The Bugle Dordogne - Dec 2017 by The Bugle

First lady to unveil French-born panda In her symbolic role as godmother, Brigitte Macron will attend the naming ceremony of the first panda born in France >> Page 6 November 2016 - Issue #85

Dordogne

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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.

test. 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 contrevisite to have the fault reassessed, 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

>> continued on page 6

Petrol station pumps wrong fuel - pg 3

The hidden dangers of drinking tea - pg 4

Beef bourgignon voted national dish - pg 9

The Bugle Business Directory - pg 14-16

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

France to host 2023 Rugby World Cup - page 8

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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

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

www.chateau-lestevenie.com 06 48 62 23 73 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

(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... Until next month!

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INSIDE this edition 3-5 Local News 6-10 National News

Merry Christmas to all!!

11-13 French Life

Steve Martindale, Editor

14-16 Directory 17 Community 18-20 What’s On

Copy deadline for advertising and content:

15th December for January’s print edition

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 3

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

New speed signs for Eymet- Wrong fuel in Bergerac accident blackspot Périgueux station

ver the past decade, successive governments have been battling to reduce the number of deaths on the country’s roads, in particular by targeting the speed at which we drive. Motoring groups have long complained about the ever increasing number of fixed radars and other initiatives such as the introduction of mobile radars on unmarked cars, but the number of serious accidents has, on average, been falling. Although many are frustrated by the fines that arrive in the post for driving at 93 km/h in a 90 zone, you can not usually say that you weren’t warned. Most radars in France are preceded by a sign announcing that there is a speed camera up ahead and then one reminding you of the current speed limit. Local authorities in the Dordogne have bucked this trend, however, with a pilot scheme on a particularly notorious stretch of road. Motorists leaving Bergerac on the D933 towards Eymet will be met by signs informing them that there could be a radar anywhere in the next 33 kilometres. Similar panels have been installed in the opposite direction heading towards Bergerac. In a post on its Facebook page, the prefecture said that police checks would be regularly moved to encourage drivers to be more vigilant and prompt them to stick to the speed limit: “These panels have been installed in both directions and numerous spots have been prepared along the stretch for the installation of mobile, autonomous radars. The principle is to move these radars randomly along the route, so

as to encourage drivers to respect the speed limits everywhere. The idea is to end the bad behaviour of some motorists who slow down when approaching a fixed radar and then speed up again afterwards.” “I take this road every day, and while most people think that the signs are a bluff, they are now driving more slowly,” said one local resident. If successful, the prefecture has said that the scheme could be rolled out elsewhere in the department. Last year was the worst on record since 2012 for road safety in the Dordogne and speeding is still a problem. Over a recent two-day period at Chancelade, a mobile gendarmerie unit flashed 500 drivers on a straight 50 km/h section of road on the D939 - one driver in every three that passed by!! ■

here are a few mantras that most drivers will repeat to themselves several times every day: don’t forget where you parked, don’t lock your keys in the car... and don’t fill up with the wrong type of fuel! Most people will know someone who has accidentally put the SP95 nozzle into their diesel tank or vice-versa, a mistake that can be both embarrassing and expensive! What you probably don’t expect is to pick up the correct pump, but for the wrong fuel to come out! This is exactly what happened to dozens of Dordogne drivers, however, when a petrol station near Périgueux had the wrong fuel in their storage tanks.

The problem began when a fuel supplier accidentally put 2,000 litres of diesel into the SP95-E10 tank of the E Leclerc supermarket on the Privilège roundabout in Périgueux. Cars began breaking down shortly after, with the problem continuing until the station was finally closed the following morning. So far, 30 drivers have lodged official complaints, but it is believed that many more vehicles will have been affected as the number of customers using the petrol station was far higher over the period in question. “My two cars have broken down,” explained one local resident. “I have a garage bill for almost 400 euros for draining the systems, plus the cost

of filling up twice! I got to the Chancelade roundabout, about 300 metres away, when the car cut out. I went to get my other car, which I’d filled up the evening before and that wouldn’t start either!” The delivery company has accepted fault and anyone concerned has been asked to contact the Leclerc supermarket directly, where they will given details of the fuel transporter’s insurance company who will cover any costs and damages incurred. There is no suggestion that any other Leclerc petrol stations have been affected by the error and drivers are advised that there is not usually any permanent damage to the car if the fuel system is correctly drained down and refilled. ■

4 ♦ LOCAL NEWS

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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 in the heart of Nouvelle-Aquitaine. “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

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‘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 Ana-Luisa 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

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Book reveals former mayor’s dark past

quiet Dordogne town is buzzing after a newly published book has revealed the crimes committed by its ex-mayor over a hundred years ago. The author, Guy Penaud, insists that while his book is fiction it is rooted in actual documented facts and events in the pleasant town of Mareuil, the scene of many of the mayor’s crimes. Guy Penaud’s book outlines the local official’s rise and fall. The unusually named Mary Cliquet, originally from Normandy, married a woman from the Périgord and settled in Mareuil in the late 1800s. Cliquet rose to become a lawyer in the town - using forged qualifications and as an apparently respected citizen, was subsequently elected mayor. In the meantime, he was also conning unsuspecting locals into investing in mortgages on property in the neighbourhood. A similar scheme was used in the recent Bernie Madoff multimillion dollar scam, using

new investors’ cash to pay out imaginary interest and cover up the fraud. At the same time that he was running his industrialscale rip-off, Mary Cliquet was making trips to Paris where he wrote plays and performed as a singer. This double life of deceit and forgery couldn’t last forever, but faking truth was his business and it was more than a decade before he was found out. The scandalous case hit the headlines worldwide at the time, even being reported in the New York Times. After a life of fakery Mary Cliquet was arrested, tried and received a very real life sentence in a notorious penal colony. Even behind bars he managed to perpetrate more forgery, however, before finally committing suicide in Cayenne in 1892. Guy Penaud’s book is published by Edilivre, who also issued Penaud’s life story of Saint Bernadette of Lourdes. ■ by Brian Hinchcliffe

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LOCAL NEWS ♦ 5

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

n a seemingly unusual reversal of roles, a group of Dordogne hunters have rescued two deer in the Périgord. The hunters, from Bourniquel near Beaumonten-Périgord, were alerted to the plight of the two ensnared animals and rushed to the rescue. They had become entangled in posts holding wire fencing and were well and truly trapped by their legs and antlers. A spokesman for the hunters’ federation explained that even when pinned down by steel fencing, a large, scared deer can be aggressive and dangerous. If they are not swiftly released, however, they would likely die. In a surprisingly rapid intervention the hunters managed to free the deer who safely made off, returning to the forest. In a similar incident near Meyralat at the end of October, the national hunting and wildlife federation (ONCFS) reported one deer saved and another dead. Hunting in the Dordogne and nationally is a closely regulated activity. Each local association is legally responsible for the ecological balance within its territory. Safety and training are high priorities and the responsible management of flora and fauna is a major occupation. Across the department the Gendarmerie Nationale is leading an inspection on hunting regulations as autumn turns to winter. In a weekend-long operation, for example, a joint ONCFS/ Gendarmerie squad made checks on 160 hunters plus examination of their vehicles in the forest around Lalinde and the Pays de Belvès. Six hunters were found to have fallen foul of documentation regulations and safety issues. Two of the hunters were found to have out-of date permits. They were served with an official warning and reprimand and were given 72 hours to produce the correct paperwork. ■ by Brian Hinchcliffe

Local British Legion Poppy Day

local British Legion group is toasting the success of its annual poppy event. On the strategic junction of the Dordogne, Charente and Haute-Vienne, Jane and Ollie Hickey open their hilltop farm site every year to raise funds for the Royal British Legion national Poppy Fund. The idea of using the poppy as a symbol came from a Canadian medical officer’s poem linking the casualties in the trenches with the scarlet poppies that thrived on the broken earth of the battlefield. The poet, Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, was buried near Boulogne, and his imagery has seized the imagination of the British people for a century. Every Toussaint - AllSaints’ Day - the Hickeys host their own day dedicated to supporting British ex-service personnel. Now in its 9th year the Poppy Day has become a favourite venue for expats.

“It’s a very British affair,” Jane explained. “We try to create an interesting event that will help the Poppy Fund. We have stallholders who come every year and more and more Brits are finding out and turning out.” Apart from supporting an excellent cause, the attraction also lies with the Hickeys’ unusual catering arrangements. David Green, one of the small army of helpers explained: “We ask all our visitors to donate €3.50. In return they can choose any item from the poppy display and enjoy home-made cake and tea in the gardens.” The weather for the 2017 event proved to be warm and sunny, perfect for the mini market and tea and cake on the lawn. It was also a good day for Royal British Legion funds with almost €1,000 raised. “This is one of my favourite events,” said John Reid, an ex-RAF regiment flight sergeant and stall-

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holder. “It is so British and such a worthy cause. I wouldn’t miss it.” Sergeant Major Wendy Harris, an ex-NCO in Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps agreed: “The service people we support really deserve everything we can do and more, after what they do for

the rest of us.” Jane and Ollie Hickey are members of the Linazay British Legion group in the Vienne. Their farm, Le Petit Paris, near Édon, is a short drive from Ribérac on the D939 just over the border from the Dordogne. ■ by Brian Hinchcliffe

6 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

First lady to name Contrôle technique France's baby panda rules to get tougher

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.

tersweet: the zoo's female giant panda gave birth to twins, only for one to die shortly after it was born. 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 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 bit-

the name for the baby panda currently known as “Mini Yuan Zi” will be chosen by China before being unveiled at the ceremony 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 10year loan from China following intense, high-level negotiations between Paris and Beijing; panda diplomacy has been an important tool in Chinese foreign relations 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. ■

>> continued from pg 1

“défaillance critique”, 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. ■

Tintin drawing sells for half a million

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. ■

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 7

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

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Eleven vaccines become compulsory for children

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 vacci-

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nations; it has been reported that one in four people 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 northeastern 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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Price of foie gras to soar

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 indus-

try. “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 con-

troversial (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.

8 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

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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.

Twitter: @FFRugby

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. ■

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 9

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Boeuf bourgignon voted France's national dish 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 Michelinstarred 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,

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.

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,

Paris opens first nudist restaurant

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 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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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!” ■

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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www.eco-entrepot.fr The best selection of DIY timber at very favourable Heinz Baked Beans, Homepride Flour, prices including decking, skirting board, flooring, Mcvities Biscuits, Typhoo T-bags, Mushy tongue & groove (int/ext treated), plywood & OSB... Peas, Baking Powder, Icing Sugar, Thistle Multi Finish Plaster, Cement, Sand & Gravel. Cornflour, Curry Pastes & Sauces, PVA and all your silicone based products. Naan Breads & Mango Chutney, As well as a fabulous range of tried Poppadums, Robinsons Juices, and tested paints, we are now an Cadburys chocloate + 100’s of other official Crown Paints distributor. well known grocery products. www.facebook.com/eco.entrepot

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10 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

FRENCH LIFE ♦ 11

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Inclusive French - progressive or controversial?

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 postWeinstein 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 midheight - 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 mid-punctuation 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 ex-

cluding 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 lan-

guage 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 goodlooking].” 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,

The wines of Bergerac

by Martin Walker

athematicians tell me there is something special about the number twelve, and not just because of twelve Apostles, twelve months in the year, inches in the foot, pennies in the shilling. The Roman system of fractions was based on twelve and so was Charlemagne’s coinage. But what interests me rather more are the twelve days of Christmas, and which wines one might select to go along with the lords a-leaping, the maids a-milking and the partridge in a pear tree. I would start with an organic sparkling rosé from Château Feely at 16 euros, a charming festive drink that is neither gassy nor acid (which is often the case with far too many of the non-champagne wines). The vineyard has an excellent website, offers many imaginative mixed cases and Caro Feely’s books on her family’s bold decision to move to Saussignac and make wine are captivating reads. For the Second Day I’d pick a new favourite of mine from Château des Eyssards, another Saussignac wine since I find myself spending a lot of time exploring this south-western corner of the Bergerac region. They call it Mano a Mano, which is Spanish for hand-to-hand (as in combat) but from my first tasting I was delighted to get to grips with this beautifully made dry white wine. I’m fond of Bergerac Sec in general but this one is a serious wine that was left six months on its lees and yet retains the playfulness of a young wine. At 7 euros it’s a snip. Day Three takes us a little further south and east to the commune of Gageac-et-Rouillac to find Château Lestevenie where Humphrey and Sue Temperley proudly uphold the excellence of British winemaking. I won’t be satisfied with just one bottle of their superb 2015 Côtes de Bergerac red, with cabernet franc and merlot. For 9 euros a bottle, I’d buy half a dozen – or at

least one of the magnums they now offer. On Day Four we head north of the river Dordogne to the Montravel, where Daniel Hecquet has been making wines for almost thirty years at Château Puy Servain and his Marjolaine dry white is a glorious proof that white wines can also benefit from a few months in oak barrels. I found it at 9.95 euros and was glad to do so. I almost suggested his Terrement, a dessert wine that I prefer to a lot of run-of-the-mill Monbazillacs. Staying in the Montravel for the Fifth Day (of five gold rings), we visit the Deffarges family. They have been at Château Moulin Caresse for 270 years and their best wines from the best parcels are called Cent pour 100 at around 14 euros. The dry white may be the first time you have drunk a sauvignon gris but you’ll be converted. Not far away on Day Six is Château Laulerie and while they are best known for the excellent reds (and I strongly recommend both their Merlots and their Malbecs), their Comtesse de Ségur dry white is grown on old vines and represents great value at 10.95 euros. No rest for us on the Seventh Day which takes us south of the river and south of Monbazillac to Château Tour Des Gendres. I have always admired their wines but lately I’ve become a real fan of a special wine they call Les Anciens Francs, made wholly from cabernet franc. They don’t promote it on their website because they can’t make it every year but when they do, seize the opportunity to grab a bottle at 24 euros. On Day Eight we head for south-east Bergerac, starting at the impossibly pretty Château de la Jaubertie where every wine they make is a winner but their Cuvée Mirabelle reds and whites are magnificent: rich in fruit; majestic in the mouth; profound in the aftertaste. At 16 euros, it beats some famous Bordeaux wines that cost nearly ten times as much.

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? ■

On Day Nine we head a little further east to David Fourtout’s Les Verdots, where we might just splash out and buy a bottle of his 2011 Le Vin selon David Fourtout for 35 euros, which won a gold medal at Vinalies Internationales and five stars in the Guide Hubert. That’s more than I usually pay but it is a quite extraordinary and hand-crafted wine. Day Ten takes us north of Bergerac to the Pécharmant, where Château de Tiregand was so important in my own wine education and whose Grands Millésimes at 20 euros embody the classic tradition of these splendid and historic wines. If they have any of the 2005 or 2009 remaining, snap them up before I do. If not, you can’t go wrong with their standard Tiregand at around 10 euros and a real bargain is their Clos Montalbanie red at 7 euros. Day Eleven takes us to my other favourite in the Pécharmant, Château Terre Vieille, which has the added attraction of an intriguing exhibition of prehistoric flint tools found on the property, some of them over 100,000 years old. But the wine is the real attraction, all the grapes hand-picked, and for 12.50 euros a bottle of their X VIN will make up for the fact that our twelve days are almost over. We end on the twelfth day at Bruno Bilancini’s Château Tirecul La Gravière, about which I continue to rave. You don’t have to take out a mortgage for his topof-the-line Cuvée Madame (at 85 euros). The straightforward Monbazillac 2013 at 22 euros will be a huge treat and round off our twelve days of Christmas with a New Year’s resolution to start exploring the vineyards all over again. ■ Martin Walker, author of the best-selling ‘Bruno, chief of police’ novels, is a Grand Consul de la Vinée de Bergerac. Formerly a journalist, he spent 25 years as foreign correspondent for The Guardian and then became editor-in-chief of United Press International. He and his wife Julia have had a home in the Périgord since 1999 and one of his great hobbies is visiting the vineyards of Bergerac.

12 ♦ FRENCH LIFE

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

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 resi-

dence 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 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.

The Grumpy Granny Guide -

Grouchy Grandpa’s ‘Lemmy’ Awards 2017

spend the best part of each year visiting new tourist sites and revisiting the old and the more I do so, the more I realise how different our individual expectations and experiences are. It takes a wide range of sites - and sights - to meet the constantly shifting demands of the visitors who come here. Every year brings its surprises, both good and bad, and I do my best to be as fair and independent in my judgement as possible, my objective as always being to inform you about what your experience will be once you’ve reached the point of no return, i.e. paid the entrance fee. Inevitably, there are those sites which come up trumps and offer real value for money - but then there are those which don’t. Therefore, with no further ado, I would like to introduce you to Grouchy Grandpa who accompanies me on most of my visits and, unlike me, has no qualms whatsoever about expressing his strongly held views on sites which he feels do not do justice to the tourist industry or show too little respect for the paying public. Every year he nominates his very own ‘Lemmy Awards’ to those sites he feels deserve them. In the interest of balance, I think they should be shared with you - it isn’t fair to those sites that make a huge effort to please, if no distinction is made publicly between sites which deserve your money and those which don’t.

Thank you, Grumpy Granny, for allowing me to share my Lemmy award winners with you. Let me tell you, I get really

annoyed when I think a site is just out for the money and shows little respect for the punters. The sites listed here have left me, and many others too I have no doubt, disappointed, frustrated or upset. As always, my awards are based on multiple visits and public feedback. Lemmy Award for misleading publicity Les Jardins de l’Imaginaire, Terrasson. You certainly need a lot of imagination to work out why they have charged you for the visit. It’s just a steep stretch of parkland - albeit with lovely views - which in no way corresponds to the website description. Competition between gardens in this area is stiff so give this one a miss. Jungle Golf, Le Bugue which is described in the brochure as occupying a natural setting. In actual fact it is squeezed in between other attractions and is noisy, unattractive and has nothing remotely jungle-y (or natural) about it. Lemmy Award for poor reception Les Jardins d’Eau, Carsac. A barely polite reception here: when I asked the owner if French was the only language spoken I was met with the bad-tempered “I’ll speak in Occitan, if it helps you.” Maybe he was having an ‘off’ day but a subsequent visit was the same and in the tourist business we all know that an ‘off’ day is simply no excuse. Le Château de Fénélon. The unfriendly reception is a real shame because this castle is my favourite. However, the person selling tickets has repeatedly shown total disregard for visitors, continuing to chat to a friend as he takes our money without thanks, a smile, or welcome. His attitude is upsetting enough to spoil an otherwise wonderful visit. Lemmy Award for poor value for money Big Bird, Le Bugue. Wildly overpriced,

an overcrowded site and not even much of a view when you get to the top. Le Château de Sauveboeuf. If you’re not actually staying overnight in the castle, it offers a brief visit of very little interest because the real attraction is the collection of prehistoric artefacts for which you have to buy another ticket. A real rip-off. Lemmy Award for indifferent service Le Château de Bourdeilles, Bourdeilles. There is no attempt here to provide a professional welcome. On one of my visits I watched a group of elderly ladies search in vain for somewhere to sit; they eventually sat on the floor. When I enquired about seating the response was: “If you need to sit down, you don’t come here.” Be warned! Les Jardins de la Chartreuse du Colombier, Paunat is a sad experience – well laid out gardens with clearly too little interest and thought given to preparing them for the public. Badly sign-posted,the neglected flowerbeds and poorly maintained infrastructure (including an impossible parking area) are an indication of either the owner’s indifference to the public or a lack of adequate funds. Visiting on one occasion with two professional gardeners, I witnessed their utter dismay. It just wasn’t good enough. This year’s Lemmy Award winners no longer meet our expectations as feepaying visitors. It isn’t good enough to be told, “You should have come when the roses were out”, “The seating has been removed for repair”, “The film show isn’t working today”, “The lift is out of order” or “Our guide today only speaks Russian”. I am fully aware that some may have enjoyed visiting these sites, but they have been selected because a site should offer value for money every single day it is open to the public. If an apology is forthcoming for the occasional hiccup, all is forgiven, but these

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 taxation 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.

are few and far between. Instead, and all too often, our observations to staff are met with dismissive comments. This has no place in modern tourism. So there you are – the 2017 Lemmy Award winners. If you appreciate Grouchy Grandpa’s views and would care to nominate any site for next year’s awards, please contact us at: grumpygrannyguide@orange.fr This is part of a series of features devoted to the tourist experience in the Dordogne provided by grumpygranny-guides.com which highlights those sites which are comfortable and pleasant to visit and which offer a warm welcome.

Hard to know which tourist sites to visit? Grumpy Granny Guide

The Grumpy Granny Guide® will help you choose if you:

Need practial information Are with young children or a pushchair Are elderly Hate standing in the sun Tire easily and need to sit down Can’t manage any steps or stairs Are with your dog The Grumpy Granny website provides all the information you need to make the right choice for a comfortable experience in the Dordogne Visit us on:

www.GRUMPYGRANNY-GUIDES.com

FRENCH LIFE ♦ 13

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

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Simply email - subscriptions24@thebugle.eu For more details visit www.thebugle.eu

In the garden - jobs for December

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.

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.

14 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

Business Directory

Your indispensable guide to finding local businesses & artisans Animals & Pets

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motorptscharente@aol.com www.motorpartscharente.com

Blacksmiths

Building Services Architects/Surveyors 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.

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MinouCats

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Ironwood Motif Artist Blacksmith Ferronnerie d’Art

www.ironwoodmotif.com Pergolas, staircases, railings, handrails, balustrades, balconies, gates, sculptures, outdoor structures & more. Simple or elaborate, intricate or uncomplicated, small or large, we can fabricate, forge and hand make ironwork customised to your needs.

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

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siret 804 476 802 00017

05 53 58 55 38 and home of CANOUAN ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIELS

sales24@thebugle.eu

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

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

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

ADVERTORIAL

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

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

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

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

DIRECTORY ♦ 15

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

“SolarVenti”- the solar solution to damp and humidity

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

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

Building Services Electricians

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

sales24@thebugle.eu

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

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est. 2007

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- if the property is unoccupied during the hot summer months, then it can be left running at low speeds for ventilation and dehumidification purposes or simply switched off. With a range of panel sizes, and the option for wall or roof mounting, Solarventi is suitable for all types of buildings, caravans or even boats!! Following the patenting of its design in 2001, Solarventi has only recently been actively commercialized. Over the last six years, Solarventi units have been installed in more than 24 countries and demand is increasing rapidly. From Greenland to Australia, Solarventi is finally getting the recognition it deserves. ■ Units start from €490 TTC. Several ex-demonstration models available at reduced prices, call for details.

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76 Building Services Painters/Decorators Simon Carter

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

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CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

16 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

ADVERTORIAL

Houses on Internet: A Global Property Network

ouses on Internet – Global Property Services (hereafter referred to as “HOIGPS”) is the internet/marketing company that 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.

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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

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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

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76 Pools & Spas 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

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

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

sales24@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76

Eco Entrepot aka The Shed

Quality second-hand books in English & French

Curative and preventative

19 r Victor Hugo, 24310 Brantôme

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

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

09 51 45 57 49

Enjoy a relaxing read in the tea room or riverside garden bookstop24@gmail.com facebook.com/bookstop24

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.smartmovesremovals.co.uk

Support

SOS Help

anxious? stressed? feeling down? call us up!

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

www.soshelpline.org

Transport, Removals & Storage

UK ↔ France ↔ UK

Email: info@applicateur3d.com

For a fully insured, careful service

Open every day except Monday

05 55 68 74 73

Dératisation, Déinsectisation, Désinfection www.applicateur3d.com

Smart Moves

smartmovers@hotmail.co.uk

MICHAELS MOVERS

bookstop

+31 (0)6 41 20 73 69

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

Central France Retail & Pest Control Commerce 02 48 60 83 72 / 06 74 33 02 38

Houses on Internet Global Property Services www.housesoninternet.com

Removals

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.michaelsmovers.freeindex.co.uk

+44 (0)1253 725 414

Man & Van Transport

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

09 82 12 69 73 87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres

www.frenchvanman.eu Siret 530 213 644 00012

sales24@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76 For more information on advertising in the Bugle Business Directory, give us a call or send us an email: sales24@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76

COMMUNITY ♦ 17

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

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 €13.50/month. Alternatively, why not spotlight your business with an Advertorial, available from 1/6 Page (€50 HT) up to Full Page (€300 HT). Both Directory Adverts and Advertorials represent a cost effective way to put your brand in front of more than 25,000 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 sales24@thebugle.eu

6-Month Contract

12-Month Contract

€108

Small b&w Directory Ad

(€18/month)

Large b&w Directory Ad

(€24/month)

Small Colour Directory Ad

(€27/month)

Large Colour Directory Ad

(€36/month)

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

€162

(€13.50/month)

€144

€216

(€18/month)

€162

Small Directory Ad 46mm x 46mm

€243

(Actual Size)

30 words max

(€20.25/month)

€216

€324

(€27/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.

English and I

Fritz - born 12/06/2017

The association « English and I » has run popular workshops in English conversation for over 10 years. Now we are offering the same successful methods to British people living locally so they can improve their French conversation. You may already have a rich vocabulary – all you need is to put the words into the right order to be able to engage more easily in conversation with your French friends. Our Franco-British two-man teaching team will guide you through the delights of the French language at a pace to suit your ability. Fritz is becoming more and more confident. He was a nervous skinny little boy when he was found with his sister, Ziggy. Phoenix had no spaces free in foster care so Craig and Nadia kindly offered to foster them until permanent homes can be found. Slowly but surely he is getting used to their dog and even approached Percy, their big ginger tomcat, so it looks like he is a brave boy and households with existing, cat friendly, dogs and cats will not phase him. Fritz loves lots of cuddles and fuss and loves to get up on your lap when it’s time for a snooze. Feeding time is still rather frenzied (it’s like he’s never been fed before) but, given that he and Ziggy were very emaciated when they were found, that’s hardly surprising! Fritz has been 1st vaccinated, chipped and flea and worm treated. If you would like further information, or to see Fritz, please contact his foster carers:

The workshops will take place between 3 pm and 4 pm on Tuesday afternoons, in StSeurin-sur-l’Isle. For more information, contact Linda O’Neil on 05 53 80 52 12 or at linda.oneil@admin-answers.co.uk.

KICK-START YOUR BUSINESS IN 2018 WITH ADVERTS FROM

€13.50 HT / MONTH

Craig and Nadia Rea Email: nadia.rea@orange.fr Tel: Jenny 05 53 89 59 35 / 07 81 27 86 51

SALES24@THEBUGLE.EU

05 55 41 17 76

Fritz is in dept. 33 near Monségur

www.phoenixasso.com www.facebook.com/PhoenixAssociationFrance

UPCOMING AQUITAINE CHURCH SERVICES

The Chaplaincy of Aquitaine covers the Dordogne, Gironde, Lot-et-Garonne, and Condom (Gers). All services are held in English. For further details, please see our website: www.churchinaquitaine.org or contact Chaplaincy Administration: Amy Owensmith, +33 (0) 607 04 07 77 chapaq.office@gmail.com

Christmas Carol Services We would like to invite you to attend the many services which are planned to take place throughout the Chaplaincy in the month of December. Featuring readings, prayers, candlelight, and choir pieces, these services each have a unique flavour. All are welcome to join us, do invite your friends! Thursday 07 Dec 18:00 Ribérac church, Dordogne Sunday 10 December: 11:00 - Doudrac, Lot et Garonne 14:30 Madagascan Carol Service – Bordeaux 16:00 Chancelade Abbey, Dordogne 17:00 Christmas Carol Service – Bordeaux

17:00 Ste Catherine’s church, Upper Limeuil, Dordogne Tuesday 12 Dec 18:00 Monteton, Lot et Garonne Wednesday 13 Dec 18:30 Dondas, Lot et Garonne Thursday 14 Dec 18:00 Eymet Church, Dordogne Friday 15 December: 17:00 Sainte Nathalène, Dordogne (near Sarlat) 18:30 Saint Médard, Clermont Dessous, Lot et Garonne Saturday 16 Dec 17:00 Vic Fezensac, Gers Tuesday 19 Dec 18:30 Allez-et-Cazeneuve, Lot et Garonne Wednesday 20 Dec 18:00 Négrondes, Dordogne Friday 22 Dec 18:30, La Taste, Condom (please RSVP: gjohndavies32@gmail.com)

18 ♦ WHAT’S ON

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2017

WHAT’S

Saturday 2nd December – Saturday 6th January Discover the Christmas Village of Périgueux at places Bugeaud, André Maurois and square Daumesnil. Open every day of the week, enjoy a glass of mulled wine and sweet & savoury treats and shop for Christmas gifts amongst the chalets set around the ice rink.

This year, the city of Sarlat is offering a Christmas village celebrating all things British! Why not board an English bus to take a short tour of the medieval city, watch the passing of the Royal Guards, or listen to Irish music, bagpipes or English rock, not to mention the “Tea Time” which will precede the inaugural evening. There are also flights to London to be won during the festivities. 62 chalets will be installed in the city centre on places de la Grande Rigaudie and de la Liberté. You will find a multitude of ideas for your Christmas presents (jewellery, decorations, toys, clothes, cosmetics ...) but also gourmet treats (truffles, foie gras, Neuvic caviar, cheese, oysters...) Open every day from 6th to 31st December from 10:30 am to 8 pm. Saturdays until 9 pm. (Closes at 6 pm on 24th & 31st December. Closed on Christmas Day).

Got an event for The Bugle? notices@thebugle.eu / 05 55 41 17 76

DECEMBER 2017 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

WHAT’S ON ♦ 19

Help us to support

BANSANG HOSPITAL IN THE GAMBIA

Annual Christmas Market Sunday 10th December Salle Le Capitolet, Abjat-sur-Bandiat 24300 From 10 am to 6 pm Booking & enquiries to: Linda Nicholson tel: 05 53 56 73 86, lindanicholson51@yahoo.co.uk Find out about Bansang Hospial at bansanghospitalappeal.org

Cantabile, the ACFAA Choir in Eymet, will once again be cheering the spirits of the local French and expat population this December by singing first at the Anglican Family Carol Service in Eymet Church at 6 pm on Thursday 14th December, followed by a procession to the Square at around 7 pm. There, under the arcades, we will be singing a selection of well-known carols and Christmas songs for everyone to join in. Simon Kenworthy, our musical director, has arranged a special medley of music incorporating melodies you will recognise and ACFAA (the Association Culturelle Franco-Anglaise Aquitaine) will offer a cup of mulled wine to keep you warm, after which a collection will be taken by a local charity. If we are lucky, Father Christmas may make an appearance! Come along and join us.

Quartier Gourmand du Père-Noël – rue de la Résistance: sale of gourmet produce including roasted chestnuts, oysters, artisanal beers, wine, crèpes, waffles, candy floss. From 16-30 December: Wed & Sat 9h-18h; Rest of the week 11h-18h. Village artisanal de Noël – places de la Myrpe et Cayla – Christmas village featuring 35 artisans. From 15-24 December: 10h-19h (21h on 16 & 23 Dec).

On Saturday 23rd and Thursday 28th December at 5 pm there will be torchlit guided visits of Issigeac for children with Christmas tales and the history of the village. For reservations contact the tourist office. Adults 4; Children €2.50 (lanterns included).

Copy deadline for January’s edition: 15th December

20 ♦ WHAT’S ON