshops take place once a month and offer the chance to discover different engraving techniques alongside experienced print makers. For information on hiring facilities and membership see below contact details Christmas Sale This year La Maison de la Gravure are holding a unique event where a large selection of work will be for sale at very affordable prices prior to the lead up of the Christmas festive season. The event will take place on 2, 6, 7, 8-13, 14, 15 December 2013. La Maison de la Gravure Méditerranée 105 Chemin des Mendrous 34170 Castelnau-le-Lez. www.maisondelagravure.eu Tel 09 80 96 05 51

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

An example of French business at its best? Or a template on how not to do it? MD gives his opinion.....

he name that to many Anglophones is an example of the failings of French management and to others a shining example of a world. But what lies beneath?

THE GOOD

Orange is a French multinational corporation working in the telecommunications sector. By 2007 they had 121 million customers. By 2011 they had 226 million customers. As of 2013 they had 231.5 million subscribers (Orange.com (2013-08-09).)

Depending on criteria chosen they are in the top 10 telecoms providers in the world. It provides mobile phone, landline, IP and IP television services to name but a few and carries an AA+ credit rating. In 2005, it was the first operator to offer a national broadband network for mobile phones. The birth of this huge company began in August 2000 when France Telecom purchased Orange plc for an estimated cost of nearly €40 billion from telecoms giant Vodafone. The mobile operations of Orange and France Telecom were merged creating a new group known as Orange SA. In 2006, France Telecom rebranded their internet operator Wanadoo to Orange and there followed a decisive and vigorous strategy of restructuring their business model for a more mobile centric operation. Orange was recognized this year as one of the world’s top telecoms giants and was ranked 7 in the most valuable telecoms brands with a brand value of $16,342. brandirec-

tory.com/league_tables/table/telecoms-500-2013

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

As of the 1st of July, 2013 shareholders voted to brand the company ‘Orange’. Marketing wise the company is seen as a success. It is established in France as the main brand for mobile, internet and TV services and recently announced full 4g access for all of Paris. Orange is a steady, if not spectacular player, on the stock market.

THE BAD

Orange (and France Telecom) have a distinct issue when providing services in France... customer service. This is an Anglophone publication so I will only quote Anglophone situations for you: From the customer who paid for their line for 5 months whilst adamant that the phone didn’t work, only to find that Orange had not connected the property to the exchange (and sent 2 engineers to the house), to the client who had their phone cut off by Orange (actually a third party) and Orange offered compensation and then withdrew the offer to a line activation taking 37 days when the line already existed. The fact is that with an organisation as large as Orange you have to get the basics right. Get it wrong and everything frays. Due to the ownership by the government of France Telecom the management missed the dot.com options on buying competitors. When they purchased Orange they paid a ridiculously high premium which was going to lead to problems further down the line. A grave misjudgement of liabilities came out in 2002, meaning repayments of on average €8 billion euros per year were required. The shares were dumped en mass (from €219 in 2000 to €6.94 on 30 September, 2002 ). CEO Thierry Breton obtained €45 billion from bank restructuring, the government the largest shareholder at this time and cost cutting within the organisation. In 2004, the government sold a holding which reduced its majority shareholding. Orange went private. With €15 billion to come from cost cutting in the group, radical action was required. the ‘NeXT’ scheme was implemented. Approximately 10% of the workforce were cut. Management style was said to be brutal and it is said that this led to the suicides that were widely reported in media across the globe. 24 suicides took place by Orange employees. One suicide note read: “I am committing suicide because of my work at France Telecom. That’s the only reason.” And another, who when told that to keep their position would have to move to another town, went and stabbed themselves repeatedly in the stomach. (Nb. Suicide rates at Orange have been falling since.) A great headline for the press but unfair on 24

the organisation? Modernisation and restructuring a company in France is very difficult. Workers rights, the 35 hour week are all bad for such a major restructuring as well as the psyche of the French and their traditional ‘family centred’ mentality. There is also a ‘power’ structure in some management styles that demands a ‘rule by fear’ outlook that is at best outdated and at worst just wrong. A meeting was held in Italy where one manager from Orange was unimpressed that staff said hello as management walked to a conference room. Orange were attempting to change though. Mobile demand was and is outstripping fixed lines and modernization was inevitable. At the time the average age of the workforce was over 45 and re-training can be difficult with an older workforce. Orange used spin to hide mass redundancies and instead asked for staff to retrain and often changed their job specifications and/or their location; stressful at the best of times. Some say this was a positive step, others claim that it was in fact a way of ‘culling’ staff to allow Orange to hire outside contractors with the skill set required and to reduce costs. Management members have been prosecuted, government interference is still in the background and debt ratio still needs improvement.

THE UGLY

I know you want the negative statements, the ‘Ugly’ of the title but I won’t do it. Orange has made mistakes. It’s management style has at best been handcuffed and at worst unacceptable. The NeXT restructure was poorly handled but in a country that in business is still trying to break out into globalisation Orange has done it. It certainly hasn’t been pretty and without government backing (still at 27%) it may have at some stage been targeted or cut and sliced into many other providers portfolios. Its debt ratio is still unhealthy and its growth is under attack in France (its most profitable area) from providers such as Free; and credit agencies may downgrade again with the continuing tax issues from the 2005 / 06 restructuring requiring billions of euros to be paid. But with the Chinese and other telecoms giants gaining a foothold in the global economy, it is Orange who keep coming forward. They bought over 93% of Egypts Mobinil mobile service company in 2012 and just recently signed agreements with Samsung for cooperative partnerships. Big business is tough. In France it is tougher. This is business, thousands of employees and families depend on this company and I see nothing that I don’t see in the US, London or Germany. Orange are not doing great but they sure as hell ain’t doing badly!!

English for Expat Children

Preparing a meal, for example, is a great way to build a child’s confidence in giving them a taste of adult living. An indispensable guide It can be a short task or made longer by planning the meal, arranging the Laura Smith has a BA (Hons) shopping, the cooking and (critically) in English and a background the cleaning up. You might not want which includes nannying, to involve them in every part of the running ‘arts’ groups for process, but you will be surprised at children, supporting early readers, teaching English how interested they stay in following as a foreign language in Spanish and Italian through the task. (You might even find schools and examining children for the their enthusiasm for the task reinvigoCambridge Examining Board. rates your own perception of it!) Depending on the scale you are prepared to oversee you could even get some of November their friends in on the act. ands on activities are a great way to get This kind of ‘real life’ playing is really children engaged, particularly with exciting for children so do think about how reading. Reading instructions can be you can present it as a challenging adventure channelled into navigating for a driving into adult life, but then you need to make sure parent, cooking, or into the construction of you sit back and let them do the organising. anything from toys to furniture (hey, It is quite likely that as soon as you give in to frustration is a good lesson!). Get inventive any temptation to ‘take over’ with planning when getting the children involved, so long you are almost guaranteed to be left doing as you have the patience to let them take on all the work! Make it all their own and let it their task and complete it at their own pace, succeed or fail on their efforts; be their casual anything is possible!

englishforexpatchildren@gmail.com

are extremely popular. We have a Christmas party in December and the quiz in January is one of our highlights. We always offer drinks and nibbles at the end of an event so that people have a chance to get to know each other. We are currently housed in one of our member’s apartments and we are now looking for permanent premises, hopefully provided by the Town Hall. If and when this happens we hope to add a children’s section which is in great demand and a convivial space where people can come for a cup of tea and a chat. Our Permanent Book Sale allows members to show support by bringing in recent books to add to the collection or the permanent Book Sale, the money raised goes towards buying new books Our 12-month library membership fees are modest: Active member 25€; Benefactor 40€; Student 15€ “Book Chat” sessions are held regularly for people to get together and talk about books they have enjoyed

The ENGLISH LANGUAGE LIBRARY IN MONTPELLIER The library was set up three years ago when the huge American library in Montpellier was closed. A group of dedicated readers and friends of the old library decided to set up a new association and build a library. We started out with a few books that people had donated, then, thanks to subscription fees, generous benefactors and later a grant from the Town Hall we were able to increase the collection. We currently have about 50 active members and a large group of friends. We offer current fiction and non-fiction, best sellers, biographies, thrillers, good, mainstream literature for avid readers. We add new books three or four times a year. We have now started to specialise in very recent literature and we try to be at the cutting edge although we do also have the “100 best books of the 20th century” selected from lists on the internet. A selection of magazines and literary reviews are also on loan. We have branched out and the association also sponsors events such as book readings, talks, a literary quiz and various entertainments which

advisor and safety monitor. Listen out to their ideas and seek out materials they can use to get them happening. Any number of household tasks could be tackled in this way by your energetic little people. Washing can be sorted, washed and hung... the possibilities are endless. New responsibilities and the resulting abilities are so good for children as they grow up into the responsible types we hope to see them become; I don’t see any reason not to start them young! In fact, there is a notion in child psychology that far from being blissfully unaware and living in a paradise of sorts, children are crushingly aware of their limitations; the tasks they can’t achieve and their gaps in understanding the world. That we can best help by gently ignoring their embarrassment, as they bluff to hide their lacks, and arm them with a steadily developing repertoire of varied skills. Whoever knew I’d be writing a homage to the ‘rota’ system..!

If you wish to have more information about the library, opening hours and address, send an email to foal@dbmail.com or go to our website friendsoftheanglophonelibrary.com

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Recipe Times An easy to prepare dish that suits the whole family. It also makes a great centre piece for a party when you use a whole filleted fish.

Salmon Tandoori with Coriander and Mint Dip Serves 4

Ingredients: 4 salmon fillets 1 lime sunflower oil

Chitra Pullen

hitra moved to the Languedoc in 2003, leaving behind a successful career as a solicitor in London in search of a more tranquil life in the South of France. Moving to France has given her an opportunity to indulge in her lifelong passion - cooking - and since 2011 she has been running Asian cookery courses and a catering business from her home outside Narbonne. In that short time, she has catered for numerous events including weddings, birthday parties and for the opening and closing ceremonies of the LIbertad Festival on India ,organised by the city of Narbonne, last summer. “I come from a family of accomplished cooks. Food - the cooking and eating thereof - has always been central to family life. When I moved to this part of France, Indian food was almost unheard of and certainly there were no decent Indian restaurants around. The only way we could get our fix of Indian food was for me cook it at home. What started out as a hobby to entertain friends and family has now evolved into a business.” There is so much more to Indian food than merely heat and chillies. I want to introduce people to real home cooked Indian food where an array of spices, including chillies, are used to transform even a simple ingredient like say, potatoes, into a sublime dish that stimulates the palate and satisfies the soul. “Living as we do in this region, I am also passionate about pairing Asian food with local wines. Traditionally, beer is the drink of choice with Asian food, but I find the wines of this region, especially the crisp rosés and the spicy reds, are perfect for the complexities of the Asian cuisine.”

Marinade: 1 pot yoghurt 1 teaspoon cumin powder (see notes below) 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic purée (see notes on Dhal recipe) 1 teaspoon turmeric powder ½ - 1 teaspoon red chilli powder, depending on taste Juice of 1 lemon A good pinch of salt 3 teaspoons gram flour (chickpea flour) Coriander & Mint Dip: I pot yoghurt 1small cucumber, peeled, seeds removed and diced into small pieces Generous handful of coriander leaves and mint leaves, finely chopped Squeeze of lime juice ½ teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon sugar Salt to taste Method: 1. Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade to form a fairly thick paste. 2. Smear the fish thoroughly with the marinade and leave to stand in the fridge for at least 2 hours (but no more than 4). 3. Heat the grill until it is very hot, place the fish on a rack and grill for about 10 minutes. Just before you take out from under the grill, baste generously with oil and give it a couple more minutes under the grill to brown a little. 4. Squeeze some lime juice over the fish before serving. 5. Just before serving, mix together all the Dip ingredients and serve with fish. Notes: • I make my own cumin powder as and when needed as the taste and smell is entirely different from the shop bought product. To make your own, gently toast 2 tablespoons of cumin seeds in a dry cast iron pan over a low heat until it takes on some colour and start to crackle. Take off the heat and leave to cool slightly, then grind in a coffee grinder or with a pestle and mortar until you have a fine powder. Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. • I buy chickpea flour (farine des pois chiches) from Grand Frais in Narbonne, where I get a lot of my fresh Asian ingredients and spices. Most Arab shops sell it too. 26

To me, the ultimate comfort food! On a rainy day, or when we’ve over-indulged, or when just feeling under the weather, this is the dish we crave in my family. And it’s very healthy too, especially when served with some steamed brown rice.

tomatoes have cooked down, about 15-20 minutes. 4. Add the mix to the par-cooked lentils, stir well, and bring back to a simmer and cook until the lentils have disintegrated (but not turned into complete mush!), about 10 minutes.

Dhal (Lentil Curry) Serves 4 Ingredients: 250g red split lentils, washed and soaked in water for at least half an hour 2 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole 1 green chilli, split down the middle (optional) 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 2 tablespoons sunflower oil and 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 dried chillies, left whole 1 medium onion, quartered and sliced 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic puree 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon chilli powder 2 large tomatoes, diced Handful of fresh coriander, chopped Salt to taste 5. Serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves and a dusting of cumin powder. Method: Par cook the lentils in large saucepan, with the garlic, turmeric, green chilli (if using) and some salt, in just enough water to cover to about 1 cm above the lentils, until they are slightly tender but not completely cooked. 2. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over a lowish heat, add the cumin, dried chillies and mustard seeds and fry for a few minutes until they crackle. Add the onions and sauté until golden brown. 3. Stir in the ginger and garlic purée, and chilli and cumin powders. Stir fry for a couple of minutes, then add the tomatoes and cook gently until the

Notes: Make garlic and ginger puree by blending equal amounts of peeled ginger and garlic in a food processor with a little water, until you have a smooth puree. It keeps well in the fridge in an airtight container for about a week. If you have left over dhal, you can make a quick soup by adding some hot vegetable stock to the dhal and blitzing in a food processor.

2. Fry on a lowish heat for a few minutes until they crackle, then add the onion and fry until the onion slices are slightly tinged. 3. Add the ginger and garlic purée, then the turmeric. Mix well and cook for a few minutes until you have a rich yellow gravy. 4. Add the cabbage. Stir well until the cabbage is evenly coated with the gravy. Add a little water if too dry. 5. Cook for about 15 minutes until the cabbage is cooked through and tender. If using green chilli, add this and stir fry for a couple more minutes before removing from heat.

A versatile recipe that can be used with other vegetables, especially cauliflower and potatoes. I sometimes prepare my potatoes for a Sunday roast using this method, but leaving out the chillies.

Sautéed Cabbage with Turmeric and Mustard Seeds Serves 4

Ingredients: ½ white cabbage, finely shredded and blanched 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 5 or 6 curry leaves (or 1 bay leaf, torn up) 2 dried red chillies, left whole 1 red onion, halved and finely sliced 1 tablespoon ginger and garlic purée 1 teaspoon turmeric powder 1 green chilli, deseeded, halved and sliced (optional) 2 to 3 tablespoons sunflower oil Method: 1. Heat the oil in a frying pan. When hot, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried chillies. 27

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Comité Sport Tambourin Hérault Sports by Stuart Turpie

he French winter season sports campaign has opened up with the triumph of the men’s basketball team; winners for the first time of the European championships. Despite having a group of fantastic players the men have not quite lived up to expectations until now. The women’s squad grabbed the silver medals in last year’s Olympics while the men underperformed. 14 years ago a great generation of young players won the under 20 title and went on to reach Euro and Olympic finals. At last les Bleus have done it, beating Lithuania by 16 points in the final in Ljubljana, Slovenia. 24 sides played in the finals and after 9 games France beat their great rivals Spain 75-72 after over time in the semi. There was no holding them back in the final which they dominated. 7,3 million television viewers watched the game. Hero of the moment is Tony Parker, known to everyone as T.P. He is the son of an American professional star who played in France and Belgium His mother is Dutch. In fact T.P. was born in Bruges but was brought up in France and has French nationality. Successful as a young player he went to America and the NBA where he has won titles with the San Antonio Spurs. Very proud of his roots he has played many times for France unlike other European superstars who earn their fortunes in the NBA where salaries can top 20 million dollars. What a player he is! His strengths are quickness, balance and a wonderful vision and he is one of the best playmakers to have ever graced the court. Gliding at speed into the lane he has made the “teardrop” shot his trademark, releasing the shot effortlessly from his dribble to softly arc over the desperate attempts of big forwards to block it. The French squad is coached by the rather unassuming Vincent Collet who clearly knew how to get his charges to perform in the vital games. Boris Diaw, a powerful forward and Nicolas Batum who plays as a swingman were probably the other key members of what was a solid team. Nando De Colo as scoring guard and Alexis Ajinça under the boards, were impressive. In the final the French dominated the rebounding which is essential. With 8 players with NBA experience, the French at last lived up to expectations. Chapeau! Languedoc it has to be admitted is not the strongest basketball region in France. Football and Rugby hold sway and Handball and Volleyball also compete. The Nord, Paris, the Loire Valley, Cote d’Azur and Lyon are much stronger and basketball ranks second only to football in much of France. Current champions of the Pro A are Paris-Levallois who caused a surprise last season edging out Nancy, Strasbourg, Villeurbanne and Cholet. 31

Since crowds are limited to about 5000 by the size of indoor arenas, clubs with good sponsorship can do well in small towns. Some successful sides in the past have been Pau, Limoges, Antibes and Gravelines near Dunkirque. Not so long ago the Pinet women played in the National 3 and at top regional level! The best club in Languedoc is the women’s side of Lattes who were runners up last season to Bourges. Hérault has 37 clubs at all levels with Agde and Frontignan fielding men’s teams in the National 3 which is a good quality of ball. Aude has fewer clubs with Carcassonne and Narbonne being the strongest. The sport struggles to compete for media coverage with so much football and

rugby on offer however. The region definitely needs another successful professional club to enhance the efforts of Lattes. Montpellier withdrew its backing for its Pro A team about ten years ago on the grounds that not enough French players were involved. Ironic if you consider the euros poured into Rugby clubs like Montpellier who regularly have 15 plus foreign players on their books. One hopes that the clear multi-ethnic appeal of basketball is not a factor. It certainly is not elsewhere in France. The European champions like the football world cup side of 1998 were a multi- ethnic outfit and a credit to France. What of the Brits in the European championships? Two wins and three defeats prevented the squad advancing and GB finished 13th of the 24. Disappointing, but with the 3 best players including superstar Luol Deng of the Chicago Bulls out with injury the young side played well. Some of the team were from the under 20 side that reached this years junior final, a best ever result for GB. Let’s hope that the powers that be don’t cut the funding for basketball as is threatened, since about 150,000 young Brits play the sport. Remember, it took a few years for T.P. and his pals to make good! *

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