The Bugle Dordogne - Oct 2019

Maurice the cockerel wins noisy court case

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Campaigners are celebrating a court's ruling that Maurice's morning calls are a normal part of countryside life

>> Page 10

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France to launch carte de séjour site

>> continued on page 6

Google pays €965m French tax bill - pg 9

Landmark drug death trial begins - pg 10

© David Monniaux (WikiCommons)

A

coming. The government is completely ready.

Individuals and businesses, prepare yourselves also – https://brexit.gouv.fr”, linking to the government’s official Brexit website, which has recently also been translated into English.

A subsequent government statement said that while France still hopes that Britain would exit the EU with a deal, it was also preparing for a no-deal scenario, appointing an extra 600 customs staff to process arrivals from the UK, and an extra 200 veterinary experts at the borders. It also stated that “The Ministry of the Interior will launch an online registration platform for British nationals living

Cycling greats due in Bergerac - pg 4

Former French President Jacques Chirac dies - page 7

The French government is to launch a new website allowing British residents to apply online for a carte de séjour, which will be compulsory after Brexit. s France ramps up its Brexit preparations, P r i m e Minister Edouard Philippe has announced that a website allowing British residents to apply online for a residency permit (carte de séjour) will go live in October. Although few details are currently known, the news has been met with cautious optimism by campaign groups who have long complained of delays and different rules across the country.

The prime minister made the announcement in September after he convened a special meeting of ministers to finalise preparations for Britain’s exit from the European Union. Taking to Twitter Philippe posted: “Brexit is

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2 ♦ IN THIS EDITION

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Welcome to

I

The Bugle

won't go so far as to say that this is my favourite time of year, but I do always look forward to it coming back around.

Summer is often too hot for my liking and is invariably chaotic, with endless streams of visitors, camper vans clogging up the roads and tourists hogging the cafés. Opening hours change at random and businesses close for confusingly long periods of time.

And added to that are three bored children under my feet for eight seemingly never-ending weeks.

Which is why the relative quiet calm brought by September and early October is always welcome. The days are still relatively long, the weather good enough to get out and about and the weeks have a loose structure to them. Although, give it a few months and I will be tearing my hair out at having each day defined by which child does what. If I ask my wife what day it is tomorrow during term time she is as likely to reply with “bus in the morning, library books all round and swimming after school” as she is with “Tuesday”.

But I'm not there yet, I'm still just enjoying the absence of kids during the day. I know I've spoken before about how

“kids these days” are no good at being bored and need constant stimulation and how “back in my day” we frolicked round the woods all summer “making our own fun”. I'm pretty sure I've also acknowledged in the past that this is probably not true and that people have been saying it for generations.

Which is why my interest was piqued when I recently heard part of a quote on the subject on the radio. I only caught part of it, so I looked it up. Before I tell you who said it and when, have a read for yourself and guess...

The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise.

Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households.

They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannise their teachers. … I don't know if you'll be as surprised as I was to hear that this quote is attributed to Socrates and refers to children from well over two thousand

years ago!

Here's where my interest in maths kicks in and the geek in me feels the need to quantify concepts. People have always said that kids are worse behaved now than they were a generation ago, so let's imagine for a second that that is true. How much worse? My grandad would have sworn blind we were twice as bad as in his day. That seems a bit extreme, so why don't we say a mere 5%. And what shall we call a generation? Given the life expectancy of an ancient Greek, I suspect that 25 years would not be too wide of the mark.

We're talking around 2,500 years ago, so let's say that since Socrates wrote those words, each set of children over the course of 100 generations behaved 5% worse than their parents. And I can guarantee that - if you could ask them - not a parent among them would say that 5% is an over-exaggeration!!

Feel free to crunch the numbers for yourself, but in summary, my behaviour when I was a nipper ought to have been 120 times worse than a child Socrates said had “contempt for authority”, “disrespect for elders” and “terrorised their teachers”. Now, I'm not saying I was a saint, but I wasn't 120 times worse than that!

But here's the paradox: my kids are DEFINITELY at least 10% less well behaved than I was... except they can't be. In fact, I get the impression they're better behaved than the mob Socrates is banging on about, so either they're not as bad as all that... or I was worse than I remember!!

I'm on shaky territory trying to philosophise on a subject involving Socrates, but let's now assume that actually all kids are the same. The logical extension of this is that however much worse you think “kids these days” are, has to be exactly the same amount by which you are overestimating your behaviour when you were young!!

I'll stand by the logic of that argument, but there's a sting in the tail: Socrates didn't actually say that. It was in fact written by a classical scholar in a 1907 dissertation about the “kinds of complaints” directed at children in ancient Greece. It is such an attractive quote, people have been stealing it ever since and once someone attached the name of Socrates, it became irresistible.

Which goes to show that it's not just unruly children that have been around for centuries, so has fake news!!

Until next month!

Steve Martindale, Editor

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Confusion, but no impact, for local Thomas Cook franchises

© www.thomascook.fr

W

hen the news broke in September that British travel agency Thomas Cook had failed to secure a rescue package, 150,000 tourists had to be repatriated and tens of thousands of workers in the UK and around the world faced losing their jobs. There was also concern amongst holidaymakers in the Dordogne who had booked their trips via the two local Thomas Cook franchises.

The owners of the estate agencies, based in Bergerac and Périgueux, were quick to reassure their customers that the collapse of the 178-year-old holiday firm would not impact them.

The businesses are franchises, completely independent from the company whose name they bear. “All the tickets that we have sold to customers in our agency have been settled directly with the holiday providers and have not passed through the Thomas Cook systems,” explained Dominique Laborie, director of the Thomas Cook agency in Périgueux, situated in the allée d’Aquitaine.

In fact, since 2015, the two local franchises have been completely independent from Thomas Cook, both

financially and legally, and operate via the Cap Travel Group, based in Périgueux. The two agencies, which employ a total of three people, will not be closing, although changes may be afoot. “We may be changing our branding in the near future,” explained the director of the Périgueux branch, which has carried the Thomas Cook name for 15 years. “We may also have to change our booking systems, but all of this will be done in-house and nothing will change for our clients.”

As for any longer-term impacts,

Dominique Laborie admits that these “will be felt later”, adding that “bankruptcy is obviously not great from a marketing point of view”, but she believes that the reputation the agency has built up over the years will see it through: “We have been operating here for forty years, people know that we are serious.”

The travel agencies also warned that, as independent businesses, they would not be able to help any travellers who had trips booked directly with Thomas Cook in the UK or elsewhere. ■

siret: 832 486 948 R.C.S. Limoges

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 3

OCTOBER 2019 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Montignac applies for name change

T

he commune of Montignac has taken another step in its 30-year-long fight to change its name to MontignacLascaux. Rejected twice by the Conseil d’Etat - the highest administrative institution in France - the request has once again been put forward by the commune’s current mayor, Laurent Mathieu.

“We have the backing of the Conseil départemental as well as that of the head of the department’s postal service,” explained the mayor, who has said that the move is a practical one, and not just for publicity - a reference to the famous caves nearby and their prehistoric paintings. In anticipation of a favourable ruling this time, the commune has already registered “Montignac-Lascaux” as a trademark with the Institut national de la propriété intellectuelle (Inpi) and the name is already used on a number of signs throughout the area.

The national commission which decides on these matters was due to hold its annual meeting at the end of September, so a decision is expected shortly, although this is not currently holding back local authorities. “Whatever happens, it is going to become our name through usage alone, and that’s what counts!”

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 originals have been closed to the public since 1963 after the carbon dioxide produced by onlookers began to damage the paintings, but the newly opened Lascaux IV museum nearby now welcomes hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. ■

4 ♦ LOCAL NEWS

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Cycling greats due in Bergerac

© Isabelle Saint Ouen Texier

A

T

© Marianne Casamance (WikiCommons)

major cycling event planned for the Dordogne, first announced three years ago by the Union nationale des cyclistes professionnels (UNCP), has now been confirmed to the delight of local fans. The first ever Critérium de France will take place in the centre of Bergerac on November 30th and looks set to attract some of the biggest names in the sport.

The announcement was made by Pascal Chanteur, a former professional cyclist from Bergerac and current president of the UNCP, along with members of the Comité d’organisation du Tour de France à Bergerac (COTFB) who successfully campaigned to bring the Tour to the city in 2014.

The day-long event, which is free to everyone, will see a number of exhibition races take place around the city’s streets, as well as offering fans the chance to stand on the official Tour de France podium. Starting at 10 am, the morning will be dedicated to children, with a series of workshops and races organised alongside local cycling clubs.

In the afternoon’s races, the highlight will be the presence of current French hero Julian Alaphilippe, who has won five Grand Tour stages as well as the polkadot jersey for best climber at the 2018 Tour de France. Organisers are also hoping that a number of other big names from French cycling will be present, such as current French champion Warren Barguil and Thibault Pinot, who came third in the 2014 Tour de France.

The races will be purely processional and the riders will not be hitting the speeds seen in most professional road stages. “This is not a sporting challenge, it’s more of an exhibition,” explained Pascal Chanteur. “We want the kids to have a good time, and give the public the opportunity to rub shoulders with the riders that they are used to seeing

Alaphilippe in yellow at the 2019 Tour de France take part in the Tour de France on television.”

The evening will see a televised private gala event take place for 500 invited guests, including cycling legends such as Bernard Hinault, the five-time Tour de France winner whose 1985 victory remains the last time a Frenchman wore the famous yellow jersey atop the podium on the Champs-Elysées. ■

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he Saint-Cyprien Bridge Club has recently unveiled its brand new room at Castels on the D703 main road from St-Cyprien to Beynac. As part of the inauguration, the club invited M. Bouchard, local mayor of Castels-et-Bézenac, to a short tournament followed by a cocktail and a tasting event for local wines.

The friendly club is keen to attract new members to its new venue and to this end, president Christiane de Schwartz offers free training sessions to non-members every Tuesday and Friday morning between 10:00-12:15.

These sessions allow players to study previous games to better understand the techniques and tactics of bridge. The sessions are free, but the club does request a €1 donation towards the heating/ air con required for the room. Full membership of the club is available for €26.

For more information, contact club president Christiane de Schwartz on 06 29 62 98 31. ■

LOCAL NEWS ♦ 5

OCTOBER 2019 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

A

fter years of fear and speculation, authorities in the NouvelleAquitaine are now preparing for the fact that wolves will soon be native to large parts of the region the region, including the Dordogne. The government has unveiled a project, that will run until May of next year, to study the impact that the return of the predator may have on the area and the measures that will be needed to support the region's farmers.

The objective of the study will be “to identify the vulnerability factors of the different farming systems and to propose protection measures, adapted to the territory and conditions. In addition, this study will evaluate the foreseeable consequences of the presence of the wolf on farms from an economic, environmental and social point of view.”

Furthermore, as part of herd protection measures, the government has established aid schemes, funded in part by the EU, which will provide compensation for farmers who lose livestock to wolves.

This was brought into focus in September when a local farmer claimed that a new-born calf was

killed and eaten by a wolf near La Croisille-sur-Briance, south of Limoges, close to the Haute-Vienne/ Dordogne/Corrèze border. “The calf was born around 10 o'clock at night, and I found the carcass at 7 o'clock the next morning. There were only three or four kilograms left of a thirty kilogram animal,” explained farmer Eric Bonneau, who said that there was no flesh left on the carcass, with the spine visible and numerous bones broken.

The National Office for Hunting and Wildlife (ONCFS) was not convinced following an initial investigation, however, claiming that the attack technique did not match that of the wolf, which typically goes for the throat.

The farmer's theory was backed up by the association Protégeons nos troupeaux des loups en Limousin - Protect our Limousin Flocks from Wolves - which pointed to recent evidence from southern France: “Farmers in the Lozère department have noted that when sheep are in a herd, wolves very rarely attack the throat - they attack from behind,” explained representative Alexandre Pagnaud.

Those who are skeptical that

© Mas3cf (WikiCommons)

Doubts cast over wolf attack on calf

wolves have already made it as far north as the Haute-Vienne point to the fact that foxes, badgers and wild boar are all known to be meateaters, but the farmer points out that there would have had to have been lots of them, and with a very big appetite. Wild dogs are also

known to have killed small animals in the past, but this theory was also quickly dismissed by locals: “When there are stray dogs, you inevitably see them, or at least hear them,” explained the farmer who added that it would be unlikely that a dog could have stripped the car-

cass so thoroughly. “We have always had stray dogs, and we have never seen a carcass like this.”

Samples of the carcass have been taken and sent to a specialist laboratory in Germany to confirm whether or not the attack did in fact involve a wolf. ■

6 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2019

Online residency permit applications Mayor fined for hiring too many women

>> continued from pg 1

in France in October”.

According to campaigners who met Ministry officials, the new application site will also be in English, but exact details remain hard to find, although the process will almost certainly be simpler than the current one, which often requires numerous trips to the prefecture and lengthy delays.

It is believed that the application will be entirely digital, with users able to scan and upload any accompanying documentation. A final appointment will still be necessary to collect the card and to give fingerprints, although it is possible that this could be done at prefectures, sub-prefectures or even some mairies.

Under current rules, there is no legal obligation for British citizens living in France to obtain a residency permit because, as EU citizens, they are perfectly entitled to be a permanent resident without having to obtain an official permit. A permit will, however, be compulsory once Britain is no longer in the European Union. If a withdrawal agreement is reached between Britain and the EU before the end of October, or following another extension, then there will be no need to obtain a carte de séjour until the end of any agreed transition period. This is currently set at the end of 2020, but is very likely to be extended further as part of any deal.

In the event of a no-deal Brexit - currently scheduled for October 31st – British residents in France will be required to have a valid carte de séjour. The government has announced, however, that there would be a one-year grace period to allow British residents to acquire a residency permit, although you must have proof that you have submitted an application within six months.

I

Kalba Meadows - from the French branch of the citizens’ rights group British in Europe - gave the news a cautious welcome: “We were given to understand last year that there would be a centralised application platform, so while it’s not ‘new news’ for us it’s good that a timeline will now be put into place so that the process can begin as soon as possible. It’s going to be a mammoth task processing applications from up to 200,000 Brits in France. As ever, the devil is in the detail and we understand that although applications will be made on a central online platform they will still be processed by individual prefectures, many of which will still struggle to meet the demand without extra resources. No announcement has been made to date about the provision of additional resources so we’re following with interest and look forward to discussing the details of the scheme as soon as possible so it can be made as user-friendly as possible.”

With uncertainty surrounding the fate of British residents since the 2016

referendum, many have already opted to apply for residency permits, with a sharp increase in applications earlier this year as the initial March deadline approached. A number of prefectures were asking people to pre-book a limited number of time slots, which were quickly filled, leaving many people unable to apply. Others asked residents to turn up and queue at certain times, again leading to delays and frustration.

Some even simply stopped accepting any applications until there was more certainty over the future relationship between France and the UK. Whatever the outcome of the current political manoeuvring in parliament, the advice to British citizens living in France remains the same: to get their documentation in order and apply for a residency permit as soon as possible.

Testing of the new government website is being carried out in the coming weeks to ensure the systems will be up and running by October 31st, after which it is hoped that the application process should be more straightforward. ■

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n 2017, France introduced an equality law which stated that the gender balance in public services appointments must not exceed 60/40. The move was designed to ensure that local councils were less male-dominated, but one mairie in the east of France has fallen foul of the legislation... for employing too many women!

The mayor of Bourg-en-Bresse in the Ain department now faces a fine of €90,000 after a number of recent senior positions went to women. After being informed of the ruling, Jean-François Debat said he deserved “congratulations rather than reprimand” for hiring so many women to high-ranking positions, saying: “The aim of the law, even if it's written in terms of parity, is to encourage more women into posts of responsibility at the highest level. In France, in local councils, the overall ratio is still 70% men, 30% women.”

In a letter to the commune, the Ain prefecture noted that four of the five most recent appointments went to female candidates, meaning the council has exceeded the 60/40 rule, despite it being in favour of women.

The mayor indicated that he would be appealing “higher up in government” to have the fine overturned. “I find it crazy that I would be fined for this and I'm sure I'm not alone. I have been battling to have more women in management positions.”

Since the law came into affect, 16 authorities have been fined for employing too many men, but one other, Lille, was also fined €90,000 in 2017 for appointing too many women. ■

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NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 7

OCTOBER 2019 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Jacques Chirac dies aged 86

J

acques Chirac, the former French president who championed the European Union, but whose later years were blighted by corruption scandals, has died aged 86. In recent years, Chirac had suffered from memory loss and was rarely seen in public, but the two-time president will be remembered for his political prowess and his cultivated man-of-the-people style.

A career politician, Chirac rose through the ranks as the protégé of then Prime Minister Georges Pompidou, who referred to him as his “bulldozer”. It was a reputation he maintained for many years, with one anonymous British diplomat saying Chirac “cuts through the crap and comes straight to the point... It's refreshing, although you have to put your seat belt on when you work with him!”

An example of this came at an EU summit in 1988 when, believing that his microphone was off and frustrated by Margaret Thatcher's repeated requests for more help from the EU, Chirac blurted to then President François Mitterrand: “What more does this housewife want from me? My balls on a plate?” The insult was heavily covered by the British media and Chirac reluctantly issued an apology.

After almost two decades as mayor of Paris and two stints as prime minister, Chirac was first elected as president in 1995 when he narrowly defeated Socialist candidate Lionel Jospin before being famously re-elected in 2002 when the public was asked to choose between him and the far-right firebrand Jean-Marie Le Pen. Already dogged by corruption scandals, he had been widely expected to lose in an eventual run-off against his long-term rival Jospin, but National Front leader Le Pen sensationally polled just 200,000 votes more than the Socialist to make the second round of voting. Faced with an unenviable choice, Chirac was re-elected with more than 82% of the vote, a figure that critics would continue to point out was achieved by millions of people simply holding their noses and voting for the less offensive candidate.

Just one year into his second term, Chirac became a vocal critic of the second Iraq War in a diplomatic saga that would define his legacy for many outside of France. With tensions building over allegations of weapons of mass destruction, then US President George W. Bush attempted to build a “coalition of the willing” against Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq. Chirac remained resolutely unwilling to join the coalition, emerging as a formidable voice of opposition against a military invasion. His Gallic “non” frayed France’s relations with the US and Britain - and famously led to the US rebranding French fries as Freedom fries - but it also won him legions of admirers at home and abroad. “War is always a last resort. It is always proof of failure,” Chirac said days before the Allied invasion began.

The former president also won international plaudits when, in 1995, he became the first French leader to officially recognise the country's role in the deportation of Jews to death camps during World War Two.

A

Chirac's popularity fell steadily during his second term in office and even when he suffered a minor stroke in 2005, there was little sympathy for the clearly ageing president. The end of his political career in 2007 did not end his problems and for years, he was dogged by charges of corruption dating back decades to his time as the capital's mayor. As president, he had enjoyed immunity from the charges, but as he left office, the prosecutors moved in.

Chirac was eventually tried and convicted of putting his political party workers on the city's payroll, and was given a two-year suspended sentence.

Through all of the ups and downs, however, of his nearly 40-year career in politics, Chirac remained a popular public figure, although biographers suggest that may have more to do with his image as an “everyman”, rather than for any particular achievement.

In a televised address from the Elysée Palace, President Macron mourned his death, calling him a president who “embodied a certain idea of France”. “We French have lost a statesman whom we loved as much as he loved us. Whether we share, or not, his ideas or what he fought for, we all recognise ourselves in this man who resembled us, and brought us together.” ■

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Employer liable for sex death on business trip

French court has ruled that a man who died while having sex on a business trip was the victim of a workplace accident. The decision by the Paris court means that the family of the man are entitled to compensation from his former employer.

The safety technician had been sent on a business trip to the Loiret department in central France and while there had sex with a “complete stranger”. During the act, he had a heart attack and died.

The firm had argued the employee was not carrying out professional duties when he joined another guest in her hotel room, but under French law an employer is responsible for any accident occurring during a business trip, judges said.

In court, his company had argued that, because he died in a different hotel room to the one which had been reserved for him, the liaison was not part of his work and it should not be held liable for his death. Furthermore, his employer claimed that the death “occurred when he had knowingly interrupted his work for a reason solely dictated by his personal interest, independent of his employment”, and that as a result he should no longer be considered to be on a business trip.

The Paris Court of Appeal, however, argued that “an employee performing a business trip is entitled to the protection provided by Article L 411-1 of the Social Security Code throughout the duration of the trip he performs for his employer”.

The judges pointed out that sexual intercourse is a part of everyday life and agreed that sexual activity was as normal as “taking a shower or having a meal”. ■

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8 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

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Pretty stone village property with a large open plan lounge, fitted kitchen, dining area with patio doors leading to a private courtyard, with a small outbuilding. Two bedrooms, one with a garden terrace.

Property to restore with a lake view. Main house: living room, lounge/ dining room, kitchen, cellar, study, 2 bathrooms, 5 bedrooms, wine cellar and 2 further rooms to renovate. Guest house & 3 out-buildings.

Beautiful stone 3-bedroom village property; a few minutes’ walk from a village with shops, restaurants and bars. Large, light lounge with a woodburner and original fireplace, dining room and fitted kitchen.

Taux d’honoraires 9,000€ (9%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 26,000€ (5%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 13,200€ (8%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Ref: 8172-VI €258,000 HAI DPE: Vierge

Ref: 8198-VI €194,400 HAI DPE: Vierge

Ref: 8090-EY €319,500 HAI DPE: F

In a peaceful and very private setting, a 3-bedroom stone house and numerous outbuildings on over 16 acres of land, mainly meadows including a horse quarry. Possibility to create more bedrooms.

A beautiful stone property, consisting of two 2-bedroom houses with private gardens. Located in a very peaceful environment, with a total 1,800 m² of garden and only 5 minutes from a lively bastide town.

3-bedroom stone house with sitting room, dining room, fitted kitchen, bathroom and shower room, lovely courtyard, pool area & 1/4-acre garden.Attached annexe & views over the surrounding area.

Taux d’honoraires 18,000€ (7.5%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 14,400€ (8%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 19,500€ (6.5%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

www.agence-eleonor.com At Agence Eleonor Estate Agency we are an independently owned business with an experienced team of property specialists based in the South-west of France.

Whether you want to buy or sell, ranging from a ruin to a chateau, contact us or call in to one of our offices for friendly and professional advice.

Agence Eleonor - Bergerac

Agence Eleonor - Lalinde

Tel: 05 53 27 89 59 - Email: bergerac@agence-eleonor.com

Tel: 05 53 73 30 62 - Email: lalinde@agence-eleonor.com

19 rue du Colonel de Chadois, 24100 BERGERAC

19 rue des Déportés, 24150 LALINDE

Ref: 7002-BGC €228,400 HAI

Ref: 8057-BGC €236,500 HAI

Ref: 8207-LA €351,450 HAI

Beautiful stone cottage minutes from charming village and close to Bergerac. Living room with exposed stone, beams and terra-cotta floor, lounge, en-suite bedroom ground floor and 2 upstairs bedrooms. DPE: E

Four bedroom house in a quiet residential area near the Pombonne Lake, Bergerac.

Double glazing throughout. Attached garage. Ideal family house near lake and footpaths, close to town centre. DPE: D

Old stone house dating the 17th century.

Lots of character & original features. 260 m² 4/5 bedrooms plus workshop, cellar and garage. Very well maintained garden 3 a, with a wooded area. Pool 5x10. DPE: C

To renovate. Old hotel in village centre overlooking the river Dordogne. 2 large lounges, with fireplaces. 1 bedroom studio.

Parking and two terraces.

Would make lovely B&B. DPE: Vierge

Taux d’honoraires 15,900€ (7.5%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 16,500€ (7.5%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 21,450€ (6.5%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 12,800€ (8%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Ref: 7814-BGC €241,875 HAI

Ref: 7348-BGC €595,000 HAI

Ref: 8220-LA €172,800 HAI

Ref: 8190-LA €236,500 HAI

Ref: 8154-LA €194,400 HAI

Renovated 4-bedroom stone house with swimming pool in a countryside village, 20 minutes from Bergerac centre. Spacious lounge of 60m2, large fitted kitchen, sun terrace and pool. DPE: D

16th century country house with an attached cottage and swimming pool on an enclosed land of 3.75 acres. Summer kitchen and terrasse. Minutes from the village and just 20 minutes from Bergerac. DPE: D

1950’s property that has been extended offering 5 bedrooms and a games room, all on an enclosed garden with fruit trees of 2,334 m². Double glazed, central heating and fireplace. DPE: D

2 km from centre of Lalinde. Bungalow, with living room, open plan fitted kitchen, 4 bedrooms, bathroom/shower,wc. Garage/ carport. Established garden of 2,997 m² with swimming pool. DPE: F

Taux d’honoraires 16,875 (7,5%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 28 350€ (6%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 16,500€ (7.5%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

Taux d’honoraires 14,400€ (8%) inclus à la charge de l’acquéreur

NATIONAL NEWS ♦ 9

OCTOBER 2019 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Remus needs a home

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Phone: (+33) 05 55 34 19 46 - Mobile: (+33) 06 80 75 87 14 Email: p.evans@orange.fr - www.transitionremovals.net siret: 482 524 907 00011

Google agrees to pay €965 million tax bill

T

he EU - and France in particular - has been ruffling feathers on both sides of the Atlantic with its fight against the tax arrangements of the big digital multinationals. It is a fight that is bearing fruit following the introduction of the GAFA tax - an acronym for Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon - earlier this year, a move which looks set to be replicated in other countries across Europe (see July's edition of The Bugle).

The latest victory came in September when Google announced that it would be paying a €965 million tax bill in France following a dispute that has rumbled on for years. The deal includes a €500 million fine as well as back taxes of €465m. “This outcome is good news for the public finances and fiscal fairness in France,” said Justice

Minister Nicole Belloubet and Budget Minister Gerald Darmanin, who hailed the deal a “definitive settling” of all the outstanding contentious issues. “It is a historic settlement both for our public finances and because it marks the end of an era. By normalising Google's situation in France, this responds to our citizens' demands for fiscal fairness.”

“We continue to believe that the best way to provide a clear framework for companies that operate around the world is co-ordinated reform of the international tax system,” a spokesperson for Google said after the agreement was announced. Google, Apple and other US tech giants have long taken advantage of a legal loophole that allows them to report almost all their European earnings in Ireland, which has very low corporation tax

Priceless artwork found above kitchen cooker

E

xperts have confirmed that a painting found above the hotplate of a family kitchen is in fact a long-lost masterpiece worth millions of euros. The artwork, by the early Renaissance Florentine artist Cimabue, is part of a series of paintings from the late 13th Century; it is thought it could fetch up to €6m at auction.

The painting's owner believed that the artwork was simply an old religious icon and took it to be valued, but experts were quick to recognise it as a work by Cimabue, claiming that there was “no disputing” its origin. Cimabue's work was largely influenced by Byzantine art, produced on poplar wood panels with backgrounds of gold paint.

“The painting was done by the same hand. You can follow the tunnels made by the worms,” expert Éric Turquin explained, referring to tracks in the panel made by wood-eating larvae which were similar to those found in other sections thought to be part of the same artwork. “It's the same poplar panel.”

The painting is now thought to be “Christ Mocked”, dating from 1280 and part of a large polyptych - a larger work of painted scenes divided into several panels - depicting Christ's passion and crucifixion. Two other scenes from the work hang in the National Gallery in London - “The Virgin and Child with Two Angels” - and the Frick Collection in New York - “The Flagellation of Christ”.

The scene in the National Gallery was also lost for centuries before being found by a British aristocrat as he was clearing out the attic of his ancestral seat in Suffolk; it was bequeathed to the nation in 2000.

The work of art will now go under the hammer at the Actéon auction house in Senlis, north of Paris, on October 27th. ■

Bradshaw Legal

rates. This often results in them paying little or no tax in other European countries.

Following the introduction of the GAFA tax earlier this year, the biggest international digital companies will now face a flat tax rate of 3% on the turnover generated in France, irrespective of reported final profits. It is believed that the tax will generate as much as €500 million annually for the

government. A number of other countries are planning to introduce similar taxes and France has stated that, should EU or international agreements be made, these would supersede the GAFA tax.

In the UK, a similar digital services tax of 2% on the revenues of search engines, social media platforms and online marketplaces serving UK customers, is due to come into force next year. ■

In Association with Beaumont L’Agence de la Nouvelle Aquitaine

‘Making excellent customer service a priority’ Languages spoken: English, French, Dutch & German

An old farmhouse located in the canton of Ahun on a plot of approximately 6,341 m². EXCEPTIONAL OFFER! This former farm is transformed into cottages, gîte d’étape, B&B and a small campsite with 9 places.

Town house on a plot of 1,809 m². Beautifully renovated, this house is ideal as a permanent residence or holiday home. Ground floor living room, kitchen & utility room. 1st floor: 3 bedrooms, en suite and a separate bathroom. 2nd floor: another bedroom.

€220,000 FAI - fees are the responsibility of the seller.

€119,500 FAI - fees are the responsibility of the seller.

Nice terraced house in a small village on a plot of 271 m² The house needs modernization. Above the garage, there is an additional room with an attic that can be made habitable, giving the possibility of creating more living space.

House on a plot of 1,936 m². A beautifully renovated house, very well maintained and immediately habitable. Very spacious garden with vegetable garden and fruit trees, fully fenced. New roof, new window frames and doors. No major cost in the years to come.

€52,500 FAI - fees are the responsibility of the seller.

€146,400 FAI - fees are the responsibility of the seller.

SOLICITORS

Specialist Solicitors advising on matters of English law Contact us today

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10 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2019

Mini Digger

Très Jolie

Landscaping, Ditching, Land Clearance etc.

Hedge Removal and Stone Wall Construction

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with Driver for Hire

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siret no. 523 183 580 00019

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Victory for Maurice the noisy cockerel

C

ountryside campaigners are celebrating after a court ruled that Maurice the cockerel could continue his early morning calls without fear of being “silenced”.

There have been a number of court cases in the media involving complaints - often from “out-of-towners” - about the various sounds and smells of the countryside, but the case of Maurice grabbed the public's attention.

The dispute between neighbours on the Île d’Oléron was held by a local court in Rochefort. Two pensioners had complained that Maurice was making abnormally high levels of noise when he crowed every morning, which disturbed the peace at their second home on the island.

The dispute, which has run for more than two years, was billed as a symbolic stand-off between two ways of life: on one side are the islanders on the picturesque Île d'Oléron off the Atlantic coast, who say they have always kept chickens; on the other are people arriving from other areas of France to invest in second homes on the island. The case was even more poignant for many given the importance of the cockerel as the symbol of France.

As the case began, although Maurice himself was not present, many people did turn up outside court with cockerels and “Je suis Maurice” banners were trending across social media. Inside, lawyers for the retired couple argued that when the population of the island swells to 35,000 in summer, it is a “built-up, urban area”, but the bird's owner claims that the island, which is home to just 7,000 people for the rest of the year, is a rural location. “This is the height of intolerance - you have to accept local traditions,” said Christophe Sueur, the mayor of the village of SaintPierre-d'Oléron.

In a widely popular ruling, the court came down on the side of Maurice and ordered the neighbours to pay €1,000 in damages to the animal's owner, Corinne Fesseau. Had the case been lost Corinne would have had 15 days to move Maurice or have him “silenced”.

Just as Maurice was told he was free to sing at dawn, Sésame the horse found himself in a similar situation. Since 2012, Marie and Jean-Paul Zusslin have been using Sésame for ploughing and to transfer crates at their vineyard in Alsace, as part of their biodynamic philosophy.

When Sésame is not in the vineyards, he sometimes grazes in a small meadow in the heart of the village and in the direct vicinity of a country cottage. Unfortunately, the owners of the neighbouring holiday cottage feel they are not happy about “the smell of manure and urine, the massive presence of flies and the horse noises”. The couple directly links this to a recent decrease in the number of visitors to their rental cottage.

A District Court rejected their claims in July last year on the grounds that “the inconveniences caused by this presence do not exceed the usual inconveniences of the neighbourhood”, but the couple chose to appeal and Sésame is due back in front of a judge on November 18th.

Following a spate of similar cases, a group of MPs have said they will table a bill to grant the sounds of the countryside protected status. “If we get this status, it will be a guarantee for a farmer not to find himself in front of the judges because his cows moo too much before being fed or because his donkey brays during the hot season. It's humiliating for rural folk to find themselves in court because of someone who comes from elsewhere. When I go into town, I don't ask them to remove the traffic lights and cars!” ■

Buying or Selling French Property?

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Breath test kits no longer required

I

n 2012, as part of the ongoing battle against road deaths, the government announced plans to require all drivers to carry a breathalyser in their car at all times or face a fine. The controversial and confusing project was beset by problems from day one, not least of which was a lack of the actual breathalysers themselves.

After several false starts and in the face of growing criticism, then President François Hollande finally announced that the new law would not be enforced. It did, however, officially remain the law, meaning that motorists were technically required to have at least one such kit in their car at all times.

Anyone who has crossed the Channel with P&O in the intervening years may be familiar with the onboard announcement alerting passengers to the need to carry the breathalysers in France and to let them know the approved kits were available in the onboard shop for “just” £5.99! The breathalysers themselves state on the box that “from 1st March 2013 all vehicles travelling in France MUST, by law, be carrying NF approved breathalysers”, but they understandably failed to mention that drivers faced no punishment. Retailers were also keen to remind passengers that the kits have an expiry date and need to be regularly replaced!

This strange situation has finally been brought to an end following the introduction of a new transport bill - le projet de loi d'orientation des mobilités - which includes an article saying the law obliging drivers to carry breathalysers will be removed from the French statute book.

Motoring organisations have said that it is still a good idea for motorists to carry the kits when travelling through France, especially as the rules in France are stricter than in parts of the UK. The current drink-drive limit in France is a maximum of 0.25mg per litre of breath (corresponding to 0.5g of alcohol per litre of blood, or very approximately two units of alcohol) - in England, Wales and Northern Ireland the limit is 0.35mg.

Drivers with more than 0.25mg/l risk having their licence suspended along with a €135 fine, while those in excess of 0.40mg/l can expect to be summoned to court to face a maximum €4,500 fine and two years in prison. ■

Landmark drug death trial begins

A

landmark trial is under way into a weight-loss drug that has been linked to the deaths of hundreds of people in France in a case that has also exposed potential links between members of the country’s medicines watchdog and the pharmaceutical industry.

The drugs company Servier stands accused of offences including manslaughter and fraud for failing to act to withdraw the drug Mediator - a Type 2 diabetes drug that was found to suppress appetite and was later prescribed as a weight-loss aid - despite persistent safety concerns.

The pill was subsequently found to cause pulmonary hypertension - high blood pressure in the vessels that supply the lungs - as well as heart complications. At least 500 people are thought to have died of heart valve problems in France after taking the drug, while experts estimate that number may rise to as many as 2,100 in the long term, as well as causing irrevocable damage to thousands of others.

The trial, which began at the Paris Criminal Court in

September and is expected to last six months, not only includes the drug's manufacturer Servier, but also the country's drug regulator, which stands accused of not acting to prevent deaths and injuries.

One of the biggest in French history, the trial is expected to involve 2,600 civil plaintiffs and will focus on 91 victims, four of whom are deceased. Among the one hundred witnesses who are expected to testify is pulmonologist Irene Frachon who was instrumental in initially bringing the alleged wrongdoing to light; she published a book in 2010, which became the basis of a 2016 French documentary movie called 150 Milligrams.

Mediator was on the market for 33 years and has been used by about five million people. Initial safety concerns were raised in France as early as the mid-1990s, but the drug was only banned in France in 2009; it was outlawed in Belgium in 1978, Switzerland in 1997 and Spain in 2003.

The high-profile case has also shone a spotlight on the allegedly unhealthy ties

between Big Pharma and the medical experts who decide on drug licensing.

Speaking before the trial, Ms Frachon said she hoped it would “show the failure of the medical world and its collusion with industry” and put paid to Servier’s “denial of responsibility”.

Charles Joseph-Oudin, who will represent about 250 plaintiffs, said victims “want to understand how this medicine could have been left on the market for so long. The laboratory deliberately lied and concealed the drug's dangerous properties.”

“Servier knew that it was selling poison,” said 71-year-old Joy Ercole, who took Mediator for six months 10 years ago, and claims she suffered heart damage as a result. “The unlucky ones, like me, are condemned to a slow death. My life is ruined.”

The company has already paid out €131.8 million to 3,732 patients and in July last year, Servier said in a statement that it “has made every effort to compensate all patients who have suffered as a result of Mediator.” ■

FRENCH LIFE ♦ 11

OCTOBER 2019 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

When is your tax freedom day?

- Blevins Franks How long does it take to earn money for yourself instead of the taxman?

"Tax freedom day" varies greatly by country, but good tax planning can help reduce your burden, wherever you live.

I

f you ever had the feeling that you have spent half your working life just paying tax, you are not far wrong. What with income tax, national insurance/social security, capital gains tax, VAT, council tax, excise duties and so on, a considerable amount of our income goes straight to the taxman each year.

Even if you are retired, you are still faced with tax on savings, investments and pensions, not to mention the amount payable in VAT each year.

Having paid so many taxes all your life, you will not want to pay more than necessary – that’s why tax planning plays such an important part in protecting your wealth.

Defining the tax burden of typical workers in the EU For the last ten years, the Institut Economique Molinari has been measuring taxes payable across the 28 EU member states. While it focuses on employees and the tax and social security they pay, it illustrates the general tax burden of each country and how they compare to each other.

The study calculates a “tax liberation day” for each member state – the date on which an employee has earned enough to pay off all taxes for the year.

It also identifies the average “real tax rate” for typical workers in each country (gross salary minus all tax liabilities).

2019’s report reveals the average tax freedom day across the EU was 12 June, but results ranged from 8 April to 19 July – a disparity of over 14 weeks! Meanwhile, the difference between the lowest and highest real tax rate was more than double. Remaining at 44.5%, this year’s average rate broke a four-year trend of slightly declining taxes.

How did France do?

For the fourth year running, France has the dubious honour of holding the latest tax freedom day – on 19 July.

However, thanks in part to 2019’s reduced social contributions, this is the earliest it has been since the study began – eight days earlier than last year, and ten days sooner than in 2017.

This still means the symbolic date when French workers stopped paying their tax is over halfway through the year – and more than three months behind top-placed Cyprus! French employees worked for 200 days of the year just to pay their tax bill.

France also retains the highest real tax rate of 54.73%. The average gross average salary is relatively high at €55,158, but after taxes workers are only left with €24,970 to spend on themselves and their families.

Despite these results, with good financial planning France can actually be a very tax-efficient place to live,

especially for retirees with capital to invest.

Cyprus continues to have the earliest tax freedom day on 8 April, nine days ahead of runner-up Malta on 17 April, with Ireland taking third place at 26 April. When it comes to the lowest real tax rate, Cyprus leads at 26.6% with Malta following at 29.3%.

What about the UK? According to the study, the UK’s tax freedom day again comes fourth, landing on 8 May, with a real tax rate of 34.94%.

However, many think tanks undertake their own research to calculate their country’s tax freedom day, using different methodologies. While the Institut Economique Molinari looks at income tax, social security contributions and VAT, the UK’s Adam Smith Institute (ASI) measures the entire tax take, including taxes that do not come directly out of the earner’s pocket.

The ASI’s approach places the UK’s 2019 date three weeks later, on 30 May. One day later than 2018’s result, this is the latest date since comparable records began in 1995.

What does this mean for taxpayers?

The Institut’s overall outlook is that ageing populations are putting pressure on pension and healthcare spending for governments throughout the bloc.

This does not bode well for future tax cuts; as the population ages and fewer people are actively employed, taxpay-

The wines of Bergerac

T

he annual Concours for the best Monbazillac wine is always a festive occasion, unlikely as that may seem on a grey Monday morning with some welcome rain at last replacing the long weeks of heat and drought.

This is not your usual winetasting, although each bottle was wrapped in the traditional black cloth and we were each equipped with a tasting notebook and a pen at the hospitable new Maison des Vins on the Bergerac quayside. It’s really worth a visit, with dozens of different wines on display.

After the rebuilding that ended this summer, it now boasts its own wine bar that offers a wide selection of the local elixir, and plates of cheese and charcuterie to be enjoyed on the outside terrace or in the cloisters. On the ground floor is the Bergerac tourism centre and the wine is just upstairs, with a delightful view of the river and quayside from the terrace.

But the 35 of us of doing the judging had serious matters in mind. The winner of the Concours wins a trophy and the free

by Martin Walker

help of a professional film team to help the winner make a promotional video. Above all, the winner gets to say he or she is the top Monbazillac maker, which pays off in sales and in getting onto restaurant wine lists.

The contest is, however, somewhat unusual. We start off in groups of five and each of us had two glasses. One has a blue ribbon around the stem and the other has a white ribbon. The first two wines are poured out, identified only by a number. But each of the seven tables (5 judges each) gets two different wines. After we have sniffed and sipped and slurped and some of us have spat, we are asked if we are ready to make our judgment and then we each hold up the glass we preferred.

This is sudden death. If the blue glass gets three votes and the white two then the white glass is eliminated. And so it goes.

After three or four rounds, the tables are pushed together so that we change partners and we are nine, and then seventeen until the final round when all of

the tasters are together and the blue or white glasses are raised and the final count is made.

By this time, we have all tasted ten Monbazillacs. Since they are dessert wines, so sweet that they can be almost syrupy, one has the distinct sense that one’s taste buds are being steadily eroded. We were nibbling bread and sipping water but even so it was hard to make sense of the various signals coming from the back of the mouth, the sides of the tongue.

One note of warning: every one of us was aware that the most celebrated of the Monbazillac wines, the Cuvée Madame of Château Tirecul La Gravière that is made by Bruno Bilancini, was not in the competition. His small bottle goes for 90 euros and since it has several times in blind tastings defeated the renowned Château d’Yquem from the Sauternes which costs many times much - we knew that were taking part in a performance of Hamlet but without the participation of the Prince of Denmark.

Nonetheless, there was widespread satisfaction that Benoit Gerardin of Château Le Fagé

ers are required to plug the gap. With under half of the EU’s 513 million citizens in the labour force, the report concludes that “economic growth remains European workers’ best hope against tax increases in the near term”.

These therefore remain taxing times for taxpayers, and not just for workers, as retirees are also faced with higher taxes. Of course, the research is just indicative of the average taxpayer in each country – higher earners will generally have a later tax freedom day.

In many cases, there are steps you can take to lighten your tax burden, especially on your capital investments and pensions. While we all have to pay our share of taxes, cross-border taxation is highly complex; do not risk getting it wrong or paying more than you have to. Take personalised, specialist advice on the compliant tax mitigation opportunities available in France and the UK – you may be surprised at how you can improve your tax situation. ■ All advice received from Blevins Franks is personalised and provided in writing. This article, however, should not be construed as providing any personalised taxation or investment advice.

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

was the worthy winner with his Cuvée Pierre-Louis, named for his son. Indeed, another of Benoit’s Cuvées, known as Tradition, was also in the final four.

Benoit had been three times runner-up in this Concours in previous years so we were all pleased to see him win this time. David Fourtout of Les Verdots came in second and Château Poulvère was equal third.

In the first few rounds, I was part of a group with two real experts: Guillaume, who is the sommelier at Le Vieux Logis, and Bruno of L’Atelier in Issigeac, and each one was thinking not just of the wine but of how it would go with which food. The two men agreed that they did not like the age-old Périgord tradition of serving chilled Monbazillac with foie gras. They felt it made for too much fat in the mouth which could be a problem for the enjoyment of subsequent courses.

They liked serving Monbazillac with spicy foods, with curries and sushi, as well as with desserts.

Many sommeliers and restaurant people agree, and so we are seeing a slow shift in the concept of what a Monbazillac should be and what it could do. I’m accustomed to a heavy, golden Monbazillac that is

close to a liquid honey, particularly when I pair it with a good Roquefort cheese. They prefer a paler, lighter, more subtle wine.

So it was interesting that the final winner was closer to my side of this debate, while David Fourtout’s runner-up was more to the taste of the real experts. Which goes to show that even though Monbazillac has been made for a thousand years, since the monks first began making this classic wine of the Bergerac, it remains a living entity, developing and changing and adapting to new times and new tastes.

Call me an old reactionary, if you will, but I respect the traditional ways because the whole point of a wine as old as Monbazillac is that you are drinking liquid history. ■

Martin Walker, author of the best-selling ‘Bruno, chief of police’ novels, is a Grand Consul de la Vinée de Bergerac. Formerly a journalist, he spent 25 years as foreign correspondent for The Guardian and then became editor-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.

12 ♦ FRENCH LIFE

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2019

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Celery - controversial, but often essential

M

by Julia Watson

y father used to call the once winter-season vegetable coming into its best right now ‘cerely’, much as my eldest daughter, when little, used to call trucks ‘rollies’, which made lorries seem so much more effervescent and roadworthy.

Celery is that dieter’s darling - an edible that burns more calories in the digesting of it than it delivers in the eating of it. But it’s a vegetable that doesn’t inspire much respect, although a ‘mirepoix’ or ‘soffrito’ would be lost without it. Combined with finely diced onion and carrot, celery provides that foundation flavouring to so many braised dishes, from soups to stews.

And yet, even while being patronised, celery has proudly survived many decades of food fashion as its own self. From the 1830s to early 1900s, it was such an expensive vegetable, because of the care and attention it demanded in its cultivation, that wealthy families displayed it on the dining table in water like flowers in ‘celery vases’, intricate glass pieces now part of museum collections.

In a not too distant decade past, soft blue cheese was smeared down each stalk’s gutter for passing around with wicked cocktails. In the US, it has always been served - incongruously but oh-so-rightly - with spicy-hot chicken wings. Jamie Oliver gave it pizzazz when he took a whole head and sliced it finely right across in thin half moons, dressing it with vinaigrette as a new kind of refreshing salad to which, in Jamie lingo, you could add ‘other pukka stuff’.

You can’t make elegant Waldorf salad without a head of celery. A chicken salad of yesterday’s roast mixed up in a generous blanketing of mustardy mayonnaise with handfuls of toasted walnuts and capers is cranked up more than a notch by a folding in of copious amounts of sliced celery.

Celery, Apium graveolens var. graveolens, is not to be confused with celeriac, Apium graveolens var. rapaceum, of which more another time. It’s been around f-o-r-e-v-e-r.

(What decent vegetable hasn’t?) It was originally a marshland plant, which may explain why you might be finding it hard to cultivate in the hot and dry south-west France. It was found around the Mediterranean in salty, marshy soil near the coast. It isn’t too happy in soil that lacks a salt content or isn’t constantly damp.

Like leeks, it needs earthing up as it grows, in order to develop that white stalk. Celery that has been left unearthed to its own wayward devices in the potager develops a bitter and emphatic flavour hard to welcome in the mouth.

But let that tangle go on to flower, and you’ll have seeds to use as a spice and, if you are homeopathically inclined, to apply in various cures.

Back in time, celery seeds were employed by Ayurvedic practitioners in India to treat colds, flu, arthritis, some diseases of the liver and spleen, and against water retention.

This versatile seed is still used as a diuretic. It promises a number of other medical benefits, all of which tend to be prefaced by the ambivalent ‘hedgeyour-bets’ verb: ‘may’.

Why should the poor maligned head of celery be held responsible for so much? It’s deliciously crunchy, it’s a healthy snack, it makes your slowbraised recipes taste good - what more do you want? It’s not celery’s fault it cooks out limp and grey.

Here’s a more colourful use for it, which goes well with roast meats and with game, and makes a delicious vegetarian dish or supper dish served with no more than a crusty baguette and perhaps a salad on the side. ■ Julia Watson has been a long-time Food Writer for newspapers and magazines in the US and the UK.

Braised celery with dried cèpes Ingredients (serves 4): 200ml chicken stock 10g dried cèpes 70g butter 4 whole bunches of celery, outer stalks peeled with a potato peeler 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 1 small clove garlic, bruised 2 tablespoons capers 50ml vin de noix or Madeira Salt and freshly milled white pepper 2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 180C.

and season.

Pour hot chicken stock over dried cèpes and leave to soak 15 minutes.

Cover dish with foil and bake 40-60 minutes. Check once or twice. If liquid is drying out, add a little more stock and lower heat. If there is too much, remove dish to stovetop and boil down over high heat.

The celery and sauce should be syrupy and golden. Remove the garlic, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Melt butter in an ovenproof dish. Peel off the fibres from the outer stalks of the celery hearts with a potato peeler. Halve each celery heart down the middle or tie stalks together and cut heart across its middle, reserving remaining loose stalks for other use. Gently stew in butter till colouring lightly then add vinegar. Reduce liquid at a bubbling simmer to nearly nothing then add stock and cèpes. Bring to the boil and add garlic, capers, vin de noix or Madeira

Hint: To remove the tough fibres from the outer stalks of a bunch of celery, hold the bunch of celery hearts in one hand and run the potato peeler with the other hand down each of the outer stalks.

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DIRECTORY ♦ 13

OCTOBER 2019 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

Business Directory

Your indispensable guide to finding local businesses & artisans Auto Services

Building Services Architects/Surveyors

MOTOR PARTS CHARENTE

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

+44 (0)7830 170761

motorptscharente@aol.com www.motorpartscharente.com

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Architectural DRAWING SERVICE Renovating your French property?

New build?

Dossiers prepared Permis de Construire Déclarations Préalables

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

Architecte d’intérieur bilingual Interior design: new and renovation projects (residential and commercial space) • Plans, budgeting, work follow-up • 3D visualisation • Consulting before buying/selling a property

Tel: 06 27 36 48 23

Email: dar_tacheva@yahoo.com https://designbar2.wixsite.com/designbar

NEU DplG ARCHITECTURE Member

of

Chamber

of

Architects

P r o v i d i n g A L L architectural services V ery s ma l l to v ery b i g projects welcome P r e-p u rc h a s e a s s i s ta n c e Feel welcome to ask for a non-binding meeting 05 53 56 52 27 a@mon.archi 06 42 86 59 12 (www)mon.archi Based in Périgord vert 24340 A l l o f F ra n c e c over ed 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

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

Building Services Carpenters/Joiners Darren Piper

Carpentry &

Building Services Qualified craftsman with over 20 years experience running his own business in the UK - Specializing in:

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 Decking (all shapes and designs)  Renovations, alterations & conversions  Kitchens  Bathrooms Roofs Based in Sigoulès and covering Eymet, Bergerac, Duras & surroundings FREE QUOTES

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06 89 18 35 89

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ADVERTORIAL

e: darren.piper@hotmail.com Siret: 847 651 072 00013

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06 04 17 80 93 Building Services Electricians GMS Electrical 40 years’ experience

French registered - French insured 10 year décennale insurance French consuel certificates obtained Any job, small or large Full re-wires, extra sockets, industrial/commericial installations...

Pool heat pumps, external lighting, emergency lighting, electric gates...

Contact Gary Sear:

05 53 08 94 90 06 84 27 79 67

garysear5@hotmail.com

Based near Les Eyzies de Tayac (24620) siren: 808 093 322

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

14 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2019

ADVERTORIAL

Retirement shortfall - could this be you? – Rosemary Sheppard, International Financial Adviser Should I take my 25% tax-free cash?

A

fter the introduction of pension freedoms in 2015, financial advisers found that in addition to trying to get clients to save and accumulate wealth they now had to try to make sure clients didn’t deplete their pension pots so that they ran out before the client did.

This can be quite a challenge as since this change clients have the freedom to use their retirement savings however they want. Admittedly, there are fewer Lamborghinis on the road than was expected, but it is crucial, where possible, that financial advisers step in to help clients make the right decisions and ensure the money is not frittered away. The most common questions are:

This may sound good but whether you are eyeing up a cruise, a new car, or have a nagging mortgage to pay off, the ability to take a quarter of your pension as a “ tax-free lump sum” can seem like an opportunity too good to miss.

However, before you are swayed by what the money could buy you, remember that if you are a French Tax resident there is no such thing as a tax-free lump sum, this applies to UK tax residents only. The French authoritites will tax this sum once they know about it.

How much can I take from my pension?

If you have, a pension that allows flexible drawdown you will have to carefully manage how much money you can take out of your pot to ensure that it doesn’t run out.

Before looking at the numbers, you’ll also need to think about what you

Building Services Electricians Electrician & Home Renovations French Registered Electrician

Contact David Hirons:

06 85 85 51 01 dhirons1992@gmail.com Siret: 810 344 820 00016

Your advert here 06 04 17 80 93 Building Services General

Dan Dan the odd Job Man!

Based near Bergerac General Maintenance - Shelving Woodwork and Carpentry Dry Walling - Small odd Jobs Garden Maintenance

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want to do with your retirement and what your financial priorities are – for example, whether you want to really make the most of your early years while you’re fit and well, or whether you want to stockpile your cash for care later in life or an inheritance for loved ones.

Research has shown that people think they can safely withdraw around 7% a year from their retirement fund without fear of running out of money, although the reality is likely to be significantly less than 7. A more sustainable rate of withdrawal is usually between 3.5% to 5%pa .

It is also important to consider that your spending needs will change during your retirement. The early years of your retirement are likely to be the most expensive, but costs can be high in the latter stages too, especially if long-term care is needed.

Can I take my whole pension as a lump sum?

Since the introduction of the pension

KP RENOVATIONS DORDOGNE Tiling, plumbing, decorating, flooring and plasterboarding.

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Chantilly Properties

Property maintenance General repairs Kitchen Fitting Service Bathroom Fitting Dry lining/ Plasterboarding specialist

Tel: 05 53 58 07 99 Email: neilallcorn@orange.fr Siret: 792 389 561 00012

CHARKER DAVID

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

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freedoms in April 2015, you can now take your entire pension as cash, but just because you can, it doesn’t mean you should.

Remember any money taken from your pension is taxable here in France and this could mean that you find yourself with a very large and unwelcome tax bill.

If, however, it is only a small pot and you have other sources of retirement income, it may not always be a bad move. The key is doing it because you have a specific need or use for the cash, rather than just sticking it in the bank, where you will get pitiful returns and lose all the tax benefits of keeping it in a pension.

Must I take an income from my pension?

The simple answer to this question is ‘No’, if you don’t need the money, there can be advantages in leaving it within a pension, including tax-efficient growth, the ability to pass the money tax-free to

ANGLO SCAFFOLDING HIRE

your beneficiaries if you die before age 75 and pension money being outside of your estate for inheritance tax purposes.

If you would like pensions or investment advice, Blacktower Financial Management has been established for over 32 years and has worked with its clients through the good and the bad times, offering sound financial advice.

Blacktower will be by your side both now and in the future, we are here to help you. To arrange a professional and impartial consultation please contact me by email: Rosemary. sheppard@blacktowerfm.com or call me on 06 38 86 99 70. Website: www.theblacktowergroup.com This article is based on the opinion of the financial adviser and author, and does not reflect the views of Blacktower.

The above information was correct at the time of preparation and does not constitute investment advice and you should seek advice from a professional adviser

before embarking on any financial planning activity.

Blacktower Financial Management Ltd is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Blacktower Financial Management (Int) Ltd is licensed in Gibraltar by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) through whom we have a registered branch and passport for financial services in France. License number 00805B.

Building Services Plumbing & Heating

UK scaffolding supplied and erected here in France Qualified and fully insured FREE no obligation quotes Call Ian on

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or see

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- Breakdown / Replacement boilers

06 04 17 80 93

- Full analysed testing

06 34 24 64 11

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Email: akbrunnstrom@yahoo.co.uk SIRET: 799 067 939 00014

Harlequin Building Developments Services est. 2007

All aspects of renovation and

Painters/Decorators

refurbishment, big or small.

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

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PLUMBING & HEATING ENGINEER - Installation, from kitchen taps to full central heating systems - Emergency plumbing repairs

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

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Building Services Sandblasting Sand and Blast 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:

www.sandandblast.com

05 55 76 31 59 / 06 77 40 95 92 bobby@sandandblast.com steve@sandandblast.com SIRET: 812 727 253 00013

NEDWA - North Eastern Dordogne Women’s Association Come along and meet us on Tuesday 22th October from 10:30 am to 12 noon at our next Coffee Morning at Auberge du Pont, route de Lanouaille, 24390 Cherveix-Cubas.

Always be sure of a warm welcome, good company and genuine friendship. For more information and details of upcoming events, see:

www.nedwa.com

NEDWA is a dynamic, multi-national group of around 100 women of all ages... Whether you are retired and feel like meeting some friendly faces, work from home and want to network, or just need to get out and attend some good monthly events, NEDWA fills the gap. Activities include a book club, sewing circle, coffee mornings, walks, lunches, speakers on topics which relate to you and much more.

DIRECTORY ♦ 15

OCTOBER 2019 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

New Forest Woodburning Centre

W

e have been selling the finest wood burning stoves for over forty years, and the ground-breaking Clearview Stoves since they first came to market thirty

years ago.

Over that time, we have sold hundreds of stoves to discriminating customers in France and all over Europe, and in fact, our stoves have ended up in some of the furthest corners of the world!

Clearview Stoves have a hard-earned reputation as the most versatile, clean-burning and user-friendly stoves on the market. They come in a variety of sizes to fit your heating requirements, and can all be fitted with boilers if required.

We also carry excellent stoves from Chesney’s, Chilli Penguin, Contura and Barbas, which in our opinion represent the best offerings on the market, including the latest models achieving Ecodesign 2022 standards.

Like everyone without a reliable crystal ball, we have no idea what the eventual repercussions of any eventual Brexit will be for cross-Channel trade, but for the moment, it’s business as usual, a situation that is likely to persist at least until the end of a transition period, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or orders.

If you would like one of our excellent stoves for your home in France, you have three options: • Buy and collect direct from our showroom in Lymington in the New Forest, conveniently close to many major ferry ports

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• Buy from us by phone and arrange

www.woodburners.com

collection by Jon Davis, who makes regular collections from the UK and delivers to the door: jon@safehandshaulage.com 05.53.79.26.48

0044 (0)1590 683585 New Forest Woodburning Centre, 280 Ricardo Way Lymingron, SO41 8JU

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

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• For a full collection & fitting service, contact Wayne Fairbrass, HETAS and NACS-qualified: wayne.fairbrass@orange.fr 06.10.79.48.01

ADVERTORIAL

Advertising with The Bugle

W

ith 10 years’ experience delivering print advertising to an expat market, The Bugle represents one of the most cost-effective ways to let English speakers know about your business. An advert with The Bugle starts from just €12.50 HT per month – that’s less than 42 cents a day to put your business in front of 30,000 people each month.

In the Dordogne we have more than 150 distribution points across the region and surrounding areas where readers can pick up a copy for free.

We also distribute 3,000 copies through Bergerac Airport, which means that we are in the perfect position to target not only residents and secondhome owners, but also tourists and those new to the region.

The Bugle is the only English language newspaper dedicated to the Dordogne - in fact, today, The Bugle is the only free English language newspaper in France and we are growing all the time.

If you would like to discuss any of our advertising options further, why not give us a call today to find out more about the ways that we can help you grow your business.

T: 06 04 17 80 93 E: sales24@thebugle.eu W: www.thebugle.eu

16 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2019

ADVERTORIAL

Houses on Internet: A Global Property Network

H

ouses on Internet – Global Property Services (hereafter referred to as “HOIGPS”) is the internet/marketing company that helps people sell their French property to buyers worldwide.

Richard Kroon, founder and director of the company: “In spite of all the Brexit issues, this year has been extremely good. The number of sales are 42% higher than last year. We still see British buyers, but also many other nationalities, which is why our worldwide advertising is so important. Our marketing efforts are definitely paying off and guarantee a worldwide exposure of your property to buyers wherever they live.

“So far this year HOI-GPS has sold to people from 14 different countries, like France,

Computers, Satellites & Web Design

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Stephen Wisedale

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4G is the answer...

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Australia, Belgium, Holland, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Canada, Denmark and South Africa.

“The actual work all starts with the presentation of a property. If that’s not good enough, all other marketing efforts are useless. Our photographers usually take 150 to 200 photos of a house and in addition copy any good (summer) photos our clients may have themselves.

“About 50 to 60 of those photos are selected, enhanced and presented on the dedicated website we make for each property in English, French and Dutch.

“The texts don’t just describe the house, garden and outbuildings, but information about shopping, schools, airports and leisure is given too.

“When the website for the

Food & Drink The Dordogne Chippy

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

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house is online, we first connect it to our main HOI-GPS websites which attract over 135,000 visitors from 35+ countries each month. Most of these people find us through Google and additional Google advertising.

“To reach an even larger audience, a summary of the presentation of the house is also placed on several other leading property websites. These adverts are also connected to the dedicated website of the house, making it all one big global property network.

“As the property market has become a global one, a prospective buyer can be on the other side of the world while the owner is in bed sleeping. With our approach, the buyer does not have to wait and can see the entire property whenever he wants, at the moment he is inter-

ested in it.”

For more information on HOIGPS or to market your property through them, visit their website. ■

Houses on Internet Global Property Services www.housesoninternet.com

+31 (0)6 41 20 73 69

Language Services

Pest Control

Pools & Spas

FRENCH LESSONS

Central France Pest Control

Limousin Spas

Via Skype

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

C’est simple, call Sophie...

05 55 89 15 74 scarolinea@yahoo.fr Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

Health & Beauty

Massage: Holistic + Hot Stone + Aromatherapy + Sports Clinical Hypnotherapy: + EMDR + NLP Fears, Phobias, Anxiety, Weight Control, Panic Attacks, Habit, Trauma PTSD, Smoking Cessation, Sport / Business Performance, Relaxation.

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Dératisation, Déinsectisation, Désinfection

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

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06 04 17 80 93 Property Maintenance La Conciergerie Taking care of your home all year round providing you with a wintering service, managing your summer rentals or organising a happy holiday for you.

www.laconciergerie-housekeeping.com

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

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

New for 2019

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

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06 04 17 80 93 CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...

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To place a Classified, simply email details of your item for sale to notices@thebugle.eu

DIRECTORY ♦ 17

OCTOBER 2019 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

ADVERTORIAL

“SolarVenti”- the solar solution to damp and humidity

A

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

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

together.

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

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

The initial models were more than capable of keeping the cottages dry (and ventilated), even with the limited sunshine hours available in Denmark during the winter season. Since that time, the technology has really come along in leaps and bounds. Now, more than 20 years later, the 3rd and 4th generation Solarventi have exceed-

Retail & Commerce

bookstop

ed all expectations.

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

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

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

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English second-hand books Tea room Art exhibitions

09 51 45 57 49

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

SOS Help

anxious? stressed? feeling down? call us up!

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

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

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

Native English speaker.

Please contact Catriona:

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

EASY

Man & Van Transport

Genuine/Reliable/Honest Local + Europe + UK runs Now also available for House/Barn clearances!

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Dementia Support

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

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

87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres Siret 530 213 644 00012

Smart Moves For a fully insured, careful service

Local and European Removals

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

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

French Registered Business.

Local Friendly Service.

smartmovers@hotmail.co.uk

www.dordognestoragesolutions.com

www.smartmovesremovals.co.uk

+33 (0)6 73 96 38 39

+44 (0)1253 725 414

MEDIUM

sales24@thebugle.eu

06 04 17 80 93

Franklins Removals

A family business offering a quality, professional service since 1985

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

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

06 04 17 80 93 Please mention The Bugle when responding to adverts

HARD

18 ♦ DIRECTORY

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2019

Advertising in The Bugle Business Directory Advertising your business couldn’t be easier. Text only, boxed listings are available in our Business Directory from just €12.50/month.

Alternatively, why not spotlight your business with an Advertorial, available from 1/6 Page (€50 HT) up to Full Page (€300 HT).

Both Directory Adverts and Advertorials represent a cost effective way to put your brand in front of more than 30,000 pairs of eyes each month!!

For more information on any of our advertising options, please feel free to give us a call on 06 04 17 80 93 or send an email to sales24@thebugle.eu

6-Month Contract

12-Month Contract

Small b&w Directory Ad

€100

€150

Large b&w Directory Ad

€130

€195

Small Colour Directory Ad

€140

€210

Large Colour Directory Ad

€180

€270

All prices exclude TVA (20%)

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

30 words max

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 (small logos may be allowed when supplied). The minimum contract length is 6 months.

Advertising is payable on publication. All prices are HT.

ADVERTS FROM €12.50 HT / MONTH

SALES24@THEBUGLE.EU

06 04 17 80 93 SUDOKU - EASY

SUDOKU - MEDIUM

The solutions to this month’s sudokus can be found on page 17

Saffron and his friends are waiting for you at

Acorn Cat Rescue Saffron will be vaccinated, microchipped and de-parasited upon adoption. His adopter will be expected to have him sterilised when he is old enough. www.associationacorn.com Facebook: Acorn Cat Rescue

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

All are welcome!!

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

SUDOKU - HARD

WHAT’S ON ♦ 19

OCTOBER 2019 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu

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 as a meeting ground for the French and international communities of the Dordogne, including ACIP and La Tulipe.

Venue - Le Buisson de Cadouin, salle des fêtes, avenue Aquitaine

For more info, tel 06 31 61 81 68 or 05 53 23 86 22 or visit http://www.arcadesinfo.com/

Sunday 27th October at 4 pm Baroque Trio

Clémence Hoyrup - harpsichord Florian Verhaegen - violin Jean-Lou Loger - cello

Programme: The Essor of instrumental music in the seventeenth century: Italian works (Frescobaldi, Castello, etc.), English (Playford, Byrd, etc.) and French (Louis Couperin, Lully, etc.)

Debate, discussion, déjeuner?

Lively minds sharing ideas and views.

Like the sound of this?

South West Left are a friendly, informal group of mostly English speakers living in the Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne. We come from a mainly centre/left point of view and meet every month around the South West region for either discussion on current affairs - European and international - or to enjoy a meal in a restaurant, quiz night, music night or maybe a topical film.

Our members plan the programme of events.

If you’d like to find out more, please contact Averil de la Rue, secretary at averildelarue@gmail.com

Got an event for The Bugle?

notices@thebugle.eu

20 ♦ WHAT’S ON

www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ OCTOBER 2019

Fête de la châtaigne et du cèpe 19th-20th October

Head to the village of Villefranche-du-Périgord for this 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. Don’t miss the chestnut spitting contest and the chance to sample the giant cèpe omelette.

Basket Fair - Sainte-Eulalie-d’Ans Sunday 13th October Professional basket makers will be exhibiting their creations and offering demonstrations of their skills throughout the day.

Pumpkin Festival Sunday 20th 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.

Thirty artists and artisans will present their latest collections and demonstrate their skill and creativity in the centre of Nontron from 25th-27th October.

Advertise on these pages notices@thebugle.eu

Friday 14h-19h, Saturday 10h-19h and Sunday 10h-18h.

Entry €2; Free for Under 16s.

For more information visit

www.metiersdartperigord.fr