Annual Subscription Costs: 29,50€ within France, 18€ 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 45 of
‘The Deux-Sèvres Monthly’ magazine.
This is a busy issue with some great new additions. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I think you will! One new column starting this month is from Vicki Bassey, giving us some interesting information on birthstones and another is for all budding chefs as Mark Little at the Auberge du Noyer will be sharing recipes and ideas with us on a monthly basis. An exciting opportunity also awaits all ballet and opera fans. The new LIVE opera season has started and there is a chance each month of a discounted ticket using the printed voucher AND the chance to win two free pairs of tickets to each show. For more information about this event (ongoing until July 2015), see page 8. Le coin Français and the Movie column have also returned this month so I think that will be enough to keep you entertained until next time! I hope you have a great month, and I’ll be back with all things Christmas in next month’s issue!
à plus, Sarah
Tel: 05 49 70 26 21 Email: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr Website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
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 18 Health, Beauty & Fitness 20 Our Furry Friends 24 Take a Break 26 A-Z of the Communes in the Deux-Sèvres 27 Le Coin Français 28 Home & Garden 29 French Life 33 Communications 36 Food & Drink 39 Motoring 43 Building & Renovation 45 Business & Finance 49 Property 53
This Month’s Advertisers
79 Renovations ABORDimmo Ace Pneus (Tyre supplier & Fitter) Affordable UK Designs (Kitchens & UPVC Double Glazing) AgriPelle Ajmal’s Masala (authentic Pakistani cuisine) AKE Petit Travaux (Builder) A La Bonne Vie Alan Pearce (Plumbing & Heating) Andrew Longman (Plumber) ARB French Property
48 53 44 2 46 42 47 39 45 45 29
ARB French Property Arbrecadabra Tree Surgery BH Assurances / Allianz - Isabelle Want Bill McEvoy (Plumber / Heating Engineer) Blevins Franks Financial Management Bois Nature Energie (Firewood and Outdoor Fencing) Camping Les Prairies du Lac Caniclôture Hidden Fences Cheryl’s Helping Hand Chris Parsons (Heating/Electrical/Plumbing) Christies (English Book Shop & Tea Room) CJ Electricité Clean Sweep Chimney Services Couhe ULM Loisirs Currencies Direct - Sue Cook Cut 46 (Hair Salon) Cym Cards (online shop) David Cropper (Stump Grinding & Jungle Busting) David Watkins Chimney Sweep Deb Challacombe (online counsellor) Down to Earth Pool Design Duncan White - Agent Commerciale Emilie Baudrez (French Classes & Translation) Equi Libre Immobilier Franglais Deliveries GAN Assurances George Rayner Computers Hallmark Electronique Insink Plumbing Irving Location - Digger Hire John Snee Groundworks J.P. Lainé Chimney Sweep Julia Hunt - Agent Commerciale Julie Tee (Freelance Administrator) Kelly’s Events La Deuxième Chance (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint supplier) Lawrence Associates (Renovations etc) Le Clemenceau Bar Le Comptoir du Tapissier (Upholstery and Hardware) Leggett Immobilier Mark Sabestini Renovation & Construction MFP Porge Fermeture (PVC Windows, doors etc) Michael William Hairdressing Michael William Hair salon ML Computers Motor Parts Charente M. Page Landscaping MSS Construction Mutuelles de Poitiers Assurances Nathan Foster Building Services Needa Hand Services Pamela Irving (Massage & Reflexology) Pascale Matéo (French Tuition) Pause! Café L’Absie Plan 170 (Professional Scale Drawings) Polar Express Red, White & Blue (English groceries) Restaurant des Canards Rob Berry Plastering Services Ross Hendry (Interface Consulting & Engineering) Sandy G Hairdresser Sarah Berry (Websites & Graphic Design) Sarl Down to Earth (Fosse Installations & Groundworks) Satellite TV Savons et Senteurs (Soaps and scents) SCP Louis Cagniart & Christel Roy Notaires Siddalls (Financial Advisors) Simon the Tiler Simply Homes & Gardens Steve Enderby Steve Robin (Plumber) Sue Burgess (French Classes & Translation) The Craft Cabin (Handmade Cards and Card-making items) The English Mechanic & Son - Tony Eyre The Spectrum IFA Group - Amanda Johnson Tout Faire Materiaux (Building materials) Under the Top (Underwear Shop) Val Assist (Translation Services) Vergers de Vendée (Apple Orchard) Victoria Bassey Jewellery Boutique Yoga Vendée
53 32 50 45 51 32 33 24 30 45 6 48 48 17 52 21 9 30 48 21 53 54 11 55 44 44 37 48 45 46 46 48 54 38 9 30 47 9 29 54 47 29 20 21 37 44 30 46 44 47 30 21 11 42 53 42 42 39 47 36 21 37 46 37 22 55 49 47 32 45 45 11 9 44 52 48 20 11 40 23 22
© Sarah Berry 2014. 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: novembre 2014 - Tirage: 5000 exemplaires. Siret: 515 249 738 00011 ISSN: 2115-4848
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 3
What’s On...
1st November - ‘A Cocktail of Comedy’ Reaction Theatre performance held at le petit theatre, Secondigny. 3rd - 28th November - Photography Exhibition Alan Law’s exhibition titled ‘Where’s My Camera’, held at L’office de Tourisme du Pays Mellois, Melle. For info please call 05 49 29 15 10. 7th November - First Aid Awareness Workshop Organised by Kelly’s Events this workshop will be held in L’Absie 79240. To find out more, please see advert on P.9 8th & 9th November - Sewing Fayre With a spotlight on Japan. At the Salle des Sports, Moncoutant. 10am-6pm. See article on P6 for more info. 9th November - LOTO organised by Festiv’salles At 3 pm in La Salmdre (Salles de Fete) in Salles de Villefagnan, (nr Ruffec, dept. 16). For further information please contact Eileen Pearce, email: eileenpearce@hotmail.com 11th November - Rememberance Day Parade At the jardin public in Parthenay at 11am. Join CSSG group at 10.30am in Café du Theatre. 11th November - Phoenix Chorale Words & Music in Civray This event commemorates 100 years after the outbreak of WWI, followed by a buffet supper. Ring 05 49 87 45 48 to book. 12th - A Filling Station talk by Jean-Philippe Rouiller In La Roche-sur-Yon at 7.30pm. See advert on P.5. 13th - 29th November - Foire aux Pommes At the orchards of Vergers de Vendée, Saint Hilaire des Loges. See advert on P.40 for details. 13th November - Poetry reading by John Eliot and John Hudson At the ‘Musée des Beaux-Arts’ in Angers at 8pm. Entrance fee: 4€, Reservations are recommended. 15th November - Autumn Bazaar In aid of All Saints Anglican Church, Vendée - held in the Salle Paroissiale, Puy de Serre. 10am-4pm. Free entry. 15th November - Christmas Market At The English Shop, Claranne’s Pantry in St Paul Mont Penit. See advert on P.6. 15th November - Christmas Trader’s Fayre At Le Clemenceau bar, Mouilleron-en-Pareds. See advert on P.9 for information. 16th November - Marché des Borderies (embroidery) at St Sulpice de Cognac 9am-6pm. 17th November - British Cinema evening at the Gallia Theatre in Saintes. 22nd and 23rd November - Open House Xmas Sale At the Craft Cabin in Melleran. See details on P.9. 23rd November - Open mic Night 8pm till late at the Auberge du Noyer. See P.41 for contact details. 26th November - LIVE Opera L’Elixir d’amour Showing at CGR Cinema Niort. See article on P.8 for details and for your discounted coupon. 29th November - Live Music Night At the Auberge du Noyer. See P.41 for contact details. 29th & 30th November - Marché de Noel At the salles des Fetes in Fenioux. See advert on P.7. 30th November - Christmas Market At Pause! Café, Labsie. See advert on P.42. 30th November - Xmas Market Salles de Villefagnan 10am to 6pm in La Salmdre (Salles de Fete) in Salles de Villefagnan, nr Ruffec. (dept.16). Please contact Eileen Pearce on 05 45 31 50 50 or email: eileenpearce@hotmail.com
What’s Coming Up...
5th-7th December - Alan Bennet Festival This first festival is organised by local theatre group, TheatriVasles. To find out more please see article on P.7. 6th & 7th December - Christmas Fayre Organised by the Hope Association’s Charity Shop. From 10am to 5pm at Route 66, 87320 Bussiere Poitevine. For more info please see advert on P.24. 7th December - Christmas Market at Terves Organised by Association Aidez. See advert on P.7
November 2014 The Chaplaincy of Christ the Good Shepherd, Poitou-Charentes, hold English speaking monthly services. • • •
1st Sunday at 10.30am: At St Leger, near Melle. Followed by tea & coffee. 2nd Sunday at 11.00am: the home of Ann White, Jassay 4th Sunday at 10.30am: the Presbytery Rooms, rue de la Citadelle, Parthenay (opposite St Croix Church). 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 about location of churches and what else is happening near you, please take a look at our website www.church-in-france.com or contact us by email: offfice.goodshepherd@orange.fr 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 05 49 87 89 16 or email: michael.willis@sfr.fr 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 A warm welcome awaits you at our meetings in the Vendée on the 1st & 3rd Sunday in the month at 11am. We meet at The Barn, off the D960B between Pouzauges and Chantonnay. Meetings last about an hour and are followed by a time of fellowship with refreshments. To find out more please contact Chris Taylor 09 60 49 78 50 or Des Vine 05 49 74 18 27 or visit: www.therendezvous.fr
November’s CHRISTMAS MARKETS (see our Online Calendar on www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr for more information) 9th - Liglet 86290 15th - Argenton-les-Vallées 79150 15th - Mouilleron-en-Pareds 85390 15th - St Paul Mont Penit, 85670 23rd - Ayron 86190 23rd - Les Dames de F.E.R. Christmas market Parzac 16450 23rd - Saint-Mary 16260 23rd - Chizé 79170 29th (evening) - Blanzac-Porcheresse 16250 29th & 30th - Fenioux 79160 29th (pm) - Saint Etienne du Bois 85670 30th - Chauray 79180 30th - La Pommeraie-sur-Sèvre 85700 30th - Les Essarts 85140 30th - Longeves 17230 30th - Salles de Villefagnan 16700
‘The Deux-Sèvres Monthly’ magazine. Published by Sarah Berry 3 La Bartière, 79130 SECONDIGNY Tel: 05 49 70 26 21 ~ Email: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr ~ www.magazineanglais79.com
4 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly
Paperback Jan Books in English Find me at these venues during November: Café Cour de Miracle, Vouvant 85120. 2.30pm - 4.30pm Vue du Château, Bressuire 79300. 11am - 1pm Bar Palais, St Aubin le Cloud 79450 2pm-4.30pm Bar de la Paix, Thouars 79100. 11.30am - 1.30pm Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux 79160. 4pm - 6pm Bar Le Chauray, St Maixent l’Ecole 79400. 10am - 1pm Venue TBC 4pm - 6pm Pause! L’Absie 79240 2pm - 5pm Jan’s Home, La Ferriére-en-Parthenay 79390.1pm - 5pm Le Clemenceau, Mouilleron-en-Pareds 85390. 11am - 5pm Jan’s Home, La Ferriére-en-Parthenay 79390.1pm - 5pm Le Relais des 2 Moulins, Clessé 79350. 4pm - 6pm Pause!, L’Absie 79240. Christmas Market 11am - 5pm For more info contact Jan on: 06 08 30 73 29 or email: paperbackjan@gmail.com
5th: 6th: 6th: 7th: 7th: 8th: 12th: 13th: 14th: 15th: 26th: 27th: 30th:
Open 6.30-9pm
From 7pm Top Hat Quiz & Curry
Dates & Venues for November: 3rd: Limalonges 6th: Chef Boutonne 12th: Aigre 13th: Champniers Tel: 05 45 71 70 91 - more info at www.tophatquizzes.com
Reel Fish & Chips November
Weds 5th & 19th Fri 7th Sat 8th Thurs 20th Fri 21st
The Canteen, Etusson Bar Tabac PMU, Bouille-Loretz Bar Vue du Chateau, Bressuire Bar Tabac PMU, St Martin de Sanzay Bar Tabac PMU, Genneton
Tel: 06 04 14 23 94 - www.reelfishandchips.net
Open 6-8.30pm La Vendée Chippy Wednesdays: Bar ‘Auberge le St Vincent’, St Vincent Sterlanges Thursdays: We will return to Mervent in March 2015 Fridays: Bar ‘Au Bon Coin’, Thoursais Bouildroux Saturdays: Bar ‘Le Clemenceau’, Mouilleron-en-Pareds (1st 15th & 29th)
Open 6.30-9pm (incl. Bank Holidays)
Mr T’s Friterie
(back from holiday 6th November)
With regular venues at: • • •
Aulnay 17470 (from 6pm) Matha 17160 Gourville 16170
• •
St Hilaire de Villefranche
17770
St Jean d’Angély 17400
Tel: 02 44 39 16 73 - www.lavendeechippy.com
See www.frying4u2nite.com for details or call 06 02 22 44 74
The National Holidays, Religious and Feast Days 2014
Fish 4 Chip + Authentic Indian meals
Saturday 1st November.....All Saint’s Day (Toussaint) Tuesday 11th November....Armistace Day (Armistace) Thursday 25th December...Christmas Day (Noël) Dates in blue are celebration days, not public holidays
Open 6 - 8pm Mondays: Bar Tilleuls, Champniers (near Civray) Tuesdays: Sauzé-Vaussais (Main square) Wednesdays: Chef Boutonne (near Chateau) Thursdays: Sauzé-Vaussais - Evening (Main square) Fridays: Mansle (car park of Simply Supermarket) Tel: 06 37 53 56 20 - www.mobilefishandchipsfrance.com
What’s On...ONLINE NEW! Online Calendar now available on www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr Share your events online for free - email the details to events@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 5
Getting Out & About
Japan in the Spotlight
FestiVasles
with TheatriVasles!
For the 6th year, the embroidery section of the MPT, Nadine Bazantay and Virginia Pennetier, from the Bressuire shop ‘Petit Points et Dessous’, together organise the show ‘Créations autour du Fil’.
Following on from the news in last month’s magazine announcing the very first FestiVasles this December, TheatriVasles are pleased to share the programme of events:
The event will attract around 75 exhibitors representing various needle arts and materials. There will be sewing, quilting, knitting, crochet, Angora, Mohair, bobbin lace, patchwork, traditional embroidery, silk threads, Japanese embroidery, a bookstore, fashion designers, canvas embroidery, trims & ribbons, tapestry, picture frames, antique haberdashery, felt, fiber art, buttons and so much more!
Friday 5th December • 2pm: Vernissage of FestiVasles, launch of TheatriVasles and opening of Alan Bennett Exhibition • 2.30pm: Theatre Skills Workshops, led by Steve Marshall and a guest director from the UK • 8pm: Evening Performance of the three Talking Heads: Her Big Chance, A Chip in the Sugar and A Bed Amongst the Lentils
This year, two very well known Japanese authors will be present. Yoshiko Tsukiori is the author of books on sewing and Mariko Oka about knitting and crochet; two very popular activities in France.
Saturday 6th December 2.30pm Matinee Performance of the three Talking Heads, followed by a Question and Answer Session with Directors and Actors
In addition, the international textile challenge to ‘painters of the world’ will bring together 90 paintings produced by 30 Japanese, 30 French and 30 American artists.
Sunday 7th December 1pm: Gala lunch (3 courses plus coffee) interspersed with ‘Snippets’ of Bennett Close of FestiVasles
As in previous years, a competition is held. This year’s theme is ‘A Kimono in the Land of the Rising Sun’ and 100 completed works will be exhibited at the show and voted for by the public. Prizes will be awarded by the Mayor of Moncoutant. The show is open Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th November from 10am until 6pm. The entry fee is 3€ and is valid for both days. Food and coffee will be available on site. More information about the show can be found on the website www.creationsautourdufil.over-blog.com 6 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly
Theat r i Vasl es Pr esent saThr eeDay
Al anBennet tFest i val 5, 6, 7December2014
Cel ebr at i ngt he25th Anni ver sar yofTal ki ngHeads: “ HerBi gChance” “ AChi pi nt heSugar ” “ ABedAmongstt heLent i l s” * Mati neeandEveni ngPer f or mances * Fi l m,Exhi bi t i on,Wor kshops
* Gal aLunchwi t hBennet t“ Sni ppet s” Fol l owusonFacebookf orf ul lpr ogr ammedet ai l s.Ti cket sf r om t i cket st heat r i vasl es@gmai l . com or Kat eon06 15480089. Ti cket sf orsomeevent sar est r i ct l yl i m i t edsobookear l yt oavoi ddi sappoi nt ment .
Full programme details are available on Facebook. Tickets available by email: ticketstheatrivasles@gmail.com or from Kate on 06 15 48 00 89. Tickets for performances are €10, Workshops €5 (or free when purchasing a performance ticket however, places are strictly limited, so book early), Gala lunch €15.
Theat r i Vasl es Pr esent saThr eeDay
Al anBennet tFest i v al 5, 6, 7December2014
Cel ebr at i ngt he25th Anni v er sar yofTal ki ngHeads: “ HerBi gChance” “ AChi pi nt heSu gar ” “ ABedAmongstt heLent i l s” * Mati neeandEv eni ngPer f or mances * Fi l m,Exhi bi t i on,Wor kshops * Gal aLu nchwi t hBennet t“ Sni ppet s” Fol l owu sonFacebookf orf u l lpr ogr ammedet ai l s.Ti cket sf r om t i cket st heat r i v asl es@gmai l . com or Kat eon06 1548 0089. Ti cket sf orsomeevent sar est r i ct l yl i mi t edsobookear l yt oavoi ddi sappoi nt ment .
LitFest 2014
The three-day LitFest attracted around 700 people to the village of St Clémentin. A very big thank you to all the volunteers who helped to publicise and stage the event. The pop-up Bookshop, The Copper Kettle and the Tombola were outstandingly well-run and thoroughly appreciated by all. Principal guest Blake Morrison (direct from heading up the Edinburgh festival) and internationally acclaimed novelist Michèle Roberts attracted large audiences. Both described the festival as “Wonderful”. John Hudson’s poetical promenades were hugely popular: a book of his poems about local heritage is planned. Terry and Monica Darlington of ‘Narrow Dog to Carcasonne’ fame entertained with stories of their adventures accompanied by Jim and Jesse, the intrepid Whippets. Crime writer Leigh Russell vowed to return in 2016 when the next bilingual festival takes place. It was particularly moving to stage a tribute to Marie Madeleine Davy, the remarkable philosopher and benefactress who lived and died in St Clémentin. Lunch on the riverside terrace of her former home was a delightful interlude on Sunday, accompanied by the local team of horn players sounding haunting calls across the valley. A magnificent exhibition of photographs by Howard Needs of frescoes from churches representing each department
Quilting for Charity A group of ladies based in L’Absie, are learning the art of patchwork and have been busy creating this fabulous quilt to raise-money for the charity, ‘Medecines San Frontiere’. Raffle tickets can be purchased from the new sewing shop in L’Absie and prizes will be announced next month: 1st prize: 2nd prize: 3rd prize:
Entree Gratuite
in Poitou-Charentes was accompanied by a haiku competition won by Veronique Pineau of Saintes. Writers who’d won prizes in the Segora competitions read extracts of their work on Saturday evening in the presence of the judges and to an audience of over 70 people at Chez Didier. This included The Deux-Sèvres Monthly’s very own John Sherwin, winner of the Segora Vignette. John’s wine-tasting event was another highlight of the festival. “What a lovely festival and what heroic work from all the volunteers: the bookshop! the tombola! the cakes! We met so many interesting people Above: Chloe Martinez, storyteller, here”. Grianne Tobin, winner musician and dancer enchanted her Segora International poetry audience with traditional songs. competition, 2014. Photographs can be seen on www.stclementinlitfest.com. If you’d like to become a friend of the festival contact Jocelyn & Gordon Simms on email addresses: simms.gordon@orange.fr or jocelynsimms@gmail.com If you’d like to become involved with the activities of this group, they meet on the first and third Thursday of each month at ‘The maison pour tous’ in L’Absie and are happy to welcome any newcomers.
Quilt and matching cushion Doorstop chicken ‘Henrietta’ ‘Nellie’ Patchwork elephant zip bag.
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 7
Wednesday 26th November, 8.15pm (Opera: 3 acts, duration 2hrs 45mins)
L’Elixir d’amour by Gaetano Donizetti
Royal Opera House Choir and Orchestra
LIVE
Opera Season 2014
If you love classical music and dance, then this is for you! This season, in conjuction wil the Royal Opera House, there will be regular operas and ballets broadcast LIVE to your local cinema. The greatest tenors, sopranos and orchestral leaders come directly to you highlighting the best of this classical medium. The shows will also include some exclusive bonuses and stories behind the scenes. The CGR Cinema in Niort is one cinema in the area participating in this season of events. To find others, please visit the website:
www.rohaucinema.fr
FREE TICKET GIVEAWAY >>>>>>>>
This comic opera tells the story of love in a Basque village. In the late eighteenth century, the shy peasant Nemorino is in love with rich and educated Adina, who is insensitive to the charms of the young man. Instead, Adina accepts the marriage proposal of swaggering Sergeant Belcore. Nemorino buys an ‘elixir of love’ from a travelling doctor, that is in fact a bottle of Bordeaux. He then decides he must forget Adina and join the army, when Adina changes her mind and confesses her love for Nemorino after all.
We have 2 pairs of tickets to giveaway for each live Opera showing at the CGR Cinema in Niort. For your chance to win these free tickets, simply go to our website www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr and register your name* and email address with us. A name will be drawn randomly 7 days prior to the next showing, and the winning tickets sent to you. *Only one registration allowed per person. The names will rollover to the next draw. If you don’t have access to an email address, please send your name, address and telephone number by post to: Sarah Berry, 3 La Bartiere, 79130 SECONDIGNY.
Special Discount for Readers! T H E R O YA L O P E R A
YOUR TICKET TO THE OPERA
L’ELISIR D’AMORE €
13 19
ONLY
CATCH BRYN TERFEL IN THE ROLE OF THE CRAFTY DOCTOR FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH THE ROYAL OPERA
NEMORINO ADINA MUSIC
VITTORIO GRIGOLO | DULCAMARA BRYN TERFEL LUCY CROWE | BELCORE LEVENTE MOLNÁR
INSTEAD OF
OFFER VALID ON PRESENTATION OF THIS COUPON IN YOUR CGR CINEMA OF NIORT
GAETANO DONIZETTI | CONDUCTOR DANIELE RUSTIONI DIRECTOR LAURENT PELLY
LIVE FROM LONDON 26 NOVEMBER 2014 AT 8.15PM
8 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly
www.cgrcinemas.fr
€
Online Cards and Giftwraps...
Based in Normandy, Cym Cards is an online Greeting card shop, supplying top quality UK High street Greeting cards for all occasions at better than UK High Street prices. We ship across France and internationally. “Having noticed how limited the choice of greeting cards were in the local shops in France, I decided to bring UK greeting cards to France. I started the business in 2009, selling at local markets and fairs, whilst developing the web shop which was launched in 2011” says owner Yvonne Moss. “I worked as the Customer Service Manager of the Christmas Division for one of the largest greeting manufactures in the UK. I now buy their products and sell them in France! I work directly for many top UK publishers and wholesalers”.
A Date for your Diary
Open House Xmas Sale - this year’s annual event will be held on 22nd & 23rd November at my house in Melleran. The Craft Cabin will have all the usual goodies Xmas Crackers, boxed Xmas cards (from 3,50€ a box), handmade cards and gift ideas. Also attending this year is Bespoke with handmade gifts & Christmas decorations and Aura Boutique with crystal Angels, healing stones, semi-precious jewellery and Neil’s Yard products. For more information please email me on denise.eyre@wanadoo. fr or Tel 06 75 89 95 55. Hope to see you there, Denise.
Contact Sarah at ‘The DSM’ on 05 49 70 26 21
with only expats shopped with me, “ Tobutbegin I now have regular French clients who love the quality and design of the products
“
There is a fantastic choice on the webshop, which includes Relations Birthday, Ages 1-100, General and Open Birthday, Christening, New Baby, New Home, New Job, Get Well, Condolence, Congratulations, Thank You, Thinking of You, Wedding, Valentine, Easter, Mother’s and Father’s Day, etc. A wonderful selection of Boxed Christmas cards, individual cards for family and friends, Tom Smith Christmas Crackers, gift wrap, bags, tags and accessories are also available. You name it - they have it! If you don’t see what you like - ask. New stock arrives regularly. The ‘send it for me’ service is proving to be very popular, Cym Cards handwrite the card and send it directly to the recipient for you. Many UK clients use this service to send cards to their friends and family living in France, and vice versa!
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 9
Local Musicians Take the Stage Each year we arrange live music at our Anglo-French Trade Fair. This year it was difficult to find something a little different, but after chatting with Anne Dessens, organiser of the music workshops in Coulonges-sur-l’Autize, we found what we were looking for! Anne was able to introduce me to fellow musicians and friends, ‘The Salt Pin-Ups’ and suggested she could also take to the stage herself. As I had also previously booked Kate Stone, a young guitar soloist, we turned out to have a complete female line-up! They were all brilliant, and I heard much applause! Here’s a little about the band ‘The Salt Pin-Ups’ and Anne herself:
Anne Dessens Trio I’m American, born and bred in the hills of Appalachia (West Virginia), and this has perhaps had more affect on my music than I realise. Music has always been part of my life starting with many years of piano and flute before beginning taking up singing lessons and singing solos in the choir. I never thought making a career out of music was for me. So I ventured into other areas of study such as psychology and personal development, thinking that I wasn’t cut out to be a musician. But like they say about the country: “You can take the girl out of the country but you can’t take the country out of the girl” - Well, I suppose I have tried to take the music out of me but the music in me won’t keep still! So I took up guitar lessons with Jean-Michel Antolin.
We are three Deux-Sèvrienne singers (Amandine Caplanne, Sarah Soulard and Armelle Bescond) accompanied by a guitarist, Jean Michel Antolin. Jean-Michel composes the arrangements of our songs and plays “picking”, a style that brings something special to our sound. Almost all of our songs are harmonized to all three voices.
Little did I know that picking up the guitar would not only bring out my folky, country-style roots, but also lead me down the path to a long-held but unfathomable dream: to create and write my own songs. For some reason I could never do this with the piano but with the guitar, writing songs and new music seem effortless. To date I’ve composed a dozen of my own songs, which are currently being arranged and recorded for my first album and the basis of my new group: Anne Dessens Trio with Jean-Michel Antolin on guitar and Jean-Luc Ouvrard on Bass, both long-standing, accomplished professional musicians.
Our repertoire consists mostly of covers of jazz from the 40-50s, including pieces of the Andrews Sisters and the Chordettes, and other pieces arranged in close harmony, characteristic of that era. We also interpret the solo pieces to reveal the tone of each of our voices. In fact, when we sing in harmony, it is difficult to distinguish who sings what !!
I’m very honoured to be working with them both on this new musical endeavour; Jean-Michel Antolin is a professional musical arranger with whom I’m working very closely on my songs and Jean-Luc Ouvrard has his own recording studio (les Allouettes) in Fontenay-le-Comte (85), where we’re putting together the right sound.
We started singing together by chance three years ago, during a cabaret evening. As our voices worked well together, we continued to sing together for parties or cabaret songs. Our group had a break when Sarah went to work in New Zealand but since returning, we worked the stage with Alain Fritsch, the theater of Lifeboat Niort and have performed as a group nearly thirty times. We were recently selected at a jazz contest (the Rendez-Vous Erdre), placing us 3rd out of 70 participanting bands!
My playlist and style is quite folky, yet jazzy, and is inspired by music artists like the Dixie Chicks, Jewel and Norah Jones. Inspiration also comes from classic folk/rock bands such as Creedence Clearwater Revival, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Bob Dylan and James Taylor.
The Salt Pin-Ups
Make Contact: Anne Dessens Tel: 06.61.43.92.03 www.annedessens.wix.com/music Email: annekdessens@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/anne.kennelldessens
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I love to sing and I love to play the guitar. Playing for others is like the icing on the cake: what a joy and a privilege to do what we love to do...
Anne and Jean-Michel playing at this year’s Anglo-French Trade Fair in Secondigny.
Armelle Bescond Tel: 06 67 77 18 24 Facebook: www.facebook.com/salt.pinups Kate Stone via Facebook: www.facebook.com/ pages/Kate-Stone/109661305785973
Please Remember, the 11th November by Sue Burgess
L’armistice (the armistice) signed on the 11th November 1918 is remembered on the 11th November. It marked the end of the first world war (la première guerre mondiale) or (la grande guerre), and the capitulation (la capitulation) of Germany. The 11th November is a bank holiday (jour férié) in France. It is Remembrance day (le jour du Souvenir) written into the law of 24 October 1922. Cérémonies commémoratives (commemorations) are organised. Les fanfares (brass bands) parade through the streets and citizens go to the war memorial (monument aux morts) for a ceremony where wreaths (un gerbe) are laid. In Paris, the President wearing his Bleuet de France (Sticker showing a blue cornflower or a blue paper cornflower) lays a blue, white and red wreath at the foot of the statue of Georges Clemenceau then goes up the Champs-Élysées escorted by the Garde républicaine (mounted Republican Guard), passer les troupes en revue (reviews the troops) and then goes over to the tomb of the unknown soldier (la tombe du soldat inconnu) under the Arc de Triomphe. Since the death of the last French World War One soldier (poilu) Lazare Ponticelli in 2008, the 11th November is now the date to remember all wars including those in which French troops are currently serving. The Bleuet de France is the symbol of remembrance and solidarity towards former members of the armed forces (les anciens combattants), and victims of war. It is the French equivalent of the British Poppy. The Bleuet is sold at ceremonies on 11th November and also on the 8th May. Nowadays it is more likely than not to be a white sticker printed with a blue flower. Vocabulaire / Vocabulary un gerbe ..........................
a wreath/a spray
une couronne ...................
a funeral wreath (this word is not used for the wreaths laid at war memorials)
le monument aux morts .... a war memorial le cénotaphe ..................... a cenotaphe commémorer .................... to commemorate pavoiser ............................ to decorate with flags édifices publics .................. public buildings les poilus ........................... ‘hairy’ (nickname given to the French
soldiers in the trenches during the First World War, because they didn’t have facilities for shaving)
en mémoire, en souvenir .. in remembrance une cérémonie commémoration
de a remembrance service
l’armistice/le 11 novembre Remembrance Day déposer un gerbe .............
to lay a wreath
le tricolore ........................
the French National Flag
Photos: Wikimedia Commons: bluet flower, Claude TRUONG-NGOC; Logo Bleuet de France, Office National des anciens Combattants
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 11
Hobbies More from local writer Alison Morton... Please see back issues of ‘The DSM’ if you would like to see previous articles.
Are prizes and awards worth it? Have you thought about entering your writing for a competition? Before you cry ‘It’s not good enough!’ think about what you could gain:
The pluses • • • • • • • • •
Practising completing a piece of work by a set deadline Taking a break from your current work in progress Additional exposure for your work to a new audience, especially if it’s a national magazine Possibly receiving feedback on your writing Taking up the challenge of meeting a tough brief Writing about a subject you’ve never tackled before or in a way you’ve never or rarely done e.g. flash fiction, vignette, poetry if like me you write novels The opportunity to have your work published – your entry could be included in an anthology organised by the competition organiser Building your reputation as a writer and earning the status of award-winning author And not least, winning prizes!
The minuses • • • •
Time spent when you could have been writing your next book Feeling crushed when your story isn’t placed and envying the prizewinners. Unfortunately, this is real life – there are usually only one winner and a couple of other placings Cost of entry fees – these can range from free or a nominal few pounds/euros to serious money e.g. $125 for some US ones. Slow response times – the conditions of entry may not allow you to send your manuscript elsewhere until the results are announced
Some words to the wise… • • • • • • •
Choose the competitions that you think are achievable Try to find competitions that are specialist or niche – there’ll be fewer entries! Check the organisers’ websites to see who they are, whether the competition is a genuine one and not just an exercise to make them money Read the small print about publishing rights. The winner(s) should be granting the organisers first time publishing rights and nothing more Check you are eligible; many competitions allow UK residents’ only entry Double check the other rules and obey the guidelines to the letter Give yourself plenty of time before the deadline to write, edit and proofread it. Leave the first draft aside for at least a week, edit and ask somebody else to proofread it as well as you.
Entering a writing competition takes time, effort and organisational skills. The same is true for awards. Much of the above applies, but do check that the award is relevant to your writing and to your goals as a writer. If submitting a novel make sure it was published between the dates stipulated in the award regulations and that you send copies to the correct address(es). For one award, I’ve had to send six copies of SUCCESSIO to six different judges in the UK and US, but if I succeed, my work will become known to a very large audience! Sometimes you only get one shot. If it’s for a quality mark such as the B.R.A.G. Medallion which rejects 90% of applicants, your book must be top notch from every angle. And when your book gains that award or is shortlisted, or glory be, wins a competition, then pour yourself some bubbly and bask in the congratulations. Alison Morton writes alternative history thrillers, blogs about writing, Romans and publishing at www.alison-morton.com. Subscribe to her newsletter on her site for more tips. 12 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly
Ssh... Local author and poet, John Eliot and poet John Hudson, are to give a poetry reading at the ‘Musée des Beaux-Arts’ in Angers on Thursday 13th November at 8pm. There will be a small entrance fee of 4€ and reservations are recommended. John Eliot is the first English speaking author to be invited to speak by this French Society. The invitation followed after the museum had sight of his new book, ‘Ssh’. John extended the invitation to his friend and colleague, John Hudson - another renowned poet. Born on a council estate in the North of Great Britain, John Eliot was the son of the local GP, Thomas Eliot. John had no interest in becoming a doctor like his Father, but trained to be a teacher. Whilst at University he became the editor of the Students newspaper and interviewed reggae legend Bob Marley. He had articles published in the fan magazines of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. He taught in the South West of England for a number of years before moving to France with his wife. He now writes full time and has founded and organised a literary festival in France. He has had poems published in anthologies, and won a short story competition. His novels are based on the stories his Father told him about life as a GP from the late 1940s onwards.
One of the poems from John’s collection in ‘‘Ssh...’
The Dancer perhaps the artist sees herself as a lover might when she tears figure from soul stretching her upon a canvas there to dance ceaseless staring in red hues at the figure in the exhibition come to watch ‘isn’t that,’ the watcher speaks, ‘that woman over there’ a head turns looking and back at the painting ‘the model?’ coeternal dancing with the artist For Anne and Jill 08.10.11 You can follow John’s blog here: www.johneliotpoetrychapbook.blogspot.com
Enlightenment
by Barbara Unkovic
I am eighty years of age and tears roll down my face as I read mail from the War Graves Commission - unsent letters addressed to my late mother. In 1919, his possessions arrived. His uniform and shiny sword, a pedometer and telescopic shot glass, together with a motherof-pearl paper knife and a copy of an unsent letter addressed to my sister, written while he was convalescing in an English hospital before returning to fight in the final offensive against the Germans, launched on March 21st 1918. “My dear little Edith, What a good girl you were to write such a nice little letter to your Daddy. I was so pleased with it and showed it to the sisters to read. You must write again soon and tell me all about yourself and Gwynneth. Give her a big kiss for me, and for you both lots of hugs, and the same for your dear Mummy. Your affectionate Daddy.” Lieutenant Sam Lewis had dark wavy hair and a thin brown moustache. Tall and slim, his height made his upright, proud bearing appear angular. I’d picked up my father’s photo so often from the sideboard to study it that it became discoloured around the edges. My gnarled hands shake and words are blurred through the torrent of tears, which flow down my crumpled face like storm water through the trenches, as I read on. My father’s diary, showing the last entry in his well-formed careful handwriting on the 4th of April 1918: “Steady rain, mud and water up to the knees.” From my father’s batman, Wilfred Davies: “Lieutenant Lewis was shot, I rushed to his side but my Dear Good Boss had passed away. Shot through the temple, his death must have been instant and painless. Very peaceful and happy he did look ...” From the Padre who buried him: “His love for you and your children was plainly apparent. We are all aggrieved that so fine a man and officer should have been taken from us ...” My father perished in World War 1 when I was three and until now I had no idea under what circumstances. At long last I have been enlightened, but it does nothing to take away the pain of losing my husband in World War 2, one of my sons in Vietnam and last week, my grandson in Afghanistan. -----Barbara Unković is of Croatian and English descent and is a cousin to DH Lawrence. She is the author of five published books. She writes in a number of different genres and her specialty is flash fiction. She has achieved success with this genre in the Fish Publishing One Page Prize and also Writer’s Bill Board and she is an award-winning finalist in the International Book Awards for her books ‘Weeds in the Garden of Eden’, ‘A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing’, and ‘Moon Walking’ which was also long-listed in the Frank O’Connor Short Story Book Award. Following her appearance at the St. Clementin Literary Festival where she led a workshop on Flash Fiction and her recent appearance at the DH Lawrence Festival in Nottingham, Barbara is pleased to announce the release of a collection of Flash Fiction entitled ‘Furry Blur.’ The above tale is included in this anthology. Further details about Barbara’s writing and her other books can be found on her website: www.barbaraunkovic.com.
MOVIES
by James Luxford
There’s sex, thugs and rock ‘n’ roll this month as there are all manner of racy goings on at your local cinema. But which is the best of the bunch? Here’s our look at the biggest September releases…
The November Man (29th October) Pierce Brosnan returns to the genre that made him a superstar, playing a former secret agent on the road to revenge after a botched mission costs him dearly. Brosnan still looks the part despite his advancing years, jumping into all manner of espionage-related thrills with the energy and enthusiasm of someone half his age. The plot is fairly generic but enjoyable, and will delight those who miss the days when the Irish actor inhabited that famous tuxedo. ‘71 (5th November)
Young British star Jack O’Connell (“Starred Up”) takes on a physically enduring role in this action/ thriller set at the beginning of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. He plays an English soldier separated from his unit and forced to find his way to safety through mutinous and violent streets. Gritty and inventive, the film casts no political judgement and instead tells the story of a soldier, rather than the conflict that surrounds him. O’Connell is on fine form, furthering his status as an A-lister in waiting.
The Drop (12th November) Tom Hardy and the late, great James Gandolfini team up as barmen who fall foul of the mafia in a crime drama by Belgian director Michael R Roskam. While very similar to a lot of crime dramas recently released (think “God’s Pocket” with Phillip Seymour Hoffman as a most recent example), the familiar plot is boosted by a terrific performance from Hardy, playing a much meeker, idiosyncratic role than we are used to seeing him in. He benefits from tremendous support in the form of “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo” star Noomi Rapace and the always engrossing Gandolfini. Definitely one for those who like their movies dark and dangerous!
Love is Strange (12th November) A tender and moving drama, starring Alfred Molina and John Lithgow as a couple of over forty years who are finally allowed to marry. However, this happy event is followed by a series of setbacks that test their decades-old love to the limit. While the film doesn’t feel terribly urgent, it’s a sweet story about the endurance of love, the importance of family, and the trials of getting older. Lithgow and Molina are on superb form, crafting a believable and touching romance without the need for grand standing. It may not be ‘boy meets girl’, but “Love Is Strange” will ring true with almost everyone who sees it. Release dates are nationwide in France.
For English language films, search showings marked ‘version originale. Parthenay Cinema: www.cinema.foyer.cc-parthenay.fr/foyer Niort CGR cinema: www.cgrcinemas.fr/niort/# Melle cinema: www.lemelies-melle.info Bressuire Le Fauteuil Rouge: www.lefauteuilrouge.fr
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 13
Part 4 of 4
100 Years On....
by Rob Berry
In my last article you will have read how the First World War (WWI) was fought across the globe on land and sea, under the sea and in the air, by millions of people on both sides. By November 1917 the War was nearing a conclusion and following the collapse of the Russian government and subsequent revolution, Russia agreed peace terms with Germany in March 1918. Although war was being fiercely fought on many fronts across the continents, it was apparent that the outcome of the War could only be decided on the Western Front. At the start of the War in August 1914, the United States (US) avoided being drawn in and maintained a neutral policy. At the same time President Woodrow Wilson tried to broker peace between the main players. This was hampered with the sinking of the British liner RMS Lusitania on 7 May 1915 by a German U-boat, 128 Americans were among the dead. To avoid bringing the US in on the side of the Allies, Germany agreed not to attack passenger ships. In January 1917, their policy changed and unrestricted submarine warfare resumed. Knowing that this would bring the US in to WWI, Germany attempted to recruit Mexico as their ally against the US in return for helping them to recover the territories of New Mexico, Arizona and Texas. The British intercepted a message to this effect and passed it to the Americans. Following this and the sinking of seven US merchant ships in quick succession, the US Congress declared war on Germany on 6th April 1917. Unfortunately for the Allies, the US took nearly a year to sufficiently mobilise their economy and manpower to effectively enter the War. By the end of the War they had mobilised 4,000,000 troops of which 100,000 were killed including 43,000 by the influenza pandemic. From January 1918 to December 1920, 500 million people across the world were infected by an unusually deadly flu pandemic. It killed between 50 – 100 million people and is one of the deadliest natural disasters in history. On 21st March 1918, Germany, with plans drawn up by General Erich Ludendorff, began its 1918 Spring Offensive with a series of successive offensives on the Western Front. This was a huge gamble designed to achieve final victory before the arrival of the Americans. The Spring Offensive began in the Somme with five hours of intense artillery bombardment from 6,000 guns as 65 Divisions of the German 2nd, 17th and 18th Armies attacked the British 3rd and 5th Armies on a 60 mile front. The British 5th Army was destroyed but the offensive was halted by the British 3rd.
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The second of the Spring Offensives in Germany’s victory gamble began on 9th April 1918. Here, 46 divisions of the German 6th Army attacked the British 2nd Army around Ypres. The British were forced back 3 miles to the outskirts of Ypres and the hardwon Passchendaele Ridge was ceded to the Germans. The German plan was to split the British and French armies on the Western Front and then to destroy them. However, the arrival of British, French and Australian reinforcements from the south, 330,000 German casualties during this Offensive alone and insufficient reserve troops broke the German momentum, and on the 29th April 1918 the offensive halted. On 21st April 1918, Manfred von Richthofen (The Red Baron), having shot down 80 Allied aircraft, was shot down by the British and was killed. He was buried by the British with full military honours. On 27th May 1918, General Ludendorff started his third Offensive in a row. His aim was to bog down Allied forces in central France to prevent them from reinforcing British positions in the north. 41 divisions from the German 1st and 7th Armies successfully attacked the French 6th Army along a 25 mile front to the east of the Aisne River, steam-rolling through them and inflicting 98,000 French and 29,000 British casualties. Encouraged by this success, Ludendorff changed his plan and decided to head straight for Paris with the aim of drawing Allied forces into a final climatic battle to end the War before the arrival of the Americans. Within two days the Germans had advanced across the Aisne River and were rapidly advancing west towards Paris. By 3rd June they had come to within 50 miles of Paris and indeed, three heavy Krupp Railway Guns fired 183 shells on the capital causing Parisians to flee the city. However, problems with supplies and reserve forces, troop fatigue and prolonged Allied counter-attacks, halted the German advance and by 6th June the Germans had run out of steam. This proved disastrous for Ludendorff as Allied reinforcements, including Americans (650,000 had arrived in France by 29th May with 10,000 more arriving each day), began pouring into the region. For the next two months Germany attempted another two offences but was repelled each time and pushed back across the Aisne River. The Allied counteroffensive, known as the Hundred Days Offensive, began on 8th August 1918 with the Battle of Amiens. 120,000 British, Commonwealth and French troops supported by 400 tanks broke the German line and in four days, advanced 14
miles. When resistance stiffened, the direction of attack shifted to the German flanks so the advance could continue. This new tactic proved very successful as it avoided the advance becoming bogged down resulting in huge loss of life and enabled areas of resistance to be cut off from German supply lines and later destroyed. By the end of August the Allied advance was heavy and unrelenting along a 70 mile front, and the German Army was finally forced back to the Hindenburg Line (German defensive line built in the winter of 1916-17). The final assault on the Hindenburg Line began on 26th September with French and American units breaking through in Champagne at the Battle of Blanc Mont Ridge. On 8th October the Line was pierced again by British and Commonwealth troops and the German Army was reduced to fighting fierce rear-guard actions as it fell back towards Germany. During the retreat, General Ludendorff told the Kaiser that Germany could no longer mount a successful defence against the Allies, never mind an offensive. With the military faltering and widespread dissatisfaction at home with the Kaiser, Germany’s only option was to move towards peace, but for the Kaiser this had to be achieved without total surrender. The collapse of the Central Powers came swiftly. First Bulgaria signed an armistice on 29th September 1918 and then the Ottoman Empire followed suit on 30th October 1918. The AustroHungarian Empire disintegrated after the Italian’s victory at the Battle of Vittorio Veneto. Although Austria-Hungary had asked Allied authorities in Paris for an armistice, the Italians continued to advance taking large areas of the Empire. Following the overthrow of the Habsburg Monarchy both Austria and Hungary signed separate armistices on 3rd November 1918. With civil war and revolution starting in Germany, on 9th November 1918 the Kaiser fled to the Netherlands and Germany became a republic. On the 11th November 1918, at 5 am, an armistice with Germany was signed in a railroad carriage at Compiègne.
A ceasefire came into effect at 11 am on 11th November 1918. The terms, written mainly by the French Marshal Ferdinand Foch, included the end of hostilities, the preservation of infrastructure, the withdrawal of German troops back to Germany, the exchange of prisoners, a promise of compensation and the handing over of German submarines and warships. Although the War had ended it took another six months of negotiations to conclude the terms the Treaty of Versailles. The one victor of WWI was the US. After joining the Allies in 1917 its military contribution to the War was more symbolic than real and as the only Allied power whose economy was strengthened rather than bankrupted by the War, the US became a global superpower. The peace settlement that dictated the shape of the world post war, the Treaty of Versailles, was presided over by the US President Wilson. New countries were created in the Baltic, Poland, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia, and the new League of Nations placed former Middle East territories under British and French rule. The Empires of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Turkey (Ottoman) ceased to exist. Below left: Prisoners taken by the Fourth Army in the Battle of Amiens, near Abbeville, 27 August 1918. British official photographer (David McClellan). Below right: This photograph was taken in the forest of Compiègne after reaching an agreement for the armistice that ended World War I. This railcar was given to Ferdinand Foch for military use by the manufacturer, Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. Foch is second from the right. Below: Armistice Day Celebrations, Paris, 11 November 1918. An American sailor, an American Red Cross Nurse and two British soldiers celebrating the signing of the Armistice, near the Paris Gate at Vincennes, Paris. Photos: WikimediaCommons
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 15
Flying Ambulance?
Above: SAMU (Helicopteres de France) F-GMOM by Tony Barrett
The sound of the helicopter flying over Deux-Sèvres usually takes eyes skywards to see the white helicopter with the characteristic blue line along the fuselage, the SAMU (Service d’Aide Médicale Urgente) emergency airborne ambulance heading or returning from a medical emergency.
with trained crews of drivers, corpsmen and stretcher bearers. He designed two wheel and four wheeled ‘ambulances’ for the transportation of the wounded.
Based at the University Hospital at Poitiers, the Heli SMUR (Service Mobile d’Urgence et Reanimation - literally translated as Mobile Emergency and Resuscitation Service) is ready on stand-by to intervene in an incident at any time for SAMU 79. From Poitiers it is only a 20 minute flight to Niort. In the French system, the word ‘ambulance’ itself is reserved for the transportation of one individual on a stretcher and the term is generally used to apply to those response vehicles operated by the local SAMU, as well as the emergency vehicles from places such as the fire service or private companies. But why are they called ‘ambulances’? The term ambulance comes from the Latin word ‘ambulare’ as meaning to walk or move about which is a reference to early medical care where patients were moved by lifting or wheeling. The word originally meant the doctors and surgeons ‘who walked’ with the army to and from the battlefield.
Baron Larrey’s two and four wheeled ‘ambulances’.
Dominique-Jean Larrey designed the Ambulance Volante or ‘flying ambulance’ in 1797 during the Italian Campaign after seeing the speed with which the carriages of the French flying artillery manoeuvred across the battlefields, Larrey adapted them as Flying Ambulances for rapid transport of the wounded and manned them
Larrey also increased the mobility and improved the organisation of field hospitals, effectively creating a forerunner of the modern MASH units, extracting the wounded from the field of battle in less than 15 minutes. He established a rule for the triage of war casualties, treating the wounded according to the seriousness of their injuries and urgency of need for medical care, regardless of their rank or nationality. Soldiers of enemy armies, as well as those of the French and their allies, were treated. At the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 Larrey’s courage under fire was noticed by the Duke of Wellington who ordered his soldiers not to fire in his direction so as to “Give the brave man time to gather up the wounded” and saluted “The courage and devotion of an age that is no longer ours”. Larrey was taken prisoner by the Prussians and condemned to death. However, he was recognised by one of the German surgeons, who pleaded for his life. Perhaps partly because he had saved the life of Blücher’s son when he was wounded and taken prisoner by the French, he was pardoned, invited at Blücher’s dinner table as a guest and taken back to France under escort. He devoted the remainder of his life to writing and a civilian medical career.
Baron Percy’s “wurst” wagons, modified ammunition caissons that were meant to be straddled by their crews of surgeons, physicians and pharmacists to convey them speedily to the
battlefield.
Photo: SAMU helicopter: Wickimedia Commons, Alexandre Prévot
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If you get your DSM early you might just have time to catch our latest production which is called ‘A Cocktail of Comedy’ and consists of five short plays. Unfortunately our first performance clashes with Halloween but why not put your scary outfits away and come to our matinee or evening performances on the 1st November? Or better still, leave your Halloween outfits on and collect a free drink! Performances at Le Petit Theatre, Secondigny: • Friday 31st October at 8pm • Saturday 1st November at 2.30pm and again at 8pm. Tickets can be booked either by email reaction.tickets@yahoo.fr or telephone Maureen on her new number 05.49.64.06.14 or just pay at the door. November, not my favourite month, but the theatre people will be working on two major performances alongside our Keynotes Singers. The first being the WW1 commemorations at the museum in Parthenay on the 14th November and a repeat of our highly successful ‘Christmas Cornucopia’ which will be held in Secondigny in December. Then it’s down to planning the Spring production, doesn’t time fly when you’re enjoying yourself?
Keynotes Singers
In addition to the above mentioned performances we will be singing at the Aidez Christmas Fair in Terves on the 7th December. This is an annual event organised by Lin Adams and her team of supporters who raise funds for local charities. A great cause, so come along and join in the singing, fun and games and get some last minute Christmas gifts.
The Art Scene
TT L Photography Group The ‘Through The Lens Photography Group’ are pleased to announce that after an eventful summer (which included a very successful exhibition in Vouvant, our website becoming unavailable and all its content lost) we are again back on track. Our new website TTLphotographygroup.net is now up and running. Our most recent photoshoot was at the Montgolfieres de Thouars hot air balloon festival and resulted in some truly stunning images. More photoshoots are being planned. We are again looking to expand our group and would welcome new members at all levels of knowledge and experience. You don’t need top-of-the-range equipment, just enthusiasm for photography. We enjoy reviewing our photos together to help us improve what we do, learning from each other.
Please contact us via the website:
www.ttlphotographygroup.net
Fresh from our success at the Secondigny Apple Festival art exhibition - well I say success, we provided over a dozen entries for the exhibition but I don’t know yet if any of our members won any of the prizes - but it’s the taking part that counts isn’t it? Or so they tell me. Why not go down to the museum in Parthenay and see some of the superb WW1 aircraft paintings done by our member, Mr. John Jeapes. We have also provided a huge wall painting depicting our interpretation of WW1 events in commemoration of those to whom we owe so much. The exhibition will be on at the museum in November. Information on Reaction Theatre membership, Reaction Theatre and Keynotes performances past and future and The Art Scene meetings and projects can be seen on www.reactiontheatre.fr or contact me for more information.
John Blair. (Tel: 05 49 63 23 50)
‘The Deux-Sèvres Monthly’ magazine Published by Sarah Berry 3 La Bartière, 79130 SECONDIGNY Tel: 05 49 70 26 21 Email: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 17
Clubs & Associations FRANGLAIS at Thouars
We are a French-English speaking group who meet at Centre-SocioCulturel, Anne Desrays, Thouars on Wednesdays 7.30pm-9.30pm. We welcome all English speakers who want to improve their French. Come along or contact jcbed@orange.fr for more information. We are an English speaking amateur photography group who meet twice a month in the Vendée / Deux-Sèvres area. If you would like to join us please go to www.photofocus.info to “Contact Us”
CAPELLA GROUP
If you enjoy singing and would be interested in starting a close-harmony group near Chef-Boutonne, please get in touch! Email me, Christine for further information: chezloubigne@aol.com
The Harmonics Singing Group
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
ARE YOU A MODEL RAILWAY ENTHUSIAST?
If so, join a group of like-minded friendly modellers who meet on a monthly basis to visit member’s layouts and swap information. If you are interested please contact Gerry Riley for more information on 05 49 63 34 01.
Alone in France?
We are a group of people living alone in the L’Absie area who meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 11am for coffee at the Pause! café in L’Absie. Our lunches are at different venues each month. A warm welcome awaits you. More details from Frank 05 49 69 80 47.
Le Tallud Boules en Bois
are offering sessions every Wednesday, 4pm-6pm from April to September and 2pm-4pm October to March at the parc de loisirs, Le Tallud. Everyone welcome. Details from Terry Hawker via email: terryhawker@orange.fr
THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION LINAZAY, POITOU-CHARENTES BRANCH
Please visit the branch website: www.rblpoitou-charentes.fr
Fitness Class with James
Woodturners/Woodworkers
AL-ANON Support Group
Do you wish the Drinking Would Stop? Are you troubled by someone’s drinking? If so we can help. There is now an English-speaking Al-Anon meeting every Wednesday @ 2.30pm in the meeting room behind Civray Mairie. Just turn up or ring Angela on 05 49 87 79 09.
I’m Francis. I am 52 years old, French and have been learning English for a few years. I live in Aiffres (nr Niort). I would like to meet with English speaking people near me, to spend a couple of hours per week to speak in French or English. We could both improve our language skills this way. Contact me on francis.gaboriau@bbox.fr or 06 85 92 58 33.
Craft Café Creatif
Les Amis Solitaires
A fun & lively Aerobic/fitness class run on a voluntary basis. Tuesday evenings 7-8pm at Salle de Fete in La Chappelle St Etienne. All ages, nationality & gender welcome. 15€ membership for the year which covers insurances & room. For further details please email James: jdharris247@gmail.com.
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 Scalextric Racers in the Le Busseau area Anyone interested in a bit of friendly racing on 26m of digital track and a beer/glass of wine? Please contact me on 05 49 04 21 98 or email: dave4lowe@yahoo.co.uk
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.
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.
We are a group of people living alone in France. We meet up for coffee mornings from 11am, every 2nd & 4th Thursday at The Lemon Tree in Sauzé Vaussais. More details from Gwen on 05 49 87 91 79 or email: gwanshep@gmail.com
Cancer Support Vendée
Helping to improve the lives of people affected by Cancer in the Vendée. Helpline: 02 51 00 58 21 or email: presidentcsv@orange.fr
ANYONE FOR TENNIS?
Tennis players wanted, reasonable standard, Seocndigny area. Contact Mick Morris on 05 49 65 17 16 or email: mimorris@live.fr
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-europe.net or visit www.aafrancesud-ouest.com for details of English-speaking meetings.
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JUST BRASS 79
An orchestral group who meet each Tuesday at the Salle de Fête at Limalonges at 8pm. All levels of expertise welcome....
Combined Services Support Group (CSSG) by Terri Laverick Hello again, it seems ages since I last put keyboard to screen, and quite a lot has happened since then. Firstly though, may I apologise to those of you who wanted to attend our Halloween Party, it was cancelled for reasons purely beyond our control. We are now looking to organise an event around St. Georges Day, with a medieval theme, for those who had bought costumes for the party. Our tea, coffee and cake stall at ‘The Big Book Fayre’ was a resounding success, especially as members of the group brought their caravan along so that we had washing up facilities on hand, it made life so much easier and far more efficient. Many thanks to the cake bakers who once again provided a good, tasty assortment for us to sell. The tombola and brocante stands had a busy day as well, thanks to those of you who helped to make the day a success. Please note that some members of the Committee attend the Remembrance Day Parade in the Jardin Public in Parthenay on 11th November. We normally meet up in the Cafe du Theatre beforehand so if you would like to join us please do, at around 10.30am. A signed and authenticated copy of JK Rowlings “A Casual Vacancy” has been given to CSSG to raise money for SSAFA France. That, along with a beautiful painting by Mr John Jeapes of a World War 1 aircraft will be raffled at the St Georges Day event. We are organising the tickets at present and details of how to get hold of tickets will be announced in the next edition.
Keep rollin’ rollin’ rollin..........
The invitations published in this magazine to play boules en bois at the Le Tallud came at an opportune moment for me last year, as my own club in L’Absie closed through lack of players. It was a sad occasion after many years of operation and whereas the game is relatively popular in Deux Sevres, there is difficulty in attracting new people, particularly the young. Thanks to the DSM and the initiative by Rosemary Williamson, Vice President of the Society of Boules en Bois at Le Tallud, the response has led to this club increasing its membership rather than facing the same fate as L’Absie. Boules can be a frustrating, addictive and challenging game as the playing surfaces of the many clubs hosting competitions have very different characteristics. The rules are also more strict than its relative, pétanque. Like most things, the more practice the better. Club objectives are to develop skill at boules and enjoy cordiality and integration with the French community. Taking part in competitions is an ideal way forward towards this end by improving knowledge of the language and discovering villages in the Parthenay area. Our members have achieved considerable success this season, winning numerous prizes, the highest being 4th place out of 84. We shall be working towards hosting a competition at Le Tallud once sufficient experience has been gained. Finally, the club has decided to extend the Wednesday afternoon practice sessions at Le Tallud from now until March commencing at 2 pm (see Clubs & Associations). I can only reiterate the original invitation from Rosemary that new members will be made very welcome.
Please note our new email address: terri.laverick@outlook.com If you wish to join us or come to any of our events please let us know, we would love to hear from you. Oh yes, our next meeting is 13th December, at the Cafe des Belles Fleurs in Fenioux, this will be a meeting followed by Christmas Lunch. 11.00am start with lunch to follow. The next event on our calender is the Aidez Christmas Market in Terves on the 7th December, hopefully we shall see you there.
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 45€ 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
website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
Wear your Poppy with Pride The Linazay Poitou-Charentes RBL will be placing Poppy boxes at various locations around the region commencing mid-October. A list of these outlets will be published on the Poppy Appeal page of the Branch website once all the boxes have been distributed.
Please visit:
www.rblpoitou-charentes.fr
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 19
Health, Beauty & Fitness Time for a Change?
by Laura Bostock
Hair colouring is always popular at this time of year as many people choose to make a change. It may be you feel you have had a colour for a prolonged period, it may have faded into a shade you don’t like or you may simply feel like a complete change. Whatever the reason when choosing a hair colour, there are some genuine considerations to think of. Complimenting your skin tone is always wise. Choosing a colour too dark or too light could make you appear pale or as though it has added many years to your appearance. Our skin tones often change thoughout the year dependent on sun exposure, health and of course as we age, so always take a look at skin tone before the application of hair colour. Choosing a hair colour that has a high content of red and or violet tones may fade a lot quicker than you expect and it is really important to remember that any ‘fashion’ colour will be very quick to fade. As fun as they are, they are not designed for long lasting styles. Sometimes exploring an alternative such as a colourful hair mascara can add some fun to your hair without the hassle, and these are available in a whole range of colours. Looking at your original hair colour and your current colour is also really important. You may want your hair to be a specific shade but simply selecting something off the colour chart may not be the actual colour that is to be used to achieve the result you want. When it comes to home colouring It is very common for a hairstylist to be asked why the colour of a client’s hair has not turned out the same as on the box, so choosing carefully, following instructions and not taking risks can sometimes help you avoid that home hair colouring disaster.
Let Louise Advise You... by Louise May I trained as a fashion designer in the early 1970s, when free love and hippy power were the mode of the time. I gained my degree in Fashion and got my first job in London’s clothing district designing blouses. My next job was designing nightdresses for a rather well known High Street store, Marks and Spencer. From there I was head-hunted to design a range of dresses for Brentford Nylons, better known at the time for their nylon sheets and nylon nightdresses - did people really sleep in nylon sheets and nylon nightdresses? I then moved to the country and lectured in Fashion design in Oxford, while raising two small boys. Always one for a challenge in 1979 I set up a lingerie manufacturing business, designing for various high street chain stores. Louanne Ltd ran for 20 years making bras, knickers and nightwear for sale in the United Kingdom, Europe and America. After moving to France in 1999 I set up UnderTheTop.com in 2003 to give ladies access to supportive and comfortable underwear up to larger sizes. At that time the only websites with underwear, were selling sexy bras and fun garments. When I started UnderTheTop.com, I had 30 years’ experience in the lingerie trade, so have great knowledge of all the products available on the market. Hopefully I can offer garments that will give the more mature body shape, line and curve. UnderTheTop was the first website to offer ‘Magic Knickers’, which when they were introduced by Trinny and Susannah, sold like hot cakes! Shape wear has moved on in leaps and bounds, with the creation of amazing new fabrics and shapes to offer the best comfort, support and line under all your clothes. One such range is the new ‘Wear Your Own Bra’ garments, from Maidenform. Although more expensive than some of the supermarket brands the Maidenform garments really do work and give you the very best shape and silhouette.
Taking good care of your hair once it has been coloured is also essential. Hair colour can reduce the natural moisture levels in the hair and these need to be replaced and the hair’s normal pH level restored. Selecting a suitable shampoo and conditioner can help this and avoiding anything too harsh can help prolong your colour. There are a huge selection of colour preserving products available but selecting carefully with the guidance of your stylist or choosing a product specifically recommended can often give you the best results. Whatever your choices are with hair colour, have fun with it, and remember that your stylist will always be able to guide you professionally.
We also sell the excellent garments from Esbelt, which not only give great shape, but improves posture and relieves backache.
Michael William Hairdressing Tel. 05 49 07 11 48
I can help and advise you to find the best fitting and supportive bra, and the shape wear that really will hold you in and give you the very best shape and posture. Contact me to find out more: louise@underthetop.com.
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Knitting for Cancer Support Deux-Sèvres The Craft Café Creatif, a craft group in L’Absie, have knitted and crocheted a number of hats which have been donated to Cancer Support Deux-Sèvres for the people who are receiving treatment for cancer. A thank you also goes to some nonmembers who have also donated hats and who are now making gloves, socks and blankets too. A presentation was made to June Searchfield, president of the association, by the ladies of the group. If any one is interested in joining or donating to Craft Café Creatif please contact Margaret at knight. margaret@orange.fr
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Don’t forget our deadline:
of the month. Call Sarah on 05 49 70 26 21
Raising Awareness
by June Searchfield
As part of our Raising Cancer Awareness week we held two very different events... On 27th August 2014, the sun shone brightly as a number of keen walkers took part in an 8 kilometre walk organised by my intrepid three musketeers, Ann Ashwell, Pamela Bishop and Angela Larmuth On their return we were joined by several non-walkers , a couple of our Cancer patients and their partners for a fabulous picnic, BBQ and entertainment by the Pommeraie Players. Cakes were very generously donated by friends and disappeared in record time. Pamela’s daughter, Suzanne, set up her new candy floss machine and business was brisk and for those who didn’t want a picnic or BBQ, there was a burger, bacon butty and hot dog stand. A lovely day, which was thoroughly enjoyable. Just one very important person was missing...Robin, Ann Ashwell’s husband, who has supported every event we have held since Ann joined the group. Sadly he died very suddenly and unexpectedly just a few days before the event. We were torn whether to cancel or continue, but Ann said Robin would have wanted us to go ahead ...so we did.
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and on 30th September, a Curry Lunch was organised for 100 people by my Vice-President Denise and her husband, Robert, in the garden of their beautiful home in Amailloux, Deux-Sèvres. On arrival everyone was served an aperitif and nibbles, followed by a three course meal....Onion bhajis and samosas with a variety of dips and, chutneys and poppadoms, chicken curry, pork vindaloo, cauliflower and egg Curry with assorted rice dishes followed by a selection of homemade puddings. Entertainment was provided by a local group who played 60s music....There was a huge tombola stand, book stall and we held a silent auction of several large items generously donated by a couple who are returning to UK. The sun shone all day, the wine flowed and a happy atmosphere made the event a fantastic success. An amount in excess of 1100 euros was raised which will be going towards Cancer Research in France in conjunction with ‘La Ligue’ in Niort, our local branch. Denise is a member of ‘La Ligue Dept 79’ committee. Many thanks go to all those who made this event such a success.
NEW!
Stylish, Unique and Precious!
November’s Birthstones...
We are pleased to welcome Vicki Bassey on-board as a regular contributor shedding light on birthstones and their origins.
Citrine
So, Vicki, tell us what you are doing in France… Having had a very successful show kennels in the UK, my husband and I wanted the French village dream and the ambiance of a small town rather than the usual country plot with lots of land. We picked our house on a purely emotional level, a family house for our friends and relations to come and stay, and we have never looked back. Victoria Bassey Jewellery started more by accident than purpose but I’m absolutely loving it! The jewellery I sell is far from average, and definitely not the jewellery that you usually find in rural France. For a start, our pieces are affordable, carefully selected luxury gemstones from all over the world. I wanted to create something different from the impersonal jewellery store experience, with the eyes of the sales assistant constantly on you, or the hard sell. It has made all the difference. Clients can enjoy a one to one experience if they visit my boutique and discuss their requirements over a glass of wine or a coffee. What do you love most about your work? I am passionate about gemstones and the jewellery that we sell. Each gemstone has an interesting story to tell and a folklore behind it. When new stock comes in, it’s like Christmas! But I have been really surprised by how much I’ve loved selling. It is lovely to see repeat custom, but I especially love the ‘Wow!’ reactions from new clients who have just discovered my pieces. Seeing people light up when they find the perfect piece gives me such a buzz. I also love those times when clients have seen a particular piece at a jewellery party or a fayre, and call me a couple of days later because they really have fallen in love with it. The most unexpected and welcome aspect has been meeting so many interesting people and making so many new friends. What’s this about parties? This year, jewellery parties have become more and more popular. Many of my clients love being able to try jewellery on at home with a group of friends over nibbles and wine. They can try different pieces on, seek the opinion of their friends and are under no pressure to buy. Women do not spoil themselves enough, they are often so busy caring for everyone else in the family that they forget about themselves. There is something for everybody in my collection, as there are pieces for every budget and even the most expensive won’t break the bank. Clients have been able to select something that really brings out the best in a particular outfit or reflects their personality. That’s part of the appeal for many women, I think. You can have something unique and luxurious without feeling guilty! We will also be visiting many of the Christmas Markets in the region with a selection of our gift range of jewellery. Please call or email us to find out where we will be in the run up to Christmas.
Citrine was first used in jewellery in Greece in the Hellenistic period. In antiquity, Citrine was believed to be the gemstone of happiness and used as a protective talisman against evil thoughts. Citrine was thought to aid digestion and remove toxins from the body. Crystal healers believe Citrine improves mental capacity, creativity, intuition and confidence. It is also said to be helpful in acquiring and maintaining wealth. The colour of Citrine is due to small amounts (40 parts per million) of iron in the crystal structure. It ranges in colour from pastel lemons to mandarin orange and Madeira red. Citrine can easily be confused with Topaz and has been called ‘Topaz Quartz’. Major Sources of this birthstone are: Brazil, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uruguay and Zambia. Citrine is given on a 13th anniversary.
Topaz
The ancient Egyptians thought Topaz was coloured by the glow of the sun god Ra. Greeks and Romans associated the crystals with the sun god Jupiter. Legend has it that Topaz is one of the stones of fire given to Moses and put into the breast plate of Aaron. Crystal healers believe Topaz enables correct decisions to be made and the African Bushmen use Topaz in healing ceremonies. Topaz comes in a wide range of colours: Sky Blue, Swiss Blue and London Blue being the most desired. There is also Imperial Topaz which has orange and pinks, Flaming and Mystic Topaz which is a kaleidoscope of colours and colourless Topaz which is often mistaken for Diamonds and is often called Diamond Topaz. Blue Topaz is given on a 4th anniversary.
Find me at the following Christmas Markets this month: 9th November in Liglet, 86290 23rd November at Golf de Saint Junien, 87200
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 23
Our Furry Friends Change of Direction
by Nigel Franks, NALA
On the 10th of September 2014, Nala 85480 celebrated its 4th birthday. In these 4 years the association has successfully placed 215 animals (mainly cats, a few dogs, two sheep, a rabbit, some birds and a chicken) in loving and responsible homes. Unfortunately, we also had some animals that were “unadoptable” due to their behaviour. So what happened to them? If they weren’t adopted by their foster families who had learned to love them, in spite of their quirks, then they were adopted by us. It hasn’t always been easy, e.g. it took over two years before “Milly the Psychopath” became plain “Milly” and almost as long before we could actually caress Jess and Josh. However, we can’t go on being the family of last resort of any animal taken on by NALA: we’re saturated and we can’t expect the foster families to take them on either. In addition, we have learned a lot about the system of dealing with stray animals in France, the legislation and the way it is respected, or rather not respected, the importance of identification and sterilisation…. We are convinced that in order to help animals in the long term it is better to work on prevention rather than the cure, but the practical work of saving animals takes so much time and energy that we never get enough time to do this. Nala’s 4th birthday was an occasion to reflect and make some changes. So we have decided to stop the animal adoption side of Nala and to continue with: • giving advice to people to enable them to keep their pets (healthy and safe) • our subsidies program for the sterilisation and identification of cats • giving financial help to “social cases” to enable them to keep their pets healthy • handing in complaints for the mistreatment of (stray) animals • helping people to prepare and hand in their own complaints • report cases of mistreatment to the authorities/bigger associations • public affairs (e.g. letters to mayors, the préfecture, conseil general, ministry, Parliament, European Union) lobbying to improve the system for dealing with stray animals in France • collecting statistics of strays in the Vendée (registers) • the enquiry into the disappearance of cats in certain areas • a project for obligatory sterilisation of pets in France • campaigns to spread awareness of the need for sterilisation and identification We hope that you can share our vision and continue to support NALA as it heads off in a new direction. If not, we respect your decision and thank you for your past support. In the meantime, we still have some portable, self contained heat generators that run on renewable fuels available to keep your lap warm during those chilly winter evenings. A particularly fine example is... Jazzy, a limited edition of one from mid July this year, available in white with ginger highlights on his head and tail.
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Sisters, sisters, there were never such devoted sisters
VADROUILLE is a 3.9 year old male Anglo weighing 30+kgs. When he arrived at the Pound, he was in a pitiful state; terribly malnourished, suffering from a very nasty foot infection and so terrified that he was virtually unapproachable. He was placed in the care of his wonderful foster family and they, through their nursing, love and patience have transformed him into a happy, healthy and confident lad. The change in him is remarkable - no longer does he drop to the ground in terror when approached, he will now come and say hello and is happy to be petted and stroked, as long as you are slow and gentle with him. VADROUILLE is house-trained, calm and clean indoors and travels well in the car. However once outside, he’s gradually realising that he’s allowed to run and play and gets terribly excited and boisterous so a safe and secure garden will be necessary. At present he’s being taught to ‘stop’ and ‘calm down’ when told.
These two little darlings are sisters. They’re a year old, neutered, vaccinated, wormed and treated for fleas. They’re also good with dogs providing the dog is cat friendly. Matrushka and Evangeline need a new home as their owner is very poorly and has to leave France - unfortunately the cost of taking these two bundles of love with her is beyond her budget. If you would like further information or are interested in adopting, please go to the Hope website: www.hopeassoc.org for further information or email: soomog4hope@gmail.com
Although VADROUILLE is completely non-aggressive and very gentle, simply because of his size and his excitability, we would advise that he isn’t rehomed with children under 10 years old. At present, he has not been fully assessed with other dogs or cats. VADROUILLE is currently learning his basic commands and undergoing lead training, both of which will need to be continued. He is microchipped, neutered, primo-vaccinated including rabies so he has a passport and has been treated for worms, fleas and ticks. An adoption fee of 120€ will be asked for towards his veterinary costs to date and Orfée will conduct a home visit prior to adoption. If you would like more information about VADROUILLE please contact: MARY - 0549506941 - OrfeeInEnglish2@gmail.com CAROLINE - 0545960279 - OrfeeInEnglish3@gmail.com www.OrfeeInEnglish.com www.facebook.com/OrfeeInEnglish
Appeal for MONTY
a 7 month-old Golden Lab X This smiley face belongs to Monty who is already on his second home through no fault of his own. He loves, and I mean LOVES people, cats, and all other dogs. He is adorable and loving, bouncy, and so desperate to please, it is amazing. Monty will make a fantastic dog for anyone! Please contact Simonie on simonie.cp@hotmail.com or telephone 07 81 40 17 40 . Monty is chipped, vaccinated, wormed and de-flead. For more photos of Monty of for details of other animals awaiting homes, visit www.phoenixasso.com
Refuge SPA de SAINTES route des GAUTHIERS 17100 SAINTES Tel: 05 46 93 47 65 ~ www.spa.de.saintes.free.fr
Contact Sarah at ‘The DSM’ on 05 49 70 26 21
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Take a Break DSM Easy Crossword Across: 8. Last letter of the Greek alphabet (5) 9. The mother of your mother or father (7) 10. Small cases of pasta stuffed with a filling (7) 11. Spanish dry red table wine (5) 12. Driven insane(8) 13. Infection of the eyelid (4) 15. Simple boardgame (4) 17. The outskirts of a city (8) 21. A performer who tells jokes (5) 22. Nocturnal arboreal marsupial (7) 24. Destructive giant wave (7) 25. The rear of a ship (5)
DSM Toughie Crossword Across: 1. Joker joins group of directors before fight in container? (9,3) 7. Hookers put right in corners (7) 9. Has a temperature before spasm in top room (5) 10. Allowing time on the outside
gives a short cut (4)
11. Bandits arrived when strange bird sang (8) 12. Sounds like he takes things to make cutters keener (6) 14. Famous actress comes from PT exchange in Somerset town (6) 17. Cite fair arrangement, but cunning device returns (8) 19. Prevents from going into the docks? (4) 22. Sullen nuisances exhibiting boredom (5) 23. Joining golf players start off with broken ancient vase outside (7) 24. Those engaged in mountain activity planning to over-indulge en route? (5,7)
Quiz-tastic!
Down: 1. Single number (4) 2. Semiaquatic rodent with webbed hind feet (6) 3. US female pop singer (7) 4. Cause to start burning (6) 5. Capital of Egypt (5) 6. Quick, skillful or adept (6) 7. Long slim cigar (8) 12. Easy broken or damaged (8) 14. Examination of a dead body (7) 16. Traditional Chinese cuisine (6) 18. Imaginary place considered to be perfect (6) 19. Film starring singer Phil Collins (6) 20. Large body of water (5) 23. Belonging to me (4)
Down: 1. Plot to remove queen from constitution (12) 2. Occasion to dress down for piano music e.g.? (7) 3. Fox, rabbit e.g. in tales from the South? (4) 4. A good mouthful of escaping air? (7) 5. More than occasionally a number follows a little word of possession (5) 6. Put us up in new pact, but now plays the fool (4,2) 8. Put in order of kind? (4) 12. At last am entering surroundings of part of a flower (6) 13. Raising a food in the heather (7) 15. Inspect former top class source of raw materials (7) 16. Pressure taken off naughty little boy for fraud activity (4) 18. Upset worker given energy for
dance (5)
20. Wise men cannot keep up even given direction (5) 21. High frequency exchange brings inferno to hillside (4)
With thanks to M.Morris
Monthly quiz by Roland Scott...... how many can you get?
1) Which process do plants use to convert carbon dioxide and sunlight into food?
9) Which branch of medicine deals with the study of human diseases and their symptoms, causes and effects?
2) Which toy gets its name from two Greek words that mean ‘beautiful’ and ‘shape/form’?
10) Which Chinese invention was adapted by Thomas Caxton in 1476 after he had seen it used by Guttenberg in 1455?
3) Which children’s TV programme was presented by Pat Keysell and Tony Hart?
11) Until 2008 in Beijing when Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals, which American swimmer had individually won the most gold medals at a single Olympic Games?
4) Which alphabet uses words to define letters, e.g. X-ray, Yankee, Zulu? 5) Daisy wheel, dot matrix and laser are all types of what?
12) Which popular TV programme starred Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny?
6) Which mountain range in Scotland lies between the central lowlands and the northwest highlands?
And finally, assuming you have 12 correct answers, what connection will you find between those answers or parts of the answers?
7) Pencil ‘lead’ is not the metal of the same name, what is it?
Find the answers on our website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
8) In astrology, what are the names of the twins Gemini?
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Copyright RJS 2014
A-Z of the Communes in the Deux-Sèvres
by Sue Burgess
GEAY Geay is situated between Thouars and Bressuire. The 349 inhabitants of the commune are known as Geayais and Geayaises. A VOIR / MUST SEE • The church was originally a priory belonging to the abbey of St Laon of Thouars. The nave was rebuilt in 1757. The vault of the nave was restored in 1860 and the bell tower was added in 1848. The choir has been listed as a historical building since 2003. The 1999 storm damaged the inside wall coverings and revealed two series of very colourful 15th century painted murals. The church is dedicated to St Maixent. (Photo wikimedia Addio79)
commons:
GENNETON The inhabitants of Genneton are the Gennetonnais and the Gennetonnaises. There are 345 of them. Genneton is 5km North West of Cersay which is the largest village in the surrounding area. Genneton is situated at 108 metres above sea level and the rivers Layon and Soire cross the commune. The name of the commune is of Roman origins. Genneton comes from ‘ginestetum’ meaning ‘covered with broom’. The name was deformed over the ages and became Ginestum and then Genneton. A VOIR / MUST SEE • St Hilaire Church • The Château de Maumusson and the château of Beaurepaire. • There was a benedictine priory at Saint-Nicolas. • Maumusson Pond (a large pond/lake which has been made because of the clay soil which holds water and is one of the reasons that people first settled in an area where they could have reserves of water) • La Couarde and Beaurepaire woods
GERMOND ROUVRE Germond Rouvre is situated between Champdeniers and Niort. The inhabitants of the commune are the Germo-Roburiens and the Germo-Roburiennes. The population of Germond Rouvre is growing - there were 880 inhabitants in 1999 and 1186 in 2009.
House in Germond Rouvre
In 1003, the Count of Poitou left the land of Germundum to the monks of St-Cyprien de Poitiers. They were asked to build a fortified town. Rouvre was given to the abbey of Saint Maixent in the Xvth century. The two villages only became one in 1972. A VOIR / MUST SEE • St Médard Church at Germond dates from the 12th and the 15th century. The building belongs to the commune. The church is on the road to Compostella • St-Aubin Chapel in Rouvre was rebuilt in the 19th century with stones form the manor house in Rouvre which had been demolished Other things to see • The tumulus des Mothes, the château du Luc (1830), Repéroux manor with its round tower. The 15th century pigeon loft, the wash-houses, the old town hall (former priory) • The Chemin Chevaleret is a marked-out pedestrian and cycling circuit. There are also two other walking circuits. There is a drama festival in April and the Market of the two villages every second Friday in the month, from May to October
Germond Rouvre. Photos from www.germond-rouvre.fr
More A-Z of the Communes of Deux-Sèvres next month...
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 27
Le Coin Français La Boule en Bois, Le Tallud Les invitations publiées dans ce magazine, pour jouer à la boule en bois au Tallud, sont arrivées au moment opportun pour moi, puisque mon club de l’Absie était dissolu par manque de joueurs. La disparition de mon club m’a attristé alors que pourtant le jeu de boules est relativement populaire en Deux-Sèvres. Grâce au magazine des Deux-Sèvres et à l’initiative de Rosemary Williamson, vice-présidente de la société de boules du Tallud, ce club du Tallud a pu continuer son activité en permettant à d’autres membres de clubs extérieurs de se joindre à eux. Le jeu de boules peut être frustrant, addictif et stimulant car les surfaces de jeu diffèrent d’un club à l’autre. Les règles de jeu sont également plus strictes que le jeu de pétanque. Comme la plupart des choses, plus on pratique, plus on s’améliore. Les objectifs du club sont d’améliorer la qualité de jeu et bien-sûr de continuer à jouer en toute convivialité avec les joueurs français. Participer aux compétitions est une excellente manière
de perfectionner notre français et de découvrir les villages et villageois de la région de Parthenay. Nos membres ont remporté des succès considérables cette saison, en remportant de nombreux prix, le meilleur étant une place de 4ème sur 84. Nous espérons pouvoir organiser dans quelques temps une compétition au Tallud, après avoir gagné en expérience. Enfin, le club a décidé d’augmenter le nombre de séances d’entraînement au Tallud (voir avis), et je remercie à nouveau Rosemary pour sa bonne idée, et le club accueillera bien volontiers tous les nouveaux membres.
Disparu mais jamais oublié...
enfourcher son vélo quand on lui a dit de se débarrasser de sa lourde charge (sa bicyclette) et de marcher, parce qu’il y avait des mines partout.
Mon père, M. G.W.D. Slack, a combattu lors du débarquement en Normandie. Comme beaucoup d’autres, qui étaient au service de notre Pays durant la Deuxième Guerre mondiale, il parlait rarement de son vécu. Cependant, il y a une histoire qu’il me racontait quand j’étais enfant...
Mon père m’a souvent raconté cette histoire. Donc ça n’a pas été une surprise qu’à son décès, en octobre 2013, il me laisse ses médailles et ce poème. Je pense que ce poème en dit long sur les souvenirs de cet homme après la Deuxième Guerre mondiale.
by George Slack
N’oublions jamais.
On lui avait donné un vélo militaire très lourd qu’il transporta dans une embarcation, puis dans un navire de débarquement et en arrivant à « Sword beach », Ouistreham en Normandie, il le transporta ensuite à terre. Après avoir traversé la plage, sous les tirs de l’ennemi, il transportait toujours sa bicyclette qui, bien sûr, devenait très lourde maintenant. Il se dirigeait vers la route et allait presque
A l’âge de vingt ans seulement, ils vous emmenaient là gracieusement dans une péniche d’infanterie vieille et délabrée à travers la mer déchaînée. Ils vous chargeaient de provisions, d’un mortier et d’un vélo et vous envoyaient, tout innocent, affronter un léger conflit. Ils vous faisaient sauter dans l’eau dans un résonnant éclaboussement et vous regagniez la plage à pied, pour qu’il n’y ait pas de retour. Ils vous envoyaient là, dans le sable entre deux lignes blanches. Et vous tombiez dans les dunes avec une relative frayeur. Il y avait un régiment de Warwick à votre gauche. A droite, un régiment de Shropshire. Et vous vous demandiez si devant il y avait une mort rapide ou bien peut-être la chance qui pourrait rendre les choses belles et calmes. Alors vous pouviez monter sur votre fidèle monture et pédaler à Caen. Hélas, les meilleurs plans établis par l’homme ne se passent pas toujours comme prévu. « La route est minée et sans issue » criaient les braves démineurs. « Passez par les marécages » disaient ainsi vos vaillants supérieurs. Et à votre vélo inutilisable, vous deviez faire vos adieux. 28 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly
Et de là, à travers plusieurs cham à quatre pattes vous rampiez. ps de blé, Allongé sous une haie d’aubépine vous vous sentiez aussitôt comme chez Alors comme le bon vieux Duc d’York vous. et ses dix mille hommes, ils nous faisaient marcher au pas jusq u’à Lebisey. Ils nous faisaient marcher au pas enco re au retour. Près de Norfolk House vous restiez pendant que les Généraux étudiaien t la stratégie, faisant la reconnaissance jusqu’au Châ à travers les champs de blés ondulan teau ts jusqu’à l’aurore d’un matin, avec le soutien de plusieurs canons, vous retourniez à Lebisey et mettiez les boches en fuite. A l’âge de soixante trois ans, vous revenez ici une fois de plus par le luxueux ferry Sealink, un ticket retour assuré, sur une mer d’huile, et la seule horreur qui vous attend c’est les toilettes à Honfleur. Vous vous promenez le long de rd beach, par un jour radieux et ensoleilléSwo oh tellement différent de la dern, ière fois. Après quarante trois ans vous retrouvez des endroits bien us pour que votre souvenir soit justeconn Mais vous avez juste un triste éche. c, vous ne retrouvez pas votre bicyclett e.
Home & Garden Brighten Up Your Home... Le Comptoir du Tapissier are a team of professionals with many years of experience and knowledge in furnishings and upholstery, based at Fontenay le Comte. The shop offers a large selection of fabrics for purchase, including designs by W. MORRIS, DESIGNERS GUILD, JANE CHURCHILL, COLEFAX, OSBORNE & LITTLE, to name a few. You will always find something in their collections to brighten an interior or simply dress up a piece of furniture.
They can provide a made to measure service for all curtains and blinds too, with a good selection of hardwares to finish any room perfectly. If you have an old piece of furniture that requires a new look, why not ask Le Comptoir du Tapissier to restore it for you? Armchairs, chairs, sofas and headboards are all comissioned and the restoration takes place on site (premises opposite) where you choose your fabric and finish. Find them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/lecomptoirdutapissier or visit thier website: www.lecomptoirdutapissier.fr
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 29
Thinking about placing an ad? Why not take advantage of our Special Packages for New Advertisers? Call Sarah for more details: 05 49 70 26 21
30 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly
THE AMATEUR GARDENER by Vanda Lawrence
In Flanders fields the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row ...... This month brings Armistice Day on 11th November and we all recognise the poppy as a symbol of remembrance, but did you know that here in France they look at the cornflower in the same way? These two flowers were often the only visible evidence of continuing life in the muddy trenches of WW1. The ‘bleuet de France’ is the symbol of memory and solidarity in France, similar to the British remembrance poppy, because of the horizon blue uniforms worn by young French army recruits: Les Bleuets couleur des cieux, Ils vont jolis, gais et coquets, Car ils n’ont pas froid aux yeux (Alphonse Bourgoin, ‘Bleuets de France’) In a similar vein, 1st and 2nd November is All Souls’ Day in France (La Toussaint) when families take fresh flowers, most notably the chrysanthemum, to the graves of their loved ones - hence the beautiful chrysanthemum pot plants so readily available everywhere as I write this in mid-October. In the flower garden, of course, we are in tidying mode, cutting back, lifting, dividing, feeding, weeding and so on, in readiness for the winter. It’s also time to plant up tubs with bulbs and winter/ spring-flowering plants to provide some much needed colour during the colder days. If you have summer-flowering shrubs in tubs near the house these can be moved to sheltered areas at the back of the garden and replaced with the winter-flowering display tubs which had themselves been ‘resting’ during the summer.
Cornflower / bleuet
In the vegetable garden this month you can sow peas for picking in Feb/March and continue sowing carrots for lifting in Spring. Shallots planted now will be ready in April/May. Brussels sprouts can be picked as the buttons firm up and cabbage, cauliflowers, broccoli etc can be cut as needed. As crops finish dig over vacant areas, turning in compost if available, leaving the soil to be broken down by winter frosts. After a very productive season in the potager storing fruit and veg can be a worry because there are good and bad neighbours in the storage shed. All produce emit ethylene gas which triggers the ripening process, but some fruits/veg give off more than others and this will speed up the ripening process in other crops stored nearby. It is therefore necessary to choose ‘neighbours’ carefully. The following vegetables emit low levels of ethylene and can safely be stored together: asparagus, broccoli, sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, eggplant, green beans, peas, peppers, potatoes, summer squash and pumpkin.
Poppy
Most fruits yield high levels of ethylene gas so need to be stored in another area. It goes without saying that whatever you store needs to be checked regularly to ensure that an unnoticed fault/ blemish is not spoiling everything. So, now that the days are shorter and we can’t potter in the garden during the evenings, we’ll just have to put a brave face on it and start the Christmas preparations .. Bon courage!
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 31
Photos: Cyclamen persicum by Yair Haklai; Clematis cirrhosa by Derichs-Tan; Bergenia stracheyi by Sphl; Iris unguicularis by Mahieddine Boumendijel, all Wikimedia Commons.
Iris unguicularis
Flowering Plants for November
Bergenia Stracheyi
32 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly
Cyclamen persicum
Clematis cirrhosa
French Life After nearly five years of keeping poultry here in France we have been visited by Mr fox (or we think it was a fox) for the first time. We lost two young chickens, one of which was a Brahma chick, and had another injured, which despite its injuries is doing well. It also took two young turkeys. We have started to cut down the numbers on the farm - for two reasons: to make life easier during the winter months and to refill the freezer. We sent a lot of chickens to the abattoir, the biggest chicken came back at a whopping 4.5kilos oven ready - that’s bigger than some of the turkeys you see in the supermarket at Christmas! The last of the lambs have now gone and Winston the Suffolk ram is attending his other flock at a friend’s smallholding. When the date for one of our rabbits Zealy went by with no sign of her making a nest, we thought that perhaps she wasn’t pregnant. After another two weeks, suddenly two baby rabbits appeared from the straw. We had no idea she had given birth and she didn’t show any of the usual signs!
Life on the Farm We hope you enjoyed the article last month written by Emily, an American journalist who stayed with us for a while. We are back again this month with some very good news. We have decided to start breeding pigs again so we will be getting some rare breed pigs to breed with very soon. We can’t wait to have our own piglets again next year!! We have already taken delivery of Dudley our huge, but cudley new boar, and we are searching for the right ladies for him. We have already looked at a couple of Gloucester Old Spot sows but decided they weren’t for us. We also have two GOS piglets Betty & Wilma, two middle whites Pinky and Perky and we have also decided to keep our large black x GOS gilt called Pong (Ping went to the abattoir last week) to breed with next year.
Next month will be our last regular monthly contribution for the magazine but we will be back from time to time. If you would like to follow what’s going on here at La Gauteliere, please like our Facebook page (see below) or contact us on the details below. We still have a few turkeys and a couple of geese available for Christmas for those of you who are still looking. See you next month for more Life on the farm. Peter & Jenny Sebborn. Breeders of pigs, lambs and poultry. www.facebook.com/pages/Life-on-the-farm/265376020339923 Tel: 07 81 14 32 91 Email: sebsinfrance@hotmail.co.uk or telephone.
LOCAL ADVERTISER
Dudley
Jen has been busy in the kitchen making the most of the summer harvest with more blackberry jelly, sloe gin, sloe eau de vie, raspberry gin, raspberry eau, plum gin, quince jelly, grape jelly and lots more chutneys and jams. She has also had another try at goat’s cheese - making and maturing a hard goat’s cheese. We have also been feasting on figs (not too many of them though) and from the garden and polytunnel, celeriac and celery, peppers, turnips, carrots as well as still picking raspberries, tomatoes and a few strawberries. The remaining leeks and pumpkins are being turned into some lovely winter soups. It’s been a fantastic summer but not a great year for our potatoes or garlic, sadly a poor crop. We currently have a glut of milk. Milking two goats twice a day is giving us lots of goat’s milk so we have been freezing it just in case we need any for the lambs due in the new year, making cheese, cheesecake, yoghurts or rice pudding. It is possible to feed the leftover excess milk to the pigs but too much can make the meat look pale and can affect the flavour. Soon to arrive will be two more (female) young goats which we plan to breed with on alternate years. This means they will only need to kid once every two years but still maintain the milk. We are always struggling with names so if you would like to help name them please add your name suggestions to the photo on our facebook page and we will announce the winning names in next month’s article. The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 33
Our Journey to a
Greener
David and I moved into our dream house in France in February 2013, with sparkling ambitions and plans for our new home and garden. We’d developed a green manifesto before we arrived that would need us to make some fundamental changes to the way we lived, and working these through in a practical sense has been fun, challenging and sometimes wildly frustrating! Our preparations for winter last year probably started a little late and as the long days of summer shortened and autumn began to show its true colours in the early morning chill, we realised that we were woefully ignorant of what a proper rural French winter might feel like. Although we had moved in February 2013 and the house had been cold, the warmer days of spring had arrived quite quickly and the heat of summer had seduced us to the extent that we’d not really given it much thought. The first cold snap arrived at the beginning of October and with it the realisation that we needed wood for our log burners. Luckily our lovely neighbours pointed us in the direction of a local supplier who promptly delivered two trailer loads of logs all over our drive! Once these had been stacked undercover we very smugly thought that we had it all sorted out - we had yet to realise that the other way to keep warm in winter, was the hard manual labour of splitting and sawing logs to size!
Life
by Louise Read & David Hammond
target, had committed ourselves to an electricity tariff that had hideous cost penalties for usage when demand is at its heaviest, when the weather is at its coldest! With this financial incentive firmly in place, we made plans to reduce our power consumption and resolved to think before we flicked a switch. We systematically searched the house, looking for electrical devices to switch off and found mobile chargers that we’d left plugged in, alarm clocks in rooms we didn’t use along with things like TV’s that we normally left on standby. Flicking the switch on all these things didn’t reduce our consumption that much, but did save us about 30 Euros over the year. We started to change the way we thought, turning lights off as we left a room - yes we use low voltage bulbs, but why light a room you’re not in? We found that we owned a slow cooker and after dusting this off, discovered that fantastic casseroles could be made at a fraction of the cost of using the oven. One of our biggest discoveries was that our dishwasher and washing machine had timer switches and the simple act of using them to take advantage of cheaper overnight electricity on a regular basis also gave us a big saving in cost, although not in overall consumption. We put a complete ban on using the tumble dryer - all washing was to be dried outside on the line. Given the amount of rain we had, this proved to be the hardest resolution, and for a couple of weeks our kitchen resembled the proverbial Chinese laundry as we tried to dry our stuff in front of the fire. The rather acrid “eau de wood smoke” became our signature fragrance! As the days got colder and darker we began to look forward to a traditional French Christmas, when it occurred to us that swapping one set of commercialised traditions for another wasn’t really what we wanted. When we’d moved, we’d also been given the opportunity to rethink the whole Christmas thing, but up until now we’d not put any time into working out what that actually meant. So as we sat round the fire on those long winter evenings we came up with our own very personal view of the mid-winter period and how it would fit with our Green Manifesto. Join us next month to find out more...
Our green manifesto demanded that we heat our home using renewable energy and we’d also set ourselves a target of reducing our overall electricity consumption by at least 20%. We had two log burning stoves for heating and to help us reach our reduction 34 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly
For further information please email: louise@etangfourreau.com or visit our website: www.etangfourreau.com. Also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/etangfourreau
When to Turn the Other Cheek
by Mick Austin
To the French it’s a tradition, a way of life: Saying hello and goodbye to family and friends. But to us more reserved Brits it’s a baffling custom fraught with potential pitfalls. La bise, the kiss on the cheek that causes many a humiliating moment. Come on, own up. There must have been a time when you’ve intended to give someone three kisses on the cheek and he or she has turned away after two, leaving you with your head stuck out like a meerkat on guard duty. Or when you moved your head to the right at exactly the same time as your ‘target’ and a planned gentle peck on the cheek turned into a full-blown smacker on the lips. Okay when it’s Audrey Tautou or Jean Dujardin perhaps, but not when the recipient is Madame Le Maire sporting the winning moustache in a Freddie Mercury lookalike competition! In England you might just get away with an inebriated auntie or uncle cornering you under the Christmas mistletoe, but here in France it’s quite different. Go to a party, or even just an apero at a private house, and you’ll be expected to greet everyone - including strangers - with either a kiss or a handshake. But just how many kisses is the correct etiquette? And, perhaps more importantly, when should you not expect a kiss? First things first. Definitely no lips. This is not the other French Kiss! It’s an ‘air kiss’. Touch cheeks and make a kissing sound, that’s all. No slobbering or lipstick remnants. There’s no rule on which cheek to kiss first (though more often than not it’s the right) so be careful, especially if you’re both wearing specs! When meeting elderly people for the first time a handshake is usually best. In general, the French kiss family members and friends who are of the same generation. French women kissing each other is a common sight and occasionally you’ll see French men kiss each other, though that’s usually restricted to very close friends or relations. The younger generation, both male and female, often kiss hello but keep the number of kisses down as they regard it as time wasted if there’s a large group of them. But, be warned. At midnight on New Year’s Eve it’s customary for everyone to kiss everyone in sight, including men if you are a man. And just about everybody kisses children, including men kissing young boys. I was in a bar in Normandy once when a French acquaintance brought his young son in and he proceeded to give everyone there – men included – a kiss on the cheek. As I bent down for my kiss I heard an English voice in the corner murmur: “You wouldn’t see that in England!” But the burning question is, just how many kisses are correct? It’s something that’s flummoxed many a foreigner, but take heart, it’s almost as big a conundrum for the French. When asked, almost every French person I know has a different answer, but it usually seems to depend on whom you are kissing and where you live. A few years ago one Gilles Debunne tried to resolve the issue and his poll of 18,000 people resulted in the French Kissing Map (www.combiendebises.free.fr) which clearly shows how the number of kisses varies from not only region to region but also from département to département. It seems one kiss is usual in just two départements – Finistère in Brittany and right here in the Deux-Sèvres. Most of the three-kiss départements are in the south-east (Ardèche, Hérault, Gard etc) while four kisses are common in a great swathe of northern France and south to the Vendée and Indre. The rest of the country seems to be two-kiss territory. (ps: Even the French find five kisses too many). But even within many of the départements there was confusion, so perhaps knowing that your French neighbour is as unclear as
you are about the correct number, will make you more confident the next time you pucker up. Awkward moments are to be expected when you embrace a new life abroad, it’s all part of the experience. Your new French friend will understand that not all cultures faire la bise and will quite often offer a handshake instead. Just look at what’s happening around you and go with the flow. It took me a year or so to get it just about right and not feel embarrassed. But now I find it’s when meeting a fellow Brit for the first time that the confusion begins!
Kissing la bise goodbye? Could la bise become a thing of the past? Durin g the European swine flu pandemic in 2009 many comp anies in France advised employees to avoid such conta ct including, in some cases, even the handshake. But if your need to faire la bise outweighs thoug hts of grippe H1N1 then you might like to head south Rocquemaure, in the Gard, for St Valentine’s week for end (February 13-15). The whole town goes on a wine and kissing binge called ‘La Fête du Baiser’ (Kissing Festival) in hono patron saint of all lovers and 20,000 visitors ur of the join in the fun. Locals dress up in period costume and the wine and the kisses (yep, even on the lips!) flow all day long.
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. The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 35
Communications Understanding About Internet Speed - How Fast is Yours?
by Ross Hendry
When making visits to resolve computer, internet and telephone problems, I am frequently asked by my customers about the speed of the internet service they have, and why it varies enormously! This is quite normal as I visit customers both out in the countryside, miles from anywhere and those in the centre of towns and villages, but why is there such a difference?
When looking at the speed of our internet service we are looking at the download speed, the higher of the two figures. The up line or upload speed rarely exceeds 850kbps to 1mbps (1000kbps), simply because we do not generally upload as much as we download. Normally the up line data consists of internet addresses to locate web pages or email servers and also sending the internet servers confirmation we have received the said web pages or email etc. Typically the speed using traditional telephone lines can be up to 20mbps, the fastest I have seen advertised in France for ADSL. To get this speed you are probably in a town or village and less than a kilometre from the local telephone exchange. My home sits between 1km and 2km from the local exchange, I receive around 8mbps9mbps. What is yours?
Free Internet Speed Test
You can test your internet speed by going to: www.speedtest.net
Please don’t Confuse bits and bytes
The internet network being a relatively new technology, is using very old technology as a bridge between the infra-structure (the internet) and our homes. The old technology, invented in the 1870-90s, is of course the telephone, that uses a simple pair of wires carrying voices between the exchange and the telephones in our homes and businesses etc. This old technology has been adapted to transmit the internet’s digital signals along its pair of copper wires.
ADSL or Broadband or the Internet
The most common internet service in our area of France is known as Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL). Unfortunately ADSL can generally only be distributed over short distances from the telephone exchange, typically a little over two miles (4km) and using a more sophisticated version of ADSL technology (known as RADSL), the range may be extended to around 5 miles (8km). The ADSL signal cannot travel too far and maintain its integrity, and as a result, gets slower the farther the local telephone exchange is away from your property until it is unusable. This drop-off distance will occur at much shorter distances if the telephone lines are in bad condition and extend further if the telephone cables/lines are new and have fewer junctions/joints.
Testing your Internet Speed
When looking at the internet speed test results, it is necessary to understand a little more about why ADSL is so called (The A is for asymmetric, in this case meaning uneven). Simply put, more of the capacity of the line is reserved for data coming to your home (down line) than going out from your home (up line).
36 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly
The speeds above are mbps or mega bits per second, 1 million of them or kilo bits per second (kbps), one thousand of them, and bits are the smallest possible unit of information (a little on/off switch). Do not confuse this with mega or kilo Bytes per second as a Byte is comprised of 8 bits, thus 1Kbps (kilo bytes per second) is 8kbps (kilo bits per second). Bytes are usually used to count storage or RAM capacity in relation to your hard disk drive, USB memory stick or photo card.
Regularly Test your Internet Speed
I check the speed on a regular basis (once per week) and much more frequently if I feel it is getting sluggish. Speed varies throughout the day for many reasons: local business closing for the day and sending off all of their emails, kids getting home from school and using the internet for homework and leisure, the weather and many more. You will be amazed how much faster the internet is when most of the population is asleep! Every year the infra-structure improves, speeds increase and the internet reaches further into the country. Getting some of that speed may mean contacting your supplier and asking them to check that you are receiving the maximum you are entitled to. On many occasions, I have made a call to the ISP on a customer’s behalf, and simply asked the technicians to advise me if there is a higher speed available, and if there is, arranged a free upgrade for the customer. Many of these are very significant increases from 2 to 8Mbps. Check with your supplier annually just to see, you may be pleasantly surprised. 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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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 208 082 4729 The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 37
Get Virtual!
by Julie Tee
I am a freelance administrator (also referred to as a ‘virtual assistant’.) The computing definition of virtual is ‘not physically existing but made by software to appear to do so’, but as I defintely do exist!, I prefer the former title. I provide administration services on a self-employed basis so you don’t have to enter the complex and expensive world of employing staff, but can still keep on top of all things administrative. I mainly work from home, so you don’t have the problem of finding extra office space. What do I do? All of the ‘stuff’ that you hate, that you keep putting off, haven’t got time to do, or that keeps you from doing what you do best…. earning an income from your own skill or business.
We Did It – Again! The sun shone and the predicted thunderstorms held off to give us another great day in Secondigny. Our 3rd Anglo-French Trade Fair, having become a very popular event now, did not disappoint last month, Saturday 20th September. The temperatures soared and the visitors arrived to see the 77 exhibitors, the live music from local musicians and Jim Bryde demonstrating his racing husky team. Having the many traders under one roof is a great opportunity to meet and greet existing and prospective customers and it was a fabulous atmosphere, as always. Everyone was on fine form, welcoming, promoting, selling and advising.
I’d like to say a BIG “Thank You” to my team of helpers; Rob, Mum and Dad, Julie, Lesley, Jo, Ciaran, Joelle, Francis, Sue and the Scout group for their invaluable support....I couldn’t have done it without you!
If you own a Gîte/B&B business, you probably have a website. Have you had the time to load your details onto all of the free or very cheap sites that will extend your market and web coverage? If you are a craftsman, are you looking ‘less’ professional by not communicating with your clients efficiently and professionally? Are you slow in sending invoices? Are your book-keeping records up-to-date? Do you have a database of all your clients (current and prospective) so you can share offers and news with them? Do you have written documents that you would prefer to be stored electronically? Is your stock control system computerised and accurate? Are you using technology to your advantage?
Photos by Joelle Henstridge
Whatever you do, there will always be admin. I can help you with some or all of it. I have 30+ years of administration and IT experience across a wide range of business activities.
Contact ‘The DSM’ on 05 49 70 26 21 Email: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr or visit our website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
We would like to thank all those who completed the Blevins Franks quiz at the Secondigny Trade Fair. The winner of the boxed set of fine wines was Mrs Ann Riley.
WINNER OF THE BLEVINS FRANKS QUIZ 38 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly
Food & Drink French Village Diaries
by Jacqueline Brown
I will admit to feeling a little old as I write this, because my first nephew has just turned eighteen, and deciding what to buy for a young man, who in my head is still a small boy at primary school, wasn’t easy. I am an Auntie by marriage only, but I can remember his early days very well. Although it was a few years before my husband and I got together, I was there (purely as a friend) when his Mum received the news that she was going to be a Grandma for the first time. I was also the first ‘friend’ my husband texted with the news “it’s a boy” and on our return from Ireland, where we had snuck off to get engaged, the first family we visited was my soon-to-be brother-in-law, sister-in-law and nephew. Their immediate reaction was to place their cuddly baby boy in my lap, a sign I took to be acceptance into the family and I was privileged to have four years of practice with him (and his younger brother) before our own son arrived. But then we moved away. We were no longer just down the road, or around to help with babysitting, school pick-ups or join in the fun at birthday parties. We had become the quirky Auntie and Uncle who live in France. We love our life here, but being here means we have missed out on ten years of our nephews’ and nieces’ lives. Gone is the cute toddler who chattered his way through the serious bit at our wedding and in his place is a handsome young man who has passed his driving test, gained some great grades in his GCSE’s and AS levels and whose 18th birthday photo showed him with his arm around the shoulders of his girlfriend and a pint on the table in front of him. After much careful thought I came up with a gift that reflected that he is now an adult, something that is a little quirky and something that has that all important local French link; a bottle of Cognac. I am hopeful that it will help him with the many decisions he will have to make in life now that he is an adult. Some of these decisions will mean choosing between having fun now but facing up to consequences later, or being a bit more boring. It is a life lesson he has to learn. Take the bottle of Cognac, the choice is his; drink it all in one go with his mates and have a blinding 18th birthday bash but feel dreadful the following day, and possibly deal with the consequences of unpleasant hangover symptoms. Or, be sensible with it and savour it over time. Whatever he decides, I won’t judge, but I do hope that if the bottle sits around for a while he will occasionally glance at it, remember these wise words of his old Auntie Jacqui and maybe think of his family here in France. For recipes please email me at frenchvillagediaries@gmail.com
or visit www.frenchvillagediaries.com
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 39
All in a Year’s Work
by John Sherwin
It’s the time of year when we notice the change of season most acutely. The rentrée of course is one of the greatest festivals, when school-aged children are rounded up, packed off to various pedagogical institutions, and stop being a hindrance to civilised existence. The grape harvest runs it a close second. The result of a year’s blood, sweat and tears packed into a frenetic, back-breaking couple of weeks. Wouldn’t it be nice, I thought, to review just what happens in those twelve little months? October – March For those of you who have retired to France, you will be familiar with the repos végétatif or ‘vegetative rest’. The vine lives on its reserves (sounds familiar?), and can resist frost down to -17° (probably not so familiar). This is the time for la taille or ‘pruning’, one of the most necessary, most balls-aching, most finger-numbing jobs in the vineyard. This limits the number of buds, and all things being equal, increases the potential of future quality. April The month when nostrils debung and thoughts turn to buying a campervan. Resist this urge if you possibly can, but nothing can resist le débourrement or ‘budburst’/’budbreak’. What can, however, put the mockers on it, is frost. Even -2° is enough to compromise the eventual harvest. May – June Vine shoots are shooting. Wee bunches of grapes (grappes: NB a single grape = raisin) start to form. Unwanted new shoots are removed - épamprage. Compared to la taille, this is a walk in the park. July This is Parental Guidance month, so I’ll keep it as decorous as possible. The lickle flowers which appear (floraison) release pollen which in turn fertilises the pistils which in turn make babies, I mean berries (baies). These are all still green. Shoots are trimmed back (rognage) to limit development. August The grapes start to change colour (véraison). White grapes become translucent, red grapes become, well, red (or various shades thereof). What’s needed most of all is sun, sun, sun. This is also the month when most winemakers take their holidays and road traffic accidents peak. I’m sure there’s no connection.
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September If August doesn’t come up with enough sun (as this year), a sunny September (as this year) can really save the day. This is the month of maturation – the grapes get bigger and manufacture as much sugar as they can. Which brings us back to where we came in – the harvest (les vendanges). Simple really, but if you’re thinking of having a go, bear in mind the old saying ‘to make a small fortune in the wine business, start with a big one’. As a postscript, I can’t let the month of November go by without mention of ‘Beaujolais Nouveau’. One of my first pieces for this august organ was entitled ‘Beaujolais Schmeaujolais’, if memory serves. That is to say, it’s plonk elevated to icon by icky marketing. Time goes by, but the opinion is the same. Don’t encourage them. Real Beaujolais is a beautiful wine: buy anything from the villages of saint-amour, juliénas, chénas, moulin-à-vent, fleurie, chiroubles, morgon, régnié, cote-de-brouilly, or brouilly, and you’ll be delighted. Buy a Beaujolais Nouveau and you’ll wake up feeling like a schmuck.
John Sherwin, French Wine Tours. Tel: 02 51 66 13 05 ~ E: john@french-wine-tours.com www.french-wine-tours.com
NEW!
Welcome to the Auberge du noyer. Emma, Mark and family pride themselves on serving freshly cooked food in a comfortable setting (whether it’s in the bar or restaurant), with a warm and hospitable service. They offer food for all budgets and have something for all tastes and dietary requirements. We are lucky to have them on-board and look forward to their delicious menus each month! Here are the first of many...
Mango salsa
Crab cakes
Crab cakes
12-15
Ingredients: For the crab cakes: • 200g potatoes • 1 knob of butter • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley • ½ tsp black pepper • ½ tsp English mustard • 1 tsp mayonnaise • 1 lemon (juice & zest) • Splash of worcestershire sauce • ½ tsp cayenne pepper • 200g white crabmeat. For the coating: • 60g Plain flour for dusting • 1 egg beaten egg • 60g Fine breadcrumbs to coat Method: Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until tender, drain well and allow to steam dry, then put through a ricer into a bowl (or mash very well). Add a knob of butter, then leave to cool completely. Stir in remaining crab cake ingredients, season the mixture and shape into 12-15 bite-size cakes. Chill for at least half an hour. Heat some vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan until shimmering. Dust each crabcake in plain flour, then dip into beaten egg and coat in fine breadcrumbs. Shallow-fry in batches for 2-3 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Serve warm with lemon and herb mayonnaise.
Monkfish
CURRIED MONKFISH with MANGO SALSA & ROCKET SALAD serves 4
Method: Pre-heat your oven to 180°C. Cut the monkfish tails lengthways in half twice, this will give you four equal pieces. Put the curry powder into a dish and roll each piece of fish until its nicely coated and Ingredients: put to rest one side. For the mango salsa: For the mango salsa, mix all the ingredients • 1 mango, peeled and diced (or 1 tin of and leave to stand. For the salad just mix mango slices, drained) the rocket and lettuce together with a little • Half a small red onion, finely chopped dressing of your choice and its ready for • Half a red chilli, finely chopped plating. • Juice of a lime • 1 tbsp chopped coriander, roughly Heat your sauté pan with a little oil and then chopped add your fish, leave to cook for a couple of minutes on one side or until its nicely For the monkfish: coloured then turn it over. Cook for a • 500g Monkfish tail further 2 minutes or until that side is nicely • 2 tbsp curry powder coloured too. Next pop the fish into the • oven to cook through for a further 4-5 mins. For the salad: Once cooked the fish should be quite firm • 1 bag of washed rocket leaves to touch with a nice yellow crust and inside • 1 head of green lettuce bright white flesh. To plate you can either slice up the fish or serve whole along with a little salsa and some of the mixed salad. This is a lovely fragrant fish course which we sometimes serve with our home made thrice-cooked chunky chips.
Auberge du noyer BAR & RESTAURANT La Brousse Londigny 16700
Facebook: aubergedunoyer Tel: 05 45 29 05 07 email: aubergedunoyer@orange.fr www.aubergedunoyer.com
OPEN
Thursday to Monday 11.30am - 3pm & 6pm - 11pm
The Deux-Sèvres Monthly | 41
Annual Subscription Costs: 29,50€ within France, 18€ 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.
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Motoring 944 - Still in the Pink
by Helen Tait-Wright
Recently, someone asked me if I wanted to buy a Porsche 944 S. I don’t. If I was going to buy a Porsche it would be a 911. However, it did remind me of a trip I did with the Porsche Club to the Porsche factory in Stuttgart in 1998, driving a friends 944 Turbo S. Most memorably the trip included a chance to drive the circuit at Spa Francorchamps - wow! What an experience. Getting Eau Rouge just right and being catapulted up the hill is something I will never forget. But I digress. The 944 launched into the United Kingdom in May of 1982 and immediately answered all of the criticisms aimed at its predecessor, the much-maligned 924. Exquisite looks, excellent fuel economy, advanced engineering, peerless build quality, towering performance and near perfect neutral handling courtesy of 50/50 weight distribution meant that the 944 quickly became top of every sports car enthusiasts shopping list. Some still consider the 944 to be the best handling rear wheel drive car of all time. By the end of its production run in 1991 the 944 had evolved into a more than capable supercar and is today still capable of embarrassing more modern machinery.
The interior could only have come out of the Eighties - burgundy and pink plaid!!! Even the dash board was burgundy. It was certainly different! And perhaps that dubious 80s taste is what keeps that particular model collectable. In contrast to that rather exotic beast, the 944 S I was offered has a normally aspirated engine with an output of 190bhp. 944‘s are still desirable and certainly fall into the future classic bracket. The good news is that the galvanised body ensures longevity, but unfortunately like all “Luxe” marques, maintenance costs are high, and the number of surviving 944’s is falling. If you are thinking of buying, the post-1985 cars, Turbos, and S variants are considered more desirable than the earlier cars, having improved interiors, suspensions, and engines. However, with examples available for less than £10,000, the 944 offers todays buyer the opportunity to buy into the Porsche marque for a modest outlay and get a return on their investment measurable in pure fun and enjoyment.
Contact Helen at helen@stodel.org
Visually, the 944 started the iconic Eighties look, much copied by other marques, with its flared wings, deep front spoiler, a rear spoiler and pop up headlights. The thing I remember most about sitting in the car is that you were almost cocooned, thanks to the low seating position and the high transmission tunnel. Having said that, it was a comfortable car to drive, even on a long trip. The car I took to Germany was a Special Edition 944 Turbo - the ‘Silver Rose Turbo S’. Manufactured in 1988, only seventy Silver Rose models came to the UK, and specialists estimate that just a third of those still exist. Under the bonnet the engine had a larger turbo housing than the standard Turbo model, which was producing nearly 250bhp, and had state of the art adjustable Koni shock absorbers front and rear. Externally, the special paint colour is, as the name suggests, silvery pink.
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Find the Cheapest Fuel Prices in your Area. This website provides comparative prices on petrol and diesel in all areas of France. Go to: www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr and simply click the department of your choice on the map (Deux-Sèvres = Dept.79) and a list of fuel stations will be shown, giving their location and current price.
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Building & Renovation
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Business & Finance Property Capital Gains Taxation
by David Hardy
Under the terms of the current Double Tax Treaty between the UK and France, any gain arising on the sale of a UK secondary property, by a tax resident of France, would be taxable in France. The French rules then say that Capital Gains Tax on the sale of a ‘second’ property is currently at a set rate of 19%, with no allowance for inflation. However, there is an allowance for the length of time the property has been held. The taxable gain benefits from progressive taper relief, with a reduction of 6% pa, for every year of ownership over the first 5 years and up to the 21st year. A reduction of 4% applies in the 22nd year, giving 100% relief after 22 years. Importantly, the gain will also be subject to ‘Social Taxes’ (currently at 15.5%) and will benefit from a lesser level of taper relief of 1.65% pa for the first 21 years. On the 22nd year only the relief is 1.6%, however, the reduction rises rapidly from then on, so that gains become exempt from “contributions sociales” after 30 years. For larger gains exceeding €50,000, after the application of taper relief, there is a capital gains ‘surtax’ of between 2% and 6%. However, within each tax band, per €50,000 gain threshold, there is a “dampening” mechanism for reducing the level of the charge for the first €10,000 of gain in that band. Following an announcement in the 2013 UK Autumn statement sales of UK property will be subject to UK Capital Gains Tax on UK non-residents. This measure will take effect from April 2015 with tax paid in the UK receiving a credit against the calculated French tax liability. David Hardy is Regional Manager of Siddalls France, Independent Financial Adviser, specialised in tax, inheritance, pension and investment planning for the British community in the Poitou-Charentes since 1996.
David Hardy, Siddalls France Tel: 05 56 34 75 51 ~ Email: enquiries@siddalls.net
www.siddalls.fr
CONTRIBUTIONS... We are always looking for new articles for consideration in future issues. Do you have an experience to share? Are you a tradesman with a Top Tip? or perhaps an avid reader who would like to contribute a book review? Whatever it may be, either long or short, we would love to hear from you. 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 | 49
WEALTH TAX (I.S.F.) I.S.F - IMPOTS DE SOLIDARITE SUR LA FORTUNE
Solutions
OK - Most of you will be laughing and wishing you have this problem (and so do I), but you will be surprised how easy it can be to be subjected to ISF, depending on where your property is! Indeed, the opponents of this tax often use the example of the resident of Isle de Ré (an island on the Atlantic coast) whose main residence (normal 3 bedroom bungalow) is valued at 1.5 million€! And therefore subjected to wealth tax: But they are not actually rich!
Contrat Capitalisation: This saving account benefits from an
In 2013, 312,046 households have been taxed on ISF, earning 4.39 billion€ for the French government.
allowance in regards to wealth tax. Indeed, for all saving accounts you have to declare their value on the 1st of January each year (interest included). With the contrat Capitalisation, you only have to declare the nominal amount which means the amount you invested without declaring the compounded interests so if you have invested 500,000€ and earned 50,000€ on it (10%), you still only have to declare 500,000€ instead of 550,000€! A good solution if you just moved to France and know that in 5 years you will be subject to ISF. You can invest now knowing that all the interest you will be earning in the next 5 years will be exempt from wealth tax. Your capital stays available at any time by partial or total withdrawal and you benefit from the same advantages as the assurance vie in terms of tax as the withdrawals are constituted by a part capital (non taxable) and a part interest (taxable).
So why not look closer to see if you should be part of it?
FCPI ISF: This is an investment that is blocked for 7 to 9 years. You
In the same way, for British people, having a secondary house or flat in London might cause the same problem. In fact, it would not surprise me to find that some of you did not realise that you had to declare your assets and pay tax for it.
Who is subject to wealth tax (ISF)?
Basically, people whose assets are worth more than 1.3 million€. If you are French resident, it is your worldwide assets. But savings and properties outside France are exempt for 5 years after you officially become a French resident. If you are nonresident, only the house in France is subject to wealth tax (if valued at more than 1.3 million€).
What assets do you declare and which are exempt?
For the value of your main residence, you apply a 20% discount. Also, if you have a loan or a mortgage, you can deduct it from the value of your assets. You can also deduct the taxes you pay (ISF itself, income tax, taxe fonciere and d’habitation). And note that the income tax and ISF together cannot be more than 85% of your income. Assets exempt from ISF are: Antiques, art objects, collection cars, professional assets, forest and money received as compensation for an injury or a disease. And don’t forget that assets outside France are exempt for 5 years. It is now declared at the same time as the income tax (form 2042C) and you don’t have to include any proof with it. If your assets are worth more than 2.57 million€, you have to fill in the ISF tax form (N°2725) and you have to do so before mid-June each year and include proof of payment with it. Yes, you actually have to calculate the wealth tax yourself!
How much does it cost?
Although you only pay ISF when your assets are worth more than 1.30 million€, you start paying from 800,000€! Up to Between Between Between Between More than
800,000€ 800,000€ and 1,300,000€ 1,300,000€ and 2,570,000€ 2,570,000€ and 5,000,000€ 5,000,000€ and 10,000,000€ 10,000,000€
0% 0.25% 0.75% 1% 1.25% 1.50%
Example: Your main residence is worth 500,000€ (so 400,000€ after the 20% discount), you own a flat in London worth 1.3 million€ (you now have lived in France for 6 years), you have savings worth 600,000€, you cars are worth 60,000€ and your furniture is worth 50,000€. No mortgage or loan but you pay 5,000€ income tax, 3,000€ taxe fonciere and 2,000€ taxe d’habitation so total assets to declare to ISF is 2,310,000€. Total to pay would be 10,075€. Next year, you can offset ISF tax as well as the other taxes!
invest 10,000€ for example and it gives you a discount equivalent to 40% of the amount you invested so 4,000€ off your wealth tax! So if you pay 10,000€ ISF, you only now pay 6,000€. This is an investment on innovative companies so the discount is made to energize the French economy by helping new companies. It is a risky investment, but then again, your return would have to be worse than -40% to make it a bad one!
Nue-propriete: You can buy a property with a mortgage on “nuepropriete”. Nue-propriete is having a property without having the use of it. Imagine an apple tree, the nue-propriete is the trunk and the apple is the Usufruit. So you can buy the tree without being able to eat the apples! Under ISF rules, it is the person who has the usufruit of the property who declare the value of the property to ISF. In this case, the owner is a real estate property (companies don’t pay ISF). So you buy the property without the use (you recuperate the use of it after 15 to 18 years). In the meantime, your mortgage for this property is deducted from your total assets so it reduces your wealth tax. Conclusion: As usual, and especially for the wealth tax as it can be complicated, do not hesitate to contact me as advice is FREE! And yes, Allianz offers all the above solutions. Don’t hesitate either to contact me for any other subjects such as inheritance law, tax, savings, funeral cover or quote on insurances. And check out our web site www.bh-assurances.fr for my previous articles on “practical pages”.
And don’t forget to check out our website where you can find all my previous articles under the page on the English site “practical information”: www.bh-assurances.fr. You can also follow us on Twitter @charenteinsure
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
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Sometimes Plain Vanilla is Best You’ve invested in equities and bonds, should you now consider alternative assets? You may have seen funds advertised which sound more interesting and seem to offer better returns, such as investing in overseas property developments, student accommodation, timber and fine wine. It can be tempting, but for most investors, plain vanilla is best. It is not just a question of sticking to tried and tested investment assets, but also of investing in regulated products which do not have complex, hard to value structures. Funds which invest in non-traditional scheme assets are known as Unregulated Collective Investment Schemes (UCIS).
by Bradley Warden, Partner, Blevins Franks
The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has had concerns about a number of UCIS funds and believes they are unlikely to be suitable for the vast majority of retail investors. Last year it reported that consumers have lost substantial amounts of money investing in UCIS funds and similar products in recent years, and found that three out of every four sales to retail clients were unsuitable for the investor. It warned: “These assets may sometimes appear to offer better returns with less volatility than more usual investment types but they are often actually higher-risk investments. For example they may be illiquid, difficult to value and prices may be volatile.” Regulation is very important when considering a fund. Look at what body is regulating the fund itself, and evaluate the regulation of the adviser making the recommendation - they should carry a high degree of regulation and only recommend authorised funds from reputable jurisdictions.
A variety of these schemes have been on offer over the last decade or so. Unfortunately many of them have been suspended or liquidated, leaving investors without access to their funds.
You should only use advisory firms which carry out due diligence on everything they consider recommending to their clients, and preferably have not advised clients to invest in funds that have subsequently failed.
Before the credit crunch hit, it seemed everyone was talking about student accommodation and ground rent funds. But being popular does not make them safe, and funds have failed.
In summary, if it seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t risk your wealth.
For example, a well-known UK property investor suspended its eight funds, with around £1.5bn invested, in July 2013. Another high profile case is an Australian firm which placed itself into voluntary administration in February 2013, suspending its eight funds. One invested in Australian mortgages, with an estimated fund size of £2 billion.
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Currency Matters
by Sue Cook
The movements of GBP/EUR leading up to 15 October and what were the influences. The run up to the Scottish referendum and its aftermath had big effects on GBP/EUR movements. In the approach to voting day the pound tumbled sharply, with the polls identifying that the outcome was neck and neck. The unprecedented uncertainty that a Yes vote would have delivered sent shock waves through the financial markets. As the possibility of a Yes vote became very real, the pound suffered heavy losses. On the day of the vote itself the markets were more confident of a No vote and this led to a recovery for the pound. Following official confirmation of the No result, the pound rallied further still, hitting a two-year high against the euro. Attention is now shifting back towards economic data from both the UK and the Eurozone, which will determine the future direction of monetary policy for both. As it stands, the UK is on a trajectory to raising interest rates. Meanwhile the European Central Bank is entrenched in monetary easing and could embark on full blown QE in the coming months, keeping the euro on the back foot. Projected GBP/EUR movements going forward from mid-October to mid-November. Attention has now shifted back to economic data to provide an insight into the health of the UK and the Eurozone economies. The UK is, as we stand, looking likely to raise interest rates next year and this is certainly boosting appetite for the pound. Continued positive feedback is required from UK data to support this view and there is a risk that data could start to slow, potentially pushing back the timeline for an interest rate hike. Ironically the strength of the pound in recent months could weigh on future UK data releases and also soften inflation numbers which will slow the urgency of the BoE. However, at present the data has been mainly positive and hence is why the pound is hitting two-year highs against the euro. The euro is under pressure across the currency markets and in particular against the USD. The European Central Bank have cut their main interest rate to 0.05 per cent and cut the deposit rate into negative territory. In addition they are looking to expand their balance sheet to around €1 trillion through their TLTRO programme and ABS and covered bond purchases. However, there is concern that current measures may not be enough as data continues to disappoint and inflation is still softening. The next step for the ECB would be full blown quantitative easing which is weighing on the euro overall and, if announced, could see further weakness for the single currency with GBP/EUR pushing towards 1.35. However, it is unlikely that we will see QE this year and it will probably come, if at all, after December’s release of the second tranche of the TLTRO programme uptake.
Ask Amanda
“When I was a UK resident I was able to take advantage of tax free savings schemes. Are there French products that will allow me to save in the same way, now I live in France?”
There are two main tax efficient savings products you can take advantage of as a French resident, Livret A and Assurance Vie. Livret A is a deposit based account which all banks and the post office offer. It gives you instant access, however, this is balanced by a modest rate of interest of around 1% p.a. There is also a maximum amount of 22,950€ per person you can hold within a Livret A. An Assurance Vie is an investment which again all banks and financial institutions here in France offer. I have written about this before yet I think a reminder of the important aspects of the mechanism of assurance vie is probably in order here: • An Assurance vie (AV) is a type of insurance, however, unlike a life insurance you may have experienced in the UK, these policies shield any investments from virtually all forms of tax while the funds remain inside the AV. (Some funds receive dividend income that has had withholding tax deducted). • AV’s become more tax efficient over time. After 8 years funds can be withdrawn from the AV and taxed at just 7.5% on the gain element only. Funds can be accessed at any time before that, with the gain declared on your annual tax return. Standard social tax remains payable on all gain, but only when drawn. • After eight years your gain is not only tax efficient, but it can be offset against a tax free allowance of (currently) 4,600€ per person (9,200€ per couple) per annum. I would be happy to run through this with you as part of a free financial health check. • AV policies are not subject to succession law. Proceeds from an AV policy can be shared amongst any number of beneficiaries. Although the succession tax benefit is reduced when the subscribers are aged over 70, there are still worthwhile benefits to be gained in this area. What should I ask for in an Assurance Vie? • Portability - Can I take it with me if I move back to England or to another country? • Regulation - Is the company advising me on an Assurance Vie regulated in France? • Fees – Is 100% of your money invested? • Social Charges – If & how are Social Charges applied to my AV ? • Currency - Can I invest in Sterling? Euros? Whether you want to register for our newsletter, attend one of our road shows or speak to me directly, please call or email me on the contacts below and I will be glad to help you. We do not charge for reviews, reports or recommendations we provide. 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 Financiers»
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Property
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Home from Home for Dr Who?
by Joanna Leggett
You might be forgiven for doing a double-take in St Maixent-l’Ecole, for outside the Mairie sits an original red UK telephone kiosk - not the Tardis, but the result of the twinning of this ancient town with Horsham in Sussex! Nestled in rural landscape, St Maixent l’Ecole is in the heart of DeuxSèvres where farming is the way of life for most of its population. As a result there is a thriving Farmers’ Market each Saturday where you can indulge in your quest for the best produce including the local goat’s cheese, reputedly among the tastiest in France.
LEGGETT
IMMOBILIER
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN TRUST
Buying oR SeLLing A PRoPeRty ? ContACt tHe BeSt eStAte AgenCy in FRAnCe
Founded in the Fifth Century, the town at first prospered, before becoming, during the Wars of Religion a ‘border town’ between the Protestant strongholds around La Rochelle and Catholic France! Today it’s peaceful and tranquil with buildings dating from the 15th through to the 19th century – its particularly fine abbey dominates the skyline. At its heart is a pedestrianised main shopping street where you are greeted by a row of handsome buildings with shops, bars and restaurants.
Ref: 43515FBL79. Village Maison de Maître with 5 bedrooms, a natural pool, outbuildings & 2-bed house to renovate. Coulonges sur l’Autize €299,600
Ref: 43073PW79. Historic 4 bed hamlet property on the route to Santiago de Compostela. Pool and outbuildings. St Marc la Lande €182,520
Ref: 40804JH79. Must-see renovated 4 bedroom mill house, barns and gardens, surrounded by amazing country views. Sepvret €214,000
Ref: 46214BB79. Characterful 4 bedroom stone longère, with natural pool and 300m2 storage barn in a rural hamlet. Verruyes €230,050
Known throughout France as being the home of the ‘Ecole de l’Armee’ for NCO’s (established in 1878), in 1926 the town proudly renamed itself as St Maixent-l’Ecole. The best opportunity to see these soldiers on parade in full dress is on one of the days of remembrance. Paul Woods, one of our local Leggett agents, currently has a detached village house for sale with stunning views, just ten minutes from St Maixent. He says this property has been extremely well maintained, and provides the perfect country retreat as it’s not too isolated. In addition to four bedrooms it offers a large kitchen, conservatory and lovely views towards the forest. This property (ref: 21455PW79 shown below) has recently been reduced to €212,500.
tel: 06 77 35 91 79 or 0800 900 324 www.leggettfrance.com
But should you prefer to be in the heart of town yet in a quiet area, Brigitte Barthelemy, suggests a splendid four bed two bathroomed townhouse and potential for more bedrooms, with garden and garage (for sale €397,500, ref: 46019BB79, shown below). Set within a walled courtyard, this spacious and light manor house boasts its own watch tower and could become an ideal B&B. St Maixent is well located, with direct TGV links to Paris, not far from the airports at Poitiers or La Rochelle with the beautiful Atlantic beaches and the famous Ile de Ré!
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
54 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly