The Bugle Limousin - Aug 2017 by The Bugle

Limoges has the best burgers in France Independent burger restaurant Jean Burger, based in Limoges, has come out top in a national survey >> Page 4 November 2016 - Issue #85

Limousin

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August 2017 - Issue 94 - FREE!

Government move to scrap taxe d'habitation As part of a series of tax cuts worth €20 billion, the government has announced plans to scrap the unpopular taxe d'habitation for up to 80% of all households. people with a pension of less than just over €1,200 a month and then this will be extended to other groups over the coming years. Although the news will be welcomed by lowincome retirees, this same group will be hit hard by the 1.7% increase in the CSG social charge which also comes into force next year. Eventually, only households with an annual taxable revenue of more than €20,000 per 'part' will still pay the taxe d'habitation. In other words, a couple earning €40,000 per year will be exempt, as will a couple with 2 children earning €60,000.

>> continued on page 7

2nd degree burns from a garden weed - pg 4

France to ban all petrol and diesel vehicles - pg 7

France tops world soft power list - pg 8

The Bugle Business Directory - pg 14-22

ollowing through on a highly publicised election p l e d g e , the government has announced that as many as four out of every five households will become exempt from the taxe d'habitation. The changes had been thrown into doubt when incoming prime minister Édouard Philippe said in his parliamentary address that the timetable had been moved back, but economy minister Bruno Le Maire has now revealed that the first groups will be exonerated from the unpopular tax in 2018. The tax will initially be reduced for retired

20,000 attend largest ever music festival in Creuse - page 3

INSIDE > > >

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t was all supposed to be so simple. This editorial is usually the last thing I write each month, sometimes literally as the presses are warming up! I often don't plan what I'm going to write, although if I see anything that catches my eye during the month I'll jot it down or, in these days of smartphones, save a link. But this month I didn't even do that... you see, I just dropped the in-laws back at the airport after a three-week stay! As regular readers of the paper will probably know, my wife's parents are a well-mined resource for this column and I can always guarantee to have plenty to write about in a half joking, half affectionate (but half serious!) way. A particular favourite was the throwing of the dirty bucket of water “out” of the recently closed window! So it is with a degree of trepidation that I stare at this blank page with an almost equally blank mind... neither of the inconsiderate buggers did anything of any note. Selfish! Typical! They finally get their revenge by leaving me with nothing to complain about. Editorial inspiration was the one positive side of having them to stay and now they have taken

even that away from me! If I didn't know any better, I'd say it was deliberate!! There has been a lot of talk recently among friends of the return to a 4-day primary school week. I guess I am in a slightly different situation to many in that my wife and I both work from home, so we are relatively flexible when it comes to dropping off and picking up kids. Many working parents were understandably against the scrapping of school on a Wednesday as it means an extra half day of childcare that needs to be arranged if you work fulltime. For me, the flip side of the obvious inconvenience of having children under my feet three days a week is that we are so incredibly lucky to have the schools that we do, given that there are not many children round these parts. Unfortunately, that is the case across many parts of rural France, where young families naturally migrate to the cities in search of work. As such, class sizes are small, local councils struggle to finance them and more and more rural schools are being closed down or merged with neighbouring communes. Under this financial pressure,

it is no surprise that while only a third of schools nationally voted to return to the four-day primary school week, that number is significantly higher in poorer, rural areas. I can not speak highly enough of the teachers at the schools my children have attended and whilst there are undoubtedly many negatives to living abroad, away from family and friends, the quality of the education my children have thus-far received is top of the list in the positives column. So for me, returning to a fourday week was a no-brainer. The costs involved in operating the school bus, paying teaching assistants, etc. - all for just three hours of school on a Wednesday morning - are significant for small communes such as mine. If the mild inconvenience of children screaming in the background while I try to sound all professional on the phone (there's only so many times you can use the “sorry, it's national t a k e - y o u r- c h i l d r e n - t o - w o r k day” joke!) is the price I have to pay for securing the future of our excellent local schools, then it is no price at all. I know that makes me sound bad and parents are supposed to enjoy spending time with their little bundles of joy, but I'm going to come out and say it: they do my head in and sometimes I wish I could just send them off to their grandparents for the summer. …oh, stream of conscience, you little beauty! Revenge is a dish best served screaming! They're always banging on about how they'd love to spend more time with the grandchildren,

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so maybe it's time for my little bundles of “she-hit-me-first” to experience life in the country of the passport they travel on?! That'll teach you to not drive me mad! I'm off to check out the Ryanair website... eight-yearolds can travel as responsible adults to their younger siblings, right?

INSIDE this edition

3-5 Local News

6-10 National News 11-13 French Life

Until next month!

14-22 Directory

Steve Martindale, Editor

23-25 Community 26-28 What’s On Copy deadline:

15th August for September's edition

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El Clandestino a huge success the L-PEA eventually declined the invitation and the festival was able to proceed. Despite the farmers not blocking any roads, access was still a problem. Organisers had hoped to sell 12,000 tickets, but with 20,000 music lovers from across the country descending on this corner of France, the roads soon blocked themselves, with 17 kilometres of tailbacks reported locally and many revellers spending several hours to complete the final 6 kilometres of their journey. Understandably, this number of people coming to the Creuse provided a welcome boost for local businesses and organisers were quick to congratulate themselves. “Local gîtes and hotels are all full. The area's shops and supermarkets have been virtually looted by festival goers!” said Eric Correia, president of the communauté d’agglomération du Grand Guéret. “Manu Chao is someone who chooses the places he plays. The Creuse, land of Resistance during the Second World War, has always fought extremism. It is also the homeland of Martin Nadaud [the 19th century mason and politician who fought for the rights of the working classes]. All of these elements weighed in his choice to come and play here.” The event was a chance for Creuse to shine a light on itself and

Angry newsagents disable radars

H © Lionel Urman (WikiCommons)

t was the largest festival ever to take place in the Creuse, but just ten days before 20,000 music fans descended on the department's capital, there were fears that it might be cancelled. El Clandestino, headlined by Manu Chao and named after his debut album, eventually took place under sunny skies and largely without incident. The 2-day event also featured bands such as Morcheeba, Chinese Man and Ludwig von 88. Manu Chao is a French-born musician of Spanish origin whose family first moved to France to escape the Franco regime - his grandfather had been sentenced to death by the Spanish dictator. Growing up surrounded by artists and the intellectual acquaintances of his father, the singer has always been politically active and is something of a hero to the anti-globalisation movement. As part of the festival weekend, Manu Chao had invited local animal welfare activist group L-PEA (Lumière sur les pratiques d’élevage et d’abattage) to speak at the event. L-PEA are locked in a bitter battle with the nearby Ferme des 1000 Veaux which it accuses of animal rights abuses and their involvement had infuriated local farmers, who in turn threatened to block access to the festival site. With the future of the event in doubt, the president of

Est. in France since 2004

attracted many people to department 23 for the first time. “As Guéret is so centrally located it's four hours from everywhere, so you get to meet people from all over the country... it's great!” said one music fan. At €26 for a day ticket and €42 for the weekend, it was also the cheapest festival taking place in France this year! Organisers hope that the El Clandestino festival will become an annual event - and with so many tickets sold, who would bet against that - although they acknowledged that certain logistical improvements will need to be made next year, most notably in terms of access for vehicles. ■

ealth minister Agnès Buzyn has declared war on the country's smokers and vowed to raise the price of a packet of cigarettes to €10 within three years, believing that the prohibitively high tobacco costs will stop smokers indulging and boost public health. At present, a packet of 20 cigarettes costs around €7 in France, well below the roughly €10 euros already charged in Britain and Ireland. “France is one of the slowest learners in the world on smoking. Big price rises will be needed to have an impact on public health.” Buzyn told RTL radio station, pointing to the UK, where smoking rates have dropped from around 30 per cent to 20 per cent over the past decade as the government pursued a policy of hefty price hikes. The smoking rate remains around 30 per cent in France. Faced with these price rises, the region's tabac owners are up in arms and on one night in July, angry buralistes took to the streets and vandalised 17 speed cameras across the Haute-Vienne, in protests that were repeated in the Creuse and Corrèze departments. Despite gradually falling smoking rates, many tabac owners still rely on income from tobacco sales for the financial viability of their newsagents. They fear that increased prices and the cheap availability of cigarettes abroad is putting them out of business. “With this action, we are giving a real warning to both government and parliament. It is out of the question to accept a price of €10 a pack, while 27.1% of tobacco is still bought over the border, on the internet or in the street,” explained Didier Pichon, chairman of the buralistes de la Haute-Vienne. “It's just provocation! If they really want to bring down smoking rates, why don't they set up a plan to fight this scourge, rather than simply trying to make us disappear!” ■

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Ref 3789 - € 55,000. Located in a charming village about 15 minutes’ drive from Bourganeuf, cottage with enclosed walled front garden. Ground floor: kitchen/dining room and lounge, both rooms with fireplaces and wood burning stoves. First floor: two double bedrooms, landing, shower room with hand-basin and toilet. Second floor: attic with the possibility to create a bedroom. Lots of original features and would make a perfect holiday retreat. DPE Vierge Ref 3756 - € 77,000. Simply gorgeous cottage and barn set in a hamlet, cycling distance from the village of Saint Dizier Leyrenne. Ground floor: large kitchen/dining room and lounge, both with fireplaces & wood burning stove. First floor: two spacious double bedrooms, modern bathroom with roll top bath, double shower, hand basin and toilet. The barn is large and could be converted into a dwelling or used as a garage/workshop. Garden of 837m² with wonderful views. DPE Vierge Ref 3778 - € 119,900. Around 15 minutes’ drive from Bourganeuf, two bedroom, two bathroom cottage with converted barn. Ground floor: fitted kitchen, dining room with wood burning stove, lounge also with wood burning stove, shower/utility room, bedroom with en-suite shower room. First floor: double bedroom. At garden level, workshops/garage/wood store. Wonderful wellloved garden of 1326m² with a sun terrace, mainly laid to lawn with mature trees and driveway. DPE Vierge Ref 3788 - € 136,250. Not too far from Sauviat sur Vige beautiful stone farmhouse, barn and garden. Ground floor: kitchen/dining room, lounge with wood-burning stove, plus underfloor heating, second lounge/bedroom with en-suite shower room and mezzanine bedroom. First floor: two double bedrooms and family bathroom. Large convertible attic. Glorious garden of 846m² with a walled courtyard, lawn area, terrace, well and large half open barn/workshop. DPE Vierge Ref 3798 - € 194,400. At 20 minutes’drive from Lac Vassiviere, fully renovated farmhouse, huge barn and further outbuildings. Ground floor: fitted kitchen, utility room, wc, lounge & dining room. First floor: two bedrooms, office & shower room. Second floor: three bedrooms & two shower rooms. The attached barn has three sections on the ground floor including a bar & workshop. The upstairs space is immense and has stunning views. Very pretty garden of 1230m². DPE C 146 & D 22

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Dangers of giant hogweed Local burger voted best in France

I © Fritz Geller-Grimm (WikiCommons)

ne unlucky local has highlighted the dangers of an innocuous looking weed that could well be lurking in your garden. Gilles Cichy, from La Courtine in southern Creuse, will not forget his afternoon of strimming any time soon as he has been left with the scars to prove it. “I was working in a T-shirt and I felt my arms burning but I had to finish,” Gilles explained. “Last year, I had cleared the same area and I remember that then I had reddish spots on my arms, but they disappeared after a while.” That evening, he had the same irritation on his arms and thought nothing of it. Over the following days, he returned to the same patch of land, under a full sun, and continued cleaning up the area. “It was a really warm weekend and I was in short sleeves. Working, with the sweat and everything, it really burned, and eventually the marks turned into blisters.” Unbeknownst to Gilles, he had been dealing with Heracleum mantegazzianum - also known as giant hogweed, or giant cow parsley - and the weekend's weather had conspired to leave him with second degree burns over much of his arms. His injuries were so severe that doctors say the affected areas will remain photosensitive for the rest of his life! The sap of the giant hogweed plant is phototoxic; when the contacted skin is exposed to sunlight or ultraviolet rays, it can cause phytophotodermatitis, a severe skin inflammation. Initially, the skin colours red and starts itching, but as it continues to burn, blisters subsequently form, usually within 48 hours, forming black or purplish scars that can last several years. Authorities advise that children should be kept away from giant hogweed, that protective clothing, including eye protection, should be worn when han-

dling or digging it, and that if skin is exposed, the affected area should be washed thoroughly with soap and water and the exposed skin protected from the sun for several days at least. Giant hogweed was first introduced into western Europe as an ornamental plant - and is still widely available as such! - but its spread is being closely monitored by the Observatoire des plantes exotiques envahissantes du Limousin. In the UK, it is an offence to plant or cause giant hogweed to grow in the wild. It typically grows to heights of between 2 and 5 metres and superficially it resembles common hogweed: a stout, bright green stem that is frequently spotted with dark red and hollow red-spotted leaf stalks that produce sturdy bristles. ■

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t has long been established that the French love a burger - France is the biggest market for McDonald's outside of the US! - so local fans will be delighted to know that the best burger in France is available on their doorstep. En Contact magazine awarded its Best Burger Experience to Jean Burger in Limoges, giving them a perfect score of 100/100. The survey reviewed 145 burger outlets across 60 cities and awarded an average score of 82.88. Tony Dao and Arnaud Pénicault opened their independent restaurant on rue Louvrier de Lajolais in Limoges in 2015. Following its huge success, they opened a second outlet in the city on rue Charles Michels. The pair put the secret of their success down to a very simple principle. Beef, buns, duck and poultry all sourced locally. “We both liked to make homemade burgers, or otherwise order them à la carte in restaurants, but there was no specialist outlet, so we thought we were going to create something on a local level,” Arnaud explained. “Our initial idea was to make it

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simple and inexpensive without compromising on the quality of the product and to stick to our locavore principles.” A locavore is a person whose diet consists only or principally of locally grown or produced food. The anonymous review by an independent mystery shopper stated: “I was delighted with the quality of the burger, but also and especially to learn that the meat came from a local butcher; the bun was local too. The quality of service, the welcome and the ready availability of the entire staff did not make me hesitate for a moment to give it the score I did.” Burgers have become increasingly popular in recent years, famously overtaking the “jambon beurre” as the nation's favourite sandwich - 1.19 billion were eaten in 2015! Traditional fast food retailers have been coming under increasing pressure from more “gourmet” style burger restaurants such as the Limousin's own Jean Burger. This can be seen in McDonald's recent decision to provide cutlery with its “signature” gourmet burger range. ■

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You'd be crazy to live in Folles! Local farmers set sheep shearing record

ince 2003, representatives from a select group of French towns have been meeting up to celebrate the thing that binds them most closely together... a silly name. This year, it was the turn of Folles (literally translated as 'crazy') in HauteVienne to welcome members of the Groupement des communes de France aux noms burlesques et chantants. The idea was dreamt up by Patrick Lasseube, originally from Saint-Lys in Haute-Garonne. More accurately, he is from Minjocébos, an 18th century name that literally means “le lieu où habitent les mangeurs d’oignons” or the land of onion-eaters! Believing that villages should use their name to make a name for themselves, with a view to attracting tourism and promoting local specialities, the association was born, and today also includes nearby Arnac-la-Poste, or Post Office Fraud to use its anglicised translation. Villages that have

previously hosted the event include Poil (naked), CorpsNuds (naked body), Vinsobres (sober wine). “I'd rather live in Folles than Trécon!” said one resident with a cheeky smile. Trécon comes from the old French très coins, identifying the three mounds that surround the village, but has the modern day homonym très con, for which it's best to use

the slightly softer translation of “very stupid”, although stronger versions exist! Having a comedy name is not always a laughing matter, however, with town signage at risk of theft and vandalism. Corps-Nuds in the Ille-etVilaine department has had to take steps after locals became fed up with nudists taking pictures of themselves next to the town's sign. ■

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n July, two intrepid local farmers launched a bid to set a new national record for the number of sheep sheared in 9 hours by a pair. Unlike in the UK and New Zealand, no current record exists in France, so the two record-setters knew that they must reach a minimum of 1,000 fleeces to set a record, but had their sights set much higher. “1,000 is pretty good, but the plan is to go well past that,” said Christophe Riffaud, who picked up his shears in Le Dorat alongside Julien Dincq at 6 am on 8th July in his record attempt. “We have trained hard, but never in competition conditions.” Twelve hours later, after nine hours of shearing and three precisely timed hours of rest, 1,328 sheep went home a few pounds lighter than they arrived. Under the watchful eyes of two Welsh and one French adjudicator, the two farmers had sheared more than 70 sheep per hour each to set a new French record. Their efforts generating almost one tonne of wool! The event served as good promotion for the world championships,

due to take place locally in two years' time. “We are busy organising the 2019 world sheep shearing championships in Le Dorat,” explained Christophe Riffaud. “The idea with this French record is to show that we are well placed to host such an event, but above all to prove to our opponents that we are ready to face them! Our discipline is now considered a true sport in France.” Impressive as the pair's achievement undoubtedly is, they both have some way to go to challenge Ireland's Ewan Scott, who holds the individual record for single-handedly shearing 867 sheep in the same amount of time... that's one sheep every 37 seconds for nine hours!! ■

6 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

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Head of French armed forces resigns

he head of the French armed forces, General Pierre de Villiers, has resigned just days after he was rebuked by President Emmanuel Macron. The very public spat began following a row over cuts to the military's budget. In a statement De Villiers, who has been France's top military man since February 2014, said he no longer felt able to command the sort of army “that I think is necessary to guarantee the protection of France and the French people”. The conflict began when France’s budget minister, Gérald Darmanin, revealed details of planned spending cuts being introduced that the government believes are essential to get the country’s finances under control. No area of government has been spared and the ministry of defence was told it would have

to cope with cuts of €850 million, mainly on the cost of equipment. Defence chiefs, who had expected the military budget to rise, were furious and the famously straight-talking general told a closed parliamentary committee: “I won't let you screw me like that!” His actual choice of verb often has a stronger translation in English! This led Macron to give a defiant defence policy speech in which he warned military leaders: “For me it’s undignified to wash dirty linen in public. I have made commitments, I am your boss… what I like is the sense of duty, the sense of discretion that has taken our army to where it is today. And what I sometimes find hard to tolerate in certain sectors, I tolerate it even less when it comes to our military.” Further flexing his presidential muscles and

ramming home his point, Mr Macron said in a newspaper interview that “if the military chief of staff and the President are opposed on something, the military chief of staff goes”. This appeared to give the 5-star general little option than to stage a humiliating climb-down, or resign, which he duly did. “Armies basically obey. So in substance the president was within his rights to restate his authority,” a former chief of the French armed forces Henri Bentégeat told Le Monde newspaper. “But the way he did it will leave marks. You cannot publicly question a military leader like that in front of his subordinates. When Macron attends the first ceremony for a soldier killed because of a lack of equipment, all the criticism will be directed at him.” The clash sparked a heated political debate

and threatened to become the first real crisis faced by the Macron government. Many questioned whether the president had overstepped the mark and humiliated his military chief or had little choice but to assert his authority after taking a difficult decision on cuts across the board. Defenders of

De Villiers believe that the French army, whose funding has steadily decreased over the past three decades, is being asked to do too much with too few resources. The President subsequently announced a €1.5 billion rise in military spending for the following year. France

has pledged to increase defence spending to 2% of gross domestic product by 2025, in line with Nato targets, which would bring it to €50bn. Macron moved quickly to replace De Villiers after his resignation, appointing 55-year-old General François Lecointre to fill the role. ■

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Four out of five to pay France to ban petrol no taxe d'habitation and diesel vehicles >> continued from pg 1 The effective scrapping of the tax in many poorer parts of the country has upset mayors, who fear they will lose one of their main fund-raising streams. The government, however, has vowed to pay local authorities any lost income “to the exact euro” via centralised grants. It is currently believed that the tax cuts will cost the government around €8.5 billion annually; they are part of a wider package of tax cuts that will be introduced over President Macron's fiveyear term in office that will be worth €20 billion. The other significant change is a reduction in corporation tax from

33% to just 25% by 2022. The government hopes that the cuts will create incentives for investment, hiring and economic growth. The huge hole the cuts will create in the country's coffers - estimated at around 0.6% of the country's GDP - will be offset by hefty spending cuts and predicted economic growth of 1.6% this year and 1.7% in the following 12 months. Despite the tax cuts, the prime minister reiterated the government's pledge to bring the French budget deficit to below 3% of economic output, in line with EU budget rules. “We have told parliament that we are aiming for a deficit of 2.7% of GDP next year.

But I'm not going to be obsessed with a number: my political goal is to be under 3%, thanks to restored confidence.” Owners of residential property in France are liable for two local property taxes, called the taxe d’habitation and the taxe foncière. The rates payable are based on the notional rental value of each property (valeur locative), to which a locally determined percentage rate is then applied (taux d'imposition). The former is decided by the government whilst the latter by the local councils. Together, these taxes currently amount to an average of around €2,000 per household in France. ■

n a month where many were stuck in holiday traffic, sweltering on the country's motorways, the government unveiled a plan to ban all petrol and diesel vehicles from French roads. Ecology Minister Nicolas Hulot presented his climate plan as a series of measures that will cut air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions and meet France’s obligations under the Paris climate agreement. Mr Hulot, a long-time environmental campaigner and former wildlife TV presenter, announced “the end of the sale of petrol or diesel vehicles between now and 2040” as well as a pledge to make France carbon neutral by 2050. “The carbon neutral objective will force us to make the necessary investments,” he said, adding that the government would also ban any new project to use petrol, gas or coal by the same date. The minister said he believed French car manufacturers - including brands such as Peugeot-Citroën and Renault - would meet the challenge, although he acknowledged it would be difficult. “The solutions are there, our own makers have in their boxes the means to fulfil this promise,” said Mr Hulot, calling the situation a “public health” issue. Peugeot, Citroën and Renault ranked first, second and third on a 2016 list of large car manufacturers with the lowest carbon emissions, according to the European Environment Agency (EEA), and Renault's “ZOE”

electric vehicle range is one of the most popular in Europe. As part of the plan, poorer households will be offered a financial incentive to swap their polluting vehicles for clean alternatives. The pledge came in the same month as Swedish car manufacturer Volvo announced plans to build only electric and hybrid vehicles from 2019, making it the first major industry player to abandon cars and SUVs powered solely by the internal combustion engine. The move by France received much media attention, coming as it did in the wake of Macron's strong criticism of Donald Trump for pulling the US out of the Paris Agreement, but other countries are already leading the way. Norway, which is the European leader in the use of electric cars, wants to move to electric-only vehicles by 2025, as does the Netherlands. Both Germany and India have proposed similar measures, with a target of 2030. Diesel and petrol vehicles accounted for 95.2 per cent of new car purchases in France in the first half of this year. Hybrid cars currently represent about 3.5 per cent of the market, while electric vehicles hold just 1.2 per cent. France will also take measures to restrict the use of palm oil in the production of biofuels with the aim of reducing indirect deforestation. ■

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France tops world soft power list

n annual report has placed France as the most powerful nation in the world. The Soft Power 30 ranks countries against one another not in terms of GDP, exports or defence spending, but by their “soft power”, a term used to describe a country’s non-military global influence through international alliances and its perceived appeal to other nations. It also takes into account issues such as culture, foreign policy, digital engagement and capacity for economic innovation. The UK headed the list two years ago, but was edged off the top spot by the US last year and remains in second place in the most recent rankings. The US falls to third, with Germany and Canada rounding off the top five. France's move to the top of the international tree appears to be a tale of two presidents: the US has fallen from first to third place while France has shot up from fifth. “France’s soft power has no doubt seen a boost with the defeat of the Front National and election of its youngest ever president, Emmanuel Macron. Elected on a pro-Europe platform of reform, the president is riding a wave of both domestic and international popularity,” the report noted. Since he was elected in early May, Macron has welcomed Russia’s Vladimir Putin at Versailles, dined with Donald Trump at the Eiffel Tower and also held talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Although some have been critical of Macron for spending too much time with world

Baby saves mother's life

leaders, most in France have praised his efforts to restore France’s position internationally. “France's greatest strength lies in its vast diplomatic network,” the study explained elsewhere. “It is unrivalled in terms of membership to multilateral and international organisations, as well as in its diplomatic cultural missions. With Macron having long campaigned for cooperation and integration, it is not unreasonable to expect France's global engagement and influence to grow.” In contrast, Trump's “America first” policy has seen the country's soft power wane: “Trump's 'America First' doctrine has played poorly abroad, alienating allies and damaging links with the rest of the world,” said the report. “The rise of Trump could be viewed

as a threat to American soft power, not least because his kind of populist rhetoric is known for devaluing international alliances.” “Under normal circumstances, soft power is a relatively stable asset... but these are not normal times,” commented Joseph Nye, the academic who first defined the term. “The results of this year’s Soft Power 30 reflect the changing balance of global influence. Europe has regained its confidence and Asian soft power is also on the rise.” Meanwhile, the report's authors warn that Britain's fall “should serve as a warning of what is likely to come for post-Brexit British influence”, adding that “it is hard to imagine that the direction of travel for British soft power will be upwards in the future”. ■

t was the feel-good story of the month, a heartwarming tale of the baby that saved its own mother's life. A 31-year-old woman, who was eight months pregnant arrived at a Lille hospital with severe stomach pains. Having previously had a Caesarian section at 30 weeks due to an irregular foetal heartbeat, doctors were understandably cautious, but could find no problems. As her pain persisted, further tests revealed that the woman had suffered a uterine rupture, a tear in the wall of the uterus that can cause fatal haemorrhaging. Performing an emergency Caesarian, it became apparent that the 10-centimetre tear had occurred earlier in the pregnancy, but that the baby's back had acted like a suction cup, covering the opening and preventing significant bleeding. This probably saved not only the baby's life, but also that of his mother. The position of the baby meant that not only did the woman not suffer a haemorrhage, but no amniotic fluid was lost and the foetus was able to continue to develop normally, albeit with a degree of discomfort to its mother. The healthy baby boy was subsequently delivered with no complications... except for the large blister on his back where it had acted as a vacuum to seal the tear, but doctors say that this was reabsorbed into his body after a few hours. The lead obstetrician on the case, Dr Charles Garabedian, described the case as “extraordinary”, with the baby having managed to completely avoid any foetal or medical problems up until that point. ■

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Eleven vaccinations to become compulsory

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ous complications and there were 10 deaths. “We have the same problem with meningitis. It's not acceptable that a 15-year-old teenager could die just because they have not been vaccinated,” the minister said. In June, 200 senior doctors and hospital bosses published a petition in Le Parisien, declaring themselves in favour of the move. “Vaccination isn't only a personal choice that solely benefits the person who is vaccinated, it aims to protect the population, in particular children, the elderly and fragile,” wrote the health professionals. “Systematic vaccination has eradicated diseases, such as smallpox,” the text noted. “But the reduction in the vaccination coverage rate of the population has led to the resurgence of certain diseases such as measles.” Dropping vaccination rates are in part due to complacency, with so few cases of serious disease reported, but also in large part due to the campaigning of anti-vaccine movements, who believe that vaccines carry more dangers than benefits and accuse big pharma of putting profitability ahead of the health of children. Most famously, a study published in the Lancet nearly twenty years ago suggested a link between MMR and autism. Andrew Wakefield, the disgraced scientist behind the claim, was discredited by his peers and struck off for falsifying data. His paper was retracted by the Lancet and numerous further studies disproved any link. It was subsequently reported that Wakefield had predicted he could make up to $43 million a year from marketing kits for “diagnosing

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rom next year, eleven vaccines will become compulsory for all children in France, the government has announced. The change follows a similar move in Italy where unvaccinated children will no longer be able to attend state schools. Prime Minister Édouard Philippe said it was “unacceptable” that children are still dying of measles. “In the homeland of Pasteur that is not admissible,” Philippe said, referring to Louis Pasteur, the French biologist who made breakthroughs in disease research and developed the first vaccines for rabies and anthrax in the 19th century. Three childhood vaccines - for diphtheria, tetanus and polio - are already mandatory in France, but others are simply recommended. The new law will now also require parents to vaccinate their children against whooping cough, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, influenza, pneumonia and meningitis C. All of these are universally recommended by health authorities across the country, but are not currently compulsory. Levels of vaccination have been falling across Europe in recent years and some diseases that were considered to be virtually eradicated have been making deadly comebacks. There were 79 cases of measles reported in France in the first two months of 2017, mostly due to an outbreak of 50 cases in the north-eastern Lorraine region. Between the beginning of 2008 and the end of 2016, more than 24,000 cases of measles were declared in France, official figures show. Of these, around 1,500 resulted in seri-

patients with autism”. It was also alleged that he planned to market alternative vaccines to the combined MMR jab he was attempting to discredit. Despite this - and perhaps fittingly in this era of “fake news” - many are still wary of the MMR jab and numerous deaths across the world have been linked to lower vaccination rates in the last 20 years caused by the study's provenly false claims. A recent survey found more than three out of 10 French people don’t trust vaccines, with just 52 per cent of participants saying

the benefits outweigh the risks. “We are astonished to see that so many people say they are wary of vaccinations,” said François Chast, head of pharmacology at Paris hospitals. “It is urgent to fight the speeches of anti-science and anti-vaccination lobbies that play on fear, they show nothing and rely on a few very rare side effects to discredit vaccines that save millions of lives.” The World Health Organisation estimates that between 2000 and 2015, measles vaccination prevented more than 20 million deaths worldwide. ■

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Melania Trump in Schools return to Twitter name gaffe four-day week

iplomacy is always hard in someone else's language.. Who remembers President Hollande signing off a letter to Obama with the clunky mistranslation “friendly”? And I'm sure that JFK never ate a jammy doughnut again after the famous line he delivered in the German capital. In these days of social media, gaffes are even easier to trip over and last month it was the turn of America's new first lady, Melania Trump, to get the Twitterati chuckling into their smartphones. Following the Trumps' Bastille Day visit to Paris and subsequent dinner with the Macrons atop the Eiffel Tower - the visit featuring the excruciating 29-second handshake! - the First Lady of the United States (or @FLOTUS to use her official handle) tweeted her thanks to President Macron. Unfortunately, she fell into a trap familiar to wannabe French speakers the world over when she accidentally referred to the leader of France by the feminine form of his name (and misspelled it at the same time, but we'll let that one go). Thank you @EmanuelleMacron & people of Paris for your kind hospitality - @

potus & I enjoyed our visit. Mrs Trump is not the first (and will certainly not be the last!) to make this mistake, either in written or spoken French. Not only is the feminine form Emmanuelle spelled differently to the male Emmanuel, there is also a subtle difference in its pronunciation – a social faux pas that catches out far more people. The female version has a stronger emphasis on the final syllable and many will have accidentally changed the gender of their male French friends. The message on the First Lady's account was quickly replaced by one with the spelling adjusted and transatlantic relations are not believed to have been damaged. ■

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ike so many before him, the new education minister has made changes to the primary school week in France, the third major reform in less than a decade. In 2008, the Sarkozy government moved the country to a four-day week from its standard five-day school week, with no school on a Wednesday. Then, in 2013, Socialist president François Hollande reintroduced school on a Wednesday until midday, with two one-anda-half hour periods of noneducational activity added elsewhere in the timetable to keep the same number of hours taught in a week. Now, following a decree published at the end of June, local authorities have been given the choice whether to stick with the current system or return to the fourday week. Following votes across the country, one-third of mairies have now decided to once again cancel school on a Wednesday. When the timetable was last torn up and a fifth day was introduced, it was not

because the four-day primary school week was particularly unpopular with parents - in fact, a survey at the time revealed that only 33% wanted a change. It was, however, criticised by a leading parents’ association (FCPE), the national Academy of Medicine and also in a parliamentary report, all of whom believed that when schooling is condensed into four longer days, it is too tiring for children. In rural areas, however, the introduction of 3 hours of school on a Wednesday morning greatly increased the costs of education: more school buses, longer hours for teaching assistants, as well as the added cost of the two periods of extra-curricular activity that compensated for the three hours of school on a Wednesday. With budgets stretched and schools either merging or closing across the country, the change was not welcomed by all authorities. In cities and more affluent areas, the extra cost of Wednesday classes could be more easily absorbed and

working parents were keen not to have to arrange an extra half day of childcare. As such, it should come as no surprise that of the onethird of schools returning to a four-day week, many are found in rural areas in the country. Emmanuel Macron has repeatedly said that reforming education is one of his top priorities and his main aim is to give schools more individual power, meaning that education will be less centralized. Currently, only private schools in France have any autonomy and Macron's changes would see headteachers themselves being able to decide which teachers to recruit, rather than it being done by central education authorities. Predictably, teaching unions have banded together against this “revolution”, arguing that if schools are given the power to hire teachers then the best schools will attract the best talent and leave poorer schools worse off. The new timetables will come into effect from la rentrée in September. ■

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Is your financial plan still ideal for you in today’s world? - Blevins Franks

or most people, the key aim of financial planning is to protect their wealth. Whether you are looking at your savings and investments, tax planning, pensions or estate planning, there are two key elements to consider – are they up-to-date and are they specifically designed around your family’s circumstances and objectives? Protecting your wealth We need to protect the value of our capital and income right through our retirement years. Knowing that both you and your spouse will be financially secure, no matter how long you live or what health issues life may throw your way, provides welcome peace of mind. You may also want to pass wealth on to the next generations, to help your children and grandchildren as they make their way through life. When you consider your personal family situation, source of wealth, income needs, short and long-term aims, time horizon, risk appetite, etc., your situation is quite unique. You therefore need highly personalised financial planning. The first move to protecting your wealth is to identify the potential threats. You can then weigh up which affect you most and establish what steps you can take to protect against them. Threats include: taxation; automatic ex-

change of financial information and the loss of financial privacy; frequent changes to legislation (e.g. taxation and pensions); low interest rates, inflation, asset volatility and institutional failure. Long-term personal advice You then need to seek advice from an experienced, expert wealth manager/financial adviser, one who is best placed to deal with all your current and future needs. You want an advisory firm which will be around for the long term to provide guidance and recommendations as needed, both to yourself now and to your spouse and family after you are gone. Since wealth management is such a personal issue, your adviser should take all the time needed, and use the necessary tools, to help to get to know you, your needs and objectives, very well. They should understand how you want your family to inherit your assets and be looked after in future. Building up a close, long-term relationship with one advisory firm produces positive results as well as peace of mind. Understanding local taxation The ideal situation would be for your adviser to live locally in France. They will understand what it is like to live here and cope with the local bureaucracy, and have a deep understanding of the financial plan-

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ning needs of expatriates here and all the nuances of the French tax regime. They need to be able to react quickly and help you make adjustments if your personal circumstances suddenly change, or if there are reforms to local tax legislation. Brexit makes it even more important to use a locally based adviser. If you live here, all elements of your financial planning, from investments to estate planning, need to be set up for France, and not for the UK. And only someone with local experience can provide that. If you move between countries, your adviser should have knowledge of both and the interaction between the regimes. Investment planning Investment is probably the area where people are most concerned about losing money. All investments, including bank accounts, carry risk. However portfolios can carry a wide spectrum of risk, depending on the assets held within them, the proportions, and the level of diversification. So your portfolio must be specifically based on your personal situation and risk appetite. It is essential that you obtain a clear and objective view of your risk tolerance. Your adviser can do this, for example, through psychometric tests, combined with his knowledge of your personal situation and aims for you and your family.

Regulation Your advisers should have suitable, higher-level professional qualifications, and follow continuous professional development practices to ensure their advice is always up to date. Regulation is very important, and the advisory firm should be authorised by a reputable regulatory body. Check that the firm is authorised to give advice here in France, either through one of the French regulatory bodies or the EU ‘passport’ system. Note that for certain transactions you may need to use a UK regulated adviser. For example, under the UK pension rules, if you want to transfer more than £30,000 out of a defined benefit scheme, you must first take advice from a UK FCA regulated firm. The sooner you review your financial planning, and set it up with a strategic, long-term vision to protect your wealth, the sooner you can put it behind you and get on with enjoying your life here in France. ■ Tel: 05 53 63 49 19 Email: bergerac@blevinsfranks.com 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; an individual is advised to seek personalised advice.

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Greek Burgers by Julia Watson

y August, you’re probably flagging in the kitchen. You’ve survived a canicule (‘période de grand chaleur’ my foot. It’s like living in your oven). But you might not have survived your relentlessly hungry guests. I’m not clear why it is everyone picks August to visit when South-West France is so glorious in May and June, September and October. You can’t get a seat at the marchés nocturnes picnic tables unless you show up at teatime. The Parisians have descended to claim what is, I suppose, rightfully their turf (unless you want to argue with them about the substantial Eleanor of Aquitaine/Henry II British connection), amid great shrieks and greater chic. Prices in the cafés and restaurants have shot up. Restaurant tables are already long-reserved. If you’re lucky enough to have made a booking, you won’t find a parking space because there’s probably some firework display in the town or village you’ve picked to dine in and the place is packed with cars. By the end of August, I’ve cooked so many ducks and parts of duck for visitors who want to eat the local speciality, l’ve developed webbed feet. My reaction is turn away from French food to the food of the country I would head for myself, were I not cooking for the friends I do in fact love to have to stay: Greece. Greek dishes are simple to prepare and simple to cook. And in hot temperatures - forgive my disloyalty - so much easier to digest than confit de canard and pommes sarladaises. If you go Greek, a number of time-saving shortcuts can be deployed. Grate an unpeeled cucumber, squeeze out its water between two clean hands then fold it into a carton of Greek-style yogurt which you’ve salted to taste and add, if you

wish, finely chopped garlic and mint. Now you've a dip to go with battered and fried sliced courgettes, or a thick sauce for a barbecued roast of herbed lamb. I keep in my freezer mixes of finely chopped oregano, sage and garlic, or fresh coriander, lemon zest and shallots, all pressed into ice cube trays and frozen to add instant fresh flavour to a meat dish or to rub over fish. There’s another versatile seasoning useful to have to hand: known in North America as Montreal Steak Seasoning, its ingredients aren’t strictly ‘foodie’ but it’s good on any meat destined for the grill. Combine 2 tablespoons paprika, 2 tablespoons crushed black pepper, 2 tablespoons sea salt, 1 tablespoon dried garlic, 1 tablespoon dried onion, 1 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds, 1 tablespoon dried dill, and 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes. Mix well and store in a lidded jar. The seasoning appears in this Greek take on the classic burger, though if you form the meat into 16 small patties, you can serve them with drinks, using the Feta Mousse recipe as a dip. If you are forming the meat into burgers, the Feta Mousse should be served on top of them. What makes this version Greek, aside from its herbs, is the addition of minced lamb to the usual minced beef. The feta ‘mousse’ that tops it is a more sophisticated version of the tzatziki cucumberand-yogurt sauce above, and would work well dolloped on a salad of cooked beetroots into which you’ve folded thin circles of red onion and segments of peeled orange, to serve alongside a couple of grilled lamb chops per person. ■ Julia Watson has been a long-time Food Writer for newspapers and magazines in the US and the UK.

Makes 16 mini or 4 large Greek burgers 225g minced beef 225g minced lamb 2 teaspoons peeled and finely chopped garlic 1 heaped tablespoon Greek mountain oregano or herbes de Provence Zest of one lemon 2-3 tablespoons Montreal Seasoning (recipe above) 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into 16 very thin slices Feta Mousse (recipe follows) In a small stainless steel bowl combine the beef, lamb, garlic, herbs and lemon zest. Season with one tablespoon of Montreal Seasoning and salt to taste. Form into 16 mini patties approximately 30 grammes each, or into 4 large ones. Sprinkle remaining Montreal Seasoning over each patty or burger. You can either fry them in a pan, grill them, or cook on a barbecue, pushing the cocktail versions onto several long skewers. If serving 4 large burgers: 4 rolls 2 tablespoons butter or oil Split rolls and brush with oil or butter and toast slightly in a sauté pan over medium to high heat.

Feta Mousse 55g feta, crumbled 55g plain Greek yogurt 55g sour cream or crème fraîche 1 teaspoon dried dill weed 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 1 teaspoon garlic, minced ¼ teaspoon dried oregano Sea salt and coarse black pepper, to taste Mash and mix all ingredients together thoroughly. To serve as 4 large burgers: Top each burger with 1-2 tablespoons feta mousse and several slices of cucumber and place between each toasted bun. To serve as mini patties: Roll up each slice of cucumber, spear it onto a cocktail skewer then pierce the skewer through each little patty. Grill and pass them with a bowl of the Feta Mousse to dip.

In the garden - jobs for August

by Michelle Pierce

ugust, highlight of the summer months and often the hottest, is a busy time in the garden – or not... it all depends on the

weather. If it’s baking hot and dry, the main work is keeping your vegetables from dying of drought, desiccating, going over too quickly or cooking on the vines. If you’ve got a watering system set up with drip hoses, etc. then that’s fine, but otherwise it means carrying watering cans about or moving hoses. Note that in some areas there are now official bans on watering and restrictions on water usage, so check with your local mairie. Offenders can be sanctioned by the gendarmes if caught. And be thrifty in reusing water, say from washing your vegetables, or cooled cooking water. Don’t put it down the drain, put it on the garden! Make sure you’ve got as many containers out to collect water from thunderstorms as possible, and that there are no obstacles in gutters causing them to block and overflow. Then try and pro-

tect the surface earth from getting too hot and drying out the roots of your plants. Put down a thick layer of mulch - organic matter is best as it will gradually biodegrade. Throw down armfuls of grass clippings, or greenery, or use newspaper or cardboard. We’re not trying to grow cacti, and most of our productive varieties need water to yield well, even those that love the sun. As an aside, I’ve also recently realised the extreme importance of siting your veg patch. When I look at my poor stunted plants, in full sun all day, and those of my neighbour just as equally unwatered as mine, but in a patch that gets some shade during the course of the day, I realise how this is going to be an important factor. His veg are at least twice the size of mine! Bah... I am going to move mine next year. So, such hot conditions mean that sowing seed and getting it to germinate successfully can be very tricky, especially if you’re not in your garden every day. Normally we’d have been sowing since July, to ensure the crops for the end of the year and

through the winter. What do we do? Give it a go, would seem to be the only answer, but don’t sow whole packets in case it doesn’t work, and sow some in controlled conditions, in pots indoors, or somewhere where you can keep a regular eye on their watering needs. On the other hand, we’ve had some periods of unsettled weather, leading to storms and sudden downpours. This is great for grass growth, and wildflower species, but does mean that it needs to be cut, when some years you can be taking a break from it now. And many people have told me their tomatoes are really slow to redden up, due to the cool(ish) nights. It’s not easy on the plants, but persevere! Collect your treasures from the veg plot and enjoy them fresh to your table, collect seeds for next year, dry herbs, freeze and bottle what you can. Work according to common sense, given the weather in your area, your availability, and the needs of your garden. And do like the old-timers: avoid the 12-4 period. You don’t want to damage your skin.

Keep a To Do list in the shed, so that if you can’t do jobs for the moment, you can remember to do them later. Prune but don’t burn and stock the prunings where they won’t disturb if they get left a while. The days are, sadly, starting to get shorter, and we’re reminded that in the not too distant future the autumn will be here, so think what you can do to be as productive as possible in that period, and extend the growing season. Will you install a mini tunnel, or some cloches? Do you need to replace plants in the greenhouse which will have gone over, with other things for the end of the year? What will you replace them with? Will you have the seedlings or do you need to grow them before? Can you use the idea of companion planting to boost plant health? Will there be time for another quick sowing of beans before the cold arrives ? It seems crazy to be thinking of that kind of thing on such a sweltering day, but then planning now saves effort and money later. So, bon courage, and good gardening! ■

BILINGUAL ♦ 13

AUGUST 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Fosse-Septique23.com

Steve. JOHNS. SARL

Domestic sewage treatment specialists. Planning permission arranged. Inspections. Design. Supply. Full/Part installations. 10-year decennial insurance cover.

• Micro stations • Traditional Fosse septique systems • Compact filter systems • Filter bed systems • Drainage problems • Design / supply / installation service • DIY and Trade kits now available.

05.55.64.11.73

info@fosse-septique23.com

Siret: 824 706 444 00018

A cleaner future today

25 years experience. Free quotations.

06.70.47.52.96 (English Technician) 06.49.48.39.62 (French Technician)

QWERTY, AZERTY or something in between

hen you choose to live and work in France, there are many changes that you need to make. Most people eventually learn to speak the language, drive on the right and not try to buy anything on a Monday! But one thing many never get used to is the French keyboard. “You have to do what to get a full stop?! And what the heck is that symbol hiding behind the exclamation mark?!”... not to mention that you need to be a concert pianist to generate an “@” symbol on many keyboards. Do not worry... you are not alone! The French themselves share your frustration and earlier this year the government took steps to improve the old AZERTY keyboard (the French version of the QWERTY keyboard and so named after the positioning of the first six keys). The culture ministry commissioned Paris-based consultancy AFNOR to draw up a list of recommendations to produce a new standard keyboard that will gradually replace the many varieties of AZERTY currently on the market. “Today it is practically impossible to write French correctly using a keyboard that has been bought in France,” the ministry said in a statement. “More surprisingly, certain European countries like Germany and Spain respect French writing better than the French are able to - because their keyboards permit it!” The French language understandably requires a more complicated keyboard than English as there are more accents (like é, è and ç) and “ligatures” (such as æ and œ). However, it is the priority given to the various numbers, characters and symbols that has so frustrated generations of French speakers. For example, in order to write a full stop you need to hold down “shift + semicolon”,

uand vous faites le choix de vivre en France, vous devez faire face à de nombreux changements. La plupart des gens finissent par apprendre la langue, conduisent à droite et abandonnent l’idée d’acheter quoi que ce soit un lundi ! Cependant il y a une chose à laquelle beaucoup ne s’habitueront jamais : c’est au clavier informatique français. « Il faut faire quoi pour taper un point ?! Mais bon sang, c’est quoi le symbole « § » au-dessus du point d’exclamation ?! ». Sans parler du symbole « @ » qui sur la plupart des claviers n’est seulement accessible qu’à un pianiste concertiste. Ne vous inquiétez pas… Vous n’êtes pas tout seul. Les Français eux-mêmes partagent votre frustration et en début d’année, le gouvernement a pris des mesures afin d’améliorer le clavier français AZERTY, l’équivalent du QWERTY, ainsi nommés d’après la position des 6 premières touches alphabétiques. Sur l’impulsion du Ministère de la Culture, l’organisme parisien de normalisation AFNOR est chargé de coordonner l'élaboration de normes afin de remplacer progressivement les différents types de claviers AZERTY actuellement disponibles sur le marché. Selon une déclaration du ministère concerné, « Il est aujourd’hui quasiment impossible d’écrire correctement en français avec un clavier acheté en France. Aussi étrange que cela puisse paraître, les claviers de cer-

even though a full stop is far more common than a semicolon in any language. Another example is the letter ù (u-grave), which has its own key, even though it is used in only one word in the entire French language – où (meaning 'where'). The new recommendations are not compulsory, so we may be stuck with the clumsy AZERTY keyboards for a while, but it would appear that change is finally on the way! The original QWERTY keyboard was first introduced in the US in the late 19th century and was designed to place letters that are commonly used together - such as “st” or “th” - on separate parts of the keyboard. This helped to avoid the arms carrying the letters from clashing and jamming the writing machine. ■ tains pays européens comme l’Allemagne ou l’Espagne permettent une meilleure utilisation de l’écriture française ! ». Bien entendu, la langue française requiert un clavier plus compliqué que son équivalent anglais du fait des accents (comme é, è) ou de la cédille (ç) et des ligatures (telles que æ ou œ). Cependant, c’est la priorité donnée aux différents chiffres, caractères et symboles qui a tellement frustré des générations de francophones. Par exemple, pour obtenir un point, vous devez simultanément appuyer sur les touches « shift et point-virgule » même si le point est utilisé bien plus fréquemment dans toutes les langues. Autre exemple, la lettre ù bénéficie de sa propre touche bien qu’elle ne soit utilisée que dans un seul mot en français : il s’agit du mot « où ». Les nouvelles recommandations ne seront pas obligatoires si bien que nous pourrions nous « coltiner » ces claviers AZERTY si mal fichus pendant un certain temps mais le changement est enfin en marche ! Introduit aux Etats-Unis à la fin du 19ème siècle, le clavier original QWERTY fut conçu pour que les lettres communément combinées telles que « st » ou « th » soient placées à des endroits distants sur le clavier. Ceci pour éviter que les tiges rigides (aux extrémités desquelles se trouvaient les lettres) ne s’entrechoquent et n’enrayent le mécanisme de la machine à écrire. ■

Many thanks to local French teacher, Sophie Arsac, for this month's bilingual article. Why not get in touch with Sophie to see how she can help improve your French! See below for contact details.

14 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ AUGUST 2017

BUSINESS DIRECTORY Champlong Chatterie

Animals & Pets

Caring, quiet accommodation just for cats

Animals & Pets Antiques/Brocantes Auto Services Building Services Chimney Sweeps Cleaning Services Computers/Satellites Food & Drink Garden Services Gifts & Crafts Handholding Services Health & Beauty

Auto Services

JUNCT 22 off A20, Arnac la Poste

WOOFERS RETREAT Holiday Home for Dogs

Home from Home Established 7 years Pet Sitting available 19510 Masseret Tel: 05 55 97 27 33 Mob: 06 61 05 06 13 debbie_shiralee@hotmail.co.uk siret 804 476 802 00017

La Tour des Chats Luxury holiday home for cats Château-Chervix (87380) 12 € / day Spacious rooms, outside space, video surveillance. Payment: CB, cheque and cash. Contact Jessica 06 31 94 63 87 / 05 55 58 86 52

www.latourdeschats.fr

Alison & Ray

05.55.81.31.85

SIRET: 520 896 671 00010

See Display Ad Below

New build?

"Home from Home"

MOTOR PARTS

Dossiers prepared Permis de Construire Déclarations Préalables

champlongchatterie@me.com www.champlongchatterie.com

A holiday for your dog (NOT KENNELS)

Family home in the countryside, between Linards/Châteauneuf-la-Forêt & Limoges (87) Walked twice a day plus enclosed garden

15€ / night Feel free to visit! Contact Jane:

or email

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76

siret: 810 192 807 00016

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

RING BILL! Registered Car Mechanic 05 55 81 31 85 (contrôle technique)

SIRET: 494 617 798 00017

■ ... much more Dept. 23 & surrounding areas

SIRET: 493 770 358 00015

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

Building Services Carpenters/Joiners

At Masterplans.eu we can help guide you through your planning application in France. From initial feasibility to completed dossiers. We will compile all the relevant drawings and complete the necessary paperwork to ensure your application proceeds smoothly. We are equally at home working with clients here in France or those living abroad.

Carpenter

Email: info@masterplans.eu www.masterplans.eu

Carpenter Builder Portfolio available to view at www.jonesentreprise.com email: jones23entreprise@orange.fr

Jeff Jones: 05 55 62 46 21 Mob: 06 38 25 74 62 siret: 810 322 123 00011

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76 Neuvialle Menuiserie

Mike Christie 05 55 64 35 11 / 07 55 20 42 90 see main ad below

Wood Work SHUTTERS/DOORS, STAIRCASES, etc.

Siret: 498 843 051 00018

Building Services Architects/Surveyors

Tel: 05 55 80 72 83 Mob: 06 33 07 29 72

JONES ENTREPRISE

Quality Workmanship Since 1986

All types Best Rates References available Call Mark:

06 45 82 34 03

Siret: 790 016 984 00011

Advertise here from just €34 HT / month

05.55.41.17.76 sales@thebugle.eu

Siret 798 692 778 00011

MADE TO MEASURE

IN SOFTWOODS OR LOCAL HARD WOODS SIMPLE ORDERING / 10 DAY TURNAROUND Please explore our website for more info: www.scrollart.co.uk

05 55 14 12 43

Oradour Sur Vayres (87150) - siren 752 051 482

Menuiserie23 Made to measure joinery

Oak barn doors from €1,700 Oak stairs from €1,900 Oak windows from €395 Oak shutters from €245 All prices fitted... Hard/softwood available Covering Limousin and surrounding regions Call Matthew:

05 55 62 28 70 / 06 88 96 09 14 menuiserie23@yahoo.com siret: 793 679 440 00016

NEUVIALLE MENUISERIE JOINERY

no job too small - very competitive rates 30 Years’ Experience Joiner Kitchens, Bedrooms & Bathrooms Flooring & General 2nd Fix Finishing, Joinery & Decking Emergency Lock Services Mike Christie 05 55 64 35 11 (Home) 07 61 76 97 41 (Mobile) mgchristie2013@gmail.com

Siret: 802 265 728

■ Services ■ Brakes ■ MOT Prep

lavieilleabbaye@orange.fr

+44 (0)1377 538 639

www.motorpartscharente.com

Antiques/ Brocantes

Tel: 05 53 52 36 05

JOHN SOWERSBY

Siret: 792 142 341 00017

waggingtails87@hotmail.com

Tel: 07 80 00 46 23 UK Mob: +44 (0)7902 838 776

leaberry24@yahoo.co.uk

Suppliers of Car & Van Spares & LHD headlights, anywhere in France motorptscharente@aol.com

Lovely French finds from the Limousin Open most days on D15 4 La Brauderie, 23160 St-Germain-Beaupré

05 55 80 42 47

CHARENTE

05 55 00 34 79 / 06 71 15 15 65

Antiques Vintage Retro

Open 365 days a year Call Leanne on:

Architectural DRAWING SERVICE Renovating your French property?

LA BRAUDERIE BROCANTE

Small, friendly English-run kennels in Bétête (23270)

House Clearance >> pg 20 Insurance & Finance >> pg 20 Language Services >> pg 20 Pest Control >> pg 20 Pools & Spas >> pg 20 Property Maintenance >> pg 20 Property Sales >> pg 20-21 Retail & Commerce >> pg 21 Transport/Removals/Storage >> pg 21 General >> pg 21 Businesses for Sale >> pg 21

Registered Car Mechanic

Tel: 05 55 60 27 83

siret: 818 954 669 00013

Valhalla dog holidays

RING BILL!

>> pg 14 >> pg 14 >> pg 14 >> pg 14-17 >> pg 17 >> pg 18 >> pg 18 >> pg 18-19 >> pg 19 >> pg 19 >> pg 19 >> pg 20

DIRECTORY ♦ 15

AUGUST 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Entreprise Hines Building Services All Internal & External Works, completed to a high standard.

We also supply KWIKSTAGE scaffold for hire - either DIY or full scaffold service provided.

See website for more info - www.entreprisehines.com - 05 55 89 69 46 - robert.hines@orange.fr

siret: 503 169 237 00016

SAS Masters

Carlos

A. Wright

Electrician/Plumber

Carpenter & Joiner 06 35 12 10 66

www.masters-energies.com 05 55 78 66 35 see main ad - pg 7

Based between Gouzon & Boussac, serving Dept 23

Classical Carpentry

www.classicalcarpentry.fr 05 55 65 15 31 / 06 02 25 41 58 see main ad below

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

05 55 62 63 82

From small repairs to complete installations Boiler Servicing Over 35 years experience Fully Insured

Siret No. 829 638 741 00019

see main ad - pg 10

INSTALLATION23 - Electricity - Plumbing - Small renovations (bathrooms, kitchens, etc.) - Fully Insured Dutch and English spoken Creuse / Puy-de-Dôme

E-mail: installation23@gmail.com

Building Services Electricians

Mob. 06 40 56 96 12 Tel. 05 55 67 57 64 Siret: 753 054 030 00014

BARWICK ÉLECTRICITÉ SHAUN BARWICK QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN

Keith SLOPER

Tel: 05 55 64 94 20 Mob: 07 86 38 09 61 * Qualified electrician * All types of electrical works carried out * Free estimates * Fault finding * Consuel certification arranged * Temporary and permanent EDF supplies arranged * Departments 23 and 87 No Siret: 494 916 760 00015

@iret: 794 282 368 00016

Siret No. 501.792.386.00010

Steve. JOHNS. SARL

Fosse Septique Specialists Planning permission arranged Design and installation Supply and servicing DIY and trade kits Free site visit and devis

05.55.64.11.73 06.70.47.52.96 siret: 824 706 444 00018

Siret N° 750 725 780 00019

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

T: 05 55 69 37 64 M: 06 80 92 23 82

www.maxhuggett.com

English & French spoken - Siret: 518 511 340 00011

See Main Ad Below

Paul Goldsmith Interior Renovations

87800 Jourgnac

Offering a broad selection of building services in depts. 87, 19 & 23. From one off installations to complete renovations, construction, landscaping and ground works. E: info@maxhuggett.com

05.55.78.62.29

LES VIDANGES LIMOUSINES

06 49 66 44 25

Experienced and fully registered builder with 10 year Décennale Insurance

john.bonella@gmail.com

Dave Cardwell - Builder

▪ Emptying septic tanks ▪ Unblocking pipes ▪ Cleaning wells ▪ Group rates available between neighbours Call David - 24/24 7/7

Max Huggett

Mini-Digger with driver

Building Services General

Building Services Fosses Septiques

Steven Rofe 20+ Years experience

Email: barwick.shaun@gmail.com

Tel: 09 72 35 74 73

électricité

Lumiere Service et Energie • NICEIC approved Electrician for 8 years in the UK • Wiring of new installations (including liaising with EDF) • Rewiring existing houses/barns • External & garden lighting • All aspects of electrical works • Fully insured - (10 year Decennale) • Departments covered 19,23 & 87 05.55.69.75.67 / 06.89.47.69.71 email: rofesteven@yahoo.co.uk www.rb-first-construction.com

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)

SALAMANDRE

Fosse Septique 23

05 55 98 24 12

See our Display Ad below

Registered for 8 years in France

High quality work, excellent references available • Kitchens • Bathrooms • Tiling • Wood flooring • Loft conversions • Pointing • Windows • Plasterboarding Covering Creuse and Indre

e: lasout@live.com

t: 09 66 03 52 89 SIRET 494 123 847 00019

Property Maintenance Services

Qualified Tradesman 20+ years experience Offering extensive handyman and general maintenance services Small jobs a speciality, able to work with you on your renovation projects Affordable & reliable, a quality job every time Servicing 23 and surrounding areas. Call Jim:

05 55 66 23 97 06 27 25 07 78 Siret: 792 049 025 00010

Alpha Locksmiths 24/7 Emergency call out service

Tel: 06 70 34 79 32 see main ad below

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

To advertise in The Bugle Business Directory, call 05 55 41 17 76 Classical Carpentry

Wanted Experienced shopfitters

Visit our website

Keith Brown Roofs, stairs, shutters, decking, gazebos... 30 years’ experience. Registered with ENIC-NARIC. Full décennale insurance guarantee. keith@classicalcarpentry.fr

T: 05 55 65 15 31

Mini Digger

DAVID CARDWELL

Landscaping, Ditching, Land Clearance etc. Hedge Removal and Stone Wall Construction

Home renovations / Ground works Block works / Verandas, Abris & Terraces Barn doors & Shutters Also available: digger & driver Planning permission assistance and design available HNC and ONC qualified, 15 years experience & 7 in France Based near Lubersac (dept 19)

with Driver for Hire

John Bonella

87440 Marval

05 55 78 62 29

siret no. 523 183 580 00019

M: 06 02 25 41 58

Siret: 828 055 566 00016

www.classicalcarpentry.fr

john.bonella@gmail.com

PROFESSIONAL

Experienced shopfitters required for installs all across France. Joiners, electricians and labourers also required.

Email: contact@reactive-resource.com

BUILDER

Tel: 05 55 98 24 12 - Mob: 07 82 78 01 31 Email: dave.cardwell@yahoo.co.uk

Alpha Locksmiths

24/7 Emergency call out service Lost your keys... locked out... keys locked in the car... give us a call! Lock changes of all types, external and internal UPVC & Wood - Windows & Doors - Safe opening - Non desctructive entry No call out charge - Hourly rate based on location and time of day or night 25 years’ experience - Fast, friendly & efficient - Free estimates

Tel: 06 70 34 79 32 - Email: kyriacosdemetriou701@gmail.com

16 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ AUGUST 2017

CHIPBOARD type P5 18mm and 22mm tongue and grooved water repellent, chipboard comes in 8ft x 2ft sheets, specially bought in this size to make your life easy when trying to get this upstairs into your grenier and also suitable for one person to handle. C.L.S. stud work is a beautiful product to work with clean dry and STRAIGHT, currently held in 2.4m lengths, 3m lengths and 4.8m lengths. 38mm x 89mm C16 planed for eased edges CLS profile. Shiplap Feather edge Floor joists 3.6m x 47mm x 175mm 4.8m x 47mm x 200mm 5.4m x 47mm x 200mm Baton 5cm x 2.5cm x 5.4m Decking 32mm x 150mm

Decking screws 63mm PLYWOOD All in 8ft x 4ft sheets External grade suitable for construction uses with high quality finish on both sides. Held in 5.5mm, 9mm, 12mm, 15mm,18mm and 25mm all Malaysian WBP BB/CC Marine ply 18mm 8ftx4ft MDF 18 mm held 8ftx4ft OSB 9mm and 18mm held 8ftx4ft Hardboard 8ftx4ft Happy to quote for all soft wood requirements SKIRTING BOARD & ARCHITRAVE IN STOCK ---------------------------British gypsum multi finish plaster 25kg

Scrim 45mm x 90m Plaster beads Cement in plastic bags store outside 25kg PVA ---------------------------ROLLS OF KNAUF EARTH WOOL NON-ITCHY IN STOCK 100mm and 150mm TYPICAL SPEC FOR 150mm (contact us for spec on other thicknesses) Pieces per pack: 2x 570mm wide Pack area: 9.18m2 Pack length: 8050mm R value: 3.40 Rigid board insulation 50mm Breather membrane 1.5m x 50m Ruberoid top sheet 10m x 1m

www.reclamation-yard.com - JOIN US ON FACEBOOK GROUP THE RECLAMATIONYARD for the latest news and more info on stock: www.facebook.com/groups/115356708929850

Building Services General

Scaffolding Hire

Large stock Rapid response Good rates for long & short term hire Erected or self-erect Delivery or collection All areas covered Call Dave:

WASTE REMOVAL ANGLO Marshall T C BONNER SERVICES SCAFFOLDING BUILDING SERVICES Terrassement • house/barn clearance (pre sale / post sale) • garden/land clearance • dechetterie runs • rubbish removal

Specialist equipment available: • tractor with flail mower, rotavator, etc. • vehicle with 1.5 tonne crane

05 55 37 45 35

06 42 73 83 37

wasteremovalmultiservices@gmail.com

Harlequin Developments

GODSON

siret: 795 207 067 00013

est. 2007

All aspects of renovation and refurbishment, big or small, undertaken. Kitchens fitted and tiled Replacement doors and windows Parquet flooring Oak framed porches Plasterboard and Insulation

05.55.68.67.56 06.06.60.46.97

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

R & B Construction ALL ASPECTS OF RENOVATION & CONSTRUCTION • House & barn renovations • Garage/loft conversions • Bathroom/shower rooms • Doors/windows • Roofing • Patios/decking • Plumbing & Electrical • 10 year Guarantee Insurance

See our website: www.rb-first-construction.com Tel: 05 55 37 74 06 (Dave) Tel: 05 55 69 75 67 (Steve) (Depts 23, 87 & 19) siret: 501 792 386 00010

upvc-solutions uPVC windows, doors, porches & conservatories

Available in white, beige & oak woodgrain. Visit our website for more information.

www.upvc-solutions.webs.com email: upvc-solutions@orange.fr siret: 503 133 159 00015

siret 532 981 198 00015

Travaux Publics www.fossepro.com 05.55.62.61.12 - pg 3

Davis & Davis

30 years' Experience in Construction, Renovation & Project Management Quality Workmanship Guaranteed Internal/ External Developments Barn conversions, loft conversions, new-build, drylining, plastering, rendering, spray rendering, tiling, installation of kitchens/ bathrooms, painting, carpentry, replacement doors & windows, velux installation, groundworks, landscaping, decking & much more...

No job too big (or small). Give us a call for a free competitive quote.

05 55 60 29 50 / 06 04 13 30 57 email: davis-davis@sfr.fr

Based Arnac-la-Poste - Covering depts 87, 23 & 19 Siret: 498 203 652 00017

KWIKSTAGE Scaffold Hire DIY or Full Scaffold Service See our website or phone for details

05 55 89 69 46

www.entreprisehines.com robert.hines@orange.fr SIRET: 503 169 237 00016

Stephen Cullinane & Son From the foundations to the roof Established 9 years in France 05 55 81 00 53 - see pg 11

HIRE

Diggers and operator for hire for all aspects of groundworks:

UK scaffolding supplied and erected here in France Qualified and fully insured FREE no obligation quotes Call Ian on

With over 30 years experience within the building industry, T C Bonner Building Services offer a reliable, professional and complete building service. For more information on how we may be able to help you complete your project, please contact Trevor Bonner.

or see

email: lozm23@gmail.com

www.lakesidebandb.net

Tel: 05 55 09 57 99 Mob: 07 69 72 44 86

Email: akbrunnstrom@yahoo.co.uk

E: tbonnerbbs@gmail.com

mobile: 06 04 67 40 81 tel: 05 55 66 24 35

SIRET: 799 067 939 00014

Siret: 829 544 816 00012

siret : 819 984 774 00011

06 34 24 64 11

Barry Haggerty

Mason

Building & Property Services. Pointing. Patios laid. Brick/Stone & Blockwork. Daily rates available. Free estimates. 25yrs+ experience.

05 55 66 13 30 / 06 42 19 20 06 UK mob: 07778 156 754 siret: 807 664 263 00017

Masonry & More

Paul Jones Renovation

Experienced and fully registered artisan, offering a high quality finish and service • 10yr Décennale Assurance • Full house/barn renovation • Plasterboarding walls and ceilings • Tape and Jointing • Kitchen Installation • Roofing works • Carpentry • Patios/Decking

Tel: 05 55 69 28 12 Mob: 06 73 18 63 47 Email: pauljones@orange.fr www.pauljonesrenovation.com siret no: 495 067 829 00020

General building Renovation , Roofing Reliable, good quality work 30 years exp Scaffold Hire Martin Sprague

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76

martin_sprague_1@ hotmail.com

Carpenter & Joiner 06 35 12 10 66

05 55 61 93 07 SIRET: 531 768 182 00010

La Noneix

Construction & Property Services

Established, Professional and Personal Building Services. Fully registered with décennale insurance covering all works.

●Renovations ●New builds ●Roofing ●Stonework ●Carpentry ●Ground works

Large or small projects undertaken - please view our website. Contact: Paul or Joanne Rands

05.55.66.44.06 www.lanoneix.com Paul.rands@orange.fr SIRET: 501 144 596 00019

A. Wright

see main ad - pg 10

Building Services Groundworks

MINI DIGGER With driver for hire

Work to High standard Contact Michael: Mob: 06 44 24 10 17

Email smeaton.diane@orange.fr Area 87, Bellac

• Fosse installation • Ground clearance • Hedge & stump removal • Landscaping • Patios & driveways • House & barn clearances • Rubbish removal Limousin & Dordogne

Steve Johns Assainissement

fosse-septique23.com

05.55.64.11.73 - see pg 13

RSW Entreprises

Fosse Septiques/Micro stations

05.55.80.00.57

See our Display Ad - pg 4

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76 Building Services Painters/Decorators CALL KATH Painting and Decorating Interior and Exterior Colour Consultations Room Re-designs Kathleen Willis

05 55 63 53 06

kathleen.willis@orange.fr siret 802 262 35200015

DIRECTORY ♦ 17

AUGUST 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

Is your pool losing water or just showing its age and in need of a makeover?

e are fibreglass lining specialists who are based in both the UK and in France, just outside Limoges. We can take your old or leaking pool and transform it to look like new again. Using your drained down pool as a mould, we will fibreglass line the floor and walls using our specialist g.r.p. system. This will give you a beautiful onepiece lining which is fabricated using raw materials to the exact contours of your swimming pool.

Simon Carter

Painter & Decorator Qualified craftsman with over 25 years UK experience, now based in Haute-Vienne. Specialist services: Interior & exterior painting & decorating, wallpapering, plastering. FREE QUOTES

Tel: 05 87 19 91 50 Mob: 07 81 26 88 65 Web: www.sjcmontluc.fr Email: sjcmontluc@yahoo.fr siret: 792.130.932.00017

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Building Services Plasterers CHRIS

Existing coping stones need not be disturbed as we can recess and dress the lining in underneath. Once finished this can then be heated to whatever temperature you personally prefer to swim in without the worry of sagging or damage to your new liner. Our fibreglass linings are used in hydrotherapy pools so are used to running at a high temperature. A large number of our customers in France use our method of lining their pools as they are suitable for high summer use with their gîte businesses and can (water table permitting) be drained down fully for cleaning at the beginning of the season without the normal stretching that can occur with plastic linings. No need to alter existing fittings whether it is a tiled or liner pool. As we all know, fibreglass has

Building Services Plumbing & Heating

POWERFLOW A Plumber that speaks your language Honest – Professional - Affordable Servicing, Repairing & Installing gas, oil & LPG appliances An expert in cleaning and protecting heating systems to make them run efficiently using modern cleaning pumps & Thermal Imagery Call the best, flush the rest

www.powerflowfrance.com

05 55 67 35 02 07 69 22 26 30

info@powerflowfrance.com 23260 St Maurice pres crocq SIRET 519 624 084 00017 (est. 2010)

Your advert here

THE PLASTERER 05 55 41 17 76 A genuine plasterer French and English spoken Traditional Plastering Rendering, Stud partition dry lining Lime mortar stone pointing

CALL FOR A FREE QUOTATION

Building Services Roofing

05 55 63 53 06 06 23 29 48 19

PMC BATIMENT

Le Bourg, 23360 Nouzerolles

www.pmcbatiment.fr

christopher.willis@orange.fr SIRET: 504 612 441 00015

Roofing Specialists see main ad below

Before

After

New steps, Lining & Tile band

been around for many years in the boat and car industry and has proved itself time and time again to be hard working and resilient in many applications. A fibreglass lining will give you a flexible, hard finish that will bridge cracks and problem areas which are unsightly

MUMFORD TOITURE Roofing & Plastering/ Plasterboarding Service

25+ years roofing experience All aspects of roofing, large or small 15+ years experience plastering/boarding  Fully registered and insured Trading in France since 2007  Call Mark for a free quotation

06 78 60 96 16

mumford.toiture@gmail.com Siret No. 493 159 412 00011

Roofing Repairs & Renewal

Slate, tile, sheet, etc. Zinc work Velux and dormers 35 years in the trade Call Andrew on:

06 35 12 10 66 539 210 542 00012

Eurl Réno-Gén

ROOFING SPECIALISTS All types of roofing External insulation Carpentry work Dormer windows Velux windows Zinc guttering Chimney repoints Lead flashing, etc. Contact Phil Andrews:

Mob: 06 42 38 54 22 Tel: 02 54 30 11 20 Email: philip.andrews@orange.fr siret: 509 180 410 00011

and are hard to keep clean. Most customers choose white or light blue, or sometimes a bespoke colour. This can be complemented with one of our digital printed tile bands, fabricated around the water line and clear coated, which then becomes integral to the fibreglass lining itself. This will lift your pool to look like new again and can be installed over tiles, marblelite, painted or drop in liner pools and even in ground steel or plastic panelled

structures. You could even use the opportunity to have us build you a set of quadrant steps in the corner of your pool before the new fibreglass lining to do away with your shallow end steps. ■

Your advert here

TOUTE SWEEP

Please see our website for many more photos and information: www.fibreglass-lining.com Email: grplining@yahoo.co.uk Call Dave Roberts on +44 (0)7825 916 573

Chimney Sweep Service

05 55 41 17 76

* All types of chimneys cleaned * Brush & Vacuum * Smoke Tested * Fully Insured * HETAS Approved and member of NACS * Official certificates of cleaning issued (Certificat de Ramonage) * Clean, tidy, professional & friendly service

Contact Barry Manning

Tel: 05 55 66 48 55 Mob: 06 31 59 81 08

Building Services Sandblasting

barry@toutesweep.com

REMEMBER - BLOCKED FLUES AND CHIMNEY FIRES CAN BE FATAL... DON'T TAKE THAT RISK! SIRET: 534 351 754 00013

Sand and Blast

LA RAMONEUSE

THE LADY SWEEP

We provide a fully operated

sandblasting

service for wood, stone and metal. Perfect for stripping away years of grime or paint. Contact us for a free quote, or see our website:

Established since 1986

www.sandandblast.com

Brush & Vacuum

bobby@sandandblast.com steve@sandandblast.com

All types of chimney

05 55 76 31 59 / 06 77 40 95 92

Fully Insured

SIRET: 812 727 253 00013

Call Ruth Clear

Chimney Sweeps

02 54 31 48 50 06 25 61 84 95 siret 504 218 454 00016

Chimney Sweeping

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76

• Flue ways cleared • Birds nests, vermin & debris removed • Smoke evacuation & gas tightness tests • Official certificates of cleaning issued (Certificat de Ramonage)

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

www.stovesellers.com

05 55 63 78 72

50,000 sq ft of covered showrooms & 2 large external display areas - P5 18mm tongue and grooved water repellent chipboard. Available in 8ft x 2ft sheets. - C.L.S. stud work: 2.4, 3 & 4.8m lengths. - OSB 8ft x 4ft sheets, 9mm and 18mm in stock. - Plywood all in 8ft x 4ft sheets. External grade, suitable for construction use. - Skirting board & Architrave in stock. - Insulation earthwool, 100 & 150mm. R value for 100mm - 2.25. - Rigid board insulation Xtratherm R: 40/75/80/90 &120 mm. R value for 40mm - 1.73. Open Mon-Sat 8.30am to 6pm - www.reclamation-yard.com - Only 1km from Confolens on the D952 Ansac-sur-Vienne road

Siren: 502 409 949

CONTACT : PAUL CHARLESWORTH TEL : 06 28 28 04 63

pmcbatiment@yahoo.fr www.pmcbatiment.fr

ROOFING SPECIALISTS

Insurance guarantee on all work. 15 years’ experience.

N PE

TI-

S MO

ZIN

Based St-Junien. Covering Depts 87-16-24. Siret : 531 655 231 00011

18 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ AUGUST 2017

ADVERTORIAL

Limousin Spas H

ere at Limousin Spas we aim to offer our clients a comprehensive sales, installation and continuing advice and support package. This means that you can truly relax and enjoy your experience of choosing and owning a spa... whether it is for a holiday home or all year round. We set up our business after finding it difficult to obtain reliable advice or choice when trying to buy a spa for our own home. Most of the widely available models demand a high power supply and are thus unsuitable for the majority of rural properties (unless you can

we are not out delivering a spa). Many of our previous customers have offered to discuss or show the tubs they have bought so we can probably put you in touch with someone local. We are happy to visit and advise on siting your spa and advise on items such as decking and bespoke gazebos to enhance the surroundings. Full specifications and details on all our spa ranges are available on our website www.limousin-spas.com We are further developing our website, so please contact us if you would like any more information in French or English. ■

manage without using any other electric appliances at any time!) After many meetings with suppliers we decided to stock 3 full ranges of spas which we found particularly sturdy and reliable... this gives a choice of models for 2 to 8 people and from basic to luxury. We run our business from home so we don't have to pass on the cost of running a huge showroom and can keep prices reasonable. There is always at least 1 model on display to inspect and wet test to truly appreciate the features. We welcome any enquiries and visits (although we suggest you phone first to check

www.limousin-spas.com Tel: 05.55.63.26.20 Email: sales@limousin-spas.com

Summer Offer: Durasport G2L 2017, 36 jet, 5 person spa available for €5995 inc. delivery and installation. Contact us for details. Other models available.

Cleaning Services

Nettoitout

Professional Cleaning Services Windows Conservatories Garden maintenance Offices

For a free and personalised quote please don't hesitate to contact us on:

MIMI HOME CARE Bilingual home care near Guéret (23) - Cleaning & Ironing - Grocery shopping - Tutoring (for children under 11) - Baby-sitting (for children over 3) - Pet-sitting - Help for elderly or impaired people (walks, meals, conviviality...) - English and French lessons - House maintenance during absence (watering the plants, emptying mailbox, looking after pets...)

Tel: 06 21 33 60 99 Email: mimihomecare23@yahoo.fr

Snack de Jack Tea Room

Tercillat, 23350

05 55 80 00 07

before

GOODWIN SATELLITE

SALES & INSTALLATION OF ALL SATELLITE SYSTEMS & AERIALS. FAULT FINDING. Dept 23 & surrounding areas

Tel: 05 55 62 05 61 Mob: 06 52 38 67 65 Email: garygoodwin@wanadoo.fr siret: 453 067 910 00019

- Free quote / discussion / meeting / assessment of current site during

- Refresh / redesign your existing site - Create new one page / multipage / shop / gite booking system site afterwards

- Update your own site if you like! - Enjoy a fully maintained site - Enjoy full website support contact@no6.co

06 38 75 32 97

www.no6.co Siret: 80493524500014

Tuesdays: 12pm-6pm Wednesdays/Thursdays: 10am-6pm Fridays/Saturdays: 12pm-8pm Sundays (July/August): 12pm-5pm English Breakfast: Wednesdays/Thursdays Fish and Chips: Fridays/Saturdays

CAFE - GALERIE

www.bigdishsat.com

Drink

05 55 78 72 98

Wed - Sun, 3 - 6pm throughout the summer

For all your TV and satellite installations and repairs (Sky TV, Internet etc.) Call Patrice:

06.79.07.91.56

libre.antenne87@gmail.com Fast dependable service Based Séreilhac (87)

Tel: 05 87 56 13 78 49, rue du pont de la Gartempe 23240 Le Grand Bourg

see main ad - pg 9

Bar Bistro

Le Bon Appétit

4 rue des Tanneries, 23210 Bénévent-l'Abbaye Open: Mon/Tue/Wed - lunch and dinner Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun - dinner Themed nights (French specialities) Large beer garden - Groups welcome Homemade burgers - Eat in or take away For more info, see our website:

www.bistrot-lebonappetit.com

siret: 353 613 227 00035

or find us on Facebook: @BBBonAppetit23

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76

Restaurant AUX CEPES LA veytiZoU, 87130

Tel: 09 64 00 14 51 see main ad - pg 4

LES CERISIERS 33 Rte Nationale, 36300 Ciron

Restaurant/Tea Room Brocante/Books Open : Wed - Sun, 12 - 6pm Monday & Tuesday closed

Closing times may vary according to season. Please see our Facebook page to confirm times for September to June

email for more info: lescerisiers36@gmail.com Facebook: Les Cerisiers 36

Open for tea, cakes, scones, and full cream teas, on the terrace or in the garden

Big Dish Satellite Food &

07 81 39 21 49

siret: 818 225 526 00016

WEBSITE No6 DESIGN

Computers, Satellites & Web Design

26, Ecurat 23150

Le Restaurant Ecurat Atelier d'Art du Jardin

Restaurant du soir. Our menu changes monthly. Special occasions and parties welcome. Fish and chips and mushy peas €11,50 the last Friday of each month. Open Mon - Sat * Reservation in advance please* For more information:

Try Something Different

Chez Jacques Marsac (23) • Cosy atmosphere • Speciality Crêpes • Large burger menu • Over 80 single malt whiskeys • Selection of bottled British ales • Book corner, pool table • "Mouclade" nights • Curry nights

tel: 05 55 81 31 85

05 87 40 02 83 closed Wednesdays

Allo Allo

email: ecurat123@hotmail.com

1 rue Saint-Roch, Le Grand Bourg

2km from Chénérailles and the Chateau Villemonteix.

see main ad - pg 6

Rés: 06 73 37 45 01

To advertise in The Bugle Business Directory, call 05 55 41 17 76

Advertise here from just €34 HT / month

Granulés du Limousin

05.55.41.17.76 sales@thebugle.eu

Très Jolie

Ladies fashion accessories Beautiful scarves, purses, handbags, jewellery & gifts

(See Notice Board for where to ﬁnd me)

Paula Bonella

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

DIRECTORY ♦ 19

AUGUST 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

TAILORED FURNISHINGS - Interior Design & Soft Furnishing manufacture service

reat interior design is an investment in your home, happiness and quality of life. It mirrors your personality, and shapes the way you live for the better. At Tailored Furnishings we seek original, genuine solutions that suit your home and your style, reflecting who you are and where you live. Why not take advantage of our bespoke, end-to-end design service? We can arrange a design visit in France where we will measure, advise and take your design brief. We will then help you create the perfect look, making sure everything is made to the highest quality

Le Repos Lac de Mondon

www.lerepos.fr see main ad - pg 7

Mandys-curry-2-go Mobile Curry Take Away For menus and venues:

and within your budget. We are able to make any of your Soft Furnishing requirements to order: curtains - lined, blackout lined and interlined as well as all heading styles from pencil pleat, eyelets to buckram hand triple and double pleat; window voiles and sheers; Roman blinds - lined, blackout lined and interlined; or just a few scatter cushions for your favorite sofa. After initial telephone and email conversations to gain insight to the soft furnishings you would like, we will forward an information pack of costs and resource

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76

m : 07 70 39 12 23

Parties 20+ & events catered for

Garden Services Cross Cut Tree Surgeons

for all your tree requirements pawsonbeverley4@gmail.com 05.55.60.62.14 / 06.78.38.42.44

Le Creusois

Team Jardin

Les Genêts, Azerables

Reliable, professional and friendly garden services. Garden Maintenance. Land Clearance. Garden Construction. Bespoke long-term maintenance plans. Tel: 05 55 37 18 03 Mob: 06 33 66 17 45 e-mail team@teamjardin.fr

05.55.63.90.79

www.lecreusoisbistro.com SIREN: 483 988 853

Petticoat Lane 5 Rue Nationale – 16150 Chabanais

Tel: 05 45 29 03 99 Visit: www.petticoatlaneshop.com E-mail: sales@petticoatlaneshop.com English groceries, Fresh Beef & Steaks (to order only), Gammon Steak, Bacon, Sausage & Cheddar Cheese. Wide range of frozen items including vegetarian. Traditional English beers, Sherries & Wine. Cards for all occasions. Opening hours: Tue - Sat, 10am- 6pm Visit us and compare our prices

www.teamjardin.fr

Siret No. 752 549 907 00018

GARDEN SERVICES Paul Brown

All gardening work: Grass Cutting Strimming Hedge Trimming General Maintenance Dept 23 & Surrounding Areas

Tel: 05 55 89 57 40 brownpaul006@gmail.com Siret: 483 059 242 00030

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

little fuss, and a lot of fun! ■

To book a design consultation or for further information contact: tailoredfurnishings@mail.com Melanie Palmer: 02 54 47 34 58 +44 (0)7513 378 990 (UK) www.tailoredfurnishings.co.uk Delivery & Online Grocery enquires: www.mouse2housedeliveries.com

Très Jolie

Ladies fashion accessories 05 55 78 62 29 / 06 04 08 29 53 see main ad pg 18

Mon Chic Cottage

No job too small. Reasonable prices. Contact Steve or Sherrie

Handmade Gifts

Le Dorat 87210

E: sherrieetstevejardiniers@gmail.com

Hand painted silk accessories, jewellery & much more.

Siret No: 811 161 835 00001

see main ad below

High quality British & French food at reasonable prices. Menu du Jour €12, Traditional Pub Food, Vegetarian dishes, Childrens & Snack menus also available

All general

Gardening M: 06 58 72 03 43

siret: 498 199 306 00016

Bar/Restaurant

Sherrie et Steve Jardiniers Undertaken

www.mandyscurry2go.com Follow us on facebook e : mandyscurry2go@gmail.com

websites creating a “mood board” of fabric ideas and accessories for your project. All our soft furnishings are manufactured in the UK and delivered to France by our preferred delivery partner “Mouse2House”. Once your order is ready a delivery slot can be booked via the Mouse2House website that is convenient for you. Why not plan a UK grocery shop at the same time?! This unrivaled service will help you to create your dream home in France with

T.A.D. 23

(Travaux d'Accès Difficiles)

All aspects of garden maintenance • Tree Surgery • Garden Clearance • Strimming • Pruning

T: 05 55 81 14 51 M: 06 85 78 81 32 siret: 788 438 562 00019

See website for market locations and dates

www.nsandifer.com

Wed-Fri 10h-16h

Siret: 811 512 094 00020

26, Ecurat 23150

Atelier d'Art du Jardin

Artisan art for your garden

tel: 05 55 81 31 85 email: ecurat123@hotmail.com

'ROUSSIS MAID'

HAND-CRAFTED CARDS AND APRONS All products made in France. Cards also available at Carole's Hair Stylist at Le Buisson, near Saint-Bazile.

Email for more details: ellinghamroam764@yahoo.com See Notice Board for details of where you can find us at local markets. Send an email to sign up to the newsletter

Tel: 06 86 89 81 02 siret 528 539 448

www.monchiccottage.com Chalk Paint, Little Greene Paint, Fat Quarters, Annie Sloan Paint Workshops

2km from Chénérailles and the Chateau Villemonteix

Gifts & Crafts

Tea Room

Ivan Petley

3D Puzzle Maker Handmade, fully interlocking, multi-layered 3D puzzles from just €9. Keyrings €2 plus other unique gift ideas. Customisation and personalisation possible. Come and visit the workshop by appointment.

Tel: 05.55.80.29.98 Les Bregères, 23150 St-Martial-le-Mont alison.petley@wanadoo.fr

Tel: 05 87 77 95 59

Handholding Services

Sophie Arsac

French lessons & handholding services 05 55 89 15 74 - pg 13

A HELPING HAND Translation/interpretation Dealing with utilities/banks Permis de construire Sourcing/supervising artisans Notaire/tax/hospital meetings

05 55 62 50 38 Jonathan Critchley jcritch.7@gmail.com siret: 792 285 025 00013

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

To advertise in The Bugle Business Directory, call 05 55 41 17 76

Cross Cut Tree Surgeons

for all your tree requirements 30+ years experience Free quotes and advice We will not be beaten on price or standard of work Reliability guaranteed Fully qualified arborist - Fully insured Covering depts: 87, 23, 86, 36, 19 & 16

pawsonbeverley4@gmail.com

05.55.60.62.14 / 06.78.38.42.44

siret: 530 840 958 00017

20 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ AUGUST 2017

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 exceeded all expectations. In Southern Europe, Solar-

Health & Beauty

venti 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 the property is empty. Solarventi requires no maintenance

HiFX

International money transfer

www.hifx.co.uk

COUNSELLING Lesley Kidd MSc

UK Reg. Counsellor & Psychotherapist Senior Accred. MBACP 548379

• French Reg. Conseille de Vie & Coach • Based on borders of 87-19-23 • Meet in person or via skype

05 55 38 33 35

lesleykidd@hotmail.co.uk SIREN: 818 604 654

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76 House Clearance debarrasser87

House Clearance Specialists www.ferraille87.com see main ad - pg 8

Insurance & Finance Blevins Franks International tax and wealth management advisers

www.blevinsfranks.com See our main ad - pg 11

TONY FARRELL INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISER

The Spectrum IFA Group with over 20 years' experience advising expatriates throughout Europe on all aspects of financial planning. Represented in Creuse by Tony Farrell:

Tel: 05 55 89 57 94 Mob: 06 15 28 54 82

Email: tony.farrell@spectrum-ifa.com TSG Insurance Services S.A.R.L. Siège Social: 34 Bd des Italiens, 75009 PARIS "Société de Courtage d'assurances" R.C.S. Paris B 447 609 108 (2003B04384) Numéro d'immatriculation 07 025 332 - www.orias.fr SIRET No.: 500 064 183 00014

Language Services Jenny Homer BA hons, PGCE

Sympathetic French Tuition 87120 Eymoutiers

New term to start 11/09/2017

• Speaking and Understanding for life in France • Relaxed but purposeful • Confidence-building • 4 levels Beginners to Advanced. Email me asap to be sure of a place in the best group to suit your needs. Free taster class (3hrs)

homer.jennifer@gmail.com

If you have French friends who would like to improve their English, maybe they would like to join my TEFL classes, Beginners or Intermediates.

Ecole de Langue 86, Rue Nationale, 36400 La Châtre

All your language needs under one roof!

02 54 31 12 55

www.ecole-de-langue.net

- 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. Several ex-demonstration models available at reduced prices, call for details.

Sophie Arsac

French lessons & handholding services 05 55 89 15 74 - pg 13

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76 Pest Control

Central France Pest Control Dératisation, Déinsectisation, Désinfection

02 48 60 83 72 / 06 74 33 02 38 www.applicateur3d.com Email: info@applicateur3d.com

SOLARVENTI - Available in the Limousin From Harlequin Developments Tel: 05 55 68 67 56 Mobile: 06 06 60 46 97

Limousin Spas Alongside the amazing "Rotospa" spa range, we are now able to supply the "Durasport" & "Strong Spas" ranges of quality spas.

All our spas are manufactured to the highest standards & have full manufacturers warranty. These spas have relatively low power requirements & are very economical. Prices start from €3,750. Models seat 2 to 7 people. For more information on our range check out our website:

www.limousin-spas.com or telephone: 05 55 63 26 20 Numéro Siret: 752 157 610 00011

Dave Roberts

Fibreglass Specialist Fibreglass swimming pool linings that can be applied over all finishes: tiles, marbelite, concrete, etc. Perfect for new pools, old pools, or pools leaking water Laminated on site, one piece and seam free For more information or a quote, contact Dave: +44 (0)1903 893 451 +44 (0)7825 916 573

www. fibreglass-lining.com

Curative and preventative rats, mice, moles, flies, woodworm, bed bugs, fleas, wasps, hornets

La Petite Barre, 18210 Bessais Le Fromental

Mind My Maison

Limousin Property Maintenance Services

www.mindmymaison.com

05 87 19 58 99 - see main ad pg 2

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

05 55 41 17 76 Property Sales Cendrillon - Bourganeuf Bilingual Estate Agent in Creuse

www.limousin-bilingual.com

05 55 54 95 85 - see pg 3

Property Maintenance

SIRET No. 498 544 741 00024

Pools & Spas Self Install Pools naturalispools.com 06 31 17 25 60 see main ad - pg 8

Inside Out Property Services Offering a wide range of building/joinery/fencing services We pride ourselves on the quality of our workmanship, providing the client with a high quality finish at competitive prices. Servicing 23 and surrounding areas. Ring Dave: 05 55 64 22 98 Email: insideout288@googlemail.com Siret No. 821 348 323 00014

To advertise in The Bugle Business Directory, call 05 55 41 17 76

DIRECTORY ♦ 21

AUGUST 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

Chasing Dreams and Flies; A Tragicomedy of Life in France

orothea Shefer-Vanson's fourth novel, ‘Chasing Dreams and Flies; A Tragicomedy of Life in France,’ recounts the saga of a couple from England who decide to follow their dream and leave England in order to move to France. As they approach retirement age, Sophie and John Williams are anxious to escape the Britain of the early 2000s, but find that there are various hurdles on the road to fulfilling their dream of living the good life. They assume that with the help of their friends and by dint of their devotion to one another they will be able to succeed in their new life. In the process, however, they find that they are limited by their ignorance of the French language and culture as well as being harassed by the hostility of one of their neighbours. Like them, Julie Smithers has left England to live in France, but in her case it is in order to write a book and escape a painful romance. Her encounter with expat handyman Steve gives her renewed hope of finding happiness despite her reservations. In the unexpected denouement, all the characters happen to be in the same place at

almost the same time. The book is available in both ebook and printed form from Amazon. ■

https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Dreams-Flies-Tragicomedy-France-ebook/dp/B01LW3D212

Houses on Internet

Moulin de Tintin

+31 (0)6 41 20 73 69

www.moulin-de-tintin.com 05.55.79.57.60 - see pg 3

www.housesoninternet.com

See our Display Ad - pg 3

Leggett Immobilier www.leggettfrance.com

05 53 56 62 54 see main ad - pg 5

Beaux Villages Immobilier www.beauxvillages.com

Freephone: 08 05 69 23 23 see main ad - pg 11

Transaxia

Bourganeuf-Creuse-Limousin www.transaxia-bourganeuf.fr 0033 (0)6 83 66 83 09 - see ad pg 10

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76 Retail & Commerce

Chez Amanda Depot Vente des Vêtements Dress agency and gallery, specialising in designer and high quality pre-owned clothes for women and children, together with accessories, footwear, jewellery, gift items, and hand made furniture.

Furniture, interiors & gifts

Transport, Removals & Storage

SAFE GARDE Secure self storage units in Guéret

Whether you are a business or a household, we are here to make your storage a worry free experience at affordable prices. Why not take a look at our website or give us a call... we are here to help you!

www.safe-garde.com

05 55 63 58 85

safegardegueret@gmail.com siret: 821 846 318 00011

Buggs Car Hire Bergerac & Limoges Airports

www.buggscarhire.com see pg 2

Watson European International Removals

www.watsoneuropean.co.uk see main ad - pg 6

8 rue Principale, St Mathieu, 87440

Email: soieetbois@gmail.com Web: www.soiebois.net Tel: 05.55 48.28.89 SIRET: 510 995 681 00010

Eco Entrepot Get down The Shed

87230 Bussière-Poitevine

05.55.68.74.73 - see pg 10

Stove Sellers www.stovesellers.com 05.55.63.78.72

See our Display Ad - pg 6

• Man with a van service • Friendly, Mature Service, Ex-Police • Living in Limousin, specialising in moves between UK and France • Competitive Rates • Fully Insured Please call Mick for further info

UK: 0333 022 0359 FR: 07 68 64 22 54

W: www.milenlighthaulage.co.uk E: info@milenlighthaulage.co.uk

ADVERTORIAL

Advertising with The Bugle

ith 7 years’ experience delivering print advertising to an expat market, The Bugle represents one of the most cost-effective ways to let English speakers know about your business. An advert with The Bugle starts from just €11.20 HT per month – that’s less than 37 cents a day to put your business in front of 30,000 people each month. In the Limousin we have more than 300 distribution points across the region and surrounding areas where readers can pick up a copy for free. We also distribute 3,500 copies through Limoges Airport, which means that we are in the perfect position to target not only residents and secondhome owners, but also tourists and those new to the region. The Bugle is the only English language newspaper dedicated to the Limousin - in fact, today, The Bugle is the only free English language newspaper in France and we are growing all the time. If you would like to discuss any of our advertising options further, why not give us a call today to find out more about the ways that we can help you grow your business.

Smart Moves For a fully insured, careful service

FORTNIGHTLY SERVICES TO FRANCE FULL OR PART LOADS WELCOME WE COLLECT FROM ALL AREAS OF THE UK AND DELIVER TO ALL AREAS OF FRANCE Please CALL or EMAIL Stephen

smartmovers@hotmail.co.uk

+44 (0)1253 725 414

www.smartmovesremovals.co.uk

VAN ROUGE Affordable Moves Europewide 18m3 Van / 4.5m load length 29m3 available on request Full loads/ part loads/ single items Regular UK runs.

www.themanwithavan.info vanrouge@mail.com

(+33) 07.61.21.85.15

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76 MICHAELS MOVERS

T: 05 55 41 17 76 E: sales@thebugle.eu W: www.thebugle.eu

Central France Storage www.centralfrancestorage.com Dry, safe & secure storage to suit all needs Vehicle storage also possible

Tel: 09 66 03 52 89 Email: lasout@live.com siret: 494 123 847 00019

Man & Van Transport

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

09 82 12 69 73 87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres

www.frenchvanman.eu

Full & Part loads All size of vehicles, from Man & Van through to 18 tonne truck Storage facilities in Sussex UK free phone:

0800 840 3058 Mob: +44 (0)7808 338 386 www.michaelsmovers.freeindex.co.uk

www.chauffagebois-limousin.com

05 55 63 72 45 - see pg 18

BABY/INFANT EQUIPMENT FOR HIRE

To raise funds for the SPA dog rescue centre in Guéret. High chair, buggy, travel cot (plus mattress/bedding), changing mat, etc. Each item will incur a hire charge of 10 euros, plus a refundable 10 euros deposit. For more INFO or to HIRE Call Vanessa: 05 55 64 32 08 or email: eq6763@gmail.com

Businesses for Sale

Siret 530 213 644 00012

Transition Removals (+33) 05 55 34 19 46

www.transitionremovals.com see main ad - pg 2

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76 General

FOR SALE:

Proxi Supermarket In the heart of the market town of Ahun (23150) • Alimentation Générale • Tabac • Lotto/FDJ For more information call:

06 38 39 33 99

Removals

UK ↔ France ↔ UK

Carrefour du Bois Limousin

Cash paid for scrap All Limousin covered Anything considered Any quantity

Tel: 05 55 37 45 35 Mob: 06 74 21 47 71 siret 532 981 198 00015

FOR SALE: Commercial Lease For a shop (all types of commerce) on main street in Limoges. Easy parking. 60m2. 2 large commercial spaces of 20m2 and 25m2 with a room to the rear kitchenette, WC. Very good condition. Contact for more information.

Tel: 06 20 82 89 43 agnespierre.tricard@gmail.com

22 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ AUGUST 2017

ADVERTORIAL

Online radio station for English-speaking expats Ex-patradio.com is an online internet radio station, which launched live on 21st March 2016. The station is designed for English-speaking expats around the world. The aim is to have a variety of shows, ranging from chat shows through to music programming, covering a full spectrum of musical tastes. Our shows include: • ‘The Golden Oldies’ with Mick Hennell, featuring tracks from the 50s and 60s • ‘The Beat Goes On’ with Steve Bell, showcasing new expat bands, musicians and singers • ‘The Blend’ with Ira, our American presenter, with the best of Creole and Swamp music through to rare blues cuts • ‘The All Day Special’ with station founder, Dave Hailwood • ‘The Roast Beef’ with Wayne Allen, also “Nashville Calling” • ‘The Retro Chart Show’ with Dave Mac • ‘In Bed with the French’ Talk Show with Christine Caldi • ‘Country Classics’ & ‘The Nostolgia Club’ with David Sibbald • ‘Bridget’s Mix’ with Bridget Waterhouse • ‘Classical Gems’ with Bridget Waterhouse • ‘Digital Blues’ with Ashwyn Smyth • ‘The Culture Gap’ with Vincent • ‘Soul Time’ with Max Morrison • ‘Essential Rhythms’ with Peter Simmons

• • • • •

Email us with requests, stories, jokes, local events in your area, sports groups, and anything else. We want to hear it all... So get typing to: expatradio.request@gmail.com Like us on Facebook: "expatradiofrance" Tweet us: @ExpatRadioCom And listen live now!

‘Musicial Memories’ with Sir Owen Gee ‘Sunday Bandstand’ with Chris Helme ‘Writers Salon’ with Hazel Manuel ‘The Message Kids’ with Expat Kids And lots more new shows coming soon!

Our live “Coffee Morning” chat shows with station founder, Dave Hailwood (an expat from the UK) and our regular guests from around Europe. We feature regular topics such as women’s issues, gardening, sport, travel, cooking and schooling... in fact anything that affects expats. Our audience is encouraged to join in via email or phone with comments, questions and requests. Ex-pat Radio aims to be an international station, with an approachable local feel to it. To our surprise we also won “Best Foreign Radio Station” in France as voted by the readers of Paris publication “Expatriates Magazine”, which we won with 75% of the vote.

www.ex-patradio.com

Coming soon: "Treasure Hunting with Charles Hanson" If you have any treasures you would like valued send us in details and photos of your items to expatradio.request@gmail.com and Charles will value for you. We will also have a page on our website. If any valuable items are found, we can arrange to have them shipped to the UK to be auctioned off at Hanson's Auction house.

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 €11.20/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 05 55 41 17 76 or send an email to sales@thebugle.eu

6-Month Contract €84

Small b&w Directory Ad

(€14/month)

Large b&w Directory Ad

(€18.75/month)

€112.50 €126

Small Colour Directory Ad

(€21/month)

Large Colour Directory Ad

(€28/month)

€168

12-Month Contract €134.40

(€11.20/month)

€180

(€15/month)

€201.60

(€16.80/month)

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

30 words max

€268.80

(€22.40/month)

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 - no logos, images or artwork are allowed. The minimum contract length is 6 months. Advertising is payable on publication. All prices are HT.

To advertise in The Bugle Business Directory, call 05 55 41 17 76 SUDOKU - EASY

SUDOKU - MEDIUM

The solutions to this month’s sudokus can be found opposite

SUDOKU - HARD

COMMUNITY ♦ 23

AUGUST 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Would you like to receive an electronic copy of The Bugle each month? We can deliver a copy to your inbox, hot off the press

Simply email - subscriptions@thebugle.eu For more details visit www.thebugle.eu

LES CERISIERS

33 RTE NATIONALE, 36300 CIRON Food and refreshment served all day. Shaded terrace area/Dogs welcome The Brocante Shop may have just what you're looking for, come and see for yourself. Craft books & crafting material - womens clothing/shoes/bags etc. - jewellery - bric-a-brac - and lots more.

10% discount on all purchases over 5€ every Friday during August. Books of all types, sales go to Animal Charities. See main directory ad for opening times and contact details

Roussis Maid

Find us at the following markets:

Piégut - Every Wednesday Brantôme - Every Friday Chasseneuil - Tuesday 22nd August If you require any cards contact us either by e-mail or mobile ellinghamroam764@yahoo.com

06 86 89 81 02 26, Ecurat 23150

Le Restaurant Ecurat Atelier d'Art du Jardin

2km from Chénérailles & the Château Villemonteix Open Monday to Saturday for: English Breakfast Lunches Salon de Thé Restaurant du Soir Fish, chips & mushy peas €11.50 All by advance reservation please For more information

tel: 05 55 81 31 85 email: ecurat123@hotmail.com

Work Offered! We are looking for a skilled worker for concreting a barn, building up a pony stable and fences in private shelter 87400 Moissannes / St. Noblat

SPANISH SPEAKER

Bugle Notice Board

I would like to improve my Spanish and am looking for someone to have a conversation with in Spanish and who will also give lessons. I am also looking for someone to give me ukulele lessons. Can you help? Please contact Julia on 05 55 80 98 72 or at j.dunbar1@orange.fr

Bar Bistro

Le Bon Appetit 4 rue des Tanneries, 23210 Bénévent-l'Abbaye Friday 4th August - BBQ Come and celebrate our one year anniversary! 12€pp - Free cocktail - Mark West live!

Mandys-curry-2-go www.mandyscurry2go.com

Dates for August Please note some areas are chilled pre-orders only

Guéret, Chilled orders only! - Wednesday 2nd (2.50pm) Gouzon, Chilled orders only! (place de l'Eglise) - Wednesday 2nd (3.30pm) Boussac, Chilled orders only! (place de l'Hôtel de Ville) - Wednesday 2nd (4.30pm) Aubusson, (Now at place de la gare routière) - Thursday 3rd (6pm) Le Grand-Bourg, Cancelled this month, but you can order a chilled delivery for 17th August! Marsac, (Chez Jacques) - Friday 4th (8.15pm) Concerts throughout the summer. For more Bourganeuf Market - Wednesday 9th (9am - 12.30pm) details, see our website: bistrot-lebonappetit.com Bourganeuf, (place Martin Nadaud) - Wednesday 9th (5.45pm) or Facebook page: @BBBonAppetit23 Peyrat-le-Château, Chilled orders only! Thursday 10th (12.30pm) La Souterraine Market - Saturday 13th (8.30am - 12.30pm) Reservations: 06 80 43 83 51 Exceptional - Sardent, (Auberge du lac, Masmangeas) - Saturday 13th (5.30pm) Open 7/7 throughout August, lunch and dinner! Come and enjoy our food and beers on tap in our new beer garden!

Mon Chic Cottage

CHILLED DELIVERIES, Thursday 17th & Friday 18th - various areas, contact us for details Please check website & facebook for updates.

www.monchiccottage.com

Email: mandyscurry2go@gmail.com

21 Place Charles de Gaulle, Le Dorat

Tel: 07 70 39 12 23

Tea Room serving home-made scones / cakes Official Stockist for Chalk PaintTM by Annie Sloan & Little Greene Taking bookings now for our Spring Annie Sloan Chalk PaintTM Workshops. To learn the basis of using Chalk PaintTM & ask questions, join us on a workshop. All materials included. To book contact Jay. Opening hours: Wed-Fri - 10h-16h

05 87 77 95 59

Très Jolie Fashion Accessories Where to find me:

Every Wednesday - Piégut Market Please see my facebook page... search 'Tres Jolie Milhaguet' to see what's new. Mail order available, email for more details. Most items now stocked at the 'Coeur et Etoile', St-Mathieu

05 55 78 62 29 / 06 04 08 29 53

info@monchiccottage.com

tres.jolie1@orange.fr

Please contact : 06 27 62 55 73 Work is paid.

Saturday 9th September – Aigre Please note that this will be the last market until next year Tue-Sat: 10am to 6pm

sales@petticoatlaneshop.com http://www.petticoatlaneshop.com/ 5 Rue Nationale – 16150 Chabanais

Tel: 05 45 29 03 99

HARD

Saturday 5th August – Aigre

MEDIUM

Find us at the following markets:

Managing Editor: Steve Martindale Editor-in-Chief: Steve Martindale Registered Address: Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois SIRET: 514 989 748 00017 Printed by: Charente Libre 16340, L’Isle d’Espagnac Monthly circulation: 15,000 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.

EASY

Petticoat Lane

Directeur: Steve Martindale Rédacteur-en-chef: Steve Martindale Siège: Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois SIRET: 514 989 748 00017 Imprimé par: Charente Libre 16340, L’Isle d’Espagnac Tirage mensuel: 15,000 copies Tous droits réservés. Toute reproduction, totale ou partielle, des articles et illustrations du présent numéro est strictement interdite. Dépôt légal à parution.

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.

24 ♦ COMMUNITY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ AUGUST 2017

CLUBS, CHARITIES & ASSOCIATIONS Charities The Hope Association Charity Shop 87 11 ave de la Paix, 87120 Eymoutiers. The shop is run by a group of volunteers with the sole aim of raising funds for abused & abandoned animals. Opening hours: Sat 10h-16h, Wed afternoon 14h-17h, 1st & 3rd Thu morning 10h-12h. We offer a selection of items including pre-loved clothes, jewellery, greeting cards and much more. We are happy to accept anything in good sale condition either directly to the shop or email shopeightyseven4hope@gmail.com Please do come along, support Hope, have a rummage through some lovely things, then enjoy a cup of tea or coffee and delicious homemade cake. SPA Creuse The SPA Creuse dog refuge centre is based in SaintSulpice-le-Guérétois near Guéret and provides an invaluable service to the community by rescuing dogs that otherwise would have nowhere to go. Each year we re-home over 100 dogs which find themselves at the SPA though no fault of their own. We have dedicated staff who work alongside a network of French and British volunteers, all of whom have one aim in life, which is to do the best they can for the dogs until they find their forever homes. In order to do this they need to raise funds; along with walking the dogs every day, volunteers also organise fund-raising events and vide-greniers throughout the year. We are a friendly bunch and always on the lookout for more like-minded people and so if you are interested in becoming a volunteer, making a donation, or adopting one of our lovely dogs, then please visit our website www. spa-creuse.com. Noah's Ark Noah’s Ark is a French registered charity run by Cindy and Lauren Maasik who have spent the last five years rescuing animals and caring for them on their farm near Saint-Mathieu. A warm welcome awaits you at their shop and tea rooms in Rochechouart, with home-made cakes, tarts, and quiches followed by plenty of tea or coffee. For more info visit www.noahsark.fr or Facebook: Noah's Ark Tea Rooms and Brocante, 6, Rue de Poitevin, Rochechuart. Open Tues - Sat 10h-17h. Tel: 05 87 41 26 16. Farm visits for animal adoption are welcome at La Ferme, Les Dognons, 87440 Maisonnaissur-Tardoire. Tel: 05 55 70 64 76. Email info@ noahsark.com Phoenix Association Phoenix Association is a registered charity that has existed since 2001 to deal with the sad plight of the ever-increasing number of abused and abandoned animals in France. Phoenix does not have a 'rescue centre' as such. Sadly, many of the animals it saves have only ever known confinement and isolation, so instead, the animals are placed in foster homes all over South-West France while they wait for their loving and permanent forever homes. This gives Phoenix a better chance of assessing the animal in the normality and comfort of a home which leads to the virtually 100% successful adoption rate. Phoenix is not state funded and so relies on fund-raising and donations to cover the very high re-homing and veterinary costs. Phoenix is formed of a committed but fun and positive team of volunteers, and is always on the lookout for more, so if you are interested in adopting an animal, foster caring or becoming a Member, please visit the Contact page of the website at www.phoenixasso.com and www.facebook.com/PhoenixAssociationFrance Church Notices Anglican Holy Communion

St. Martin's Anglican Church, built 1096 (FCE, founded 1844, in France) in the hamlet of Moussac-sur-Gartempe, near Montmorillon 86500. Just off the D117 - route from Montmorillon to Bourg Archambault - on the Domaine de Moussac. All services from 1st May onwards begin at 3:00 pm, except for Christmas. Holy Communion on the 1st Sunday of each month, plus some Holy Days. Nonliturgical, congregation-led service on the 2nd Sunday of some months - specifically October and November. Weddings, funerals, baptisms and other services provided on request. Contact: revrobertleone@gmail.com Monthly Worship in English If your journey of life has brought you here to France, why neglect your journey of faith? We look forward to giving a warm welcome to everyone from whatever Christian tradition (or none) on the 3rd SUNDAY of the MONTH at 3pm. Where? At the Temple in Thiat (in the north of the Haute-Vienne) – we are part of the Parish of the Basse-Marche of the Eglise Protestante Unie de France. The Temple is on the main road close to the Mairie. After worship there is tea/coffee and cake – and a chance to chat. If you want to know more contact Rev Derek Lawson on 05 55 68 53 03 or Rev Stephen Sawyer on 05 49 84 33 86. English-speaking church services Guéret Come as you are... This is an invitation to join us at our CHURCH SERVICE IN ENGLISH. Whether you have a faith or would just like to attend a church service you are welcome at 3pm on the 2nd Sunday of each month at the Eglise Evangélique, 9b Place Bonnyaud, Guéret, 23000. We welcome all who want to join a group of English-speaking Christians for a time of worship and learning together. Children are very welcome. For more details contact Jim & Pat Scott on 05 55 67 54 78 / email scott.james@neuf.fr The International Free Church in Creuse The church presently meets at 10, La Chaudronnière, a small hamlet mid-way between Crozant and Eguzon. Sunday worship meetings are held on the first and third Sundays of the month at 10.30am. Fellowship meetings, for mid-week prayer, bible study and discussion are at the same venue every Thursday at 7.30pm. For further information contact Eric Sutton tel 05 55 89 26 62 Fitness & Fun Art Classes Mainsat The class runs every Thurs (term time) at the Salle du temps libre in Mainsat from 14h-16h. We do a little bit of everything: pencil, charcoal, watercolour, pastel, acrylics, oils and sculpture, etc. Contact Susan Neill for more info: Tel 05 55 83 12 18 / Mob 06 87 99 31 37 / Email thomassusan.neill@hotmail.com La chance de danser Starting in September dance classes for adults in La Souterraine. Tue Bums & Tums - Stretch & Tone 10:00-11:00. Salle des fêtes Saint-Léger-Magnazeix; Tue Tap from 19:00-20:00. Salle des fêtes La Souterraine; Wed Beginners ballet from 10:30-11:30. Salle de danse La Souterraine. €5 per class. For more info contact Jan Pitwell on 09 66 96 44 85 or at lachancededanser23@gmail.com. Photo Club La Meteorite (87) Rochechouart All welcome, all levels; we meet fortnightly at 3-5pm on Sundays. Field trips, friendly critique, conversation and competitions (to contact and more details go to photoclubmeteorite.org). Chabanais Bowls Club With summer fast approaching, we hope, it would be nice to spend some time during the week in the open air relaxing in a game of short mat bowls. And if the weather does not come up to expectations, there is always our under floor heating. Due to the unique construction of the Salle des Fêtes at Chabanais, the home of our short mat

bowling club, is it possible to slide back an entire wall to let in the light and the air, without compromising on our flat playing surface. The Salle also allows us to lay out up to 5 mats so there is lots of room for all current members and to be able to warmly welcome any new ones that want to join our friendly, but competitive club. Sessions of 3 hours duration take place every Tuesday, starting at 10 am and every Thursday commencing at 2 pm with a 30 minute tea/ coffee break during each session. The club has all the equipment that new bowlers require to get started or old hands can use their own indoor or outdoor bowls to enjoy a relaxing and enjoyable game. And it’s not expensive, with a one-off joining fee of 10 euros, a yearly fee of 25 euros and a rink fee of just 2 euros. The first two ‘sampler’ sessions are free, only the rink fee to be paid. Currently all our members are English (it is difficult to encourage the French to roll a ball) most being senior citizens, many bringing over their skills from the UK. If you are considering taking up the sport again, trying your hand at something new or simply coming along for a closer look, just pop down when our sessions are on or contact Brian on 05 45 29 05 73 or Terry on 05 45 89 14 05. Drawing and painting classes At Saint-Junien with the CAPCC (art club). All levels welcome, every Monday and Thursday, English and French spoken, friendly atmosphere, materials provided by the club. 45€ / half-term. Contact: lindsaycox@club-internet.fr for brochure with full details. Keepfit (Bonjour La Forme) Held at Saint-Sulpice-les-Champs in the Salle Polyvalente: Mon evening at 19.45-20.45 for cardiac and muscle exercises; Thurs afternoon at 15.00-16.00 for gentle exersises. All are welcome to join us. Contact Jeanette 09 62 58 49 03 (Eng) or Catherine 05 55 66 67 30 (Fr) for more info. Tai Chi, Pakua & Qigong Tai Chi, Pakua & Qigong classes organised by the ACAMIES (association culturelle d'arts martiaux internes et d'exercices de santé). Wed: Jarnages, 18h30-20h, Salle Polyvalente. Thu: Bétête, 19h-20h30, Domaine de Tournessac. Individual classes, courses, massage & treatments also available. Contact: 06 48 00 02 07 http://acamies.e-monsite.com Keep Fit Amazing abs, breathtaking buttocks! Come and join our group at the CAPE in Pontarion. We are all ages, all sizes, men & women, but are serious about keeping fit. Our “monitrice” is English and will happily provide bilingual instructions. We meet every Thursday at 8p.m. in Pontarion Town Hall, for a one-hour workout. Come for a free trial, or call 05 55 64 98 87 or 06 32 42 95 68 for more details. Indoor Bowling at Oradour-sur-Vayres If you already play or have never tried indoor bowling then come along to a meeting. It's great fun and easy to play. If you have never played it before we will show you how. We meet every Monday evening starting at 18.30 hrs at La Chapelle, avenue des Chapelles, 87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres. Come and try it - it's free. If you require further information or directions to our venue please contact me - Email: OradourBowling@gmx.com or telephone: 05 55 08 41 75 Zumba! Regular zumba classes across depts 36, 18 & northern 23. For more info tel 06 58 37 17 04 email evezumba36@gmail.com and for details of classes visit www.zumbazumba.fr Indoor Short-mat Bowling at Cussac 87150.... and now Outdoor too! As the premier bowls club in the Haute-Vienne, we are going from strength to strength with members seeking us out and travelling great distances to continue their love of bowls or simply to 'try us out'. Our reputation as a "very

Bridge: A Franco-British team wins the Haute-Vienne Cup! For the second consecutive year, the Bridge Club of Saint-Junien has won the “Trophée de la Haute-Vienne”. Eighteen teams competed in the competition. Our small club entered an international team composed of two Brits (John Martin and John Slade) and three French players (Patrick Henneton, Catherine Moulin and Dominique Terlaud) and played six matches before being crowned champions. The club welcomes English-speaking players; tournaments are played every Monday and Wednesday afternoon from 2:15 pm (except in August). If you would like to discover Bridge, the club is organising a teaching session for beginners from 23rd to 26th August. If you are interested, please contact us via email at bcsaintjunien@wanadoo.fr or on 06 30 20 45 13.

friendly and welcoming club" goes before us. If you've never tried the game, just come along and take a look; there is far more to it than first appears! We are a formally registered association within the French system and benefit from assistance from our local commune by use of a wonderful indoor venue. AND NOW...the use of a synthetic outdoor court where Flat-green, Crown and Short-mat can be played. Just imagine the summer evenings with a drink in your hand, watching fellow bowlers enjoying the quiet of village, interrupted only by the 'click' or 'tunk' of bowl against bowl! Our regular sessions indoors are Wednesday evening at 8pm and Thursday Mornings at 10am. Outdoor sessions will be arranged as the spring arrives so keep in touch. Serious bowlers and beginners are welcome - club bowls are available for use. For further information contact cussacbowlsclub@gmail.com or telephone 05 55 78 66 45. Association Equilibre, le mouvement du corps Yoga for all levels: Tue 18:30 Aubusson, Pied au plancher (Espace Philips); Wed 18:30 Vallière, salle polyvalante. Pregnancy/Post Natal: Tue 17:00 Aubusson, Pied au Plancher (Espace Philips) For further information tel 06 83 24 62 72 or visit www.spaequilibre.yolasite.com Chinese Gym & Karate Mondays & Thursdays at the DOJO, Allée JeanMarie Couturier, Aubusson. Chinese gym 17h-18h15 & 18h15-19h30 and karate 19h3021h. For more info tel 06 08 92 30 53 Tai Chi at Boussac and La Châtre Tai Chi classes in Boussac (Tue 18.15 - 19.45) and La Châtre (Thu 18.15 - 19.45). The first two lessons are free, the subscriptions are 36 euros per month and members can go to both venues having paid this fee. The style is that of Yang. All ages and abilities welcome, but folk must bear in mind that they will be on their feet, doing the equivalent of what one might classify as light exercise, for about an hour and a half. For more information contact 05 55 65 08 20. Gym Bien-être Would you like to be more supple? Come to our gym class on Thursday mornings from 10.30am to 11.30am, where we do gentle exercises to help all our muscles and joints. The classes are held in Rochechouart in the Capitole building, upstairs. Our group is part of a National Federation of Gymnastics. For information contact Pauline at pauline.maskell@sfr.fr Learn to Meditate Learn to meditate and meet other like-minded people. Simple mindfulness technique. Dechen Choling, Le Mas Marvent, St-Yrieix-sous-Aixe, 87700. Also, ongoing regular group meetings and events. Contact tel Christina 05 55 03 82 01 www.dechencholing.org Gardening Les petits jardiniers du Limousin Getting out in the garden is one of life's pleasures for many people and there's a lot of satisfaction in seeing seeds and plants thrive and grow under your care. Our Association has a different, garden related topic each month and you are very welcome to come and join us in learning more about growing plants, flowers, fruit, vegetables and trees in this region. We also have visits to other gardens and an Annual Show in September. We meet on the third Thursday of each month (excl Feb) in the Mairie at St-Amand-le-Petit (between Eymoutiers and Peyrat-le-Château). Meetings start at 2.30 pm and visit timings will be advised. For more information contact Carolyn or Antonia at pjlimousin@gmail.com http://jardiniers-du-limousin.webs.com Agenda for 2017: 17 Aug Summer lunch; 3 Sep (Sunday) 5th Fruit, Flower and Vegetable Annual Show; 19 Oct AGM followed by House Plants; 16 Nov DIY Christmas decorations; 14 Dec (2nd Thur) Gardeners' Question Time and Christmas Party Club Liseron – Gardening Club Meets on the 2nd Mon evening of the month at 19.30 at the Salle des Fêtes in Massignac. We're a mixed bunch of English & French, who are united by a passion for gardens and gardening, sharing plants, seeds and information. For further information contact: veronique.granet@sfr.fr Aux Plantes, etc. We are an association of independent, ethicallyminded and passionate plant producers. Our aim is to encourage consumers to know more about the plants they buy, how they were produced and their needs, thereby avoiding the disappointments that so often come with mass produced plants. It’s not just about us selling you plants - we want them to thrive and do well for you! Current members include plantspeople specialising in unusual shrubs & trees, butterfly plants, heritage vegetables and flowers, irises, perennials and drought-tolerant plants. For more info contact Michelle Pierce 05 45 89

36 54 or visit: www.auxplantesetc.jimdo.com Les Jardins de Sirius Based in Pressignac, Charente, we are a small association of people who are keen on gardening. As well as finding plants an endless source of interest, we believe that the simple fact of gardening has numerous positive benefits for health, stress, social interaction - in other words, our daily lives - and we'd like to encourage this aspect. If you'd like to get involved, have more info on the association or become a member, please contact Michelle Pierce on 05 45 89 36 54 or at unjardinenfrance@gmail.com Integration Café Franglais Organised by the Amitiés Internationales du Pays de Boussac (AIPB). Every Wednesday starting at 18h30 until 20h00 in la Maison des Associations, Quartier Pasteur, 23600 Boussac. Come and join us for an informal chat to improve your French or English with native speakers in a café atmosphere whilst enjoying a drink and nibbles. Last evening before the summer holidays will be on 5th July. For more info please call 05 55 65 03 69. Association Rencontres Franco-Britanniques The Association Rencontres FrancoBritanniques, based in Bourganeuf, was created in January 2012 and aims to help British people, resident in the Communautés de Communes surrounding Bourganeuf, to become integrated in their communes and local life. We organize a range of cultural and social activities for our members. The fortnightly conversation groups are an important part of our association. At these meetings British members can improve their spoken French, and our French colleagues may improve their English. We would very much like to welcome new people, both French and English, into the association. Our meetings and events are fun and take place in a happy and friendly atmosphere. We currently have 90 members. The annual subscription for membership is €12 per person. For further information on the association's activities contact: Christine Gee 05 55 64 22 25 - email: geeinfrance@gmail.com - www. francobrit.com Bessines-Accueil Bessines-Accueil is a group based in Bessinessur-Gartempe (87250) which seeks to welcome new arrivals both to the town and to the surrounding region and to assist them with integration in the community. The group is comprised both of French and English members and meets weekly, generally on Thursday afternoons, in Bessines-surGartempe, when various activities take place, all aimed at promoting a friendly and welcoming ambiance. Through these activities, which include visits, talks, entertainment and much more, the group aims to discover and promote an appreciation of the life, the history and the heritage of the area and to help new arrivals settle. For more details or to join please contact the President, Bernadette Ruffenach, on 05 55 76 11 19. Les Franglais de Banize (23120) French and English people meet every Wednesday at 2-3 pm in the mairie in Banize to share English and French language and lots of laughter. We all learn from each other, in both languages and about aspects of both cultures. In general the English try to speak in French and vice versa. As far as possible! The meetings have been going on for seven years now but new arrivals are always welcome. For more information please contact Anne Chadwick at lesfranglaisdebanize@orange.fr or tel 05 55 67 53 60. Connect87 CONNECT is a group for English speakers of any nationality in the area of St-Yrieix-la-Perche. Our Objective is to help people make friends and exchange information. We hold fun events and a Monthly Coffee Morning on the First Friday of every month at Espace Ferraud, rue du Docteur Lemoyne, St-Yrieix-la-Perche. We are a non profit making group and we are run by volunteers, there are no membership fees. For Further information visit our website www.connect87.info or contact Nikki Evans at nikkifleurie@gmail.com or on 05 53 55 09 83. French Conversation Group at Les Billanges (87340) We are a small group who meet fortnightly for an hour and a half on Tuesday evenings during term time in Les Billanges, 87340, close to the Creuse/ Haute-Vienne border. We are accompanied by a retired French schoolteacher and a current French teacher of English. Discussion is informal, loosely based on everyday topics, including some grammar plus general discussion. We need a few more people to help keep it vibrant and to cater for inevitable absences. The only cost is yearly membership of the local Association, about €20, which brings with it other social

COMMUNITY ♦ 25

AUGUST 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu opportunities. To find out more please contact Peter Metcalfe at petergmet@gmail.com Familles Rurales in Peyrat-le-Château Association Familles Rurales now offer assistance in English and Dutch to all non-French speaking people (British, Dutch, German, etc.) concerning all kinds of administrative steps. The service is available in Peyrat-le-Château and surrounding communes. We will try to provide information and help you find your way in social and administrative matters. We will also do our best to help you with practical matters such as language problems, payment of bills, hiring workmen, etc. Find Heleen Tichler-Botermans at the AFR office in Peyrat-le-Château on Mondays from 9 am to 12 pm and Wednesdays from 9 am to 1 pm. You are welcome to drop in or make an appointment. www.famillesrurales.org/peyrat-le-chateau E-mail: familles-rurales.infopeyrat@orange.fr Telephone: 06 41 20 06 83 Office address: 19 avenue de la Tour, 87470 Peyrat-leChâteau Familles Rurales 2 in St-Yrieix-la-Perche Weekly courses in French for foreigners (mainly English and Dutch) living in the area. Held at five different levels, all with the same native French teacher, so it is easy to move from one class to another if you feel out of place. Level 1 (beginners) - Mon 10h30-12h; Level 2 - Thur 10h30-12h; Level 3 - Tue 10h30-12h; Level 4 - Sat 10h-12h; Level 5 (top) - Weds 14h30-16h30. All courses are held in Familles Rurales' premises at 1 rue de la Piscine (former swimming pool), 87500 StYrieix-la-Perche. For more info tel 05 55 09 30 86, or Mark GRIEVES (English-speaking president) tel 06 76 64 89 94 will be pleased to answer any questions you may have. Aubusson’s Network - International Apero Reseau We have changed our name to “Aubusson’s Network” and are now meeting at the cafe “ Les Balladins” opposite Aubusson’s Gare Routière car park. We continue to meet between 11.30 am and 1pm every Saturday. You can contact us by phone, Catherine on 06 86 17 80 88 or email jan.senior@yahoo.co.uk We continue to meet to exchange views, make new friends, help and advise one another and help integrate newcomers. We are a friendly group of French and English who enjoy conversation in both languages. Learning Together – Apprenons Ensemble We are a friendly club based in Rochechouart and our aim is to promote good relations amongst the local French-speaking and English-speaking community. We offer courses of tuition in English and French as well as organising social and cultural events including visits to places of interest. For further information please visit our website www.learningtogether.moonfruit.com, email us at learningtogether87@gmail.com or telephone our President Alan Bretman on 05 55 49 08 75. We look forward to hearing from you. The Melting Pot We are a group of about 50 people who meet regularly to discuss and propose different ideas and activities with the aim of integrating more fully with the French community. Our meetings are held at the Ancienne Ecole in Darnac every Wednesday morning from 10h-12h, except on the first Wednesday of the month when we meet at 19h30. Our meetings are varied and include curry evenings, quizzes, plant swops, table tennis, pétanque tournaments, BBQs and more. Newcomers are very welcome. For more info visit: www.meltingpot-limousin.com CLE – (Charente Limousine Exchange) CLE is a not-for-profit organisation whose members form a valuable resource for the exchange of news, views, ideas and information. We lobby and work with key organisations to help protect our members' best interests, particularly when Government or other proposals threaten to impact the well-being of expatriate citizens. We organise a range of events, workshops and seminars throughout the year, plus social activities including coach trips, activity days and charity events. Our special interest groups include a Fishing Group, a Pudding Club and Gourmet Club which holds regular lunches at some of the region's better restaurants where we negotiate set menus a cut above the typical 'plat du jour' but still reasonably priced – all activities to help members make new expatriate and French friends. www.cle-france.com Email: contact@cle-france.com Tel: Barry Leech 05 49 87 19 85 Libraries & Books Sale of Second-hand Books, La Croisille-sur-Briance On the 18th of every month, during the monthly market at La Croisille-sur-Briance (87130), there is a sale of second-hand books (both English and French) from 9am to 12 noon, at the former restaurant in

CANCER SUPPORT FRANCE Charente Plus Free confidential support for Englishspeaking people touched by cancer

CSF 24 HOUR HELPLINE - 06 45 35 32 30 email: csfcharenteplus@gmail.com

Facebook : Cancer Support France - Charente-Plus La Place, opposite the bar/tabac. All proceeds go towards the local school funds (for La Croisille-surBriance and St-Méard RPI). La Souterraine English Library and Information Centre Located in the historic Porte de Puy Charraud, at 10 rue de Portail, La Souterraine, we are a lively, wellstocked English language library with almost 10,000 books and media available to borrow. We have an attractive cafe which serves tea, coffee and a range of home-made cakes. There is also a regularly changing display of works by local artists and an interesting brocante area on the ground floor. The Library offers classes in French for English speakers with a professional teacher and also organises AngloFrench conversation groups in association with the Municipal Library in La Souterraine. There are also a number of thriving special interest groups, such as the Gardening Group, Camera Club, Friendship Group, etc. We also provide support & assistance in bureaucratic and administrative matters for both existing British residents as well as newcomers to the area. Whatever your interests don’t hesitate to pay us a visit and you will be made most welcome. We are open from 09.30 until 12.30, Mon, Thu, Fri & Sat. For more info tel 05 55 89 57 62 during opening hours or visit www.englishlibrary.fr The English Library, Dun-le-Palestel The English Library, which has now been established for over 5 yrs, is situated in the Route des Rateries, beside the Bibliothèque Municipale, Parc Benjamin Bord. The library is a very welcoming meeting place, where you can come and enjoy a cup of tea, or coffee, whilst you browse through our collection of around 7,500 books, DVDs and talking books. Our opening hours are Thursdays, 10h00 – 16h00 and Saturdays 10h00 – 12h30. Also, on the first Tuesday of every month, 10h00 – 12h00, you are invited to join us for our Club Franglais, which welcomes people from all nationalities, to chat in French, English or any language you wish(!) whilst enjoying a cup of tea, and a piece of home-made cake. We host a range of other activities too, including the Café Philo, and Club Scrabble. More information can be found on the Entente Cordiale website at www.ententecordiale-creuse.org or email us at library.ententecordiale@yahoo.com Music “Le Jeudi Meta Blues” Organised by the association Nessgig this takes place every 4th Thursday of the month, from 19h30 to 22h at “La Petite Charrue” pub, Le Bournazeau, ChâteauChervix (87). All music lovers who would like to share and exchange information and stories around blues, folk and rock, in French AND in English, or who might like to jam a little, are welcome. Free admission! For more information email nessgig87@gmail.com or tel 05 55 09 99 34. Open Mic Night If you like music and have ever fancied getting up and having a go, why not come along to our Open Mic Night at “Le Loch Ness” in La Souterraine town centre every Friday around 8.30pm. L'Orchestre Philharmonique de La Souterraine If you or one of your family are interested in playing in an orchestra and think your standard might be adequate do get in contact with us. We meet weekly on Friday evenings in La Souterraine (apart from the summer holidays) to rehearse. Most of our concerts are around Xmas or May-July. Our members come from all over Limousin so lifts to and fro may be possible if necessary. Contacts: French language Marie-France Martinie 05 55 30 76 23 / English language Alan Kerr 05 55 56 34 52 The Harmonics This is our 6th season of singing as a group. Our music is varied classical, madrigals, spiritual, songs from the shows etc and we sing in French, English, Swahili, Latin - whatever the music demands. Our concerts are in support of a variety of charities including the British Legion, L'Oregon at Civray and Retina and thus non profit making. We meet Wed 14h – 16h in the Salle d'Annexe behind the Mairie in Civray. Interested? We'd love to see you so contact: David Lee tel 05 49 87 53 93 email dave.lee@cegetel.net or Dolly Ait Boualou email sylvia.murray@wanadoo.fr

Alcoholics Anonymous

Support

Blaze

Male possibly Manx kitten born 3/4/17 and

Nefertouem

Male part Turkish Angora kitten Nefertouem is a shy kitten with no tail and, with his sharp almost oriental features, he may well be a Manx kitten. He needs reassurance but give him time and he will relax with you and you'll then get to hear his best feature, his very loud purr! He is learning to play and is enjoying the company of the other kittens. Blaze is a beautiful kitten, he has inherited his mum's short hook tail, common in Turkish Angoras, which she is. He is interested in everything around him, playing and exploring and, very importantly, loves lots of cuddles.

If you or someone you know has a drinking problem, there are now English-speaking meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous at Limoges, Périgueux and the recently opened meeting at Civray. Alcoholics Anonymous is a Fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership and A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. For details of the meetings or other information contact Roger 05 55 76 22 65 (Limoges), Ewen 05 53 05 76 62 (Périgueux) or Angela 05 49 87 79 09 (Civray). Other meetings in South-West France can be located on our web-site at www.aafrance.net English-speaking council surgery ...for residents of the commune of St-LégerMagnazeix. Every 2nd Weds in the month, an Englishspeaking council surgery with councillors Manuela Stroescu and Patrick Johnson will take place at the Mairie between 11am and 12pm. Elizabeth Finn Care Registered charity Elizabeth Finn Care is able to offer direct financial assistance to British and Irish nationals or residents who live overseas. We ensure that our help does not affect any means-tested payments. 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 L’Association France Alzheimer Dordogne Charitable organisation offering English-speaking support and guidance to anyone dealing with the day-to-day difficulties affecting those with dementia, their families and their carers and assistance with how to access the best provisions of care. English Helpline (available on Tuesday mornings between 10am and midday): 09 64 21 40 86. For more information email alzheimer.dordogne@ orange.fr or visit www.francealzheimer-dordogne. org Cancer Support France, Charente Plus Free confidential support for English-speaking people touched by cancer in departments 16, 17 & 86. CSF 24 hour helpline: 06 45 35 32 30, Email csfcharenteplus@ gmail.com, Facebook: Cancer Support France Charente Plus Cancer Support Haute-Vienne We offer free and confidential support to English speakers affected by Cancer in the Haute-Vienne (87) and Creuse (23). Our helpline number is 06 04 43 39 87. If you would like more information or would like to become a member or help in any other way, please contact Sue Ware 05 55 00 31 15, helpline@vienne. org or visit www.cshautevienne.org

Cancer Support Haute-Vienne ...wishes to thank all the people who supported the sale at Tina and Jane's barn on 17th June and Sharon and team's Hip Hop evening on 24th June. We are very grateful for the support and always touched by people's generosity. Sue Ware, President

If you wish to meet either of these gorgeous boys please contact their foster carer: Sophie Nicol Tel: 05 53 73 91 13 Mobile: 07 78 21 13 55 Email: sophie.nicol@yahoo.fr Dept. 24 Bergerac

Golden Girls Pet Rescue Center

On a beautiful estate in Moissannes on the Haute-Vienne/Creuse border 5 retired German ladies have moved to France and established a one-of-akind pet shelter serving as a peaceful haven for severely handicapped dogs and pet cancer patients – the Golden Girls Pet Rescue Center. Over the last few years the project, which started with an elderly lady living with elderly dogs and cats, has developed into an international operating centre that takes on cats and dogs from all parts of the world.

What makes this centre unique is the ladies' devotion to care for these pets regardless of their age or level of handicap. Angela, one of The Golden Girls, explains: “Our peaceful location is surrounded by woodland and water. We also cook organic meals, give supplements and holistic treatments like acupuncture. The dogs here are mostly from 3 categories: heavily handicapped and/ or using wheelchairs; cancer patients; and dogs with special needs who are blind, deaf or epileptic. All these are seen as normal conditions here and all our four-legged residents are equally loved. When a new resident arrives, we promise them they can live with us for as long as their heart is beating and that we will provide for them with love and care until the end. Because of its huge success and unique holistic approach to animal welfare, the shelter is expanding... and so is the work! They need helping hands for concreting, fencing and daily walks for all dogs. There is a large cat villa being built and a barn to be converted to suit a lot more wheelchair dogs that are arriving. With this thought in mind, the Golden Girls Pet Rescue Center is reaching out to The Bugle's readers with the hope that by letting people know what they are doing, animal loving expats will lend them a helping hand and would be grateful to anyone who can help them to help a lot more special animals in need. For more information contact: Golden Girls Pet Rescue Center La Tuilerie 87400 Moissannes Phone: 07 81 31 45 47 https://protection-animal-la-tuilerie.jimdo.com/

26 ♦ WHAT’S ON

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ AUGUST 2017 Sat 24th Jun to Tue 19th Sep ROCHECHOUART Summer Exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Art Simone Fattal: The man who will make a new tree grow is a retrospective exhibition covering a career that has included periods as a painter in Lebanon, as a publisher of poetry in California and as a sculptor working in Paris today. The title refers explicitly to the Epic of Gilgamesh, mankind's earliest surviving literary work probably set down around 2500 BC. The exhibition features a broad selection of over 60 pieces by Simone Fattal, no attempt being made to show them in chronological order, but aiming instead to produce a record of our time, crafted from hopeful aspirations, resistance, exile and memories. Maxime Rossi: American Wedding - This exhibition occupies the top floor of Rochechouart Castle. It brings together the artist's two latest large-scale video projects, Real Estate Astrology and Sister Ship in which we follow Maxime Rossi hot on the trails of Max Ernst in America and Sister Corita Kent in Africa. The videos shift from desert landscapes in Arizona to the river banks of the Congo but unlike factual documentary style, our journey is both personal and poetic. Raoul Hausmann: The Minotaur - The museum's collection includes over 700 works plus a large archive of other material (poems, theoretical texts, letters, photographic negatives, etc.) which build a unique picture of Hausmann's wide-ranging experiments in art as well as the historical or cultural circumstances impinging on his

intellectual life. The Minotaur is an exhibition of works and documents by Raoul Hausmann on mythological themes, the title itself referring to a famous photo-collage he made in 1947. Perseus, Osiris, Ajax and Oedipus are familiar figures in his output and seem to have great significance in a psychoanalytical sense informed by the

Charroux Literary Festival August 24th, 25th, 26th A 3-day festival of booklovers' delight, where one can mingle amongst international authors, publishers and poets with discussions, workshops and book signings.

The latest historical fiction novel from Haute-Vienne author James R. Vance To survive the Nazi occupation of France, Eliane Tricot must conceal secrets. When an SS officer finds accommodation at her parents' house, her life begins to unravel. She plunges into a world of deceipt, terror and retribution that threatens to destroy her family. Tormented by those years, fearsome memories continue to affect her sanity. Twenty-five years will pass before a priest and a local history teacher reveal the truth. The Housekeeper is a fictional novel based on factual events involving the activities of the Resistance and the brutal enforcement of the Gestapo in the Limousin region of south-west France during WWII. Publisher: RealTime Publishing - ISBN: 978-1-84961-213-5 Pages: 254 - Published: May 2017 Order from: RealTime Publishing Limerick, Ireland; Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.fr (+ Kindle version); Direct via email from jamesvance.author@sfr.fr

Local Limousin author, James R. Vance, will be presenting a workshop on Scene Creation and Transition. There will also be the official launch of his new historical fiction novel

THE HOUSEKEEPER

WHAT’S ON ♦ 27

AUGUST 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu writings of Jung, Freud and Schelling. Works in the exhibition are laid out in the order of the 9 chapters in Hausmann's unfinished book Renewal of the Mythical, an analysis of his thoughts on urges and obsessions, his interest in primal form and the question of renewal. Inaugurated in 1985, the Rochechouart Museum of Contemporary Art currently houses a remarkable collection of 300 works by internationally renowned artists. Since its beginnings, the museum has thrived on the originality of showing contemporary art in a protected historic monument. Open every day except Tuesdays from 10h-12h30 & 13h30-18h. Entrance: €4.60 (free for Under 18s).

magnificent scenery of the Tour de Bridiers, a historic site just outside La Souterraine dominated by the dramatic ruins of a 14th century castle. During the play, Bridiers becomes a gigantic open-air theatre with the action taking place across the arena, viewed by an audience of 2,000 people seated in a natural amphitheatre.

Thu 10th Aug CROZANT Medieval Fete There is entertainment from the Middle Ages all day long with theatre, dance, music, archery, games for children and adults, medieval garden to visit, artisanal market, etc. Do come in costume (not an obligation) to enjoy a memorable day! Starts 10 am.

Fri 30th Jun to Fri 15th Sep BOUSSAC Exhibition Exhibition at the Château of the tapestries of Dom Robert and sculptures of Eric Dubois. 9h-12h & 14h-17h30.

Sat 12th to Sat 19th Aug Concerts with the Paris Symphonic Orchestra Sat 12th: Vivaldi, Mozart, Caccini, Handel. Boussac church. 20H30. Sun 13th: Vivaldi, Mozart, Caccini, Handel. La Celle Dunoise church. 20H30. Mon 14th: Vivaldi, Mozart, Caccini, Handel. Abbatiale Chambonsur-Voueize. 20H30. Tue 15th: Vivaldi, Mozart, Caccini, Handel. Chéniers church. 20H30. Wed 16th: Chamber music (Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert et Brahms). Orangerie du Château de Boussac. 20H30. Thu 17th: Vivaldi's Four Seasons and Geminiani's La Folia. La Châtre church. 20H30. Sat 19th: Chamber music (Boccherini, Haydn, Borodin, Schubert, Dvorak, Brahms). La Celle Dunoise church. 20H30. For more information and tickets contact local tourist offices.

Mon 17th Jul to Sun 20th Aug FELLETIN Exhibition Exhibition of paintings and sculptures by the association Lez'Arts Sud 23. Espace Tibord du Chalard, from 3 pm to 6 pm. Thu 27th to Sun 30th Jul ARGENTON-SUR-CREUSE Festival Debussy

Staged by the association Classique en Berry, the Festival Debussy, created 6 years ago, has become one of the inescapable meetings of the area. Entitled "Iberia", the 2017 edition will celebrate Spanish music, receiving the greatest names of classical music. But this festival is also a musical springboard for young talents, a place to discover classical music in a creative way with many exhibitions, free shows and an open-air picnic organised by the festival before the beginning of the concerts. For more information visit www.festivaldebussy.com Sun 30th Jul CHÉNIERS Concert: La Voie Mélodieuse Concert of varied choral works performed by La Voie Mélodieuse Vocal Ensemble in the church of Chéniers, 23220, at 4 pm. Composers will include Bach, Handel, Saint-Saens, Poulenc, and Billy Joel. Entry is free, with a collection at the conclusion of the concert to cover expenses. Find us on Facebook and www.lavoiemelodieuse.com.

Entertaining this year will be 500 artists coming from all over the world! At a time when our societies seem to have lost their humanity, the Festival remains a moment to recognise and appreciate our differences. Visit www.festivaldeconfolens.com for the full programme.

Sun 13th Aug LA COURTINE Brocante - vide-greniers & antiques fair Over 250 stands. All day. For more information or to reserve a stand email les.amis.de.la. brocante@gmail.com For its twelfth edition, the light and sound show will present the show “Blood and Stone... or the Quest of Albéric 1000 years ago in Aquitaine”. Takes place on the evenings of 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th of August with the performance starting as the sun sets around 10 pm. Tickets: Adults €20; Children €10. Available from fresque.bridiers@ gmail.com, ticketmaster.fr, francebillet.com and box.fr. For more information visit www.fresque.bridiers.com Mon 7th Aug AUBUSSON Meditation through art

Wed 2nd to Sun 6th Aug FELLETIN 40e Festival Danses, Musiques et Voix du Monde This year's music and folk dance festival welcomes 300 performers from all over the world. Discover techniques of meditation and contemplation at the Cité internationale de la tapisserie. Participants will be invited to approach meditation through different themes, inspired by the works around them, in an exceptional and privileged setting in the heart of the tapestries during the museum's closing hours. Session starts at 18h30 and lasts 1h30. Cost: €6. To reserve tel Dominique Sallanon on 06 18 54 44 13. Wed 9th to Tue 15th Aug CONFOLENS Festival de Confolens Annual international festival of folk music and dance, attracting over 100,000 visitors. For 60 years, Confolens has been organising the most popular traditional arts festival in the world. During the summer, the town becomes the 'home port' for like-minded travellers. Lovers of dance, music and singing all come together making music a universal language, embracing different cultures.

Sun 13th Aug SAINT-SORNIN-LEULAC Blues Concert The concert will take place in the church at Saint-Sornin-Leulac (87290) starting at 18h and will feature top UK based trio, The Spikedrivers. They are described as one of the most original, innovative and exciting bands around, their combination of gutsy slide guitar, rocksolid bass, infectious grooves and highly distinctive vocals, creates a sound that is uniquely their own. They take you on a journey, from southern juke-joints and lazy front porches to the huge open spaces of dust bowls and railroad tracks disappearing into the distance... Tickets are priced at €12 and can be reserved by calling 05 55 60 62 55. Tue 15th to Fri 18th Aug Tour du Limousin - 50th edition The Tour du Limousin is one of the most important sports events in the region... but it’s also a festive and popular event for more than 200,000 spectators. Stage 1: 15th August Panazol (87) - Rochechouart (87) Stage 2: 16th August Fursac (23) - Le Maupuy Les Monts de Guéret (23) Stage 3: 17th August Saint-Pantaléon de Larche (19) - Chaumeil (19) Stage 4: 18th August: Saint-Junien (87) - Limoges (87) For more information visit: www.tourdulimousin.com Wed 16th Aug SAINT-AMAND-JARTOUDEIX Salon de thé anglais English afternoon tea at the mairie, organised by the Association Rencontres Franco-Britanniques, from 15h-17h. For more information visit www.francobrit.com or tel 05 55 64 22 25 (English and French spoken). Thu 24th to Sat 26th Aug CHARROUX Charroux Bilingual Literary Festival 2nd edition of this bilingual literary festival. The perfect opportunity for lovers of literature to meet best-selling novelists, poets and playwrights from France and Great Britain who will be sharing their passion and expertise over three days of talks, readings and workshops. In between events, take an opportunity to explore the quaint alleys and ancient buildings of this unspoilt town in south-west France. For bookings and more information please go to www.facebook. com/charrouxlitfest or www.charrouxlitfest.com Thu 31st Aug to Wed 6th Sep LA ROCHEFOUCAULD Exhibition of photographs by Barry Ainsworth

For more information & to view the festival programme visit: www. portesdumonde.net Thu 3rd to Sun 27th Aug DUN-LE-PALESTEL Exhibition of embroidery The "Atelier Broderie" of the Entente Cordiale is organising its first exhibition at 48, Grande Rue, Dun-le-Palestel. Discover the "Beast of Aberdeen", the Legend of King Arthur and above all allow us to introduce our great collective work "The World of Arthur" embroidered in wool and in part in Bayeux stitch. Our embroiderers have an ambitious project entitled "Infinie Broderie" to produce a record-breaking embroidery (longer than the Bayeux Tapestry!) recounting the history of Crozant from prehistoric times to the present day. We will be presenting 5.5m at the Fête Médiévale de Crozant on 10th August. Fri 4th to Mon 7th Aug LA SOUTERRAINE Fresque de Bridiers The annual Fresque Historique de Bridiers takes place before the

Exhibition of photographs by Barry Ainsworth at La Halle aux Grains. The old factory at Saint-Florent, La Rochefoucauld, is scheduled for redevelopment. It is an enormous facility divided mainly into two multi-storied buildings, and is situated in an ancient part of the town along one bank of the River Tardoire. Sadly business declined and eventually the older buildings became deserted. It is the neglected state of these structures that interested me, as I hope is evident from the photographs.

28 ♦ WHAT’S ON

The Bugle Film Club Thursday 10th August

What? Dunkirk - in English Where? Cinéma Sénéchal, 1 rue du Sénéchal, 23000 Guéret When? 19h00, Thursday 10th August How much? JUST €4

(mention The Bugle when purchasing your ticket) For details of the Cinéma Sénéchal, visit www.cinema-senechal.com Details of each month's screening will be included in The Bugle, but to receive emails about upcoming Film Club nights, please send an email to editor@thebugle.eu quoting “Film Club” in the subject line, and we will add you to our contact list. (We promise not to send you any spam!!)