La Vie En France

Cycling the V94

In the June 2021 edition of The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, I wrote about our excitement at discovering a new longdistance cycle route, the V93, that makes its way from the Charente through Chef-Boutonne, Brioux-sur-Boutonne, Melle, Celles-sur-Belle, Prahecq and into Niort, where it joins the Vélo Francette, or V43. Well, drum-roll please, we now have a V94 in the Deux-Sèvres too, how lucky are we?

For the moment, the V94 is only just over 40km, from the Vienne border near the Tumulus du Bougon museum to the Vélo Francette at Echiré, but in time it will continue east across central France. We couldn’t resist a day out on the bikes to follow its newly installed signs, so packed a picnic and set off on an adventure. Our journey began at the source of the Sèvre Niortaise river, near Sepvret in the Pays Mellois, and we followed the river where possible to Exoudun. The fountain at the bottom of a steep valley became a tiny stream that criss-crossed the narrow lanes, cutting through fields and woodland, providing a pretty back-drop for the pilgrims walking this path on the Chemins de St Jacques. In Exoudun our stream had become a river that was much easier for the cycle route to follow, but the slightly hillier terrain was more of a challenge for the legs. The first town we came into was La Mothe-Saint-Héray, which, if you are lucky has a bar and three boulangeries to ensure you are ready for the next climb through the Hermitain forest. We struck lucky with a coffee in the sun, but sadly picked a day when all the boulangeries were closed. The Orangery in La Mothe-Saint-Héray is a beautiful building that now houses annual art exhibitions every summer and along with the traditional parterre gardens that rise from the banks of the Sèvre Niortaise are well worth a visit.

We planned our lunch stop in the military college town of Saint-Maixent-l’Ecole, and without the morning croissant I’d been looking forward to, I was more than ready to eat when we arrived. We diverted from the marked route to treat ourselves to cakes from a boulangerie on the main road, that was open, and the traffic was quite a shock after a relaxing morning spent cycling on quiet roads with nothing but cows, donkeys and a handful of pilgrims for company. We’d packed a picnic that we enjoyed on a bench by the river, but there is a good choice of restaurants in Saint-Maixentl’Ecole.

by Jacqueline Brown

Refuelled and rested, it was back on the bikes with the Sèvre and the bike route continuing together past lots of watermills and pretty riverside vistas. I can recommend the boulangerie just as you arrive in La Crèche – her flans were delicious, and we are quite the connoisseurs of boulangerie flans as they are the perfect refuelling treat on a bike ride. We found a pretty park in La Crèche to tuck into our flans, surrounded by flowering dandelions – who are not weeds in my opinion – and trees planted in 2014, one for each new baby born in the commune.

The route from here follows offroad white tracks that were well maintained and very peaceful, with the only sound being a cuckoo calling in the woods. We re-joined the road briefly, sharing the tarmac with a section of road that had featured on the 1997 and 2020 Tour de France route, but was quiet and calm for our visit. We stopped for a photo of a house whose walls were hung with painted bicycles in reds, whites, blues and greens, a tribute to the race that is king of them all. A large compass painted on the crossroads by the ruined remains of the 13th century château Coudray-Salbart in Echiré, marks the point where the V94 meets the Velo Francette (V43), and the lettering boldly claims Switzerland meets the Channel meets the Atlantic. It might have been almost the end of our adventure, but a crossroad like that holds promises of so many more paths just waiting to be explored.

We continued our ride along the Sèvre and into Niort as nothing quite beats arriving in a major town along the banks of its river, and even after almost eighteen years living in the area there is so much of the town of Niort I have yet to explore.

Magnolia Farm Renovations Ooh ... Lovely Curtains

by Owen Kitchener-McCartney

There’s a certain lack of satisfaction when a guest compliments your lovely soft furnishings. Come on now…I built the walls! As any renovator will tell you, those of a ‘pay someone else’ disposition will inform you forthrightly about their hours and hours of hard work in painting an already finished room a slightly different colour. It can get very slightly annoying to think of all the graft you did behind the scenes going wholly unnoticed. That said, once I’ve exhaled, I appreciate the compliments. The fact is, nobody is as interested in the inner workings of partition walls as me…I mean, who would be?! Realistically, it gives me great pride to look back at the ancient, previously uninhabited by humans, rear half of our house and see our friends and family enjoy a relaxing stay in our beautiful corner of rural France.

This spring, we were suddenly under, somewhat necessary, pressure to have guest rooms available for incoming friends and family, whom, after the global pinning down they all suffered during the pandemic, were due a break to enjoy, and critique, our efforts so far. What had, historically, only ever been a hay loft was to be a guest bedroom and bathroom when completed. This meant a lot more than decoration. The old floorboards had unfortunately been water damaged before the roof was replaced which meant there were holes and rotten timbers everywhere.

The boards were ripped out and replaced with OSB which gave me the platform to build and insulate partition walls which meant we could dictate the design of the area. If we’re honest, despite my moaning, the finishing is the most fun part. We both loved pairing artwork and bedding etc. with our chosen paint colours and flooring. Being able to admire our finished product was a genuine pleasure.

It certainly wasn’t a solo effort. Laura re-pointed the exposed stone wall and painted the rest of the walls whilst big thanks also go to Adrian Butterfield for the skylights and Rob Berry for skimming the walls and ceiling. Ultimately, guests only see the finished article and perhaps don’t appreciate the work that went into it. Really though, we all just want our loved ones to enjoy their time with us…copious amounts of delicious wine or otherwise!

Fêtes d'eté

by Sue Burgess

Summer is here and with it, the multitude of village festivals, (« fêtes de village »), car boot sales (« vide greniers ») and so on. In Deux-Sèvres there is a series of over thirty different events (« évènements » or « manifestations ») are listed under “Deux-Sèvres les Festivals”. « Nuits de Patrimoine » is a multitude of evening events at Romanesque sites all over Deux-Sèvres. There are « concerts » (concerts), « spectacles » (shows), « son et lumière » (sound and light shows), « art des rues » (street art) and « feux d'artifice » (fireworks). The « Nuits de Patrimoine” » events are free.

« La brocante » is the business of selling used objects which are generally of little value. The name is also used to describe the shops where this sort of business is done as well as the popular events « foires populaires » which are often organised on Sundays and bank holidays. Contrary to « foires à tout » or « vide-greniers » (car boot sales) which are made up of private individuals, « brocantes » are events where many of the sellers are professionals. A « vide-greniers » is an informal event during which private individuals sell objects that they no longer have any need for. Private individuals can do two vide greniers a year and they are not allowed to sell things that they have bought specially for resale. A « marché aux puces » (Flea Market) is an open air market where there are no foodstuffs for sale. They are often also called « Les puces ». A « braderie » is a market selling new things, often clothes, or a special day when shops have stalls outside in the street and sell (new) things off at a special price. The word « fête » translates as a celebration, feast or fun party. It also translates as « Saint's Day ». « Un festival » is a festival and a festival-goer is « un festivalier ». There are lots of « marché » (markets), « marché seminocturne » (evening markets) and « marché en fête » (festival markets). Remember not to confuse « marché » with « marche » which is a walk. Some villages propose « randonnée gourmande » organised rambles or walks with stops for food and drink. A « Fête Populaire » is often a meal followed by dancing in the streets and perhaps fireworks. Many villages organise them for the 14th July or the 15th August. If the children are looking for thrills then you might want to look for a « fête foraine » (funfair or travelling fair).

There are so many things happening in the summer you are bound to find something that suits your taste (« est à votre goût »).

Vocabulary / Vocabulaire

Un marché market

Un festival festival

fêter

to celebrate une brocante second hand shop / sale Un vide-grenier car boot sale Une foire à tout car boot sale Bric à brac white elephant Une fête de quartier a street party / local party Une fête de village village fête Une kermesse Church fête / garden party Une fête foraine funfair

If you operate a business as an auto entrepreneur, there are some changes that came into effect in May 2022 of which you may need to be aware. Read the article on page 61 of our June issue and/or speak to your accountant/advisor.

August 2022

Moving money from the UK to France by Chloé Louise Moore U

Making the decision to move overseas is a big one, and there's a lot of things to think about before you go. One of the most important things to take into account is your finances - how will you manage your money once you're living in a foreign country? If you're moving from the UK to France, here's what you need to know about transferring your money if that’s something you’d like to do.

Get an idea of what your expenses will be in France

When you're planning your move to France, it's important to get an idea of what your expenses will be. This includes everything from your rent or mortgage payments to your daily shopping. It's a good idea to create a budget and make sure you have enough money saved up to cover your costs for the first few months in France. If you've decided to transfer your money from the UK to France, it's important to do your research and find the best way to do it. There are a number of ways to move your money, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Here are some of the most common methods:

• Transferring money through a bank • Transferring money through a money transfer service • Transferring money online

Open a French bank account

If you're moving to France, one of the most important things you'll need to do is open a bank account. This will allow you to easily transfer money between your accounts in the UK and France, and it will also make it easier to pay for things in France. You should be aware that French banks are not like UK banks. You will often need to pay in France for services you get for "free" from UK banks and the customer service is not always what it might be.

There are a number of different banks in France, so it's important to do your research and find the best one for you. Some of the most popular banks in France include Crédit Mutuel, Société Générale and BNP Paribas. When opening a bank account in France, you'll need to provide some information. If you need any help at all with the application process, send me a message! I’m more than happy to help.

Transfer money from your UK bank account to your French bank account

When you are moving your money from the UK to France, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind. You will want to make sure that you are transferring your money in the most efficient way possible, so that you don't lose any money in the process. Here is a guide on how to transfer your money from your UK bank account to your French bank account:

1. Make sure that you have the correct account information for your French bank account. This includes the account number, the name of the account holder, and the IBAN code. Let them know you’ll be transferring some money over from a foreign account. 2. Contact your UK bank and let them know that you will be transferring money to France. They will give you specific instructions on how to complete the transfer, as the process can vary depending on the amount and bank.

3. Always check what conversion rates are, they vary from bank to bank, ATM to ATM and even city to city!

Close your English bank account

When you are moving to France, you might want to close your UK bank account and open a French bank account to have everything in one place. Bear in mind that while you can often retain a UK bank account as a French resident, it will be almost impossible to open a new UK account once you have moved.

If you do plan to close your UK accounts, here are the steps required: 1. Contact your bank and let them know that you will be closing your account.

2. Close your account in person at a bank branch.

3. Make sure to cancel any automatic payments that are set up on your account.

4. Destroy any cards or cheques that you have from your UK bank account.

Enjoy living in France!

Now that you have moved your money from England to France, you can enjoy living in your new home country! Make sure to take advantage of all the amazing things that France has to offer. From the beautiful countryside and Chloé delicious food, to the exciting culture and nightlife, there is something for everyone to enjoy!

Life in 79

Stags and Hens

by Stephen Shaw

Ihad been invited on my sons stag do and Anna, my wife, on the hen do. How times have changed. I love my father dearly, but the thought of him sitting next to me in Spearmint Rhino on my pre wedding bash fills me with dread. I said I wouldn't feel bad if I was left out, but Murray, my son, was adamant I partake, as Emma's (Murray's bride-to-be) father was participating.

So it was, we bombed it up to Coquelles, where we stay in a Formula 1 'hotel' before crossing. We hadn't stayed there since Covid and the place had had a make over. You still have to traipse down the corridor for a pee, memorise a five digit pin number to get back into your room post pee, the one pillow I had was the size of a T-bag and breakfast is bread and jam. But it is cheap. One groom-to-be had been dressed in a tutu and pink high vis jacket...at the end of the session he looked like a walking egg yolk.

The gals were off to Bath for three days of activities including a life drawing session of a tattooed man and an It's A Knockout sort of games afternoon. The boys were off to Cambridge for one night only. The afternoon activity was paintballing and then into town to drink. My wife had given me the responsibility of making sure our son got back to his hotel and wasn't tied to a lamp post naked. This was of concern, as my track record with alcohol is not good.

At Apocalypse Paintball I felt like a member of a fanatical militia training group as we donned our Guantanamo style overalls and face shields in the middle of some redneck woods in East Anglia. There were about sixty of us, all male, all ages clutching our compressor guns loaded with yellow balls of paint...the Mujahideen we were not.

I thought it would be just our stag party running round the woods, occasionally firing at each other. How wrong I was. It was akin to the opening twenty minutes of Saving Private Ryan. Mayhem. Bullets flying everywhere. The second, third, fourth and fifth games were quite similar.

My strategy was to hide behind a stack of tyres and avoid getting shot. Because when you did, it hurt. I found squatting behind a large tree physically challenging, let alone running into a hail of yellow bullets. I would have given myself a white feather for cowardice, but I didn't want to get hurt. I have always considered myself more of a lover than a fighter. The party then sojourned to Cambridge. I had gone up in the world and was staying at a Premier Inn, where I met up with my brother, who was charged with looking after me. We had been informed on the Staggy-McStag-face WhatsApp group to wear Baby Luigi fancy dress costume. It had to be explained to me that he is a character from the Mario Brothers computer game. Murray was dressed as Mario. The costume (an all-in-one lycra affair bought from eBay) comes in one size, so there were some very tight fitting outfits; some of the bigger guys had to stoop so they weren't cut in half and one chap had to cut the trousers off altogether to accommodate his ample girth.

It was hysterical seeing whatever the collective noun is for a group of Luigis wandering into the centre of Cambridge. Some people stopped the group and had their photo taken with them, some beeped their horns, one charmer shouted 'you w*****s' from his car window.

I don't know if it was the paintballing or the fancy dress but a sense of camaraderie came over the group. Most of the stags were mid to late twenties. But, it was lovely how everybody was made to feel part of the group. After copious amounts of booze and games involving a ping pong ball, a night club was the next port of call. As tinnitus sufferers, my brother and I decided the night club wasn't for us and staggered back to The Premier.

Just as we were leaving the pub another stag party came in. They were dressed as beefeaters and the the groom-tobe was dressed as her Maj' the Queen. It was like a surreal version of West Side Story, the Luigis against Beefeaters. But from nowhere QE2 produced a ceremonial sword, Mario took a knee and was royally dubbed on either shoulder and arose as Sir Mario to a cacophony of cheering from the Beefs and the Luigis.

If you would like to read more ramblings from Mr Shaw, go to www.lifein79.blogspot.com

COMing OF age

by Jacqueline Brown

This August sees our French adventure celebrate its 18th year. It feels like we ought to hold a wild coming of age party where everyone gets very drunk, the karaoke goes on until the early hours and the next day, no one fully remembers what happened. However, we seem to have lost the ability to party hard like that (if indeed we ever had it). Whether it is age, post-pandemic social ineptitudes or just that we are miserable, I’m not sure, but the most we will probably stretch to is drinks with a few friends. One thing I know for certain is that it doesn’t feel like eighteen years since this little French village welcomed our family, and I honestly have no idea where the years have gone. what to do and where to go, and the bonus is, much of it is free. Villages and towns compete to pull in the crowds and small though it is, Chef-Boutonne’s list of summer events fills a guidebook. I have already enjoyed a Brazilian music night held in the outdoor amphitheatre behind their impressive Mairie, Saturday mornings spent sitting with friends at a café listening to live music whilst peoplewatching and croissant-eating at their weekly market and two art exhibitions held at the Château de Javarzay. Still to come (as I write this) are guided walks on various themes, evening music events, communal meals and picnics with fireworks. I’m also helping to run one of the outdoor story sessions for children and have volunteered to be a road marshal when a local professional cycle race comes to town.

What have I learned from eighteen years of French living? To start with, no matter how much I think I can speak French, my grammar will always let me down and I’m resigned to the fact that I will never lose my English accent. I can see the amusement this causes the French by the sparkle that appears in their eyes, alongside an almost invisible twitch of their lips, whenever I launch into my welcome spiel at work. However, I’ve also learned that to get the most out of living in France as a non-native French speaker, you must be brave, step out of your comfort zone and give integrating a go. The boost to your confidence will outweigh any embarrassing mishaps, I promise. The final thing is never to underestimate the power of a smile, and that a friendly smile, along with a polite 'bonjour', will always go a long way. Life wherever you live will be full of ups and downs, but everything looks better with a smile. Our life here is nothing like how I envisaged it would be eighteen years ago but embracing the new opportunities that have come our way has been such an adventure, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Summer is definitely my favourite time of year to be in France, as let’s face it, the winters can be long, dark and isolating with not much going on. Over the summer, there is so much to join in with, the difficulty can be deciding

www.frenchvillagediaries.com Email: frenchvillagediaries@gmail.com

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DÉCHETTERIES

Up to date information about opening hours, restrictions, etc for your local déchetterie? Visit the website www.smc79.fr for details For waste disposal outside of the Deux-Sèvres there’s an alternative website www.decheteries.fr

CHâteau L’Orangerie

Our OWn eurOvisiOn

Writing new chapters in your life can be a daunting and, at the same time, an exciting thing to do. So it is for Chris and Barbara Muir and Deborah Phillips.

Born and raised on opposite sides of the world these three people, sisters Barbara and Deborah Phillips proud Lancashire lasses and Chris Muir, born and raised on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, Australia came together when Barbara and Chris met in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard in 2001. Chris had recently finished his tenure at his Terracotta restaurant at Wickham Vineyards, Hampshire and was opening a new catering operation at Action Stations where Barbara was General Manager. Deborah, at the time, lived and worked in the village of Bassingham, Lincolnshire.

Australia beckoned for Barbara and Chris where they established the new Terracotta restaurant in the small Victorian town of Marysville in 2008. Their lives changed dramatically when they lost everything in the devastating Black Saturday bushfire on 7th February 2009. “We stayed in Marysville to help re-establish this tourist town but had to find new work” said Barbara “Chris trained as a Hospitality Lecturer for Swinburne University and I had a number of different jobs during the next 7 years”. In 2016, Deborah settled in France. Having spent many years working in hospitality she was looking forward to a more relaxed and less stressful life-style. Chris and Barbara were busy establishing their next Terracotta restaurant at the Golf Club in Marysville. At the same time the seeds were starting to germinate as to what would be their next adventure…..skip forward to 2018. While visiting Deborah in France, they started to talk about the possibility of operating an accommodation business together. A two year plan was made. However, on returning to Australia after their holiday an offer was made to buy Chris and Barbara’s home; an offer they could not refuse. Now really fast forward – the 2 year plan became 6 months and on Valentine’s Day February 2019 Chris and Barbara arrived in France.

Château L’Orangerie was found for sale on the internet – Chris & Barbara did the searching, Deborah did the inspections. The Château fitted what they were looking for perfectly – an already operating chambre d’hôtes and gite business, a separate living space for Deborah, garden and pool all in beautiful surroundings. So with legalities completed they moved during April. Fortunately for them the major renovations had been completed by the previous owners so apart from some changes to furniture, room layouts and some clearing of outside areas they were able to start operating from the1st June 2019. This petit Château, built in 1853, offers guests 5 individually styled rooms. Each room has a private shower room and, much to the delight of guests, these are located in the turrets, a petit salon provides quiet relaxation space while the larger Grand Salon, with its curved walls and windows overlooking the garden, is used primarily as a dining room.

Chris has brought his culinary talents to the Château. Using locally sourced ingredients and produce from Deborah’s potager dinner is offered to guests and the menus reflect French and English cuisine with an occasional touch of Australian flavour. Guests also get to enjoy the freshly baked bread which Chris produces daily for breakfast and dinner. There is nothing better than starting the day with a baguette teamed with Barbara’s homemade marmalade or one of her homemade jams! “Serving beautiful food in these wonderful surroundings is something we enjoy being able to offer”, says Barbara. “ As with many businesses the pandemic halted some progress for plans at Château l’Orangerie but Barbara, Chris and Deborah are getting back in to their stride and are looking for an event organiser, yoga teachers, musicians and artists who could help them with their future plans. Located in the north of the Deux Sevres close to St. Loup Lamairé, the tiny village of Le Chillou and Airvault just 9kms away this petit Château is a delight and surprise to those who visit and stay there.

W: www.chateaulorangerie.com E: info@chateaulorangerie.com T: 06 04 10 33 64 A: Chateau L’Orangerie, 79600, Le Chillou