The Bugle Dordogne - Oct 2016 by The Bugle

Phone a random French person A new hotline has been launched that lets people across the world phone a French person and ask them anything >> Page 10

Dordogne October 2016 - Issue #40

Support for return of national service

INSIDE > > > NEWS - Bird flu restrictions lifted

Farmers across the department are celebrating the lifting of restrictions on poultry movement >> Page 4

After a series of terror attacks on French soil, there is increasing public support for the return of compulsory military service. Several presidential hopefuls have announced their backing, with one even taking the idea a step further. insisting that 6 or 12 months of national service should be compulsory for all those who leave school without qualifications and are out of work or training. “The 100,000 dropouts per year, aged between 18 and 25 years old, will have to undertake obligatory military service,” Sarkozy said during a recent TV interview. “From the age of 18, anyone who does not have their baccalaureate, who is not in an apprenticeship, training or an internship, will undertake an adapted military service where they relearn the rules of living together.” The former president added that benefit payments would be withheld from

>> continued on page 7

US pizza giant Domino's has successfully tested a drone delivery system in New Zealand, technology it now plans to roll out in France >> Page 8

NEWS - DIY radar causes a stir

A designer has found himself in hot water for painting his wheelie bin to look like an automatic speed camera >> Page 10

he idea of reintroducing national service is currently enjoying significant support among much of the public and has been a popular policy issue for a number of leading candidates in next year’s presidential elections. A host of presidential hopefuls have called for the return of compulsory military service, which was suspended by Jacques Chirac in 1996 as part of his move to create fully professional armed forces. One supporter is former president Nicolas Sarkozy, who recently announced plans to take the idea one step further,

NEWS - Drone pizza delivery coming soon

The Bugle Business Directory

The Tour de France is coming back to the Dordogne and could spend 3 days in the department in 2017 >> Page 3

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

4 pages of listings for local English-speaking businesses - your essential guide to finding just what you’re looking for >> Pages 16-19

Don’t let the banks cash in!

Save time and money by sending your international money transfers Consistent bank beating exchange rates online or over the phone. Move money, pay people and settle bills within seconds. Make and track payments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Norton security used by 97 of the world’s top 100 banks. HiFX Europe Limited is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009, registration 462444, for the provision of payment services.

www.hifx.co.uk

2 ♦ IN THIS EDITION

The Bugle

for one have been enjoying this Indian summer immensely. The evenings and nights have been cooler, meaning everyone in my house is sleeping better and by everyone, I mean me - but the days have been lovely and warm and it's great to feel the sun on your skin. It's one of the reasons I love my part of France. Even in the depths of winter when the mercury really plummets, you still see quite a lot of the sun. In fact, the really cold spells we've had since living here have always coincided with clear nights and sunny days. I

seem to remember one of my old science teachers calling this the cotton wool effect. Winters can be long and occasionally hard, but the cold and snow don't bother me. Even the short days I can handle. What gets to me are low grey skies. I'm by no means a sun worshipper and I can't remember the last time I did any sunbathing, but I do like to feel it on my skin. The hardest times of the year for me are when we get multiple consecutive days of boring old cloud. I remember one May a few years back when I seem to recall it raining on 28 days of the month

and we barely glimpsed the sun at all in that time. Fortunately, that does not happen too often. I can completely understand how people might suffer from the condition Seasonal Affected Disorder that you often hear mentioned in relation to very northerly communities with long, dark winters. No thanks. An article this month got me to thinking how nice it would be to be able to jump on a plane for a week or two in January or February and seek out some winter sun! With transatlantic flight prices falling fast thanks to a host of new low-cost airlines (see page 10), it is becoming (financially) easier for more and more of us to do this. Unfortunately for me, with three children and monthly print deadlines to meet, it will be a while before I am sipping margaritas on a Caribbean beach on

Valentine's Day. I have the in-laws over at the moment and before you ask, yes it does just seem like only last month I was writing about them being here, doesn't it... perhaps because it was. Apparently my fatherin-law has recently been told that he is suffering from a slight vitamin D deficiency. I am originally from the south coast of England, but my wife's family come from the Manchester area... cue endless “grim up north” jokes. How do you know when it's summer in Manchester...? The rain's warmer! I keep trying to convince him that he really needs to get out into the sunshine (and leave me in peace) for medical reasons, but there he is, five minutes later, hogging the remote!!!! Ahh, it's good to rant... this column is certainly cheaper than therapy, if only it were slightly more confidential!

The weather may have been good for tourism, but it has been terrible for gardeners (see page 13). I had planned to make a big effort in the veggie garden this year, but ended up only planting out a few things. With the weather we've had, I'm now quite glad that I didn't bother. Hopefully we can avoid any extreme weather over the coming months and I can sing “The sun has got his hat on” on the way to school at least a couple of times each week. Until next month! Steve Martindale, Editor

General: editor@thebugle.eu Advertising (EN): sales24@thebugle.eu Publicité (FR): publicite@thebugle.eu Subscriptions: subscriptions24@thebugle.eu Write to: The Bugle Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois

INSIDE this edition 3-5 Local News 6-11 National News 12-13 French Life 14 Practical 15 Bilingual 16-19 Directory 20 Community 21-24 What’s On

t ce er vi xp d E rA a le

E 20 xp Y er ea ie rs nc e

Welcome to

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2016

SELLING OR BUYING IN THE ‘DIAMOND’?

LACROPTE €423,500

MONTIGNAC €349,000

LES EYZIES €299,600

ST CYPRIEN €497,500

ST ALVERE €194,950

VILLEFRANCHE €889,500

Contact the Dordogne’s Leading Prestige Property Agency ♦ 90% of our buyers are international, non-euro zone clients ♦ Our targeted marketing covers North America, Asia, the Far East, Australia, New Zealand and Europe ♦ 85% of our buyers do not require a mortgage and do not need to sell a property in order to buy

Tel: +33 (0)5 53 07 06 27 email: info@PioneerFrance.com

www.PioneerFrance.com

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 3

OCTOBER 2016 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Tour de France coming back to the Dordogne

lthough the official route will not be unveiled until 18th October, it is widely expected that the Tour de France will once again be visiting the Dordogne in 2017. The world’s largest annual sporting event is expected to spend three days in the department, news that should be a huge boost to those in the local tourist industry. Le Tour last passed through in 2014 when the Dordogne hosted a time trial stage between Bergerac and Périgueux in a race that would eventually see two Frenchmen on the podium in Paris. The 2017 route will again see a stage between Périgueux and Bergerac on 11th July, although this time it will be a full day’s racing, taking in Montignac-Lascaux, Sarlat, Domme and the

picturesque vallée de la Dordogne. The following day will see the peloton depart from Eymet in the direction of Pau before heading into the Pyrenees. With 10th July currently believed to be a rest day, the schedule creates a 3-day window for race enthusiasts to spend in the Dordogne and an extra night’s bookings for hotel owners. Before the star-studded launch in Paris, the Tour’s schedule is always a closely guarded, if poorly kept, secret. When contacted, local hotels - which are booked up by race organisers ahead of any official announcement - have given responses that include: “If that were the case, I wouldn’t be able to confirm” or “I’m not allowed to tell you”! Even local officials have confirmed the news without officially

doing so: “We are currently waiting for an official letter...” The Tour brings numerous benefits for the towns and cities it passes through, both in terms of immediate financial gains, but also longer-term benefits to tourism from exposure to global media. When the race last came to the Dordogne, mobile phone operator Orange estimated that almost a quarter of a million mobile phones registered outside of the department were present along the time-trial route, despite poor weather. It can be expensive to host the Tour de France in 2014 it is believed that the department invested €2 million to secure 2 stages - but the benefits are also huge. The last time it visited €7 million was spent by visitors and tourists following the race. ■

Lascaux IV open soon

n 12th September, Simon Coencas visited Lascaux IV in Montignac, exactly 76 years after he first discovered the Paleolithic cave paintings that have since made the area famous. With the most recent incarnation due to open its doors to the public on 15th December, Mr Coencas - the last surviving member of the group of four friends who discovered the caves - was given a sneaky peak behind the scenes of the new exhibition. “It’s just like being in the original,” said Mr Coencas, speaking of the full-sized cave replica. “It’s a masterpiece, the work of a true artist... extraordinary!” And he should know, as he was the first person to see the wall paintings for over 17,000 years when he re-discovered them in 1940. The current Lascaux II exhibition, opened in 1983, welcomes as many as 270,000 visitors per year, but after a €60 million investment in the new state-of-the-art replica, the local tourist board hopes that over 400,000 tickets will be sold for the new attraction each year. This increase would provide huge extra revenue to local businesses. (Lascaux III is a traveling version of the caves that is currently on a highly successful world tour.) It is also hoped that international

standard hotels will now be built nearby to accommodate the expected wave of tourists, although it is believed that investors are waiting to see how the opening goes before committing to any future building projects. The Lascaux paintings were discovered by four local youths in 1940 when they came across the entrance to the cave by chance while searching in a pine forest for a lost dog. The group found the dog scratching at the base of a tree that had recently been uprooted, creating a hole, no more than 20 cm in diameter. The boys later returned and established that the hole led to a large cavern by throwing down stones. After several days exploring the new caves, one of the group told his parents what they had found after they demanded to know why he kept coming home covered in dirt. Experts were called in and the importance of the find soon became apparent. The Lascaux cave paintings are estimated to be 17,300 years old and are regarded as one of the finest known examples of prehistoric art. The original caves have been closed to the public since 1963 after the carbon dioxide produced by the estimated 1,200 people visiting each day began to damage the fragile ecosystem. ■

4 ♦ LOCAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2016

Mini Digger

Advertise your business here

with Driver for Hire

Landscaping, Ditching, Land Clearance etc. Hedge Removal and Stone Wall Construction

05.55.41.17.76 sales24@thebugle.eu New radars coming online

A new speed cam-

era is due to be installed on the RD 933 between Bergerac and Eymet following a series of accidents this year. The exact position is not yet known, but the camera should be operational before the end of 2016. The new radar will be two-directional, meaning it will be able to flash drivers travelling in either direction. Elsewhere, another mobile speed camera has been brought into service, adding to the fleet of 4 that already travel the department’s roads. These cameras are mounted on unmarked police cars and are able to flash drivers breaking the speed limit whilst moving among them. In its first weekend, the new camera flashed 132 times. Speed has been identified as the cause of 30% of accidents on the department’s roads. ■

John Bonella

87440 Marval

05 55 78 62 29

siret no. 523 183 580 00019

john.bonella@gmail.com

Bird flu restrictions finally lifted

t has been a brutal year for poultry farmers across the south-west of France following the outbreak of bird flu at the end of last year that effectively shut down the industry. Strict rules were put in place relating to the transport and sale of poultry, farms were emptied and disinfected and producers have been desperately seeking state aid to stay afloat - it has been estimated that the crisis could cost the industry up to €300 million in lost revenue. There appeared to be light at the end of the tunnel earlier in the summer when the first hatchlings began to return to farms and since mid-September, the restriction zone - a central part of the government’s containment plan - has finally been lifted. The news came despite the recent discovery of the virus at 2 farms in the Dordogne. “The latest discovery of four new cases (2 in Dordogne, 2 in Aveyron)has not called into question the effectiveness of the eradication programme that has been put in place,” announced the agriculture ministry.

The zone, which put severe restrictions on the movement and transport of poultry, covered a number of departments across the south-west of France, including the whole of the Dordogne. The lifting of the restriction zone follows the positive results of a surveillance programme that has been ongoing since May and will come as a relief to the department’s struggling producers. Avian influenza, or bird flu, is an infectious virus affecting birds that is highly contagious. It can be introduced into a farm through vehicles, equipment, people, manure, livestock and waste, or via wild or domestic birds. The term bird flu covers a number of variants of the virus and they are not necessarily dangerous to people, although some strains can be transmitted to humans. According to the health and food safety agency (ANSES), the strain present in France during the recent outbreak does not have the combination of genes that would make it transmissible to humans. ■

CORRECTION - In last month’s article entitled “Brexit boost to French nationality applications”, we gave contact details for local sworn translator Caroline Chamberlain. Caroline has been in touch to let readers know that her email is in fact “carolyn.chamberlain@wanadoo.fr” and not as it appeared in the paper. She would also like to add that whilst we stated in the article that the minimum number of documents to be translated was 3, this can be much higher when parents’ birth and marriage certificates are also taken into account.

High-end craft expo for Nontron

Dordogne town noted for the exceptional quality of its products has just announced its Autumn Exhibition. Nontron is world famous for its craftsman-made goods. The Nontron pocket knife, Hermès luxury goods and Maison Faure chocolate are typical examples, sought after by collectors and consumers across the globe for their superb quality. To exhibit the skill of its artists, artisans and creators, Nontron is holding its 7th annual Métiers d’Art event. Running from 28th to 30th October, over thirty of the nation’s finest craftspeople are

coming together to reveal their latest work to the public and demonstrate their artistry and dexterity throughout the centre of this busy little town. Organisers have selected the highest quality designers and creators, who work with the prime materials of clay, metal, glass, fabrics and leather. In a mixed programme incorporating a range of fun events, artists from across the country will be based throughout the town, around the Hôtel de Ville and the town centre’s Château, in the “Rue des Métiers d’Art”. UK visitor Pete Bolton from Bexhill, told The Bugle: “We came last year and it was really

something special. We are looking forward to it again this year.” Partnering the hands-on event, the Cinéma Delluc in Nontron is holding a 15-day season for film buffs on cinematographic art and techniques plus a programme of specially selected films illustrating French creative genius in the movies. Readers thinking this event might be too serious should remember that Nontron is also the home the bawdy, boozy, crazy “Soufflaculs” weekend in spring. Creativity has many forms! For dates, times, venues and more information visit www.metiersdartperigord.fr/ ■ by Brian Hinchcliffe

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 5

OCTOBER 2016 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Would you like to receive an electronic copy of The Bugle each month? We can deliver a copy to your inbox, hot off the press

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

Sweet smell of success Heritage Days a hit

Dordogne perfume company is celebrating its fantastic growth with new premises and more jobs. Established in Périgueux in 1973, Beauty Success has just announced its latest opening in the department. Based on a foundation of over 500 points of sale, this Périgord company has recently opened a new warehouse to supply its 2 million plus customers in France and overseas. The €8 million warehouse in St-Astier will guarantee the firm’s promise to deliver within 48 hours of a customer’s order. It will also include product development laboratories. To underline the company’s green credentials, the new premises has plans for bee-friendly plantings and even a couple of hives. When brothers Philippe and Christophe Georges were still boys, their mother, a trained beautician, opened the first shop of what was to become an empire. Beauty Success opened in the Place Bugeaud in Périgueux city centre in 1973 as a tiny perfumery. Working closely together, the brothers have since grown this fledgling perfume business into a commercial giant. Christophe trained as a stylist in Cho-

let, and operated a long-established family shoe shop business in Périgueux with his father and uncle. In 1993 he was made manager of the new perfumery and beauty products shop in Trélissac, now a major Dordogne shopping zone. Christophe now runs the entire, massive outlet side of the business. Brother Philippe, a keen rugby player in his youth, studied for his business master’s in San Francisco, USA, returning to Périgueux to join his family in the perfume and beauty business. Before long, the family had 4 shops in the Dordogne. During the 1990s they launched the updated Beauty Success brand and a new business model as a franchiser. In 2011, complementing their trading group of hundreds of shops across France, they launched their 3 specialisms of expertise as franchises: beauty products and services, perfumes and parapharmacy. The acquisition of 170 Esthetic Center shops in March this year makes them the 4th biggest retailer in their market in France. Employing 2,300 people today, this home-grown Dordogne company predicts it will be offering over 3,000 jobs by 2021. Not to be sniffed at! ■ by Brian Hinchcliffe

he Journées européennes de patrimoine have been declared a huge success across the nation. The two Heritage Days, on 17th and 18th September, saw millions delighted as doors and pathways normally sealed from the public opened up across the Dordogne and France. The weekend had been designated as a moment to enjoy the heritage of France and experience “citoyenneté”, solidarity with each other and the shared richness of the country’s history and landscapes. In the Dordogne, visitors had a vast choice of events and exhibitions including city walking tours, guided country rambling, a reconstructed Resistance camp, pottery and sculpture courses, churches, monuments, ruins, markets, museums and art galleries, short-mat bowling… and much, much more. As the weather turned

cooler on the weekend in question, a popular choice was a chance to see the inside of the Préfecture in Périgueux, with an insight into how tax-payers’ money is spent. Across the road from the Préfecture, the Musée du Périgord opened its doors for free, where the normal charge is €5. Organisers said that almost 3,000 people had visited the Musée on the Sunday alone. Jennifer Hanks, a UK visitor from Hastings said, “This was superb.

They have a really great collection of prehistoric artefacts. And it was absolutely free!” European Heritage Days began in 1985 when France’s example became a European continental initiative, and have been supported by the Council of Europe since 1991. Over 50 countries in Europe and beyond now participate. In France, the event is organised and supported by the Ministry of Culture and Communication. ■ by Brian Hinchcliffe

6 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS All vehicles / Tous véhicules Classic & Prestige cars / Véhicules Collection et Prestigieux Fully insured / Assurance tous risques

Advertise your business here

05.55.41.17.76

David 0044 (0)7480 216 395 / 0033 (0)6 23 29 24 70 Email: lcs@lcs23.com

sales24@thebugle.eu

Experienced, Registered & Fully Insured No mess, no fuss Based near Ribérac (will travel) Email: cinderssweep@gmail.com

T: 05 53 91 87 88

siret: 484 768 700 00029

European Vehicle Transport

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2016

Ski lift rescue drama EDF to build Hinkley Point power station

ozens of unlucky tourists experienced many people's worst nightmare when they spent a night trapped in a cable car, suspended high above the snowy Alps. At an altitude of 3,800m above the glaciers of Mont Blanc their cable cars ground to a halt when wires became tangled in high winds. Of the 110 people initially trapped, including a number of children, 65 were rescued when they were airlifted out by French and Italian rescue helicopters before darkness fell. Pilots had to carefully fly over the cables - in itself a dangerous manoeuvre - then lower a rescuer onto an area “not larger than a table”, before passengers were hooked up and removed one by one in a procedure that was described as “air surgery”. A further 12 were then rescued during the night by lowering them to the ground using ropes. “The cable car left about 2:30 in the afternoon and it was just before midnight when they finally brought us out of the gondolas,” US tourist Kathy Cook said after her ordeal. “The helicopter rescue failed because the fog moved in, so we had to just wait and then they decided they could bring us safely to the ground [by rope], and we walked up the glacier to the hut.” Not everyone was close enough to the ground to be removed in this way and

33 unlucky holidaymakers got to spend a night under the stars that they'll never forget. Rescuers stayed overnight in the cable cars with the stricken tourists, who were provided with blankets, food and water to help them endure the freezing mountain conditions. “They didn't get a lot of sleep, it was a strange experience, but they were warm under blankets and with their families,” said Colonel Frédéric Labrunye, commander of the Gendarmerie of Haute-Savoie. “The scale of this rescue operation was simply unbelievable. We rarely rescue 110 people at the same time in the high mountains... in the heart of one of the largest glaciers in Europe, over a distance of five kilometres of cable containing 36 cabins.” All 110 people were safely rescued with no significant injuries reported. ■

France → UK UK → France All risk insurance cover Full and Part load specialists Professional staff & modern vehicles Every vehicle from a Luton van to a full removals lorry Prices from £3.63 per sq ft

fter months of u n c e r t a i n t y, the UK government has finally approved plans for a new £18 billion nuclear power station at Hinkley Point in Somerset. The huge new reactor will be financed by the French and Chinese governments and will be built by French energy giant EDF. Approval for the project comes with some new conditions attached, including a provision that the UK government has to be consulted if EDF wants to sell its controlling stake. “The decision of the British Government to approve the construction of Hinkley Point C marks the relaunch of nuclear in Europe,” said Jean-Bernard Lévy, chief executive of EDF. The board of stateowned EDF had approved its involvement in the pro-

If you are selling your French home, our knowledgeable local team would be delighted to meet you as soon as possible. We oﬀer: • A valuation based on current, local market conditions. • A dedicated contact to guide you through the whole process.

A member of The Guild of Master Craftsmen since 2008

• Worldwide marketing through our own website and market leading portals. • Access to thousands of buyers already registered with us.

+44 (0)1274 724 545

www.dsdremovalsltd.com info@dsdremovalsltd.com facebook.com/DSDRemovals

Freephone from France:

08 05 69 23 23

enquiries@beauxvillages.com www.beauxvillages.com

ject in July this year, only for Britain's newly formed government under Prime Minister Theresa May to announce hours later that it would be reviewing the project and would not be making a decision for several months. This led many to assume that the plans had been shelved. Analysts had warned, however, that if Britain cancelled the costly deal it risked harming its relations with China, which has a one-third stake in Hinkley Point. The French government has highlighted selling its nuclear technology as a key part of its plans and the project at Hinkley Point will offer it a valuable opportunity to showcase France's technical abilities on a global scale. There have been concerns that the technology being used by EDF to build reactors is complex and dif-

ficult to construct: EDF's Flamanville project in northern France is currently three times over budget and years behind schedule. Areva, which is also a majority state-owned French company, is supplying the EPR reactor technology that will be used in the new power station. Following years of losses, Areva's reactor unit is being merged with EDF as part of a rescue plan orchestrated by the French government. The upfront cost to EDF of building the reactor is over €20 million, but in return the energy giant has been guaranteed a fixed price for the electricity produced for 35 years. Construction of the facility will create 25,000 jobs which, when complete, will generate 7% of Britain's electricity as well as helping the UK to meet its emissions targets. ■

Houses on Internet is a marketing service that allows private owners of French property to sell their house without using an estate agent. A method that has proven to be very successful. How does it work? 1. We make a website for your property in English, French and Dutch. The main website is available in Russian too. 2. We connect that website to our main site which gets over 130,000 visitors from 40+ countries per month. 3. We advertise your property on several international French-property websites. This way we reach 1.5 million people a month worldwide. What does it cost? We ask a contribution to the advertising cost up front and after the sale a fee of 2.5%, which is included in the selling price. Houses on Internet operates throughout France with a staff of 7 professionals and 89 local photographers who visit our clients to take photos and gather all information. For more information, visit our website or give us call us at +31 (0)1 15 82 35 53.

WWW.HOUSESONINTERNET.COM Plus Vite!

Moins Cher!

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 7

OCTOBER 2016 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Presidential hopefuls call for Gloves to be made compulsory on all return of national service motorbikes

those who refused. Sarkozy has previously said that those in military service will learn to “get up early, respect discipline and even speak French”. With increased fear among the general public following the series of recent terror attacks, the idea of national service certainly has plenty of popular support and is a also cornerstone of the Front National’s election campaign, led by Marine le Pen. Not everyone agrees, however, and there are plenty of politicians who are against the idea, highlighting both the huge costs involved and the fact that France simply doesn’t have the infrastructure to reintroduce a system that was disbanded twenty years ago. Opponents argue that France does not currently have the capacity amongst its armed forces to handle and train hundreds of thousands of youths for months at a time. Many of the country’s army barracks have either been converted into other uses or knocked down over the course of the last decade. The cost of rein-

>> continued from pg 1

troducing compulsory military service is estimated to be well into the billions of euros, although Sarkozy has put the figure at €400 million. There is also a legal and constitutional consideration to Sarkozy’s plans. “To target just one part of the population for their supposed idleness or inadequate training is against our constitution and the European Convention of Human Rights,” legal expert Nicolas Hervieu said, speaking on the Europe1 radio sta-

tion. Sarkozy will need to win his party’s nomination if he is to even challenge for the presidency in 2017 and he is currently behind front runner Alain Juppé in the polls. Juppé, the former prime minister of France and current mayor of Bordeaux, is against the reintroduction of national service and has said that it is “inconceivable” that the armed forces could be asked to cope with the burden it would place on them. ■

PROPERTY OF THE MONTH

Ref : 0254

588 000 €

(5% fees inc.)

Elegant property in the heart of 7,4 acre Eden garden, a fabulous renovation, combining authenticity and contemporary. DPE D. A delightful setting ...

place Jean Moulin BEAUMONT du PÉRIGORD T . (+33) 05 53 58 91 78 M. (+33) 06 83 06 41 70

rom 20th November this year it will become compulsory for all drivers (and passengers) of motorbikes, mopeds, quad bikes and scooters to wear gloves when on public roads. Anyone caught without CE-approved gloves could face a fine of €68 and the loss of one point from their driving licence. According to the Sécurité Routière body, 12% of bike and scooter users do not currently wear gloves, despite the fact that a driver's

first reflex in an accident is usually to put a hand out. Coming off a bike travelling at 50 kph is equivalent to falling off a 10-metre-high wall and hand injuries are common, including severe abrasions, torn-off nails and even severed fingers. The move has been made on safety grounds and campaigners point to the fact that the cost of a pair of gloves is less than that of a fine, but this has not stopped complaints from some quarters. “It's not that we are against the

gloves, the problem is that we're forced to wear them under the threat of fines and losing points,” said a spokesperson for the FFMC motorcycle group. “There are no lives at stake here, and if we don't wear gloves then we aren't threatening other people's safety.” A recent study has shown that when wearing thick gloves, hand injuries are reduced or avoided in 95 per cent of cases for motorbike accidents and 87 per cent of cases for moped riders. ■

8 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

Drone pizza delivery

an't be bothered to cook... get a pizza. Can't be bothered to go to the pizza restaurant... get it delivered. Can't be bothered to walk to the front door and talk to the delivery guy... get a drone to

may have to wait a short while for drone delivery, however, as it would not be possible under current laws, which restrict the use of drones in built-up areas. This form of delivery is certainly the very near future and many countries have already

drop it off and text you when dinner is served. This could soon be a reality after US pizza giant Domino's announced it was planning to introduce drone pizza delivery to France, following the completion of tests in New Zealand. Despite huge investment in drone technology from tech giants such as Google and Amazon, Domino's looks to have beaten everyone else to market and has successfully delivered its first pizza via drone in the land of the long white cloud. “We've always said that it doesn't make sense to have a two-tonne machine delivering a two-kilo object,” said Domino's CEO Don Meij, who went on to explain that the drones would carry their cargo in “state-ofthe-art packaging that retained the temperature and taste” of the pizza. French fans of the Italian staple

relaxed their laws to accommodate plans by delivery giants such as Amazon. Drone deliveries have recently been made legal in Australia, providing they stay at least 30 metres away from houses, as they are in the US, although drones may not cross state lines or fly above members of the public. Last year New Zealand became one of the first countries to allow commercial drone deliveries, but the rules don't currently allow them to fly further than the drone's operator can see. Domino's said it is working with New Zealand authorities to remove these barriers. Once the New Zealand tests are complete, Domino's hopes to roll out the service across six other markets: France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia and Japan. ■

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2016

Driverless bus trial under way in Lyon

n what is being hailed as a world first, driverless buses have taken to the streets of Lyon in a year-long trial along a stretch of road in the Confluence quarter of the city. The electric buses, with a capacity of 15 passengers each, will travel along the 1.3 km route at a top speed of 20 kph. The 10-minute trip includes 5 stops and will be free for the duration of the 12-month trial. Although there have been numerous trials of driverless buses elsewhere in France and across the globe, this is the first time that a long-term daily service of driverless buses has operated with passengers anywhere in the world. The vehicles, which cost €200,000 each, are loaded with technology to ensure they avoid

collisions, including cameras, laser sensors and GPS. The safety systems on the buses were put through three years of tests before being launched. “They’re equipped with a range of detectors that allow them to know exactly where they are and to detect everything happening around them and to manage it intelligently to avoid collisions,” explained Christophe Sapet, chief executive of the Navya company which designed the buses. Despite this, the vehicles are not yet capable of manoeuvring around other traffic and the route being trialled in Lyon is alongside a tramway where other cars are not allowed. “Neither the current technology nor the legislation allow this type of vehicle to operate in the midst of cars or other traffic,” said

Jean-Pierre Farandou of the Keolis transport group that operates the service. Elsewhere, one the eve of the second “car-free” day in Paris, a Toulouse-made driverless EasyMile bus ran between the Berges de Seine and the Pont Neuf. A further test is scheduled to run in the capital between Gare de Lyon and Gare d'Austerlitz later this year. More than 650 km of roads in the city were closed to non-essential traffic for the “car-free” day on Sunday 25th September, with the usually busy Champs-Élysées becoming a huge pedestrian boulevard. Last year, approximately one third of the city was closed to traffic and it was reported that nitrogen dioxide levels dropped by as much as 40%. ■

www.agence-eleonor.com Agence Eleonor Estate Agency 36-38 rue du Temple, 24500 EYMET Tél. : 05 53 27 83 45, info@agence-eleonor.com

YOUR OWN FAMILY HOLIDAY RETREAT VOTRE VILLAGE DE VACANCES FAMILIAL

Ref: 4785-EY €315,650 (7% fees inc.) Pretty house with a tower and 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen, large sitting room, a basement with a workshop, garage and an independent studio. Set in nearly three acres of woodland. DPE: E.

Ref: 4787-EY €108,000 (8% fees inc.) This lovely stone village cottage is an ideal ﬁrst buy or holiday home, it has a ﬁtted kitchen, open plan lounge and dining area, 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms a good sized garden, terrace/BBQ area and a garage. DPE: E. By purchasing a luxury holiday property at the Wyndham Halcyon Retreat Golf & Spa Resort, you, your family and friends can benefit from your own golf course, turreted chateau spa, fully stocked fishing lakes, Aqua Adventure Park and 220-acres of stunning grounds.

Ref: 4795-EY €294,250 (7% fees inc.) A fully renovated stone property with 3 bedrooms, ofﬁce space, swimming pool, 7 hectares of rolling meadows, distant views, stables, a tack room, open horse stalls, a garage and a carport. DPE: E.

Ref: 4572-VI €503,500 (6% fees inc.) In a peaceful setting yet not isolated, this spacious property, built in 1722, has 5 bedrooms, a one-bedroom apartment, outbuildings, a swimming-pool and land of approximately 3 acres. DPE: C.

Other ofﬁces at : Beynac, Monpazier and Villeréal

En achetant votre appartement de luxe auprès de Wyndham Halcyon Retreat Golf & Spa Resort, vous, votre famille et vos amis pourront alors bénéficer du parcours de golf, du château du XVIème siècle, des lacs approvisionnés, des centres aquatiques et 90 hectars de beaux parcs.

For full details, prices or to arrange a viewing trip, contact karen.spaughton@bandbw.co.uk / 06.37.48.88.15 / 05.55.63.97.05 Pour plus de renseignements, tarifs ou visiter, veuillez contacter karen.spaughton@bandbw.co.uk / 06.37.48.88.15 / 05.55.63.97.05

OCTOBER 2016 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 9

10 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

Wanted Experienced shopfitters Experienced shopfitters required for installs all across France. Joiners, electricians and labourers also required.

Email: contact@reactive-resource.com

DIY radar designer in hot water

ed up with motorists speeding past his front door, one graphic designer decided to turn to his professional skills to tackle the problem. With little more than a wheelie bin, a dash of paint and some black and yellow tape, Mark Gimferrer created his very own speed camera. The stunt gained him a surprising amount of press coverage... and a visit from the police!

“Speed is a big problem, many people have complained about it,” explained Mr Gimferrer. “I just wanted to stop the speeding. I walk along that pavement with my three-year-old daughter and it's dangerous.” After lighting up social media, the press, radio and TV were soon reporting on the surprisingly realistic wheelie bin radar, attention which eventually led to a knock on the door of his house in Castelnau-le-Lez in the Hérault department. “I had a visit from the police who said 'you know why we're here, don't you?' I said yes... they were very nice about it, but said that I'd have to take it away. They explained that it could be a danger to traffic.” This common sense approach helped avoid a potential €135 fine. When questioned, local authorities claimed that the stretch of road was not particularly dangerous and that regular speed controls were performed in the area, although they conceded, that “it is possible that, when we are not there, vehicles may well travel faster than the speed limit”. After his 15 minutes of fame, Mark Gimferrer said that he will not be redeploying his speed camera, but did say that he will be campaigning to have sleeping policemen installed on the residential road. ■

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2016

Très Jolie

Ladies fashion accessories Beautiful scarves, purses, handbags, jewellery & gifts

Advertise your business here

05.55.41.17.76

(See Notice Board for where to ﬁnd me)

Paula Bonella

05 55 78 62 29 06 04 08 29 53

tres.jolie1@orange.fr Facebook: search for “Tres Jolie Milhaguet”

sales24@thebugle.eu

siret 753 125 061 00014

Phone a random French person

onjour... is that France? What better way to get to know a country than by speaking to the people who live there? In the past, that would have required a costly combination of plane, train and automobile, but in today's connected world a real French person is just a phone call away, thanks to The French Number. The idea, launched on 15th September, lets people from all over the globe “dial France” using the general number +33 176 498 498 and get connected via a switchboard to a random French volunteer somewhere in the country - all for the price of an international call. “There's no better way to talk about France than speaking with a French person,” said Marc Baillet, co-founder of the initiative. “The idea is to create a link between France and the world and tackle the decline in tourism which France has been experiencing in recent months, especially following the terrorist attacks.” Anyone living in France can sign up to be an “ambassador” and receive the calls, providing they can speak English. The group behind The French Num-

ber say that the best part of their idea is that the French people registered as ambassadors within their network will help the callers discover not only the clichéd France of the movies, but also their France, with everything that’s hidden from tourists’ eyes, leading to a “more cordial experience with our homeland through direct contact with French people”. “Gone are the days of reading tourist guides or boring articles, now you can simply ask a true French,” insists a French presenter in a tonguein-cheek video released to promote

the launch. “There's no better way to learn about France than to ask a French!” The French Number follows a similar service launched in Sweden earlier this year. Organizers say they hope the initiative will catch on and expect to see 80,000 people calling by December. The group promises anonymity and says that private phone numbers are never shared with ambassadors. ■ For more information visit www. thefrenchnumber.fr

Low-cost Caribbean flights launched

utumn is here and colder weather is not too far round the corner. For many people, this is the time to begin planning a holiday and search for some winter sun. For others, the cost of travelling long haul is prohibitively expensive, but that is gradually changing as low-cost air travel goes global. The new French Blue airline has recently flown its first passengers to the Caribbean for the bargain price of just €199 each way, prices that have certainly generated a lot

of interest amongst holidaymakers. The flights are the latest in a transatlantic price war that has seen tickets from Paris to New York available for as little as €129 with WowAir this year. The French Blue flights operate from Paris' Orly airport and fly to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic; the company has plans to add routes to Réunion and Mauritius next year. The brand new Airbus A330-300 aircraft packs in an impressive 350 seats in economy in three rows of

three, with a further 28 premium seats that are seven abreast (at the slightly healthier price of €629). As you may expect for the budget price, little expense has been spent on comfort! Carry-on baggage is limited to 12kg and a meal is not included in the price, although you can buy a set menu for €30 euros. Wi-fi is available (for a fee), but every passenger does have access to a 25cm touchscreen for in-flight entertainment. ■ For more information visit www.frenchblue.com

Your favourite one stop shop where you will find something for all the family within our 32000ft² sales floor.

Advertise your business to more than 25,000 readers from as little as €13.50 per month

05 55 41 17 76 sales24@thebugle.eu

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

We also have Furniture, Beds & Mattresses, Clothing, Pets Accs, Hygiene & Household, Smoking Accs, Toys, Storage, Clothing, etc, etc

Just oﬀ the RN147 on the D107 (dir. L’Isle Jourdain) 0°53’33’’40 E, 46°13’45’’10 N

rs hou Newst Sep 1

87320 Bussière-Poitevine

Tel: 05 55 68 74 73

Open Tue - Sat: 09h00 - 12h00 & 14h00 - 18h00 Sun & Bank Hols*: 09h30 - 12h00 & 14h30 - 18h00 Closed Mon *closed: 1st May, 14th Jul, 25th Dec & 1st Jan

OCTOBER 2016 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 11

12 ♦ FRENCH LIFE

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2016

The wines of Bergerac - what’s in a grape?

reader of this column recently sent a message to the website for my novels, brunochiefofpolice.com, to ask if I could offer a simple guide to the different kinds of grape that are used in the Bergerac. So here goes. Almost all Bordeaux and Bergerac red wines are based on a blend of two grapes, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Sometimes different winemakers will add some Cabernet Franc or some Malbec, which is known locally as côt. This is a very old grape, served at the wedding of Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152, and it is the basis of the dark red wines of Cahors. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are two of the world’s most-grown grapes (along with Chardonnay) and they were destined to be blended together, since they each flourish on different soils and the Cabernet ripens after the Merlot is ready, which makes it easier to organize the harvesting. The Cabernet is a robust grape which is thick-skinned and resistant to disease. It is high in tannins (which extend the life of the wine) and it thrives on gravel soil. Ripe Merlot grapes are a lovely deep and dark blue in colour, and the name is said to come from the French for blackbird. It gives a fleshy, velvety grape which likes clay and softens the slightly harsher Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a generous vine, the average bunch weighing significantly more than Pinot Noir, the great grape of Burgundy which typically weighs about two-thirds as much. Traditionally in the Bordeaux and Bergerac the Merlot is harvested slightly early to keep some acidity and reduce the alcohol content. In California, by contrast, they like to harvest it at the last minute when it is almost bursting with alcohol and produces an inky, purple wine. Château de Jaubertie’s splendid cuvée Mirabelle red (16 euros) is a good compromise. It is 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc, and its

by Martin Walker

richness and depth comes from a slightly later harvesting of the Merlot. Cabernet Franc is an older grape, and DNA evidence tells us that Cabernet Sauvignon developed in the 17th century from the interbreeding of Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc. We know that Cardinal Richelieu took cuttings of Cabernet Franc from Saint-Émilion to transplant them in the Loire Valley, where the grapes now produce the charming if rather light wines of Bourgeuil. Added to the usual Cabernet-Merlot mix, the Cabernet Franc gives a freshness and a slight taste of pepper and blackcurrant. DNA analysis is teaching us some fascinating lessons about the history of wine. You may have heard of the Southern Italian grape called Primitivo, a robust and powerful wine. We now know that the grape is over 2,000 years old and it originally came from Croatia in the Balkans and was the standard plonk of ancient Rome. More recently it went on its travels and reached California where it is known as Zinfandel. The dry white wines of Bergerac come mainly from Sauvignon Blanc grapes and Semillon sometimes with a little Muscadelle which adds sweetness. Sauvignon Blanc is a wonderfully adaptable green-skinned grape which can be grown almost anywhere. In cooler climes it can be crisp and even astringent, but in tropic zones it can be too rich, almost luscious. The climate of the South-West of France is a happy medium with a range of terroirs, gravel and sand, clay and flint, which bring out the best of the grape. Semillon is a lovely golden-skinned grape, with a sweetish juice and a tendency to get the ‘noble rot’ of botrytis which produces the great dessert wines of Sauternes, Barsac and Monbazillac. It marries beautifully with Sauvignon Blanc. The Muscadelle, sometimes known as Cadillac, is a pale-skinned grape which produces strong, sweet wines. Only

small amounts are blended into most white wines, except in Monbazillac, where the legendary vineyard of Tirecul La Gravière uses as much as 50 per cent Muscadelle, 45 per cent Semillon and only 5 per cent Sauvignon Blanc. From these various grapes, there is something almost magical about the vast range that can emerge of taste and bouquet, of quality and of price. Take along your 5-litre glass jar or your 10-litre plastic cubitainer and in the cooperatives and caves you can draw your own everyday drinking wine for around two euros a litre. At every market you can buy 3 and 5-litre containers of Bergerac white or red almost as cheaply. But you can also pay nearly 50 euros for a bottle of the rare Anthologia from the vineyard of Tour des Gendres or over a hundred euros for a small half-litre bottle of Monbazillac from the majestic Cuvée Madame du Château Tirecul La Gravière. A great deal of Bergerac is made by cooperatives and often sold as everyday drinking wine, retailing in supermarkets for around 3 to 5 euros a bottle. But the

wines I most like to explore and enjoy are in the mid-price range from around 5 euros a bottle up to 15 euros, since I have been persuaded by thoughtful vignerons that life is too short to drink anything but good wine. I also enjoy seeking out cheaper wines and for just under 5 euros at my local wine store (Julien de Savignac in Le Bugue) I drank and served a lot of Château des Eyssards Bergerac Sec this summer. It is light, flowery and wonderfully refreshing and deservedly won a gold medal at a recent concours for wines of the South-West. ■ Martin Walker, author of the bestselling ‘Bruno, chief of police’ novels, is a Grand Consul de la Vinée de Bergerac. Formerly a journalist, he spent 25 years as foreign correspondent for The Guardian and then became editor-inchief of United Press International. He and his wife Julia have had a home in the Périgord since 1999 and one of his great hobbies is visiting the vineyards of Bergerac.

Investing in uncertain times - remember, it’s time in the markets, not timing the market, that counts - Blevins Franks

t has been three months since the UK’s Brexit referendum and while the surprise of the result has receded, we are still some way away from knowing when and how it will happen. This has left some expatriates feeling in limbo, which is affecting their investment decisions as they wait to see what happens instead of putting their capital to good use. Waiting can be a risky approach for those with capital to invest. After the initial shock reaction, markets have so far proved quite resilient to Brexit. If you keep sitting on the sidelines, you risk missing out on market rallies. To protect your savings from inflation for your financial security through retirement, it is generally better to be invested for the long-term rather than wait for a ‘right time’ to invest or trying to time the markets. This does not change with Brexit. Unpredictable events and investor sentiment can have an unexpected negative or positive impact on markets, and no-one can predict the future. To successfully time the markets you would need to accurately identify both the best time to buy and the best time to sell, and even experienced investors cannot get this right all the time. Trying to time the market has plenty of risks - but the biggest one may be the risk of missing out. It is surprising what

a difference missing the best days in a market cycle can make to investment returns. To illustrate this point, a hypothetical £10,000 investment in the FTSE AllShare index for the 10-year period to 31 December 2015 would have earned a profit of £7,197 if invested the whole time. If the five best days were missed, the profit would be much lower at £1,831. If the 10 best days were missed there would be a £607 loss. Being out of the market on the 20 and 30 best days would have resulted in losses of £3,555 and £5,269 respectively. (Figures do not include fees or charges. Source: Russell Investments.) Successful investors are marathon runners, not sprinters. Staying invested in the markets over the long term usually gives the best results. It can be tempting to buy and sell assets based on market movements or uncertainty, but this will rarely help you meet your long-term financial goals. Every market cycle has ups and downs, but short-term declines or uncertainty should not detract from the long-term potential of stock market investing. If we look at the FTSE All-Share index over the 20-year period 1996 to 2015, although there were average intra-year declines of 15.7%, annual returns were positive for 15 out of the 20

years. A hypothetical lump sum investment of £100,000 at the start of 1996, with dividends reinvested, would have been worth £367,525 at the end of 2015 (Source: Russell Investments). It is important though to ensure that your portfolio is built around your risk profile, and with strategic asset allocation and diversification to reduce risk and meet your objectives. If Brexit is making you cautious, you could consider spreading the timing of your investment over a period, by investing in tranches. The ‘pound (or euro or dollar) cost averaging’ approach can help smooth out volatility and potentially improve average returns over longer time periods.

This currency issue is important right now if you are to avoid exchange rate losses, so ensure you have suitable currency diversification and flexibility. We believe the wisest investors are those who spend time up front to create a solid long-term strategy and then have the discipline to stay in the market, even if it feels uncomfortable. Statistically, they have the best chance of success. Take specialist advice to create a tailor-made investment strategy to meet your goals, based on your risk profile. Build up a good relationship with your financial adviser so they understand your needs and concerns and guide you through the Brexit years and into the future. ■

Currency concerns

Tel: 05 53 63 49 19 Email: bergerac@blevinsfranks.com

British expatriate investors are also concerned about the Sterling exchange rate. Note that you do not have to invest in Euros, even if are investing in an EU investment arrangement; if your capital is in Sterling, you can invest in Sterling. What you need is an investment structure that has a multi-currency facility. This would allow you, for example, to invest in Sterling now and then switch to Euros (if you wish) at a later date. It would also give you flexibility in how you take withdrawals.

All advice received from any Blevins Franks firm is personalised and provided in writing; this article, however, should not be construed as providing any personalised investment advice. These views are put forward for consideration purposes only as the suitability of any investment is dependent on individual circumstances. The value of investments can fall as well as rise as can the income arising from them. Past performance should not be seen as an indication of future performance.

FRENCH LIFE ♦ 13

OCTOBER 2016 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

In the garden - jobs for October

by Michelle Pierce

inally, thankfully, some rain, and a bit of respite for the poor garden. While tourists, apartment owners and others complain about the lack of sun, gardeners and farmers are doing a little victory dance, strongly coloured with relief. But, sadly, I was premature when writing the above. Who could have thought that September would continue to be so very dry! The occasional drop of rain has managed to start fields greening up again in my area, but going 5 km west of me yesterday I was struck by the completely straw-coloured land as far as I could see. Obviously no rain round there. Trees have gone into autumn mode early, in an attempt to reduce water consumption, and blackberries and other wild fruits have dried on the plants. A catastrophe for the wildlife. But what does this mean for gardeners? Well, more work watering, obviously, and bigger water bills, as well as a significant delay in the late season planting and sowing. This means that things sown now will have a much shorter growing period before the cold weather arrives. And will in turn be less resistant. So what’s to be done? Well, if you have the space in a greenhouse or windowsill, sow your winter varieties indoors and try to get them growing on as quickly as possible. Then hopefully, when the ground is softer because of the rain, you’ll be able to pop them out into place.

If you’ve got empty vegetable beds, cover them with a thick layer of mulch, to help the life in the soil resist such hot dry conditions a bit better, and reduce the explosion of weed seedlings that will surely arrive when it finally rains. Cut down herbaceous perennials by half (as soon as they’ve finished flowering - give the bees and other insects their chance) and spread the stems directly round the bases of the plants as a mulch. All the fruit trees this year have suffered from the drought, and either produced smaller fruit, or not produced well. Leave some windfalls for the butterflies, other insects, birds. Make sure you have saucers of water around the garden for the wildlife. The things that have managed to grow in recent conditions are the most persistent - chez moi, that’s basically brambles, nettles and convolvulus. Make a mental note to go out and deal with them, because if they’ve managed to gain ground without water, we can expect them to just explode into action when they get some. That’s really all I have to say this month. There’s no point doing things that are bound to fail. Sowing seeds into rock hard earth, even if you can get a trowel into it to make a reasonable drill, seems nonsensical from my perspective, as someone who goes to work and doesn’t want to spend evenings trying to water even more! But if you have the time and the energy, give it a go. Warm days and soil will be like-

ly to lead to good germination, as long as you can keep up with the watering. So spend this time looking at your seeds and making lists for next year, buying your spring bulbs (pot them up into containers as a holding strategy), sorting the greenhouse and shed, putting away tomato and bean stakes, collecting the fallen leaves as mulch,

In praise of the cep

his is the time of year that causes envy in the hearts of those who don’t live in the Dordogne but only come on holiday. Summer is pretty wonderful wherever you spend it. But when mists drape themselves over British forests or damp rises from British pavements, the Dordogne locals do something that doesn’t seem to come naturally to most British. Like the Italians, Spanish, and Slavs, they sneak out in their cars or on bicycles with baskets draped over their arms to forage for ceps (or cèpes). In Russia, the Nordic and Baltic countries, it’s a national sport. Brits are not excused by saying they don’t live in the country: I’ve found ceps in London! It doesn’t matter how fond of you your French neighbours may be, you can bet your bottom Euro they won’t share the secret location of their best crops with you. Nor with each other. The autumn woods rustle with furtive footsteps, and it’s not uncommon to catch a fleeting glimpse of a collector scurrying to hide out of view. Ceps emerge under foliage after a good storm following a long dry summer. You need to be up very early to find them. Look for a light brown cap with velvety white flesh beneath, over a stem shaped like the

by Julia Watson

pruning, and generally waiting. Think also how you can use water more efficiently. This is two years running we’ve had the same weather pattern and unfortunately we may have the same next year. This has been the worst year I’ve had in my garden for many a year, so reflection is required. ■ Good gardening!

pealing greenish tinge - though they will still be edible. Périgord restaurateurs who consider the summer tourist easily satisfied will generally only put ceps on their menus as an addition to an omelette or the ubiquitous Pommes sarladaises. It’s a shame that unlike their equivalent in Italy, they are not prepared to push themselves out to introduce the foreigner to a wider range of regional dishes. Anyone spending a summer in the Dordogne eating out is likely to return home with webbed feet, with duck-based dishes being so often the main focus of tourist menus. But in home

kitchens and imaginative restaurants, ceps aren’t just fried up with garlic and parsley, but are turned into sauces to go with a roast of beef or venison, or added to cream to eat with pasta, or simmered in good stock with minced shallots and cubed potatoes before being roughly milled through a mouli légumes to become a hearty soup. Below is one of the best recipes, which can also be made with common field mushrooms. ■ Julia Watson has been a long-time Food Writer for newspapers and magazines in the US and the UK.

Tarte aux cèpes club of a Neanderthal. Smaller ones with a dark brown cap are also delicious and known with lack of political correctness as têtes de nègres. If you are at all uncertain about whether you’ve picked ceps or some other fungus that it could harm you to eat, take them to your local Pharmacie where they will confirm whether or not your crop is safe. If you’re lucky enough to stumble upon quantities so regular and so generous you can’t eat them fast enough, ceps are simple to dry. To make sure they are clean of shreds of moss and shards of vegetation, brush them delicately with a pastry brush or the corner of a

paper towel. Don’t wet them. Preheat your oven to 65°C. Slice the ceps thinly - the thicker they are, the longer it will take to dry them out - and place them on a baking sheet in one layer without overlapping. Roast them for an hour then turn them over, blotting away any moisture, and return them to the oven for a further hour, checking them regularly to make sure they aren’t beginning to burn. Repeat if necessary until they can be snapped in two. Then leave them on a rack to cool before storing in an airtight jar. Don’t keep your crop too long without cooking it. Older ceps can soften even after a few hours and take on an unap-

Serves 4 A sheet of bought pâte brisée 450g ceps, thinly sliced 110g butter The leaves of 1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley 4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 50g dry breadcrumbs Grated rind of 1 lemon 1 egg, beaten Cut four 15cm circles out of the pastry sheet and lay them on a buttered and floured baking sheet. Put in the fridge while frying the mushrooms in the butter over high heat to get rid of the moisture, until they begin to brown and crisp. Add all the remaining ingredients except for the egg, and mix well. Decant into a bowl and leave to cool. Take the pastry from the fridge and paint a 1 cm collar of egg round each of their edges. Spread the mushroom mix all over, up to the egg wash. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes till the pastry has risen round the mixture and turned golden. Serve hot, with a salad of mixed leaves in a sharp dressing. You can ring the changes by adding a roundel of goat’s cheese to the centre of the mushroom mix, adding it to melt 10 minutes after the start of the cooking.

14 ♦ PRACTICAL

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2016

What type of fosse septique do I need?

t some point, the vast majority of expats owning or buying a rural property here in France will encounter the need for a domestic sewage treatment system such as a “Fosse septique” (septic tank). In the UK, most of us just flush and forget as we are connected to mains sewage. Here in rural France you are more likely to require your own treatment system. Mains sewage connections do exist in some larger villages and most towns but for the rest of the properties this is often not available. There are a lot of misconceptions and confusing information regarding this subject and without being too technical, this article aims to shed a little light on the regulations covering such systems, the types of systems available and their individual advantages and disadvantages. Current French and European regulations require that all properties should process their sewage waste correctly before it is discharged into the environment and water table, although it is estimated that between 65-80% of properties do not currently conform to these regulations. This means that untreated sewage is being discharged illegally. The organization put it place by local and national government to control domestic sewage waste is often referred to as the S.P.A.N.C. (Service public d'assainissement non collectif) who are responsible for carrying out inspections of current systems and approving planning permission for new systems. The basic requirements are as follows: all solid sewage waste and all grey water, such as kitchen and bathroom waste water, must pass through a treatment system of a size that suits the size of the property, before being discharged back into the water table. The size of the system that is required is calculated relative to the number of bedrooms in the property, so the more bedrooms the bigger the system. There is a misconception that all you need is a tank and some gravel drains to act as a soak-away. This is not the case; in fact the tank is only

the beginning of the treatment process and the contaminated water leaving the tank needs further treatment before it enters the water table. This is the main reason for the high percentage of properties not conforming as they have a tank but the water discharges directly back into the water table. There are many factors that are taken into account when deciding what type of system will best suit the requirements of the property and subsequently be accepted by the SPANC. Some of these include the following: size of the property, whether the property is a holiday home or permanent residence, available land, soil type, soil permeability, local features such as drinking wells, etc. Another factor that you must consider is the cost, from initial installation costs to long-term running costs. Some properties are fortunate to only require some minor upgrades to the existing system to bring it up to regulations where others may require a completely new system. An experienced professional installer will be able to explain to you in detail all the required regulations as this article is aimed only as a basic overview. There are basically 3 different types of systems available: Traditional “Fosse septique” and filter bed systems, “Compact filter” systems and “Microstations”. Traditional “Fosse septique” and filter bed systems consist of a storage tank (primary treatment tank). This is where all your waste will enter, the solids begin to separate and sink to the bottom and bacteria living in the tank begin to digest the waste. The sewage liquid, once separated from the solid matter, then leaves the tank via the outflow. This liquid is still highly contaminated and full of pathogens and requires further treatment. This secondary treatment takes place in either an “Épandage” gravel trench system or a sand filter bed. The sewage liquid passes through this secondary treatment where again bacteria digest the waste and finish treating the wa-

SUDOKU - EASY

ter which can then be safely discharged into the water table. The benefits of the traditional “Fosse septique” system are that it requires very little maintenance and does not require any electricity to operate. The disadvantage of this system is that it involves extensive groundworks and a large area of land is required for the installation. This can result in considerable disruption for the home owner as well as damage to gardens, etc. These systems are also prone to “Bio mat” problems which basically clog up the system until no waste water can pass through it. Sand filters have an expected lifespan of 10 years although gravel “Épandage” trenches are expected to last a little longer. “Compact filter” systems are a small all-in-one treatment plant, usually consisting of two tanks. The first tank acts in the same way as a “Fosse septique” tank. The waste sewage from the property enters the tank where the solids begin to separate and sink to the bottom and the bacteria begin the digestion process. The sewage liquid, once separated from the solid matter, then leaves the primary tank via the outlet. The liquid then enters the second tank where the secondary treatment takes place. This is usually by means of passing through an

organic matter such as coco shavings where bacteria carry out the secondary treatment process. This secondary tank replaces the need for a gravel “Épandage” or sand filter system. The water is then fully treated and can be discharged into the water table. The advantages of this type of system are that they are compact and only require a small area of land, they do not use electricity, they are permitted for holiday homes and they can be installed in a few days and with minimum disruption. The disadvantages are that as the filter media such as coco shavings are an organic material they will gradually decompose, become clogged and will require replacing after 10 years at additional cost. The cost involved in replacing the media can vary from system to system, but your installer should be able to provide you with a cost on request. “Microstations” are a complete treatment system housed in one tank which has several sections. The first acts the same as a “Fosse septique” tank where the solids separate from the liquid and bacteria begin the digestion process. The liquid then enters the second section where bacteria, living on a plastic media and fed by air via a small air pump, carry out the secondary treatment process; again, this replac-

SUDOKU - MEDIUM

The solutions to this month’s sudokus can be found on page 22

es the need for gravel “Épandage” or sand filter beds. The water is then fully treated and can be discharged into the water table. The advantages of these types of system are that they are compact and therefore require a very small area of land, they do not contain organic media that needs to be replaced and they can be installed in a few days and cause minimum disruption. The disadvantages are that they are not permitted for holiday homes and they use a small amount of electricity for the air pump. For a typical 4-bed system, the electricity consumption is around €3 per month. Whatever your situation or house size, there is a system to match your needs. You should consult with your local installer who should be approved by SPANC and hold all the relevant insurances to see which system is best for you. Not only will your property then meet the new requirements, but when the time comes to sell, prospective purchasers will be more confident to buy. ■ For more informtaion on your fosse installation, contact Steve Johns: Steve Johns Assainissement www.fosse-septique23.com 05 55 64 11 73 / 06 70 47 52 96

SUDOKU - HARD

LEARNING FRENCH VIA INTERNET

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

TRANSLATION SERVICES ALSO AVAILABLE

Please contact Sophie Arsac for further information – 05 55 14 07 64 - scarolinea@yahoo.fr

Playground duelling

lets the conker dangle on the full length of the string. The second player then swings his conker and hits the other one as hard as they can in an attempt to break it. Players then take it in turns to hit the other’s conker until only one remains - the winner! Conkers is taken very seriously by schoolchildren and they will go to great lengths to improve the quality of their champion nut (in other words, cheat!) Methods for making your conker harder vary from baking it in the oven, soaking it in vinegar or salt water, leaving it in the dark for one year or even painting it with nail varnish. One technique suggested by a former World Conker Champion (the game is also played by adults!) is to get a

s a child in the UK, you know that summer is coming to an end when the first horse chestnuts start falling from the trees and the conker season begins! Conkers is a traditional British children’s game played using the smooth shiny brown nut of the horse chestnut tree. A variation of the game has been around for centuries, often using shells, and many believe that the word ‘conker’ derives from the French word conque meaning a conch or shell. The first thing you need to play the game is a good conker. Finding the perfect conker is an art and schoolchildren will spend hours searching underneath trees for the nut that will bring them playground glory! As a general rule, the conker should be large, round and have no imperfections. You then need to drill a hole through the centre of your conker and push through a piece of string with a knot on the end – shoelaces are perfect for this! The game is played between two players. One player puts his arm straight out in front and

pig to eat your conker - without chewing - and to ‘recover’ the conker a day or two later when it has passed through the pig. Yuck!! In recent years, with the increase of health and safety concerns in schools, conkers is banned in many playgrounds. There have been stories of teachers handing out safety goggles before allowing children to play and one school even banned conkers because of the fear of nut allergies (although there are no known dangers from horse chestnuts!) In 2001, Eamonn Dooley from Kilkenny, Ireland, smashed the world record and broke an amazing 306 conkers in one hour. ■

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

Bilingual Crossword Clues in English - answers in French

Across:

u Royaume-Uni, les enfants savent que l’été touche à sa fin lorsque les premiers marrons d’Inde tombent des arbres et que la saison des «conkers» commence! Il s’agit d’un jeu britannique traditionnel que les enfants pratiquent en utilisant des marrons brillants et bien lisses. Des variations de ce jeu existent depuis des siècles, les marrons étant remplacés par exemple par des coquilles de mollusques ou des fruits à coque, et il est probable que le mot «conker» soit un dérivé du mot français «conque» qui désigne notamment une coquille en forme de spirale. Pour pouvoir jouer, vous devez d’abord trouver «le bon marron». C’est tout un art et les écoliers passent des heures sous les marronniers pour trouver «la perfection» qui leur apportera la gloire dans la cour de récréation. Le marron doit être large, bien rond et ne présenter aucune imperfection. Puis il faut percer un trou en son centre et y glisser une ficelle munie d’un nœud à son extrémité (les lacets sont parfaits pour cela!) Il faut deux participants. Le premier joueur étend le bras

devant lui et laisse le marron pendre au bout de la ficelle. Le deuxième joueur lance alors son propre marron pour frapper l’autre marron aussi fort que possible afin de le briser. Chacun joue à tour de rôle jusqu’à ce qu’il ne reste qu’un seul marron: celui du vainqueur! Les écoliers prennent ce jeu très au sérieux et ils se donnent beaucoup de mal pour perfectionner la qualité de leur petit champion (en d’autres mots, pour tricher!). Il existe différentes méthodes pour faire durcir le marron: le faire cuire au four, le faire macérer dans du vinaigre ou de l’eau salée, le laisser dans l’obscurité pendant un an ou même le badigeonner avec du vernis à ongles. Un ancien gagnant du championnat mondial de «conkers» (eh oui, même

les adultes pratiquent ce jeu!) recommande de faire avaler votre marron à un cochon, sans qu’il le mâche. Après un petit périple au sein de l’animal, vous pouvez le récupérer un ou deux jours plus tard… Beurk! Depuis quelques années, les règles d’hygiène et de sécurité se sont accrues dans les écoles et le jeu est désormais banni de nombreuses cours de récréation. On raconte que certains professeurs donnent des lunettes de protection à leurs élèves et qu’une école a même interdit cette activité par crainte des allergies aux marrons (bien que ce risque soit inconnu au bataillon!) En 2001, Eamonn Dooley (Kilkenny, Irlande) a battu le record du monde en brisant le nombre impressionnant de 306 marrons en une heure! ■

SIRET 502 409 212 00011 – APE 8559B

BILINGUAL ♦ 15

OCTOBER 2016 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

5. bag (3) 6. friendships (7) 8. tortoises (7) 9. meadow (3) 11. feather duster (7) 14. here (3) 15. baskets (7) 17. textbooks (7) 18. street (3)

Down:

1. radius (5) 2. raincoat (11) 3. summer (3) 4. subway (5) 7. pen (5) 10. sailor (5) 12. ocean (5) 13. organ (5) 16. hard (3)

Bilingual crossword solution can be found on page 22

Advertise your business here

05.55.41.17.76 sales24@thebugle.eu

Would you like to receive an electronic copy of The Bugle each month? We can deliver a copy to your inbox, hot off the press

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

16 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2016

Business Directory

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

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Auto Services

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

Tel: 05 55 80 72 83 Mob: 06 33 07 29 72 Email: info@masterplans.eu www.masterplans.eu Siret: 790 016 984 00011

Architectural DRAWING SERVICE

DOG GROOMING FOR ALL TYPES OF DOGS Clipping, cutting, hand stripping, bathing, ear care & nail trimming. INGRID GELAUDIE La Baronnie, 24260 Audrix

06 31 98 92 07 MinouCats

Purpose built cattery with 7 heated, well equipped luxury suites Relaxed and secure environment Experienced and qualified owners Tender loving care all day long Agnac, 47800

Tel: 05 53 93 92 44 nicky@minoucats.fr www.minoucats.fr

SHAMPOOCHIENS Dog Grooming Parlour All breeds catered for Clipping, hand stripping and bathing 30 years’ experience 24500 Eymet

05 53 58 55 38 and home of CANOUAN ENGLISH SPRINGER SPANIELS Puppies available - see below Siret: 499 234 615 00015

MOTOR PARTS CHARENTE

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

+44 (0)1377 538 639

motorptscharente@aol.com www.motorpartscharente.com

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

Building Services

Carpenters/ Joiners

General

Wood Work upvc-solutions SHUTTERS/DOORS, STAIRCASES, etc. MADE TO MEASURE

Available in white, beige & oak woodgrain. Visit our website for more information.

IN SOFTWOODS OR LOCAL HARD WOODS SIMPLE ORDERING / 10 DAY TURNAROUND Please explore our website for more info: www.scrollart.co.uk

www.upvc-solutions.webs.com

Oradour Sur Vayres (87150)- siren 752 051 482

siret: 503 133 159 00015

05 55 14 12 43

email: upvc-solutions@orange.fr

Building Services

Specialist in the renovation and restoration of period and contemporary buildings

CHARKER DAVID All small works undertaken

SIRET: 493 770 358 00015

Building Services

uPVC windows, doors, porches & conservatories

Electricians

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

E-mail : dn.charker@sfr.fr

Tel: 05 53 09 42 18 No Siret: 402 444 871 00030

Harlequin BARWICK ÉLECTRICITÉ Developments

Architectural Services CHARTERED STRUCTURAL ENGINEER

Pre-purchase & Structural Surveys. Verbal & written reports. Structural calculations & drawings. Redevelopment ideas & solutions. Tim Haw B.Eng C.Eng M.I.Struct.E

FR: 0033 (0)6 05 56 42 81 UK: 0044 (0)7448 466 662

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

SHAUN BARWICK QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

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)

Tel: 09 72 35 74 73

Tel 05 53 88 15 67 - www.canouan.co.uk

Kitchens fitted and tiled Replacement doors and windows Parquet flooring Oak framed porches Plasterboard and Insulation

05.55.68.67.56 06.06.60.46.97

Email: barwick.shaun@gmail.com

harlequindevelopments@live.com www.harlequindevelopments.com

@iret: 794 282 368 00016

SIRET: 494.501.067.00016

Quality English Springer Spaniel puppies born 1st August, liver and white boys and girls. Ready to leave beginning of October. Father a Ch de France and Int Ch and mother the daughter of the same. Both parents are health tested. Raised en famille, puppies are LOF French pedigree and come with microchip (250268500419167)/ paperwork and vaccs to date. Litter Reg No:2016028957-2016-1, Eleveur No 472078

est. 2007

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

DIRECTORY ♦ 17

OCTOBER 2016 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

BREXIT - MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR HOUSE SALE Pioneer France ensures sellers and buyers maximise their funds

he last fifteen years have seen a huge volume of foreign buying and selling activity in France. In fact, the level of activity has almost tripled compared with the previous fifteen-year period. “The internet has obviously played a huge part in this change but so too have methods of financing,” says Harris Raphael, Managing partner of Francebased Pioneer France. “The biggest financing change has been the ability for those transferring funds when buying or selling properties to utilise the services of a specialist foreign exchange company to achieve exchange rates only available previously to large commercial organisations.”

Building Services

“What is odd is that buyers are almost twice as likely as sellers to use the services of such a specialist,” says Harris. “This is a real shame, as having tried so hard to achieve the best price for their house, many sellers then relinquish an unnecessary chunk of these funds by using old-fashioned and very expensive banking methods to repatriate their money back into sterling, dollars or whatever. This often loses the seller thousands which could have been so easily avoided. Our historic data shows that the average loss is around €3,500.” Harris believes that this is primarily because the profile of a typical seller is usually older than that of a buyer. Sellers are therefore

Building Services

Painters/ Decorators

Sandblasting

Simon Carter

Sand and Blast

Painter & Decorator Qualified craftsman with over 25 years UK experience, now based Haute-Vienne/north Dordogne border.

Specialist services: Interior & exterior painting & decorating, wallpapering, plastering. FREE QUOTES

Tel: 05 87 19 91 50 Mob: 07 81 26 88 65 Web: www.sjcmontluc.fr Email: sjcmontluc@yahoo.fr siret: 792.130.932.00017

Building Services

We provide a fully operated

sandblasting

service for wood, stone and metal. Perfect for stripping away years of grime or paint. Contact us for a free quote, or see our website:

- Installation, from kitchen taps to full central heating systems - Breakdown / Replacement boilers - Emergency plumbing repairs - Full analysed testing

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

Food & Drink

La Poutre

Bar & Restaurant

24400 Beaupouyet (N89 between Montpon & Mussidan)

www.sandandblast.com

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

bobby@sandandblast.com steve@sandandblast.com

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

05 55 76 31 59 / 06 77 40 95 92 SIRET: 812 727 253 00013

sales24@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76

Computers & Satellites

Plumbers PLUMBING & HEATING ENGINEER

more likely to have traditionally used a bank for their transfers and are reluctant and nervous about using ‘new methods’. “I understand this completely,” says Harris. “Anything new can be daunting, especially when it concerns one’s major asset! However, Pioneer France’s foreign exchange brokerage has been operating for over 35 years and is one of the very few that is fully authorised and regulated by the FCA, with the right of establishment in France. As such, we are able to provide our clients with full security of funds, and we can give expert currency exchange guidance to aid our client’s decision making, which the banks are not licensed to do.” Pioneer France was recently voted number one for foreign exchange rates and service, so contact Harris and his team to find out more about saving thousands. ■

05 53 80 29 54

WiFi Anglais Losing business due to poor Internet and WiFi?

Extended wired and wireless networks for homes, gîtes and small businesses. VPN solutions. Windows and Mac OSX.

www.wifianglais.com Email: hello@wifianglais.com Tel: 05 53 30 23 96 Mob: 07 78 52 20 46 Siret: 800 525 040 00013

Tel: 05 53 07 06 27 Email: info@pioneerfrance.com Web: www.pioneerfrance.com

The Dordogne Chippy All venues are in the evening between 6pm & 8.30 pm 1st Monday: Le Champsac Tuesday: Tremolat Thursday: Eymet 1st & 3rd Friday: Lauzun 2nd Friday: Ste-Alvère Last Friday: Daglan See our website for full details:

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

Gifts & Crafts

AUBERGE AUX DELICES DE LA TREILLE Closed Tue eve & Wed A La Carte or 2 Set Menus Lunchtimes (except Sun and bank hols) Soup+Starter+Main+Dessert - €15 Soup+Starter+Main - €11.90 Soup+Main+Dessert - €11.90 Soup+Main - €8.90

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

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

24350 MONTAGRIER

05 53 91 12 63

Health

Traditional Fish & Chips in a town near you

siret 537 415 903 00013

€24.90 Menu Soup+Starter+Main+Cheese+Dessert

Stephen Wisedale

The Pioneer France FX team: Harris, Simon, Tanya, Zoe, James and Steven

Personalised 05 55 41 17 76 Poems Give someone special a unique & personal gift

www.personalisedpoems4you.webs.com

Language Services

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts Ivan Petley

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

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

TRANSLATION SERVICES Do you need help with translating French correspondence and everyday dealings with French bureaucracy? If so contact: Fabienne MURPHY e: fabiennemurphy@yahoo.co.uk

t: +33 (0)5 53 24 21 88 m: +33 (0)6 87 99 78 12

18 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2016

ADVERTORIAL

Has your state pension been affected by “contracting out” and is your Final Salary pension really safe? NICs were paid into the company pension scheme in order to boost the individual’s private pension at a better rate than would occur had the contributions been left to topup the state second pension, but unfortunately, in many instances this has not been the case.

What is “contracting out”? - From 1978 members of “defined benefit” or final salary schemes could be contracted out and this eligibility was widened to include savers with “defined contribution” pensions in 1988. Most of the defined contribution members affected were contracted back in by 2012, while around five million final salary scheme members remained contracted out until April of this year. What this means is that millions of workers paid only partial National Insurance contributions (NICs), during this “contracted out” period and some potentially for the whole of their careers, leaving them with a nasty shock when it comes to receiving their State Pension. In theory, the

Pest Control

What does this mean? Put simply, if you have been “contracted out” for your whole working life then you will probably only receive the “basic” state pension of £119.30 per week rather than the new minimum payment of £155.65 per week. In addition to this it is now necessary to have built up 35 qualifying years of NICs, to receive the maximum flat-rate. Could your Final Salary pension be under threat? Recently proposed UK Government plans mean that pensioners could lose nearly a third of their retirement pot to save companies being crippled by growing pension costs. MPs in the influential Work and Pensions Committee are considering measures

Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

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

Property Sales

Contact Joanna:

Central France Pest Control Dératisation, Déinsectisation, Désinfection

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

which would for the first time allow cashstrapped employers to reduce workers’ final salary-type pensions without first going through courts. Data compiled for the Daily Telegraph by pension consultancy, Hymans Robertson, reveals for the first time the startling extent to which the various proposals could impact pensioners’ incomes. Under the most drastic option firms would be allowed to reduce annual pension uplifts to as little as zero, shrinking savers’ total retirement income by as much as 30% over the course of an average 25-year retirement. The option is designed to let employers adjust the size annual pension boosts depending on their own financial health. This gives them a breathing space for a short period, after which hopefully things can get back to normal and pension increases recommence. However, fears are mounting that unscrupulous firms could take advantage of the system to cheat employees out of pension increases which are designed to pro-

SIRET No. 498 544 741 00024

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

Retail & Commerce

sales24@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76

Transport, Removals & Storage

HOLIDAY HOMES IN THE UK

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

09 51 45 57 49

£9,995

CALL 0044 1424 853 764 www.ParkHolidays.com/beauportsales

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

Your advert here

Eco Entrepot

05 55 41 17 76

05 55 68 74 73

aka The Shed

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

The above information was correct at the time of preparation and does not constitute investment advice and you should seek advice from a professional adviser before embarking on any financial planning activity. Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority. Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) through whom we have a registered branch and passport for financial services in France.

MICHAELS MOVERS Removals

UK ↔ France ↔ UK Full & Part loads All size of vehicles Storage facilities in Sussex UK free phone:

0800 840 3058 Mob: +44 (0)7808 338 386 Removals, storage & house clearance in Dordogne

06 73 96 38 39 (FR) www.michaelsmovers.freeindex.co.uk

DSD Removals & Storage The Removal Experts France ↔ UK

bookstop

Are you looking for your perfect base in the UK? We have beautiful 2 and 3 bedroom models available in East Sussex. Relax in style in a modern holiday home and take advantage of fantastic facilities. Open for 11 ½ months a year. From

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

Curative and preventative

La Petite Barre, 18210 Bessais Le Fromental

If you would like to find out your final salary pension’s transfer value and have unbiased advice on whether it is in your best interests to move it before it’s too late, I am here to help you, please contact me at rosemary.sheppard@blacktowerfm.com or call me on 06 38 86 99 70.

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

Email: info@applicateur3d.com rats, mice, moles, flies, woodworm, bed bugs, fleas, wasps, hornets

tect their incomes from being eroded by inflation over the years. At present when companies go bust their pension schemes are rescued by a Government funded lifeboat scheme called the Pension Protection fund. In such cases employees lose as much as 22% of their pension, depending on how much they earn. A combination of people living longer and poor investment performance means final salary-type pension funds are registering the largest funding black holes they have ever faced, with the total deficit now exceeding £1 trillion. With most final salary pensions now offering a higher than usual transfer out value, it may be time to start looking at your options before it’s too late. ■

Man & Van Transport

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

09 82 12 69 73 87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres

www.frenchvanman.eu Siret 530 213 644 00012

• All risk insurance cover • Full and Part load specialists • Professional staff & modern vehicles • Every vehicle from a Luton van to a full removals lorry • Prices from £3.63 per sq ft

+44 (0)1274 724 545

info@dsdremovalsltd.com www.dsdremovalsltd.com facebook.com/DSDRemovals

Your advert here 05 55 41 17 76

Would you like to receive your copy of The Bugle by post each month? We can deliver a copy to your door, hot off the press

France, UK and Europe - €20 per year

Email us for more details - subscriptions24@thebugle.eu or visit www.thebugle.eu

DIRECTORY ♦ 19

OCTOBER 2016 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

Modern Marketing Strategies Engage Buyers Faster

t’s a busy market place for property sellers, and for most people their property is their biggest asset, so deciding where and how to market your property is an important decision. How many different websites should you use? Will they attract buyers locally and

around the world? How much will it cost? I believe, from the success of confirmed sales, that our modern marketing strategy for those technology savvy buyers is the way forward for property marketing. You need to engage buyers and one of the easiest ways is now through video. Video is effective for one simple reason, consumers like to watch videos, it’s an easy way to digest information. Twitter users are big on video with 82% of users agreeing that they watch video on a regular basis, with Facebook daily video views increased from 1 billion to 8 billion in the past year; meanwhile text posts are declining all the time. I believe your property advertising stands a great chance of getting seen and sold with us and that’s why we’re different to other

private marketing companies. How does it work? You list once with us and we do all the marketing, it’s that simple. We forward you the enquiries, you respond and arrange viewings. We use some of the best and highest ranked websites to advertise your property, up to 80 websites, 53 countries and translated in over 16 languages. We create a free YouTube video of your property, which is featured on our homepage and shared across social media platforms. And because we use some of the best property portals, whose experience in marketing is second to none and who offer high quality international advertising, this provides some of the best opportunities to get your property seen and sold all at our lowest price for the seller. ■

Anne Stapleton

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact me: info@privatepropertysellers.com or visit our website: www.privatepropertysellers.com

ADVERTORIAL

“SolarVenti”- the solar solution to damp and humidity

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

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

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

- if the property is unoccupied during the hot summer months, then it can be left running at low speeds for ventilation and dehumidification purposes or simply switched off. With a range of panel sizes, and the option for wall or roof mounting, Solarventi is suitable for all types of buildings, caravans or even boats!! Following the patenting of its design in 2001, Solarventi has only recently been actively commercialized. Over the last six years, Solarventi units have been installed in more than 24 countries and demand is increasing rapidly. From Greenland to Australia, Solarventi is finally getting the recognition it deserves. ■ Units start from €630 TTC. Several ex-demonstration models available at reduced prices, call for details.

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

Advertising in The Bugle Business Directory Advertising your business couldn’t be easier. Text only, boxed listings are available in our Business Directory from just €13.50/month. Alternatively, why not spotlight your business with an Advertorial, available from 1/6 Page (€50 HT) up to Full Page (€300 HT). Both Directory Adverts and Advertorials represent a cost effective way to put your brand in front of more than 25,000 pairs of eyes each month!!

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

6-Month Contract €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)

€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.

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

30 words max

20 ♦ COMMUNITY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2016

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 Thenon Trémolat

Wednesday Bergerac Gardonne 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

Le Bugue Montignac Mussidan Neuvic Nontron Périgueux Razac Sarlat Sigoulès St Aulaye Ste-Foy-la-Grande Thiviers Verteillac Villefranche du Périgord

Friday

Sunday

Thursday

Bergerac Brantôme Cubjac Le Buisson Ribérac Sarlat Vergt

Saturday

Agonac Beaumont du Périgord Belvès Bergerac Lalinde La Roche Chalais

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

Lulu - born around 25th May a white, brown and black girl

UPCOMING AQUITAINE CHURCH SERVICES The Chaplaincy of Aquitaine covers the Dordogne, Gironde, Lot-et-Garonne, and Condom (Gers). All services are held in English. For further details, please see our website: www.churchinaquitaine.org or contact Chaplaincy Administration: Amy Owensmith, +33 (0) 607 04 07 77 chapaq.office@gmail.com SUNDAY 09 OCTOBER 10:30 Holy Communion – Bertric Burée 10:30 All Age Worship – Bordeaux 10:30 Fresh Expressions – Eymet Temple 10:30 Holy Communion – Limeuil 10:30 Morning Prayer - Monteton 10:30 Family Service – Négrondes 11:00 Prayer & Praise - Condom Wednesday 12 October 11:00 BCP Holy Communion – Bertric Burée SUNDAY 16 OCTOBER 10:30 Family Service – Bertric Burée 10:30 Family Communion – Bordeaux 10:30 Holy Communion – Chancelade 10:30 Holy Communion – Dondas 10:30 Morning Worship – Limeuil 10:30 Prayer & Praise – Monteton 11:00 Prayer & Praise – Sainte Nathalène Thursday 20 October 10:30 BCP Holy Communion – Limeuil SUNDAY 23 OCTOBER 10:30 Holy Communion – Bertric Burée 10:30 Family Communion – Bordeaux 10:30 Fresh Expressions – Eymet Temple 10:30 Holy Communion – Limeuil 10:30 Holy Communion - Monteton 10:30 Harvest Holy Communion – Négrondes Thursday 27 October 11:00 Morning Worship – Condom SUNDAY 30 OCTOBER 10:30 Special Service – Bertric Burée 10:30 Family Communion – Bordeaux 10:30 Fresh Expressions Communion - Eymet 10:30 Special Service – Limeuil 16:00 Evensong – Monteton

Got an event for The Bugle?

notices@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76

Lulu is a transformed kitten! When she first arrived she spent her time hiding under a cushion and wouldn't even look at us but, once her sister was adopted, we spent hours trying to coax her out of her shell and look at her now! Lulu loves to be loved and purrs every time she is stroked and just loves playing with her fluffy mice! All she needs now is her forever home so she can continue to blossom and flourish. Lulu is still a little shy so needs a committed home where she will receive a tender and loving touch and will return it in buckets! Lulu is chipped and vaccinated. For more information please contact her foster mum, Julie at: oldclockhouse@hotmail.com or on 05 55 50 40 39. www.phoenixasso.com www.facebook.com/PhoenixAssociationFrance

Leggett Immobilier and Currencies Direct are going the extra mile for charity Leggett Immobilier and Currencies Direct have joined forces to organise an 800 km bike ride to raise funds for UNICEF. The ride will be from 3rd to 7th October and the riders will be cycling from historic Saint-Émilion to the Promenade des Anglais in Nice. Riders range in age from 21-70 and every penny raised will go to UNICEF. Throughout the world, a child under five dies every 20 seconds because they do not have the correct vaccines and UNICEF are striving to help. The mayor of St-Émilion has donated a bottle of wine from his local area to the cyclists which will be carried en route and then presented to the mayor of Nice as a gesture of amitié. Leggett CEO Graham Downie is one of the riders and says: “Last year we raised over €12,000 for charity and, with the help of Currencies Direct, we hope to smash that this year. We sell over 1,000 French properties to international buyers every year and we are hoping that some of our clients will come out and offer support - in fact we even have some current vendors joining us on the ride.” Cathy Temple, business development manager of Currencies Direct, adds: “The riders are taking on this challenge because they have faith in the work that UNICEF does around the world. It is a small way for Currencies Direct and Leggett to give something back to the community and cements the working partnership between our two companies.” Please support the STEN ride by donating and cheering the cyclists along. Following the route and donating is easy via the links below:

www.justgiving.com/teams/Leggett-CDcharitycycle www.facebook.com/STEN2016/

WHAT’S ON ♦ 21

OCTOBER 2016 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Hard to know which tourist sites to visit?

WHAT’S

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

notices@thebugle.eu

Need practial information

Got an event...?

Grumpy Granny Guide

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

www.GRUMPYGRANNYGUIDE.com It’s FREE, quick & easy to use

Soirée irlandaise Salle des fêtes de Sainte-Colombe (24150 Lalinde) Friday 7th October at 19h30 An evening of Irish music with the group SWEN, organised by the association Kamalalinda to raise funds for the street children of Margao in Goa.

Concert + drink + assiette irlandaise + café gourmand Adults €15 Children €7

Exhibition at the Château de Limeuil Exhibition, organised by the association “RIVES D’ART” at the Château de Limeuil, of amateur artists belonging to “LA TULIPE”, an Association of Dutch citizens who live permanently or semi-permanently in the Périgord. Limeuil is one of the most beautiful villages of France and each year it welcomes many tourists from all over the world. The hall for exhibiting art is situated in the château’s panoramic garden. Visits to the exhibition are free (but there is an entrance fee to the garden). The exhibition offers a variety of styles and is a unique insight into the way in which Dutch artists work in the region. It’s the first time that Association “Rives d’Art” has invited a group of amateur artists to exhibit.

For reservations tel 06 84 74 74 40 or 06 89 65 22 14 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

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

Monthly circulation: 12,000 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.

Tirage mensuel:

12,000 copies

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

22 ♦ WHAT’S ON

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2016

Chantemonde

Chantemonde was formed in September 2006 by Michèle Lhopiteau, a very talented musical director, and now has almost 60 members. Based at Villamblard, the choir rehearses every Tuesday evening from 8:30 pm - 10:30 pm. We actively seek a few more First Sopranos - all levels of competence accepted. It is a French choir (only 5 British members) and so is an excellent way to improve your language skills! Some previous experience is useful as the level of singing is now high and the works undertaken are demanding. Ability, determination and attendance are all that is required to have fun and tremendous satisfaction. This year the main item is Vivaldi’s ‘Magnificat’ and Marcello’s Psalm 18 the other half of the programme is devoted to songs from around the world - hence our name “Chantemonde”. We always use young professional musicians from Bordeaux for our classical pieces and often the smaller songs are ‘a cappella’. Concerts: Saturday 8th October, Église de Chamiers at 9 pm Sunday 9th October, Abbaye de Chancelade at 4 pm Saturday 15th October, Temple de Bergerac at 9 pm Sunday 16th October, Église du Bugue at 5 pm Tickets: Advance sales €10; On the door €12. For more information please ring David Finch (president of the choir) on 05 53 82 90 07 or Michèle Lhopiteau (choir mistress) on 05 53 61 13 36 or visit http://www.chantemonde.org/

Basket Fair - Sainte-Eulalie-d’Ans Sunday 9th October Professional basket makers will be exhibiting their creations and offering demonstrations of their skills throughout the day.

Fête de la châtaigne et du cèpe 15th-16th October Head to the village of Villefranche-du-Périgord on the third weekend of October for the 28th edition of its annual chestnut and mushroom festival. This two-day extravaganza offers visitors a farmers and local produce market, the sale of grilled chestnuts and fresh apple juice, artisans demonstrating their skills and plenty of entertainment besides. On Saturday morning there will be a display of different varieties of chestnut and in the afternoon, there is a chestnut picking contest. The evening follows with a meal and dancing. On Sunday, sample the giant cèpe omelette (12h) and then watch the chestnut spitting contest (15h).

Got an event for The Bugle?

notices@thebugle.eu

05 55 41 17 76

EASY

MEDIUM

HARD

OCTOBER 2016 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

WHAT’S ON ♦ 23

Music in the Dordogne sponsored by ARCADES Join us for concerts in the air conditioned new hall in Le Buisson, mostly of classical music, with top class French, English, Russian and other international performers. Concert tickets cost €15 including wine in the interval. All events are organised by volunteers and serve also as a meeting ground for the French and international communities of the Dordogne, including ACIP and La Tulipe.

Venue - Le Buisson de Cadouin, Nouvelle Salle des Fêtes, Avenue Aquitaine

For more info, tel 06 87 88 15 33 or 05 53 23 86 22 or visit http://www.arcadesinfo.com/

UPCOMING CONCERTS Sunday 23rd October at 17:00 Karl Lutchmayer piano recital Beethoven Op. 126 Bagatelles, Liszt Nuages Gris and Bénédiction de Dieu, Solitude Chopin Barcarolle, Busoni 2 Elegies, Ravel Ondine, Liszt Dante Sonata

Pumpkin Festival Sunday 23rd October, Issigeac See pumpkins and gourds in all shapes, sizes and colours and sample the delicious pumpkin soup. There will be also be a competition for the biggest pumpkin. All day. Place du château.

This season Karl Lutchmayer has been invited to become a Steinway Artist, setting yet another seal on an extraordinary career. Equally renowned as a pianist and lecturer, his innovative London lecture-recital series, Conversational Concerts, continues to garner critical and public acclaim. From the USA to Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia, Karl has given recitals and concerts throughout the world, working with conductors including Lorin Maazel and Sir Andrew Davis, and performed at all the major London concert halls.

Now booking for Abjat-sur-Bandiat THE BANSANG HOSPITAL ANNUAL CHRISTMAS CRAFTS EXTRAVAGANZA Popular Dordogne local event Supporting Bansang Hospital, The Gambia, Africa Ideal opportunity for quality Crafters, Creators, Artists, Artisans, Vendors Whole day event, excellent venue, refreshments, etc.

Sunday 18th December Booking & enquiries to: Linda Nicholson - tel 05 53 56 73 86 Email lindanicholson51@yahoo.co.uk Find out about Bansang Hospial at bansanghospitalappeal.org

Thirty artists and artisans will present their latest collections and demonstrate their skill and creativity in the centre of Nontron from 28th-30th October. Friday 14h-19h, Saturday 10h-19h and Sunday 10h-18h. Entry €2; Free for Under 16s. For more information visit www.metiersdartperigord.fr

24 ♦ WHAT’S ON