The Bugle Dordogne - Nov 2013

Have a day out on us - win FREE tickets to Futuroscope The Bugle is giving away FREE TICKETS to the Futuroscope Theme Park. All you have to do is make us laugh!! >> Page 3

Dordogne November 2013 - Issue #5

France gripped by row over Roma expulsions Following the forced removal of a Roma girl from a school bus and her subsequent expulsion from France with her entire family, the government’s policy for dealing with illegal immigration has been called into question.

F

r a n c e ’ s controversial policy of repatriating Roma people has again hit the headlines following the removal of 15-year-old Leonarda Dibrani from her school bus before she was expelled from the country, along with her parents and five siblings after they lost their battle for asylum.

Anne Giacoma, a teacher who was on the bus with the schoolgirl, said she had refused a police request to stop the bus as she “found it totally inhuman” but, under pressure, she eventually complied.

The Socialist government launched an investigation after rights groups - and even fellow left-wingers criticised the expulsion as shocking.

Thousands of students marched through the streets of Paris and other cities demanding that Leonarda be

allowed to return, leading to François Hollande offering the schoolgirl the chance to come back to France to finish her studies... but only if she did so alone. She refused. “I won’t go alone to France.

I’m not the only one who has to go to school. There’s also my brothers and sisters,” she told a French newspaper. “In any case, we will do a tour of Europe like we did before and we will come back to France.”

Jean-François Copé, the leader of ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy’s conservative UMP party, said Mr Hollande’s decisions in the matter could only fuel the rise of the anti-immigration Front National. The popularity of Marine Le Pen’s far right party has been boosted in recent times by frustration over illegal immigration and Roma camps on the outskirts of French cities. “There can be no question of allowing

>> continued on page 7

INSIDE > > > NEWS - Next generation mobile speed cameras

The newest generation of undetectable, two-way, mobile speed cameras have come into service, with one operating in the Dordogne >> Page 4

NEWS - Marrakesh flights in jeopardy

The popular route from Bergerac to Marrakesh is under threat as Ryanair cancels winter flights >> Page 5

NEWS - Amazon bans sales of foie gras

US retailer Amazon has banned the sale of foie gras from its UK online store following protests from animal rights campaigners >> Page 6

As Remembrance Day approaches, we take a look at the work of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission >> Pages 12/13

WHAT’S ON - Events in November

3 pages of events to enjoy this month from across the region. >> Pages 21-23

2 ♦ IN THIS EDITION

Welcome to

The Bugle

A

lthough our Dordogne edition is still in its infancy, The Bugle group has just entered its fifth year - wow, how the time flies! To celebrate our birthday, we are giving away tickets to the Futuroscope Theme Park just outside Poitiers (see page 3 opposite for details).

I have not yet been myself, although I have heard very good reports about the country’s second most popular theme park after Disneyland Paris. All we

INSIDE this edition 3-6 Local News 7-10 National News 11 Practical 12-13 Feature 14-17 French Life 18-20 Directory/Games 21-24 What's On

are asking in return is that you make us laugh by sending in your favourite joke, preferably a Christmas one!

We could do with a good laugh over at Bugle Towers to distract us from the dreaded “tax season”. This is always a gloomy time of year as the weather really starts to turn, the days draw ever shorter and the bills start to drop. Taxe foncière, taxe d’habitation, fill up the central heating fuel tank, order the logs... Then, as anyone running a business will be painfully aware, the RSI likes to recalculate what you owe about now as well!!

Still, Christmas is right around the corner and that’s usually a cheap time of year, no?! I thought I was being clever by only allowing my children to watch CBeebies rather than the overtly commercial Disney Channel or Nick Junior, so they avoid the vast majority of adverts for toys, gadgets and gizmos. Then, the other day, my eldest stormed into the office and demanded that I buy her a tablet as she wanted to download the latest Tree Fu

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ NOVEMBER 2013 Tom (whatever that is?!) app from the CBeebies website... she is four!! I still have to talk her grandfather through turning on his PC and the only tablets he knows about are the ones he takes in the morning for his arthritis!!

Suffice it to say, so long as there are sticks to play with in the garden, my children will not be getting iPads or iPhones any time soon (other expensive mobile devices are available).

We did not move to rural France to teach our children to be slaves to technology!

At the risk of sounding old how times have changed.

One thing that never changes is the “advice” from medical experts, or rather the lack of consistency of that advice: cholesterol is bad and eggs will kill you; there is good cholesterol and eggs are packed with the good type; don’t eat too much fat or oil; Omega-3 is the elixir of life and drinking olive oil by the gallon will make you live forever. Just the other day I read that “experts” have decided that butter and saturated fats are no longer the devil and a separate study has revealed that 2 cups of coffee a day are better for you than two fruit smoothies - go figure!

The latest revelation is that one of the cornerstones of keeping healthy is also not true - that you need to drink 2 litres of water every day. Now they are saying it makes very little difference how much you drink (British Journal of Sports Medicine, September 2013,

Current hydration guidelines are erroneous: dehydration does not impair exercise performance in the heat, Wall BA). Not only that, but it’s now considered more dangerous to drink too much water than too little (drinking too much can fatally dilute your body’s sodium levels).

Apparently, we evolved in environments that required doing intense exercise in extreme heat and dryness (presumably that means running away from lions on the African savannah?) and our bodies are quite good at dealing with dehydration.

The new advice is to “drink to thirst” rather than trying to drink a certain amount, which is handy advice for me as I am almost always thirsty for a beer!!!

Until next month!

Steve Martindale, Editor

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

NOVEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 3

Region hit by lack of general practitioners

T

he Dordogne, like many other rural parts of France, has a growing problem with attracting young healthcare professionals to the department. Today, 50% of all general practitioners in the Dordogne are over 50 years old. With the number of doctors setting up practices on the decline and retirements on the increase the department is suffering from a worrying shortage of GPs. In Bergerac, the city most affected in the Aquitaine, there are an average of 71.6 doctors per 100,000 inhabitants, compared to a national average of 96.9. There are also 78,000 people in the Dordogne who live more than 30 minutes away from emergency care.

So bad is the situation that a commission was established in the Dordogne earlier this year to find a solution to the problem of attracting young healthcare professionals to the department. “The commission has a purely investigative brief. Its aims are to report on the ways we can best coordinate our actions to fight against this lack of healthcare professionals,” explained Michel Laforcade, director of the regional health authority.

It is not only GPs that are affected; the problem is repeated across similar healthcare professions, with a lack of dentists,

ophthalmologists, paediatricians, physiotherapists and nurses.

The shortage is particularly bad for the 7,000 inhabitants of the canton of Bussière-Badil in the north of the Dordogne.

“Four years ago, we had 4 [doctors] in the commune,” said Didier Vignal, the mayor of Piégut-Pluviers. “Now, we only have one and he is due to take retirement.”

After placing 700 advertisements for a new GP in medical universities around the country, there were no suitable applicants.

“Young people just don’t want to come and live here,” explained the mayor. His solution was to invest €300,000 in the search for a new young doctor. “We bought a house with 2 entrances at a cost of €210,000,” continued the Mr Vignal. “We still have a little work to do, however, most significantly to improve disabled access.” The house is being converted into 2 practices and the remainder of the money has been spent on medical materials and advertising costs.

The investment has paid dividends, but the search for a young doctor eventually took them not only outside the region, but outside the country. In October, Maria Jose Martin Medina, originally from the south of Spain, became the area’s newest doctor.

Salaries for GPs in Spain are currently very low and the offer to move into a custom-built practice, with no rent to pay

Gang arrested over mattress scams

D

ozens of gendarmes, along with specialists from the groupe d’intervention régional (GIR) in Bordeaux, have broken up a ring of fraudsters who have been preying on the old and vulnerable in a scam involving the sale of mattresses. The 8 people arrested have been working nationally since 2010, but were based near Terrasson, in the east of the Dordogne and have targeted a number of people in the region.

As many as 500 people are believed to have been victims of the gang who sold €60 mattresses for as much as €15,000!

Each time, a similar pattern was used.

“They identified people who were old or vulnerable, that is to say handicapped, under care or particularly isolated,” explained the procureur of Périgueux, JeanFrançois Mailhes. “They would then sell them mattresses, carpets and cleaning

products at exorbitant prices. Then they would repeatedly return for more money by, for example, damaging the original mattress and persuading them to buy another.”

The gang are believed to have bagged around €750,000 from the scams.

The 4 men and 4 women, all believed to be from the same family from a travelling community, have been charged with theft, exploitation of weakness, money laundering and other charges relating to door-todoor sales.

The affair first came to light following a complaint from one victim near Bordeaux whose cheque was eventually cashed in Terrasson. Investigators then spent the next year tracking the group and building the case against them, ultimately leading to their arrest in simultaneous operations in Terrasson and near Toulouse. ■

Futuroscope Ticket Giveaway!!

To celebrate the fourth anniversary of The Bugle, we are giving away three pairs of tickets to Futuroscope Theme Park.

To enter, email editor@thebugle.eu with your favourite joke (extra marks for a Christmas theme!) The jokes that make us laugh the most will win the tickets!

Don't forget to include your postal address and contact details.

Closing date is 15 November 2013 Tickets are valid until 05/01/2014

for the first year, proved very attractive.

“These are very good conditions,” said the 33-year-old doctor, originally from Malaga and who has 10 years’ experience. “In Spain, doctors are salaried. I practiced in Barcelona, but the salaries are very low. I wanted to change my life. I did not know the Dordogne at all, but the welcome has been very warm.”

To set up a private practice, she would have needed to invest around €20,000, an

amount that the young doctor thinks the banks would be unlikely to lend in the current economic climate.

As a foreign national, Ms Martin Medina had to first pass an interview with the Ordre des médecins, who verified her medical competence and language skills, before being allowed to practise in France.

A second Spanish doctor is awaiting these same checks and is due to move into the practice next door in the near future. ■

4 ♦ LOCAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ NOVEMBER 2013

Two-way mobile speed cameras unveiled

E

arlier this year the government unveiled its latest weapon in the fight against speeding drivers on the roads of France - the undetectable mobile speed camera. The special fleet of unmarked Renault Meganes are equipped with a radar speed detector installed behind the number plate and an infra-red camera on the dashboard that takes a photograph without the need for a flash.

The equipment is practically invisible to motorists and virtually undetectable by GPS devices or smartphone apps, and the radar flash will not be visible to the naked eye. The only way you will know that the car ahead is actually a mobile speed camera will be the drivers’ attire - the gendarmes operating them are required to be in uniform.

So far a total of 46 of these unmarked vehicles are in service across France, but a further 20 upgraded versions have been deployed in October, one of which will operate in the Dordogne. Previously, drivers could only be caught when overtaking one of these unmarked cars, but

this next generation can now “flash” drivers in both directions. Thanks to the infrared nature of the equipment, the camera will also work at night.

“This equipment, which catches drivers coming towards us as well as past us, will no doubt prove very useful,” warned Captain Eric Maccio, second in command of the Dordogne’s road security squadron.

The newest generation of speed control will primarily be deployed on the routes nationales road network, where the most serious accidents occur, and on stretches of road which have an existing problem with excessive speeding. It is not thought that they will be used on motorways as the central reservation prevents the cars “seeing” vehicles travelling in the opposite direction.

Due to the fact that they are mobile, the margin of error is more generous and excessive speeding will only be punished at 10% above the speed limit, or 10 km/h above the limit for speeds less than 100 km/h. For example, driving at 58 km/h in a 50 km/h zone will be considered as travel-

ling at 48km/h and will not get you a fine, but a speed of 145 km/h in 130 km/h zones will equate to 130.5 km/h and will see an expensive letter arrive at your door a few days later.

Aurélien Wattez, head of the department for automated road safety, said that speeding motorists now have nowhere to hide: “There exists a minority of people that will only respect speed limits in areas where there is a fixed camera. This system exists to reinforce the fact that you must obey the speed limits all the time, not just where there are signs.”

One website has hit back at the new mobile speed camera cars. As reported earlier this year in Aujourd’hui, www.abcmoteurs.fr, a forum for car enthusiasts, has urged its members to upload the number plates of the mobile vehicles, a move which the site’s owners insist is perfectly legal.

The government has announced that there will be a total of 300 mobile speed cameras in unmarked cars on the roads by the end of 2015, adding to the approximately 4,100 fixed speed cameras

already in service. In total, the radars are expected to raise more than €800 million in fines this year alone.

In 2012, France’s army of speed cameras sent out more than 12 million penalty notices. In practice, many photos are unusable and the cameras actually flashed 21 million times. Figures show that 93.5% of these tickets are for speeds of less than 20 km/h over the limit.

The kind of driver to be targeted by the new undetectable speed cameras will be the 37-year-old recently caught travelling at 191 km/h on the RN 21 between Sorges and Sarliac. Not only was he travelling at twice the speed limit, he had 0.96 g/l of alcohol in his blood, well above the legal limit. As well as having his licence revoked, he will also be appearing in court in the near future.

A big part of the France’s battle against speeding has been a crackdown on foreign drivers. Following Europewide changes earlier this year, most European countries will now share driving licence information, allowing countries to automatically fine foreign drivers.

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France has signed up, as has most of Europe, but Great Britain and Ireland are notable exceptions.

When the proposals were first announced in 2011, the European commissioner for transport, Siim Kallas said, “We know that a foreign driver is three times more likely to commit an offence than a resident driver. These new rules should have a powerful deterrent effect and change behaviour.” According to EU figures, foreign drivers make up around 5% of the traffic on the roads of Europe, yet they account for 15% of all accidents.

In France, the figures for foreign drivers are far higher. Foreign heavy goods vehicles alone account for 28% of all traffic on France’s roads and are involved in 14% of fatal accidents - this is an area that France is looking to crack down on.

Recent statistics also show that one quarter of all vehicles flashed by France’s army of speed cameras are on foreign plates. This prob-

lem is even worse in the height of the summer tourist season when that figure rises to half!

Although excessive speed is still a factor in 26% of all road fatalities in France, average speeds on the county’s roads have fallen by 10 km/h in the decade since the first introduction of fixed speed cameras. In 2012, there were 3,645 road deaths in France, significantly down from a peak of 9,000 in 2002, and the lowest on record since 1948, the year in which France first started accounting for road deaths.

With average speed cameras, mobile speed cameras and over 4,000 “regular” speed cameras, it may feel like the government is on a mission to track our every move (and fine us when we slip up), but the limit may finally have been reached.

Earlier this year Interior Minister Manuel Valls said there were now sufficient speed cameras on the roads and he did not want to see more added. ■

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 5

NOVEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Ryanair’s Marrakesh route in uncertain future

O

nly one month ago, Bergerac Airport was proudly announcing that it had secured a deal to keep the route to Marrakesh open over the winter months, with 2 flights a week to Morocco. The route was established earlier this year and has not only attracted locals in search of sunshine, but is also proving popular with the region’s Moroccan expat community.

There is a significant Moroccan population in the Dordogne, an estimated 4,000 in total, with an even greater number in the neighbouring Lot-et-Garrone department. The Moroccan consulate in Bordeaux covers 11 departments in the south-west of France, where the expat population is believed to be around 80,000.

The Bergerac line offered a more practical alternative to more established routes from Bordeaux and Toulouse and also proved beneficial to the estimated 250 businesses in the Aquitaine region that currently have established commercial links with Morocco.

But then, in October, travellers with reservations to Marrakesh received an email from Ryanair telling them that their flights in November had been cancelled. “I was due to depart for Morocco on the 6th November, but I received an email telling me the opposite,” said Franck, who explained that he had been offered either a refund, or an alternative flight... from Tours!

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Dordogne was then forced to admit that the winter flights were “a test phase” and that “Bergerac Airport will continue to be at the disposal of Ryanair should they wish to continue these flights”. “If this is not the case, the route will continue as normal from the 1st April,” explained Serge Mérillou, president of the Syndicat mixte air Dordogne (Smad).

The future of the route was thrown into further doubt when EasyJet subsequently announced four new routes from its Bordeaux hub to Belfast, Brussels, Amsterdam... and Marrakesh, 3 times a week from 30th March next year. ■

Dordogne gets its first palliative care unit

The Dordogne has welcomed its first palliative care unit this month, which has opened at the hospital in Périgueux. The unit has 12 beds and will be staffed by a doctor, a nurse, a social worker, a care assistant, a psychologist as well as a part time an administrative coordinator and a secretary and will be available to patients from across the department. ■

Tom Smith set to leave Bergerac Rugby Club

T

he former Scotland and Lions prop, Tom Smith, has made a surprise exit as forwards’ coach of newly promoted Bergerac Rugby Club.

He was a big name signing over the summer as Bergerac looked to consolidate their promotion with a strong first season in the Fédérale 2, France’s 4th division of rugby.

Bergerac have enjoyed a solid start to the season, sitting second in their group following 3 wins and 2 draws. Sarlat, already beaten 52-14 by Bergerac this season, are fourth in the group of 10 teams and Belvès currently lie seventh.

Tom Smith, who was capped 61 times by Scotland, arrived in the summer from Lyon Rugby Club where he was the forwards’ coach for the 2012/2013 season. “He was an iconic player for his country,” said Régis Lansade, president of the USB (Union sportive Bergerac) at the time of the signing. “To replace [former coach] Jean-Michel Maillé, we were looking for someone experienced who could guarantee continuity. Tom Smith is a very nice guy and I am sure that the move will work very well.”

The move has not gone as planned, how-

ever, and the surprise exit has been put down to the problems of being so far away from his family, who are still based in Lyon.

Tom Smith is a legend of the game and many Scottish rugby fans will argue he is the greatest loosehead prop to ever play for Scotland, although David Sole may run him close for that honour. He first played for Scotland in 1997 and was picked for the British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa later that same year, despite only having 3 international caps at the time. He went on to defy the odds and start all three test matches - picked ahead of Jason Leonard - in a legendary series that the tourists would eventually win 2-1 thanks to Jeremy Guscott’s unforgettable drop goal.

Smith last played for Scotland in 2005, but continued to play for club side Northampton until taking up his first coaching role with Edinburgh in 2009. Bergerac were hoping to tap into his valuable experience as they look to build on their success of last season when they not only gained promotion from the Fédérale 3, but also went on to be crowned champions of France (see July’s launch edition of The Bugle Dordogne). ■

Department moves to tackle food waste

F

ood waste is a major issue these days, especially given the harsh economic climate of recent years. Supermarket giant Tesco recently revealed it generated almost 30,000 tonnes of food waste in the first six months of 2013. Of that total, 21% was made up of fruit and vegetables and 41% of bakery items that went unsold.

Using its own data and industry-wide figures, Tesco estimated that across the UK food industry as a whole, 68% of salad to be sold in bags was wasted - 35% of it thrown out by customers.

See the article on page 15 for a more in-depth look at practical ways to improve the shelf life of food items.

Household food waste in France is estimated at

around 20kg per person per year, costing the average household around €400 annually. This figure includes 7kg of food thrown away with the packaging unopened. At least 7 million tonnes of food is wasted in France as a whole every year, a figure that the government is looking to halve by 2025. Globally it is thought that 1/3 of all food produced is wasted.

The minister for the food industry, Guillaume Garot, said: “There is something scandalous, profoundly unfair, in the fact that food is thrown away while so many French depend on food aid to live or that millions of men, women and children don’t have enough to eat.”

In December 2012, the Dordogne was chosen as the department where a

pilot project would take place aiming to significantly reduce the amount of food waste per capita.

Half of all secondary school canteens across the department have been part of a scheme to reclaim unused food, which involves educating staff and pupils about food waste, selective recycling and a shift towards using more local produce.

Practical steps being taken in 18 of the 36 collèges in the department include limiting the number of slices of bread to 2 or 3 per person, avoiding individual portions and creating a dish each day based on the previous day’s leftovers. The moves fit with the wider efforts of the Conseil général to try and reduce waste and use resources more efficiently. ■

6 ♦ LOCAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ NOVEMBER 2013

Amazon bans foie gras sales

T

he UK arm of American online retailer Amazon has finally bowed to mounting pressure and banned the sale of foie gras products on its website. Earlier this year, animal welfare campaigners at the Viva! group petitioned Amazon to stop selling the delicacy on the grounds of the alleged cruelty involved in its production. Viva!'s campaign followed video evidence collected

by French group L214 of how the caged ducks are force-fed as part of the process of producing foie gras.

Viva! presented Amazon with the video evidence, together with a petition signed by 13,000 opponents of the trade. Having previously said that they would ban foie gras if a petition against it reached more than 10,000 signatures, in October Amazon updated the list of banned items in its terms and conditions to contain the following: Animal products: Parts or products from whale, dolphin, shark, elephant (including elephant ivory) or from any other regulated endangered plant or animal are prohibited, as are products containing Foie Gras.

The move resulted in some 100 products being removed from the website, most of which came from French manufacturers Labeyrie and Rougié. Since foie gras production was banned in Britain under animal rights legislation, the highly prized food is now imported, primarily from France.

Foie gras production is big business in the Dordogne and the news will come as a blow to the region’s farmers, even if the Amazon UK represents a relatively small market. In other news that will soften the blow, farmers have sold 6% more foie gras than by the same

time last year, with demand from Asia driving growth. Although many European countries are eating less and less foie gras in the face of mounting campaigns such as Viva!’s, it would appear that the burgeoning middle classes in Asia are developing a taste for the delicacy.

The controversy surrounds the process of gavage, the term used to describe the force-feeding of birds with corn mash. This process is central to the production of foie gras, which literally translates as 'fatty liver'. Supporters argue that, in nature, migrating ducks stuff themselves with food for their long journey and the gavage is an extension of this natural process; the ducks do not suffer, are not sick or diseased as a result, and the liver will revert to normal if forcefeeding is stopped.

Opponents say that there is nothing natural about force-feeding specially bred ducks that do not migrate and go on to argue that, while inserting a tube into a bird's throat may or may not cause pain, it is cruel because it deliberately provokes irreversible liver damage.

L214 spokeswoman Brigitte Gothière said it was “encouraging” that retail giants such as Amazon were now taking positions against animal cruelty. Justin Kerswell, campaigns manager at Viva!, described Amazon’s decision to stop selling foie gras as “an incredible victory” for anyone who cares about the welfare of animals. “Foie gras is mostly produced by imprisoning birds in cages so tiny they can’t move, by forcing a pipe down their throats and force-feeding them until their livers swell to ten times their natural size,” said Mr Kerswell. “I can’t imagine why anyone would want to eat it - or be involved in

its sale. It is quite simply torture in a tin. There is nothing humane about mechanically inducing disease in a bird. Amazon should be congratulated for taking an ethical lead by delisting foie gras in the UK, but we hope that ethical stance is expanded worldwide.

This is a perfect example that consumer pressure does work, even with corporate giants such as Amazon.”

France has rebuffed the renewed concerns that ducks on the foie gras production line are being overfed and treated inhumanely, with the Minister for Agriculture, Guillaume Garot, saying, “I regret Amazon UK’s decision to remove foie gras from its site… I must emphasise again the efforts that French manufacturers have made over the years in maintaining a real quality product while respect-

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The head of France’s Interprofessional Committee of Foie Gras (Cifog), Marie-Pierre Pé, told news agency AFP, “Economically speaking it’s a non-event. It’s a bit like if Amazon France decided to stop selling pudding online.”

France exports around 16 million tonnes of foie gras each year and employs nearly 100,000 people in the industry. ■

The French don't like national team

Overpaid, selfish and rude. That's what 82% of French people think about the national football team, with a further 54% believing that they will fail to get past the Ukraine in their upcoming play-off to make it to next year's World Cup in Rio de Janeiro.

When asked who was their favourite player of the current crop, Tottenham's keeper Hugo Lloris came out on top with 39% of the vote, well ahead of established names such as Bayern Munich's Franck Ribéry (9%) and Madrid's Karim Benzema (5%). Manchester City's Samir Nasri brought up the rear with a paltry 2% picking him as their star man.

Many of the image problems being suffered by the French team date back to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa where, after reaching the final in 2006, they were knocked out in the group stages following infighting within the camp and a player revolt.

Despite the lack of respect for their national team, French games do still pull in the crowds: an estimated 6 million viewers tuned in to a recent 6-0 victory in a friendly match against Australia. ■

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 7

NOVEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

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>> continued from pg 1 the extreme Right to profit from the incompetence of the president,” Mr Copé said.

Despite the student protests, opinion polls showed that most French did not want the family to return. “What do 80% of the French think about this?” asked François Bayrou, who ran against Hollande in the first round of the 2012 presidential election, on the digital news channel iTélé.

“They think the state has totally lost its compass, deciding one thing and then deciding its exact opposite one minute later … Hollande’s authority is significantly weakened here.”

The row has once again laid bare rifts within France and the ruling Socialists on how to tackle illegal immigrants, rifts which first appeared when interior minister Manuel Valls recently declared that Roma gypsies were incompatible with the French way of life and should return home.

Mr Valls insisted that the deportation of Leonarda and the rest of her family had been carried out in line with established procedure.

“Everyone should keep a cool head,” he said. “Do not for one single moment doubt that the rules, based on the law, are applied by my services with intelligence, discretion and humanity.

We have to carry out these deportations. It is of course a difficult subject but any immigration policy requires respect for the law, respect for individuals and great firmness. I am accountable

for that to the French people.”

A poll in the weekly JDD newspaper following the incident showed Hollande’s approval rating had sunk to 23%, the lowest level in his presidency and beating the record low popularity ratings set by his predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy.

While Hollande wilts under grim economic data and attacks on his authority, his tough-talking interior minister, Manuel Valls, has become France’s most popular politician. The same poll showed Valls had the support of 61% of the public, far ahead of any other minister. By emphasising a tough stance on Leonarda’s family rather than the offer to allow her back, he appears to have come out of the affair unscathed. “Nothing will make me deviate from my path,” he said. “The law must be applied and this family must not come back to France.”

The Dibrani family suffered a further crisis shortly after their return to Kosovo when Leonarda’s mother was beaten and briefly treated in hospital.

Dzemila Dibrani and Leonarda’s father, Resat Dibrani, were accosted by another Roma couple in downtown Mitrovica, and the mother sustained unspecified injuries when the Roma man inquired about the fate of a child from their past romance, a Kosovo official said on condition of anonymity.

An official report into Miss Dibrani’s deportation concluded that while the way she was removed might have been clumsy, her expulsion was lawful. It also painted an

© 2006 - planetlove (Flickr)

France divided over Roma expulsions

unflattering portrait of the Dibrani family and particularly of the father, Resat, who had admitted to lying to immigration officials about where his wife and children were born. It portrayed him as a petty criminal who snubbed offers of work and said that the family did not show much desire to integrate into French society and had wrecked an apartment they were given.

Amnesty International recently reported that more than 10,000 Roma had been evicted from temporary camps in France in the first half of this year. An estimated 20,000 Roma have settled in France, coming mainly from Romania, Bulgaria and parts of the former Yugoslavia such as Kosovo. ■

Sexist MP told to cluck off!!

Proceedings in the French parliament, the Assemblée Nationale, were brought to a halt this month by clucking noises.

Véronique Massonneau, an MP for the Vienne region, was in the process of making a speech on pension reform when she was interrupted by a UMP député imitating a chicken.

At first, Madame Massoneau brushed off the sexist rebuff (in French “poule” can be a derogatory term for a woman) and continued her speech. However, Philippe Le Ray, did not desist.

Shouting above the heckling, a furious president, Claude Bartolone, stressed: “It's not playtime, this is just downright unacceptable.”

Proceedings were stopped, and when the session resumed, Bartolone added that “MPs can't turn into birds whilst others are trying to speak”.

The episode has sparked outrage across France. Politicians of all parties have come together to condemn Le Ray, who has since been sanctioned by the National Assembly. ■

Amaryllis Barton

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8 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ NOVEMBER 2013

F

rench magistrates have announced that they are dropping an investigation into charges that former president Nicolas Sarkozy had manipulated a fragile heiress into financing his 2007 campaign. The surprise news removes a major obstacle standing between the 2012 presidential election loser and an expected return to front-line politics in time for the 2017 elections.

The charges related to the so-called Bettencourt Affair, a scandal that has been simmering for a number of years.

It is alleged that Liliane Bettencourt - the heiress to the L'Oréal fortune and France's richest woman - made large cash donations to Nicolas Sarkozy when he first ran for president. Mrs Bettencourt was alleged to have provided Mr Sarkozy with “manila envelopes stuffed with cash” following dinner parties at her mansion house in the upmarket suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine, where Mr Sarkozy was once mayor and still keeps a home.

Political donations in France are limited to €4,600 for individuals, and cash contributions cannot exceed €150.

All private campaign donations above that amount have to be paid by cheque, with the donor clearly identified.

Investigators suspected up to €4 million of Bettencourt's cash ultimate-

ly made its way into the coffers of Sarkozy's UMP party.

The L'Oréal heiress had been declared to be in a state of dementia in 2006 and magistrates suspected that Sarkozy had taken advantage of her mental “frailty”, extracting campaign pledges from her. Crucially, the judges in the case are not saying that money did not change hands, or that they believe that the money did not change hands illegally. The trial in question is for “abuse of mental frailty” and will still go ahead with former UMP treasurer Eric Woerth remaining as the star defendant among the 10 accused. What the judges are now saying is that there is no proof Nicolas Sarkozy personally pressured the billionaire heiress into giving any money.

When it was announced earlier this year that charges would be brought, Sarkozy's allies claimed that the accusations were “preposterous” and politically motivated.

Sarkozy fought hard to have the charges dropped and a trial looked likely when a French court threw out his last-ditch appeal against the charges - the surprise announcement that he no longer faces prosecution will come as a major relief.

The former president left office promising never to return to politics, but his supporters have been giving repeated hints that a return is not off the cards. Al-

though unpopular when he lost his attempt to be re-elected in 2012, opinion polls now suggest he would beat President François Hollande in a re-run if it were held today.

In a message posted on his official Facebook page, Nicolas Sarkozy proclaimed that he had been declared “innocent”, and listed the numerous hardships to which he had been subjected by investigators, including 22 hours of questioning. “So, this was the price to pay so that the truth could finally be established,” he wrote, before adding a warning: “For the politicians who, during these months, have used this 'affair' and contributed to increasing suspicion, I want to remind them how the presumption of innocence is a fundamental principle. We can never win by slandering people. It only harms democracy,” he said.

Sarkozy's problems are not over and he remains dogged by several other legal cases: a scandal over the millions of euros of public money paid in compensation to his friend Bernard Tapie, a controversial businessman; the so-called Karachi affair, a convoluted corruption case linked to arms sales and a bombing in Pakistan in 2002 that killed 11 French nationals; and allegations that he accepted up to €50 million in cash from former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi for the 2007 campaign. ■

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Charges against Sarkozy dropped

Avon set to close French operations

U

S cosmetics giant Avon is closing down its French operations, according to reports. Avon employs 120 people at its base in Paris and a further 11,000 independent representatives across the country, including a number of British expats.

Avon's Parisian office says only current orders will be guaranteed and it is unsure if its selfemployed representatives will be able to get supplies after the end of October 2013. The news brings to an end 50 years of trading in France.

Recent times have been unsettled at the company and angry workers have accused Avon of keeping them in the dark for months.

Many have accused

Avon of not acting in line with the company's publicly stated values of being a socially responsible company that upholds values of trust, respect and integrity and a culture of “open and candid communication”.

Estelle Croissant, an Avon employee responsible for supporting the direct selling representatives, told the BBC that a workers' council representing Avon staff in France was challenging the company for not following the correct redundancy process.

“They have not respected all the processes according to their own rules and values,” she said. “We now know an administrator has been in place since May this year, but no scheme to assist the workers is yet in place. We just feel

abandoned. We knew that the business was not good, but we have all been very committed and worked relentlessly over many months to help the company to try and become profitable.”

Talks between the cosmetic company and workers' representatives are ongoing.

Avon is one of the largest cosmetics companies in the world, but has undergone a series of management shakeups and reorganisations in recent years following a rejected takeover attempt by rival firm Coty.

According to the BBC, when contacted about events at its French subsidiary, a spokesman for Avon's US parent company refused to make any comment or even confirm the closure was taking place. ■

NOVEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

University entry a matter of pot luck sity career decided by a state-sanctioned lottery system. Here in France, universities are struggling to cope with increasing student numbers to meet the policy aim of 'university for all'.

Olivier Vial, president of UNI, a right-wing student union, claims universities are reverting to a lottery system to cope with the rising tide of teenagers wanting to go to university. “More and more universities are having to use a lottery. Can you imagine a more random selection

process?”

The problem is that over 70% of French school leavers achieve the required levels in the Baccalaureate for university entrance.

The Baccalaureate is the equivalent of A-levels taken by 18-yearolds for entry into most UK universities. But just as A-levels have been labelled too soft and insufficiently rigorous, so too the Bac has come under fire for grade inflation over the decades. Interestingly, Michael Gove, UK Secretary of State for Edu-

France changes rules on book sales

I

n a victory for independent book stores across the country, MPs have unanimously backed a move that will curb the discounting power of online retailers in France. In a rare show of unity, parliamentarians on both the right and the left voted for the update to a 1981 law that set a fixed-price system for books.

Under this system, readers pay the same whether they buy online, from a big high street chain, or from a small bookseller.

Extensive discounting is banned, a fact which many claim has saved the independent book retailer. The law does allow for a small amount of discounting but with a maximum of 5%. Small booksellers argue they still cannot compete with certain online giants, however, who provide free postage and free fast delivery deals on top of the 5% discount.

The bill, which must be approved by the senate before becoming law, will prevent Amazon and Fnac (the companies currently applying this two-tier reduction) from combining free delivery with a 5% discount on books.

The government believes its efforts have saved its independent bookstores from the ravages of free-market capitalism that hit the UK when it abandoned fixed prices in the 1990s. There are between 2,500 and 3,000 independent bookshops in France,

Nicholas

compared with under 1,000 in Britain.

For its part, Amazon said the law would have the perverse effect of hurting sales of books from the back catalogue and from smaller publishing houses, which were often bought online. “All measures that aim to raise the price of books sold online will curb the ability of French people to buy cultural works and discriminates against those who buy online,” it said. “Numerous customers live far from any bookshop and appreciate being able to buy their books online. If this bill passes, it will have a minor impact on Amazon but it will penalise consumers and threaten cultural diversity in France because Amazon offers the biggest choice of new and secondhand books in France.”

France has called on the EU to regulate global internet companies such as Google, Amazon and Facebook more aggressively, to counter their growing dominance of online commerce and services. It is pushing within the OECD and G20 organisations to tighten tax rules to make sure that internet companies cannot avoid tax by locating their headquarters in low-cost EU countries.

France landed Amazon with a $252m tax bill last year for back taxes, interest and penalties. This is in stark contrast to Britain where on £4.2bn of sales in 2012 Amazon paid a mere £2.4m in tax, only to get it all back and more in government grants! ■

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cation, has attempted to purge British schools of coursework. However, many French universities continue to use a 'dossier' of student work to gain a better idea of a prospective student's abilities.

Hamstrung by the French state's commitment for all students to have the right to access university education and with few means of distinguishing between candidates, many universities are left with a situation where lecture halls containing over 300 students have become

© 2011 - Phillip Caper (WikiCommons)

I

f you know a British teenager slaving away at A-levels, spare a thought for his or her French counterpart whose entry into university could be based on pure chance.

Admittedly, five minutes spent chatting to a teacher will reveal how any exam system may be unreliable; even the brightest and best can suffer at the hands of negligent markers or fall foul of changing grade boundaries.

However, some French youngsters could now see their whole univer-

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 9

the norm. Indeed, according to the Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur, 2.8% more Bac holders (bacheliers) went to university this year, meaning student numbers in France are higher than ever before.

As a result, first year university courses are overcrowded and end of year exams become the main method of sorting the wheat from the chaff.

High drop-out rates and

disenchanted students are the result. A lottery is the last resort for university chancellors despairing about how to select students.

UK students may look jealously on their French peers who enjoy some of the lowest university fees in Europe but at least UK students are admitted on merit... of a sort. ■

Amaryllis Barton

10 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ NOVEMBER 2013

The French invade Switzerland?!

I

n August this year, a financially stricken France split into warring regions.

One of these indebted regions, Saônia, invaded Switzerland to retrieve what it considered to be stolen assets held by the famously neutral country. Behind the dastardly raid was a paramilitary organisation called the BLD - the Dijon Free Brigade - hell-bent on grabbing back “money that Switzerland had stolen from Saônia”.

Does that all sound a bit farfetched? Well, this is the worryingly detailed scenario dreamt up by the Swiss army as part of a training exercise held earlier this year.

Swiss military officials stressed that the scenario, details of which may surprise the French government, has nothing to do with a current row between the two countries over tax. “The fact that this story was dreamt up in the middle of a real tax row between France and Switzerland, over assets placed by wealthy French citizens in Swiss banks is, the Swiss army insists, a complete coincidence,” said the BBC's correspondent in Switzerland, Imogen Foulkes.

“The exercise has strictly nothing to do with France,” Daniel Berger, captain of the Swiss armoured brigade told the Swiss press. “It was prepared in 2012, when fiscal relations between both countries were less tense. French towns were cited to provide soldiers with a real scale.” The fictitious Saônia, which maps accompanying the war games showed to be the French department of Jura in the Franche-Comté region, is on the western borders of Switzerland.

Famous for its bank secrecy laws, Switzerland often comes under criticism for allowing foreign account holders to hide their wealth from tax officials at home, something that recently cost the French budget minister, Jérôme Cahuzac, his job. During the recent period of economic hardship, these opaque laws are coming under increasing fire as France and the US, among others, are cracking down on tax evasion.

It is not the first time that Switzerland has envisaged an 'attack' from its neighbour to the west. Last year it carried out an exercise based on the idea that a huge wave of refu-

gees swarmed into the country in the chaos ensuing the implosion of the Euro currency.

The military is a hot topic in Switzerland which, despite not fighting in a war for over 200 years, still has mandatory military service. Under Swiss law, all able-bodied men at age 19 have to undergo five months of

training, followed by refresher courses of several weeks over the next decade. The current number of recruits stands at around 155,000 making the Swiss army the biggest in Europe relative to population size.

A referendum held recently saw 73.2 per cent of Swiss voters reject plans to abolish

French to get British weather

© meteo.fr (screenshot)

F

rance is bracing itself for some very British weather over the coming years. But don't worry, that doesn't mean chilly winds, grey skies and persistent drizzle; from next year, weather forecasts on two of France's main TV channels are to be provided by a UK-based company.

Storm clouds are already forming over Météo-France, the state weather forecasting service that currently provides the reports for France 2 and France 3 - the French equivalent of BBC 1 and BBC 2. In a bid to cut costs as part of a restructuring plan that will see it lose 361 jobs in the coming months, France Télévisions put the contract for weather forecasting out to tender earlier this year. London based Meteogroup, part of the Press Association since 2005, won the contract with a bid that was 30% cheaper than the one put forward by Météo-France.

Météo-France will, however, continue to provide reports for the regional editions of France 3.

Predictably, unions have strongly criticised the move, with one claiming: “It's a provocation. There's just no more solidarity between public services anymore.”

A management source at MétéoFrance tried to play down the loss, saying that its commercial services only accounted for 10 per cent of its activities. “As a public service, our primary missions are to monitor the weather to maintain security for the French people and their property, to

help air traffic and of course for national defence,” the spokesperson claimed.

The move comes amid a spell of gloomy news for Météo-France, which is set to lose 89 employees next year after a cull of 100 jobs in 2013 - all part of the French government's attempts to cut back on spending.

Times are also difficult for France Télévisions which has received cuts in government funding levels and been forced to stop some primetime TV ad-

vertising. In August, Rémy Pflimlin, its president, announced plans for 600 voluntary job losses by 2015, adding that he expects the company to post a €40 million loss this year with further losses predicted in 2014 and 2015.

Symbolically, the news that France's weather forecasts have been outsourced to a British company will come as a blow to the government's “Made in France” campaign being championed by Arnaud Montebourg, the industrial recovery minister. ■

conscription, saying “no” to proposals by the anti-military group, Group for a Switzerland Without an Army, to have either a professional army or one made up of volunteers.

Neutral Switzerland has not been invaded since the Napoleonic Wars of the early 19th century. ■

Chinese tourists in hot water over "recycled" one euro coins A pair of Chinese tourists found themselves in hot water recently when they were arrested for counterfeiting after settling their hotel bill in €1 coins. The two tourists, aged 29 and 30, aroused suspicions within the hotel near Paris when they paid €70 for their first night's stay in coins; when they attempted to do the same for their second night, hotel employees called the local police.

“They were taken into custody by BRIF [the financial investigation unit of the Judicial Police],” a source told Le Parisien. “Investigators suspected they were dealing with a case of forged currency.”

Upon searching the pair's hotel room, investigators discovered a stash of over 3,000 one-euro coins and a further 700 were found in the pockets of one of the suspects. The Chinese tourists claimed that the coins were genuine and perfectly legal currency, something that was later confirmed by banking experts.

So how did the pair come across such a large haul of authentic coins? The innocent tourists explained to bemused police that they had acquired them from friends who work at a recycling company in China.

“They said they had bought all the coins from scrapyard dealers in China,” a Paris Mint official told Le Parisien. “When cars owned by Europeans, and destined for scrap metal, get sent to China to be recycled, the junkyard owners often collect dozens of euro coins from each vehicle,” the source added.

The moral of the story? Check your car when sending it to the scrapyard - it may be worth more than you think! ■

PRACTICAL ♦ 11

NOVEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Local Council and European Elections 2014 In a discussion with Neil Spoonley, the Maire of Beyssenac in Corrèze, Francis Comby, explains why expats should register on the local electoral roll before 31 December this year.

Neil Spoonley: It is probably true that few expats who have the right to vote in France have bothered to register.

Francis Comby: From our own experience in Beyssenac that would certainly be true, but I think that many of them do not realise that they have the right. To me this is sad, as compared with Britain, the vote for the Council is taken very seriously by local people, and typically 80% of registered voters will participate.

NS: Surely as long as you are an owner, and live here, you have the right?

FC: Yes, but ownership is not the only determinant. Non-French voters must hold an EU passport and: - own a property and have frequent and regular visits to the commune, or - spend more than six months per year resident in the commune.

Voting for the Council is taken very seriously by local people, with typically an 80% participation

For Beyssenac, the principal nonFrench come from Britain, Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.

NS: So as long as they fulfil one of these two conditions they can register ?

FC: That is correct. They must register before 31 December of one year in order to vote in the following year. But being able to vote is not the only reason for registering. The act of registration, whether you vote or not, places you on the commune electoral roll (liste électorale) for non-French EU voters, and you will be given a carte électorale or carte d’électeur. It is a demonstration of your commitment to the commune.

Others in the commune can see the list and welcome that commitment.

NS: But what happens if you fulfil the conditions, and wish to vote, but are unlikely to be in France before 31st December? Can you register other than by a visit to the Mairie ?

FC: Of course. You can contact the Mairie for the form and return it by post, together with a copy of the relevant pages of your passport and proof that you fulfil one of the conditions above.

NS: It would seem that 2014 could be an important year for all voters.

FC: Certainly. It is the first time in 6 years that there will be an election for the local Council (conseil municipal) and for the EU Parliament.

Actually, registered expats can only vote in these two elections, both taking place in 2014 - at the end of March (local Council) and in May (EU Parliament).

NS: I understand that the voting procedure has changed since the last election. Is that true?

FC: For smaller communes, of less than 1000 inhabitants, the procedure has not changed, but for larger communes voters will choose a whole council from complete lists. Beyssenac is small so we keep the old procedure and voters choose the members of the Council, who will subsequently choose the Mayor.

NS: Many expats will have difficulty in understanding the system, and may know very few in the commune, so is it that important for expats to vote?

FC: I think so, but I do recognise that many find it difficult. Here in France the local Council take many decisions that affect daily life including that of expats: i.e. processing planning applications; registering births, marriages, and deaths; rental of facilities; road repairs; support when there are accidents or storms; maintenance of council buildings; fundraising for projects, etc. The Mairie

The Conseil Municipal de Beyssenac 2008 - 2014 also offers a wide variety of services to help all individual members of the commune. It is the best place to go when you have a problem.

NS: I think it is true that votes are cast for individuals, not for a political party, and so generally voters do not know the candidates’ political leanings.

FC: That is true, but in most communes the leanings, as you put it, of the Mayor tend to be known but it is not important in smaller communes!

NS: What is the actual voting procedure in a small commune?

FC: You go to the Mairie with your carte d’électeur which you will have received on registration and your right to vote will be checked by the presiding officials. You will then be given a plain envelope and you will be asked to sign the voting register.

NS: What happens if I cannot attend? Can I vote by post?

FC: No. That is not possible, but you can vote by appointing someone else to vote on your behalf, i.e. by proxy (procuration). This is done by a meeting at a gendarmerie or a commissariat de police in France.

You need to give the name and birth date of somebody who is registered on the same voting register in your commune and they will be able to vote in your place. Your request will be sent to your local Mairie who will register the procuration.

NS: And then on election day ?

FC: Normally electors are presented at the Mairie with one or more pieces of paper listing the candidates, with the total in each list being not more than the number of permitted Council members for that commune (for Beyssenac, that is 11). Generally people will vote for a whole list, but if you do not want some of the people on the list you can strike them out and add other names from other lists, if you so wish. You can also add nobody and vote for fewer than the permitted members. You can top it up with another list if you wish but you cannot vote for more than the permitted total number.

You place your chosen candidates’ names in the plain envelope, and put it into an urn in the Mairie, in front of the presiding officials.

NS: This system must make counting rather complicated!!

FC: It does, but it works. The votes are all counted under an appointed local Président de bureau de vote (often the current Mayor) and his/ her assistants. Other help is given in opening the envelopes and checking that no mistakes have been made with the vote. All this is done in public view, and each vote is normally read out by the Président, with the scrutineers checking all the votes. It is true democracy in action. When all votes are counted the leading candidates up to the permitted limit become the new Council. To become elected during the first round (tour) they need to have more than 50% of the votes. For the second round, the leaders of the result become elected,

The act of registration is a demonstration of your commitment to the commune

to bring the Council up to its full complement. The new Council must meet within the next seven days to appoint the new Mayor and the Deputy Mayors (maires-adjoints).

It is not automatic that the Mayor is the person who comes out top of the voting, but it is normally so.

NS: You said that for larger communes the process will be different.

FC: Yes that is true. There, all lists will have the full complement of candidates, and the voter will simply chose one or other list. If there are several lists, there is a form of proportional counting. For the first round, if one list has more than 50% of the votes, half of the permitted members are taken from this list.

The remaining half is appointed from all the lists in proportion to the votes received by each list. There is a second round if no list reaches 50% of votes in the first tour. The leading name of the majority list will generally become the new Mayor.

NS: One last word ?

FC: Please register to vote. It costs nothing but it is worth a lot in supporting your community (commune). Your registration will always be valued by the French. ■

IT Postbox - your computer questions answered With the help of Phil Monaghan from Mayday computer services, we are pleased to bring you the IT Postbox. If you have any computer-related questions you would like answered, send them in to editor@thebugle.eu and our resident expert will do his best to get them answered.

that you can keep your number.

However, you may need to review your contract should you wish to access the internet or email on the move, as these services require that you have a combined “voice” and “data” contract. Your service provider will tell you which is the best plan based on your requirements.

Hello Phil, My current mobile is a MotorolaV220 about six years old on 'pay as you go' - and I would like to update to a new smartphone, probably a new Google Nexus or equivalent.

Question: Can I transfer the current SIM card into a smartphone and keep the PAYG service and the current number?

Kind regards, Geoff Orme

I have a question for Phil Monaghan. In October's issue, he said not to run more than one anti-virus. Well, I have 3 on my PC and want his advice as to which one I should keep. I have Malware, Windows Defender and recently an IT expert put on Avast without deleting the other two.

Also, for the last 3 months my Internet Explorer has been hijacked by something called GVO6, so I started using Chrome and it hijacked that. I can still manage to use Chrome, but Internet Explorer has disappeared completely. I've tried all I can to get rid of it, but to no avail - is it a harmful server to use?

Anon

Your current SIM will work in most smartphones, however your phone shop may need to put it through a cutter to allow it to fit some models. Some providers may send you a new SIM for the same number - ask your provider. But this does mean

Hope that helps Geoff!

Only Avast is an anti-virus programme. Defender looks for “spyware” and Malwarebytes scans for “malware” (things like Trojans). Therefore runtime conflicts do not occur.

Regarding GV06, this is something that I haven't encountered but sounds like it may possibly be connected with the loss of Internet Explorer. I imagine that IE is still there somewhere and can be resurrected after investigation.

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12 ♦ FEATURE

Their Name Live t

A

couple of years ago, while on a family trip through northern France, we took a small detour to the St-Sever cemetery on the outskirts of Rouen.

We were there to pay our respects to my wife’s great grandfather, my daughters’ great-great grandfather; a man who was one of the 575,063 Commonwealth servicemen and women who died in the two World Wars of the last century and who are buried in France.

I imagine that there are very few families who were not affected directly or indirectly by the two World Wars. Most of us will have a parent, grandparent or great grandparent who fought or was involved and in some cases died fighting for the Commonwealth.

We have many stories on my side of the family, but I appear to come from lucky stock and (as far as I’m aware) no one died in either conflict.

My maternal grandfather came pretty close a few times, but lived to tell the tale.

So it was through my wife’s side of the family that I first came into direct contact with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the institution that documents and maintains cemeteries around the world for the fallen servicemen and women of the two World Wars.

As has become increasingly popular in recent years, one of my wife’s cousins had recently started researching his family

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ NOVEMBER 2013

history. With the advent of digitised records, a wealth of information is now available online and shows like Who Do You Think You Are? on the BBC have popularised the idea of genealogy. All you need is some information from your oldest surviving relatives, a small amount of money and above all an awful lot of patience.

My wife always knew that she had lost a great grandfather in the First World War and I think she knew that he was buried somewhere in northern France, but although there were rumours that a relative had once found it, the location of the grave was unknown inside her immediate family.

With the information uncovered by her cousin during his research, most notably a surname and a year of death, we were very quickly able to find Private James Logan who died fighting with the Northumberland Fusiliers in northern France on the 5 th November 1918 – tragically close to the Armistice signed less than one week later.

Furthermore, after a few short clicks we had identified the cemetery, we had a reference for his grave and the printer was already spitting out a map of the burial plots.

So here we all stood, at the entrance to St-Sever cemetery on the outskirts of Rouen about to visit a fallen relative who had lain here in France for the last 100 years. I’m sure we have all seen images of war grave sites on the television: rows of perfectly kept identical headstones

in peaceful, tranquil settings. Well, I can confirm that this image is bang on the money and St-Sever is no different. What you can’t get from pictures and films, however, is the

stood, and this is just one of 2,500 cemeteries just like it worldwide.

It brought back memories to me of visits to Auschwitz and Birkenau. We all know the horrors of the holocaust, but the numbers are so huge that they sometimes stop meaning anything: an estimated 1.1 million were killed at Auschwitz; this is hard to imagine.

It is not until you are there amongst the vast rooms filled with shoes, glasses and above all pictures, that the scale hits you.

We spent a very poignant half an hour in the cemetery. We laid flowers at the last resting place of Private James Logan as well as that of one of his comrades buried a few metres away. We signed the visitors’ book, we read the well-presented and informative panels that lined the walls of the memorial, and I was surprised to learn that I was on Commonwealth soil. One inscription read:

Private James Logan

“The land in which this cemetery stands is the gift of the French people for the perpetual resting place of sailors, soldiers and airmen who are honoured here.”

Northumberland Fusiliers Died 5th November 1918 feel of one of these places. As you stand amongst the headstones and read the inscriptions - died 1915 aged 18, died 1917 aged 21 - they become real. One headstone is one person and as you look up and around you quite literally see an army of fallen soldiers and the sheer scale starts to hit home. There were 11,436 graves at the cemetery in which we

But most of all we got to introduce James to two of his great-great grandchildren, children who were born and now live in a France that remains free thanks to his sacrifice and those of so many like him. I would like to think that meeting them will have made his sacrifice feel all the more worthwhile. ■ Steve Martindale, Editor

FEATURE ♦ 13

th For Evermore NOVEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

1.7 million casualties, 23,000 sites, 150 countries, and just one man who started it all – Sir Fabian Ware.

T

he Commonwealth War Graves Commission was established in 1917 by Royal Charter and pays tribute to the 1,700,000 men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died in the two World Wars. It is a non-profitmaking organisation that was founded by just one man - Sir Fabian Ware.

Since its inception, the Commission has constructed 2,500 war cemeteries and plots, erecting headstones over graves and inscribing the names of the dead on permanent memorials. Today, more than one million casualties are commemorated at military and civil sites in some 150 countries around the world. The Commission, as part of its mandate, is responsible for commemorating all Commonwealth war dead individually and equally. To this effect, the war dead are commemorated by name, on either a headstone, at an identified site of a burial, or on a memorial.

They are commemorated in a uniform and equal fashion, irrespective of military or civil rank, race or creed.

A Brief History When the Great War started in 1914, Fabian Ware found that at 45 years old he was too old to sign up, so instead became the commander of a mobile unit of the British Red Cross.

Moved by the sheer loss of life, and shocked by the lack of organisation, he felt compelled to establish a system to ensure the final resting places of casualties would not be lost forever.

As such, his unit began to record and tend to every grave that they could find. As the number of deaths increased, it did not take long until his work was given official recognition and his unit was incorporated into the British Army as the Graves Registration Commission.

As reports of the grave registration work became public, the Commission began to receive letters of enquiry and requests for photographs of graves from relatives of deceased soldiers; it began to dispatch photographic prints and useful locational information in answer to these requests.

At the end of the war in 1918, the Commission’s work began in earnest. By this time, some 587,000 graves had been identified and a further 559,000 casualties were registered as having no known grave. Once land for cemeteries and memorials had been guaranteed, the architectural and horticultural work could begin. A report commissioned at the time made two key suggestions: that the bodies should not be repatriated and that uniform memorials should be used to avoid class distinctions.

Repatriation was, and remains, a controversial issue. Despite the sheer size of the logistical problem of repatriating that many bodies, the report felt that to bring the bodies home would conflict with the feeling of brotherhood that had developed between all ranks serving at the Front.

Rudyard Kipling was employed as literary advisor (see right), and three of the most eminent architects of the day - Edwin Lutyens, Herbert Baker and Reginald Blomfield – were chosen to begin the work of designing and constructing the cemeteries and memorials.

World War II The Commission worked tirelessly over the next 20 years, but just as it completed its work in 1938, war was once again just around the corner. The Commission was soon forced to evacuate its cemeteries, but with the modern nature of war it was also forced to re-assess

its founding principles: the increased use of air power meant that there were going to be more casualties, and those casualties would no longer be restricted to military personnel. Extending its remit, the Commission created a roll of honour that commemorated 67,000 civilians who died as a result of enemy action during the Second World War. As the tide of war moved in the Allies' favour, the Commission was able to begin restoring its 1914-1918 cemeteries and memorials to their pre-war standard. So too, it began the task of commemorating the 600,000 Commonwealth casualties from this latest conflict.

Working Today Today, the Commission continues its work preserving the war cemeteries and memorials and encourages the act of remembrance. From time to time, human reminders of why the Commission came into being are unearthed in forgotten battlefields across Europe and the wider world. After many years, these casualties find peace in one of the Commission’s immaculately maintained war cemeteries. Although we may never know who these soldiers were, their names live on in the Commission’s registers or on one of the many memorials to the missing.

By preserving the memory of the dead with simple dignity and true equality, the Commission hopes to encourage future generations to remember the sacrifice made by so many. ■

Structural design has always played an important part in the Commission’s cemeteries. A typical cemetery is surrounded by a masonry wall with an entrance through wrought iron gates. In larger sites a stainless steel notice gives details of the respective military campaign. In all but the smallest cemeteries, a bronze register box is present containing an inventory of the burials and a plan of the plots and rows.

Cemeteries of more than 40 graves have a Cross of Sacrifice designed by architect Reginald Blomfield.

Those with more than 1,000 burials typically have a Stone of Remembrance, designed by Edwin Lutyens, to commemorate those of all faiths and none respectively. The geometry of the structure

was based on studies of the Parthenon and steers purposefully clear of shapes associated with any particular religion. (see above) Individual graves are arranged, where possible, in straight rows and marked by uniform headstones, the vast majority of which are made of Portland stone.

The headstones are rectangular with a rounded top and most are inscribed with a cross, except for those deceased known to be atheist or non-Christian. They are differentiated only by their inscriptions: the national emblem or regimental badge, rank, name, unit, date of death and age of each casualty is inscribed above an appropriate religious symbol and a more personal dedication chosen by relatives. ■

The Commission's principles • Each of the dead should be commemorated by name on the headstone or memorial • Headstones and memorials should be permanent • Headstones should be uniform • There should be no distinction made on account of military or civil rank, race or creed

The Debt of Honour Register how to find a war grave The “Debt of Honour Register” is the Commission's database listing the 1.7 million men and women of the Commonwealth forces who died during the two World Wars and the 23,000 cemeteries, memorials and other locations worldwide where they are commemorated.

The register can also be searched for details of the 67,000 Commonwealth civilians who died as a result of enemy action in the Second World War.

It can be accessed through the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website - http://www.cwgc.org - and searches can be made on simple criteria such as surname, year of death, and nationality. The results page will then show you the recorded name, rank, service number and regiment/service, date of death, the cemetery in which the grave can be found and the exact plot reference number for that grave.

Rudyard Kipling and the CWGC When the First World War began in 1914, Rudyard Kipling was a poet and author of world renown. He had already become the first Englishman to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1907 and had previously turned down both a knighthood and the position of Poet Laureate.

But tragedy was to strike Kipling when his only son John was killed in action at the Battle of Loos. Knowing only too well the grief of those who were bereaved by war, he joined the War Graves Commission, and left a lasting legacy with them.

It was he who chose the inscription for Edwin Lutyens’ Stone of Remembrance. The phrase, ‘Their Name Liveth For Evermore’ was taken from the biblical Book of Ecclesiasticus. Kipling also chose the wording for the headstones that mark the graves of unknown casualties, ‘Known Unto God’.

When the work of creating and perfecting the cemeteries and memorials of the dead of the First World War was complete, Kipling proclaimed it to be, “The biggest single piece of work since the Pharaohs… and they only worked in their own country.”

14 ♦ FRENCH LIFE

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ NOVEMBER 2013

In the garden - jobs for November

I

t's virtually the end of October, and we're still having some days more like May in temperature - it's lovely to be pottering around outside! But don't kid yourself, the end of the year is here, and the shorter days are well-installed. It's still pretty dry, despite some recent rain. Scratch the surface and it isn't moist really... but it's often like that, and doesn't mean anything in particular in terms of predicting the winter!

So, despite the balmy days, prepare for the cold.

Mulch well, and try and make sure that your soil has adequate humus in it so as to retain water by adding compost, manure or other organic matter. Ensure that bare ground is kept to an absolute minimum. Don't let weeds become established where you don't want them.

Check the condition of water butts and the gutters that feed them in readiness for the downpours we hope will be forthcoming. Whilst rainwater collection has become a trendy byword, it's worth remembering that rain harvested doesn't reach the soil as readily, so

© 2005 - bluepoint (WikiCommons)

by Michelle Pierce

don't do it to excess.

Bulbs The shops have squeezed their season of bulbs in between the end of the summer sales and the Christmas rush. Luckily, there are very interesting varieties to be had, often reasonably priced (although you do need to shop around). Try to respect the planting depths, and plant deeper rather than shallower to avoid frosting.

My pet hate, however, are the desiccated sachets of iris rhizome, or poor peony root.

Most look so nearly dead as to be unlikely to ever give you the gorgeous picture on the cover.

Exercise caution when buying such things, and look for signs of life!!

Autumn colours We're lucky to live in this beautiful part of France come the autumn. The colours of the many woods and trees at this time of year can be really spectacular: American red oak, spindle, hawthorns and wild cherry, just to name a few. If you haven't

got a few trees and plants blazing away in the garden, then you're missing out! Try Persian ironwood, a gorgeous mix of leaves going through black to red and yellow, or the Caramel tree, cercidiphyllum japonicum, with its typical smell of burnt sugar. Or Sassafras, a tree used in herbal medicine.

There are so many to choose from that you're spoilt for choice but do make sure you know the eventual size a tree will get to. Don't do what some neighbours have done and plant a blue cedar two metres away from the house. Little dinky thing now, but in twenty years they may have difficulty getting to the front door!

Many perennials have super autumn colours - peony foliage is one of the most intense.

If you have space, design a winter garden (e.g. Anglesey Abbey) where your choice of plants is made on the basis of autumn/winter interest. Take inspiration from gardens you see around you.

Look after your tools!

Once upon a time a garden

spade lasted a man a lifetime, and when you see antique tools, there is a great charm to them, often down to the care that was lavished upon them.

Over the winter, when they're not so much in use, is the perfect time to give them an overhaul. A good clean with soapy water and a scrubbing brush will do them the world of good.

When dry, oil wooden handles with linseed oil, and rub a little over the metal to stop any rust. Fix anything which needs attention, and sharpen any blades. Clean any machinery once it's out of service, and store it in dry conditions. Remember to drain down pumps and irrigation.

Seed catalogues, wish lists, and lists, lists, lists Now is traditionally the time to sit in the potting shed with all those seed catalogues and dream about what you are going to grow next year. If you're like me, you start off with a list a mile long, calculate the price and then realise that your order will bankrupt you, before whittling it down to the essential

must-haves.

I now have a cunning strategy. I get together with friends and we try to work on the basis of “if I order that, will you order this?” This way we all get the maximum number of cultivars, as most seed packets have more seed in them than you might be able to use in any one year.

Saving your own seed represents a huge saving. Just one tomato can provide enough seed for a couple of years.

Save, swap, cajole and buy, and your garden will be full of beauty, at negligible cost.

Check out Association Kokopelli, who work to conserve biodiversity and heritage varieties of vegetables.

And then there are the “I must move this to there” lists, and the “I absolutely must plant more dahlias next year” list, and the “I must make a blue border” list, and the “I really must visit the château de Valmer next year” list …... not forgetting the lists of jobs to do!!

So with that, good gardening! ■

FRENCH LIFE ♦ 15

NOVEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Should les rosbifs really be les frogs?

W

e may need to find a new nickname for our French cousins after a major archaeological dig near Amesbury in Wiltshire, England, has found evidence of frogs legs being eaten in Britain, 8,000 years before France!! The dig near Stonehenge unearthed the evidence that now brings into question our long-held stereotype of the French and their penchant for amphibian appendages.

After discovering burnt animal bones at the Blick Mead dig site earlier this year, a team of archaeologists led by David Jacques, senior research fellow in archaeology at the University of Buckingham, sent the remains for testing at the Natural History Museum. It turned out what they had dug up were toad bones which had been cooked and eaten by whoever lived at the site between 7,596 and 6,250 B.C. “We were completely taken aback. [The inhabitants] were eating everything that moved, but we weren’t expecting frogs’ legs,” said Mr Jacques. “They would have definitely eaten the leg because it would have been quite big and juicy,” he added,

calling it “the Mesolithic equivalent of fast food”.

“This is significant for our understanding of the way people were living around 5,000 years before the building of Stonehenge,” added Mr Jacques. “And it begs the question - where are the frogs now?”

The dig has already revealed that the average Mesolithic Wiltshire family were not just eating toads' legs, but were enjoying quite an attractive and varied diet. “There's basically a Heston Blumenthal menu coming out of the site,” said Mr Jacques. “We can see people eating huge pieces of aurochs - cows which are three times the size of a normal cow - and we've got wild boar, red deer and hazelnuts. There were really rich food resources for people and they were eating everything that moved but we weren't expecting frogs' legs as a starter”.

Despite the obvious comedic potential of the revelations, researchers are hoping that the discoveries being made will point to the site being the oldest continuous settlement in the UK. There is growing evidence that there was a near 3,000-year use of the site. “People are utilising

all these resources to keep going and it is clearly a special place for the amount of different types of food resources to keep them going all year round,” concluded Mr Jacques.

He said it was looking increasingly likely that the site was the “cradle to Stonehenge” which was built around 5,000 years later less than a mile from the dig site.

Andy Rhind-Tutt, chairman

of Amesbury Museum and Heritage Trust, said: “No one would have built Stonehenge without there being something unique and really special about the area.

There must have been something significant here beforehand and Blick Mead, with its constant temperature spring sitting alongside the River Avon, may well be it. I believe that as we uncover more about the site we will discover it to be the greatest, oldest

and most significant Mesolithic home base ever found in Britain.”

Although calling our crossChannel cousins “frogs” may now be questionable, archaeologists in France have yet to find evidence of roast beef, yorkshire puddings and horseradish sauce at any of their dig sites, so it looks as though the British can hold on to their nickname of “les rosbifs”... for now at least! ■

Regular environment contributor, Arthur Smith from Harlequin Developments, examines a time-saving single clove garlic bulb and looks at ways that we can store food to cut down on unnecessary wastage.

A

revolutionary garlic made from a large, single clove that was discovered in the Himalayas has hit European shelves for the first time.

The unique vegetable looks like a normal head of garlic but rather than being made up of many small segments it comprises just one.

It can be chopped like an onion and the rest can be stored in the fridge for later.

The bulb promises an end to the fiddly and frustrating task of peeling pungent garlic cloves, and saves cooks from getting smelly fingers from its strong odour.

The product, dubbed 'lazy garlic', has recently gone on sale at Lidl stores with a 250g basket containing around eight single cloves costing €1.99.

Single clove garlic was discovered being grown by organic farmers in the south of China in the misty foothills of

the Himalayas.

'Normal' garlic is planted as a single seed clove which is then triggered into developing multiple cloves by cold weather.

But in the temperate climes of the Yunnan province the garlic seeds stay as a single clove, growing to around two inches in diameter.

The white and purple crop is harvested in February and March, and is said to have a milder, more fragrant taste than regular garlic.

I can’t see it catching on here in rural France, can you?

------------------------------------ Still sticking with a food theme this month, I’ve mentioned many times in this paper that food waste is a major environmental issue as so many resources go into growing food and then getting it from field to fork and paddock to plate.

The figures vary somewhat

depending on where you source them, but one estimate I’ve read is that 40 per cent of all the food produced in the US is thrown out, and that isn’t even at the high end of the scale. Talk about a throwaway society.

Aside from the wasted resources, there’s also a substantial financial cost. An average American family dumps an equivalent of up to $2,275 worth of food in the bin annually. Food waste is the single largest component of solid waste in US landfills, and Europe is not far behind.

In France, the average person throws away 20kg of waste food each year, costing roughly €400 per household. This figure includes 7kg of food thrown away with the packaging unopened.

Remembering an old trick I’d heard, I recently put a (perforated) bag of carrots on a couple of sheets of kitchen roll in the fridge.

It’s now been 4 weeks and the remaining carrots haven’t lost any of their crispness. It seems the kitchen roll idea not only extends the shelf life of carrots, but lettuce too.

I’m also told that wrapping green peppers, broccoli and celery in foil works to the same effect.

There are many simple ways to extend the life of fresh produce and some don’t involve any additional products at all, not even paper towel.

Some of the strategies involve not storing some foods like we usually do these days or avoiding storing one type of food next to another.

For example, onions should not be stored close to potatoes.

It seems the gases one gives off affect the other.

Our refrigerators tend to become dumping grounds for all sorts of foods, some of which don't need to be and shouldn’t be refrigerated. Wiser refrigerator use might also mean a smaller appliance is needed, and that means additional environmental and financial savings.

Some fruits produce ethylene gas that can cause vegetables in close proximity to spoil more rapidly, so these should be stored if possible at room temperature rather than in the fridge. (You may have smelled ethylene gas in your fridge, it has a sweet, musky odour.)

Fruits that should not be stored in the fridge include: • • • • • • • • • • • •

avocados apricots bananas oranges kiwi fruit melons nectarines pears peaches plums pineapple tomatoes

© 2009 - Dmitry Makarov (WikiCommons)

A revolutionary bulb

Something I’ve also found to help is to wipe out the vegetable crisper bin in the fridge each week and without fail. I’m assuming that this is because it helps to reduce the amount of bacteria present that contribute to spoilage.

It’s not just fruit and vegetables you can easily extend the life of. In the case of cheese, instead of wrapping in plastic, use cheese paper or wax paper.

Mushrooms should be stored in

a paper bag, not plastic.

It’s at this time of year when we seem to have a glut of produce that we should be thinking about being able to keep and use it for as long as possible. ■ Arthur Smith Harlequin Developments www.harlequindevelopments.com Tel: 05.55.68.67.56 Mob: 06.06.60.46.97

16 ♦ FRENCH LIFE

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ NOVEMBER 2013

Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!

C

orks will be popping around the world on 21st November as lovers of Beaujolais Nouveau mark the start of a new French vintage by enjoying large quantities of the popular tipple.

At one past midnight on the third Thursday of every November over a million cases of Beaujolais Nouveau begin their journey from little villages and towns, through a sleeping France to Paris and on for immediate shipment to all parts of the world. For a few short days, banners everywhere will proclaim: "Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrivé!"

The biggest festival takes place in Beaujeu, the capital of the Beaujolais region. This small and quiet commune springs to life during the third weekend in November, hosting a massive party called Sarmentelles (so-called after the French word sarments, the name for cuttings from the grapevines which are burned in the centre of town just prior to the grand midnight unveiling). Huge barrels are opened to much fanfare and party-goers indulge in the new wine for the duration of the festival.

What was once a very local tradition has in recent decades become a national and international event. Other areas in France also boisterously celebrate the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau. Lyon hosts the Beaujolympiades (Beaujolympics), marking the release of the wine with music and fireworks followed by 2 days of sampling. There is also now a much publicised race to bring Beaujolais Nouveau to markets around the world.

By the time it is over, more than 65 million bottles, which represents nearly half of the region's total annual production, will have been distributed and drunk around the world.

To begin with, what we now know of as Beaujolais Nouveau was a wine created by the producers of the area as a ‘wine of the year’, designed simply to celebrate the end of the harvest. The wine was only fermented for a few weeks, and was intended for immediate consumption, certainly not later than a few months. Indeed, it was not until the establishment of the Beaujolais Nouveau AOC certification just before the Second World War that the release date for this wine

became fixed each year.

Wine producers began to see the marketing potential of Beaujolais Nouveau and by the 1970s its release and the ‘race’ to get the first bottles to Paris became a national event, attracting considerable media attention. This race to deliver the first bottle soon spread to other countries in Europe in the 1980s, and North America and Asia joined in the madness in the 1990s. In some places, the wine was delivered by hot-air balloon, elephant, motorcycle, helicopter or by relay runner.

Concorde was even drafted into service one year!

Since 1985, the release date has been fixed as a Thursday (as opposed to the 15 th of the month that it had always been until that point). This was another marketing ploy intended to make the most of the wine consumption during the weekend that followed its release.

The man largely credited with ‘inventing’ this annual drinking frenzy is Georges Duboeuf, the so-called King of Beaujolais. His empire reaches just about every corner of the Beaujolais region just north of Lyon and roughly 10 per cent of the wine flowing out of the area comes from his cellars.

THE BEE STING

It is Duboeuf who is chiefly credited with turning the release of Beaujolais Nouveau into a global phenomenon - a marketing masterstroke for a wine mainly borne of the region’s worst vineyards, a wine barely removed from the

fermentation vat, a wine that many say is nothing more than pleasantly tart bar-room swill.

That said, I’m sure plenty of us will still enjoy getting caught up in the ritual again this year! ■

Did you know...?

Strictly speaking Beaujolais Nouveau should more properly be termed Beaujolais Primeur. By French and European rules, a wine released during the period between its harvest and a date in the following spring, is termed primeur. A wine released during the period between its own harvest and the following year’s harvest, is termed nouveau.

All the grapes in the Beaujolais region must be picked by hand.

These are the only vineyards, along with Champagne, where hand harvesting is mandatory.

Recipe provided by Brett from Le Moulin du Breuil (23140 Pionnat) www.lemoulindubreuil.com - 05 55 80 37 70

A good friend of mine from Switzerland - also a chef - gave me this recipe for a cake called the Bee Sting. After making this cake I felt I had to share it, as it's one of the nicest cakes I have ever tried. It’s great with a nice cup of tea or coffee or can equally be served as a dessert after dinner with friends or family.

Cake batter

275g Unsalted butter (at room temperature) 300g Caster sugar 250g Whole eggs (lightly beaten at room temperature) 250g Self-raising flour (farine à gateaux) 20g Lemon zest 5g Salt 1 Heaped teaspoon baking powder (if using French farine à gateaux)

Almond caramel 50g Butter

Method for the cake Cream the butter and sugar together until well combined and pale in colour.

Add the beaten egg and mix gradually until all the egg is incorporated. (If you add the eggs too fast the mixture may split or curdle. If the mixture does look like it’s starting to split add a little flour to bring the mixture back.)

Now add the lemon zest, self-raising flour, baking powder (if using French farine à gateaux) and salt. Mix until all the ingredients are well combined, forming a smooth batter.

Grease a cake tin or line with parchment paper (for this recipe I use a 12-inch springform cake tin). Spread the cake batter evenly and bake in a pre-heated oven at 175 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Method for the caramel Whilst the cake is baking make the caramel by placing the butter, sugar and honey in a thick bottomed pan. Place over a high heat whisking continuously until the caramel is a nice golden

50g 25g 75g 75g

Caster sugar Honey Flaked almonds Full fat cream (35%)

Pastry cream

1 Vanilla pod 500ml Milk 6 Medium egg yolks 125g Caster sugar 40g Plain flour (sifted)

brown. Add the flaked almonds, then remove from the heat and add the cream. (This part of the process has to be done quite quickly or the caramel will burn. The caramel will bubble profusely when the cream is added, but don’t worry, this is normal). Keep whisking until you have a velvety sauce and all the almonds are nicely coated. Set aside to cool.

Method for the pastry cream (you can make the pastry cream well in advance) Slit the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds with the back of the knife, place the seeds and the pod in a small pan with the milk and bring to the boil.

Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until they are pale and well mixed, add the sifted flour and combine to make a smooth thick paste.

Pour in a little of the boiled milk and whisk until smooth, add the rest of the milk and stir well.

Remove the vanilla pod, return the mixture to the pan and place over a medium heat. Whisk

continuously until it comes to the boil - it will thicken as it reaches boiling point.

Lower the heat and continue whisking for a minute or two to make sure the starch in the flour is cooked out. Cover the surface with cling film to stop a skin forming and leave to cool.

Build the cake Firstly, you need to leave the cake to cool slightly. Then, whilst still in the tin, pour over the almond caramel and spread out evenly. Now leave to cool completely in the tin. When the cake is cool enough carefully remove it from the tin and transfer to the fridge for 1-2 hours.

Once the cake has cooled completely and had chance to rest, carefully cut the cake in two, spread the bottom half of the cake with a generous topping of the pastry cream and place the top back.

Place back into the fridge for another hour or so just to let the cake and the pastry cream firm up a little.

Serve with a dusting of icing sugar.

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55 89 15 74 (E-mail: scarolinea@yahoo.fr)

Who are les anglais?

O

ne of the first things that you notice as a British person living in France is that, on the whole, the French do not have a very good understanding of the difference between England, Great Britain and the United Kingdom. Do not worry, however, as you are not alone and there are many British people who themselves don’t always completely understand the differences.

It is very common to hear a French person refer to us collectively as “les anglais”, something that infuriates our Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh cousins. It is also a very bad idea to use the term British, or even worse, English, when talking to someone from the Republic of Ireland.

When two English speakers talk to each other, our accents will very quickly announce where we are from, but for the French it is more difficult to hear the different accents in a foreign language... to the French, if we are speaking in English then we must be English. Although most people will usually see it as an easy mistake to make, there are many people who will take offence.

Until about 300 years ago, England, Ireland and Scotland were

separate countries. Then in 1707, England (including Wales) and Scotland signed the Act of Union and formed a new country called the Kingdom of Great Britain. When Ireland joined in 1801, the name was changed to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

In 1922, most of the southern counties of Ireland chose to leave the kingdom and declared independence, eventually forming a new country called the Republic of Ireland, leaving behind the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - often now simply referred to as the United Kingdom.

So, in brief: Great Britain is England, Scotland and Wales, but the United Kingdom is England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Republic of Ireland is

an independent country completely separate to the United Kingdom.

In terms of nationality, everyone from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland comes under the general term British, although many people prefer to be identified by their individual country: English, Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish, etc.

Another common mistake is made during international sporting events such as the Olympics, when the British team is referred to by the initials GBR, often thought to be short for Great Britain. In actual fact, Britain’s Olympic team should correctly be described as representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Confused? I know I am! ■

Bilingual Crossword Clues in English - answers in French

Across:

L

’une des premières choses que les Britanniques remarquent lorsqu’ils vivent en France, c’est que, bien souvent, les Français ne comprennent pas bien la différence entre l’Angleterre, la GrandeBretagne et le Royaume-Uni. Ce qui n’est pas bien grave car de nombreux Britanniques eux-mêmes ne font guère mieux.

Très souvent, les Français nous appellent collectivement «les Anglais», ce qui a le don de rendre furieux nos cousins irlandais du nord, écossais et gallois. C’est également une très mauvaise idée d’utiliser le terme «Britannique», voire pire «Anglais», lorsque l’on s’adresse à une personne originaire de la République d’Irlande.

Quand deux anglophones conversent, leurs accents les informent rapidement sur leurs origines respectives, ce qui est une tâche plus ardue pour un Français pour qui «celui qui parle anglais ne peut être qu’Anglais». Bien que la majorité des gens réalisent qu’il s’agit d’une faute aisée, beaucoup d’autres s’en offusquent.

Jusqu’à il y a environ 300 ans, l’Angleterre, l’Irlande et l’Ecosse étaient des pays indépendants. Puis en 1707, l’Angleterre (avec le Pays de Galles) et l’Ecosse signèrent «l’Acte

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

d’Union» et formèrent un nouveau pays dénommé «le Royaume de Grande-Bretagne». Quand l’Irlande fut rattachée en 1801, le nom fut transformé en «Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne et d’Irlande».

En 1922, la plupart des comtés du sud de l’Irlande décidèrent de quitter le royaume et déclarèrent leur indépendance, pour former un nouveau pays dénommé «la République d’Irlande», laissant derrière eux «le Royaume-Uni de Grande-Bretagne et d’Irlande du Nord» désormais simplement regroupés sous le nom de «RoyaumeUni».

Alors, en résumé: la GrandeBretagne, c’est l’Angleterre, l’Ecosse et le Pays de Galles. Le RoyaumeUni, c’est l’Angleterre, l’Ecosse, le Pays de Galles et l’Irlande du Nord.

La République d’Irlande est un pays indépendant complètement distinct

du Royaume-Uni. Quant aux nationalités, les natifs d’Angleterre, d’Ecosse, du Pays de Galle et d’Irlande du nord sont regroupés sous le terme général de «Britanniques», bien que de nombreuses personnes préfèrent être identifiées sous le nom de leur pays d’origine: Anglais, Ecossais, Gallois, Irlandais du Nord etc.

Une faute est couramment commise lors d’événements sportifs internationaux tels que les Jeux Olympiques: l’équipe britannique est désignée sous les initiales «GBR» qui passent pour être une abréviation de «Grande-Bretagne». En fait, la dénomination de l’équipe olympique britannique devrait indiquer clairement qu’elle représente la Grande-Bretagne et l’Irlande du Nord.

Alors ? Vous êtes perdu ? Parce que moi, oui ! ■

5. cockerel(3) 6. garbage(7) 8. meal(5) 9. keys(5) 11. divorced(7) 14. dresses(5) 15. pen(5) 17. jobs(7) 18. friend(3)

Down:

1. cheeks(5) 2. meadow(3) 3. advertising(9) 4. eggs(5) 7. chickenpox(9) 10. floor(3) 12. apple(5) 13. lead(5) 16. lily(3)

Bilingual crossword solution can be found on page 23

Advertise your business here

05.55.41.17.76 sales24@thebugle.eu

18 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ NOVEMBER 2013

Business Directory

Your indispensable guide to finding local businesses & artisans Accommodation

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Auto Services

Animals & Pets

Self-catering gîte in the Limousin Sleeps 6-8 Prices from €250/week

05 55 41 17 76 Le Mécanique Anglais

The Linden House

30 years’ experience

Cats and Dogs Boarding Kennels

06.04.17.80.93

Purpose built kennels - dept 16.

45 years animal care experience.

Fully insured and vet approved.

Individual kennels plus family pens.

Walking off lead twice daily.

www.thelindenhouse.eu info@thelindenhouse.eu

Your advert here

Michael and Wendy Aldrich

05 45 66 14 62 Siret: 494 030 919 00018

05 55 41 17 76

sales24@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76

Your advert here Building Services

Covering 24/16/87 - I can come to you

Email: lemeca24@gmail.com

Architectural Services

TEL: 05 53 62 50 46 www.masterplans.eu SIREN: 514 423 532

The English Mechanic

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Renovating your French property?

New build?

Dossiers prepared Permis de Construire Déclarations Préalables

Tel: 05 53 52 36 05 lavieilleabbaye@orange.fr www.latuspeter-architecturaldrawings-24.com SIRET: 493 770 358 00015

● All Makes & Models ● Repairs ● Servicing ● CT’s

● Specialist in: Vehicle Diagnostics and Auto Electrics

Architectural DRAWING SERVICE

We offer a comprehensive Architectural Drawing Service for your projects.

Supplying all the necessary drawings, elevations & photo realisations for your application. We also offer a floor plan service. Dossiers compiled for: ● Certificat d'urbanisme ● Déclaration préalable ● Permis de construire

05 55 80 72 83 / 06 33 07 29 72 info@masterplans.eu siret: 790 016 984 00011

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

05 55 41 17 76

ADVERTORIAL

“SolarVenti”- the solar solution to damp and humidity

A

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

The Solarventi air panel was invented more than 20 years ago by Hans Jørgen Christensen, from Aidt Miljø, with the backing of the Danish government. He wanted to use the sun’s energy for airing and ventilation of the thousands of holiday homes on the West coast of Jutland, - houses that were left empty and unheated for long periods - houses with damp problems, mould and bad odours - houses that left their owners with discomfort, lots of work and expense. He wanted a system that would be safe, simple, without the need for radiators, water and/ or mains electricity. Slowly but surely, the first Solarventi

model came together.

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

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

The initial models were more than capable of keeping the cottages dry (and ventilated), even with the limited sunshine hours available in Denmark during the winter season.

Since that time, the technology has really come along in leaps and bounds. Now, more than 20 years later, the 3rd and 4th

generation Solarventi have exceeded all expectations.

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

The installation process is very straightforward and should only take two or three hours.

All that is needed is a drill, hammer and chisel to make a hole in the wall. Roof installations are also possible. In fact, the Solarventi was originally designed to be a DIY product in Scandinavia it still is.

There are no electrical or

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

With a range of panel sizes, and the option for wall or roof mounting, Solarventi is suitable for all types of buildings, caravans or even boats!!

Following the patenting of its design in 2001, Solarventi has only recently been actively commercialized. Over the last six years, Solarventi units have been installed in more than 24 countries and demand is increasing rapidly. From Greenland to Australia, Solarventi is finally getting the recognition it deserves. ■

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

DIRECTORY ♦ 19

NOVEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Building Services General

05 55 41 17 76

Food & Drink

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

Harlequin Developments are a Distributor and Installer for Solarventi, solar dehumidifying and water heating products, as well as a range of other renewable energies

05.55.68.67.56 06.06.60.46.97

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

Building Services Electricians BARWICK ÉLECTRICITÉ SHAUN BARWICK QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN

Available for all types of electrical work Small jobs, new builds, renovations, rewires Consuel assistance and certification service available Fully insured with 10 year workmanship guarantee Based near Châlus (87230) Covering departments 24 and 87

Tel: 09 72 35 74 73

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

Gifts & Crafts

sales24@thebugle.eu

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

Lucid Services

Ivan Petley

3D Puzzle Maker Karen’s Kitchen Catering for you in the Dordogne

Specialising in home-made pastries: Sausage rolls, Pasties - Cornish, Cheese & Onion, Steak & Stilton, Vegetarian & Chicken.

Eccles cakes. Scones made to order.

All prepared and baked daily on the premises you cannot get fresher!

Bacon, cheese, bread, tea bags & tinned produce all in stock.

Find me at your local market: • Tue - Le Bugue • Thu - Eymet • Fri - Le Buisson • Sat - Villereal • Sun - Issigeac

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

05 53 74 01 91 or 06 01 31 07 47

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.

siret: 444 925 630 00014

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Also all aspects of house finishing, painting, decorating, floors, dry lining, plastering & insulating

email: lucidservices24@gmail.com

Tel: 06.32.32.64.54

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

siret: 512 614 306 00011

Eco Entrepot

WWW.CARDBUBBLE.COM

aka The Shed

BUY YOUR BRITISH GREETINGS CARDS ONLINE!

32,000ft2 of great products incl.

British Groceries, DIY, Housewares, Furniture, Clothing, Toiletries plus loads more!!

QUALITY CARDS AT UK PRICES! E: ANGI@CARDBUBBLE.COM

05 55 68 74 73

FREE DELIVERY ON ALL ORDERS OVER €10 WORLDWIDE

Open every day except Monday See our main ad - pg 6

siret: 751 978 917 00019

Transport, Removals & Storage

Traditional Fish & Chips in a town near you

www.thedordognechippy.com 05 53 74 01 91 or 06 30 02 46 67

Specialist in carpet, upholstery and car interior cleaning

Tel: 05.55.80.29.88

The Dordogne Chippy All venues are in the evening between 6pm & 8.30 pm (except Villereal which is at Lunch time) Tuesday: Monsegur or Tremolat Wednesday: Issigeac Thursday: Eymet Friday: Lauzun Saturday: Villereal (Lunch time) See our website for full details:

General

Parking For Limoges Airport Cheaper parking for all types of vehicles Book now!!

www.parkinglimoges.com

05 55 03 37 96

Man & Van Transport Genuine/Reliable/Honest Local + Europe + UK runs Goods In Transit Insurance 14m3 capacity 4.2m load length French Spoken

05 55 33 21 59 Based southern 87, Oradour-sur-Vayres

www.frenchvanman.eu Siret 530 213 644 00012

sales24@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76

ADVERTORIAL

SOS Help

anxious? stressed? feeling down? call us up!

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

www.soshelpline.org

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

When is the best time to sell a house?

F

ollowing sales analysis, Houses on Internet - Global Property Services made a surprising discovery: that French properties put on the market during winter sell slightly faster than those put up for sale during the spring.

Houses on Internet - Global Property Services (HOI-GPS), the internet marketing company that helps people sell their French house through its global network, is experiencing a record year in sales.

After a slow holiday period in August, sales rose again in the following months to the level of the first half of 2013.

For some reason, many people still believe that property sales have seasons, and that the best chance of selling is in the spring and early summer. This, however, is a misconception. Recently, Houses on Internet analysed its sales figures from the last four years in order to know the facts.

“The results did not really surprise me, as I see what’s happening on a daily basis, but they might surprise a lot of others,” said Richard Kroon, director of the company.

The first conclusion that can be drawn, is that there are two slow months almost every year: January and August. The reason for January is that there is often snow, so people avoid travelling. In August, most foreigners that come to France are on vacation.

Serious prospective buyers avoid that period.

The second conclusion shows that there is virtually no difference in the number of sales during the other ten months. “When talking with buyers, it became clear that many even prefer viewing a house between December and March, saying that if they like it in the winter, they will love it in the summer.”

The final conclusion to be drawn from the survey is perhaps the most surpris-

ing one: properties that are put on the market in the winter sell slightly quicker than the ones that are put on in the spring. The reason for that is that most people tend to wait for spring to start the sale of their house, so a lot of new properties come available in a relatively short period of time. Houses that come on the market during the winter, therefore, have less competition and are more easily noticed by prospective buyers.

“The most important overall finding from the analysis, however, is that there are no seasons in property sales,” said Richard.

For more information on HOI-GPS or to find out how to market a property through the company, visit the website. ■

Houses on Internet – Global Property Services 05 55 65 12 19 www.housesoninternet.com

20 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ NOVEMBER 2013

ADVERTORIAL

Spotlight your business to up to 25,000 readers

T

his month, 11,000 copies of The Bugle Dordogne have been printed and are being distributed across the department. Thanks to our targeted distribution network, personally visiting each of our 200+ distribution points every month, we make sure that the right number of copies go to the right places.

As a result, this edition of The Bugle Dordogne will be seen by as many as 25,000 people!!

That means 25,000 pairs of eyes may be reading this text in the coming few weeks… and they could be reading about your business! Advertorials cost from just

€50 HT, that’s 500 potential new customers or clients for your business for every euro spent!

The Bugle Dordogne is our latest edition, but as a group, The Bugle has 4 years’ experience putting local businesses in touch with the expat community. Our experience shows that an Advertorial, often combined with regular advertising, has proved to be one of the most efficient and cost-effective ways of targeting our loyal readership.

Because we only feature a handful of businesses each month, we highlight those businesses prominently and deliver your message in a targeted manner.

Advertorials are just one of the advertising options we offer, and we would be delighted to talk to you about the other options we have for raising the profile of your business.

Advertorials are now available in 4 sizes (all prices are HT): 1/6 page - €50 1/3 page - €100 (this one) 2/3 page - €200 Full page - €300 If you would like to find out more about our Advertorials, or any of our other advertising options, please feel free to get in touch with us on 05.55.41.17.76 or drop us a line at sales24@thebugle.eu ■

Advertising in The Bugle Business Directory Advertising your business couldn’t be easier. Text only, boxed listings are available in our Business Directory from just €13.50/month. Alternatively, why not spotlight your business with an Advertorial, available from 1/6 Page (€50 HT) up to Full Page (€300 HT). Both Directory Adverts and Advertorials represent a cost effective way to put your brand in front of more than 20,000 pairs of eyes each month!!

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

6-Month Contract €108

Small b&w Directory Ad

(€18/month)

Large b&w Directory Ad

(€24/month)

Small Colour Directory Ad

(€27/month)

Large Colour Directory Ad

(€36/month)

€144 €162 €216

12-Month Contract €162

(€13.50/month)

€216

(€18/month)

€243

(€20.25/month)

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

30 words max

€324

(€27/month)

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

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

Advertising is payable on publication. All prices are HT.

To advertise in The Bugle 05.55.41.17.76 / sales24@thebugle.eu SUDOKU - EASY

SUDOKU - MEDIUM

The solutions to this month’s sudokus can be found on page 23

SUDOKU - HARD

WHAT’S ON ♦ 21

NOVEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

WHAT’S

ON

in November GOT AN EVENT...? notices24@thebugle.eu

Irish Celtic - Thursday 7th November LE PALIO - Boulazac 20h With its precise choreography, explosive tap, catchy music & colourful costumes, this show will transport you to the heart of Ireland.

“Irish Celtic” is a Pub in Cork, Ireland, as old as the hills.

This legendary drinking-hole, full of memorabilia and ancient artefacts, dates back a thousand years. The “Irish Celtic” Pub has witnessed a thousand years of battles, migrations, hardship and beer. The landlord, Paddy Flynn, has looked after this pub for generations. The time has come to hand the Pub down to his son, Diarmuid. However, Diarmuid is lazy and carefree, and prefers dancing with his broom to serving Guiness or a Jamesons Whisky to the pub’s regular crowd of workers, poets, and musicians. Before Diarmuid inherits the keys to the Pub, he must hear its story and learn the history of his people, the Celts of Ireland. The show includes the finest dancers from the top Irish dance companies, who show their infectious love for dance, and their incredible talent, in thrilling, spectacular, high energy dance routines with explosive rhythms and nail-biting precision. The company of Irish Celtic welcome the audience as new friends, convivial and hospitable as always, and share with them an unforgettable night of music, storytelling and dance, in one of the greatest pubs of Ireland, the way only the Irish know how.

Choreographed by Denise Flynn and Jim Murrihy & accompanied by the best Irish musicians - listen out for the sublime melodies heard in Titanic, Braveheart, The Last of the Mohicans and other traditional music.

IRISH CELTIC – INDIGO PRODUCTIONS - © photos: www.philippefretault.com

CHAN - GEANT CASINO AU C ER CL LE 80 40 02 53 05 lio Pa Le : ns Reservatio c.com ww w.box.fr - ww w.ticketnet.fr - ww w.fna ns.fr - 05 49 73 66 16 tio uc od -pr igo ind w. ww it vis o inf re mo r Fo

22 ♦ WHAT’S ON

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ NOVEMBER 2013

Salon du Bien-Être Friday 8th, Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th November Wellness Fair at the Parc des Expositions Périgueux / Marsac.

Meet 80 exhibitors who will share their knowledge and skills through demonstrations and workshops (yoga, clairvoyance, healing, dance classes, psychotherapy, coaching, etc.) and the sale of innovative or little known products.

Admission is FREE on Friday and €3 on Saturday and Sunday. Friday 10h-19h; Saturday 10h-20h; Sunday 10h-19h.

Visit www.bienetre24.com for more information.

Alongside the Wellness Fair there will be a Singles Weekend.

For more information visit www.jesuisseul.com

Sarlat Film Festival - 12th - 16th November Sarlat’s wonderful architecture, medieval-style buildings and stone roofs have made a backdrop for a score of top motion pictures since 1968, adding to its fame and its fortune.

So it’s no surprise to learn that only Nice and Paris have had more films shot in their locales than Sarlat.

The town plays host to an annual Film Festival, which this year will run from 12th to 16th November. One of the finest film festivals in the country, it attracts many famous French actors and directors who come to present their film. On the bill for this 22nd edition of the festival are premiere screenings of feature films, numerous short films, workshops and discussion sessions with writers and film professionals.

The Festival was created with an educational objective as it brings together 600 baccalaureate students each year from all over France who will take part in workshops and meet film crews.

Films will be shown at the Cinéma Rex. Tickets (priced €6.50) are available on the door or from www.cinerex.fr (book early to avoid disappointment).

For more information visit www.festivaldufilmdesarlat.com

WHAT’S ON ♦ 23

NOVEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

How Bangers and Mash helped transform a cat community in rural France The Bangers and Mash Fundraiser started four years ago when Paula Lopez’ friend, Kris, had problems with numerous cats in the garden of her summer home in Trémolat. A stray pregnant female turned up in her garden and soon produced kittens which in turn produced kittens and before long her garden was overrun by cats and kittens - they were everywhere! Up to 15 cats and kittens at any one time were living in Kris’ garden and the whole situation was both distressing and worrying for Kris, Paula and their friends and families.

Paula, who runs a cattery, and Kris, also a cat lover, did their best to look after some of the cats but the problem was just too large. They decided that enough was enough and that they would take action to prevent them from breeding. Paula had been making her own delicious sausages for several years and so they decided to hold a Sausage and Mash Evening in order to raise funds to help deal with the cat and kitten problem.

These events started in 2010. Sausages and mash and a dessert, as well as a raffle and quiz were on offer and around 30 people attended that first event. It was such a success that they were able to start dealing with their cat and kitten problem.

They fed the cats and kittens in one particular area and they set about catching them in traps that they had bought and borrowed. This was a time-consuming business involving a great deal of patience and determination. All those that weren’t neutered, which was almost all of them, were taken to the vet for sterilisation. Phoenix provided advice and help with finances, as did the vet in Bergerac who undertook the sterilisations.

Paula and Kris continued to feed the cats and during that first year they were still there in large numbers but obviously not increasing as rapidly as previously. Some of the cats naturally disappeared or found homes elsewhere.

Two more similar Sausage and Mash events have taken place over the last three years and each year they have become increasingly successful. The second year followed the same pattern as the first and more cats and kittens were trapped and neutered but this time many fewer needed to be done.

2013 was the most successful event to date. 63 people attended the event and as well as the canapes, sausages and mash and trifle there was a quiz and a raffle which had some fantastic prizes donated by local businesses. It is hard to imagine the work involved in feeding home-made sausages and mash to 63 people as well as the other work involved in setting up and running such an event. The work was all done by Paula, friends, family and a volunteer who assisted on the evening. Almost everything was freely donated. Paula says that she couldn’t possibly have done this without the help of her friends and their husbands and the volunteer.

A staggering 815 euros was raised and, because of the amazing success of the sterilisation scheme, this was not needed!

The problem had been solved and there was just one injured male needing to be neutered. It was therefore decided to donate the proceeds of all this hard work to Phoenix. Lynda, the principle Phoenix cat and kitten Foster Carer, had provided advice and help and had re-homed stray cats which had turned up at Paula’s home. It was therefore decided to ‘give something back’ to Phoenix. This very welcome donation will be used to help cover some of the massive costs and vets bills incurred in their work in helping and re-homing animals in need.

This story is particularly inspiring because Paula and her friends didn’t complain or expect another organisation to take action; they got on with it themselves and had amazing success. In just a few years and by using local resources they transformed a local cat and kitten problem which was running out of control, into a manageable situation. It is a demonstration of how this common problem in rural France can be dealt with by imagination, determination and a sterilisation programme. ■ Written by Pam Roberts, Phoenix PR team

Phoenix appeal for MAX – 2 Year-Old Border Collie Cross Max is a big softie. He is completely endearing and we can't fathom why he has still not been re-homed - it's such a shame, but we know his forever home is out there.

He's beautiful, bright, loving and good with other dogs. He's untested with cats.

Max is not a barker but he is a talker, he likes to give you a story in the mornings which is another of his endearing qualities, as well as liking to put his head on your lap. He'll do this when it's thundering, as he's a bit of a scaredy-cat! Max is castrated, microchipped, vaccinated and de-parasited.

For more information, please contact Foster Carer, Yvonne at yyanderson87@gmail.com or call on 06 02 38 20 70.

Check out our ADOPTION PAGE at www.phoenixasso.com or FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/PhoenixAssociationFrance for other Phoenix animals available for adoption.

Monday

Market Days

Beynac Le Fleix Les Eyzies Ste-Alvère

Tuesday

Beaumont du Périgord Bergerac Brantôme Cénac-et-Saint-Julien Lanouaille Le Bugue Mareuil Neuvic Ribérac Salignac Eyvigues Trémolat Villefranche-de-Lonchat

Wednesday Bergerac Hautefort Jumilhac-le-Grand La Tour Blanche Montpon-Ménestérol Montignac Périgueux Piégut Pluviers

Razac Sarlat Siorac-en-Périgord Vélines Domme Excideuil Eymet La Coquille Lalinde Monpazier St Astier St-Julien-de-Lampon Terrasson

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

Friday

Sunday

Thursday

Bergerac Brantôme Cubjac Le Buisson Ribérac Sarlat Sigoulès Vergt

Saturday

Agonac Beaumont du Périgord Belvès

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

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

16340, L’Isle d’Espagnac France Monthly circulation: 11,000 copies All copyright, unless stated otherwise, is reserved to The Bugle. Reproduction in whole or part of any text without permission is prohibited.

Dépôt légal à parution.

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

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

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

16340, L’Isle d’Espagnac France

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11,000 copies

Tous droits réservés. Toute reproduction, totale

ou partielle, des articles et illustrations du présent numéro est strictement interdite.

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

EASY

MEDIUM

HARD

24 ♦ WHAT’S ON

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ NOVEMBER 2013