The Bugle Limousin - Dec 2017

Limousin hosts French Quidditch Championship Limoges has played host to the country's top sorcerers in the fourth annual Muggle >> Page 4 Quidditch Championship November 2016 - Issue #85

Limousin

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Contrôle technique rules get tougher New, stricter rules, due to come into effect in May 2018, have test centres braced for a wave of car owners hoping to get their vehicles checked before the deadline.

If your car has a major fault, you are given two months to fix the problem and bring your vehicle back to the test centre for a contre-visite to have the fault re-assessed, at which point a valid CT sticker will be issued.

From May next year, however, the number of faults being checked will rise from 453 to 606 and the extra work is expected to lead to an increase of 15-20% in the cost of a CT – currently, the average price ranges from €50-€80.

The most significant change being introduced is the creation of a “critical failure” category containing 127 checks. These range from balding tyres to faulty lights or low brake fluid levels. If your car fails with such a “défaillance critique”,

>> continued on page 6

Limoges best place in France to retire - pg 3

Beef bourgignon voted national dish - pg 7

France to host Rugby World Cup 2023 - pg 8

The Bugle Business Directory - pg 15-22

© PetitPoulailler (WikiCommons)

I

f you have a French registered car, you are probably familiar with the local equivalent of the MOT, the contrôle technique (CT).

This biennial event is a nervous time for drivers, particularly those with older cars, as we find out if we are allowed to stay on the roads for another two years and how much we might have to pay for the privilege.

This ritual will get a lot more nerve-wracking - and expensive - from 20th May next year, when European regulations kick in that will see far stricter rules applied to the test. At present, there are 453 checks on which a car can fail and a further 123 minor issues that will appear on the report as recommendations, but will not result in a failure of the test.

Limoges porcelain awarded IGP protected status - page 5

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Welcome to

I

The Bugle

n the words of the great Noddy Holder... IT'S C H R I ST M A A A A A S!!

Well, nearly, but if you turn on the telly you'd think it's been Christmas for a good few weeks already. Now that I've been initiated into the Over Forties Club, I understand that I must hold certain unwavering convictions about that halcyon time that probably never existed... “back in the day”.

Kids these days have got no manners, pop music is just noise and in my day we made our own fun with a piece of string and a stick. In reality, I could tantrum with the best of them, in terms of music - and say this one quietly - I was a member of the Jason Donovan fan club and summer holidays were interminably long with nothing to do but fight with my brother over the remote.

All in all, I'm quite enjoying becoming the thing I used to hate when I was young and seeing the past through rosetinted spectacles... and massive NHS tortoiseshell ones at that, there was none of that contact lens malarkey back in the day!

But, all that said, there is one thing that I am absolutely convinced my parents were right about and that continues

I am Dutch born, qualified, and fluent in:

to this day... Christmas starts ridiculously early and it's getting worse! Let me just go and fetch my step ladders, as the horse I'm about to mount is a high one.

Let's just park the whole Hallowe'en thing and save that rant for another day. The minute the skeleton face paint has been removed on 1st November, the TV starts feeding me nothing but images of mince pies and mistletoe. Now, I like a good mince pie and I enjoy Christmas - I'm not a total Scrooge - but in early November, I'm usually still wondering if we'll get one more barbecue in this year, not planning my list for Santa (an Ashes win, please, St Nick if you're reading!)

Did the Christmas marketing really always start this early?

I genuinely don't remember it that way. I think this might be the year that enough is enough and revolution is afoot chez Martindale. We have decided, as a family, that we are going to spend a little bit of money on a decent turkey and some Christmas Day essentials: crackers, a ham joint, a Terry's chocolate orange or two and, obviously, Twiglets!!

But we're going to make each other presents rather than buy them.

For what feels like months

Fees : see website

>

Annet Karhof

06 37 08 92 09 >

already, all day every day someone is telling me that, unless I hate myself and all my family, I have to buy what they're selling. I've always taken this time of year with a healthy dose of cynicism and I accept that in a capitalist society, businesses are just trying to make money, but I do think it has all gone too far.

And while I'm at it, how did John Lewis convince the nation's media that the release of their Christmas advert was headline news... buy that marketing man a drink!

Which brings me on to the latest phenomenon... Black Friday and what sounds like the day the robots finally overthrew us, Cyber Monday.

This distinctly American orgy of consumerism, which I believe is a popular shopping day stateside as it comes the day after Thanksgiving, was imported from nowhere a few years ago. I imagine there are a few corporations in the US (or should that be Panama?) that are giving plenty of thanks that we have lapped it up so enthusiastically in Europe.

We talk about Black Friday now as though it has always existed. And within a few short years, the word Friday has somehow morphed into a concept that encompasses any number of days either side of the fifth day of the week. “On now: Black Friday Sale... must end Monday” the telly told me... ON WEDNESDAY!!!!

I did have a chuckle when a voice of reason came out of the blue on This Morning during one feature on Black Friday

>

info@amilangues.fr www.amilangues.fr (I believe the day in question was a Thursday). There was a segment on hair straighteners that were on offer, reduced from 300-odd quid to 120.

“Hang on,” good old Eamonn interjected. “Since when did 120 quid for hair straighteners become a bargain?” After a few moments of contemplative silence, someone chipped in with: “Yeah, but you also get such and such an attachment...”

Bonkers!

Well, that was good to get off my chest - I do like a rant. So having rejected consumerism, and everything it stands for, all I have to do now is decide what to make as my Christmas presents this year. I've got Amazon Prime, so I'll just pop online and see if I can get some Christmas-themed craft kits delivered by this time tomorrow. Oh, hang on...

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INSIDE this edition

3-5 Local News

Until next month!

6-11 National News

Merry Christmas to all!!

12-14 French Life

Steve Martindale, Editor

15-22 Directory 23-25 Community 26-28 What’s On Copy deadline:

15th December for January's print edition

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 3

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The dangers of tea time Limoges is the best place in France to retire

M

any of us worry about our five a day, how much we drink and whether we eat too much fatty food. But sometimes the dangers in our diet lurk in the strangest places.

Renowned British chef, Simon Scrutton, has decades of experience running restaurants and is known among friends and family for his love of French wine and fine dining. So they were understandably worried when he was laid up for more than four weeks in hospital recently, seriously ill. The former Egon Ronay inspector also had French doctors baffled as his kidneys failed and all attempts to revive him appeared to be unsuccessful.

“I had three blood transfusions and a cycle of dialysis,” explained Simon from his home in rural France. “And it looked like the game was finally up.”

Fortunately for Simon, the excellent doctors at Limoges Hospital decided to delve deeper into his legendary love of fine food and even finer wines and what they found left them stunned. “It wasn’t French food or wine that put Simon at death’s door,” said a hospital spokesperson, “but his addiction to strong black tea!”

After the scare, Simon is reassessing his tea consumption, which he does now admit was considerable.

“Wine is apparently not a problem,”

explained the chef. “Nor all the cream, butter, rich sauces or even the occasional sumptuous chocolate pudding. I was done in by tea, although I did drink rather a lot of the stuff: all day, every day and without ever taking the bag out of the mug!”

Now that Simon is firmly back on his feet he is planning to pass on some of his top chef's secrets to paying customers at his 17th century French home, east of Confolens on the Charente/Haute-Vienne border.

“These are ideal for dinner parties or for those wishing to guarantee the success of their restaurant,” says Simon, who also edits the popular Gourmet Britain website. “Consistent ‘core’ dishes are essential if running a destination eatery. Customers will travel a distance for these and expect their favourites to be listed - of course balanced with seasonal offerings.”

Simon’s long-suffering wife AnaLuisa is confident about their latest business, but has a word of caution.

“I'm sure Simon will make a success of this new venture,” she says, “if we can just keep him away from the teapot! Who would have guessed?” ■ For more information about Simon, his half-day, one-day or residential cookery courses, visit the Gourmet Britain website and click on “About Simon Scrutton”: www.gourmetbritain.com

Is it about time you put that door or window in...?

H

ot on the heels of L'Express magazine hailing Limoges as one of the best places to live in France, a new survey has revealed that the porcelain capital is the number one city for retirees. The survey, which collated statistics on areas such as crime, healthcare, culture, public transport and the cost of living, placed Limoges at the top of the tree, ahead of Le Mans and Nice. Another Nouvelle-Aquitaine city, Bordeaux, came fourth, with Perpignan rounding off the top five.

The study compared the 39 cities in mainland France with more than 100,000 residents, with Limoges scoring particularly well on quality of life. “Limoges surpasses all its competitors thanks to its safety and pleasant living environment. It has become the ideal destination for retirement,” the study concluded.

Overall the cities in western France and especially the south-west scored well “thanks to the quality of the air, safety and lower fixed living expenses”, which pushed them ahead of their eastern counterparts.

Understandably, areas around Paris faired poorly due to high levels of crime, poor air quality and a high cost of living.

The worst place to retire to in France, however, was not in the capital, but the city of Villeurbanne to the east of Lyon, which came bottom of the pile.

In this kind of survey, Limoges and other “smaller” cities are often held back by a lack of job opportunities – a factor which brings cities like Paris, Lyon and Toulouse back to the top. This study reveals, however, that if you are done with the nine to five, there is nowhere better to live than in the heart of the Limousin. ■

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Limoges hosts French Muggle Quidditch Championship © BenHollandPhotography (WikiCommons)

T

he world of Harry Potter arrived in the Limousin in November when Limoges hosted the fourth annual French Quidditch Championship. The tournament, held at Beaublanc on the weekend of 18-19 November, saw apprentice sorcerers take to their brooms in search of the elusive “snitch” in the previously fictional game made famous by J. K. Rowling's books.

Watched on by enthusiastic crowds, 17 teams, with a total of 280 players, took part in 59 matches over the two-day competition. When the dust had settled, and the quaffles and bludgers had been collected, it was the team from the capital, the Titans de Paris, who went home with the trophy.

Local favourites, the recently formed Novas Quidditch from Limoges, came a creditable eighth. “It's not the result we were hoping for and we are obviously disappointed,” the team said on their Facebook page. “But this tournament was an opportunity for all our new recruits to make their (promising) debut in competition! We are now turning our attention to the league games that will take place this season, and we look forward to meeting anyone who is interested for training on Sundays!”

The players from Novas Quidditch were

particularly upset as the top four teams from the tournament will go on to represent France in the European Championships due to take place in Germany next April.

Muggle Quidditch has been described as “a cross between rugby, dodgeball, tag and basketball... but with brooms” and is played between teams of seven players on an oval pitch with three hoops of varying heights at either end. Teams must have at least two players of each sex and everyone must hold a stick representing a broom between their legs. The flying snitch is at-

tached to the shorts of one player, who tries to elude capture by the seekers, while beaters on each team throw dodgeballs to knock opposing players out of play for a short period of time. “Other than the fact we’re not flying, it’s full contact and quite rough, just as it was in the books,” explained one player.

The French Quidditch association was formed in 2013 and today has 30 members. For more information, search for “Novas Quidditch” on Facebook or visit www.quidditch.fr ■

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Former Creuse prefect jailed

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www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

The former prefect of the Creuse has been fined €20,000 and sentenced to three years in prison for corruption. Dominique-Claire Testart-Mallemanche was appointed prefect (the highest civil service position in a department) in 2013 after a stint as deputy prefect of Grasse, before unexpectedly stepping down six months later.

It subsequently emerged that she had been arrested in Nice along with her husband and charged with “active and passive corruption” and “trafficking of influence”. The crimes relate to Testart-Mallemanche's time as deputy prefect of Grasse from March 2011 to February 2013.

Prosecutors stated that the deputy prefect received “gifts and inappropriate generosity” in the course of exercising her official duties. The focus of the investigation surrounded a luxury hotel run by Marcel-Paul Gelabert, a family friend “of more than 10 years”, who was also charged with corruption. A 2006 safety ruling had made any extensions to his hotel, situated on 8 hectares of land, impossible. Then, in December 2012, a prefectorial order required a right of passage to be created across his land as a fire protection measure. This in turn then opened up the possibility for extension work on the hotel, a financial boon for the hotel's owner!

Lawyers for the former prefect have said that she will launch a further appeal, which spares her from immediate incarceration, but she has been banned indefinitely from holding further public office. ■

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 5

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A

fter a long battle, Limoges porcelain has finally been granted the prestigious IGP (Indication géographique protégée) label, a protected status that applies across the European Union. The IGP guarantees that any product described as “porcelaine de Limoges” will have been made by certain manufacturers, based in a designated geographical area and to strict, pre-defined methods and standards.

The news was welcomed by an industry where competition is fierce and fakes and forgeries are rife. “It's enormously satisfying, after a long struggle, fraught with problems,” said Alain Mouly, president of the Union des fabricants de porcelaine de Limoges. “An inspection body will now audit local manufacturers and assign them the IGP as appropriate. The status will exist from 1st December but it is then up to each individual company to be approved.”

“Consumers must know that from now on when they buy Limoges porcelain, it really will be from Limoges, manufactured and decorated in the department,” insisted Alain Mouly. “This is especially important abroad, because according to local manufacturers, exports account for between 50-80%

of turnover. We are also now going to attack the fraudsters from all angles with the help of this new legal weapon, to remove the competition that shamelessly uses the name of Limoges.

Things will not be the same going forwards, because the administration will now be responsible for enforcing the law with fines and substantial prison terms.”

It has been a long wait for the local porcelain industry, which has been campaigning for protected status for years. The wait finally seemed over in the summer of 2013 when the government first hinted it was about to award the IGP label. “When we think of products that symbolise the reputation of our country, Limoges porcelain is right up there,” the former government minister for consumer goods, Benoît Hamon, said at the time.

“The aim of the IGP is to highlight this quality. The porcelain companies will be able to decide for themselves their own specifications and what constitutes Limoges porcelain.”

It took a further two years for this decision to be made official, however, and another two years for the exact specifications of what constitutes porcelaine de Limoges to be agreed and approved.

As long ago as the 12th

© Zeamays (WikiCommons)

Limoges porcelain granted European protected status

century, Limoges was already the most famous European centre of vitreous enamel production, but it was the discovery in the mid-18th century of a rich seam of kaolin near StYrieix-la-Perche that led to its reputation for porcelain.

The kaolin, specific to the region, was used to produce hard-paste porcelain similar to Chinese porcelain.

The area soon became the country's foremost producer, a position it holds to this day.

In further good news for the region, UNESCO recently unveiled a list of cities that were to be inducted into their UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), a list which included Istanbul, Brasilia,

Cairo... and Limoges! The UCCN was created in 2004 to promote cooperation between cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. The 180 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective: placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their local development plans and cooperating actively at the international level.

Limoges was added under the Crafts and Folk Art category. “It's a recognition both of our past, but also current creativity in areas of art and industry,” said the city's mayor Émile-Roger Lombertie proudly. ■

Motorway plan for Limoges to Poitiers

I

t is a campaign that has been running for decades: the widening of the RN147 between Limoges and Poitiers. The Bellac bypass helped relieve some pressure as did an 8km dual carriageway around Fleuré, but other plans have come and gone. It currently takes on average two hours to drive the 130 kilometres between the ex-regional capitals of the Limousin and Poitou-Charentes and the plan to link the two cities by high-speed rail looks dead in the water.

“Since the RN147 was classified as a regional planning priority in 1992, very little has been done,” complained Pierre Massy, president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Limoges and Haute-Vienne. “At the current rate of 600 metres per year, the road should be completed by 2172 at a cost, entirely at the local taxpayer's expense, of €1.5 billion!”

It would appear that the campaign for better road links between Limoges and Poitiers is finally gaining traction, however, and a project is now being put together to build a motorway connecting the two cities. “This would link the A10 motorway, the A20 motorway and the Central Europe-Atlantic Road (RCEA),” explained Pierre Massy. “It would also create a real synergy between the city of Nantes and the urban areas of Poitiers and Limoges and open up the north of Haute-Vienne and the area around Montmorillon in Vienne.”

The argument is strong. Not only would a motorway bring the two cities to within an hour of each other, statistics show that the RN147 is the third most dangerous road in France per kilometre! The road currently carries between 10,000 and 12,000 vehicles per day, more than 10% of which are heavy goods vehicles. By comparison, the A89 motorway between Bordeaux and Lyon carries between 5,000 and 10,000!

“We must be ambitious for our territory and I think this project is vital,” Massy continued.

“If our plan does not go through, it would be a disaster not only for Limoges and Haute-Vienne, but also for Corrèze and Creuse. Three departments abandoned, we do not want that...” ■

6 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

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Contrôle technique Tintin drawing sells rules to get tougher for half a million

A

>> continued from pg 1 the technician will place a sticker on your windscreen and you will have 24 hours to fix the problem and return to the testing centre. Failure to do so will result in a fine of €135 if you are caught driving and your car can only be used during that time in order to take it to be fixed and/or return to the test centre. For those tempted to simply remove the sticker, it should be noted that your vehicle's registration will automatically be added to a secured online database.

Drivers with cars that fail with major faults will still have two months to get them fixed, during which time they can continue to drive as normal – the same as the current system.

At the moment, most test centres will offer a free return visit, but industry experts believe that the number of cars being recalled for a contre-visite will rise sharply, as will the amount of time it takes to check repairs. As a result, it is expected that many test centres may start to charge for these return visits.

“At present, many controllers offer the return visit as a commercial gesture,” explained Eric Sarfati, president of SGS, a world leader in inspection, verification, testing and certification. “From 20th

May the number of vehicles subject to this return visit will increase sharply. We believe that it will double to two out of every three vehicles checked. On top of that, the average duration of a return visit will go from 8 minutes at present to 15 or 20 minutes, according to our estimates.”

Understandably, test centres are expecting a rush by motorists to have their vehicles checked before the new regulations come into effect next May. “I have asked my staff to take their holiday before April as we are expecting huge numbers of drivers looking to check their vehicles before 20th May,” explained Camille André, boss of one Autosur test centre.

Whilst some may complain of European interference and increased bureaucracy, road safety campaigners have welcomed the move and point out that letting people with bald tyres and faulty breaks drive around legally for up to eight weeks is dangerous for everyone. Others, however, believe that the increased rules may actually have the opposite effect on road safety. According to one survey, as many as 33% of drivers are late to take their vehicle for a contrôle technique and some believe that a tougher test will increase this figure, resulting in more unroadworthy cars on the country's roads. ■

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rare, original drawing by Tintin creator Hergé has been sold at auction in Paris for over half a million euros. The India ink drawing of the young reporter Tintin and his faithful dog Snowy fetched €505,000 at auction in Paris.

The picture, approximately 21 centimetres squared, was from the 1939 comic album King Ottokar's Sceptre and was among a number of items by the Belgian cartoonist to go under the hammer. Despite going for more than half a million, the price paid fell short of the €600,000-€800,000 estimate. An original strip from the book The Shooting Star fetched €350,000, but a copy of Tintin adventure Destination Moon, signed by US astronauts, failed to find a buyer.

“The original works of Tintin are becoming more and more rare at auction, especially those from the years 1930-1940,” explained Eric Leroy, comic book expert at Artcurial.

“Collectors are more and more interested in drawings that were published before being gathered together in an album.”

Tintin is one of the most recognisable comic book characters ever created. His adventures have been translated into 90

languages, selling in excess of 230 million copies worldwide, and the cartoons remain popular to this day, particularly in France where sales of comics - or graphic novels remain strong.

Last year a comic strip from the Tintin book Explorers on the Moon sold for a record €1.55 million at auction – the record for a single cartoon drawing. Also last year, a rare drawing of Tintin in Shanghai from the book The Blue Lotus sold for around €1.1 million at auction in Hong Kong. ■

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NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 7

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Boeuf bourgignon voted France's national dish

Paris opens first nudist restaurant

© Slayschips (WikiCommons)

H

F

rance is renowned worldwide for its gastronomy, but a recent survey has revealed what the French themselves think of their national cuisine. Conducted by the Toluna Institute, it asked members of the public to name the dish they felt best represented French cooking, with the top spot being taken by the classic staple, boeuf bourgignon.

Whilst the exact recipe for the beef stew varies depending on where you are in France, the dish typically involves slow-cooking chunks of beef in a red wine (preferably Bourgogne) sauce with small onions, lardons and mushrooms. Boeuf bourgignon claimed the top spot with 23 per cent of the vote, comfortably beating blanquette de veau (11%) - veal in a cream sauce - and steak frites (10%).

“The result makes total sense as these first two traditional meals perfectly reflect our food heritage, but are also comforting dishes,” said Michelin-starred French chef Laurent Trochain. “They remind us of the flavours from our childhood that we want to share with others around the world.”

Many were surprised to see steak and chips in third place, however, ahead of such classics as cassoulet (8%)

and magret de canard (5%), but the Michelin-starred chef was less shocked. “Steak frites is a dish made for eating with friends at any time of day or night. Plus, if cooked well, it can become a true gastronomic gem when regional meats are paired with different varieties of potato.”

A further interesting aspect of the survey is that the stereotypical view of the French held by the rest of the world may not be too far off the mark: also present in the top ten French dishes are frogs legs (5%) and snails (4%).

Whilst their inclusion may raise a snigger, it would probably be a surprise if rosbif did not appear on a similar list compiled in the UK! Much has been made of the decline of the traditional sit-down lunchtime meal in recent years, but one heartening statistic thrown up by the survey is that, not only is sitting at a table still considered essential, 93% of people believe that a meal is, above all, an occasion to be shared with others.

“This is reassuring and shows the French attachment to a long-standing tradition,” said Pierre-Alexandre Teulié, one of the survey's backers. “We are still one of the few nations to sit at the table for lunch - eighty per cent of French people do it!” ■

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ave you ever found the perfect dish on a menu, but decided against it for fear of making a mess of your favourite white top? A new restaurant in Paris has solved this problem by making clothes distinctly optional. The eatery, aptly called O'naturel, is located down a quiet side street in south-west Paris, can seat 40 diners at a time and has been hailed as France's first nudist restaurant.

Whilst customers are free to enjoy dinner in their birthday suits, they are expected to arrive fully clothed before being directed to a cloakroom, where they can leave their clothes... as well as their mobile phones and cameras! The waiters and kitchen staff, meanwhile, will reportedly remain dressed for hygiene reasons. Where diners will keep their credit cards has not been established!

The restaurant opened with a soft launch attended by members of the Paris Naturist Association. “They’ve supported us from the beginning, and we reserved our first soirée for them,” explained restaurant managers, brothers Mike and Stéphane Saada, after their successful opening night.

Diners are presented with a list of rules outlining what is expected of them in terms

of behaviour - any voyeurism or overt exhibitionism is not tolerated and only teenagers (who must be accompanied by an adult) are allowed to keep their clothes on in the dining room. Diners need not be concerned about curious gawkers out on the sidewalk, either. A heavy curtain will apparently obscure the restaurant’s large street-level windows entirely, and a second set of curtains will prevent people from sneaking a curious peek into the dining room should someone open the restaurant’s front door in view of passing Parisians.

France has seen something of a naturist boom in recent years - an estimated 2.6 million people make nudism a regular habit - and the nearby Bois de Vincennes recently trialled a nudist area in the capital. Parisians can also now swim in the buff several times a week at a public pool. One advantage of the restaurant, according to Stéphane Saada, is that currently “people only get to be nudists in the summer”.

The debut of O’naturel follows the opening of similar nudist-friendly restaurants in London and Tokyo. Reservations are compulsory and diners can expect to pay €40-50 for upmarket French bistro cuisine. ■

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ot on the heels of the 2024 Olympics being awarded to Paris, it has now been announced that France has won the battle to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup. The news was a surprise to many, coming as it did in the wake of a recent report by World Rugby which recommended awarding the tournament to South Africa.

The report had been widely criticised by France and Ireland - the third country bidding to host the sport's biggest event and at a World Rugby Council meeting in London last month, France was controversially chosen to hold the 10th World Cup event.

France, who first hosted the competition in 2007, won in the second round of voting with 24 votes compared to 15 for South Africa. Ireland, which has never hosted the tournament but did stage matches in 1991 and 1999, was eliminated in the first round of voting after getting just 8 of the 39 votes France picked up 18 and South

Africa 13.

In the voting, the English RFU backed the Irish bid, but Wales supported South Africa and Scotland went with France, decisions that Philip Browne, head of the Irish Rugby Union, described as “very disappointing”.

Despite the controversy, World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont described the selection process as the “most transparent and comprehensive” in the organisation's history. “I am delighted for France. They have run a World Cup before and I think it will be exciting.

We feel for the first time that within World Rugby we have put the results of our evaluation out to the general public.”

The World Rugby evaluation, which placed South Africa as firm favourites, had been heavily criticised as “laughable” by Bernard Laporte, president of the French Rugby Federation (FFR). “We are not rated as well [as South Africa] over doping because they tell us we are too strict,” Laporte explained. “On security, we have the same num-

ber of points even though there are 52 murders a day in South Africa - it's crazy!”

South Africa last hosted the World Cup in 1995, when the Springboks famously beat New Zealand 15-12 in the final as Nelson Mandela watched on from the stands. “We were about 90% certain that we would be hosting the World Cup. The whole of South Africa is going to be disappointed,” said Chester Williams, who played for South Africa at the 1995 World Cup. “We thought the biggest opposition would be the Irish.”

Following the announcement, President Emmanuel Macron tweeted: “We will again host the Rugby World Cup in 2023.

Wonderful news for rugby, for sport and for France.” The decision will also boost the northern hemisphere's teams' chances of lifting the Webb Ellis Cup - England are still the only country other than New Zealand, Australia and South Africa to be crowned champions.

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France awarded 2023 Rugby World Cup

The 2023 tournament will be held from September to October and feature matches at nine grounds across the country: Stade de France, Saint-Denis (Paris); Stade Vélodrome, Marseille; Groupama Stadium, Lyon-

Décines; Stade Pierre-Mauroy, Villeneuve-d'Ascq; Matmut Atlantique, Bordeaux; Stade de La Beaujoire, Nantes; Stadium de Toulouse; Allianz Riviera, Nice, and Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Etienne. ■

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 9

10 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

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Eleven vaccines become compulsory for children

M

Ps in France's National Assembly have voted through a bill which will extend the number of compulsory childhood vaccinations from three to eleven from the New Year. The change, which was part of the draft bill for the Social Security budget, was passed by 63 votes to three on its first reading and will now go to the Senate for final approval.

Three childhood vaccines - for diphtheria, tetanus and polio - are already mandatory in France, but others are simply recommended.

The new law will now also require parents to vaccinate their children against whooping cough, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, influenza, pneumonia and meningitis C. All of these are universally recommended by health authorities across the country, but are not currently compulsory.

Children attending nursery or school will be required to be up to date with their vaccinations.

According to Le Monde, parents who refuse could face up to six months in prison and a fine of €3,750, but there will be an unspecified period of grace before any sanctions are imposed.

Following the vote, one news site - which Le Monde described as “hostile and untrustworthy” - wrote that it feared that parents could be punished with up to two years in prison and a €30,000 fine for refusing to comply.

This claim was rapidly denied by French minister for health, Agnès Buzyn, who insisted that MPs do not want to punish parents, but rather improve public perception of vaccinations; it has been reported that one in four peo-

ple still do not trust them. Blandine Brocard, an MP for Macron's LREM party (La République en marche !) was one of a group of MPs who had called for a moratorium on the plan, telling the Assembly “We compel but we do not convince”.

In June, 200 senior doctors and hospital bosses signed a petition published in Le Parisien, declaring themselves in favour of the new law change. “Vaccination isn't only a personal choice that solely benefits the person who is vaccinated, it aims to protect the population, in particular children, the elderly and fragile,” wrote the health professionals. “Systematic vaccination has eradicated diseases, such as smallpox,” the text noted. “But the reduction in the vaccination coverage rate of the population has led to the resurgence of certain diseases such as measles.”

Levels of vaccination have been falling across Europe in recent years and some diseases that were considered to be virtually eradicated have been making deadly comebacks. There were 79 cases of measles reported in France in the first two months of 2017, mostly due to an outbreak of 50 cases in the north-eastern Lorraine region. Between the beginning of 2008 and the end of 2016, more than 24,000 cases of measles were declared in France, official figures show. Of these, around 1,500 resulted in serious complications and there were ten deaths.

The World Health Organisation estimates that between 2000 and 2015, measles vaccination prevented more than 20 million deaths worldwide. ■

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RESTAURANT

French passport is fourth most useful A report has revealed that a French passport is the fourth most useful in the world, allowing visa-free access to 156 countries across the globe, the same number as the UK, Italy, Spain and Japan. Germany lost its top spot in the most recent rankings to Singapore, with Sweden and South Korea coming in joint third.

Following the election of Donald Trump, the United States passport now allows nonvisa travel to just 154 countries, knocking it down to sixth place overall, alongside Malaysia, Ireland, and Canada.

The least useful document for international travel is an Afghanistan passport, with just 22 countries accessible without a visa. ■

Orange Bank Given that they don't always do a stellar job running the nation's telecoms infrastructure, it came as a surprise to many that Orange have launched a bank! Called Orange Bank, the group claim that they are the first in a new generation of banks independent of the traditional banking system.

The online only bank allows you to perform most operations, including paying at the checkout and transferring money, from your mobile and also offers a free bank card, withdrawals, cheque book and direct debits.

Whilst most operations are free - and in the case of receiving or making a payment, immediate - there are some charges for nonsmartphone operations and also some costs if the account is not used.

As a bonus, Orange Bank is offering an €80 ‘welcome’ payment after three purchases using the Visa Orange Bank card or smartphone and €40 for existing Orange customers (subject to conditions).■

Tourism record France looks on course to reach its ambitious target of 100 million foreign visitors per year by 2020 after posting record visitor numbers in the third quarter of 2017. Paris saw the largest rise, although the increase can be seen across the country, with 200 million overnight stays, 4% more than the same period last year.

The government's ambition to attract 100 million visitors per year has suffered several blows following a series of terror attacks in Paris and elsewhere across France in 2015 and 2016. Holiday makers are returning in their droves, however, and France remains the most visited country in the world. Last year, 82.6 million people visited these shores, but industry insiders are now confident that numbers in 2017 could reach a record 89 million.

Currently, tourism generates 7% of France's GDP, although the government hopes to increase that figure to 10%. ■

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F

rance's unofficial first lady, Brigitte Macron, is due to visit Beauval Zoo in December in her capacity as godmother to the first baby panda to be born in France. Pandas are notoriously difficult to breed, with the female being in heat for a mere 48 hours per year, so it was with much joy that the news of a panda pregnancy was announced earlier this year.

The zoo's female panda Huan Huan (meaning 'happy') had been artificially inseminated by the country's only other panda, Yuan Zi (meaning 'chubby'), although the happy day was bittersweet: the zoo's female giant panda gave birth to twins, only for one to die shortly after it was born.

emony on 4th December.

The baby has not yet been on public display since its birth, something which is not uncommon in panda births. “In nature, the mother and her baby often stay isolated in a cave or a protected environment for several months, sometimes four to six months. To mimic this intimacy and to ensure their well-being, we have replicated this isolation at the zoo,” explained zookeepers at the park.

Nine-year-old Huan Huan and her partner arrived at Beauval Zoo in January 2012 on a 10-year loan from China following intense, high-level negotiations between Paris and Beijing; panda diplomacy has been an important tool in Chinese foreign rela-

Following the traditions of so-called “panda diplomacy”, as 'first lady' of the host country, Mrs Macron will share godmother duties with the wife of the Chinese president, who represents the country from which the panda originates. Whilst officially the two godmothers are jointly responsible, the name for the baby panda currently known as “Mini Yuan Zi” will be chosen

by China before being unveiled at the cer-

tions over the decades. The pair at Beauval Zoo are among the roughly fifty pandas living in captivity in 22 countries outside China. If all goes well, the surviving cub will leave Beauval when it is two or three years old to be returned to its native China.

There are around 1,864 pandas still living in the wild according to the World Wildlife Fund - 1,246 of those live in one of the 67 panda nature reserves in China. ■

© Luigi Anzivino (WikiCommons)

First lady to name Price of foie gras to France's baby Panda soar this Christmas

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F

ans of foie gras may have to dig deep into their pockets this Christmas, with the price of the controversial delicacy looking set to sky rocket. As well as facing import bans from countries around the world, a series of bird flu epidemics across the country have decimated flocks. As a result, the production of foie gras has dropped by 20% compared to last year and 40% relative to 2015 levels, leaving experts to predict a further €4 rise in the price of a festive 180g jar.

Ducks and geese have once again been roaming the farms of France following the most recent outbreak earlier this year, but an estimated 3.7 million birds had to slaughtered in 2017 for

health reasons at a cost of €250 million to the industry.

“There will definitely be less foie gras on the market. This will not be compensated for by increased imports from countries such as Hungary and Bulgaria, which have also been hit by this disease,” explained a spokesperson for the industry. “Prices will increase in the run up to Christmas, in a similar way to last year, so we're looking at more than 10%.”

Foie gras remains popular in France and it is estimated that 86% of French people will eat it at some point during the festive period. It also remains controversial, however, and has become a regular battleground between animal rights campaigners and defenders of France's

gourmet traditions. Whilst some protest against the conditions the birds live in, it is the process of force feeding (gavage) which is most controversial (see box below).

The process has led to bans on imports of French foie gras by a number of countries around the world.

Recent surveys also point to a falling appetite for the delicacy among the French.

Even before the bird flu outbreaks of recent years, consumption was already dropping, with a 2015 poll suggesting that 47 per cent of French people want an end to force-feeding and 29 per cent would consider refusing to buy foie gras in protest against the ill-treatment of animals - a 10% increase since 2009. ■

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

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Inclusive French - progressive or controversial?

F

or expats moving to France, one of the biggest obstacles to fully integrating can be the language. Often, spoken French is the first step and after a while many find that reading the language of love becomes less challenging. Written French, on the other hand, is probably the hardest of the linguistic disciplines and is something that evades many Brits, no matter how hard they try.

One aspect of the French language that causes problems is the use of masculine and feminine, a concept that does not exist in English. Ask a French person how they know it's une fleur but un arbre, and they will look at you blankly and say, “well, we just know”. Lucky for some!

This differentiation of masculine and feminine also extends to everyday words. Ask in a shop to speak to le directeur and you may well be told that's not possible because la directrice is not in today. Oops, how were you to know the boss was a woman?

Should you have used the feminine form in the first place? In modern times, and especially in the post-Weinstein world we find ourselves living in, is this kind of exchange just another example of #everydaysexism?

Whilst you can also ask for the manager or the manageress in English and create similar confusion, French is a minefield for this kind of situation. One solution, according to many, is

the use of “inclusive French”, a convention which has militant supporters, but also vociferous critics.

Inclusive French uses the '·' symbol - a full stop at mid-height - to separate the masculine and feminine forms of a word. This “mid-punctuation point” occurs after the root and the masculine ending, and is followed by the feminine ending. A second midpunctuation point followed by an “s” can also then be used to signify the plural form.

So, when asking for the boss in written French, you would use the inclusive word directeur·rice and for a collection of managers, directeur·rice·s. Other examples would be acteur·rice·s (actors/ actresses) and ingénieur·e·s (engineers). In current usage a group of friends would be amis (the masculine form) unless the entire group were female in which case they would be amies.

Under the rules of inclusive French the distinction would be removed by the using the generic word ami·e·s.

The first textbook printed in inclusive French aimed at schoolchildren was recently released by the respected publisher Hatier, who tweeted: “Très fier·ère·s d'avoir publié le premier manuel scolaire en écriture inclusive !”

Confused? Don't worry. So are many French people! Whilst supporters of the new format aim to avoid offending or excluding women and transgender people

with everyday language, opponents argue that they risk throwing out centuries of linguistic heritage with the politically correct bath water. One group that are particularly angry is the Académie française, the official body tasked with guarding the French language from unwanted influences (like English!) They don't speak out often, but when they do people tend to listen.

“The multiplication of the orthographic and syntactic marks that this requires leads to a fragmented language, disparate in its expression and creates confusion which borders on illegibility,” the group said in a statement. In short, they are not fans. “It is unclear what the goal is and how it could overcome practical obstacles of writing, reading - visual or aloud - and pronunciation.”

They raise a good point... how exactly do you pronounce directeur·rice·s?!

“More than any other institution, the Académie française is sensitive to developments and innovations in language,” the statement continued. “On this occasion, it is less as guardian of the norm than guarantor of the future that it launches this alarm call.”

Plenty disagree with the ancient organisation, which was created in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. “The Académie française is supposed to reflect the evolution of language and new developments as its role is

to codify them. This time, it is trying to go against progress and it is insulting to women,” argues Caroline De Haas, a feminist activist. “Feminine forms of adjectives were used for both men and women in previous centuries, if the noun closest to the adjective was feminine. An example would be ‘les hommes et les femmes sont belles’ not ‘beaux’ [men and women are good-looking].”

Feminists have also pointed out that the Académie's members are predominantly male, with only a handful of women among their number - the first female member was the novelist Marguerite Yourcenar, elected in 1980, almost 350 years after its creation.

“Once, I taught a university class with 65 students, 64 of whom were women,” explains Françoise Vouillot, president of France's High Council of Equality. “But the grammatical rules dictate that, because there was one male student, I had to address the group using the masculine. It’s as if I was telling the girls that all 64 of them were less important than that one boy.”

Whilst inclusive French is causing a bit of a storm, the Académie - and expats desperately trying to get their heads round the language - may not have too much to worry about. A survey has suggested that while 75% of French people are in favour of inclusive writing, only 12 per cent actually know what it is and

how to use it.

The government also appears to be against the idea. Despite the City of Paris announcing that they plan to keep using inclusive French, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has released an order banning gender equal words from official documents.

In addition, France's Minister of Education has ruled the inclusive rules “too complex” to be used in all textbooks.

“State administrations must comply with grammatical and syntactic rules, especially for reasons of intelligibility and clarity,” Philippe announced.

The statement went on to emphasise the government's commitment to gender equality, but carried four clear points for officials: • The masculine form remains the gender neutral option • Official titles should be feminised where appropriate: i.e. la secrétaire générale • Inclusive titles are preferred: i.e. “le candidat ou la candidate” • The mid punctuation point is banned (candidat·e·s) Whilst France may still be some way from embracing inclusive French, the mid-punctuation point is due to appear on the new layout for French keyboards from next year and the Canadian authority in Québec has become an early adopter. Who knows what this country's future président·e·s will think? ■

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Planning a tax-efficient return to the UK - Blevins Franks

hile France has so much to offer Britons living here, for some expatriates there comes a time when they want – or need – to return to the UK. An easy mistake is assuming that, since the UK is your home country, moving back is straightforward. When it comes to tax and financial planning, various aspects can trip you up. Careful, early planning is essential to make your move as straightforward and taxefficient as possible.

Residency considerations As soon as you are seen as a UK resident, HM Revenue and Customs can charge you income and capital gains taxes. But do not assume that you will only become a UK resident again when you step back on British soil. In some cases, residency can be triggered before you even leave France, potentially bringing you into the firing line for British taxation sooner than expected.

This could happen, for example, if you still own a UK property or buy one before moving back. Even if you keep your property in France, as soon as you are seen to stop using it as your main home, you are likely to be considered a UK resident.

If you plan to spend time in the UK preparing for your permanent return, take care not to bring forward the date of your UK residence status accidentally. It can take as little as 16 days back home to trigger residency if you have been a non-British resident for under three years. If you have been non-resident for longer, you could become resident after 46 days of a tax year, or 30 days if staying in a UK property that is considered your main home.

While generally you cannot decide

where you are resident for tax purposes, you may have some control over the timing of your UK residency. With guidance, you can plan to transition at a time that will minimise your tax liabilities in both France and the UK. Tax considerations Your financial arrangements today should be designed to suit your personal circumstances and current residency status. Once you move back to the UK, however, assets and structures that work favourably for you now as a French resident may not be so beneficial. On the other hand, you could find more tax-efficient opportunities in the UK once you become a British resident again.

As well as the tax implications for any income, such as your pension, your residency will influence your tax liabilities when buying, selling or moving any financial interests. Before buying a new UK home, for example, make sure you understand how tax rules locally and in the UK might restrict or eliminate the availability of main home reliefs. Capital gains tax is also important – it may be more beneficial to sell or buy when resident of one country over the other.

Depending on your situation, you might find it beneficial to either bring forward or delay selling or transferring any assets according to where you are a tax resident. In particular, careful planning of the date of sale of your overseas home is crucial.

Pension considerations If you transferred your UK pension into a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS), you need to take specialist advice on the best way

Do you have something to sell?

Unwanted present... decluttering the garage...?

What better way to make some space (and some money!) than by selling through The Bugle's Classifieds service. Go online now:

www.thebugle.eu/classifieds It's FREE and updated daily!!

Just email classifieds@thebugle.eu and we'll do the rest...

forward. If you made pension decisions based on tax-compliant opportunities in France, you need to establish what you should do once you are liable to UK taxation.

Estate planning considerations Similarly, your estate planning will need a thorough review to consider inheritance taxes, succession law, probate, etc. If you have trust arrangements, there could be tax consequences you need to explore before returning to the UK. You should also take specialist advice if you have any UK inheritance tax planning structures set up on the basis that you had a domicile of choice in France.

Brexit considerations While there is still much uncertainty about Brexit, nothing should change until at least March 2019. But, if you return to the UK post-Brexit, you will be moving to a non-EU country – this could potentially trigger higher taxa-

tion in terms of exit taxes on the sale of shares or capital gains tax on selling property within the EU. Whatever your reasons for returning to the UK, it is important to plan carefully in advance, and review all the tax and wealth management considerations before you leave France. Ideally, if you can be flexible around the timing of your move, you should plan your return date around your tax planning.

An adviser with cross-border expertise can help you avoid punitive tax implications and make use of tax-efficient opportunities in both countries. ■ Tel: 05 53 63 49 19 Email: bergerac@blevinsfranks.com Web: www.blevinsfranks.com Tax rates, scope and reliefs may change. Any statements concerning taxation are based upon our understanding of current taxation laws and practices which are subject to change.

Tax information has been summarised; an individual is advised to seek personalised advice.

14 ♦ FRENCH LIFE

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

In the garden - jobs for December

S

o here we are. December already! Another gardening year almost over.

To date, November has been really pretty mild and dry. The rivers are at low levels, and though we’ve had rain, the soil is still pretty dry, not really “typical” for this time of year. But some cool nights have frosted some plants and killed others, thereby reminding us not to be too complacent. Move sensitive things to more sheltered positions if you need to, and protect others in-ground with mulch or fleece.

So what can happen this month will really depend so much on the weather. If we get sharp frosts, hold back on lots of things such as pruning trees or planting; anything that can damage the structure of plants.

If it stays reasonably mild you can continue planting bulbs, prune your vines, prune your apples, prune your pears, prune your figs.

I

by Michelle Pierce

Keep dealing with fallen leaves, but do so productively – via a compost bin, as mulch, or as leaf mould.

Don’t take them to the dump or burn them. Check drains and gutters are not clogged.

If you have an unheated greenhouse or tunnel you can set up a sowing station to sow leaf greens, carrots, broad beans, chicories, winter lettuce, winter radish, hardy herbs like chives, etc. Install a table or use a section of your work bench. Put down a piece of plastic as a liner, then make a simple cloche framework with wire or plastic electrical conduit. Sow into pots then put clear plastic, bubble wrap or fleece over the top. If you sowed in November you’ll probably need to prick out the seedlings, or separate them for space.

If you have veg still growing in the ground, say leeks, then protect them with straw or a thick layer of leaves/ mulch.

It’s a good time to wander round the garden and see what things you would like to move, reshape via pruning or even eliminate. Make a list. By the end of the year there may be clumps of herbaceous things that have grown too large, or too mature, and need thinning out – either to reduce their size or for rejuvenation. Or all those self-sown things that have magically appeared in the wrong places. Move them if the weather is clement, or clear spaces where you could move them to later.

If the weather is bad, now is the perfect moment to go through your seeds. It’s a good idea to make a list of what you’ve got before starting to get tempted by the new set of catalogues. Then you can avoid doubling up unnecessarily. After the list, indulge yourself by diving in to all the fantastic seed catalogues that are available, and do some research online to find some new varieties

that you haven’t tried before. Trust me – make an initial list and look at the total, before you order! You may then want to downsize. Ask around if friends have got particular things you plan to grow – people who save seed tend to have too much for their own needs.

You can also be looking at the spring bulb section of specialists, and be deciding what to buy for planting later.

In fact, December is an excellent time for thinking, planning, deciding and getting ideas. What more perfect way of gardening than settling down by the fire for the afternoon with a good strong mug of tea and a heap of catalogues, gardening books, a list of websites and a laptop, to look through photos of marvellous plants and gardens, and see what can inspire you for the following year?

Good gardening! ■

Easy Christmas Apple Cake

n my family’s garden when I was young grew two apple trees. Beautiful in spring with pale pink blossoms floating on all the boughs, the trees were wretched.

It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with the trees themselves their gnarled branches gave them first-rate potential for supporting a tree house which, because the fruits the blossoms developed into were horrible, is what my sister and I pleaded for. But my father wouldn’t stand for this proposal: apple trees were for eating from, not for living in.

We would have agreed in any other case. But in this one, the apples these two delivered were Beauty of Bath and we hated them. A relatively recent addition to the orchard, it’s a cultivar that was propagated in 1864 by nurseryman George Bradley in Bath.

Beauty of Bath is an enthusiastic cropper, which as far as my sister and I were concerned was regrettable because we found these abundant fruit populating the fruit bowl with a limitless supply worthy of Thor’s endlessly replenishing drinking horn, inedible. But eating them is what our parents insisted we did since nature’s bounty should never be allowed to go to waste.

The reason for their unpopularity with us was not so much the size of the crop but the quality of its bounty. While the apples were sweet and juicy, with the curious acetone flavour of pear drop sweeties, their

by Julia Watson

flesh was doughy. Eating them was like biting into fruity cotton wool.

Or a hamburger flavoured with Diorissimo.

It was hard to keep up with the number of apples that matured on the trees as early as July, going on, it seemed to us, for ever. Generally, before my sister and I could be organised to pick them off the branch, they dropped to the ground, where, of course, they would bruise. Those we did manage to harvest we were instructed to wrap up in newspaper and store in the shed to eat over the winter.

Beauty of Bath were just about acceptable over the summer. But during that first winter of our efforts with recycling the publications of the Street of Shame, we discovered that Beauty of Bath is not an apple that will keep. In the dark and cool of the shed, the wrapping sheets of newspaper had grown together in a mould-covered sludge that soaked the cardboard boxes, out of which the rotted apples flopped to the floor. Unshrouded from their dailies and Sundays, they were mush.

So the following summer, when my father had joined us in resenting the presence of Beauty of Bath in the fruit bowl, my mother turned them into this apple cake.

You may wonder why I propose the recipe for Apple Cake for the month of Christmas. But it may very well be that you, too, have apples - unlikely to be Beauty of Bath - stored in newspaper in some cellar or shed. Even if you don’t, you may

be expecting children or grandchildren or friends to eat sometime over the extended Christmas period. This cake is very quick to make, doesn’t need a mixer, and is so easy you can delegate children to cook it

for you. ■ Julia Watson has been a longtime Food Writer for newspapers and magazines in the US and the UK.

Very moist easy Apple Cake 235g apples (Golden, or Granny Smith, or any other), peeled, cored and cut into 1cm cubes 300g plain white flour, sifted 3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda 3/4 tsp each of salt, cinnamon and ground cloves 1/4 tsp fresh ground nutmeg or 1/2 tsp pre-ground nutmeg 275g light brown sugar 250ml vegetable oil 2 eggs 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 100g walnuts, chopped (optional) Icing sugar for dusting Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 21cm springform cake pan.

Place flour, baking soda, salt and spices in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

Whisk oil and sugar in a bowl, then whisk in eggs and vanilla.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a wooden spoon until JUST combined. Fold in the apple cubes. If you’re adding the chopped walnuts, do it now.

Pour the batter into the cake pan.

Bake for 50 minutes - 1 hr. Check at 50 minutes - it is cooked when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar if using, then serve. This is a very moist cake so strictly speaking doesn't need cream.

But I would serve it with crème fraîche or a crème anglaise. It’s best served warm or at room temperature.

DIRECTORY ♦ 15

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

BUSINESS DIRECTORY Champlong Chatterie

Animals & Pets

Caring, quiet accommodation just for cats Alison & Ray

Tel: 05 55 60 27 83

Dog grooming in your own home

champlongchatterie@me.com www.champlongchatterie.com

Fully trained and qualified in Knightsbridge London dog salon.

40 years full-time experience.

SIRET: 520 896 671 00010

Tel: 05 55 78 62 28

La Tour des Chats Luxury holiday home for cats

Based near Marval (87440) covering ~30km radius

Château-Chervix (87380) 12 € / day Spacious rooms, outside space, video surveillance.

Payment: CB, cheque and cash.

Contact Jessica 06 31 94 63 87 / 05 55 58 86 52

Siret no. 832 850 929 00015

Valhalla dog holidays

www.latourdeschats.fr

"Home from Home"

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

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

>> pg 21 >> pg 21 >> pg 21 >> pg 21 >> pg 21 >> pg 21 >> pg 21 >> pg 22 >> pg 22 >> pg 22 >> pg 22

Building Services Architects/Surveyors

Building Services Carpenters/Joiners

At Masterplans.eu we can help guide you through your planning application in France.

From initial feasibility to completed dossiers.

We will compile all the relevant drawings and complete the necessary paperwork to ensure your application proceeds smoothly.

We are equally at home working with clients here in France or those living abroad.

CARPENTER AND BUILDER

05 55 80 42 47 or email

Auto Services

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

See Display Ad Below

15€ / night

05 55 00 34 79 / 06 71 15 15 65

siret: 810 192 807 00016

Siret: 792 142 341 00017

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

waggingtails87@hotmail.com

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

Suppliers of Car & Van Spares & LHD headlights, anywhere in France

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76

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

Web: www.versineer.com Email: enquiries@versineer.com

06 45 82 34 03 Siret 798 692 778 00011

Architectural DRAWING SERVICE

www.classicalcarpentry.fr 05 55 65 15 31 / 06 02 25 41 58

New build?

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

Renovating your French property?

Dossiers prepared Permis de Construire Déclarations Préalables

Tel: 05 53 52 36 05

lavieilleabbaye@orange.fr SIRET: 493 770 358 00015

Visit our website

www.classicalcarpentry.fr

Keith Brown 30 years’ experience.

Full décennale insurance guarantee.

M: 06 02 25 41 58

Classical Carpentry see main ad below

Neuvialle Menuiserie

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

NEUVIALLE MENUISERIE JOINERY

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

Siret: 802 265 728

■ Services ■ Brakes ■ MOT Prep

keith@classicalcarpentry.fr

All types Best Rates Available Immediately References available Call Mark:

Siret: 498 843 051 00018

Classical Carpentry

T: 05 55 65 15 31

Jeff Jones: 05 55 62 46 21 Mob: 06 38 25 74 62 e: jones23entreprise@orange.fr

Carpenter

Roofs, stairs, shutters, decking, gazebos...

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

www.jonesentreprise.com

CHARTERED STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

05 55 81 31 85 (contrôle technique)

Building • Roofing • Kitchens • Joinery

Portfolio available to view at

siret: 810 322 123 00011

Tim Haw B.Eng C.Eng M.I.Struct.E

motorptscharente@aol.com www.motorpartscharente.com

QUALITY WORKMANSHIP SINCE 1986

Siret: 790 016 984 00011

Pre-purchase & Structural Surveys.

Verbal & written reports.

Structural calculations & drawings.

Redevelopment ideas & solutions.

+44 (0)1377 538 639

05 55 41 17 76

Registered Car Mechanic

MOTOR PARTS

JOHN SOWERSBY

Your advert here

RING BILL!

05.55.81.31.85

CHARENTE

leaberry24@yahoo.co.uk

WOOFERS RETREAT

RING BILL! Registered Car Mechanic

Feel free to visit! Contact Jane:

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

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

A holiday for your dog (NOT KENNELS)

Open 365 days a year Call Leanne on:

SIRET: 494 617 798 00017

LA BRAUDERIE BROCANTE

siret: 818 954 669 00013

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

siret 804 476 802 00017

Antiques/ Brocantes

>> pg 15 >> pg 15 >> pg 15 >> pg 15-18 >> pg 18 >> pg 18 >> pg 19 >> pg 19-20 >> pg 20 >> pg 20 >> pg 20 >> pg 20-21

JUNCT 22 off A20, Arnac la Poste

Top Dog

Holiday Home for Dogs

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

16 ♦ DIRECTORY

Menuiserie23 Made to measure joinery

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

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

Wood Work SHUTTERS/DOORS, STAIRCASES, etc.

SAS Masters

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

Based between Gouzon & Boussac, serving Dept 23

Lumiere Service et Energie Steven Rofe 28 Years' experience

• NICEIC approved Electrician in the UK • Rewiring • External & garden lighting • All aspects of electrical works • Fully insured - (10 year Decennale) • Departments covered 87, 23 & 19 05.55.69.75.67 / 06.89.47.69.71 email: rofesteven@yahoo.co.uk www.lumiereservice.com See full list of works carried out on the website Siret No. 501.792.386.00010

MADE TO MEASURE

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

05 55 14 12 43

Oradour Sur Vayres (87150) - siren 752 051 482

A. Wright

Carpenter & Joiner 06 35 12 10 66 see main ad - pg 4

INSTALLATION23 - Electricity - Plumbing - Small renovations (bathrooms, kitchens, etc.)

- Fully Insured Dutch and English spoken Creuse / Puy-de-Dôme

E-mail: installation23@gmail.com

Building Services Electricians

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

BARWICK SALAMANDRE ÉLECTRICITÉ électricité SHAUN BARWICK QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN

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

Tel: 09 72 35 74 73

Email: barwick.shaun@gmail.com @iret: 794 282 368 00016

Keith SLOPER

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

LES VIDANGES LIMOUSINES

Carlos

Electrician/Plumber

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

05 55 62 63 82

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

Siret No. 829 638 741 00019

Building Services Carpenters/Joiners

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

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

Building Services Fosses Septiques

06 49 66 44 25 87800 Jourgnac Siret N° 750 725 780 00019

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76

SIRET: 503 169 237 00016

Renovation & Project Management Quality Workmanship Guaranteed Internal/ External Developments

Barn conversions, loft conversions, new-build, drylining, plastering, rendering, spray rendering, tiling, installation of kitchens/ bathrooms, painting, carpentry, replacement doors & windows, velux installation, groundworks, landscaping, decking & much more...

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

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

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

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

Alpha Locksmiths 24/7 Emergency call out service

Tel: 06 70 34 79 32

Fosse Septique Specialists

siret: 824 706 444 00018

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

La Noneix Davis & Davis Construction 30 years' Experience in Construction, & Property Services

Steve. JOHNS. SARL

05.55.64.11.73 06.70.47.52.96

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

05 55 89 69 46

Building Services General

Fosse Septique 23 Planning permission arranged Design and installation Supply and servicing DIY and trade kits Free site visit and devis

KWIKSTAGE Scaffold Hire

Harlequin Developments est. 2007

see main ad below

Max Huggett

Experienced and fully registered builder with 10 year Décennale Insurance Offering a broad selection of building services in depts. 87, 19 & 23.

From one off installations to complete renovations, construction, decorating, landscaping and ground works.

E: info@maxhuggett.com

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

www.maxhuggett.com

English & French spoken - Siret: 518 511 340 00011

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

Kitchens fitted and tiled Replacement doors and windows Parquet flooring Oak framed porches Plasterboard and Insulation

05.55.68.67.56 06.06.60.46.97

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

Dave Cardwell - Builder

05 55 98 24 12

See our Display Ad below

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

with Driver for Hire

Landscaping, Ditching, Land Clearance etc.

Hedge Removal and Stone Wall Construction John Bonella

87440 Marval

05 55 78 62 29

siret no. 523 183 580 00019

john.bonella@gmail.com

DAVID CARDWELL PROFESSIONAL

BUILDER

Advertise here from just €34 HT / month

05.55.41.17.76 sales@thebugle.eu

Alpha Locksmiths

24/7 Emergency call out service Lost your keys... locked out... keys locked in the car... give us a call!

Lock changes of all types, external and internal UPVC & Wood - Windows & Doors - Safe opening - Non desctructive entry No call out charge - Hourly rate based on location and time of day or night 25 years’ experience - Fast, friendly & efficient - Free estimates

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

debarrasser87

House Clearance Specialists

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

We are able to offer a wide range of specialist house clearances including hoarded property clearance and clearances where there are unsanitary conditions.

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

05.55.69.68.44 / 05.55.37.45.35 - http://www.ferraille87.com

We offer an efficient, affordable and honest service.

DIRECTORY ♦ 17

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

Andrew Wright - magician and illusionist

A

ndrew Wright has lived and worked in the Limousin for over 6 years. By day he runs a successful carpentry/joinery company, L'Orée du Bois, but by night he puts his hands to a very different use... as a magician and illusionist.

Inspired by the likes of Shin Lim, Jay Sankey and Harry Houdini, Andrew has long had a passion for magic and after many years of wowing friends and family, he is now keen to make his skills available to the wider public.

“Cards are my favourite tool,” Andrew told The Bugle. “But I also like to perform mentalism and illusions. Walk-around environments work very well for close-up magic and there's no

WASTE REMOVAL SERVICES • house/barn clearance (pre sale / post sale) • garden/land clearance • dechetterie runs • rubbish removal

Specialist equipment available: • tractor with flail mower, rotavator, etc.

• vehicle with 1.5 tonne crane

05 55 37 45 35

wasteremovalmultiservices@gmail.com siret 532 981 198 00015

Masonry & More

better icebreaker at a wedding, party or other social event. I always love the look on people's faces when they can't comprehend what just happened and nothing gets people talking like a really good trick!”

By working with cards, something with which almost everyone is familiar, Andrew is able to instantly draw people into his magic, but often all is not as it seems and the sleight of hand expert does have one tip: “Never play poker with a magician!”

Because much of Andrew's repertoire is performed just centimetres away, he can move freely about the room, performing magic as he mixes with guests, adding amazement and amusement to a drinks reception or entertaining tables during dinner.

Paul Jones Renovation

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

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

Your advert here

Although Andrew's magic is very much family-friendly, he prefers to work with an adult crowd rather than children's parties and is available for weddings, anniversaries, parties and corporate events... in fact anything that requires an unusual entertainment element!

To see Andrew's brand of magic up close and personal, he will be performing at the upcoming Marché de Noël in Bourganeuf on Saturday 9th December.

Andrew is based in Eymoutiers (87120), but is available to liven up your event anywhere across the region.

For more information, contact Andrew Wright: Tel: 06 35 12 10 66 Email: loreedubois60@gmail.com

Barry Haggerty

Mason

Building & Property Services.

Pointing. Patios laid.

Brick/Stone & Blockwork.

Daily rates available.

Free estimates. 25yrs+ experience.

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

Scaffolding Hire

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

06 42 73 83 37 siret: 795 207 067 00013

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

05 55 41 17 76

martin_sprague_1@ hotmail.com

Travaux Publics www.fossepro.com 05.55.62.61.12 - pg 3

Fosse Septiques/Micro stations

Steve Johns Assainissement

MINI DIGGER

05 55 61 93 07 SIRET: 531 768 182 00010

Stephen Cullinane & Son From the foundations to the roof Established 9 years in France 05 55 81 00 53 - see pg 10

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76

GODSON

fosse-septique23.com

05.55.64.11.73 - see pg 11

A. Wright

Carpenter & Joiner 06 35 12 10 66 see main ad - pg 4

Building Services Groundworks RSW Entreprises

05.55.80.00.57

See our Display Ad - pg 8

With driver for hire

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

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

Mini-Digger with driver

05.55.78.62.29

john.bonella@gmail.com See Main Ad - pg 16

Building Services Plasterers

CHRIS Building Services THE PLASTERER Painters/Decorators A genuine plasterer Simon Carter

Painter & Decorator Qualified craftsman with over 25 years UK experience, now based in Haute-Vienne.

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

FREE QUOTES

French and English spoken Traditional Plastering Rendering, Stud partition dry lining Lime mortar stone pointing

CALL FOR A FREE QUOTATION

05 55 63 53 06 06 23 29 48 19 christopher.willis@orange.fr Le Bourg, 23360 Nouzerolles SIRET: 504 612 441 00015

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

CALL KATH Painting and Decorating Interior and Exterior Colour Consultations Room Re-designs Kathleen Willis

05 55 63 53 06

kathleen.willis@orange.fr siret 802 262 35200015

Plastering Rendering Screeding Dry-lining Covering depts. 36, 23 & 18 Contact for a FREE no obligation quote Chris Andrews +33 (0)7 85 49 16 55

chrisandrews331@hotmail.com siret: 830 316 485 00010

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

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

18 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

ADVERTORIAL

How important is it to think about Inheritance Tax Planning when you make the move to France?

M

oving to and living in France is a wonderful adventure, but it is often overshadowed by the huge amount of bureaucracy and paperwork that you have to wade through, much of which can be very confusing and have several options available to you.

This can often mean that we neglect one of the most important things that we should plan for, even before making the move – Inheritance Tax (IHT) planning! A horrible and boring thought, I know, but if you don’t put the right plans in place you

and your heirs could face a nasty shock and a potential tax bill of 60%. Put simply, would you be happy that from a £10,000 inheritance the French taxman would take £6,000 of that, leaving only £4,000 to the person you intended to receive it?

Well, there is a perfectly good solution for this in France – Assurance Vie. Similar in make-up to a UK Equity ISA an Assurance Vie allows you to save your money in a tax efficient ‘wrapper’.

What are the principles of an Assurance Vie and how can it help you with your tax planning?

• Your investment is allowed to grow tax free • Should you wish to withdraw funds only the part of the withdrawal that is subject to a ‘gain’ will be subject to tax and social charges, as the majority of your withdrawal is

classed as return of capital • For higher rate taxpayers you can choose to be taxed at the lower rates attributed through the Assurance Vie regime (35% in years 1 – 4, 15% years 4 – 8 and 7.5% after year 8) or your nominal rate, so if you are a nil rate taxpayer then you will have no tax to pay • After your 8th year there is a tax-free withdrawal allowance of €4,600 per annum (€9,200 for a joint policy), after which additional withdrawals are taxed as above • You can nominate anyone to be a beneficiary of your Assurance Vie and unlike other aspects of inheritance they are entitled to receive the equivalent of €152,500 taxfree, with anything over this taxed at a rate of 20%. This means that anyone who is

not a blood relative or spouse (step-children, non married partners or friends) will not be subject to the usual 60% Inheritance Tax. (Different amounts apply if initial investment is made when you are over the age of 70) • Savings can be kept in Sterling, or be made in Euro or US dollars and can be ported back to the UK should you return in the future • You can have a choice of investment options to suit your specific requirements and level of risk, which can be altered as your needs may change

However, this is only one aspect of your IHT planning and it is extremely important to take full advice from the outset when purchasing property and establishing your new life

Building Services Plumbing & Heating

Building Services Roofing

Building Services Sandblasting

POWERFLOW

MUMFORD TOITURE

Sand and Blast

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

www.powerflowfrance.com

05 55 67 35 02 07 69 22 26 30

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

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Roofing & Plastering/ Plasterboarding Service

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

06 78 60 96 16 / 05 55 44 71 44 mumford.toiture@gmail.com Siret No. 493 159 412 00011

Eurl Réno-Gén

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

Contact Phil Andrews:

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:

www.sandandblast.com

05 55 76 31 59 / 06 77 40 95 92 bobby@sandandblast.com steve@sandandblast.com SIRET: 812 727 253 00013

Chimney Sweeps TOUTE SWEEP Chimney Sweep Service Due to illness Barry Manning will not be working until next year.

Mob: 06 42 38 54 22 Tel: 02 54 30 11 20

see main ad below

SIRET: 534 351 754 00039

sales@thebugle.eu

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76

05 55 41 17 76

siret: 509 180 410 00011

PMC BATIMENT Roofing Specialists

www.pmcbatiment.fr

After a small stroke in April I was planning to start work this month but this will not now be possible.

Sorry for any inconvienence and thank you for your custom over the past 6 years.

Best Regards, Barry Manning

Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) through whom we have a registered branch and passport for financial services in France.

License number 00805B.

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

Chimney Sweeping

Cleaning Services

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

Nettoitout

www.stovesellers.com

Professional Cleaning Services

05 55 63 78 72 Siren: 502 409 949

LA RAMONEUSE

Windows Conservatories Garden maintenance Offices

THE LADY SWEEP Established since 1986

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

Brush & Vacuum All types of chimney

07 81 39 21 49

Fully Insured

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

Email: philip.andrews@orange.fr

in France, especially if your heirs are not necessarily blood relatives. If you don’t plan ahead from the outset there may be little that you can do to rectify this in the future.

If you would like to arrange an independent, professional and impartial consultation, please contact me by email: Rosemary. sheppard@blacktowerfm.com or call me on 06 38 86 99 70.

Blacktower Financial Management has over 30 years’ experience helping expats to make sure that their money works for them.

Call Ruth Clear

HOME CARE 02 54 31 48 50 MIMI Bilingual home care near Guéret (23) 06 25 61 84 95 (SMS only)

- Cleaning & Ironing - Grocery shopping - Tutoring (for children under 11) - Baby-sitting (for children over 3) - Pet-sitting - Help for elderly or impaired people (walks, meals, conviviality...)

- English and French lessons - House maintenance during absence (watering the plants, emptying mailbox, looking after pets...)

siret 504 218 454 00016

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

Tel: 06 21 33 60 99 Email: mimihomecare23@yahoo.fr siret: 818 225 526 00016

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76

sales@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76

50,000 sq ft of covered showrooms & 2 large external display areas - P5 18mm tongue and grooved water repellent chipboard. Available in 8ft x 2ft sheets.

- C.L.S. stud work: 2.4, 3 & 4.8m lengths.

- OSB 8ft x 4ft sheets, 9mm and 18mm in stock.

- Plywood all in 8ft x 4ft sheets. External grade, suitable for construction use.

- Skirting board & Architrave in stock.

- Insulation earthwool, 100 & 150mm. R value for 100mm - 2.25.

- Rigid board insulation Xtratherm R: 40/75/80/90 &120 mm. R value for 40mm - 1.73.

Open Mon-Sat 8.30am to 6pm - www.reclamation-yard.com - Only 1km from Confolens on the D952 Ansac-sur-Vienne road

CONTACT : PAUL CHARLESWORTH TEL : 06 28 28 04 63

pmcbatiment@yahoo.fr www.pmcbatiment.fr

ROOFING SPECIALISTS

Insurance guarantee on all work. 15 years’ experience.

CA

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N PE

T

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AN

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S MO

S

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WI

ND

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S

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Based St-Junien. Covering Depts 87-16-24.

Siret : 531 655 231 00011

ND

AS

DIRECTORY ♦ 19

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

ADVERTORIAL

Pilgrimage to Limoges

A medieval mystery in Limousin

I

t is June 943 and Emma of Nespouls, Constance, Pons and Gaucelm come to Limoges on the pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint-Martial.

They will meet Abbot Aimon and Bishop Turpion of Aubusson, Gothard the clerk and a youth, Silvain, who have come to Limoges to pray to Saint-Martial, the knights Raimon of Planh and Peire of Valmeiras, and the goldsmith Guilhem and his wife Edwiga.

Theft, disappearances and deceit... Emma will need a night in prayer in the chapel to enlighten her...

The day has come, the great mass of Saint- Martial will surprise everyone. Some are punished, some slip through the net and others are stricken with remorse. The lucky ones go home safely after those few eventful days.

The author is a translator from English living in the Creuse. Pilgrimage to Limoges is the translation of her French novel Les Vigiles de Saint-Martial. ■

The book is available in both ebook and printed form from Amazon.

Contact: sylv.aubert@gmail.com

GOODWIN SATELLITE

Computers, Satellites & Web Design

SALES & INSTALLATION OF ALL SATELLITE SYSTEMS & AERIALS. FAULT FINDING.

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

No6 DESIGN WEBSITE

before

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

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

Dept 23 & surrounding areas

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

Your advert here

contact@no6.co

06 38 75 32 97

Food & Drink Bar Bistro

Le Bon Appétit

www.bigdishsat.com

4 rue des Tanneries, 23210 Bénévent-l'Abbaye Winter Hours: Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun - 6pm-10pm For lunches or groups, please book ahead!

Themed nights (French specialities) Large beer garden - Groups welcome Homemade burgers - Eat in or take away For more info, see our website:

see main ad - pg 14

or find us on Facebook: @BBBonAppetit23

www.no6.co Siret: 80493524500014

Big Dish Satellite 05 55 78 72 98

W

ith 8 years’ experience delivering print advertising to an expat market, The Bugle represents one of the most cost-effective ways to let English speakers know about your business. An advert with The Bugle starts from just €11.20 HT per month – that’s less than 37 cents a day to put your business in front of 30,000 people each month.

In the Limousin we have more than 300 distribution points across the region and surrounding areas where readers can pick up a copy for free.

We also distribute 3,500 copies through Limoges Airport, which means that we are in the perfect position to target not only residents and secondhome owners, but also tourists and those new to the region.

The Bugle is the only English language newspaper dedicated to the Limousin - in fact, today, The Bugle is the only free English language newspaper in France and we are growing all the time.

If you would like to discuss any of our advertising options further, why not give us a call today to find out more about the ways that we can help you grow your business.

26, Ecurat 23150

Le Restaurant Ecurat Atelier d'Art du Jardin

Restaurant du soir.

Our menu changes monthly.

Special occasions and parties welcome.

Fish and chips and mushy peas €11,50 the last Friday of each month.

Open Mon - Sat * Reservation in advance please* For more information:

www.bistrot-lebonappetit.com

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

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

tel: 05 55 81 31 85

Le Tambour Cassé (The Broken Drum)

2km from Chénérailles and the Chateau Villemonteix.

8 Place Saint Jean, 87320 DARNAC Friendly local bar with a cozy and relaxed atmosphere. Open daily:

Try Something Different

Mon: 11:30am-2:30pm & 5pm-9pm Tue: 11:30am-2:30pm Wed: 11:30am-2:30pm Thu: 11:30am-2:30pm & 5pm-9pm Fri: 11:30am-2:30pm Sat: 5pm-10pm Sun: 11:30am-2:30pm & 5pm-10pm

email: ecurat123@hotmail.com

Jacques 05 55 41 17 76 ChezMarsac (23)

afterwards

- Update your own site if you like!

- Enjoy a fully maintained site - Enjoy full website support

Advertising with The Bugle

• Cosy atmosphere • Speciality Crêpes • Large burger menu • Over 100 single malt whiskies • Selection of bottled British ales • Book corner, pool table • "Mouclade" nights • Curry nights

05 87 40 02 83 closed Wednesdays

Restaurant AUX CEPES LA veytiZoU, 87130

Tel: 09 64 00 14 51 see main ad - pg 10

Bar & Cafe

Petticoat Lane 5 Rue Nationale – 16150 Chabanais

Tel: 05 45 29 03 99 Visit: www.petticoatlaneshop.com E-mail: sales@petticoatlaneshop.com English groceries, Fresh Beef & Steaks (to order only), Gammon Steak, Bacon, Sausage & Cheddar Cheese.

Wide range of frozen items including vegetarian.

Traditional English beers, Sherries & Wine.

Cards for all occasions.

Opening hours: Tue - Sat, 10am- 6pm Visit us and compare our prices

Allo Allo

1 rue Saint-Roch, Le Grand Bourg

Rés: 06 73 37 45 01 see main ad - pg 6

Meals served during opening hours.

Live music once a month, check out our website and Facebook page for details on all our upcoming events.

Mandys-curry-2-go

Your advert here

For menus and venues:

05 55 41 17 76

www.brokendrum.fr

www.facebook.com/thebrokendrum

09.66.80.32.41

Mobile Curry Take Away

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

m : 07 70 39 12 23

Parties 20+ & events catered for siret: 498 199 306 00016

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

To advertise in The Bugle Business Directory, call 05 55 41 17 76 Wanted Experienced shopfitters Experienced shopfitters required for installs all across France.

Granulés du Limousin

Joiners, electricians and labourers also required.

Email: contact@reactive-resource.com

Très Jolie

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

(See Notice Board for where to find me)

Paula Bonella

05 55 78 62 29 06 04 08 29 53

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

20 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

ADVERTORIAL

Houses on Internet: A Global Property Network

H

ouses on Internet – Global Property Services (hereafter referred to as “HOIGPS”) is the internet/marketing company that has been helping people sell their French property to buyers worldwide for many years now.

Richard Kroon, founder and director of the company: "The number of responses from prospective buyers and sales keep rising. No doubt one of the reasons is that we were able to increase our worldwide advertising budget and reach more prospective buyers than ever."

Last year HOI-GPS sold to people from 12 different countries, such as Australia, Belgium, Holland, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Canada and, of course, France.

Food & Drink

Richard continues: “Our continuous global marketing is definitely paying off and guarantees a worldwide exposure of your property to buyers wherever they live.

"The actual work all starts with the presentation of a property. If that’s not good enough, all other marketing efforts are useless. Our photographers usually take 150 to 200 photos of a house and in addition copy any good (summer) photos our clients may have themselves.

"About 50 to 60 of those photos are selected, enhanced and presented on the dedicated website we make for each property.

"The texts don’t just describe the house, garden and outbuildings, but information about shopping, schools, airports and leisure is given too.

"When the website for the

Cross Cut Tree Surgeons

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

see main ad below

Le Creusois

GARDEN SERVICES

Les Genêts, Azerables

All gardening work: Grass Cutting Strimming Hedge Trimming General Maintenance

Bar/Restaurant

High quality British & French food at reasonable prices.

Menu du Jour €12, Traditional Pub Food, Vegetarian dishes, Childrens & Snack menus also available

05.55.63.90.79

www.lecreusoisbistro.com SIREN: 483 988 853

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76 Garden Services

Paul Brown

All general

Gardening Undertaken

No job too small. Reasonable prices.

Contact Steve or Sherrie

M: 06 58 72 03 43 E: sherrieetstevejardiniers@gmail.com Siret No: 811 161 835 00001

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76 Gifts & Crafts

Siret: 483 059 242 00030

T.A.D. 23 (Travaux d'Accès Difficiles) All aspects of garden maintenance • Tree Surgery • Garden Clearance • Strimming • Pruning

T: 05 55 81 14 51 M: 06 85 78 81 32

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

Très Jolie

Ladies fashion accessories 05 55 78 62 29 / 06 04 08 29 53

Handmade, fully interlocking, multi-layered 3D puzzles from just €9.

Keyrings €2 plus other unique gift ideas.

Customisation and personalisation possible.

Come and visit the workshop by appointment.

Tel: 05.55.80.29.98 Mon Chic Cottage

Tea Room

Le Dorat 87210 www.monchiccottage.com Chalk Paint, Little Greene Paint, Fat Quarters, Annie Sloan Paint Workshops Wed-Fri 10h-16h

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

Your advert here

Tel: 05 87 77 95 59

05 55 41 17 76

'ROUSSIS MAID'

26, Ecurat 23150

HAND-CRAFTED CARDS AND APRONS All products made in France.

Cards also available at Carole's Hair Stylist at Le Buisson, near Saint-Bazile.

Email for more details: ellinghamroam764@yahoo.com See Notice Board for details of where you can find us at local markets.

Send an email to sign up to the newsletter

Tel: 06 86 89 81 02 siret 528 539 448

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76

Houses on Internet Global Property Services www.housesoninternet.com

+31 (0)6 41 20 73 69

Handholding Services

see main ad pg 19

3D Puzzle Maker

Tel: 05 55 89 57 40 brownpaul006@gmail.com

interested in it."

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

Ivan Petley

Dept 23 & Surrounding Areas

siret: 788 438 562 00019

Sherrie et Steve Jardiniers

house is online, we first connect it to our main HOI-GPS websites which attract over 135,000 visitors from 40+ countries each month. Most of these people find us through Google and additional Google advertising.

"To reach an even larger audience, a summary of the presentation of the house is also placed on several other leading property websites. These adverts are also connected to the dedicated website of the house, making it all one big global property network.

"As the property market has become a global one, a prospective buyer can be on the other side of the world while the owner is in bed sleeping.

With our approach, the buyer does not have to wait and can see the entire property whenever he wants, at the moment he is

Atelier d'Art du Jardin

Artisan art for your garden

2km from Chénérailles and the Chateau Villemonteix

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

Sophie Arsac

French lessons & handholding services 05 55 89 15 74 - pg 12

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

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

Health & Beauty COUNSELLING Lesley Kidd MSc

UK Reg. Counsellor & Psychotherapist Senior Accred. MBACP 548379

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

05 55 38 33 35

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

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

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

Cross Cut Tree Surgeons

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

pawsonbeverley4@gmail.com

05.55.60.62.14 / 06.78.38.42.44

siret: 530 840 958 00017

DIRECTORY ♦ 21

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

“SolarVenti”- the solar solution to damp and humidity

A

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

Whenever the sun shines, the air in the solar panel is heated and the fan, receiving power from the solar cell, introduces warm, dry air into your home at the rate of 20 to 100 cubic metres per hour.

The initial models were more than capable of keeping the cottages dry (and ventilated), even with the limited sunshine hours available in Denmark during the winter season. Since that time, the technology has really come along in leaps and bounds. Now, more than 20 years later, the 3rd and 4th generation Solarventi have exceeded all expectations.

In Southern Europe, Solar-

simple solar energy system that runs on its own, even when you are not there! – And provides a free heat supplement in winter.

The Solarventi air panel was invented more than 20 years ago

by Hans Jørgen Christensen, from Aidt Miljø, with the backing of the Danish government.

He wanted to use the sun’s energy for airing and ventilation of the thousands of holiday homes on the West coast of Jutland, - houses that were left empty and unheated for long periods - houses with damp problems, mould and bad odours - houses that left their owners with discomfort, lots of work and expense. He wanted a system that would be safe, simple, without the need for radiators, water and/ or mains electricity. Slowly but surely, the first Solarventi model came together.

Osteopathy & Acupuncture Linda & Paul Bodimeade

siret: 791 847 429 00010

siret: 793 539 826 00016

lindabodimeade@eircom.net paulbodimeade@eircom.net

A DIY Solution?

The installation process is very straightforward and should only take two or three hours. All that is needed is a drill, hammer and chisel to make a hole in the wall. Roof installations are also possible. In fact, the Solarventi was originally designed to be a DIY product - in Scandinavia it still is.

There are no electrical or water connections and it can be safely left running, even when the property is empty. Solarventi requires no maintenance

The Spectrum IFA Group

Tony Farrell

Independent Financial Adviser

05 55 89 57 94 - see pg 2

Back, Neck, Joint Pain, Arthritic conditions?

Anxiety, Headaches, Sports Injuries?

Insomnia, Stress, Sinus, Hayfever?

Based in Châteauneuf-la-Forêt (87130)

Tel: 09 52 32 34 87 or 06 95 46 25 38

venti is not only used for ventilation/dehumidification purposes; with far more winter sunshine hours, it also provides a substantial heating supplement. Several technical and governmental studies show that incoming air temperature can be increased by as much as 40°C.

Language Services

Call Teddy:

Insurance & Finance Blevins Franks International tax and wealth management advisers

www.blevinsfranks.com

26 Rue Ajasson de Grandsagne, 36400 La Châtre

All your language needs under one roof!

02 54 31 12 55

www.hifx.co.uk

Dératisation, Déinsectisation, Désinfection

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

AmiLangues

rats, mice, moles, flies, woodworm, bed bugs, fleas, wasps, hornets

Administrative support www.amilangues.fr

Sympathetic French Tuition

International money transfer

Pest Control

www.ecole-de-langue.net

Blacktower Financial Managment Group

HiFX

aquatranslations@gmail.com

Ecole de Langue Central France

See our main ad - pg 13

06 38 86 99 70 - pg 7

06 82 87 63 11

Pest Control

06 37 08 92 09 - see pg 2

Rosemary Sheppard

Call or email for a free quote

05 55 89 15 74 - pg 12

House Clearance

www.ferraille87.com see main ad - pg 16

French <-> English

French lessons & handholding services

06 11 96 19 78- pg 8

Jenny Homer BA hons, PGCE 87120 Eymoutiers

Not too late to make a difference to your life here by Christmas!

• Speaking and Understanding for life in France • Relaxed but purposeful • Confidence-building • 4 levels Beginners to Advanced.

Email me asap to be sure of a place.

Free taster class (3hrs)

homer.jennifer@gmail.com

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

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

Limousin Spas AQUA TRANSLATIONS

Sophie Arsac

Grand-Bourg & surrounding area

debarrasser87

Units start from €490 TTC. Several ex-demonstration models available at reduced prices, call for details.

Siret 831 733 357 00014

Mobile hairdresser

House Clearance Specialists

- if the property is unoccupied during the hot summer months, then it can be left running at low speeds for ventilation and dehumidification purposes or simply switched off.

With a range of panel sizes, and the option for wall or roof mounting, Solarventi is suitable for all types of buildings, caravans or even boats!! Following the patenting of its design in 2001, Solarventi has only recently been actively commercialized. Over the last six years, Solarventi units have been installed in more than 24 countries and demand is increasing rapidly. From Greenland to Australia, Solarventi is finally getting the recognition it deserves. ■

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

All our spas are manufactured to the highest standards & have full manufacturers warranty.

These spas have relatively low power requirements & are very economical.

Prices start from €3,750.

Models seat 2 to 7 people.

For more information on our range check out our website:

www.limousin-spas.com or telephone: 05 55 63 26 20

Dave Roberts

Fibreglass Specialist Fibreglass swimming pool linings that can be applied over all finishes: tiles, marbelite, concrete, etc.

Perfect for new pools, old pools, or pools leaking water Laminated on site, one piece and seam free For more information or a quote, contact Dave: +44 (0)1903 893 451 +44 (0)7825 916 573

www. fibreglass-lining.com

Property Maintenance

SIRET No. 498 544 741 00024

Pools & Spas Self Install Pools naturalispools.com 06 31 17 25 60 see main ad - pg 5

05 55 41 17 76 Property Sales

Numéro Siret: 752 157 610 00011

Curative and preventative

La Petite Barre, 18210 Bessais Le Fromental

Your advert here

Inside Out Property Services Offering a wide range of building/joinery/fencing services We pride ourselves on the quality of our workmanship, providing the client with a high quality finish at competitive prices.

Servicing 23 and surrounding areas.

Ring Dave: 05 55 64 22 98 Email: insideout288@googlemail.com Siret No. 821 348 323 00014

Beaux Villages Immobilier www.beauxvillages.com

Freephone: 08 05 69 23 23 see main ad - pg 12

Cendrillon - Bourganeuf Bilingual Estate Agent in Creuse

www.limousin-bilingual.com

05 55 54 95 85 - see pg 7

Leggett Immobilier www.leggettfrance.com

05 53 56 62 54 see main ad - pg 4

Transaxia

Bourganeuf-Creuse-Limousin www.transaxia-bourganeuf.fr 0033 (0)6 83 66 83 09 - see ad pg 8

Houses on Internet www.housesoninternet.com

+31 (0)6 41 20 73 69

See our Display Ad - pg 3

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

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

22 ♦ DIRECTORY Retail & Commerce

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

For a fully insured, careful service

Eco Entrepot Get down The Shed

87230 Bussière-Poitevine

05.55.68.74.73 - see pg 6

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

8 rue Principale, St Mathieu, 87440

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

Moulin de Tintin Furniture, interiors & gifts

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

sales@thebugle.eu 05 55 41 17 76 R.S.M.DISTRIBUTION

Furniture & UK mattresses NEW STOCK HAS ARRIVED

SAVE UP TO 50% OFF RRP

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

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

05.55.63.78.72

See our Display Ad - pg 13

Central France Storage

Carrefour du Bois Limousin

International Removals see main ad - pg 4

We specialize in domestic and commercial removals

We offer a moving service that will guarantee you a smooth move.

Our service includes moving from the UK to all EU countries and from anywhere in the EU to the UK. We do not charge VAT, we are fully insured.

tel: +44 (0)208 903 9227 mob: +44 (0)7739 351 786 www.polishmovers.co.uk

Transition Removals

www.frenchvanman.eu

www.transitionremovals.com

87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres

(+33) 05 55 34 19 46 see main ad - pg 7

Siret 530 213 644 00012

SAFE GARDE

www.fudgejj.com email: ray.mole@wanadoo.fr

Stove Sellers www.stovesellers.com

Watson European

09 82 12 69 73

Whether you are a business or a household, we are here to make your storage a worry free experience at affordable prices.

By appointment only

www.michaelsmovers.freeindex.co.uk

+44 (0)1253 725 414

POLISH MOVERS

DORDOGNE WAREHOUSE

Tel: 05 49 87 67 34

www.smartmovesremovals.co.uk

smartmovers@hotmail.co.uk

Man & Van Transport

English & French Spoken

Why not take a look at our website or give us a call... we are here to help you!

www.safe-garde.com

05 55 63 58 85

safegardegueret@gmail.com siret: 821 846 318 00011

UK ↔ France ↔ UK

To raise funds for the SPA dog rescue centre in Guéret.

High chair, buggy, travel cot (plus mattress/bedding), changing mat, etc.

Each item will incur a hire charge of 10 euros, plus a refundable 10 euros deposit.

For more INFO or to HIRE Call Vanessa: 05 55 64 32 08 or email: eq6763@gmail.com

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

www.watsoneuropean.co.uk

Genuine/Reliable/Honest Local + Europe + UK runs Now also available for House/Barn clearances!

14m3 capacity 4.2m load length

BABY/INFANT EQUIPMENT FOR HIRE

Removals

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

Secure self storage units in Guéret

Sarlande (24270)

MICHAELS MOVERS

Smart Moves

Transport, Removals & Storage

Buggs Car Hire

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

0800 840 3058 Mob: +44 (0)7808 338 386

www.centralfrancestorage.com Dry, safe & secure storage to suit all needs Vehicle storage options We also do internal moves!

Tel: 09 66 03 52 89 Email: lasout@live.com

FOR SALE:

Your advert here

Proxi Supermarket

05 55 41 17 76

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

www.buggscarhire.com see pg 2

06 38 39 33 99

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

www.themanwithavan.info vanrouge@mail.com

(+33) 07.61.21.85.15

Businesses for Sale

siret: 494 123 847 00019

General

Bergerac & Limoges Airports

www.chauffagebois-limousin.com

05 55 63 72 45 - see pg 19

Cash paid for scrap All Limousin covered Anything considered Any quantity

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

FOR SALE: Commercial Lease For a shop (all types of commerce) on main street in Limoges. Easy parking.

60m2. 2 large commercial spaces of 20m2 and 25m2 with a room to the rear kitchenette, WC. Very good condition.

Contact for more information.

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

Advertising in The Bugle Business Directory Advertising your business couldn’t be easier. Text only, boxed listings are available in our Business Directory from just €11.20/month. Alternatively, why not spotlight your business with an Advertorial, available from 1/6 Page (€50 HT) up to Full Page (€300 HT). Both Directory Adverts and Advertorials represent a cost effective way to put your brand in front of more than 30,000 pairs of eyes each month!!

For more information on any of our advertising options, please feel free to give us a call on 05 55 41 17 76 or send an email to sales@thebugle.eu

6-Month Contract €84

Small b&w Directory Ad

(€14/month)

Large b&w Directory Ad

(€18.75/month)

€112.50 €126

Small Colour Directory Ad

(€21/month)

Large Colour Directory Ad

(€28/month)

€168

12-Month Contract €134.40

(€11.20/month)

€180

(€15/month)

€201.60

(€16.80/month)

€268.80

(€22.40/month)

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

Directory adverts may only contain text - no logos, images or artwork are allowed. The minimum contract length is 6 months.

Advertising is payable on publication. All prices are HT.

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

30 words max

COMMUNITY ♦ 23

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

26, Ecurat 23150

RESTAURANT

AUX CEPES La Veytizou

On the main road (D979), Between Limoges & Eymoutiers ~~~~~~~~~ I WOULD LIKE TO INFORM OUR CUSTOMERS THAT WE ARE CLOSED FROM SATURDAY 2ND UNTIL SATURDAY 9TH DECEMBER ~~~~~~~~~ MONDAY 25TH DECEMBER CHRISTMAS DAY LUNCH @ 12.30

Champagne cocktail ***** Choice of starter ***** Traditional roast turkey, seasonal vegetables, pigs in blankets, roast and creamed potatoes, cranberry sauce, Yorkshire puddings and stuffing ***** Fromage ***** Choice of home-made desserts ***** Coffee and mints ~~~~~~~~~ BOOKINGS BY 19TH DECEMBER PLEASE FOR CHRISTMAS DAY OR FOR NEW YEAR'S EVE ~~~~~~~~~

For more info on any of the above, contact Sue: email: auxcepes87@gmail.com or Tel: 09 64 00 14 51

Roussis Maid

Mike and Christine wish you all a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year Find us at the following markets:

Piégut - Every Wed until 20th Dec Chassenon Foire de Noël - Sun 17th Dec Chasseneuil - Fri 22nd Dec Our cards and aprons are available at the 1 to 4 euro shop at Piégut If you require any cards contact us either by e-mail or mobile ellinghamroam764@yahoo.com

06 86 89 81 02

Le Tambour Cassé

(The Broken Drum) 8 Place Saint Jean, 87320 DARNAC

10th December - 10 am-4 pm - Christmas Market If you are looking for that perfect, home-made or locally produced present for your friends and family, then visit our 3rd annual Christmas Market.

Santa will also be dropping in to visit!!

16th December - 8 pm - International Menu Evening This month: 4-course set menu inspired by English cuisine For more information on the menu or to reserve your table visit us on Facebook (@thebrokendrum) or call the bar on

09 66 80 32 41

Mon Chic Cottage

21 Place Charles de Gaulle, Le Dorat

www.monchiccottage.com

Tea Room serving home-made scones / cakes Official Stockist for Chalk PaintTM by Annie Sloan & Little Greene Taking bookings now for our Spring Annie Sloan Chalk PaintTM Workshops.

To learn the basis of using Chalk PaintTM & ask questions, join us on a workshop.

All materials included. To book contact Jay. Opening hours: Wed-Fri - 10h-16h

05 87 77 95 59

info@monchiccottage.com

Bugle Notice Board

Le Restaurant Ecurat Atelier d'Art du Jardin

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

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

JOB OPPORTUNTY World leader in refurbished golf course equipment is looking for a Mechanic.

Skills: Mechanics, Hydraulics and Electronics Languages: English Fluent / French Training: 1 month in the US Full Time job: 39h per week Location: Limoges (France - 87) Contact: f.jullien@globalturf.fr

New Year Resolution?

Why not make 2018 the year to rise to the challenge of speaking French?

It's never too late to improve and to get so much more out of life here.

New term starts 8th January '18

Jenny Homer BA hons, PGCE Tel: 07 62 46 19 86 Email: homer.jennifer@gmail.com 87120 Eymoutiers

Bar Bistro

Le Bon Appetit 4 rue des Tanneries, 23210 Bénévent-l'Abbaye DECEMBER OPENING TIMES: We are open Thu-Sun evenings until 18th December, and then closed until New Year's Eve OPEN NEW YEARS EVE & DAY! New Year's Eve - 10€ pp incl. nibbles on bar plus 1st drink free. Cocktails half price, hot food, music and dancing from 7pm - 2am.

New Year's Day - from 3pm - 6pm, free food on bar for any drinks!!

For more details, see our website: bistrot-lebonappetit.com or Facebook page: @BBBonAppetit23 Reservations: 06 80 43 83 51

Petticoat Lane

We are at the following Christmas markets: 3rd Dec – Aigre 5th Dec – Civray 9th Dec - Bourganeuf Christmas opening hours: From 4th Dec we will be open Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm 24th Dec open 10am to 2pm

We wish all our customers, old & new, a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Please Note:- We will be closed from 25th Dec to 8th Jan, re-open 9th Jan sales@petticoatlaneshop.com http://www.petticoatlaneshop.com/ 5 Rue Nationale – 16150 Chabanais

Tel: 05 45 29 03 99

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

Curry of the month is Dhansak Please note some areas are chilled pre-orders only

Guéret, Chilled orders only! - Wednesday 6th (2.50pm) Gouzon, Chilled orders only! (place de l'Eglise) - Wednesday 6th (3.30pm) Boussac, Chilled orders only! (place de l'Hôtel de Ville) - Wednesday 6th (4.30pm) Aubusson, (place de la gare routière) - Thursday 7th (6pm) Marsac, (Chez Jacques) - Friday 8th (6.30pm) *new earlier time* Marché de Noël, Bourganeuf - Saturday 9th (from 8.30) Bourganeuf Market - Wednesday 13th (9am - 12.30pm) Bourganeuf, (place Martin Nadaud) - Wednesday 13th (5.45pm) Peyrat-le-Château, Cheissoux & St-Léonard-de-Noblat Chilled orders only! Thursday 14th (12.30pm, 1pm & 1.30pm) La Souterraine Market - Saturday 16th (8.30am - 12.30pm) Sardent, (Auberge du lac, Masmangeas) - Saturday 16th (5.30pm) CHILLED DELIVERIES, Thursday 21st - various areas, contact us for details.

Thank you to all our customers for your support in 2017!

We will still be doing our normal venues over the winter, weather permitting.

Please check website & facebook for updates.

Have a Merry Christmas & all the best for 2018! Mandy & Rob

Tel: 07 70 39 12 23

Email: mandyscurry2go@gmail.com

Un Matin d'Avril Ladies Fashion 10% discount

for all new customers!

74bis Avenue Garibaldi, Limoges Loyalty Card Scheme Agnes looks forward to introducing you to her new urban and sportswear collections Tue-Sat: 10h00-12h00 & 14h30-18h45

Très Jolie Fashion Accessories Where to find me:

Every Wednesday - Piégut Market Châlus (87) Marché de Noël - 9th December Chabanais (16) Marché de Noël - 10th December Please see my facebook page... search 'Tres Jolie Milhaguet' to see what's new.

Mail order available, email for more details.

Now stocking the new Gift Shop next door to the 1-4 Euro Store in Piégut 24360

05 55 78 62 29 / 06 04 08 29 53 tres.jolie1@orange.fr

FOR SALE

Little bar restaurant with flat above In typical french village (23210 Bénéventl'Abbaye) with house to renovate attached and large new decked garden out back.

Good turnover with small rent for business and flat - on pilgrim route with many tourists in summer. Great opportunity for someone looking for small business and / or making B&B .. please call for more info.

Tel: 06 80 43 83 51

24 ♦ COMMUNITY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

CLUBS, CHARITIES & ASSOCIATIONS On 18th November, L'Escapade bar/ restaurant in Magnac-Laval held a sale of goods, with all proceeds going to the Guide Dogs for the Blind.

We took over €200 and on behalf of the charity I would like to thank Debbie and her staff at L'Escapade, Stevie and John for all their help.

Rosemarie Steven

Please note that there will be no Anglo-French carols in Vallière this year.

Charities The Hope Association Charity Shop 87 NEW ADDRESS: 2 rue de la Vieille Tour, 87120 Eymoutiers The shop is run by a group of volunteers with the sole aim of raising funds for abused & abandoned animals.

Opening hours: Sat 10h-13h, Wed & Fri 14h-17h, 1st & 3rd Thu morning 10h-12h.

We offer a selection of items including pre-loved clothes, jewellery, greeting cards and much more.

We are happy to accept anything in good sale condition either directly to the shop or email shopeightyseven4hope@gmail.com.

SPA Creuse The SPA Creuse dog refuge centre is based in SaintSulpice-le-Guérétois near Guéret and provides an invaluable service to the community by rescuing dogs that otherwise would have nowhere to go.

Each year we re-home over 100 dogs which find themselves at the SPA though no fault of their own.

We have dedicated staff who work alongside a network of French and British volunteers, all of whom have one aim in life, which is to do the best they can for the dogs until they find their forever homes.

In order to do this they need to raise funds; along with walking the dogs every day, volunteers also organise fund-raising events and vide-greniers throughout the year.

We are a friendly bunch and always on the lookout for more like-minded people and so if you are interested in becoming a volunteer, making a donation, or adopting one of our lovely dogs, then please visit our website www.spa-creuse.com.

Noah's Ark Noah’s Ark is a French registered charity run by Cindy and Lauren Maasik who have spent the last five years rescuing animals and caring for them on their farm near Saint-Mathieu.

A warm welcome awaits you at their shop and tea rooms in Rochechouart, with home-made cakes, tarts, and quiches followed by plenty of tea or coffee.

For more info visit www.noahsark.fr or Facebook: Noah's Ark Tea Rooms and Brocante, 6, Rue de Poitevin, Rochechuart. Open Tues - Sat 10h-17h. Tel: 05 87 41 26 16.

Farm visits for animal adoption are welcome at La Ferme, Les Dognons, 87440 Maisonnais-sur-Tardoire.

Tel: 05 55 70 64 76. Email info@noahsark.com Phoenix Association Phoenix Association is a registered charity that has existed since 2001 to deal with the sad plight of the ever-increasing number of abused and abandoned animals in France.

Phoenix does not have a 'rescue centre' as such. Sadly, many of the animals it saves have only ever known confinement and isolation, so instead, the animals are placed in foster homes all over South-West France while they wait for their loving and permanent forever homes. This gives Phoenix a better chance of assessing the animal in the normality and comfort of a home which leads to the virtually 100% successful adoption rate.

Phoenix is not state funded and so relies on fundraising and donations to cover the very high rehoming and veterinary costs. Phoenix is formed of a committed but fun and positive team of volunteers, and is always on the lookout for more, so if you are interested in adopting an animal, foster caring or becoming a Member, please visit the Contact page of the website at www.phoenixasso.com and www.facebook.com/PhoenixAssociationFrance Church Notices Anglican Holy Communion St. Martin's Anglican Church, in the hamlet of Moussac-sur-Gartempe, near Montmorillon 86500.

With great regret, all services from 1st November onwards, at 3:00 pm, are hereby CANCELLED.

Marriages, funerals and baptisms (christenings) can still be undertaken elsewhere.

Contact: revrobertleone@gmail.com or saraheleone@ gmail.com Monthly Worship in English If your journey of life has brought you here to France, why neglect your journey of faith? We look forward to giving a warm welcome to everyone from whatever Christian tradition (or none) on the 3rd SUNDAY of the MONTH at 3pm. Where? At the Temple in Thiat (in the north of the Haute-Vienne) – we are part of the Parish of the Basse-Marche of the Eglise Protestante Unie de France. The Temple is on the main road close to the Mairie. After worship there is tea/coffee and cake – and a chance to chat.

If you want to know more contact Rev Derek Lawson on 05 55 68 53 03 or Rev Stephen Sawyer on 05 49 84 33 86.

English-speaking church services Guéret Come as you are... This is an invitation to join us at our CHURCH SERVICE IN ENGLISH. Whether you have a faith or would just like to attend a church service you are welcome at 3pm on the 2nd Sunday of each month at the Eglise Evangélique, 9b Place Bonnyaud, Guéret, 23000.

We welcome all who want to join a group of Englishspeaking Christians for a time of worship and learning together. Children are very welcome.

For more details contact Jim & Pat Scott on 05 55 67 54 78 / email scott.james@neuf.fr The International Free Church in Creuse The church presently meets at 10, La Chaudronnière, a small hamlet mid-way between Crozant and Eguzon.

Sunday worship meetings are held on the first and third Sundays of the month at 10.30am. Fellowship meetings, for mid-week prayer, bible study and discussion are at the same venue every Thursday at 7.30pm. For further information contact Eric Sutton tel 05 55 89 26 62 Fitness & Fun Art Classes Mainsat The class runs every Thurs (term time) at the Salle du temps libre in Mainsat from 14h-16h. We do a little bit of everything: pencil, charcoal, watercolour, pastel, acrylics, oils and sculpture, etc. Contact Susan Neill for more info: Tel 05 55 83 12 18 / Mob 06 87 99 31 37 / Email thomas-susan.neill@hotmail.com La chance de danser Starting in September dance classes for adults in La Souterraine.

Tue Bums & Tums - Stretch & Tone 10:00-11:00.

Salle des fêtes Saint-Léger-Magnazeix; Tue Tap from 19:00-20:00. Salle des fêtes La Souterraine; Wed Beginners ballet from 10:30-11:30. Salle de danse La Souterraine. €5 per class.

For more info contact Jan Pitwell on 09 66 96 44 85 or at lachancededanser23@gmail.com.

Photo Club La Meteorite (87) Rochechouart All welcome, all levels; we meet fortnightly at 3-5pm on Sundays. Field trips, friendly critique, conversation and competitions (to contact and more details go to photoclubmeteorite.org).

Chabanais Bowls Club Recognised as the premium short mat bowls club in the Charente, Chabanais Bowls Club offers gentle, convivial exercise throughout the forthcoming winter months, together with a social programme to suit all tastes. Our next major event will be our annual Christmas, presentation lunch.

Due to the unique construction of the salle des fêtes at Chabanais, the home of our short mat bowling club, it is possible to slide back an entire wall to let in the light and the air, without compromising on our flat playing surface. We play every week on a regular basis with just a few days off around the end of the year.

The salle also allows us to lay out up to 5 mats so there is lots of room for both all current members and to be able to warmly welcome any new ones that want to join our friendly, but competitive club.

Sessions of 3 hours duration take place every Tuesday, starting at 10 am and every Thursday commencing at 2 pm with a 30 minute tea/coffee break during each session.

The Club has all the equipment that new bowlers require to get started or old hands can use their own indoor or outdoor bowls to enjoy a relaxing and enjoyable game.

And it’s not expensive, with a one-off joining fee of 10 euros, a yearly fee of 25 euros and a rink fee of just 2 euros. The first two ‘sampler’ sessions are free, only the rink fee to be paid.

Currently all our members are English, it is difficult to encourage the French to roll a ball, most being senior citizens, many bringing over their skills from the UK. If you are considering taking up the sport again, trying your hand at something new or simply coming along for a closer look, just pop down when our

Managing Editor: Steve Martindale Editor-in-Chief: Steve Martindale Registered Address: Les Quatre Chemins

23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois SIRET: 514 989 748 00017 Printed by: Charente Libre

16340, L’Isle d’Espagnac Monthly circulation: 15,000 copies All copyright, unless stated otherwise, is reserved to The Bugle. Reproduction in whole or part of any text without permission is prohibited. Dépôt légal à parution.

sessions are on or contact Brian on 05 45 71 14 06 or Terry on 05 45 89 14 05.

Drawing and painting classes At Saint-Junien with the CAPCC (art club). All levels welcome, every Monday and Thursday, English and French spoken, friendly atmosphere, materials provided by the club. 45€ / half-term.

Contact: lindsaycox@club-internet.fr for brochure with full details.

Keepfit (Bonjour La Forme) Held at Saint-Sulpice-les-Champs in the Salle Polyvalente: Mon evening at 19.45-20.45 for cardiac and muscle exercises; Thurs afternoon at 15.00-16.00 for gentle exersises.

All are welcome to join us. Contact Jeanette 09 62 58 49 03 (Eng) or Catherine 05 55 66 67 30 (Fr) for more info.

Tai Chi, Pakua & Qigong Tai Chi, Pakua & Qigong classes organised by the ACAMIES (association culturelle d'arts martiaux internes et d'exercices de santé). Wed: Jarnages, 18h30-20h, Salle Polyvalente. Thu: Bétête, 19h-20h30, Domaine de Tournessac. Individual classes, courses, massage & treatments also available.

Contact: 06 48 00 02 07 http://acamies.e-monsite.com Keep Fit Amazing abs, breathtaking buttocks! Come and join our group at the CAPE in Pontarion. We are all ages, all sizes, men & women, but are serious about keeping fit.

Our “monitrice” is English and will happily provide bilingual instructions. We meet every Thursday at 8p.m. in Pontarion Town Hall, for a one-hour workout.

Come for a free trial, or call 05 55 64 98 87 or 06 32 42 95 68 for more details.

Indoor Bowling at Oradour-sur-Vayres If you already play or have never tried indoor bowling then come along to a meeting. It's great fun and easy to play. If you have never played it before we will show you how. We meet every Monday evening starting at 18.30 hrs at La Chapelle, avenue des Chapelles, 87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres. Come and try it - it's free. If you require further information or directions to our venue please contact me - Email: Oradour-Bowling@gmx. com or telephone: 05 55 08 41 75 Zumba!

Regular zumba classes across depts 36, 18 & northern 23. For more info tel 06 58 37 17 04 - email evezumba36@gmail.com and for details of classes visit www.zumbazumba.fr Indoor Short-mat Bowling at Cussac 87150....and now Outdoor too!

As the premier bowls club in the Haute-Vienne, we are going from strength to strength with members seeking us out and travelling great distances to continue their love of bowls or simply to 'try us out'.

Our reputation as a "very friendly and welcoming club" goes before us. If you've never tried the game, just come along and take a look; there is far more to it than first appears!

We are a formally registered association within the French system and benefit from assistance from our local commune by use of a wonderful indoor venue. AND NOW...the use of a synthetic outdoor court where Flat-green, Crown and Short-mat can be played. Just imagine the summer evenings with a drink in your hand, watching fellow bowlers enjoying the quiet of village, interrupted only by the 'click' or 'tunk' of bowl against bowl!

Our regular sessions indoors are Wednesday evening at 8pm and Thursday Mornings at 10am. Outdoor sessions will be arranged as the spring arrives so keep in touch. Serious bowlers and beginners are welcome - club bowls are available for use.

For further information contact cussacbowlsclub@gmail.com or telephone 05 55 78 66 45.

Association Equilibre, le mouvement du corps Yoga for all levels: Tue 18:30 Aubusson, Pied au plancher (Espace Philips); Wed 18:30 Vallière, salle polyvalante. Pregnancy/Post Natal: Tue 17:00 Aubusson, Pied au Plancher (Espace Philips) For further information tel 06 83 24 62 72 or visit www. spaequilibre.yolasite.com Chinese Gym & Karate Mondays & Thursdays at the DOJO, Allée Jean-Marie Couturier, Aubusson. 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

Directeur: Steve Martindale Rédacteur-en-chef: Steve Martindale Siège: Les Quatre Chemins

23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois SIRET: 514 989 748 00017 Imprimé par: Charente Libre

16340, L’Isle d’Espagnac Tirage mensuel: 15,000 copies Tous droits réservés. Toute reproduction, totale ou partielle, des articles et illustrations du présent numéro est strictement interdite. Dépôt légal à parution.

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

Would you like to be more supple? Come to our gym class on Thursday mornings from 10.30 to 11.30 am, where we do gentle exercises to help all our muscles and joints. The classes are held in Rochechouart in the Capitole building, upstairs. Our group is part of a National Federation of Gymnastics (EPVG www. sport-santé.fr) For information contact 07 83 22 38 63 or gymvolontaire-087168@epgv.fr Learn to Meditate Learn to meditate and meet other like-minded people. Simple mindfulness technique. Dechen Choling, Le Mas Marvent, St-Yrieix-sous-Aixe, 87700. Also, ongoing regular group meetings and events. Contact tel Christina 05 55 03 82 01 www. dechencholing.org Gardening Les petits jardiniers du Limousin Getting out in the garden is one of life's pleasures for many people and there's a lot of satisfaction in seeing seeds and plants thrive and grow under your care. Our Association has a different, garden related topic each month and you are very welcome to come and join us in learning more about growing plants, flowers, fruit, vegetables and trees in this region. We also have visits to other gardens and an Annual Show in September.

We meet on the third Thursday of each month (excl Feb) in the Mairie at St-Amand-le-Petit (between Eymoutiers and Peyrat-le-Château). Meetings start at 2.30 pm and visit timings will be advised.

For more information contact Carolyn at pjlimousin@ gmail.com http://jardiniers-du-limousin.webs.com Agenda for 2017: 14 Dec (2nd Thur) Gardeners' Question Time and Christmas Party Club Liseron – Gardening Club Meets on the 2nd Mon evening of the month at 19.30 at the Salle des Fêtes in Massignac. We're a mixed bunch of English & French, who are united by a passion for gardens and gardening, sharing plants, seeds and information. For further information contact: veronique.granet@sfr.fr Aux Plantes, etc.

We are an association of independent, ethicallyminded and passionate plant producers. Our aim is to encourage consumers to know more about the plants they buy, how they were produced and their needs, thereby avoiding the disappointments that so often come with mass produced plants. It’s not just about us selling you plants - we want them to thrive and do well for you!

Current members include plantspeople specialising in unusual shrubs & trees, butterfly plants, heritage vegetables and flowers, irises, perennials and drought-tolerant plants.

For more info contact Michelle Pierce 05 45 89 36 54 or visit: www.auxplantesetc.jimdo.com Les Jardins de Sirius Based in Pressignac, Charente, we are a small association of people who are keen on gardening. As well as finding plants an endless source of interest, we believe that the simple fact of gardening has numerous positive benefits for health, stress, social interaction - in other words, our daily lives - and we'd like to encourage this aspect. If you'd like to get involved, have more info on the association or become a member, please contact Michelle Pierce on 05 45 89 36 54 or at unjardinenfrance@gmail.com Integration Café Franglais Organised by the Amitiés Internationales du Pays de Boussac (AIPB). Every Wednesday starting at 18h30 until 20h00 in la Maison des Associations, Quartier Pasteur, 23600 Boussac. Come and join us for an informal chat to improve your French or English with native speakers in a café atmosphere whilst enjoying a drink and nibbles. Last evening before the summer holidays will be on 5th July. For more info please call 05 55 65 03 69.

Association Rencontres Franco-Britanniques The Association Rencontres Franco-Britanniques, based in Bourganeuf, was created in January 2012 and aims to help British people, resident in the Communautés de Communes surrounding Bourganeuf, to become integrated in their communes and local life.

We organize a range of cultural and social activities for our members.

The fortnightly conversation groups are an important part of our association. At these meetings British members can improve their spoken French, and our French colleagues may improve their English.

We would very much like to welcome new people, both French and English, into the association. Our meetings and events are fun and take place in a happy and friendly atmosphere. We currently have 90 members. The annual subscription for membership is €12 per person.

For further information on the association's activities contact: Christine Gee 05 55 64 22 25 - email: geeinfrance@gmail.com - www.francobrit.com Bessines-Accueil Bessines-Accueil is a group based in Bessines-surGartempe (87250) which seeks to welcome new arrivals both to the town and to the surrounding region and to assist them with integration in the community.

The group is comprised both of French and English members and meets weekly, generally on Thursday afternoons, in Bessines-sur-Gartempe, when various activities take place, all aimed at promoting a friendly and welcoming ambiance.

Through these activities, which include visits, talks, entertainment and much more, the group aims to discover and promote an appreciation of the life, the history and the heritage of the area and to help new arrivals settle.

For more details or to join please contact the President, Bernadette Ruffenach, on 05 55 76 11 19.

Les Franglais de Banize (23120) French and English people meet every Wednesday at 2-3 pm in the mairie in Banize to share English and French language and lots of laughter.

We all learn from each other, in both languages and about aspects of both cultures. In general the English try to speak in French and vice versa. As far as possible!

The meetings have been going on for seven years now but new arrivals are always welcome.

For more information please contact Anne Chadwick at lesfranglaisdebanize@orange.fr or tel 05 55 67 53 60.

Connect87 CONNECT is a group for English speakers of any nationality in the area of St-Yrieix-la-Perche.

Our Objective is to help people make friends and exchange information. We hold fun events and a Monthly Coffee Morning on the First Friday of every month at Espace Ferraud, rue du Docteur Lemoyne, St-Yrieix-la-Perche. We are a non profit making group and we are run by volunteers, there are no membership fees.

For Further information visit our website www. connect87.info or contact Nikki Evans at nikkifleurie@ gmail.com or on 05 53 55 09 83.

French Conversation Group at Les Billanges (87340) We are a small group who meet fortnightly for an hour and a half on Tuesday evenings during term time in Les Billanges, 87340, close to the Creuse/ Haute-Vienne border. We are accompanied by a retired French schoolteacher and a current French teacher of English. Discussion is informal, loosely based on everyday topics, including some grammar plus general discussion. We need a few more people to help keep it vibrant and to cater for inevitable absences. The only cost is yearly membership of the local Association, about €20, which brings with it other social opportunities. To find out more please contact Peter Metcalfe at petergmet@gmail.com Familles Rurales in Peyrat-le-Château Association Familles Rurales now offer assistance in English and Dutch to all non-French speaking people (British, Dutch, German, etc.) concerning all kinds of administrative steps. The service is available in Peyrat-le-Château and surrounding communes. We will try to provide information and help you find your way in social and administrative matters. We will also do our best to help you with practical matters such as language problems, payment of bills, hiring workmen, etc. Find Heleen Tichler-Botermans at the AFR office in Peyrat-le-Château on Mondays from 9 am to 12 pm and Wednesdays from 9 am to 1 pm.

You are welcome to drop in or make an appointment. www.famillesrurales.org/peyrat-le-chateau E-mail: familles-rurales.infopeyrat@orange.fr Telephone: 06 41 20 06 83 Office address: 19 avenue de la Tour, 87470 Peyratle-Château Familles Rurales 2 in St-Yrieix-la-Perche Weekly courses in French for foreigners (mainly English and Dutch) living in the area. Held at five different levels, all with the same native French teacher, so it is easy to move from one class to another if you feel out of place.

Level 1 (beginners) - Mon 10h30-12h; Level 2 - Thur 10h30-12h; Level 3 - Tue 10h30-12h; Level 4 - Sat 10h-12h; Level 5 (top) - Weds 14h30-16h30.

All courses are held in Familles Rurales' premises at 1 rue de la Piscine (former swimming pool), 87500 St-Yrieix-la-Perche. For more info tel 05 55 09 30 86, or Mark GRIEVES (English-speaking president) tel 06 76 64 89 94 will be pleased to answer any questions you may have.

Aubusson’s Network - International Apero Reseau We have changed our name to “Aubusson’s Network” and are now meeting at the cafe “ Les Balladins” opposite Aubusson’s Gare Routière car park. We continue to meet between 11.30 am and 1pm every Saturday.

You can contact us by phone, Catherine on 06 86 17 80 88 or email jan.senior@yahoo.co.uk We continue to meet to exchange views, make new friends, help and advise one another and help integrate newcomers. We are a friendly group of French and English who enjoy conversation in both languages.

Learning Together – Apprenons Ensemble We are a friendly club based in Rochechouart and our aim is to promote good relations amongst the local French-speaking and English-speaking community.

We offer courses of tuition in English and French as well as organising social and cultural events including visits to places of interest.

For further information please visit our website www.learningtogether.moonfruit.com, email us at learningtogether87@gmail.com or telephone our President Alan Bretman on 05 55 49 08 75. We look forward to hearing from you.

The Melting Pot We are a group of about 50 people who meet regularly to discuss and propose different ideas and activities with the aim of integrating more fully with the French community.

Our meetings are held at the Ancienne Ecole in Darnac every Wednesday morning from 10h-12h, except on the first Wednesday of the month when we meet at 19h30.

COMMUNITY ♦ 25

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu Our meetings are varied and include curry evenings, quizzes, plant swops, table tennis, pétanque tournaments, BBQs and more.

Newcomers are very welcome. For more info visit: www. meltingpot-limousin.com CLE – (Charente Limousine Exchange) CLE is a not-for-profit organisation whose members form a valuable resource for the exchange of news, views, ideas and information. We lobby and work with key organisations to help protect our members' best interests, particularly when Government or other proposals threaten to impact the well-being of expatriate citizens. We organise a range of events, workshops and seminars throughout the year, plus social activities including coach trips, activity days and charity events. Our special interest groups include a Fishing Group, a Pudding Club and Gourmet Club which holds regular lunches at some of the region's better restaurants where we negotiate set menus a cut above the typical 'plat du jour' but still reasonably priced – all activities to help members make new expatriate and French friends. www. cle-france.com Email: contact@cle-france.com Tel: Barry Leech 05 49 87 19 85 Libraries & Books Open Door Association – English Language Library & Cultural Exchange Group Based in the Old Mairie at Morterolles, commune of St. Pardoux-Morterolles, we have a selection of around 5,000 books, DVDs, etc. The library is open Mondays and Saturdays from 2-5 pm. Feel free to drop in and browse, borrow, chat or enjoy a free tea/coffee.

The association organises a variety of activities throughout the year including a number of visits to places of cultural significance. In 2017 these have included vineyards, sites of historic and artistic interest and sites of natural beauty. A wider programme is currently being planned for 2018.

We welcome new members of all nationalities. For further information, visit our website on www.opendoor23.com or contact the President, Peter Edmondson, on 06 47 54 20 09 or peter.edmondson2@orange.fr 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 secondhand books (both English and French) from 9am to 12 noon, at the former restaurant in La Place, opposite the bar/tabac.

All proceeds go towards the local school funds (for La Croisille-sur-Briance and St-Méard RPI).

La Souterraine English Library and Information Centre Located in the historic Porte de Puy Charraud, at 10 rue de Portail, La Souterraine, we are a lively, well-stocked English language library with almost 10,000 books and media available to borrow. We have an attractive cafe which serves tea, coffee and a range of home-made cakes. There is also a regularly changing display of works by local artists and an interesting brocante area on the ground floor.

The Library offers classes in French for English speakers with a professional teacher and also organises Anglo-French conversation groups in association with the Municipal Library in La Souterraine. There are also a number of thriving special interest groups, such as the Gardening Group, Camera Club, Friendship Group, etc.

We also provide support & assistance in bureaucratic and administrative matters for both existing British residents as well as newcomers to the area. Whatever your interests don’t hesitate to pay us a visit and you will be made most welcome.

We are open from 09.30 until 12.30, Mon, Thu, Fri & Sat. For more info tel 05 55 89 57 62 during opening hours or visit www.englishlibrary.fr The English Library, Dun-le-Palestel The English Library, which has now been established for over 5 yrs, is situated in the Route des Rateries, beside the Bibliothèque Municipale, Parc Benjamin Bord. The library is a very welcoming meeting place, where you can come and enjoy a cup of tea, or coffee, whilst you browse through our collection of around 7,500 books, DVDs and talking books.

Our opening hours are Thursdays, 10h00 – 16h00 and Saturdays 10h00 – 12h30.

Also, on the first Tuesday of every month, 10h00 – 12h00, you are invited to join us for our Club Franglais, which welcomes people from all nationalities, to chat in French, English or any language you wish(!) whilst enjoying a cup of tea, and a piece of home-made cake.

We host a range of other activities too, including the Café Philo, and Club Scrabble, More information can be found on the Entente Cordiale website at www.ententecordialecreuse.org or email us at library.ententecordiale@yahoo. com Music “Le Jeudi Meta Blues” Organised by the association Nessgig this takes place every 4th Thursday of the month, from 19h30 to 22h at “La Petite Charrue” pub, Le Bournazeau, Château-Chervix (87).

All music lovers who would like to share and exchange information and stories around blues, folk and rock, in French AND in English, or who might like to jam a little, are welcome.

Free admission! For more information email nessgig87@ gmail.com or tel 05 55 09 99 34.

Open Mic Night If you like music and have ever fancied getting up and having a go, why not come along to our Open Mic Night at “Le Loch Ness” in La Souterraine town centre every Friday around 8.30pm.

L'Orchestre Philharmonique de La Souterraine If you or one of your family are interested in playing in an orchestra and think your standard might be adequate do get in contact with us. We meet weekly on Friday evenings in La Souterraine (apart from the summer holidays) to rehearse. Most of our concerts are around Xmas or May-July.

Our members come from all over Limousin so lifts to and fro may be possible if necessary. Contacts: French language Marie-France Martinie 05 55 30 76 23 / English language Alan Kerr 05 55 56 34 52 The Harmonics This is our 6th season of singing as a group. Our music is varied classical, madrigals, spiritual, songs from the shows etc and we sing in French, English, Swahili, Latin - whatever

CANCER SUPPORT FRANCE Charente Plus

Epsilon, Toudoux and Venus

Free confidential support for Englishspeaking people touched by cancer

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

Facebook : Cancer Support France - Charente-Plus 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

Le Petit Tralala

Cluis, Indre (but not only!)

Do you like singing, dancing, acting? Or simply performing?

Then why not join our amateur music hall troupe!

Le Petit Tralala was founded seven years ago by Sylviane Cahannier in Cluis (Indre). Until now, Sylviane has created the shows (music hall parodies) and the costumes.

Cancer Support across the area We are indeed blessed to have three Cancer Support associations in the catchment area of this newspaper, Cancer Support Haute-Vienne, CSF Charente Plus and Cancer Support Vienne, six, if you bring in the three associations in Dordogne.

Each association covers its own catchment area, so CSF Charente Plus covers the Charente, Cancer Support Vienne covers people in Vienne, and CS Haute-Vienne covers people in Haute-Vienne, but also in Creuse and Corrèze and on the southern edge of Indre, as people from there are likely to be treated in hospitals in Limoges. Each association has built up contacts and relations with the hospitals in their patches, and can provide help, such as translation, locally. All three associations offer similar support from volunteers who are well trained to standards set by CSF National.

So if you are affected by cancer and need support, you need to contact the Cancer Support association covering the department in which you live.

Richard Ware

The troupe needs new members and would like to put on a new show. There is absolutely no need to sing perfectly or dance, as most importantly we have fun.

Rehearsals are programmed in line with the date of the show and the availability of the troupe members.

Last but not least, there is no obligation to speak French for the songs (playback performance), but it will be a relief for Sylviane who does not speak English. However, that must not discourage you from calling her for further information!

Tel: 06 09 13 46 15.

Support Alcoholics Anonymous If you or someone you know has a drinking problem, there are now English-speaking meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous at Limoges, Périgueux and the recently opened meeting at Civray.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a Fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership and A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.

For details of the meetings or other information contact Roger 05 55 76 22 65 (Limoges), Ewen 05 53 05 76 62 (Périgueux) or Angela 05 49 87 79 09 (Civray).

Other meetings in South-West France can be located on our web-site at www.aafrance.net English-speaking council surgery ...for residents of the commune of St-Léger-Magnazeix.

Every 2nd Weds in the month, an English-speaking council surgery with councillors Manuela Stroescu and Patrick Johnson will take place at the Mairie between 11am and 12pm.

L’Association France Alzheimer Dordogne Charitable organisation offering English-speaking support and guidance to anyone dealing with the day-to-day difficulties affecting those with dementia, their families and their carers and assistance with how to access the best provisions of care.

English Helpline (available on Tuesday mornings between 10am and midday): 09 64 21 40 86.

For more information email alzheimer.dordogne@orange.fr or visit www.francealzheimer-dordogne.org Cancer Support France, Charente Plus Free confidential support for English-speaking people touched by cancer in departments 16, 17 & 86. CSF 24 hour helpline: 06 45 35 32 30, Email csfcharenteplus@gmail. com, Facebook: Cancer Support France - Charente Plus Cancer Support Haute-Vienne We offer free and confidential support to English speakers affected by Cancer in the Haute-Vienne (87) and Creuse (23). Our helpline number is 06 04 43 39 87. If you would like more information or would like to become a member or help in any other way, please contact Sue Ware 05 55 00 31 15, helpline@vienne.org or visit www.cshautevienne.org

Cancer Support Haute-Vienne ... would like to thank everyone who has supported our association over the last year - whether they have organised or attended an event. We would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year and look forward to your continuing support in 2018.

Sue Ware, President

Epsilon

Toudoux

Venus

This month I thought I would introduce you to three handsome boys that have been at the refuge now for several years: Epsilon, Toudoux and Venus.

The boys are all from the Hound family, a breed that is very often overlooked as they have a reputation for needing lots of exercise and poor recall. This is true to a certain degree but can easily be managed with the right family environment.

What people often don't realise is that a hound can make a fantastic loyal and steadfast family pet and some are even excellent with children. With patience and respect, a hound will repay you with love, devotion and loyalty. They search for close and frequent human contact and bond strongly with their family.

Yes, they will never lose that hunting desire and so great care must be taken when letting them off lead, as, if they do come across some tantalising scent, they will be deaf to all commands, but then a lot of other dogs are the same. It just means that they will need to be walked on an extending lead and a secure garden is essential.

Epsilon, Toudoux and Venus are very much typical hounds but each have their own personalities. Epsilon is 8 years old, very handsome and regal, is shy at first, but once he gets to know you is so loving. He loves his walks, gets on well with all other dogs and will need a family with a lot of patience and kindness to earn his trust.

Toudoux is 7 years old and came to the refuge when his elderly owner died. He is house trained and used to being left alone, loves his walks and gets on with female dogs.

Can be homed with a family with children.

Venus is 8 years old, came also to the refuge when his owner died, with his sister Dolly.

She has recently been adopted and he is so sad as they have spent their whole lives together. Venus is a bit shy too at first but once again, once he gets to know you shows great affection and loves his walks. He doesn't get on with other male dogs and a family without children is preferred.

All these boys need is a chance. If you think you can help, then please contact the SPA de Creuse (Guéret), 21 Le Clocher 23000 Saint-Sulpice-le-Guérétois, tel 05 55 81 99 31 (www.spa-creuse.com) or if you would like to speak to an English-speaking volunteer about the boys or indeed any of our other lovely dogs at the refuge then please email Faye at faye.jones23600@gmail.com

Minus

Minus is a big male Cane Corso who sadly finds himself in the SPA refuge at Limoges.

Despite being loving, cuddly and playful he is, perhaps, not everybody's ideal pet and so is proving difficult to rehome. He is clearly suffering at the refuge and becoming increasingly miserable and so we are hoping we can find someone special, maybe someone who knows this breed, who can offer him a loving home.

Minus is 7 years old. He gets on OK with female dogs but is not keen on males or cats. He would need a very secure garden and a home where he has company most of the time. Because of his size and breed a home check would be necessary prior to adoption.

If you think you could offer Minus a home, or would like more information contact: SPA de la Haute-Vienne, 156 avenue du Général René Chambe, 87270 Couzeix, tel 05 55 48 06 75 or if you would like help from an English-speaking volunteer email Pam at pamrob1@hotmail.com

CHARITY SHOP NOW OPEN!!

Do please come in and visit us.

We are located at: 3 rue Nationale, 16150 Chabanais (entrance opposite the mairie, directly behind Petticoat Lane – we are on the first floor upstairs)

OPENING HOURS: Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, 10 am – 4 pm Sorry – no books or electrical goods

26 ♦ WHAT’S ON

Studio Alastair

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017 Wed 1st Nov to Sat 23rd Dec BELLAC Pop-Up Christmas Shop Art and craft group "Inspirations", based in Droux, are opening a pop-up Christmas shop at 5, place Carnot, Bellac (opposite the media centre) from 10 am to 4pm non-stop on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays and from 9 am to 12 noon on Saturdays.

Exhibition and sales of artwork and lots of beautiful handmade items available to buy... Ideal gifts for friends and family!

For more info email sheerjoy62@yahoo.com Thu 16th Nov to Sun 17th Dec DUN-LE-PALESTEL Boutique Éphémère: Atelier 48 Pop-up shop featuring textiles, postcards, local artists, collages, illustrations, unique pieces. (See poster pg 8.)

48 Grande Rue. Open Tues-Sun. Sat 18th Nov to Sat 16th Dec CONFOLENS Beeswax candle-making workshops

Alastair Riley's studio is open by appointment for the viewing and purchase of his original, affordable silkscreens all printed by hand. These unique artworks of the beautiful countryside of the Creuse and its creatures make very special and original Christmas gifts. To make an appointment please contact Louise Riley at louise-barnard@sky.com or on 05 55 66 92 85.

We look forward to helping you.

www.alastair-riley.com

It’s Christmas! Well, nearly!

The next major event is the Marché de Noël on Saturday 9th December.

It’s an indoor market which will be held in the Hall Polyvalent RouchonMazérat in Bourganeuf and will last from 8.30 am till 5 pm.

From the start of the event the ever popular English Breakfast will be on sale. It is being prepared by Sophie Hicks from “Boucherie à La Ferme” in the Corrèze (www.boucheriealaferme.com). The majority of the produce comes from Sophie’s farm so everyone may enjoy a traditional British meal created from high quality products.

The breakfast includes bacon, sausage, egg, black pudding, baked beans, toast and marmalade/jam, tea or coffee.

It’s fine to turn up on the day and eat breakfast when you arrive but it is helpful for us to know how many people are coming. Last year we served 150 customers! So, to reserve a cooked to order breakfast at €7.50 a head please visit the front page of our website www.francobrit.com or contact the Office de Tourisme at Bourganeuf (05 55 64 12 20). There is no payment in advance.

After breakfast visitors can enjoy browsing the wide range of market stalls – foodstuffs, artisan beer, silk-screen prints, jewellery, cards, sculptures, clothing, toys... and all at a range of prices for those large or small Christmas gifts.

Come and join us in our beekeeping centre in Confolens (16500) and learn how to make your very own beeswax candles and Christmas decorations!

We're running a handful of sessions from 18th November to 16th December running from 1 pm - 3:30/4 pm with refreshments provided. There will be a brief chat around how our bees make the wax and how we harvest it whilst we enjoy some tea and cake and then every guest will learn how to make at least 2 rolled candles, 5 moulded candles, 2 tea lights and a set of traditional Christmas tree decorations - all for you to take home and keep or share as unique gifts.

The sessions cost €40 per person which includes all the beeswax (the rarest wax of them all), moulds, equipment and tuition. Check out our web page for more details or call us on 05 45 71 22 90 to book your place. www.13bees.co.uk/2017-candle-making-workshops Fri 1st to Sat 30th Dec GUÉRET Pop-Up Christmas Shops Looking for that extra special gift for Christmas?

Why not head to the Grande Rue in Guéret to visit one of the pop-up Christmas shops: O’Fil Dé Z'arts - at no. 11 Le Grand Atelier - at no. 13 L'Éphémère - at no. 21 Featuring local artisans, creators and producers.

Fri 1st to Sat 30th Dec LIMOGES Christmas Market

At lunchtime we will be serving a range of snacks and hand-held food and this can be accompanied by either artisan beer, brewed by Steve Ellis of Artibrassage 87, or wine. The Association will be providing tea and coffee throughout the day and, in the afternoon, traditional mince pies and mulled wine will be on sale.

There will be entertainment throughout the day: magician “André”, face painting, storytelling, a visit from Father Christmas and, at 3 pm, music from the Amis Chanteurs de St-Amand.

So please come along; there will be a lot to see, taste and enjoy!

More details about the Association may be found at:

www.francobrit.com

Sat 2nd to Sun 31st Dec LA CHÂTRE Boutique Éphémère d'artisans créateurs pour Noël Pop-up boutique with local artisans offering a variety of gifts for all ages and all year including wood, ceramics, stained glass, jewellery, paintings, wool, home and garden decoration and creations in fabric.

Tue to Sat, 10 am to 1.30 pm then 2.30 pm to 6 pm.

Sun 17th Dec 2.30 pm to 6 pm.

Sat 23rd and Sun 24th Dec 10 am to 6 pm.

13 bis, rue Venôse, 36400 La Châtre Email: info@boutique-fmr.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/boutiquefmr/ Website: www.boutique-fmr.com Sat 2nd to Sun 24th Dec MONTLUÇON Christmas Market Place Jean Jaurès. Sun-Thu 14h-19h; Fri-Sat 11h-21h.

The ice rink will stay in place until 31/12 (€4; €3 for Under 12s - 1 hour, includes skate hire).

Sat 2nd to Sun 3rd Dec SAINTE-FEYRE Marché de Noël - Parc Animalier Les Loups de Chabrières Christmas market at the wolf park. Come and do a spot of Christmas shopping: crafts, regional produce... Entertainment for the children. Free entry to the park. From 10h.

Contact: Tel 05 55 81 23 23 www.loups-chabrieres.com

Christmas Market at Bourganeuf

This year the association has already run a number of creative workshops and the annual Salon de Thé welcomed 100 customers to the village of St-Amand-Jartoudeix in August. The event took place in the open air and all enjoyed the opportunity to try a range of different teas and homemade cakes, accompanied by excellent musical entertainment.

Sat 2nd Dec EYMOUTIERS German Christmas Market All morning in the halle.

Sat 2nd Dec PEYRAT-LE-CHÂTEAU Christmas Fair Hotel Le Bellerive. 10 am – 4 pm.

Decorations, gifts and English festive treats on sale!

Cafe-bar open all day, lunch served 12 pm - 1.30 pm.

For more info tel 05 55 36 20 63 or email bonjour@lebellerive.net

Alastair also has a selection of his work, greetings cards and calendars for sale in the shop La Maison des Artisans d'Art, 9 Grande Rue (High Street), Aubusson.

The selection changes monthly.

For the members of the Association Rencontres Franco-Britanniques, based at Bourganeuf in the Creuse, it is arriving early as plans are well under way for the annual, European Christmas Market. It’s the third time the event has been organised and it will be bigger and better than ever.

tainment for the children. 9h-18h.

50 artisans & producers will be exhibiting in little wooden chalets around the place de la République.

11h-19h (20h on Fri & Sat).

Visit noelalimoges.fr for more information.

Sat 2nd Dec BERSAC-SUR-RIVALIER Christmas Market 80 exhibitors. Regional produce, crafts, gifts, enter-

Sun 3rd Dec LE DORAT Christmas Market Halle aux grains. 10h-18h.

Sun 3rd Dec ROYERE-DE-VASSIVIÈRE Christmas Market 9h-18h. Salle polyvalente.

Sun 3rd Dec SAINT-LAURENT-SUR-GORRE Christmas Market & Brocante 9h-18h.

Sun 3rd Dec SAINT-LÉGER-MAGNAZEIX Christmas Market Parc de la mairie. 10h-18h.

Thu 7th to Sat 9th Dec LA SOUTERRAINE CastawaysDrama: Crossed Wireless It should be a quiet day in Broadcasting House for BBC Drama Producer Sebastian, almost routine, in fact.

An ordinary day when experienced professionals both behind and in front of the microphone - come together to craft a shining example of radio drama, a credit to the business!

However, a lack of trains from Wales, a sticky encounter with a milk float, an Irish air conditioning unit belching smoke and a bit of politics all conspire to ensure that the day doesn't go entirely to plan.

Will it be a complete shambles, or can Sebastian snatch victory from the jaws of defeat? It would be really cruel of you to laugh at other's misfortunes.... you wouldn't do that, would you?

“Crossed Wireless”, written and directed by Paul Freeman, is a light comedy for a dark winter's day.

Thursday 7th, Friday 8th, Saturday 9th December – 19:30; Matinée: Saturday 9th December – 14:30.

Venue: L'Ancienne Mairie, place Dr Emile Parrain 23300 La Souterraine.

Tickets only 10 euros! For more information visit www.castawaysdrama.org and to reserve tickets email tickets@castawaysdrama.org or call Steve on 07 69 00 28 01.

Fri 8th Dec BOUSSAC Christmas Carol Service - Chants de Noël Amitiés Internationales du Pays de Boussac has great pleasure in arranging the 8th Christmas Carol Service - Chants de Noël at the Eglise Ste-Anne at 7.30 pm on Friday 8th December.

Carols and Readings in French, Dutch and Eng-

WHAT’S ON ♦ 27

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu lish.

We will be piped into church by our wonderful Scottish bagpiper.

Followed by seasonal refreshments.

All welcome.

Fri 9h-20h; Sat 10h-18h.

Fri 8th to Sun 24th Dec LIMOGES Christmas Market Over 100 artisans and producers. 9h30-19h (Fri & Sat til 20h). Place de la Motte.

Visit noelalimoges.fr for more information.

Sat 16th Dec CLUGNAT Christmas Market Place de l'église. From 17h.

Sat 9th Dec BOUSSAC Marché de Noël Christmas market for the Téléthon in the place de l'Hôtel de Ville, starting at 10h until 18h.

Don't miss the AIPB cake stall!

Sat 16th Dec BOUSSAC Christmas Market From 10h.

Sat 16th Dec DUN-LE-PALESTEL Christmas Market Place Philippe Daulny. 10h-19h.

Sun 17th Dec CHÂTEAUPONSAC Christmas Market Gymnase. 9h-17h.

Sun 17th Dec MAGNAC-LAVAL Christmas Market Espace du Rocher. 10h-17h.

Wed 20th to Sat 23rd Dec SOUS-PARSAT La Maison du Père Noël As night falls in an enchanted setting meet Father Christmas with his sleigh and visit his house (18h15-19h).

Arrive early for easy parking as this is always very popular.

Fri 22nd Dec AUZANCES Christmas Market Salle des fêtes. 10-19h.

Sat 9th Dec CHÂLUS Christmas Market From 9h30.

Sat 16th Dec DUN-LE-PALESTEL Les puces Dunoises NEW! First professional, monthly brocante - Place du Champ de Foire from 7h-14h.

Organised by DUNAMIC the brocante will take place every 3rd Thursday of the month.

For more info visit dunamic.org

Sat 9th to Sun 10th Dec LA CELLE-DUNOISE Christmas Market 10h-18h. Salle des Loisirs.

Sat 16th Dec EVAUX-LES-BAINS Christmas Market Place de l'hôtel de ville. 9h-18h.

Sun 10th Dec BOSMIE L'AIGUILLE Marché de Noël et Foire à l'Orange Organised by the Comité des fêtes and the Comité de Jumelage de Bosmie-l'Aiguille. Gourmet produce, crafts, sales of Spanish produce from the region of Pédralba (oranges, clementines, olive oil...) Salle Georges Bizet from 9h-18h. Free entry.

Sat 16th Dec EYMOUTIERS Christmas Market 9h30-18h.

18h30: Collégiale St-Etienne - Chants de Noël / Christmas Carols

Sat 23rd Dec AUBUSSON Christmas Market Parvis de l'hôtel de ville, salle de le bourse du travail, Grande Rue & Rue Vieille from 10h-19h.

Sun 10th Dec DARNAC Christmas Market Looking for that perfect, home-made or locally produced present for your friends and family? Visit our 3rd annual Christmas Market at Le Tambour Cassé from 10 am - 4 pm.

Meals and drinks will be served all day and Santa will also be dropping in to visit.

Sun 10th Dec GOUZON Christmas Market Salle polyvalente. 9h-17h.

Sun 10th Dec SAINT-PAUL-LIZONNE A Kristmas Kracker Killing Murder Mystery event organised by the Pensol Amateur Murder Mystery Group.

Bar de la Douane, Saint-Paul-Lizonne, 24320 at 3:30 pm.

Cost: 12 euros, including afternoon tea.

For more info tel 06 71 33 16 00 or email donald.mechan@hotmail.com Sun 10th Dec SAINT-VAURY Christmas Market Gymnase. 9h-18h.

Sun 10th Dec VALLIÈRE Christmas Market Sale of local crafts and produce.

Salle polyvalente. 9h-18h.

Fri 15th to Sat 16th Dec FELLETIN Christmas Market Gymnase municipal. 50 exhibitors.

Sat 16th Dec SAINT-JUNIEN Christmas Market Place Lacôte. 9h30-18h.

Sat 16th Dec SAINT-SORNIN-LEULAC A Celebration of Christmas Seasonal songs and readings in English & French led by a local choir.

Free entry but a small charge for mince pies & mulled wine afterwards.

Church at Saint-Sornin-Leulac, 87290. 6 pm.

Bienvenue à tous, venez nombreux!

Sat 16th to Sun 17th Dec SOUS-PARSAT La Maison du Père Noël As night falls in an enchanted setting meet Father Christmas with his sleigh and visit his house (18h15-19h).

Arrive early for easy parking as this is always very popular.

Fri 22nd to Sat 23rd Dec GUÉRET Christmas Market Place du Marché. Fri 9h30-21h; Sat 8h30-20h.

Sat 23rd Dec BELLAC Christmas Market In the streets of Bellac from 16h-22h.

Sat 23rd Dec LA SOUTERRAINE Christmas Market 15th Christmas market with over 150 exhibitors, the perfect opportunity to find those last-minute Christmas gifts. 10h-19h.

Sat 23rd Dec SAINT-LÉONARD-DE-NOBLAT Christmas Market Town centre from 14h.

Sat 30th Dec NEXON Theatre: The Rime of the ancient Mariner Nexon's smallest most historical, independent theatre productions presents a dramatisation of "The Rime of the ancient Mariner" by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (original text 1834) with simultaneous French translation.

2 rue St Ferreo, Nexon. 6 pm. Tel: 06 18 65 33 33 for details.

Libre participation.

Première performances of “Crossed Wireless”, written and directed by Paul Freeman 7, 8 & 9 December at 19:30, plus matinée 9 December at 14:30, at L’Ancienne Mairie, La Souterraine CastawaysDrama, La Souterraine’s English-speaking drama group, this year proudly presents the première of “Crossed Wireless”, written and directed by Paul Freeman, the group’s sound man.

When he retired after 30-odd years working for the BBC, Paul's biggest fear was that he wouldn't have enough to occupy his time living in La Creuse. However, as many have discovered before him, “work” expands to fill the time available, on top of which he joined CastawaysDrama that, like all drama groups everywhere, is always 'needing' men! Especially those with a bit of knowledge and lighting and sound kit!

Earlier this year, the group was looking for a summer production, a play to suit the number of people available.

Luckily, Paul had already written the very thing. “Crossed Wireless” was soon cast and went straight into rehearsal.

The play, based on Paul’s experience at the Beeb, is set in a Radio Drama Studio in Broadcasting House. Three professional actors arrive to rehearse and record a Radio 4 afternoon play working with a Producer, his ditzy PA and a Studio Manager who professes to have done sound effects before. What could possibly go wrong?

presents (in English)

Written and directed by Paul Freeman

Disaster struck in real life, however, when Paul was informed that he was in need of an urgent five-bypass operation, and the play had to be postponed. After weeks of rehabilitation, thankfully Paul was happily on the road to recovery.

Still “taking it easy”, Paul now brings his first play “Crossed Wireless” to La Souterraine and you are warmly invited. Why not make it a Christmas outing with friends?

We will have a bar, including soft drinks, and you can book or buy tickets today. We look forward to seeing you there. You may even decide to join the group!

Tickets: 10 Euros from www.castawaysdrama.org or call Steve on 07 69 00 28 01.

cartoon by Andy Cannons at andysaracannons@gmail.com

Thursday 7th, Friday 8th, Saturday 9th December – 19:30 Matinée: Saturday 9th December – 14:30 ONLY 10 EUROS! L'Ancienne Mairie, pl. Dr Emile Parrain, 23300 La Souterraine www.castawaysdrama.org TICKETS FROM: tickets@castawaysdrama.org

OR call Steve on 07 69 00 28 01

28 ♦ WHAT’S ON

The Bugle Film Club Thursday 14th December

What? Free Fire (2016) - in English Where? Cinéma Sénéchal, 1 rue du Sénéchal, 23000 Guéret When? 19h00, Thursday 14th December (2nd Thursday of each month)

How much? JUST €4 For details of the Cinéma Sénéchal, visit www.cinema-senechal.com Details of each month's screening will be included in The Bugle, but to receive emails about upcoming Film Club nights, please send an email to editor@thebugle.eu quoting “Film Club” in the subject line, and we will add you to our contact list. (We promise not to send you any spam!!)

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017