The Bugle Dordogne - Apr 2015 by The Bugle

Government plans for rural regeneration Prime Minister Manuel Valls has unveiled a 50-point plan for improving life in the most rural areas of France. >> Page 5

Dordogne April 2015 - Issue #22

French sports stars die in TV helicopter crash Three of France’s top sporting stars were among ten people who died after two helicopters collided while filming an adventure reality TV show in a remote part of Argentina. The crash, which happened just after take-off, killed eight French nationals and two Argentinian pilots. yachtswoman Florence Arthaud and boxer Alexis Vastine - five French nationals from the production team and two Argentinian pilots also died in the crash, which President Hollande described as an “immense sadness” for France. “The whole of French sport is in mourning because we have lost three huge champions,” the sports minister, Thierry Braillard, told RTL radio. French investigators were sent to Argentina to investigate the incident, which has been described as the deadliest accident in the history of so-called survival shows, which see contestants, often celebrities, taken to far-flung places to face physical and

>> continued on page 6

NEWS - Pupils contact cosmonaut

A group of pupils from the Dordogne have made contact with a Russian cosmonaut orbiting the earth on the International Space Station >> Page 3

NEWS - Top Gear France tops ratings

The first ever episode of Top Gear France has ridden the wave of controversy generated by Jeremy Clarkson's "fracas" and set ratings records >> Page 10

NEWS - Museums may ban selfie sticks

As the craze for taking "selfies" gathers pace, museums in France are planning to ban the popular selfie sticks being used to take them >> Page 12

rance was in mourning this month after three of its top sporting stars were among the ten dead when two helicopters crashed in Argentina during the filming of a reality TV show. The helicopters collided in mid-air just after take-off while filming the adventure show Dropped for France’s biggest private TV station, TF1. The programme is adapted from a popular Swedish show and sees sporting celebrities blindfolded before being flown into the wilderness and given 72 hours to make their way back to civilisation. Along with the three sporting celebrities swimmer Camille Muffat,

INSIDE > > >

The Bugle Business Directory

A top foie gras producer has been cleared of cruelty in a landmark trial >> Page 8

We all have bad habits. Develop a healthy one that actually saves you money!

3 pages of listings for local English-speaking businesses - your essential guide to finding just what you’re looking for >> Pages 17-19

Don’t let the banks cash in!

Save time and money by sending your international money transfers Consistent bank beating exchange rates online or over the phone. Move money, pay people and settle bills within seconds. Make and track payments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Norton security used by 97 of the world’s top 100 banks. HiFX Europe Limited is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009, registration 462444, for the provision of payment services.

www.hifx.co.uk

2 ♦ IN THIS EDITION

Welcome to

The Bugle

elcome to the Easter edition of The Bugle and what a busy few weeks it has been!! We always see a spike in the number of businesses looking to advertise around now and this year was no exception. It is usually a combination of seasonal businesses that have had the winter months off, established businesses hoping to speak to the second home owners who begin to arrive in earnest during the Easter holidays and new businesses looking to expand for the coming year.

The result is our busiest ever edition and our largest ever print run. The paper in your hands is one of 12,000 that is currently out there, and a further 14,000 copies of our sister edition, The Bugle Limousin, are also doing the rounds to the north-east. It is a massive undertaking to produce and distribute The Bugle each month and it is a source of great pride that I have never missed an edition. Over the course of 5-and-a-half years, 2 newspapers and 88 editions, my own family has grown in number by 2 and through our extended families we have celebrated marriages and births and said goodbye

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2015

to loved ones. As everyone who has made the move to France will know, being apart from friends and family is one of the hardest aspects of living abroad and it has not always been easy to combine our life and business here with our ties from back “home”. The Bugle is free and will always remain so, but its continued existence is down to you, the reader. Using the trades and services advertised in this paper and crucially, telling them that you found them in these pages - allows me to continue to produce The Bugle each month. The 26,000 copies distributed this April represent a record print run and a quick calculation has just revealed that at some point in the last 2 months, one reader will have picked up the millionth copy of The Bugle to roll off the presses!! Wow, that is a big pile of paper... I’m suddenly feeling a bit guilty about the melting ice caps!! Despite the large number

of papers being distributed each month, I know that in certain areas they go very quickly indeed, especially with summer approaching, and it is a shame when people are unable to find a copy. If you do ever struggle to find one, or have a suggestion for a new location where you woud like to see The Bugle, please do let me know as I am always looking to improve and increase distribution! Until next month! Steve Martindale, Editor

Channel 4 is looking for aspirational and enterprising British people who are starting up new businesses in the Dordogne. Is this your first season running your new business or have you just purchased your dream business? As well as new starters we are also looking for established companies that may be expanding or doing something different. If you are interested in finding out more please email jbeanland@truenorth.tv

www.agence-eleonor.com

Tél. : 05 53 27 83 45, info@agence-eleonor.com

Ref: 2730-EY. €699,500 FAI. DPE: C. Situated in a fabulous private setting overlooking its own lake, beautiful four bedroom house, two guest cottages, a swimming pool and tennis court, a double garage, workshop and a gazebo with views onto the lake, set in 3.25 acres of mature garden. Located 15 minutes drive from an airport.

Other offices at : Beynac, Monpazier and Villeréal

CONTACT us Tel: 05.55.41.17.76 General: editor@thebugle.eu Advertising (EN): sales24@thebugle.eu Publicité (FR): publicite@thebugle.eu Subscriptions: subscriptions24@thebugle.eu Editor: Steve Martindale Write to: The Bugle Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois France

Check out our new website!

36-38 rue du Temple, 24500 EYMET

Ref: 4049-EY. €351,450 FAI. DPE: C. A delightful 5 bedroom house that has been fully renovated and comes with a swimming pool. All this set in nearly 1 and a half acres of pretty garden, nestled at the end of a private driveway. This property beneﬁts also from stunning views over the countryside.

3-5 Local News 6-12 National News 13 French Life 14 Practical 15 Bilingual 16 Games 17-19 Directory 20-21 Community 22-24 What’s On

www.fabricadesign.com

Agence Eleonor Estate Agency

Ref: 2468-EY. €179,760 FAI. DPE: E. This lovely three bedroom bungalow is in good order throughout and beneﬁts from central heating. The mature garden of almost two acres includes a pond and a row of vines. There is a large basement and double garage. A very pretty and rural setting.

INSIDE this edition

“A traditional stove is an investment for life that you will fall in love with. Easy to install, it will work on a simple 16 amp socket. Elegant, versatile and with a gentle heat, the Everhot stove will become the heart of your kitchen.”

APRIL 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 3

New Brântome tourist office opens

isitors to Brantôme may have been wondering what was being done with the renovated and converted Eglise Notre-Dame in the centre of the prime tourist centre. The newly refurbished building has now opened its doors, as a specialist local tourist office. Run by Périgord-Dronne-Belle it focuses on promoting the gems within and around the golden triangle of Brantôme, Mareuil and Bourdeilles. Each of these communes is a cultural, historical and gastronomic centre and they now each have a dedicated tourist office able to supply detailed information about the riches in the area around their part of the Dronne and Belle river areas. The elegant Brantôme office is in the

heart of the “Venice of the Dordogne”, on the riverside, opposite the Abbey. It is open almost every day of the year between 10h and 18h. The office has a wide selection of brochures and suggestions for visits and the staff have wide expertise and deep local knowledge. The new office is due to play a key role in Brantôme’s “British Week” this summer. ■ by Brian Hinchliffe Église Notre-Dame 2 rue Puyjoli de Meyjounissas 24310 Brantôme T: 05 53 05 80 63 E: brantome@perigord-dronne-belle.fr W: http://perigord-dronne-belle.fr

Dordogne pupils contact Russian cosmonaut

upils from a Sarlat lycée had a quick online chat with a Russian last month. Perhaps not the most striking piece of news, until you learn that the Russian involved was orbiting the earth more than 400 km out in space! Teacher Christian Weiss and Jean-François Sergeant of the Sarlat ham radio club set up the connection with cosmonaut Elena Serova through a transmitter mast at Domme aerodrome. Christian teaches electronics at the Pré de Cordy high school in Sarlat. Elena

is a member of the crew of the International Space Station circling the Earth in a series of looping orbits. The 250-strong audience, plus pupils listening on an audio relay, hung on to every word of the question and answer session, which was conducted in English and which mainly covered what it is like to live in space. Elena has been aboard the ISS since September last year. The ISS has been in service since the first modules were launched way back in 1998.

Do you have a property to sell? Would you like 100,000s of potential buyers to see it? Look at our website www.stayinfrance.fr and let us pro-actively market your property to our UK database of 2 million people today. For more details email rod@stayinfrance.fr or call 06 77 80 20 68

Elena, hurtling through space at 7 km per second was rapidly flying out of range throughout the 5-minute exchange. “It was so stressful, so fast, and all in English. But it really was a wonderful experience,” 15-yearold pupil Alexis told The Bugle. Pupils were inspired and delighted by this initiative, proud that their school and their small town had made history. To find out how to catch sight of the ISS over the Dordogne, go to www.isstracker.com ■ by Brian Hinchliffe

School holiday zones due to be redefined The dates that the various parts of France take their school holidays are set to change. As the country moves towards officially cutting the number of regions from 22 to 13, the education minister has announced plans to “review” the school holiday calendar. Traditionally, France has staggered a number of its school holidays. Each of the three defined “zones” take school holidays lasting 2 weeks in periods that overlap to create one “school holiday” of four weeks. This spreads the load that school holidays place on the country's transport system and tourist industries and reduces the “spike” in holiday and travel prices often seen in the UK during, for example, the Easter holidays. Summer and Christmas holidays in France are always taken at the same time across the whole country. The Aquitaine is set to join with the Limousin and Poitou-Charentes regions in the coming shake-up, and whilst Limoges and Poitiers already take their school holidays at the same time, Bordeaux does not. It is believed that the education minister will unveil the new timetables in April and that they will come into effect from 2016. ■

4 ♦ LOCAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2015

Mini Digger

Wanted Experienced shopfitters

with Driver for Hire

Landscaping, ditching, land clearance etc. Also general Garden Maintenance

Experienced shopfitters required for installs all across France.

John Bonella

Joiners, electricians and labourers also required.

87440 Marval

05 55 78 62 29

Email: contact@reactive-resource.com

siret no. 523 183 580 00019

john.bonella@gmail.com

10,000-year-old graffiti Downe House - Raising found in Dordogne cave money for sick children

ocal speleologists have just revealed their report on what some consider to be obscene graffiti in caves near VieuxMareuil in the north of the department. The report dates back to 1986 when Gilles and Brigitte Deluc, pre-history specialists, explored the cave, discovered two years earlier by expert caveexplorer, Christian Carcauzon. They examined carvings and designs scratched and carved on the cave walls which run for 30 metres into the limestone. Their findings remained unpublished until a recent archaeology seminar in Périgueux. “These were done about 10,000 years ago,” the couple explained to a recent meeting of the Périgord historical and archaeological society. “The carvings are fairly crudely made and were probably done over several days.” Photographs of over 80 different carvings were shown illustrating a range of subjects. Most were of animals, but amongst them were a number

of images of male and female genitalia. To the untrained eye the carvings resemble the obscene scribbles often found on the walls of public toilets, but considering their subterranean location, the physical effort involved in creating them and their graphic nature it is now believed that the carvings have a more spiritual significance than mere pornography. The caves themselves have since been sealed, more for public safety than for public morality. ■ by Brian Hinchliffe

ince 2009, the French branch of the Berkshire-based school Downe House has raised more than €35,000 through a series of charity events such as spa days, theme days and cake sales at Sarlat market. This work has been in aid of Hôpital Sourire, a charity that aims to put smiles back on the faces of children suffering from cancer and severe burns as well as assisting their families. It doesn’t deal with medical equipment or research; it aims to make the life of these children more bearable in times of hardship. The students’ fund-raising efforts have resulted in the purchase of art workshops, beds for accompanying parents and software for the sick children so their schooling is not interrupted. Term after term, the girls at Downe House, Veyrines-de-Domme, have given their time and effort to this noble cause, knowing that every single euro collected goes straight to the children. The next cake sale for Hôpital Sourire will be held on Saturday 16th May from 9am onwards at Sarlat market. The girls already plan to beat this term’s total (€768.31) and are relying on your generosity to hit their target. ■ Your favourite one stop shop where you will find something for all the family within our 32000ft² sales floor.

www.eco-entrepot.fr

MASSIVE CLEARANCE DEAL JUST IN!!

THE WEATHER IS CHANGING FOR THE BETTER... AND SO IS THE CHOICE OF AMAZING VALUE PRODUCTS AT “THE SHED”... 2 x 40’ TRUCKS OF ASSORTED SHRUBS, TREES & PLANTS IN STOCK NOW !!! Fruit trees, Laurel trees, Rose bushes, Shrubs, etc., etc. FRUIT TREES (over 2.5m high) only €20 each LAURELS only €20 each ROSE BUSHES only €3.99 REMEMBER... WHEN IT’S GONE IT’S GONE*

Fabrica Design 14 rue du Veau, 24500 Eymet t: 05.53.22.46.84 | e: michele@fabricadesign.com neptune.com

PLUS ALL YOUR POTTING COMPOSTS & SOILS FOR THE COMING SEASON. ALL AT RIDICULOUSLY LOW PRICES. COMING SOON... OLIVE TREES, LEMON TREES & PALM TREES. Keep up to date by joining us on Facebook or check out our website - www.eco-entrepot.fr * Please call to ensure stocks available before making special trips for certain items We are situated just oﬀ the RN147 on the D107 direction L’Isle Jourdain

87320 Bussière-Poitevine

Tel: 05 55 68 74 73

Open Tue - Sat: 09h00 - 12h00 & 14h00 - 18h00 (closed Mon) Sun: 09h30 - 12h00 & 14h30 - 18h00 GPS: Long: 0° 53’ 33’’ 40 E Lat: 46° 13’ 45’’ 10 N

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 5

APRIL 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Government plans for rural regeneration

n the build-up to the recent departmental elections, key members of the Socialist government hit the roads and travelled to the most rural parts of France as part of a drive to convince farmers and those living in the more remote corners of the country that they were not being ignored. Under the banner “A chance for France”, no fewer than 11 government ministers got on the bus, with Prime Minister Manuel Valls taking the opportunity to announce 50 measures aimed at improving the life of those living in France’s rural areas. The cost of the proposals is estimated to be €1 billion. “Rural life is too often associated with isolation,” said Valls as he unveiled his plan to “fight the sense of abandonment” and show the party’s commitment to those living in rural France. Key among the plans were three aspects of life: access to public services, healthcare and digital connectivity. Valls announced that the government was planning to triple the number of maisons de ser-

vices publics over the next 2 years by converting former post offices, huge numbers of which have closed down in recent years. By combining the function of these post offices with other public services such as the CAF, EDF or the Pôle emploi the government aims to allow people to carry out their administrative tasks in one place without having to travel to multiple locations, often far from home. The government has also promised to create more health centres in France, where multiple health workers from a wide range of professions operate under one roof. Valls believes that the number of such centres can reach 800 this year and that through the introduction of grants, 1,700 young healthcare workers can be convinced to set up in rural areas by 2017. Despite having one the highest numbers of doctors per capita in the world, these are weighted disproportionally in the country’s cities. The problem has led to many rural communities having to employ GPs from abroad in order to have a doctor within reach of their residents. In De-

cember last year, the government announced plans to make trainee doctors complete part of their training in those areas most in need to try and alleviate this problem. Lastly, the prime minister vowed to finally rid France of its “white zones” in the next 18 months, areas where no mobile phone reception is possible. “In the countryside, it is often impossible to receive a mobile phone signal from within your house,” underlined Valls - a problem many readers will be familiar with. “I want us to go further than currently required by law and give everyone in the country access not only to 2G, but to high-speed 3G networks.” “In 2022, France will be completely connected by a highspeed network,” insisted Axelle Lemaire, the digital secretary of state. Last year, one village in the Haute-Vienne, Limousin, fed up with a lack of internet coverage, refused to pay any taxes until they were connected. The inhabitants announced that they would pay no national taxes until they received at least 2MB

broadband - the minimum currently offered by France Télécom/Orange. “We are secondclass citizens, forgotten by everyone,” one angry resident told Le Populaire newspaper at the time. “On the other hand, when it comes to taxes they remember us well enough!” Although nearly one third of the cabinet hit the roads together, Valls insisted that the government was not campaigning ahead of the local elections held at the end of March. Marine Le Pen’s far-right Front National have been doing particularly

well in much of rural France as voters become increasingly disillusioned with the main parties. Le Pen has skilfully tapped into this sense of abandonment and rural areas have proved to be fertile grounds for FN support. The planned measures were cautiously welcomed by the Association des petites villes de France (APVF), which “hailed” the moves, but said that it would be “closely following” their implementation to ensure they “provide answers to the major challenges posed by the decay of town centres”. ■

6 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2015

French stars die in TV helicopter crash >> continued from pg 1

mental challenges against the elements. Production of the show was immediately shut down and after interviews with the French investigators, the cast and crew were all flown back to France. The crash, which an Argentinian local dramatically captured on a smartphone, took place in good conditions and officials said that initial findings indicated that it was caused by human error. Both pilots were experienced, with one of the two reported to have been a veteran of the 1982 Falklands War. TF1 issued a statement expressing solidarity for the victims' families. “We are living a nightmare. The programme was going so well and the sports champions were all very happy to take

The 3 sports stars that died in the crash

Florence Arthaud, 57, made sporting history and became a female icon in 1990 after becoming the first woman to win the prestigious Route du Rhum solo Atlantic race, earning herself the enduring nickname of “fiancée of the Atlantic”. She had a previous brush with death when she fell overboard whilst alone on her yacht. Fortunately, she had purchased a waterproof mobile phone just before setting off on her voyage and was able to phone her mother in Paris and relay her GPS coordinates.

part,” said Nonce Paolini, chief executive of TF1. Former France and Arsenal striker Sylvain Wiltord, who would have been on the flight had he not been voted off the show the previous day, later tweeted: “I am sad for my friends, I’m shaking, I’m horrified, I can’t find the words.” The crash in Argentina is not the first time in recent years that a reality show

Skier hit by light aircraft A Polish woman was severely injured in March when she was hit by a light aircraft that careered down the slopes of a ski resort in the French Alps after a botched take-off attempt. The woman was hit by the plane's propeller and suffered a “near amputation” of her hand. The ski-equipped single-propeller aircraft had failed to take off from the snowy high-altitude runway near a resort near Avoriaz and then slid down the slopes, narrowly missing a group of children and passing under a chairlift, before clipping the woman. “We only narrowly avoided a catastrophe,” said a firefight-

produced for TF1 has been hit by tragedy. In 2013, a 25-year-old contestant on the 16th series of the popular programme “Koh Lanta” - the French version of “Survivor” - died of a heart attack on the first day of filming after complaining of chest pains. The show's physician subsequently committed suicide just a week later, citing “unfair accusations” against him in the media. ■

ing source, who declined to be named. After being attended by a resort doctor, the 55-year-old woman was airlifted to hospital. Patrick Steinmetz, a local public prosecutor who is investigating the incident, said: “The plane suddenly appeared behind her and there was virtually no sound. She didn't hear it.” ■

Yoghurt cartel

Eleven French dairy producers have been landed with €192.7 million in fines by France's competition watchdog for price fixing. Between 2006 and 2012, the “highly organised cartel” were accused of colluding to set wholesale prices for various fresh dairy products. Lactalis Nestlé received the largest in-

Camille Muffat, 25, won three medals at the London Olympics, including gold in the 400m freestyle. Her victories made her a superstar in France and big things were predicted for her in Rio next year. The shy swimmer struggled with her new-found fame, however, and recently announced her shock retirement, saying she wanted to take more time out to enjoy life with her boyfriend, a former swimmer turned golfer. Alexis Vastine, 28, won bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the light-welterweight category and was narrowly beaten in the quarter-finals of the 2012 Games. After a recent bout of depression, the boxer was targeting a return in Rio in order to complete his Olympic dream. Tragically for the family, his 21-year-old sister died in a car crash only two months ago.

dividual fine of €56.1 million, but said it planned to appeal the “extremely severe” decision. The Yoplait group escaped punishment as part of a clemency agreement after it left the yoghurt cartel in 2011 and blew the whistle. Wholesale prices to the supermarkets are estimated to have been inflated by between two and seven per cent. ■

France to host World Cup

Football's governing body Fifa has announced that France will host the 2019 Women's World Cup - the first time it will have done so. Fifa officials unanimously backed the bid ahead of rival South Korea.

At one point England had been among the five countries in the running to host the tournament, which has been held every four years since 1991, before the shortlist was narrowed to two in October last year. The 2015 tournament takes place in Canada this summer, with France currently among the favourites to lift the trophy. Last year, France hosted the Women’s Rugby World Cup - a tournament that was ultimately won by England and was considered a huge success for the women's game on both sides of the Channel. Paris is also currently considering whether to bid for the 2024 Olympics. Other major tournaments heading to France in the near future are the Men's European Championships in 2016 and the Ryder Cup in 2018. ■

APRIL 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 7

8 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2015

Abris Bois LV - Your timber building specialist We build bespoke, very affordable wooden houses, log cabins & outbuildings. Full service: design, planning, foundations, construction, rooﬁng, electrics, plumbing, heating, etc. 10-year décennale insurance.

www.abrisboislv.fr - 05 87 77 95 57

Call t a FR oday for EE q uote

Show site: Zone Artisanale Sirvenon - 87190 Magnac-Laval, Haute-Vienne

French foie gras producer has been cleared of “acts of cruelty” at a landmark trial due to a lack of evidence. Ernest Soulard, who supply foie gras to top chefs such as Gordon Ramsey and Alain Ducasse, found themselves in the dock following a private prosecution brought by animal rights group L214. The trial, which took place in La Roche-surYon in western France, focused on a video which L214 claims was taken by an employee of the company and highlighted “animal cruelty”. The video, which makes for uncomfortable viewing, shows ducks covered in filth and confined to individual

feeding cages; some have open wounds, others have abscesses and shake with distress. Several lie dead along the production line. As the trial progressed, it became clear that many sections of the film were not in fact taken at factories operated by Ernest Soulard and the company's boss, Roland Tonarelli, angrily described the video footage as “fake and misleading”, accusing the animal rights group of using the courts as a propaganda tool for their campaign. The company even countersued L214 for damage to its property when it was revealed that holes had been drilled in certain factories to hide hidden cameras. Speaking in court, the animal welfare campaign-

Foie gras and gavage Foie gras, which literally translates as fatty liver, is made from the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. This is often achieved through a process of forcefeeding known as gavage, whereby the animal is fed a concentrated corn solution via a tube inserted down the neck and directly into the stomach. French law states that “Foie gras belongs to the protected cultural and gastronomical heritage of France”, although no mention is made of the gavage typically used to produce it.

Houses on Internet is a marketing service that allows private owners of French property to sell their house without using an estate agent. A method that has proven to be very successful. How does it work? 1. We make a website for your property in English, French and Dutch. The main website is available in Russian too. 2. We connect that website to our main site which gets over 130,000 visitors from 40+ countries per month. 3. We advertise your property on several international French-property websites. This way we reach 1.5 million people a month worldwide. What does it cost? We ask a contribution to the advertising cost up front and after the sale a fee of 2.5%, which is included in the selling price. Houses on Internet operates throughout France with a staff of 7 professionals and 89 local photographers who visit our clients to take photos and gather all information. For more information, call us at 05 55 65 12 19, or visit our website.

WWW.HOUSESONINTERNET.COM Plus Vite!

Moins Cher!

ers insisted they had obtained the images via an employee with access to the different feeding rooms and were “certain” they were genuine, pointing to the company logo that appears on the building’s doors and staff clothes. L214 claimed that it had received the images from someone with access to the force-feeding areas and “simply edited them together”. This version was questioned by lawyers for the foie gras producer, who asked why the holes were drilled “if the person filming really did have access to Ernest Soulard buildings”. In his summing up, state prosecutor Hervé Lollic called for the case to be dismissed due to “insufficient evidence” and accused the activists of “misusing the courts as instruments” of anti-foie gras propaganda - suggesting to the judge that they be fined €10,000 as a result. The judge cleared the foie gras producer, but chose not to fine L214. “It has been demonstrated that the images

Foie gras producer cleared of cruelty

that caused such a stir on the internet were falsified, so justice has been done,” said Roland Tonarelli. “We have turned the page with our clients, everyone is absolutely convinced that we are blameless.” Hélène Thouy, lawyer for L214, called the ruling “disappointing”, but said the case was “just one step in the long process of raising awareness about animal suffering

France → UK UK → France All risk insurance cover Part loads & dedicated lorries Professional staff & modern vehicles Every vehicle from a Luton van to a full removals lorry

A member of The Guild of Master Craftsmen since 2008

+44 (0)1274 724 545

www.dsdremovalsltd.com info@dsdremovalsltd.com facebook.com/DSDRemovals

and banning ‘gavage’ as a result”. “One day, we will look back on the forcefeeding of animals as a barbaric practice to be filed away in the museum of horrors,” she added. The case came amid signs that the country’s love of foie gras may be on the wane. There are 8,000 producers in France, manufacturing 74 per cent of the world's foie gras, although con-

sumption is dropping, with the product facing increasing pressure from public opinion and outright bans in places like India and California. Recent polls suggest that 47 per cent of French people want an end to forcefeeding and 29 per cent would refuse to buy foie gras in protest against the ill-treatment of animals - a 10% increase since 2009. ■

Debenhams Blue Cross Easter Weekend Sale – Plus extra 10% off on sign up Celebrate Easter weekend dressed head to toe in style with the Debenhams Easter Blue Cross Sale. Whether you’re updating your wardrobe or refreshing your home, the Blue Cross Easter Weekend Sale has got it covered. With 20% off selected lines of women’s, men’s, kids’ and home, including coveted British Designers including Matthew Williamson and Jasper Conran, you’ll be spoiled for choice. Plus, sign up to our international newsletter and you’ll get an additional 10% off your first order. We deliver to over 50 countries too and if you spend over £50 we will deliver your British designer goodies directly to your door. What are you waiting for? Head over to Debenhams online today and enjoy the Blue Cross Easter Weekend sale and an extra 10% off when you sign up to the newsletter. ■

APRIL 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 9

10 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2015

Controversy gives Top Gear France ratings boost

French tycoon shocked by news of his own death

ar enthusiasts the world over were in uproar at the BBC's decision to suspend Jeremy Clarkson from Top Gear and a petition with one million signatures was even delivered to Downing Street in protest against the channel's broadcaster. One group of car fanatics were delighted by the news, however, the producers and presenters of Top Gear France! By coincidence, the furore over Clarkson's “fracas” with a producer came in the week leading up to Top Gear France's first ever episode. The increased publicity this generated led to 1.1 million people tuning into the show, which was broadcast on the relatively minor channel RMC Découverte - a huge hit given the channel's previous biggest audience for a

show was 480,000. Top Gear France’s second episode kept up the momentum, managing to retain 85% of the audience and averaging 793,000 viewers. The Gallic version features comic actor Philippe Lellouche, driving ace Bruce Jouanny and car expert Yann Larret-Menezo - even “Le Stig” makes an appearance as the mysterious white-suited racing driver. When plans were first announced, there had been fears that the particularly AngloSaxon humour of the show may not translate for a French audience. “Top Gear is a fabulous concept but I'm not sure the huge budgets and the devastating British humour can translate into French,” warned Pierre Taylor, editor-in-chief of Auto Plus, France's biggest car magazine, in advance of the first episode.

He needn't have worried, with the majority of reviews being largely favourable. “It fulfilled its promises of a jokey ambience, crazy tests, off the wall tone and guest stars,” wrote Le Figaro. The list of guest drivers will apparently include former prime minister François Fillon, an avid motor racer. “The English will have to say what the French touch of our programme is,” presenter Lellouche told Le Parisien, referring to the potential problems of cultural crossover. “We will test French cars that the English wouldn't necessarily try out. France is an automobile culture and we are very close to that culture, but we have to admit we owe the British everything as they created the show.” Top Gear France is being produced by BBC Worldwide Productions

Mon Jardin

Gardening essentials and giftware - Tools - Garden Essentials - Accessories - Kids - Seeds & Bulbs - Gift Ideas

www.mon-jardin.co.uk mon-jardin25@hotmail.com

France, which has previously adapted shows including Strictly Come Dancing, Antiques Roadshow, The Great Bake Off, The Weakest Link and Sewing Bee for French audiences. ■

News agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) was left red-faced recently after mistakenly reporting the death of French industrialist Martin Bouygues, chairman and CEO of the Bouygues conglomerate which runs Bouygues Telecom and TV station TF1. After news of the 62-year-old tycoon's death broke, deputy director of TF1, Catherine Nayl, tweeted: “I spoke to Martin Bouygues ten minutes ago. He is doing very well and was surprised to hear the news.” Seconds later, Prime Minister Manuel Valls added: “Happy to have just spoken to Martin Bouygues and to share in his surprise.” AFP admitted its error, which it put down to confusion with a local mayor over the death of a Mr Martin, and apologised profusely. “We take this incident very seriously and are carrying out an investigation among editorial staff to understand how such an error could have been made,” AFP said in a statement. “We offer our humblest apologies to Martin Bouygues, his loved ones, his group and all our clients.” ■

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 11

APRIL 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Religious group attacks dating website

rance is famous in many parts of the world for its remarkably liberal attitude to extra-marital affairs. There is even an expression - the so-called “cinq à sept” - referring to the two-hour period after work, from 5 to 7 pm, when (some) people meet up with their lovers before going home to their spouses. Dating website Gleeden, which is aimed squarely at women looking for some extramarital action, has built a business model based purely on this principle. The site has run a series of posters on buses and metros across the country in recent months, one of which shows an attractive young woman in a bridal dress with her fingers crossed behind her back. The campaign has drawn much attention from conservative groups in France and has so angered the Association of Catholic Families (ACF) that the group has filed a legal complaint in a Paris superior court, claiming that the poster campaign is crude, immoral and a reckless breach of an article in the civil code. The article in question was written in 1804, features in marriage ceremonies and stipulates that married couples must show each other respect, fidelity, help and assistance. “I was shocked and disgusted when I saw the ad,” said Aude Ducros, a spokeswoman for the ACF. “Infidelity pollutes the couple and the family and destroys the social fabric of France. It is immoral to be publicly promoting adultery, and hurtful to infidelity’s victims.” “There are plenty of other websites out there which promote sexual contact between individuals, but what makes Gleeden different is that its very business model is based on marital infidelity,” said Jean-

Marie Andres, president of the ACF. “It states quite openly that its purpose is to offer married women opportunities to have sex outside the marriage. But here in France, people and parliament are all in agreement that marriage is a public commitment. It's in the law. What we are trying to do with our suit is show that the civil code - the law - has meaning.” It is now up to the courts to decide whether, legally speaking, this is the case and if Gleeden has indeed broken French law by encouraging in-

fidelity. Gleeden, launched in 2009, has a million subscribers in France, and 2.4 million globally. The site is free for women, who do not pay to be registered, but male users have to buy credit, opening up different levels of access to registered women. Though accurate information on this is impossible to obtain, Gleeden itself says that 80% of the people who use the service are indeed married. Margot, a 44-year-old Parisian, is one registered user who has been married for many

years. She says that she is unsatisfied sexually, but has no intention of leaving her husband. “I chose Gleeden precisely because it is for married people. It means that the person you meet knows your situation. There's no deception. We can talk openly about husbands, wives and children. Also when we are both married, we both accept we only want to go so far in the relationship. It's easier to keep things uncomplicated. We respect each other's private life.” Gleeden was quick to defend

itself against the accusations. “We have plenty of clients who tell us that having a secret garden is what saved them from walking out of the marriage,” argued Solene Paillet, a spokeswoman for the website. “We didn't invent adultery. Adultery would exist whether we were there or not. All we are doing is filling a demand. If people see our advertisements and are shocked, well there is no obligation. If you see a nice car in an ad, you aren't obliged to buy it. You make your own mind up.” ■

Police on trial over youth deaths

wo police officers have gone on trial over the deaths of two youths in 2005 that led to some of the worst rioting seen in France in decades. The court case is sure to raise tensions in the banlieues (suburbs) of Paris, home to many of France's immigrant communities, but authorities hope that, whatever the outcome, it will go some way to healing the mistrust between police and young people that still plagues French tower blocks. The trial dates back to 27th October 2005 in Clichy-sousBois, a notorious Parisian suburb, when police were called to a construction site to investigate a possible break-in. Three teenagers, who were on their way back from a football match, saw the police and ran, hoping to avoid the lengthy questioning that youths in the housing projects said they often faced from the police.

Très Jolie

Ladies fashion accessories Mail order available or ﬁnd me at a local market Piégut market every Wednesday Paula Robinson

05 55 78 62 29 06 04 08 29 53

tres.jolie1@orange.fr Facebook: search for “Tres Jolie Milhaguet” siret 753 125 061 00014

An inquiry concluded that they had not committed any crime, but that they had fled simply because they had seen police. After climbing a wall, the youths hid in a power substation, but while hiding, two of the boys, Zyed Benna and Bouna Traoré, suffered fatal electric shocks. The third, Muhittin Altun, received serious burns but survived. The deaths triggered the biggest wave of civil unrest France had witnessed since 1968. That first night, 15 cars were set alight in Clichy-sous-Bois, an area home to 30,000 residents, mostly second and third-generation immigrant families living in poor conditions in high-rise apartment blocks. The violence quickly spread and over the next 20 days reached as far as Rennes, Bordeaux, Strasbourg and Marseilles. Nearly 3,000 people - half of them minors - were arrested, more than 9,000 cars were set on fire and 126 police-

Advertise your business here

05.55.41.17.76 sales24@thebugle.eu

men and fire-fighters were injured. The two police officers face charges of “non-assistance to a person in danger” for allegedly failing to come to the boys’ aid, despite knowing that they were in the substation and in grave danger – a charge they deny. One of the officers is said to have radioed to colleagues for help at the time, saying he expected the boys to leave the substation but added: “If they enter the site there's not much hope they'll make it alive”. His radio contact is expected to form a crucial part of the five-day trial, which will be attended by relatives of the two boys who died as well as Muhittin Altun, who survived. After the deaths, judges opened an investigation and recommended that the police officers face trial. But the state prosecutor, arguing that no crime had been committed, went to the appeal court and the case was dropped. The families fought on through higher appeal courts and the trial will now finally take place. “Seemingly, certain people never wanted this case to be tried,” said the families’ lawyer, Jean-Pierre Mignard, at a press conference. The case has once again shone a light on the grim realities of France’s ghetto estates, dumped on the outskirts of cities and rife with discrimination, joblessness and poverty. The Socialist prime minister Manuel Valls recently slammed what he called France’s “territorial, social and ethnic apartheid” and announced an action plan for more mixing in social housing and measures against discrimination. If found guilty of failing to help individuals in danger, the two officers could face up to five years in prison and up to €75,000 in fines. ■

12 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2015

French worst in France blocks Waterloo €2 coin world at picking up pooch poo?

The findings were based on the number of poop bags sold worldwide by British-based pet products company, Beco Pets. The firm has sold more than 10 million of its eco-friendly Beco bags in 17 countries around the world since its launch in 2009 and it recently released figures showing the breakdown of these sales over a 6-month period. Whilst it is no surprise that the home British market accounts for the majority of the company’s sales, nearly 800,000 Beco bags were sold in Italy, 365,000 in the Netherlands, more than 100,000 in Spain and 48,000 in Belgium. During that same period of time, the French public only purchased 3,600 bags. Whilst this is far from a scientific study, the news is sure to further strengthen the reputation France has in not dealing with its doggy doodoo. In the past, some have even blamed the proliferation of Parisian pavement parcels for the city’s failed 2012 Olympics bid. Paris’ former environment head Yves Contassot said at the time: “By 2001, Paris was the dog poo capital of the world. It was such a problem that the Japanese used it as an argument for opposing our candidacy for the Olympic Games. There were complaints from people all the time. What was worse was that we were mocked around the world for not being able to keep our own pavements clean.” ■

lenges to overcome without wasting time and energy on this.” It is not the first time that reminders of the Battle of Waterloo have upset the French: it has been widely claimed, but never fully substantiated, that several former French presidents have asked for two large murals depicting Waterloo and Trafalgar in the Royal Gallery of the Palace of Westminster to be covered up whenever they visited the UK. In the aftermath of the French Revolution, Napoleon seized power in 1799 and began to steadily increase France's territory and influence across Europe through a series of military campaigns. Following a disastrous campaign in Russia in 1812 and a period in exile, defeat at Waterloo in 1815 ultimately ended the First French Empire and the political and military career of Napoleon Bonaparte. It also ushered in almost half a century of peace in Europe - no further major conflict occurred until the Crimean War. ■

Dangerous drivers urged to speed up!

A mayor in the Côte-d'Or department of France, fed up with motorists speeding through the small village of Bretenières, has put up a sign aimed at slowing down the traffic: “There are still children to run down... you can go faster”. The unconventional sign has been met with reactions varying from amusement to outright anger. “We have chosen communication rather than information,” explained mayor Hervé Bruyère. “Drivers come through at 70, 80 kph! The village is quiet, but I have seen several near misses. It is humorous, yes, and some would say it is black humour, but it has at least created a reaction.” The mayor insists that he has already tried all conventional methods to slow down the traffic. “The limit was reduced from 50 kph to 30 kph without effect; we have put

s anyone who has taken a wander around a French city will know, if you spend too long admiring the scenery, it is only a matter of time before you step in something unpleasant. France has garnered something of a reputation for canine caca and a recent survey has even suggested that the French could be the worst in the world at picking up after their pooches.

he legendary French leader Napoleon Bonaparte was famously defeated by the Duke of Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo, but France was celebrating a minor follow-up victory recently when it successfully blocked the minting of a €2 coin commemorating the event. Following French objections, Belgium withdrew proposals for the commemorative coin in honour of the AngloDutch-German victory outside Brussels 200 years ago on 18th June 1815. Paris officials had claimed the coin would glorify a conflict that split Europe, running contrary to today’s efforts to unite Europe. In a letter to the Council of Europe, President François Hollande said the project would be a “symbol that is negative” and could “risk engendering unfavourable reactions in France”. “The Battle of Waterloo is an event with particular resonance in the collective conscience, going beyond a simple military conflict,” the letter states. “The circulation of coins carrying a symbol that is negative for a fraction of the European population to us appears prejudicial, in a context where the governments of the Eurozone are trying to strengthen unity and co-operation throughout the monetary union.” In 2014, France struck a commemorative €2 coin marking the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landings that ultimately led to the defeat of Nazi Germany. Belgium, a country which was in part born from the political aftermath of Napoleon's defeat, is planning a weekend of festivities to mark the 200-year anniversary of the battle, including a major re-enactment involving 6,000 people. It has already minted around 180,000 collectors edition coins and was understandably disappointed by France's objections. “I am a bit surprised by all this agitation,” Belgian Finance Minister Johan Van Overtveldt said in a statement. “Europe has plenty of other issues to deal with and chal-

notices in our municipal bulletins; we placed speed bumps outside the school; and we have introduced priority to the right on side roads... all to no avail.” The sign was first installed four months ago and has since gone on

to attract national press attention, but the mayor recently admitted that it has proved no more effective than his previous efforts. “I'm still thinking about what else we can do,” said the mayor. “Maybe install some chicanes?!” ■

French museums may ban 'selfie sticks'

he arrival of the smartphone ushered in the era of the “selfie” and the popularity of digital self-portraits has now led to the proliferation of so-called “selfie sticks”. These cheap, telescopic devices can reach up to 1.5 metres in length, but museums in France are now moving towards banning them because of the dangers they pose in crowded spaces, both to the public and to priceless works of art. Boris Johnson and Barrack Obama are both apparently fans of the selfie stick, but they will soon have to put away the devices if they wish to see works of art such as La Joconde (the Mona Lisa), housed at the Louvre museum in Paris. The museum is one of many that is looking to impose a ban: whilst there is no official ban yet “their use must respect the rules”, said a spokesperson, rules which include not pointing objects at the paintings or sculptures. Management of the Pompidou Centre, which houses modern art exhibitions, said they are “heading towards a ban but the decision has not yet been made”. Peter Greene, 41, a visitor from Birmingham who used a selfie stick to take a family photo with his wife and six-year-old daughter outside the Louvre, said: “I don't see why anyone should object to them outdoors, but I understand why they might cause problems in confined spaces, especially if they're as crowded as this place.” France is not alone. Several other big museums across the world have this year started banning the extending rods, including the Smithsonian in Washington, the MOMA in New York and the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra. They are also banned at Wembley Arena in London. Even if a ban in France's museums - which welcome 20 million visitors per year - does come into force, France has a long way to go to match South Korea's dislike of the telescopic devices, where the use or sale of unregistered selfie sticks is illegal and punishable with a fine of more than €20,000. ■

FRENCH LIFE ♦ 13

APRIL 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Would you like to receive your copy of The Bugle by post each month? We can deliver a copy to your door, hot off the press

France, UK and Europe - €16 per year

Email us for more details - subscriptions24@thebugle.eu or visit www.thebugle.eu

In the garden - jobs for April by Michelle Pierce

Why not try Lasagna beds this year...?

y now it really feels like the season has started, though yes, it's true we're not out of the woods yet and there's still plenty of time left for a last minute cold spell. But the days are a lot longer, things are bursting up out of the ground all over the place, growth is lush and the bulbs have been in full flower for a while. Not to speak of the blossom on the trees appearing from the end of March. The first wave of wildflowers is attracting the insects, the butterflies are out on sunny days, the birds are collecting nesting material, the cranes have headed back up north and the tadpoles are wriggling in the ponds. Lovely, lovely, lovely... So get out there and grab your gloves. Vegetable beds need to be weeded off and prepared. Traditionalists will dig or rotavate, others may spread mulch on the surface. Don't leave the space bare for any length of time – clean and plant up, or clean and cover with textile for a short while. This year I'm hoping to try out Lasagna gardening, whereby you make a raised bed with layers of garden waste, onto the top of which you finally put some compost or earth. Apparently very, very good growing conditions ensue, with good yields.

It's also a good way to deal with pruning trimmings, bramble prunings, grass clippings, etc. A very interesting concept. Because things in the wild world are fully active now, limit disturbing nesting sites for birds in hedges and if you need to clean out ponds, try to do it as soon as possible (and leave the piles of weed by the edge for beasties to creep back into the water). Nettle tops are bursting with goodness now, so pick them regularly to make nettle tea, or to dry them, or to eat them. Always leave as many nettles as possible in your garden - as long as they're not somewhere that causes problems. They're so good for the butterfly caterpillars. Continue sowing in the veg garden. What you sowed in February will probably be ready for picking - micro leaves, baby leaves of oriental mustards, mizuna, chards, etc. In the tunnel the garlic planted in the autumn is being exploited for its young green leaves. Picking a few at a time off each plant doesn't harm the plant, gives you a crop, and leaves the bulb to continue growing. You can harvest some early as aillet (green garlic) or just leave it all to mature. I'm a fan of trying to maximise the exploitation of each type of veg. Now the beetroots have wonderful green, red or purple leaves - pick a few regu-

larly from each individual for use to brighten up your salads, cook with ricotta in cannelloni and lasagnas, or make Greek pastries with them mixed with feta. And as long as you don't take too many off the same root, this will continue its work of going towards the wonderful red globes we'll be enjoying later. Why waste carrot thinnings, too?! They add extra crunch put whole into salads, work wonderfully in sauces and are brilliant in soup. And your row gets the space it needs. Radishes as well - we all sow too many, so instead of having 10,000 all ready at the same time, eat some as tiny micro leaves, others as immature ones, and then the rest as usual. Wander round your garden, keeping an eye out for things in the wrong place. You still just have time to move them, depending on the weather, but make sure to water well once they're in their new place. Container planting can continue, too, but bare rooted planting now needs to wait until the autumn. April often has a few good showers, so make sure your water butts are in good condition, connected to the necessary gutters/pipes and that pumps are ready to go. The shops will be full of bedding plants, often in all their showy glory, so it's fun to go and have a look

round, but remember that they must all have come straight out of heated Dutch greenhouses to be so beautiful now. Harden any off gradually before putting them into the garden, at least for a little while, by putting them outside in the day and under cover at night or during cold weather. Start picking flowers for the house - from the end of February you can hope to have greenery and flowers to pick to beautify your indoors and cheer the spirit. Prepare to deal with the sun lovers - tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, basils, courgettes - that you sowed last month, or the plants you'll buy. Clear the ground, put stakes in situ, or frames and other supports. A few piles of well rotted manure would kick start things off well, or piles of fresh nettle tops. At the end of the month you can start cautiously planting out, weather depending. So all in all, lots to do, but the results are already starting to show, with fresh herbs, cut fresh flowers and the first of the veg being harvested for the kitchen. Now all we need is some good weather, and it'll be time to dust off the garden loungers and barbecues. Not that you'll have too much time to lounge about..! Good gardening!!! ■

14 ♦ PRACTICAL

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2015

Would you like to receive your copy of The Bugle by post each month? We can deliver a copy to your door, hot off the press

France, UK and Europe - €16 per year

Email us for more details - subscriptions24@thebugle.eu or visit www.thebugle.eu

Biocides and pest control products

hoever r e a d s product instructions? It says rat poison on the box, so chuck a few grains or sachets down and job done. If only! Why is it important to read the instructions? Because all animals are different and toxins react differently to different animals. For example, with the same poison, you might only need 15g of bait to kill a rat, 500g per kilo of dog, but 30g could kill your prize rabbit. Rodent poisons usually have a slow acting anticoagulant, this is to allow time to monitor signs and symptoms to non-target species and administer an antidote, usually Vitamin K1, which is always kept in stock at pharmacies,

vets and doctors. Most liquid insecticides are liposoluable, meaning they dissolve fat, which some of us have quite a lot of! Any product ingestible by humans, be it washing up liquid, insecticides, or even your favourite chocolate bar will have an MSDS (Manufacturers Safety Data Sheet) or FDS (Fiche de sécurité) in French. The FDS (seeing as we are in France!) has 16 parts of reference, including: the manufacturer’s details; emergency contact details; its composition; risks to environment/ animals; safety procedures; first aid; storage; transportation and more. The FDS will advise you of the type of safety clothing you should use

when handling the product. Don’t assume a surgical mask will protect you from toxic vapours, dusts or sprays... woollen gloves won’t protect you from corrosive materials! If you need to dilute a product, follow the instructions. If it says 10 drops per litre, it means the manufacturers have tested the maximum efficacy with the minimum risk to humans. Putting 20 drops per litre doesn’t make it twice as potent, it means you have wasted 10 drops. Now there should be no excuse not to know what chemicals you are using in your house or garden. SIMMBAD.FR is a site set up to give a clear understanding of products. For instance, if you buy rat poison, go

to SIMMBAD.FR, enter via “Accès Public”, you can research everything you should need to know regarding any chemical product available in France. The site is accessible in French, English and German. Who can enter the “Accès Professionnel” section of the SIMMBAD website? From 1 July 2015, the answer is any person using “produits biocides” as part of their business: farmers, gardeners, municipal workers and pest controllers, all of whom will have to undertake formal training and hold a personal diploma. For more information, check out SIMMBAD. FR or for training, your nearest CFPPA. For more informa-

tion on this topic or anything else to do with pest control, please contact Robert Moon from Applicateur 3D: 02 48 60 83 72 06 74 33 02 38 www.applicateur3d.com

The new UK pension regime and expatriates in France

he new UK pension regime is just around the corner, coming into effect from 6th April. This is a major change for retirees, with the restrictions on how much income and lump sum you can take being removed for defined contribution schemes. Whether you are resident in the UK or France, everyone should review their pension holdings now to establish how they can best be utilised for their personal circumstances and objectives. This does not necessarily mean that you should make major changes though; it all depends on what you are hoping to achieve, how much risk you are in a position to take, what other assets and income you have and the tax implications. If you are, or will become, tax resident in France, then you need to understand the French tax rules, and the tax traps and opportunities. If you have a defined contribution scheme and are aged over 55, you are now free to choose how to access your funds. You could continue with income drawdown, so that you receive regular income each month and the balance remains invested. If you have not started drawing your pension, you could start by taking the 25% ‘tax free lump sum’ (though note that this is not tax free in France), and then start drawdown in the future. You could also choose to make withdrawals as and when you want, of any amount. For those who prefer to take a secure regular income through an annuity, this option remains available. As previously, you can also transfer into a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS), if this proves to be the best move for you. It is also possible to withdraw the whole fund in cash at one go, with no restrictions on what you do with the funds. However, this is a major decision and needs very careful consideration; you do not want to risk your long-term financial security. Do not forget that every pound you take out of your pension is a pound less sitting in your pension fund which could enhance or protect your future pension income… so think carefully before taking lump sums out to treat yourself. You should be aware that if you still plan to contribute to your pension, if you use the new flexi access, un-

less your pension is worth £10,000 or less your annual allowance will fall from £40,000 to £10,000. This pension freedom does not apply to defined benefit (final salary) schemes. There is an option to transfer to a defined contribution scheme, but this would mean losing valuable benefits. Another element of the pension reform is that the 55% charge on death is abolished from 6th April. If you are under age 75 when you die, your beneficiaries do not need to pay any tax on the pension funds they inherit from you, whether they take it as a lump sum or income. They will pay tax if you are over 75, either at 45% if they take a lump sum, or at their marginal rate of tax if they take income. The government is considering applying the marginal rate of tax for lump sums too in the future. This also applies to annuities, but not to final salary schemes. In France, your pension income is generally added to your other income for the year taxed at the scale rates of tax, so at rates of up to 45%. The first €9,690 is tax free, and private pensions also receive a 10% deduction, with a maximum of €3,707. You also pay social charges of 7.4% on top, but this is waived if you do not yet have access to the French health system or if you have EU Form S1. UK government service, civil and military pensions are an exception, as they remain taxed in the UK. They are not directly taxed in France, but you still need to declare the income. It is included in the calculation of your taxable income and a credit equal to the French income tax and social charges that would have been payable is given. Large one-off lump sum payments from overseas pension funds are now generally taxed at 7.5% in France, plus the 7.4% social charges (unless you have Form S1 or if you have not access to French health system). This is a relatively low rate of tax, and is of particular interest now that that the UK pension regime gives you freedom to take large lump sums. This can present tax planning opportunities, but it is a complex area and you need to take personalised, specialist advice. This applies for all your pension options. Since for most people your pension savings are essential for your long-term financial security, it is really important that

you explore all the options now available and understand how they affect you personally, before you decide what the best route is for you. Pensions are a highly specialist and complex area, with different rules for different types on pensions, so professional guidance is essential. ■ Peter Wakelin is Regional Manager of Siddalls France, Independent Financial Advisers, specialised in tax, inheritance, pension and investment planning for the British community in France since 1996. Telephone 05 56 34 75 51 Email: bordeaux.office@siddalls.net Web: www.siddalls.fr

LEARNING FRENCH VIA INTERNET

Perhaps you would like to learn French in comfort at home or from your office? You are not in France and you wish to communicate with a native French person for one hour per week? LONG-DISTANCE LEARNING is the answer. You only need internet access and a free Skype account. It can be a one-to-one lesson or you can share the lesson with a person of the same level.

TRANSLATION SERVICES ALSO AVAILABLE

Please contact Sophie Arsac for further information – 05 55 89 15 74 - scarolinea@yahoo.fr

Stonehenge - nearly 4,000 years of mystery

tonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire that attracts more than 1 million visitors every year. It was built over 3,500 years ago and originally consisted of approximately 80 giant stones standing upright in concentric circles, some on top each other; today, only 43 of the stones remain. Stonehenge is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The stones used to build Stonehenge were originally excavated from the hills of Wales, over 200 km away. Some of the stones are 3 metres long and weigh more than 2 tonnes, yet they were

itué dans le comté anglais du Wiltshire, Stonehenge est un monument préhistorique qui attire plus d’un million de visiteurs chaque année. Edifié il y a plus de 3 500 ans, l’ensemble était constitué à l’origine d’environ 80 monolithes érigés en cercles concentriques (certains blocs surmontant les autres). Aujourd’hui il ne reste que 43 pierres. Stonehenge est inscrit sur la liste du patrimoine mondial de l’Unesco. Les monolithes utilisés pour construire Stonehenge provenaient de carrières situées dans les collines du Pays de Galles, à plus de 200 km du site. Certaines pierres mesurent 3 mètres de long et pèsent plus de deux tonnes et pourtant elles ont été taillées,

cut, transported and positioned by hand without the use of modern tools or equipment. The builders of Stonehenge did not keep written records and no one is sure why, or how, the monument was built or what it was used for. There are many theories about its purpose: some say that it is a giant astronomical calendar; others claim that it is a sacred burial ground; it has even been suggested that Stonehenge is a landing site for UFOs! Despite numerous excavations over the years, archaeologists can still not agree on exactly how the huge stones were lifted and moved into position, or how the builders managed to move them over 200 km from the

transportées et disposées à la force du bras, sans l’utilisation d’équipement ou d’outils modernes. Les bâtisseurs de Stonehenge n’ont laissé aucun écrit et personne ne connaît le pourquoi du comment de son existence. Les théories affluent: certains pensent qu’il s’agit d’un calendrier astronomique géant, d’autres affirment qu’il s’agit d’un lieu de sépulture sacré, voire d’une zone d’atterrissage pour les ovnis! Bien que les archéologues aient mené des fouilles scientifiques pendant des années, ils n’arrivent toujours pas à mettre d’accord sur la façon dont les rochers ont été soulevés et positionnés ni sur la façon dont ils ont été transportés sur plus de 200 km depuis la carrière. On

quarry. It is estimated that the building of Stonehenge would have required over 30 million man-hours! Although it was built before organised religion existed, Stonehenge was an important monument to pagans and druids, and there are a number of burial mounds at the site. It remains a place of great importance to modern day neo-pagans who gather at Stonehenge to worship on the summer solstice (June 21 – the longest day of the year). Today, the preservation of Stonehenge is a cause for concern. A major road runs only 100 metres away from the site and car parks and tourist shops have been built in recent years. ■

estime que la construction de Stonehenge aura requis plus de 30 millions d’heures de travail! Bien qu’édifié avant la naissance de toute religion officielle, Stonehenge était un monument significatif pour les païens et les druides et on y trouve de nombreux tumulus. C’est toujours un endroit de culte très important pour les néo-païens modernes qui se rassemblent à Stonehenge lors du solstice d’été (soit le 21 juin, le jour le plus long de l’année). Aujourd’hui la préservation du site est problématique. Une route à grande circulation se trouve à seulement 100 mètres du site et des parkings et boutiques touristiques ont été construits ces dernières années. ■

SIRET 502 409 212 00011 – APE 8559B

BILINGUAL ♦ 15

APRIL 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

The Bugle thanks French teacher, Sophie Arsac, for the translation of this month's bilingual article on a topical aspect of FrancoBritish culture.

Bilingual Crossword Clues in English - answers in French

Across:

Down:

5. musicians (9)

1. July (7)

7. to want (7) 8. pine tree (3) 10. enough (5) 11. lead (metal) (5) 13. cape (3) 14. olive tree (7) 16. fireplaces (9)

2. shin (5) 3. goose (3) 4. nurse (9) 6. moustache (9) 9. keyboard (7) 12. white (5) 15. friend (3)

Bilingual crossword solution can be found on page 20

16 ♦ LANGUAGE & GAMES

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2015

Would you like to receive your copy of The Bugle by post each month? We can deliver a copy to your door, hot off the press

France, UK and Europe - €16 per year

Email us for more details - subscriptions24@thebugle.eu or visit www.thebugle.eu

Crossword Clues and answers (page 15) in English

Across:

1. Meteorological conditions (7) 5. Accolade (5) 8. Conclusion (3) 9. Submersible warship (9) 10. Task (5) 11. Alphabetic character (7) 12. Guide (5) 14. Square root of forty-nine (5) 19. Tableland (7) 21. Hoard (5) 22. Disregarded (9) 23. Small vegetable (3) 24. Happening (5) 25. Sincere (7)

Down:

1. Twist (6) 2. Gruelling (7) 3. Overly eager speed (5) 4. Burrowing mammal (6) 5. Greed (7) 6. Exculpation (5) 7. Resides (6) 13. Component (7) 15. Fugitive (7) 16. Parazoan (6) 17. Chelonian reptile (6) 18. Leave (6) 20. Slant (5) 21. Aromatic wood (5)

SEARCHWORDOKU © - by Anthony Parson Complete the alphabetical Sudoku grid to the left using only the letters already shown, then use the result wordsearch grid to find: A bladed weapon

How does it work...? Complete the Sudoku grid in the usual manner, using only the 9 letters already shown. Once complete, you will be left with a 9x9 wordsearch grid, in which to find the final piece of the puzzle. See the completed example to the right, the clue for which is "An English county". Be careful not to jump to conclusions, as with the letters available, the answer could be SURREY, SUSSEX, ESSEX, or as it turns out in this case... SOMERSET.

Solution on page 20

SUDOKU - EASY

SUDOKU - MEDIUM

The solutions to this month’s sudokus can be found on page 21

SUDOKU - HARD

DIRECTORY ♦ 17

APRIL 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Business Directory

Your indispensable guide to finding local businesses & artisans Activities & Leisure

Animals & Pets DOG GROOMING FOR ALL TYPES OF DOGS

Clipping, cutting, hand stripping, bathing, ear care & nail trimming. INGRID GELAUDIE ** New address ** La Baronnie, 24260 Audrix

Tennis in Bergerac SHAMPOOCHIENS Summer 2015 Dog Grooming Parlour Summer camps for kids 7-13 years old - August 2015 See www.dordognetennis.com Over 10 years experience from the leading provider of public tennis in the UK Camp runs Monday- Friday 10-12 and 1-3pm

Email : dordogne@willtowin.co.uk

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

All breeds catered for Clipping, hand stripping and bathing 30 years’ experience 24500 Eymet

05 53 58 55 38 and home of CANOUAN ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIELS Puppies sometimes available Siret: 499 234 615 00015

Your advert here

06 31 98 92 07

05 55 41 17 76

Auto Services

Building Services

Architectural DRAWING SERVICE Renovating your French property? New build? Dossiers prepared Permis de Construire Déclarations Préalables

Tel: 05 53 52 36 05 lavieilleabbaye@orange.fr www.latuspeter-architecturaldrawings-24.com SIRET: 493 770 358 00015

Architectural Services MOTOR PARTS CHARENTE

Suppliers of Car & Van Spares & LHD headlights Direct to France at big savings! also Mower Batteries and drive belts!

www.motorpartscharente.com

sales24@thebugle.eu

Delivery via Parcelforce Worldwide to your door in France

05 55 41 17 76

+44 (0)1377 255470 / +44 (0)7830 170761

JOHN SOWERSBY motorptscharente@aol.com

CHARTERED STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

Pre-purchase & Structural Surveys. Verbal & written reports. Structural calculations & drawings. Redevelopment ideas & solutions. Tim Haw B.Eng C.Eng M.I.Struct.E

FR: 0033 (0)6 05 56 42 81 UK: 0044 (0)7448 466 662

Web: www.versineer.com Email: enquiries@versineer.com Siret: 498 843 051 00018

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76 CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

ADVERTORIAL

Houses on Internet: A Global Property Network

ouses on Internet – Global Property Services (hereafter referred to as “HOIGPS”) is the internet/marketing company that helps people sell their French property to buyers worldwide. Richard Kroon, founder and director of the company says: “The number of responses from prospective buyers and sales keeps rising. No doubt one of the reasons is that we have been able to increase our worldwide advertising budget and reach more prospective buyers than ever.” Last year HOI-GPS sold to people from 15 different countries including Australia, Belgium, Holland, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Norway and of course France. Richard continues: “Our continuous global marketing is

definitely paying off and guarantees a worldwide exposure of your property to buyers wherever they live.” The actual work all starts with the presentation of a property - if that’s not good enough, all other marketing efforts are useless. Our photographers usually take 150 to 200 photos of a house and in addition copy any good (summer) photos our clients may have themselves. About 50 to 60 of those photos are selected, enhanced and presented on the dedicated website we make for each property. The text doesn't just describe the house, garden and outbuildings, but also contains information about shopping, schools, airports and local leisure activities. When the website for the house is online, we first con-

nect it to our main HOI-GPS websites which attract over 135,000 visitors from 40+ countries each month. Most of these people find us through Google and our additional Google advertising. To reach an even larger audience, a summary of the presentation of the house is also placed on several other leading property websites. These adverts are also connected to the dedicated website of the house, making it all one big global property network. As the property market has become a global one, a prospective buyer can be on the other side of the world while the owner is in bed sleeping. With our approach, the buyer does not have to wait and can see the entire property whenever he wants, at the moment

he is interested in it. For more information on HOI-GPS or to market your property through them, visit their website. ■

Houses on Internet - Global Property Services www.housesoninternet.com

05 55 65 12 19

18 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2015

ADVERTORIAL

Calling ALL private property sellers!

Try a radical new approach Bringing your house to market!

Advertising your property and getting an agency involved is easy, however to reach out to a new marketplace is not. With our 2 million business database we are able to send weekly property alerts and have a great deal of interest from our smaller list of 20,000 who are

Building Services Architectural Services ElsaConception

(Architecture/ Design/ Decoration) Need interior design advice? Planning a project? Giving a space a makeover? Need to submit a building permit or a declaration? I can support you in all your makeover, renovation or construction projects. Sarlat and surrounding areas (up to 100km)

Tel: 06.87.09.38.94

Web: http://www.elsaconception.com

really keen. We make our messages compelling, so we get the best results. Have a look at our dedicated website www. buyfrenchproperty.co.uk - we get very high levels of traffic to the site weekly. On our site you will see our charges; they are a fraction of an agent as we do not do their job, you do that. When we feel the buyer is ready to talk to you, we hand them to you to do the deal, show them around and fill in the detail. Essentially I am your marketing agent, seeking potential buyers of your property by means of our “radical” advertising approach, for a fee in the event of a successful introduction.

sales24@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76

Building Services General Solaire Power

Your contact in renewable energy Use the power of the sun and/or wood. We sell, or sell and install, heating & domestic hot water systems. For more information:

Building Services

Simon Carter

Painter & Decorator Qualified craftsman with over 25 years UK experience, now based Haute-Vienne/north Dordogne border.

Specialist services: Interior & exterior painting & decorating, wallpapering, plastering. FREE QUOTES

Tel: 05 87 19 91 50 Mob: 07 81 26 88 65

Tel : 05 53 56 66 61 / 05 53 91 85 32

Web: www.sjcmontluc.fr Email: sjcmontluc@yahoo.fr

siret : 511 301 038 00036

siret: 792.130.932.00017

Building Services

Harlequin Developments

Building Services

24340 Ste-Croix-de-Mareuil

All aspects of renovation and refurbishment, big or small, undertaken.

Electricians BARWICK ÉLECTRICITÉ SHAUN BARWICK QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN

Available for all types of electrical work Small jobs, new builds, renovations, rewires Consuel assistance and certification service available Fully insured with 10 year workmanship guarantee Based near Châlus (87230)

Harlequin Developments are a Distributor and Installer for Solarventi, solar dehumidifying and water heating products, as well as a range of other renewable energies

05.55.68.67.56 06.06.60.46.97

harlequindevelopments@live.com www.harlequindevelopments.com SIRET: 494.501.067.00016

David’s Services

What can I offer you?

Tel: 09 72 35 74 73

22 Years’ experience working in France A complete service of Repairs and Maintenance (interior and exterior) A house opening and closing service Good solid technical advice on future projects Trustworthy, reliable and conscientious Based in the North of Dordogne

@iret: 794 282 368 00016

No Siret: 402 444 871 00022

Email: barwick.shaun@gmail.com

Contact David: 05 53 09 42 18

Computers & Satellites

Food & Drink

Sat-Elec

Restaurant Le Commensal

Painters/ Decorators

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

www.solaire-power.eu

For more information and to start getting those enquires coming: see our website - www.buyfrenchproperty.co.uk call me - 06 77 80 20 68 or email - rod@stayinfrance.fr

Formerly Electrosat

UK & French Satellite TV

Dishes & Freesat boxes always in stock Terrestrial digital aerial installations From a single outlet to multi-point systems

TOOWAY BROADBAND Approved Supplier

Wi-Fi, Data Networks, CCTV For sales, service or advice call Mike G on:

05 55 09 15 73

We only use our own qualified staff No call out charge Free quotations All areas covered Quality work from qualified Staff 5 Place de la Republique Sauviat-sur-Vige 87400 siret no 798 364 600 00014

WiFi Anglais

Solve your Internet, wireless and computer problems Extended wired and wireless networks for homes, gîtes and small businesses. VPN solutions. Windows and Mac OSX.

Email: Stephen@Wisedale.com

Plumbers PLUMBING & HEATING ENGINEER - Installation, from kitchen taps to full central heating systems - Breakdown / Replacement boilers - Emergency plumbing repairs - Full analysed testing

M : 06 72 47 88 00 T: 05 53 20 64 02 E : wellers@orange.fr Registered Artisan - Siret No: 480 857 853 00018

Tel: 05 53 30 23 96 Mob: 07 78 52 20 46 Siret: 800 525 040 00013

For more information on advertising in the Bugle Business Directory, give us a call or send us an email: sales24@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76

54 bis, rue du 26 Mars 1944 - 24600 Ribérac

Open 12h-14h & 19h-22h Private car park Terrace Homemade fresh food Holder of “Restaurant de Qualité” award

Tel: 05 53 90 46 28

Karen’s Kitchen Catering for you in the Dordogne

Specialising in home-made pastries: Sausage rolls, Pasties - Cornish, Cheese & Onion, Steak & Stilton, Vegetarian & Chicken. Eccles cakes. Scones made to order. All prepared and baked daily on the premises you cannot get fresher! Bacon, cheese, bread, tea bags & tinned produce all in stock. Find me at your local market: • Tue - Le Bugue • Thu - Eymet • Fri - Le Buisson • Sat - Villereal • Sun - Issigeac

www.karenskitchen24.com

06 12 93 78 52 The Dordogne Chippy Traditional Fish & Chips in a town near you All venues are in the evening between 6pm & 8.30 pm Monday: Le Champsac (every other week) Tuesday: Tremolat Wednesday: Star Inn, Périgueux Thursday: Eymet Friday: Lauzun

(except the last Friday of the month when it is Daglan)

See our website for full details:

www.thedordognechippy.com 05 53 74 01 91 or 06 19 99 25 62 siret: 444 925 630 00014

DIRECTORY ♦ 19

APRIL 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

“SolarVenti”- the solar solution to damp and humidity

simple solar energy system that runs on its own, even when you are not there! – And provides a free heat supplement in winter. The Solarventi air panel was invented more than 20 years ago by Hans Jørgen Christensen, from Aidt Miljø, with the backing of the Danish government. He wanted to use the sun’s energy for airing and ventilation of the thousands of holiday homes on the West coast of Jutland, - houses that were left empty and unheated for long periods - houses with damp problems, mould and bad odours - houses that left their owners with discomfort, lots of work and expense. He wanted a system that would be safe, simple, without the need for radiators, water and/or mains electricity. Slowly but surely, the first Solarventi model came

together. How it works The principle behind Solarventi is simple: a small, built-in, solar cell powers a 12V fan that is connected to an air vent, a control unit and an on/ off switch. Whenever the sun shines, the air in the solar panel is heated and the fan, receiving power from the solar cell, introduces warm, dry air into your home at the rate of 20 to 100 cubic metres per hour. The initial models were more than capable of keeping the cottages dry (and ventilated), even with the limited sunshine hours available in Denmark during the winter season. Since that time, the technology has really come along in leaps and bounds. Now, more than 20 years later, the 3rd and 4th generation Solarventi have exceed-

La Poutre

Bar & Restaurant

24400 Beaupouyet (N89 between Montpon & Mussidan)

ed all expectations. In Southern Europe, Solarventi is not only used for ventilation/dehumidification purposes; with far more winter sunshine hours, it also provides a substantial heating supplement. Several technical and governmental studies show that incoming air temperature can be increased by as much as 40°C. A DIY Solution? The installation process is very straightforward and should only take two or three hours. All that is needed is a drill, hammer and chisel to make a hole in the wall. Roof installations are also possible. In fact, the Solarventi was originally designed to be a DIY product - in Scandinavia it still is. There are no electrical or water connections and it can be safely left running, even when

Health & Beauty

the property is empty. Solarventi requires no maintenance - if the property is unoccupied during the hot summer months, then it can be left running at low speeds for ventilation and dehumidification purposes or simply switched off. With a range of panel sizes, and the option for wall or roof mounting, Solarventi is suitable for all types of buildings, caravans or even boats!! Following the patenting of its design in 2001, Solarventi has only recently been actively commercialized. Over the last six years, Solarventi units have been installed in more than 24 countries and demand is increasing rapidly. From Greenland to Australia, Solarventi is finally getting the recognition it deserves. ■ Units start from €630 TTC

Property Maintenance

French/International cuisine. Themed nights each Friday: 1st Friday - Curry night 2nd Friday - Quiz night 3rd Friday - Fish n Chips night “best around”!! 4th Friday - Live Music night Open Tue - Fri: 11am - 9pm (except Wed eve) Saturday 6pm - 10pm Sunday 12pm - 3pm, traditional English roasts served For further details call Steve:

05 53 80 29 54

● HAIRSTYLIST ● COSMETICIAN ● MAKE-UP ● MASTER ARTISAN

siret 537 415 903 00013

ENGLISH SPOKEN • Air-conditioned • Shiatsu massage chair

Tue - Fri: 9h - 19h, Sat 9h - 17h

Tel: 05 24 13 65 58

sarldesouchevicente@sfr.fr 47, rue du Gén. de Gaulle, 24660 Coulounieix Chamiers

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

'ROUSSIS MAID' (formerly Cartes de Christine)

APRONS HAND-CRAFTED CARDS FOR ALL OCCASIONS

Pest Control

Quality product at affordable prices. Customized, if required, especially for you. Available blank or with either English or French greetings.

Dyal Consulting

Your partners for peace of mind While you’re away, we can look after your house, check for weather damage, perform small maintenance jobs, take care of the garden, get your home ready for winter. On your return, we can prepare your house, stock up on groceries, etc... everything to make your arrival stress free. We are here to keep your house alive throughout your absence and to make your life easier! Call your concierge today:

07 77 95 31 36

Property Sales

Email: ellinghamroam764@yahoo.com VISIT ME AT THE FOLLOWING MARKETS: PIEGUT (Wed), BRANTOME (Fri) AIGRE, CHASSENEUIL & CONFOLENS (Monthly) FIND OUR CARDS AT: Magazin Artisanat, Confolens Send an email to sign up to the newsletter

Ivan Petley

Handmade, fully interlocking, multi-layered 3D puzzles from just €9. Keyrings €2 plus other unique gift ideas. Customisation and personalisation possible. Postal delivery options across France.

Tel: 05.55.80.29.88 Les Bregères, 23150 St-Martial-le-Mont alison.petley@wanadoo.fr

General

Dératisation, Déinsectisation, Désinfection

02 48 60 83 72 / 06 74 33 02 38 www.applicateur3d.com Email: info@applicateur3d.com rats, mice, moles, flies, woodworm, bed bugs, fleas, wasps, hornets

La Petite Barre, 18210 Bessais Le Fromental SIRET No. 498 544 741 00024

Short ‘optimised’ web videos in English and/or French for your property sale or your business. Contact Joanna:

www.VideoProFrance.com Te: +33 (0) 6 99 07 64 28 contact@videoprofrance.com

Specialists in all carpet and upholstery cleaning

PROCHEM trained and Qualified

06 32 32 64 54 / 05 53 58 00 98 email lucidservices24@gmail.com siret: 512 614 306 00011

DSD Removals Eco Entrepot aka The Shed & Storage The Removal Experts France ↔ UK

• All risk insurance cover • Part loads & dedicated lorries • Professional staff & modern vehicles • Every vehicle from a Luton van to a full removals lorry

www.dsdremovalsltd.com facebook.com/DSDRemovals

Central France Pest Control

CARPET / UPHOLSTERY CLEANING 10 years UK experience - Covering depts 24/47/33

+44 (0)1274 724 545

Curative and preventative

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Transport, Removals & Storage

info@dsdremovalsltd.com

Tel: 06siret86 89 81 02 528 539 448

3D Puzzle Maker

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

or email: steve.francis24@gmail.com or facebook: Beaupouyet La Poutre

Gifts & Crafts

SOLARVENTI - Available in the Dordogne and Lot from Harlequin Developments Tel: 05 55 68 67 56 Mobile: 06 06 60 46 97

Man & Van Transport

Genuine/Reliable/Honest Local + Europe + UK runs Now also available for House/Barn clearances! 14m3 capacity 4.2m load length French Spoken

sales24@thebugle.eu

05 55 33 21 59

05 55 41 17 76

www.frenchvanman.eu

87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres Siret 530 213 644 00012

32,000ft2 of great products incl. British Groceries, DIY, Housewares, Furniture, Clothing, Toiletries plus loads more!!

05 55 68 74 73 Open every day except Monday

SOS Help

anxious? stressed? feeling down? call us up!

01 46 21 46 46 3 - 11pm daily Confidential & Non-profit

www.soshelpline.org

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

20 ♦ COMMUNITY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2015

Top to Toe Tour - Cycling the length of Europe Hello,

an I take this opportunity to introduce myself. I am Les Causton, am originally from Alton, Hampshire, UK and now split my time between there and the Dordogne. I have been cycling for different charities since 2007. I have cycled all my life, it’s in my blood. In July 2006 I had a heart attack after cycling one evening in Hampshire, England. Following six months of recuperation, it was time for me to start cycling again and start raising money for worthy causes. I was back on the bike and in training for my first ‘Solo’ ride in 2008, from Alton, UK to Malaga, Spain (as featured on Sally Taylor’s BBC Radio Solent programme). Since 2008 I have raised thousands of pounds for various charities on different organised charity rides with friends Lawrence Dallaglio, Andrew ‘Freddie’ Flintoff and many others. I am now in preparation for my latest challenge, the biggest I have ever taken on, ‘Cycling the length of Europe’ Gibraltar to Nordkapp in the Arctic Circle. I will be cycling with one other person, covering approximately 5,800

kilometres, taking in 10 countries in 50 days. In April 2015 when I start this journey I will be in my 65th year and this may be my last opportunity to take on such a long ride, my legs aren’t getting any younger. My aim is to raise, by hook or by crook, £65,000 divided between several charities. These will include Marie Curie Cancer Care and Macmillan Nurses, which I’ve chosen because they have helped friends and relations I have lost over the last few years and they do a fantastic job caring for terminally ill people and their families, all on a voluntary basis. I’m also raising money for two other causes that are close to my heart, the Dallaglio Foundation and Help for Heroes, both of which are doing brilliant work for the many people they help and support. To find out more about me and the ride please visit my website – www.toptotoetour.com We will be documenting the ride with photographs, video and interviews with people we meet or who join us on the way. You can also donate online through my site or visit my donation page: www.virginmoneygiving.com/toptotoetour Les Causton

On Dordogne’s animal welfare front line

The SPA (Société Protectrice des Animaux) is France’s equivalent of the RSPCA and its Bergerac centre fights against the odds to care for hundreds of lost and mistreated dogs and cats.

T Eymet Cricket Club is busy preparing for its 32nd season. At least 22 matches, either home or away, are scheduled for this year. The club also has a very active junior section, coaching youngsters and bringing them on to join the senior team.

hink of France and animal welfare is not likely to be the first thing that springs to mind. Indeed in country districts like Dordogne where farming is still predominant animals are seen as commodities rather than pets.

Full details of ECC, including a fixture list, past history, match reports, contact details, etc. can be found on the website: www.eymetcricket.com As always, new members are welcome, be they players, social members or just lovers of the game. Our teas - and tea ladies - are renowned throughout the Aquitaine!

So it is not surprising that the Bergerac SPA has its back to the wall when called upon to rescue and re-house upwards of 1700 animals each year - a number increasing by 12.5% each year. Many of these are simply abandoned and the SPA is contracted by 333 communes in Dordogne and the eastern Gironde to look after them. But while 82% of animals

enter the refuge this way, the communes only pay for 47% of the SPA’s total budget. As a result it takes a massive effort involving 60 unpaid volunteers - of whom 16 are British and one American - to help run the centre and raise funds for it. The biggest financial contribution comes from those volunteers who go out each week to raise 55,000 euros every year to pay for all the animal feed necessary to keep the site going. Other volunteers are heavily involved in making the lives of dogs and cats in the refuge as comfortable as possible. One of the most important ways is ensuring that they get out of their kennels at least once or twice a week for exercise. SPA director Pascal Rosenplac said: “Our English volunteers are making a real contribution to animal welfare by providing for their

Director Pascal Rosenplac comfort and well-being over and above the fact they are simply fed and housed. It means they are more likely to be adopted if they are relaxed and happy. This is what we aim for every animal, but the hard fact is that many do have to be put down if we cannot find homes for them.” Anyone who would like to help the SPA with its vital work is invited to contact Sally Dingle at sallyann.dingle@gmail.com or to phone the SPA on 05 53 27 27 50. By Adrian Lithgow

Little Kiba hoping for a home Kiba is a two-year-old Spaniel cross being cared for by the Bergerac SPA who has been looking for a new home since last summer. Staff say he is a wonderful dog with a lot of potential to make a super family pet. He is a calm and relaxed dog who is happy to live with other animals although he likes his independence. SPA director Pascal Rosenplac said: “Kiba is fit and active. He is an adorable and magnificent dog who really deserves someone to take an interest in him.” He added that Kiba is gentle and affectionate and obedient to those commands that he already knows, Sit and Lie Down! If you are interested in finding out how to adopt him please call the SPA on 05 53 27 27 50 or email adoption@spa24bergerac.org

COMMUNITY ♦ 21

APRIL 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Beynac Le Fleix Les Eyzies Ste-Alvère

Beaumont du Périgord Bergerac Brantôme Cénac-et-Saint-Julien Lanouaille Le Bugue Mareuil Neuvic Ribérac Salignac Eyvigues Thenon Trémolat Villefranche-de-Lonchat Bergerac Hautefort Jumilhac-le-Grand La Tour Blanche Montpon-Ménestérol Montignac Périgueux

We are able to consider assisting financially in numerous ways. For more information contact: Mary Hughes - Case worker France, Elizabeth Finn Care tel: 04 68 23 43 79 or visit: www.elizabethfinncare.org.uk and: www.turn2us.org.uk

Managing Editor: Steve Martindale Editor-in-Chief: Steve Martindale Registered Address: Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois France SIRET: 514 989 748 00017 Printed by: Charente Libre 16340, L’Isle d’Espagnac France Monthly circulation: 12,000 copies All copyright, unless stated otherwise, is reserved to The Bugle. Reproduction in whole or part of any text without permission is prohibited. Dépôt légal à parution.

Saturday

Agonac Beaumont du Périgord

Directeur: Steve Martindale Rédacteur-en-chef: Steve Martindale Siège Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois France SIRET: 514 989 748 00017 Imprimé par: Charente Libre 16340, L’Isle d’Espagnac France

Tirage mensuel:

12,000 copies

The Bugle cannot accept responsibility for the claims of advertisers or their professionalism. We strongly advise readers to verify that the company you are dealing with is a registered trading company in France or elsewhere in the world.

EASY

MEDIUM

Bergerac Couze St Front Daglan Issigeac Pontours Pressignac-Vicq Rouffignac Sarlat Sorges St Cyprien St Génies St Pardoux la Rivière

editor@thebugle.eu

Registered charity Elizabeth Finn Care is able to offer direct financial assistance to British and Irish nationals or residents who live overseas. We ensure

1. Are British or Irish residents or nationals. 2. Are living on a low income or means-tested benefits. 3. Have formerly been employed in one of a wide range of qualifying occupations. Have, or have had, a partner employed in a qualifying occupation.

Sunday

Bergerac Brantôme Cubjac Le Buisson Ribérac Sarlat Sigoulès Vergt

Wednesday

We understand that life can be difficult for expats living away from the UK and that sometimes assistance is needed. We will listen and try to help when that help is needed. As I am sure you realise, there seems to be this popular misconception that expats living outside of the UK live in large houses with hectares of ground and that nobody ever has problems. As we all know this is far from the truth and even the best laid plans can fall apart due to sudden changes in health, bereavement, family breakdown or a host of other unforeseen problems.

Friday

Thursday

Tuesday

that our help does not affect any means-tested payments. Briefly we can consider assisting those who:

Domme Excideuil Eymet La Coquille Lalinde Monpazier St Astier St-Julien-de-Lampon Terrasson

Belvès Bergerac Lalinde La Roche Chalais Le Bugue Montignac Mussidan Neuvic Nontron Périgueux Razac Sarlat St Aulaye Thiviers Verteillac Villefranche du Périgord

Piégut Pluviers Razac Sarlat Siorac-en-Périgord Vélines

05 55 41 17 76

Monday

Market Days

HARD

AQUITAINE CHURCH SERVICES – APRIL 2015 The Chaplaincy of Aquitaine covers the Dordogne, Gironde, Lot-et-Garonne, and Condom (Gers). All services are held in English. For further details, please see our website: www.churchinaquitaine.org or contact the Chaplain: Revd Dr Paul Vrolijk T: 05 53 23 40 73 E: paul.vrolijk@gmail.com Thursday 02 April 16:00 Maundy Thursday service - Monteton 17:00 Maundy Thursday service – Bertric Burée 18:00 Maundy Thursday service – Limeuil Friday 03 April 14:00 Prayers at the Cross – Doudrac 14:00 Prayers at the Cross – Monteton SUNDAY 05 APRIL 10:30 Holy Communion – Bertric Burée 10:30 Easter Day Service – Eymet Temple 10:30 Holy Communion – Limeuil 10:30 Holy Communion – Monteton 10:30 Easter Day Service – Négrondes 11:00 Holy Communion – Doudrac 11:00 Easter Day Service – Sainte Nathalène Wednesday 08 April 11:00 BCP Holy Communion – Bertric Burée Saturday 11 April 14:00 Holy Communion – Bertric Burée SUNDAY 12 APRIL 10:30 Holy Communion – Bertric Burée 10:30 Morning Worship – Eymet Temple 10:30 Holy Communion – Limeuil 10:30 Morning Prayer - Monteton 10:30 Family Service – Négrondes Thursday 16 April 10:30 BCP Holy Communion – Limeuil SUNDAY 19 APRIL 10:30 Prayer & Praise – Bertric Burée 10:30 Holy Communion – Chancelade 10:30 Morning Worship - Limeuil 10:30 Prayer & Praise – Monteton 11:00 Service of the Word – Sainte Nathalène SUNDAY 26 APRIL 10:30 Holy Communion – Bertric Burée 10:30 Holy Communion – Limeuil 10:30 Holy Communion - Monteton 10:30 Holy Communion – Négrondes

22 ♦ WHAT’S ON

WHAT’S

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2015

The Leeds University Union Big Band Spring Concerts This is the 18th year that the Leeds University Union Big Band have come over here for the “Tour de France” (or at least here in our bit of Gascony). In the early years, audiences were made up of a few English, Dutch and French friends, nowadays the 4 concerts are always a sell-out The 22 expert instrumentalists will be bringing the same professional sound as before but the old hands will insist that “they get better every year”. It is worth pointing out that the members of the band pay for all the expenses, including coach hire, travel and accommodation. They raise money through concerts they give in England, the sale of their most recent CD and the funds they raise through raffles and donations they receive at concerts here. For an entertaining evening of dancing and listening to jazz and swing, why not come to one or more of the following concerts: Thurs 2nd April at 19h SSAFA, Salle des Fontaines, Castillonès. Entrance €10. Please bring a picnic. For more info contact Kathleen – 05 53 36 65 49 kathgaineycamp@yahoo.co.uk Sat 4th April from 19h Eymet Cricket Club, Salle Polyvalente, St Colomb-de-Lauzun. Entrance €10. Please bring a picnic. Tickets available at the Tourist Office, Eymet or contact Ian Brown at ibhovis@gmail.com Sun 5th April at 20h Monte Cristo Restaurant (Castillonès/Villeréal road). Book a meal in the restaurant or just have a drink at the bar. For more info contact Mireille 05 53 36 65 78 raou@wanadoo.fr

Knick-Knack Market

The Creation, an oratorio written by Haydn between 1796-1798, is considered by many to be his greatest masterpiece. The first performance was given at the end of April 1798. It was a private performance, by invitation only, but apparently hundreds of hopeful people without tickets crowded the streets, eager to hear the much anticipated work. The vocal ensemble VARIATIONS hopes that hundreds of eager people will be filling the churches in Ribérac and Périgueux to hear their performances and extend a warm invitation to you to come along to enjoy this wonderful choral work accompanied by orchestra. As in recent years, Alison Chew and Paul Faulkner, musical directors for this work, will pass the baton to our ever-popular visiting conductor, John Jenkins. Performance details: 10th April 20h Périgueux - Eglise Saint Georges. 11th April 20h Ribérac - Eglise Notre Dame de la Paix. Entry: €15 adults, €5 children aged 12-16, Under 12s free. Tickets can be reserved by contacting Valerie Wareham: 05 53 90 62 03 - Email: valeriewareham@me.com

In aid of Twilight, the old dogs’ home Sunday 12th April – 10h30-15h Salle des fêtes, St-Paul-la-Roche 24800 Exclusive new Twilight products: T-shirts, gilets, fleeces, hoodies Jewellery ● Cards ● Gifts ● Books Clothes ● Tombola & Raffle Savouries, Cakes, Tea, Coffee, Juice Children’s ‘My Pet’ picture competition Under 10 years, 10-14 years. Entries in by 12h, judging at 14h. Donations of bedding, towels, cleaning materials and/or dog food gratefully received. For more information contact Doreen at lescasaniers@gmail.com or visit www.twilightchiens.com

Classical concerts

Two classical music concerts are being organised in the Dordogne by the Le Bugue based Association Culturelle Internationale du Périgord (ACIP). The first concert will take place in the Abbey of Cadouin on Wednesday 29th April from 20h30 till 22h30. The second concert will take place in the parish church of Le Bugue on Saturday 2nd May from 20h30 till 22h30. The cost of entry to each concert is €12 per person. It is possible to buy a combined ticket for both concerts at a cost of €20 per person. The concerts will feature classical music including pieces from some of the great composers. The musical programme for the Cadouin concert will differ to that programmed for the Le Bugue concert. The artistes performing at the concerts are: Cadouin Abbey TrioPlus - a group of three musicians from the Netherlands Hermine Huguenel - mezzo-soprano French singer

TrioPlus

Hermine Huguenel

Vox Vesunna

Julia Brian

Le Bugue Church TrioPlus - as above Vox Vesunna - a male choir in existence since 2007 Julia Brian - contralto French singer

Info about the concert organiser: Association Culturelle Internationale du Périgord (ACIP) The ACIP was established in 2003 with the objective of creating cultural ties between members of the international community residing in the Périgord and the French community. The home of the association is located in the centre of Le Bugue at 5 bis, Rue Bastière. Now in its twelfth year of existence, it has nearly 250 members from 10 different nationalities. Most of the members of the association have either British or French or Dutch nationality. The association organizes a wide range of recreational activities for its members. All of the group activities are run solely by volunteers. In total, about 25 different activities take place. The activity groups include French language courses, English language courses, art, yoga, gardening, computer classes, contract bridge, petanque and hiking. Social events are held throughout the year, often including a meal. Annually, there is a summer BBQ and a vide grenier. Day trips by coach have also taken place. The association is now organizing two classical music concerts in the Dordogne during April and May 2015. The website www.acip24.com has full details of the association and how to become a member. For tickets or for more information:

05 53 08 42 60

05 53 54 52 63

05 47 45 00 94

WHAT’S ON ♦ 23

APRIL 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Croquez Sarlat Lunchtime guided walking tour (in French) on Thursday 30th April at 12h30. Meet in front of La Maison de la Boétie in the medieval centre of Sarlat. Eat’n’stroll or just stroll. This 45-minute tour explores La Mellougane, a largely unknown quarter of the town. Walks in April and May tour the city districts, in June to September they reveal writers’ Sarlat and in October to December they take a look at Sarlat’s architectural gems.

Once again, Cantabile, the ACFAA Choir, is offering an open day when singers of all nationalities are invited to ‘Come and Sing’ in the newly refurbished Espace Culturel in Eymet. This time we are offering a Gilbert and Sullivan piece, ‘Trial by Jury’, a typically British comic operetta which we hope will be popular with all. Last autumn we staged a more traditional choral day in Lauzun, attracting some 50 singers from the Dordogne and Lot & Garonne, singing Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’, so ‘Trial by Jury’ offers something completely different and maybe will attract those singers who enjoyed participating in Gilbert and Sullivan operas in the past.

05 55 41 17 76

TRIAL BY JURY for all!

notices@thebugle.eu

This is a year-long series, starting at the same time and same place, every last Thursday of the month. For more info contact the Service du Patrimoine on 05 53 29 82 98 / 05 53 29 86 68 or at dacruz.karine@sarlat.fr

It is essential that participants furnish themselves with the score, and a link can be sent by email for those who prefer to download it, rather than sourcing a copy through traditional channels. Contact Philippa Tillyer by email on Cogulot@yahoo.co.uk for registration and further information.

Important: the Bergerac Book Fair of 25th April is cancelled!

24 ♦ WHAT’S ON