Annual Subscription Costs: 31,00€ within France, 20€ UK addresses. (Unfortunately the cheaper ‘printed papers’ rate cannot be applied to addresses within France, only when sending abroad) Full Name:.................................................................................................. Postal Address:........................................................................................... ................................................................................................................... Postcode:..................................... Country:............................................. Tel:.............................................................................................................. Email:.......................................................................................................... Please make cheques payable to SARAH BERRY.
Welcome! to Issue 62 of
‘The Deux-Sèvres Monthly’ magazine
Hi All, Well, Spring is finally here, and everything is ‘waking up’. It’s all so exciting and fresh and new....I love it! It will soon be time for our cycling trip to the Île de Ré (yipee!)...for me it’s a real treat to escape the office and computer for a couple of days, so to pootle along the cycle tracks soaking up the sunshine and fresh air does me the world of good. I’ll also be looking out for the forts and ports that Mick Austin has highlighted in our centre pages this month. As you read on you’ll notice that we are all definitely waking up! There’s a lot more going on this month, and things are already in the pipeline for the month’s ahead. We try to keep you informed of local events, so please don’t forget to tell us about them...it’s easy to do - just pick up the phone, or email us. Well, I’ll leave you now to carry on - I know that some of you eagerly await each month’s mag, so I won’t hold you back any longer! Enjoy! I hope to seeing some of you out and about this month. Have a good April. Tel: 05 49 70 26 21 Email: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr Website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
à plus, Sarah
Emergency Numbers: 15 SAMU (Medical Advice) 17 Gendarmes (Police) 18 Pompiers (Fire Service)
112 European Emergency 113 Drugs and Alcohol
Contents What’s On 4 Getting Out & About 6 Hobbies 12 Clubs & Associations 14 Our Furry Friends 16 Communications 18 Food & Drink 20 A-Z of the Communes in the Deux-Sèvres 24 Take a Break 25 Where We Live 26 Health, Beauty & Fitness 30 Home & Garden 32 Motoring 36 Building & Renovation 38 Business & Finance 45 Property 49
This Month’s Advertisers
ABORDimmo Ace Pneus (Tyre Fitting) Affordable UK Designs (Kitchens & UPVC Double Glazing) AgriPelle (Plant/Machinery Purchase & Hire) AKE Petit Travaux (Builder) A La Bonne Vie (Restaurant and Auberge) Amanda Johnson - The Spectrum IFA Group Andrew Longman (Plumbing & Heating) ARB French Property Arbrecadabra Tree Surgery Argo Carpentry
49 37 2 40 41 22 46 42 32 & 51 35 39
Assurances Maucourt (GAN) 37 Beaux Villages Immobilier 51 BH Assurances / Allianz - Isabelle Want 48 Bill McEvoy (Plumber/Heating Engineer) 43 Blevins Franks Financial Management 47 Brian Fox (Web Designer) 19 Building & Renovation Services 44 Café Bonbon 6 Café des Belles Fleurs 22 Camping Les Prairies du Lac 49 Caniclôture Hidden Fences 16 Carlill-Strover Building 41 Chat-eau Cattery 16 Château du Pont Jarno Pépinière (Garden Centre) 33 Cherry Picker Hire 40 Chris Parsons (Heating, Electrical, Plumbing) 42 Christies (English Book Shop & Tea Room) 6 Cindy Mobey (Freelance Writer & Marketing Consultant) 45 CJ Electricité 39 Clean Sweep Chimney Services 38 Currencies Direct - Sue Cook 46 Darren Lawrence 44 David Cropper (Stump Grinding) 35 David Watkins Chimney Sweep 38 Deb Challacombe (Online counsellor) 30 Down to Earth Pool Design 49 Ecopower €pe (Solar Power) 39 Finagaz (Gas tank suppliers and installers) 42 Franglais Deliveries 37 Frenchic Paints 32 Fresco Interiors 33 Ginger’s Kitchen 22 Hallmark Electronique 39 Haynes Carpentry (U.P.V.C Double Glazing 38 House Sitters 79 16 Inter Décor (Tiles & Bathrooms) 43 Irving Location - Digger Hire 40 Irving Location - Septic Tank Installation & Groundworks 41 James Moon Construction 41 Jeff’s Metalwork 39 John Purchase - Mobile Mechanic 37 John Spray Maçonnerie 41 Julian Dor-Vincent (Farrier) 16 Keith Banks Pool Services 49 La Deuxième Chance (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint supplier) 32 La Vendée Chippy 21 Leggett Immobilier 50 L’Emporium Shop, L’Absie 33 Lorraine Wallace (Health Coach in France) 30 Mark Sabestini Renovation & Construction 40 ML Computers 19 Motor Parts Charente 37 Mr Piano Man 12 MSS Construction 40 Mutuelles de Poitiers Assurances 37 Needa Hand Services 35 Nicola Hancock - Agent Commerciale 49 Pamela Irving (Massage & Reflexology) 30 Plan 170 (Professional building plans) 39 Polar Express (Frozen Food Supplier) 22 Projet Piscine (Swimming Pool solutions) 49 Property Care and Maintenance of Green space 33 Quedubois (windows and doors) 38 Restaurant des Canards 21 Rob Berry Plastering Services 44 Robert Lupton Electrician 39 Ross Hendry (Interface Consulting & Engineering) 18 Sarl Down to Earth Construction (Groundworks and Micro Station Installer) 40 Sarl PCEM (Plumbing, heating & Electricity) 43 Satellite TV 19 Simon the Tiler 43 Simply Homes and Gardens 35 Simply Homes & Gardens 32 Steve Coupland (Property Services) 44 Steve Enderby (Painter, Decorator, Carpenter) 43 Steve Robin (Plumber) 43 Sue Burgess (French Classes & Translation) 10 Tersannes Timber (Gates & Fencing) 35 The English Mechanic & Son - Tony Eyre 37 This Month’s Advertisers 3 Val Assist (Translation Services) 10 Vendée Pools 52 Your Local Gardener 35 Zumba Gold Classes 31
© Sarah Berry 2016. All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without permission. While care is taken to ensure that articles and features are accurate, Sarah Berry accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction. The opinions expressed and experiences shared are given by individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the publisher. Please ensure you verify that the company you are dealing with is a registered trading company in France and/or elsewhere.
<<The Deux-Sèvres Monthly>> est édité par Sarah Berry, 3 La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny. Tél: 05 49 70 26 21. Directeur de la publication et rédacteur en chef: Sarah Berry. Crédits photos: Sarah Berry, Clkr, Shutterstock, GraphicStock et morgeufile.com. Impression: Graficas Piquer SL, 29 Al Mediterraneo, Pol. Ind. San Rafael, 04230, Huércal de Almeria, Espagne. Dépôt légal: avril 2016 - Tirage: 5000 exemplaires. Siret: 515 249 738 00011 ISSN: 2115-4848 TVA: FR 03 515 249 738
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 3
What’s On...
WEEKLY EVENTS: Quizwitch Quiz - every Thursday pm At le Chaudron, 79320 Chantemerle from 8pm. 2,50€ p/p. Monies raised in aid of Cancer Support Deux-Sèvres. Annie Sloan Workshops - every Tuesday & Thursday am Personally trained by Annie Sloan to help you get the best from her paints and products. Please see www.ladeuxiemechance.com 2nd April - Cerizay Village Carnival From 5.30pm - lively and colourful parade, music. 1st, 2nd & 3rd April - European Days of Crafts in La Mothe Saint-Héray 3-day free exhibition and workshops to promote local artists and their products. Visit www.journeesdesmetiersdart.fr for more info. 1st, 2nd & 3rd April - Open Days at Le Comptoir du Tapissier Workshop and shop open for visits at 108 rue des Loges, Fontenay le Comte. 2nd April - Book & Plant Sale in Linazay 10am-3pm at the old Salle de Fêtes, in aid of Chaplaincy of Poitou-Charentes. 2nd & 3rd April - Salon du Vin. At Parc des expositions, Niort. Usual entry: 3€, or see P.9 of March’s DSM Magazine for a special DSM Reader’s discount. 8th April - Live Music Apero evening At Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux from 8pm. See advert on P.22. 8th April - Choral Concert ‘Avril en’Chatant’ Chauray Choral have organised a meeting of seven choirs, at the Salles des Fêtes, Chauray (79) at 8.30pm. Free entry. 8th & 9th April - Reaction Theatre performs ‘Quartet’ by Ronald Harwood. At Le petit Théâtre, Secondigny at 8pm. See P7. 9th & 10th April - Open Days at Farm in Souvigné At la ferme de l’hermitain, contact 05 49 04 00 25 for more info. 12th April - home2bchic Apero workshop in Augé 2pm-4.30pm. Have some fun and learn some great, quick and tasty recipes to impress at your next drinks party. 35€ per person. Places limited - to book or for details call Elaine on 05 49 28 21 48 (see P.32) 14th April - Trader’s Day At Pause! Café, L’Absie. Books, new to you clothing, crafts, cushions and more! 2pm-5pm. 16th April - Grumpy’s ‘You’re Not Here to Have Fun’ Quiz at Ste Gemme 8pm. Email roland.scott@wanadoo.fr for more details. 16th - 17th April - Art Exhibition in Fenioux Paintings, sculpture, photography and mosaics. 2pm - 6pm at La Salle des Fetes a la Mairie on Saturday, and all day (except 12.302pm) on Sunday. 18th April - CSSG Quiz in St Pardoux 20th & 21st April - Val Assist meetings. Help with tax returns - appointments necessary See P.10 for details 22nd & 23rd April - TheatriVasles performs ‘Ghost Writer’ A hilarious whodunnit performed by TheatriVasles at Salle du Théatre, 79340 Vasles. See info on P.9 23rd April - Concert de Printemps by Just Brass 79 At Salle des Fêtes, Limalonges, 8.30pm - see P.13 for details 26th April - Championnat de France Side Car in Thouars Visit www.motoclubthouarsais.clubeo.com for more information. 27th & 28th April - Val Assist meetings. Help with tax returns - appointments necessary See P.10 for details 30th April - Choral Concert by l’Ensemble Orpheo At the Church in Oroux (79390) at 8.30pm. See P.13 for further info 30th April - 007 Casino Royale 3 course meal, apero and a flutter at the tables at Café Bonbon, La Chapelle aux Lys, from 7.30pm. See advert on P.6
What’s Coming Up...
1st May - Fête des plantes, Le Beugnon (79) See P.7 for more info 17th May - Scottish Country Dancing in Secondigny 28th & 29th May - Circuit Ouverture d’Ateliers d’Artistes Autize - Egray
CONTACT
Sarah Berry on 05 49 70 26 21 Monday - Thursday 9am - 1pm & 2pm - 6pm Email: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
4 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
April 2016 The Chaplaincy of Christ the Good Shepherd, Poitou-Charentes, hold English speaking monthly services. 1st Sunday at 10.30am: At Chef Boutonne. Followed by tea & coffee. • 2nd Sunday at 11am: the home of Ann White, Jassay • 4th Sunday at 10.30am: the Parish Church at Pompaire 79200 (rue du Baille Ayrault). Followed by tea & coffee, and a ‘bring and share’ lunch. A warm welcome awaits everyone for a time of worship and fellowship. For further information please take a look at our website www.church-in-france.com or contact us by email: office.goodshepherd@orange.fr •
Further information from the Chaplaincy Office 05 49 97 04 21 or from John & Barbara Matthews 05 49 75 29 71 The Filling Station ~ Poitou-Charentes The Filling Station is a network of local Christians of all denominations who meet together regularly for spiritual renewal and evangelism purposes. ALL WELCOME. Please see our bilingual website for details of meetings and summer programmes www.thefillingstationfrance.com or contact Mike & Eva Willis on 05 17 34 11 50 or 07 82 22 31 15 ALL SAINTS, VENDÉE - Puy de Serre We hold two services each month, on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at the church of St Marthe, Puy de Serre, at 11am. After each service, tea and coffee is served in the parish room and everyone is invited to a `bring and share` lunch. For details of all our activities, our Services in the west of the Vendée, copies of recent newsletters and more information, please check our website: www.allsaintsvendee.fr The Rendez-Vous Christian Fellowship welcome you to any of our meetings held throughout the month in the Deux-Sèvres and the Vendée. 1st & 3rd Sunday at 11am in The Barn near St Germain de Princay, Vendée and 2nd & 4th Sunday at 11am in two locations: one near Bressuire, Deux-Sèvres and the other near Bournezeau, Vendée. Meetings last about an hour and are followed by a time of fellowship & refreshments. Find out more by contacting Chris & Julie Taylor 09 60 49 78 50 or visit: www.therendezvous.fr The English Speaking Church of the Valley of the Loire (ESCOVAL) Meet at the R.C. Church in Arçay every 3rd Sunday at 11.00am. We welcome and embrace all Christians from all denominations and warmly invite you to join us. Following the service, coffee is served, and for those who wish to stay a little longer, we enjoy a light, bring and share lunch. Please see our website for details www.escoval.org
LOCAL MARKETS Benet 85490 Lencloître (1st Monday in month) 86140 Tuesdays......... Lezay 79120 Coulonges-sur-l’Autize 79160 Thouars 79100 - and - Bressuire 79300 Wednesdays.... Parthenay 79200 - and - Celles-sur-Belle 79370 Thursdays........ Sauzé-Vaussais 79190 - and - Niort 79000 La Mothe St Héray 79800 Friday............... Thouars 79100 - and - Melle 79500 Saturdays........ Bressuire 79300 - and - Champdeniers 79220 Chef-Boutonne 79110 Airvault 79600 - and - Niort 79000 Saint Maixent-l’École 79400 Fontenay-le-Comte 85200 Sundays............ Coulon 79510 - and - Neuville-de-Poitou 86170 Mondays.........
The National Holidays, Religious and Feast Days 2016 PLEASE DON’T FORGET TO MENTION ‘THE DSM’ when responding to an article or advert...
Sunday 1st May Thursday 5th May Sunday 8th May
Labour Day (Fête du Travail) Ascension Day (Ascension) Victory in Europe Day (Fête de la Victoire)
Monday 16th May
Pentacost (Lundi de Pentecôte)
Thursday 14th July Monday 15th August
National Day (Fête Nationale) Assumption of Mary (Assomption)
Tuesday 1st November Friday 11th November Sunday 25th December
All Saint’s Day (Toussaint) Armistice Day (Armistice) Christmas Day (Noël)
Sunday 15th May
Pentacost (Pentecôte)
Sunday 29th May Sunday 19th June Tuesday 21st June
Thank You
Mother’s Day (Fête des Mères) Father’s Day (Fête des Pères) World Music Day (Fête de la Musique)
Sunday 2nd October Monday 31st October
Grandfather’s Day (Fête des Grand-pères) Halloween
Dates in blue represent celebration days, not public holidays.
Saturday 2nd April 10am - 3pm
BOOK & PLANT SALE Old Salle de Fêtes, Linazay For further information contact Martin Door on 05 49 87 71 45 or visit website: www.church-in-france.com
In aid of Chaplaincy of Poitou-Charentes
Open 6-8.30pm
Now in our 10th Year! Reel Fish & Chips April
(See our website for venue details)
6th & 20th Etusson 7th La Coudre th 8 La Chapelle Thireuil 22nd St Martin de Sanzay (lunchtimes) 23rd & 24th Bressuire Golf Club Tel: 06 04 14 23 94 - www.reelfishandchips.net
Mr T’s Friterie
Open 6.30-9pm
La Vendée Chippy Weds: Bar ‘Auberge le St Vincent’, 85110 St Vincent Sterlanges Thurs: New venue Bar ‘Au Fil de l’eau’, 85200 Mervent Fri: Bar ‘Le Clemenceau’, 85390 Mouilleron-en-Pareds Sat: 2 & 30 April, Bar ‘Le Marmiton’, 85120 Antigny Sat 23 April: Claranne’s Pantry, 85670 Saint Paul Mont Penit Pre-bookings only. Contact Anne on 0676 688917 Tel: 02 44 39 16 73 - www.lavendeechippy.com
Top Hat Quiz & Curry
With regular venues at: • • •
Aulnay 17470 (from 6pm) • Beauvais-sur-Matha 17490 • Gourville 16170
From 7pm
Limalonges Chef Boutonne Theil Rabier Aigre
Fish 4 Chip + Authentic Indian meals Mondays: Tuesdays: Wednesdays: Thursdays: Fridays:
Tel: 05 45 71 70 91 - more info at www.tophatquizzes.com
St Jean d’Angély 17400
See www.frying4u2nite.com for details or call 06 02 22 44 74
Dates & Venues for April: 4th: 7th: 11th: 13th:
St Hilaire de Villefranche 17770
Bar Tilleuls, Champniers (near Civray) Sauzé-Vaussais (Main square) Chef Boutonne (near Chateau) Sauzé-Vaussais - Evening (Main square) Mansle (car park of Simply Supermarket)
Tel: 06 37 53 56 20 - www.mobilefishandchipsfrance.com
HOW ARE WE DOING? Do you enjoy reading ‘The DSM’? Would you like to see something new? How can we improve? Please send us your FEEDBACK to: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr or add a REVIEW on our Facebook page. The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 5
Getting Out & About
Patricia Duncker, Novelist ‘A mistress of suspense.’ Maggie O’Farrell
Welcome to Expat Radio! My name is Dave Hailwood. I was a DJ in Manchester for over 20 years and after living here in France for the last 11 years, I have decided to set up an online radio station for expats living in France. My aim is to help English speakers with day-to-day issues of living in France, while at the same time making it fun to listen to. With fantastic presenters, talented musicians and many local experts on-board, we can guarantee a funny and entertaining show. All our daytime shows encourage you to email, Facebook or Tweet us. Whether it’s a birthday or anniversary request, or getting involved in the daily discussions with the presenters and special guests - we want to hear from you. Our phone-in’s offer advice from various experts in law, finance, property, cookery and baking, hairdressing, pest control and the French system.... to name just a few. As well as entertaining you with easy listening music from the 60’s ,70’s, 80’s to the present day, we also include sport updates, news, ferry/airport updates, weather, horoscopes, competitions, wind-ups and funny stories of your experiences here in France. Please email us with your local information, coffee mornings, charity events, book sales, vide greniers and any general event you would like mentioned.
Listen live: www.ex-patradio.fr Contact us with your requests & stories: contact@ex-patradio.fr Facebook us: expatradiofrance ~ Tweet us: ExpatRadioFr 6 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
One of Britain’s leading fiction writers will be attending the St Clémentin Litfest in June. A provocative and illuminating paperback edition of ‘Seven Tales of Sex and Death’ will be on sale in the festival bookshop along with other award-winning titles. Sophie and the Sibyl is Patricia’s latest book. The subject is George Eliot, her favourite author. A coincidence, in that Eliot’s German publisher had the surname Duncker, inspired the author to pursue an imaginative combination of biography and historical fiction. You can hear Patricia Duncker on BBC iplayer (9th Apr 2015) talking about George Eliot. Patricia will be speaking to the Litfest audience on Friday afternoon 24th June and holding a writing discussion class on Saturday afternoon, 25th June. Please visit the website of the bilingual literary festival: www.stclementinlitfest.com and reserve your places.
Fêtes des Plantes The third ‘Festival of Plants’ will be held this year in Le Beugnon on Sunday 1st May. Growing with each event, this year promises to be a grand Spring day out. Come along and travel the world through a day devoted to horticulture and history as we learn how the many varieties, colours and perfumes found in the modern garden were brought to our shores by the early Portuguese explorers. With 28 varieties of tomatoes on sale, including old favourites Chio Chio San, Mexican Honey and Madagascar, all carefully grown from seed by the gardeners of Le Beugnon. In time for Spring/Summer plantings, 25 specialist plant nurseries will share their expertise with a vast range of plants for sale. There will be plenty of activities for all ages throughout the day with nature walks beginning at 10am or, for the more active, a run commencing at 9.30am. For those who prefer a slower pace there are presentations throughout the day on gardening in the local region, an art exposition on plants and tree climbing for the children. Always a winner with all members of the family, the food and drink will be served from a number of different venues throughout the day with burgers, chips, hot dogs, paella, crêpes, sandwiches, plus as a newcomer, local organic fresh food. We look forward to seeing you there for a wonderful day out for all the family.
Full details can be found on our blog at www.lejardindessources.blogspot.com
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 7
SHARE YOUR EV ENTS ! Entries into the What’s On Listing (P.4) are free! (10€ht for businesses) + we can add your event to our Facebook page....
Simply email us:
8 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
events@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
Clever Comedy - Murder Mystery - Gin and a Ghost
O
nce again, TheatriVasles has come up with a fabulous combination for their latest production, ‘Ghost Writer’ by David Tristram. Combining comedy with a murder mystery, this whodunit-with-a-difference is sure to be one of the most entertaining plays you have seen.
With lots of laughs, a mystery to solve, a fabulous set specially created by Cornish artist Anthea Libby, some great special effects – this play has something for everyone. Anthea, an Associate of the British Watercolour Society, has painted a few clues here which may (or may not) lead you to the killer…!
According to Samuel French Limited of London and New York, the world’s biggest agent and publisher of plays, David Tristram is the UK’s most popular comedy playwright and on average, every single night of the year, there are at least two Tristram plays being performed somewhere in the world. So how would Tristram himself sum up his play? “At a last night theatre production party, Ruby, the tempestuous actress wife of playwright Edward Pinfold, is found dead in bed. An overdose of naughty pills and booze. The theatre world went into a state of mourning that barely lasted into the afternoon. One year later, however, Edward remains deeply affected. Unable to face the emotional torment of living in the house he shared with Ruby, he has moved into the attic room of one of his oldest actor friends, Alex. Alex, by the way, is gay. “Now, that may well have nothing to do with anything. But then again it might. Because what happens next, as Alex once famously said, could be a bit hard to swallow. We join the story on the first anniversary of the death of Ruby Pinfold.”
‘Ghost Writer’ is being performed by TheatriVasles on Friday 22nd & Saturday 23rd April at 8pm at the Théâtre Maison du Village in the centre of Vasles (Place du Vingt Cinq Août, 79340).
This is a modern, comfortable theatre complete with lift for those with limited mobility, right in the centre of Vasles and just a stone’s throw from the Mairie. Vasles is approximately 15 minutes from Parthenay. Tickets are 10€ each, book now TheatriVaslesTickets@gmail.com or 0549 05 67 41. Finally, why not make a full evening and have a pretheatre supper of Fish and Chips at the Zinc Bar opposite the theatre? Meals will be served at 6pm and booking is essential – phone 05 49 69 94 92 (English spoken). Follow us on Facebook (TheatriVasles) and check our website www.theatrivasles.com for some exciting previews, cast interviews and much much more.
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 9
Coucou !
W
by Sue Burgess
hen I was a child we used to recite the rhyme, “The cuckoo comes in April, it sings its song in May, in June it changes its tune, and in July flies away”.
In France the cuckoo «le coucou» starts to sing at the end of March and so it is quite possible that by the time this month’s magazine is out, you may well have heard your first cuckoo of the year. Cuckoos «les coucous» announce the coming of spring «le printemps». In some areas of France, local folklore says that if a walker has money in his pocket when he hears the first cuckoo of the year, he will be rich all year long, «si un promeneur a de l’argent en poche lorsqu’il entend le premier coucou de l’année, il sera riche l’année entière». «A la mi-Mars, le coucou est dans l’épinard.» In the middle of March the cuckoo is in the lichwort – a medicinal plant that the cuckoo loves because the sticky leaves attract insects which get stuck to them. Cuckoos have a reputation of not building a nest «nid». Some species lay their eggs in other birds’ nests and leave the other bird to look after the chicks. So the cuckoo has become the symbol of unfaithfulness «l’infidélité» and step-children «beaux enfants», children from a previous union «des enfants d’un autre lit». The easily recognisable song of the cuckoo «COU-cou!» explains why the bird is so popular. In Luxembourg, on Easter Monday «lundi de Pâques», there is the Emaischen Fair «la foire d’ Emaischen». It is a festival of clay bird whistles «des sifflets d’oiseau en terre cuite» which imitate the song of the cuckoo or the nightingale «le rossignol». This festival dates back to 1827 and celebrates the end of winter and the return of spring. It was customary to offer the cuckoo whistles to children. In France «Coucou!» has become an interjection used in everyday language to attract someone’s attention or say hello «dire bonjour». In English you might say “Hi” or “Hey” or even “Cooee”. It is also the French equivalent of “Peek-a-Boo”.
DO YOU NEED HELP WITH YOUR TAX RETURN ?
The cuckoo clocks «les pendules à coucou» of the Black Forest have also helped to make this bird popular.
Val will be available (by appoitment only) on the dates shown at the following venues:
The spring flower, cowslip, (photo right) is known as «le coucou» or «le primevère sauvage», in French.
20th & 28th April: Café Le Clemenceau, Mouilleron-en-Pareds
«Un vieux coucou» is a very old rickety plane.
21st & 27th April: Pause! Café L’Absie (21 rue de La Poste - 79240)
le coucou .....................................
cuckoo
la plume .......................................
feather
le bec ...........................................
beak
la queue .......................................
tail
être maigre comme un coucou....
to be really thin
ce n’est jamais avril si le coucou ne it’s not April if you haven’t l’a dit ....................................... heard the cuckoo pressé comme un coucou au mois in a rush like a cuckoo in de mai .......................................... May Chant du coucou, temps doux......
When the cuckoo sings, the weather is mild
10 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
Other dates available at: - Bar Le Lotus, Fontenay-le-Comte (2 rue des halles - 85200) - Café Cour du Miracle, Vouvant (Rue du Duc d’Aquitaine - 85120). Please call 06 84 78 21 57 to make an appointment.
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APRIL and ‘Les Calendriers Des Mois Romane’
T
by Howard Needs
he winter solstice announces the darkest part of the year but not the worst of the winter weather, which is reserved for the six weeks or so after; in the same way the spring equinox is the harbinger of better things to come – at least in a climatic sense. And so we find in the symbolism of the calendriers, that the month of April represents the beginning of growth and fertility but, again, with a bit of a delay caused by climatic inertia. There are various themes to be found in these fresques of April if one includes not only the wall paintings but other art forms – working themes such as pruning of grape vines, sowing the spring crops and tending sheep are found in manuscripts and sculptured stone, as well as household themes such as the gathering of wild flowers, aromatic and medicinal herbs. However, amongst the painted calendriers, I have only found one exception to the young man holding a flowering branch or a bundle of flowers in each hand; that this is a symbol of the coming of spring and the world returning to life, is indisputable. Looking at these small paintings you see a clear joy at the change from the dark months of semi starvation to the coming of plenty (relative at any rate).
Above left: with flowers. Lignières-de-Touraine, Indre-et-Loire, Église St Martin. Above right: with two trees. Sarge-sur-Braye, Loir-et-Cher, 41, Église St Martin Photos © Howard Needs.
The odd man out in the paintings that I have on my computer is a young man (I keep on saying man but the figures are unidentifiable and convention says man) holding two trees (Sarge-sur-Braye). This is more interesting because this symbolism is pre-Christian and the trees denote the earth and fertility, again showing the continuity of religions and beliefs. This month I have a newcomer to my collection of calendriers, found in the church of St Christophe-sur-le-Nais, Indre-et-Loir during a trip out last week. The church was originally 10th century but was rebuilt in the Gothic style in the 12th century and with subsequent additions. There were seven campaigns of fresque painting from 12th to 15th century, resulting in a complete confusion of layers of paintings, each one of which is a valuable historical record and
Above : 14th century gothic, St-Christophe-sur-le-Nais, Indre-et-Loire, 37 Église St Christophe. Photo © Howard Needs.
where the exposure of an earlier painting destroys a later one. This is a common problem in archaeology where part or most of a site is left intact for later generations to investigate with better tools and insights. The gentlemen archaeologists of the 19th century were famous for their discoveries, but destroyed their sites for all time and often had not recorded the chronology of their finds. I remember a church I visited in Breda in Holland which had a wall painting of St Christopher; and the post cards looked fine but when I came to photograph it it was an entirely different version of the saint. It turned out that a restorer had chosen to restore to an earlier version - more interesting for historians perhaps but a very poor subject for a photographer. However, here in St-Christophesur-le-Nais, the restorer has done a good job and material from each campaign could be found. Back to the calendrier - here an almost complete 14th century calendrier des mois was visible. If you compare this April painting with the others there is a striking difference in style, with the abstract or stylized decoration contrasting with the more life-like earlier paintings. The paintings are on the inside of a Gothic arch leading to a side chapel and the artist must have had a problem here in choosing the starting point of his work and the sizing of the paintings, because they are unusually flat, and the left hand side of the arch comprises only five months, whilst the right hand side, with seven, loses December under a later mortuary band. However, a calendrier with ten complete months and one partial is quite a treasure trove, so no complaints from me. The photos accompanying this article show the young man with the trees as a painting and as a sculpture, two more conventional representations from the Romanesque period and the Gothic young man with his spring offerings.
More next month...
In last month’s issue, we referred to demonstration programs taking place in April 2016. In fact, the April program is reserved for schoolchildren and therefore not open to the public. The public will be invited to future shows which will be held before the summer - we will let you know the dates once they are scheduled.
The Pianists... Clandestine Radio Broadcasts with London
To find out more about this exhibition, please contact: Regional Centre ‘Strength & Freedom’,Rond-point du 19 mars 1962, Les anciennes Ecuries du château, 79100 Thouars. Tel: 05 49 66 42 99 ~ www.crrl.fr
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 11
Hobbies More from local writer Alison Morton... Please see back issues of ‘The DSM’ if you would like to see previous articles.
The Front and Back Of It
N
ow we’ve looked at the cover, title and blurb of books, the next thing is to focus on the front and back matter. The what?
When you buy a book, it’s for the contents – the gripping story, moving memoir or intense poetry – and perhaps you may just flick through the pages before and after. But you’ll notice if they’re missing or poorly done; in most people’s eyes that’s a sure sign the book contents will not be up to scratch. So what am I talking about? The following are some of the things that may be included; those marked with an asterisk* are essential. Printed books Front matter (sometimes called ‘prelims’ for preliminaries) It varies from genre to genre and book to book, but can include: • •
Short reviews for the book and series/other work Author bio and photo (alternatively, the photo sometimes appears on the back cover) • *Book title page with title, author name and publisher’s logo • *Copyright page – edition dates, publisher’s name and address, copyright notice, disclaimer, ISBN numbers, cataloguing information from a national library, typefaces and paper information • Dedication • Acknowledgements • Author’s note • Character list or dramatis personae • Maps/family trees • Plus for non-fiction: Forward Introduction * Table of contents (also required if the book is a collection of short stories or poems) • And technically, a prologue is counted as front matter, but today most people would consider it part of the story Back matter • The epilogue, but again these days it’s usually considered part of the story • A call to post a review
FILMS IN ENGLISH There are cinemas in our department which show films in their original language. Marked as ‘VO’ (version originale), these films can be seen at a selection of locations. Use the websites below to check your local cinema for screenings. LOCAL CINEMAS... Bressuire Le Fauteuil Rouge: www.lefauteuilrouge.fr Parthenay Cinema: www.cinema.foyer.cc-parthenay.fr/foyer Melle cinema: www.lemelies-melle.info Niort CGR cinema: www.cgrcinemas.fr/niort/# L’échiquier at Pouzauges: www.echiquier-paysdepouzauges.fr and find others at www.allocine.fr
Did you know that advert costs include a free design Service?
12 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
• • • • • • • • •
Afterword - the story of how the book came into being or how the idea for the book was developed Glossary (*if there are more than just a few technical, historical or foreign language words) Bibliography (more for non-fiction, but sometimes for fiction) *For non-fiction, an index *Brief descriptions of the author’s other books and a note of the next one An excerpt from the next book A call to connect with the author on their website or other social media platforms and/or an invitation to sign up to their author newsletter Author interview Book club discussion questions
E books EBooks are different! Most fiction eBooks open slap bang on the first page of the story. Only if the author feels it essential do you get anything else at the beginning. I’d like eBooks to start with the cover, but that’s a personal preference! Front matter • *Cover • *Title page with book title, author name and publisher’s • logo • Dedication (if any) • Character list or dramatis personae • Maps/family trees • *Table of contents if non-fiction or a collection of short stories or poems Back matter • *A call to post a review • Acknowledgements • *About the author • *Brief descriptions of the author’s other books and a note of the next one. • An excerpt from the next book • *A call to connect with the author on their website or other social media platforms, and/or sign up to their newsletter. • *Copyright page • Author interview • Book club discussion questions So there’s a lot to consider if you’re putting together your own book and a wealth of supplementary information for you as a reader when you open your next read. Alison has compiled the articles from this column into The 500 Word Writing Buddy, available on Amazon. Her fourth novel, AURELIA, is out now
Spring Concert in Oroux ‘Concert de Printemps’ 23rd April 2016
‘Les Amis d’Oroux’ are delighted that Choeur Orpheo has agreed to perform a concert in the church at Oroux on Saturday 30th April. The choir is led by the wonderfully exotic Mme Monique Helvadjian, a professional musician and singing coach, and accompanied by Michel Gillet, a professional pianist. For the occasion, Mme Helvadjian has selected a variety of choral pieces from traditional French songs to arias from some of the great operas - something for everyone.
Under the direction of their new conductor, Fran Kelly, Just Brass 79 will present its Spring Concert in the Salle de Fetes (“Salle de la Cendille”), Limalonges at 20h30 on Saturday 23rd April. The band will be joined by their friends, the Orchestre d’Harmonie de Lezay, directed by Thierry Proust. Entry to the concert is FREE ! Bring your friends! Just Brass 79 is a British-style brass band which came together when three English brass musicians all played at a Christmas event in 2007. The trio quickly grew into a full brass band with 18 French and British members, supplemented by a number of visitors from the UK who join the band when on holiday in the area. Just Brass 79 had been searching for a conductor for well over a year since their previous director moved back to the UK. Fran had played with the band when on holiday here and consequently when the members learned that he and his wife were about to move to France permanently, they invited him to become the new Musical Director and he was pleased to accept. He took on his new role in the summer of 2015. Fran is a very experienced musician with skills on several instruments. At the age of 10 he started playing the piano accordion, and then at secondary school he took up the euphonium and clarinet, as well as occasionally playing double bass in the school orchestra and singing in the school choir! Latterly he was deputy conductor of the Royal British Legion Victory Band in Portsmouth before his move to France. As well as conducting Just Brass 79, Fran plays trombone with the Union Musicale de Civray, and euphonium with the recently formed Brass Band de Vienne. He continues to play his accordion with the Irish folk group ‘Wolf’. The cornet section of the band has been considerably strengthened by the arrival of two very experienced players: Steve Brodie is a retired music teacher who moved to France a little over a year ago. He is a graduate of Manchester University and was amongst the first to gain the innovative Diploma in Band Musicianship at Salford University. He has played in, conducted, and adjudicated brass bands in the UK and has recently been appointed Chef d’Orchestre at the Civray Harmonie. Claude Benoist is a retired professor of music with a wealth of experience; he currently plays cornet with the Brass Band Charente and he has ‘guested’ with Just Brass 79 on several occasions previously. The band now has a solid cornet section which gives great support and confidence to the rest of the band.
Photos: Above left: Chef de choeur (choirmaster) and Soprano Mme Monique Helvadjian. Above right: Pianist, Miichel Gillet. © Choeur Orpheo.
The choir has around 40 members and sing as a four-voice grand choeur as well as smaller male or female petits choeurs. They also have a number of excellent soloists who perform individual pieces. This choir is unusual for two reasons – firstly, for the quality of their singing (an Albert Hall experience in a small local church!) and secondly because it has just one British member, Jeremy Luckett. Why did Jeremy choose Orpheo? “Having sung in smaller local French choirs, I prefer the greater professionalism required by our chef and the challenge of singing a more demanding repertoire. I have sung with Orpheo for three years now and hope to sing with them for many years to come”. Of course, performing to such a high standard is not achieved without a lot of hard work. “We have a rehearsal for male voices on a Tuesday evening to learn the pieces and a full rehearsal for all voices on a Thursday evening, which takes about six hours in total,” admits Jeremy. “Everyone works very hard to make our concerts a success - after which we play hard to relax, especially at the after concert parties, which are organised on a bring-and-share basis with much conviviality, and usually end up with singing the well known choruses”. What is Jeremy’s personal favourite? “We sing a variety of choral works, largely from the classical choral repertoire, or opera choruses in Italian, Latin or French - and occasionally English - usually at Christmas time. We often sing pieces by Mozart or Verdi, but my own preference (which we have yet to sing) is Handel’s Messiah”.
You can find out more about Just Brass 79 at their website or telephone Penny on 06 38 78 99 92. New players are always welcome. The band rehearses every Tuesday, 20h00 – 22h00 in the Salle de Fetes at Limalonges just off the N10. On Saturday 18th June the band will also participate for the second year running in the ‘So British’ fête in Brantôme, Dordogne. Watch the band’s website for details of this and other events. www.justbrass79.fr
The concert takes place on Saturday 30th April at 8.30pm at the church in Oroux (79390). Oroux is situated just outside La Ferrière-en-Parthenay, about 15 minutes from Parthenay. Tickets for the concert are 12€ in advance or 14€ on the door. Email amisdoroux@ yahoo.fr or call Annie on 05 49 63 10 40. Please see the advert on P.8 for more information. The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 13
Clubs & Associations ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS If you or someone you know has a drinking problem, there are now a number of English-speaking meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous in the South West of France. Alcoholics Anonymous is a Fellowship of men and women who share experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership and A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. Telephone: Angela: 05 49 87 79 09, Roger: 05 55 76 22 65 or Nancy: 02 54 24 09 74. Email: publicinfo.swfrance@aa-€pe.net or visit www.aafrancesud-ouest.com for details of English-speaking meetings.
TheatriVasles
A vibrant group based in Vasles (79340). Next production is Ghost Writer by David Tristram, a hilarious whodunnit. Performances on 22nd & 23rd April 2016. Contact: Theatrivasles on Facebook, email theatrivaslestickets@ gmail.com or www.theatrivasles.com 2nd Sunday Motorcycle Club Come and join us for a bike ride, or just a cup of coffee and a chat, with bike-minded people. As the name suggests, wet meet on the 2nd Sunday of every month. New members are always welcome. For more information, visit our web-site. www.2ndsundayclub.fr
Bilingual LittFest: 24-26 June 2016, Voulmentin 79150
We would welcome volunteers to distribute publicity, act as marshals, offer technical support, transport or accommodation. To join the team and register as a friend of the festival contact Howard Needs: needsho@cc-parthenay.fr
Shamanic Drum circle for laughter and health.... held in Chanteloup Salle (near Bressuire - dept. 79) Wednesdays 3pm - 4.30pm Price 15€ To book your place or for more information please call Pam on 05 49 65 55 25 or email: irving.philip@wanadoo.fr
ThouarStMed’Arts - Association that aims to bring together people from the historic town of Thouars (Quartier Saint Médard) for a new development of artistic activity. Exhibitions, galleries, brocantes, creators, cultural events etc. Visit the website: thouarsaintmedarts79.asso-web.com
Tai Chi in Bressuire and Le Breuil Barret
Each Tuesday evening (8.30pm-9.30pm) at the Centre SocioCulturel in Bressuire. Each Friday afternoon (3pm-4.30pm) at the Salle Communale in Le Breuil Barret. Simply turn up in loose, comfortable clothing and flat soled footwear. Phone Terry on 05 49 65 60 34 or visit: www.chentaiji-fr.com THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION LINAZAY, POITOU-CHARENTES BRANCH
Please visit the branch website:
www.rblpoitou-charentes.fr
GARDENING CLUB
The Harmonics Singing Group
Craft Café Creatif
CLE (Charente Limousine Exchange) is a non-profit organisation for exchange of news, views and information. We work to protect member’s best interests, run social activities, events and clubs, helping members to make new ex-patriot and French friends. Barry Leech 05 49 87 19 85 contact@cle-france.com www.cle-france.com.
We meet every third Tuesday of the month, 2.30pm with free tea/coffee and bscuits at Le Bon Vertoef, 28 Grand Rue, 79110 TILLOU. (Nr Chef Boutonne). Everyone welcome for garden talk! For further information contact Mike Curtis 05 46 33 66 17 (eves).
Do you enjoy knitting or sewing in the company of others? Join us in L’Absie for an enjoyable afternoon over a cup of tea and a piece of cake. For details contact Margaret on email: knight.margaret@orange.fr
JUST BRASS 79
A British style band, who meet each Tuesday at 8pm, at the Salle de la Cendille, Limalonges (just 1km from the N10). All levels welcome. Contact www.justbrass79.fr or call Penny on 06 38 78 99 92 or Christian on 05 49 29 78 84.
“You speak French as bad as I speak English?”
Then we are made for meeting each other together with other French and English learners. We meet once a month in a bar in Niort at 11am, over a cup of tea/coffee, to speak and improve our French-English talks. Contact Joseph for further details joseph.aubineau@laposte.net 06 73 70 14 21
Franglais Anglo-French Group Thouars - Centre Socio-Culturel
Thanks to the support of the Centre we meet every Wednesday 7.30pm-9pm, at 7 rue Anne Desrays, for conversation in English & French, for a mutual understanding of each other’s language and culture. Contact 05 49 66 35 11 or the Centre 05 49 66 76 40 email jpc.allorent@orange.fr or eugene_mc_cabe@hotmail.com Acceuil des Villes Françaises A French association dedicated to welcoming newcomers, from across France & abroad, to their new environment; helping them to integrate, speak French and feel ‘at home’ through social www.avf.asso.fr events and activities. pjhenderson@orange.fr 14 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
Based in the Salle d’Annexe in Civray. We meet each Wednesday 2pm4pm. No experience necessary, just a willingness and commitment to learn. We sing all sorts of music in several languages. Contact: Dave Lee: 05 49 87 53 93 / dave.lee@cegetel.net
FANCY A KICK ABOUT?
We are a small group of footballers who meet on Thursday evenings at 7pm in L’Absie for an informal kick about in the park. New players of all ages and abilities always welcome. For details email: john.etherington@orange.fr
Woodturners/Woodworkers
Are there any other amateur woodturners/woodworkers out there who might be interested in forming a club to share ideas, tips etc? Any level of ability, beginners to experienced. Contact Roland 05 49 96 44 10, preferably evening.
Come KNIT/CROCHET with us every Friday at 3.30pm in the Café des Sports, Chef-Boutonne. Beginners to Experts - all welcome. Contact us via Facebook (Girls that do knitting and crochet) or Melanie on 06 65 17 89 16.
Combined Services
Support Group (CSSG)
W
by Terri Laverick
hen I started to write this month’s article I was going to wish everyone a Happy Easter, but then realised that by the time you read it Easter will have passed. So instead, I hope you all had a very Happy Easter, and are not too overloaded with guilt for the amount of chocolate you may have eaten!
As with every year, this one is beginning to rush past, and our next QUIZ NIGHT on 18th April is speeding towards us. We have a great group of regulars who seem to have plenty of fun, but more teams would make the evening more interesting and challenging. As one of those in charge (loosely) I can only say “Come along and give us a chance”, you might find yourself having so much fun you want to become a regular. The tables for the Summer Market/Fair on 10th July are slowly building up. Like year, it is being held at Chambord, 79310, St Pardoux.
W
by Kate Jouanneau
ith the build up to opening night of ‘Quartet’ by Ronald Harwood, it’s been a hive of activity amongst the RT members for the last few weeks. What with the rehearsals, the building of the set, the costume making, and the organising of the publicity to name but a few of the tasks to be completed, the term ‘headless chickens’ springs to mind. Don’t forget to reserve your tickets for this funny and entertaining play, depicting the ups and downs of four retired opera singers living out their (peaceful?) days at Beecham House Retirement Home for Professional Musicians. Promising to be a colourful affair, you can see the three performances at the 150 seat Le Petit Théâtre in Secondigny on the following dates:
We have an archer from L’Absie coming along, not sure if he is wearing Lincoln green but even if not, it should be interesting.
Friday 8th April at 8pm Saturday 9th April at 2:30pm Saturday 9th April at 8pm
Keynotes Choir and 3+1 will be entertaining you. As always tea, coffee, cakes and soft drinks will be available on the day and Reel Fish and Chips will be there for lunch. If you want a table for yourself or commercially, please let me know.
Tickets are 10€ for adults and 5€ for children under 16. For reservations call Maureen: 05 49 64 06 14 or email: reaction.tickets@yahoo.fr
Our new Committee are looking at several events for later in the year, so watch this space to be amazed at our creativity; our aim is to tempt you along to raise money for our worthwhile causes. Those odd cents in your pockets build up and allow us to send them off to our various ex-service charities that are in desperate need of them. The money that we donate to SSAFA France and RAFA stays here in France and is used to help exservice personnel or their families who are in need. Once again, if you would like to join CSSG, or would like to help at any of our events (please) we would love to hear from you. We’re a friendly bunch and anyone is more than welcome to join us. Contact me at terri.laverick@outlook.com or by telephone on 05 49 64 07 24.
Clubs & Associations Submission Guidelines Wordcount: Title of entry+ 40 words (max. including contact details). Logos can be supplied and will be added if space allows. Adverts meeting the above specifications can be added free of charge, and will be rotated on a monthly basis to allow everyone to participate. To guarantee the advert is printed each month, a small fee of 54€ per annum will be requested. How to SUBMIT your entry: 1) Complete the short form on ‘Submit Article’ page of our website (under the ‘Content’ menu) or 2) Simply email the details to us:
info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
Everyone has really pulled together to make this as successful as our previous efforts and we look forward to presenting you this marvellous amateur production of Quartet presented by special arrangement with SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. If you fancy eating close to the theatre before the show, the restaurant L’Ecu in Secondigny (found at the main crossroads with the traffic lights) will put on a special three course menu for just 15€. Bon appetit ! RT’s next social event, following the Spring play, is a rather splendid affair; Scottish Country Dancing. You don’t have to know any of the moves as this is really about having some fun and throwing yourself around like a mad Scot. This is aptly hosted by our Chairman, Tony Murdoch, who will show you exactly how to look and act like an authentic Scottish madman... You can join in the mayhem on 17th May at Le Foyer (below the theatre), Secondigny at 7.45pm–9.30pm. Further information can be found by contacting Tony 05 49 64 06 14 or mobile 06 70 95 11 27. Early last month RT put together a quiz night that was a huge hit. There were sixteen teams totalling over sixty people battling it out under the close guidance of Ralph Bramley, Quiz Master Extraordinaire and his lovely assistant ‘Samantha’ (played by none other than yours truly). It was such a fun evening out, even with all the hecklers (you know who you were) that it wouldn’t surprise me if another quiz night pops up on the RT agenda in the future. Information can be found on the RT website www.reactiontheatre.fr and new members, as usual, are always welcome. u u
Contact Email:
Kate Jouanneau on 06 77 51 55 16 kscks9@hotmail.com
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 15
Our Furry Friends Calling Cat Lovers!!! Introducing Free Chat-eau Tours! I have just opened my luxurious Chat-eau cattery, offering high class accommodation for pampered cats. Each of the four spacious suites resembles the room of a house, with a bedroom including a bed and three sitting rooms with comfy chairs for lap time. There are cat toys, climbing apparatus, bridges and a range of sleeping areas and look out perches. The Amazon, Loire, Tigris and Grande Suites each measure over 9m² with high ceilings so cats can climb up onto the beams. My countryside ‘home away from home’ is also called Chat-eau because just down my lane you will find Le Château La Verdonnière (Try googling Scillé 79240). If you’d like to visit my cattery, contact me to arrange a time for your tour and to have coffee and cake at my house. Contact Joyce at Chat-eau@hotmail.fr or 06 44 10 20 34.
Djay a 2 year old Landseer x Pointer (possibly!)
Djay has recently been taken into foster from the Bergerac SPA after spending almost half his life incarcerated there through no fault of his own. He is full of life, bounding into every new situation with love and excitement. Yes, he needs education but he LOVES food so training him will be easy. He sits on command and his recall is great. He loves to chase his ball and bring it back, he just needs to learn “give” now and that will be perfect too! Djay is great with other dogs, a little bit too enthusiastic with some, but he is definitely a lover, not a fighter. At the SPA he lived happily in a kennel with entire males. Cats however are out, he sees them like his ball, to be chased! Djay is looking for his forever family, people who love big soppy canines and who are willing to spend time on his training and enjoy the love he has to give. He is chipped, fully vaccinated and neutered. If you’d like to meet him, please contact his carer, Sharon on 05 53 60 73 11, 06 45 47 10 84 or by email: sharonleechappell@gmail.com. www.phoenixasso.com
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SOO is looking for her new FOREVER HOME Can You Help? Animal Association offering help to cats and dogs in need. Always looking for help, volunteers and foster carers. Call 06 71 03 63 08 or email: Pasapattes79@hotmail.fr
Name: Soo Race: DSH Sex: Female Identification: Not identified Sterilised: Yes Weight: 3kg approx DOB: Unknown, 2010? History: Owners have died, no other family.
ECOLE DU CHAT LIBRE DE POITIERS 1 Place de Fontevrault 86000 POITIERS 05.49.01.39.25 (answerphone) Ecoleduchat.poitiers.free.fr
Facebook: ecole-du-chat-libre-de-Poitiers
ecoleduchatpoitiers.forumactif.org
Soo is a real sweetie of a cat, who was recently traumatised after her owner died suddenly. With no other family members to care for her, she is now looking for a new home. Soo completely shut down when she arrived here, she would hide in the furthest corner and freeze and tremble. She has slowly gained my trust. It has taken 6 weeks, but she now loves being stroked. She purrs, makes little noises and head butts for attention - she has a lovely nature. Soo has no known health issues. She will need vaccinations, flea treatment, worming and a microchip and I will help with costs if necessary. She gets along with male and female cats, but I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know about dogs or other animals. She would need to live in a house, perhaps as an indoor cat in a quiet home as she is likely to be very timid. Please contact me if you can give Soo a home. Suzette Jeapes - info@pensionpourchats-saintpardoux.com Telephone 09 65 31 21 22 The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 17
Communications What to Do if Your Email has Been Hacked
O
n average each month I find at least 5 of my customers have sent me emails that automatically go into the ‘Spam’ folder of my email. The truth is that they did not send anything, either they or one of their contacts, have had their email or email contacts hacked, and it is the hackers who cause the spam emails to be sent. Gmail filters my incoming email very efficiently, using all of the mail that passes through their systems, their servers have a massive record of spam emails, so to find these I have to go looking in my SPAM folder. Mostly they are quite recognisable. The email that is addressed to me, looks like it has been sent by my customer but with bad grammar and spelling, a link with little or no explanation and usually a greeting and sign-off that your contact would never use. I usually send an email to the contact warning them of some foul play with similar advice to this, but often they are aware of the problem and immediately think it is their email that has been hacked. 1. Change your password If the hacker has accessed your account they have done so by “cracking” or “ hacking” your password. Change it immediately, but totally. Do not change it from “ross123” to “ross1234”, in fact you should steer clear of using any proper names in your passwords, contact me for a guide to creating a strong password you may use with every account! 2. Secure your Email account In my experience most of these attacks simply send out an annoying email to your contacts, however, if you are unlucky they may change your password (preventing you from accessing your account), steal and delete your email contacts or even delete all of your email. If you are able to access your account, change your password immediately (see 1 above). If you are unable to access your email account you should be able to use the ‘lost password procedure’ to get back into your account. If this does not work you must contact your email provider and request their help in resetting your password. 3. Report the incident to the email site Even if you were able to access your account you should report the incident to your mail service provider. They may be able to advise of further information on how you were hacked and how to prevent it in the future. They may have tools and backups to help reinstate your information if it has been deleted. It is crucial that you notify the service provider as soon as you know you have been hacked to increase the possibility of recovering any deleted data. 4. Announce the News Now is the time to let your contacts know it was your email that was hacked and plead for their forgiveness! Most will have sussed out that you are not going to make them millionaires, or provide the best Viagra in the world and that you have been hacked. But just in case, warn them not to open any “funny or unsolicited emails” recently received from you. 5. Scan your computer with an updated anti-virus program. Your PC may have been infected, by design, when you opened your mail account, so give your PC a thorough scan for viruses and malware. Using your antivirus program, scan your full system and remove anything nasty found. If you do not find anything then I strongly recommend using Malwarebytes or Herd Protect and ensure that you remove/fix any items found. If you do find something you must change your password again, because the nasty you found could have been relaying your newly changed password to the hackers! 6. Don’t fail to review your personal email settings Not only should you check your personal email settings, hackers often change these to enable them other possible ways of compromising your account. For example, they may change the setting that forwards every email you send or receive to another account (one of theirs) where your email is monitored for account
18 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
by Ross Hendry
details, passwords and other things associated with your identity and/or finances. I have known hackers to turn on the auto-responder and send out spam messages to every incoming email! Another way they may do this is to modify your email template to send out a spam message at the end of each email you send like an email signature! It is at this time you should also review your security for this site. Normally you are asked some security questions that may be used to help if you lost your password, these now need to be changed as hackers have been known to record these for future use. Every little bit of this type of information may be used to help steal your Identity in the future. 7. Change passwords or security questions for other sites Do you use the same login or password or combination of them for more than one account? Yes, that is right, the account or accounts with these must be changed too. This is why you are advised not to use the same Login data for more than one account. 8. Check your email folders I know that I have sent people sensitive information from my email, such as bank account information titles and account numbers etc,. and other financial data such as my National Insurance Number. Some may still be in my email archive, did the hackers find this? The way to check is search your email for the word “password” or “account number” or “Login” then check the mail found, and delete it or secure it in another way. The best advice is to keep this type of email to a minimum and never send all information in one single email. If you do have to send bank details, send most by email but maybe text the account number by mobile telephone or even write a traditional letter - with a pen!! 9. Be on your guard I do not mean patrol your PC, but be wary of your information. If heaven forbid the hackers found your National Insurance number it can be a major piece of information for them to find out more about you and so steal your ID. If you think or suspect that you have been hacked, then just be extra vigilant for the month or so after - check all of your financial accounts regularly, you may want to change the account login and passwords for them as well. 10. Prevention We cannot stop sites our data resides upon being hacked, we cannot stop our family and friends’ accounts being hacked, but we can create a strong password that makes cracking it virtually impossible. Avoid proper names as these are the most common hacked words. It is a known fact that people choose passwords based on readily available information, making their accounts ‘crackable’ with a few educated guesses. Easy passwords make it easier for hackers and spammers that use programs that can cycle through thousands of logins a second to identify weak accounts. Ross Hendry is the proprietor of Interface Consulting and Engineering, who has over 42 years experience in Communications, Computer Technology and Direct Marketing. (See advert below).
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‘The DSM’ Advertiser Feedback...
I get new clients on a regular basis from The DSM. It is a very good place to advertise if you want to be seen by the English speaking community living in the area.
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Spring Clean... Your Computer Files • Give meaningful names to your folders (left click on the file/folder, right click, choose ‘rename’) • Add as many folders/sub-folders as you wish – treat your computer files as you would a filing cabinet • Drag & drop your files into folders, individually or several at a time; • Individually: single click on the file, whilst keeping the mouse button held down, drag the file to the destination folder and then release the mouse button • Multiple: single click on the 1st file, hold down the Ctrl button and keep it held down whilst you single left click on the other files, and drag and drop as above • For files you access regularly, create shortcuts on your desktop for quick access (right click on the file, choose send to, choose desktop-create shortcut)
These tips are provided by Julie Tee, Freelance Administrator. www.need-office-help.com
Useful English Language Numbers... Cancer Support Deux-Sèvres
05 49 64 59 96
French State health insurance advice line
08 11 36 36 46
Elizabeth Finn Care (Grants and advice if in Financial need)
04 68 23 43 79
Orange helpline
09 69 36 39 00
EDF International Customer Service
05 62 16 49 08
CLEISS (Social security advice between countries)
01 45 26 33 41
Funeral Information (AFIF)
01 45 44 90 03 or www.afif.asso.fr
Passport Advice
0044 300 222 0000
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The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 19
Food & Drink
Poisson d'avril
As the French have ‘Poisson d’avril’ in place of April Fool's Day I shall start with one of my more popular fish dishes, Trio des Poissons gratinee...
by Lynda Gee
Three Fish Bake
For each person, allow other white 80 - 100 g each of salmon and cod fillets (or any fish) 4 or 5 cooked peeled prawns 2 or 3 champignons de Paris pinch of chopped parsley freshly ground black pepper approx. 200 g of waxy potatoes 25 g of butter ½ teaspoon of flour 20cl of mixed milk and cream 1 soup spoon of grated cheese. tes for the cod Firstly poach the fish fillets for around 8 minuside whilst preand 6 for the salmon, drain and leave to one ‘bed’. paring their and allow to cool Boil the potatoes until cooked but still firmcm thick. Slice the 1/3 t abou them slice to until it’s possible butter with hot in them n brow ly mushrooms and very quick s can be a little parsley and ground black pepper. (Mushroom rred.) prefe if leeks by replaced smooth stir in Prepare a roux with the butter and flour, when make a light to boil the to bring and cream and the mixed milk te. minu last the at e sauce adding the grated chees Pre-heat your oven to around 180˚C. if you have inLine an oven-proof dish (individual or large meal! ) with the creased the ingredients to make a family size potatoes. Break sliced the of few a and s room mush d cooke the prawns and the fish fillets into good bite sized pieces addlittle of the sauce a spoon s, room mush arrange on the bed of the fish beon top and then use the sliced potatoes to cover the top. Extra over y evenl sauce the of rest the ng pouri fore kled over the grated cheese or light bread crumbs can be sprin like. top at this stage if you for around 20 Place the dish or dishes into the oven and cook -25 minutes taking care not to over brown the top. of white Serve with crisp green salad and a glass (or two) wine.
Fish bake © Flickr/46137
Lynda is better known as ‘Ginger’s Kitchen’ and provides a full at-home catering service. (See advert on P.24)
Tel: 06 23 00 72 04 ~ Email: gingers.kitchen@orange.fr
20 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
Chic Peas
Cheesy Chick Peas (serves 2)
one 400 g tin of chick peas, 30 g butter, 1 rounded teaspoon flour, 20 cl milk, 50 g of strong flavoured cheese ( eg. mature cheddar, gruyer beaufort ). e, Add fresh water to the tin bring to the boil and thenof chick peas, place in a saucepan, before draining thoroughly. simmer for around 10 minutes Make a roux, melting the ter and stirring in the sieved until smooth before slowbut flour ly time. Once the sauce has staradding the milk, stirring all the ted to thic ken , gradually add the grated cheese and keep stirring until it has melted. Pre heat the oven to 180 – 200 ˚ C. Mix the chick peas into the che ese sauce until fully coated and then place into a gratin dish minutes until the sauce is gol. Cook in the oven for around 15 den brown. These make an unusual alterna are delicious served with gril tive to cauliflower cheese and led gammon.
Pain d’épices © Flickr/Frédérique Voisin-Demery
Toffee Toast
An easy and tasty dessert using a bought cake as it’s base. 1 pre-sliced ‘Pain d’Epices’ or light ginger bread 1 heaped table spoon of brown sugar 1 teaspoon of butter boiling water to mix Firstly place the brown sugar into a cup with the butter cut into small pieces on the top. Pour over enough boiling water to dissolve the sugar and melt the butter stirring the two together. Be careful to make sure that the sugar is dissolved but that the mixture is more toffee than liquid. This is best prepared a few hours or the day before and left to cool and set a little. Allow 2 or 3 slices of cake per person. Lightly toast the slices of cake, (more on one side), then, spread the toffee onto the lighter side and place back under the grill just until hot and melted. Take care not to brown (or even burn !) the toast too much. Serve immediately with a scoop of caramel, vanilla ice cream or just cream.
Crafty Owls...
T
by Jacqueline Brown
he signs are all around; cowslips, buds and blossoms, so I know spring is on it’s way, but I have to admit this winter hasn’t been too bad and has even given me some remarkable new experiences.
The weeds in the potager, which is in the orchard, have gone mad again, thanks to the mild, damp weather and the lack of frosty mornings needed to kill off their seeds. I’m not very good at getting out when the weather is yucky, but with a few dry and bright days I have ventured back out to survey the damage and get to work. However, in my absence the peace and tranquillity of the orchard has appealed to some new inhabitants and it seems I have been invaded. The big old bay tree is now home to about ten long eared owls, who, although camouflaged within the branches, can be seen watching me, as well as flying low and silently during the day. Long eared owls are known to group together over winter, as many birds do, and have a preference for evergreen trees that offer them perches and cover, but I still can’t believe they have chosen my orchard for their winter roost. Watching them flying low in daylight is such a privilege. I have no idea if they will stay around or even come back again next year, but I will never forget the experience of having them here, despite their presence meaning my weeding has been neglected, as I don’t want to disturb them.
La Vendée Chippy Poisson et frites à l’anglaise
Traditional British Fish & Chips This winter has also seen me getting a little crafty and taking up a new skill - sewing. Thanks to some French friends who have taken me under their wings and patiently shown me how to use a sewing machine, I have completed my first project - a sac à tarte - and I couldn’t be more delighted. Starting with a simple item definitely boosted my confidence and to have something so pretty, so French and so useful after only two mornings effort, put a huge smile on my face and now I’m hooked. The timing was quite good too as I had a meeting in the village the same evening I completed it, so it was the perfect opportunity to bake a tarte and christen my sac. I can’t tell you how proud I was to walk to the Mairie with my peach and almond tarte, nestled safely within the bright fabric of my very own handmade sac à tarte. Talking of tartes, I have also noticed that things have recently changed at our village boulangerie, where muffins and doughnuts have appeared on their shelves, and while they seem to be popular, they are not French patisseries and I’m not happy. They may have become commonplace in the UK, where it’s difficult to buy a coffee without a muffin, but as the word for an overweight belly is a ‘muffin-top’ I think the French need to be careful with these interlopers. I will be sticking to a tarte aux pommes.
u u
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g venues at the followin ly k ee w s u d Fin pm from 6 - 8.30
nt, e le St Vince nges la er Weds: Aube0rg St nt 8511 St Vince e l’eau, ue at Au Fil d n e v w e N : rs vent Thu e, 85200 Mer La Plag
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au, Le Clemencece au,
26 rue Clemen -en-Pareds eron 85390 Mouill
us at 30 April find Saturday 2 &
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functions le for private b la ai av so al We are enquiries@lavendeechippy.com tel: 06 23 49 15 11 / 02 44 39 16 73
www.lavendeechippy.com Numero de Siret: 791 118 540 00016
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 21
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22 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
“Dad, do you know the Jereboam’s on my foot?” “You ‘um it son, I’ll play it” by John Sherwin
S
“
o here’s to you,” I said to Mrs Robinson, raising a glass, “Jesus loves you more than you will know.”
“That’s sweet of you, dear.” And then it came to me, like a bat out of hell – all my troubles were here to stay, even though yesterday they’d seemed so far away. Back to black. Just when you think you’ve got half a handle on this wine appreciation lark someone comes up with a new angle. OK, we all know the best kind of glassware to use, the ideal serving temperature, basic wine and food pairings, but now it seems you have to choose the most appropriate music too. Snafu. I could continue in this vein, with clever-dick, smart-alecky musical allusions but my brain’s starting to throb. Nevertheless, this wine and music thing is, apparently, for real. Trending, as they say. Time was, back at wine school, that sight-smell-taste was the mantra. All ye knew and all ye needed to know. OK, ‘touch’ too if you really must, as in ‘mouth-feel’, but that was looked down upon as a modish Americanism so didn’t really count. If you suggested, even jokingly, that the sense of hearing might have something to add you would get the beady eye from Monsieur Mathieu and a late night visit from the men in white coats. It seems it might be time to turn and face the strange after all. Writing in the British Journal of Psychology, Professor Adrian North has documented a series of experiments proving mood can have a significant effect on a person’s sense of taste. The mood enhancer-cum-changer he used was music, certain extracts playing on a 15-second loop while volunteers tasted a cabernet sauvignon or a chardonnay. In a nutshell, tasters – particularly novice tasters – could be guided into experiencing certain tastes by a particular playlist. Winemaker and wine technologist Clark Smith claims we associate different wine types with different moods – the cabernets ‘angry’; pinot noir ‘romantic’; riesling ‘cheerful’. Apparently Mr Smith works with a certain Mr Heston Blumenthal. I could comment further, but my editor would have to get her lethal blue pencil out. Just to complete my triumvirate of impressive-sounding sources, Professor (yes, another one)
Charles Spence of the Department of Experimental Psychology at Oxford University has confirmed a strong connection between hearing and taste. It had previously been thought that only those suffering from synaesthesia (a crossing and confusion of the senses) combine different sensory cues, but blow me, now it seems we all do it ‘to an extent’. I italicised particularly novice tasters above for a reason. If you wanted to help along a new arrival to the wine-tasting ball (and of course you would, as wine aficionados are nothing if not supportive of each other) then you would employ every pedagogical tool you could lay your hands on – colour charts, a range of sniffing vials… music! And I would have thought that wine producers with a cellar-door trade, not to mention tours-with-tastings, would be particularly interested in a finely judged playlist lilting along in the background. Sell more with Sadé. The pitfalls for the dinner party hostess are obvious. You’ve chosen a menu of simple-but-posh, which not even you can mess up, and not even Hyacinth can wither an eye at. The table is set as if for a fairy tale king and queen and their entourage. The ‘lads’ (as they still think of themselves) are getting stuck into the box wine and lagers in the kitchen. The memsahibs are gathered in the parlour. You produce your latest ‘find’, a 2013 Cote Vautpas-La- Peine from cult architect-turned-boutique-winemaker Claude Quiça. Perfect temperature, not a drop spilt. You turn on the CD player… It’s the following Thursday, double points at Hyper-U, and the postmortem is brutal. The Hyacinths are gathered round steaming bowls of milky coffee. ‘Wine wasn’t bad then? And the meal was super. Shame about Henry having that queasy turn.’ The newcomer to their group gets things moving. ‘The wine? The wine? I feel that none of us is in a position to judge. The woman smothered the thing with,’ and here she lowers her voice lest Nathalie, their normal serveuse and still of tender years, should hear, ‘…Beethoven… the late quartets…’ u u
John Sherwin, French Wine Tours 07 50 90 02 00 or www.french-wine-tours.com
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 23
A-Z of the Communes in the Deux-Sèvres world heritage list as a stage on the road to Compostella.
MELLE
T
•
Église Saint-Pierre Saint-Pierre church was built at the beginning of the 12th century on the site of a small chapel dating from 950. It depended on the abbey of Saint-Maixent. The church was restored betwwen 1965 and 1966.
•
Église Saint-Savinien Saint Savinien church is probably the least remarkable of the three churches even though it is the oldest. It is the only church which was built inside the feudal city. Inside the church, the unique nave is covered with a wooded framework in the form of an upside-down boat.
•
The church was used as a prison between 1801 and 1927, and today is the home to various exhibitions and a music festival.
•
L’hôtel de Ménoc or Évêché (Bishop’s Palace) A 15th century house that gets its name from the Menoc family. The family settled in Melle at the end of the 13th century. In 1841 the courts were set up here and the buildings were modified for this use. The building housed the Courts of Justice (Palais de Justice) until December 2009. The building has been empty since the service moved to Niort in 2010 although the public lobby is often used for exhibitions.
•
The origins of the name “Évêché” (Bishop’s Palace) are not clear since there has never been a bishop’s seat at Melle. The building is no longer known by this name.
•
Arboretum An arboretum called the chemin de la découverte, (a 6 km pedestrian trail) follows the old private railway track from the factory of Melle. The trail forms a circle around Melle. There is a Carolingian garden on the site of the old silver mines. This garden is home to about 60 medicinal plants and old vegetables. The trail then joins several monuments of Melle. There are about 1 000 species of trees and shrubs and botanical roses.
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Les Mines d’Argent des Rois Francs (The Silver Mines) The silver mines are an archealogical site which is open for visits from March to November. The mines were worked between the 7th and the 10th centuries. There are about 20 with about 30km of galleries dug out on several levels.
•
Monet and Goyon motorcycle museum The museum ‘Collection de motocyclettes Monet & Goyon’ is situated at Espace Sainte Catherine, near the Post Office. The museum houses a collection of motorcycles from the 20s to the 50s. They are all in good working order. It is the biggest collection of its type in France. In 2015 the museum was open from May to September. The website has not yet been updated with times for this year.
by Sue Burgess
he inhabitants of Melle are the Mellois. Melle is built on a rocky point in the centre of the Mellois plateau and is situated on the Via Turinensis road on the route to Saint Jacques of Compostella.
Three rivers and streams cross the commune, the Béronne, the Rivault and the Vireblanc. All three flow into the Boutonne. The origins of the old name of the town « Metullum » are uncertain. Some people think the name comes from latin (metallum – mine/ metal) and others think it has Celtic origins (metl). In the Middle ages, Melle was a centre of money-making thanks to the silver mines situated under the town and the surrounding area. These mines were worked from 602 until 995. Galenite (lead containing silver) was extracted. Money making was active from 768 to 1189. It was the only authorised mint for the Aquitaine area and two type of coin were made, the Obole and the Denier. Parts of the ancient mines are open for visits. In 1363, the town was handed over to Thomas of Wodestock, the son of Kind Edward III of England. During the 5th War of Religion, the Duke of Montpensier took the town in 1575. It was also in Melle that Catherine de Médicis met her nephew and son in law, Henri of Navarre, the future Henri IV, in 1586. The factories of Melle date from the 19th century for the production of ethyl alcohol from beetroot. After going bankrupt in 1885, the factories were bought and became distilleries. With the First World War, the factories developed and evolved towards chemistry and bio-chemistry. They made solvents and products used in the making of explosives for munitions. Today, the factories produce cyclopentanone and belong in part to the French group Rhodia and to a Danish group Danisco. The factory presents risks for the environment and technological risks but it is important for the economy. A voir / Must See • Apart from the remains of the medieval fortifications, Melle has three Romanesque churches. They were built between the end of the 11th century and the middle of the 12th century. The three edifices are known as the triade romane de Melle. •
Eglise Saint Hilaire Named after the first Bishop of Poitiers, who died in 367, this church is the largest of the three and is the only one which is still used for worship. According to a 5th century charter, the church depended on the Benedictine priory of Saint Jean d’Angély and was certainly given to the abbey in 961 by Guillaume Tête d’Étoupe, the count of Poitou. The original church was built of wood. It was replaced in the 12th century by the building that we can see today. The choir and the transept were built around 1090 and the nave and the facade about 1150. The church has been a listed historical monument since 1887. It is also classified on the UNESCO
24 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
Other Places of Interest w A Protestant Temple dating from 1863. in 1903 by the county architect, w The Baltard style market hall built on the site of the old wooden ed situat are They eaud. Mong M. 1836. in built been had market halls which 1930. w An Art Déco bandstand dating from s, Villiers Wash-house with an oval w Wash-houses: Le lavoir de VillierFranc e. Other wash-houses can be ern West in rare is which bassin au, la fontaine au Beurre, le Loube de lavoir le : seen around Melle lavoir de Saint Thibault. ins can still be seen. Some w Some fortifications – only a few rema still dominate the rue de which walls old the of rs towe the of parts e. la Petite-Mott orial for those who died in the w On place Saint Pierre : a war mem lier. In the Middle 1870-1871 wars and the sarcophagus of a bached to be knights and wante who men young were liers bache Les w Ages who were members of guilds called ‘bachelerie’.
More A-Z of the Communes of Deux-Sèvres next month...
Take a Break
DSM Toughie Crossword Across: 1. Teacher? First of a kind to travel across the north-west? (5) 4. Pattern swinging both ways? Get on it in this sector (7) 8. Arias not right for representing society members (9) 9. Not hard for ex-president to travel in this area? (3) 10. Very big worker in county here in the north-west? (5) 11. Particle consisting of two unknown quantities having inner/outer confusion (7) 13. Hasten oil line construction to provide a dream trip for some? (4,2,3,4) 15. Silly Alan wearing rug askew with pronounced corners (7) 16. Minister involved in civic arbitration (5) 18. Endless page rewritten in smaller space (3) 20. You’ll be lucky to get these! (3,6) 21. Uncovers former partner’s affectations? (7) 22. Tips for possible candidates? (5)
Down: 1. Sport played on horseback (4) 2 Breakfast food (6) 3. Something that aids or promotes well-being (7) 4. In the middle of (6) 5. A synthetic fabric (5) 6. Summer house with a view (6) 7. Exceptionally bad or displeasing (8) 12. The person who steers a ship (8) 14. To move about or proceed hurriedly (7) 16. Take a criminal into custody (6) 18. Shrewdness shown by keen insight (6) 19. Soft decayed area in a tooth (6) 20. A psychological state induced by a magical incantation (5) 23. Lacking in liveliness or charm (4)
Down: 1. A number of skills used for carrying in the north-west? (5) 2. Getting at giant in confusion (9) 3. Speechless we hear, but could pull in this region? (5) 4. They’re looking for ideas for Serb going outside with obviously heavy downpour (13) 5. Seb must stir himself to get into suitable clothes for performance (7) 6. North America being its usual environment, but not out of place here (3) 7. The soul of power in France? Keeps some things going in this area (7) 12. A car is not necessarily fashioned for protection from the weather (9) 13. Note of writing error coming before opinion of sequin (7) 14. Monks order mixing with salt (7) 16. Rival organisation has spread worldwide (5) 17. Eros especially suited for offering flowers (5) 19. A small seed, with great expectations? (3)
Well, what do you know?
With thanks to M.Morris
Monthly quiz by Roland Scott...... how many can you get?
1) Iceland’s ‘Althing’ and the Isle of Man’s ‘Tynwald’ are examples of what? 2) Sir Christopher Cockerel is credited with inventing which form of transport?
8) Which English historical battle re-enactment society takes its name from a secret association active during the English Civil War and dedicated to the restoration of the monarchy? 9) Who was the ‘Gentleman Thief’ created by E.W. Hornung?
3) Which ‘e-reader’ device was invented and developed by Amazon and has been much imitated?
10) According to Caudius Galen, Frederick the Great of Russia and Napoleon Bonaparte, what marches on its stomach?
4) What do Americans call Autumn?
11) The layer of feathers closest to a bird’s skin is called what?
5) Who was England football team goalkeeper from 1963 to 1972?
12) Who, in 1783, became Britain’s youngest P.M. at the age of 24?
6) Keir-Hardie was the first leader of which political party?
Finally what connects your 12 answers, assuming you have 12 correct answers?
7) In the ‘Ice Age’ series of animated films, what are the names of the two possums, ‘brothers’ of Ellie the female mammoth?
Copyright RJS 2016 The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 25
Answers on our website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
DSM Easy Crossword Across: 8. Excessively overweight (5) 9. Expensive area in London (7) 10. Too well nourished (7) 11. 24th letter of the Greek alphabet (5) 12. Great merriment (8) 13. Ball sport (4) 15. Jump (4) 17. Broadly or extravagantly humorous (8) 21. Remove one’s clothes (5) 22. Being in the original position (7) 24. Let off the hook (7) 25. Something additional (5)
Where We Live...
A look at what makes France so special
Vieux Boulogne
We’re kicking off this series with, quite literally, a
real humdinger! Sometimes also known as Sablé du Boulonnais, this soft cheese from the Pas de Calais has the dubious distinction of having being voted the world’s smelliest cheese. It has been described variously as smelling like rotting vegetables, unwashed tomcat and a sumo wrestler’s jockstrap. You get the picture? The last real attempt to find the world’s foulest smelling fromage was in 2004, when Cranfield University in England used an ‘electronic nose’ as well as a human olfactory panel to sniff out those with the strongest scent. French cheeses reigned supreme, with Vieux Boulogne taking top spot. But those brave enough to try it are in for a pleasant surprise as its taste definitely doesn’t match the strength of its aroma. In fact, some people can find it quite bland. It’s an artisan-made unpasteurised, unpressed cows’ milk soft cheese predominantly from the famous Maître Fromager, Philippe Olivier, in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Described as pré-salé (meaning ‘salted meadow’) its flavour is due to sea breezes blowing salt on to the pastures where the cows graze around Cap Gris-Nez and Cap Blanc-Nez, north of Boulogne. Square-shaped with sides measuring 11cm, it’s 4cm thick, weighs up to 500g and contains 45% fat. The moist, bright orange rind is washed regularly in a local beer from Saint-Léonard. The centre (paste) is ivory-coloured, soft and rubbery with small holes. Maturing time depends on the season and is between seven and nine weeks. It’s a young, modern cheese (revived in 1982) with a rich, mellow flavour and is best enjoyed with crusty bread and a good quality beer or full-bodied red wine. Photo above: Vieux Bolougne. © www.lafromagerie.co.uk
26 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
T
he Atlantic coast of CharenteMaritime has been of great strategic importance for hundreds of years. Forts, citadels and ramparts, built to withstand countless attacks, still dominate the mainland shore and its islands. Many of the main structures date back to the 17th Century, when King Louis XIV ordered his military engineer Maréchal Vauban (see separate story) to improve existing defences and build new ones to protect important sites like La Rochelle and his dockyard and arsenal at Rochefort. Some fortifications are open to the public while others aren’t but can still be seen close up, and some visits involve a boat trip, but there are plenty left for confirmed landlubbers. Some are in a much better state of repair than others, but all still have a tale to tell. A visit to any of them will help you discover some of the region’s rich maritime heritage. And it’s also great for firing up the imagination of youngsters, bringing to life those classroom history lessons. Let the DSM take you on a quick north-tosouth tour.
Saint-Martin-de-Ré, Ile de Ré
Reckoned to be the largest new defensive fortification built under Louis XIV. Vauban rebuilt the citadel and made a new wall around the town large enough to shelter the island’s entire population and enough supplies for 16,000 people to withstand a long siege. The fortifications were finished in record time (just five years) in 1702 and have survived many attacks to be in superb condition today. There are two means of access by land: the Porte de Toiras and the Porte des Campani. The citadel can be reached through just one door, the magnificent Porte Royale. It is one of 12 Vauban sites awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Website: www.saint-martin-de-re.net Tel: 05 46 09 20 06.
Fort de la Prée
Also on the Ile de Ré, this 17th Century fort proved its worth in 1627 when the English laid siege to the as-yet uncompleted Saint-Martin-de-Ré and Fort de la Prée provided a safe harbour from which the French counterattacked and forced the English to retreat. The fort hasn’t changed much over the centuries. Bomb-proof shelters were built during the 19th
by Mick Austin
Fortress
Charente It’s the Middle Ages and invasion forces and their warships are spotted on the horizon. How can they be stopped?
Port of La Rochelle. © WikiCommons/Pline
The man behind the work Sébastien
Claude Vauban © Wiki commons/GeorgiusLXXXIX
Le Prestre de Vauban (1633-1707) is considered one of the greatest ever military engineers. Responsible for the fortification of more than 160 sites in France alone, his major contribution to warfare was in his methods of attack, which revolutionised siege warfare.
During the 1688 siege of Philippsburg (now in Germany) he used a new technique known as ricochet fire. Cannons were sited to fire along a wall or covered way, with the round shot bouncing down the length of it, smashing guns and men as it went. He became a trusted advisor to King Louis XIV, travelling all over France inspecting existing fortifications and identifying new sites to be fortified. In 1703 he was made a Maréchal (Marshal) de France.
Century and a powder magazine added and the Germans built a bunker inside the fort during WW2. Website: www.fort-la-pree.com Tel: 05 46 09 73 33 ~ 06 87 21 90 29
Towers of La Rochelle
The port towers and some of the seaward defences are sadly the only remains of a formidable programme of fortifications started in 1372 and their medieval silhouette remains the emblem of the city today. The Tour St-Nichola was completed around 1376 and used for both defence and residential purposes, with separate passageways to avoid soldiers and residents meeting. It was occasionally used as a prison between the 16th and 18th centuries. Its 37-metre high rooftop terrace provides great views over the old port, Fort Boyard and the Antioche sound (the strait between the islands of Oléron, Ré and Aix). The Tour de la Chaîne was built between 1382 and 1390 and was 34 metres high (now only 20 metres) with a conicallyshaped roof. Until 1472 it was the residence of the harbourmaster, who levied taxes from ships using the port. He controlled the chain mechanism which enabled the port to be closed upon the orders of the
mayor. The tower was destroyed by an explosion during the Fronde (an uprising against the French monarchy before Louis XIV came of age) when it was being used as a powder store and remained open to the elements for the next 300 years. The 55-metre high Tour de la Lanterne is visible from most of the Antioche sound. It was used as a prison from the 16th Century, with both sailors and privateers held captive. Over the years prisoners engraved some 600 graffiti inscriptions on the tower’s soft stone walls. The tower was made into a military prison in 1820 and it held two of the famous Four Sergeants, who were suspected of preparing a coup d’état, arrested in La Rochelle and executed in Paris in 1822. Website: www.monuments-nationaux.fr Tel: 05 46 34 11 81.
Ile d’Aix
In a strategic position at the mouth of the Charente estuary between Fouras on the mainland and Ile d’Oléron. Three fortifications for the price of one here with Fort de la Rade (1690), the well preserved Fort Liédot (1810) and the town defences (1850). There’s also a Napoleonic museum on the island as this was the last place in France he visited before being exiled. Aix can be reached only by ferry from the
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 27
Fort Lupin. © WikiCommons/Pep.per
Fouras © WikiCommons/PatrickDespoix
Fort Louvois. © Aeroclub Perigueux
Pointe de la Fumée near Fouras. You visit the cruise on a boat departing from Boyardville island on foot, by bike or on board a horse- on the Ile d’Oléron. drawn carriage. Website: www.oleron-island.com/ Website: www.rochefort-ocean.com Tel: 05 46 83 01 82. Fouras Fouras has had a castle since at least the Fort Énet 11th Century, when the local lords used to Situated between the Pointe de la Fumée tax ships entering the Charente estuary. and the Ile d’Aix, it was built in the 19th Stand on the top of the donjon and you can Century to help protect the arsenal at see the islands of Madame, Oléron and Aix. Rochefort and was eventually converted into The fort was declassified from military use at a prison. It can be visited on foot at low tide. the beginning of the 20th Century and later became a national monument. The donjon Website: www.histoirerochefort.com now houses a listed Musée de France, where ten rooms show off the town’s history. Fort Boyard Vauban deemed this fort impossible to build (telling Louis XIV “Your Majesty, it Website: www.musee-fouras.fr would be easier to seize the moon with your Tel: 05 46 84 15 23. teeth than to attempt such an undertaking in such a place”) but its construction was Fort de l’Isle Madame nonetheless later ordered by Napoleon I. Built at the beginning of the 18th Century When you realise the fort lies on an artificial as another fortification to help defend the rock formation set up on a sandbar you arsenal at Rochefort, it sits at the entrance can see why it was such a challenge. The to the Charente river. It is accessible by way fort is oval-shaped, 120 metres long and of the village of Port-des-Barques, but only 48 metres wide with walls 20 metres high. on foot at low tide on a natural sand and The ground floor provided stores and living shingle pathway called the Passe aux Boeufs, quarters and the floor above carried the which is covered by the sea twice a day. gun emplacements. It was briefly used as a military prison before being abandoned Website: www.holidays-fortboyard.co.uk at the start of the 20th Century. It slowly Tel: 05 46 84 87 47. deteriorated until, in 1950, it was made a listed building. You can take a guided ‘circle’ 28 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
Fort Lupin
Also known as Fort de la Charente, it sits on the southern bank of the Charente river midway between the mouth of the river and the first bend it makes on its way towards Rochefort. An ideal spot as its guns could fire at ships as they entered the river and then again at the rear of any that got past. A good example of the design of a series of forts built by Vauban along the French coast. The fort is privately owned and open to the public at certain times throughout the year, but you can still have a good look round all of the outside – preferably at low tide! Website: www.visit-poitou-charentes.com Tel: 05 46 84 24 29.
Château d’Oléron
The first fortifications were built in the 10th Century but it wasn’t until the 12th Century that Eleanor of Aquitaine ordered a castle to be built. Today the fortifications are in surprisingly good condition. The citadel has been restored on two occasions: the first after the bombardments of WW2 and the second in 1988 to repair the damage caused by it being abandoned since 1970. Tour highlights include the arsenal and the underground chapel. Website: www.oleron-island.com Tel: 05 46 85 65 23.
DID YOU KNOW ? A Frenchman invented the dustbin. Few heroes of French history are as obscure as Eugène-Réné Poubelle, yet not one has as many monuments named in his memory. Fort Enet © WikiCommons/PatrickDespoix
Fort Boyard © WikiCommons/Lapi
Fort de l’Isle Madame. © WikiCommons/Pep.per
Born in Caen in 1831, Poubelle studied law at university and went on to become a highly respected public figure. In 1884, when préfet in Paris, he decreed that all Parisian landlords must provide covered containers of between 40 and 120 litres for their tenants’ rubbish. With incredible foresight into recycling, he ordered each household to have three rubbish bins – one for general household waste, a second for paper and fabric and a third for glass, crockery… and oyster shells!
Clean Up Week © Wikicommons/ConradPoirer
Despite some initial resistance from landlords resenting having to pay for and supervise the bins and traditional ragand-bone men envisaging a threat to their living, the scheme was a success. Even ornamental cast-iron dustbins began to appear in Paris. Parisians started to name their boxes after Poubelle and even the newspaper ‘Le Figaro’ called them Boîtes Poubelle. The boxes deteriorated fairly quickly but the principle survived. Dustbins and their collection did not become commonplace until the end of World War Two, but by then the word poubelle had become common usage in the French language.
Saint Martin-de-Ré © Wikipedia/AlainPep.per
Brouage
This fortified town is 3km inland, between the Charente and Seudre rivers. Today it sits in the middle of marshland but was originally built on the shore of the Gulf of Saintonge – now silted up – when the sea reached inland as far as Broue and Saint Sornin. It remains one of the best preserved strongholds in the region. It was demilitarised in 1885 but there is still a barracks, powder magazine, forge and food hall to visit. Website: www.hiers-brouage-tourisme.fr Tel: 05 46 85 19 16.
Fort Louvois
Also known as Fort Chapus, this semi-circular, horseshoe-shaped fort is the little brother of Fort Boyard. A must-see site, it was another fortification built under the guidance of Vauban and today is in remarkably good condition. It was built between 1691 and 1694 to protect Rochefort’s naval dockyard by catching enemy ships in a crossfire with the guns at the Oléron citadel 3kms away. It was badly damaged in WW2 by German shells from Oléron and taken over by the local town of Bourcefranc in 1960 and then restored. The barracks, keep and powder magazine are now museum rooms. Website: www.fort-louvois.eu Tel: 05 46 85 23 22.
Next month: Death, destruction and dragons, a space odyssey... and more cheese! Mick Austin is a freelance journalist based in the Pays-de-la-Loire. He has had his work published in several expat magazines and newspapers and has also written the Mayenne Tourist Board’s only English-language brochure. He also runs a gîte business at www.gitefortwo.com.
On this month April 24 1792:
One night during the French Revolution Captain ClaudeJoseph Rouget de Lisle pens a jaunty ditty called ‘Chant de guerre de l’armée du Rhin’ (War Song of the Army of the Rhine). Because of its popularity with volunteer army units from Marseille, the anthem is renamed ’La Marseillaise.’ With its ability to rouse a mob, it was repeatedly banned before being adopted as the French National Anthem in 1879.
April 28, 1887:
What is believed to be the world’s first official car race is held over a 20km course from the Pont de Neuilly in Paris to Versailles. It takes an hour and 14 minutes to complete and is won by Georges Bouton and the Count de Dion, of the De Dion-Bouton company, on a steam-driven quadricycle. Their victory was no great surprise, however, as they were the only competitors to turn up!
April 16, 1850:
Marie Grosholz dies. Arrested during the French Revolution along with her friend Joséphine de Beauharnais (who later married Napoleon), she escaped the guillotine after offering to make wax death masks of some of the most famous victims, including Marie Antionette and Robespierre. She later married a chap called Tussaud and took her new-found skills to London.
Mme Tussaud age 42.
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 29
Health, Beauty & Fitness Water is the Real Deal! by Lorraine Wallace
I’m starting this month with the statement “You must drink sufficient water to be healthy” and I can see many of you in my mind’s eye, rolling your eyes, saying “I know that, this is nothing new”. But how many of you are actually doing it? Judging by the starting point of many of my clients I’m willing to bet more than half of you know you should do it, but don’t do it. The body is made up of 60-75% water, so it’s no surprise that if we don’t consume enough, our health can suffer.
Why is water good for? I don’t have the space to go into the ‘why’s’ but here are a few reasons that water is essential for good health: aids weight loss, digestion and energy during exercise. Improves mood and skin complexion, reduces risk of bladder cancer, prevents headaches, keeps kidneys functioning, keeps us alert, keeps joints and cartilage lubricated, naturally detoxes… How much should you drink? This is very individual because body size for a start will determine a base level and on top of this you will need more when exercising, when it’s hot, at high altitudes, during bladder infections, during pregnancy/breast feeding and when alcohol is consumed. So it’s not as straight forward as drinking 8 glasses a day which is the volume often banded about (what size is a glass anyway?). This also doesn’t take into account whether you consume high water content fruits and veg. It should also be noted that although it is less common, too much water can lead to mineral imbalances and disrupted sleep. It’s important to work out a level that is right for YOU! I suggest aiming for 1½ litres per day and see how you feel. If you drink virtually nothing now, don’t be scared by this amount. Simply start by drinking one more glass a day for a week, than you did yesterday. Perhaps replace a cup of coffee with water. On week two, drink two more glasses than you started with and so on until you achieve a level that feels right. You’ll know what’s right when you feel more energised, your skin is clearer, you are less hungry, the brain fog is lifted…. Tip: Drink it hot or cold and try flavouring with fresh fruits but avoid commercial flavoured water as they often have refined sugars added. So I challenge you to document energy levels, skin appearance, digestion and so on, now. Increase your water intake and compare how you feel in 1 month. I’d love to hear from you via email or on Facebook as to how you got on. FB: www.facebook.com/lorrainewallace.hc/ www.lorrainewallace.com Email: lorraine@lorrainewallace.com ~ Tel: 05 55 68 15 77 30 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
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Ian’s Orange Day by Caroline Self
On 15th February 2016 my darling husband Ian passed away at the age of 64 after a 3 year fight with primary liver cancer. We had bought our home in 2004 and retired here permanently in 2006. As we were both bikers, a couple of years later we started up the 2nd Sunday Club, but 2 years ago Ian started to get vertigo, so the bikes had to go and we concentrated then on our campervan, Dafney, touring as much as we could around Europe, as Ian wanted to see as much as possible. This disease came as a result of not being an alcoholic (although he enjoyed a drink when socialising), but as a result of him having aged-related diabetes; a condition he had suffered with since 1997. Without him realising, he had sclerosis of the liver which in turn developed cancer! “If only” and “why me?” were common phrases used by him over the last 3 years but on average, once diagnosed, this type of cancer normally kills in months, not years, and it’s thanks to the medical help he got here in France that he managed to survive so long - as they tried out various methods and trial drugs to find a cure. Ian’s sense of humour also helped us cope and shortly after his diagnosis he decided to get himself (on his own may I add) a new pair of glasses, and he returned home with a big grin on his face wearing an orange pair. It came to be his symbol of defiance - he wasn’t going to let this disease take him down without a fight and gradually his collection of orange items came in all shapes and sizes. He was recognised by the colour he wore and if he could have persuaded me, we would have bought an orange car too. A few days before he died he chose an orange cardboard coffin and at his cremation there was a huge orange bow in place of flowers, messages written on the lid along with stick-it notes from friends and family with their own personal messages of farewell. The room was decorated with orange balloons and with a song sung beautifully by my sisters and a ‘This Is Your Life’ eulogy by our close friend Peter - everyone celebrated his life. Money was also collected at the end of the service and when totalled up, along with other donations, added up to €1,200 - a fantastic amount.
DONT FORGET! Deadline:
I also announced that, in remembrance of Ian, I would hold a charity ‘do’ on 8th June at our home, every year, to raise money for Cancer Research. There will be hand-made teddy bears similar to this one pictured (photo right) and other donated items. The hope is to raise a minimum of 1000€.
of the month
My son, Tom, designed the ribbon symbol and I am will have badges made to sell them for 5€ each to go towards the fund. Ian didn’t want to depart from this life without being able to help somebody, so, with everyone’s help he won’t be forgotten and maybe in a couple of years they can find a cure for this dreaded disease.
We will keep you to up-to-date of news about Ian’s Orange Day on 8th June..... Watch this space!
CONTRIBUTIONS... We are always looking for new articles for consideration in future issues. You can call Sarah on 05 49 70 26 21 with any ideas, or send them on an email to: info@thedeuxsevresmonthlyfr
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 31
Home & Garden Do you want your home2bchic? Workshops ~ Interior design services ~ Event styling Home staging ~ Soft furnishings
by Elaine Watt
People are increasingly more interested in property and interior design, although taking on the re-styling of a room can be a daunting process. home2bchic can help with something as simple as a list of suggestions that would make a difference to your home, or can take on the full makeover of a complete room or property. The home staging service is ideal for those selling their house that need advice and practical help with making the most of their property and getting it ready for market. I have always been passionate about design, interiors and textiles and after graduating from The Scottish College of Textiles with a BaHons in textile design, my career involved teaching interior design, soft furnishing classes and creative textiles. I can offer a variety of ‘packages and options’ for any budget and offer workshops if you fancy being creative and adding some personalised style to your room. Learn some tricks of the trade and create some unique accessories with guidance and expertise in a fun and relaxed atmosphere. More information is available on my website and on Facebook, or call me if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing from you.
Website: home2bchic.wordpress.com Facebook: Home2bchic Telephone: 05 49 28 21 48
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THE AMATEUR GARDENER Whoop! Whoop! The sun is shining! Now we can get going, so gird your loins my gardening friends: ke (Topinambour). rusalem Articho a root vegetable, Je of rs be tu t Plan edible and used as screen As well as beingll provide a temporary flowering ty wi gh au rs ul in a dr these tube t high. Very usef approximately 5f the compost bin! corner or to hide e plants nth and give th soil y beds this moor e rr th be w s ra es st dr d ee W ts Use slug pelle straw to deter a good feed. ou the plants with nd ar d an r de un slugs and snails. y to ground level. chsias, practicall Fu y rd ha oots to grow ck ba ng Cut e new, stro sh th e ag ur co en ill This w better. . In the case s and rock plants ial er nn re pe , bs ru member they prefcally Plant sh s and Azaleas re ifi of Rhododendronin and top dress with peat spec acid soil so dig Feed established plants. . for these plants ing. hia after flower Prune Forsyt manure/garden and mulch with ” grass cuttings to ds be se ro d ee W peat or apply 1/2 compost/moist moist. il so e th help keep h. Protect new d out this mont te an pl be n ca s Dahlia e frosts. shoots from lat ter slugs and egg shells to de or ts lle pe ug sl Scatter as and Irises. snails from Host rennials. ace congested pe Divide and repl Lower the d feed the lawn.ve cuts to a an d ee w , ify ar essi Mow, sc n, adually over succ mower blades gr If you are planning a new law ”. . rf tu lay minimum of 1/2 to sow seed or now is the time cane fruits. Feed ound bush and ch to retain ar ds ee w ol tr on C plant foods. Mul with proprietary r new weeds. te de d moisture an Sprouts, etroot, Brussel Sow seeds of Begettes, Spinach, Runner Beans, Cucumber, Cour cket (roquette). , Ro Melon, Pumpkin sets. Plant onion e seen. soon as they ar arb flowers as Remove rhub sprays at dusk d diseases. Use an s st pe r fo ts. Check pollinating insec to avoid harming
by Vanda Lawrence
Alternatively, you can use stakes at each corner and attach the wire fencing to this. It will be quite stable and roomy and air can circulate. However, because of the air circulation the compost will be drier and take longer to decay so sprinkle with water occasionally to help things along. You can also speed things up initially by adding a couple of spades of finished compost or some shop bought composting agent. If you need to mulch under shrubs or large herbaceous plants and your compost is not quite ready, don’t worry you can still use it – any unsightly larger lumps will be hidden by leaves and foliage but will continue to break down and help the plant. If you have lots of lawn clippings you can use these directly from the mower, so long as no chemical weedkillers have been used on the lawn. Spead them around the plant to retain moisture in the soil. It’s also worth investing in a shredder so you can shred hedge clippings etc, either to use as a mulch or to go into the composter. While I’m on the subject of avoiding waste, don’t forget you can use egg boxes as seed trays – fill with peat and put one or two seeds in each little section. Yoghurt pots or toilet roll tubes are other alternatives. Or – and this is a new one to me – after cutting lemons or oranges in half to juice them you can use the empty skin/shell to plant a couple of seeds in. As with the egg boxes you can then plant the whole thing into pots or straight into the garden when the seeds have germinated and once the weather is good enough. Another reminder is regarding plastic bottles – clear plastic bottles can be used as mini-greenhouses, either to plant seeds in or to use as a cloche to protect young seedlings; just cut in half, fill half with peat and plant seeds then use the top half as a cloche covering. You can unscrew the bottle lid to let the air circulate as necessary. If you have trouble with moles stand a plastic bottle upright in the mole hole. Take the lid off the bottle and when the wind blows across it the noise will resonate down into the soil and disturb the moles. Hopefully they will take the hint and move on. Also, I must mention that last month I spoke about growing Asparagus. Since then a friend has pointed out that here in France they seem to prefer white Asparagus. These plants need to be planted deeper in the soil and must be kept earthed up so the light does not get to the spears and start turning them green. (Thank you to Di for that!). And something else I’ve learned since last month – Asparagus is a good companion plant for tomatoes because tomatoes repel the asparagus beetle; in return Asparagus repels root nematodes that affect tomato plants. I really think I need to go and lie down in a darkened room now – my poor head is spinning with all this information ;) Happy gardening everyone! White asparagus (rear), green asparagus (middle) Bath asparagus (front) © Wikimedia Commons/GearedBull
Whilst making notes in readiness for this month’s article I realised how often I mention ‘mulching’ and ‘composting’, especially at this time of year when we are clearing and weeding flower beds and shrubberies. So, before I go any further I’ll give you some ideas for making your own compost container in the garden, which will save you the expense of buying woodchip or peat for mulching your plants, and, more importantly, is environmentally friendly. We are all so concerned with saving our planet, yet so much household rubbish is still thrown away when it could be used in the compost bin. It’s quite simple. For a container 1 metre diameter you will need some plastic coated wire mesh 320 x 100cm. The mesh should be strong enough to stand up on its own when shaped into a cylinder. Join the ends, stand it up in a corner of the garden and start filling. 34 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
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Motoring Intercepting a Great British GT
M
y first full time job was in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, working for a small couture label, and aside from teaching me much about how not to run a business, one of the other memorable things was my introduction to the Jensen Interceptor. My colleague Diane’s husband had one, which, she said, he loved more than her! The Interceptor was introduced in 1966, before I was born, but even in the late 80’s it was quite exotic. The all steel 2-door body designed by Vignale, featured an iconic large curved rear windscreen that opened in the style of a hatchback. The engine was an American Chrysler 6.3 litre V8 which, even considering the size and weight of this car, gave it tremendous performance and a distinctive exhaust rumble. When you consider that it came onto the market in an era of industrial discord and trouble in the Middle East, the hand built jettsetting Interceptor must have offered a world of fabulous escapism. Certainly it catapulted Jensen into the upper echelons of the supercar manufacturers, and is one of the biggest and best British Grand Touring Cars ever built. Jensen, an all British manufacturer, built their Interceptor at the Kelvin Way factory in West Bromwich. The original specification included electric windows, reclining front seats, a wood rimmed steering wheel, radio with twin speakers, reversing lights and an electric clock! The interior was stylish and the car exuded glamour and unpretentious elegance, attracting an eclectic roster of famous owners including no less than Frank Sinatra, Clark Gable, Tony Curtis, Dusty Springfield, Farrah Fawcett, Mick Fleetwood, Princess Anne and even Cliff Richard and Eric Morecambe. There was a desirable convertible version available too, but the technical star of the range was the Jensen FF. This was the world’s first performance car with permanent fourwheel drive and anti-lock brakes. A fore-runner of the Audi quattro, if you like.
Although it was a highly innovative vehicle in a technical sense, the FF was not commercially successful. Its price was high — about 30% higher than the Jensen Interceptor, and more than that of luxury GTs from much more prestigious makers. Press articles from the time quote “drag-strip” performance when describing the FF, although the actual figures show that it was marginally slower than the standard car. Imagine a 0-60 time of 6-7 seconds in a car from the late 1960s or early 1970s, when most cars on the road struggled to reach 100mph! For those who thought that even the standard Interceptor wasn’t quite powerful enough, the 1971 Jensen SP was just what the doctor ordered. ‘SP’ stood for ‘Six-Pack’ and denoted that these Jensen Interceptors sported three twin-barrel Holley carburettors in a ‘six-pack’ configuration. The designation also hinted at a macho and hairy-chested nature, for the SP was the most powerful Jensen ever built. The 7.2 litre engine gave out 385bhp, which meant a top speed of 150mph. Despite everything, the world situation was working against Jensen. In the wake of the 1973 energy crisis, the company fell on hard times and by 1975 it was placed into receivership. Although the receivers allowed production to be wrapped up using the available cache of parts, production of the Interceptor ended in 1976 with just under 6500 examples built in total. These days the Interceptor is a fairly rare beast and being susceptible to rust, good examples are now harder to find. If you wish to buy one, the golden rule is to buy the best body you can afford, remembering that being handbuilt, bodies are time consuming and expensive to repair. In comparison with one of its contemporaries of the era, the Aston Martin, Interceptors were always cheaper, but not by much. Yet today they are a fraction of the price of the Newport Pagnell cars. Most people who have driven both would be quick to confirm that the Jensen is a considerably better car to drive than a straight six or V8 Aston. Of course fuel consumption will be astronomical, but the values of Jensens rise steadily, so it could be a great investment purchase. Prices start at around £10,000 for a project car, up to £30,000 for a good example coupe or £70,000 for a convertible. u u
Helen Tait-Wright Email: helen@stodel.org
Photo: http://teknikensvarld.se
It was closely related to the Interceptor, but had a longer wheelbase, twin vents in the front wings and a bonnet scoop. FF stood for Ferguson Formula, the tractor company behind the allwheel drive system, while the ABS was by Dunlop. At the time it was hailed as a remarkable development and in total 320 FF’s were produced.
by Helen Tait-Wright
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HOW ARE WE DOING? Do you enjoy reading ‘The DSM’? Would you like to see something new? How can we improve? Please send us your FEEDBACK to: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr or add a REVIEW on our Facebook page. 42 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
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Business & Finance Marketing Matters by Cindy Mobey
Brand
What is a brand? Your brand is what makes your business recognisable. Wherever you go in the world, if you see big, yellow arches, you know it’s McDonalds. You also know the experience you’ll get…fast food and fast service. Their brand is instantly recognisable!
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Building a brand means you are marketing your business to be recognisable. Your brand says a lot about you, the person behind your business and links to your reputation. How do your customers see you? What does your business stand for? When someone hears your name or the name of your business, what springs to their minds?
Test your Current Brand
Have you ever tried typing your name, or your businesses name, into Google search? Give it a go, you might be surprised. If I type my name, the first page and a half shows everything I do, from website to blog to particular articles. Look at your results and put yourself in your customers’ shoes….would you employ you? Potential customers also look at your Facebook page. What would a potential customer find if they looked at your personal Facebook page? If you’re trying to build a reputable brand, be careful about what you say on social media. You can tailor your comments on Facebook so that only your friends can see certain © everydayplus at FreeDigitalPhotos.net posts; social media gives you the opportunity to build your public image – it’s the one area you have total control over, so you can decide how you’d like your potential customers to see you.
How to Build a Positive Brand • • • • • • •
Have a website so you have an online presence Have business cards and give them out at every opportunity Use Social Media to promote your business and show what you can do If you don’t have a logo, it might be worth investing in one – then use it on your website, social media and business cards Do you have a blog? It’s a great way to show your expertise Join LinkedIn – it’s a great business to business networking site Set up a Google+ account, it will let Google know that you exist
A good brand demonstrates expertise and shows both existing and potential customers that you’re good at what you do. It takes time to develop a good brand, one that separates you from your competitors. So take a step back and you’ll soon find you can be more appealing to your target audience and create a fantastic personal brand.
Contact Cindy Mobey Tel: 05 45 31 13 86 ~ Email: cindymobey@outlook.com The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 45
Ask Amanda
It was lovely to see so many of you at last month’s Le Tour de Finance at Château Le Clos de la Ribaudière, Poitiers. For those who couldn’t make it, here’s a review of the event and key points raised by the participants:
Michael Lodhi, Managing Director of The Spectrum IFA Group, opened the seminar by explaining that The Spectrum IFA Group are a firm of Independent Financial Advisors regulated and operating across Europe, with Amanda Johnson as the local Advisor for this area. He focused on the importance of regulation when seeking financial advice and the benefits of using well known and good quality products.
Market Headlines
by Sue Cook
If you want to maintain control over your FX payments and be able to budget for your lifestyle in France, whatever your currency pairing, you must be aware that the financial markets, political landscape and world events all affect the FX market. Bearing in mind the current geo-political and economic uncertainty surrounding the Brexit and US Presidential race, it would be • FX Information impossible not to Market take a quick look at recent rate movement. •
FX Market Rate movement sinceInformation December 2015 Rate movement since December 2015
Jeremy Ferguson of SEB Life International, explained how an Assurance Vie works, the importance of portability and how you can build a bespoke portfolio within an Assurance Vie to suit your personal needs.
BOE maintain employment, Wage growth raise interest rates
Andrew Wallace, from Prudential International outlined how the Prudential invests their Oru funds and explained how they use a smoothing process to ensure investing with Prudential International is less of a bumpy ride.
China slowdown, oil prices drop FED hike interest rates
BREXIT hits headlines
John Hall of Standard Bank offers banking to French residents in Sterling, Euros and Dollars. John also summarised their offering for 100% secure investments. Sue Cook and Karolyn Chauvigne from Currencies Direct outlined their ability to pre-book the set rates of today. They also explained how to use Currencies Direct to watch rates for you and review how the exchange rates have changed over the past 6 months. Chris Wanless of Rathbones spoke about the possible impacts of 1 the EU referendum in June. He also talked about market volatility and protecting investments by ensuring diversity in portfolios. Frederic Varin is an English speaking Notaire and he joined us to explain the changes regarding wills, which took place last year for British nationals living in France. As your local Spectrum IFA Group Advisor, I will be happy to speak to you further on any of the areas of financial support and arrange introductions where appropriate. Please feel free to contact me for any further information. With Care, You Prosper. Amsterdam, Luxembourg, Lausanne, Paris, Cote d’Azur, Barcelona, Costa Blanca, Costa del Sol, Madrid, Mallorca, Rome. «The Spectrum IFA Group » is a registered trademark, exclusive rights to use in France granted to TSG Insurance Services S.A.R.L. Siège Social: 34 Bd des Italiens, 75009 «Société de Courtage d’assurances» R.C.S. Paris B 447 609 108 (2003B04384) Numéro d’immatriculation 07 025 332 - www.orias.fr «Conseiller en investissements financiers, référence sous le numéro E002440 par ANACOFI-CIF, association agréée par l’Autorité des Marchés Fin
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Amanda Johnson of The Spectrum IFA Group 05 49 98 97 46 or 06 73 27 25 43 Email: amanda.johnson@spectrum-ifa.com
46 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
The Sterling Euro market has had a bumpy ride since the end of last Currencies Directlast | All rights reserved 2014 © year. This graph shows rate movement over the 6 months and I have pinpointed a few key moments: •
•
•
Mid-September to start of December 2015 – Upward trend in the rate from 1.35 to 1.42 – Bank of England were still maintaining that employment and wage growth were the yardstick for hiking interest rates – both of these measurements were still improving, suggesting the Bank of England would follow the FED and begin increasing rates. Start of December to mid-January – Sterling Euro tops out and begins its downward trend from 1.42 to 1.30 – China’s slowdown, rock bottom oil prices and the FED beginning to hike interest rates shifted the market into decisive “risk off” mode. Mid-Jan to date – 1.31 to 1.26 – Brexit, now regarded as a major risk event, hit the headlines and the market finally took the threat seriously.
This information is something you can get your hands on every day as a registered client of Currencies Direct. We cannot give financial advice to our clients – that’s the realm of experts like Spectrum! but we can provide valuable market overviews so that our clients can make informed decisions on their FX exposure.
Principles of Successful Investing
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by Bradley Warden, Blevins Franks
uccessful investing is hard – financial markets are complicated and unpredictable. A better understanding of investment principles will help you avoid some common pitfalls.
Successful investors are marathon runners, not sprinters. Staying invested in the markets over the long term usually gives the best returns. When you see the markets fluctuate, it can be tempting to buy and sell investments to chase short-term gain, but this rarely helps you meet your longer-term financial goals. We need to be aware of how emotions can affect our actions. As markets peak, we may all feel excited and be tempted to flood into the market. This is often the worst time to do so, as markets are likely to be over-priced. Conversely, when markets dip, investors often feel panic and the fight-or-flight part of our brains urges us to exit the market. This would lock in your losses. For new investors, this would actually be an opportune time to buy. Trying to time the market has plenty of risks, particularly the risk of missing out. Exiting the market during a downward trend can mean missing some of the biggest rebound days. Missing the best few days of a market cycle can significantly affect returns. A hypothetical £10,000 investment in the FTSE All Share Total Return, from January 2005 to December 2014 would have generated a profit of £10,754 if invested throughout. Missing the five best days reduced the profit to £4,278. Missing the 30 best days resulted in a loss of £4,270.
We believe the wisest investors are those who spend time beforehand creating a good long-term strategy, and then have the discipline to stay in the market when necessary. Statistically, they have the best chance of success. Your strategy should be based on your personal circumstances, objectives, time horizon and risk profile. Take professional advice. Figures do not include fees or charges. The effect of these would reduce the figures quoted. Russell Investments Limited is the source of some of the data; opinions expressed are those of Russell Investments and Blevins Franks Financial Management Limited. These views are put forward for consideration purposes only as the suitability of any investment is dependent on individual circumstances. The value of investments can fall as well as rise as can the income arising from them. Past performance should not be seen as an indication of future performance.
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 47
French Income Tax
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by Isabelle Want
es! It’s that time of the year again when we start receiving the dreaded income tax form to fill in (from mid-April to mid-May)!
you are in France, you end up paying tax twice but you then get reimbursed the tax you paid in the UK once you have a French tax reference. This is shown on the ‘Avis d’imposition’ that you receive in August/September of the year you fill in your first French tax form.
As the forms were not available at the time of writing this article, I have decided to give you a prelude on French income tax. I will be explaining who has to fill in a tax form, what revenue you have to declare, how the double taxation treaty works between France and UK and lots of other information.
Note that ex-Civil Servants, Police and Military are taxed in the UK for their pension related to that government based job and will always be! But, when they fill in the French tax form, they fill in that pension revenue on a special section which gives them a tax credit equivalent to what the tax would have been in France for the amount of money they declared.
Next month, when the new forms are available, I will explain how to complete them, in detail.
1. Who has to fill in the tax form?
Basically, everybody who is a French resident (lives in France more than 6 months per year) whether you are employed, self-employed or retired and even if you are obliged to pay taxes in the UK. If it is your first time, you have to go to the ‘Trésor public’ office (tax office) and ask for the forms, which are available from the first week of May. In France, you are not taxed at source. That is why we fill in a form. The advantage is that if you have children or a spouse earning much less than you, it will lower your taxable income as you are taxed as a family not an individual. Adults count as 1 point, the first 2 children as ½ point each and the third child and so on as 1 point. You then divide the total revenue of the family by the number of points you have, to know what your taxable income is. Unmarried couples have to fill in a tax form each!
2. and When?
You fill in a tax form one year after, meaning you declare your revenue of 2015 in April/May 2016. So if you have officially moved to France before July 2015, then you fill in your first French tax form in April/May 2016, on which you declare your revenue of 2015. If you moved to France after July, then you were not French resident in 2015 (in France less than 6 months) and therefore, you will have to fill in your first French tax form in April/May 2017 for your revenue of 2016. When you fill in a tax form in April/May, you then receive the bill (called ‘Avis d’imposition’) in August/September of that same year. This is a very important document proving you filled in your tax form and are therefore a French resident. This bill can show 0€ to pay or unfortunately more!
3. What forms? • • • •
2047: This is the pink form on which you enter your revenue from abroad and you then transfer all those revenues on the blue form called 2042. 2042: For the first time you declare. 2042SK: It is the simpler version of the 2042, usually used by employed people, as it is already filled in with their salaries - so you only have to check that it is correct. 2042K: This the one most of you should use as you can report revenue from abroad on this one and you can’t on the 2042SK.
5. Avis d’imposition
This is a very important document not to be lost. It proves you are French resident, and it also proves your revenue. If you want to get some social help in France (CMU, CAF , RSA, etc), you have to show them that document. Some ISA savings account (LEP) are only available if you can show this document to your bank, as it is only available for people with low income.
6. www.impots.gouv.fr
This is the official web site of the French tax authorities. You can download tax forms, fill in your tax form online and also set up monthly direct debits for your income tax, taxe d’habitation and taxe foncière. Note that from 2019, everybody will have to fill in their income tax form online so the French government is starting from this year and is doing it gradually starting with the richer people. So you might be asked to do it online.
Conclusion
It is an obligation. If you live in France, you have to fill in a French tax form. Next month, I will give you dates and places where I will be available for free help, so don’t panic yet. Don’t hesitate either to contact me for any other subjects such as funeral cover, inheritance law, car, house, professional and top up health insurance. And check out our website www.bh-assurances. fr for my previous articles on the ‘Practical Pages’ of the English site.
4. Double Taxation
N° Orias 07004255
There is a treaty between France and the UK meaning that you cannot be taxed twice. To avoid being taxed twice, you have to fill in this form: United Kingdom/France Double Taxation Convention (SI 2009 Number 226), which you can download from internet. However, you can only fill in this form once you have been taxed in France, as you have to put your French tax reference on the form. Indeed, once the form is filled in, you take it to the French tax office, who stamp it and send it to Paris, who send it to the UK. Then 6 months later, you get reimbursed the tax that you have paid in the UK since you arrived in France, and will then stop being taxed at source in the UK. Because in France, you pay tax for 2015 in 2016 and in the UK you pay tax at source (so in 2015 for 2015), it means that the first year 48 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016
BH Assurances 22 rue Jean Jaures 16700 Ruffec Contact Isabelle Want: Tel: 05 45 31 01 61 Mob: 06 17 30 39 11 Email: isabelle.want@bh-assurances.fr Visit our website: www.bh-assurance.fr
Property
Don’t forget our deadline!
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The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016 | 49
Spring has Sprung .... by Joanna Leggett
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s days lengthen and you drive through the country, you see many a ladder propped against walls or trees with patient pruners making the best of his plants – for Springtime here in Deux-Sèvres is one of lush landscapes and also one of the most beautiful of the year. Fat buds sit waiting to burst open on magnolias, branches on cherry and almond trees are painted palest pink or white and irises burst into magnificent splendour ready for a passing Impressionist to paint in all their glory! For those who love gardens, what surrounds a house could well play a key determinant – and what better time of the year to see the ‘lie of the land’! In St Germier, not far from Niort, a delightful three bedroom country cottage with two bathrooms (Leggett ref: 37787, photo left) sits in mature gardens with panoramic countryside views! Well maintained with central heating and double glazing you’ll be cosy on cooler evenings; but as days become warmer you’ll be drawn out from the large sitting room into the very pretty extensive gardens - for here there is up to 16,000m² available. While it’s a delightful rural retreat you’re still only 10 minutes from local services and to top it off it’s only an hour to the Coast. On the market for €162,000. If it’s land you want, how about a spacious three bedroom bungalow set in 11 hectares (Leggett ref: 42261, photo top right) and a beautiful landscaped garden complete with bridge over its
own pond. Summer won’t come soon enough as you’ll be using the outdoor kitchen as well as the swimming pool and jacuzzi. With three bedrooms and many pretty features inside the house it’s well worth considering, especially as it’s all set in a private location just 10 minutes from L’Absie and Coulonges-sur-l’Autize on the edge of the Vendée – priced at 371,000€. Andre le Notre was famed for creating the gardens at Versailles; on a smaller scale, there’s a 19th century restored Manoir on the market in Mauze sur le Mignon (Leggett ref: 36954, photo right) with two pointed towers, set in 32,000m² of splendid parkland. Garden parterres are elegantly fringed with flowering trees and burgeon with lavender – delightful! With eight bedrooms, six bathrooms and gracious reception rooms you’ll never be short of space. Outside there’s a swimming pool, outbuildings, stables, pigeonnier and renovated cottage – everything one could possibly need! For sale at €739,000! It’s a gardener’s world! Leggett Immobilier is one of the leading estate agents in France. You can access all our local property listings at www.frenchestateagents. com/poitou-charentes-property
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Leggett Immobilier www.frenchestateagents.com
LEGGETT
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN TRUST
Ref: 59563 Elegant 6 bed Maison de Maître near to schools and all amenities. Ideal family home or potential B&B. MAULEON €205,200
Ref: 59235 Lovely 3 bed / 2 bath home with a covered terrace over the garage / workshop, 2 old barns and large garden. LOUBILLE €224,700
Buying or selling a property ? Contact the ‘Best Estate Agency in France’
Ref: 59356 Modern style 2 bed /3 bath village house with possibility to extend in the attic plus a 2 car garage and barn. THENEZAY €194,400
Ref: 42465 Well presented 3 bedroom farmhouse with garden, above ground pool and outbuildings. Hamlet location. LEZAY €194,400
Ref: 52423 Attractive, converted school house with garages, a workshop and mature gardens. Near St Maxient l‘Ecole. AZAY LE BRULE €386,900
Ref: 60695 Lovely 4 bedroom farmhouse - large garden, attic, barn, garage, outbuildings, grazing and a great location. LE BREUIL €166,320
Looking for a new career? Join our winning team. If you want to find out about becoming a sales agent contact max79@leggett.fr
Tel:05 53 60 84 88 or 0800 900 324 www.leggettfrance.com 50 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly, April 2016