The Bugle Dordogne - Mar 2015 by The Bugle

Bite-size walking tours of Sarlat-la-Canéda New 45-minute lunchtime walking tours are being offered around the historic town of Sarlat on the last Thursday of each month. >> Page 3

Dordogne March 2015 - Issue #21

Online registration to vote in UK Elections

NEWS - One-way ticket to Mars

The Electoral Commission has launched a campaign to encourage more British expats to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming UK General Election. Anyone living outside of the UK for less than 15 years can register online to vote in May's parliamentary elections.

NEWS - Ticks and Lyme disease

General Election where people can register to vote online and it is hoped that the new online process will encourage more UK nationals living overseas to register to take part in the Election. To register as an overseas voter, you must have previously been registered in a UK constituency within the last fifteen years. If you were too young when you left the UK to have been registered then you can still register as an overseas voter if your parents (or guardians) were registered in the UK within the last fifteen years. “A lot of people aren’t aware that it’s possible to register as an overseas voter for the Gen-

>> continued on page 9

An Aquitaine doctor has made a shortlist of 100 people hoping to take a oneway trip to found a colony on the red planet >> Page 4

Rural France has a surprisingly high rate of Lyme disease, so with "tick season" fast approaching, we look at how best to avoid the dangers >> Page 8

NEWS - Monopoly sets with real money!

To celebrate 80 years of the iconic board game in France, Hasbro have shipped sets of Monopoly containing real euro notes >> Page 9 © Orikrin1998

n 7th May, millions of people across the UK will head to the polls for the General Election, but a great many British expats living abroad will not vote – even though many have the right to do so. On 5th February, the UK Electoral Commission launched an overseas voter registration campaign which aims to encourage British citizens living overseas to register to vote. The Commission’s goal is to boost the number of expats on the UK’s electoral registers – of the 5.5 million British currently living abroad, there are only 20,000 registered to vote. This is the first UK

INSIDE > > >

The Bugle Business Directory

Bordeaux has been voted the best European destination to visit in 2015 >> Page 4

We all have bad habits. Develop a healthy one that actually saves you money!

4 pages of listings for local English-speaking businesses - your essential guide to finding just what you’re looking for >> Pages 18-20

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2 ♦ IN THIS EDITION

Welcome to

The Bugle

love this time of year. As winter slowly fades, the horizon holds the promise of long days, warm sunshine, BBQs and maybe even the odd holiday! I know that in reality I will soon be cursing the spring showers, bemoaning the speed at which the grass is growing and complaining that I'm too hot, but that's why now is the perfect time of year, before the realisation that the next season simply brings different challenges. Since enough time has passed for my brain to forget the bad bits from last time round, I have nothing but hope and excitement!! The fact that my newborn has finally started sleeping through the odd night might have something to do with my good mood. You never feel more alive than right after a bout of illness and the same goes with tiredness; you get so used to it that you forget what normal feels like... and when normal arrives, it is sheer bliss!

In fact, I have also been a bit under the weather until the last few days so it's a double whammy of bounce back feelgood! Fortunately, I think I dodged the flu that has been rampaging across the country (see page 5). I didn't realise initially how bad it was, but there were 500,000 cases a week nationally at the peak of the epidemic. I say I dodged it; I did, in fact, have a bad case of what I call flu, but the doctors confusingly refer to as a mild cold - I am nothing if not a stereotype. One thing that has turned my mind away from winter and towards the year ahead was reading Michelle Pierce's (as always excellent) piece on what needs to be done in the garden this month (see page 13). She makes it sound so easy and every year I start the growing season (which runs from April to September for me - I'm not a hardcore gardener) full of good intentions. Most years I fail, but last year saw a fairly good

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2015

crop of vegetables... until blight decimated my spuds and I gave up a bit. Keeping on top of the garden can occasionally feel like a chore, especially when you have a job and a young family, but there is nothing more satisfying than pulling up fresh vegetables and free ones at that! I remember when I first moved to France that I was constantly petrified of snakes when I was out digging around the potager, having been told that there were deadly vipers about. I assumed that there were thousands of them lying in wait and that they all had a taste for English flesh. I think in 10 years I have only seen a couple and they scarpered the minute they saw me. As long as you are vaguely sensible, you're unlikely to have a problem. Another danger, one that I am probably guilty of not taking seriously enough, is catching Lyme disease from ticks, which is a real problem in rural areas (see page 8). Unlike the snakes, there really are thousands of the little buggers in the garden and I directly know of a couple of expats that have contracted Lyme disease and anecdotally about several more. It's potentially not a very nice thing to have. I mentioned in my article about avoiding walks through long grass in shorts, but I think I'm most likely to pick

up a tick from my dogs. When they have been out playing in the spring and summer, they will often come back literally crawling with ticks; I'm sure I have pulled off at least 10 in one session before, either wandering through their fur or already latched on. My wife and daughter were bitten by ticks several years ago, fortunately with no repercussions which, if you are aware of the potential dangers and take sensible precautions, will almost always be the case. It's human nature to be wary of the big thing with sharp teeth, but I imagine a mosquito is much more likely to bring you down than a lion and the same probably goes for vipers and ticks! On that cheery note, until next month! Steve Martindale, Editor

INSIDE this edition 3-5 Local News 6-11 National News 12-14 French Life 15 Practical 16 Bilingual 17 Games 18-20 Directory 21 Community 22-24 What’s On

CONTACT us Tel: 05.55.41.17.76 General: editor@thebugle.eu Advertising (EN): sales24@thebugle.eu Publicité (FR): publicite@thebugle.eu Subscriptions: subscriptions24@thebugle.eu Editor: Steve Martindale Write to: The Bugle Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois France

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LOCAL NEWS ♦ 3

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symbolic benchmark was reached recently when packing millionaire James Zhou acquired the Château Renon, in Tabanac, on the banks of the Garonne river. When the ink was dry, the Bordeaux château became the 100th to be owned by a Chinese investor. China represents the largest export market for Bordeaux wine, with more bottles now making the long trip east than are exported to the UK. According to the Bordeaux wine board, China imported €240 million of wine in 2014, compared to the €218 million spent in Britain and €214 million in Hong Kong. In the last decade, the demand from the burgeoning middle classes in China for “luxury” European goods

has been steadily increasing. Top of the list is wine, in particular red wine and the most sought after has been red wine from the Bordeaux region. The result has been the recent wave of Chinese investment in the region’s vineyards, with on average 80% of the wine produced heading east where a bottle can fetch far more money than in Europe – allegedly up to as much as ten times the price! Whilst this has driven up the overall price of Bordeaux wines and created a new and lucrative market for the region’s producers, purists worry that it will ultimately damage the “brand”. There has been much fear in the industry that the new generation of Chinese owners, as well as French owned estates looking to target the

Far East, may alter the taste of their wines to suit the Chinese palette, which traditional wine experts say is not as refined as that of countries with a longer history of wine drinking. Local wine makers are furious that so much French heritage is falling into the hands of rich Asian investors. Jean-Michel Guillon, the president of a winemakers syndicate, is one such man: “I think France is selling its soul and that our politicians must react. We are starting to say to ourselves that our heritage is going out the window. I have nothing against the investors… but if we turned the tables, what would the Chinese say if French investors bought up 10 or 50 metres of the Great Wall of China?” So far, the interest from

Sarlat’s lunchtime tourist treat

quick, and without spending a fortune.” The tours start from the magnificent Maison de la Boétie in the heart of Sarlat. This mansion was the birthplace of Etienne de La Boétie in 1530, and is where this iconic Renaissance man spent his formative years. Etienne is best known for his work in reconciliation between the two sides during the terrible Wars of Religion, 1562 -1598, but he is renowned also for his key place in the life and work of Michel de Montaigne. Lawyer, mayor of Bordeaux, writer and philosopher, it was Michel who invented the written form of argument that we nowadays call the “essay”, where the writer tries and weighs opposing ideas to establish a logical conclusion. Etienne de la Boétie died at the age of only 32 but his impact on Montaigne’s ideas is with us today. The tours, which run on the last Thursday of every month, offer the chance to have a truly expert guide reveal the best-kept secrets of this magnificent town. They are free, in French and start in front of the Maison de la Boétie at 12:30, with or without a sandwich! ■ by Brian Hinchcliffe

new scheme to boost the year-round tourist experience has been launched in Sarlat, in the south of the Dordogne. Named “Croquez Sarlat” and developed by France Patrimoine, this initiative is no ordinary scheme. Karine Da Cruz, a conservation specialist from the Service du patrimoine explained the idea to The Bugle: “We have a beautiful and fascinating town here in Sarlat. Visitors and locals often tell us they wish they had longer to see more. So we came up with “Croquez Sarlat”. We have designed a series of 45-minute walking tours in and around Sarlat, focusing on the architecture, heritage and history of the town. The big difference is that we do it at lunchtime”. Hence the word “croquez”, which roughly translates as “munch”. More important, too, is that the programme offers a different tour every month, even during the deadly quiet of off-season. Karine added: “It’s not obligatory to chomp on a sandwich during the tour but bring-yourown walking picnickers are very welcome. Plus, lunchtime gives a chance for couples and families to do something interesting, but

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Chinese now own 100 Bordeaux châteaux

Château de La Rivière was one of the most high-profile Chinese acquisitions Chinese investors is for mid-range châteaux, with the average investment being around €10 million. Although they now own 100 châteaux, this only represents 1.3 per cent of the total number in the Bordeaux region and China is currently the second largest foreign investor, behind Belgium, although they are gaining fast. One of the largest sales to

date came just over a year ago when the Château de La Rivière was sold for €30 million to billionaire hotel magnate Lam Kok. The sale hit the headlines when Mr Lam died in a helicopter crash whilst surveying his new asset from the sky, along with 3 others, including his 12-year-old son. Wine is undoubtedly big money in China... but so

is fake wine. In November 2012, police found 10,000 bottles of fake Château Lafite Rothschild in a derelict house. As one of the most expensive wines in the world, the haul had a street value of around €15 million. According to one Chinese wine expert, there is more Lafite ‘82 currently on sale in China than was ever made. ■

4 ♦ LOCAL NEWS

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Local man may be headed for Mars

doctor from the Aquitaine has been named as one of the 100 final candidates to take part in a one-way trip to Mars a decade from now. Described by some as a “suicide mission”, the 50 men and 50 women will now compete to be part of the 24-person team that will attempt to set up a permanent camp on Mars when they arrive in 2025. From an initial field of over 200,000 candidates, 600 were shortlisted last year, with the final 100 chosen from amongst them. Dr Jeremy Saget, a 37-year-old GP from Bordeaux, is among the “lucky” one hundred and the only French person in the shortlist unveiled by Bas Lansdorp, co-founder and CEO of non-profit group Mars One, the Dutch organisation behind the $6 billion project. “The large cut in candidates is an important step towards finding out who has the right stuff to go to Mars,” said Mr Lansdorp. “These as-

piring Martians provide the world with a glimpse into who the modern day explorers will be.” Dr Saget joins five Britons among the 31 European candidates, along with 39 from the Americas, 16 from Asia, 7 from Africa and 7 from Oceania. “It has been a great pleasure. It’s a project that really resonates with me, a dream that can become a reality. Now, there is a lot of work to do,” said Dr Saget, who admitted that this is just the start of a long journey. “This next stage is essentially to identify the psychological profile of each candidate. They will

test our motivation and our ability to work within a team.” The details of the ambitious project are still sketchy, with many experts claiming that it is not feasible. NASA believe that the project will be far more costly than estimated and scientists from MIT claim that the first crew fatality from starvation would occur after just 68 days. The colonists will also have to deal with high levels of radiation, problems with bone and muscle density loss due to the low gravity on the red planet and the risk of explosion from a build-up of oxygen from

any plant life. The explorers could also be fatally affected by any technological breakdown in the modules and would be reliant on resupply missions every two years. Despite all this, Dr Saget insists “the greatest risk will be psychological”. We have not taken off yet,” added the aspiring astronaut. “There are many unknowns to sort out, beginning with financing. As for the rest of it... I have always believed that my generation would be the one to explore space. I am a husband and a loving father, but I can not deny what defines me. I am not

a believer, but this type of project does require a degree of faith. My family understands. They know that, one way or another, I will always be there for them.” Mars One plans to send a robotic lander and communications satellite to the red planet in 2018, followed two years later by a rover that will search for a suitable landing spot for the mission. The habitation modules and life-support systems will be deployed in 2024, in time for the arrival of the first humans in 2025 after a one-way, 7-month trip from Earth. ■

Bordeaux tops tourism poll Bordeaux has been voted the top tourist destination in Europe, beating Lisbon and Athens into second and third places. The “European Best Destination” online survey attracted nearly 250,000 votes from across the world, with Bordeaux collecting 17% of the vote, more than any previous winner of the crown.

Notable by their absence some of Europe’s most popular destinations in terms of visitor numbers: Paris, London, Rome and Barcelona. Bordeaux has received a huge tourism boost in recent years after a large section of the city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007 because of its “outstanding urban and architectural ensemble”. Since 2007 the number of visitors to the capital of the Aquitaine region has risen by around 35% to 5 million a year. Although last year’s winner, Porto, has dropped out of the top 10, the city did receive a boost from picking up the trophy in 2014: publicity that has been estimated to be worth €10 million, as well as a 16% rise in visitor numbers. Bordeaux will be hoping to see similar returns over the next 12 months. ■

The Top Ten 1. Bordeaux 2. Lisbon, Portugal 3. Athens, Greece 4. Valletta, Malta 5. Riga, Latvia 6. Zagreb, Croatia 7. Ljubljana, Slovenia 8. Innsbruck, Austria 9. Milan, Italy 10. Brussels, Belgium

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 5

MARCH 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Homestay in Périgord

“Portraits de Familles” is a documentary film introducing the Homestay concept in the Périgord Vert, Dordogne. The Conseil Général of the Dordogne commissioned film director Laura Leeson to make the 25-minute film which is filled with sympathy and humanity. It gives the stage to some Perigordian host-families, and their Homestay guests, promoting their caring profession and the offer of alternative accommodation between your “own” home and a retirement home. To acquaint you more fully with the Homestay concept, “Portraits de Familles” will be shown, followed by a debate, on Monday 23rd March 2015 at 6pm at the Salle des Fêtes of Grand-Brassac. This event is organised by the Conseil Général’s Social Service for the Elderly, in partnership with the CLIC (local information and coordination centre) of the RibéracoisVallée de L’Isle and several local partners. For further information please contact CLIC Ribéracois on 05 53 90 62 62 or at: solidage2@wanadoo.fr ■

Dordogne badly hit by flu

ery few people get through winter without some form of illness, but this year has been particularly bad for flu. As an epidemic took hold in January, the number of cases increased, made worse by the fact that the flu jab being issued this year appeared to have no impact on the virus. The threshold for an epidemic is defined as 177 infections per 100,000 inhabitants for two consecutive weeks, but the start of February saw an average of almost 500 new cases per 100,000 people across the country. At its peak, half a million new cases were being reported per week, with experts still advising that vaccination was the best option, despite the most common strain of influenza recorded being slightly different from the one used to develop the vaccine - making it largely ineffective in as many as 97% of cases. Although accurate figures were not available in the Dordogne, it can safely be said that

the department did not escape the epidemic and healthcare professionals were reporting far more cases than last winter. Whilst the worst is hopefully behind us, the bad news is that the end is not yet in sight. “On average, an outbreak will last around 10 weeks... and this one began in mid-January,” said Noémie Baroux, an epidemiologist with the Sentinelles network of GPs. Neighbouring Limousin was the worst hit region in the entire country, with 1,901 cases recorded per 100,000 inhabitants, far ahead of the next worst

affected regions of ProvenceAlpes-Côte-d’Azur and MidiPyrénées with just over 1,200 cases per hundred thousand. The epidemic was at one point so severe, with two million people struck down by flu, that the health minister, Marisol Touraine, enacted emergency protocols to deal with the crisis. To avoid further spread French health authorities are advising people to follow basic hygiene rules: cover your mouth when sneezing and coughing and avoid close contact with those who are ill. ■

CSF Sale

Cancer Support France, the organisation that supports cancer sufferers and families, wants your junk. “Not just junk,” explained Sarah Barette, secretary of the North Dordogne CSF. “We are holding another bric-abrac sale in Javerlhac on 8th April and we need some stock. We would love to receive good quality clothes, knickknacks, books and so on. This is the time of year for spring cleaning and CSF are asking that instead of just chucking it out, people give their unwanted stuff another chance to do a bit of good.” Sarah and a gang of helpers plan to set up their stall in the Salle Culturelle in the centre of Javerlhac, between 4 and 6pm on the 7th April, ready to launch the sale the next day on the 8th. Donors who are unable to bring their goods at that time should get in touch with Sarah at sarnig@wanadoo.fr, or Nella at nellaprice4@gmail.com Javerlhac lies on the river Bandiat, on the RN75 between Brantôme and Angoulême. Sarah added: “Our last sale was a great success for us and the quality of our goods was often commented on. In these straightened times our done-withs can often find grateful new owners and all the proceeds go towards cancer support here in France.” ■ by Brian Hinchcliffe

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conomy minister Emmanuel Macron’s package of economic reforms aimed at kickstarting the economy have made it through France's lower house of parliament, but not without controversy. The so-called “loi Macron” was due to be voted on by MPs in February, but, fearing a Socialist revolt and a defeat of the landmark reforms, Prime Minister Manuel Valls invoked a rarely-used constitutional device - article 49-3 - to bypass a vote and force the bill through. The bill had initially been expected to pass, despite opposition from within the government, but as the debate progressed there was increasing concern amongst the Socialist Party's leadership that it may not have enough support, resulting in Valls' decision to bypass a vote. “I won't take a risk with a bill like this which I consider essential for our economy,” Valls told deputies amid heated scenes in parliament. “This legislation is important, even essential, to relaunch growth, create employment and to overcome certain blockages in our economy.” By using article 49-3, a tactic that has not been employed in almost a decade, a bill is considered to have passed through parliament, unless opponents file what is known as a “censure motion” within 24 hours, triggering a vote of no confi-

dence in the government. The opposition UMP party invoked this rule, but only 234 mainly opposition MPs voted for the subsequent motion of no confidence, far short of the number required to defeat the government. Despite their anger over the reforms, the left-wing faction of the Socialist Party said they would not go so far as to bring down the government. “Voting for a no confidence motion submitted by the opposition is inconceivable for a Socialist,” rebel MP Nathalie Chabanne said following the vote. “We are still part of the majority and we are still Socialists. I am not going to abandon my convictions simply because I do not agree with a draft bill.” “The French people expect us to act. For us to remove blockages. The main blockage is our tooweak growth. It prevents us from creating jobs, from reducing our mass unemployment that is hurting us so much,” Valls told MPs. “We will continue, with all the means given to us by the Constitution. We will continue to reform without stopping. Without weakening we will continue to advance - for France and for the French people.” The Macron Law contains 200 pieces of legislation, changes that are considered essential by the EU, which has urged France to reform in order to bring down its ballooning budget deficit - currently

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far above European limits. Central to the reform package is a plan to extend the number of Sundays that shops are allowed to open from a maximum of five per year to 12. The changes will also see the creation of “international tourist zones”, such as the Champs-Elysées and SaintGermain areas of Paris, where most of the capital's department stores are based. Businesses in these zones would be permitted to open on Sundays all year round, as well as opening until midnight seven days a week. Employees working between 9pm and midnight will receive double pay and the cost of their travel home, with the employer also required to cover any childcare costs incurred. The changes are not universally popular and the Socialist mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, is a staunch opponent of extending Sunday opening times, describing it as a “backward step for democracy”. The bill also includes provisions to free up France’s strict employment law, and open up

Macron Law passes through parliament

Manuel Valls forced the changes through the lower house certain areas of regulated professions to competition – most notably notaires, bailiffs, and court clerks. These protected professions currently operate with a virtual monopoly and came under attack last year when the Inspection Générale des Finances (IGF) highlighted them as making more money than any other economic sector while at the same time demanding inflated fees for

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services. The IGF said that while these professions are currently making heftier than deserved profits, often thanks to a closed-shop set-up, surveys showed that their level of customer service was “seriously questioned by users”. Coming in for particular criticism in the report were court clerks (greffiers). The average greffier makes a net profit of €44 for every €100 spent by a

consumer, giving him a net monthly income of more than €10,000 per month. The IGF found that the figure bore no relation to the level of education required or risk involved in that particular profession. When the reforms contained in the Macron Law come into force, these professions will be opened up to competition and prices will no longer have a fixed minimum. ■

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NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 7

8 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2015

Baby swap families awarded €2 million

he families of two girls who were accidentally switched at birth 20 years ago have been awarded almost €2 million in damages by a court in Grasse, southern France. The clinic involved in the mix-up was ordered to compensate both women, their parents and their siblings. The families had initially sought €12 million in compensation from the clinic, but the court finally ordered €400,000 for each of the girls, €300,000 for each affected parent and €60,000 for each brother and sister. “I am perfectly satisfied with the ruling because responsibility within the medical chain was acknowledged,” the lawyer for the victims, Gilbert Collard, said following the court battle. The clinic's lawyer, Sophie Chas, said that she could not say for certain whether an appeal would be lodged against the court's ruling. One of the mother's involved, Sophie Serrano, has spoken publicly about the case, but the other family chose to remain silent throughout the legal battle. “It's a relief. We have waited for this for so long,” Ms Serrano told iTELE. The story began in July 1994. Three babies on the same maternity ward were suffering from jaundice, but the unit they were in only had two incubators equipped with the special lights required to treat the condition. The baby boy was placed in one of the incubators and the two girls were placed side by side in the other. After treatment, the girls were then returned to their mothers who raised immediate concerns. Sensing something was

wrong, one pointed out to hospital staff that her daughter had light skin but it now appeared much darker. Staff dismissed her concerns, saying that the difference was due to the effects of the lamps in the incubator. Ten years later, worried by the fact that his daughter had darker skin and bore no resemblance to him, one of the fathers ran a paternity test, revealing that he was not her biological parent. More shockingly, however, fur-

ther tests revealed that neither was his wife the girl's biological mother. A subsequent inquiry established that the two girls had been switched at birth and were growing up in separate families, just 30 kilometres apart. “They took my innocence away,” one of the two girls told Nice-Matin newspaper before the trial. “They took away my dreams, my hopes, my desire to have children.” The two families involved did meet

ten years ago when the mistake was first uncovered, but it was decided that the girls would remain where they were and they did not stay in touch. “I don’t see my biological daughter anymore,” Ms Serrano told Nice-Matin. “The social, educational and cultural differences [between the two families] added to the pain of our unconscious rivalry and took their toll on our relations.” She said that she “instinctively

loved her biological daughter” from the moment she met her and added that although she officially only has three children, “in my heart I have four”. When the baby switch was first uncovered, the families pressed charges against the clinic where it took place, but as the incident occurred more than 10 years previously, the case was dismissed under the statute of limitations. ■

Residents warned against danger of ticks

enerally speaking, the Dordogne has very low rates of crima and is one of the safer departments in the country. There are, however, other risks associated with living in such a rural environment and one of those is Lyme disease. The ticks that carry the disease are most active in the coming months, with April being the peak of tick season. So now is the time to pay most attention to the potential dangers of ticks... and the best defence against Lyme disease is awareness.

Neighbouring Limousin, along with Alsace, has one of the highest rates of Lyme disease in France and the problem has now reached a point where two MPs recently

tabled a motion to parliament aimed at introducing measures to prevent Lyme disease and improving its diagnosis. Despite widespread support from campaign groups, the motion was rejected, with the government saying that the new health laws due to be debated by parliament would take any concerns into account. The move has, however, served to once again highlight the problems that surround this mercurial disease. Lyme disease is an infection that can result from being bitten by a tick that is infected with the borrelia bacteria. This bacteria lives in certain animals, mainly rodents, although some birds and other small animals also carry it. Ticks feed by biting the skin and sucking blood from these animals and so some ticks get infected with the bacteria before going on to bite a human. Ticks cannot jump or fly, but climb on to passing humans from long grass or foliage, so avoiding walks through long grass wearing shorts or a skirt is a good start. The first and most typical symptom of Lyme disease is a rash that spreads out from the site of the tick bite, often resembling a bullseye target. Left untreated, the bacteria can then spread to other areas of the body causing a wide variety of symptoms many months later, including joint pain, heart problems, or nerve/brain problems. Lyme disease can occur a long time after the initial bite from an infected tick (3-30 days, although the average is 7) and the victim may not even have realised they were bitten - around 20-30% of victims do not develop the telltale rash. When further symptoms of the disease do manifest months or even years later, they are wide and varied, making correct diagnosis notoriously diffi-

cult. If you are bitten by a tick, you do not necessarily have Lyme disease - studies suggest that only between 1-7% of ticks carry the disease, so in the vast majority of cases you will still be fine. If you are bitten by a tick carrying the Lyme disease bacteria, you will still not necessarily get the disease. It usually takes 24-48 hours for the bacteria in the tick to pass into your blood system. Ticks are initially tiny and “cling on” to you once they bite you, before sucking up blood and becoming large and swollen. The harmful bacteria are normally carried in their gut, and only travel up to their mouth and into your skin once the tick has fed and become engorged - usually at least 24 hours after the initial bite. So if you regularly check yourself for

ticks and remove any you may find within 24 hours, you are much less likely to contract the disease. There are a few myths surrounding the removal of ticks, but in general terms, always remove them with a tick removal device these are cheap and readily available (see image). Do not try to burn off the tick and do not cover it in petroleum jelly or perfume - although this may kill the tick, it may first cause it to regurgitate potentially infected material into the skin, increasing the risk of transmission of infection. If you are unlucky enough to catch Lyme disease, a course of antibiotics will usually do the trick, but treatment will vary depending on individual circumstances, so as always with medical issues, check with your GP! ■

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 9

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Monopoly sets on sale containing real money

or fans of the board game Monopoly: go to the shops, go directly to the shops, do not pass Go and do not collect €200. That is if you would like to be the lucky person to find a box containing REAL MONEY. In order to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first appearance of Monopoly in France, the game's manufacturers have announced that they have shipped 80 boxes of the popular board game containing real euro banknotes. Ten sets will contain five real 20-euro notes, two 50-euro notes and one 100euro note (€300 in total). A lesser prize can be scooped in 69 sets, which will have five 10-euro notes and five 20euro notes (€150 in total). But one box will contain a full set of euro banknotes, worth €20,580!

“We wanted to do something unique,” said Florence Gaillard, brand manager at Hasbro France, which rolled out the prize sets at the beginning of February. “When we asked our French customers, they told us they wanted to find real money in their Monopoly boxes.” A survey carried out revealed that 50.5 per cent of respondents would like to find real money in the box, with another 26.4 per cent wanting free hotel accommodation at the locations on the board. The operation to switch the notes was carried out in secret in the small eastern town of Creutzwald, where the games are packed up before being shipped throughout France. The company soon came across a problem, however; stuffing the boxes with real banknotes made them bulge slightly,

rance has long fought to maintain the “purity” of its language and battled hard against any linguistic invasions from “Anglo-Saxon” words. In 2006, former president Jacques Chirac pledged to stop the spread of English across the world, and especially in his own country. He also famously led a walkout from a European Union summit in Brussels when a business leader from the French delegation addressed the room in English. “We fight for our language,” said Mr Chirac at the time. “I was profoundly shocked to see a Frenchman express himself in English at the table!” This position looks set to soften over the coming years, however, after the country's National School of Administration (ENA) announced that all future graduates must be fluent in English. Anyone with political ambition in France probably attended the ENA and both Chirac and Hollande are among its alumni. It may be a few decades

Compulsory English for French leaders?

President Hollande does not speak very good English before today's students become tomorrow's leaders, but future presidents should have the requisite English skills to avoid the mistakes of their predecessors. Sarkozy once apologised to Hilary Clinton for the poor weather by saying, “sorry for the bad time” - a poor translation of “temps”, the French word for weather. Hollande was also left redfaced when he famously wrote to Barack Obama in 2012 to congratulate him on his re-election and signed off “Friendly, François Hollande”, mistranslating the informal French word “Amicalement”. More worryingly

in this second instance was that no one on President Hollande's staff had a high enough level of English to spot the obvious mistake before the message was sent. The ENA's director, Natalie Loiseau, confirmed that the changes to the entrance exam, which is one of a number of reforms she has pushed through since taking up the post in 2012, reflected a break with the past. Ms Loiseau said the new competitive ENA exam - with English included - would come into force in 2018, giving potential entrants plenty of time to start learning the language. ■

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although it is believed that this problem was fixed. You will also not be able to tell which boxes contain the real notes by weighing them - there is no discernible difference. “The difference is marginal, unless you turn up at the shop with precision scales,” said Patrice Wimmer, a bailiff called in to count the

money and oversee the packing. Monopoly is the most popular board game in France and there are around 500,000 sets sold each year. The 80 lucky boxes are part of a batch of 30,000 “80th anniversary” editions being distributed - a mixture of classic, junior, electronic and “vintage” Monopoly. ■

Expat online voting registration >> continued from pg 1 eral Election. We need to challenge the misconception that once you’ve moved overseas you can’t take part. Many people can and now it’s easier than ever to take the first step by registering online,” said Alex Robertson, Director of Communications at the Electoral Commission. “That’s why we are urging UK nationals who are now living abroad to take five minutes to visit our website and make sure they will be able to have their say at the General Election in May.” To register to vote, UK citizens

should visit https://www.gov.uk/ register-to-vote The deadline for registration is Monday 20th April. Overseas voters can choose one of three ways to vote after they are registered: by sending their votes through the post, by proxy, or in person if they are certain they will be in their constituency on polling day. If they decide to vote by post or by proxy, a separate application form also needs to be completed, printed, signed and sent to the relevant electoral registration office. The form is emailed to the citizen’s address provided upon their registration. ■

10 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

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rance has a reputation around the world for having a relatively relaxed attitude to sex, which is why there were global headlines in February when the highly anticipated adaptation of E. L. James' erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey opened here. It was not the raunchy nature of the film, or the sadomasochism featured heavily throughout, that gained attention, but rather the fact that it was given a 12 rating. “It isn’t a film that can shock a lot of people,” said Jean-François Mary, president of France's Board of Film Classification, before describing the film as a “schmaltzy romance”. This despite the film receiving an R rating in the US for its “graphic nudity” and “unusual behaviour” and an 18 rating in the UK for “strong sex and nudity, along with the portrayal of erotic role play based on domination, submission and sadomasochistic practices”. France has four ratings for films: U, 12, 16 and 18, but has a history of leniency with regards to sexual content. In the past, the board has issued a U certificate to American Beauty, where Kevin Spacey's character has an affair with his teenage

daughter's best friend, and Eyes Wide Shut, which features a famous sex scene between Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise. Although it has received the highest rating in countries such as the UK and America, many have been disappointed with the “tame” nature of the sex scenes in the film. The film's director, Sam TaylorJohnson, has herself admitted that although the film is true to the best-selling book, it may not be as explicit as people might be hoping for. “The thing that was most difficult was how and where to pepper the sex, and to not make it feel like it was gratuitous,” she said in an interview with The Guardian. “So it had to be a really strong part of the story, and I had to give characterisation to each sex scene, to make them different. I didn't want it to be graphically explicit, and I know that's going to be disappointing to some people.” With the film receiving a mixed reception at best from reviewers, it remains to be seen whether, even though they legally can, 12-year-olds will actually want to watch the film when a Transformers movie is probably showing on the screen next door. ■

Last-ditch WFP bid fails

ast-ditch attempts to reverse the decision to remove the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) from British expats in France has failed after a motion tabled by Conservative MP Roger Gale was not taken up for debate by the government. The new legislation is now due to come into force on 21st September - in time to block payments to expats for the 2015/16 winter. Sir Roger Gale, who had the backing of 19 other MPs, says that he believes the WFP should be means-tested, but accepts that the government has deemed this to be too complicated to implement and will push ahead with its “temperature test”, under which expats in France will lose the WFP. Whilst many would agree that those living in tropical climates should possibly not receive the WFP at the British taxpayer's expense, those of us living in France may question whether it really is that “hot” here in winter. In fact, as details of the chancellor's tempera-

ture test were revealed, it emerged that French expats had reason to be upset. Under the test, the WFP is being withdrawn from pensioners living in countries where the average winter temperature is considered higher than the warmest area of the UK - the south-west of England. An examination of the raw data used by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which was provided by the University of East Anglia, shows clearly that the average winter temperature of France and Corsica is 5.08°C, while the south-west of England is 5.6°C. When pressed, the DWP later admitted that it had included France’s overseas departments (départements d'outre-mer - DOMs). These far-flung places, inhabited by roughly 30 UK pensioners, include tropical islands such as Guadeloupe, Martinique and La Réunion as well as French Guyana in South America, where average annual temperatures are in the mid-20s. By adding these

locations, the average temperature of “France” nudges just above that of Cornwall. The government defended its use of the data on the grounds that the DOMs are considered part of France - and therefore the EU - and that British pensioners living there can claim the WFP. “The French state defines itself as the mainland and its overseas departments. It is not for the UK government to redefine the territory of another EEA member state,” a spokesman said. “I don’t think including the overseas departments is a fair way of assessing the situation,” said Sir Roger Gale following the defeat of his motion. “We all know that there are people in France who do need it, because they are not rich and sitting on yachts drinking G&T, which is the impression that some politicians try to give.” More than 95,000 British pensioners living in France, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Malta, Gibraltar and Cyprus will now lose the annual £100-£300 payment. ■

Fifty Shades is fine for World's favourite selfie spots unveiled French 12 year olds

s smartphones have become more sophisticated and the world has become more connected, the word “selfie” has entered the lexicon of many countries. As people publish more and more details of their daily lives a UK-based ticket booking site, Attraction Tix, has compiled a list of the most popular selfie locations around the world. The research was based on millions of Instagram posts containing the word “selfie” and also mentioning a location or attraction. The most popular location in the world to take a photo of yourself is... the Eiffel Tower! The iconic Parisian landmark just edged Disney World in Florida into second place with the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, making up the top three. France featured elsewhere in the top 10, with Disneyland Paris found to be the 7th most popular spot for a self-portrait. The UK also featured prominently: Big Ben came fourth in the list and London Bridge rounded out the top 10. Buckingham Palace and the London Eye just missed out, coming in at 11 and 12 respectively. ■

World's top selfie spots 1. Eiffel Tower, Paris (10,700) 2. Disney World, Florida (9,870) 3. Burj Khalifa, Dubai (8,860) 4. Big Ben, London (8,780) 5. Empire State Building, New York (8,430) 6. Sagrada Familia, Barcelona (4,970) 7. Disneyland Paris (4,740) 8. Colosseum, Rome (4,670) 9. Top of the Rock, New York (4,290) 10. London Bridge, London (3,820)

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 11

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ne of the country's top bakers has sparked a debate over France's labour laws after being told he is working too hard and must close his bakery at least one day a week. Stéphane Cazenave, who runs a bakery in Saint-Paul-lès-Dax, southwestern France, and last year won “best baguette” at the national Fête du Pain competition, has been told he is in violation of a 1999 decree that states all bakeries must be closed for at least 24 hours each week. “I am angry because in France, people are being prevented from working,” Mr Cazenave said. “We are companies. All we are asking to do is do business, create wealth, and in France, we are blocked by absurd laws and decrees. This means a net loss of €250,000 of revenue per year... I’m going to have to lay off one or two employees.”

Mr Cazenave currently employs 22 staff, all of whom have two days off a week and satisfy all labour laws in terms of working hours and conditions. It is the bakery itself that is at fault under the 1999 decree. The story has been met with reactions that vary from frustration to outrage in a country suffering record levels of unemployment and a stagnant economy. “That work can be seen as a crime in our country and the passion of a craftsman bridled in such a way should be a wake up call for us to the absurdity of our system,” wrote François Fillon, a former prime minister with the centre-right UMP party. François Bayrou, head of the country’s centrist MoDem party and a three-time presidential candidate, agreed with Fillon’s comments: “There’s the impression that the desire to create, to generate new jobs

is poorly viewed in France and sanctioned.” Others have argued that Cazenave’s situation is not about punishing those who want to work more, but rather about safeguarding a specific market. “We are very attached to these decrees,” Jean-Pierre Crouzet, president of the national baker’s confederation, told AFP. “It’s not to prevent people from working but to find a balance and promote product quality.” Crouzet believes that the rule is necessary to promote competition and allow everyone a share of the market, arguing that if every bakery were allowed to remain open seven days a week, then there would be too much supply for the demand. Supporters believe that forcing businesses to close at least once a week encourages competition by allowing customers to shop elsewhere when their usual bakery is shut. ■

Top baker in trouble for working too hard

Freegans guilty of I pity the fool!! stealing old food

hree people found themselves in court recently over a theft that has once again shone a light on the practice of throwing away perfectly edible food. The three “dumpster divers” stood accused of stealing food from a bin outside a supermarket - the food was past its sell-by date and was in the process of being thrown away. For their part, the trio claimed to be “freegans” trying to live outside of a consumerist society. In May last year they were caught red-handed in the courtyard of a supermarket in Frontignan, southern France, with seven 100-litre bags full of perished food. Their illgotten gains included delicacies such as foie gras, which they had scavenged in preparation for a long trip, when a police patrol intercepted them, Le Figaro reported. The defendants argued that they stole the food out of necessity as they would not otherwise have had anything to eat. The French criminal code has a provision that states that acting to protect yourself from imminent danger - death from starvation in this case - cannot be treated as a crime. The judge disagreed and found the trio guilty, but ordered a penalty waiver since their crime didn't involve any public disturbance or damage. They could have faced up to seven years imprisonment and a €100,000 fine. A representative of the supermarket attended the trial as a witness, but the

company didn't press any civil claims. The fact that French supermarkets throw out perfectly edible food has proved a cause for concern in the past, with some reports even claiming that stores had resorted to spraying their perishables with bleach to prevent others from eating them. The law could soon be changing, however, and French supermarkets may be forced to give away their unsold food to charities after draft legislation was tabled recently by a cross party group of MPs. If accepted, the bill would make it compulsory for supermarkets with more than 1,000 m² of floor space to give their “unsold but still consumable food products to at least one food charity”. This would follow a similar move taken by Belgium, which recently

became the first EU country to introduce such legislation. France has been looking at ways to reduce food waste in recent years and figures show that a typical French supermarket throws away some 200 tonnes of food annually. The general public are also surprisingly wasteful, with the average household throwing away between 20-30 kg of food each year, worth €400; an estimated one third of this food has never even been opened! The EU is already looking into changes to “best before” and “use by” dates on certain products in a bid to cut down on food wastage. Many foods, such as dried pasta for example, carry best before dates when they are perfectly safe to eat long after this date has expired. ■

French schoolboy dressed as Mr T sparked a major anti-terror alert in Nice recently when reports came in of a man wielding an assault rifle in public. After receiving several calls, police wasted no time in dispatching units to locate him, scouring CCTV footage in efforts to prevent another feared terror attack. Authorities finally tracked down the culprit, discovering instead a 17-year-old student on his way to a party. Local police later tweeted a picture of the cult 80s character, adding that the student “didn't think of the consequences” of dressing as B. A. Baracus (known as Barracuda in France), and would have to rejoin the party without his plastic gun. Mr T rose to fame in the 1980s playing the musclebound, mohawk-haired, gold chain wearing former mercenary B. A. Baracus in the hit TV show The A-Team. Besides his role on The A-Team, Mr T starred in a number of other films and most notably as the villain Clubber Lang opposite Sylvester Stallone in the 1983 film Rocky III, where he coined the phrase “I pity the fool!” ■

12 ♦ FRENCH LIFE

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Dordogne village is world leader

udolf Nureyev, Kate Moss, Reebok, the National Opera of Paris, the Folies Bergère, the Kirov ballet, Mick Jagger and a pretty Dordogne village! What can possibly link all of the above? The answer is to be found in the story of the astounding success of a maker of dance shoes in St-Médardd’Excideuil, Périgord Vert. Back in 1947, a young dancer in Paris named Roland Petit was suffering agony from his ballet shoes in rehearsals and performances. His mother, Rose, a talented seamstress, studied the existing ballet shoe, considered the basic requirements and set to work creating dance shoes for him that

provided the support and comfort essential for serious ballet. Rose Repetto’s key innovation was her technique of precision inside-out sewing of the shoe providing previously unknown comfort and support. Soon she opened a tiny workshop near the National Opera in Paris, specializing in ballet shoes, followed by a shop on the rue de la Paix. Rose Repetto’s ballet shoes were soon highly prized by professional dancers, including those at the Folies Bergère. Her ballet pumps became a worldwide fashion icon, and were famously worn by Brigitte Bardot in the sensational 1956 Roger Vadim film “And God Created Woman”.

As demand for Rose Repetto’s pumps outgrew her Parisian premises, she chose the Dordogne village of St-Médard-d’Excideuil to create her new production facility. St-Médard, widely known for its apple orchards, also possessed a tradition and expertise for manufacturing slippers, perfect for the Repetto business of high quality, specialist footwear. Rose passed away in 1984 and despite demand from celebrities like Serge Gainsbourg and his “Zizi” shoes, trade began to steadily decline until 1999. As a new century dawned, the former boss of Reebok France entered the business. Jean-Marc Gaucher’s knowledge of

Cécilia puts the finishing touch to a pair of Repetto pumps the shoe industry, coupled with his vision and sharp acumen, reversed the decline and re-established Repetto as a high quality, aspirational brand. Partnerships and associations with many world-class designers such as Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Karl Lagerfeld have once again placed the brand at the top of the worldwide dance and fashion footwear market.

A range of Repetto fashion shoes is today exported today across the world and the ballet shoes are in great demand in Japan, Korea and China especially. In the UK, Mick Jagger and Kate Moss are known to wear Repetto shoes and the company is also developing a wide range of fashion clothes and even fragrances. Meanwhile, in Périgord Vert, almost 200 people

work at the quietly discreet factory by the river Loue, with an additional cohort at the training school in nearby Coulaures. Not only is Repetto a very valuable source of local employment, it is a source of deep pride that Dordogne skills and knowledge play a key role in this highly prestigious success story. ■ by Brian Hinchcliffe

The epidemic that shaped a city

aris may be world-famous for architecture such as the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame or the SacréCoeur, and it is justifiably celebrated as a city of art and culture, but next time you visit this nation’s capital, why not take a trip to a museum that celebrates a human achievement that trumps all else in terms of the impact it had on quality of life, one which shaped the landscape of the Paris that we know today. Beyond a small kiosk located at the Pont de l'Alma, not far from the Eiffel Tower, is Paris’ sewer museum. Paris now has 2,100 kilometres of tunnels and has the capability of processing more than 2 million cubic metres of wastewater each day – but it was not always so. For centuries Paris had grown with no street planning and, after the Revolution, Paris' population exploded in the early 1800s as people entered the city in search of jobs. Before long, the city’s population had doubled to 1 million people and had become a labyrinth of alleys and passages with hundreds of narrow, airless roads clogged with heavy wagons, carriages, horses and above all… people. The majority of these sunless

passages still, as in Medieval times, depended on streams running in gutters down the middle of the street to carry rain, the dregs of stagnant water, garbage, raw sewage and everything else besides to the nearest, hopelessly inadequate, underground sewer. These underground sewers in turn deposited their cargo into the river Seine, from where the population then took their drinking water. More than a quarter of the city's streets had no water conduits at all. It is no wonder then that people started dying. In 1832, Paris’ Hôtel Dieu hospital began to receive a steady stream of patients. They had a wide range of symptoms including apoplexy, fever, chest pains, vomiting and headaches. Most of them were dead within a day or two and before long 19,000 people had died… of cholera. The victims were said to look like corpses in the days before they died, and some had icecold tongues. With hindsight, the cures of the day probably did little to arrest the spread of the disease: a hot bath infused with vinegar, salt and mustard, some lime tea and a sensible diet! “With these precautions, we need not worry about an epidemic,” an official declared with wild optimism in August

1832. As the cholera swept through the city, there was little to be done, but when the outbreak was finally under control, Paris’ town planners did their best to make sure the disaster was not repeated. “Cholera became an important factor in urban planning,” says historian Oleg Kobtzeff. “The idea of wider streets and sidewalks came as a result of cholera, as well as having a proper sewage system.” Streets were widened, pavements were created, more and more sewers were buried and hygiene became the major factor in town planning. By 1870 the rebuilt city had the sunniest, most beautiful and functional streets ever seen, and the results were copied throughout the world. So good were the results, that many areas of Paris have not been altered to this day. In the older parts of of the capital, such as the Latin Quarter, it is still possible to see the grooved gutters, which used to carry the sewage, running down the centre of the streets. Fortunately, these only carry rainwater nowadays. It is safe to say that the Paris of today owes its broad and beautiful boulevards to a devastating outbreak of a deadly disease, 180 years ago. ■

How a newspaper of the time pictured the cholera epidemic of 1832

FRENCH LIFE ♦ 13

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In the garden - jobs for March by Michelle Pierce

Now is the time to plant your dahlias

hat a pleasure it is to say “Here we go again!” with the gardening year really lying in front of us. Now the days are so much longer than they were a few months ago (oh, the joy of seeing your garden when you get home from work!) and the light levels much brighter, things can really get going again. Of course, the dangers of that last minute cold snap are still with us, and the weather in March can be pretty variable, but getting things sown now is really ideal for a lot of veg. Keep some fleece handy, if needed, and remember not to sow all your seed in one go, just in case things don't work out and you want to redo it. Things that weren't done in February should be done now – sow peas and broad beans at the start of the month, plant your onion sets, and your garlic. Many types of leaf vegetable can be sown now - spinach, mustards, land cress, lamb's lettuce, mizuna, celery mustard, radishes and early carrots. You'll be needing your greenhouse or polytunnel now. The spring and autumn really are when they come into their own in our region and are such useful things, so make sure they're good to

go, as weed free as possible, and with the old pots, plants, etc. of last year disposed of usefully, and some fresh compost or manure put down on the beds. But leave the pots of early flowering hyacinths and narcissi in a corner, so the bulbs can profit to the max from the food their leaves are generating. If you want to have them as forced early plants next year, replant them in roomy pots that you can lift and sink these out in the ground when you can, marking the spot with a label. Then you can lift them in the autumn. Otherwise, plant them into corners of beds. Watching bees bumbling around my hyacinth flowers on a sunny day in February, I realised they are an important first source of early food for them, so have decided to plant lots for next year. After the long dry winter, give all the soil of the beds in the greenhouse a good watering, too, to rehydrate it enough that when it starts to warm up in there, the growing conditions are ideal. Out in the garden things are shooting up well, so you can pry off some offsets from clumping things like rhubarb, sorrel, artichokes, cardoons and replant elsewhere. And don't forget to gather your young strawberry runners , if you haven't already done so.

The third week of February saw the shops inundated with begonia tubers, dahlias, gladioli corms, etc. Don't resist temptation or in 6 months' time you'll be envying your neighbour's glorious coloured blooms and saying to yourself “If only I'd bought some”... but be prudent about when and where to plant them if they are cold weather sensitive. Starting many things off in pots is a good solution; they'll make good growth in frost free conditions or a little warmer, and then can be planted out into the ground when all danger of cold has passed. If this isn't what you want to do, delay planting until there is a good spell of weather, and mulch heavily. Young dahlia growth can be treated as cuttings, to give you extra plants for free. The shops also saw trays of tender young lettuce plants, all so lovely and fresh and green. Too early!! If you succumb to temptation, you'll be obliged to put them under cover in a cloche for a while, or a greenhouse. Prune off the summer flowering shrubs like buddleia, and the things that were of winter interest like the coloured stems of the cornus family. Tidy up ragged looking climbers and roses. As you go round your garden, you'll see from the new

growth which shrubs or trees will end up crowding other things later in the year, so a light prune now can be advantageous and help the sunlight and air circulate better. Keep up the fight against the new crop of weeds, especially things like docks, thistles and nettles (whilst remembering to leave a patch for the wildlife). A propos nettles, the young leaves at this time of year are packed with goodness, and are ideal for nettle tea (purin d'ortie) or for picking and drying. Stop any new bramble tips arching over and forming new plants – if you don't have time to dig them out, then cut them back with secateurs to gain a little time. They do regrow quickly, however! And have a look at your boundary hedges. It's getting rather late to do much hedging because the birds will start nesting reasonably soon, but if you have to trim them back, try to do it in the early part of the month. It's pretty much past the time for planting any bare root trees and shrubs. The first of the flowers have bloomed in the garden - the spring bulbs like snowdrops, narcissi, muscari and hyacinth, as well as hellebores, etc. Admire them, pick a few, and remember some will set seed if you don't tidy

them after flowering. This month sees a lot of activity out in the garden – all the old boys can be found tinkering with their rotavators and tractors now, clearing off their veggie patches. However you do yours, aim to start with reasonably weed free soil, but that said, don't leave it bare for long. Clean it and plant it up, or spread something over it (textile, cardboard, etc.) until you're ready. Check your old pea and bean sticks, and if they're too fragile, cut them up for kindling and get fresh ones. Count your tomato stakes and replace broken ones. That will give you the number of plants you'll need to grow or buy. Your seed orders have probably arrived by now, or you've splashed out in the shops. Before you sow them, make a rough plan to see where you will plant the final plants, both the flowers and the veg. This can help clarify how much of anything you're likely to need, helps with staggering sowings, and, really usefully, aids companion planting to increase plant health and productivity. So, get on out there whenever you can. So, good gardening! ■

14 ♦ FRENCH LIFE

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2015

How to deal with the problem of cluster flies

here are 2 types of reader of this particular article, those that have experienced the regular nightmare of cluster flies and those who haven’t a clue why I’m writing about a few flies. Picture this: your rural idyll, but just as you begin to enjoy the warmer days, your house is covered inside and out in flies... thousands of them flying around your loft or bedroom window. Cluster Flies. While annoying to distraction, they are not an indication of poor hygiene. The flies themselves offer little health risk, but when left as a black carpet of dead flies, they emit a sweet smell which can be attractive to rodents looking for an easy source of protein. The life cycle is very dependent on weather conditions. Usually there are two generations per year - MarchApril and September-October - although during particularly hot summers, up to four generations are possible. The adult female lays eggs on and around damp soil and after about a week the larvae hatch. They actively seek earthworms to which they cling before boring through

their body wall, where maggots then develop inside. At or near to the death of the earthworm, the larva bores its way back out and pupates in the soil. They seek shelter in nooks and crannies in houses, forming vast clustering masses around windows, roof spaces and lofts. Often the same house, or building in a row of similar buildings, will be chosen year after year. Control methods for the cluster flies are very difficult; treating the soil is impractical and not ecological. There is little or no point treating external walls, as the first rainfall will wash any product away. Re-pointing holes in walls, placing membrane under the roof tiles, silicone around windows, fly grills or traps will all reduce the possibility of the flies entering your house. Once inside, aerosols and fumigators usually have an excellent rapid knock-down effect but they have no residual effect. Electronic devices to treat cluster flies are generally impractical as they will fill up and clog within a couple of days. Insecticides which have a residual effect are your best

bet; usually found as an emulsion or powder, they can be sprayed or dusted around the windows and frames or where you think they are entering. These products naturally degrade over several weeks and will need to be retreated, but are the only effective method. Caution. Bats, which are a protected animal in France, may be living in areas used by cluster flies. Care must be taken for signs of bats before

Letters to

The Editor

Angered by WFP changes Alan Springett By Email Dear Steve,

received The Bugle by post today, 8th January 2015 and started to peruse the pages, stopping, shocked, at the headline on page 9. Reading between the lines of the Editor's skilful negotiation of a delicate subject, I find it incredulous that the UK government, once again, abandons the indigenous population who have paid their taxes and stamps for most, or all, of their lives in the hope they would be assisted in their retirement, whatever their geographical location. It would appear that its conclusion to terminate the WFP is based on a mean average temperature between the Cornish Riviera and the entire country of France and with the astonishing inclusion of Her colonies. I noted that certain equatorial/ sub tropical areas were included in the calculations. It would appear that Britain's colonies, namely the Falkland Islands, seem to have been omitted - a land where snow flurries are regular throughout the year, lows of -11 deg C are recorded and, notably, temperatures of

-1 deg C have been suffered in July. The 'statisticians' who compiled their report must have breathed a sigh of relief that a British Overseas Territory, namely Antarctica, sporadically -89 deg C, was prohibited from contributing. How fortunate that Réunion Island (a French department, though France will not declare a census on how many French nationals actually inhabit the island) was actually included in the calculations. In April 1982, the British government launched a multi-million pound military campaign to protect 3,000 inhabitants of the Falkland Islands; with the incredible sacrifice and courage of the personnel involved the conflict was a success. I hope that none of those who served, nor any relative of those brave souls, live in France in winter although, according to Osborne, it's hot here. He's obviously never spent a winter in the Berry with no central heating. As the UK government chose the SouthWest instead of, say, the Highlands or the Cambrian mountains, it leaves me with one last comment (and I admit plagiarism): 'There are lies, damn lies and statistics'. Kind regards

Alan Springett

any insecticidal or other treatments are applied. Always read and respect the instructions, they have been written for a reason. DIY products are not professional products and their efficacy might not be the same. For more information on this topic or anything else to do with pest control, please contact Robert Moon from Applicateur 3D:

02 48 60 83 72 06 74 33 02 38 www.applicateur3d.com

Readers beware of this scam Mary Collings By Email Hi Steve,

am writing to inform you and your readers of a scam that my husband and I nearly got caught in. We advertised our van for sale for 800e on a well-known site and got an email reply from a chap called Matt. He said he was buying it for his son and was just what he wanted and said his associate would send us a cheque. We thought it odd that he didn't want to view it, but as we had other things on our minds we dismissed it. A cheque for 2000e arrived two days later, followed by an email from him telling us to pay it in and then asking if we could pay for the transportation out of it. We thought he meant give the driver a

1,200 cheque. Every day we had mail from him asking if the cheque had cleared and when our bank confirmed that it had, we wrote to him thinking he would be arranging a pickup. But no, he wanted us to send 1,200e in cash, via a thing called CPS vouchers, which he said we could get from the tabac. He even sent us a list of those in our area!! He said the transport chap would not accept a cheque. We said we would not do that, but would pay a cheque when the transport arrived. He then kept going on about these vouchers and that's when alarm bells started ringing. We rang our bank to see if this cheque was real and they advised us to wait another 7 days before using the money (something to do with French banking laws). Meanwhile, the emails

kept coming, asking us to send cash via La Poste. He even sent us an address to send it to. We were not at all happy and spoke to a lady at the post office who told us not to do it if we were not sure who it was going to. Now the bells were really loud, so we wrote to him and said we would not do that and asked him to send us an address so that we could send the cheque back and that if he didn't, we would find it out from our bank. No reply, he has since vanished and our bank informed us this morning that the cheque was bad. We had a lucky escape, we could have lost money, hopefully no one else will get caught. Regards

Mary Collings

Expat voting rights petition Alan Thomas By Email Dear Editor I have created an e-petition to the UK government website which you may feel is worth publishing to your British readers, particularly those in the EU who have been out of the UK for more than 15

years – the time limit to still be able to register to vote in UK elections. It is to be found at : http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/74848 Kind regards

Alan Thomas

editor@thebugle.eu - 05 55 41 17 76

PRACTICAL ♦ 15

MARCH 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Death in France and how to deal with it This month, Prune Calonne, English-speaking French avocat and The Bugle’s resident lawyer, will deal with death. I am sure it is the last thing you want to think about if you relocate to France, but here is a reminder of how you should proceed if the worst should happen to a loved one. 1) First things first: Call a GP Find a GP so that she/he can draft a death certificate (“certificat de décès” or “certificat médical constatant le décès”). If the person passed away at home, the GP will sign this document. If it happened at hospital, in a home, or a clinic, the staff GP will sign this certificate. In case of doubt on the cause of death, call 17 (police or gendarmes) to report it. Within this certificate, vital information will be contained for admission into the mortuary “chambre funéraire”, for the transport of the body abroad (if repatriation is considered), if the deceased was suffering a contagious illness (which may prevent cremation), or if the deceased had a pacemaker. 2) Declare the death to the “mairie” or to the “commune” where it occurred This needs to be done within 24 hours of death. If you wish to transfer the body to a place other than where the death occurred, you need to get an authorization from the mairie or the commune where you intend to move the body to. If the deceased was in a home, the authorization from the GP or from the home director is also required. Anyone can declare the death to the mairie or the commune. To do this you will need: • A copy of your ID,

• A copy of the deceased’s ID (driving licence, carte d’identité française, livret de famille, birth or marriage certificate, etc.). Any of these documents will do. The mairie will then deliver an “acte de décès” and a burial permit (“permis d’inhumer”). 3) Planning funerals and how to finance them Time scale: Burials have to take place between 24 hours and 6 days following the death (excluding Sundays and bank holidays) Funeral directors: The last wishes of the deceased have to be respected in terms of the choice between burial and cremation, as well as organ donation. (I will deal with these subjects in an other issue). A funeral director (“pompes funèbres”) has to be chosen and will arrange the funeral from beginning to end. Choose wisely as it is a business like any other and one that is used at a time when most people are at their most vulnerable. Funerals can be very expensive if you do not keep an eye on the budget. The mairie or the commune where you declared the death of your loved one should have given you a guidebook in which local funeral companies are listed. Special deals might have been put into place between the mairie and

these funeral directors. Ask for a “devis détaillé” - detailed quote - from several different funeral companies. If the companies do not wish to answer your requests for quotes on the phone, or do not detail their quotes, do not work with them. If you feel comfortable with them, go ahead; if you do not, leave it. A detailed quote should specify the type of wood used for the coffin, as in certain situations, for instance for repatriation, the coffin has to be specially equipped and zinc coated. The quote has to be free and with no obligation. If you accept the quote, a purchase order (“bon de commande”) will be signed. Budget for funerals: You have to financially plan for indirect expenses such as publication in the press (if the deceased lived in the area for a long time) to let the acquaintances and business partners know, flower arrangements, religious services, gatherings after the funeral, etc. In these difficult times, it can be hard to think how to finance this “event”, but you need to think about it or surround yourself with a good friend or acquaintance that will help you look at the trickier parts. It would be easier if you had a friend who spoke French fluently. There are different ways to “finance” funerals. Commonly, you pay and then ask the deceased’s bank to refund you (other ways will be dealt with in a future issue). On the day a person dies, his/her account is frozen, but a €5,000 limit remains available for the person who will have paid for the funeral. This limit was raised from €3,060 in October 2013. (Arrêté du 25 octobre 2013 relatif au règlement de frais funéraires, L312-1-4

du code monétaire et financier). It seems like a lot of money but it really is not, and that is one reason why you have to keep an eye on the budget. Keep in mind that if you pay in advance for the funeral and there is not €5,000 in the deceased person’s bank account, you will not be able to claim this money back! Only €1,500 of this is deductible from the inheritance tax you will have to pay to the French government. Children of the deceased have to pay for their parents’ funerals, even if they were not close. In the case where the deceased had several children, each will have to pay in accordance with their income. BEWARE: it is the person who signed the purchase order from the funeral director that will have to pay for all the funeral costs. It will then be up to him/her to recover the costs from his/ her siblings. If the deceased had no relatives, then the funeral will be paid by the mairie and will later on be recovered on the estate before the inheritance is divided by the notaire. TO BE CONTINUED... For more information on this or any other topic, please do not hesitate to contact: Prune CALONNE, Avocat au Barreau de Toulouse, 117 route d’Albi, 31200 Toulouse Phone: 05 34 30 51 33 Mobile: 06 74 16 11 12 Email: scpcalonneadouedugast@hotmail.fr Web: www.cad-avocats.com My firm can arrange appointments in CAHORS at our correspondent’s offices. Please do not hesitate to contact us for more details.

French Residence Tax and Healthcare

I have recently retired and would like to make my French house my primary residence as I will be spending more time there than in England. How do you do this? And what are the tax and health care implications?

If you are planning to spend the majority of the year in France, you have to consider the implications of becoming a French tax resident. You are automatically considered French tax resident if your main home (or foyer fiscal) is in France. Alternatively, you would also be considered resident if you spend more than 183 days in France in any calendar year. The main difference between the UK and the French tax system is that you are taxed on a household rather than on an individual basis. This means that if you are married, your tax liability is based on the combined income of both spouses. This can work in your favour, especially if one spouse has a higher income, since you get to utilise the other spouse’s lower rate bands in full. French income tax rates are progressive up to 45%. In addition to income tax, social charges are levied on most types of income (7.4% on pension income and 15.5% on investment income). Under the terms of the UK/France double tax treaty, pension income is only taxable in your country of residence with the exception of government service pensions (e.g. civil service, army or police) which remain taxable only in the UK. Government service pensions are not directly taxable in France but the income is reported on the French tax return and then

a credit equal to the French tax and social charges is applied. If you become French resident at the beginning of 2015, for example, your first obligation to the French authorities will be to complete a tax return in May 2016 for your income for the calendar year 2015. At the same time you would normally complete Inland Revenue form ‘France Individual’ informing the UK of your departure. In the meantime, you should inform the Mairie of your new home and of your decision to stay permanently. If you are in receipt of your UK state pension, you will be entitled to a Form S1 from the Department for Work & Pensions. The form has two significant benefits: firstly, it exempts any UK source pension income from social charges and secondly provides household healthcare cover in France. If you do not qualify for Form S1, you will have to arrange private healthcare cover for at least the first five years of residence unless you enter the social security system by taking up employment or self-employment in France. You also have to consider the implications on any other types of income such as investment income. It is important to note that what is tax-efficient in the UK (such as ISAs) is not tax-efficient if you become French resident. Therefore, leaving the UK and becoming French resident is an ideal time to look at your overall investments. ■ Peter Wakelin is Regional Manager of Siddalls France, Independent Financial Advisers, special-

ised in tax, inheritance, pension and investment planning for the British community in France since 1996. Telephone 05 56 34 75 51 Email: bordeaux.office@siddalls.net Web: www.siddalls.fr

16 ♦ BILINGUAL

LEARNING FRENCH VIA INTERNET

Perhaps you would like to learn French in comfort at home or from your office? You are not in France and you wish to communicate with a native French person for one hour per week? LONG-DISTANCE LEARNING is the answer. You only need internet access and a free Skype account. It can be a one-to-one lesson or you can share the lesson with a person of the same level.

TRANSLATION SERVICES ALSO AVAILABLE

Please contact Sophie Arsac for further information – 05 55 89 15 74 - scarolinea@yahoo.fr

Les Cuisses de grenouille

he British have associated the French with frogs’ legs (or cuisses de grenouille) for hundreds of years. We have been using the term “frog” to taunt our European cousins (in a friendly manner!) since at least the 16th century – in much the same way as the French refer to the British as “les rosbifs”. Records show that frogs' legs were eaten regularly in southern China as early as the first century AD. The Aztecs, too, are known to have enjoyed them. But no further mention of eating frogs’ legs can be found until they appeared in European Catholic church records in the 12th century in… France!

es Britanniques associent les Français aux cuisses de grenouille depuis des centaines d’années. Depuis le 16 siècle, nous taquinons nos cousins européens en les surnommant «grenouilles» (en toute amitié !), au même titre qu’ils nous appellent «les rosbifs». Les archives rapportent que les cuisses de grenouille étaient déjà consommées régulièrement dans le sud de la Chine au premier siècle apr. J.-C. On sait que les Aztèques les appréciaient

The church records show that a group of monks successfully had frogs reclassified as a type of fish. A law created by the Pope had banned people from eating meat on certain days of the year, but fish was allowed, so the monks could continue to eat their favourite food all year round! Frogs’ legs did enjoy a brief moment of culinary fame in Britain when the famous French chef Auguste Escoffier cooked them for the Prince of Wales in 1908. The love affair, however, was short lived. Today, the French consume more than 4,000 tonnes of frogs’ legs every year, but only a small percentage of these originate from France (around

également. Mais il n’en est plus fait mention nulle part jusqu’au 12ème siècle où leur consommation est à nouveau évoquée dans les archives de l’Eglise catholique européenne en … France ! Selon les archives de l’église, un groupe de moines avait réussi à faire reclasser les grenouilles dans la famille des poissons. Le Pape avait interdit à ses fidèles de manger de la viande certains jours de l’année mais le poisson restait autorisé: les moines pouvaient ainsi consommer

70 tonnes). With the loss of natural habitat, pollution and disease, the majority are now imported from countries such as Indonesia and Vietnam. Since 1980, commercial frog farming has been banned in France. Frogs’ legs eaters still claim it is possible to maintain a steady local source of the delicacy, but with fines of up to €10,000 and confiscation of all equipment, the penalties for being caught are serious. These days, a few regional authorities in France still allow the capture of limited numbers of frogs, strictly for personal consumption and provided they are boiled, fried or barbecued and then consumed on the spot. ■

leur nourriture préférée tout au long de l’année ! Les cuisses de grenouille connurent une brève heure de gloire culinaire en Grande-Bretagne lorsque le fameux chef cuisinier français Auguste Escoffier les cuisina pour le Prince de Galles en 1908. Mais l’histoire d’amour fut courte. Aujourd’hui les Français consomment plus de 4 000 tonnes de grenouilles par an. Du fait de la perte de leur habitat naturel ainsi que de la pollution et des maladies, seul un petit pourcentage de grenouilles est issu de France

SIRET 502 409 212 00011 – APE 8559B

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2015

The Bugle thanks French teacher, Sophie Arsac, for the translation of this month's bilingual article on a topical aspect of FrancoBritish culture.

Bilingual Crossword Clues in English - answers in French

Across:

Down:

5. cockerel(3) 6. garbage(7)

1. cheeks(5) 2. meadow(3)

8. meal(5) 9. keys(5) 11. divorced(7) 14. dresses(5) 15. pen(5) 17. jobs(7) 18. friend(3)

3. advertising(9) 4. eggs(5) 7. chickenpox(9) 10. floor(3) 12. apple(5) 13. lead(5) 16. lily(3)

Bilingual crossword solution can be found on page 23 (environ 70 tonnes) et leur vaste majorité est importée de pays comme l’Indonésie ou le Vietnam. Depuis 1980, l’élevage à vocation commerciale des grenouilles est interdit en France. Selon les mangeurs de grenouilles, il existe toujours une source d’approvisionnement stable de ce mets délicat mais les pénalités sont lourdes pour qui se fait «coincer»,

avec des amendes pouvant atteindre 10 000 € et la confiscation de tous les équipements. Aujourd’hui, certaines préfectures françaises autorisent la capture d’un nombre limité de grenouilles, pour une consommation strictement personnelle. Les amphibiens doivent être bouillis, frits ou cuits au barbecue et doivent être consommés sur le champ. ■

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LANGUAGE & GAMES ♦ 17

MARCH 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

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Crossword Clues and answers (page 23) in English

Across: 1. Young person (5) 4. Sharp pointed implements (7) 8. Butterfly larva (11) 9. Exhilarated (8) 10. Yield (4) 12. Humble (6) 13. Ineffectual (6) 16. Movable barrier (4) 18. Drover (8) 21. Glorious (11) 22. Scaling devices (7) 23. Surface boundaries (5)

Down:

1. Luxury craft (5) 2. Articulated (7) 3. Innocuous (8) 4. Disturbances (6) 5. Snakelike fish (4) 6. Big (5) 7. Earnest (7) 11. Sudden unexpected event (8) 12. Sorcerous (7) 14. Mass of frozen water (7) 15. Furniture items (6) 17. Diffident (5) 19. Days of the month (5) 20. Fiend (4)

SEARCHWORDOKU © - by Anthony Parson Complete the alphabetical Sudoku grid to the left using only the letters already shown, then use the result wordsearch grid to find: An English Monarch

How does it work...? Complete the Sudoku grid in the usual manner, using only the 9 letters already shown. Once complete, you will be left with a 9x9 wordsearch grid, in which to find the final piece of the puzzle. See the completed example to the right, the clue for which is "An English county". Be careful not to jump to conclusions, as with the letters available, the answer could be SURREY, SUSSEX, ESSEX, or as it turns out in this case... SOMERSET.

Solution on page 23

SUDOKU - EASY

SUDOKU - MEDIUM

The solutions to this month’s sudokus can be found on page 21

SUDOKU - HARD

18 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2015

Business Directory

Your indispensable guide to finding local businesses & artisans Activities & Leisure

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CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

ADVERTORIAL

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DIRECTORY ♦ 19

MARCH 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

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- Breakdown / Replacement boilers - Emergency plumbing repairs - Full analysed testing

M : 06 72 47 88 00 T: 05 53 20 64 02 E : wellers@orange.fr Registered Artisan - Siret No: 480 857 853 00018

Computers & Satellites

Tel: 05 87 19 91 50 Mob: 07 81 26 88 65

siret : 511 301 038 00036

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

Solve your Internet, wireless and computer problems

- Installation, from kitchen taps to full central heating systems

Web: www.sjcmontluc.fr Email: sjcmontluc@yahoo.fr

BARWICK Harlequin ÉLECTRICITÉ Developments

WiFi Anglais

Email: Stephen@Wisedale.com

No Siret: 402 444 871 00022

Tel : 05 53 56 66 61 / 05 53 91 85 32 24340 Ste-Croix-de-Mareuil

Building Services

Contact David: 05 53 09 42 18

siret: 790 016 984 00011

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

For more information and to start getting those enquires coming: see our website - www.buyfrenchproperty.co.uk call me - 06 77 80 20 68 or email - rod@stayinfrance.fr

La Poutre

Bar & Restaurant

24400 Beaupouyet (N89 between Montpon & Mussidan)

French/International cuisine. Themed nights each Friday: 1st Friday - Curry night 2nd Friday - Quiz night 3rd Friday - Fish n Chips night “best around”!! 4th Friday - Live Music night Open Tue - Fri: 11am - 9pm (except Wed eve) Saturday 6pm - 10pm Sunday 12pm - 3pm, traditional English roasts served For further details call Steve:

05 53 80 29 54

or email: steve.francis24@gmail.com or facebook: Beaupouyet La Poutre siret 537 415 903 00013

Sat-Elec Formerly Electrosat

UK & French Satellite TV

Dishes & Freesat boxes always in stock Terrestrial digital aerial installations From a single outlet to multi-point systems

TOOWAY BROADBAND Approved Supplier

Wi-Fi, Data Networks, CCTV For sales, service or advice call Mike G on:

05 55 09 15 73

We only use our own qualified staff No call out charge Free quotations All areas covered Quality work from qualified Staff 5 Place de la Republique Sauviat-sur-Vige 87400 siret no 798 364 600 00014

The Dordogne Chippy Traditional Fish & Chips in a town near you All venues are in the evening between 6pm & 8.30 pm Monday: Le Champsac (every other week) Tuesday: Tremolat Wednesday: Star Inn, Périgueux Thursday: Eymet Friday: Lauzun

(except the last Friday of the month when it is Daglan)

See our website for full details:

www.thedordognechippy.com 05 53 74 01 91 or 06 19 99 25 62 siret: 444 925 630 00014

20 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2015

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 20,000 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)

€162

(€13.50/month)

€144 €162

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

€216

(€18/month)

€243

(€20.25/month)

€216

Small Directory Ad 46mm x 46mm (Actual Size)

30 words max

€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.

Karen’s Kitchen Catering for you in the Dordogne

Specialising in home-made pastries: Sausage rolls, Pasties - Cornish, Cheese & Onion, Steak & Stilton, Vegetarian & Chicken. Eccles cakes. Scones made to order. All prepared and baked daily on the premises you cannot get fresher! Bacon, cheese, bread, tea bags & tinned produce all in stock. Find me at your local market: • Tue - Le Bugue • Thu - Eymet • Fri - Le Buisson • Sat - Villereal • Sun - Issigeac

www.karenskitchen24.com email: karenskitchen24@gmail.com

Health & Beauty

Gifts & Crafts

● HAIRSTYLIST ● COSMETICIAN ● MAKE-UP ● MASTER ARTISAN

ENGLISH SPOKEN • Air-conditioned • Shiatsu massage chair

Tue - Fri: 9h - 19h, Sat 9h - 17h

Tel: 05 24 13 65 58

sarldesouchevicente@sfr.fr 47, rue du Gén. de Gaulle, 24660 Coulounieix Chamiers

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Pest Control

Dyal Consulting

Your partners for peace of mind While you’re away, we can look after your house, check for weather damage, perform small maintenance jobs, take care of the garden, get your home ready for winter. On your return, we can prepare your house, stock up on groceries, etc... everything to make your arrival stress free. We are here to keep your house alive throughout your absence and to make your life easier! Call your concierge today:

07 77 95 31 36

Property Sales

3D Puzzle Maker

Tel: 05.55.80.29.88 Les Bregères, 23150 St-Martial-le-Mont alison.petley@wanadoo.fr

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

Transport, Removals & Storage

DSD Removals & Storage The Removal Experts France ↔ UK

Dératisation, Déinsectisation, Désinfection

02 48 60 83 72 / 06 74 33 02 38 www.applicateur3d.com Email: info@applicateur3d.com Curative and preventative rats, mice, moles, flies, woodworm, bed bugs, fleas, wasps, hornets

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

Short ‘optimised’ web videos in English and/or French for your property sale or your business. Contact Joanna:

www.VideoProFrance.com Te: +33 (0) 6 99 07 64 28 contact@videoprofrance.com

Efficient parking for all types of vehicles Book now!!

www.parkinglimoges.com

06 13 38 59 68 05 55 14 49 45

General

CARPET / UPHOLSTERY CLEANING Specialists in all carpet and upholstery cleaning

06 32 32 64 54 / 05 53 58 00 98

info@dsdremovalsltd.com

Eco Entrepot

www.dsdremovalsltd.com facebook.com/DSDRemovals

Central France Pest Control

Parking For Limoges Airport

• All risk insurance cover • Part loads & dedicated lorries • Professional staff & modern vehicles • Every vehicle from a Luton van to a full removals lorry

+44 (0)1274 724 545

Ivan Petley

Handmade, fully interlocking, multi-layered 3D puzzles from just €9. Keyrings €2 plus other unique gift ideas. Customisation and personalisation possible. Postal delivery options across France.

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

05 53 74 01 91 or 06 01 31 07 47

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Property Maintenance

Man & Van Transport

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

sales24@thebugle.eu

05 55 33 21 59

05 55 41 17 76

www.frenchvanman.eu

87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres Siret 530 213 644 00012

PROCHEM trained and Qualified

10 years UK experience - Covering depts 24/47/33

email lucidservices24@gmail.com siret: 512 614 306 00011

aka The Shed

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

05 55 68 74 73 Open every day except Monday

SOS Help

anxious? stressed? feeling down? call us up!

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

www.soshelpline.org

COMMUNITY ♦ 21

MARCH 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Beynac Le Fleix Les Eyzies Ste-Alvère

Beaumont du Périgord Bergerac Brantôme Cénac-et-Saint-Julien Lanouaille Le Bugue Mareuil Neuvic Ribérac Salignac Eyvigues Thenon Trémolat Villefranche-de-Lonchat Bergerac Hautefort Jumilhac-le-Grand La Tour Blanche Montpon-Ménestérol Montignac Périgueux

We are able to consider assisting financially in numerous ways. For more information contact: Mary Hughes - Case worker France, Elizabeth Finn Care tel: 04 68 23 43 79 or visit: www.elizabethfinncare.org.uk and: www.turn2us.org.uk

Managing Editor: Steve Martindale Editor-in-Chief: Steve Martindale Registered Address: Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois France SIRET: 514 989 748 00017 Printed by: Charente Libre 16340, L’Isle d’Espagnac France Monthly circulation: 11,000 copies All copyright, unless stated otherwise, is reserved to The Bugle. Reproduction in whole or part of any text without permission is prohibited. Dépôt légal à parution.

Saturday

Agonac Beaumont du Périgord

Directeur: Steve Martindale Rédacteur-en-chef: Steve Martindale Siège Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois France SIRET: 514 989 748 00017 Imprimé par: Charente Libre 16340, L’Isle d’Espagnac France

Tirage mensuel:

11,000 copies

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

EASY

MEDIUM

Bergerac Couze St Front Daglan Issigeac Pontours Pressignac-Vicq Rouffignac Sarlat Sorges St Cyprien St Génies St Pardoux la Rivière

editor@thebugle.eu

Registered charity Elizabeth Finn Care is able to offer direct financial assistance to British and Irish nationals or residents who live overseas. We ensure

1. Are British or Irish residents or nationals. 2. Are living on a low income or means-tested benefits. 3. Have formerly been employed in one of a wide range of qualifying occupations. Have, or have had, a partner employed in a qualifying occupation.

Sunday

Bergerac Brantôme Cubjac Le Buisson Ribérac Sarlat Sigoulès Vergt

Wednesday

We understand that life can be difficult for expats living away from the UK and that sometimes assistance is needed. We will listen and try to help when that help is needed. As I am sure you realise, there seems to be this popular misconception that expats living outside of the UK live in large houses with hectares of ground and that nobody ever has problems. As we all know this is far from the truth and even the best laid plans can fall apart due to sudden changes in health, bereavement, family breakdown or a host of other unforeseen problems.

Friday

Thursday

Tuesday

that our help does not affect any means-tested payments. Briefly we can consider assisting those who:

Domme Excideuil Eymet La Coquille Lalinde Monpazier St Astier St-Julien-de-Lampon Terrasson

Belvès Bergerac Lalinde La Roche Chalais Le Bugue Montignac Mussidan Neuvic Nontron Périgueux Razac Sarlat St Aulaye Thiviers Verteillac Villefranche du Périgord

Piégut Pluviers Razac Sarlat Siorac-en-Périgord Vélines

05 55 41 17 76

Monday

Market Days

HARD

AQUITAINE CHURCH SERVICES – MARCH 2015 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 the Chaplain: Revd Dr Paul Vrolijk T: 05 53 23 40 73 E: paul.vrolijk@gmail.com Friday 06 March 18:30 World Day of Prayer – Ribérac Hospital Chapel SUNDAY 8 MARCH 10:30 Holy Communion – Bertric Burée 10:30 Morning Worship – Eymet Temple 10:30 Holy Communion – Limeuil 10:30 Family Service – Négrondes Wednesday 11 March 11:00 BCP Holy Communion – Bertric Burée SUNDAY 15 MARCH 10:30 Family Service – Bertric Burée 10:30 Holy Communion – Chancelade 10:30 Morning Worship – Limeuil 11:00 Holy Communion – Sainte Nathalène Thursday 19 March 10:30 Holy Communion - Limeuil SUNDAY 22 MARCH 10:30 Holy Communion – Bertric Burée 10:30 Holy Communion – Limeuil 10:30 Holy Communion – Négrondes SUNDAY 29 MARCH 10:30 Prayer and Praise – Bertric Burée 10:30 Holy Communion - Chancelade 10:30 BCP Holy Communion – Limeuil Monday 30 March 17:00 Compline Prayers – Bertric Burée Tuesday 31 March 17:00 Compline Prayers – Bertric Burée

22 ♦ WHAT’S ON

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2015

Brillez mirettes !

Château de Nontron, 29th January - 14th March Exhibition of illustrations for children. Free entry. Open Mon-Sat from 10h-13h & 14h-18h. For more information visit www.metiersdartperigord.fr

Sarlat Goose Festival - Fest’Oie – Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th March, Place de la Liberté For the 7th consecutive year, Sarlat celebrates its favourite animal. With its noisy flocks of geese honking their way through the medieval town, countless stands offering regional produce, carcass soup (a local tradition) to warm visitors up, music from the banda, workshops and demonstrations by farmers and artisans, and free entertainment for the children, there is something for everyone! Not to mention the great banquet. Not to be missed, this gastronomic feast offers foie gras in abundance, prepared by the best sarladais chefs. 750 diners will sit down to this unforgettable meal on Sunday at 12h30. To reserve contact the Sarlat tourist office tel 05 53 31 45 45. For more information about the events visit www.sarlat-tourisme.com/fetes-et-manifestations/festoie

Brantôme Police Horses and Friends Mothering Sunday Open Afternoon And Cream Tea Sunday 15th March – 15h to 18h Why not join us for a Mothering Sunday Open Afternoon with a lovely Special Afternoon Tea and treat your mum, wife or just yourself. We shall hold the tea in the house with white linen, vintage cups and saucers and a proper tea of sandwiches, cakes, scones and clotted cream. A little like The Ritz but not quite!! This must be booked in advance as places will be limited. Parties of two to eight catered for and the cost will be 12 euros per adult and 8 euros per child for members and 15 euros per adult and 10 euros per child for non-members.

Music Quiz and Curry Night Friday 27th March – 19h to 23h Back again by popular demand. Anyone wishing to come to this, please let us know well in advance. Parties of two to eight welcomed but an ideal number for a table is 6 people. If only two of you - no problem, we will do our best to put you on the winning team!! As usual all proceeds go to caring for retired UK police horses. For more information on these events visit www.brantomepolicehorses.com

WHAT’S ON ♦ 23

MARCH 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Le Carnaval des Familles

Sunday 15th March, Bergerac This year’s Carnival has chosen the theme “Voyage sans frontières”. There are two parades, on the left and right banks of the river: Departure Left Bank - rue Van Gogh at 13h15; Departure Right Bank - Maison du quartier - Salle René Coicaud at 13h30. The festivities start in place de la République at 14h30 with lots of entertainment for the whole family.

Croquez Sarlat Lunchtime guided walking tour (in French) on Thursday 26th March at 12h30. Meet in front of La Maison de la Boétie in the medieval centre of Sarlat. Eat’n’stroll or just stroll. This 45-minute tour concentrates on “Le canton de la guerre” in Endrevie. Walks in March, April and May tour the city districts, in June to September they reveal writers’ Sarlat and in October to December they take a look at Sarlat’s architectural gems. This is a year-long series (more information page 3), starting at the same time and same place, every last Thursday of the month. For more info contact the Service du Patrimoine on 05 53 29 82 98 / 05 53 29 86 68 or at dacruz.karine@sarlat.fr

“Run for your Wife” by Ray Cooney

Directed by Joan Wall Issigeac Château 26th - 28th March. Curtain up 19h30 John Smith is London cabbie with his own taxi, a wife in Streatham and another in Wimbledon! He is a successful, if a little tired, bigamist for three years, until one day he is taken to hospital with mild concussion. Aided by unwilling family friend, Stanley, John tries to cope with a succession of well-meaning but prying policemen, two increasingly irate wives and others until he finally has to confess to the truth.

The Leeds University Union Big Band Spring Concerts This is the 18th year that the Leeds University Union Big Band have come over here for the “Tour de France” (or at least here in our bit of Gascony). In the early years, audiences were made up of a few English, Dutch and French friends, nowadays the 4 concerts are always a sell-out The 22 expert instrumentalists will be bringing the same professional sound as before but the old hands will insist that “they get better every year”. It is worth pointing out that the members of the band pay for all the expenses, including coach hire, travel and accommodation. They raise money through concerts they give in England, the sale of their most recent CD and the funds they raise through raffles and donations they receive at concerts here. For an entertaining evening of dancing and listening to jazz and swing, why not come to one or more of the following concerts: Wed 1st April at 21h Salle des Fêtes de St-Vivien (between Villeréal, Monflanquin & Cancon). Entrance €6. Bar, Tombola. For more info contact Liz & Michael - 05 53 36 47 99 michael.avery@nordnet.fr Thurs 2nd April at 19h SSAFA, Salle des Fontaines, Castillonès. Entrance €10. Please bring a picnic. For more info contact Kathleen – 05 53 36 65 49 kathgaineycamp@yahoo.co.uk Sat 4th April from 19h Eymet Cricket Club, Salle Polyvalente, St Colomb-de-Lauzun. Entrance €10€. Please bring a picnic. For more info contact Ian Brown ibhovis@gmail.com Sun 5th April at 20h Monte Cristo Restaurant (Castillonès/Villeréal road). Book a meal in the restaurant or just have a drink at the bar. For more info contact Mireille 05 53 36 65 78 raou@wanadoo.fr

The Creation, an oratorio written by Haydn between 1796-1798, is considered by many to be his greatest masterpiece. The first performance was given at the end of April 1798. It was a private performance, by invitation only, but apparently hundreds of hopeful people without tickets crowded the streets, eager to hear the much anticipated work. The vocal ensemble VARIATIONS hopes that hundreds of eager people will be filling the churches in Ribérac and Périgueux to hear their performances and extend a warm invitation to you to come along to enjoy this wonderful choral work accompanied by orchestra. As in recent years, Alison Chew and Paul Faulkner, musical directors for this work, will pass the baton to our ever-popular visiting conductor, John Jenkins. Performance details: 10th April 20h Périgueux - Eglise Saint Georges. 11th April 20h Ribérac - Eglise Notre Dame de la Paix. Entry: €15 adults, €5 children aged 12-16, Under 12s free. Tickets can be reserved by contacting Valerie Wareham: 05 53 90 62 03 - Email: valeriewareham@me.com

24 ♦ WHAT’S ON