The Bugle Dordogne - Apr 2020

France mourns Asterix creator Albert Uderzo Uderzo, who created the popular comic book series with his friend Réné Goscigny, has died at the age of 92

>> Page 5

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France extends lockdown period

>> continued on page 6

Paris no longer most expensive city - pg 9

Postal service changes under lockdown - pg 10

© Andrew Parsons/ i-Images (Flickr)

A

released. This form now looks set to be the required document for the remainder of the quarantine period in France. You can find a downloadable French version of the necessary attestations on our website - www.thebugle.eu - as well as the official government English-language version.

There are two different versions in each language, one for personal trips and one for professional journeys. The following information remains true as of 1st April and if further changes are made to the documents, we will update the links on our website.

As most people will already be aware, the general principle is that you should only leave your

Urban exodus creates rural tensions - pg 3

Boris Johnson has pledged to introduce votes for life - pg 4

As the country enters its second fortnight of the coronavirus lockdown, the rules on who can travel where and when have been further strengthened. s the country began to come to terms with the coronavirus lockdown, there was initial confusion over exactly who was allowed to leave their home and for what reason.

When the confinement was announced, the government released a form that needed to be filled out for every trip, but the system quickly came under pressure as the rules were flouted and increasing numbers of fines were being handed out by police and gendarmes.

As the country entered the second week of lockdown and a further two-week extension was announced, an updated, more detailed form was

INSIDE > > >

The Bugle Business Directory - pg 14-17

2 ♦ IN THIS EDITION

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2020

C H ÂT E AU L E S T E V É N I E

MR PIANO MAN

• Oodles of patience?

• A secure garden?

• A driving licence?

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Welcome to

I

The Bugle

t is amazing how quickly unprecedented becomes the new normal. It is safe to say that when I wrote my editorial last month, I had no idea that a few short weeks later I would be confined to my house as a deadly virus swept across the country.

We had all seen and heard reports of the situation in China and the relatively few isolated cases as they popped up across Europe, but for me personally, one month ago it still felt like it was happening somewhere else to someone else.

Yet here I sit, writing my editorial as we enter a third week of lockdown and struggling to remember what life was like before this new normal of hand washing and home schooling. The situation is scary if you dwell on it, but as a family we have been trying to keep our spirits up and make the most of a bad situation... and for the most part we are succeeding.

After the mildest of mild panic buying trips - I simply doubled up my usual quantities for a few essential items - the first thing I did in quarantine was develop a new-found respect for teachers.

Many of my friends went into the teaching profession, which back then was often unfairly maligned as a fallback option. I remember an old Armstrong and Miller sketch show that would feature regular fake government recruitment ads for teachers, each of which would end with a voiceover line such as: • “Good enough to get a degree but not good enough to get a

Complete piano renovations

job? Be a teacher.”

• “Quite bright, but lazy? Need a safety net? Be a teacher.”

• “If your ambitions haven’t quite come off, remember: there’s always teaching.”

They are all on YouTube (search “Armstrong and Miller be a teacher”), and they are very funny... but I think it will be a while before I can laugh at them again.

Very early on in the lockdown I saw a post on Facebook along the lines of “Homeschooling is going fine... although two students have been suspended for fighting and the teacher has been fired for drinking on the job!”

It doesn't help that we have three children all learning different things, but where do teachers find the patience?! Fortunately, as we got into the rhythm of it they became increasingly autonomous and I could occasionally zone out and dream of a time before quotients and past participles. It was during one such daydream that the front doorbell startled me back to reality... salvation had arrived!

As the potential severity of the coronavirus situation first bubbled through and rumours began that in the future they might even have to close schools, my wife showed why she is the most intelligent person I know by suggesting: “Why don't we get them a trampoline for the garden?

We've been talking about it for years and it might come in handy if we do ever get stuck at home.”

And here it was on the driveway... I knew there was a

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Unfortunately, from a practical point of view, once we had found a manufacturer that looked suitable she made the mistake of letting me get on with the ordering process. There were the usual options for colour, did we want the protective cover, how quickly did we want it delivered (why do they ask this, the answer is always yesterday!)... but then I saw the drop-down box labeled “Size”.

Apparently the trampoline market has moved on in recent years and they got big! And predictably, being a giant man-kid, I scrolled straight down to the bottom and chose the largest option available.

I won't talk you through the installation process, it's too soon.

I've heard talk of chemicals that are released during childbirth which make women forget the pain and I can only hope these exist for men and will kick in one day. Just as people wince on hearing that someone squeezed out a 4.5 kg baby, I will now recoil in horror on learning that a friend has had to put up a 4.5 metre trampoline.

I'd like to say that my wife held my hand and mopped my brow during the whole ordeal, as I had done for her on three occasions, but she had used up all her patience homeschooling the kids and quickly left me to it. But

I got through it alone - without gas and air - and now I love my trampoline like a child.

It is my guilt-free Xbox, tablet and Netflix subscription rolled into one. Gone are the days of ordering my kids to sit in front of a screen because “I just need to finish this one thing then I'll play with you”, only to be wracked with bad-parent guilt. Now I just very sensibly suggest they go and burn off some energy and have a bounce. Fresh air, exercise and play all rolled into one... suddenly I'm the best father in the world.

But the peace and quiet (or as my youngest calls it “a piece of quiet”) for the time they're on it is pure heaven. I've been a proud father of four for two weeks now and not only has the novelty failed to show the first hints of wearing thin, I can't keep them off it. I've even started reading a book!!

Best. Decision. Ever.

If you are reading this, then you are almost certainly doing so online. Unfortunately, with so many outlets closed, and not wanting to encourage unnecessary journeys, this month's paper is an electronic version. It was a hard decision but the right one. It is the first time in more than ten years that we have not put out a print edition, but we are looking at this as an opportunity as much as a challenge. You will hopefully

CONTACT us Tel: 06 04 17 80 93

INSIDE this edition

General: editor@thebugle.eu Advertising (EN): sales@thebugle.eu Publicité (FR): publicite@thebugle.eu Subscriptions: subscriptions@thebugle.eu

Siren: 510 312 341 or 849 657 135

have noticed that our website has had a major overhaul and we will be making more, exciting changes in the coming days and weeks. So please check back regularly and do let us know what you think or any feedback you have.

This is a tricky time for many people, but small businesses have been hit hard. Please do support the local businesses in these pages by getting in touch with advertisers and lining up work for later in the year. I know that pre-paying for post-quarantine goods and services has become a popular form of support around the world (and Martin Walker has himself suggested just this in this month’s wine column on pg 13), so if you feel you can, book and pay for that meal, French lesson or favoutire bottle of wine now and cash it in once this is all over.

Finally and most importantly, stay home, stay safe and stay in touch with your loved ones.

Until next month!

Steve Martindale, Editor

3-10 French News 11 French Life 12 Bilingual 13 Practical 14-18 Directory

Copy deadline

15th April for May's edition

APRIL 2020 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

FRENCH NEWS ♦ 3

City exodus causes tensions in rural communities

O

ne consequence of the government-imposed lockdown has been the mass exodus of city dwellers to their second homes in the countryside, a situation that has led to increased tensions in many rural areas.

Incidences of coronavirus have been far higher in heavily populated urban zones and as people look to sit out quarantine in their second homes, there have been numerous reports of outbreaks in less populated rural areas caused by the infection being brought into the community.

The situation has been particularly bad on Ile de Ré, the island off the west coast of France popular with Parisians.

“We knew when the temporary residents had arrived because there were so many people in the supermarkets,” said Patrick Rayton, mayor of La Couarde-sur-Mer, a village on Ile de Ré. The island is reached from La Rochelle on the mainland by a bridge and as the lockdown began, the crossing saw the kind of traffic jams usually reserved for the height of the summer tourist season.

The locals were quick to complain of Parisians ransacking supermarkets, flouting the rules and enjoying the clement weather. There were reports of the police being called to step in at one local supermarket to remind shoppers of the new health safety rules, which require people to keep a distance of one metre from each other, Rayton said.

“The new arrivals were making a run on the groceries, there were tensions with the locals,” explained the president of the Communauté de communes, Lionel Quillet, “Later, the weather was nice so they went out for bike rides, or were playing water sports, despite the ban on group activities.”

In nearby Île d’Oléron, the situation

was similar. “There were two hour queues in the supermarket, with animal-like behaviour,” explained one resident. “People who were rude, people who wanted ten boxes of paracetamol.”

Elsewhere in Brittany, three communes were forced to impose water restrictions after the mass arrival of second-home owners. Residents in Pont-Aven, Névez and Trégunc in the Finistère department all received text messages from local authorities warning them to limit all water use that was not “strictly necessary”.

The ban, which included the watering of gardens, the cleaning of cars and terraces and the filling of swimming pools, was imposed as drinking water usage soared in the area after the mass arrival

of the second-home owners.

Dr Philippe Feigel, president of the Vendée hospital commission - an area also popular with second-home owners - described the exodus as “a guaranteed health catastrophe” that had already begun. “Many holidaymakers arrived with symptoms. Several colleagues have told me that they have already seen patients with viral complaints. They arrived at the weekend and from Monday morning, our town GP surgeries were overwhelmed with patients with headaches, and who had symptoms of the infection. They came to an area that they know has a relatively weak healthcare capacity - a lot weaker than that in Ile-de-France – and with a very small intensive care unit. They have

spread the infection more quickly.”

The comments came days after the prefecture of the Vendée banned access to the remote Île d’Yeu, which has only seven doctors for its 5,000 residents. Following an influx of tourists, locals demanded action from their mayors, leading to a decree which stated: “Access to the Île d’Yeu is now limited to locals with a carte de passage (permanent residents), and to people carrying out essential healthcare or work for the continuation of life and activities on the island.”

As the lockdown moved into its second week, travel to second homes was removed from the list of permitted journeys, a move that many rural communities feel came too late. ■

4 ♦ FRENCH NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2020

Boris Johnson makes votes for life pledge

Government help for self-employed

© Andrew Parsons/ i-Images (Flickr)

The coronavirus lockdown has had a huge impact on the economy and the government

P

rime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that the government intends to scrap the 15-year voting rule which saw many unable to take part in the recent referendum and general elections. Replying to a letter from 99-year-old expat rights campaigner Harry Schindler, who lives in Italy and has been batting for years to have voting rights for long-term expats reinstated, Mr Johnson said: “The Government is committed to scrapping the arbitrary rule that prevents British citizens who have lived abroad for more than 15 years from participating in UK parliamentary elections.

“Most British citizens overseas retain deep ties to the United Kingdom. Many still have family here, some will return here, others are drawing a British pension after a lifetime of hard work and some, including yourself, have fought for our country. Given these strong links, British expats have a right to influence decisions on foreign policy, trade and many other issues that directly

affect their lives. Now we have left the EU, it is more important than ever to strengthen the UK's ties with the British expat community. We will be making an announcement on our plans to deliver votes for life in due course.”

Introducing so-called votes for life was listed in the document accompanying the recent Queen's Speech, which means that the government intends to implement it in the coming parliamentary session. Sessions usually last for one year, running from spring to spring, but due to Brexit the previous session lasted an unprecedented two years and the current session only began in December.

The change has been a policy in the previous three Conservative manifestos, but successive governments have failed to introduce the move. Many expats had complained that the failure to roll back the 15year rule was a deliberate ploy to silence expats in the Brexit referendum and subsequent elections. ■

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has been quick to introduce a number of measures to help businesses across the country.

The situation is an evolving one, and the help available depends largely on the structure of the business you operate, the number of employees you have and the impact the crisis has had on your turnover.

If you run a business in France and have encountered a financial impact due to the current situation, it is very likely that you are eligible for government help of some description. Check with your accountant if you have one, or visit economie.gouv.fr for more information.

The majority of British expats that run businesses in France do so under the autoentrepreneur or micro-entreprise system and many will be eligible for up to €1,500 as a solidarity grant. In order to qualify for the grant, your business must have been unable to trade under the lockdown rules, or you need to be able to show a loss of turnover of 70% when compared to the same period in 2019. Applications can be made from 31st March via the DGFiP website: economie.gouv.fr A further €2,000 solidarity grant may also be available for the worst hit small businesses as the lockdown continues, although details of who this will apply to are not yet clear.

Furthermore, if you have children under the age of 16, both salaried and independent workers can apply for an “arrêt de travail” to sign off work and look after their family for up to 21 days. This can be applied for via the site www.ameli.fr and the daily indemnity received will depend on your status or salary. Only one parent in a household can apply at the same time. ■

Department forced to back down over coronavirus alcohol ban Residents of the French department of Aisne were saved from a Coronafree coronavirus lockdown, after officials backed down on a complete alcohol ban. When the ban was initially announced, the department's prefect, Ziad Khoury, argued that alcohol abuse often goes hand in hand with domestic violence, which it was feared would surge under the lockdown. “As intrafamily violence is often associated with excessive alcohol consumption, a regulation measure to take-away sales of alcoholic beverages until March 31st has been decided,” local police said in a statement.

Despite the prefect’s efforts to portray the ban as beneficial for locals, many expressed dismay at the thought of a dry lockdown, taking to the official's Twitter feed and arguing that the ban would cause more harm than good and give rise to a black market for booze.

After the online backlash and international media attention, the prefecture announced that it was temporarily halting the ban just 24 hours later, in order to consult more widely, in particular with addiction specialists about the possible side effects of a ban. ■

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FRENCH NEWS ♦ 5

APRIL 2020 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

France mourns the death of Asterix creator

A

lbert Uderzo, one of the creators of the beloved comic book character Asterix, has died in Paris aged 92. “Albert Uderzo died in his sleep at home in Neuilly of a heart attack, with no links to the coronavirus,” the French press quoted his son-inlaw, Bernard de Choisy, as saying. “He had been very tired for several weeks.”

Uderzo created the famous stories about the adventures of Gaulish warriors fighting the Roman Empire in 1959 with his friend René Goscinny. As well as illustrating the series, Urderzo took over the writing following Goscinny's death in 1977 until himself retiring from the role in 2009 and passing on the rights to the franchise. The books have sold 370 million copies worldwide, in dozens of languages, and several stories have been turned into cartoons and feature films. The series continues to this day under new ownership, with the most recent book, Asterix and the Chieftain's Daughter, released in October last year.

Uderzo, whose father was an

Italian immigrant, was born in 1927 in France's Marne region and grew up outside Paris. As a child, he was captivated by the characters of Walt Disney and was quoted as saying that Mickey Mouse was one of the inspirations for his own artistic talents.

At the age of 24 he met René Goscinny and an instant friendship developed. “We decided to remake the world with all the thoughtlessness and the boldness of our youth,” Uderzo would say in his memoirs. After collaborating on a number of projects over the years, Astérix le Gaulois was born in 1961.

The inspiration for the diminutive Gaul came “at the best time of the day - aperitif time!” as the pair sat on a balcony trying to create a character for a new children's book. “The brief was very precise - a character taken from French culture,” Uderzo recalled in an interview with Connexion in 2008. “At the time it was important to try to set yourself apart from the American superheroes, or certain reporters one could mention [Tintin]. So I looked back through history with René and reviewed all the different

periods. We needed something original which no-one else had worked on... when we got to the Gauls – eureka!”

The series follows the adventures of a village of Gauls as they resist Roman occupation in 50 BC. They do so in large part due to a magic potion, brewed by their druid Getafix (Panoramix

in the French version), which temporarily gives the drinker superhuman strength. Uderzo's first preliminary sketches portrayed Asterix as a huge and strong, traditional Gaulish warrior. Goscinny, however, saw his hero as a shrewd, compact warrior who possessed more intelligence and wit than raw

strength. The pair did agree that the diminutive hero would need a strong but dim companion and before long, Obelix was born.

In many of the stories, the pair travel to foreign countries, with much of the humour deriving from the tongue-in-cheek stereotypes of contemporary European nations. ■

6 ♦ FRENCH NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2020

@Gendarmerie de la Creuse (Facebook)

Moving around under lockdown conditions

>> continued from pg 1 home for essential trips and whenever possible, these trips should be done alone. If you need to visit the pharmacy or buy essential groceries and take your entire family with you in the car, you may find yourself in trouble. The government’s aim is to have as few people leaving their homes as possible.

Police and gendarmes are patrolling the streets and roads and anyone who is stopped without a form, or who is out for a reason that doesn’t fall into one of the essential categories, faces a fine of €135. This rises to €200 if you are caught twice within a 15-day period, with further infringements potentially leading to higher fines and custodial sentences. The new, updated form also requires you to enter the time of your trip, so you can no longer use one form for multiple trips during the day.

Also pay attention to local restrictions in your area. A number of mayors and local prefects have imposed extra

controls such as curfews, or a ban on going to certain areas like parks or beaches. Remember also to always carry accompanying identification with you on any journey you make.

The new form has seven possible options that constitute acceptable reasons to leave home. They are: • Travel between my home and my work, when remote work isn’t an option (you’ll also have to fill the work travel document) or business travel that can’t be cancelled.

• Travel to purchase essential goods within the nearest authorised facilities (list available at gouvernement.fr).

These include food shops, pharmacies and newsagents.

• Travel for medical consultations that can’t be done remotely.

• Travel for family reasons, to assist vulnerable individuals, or for child care. Simply visiting family is not a good enough reason to be out and the government has previously said

that no-one should be visiting people aged over 70 or with serious health conditions except to provide vital assistance. Visiting is banned at all Ehpad (retirement homes) and care facilities.

• Short travel, close to home, for individual physical activity (excluding group sports or proximity with other individuals), or for walking pets.

These rules have been tightened on the updated form. You can exercise alone, for a maximum of one hour, within 1 kilometre of your home, once per day.

You can go for a walk with people who share the home with you.

• Travel for a judicial or administrative summons.

• Travel to participate in general interest missions commissioned by an administrative authority. This last condition is somewhat vague, so it would be wise to have accompanying documentation showing that you are out at the request of your local authority.

Since the second version of the form was released, it is no longer sufficient to have an electronic or scanned version on your tablet or smartphone. Many people have expressed concerns that without access to a printer or printer ink, it will no longer be possible to make essential trips without facing a fine. To counter this, many local mairies, as well as small businesses that remain open, are providing printed forms for free. In the worst-case scenario, the form can be hand written; in this instance, you only need to write out the reason for your trip - not all seven potential reasons but do pay attention to all remaining text, especially the time of your planned journey.

Whilst anecdotal evidence suggests that common sense is being applied in most circumstances, there have been reports of the rules being vigorously enforced and fines handed out, so if and when you do need to leave the house, make sure you have the latest, signed, completed attestation and proof of ID. ■

FRENCH NEWS ♦ 7

APRIL 2020 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

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Ref: 8553-EY 278,200 € HAI DPE: E

Ref: 8556-VI 360,400 € HAI DPE: B

Ref: 8568-EY 477,000 € HAI DPE: C

Renovated 3/4-bedroom property, walking distance to the popular village of Eymet. Large fitted kitchen, lounge with bar area and dining room with access to the garden of just over a quarter of an acre.

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With lovely views over the surrounding countryside this 4-bedroom house comprises a large fitted kitchen, lounge/dining room, swimming pool with pool house, a garage and a cellar. Garden of just over 2.5 acres.

Taux d’honoraires 18,200€ (7%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 20,400€ (6%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 27,000€ (6%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Ref: 8577-MO 160,500 € HAI DPE: Vierge

Ref: 8573-EY

549,000 € HAI DPE: D

Ref: 8608-VI 96,300 € HAI DPE: Vierge

Stone house on the edge of a village: entrance hall, shower room, kitchen, office and bedroom/living room. On the garden level: covered terrace, kitchen, living room & bathroom. Set on 2,159 m2 land with a well.

Superb stone house plus a gîte with 360-degree views. The property is split into two with a main 3-bedroom house and a 2-bedroom gîte.

Set in 2.8 ha of land with heated pool and outdoor eating spaces.

In a small village, this perigordine house and 500 m² barn sit on 1.75 acres of land. 2 bedrooms, kitchen/diner, living room, bathroom, laundry-room and boiler-room. Beautiful back terrace leads to a very private garden.

Taux d’honoraires 10,500€ (7%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 26,000€ (5%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 6,300€ (7%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

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Ref: 7839-BGC 283,550 € HAI

Ref: 8412-BGC 381,600 € HAI

Ref: 8634-LA 165,000 € HAI

Ref: 8635-LA 213,000 € HAI

Detached 3-bed stone house. Large living room, fireplace & open kitchen, 3 ensuites.

Countryside setting surrounded by several terraces and magnificent views, plus swimming pool. A must see! DPE: E

Spacious 5 bedroom house plus playroom/ study of 35 m2 surrounded by a 3,700 m2 garden & pool. Plus a cottage with a kitchen / living room & bedroom. 15 min from Bergerac on the Dordogne river. DPE: C

In between Lalinde and Le Bugue.

Perigourdine style bungalow built in 2000.

104 m² in total, with 3 bedrooms, open plan living room/kitchen, bathroom, wc, garage & washroom. All on 2,224 m². DPE: N/A.

Centre of a village 20 mins from Lalinde.

Renovated, 230 m² on 3 levels. Includes a shop front, so could become a gallery, café, restaurant, etc. Garden, terrace, garage & cellar. Lots of potential ! DPE: N/A

Taux d’honoraires 18,550€ (7%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 21,600€ (6%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 10,795€ (7%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 13,935€ (7%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Ref: 8421-BGC 247,250 € HAI

Ref: 8160-BGC 335,475 € HAI

Ref: 8644-LA 534,400 € HAI

Ref: 8613-LA 402,800 € HAI

170 m2 3-bed stone farm house from 1871 on 1 acre. New roof and insulation, double glazing throughout. Countryside views, quiet neighborhood. 20 mins from Bergerac, close to village with all amenities. DPE: E

Riverside property: main house, guest house + a small house to renovate. Pool and terraced area, garage & workshop. 3 acres of land with private access to the Dordogne river. 15 mins from Bergerac centre. DPE: G

A group of buildings in a little village, next to the Dordogne river. Total habitable space 434 m², plus a 400 m² hotel to renovate. Pool, parking, 2 terraces and garden. Established annual income. Bags of potential! DPE: Vierge

Stone's throw from Bergerac, a stone bungalow offering a spacious 84 m² lounge/dining room opening on to a terrace facing an 8x4m covered pool. Enclosed garden of 2 hectares.

Barn, workshop, stable, cellar. DPE: D

Taux d’honoraires 17,250€ (7.5%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 20,475€ (6.5%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 23,400€ (4.5%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 22,800€ (6%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

8 ♦ FRENCH NEWS

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www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2020

Coronavirus cross-border travel rules 3 month

extensions to the contrôle technique

W

hile both the British and French governments have repeated their assertions that people should avoid all nonessential travel, some have questioned whether or not they are able to travel to “return home”. Unlike many countries, the border between the UK and France does still remain open and on 27th March, foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian had a telephone call with his British counterpart Dominic Raab to discuss travel between the two countries.

During the meeting, the pair agreed that the border between France and the UK would remain open while both countries are on lockdown, in order that border restrictions: • do not prevent any European citizen from returning home; • allow goods, especially essential goods, to continue to circulate in order to avoid disruptions in supply; • also allow border workers, medical staff and researchers to continue to move and work.

Whilst this does mean that expats with a permanent residence in France do have the right to return to France, those with second homes here are not permitted to cross the Channel. A statement from the British Embassy in Paris on 26th March states that: “We are currently strongly advising against all non-essential travel. If UK nationals are primarily resident in the UK then they should avoid travelling to France as travel options are

T rapidly reducing.”

The Embassy also warned those attempting to cross the Channel about other concerns: “They should also consider checking with their insurance provider to see what kinds of treatment are covered if they are not registered in the French healthcare system.”

In France, under the initial restrictions announced on 17th March, residents were able to travel to their second homes within France, but updated rules on the Ministry of the Interior website now make it clear that people should not be changing their place of residence during lockdown. In a list of frequently asked questions the ministry states your “place of confinement should not change”.

Answering the question “Can I go on holiday?”, the ministry makes it clear that “going on holiday or going to your second home, or a rental home, are not part of the authorised trips”. The attestation form also has no option for travelling to a second resi-

dence.

On 31st March, as we published this edition, the British Embassy in Paris emailed The Bugle an updated travel advisory which read: “Over the last few weeks, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has worked tirelessly to help hundreds of thousands of British travellers get home to the UK. This evening, the Foreign Secretary announced a repatriation plan for British Nationals who are currently stranded overseas and who are unable to return home due to border closures and/or because commercial options are no longer available.

In these cases, the FCO, in partnership with commercial carriers, will facilitate special chartered flights to get UK Nationals back home. The Government has pledged £75 million to the effort. Vulnerable people, including the elderly and those with underlying health issues, will be given priority.

However, the UK/France border remains open and com-

mercial travel options are still available, although becoming increasingly restricted.

UK Nationals who live in the UK and that are currently in France, whether working, on holiday, or travelling, should return home now while commercial options are still available. At the time of writing, there are still flights, trains, ferries and the Eurotunnel that can offer return to the UK. The Foreign Secretary emphasised that airlines are standing by to help and will be offering greater flexibility with tickets and carriers.

Please note: this advice and this evening’s announcement do not relate to UK nationals who are permanently resident in France. British Nationals resident in France should continue to stay at their home location and follow French Government and local authority guidelines.

For enquiries, please email france.enquiries@fco. gov.uk and do remember to follow our social media updates on @ukinfrance” ■

he coronavirus lockdown was introduced as a public health measure, but the effects of quarantine have impacted all aspects of life. The government has gradually been introducing legislation to mitigate these problems, but one grey area that quickly emerged surrounded the contrôle technique (CT), the French equivalent of the MOT. It is illegal to drive without a valid CT, and if your car fails with minor faults you usually have two months to fix any problems. Many drivers were due to renew their car's CT during recent weeks or were already in the two-month period when the lockdown began, which has left thousands in limbo. Although contrôle technique centres are among the list of businesses allowed to remain open, many have chosen to close to protect their employees. As a result, many drivers are unsure as to whether they can legally drive their vehicles to make essential journeys.

In response, the government has announced that expired CTs will remain valid for a further three months after their current expiry date (starting from 24 March 2020). For drivers of heavy goods vehicles, the extension is limited to 15 days. If your car is due to have its CT renewed or is currently in the two-month period before a contrevisite, you can still drive it legally in the short term.

Should the lockdown be extended, or if CT centres are overloaded in the wake of the backlog created by the quarantine, the grace period could be extended. Watch these pages for further details. ■

Sadly, due to low levels of sterilisation and low standards of welfare for cats in France, we are again soon to be flooded with calls about abandoned kittens.

If you can give a good, forever home to a kitten and would like to join our waiting list, contact Lynda on 05 53 81 30 44 or associationacorn@gmail.com

www.associationacorn.com

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Pharmacists to process Rules for pets and repeat prescriptions vets during lockdown

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he government has announced that repeat prescriptions for those with chronic conditions can be renewed without needing to see a doctor until 15th April.

Pharmacists can process expired prescriptions and will retroactively inform your GP that the drugs have been picked up.

All renewals will still be reimbursed by the healthcare system in the usual way.

With many GPs under increased pressure during the current outbreak, the move is aimed at reducing their workload and also removing the need for extra journeys. There has been confusion, however, as an initial extension period to 31st May was moved back to 15th April by a subsequent decree,

but with the understanding that this date could be further extended.

Stronger drugs such as morphine can still be renewed before 15th April for a period of up to 28 days, providing you have a repeat prescription that has already been renewed for at least three months.

In order to prevent stockpiling, limits have also been introduced on the amount of some common drugs that can be bought in pharmacies. Paracetamol, for example, is restricted to two packets for those exhibiting feverish symptoms or other pain and just one packet in all other cases. The online sale of products containing exclusively paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin has also been banned until further notice. ■

Warning over fake coronavirus fine scam The Ministry of the Interior is warning against false police checks.

If you are stopped and don't have a travel waiver: • NEVER pay the EUR 135 fine on the spot and NEVER PAY IN CASH • The Gendarmerie/Police always write up a report (paper / electronic) • The fine will be sent in the post

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hilst the information surrounding who can and can't leave their house and for what reason is currently relatively clear, there is less certainty when it comes to our pets. First and foremost, the advice remains to leave your house as infrequently as possible and this applies equally to man's best friend. In a Q&A section on its website, the SPA (Société protectrice des animaux) has put some myths to bed and offered sensible advice.

There is currently no evidence that common household pets can catch or transmit Covid-19, but that does not mean you should let your animals wander free. Whilst your pet may be fine, if they become lost or injured, this could lead to unnecessary journeys for other people that can put the local community at risk.

The current advice allows you to walk your pet for one hour every day, but the SPA has advised that this can be split into three outings of 20 minutes, to allow your

dog to go out more frequently if necessary. Remember, however, that you will need a signed attestation, dated and with the time of day, every time you leave your house.

In terms of trips to the vet, the ONV (Ordre national des vétérinaires) released a statement calling on “each veterinarian to do a risk assessment before deciding to take care of an animal, and to not underestimate the risks. Protect yourselves and be safe”.

The ONV has advised that all consultations, regular check-ups and non-essential interventions such as castrations or teeth descaling should be cancelled.

You can still make an appointment with your vet, however, if your animal has a severe trauma relating to an accident, is in significant pain, or faces a condition with life-changing implications. Owners of farms, kennels and shelters can also still use their vet as usual.

If in any doubt, phone your local veterinarian for advice. ■

Paris no longer the most expensive city in the world

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aris has lost its place as the most expensive city in the world, a position that can be seen as a good or a bad thing, depending on your situation. For the last thirty years, researchers have regularly looked at the prices of 160 items in 133 major cities around the globe including the cost of food, clothing, transport and utility bills, to draw up a ranking of the most expensive and least expensive.

Despite falling from first place to joint fifth, Paris has unfortunately not become a cheaper city to live in, rather a number of other cities have become even more expensive. The 2020 Worldwide Cost of Living Survey, put together by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), has revealed that Singapore, Osaka and Hong Kong are the world's joint most expensive places to live, fol-

lowed by New York and then the capital of France, joint fifth with Zurich.

The only Middle Eastern city in the top 10 is Tel Aviv in seventh place, which the EIU says has experienced booming exports in recent years, making the Israeli shekel one of the strongest currencies in the world. It is followed by Los Angeles and Tokyo in joint eighth, while Geneva, the second Swiss city in the top 10, rounds off the list.

Paris' drop in the rankings has been replicated across Europe, with 31 of the 37 European cities surveyed seeing a fall in overall rank; London has dropped one place to 23rd and Manchester is now in 51st place.

At the bottom of the ranking, joining Damascus and Tashkent among the cheapest cities, are Almaty in Kazakhstan and the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires. ■

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First TGV hospital trains arrive in Nouvelle-Aquitaine

© Ministère de l’Intérieur / J. Groissard

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he coronavirus has impacted this country heavily, but not all areas have been hit as hard as each other. Thankfully for those of us living in the Nouvelle Aquitaine, there are relatively few cases in the region compared to many other parts of France, a situation that has led to the area’s hospitals making beds available to other hospitals that are at risk of being overwhelmed.

One of the worst hit areas has been the Grand-Est region, which has struggled to cope with the rising number of patients needing specialist beds and respirators. How to safely transfer these patients to less affected hospitals presents a significant challenge, but the country’s rail operator has stepped up to the mark and transformed some of its TGV fleet into hospital trains.

The first of these trains began transferring patients from ITU beds in cities such as Strasbourg and Mulhouse on 26th March and a number have pulled up at stations across the southwest; hospitals in Poitiers, Angoulême, Bordeaux and La Rochelle have all accepted patients with severe symptoms of coronavirus, providing vital relief to their fellow workers in the east.

Each carriage of the TGV hospital trains can accommodate four patients, and has a medical team consisting of an intensive care doctor, an anaesthetist, a junior doctor and three nurses.

In total, there are approximately 50 staff on board. The restaurant carriage has also been transformed into a medical centre with stretchers.

“The eastern region is now at the peak of the wave. Every region will experience this in the coming weeks, but at different times. The idea is to take advantage of the lag times between regions and to transfer patients from the hard-hit to lesser-hit areas,” explained Lionel Lamhaut, the doctor in charge of the operation.

Elsewhere, following a call for help from hospitals in the capital to medics across France, SNCF is also offering free TGV trips to any medical professional heading to Paris to offer their services. Doctors, nurses and paramedics will be able to use these services free of charge by showing a work ID or certificate of employment to station staff. “This is a show of national solidarity by the rail world, working around the clock to face the full force of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the company tweeted. ■

Postal service reduced

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ith the lockdown in full swing, many people have turned to the internet to source their shopping and other essential items.

However, within almost no time, La Poste and other private delivery companies have found themselves struggling under the increased load, whilst simultaneously having to deal with reduced staff numbers and other restrictions.

The government has highlighted the postal system as an essential service which will continue during the lockdown, but the state-run company has quickly reduced its deliveries to three days a week.

At time of publication, La Poste is currently delivering on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays wherever possible.

Many post offices are closed - as few as one in ten remain open - and those that do remain open have been prioritising banking operations. Where possible, other services will remain available, such as stamping letters, sending parcels, sending recorded delivery post, etc., although people are being urged to do as much as possible online – www.laposte.fr.

La Poste is also asking people to help by only buying essential items online and keeping the sending of letters and parcels to a minimum.

Amazon have also announced that, while deliveries do continue, they are prioritising “essential” items and warning of potential delays to other purchases. “We must concentrate our

available capacity to the highest-priority items, and starting from today [Saturday March 21], we will temporarily stop taking orders on certain lower-priority products on Amazon.fr,” the company said in a statement. “Employees in our distribution centres will concentrate on receiving and shipping the products that customers need most right now.”

The rules apply to products ordered directly from Amazon, as well as those from retailers that use Amazon to stock and deliver their products. According to the statement, third party sellers that list their products on the Amazon site, but which do not use Amazon to stock, package or deliver their items, are free to deliver as usual, if they choose.

Under the current confinement conditions, postal workers are now leaving home deliveries in your postbox, where possible, instead of delivering to your door. If the parcel does not fit in your postbox, the delivery workers should knock on the door or ring the bell to notify you that they are there. The package must be put on the doorstep for the person to take it without having contact with the delivery person. No handwritten or electronic signature is needed as the aim is to avoid close contact.

People who receive a parcel in this way are being advised to wait before opening their door, to give time for the delivery worker to leave, and then to wash their hands after receiving and opening the package. ■

Lockdown could last at least six weeks A group of scientific advisors to the government has suggested that the total lockdown period will need to last at least six weeks to be effective. The newly created Comité analyse, recherche et expertise (CARE), set up to advise the French government, has recommended the longer lockdown, along with stricter confinement.

The committee’s role is an advisory one; the final decision will be taken by the government. The health minister Olivier Véran said the figure of six weeks was an “estimation” and no one knows at this stage how long the confinement will last. “The scientists have said that we need to be prepared that the confinement will last more than two weeks and that maybe it could be even more like five or six weeks,” the minister explained. “It will last as long as it needs to.”

The committee of doctors, sociologists and mathematicians has been created by the health ministry to advise President Emmanuel Macron and the government on the best way to combat the coronavirus. The experts, whose advice would see the lockdown lifted on 28th April, said that the current course of action was the “only strategy that is realistic in operational terms”, adding that other strategies, like mass testing or isolating all those who may have the virus, were not practical on a national scale. ■

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Go to work on an egg

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by Julia Watson

hen she worked as a copywriter, British novelist Fay Weldon created the slogan, “Go to work on an egg”. It was a brilliant punning directive that my mother took as a command. Every morning for breakfast before school, my sister and I were presented with a hard boiled one. As soon as I left home, I vowed never to eat another boiled egg again.

But this April is a special month for eggs. Easter is observed and the shops are stacked with chocolate versions. Hens are happily, as opposed to unhappily, back outside, producing what’s expected of them. Everywhere, eggs are being celebrated.

I may have rejected eggs that had been boiled but what my mother concocted with eggs in other cooking directions that the whole family and guests did relish was to make wonderful fluffy soufflés.

There’s more myth and fear surrounding the making of soufflés than any other recipe. How to make them rise? Why didn’t they rise? Was the egg white overbeaten? Was the mixing bowl greasy?

Was the whisk greasy? What mistake was made? So much unnecessary wringing of hands...

Forget all that. They are a doddle to cook and an excellent choice for a light lunch, a starter, an impressive dessert or a quickly assembled meal for unexpected visitors. All that’s necessary is to stop being impressed by them and remember they are merely a béchamel sauce with added flavour and puff.

If there’s a trick at all, it’s that you should always add one more egg white than you have egg yolks. Two, if you’re feeling trepidation or the eggs are small. Equally, for a cheese soufflé you should add a good deal more grated cheese - preferably from the strongest and cheapest Cheddar or Cantal - than most recipes call for. When

she made a soufflé for four, my mother used at least 250g grams of whatever in the fridge was going stale (and sometimes needed some blue scraping off). Recipes other than hers can cite as little as 100 grams for the same number of servings.

A soufflé doesn’t have to be cheese or chocolate. For a savoury one, you can fold in shards of smoked salmon or crab, or a duxelle of mushrooms, a pea purée or anything you like. On the sweet side, the same cooking method produces a chocolate soufflé, a pistachio soufflé, a Grand Marnier soufflé, an apricot soufflé and so on... Once you have the knack, you can progress to “twice-baked” soufflés, a boon for the show-off dinner party cook since they’re made partly ahead of time.

Here’s my mother’s cheese soufflé recipe: Make a fairly thick béchamel sauce from around 200ml of warmed milk. While hot, take off heat and add 300g grated strong cheese. Stir till melted, season with grinds of black pepper, a little grated nutmeg or some cayenne pepper, then, one at a time, drop in four egg yolks whose whites you have separated off into a large clean bowl. Add one or two extra egg whites to the mixing bowl contents and whisk to firm peaks. Dump a quarter of the froth into the cheesy béchamel and briskly incorporate to loosen the sauce. Then carefully fold in the remainder, making sure no egg white remains to be seen. Pour into a greased soufflé dish and bake for 2030 minutes in an oven pre-heated to 200C which you turn down at once to 180C. The length of time depends on how runny you like your soufflé.

If that lack of precision is a bit daunting, try the full recipe to the right.

Julia Watson has been a long-time Food Writer for newspapers and magazines in the US and the UK.

Cheese Soufflé Ingredients (serves 4): 50g butter

50g plain flour 200-300ml milk, heated

4 large eggs, separated plus one extra egg white Grating of nutmeg Pinch cayenne pepper

Salt and freshly ground 300g leftover hard cheese, black pepper, to taste grated Preheat oven to 200C. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Grease a 20cm soufflé dish with some of it, then, if you wish - my mother never did - dust with grated Parmesan.

In the saucepan, stir the flour into the melted butter, until it turns a light gold and sandy. Very gradually, a little at a time, pour in the heated milk to make a béchamel sauce and stir till thick over low heat, cooking out the flour taste for around 3-5 minutes. (The difference in the quantity of milk cited relates to different types/freshness of flour and types of butter whose water content can affect the sauce.

What you want to finish with is a thick sauce. Start with 200ml milk, adding the extra 100ml if the sauce is too stiff to introduce the cheese into it.) Stir in the cheese to melt. Draw off the heat, then one by one beat in the egg yolks. Season to taste, then add the nutmeg and cayenne pepper.

In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Beat a quarter into the cheese sauce, then carefully fold in the rest, making sure there’s no white showing, then pour into the soufflé dish and place in the centre of the oven. Turn the heat down to 180C. Bake the soufflé for 25-30 mins until puffed up and golden, 20 minutes if you like the base a little runny.

Serve with a salad and some crusty bread on the side.

For more than 4 servings, to the same amount of sauce and cheese base, the ratio is one egg per person plus one extra white for the whole number. If you want to serve 6 to 8 (limited by the size of the soufflé dish!), add 2 extra egg whites not 1.

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A

pril Fools’ Day has been celebrated for centuries all over the world as a chance to play pranks on friends and family.

At one time or another most of us will have been the perpetrator or the victim of an elaborate April Fools’ hoax. France is no exception to this rule, and indeed many people believe that the tradition actually began here in the 16th century.

In many pre-Christian cultures, the first day of summer was considered to be 1st May and this would typically be seen as the start of the spring planting season. Those who planted before this date were likely

to lose their crops to frost and were therefore called ‘April Fools’.

More commonly, the day is associated with the calendar reform, when New Year’s Day was moved from the end of March (in the old Julian calendar) to 1st January (in the new Gregorian calendar).

The story goes that in 1564 King Charles XIV of France decreed that his country would adopt the new Gregorian calendar and that New Year’s Day would become 1st January. With Wi-Fi connections in the middle ages not being what they are today, this news travelled slowly through France, and many

in rural areas of the country were slow on the uptake of this new calendar. Those that were unaware of the change, or that stubbornly clung on to the old system, were publicly mocked by having paper fish surreptitiously stuck to their backs and were called ‘poisson d’avril’ – literally ‘April fish’.

April Fools’ Day is still known as poisson d’avril to this day and the tradition of the paper fish continues. If a neighbour appears overly friendly on 1st April and gives you a generous pat on the back, be sure to check in a mirror afterwards! ■

Famous Fools - Left-handed Whoppers!

In 1998, Burger King ran an ad in USA Today, saying that people could get a Whopper for left-handed people whose condiments were designed to drip out of the right side. Not only did customers order the new burgers, but some specifically requested the ‘old’, right-handed burger!

T

Famous Fools - Spaghetti Trees!

The BBC television programme Panorama ran a famous hoax in 1957, showing Italians harvesting spaghetti from trees. They also claimed that the despised pest, the spaghetti weevil, had been eradicated. A large number of people contacted the BBC wanting to know how to cultivate their own spaghetti trees. The programme was, in fact, filmed in St Albans.

Famous Fools - Danish Metro Crash!

© 2001 Lars Andersen

Poisson d’avril April Fools’ Day

Copenhagen 2001 – news agencies reported that a metro train had accidentally surfaced. In reality it was part of an old train, cut diagonally with stones arranged around it.

The Eiffel Tower Conspiracy Files

he Eiffel Tower has been in the news this month, as previously unknown details have emerged about the origins of this Parisian landmark.

Named after its ‘creator’ Gustave Eiffel, the Tour Eiffel was built in 1889 to celebrate the opening of the Exposition Universelle – a World’s Fair marking the centennial celebrations of the French Revolution.

At the time it was celebrated as a victory for French engineering, built using 18,000 pieces of iron and over 2.5 million rivets. When complete it was twice as tall as the previous tallest building in the world and it has become one of the most famous landmarks on the planet, welcoming over 200 million visitors.

According to recently unearthed documents, it now appears that the Eiffel Tower was in fact designed and built in secret by a British team of architects and engineers. The real designer was Graham Fish from Avril Construction, a British company based in Foolton, Hampshire. The documents show that although Eiffel knew what he wanted to build and had a basic outline, France lacked the necessary skills to pull off such a massive feat of engineering and turned instead to its colleagues across the Channel.

Aware of the embarrassment that this would cause the French national pride, part of the deal required the identity of the true team behind the project to remain secret.

French workers were also not seen as being skilled or hard-working enough to complete it and instead a team of British engineers were secretly brought to Paris from the UK. These workers were first given

The Bugle thanks local French teacher, Sophie Arsac, for the translation of the following article on a topical aspect of Franco-British culture. Find contact details for Sophie on page 8.

This article was originally published in The Bugle as an April Fool in 2012... would you have fallen for it? extensive training in being French which included courses on language, recognising different cheeses and wines, getting used to the 2-hour lunch break and instructions on how to correctly wear a beret.

So convincing was their disguise that to this day the world still believes that the Eiffel Tower was entirely built by the French. This could now be about to change, although it is not currently known if the Tour Eiffel will eventually be renamed Fish Tower.

Other classified documents released at the same time as the Eiffel Conspiracy files include a planned law to ban April Fools' Day and make it a crime to play practical jokes on April 1 st. ■

L

a Tour Eiffel a fait parler d’elle dans les actualités ce mois-ci alors que des révélations sur l’origine de cet emblème parisien ont récemment fait surface.

Nommée d’après le nom de son créateur Gustave Eiffel, la Tour Eiffel fut construite en 1889 pour inaugurer l’Exposition Universelle, une foire internationale destinée à célébrer le centenaire de la Révolution Française. A l’époque, la construction de la tour fut considérée comme une victoire de l’ingénierie française et nécessita l’emploi de 18.000 pièces métalliques assemblées par plus de 2.5 millions de rivets. Au final, la tour battit le record du précédent monument le plus haut du monde puisqu’elle mesurait deux fois sa taille. La Tour Eiffel est devenue l’un des sites les plus connus de la planète

et a déjà accueilli plus de 200 millions de visiteurs.

Cependant, des documents récemment exhumés nous apprennent que la Tour Eiffel a en fait été conçue et construite en secret par une équipe d’architectes et d’ingénieurs britanniques. Le véritable concepteur de la tour fut Graham Fish qui travaillait pour Avril Construction, une compagnie britannique basée à Foolton dans le comté de Hampshire.

Les documents révèlent que Monsieur Eiffel avait élaboré les grandes lignes de son projet mais que la France n’avait pas les compétences requises pour réaliser une telle prouesse technologique. Les Français durent donc se tourner vers leurs collègues d’outreManche.

Afin de ne pas heurter la fierté de la nation française, les parties s’accordèrent pour garder secrète l’identité réelle de l’équipe chargée du projet. Considérant que les ouvriers français n’étaient ni suffisamment compétents ni suffisamment durs à la tâche, une équipe de techniciens britanniques fut secrètement envoyée à Paris. En premier lieu, les Britanniques suivirent une formation intensive pour se comporter comme de vrais Français. Ils prirent des cours de langue, apprirent à différencier les différents types de fromages et de vins, s’habituèrent à leurs deux heures de déjeuner quotidiennes et s’entraînèrent à porter leur béret comme un bon Français.

Leur camouflage fut tellement convainquant que jusqu’à ce jour, le monde entier croit encore que la Tour Eiffel a été entièrement construite par les Français. Ce qui risque de ne pas durer… bien qu’on ne sache pas encore si la Tour Eiffel sera un jour rebaptisée la Tour Fish.

D’autres documents classés secret jusqu’à présent et rendus public en même temps que les dossiers de la conspiration Eiffel révèlent l’existence d’un projet de loi visant à interdire la journée du Poisson d’Avril et à considérer les farces du 1er avril comme un délit. ■

PRACTICAL ♦ 13

APRIL 2020 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

What can UK expatriates in France expect from Brexit? - Blevins Franks

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hile we still do not know what the UK’s new relationship with the EU will look like next year, the transition period provides some certainty until 31 December 2020.

If you are living in France, what might change when it comes to residence, taxation and UK pensions, and what steps can you take now to prepare?

Securing residence and existing benefits

UK nationals who are lawfully settled in France before the end of the transition period can lock in a lifetime of citizens’ rights here under the UK/EU Withdrawal Agreement. This protects access to healthcare, social security, education and employment opportunities for as long as you remain resident.

If you already hold residency papers – whether temporary or permanent residence – you will need to convert these to the new documents. Although the Withdrawal Agreement allows up to 30 June 2021 for this, register as soon as possible to protect your position.

Beware that you forfeit these guaranteed rights if you are absent from the country for five consecutive years.

Also, there is no onward freedom of movement, so if you want to move to another EU state from 2021, you would have to apply as a non-EU/EEA citizen.

Anyone arriving in France after 31 December 2020 will be subject to the

new residence requirements. While yet to be defined, these may be much more stringent than today.

Taxation after the transition period Each country sets their tax rules, not the EU, and tax treatment depends on residence, not nationality. Similarly, the France double tax treaty is independent of the EU. As such, Brexit itself has no effect on how Britons are taxed in France. However, some nonEU/EEA assets are currently treated differently, so those with UK assets and investments are more likely to see increased taxation post-Brexit.

For example, once UK life assurance policies, such as investment bonds, become non-EU/EEA assets, they may no longer qualify for the full beneficial tax treatment given to assurance-vie and EU capital redemption bonds.

In any case, the way you structure your assets and wealth can make a significant difference to the way you are taxed. Residents in France can take advantage of highly tax-efficient investment opportunities that may also provide further benefits such as currency and income flexibility, wealth tax mitigation and estate planning advantages.

UK pensions after the transition period UK nationals settled in the EU before 31 December 2020 can continue to

receive yearly cost-of-living increases to their State Pension payments, even if you start claiming your pension after the transition ends.

As things stand, Brexit should not affect how you can withdraw or transfer other UK pensions. However, once the UK government no longer has to abide

by EU rules in 2021, they gain more freedom to recoup taxes from expatriate pensions.

One target could be Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Schemes (QROPS). Currently, French residents can transfer to a QROPS tax-free if it is EU/EEA-based, otherwise a 25% ‘overseas transfer charge’ applies. Many expect the UK may extend this to within the EU once it sheds its current obligations.

Take personalised, UK-regulated advice before taking any action with your pensions to establish the most suitable approach for your personal circumstances and goals.

Currency considerations During recent Brexit uncertainty, the value of sterling has experienced much volatility. While more settled now, like any currency, it is always variable.

Once you are living in France, it is sensible to hold some savings and investments in Euros to minimise exchange rate risk. However, you may also have expenses in the UK or intend to return someday, so want to keep something of value in Sterling. Explore

The wines of Bergerac

D

espite all the worries, writing about wine in these troubling days of the coronavirus and under lockdown has its benefits. This is the time to review your own cellar, whether it be a handful of bottles or a whole underground cave lined wall-to-wall with liquid treasures. This is also an excellent time to plan for your enjoyment of wines in the future.

Lots of winemakers in the Bergerac are under real financial pressure since so many of their sales outlets have had to close and the lockdown means you cannot visit the vineyards to taste and buy on the spot.

The best way to help is to contact your favourite winemaker by phone or email and ask if you can buy a bon d’achat.

That means you pay him a hundred euros or whatever now by cheque or credit card, and in return you get a credit note for that amount of wine when you can next visit the vineyard.

Many winemakers are making a special effort to stay in touch with their clients online now that they have had to close their tasting rooms. Some of them run blogs on their web-

by Martin Walker

sites, so I give a hearty cheer to Caro Feely of Château Feely; to Sue and Humphrey Temperley at Château Lestevenie; to Pierre Desmartis at Château La Vieille Bergerie and to Laurent de Bosredon at Château Bélingard.

Bruno Bilancini of Château Tirecul La Gravière, the master of Monbazillacs, has a section on his website of 40 recipes and some interesting musings on the pairings of wine and food. It is in French (Google Translate comes in useful) but strongly recommended.

The problem for the Bergerac is that most of the best winemakers sell mainly at the vineyard or at the specialist wine stores that we are no longer authorised to visit. It is bizarre that the French state says that the tabacs should remain open as essential services but that wine stores should not.

So most of us will only be buying wines at supermarkets, but look on the bright side.

Some of our best vineyards are now making good, cheaplypriced wines that are on sale at supermarkets. Here are some of the best: Daniel Hecquet of Château Puy Servain in the Montravel is marketing a new wine called

Puy 178, named for a high point of his vineyard, some 600 ft above sea level. He offers a red (all Merlot), and a white (all Sauvignon) and they are now available at Intermarché for less than 5 euros a bottle.

They are IGP rather than Montravel appellation but they are good, honest wines and excellent value.

Hugh Ryman of Château de la Jaubertie has been for some years offering a similar brand for regional supermarkets which is an organic wine called Natura. Priced at just over 5 euros at Intermarché, I buy lots of his Natura white wine in summer when thirsty friends visit and we’re never disappointed.

At Carrefour I came across another decent find, a fullblooded, very dark and intense Bergerac red, Château La Salagre at 5.95 euros. At Leclerc, they have some good offerings of dessert wine, a Saussignac from Château Court-les-Mûts at 12.12 euros for a half-litre bottle; a better bargain from Bruno Bilancini, his Les Pins at 9.90 euros; and my best buy came from the ever-reliable Christian Roche at Domaine de l’Ancienne

investment structures that offer flexibility to hold investments in more than one currency and convert when it suits you. Transferring UK pensions into a suitable QROPS could also provide currency flexibility for your retirement income.

When exploring the best currency and investment mix for you, make sure your investments are well-diversified, tax-efficient and offer the right balance of risk and return for your peace of mind.

While the transition offers a welcome period of certainty for UK nationals living in France, the clock is ticking to secure your position and take advantage of suitable opportunities. A locallybased adviser with cross-border experience is best placed to help you prepare appropriately for the post-Brexit world.

■ Tax rates, scope and reliefs may change. Any statements concerning taxation are based upon our understanding of current taxation laws and practices which are subject to change. Tax information has been summarised; individuals should seek personalised advice..

Keep up to date on the financial issues that may affect you on the Blevins Franks news page at: www.blevinsfranks.com Tel: 05 53 63 49 19 Email: bergerac@blevinsfranks.com

Cure for a full-sized bottle of Grains d’Or Monbazillac at 8.95 euros.

But you are not limited to supermarkets, even under the lockdown. There are in the department of the Dordogne more than a dozen big stores of the chain from the farmers’ co-op, La Périgourdine. They have excellent collections of Bergerac wines, along with plants, seeds and every manner of clothing and equipment for farmers and gardeners. I regularly visit the one in Le Bugue to see what is on offer.

Then there are the Maisons des producteurs which sell locally-sourced produce, from cheese and dairy products to meats, excellent jams and honey and they also sell wine. It is hard to beat the value of the wine from Domaine de Grange Neuve that I find there, a 10-litre box of white or red for 25 euros. In the summer months, when the house is full of family and friends we get through one of these each week for easy drinking. With a splash of crème de cassis it makes a very acceptable Kir. If you have never done so, this lockdown is also an excellent moment to start keeping a cellar book. Some people organise their books by region, others by year, but even if you have only a few bottles, the cellar book gives you an opportunity to write down your

own judgments on each wine you drink.

You can give points for the bouquet, for the immediate taste in the mouth, for the aftertaste and so on. This will make you think about wine a little differently, and it is always useful to refer back to your notes in the cellar book when deciding what to buy next.

If you are in lockdown with members of your family it is interesting to get each drinker to give his or her own verdict on what they like and why. A blind tasting between three or four different wines is a cheerfully different way to spend an evening and it is much more convivial than watching TV or playing internet games. So look on the bright side, and enjoy the wine you’re drinking now and the wine you’re planning to enjoy in the future.

Santé ! ■

Martin Walker, author of the best-selling ‘Bruno, chief of police’ novels, is a Grand Consul de la Vinée de Bergerac. Formerly a journalist, he spent 25 years as foreign correspondent for The Guardian and then became editor-inchief of United Press International. He and his wife Julia have had a home in the Périgord since 1999 and one of his great hobbies is visiting the vineyards of Bergerac.

14 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2020

Business Directory

Your indispensable guide to finding local businesses & artisans Auto Services

NEU DplG ARCHITECTURE Member

MOTOR PARTS CHARENTE

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DIRECTORY ♦ 15

APRIL 2020 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Building Services Plumbing & Heating

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NEDWA - North Eastern Dordogne Women’s Association Come along and meet us at our regular Coffee Mornings at Auberge du Pont in Cherveix Cubas.

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16 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2020

ADVERTORIAL

Supporting you through market uncertainty?

Rosemary Sheppard, International Financial Adviser

C

urrent market conditions are and have been challenging (to say the least) for both investment professionals and their clients over the last month and especially on Monday 9th March, first with the Coronavirus and then the oil price war between Russia and Saudi Arabia (the reason for the big fall Monday 9th). Then again on Thursday 12th when the US banned all flights from Europe (excluding UK). Markets have now dropped in magnitudes not seen since 2008. Share price falls have been largest amongst consumer-facing firms particularly within the leisure and tourist sectors as well as companies with higher debt relative to profits.

Governments and central banks are trying to help and will continue to do so. The Federal Reserve and the UK have already reduced interest rates with other central banks around the world likely to follow. Other forms of supportive monetary policy are also being rolled out into the financial system in order to ensure liquidity.

Governments are planning to spend using borrowed money with even Germany edging towards a bit of fiscal irresponsibility.

David Miller of Quilter Cheviot on 12th March said “Growth forecasts for this year have been revised but increasingly economists are forecasting weak activity beyond the current quarter, as quarantines and restrictions curtail activity.

“The consensus remains for three to four months of depressed activity with a subsequent recovery but reduced activity will impact corporate profitability in the interim.

Measures of stock market volatility are significantly higher than across 2019,

as demonstrated with the main market movements reported widely across the media and press. This demonstrates the trouble markets are having in digesting news flow and assessing the risks ahead. The number of ‘unknowns’ means that assessing the direction of travel for markets from here is uncertain, but the continuing spread of cases and emerging stresses in the financial system would point towards continued volatility.”

What does this mean for investors?

Well we are all familiar with being told “The value of your investments can go down as well as up”, but it’s an unemotional and indifferent statement that entirely overlooks the stressful emotional roller coaster that both investors and advisers feel when there is a major sell-off.

What I would just want to say to all of those clients/investors (myself included) is to sit tight, no matter how scary that is, any knee-jerk reaction i.e. selling in a falling market would just mean you consolidating a heavy

loss and missing the rebound, when it comes. You have invested for the medium to long term, which means the more likely you are to have the potential for healthy returns and achieve your financial goals, regardless of market downturns.

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This article is based on the opinion of the financial adviser and author, and does not reflect the views of Blacktower.

The above information was correct at

the time of preparation and does not constitute investment advice and you should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity.

Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) through whom we have a registered branch and passport for financial services in France. License number 00805B.

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“SolarVenti”- the solar solution to damp and humidity

A

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How it works The principle behind Solarventi is simple: a small, builtin, solar cell powers a 12V fan that is connected to an air vent, a control unit and an on/ off switch.

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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.

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ADVERTORIAL

La Conciergerie

Taking the hassle out of your holiday home

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Whether you own a large property or a small lock-up-andleave, we can take care of every aspect of home maintenance, from preparing the property for your arrival, handling rentals and changeovers through to managing the grounds and arranging any necessary maintenance.

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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 €490 TTC.

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ADVERTORIAL

Advertising with The Bugle

W

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In the Dordogne we have more than 150 distribution points across the region and surrounding areas where readers can pick up a copy for free.

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DIRECTORY ♦ 17

APRIL 2020 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Property Maintenance

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siret: 841 001 456 00018

Man & Van Transport

FORTNIGHTLY SERVICES TO FRANCE FULL OR PART LOADS WELCOME WE COLLECT FROM ALL AREAS OF THE UK AND DELIVER TO ALL AREAS OF FRANCE Find us on Facebook: @smartmovesukfrance Please CALL or EMAIL Stephen

smartmovers@hotmail.co.uk

+44 (0)1253 725 414

www.smartmovesremovals.co.uk

A family business offering a quality, professional service since 1985

Contact Stephen or Ben: 0044 121 353 7263 sales@franklinsremovals.co.uk www.franklinsremovals.co.uk

Your advert here

Local and European Removals France to France, Spain, Portugal, Italy etc We Offer: Removals, Storage, House Clearance, also Car, Caravan, Plant Transport.

French Registered Business.

Local Friendly Service.

+33 (0)6 73 96 38 39

www.dordognestoragesolutions.com

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

06 04 17 80 93

06 04 17 80 93

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Advertising in The Bugle Business Directory Advertising your business couldn’t be easier. Text only, boxed listings are available in our Business Directory from just €12.50/month.

Alternatively, why not spotlight your business with an Advertorial, available from 1/6 Page (€50 HT) up to Full Page (€300 HT).

Both Directory Adverts and Advertorials represent a cost effective way to put your brand in front of more than 30,000 pairs of eyes each month!!

For more information on any of our advertising options, please feel free to give us a call on 06 04 17 80 93 or send an email to sales24@thebugle.eu

6-Month Contract

12-Month Contract

Small b&w Directory Ad

€100

€150

Large b&w Directory Ad

€130

€195

Small Colour Directory Ad

€140

€210

Large Colour Directory Ad

€180

€270

All prices exclude TVA (20%)

Directory Advertising is available either in black and white or colour, and in either small (30 words max) or large (45 words max) format.

Directory adverts may only contain text (small logos may be allowed when supplied). The minimum contract length is 6 months.

Advertising is payable on publication. All prices are HT.

Buying or Selling French Property?

Legal advice from English-speaking lawyers Also the #1 portal for property auctions

www.frenchpropertylawyer.fr

05 55 82 18 99

Worship services in English held throughout the Dordogne: Bertric Burée, Chancelade, Eymet Temple, Limeuil, Négrondes, Sainte Nathalène (near Sarlat).

All are welcome!!

Please visit our website for more information: www.churchinaquitaine.org Find us on Facebook: English Church Aquitaine

Large Directory Ad 46mm x 71mm (Actual Size) 45 words max Small Directory Ad 46mm x 46mm (Actual Size)

30 words max

18 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ APRIL 2020