The Bugle Dordogne - Dec 2020

Covid-19 fears lead to mink farm culls Authorities have begun a cull of mink at one of the country’s four farms after >> Page 6 positive Covid-19 cases

Black Friday postponed

Delayed due to lockdown, the annual sales bonanza will now start on Friday December 4th >> Page 3

November 2016 - Issue #85

Dordogne

Your local newspaper for life in France

December 2020 - Issue 90 - FREE!

Three steps to the end of lockdown

>> continued on page 9

British sailor saving lives with clicks - pg 5

The hunt for omelette du fromage man - pg 8

Portsmouth-Cherbourg ferry to sail again - pg 10

image: PA

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that accelerate the spread of the virus and limit gatherings as much as possible. Tonight I will fix a schedule.”

The second step of the schedule will come on Tuesday 15th December when the country comes fully out of confinement, provided the target of 5,000 new cases per day has been hit. Bars and restaurants will remain closed, however, until the third and final step on Wednesday 20th January.

“Scientific studies show that these establishments, despite the very demanding protocols and the strong willingness of managers to apply them, remain and will remain places of high viral contamination,” Prime Minister Jean Castex explained. “Customers have to remove their masks to

2021 Tour de France route unveiled - pg 4

French radio station announces death of Queen Elizabeth - pg 9

President Emmanuel Macron has outlined the three steps that will lead to the end of the second national lockdown, with most shops now open. lmost a m o n t h after the second lockdown began, President Emmanuel Macron unveiled a threestep deconfinement process which began on Saturday 28th November with the reopening of shops and a relaxation of the distance people can travel from their homes. “We have passed the peak of the second wave.

Our efforts, your efforts, have paid off,” the president said in a televised address to the nation. “We have slowed down the circulation of the virus. We still have several weeks in front of us to reach the goals that I have set. To do that, we must continue for several weeks to avoid activities in enclosed places

INSIDE > > >

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2 ♦ IN THIS EDITION

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2020

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I

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have written an article in this month’s edition about a proposed new law (which has actually now passed through parliament just as we are going to print) which makes it an offence to discriminate against someone on the basis of their accent (see page 11). Growing up in the south of the UK, I was taught as a child - partially by my friends and family, but more significantly by the telly - that northern accents were funny and the people who had them were not always the sharpest tools in the box.

It took until I was a little more grown up, had travelled further than the Watford Gap and met people from all corners of the four nations to realise how patently ridiculous this is. I even married a northern lass, although her Manchester accent is strangely mild. She is also way cleverer than me... although daft enough to have said yes!

I have not looked into the history of it all, but for me a turning point in normalising regional accents on the TV was the voice-over guy from Big Brother and his delicious Geordie lilt. These days, there is a rich tapestry of accents in the media and I can’t think of anything worse than being read the news by someone with one of those postwar, BBC, received pronunciation

accents of the fifties and sixties.

I’m sure that some people still do pre-judge others on their accent, but I suspect that it is much less of a thing than a few decades ago.

That said, I do remember a study from a few years back where people were asked to judge someone’s attractiveness and intelligence based on a picture and an audio file of some speech, randomly paired.

Whilst accents did not change how attractive people thought the subjects were, it did affect how intelligent they found them.

Bottom of the list... Brummies! In actual fact, the control group of the experiment had just the picture and no speech, and a silent face was considered more intelligent than the same person saying something normal in a Birmingham accent.

By all accounts, France is still very much in the pre-Big Brother days and apparently it is still very hard to be taken seriously in many parts of the country if you have a strong regional accent.

The clip mentioned in the article of the exchange between JeanLuc Mélenchon and the unlucky southern reporter is shocking in its rudeness.

I have always believed that the last things you will learn on the way to fluency are sarcasm and humour.

Master those and you have well and

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www.chateau-lestevenie.com - 06 48 62 23 73 truly cracked the language. I have lived in French-speaking countries for twenty years now, and while my French is good-to-fluent, I will always have an accent and do not understand jokes, let alone know how to make one. And if I try to say something dry or sarcastic to a French friend, they almost always think I am being literal.

So I think I am going to have to add accents to my qualifiers for linguistic mastery. Researching the piece on the new law, it occurred to me that all French people sound (basically) the same to me. I can pick out the heaviest Marseille twang (du vang, du pang, du Boursang anyone?), but everything else is pretty much... well, just French!

As I said, I lived quite a narrow life growing up in the south of England and did not come across many regional accents in my youth.

When I went to study in Durham, I struggled to understand the locals initially, but that was my fault, not theirs. It’s a beautiful accent, but I had just never heard it enough to properly tune in.

Durham is a small city sandwiched between Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesborough and the locals of all three are rightly proud of their cities and their accents. With all three of their teams in the Premiership at the time, however, it became very important to quickly recognise Geordies from Mackems from Smoggies if you ventured down the pub, especially on game day! You might get away with calling a Mackem a Geordie once, but it is not wise to try to test that out too often!

The same happened when I went to Limerick for work. Another beautiful accent, but one that you need to tune your ear to if you don’t have many friends from the west

Will you do that for her?

coast of Ireland.

And while some accents can to some people’s ears - make you sound less intelligent, others can very much work in your favour. An Italian school dropout with an IQ less than his age will not find himself drinking alone in a British pub if he speaks decent enough English with an Italian accent. I know that is quite a reductive statement, but I have found it to be true. They say in advertising that sex sells. Well if you want to sell something in the UK, get the message read out by a sultry woman with a sexy French accent. I will probably buy anything that Marion Cotillard tries to sell me... less so Manuel from Fawlty Towers, but you get my drift.

All of which musings led me to one impossible, but undeniably alluring hypothesis... am I sexy in French? Anyone who has met me will understand what a preposterous question that is, even if you go by the photo below this editorial which is from more than a decade ago, both in terms of years and kilos! (Note to self, I really must update that!) But

is my accent at the very least ‘cute’ when I speak French? I would love to think that it is, but it just seems so unlikely.

On reflection, I’ve torpedoed my own argument, because while Marion Cotillard does have the most alluring accent in the world, she is also one of the most beautiful people on the planet. Accents aside, that is not a string I could ever claim to have in my bow!!

That just leaves me to wish all our readers a very Merry Christmas after what has been such a challenging year, and here’s hoping for brighter horizons in 2021.

Until next year!

Steve Martindale, Editor www.thebugle.eu articles.thebugle.eu facebook.com/The BugleFrance

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FRENCH NEWS ♦ 3

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Black Friday sales postponed by a week

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n the face of growing pressure the Black Friday sales were delayed last month by one week after representatives for small business owners reached an agreement with large retailers and online platforms.

Originating in the US, where the event takes place on the day after the Thanksgiving holiday, the Black Friday sales have become a consumer phenomenon across the world in recent years. The sales extravaganza had been due to begin on Friday 27th November, but with the country's “non-essential” shops still closed due to the national lockdown, there was significant pressure to move the date.

In the early days of the second lockdown, supermarkets and other “grandes surfaces” were permitted to stay open for everyday essentials, but were also allowed to sell other goods such as clothes, toys and shoes. Unions for shopping centres and smaller retailers collectively published an open letter calling on the government to allow sales of “essential products only” during confinement, as well as demanding the cancellation of online Black Friday sales in France.

“The measures taken to control the virus will only increase the scandalous inequality of treatment that already exists between physical shops and online retailers, to the peril of the former and exclusive profit of the latter,” the group said.

“They do the same job as us.

They sell goods and services to consumers, and so the same rules should be applied to them, starting with the closure of sales judged non-essential,” said Jacques Ehrmann, president of the Conseil national des centres commerciaux (CNCC). “The government has shown it knows how to close aisles in bookshops and hypermarkets. I do not see why they are not in a position to act against Amazon and its consorts for Black Friday.”

The government swiftly brought in a ban on the sale of items deemed non-essential in supermarkets, but online sales remained possible and there was no update on the timing of Black Friday.

Geoffroy Roux de Bézieux, president of the Medef union which represents small and medium businesses, initially rejected any movement, saying that it was

“not reasonable” to expect shopkeepers to delay Black Friday at such a late date. “Everything is possible, but not nine days before.

Supermarkets have prepared their catalogues, and everyone is talking a lot about Amazon, but there are plenty of French businesses that have prepared their sales.”

Eventually, the online giants and

traditional retailers appeared to reach a compromise and representatives signed an agreement at the Ministry of the Economy, to delay the flash sales by one week, on the understanding that small businesses would be open by that date. At the time of the agreement, no official announcement had been made on the end of the lockdown and on

when non-essential shops could once again open their doors. Following Macron's announcement, however (see front page), the sales will now begin on December 4th.

The date is an important one in the retail calendar – in 2019, a total of €6 billion was spent by the French public during the Black Friday sales. ■

4 ♦ FRENCH NEWS

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2021 Tour de France route unveiled

@LeTour (Twitter)

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fter a rescheduled autumn Tour de France this year, organisers are hopeful that next year's race will not have to move from its usual slot around Bastille Day. The 2021 edition will start slightly earlier than usual, however, in order to avoid clashing with the Tokyo Olympics and is currently set to get under way on 26th June before concluding in the capital on 18th July.

Copenhagen had been due to host the Grand Départ, but has pulled out because of a clash with the rescheduled Euro 2020 football tournament. The Danish capital will instead now host the race in 2022.

With concerns lingering over the potential impact of the ongoing coronavirus crisis, next year's Grand Tour will now take place entirely in France; one stage in the Pyrenees is due to pass through Andorra.

Rather than heading to Scandinavia, the race will instead begin in Brest, with Brittany hosting the first four stages. The peloton will then head through central France to the Alps, then along the south coast to the Pyrenees. For local cycling fans, the closest the race comes this year is a stage finish in Châteauroux on 1st July and the penultimate day time trial in Saint-Emillion on 17th July.

Organisers faced a degree of criticism for this year's race which was widely seen as too geared towards the climbers, but the sprinters will have more stages in their sights next year. The route has just two fully mountain stages in the Alps and four more in the Pyrenees, including the climbs of Tourmalet, Peyresourde and

Portet. There will be one stage for the climbers between the two mountain ranges when the peloton visit Provence and will have to climb the formidable Mont Ventoux not once, but twice in a single day.

This year's three Grand Tours were heavily impacted by schedule changes and outbreaks of Covid-19 amongst the teams and backroom support staff, but did create another British cycling star in the shape of Tao Geoghegan Hart. The 25-year-old Ineos rider from East London was the surprise winner of the Giro d'Italia and will be vying with 2018 winner Geraint Thomas and 2019 champion Egan Bernal

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to lead what probably remains the strongest team in the peloton. The two British riders will also have to contend with four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome who has joined new team Israel Start-Up Nation with the express intention of targeting the 2021 race and joining Eddy Merckx, Miguel Indurain, Bernard Hinault and Jacques Anquetil as the only men to win the race five times.

French interest will once again focus on Julian Alaphilippe who will take part in the 2021 race wearing the world champion's rainbow jersey. For the past three years, he has won at least one stage - two in 2018, two in 2019, and one in 2020. ■

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Foreign driver

crackdown

France is continuing its crackdown on foreign drivers, with the British among the worst offenders. Figures released for 2019 show that one in five speeding offences were committed by drivers in cars on foreign plates.

Of the 2.5 million fines handed out to foreign drivers, almost 450,000 were issued to British drivers.

Foreign drivers have long been a problem on the country's roads.

Although they make up around 5 per cent of all traffic, in summer foreign drivers account for as many as 50 per cent of driving offences and a disproportionately large percentage of accidents.

In 2015, a pan-European agreement came into force allowing countries to impose fines cross-border with more countries signing up to the scheme each year. Today France has reciprocal deals for crossborder fines with the United Kingdom, Ireland, Denmark, Belgium, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden, Portugal and Switzerland. ■

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FRENCH NEWS ♦ 5

The British sailor saving lives with clicks

S

ailing has a huge following in France with top sailors often receiving celebrity status and one of the biggest events in the sport is the Vendée Globe. The race is held every four years and is a solo round the world yacht race which starts and finishes in Les Sables d'Olonne on the Atlantic coast. French sailors have dominated the event, winning every race since its first edition in 1989. Dame Ellen MacArthur became a household name in France when she came second in the 2000 race, narrowly losing to Michel Desjoyeaux after 95 days at sea.

In November, 32 sailors took to the waves, one of whom is Sam Davies, a British yachtswoman who is racing for the Initiatives-Coeur team, which combines sport with humanitarian work. The team works alongside the non-governmental organisation Mécénat Chirurgie Car-

diaque, which brings children living in poorer countries to France for life-saving heart operations.

During the Vendée Globe, for every “like” the Initiatives Coeur Facebook or Instagram page receive, or every time a post is shared, the foundation's partners will donate €1 to the cause.

At the time of going to press and after 20 days into a race that is expected to end some time in January, Sam Davies was placed ninth and had already helped raise over €300,000, the equivalent of 24 children receiving life-saving operations.

The organisation is hoping to raise enough money to save 60 children by the end of the race.

To contribute to the effort, visit www.initiatives-coeur.fr/ and get clicking and sharing. To follow the progress of Sam Davies and the other four British sailors, visit www.vendeeglobe.org ■

6 ♦ FRENCH NEWS

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Anaesthetist jailed over First Covid cases in Briton's Caesarian death country's mink farms

© Patrick Reijnders (WikiCommons)

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Belgian anaesthetist has been jailed for three years following the death of a British woman during a botched Caesarian section operation at a hospital in Orthez near Pau in September 2014. Whilst under the influence of alcohol, Helga Wauters pushed a breathing tube into the throat of 28-year-old Xynthia Hawke, rather than her oesophagus. Wauters was found guilty of manslaughter over the incident and was also banned from practising medicine.

The young mother had passed her due date when she was admitted to the maternity ward of the hospital. Shortly after her arrival Wauters administered an epidural, but following complications, it was decided that an emergency Caesarian would be necessary. When Wauters returned to the maternity ward after being called in to administer a general anaesthetic, witnesses said they could smell alcohol on her breath.

Hawke subsequently woke up during the operation and began vomiting and shouting “it hurts” before ripping out her breathing tubes. One nurse told the court the scene was like a war zone. While her baby survived the procedure, Hawke suffered a cardiac arrest and died four days

later.

Wauters, who had only been in the job for a few weeks, moved to France after she was fired from her job at a Belgian hospital for being under the influence of alcohol. She has since admitted to being a chronic alcoholic who began each day by drinking vodka mixed with water to stop her hands from shaking. The recruitment company that hired the doctor after she arrived in France did not check her credentials or disciplinary record, investigators said.

When she was taken into custody, the alcohol content in her blood was 2.38 grams per litre, or the equivalent of around ten glasses of wine. “I

recognise now that my addiction was incompatible with my job,” Wauters said during an earlier hearing. “I will regret this death my entire life.”

Wauters had initially denied being solely responsible for the tragedy, insisting that other staff were to blame and claiming that the ventilator was not working at the time of the incident. Investigators found this to be untrue and the court ordered the former anaesthetist to pay almost €1.4 million in damages to Ms Hawke's family.

“Justice has set an example for this type of doctor who, in my eyes, is not a doctor,” the victim's partner, Yannick Balthazar, said. ■

T

he future of the country's fur industry is in question after Covid-19 was detected at a mink farm in the Eure-et-Loir. Time had already been called on mink farms after a recent law change which targets circus animals also legislated that fur farms must be closed in the next five years. With the presence of Covid-19 now confirmed, the controversial farms may now be phased out much sooner.

The ecology ministry stated in early November that France's four mink farms have been under government surveillance since a farm in the Netherlands reported an outbreak in June. Similar outbreaks have also since been reported in Spain and the United States.

On 4th November, the Danish

prime minister confirmed that Denmark was set to slaughter all 15 million mink currently in the country following an outbreak of a suspected mutated version of SARS-Cov-2, which then spread from these animals to at least a dozen people.

For the time being, France has not gone this far, but the government did confirm “the slaughter of all the one thousand animals still present on the farm and the destruction of any products associated with them.”

Of the remaining three farms in the country, one has been given the all clear for now and “analysis is currently ongoing at the other two,” a spokesperson said. “If the results are positive in either of these two farms, the same slaughtering measures as in the first concerned farm will be applied.” ■

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FRENCH NEWS ♦ 7

DECEMBER 2020 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

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Taux d’honoraires 12,600€ (7%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

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Taux d’honoraires 9,600€ (8%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 10,800€ (8%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

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8 ♦ FRENCH NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2020

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A

n American man became an unlikely celebrity in France in November when he made an impromptu cameo on BFM TV. Reporter Maxime Switek was recording a live piece to camera in Washington DC shortly after the American news networks had called the presidential election for Joe Biden.

Hearing the reporter speaking French, the shirtless man approaches the microphone and declares, “I’ve been to France, and it’s beautiful,” before delivering a culturally questionable hon-hon-hon imitation-French laugh. “I ate escargot, I love a croissant, I love an omelette du fromage.”

A quick internet search for “omelette du fromage man” should bring up the video and it is certain to bring a smile to your face.

The clip soon went viral and the hunt was on to track the man down. First to

find him was Forbes, and rather than mocking France, the young man is something of a fan of this country.

Meka Anyanetu, who works for the US government, had begun the day in a funk after the recent cold weather and a bike accident, but told Forbes that news of Biden's victory had lifted his mood.

“When I heard the result, yeah, I was ecstatic,” he said. “So I ran down and grabbed my emergency bottle of champagne.” Showing an impressive knowledge of French culture, Meka then apparently corrected himself that it was not real champagne because it was not from the Champagne region of France. “Not only have I been to France, but I've travelled by myself,” he said. “I'm not just some oblivious American who watched one TV show.

I actually used to know French. I love their quality of food. Like just things like bread, the meat. I feel like basic

screenshot BFMTV

Online fame for omelette du fromage man

items just taste so much better there.”

The bottle of fizz also explained his topless appearance; his shirt had become soaked during the celebrations and so he had taken it off.

Meka has plans to visit France again in the future and is using his newfound fame to raise the travel costs via online donation platform Venmo.

“I also need money for a new shirt!” ■

A

French supermarket found itself at the centre of a minor controversy when it put on sale “whole animals” - head, fur, feathers, claws and all – wrapped in clear plastic in the meat section. The most surprising element to the story was that, whilst many ordinary shoppers complained, the move was welcomed by some animal rights activists.

The E. Leclerc supermarket at Morières-lès-Avignon, in the Vaucluse department, briefly had a section selling whole hares, pheasants and other small game, but the inevitable backlash began when one woman posted a picture on Twitter asking: “Is this the new way of presenting meat in the supermarket?”

The tweet was quickly shared across social media, gain-

ing retweets from a number of prominent accounts such as the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, which campaigns for animal rights.

Before long, the supermarket removed the animals from its aisles and apologised to “anyone who has been offended”. As seems to increasingly be the case in these polarised times, the incident split opinion: many people welcomed the move for highlighting the link between a piece of meat in a styrofoam tray and the animal it came from; others were offended by being forced to look at what is effectively a dead animal wrapped in plastic.

Animal rights campaigners conceded that selling animals like this is the kind of stunt activists might try to highlight the 'cruelty of meat-eating'. “Clients being

able to see, concretely, a dead animal under the plastic wrap makes the fate of the animals we consume visible, whereas a steak or breaded fish fillet does not do that,” Denis Schmid, a spokesperson for a local animal protection society in Vaucluse, told local newspaper Le Dauphiné. “We are touching on a sinister reality. Without seeing the dead animals we do not always think that behind the meat or the fish, there are living animals.”

“It is paradoxical, because this could have been an awareness campaign by activists to show that meat is above all an animal that has been killed,” said Christophe Marie, a spokesperson for the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. “It's good to make the consumer feel responsible for what they buy.” ■

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End of lockdown RFI announces death eat, so it is difficult to respect barrier gestures, people stay there longer than elsewhere and they are enclosed spaces as terraces are closed during winter.”

All retailers deemed “nonessential” were finally able to reopen at the end of November, but with strict protocols in place. This includes bookshops, clothes shops and toy shops, as well as libraries, hairdressers and beauticians, although all businesses must be closed by 9 pm. Shops must limit the number of people in their store to one person per 8 square metres and shops larger than 400 square metres must have a member of staff on the door responsible for counting customers in and out to respect the maximum capacity.

The country’s economy minister, Bruno Le Maire, has said that he is in favour of shops being allowed to open on Sundays in the lead up to Christmas, but the power to grant this will lie with local authorities.

The other major change now in effect is an extension of the restrictions on daily exercise. You are now permitted to go outside for a walk, exercise or play certain sports for up to three hours at a time and within a radius of 20 kilometres of your home. Walking with or without a dog and jogging are covered by this, but must still be done on your own or with

a member of your household.

Socially-distanced walks with people from other households remain against the rules, as does “bumping into a friend” while on a walk.

Both shopping trips and the relaxed exercise rules are covered by the updated version of the now-familiar attestation, which remains compulsory for any trip outside your house until 15th December. When confinement ends on 15th December, the attestations will no longer be needed, but a night-time curfew will be introduced which runs from 9 pm to 7 am. Cinemas, museums and theatres will also be able to reopen with strict health controls in place.

A temporary exemption to curfew measures will apply on 24th December and 31st December.

“But that does not mean that we can celebrate Christmas and the New Year like previous years,” Prime Minister Jean Castex said at a press conference following the president’s announcement, adding that it would be imperative to limit the number of people gathering.

“These moments of festive and friendly gatherings, when one lowers one’s guard and masks are removed, are particularly risky.”

If the number of new cases per day stays below 5,000, then the curfew will be abolished on 20th January and restaurants and cafés will be able to reopen, along with gyms and leisure centres. ■

of Queen Elizabeth

F

rench radio station RFI was left red-faced in November when it accidentally announced the premature death of the Queen. Blaming a “technical problem”, Radio France Internationale inadvertently posted Queen Elizabeth II's obituary on its website, along with around a hundred others of people very much still alive, including Brigitte Bardot, Pelé and Clint Eastwood. The deaths were also published on partner platforms including Google, Yahoo! and MSN before being hastily taken down.

“We offer our apologies to the people concerned and to you who follow and trust us,” the station said in a tweet when the problem first came to light.

“We are doing all we can to rectify this major bug.” Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, former US president Jimmy Carter and Yoko Ono were among others surprised to learn of their own demise.

“The United Kingdom awoke an orphan this morning. Buckingham Palace officially announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen, who died of …, turned 94 on 21 April 2020,” the station wrote in the obituaries section of its website.

“All Albion laments the disap-

© Joel Rouse/MoD (WikiCommons)

>> continued from pg 1

pearance of its sovereign who, at the head of her country since 1952, has constituted the immovable bedrock around which England’s postcolonial history has unfolded, full of sound and fury.”

According to its statement, RFI said that the problem occurred when it was moving its website to a different content management system. It is not unusual for broadcasters and media outlets to prepare obitu-

ary material in advance in order to be able to publish it promptly when a death is announced. The early release of these obituaries is a major embarrassment, but is worryingly not that uncommon.

In fact, this is the third time that one French businessman, Bernard Tapie, has been bumped off by the media: Le Monde published his obituary in 2019, while the TV arm of the sports paper L’Équipe killed him off live on screen last August. ■

10 ♦ FRENCH NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2020

Macron speaks to Biden

Carrier pigeon message found after one hundred years

jgreatbatch (eBay)

on a walk. They subsequently took it to a local museum in Orbey, which commemorates the 1915 battle for the hilltop of Le Linge in the Vosges mountains, one of the bloodiest encounters of the 191418 war. The museum's curator Dominique Jardy described the find as “in-

credibly rare” and said that the capsule was likely to have come to the surface of the soil over time, as have many military remains from the First World War. Although it is today part of the Grand Est department, at the time Ingersheim was part of Germany. ■

© Michael Stokes (WikiCommons)

F

M

ore than one hundred years after it was written by a German soldier, a carrier pigeon message has been found by a couple out for a stroll in the eastern Alsace region. The message, written in German in a barely legible hand and addressed to a superior officer, was from an infantry soldier based at Ingersheim and detailed military manoeuvres, apparently during or a few years before the First World War. The date is marked 16th July but the year is not perfectly clear, appearing to be written as either 1916 or 1910. The message reads: “Platoon Potthoff receives fire as they reach the western border of the parade ground, platoon Potthoff takes up fire and retreats after a while.

In Fechtwald half a platoon was disabled. Platoon Potthoff retreats with heavy losses.”

The couple discovered the tiny aluminium capsule and its remarkably well-preserved contents

ollowing Joe Biden's victory in the American presidential elections, leaders from around the world sent their congratulations to the new president elect. A change of leader in the US also heralds a reordering of world politics; countries are keen to be the first to speak with the winner, and the choice of the first leader to be invited to the White House is often loaded with significance.

President Macron tweeted his congratulations to Biden on the Saturday after the election, on the day when the main news networks declared him the winner, despite Trump continuing to claim victory. “The Americans have chosen their president,” said Macron. “We have a lot to do to overcome today's challenges.

Let's work together!”

Macron eventually spoke with the president elect the following Tuesday, one week after the polls closed and the pair talked for ten minutes. “The president congratulated Joe Biden and his vice president Kamala Harris and emphasised his desire to work together on the current issues - climate, health, the fight against terrorism and the defence of fundamental rights,” the Elysée said in a statement.

Apart from the far right, the French political class generally hailed Biden's victory at the polls, which saw him win more votes than any other US president in history. Former French President François Hollande, who was in office when Trump came to power in 2016,

welcomed the “good news for American democracy” and hailed the “happy news for the planet with the return of the United States in the Climate Agreement”. Biden has pledged to return the United States to the Paris Climate Agreement on his first day in office.

Macron has never met Biden, but in contrast to many other EU leaders, sought from the outset to build a strong relationship with Trump, hosting him for a high-profile visit to Paris in 2017 and then again for the 2019 G7 summit in Biarritz. Analysts say that the French leader has little to show for the diplomacy, with vast differences between Paris and Washington on issues ranging from Iran to the taxation of digital giants. ■

Brittany Ferries to restart Portsmouth to Cherbourg route

A

fter a difficult year, Brittany Ferries has recently taken delivery of its first new ship since 2009 and plans to re-open the Cherbourg to Portsmouth route. Hard-hit by Covid-19 and subsequent quarantine rules, the company was forced to stop serving the route earlier this year, but the eco-friendly ferry will now re-start the Channel crossing once a week from as early as December.

The Galicia is powered by liquified natural gas and has a number of other innovative features aimed at reducing its impact on the environment. The ship, which was built in China and has now passed berthing trials and other pre-service checks, will be joined in service by its sister ships Salamanca and Santoña in 2022 and 2023.

“I'm delighted to welcome Galicia to the city on behalf of the people of Portsmouth,” said Mike Sellers, director of the Portsmouth International Port, which is currently home to the new vessel. “2020 has been a challenging year for us all, so it's great to be able to look to the future positively.”

Although the new ferry is currently based in the UK, the company has said it will eventually be moved to a French port, in line with their policy of registering long-term fleet members in France. ■

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Discrimination against Macron angered by accents made an offence anti-Islam allegations

I

f your spoken French is anything less than perfect, then it is entirely possible that you do not pick up on the wide range of accents spoken across the country. The UK is blessed with a rich tapestry of accents and people from Belfast, Birmingham and Brentford can sometimes sound like they are speaking different languages. Although there are fewer variations here, France is no different: the southern twang in a Marseille accent is miles away from the accent of the Ch'ti from around Calais.

Things have improved in the UK in recent years and regional accents are far more common in the media, but a degree of snobbery and stigma still exists. Unfortunately, France has not even come this far, to the point where an MP has tabled a law to make “glottophobia” - discrimination based upon a person's accent - an offence under the labour and penal codes.

The situation can be summed up by a recent interaction caught on camera between the controversial left-wing politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon and a regional reporter from the south of France. After asking her question, the politician replied with a smirk and words to the effect of “Sorry I didn't understand a word of that. Can someone ask me a question in proper French?”

“Having a regional accent in France means automatically that you're

treated like a hick - amiable but fundamentally unserious,” explained the bill's sponsor Christophe Euzet, who is from Perpignan in French Catalonia. “It is unimaginable in France that you could have someone with a southern accent - or a northern one for that matter - broadcasting commentary on Remembrance Day. Or discoursing on Middle Eastern politics. But it is also a political issue today. The yellow vest movement was a classic example of what happens when millions of people from the regions look at their representatives in Paris and feel they have nothing in common.”

Much has been made of the fact that Jean Castex, the country's prime minister, is the first in that particular office to have a strong accent. Many say that this shows the country is moving on, but others point out that Jean Castex has succeeded in spite of his accent, not because of it. “How long did it take Castex before he was taken seriously as a politician?” points out Euzet.

“There is linguistic centralisation in France,” explained Médéric GasquetCyrus, a lecturer in linguistics at the University of Aix Marseille. “It is the idea that there is only one right way to speak, that which is used in the capital - or at least by the elite who work in the capital, who are not necessarily Parisians. Other accents are considered less serious and less legitimate.” ■

Unwanted Bordeaux Christmas tree heading to Corrèze

D

uring this year's municipal elections, the people of Bordeaux voted for Pierre Hurmic to be their new mayor, ousting Nicolas Florian, protégé of the former long-time centre-right mayor Alain Juppé. Hurmic is a member of the Europe Ecologie Les Verts (EELV) green party and vowed to move environmental concerns up the agenda for local authorities, placing the city under a “state of climate emergency”.

One of his first moves was to announce that the traditional Christmas tree would no longer be installed in front of the cathedral, but would rather be replaced by “live shows”. “We will not put dead trees in city squares.

I have memories of this dead tree that we used to bring in every year and that is not at all our vision for the city of re-vegetation.”

The decision proved controversial, especially when the new mayor ignored a

petition containing 15,000 names protesting against the removal of the tradition, claiming it had been signed by people from across the country, not local Bordelais.

Another elected official in the region's capital, Elizabeth Touton, called the decision “ridiculous and cartoonish”, saying “This tree was a joy for children and no live show will reflect the magic of Christmas as well.”

One city's loss is another's gain, however, and the massive tree initially destined for Bordeaux will be staying within the region after the mayor of Malemort, Laurent Darthou, announced his town would be placing it in the centre of the town. “Given that Bordeaux has refused its tree, it will stay in Corrèze in Malemort!” the mayor tweeted. “Yes, I decided to acquire the Christmas tree, refused

by Bordeaux, to put it up in the heart of Malemort. It is a decision I willingly and fully support. We have pride in our traditions.” ■

F

rench President Emmanuel Macron has reacted angrily to a Financial Times article which accused him of “stigmatising French Muslims for electoral purposes and of fostering a climate of fear and suspicion towards them”, by insisting that the country is fighting “Islamist separatism, never Islam”.

The row broke out after the murder of teacher Samuel Paty, who had shown his class a cartoon of Mohammed - Islam forbids depictions of the Prophet. In the wake of the tragedy, Macron reasserted that France would never renounce its secular laws permitting blasphemous caricatures, leading to protests and boycotts of French goods across the world.

Speaking to Al Jazeera after the incident, the president said he understood the caricatures could be shocking for some, but said the country would not change its secular constitution. He went on to warn that there were still “breeding grounds” for extremism in France: “In certain districts and on the internet, groups linked to radical Islam are teaching hatred of the Republic to our children, calling on them to disregard its laws. This is what France is fighting against... hatred and death that threaten its children, never against Islam. We oppose deception, fanaticism, violent extremism.

Not a religion.”

The opinion piece in the Financial Times initially alleged that Macron's condemnation of “Islamic separatism” risked fostering a “hostile environment” for French Muslims. The article was later removed from the paper's website and replaced with a notice saying it had “contained factual er-

rors”.

In response, an evidently angry Macron wrote a letter to the FT, which read: “The piece misquoted me, substituting 'Islamist separatism', which is a reality in my country, with 'Islamic separatism' - a term that I have never used. It accused me of stigmatising French Muslims for electoral purposes and of fostering a climate of fear and suspicion towards them.

“I will not allow anybody to claim that France, or its government, is fostering racism against Muslims. France - and we are attacked for this - is as secular for Muslims as for Christians, Jews, Buddhists and all believers. The neutrality of the State, which never intervenes in religious affairs, is a guarantee of freedom of worship. Our law enforcement forces protect mosques, churches and synagogues alike.

“Therefore let us not nurture ignorance by distorting the words of a head of state.

We know only too well where that can lead.” ■

12 ♦ BILINGUAL

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2020

Christmas Dinner

T

he culinary focus of a typical French Christmas is the réveillon de Noël, a family meal traditionally eaten after midnight mass in the early hours of Christmas Day. The meal varies from region to region, but will typically involve seafood, followed by a cooked bird and the traditional Yule log.

In the UK, the main Christmas meal is eaten on the afternoon of the 25th, but is also a family affair. The dinner usually consists of roast turkey (although other types of poultry such as goose, chicken or duck are also common), sometimes with roast beef or ham.

The meat is served with roast potatoes, stuffing, pigs in blankets (small sausages wrapped in bacon), cranberry sauce and vegetables.

A common vegetable at this time of year is the Brussels sprout.

Much like the gherkin in a McDonald’s burger, sprouts are traditionally

T

served with all Christmas dinners, despite the fact that many claim not to like them and will not eat them.

Dessert in a traditional Christmas dinner is a Christmas pudding, a steamed pudding, heavy with dried fruit and nuts, and usually made with suet. It is very dark in appearance - effectively black - as a result of the dark sugars and black treacle. Also common are mince pies, small pastries filled with

mincemeat. Despite the name, mincemeat does not contain any meat it is a preserve typically containing apple, dried fruits such as raisins and sultanas, spices, and suet.

Historically, the centrepiece of the Christmas meal in Britain was either a boar or a peacock. The evolution of the main course towards turkey did not occur until the 18th century after French Jesuits had introduced the turkey to Britain. ■

The Bugle thanks French teacher, Sophie Arsac, for the translation of this month's bilingual articles (see her advert on page 5).

L

a clef de voûte culinaire d’un Noël typiquement français est le repas familial du réveillon de Noël, traditionnellement consommé après la messe de minuit aux premières heures de Noël. Si le menu varie d’une région à l’autre, il est généralement composé de fruits de mer, d’une volaille cuite et de la traditionnelle bûche de Noël en dessert.

Au Royaume-Uni, le repas de Noël, également un événement familial, est consommé dans l’après-

midi du 25. On y sert habituellement une dinde rôtie (bien que d’autres volailles telles que l’oie, le poulet ou le canard soient également fréquents), parfois complétée de bœuf rôti ou de jambon. Le tout est accompagné de pommes de terre rôties, de farce, de « pigs in blanket » (de petits roulés de saucisses au bacon), de sauce à la canneberge (ou cranberry) et de légumes.

Des choux de Bruxelles, légumes de saison, sont traditionnellement servis

avec tous les repas de Noël, bien que beaucoup de gens disent ne pas les apprécier et ne les mangent pas, tout comme le cornichon du hamburger de McDonald.

Le pudding de Noël est le dessert traditionnel. C’est un pudding lourd, cuit à la vapeur avec des fruits séchés, des fruits secs et généralement consommé avec de la graisse de bœuf.

Il est d'apparence sombre, voire noir, conséquence de l'utilisation de sucre brun et de mélasse noire.

Les “mince pies” sont aussi très appréciées. Ce sont de petites tartelettes garnies de “mincemeat”.

Malgré ce nom qui signifie “viande hachée”, elles ne contiennent pas du tout de viande, la garniture étant constituée de pommes, de fruits séchés tels que des raisins secs, d’épices et de graisse de bœuf.

Historiquement, la pièce maîtresse d’un repas de Noël au Royaume-Uni était soit un sanglier soit un paon. Le glissement vers la dinde n’intervint pas avant le 18ème siècle, date de l’introduction de ce mets par les Jésuites français. ■

Boxing Day - December 26th

he day after Christmas - 26th December - is known in the UK as ‘Boxing Day’.

Along with Christmas Day, Boxing Day is a public holiday that is celebrated in most of the countries of the Commonwealth. Despite this, no one is quite sure of the exact origins of the day.

Clues to Boxing Day's origins can be found in the popular Christmas carol “Good King Wenceslas.” According to the song, Wenceslas, who was Duke of Bohemia in the early 10th century, was surveying his land on St Stephen's Day – 26th December - when he saw a poor man gathering wood in the middle of a snowstorm. Moved by the sight, Wenceslas gathered up his surplus food and wine and carried them through the storm to the peasant's door.

Even if the reason for giving gifts to the poor on the day after Christmas is not known, the reason that the day is called Boxing Day is better documented.

During December, churches would often place a box on display into which churchgoers put money, or sometimes food. On the day after Christmas, the boxes were opened and their contents distributed among the poor, thus giving rise to the term 'Boxing Day'… maybe!

There is another explanation for the holiday that is popular amongst historians. Aristocratic families would usually require their servants to work on Christmas Day, but the staff were often given the following day off. As they prepared to leave to visit their families, their employers would present them with gift boxes as a kind of ‘Christmas bonus’, hence 'Boxing Day'… perhaps!

A less popular explanation is that the ‘boxes’ were a good luck charm for sailors of the 15th and 16th centuries.

A small box was placed on a ship by a priest while it was still in port and those sailors who wanted to ensure a safe return would drop money into the box. It was then sealed up and kept onboard for the entire voyage. If the ship came home safely, the box was handed back to the priest in the exchange for the saying of prayers of thanks for the success of the voyage. The priest would keep the box sealed until the following Christmas when he would open it to share the contents with the poor.

What is known for sure is that today Boxing Day is more about buying than giving. British retailers traditionally start their Christmas sales on Boxing Day, opening as early as 5 am for what is one of the biggest shopping days of the year. Millions of shoppers hit the streets for the Boxing Day sales each year. What would Good King Wenceslas have made of that?! ■

A

u Royaume-Uni, le lendemain de Noël soit le 26 décembre, est connu sous le nom de « Boxing Day », littéralement en français « Le jour des boîtes ». Comme le jour de Noël, le « Boxing day » est un jour férié dans la plupart des pays du Commonwealth.

Cependant personne n’est vraiment sûr de l’origine exacte de cette célébration.

Le chant de Noël très populaire « Le Bon Roi Wenceslas » nous met sur la piste.

Wenceslas, Duc de Bohême au début du 10ème siècle, inspectait ses terres le jour de la Saint Etienne, le 26 décembre. Soudain il vit un pauvre homme qui ramassait du bois pendant une tempête de neige. Emu par cette scène, Wenceslas alla chercher de la nourriture et du vin et les déposa, pendant la tempête, sur le seuil de la maison du paysan.

Si la raison pour laquelle il est de coutume d’offrir des présents aux plus pauvres le lendemain de Noël n’est pas claire, l’appellation « Jour des boîtes »

Not what Boxing Day is traditionally all about!

est plus documentée. En décembre, les pratiquants se rendant à l’église déposaient de l’argent ou parfois de la nourriture dans un tronc réservé à cet effet. Le lendemain de Noël, les boîtes étaient ouvertes et leur contenu distribué aux pauvres d’où, peutêtre, l’origine du terme « Jour des boîtes » !

Les historiens privilégient une autre explication pour cette célébration. Comme les domestiques de familles aristocratiques devaient généralement travailler le jour de Noël, ils disposaient souvent d’une journée de repos le lendemain. Alors qu’ils se préparaient à rendre visite à leur famille, leurs employeurs leur offraient des boîtes de cadeaux, comme une sorte de « prime de Noël », d’où le nom de « Jour des Boîtes »… peut-être !

Il existe une explication moins populaire selon laquelle « la boîte » était un portebonheur pour les marins aux 15ème et 16ème siècles. Un prêtre plaçait une petite boîte sur le navire amarré au port et les marins qui souhaitaient revenir sains et saufs y déposaient de l’argent. La boîte était ensuite scellée et laissée à bord pendant tout le voyage. Si le navire revenait au port, elle était rendue au prêtre qui, en échange, faisait des prières de remerciements pour la réussite de ce voyage. Puis le prêtre gardait la boîte fermée jusqu’au Noël suivant, au moment duquel il l’ouvrait et partageait son contenu avec les pauvres.

Ce qui est sûr et certain, c’est qu’aujourd’hui, le “Boxing Day” est plus une journée d’achats qu’une journée de dons... Il s’agit en effet de l’une des dates les plus rentables pour les commerces britanniques qui commencent traditionnellement leurs soldes de Noël ce jour-là et ouvrent à cinq heures du matin.

Des millions de clients sont attirés par les soldes le jour du « Boxing Day » chaque année. Qu’en aurait pensé le Bon Roi Wenceslas ?! ■

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The wines of Bergerac - 12 wines of Christmas

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he twelve days of Christmas are supposed to signify the period between the birth of Jesus and the eventual arrival in the humble manger of the Magi, the three kings or wise men. As they trudged through the various deserts, I assume they had the odd glass or two to comfort or restore themselves. So in their honour, here are my twelve Bergerac wines of Christmas.

I have picked four reds, four whites, two bubblies and two dessert wines. And while I try to write about wines that I think of as bargains, usually in the two quality ranges of five to ten, and ten to twenty euros, some of these wines are more expensive. Believe me, they are worth it and reinforce my conviction that one can drink in the Bergerac wines as good as almost any in France and usually at a fraction of the prices of the vaunted Bordeaux and Burgundies.

First, the bubblies. I shall be buying half a dozen of the very good Brut from Château Lestevenie, where Humphrey Temperley and Sue Miller have established a solid reputation, with their reds and whites regularly winning Hachette awards. At 9 euros a bottle, their fizzy white was called “absolutely delicious” by Eric Asimov, the wine critic of the New York Times. With a splash of crème de cassis, it would seduce a teetotal grandma.

The second comes from Caro and Sean Feely, at Château Feely in the Saussignac, where their Rosé Brut at 17 euros beats the pants off most of the pink champers I have tried. It is made in the classic way, and to learn exactly what that means, check out Caro’s own excellent blog, https://chateaufeely.com/ how-is-sparkling-winemade-in-many-ways/. (And her books on her family’s adventures in wine make a splendid Christmas gift.)

The four reds I have picked begin with Château Moulin Caresse in the Montravel, at the western part of the Bergerac. Their Coeur de Roche 2011 was one of the greatest wines I have enjoyed this year. Rich and with a discreet power underpinning its elegance, this is a wine for a special occasion. At 40 euros a bottle, it is not cheap but you really get much more than what you pay for.

by Martin Walker

The second is Le Vin selon David Fourtout at Les Verdots in the far east of our region. This is the very top of his wide range of wines and he makes both red and white, but only in special years. The 2016 is 40 euros but this is a wine you will long remember. He also makes a Grand Vin at a special price of 126 euros for six bottles, and at a blind tasting at my place some of my wine expert friends thought they were drinking a Pape Clément from Pessac-Léognan at more than double the price.

The third bottle is relatively new, at least in the name, Château Mondazur. A Pécharmant, I knew it first as Les Chemins d’Orient, a vineyard developed by two doctors from Médecins Sans Frontières after years working in Afghanistan. It was sold to two great winemakers, Hugh Ryman of Château de la Jaubertie and François-Xavier de Saint-Exupéry of Château Tiregand. They have now produced something magnificent, and at 19.50 euros it is a very real bargain.

The fourth red is the Cuvée Picata from Château Poulvère at 19 euros, whose 2018 won a silver medal at the Paris concours and which won a blind tasting at my table in a wine tasting at the Maison des Vins in Bergerac. Made of ninety per cent Cabernet Sauvignon and ten per cent Merlot, this is a wine of great depth and finesse that lingers very long in the mouth.

For the whites, I suggest a wine that is made here but is not in the AOC because it is made wholly from a different grape, the Chenin, which originally came from the Loire region and is best known for the Vouvray wines. At Château Briand, Amélie Monfort, (sister of Julien who runs the Julien de Savignac wine stores) and her husband Cedric have taken advantage of our warmer weather to produce a very fine wine

indeed called simply CheninX. It is a lovely, charming wine, perfect to accompany oysters, and they only made 2,000 bottles of their 2018. I hope they make many more. At 15.50 euros a bottle, it is a real find.

The second one comes from the renowned master of Monbazillacs at Château Tirecul La Gravière, where Bruno Bilancini also makes dry white wine, and his Cuvée Andréa is completely charming and rather bold. Not many winemakers would dare to use seventy per cent Muscadelle grapes in a Bergerac Sec, but Bruno succeeds triumphantly. Perfect to serve with fish or as an apéritif, at 17.50 euros it is a steal. His Cuvée Ulma at 9.50 euros is also very good value.

The third wine is not cheap, at 45 euros, but Anthologia of Château Tour des Gendres is a legend, an organic wine of marvellous quality and style that can balance and enhance any amount of cream on your fish or lobster, and still linger long and rewardingly in the mouth.

I never tire of drinking Château de la Jaubertie’s Cuvée Mirabelle, at around 16 euros, depending where you buy it. The 2016 was my favourite but I was awed by what a good wine Hugh Ryman made in the very difficult year of 2017. This is a wholly reliable wine of excellence.

Finally, two dessert wines to round off your meal.

If you really want to celebrate, then splash out 90 euros on a bottle of Tirecul la Gravière Cuvée Madame, and know you are drinking something close to perfection, or at least one of the very few wines ever to have been awarded the maximum 100 points by Robert Parker. The cheaper option is the winner of this year’s Monbazillac concours, Château Le Fagé, excellent value at 18 euros.

Or you could try the other dessert wine of the region, the Saussignac, and you will seldom find a better example than the Cuvée Marie-Jeanne from Château Le Payral at 15 euros. The nose is full of peaches, apricots and candied fruits and the mouth rejoices with the sense of generosity and richness.

It is a lovely wine that deserves to be much better known.

If you navigate through the twelve days of Christmas with all of these, you will deserve to have hosts of angels, adoring shepherds and a grand religious blessing at the end of it. And you will have enjoyed and shared some of the finest wines this region has to offer. ■

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.

14 ♦ FRENCH LIFE

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Quince - a slice of Christmas joy iven the dispiriting status of Christmas this year, it feels unseemly to provide a jolly discourse on preparing jubilant food to celebrate the coming together of loved ones, perhaps not seen for a while. It’s very possible that will not be permitted.

Nevertheless, we can’t sink entirely into the Slough of Despond.

What is needed is some cheer that will run all the way through the coming season, something to introduce joy in the simplest of fashions without any fuss.

I offer you the quince.

These begin to appear in the shops in late October, a lime-coloured pear-shaped fruit covered in a pale grey fur. But they should be at their best now, having been given time to mature to a sunny yellow.

Unlike pears - which come from the same Cydonia family - you can’t eat them raw. And, unlike pears, you can’t bite into them.

You’ll need to axe them open with a meat cleaver.

So what do they offer on the positive side? Colour and flavour and history. Cooked, their flesh turns from white to a delicate coral pink, giving off a strong flowery scent reminiscent of roses, of which the quince is a relation. Its flavour is delicate, almost illusive, reminiscent of apples (also a member of the same family).

But its most romantic attribute is that it is believed to have been that second most famous apple, the one which Paris gave to Aphrodite and which triggered the Trojan War. Now common across Europe, quince trees originated in eastern Asia, thriving on rocky slopes in Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Georgia, and further east. Almost ornamental in shape and producing beautiful, quite prominent, pink or white spring blossoms, they make a far greater impact in landscape gardening than other more mundane fruit trees.

Cooked, unpeeled, in slices, their flavour marries well with game dishes, from a wild boar stew to a roast partridge or similar bird.

Where it scores, however, is as a jelly more subtle than redcurrant jelly for Sunday roasts or spooning over plain breakfast yogurt, and far more exquisite in colour. The fruit is rich in pectin, so even if you’ve never made jam or jelly before, this recipe won’t fail to set.

And, if we are free to celebrate Christmas with others, it fills a jar with a jewel-like clear coral pink jelly to lift flagging spirits and give as a present.

There are some pointers to adhere to. If you overcook the fruit, the jelly’s delicate flavour will be lost, so keep the fruit at a simmer.

Under no circumstances touch or squeeze the jelly bag while the juice is being strained or you will produce a cloudy jelly. Don’t necessarily throw away the fruit pulp - you can use it to make membrillo, the Spanish fruit paste so delicious with a hard goats’ or sheep’s cheese.

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

Quince Jam

© iStock / JitkaUnv

G

by Julia Watson

1.7 kg quinces 2 litres water Granulated sugar (not preserving sugar) - quinces already contain enough pectin Wash the quinces, and cut into 2.5cm chunks, only throwing away the stalk.

Add them with the water to a large saucepan and heat until simmering. Cook until the fruit turns soft, about 30 minutes. Mash into a pulp with a potato masher or a stiff whisk.

Spoon the mixture into a jelly bag suspended over a bowl. If you don’t own one, line a colander with muslin and pour the contents of the saucepan carefully into it, to drain into a bowl.

Leave overnight or 8-12 hours for all the juice to drain through.

Set jam jars in a roasting tray and place in a

140°C oven to sterilise.

Weigh the juice and pour back into the cleaned out saucepan. Add to it 75% of the juice’s weight in granulated sugar and heat gently to dissolve the sugar, stirring all the time, then turn the heat up high to rolling-boil the jelly.

To test if the jelly is ready without a thermometer, put a saucer in a freezer and once chilled, drop a teaspoon of jelly on it and draw a finger through it. If the jelly wrinkles, it is set. Alternatively, pour a little iced water into a saucer and drop a little jelly into it. If it solidifies, it’s ready.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and ladle the jelly into a heatproof jug. Keeping the jam jars in the roasting pan in case one should shatter with the heat (unlikely, but it makes sense to take precautions to prevent a jelly lake on your counter), pour in the jelly and close the jars.

It’s not necessary to make the jelly immediately after cooking it - it can hold for a few days in the fridge, or longer in the freezer.

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What you need to think about to help future-proof your finances - Blevins Franks

N

ot much is certain as we head into the final stretch of 2020.

Unfortunately, with no end in sight for the global coronavirus pandemic and still no final word on Brexit, we can expect things to remain unsettled for some time.

While no-one can predict exactly what’s around the corner, there are some sensible steps you can take to make your financial position as secure as possible.

Get Brexit-ready If you have not recently given your finances a health-check, you will almost certainly benefit from reviewing your situation now.

Deal or no deal, the new year will begin with the UK’s full departure from the EU. While this should have no immediate impact for Britons lawfully settled in France, there may be longer term effects for the unprepared. For example, some UK savings and investments could attract a higher tax bill from 2021 once they cease to be EU/EEA assets, and UK pension or tax rules could potentially change for non-residents in the future.

Besides the disruption that Brexit may bring, your circumstances and goals evolve over time. If you don’t keep up, you could find you are paying more taxes than you need to or missing out on opportunities that offer significant advantages.

You should schedule a review of your financial situation at least once a year, looking at how your savings, investments, other assets, tax planning, pensions and estate planning are structured and how they can best work together.

Protecting your wealth The current economic and political climate presents many challenges to preserving your wealth and seeing it grow over time.

For one thing, the prolonged period of low interest rates has made it harder to achieve good returns on bank deposits and lower-risk investments. There is also more global tax scrutiny than ever, with frequent changes to tax and pensions legislation. And, of course, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to generate global economic uncertainty and market volatility.

At times like this, careful planning plays a particularly important role in securing your financial security over the long term. While all investments – even bank accounts – carry risk, a suitably diversified portfolio can help manage risk within your comfort level. An essential step is establishing a clear and objective view of your risk tolerance to determine the investment approach that will best suit you. An adviser is best placed to do this objectively using psychometric testing, for example, together with an analysis of your personal situation and financial goals.

DIY vs expert advice While some take a DIY approach to financial planning, most people who have built up or inherited wealth will benefit from an independent and expert review of their finances. It is extremely difficult to take a step back and look at your broad

financial situation from a truly objective point of view, or fully understand all the cross-border tax implications. As the goalposts often change, it is quite easy to get DIY tax planning wrong and potentially invite an unexpected tax bill, or even a tax investigation.

A professional adviser can take time and use relevant tools to thoroughly understand your unique situation, needs and objectives to tailor tax-efficient solutions – for you and your heirs.

The limits of UK-based services If you have a relationship with a UKbased financial adviser or hold a British bank account or investment product, make sure you check they can legally provide services to you from 1 January.

As things stand, many UK financial businesses are set to lose their licence to operate within the EU/EEA once the transition period ends. We know of at least three major UK banks who have advised EU-based clients that they will be withdrawing services due to Brexit.

While you should be able to retain existing UK accounts/policies and make withdrawals as an EU resident, you may be restricted from adding or moving funds and applying for new services, such as term deposits, bonds, foreign currency management, loans and credit cards. Foreign banks/providers may also refuse instructions from non-EU-based advisers.

If your UK provider hasn’t contacted you about limited future services, ask them what arrangements they have in place for France next year.

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Besides the legal implications, consider whether a UK-based provider is best placed to support you in France. A strategy designed for a UK resident will not usually provide the same benefits to a non-UK resident, and it is unlikely that a UK professional will have in-depth understanding of French taxation and how it interacts with UK rules.

An adviser with local knowledge and expertise in cross-border tax planning can help ensure your wealth and assets are held as tax efficiently as possible for your life in France. They can also recommend locally-compliant solutions that offer other advantages, such as multicurrency options and estate planning flexibility.

Ultimately, the sooner you set up a suitable, long-term strategy to protect your wealth, the sooner you can have peace of mind about your financial future in France. ■ All advice received from Blevins Franks is personalised and provided in writing.

This article, however, should not be construed as providing any personalised taxation or investment advice.

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

Little Tessie and her chums are the lucky ones. Out of the thousands of homeless cats in France, they are in Acorn Cat Rescue’s care and are waiting for homes.

Get in touch today to find out how we can put your business in front of

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If you can give a good, forever home to a cat or kitten, contact Lynda on 05 53 81 30 44 or at associationacorn@gmail.com

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Facebook & Instagram: Acorn Cat Rescue Managing Editor: Steve Martindale Editor-in-Chief: Steve Martindale Registered Address: 19, route de Champagnac

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Business Directory

Your indispensable guide to finding local businesses & artisans Building Services Architects/Surveyors

Boris’s School of Art Learn How to Paint

Landscapes, still-life & Bob Ross technique M: 06 47 98 50 71 E: guidetoeasypainting@gmail.com W: borishuguenelart.com

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

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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Email: repointfr@icloud.com Tel: 04 73 52 14 43

FR: 0033 (0)6 52 06 22 79 UK: 0044 (0)7448 466 662 Siret: 498 843 051 00018

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Stonework, Traditional renderings in Lime, Doors and Windows, Dry line walls, Zinc work, Electrical wiring and interior finishes Based near Brantôme

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ADVERTORIAL

Forced UK account closures for expats living in the EEA - update Rosemary Sheppard, International Financial Adviser

S

ince our last article on this subject, more information has come to light regarding this. Barclays have now stated that they will be closing all bank accounts (that includes current accounts, deposit accounts and savings accounts) and wealth management accounts, and some international banking accounts for expats living in the EEA, if the client can’t provide a UK residential

address. According to a communication one client has received from them they are starting to go through the countries in the EEA alphabetically and writing to all the expats with a non-UK address advising them their accounts will be closed by the end of 2020.

Barclays are advising clients “they would like to let you know that in order to continue banking with us you must be living in the UK and all of the addresses we hold for you will also need to be in the UK too - this includes any correspondence addresses”.

Barclays have provided the following link https:// w w w. b a r c l a y s . c o . u k / brexit/eea-changes/ where

you will find all the relevant details.

In addition to this NatWest Wealth Management have also started advising clients that unless they can supply a UK residential address their investment portfolios will be liquidated and closed by the end of 2020. Unfortunately, this has happened to one of my clients, who now faces a Capital Gains Tax Liability in France. There is nothing that can be done, at this late stage, to avoid this, but if this happens to you, we can make sure that the remaining portfolio can be re-invested in a tax efficient/compliant manner for you, as a tax resident of France.

HSBC and Lloyds have said that they are looking

at this issue but to date no decision has been made to close accounts, however this view could change in the future. To date only one bank has stated that they won’t be closing accounts and that is Santander.

At Blacktower we are working with a large number of those affected to find the best solutions for them, but in a number of cases it will mean completely restructuring their financial affairs, which can have tax implications. It takes time and expertise, but it can be done.

The best advice I can give expats is don’t panic and act in haste, take advice from Blacktower as to what is the best course of action for you to take.

If you are or could be affected by this or would like a review of your current financial affairs or any wealth management matter please contact me by email: Rosemary.sheppard@ blacktowerfm.com, visit our website www.blacktowerfm. com or call me on 06 38 86 99 70. Blacktower Financial Management has over 32 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.

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ADVERTORIAL

“SolarVenti”- the solar solution to damp and humidity

A

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, builtin, 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 exceed-

ed all expectations.

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

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

There are no electrical or water connections and it can be safely left running, even when

the property is empty. Solarventi requires no maintenance - if the property is unoccupied during the hot summer months, then it can be left running at low speeds for ventilation and dehumidification purposes or simply switched off.

With a range of panel sizes, and the option for wall or roof mounting, Solarventi is suitable for all types of buildings, caravans or even boats!! Following the patenting of its design in 2001, Solarventi has only recently been actively commercialized. Over the last six years, Solarventi units have been installed in more than 24 countries and demand is increasing rapidly. From Greenland to Australia, Solarventi is finally getting the recognition it deserves. ■ Units start from €490 TTC.

SOLARVENTI - Available in the Dordogne From Harlequin Developments Mobile: 06 06 60 46 97

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Nigel’s Handyman Services

Building Services General

Based near Beynac/Sarlat (24)

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Garden/General Maintenance, Metal Repairs, Property Maintenance, Small Odd Jobs & General DIY A friendly & experienced service, all enquiries welcome

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All aspects of renovation and

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Computers, Internet & Satellites Stephen Wisedale

WiFi Anglais

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Traditional Fish & Chips in a town near you All venues are in the evening between 6pm & 8.30 pm Wednesday: Mauzac, Le Barrage Thursday: Eymet 1st & 3rd Friday: Lauzun 2nd Friday: Ste-Alvère Last Friday: Campagnac-lès-Quercy See our website for full details:

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WHAT’S ON As a result of the second lockdown, many of the meetings and events featured in our What’s On section have had to be cancelled or postponed. The situation is changing very quickly, so we have removed these listings from the newspaper for the time being. We will, however, continue to update our website with any new information, so please do check back regularly to keep up to date:

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ADVERTORIAL

Arcad’ Immo - Family-run estate agency since 2008

W

e are delighted to welcome you to our family-run estate agency, situated in the old school in the Bastide town of Eymet.

Originally from the Paris region where we worked within the property market, we chose to relocate to southern Dordogne after falling in love with Eymet after many years of holidaying in the area.

We acquired a 13th century building in need of complete renovation and after two years of work, Arcad’ Immo opened its doors revealing a renovation showcasing the character and authenticity of this old school building.

We offer a warm and welcoming environment in which to listen, discuss and work to your specific requirements, be they selling, buying or renting property in the area.

Our multi-lingual team are on hand to guide you through the process. Over the years we have established strong relationships and partnerships that bridge cultures and enable us to offer invaluable guidance throughout your venture.

Never hesitate to push open our door, you are our priority!

www.arcadimmo.com Achat – Vente – Location – Gestion

FRENCH LESSONS

Handholding & Language Services

Via Skype

with a native French speaker Why commute? Long distance learning is the answer!

C’est simple, call Sophie...

Cabinet d’Ostéopathie Lederman

Health & Beauty FRENCH HEALTHCARE

06 61 56 47 17 scarolinea@yahoo.fr

Can your business fill this space?

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

05.53.91.46.67

Access, guidance & support for the French healthcare system in the Dordogne

41 rue du 26 mars 1944, 24600 RIBERAC

Have everything explained by

Fully bilingual

(fully bilingual) Healthcare specialist: Carte Vitale and Mutuelle cover for individuals and businesses Free quote, direct contact Get in touch for more information or a free appointment: email: evelyne.drouin@axa.fr tel : 06 76 46 13 43

Call for appointments

EVELYNE DROUIN

Give us a call or send us an email:

UK Trained Osteopath

sales24@thebugle.eu

sales24@thebugle.eu

sales24@thebugle.eu

06 04 17 80 93

06 04 17 80 93

06 04 17 80 93

Siren: 504 744 517

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39 Place Gambetta, 24500 EYMET 05 53 27 14 34 info@arcadimmo.com

Pools & Spas Limousin Spas

The region's leading distributor of Spas, Swim spas, Saunas & Hot tubs

New for 2020

We are pleased to announce our new range of over 80 Spas, Swim spas, Hot tubs & Saunas from top European and U.S. manufacturers. *Platinum Spas* *Superior Spas* *BeSpa* * California Spas* *Superior Saunas* *Baltic Hot tubs* *Baltic Saunas*

Prices from €2,200 www.limousin-spas.com enquiries@limousin-spas.com Tel: 05 55 63 26 20 Siret: 752 157 610 00011

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Buying or Selling French Property?

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

www.frenchpropertylawyer.fr

05 55 82 18 99

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

All are welcome!!

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

20 ♦ DIRECTORY Property Maintenance La Conciergerie Taking care of your home all year round providing you with a wintering service, managing your summer rentals or organising a happy holiday for you.

www.laconciergerie-housekeeping.com

24600 Villetoureix laconciergerie24@orange.fr Tel: 06 42 67 94 50 siret: 840 556 228 00010 - APE 9609Z

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2020

sales24@thebugle.eu

06 04 17 80 93 Support

Give us a call or send us an email:

SOS Help

anxious? stressed? feeling down? call us up!

sales24@thebugle.eu

01 46 21 46 46

06 04 17 80 93

www.soshelpline.org

Retail & Commerce

bookstop English second-hand books Tea room Art exhibitions

09 51 45 57 49

bookstop24@gmail.com facebook.com/bookstop24 19 rue Victor Hugo, 24310 Brantôme

Can your business fill this space?

3 - 11pm daily Confidential & Non-profit

Native English speaker.

Please contact Catriona:

catcool61@aol.com Périgord Noir, will travel up to 45 mins from 24170. siret: 841 001 456 00018

For a fully insured, careful service

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

sales24@thebugle.eu

smartmovers@hotmail.co.uk

06 04 17 80 93

www.smartmovesremovals.com

Transport, Removals & Storage

Dementia Support

Psychologist (MBPsS) looking for part-time work giving affordable care and respite to dementia sufferers in their own home / environment.

Smart Moves

+44 (0)7966 287 430

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

French Registered Business.

Local Friendly Service.

+33 (0)6 73 96 38 39

www.dordognestoragesolutions.com

Man & Van Transport

Genuine/Reliable/Honest Local + Europe + UK runs House/Barn clearances!

15m3 capacity 4m load length English & French Spoken

09 82 12 69 73 06 06 40 81 07 87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres

www.frenchvanman.eu Siret 530 213 644 00012

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

Franklins Removals

sales24@thebugle.eu

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

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

A family business offering a quality, professional service since 1985

06 04 17 80 93

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