The Bugle Dordogne - Mar 2018 by The Bugle

Wolf population set to grow by 40% The government has unveiled a plan to allow the number of wolves in France to grow to 500 by 2023

>> Page 10

November 2016 - Issue #85

Dordogne

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March 2018 - Issue 57 - FREE!

Victory in expat EU citizenship bid A group of British expats in Holland have won a major legal battle and had their case referred to the European Court of Justice. The group claim their EU citizenship

Warning for mobile phone users - page 11

Motorists pulled over for good driving - pg 3

The French economy is booming - pg 7

rights should remain post-Brexit. group of campaigners for British expat rights postBrexit have scored a major victory after a court in The Netherlands agreed to refer their case to the European Court of Justice. The campaign group “Brexpats: Hear Our Voice” brought a case against the Dutch government last month arguing that the government - and by extension France and the rest of the EU - was wrong to take the view that Britons will cease to be EU citizens after the UK leaves the European Union. The court in Amsterdam agreed with their request and now a panel of judges at the European Court will be asked two questions: 1) Does the withdrawal of the United Kingdom

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from the EU automatically lead to the loss of the EU citizenship of British nationals and thus to the elimination of the rights and freedoms deriving from EU citizenship? 2) If the answer to the first question is ‘no’, should conditions or limitations be imposed on the maintenance of the rights and freedoms to be derived from EU citizenship? The exact wording of questions that will be put to the judges is currently being drawn up and will be finalised in the near future. A spokesman for the campaigners said: “We are grateful to the court and obviously delighted with the decision. However, this is just the first step in clarifying what Brexit

Fraud enquiry over Nutella riots - pg 10

The Bugle Business Directory - pg 15-17

>> continued on page 8

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2 ♦ IN THIS EDITION

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s I write this the “Beast from the East” is busy bringing the UK to its knees. Ever since I left the UK, I have a little chuckle whenever the mercury dips below zero and infrastructure grinds to a halt north of the Channel. It’s become a habit of mine to find online articles about “The Big Chill” when it arrives in its various guises - and it is most years to be honest - before heading below the line and into the dreaded comments sections. I know that way madness lies, but it can be quite amusing. It’s always full of Englishspeaking readers from elsewhere in the world saying how they grew up north of the Arctic circle and never missed a day of school in their lives, or how the only time they did miss school was because the snow unexpectedly melted and the country ran out of normal tyres. I do understand that it costs a lot of money to maintain a fleet of snow ploughs year-round for the few days a year when they might be needed. If you have no experience of driving on snow and/or you don’t have allweather tyres on your car, it can indeed be treacherous on the roads, but sometimes it gets taken too far. There was a story a few years back which generated some classic quotes in the comments section when loads of schools closed because there was a threat of frost later in the day and local authorities were worried

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about being sued if parents slipped on the pavement when coming to pick up their children. Bonkers! The articles were accompanied by sunny shots of school gates, without a snowflake flake to be seen, and a notice saying “Closed due to threat of bad weather”. To be fair, it does look like the UK got a fair old covering of snow this time around, but the images of empty, ransacked supermarket shelves would make you think the next Ice Age had arrived and Armageddon was heading our way. I should say that this is far from a uniquely British thing - see the Great Butter Shortage of 2017 that had the French stripping the shelves of every available pack! I always notice on bank holidays in France that if the shops are going to be closed on a Thursday, for example, the supermarkets are unusually busy - and the shelves unusually empty - on the Wednesday afternoon, almost as if people don’t trust that they’ll actually ever open again. I don’t want to come across as a nihilist, but episodes of panic buying do lift the lid ever so slightly on how fragile our seemingly peaceful societies are. If everyone just carried on as normal, there would be plenty to go around. But the minute there is a threat of shortage, the selfish gene kicks in, it’s every man (or woman) for themselves and panic ensues. I’ve heard it said that we’re only ever 48 hours away from anarchy... what a

www.chateau-lestevenie.com 06 48 62 23 73 scary thought! There was a really interesting piece this month about a local 13-year-old who has just become the youngest person to cross the Atlantic in a racing boat (see page 10), and this got me thinking about risk. What a fantastic opportunity for a young boy, who was already obsessed with sailing, to take on such a huge challenge. The adventure will have lit a spark in him and he will no doubt now go on to have a career on the water. I suspect I would have leapt at the chance to do something like that when I was a teenager, but not only do I lack any determinable skill as a sailor, my folks would NEVER have let me. The parents of the family in question had already taken their children out of mainstream education to homeschool them whilst sailing round the coast of France for six months - and the youngest was just one! so I suspect that they are not your average family. I was not a devil-may-care adrenaline junky in my youth, but I was far less risk-averse than I am now as a father. When I look back at the things I am most proud of in my life, or the moments I treasure the most, the majority would never have happened without a (sometimes large) degree of recklessness. It is therefore hypocritical of me to instinctively want to prevent my children doing exactly the same things. If one of my kids was obsessed with space and Richard Branson offered to take them up in the first ever Virgin Galactic tourist flight, I hope I would say yes, even when every fibre of my being would be saying, hell no! I jumped out of a plane in my twenties, something which is quantifiably not actually that dangerous, but would I pay for one of my kids to go skydiving for

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their sixteenth birthday? I guess I hope so... but probably not and I think that would be wrong of me. As an aside, jumping out of a perfectly good plane remains the scariest thing I have ever done and I have no desire to do it again. I was incredibly proud of myself, but I did also disprove the theory that doing the thing that scares you most cures you of that fear... I still get vertigo changing a lightbulb! Until next month! Steve Martindale, Editor

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INSIDE this edition

3-5 Local News 6-11 National News 12-14 French Life 15-17 Directory 18 Community 19-20 What’s On

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LOCAL NEWS ♦ 3

MARCH 2018 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Gendarmes pull over Dordogne Protecting your home motorists... for good driving!! while you're away

rance has been battling road safety over recent years and the government has introduced a raft of measures aimed at reducing the number of deaths on the country’s roads. The latest move is to reduce the speed limit from 90 km/h to 80 km/h on departmental roads (see last month’s edition of The Bugle). While many motorists complain about increased regulation, gendarmes in the Dordogne have taken a different approach, preferring the carrot to the stick. During February, four drivers were pulled over... and given a €50 voucher for petrol as a reward for good driving! The move, in association with France Bleu Périgord radio station, was part of an initiative set up by the local prefecture and Gendarmerie. It came in the wake of a series of measures announced by the government in January aimed at reducing the number of fatalities on France’s roads, but which also included ways to reward good drivers. “With a punitive approach, with repression and more local police checkpoints, we felt that we were still not dealing with the issue in its entirety, and that it would also be good to single out people who drive well, who are attentive, who think of others,” explained the department’s prefect Anne-Gaëlle Beaudouin-Clerc, the top government official in the Dordogne. Gendarmes followed a number of drivers for around 15 minutes, checking if they stopped at pedestrian crossings, made proper use of indicators when turn-

ing, kept well within the speed limit, and generally drove in a manner that showed they were taking other drivers and pedestrians into consideration. The “winning” drivers were then interviewed by a France Bleu journalist accompanying the gendarmes. “I didn’t think I had broken the law, but thought maybe there was something wrong with the car, like a faulty headlight,” said 46-year-old Pierre Pecouyoul, who was the first driver stopped whilst on his way to work in Montpon from Périgueux, a journey he has been doing morning and evening for 17 years. The operation will be repeated five more times during the year, with a further four drivers rewarded on each occasion. In December all the drivers will be invited to a ceremony at the prefecture. “We must get away from the idea that road safety is only about punishment. We often hear that it is impossible to do so, but this operation shows the opposite,” said the department’s prefect. ■

oing away on holiday is supposed to be a relaxing time, but how many of us have lay by the pool and worried about the security of our home. Many will leave keys with neighbours or ask a friend to check on the house and feed the cat, but there is always the niggling worry that less wellmeaning people will notice that your house is empty. It is for this reason that the Police Nationale and Gendarmerie Nationale run a programme called Opération tranquilité vacances throughout the year. Under this scheme, homeowners can inform the local police that they are going away on holiday and officers will perform regular checks on their property. The system works well and statistics show that your house is less likely to be burgled during your absence if you take part, but local police and gendarmes now have a digital tool at their disposal to further improve the efficiency of the scheme. The new application “Néogend” allows officers to see

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the location of the properties they are keeping an eye on in real time. “As well as showing us where a property is, the application also allows us to see when it was last checked,” explained local gendarme Régis Bourdoux. “We can now see if a property was last visited 24, 36 or 72 hours ago. This allows us to effectively prioritise our routes.” If you are going away on holiday, the advice from police remains the same: ask someone to regularly pick up your mail; put a bit of life into your house by having a neighbour open the shutters every once in a while; and don't leave a message on your answer phone saying when you will be away. In these days of social media, there is one final piece of common sense from the Gendarmerie: “Don't announce your holiday on social media. Burglars are patrolling the internet for targets.” To take advantage of Opération tranquilité vacances, contact your local Gendarmerie or register online via www.service-public.fr. ■

4 ♦ LOCAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2018

et them eat cake was the advice Marie Antoinette supposedly gave to starving Parisians, before Madame Guillotine took her own slice out of her during the French Revolution. In the Dordogne this February, the cry might well have been “Let them make cake”. One industrial bakery in the department is doing just that, both for the bun lovers of France and the benefit of the local economy. The SaintMichel biscuit factory in Champagnac-de-Belair is already a massive contributor to local employment in the area, but has now begun a new cake

production line. The bakery is recruiting 40 new staff to make up a new team dedicated to the production of iconic madeleine cakes. Saint-Michel have been in the biscuit and cake business for over a hundred years, combining tradition and innovation. Head-quartered in Contres, Loir-et-Cher, their signature confection is the Galette Saint-Michel. The company logo is the chicken, symbolising their traditional, totally French, agricultural, wholesome roots. Not only are Saint-Michel products ubiquitous in France, they are also exported to 33 countries

Local policeman saves drowning dog

he morning of the first Tuesday in February was a dismally cold and wet day in the Dordogne. The Vézère, running through Terrasson, was overflowing that grey day, with an air temperature only just above freezing, when a local woman was taking her dog for its usual walk by the river. Unaccountably, the 5-year-old Belgian Shepherd, named Harwen, jumped onto the parapet of the old bridge near the Mairie and then plunged into the freezing waters, fast and deep after heavy rain. Fortunately, there was a municipal police officer on foot patrol nearby. Hearing the dog owner’s cries of distress, officer Julien Malbec ran to the scene where he saw that Harwen was trying to swim towards land but was being carried away by the current, clearly in some distress and suffering from the effects of the icy water.

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The fire brigade had been summoned but Julien, from his position on the riverbank, was attempting to attract and encourage the animal to the side. Unfortunately, by now Harwen was in danger of drowning. Despite the cold, Julien plunged in the river, grabbed the dog by its harness and brought it back to land. “Believe me, it was really cold!” admitted Julien later. “But the dog’s mistress was so upset I just had to have a go and try to save it.” Harwen survived her ordeal and was taken immediately to the vet’s. To the relief of her mistress she was none the worse after a session under heat lamps. As for the brave police officer, following a hot shower, he was back on patrol that very afternoon after his star role in this heartwarming little drama. ■ by Brian Hinchcliffe

Remembrance service for WWII RAF crew

credit: Brian Hinchcliffe

Let them eat cake!

around the world. The Champagnac plant is one of only three sites in the bakery group which have been selected to produce this delicious sponge confection, enjoyed in France since the 1700s. Just ask Proust! Olivier Tamain, general manager of Champagnac’s Saint-Michel factory, is understandably delighted at the confidence shown by the group’s multi-million euro investment. “We are aiming to produce 40,000 madeleines every hour with a target of 18,000 tonnes a year,” he explained. Olivier’s HR team is now busy recruiting machine operators, fork lift drivers and production personnel. ■ by Brian Hinchcliffe

Flt Sgt. John Reid (centre) with memorial re-enactment group “La mémoire de nos pères” This year, about 50 people joined Dordogne village has paid the town’s mayor, Gilles Motard, inits moving annual tribute cluding civic dignitaries, representato an RAF crew who died in action in the commune. tives of the Resistance and local people paying their respects. During the night of 15th/16th Feb RAF representative Flight Serruary 1944 a Short Stirling bomber geant John Reid, the president of the of Squadron 199 took off from RAF RAF Association South West France Lakenheath in Suffolk on a mission branch, accompanied by an RAF Poto drop arms and supplies to Resistlice veteran, gave a short address and ance fighters in the South West of laid a wreath of flowers. France. For reasons unknown the The poignancy of the occasion with plane crashed at Boirac near Vergt. speeches, flags, the two national an The crew of seven British and Austhems and the “Song of the Resistance” tralian flyers who died that night are was heightened by the attendance of a commemorated on a handsome mehistorical group, “La mémoire de nos morial plaque erected by local people pères”, who re-enact the Resistance and their memory is honoured by the fighters of that critical time. ■ commune every year on the anniversary of the crash. by Brian Hinchcliffe

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LOCAL NEWS ♦ 5

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t’s a problem worldwide for small businesses. Busy entrepreneurs everywhere, concentrating on delivering their goods and services, haven’t enough time to really work on their relationship with customers. A Dordogne animal charity is organising a one-day workshop for small businesses, single traders and one-person enterprises to help fix this vital problem. Roland Phillips, owner of Brantôme Police Horses, the Dordogne’s retirement ranch for UK police horses, explained to The Bugle: “Our business is to be a sanctuary for horses. Horses are hugely expensive to look after and it’s hard work. We need to keep close to our supporters, visitors and customers to be able to run the sanctuary on proper business lines, and also to be able to find the time to do it well. “In Yorkshire, we found the perfect people to help us, at Creative Analysis, based in Huddersfield. They specialise in teaching techniques that will help us to become more efficient, save time and effort, and get more actively involved with our customers. These skills will make us better at what we do and get more of it done. Happier horses!”

To help other English-speaking small businesses get the same boost, Roland is offering places at a workshop seminar at BPH, run by Paula Atherill and Gina Battye working with Creative Analysis, UK leaders in CRM (Customer Relationship Management). The Yorkshire team have many years experience in helping small businesses turn themselves around and grow. Paula has expertise in efficient use of data and IT in a vast range of business activities, while Gina is an internationally acclaimed speaker, columnist and business coach, teaching the best ways to get, keep and cultivate customers through strategies and communications. “This is not a jolly,” Roland added. “It’s for serious businesses and the learning and tools will more than justify the €50 donation and €5 for the working lunch. All surpluses after costs go direct to the horses’ welfare.” Gina and Paula learned about the Sanctuary from Dordogne businesswoman, Joy Milton. As an owner of a 5-star gîte, Joy managed to put together an attractive deal for Paula and Gina through local donations. “We are so lucky to be able to persuade the crème de la crème of business

consultants to come to the Dordogne and deliver this workshop,” Joy said. “And all profits from participants’ donations will go directly to care for the horses.” “We heard from Joy about BPH and as we are both very keen on animal welfare and supporters of animal charities in the UK, we were pleased to get involved,” explained Gina. “Like very many small businesses, the Sanctuary needs what we can teach. That means practical, technical skills in e-marketing and social media. They need the latest in business technology and strategies, Cloud management and how to stop wasting time and effort. All absolutely essential for every small business.” The Creative Analysis team will teach workshop members how to apply these skills to their own business and stress that small enterprises and owner operators stand to get major benefits in time saved and business generated. BPH collects, transports and cares for retired police horses, magnificent creatures, but often injured or traumatised in action on the streets of Britain. Without BPH and events such as this workshop their fate would be at the hands of the slaughterman.

credit: Brian Hinchcliffe

Horse sense for local small businesses

Roland Phillips with retired police horse

One day workshop: Mon 26th March 9 am to 5.30 pm in the Chart Gallery, Brantôme Police Horses, La Grange, 24530 Saint-Pancrace. For bookings, enquiries and draft agenda email joymilton@live.co.uk. For directions tel 05 53 05 86 80 or visit brantomepolicehorses.com. by Brian Hinchcliffe

6 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2018

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Mayor orders sun to shine 1.5 million lost bottles of

Champagne unearthed

A of a joke, the country has suffered serious damage as a result of recent rains, which have been described as the worst in 50 years. Many of the country's major rivers have burst their banks, leading the government to declare 275 “natural disaster” zones. This allows residents to claim compensation for damages from a central pot established by insurers. Insurers are not automatically obliged to pay out for claims by property owners outside of these zones. ■

number of bottles of 19th century Champagne have been discovered, 118 years after they were buried in a landslide. They are just a few of the 1.5 million bottles of the ageing Pol Roger Champagne being stored in the cellars when they collapsed. The story began when disaster stuck on February 23, 1900, when the domaine's owner Maurice Roger was awoken by a thunderous sound at two o'clock in the morning. The company’s vast cellars, as well as many adjoining buildings, had partially collapsed. The rain-soaked chalk soil had given way, with the ground sinking 13 feet. “It was the beginning of both the dreams and nightmares of generations of the family and chefs de cave,” said Laurent d’Harcourt, current president of Pol Roger. “In the past, digging the new cellar, maybe the chalk was too fragile and they didn’t realize it.” The owners at the time considered tunnelling into the cellars to retrieve the buried wine, but gave up the idea a month later when another nearby cellar caved in. They instead decided to cut their losses and build new cellars on the Avenue de Champagne.

The long-lost bottles of bubbly resurfaced in January when building work began on a packaging facility on the site of the former cellars and workers discovered a cavity from which dropped a still intact bottle of fizz. “We found one bottle the first day, then five or six the next day, before long we had 19 and we stopped,” explained d’Harcourt. “The chalk is very humid. There was so much rain the last two months and it could be dangerous. Sometimes blocks of chalk fall down. We have to make sure the ground above is steady.” The surviving, hand-blown bottles, though encrusted in chalky soil, have given cause for cautious optimism: the wines are clear, the levels are correct and the corks, held in place by a metal staple, are apparently in good shape. Preserved at a constant temperature and away from bright light, the old bottles have arguably been unwittingly been kept in “perfect Champagne conditions”, although they will be stored for a further few months before any are opened for tasting. As for the fate of the remaining bottles, hopes are high that further excavation will unearth more of the Champagne that has laid buried for more than a century. ■

Egg vending machines

his last winter has been a soggy, wet affair and most of us are probably fed up of the constant rain and drizzle. One mayor has decided enough is enough and came up with a novel solution to the winter blues: releasing an official mayoral decree ordering the rain to stop and the sun to shine. Serge Rondeau, mayor of the village of Challans in the Vendée department of western France, released the “Arrêté du Maire” on his Twitter feed, citing public health laws as the requirement for the return of more clement weather. The tongue-in-cheek order demands that: 1) The sun should appear every morning from Monday to Sunday. 2) Rain is only authorised for 3 nights per week in order to maintain a stable water table. The document places responsibility for the execution of the order in the hands of the local Gendarmerie, and cites three reasons for its introduction: “It has rained sufficiently during the day”, “the health of citizens relies on a degree of sunshine” and “there is a risk of chocolate overdose due to the lack of sunshine”. While this may all have been a bit

e've all been there... deciding what we fancy for dinner and opening the fridge door only to find that one crucial ingredient is missing. The concept of the 24-hour supermarket has yet to reach these shores and French trading laws mean that not much is open on a Sunday, so there is often very little we can do. Technology is often the answer to these first world problems, and hot on the heels of the 24/7 baguette dispenser comes the automatic egg vending machine. Those with concerns for animal welfare should not worry, the hens are not stuffed in the back and forced to lay on request. Rather, the eggs in the vending machines around Gevrey-Chambertin, near Dijon, come from free-range hens on a local farm. The machines, which have been in-

stalled in five nearby communes, sell two boxes of six eggs for just €2.50, and are coin operated, meaning that locals can drive or walk up to them at any time of the day or night, put in their change, and take away fresh eggs. The machines are reloaded every two days meaning no more frustration if you fancy a last-minute Yorkshire pudding with your Sunday roast! The innovative idea is supported by the mayor of the nearby commune of SaintPhilibert, who was frustrated by the loss of local shops. “In our commune of just over 500 people, we lost our last shop seven years ago. We had been hoping to find someone to take it over, but that has not been the case.” The mayor hopes that schemes such as these will bring back some life to small rural villages. ■

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 7

MARCH 2018 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

French economy booming

Tax rise for second homeowners

n the latest piece of good news, figures have revealed that last year saw the French economy grow at its fastest rate for six years. The official growth figure of 1.9% is a significant improvement on the 1.1% seen in 2016 and above the rate of 1.7% the government had previously been hoping for. There is also widespread belief that the growth forecast for 2018 could soon be upgraded from its current rate of 2.0%. France is the second largest economy in the EU and the sixth largest in the world. Along with strong economic figures from Germany, the results have helped the Eurozone as a whole register annual growth of 2.5% - its fastest rate in a decade. The UK managed growth of 1.7% in the same period. In further good news, statistics agency INSEE announced in February that unemployment had dropped to 8.9% nationally in the final quarter of 2017, a fall of 0.7% and its lowest level since 2009. President Macron has often stated that tackling mass unemployment is his number one priority, and the government has pledged to reduce the jobless rate to 7% before the end of its term in office in 2022. “France seems to have turned a corner,” says Christian Schulz, a European economist at Citi. “This is a real sign that the boost in confidence we have seen in France, which is reverberating across the Eurozone, is translating to stronger job creation in the country. It is too quick to attribute the drop in unemployment to the recent labour market reforms as it usually takes companies about two years to adjust to greater flexibility. However, it is likely that they are hiring more, confident that even if things go wrong later they will be able to adjust.” Although the number of jobs being

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created is rising sharply, hitting the 7% unemployment target may not be straight forward, even with a booming economy; industry leaders are already complaining of a skills shortage in the workforce. France has high levels of long-term unemployed workers who are unskilled, making them unattractive for companies looking to take on new staff. Unemployment has also been a huge problem amongst the country's youth - around a quarter of under-25s are currently out of work. Whilst the improving economy is partly down to stronger growth across Europe as a whole, President Macron was singled out for praise by Christine Lagarde, the head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who emphasised the role of recent reforms. “We need to recognise clearly the quality and the ambition of the reforms that have been started,” she said during a recent visit to the economy ministry in Paris. Despite all the positive figures and strong economic growth, Macron's approval ratings remain low and volatile. A recent survey showed his popularity down a further five points in February to just 35%. This is lower than President Hollande at the same

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point of his presidency! Other surveys reveal that a major concern of the French public remains their household budget and not everyone is convinced that Macron's reforms will deliver direct improvements to their own lives. This early in his presidency Macron seems unperturbed, however, telling reporters: “I'm not obsessed at this stage with whether people have confidence in me or not for their purchasing power, because if someone asks you that question, we're all the same, we want more.” He also ruled out what he called the “quick fix” tactics of previous governments that saw increased public spending or tax cuts financed by debt. By reporting a deficit of less than 3% of GDP last year, France finally met EU rules on its public finances for the first time in a decade, but the country's public finance watchdog has urged the government to go further. “We need to decrease our debt because it makes us vulnerable to an increase in interest rates,” Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire said, adding that increased tax revenues in 2018 would be used for this purpose. ■

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Many second homeowners in France could face a steep increase in their council tax bills after a law passed in 2017 is being adopted across the country. In a bid to combat the housing crisis in the country's larger cities, last year's budget bill authorised local councils to increase the amount of taxe d'habitation they charge by up to 60% for second homeowners. The change was immediately adopted in Paris, but now Nice, Bordeaux and Saint-Jean-de-Luz have announced that they will also be increasing the tax they charge second homeowners in 2018. The changes apply to both French and expat owners alike, but will not affect you if your French home is your primary residence, or if you live in a commune of fewer than 50,000 people. The law was introduced in an attempt to appease local mayors following the unveiling of the government's plan to gradually phase out taxe d'habitation for 80% of French homeowners. Financial daily Les Echos said the law would be “irresistible” for local councils, alluding to the fact that cash-strapped mayors across France will take full advantage of this legislation. Local councils are unlikely to face much opposition as the tax hike on second homes is widely popular among French voters, especially for residents of the country's main tourist hotspots, where finding affordable housing is becoming increasingly challenging. This is due in large part to the increase in the number of properties being snapped up in tourist towns by investors tapping into the Airbnb-style short-term rental market. According to Les Echos, the Bordeaux city council hoped the change would “encourage owners to sell their property/ies, or dissuade them from offering them up for rent on Airbnb-style platforms, in a city that is truly lacking housing”. Figures from the country's statistics gathering agency, INSEE, estimate that there are currently 3.4 million second homes in France, one in ten of all available housing units. ■

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8 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2018

EU citizenship bid Confiscated food donated to charity by Gendarmes >> continued from pg 1

could mean for our EU citizenship. This case has always been about seeking clarification, not only for the 46,000 Brits living in the Netherlands, but also for all the 1.2 million Brits living in other EU countries. As has been demonstrated in recent days, what Brexit means is still extremely unclear. You cannot play with the lives of 1.2 million people as if they are pieces on a chessboard.” “Theresa May famously said ‘Brexit means Brexit’, but the Brits currently living on the continent have no idea what that means for them,” argued the group’s lawyer, Christiaan Alberdingk Thijm. “Are you an EU citizen for life or can your citizenship be taken away from you? That is the fundamental question that will be put forward to the European Court.” The lawyer believes that the Lisbon Treaty gives British nationals the right to retain EU citizenship after Brexit, because it states in article 20 that “citizenship of the union shall be additional to and not replace national citizenship”, i.e. “once an EU citizen, always an EU citizen”. The plaintiffs argued they therefore have independent rights as EU citizens, over

and above being citizens of any specific EU member country, including Britain and that their legal rights as EU citizens - including freedom of movement - should remain and be protected by the Netherlands, even after Britain withdraws from the 28-member body on March 29, 2019. Fiona Godfrey from the pressure group “British in Europe” believes the Dutch court’s ruling is a landmark moment, because “it’s likely to be the most important case on EU citizenship rights that the CJEU will hear”. “This gives us hope,” she continued. “It will determine what rights British citizens in the EU have going forward. It could have huge ramifications for the entire withdrawal process.” With the official Brexit Day set to take place in just over a year, campaigners hope that a ruling will be made before Britain officially leaves the EU. All eyes are now on the judges at the European Court of Justice. ■ ED - At the time of going to print, the Dutch State and City of Amsterdam have appealed the court’s decision. The reference to the CJEU is currently suspended while the appeal is heard.

he Restos du Cœur charity is well known throughout France and you will probably have seen volunteers with a shopping trolley collecting food in the entrance of your local supermarket. Although much of the food they distribute to the poor and needy comes from public donations, the charity received a real boost recently in the Alpes-Maritimes when local gendarmes donated 1.5 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables! The haul was the result of a routine check on a market in the department which showed that some traders in the town of Drap did not have authorisation to sell their produce. Rather than throw away the confiscated food, the Gendarmerie sought the necessary approval from the prosecutor of Nice to take the boxes to the local Restos du Cœur branch. The haul of 172 crates of food included 32 crates of clementines, tomatoes (28), oranges (21), apples (12), pineapples (5)... and 67 crates of artichokes! The charity Restos du Cœur - literally Restaurants of the Heart - distributes food packages and hot meals to the needy across France. The charity was launched by the comedian and actor Coluche in 1985, who said at the time: “I have a little idea, a bit like this... If there are people who would be interested in sponsoring a free soup kitchen, we'd start first in Paris and then move to France's big cities.” The first of the Restos opened that December and before long had spread across the whole country. The goal of the founders was to give away

2,000 to 3,000 meals per day... 8.5 million were distributed in the first winter alone! Coluche pleaded for the Restos' cause at the European Parliament in February 1986, after learning that surplus products cost more to store than to distribute for free to the poor; his plea was heard and the surplus was made available to four organizations. Coluche died in a motorbike accident less than one year after founding the Restos du Cœur, but not only did his idea live on, it has gone from strength to strength and today the charity has around 70,000 volunteers and distributes 136 million meals each year. ■

MARCH 2018 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 9

10 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2018

Wolf numbers set to rise across France

oth farmers and animal rights campaigners have voiced criticism over the government's announcement that France will allow the country's wolf population to grow by 40% over the coming years. The new strategy, unveiled by the centrist government of President Emmanuel Macron in a 100-page document, will enable the number of wolves to increase from an estimated 360 now to 500 by 2023. The news was met with consternation by farmers, despite a concession that will allow them to cull 10% of the wolf population each year, a figure that can rise to 12% in the event that livestock attacks are more frequent than usual. “We place trust in all of the stakeholders and local lawmakers to calm the debate and enable a co-existence over the long-term,” Agriculture Minister Stéphane Travert and Environment Minister Nicolas Hulot wrote in a foreword to the report. The regeneration of the wolf population in France has led to tensions between the government and farmers, particularly in the Alps and Pyrenees, who complain that attacks on their livestock cause major financial losses. A healthy wolf will eat between 2-4 kg of meat a day

on average and the predators have been blamed for an explosion in the number of attacks on livestock in mountainous areas. Figures suggest that almost 12,000 sheep were killed by wolves in France in 2017. The new strategy will enable livestock owners to apply for state funds to shield their animals, but it will make compensation dependent upon them installing fencing and taking other protective measures. France is not the only Western European country witnessing the return of the wolf. Last month a wolf was spotted in the Flanders region of northern Belgium for the first time in over a century and the UK's Wildwood Trust is one of several organisations across Europe calling for the species to be actively reintroduced. “Large predators play a vital role within the ecosystem, exerting control on prey species' numbers and spread, to keep the ecosystem in balance,” the Trust said in a statement, whilst acknowledging that reintroducing species such as wolves would not be straightforward. “People’s opinion of the wolf remains prejudiced, and this poses a serious problem for obtaining support for the reinstatement of the species into this country.”

Scientists say that killing 10-12 per cent of the total wolf population every year will not harm the animal's ability to reproduce, but environmentalists have expressed anger at any authorised killings. A coalition of groups including the World Wildlife Fund and France Nature Environnement criticised a

“lack of political courage” to stand up to farming lobbies. Environment Minister Nicolas Hulot, a celebrity environmentalist, spoke recently of how wolf culling “makes me sick to the stomach” but he accepted it was a necessary measure to take farmers’ concerns into account. ■

Fraud enquiry launched French teenager sets after Nutella sale riot transatlantic record

he world watched with open mouths last month when an Intermarché promotion offering a 70% discount on jars of Nutella resulted in rioting shoppers climbing over each other to bag a bargain. With much of the world more accustomed to images of chic Parisians, this most incongruous spectacle generated worldwide interest, but has now also caught the attention of the national fraud office (DGCCRF). According to reports, the DGCCRF has launched an inquiry, saying it will “look very closely” at the details of the promotion, following a statement from the Ministry for Economy and Finance. France has strict rules regarding sales and dis-

counts. The law allows food to be discounted as part of the official “sales” periods starting in January and June under two conditions: that the products were bought at least one month before the beginning of the sales period; and that the goods are being sold for a fair price. If it is not part of the official sales and is simply a special offer, then the discount price must not be an attempt at “product dumping” by the store. In other words, goods can not be offloaded for a loss. Investigators will now be looking very closely at what the supermarket chain paid for the Nutella in question and when they bought it. As the ugly scenes hit the headlines, Nutella's manufacturer, the Italian confectionary giant

Ferrero, was quick to distance itself from the promotion, which it said was “decided unilaterally” and had “created confusion and disappointment among customers”. It is not yet known if the British Ambassador in Paris made use of the promotion to spoil his guests! Before the “Nutella riots”, Stéphane Travert, France's Agriculture Minister, had already announced plans to limit supermarket discounts to a maximum of 34% of the amount the store paid for the product. Travert also wants to put an end to the relatively recent introduction in France of so-called BOGOF offers (buy-one-get-one-free), saying he wants to “give value back to products”. His proposals were presented to the National Assembly in February. ■

teenager from the Nouvelle-Aquitaine has just become the youngest person to cross the Atlantic by sailboat under racing conditions. The record-breaking 13-year-old had already featured in the local press as a member of the intrepid Masselis family, who embarked in two small boats on a six-month “tour de France” last year around the French coast. On the first were his parents with three of his siblings, then aged 1, 4 and 6. On the other was captain Indi, aged 12 at the time, along with two other siblings aged 8 and 10. During their adventure they met Wilfrid Clerton, the skipper of the legendary Kriter VIII boat, which has twice won the famous Route du Rhum transatlantic race. Impressed by the young sailor, Clerton invited Indi onto his boat at La Rochelle and the two became friends. So when the respected skipper invited Indi to be part of his team for a training run between Guadeloupe and France, Indi did not have to think for long. “We [the proposal was extended to his father too] said yes straight away, it's such great experience,” ex-

plained Indi, who had the full support of his parents in his adventure. “Especially as I would love to take on larger open-sea races myself one day.” All did not go smoothly at first, however, when, in search of stronger winds, the crew found themselves in the teeth of a storm. “We went a bit too far north,” explained the young sailor. “We found ourselves in a violent storm... we weren't expecting it and we got caught up in it.” Drama averted, the team took shifts of two hours each as they tacked their way across the vast Atlantic where they didn't see any sign of life for days on end: “not a ship, not a fish, not a bird... we were 2,000 kilometres from the nearest land.” Nineteen days at sea is not an easy task for even hardened sailors and arriving back on dry land, the experience has confirmed Indi's desire to one day become a skipper himself. “I wasn't scared and that's a good start!” he joked. “Indi never gave up!” beamed his father Philippe Masselis, who was understandably proud of his son for being the youngest sailor to complete the journey west-to-east in a racing boat. ■

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NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 11

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The return of national service

resident Emmanuel Macron has vowed to push forward with a campaign promise to reintroduce compulsory national service in France, two decades after it was scrapped. Macron took the country by surprise during last year’s presidential campaign when he announced that he wanted to make all young people spend time getting “a direct experience of military life, with its know-how and demands”. Whilst there has been a degree of political support for the return of national service, especially in the wake of increased terror attacks across Europe,

there is also much opposition, particularly from a financial point of view. Many of the country's army barracks have either been converted for other uses or knocked down over the course of the last decade and some have estimated the cost of reintroducing compulsory military service as well into the billions. Confusion surrounds how the plan would be implemented and there even appears to be disagreement within the cabinet itself. The French armed forces minister Florence Parly declared that the policy would “probably not be compulsory” for young people, but a few

days later a spokesperson for Macron overruled her, insisting that the service would be both “universal” and “obligatory” and that there would be no Uturn on the campaign pledge. Between 600,000 and 800,000 young people each year would be affected by the proposed changes and would spend at least a month with the armed forces. There has also been confusion, however, as to whether or not the national service would be of a military nature, with Macron being quoted as saying it could involve “civic engagement”. President Macron conceded at a recent meeting of political

Amazon to pay back taxes

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mazon has settled a long-running dispute with French tax authorities, who have been seeking nearly €200 million from the online retail giant. Amazon was asked in 2012 to pay the amount, which relates to back taxes, interest and penalties covering the period from 2006 to 2010. Details of the deal have not been revealed, but the retailer said it had reached an “overall settlement agreement with the French tax authorities on past issues, and our main objective remains to provide the best possible buying experience for our customers in France, where we have in-

vested more than €2 billion since 2010, and created more than 5,500 permanent jobs.” Amazon has faced mounting criticism over recent years, along with other multinationals, for channelling all its European profits through countries with beneficial tax breaks. In the case of Amazon, this was Luxembourg, which offers significant tax breaks to foreign companies which base themselves there. The online retailer has since set up a branch in France in 2015 and now pays taxes on all retail sales made through its French online store. France has been open to tax settlements since it lost a court case

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journalists that the details of the scheme, which could be piloted as early as next year, had not yet been decided. He also conceded that there would be a financial cost, but that “it would not be prohibitive... this is not about recreating massive barracks”. During the French Revolution, France pioneered the idea of military conscription as a condition of citizenship. By the second half of the 20th century the amount of military service required was gradually scaled back and the practice was finally phased out between 1996 and 2001. Emmanuel Macron, who came of age after the practice was scrapped, is the first modern French president not to have performed military service. ■

against Google last year. A French court ruled that Google was not liable to pay 1.1 billion euros in back taxes demanded by the French authorities as the company did not have sufficient taxable presence in France. Since then, the government has been pressuring the EU to introduce new rules to tax online companies based on their revenues, rather than only on their profits. Amazon last year reached a similar deal with Italian authorities to end a 100 million euros dispute over its tax payments from 2011-15. Separately, EU competition regulators told Luxembourg in October last year to recover about €250 million in back taxes from Amazon, accusing the country of giving illegal tax benefits. Luxembourg has lodged a legal challenge against the move. ■

Phone use illegal unless properly parked In a landmark case, the Court of Appeal has ruled that it is illegal to use your mobile phone whilst at the wheel of your car, even if you have pulled over with your engine switched off and your hazard warning lights on. The court judged that a car is still “in circulation” unless it is parked in a designated parking area, proper car park, or private driveway. The decision came after a driver appealed a fine he received in 2017 for using a phone while he was parked at a roundabout with his hazard lights on. The ruling applies to the use of a smartphone held in your hand, and does not apply to cars properly fitted with hands-free sets. Any driver found to be in breach of these rules faces a €135 fine, plus the loss of three points on their licence, applicable for three years. The court did make one exception: drivers of vehicles that have broken down and are on the side of the road are permitted to use their mobile phones to call for assistance. The court's decision comes as France considers legislation that would see drivers have their licences removed for using their mobile phone at the wheel. Under the new proposals, drivers who are considered to have caused danger to others, for example using their phone whilst approaching a pedestrian crossing or a school, could have their driving licence removed. Telephones are believed to be a contributing factor in ten per cent of road accidents in France, according to figures published in October last year by France's road safety organisation Sécurité Routière. Despite this, a recent survey revealed that nine out of ten motorists admit to using their phones while driving. ■

12 ♦ FRENCH LIFE

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2018

Celebrating the Spring Lamb by Julia Watson

aster comes unusually early this year - 1st April. Which means you’ll be preparing for the feast in March and while windy winter may still be on its rampage. On the upside, an early Easter gives you something to look forward to during one of the grimmer months of the year. And since March sees the start of the new lamb season, you can try out your Easter dish well ahead of the feast day. Lamb, symbolic of the religious festival and of spring across most of the western and middle eastern world, is a meat we treat differently as spring approaches, perhaps because the animal coming young to slaughter is tender and delicate in flavour. The lamb shank, shoulder and leg recipes that fit so comfortingly with autumn and winter chills and demand the addition of assertive ingredients like onions red and white or dried beans or apricots, seem too heavy once new grass is shooting and buds appear on the branches. This is the time of year for fresher navarins of lamb.

whole heads of garlic, will also provide a rewarding festival meal. A navarin of lamb, however, will see you all through spring. It’s only quite recently that lamb not mutton has been used for the recipe. It wasn’t until the beginning of the 20th century that sheep were bred to grow and fatten in a shorter time period, for slaughtering in the lamb’s first year of life. A sheep between one and two years old is known in the UK as a hogget, providing the texture of lamb but the stronger flavour of mutton. The meat of an adult sheep over two years old (as opposed to the animal itself) is called mutton. Mutton, which is a cheaper alternative to lamb, gives a far more pronounced and gamey flavour to any dish and can happily be used in a navarin printanier. Whatever you use, navarin is not an expensive dish, made as it usually is with ‘collet’, the best end of neck chops. The fat that these come with enriches the dish and if you make it a day ahead of serving it

Navarin printanier Serves 6

1.5kg collet of lamb (best end of neck lamb chops) 150g smoked lardons, diced 350g small shallots, peeled and halved 4 garlic cloves, chopped 500g baby vegetables, such as baby new potatoes, baby turnips, leeks, carrots and fennel, trimmed and halved if necessary 150g shelled or frozen peas 250ml dry white wine 600ml chicken stock 2 tsp herbes de Provence 2 tbsp plain flour Salt and pepper 2 tbsp olive oil 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, bruised 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan. To a large bowl, add the lamb chops, the herbes de Provence, flour and 1 tsp each salt and pepper and turn thoroughly to coat the chops.

It’s thought this lamb stew, traditionally a country recipe common across France, was renamed following the 1827 defeat of the Ottoman Armada at the battle of Navarino, in honour of France and her allies. (This is the battle that led to the independence, eventually, of those champion consumers of lamb, the Greeks.) It’s a debatable fact: the earliest use of ‘navarin printanier’ comes through cookery writer and master chef Georges Escoffier, who wasn’t born till 1846. Others say it’s named after ‘navets’, the baby turnips that generally participate in the dish unless you can’t bear the taste of them. Whatever is true, the Greek breaking of the Lenten meat-free fast on Easter Sunday with lamb spiked generously with needles of fresh rosemary, rubbed in olive oil and perhaps a touch of hot red pepper Harissa paste then roasted for hours at medium heat alongside copious

(strongly recommended), not only will the flavours mellow, but you can easily spring the hardened lid of fat off the stew. Doing this makes it the perfect Easter dish, allowing you to focus your time on the hunt for chocolate Easter eggs. What vegetables you use in a navarin printanier depends, as its name suggests, on what is available so early in the year. The dish becomes a celebration of spring, containing as it can the first of the new potatoes, baby turnips (which I prefer to add as close to the end of cooking as possible so that their flavour doesn’t overwhelm the rest), new season peas, tiny carrots and leeks. ■ Julia Watson has been a long-time Food Writer for newspapers and magazines in the US and the UK.

Heat the oil in a heavy casserole over medium heat and fry the lardons till gold. Remove to kitchen paper with a slotted spoon. In small batches, add the lamb to the pan and brown for about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and fry gently over a low heat for 5 minutes. Return the lamb and lardons to the pan and add the wine, stock and rosemary sprigs. Bring to the boil and transfer to the oven. Cook for an hour and a half, then add the baby vegetables except for the turnips. Return to the oven. After 15 minutes, add the baby turnips. After 20 minutes more, stir in the peas and cook for a final 10 minutes. Scatter over the mint and serve.

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FRENCH LIFE ♦ 13

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What can expatriates in France do with their UK pension in 2018? - Blevins Franks

hen it comes to pensions, your long-term financial security is at stake, so take care to do what is right for you and your family. Expatriates also need to consider the tax rules and implications in France. Start by understanding the options available for different pension types. ‘Defined contribution’ or ‘money purchase’ pensions These pensions are made up of what you have paid into the scheme alongside employer contributions, tax rebates and investment growth. Examples include individual or group personal and employer pensions and Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs). Since the pension freedoms of 2015, members of these schemes can usually do the following from age 55: • Take the whole fund as cash – 25% (the ‘Pension Commencement Lump Sum’ PCLS) will be tax-free in the UK. • Make cash withdrawals when you want – unless you have already taken the PCLS, a quarter is free of UK tax each time. • Take regular income through ‘flexible drawdown’, leaving the remainder invested. • Take a secure, regular income for life through buying an annuity. Expatriates also have the option to transfer UK pension funds to a Qualifying Recognised Overseas Pension Scheme (QROPS).

QROPS benefits include flexibility to pass pension benefits to chosen heirs and to take income in Euros instead of Sterling. Once in a QROPS, funds are protected from lifetime pension allowance penalties and future UK taxation. However, QROPS benefits and rules can vary between providers and jurisdictions, and a 25% UK tax charge applies on transfers to QROPS outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or Gibraltar. As transferred funds remain liable for five UK tax years, you risk being penalised if you become tax resident in a non-EEA jurisdiction within that period. It is important to take professional advice to first establish if transferring is suitable for you and then navigate the complex options. ‘Defined benefit’ or ‘final salary’ pensions Here, your employer guarantees a proportion of your salary for the whole of retirement. As benefits last a lifetime and are often generous, these are viewed as ‘gold-plated’ pensions. While you cannot usually withdraw cash from these pensions, you can transfer it to a defined contribution scheme or a QROPS. Traditionally, this has been considered less attractive than drawing a guaranteed pension for life. However, today, some struggling providers are tempting members to cash-in with ‘transfer values’ of up to 40 times the annual benefits due at retirement. Although a oneoff sum could potentially provide a retirement income that exceeds the original annual

payment, it is crucial to fully understand the consequences before giving up ‘gold-plated’ benefits. Whatever type of pension you have, consider certain issues before making any decisions. Taxation While a quarter of a defined contribution scheme can be taken tax-free in the UK, French residents are liable to French taxation at the income tax scale rates up to 45%. Only withdrawals prompted by an ‘accident of life’, like invalidity, unemployment or death of a spouse, are exempt. It may be possible to limit French tax on a UK lump sum to just 7.5% - with an uncapped 10% allowance – in certain circumstances. Generally, you must take the whole fund at once, so you may be ineligible for this rate if you have already started taking benefits. All pension income also attracts annual social charges of 9.1% (7.4% previously), unless you hold EU Form S1 or do not have access to the French healthcare system. Making your money last Having the freedom to withdraw or transfer your pension does not mean that you should. You may even be better off taking no action at this time. If you choose to take some or all of your benefits as cash, make sure you have a plan to fund your long-term future that suits your personal circumstances and goals.

The threat of losing it all Pension scams have never been more widespread and sophisticated – Age UK estimates £43 million has been lost to scammers since April 2014. Generally, if an investment sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Once you transfer your pension, it is too late. Also, beware that many companies offering pension services are unregulated. Whether they aim to defraud you or not, unprotected investments risk losing your money, with no recourse if things go wrong. Even amongst regulated providers, check for quality. The UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found that less than half of those cashing in final salary pensions received suitable advice. Make sure your adviser takes account of your needs, objectives, personal circumstances and risk appetite to find a tailor-made solution for you and your life in France. Getting it wrong could have serious and unexpected consequences. Take the time you need to do your research and establish your best approach for a prosperous retirement.. ■ Tel: 05 53 63 49 19 Email: bergerac@blevinsfranks.com Web: www.blevinsfranks.com Tax rates, scope and reliefs may change. Any statements concerning taxation are based upon our understanding of current taxation laws and practices which are subject to change. Tax information has been summarised; an individual is advised to seek personalised advice.

The Grumpy Granny Guide - Monsieur le Maire Not many of us have a clear idea about what goes on behind the scenes of our local tourist industry. What are the challenges, politics, expectations and disappointments experienced by those who work hard throughout the year to ensure that the incredible heritage of the region is preserved and shown to its best advantage? So while continuing to assess individual tourist sites, I have also been talking to key people whose livelihood depends on tourism and this month we focus on the mayor of one of France’s most visited villages.

onsieur le Maire has been re-elected on 4 occasions, unopposed. It would be nice to think that this is because he is still young, dynamic and popular but maybe that is only half the truth, for the fact of the matter is that he has a job that few would take on willingly. He is confronted on a daily basis with the challenge of meeting the demands of a commune of just 830 residents while having to accommodate the 200,000 visitors or more who flock to this famous village every tourist season. He has to juggle with the diminishing central funding of small rural communities while providing and maintaining an infrastructure for increasingly demanding tourists. This requires not just excellent accounting skills but social savvy and a sound knowledge of potential sources of financing. “The village has reached saturation point but the marketing and publicity for the entire Vallée de la Vézère area continue to promote it as a highlight of the area despite the increasing difficulty in providing a warm welcome and adequate facilities. Because we are so well known throughout the world, our name is used as a magnet to attract visitors here in the expectation that they will disperse and visit other places outside the valley. But this hasn’t happened and we have become like the Eiffel Tower for Paris; no visitor can come to the Dor-

dogne and not pass through this village; it’s a reality which is hard to deal with.” Monsieur le Maire is certainly a political animal but he is also a realist who has accepted, albeit reluctantly, that his influence goes only just so far. He may be an important player locally but it is those at departmental and regional level - and ultimately Paris - who decide what happens on the ground. “The solution is there but for the moment it remains theoretical; more coordination between sites, more money spent on promoting other parts of the Dordogne, more cooperation at every level. I deeply regret the gulf between the experience of those who live in a rural area like ours and see the quality of everyday life deteriorating as funds and services are removed, and the decision-makers at every administrative level who pass down policies which are meaningless at best and positively harmful at worst. We have to make the best of them on the ground but at present no one is listening, there seems to be little dialogue or common sense. “For instance, 300,000 passengers pass through Bergerac airport and yet there is no tourist desk there to guide visitors to less crowded areas, provide information to those with specific interests, encourage them to go off the beaten track. There is no publicity at all for the many smaller but very interesting sites which can offer so much to visitors. “We desperately need to get beyond the school holidays and major sites and do much more to attract visitors who want a different experience.” Is there some understanding of how complex your task is? “I know that while my voters seem to be aware how much hard work goes into keeping the village presentable, visitors take it for granted. I spend a lot of my time ensuring that the village and its environs are kept clean, even on Sundays. Visitors

think we receive massive central funds but of course we don’t and despite some extra official grants to tourist communes we struggle financially to meet the expectations of all our visitors. I wish I could do more to ensure that the tourists who come here in droves go to other areas but it is a question of supply and demand. The demand internationally as well as nationally is astronomic and the supply of quality hotels, restaurants and services can barely keep up. But there is only so much that we can do. I feel very frustrated. On my own, even with an excellent council, I can’t resolve the dilemma which faces us. We need tourism here and we are deeply grateful for every contribution they make to our economy, but we have become victims of our own success.” What has given you the greatest satisfaction? “My ambitions are local, my contribution is modest and because I have no control over the tsunami of tourists which I think is engulfing us, I feel my personal contribution isn’t so much fighting for fundamental policy change as carrying out modest projects which have an immediate impact. For instance we have restored the two old lavoirs (wash houses), cleared away the brush on the cliffs, bought up a small mill which will produce hydroelectric power, albeit on a small scale, and the latest project is an educational nature trail. All this is as much for the local people whom I represent, as for the tourists. “I’m very proud that we have taken on two apprentices whom I value highly. It’s a drop in the ocean of unemployment but is our modest contribution to the social fabric of rural life. I am very conscious that my loyalty is to those who elect me but that my duty is to everyone. It is a hard task because at the end of the day, I am not my own master.” Monsieur le Maire echoes the hopes and fears of many of us. Bon courage! ■

This is part of a series of features devoted to the tourist experience in the Dordogne provided by the website grumpygranny-guides.com which highlights those sites which are comfortable and pleasant to visit and which offer a warm welcome.

To get in touch with Grumpy Granny, email editor@thebugle.eu and we will forward on your question.

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

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

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

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14 ♦ BILINGUAL

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2018

How France defines the weight of the world

hen you go down to the shops to buy a chunk of cheese, the chances are that the shopkeeper will place it on a set of scales and tell you how much it weighs. Typically this will be done in kilograms, but how is this unit of measurement defined and who decides exactly what constitutes one kilogram? The answer dates back to revolutionary France and survives to this day in a heavily-guarded facility outside Paris. During the French Revolution, frustrated scientists decided that the existing standards for measuring weight and length had become impractical for accurate trade, and proposed a metric system based on the kilogram and the metre. One kilogram was defined as the mass of one litre of water at 4°C and in 1799 the kilogramme des archives was cast in Paris. This prototype became the basis for the new unit of mass and all other weights were compared against it. Over the course of the next century, the metric system grew in popularity and in 1875 the Metre Convention was signed by a number of countries around the world. This resulted in the creation of the International Prototype Kilogram (IPK), a platinum/ iridium alloy cylinder cast in London, but stored in SaintCloud, France. Scientists agreed at the time that the IPK - also referred to as “Le Grand K” - was the kilogram, and every weight created ever

since has been based on it. A number of copycat cylinders were then created and distributed to the countries that had signed up to the convention. Great Britain holds Kilogram 18, for example. These siblings return periodically to France to be compared against the IPK. The IPK is stored just outside Paris in super-sterile conditions at the International Bureau of Weights and Measures (BIPM) in a vault which can only be opened by three independently controlled keys. Le Grand K forms the basis for all scientific research and enormous care is taken to ensure it does not gain or lose mass through handling or contamination. The IPK is meticulously cleaned to avoid this, but

scientists have recently discovered that, compared to its siblings around the world, it does appear to be losing mass. The difference is approximately 50 parts in a billion, or a single grain in a bag of sugar. However, because the IPK is itself the definition of a kilogram, its mass can not change and so theoretically, it is every other kilogram in the world that is in fact too heavy! The kilogram underpins much of modern science and experts around the world are frantically working to establish a new, reliable way of defining one kilogram, one that does not rely on a 143-yearold, golf ball-sized cylinder of metal stored in a vault in France. ■

Many thanks to local French teacher, Sophie Arsac, for this month's bilingual article. Why not get in touch with Sophie to see how she can help improve your French! See page 6 for contact details.

orsque vous achetez un gros morceau de fromage dans un magasin, il y a de fortes chances que le fromager le pose sur sa balance pour vous annoncer son poids, généralement en kilogrammes. Cependant quelle est la définition de cette unité de mesure ? Qui décide exactement ce qui constitue un kilogramme ? La réponse remonte à la France révolutionnaire et se trouve encore aujourd’hui dans un établissement sous haute protection situé en banlieue parisienne. Pendant la Révolution française, des scientifiques frustrés considérèrent que les normes de mesure du poids et de la longueur alors en vigueur n’étaient plus assez précises pour le commerce. Ils proposèrent un système métrique fondé sur le kilogramme et le mètre. Le kilogramme fut défini comme la

The wines of Bergerac

by Martin Walker t was my doctor who introduced me to Château Puy Servain. This is not a sentence one could write in most countries, which is but one of the many pleasures of living in France. Doctor Hecquet in Le Buisson, now sadly retired, was a dear man, a devoted Christian whose waiting room was filled with copies of Le Pélérin and who spent much of his time visiting and caring for people in prison. He took great care of me and firmly recommended a glass of wine before going to bed, but he insisted that it had to be a good wine. He came from a vineyard family, he confided, and his brother made excellent wines. He thereupon presented me with a bottle and I enjoyed it over dinner with my neighbour, Raymond, with whom I buy a lottery ticket each week. Raymond is convinced that one day we will win pots of money. I disagree, but we are in accord that all the tiny sums we win from time to time should go into a very small pot and once a year we take this and go exploring the vineyards. The year I first tasted Puy Servain I was just starting my discovery of the Bergerac vineyards and knew little of Montravel beyond the fact that in geological terms it is an extension of St Emilion and that it had been the home of the great 16th century essayist Montaigne, reputed the wisest man in Europe. There are two powerful reasons to think this is true. The first is that Montaigne observed, ‘One should never drink only the finest wines, since one would then never appreciate them’. The other, which tickled me because of Dr Hecquet, was Montaigne’s advice ‘If your doctor does not think it good for you to sleep, to drink wine, or

to eat of a particular dish, do not worry; I will find you another who will not agree with him’. So we took our modest winnings (invariably less than we had spent on tickets) and headed for Ste-Foy-laGrande and then up into the rolling south-facing hills of the Montravel to meet Daniel Hecquet and his wife and taste some truly splendid wines. We also realized that we had stumbled upon a small conglomerate, since the family had vineyards in the Pécharmant at Domaine Bertranoux, Château Calabre in the Bergerac which made very good whites and rosés, as well as vineyards that qualified as Montravel and as Haut-Montravel. From this latter appellation we tasted a stunning dessert wine, known as the Suprême, which reminded me more of a Sauterne than a Monbazillac. And we learned that after taking his degree in oenology at Bordeaux Daniel had worked for several years at Château d’Yquem, the greatest of the lordly houses of the Sauterne. We had already been delighted by the red wines of Château Puy Servain, the Terrement at 7 euros and Vieilles Vignes at 12 euros. Like most of the Montravel reds, there is a softness about them, a great deal of fruit in the nose and an agreeable gentleness in the mouth. These are wines that seduce. Then we tasted his Songe, at 26 euros, made from 90 per cent merlot and 10 per cent cabernet franc, all grapes handpicked, kept for fifteen months in oak barrels and only made in years when Daniel reckons the quality of the grapes to be sufficiently high. This is a magnificent wine, with a depth that would

masse d’un litre d’eau à 4°C. En 1799, le “kilogramme des archives” fut coulé à Paris. Ce prototype devint la référence pour la nouvelle unité de masse et fit office d’étalon pour toutes les mesures de masse. Au cours du siècle suivant, le système métrique connut une popularité croissante et en 1875, la “Convention du Mètre” fut signée par un certain nombre de pays dans le monde. Il s’ensuivit la création du PIK (Prototype International du Kilogramme), un cylindre constitué d’un alliage de platine et d’iridium. Il fut coulé à Londres mais conservé en France dans la ville de Saint-Cloud. Tous les scientifiques s’accordèrent alors pour reconnaître que le PIK, aussi appelé “le grand K”, était LE kilogramme et depuis, il constitue la référence pour toute mesure de poids. Un certain nombre de cy-

lindres identiques à cet étalon fut alors fabriqué et distribué aux pays qui avaient signé la convention. Par exemple, la Grande Bretagne détient le K18. Les copies retournent périodiquement en France pour être comparées au PIK. Le PIK est conservé dans des conditions optimales de stérilisation, en périphérie de Paris au Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM), dans une chambre forte dont l’ouverture nécessite trois clefs détenues indépendamment. Le Grand K étant la valeur de référence pour toute recherche scientifique, des précautions draconiennes sont prises afin qu’il ne perde ni ne gagne de la masse lors de manipulations ou de contaminations éventuelles. Le PIK est nettoyé méticuleusement afin d’éviter tout problème mais les scientifiques ont récemment découvert que sa masse, en comparaison avec ses répliques officielles dans le monde, avait diminué. La différence est approximativement de 50 milliardièmes soit l’équivalent d’un grain dans un sac de sucre. Mais, puisque le PIK est la définition même d’un kilogramme, sa masse ne peut être modifiée. Donc, en théorie, ce sont tous les autres kilogrammes du monde entier qui sont trop lourds ! Comme une grande partie de la science moderne repose sur la valeur du kilogramme, les experts scientifiques du monde entier travaillent d’arrache-pied pour établir un nouvel étalon fiable. Une référence qui ne reposerait pas sur un cylindre de métal du diamètre d’une balle de golf vieux de 143 ans et conservé dans une chambre forte en France. ■

allow it to be kept for ten years and more, extraordinary value for the price. We recently drank a bottle of the 2011, decanting it two hours before we sat at dinner, and a worshipful silence fell for some long moments after we took our first sip. It is a wine that starts to glow in the mouth, the initial taste slowly but surely elaborating into something rich and complex. I have drunk Pauillacs at more than ten times the price and been less impressed. This is just as well since Daniel is one of the few Bergerac winemakers who takes exporting seriously. He goes each year to China and to my delighted surprise I found myself drinking his Terrement on my last visit to Japan. When we presented the traveling Lascaux exhibition in Chicago, the guests were treated to his Songe. Each summer on my US book tour I give readings in San Francisco and in the Napa Valley, America’s top wine-making district. And what did I find at The Wine House in San Francisco but a selection of Château Calabre and Château Puy Servain? It made me resolve to get some more before the rest of the world buys it all up. And the good news is that despite the frost of last April, Daniel reports “a beautiful and abundant harvest this year”. It just goes to show, listen to your doctor. And follow Montaigne’s advice. ■ Martin Walker, author of the best-selling ‘Bruno, chief of police’ novels, is a Grand Consul de la Vinée de Bergerac. Formerly a journalist, he spent 25 years as foreign correspondent for The Guardian and then became editor-in-chief of United Press International. He and his wife Julia have had a home in the Périgord since 1999 and one of his great hobbies is visiting the vineyards of Bergerac.

DIRECTORY ♦ 15

MARCH 2018 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

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Were you aware that this could potentially create a tax liability of up to 60%? You will have the perfect opportunity to get some professional, independent advice and if needed you can arrange a follow-up meeting with any of us to discuss your personal circumstances in more detail. As expats we have plenty of things to ‘worry about’ at the moment as negotiations continue on the Government’s Brexit proposals, so let us help you ease some of those worries and come and join is for a coffee and a chat. Or if you would prefer to arrange an independent, professional and impartial consultation, please contact me by email: Rosemary. sheppard@blacktowerfm.com or call me on 06 38 86 99 70. Blacktower Financial Management has over 32 years’ experience helping expats to make sure that their money works for them. The above information was correct at the time of preparation and does not constitute investment advice and you

At Masterplans.eu we can help guide you through your planning application in France. From initial feasibility to completed dossiers. We will compile all the relevant drawings and complete the necessary paperwork to ensure your application proceeds smoothly. We are equally at home working with clients here in France or those living abroad.

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CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) through whom we have a registered branch and passport for financial services in France. License number 00805B.

16 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2018

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DIRECTORY ♦ 17

MARCH 2018 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

Houses on Internet: A Global Property Network

ouses on Internet – Global Property Services (hereafter referred to as “HOIGPS”) is the internet/marketing company that helps people sell their French property to buyers worldwide. Richard Kroon, founder and director of the company: “During the last few months we have seen a huge increase in viewings and sales. Most of the buyers don’t live in France, which is why our worldwide advertising is so important. Our marketing efforts are definitely paying off and guarantee a worldwide exposure of your property to buyers wherever they live. “Last year HOI-GPS sold properties to people from 11 different countries, like France, Australia, Belgium, Holland,

The Dordogne Chippy

Traditional Fish & Chips in a town near you All venues are in the evening between 6pm & 8.30 pm 1st Monday: Le Champsac Tuesday: Tremolat Thursday: Eymet 1st & 3rd Friday: Lauzun 2nd Friday: Ste-Alvère Last Friday: 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

La Poutre

Bar & Restaurant

24400 Beaupouyet (N89 between Montpon & Mussidan)

French/International cuisine. Open Tue - Fri: 11am - 9pm (except Wed eve) Sat: 6pm - 10pm, Sun: 12pm - 3pm, For further details call Steve:

05 53 80 29 54

or email: steve.francis24@gmail.com or facebook: Beaupouyet La Poutre

the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Canada and Denmark. “The actual work all starts with the presentation of a property. If that’s not good enough, all other marketing efforts are useless. Our photographers usually take 150 to 200 photos of a house and in addition copy any good (summer) photos our clients may have themselves. “About 50 to 60 of those photos are selected, enhanced and presented on the dedicated website we make for each property in English, French and Dutch. “The texts don’t just describe the house, garden and outbuildings, but information about shopping, schools, airports and leisure is given too. “When the website for the house is online, we first con-

Handholding Services

nect it to our main HOI-GPS websites which attract over 135,000 visitors from 40+ countries each month. Most of these people find us through Google and additional Google advertising. “To reach an even larger audience, a summary of the presentation of the house is also placed on several other leading property websites. These adverts are also connected to the dedicated website of the house, making it all one big global property network. “As the property market has become a global one, a prospective buyer can be on the other side of the world while the owner is in bed sleeping. With our approach, the buyer does not have to wait and can see the entire property whenever he wants, at the moment he is

Pest Control

OVERWHELMED BY Central France FRENCH RED TAPE? Pest Control Contact Luce at: luce.graire@sfr.fr

Former civil servant offers help with income tax return, French nationality papers, car registration, etc…

Dératisation, Déinsectisation, Désinfection

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

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

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

Language Services

Retail & Commerce

FRENCH LESSONS

bookstop

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

siret 537 415 903 00013

Gifts & Crafts Ivan Petley

3D Puzzle Maker 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.

Tel: 05.55.80.29.98 Les Bregères, 23150 St-Martial-le-Mont alison.petley@wanadoo.fr

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

Via Skype

with a native French speaker Why commute? Long distance learning is the answer! C’est simple, call Sophie...

05 55 89 15 74 scarolinea@yahoo.fr

Learn French in France Complete immersion in a local family with lessons, conversation workshops, visits and local activities in Périgord, all at your own pace. (total independence possible)

www.auclairduperigord.com +33 (0)6 41 37 02 50 d.nina@live.co.uk

Quality second-hand books in English & French 19 r Victor Hugo, 24310 Brantôme

09 51 45 57 49

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

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

Transport, Removals & Storage

Bonner Prestige Classic and high value vehicle transport throughout the UK and Europe

Bonner Prestige is a dedicated vehicle transportation service offering professional vehicle transport throughout the UK and Europe. We offer a bespoke service to suit our customer requirements. Our fully enclosed vehicle transporter allows for vehicles to be moved securely and safe from the elements. For more information contact Trevor Bonner:

UK: +44 (0)7871 975 859 France: +33 (0)7 69 72 44 86 bonnerprestige@gmail.com

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

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

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

Support

SOS Help

anxious? stressed? feeling down? call us up!

sales24@thebugle.eu

01 46 21 46 46

05 55 41 17 76

www.soshelpline.org

3 - 11pm daily Confidential & Non-profit

Houses on Internet Global Property Services www.housesoninternet.com

+31 (0)6 41 20 73 69

MICHAELS MOVERS Removals

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

0800 840 3058 Mob: +44 (0)7808 338 386 www.michaelsmovers.freeindex.co.uk

Smart Moves For a fully insured, careful service

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

smartmovers@hotmail.co.uk

+44 (0)1253 725 414

www.smartmovesremovals.co.uk

Man & Van Transport

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

European Removals Full or part load, French registered. We offer: Removals, Storage, House Clearance, also Car, Caravan, Plant Transport. Offices in UK and France.

+33 (0)6 73 96 38 39 www.dordognestoragesolutions.com

09 82 12 69 73 87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres

www.frenchvanman.eu Siret 530 213 644 00012

sales24@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76

18 ♦ COMMUNITY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ MARCH 2018

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 €12.50/month. Alternatively, why not spotlight your business with an Advertorial, available from 1/6 Page (€50 HT) up to Full Page (€300 HT). Both Directory Adverts and Advertorials represent a cost effective way to put your brand in front of more than 25,000 pairs of eyes each month!!

For more information on any of our advertising options, please feel free to give us a call on 05 55 41 17 76 or send an email to sales24@thebugle.eu All prices exclude TVA (20%)

6-Month Contract

12-Month Contract

€100

€150

Small b&w Directory Ad Large b&w Directory Ad

€130

€195

Small Colour Directory Ad

€140

€210

Large Colour Directory Ad

€180

€270

Sensa DOB 14/05/2017

Sensa is one of two sisters who were taken in by Phoenix. Lucky little Aria has found a wonderful home but Sensa is still waiting. She is the more stubborn of the two, she loves the outdoors and watching the birds. Perhaps a collar with a bell would be a good idea! More than anything she likes to snuggle on the nearest knee to be fussed or, at the moment, to snuggle in the basket with her best friend Black the dog. Obviously Sensa would love to live with dogs, she will live with other cats too and she is absolutely fine with children of all ages. Sensa comes chipped, vaccinated, sterilised and even has a passport. If you would like to know more about this beautiful little girl please contact Sophie Nicol tel 05 53 73 91 13 or mob 07 78 21 13 55 / email sophie.nicol@yahoo.fr Sensa is in 24, Bergerac. www.phoenixasso.com www.facebook.com/PhoenixAssociationFrance

www.associationacorn.com Facebook: Acorn Cat Rescue

(Actual Size)

30 words max

Phoenix Book Fair The Spring Phoenix Book Fair will be held on Saturday 28th April in Campsegret (24140), just north of Bergerac. Over 20,000 English, French and Dutch books, all in category (lots of History, Cookery, Gardening and more) or in alphabetical order, will be for sale from one euro and up! There will also be specialist stalls selling hundreds of DVDs, CDs and vinyl; new Crime books; Antiquarian and Collectors books. The famous home-made catering will be on offer, with lots of scrumptious goodies. If that’s not enough, there will be kids’ books and toys, jigsaw puzzles, greeting cards and Bric-a-Brac bargains too! Children and dogs are welcome - so come with the whole family and spend the day! If you’re looking for a new furry friend, we can help you!! Doors open at 9:30 am (9 am for people with limited mobility) and close at 3 pm. Entrance and parking is free. Please bring your donations of books, home-made cakes, unwanted gifts and pet paraphernalia on the day!

VARIATIONS CHORALE EASTER CONCERT

Haydn Nelson Mass

Fauré Requiem

Exceptional programme by this prestigious choir Périgueux - 6th April, Eglise St-Georges, 8 pm Ribérac - 7th April, Eglise ND de la Paix, 8 pm Reservations: 05 53 91 53 52 clare32pag@gmail.com Tickets: €20; 12-16s €8; Under 12s free.

Ordination of Rev’d Charlotte Sullivan in Bordeaux - Saturday 17th March The Chaplaincy of Aquitaine are pleased to invite you to the Service of Ordination to the Priesthood of the Rev’d Charlotte Sullivan by the Right Rev’d Dr Robert Innes, Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe. Please join us to witness this important step in Charlotte’s ministry. The Ordination takes place on Saturday 17th March at 14:30 in the Chapelle de l’Assomption, 33200 BORDEAUX.

Worship services in English held throughout the Dordogne: Bertric Burée, Chancelade, Eymet Temple, Limeuil, Négrondes, Sainte Nathalène (near Sarlat). All are welcome!! Palm Sunday: March 25th (reminder: clocks +1) Holy Week services and times of prayer Easter Sunday: April 1st Please visit our website for more information: www.churchinaquitaine.org Find us on Facebook: English Church Aquitaine

Small Directory Ad 46mm x 46mm

All the proceeds will go to the Phoenix Association... caring for and rehoming animals in need (http://phoenixasso.com).

Eddie is one of the many gorgeous, happy and healthy cats looking for homes with Association Acorn Cat Rescue, based in Église-Neuve-d’Issac, 24400 Dordogne. All Acorn cats and kittens are microchipped, vaccinated and sterilised where age appropriate. We keep in touch with all adopters to ensure the future welfare of our cats.

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

All are invited to attend the ‘Tea and Cakes’ Reception which will immediately follow the Service. Entrance for cars and pedestrians is on Boulevard du President Wilson via the double gates which are just after rue Sainte-Germaine and immediately before the bus stop. To RSVP* online please visit www.churchinaquitaine.org or if you prefer to RSVP* by email please email info@anglicanbordeaux.org with details of the name(s) and email address(es) of those attending the Service and similarly of those attending the Reception. *Before 7th March On Sunday 18th March, Bishop Robert will be officiating a Confirmation service at the church in Bertric Burée (Dordogne).

“An oasis of beer in a desert of wine” Trélissac - 24th March - from 3 pm - 8 pm

MARCH 2018 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Concert by the Crimean Chamber Choir, directed by Igor Mikhailevskiy at the Church in Eymet on Saturday 10th March at 8 pm. Tickets on the door: €15; concessions €12; free for Under 12s. Tickets in advance from the tourist office: €12. For more information tel 06 61 16 23 99.

WHAT’S ON ♦ 19

This very funny and modern play was made into a popular film starring Burt Lancaster and Imelda Staunton. However, in a new venture for Issigeac based MADS Theatre Group, they will be offering the stage play in two new venues: the Salle François Mitterrand in Villeréal, on 16th and 17th March at 7.30 pm, repeated the following week for one night only on 23rd March at 7.30 pm, at the Espace Culturel in Eymet with its well equipped and comfortable facilities. Tickets are priced at a very reasonable 10 euros and are bookable in advance at mads.bookings@gmail.com The story is that of ‘washed-up’ Hollywood star Jefferson Steel who is deceived by his agent into playing King Lear in an amateur community production in a small English town of Stratford St John. Expecting a suite at a fancy hotel, the actor finds himself lodging in a bed and breakfast. Steel’s arrogance and pretensions barely allow him to conform to such indignities as rehearsing Shakespeare in an old theatre. But, among the enthusiastic locals, he slowly comes to rethink some of his assumptions and look at life in a whole new way. Several new actors are involved including Adam Lewis playing the lead role, who met the director, Philippa Tillyer, when he purchased her house in December! The cast have already started work and look forward to performing to new and old audiences in two new venues. Keep theatre live!

17th & 18th March 2018

LALINDE

FREE ENTRY ESPACE J. BREL 10h-12h45 & 14h15-18h Organised by the association Kamalalinda

The FestiVillars season opens on Saturday 31st March at 18:30 with a Concert of Italian Baroque music performed by Eugénie Zebrowska-Selin, soprano and Alex de Valera, lute. This beautiful combination of lute and voice presents a varied programme of early Italian Baroque. Église Saint-Martial, 24530 Villars. Entry: €15; free for Under 16s. Visit www.festivillarsenperigordvert.com for more information.

Sarlat K DanseS ballroom dance association/club, located in Sarlat, will be holding their annual ball at the Salle des fêtes in Carsac-Aillac (7 km from Sarlat) on 31st March 2018 at 9 pm. This annual celebration gives all our dance club members and of course the general public a great opportunity to practice their ballroom dancing in a large dance hall. For the second year running we have asked the Leeds University Union Big Band to play for us. The band tours throughout the Bergerac area every year during the Easter week which gives them (a group of 22 swing musicians and 2 singers) the opportunity to play to a different audience and gives our dancers and friends a fantastic opportunity to dance to a Big Band just like in the Hollywood films. Please reserve your places as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Entry is €18 (includes a glass of champagne). For details/ reservations tel 05 53 29 22 60 or 06 67 49 44 39 or email rhonasmithskd@gmail.com

20 ♦ WHAT’S ON