The Bugle - June 2012 by The Bugle

Greenpeace activists 'bomb' nuclear power plant In a stunt aimed at highlighting alleged security issues, members of Greenpeace have 'attacked' two nuclear facilities close to Central France. >> Page 3

June 2012 Issue #32

Creuse strikes back! Residents and politicians of the Creuse have fought back following the printing of a disparaging article in an arty Parisian magazine. at the department’s largest town with a series of lazy stereotypes that were presumably meant to raise a chuckle from its ignorant readers. In the magazine, it refers to the Creuse as the nerve centre of a ‘diagonal of emptiness’ that disfigures France. What neither the author, Alexandre Majirus, nor his employer realised, was that the residents of Creuse would not take these nasty insults lying down. Word soon spread on social networking sites – yes, Mr Majirus, the computer has made it to La France profonde – and within hours a Facebook page entitled “Les Creusois contre Technikart” had been created and in no time had nearly 1,500 signed-up members. The anger was felt in two ways. Firstly, because the article in question was in no way balanced, and was simply a series of cheap shots that bordered on a form of racism. For example, the author

>> continued on page 5

NEWS - Courbefy sells for €520,000

The entire Limousin village up for auction has fetched €200,000 over the asking price >> Page 4

NEWS - Tornado hits Toulouse

A tornado has ripped through Toulouse in the south of France, causing plenty of damage, but no injuries >> Page 7

BILINGUAL - The Queen's Jubilee

entral France is one of the poorest areas of the country and the poorest department in central France is La Creuse. A sparsely populated area, Creuse is a land once famed for its skilled masons, but it has suffered in recent years from the decline of farming, an ageing population and the migration of its youth towards larger cities in search of work. The average person earns just €19,500 per year and over half of the population pays no tax. That said, as is so often the case in rural areas, what Creuse may lack in the ‘trappings’ of modern life, it more than makes up for in quality of life, friendliness and a pride in the local area and people. This was put to the test recently when pretentious Parisian arty magazine, Technikart, printed a sneering article on Guéret, the capital of the Creuse. The article poked fun

INSIDE > > >

Increasing numbers of wealthy Parisians are crossing the Channel to live in London >> Page 9

Your indispensible guide to the region's Businesses >> Centre Pages

JUNE 2012 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

2 ♦ IN THIS EDITION

The Bugle

his month I have been thinking a lot about family and community. I followed with interest the story of the Technikart magazine ‘article’ on Guéret (see our lead item this month) and although it did make me a bit angry, as you may be able to tell from the language I used in my piece, it also made me smile. It is not often that the little guy gets to land any telling blows, but the backlash from the general public, media and politicians alike did for once seem to register and I should imagine that the ‘journalist’ behind the Technikart article had an uncomfortable few days! It reminded me of a very famous YouTube clip I was once sent of some vile boys picking on ‘the fat kid’ in an Australian school and filming it on their phones. You can tell from the footage that this poor guy has been through this, day in day out, for a long time. He is not only fat, he is big… I mean really tall and physically big. He was easily twice the size of his tormentor, but was being mercilessly punched and bullied. On the day in question, something snaps and enough finally becomes enough. With a lightening agility that belies his size, he picks up the bully

and, quite violently and literally, dumps him on his head. The bully staggers off, clearly hurt and with blood already apparent, and his fellow bullies stand by bemused as the big kid walks off triumphantly. The clip became an internet sensation and caused a massive stir when BOTH boys were suspended. It is quite a shocking bit of violence, but it is very hard to watch without smiling just a little bit at the sight of a bully receiving their comeuppance. I’m not trying to draw too many comparisons and I’m obviously not suggesting that violence is ever a solution, but it was very satisfying to see the people of Creuse give a metaphorical bloody nose to the magazine and its bosses. The furore also got me thinking about community pride and spirit, especially in rural areas. My friends from the UK are spread all over the country, if not the world - I can not think of a single one that lives particularly close to the place where they were born and raised. Locations are based around factors like house prices, commuting distances, local schools etc. Very rarely will someone quote pride, heritage or history as a reason for living somewhere.

my wife comments that the garden is looking a bit untidy and shouldn’t we (meaning I) mow the lawn, I look sagely out the window and proclaim that we should give the grass another hour to dry out - usually having just seen another rain cloud on its way! The number of events going on around the region has increased noticeably this month… just take a look at our back pages which are just a mere snippet of what’s on offer. I am always amazed when people say that there is not much to do here. A little bit of time spent investigating – and having gone through the Bugle’s pages, your local Tourist Office is the next best place to go – will reveal a wealth of possibilities between now and the end of summer. So no excuses, get out there and enjoy!! Until next month Steve Martindale Editor

INSIDE this edition 1 & 3-5 Local News 6-9 National News 10-13 French Life 14-15 Classifieds 16 Letters to the Editor 17 Notice Board 18 Clubs & Associations 19-20 What's On B1-B8 Business Directory B8 Caption Competition

General: editor@thebugle.eu Advertising: sales@thebugle.eu Subscriptions: subscriptions@thebugle.eu Write to: The Bugle Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois France

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I was given even more cause to this think about this recently when a relative very sadly died. The funeral was a bit tricky to arrange logistically speaking, because people were literally coming from the four corners of the country and in our case, even overseas. I have spoken about my neighbours opposite several times before. They are in their eighties and have one daughter. She married and had one daughter of her own and that daughter also married and now has a 6-year-old daughter. Four generations, a very close family, and I could visit them all on foot in about 15 minutes. I don’t know anyone outside of this type of rural community who could say that about their family. I suspect that it is not like that in much of the UK and I suspect that it is also not like that in many parts of France… and I think that is a shame. It is one thing that rural communities have held on to: closeness with your community, the sense of belonging and of having a regional and cultural identity – it must be a wonderful thing. Would the residents of big cities in France or commuter towns around London have reacted so violently to such vitriolic insults as did the residents of Creuse? It feels as though I haven’t spoken about the weather much recently… am I finally becoming less British?! I’m sure as soon as I write this the sun will come out, but it seems a it bonkers that we can have this much rain and still be talking about hose pipe bans and droughts! The only plus side to the poor weather has been a cast iron excuse not to mow the lawn. When

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JUNE 2012

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 3

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Activists 'bomb' nuclear power station

his month has seen two ‘attacks’ on French nuclear power stations by Greenpeace activists in an attempt to highlight security issues surrounding nuclear power. The two incidents were at the Civaux nuclear site in the Vienne, just outside Montmorillon and the Bugey plant in southeastern France. These 2 facilities are the nearest to much of central France. In the incident at Bugey, a Greenpeace activist flew a paraglider over the nuclear site and dropped a red smoke grenade onto the roof of the reactor, before landing nearby. The pilot was arrested shortly after the stunt, along with a second man on the ground who was believed to have been guiding him. EDF, the French energy giant that runs the country’s nuclear plants, said in a statement that safety was at no time compromised. In a separate incident, a Greenpeace activist was arrested after breaking into the Civaux nuclear site through the truck gate and remaining hidden for an hour in bushes. The incidents have sparked concerns that activists could be planning similar stunts elsewhere around the world. Edwin Lyman, a nuclear terrorism specialist, believes

a danger does exist, following a decision by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to exclude the possibility of an aerial attack from a list of potential threats. In the wake of the Fukushima disaster in Japan, France pledged to review safety tests at its nuclear facilities. Those tests included their capacity to resist floods, earthquakes, power outages and cooling system

failures - but not terrorist attacks or the possibility of a plane crash. Sophia Majnoni d’Intignano, in charge of nuclear questions at Greenpeace, said: “This over flight shows the vulnerability of the French nuclear site to an air attack. While Germany took account of a plane crash in its safety tests, France still refuses to analyse this risk for our reactors.”

France relies more on nuclear power than any other country in the world. There are 58 nuclear reactors in mainland France and they produce 78% of the country’s electricity needs. In this, France far outpaces all other countries in the world, with Japan coming in a distant second, producing about 34% of its electricity requirement through nuclear technology. ■

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New 'eco' supermarket opens in Aixe A ‘next generation’ supermarket, unlike any other, has just opened its doors in Aixe-surVienne. The new ‘eco’ Super U, on the outskirts of town in the new Grand-Rieux commercial zone, was more expensive to build than a standard supermarket, but is packed with ‘green’ technologies: solar panels on the roof generate electricity; water is collected from the roof of the 70-space covered car park and used for the carwash and for maintaining the green areas; the ceiling has been lowered to minimise heat loss; the low-energy lighting adjusts itself depending on the ambient lighting; even the heat generated by the refrigeration units is recycled to warm the building. On top of that, 80% of all waste generated by the new store will be recycled. When completed, the store will have cost 15% more to build than a ‘standard’ supermarket, but according to the owner, Gilles Dupin, his utility bills will be 30% lower than his rivals. ■

JUNE 2012 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

4 ♦ LOCAL NEWS

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Courbefy sells for €520,000

ourbefy, the abandoned village just outside Châlus in southern Haute-Vienne, has finally been sold at an auction in Limoges for €520,000 – more than €200,000 over the asking price. The new owner, a US-based Korean photographer called Ahae, fought off bids from other potential buyers including a Dutch TV company, which wanted to shoot a reality TV show in the village and a Belgian firm wanting to build a retirement home. Ahae says he is passionate about nature and wants to set up an “environmental, artistic and cultural” project in the village, according to his representative at the auction in Limoges. The local mayor, Bernard Guilhem, says Ahae’s project will create jobs, but could not specify how many. “I’m reassured the village has at last been sold, even if the [artist’s] project is not very clear, I’m sure it will revive the area and boost the economy,” he told French radio station RTL. Ahae is now the proud owner of 10 hectares of land, including 19 buildings, a tennis court, a swimming pool and stables, as well as - if legend is to be believed - vast resources of Celtic gold buried beneath the small village! (see last month’s edition of The Bugle) Jean-Pierre Chateau, who lives in the nearby countryside, told Le Figaro newspaper that it was “heartbreaking” to see the place as a “ghost village”. He said it once had a unique atmosphere with “village festivals which were held right up until the 1960s”. The last inhabitants of Courbefy moved out around 1970, chasing jobs in new industries. Following its demise, the village passed through a number of owners, most

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Airport News A single rate for taxi transfers between Limoges airport and the train station In line with our ongoing policy of customer satisfaction, following the recommendations of the Grenelle Environment charter and in order to facilitate complementarities between sites, an agreement has been concluded between Limoges International Airport, the company “Allo Artisans Limoges Taxis " (AALT) and French Rail (SNCF). This partnership will offer a single rate for taxi transfers between Limoges airport and the Limoges railway station (and vice versa). For 23 € per transfer, whatever the number of passengers, it will now be possible to reach the train station or the airport, in twenty minutes, at a flat rate. To sum up: Transfers Limoges airport-Limoges train station: 7 days / 7 by taxi. Fixed Rates: - 23 € (inclusive of tax) per vehicle, Monday through Saturday including bank holidays. - 31 € (inclusive of tax) per vehicle, from 7.00pm (night fare until 8am) and Sundays. - No extra charge for luggage. Departures: In front of the airport terminal and outside the train station. Information and pre-bookings available on: http://www.taxis87.com/contact.php or by calling 00-33-555-38-38-38 (pre-booking advised)

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of them foreign and all of them apparently without the requisite skills and/or budget to return the village to its former glory. There were plans to turn it into a holiday village in the 1990s, complete with hotels and restaurants, but the hugely expensive project was eventually abandoned. The most recent

owners bought the village at the turn of the century, but by 2008 were unable to keep up with mortgage repayments. Courbefy failed to find any bidders when it first went up for auction earlier this year, but interest rocketed after it received international media attention. ■

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LOCAL NEWS ♦ 5

Region's apple crops Creuse fights back against Parisian magazine decimated following >> continued from pg 1 'black frost' The apple growers of the ‘golden triangle’ of SaintYrieix-la-Perche, Lanouaille and Pompadour are nervous for this year’s harvest following a ‘black frost’ in April. The unseasonal frost, which sent temperatures plummeting as low as -6ºC is some areas, has damaged many of the flowering apple trees and there is now a serious concern for this year's crop. A black frost occurs when the internal frost damage on a plant is so severe that it causes it to turn black. On April 17th, it was not so much the low temperature that caused the damage, more the length of time that it remained that cold. In Troche, Corrèze, there are 120 hectares of orchards. It is estimated that total losses for that particular area’s 15 producers will be €1.2 million. Across the ‘golden triangle’ it is estimated that between 80-100% of all trees have been affected. “At 2 in the morning here, the temperature under cover was -3ºC, and at 6 in the morning it was -5ºC,” said Pierre Lortolary, a local apple grower. “Look, you can see the flowers falling in the wind… I will not be harvesting anything this year.” 85% of all apples picked in this area are of the famous ‘golden du Limousin’ variety, a type of Golden Delicious. These apples were awarded an appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) in France in 2005 that means only apples grown in a certain area may be called golden du Limousin. The region’s most famous fruit was then given appellation d'origine protégée (AOP) status in 2007, which is the equivalent of the AOC but on a Europe-wide level and remains the only apple in France with this protection. ■

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states that inbreeding is rife “puisqu’une personne sur deux connaît votre mère”. As Creuse resident Stephanie explained on her blog (www. bloginfrance.com - Guéret Under Attack! Back Off, Technikart): “this last part means ‘where one person in two knows your mother’. I suspect that implies ‘know’ in the Biblical sense.” Elsewhere in the article, the ‘journalist’ refers to Guéret as a “trou paumé” (a godforsaken hole) and searches for the “moins glauque” (least squalid) place to go in town. The second source of anger was that the young people ‘interviewed’ in the piece were hideously misquoted. Martial, one such Creusois told La Montagne that he felt “betrayed” by the article. “The journalist told me he wanted to know about the cool spots to hang out in Creuse, and about the youth scene here. Sure, I was expecting a light-hearted piece, but not something so contemptuous.” The author and the magazine began to receive a barrage of calls and messages and the pressure began to mount on Technikart. At first they remained unapologetic and defended the piece,

saying it was only meant to be a joke. Except that no one was laughing. Guéret’s mayor, Michel Vergnier, wrote on his website that the language used in the article “hurt” him and he formerly expressed his “outrage, and that of the numerous people who have called in the last 48 hours”. He added that: “We freely accept criticism when it is constructive. We are happy to laugh at the jokes and caricatures that we often level at ourselves, but we will not accept the insults made against us here.” Eventually, Technikart’s editor-in-chief, Raphaël Turcat, phoned Guéret’s mayor to discuss the growing scandal. “I explained that we have a sarcastic tone that spares no one, ourselves included”, said Mr Turcat following the call. “He [Vergnier] said that he took exception to a few of our phrases, and I explained that I was sorry if they offended him, but that we consider them to be commonly used expressions.” Turcat went on to say that he would be writing an editorial in the next edition of Technikart on the whole affair and offered Michel Vergnier the right of

reply in the same edition. Mr Turcat suggested visiting Guéret with a team from the magazine for a big BBQ, an offer flatly rejected by Vergnier, although there was mention of an invite to mark the end of the cultural season on 9th June. As far as the Guéret authorities were concerned, “Certain words used are absolutely unacceptable,” said deputy mayor, Eric

Correia. “We hope that he uses his editorial to express remorse and we will take it from there, bearing in mind that the ‘dossier’ is already with our lawyers.” At time of going to press the editorial in the next edition of Technikart is not available, but it would be safe to assume that the magazine will think twice before they try to take another cheap shot at the proud Creusois people! ■

JUNE 2012 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

6 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

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British author made Commander of Légion d'Honneur British historian and sociologist Theodore Zeldin has been made a Commander of France’s Légion d’Honneur as a tribute to his many works on French history and customs. He is only the second foreigner to receive the honour this year. That the other was Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese peace activist, indicates the esteem in which Dr Zeldin is held in France. “He understands us better than we know ourselves,” Livres de France once said. The Legion of Honour is divided into five classes (in ascending order): Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier (Grand Officer) and Grand'Croix (Grand Cross). Recipients will normally enter at the level of Chevalier and be promoted through the ranks for continued service. Zeldin has written no less than five works, one of five volumes, on France including The French and History of French Passions and was described by Time Magazine as “the world's foremost authority on Frenchness”. He is today probably most famous internationally as the author of An Intimate History of Humanity (1994), a book which probes the personal preoccupations of people in many different civilisations, both in the past and in the present. In 2001 Zeldin set up the Oxford Muse Foundation, whose aim is to introduce people from different cultures and is an ardent defender of the art of conversation. “For me one of the great problems of our epoch is that people are isolated, they don’t know their neighbours, don’t come out of their bubble,” he said. In 2007, Zeldin was appointed to a committee advising the French government of Nicolas Sarkozy on labour market reforms and is a regular commentator in the French media. The election of new French President François Hollande “opens up new opportunities”, he declared this month. ■

French farmers barcode cows

everyone had a good laugh at having had their collective leg pulled. The joke was so good, in fact, that other farmers have now followed the idea for real! Two Breton farmers already involved in direct selling from farmer to consumer are now reportedly involved in implementing QR for real in an attempt to boost sales. Their cows carry QR codes on chains around their necks and scanning

ost people will have seen a QR code, even if they do not know what one is or what it does. These 2-dimensional barcodes can be scanned by many modern phones and handheld devices and will either display information or more often take the user to a website. It is a technology that is on the increase as companies seek ever more ways to target us. However, how many of us have seen a QR code branded onto the side of a cow? Cattle on a farm in Morbihan, northeast France, were recently spotted sporting a QR code made from edible ink. Visitors to the farm who scanned the cows were taken to a website where they could play an online scratch card game: uncover 3 cows to win a prize in the farm shop!! Videos of the cows in question and the online scratch card game went viral. The idea was a stroke of marketing ‘genius’, dreamed up by a group of self-confessed QR-code geeks, and Gildas le Behoc, the ‘farmer’ in question turned out to be an actor (albeit a very good one!) The QRbranded cows were part of a marketing campaign to increase awareness of the new type of barcode. Although a stunt, the animals, the farm and the edible ink barcodes were all real and the barcodes could indeed be scanned from the cows’ hides. The campaign was very successful; the website attracted more than 50,000 hits in a matter of days and

them takes you to the same site where the scratch card game can be played. Winners of the game, called “Gratt’Meuh!”, or “Scratch Moo!” in English, receive a litre of milk and 4 organic yoghurts when they visit the farm store. A draw of all winners will take place at the end of the season with one lucky player winning a weekend trip to the guest cottage on the farm, located in a nature and tourism reserve. ■

French quadriplegic swims between two continents

renchman Philippe Croizon has completed the first leg of his bid to swim between 5 continents of the world. His feat is all the more impressive given that he lost all four of his limbs in an electrical accident 18 years ago. The first part of his epic journey saw him swim from Papua New Guinea (Oceania) to Indonesia (Asia) and took seven-and-a-half hours. “It was very, very hard,” he said after the event, which involved crossing 20km between two points on New Guinea island, which is shared between the two countries. “It took us an hour-and-a-half more than we expected because we had to swim against the currents.” Soon after completing the gruelling swim, Mr Croizon tweeted that they did not come across any sharks or jellyfish, but were joined by a Papua New Guinean man named Zet Tampa, who swam with them to show solidarity. Accompanied by Arnaud Chassery, a long-distance swimming specialist, the quadriplegic adventurer swims thanks to prosthetic limbs with flipper-like attachments.

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Mr Croizon lost his limbs when he received a massive 20,000 volt shock while adjusting an aerial on a roof in 1994. The current fused him to the metal ladder he was standing on and would have killed him instantly, were it not for a second shock that brought him back to life. Although he survived, he was so seriously burnt that both his arms and his legs had to be amputated. While in hospital recovering, he saw a documentary on television about an Englishwoman who had swum the English Channel earlier that year, and it was this that inspired him to take up swimming. In 2010, he became the first limbless man to cross the 34km Channel between France and England - a feat that had only been achieved by some 900 other, able-bodied, swimmers. The other crossings he has planned are: the sharkinfested Gulf of Aqaba in Jordan to the Egyptian coast in June (the Asia to Africa stretch); the busy shipping straits between Gibraltar and Morocco in July (Europe to Africa); and the icy Bering Strait between Alaska and Russia in August (North America to Asia). ■

Got a story for The Bugle? editor@thebugle.eu

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JUNE 2012

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 7

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France to return to the 5-day school week France’s new education minister, Vincent Peillon, has announced plans to return French primary schools to the 5-day week. Speaking to France Inter, Mr Peillon said that the government wanted a return to the pre-2008 five-day week by the rentrée next year, i.e. September 2013. “It is not exactly simple, but we will do it”, said Mr Peillon, who went on to explain that local authorities would be able to decide whether the fifth day was a Wednesday (currently a day off for primary schoolchildren) or a Saturday. Although the four-day primary school week is not hugely unpopular – in a recent survey of 5,000 parents, only 33% wanted a change – it has been criticised by a leading parents’ association (FCPE), the national Academy of Medicine and also in a parliamentary report. The consensus is that when schooling is condensed into four longer days, it is too tiring for children. Mr Peillon said discussions would take place this summer with a view to a law being presented to parliament in the autumn. The new education minister also promised to follow through on creating an election pledge to create an extra 1,000 primary school teaching posts from this year’s rentrée, a key part of President Hollande’s promise to reverse the Sarkozy government policy of repeated teacher cuts. ■

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Eurostar planning European expansion

urostar, the operator of crossChannel passenger train services, has announced major plans to expand their European operations. The company, which is 55% owned by the French state operator SNCF, plans to add 10 new destinations in 4 countries within the next five years. The cross-Channel operator has effectively killed off the market for air travel between London, Paris and Brussels in the last decade and the plan to add destinations in southern France, the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland is a move that will again directly take on established airline routes. Eurostar is looking to set up a second hub, with Brussels being the probable location. Since its launch in 1994, Eurostar has grown to today control 80% of the passenger traffic between London, Paris and Brussels, a figure helped by the opening of its St Pancras terminal in 2007 and the completion of the UK side of the high-speed rail line. Journey

times today between Paris and London are a mere 2h20mins. In 2011, Eurostar reported a 6 per cent jump in revenues to £803m and an unaudited net profit of £20.8m. Nicolas Petrovic, chief executive of Eurostar, is planning to use the creeping liberalisation of European rail markets to launch services across western Europe to destinations including Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Cologne, Lyon, Marseille and Geneva. “By 2016 and 2017 we would like people when they are thinking about travelling to these cities to consider taking Eurostar rather than flying,” he said. Eurostar will not have everything its own way, however, as it will soon be losing its monopoly on usage of the Channel Tunnel. German operator Deutsche Bahn has already announced plans to join the market by the end of 2015, with the possibility that one other train company will also look for a slice of the high-speed cross-Channel pie. Mr Petrovich, who took over the top job at Eurostar two years ago, sees

Tornado hits Toulouse

competition from the German state rail operator as an opportunity and more of a threat to airlines than his company. “The key growth area for us is to take market share off airlines and if more [train] operators come in it will grow the whole market for high-speed rail,” he said. Eurostar’s expansion plans come as they await arrival of their controversial €600 million order for ten 900-seater Valero-D trains from Siemens in Germany, due from the end of 2014. When the order was first placed in 2010, it caused outrage in France as it was the first time that SNCF or an affiliate had ordered trains from anyone other than Alstrom, the French manufacturer. At the time, the then French transport minister said he would not let anyone else’s trains use the Channel Tunnel, claiming it would be a ‘safety risk’. ■

Spectacular images were broadcast on the internet recently as a tornado ripped through the southern city of Toulouse. The tornado, classified as an F1, started to the southwest of Toulouse and travelled at speeds of up to 180km/h as it tore across the countryside towards the city. There were already thunderstorms in the area when the twister was first spotted. Fortunately, no serious damage was reported as the storm hit the city: some walls collapsed, a few trees were uprooted and several cars were moved, but there were no injuries. Violent tornadoes are rare in France, although they have struck before. On August 3, 2008, the town of Hautmont in the north of France was hit by a much more powerful tornado than the one seen near Toulouse. The 2008 tornado left a path of destruction about 19 kilometres long and through several small towns, notably Hautmont, where three people were killed and another nine were injured by the tornado. A fourth person, a 76-year-old man, committed suicide after his house was demolished by the storm. ■

JUNE 2012 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

8 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

rance’s new president, François Hollande, has swept to power with a promise to end austerity and focus on growth. Within days of his victory, Greece went to the polls and itself effectively rejected the austerity measures being forced onto its government. Could this now signal the end of austerity in France and across Europe? Government austerity measures typically include spending cuts and higher taxes. The aim is to reduce a country's deficit - the amount it spends every year over and above what it earns. Following the financial crisis, government debt levels rose sharply. With companies, in particular financial institutions, making less money during the ensuing recession, tax revenues fell. One problem is that austerity measures are hugely unpopular with the public, as they typically result in cuts to public services, higher retirement ages and reduced public sector wages and pensions. There is also an economic argument against them, as ratings agency Standard & Poor’s explained when it downgraded France and other Eurozone countries earlier this year: “Austerity alone risks becoming self-defeating, as domestic demand falls in line with consumers’ rising concerns about job security and disposable incomes, eroding national tax revenues.” For a long time, much of Europe’s power has lain with “Merkozy”, the name given to the strong alliance between France and Germany’s heads of state, both of whom firmly believed that austerity was the way out of Europe’s debt crisis. So strong

was this alliance that Angela Merkel refused to meet Hollande during the election battle and was an outspoken supporter of Sarkozy. Merkel and Hollande may not agree on the way to end Europe’s financial woes, but the link between France and Germany is still important. In fact, the first thing President Hollande did after being sworn in to office in Paris was to jump on a plane and head to Germany to meet Merkel. However, his plane was struck by lightening and he was forced to return soon after takeoff; cynics saw this as a worrying omen of things to come. Hollande changed planes and eventually arrived in Germany 90 minutes late. “Sorry,” he told his German counterpart in English on the tarmac, “my plane had a problem”. Ms Merkel said at their first joint news conference that it was “a good omen for the cooperation” that instead of rescheduling, Mr Hollande had persevered on to Berlin. During the election campaign, Hollande had vowed to tear up the fiscal treaty signed earlier this year aimed at limiting debt by placing financial restrictions on European Union economies. Merkel has already gone on record to say that the treaty is not up for negotiation. Who wins in this debate will shape the immediate future of European economics. Before their meeting, Merkel had hinted at some common ground. “We are in the middle of a debate to which France, of course, under its new president, will bring its own emphasis,” she said. “But we are talking about two sides of the same coin - progress is only achievable via solid finances plus growth.”

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Sarkozy handing over power to Hollande - the end of austerity?

Hollande unveils new cabinet

ncoming president François Hollande has followed through on an election pledge by unveiling a cabinet that contains an equal number of men and women – the first time this has happened in France. To do so, Hollande had to leave out several friends… as well as one enemy. Martine Aubry, the Socialist party leader and mayor of Lille, will take no part in the new French government. Ms Aubry, 61, was an acrimonious rival to Mr Hollande within the party for more than two decades, but had been tipped as a possible prime minister and had gone on record as saying that she would only join a socialist government as prime minister. In the event, Ms Aubry said that after discussions with Mr Hollande, they had agreed “amicably, that there was no sense in my being in government”. Instead, Hollande went with Jean-Marc Ayrault, 62, a fluent German speaker seen as a key figure in France’s relationship with Europe’s largest economy. The top female in the new cabinet is

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What was said behind closed doors will probably remain secret for now, but at first glance it seemed a significant victory for Hollande and the anti-austerity brigade. With German elections on the horizon in 2013, Merkel’s power is on the wane and there is a growing momentum against austerity as a government policy. The fact of the matter remains, however, that France and much of Europe are dangerously in debt – France’s economy reported zero growth in its latest quarterly figures and its deficit is predicted to reach 4.3% this year, far above the 3% target. Exactly how Hollande will be able to afford to “spend his way out of trouble” remains to be seen. ■

Does Hollande mean the end to austerity?

Christiane Taubira, 60, the new justice minister. She has been an MP in French Guiana since 1993 and wrote a French law in 2001 making slavery a crime against humanity. In 2002, she was France's first black candidate for the presidency. There was also a role for Morocco-born Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, who holds the portfolio of minister for women’s rights and will also be the government spokeswoman. At 34, she is the youngest minister in the cabinet. As well as gender equality, which was a pillar of Hollande's campaign, seven of the new posts went to ministers from French ethnic minorities. At the first council of ministers, the government voted on its first measure, a 30% wage reduction for all ministers and the president. Instead of €21,194 a month before tax, the president and prime minister will each receive €14,836. Ministerial monthly salaries drop from €13,423 to €9,396. As a symbolic gesture in times of austerity, it was a masterstroke. Better still, it sat in

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stark contrast to the actions of Hollande's predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, whose first move upon taking office was to increase his salary by about 170%. Another prominent female in the new government is Hollande’s partner, Valérie Trierweiler, although she has stated her desire to remain independent and self-sufficient. “I will not be a trophy wife,” she recently told The Times. Twice divorced, Trierweiler's relationship with Hollande began in 2005 when he was still living with his then partner, Ségolène Royal, with whom he has 4 children. “I don't have a personal fortune,” Trierweiler told Elle magazine in an interview published recently. “I need to earn a living. I have three children to take care of. Like millions of French women, my financial independence is a concrete reality and a priority.” Trierweiler is a print and TV journalist, working at celebrity magazine Paris Match and on TV channel Direct 8, where she hopes to continue working, despite becoming France’s first lady. ■

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www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JUNE 2012

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 9

Wealthy French move to London France's new first couple visit over fears of financial reforms

very summer in the month of August, Paris is emptied of its residents as fast as the tourists arrive. Parisians traditionally use the summer months to travel to more rural parts of France or even overseas. This year, the capital’s wealthier workers may not be coming back! The toppling of Nicolas Sarkozy by François Hollande, the first socialist president to lead the country in 17 years, has sent ripples of fear through the wealthier arrondissements of Paris. Hollande made an election pledge to introduce a 75% tax on those earning more than €1 million - on top of a 45% rate for people making €150,000 or more – and many residents are not prepared to stick around to see if he follows through. The French financial world was already unhappy after France signed up to the financial transaction tax earlier this year – a tax on financial transactions that was hoped would raise €1.3 billion of income. The move was cheered in the City of London many saw it as giving London a further competitive edge over Paris. Referring to the predicted exodus of French financial business to London, mayor Boris Johnson famously announced “Bienvenue à Londres”. Hollande is also expected to raise “wealth taxes” on property

assets and has indicated he will end his predecessor's tax incentives to lure bankers back home. It is safe to say that France’s high earners feel increasingly unwelcome in a country now led by a man who has admitted: “I don't like the rich”. But where will all these wealthy businesspeople go? It would appear most are heading across the Channel to London. While Hollande plans to tax the rich, Prime Minister David Cameron is cutting the 50% tax rate for income above £150,000 to 45%. Many US banks and private equity firms in Paris have already begun making arrangements for their top executives to set up office in London. “Partners are coming over to establish a track record of behaviour that is outside tax, from an early stage, so that they can respond quickly to what is coming down the track,” said a senior source at one private equity firm. “The exodus will mean a lot of France's biggest earners relocate to London,” said a hedge fund manager. “It won't be possible for everyone, but those who can make the switch will definitely be working on a contingency plan.” Stéphane Rambosson, managing partner at consultants Veni Partners, believes that Hollande’s arrival does not bode

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well for business. “You have to have a very specific reason to have a business in France instead of the UK, for example access to skilled workers or the need to be very close to clients,” he said. “If you pay an employee say £100,000 in London the equivalent in France is already over £170,000, simply due to costs. Administration and the regulatory framework is also very complicated.” Even before the predicted exodus this summer, the UK already has more French expats than there are Brits in France. In fact, the UK has the largest French community in the world

outside of France. Chelsea and South Kensington are so packed with French bankers and their families it has led to the area becoming known as the unofficial 21st arrondissement of Paris. All of France's major banks have subsidiaries in the UK. Estate agents in London are already noticing the change. One property company in South Kensington said it has seen a 50% increase in inquiries from French buyers since the presidential elections and has even hired a fluent French speaker to help deal with the interest. ■

rance’s new president, François Hollande, has already been looking to make friends stateside during his recent visit to America for the G8 summit at Camp David. As is customary in international politics and diplomacy, gifts play an important role and Hollande chose to impress the American president with luxury products from his constituency of Corrèze in central France. So it is that Michelle Obama is now the proud owner of a new Le Tanneur handbag, made in Bort-les-Orgues, as well as a collection of Sothys products, a luxury skincare range made in Meyssac, near Brive. Obama proposed that Hollande meet him at the White House before the G8 summit; while there, the French president took the opportunity to sign the White House guestbook, saying that he had made sure his first overseas trip was to the US and that he was looking forward to writing a new chapter in Franco-US relations. "J'ai réservé ma première visite hors d'Europe aux Etats-Unis dont le Président m'a reçu avec simplicité et amitié. Une nouvelle page des relations entre nos deux pays s'ouvre. Je me réjouis de l'écrire avec Barack Obama." ■

What to call the new Merkozy?

hen Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel ruled European politics, they were so close that they became almost one single entity and were routinely referred to in the press as “Merkozy”. Political commentators have been trying in vain to come up with an equally memorable moniker for Europe’s new

Franco-German alliance pair, with “Merkollande” and “HoMer” (D'oh!) both tried but not quite managing to stick. Given the state of the European economy and the difficult situation both leaders find themselves in, the consensus for now is that the best name for Merkel and Hollande is probably… “Merde”! ■

JUNE 2012 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

10 ♦ FRENCH LIFE

Bugle reader, Iris Bell, hits back at journalist Samantha Brick's assertion that all French women are maneaters and has her own theory about why she sees the worst in everyone...

s ‘I am beautiful and other women don’t like me because they’re jealous’ Brick has spoken once again. This time she has come down like a ton of her wieldy surname on the female of the French species, first and foremost aiming her bile at the new president’s wife whom she labels a smug man-snatcher in designer clothes: a beautiful woman unashamedly flaunting her good looks on the bumpy bed ride to the top. Even if these catty assertions are true, the story is not that remarkable and one imagines that Ms Brick must herself be suitably sympathetic: she is also a good-looking woman who has admitted to the use of flirting as a careerenhancing tool. However, there is no mercy shown because Ms Trierweiler is……… French! One of that spurious breed of double-crossing filthy, evil-eyed maneaters who would no sooner look at you as unzip your poor defenceless husband’s flies! Women who connive to steal what’s not theirs, and worse, take pleasure in the hunt of unsuspecting gentlemen, leaping from trees onto their backs as they go for an evening stroll; popping up beside the camembert in the local supermarket with a pair of fluffy handcuffs at the ready. Some even jump out of the airing cupboard where they’ve lain in wait all day for your beloved when he comes home, wearing nothing but a string of garlic and a moist smile. Ooh la la! It’s getting warm in here….

How can we dispute what Ms Brick says when she has lived in France for all of FOUR years and purports to know the ‘sinister machinations’ of the Frenchwoman’s mind? She has seen, first-hand, women throw away their marriages and children because their lust gets the better of them - not just one or two women but most of the Frenchwomen she knows. How can we dispute her assertion that Frenchwomen don’t like her because they are eyeing her up as a fellow predator of men and see her beauty as a threat in the infidelity sweepstakes? Certainly, we can’t dispute what Ms Brick believes but we can be objective about her opinions. We can assume that her apparent lack of social awareness has probably rubbed a few people up the wrong way. However, slating the entire French nation’s sisterhood is another matter and will only make her predicament as a pariah in her local French village even worse. French women that I know work hard and in this nation where the family comes first, they are usually besotted with their children. Free time and weekends revolve around family outings and get-togethers, not girly shopping trips. The same goes for me also, having three young kids and not a lot of spare cash. And I can honestly say that of the few affairs that have been whispered about in our village, all have been between married men and single/ divorced women. Here it seems that the most common marriage-strayers are

men but then we live in a different part of France to Ms Brick and who knows what depravity goes in the badlands of the Dordogne? I should know the machinations of the French female psyche really well as I have lived in France for FIVE whole years (yes, really!) and somehow I have managed to make some great female French friends from age 14 to 94. I trust my female friends implicitly with both my children and my other half. The only woman who ever asked me if I minded her taking a road trip alone with my husband whilst batting her eyelids and plumping up her bosom was a fortysomething Englishwoman with a onetrack mind but sadly no accompanying charm, which I imagine is a hindrance to becoming a really successful predator. I laughed and winked at my husband who motioned as if to slit his neck. I have met some of the most genuine and considerate people since we moved to France, and that goes for both sexes. I believe that integration requires social skill, persistence and a bite of humble pie. This is just my opinion and I am just your ordinary, average woman. If I was in fact terribly insecure about myself, as many people who flash their physical appearance as their main form of currency are, there is a strong chance I would feel quite differently about those around me. I might assume that because people don’t take to me it is aligned to their competing against me because of my good looks. In other words, I would imagine that all women are like me; they are all vying for the attention of the opposite sex and trying to outdo each other: the mirror, mirror on the wall complex. And who are all these French women

I am an ordinary woman... who likes French people

Valérie Trierweiler - France's new first lady running off with? Students and retired widowers? Ms Brick’s attitude to men as innocent meatheads, ruled by their nether regions and led astray by wicked temptresses, is a little ‘1800s’. I believe that she has unwittingly shown us her hand and in fact I feel sorry for her. She must be pretty lonely stuck in France without female company and the

gnawing sense that everyone loathes her. And of course afraid that one of the neighbours’ wives might throw herself down on the forest floor with legs akimbo in front of her husband while he is out hunting wild boar. How can any man be expected to think with his brain with all these lascivious French women around? ■

Inheritance rules for French residents – and proposed EU changes from 2015

s I hope most of you already know, under French law, if a French resident individual has children, they cannot leave assets to who they wish. Strict inheritance rules mean that children have certain rights to their deceased parent’s estate. For someone with one child the reserved portion is 50%, rising to 67% for two children and 75% for three or more children, split equally between them. The remaining percentage is considered the unreserved portion and may be left to whomsoever the owner pleases. Whilst the French forced succession rules are not changing, new EU rules on succes-

sion have recently been agreed, and once finally adopted (expected in the summer of 2012), will come into force 3 years later, in 2015. These new regulations will give expatriates the right to opt for the succession law of their country of nationality to apply on their death. Without an appropriate will, the French succession rules above would continue to be applied to a French resident’s estate. However, with a correctly drawn up will, it should become possible from 2015 to opt to use the law of the country of your nationality. For British nationals, this should mean that you can opt to use British rules – leaving your as-

sets as you wish via an appropriate will. It is vitally important to understand that, whilst it will become possible to choose to use UK law for the distribution of your estate, it is only this that has changed, as the new regulations will not apply to tax issues. For example, whilst it will become perfectly possible to leave all of your assets to your spouse in the first instance, assets left to be divided between children and step-children would still result in the stepchildren facing a punitive 60% French inheritance tax on anything over a minimal allowance of €1,594. At first glance it would appear that this will be a signifi-

cant advance, since inheritance issues are the main concern of most British residents in France. However, in many cases, using the many techniques available under French law to ensure that your wishes are met and taxation is kept to a minimum, is likely to be the preferable option, so no action should be taken without professional advice. David Hardy, Poitou-Charentes Regional Manager for Siddalls France, who have been providing impartial independent financial advice to the British community for over 15 years. If you wish to discuss your own financial planning requirements in more detail, please contact David on 05 56 34 75 51 www.siddalls.fr

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B2 ♦ DIRECTORY Animals & Pets

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ZE DOG (& CAT) HOUSE

Family, cage-free boarding for dogs and cats. Positive dog training and counseling. We make sure that “Ze Dog (& Cat) House” is a real home from home for your companions so that they, as well as you, spend a great time on holiday! June Altman, Le Puytren, 87800 Meilhac

Tel: 05 55 58 87 94 or Mob: 06 61 01 12 21 Email: zdh@ze-dog-house.fr Certificat de capacité n° 87-203 RCS Limoges 750 912 057

The Caring Cattery Rochechouart

05 55 03 76 87 / 06 30 02 35 73

Only 30 mins from Limoges airport. Established, purpose built secure cattery. Large individual/family units, tiled floors, shelving, adjoining outside areas. Heated, individual needs catered for. NEW - purpose built isolation unit. Certificate of Capacity. Contact Barbara:

bdowning77@wanadoo.fr SIRET: 494 125 016 00019

Holiday livery/pension for horses & ponies Stabling, grazing, excellent facilities. Parking for trailers or lorries, safe & secure with 24-hour supervision.

€20 per day

Call for more info:

05 45 85 92 34 (evenings)

The Orchard Kennels & Cattery (Farges, nr. Aubusson)

Small & friendly, English run. Viewings welcome. Certificat de capacité. Also available: Pet foods, treats & accessories.

Mon - Sat: 9.00 - 7.00

Contact Dave Grant: 05 55 67 58 87

www.the-orchard.eu siret: 504 584 228 00010

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Auto Services

RING BILL!

● All Makes & Models ● Repairs ● Servicing ● CT’s ● Specialist in: Vehicle Diagnostics and Auto Electrics Covering 87/24/16 - I can come to you

Email: lemeca24@gmail.com

TEL: 05 53 62 50 46 SIREN: 514 423 532

The English Mechanic

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76 Building Services

Carpenters/Joiners SHUTTERS / VOLETS Made to Measure Woodwork

Pine Window Shutters from €35 Pine Ledge and Brace Doors from €69 Bespoke items made

www.scrollart.co.uk

05 55 14 12 43

Oradour-sur-Vayres (87150) Siren 527 854 749

Le Charme De Chêne Handmade solid oak joinery and furniture

Our joinery expertise includes barn doors, barn door frame openings, staircases, kitchens, windows & doors. We also make handmade furniture. Every item is bespoke and made to measure. Please visit our website for recent installations and references.

www.lecharmedechene.com contactus@lecharmedechene.com

02 54 25 65 08 06 16 91 64 67 SIRET: 510 156 763 00011

Architectural Services Architectural DRAWING SERVICE Renovating your French property? New build?

Dossiers prepared Permis de Construire Déclarations Préalables

Tel: 05 53 52 36 05

lavieilleabbaye@orange.fr www.latuspeter-architecturaldrawings-24.com SIRET: 493 770 358 00015

Planning and Design Services Experienced professional providing scale drawings and dossiers for all planning applications throughout Cher, L'Indre, La Creuse and Allier.

02.48.56.61.19

Registered Car Mechanic

www.labrandeweb.fr info@labrandeweb.fr

See Display Ad - pg B3

SIRET: 510 961 139 00019

05.55.81.31.85

Building Services

Building Services Electricians

Salamandre électricité 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 * Departments 23 and 87 No Siret: 494 916 760 00015

ELECTRICIAN Philip Evans

Fully Qualified French Electrician All electrical work covered, from a light switch to a full rewire Limousin, Charente & Dordogne covered Emergency Callouts 24/7

Tel: 06 36 35 56 44 or 05 55 78 16 28

Email: philip.evans@live.fr Siret: 533 235 016 00011

sales@thebugle.eu

Lumiere Service et Energie

Steven Rofe - 20 Years experience

• 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

La Coterie Entreprise

Approved septic tank installer

05.55.80.83.30 www.lce23.com

See our main ad - pg 7

Builder

40yrs Experience in quality work, available for all your House Maintenance/Projects including Plumbing, Carpentry, Masonry, Structural Work, Decorating. Plus Key Holding service. Good References. Dept. 23/36

05.55.80.72.60

email: lsetenergie@yahoo.co.uk www.lumiereserviceetenergie.eu

email: chris.coxon@orange.fr

ROGER & SON

I O P Services

Siret No. 501.792.386.00010

in Creuse

English Speaking, French Artisans

Qualified Electrician

Repairs, Full Re-Wires, New Build Automated Systems Installation

Plumber Experienced Builder

All Masonry Works Plasterboarding Assistance with Architects, other trades and Permis de Construire English References Available

05 55 41 43 56 06 50 27 87 54 the-poulpe@orange.fr

No job too small - give us a call SIRET: 498 672 708 00019

Robert Johnson

ELECTRICIAN SIRET: 493 084 974 00010

Registered in France since 2007 Banque Populaire La Souterraine Décennale Insurance All works to normes NF C15-100 ● Fault finding ● Small Works ● Complete rewires ● Consuel certification arranged ● Temporary EDF supplies arranged ● Permanent EDF supplies arranged ● Free quotations

497 962 001 00010

A multi-service company ● Repairs & maintenance ● Gardens & lakes ● General building Free Quotation and advice If I can't help, I know someone that can. Contact Paul

05 55 77 33 72 / 06 85 18 20 05 iopm@ymail.com

siret no 483 666 335 00037

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Lovejoy’s Scaffolding Hire

Strong, fully adjustable cup-lock scaffolding Collect and erect yourself to save costs or delivery and erection included

Tel: 05 55 68 22 04 www.limousin-builders.com Siret 509 933 784 00027

Mobile No: 06 50 63 65 29

Email: robrjhnsn@aol.com Website: www.rob-johnson.biz

05.55.41.17.76 sales@thebugle.eu

Building Services

Harlequin Developments

General Mini Digger and dumper hire with driver From €120 per day

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

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

05.55.68.67.56 06.06.60.46.97

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

Monte Sarginson

06.43.40.58.85

House Renovations

diggerhire@mail.com

Experience in Roofing, Tiling Floors & Walls, Plumbing, Fitting Kitchens & Bathrooms, Stonework & Rendering, Painting & Decorating

05.55.41.17.76 sales@thebugle.eu

Inside & Out

Tel: 05 55 63 88 70 Mob: 06 21 34 18 20 Siret no 507 516 748 00013

05.55.41.17.76

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JUNE 2012

DIRECTORY ♦ B3 ADVERTORIAL

ZE DOG (& CAT) HOUSE

Canine Good Citizen, either in group or individual lessons, at “Ze Dog (& Cat) House” or at your home. We also do board and train. “Ze Dog (& Cat) House” is situated at “Le Puytren”, Meilhac, a small village 4km from Nexon and 20 minutes south of Limoges and Bellegarde airport. Our capacity is limited, so please don’t hesitate to call us soon, either to book or visit…

Family, cage-free boarding for dogs and cats Positive dog training and counseling

Hope to see you soon!

ur dog and cat boarding facility is cage and kennel free. We want it to be a real home from home for your companions so that they, as well as you, spend a great time on holiday. At “Ze Dog (& Cat) House”, the dogs live in the house with free access to the gardens and the grounds surrounding our 18th century home. They enjoy the

TILE HOIST FOR RENT CMS ROOFING SERVICES

** from €40 per day ** Tel: 09 79 73 32 00 Mob: 06 60 20 22 38

Email: cmsroofs@gmail.com No Siret: 444 916 084 00015

Your advert here

warmth of the fire in winter and the shade of the trees in summer. The cats have 2 lounges, furnished with couches, armchairs, secret corners and toys. Both cats and dogs are fed a very high quality, cereal-free and specialised pet food and get lots of Tender Loving Care! We also propose training classes to help your dog become a true

Traditional Building Services

All aspects of renovation/ restoration covered including bespoke joinery and lime plastering. All work is fully insured. References available.

Ring Andy on 05 44 19 15 57 Ring Will on 05 55 37 45 35 siret: 532 981 198 00015

Paul Goldsmith Renovations

www.centralfrancestorage.com All aspects of interior renovations. Loft conversions, Windows, Bathrooms & Kitchens, Flooring Plastering, Plaster Boarding, Plumbing & Electrics.

05 55 41 17 76 CHERRY PICKER / ACCESS PLATFORM HIRE

Kitchen & Bathroom Fitting

WORKING HEIGHTS FROM 8 TO 22 METRES SCISSOR AND BOOM LIFTS AVAILABLE FROM €80 HT / DAY SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR DETAILS www.rlotley.fr R & L OTLEY sas, 36170 SACIERGES-ST-MARTIN

02 54 47 65 37 info@rlotley.fr

SIRET 538 982 414 00012

Tel: 05 55 58 87 94 or Mob: 06 61 01 12 21 Email: zdh@ze-dog-house.fr RCS Limoges 750 912 057

ADVERTORIAL

lasout@live.com/09.66.03.52.89

ELECTRIC & DIESEL SELF PROPELLED 4WD

Ze Dog (& Cat) House Le Puytren, 87800 Meilhac

Established 6 years - references available SIRET: 494 123 847 00019

Including Tiling and Plasterboarding Room construction to finishing touches

T: Ian 05 55 53 37 10 E: ian@zanado.co.uk www.zanado.co.uk Siret. 484 206 624 00014

Entreprise Hines Building & Renovation ● Roofing - New & Repairs ● Masonry ● Plastering ● Dry Lining ● Sand Blasting ● Equestrian Buildings ● Digger/Scaffold Hire ● ... and much, much more

Insulation Specialists 05.55.78.57.60 - see pg 11

Travaux Publics www.pilgrim23.com 05.55.62.61.12 - pg 3

TERRY DIMMOCK

Scaffold and Plant Hire Please ring Robert

28 years qualified experience

Renovation Specialist

www.entreprisehines.com robert.hines@orange.fr

Unbeatable Price and Quality References Available

05.55.89.69.46 SIRET: 503 169 237 00016

Nick Glover

Tiler / Carreleur Walls & Floors Interior & Exterior

Siret 511 127 763 00015

Tel: 05 55 69 23 29 Port: 06 31 37 53 90

La Noneix

Nick.glover@hotmail.com www.glover-carreleur.com siret: 493 766 430 00018

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

05 55 89 69 46 www.entreprisehines.com robert.hines@orange.fr

Phone: 05 55 63 65 81

I fit all kinds of tiles: ceramic, porcelain, slate, natural stone, quarry tiles, travertine & granite. Central Limousin

GODSON

Celotex

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

SkyTVI

SIRET: 503 169 237 00016

T J Renovations 30 years experience in building trade

Full refurbishments undertaken • Stone/Brickwork • Patios • Repointing • Studwork • General Repairs & Maintenance

All areas in the Limousin covered Contact Tim

Tel: 05 55 61 08 02 Mob: 06 52 23 89 54

Email: tjrenovations96@yahoo.fr Siret: 750 068 116 00011

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

Sky TV Installations Satellite Engineer

INSTALLATION, DISH, CABLE AND QUAD LNB - just €180

Sky Subscriptions Available - no UK address necessary All needs, advice, help catered for. All depts covered

06 60 85 93 41 admin@sky-tv-installations.com 05.55.67.01.04

www.sky-tv-installations.com

SIRET: 534 352 802 00019

JUNE 2012 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

B4 ♦ DIRECTORY Building Services General Tony Hall

General Builders Renovations, Brickwork, Masonry We only undertake one job at a time! All areas covered

Tél: 02.54.06.91.54

hall.anthony@orange.fr Siret: 504 350 604 00014

Dennis Fry Timber Services Dave Cardwell - Builder 05.55.08.40.67/06.06.44.35.28

See our Display Ad - pg 9

Chez Vous

Fosse Septique installation and building renovations

05.55.63.44.43 - pg 11

WASTE REMOVAL SERVICES

**Special Spring discounts**

R & B Construction Over 30 years experience in the building trade

● Renovations & conversions Specialist in granite stonework ● Roofing - Carpentry Plastering/rendering ● Electrical (NICEIC approved in the UK) fully conversant with French Regulations ● Plumbing (Corgi Registered in the UK) fully conversant with French Regulations ● Kitchens - Bathrooms - Floor/wall tiling

Members of Federation of Master builders in UK

All works carried out by time served tradesmen.

Tel: Dave - 05 55 37 74 06 Tel. Steve - 05 55 69 75 67 (Depts 23, 87 & 19)

siret: 501 792 386 00010

Double D

Renovations & Home Improvements 05 87 96 02 44 - pg 8

Michael Courtin

French Stonemason with 20 years Experience in ● Masonry ● Stonework ● Brickwork ● Pointing ● Structural Repairs

Major & Minor works undertaken throughout the Limousin 10% discount for new clients Free Devis/Estimates References Available

Call:Siret: 0952278 23 38 56 076 546 00012

Prices from €15/hour

● Building Renovations & Small Jobs ● Velux Windows ● Roof Repairs ● Tiling ● Plumbing ● Plaster boarding ● Garden Projects & Maintenance For more info please call Barrie

06 74 21 47 71

Or visit my website

www.bw-renovations.co.uk

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Building Services

siret 532 981 198 00015

Home: 05.55.02.66.58 Mobile: 06.76.09.68.37 SIRET: 501 338 230 00011

www.ukpaintdepot.com see main ad - pg 8

Groundworks

RSW Entreprises

Mini-Digger with driver

05.55.80.00.57

john.bonella@gmail.com

Fosse Septique Specialist

05.55.78.62.29

See our Display Ad - pg 10

See Main Ad - Pull-out pg B3

Masonry & More

Creuse Excavation Services www.creuseexcavation.com +33 (0)786 95 18 90 See ad pg 4

05 55 61 93 07

Your advert here

General building Renovation & maintenance Reliable, good quality work 30 years exp Based central 23 - will travel Martin Sprague martin_sprague_1@ hotmail.com SIRET: 531 768 182 00010

Painters/ Decorators

05 55 80 92 91 06 87 92 83 63

Ken Nickless Interior/Exterior Painter & Decorator

with over 25 years experience Wall Papering - Tiling All Repairs Undertaken

Tel: 05 55 60 05 26

heather.nickles@orange.fr siret: 518 225 545 00012

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Building Services Plasterers GLEN VINEY

PLASTERER Quality Plasterwork, Internal & External

Plasterboarding, Partitioning, Skiming, Solid Plastering, Floor Screeding, Rendering: Mono Couche/Coloured Render Waterproofing Render Systems

Tel: 06 45 18 86 10

(18 Years Experience) Email: glenviney1@btinternet.com

The friendly and reliable plasterer Registered in France. Fully insured offering 10 year guarantee. Call Stuart on: info@platrierlimousin.fr Siret: 534 396 908 00012

MARK COLYER

LIMOUSIN PLASTERING LIMOUSIN STUKADOORS

19 years experience in: ● Solid plastering ● Skimming ● Dry Lining ● Rendering ● Plasterboard Studwork

Specialising in both French lime plastering and English plastering techniques. 10 years tiling experience. Covering Creuse (23), Haute-Vienne (87), Northern Corrèze (19) & Southern Indre (36) For a free quotation & friendly advice call Mark or Mareike on

05 55 54 95 63

mcolyerplasteringandtiling@orange.fr siret: 539 941 450 00014

« LE PLATRIER »

Chris the Plasterer A genuine plasterer French and English spoken Traditional Plastering Rendering, Floor Screeding Stud partition dry lining Lime mortar stone pointing

FOR A QUOTATION CALL

Building Services

05 55 41 17 76

Your advert here

H20 CREUSE

Multiskilled Artisan

• Plastering • Rendering • Stud Walling • Tiling and associated works • Bespoke polished concrete surfaces for Window Sills, Shelves, Fire Surrounds etc. • General Renovation interior and exterior of buildings to customer's specification.

Tel: 05 55 76 69 32 Mob: 06 43 11 95 87 Siret No. 513 415 091 00018

sales@thebugle.eu

Rick Fife

Plumbing & Heating Engineer

All aspects of Plumbing and Heating work undertaken.

23 Years Qualified (Previously UK CORGI registered – Oil / Natural Gas / LPG) Established and registered in France for 7 years. Areas Covered: North Creuse (23) & South Indre (36)

Tel: 05 55 62 34 66

Email: amanda.rick@tiscali.co.uk Office Hours: 8:30 – 18:00 Please give us a call to discuss your requirements. If you get the answer machine we WILL return your call the same day. siret: 494 380 264 00015

Building Services Sandblasting 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.

SIRET: 504 612 441 00015

Plumbers

Graham Carter Plastering

SIRET 538 689 530 00011

Le Bourg, 23360 Nouzerolles

christopher.willis@orange.fr

05 55 78 80 31 See our Display Ad - pg 4

05 55 41 17 76

(29 years experience) ALL PLUMBING & HEATING INSTALLATIONS OR ALTERATIONS EMERGENCY WORK UNDERTAKEN ANDY IVES - 06 02 37 62 57

Sand and Blast

Siret: 527 736 326 00010

Re-pointing - Rendering - Plastering

FRENCH REGISTERED CERTIFIED PLUMBER

05 55 63 53 06 06 23 29 48 19

Pro-Point Facades

UK Paint Depot

Quality UK Paints at the lowest prices

Le Plâtrier du Limousin

Skilled Workman

• house and barn clearances • dechetterie runs • rubbish removal • cash paid for scrap • general labouring service • mini digger hire - with/without driver

05 55 37 45 35

Building Services

Sandblasting & Floor Sander hire

www.sandandblast.com

05.55.78.43.71 / 06.67.81.63.46 steve@sandandblast.com SIRET: 488 522 921 00037

Chimney Sweeps

Heating & Plumbing engineer

05 55 63 89 23 - see pg 4 Martin Walters

Plumber

All types of plumbing and general maintenance work undertaken Friendly, reliable, professional service Fully registered and insured

Tel 02 54 24 84 62 Siret 522 804 723 00016

CLEAR CHIMNEY SERVICES All types of chimneys cleaned

Clean and Efficient Certificat de Ramonage issued with every chimney swept Woodburner repairs/installation Accredited Flue liner Installer Chimney repairs/maintenance Fabrication & welding to E.N. 287

TEL. 02 54 06 40 80 sootylesweep@orange.fr siren 535 199 483

05.55.41.17.76

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JUNE 2012

DIRECTORY ♦ B5 ADVERTORIAL

“SolarVenti”- the solar Harlequin solution to damp and Developments humidity A E stablished and registered in France since 2006, we specialise in all aspects of property renovation and refurbishment, along with barn conversions and extensions. No job is too big or too small and we will provide you with a detailed devis at a competitive rate. Our work includes full renovations, extensions, insulation and plaster boarding, tiling, replacement windows and doors, re-pointing walls, parquet flooring, staircases, kitchens and bathrooms fitted. We also undertake insurance work (floods, fires etc) and send regular update emails, together with photographs, to clients who may live outside France, to keep them fully up to date with their project. References are gladly given from previous/current clients. We now offer a wide range of renewable energy products from some of the world’s leading manufacturers. Our core products are: Solar Hot Water Systems, Underfloor Heating, Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery Systems, SolarVenti Dehumidifiers and Water Heating Systems. Solar Hot Water kits are available from only €2400. Supply only or supplied and fitted. Wall ventilators offering heat recovery, humidity control, acoustic isolation, and anti-pollen filters from only €460. Phone for more details. For more information, a devis, or simply to discuss your project, please feel free to contact us. Tel: 05 55 68 67 56 - Mobile: 06 06 60 46 97

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

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 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. 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 collar cell, introduces warm, dry air

into your home at the rate of 20 to 100 cubic metres per hour. In Southern Europe, SolarVenti is not only used for ventilation/ dehumidification purposes; with far more winter sunshine hours, it also provides a substantial heating supplement. 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. There are no electrical or water connections and it can be safely left running, even when the property is empty. 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!

ADVERTORIAL

Creusetec

Computers & Satellites

Satellite Systems 05 55 66 60 21

martin@creusetec.com http://www.creusetec.com

05 55 63 78 72

SIRET: 510 117 328 00011

Siren: 502 409 949

Chimney Sweep Service

* 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 14 11 Mob: 06 31 59 81 08

barry@toutesweep.com

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

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

Courses & Classes

"Tooway" High speed internet via satellite TV Satellite Sales, Service & Installations. TV Receiver & Electronic Repairs. Dish alignments. Sky/Freesat/TNT/FTA. Most of depts 23,03,63,87,36 covered.

www.stovesellers.com

TOUTE SWEEP

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

GOODWIN SATELLITE

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

Tel: 05 55 62 05 61

Email: garygoodwin@wanadoo.fr siret: 453 067 910 00019

Marengo

Websites Done Right www.marengo.cc see pg 9

Sky TV Installations Sky TV/Tous travaux satellite 05.55.67.01.04

See Main Ad - Pull-out pg B3

Submissions Deadline 15th of the month

Advertise your business here for only €35/month

05.55.41.17.76 sales@thebugle.eu

IT Support for Creuse, HauteVienne, Indre and Vienne

Submissions Deadline 15th of the month

02.54.25.65.08 06.16.91.64.67

Connect-Français

NO FIX... NO FEE !!

www.indre-it.com

We provide a fast and friendly service either at the client's home, via remote software or computers can be left with us and collected when the work is complete. ● Ordering/Installing wireless & broadband ● Fixing results of a virus attack ● PC healthchecks ● Virus , trojan , worm removal and protection ● Backups/Disaster recovery ● Hardware/software upgrades. ● Website and graphic design. ● Printer/scanner assistance.

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

Computer Problems? Limousin & Charente PC & Mac Internet Assistance WiFi, ADSL, Dial-up Helpdesk, Data retrieval Call Dave

05.55.53.37.06

david.paver@wanadoo.fr SIRET: 479 095 705 00014

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) siret: 353 613 227 00035

Reiki Training in France Levels 1, 2 and Master

Kinesiology / TFH Alergy Testing for Foods, Candida, Dogs, Cats, Cosmetics etc Other treatments and Courses See website:

www.therapiesinfrance.com

Tel: 05 55 09 76 10

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

JUNE 2012 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

B6 ♦ DIRECTORY Food & Drink

L’Escale Restaurant & Bar

5 Rue Andre Jouhannaud, Compreignac

Freshly home-cooked Food

Daily Plat du Jour from €9 2-course Sunday Lunch from €10 with real Yorkshire puddings. Every Friday Night – Fish & Chips 8,50€ (Fillet of Haddock or Cod Loin) (alternative menu available)

Every Saturday night is Steak Night (excl 16 June) Two Rumpsteaks & Bottle of Wine 19.50€ (alternative menu available)

Le Moulin du Breuil

Open: Mon–Sat 11.30–2pm, Fri & Sat eve 7–11pm, Sun 11.30–3pm Party bookings welcomed

BAR, RESTAURANT, TERRASSE

We will open on any evening that we are closed for parties of 10 and over.

05 55 80 37 70 - see pg 11

Or email for a menu: L_escale@yahoo.fr

23140 PIONNAT

26, Ecurat 23150

Atelier d'Art du Jardin Jardin du Thé

Gateaux, scones, sandwichs. Ouverture samedi et dimanche 11h00 à 18h00, lundi à vendredi sur RDV svp. Du 1 mai au 30 septembre. 2 km de Chénérailles et le Chateau Villemonteix

tel: 05 55 81 31 85

email: artdejardin@gmail.com www.atelierdartdujardin.net

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

05 55 12 99 45 - 06 04 09 03 10

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

C’est cheese

Find us at local markets selling a small and tasty selection of excellent quality english cheeses. Also available online. For more information, see our website:

www.cestcheese.fr 09.66.87.02.74 cest.cheese@orange.fr SIREN: 409 679 578

JJ’s Cafe Bar Some customer quotes:

‘...more than just a bar’ ‘....a bit like Allo Allo and Cheers!’

Come and see for yourself - Open all week.

See our Notice Board events listings 39 Place du Champ de Foire 36140, Aigurande

02 54 06 30 77

www.frenchweb.eu/jjscafebar/ cafebarjj@yahoo.co.uk SIRET: 508 754 314 00013

Au Beau Rivage LES PAPILLONS Salon de Thé

Hotel - Bar - Restaurant Busseau-sur-Creuse 05.55.62.40.27 - pg 16

Menu du jour. Teas, coffees, cream teas and gateaux.

Microbrewery Bar

Jackie Cawtheray

Tue - Fri 10:00 - 5:30 Mon, Sat & Sun Closed

Bières 23

1 rue Pierre Chambord, Oradour-sur-Vayres

4 rue Tanneries Bénévent-l’Abbaye, 23210

SIRET: 510 986 490 00017

For further information

Tel: 05 55 63 59 17 Mob: 06 86 55 18 78 The New

BAILEYS

Bar & Restaurant

5 Rue de L’Abreuvoir Aubusson

Traditional French and English dishes Menu du Jour 12€ Mini Menu 9€ week days Open Mon - Sat 12pm - 2pm Restaurant Menu Fri and Sat Eve from 7pm

05.55.66.37.10

Library Club Thursday mornings 10am - 2pm

Tel: 05 44 00 03 24

www.LesPapillons.beep.com

Your advert here

Daniel welcomes you at

Le Pub 58, rue d'Orjon Argenton-sur-Creuse

02 54 60 02 14

Open Late!! Sunday roast & pudding ONLY A TENNER (€) Fish + Chips + Mushy Peas, every Fri + Sat night Opening hours:

Thu 12-2pm & 6pm-midnight Fri 12-2pm & 6pm-2am Sat 12pm-2am, Sun 12pm-11pm

Free range, rare breed pork 02.54.30.51.95 See our Display Ad - pg 3

Les Genêts, Azerables

05.55.63.90.79

www.lecreusoisbistro.com SIREN: 483 988 853

Garden Services

● Italian Specialities ● Traditional Cuisine ● Home-made Desserts Moules de bouchot available from July to December High Quality Food, a Warm Welcome and a Friendly Atmosphere await Closed Sundays & Mondays

Your advert here

The Exchange Rochechouart

SECOND HAND BOOK SHOP. GREAT SELECTION OF GIFTS, CARDS, CANDLES AND HAND-CRAFTED PRODUCTS 500+ DVD's now in stock

Tue 2.30pm - 5pm Thu, Fri 9:15-12 & 2:30-5pm Sat 9 - 12

05 55 78 19 24

www.theexchangerochechouart.com 9 rue Dr Charles Poitevin

02 54 24 01 06

Restaurant - Pizzeria

Gifts & Crafts

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

8 rue Ledru-Rollin 36200 Argenton-sur-Creuse

SIRET 484 479 480 00010

Grimpereau Elagage

Qualified Tree Surgeon Climber

02.54.25.66.58 See ad pg 6

Cross Cut Tree Surgeons for all your tree requirements beverley.pawson@yahoo.co.uk 05.55.60.62.14 / 06.78.38.42.44 see main ad below

Submissions Deadline 15th of the month

TERRY 05 55 41 17 76 DIMMOCK

26, Ecurat 23150

Atelier d'Art du Jardin is open each Saturday and Sunday 11h00 to 18h00 from 1st May until the end of September. Artisan art for your garden. Cream teas on the terrasse. RDV for weekday visits SVP. 2km from Chénérailles and the Chateau Villemonteix

tel: 05 55 81 31 85

email: artdejardin@gmail.com www.atelierdartdujardin.net

Handholding Services

Renovation Specialist

Restaurant

AUX CEPES LA veytiZoU

FISH & CHIPS €10 4 Course Sunday Lunch €15

Tel: 05 55 69 33 38

La ferme du Duc noir

Bar/Restaurant

RIVE DROITE

For Further Information

05 55 41 17 76

Le Creusois

La Petite Fontaine 15 Grande Rue, Le Dorat

Café, Bar and Events Venue Lunch Menu Free WiFi

05.55.60.29.74

info@lapetitefontaine.com www.lapetitefontaine.com SIRET: 489 218 636 00012

has now opened a fencing dept. All types of fencing supplied and erected. Stock fencing a speciality. Please call for a quote.

Phone: 05 55 63 65 81 Siret 511 127 763 00015

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76 Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Are you having problems communicating with French administrations, notaires, banks...?

I can help you either by going with you or writing for you. I am perfectly bilingual and I am an experienced translator and interpreter David Willshire

Tel: 02 54 06 93 47 siret: 539 484 238 00016

Sophie Arsac

French lessons & handholding services 05.55.89.15.74 - pg 13

Submissions Deadline 15th of the month

Cross Cut Tree Surgeons

for all your tree requirements 27 years experience Grass & hedge cutting service We will not be beaten on price or standard of work Fully qualified arborist - Fully insured Covering depts: 87, 23, 86, 36, 19 & 16 Reliability guaranteed

beverley.pawson@yahoo.co.uk

05.55.60.62.14 / 06.78.38.42.44

siret: 530 840 958 00017

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JUNE 2012

DIRECTORY ♦ B7 ADVERTORIAL

VIDEOS AND CHEAPER FRENCH MORTGAGES

ouses on Internet, the company that helps private home owners to sell their French property without using an agent, is expanding its services and taking property selling to a whole new level. Richard Kroon, director and founder of the company, is responsible for the innovative and proactive way that distinguishes them from all the others. Supplying prospective buyers with all the information on a house you can think of, with on average 50 good-sized photos and advertising each property worldwide, is normal with Houses on Internet. What is new and has recently been added to their services are custom-made videos of the houses they offer for sale. Why add videos if you already show so many photos? There are two good reasons for

Health & Beauty

English Hairdresser All aspects of hairdressing, in your home or mine Call Jane:

05 49 91 02 23 06 47 94 95 75

Based La Trimouille (86290)

this. The first one is that seeing a video which you can play over and over again is much closer to the experience of an actual viewing than looking at static photos. The other reason is much more technical but equally important. The videos we produce will of course be visible from the website we make for each property. However, the location where they are actually stored is the global video platform YouTube. A couple of years ago YouTube was bought by Google and this is where it gets interesting. The powerful Google search engine has been implemented in YouTube, which is why it is now by far the most visited video platform worldwide. To cut a long story short and to spare you the many technical details, Houses on Internet has been an official partner of Google for a couple of years now, and has recently

La Petite Place Hair salon, Le Dorat

05.55.60.87.37

See our Display Ad - pg 11

meadowsdonna@hotmail.co.uk www.donnasbeautytreatments.com

debra@zanado.co.uk www.zanado.co.uk Siret. 482 420 114 00019

Property Sales

Insurance & Finance

Houses on Internet website.

Tel 05 55 65 12 19 www.housesoninternet.com

Auwell Piscine

Pools, Hammams, saunas, spas, furntiure...

www.auwellpiscine.fr - see pg 7

The Reclamation Yard

kandrews@leggett.fr - see pg 7

05.45.30.72.04

www.reclamation-yard.com See our main ad - pg 12 WITH FRENCH TEACHER

Vacancies for various levels in Chénérailles. Elisabeth Sicard

Leggett Immobilier

+33 (0)6 31 19 55 81

Jérôme Roberts

05 55 80 44 83

japprendslefrancais@sfr.fr Not sure? Attend once for free!

immorobert@voila.fr

06.82.68.81.45 - see pg 8

Houses on Internet

Online Shopping

www.housesoninternet.com

05.55.65.12.19

Siddalls

Financial Solutions & Expert Advice

05.56.34.75.51

HiFX

05 55 53 37 10 06 15 63 70 22

Language Services

SMALL & FRIENDLY GROUPS

Mobile Hairdresser Contact Debra on

ADVERTORIAL

05 55 41 17 76

See our Display Ad - pg 10

discount available for multiple bookings

loan approved, yet these banks are still willing to lend and now at very attractive rates. Download the full FT article from the homepage of the

Kevin Andrews

Based La Châtre. Covering 36 and surrounding. Siret No. 530 364 744 00017

A recent article in the Financial Times stated that three leading French banks have now reduced the interest rates they charge British people who want to buy a house in France. Ever since the financial crises started, the lending criteria have been and still are strict. It is harder than it used to be to get a

FRENCH CLASS

Donna’s Beauty Treatments 06 35 92 77 83 / 02 54 06 07 48

Good news on French mortgages!

Your advert here

siret: 502 867 211 00018

A moment of luxury for your body, mind and spirit. The finest skincare, massage and wellness treatments await you. All in the comfort of your own home

also teamed up with YouTube. This means that the combination of these two search engines will increase the already impressive number of visitors (about 100,000 each month) to the Houses on Internet website and will thus increase the number of prospective buyers our clients reach. Bring the marketing of your property to the next level too and check the Houses on Internet website for details.

Soie et Bois

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. 4 rue Principale, St Mathieu, 87440

turneramandajane@gmail.com Tel: 05.55 48.28.89 SIRET: 510 995 681 00010

Arfeuille Antiques All types of furniture

05 55 83 14 47

See our Display Ad - pg 3

See our Display Ad - pg 12

Retail & Commerce

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Stove Sellers

Mouse 2 House

Your shopping simply delivered

www.stovesellers.com

www.hifx.co.uk

05 55 68 78 23 - see pg 4

See our Display Ad - pg 12

Submissions Deadline 15th of the month

La Maison Shopping

Blevins Franks

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

International money transfer

Integrated Tax Planning & Wealth Management

05 53 63 49 19 - see pg 5

05.55.63.78.72

www.mouse2housedeliveries.com

UK shopping delivered to your door

Eco Entrepot

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

87230 Bussière-Poitevine

Furniture, interiors & gifts

05 55 41 46 88 - see pg 9

sales@thebugle.eu

Moulin de Tintin Planète Automobiles New & used cars

www.gueret-auto.com see pg 5

Get down The Shed

05.55.68.74.73 - see pg 6

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

05.55.41.17.76

JUNE 2012 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

B8 ♦ DIRECTORY

Transport, Removals & Storage

MAN + VAN Fiat Ducato with 11m² load capacity Collections / Deliveries Removals / Brico Runs All over France. Competitve hourly rate incl fuel. Please ring or e-mail for a quote. Based nr Aubusson Dept 23

05 55 83 02 77 / 06 81 33 07 15 jonathanpiddock@orange.fr SIRET: 523 955 151 00015

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76 Submissions Deadline 15th of the month

Airport Direct

A new service offering 'Peace of Mind' to car owners in the Limousin.

1) You drive your car to the airport. We will meet you there, take your car and securely store it. 2) We will then meet you at the airport in your car upon your return. No flat tyres, no starting problems, no flat battery. Servicing and CTs can also be arranged in your absence FULLY INSURED For more details contact Terry:

05 55 63 65 81

tableywsm@hotmail.co.uk

Parking For Limoges Airport

Cheaper parking for all types of vehicles Book now!! www.parkinglimoges.com

05 55 03 37 96

Central France Storage

www.centralfrancestorage.com All your storage needs both long & short term. Fully insured through Axa and alarmed. Call Karen or email for a quote:

lasout@live.com/09.66.03.52.89 SIRET: 494 123 847 00019

General

Your advert here

Ebénisterie Hemming

Quality handmade wood furniture

02 48 63 15 09

05 55 41 17 76 A2B (Sussex) Removals Ltd France/UK UK/France

We move, collect and deliver anything. Vehicles and plant to a maximum of 2 tons. We operate 3 vehicles with a load space of 16m² and tail lift. We will match or beat any genuine printed quote. Our rates are the best.

0033 (0)2 54 37 76 24 0033 (0)6 87 66 31 41 a2b.removals@hotmail.com

The Man

With A Van Who Can

Affordable Moves/ Single Items House/Barn/Garden Clearance Regular UK runs/ Europewide E: pancentral@hotmail.com

Tel: (+33) 07.61.21.85.15 Siret : 532 526 001 00013

Submissions Deadline 15th of the month

See our main ad - pg 20 Looking for LIVE MUSIC events in & around the Creuse?

tm h . c si

/m .eu

b Want to e w ch LIST YOUR

n EVENT then .w fre contact us NOW ww peter@frenchweb.eu Carrefour du bois Limousin

www.chauffagebois-limousin.com

BABY/INFANT EQUIPMENT FOR HIRE To raise funds for the SPA dog rescue centre in Guéret.

High chair, buggy, play pen, travel cot, fire guard, stair gate etc. Each item will incur a hire charge of 7 euros, plus a refundable 8 euros deposit.

For more INFO or to HIRE Call Jean: 05 55 54 96 36 jeanwhitham@orange.fr

05 55 63 72 45 - see pg 8

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Metal World

Welding & Metalwork

FIRE LOGS FOR SALE

45cm Oak - €40/m3 45cm Mixed Hardwood - €35/m3 (poplar/cherry/hornbeam)

Buyer collects from 36160 Lignerolles

05 55 06 07 28

See main ad page 6

02 54 30 51 95 (evenings best) siret 508 166 642 00019

To advertise in the Business Directory 05.55.41.17.76 / sales@thebugle.eu Caption Competition - June

Last Month's Winners WINNER:

"I can positively identify number 8 as the one that bit me officer!" - John Kingsley HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

Send your entries for this month's Caption Competition to: editor@thebugle.eu The winner will receive a modicum of kudos in the post.

"I must say, Wolfgang's camouflage is very good!" - John Martin "Nine lives won't be enough" - Rob Southwell "Okay you lot! Bergers Allemands! German Shepherds! Alsatians! Whatever they call you! By the right, Quick march!" - Margaret Fisher Garside "We have no appetite for a cat that piddles like that !"" - George Durell "Paws For Thought" - Annie O’Kane "I didn't say at ease! I said present arms!" - Gérard BESSE

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JUNE 2012

FRENCH LIFE ♦ 11 LE MOULIN DU BREUIL BAR, RESTAURANT, TERRASSE

Closed Monday evening and all day Tuesday Restaurant open lunchtimes and evenings - Vegetarian option always available

Now OPEN!!

Under New Ownership Come and visit us and relax alongside the River Creuse

Celotex Rigid Insulation Board B-Grade - all sizes available Delivery can be arranged

Tel: 05.55.78.57.60

23140 PIONNAT – Tel 05 55 80 37 70

lemoulindubreuil@gmail.com

dawn-2665@hotmail.com

www.lemoulindubreuil.com

What happened to animal-tested products? Food for thought...

Regular environment contributor, Arthur Smith from Harlequin Developments, considers what happened to animal testing and takes a look at how the cosmetic industry has moved on in recent years.

just happened to be looking at bottles of shampoo while waiting for SWMBO in the supermarket the other day and noticed one on which it said “only tested on party animals”. It was a clever play on words and obviously geared to the youth market, but it did get me wondering what has happened to animal testing. Not that its demise would be a bad thing at all, but if it is decreasing, what is replacing it? Cosmetics testing on animals used to be quite common throughout the world and unfortunately it still seems to be in some countries, including the USA. The testing is meant to reveal issues such as irritation, general toxicity and other problems that may occur before humans start using the product. Great for humans perhaps, not so great for the animals as some of the reactions can be quite

shocking. It really is animal torture and whether this torture is justified by “the greater good” aspect is debatable, particularly if there are alternatives. It’s been such a controversial practice that in the European Union there has been a testing ban on finished cosmetic products since 2004. A testing ban on cosmetic ingredients or combination of ingredients commenced in 2009 in the EU and what's called a marketing ban that will close more loopholes will be in force from next year. So, if you're a cosmetics company in the EU, how do you test your products before going to market? Some may source ingredients from other parts of the world where animal testing is permitted according to the European Coalition to End Animal Experiments. Another way is testing on human skin, that isn't attached to the human!

An article on the internet entitled “What happens to plastic surgery leftovers?” caught my eye recently. The article makes mention of the L’Oréal Predictive Evaluation Centre in France - a skin factory. Donor skin is sourced from the leftovers resulting from cosmetic surgery performed on women’s breasts. For every skin cell donated, the clinic engineers three more. Called Episkin, it's sold to 150 companies around the world and is already being used to bypass the need for animal testing. It sounds a little gruesome, but perhaps many animals have and will be saved a life of torment as a result. Around 3,000 raw materials and finished products have been tested at the facility so far - how many of those were cosmetics or bases for cosmetics the article doesn't say. As for the USA, perhaps there will be an end to the testing of

cosmetics and personal care products on animals soon. Earlier this year a new research collaboration between L’Oréal and the United States Environmental Protection Agency was announced, where L’Oréal will contribute $1.2 million in research funding and cosmetic ingredient safety test data to expand the types of product chemistry assessed under ToxCast, the EPA's non-animal testing systems. There needs to be no excuse for animal testing and as consumers we can play a role in convincing companies they must find other ways by buying “cruelty-free” products. To learn more about

As the summer approaches and we find ourselves looking for some reading material, I can heartily suggest Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. It isn’t the lightest read, but it will not only make you think twice about eating your next burger, it will also make you think about the fallout that the fast food

industry has had on the world’s social and cultural landscape. Living as we do in a certain burger chain’s biggest market outside the US, it makes me think that it should be compulsory reading, and would certainly make people think about just how ‘happy’ their meal is… ■

cruelty-free initiatives, a good resource is Go Cruelty Free, which lists products and companies in various countries. You can also look for the “Leaping Bunny mark”. This signifies the product is certified cruelty-free under the internationally-recognised Humane Cosmetics Standard (HCS) or Humane Household Products Standard (HHPS). The latter guarantees no animal testing in items such as bleach, washing up liquid and air fresheners, products I never really gave much thought to

in regard to animal testing. Of course, just because a product doesn't bear the Leaping Bunny mark, it doesn't mean it's a product tested on animals, so also check with the companies who manufacture products you buy for clarification. That will also send a signal to manufacturers that their customers care about how products are tested. ■ Arthur Smith Harlequin Developments www.harlequindevelopments.com Tel: 05.55.68.67.56 Mob: 06.06.60.46.97

Nature revisited or how to recreate an idyllic childhood By Bugle reader, Heather Booth

rthur Smith hit the nail on the head with his article in the May issue of The Bugle. How do we interest young people of ‘La France profonde’ in the wildlife around them? I spend part of each year in SaintChartier and have been amazed at the variety of nature to be seen and heard. My particular interest is in the bird life and so far I have noted 45 different species either in the centre of the village or flying across my small garden. The amazing cranes pass overhead each spring and autumn, nightingales sing loudly from the hedgerows and hoopoes are occasionally seen in the château grounds. I am a member of Indre Nature and Berry Nature Environnement, both of which lead regular walks to look

at birds, orchids, mushrooms and the insect life of the area. On these outings I have met friends of several nationalities, improved my French and discovered footpaths and, to me, previously hidden corners of the countryside. You can

either pay a small fee each time you go out with them or become a member for a little more. Everyone is made to feel very welcome. Indre Nature in particular works with local farmers to preserve and promote sites of special biodiversity so they are well worth supporting. The book they published on the orchids of Indre is splendid with the common names of the flowers in French, English and Dutch. Site maps help you to find where they grow. Indre Nature focuses on La Brenne and Berry Nature on the area around La Châtre. I am sure that there are similar groups across the region. I became concerned about my own little area when Saint-Chartier’s magnificent château was sold four years ago and the new owner started the much needed repairs. What would happen to the garden which had been neglected for many years and become a haven for wildlife just across the road from my

house? I approached the new owner, Ivo Fornesa, with a story I had written and which he agreed to publish. It is the story of tawny owls losing their young when the tree they are nesting in is cut down. It is intended to appeal to children and their parents who are not already converted to the ‘Wildlife’ cause and hopefully make them more interested in their surrounds. While it is still a ‘second-hand’ experience I do hope that it will be a step towards getting children ‘to properly connect with nature’. My book Le jardin dormant de Saint-Chartier should be available from November and although written in French I will happily provide the text in English to anybody ordering a copy from me. It is the first time I have ever written a book and I am very excited about it and pleased that Ivo Fornesa has agreed to publish it. It will follow on from his delightful book Le fantôme du petit écuyer which is already in print and is

05.55.63.44.43 / 06.51.85.28.54

the story of his family moving into the Chateau. ■ Heather Booth - heatherbooth12@gmail. com

JUNE 2012 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

12 ♦ FRENCH LIFE

In the garden jobs for June

e gardeners are not always very easy to please, are we? There we were wishing for rain a few weeks ago, and now I crave hot sunny afternoons where I can potter around the garden and catch up on the many tasks that are waiting to be done. That said, the landscape and the gardens are so much the better for having had this rain! And with any luck we'll avoid the catastrophe that had been building. Living here certainly does make you appreciate water. And I am still very glad that most of the garden is mulched, so that if it goes back to being very dry, as it probably will, things will not suffer too much. If you haven't protected your soil surface, evaluate what really needs watering. Established beds and borders shouldn't need that much, but anything planted more recently, such as veg plants and pots, will need attention. Water then mulch thickly, it helps enormously - even dry lawn clippings can be used. If you have new beds, use leaky pipe (tuyau microporeux), now widely available. It wastes much less water than sprinklers. Water early and late in the day.

if they root? Get more plants for nothing and no effort. Same goes for the trimmings of gooseberries (after harvesting, prune back to 5 leaves) and blackcurrants. Strawberry runners, too. We are three weeks to a month ahead this year, so fruiting should be earlier than usual, unless the weather cools down. Lift and divide congested clumps of iris after flowering (French people say to do this in August, but it seems too hot then to me). Trim the foliage back by half to reduce stress on the plants. Replant with the rhizome showing slightly.

The end of the year looms!

Stake perennials, if you haven't already and prune back those that have already flowered. Obviously if you want to collect seed don't do this until the capsules are dry. The Chelsea chop, for those brave enough, consists of cutting back perennials by between a third and a half, so the plant makes a denser clump and flowers a little later. Try with caution in the heat of the Limousin. Also remember that the Limousin is not Britain, so know your garden here and don't try gardening in the same way you did in much cooler, damper conditions. Adapt and read your gardening books with this in mind. Full sun in GB may mean semi-shade here. Note what makes your plants happy. Don't forget to water your compost bin from time to time if it's too dry.

No sooner have we started planting up the garden, but we need to plan and sow/plant those end of year crops so that they get established before the winter. Leeks, celeriac, cauliflower, cabbage etc can all go in. A good guide is your local market stall more reliable than «jardineries» which seem to have odd concepts of seasons. The fashion for grafted veg plants at inflated prices makes me snort with disgust - don't fall into that marketing trap. Sow biennials for next year: foxgloves, wallflowers, Sweet Williams... Be thrifty When pinching out the side shoots of your tomatoes, why not bung them in some compost as cuttings and see

Jean de La Quintinie 1626-1688

The small town of Chabanais, near St-Junien, is not a very remarkable place. The river runs through it and there are some nice houses, but it's nothing to write home about… except that it was once the home of Jean de La Quintinie, who was Keeper of the King's Potager at the court of Louis XIV and a man who came to have a major influence on what we call walled kitchen gardens, specifically as regards fruit trees. He studied to be a lawyer and then, as an ambitious young man, went to Paris. He became the tutor of the son of the rich and influential Jean Tambonneau, President of the Court of Auditors, and accompanied his pupil to Italy on the Grand Tour. Here he was very influenced by the formal gardens of the Italian villas (and certainly by the money that was being spent on them), so on his return he asked his employer for permission to maintain his garden. He was put in charge of the kitchen garden and orchard and then helped to develop the fruit trees by grafting. He created elaborate shapes with the espaliered trees to make the kitchen gardens places of beauty, to impress friends and visitors. At the time, fruit was grown for animals, but La Quintinie had it served at table. He developed varieties of strawberries that the king loved by crossing indigenous varieties with varieties from South America. In 1670, Colbert introduced him to Louis XIV, who appointed him "Director of fruit and vegetable gardens of all the royal houses", a post created especially for him. As all Europe was influenced by what went on at the French court, his influence was not purely French, but extended much wider. He was knighted by the king in 1687 and died the following year. His book, Instructions for vegetable and fruit gardens, was published by his son in 1690. His coat of arms (silver and blue chevron shaft tip) can be found in a window of Chabanais. So maybe Chabanais has its place in history, after all. Michelle Pierce - Un Jardin en France plant nursery unjardinenfrance@gmail.com - 05 45 89 36 54

Fruit Last year was an excellent year for fruit and, fingers crossed, this one seems promising. Be hard-hearted and remove some of the young fruit, the remainder will only do better! I do this at a young stage, otherwise it is too hard to force myself to do it. Same goes for embryonic branches which are forming in the wrong place. Rubbing them off at 5mm width is so much easier than getting the pruning saw out at a later stage. Don't flop around

Seed saving Seed saving means that you can grow as much of anything as you want, at no cost and delight all your friends and family. However, it does mean that you need to be organised with your labelling. There is nothing more frustrating than growing a lovely blue polemonium from seed, when you expected a gorgeous white one! Remember, too, that vast quantities of cultivars have disappeared since the 1950s, often through neglect. If these had been polar bears, we'd all be up in arms, but because we have a constant roll of new cultivars in the shops, we don't see it happening. So label, label, label and preserve for posterity. Wildflowers The Limousin is exquisite in the late spring, early summer, with its road verges and meadows of swaying grasses and campions etc. Leave a patch of grass to grow long in your garden; the beauty of its movement in the breeze is enough reward, but the wildlife will be happy and you will encourage butterflies.■ Michelle Pierce Un Jardin en France plant nursery unjardinenfrance@gmail.com 05 45 89 36 54

Recipe provided by Chef George

Tartiflette

This recipe originated in the Savoie region of the French Alps and was developed in the 1980's by the trade union of Reblochon to promote Reblochon cheese. The dish will take about 30 minutes to prepare and cook.

Ingredients (Serves 6):

1kg/2lb Peeled potatoes 250g/8oz Smoked lardons 2 Chopped shallots 1 Chopped garlic clove

100ml/31/2fl oz White wine (dry) 40ml/14fl oz Cream Salt and pepper to taste 1 whole Reblochon cheese 450g/1lb

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. 2. Peel and boil the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and set aside to cool. 3. Heat a frying pan until hot and fry the lardons, shallots and garlic for about 4 minutes or until the lardons are golden. Add the wine and continue to cook until half the liquid has evaporated. 4. Slice half the potatoes thinly and layer into a buttered ovenproof dish, then add the lardon mix and pour over half the cream. Season with a little salt and a good bash of black pepper. 5. Slice and dice half the cheese including the rind (remove the wax disc from the rind) and place the cheese over the lardons. 6. Slice the rest of the potatoes and layer over the cheese, add the rest of the cream, slice and dice the rest of the cheese and place over the potatoes. Season again with just black pepper as the lardons are quite salty. 7. Place in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Let the hot dish settle for about 5 minutes, then serve warm with a green salad.

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JUNE 2012

BILINGUAL ♦ 13

Queen Elizabeth II - Diamond Jubilee

n 2012, Queen Elizabeth II is celebrating her Diamond Jubilee – 60 years on the throne. The celebrations will centre around an extended weekend from 2nd to 5th June and Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th will be public holidays across the UK and much of the Commonwealth. When she was born in 1926, Elizabeth was third in line to the throne and it seemed unlikely that she would ever become Queen. However, shortly after the death of George V, the new King - her uncle Edward VIII - dramatically abdicated so that he could marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. Princess Elizabeth's father then became King George VI and she became heir to the throne. Queen Elizabeth II came to the throne following the death of her father on 6th February 1952 - her coronation took place on 2nd June 1953. She is today the Queen of 16 states around the world and the only serving monarch who has reigned longer is King Bhumibol of Thailand. She celebrated her Silver Jubilee (25 years) in 1977 and her Golden Jubilee (50 years) in 2002. The only other British monarch to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee was her grandmother, Queen Victoria, in 1897 - she went on to reign for 63 years and 7 months. During her reign, The Queen has travelled more than any other monarch, visiting the four corners of the globe. In 1953 she became the first reigning monarch to visit New Zealand and Australia; threequarters of the population were believed to have come to see her. She also oversaw the end of the British Empire as it became the Commonwealth of Nations, one which very nearly included France! In 1956, French Prime Minister Guy Mollet and British Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden discussed the possibility of France joining the Commonwealth. The proposal was never accepted, and the following

year France signed the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic Community, the precursor of the European Union. The Queen has also made numerous reforms to the monarchy during her reign. In 1992, she offered to start paying income tax. She has opened her official residences to the public - including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle - in order to finance their maintenance herself. She also changed the laws of succession, meaning that the firstborn child will become monarch, whether that child is a boy or a girl. A Diamond Jubilee website, including two new photographs of The Queen, has been launched by the Royal Household - www. thediamondjubilee.org. It features the latest news, photographs, announcements and historical information about The Queen’s 60-year reign. Visitors can also send a congratulatory message to The Queen. ■

Bilingual Crossword Clues in English - answers in French

Across:

n 2012, la reine Elisabeth II célèbre son Jubilé de diamant qui marque ses 60 ans de règne. Les célébrations seront regroupées lors d’un week-end prolongé du samedi 2 au mardi 5 juin. Les deux derniers jours seront fériés au Royaume-Uni et dans la plupart des pays du Commonwealth. Lorsqu’elle naît en 1926, Elisabeth est troisième dans l’ordre de succession au trône et il y a peu de chances pour qu’elle devienne reine un jour. Au décès de George V, c’est l’oncle d’Elisabeth qui devient roi. Mais, coup de théâtre, Edouard VIII abdique très rapidement afin de pouvoir épouser Wallis Simpson, une divorcée américaine. Le père d’Elisabeth devient alors le roi George VI et la princesse est désormais héritière du trône. Lorsque son père décède le 6 février 1952, Elisabeth II accède au trône et le couronnement est célébré le 2 juin 1953. Aujourd’hui reine de 16 états dans le monde, c’est le monarque en activité dont le règne a duré le plus longtemps, à l’exception du Roi Bhumibol de Thaïlande. Elle célèbre son Jubilé d’argent en 1977 et son Jubilé d’or en 2002 (respectivement 25 et 50 ans de règne). Le seul monarque britannique qui fêta son Jubilé de diamant en 1897 fut sa grand-mère la reine Victoria qui régna pendant 63 ans et 7 mois. Durant son règne, la reine voyage plus qu’aucun autre monarque et visite les quatre coins du globe. En 1953, elle est le premier souverain en activité à visiter la Nouvelle-Zélande et l’Australie. On estime que les ¾ de la population se sont déplacés pour la voir. Elle supervise également la fin de l’Empire Britannique qui devient «le Commonwealth des Nations», dont la France a failli faire partie (!) suite à une proposition du premier ministre français Guy Mollet et du premier ministre britannique Anthony Eden en 1956. La proposition est rejetée et l’année suivante, la France signe le Traité de

The Bugle thanks local French teacher, Sophie Arsac, for the translation of this month's bilingual article on another topical aspect of Franco-British culture.

5. active (5) 6. heavy (5) 8. spiders (9) 10. here (3) 11. good (3) 12. cape (3) 15. windscreen (4,5) 17. ovens (5) 18. stems (5) Rome, qui institue la Communauté Economique Européenne, ancêtre de l’Union Européenne. La reine réalise également de nombreuses réformes au sein de la monarchie. En 1992, elle propose de payer l’impôt sur le revenu. Elle ouvre également ses résidences officielles au public, dont Buckingham Palace et le Château de Windsor, afin d’en autofinancer l’entretien. Elle modifie également les modalités de l’ordre de succession royale, établissant que c’est l’enfant aîné qui accède à la couronne, quel que soit son sexe. La Cour Royale a créé un site Internet «Spécial Jubilé de diamant» (www.thediamondjubilee.org) sur lequel figurent deux nouvelles photos de la reine. Le site nous informe des dernières nouvelles, publie des communiqués, présente des photos et donne des informations historiques sur les 60 ans de règne de la reine, à qui les visiteurs du site peuvent également envoyer un message de félicitations. ■

selection of stories from the current edition of the paper with hosts Martial Portail and Jacques Cassyan. The Assiette Anglaise is a great way for English speakers to listen to some French in a very informal environment. France Bleu Creuse is keen to attract a wider audience from within the expatriate communities, so why not tune in and listen to the most popular radio station in the department for yourself?

1. actress (7) 2. shin (5) 3. toy (5) 4. meadow (3) 7. snooker (7) 9. crates (7) 13. to make (5) 14. car brake (5) 16. flight (3)

Answers on Notice Board - page 17

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The Bugle on France Bleu Creuse The Bugle has teamed up with France Bleu Creuse to bring you a monthly bilingual radio slot as part of the station's regular show Assiette Anglaise, broadcast Monday to Friday every week at 10:45 am on 94.3 FM. English Plate, as it translates literally, offers a light-hearted look at elements of crossChannel culture in a humorous yet informative way. Our slot is broadcast just before the Assiette Anglaise, in which we discuss a

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FOR SALE ANIMALS & PETS FOR SALE: Rare Breed Poultry Pairs of Silver and Gold Laced Wyandottes, Limousin Blue, White Brahma bantams, Pekin and cross bred Silkies. Sensibly priced. Email for photos. Tel 05 55 81 15 03 Email: iansimper@hotmail.co.uk PUPPIES FOR ADOPTION 3 black bitch puppies remain from a litter of 8 found abandoned with their mother in the Lot. Mother is a German Shorthaired Pointer, father unknown but probably a black Labrador. They are 15 weeks old, very sociable, energetic, happy, well grown girls who need to find homes with people who are experienced with this type of dog, have loads of space & the time to educate them. They will make wonderful companions. Refuge adoption fee is 150€ which includes micro-chip & vaccination [already done] & spaying when old enough, spaying being a condition of adoption. If you think you can offer a home to one of the puppies, please contact the foster carer. Mother also available for adoption but very special home needed for her. Tel: 05 55 60 77 07 [north Haute-Vienne, half an hour from La Souterraine] FOR SALE: Horse Equipment masta deluxe turn out rug, black, 6ft €55masta flysheet and neck cover white with blue trim, 6ft €30rambo turn out green with red trim, 6ft3 €45brown check travel rug, 6ft €30greenstable rug chill cheeta, 6ft €25sweat rug red blue trim, 6ft €10monty roberts dually head collar black full size never used €20head collar black full size €6fluorescent waterproof exercise sheet €102 sets leather reins brown €5 eachplus boots crops brushes over reach bts.All above in very good condition.dept 23 near Chenerailles. Tel: 05 55 62 77 41 evenings please FOR SALE: Horse rugs for Shetland size or foals Two indoor and two outdoor. Bridle with white rubber bit made for Shetland sized or foals. Buyer collects. €200.00 Telephone Nigel on 06 04 46 73 92 FOR SALE: 3 pure bred cockerels 10 months old. 2 are speckled sussex and 1 maran. Email: juliet.stringer@ btinternet.com FOR SALE: Jack Russell Puppies x 3 males Born 28/12/2011. Ready end February. Mother's tat: 2EEZ603. Registered L.O.F. Will go to new homes micro-chipped and vaccinated. Exceptional pedigree as well as both parents having excellent characters.Royal Canine puppy starter kit offered with each puppy. €500.00 Tel: 02 54 24 07 76 Mob: 06 78 29 32 61 FOR SALE: Wood Dog House & Pet Barrier for Auto Wood dog house in excellent condition for med-large dog (height 90 cm): 60 euros. Pet barrier for auto, never used: 12 euros. Please contact: 05.55.38.37.73 FOR SALE: DOG BASKET IN WILLOW Large dog basket 1 metre x 80cms - our dog refuses to go anywhere near it! Hence totally unused. €45.00 Email: sermur2002@yahoo.co.uk

BUILDING MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT FOR SALE: New shutter hinges & hooks 8 x 400mm, 24 x 500mm and hooks 12 x 300 mm. Total cost new EUR 228. The lot for EUR 100. Tel: 05 55 51 91 79 FOR SALE: New RSJ girder Heavy section, 12.5 metres long x 25.5 x 27 cm. €1,000.00 Tel. 05 45 85 92 34 evenings FOR SALE: Dulux white gloss paint & white undercoat paint In 5 litre tins. 20 euro per tin. Tel. 05 45 85 92 34 evenings FOR SALE: Everything you need to supply electricity for a new build or renovation Includes nearly 50 metres of cable in gaine, main consumer unit plus chantier, extra cable for a road crossing plus telegraph pole. €300 the lot ono. Pictures on request. €300.00ono Call Andy 02 54 47 77 02 FOR SALE: A limited amount of ecological paint and varnish removing products The items listed below are a much safer alternative and really work. No hazardous skin burns, no solvents and no fumes!500 ml and 1 litre containers of paint and varnish remover.2.5 litre containers of textured coating remover (perfect for removing crepi)Brush renew (removes paint and varnish from your brushes), Super strength degreaser (great for removing grease ,oil and grime), Graffiti remover, and also hand cleaner.

Mini-Excavator + Dumper Truck Kubota KX61 Mini-Excavator

unit. Tel: 05 55 67 58 87 FOR SALE: Single Beds + Almost new matress Bed - metal frame and dismountable. €35.00 Tel: 05.55.03.08.19 Mob: 06.02.32.46.31 (Daniel McNally) FOR SALE: BUTCHER'S BLOCK

Complete with 4 buckets. Tracks 75%. Many new parts. Lifting 750kg

Dumper Truck

4WD with good tyres. Both vehicles in good workinng order. Recently serviced and ready for work. Ideal for property renovations, fosse septiques etc. Telephone for details.

€ 5,500 for both

NEW AND UNUSED.Oak top with solid wooden frame.Dimensions 63 x 62 x 91 cm.Surplus to requirements in kitchen refit.Can deliver, within 30 wardrmiles, for cost of fuel.Location: 10 mins north of Bellac. €95.00 Tel: 05.55.76.45.19 Email: nigel.lupton@orange.fr FOR SALE: 3 & 2 Seater Sofas 214L &

Tel: 02 54 06 30 58 To check availability and prices on any of the above please e-mail. Email: sndmb@ hotmail.com FOR SALE: Mixture of corrugated and steel framed sheets 17' x 6' and 8' x 4'. Ideal for animal shelters and pens. Buyer collects. 50 euros the lot. Please call 05 55 00 98 52 FOR SALE: Building materials - roof tiles/ stone Approx 200 m2 roof tiles. 45 m3 stone. Call for more information. Tel: 06 03 07 82 10 FOR SALE: Quarry Tiles - 150mm Square Approx 550 (13 m2). Brand new. €350.00ono Tel: 06.42.82.92.42 FOR SALE: Large quantity mechanique roof tiles (around 1000) Offers invited. Tel: 05 55 60 64 92 FOR SALE: Scaffold tower, cement mixer, builders trestles, acrows 1 Scaffold tower in aluminium. Working platform 3.8m. Good condition and easy to erect by one person...150 eu2 Cement mixer. Electric. 145 litres. Very good condition...125 eu3 Builders trestles. Very strong and heavy. 50mm steel construction. Adjustable from 1m to 2.3m with 2 x 3.8m scaffold boards...125 eu4 Acrows...or the French version. 8 from 1.6 to 2.6m...60 eu the lot Tel 04 73 52 14 07...15 mins east of Auzances FOR SALE: OLD RECLAIMED ROOF SLATES 100s! Only €95! Buyer collects. €95.00 Tel: 05 55 78 79 02 FOR SALE: RECLAIMED FRENCH INTERLOCKING NATURAL RED CLAY ROOF TILES Approx 350. (French manufactured). Only €95! Buyer collects (Nr Rochechouart). €95.00 Tel: 05 55 78 79 02

FURNITURE FOR SALE: Computer Desk Oak finish. 2 shelves on runners. Including office chair. Good condition. Email for photos. Dimensions: 80cm wide, 50cm deep 85cm high.Price now 30 euros OFFERS €30.00 Tel: 05 55 69 79 71 Email: david. sekinger@sfr.fr FOR SALE: 4 x Single Beds 185cm x 90cm - each with dusty pink headboard, as new. €70 each. Based near Ussel, dept. 19. Can deliver within reasonable distance. €70.00 Tel: 05 55 95 80 09 FOR SALE: Pine Table & Chairs / Bar stools Round extending Pine table plus 4 chairs €50. Two pine kitchen/bar stools with backs €40. Tel: 0555 60 63 87 FOR SALE: Large mirror 135cm X 106cm. Gold leaf effect coloured frame. Excellent condition. Buyer collects. €400.00 Telephone Nigel on 06 04 46 73 92 FOR SALE: ROUND STURDY FARMHOUSE KITCHEN STYLE TABLE 1.1 Diameter. Dark oak finish. Very good condition. €50.00 Tel: 0555784524 FOR SALE: Brown leather, large 3 seater sofa Some wear hence 85 euros. E-mail for info and photo. €85.00 Email: carol.roach@hotmail.co.uk FOR SALE: HABITAT round dining table 42"/ 107 cm in diameter. Handpainted and antique waxed in soft white. Very sturdy. A beautiful piece of furniture in very good condition. €75.00 TEL: 05 55 08 46 53 FOR SALE: Two pine dressers One has a top unit with two cupboards and one centre glass cupboard with shelves below. The other one is a pine base unit with three cupboards wide 150 x 45 cm. 125 euros for the base cupboard and 200 for the dresser

183L x 93W x 93H cms blue, additional covers green, cotton, washable. VGC. Buyer collects. €550.00ono Tel: 05 55 60 47 34 FOR SALE: Wardrobe Probably about

draylon, in excellent condition. Will deliver locally. Email for photos. €150.00 Email: janemcmullin@gmail.com FOR SALE: 3 piece lounge suite - 3 seater settee All covers removable & washable. Blue/grey colour. Available mid December. Buyer collects from between St Yrieix and Payzac. €200.00 Tel: 05 53 55 21 85 FOR SALE: Set of 4 70’s style dining chairs In fair to good condition, the seats have been recovered in brown velor type material. The chairs would benefit from a quick coat of varnish as one of them was always left near the central heating radiator. €30.00 Tel: 05 55 03 28 18 FOR SALE: ROUND WOODEN TABLE Wooden table painted white - diameter 110cms €45.00 Email: sermur2002@yahoo.co.uk

GARDEN FOR SALE: Gas BBQ + Cover Little used. Buyer collects. €40.00 Tel: 05 55 48 82 79 FOR SALE: Virtually New Hover Flymo Mower Ideal for banks. With 6 packets of cutting lines. Buyer collects. €150.00 Tel: 05 55 48 82 79 FOR SALE: Pair of Ox Cart Wheels Buyer collects. €140.00 Tel: 05 55 48 82 79 FOR SALE: Hexagonal tonnelle Bought for over €350 but never erected due to lack of paved space. Dimensions: width 3.43m, diameter 3.96m, height 2.7m; frame epoxy-coated aluminium; with six curtains and six fly-nets with runners. Still in box. A real bargain at €250 and just in time for summer. €250.00 Tel: 09 50 76 37 75 FOR SALE: Petrol Garden Rotavator Quite old, but in good condition and still running very well. €50.00 Tel: 05 55 53 52 38 FOR SALE: Log Saw Rocking bed type 3 phase motor. €250.00 Tel: 05 46 33 18 75 FOR SALE: Two Hay Carts 100 euros each. Buyer collects. Tel: 05 55 48 81 98

GENERAL

1910, mahogany, FOR SALE in the Felletin area. Make an offer, more photos available. Tel: 06 77 83 82 94 (Christine) FOR SALE: Farmhouse Table - 2 Carvers + 4 other Chairs Rug also

available if required. €100.00ono Tel: 05 53 56 90 87 FOR SALE: Pine Double Bed €100.00

Tel: 05 53 56 90 87 FOR SALE: Nathan furniture Display Cabinet Very good condition, approx 6ft long, two leaded glass illuminated displays and center drinks cupboard with draws and cupboards below. Plus matching corner unit. €120.00 Tel: 05 55 76 69 32 FOR SALE: Welsh Dresser Good condition. Cupboards in base with two glass-fronted display cabinets on top . €100.00 Tel: 05 55 76 69 32 FOR SALE: Meubles anciens Various pieces of furniture: armoires, bedhead, Chesterfield, St Hubert sideboard, candelabras etc. Call for more info. Tel: 06 75 51 47 27 FOR SALE: Various 1. Brand new ( Reference Bali) single sprung hypoallergenic mattress 200cm x 90cm x 18 cm. Eu 100.002. Single sprung mattress , hardly used 190cm x 90cm. Eu 30.003. Solid pine round (1.25m) pedestal table. Eu 150.004. Sofa bed red colour converts to double bed with built in storage in as new condition. Eu 275.00Delivery possible locally. Phone Geoff on 05 55 81 08 77 Email: geoffrey.sowler@orange.fr FOR SALE: Recliner chair Floral

FOR SALE: Carvery Units & Plancher 2 Carvery units in full working order at 750€ each.1 Plancher in full working order at 500€. Tel: 05 55 62 91 97 FOR SALE: Single treadle sewing machine & demijohns Singer treadle sewing machine to restore. 10€Demijohns 1€ each. Tel: 06 26 07 72 75 FOR SALE: Four Man Tent Includes four sleeping bags and four mats, plus one blow up single mattress. Tent has central section for storage or undercover eating. €120.00 Call: 05 55 81 32 20 (ask for Terry or Viv) FOR SALE: Lexmark Easy Colour Printer Z640 Comes with cable, CD and instructions. €25.00 Call: 05 55 81 32 20 (ask for Terry or Viv) FOR SALE: British Coronet Majorette Universal Woodworking Machine Buyer collects. €160.00 Tel 05 55 48 82 79 FOR SALE: National Geographic Magazines 11 years - 1989 to 2006. 22 volumes (2 per year) plus 2 volumes of maps. All in slip cases and in very good condition. Reason FOR SALE - downsizing from a very large house to a small flat. €265.00ono Contact: 05 55 80 48 20 FOR SALE: Gaggia K111 Espresso Coffee Machine Comes with 30 Caffitaly capsules. You can see the machine by putting Gaggia K111 into Search. It's a good machine for making Espresso and Capaccino. The machine was bought for £99, FOR SALE at €40 complete with 30 Caffitaly capsules.Bénévent-l'Abbaye Dept. 23 €40.00 Tel: 05 87 40 91 26 FOR SALE: Large tent 2 bedrooms, shower tent, camping table, gas cooker & bottle etc. €50.00 Tel. 05 45 85 92 34 evenings FOR SALE: A Stove log effect convector electric fire Black, on legs with 2 front doors. €100.00 Tel. 05 45 85 92 34 evenings FOR SALE: 20 metres long mains electrical supply cable for camper/ caravan Complete with blue 16 amp connectors, also including European and UK socket adaptors. €20.00ono Tel: 05 55 69 79 71 FOR SALE: Golf Equipment Regretfully, ill health forces the sale of all my gear including: Clubs, Bags, Trolleys, Shoes etc. All top brands and in good condition. Offers accepted. Tel: 05 55 60 25 92 FOR SALE: Mosquito Window Blind / TV Cabinet New Lapeyre mosquito window blind size up to 140cms colour marron. 40 euros.TV cabinet, antique pine with one drawer. 40 euros Phone 06 31 91

70 03 - St Yrieix la Perche area FOR SALE: To Rent - Large Garage/ Workshop Available Good for storage/ work space. Multi-uses etc. Secure Environment. Tel: 04 70 51 79 29 FOR SALE: A lovely old character French Pendulum Clock in oak case, with bevelled glass Strikes on the hour and

half hour. Size approx 800 x 360. €110.00 Tel: 05 55 787902 (Near Rochechouart) FOR SALE: Various - WC, Wash Basin, Steel Bath, Corner Bath, Cooker, Cement Mixer Unused items: White WC. Low flush 30euro. White pedestal wash basin 30euro. White steel bath 40euro. Ivory 3 corner bath GRP. White LPG cooker s/h 35euro. Electric cement mixer in good order 75euro. Confolens 16500. Tel. 05 45 89 22 05 FOR SALE: UPVC Door Lock Ferco 635 multipoint sprung door lock. €40.00 Tel: 05 55 68 37 58 FOR SALE: 'Rosières' CORNER CHIMNEY COOKER HOOD Stainless

Steel.4 Spot Lights. 4 Fan settings.Near Chabanais. €225.00ono Tel 0545 30 69 72 FOR SALE: WOOD BURNER SUPRA NORVEGE 6.5kw. Cream and grey. H

1040mm W 540mm. Near Chabanais. €325.00ono Tel 0545 30 69 72 FOR SALE: Large picture print by Beckindale Fine Arts (framers of quality pictures and mirrors) Name of picture "Spirit 1" in frame n° SM16 - of horse and man is only way of description. Buyer collects. €400.00 Telephone Nigel on 06 04 46 73 92 FOR SALE: CHILD'S BUGGY XTS 3 WHEELED, OFF-ROAD/JOGGING BUGGY. EXCELLENT CONDITION, NEW TYRES, CARRY CASE. €60.00 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 05 55 63 43 35 FOR SALE: BASS GUITAR IBANEZ SR305DX 5 STRING ACTIVE, VERY GOOD CONDITION, PROFESSIONALLY SET UP, NEW STRINGS. €195.00ono FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT 05 55 63 43 35 FOR SALE: TV Thomson TV 52 cm with remote. €30.00 Tel 05 55 03 87 56 FOR SALE: A SELECTION OF ANTIQUE FURNITURE AND KNICK-KNACKS 1) Baby High Chair/ Stroller Combination. Antique. Condition Excellent/Good. Wood. Total height 3'8.5". width 19.5". As low chair 2'6". 200€ or very near offer. 2) YOU REALLY NEED TO SEE THE PHOTOS OF THIS ONE. Vegetable Serving Tureen. By removing the handle this can transform from a single Vegetable Warmer into two individual serving trays. Brilliant Idea. Made in Sheffield of Electo Plated Nickel Silver (EPNS) it dates between 1890 - 1910. Measures approx 12" long x 9.5" wide x 3" high (not including removable handle). Weighs approx 1kilo730g before packing. 130€ or very near offer. 3) Antique Vase made by A J HARLEY JONES, FENTON, STAFFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND between 1907-1934. The principle colour is blue - called Bleu de Feu because of the type of firing the glaze. The picture on the side shows 2 peasant women in a woodland setting. Approx 10.25" tall x 16" round the body (not including the handles). This vase has been valued by two local

Antique Dealers (in France) as being worth between 150€-200€. 150€. 4) Large Wall Clock with Westminster Chimes. Runs for 20 days per wind-up. In very good over-all condition. Measures approx 28" high x 12" side to side x 6.5" front to back. 140€ or very near offer. 5) A set of 3 jugs. coloured green decorated with various fruits. Unmarked. 1) 4.75" high x 4.5" handle to spout x 2.5" wide. 2) 5.25"high x 5" handle to spout x 2.5" wide. 3) 6" high x 6.25" handle to spout x 3.25" wide. 40€ 6) Very unusual Brass Lamp with 2 wicks. Marked DUPLEX. MADE IN ENGLAND on both wick handles. Patterned glass shade. Overall height 18.5". 150€ or near offer. Email for photos. Tel: Jannie 05 55 89 98 47 Email: janniesjunkandjems@gmail. com FOR SALE: Various 2 x Free standing electric heaters. Different models/styles in very good/ excellent condition. Very little use. 20€ eachFlame effect electric fire. 54cm x 44cm x 30cm. In good/ excellent condition. Very little used. 50€Free standing Fire Grate with attached Back Plate. In good used condition. 45cm x 53cm x 29cm. 250€ or very near offer. Heavy dining table and 6 chairs. Malaysian Oak. Not sure of the age but at least 10yrs old (possibly older). In very good/ excellent condition. Table 96cm x 152cm x 78cm. Chairs height to top of back 115cm. Height to seat 47cm x 52cm x 47cm. 300€ or very near offer.Email for photos. Tel: Linda 05 55 89 31 97 or Jannie 05 55 89 98 47 Email: janniesjunkandjems@ gmail.com FOR SALE: Various - House Clearance 1) 6 Chairs and a Dinning Room Table. Solid oak. Very good condition. €250 2) 2 Single Beds. €100 the pair. Metal framed. 3) 2 Reclining Chairs. Cream leather. 4) Electric Bike. Needs new battery. EUR 50 ono. Tel: 05 55 64 18 33 FOR SALE: Hay Bales Small Bales 2.50 per bale. Tel: 05 46 33 18 75 FOR SALE: Various equipment for handicapped person Wheelchairs, stanner stair lift, 3 wheel electric scooter etc. Tel: 05 55 42 75 92 FOR SALE: Hot Tub Spa Lay-Z with digital control for 4 adults Unwanted present. As new, still in packaging. Sells on amazon.fr at €489. Area 87130. €399.00 Tel: 05 55 56 62 84 Email: pugsley. homer@gmail.com FOR SALE: Godin solid cast iron woodburner fire Size 660mm long 600mm high - 320mm wide. V.G.C. Buyer collects. Phone Patricia for details. €200.00 Tel: 05 55 41 19 28 FOR SALE: Ikea oven White. Used only few times. V.G.C. Buyer collects. Phone Patricia for details. €50.00 Tel: 05 55 41 19 28 FOR SALE: "PETIT GODIN" multi fuel circular stove 10kw output. Majolica enamel brown finish, with decorative ash tray and cast iron tool for opening door catches. £1600 new. In good condition. €300.00 TEL: 05 55 08 46 53 FOR SALE: Antique woodburning stove dating from the 1900's Excellent condition with bread oven. Delivery possible. €450.00ono Tel: 0613363979 FOR SALE: 2 off Shimano Baitrunner 6000b GTE Carp reels C/w spare spools and boxes, instructions etc. Hardly used, as no time. In excellent condition. 75 Euro each or 140 Euro for the two.Also a tackle box trolley/barrow still in box never assembled. 50 Euros. Phone Andy 0555483062 (nr Rochechouart) FOR SALE: 5 pairs of original wooden windows Varying sizes, with original window furniture and fittings. All fitted with the original glass. 75,00 euros for the lot. €75.00 TEL: 05 55 08 46 53 FOR SALE: Various PETMATE AIR TRAVEL and TRAINING KENNEL Through flow ventilation for safe air and auto travel. Safe way to help solve behaviour problems. For dog/cat up to 51 cms tall by 61 cms long. Meets international air travel requirements. (IATA) Kennel bed-pad also included. Unused. Easy to carry. €50 3 SINGLE PINE BEDS. TWO MATCHING, including mattresses for all three. Comprised of head and footboards and slatted base. €50 each. BATHROOM WASH-HAND BASIN AND MATCHING PEDESTAL. White. New and unused. Includes two taps. Basin measures 66 cms wide by 56 cms deep. €30. Ladies BICYCLES° Ladies Peugeot Mosaique. Pink. 15 gears. €50° Ladies Ammaco Oasis. Purple. 15 gears. €50° Ladies Boulevade EMMELLE. Black. 12 gears. €50 Telephone 05 55 14 28 09 FOR SALE: Licence IV Enables sales of beverages and spirits in Bars/Restaurants etc Email: jsezer@yahoo.co.uk FOR SALE: SCHAUB LORENZ COMBO FLAT SCREEN LCD TV/ DVD 19" with TNT and HDMI, still boxed, as new. €50.00 Tel: 0555895605 (La Souterraine) Email: sellwood56@

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JUNE 2012

CLASSIFIEDS ♦ 15 The Bugle CLASSIFIEDS are brought to you in association with WWW.HOUSESONINTERNET.COM hotmail.com FOR SALE: Land Rover Discovery dog guard, mats & UK headlights TRAVAL dog guard for Land Rover Discovery, as new - 60 euros.Full set Land Rover mats for Discovery - 15 euros.UK Headlights for Land Rover Discovery - 60 euros. Tel: 05 55 78 54 20 FOR SALE: Rectangluar Hay Bales (87) Ideal for use as animal bedding. 6 euros a bale. Please call 05 55 00 98 52 FOR SALE: Hot Water Cylinder 150 litre hot water cylinder, brand new from Castorama, never been out of its box. €95.00 Please call 05 55 00 98 52 FOR SALE: Godin Circular Wood Burner Brown enamel, filigree finish. 75cm high, 28cm diameter. €250.00ono Tel: 05.55.60.46.33 FOR SALE: Electric Sewing Machine - Lervia Almost new. Only used twice. Perfect condition. €70.00 Tel: 05 55 62 49 65 FOR SALE: Vox Cambridge 30 twin guitar amplifier The amp has been upgraded to 50 watts and is in perfect working order. Features incl. footswitch for channel, reverb and tremelo. €199.00ono Tel: 05 55 71 79 31 Email: john.martin@ netcourrier.com FOR SALE: White kitchen sink ceramic single bowl With barge like flowers painted on (still in bricodept). €85.00 Please call 05.55.67.58.87 FOR SALE: French Linguaphone Course Complete course in boxed set (books, tapes & cd's). €30.00 Tel: 05 55 71 79 31 Email: john.martin@netcourrier. com FOR SALE: Large wooden storage chest/coffee table 92cm x 94cm. €30.00 Tel: 0555895605 Email: sellwood56@ hotmail.com FOR SALE: Large number of bargain books Adventure, Mystery, Crime and family sagas. All in good condition, 3 for 1 euro, North Creuse. Contact 05 55 80 75 78 FOR SALE: TAKAI open face sports helmet Matt black, clear visor and retractable sun visor. XS 53-54cm. 5 months old, hardly worn. €65.00 Tel: 0555895605 Email: sellwood56@ hotmail.com FOR SALE: Towable Altrad Cement Mixer With a 3.5 Briggs and Stratton engine, with a ball hitch. €450.00 Email: sermur2002@yahoo.co.uk FOR SALE: Complete photographic dark room Any offers considered. Tel: 05 55 02 93 01 (Saint Junien-87) FOR SALE: Scanner Epson Perfection 1240U Photo. Any offers considered. Tel: 05 55 02 93 01 (Saint Junien-87) FOR SALE: AMD Tower and PC Complete with DVD, CD rewriter and floppy disk drives, IIYAMA monitor, 2 keyboards (French and qwerty), speakers and mouse. Needs hard disk. Any offers considered. Tel: 05 55 02 93 01 (Saint Junien-87) FOR SALE: Large fine photogravure prints of famous paintings. Only €5 each. Tel: 05 55 51 91 47 FOR SALE: 100 Edwardian English Books Many with gold leaf covers. Ideal for bookcase display. €300.00 Tel: 05.55.63.46.69 FOR SALE: 100 Novels / Autobiographies All good condition. €100.00 Please ring 05 55 78 45 24 FOR SALE: New Oak Door Frame 900 x 2100mm (exterior) €35.00 Tel: 05 55 81 30 39 FOR SALE: Antique French cast iron fire dogs with iron basket Height: 59cms,

Hard and Paperback. In good condition. All for 20 euros. €20.00 Tel: 0962 58 49 03 FOR SALE: Red Diesel heater Including

700 ltr tank and electric pump.Excellent condition. Lignerolles 36160 €450.00ono Tel: 02 54 06 02 37 FOR SALE: Long black leather riding boots Size 7. Length 19" 49.5cm. Calf 14" 35.5cm. Knee 13" 35cm. La Souterraine area. €90.00 Call Judy 05.55.89.12.96 (eve) Email: wildlifegardens@orange.fr FOR SALE: Sony Playstation One Complete with two controllers, steering wheel and pedals, memory card and six games. Excellent condition and can be seen working. €75.00 Telephone 02 54 30 00 79 (near Guéret) FOR SALE: Various Garmin Oregon 300 GPS complete with topo maps for SW France, City navigator maps for Europe, rechargeable batteries, carrying case and fixing kit for car windscreen. This GPS is primarily designed for walking and cycling, but can also be used for driving. Cost 680 euros new, will accept 400 euros.Fish kettle, 20 euros.FAIP NHP 145 pressure washer, 50 euros.Philips SBC HC 8445 wireless rechargeable headsets, 20 euros.HDMI selector box 4 in 1 out, 10 euros.Techwood 19” LCD TV used twice as new, 100 euros. FTE twin universal satellite receiver head LNC 54 US, 30 euros.3 ultra sonic cordless pest repellents, new, 30 euros each. Linksys wireless G broadband router WRT54GL, 50 euros. French TV satellite receiver, 15 euros. Bush Freesat HD satellite receiver box, as new, 50 euros. Sony blu ray disc player BDPS350, 150 euros. Logitech Z5500 5 speaker + sub woofer surround sound system. 100 euros.TACX cycle trainer, as new, 150 euros. Panasonic portable stereo CD system, 50 euros. Tel. 09 80 08 68 72 FOR SALE: Temporary EDF connection box Only used for 5 months. Purchased new in Feb 2010. Creuse area. €140.00 Tel: 06 04 42 97 73 FOR SALE: Rosieres wood burner 1920's? Art Deco style. Blue enamel finish. Works but a couple of parts need replacing. Front loading, rear flue. 55 cm high, 50 cm wide, 40 cm deep. €60.00 Telephone 05 55 65 67 24 (near Auzances) FOR SALE: 1930's Westminster Chimes Clock Chimes on the quarter hour and hour. €45.00 Tel: 05.55.51.91.47 FOR SALE: Garage trolley jack 2 1/4 tonne. Heavy duty. Hardly used. €60.00 Tel: 05.55.03.08.19 Mob: 06.02.32.46.31 (Daniel McNally) FOR SALE: EPSON PICTURE MATE Excellent condition. Only 55 Euros. We are in dept 23. €55.00 05 55 62 77 41 FOR SALE: Motorcycle helmet 'TNT' open face with visor, size XL (61-62cm), black and orange, hardly worn. €30.00 Contact 05 55 68 58 16 FOR SALE: Black mesh fire screen 120cm wide, with 3 hinged sections 30 cm-60 cm-30 cm wide x 65cm high. Excellent condition, as new. €80.00ono Contact 05 55 68 58 16 FOR SALE: TV stand 3 shelf black glass TV stand. Size: 110 cm long, 40 cm wide, 50 cm high. €60.00 Tel 05.45.85.97.27 FOR SALE: Two Canon Pixma ink cartridges 510 Black and 511 Colour cartridges, suitable for Pixma series MP240/MP260/MP480/MX320/MX330. Bought in error. €15.00 Tel: 05 55 03 28 18

VEHICLES / PARTS Overall Width: 90 cms, Basket Width: 63 cms, Depth: 57 cms. €300.00 Phone: 05 55 65 00 04 Email: pc.cullen@yahoo. co.uk FOR SALE: 100 English Books Both

FOR SALE: Attention Harley Davidson Enthusiasts 1 men's chrome HD open face helmet. Size L. Boxed, as new condition. €80 ono1 HD handlebar hold-all. €40 ono1 HD heritage soft tail classic scale model

Managing Editor: Steve Martindale Editor-in-Chief: Steve Martindale Registered Address: Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois France SIRET: 514 989 748 00017 Printed by: Rotocentre 348, rue Marcel Paul 45770 Saran France Monthly circulation: 13,000 copies All copyright, unless stated otherwise, is reserved to The Bugle. Reproduction in whole or part of any text without permission is prohibited.

1:10 made by Franklin Mint. Unopened, still in box. €60 (to buy new approx 130 GBP)Also a Bieffe blue full-face helmet. Size XS. €30 ono. €80.00ono Tel: 02 54 36 60 50 (dept 36) FOR SALE: Toyota MR2 Soft top, 2000,

56000 miles, French reg, CT until 01/14, FSH, A/C, silver with black leather seats, Sony CD, lovely condition. Ring for details. €3,950.00 Tel David: 05 55 94 38 35 FOR SALE: French LHD Headlights to fit Mercedes E-Class saloon or estate 1997 onwards Condition "as new" bought new 6 months ago but car since sold in UK. Cash on collection. €250.00 Tel: 05 55 63 70 17 (near La Souterraine) FOR SALE: Skoda Octavia Elegance 2.0TDi Corrida red First reg UK 1.01.2005. French reg 2009. Control Technique July 2013. 93,000 miles. VGC. €4,100.00ono Contact 05 55 03 14 91 or 06 34 64 59 89 FOR SALE: CITROEN C5 1.6 HDi 110 HATCHBACK 2005 Metallic

black. Climate control and front electric windows. Careful owner, always serviced to manufacturers schedule, with FSH from new incl receipts. RHD on French plates and CT to 04/2013. Very spacious and comfortable, and has been very reliable and extremely economical - average 54mpg easily achieved. €3,500.00 Tel: 06 06 40 87 89 FOR SALE: Renault Master T35D (ex ambulance with seats removed) Used to move down to France now selling. Good mechanical condition, lots of space, on French plates & part registered in France. Only needs new Controle Technique, and registration to complete. €1,000.00ono Email: stephenfoune212@msn.co.uk FOR SALE: UK headlights for a 2001 Ford Fiesta 25€ the pair. €25.00 Tel: 05 55 61 00 13 (Near Guéret) FOR SALE: Caravan awning Suitable for 5 mtr van, exc condition, must sell bargain at 60E, area 87. €60.00 Tel 05 55 60 27 03 FOR SALE: Peugeot 807 First registered

in the UK in April 2004.I have owned the car for 3 years and have done 26,000 miles in that time.All the tyres are good, it has a CT until 04/13 and has recently had all the brakes and discs replaced along with a full aircon service with many parts replaced. Any questions or for more photos please call. €4,750.00 Tel: 05 55 67 58 87 FOR SALE: Mondeo 2L petrol 5 door hatchback 52 reg. Very reliable. Car surplus to requirements, so open to offers. €800.00ono Tel: 09 78 23 38 59 FOR SALE: ISUZU TROOPER 3.2 V6 PETROL MANUAL SWB English registered 1992. Needs new starter motor. Runs well when bump started. Clean for its age. Tow bar fitted with double socket. No

Directeur: Steve Martindale Rédacteur-en-chef: Steve Martindale Siège Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois France SIRET: 514 989 748 00017 Imprimé par: Rotocentre 348, rue Marcel Paul 45770 Saran France Tirage mensuel: 13,000 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.

C/T or MOT and needs to be registered in France. Hence only 500,00€. €500.00 Tel: 06 04 46 73 92 FOR SALE: Nissan Primera GX TD French reg. RHD. CT- Sept 12. VGC. A/C. Front electric windows. Hands free Connection. Kenwood CD/Radio (1999). 168,000 miles. FSH. €1,500.00 Tel: 05 55 81 07 13 FOR SALE: Nissan Terrano II 2.7 TD

Blue with grey trim. Reg 1996. RHD. French registered. CT 6 months remaining. Diesel. 4x4. Very reliable. 7 seater. All electrics. Tow bar. New clutch and radiator. €2,500.00ono Tel: 05 81 63 39 77 Email: desandkris@viveole.net FOR SALE: DACIA Logan Estate French registered. LHD. 2009. 60,000 kms. Regularly fully serviced. New tyres. Excellent condition. €11,000.00ono Call Nico - English speakers - 0254 07 55 19 / 0658 12 47 73. French speakers - 06 15 42 04 22 after 6pm FOR SALE: MERCEDES SPRINTER 308 CDI VAN RHD, FRENCH REG,

PLY LINED, CD PLAYER, CT OK. €4,750.00ono Tel: 06 37 71 20 57 FOR SALE: Classic Car 1961 Peugeot 404. In good condition, drives regularly. Car on show at events organised by the VAHL (Volants Anciens du Haut Limousin) in Bellac.Price EUR 2,500 or exchange for 2CV. €2,500.00 Tel: 06 20 79 79 34 FOR SALE: FORD FOCUS 1.8TDi Sept 2004 French registered but RHD, with French headlights. 62,000miles. Alloy wheels. Pale blue metallic. CT until 07/13. All round good condition. €3,500.00 05 55 29 39 15 - Correze (19) FOR SALE: Landrover 4x4 TD5 French green. Alcantara beige interior. 2001. 60,000km. €15,000.00ono Tel: 06 75 51 47 27 FOR SALE: Peugeot 307 SW LHD. Met

Grey. 122,000 km. Full service history. Just had Controle Technique. Good reliable car. Priced to sell. €6,500.00ono Tel: 05 55 61 99 14 / 06 76 52 26 47 FOR SALE: Peugeot 406 HDI man sal 2002 RHD, on French plates, CT until Oct 2013. Silver. VGC. High spec, climate control, computer, CD player, elec windows and mirrors. All good tyres, under 90000 miles. €2,495.00ono Tel: +447779 406613 Email: tony.prosser@ live.co.uk FOR SALE: Renault Megane Cabriolet 'Karmann' LHD - French registered. Petrol. 89,000 km. Colour: champagne. Glass roof. Fully serviced, CT until 2012. Excellent condition. €5,200.00 Tel: 05.46.59.79.55 FOR SALE: Peugeot 307 HDI Estate 2005 French registered. RHD. 22 months left on CT. High milleage, hence price. €2,300.00 Tel: 05 55 60 45 03 FOR SALE: Ford Transit Short Wheel Base Van, 1997, LHD French registered, 2 year CT, White no stickers, good all round. €1,800.00 call 05 45 31 59 34 FOR SALE: Citroen Relay (Jumper) Hi-Top Long Wheel Base. 2003 model. New battery, alternator and fuel pump. CT until April 2011. Headlights changes. UK plates. €2,500.00ono Tel: 05 55 61 19 81 FOR SALE: VW Golf MK2 GTI 1.8 8v 1987 Over €400 spent in new parts all with 0 miles including 4 new tyres, RHD, UK reg, absolute bargain! €550.00 05 45 31 59 34 FOR SALE: Truckman Hi-Top Cab (white) with rear glass door Fitted with rotavent in roof. Originally fitted to a 2005 Mitsubishi L200 double cab. €350.00 Tel: 05 55 68 71 22 (after 6pm) FOR SALE: Halfords Car Roof Box (Half width). Approx 360ltr. Plus Roof Bars plus Clamps - complete €100. Used once. €100.00 Tel 05 53 52 41 34 FOR SALE: Roof Bars and Headlamps Roof bars for Renault ClioII 3dr 35€;

Thule KIT1297 roof bars for Renault Megane Hutchback96-02 5dr, Coupé97-02 3dr, or Classic 4dr Sedan97-02 40€; headlamps Megane RHD 96-02 40€. Tel: 05 55 78 73 46 FOR SALE: Engine and gearbox 1.9 diesel from Citroen Xsara (also suitable for other models of Citroen and Peugeot). Complete with all ancillaries except alternator. Delivery possible if fuel cost covered from 87330. €450.00 Tel: 06.10.85.04.85 Email: baldiolgit55@ gmail.com FOR SALE: Engine and Gearbox for Ford Transit, 2.5 Radiator and exhaust (complete) also available. €350.00 Tel: 06.03.07.82.10 FOR SALE: 50 cc scooter Peugeot buxy. Year 1996. Slight problem with it - sometimes loses power when riding, it then picks up again after a few seconds but could be fixed quite easily. Apart from that is fine. It also has a sports exhaust on it. €300.00 Tel: 06 83 45 70 96 FOR SALE: 2 x Right Hand Drive Renault Megane Headlights From a 2004 Megane Hatch. Excellent Condition. Tel: 05 55 65 02 31

WHITE GOODS FOR SALE: FREE - Brandt Dishwasher In working order, needs door handle repair but still opens and top missing but supplied with one close to right size. Buyer collects from 03370. Email: ingle.graham@neuf. fr FOR SALE: Fridges Large Bluesky fridge - 1450 high by 550 wide. 75 euros. Under counter fridge 50 euros. Please call 05.55.67.58.87 FOR SALE: Three-Way Fridge for a Caravan Electrolux 700 - 12V, 22OW, gas fridge. €220.00ono Tel: 05 55 64 27 86 Email: hoppyholman@hotmail.com FOR SALE: Table Top Fridge with ice box Excellent condition - hardly used. Silver casing. Size: height 62cms, width 47cms, depth 44cms. Haute-Vienne. €65.00 Tel: 05 55 03 08 19 Mob: 06 02 32 46 31

WANTED WANTED: 16 Roumazieres Loubert II interlocking roof tiles Size 435mm x 255mm. Maximum 500 needed. Approx 150 to be exact match for an existing roof. South of Limoges - North of Thiviers - off N21. Please email to discuss further.Other building materials required - oak flooring - celotex insulation - window/door heads & cills Tel UK 0044 1848 841581 Email: paulhobby@msn.com WANTED: Small child's bed (for age 5 upwards) and foldaway bed. Tel: 05 55 78 79 02 WANTED: Small Trailer to sit behind ride-on mower Any conditions considered Tel: 05 55 51 19 67 Email: mazzer09@ hotmail.com WANTED: ENGLISH teacher, 50s, divorced from French husband and living in the Haute-Vienne, would like to meet intelligent, humorous, affectionate nonsmoking man, similar age. Please, no hang-ups and no complicated baggage! Contact by email. Email: fraises_des_ bois@ymail.com WANTED: Property Wanted I am looking for a house, building or land to renovate. Quick cash purchase. Any area considered. Tel: 05 55 65 84 95 WANTED: PEUGEOT 107 or CITROEN C1 Must be in good condition, low mileage, French registered and left hand drive. Tel: 05 55 78 79 02 WANTED: French and English people to meet I am 29 and would like to meet more young French and English people to socialise and improve my language skills. Email: dawm82@hotmail.co.uk WANTED: Covered parking to store

FOR SALE

Building Plots / Economic Activity Areas The Brame Benaize Community of Communes would like to inform possible entrepreneurs in Limousin or elsewhere - interested in developing or setting up a business - that we have building plots / economic activity areas available for sale in JOUAC (87890) and MAGNAC-LAVAL (87190). Interested parties can email in English for enquiries.

mairiestleger@wanadoo.fr

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY I own two retail outlets that are coming up for rent. If anyone has any business ideas they would like to pursue, I would be interested in backing any good ideas and contributing my retail experience. I would not want to be involved in the day to day running. One is in St Vaury and is currently a hairdressers (it could also suit dog grooming perhaps?) and the other is in Guéret and would suit Clothing/Fashion and related activities (preloved clothing perhaps). For more information email:

cboniface@hotmail.com

a car For approx. 12 weeks a year in the region of Limoges or Bergerac airports. Tel: 0044 1748 884526 Email: thiernswood@talk21.com WANTED: For compact tractor Transport box (bennette), rotovator, plough and snow plough all in usable condition. Tel: 05 55 64 33 71 WANTED: Chain harrow /grass rake Approx 8' x 8'. Any age considered, for use on a small tractor. Tel Barbara 06 30 02 35 73 WANTED: Tea chests/ stong boxes for packing Tel: 05 55 51 91 79 WANTED: Mobile home For use while restoring my house near Guéret (23). 06.83.42.72.75. after 6 pm Email: marmuse@live.fr WANTED: Various ...Roof bars for 124series Mercedes estate, engine for 3ton mini digger or similar with pumps if possible, large log saw bench, PTO or engine driven. Tel: 05 55 60 64 92 Email: c.nokes@free.fr WANTED: GAYTIME POTTERY SALT POT Wanted Gaytime salt pot, I have just broken mine and want to replace it. Please contact with price or I will exchange for a Gaytime vinegar/oil bottle. Tel 05 65 31 20 10 WANTED: House wanted to rent Tel: 05 55 65 84 95 WANTED: Land With or without buildings, with or without planning permission. All types of land considered: woods, fields, houses with attached land etc. Preferably in the Blessac/Ahun area of Creuse. Tel: 06.03.07.82.10 WANTED: Motor Vehicle Car, van, motorbike, moped. Anything considered. Tel: 05 55 65 84 95 WANTED: Transit type pick-up Does not matter if it's got no mot or ct. Any condition as it's for a project. Cash paid. Tel: 05 55 68 31 81 WANTED: Motor transport - scooter/ moped Will pay up to EUR 500 Tel: 06 42 82 92 42 WANTED: Moped/ Trail Bike Wanted by private buyer one or two cheap old road legal French reg mopeds or perhaps 50cc trail bike. Nr A20 direction Bellac. Anything considered as long as they run. Email: ingm80@hotmail.com WANTED: Second Hand Washing Machine Tel: 06 42 82 92 42 WANTED: Cooker and hob in good condition (not free standing unit). Will collect - we are near Rochechouart. Please call 05 55 77 66 61 Ruby

Classified Submission Deadline: 15th of the month for the next edition

JUNE 2012 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

16 ♦ LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letters to

The Editor

Health & safety gone mad! Brian Gabriel By Email

t has been widely reported that, with effect from July 1 st this year, all motorists will be obliged to carry a breathalyser in their vehicles. This is in addition to the warning triangle, the luminous jackets and the set of light bulbs. The carrying of these items is, of course, an attempt to make road travel safer. Now it seems that the powers that be are planning on expanding the list of essentials. A usually unreliable source has reported that, early next year, it will be compulsory for all motorists to have in their vehicles a complete change of clothing, including thermal underwear, so that those who are stranded in wintery conditions will be more comfortable. In addition, the vehicle must also carry a vacuum flask containing a hot drink. Needless to say, this drink cannot contain any alcohol. Later in the year, it will be necessary for motorists to have a comprehensive first-aid kit and for all drivers to attend a short course in first-aid. Although not yet finalised, it is believed that motorists over the age of 70 will also have to have a portable fibrillator. Continuing the expansion of their plans, officialdom believes that the tool kit of all

vehicles should include certain items such as spare timing belts, a reasonable amount of petrol and oil, and spare windscreen wipers, all of which could prove to be essential in the quest for zero tolerance breakdowns. Finally, those motorists whose vehicles are not large enough to accommodate these items, will be able to purchase a small trailer at a specially reduced price – however it is noted that those who decide that a trailer is the best option will be required to have in their possession certain items that are designed to make trailer towing safer, but details of these have yet to be announced... Yours,

Brian Gabriel

Chinese Weetabix Christine Moshy By Email

Dear Editor,

espite having lived abroad for most of my life, there is one British eating habit that I can’t kick, my breakfast cereal. I love them all: Shredded Wheat; Country Crisp; porridge on those bleak, cold Creuse winter mornings when it’s difficult to crawl out of bed; and of course crispy, crunchy Weetabix. So one small item of news saddened me a lot this week. A 60% stake in the Weetabix company has been sold to China’s Bright Food Company based in Shanghai. The same company has been busy lately and was strongly rumoured to be buying a US Vitamin company GNC and the UK’s United Biscuits and, and, and ..... Coincidentally, I have been reading a novel by one of my favourite authors, Henning Mankell. Le Chinois, a fantastic read which links a mass murder in a remote village in Sweden to the use of press gangs of Chinese workers to build the US railroads in the nineteenth century, and to present day China and its business practices in Africa. Mankell himself lives in Mozambique, and like anyone who has visited or lived in Africa, hasn’t been able to avoid seeing the ubiquitous Chinese technocrats, building roads, hospitals and so on. I have just signed a petition against a Chinese planned and subsidised road through the Serengeti, which will hinder the great annual migration of wildebeest and zebras from the Serengeti in Tanzania to the Masai Mara in Kenya, in search of new grazing. It’s obvious why the Chinese are in Africa the unquenchable thirst for natural resources to fuel Chinese growth. But in Mankell’s novel the Chinese are buying up land by fair means or foul to grow food for all those millions of Chinese mouths - land needed to grow food for African mouths. As Bright Food Chairman Zongnan Wang said when he bought their stake in Weetabix, “With Bright Food’s strong resources and our expertise in both Chinese and broader international markets, we are excellently placed to develop the Weetabix business”. Should we care? I am all for fair trade, free

movement of capital and labour. So why am I saddened by an iconic British breakfast cereal being swallowed up (pun intended) by a Chinese mega company? I should shrug and think, so what? My porridge oats are owned by an American company, my tea doesn’t come from Europe. Back in the heady days of the sixties I boycotted South African goods as my futile gesture against Apartheid. Did it do any good, or was it just to make me feel better? Probably the latter, so that’s why Weetabix won’t be on my breakfast table from now on. None of us can stop the inevitable rise of China; we can deliver minute pin pricks they won’t even feel, reminding ourselves about their treatment of dissidents, their forced relocation of people for mega projects like the Three Gorges Dam, their lack of freedom of speech, their support of corrupt and murdering regimes, like those in North Korea, Syria, and large parts of Africa, their invasion of Tibet and so on. Pass the croissants. With Best Regards,

Christine Moshy

Buying car parts online Trying to take advantage?

wouldn't condemn anybody for buying parts online or from England and fitting them themselves. A friend of mine took his Ford truck into a Ford dealership in Limoges because it kept cutting out in the freezing weather in January. When we went to pick it up they told us it was the wrong

battery that was causing the problem. The battery that was supposedly causing the problem was only 18 months old and purchased from Norauto Limoges. The garage fitted a new battery without consent from my friend. The truck still kept cutting out and when we took it back they said it must be the diesel he was using. An expensive piece of information: 340 euros. Another garage did work

on a gear box and left the drain plug off my son's car but wouldn’t accept responsibility when the gear box ceased. No apology or offer to put it right. I would advise anybody if you can do it yourself or find somebody “who knows a bit about cars”, then go ahead. Don't trust the garages. Kind regards,

Tony Stephen

Rachel By Email Hi,

recently went to Norauto in Guéret to ask if they could change one headlight bulb & one indicator bulb. The person I spoke to couldn't tell me which bulbs I needed to replace them with from just looking at them. He said they would need to take the

bumper off to get at the lights & asked if I could leave the car there overnight or for an afternoon. The hourly rate is 58 euros. We then went to Norauto in Limoges who told us straight away which bulbs we needed. A friend then fitted them in 20 minutes. I can't help feeling Norauto in Guéret were

hoping to take advantage of a woman who's not very car savvy. I was savvy enough, however, not to leave the car with them and would suggest other people did the same as us. Kind regards,

Rachel

Cork recycling Rachel By Email Hello,

SIREN: 453 573 388

Tony Stephen By Email

just wanted to let people who didn't know that we can now recycle cork (in any form) at Carrefour in Guéret next to the light bulb, ink cartridge & battery collection point.

Cork is now a valuable resource since they chopped down the cork trees in Portugal, so should be treated like aluminium/tin... Thank you. Kind regards,

Rachel

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JUNE 2012

COMMUNITY ♦ 17 Creusetec

SPECIAL OFFER - "tooway" satellite broadband from €29.95 per month

Tel: Martin - 05.55.66.60.21 Web: http://www.creusetec.com Email: tooway@creusetec.com

BOOK CLUB

For ladies who love to read (and chat!)

BELLAC AND SURROUNDING AREA Get in touch if you would like to join in with a new book discussion group or for more details: bellacbookclub@gmail.com

Dog/Puppy Training A new puppy training class is about to start as the last class have all graduated and gone on to the next level of training. Please get in touch for more details. Call Elaine Smith: 05 55 68 67 56 www.limousindogtraining.fr

BAILEYS Bar Restaurant

BAILEYS welcomes you to our weekly Thursday Morning Book Club between 10am - 2pm. Come along to exchange a book or DVD, enjoy a chat with friends and make new acquaintances, swapping recipes, knitting, gardening and places to visit ideas etc. There is also a small selection of French books available. Any unwanted books or DVDs will be gratefully accepted & all proceeds go to the SPA Dog Refuge in Guéret. There is no Membership Fee but a small fee of 20c for each book swap and up to 2 euros for a sale of a book.

International Apero Reseau

We as a group of English Speaking people would like to start an "International Apero Reseau" in the Aubusson/ Felletin and surrounding area, meeting each Saturday from 11.30am - 1pm at Baileys Bar Restaurant in Aubusson commencing on Saturday 9th June. During these meetings we would like to offer the opportunity to: exchange views - make new friends - share experiences - have fun together - help and advise one another - discussions in English (all nationalities welcome) - help intergrate newcomers For more information please contact Catherine 0686178088 or Liz 05 55 66 22 92

5 Rue de L'Abreuvoir 23200 Aubusson Tel: 05 55 66 37 10 or 05 55 66 22 92

Bugle Notice Board Godson Travaux Publics We are now local agents for Klargester BioDisc® Micro-Stations For more information call Chris Godson: 05 55 62 61 12 / 06 33 78 24 23 www.pilgrim23.com

Le Moulin du Breuil 23140 PIONNAT

Sunday 3rd June Mother's Day Menu

Free gift for every mother at lunchtime Tel: 05 55 80 37 70 for reservations Mail: lemoulindubreuil@gmail.com Web: www.lemoulindubreuil.com

JJ’s Café Bar Aigurande

JJ's Fête de la Musique Sat 16th June from 7pm - FREE!!

A celebration of fab music from all our regular musicians and more!! Come along for a great evening and support your favourite musicians who have given their time and musicality!! A selection of hot meals will be available - reservations advised but optional.

Tel: 02 54 06 30 77

www.frenchweb.eu/jjscafebar/

Daniel welcomes you at

Le Pub

Sat 2nd June - Fancy Dress Party

Theme: Queen or British. Prize: a weekend in London or Paris depending on preference

Thursday Night PROMO

2 entrecotes (env.225g) and chips for only €20 (booking necessary)

Sunday Roast + Pudding (just €10!!) Book in advance to avoid disappointment

Sun 8th July

Exhibition by Undiscovered Spain Spanish properties available from €20,000 www.undiscoveredspain.net

02 54 60 02 14 le-pub@orange.fr

We are looking for someone interested in an 'au pair' position in our family. We have 3 children, some big dogs as well as other animals like sheep and donkeys. Please contact us in writing at: Ms Stellmacher Château de la Loge 18190 Crézançay sur Cher

The Rochechouart Vide grenier is on Saturday July 21st. Reservations taken from 2nd May. To reserve a place - Call 0981764451 (non professionals only - no market traders)

WANTED: TENOR

“Ad Hoc”, an 8 voice vocal ensemble based in Rochechouart, is seeking a TENOR to replace a member who has to return to the UK. A degree of competence in reading music is required, and some experience in choral singing, especially in small groups, is desirable. Information on the group can be found at www.adhoc87.fr. If you are interested in auditioning for the group please contact Colin Cartwright on 05 55 49 82 15

@ La Petite Fontaine 15 Grande Rue, Le Dorat

June

Thur 7th June, 8.30pm - Vince Freeman (tickets only) Fri 15th June, 8pm - M.L.C. band Fri 29th June, 8pm - Sugeree ....................................

July

Sat 14th July, 8pm - M.L.C. after fireworks 10:30 pm Sat 28th July, 8pm - Lawrie Harrision, fantastic singer ....................................

August

Fri 24th August, 8pm - the amazing Jake Morley ....................................

Tel Lynn or Jonathan: 05 55 60 29 74 Web: www.lapetitefontaine.com

Music Club

2nd Sat of every month. 8.30 pm. Next event: 16th June (Please note JJ's Fête de la Musique 16thJune replaces the usual 9th June Music Club) JJ's Music club is for musicians of all levels and genres entry is free, there is no membership and is open to everyone who loves music. The club starts from 8:30, but we are open for all those who want to come earlier to eat. In fact we hardly ever shut !!!! JJ's Cafe Bar, 39 Place du Champ de Foire, 36140 Aigurande Email: cafebarjj@yahoo.co.uk

58, rue d'Orjon, Argenton-sur-Creuse

WANTED: AU PAIR

L'Escale

Restaurant & Bar

5 Rue Andre Jouhannaud, Compreignac Daily Plat du Jour from €9 2-course Sunday Lunch from €10 Every Saturday Night is Steak Night 2 Rumpsteaks & Bottle of Wine 19,50€ (excl 16 June) Sunday 3rd June - Book Now for Mother's Day Saturday 16th June An evening of entertainment with Jack Law Book your table NOW!! Fish & Chip Night every Friday See Business Directory for more information and opening hours Tel: 05 55 12 99 45 email: L_escale@yahoo.fr Or see us on Facebook for more details.

tel: 05 55 81 31 85 email: artdejardin@gmail.com www.atelierdartdujardin.net

JUNE 2012 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

18 ♦ COMMUNITY

CLUBS, CHARITIES & ASSOCIATIONS

Church Notices 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 5pm 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 or email: scott.james@neuf.fr English-speaking church services Limoges At 2pm on the 4th Sunday each month. 126 rue Armand Dutreix, 87100 Limoges. Contact Pat Reid - Tel: 05 55 84 00 64 Email clanreid@googlemail.com Interested in Alpha? An opportunity for those who don't regularly attend church to explore the Christian faith. More than 17 million people worldwide have done this course. In English at the Eglise Baptiste Evangélique, Limoges (contact details as above). Christians together in Limousin La Souterraine Area We hold a time of fellowship and Bible study every Tuesday afternoon. Barbara and Cedric look forward to welcoming you. Tel: 05 55 71 09 04

Fitness & Fun SALSA! SALSA! SALSA! Learn to dance! Join the "Salsa Crazy". Mondays 7pm - 8.30pm (Absolute Beginners) & Thursdays 7pm - 8.30pm (Improvers). 4 euros per person, 7 euros per couple. No partner required. Any age welcome. Free soft drink included. Come and join in the fun get fit for 2012 at St-Priest-la-Feuille community hall. NEW for this year. Why not try bachata or merengue? Private lessons also available. For more info contact Ellie on 05 55 63 86 05 or email elena.hampson@ hotmail.co.uk Coming soon: "The Sizzling Summer Salsa Ball" - watch this space for future details. 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 Jean-Marie Couturier, Aubusson. Warm and friendly atmosphere. 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 enjoy an afternoon of gentle exercise with a cheerful, light-hearted group? Each week we exercise a different group of muscles, do a little country dancing & some floor exercise and laugh a lot. The aim of the activities is to increase suppleness and mental agility. We meet every Tuesday afternoon upstairs at the Capitole in Rochechouart between 2pm and 3.30pm. It isn’t necessary to speak French because you can copy but you will learn some. Come for 2 weeks’ free trial. For details contact: 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 http://jardiniers-du-limousin.webs.com Do you love gardening or are you keen to learn more about it? Then why not come along and join Les Petits Jardiniers? We’re a friendly group of English, French and Dutch residents and normally meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 2.30pm in the salle de fêtes in St-Amand-le-Petit, between Peyrat-le-Château and Eymoutiers. Our meetings are held mostly in English and we have guest speakers, organise garden visits and swap plants and seeds. Annual membership is 15 euros pp or 20 euros per couple or pay as you go for 3 euros per meeting. For more information or to be put on our mailing list for our quarterly newsletter or monthly agenda contact Carolyn at Carolyn@cnlees.eu or Gill at gillinfrance@ orange.fr Agenda for 2012: 21st June Guided tour of private garden; 19th July Growing herbs for culinary/medicinal use; 16th August Annual BBQ; 20th September Plants for free – splitting perennials; 18th October AGM plus 'All about apples'; 15th November Gardeners Question Time; 6th December Natural Christmas Decorations & 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. More info contact Michelle Pierce on 05 45 89 36 54 or at unjardinenfrance@gmail.com Aux Plantes etc We are an association of independent, ethically-minded 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

We're celebrating...

It's nearly a year since we began the Service in English in Guéret last year, June 2011. We have been pleased and amazed at the response from the folk of Creuse. We will be having our birthday celebration on Sunday 10th June at 5 pm and would like to give you a personal invitation to join us. As we said when we started, whether or not you have a faith, you are welcome. You won't know if it's for you unless you come. We meet at 9b Place Bonnyaud, Guéret. It's not the easiest place to find and doesn't look like the church building you might be expecting. If you want to find us, call either of the contacts below, or e-mail, and we will give you directions. Our service consists of singing, praying and talking. We have a sermon of around 15 minutes and following the service do lots of talking over a cup of tea, or coffee, and a biscuit (there is a rumour that there may be cake for the birthday celebration). We welcome children and always have a children's talk of about 10 minutes so that they feel part of what we are doing. We try to keep the length of our service to an hour and a quarter. On average over the last year we have had around 25 adults and children worshipping with us. Our philosophy is simple: Jesus said, love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and your neighbour as yourself. Come and join us and see if it's true. Ian and Becky Jefferies, tel: 05 55 61 10 23 e-mail: mail@otiumsanctus.com Jim and Pat Scott, tel: 05 55 67 54 78 e-mail: scott.james@neuf.fr

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 vitist www.auxplantesetc. jimdo.com

Integration Faceaface An association founded to facilitate and encourage interaction between all members of the local community. As our first venture we have created a library. Where? In the Mairie of St-Priest which is just off the D4 between Mainsat and Chénérailles. When? The 1st and 3rd Mon afternoon in every month between 2 - 5pm. To join all you have to do is donate six books and pay €5 per person or €8 per household. If you would like more information please contact us at: faceaface23@ gmail.com or just come by and see us. Everyone is welcome! Learning Together – Apprenons Ensemble Our main aim is to foster understanding and good relations amongst the local French-speaking and English-speaking populations. To this end we are offering courses of tuition in English and in French, and organising social and cultural events and visits. LANGUAGE CLASSES (take place at the Maison des Associations, Rochechouart) Beginners and Intermediate - Mon am; French/English Conversation – Tues am; Advanced and Children’s – Wed am. SOCIAL EVENTS Games Night (Rochechouart) 1st Thur; Games Night (St-Junien) 2nd Thur; Lunch Club – Last Thur. For more details visit www.learningtogether.me or contact Mike or Christine ELLINGHAM 05 55 03 27 67 For your calendar: Picnic & All American Hoedown Thur 21st June (tickets are now limited so contact Henry Grundy to book your place); Christmas Dinner & Dance Sat 8th December The Melting Pot Members of the Ambassador's Club of the Welcome en Limousin Association. We are a group of around 70 members, both French and British, who meet with the aim of sharing things and trying to integrate with the French community. We meet every week at the Ancienne Ecole in Darnac, on a Wednesday morning from 10am - 12noon, except for the first Wednesday, when we meet in the evening at 8pm. We hold information meetings, plant swaps, BBQ's, games nights, visits and have guest speakers about topics relevant to living in France. Contact: info@meltingpot-limousin.com Charente Limousine Exchange The Charente-Limousine-Exchange (CLE), founded in 2003, aims to improve the provision of French language courses and to share experiences and skills among members who live in Charente, Vienne and Haute-Vienne. CLE provides information to members living and/or working in France and works with local communities and organisations to tackle practical issues through forums and workshops, as well as organising a wide range of cultural and social events throughout the year. The recent launch of English lessons has been well attended by Confolentais. If you would like to know more about this group of volunteers, please look on our new website www.charente-limousine-exchange.com or contact the Chairman, Barry Leech, on 06 35 96 77 46. 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 church. All proceeds towards the restoration of the church. St Jean English Library, La Souterraine The La Souterraine Library and Information Centre is now firmly installed in a beautiful medieval building at the Porte de Puy Charraud, Route de Portail, La Souterraine. The library has over 5,000 books, DVDs and other items, as well as its café, Caxtons, which serves English cakes. The Library also provides French lessons and organises Anglo-French conversation groups. The Information Centre provides support and assistance with bureaucratic, family and legal problems to British residents and new arrivals. The library is open from 9.30 -12.30 on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Contact Rodney Sabine on 05 55 63 03 87 or at stjeanbiblio@yahoo.com. Our website is www.frenchweb.eu/biblio The English Library, Dun-le-Palestel Located in the Route des Rateries, just behind the Biblithèque Municipale, you will find the Anglophone Library, which offers a wide variety of reading material, DVDs, talking books and videos. It is also a meeting point and arranges a host of activities including: Café Franglais; Club Scrabble; Café Philo; Sewing Group;

The International Free Church in Creuse (L’Eglise Non-Conformiste Internationale en Creuse)

Formerly known variously as the ‘English-speaking Church at Eguzon’, the ‘English-speaking Church at La Chaudronnière’ and the ‘Church on your Doorstep’, the International Free Church in Creuse has now been officially established and registered under this new name. So what’s important in the name? First, it is called a church:- a gathering of Christians, joining as a body to share in worship of God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and providing a meeting point for those who want to learn about God, His significance in their lives and why they are important to Him. Second, it is called free:- that means it is not bound by any denominational creed or dogma. A fellowship open to people of whatever church background or none, subject only to the Bible and to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Third, it is international:- while principally English-speaking, the church is open to all nationalities and will endeavour to enable ‘mothertongue’ worship wherever possible. Where is it? The church presently meets at 10, La Chaudronnière, a small hamlet mid-way between Crozant and Eguzon. However, the ministry called the ‘Church On Your Doorstep’ still operates and this means that if a group of four or more find distance a problem, you may apply for the ‘church’ to come to you!* When does it meet? Sunday worship meetings are held at La Chaudronnière 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. *Other meeting venues and times by arrangement. For further information contact Eric Sutton tel 05 55 89 26 62

Art Group. Library opening hours: Thu 10am – 4pm & Sat 10am – 12.30pm. For details of activities or general information visit www.ententecordiale-creuse.org or email library@ententecordiale-creuse.org.

Music Club de Musique Takes place on the last Fri of each month from 8pm at La Grange, Chassignolles (5mins from La Châtre). Open to all musicians, singers, groups and audience. PA and drum kit available. Bring your instrument, mic and join in a great French / English musical and social evening. Bar, hot and cold snacks. Meals available if reserved – see website for contact details of La Grange. For more info email: geoff@clubdemusique.fr http://www.clubdemusique.fr Open Mic Night/Boeuf, Le Vieux Soldat, 7 rue de La Fontaine, 87250 Fromental If you like music and have ever fancied getting up and having a go, please come and join in. This monthly evening (first Fri @ 8pm) is designed mainly for amateurs who would like to play or sing or just to meet some like-minded people with similar interests. There is no age limit. So if if be guitar, violin, spoons, triangle etc (get the gist?) or maybe you might like to read a poem, then please come and see what it's about. jacqueline.grant@sfr.fr 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 Amateur open mic night @ Vautredeix (Just outside Gouzon, next to Saint-Sylvain-sous-Toulx). Poets, musicians, whatever you may be... Everyone welcome to perform or just enjoy the company. Every Fri night 7pm onwards. Free. Bring a bottle. For more info contact stonryop269@hotmail.com Support Alcoholics Anonymous If you or someone you know has a drinking problem, there is now an Englishspeaking meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous at 2 Avenue Pierre Traversat, Limoges Thu 7.30pm - 9.00pm. 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. Contact tel Roger 05 55 76 22 65 or Nancy 02 54 24 09 74 or visit www.aafrancesud-ouest.com Cancer Support France, Creuse If you or anyone close to you has been diagnosed with cancer and would like help or support, we are here for you. If you need someone to talk to we have a helpline available and if we are not there we will call you back within 24 hours. Our helpline number is 06 06 47 18 60. If you would like to get involved with the work of CSF Creuse (perhaps you have some free time and can help to organise and run fundraising events) please get in touch with Mike Walsh on 09 50 49 33 04. Cancer Support France, Charente Plus Offers free and confidential support to English speakers affected by cancer in departments 16, 17 & 86. Our helpline number is 06 45 35 32 30. Drop-in Service at the Maison des Usagers (MDU) at Limoges CHU Held on the 2nd Tue of the month from 9.30 – 12.30. There will be 2 trained Active Listeners available to you if you have been affected by cancer in some way and have questions or need information about CSF Charente Plus and the service we provide. We are entering into a contract with Limoges hospital which is very thorough on their part. They do not take it lightly, allowing associations onto their premises, so be assured the service is confidential and that we are fulfilling the requirements of the hospital. If you need any more information, please get in touch via csf.charenteplus@gmail. com Cancer Support France, Haute-Vienne We offer free and confidential support to English speakers affected by Cancer in the Haute-Vienne (87). 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, csfhv@frangle.fr

Cancer Support France Haute-Vienne

We have now been up and running for 4 months and by the end of May we will have 10 active listeners fully trained. Our membership has grown to 24 and we have had an enormous amount of support from various members of the public who have made substantial donations for our first year. Not least, we have been given the most wonderful pull-up by John Lees, of Limousin-Expo, which went into service at Limoges hospital the second Tuesday in April advertising our presence at CHU Limoges and which will grace our future events. We have also received a donation from Joy and Pat at their recent clothes sale at L’Escapade Bar in Magnac-Laval at the end of March and another donation from the Living Room raised by their raffle at the recent Ladies afternoon held at the beginning of April. All these have helped with the setting up costs of this new association. On 17th June we are planning a lunch at the Videix lake. The event is to be held under the chapiteau with a four-course lunch, aperitif, wine and coffee included for 18 euros pp. Reservations and more information 05 55 00 31 15. Our key priority for the months to come is to penetrate the Eastern end of the department both in a drive for members and to make ourselves known to the medical profession and our potential clients. So if you have friends who live east of Limoges or down in the south east of the department, please let them know about us. Please don’t hesitate to ask for our brochure which we now have in quantity and I am very happy to send you. The association contact details are as follows: Helpline 06 04 43 39 87, email csfhv@frangle.fr or HQ phone number 05 55 00 31 15. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sue Ware , President CSF Haute-Vienne

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JUNE 2012

WHAT’S ON ♦ 19

at 17 Avenue du 8 Mai 1945, 87150, Oradour-Sur-Vayres. Included in the event will be: A Table from the Guide Dog School highlighting the very good work they do and with various items for sale; the presence of some working Guide Dogs and student Guide Dogs; delicious homemade cakes; teas/coffee; soft drinks; clothes; bric-a-brac; books; CDs; DVDs; various artisans; and a tombola. Please contact Roger and Christine Thomas for more information tel 05 55 78 83 05.

Departure 9am Guéret, arriving in Montluçon at 11:30, through the viaduct of Busseau-sur-Creuse and stations of Parsac, Lavaufranche Treignat, Huriel. Enjoy a day out in Montluçon before setting off on your journey home at 16h17, arriving back in Guéret at 19h. Tickets: Adults €27; Children 6 to 12 years €11; free for children under 6 years on an adult's lap. Reservations at the tourist office in Guéret. Sun 24th Jun ORADOUR-SUR-VAYRES Fund-raiser in aid of Guide Dogs for the Blind After the huge success of last year's Fund-raiser to raise money for the Guide Dogs for the Blind in Landouge, Christine and myself, with the help of Guide Dog Etoile, will be holding our second annual fund-raiser 2pm - 5pm. The venue once again will be in our large garden come rain or shine,

Sat 30th Jun CROZON-SUR-VAUVRE Chant-o-Château in Château de La Lande The Association Musique en Verdure presents a 1-day singing workshop in the beautiful Château de La Lande in Crozon-surVauvre. This romantic Château will inspire us to sing love songs. We can make a choice from courtly love from the Renaissance, passionate love of Mozart, love for Nature from the age of Romanticism, and love songs from the contemporary French repertoire. The day will be directed by Christianne Braspenning. Everyone is welcome! Coffee, a lavish lunch-buffet and an apéritif after the last song are included in the fee. Programme: 9.30h Coffee/tea 10.00 – 12.30h Songs 12.30 – 14.00h Buffet 14.00 – 16.30h Songs 16.30h Apéritif Reservations: tel 02.54.30.70.50 or mail to info@musique-enverdure.com Fee: €28 pp Fri 13th to Sun 15th Jul CHÂTEAU D'ARS, LOUROUERSAINT-LAURENT, INDRE Rencontres Internationales de Luthiers et Maîtres Sonneurs The 37th festival of traditional music and dances takes place at the Chateau d'Ars from 12th – 15th July. With instrument-makers, concerts, folk dances and a unique atmosphere, the festival has become THE meeting place of traditional music in Europe. The Salon de Lutherie welcomes 130 instrument makers from 12 countries. The exhibition is dedicated to drone instruments and traditional music instruments from all over the world and features more than 30 kinds of instrument with more than 2500 on show: hurdy-gurdies, bagpipes (Cornemuse du Centre, veuze, biniou, boha, zampogne, gaita ...), diatonic accordions, citterns, bouzouki, banjos, mandolins, lutes, harps, dulcimers, épinettes des Vosges, violins, psaltérions, nyckelharpas, stringed fiddles, harps, gralles,

traditional drums, flutes, whistles, oboe, organistrums... This is an opportunity for makers to present their work, meet other makers and exchange their experiences and technical innovations. For four days, the festival will also discover the music, traditional dances and songs of the world through more than 25 concerts and folk dances and various daytime and evening events. Children have their own activities and a space that welcomes them every afternoon. The festival opens on the evening of 12th July with a special concert with Goran Bregovic. The instrument-makers exhibition is open from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th July from 10h to 19h. Tariffs start from 12 euros with packages available for the whole festival and reductions for youngsters, students, unemployed and recipients of RSA. Entry is FREE for under 12s. Camping is available for festival goers – 12 euros pp for the duration of the festival. For more information visit www.rencontresdeluthiers.org (the website is available in English) or tel 02 54 48 60 60

JUNE 2012 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

20 ♦ WHAT’S ON

UPCOMING EVENTS ACROSS THE REGION Tue 8th May to Mon 11th Jun 1st Amateur Photography Festival - "Objectif Images" The first festival of its kind in the Creuse including photographic exhibitions in 17 communes for five consecutive weeks, a photo-discovery outing to the giant maze, live music, nature walks combining walking and photography, film projections on a photography theme culminating with the Festival finale at the Chapelle de la Sénatorerie in Guéret with prize givings in a variety of categories. Visit http://www.creusographie.fr for full listings of exhibitions and events. Sat 2nd Jun BOUSSAC Concert Concert for piano and voice by the Association Bel Canto supported by Montluçon choir Dissonance. From Mozart to Bernstein and Neapolitan songs. 20h30. Eglise Ste-Anne. Tickets at the door €10. For more info tel 04 70 28 26 02 or 06 12 40 36 28 Sun 3rd Jun CONCERTS at Lussac-les-Eglises and Les Grands-Chézeaux The North of the Haute-Vienne will host two concerts on the 3rd of June (Mother's Day in France). The Lyndhurst String Quartet of London will perform at 3pm in the church of Lussac-lesEglises. Well known for the beautiful music they produce and their wonderful technical skills, the musicians of the Lyndhurst Quartet are all members of major European orchestras. In addition to one of Haydn's great quartets they will be performing two of the best-loved works in the entire string quartet repertory: Ravel's only example of the form & Schubert's sublime 'Death & the Maiden' quartet. A 15-minute drive will allow you to attend the

second concert in Les Grands-Chézeaux, starting at 6 pm. An unconventional saxophone quartet, Quatu'or Laloi, is a high-energy ensemble and a creative leader in fusing jazz, contemporary music with classical tradition. The group is led by Julien Bire, a noted baritone saxophone player. You will enjoy a unique experience listening to Al Hirt’s frenetic "Green Hornet", Astor Piazzolla’s languorous tangos and Michael Nyman’s heartbreaking "Songs for Tony". Information and Bookings: Ticket prices: €8 per concert. Free for those under 18. After-concert dinner (€ 10 pp) in Les GrandsChézeaux, by reservation. Early bookings by phone (05 55 76 70 15 and 05 55 68 29 02) or by e-mail (cazalibus@orange.fr) Sun 3rd Jun BOUSSAC Tea Party The AIPB (Amitiés Internationales du Pays de Boussac) would like to invite the local Boussac population to a Tea Party to join with us to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the French Fête des Voisins. We will be serving typical English sandwiches with, of course, our delicious homemade cakes and English tea. Coffee, soft drinks and wine will be available too. The event will be free of charge. Find us in the square in Boussac, 15h30 until 18h30. A children's painting competition will be held with wonderful prizes for the winners and games to occupy the children will be organised. Sun 3rd Jun SAINT-YRIEIX-SOUS-AIXE Fête de la Rose Organised by the Comité des Fêtes de Saint-Yrieixsous-Aixe. 9h - 19h in the town. Displays by rose growers & stalls of crafts & art on a theme of roses.

Quality handmade wood furniture

The church will be decorated with hundreds of roses. Entry €2.50. Contact: Tel 06 84 13 59 21 Sat 9th Jun BOSMIE L'AIGUILLE Concert "Annivers 'airs" - Ensemble Vocal Résonance The Ensemble Vocal RESONANCE is celebrating its 20th birthday this year with the new "ANNIVERS' AIRS" - Eric DURAND (piano), Sébastien FARGE (accordion) & Dominique DESMOND (mise en scène). Salle Georges Bizet. 20h30. Tickets: Adults €8; 6-12s €4; Under 6s FREE. Drinks and pâtisseries will be offered in the intermission. Contact: tel 05 55 36 14 25 - email georges.lamoure0651@orange.fr Sat 16th to Sun 17th Jun PEYRAT-LECHÂTEAU Traditional English Garden Traditional English garden, created over 5 years, open to the public for the first time. 16 rue des Garennes, Peyrat-le-Château (M et Mme M. REYNETTE - JAMES). 10.30am - 6pm. 16th June - Garden only 17th June - Garden plus plants, brocante, pétanque, tombola etc. Entrance 2,50 euros (Under 16s free). Sorry no dogs.

Proceeds go to the charity Help the Heroes and French military charities. Contact 9am - 6pm 05 55 69 32 47 Sat 16th Jun SAINT-DIZIER-LEYRENNE Soirée Country An evening of country dancing and music by Country Leyrenne Dance and Les frogs and roastbeef. 19h30. Salle des fêtes. By reservation. For more info tel 05 55 64 45 65. Sat 16th Jun SAINT-SILVAIN-BAS-LE-ROC La Foulée des Vieilles Pierres - 18ème édition Held on the 3rd Sunday of June, the Foulée des Vieilles Pierres is an annual race following a 13km round circuit departing from Saint-Silvain-Bas-leRoc via Les Pierres Jaumâtres. Departure for all runners place de la mairie at 17h. Inscriptions 6 euros in advance, or 8 euros on the day. If you are interested in taking part visit www. lesvieillespierres.net to download the bulletin d'engagement. There will be music along the way. Why not come

along and join in the fun? For more information contact the Boussac Tourist Office. Fri 22nd Jun CHABANAIS Cabaret - AROUND THE WORLD Theatre Chabanois presents AROUND THE WORLD - a cabaret show of comedy, dance & songs. Salle des Fêtes, Chabanais. 20h. Adults 6€ Children/Enfants 4€ (Under 16s) Under 5s free/gratuit Groupe familiale 20€ (max 2 adultes et 3 enfants) Seating in tables of 6 Theatre Chabanois is a bilingual community theatre group formed in 2009 with about 30 members so far and a cast and crew of all ages (10yrs to over 80), abilities and talents. We are always looking for new members, not only those with thespian tendencies but those that are willing to help back stage and front of house. Everyone is welcome to join us and whatever you bring to the group you will be sure of a warm welcome and much fun on a Monday evening at the Salle des Fêtes in Chabanais at 7pm. Sat 23rd Jun LIMOGES Concert - Ensemble vocal AD HOC Concert at 20:30 at the Temple Reformed Church in Limoges by AD HOC, an 8 person "a capella" choir made up of a mixture of former professional/ semiprofessional singers plus gifted amateurs. Based in Rochechouart, the choir contains French & English singers and is directed by Colin Cartwright, former lay clerk to the Queen at the Chapel Royal of St George at Windsor Castle. As well as music from the 16th & 17th Century, Arcadelt, Passereau and others, the programme will also include music by American composers such as Aaron Copland and 'My Song in the Night' arranged by Christiansen. There will also be a folklorique element with music from Ireland, Scotland, England and France as well as music from the golden age of Hollywood. Ad Hoc offers a wide range of musical styles and moods ranging from classical to more light-hearted and quirky elements in its programme and we are constantly adding new repertoire. For more information about the choir visit www. adhoc87.fr Sun 24th Jun Festirail 2012: Guéret-Montluçon-Guéret by steam train Come and enjoy an extraordinary journey aboard a steam train from Guéret to Montluçon.

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Four days, 460 km, 300 cyclists - that is the challenge facing Bob Liddiard of St-Barbant Haute-Vienne

Award-winning cabinet maker

The 63-year-old is taking part in a London to Paris bike ride to raise money for The Royal British Legion. The Pedal to Paris ride leaves London on August 30th and ends at the Arc de Triomphe on September 2nd, with cyclists being escorted into the French capital by police outriders. The gruelling ride will take Bob through sweeping wooded countryside and quaint hamlets, quiet rural lanes and city streets closed for the event. Bob and fellow cyclists will be supported by mechanics, sports physios and motorcycle outriders. He knows the pain he is likely to experience, having done the schallenge more than decade ago when he was an Artificer Sergeant Major (ASM) REME with the Royal Yeomanry. Bob has been in training since March and his plan is to be sufficiently fit and saddle-hardened well before the start. His mentors during this time are his brothers-in-law Ian Scott (La Petite Place) and Ken Nickless (painter and decorator). Bob's challenge will help raise much needed funds for The Royal British Legion; both himself and his wife are active members of the Linazay Branch in France. He is hoping to raise at least €2,000 towards The Royal British Legion’s welfare work. Nearly 10.5 million serving and ex-service people and their dependants are eligible for The Royal British Legion’s support, which covers a range of services including grants to those in need, benefits and money advice, employment and retraining support, home adaptations and hospital visits as well as the provision of full nursing care. Bob is training for the ride when weather permits by putting in the miles at weekends, and as the days get longer he will be out several times during the week. You can follow his progress on his blog: http://mygearchange.blogspot.com Russell Thompson OBE, Director of National Events and Fundraising at The Royal British Legion, said: “Apart from the training that goes into preparing for the event, the fundraising that Bob is undertaking on behalf of The Royal British Legion will make a real difference to the lives of those that we support. “We spend £75.5 million each year on our vital welfare work and Bob’s efforts will help us considerably in continuing to provide the social, emotional and financial care to the Armed Forces Family”.

SIRET: 533 607 115 00011

You can sponsor Bob on his JustGiving site http://www.justgiving.com/bobliddiard or by contacting him on 0033(0)5 55 60 05 87 or email robertliddiard@btinternet.com For further information about The Royal British Legion’s work visit www.britishlegion.org.uk and to find out more about the Legion’s annual bike rides visit www.poppybike.org.uk

Anything from period style to contemporary chic Furniture restoration and repair Bespoke joinery made and fitted

Have that hard-to-find item individually hand made to your own specifications.

Nicholas Hemming,

Consultations by appointment across central France 02 48 63 15 09 Montgenoux 06 83 56 46 41 18170, Maisonnais n.hemming@orange.fr France

SPONSOR BOB