The HAT (Herault & Aude Times) July / Aug 2014 by Gatsby L'Herault

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THE HAT

JULY AUGUST 2014

THE HERAULT AND AUDE TIMES

ISSN: 2273-2748

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE MAGAZINE www.theheraultandaudetimes.com

The Herault & Aude Times

EDITORIAL JULY / AUGUST

EDITORIAL

n the words of Maze featuring Frankie Beverley I have those ‘Happy Feelings everywhere’ and then there is the ‘Summer Breeze so gloriously drifting “through the curtains hanging in the window….” from The Isley Bros. It is a HAT special again this month and for many reasons but if you didn’t get the link from the first lines then where have you been? In this issue we talk to the Jacksons who are playing Carcassonne on the 25th and as you would expect it is slick, cool and professional as you would expect from a band that have been with us for 50 years. My only concern is that Marlon claims they’ll go on as long as Mick Jagger so you better get tickets (we have two to give away) because I’m not so sure about Micks touring longevity.

so excited to have someone else to drink gin with and with his experience and drive we truly believe that this is a huge step in our goal of global media domination or at least continuing to make The HAT more accessible and more of what you tell us you want. And a special note if I may to Sue Hicks who has been writing the ‘History through Street names’ since the magazines inception. Sue is making a fantastic and wonderful life change and will be moving onto to pastures new. Her articles were part of the backbone of The HAT and she will be sorely missed by us but we know that her choices are magnificent and we wish her all the happiness she deserves with a huge thank you for all her time and effort. And so to part with The Jacksons, remember, September 01 is the next publication date and ‘I’ll be there’!

And as many of you have noticed this issue will be around for six weeks as we take a well-earned August break. It is interesting isn’t it how the French have taken August as a public holiday and surely it really isn’t because the menfolk want to be with their mistresses for two weeks and then with their families for the last two weeks. And for those that think we are shutting down I am sorry to disappoint and as if to confirm we would like to introduce the newest member of ‘the management’, Jerome Avis. All the unnamed souls here at The HAT are

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Au revoir Sue Hicks

The HAT The Herault & AudeTimes - 1 Grand Rue, St Thibery,34630 (11100) Publisher: Gatsby B - Editor : Emma F - Advertising Director: Tom B Advertising: Vicky M-B Art Editor: Daisy B EDITORIAL editor@theheraultandaudetimes.com PUBLISHER gatsby@theheraultandaudetimes.com Executive publisher jerome@theheraultandaudetimes.com SUBSCRIPTIONS Online or contact us on gatsby@theheraultandaudetimes.com ADVERTISING For display advertising, print classifieds please call 0644 80 24 32 or mail advertising@theheraultandaudetimes.com For free classified online advertising please visit http://classifieds.theheraulttimes.com www.theheraultandaudetimes.comPYRIG HT AND DISCLAIMER

The Herault & Aude Times The Herault & Aude Times is owned and published by Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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

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.theheraultandaudetimes.com. Please read them, they deserve to be recognised for their fantastic contribution and for being patient and generous to me.

IMPORTANT:

t: 0468 90 55 17

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.

ISSN: 2273-2748 4

The Herault & Aude Times

CONTENTS

May 2014

18 BBQ Time American Style 22 History - Louise Michel 26 Napolean Did anybody like him? 16 Abbey de Valmagne A rich history near to Montagnac

28 They are the Legends known as THE JACKSONS 32 Art - Jacques Monery Review

03 Editorial 06 Letters 08 My Place 09 And Another Thing 12 Wine Times 16 GTBY 20 Lifestyle 22 Music 23 History 25 A French View 27 English for Expat Children 28 - 31 Art 32 Recipes 34 Business 38 In the Garden 40 Subscribe 42 E-male 42 - 46 Classified Ads 47 Sport

The Cover Story

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.

dharmacamera@googlemail.com www.barrybeckettphotography.com

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Don’t Miss July / August Robert Combas Carré Sainte Anne 2 rue Philippy 34000 Montpellier Tél : 04 67 94 88 21 www.montpellier.fr Open every day except Monday 10h-13h / 14h à 18h 6 June/21 September 2014 Free entry ** Initiator with Hervé di Rosa of the movementFiguration Libre, his paintings often exuberant are full of symbols and references, ‘driven by enthusiasm and freedom that contrast with the conceptual severity of the 1970s’. Jacques Monory Villa Loupian Museum of Gallo-Roman site Road 158 E4 34140 Loupian Tel.04.67.18.68.18 www.herault-tourisme.com/ villa.loupian@worldonline.fr Permanent During summer time Until 31 August Open every day 11h-19h & guided tour 11h every day Guided tour in English every Thursday 14h in July, Aug and Sept ** DEMOISELLES de VERRE Glass Museum HALLE de VERRE 50 Avenue du Nouveau Monde 34270 Claret Tel. 04 67 59 06 39 halleduverre@ccgpsl.fr www.halleduverre.fr Sep open everyday 14h/18h July & August 10h-12h30/14h-19h Until 14 December 2014 Free entry / visit the site for workshops ** Jean Latinne Contemporary Art Space of Bedarieux 19 avenue abbé Tarroux 34600 Bédarieux Tel. 04 67 95 48 27 culture@bedarieux.fr Open Wednesday to Friday 9h3012h/14h-18H. Saturday-Sunday 15h-18h 13 June/6 September Free entry

Welcome to the letters page

Do you have something to say? About the magazine? About life? Do you have a question or eve

Letters Re Elections In reply to the anonymous letter in your June issue concerning voting in the European elections, I would point out the following: You are allowed to vote in the European elections in France as a EU citizen. This has always been the case provided that you do not vote twice; ie in the UK and France. Generally; no matter which country you live in, you have to register with the relevant authorities in order to vote. As a foreigner you presumably had to register in order to vote in the municipale elections, otherwise you would not have been on the voting list. The European election are no different, otherwise anyone could vote. After 40 years of living in France, it is surprising that this is the first time you have wanted to vote in the European election and therefore found out that you needed to register. Why the sudden interest after all these years? If everyone thought that 2 votes would not make a difference then democracy would not work. This type of apa-thy results in low turnouts and gives power to extremist parties. Register now and use your vote. Likewise anonymous.

Re Trains Bonjour I’ve just picked a printed copy of your HAT May edition and read the letters one of which drew my attention as it was headed Trains I would like to reply with a short one paragraph statement but to go on to let you have an article based on train fares, reductions and holiday tickets So my reply is: “Your reader was right to remind the writer that not all of HAT readers’ can benefit from a senior’s reduced card, however there are a whole host of other ways of benefiting from fare reductions from those who are older than the student limit of 26 and younger than 59. A simple guide to help readers of HAT find their way through the fare’s minefield is to be found in this month’s edition. Chris Elliott Letters Just read your comments in the letters page and am loving your replies to all those Daily Mail type reading twats. Keep up the good work. Vive Le France !!! D. Peyriac Thanks D. I suppose you want to be my friend now don’t you. What’s wrong with the

Originally from Belgium Jean Latinneis a self-taught artist and former professor of History and Literature at Brussels University. The exhibition features Latinne’solder work and a space especially dedicated to his love for elephants where paintings, sculptures and ceramic will be shown. ** 6

The Herault & Aude Times

Daily Mail? (Uk daily paper) Some of my prison friends read that and I don’t argue with them at all! Mental Health 1 Regarding the article in your last issue about Mental Health in France I would like to say thankyou to the writer and to the editor for such a thoughtful, sensitive and moving piece. It is a subject that is still so often not spoken about and to hear from families as well as professionals was genuinely moving. That you ran this in your magazine should fill you with a sense of pride and achievement. My deepest gratitude to you all from my family and our daughter who is no longer with us after her experiences and difficulties existing in this modern society. Withheld. 11000 Mental Health II Hello, the feature by T King in your June issue was wonderful. To see a magazine here talk openly about this issue and to see it written so delicately was inspirational to myself and my wife. We have a son in the ‘system’ here and although we have nothing but gratitude to the individuals involved the system is flawed. Thank you so much. Ian

Send us a letter or a mail or a text. Your chance to have your say. The HAT Letters Page

en a complaint? Send your letters to gatsby@theheraultandaudetimes.com

Letters Mental Health III Although moved by the article you did on mental health in France I was a bit disappointed that it was in your magazine. Isn’t it just a little bit serious for where we are? Well done though. Peter Y Thank you to all who wrote about this article, much to many to print here. This magazine is about living here. That means there is good and bad just as there is anywhere else. If you haven’t read the article please do. It is moving and informative. Cover Image What the hell was on the cover of your magazine last month? It looked like something out of War of the Worlds”. Can’t we have the other guy back please? Kathryn A Kathryn: It was the ‘other’ guy and I am so sorry we didn’t put a cat on a roof on the cover for you. Now go and eat ice cream there’s a love! Cover You cover last month was horrible. I thought you took original pictures from here? It had palm trees and I presume it was from Bahrain or somewhere. Rob by text Hey Rob, it is Palavas which is here. Why don’t you drive there and do let your mom put your seat belt on and give you a packed lunch before you go won’t you. Save me from fools! Cover II The front cover on the June issue was a sight to behold. I

loved it. It was a mix between the future and an architectural drawing. You just get better and better. Congratulations to your photographer and picture editor. Freda H, Beziers

FOU D’Anglais

NOW IN MONTPELLIER all your favourite foods from home frozen sausages and bacon scones and tea, delicious homemade cakes baked potatoes, pies and sandwiches 10, Rue Anatole France 34000 Montpellier 04 67 29 60 49 Tuesday to Saturday 10-6

Dear HAT, We have just come here on holiday for the first time and found your magazine in the B&B we are staying at. It is insightful and superb. So much better than the self-serving rubbish currently produced in the north and Provence way. (We have just subscribed). Linda Groves, Hertfordshire Thank you Linda. Always good to hear someone likes it, that is 6 people now! Recipes July Mr Aby (recipes June) is a treasure. I have made all of your recipes since I found them in the magazine and they are delicious. Your salad Olvier has now been eaten and copies of the recipe page taken to 3 countries and is a staple for guests already. Thank you so much. Tracy K Carcassonne You are meeting the Jacksons? That really is very impressive. Actually, someone said to me; “The Jacksons are meeting you? They must be so excited”? Summer Hello, may I remind you again, as I did last year to remember your pets at this time of year. It is getting warmer and they need to be cared for and have easy access to a cool area and plenty of water. Thank you.

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LIBERATION IN THE LANGUEDOC – AUGUST 1944

Written by Sue Hicks and Graham Luck

ollowing the collapse of France in 1940 during World War 2, the Germans occupied Northern France and the whole of the Atlantic seaboard. The south of France including the Mediterranean coast was allowed to remain under French control with Marshall Petain at its head and based in Vichy. Following allied landings in North Africa in November 1942, the Germans extended their occupation to Vichy France in order to protect their southern flank. This meant German forces were billeted throughout the Midi with garrisons at towns such as Bédarieux and Villeveyrac in the Hérault. By the beginning of 1944, the tide of the war had changed, and the allies were advancing up through Italy. In June 1944, the D Day landings in Normandy took place, and German forces based in the south of France started to withdraw to the north. However, the big change in the Languedoc occurred in mid August 1944, following American led allied landings in Provence on 15th August. This triggered the complete withdrawal of German forces from the south of France, their orders being to leave to defend the fatherland, before they were cut off by allied troops advancing up the Rhone Valley. Thus large formations of German troops were moving through the Languedoc in a desperate attempt to avoid becoming trapped. They were invariably second line troops (the crack forces having already been withdrawn), poorly equipped and with inadequate transport arrangements. Moreover, allied fighter aircraft largely operating off carriers in the Mediterranean were making travel on main roads and railways increasingly dangerous, thus forcing large convoys to move on minor roads throughout the region. Up until this point, the 8

French resistance fighters (usually known as the maquis) in the region had been largely waging a campaign of sabotage aimed at disrupting road and rail links. However, in August 1944, the unfolding situation gave the maquis groups the perfect and longed for opportunity to bring the fight directly to the German forces.The following accounts describe just two of the major incidents which occurred in the Languedoc over a one week period 70 years ago. In anticipation of the landings in the south of France, the American Office of Strategic Services (OSS) had been training small groups of second generation American soldiers who spoke a second language fluently to be parachuted into occupied territory to harass the enemy and to encourage and support local resistance groups. 23 year old Officer Engineer Lieutenant Paul Swank from Missouri was one such volunteer for these hazardous duties behind enemy lines and was sent to Algiers for further training. On 11th August 1944, after an abortive flight the previous night, Lieutenant Swank and his team of fourteen men parachuted into the mountainous area near the remote village of Le Clat in the Aude. Several were injured on landing, but they were met by members of the local maquis group and hidden while others retrieved the equipment which had been dropped by a second plane. On 17th August, a group of German soldiers were escorting a convoy which was sent to collect food from a well-stocked store. There are accounts of hostages being forced to walk in front of, or indeed tied, to the front of the convoy. A memoir written by one of the American team describes how the plan was to block the road north of Alet-les-Bains where the Aude flows The Herault & Aude Times

into a narrow gorge and pick off the Germans from the wooded hills above as they cleared the road. All did not go according to plan. Some of the explosives did not work as intended so the rock fall was insufficient to block the road. A passing Red Cross ambulance alerted the Germans to the activity on the road and they advanced faster than expected. Lieutenant Swank realised that his small force could not hold back the force of 250 enemy troops and ordered them to escape while he and a sergeant delayed the enemy advance. Lieutenant Swank was hit by enemy machine gun fire but drew his pistol and continued firing until he was himself shot in the neck by a German officer. An enemy officer said “We have never seen a man fight as hard as this officer against overwhelming odds”. 19 Germans were killed and 24 wounded in the incident. Lieutenant Swank and two maquis fighters who also died were buried the following day at a huge funeral in Quillan. He had expressly wished to be buried where he fell and his tomb with stele is prominent on the roadside outside Alet-les-Bains on the D118. The inscription, in both English and French, reads “Here fell for the cause of freedom and liberty Lieutenant Paul Swank of the Army of the United StatesAugust 17th 1944 and lies here according to his own will”. A few days later, another dramatic event was unfolding along the picturesque Orb valley between St Pons and Bédarieux. August 20th 1944 found a large German convoy of around 6000 men travelling eastwards up the Orb valley, and arriving on the outskirts of St Pons. Fierce fighting between the maquis and German forces left casualties on both sides, before an ‘agreement’ was reached. This allowed the Germans to move unimpeded through St Pons the following day on condition that reprisals were not taken against the town. The convoy approached Colombieres around early afternoon on August 22nd, where it was ambushed by a force of around 90 maquisards. They consisted of a number of different groups including the Maquis Betrand (with a strong contingent of mineworkers from Graissessac), a band of FTPF fighters and local resistance from Colombieres. The original plan had been to set up an ambush in the centre of the village, but this was changed at the request of the villagers. The ambush was eventually set up at the Madale bridge on the edge of the village, and the advance guard of the convoy, comprising German soldiers on bicycles and motorcycles, were mown down with machine guns.

Vive la difference Carrington NEW Column from Carrington

n American writer I am reading, Adam Gopnik, explains the differences between American and French culture this way. Americans identify themselves by what they buy. French people identify themselves by what they do. Like any generalization there are bound to be exceptions to the rule but by and large I think Mr Gopnik has a point. Consumerism rules in the United States. You are what you buy. When the new model automobiles appeared each year it was the cause of much excitement in the media and the topic of endless conservations at dinner parties. While the French clearly do enjoy driving a smart new powerful motor car at speeds beyond the legal speed limit, their lives are not controlled in the same way as their American cousins who can spend entire weekends looking after their cars. Indeed the way the French handle their cars is a bit of a love/hate relationship. Essentially they see their cars as transport and not status symbols. If you need proof of that statement look at your neighbor’s car and count the dents. Of course this is not entirely down to French driving, street furniture, especially posts have a lot to do with it. My point is that French drivers do not

The long convoy was halted as fierce fighting broke out, and further back at the hamlet of La Pomarede, the marriage of the daughter of the mayor of St Martin de l’Arcon to a man from Colombieres, got caught up with the chain of events. It was at the time of the wedding meal and the table was set; the terrified guests fled into the chestnut trees sheltered from the terraces as soldiers swarmed in. Two elderly unarmed civilians, Alexis Astruc (77) and the priest Louis Tessier (72), were killed by the Germans. Houses were set on fire and pillaged, and their animals killed on the road. The inhabitants went to ground, hidden up on the hillsides while the battle raged. It was for a full two hours that the maquisards halted the column, but their losses were heavy, particularly for the group positioned near the Pont de Madale. Five maquisards were killed in all, while the German losses were not recorded. The resistance fighters were eventually forced to withdraw as the superior German forces threatened to encircle their position. By nightfall, the convoy was on the move again, finally stopping overnight in Bédarieux under tight security. The maquis dead are commemorated on a stele oppo-

see the need to correct the cabosse. In some respects there is a certain pride of ownership proving that they are more important than their machines. Mr Gopnik illustrated his point with a small story titled Trouble at the Tower. A lady tourist, she might have been American but more likely to be British, was visiting the Eiffel Tower. She bought a ticket for stage two but she decided to get out at stage one. The lift driver said she could not get out at stage one. The lady tourist insisted. In the subsequent argument matters got heated and the lady tourist claimed she was man-handled. She registered a complaint with the employer who promptly fired the lift driver. When the other lift drivers heard about it they went out on strike. Mr Gopnik draws a number of lessons from this encounter. The lady tourist, having paid the fare, was expressing her right to go where she wanted to go and enjoy herself. The lift driver was there to

site the Chapelle St Coulomb on the D908 just east of Colombieres. The resistance movement played a major role in the liberation of France in 1944. By the time of the allied landings in France, the Germans found it increasingly difficult to move freely. The bravery and self sacrifice of the resistance inflicted delays and casualties on the German forces, which in turn helped save the lives of many allied soldiers. In fact, General Eisenhower estimated the value of the resistance to have been equivalent to 10 to 15 divisions. It was for a full two hours that the maquisards halted the column, but their losses were heavy, particularly for the group positioned near the Pont de Madale. Five maquisards were killed in all, while the German losses were not recorded. The resistance fighters were eventually forced to withdraw as the superior German forces threatened to encircle their position. By nightfall, the convoy was on the move again, finally stopping overnight in www.theheraultandaudetimes.com

operate the lift. He was not really interested in his passengers. He was more con-

cerned with demonstrating his ability to work the controls with elan and dexterity in what was one of France’s greatest symbols of engineering elegance. Here in Languedoc-Roussillon we can take a less jaundiced view of the differences and be more generous in our appreciation about what makes us different but there is no denying consumerism in France is very different from consumerism in the Anglo-American world and maybe, after all, that is not such a bad thing. **

Bédarieux under tight security. The maquis dead are commemorated on a stele opposite the Chapelle St Coulomb on the D908 just east of Colombieres. The resistance movement played a major role in the liberation of France in 1944. By the time of the allied landings in France, the Germans found it increasingly difficult to move freely. The bravery and self sacrifice of the resistance inflicted delays and casualties on the German forces, which in turn helped save the lives of many allied soldiers. In fact, General Eisenhower estimated the value of the resistance to have been equivalent to 10 to 15 divisions. **

A few days in Brittany Train Journeys

f you are missing the gentle sea breezes, and an honest pint or two and want to get away from the intense heat of the Midi, then a trip to Brittany would make a pleasant few days. Be prepared for some excellent sea food, fish and crepes/ pancakes, not to mention the cider and English or Irish style pubs Well of course it isn’t Dorset or Devon but being in the Gulf de Morbihan it does have some crystal clear deep blue waters and the islands are all accessible by way of a short crossing by ferry. The islands of Belle-Ile and Ile de Groix make a fascinating break, you are never far from the coast and walking is mostly on the flat and a real pleasure. Going by train is relatively simple: If you take the extra early 0631 TGV from Béziers and travel via Paris with just one change of TGVs’ in Paris, you will arrive in Lorient at 1556 and 1632 in Quimper; cost from 84.00€ for the over 60s. (In both cases in time to catch the ferry)

However, perhaps after a long day on the train a night or to in Lorient or Quimper might prove attractive. To get to Belle Ile you take the ferry from Quiberon and to the Ile de Groix the ferry leaves from Lorient The ferry times are: Lorient departures at 0805, 1100, 1345, 1645, 1845. uiberon departures at 0800, 0930, 1100, 1400, 1530 1700, 1830, 1955 Prices - adults 20.65€ single, nb. advance booking necessary Websites www.voyages-sncf. com, for train times and bookings and www.compagnieoceane.fr for ferry times and crossings. For accommodation on Belle Ile the writer recommends staying in the north of the island at Sauzon, the Ile de Groix is much smaller so stay close to the port of Tudy. Chris Elliott; author of ‘The Lost Railway Lines of l’Hérault’ and joint author of ‘Night Ferry 1936 – 1980’

The Herault & Aude Times

Train Journeys Special Holiday Train Passes N

early all train fares in Europe are based on the principle of yield load management similar to the low cost airlines. We have reached the point where one questions the wisdom of buying a special reduction card. The special fares are now often cheaper than a normal fare and using a senior, student or family card. In France a senior card can cost as much as 65€ The main principles are: 1) The earlier you book, the lower fares, 2) If you can select your departure time to match an off peak train, then your ticket is a lot cheaper. Taking into account the internet only booking trains the Ouigo, Idgs then it is possible to travel from Montpellier to Paris for as little as 26€ and again like the low fare airlines the final destination in the case of the turquoise coloured Ouigo TGV is an out of town smaller station east of Paris. On top of all of this SNCF offers Prem’

fares, a limited number of special low fare tickets sold on a first come first served. www.voyages-sncf.fr Looking outside of France the options are: The railway magazine ‘Today’s Railways’ Europe edition publishes an excellent guide from which the following extracts may be of special interest, this guide costs £4.45 and can be ordered direct from TR EU, tel: 00 44 114 255 2625. 1 To buy a one country rail pass (these are priced according to the country you choose and are referred to as bands, issued for travelling either 3,4,6, or 8 days in any one month): Band one includes France, Germany, the UK, Italy plus the ferries to Greece Prices: students: 147€ 3 days, 157€ 4 days, 199€ 6 days and 222€ 8 days Adults (26 aged to 59): 216€ 3 days, 237€ 4 days, 302€ 6 days and 334€ 8 days Band Two includes Austria, Italy, Norway, Spain and Sweden

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Prices: students: 129€ 3 days, 152€ 4 days, 184 € 6 days and 216 € 8 days Adults (26 to 59):190€ 3 days, 216€ 4 days, 281€ 6 days and 326€ 8 days 2 A multi country Interrail Global Pass These passes cover all participating countries, for any five days in ten, or ten days in 22 days, now known as the Pass Flexi, 15 or 22 days or one month of consecutive days, known as a Pass Continuous 3 Prices: 5 days in 10 184€, 10 in 22 269€, 15 days 312€, 22 days 345€ 1 month 442€ All of these special passes can be bought through: www.interrail.eu or www.myinternetrail.co.uk **

Wine Times

Rosemary George

White wines for summer drinking

Rosemary George Rosemary George was lured into the wine trade by a glass of the Wine Society’s champagne at a job interview and subsequently became one of the first women to become a Master of Wine, back in 1979. She has been a freelance wine writer since 1981 and is the author of eleven books. Both her first and last books were both about Chablis. Others include The Wines of New Zealand, two books on Tuscany, the most recent being Treading Grapes; Walking through the Vineyards of Tuscany, as well as The Wines of the South of France which covers the vineyards between from Banyuls and Bellet, from the Spanish to the Italian border, and also Corsica. She also contributes to various magazines such as Decanter, India Sommelier, www.zesterdaily.com and writes a blog on the Languedoc: www tastelanguedoc.blogspot.com

When we think of the Languedoc, we tend to think red wine. All the key appellations are based on red; Faugères, St. Chinian, Pic St. Loup, Terrasses du Larzac and Languedoc tout court. The one serious exception is Picpoul de Pinet, and there is also Clairette du Languedoc. And yet the quality and flavour of white wine from the Languedoc is improving with every vintage. Take Picpoul de Pinet. The original purpose of the vineyards around the Etang de Thau was to provide wine for Noilly Prat and other vermouths. Quality was of secondary importance as the flavour would be enhanced by herbs and spices, but with the falling demand for vermouth, the wine growers had had to up their game, and that they have done with great success. The two main cooperatives, of Pinet and Pomerols, both work extremely well for their appellation, offering good value refreshing drinking with fresh salty wines that compliment a plate of local seafood. And there are independent wine growers too, like Domaine Félines-Jourdan and Domaine de la Grangette, and several others. I am less convinced by the international grape varieties, namely Sauvignon and Chardonnay, as I think the climate of the Languedoc tends to be too warm for them, but there are exceptions to every rule. Viognier has happily transported itself from the northern Rhône, to make some convincing examples. Domaine des Trinités L’Invité Viognier for 8.50€ has fresh peachy fruit, with an elegant finish. Domaine de Clovallon les Aires is richer and more textured, but equally delicious. But even more rewarding are the blends, for La Clape, Faugères, St. Chinian, and plain Languedoc or Coteaux du Languedoc. Marsanne and Roussanne have been introduced from the Rhône Valley and along with Vermentino are now essential ingredients of Faugères Blanc and St. Chinian Blanc, both relatively new appellations. For white Faugères, try Allegro from

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Domaine Ollier Taillefer in Fos, or from Montpeyroux, L’Espérel from Villa Dondona. Another favourite is a pure Roussanne, Aurel, from Domaine des Aurelles in Caux. La Clape with its proximity to the sea produces some wonderfully sappy white wines, for which Bourboulenc is a key part of the blend. Try the white wines of Chateau d’Anglès, Mas de Soleilla or Château Rouquette sur Mer. Some producers are taking a new look at grape varieties that have been despised in the past, such as Carignan Blanc and Terret Blanc. Deborah and Peter Core have had great success with their Carignan Blanc, Clos des Papillons at Mas Gabriel. Domaine Conte de Floris, makes Lune Blanche with old Carignan, and Domaine PrésLasses in Autignac also favours Carignan blanc. For Terret Blanc, try Un Jour de Fête from Domaine la Fontude in Brenas. The variety is just as infinite as for red wine.

Laurence Turetti

B&Bs offering wine

he long stretch of free time in the summer holidays is the much awaited moment where, with Smartphone or computer switched off, you can put down your suitcase in a corner of the countryside, plant yourself in a garden chair and gaze around. Special moments with Chambres and Table Laurence Turetti is a historian d’hôtes as home ports. who has a ph.D. from the UniTheir owners, the ageold tradition of hospitalversity of Metz. Born in the ity ingrained, are the meAude into a family of vignerons, diators: good addresses, she returned to her home more unique discoveries and than ten years ago. Head of a above all initiation into lowine boutique in the centre of cal food and wine. Their Limoux, l’Atelier des Vignerons, world view is rendered she continues her search of all the more acute as they discovery across Languedochave often known other Roussillon for the pearls of the horizons before finding vineyards. the home of their dreams in a quaint village in Aude. Amélie Roujou de Boubee, based in Conques sur Orbiel for the last 5 years – Métairie Monplaisir - retains, from her former life in Argentina, an exclusively Latin vivacity and the pleasure of upholding traditions intact. Trained at Sauternes, she discovered the impressive variety of the wines of the Languedoc. The whites remain her favourite: la Cuvée Sans Titre no3 from Domaine Sarrat de Goundy, a La Clape appellation. At Alain Cavaillès, Domaine du Moulin d’Alon, she likes the Méthode Ancestrale Nostra Perla: 100% mauzac, a typically limouxin grape variety, this wine has low alcohol content (6% vol.) and is mild without excessive heaviness, with the added aroma of Granny Smiths apples. The clients, who are for the most part British, of Anthony Pinwill at Maison Laurent, often arrive with preconceived and somewhat dated ideas of a region that mass produces wines. After tasting,

Laurence Turetti

they are very surprised. From his wine list, Anthony offers local wines, notably Limoux Chardonnays and vintages less known, such as AOP Malepère. The Clos du Blason of Chateau Guilhem figures among his favourite wines. It is a blend of merlot (80%) and cabernet sauvignon (20%) aged in oak barrels for 18 months. Powerful wine, it is characterised by aromas of small black fruits, leather and chocolate. Tilly Howard, of Trésor, also welcomes an essentially Anglophone cliental who particularly appreciate varietal wines and discovering the attraction of Chardonnay. The Syrah of Domaine Gayda is replete with aromas of spice and licorice on the palate with notes of violet, and has enjoyed great success. A well-balanced and easily digestible wine in the style of the new world. For an intimate knowledge of Languedoc wines a meeting with Emma Kershaw should not be missed. After having taught oenology for many years she has created her own wine school which is fun and friendly, La Maison du Rire, in the heart of Corbières. In these havens of peace where the quiet and beauty of restorative locations, visitors are captivated by the charm of Aude wines where they discover the quality and enjoy the excellent relationship of value for money, thanks to these ambassadors who come from outside of the region.

Carnet d’adresse des trois B&B (Aude) : Métairie Monplaisir (Conques sur Orbiel) www.metairiemontplaisir.com Tel: + 33 4 68 25 87 16 Maison Laurent (Pieusse) - www.maisonlaurent.com Tel : +33 4 68 74 26 02 Le Trésor (Sonnac sur l’Hers)- www.le-tresor.com Tel : +33 4 68 69 37 94 Cours de dégustation : Emma Kershaw, La Maison du Rire - www.lamaisondurire.com + 33 4 68 33 07 61 Boutique en ligne : www.languedocwineshop.com

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Translation by Alison by Alison Reid The French VIEW _Translated

The French Take on World Cup Football. --------------------You know you’re watching the match with your girlfriend when… SPENDING A MONTH AND A HALF WATCHING ALL 64 MATCHES WITH YOUR MATESIS IMPOSSIBLE. BUT DON’T DESPAIR – DURING THE WORLD CUP, MADAME AND COMPANY WILL TAKE A SPORTING INTEREST AND WILL WATCH THEM WITH YOU! STUCK SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN JOY AND DISAPPOINTMENT, LOVE AND HATE, OPENNESS AND SELFISHNESS, WHITE WINE AND BEER, YOU WILL SHARE A LITTLE PART OF THIS WONDROUS TIME OF THE YEAR WITH THE ONE YOU LOVE MOST…BUT YOU KNOW YOU’RE WATCHING A MATCH WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND WHEN: - SHE DOESN’T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU NEED TO BE ON THE RIGHT CHANNEL AT LEAST TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE MATCH STARTS. AND TO BE HONEST, WHEN SHE ASKS YOU WHY, ALL YOU CAN DO IS QUOTE STEVIE WONDER: SUPERSTITION, MY DEAR… - Your pizza-eating experience isn’t quite the same. You wolf it down, saving your cheesy crusts for the grandfinale they deserve…but your first bite was lacking in serenity, and that’s the part that counts.

- You realise that this is a trade-off and that you’ll have to do something in return. And you hope that you’ll just have to watch a bit of reality TV rather than spend that weekend at your in-laws’ place… that weekend that you’ve successfully avoided for two years…

- You hear “why is there a guy dressed in yellow all by himself?” - You realise that you are a heartless being. Yup, you couldn’t care less whether this or that player is cold. Shame on you. - You feel concerned because you know that during the next 90 minutes you’re going to be a completely different person. Watching a match is like driving: as soon as it starts, you turn into someone else. A person that is not wholly respectable…

- It smells like nail varnish. You hate that smell.

- You’re as proud as punch when she comes out with the names of players on your side and discusses team tactics.

- She asks “Which team is Beckham playing in?”...during the Spain-Netherlands match.

- She’s not entirely aware that you’re actually watching a match: “Are you working tomorrow, babe?” “Uh, yeah… on Roja Directa”.

- So you take the opportunity to explain to her that Beckham is old and retired. And while you’re at it, you explain that that idiot Gourcuff isn’t in the World Cup because he’s always off injured and that Ronaldo’s six pack has just been beaten hands down by skinny rake, Thomas Müller’s, Germany.

- It smells like nail varnish remover. You hate that smell. Although it does remind you of the kids that sniffed Pritt Sticks in school.

- For the moment you’re happy, but you’re wondering how you’re going to explain to her that there’s another match tomorrow. - You hear: “So, the one that wins at the end is the champion?” Well, no. Not always… - And: “Why did he do that?”…Uh…just because? - She deliberately supports the opposing team. “Got to have a bit of competition, right babe?”. Yep, and competitive people can sleep on the sofa. - You hear: “So, if they lose, are they out?”

- So she asks “Why’s Zlatan not playing?”. - She asks “And if it finishes 0-0, it goes to penalties, right?” even in the group stages. - A player is considered ‘rubbish’ as soon as he misses a pass. Even if it’s Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo. - She wonders why you’ve never told her about Mats Hummels or Claudio Marchisio. Weirdly, you prefer talking to her about Joleon Lescott and Franck Ribéry.

Gary Jackson

Bespoke massage, Mobile service Group bookings taken. Thai massages, Reflexology, Neck and face massage, Reiki, Oil massage. Susannah 0652752445 / 0467243142 Based in Ceps / Cazedarnes 14

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Friendly Reliable Service

t: 06 23 33 30 22 e: gsj44@yahoo.co.uk

- You find yourself bizarrely out of your depths: she watched the Côte d’IvoireJapan match the other day when you were napping. - You hear the words “Ouch, that must hurt” after every header. - You’ve seen nothing of the match. That must because love makes you blind. Probably. - She tells you you’re not cool because thanks to you, she eats all kinds of rubbish… but that even so: “it’s artificial, but that powder that makes crisps taste like chicken is really yummy”.

The Elephant Blanc I

f you have a sudden, overwhelming pang for freshly cooked Thai food, The Elephant Blanc, a mobile Thai restaurant is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 18h-22h in Montady. Great, very reasonably priced food from an impressive extensive menu offering dishes from traditional Pad Thai to duck/chicken/or pork Phat Muang, all prepared fresh on site. We also noticed lots of options for vegetarians. Orders can be telephoned in advance. Location: parking lot of the tennis court at Montady. Opening hours are from 6pm to 10pm Tuesday through Sunday. Tel: 06 51 71 00 23 (Eng/Fr spoken) Definitely not a white elephant!

CAN YOU HELP? A READER WRITES AND ASKS FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE

Translated by Alison Reid Written by the SoFoot.com team

his is Moustache. He is a delightful twoyear old small dog (about the size of a big Westie) who was neglected and then abandoned in our village, when there was a divorce in his family. Moustache is looking for a new home for life now. He is a smashing dog, absolutely great with children and other dogs, house trained and very affectionate. He has had a skin problem around his eyes which is being treated. He is great in the car and patient on the lead. He is not good with cats. He will need to be vaccinated and chipped. He is a really fun little dog but he was very neglected and now he needs good care and attention in a loving home. Please contact:david@toosh.biz

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GTBY Summer holidays: What to do What not to Do..... By Aisha Foulger

o the summer has arrived prematurely since the spring and been neglected by the 30 degree heat and the lack of rain. But still hey, I was swimming in the Mediterranean in April! The poor losers in more northern European climes couldn’t boast about swimming in the sea without the aid of a wet suit or the gritting of teeth or shrunken genitals. Regardless, the temperature of the sea is now delicious, therefore time spent on the beach is crucial, whether flopping down on to the sand, sweating like a pig, trying to accomplish that leathery

brown glow with the aid of Tropicana oil and pretending to be a Baywatch star; or pathetically and slowly making your way into the sea, cringing as the water reaches your tummy; or you could just hang out naked on a yacht - not a leisurely activity of mine, but definitely a pastime of some friends of mind from Sète. Personally, I enjoy drinking Desperados in my faithful Etam swim suit (a design so common that two other girls were wearing it at a pool party recently, all with varying sizes of bodacious racks), going into the sea and swimming laps, and then coming out the water feeling like Pamela Anderson (haha). Sète is the beach I would recommend going to since there is a certain intimacy within the walls of the cliffs - and sometimes you see shirtless boys jumping off the ledges, not suicide attempts, just simply showing off, whilst casually checking to see if anyone was watching. Other fun occupations during the sum16

mer, not including drinking cheap beer amongst the grape vines and falling into the dirt from low tolerance, are camping, concerts, skinny dipping, cycling, village fetes rubbing shoulders with the village elders, cringing as you watch your parents dancing and reminiscing to Michael Jackson, and Duran Duran - otherwise you can enjoy a tacky Paul Selmar production of glitter, feathers and fish nets. During my first summer in France I was worried about transport and wanting to avoid the rolling eyes of my mother upon request of a lift. My first summer consisted of being stranded in a small village, so notably lacking young blood that buses don’t even pass through! Therefore, that summer consisted of long walks to a nearby larger village with friends to buy tobacco and cider; evenings playing truth and dare, swimming in the river, stealing grapes – I’m casually painting a picture of minor delinquency. If you don’t have the luxury of taxi drivers called mother and father, or have mistakenly neglected your driving theory test like I did, you can rely on your two espadrille clad, flip flopped feet, a bike, pony, or hitch hiking, depending on the tightness of the frontiers within your household or your mind - the bike is my favourite means of transport seeing as this is a country full of spandex-clad enthusiasts. Although this would depend on your financial liberties (i.e. limiting spending splurges and so you don’t end up mystified by your suddenly empty wallet like me), or your padlock busting skills considering the number of bicycles left in front of super markets. If you enjoy trains I would recommend taking your tush around France. I have made excursions to Carcassonne, Toulouse and Lyon over the summer. Accommodation isn’t a problem as I would highly recommend ‘Couch surfing’, an on-line organization fostering polite exchanges and The Herault & Aude Times

requests for a free couch in exchange for doing the washing up, and tidying up after yourself (like your mama would tell you). You might meet a friend for life this way! But the site does specify that it is not a dating site and does not encourage amorous hook ups. Statistically in France condom sales are at their highest peak in August, which does speak for itself. As well as couch surfing, I would recommend checking out the numerous free concerts held throughout the summer in various villages across the region - music varies from reggae, hip hop, rock, jazz, and samba. Failing that you can dance on the beach and enjoy sunrises and sunsets! I plan on wearing glittery eye makeup and short shorts for festivals and concerts this summer! Another budget friendly means of transport is car sharing for long distance journeys, during which you can engage in awkward or flowing dialect with your chauffeur and other passengers (see below for web details). I’m a big fan of learning the basics of the language wherever you go (‘bonjour’, ‘salut, ça va’, ‘oui, je vais super bien’, ‘il fait beau aujourd’hui’,’ un café au lait s’il vous plait’ ‘Si si je parle français’!). I have incessantly bitched at my ignorant English friends not bothering to learn any of the basics, from being able to fluently order a beer to enquiring where the train station is. I cringe when I witness tourists asking for a bowl of ice cream in English.

In conclusion, the summers in the Languedoc can be awesome if you don’t spend your time shut up indoors on Face book and envying your friends holiday photos of Australia. Dance, cycle, explore, swim, drink H2o and be open to romance and music and shake what ya mama gave ya!

Sites: couchsurfing.org;

blablacar.fr

GUYS AND MESS Is it really only sex that makes guys clean and tidy?

hat is it with men and mess? Generally a tidy up is only initiated when there is the opportunity of a sexual encounter. If the sex is spontaneous you can find yourself in a hazardous environment of dejected dirty plates and ash filled mugs and neglected crisp packets. I have never encountered such a specimen of dirt I would point out (for my parents) , my roommate of last year however can be categorized as dirty. Sometimes for my own personal perverse entertainment i’d peak into his bedroom when he wasn’t there just to look at this desolate environment and feel sorry for his girlfriend waking up to this carnage of tomato sauce encrusted plates; to give you an idea, we had a cupboard of twelve plates, about ten or eleven littering the contents of his floor soon to be abandoned in the sink. Before,

when sex was potential available he’d tidy up and bring his girlfriend over. Then once his girlfriend became used to the grime they would occasionally fill the sink with this detritus as it became unhygienic even for him (he ate pasta and tomato sauce with processed cheese, nothing else) and drank weak instant coffee in the mornings which he would neglectfully spill all over the counter and floor ignoring the dejected sponge innocently waiting for use in the sink. He would on occasion mop the floors so the ambiance wouldn’t become too hostile as I would bare my teeth at him and condescendingly sigh in his direction as if he were my overgrown bean pole of a son while in fact he was three years my senior, an ignorant lost boy who didn’t know how to turn the washing machine on because his mother had always dealt with his dirty un-

derwear for him. We both did our art foundation year together and he did a performance in the street where he hung his washing between a bus stop and a stop sign ( I know, what?). My teacher leaned in and pointed out that the evidence pointed to the fact that his mother clearly hung his washing out for him whilst in truth saying without words that this boychild is 22 years old, please help him! This article may come across immature and juvenile, looking down at my roommate’s delinquently messy ways, but I’m not perfect either. I recently discovered a mug next to my bed with a tea bag inside which had grown vegetation. And when questioned I looked up and smiled and said.....sorry, I’ve been busy!

Bored? Go on, see if your guy is into you, will he watch these with you........ When Harry Met Sally, You’ve got Mail, Music & Lyrics, Never Been Kissed..... If he is still there it is love!

0609 540 662 - 0499 416 180 enquiries@problemsolved.info

PROBLEM SOLVED Renovations, Handyman Services, UK tv www.theheraultandaudetimes.com

Barbeque

“From the Bear

Jed (right) ready for the BBQ

istorical research has me convinced that the origin of the word “Barbeque”, stems from the old Anglo-Norman “barbeque”, a contraction of the French expression “barbe-à-queue”, “de la barbe à la queue”, “from the beard to the tail”, in which manner the kid (goat) was spitted through, and roasted slowly over an open fire. While Barbeque may be French in origin it has clearly taken the world by storm. Today, I belong to an organization known as THE KANSAS CITY BARBEQUE SOCIETY (KCBS), it is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and enjoying barbeque, and currently is the world’s largest organization of barbeque and grilling enthusiasts with over 15,000 m e m b e r s worldwide. Having recently moved here from Florida and being the only competitive cook team (The Sultans of Sting)

what team has presented which entry. The meats are judged on 1.) Presentation 2.) Taste 3.) Tenderness. Each box must contain a minimum of 6 samples as there are 6 judges at each table. Here is a typical turn in box of ribs (cont)

o far to represent the Country of France in the KCBS organization, I was eager to participate in the recent competition held last month in Hasselt, Belgium. However, our house in Ventenac is currently undergoing extensive remodeling and I was unable to properly prepare for the competition and opted to participate as a judge rather than a cook team. The weather that weekend was terrible, it was cold and rainy, but it had little effect on the competing teams. All the teams must cook meats in 4 different categories. The categories are Chicken, Pork Ribs, Pork Shoulder aka Boston Butt, and Beef Brisket. All the entries are turned in at approximately 30 minute intervals and are submitted in plain white Styrofoam boxes and are numbered blindly so that no one judging has any idea 18

The Herault & Aude Times

Diary of a wine Domaine

rd to the Tail” While many people will argue over what is considered real Barbeque and what is not I for one believe that the gathering of family and friends around a grill or bbq pit is as close to a primal instinct as you can get. I love to play with fire and food. I have several different types of cooker now and each has it’s own distinct character and function. It’s funny how the arsenal grows based on recipes I have developed and the different techniques I employ.

Judging by the looks of the DYI Bricos around me, the barbeque season is upon us once more. As for me it’s always barbeque season. Barbeque styles vary regionally and in fact, globally. However the intent of KCBS is to promote the American Style of Barbeque and so far, from what I have seen of their International effort, they continue to dominate the scene. The international gastronomic society, Chaîne des Rôtisseurs is based on the traditions and practices of professional French meat roasters. Their written history has been traced back to 1248. King Louis XII awarded them an official coat of arms in 1610. It consists of two crossed turning spits and four larding needles, surrounded by flames of the hearth on a shield encircled by fleur-de-lis and a chain representing the mechanism used to turn the spit. Today’s Kansas City Barbeque Society is in some way, a cousin of the Chaîne. So I say “When in Rome do as the Romans” Break out your gear and get cookin! After all, it’s a French thing! For recipes and general information regarding outdoor cooking I recommend www.bbq-brethren. com Look for certified KCBS cooking and judging classes to be held this fall in Ventenac en Minervois. Write me, Jed Thompson at Charredapron@icloud.com

THE OFFICE OF A WINE DOMAIN

It’s not all drinking wine on the terrace you know...

THE BUSY TIME OF YEAR

he summer season has well and truly started, at the Château this is our busiest time. I have been developing our events programme with my colleagues which has taken me to the far reaches of our vineyards and back. As we host tours where we visit the vineyard for a morning, and I had to write the marketing materials, I got to spend a wonderful morning with our winemaker Melanie, touring our vineyards. We took a walk in the Pech which faces the sea and is surrounded by beautifully preserved dry stone walls and small capitelles, little dry stone constructions that vignerons used to rest in or seek refuge from the scorching heat. In this pretty vineyard in a forest are about 30 cherry trees that were in blossom, birds singing and rabbits hopping by! A quick visit to the Belveze plateau where we grow a lot of different grape varieties and where Melanie passionately told us about how they work in the vines there and how proud she was of the beautifully planted and trellised vines that she had been responsible for – only a wine maker could show such enthusiasm for something that to the uninitiated seems so mundane! Then, up the roads above the chateau, moving deeper into the countryside and onto the magnificent Cazelles Plateau. It was

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overcast, but nonetheless, spectacular, the wind swept forcefully through the vines, eagles circled overhead and soared down to try to catch their prey, the foothills of the Pyrenees rose in the distance and grouse away from us. Melanie again was a font of interesting facts, such as why we have very little grass at the feet of the vines (so that the nourishment is not diverted from the vines to the grass) and how we get rid of it (rather than use chemicals we prefer to turn over the land manually). She also told us how this land will become the first ‘Premier Cru’ in the Languedoc in the not too distant future. My marketing mind began to race with ideas as to how I could promote the already delicious Roc de Bô wines that come from this terroir once they got the ‘Premier Cru’ stamp, a passion that she in turn found amusing and foreign! I usually spend my time in the office, so this literal breath of fresh air was welcome, invigorating and informative. It gave me the inspiration necessary to produce our programme of events and accompanying publicity, from a practical perspective. Add to that my work in finding and booking artists to exhibit and lately talking to the new chef at our restaurant about which wines to pair with which dishes and recipes he can create with our wines in mind, my job this month has been a veritable feast of culture and discovery. Tara Lechartier

Marketing & Communication

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HT Life Style in partnership with

Lerab Ling Buddhist Centre

Why I say no to Diets. Keith Desmond

confess that as I approach40 I have noticed a slight tightening of the trousers and a little less energy but I am not going to worry anymore. I have had a self-image issue for most of my life even though I have played sport (football and tennis and squash) and am in reasonably good health. But herein lies the issue. 1. I am a man and 2. I have been on every diet fad since my mid 20’s. Diets aren’t new. Yet the industry still booms; pills, books, designer foods. You name it it’s out there. We really are obsessed with dieting. And now we have the guru! Be it a doctor, celebrity or fitness trainer there is a guru for everyone. In the last 6 months I confess to having read or tried the following. The FLEXITARIAN DIET. Fun this, it suggests you become a vegetarian but you can eat meat. The PESCATARIAN DIET. Bill Clinton likes this. Eat fish! The OMNIVOROUS DIET. This one is a favourite with friends as they believe they save the planet and don’t care about weight loss. The MASTERCLEANSE DIET. This is the diet Beyonce goes for and if it’s good enough for her then it’s good enough for me. Or so I thought. Maple syrup, check, water, check, cayenne pepper, NO, lemon juice, NO. Mix them together and eat nothing else. I don’t

Maggie’s Column PERSONAL COACH & HYPNOTHERAPIST

Goal Searching Last month we looked at setting goals and why having them can be what motivates us to live a better life. But what if we don’t have any goals; if we find it hard to know what we want? Occasionally when we can’t see what it is we want in the future, it’s because we’re focussing on the present without daring to look at what’s ahead. The future may seem scary, or uncertain. At times like these we need to take a step back and view the bigger picture. From here, if we can identify with what’s important to us, we can see our lives as having more possibilities. One way to do this is to sit quietly, away 20

think so. And then I had a brainwave. Don’t have second helpings, go for a walk and drink water before a meal. I lost 7 kg and saved a fortune. I say we are all beautiful to someone so live a little. We live in a place where olive oil and fresh produce are abundant. Diets are a cash cow to people and organisations who prey on our fear and self-loathing. Eat healthy, exercise a little and drink water. Your body will help you if you help it. KD 2014

from your day to day routine, and begin to make a list of what’s really important to you. Don’t think too hard; simply write down things that you value. Answer the question: What’s really important to me in my life? What will you write? Money, family, having fun, helping others, quiet time, being with other people, trust, courtesy, relationships, respect. See if you can list at least eight values. Next is to put your list in order of importance: Begin with the first two things on your list and ask yourselves, if I could have 1 and not 2, would that be OK? If the answer is yes, go to the next one and ask the question again. If I could have 1 and not 3, would that be OK? Until you come to a no. Then you know that something is more important than 1. Take that one and keep going down the list comparing each one until you come to the most important. Put that one to one side and start again with the remaining values until you have them in a hierarchy from most important to less important. Now take the top one, say it’s relationships, and ask yourself what’s really imThe Herault & Aude Times

portant about relationships. You may put belonging. Then do it again and ask what’s really important about belonging. Say you put down being loved and one more time, what’s really important about being loved, perhaps feeling safe. Then do the same with the second and the third on your list. Once you have done this with the first three values in your hierarchy, you may find that there is a pattern that is emerging that is allowing you to dig deep inside yourself to see what you need in your life to feel happy and content. Then the big question. Looking at everything you have written down that is important to you, make a statement that begins with I am …., or I can …., or even I will …., and be curious about what words follow the statements. This will highlight what your future needs to look like for you to design some goals, and make plans on how to get there. Maggie is a personal coach and hypnotherapist: If you wish to contact her personally to discuss any issues, please email: maggie@maggieminter.co.uk

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HT Life Style in partnership with

Lerab Ling Buddhist Centre Cancer Support France – Languedoc

Walk for Life 2014 - 21 September

his year CSF Languedoc will be running its fourth annual Walk for Life. This is one of the biggest fundraising events in our calendar, regularly raising thousands of euros through sponsorship and/or donations from participants. We spend this money in two main ways: • on the expenses and training of our volunteers, who provide face-to-face, email and telephone support (both practical and emotional) to Anglophones in the area affected by cancer • on the provision of monthly (excl Jul/Aug/Dec) Drop in Days in Pezenas, where people can access complementary therapies, information and space to talk The walk will be starting and ending at the Domaine de la Clapière, Montagnac, showcasing two different walks (one approximately 5km and one approximately 10 km). These are on the Domaine’s land and therefore not usually open to the public. We are very grateful to have the opportunity to open up a walk that will be unique and we aim to have both walks led by a guide. The previous three Walk for Life events have also taken place in the Montagnac area, and whilst the walks have always been fun, this is the first time that we will have a sun and rain-proof area (with parking) from which to operate. Those who have baked in the sun or got a bit wet before will, we hope, appreciate this addition! This year we also have a Fish and Chip lunch (+ dessert) available for 12 euros, with wine available for sale by the Domaine. Booking for the lunch is essential, as numbers must be indicated to the caterers in advance. It is your support of events like this that allows us to have a team of about 20 Active Listeners providing support to 20-25 clients at any one time. To quote a client who recently wrote a piece about their experience of receiving this support, “…I phoned CSF and everything, and I mean everything, was taken off my hands. Help, advice, phone calls, mentors were all taken care off. My husband met my active listener and she and others supported him endlessly and he knew he had back up too. We felt relieved and comforted to know we had this wonderful network at the end of a phone.” To register for or make enquiries about the Walk for Life 2014, please email: csflwalk@gmail.com or phone: 04 67 89 46 51

us, please phone us and leave contact details on our Helpline number: 04 67 44 87 06 or email us on: csf.languedoc@gmail.com

If anyone is currently affected by cancer and would like to contact

General information and updates about services and events, including contact details and Drop in Days can be found on our website: www.csf-languedoc.com

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THE HAT SUPPORTS CSF

The Music Page - In partnership with:

‘Family Trees’ RichardOn Pullen Music

Summertime. That can only mean three things – The living is easy, huge sporting events and music festivals. So how does this connect within the context of ‘Family Trees’ you may ask? It’s simple, Gilles Peterson. The London based DJ, radio presenter and all-round tastemaker has produced a startling aural companion to this year’s massive sporting event (that’s the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, in case you didn’t know!). Earlier this year Peterson travelled to Brazil with the intention of producing an album that would capture as many elements of that country’s wide spectrum of sounds. The result of this endeavour is ‘Sonzeira – Brasil Bam Bam Bam’ (Talkin’ Loud). The range of musical styles is as vast as the country itself; there are touches of samba, bossa, batucada, tropicalia and much, much more. The cast of artists contributing to the project includes Brazilian legends such as Seu Jorge and Nana Vasconcelos. The nicest surprise is a Brazilian reworking of 80s dance floor classic ‘Southern Freeeze’. The Peterson effect arrives in our region in early July when he presents the latest version of his

Worldwide Music Festival at Sète (30th June – 6th July). Drop by to catch live sets from artists that you probably don’t yet know but are likely to be making waves in the music world over the next year. Gilles will, of course, be behind the decks ensuring that the crowd keeps moving. Don’t forget, as mentioned in our previous column, to stay around in Sète for the jazz festival later in July. Highlights are sure to include performances from John Scofield’s Uberjam Band (15th) and the wonderfully soulful vocals of Gregory Porter (17th). Sticking with the Gilles Peterson family tree, watch out for the new release by Brooklyn-based vocalist Jose James, ‘While You Were Sleeping’ (Blue Note). This is James’ fifth album to date and shows a further development in his musical journey. James got his first break from – you guessed it – Gilles Peterson! His first two albums caused a bit of a stir when they were released on Gilles’ Brownswood record Label (remember my album of the year so far by Zara McFarlane is also on Brownswood). Jose now finds himself sitting pretty at the spiritual home of all true jazz lovers – Blue Note records. His new offering builds on the laid back vibe set by last year’s ‘No Beginning No End’ by revealing a more diverse range of styles. There are now rockier elements, thanks to the addition of a guitarist to his regular working band. The album highlight is, ironically, not one of James’ own compositions but a glorious version of Al Green’s classic ‘But Beautiful’. Last month I talked about going to see Cecile McLorin Salvant at “ Sortie Ouest “ in Béziers and about having interviewed her on the telephone . Well Cecile definitely didn’t disappoint and shoots straight to number one in the Pullen Voice competition but I would have preferred her to be a little more modern in her choice of material - she proved that she can sing like an angel so it would have been a gas to hear her try some newer and riskier stuff - Aaron Diehl on the piano was a particular joy and you should check out his trio if you get a chance (www.aarondiehl.com ) See you all in Sète ?

25JULY - THE JACKSONS, CARCASSONNE15 OCTOBER, KYLIE MINOGUE 17 JULY, LANA DL REY - 30 JULY, JAMES BLUNT - 20 JULY, FRANZ FERDINAND THE HAT HAS TICKETS - WATCH THIS SPACE TO WIN! 22

The Herault & Aude Times

What’s In a name?

Sue Hicks looks into history through Street names.

ouise Michel rose from an inaus-

picious start in life to become one of most prominent women during the Paris Commune, nicknamed the Red Virgin of Montmartre. She was born in 1830, the daughter of either the master or son of the chateau Vroncourt and a servant, Marianne Michel, and was raised as the grand-child of the family. Louise Michel became a teacher, one of the few occupations available to women at the time. On the death of her grandparents, Louise Michel moved with her mother to Paris. Refusing to swear allegiance to the Emperor Napoleon III, she was not permitted to work in a state school so she opened a series of private schools. Her methods were unusual including having animals in the classrooms and welcoming and teaching of children with learning difficulties alongside their peers. In Paris, she met some of the leading thinkers and activists of the day, continued teaching and became increasingly involved in the problems of the poor. Her own lines reveal her anger, her passion and sense of injustice

“I have seen criminals and whores And spoken with them. Now I enquire If you believe them made as they now are To drag their rags in blood and mire Preordained an evil race? You to whom all men are prey Have made them what they are today”. During the Franco-Prussian War 18701871, Paris was besieged. Workers were called up into an armed National Guard but when the surrender came, many refused to hand in their weapons and set up the Paris Commune. Elections were held for city government and in a festival atmosphere public meetings discussed issues of social justice and personal freedom, the role of the church and organised co-operatives. Louise Michel led the Women’s Vigilance committee, was involved in political clubs which met in churches, organised ambulances and, sometimes dressed in men’s uniform, herself fired at troops. After 72 days, the exasperated government sent in troops and “the most crucial event of nineteenth century working-class history” ended with the estimated death of 16-25,000 men, women and children. Louise Michel escaped but gave herself up when she heard that her mother had been arrested in her place. Prisoner Number One, Louise Michel put up no defence to the many charges which included trying to overthrow the republic and

encouraging citizens to arm. She infuriated the court with her challenge “Since it seems that any heart which beats for freedom has the right only to a lump of lead, I too claim my share. If you let me live, I shall never stop crying for revenge and I shall avenge my brothers. I have finished. If you are not cowards, kill me” They dared not make a martyr of her and she was exiled to New Caledonia where after a four month journey the group of urban people were dumped on a hot malarial island and left to fend for themselves. Louise taught other prisoners and their children, became an amateur anthropologist, studying the indigenous Kanak people and wrote plays and poems. Freed under the 1880 amnesty, Louise Michel returned to an enormous welcome from a crowd of 7,000 at the Gare St Lazaire. She continued to support and radicalise the poor and was imprisoned 3 more times, including a 6 year sentence of solitary confinement, for her involvement in the bread riots of 1883. She was shot in the head while at the theatre but refused to prosecute. She fled from further prosecution and spent some time in London where she was known as “the good woman” setting up a school in Fitzrovia which was closed down when a bomb, possibly planted by the police, was found on the premises. Travelling throughout Europe and as far as Algeria, Louise Michel preached anarchist, anti-imperialist ideas arguing that “Power monopolised is evil”. Louise Michel died in Marseilles in 1905 and her body was taken back to Paris where, accompawww.theheraultandaudetimes.com

nied by a vast crowd, she was interred at the cemetery Levallois-Perret. 209 street names celebrate this remarkable woman as well as numerous educational establishments and a station on the Paris metro. Louise Michel, feminist before the term was coined, is a rousing final subject for this series French History Through Street Names.

OK IN MY BACKYARD

Richard Simpson-Birks

o tell you the truth I was more than a little bit miffed when the building permission notice was posted. A thousand square metres of industrial building opposite my idyllic little corner of the Languedoc seemed to me a bit excessive. So being as I am ‘anything for a quiet life’, I promptly shoved my head in the sand and waited to see what happened.

It was the appearance of what looked suspiciously like bales of straw on the site, lots of them, that set me off - my curiosity was immediately cranked up into top gear. I sneaked across the lane to inspect, and lo! It was not a pile of straw, but very solid stone, like huge toy building bricks. As the outsize bricks were expertly manoeuvred, cemented and set into place as if they were weightless. There was nothing for it but to beard the lion in his den. As in all civilised administrations agriculture in the Languedoc is excused planning permission, so opting to join civilisation. I have decided to go 24

calling. Patrice Gros smiles a self-deprecating smile, and explains why, when domains and cave co-ops are closing left right and centre, he is building a new one from scratch. The family domaine is too small and anyway is now largely lotissement in urban Clermont L’Herault. It has been crowded into 3 hectares of land so Patrice is renting land nearby to bring the holding up to 40 hectares. The big block building is destined to be a passive temperature controlled winery, housing all the accoutrements of modern wine production. The stone is from the Gard and is light honey in colour, and as I sit here on Patrice’s terrace I can see a triple genoise being installed. The building is obviously a serious step towards a top quality domaine. Patrice knows what he wants: merely to make wine of the highest quality, improving year on year. He knows what he needs to make it: just the best quality vines looked after and cossetted. The elusive concept of terroir is the most important to Patrice – not that it is elusive to him, it is the man in the street that needs enlightening, and that includes me. Patrice tells me it is an amalgam of everything that has impact on the final product, including (but not limited to) soil, weather, time of planting of The Herault & Aude Times

vines, sun, surrounding hills, etc. etc. The most important ingredient though as far as Patrice is concerned is Patrice himself. He recognises he will do well only if he understands perfectly his own terroir.

Visit: Patrice Gros, Mas Rene Guilhem, Chemin de la Faience, 34800 Clermont L’Herault

Hérault Baby! Having a baby in France.

Tel 0675 66 04 62 or 0680 42 94 13 This 35 year old oozes knowledge and confidence. Talking to him reveals a pragmatic hard-nosed operator – he persuaded Credit Agricole Bank that he is a safe pair of hands. I don’t know if bank officials are allowed to sample the merchandise, but I know he makes some stunning wines. I look again across to the big block building. I now see imposing solidity, an edifice, built to last. I see a purpose made no nonsense tool and permanence And I hear a rallying cry to the industry to get off its knees and invest in a new future. He has an immediate critical item to work on; apart from the regional ‘must have’ grape varieties of Syrah, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Viognier and Carrignan, there are Vermentino, and Roussane to understand and raise. And just think of the endless variations of taste and bouquet available to beguile the client at a degustation. Patrice has already won medals for his cantagrive, his viognier/chardonnay and his oaked syrah/mourvedra/grenache. He tells me his secret is to understand the terroir. He stands on the threshold of a brave new enterprise. I wish him well.

SO CLOSE.. Here we are, heading towards the finish line of the pregnancy and 38 weeks through. Technically speaking I am at term now and can safely deliver the baby despite their being another 3 weeks until our due date. So it’s shaping up to be an exciting waiting game! There is certainly more of me to carry about and since the heat really kicked off we have been making evening pilgrimages to the beach just to lower that core body temperature and get a good night’s sleep. Phew! The ‘cours de preparation’ at Beziers hospital is very good and has put our minds at rest in so many ways. It is very informative and covers a comprehensive range of birthing subjects; there are about seven 90 minute sessions to sign up for and the father is welcome along. On realising that the hospital

was our primary birth option at the start of the pregnancy we were initially concerned that I would be drugged up, strapped down and the baby whipped out by any means necessary. However, as a midwife led unit it is great to know that they are really keen for you to take charge in as much as you feel capable and that their caesarean rate is lower than the private facilities available locally (20-30%; most of which are pre-planned). Should you wish to prepare for your birth elsewhere (haptonomy for example), the key hospital visit is the ‘cours de pere’ which is a tour of the unit. Not only is it nice to meet other pregnant couples, but you have the time to ask all those little (or not so little) questions about the practicalities of your arrival and stay. So, that’s it! Anytime now we will be three… And in terms of the system support we are really happy, it’s been an easy adjustment to make and everyone we’ve been in contact with has been fabulous. The best of everything to expectant families out there! **

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Napoleon Stripped

having one morning, the radio tuned to France Inter, I got the clear tones of Lionel Jospin laying out the options in the Ukraine affair. Impressive. Looking him up on Wikipedia, he moved from the Communist Party to join the Socialists. A university teacher and economist by trade he was first secretary for the Socialists, stood for President and lost against Chirac in 1995 and held the post of Premier Ministre when Mitterand introduced the 35 hour week. He has recently published Le Mal Napoléonien. Meat for me because I have never been able to fathom out how Napoleon got away with causing so much havoc in Europe, Egypt, Spain, and finally Russia. Jospin examines what for him is the misplaced ‘gloire’ attached to his name; quite brave for a Frenchman! His book follows Napoleon’s fifteen year trail and asks if the goals set out, the means and sacrifices demanded and the results obtained were fruitful. Jospin’s conclusion is ‘nul point’ on

everything. He admits in the foreword that enough has been written about the history of Napoleon. His book is more about the effect Bonapartism had on the nation at the time and how it lingers on to the present day. Bonapartism being, maybe, the desire to let a good man have his head. Ridiculously risky. The 1789 trauma and the reign of terror created the desire for a strong leader to maintain order and stability. Napoleon, famously, quelled a food riot in July 1789 using his canonry expertise. Attracting attention this Corsican aristocrat was called upon by a handful of men (Barras, Lucien Bonaparte (his brother),Cambacérès, Roger Ducos , Fouché , and Talleyrand) to head up a coup d’état in November 1799. He already had some battles under his belt in Italy. The coup d’état successfully formed the Consulat, leaving existing institutions but completely subverting them all one way or The Herault & Aude Times

another. Napoleon became lifetime consulate, then Emperor. Even the church was subverted with prayers for his success and lip service to the glorious revolution of the French people. Interestingly, the revolution had not given every man a right to vote, not to mention women. Voting was for a selected group of people who then chose people to form a government. This was the path to steal the state. The revolution shook the remaining monarchies of Europe, and was greatly feared. Napoleon’s pretentions to remove and democratise them would seem legitimate. But his real agenda was to conquer them all. Aged 20 at the time of the revolution he knew all the leaders but his gut feeling craved order and from birth he was steeped in the connections and desires of an aristocrat. After a conquest he set up no model of French democracy. The truth is that he feared the people. He placed his own family in charge (his brother Joseph

d Bare King of Italy, subsequently moved to Spain; Louis to Holland; Jérôme to Westphalia; and his brother-in-law, Murat, to Naples) and did deals with the existing power brokers. He set great store by old fashioned means of marriage to seize and maintain power; his own marriage to Marie-Louise of Austria, for instance. This is definitely not what you would expect from a democrat. And how real were the victories? Napoleon was no stranger to propaganda (lies) .800, 000 died in the French army, of whom 600,000 were French conscripts. The rich could buy themselves out, so the army was made up of the poor. Their only incentive was the despoils of war and a short life. Where was the justice in that? Napoleon’s success relied on swift and surprising movements. Men exhausted from long marches were rushed into battle with no rest or full bellies. The extra losses from this conduct did not weigh heavily on his conscience it seems. Spain was one such disaster too far since there was no supplies of food and materiel. Wellington may have been slow to overwhelm the army , but he took time to build up stores ensuring success. The manner of conquest in no way endeared the conquered to the French and thus no seeds of long term alliance were sown. The countryside was stripped to feed the French army; and wholesale looting was common place, the results of which won no friends. The policy of the European Continental blockade against trade with England was a disaster for the Baltic countries and France itself was being crippled in its restricted trade. Napoleon seems to have been neither a politician nor an economist. Just a vain soldier.

Richard Fowler Nelson burned the French fleet at Agadir, while Napoleon was charging round Egypt. That didn’t stop him leaving the army and rushing back to Paris to maintain his position. The same happened when he nipped back to Paris in advance of his tattered and desperate army on their way home from the Moscow defeat. His credit ran out when the allies Austria, Prussia and Russia arrived in Paris on 6th April 1814 and the Peace Treaty of Paris was signed. But as in a good Hitchcock film Napoleon comes back one more time to lead his army at Waterloo. Given past history it seems difficult to understand how he could be given that additional chance to redeem himself. Wellington, Blucher and the rain did the business and this time, captured, he was finally exiled to St Helena. Jospin cites others who tied to use Bonapartism to support their point of view, one being Marshall Pétain (a successful and admired general from the Great War, was cut out to lead the rump of France from Vichy after Paris had been overrun by the Germans in 1940). De Gaulle seems to escape this definition, always going back to the people for a referendum or vote when things got tricky. Altogether the book is a thorough, readable, and precise study of this infamous

French ‘tyrant’. Jospin’s honesty is admirable. Le Mal Napoléonien by Lionel Jospin (ISBN978-2-02-116317-9 Editions Seuil, March 2014)

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- NINE #1 HITS - THE BEST SELLING SINGLE IN MOTOWN HISTORY

THE JACKSONS

JACKIE, JERMAINE, MARLON AND TITO TALK TO THE HAT

arcassonne has a festival that is always a great occasion even if it is occasionally plagued by idle gossip and suspect local organisation. Superstars, local bands, the whole gamut arrives and we flock to see the old and the new and the coming. And this year if you look at the line up there is one gig that you should cancel the visitors, take the phone off the hook and get ready for a funk and disco celebration with music royalty. The 25th July 2014 at the Carcassonne Festival you have the chance to see one of music’s great families and a band that to this day influences music from a range as far as Celine Dion to Usher. Yes, mark the day, for Jackie, Marlon, Jermaine and Tito, better known as The Jacksons are coming. We spoke to the brothers:

THE HAT: Hello to all of you! Regular guys from Gary, Indiana. Currently you are in Paris. So how is the French leg going? Are you 28

eating croissants and coffee for breakfast? THE JACKSONS The French leg of the tour is going great! We love travelling and performing for our fans all over the world. THE HAT: Jackie, you are the oldest. Are you in charge? Do you lay down the law to these youngsters? THE JACKSONS I don’t need to! We’re all adults now and we all work together as a family. THE HAT: The Unity Tour has been a great success to this point. You play classic Jackson 5 hits, some of Michaels hits and more. How did you decide on the set list? Was it a group decision? And which tracks really connect with the crowds? THE JACKSONS We’re playing all the hits and putting on a feel-good, high-energy show for the fans. The hardest thing to do was narrowing down the song list because we have so many songs, and fans want to hear those songs in each show. So with certain songs we do a shortened version of them, or hook some of them onto others so we can take ourselves and the audience back down memory lane. We definitely tried to pick some of Michael’s most exciting songs too, so the fans get a little bit of everything.

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THE HAT: Who were your biggest musical influences when you were growing up? We ran a poll and everything came out Motown. THE JACKSONS Our biggest influences were James brown, Jackie Wilson, the Isley brothers , the Temptations , and Smokey Robinson. THE HAT: And who do you guys listen to now? THE JACKSONS We actually love a lot of the younger artists…Bruno Mars is great. THE HAT: If you had to start again and music was not an option, what would you have liked to do? THE JACKSONS I love sports; I would have been a baseball player (-Jackie) THE HAT: How is it different on the road now compared to the 70s before the turmoil and media intrusion? THE JACKSONS It is a lot different. Technology has certainly changed things. Although we do really love being able to connect with our fans on social media (fans can follow us @ Jacksons). THE HAT: What is it like being back together as brothers? You are obviously a very tight family but the stresses and strains of being on the road must be different and / or difficult? THE JACKSONS There’s nothing better than being able to do what you love while spending time with your family. We’ve been travelling the world together since we were just kids and we love touring and performing together. THE HAT: This tour is the first in 25 years. Why now? There have been differences s there are with any family. What brought everything together this time? THE JACKSONS This tour is something that we had been wanting to do for a while, and it really was just the right time. It is a dream come true for us to be performing together back on stage as a family. THE HAT: Wouldn’t you like to just say “Man, we did it all, what about some me time’. Aren’t you tired? What really keeps you going? It’s hard work out on the road. THE JACKSONS Our love of performing and our love of music is

what keeps us going and keeps us inspired! There’s nothing we’d rather do than share our music with the fans all over the world. THE HAT: In Vegas you had a truly touching tribute to Michael. Will we see that in Carcassonne? And do you feel you are continuing his legacy as well by still performing? THE JACKSONS What we are doing is honoring his legacy and his spirit the best way we know how, which is performing. Michael would want to see us carrying on his memory through the music and through performing for the fans. THE HAT: Las Vegas was more than a show, it was a family gathering with music, the atmosphere and the anecdotes. I read that you couldn’t say them all. Can we have one of the memories you DIDN’T say? THE JACKSONS hat was a deeply intimate show for us and for the fans. We shared the truth of how the Jacksons started. How things came about. Our ups and downs. And the whole focus of the show is high energy, dancing, music and lights. And we really gave fans the unfiltered version of exactly what happened. It was a fun different format for us so far and we love giving fans the inside scoop and sharing our stories. THE HAT: The publisher here says he learnt his dance moves from Jermaine and passed them onto Usher via Prince. Any chance of a video dance off Jermaine (and Marlon)?And can you agree on the best dancer? THE JACKSONS There probably won’t be a video dance off-- but we would all agree that Marlon is the best dancer. THE HAT: Has your audience changed? I have a 13 year old daughter who sings ABC and is wildly excited to be seeing you. What is it about your music that is so timeless? THE JACKSONS All we’ve ever wanted is to create music that makes people feel good and that gets people up out of their seats and dancing. People of all generations respond to that and we love that fans are still as excited about our hits like “ABC” today as they were when the song was first released. THE HAT: So what does the future hold? There is always rumours about a new album. Anything in this? THE JACKSONS Yes, that’s correct. We have been hard at work in the studio every second we’re not touring and have gotten a lot of work done on the album. THE HAT: Do you want to keep on gigging? Or do we have another 25 years to wait just to keep us keen? THE JACKSONS We’ll keep going for as long as Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones are going!

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A R T

EUGÈNE PECH 1923-1991 An Artist’s Life

An artist to the very last, Eugène Pech only stopped painting just a few months before he died in December 1991. An exclusive devotion to art infused every aspect of his entire life. Music, painting above all, but also sculpture and ceramics, marked each moment of his existence. His legacy to us is the memory of a great artist and a huge collection of works that should be preserved from oblivion. EugènePech was born in Carcassonne into a well-to-do family living at the foot of the medieval citadel, yet close to the countryside. From childhood he developed an intense love for nature and would wander along lanes and paths looking for insects or blades of grass, observing his surroundings in great detail. During his long country walks, he would immerse himself in the soft light that changed even the most ordinary-looking corner of earth into a sumptuous landscape of shimmering colours. Communicating the joy and elation he felt on contemplating natural beauty became an urgent need. In his teenage years, he started exploring various means of expressing these heightened feelings. He was drawn to music and loved studying and practising it, but soon became aware that painting was the very means of expression that he had been looking for. Without turning away from other forms of expressing beauty, painting (and later sculpture) allowed him to discover the deeper meaning of art. Eugène Pech then began to study art seriously. His earliest lessons were with Lacroix, a young art teacher from the lycée. Later, he was taken on as a student by Jacques Ourtal, who greatly ad30

mired his own art master, Cormon. Under the guidance of Louis Henri Bousquet, Eugène Pech learned to use the sculptor’s chisel for the first time. At the Vivent atelier in Toulouse, he perfected his technique in drawing and completed his art studies. He also became acquainted with Maurice Melat, a musician and painter, and their long conversations fired his artistic enthusiasm even more. Eugène Pech now felt that Paris was the next step he had to take. For two years, he studied at the School of Fine Arts in Paris and at the atelier of Gimond and Janniot. It was in this period that he acquired a sense of great art, sober and stripped of the superfluous. However, indelibly marked by the light of Languedoc skies, Eugène Pech left Paris to return home. In the peace and quiet of his Carcassonne atelier located at the foot of the fortress, he found some of the best sources of inspiration for his work. A talented musician as well as an accomplished artist, he was soon named official organist at the St. Nazaire-St. Celse Basilica in the medieval citadel of Carcassonne. EXHIBITION OF EUGENE PECH AT THE GALLERY LE CHANTIER Caty Pech, Eugène Pech’s daughter, opened Le Chantier, an atelier-gallery located in Cassaignes, a village in the Upper Aude Valley, where she lives and works as a full-time artist. Le Chantier was initially created to house Eugène Pech’s collection of art works, but it has also become an exhibition space displaying the works of other artists. The collection of Eugène Pech’s works is immediately striking for the diversity of the paintings displayed. All the stages of the artist’s development are brought to light, as well as all his artistic trends. A space is devoted to his early years, with drawings and delicate

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E Pech IN

sketches which would give rise to his more important later works, and landscapes with gentle harmonies, evocative of peaceful happiness. Among the paintings, his studies of flowers and the countryside in Southern France reveal the extent of his concern to represent as accurately as possible the natural beauty he loved so deeply. He gradually moved away from these early paintings to recreate a totally personal view of his beloved Aude landscapes, resulting in a lesser-known series of works dating from the 50s that Caty Pech calls “The Unexpected”. The first room in Le Chantier is dedicated to these works that astonish the visitor by their rich colours, their joy, their unexpected nature and their composition... This series, situated at the transitional period between the early and the mature works, was never exhibited during the artist’s lifetime. Indeed, Eugène Pech is better known for the works that follow this period, marked by his return to an Impressionism often tinged with melancholy. These paintings allowed Eugène Pech to express with characteristic reserve and modesty his feelings of solitude, his love of the Aude landscapes, his deep attachment to his home town Carcassonne and his immense tenderness towards his elder daughter Dominique, who gradually sank into madness, and whose portraits touchingly elude the ravages of her illness. Eugène Pech has often been called the painter of Carcassonne’s medieval citadel, certainly because his position as the official organist of the St. Nazaire Basilica meant that he crossed the ramparts into the citadel very regularly. Yet he only rarely painted this fortress in its entirety. Always present in the works he painted from his garden or his neighbourhood, the citadel however only appears in glimpses, mysterious and sovereign, looming up behind a clump of trees, or a jumble of rooftops, of branches stripped of their leaves, or under a blanket of snow... The final works, displayed in Room IV in Le Chantier are, as a whole, undoubtedly the most subtle and mellow, the most moving of all - a path slips away under a tangle of foliage, a stream vanishing into the woods leaves only the light from the sky, the River Aude disappears under a bridge... Overcome by illness, the artist’s life slowly faded away, yet at the same time these last works are seized by a kind of diffuse radiance filling the least space in each painting and offering us the ultimate bequest of beauty, peace and harmony. Eugène Pech passed away at the age of only 69.

La Place Carnot à Carcassonne (1962) Paysage

Exhibition of Eugène Pech Until 21st September Le Chantier,Cassaignes, 11190 caty-pech.fr/lechantier Fri/Sat/Sun (0)468 74 03 22

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Left: MONORY 2012 Noir et Bleu n°23

Jacques Monory at L’Aspirateur

By Peter Wheeler

he exhibition of twenty paintings by Jacques Monory, produced between 1968 and 2012, is the third in succession at L’Aspirateur in Narbonne to document the Figuration Narrative movement originating in France in the 1960’s. The first exhibition, in 2013 was devoted to the work of Erro, the second in the Spring of this year to the work of Bernard Rancillac (see The HAT, April 2014). Herve Telemaque, Peter Klasen and Richard Fromanger were other members of a movement motivated by a reaction to Lyrical Abstraction in Europe as Pop Art developed in response to Abstract Expressionism in the US. Like the Pop Artists, Monory and his Figuration Narrative contemporaries drew on visual sources in popular culture and were critical of Pop for its failure to generate and engage in social and political discourse. Monory’s paintings have a number of distinct and defining characteristics. While his paintings are ‘figurative’, they are not realistic. They are painted in monochrome, predominantly blue. Monory grew up with low budget Hollywood ‘B’ movies, usually crime dramas, in which blue filters were used in ‘day for night’ shots and to create menace and uncertainty. Film Noire was the name given to this film genre. Monory’s blue is a device to deny realism, to create distance, to create doubt. It raises questions about the triangular relationship between the subject, the artist and the viewer and about the symbolic function of colour. Monory’s paintings are ‘narrative’, but the story they tell is rarely disclosed. It is Monory’s practice to take still photographs of films from the TV, freezing narrative moments and severing scenes from their narrative context. The result is ambiguity. Monory paints in series. Each painting in each series is numbered. Paintings in the series are not 32

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MONORY 2012 Noir et Bleu n°22

A R T

explorations of the same motif as with those of Monet and Cezanne. They are developments of a theme in which the links are open to interpretation. Monory’s paintings, like those of Robert Rauschenberg and Jim Dine, often incorporate found objects widening the corridor of uncertainty between reality and illusion. Noire et Bleue No 22 (2012) is the image used in publicity for the exhibition. It is in fact a self portrait, a blue painting in which the artist sits, wearing dark glasses and a fedora hat. His gaze is directed at something invisible to the viewer to which the artist points with the forefinger of his right hand. For Monory, as for Joseph Beuys, the hat is a sign of personal and artistic identity and is indissolubly linked to characters on both sides of the law in film Noire. Noire et Bleue No 23 (2012), the next in the series is also in the exhibition. A naked woman, her face obscured by her hair is depicted on the right of an interior space in which a bare light bulb hangs over a large pistol. The bulb and the pistol are painted. Other works in the exhibition include real pistols and a real light bulb. How are the two paintings linked? Are they linked? Is No 23 a scene directed by the artist in No 22? Is the gesture of the artist one of reaction or direction? Is he detached or involved, a bystander or a controller?

Upstairs are very different paintings, a series collectively called Ciel, in which Monory leaves earth for the stars, freeing him from banal ‘mythologies quotidiennes’ and putting the human condition into a universal perspective. Monory is often described by his critics as a ‘dandy’, from the French word ‘flaneur’, adopted by Baudelaire to define nineteenth century urban man as an observer of life, usually seen as detached, disengaged, uninvolved. For Monory, ‘dandyism’ fails in the face of inhumanity. For Monory, ‘dandyism’ means ‘composure’ as a strategy for survival as an artist and a man. Upstairs are very different paintings, a series collectively called Ciel, in which Monory leaves earth for the stars, freeing him from banal ‘mythologies quotidiennes’ and putting the human condition into a universal perspective. Monory is often described by his critics as a ‘dandy’, from the French word ‘flaneur’, adopted by Baudelaire to define nineteenth century urban man as an observer of life, usually seen as detached, disengaged, uninvolved. For Monory, ‘dandyism’ fails in the face of inhumanity. For Monory, ‘dandyism’ means ‘composure’ as a strategy for survival as an artist and a man.

www.theheraultandaudetimes.com

The Art of Barbeque Jed Thompson

Barbeque season is upon us and here are a few pointers to ensure that you have a better barbequing

experience. Extremely high temperatures are normally the biggest reason for failure in outdoor cooking. Meats and vegetables should be cooked indirectly meaning not directly above the open flames unless you are searing a steak. The Art of Barbeque is about low and slow. Which translates into low temperature for long periods of time. Most meat that is barbequed is normally the cheaper, fattier and tougher cuts. i.e. Pork Shoulder, Beef Brisket and Chicken. Therefore, they take more time to render down the fat, tenderize the meat, and impart the flavor that is typical of a really well barbequed hunk of meat. The Kettle type of Grill produced by Weber is quite common in our local Brico marts and is an excellent cooker. They can be used for grilling, smoking and baking. There isn’t anything I can’t cook on my kettle. The methods that I employ vary by the end product

Artichoke& Olive Soufflé

Ingredients 3 tbs butter or margarine 3 tbs all-purpose flour ½ tsp salt ¾ cup non-fat milk 1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Swiss cheese 1 6 oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped 1 2 ¼ oz. can sliced ripe olives, well drained 5 eggs, separated Vegetable oil cooking spray 1 tbs grated Parmesan cheese

Pulled Pork

Ingredients DRY RUB: 1 tbs kosher* salt 1 tbs light brown sugar 2 tps paprika 1 tps chili powder 1 boneless pork shoulder 5 to 6 lbs (or bone in if preferred) Hickory wood

SAUCE:

1 cup apple cider vinegar 1 cup ketchup ¼ cup lightly packed light brown sugar 1 tsp Tabasco sauce 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp kosher sal *kosher salt is lower in sodium

I wish to produce. For anything other than searing a steak I build a small pile of charcoal with about a fist sized lump of hardwood for flavor on one end of the kettle and cook the meat opposite the flame, with the lid closed tightly and the vents on the top open all the way. The cooking temperature is regulated by the pinwheel vents in the bottom of the kettle. Do NOT put your meat on the grill until the coals have turned white and the temperature is where you want it to be. Typically for cold smoking meats the temperature should be between 50°c and 125°c Hot smoking between 125°c and 180°c after that your grilling and be careful now this is the burn zone. Learn the food safe internal temperatures and also go by feel. A properly cooked pork shoulder when probed with a skewer or your thermometer probe should slide in like a hot knife through butter. Don’t forget to allow your meats to rest also before cutting or pulling them. Otherwise all the delicious goodness you have created ends up spilling all over the cutting surface and not in the meat. Bon Chance and as we say in competition “Good Smoking Luck!” For more tips and recipes with step by step photos go to my website www.charredapron.com

Method

1. Melt butter in a 2 quart pan over medium heat. 2. Add flour and salt and cook, stirring constantly, until bubbly. Remove from heat and gradually blend in the milk until smooth. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. 3. Add Swiss cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Blend in artichokes and olives. Remove from heat. With a wooden spoon, beat in egg yolks. 4. Spray bottom and sides of a 1 ½ to 2 quart soufflé dish with cooking spray, then coat with Parmesan cheese. 5. In a bowl, whip egg whites until moist, soft peaks form. Gently fold egg whites into cheese sauce. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake on the grill 175°c until soufflé is puffy and golden brown and a long pick inserted in center (through a surface crack) comes out clean (30 to 35 mins).

Method

1. In a small bowl mix ‘rub’ ingredients together. 2. Coat the pork shoulder all over with the rub and press the spices into the meat. Allow the pork to sit at room temperature for 30 to 40 minutes before smoking. If the pork does not hold together naturally in one piece, tie the pork with 3 or 4 lengths of kitchen twine. 3. Fill water bowl with beer of choice and add one chopped onion. Smoke at 200-220°c for approximately 1.5 hours per pound. When the meat reaches 165°c cover in foil and continue to smoke (or oven at this point) until the internal temperature reaches 205°c. 4. While meat is smoking whisk together the sauce ingredients in a heavy-bottom saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust the seasonings if necessary. It should be spicy and tangy at the same time. 5. At 205°c remove meat from smoker and let rest, still covered in foil, for 30-45 minutes. 6. Pull the meat either with fingers or by using two forks. Discard any large pieces of fat. 7. Add as much sauce as you prefer. The Herault & Aude Times

Recipe Times

Texas Barbecused Brisket

Ingredients Dry Rub: ¾ pound paprika ¼ cup ground black pepper ¼ cup kosher salt or other coarse salt ¼ cup sugar 2 tbs chili powder 2 tbs garlic powder or onion powder 2 tsp cayenne pepper 8llb to 10llb packet trimmed brisket (see Ingredient Tip) Beer “Mop” 12 ounces beer ½ cup cider vinegar ¼ cup vegetable oil ½ medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbs Worcestershire sauce Bandera Barbecue Sauce, optional 1 tbs vegetable oil 2 medium onions, chopped fine 6 garlic cloves, minced 1 to 2 chopped jalapeño or serrano chilies, minced 1 cup chili sauce (the ketchup-style condiment) ¾ cup Worcestershire sauce ¾ cup strong black coffee ½ cup dark molasses ¼ cup cider vinegar 2 tbs brown or yellow mustard 2 tbs chili powder 1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp dried ginger

Method

1. The night before you plan to barbecue, combine the rub ingredients in a bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the rub, then apply the rest evenly to the brisket, massaging it thoroughly. Transfer the brisket to a plastic bag and refrigerate it overnight. 2. Before you begin to barbecue, take the brisket from the refrigerator. Let it sit at room temperature for about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, fire up a wood-burning smoker to 200ºc to 225ºc, following the manufacturer’s instructions. 3. Prepare the mop, mixing together the mop ingredients, ½ cup water, and the reserved dry rub, and warm over low heat. 4. Transfer the brisket to the smoker, fat-side up, so the juices will help baste the meat. Cook until well-done, 1 to 1 ¼ hours per pound, basting every hour or so with the mop. Replenish the wood as needed. 5. While the brisket smokes, prepare the barbecue sauce if you wish. Warm the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onions, garlic, and chilies, and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Dump in the remaining ingredients, give the sauce a good stir, and bring the sauce to a simmer. 6. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, then uncover and continue cooking for about 15 additional minutes, until reduced a bit and thickened to your liking. The sauce can be used warm or chilled. Continue basting the brisket, adding more warm water to the mop when it evaporates. 7. After several hours the brisket will look like an ominous black hulk. Don’t worry about it; just keep the smoker’s temperature in the proper range. When the meat has cooked the appropriate length of time, remove it from the smoker and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Then cut the fatty top section away from the leaner bottom portion. An easily identifiable layer of fat separates the two areas. Trim the excess fat from both portions and slice them thinly against the grain. Watch the meat as you slice, because the grain changes directions. Serve the brisket hot, with barbecue sauce on the side if you wish. www.theheraultandaudetimes.com

Daphne Foulkes

More pain & no gain from Interest Rates

he European Central Bank made headline news again at the beginning of June, as it reduced its main interest rate from 0.25% to 0.15% and lowered its deposit rate into negative territory from 0% to -0.1%. The reduction in the interest rate makes it less expensive for other banks to borrow from the ECB and ‘in theory’ this should result in credit flowing out to the wider Eurozone community. At the same time, the negative deposit rate means that the ECB will charge banks for keeping their excess liquidity on deposit with it. The thinking is that this should discourage the banks from making the deposits and instead, make the money available for lending to households and business thus, encouraging growth. These measures are part of a package that also aims to increase the rate of inflation in the Eurozone, which continues to fall, as demonstrated by the change in the Harmonised Index of Consumer Prices for May, when the annual rate of inflation fell from 0.7% to 0.5%. However, there are many who think that the current measures are insufficient to turn the trend from continuing towards deflation and feel that more aggressive action should have been taken by the ECB, including an expansion of Quantitative Easing. What does this mean for savers? There is only one answer and that is “bad news”. Even if the banks do start to lend more money into the wider community, since they can borrow from the ECB at 0.15% to do this, why would they borrow from the

public (i.e. the savers) at a higher rate? We have been living in a very low interest environment for several years now, although this is the first time that the Eurozone has gone into negative territory in ‘nominal’ terms. In ‘real’ terms (i.e. taking into account inflation), we have already experienced negative returns from bank deposits and even the most cautious of investors are now prepared to look at alternatives. One such alternative is a particular fund in which many of our clients have already invested. Despite the fact that the fund is conservatively managed, over the last four years to the end of May, the Sterling share class has still been able to grow by more than 36% and the Euro share class by 30%. After taking into account annual management charges on the fund, the three year annualised return is around 7% for Sterling and around 5.5% for Euro. A growth fund is also available for those investors who wish to take more risk and USD share classes are available for both the cautious and the growth funds. The funds are part of those of a large insurance company, which has a history going back for more than 160 years. The company is well capitalised and so clients feel comforted by the safety of investing with such a solid company. One of the unique features of the funds is the delivery of a smoothed investment return. On a daily basis, each of the funds grows in line with an expected growth rate, which is the rate of return that the company expects the assets in which the

The Herault & Aude Times

funds are invested to earn over the long-term. This approach aims to smooth out the usual peaks and troughs of investment markets and so is particularly beneficial to investors seeking an income from their capital. It is a well-known regulatory requirement for product providers and investment managers to tell investors that “past investment performance is not a guarantee of future performance”. Whilst this is true, in reality it is only by looking at the past investment performance of a fund that one can really judge the skill of the fund manager. This is not just about how good the manager is at picking stocks - but more importantly - about how risk is managed, particularly through market downturns. Happily, when I am discussing the above funds with clients, I am able to demonstrate the skill of this insurance company by showing a sixty-year history of positive investment returns on an annualised basis over 8, 9 and 10 year periods. This is another reason why cautious investors – who would have previously only ever placed their capital on bank deposit – are very comfortable about switching to this alternative choice. If you are interested in finding out more about these funds and you would like to have a confidential discussion about your financial situation, please contact me either e-mail at daphne.foulkes@spectrumifa.com or by telephone on 04 68 20 30 17. Daphne Foulkes SIRET 522 658 194 00017 Numéro d’immatriculation ORIAS 10 056 800

Business Interviews, rhetoric and opinion. Michael D’Artag writes, interviews or comments on topics that impact you.

BANKING La Poste I have had some feedback regarding banking in France and it seems that as usual there is good and bad. The problem is that when it is bad it is downright awful. La Poste. The entry level banking system for students and the young but also one of the most efficient banking organisations in France. That is unless you step outside their comfort zone. Did you know for example that if you pay a cheque into your post office account and use a rural post office that does not have a cheque scanner (a machine that scans the cheque as you pay it in) then La Poste do not accept that you have paid it in even with your paying in slip. So what you ask? But then do you know that La Poste do not transfer their cheques by secure courier but simply place all the cheques paid in into an envelope and send them normal mail. And did you know that I have on file multiple cases where the post did not arrive and the

credit does not show on the account. So what happens according to La Poste. Apparently, the paying in slip you use is worth nothing. If you do not have cheque numbers and names and ideally copies of the cheque you need to wait 2 months and then you can complain. One person who wrote had nearly 1000€ worth of cheques just never exist. Upon contacting the recommended person he claims it is not right and you should be recompensed for any charges. The example given still has not received the credit from March this year and has received charges of over 100€ due to La Poste not being able to do their job and worse, to suddenly claim that their own systems are not there in any way to protect the customer and are at best inefficient and at worst negligent. A spokesperson for La Poste asked me not to write this and meet in 2 weeks. In the meantime readers are being deprived of their money that the bank has admitted to losing and will do nothing to assist. This is just the beginning

BNP AND THE FRENCH BANKING SYSTEM LEAVES A NASTY TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH

know you all keep up to date and have read and digested the news that BNP Paribas were fined 8.83billion dollars to settle allegations that it broke US sanctions. But hold on a minute. In a short period of time 6 banks have been fined for a range of indiscretions and those in the know claim another 5 will be following shortly and by the time you read this I do believe you’ll be reading about a certain Portuguese bank having problems and that will add onto the Croatian run that sent a minor earthquake around the markets.

Fiona Let’s talk

FIXED FORWARD CONTRACTS

How many of you keep an eye on the currency exchange rate markets on a regular basis? If you do then you will be aware that – with regards to the sterling/euro pair – there has been quite a bit of movement lately! As I write Sterling is currently hovering around the £1 = €1.23 mark (interbank rate), its highest point in over a year. If you have a need to transfer money imminently and the rate spikes in your favour you may not be aware but with Currencies Direct you can book and hold a rate for up to 12 months! All we ask for is an up front payment of 10% of the booked amount (so, for example, if you book a forDATE 1st Aug 2013 1st June 2014

RATE €1.1417 €1.2282

ward contract for £100,000 you would need to transfer £10,000 within 7 days of booking). The balance is then paid to us by the end date of the contract, which can be up to 12 months ahead. For many the stress of buying a property is made more so by worrying about what may happen in the markets in the meantime – particularly if you have sold up in one country and are working on a fixed budget for your purchase in France. 3 months between Compromis and Acte can be a long time and much can happen…. Sadly we are not blessed with the powers of hindsight and rates can go up as well as down. But, the one thing that a Fixed Forward contract guarantees you is peace of mind, know exactly how much your transfer will cost you – and that, for many, is priceless! But enough words from me, I’ll let the figures do some talking…. COST TO BUY €250k £218,971 £203,549

…..a £15,000 difference, that’s quite an eye opener! So, if you are looking to make a transfer soon (and remember we trade over 45 world currencies) and rate is important to you then register now and talk to the team about how we can help protect you against currency fluctuations and save you money… **

Contact me, Fiona Warren, on 00 33 468 20 41 35 or via email at: fiona.w@currenciesdirect.com Or you can contact my colleague, Matt Watson, in London. Matt’s phone number is 00 44 207 947 9446 and his email is matt.w@currenciesdirect.com

So what has really changed since the media attacked the banks (somewhat justifiably) for the economic crash? Nothing. BNP Paribas allegedly (nearly $9 billion dollars they agreed to pay for allegedly?) engaged in a “long term multi-jurisdictional conspiracy”. Yeah. We know. But if they paid this money on an allegation(?) that they then admitted then what the hell else are they hiding. The French banking system is flawed. It is arrogant, self-centered and failing on so many levels it is an embarrassment to this great country. I will be writing more when the banks lawyers stop redacting answers and questions.

Next issue. BERNARD T. I’m coming to get you!

www.theheraultandaudetimes.com

In The Garden with Gill Pound

Beschorneria Septentrionalis

July

t the time of writing these notes we have had an exceptionally warm, sunny June and many people are predicting worse drought than usual for the summer of 2014. Plants have various strategies for resisting heat and drought and one of the most effective is being succulent, in other words parts of the plant (both leaves and stems) are adapted to store water to enable them to survive drought. One of the most popular groups of succulents (plantes graisse in French) are the agavaceae, we frequently see the large blue agave (Agave americana) and the popular Yucca gloriosa which can form very large plants and are also very spiny and are therefore only suitable in certain situations. But, there are many other plants in this family which are much smaller

Agave filifera

and better adapted for smaller gardens or container growing, Agave victoria-reginae or Agave filifera for example. There are also many which have very attractive architectural forms such as Nolinas or Dasylirions and it is worth noting also that Nolinas, Beschornerias and Hesperaloes are not particularly spiny. Groupings of plants like these will provide all year round interest by virtue of their forms and for additional summer interest they can be interplanted with ground cover succulents such as Delosperma cooperi or drought tolerant perennials like Epilobium Western Hills. We have been testing a number of different agavaceae at La Petite PĂŠpiniĂ¨re for several years now and you are most welcome to visit to observe the various forms. Other places to observe these types of plants include the Jardin Exotique at Ponteilla www.pyrenees.fr/fr/ il4-afaireavoir_i96-jardin-exotique-de-pon-

Nature Notes VOLES

he name VOLE is used for small rodents in several genera which comprise in total well over a hundred species. The French equivalent, le Campagnol, has a similarly broad denotation. Voles belong to the Northern Hemisphere and can be found throughout Eurasia and North America where suitable habitat is available. The large voles, notably the water voles, are similar to rats in size, around 20 cm long, but they are more rounded, with smaller eyes and ears, and have hairy tails. They are, however, sometimes called water rats, hence Ratty in The Wind in the Willows. Water voles seem to be in decline in Europe, particularly in Britain, and are unlikely to be found in the Languedoc, although they survive in some numbers elsewhere in France. 38

Agave parryii

teilla.aspx , the Jardin Botanique at Feuilla http://lejardinbotaniquedefoncaude.emonsite.com/ and also at Les Epines de Lespinet http://epines-lespinet.fr/ August is a month during which gardens are often resting and plants can look a bit jaded. Watering and weeding where and when necessary will continue to be ongoing tasks, remember that watering a flower bed the evening before weeding will usually make the job easier. Containers and hanging baskets may need watering daily during the very hot period but if you are watering your garden remember that a deep soaking once a week or fortnight is much more effective than frequent sprinkling. During August think about the following: â&#x20AC;˘ Towards the end of the month start to divide perennials such as iris and day lilies (Hemerocallis) which will not flower again this year

A Kennedy 2014

Several species of small voles are widespread in France and can be found in the Languedoc, particularly the common vole, Microtus arvalis, the bank vole, Myodes glareolus, and the field vole, Microtus agrestis. The range of another species, the Mediterranean pine vole, Microtus duodecimcostatus, is primarily the Iberian Peninsula, but it is quite common throughout the Midi as well. The small voles are around 10 cm long, and are sometimes mistaken for mice, but have the same distinguishing features as water voles. Voles have soft and dense fur, which varies in colour from species to species, from full grey through to chest nut and brown on the upper parts, while the underparts are paler. The several species are often difficult to differentiate. They do, however, tend to occupy different niches in the rural environment, bank voles, for instance, living in dense vegetation like woodland and hedgerows, while other species prefer pastures and meadows, hence the French generic name. Some voles venThe Herault & Aude Times

ture happily into suburban gardens and orchards. Most voles are grass eaters, but they also eat other vegetable matter, like buds, roots and seeds, and sometimes insects and other small invertebrates. Voles do not hibernate and they are active throughout the year. In the Languedoc all voles are terrestrial, often travelling through tunnels in grass or complex burrows just below the ground. Small voles rarely live longer than six months, although larger voles sometimes survive into a second year. On the other hand, voles are particularly fecund, reaching sexual maturity in a month from birth, and a single female may produce as many as 10 litters in her short lifetime, and perhaps as many as a hundred offspring. Such reproductive capacity can produce considerable growth in populations in good years, but in poor years failure to breed and short lives can lead to dramatic declines in numbers. Not a mammal for all seasons!

In The Garden with Gill Pound

Agave victoria-reginae

• Continue deadheading perennials which will repeat flower such as Coreopsis, Gaillardias and Rudbeckia to encourage a second flowering. Cut back hardy geraniums to encourage new growth.• Collect seeds from annuals such as Cosmos and Californian poppies, you can sow these next spring • Clip back lavenders once they have finished flowering, but never into old wood • Prune wisteria – leave any long stems that you want to encourage to extend the framework of the plant, cut back completely any stems which are totally unwanted and cut back all other stems to two or three buds on each stem • Clear fallen leaves affected by blackspot from around roses•Prune roses which aren’t repeat flowering once all flowers have finished At La Petite Pépinière we shall be offering

dasylirion leiophyllum

our two day gardening course, An Introduction to Gardening in Summer Dry Climates on Tuesday 14th October (11am – 1, 2 – 5pm) and Wednesday 15th October (10am – 12.30, 1.30 – 4pm) This two day course is aimed at those relatively new to gardening in the Languedoc and will focus on providing information and promoting discussion in a relaxed and informal atmosphere which will help those interested in creating interesting, easy to maintain and colourful ornamental gardens in our summer dry climate. We will consider the nature of the local climate, the physical problems associated with gardening here (heat, drought, cold, wind, soil) and how to cope with them; recognising plants which are suited to this climate; buying plants; planting techniques and maintenance. We shall also look at design basics and planting schemes, succession – planting for year

www.theheraultandaudetimes.com

Yucca filamentosa

round interest and plants for particular situations. Appropriate resources and useful French/English vocabulary will also be included as well as a guided tour of the garden here to illustrate points made. CONTACT

For further information contact Gill Pound at La Petite Pépinière de Caunes, 21, Avenue de la Montagne Noire, (route de Citou) 11160, Caunes-Minervois. Tel: 04 68 78 43 81,

email Gill@lapetitepepiniere.com www.lapetitepepiniere.com Open the second weekend of every month (thus 9/10/11 May, 6/7/8 June, 11/12/13 July from 10 to 18h each day) or by appointment – just phone or email to fix another time.

English for Expat Children - - An indispensable guide

English for Expat Children Syllables

ust for a change of pace, I will be providing a variety of worksheets as part of English For Expat Children over the coming months. Whereas I ordinarily write articles on possible activity and game ideas, I am hoping this slightly more proscriptive approach will act as a good, practical counterbalance. My aim is to provide you with workable materials that will not only stand alone, but perhaps give your own English support ideas a framework and inspire you to develop your own materials. My general focus is largely to apply learning to real-life situations and needs, but every once in a while a sitdown with a piece of paper moment presents itself and so the main key to this kind of activity is to keep it fun and challenging. Understanding of syllables is fundamental at Key Stage 1 (ages 5 & 6) in the UK primary school system. Making sure your children are aware of how to work out syllables also helps their reading and pronunciation skills as it helps them to break down longer words into their individual sounds/parts. Try these words out for a start.. tarantula banana lettuce magical helicopter relaxed To extend their understanding.. Ask your child how many syllables there are in each of the names of your family members. Ask your child to think up the longest word they know and work out its number of syllables. Invent your own words and compete to come up with the highest syllable word. Write paragraphs and stories containing as many long words as is physically possible, again you could compete to achieve the highest syllable count. • Ask your child to list various long words and write the number of syllables each word contains alongside. This can be added to over a period of time if you leave it somewhere accessible, like the fridge. • When children are asking about longer, less common words - as they build their vocabularies over time - it is worth asking them how many syllables the new word has along with providing the meaning. • • • •

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PROPERTY

Lock up and Go! a property abroad can be both IOwning an exciting and daunting experience.

Searching, finding and buying your dream home was just the start of it! Now that you own the property, how do you go about renovating the leaky barn at the bottom of the garden, or creating a sunny terrace out of the attic space, or turning that meadow that was so full of potential on your viewings into a manageable garden? For those who want the excitement of having their dream home in France but don’t want the hassle that comes with installing a new kitchen or converting the at-

tic to add that third bedroom, then a lock up and go property may be the answer. Whilst you may not be able to put your individual stamp on your property, what you get is a house that you can enjoy from day one rather than one that enslaves you for years to come. Contemporary detached houses with gardens, often referred to as villas, are becoming more and more popular with foreign buyers for all the above reasons plus the fact that they are well insulated, light, usually conform to modern standards of construction and have a basic central heating system so can be used all year round; modern kitchens, bathrooms and plenty of plug

points complete the picture. In addition, a healthy supply of these properties on the market means that they are often competitively priced, and are therefore turning out to be the real bargains in today’s market! Here are three examples of such lock up and go contemporary houses all of which are extremely competitively priced and all of which are habitable immediately: Richard & Chitra - Pullen Real Estate +33 (0)4 68 48 84 03 +33 (0)6 76 64 10 10/ (0)6 87 72 17 32 chitra@pullenfrance.com www.pullenfrance.com

189,000€: Situated in the Minervois, this well appointed property with three bedrooms and two bathrooms already has a pool and is designed to be very low maintenance.

170,000€: A charming villa situated outside of Olonzac with two bedrooms and two bathrooms. There is no pool currently but there is a mature garden of 1175m² where one can easily be installed.

270,000€: This well maintained property is situated in a very popular village with three restaurants, a wine bar, café, etc . It has a huge open plan living room of 71m², a pool, a double garage and a summer house of 15m² (currently used as an office) in the garden.

More Properties with English Speaking Agents online www.theheraultandaudetimes/property Agence Guy Estate Agency English/French owned 25 years of experience

www.pezenas-immobilier.com agenceguy@wanadoo.fr tel 0467 98 37 77 mob 0622 34 30 56 “Quality Assured” www.theheraultandaudetimes.com

The Geek we call ‘E-Male’

This does not compute Is it that time already? You know what I’m talking about, the time when friends and family and all sorts of people that you are not really sure you know that well suddenly call and say they happen to be coming down through France and thought they’d pop in for a day or week or even two. And what always happens? Can I just go on-line to say hi to the family left behind and tell them to contct you for next year. Well here’s what you do. Say no. Seriously, those little meanderings on your computer will often lead to problems. The grandchildren downloading games and advertising cookies that give you those numerous pop-ups. The click here to fix your computer problems that you so diligently ignored suddenly become ‘clicked’ and even those risky photos of the topless sunbathing done in your garden when you had to go to the shop for more supplies to feed them all. But alas, you are all good souls aren’t you and wouldn’t say boo to a goose. So here you go...... top tips for keeping your computer clean when guests viit. 1. DO have anti-virus running on your computer, MAC and smartphone. I keep telling you this but download a free one. I don’t care which one, just give yourself a fighting chance. 2. Set up a guest account on your machine. That way they can do whatever they want and when they go just delete it and all settings that came with it. 3. Increase the security levels 42

on your internet connection from medium to high. 4. Ensure that whichever browser you use (Mozilla, Opera, Safari, Chrome IE etc) is the latest version. There is a reason they keep updating these things you know. 5. Tell everyone that you are coming to them this year or say you have booked a holiday in the Dominican Republic or have arranged a houseswap with hippies and they’ll have to come next year. And just to see if you have been paying attention for the last few years I’m going to make you do searches to find out how to do these things. You see, you need to be proactive in this and not be frightened of the internet. It is a truly magnificent gift that you have in front of you and I am little fed up with those that don’t make the effort. Now if you get really stuck drop me a line by clicking here and I’ll help but you need to help yourself. Did you know that in the last 12 months families have spent an average of €247 getting their computers repaired. Now I’m all for maintenance but with that outlay you could buy a fair bit of shopping for your guests through the summer couldn’t you? The internet is a good thing, not scary and don’t believe everything you hear from the press and the computer repair shops. Embrace the tech my geeks, embrace.... ok, that’s too much contact.....Ciao.

C L A S S I F I E D S

The Herault & Aude Times

SPA CARCASSONNE

Whiska

When she arrived in November 2012, Whiska did not look like much at all. She was in an emaciated state and we have no idea what she had gone through. I doubt very much that she had been beaten, she had no fear at all of people, either then or now. Whiska is a lively dog. She was born in Nov 2009, although this is very much a best guess. But in any case, Whiska was already adult sized. She shares her box with any other dog quite happily. Families with cats are probably not going to work for her, as she is a bit too enthusiastic in her efforts to play with them. Whiska is a shepherd cross of medium size and is sterilised, micro-chipped and fully vaccinated. She is most definitely ready for a home of her own and has endless love to give! If you can help or would like to assist please contact SPA Carcassonne dogrescuecarcassonne.co.uk

Classified Adverts ASSOCIATIONS

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

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

We meet at Maison pour Tous, Florensac, second Thursday of each month, at 1430h (except July & Aug).Info: 0467 77 19 06 www.wicmediterranee.org. **

WIC, Women’s International Club is an international group of ladies, for all nationalities, who meet to share experiences, knowledge and to have some fun. Meetings are conducted in both French and English and commence at 14.30 on the first Thursday of each month at Salle de l’Abbatiale, Saint Chinian For further information please contact info@wic-lr.com www.wic-lr.com

SERVICES

Cleaning Services: Holiday homes (including mobile homes) reliable efficient couple offer cleaning, change over service for your rental properties. Serignan area. Steve Martin Tel:0780367536

Door Restore Is your Front Door showing its age? Try Door Restore. Specialists in the restoration and repair of all wooden exterior and interior doors and shutters. On-site repairs or workshop restoration Contact us for a site visit Free quotation Tel: 0671 52 61 93 m: door-restore@hotmail.fr

SERVICES Commercial Cleaning Machine for hire.Cleans soft furnishings, rugs, mattresses, sunbed cushions, car interiors, etc.Contact Trudi: 0499570589 trudi@ppm34.fr ** French PLUMBER Plumbing - Heating- Gas t: 0467 00 11 19 p:0689 02 31 62 Denis Huyart 34630 **

Electrician

(N.I.C.E.I.C. Registered in UK 1986-2008) Rewires or extra lights/sockets. Siret registered Tel: Terry Smith 0467 95 82 05 Email: smith_terence@orange.fr **

PROPERTY SERVICES/

GRACE NICOLS HOMES: You own a property near Montpellier, Grace Nicols Homes is specialised in holiday rentals of luxury and characterful homes in Montpellier and its region. We offer full marketing and management service for your home. Avoid the hassle involved in short letting, we will handle it for you: Secure keyholding service, changeovers, house cleaning, laundry, pool and garden maintenance, and more services on request. oliviaf@gracenicols.com tel: 0607801094 ** Perfect Property Management Professional, reliable company for all of your property needs. Changeovers, pool maintenance and repairs, project management. Siret registered. Contact Trudi: 0499570589 trudi@ppm34.fr www.perfectpropertymanagement.com **

DECOR

Decorate your home with a Scandinavian style and sophistication. Scandinavian furniture, tableware and decor. 23 rue des Chevaliers de st Jean You will find us behind the Post Office in Pezenas www.troissoeurs.com Port. 0634509015 Dom. 0963211140 **

Gray Solutions Bilingual building and renovation project management, with excellent tried and tested teams covering all trades. Bernie Gray 06 49 21 55 71 www.gray-solutions.co.uk ** Roofing and Building Services Roofs replaced or repaired: Leaks, Insulation, Velux, Guttering, New beams, Structural, Terraces. Building maintenance and repairs. References. Professional – Reliable longden888@lycos.com Karl : 06 04 45 63 57 Paul : 06 34 95 19 71 www.roofingbuildingservices.com

www.theheraultandaudetimes.com

Man Around the House Property Maintenance Company based in Pezenas we can cater for all your renovations or repairs with over 25 years experience you can trust your problems to us. PH.0467767527 or /0785080703. Email. martinmullin58@gmail.com ** READER RECOMMENDED DYSON RENOVATIONS, Qualified British Builder Full house renovations. Tiling, Kitchens, Bathrooms, Decorating. Qualified electricians, Professional and Reliable. Tel 06 27 55 04 79 dysonrenovations@gmail.com

www.dysonpropertyrenovations.com

** European Property Services *Supply and fit windows and doors and conservatories. * Supply and fit shutters in all materials * Supply and fit kitchens * Repair windows and doors Contact Paul Roberts t: 0467 62 30 65 m: 0627 59 22 08 email: europeanpropertyservices @live.com ** For All Your Property Care Needs Complete pool care inc. winter shutdown, gardening inc strimming, changeovers, general painting interior and exterior, varnishing, oiling shutters etc. Siret registered est 10 years Tel: 04 67 24 83 72. M: 06 87 64 97 29 www.property34fr.com **

LANGUEDOC PROPERTY SERVICE.COM Help in Hérault with property repairs & garden maintenance, pools, decoration, keyholding & changeovers. Established. Bilingual. 06 31 74 45 88 ** French PLUMBER Plumbing - Heating- Gas t: 0467 00 11 19 p:0689 02 31 62 Denis Huyart 34630 43

Classified Adverts PROPERTY SERVICES/ GARDENING SERVICES

Roquebrun Property Management Personalised services for holiday homes and seasonal rentals. Full or ‘pay as you go’ service. Homes available to rent for 1- 15 people. Call Sue on 0652752445. wwwroquebrunproperty.com **

Painter Decorator Plasterer Partition walls Laminate flooring Honest and reliable 06 23 33 30 22 Gary Jackson **

General building, roofing, roof terrace, facades, kitchens, bathrooms. Raymond Kelly, Kelly Projets company 04 67 77 64 20 www.kelly-projets.com *

Dick Fowler Construction Liner Pools, Solid Pools All house renovation and construction work Email; fowlerbatiment@gmail.com Port: 0670 91 12 17 Check out www.houzz.com/ decklevel-pool-designs and then call me! ** RT MULTISERVICES No job too small - Painting, decorating, land clearence, keyholding. Translations. Collections, deliveries, removals. Regular van trips to/from UK. Reliable, local, bi-lingual. Chris 06 84 29 34 34 e-mail chris.remnant@orange.fr ** 44

Consultant/Trainer holding Food Safety course and Health and Safety course from June. Date to be confirmed. If interested telephone for details. Examination in English or French. CIEH accredited London. Contact: 0467234460 after 18h **

WELL-BEING READERS RECOMMEND Master builder 30 years experience in France

HANDYMAN/ SKILLED CARPENTER WITH VAN Removals. All types of repairs. Flatpack assembly. Furniture/ storage solutions built. Tiling, painting, electrics. Rubbish/Garden clearance/maintenance. No job too small. Col O’Neill 06 48 86 98 66. Photos www.meubles-creatifs.fr **

Food Safety / Health and Safety courses

WONDERFUL GARDENS, MINIMAL UPKEEP. Garden Creation and Maintenance. Watering Systems,Landscaping, Building and Paving. Hedges, Beds,Dry Lawns and Waterfeatures. Mathieu Goudou, Le Jardinier Prompt, reliable & perfect English Tel 06 23 46 35 42

Specialist in Midi Gardens and Courtyards ** Courses / Lessons Piano Teacher Wanted

Bespoke massage, Mobile service Group bookings taken. Thai massages, Reflexology, Neck and face massage, Reiki, Oil massage. Susannah 0652 75 24 45 / 0467 24 31 42 Based in Ceps / Cazedarnes ** Nathalie Esthetic Fabulous, affordable, beauty treatments - Nathalie Esthetic 4, Place du Marché St Thibéry Tue-Sat, Mon & evenings by appt. Tel : Nathalie on 06 47 40 10 45 ** Centre d’Ostéopathie et d’Intégration Structurelle (®Rolfing) Recently opened in Lodève Annette Beckett qualified osteopath since 1992 cranial osteopathy for adults, children, babies annette@beckettosteo.com Barry P. Beckett Certified Rolfer, Rolf Institute 1993 Structural Integration, Postural Improvement, Osteopathics. motionpresent@gmail.com 06 30 64 88 40 **

I am looking for someone to teach me to play the piano freestyle. I can already read sheet music. Lessons at my home or yours. Prices please to amikgo@yahoo.co.uk 04 67 37 05 55

** French Lessons

French lessons, one to one or small groups in the heart of Pézenas with a French native teacher Hélèna (00 33) 0650772414

The Herault & Aude Times

TRANSLATION SERVICES

READERS RECOMMEND Independent Anglophone translator. All texts considered. Working languages: French, Spanish, English - Contact Alison: aer.translations@gmail.com **

CLASSES

Nizas Langues French language lessons & Translation Service. (near Pézenas 34320) Qualified teacher & native speaker with over 25 yrs. experience of teaching French in the UK – GCSE & AS/A Level. Hours to suit you 8.00 am – 8.00 pm. Price from 15€/hr 0ne to One. Tailor made programmes – 10 lessons 100€. Small groups on request. 04 34 53 18 36 info@nizaslangues.com www.nizaslangues.com

POSITIONS OFFERED / WANTED

Fully qualified mechanic (speaks a little French) Relocating to Saint Marcel / Narbonne area 30 yrs experience Subaru Kia Peugeot and Aston Martin Historic racing cars. Seeking contacts with garages in 30 - 40 mins driving of Narbonne chrislawmon@yahoo.com **

PROPERTY FOR SALE

Castelnau-de-Guers ville Characterful village House with kitchen/dining-room, bedroom, sitting-room, bathroom and WC 58.000 € Marie Desvignes Telephone: 0614 39 98 81 *

Classified Adverts PROPERTY - Rental

Close to Pézenas 2 Bedroom House to Rent / Buy Garage, Terrace, (Stairs) 2 s/c studio flats attached. Seperate entrance. 10 minutes by car from Pézenas. All amenitied v close. €650pcm or €161,000 Enq: 0644 80 24 32 **

PROPERTY FOR SALE

PROPERTY FOR SALE A VENDRE / ESPAGNE/ COSTA DORADA

Terrain constructible 764 metres carre 20 minutes de Tarragone 8 minutes de la plage Zone residentielle, eau, electricite, Village catalan authentique: Vespella à 3km de Torredembarra 40000 Euros contacter:Mme Reverchon :003 t: 4638 41 82 56

gigi.llaurado@hotmail.com **

Riverside,Grau d’Agde/Agde

house currently in 2 appts.4/5 beds, very light, spacious living room,dining room,kitchen, terrace all overlooking Hérault studio and summer kitchen in large tropical garden, pool. Beach 5 mins. Pot.rental income Jul/Aug 20k. Con:0467375310

438,000€ maisonfleurie@fsmail.net **

Sweet home for sale in the heart of the village 40 square meters 30 minutes from Vias airport, 30 minutes from the beach, 45000 Euros Genevieve: 0608 62 81 24 0467 26 44 09

House for Sale. Bédarieux.

Currently laid out as a four bedroom, family town house with a glorious terrace garden; fully rewired with completely new plumbing fitted, full central heating installed in a quarter earmarked for substantial modernisation and redevelopment. Free municipal car parks are adjacent and the centre of town containing a variety of shops / weekly market is a two minute walk. Numerous supermarkets and garages are handily placed. I am reluctantly looking for a much smaller house to reflect my changed situation. €270k Contact: posiwilliams@ymail.com **

HOUSE SEARCH

Swedish Househunter Karin Kloo Your help finding your French home in Languedoc karin@husilaguedoc.se

** HOUSE WANTED Long Term Rental Wanted:

Responsible, reliable family looking for a long term rental within 20km of Agde. Just for the school year or all year round. Children and and dog-friendly please. We can provide more information and excellent references. Please contact Heather at heather@keptprivate.com

** MOBILE HOMES FOR SALE.

Prices starting from 1500€ up to 6000€. Wide range in stock. Transport and installation available on request. Telephone: 0609 54 06 62. **

B&B

Maison De L’Orb, Béziers Beautiful five bedroom bed and breakfast overlooking Pont Vieux and river. Private garden, bathing pool, fantastic breakfast. Book: www.maisondelorb.com info@maisondelorb.com ** LARGE TRADITIONAL HOUSE FOR SALE 200m2 beautifully renovated house between Pézenas and Clerment l’Hérault. Four bedrooms, two bathrooms; self-contained top floor master bedroom with terrace + separate entrance. Is gîte if income required. Dining room, large modern kitchen, 65m2 living room, remise/workshop, landscaped garden with terrace. t: 04 67 44 37 73 for more details / to view

** ADVERTISE ON THESE PAGES FOR AS LITTLE AS €15.00 PER ISSUE advertising

CANAL BARGE B & B

An unforgettable barging experience. Limited bookings available Special occasion dinner, bed and breakfast on ‘Pastis’ at Vias. From €125.00 per night p.p Contact Brian at: boutiquebargecruises@gmail.com

Phone: 0330 434457765 Mobile: +33 0613554177 www.boutiquebargecruises.com **

@theheraultandaudetimes.com

CHURCHES

Centrally located 250 sq. m. townhouse, 10 rooms, 60 sq. m. walled garden (not overlooked); 100 m. from Court of Justice, 250 m. from train station, 20 min. walk from Medieval Citadel. 4 floors + attic. Gas central heating. Ideally situated for B&B rooms or offices for independent professionals. Requires renovating. Price: € 270 000 tel : +33 4 68 74 03 22 +33 674 522 471

HIRE

** Exceptional property in Carcassonne.

The Church of England at St. Pargoire, Holy Communion 2nd Sunday each month at 1030 am. Everyone welcome. Details achstp@gmail.com ** International Chapel of Montpellier Worship Services in English Children’s Bible Class provided Services held every Sunday at 11:00am Website: www.internationalchapel.eu **

FOOD AND WINE Chillis and Spice.

Discover the Chipotle chilli from Mexico, a wonderful dried, smoky Jalapeno. We sell them as they come and also use them to make sauces, chutneys, relishes and rubs, perfect for the BBQ. We also have a good selection of Indian spices. www.chillisandspice.com ** Cakes by Ann - since 1980 Rich fruit cakes for your celebrations. Hand made to order Helen REMNANT 06 89 61 06 88 helen.remnant1@orange.fr **

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Hire a 2cv Convertable for the day or longer. A wonderful slice of French Culture. More info at: www.cornelia-rentaduck.com

** WANTED Small car for lady.

Pay up to 1200€ cash. Required for end of May. Tel 0467234460 after 18h 45

FOR SALE Satellites FOR SALE

TRIAX TD 110CM SAT DISHES 120 EUR OTHER DISHES IN STOCK 110CM / 120CM PRICES ON REQUEST DELIVERY AVAILABLE Ashley 0609 54 06 62 or 0499 41 61 80 enquiries@problemsolved.info ** COUNSELLING SERVICE

Shenanigan’s Irish owned and run, family pub and restaurant. Come and join us for the best prices in the Languedoc. All rugby, Gaelic and Hurling shown live. Guinness & Bulmers Home cooked food, prepared daily.Plate of the day 10e with a glass of wine. Taxi available. Open all year. Vias centre – 0430 17 83 87.

UK qualified, experienced counsellor. Helping resolve your crises or long term issues Depression/Stress/Relationship issues/Addiction/Bereavement/ Trauma/Anxiety/Anger/Abuse/ Isolation/Eating Disorders/Illness Individuals, Couples, Adolescents Face2face, telephone, skype Shona Luck 04 67 90 70 01 shonaluck@orange.fr Confidentiality and BACP ethics assured **

BOOKS

English Bookshop - Pézenas Please call in for a chat plus your favourite English foods. Delightful & unusual gifts for family, friends and you! A wide selection of English books. Rue St Jean ** English Books and Cards available at The English Bookstall: These markets; Monday - Bedarieux, Tuesday - Marseillan Ville, Wednesday Clermont l’Hérault, Sat- Lodève. Kerith 0467 96 68 87 ** Le Bookshop - Librairie Anglophone / café 8 rue du Bras de Fer Montpellier T/F: 04 67 66 22 90 contact@lebookshop.com www.lebookshop.com ** English Books at the Bourse, Pézenas. First Sunday of every month from 10 to 12. The Café de la Bourse is next to the Hotel Moliere in Pézenas. All books are 1 Euro or less. Excellent coffee and company. Want to book a table? Call Carole on 0467905910 46

n every village and every town the Hérault and Aude has a chance for you to visit and explore the magnificent produce and wares that it offers. Below is a selection, please visit www.theheraulttimes.com for a complete listing

AUDE

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

La Charnière Bar Restaurant A newly opened bar / Restaurant in Beziers Aiming to combine the serving of top class food with a special rugby ambiance. Place Jean Jaurés, Beziers t: 0467 36 83 10 **

EMERGENCY NUMBERS Police - 17 Fire - Pompiers - 18 Medical - SAMU - 15 Sea Rescue (Land) - 112 Sea Rescue (Sea) - CH 16 SOS Europe - 112 Child Abuse - 119 EDF (Electricity) English Line 0556 17 40 70

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

The Herault & Aude Times

HÉRAULT AGDE – Thursday morning. Covered market every morning, except Monday BEZIERS Friday morning: Flower market in the Allèes Paul Riquet Saturday morning: vegetables in the Allèes Paul Riquet; organic produce by Les Halles/ Sunday morning:large general market CESSENON-SUR-ORB Tuesday morning Produce / Saturday morning: various LODEVE – Saturday morning MEZE – Thursday and Sunday morning MONS-LA-TRIVALLE Thursday morning MONTPELLIER – Historic centre, Monday to Thursday 7h to 13h30, Friday and Saturday from 7h to 1800h (full list of Montpellier markets on HT PEZENAS Saturday morning SAINT-CHINIAN – Thursday and Sunday SETE – Monday morning: regional produce/Wednesday morning: various/Thursday morning: organic and regional produce/Friday morning: regional produce.

HAT Sport by Stuart Turpie

This year’s Tour de France starts on 5th July in Leeds with 2 Yorkshire stages then on the 7th July a stage from Cambridge into London. What a tribute to the tremendous development of interest in the sport in the UK after the success of British riders both on the track and in road races. It still seems hard to believe that Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome have won the last two tours. We had got used to Mark Cavandish outsprinting everyone to win stage after stage but two general classifications in a row! Formidable. The race into London which finishes on the Mall is a relatively short and fast 155kms. “Allez Cavendish” Crossing the Channel to Le Touquet there are several tough stages with the cross winds and cobbles of the North. The stages that follow in Alsace look to be very tough indeed with a lot of climbing. The race could be won or lost here. In the Alps the stages on July 18th and 19th are severe. The Tour then swoops down to our region with a 222kms run from Tallard down to Nimes. Sadly this is the only finish that is easy for fans to reach. Another sprint finish is on the cards but depending on the wind and fatigue that will have set in by July20th anything can happen. A good day out for cycling enthusiasts to a beautiful city. Even more annoying for HAT fans is that July 21st is a rest day and the race then restarts from Carcassonne up into the Pyrenees. There will be little or no racing in our area! After the mountains the 54kms time trial from Bergerac to Périgueux, the only race against the clock this year, could still be decisive. The Tour finishes on the Champs-Elysées on July 27th. Big favourites Chris Froome and Alberto Contador have been in tremendous recent form. Vincenzo Nibali who won last season’s

Giro d’Ilalia is expected to do well. There are a host of young riders hoping to emerge too. Mark Cavandish will be after stage sprints riding for his Belgian team. It is not so sure if he is capable of winning the green jersey for overall points winner. There is a lot of competition from other sprinters and one day specialists. Kittel, Greipel and Sagan come to mind. The HAT has money on Frenchman Arnaud Démare bursting into contention. Keep your eyes out for the impact of Welshman Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard and Peter Kennaugh who carry the Sky Team colours. Along with Cavendish, Kennaugh is the second rider from the Isle of Man in the Tour. Quite incredible. If Steve Cumming is selected by BMC to ride he could grab a stage win. Well done to Agde Rugby XV for promotion to the Federal 1; Montpellier just missed out in the Top 14 losing to Castres. No change in the Pro D2 as the 3 big clubs Narbonne, Béziers and Carcassonne will be playing each other again next season. In local football Paulhan/Pézenas did not manage promotion but they did win the Herault Cup. Bravo. With the World Cup dominating the world of sport at the moment we can go back to our thoughts a few months ago about the 2022 Cup being allocated to Qatar. Was the competition “bought” from FIFA as has been suggested in some newspapers. Certainly a complex and rather murky situation for those in charge of the sport. That’s the problem when such large sums of money seem to dominate the sport. Needless to say the League winners in England and France are both funded by money from the Middle East. Supporters of Man City and PSG are not complaining mind you! Congratulations to Lattes Women’s Basketball club, recently crowned champions of France for the first time. Lattes after a brilliant season faced Bourges in the final; best of three games. A win at home was followed by a loss in Bourges. The third game also away saw Lattes triumph. Chapeau!

CRICKET MIDI CC MIDI VENTURE INTO THE UNKNOWN WITH SIDDALLS CUP QUARTER-FINAL WIN Midi CC, boosted by the return of senior pro Dom George and top-order batsman Nick Allison, beat Damazan CC by five wickets at their home ground on Sunday to move into the semi-finals of the Siddalls Cup. Midi’s first cup win in the club’s history was appropriately founded on an 80-run opening partnership between Allison (24) and Jason Armstrong (44), the club’s two leading run scorers this season. Club President Dallling wrote in an email after the match: “Well done to all the players, umpires, scorers, bar manager, barbecuer & supporters not only for the victory but also for making this afternoon such an enjoyable and convivial game.”

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