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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Welcome!
to Issue 6 of ‘The Vendée Monthly’ magazine! Time flies when you’re having fun and we have already reached the sixth month of this new magazine! We appreciate any feedback, so please do tell us your thoughts, good or bad. Our website gives you the opportunity to send us a message of feedback, plus of course you can order advertising, order a postal subscription, search the Online Business Directory, locate your nearest magazine Distribution Point or read more area information. It is updated regularly, so please take a look and save it as a ‘favourite’. We are always looking for written contributions, so if you enjoy putting pen to paper and sharing experiences, please do send something to us. Long or Short -‐ I’m sure the readers will enjoy it. Thanks for reading and enjoy your October.
à plus, Sarah. Email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr or Tel: 05 49 70 26 21. website: www.thevendeemonthly.fr
Contents...
What’s On..........................................................................4 Getting Out & About.........................................................6 Hobbies, Clubs & Associations..........................................10 Our Furry Friends.............................................................. 11 The Great Outdoors.......................................................... 12 Health, Beauty & Fitness.................................................. 14 Take a Break...................................................................... 15 Spotlight On................................................................... 16 Motoring........................................................................... 18 French Life, Food & Drink.............................................. 19 Communications.............................................................. 22 Building & Renovation...................................................... 24 Business, Finance & Property........................................... 27
This Month’s Advertisers... A2B Food Services .............................................................................................. 20 Affordable UK Design...........................................................................................2 A la Bonne Vie (Restaurant).................................................................................20 An English Nursery in France............................................................................... 13 AngloInfo Pays-‐de-‐la-‐Loire...................................................................................23 ARB French Property............................................................................................30 Ayurveda (Massage Treatments)........................................................................ 14 Bill McEvoy (Plumber / Heating Engineer).......................................................... 25 Bird Property Services......................................................................................... 25 Blevins Franks Ltd (Tax and Wealth Management)............................................. 27 Cafe Cour du Miracle........................................................................................... 21 Chris Bassett Construction.................................................................................. 25 Concept Construction......................................................................................... 26 Corbin Electrical................................................................................................... 24 Currencies Direct (Money Transfers)................................................................... 28 David Watkins (Chimney Sweep)......................................................................... 26 Edward Lizard (Wooden Sculpture and Furniture)............................................. 26 Elliott Gardening Services.................................................................................... 12 English Spoken..................................................................................................... 23 Evelyne Mallet (French Lessons & Translations)................................................. 6 GAN Assurance.................................................................................................... 18 Gentle Touch Hair & Beauty................................................................................ 14 Glass 2 France...................................................................................................... 2 Insink Plumbing................................................................................................... 25 John Snee (Groundworks)................................................................................... 25 Jon Crocker Photography..................................................................................... 13 Julie’s Cleaning Services.......................................................................................29 Karen Renel-‐King (Sworn Translation)................................................................. 7 Keith Banks Pool Services.................................................................................... 24 K.Neal Renovations.............................................................................................. 25 Leggett Immobilier............................................................................................... 29 Le Chenil de Baspont (Luxury Dog Boarding Kennels)....................................... 11 Le Pub des Halles................................................................................................. 20 Ma Maison Parfaite............................................................................................. 30 Mark Sabestini Renovation & Construction........................................................ 25 ML Computers..................................................................................................... 23 Nathan Foster Building Services.......................................................................... 25 Polar Express (Frozen Foods).............................................................................. 20 Rob Berry (Plasterer)........................................................................................... 26 Robert Gough Terrassement............................................................................... 24 Ross Hendry (Interface Consulting & Engineering)............................................. 22 Sandy G (Hairdressing)........................................................................................ 14 Sarah Berry Online (Websites and Graphic Design)............................................ 23 Satellite TV (Nigel Gubb)......................................................................................23 Shaun O’Rourke (Garden Maintenance)............................................................. 12 Sky Packages........................................................................................................ 23 Spectrum IFA Group (Amanda Johnson)............................................................. 29 Sue Burgess (French Courses & Translation)....................................................... 6 The Rendez-‐Vous Christian Fellowship................................................................ 9 Val Assist (Translation Services)........................................................................... 6 Vendée Carriers................................................................................................... 18 Vendée Pools...................................................................................................... 24
Emergency Numbers: 15 SAMU, Medical 17 Gendarmes, Police 18 Pompiers, Fire
112 European emergency 113 Drugs and alcohol
Annual Subscription Costs: 28€ within France, 18€ UK addresses. (Unfortunately the cheaper ‘printed papers’ rate cannot be applied to addresses within France, only when sending abroad) Please tick:
‘The Deux-Sèvres Monthly’
‘The Vendée Monthly’
Full Name: Postal Address: Postcode:
Country:
Tel: Email: Please make cheques payable to SARAH BERRY. © Sarah Berry 2013. 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 Vendêe Monthly>> est édité par Sarah Berry, 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 et morgeufile.com. Impression: Raynaud Imprimeurs, zone industrielle, BP13, 79160, Coulonges-‐sur-‐l’Autize. Dépôt légal: octobre 2013 -‐ Tirage: 4500 exemplaires. Siret: 515 249 738 00011 ISSN: 2115-‐4848
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
What’s On... October 2013 2nd October -‐ NALA Quiz At The Auberge, St Vincent Sterlange. 8.00 pm start. 5th October -‐ Fête de l’automne In St Denis Du Payré, 85580. Evening dance and traditional music. 8.30pm free entry. See advert on P.5. 5th/6th October -‐ Les Automnales Learn about harvest and autumnal produce at this weekend event. Based on D753 between St Michel Mt Mercure and Pouzages. Information: 02 51 57 77 14. 6th October -‐ Vide grenier et Fête du village In St Denis Du Payré, 85580 from 9.00am -‐ 6.00pm. There will be a vide-‐grenier, a "dégustation" and demonstration of the fabrication of "moût" and vin nouveau as well as an exhibition on the theme "L'arrivée de l'eau et de l'électricité dans le Sud Vendée". Food and refreshments available. Free entry. Please Contact: 02 51 28 83 06. 6th October -‐ Pumpkin Festival At La Mothe Archard, 10am-‐6pm. Discover a collection of 300 varieties of Squash and Pumpkin and see entries into the national competition to awarding the ‘Biggest Pumpkin’. Trade stalls, food, drink and entertainment also available at this busy event. Info: 02 51 46 84 62. www.potagerextraordinaire.com 6th October -‐ Fête des Plantes Plant Show at Parc de la Verrerie, Faymoreau, 85240. Please see details on: www.maraispoitevin-‐vendee.com 8th October -‐ Darts Night At Le Pub des Halles, Sainte Hermine. Please see advert on P20 for contact details. 8th/9th October -‐ Is Christianity a Set of Rules or Something More...? Talks on two separate evenings by International speaker Don Latham. For further details please see advert on P9. 12th-‐20th October -‐ International Tennis Vendée At Vendespace, Mouilleron le Captif. 70 high level tennis players compete in 50 games of tennis. The second year of this sporting event. 5€ entry. More info on www.vendee.fr 13th October -‐ Les pépites botaniques, Fête des Plantes Plant Show at la Haye-‐Fouassiere, 44690. Free entry. Please see details on: www.arrosoirs-‐secateurs.com/Quelques-‐ manifestadons-‐hordcoles 15th October -‐ Quiz Night At Le Pub des Halles, Sainte Hermine. Great fun evening, all levels welcome. Please see advert on P20 for contact details. 19th October -‐ Chinese Evening At Le Pub des Halles, Sainte Hermine. Please see advert on P20 for contact details. 27th October -‐ Foire aux Marrons At La Caillère St Hilaire, 9am -‐ 8pm. Vide Grenier, Old cars & tractors, local produce, open bar, Fish and Chips, Live Music, Bumper cars and pony rides. Something for everyone.
What’s Coming Up...
Saturday 16th November -‐ Christmas Market At Claranne’s Pantry, 85670 Saint Paul Mont Penit with over 20 stands offering Christmas gifts and foods. More information, please call: 06 33 24 90 92 or 06 76 68 89 17. Saturday 7th December -‐ NALA Xmas Fair At the Chateau de Puybelliard, Puybelliard near Chantonnay. Please see directly opposite for details about the event. The National Holidays, Religious and Feast Days 2013 Friday 1st November......... All Saints Day (Toussaint) Monday 11th November... Armisjce Day (Armis.ce 1918) Wednesday 25th December. Christmas Day (Noël)
Monthly services in the English speaking Anglican Church in the Vendée: Puy de Serre All Saints, Vendée holds 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. Other services are held in the west of the Vendée, in La Chapelle Achard and La Chapelle Palluau. For details of these, please check the website: www.allsaintsvendee.fr A VERY WARM WELCOME awaits you at ESCOVAL (The English Speaking Church of the Valley of the Loire). Communion Services are held on the 3rd Sunday of each month at La Chapelle de la Bonne Dame de Ranton at 11.30am followed by a Bring and Share lunch. Full details of how to find us can be found on our website at: www.escoval.org or please telephone us on: 05 49 66 79 14. Our GPS address is 46˚59'25.30 N 0˚02'06.22 W. You will be warmly welcomed at Joie de Vie Christian Fellowship in St Gilles Croix de Vie. We meet every Sunday in Espace Notre Dame, Rue Gautte, St Gilles. May to end of September, 6pm and October to end of March at 11am. We are an English Speaking Church, but welcome French speakers and hold occasional bi-‐lingual services. To find out more see our website www.joiedevie.org or contact Rev. Roger Fray on: 02 51 33 27 81. We look forward to meeting you.
Only 67 days until our NALA Xmas!!
A Taste of Xmas
The NALA Animal association is holding a Xmas Fair on Saturday 7th December at the Chateau de Puybelliard near Chantonnay. A great chance to visit this lovely chateau, buy your Christmas presents, wreath, decorations, crackers and indulge in wonderful, traditional Christmas foods: glorious cakes, mince-‐pies,puddings, sausage rolls and much more! Those who have attended our afternoon teas know that we have some of the best bakers around giving their time and expertise so it’s definitely an occasion not to be missed! There are some stands still available so traders please contact chateaupuybelliard@yahoo.fr. Or for further information, visit our website: www.nosamislesanimaux.com.
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Vide Greniers
5th October 6th October 12th October 13th October 20th October 26th October
Luçon (85400) St Aignan Garndlieu (44860), Nantes (44000), Challans (85300) L’epine (85740) Vairé (85150), La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon (85000), St Vincent-‐sur-‐Jard (85520), Bouaye (44830) Nantes (44000) Les Herbieres (85500)
For more information about Vide Greniers in your area, visit: www.info-‐brocantes.com
Your Local Markets
Paperback Jan Books in English
2nd Oct: Café Cour de Miracle, Vouvant 85120. 2.30pm -‐ 4.30pm 3rd Oct: Brasserie Vue du Chateau, Bressuire 79300. 10am -‐ 12pm 3rd Oct: Bar le Palais, St Aubin le Cloud 79450. 2pm-‐5pm 4th Oct: Bar de la Paix, Thouars 79100. 12pm -‐ 2pm 4th Oct: Le Tipsy Bar, Coulonges-‐sur-‐l’Autize 79160. 4pm -‐ 6pm 6th Oct: Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux 79160. 2pm -‐ 4pm 9th Oct: Les Jardins St Laurent Hotel, Parthenay 79200. 10am-‐12pm 9th Oct: Le Don Jon Bar, Moncontour 86330. 2pm -‐ 4pm 10th Oct: Pause! Cafe, L’Absie 79240. 2pm-‐ 5pm 11th Oct: Jan’s home, La Ferrière-‐en-‐Parthenay 79390. 11am -‐ 4pm 12th Oct: Cafe Le Chauray, St Maixent l’Ecole 79400. 10am -‐ 1pm 19th Oct: Beer Fest at Fenery. 11am-‐4pm 30th Oct: Jan’s home, La Ferrière-‐en-‐Parthenay 79390. 1pm -‐ 6pm 31st Oct: Le Relais des Deux Moulins, Clessé 79350. 4pm -‐ 6pm For more info contact Jan on: 06 08 30 73 29 or email: paperbackjan@gmail.com
La Vendée Chippy Traditional Fish & Chips in France! • Wednesdays (October 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th) Bar ‘Auberge le St Vincent’, St Vincent Sterlanges • Thursdays (October 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th) Bar ‘La Rando’, Mervent.
Mondays: Tuesdays:
Wednesdays: Thursdays:
Saturdays:
Sundays:
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Benet 85490 Noirmoutier-en-l’île 85330 Challans 85300 Chantonnay 85110 La Roche-sur-Yon 85000 Les Sables-d’Olonne 85100 La Tranche-sur-Mer 85360 Luçon 85400 Les Sables-d’Olonne 85100 St-Giles-Croix-de-Vie 85800 Bretignolles-sur-Mer 85470 Chantonnay 85110 Les Herbiers 85500 Les Sables-d’Olonne 85100 L’Aiguillon sur mer 85460 Les Sables-d’Olonne 85100 La Chataigneraie 85120 Chantonnay 85110 Fontenay-le-Comte 85201 Les Herbiers 85550 Luçon 85400 Bretignolles-sur-Mer 85470 La Faut sur Mer 85460 La Roche-sur-Yon 85000
See our website www.thevendeemonthly.fr for more market information.
!
For more info please visit website: www.lavendeechippy.com
Advert Size A or B, only 38€ per month or from 33,33€ per month for 12 months.
Fridays:
• Fridays (October 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th ) Bar ‘Au Bon Coin’, Thoursais Bouildroux
If you have a date you would like included in next month’s “What’s On” listing, please email the details to: info@thevendeemonthly.fr.
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Getting Out & About...
Learn French with Evelyne Des questions
by Evelyne Mallet
It would be a shame to limit your exchanges in French to just Bonjour, Merci, Au revoir. Sooner or later then, you’ll have to ask questions. If you need to check a piece of information you’ve just heard, you can repeat the statement and make it into a question by simply raising your voice at the end. Let’s say you were told: Ils arrivent demain. You could check the information, by asking: Ils arrivent demain? (with a raised voice). Now, how difficult is that? Another option is to add est-‐ce que at the beginning: Est-‐ce qu’ils arrivent demain? In that case, you don’t need to raise your voice at the end, est-‐ce que clearly indicating it’s a question. The third option is for formal conversations and written form. Turn around ils arrivent and add a little dash between the two words: Arrivent-‐ils demain? The three constructions mean the same; you want to check if they’re really arriving tomorrow. You’ll decide which one to use, depending on the situation (informal conversation or a more formal exchange) and on your personal preference. If ‘yes’ or ‘no’ won’t be enough as an answer, you’ll need to add questions words, like où, quand, comment, pourquoi ... (where, when, how, why...). The statement Ils arrivent demain could then become Ils arrivent quand? This might seem quite odd to you, literally They’re arriving when?, but it is perfectly acceptable in spoken French. For the other two constructions, the question words will go at the beginning: Quand est-‐ce qu’ils arrivent? or more formally Quand arrivent-‐ils? Question words stick together in French, so if you wanted to find out who they are travelling with, ask either: Ils voyagent avec qui?, Avec qui est-‐ce qu’ils voyagent? or Avec qui voyagent-‐ils? You may have noticed that in these questions, the expression est-‐ce que dropped its final ‘e’ in front of another vowel, becoming est-‐ce qu’ils. We like linking words together, we feel it flows better that way. On the other hand, qui won’t change, even in front of another vowel, so that in these questions, qui? (who?) won’t be confused with que? (what?). Another little interesting fact for you to ponder upon: if he was travelling alone, the questions would then be: Il arrive quand?, Quand est-‐ce qu’il arrive? or Quand arrive-‐t-‐il? After dropping some letters, we are now adding some! Isn’t French an exciting language? Without this extra ‘-‐t-‐’ seemingly coming from nowhere, it would be difficult to say this last question. So, with formal questions, remember to add an extra ‘-‐t-‐’ when the verb ends in a vowel in front of il, elle or on (singular), to avoid having two vowels together. This extra T is, I believe, borrowed from the plural form of the verb. Remember Quand arrivent-‐ils? earlier on? We’ll ask: Où va-‐t-‐elle? (Where is she going?), A qui parle-‐t-‐il? (Who is he talking to?) A quelle heure mangera-‐t-‐on? (What time will we eat?) Vital question if you’re French, trust me!
Des questions? Contact Evelyne Mallet by Tel: 02 51 00 47 13 Email: evelyne.mallet2@gmail.com
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Official Translations are Vital for French Admin FRANCE is a country renowned for its paperwork – but living here can go much more smoothly if you can provide the right documents for all your administrative purposes in the right language: French. No matter how confident you are speaking or reading the language, it is not always possible to translate documents yourself. A sworn translation is essential for important literature such as birth certificates, driving licences, property documents and contracts.
Whatever your particular situation, seeking help from a company run by a bilingual professional who lives in France and speaks your language as their mother tongue is ideal. Karen is based in Amiens, but the distance from the Dordogne is no obstacle: the documents can be provided by post or email. For more information or a quote, contact Karen Renel-‐King.
In these cases, there is no substitute for an official translator. Not everyone is qualified to provide a sworn translation and that is where Karen Renel-‐King steps in. A bilingual, fully qualified translator, she is regularly called upon by English-‐speakers who need documents for their notaire, mairie, préfecture or social security office -‐ and in many cases she can provide results within 24 hours. Whether it involves setting up a business, getting planning permission, inheritance matters, marrying or getting pacsed, Karen has the specialist skills and experience to help by providing sworn translations of the official documents required. Sworn translations by Karen leave no room for error or misunderstandings, and being able to provide the authorities with official translations will make the process quicker and more efficient. Karen arrived in France from America in 1964 and understands first-‐ hand the struggles many English speakers come up against. She has a qualification in translation and interpreting from the Sorbonne in Paris, plus experience working as a sworn translator since 1985.
Association Welcome Vendée
tasting (with cakes), Dance evening (experience line dancing), Christmas decorations and traditions.
Earlier this year the local edition of “Ouest France” newspaper ran a series of articles about British people living in the Vendée. One article touched the heart of Viviane Lazare. A British couple living on the outskirts of Viviane’s village talked about how isolated they felt and that they did not really feel part of the local community. Speaking very little French, they felt unable to communicate on a day to day level.
For more information telephone Maggie on 02 28 10 20 06, or email: welcome-‐vendee@outlook.com
Viviane was quite concerned to read about their difficulties and by doing a little research found out that the situation was not unique. Viviane decided to try and bridge the gap between British and French residents and set up the ‘Association Welcome Vendée’. After several meetings to decide on the name and the format and a few events in the Summer to test the water, the association was born. The official launch is in September. The annual joining fee is 20€ for a couple and 10€ for a single person. The association is based in Saint Christophe du Ligneron but events and meetings are planned at various locations in North West Vendée. The aim is that by meeting socially, people can make friends and learn about each other’s language and customs in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere. Planned activities for the autumn, early winter and beyond include excursions, quiz night, games evenings, picnics, barbeques, tea
Above, left to right: Maggie Pascoe (Secretary), Viviane Lazare (President) and Gill Ovens (Deputy Secretary).
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Did you know?... by Ian Wallace
Halloween
“The time is ripe for looking back over the day, the week, the year, and trying to figure out where we have come from and where we are going to, for sifting through the things we have done and the things we have left undone for a clue to who we are and who, for better or worse, we are becoming. But again and again we avoid the long thoughts….We cling to the present out of wariness of the past. And why not, after all? We get confused. We need such escape as we can find. But there is a deeper need yet, I think, and that is the need -‐ not all the time, surely, but from time to time -‐ to enter that still room within us all where the past lives on as a part of the present, where the dead are alive again, where we are most alive ourselves to turnings and to where our journeys have brought us. The name of the room is Remember -‐ the room where with patience, with charity, with quietness of heart, we remember consciously to remember the lives we have lived.” Frederick Buechner, A Room Called Remember: Uncollected Pieces. I really love these words -‐ I envy the ability of others to put into a few words all I ever want to express. So I make no apologies for putting this quote here. I included it because I was looking ahead to halloween or ‘all hallows eve’ and how it has evolved over the centuries into the, sometimes over the top, sugar coated and consumer driven event it is in parts of the western world. In its extreme it is scary and cruel, in other guises it’s a fun evening where no matter how people are dressed or what they believe and say, the dead do not rise up and witches do not cast evil spells. But at its core halloween, from a christian perspective, is a time when we remember the dead -‐ those who lived amongst us and influenced us -‐ good and bad. The memories of those around us need to be remembered, because we are partly the result of their lives and when we pass on, our lives will be remembered too in some small way. So when you do carve the pumpkin and light a candle inside, give sweets and treats to children, have a party with friends, we are creating memories for ourselves and those around us. The traditions of our society are based in part on memories which change and evolve. So how we live our lives here on earth on a day to day basis will influence our present and unknown future loved ones. So when I carve pumpkins with my kids this halloween I will be passing on a memory, a moment, in the same way my parents and grandparents did. And as I do this I will smile and watch my children with joy and just wonder what will they be doing with their children on Halloween nights in the future. Love and prayers
THINKING ABOUT PLACING AN AD? For a full list of our advertising rates, please phone 05 49 70 26 21 or download our Advertising Pack from our website: www.thevendeemonthly.fr
by Vanda Lawrence
In Anglo-‐Saxon times it was tradition that for the first month after a wedding the bride’s father would keep his new son-‐in-‐law supplied with all the Mead he could drink! It was supposed to keep the husband virile and make his new wife fertile. Mead is a honey wine and this period after the wedding was therefore called the ‘honey month’ which later, because of the lunar calendar, became known as the honeymoon. Of course, cynics in more modern times called this the ‘honeymoon period‘, saying that the first month of marriage is always full of love and tenderness but this will fade after a month, in the same way that a full moon wanes. Talking of Mead and alcoholic drinks brings me to another old saying: ‘One for the road’. This phrase was coined in medieval times when a condemned prisoner would be taken by cart from one of the London city gaols to Tyburn Hill for execution. Along the way, on what would now be Oxford Street to be exact, the cart would stop and the prisoner was allowed one last drink at an Inn en-‐route. This was his or her last ‘one’ on the road to death. Thankfully, most customers would be back again the next day for a cup of something to cheer and many years ago pub regulars would have a whistle baked into the handle of their ceramic mug. They used this whistle to get a refill when necessary. So now we know where wet your whistle comes from. Lastly on the alcohol theme we have the rule of thumb. Before thermometers were invented the brewer would have to check the temperature of his blend before adding the yeast to turn the sugars to alcohol. He would do this by dipping his thumb into the beer. If the mix was too cold the yeast would not work on the sugars but if it was too hot the yeast would die .. not good news! There is also another school of thought relating to this rule of thumb going right back to the very ancient custom when it was normal and acceptable for men to beat their wives -‐ so long as the stick was no thicker than their thumb!!! Thus also having someone under the thumb.
Are you a bit of a Bookworm? If you are an avid reader and would like to share your books with us -‐ we would love to publish your book reviews here. Please send to us by email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr or alternatively complete the ‘Written Contributions’ form on our website. www.thevendeemonthly.fr. Reviews should ideally be 150-‐200 words long.
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In late November, Reacjon Theatre members will be performing a play called ‘Third Week in August’, a comedy wriwen by Peter Gordon. Set on a caravan site all sorts of characters appear, many of whom you will recognise if you have ever been camping. The play comes highly recommended by some of our members. Peter Gordon plays have had over 1200 professional and amateur productions worldwide. He is well known for his ‘Inspector Pratt’ trilogy of plays, together with a number of other comedies; just do a search on the internet and you will be able to see more information on his many different plays. The Keynotes returned to perform at this year’s Deux-‐Sevres Gardening Club’s Annual Produce Show at Chateau Logis in September by popular request and received many compliments. I’m almost sorry to say (so I’ll say it quietly because I don’t want to chase the sun away!) that we are now starting to rehearse Christmas songs and Carols. On the 1st October I started growing my beard as I have once again been asked by Father Christmas to stand in for him at a number of venues as he is so busy.
The Art Scene We started our weekly Friday morning art group on the 13th September and now have a programme of events taking us to the end of 2013. We have a number of new members joining us this season and welcome them all, parjcularly Grace who has come all the way from Arizona to live in France! If you are interested in joining us, drop me a line or email and I’ll let you have a copy of the programme. In September we held an exhibition of our works at the Trade Fair organised by The Vendée Monthly’s Sarah Berry. Fund Raising This summer Vendée’s very own Jane Gawn cycled all the way from Paris to home to raise funds for a cancer charity she supports. Not to be outdone, Deux-‐Sevres David Brennan raised over 7,000 euros for a Spanish dog rescue organisation by parachute jumping near La Rochelle. And……… we are still selling our Reaction Theatre Alternative Calendar Girls calendar. A wonderful Christmas Present for everyone and so easy to pack. The Calendars are still for sale at the following four venues and will remain so for the rest of the year: A La Bonne Vie at Le Beugnon, Cafe des Belles Fleurs at Fenioux, Pause! Cafe at L’Absie, Cafe Cour du Miracle at Vouvant.
For further information, please contact John Blair by email: johnblair@btopenworld.com
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Hobbies, Clubs & Associations... English Cinema in La Chataigneraie
An English film is shown once a month from September until May (except December and January when it is closed for the holidays). The Cinema is opposite the ‘Credit Agricole’ bank and films start at 8pm, doors open 7.30pm. Send an email to stella.freeman@wanadoo.fr to be put on the mailing list.
Through the Lens Group Local photography group meets on the last Monday in each month to chat about all things photography! New members welcome. For further information contact: Ian Gawn: 02 51 00 84 52 or Brian Preece: 05 49 72 09 94
“Nalliers Welcome”
Soirée Franglais -‐ at Le Pub Des Halles, St Hermine Every Monday from 7pm.
Learning another language is not always easy. So why not come along and participate in our evening dedicated to people wanting to learn and chat in English/French. All levels welcome. Call 02 51 30 23 95 for details.
I am a Jewish man with a non-‐Jewish wife from the UK looking for Jewish people of any nationality living in the area of La Chataignerie who would like to meet for tea and conversation. Please email: suelauris@hotmail.co.uk
Secondigny Running Club... Put the bounce back in your step. Join our friendly and supportive running group. All abilities welcome. Email Kelly for more details: kellyencezelle@hotmail.co.uk
2nd Sunday Motorcycle Club www.2ndsundayclub.fr If you would like to attend our coffee mornings please contact us via the website........New members always welcome!
Vendee Women’s Fellowship Meetings held the third Thursday each month at ‘Le Mangoustan’ in Mervent. We share hobbies and interests and organise trips to places of interest, primarily offering friendship and support to English speaking ladies. Come and join us and you will be sure of a warm welcome. Contact: Carol 02 51 52 10 48 or Shirley 02 51 51 49 39 If you have some time to spare and are interested to help us as a volunteer, please contact us for more information.
Cancer Support Vendée Helpline: 02 51 00 58 21 or email: csvpresident@orange.fr.
Cycling Group Do you enjoy cycling? I am a keen cyclist and looking for others to meet up with me for outings once or twice a week. Purely for leisure and very informal with a coffee stop en route. I live at Pamplie, near Secondigny. Contact: steve.coupland@hotmail.com / 05 49 28 24 06
Anglo/French Social Club Every Tuesday evening/Chaque mardi soir 19h15 - 21h00 ~ Salle Polyvalente, 85370 Nalliers
Contact Karen Ross on 02 51 56 14 28 email: j.a.ross@talk21.com
MaiLLÉ cricket club
Open to players of all standards. We have a wonderful social atmosphere with own club house and catering facilijes at Maillé Stade. Visit our website for details: www.maillecricketclub.yolasite.com
Taijiquan (aka Tai Chi) for Beginners
Tuesday evenings (8.30pm -‐ 9.30pm) in Bressuire 79300, started 10th Sept 2013. Wednesday afternoons (2.30pm -‐ 4.00pm) in Le Breuil Barret, 85120 started 11th Sept 2013. For details, please see www.chentaiji-‐fr.com or phone Terry on 05 49 65 60 34.
Alone in France? We are a group of people living alone in the L'Absie area who meet regularly for coffee and lunches. We meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 11am for coffee at the Pause cafe in L'Absie. Our lunches are at different venues each month. There's a warm welcome if you'd like to join us. More details from Frank 05 49 69 80 47. The Filling Station ~ Poitou-Charentes and Vendée The Filling Station is a network of local Christians of all denominations who meet together regularly for spiritual renewal & evangelism purposes. ALL WELCOME. Please see our website for details of meetings and spring programmes www.the@illingstation.org.uk or locally contact 05 49 87 18 58 or email:michael.willisfr.fr A R E Y O U A M O D E L R A I L W A Y ENTHUSIAST? If so, join a group of likeminded modellers who meet on a monthly basis to visit members' layouts and swap information. We are based on the DeuxSevres/Vendee border but also have members in the Vienne and Charente. If you are interested please contact Gerry Riley for more information on 05 49 63 34 01.
La Roche-sur-Yon Cricket Club Friendly cricket club always looking for more players, scorers, umpires and cake-makers! Contact John: 02 51 66 13 05 or Dave: 02 51 56 49 60
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Our Furry Friends... Adopt with Confidence... …. is our motto. Before being adopted all our animals are identified and vaccinated and examined by a vet, so that the new owner is fully informed about the animal's health. In addition, instead of living in cages in a refuge, our cats that are for adoption stay with caring people that treat them like a member of their household, so we can tell prospective adopters all about their character and behaviour. But adopting with confidence works both ways. We want to ensure that our animals go to good, loving, safe homes. So when the prospective new owner contacts us, we ask a lot of questions: why do they want a pet?, are they experienced?, can they afford to look after it?, do they live near a busy road? etc. If they are not put off by all these questions, and they seem suitable, then we arrange for them to visit the foster home to see the animal. This visit is also part of the selection procedure. The foster families really care about their animals and want to see them go to good homes, so they like to see how the prospective owner and the animal react to each other. We value their comments and feedback very much and they can veto an adoption if they don't think that it will be successful. It's not the easiest way of getting animals adopted, but we think that it's better for the well-‐being of the animal and its new family to find a suitable definitive home, rather than have it returned after a few days. The down side is that it can take a while for an animal to be adopted, so we always need more foster families...
Contact ‘The Vendée Monthly’ La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny. Telephone: 05 49 70 26 21 or email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr
AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION... Chip ~ A Survivor
Kittens looking for Forever Homes... ently in a Below are two of a seven kitten litter curr might be you If foster home in Bazoges-en-Pareds. of fluff, balls little e thes of interested in adopting one . below ils deta the on A please contact NAL
Found starving and emaciated this beautiful animal ended up in his local pound, and but for an observant volunteer from the Orfee Association his life would probably have ended there quite quickly. Chip was a dog in fear of his life, beaten, mistreated and finally abandoned, it is hard to believe that all this cruelty has happened in just his two short years of life.
Meet CHIP !
Chip is an example to us all of man’s inhumanity to animals and how trust and a lot of hard work can turn a dog around. Chip still has a long way to go, but thanks to the hard work which is ongoing with Julie Stansbridge of Consultant Canine, the dog psychologist and trainer, he at least stands a chance of leading a normal life one day. Because Chip has been through so much he will need a very special family to continue the good work that has already been done, someone who will continue his transformation under the tutelage of Julie, and who will accept him for what he is and give him the decent life he deserves. Nos Amis Les Animaux 85480 (NALA 85480). Tel: 07 70 31 54 59 ~
Email: nala85480@hotmail.com www.nosamislesanimaux.com
This is not a job for the faint-‐hearted, but it is the job for someone who loves dogs and really wants to do something to make a difference. Chip is sterilised, micro-‐chipped (250269802181657) and vaccinated and if you think you have what it takes then please contact Isabelle at Association Orfee now on 09 77 48 71 43 or email asso.orfee@laposte.net.
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The Great Outdoors...
Love Your Garden by Babs Kolthammer
After the prolonged heatwave of August and the mellowness of September, October is upon us and autumn feels as if it’s really arriving. The lower temperatures make it so much easier to garden and enjoy the time outside. Gardening is one of those activities that really is an all year round occupation or passion and I enjoy sowing seeds and planting up cuttings in my ramshackle greenhouse, whilst listening to taped stories…so satisfying and peaceful! Still plenty of things to do, whether you’re a vegetable or flower grower. Now is the time to: Plant daffodils in groups in beds or pots making sure they are buried to a depth of 15-‐20cms. There are many varieties of dwarf species which look very attractive in tubs planted up with ivy or grape hyacinths. The French garden centres now carry many of these varieties, some of which have several flowers per stem and have fantastic perfume. I like Pipit, Jetfire and Minnow, but Tête à tête is a very reliable variety too. Tulips can be planted a bit later, but daffodils need to be planted now, so that they have time to build up a good food supply to support growth and to develop a good root system. Tulips and daffodils can be planted together in the same pots.... put a few crocks (bits of polystyrene will do) in the bottom of a pot, cover with a layer of compost, plant the tulip bulbs in this layer, then cover with compost. Plant the daffodil bulbs on top of this layer and then cover with a final layer of compost. The daffodils will flower first, then the tulips will grow up through them later, giving colour from the same pot for a longer time. Water in well and label. Fritillarias, crocuses and hyacinths can be planted up now too. Try naturalising some by planting directly into patches of grass -‐ just lift up a decent tuft and push them underneath. Divide hardy perennials by lifting and cutting into parts with an old knife or blade of a spade. If the central part of the plant looks very woody or dead, discard it and keep the younger portions. These can then be planted up where you want them to flower next year. Many perennials can be treated in this way including phlox, phygelius, hostas, bergenia etc. -‐ more plants for free. Cut back old stems and foliage from perennials such as delphiniums, lupins, penstemons and
campanulas. Mulch over the remaining crown with a generous layer of compost or bark chippings to protect from severe frosts. Hardwood cuttings can be taken from shrubs now. Take a shoot from this year’s growth below a leaf joint, take off all the leaves except for a few at the top and put around the edge of a pot filled with a mixture of compost and vermiculite (or perlite) and water. Mixing the vermiculite in makes the compost more free draining and helps moisture retention too. Good plants to use, cornus, buddleia, philadelphus, escallonia, roses and hydrangea. Soft fruit cuttings raspberries, blackcurrants etc. can be made in the same way. Collect seeds from any remaining seedheads to store and sow in the spring. Always store in paper bags in a tin, never plastic which encourages damp and mould to develop. The tin stops the snails from eating the paper bags. Protect fruit trees from winter moths, the females of which hatch in the soil during the winter, then climb up the trunk to lay their eggs. As soon as new leaves appear in spring, the eggs hatch and the caterpillars feed on the leaves. Tying grease bands around the tree trunks stops this from happening. They are available readily here and are not a very expensive form of protection. Pears are ready to pick now, they should be mature and ripe; I have eleven on my tiny tree this year (only two last year) so I’m pleased. Pick any vegetables such as squashes, pumpkins, beetroot, turnips which may be spoiled by frost. Store these in dry, dark places. We are usually lucky with our climate here in that the frosts don’t come too early in the autumn, but if they are forecast, fuchsias, pelargoniums, citrus plants, bananas, datura etc, must all be brought into a greenhouse, conservatory or light garage where they will be protected. Whatever you do, carry on enjoying your garden. Le Pouce Vert. You can contact Babs by email:123sissinghurst456@gmail.com
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Lizards of Western France.
by Roger Meek
The green lizard (Lacerta bilineata; Lézard Vert) and wall lizard (Podarcis muralis; Lézard des Murailles). Lizards are the most abundant group of present day reptiles, whether you measure this by number of species or individuals. Their close physiological and structural similarities to snakes places them within the same reptile suborder the Squamates. In effect snakes are little more than modified lizards, indeed some of the more primitive snakes, for instance the boas and pythons, still have remnants of a pelvic girdle and rear limbs. However, lizards show a much greater diversity of body form and physiological characteristics than snakes and include species that are legless (the largest European lizard is a snake-‐like legless lizard found in eastern Europe), those with feet that enable them to climb smooth vertical surfaces and even species that can glide -‐ the ‘flying lizards’. There are nevertheless types of lizards that have retained the basic reptilian body plan that appeared early in the history of the reptiles, around 320 million years ago. This basic design can be found in the small (70 -‐ 80mm) wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) and larger, up to around 130mm green lizard (Lacerta bilineata) that are common in Western France. They belong to a large lizard grouping known as Lacertids, that are found in Africa, Asia and Europe. They are the most abundant lizards in Europe. A feature common to all is that they do not have crests or other elaborate appendages that are found in, for instance, the agamid lizards of the Old World or iguanid lizards of the New World. The wall lizard is the more common of the two and can be found almost everywhere and has adapted well to human dwellings. It is present as an ‘alien species’ in the UK having been introduced either by escapees from pet collections or deliberate introductions (http://alienencounters.narrs.org.uk/lizards.html). Both consume small insects and bugs although green lizards will kill and eat hatchling snakes if they are small enough. Both types lay eggs, which are deposited in soil; around 5 in the wall lizard, rather more in the green lizard -‐ as many as 20. The first daily activity for these lizards is to bask in the sun to reach optimum body temperatures, which is between 35-‐38˚C. What they do after this differs. Green lizards are sentinel predators, waiting for a prey animal to wander within close distance before pouncing. In contrast, wall lizards are active foragers covering greater daily distances in the search for prey. Sentinel predators encounter prey species less frequently than foragers and high burst and running speeds are adaptive to catch prey when the
opportunities arise. The green lizard is capable of reaching 2.7 metres per second compared to just over 2.1 metres per second for the wall lizard. However, wall lizards have greater endurance, which is adaptive for their foraging lifestyle. The high running speeds of both types of lizard are of special value in evading their major predator in Western France, the whip snake Hierophis viridiflavus. Snakes move more slowly than most lizards, the fastest recorded speed of any snake, a North American type of whip snake, is 1.5 metres per second. In addition to predation by whip snakes, lizards have numerous other predators including weasels, birds of prey, domestic cats and even dogs. Their main defence is flight, but both species are capable of breaking off part of their tails as a defence (this is called autotomy; auto= self, tomos = cut). The detached tail may continue to wriggle for some time after the breakage -‐ up to 20 minutes or so. In lacertid lizards the breakages do not occur between the tail vertebrae but at a specially evolved fracture plane on each of the tail vertebra so the vertebrae actually breaks in two. The tail can be re-‐grown but the replacement vertebrae are composed of cartilage rather than bone and are crude imitations of the original. However, judging by the number of lizards with regenerated tails, autotomy is a very effective anti-‐predator strategy, especially for wall lizards. Hibernation begins around late October -‐ early November in a variety of different places, including dry-‐ stone walls, barns a n d d i s u s e d rodent burrows. Optimally they select areas where temperatures do not much exceed 3-‐5˚C; higher temperatures increase metabolic rates and burn up more energy, which is especially crucial for females who require energy for egg production after emergence in the spring, usually late March or April. www.rogermeekherpetology.com
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Have Your Camera Ready.....
by Hugh Shelley
Continuing on from last month, here is my final photography tip for you. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading them and they have inspired you to go exploring with your camera!
Top Tip #5: Save your Images With the advent of digital imaging the most common remark I hear is that it’s great but “you never seem to get any photographs printed like you used to”. There is only one person to blame for this.
Why not make it part of your holiday plans? One week after you get home and things have settled down a bit, take an evening to download all your images either on your computer or in a camera store. Sort through them and pick the best of the bunch. Don’t get too picky now, this is all about creating a family history, not the national archives. Burn all your images to disk and label it. Pick a nice bunch and print them. Just a few if you like, however most stores will give you discount on printing a larger number. Maybe even put one on the wall. You can also create a slideshow or even just the smallest of albums, perhaps 36 images, for that holiday. You won’t lose that in a hurry. If in 20 years you can say you have collected at least the same amount of images as you have remaining of your parents’ holidays then your job as family historian has been a success.
Health, Beauty & Fitness...
Useful English Language Numbers... Cancer Support Vendée:
02 51 00 58 21
French State health insurance (C.P.A.M.) 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 Page 14
THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Take a Break... VM Easy Crossword... Across: 8. An imaginary place for lost or neglected things (5) 9. A formally arranged gathering (7) 10. Punishment intended as a warning to others (7) 11. Rice with raw fish (5) 12. Fast runner over a short distance (8) 13. Colour (4) 15. A contest of speed (4) 17. Intended to deceive (8) 21. Eskimo (5) 22. To a complete degree (7) 24. A living environment (7) 25. German semi-‐automatic pistol (5)
Down: 1. Evidence that helps to solve a problem (4) 2. Make worse or less effective (6) 3. Small military unit; usually two or three platoons (7) 4. Block passage through (6) 5. Untidy (5) 6. Type of fuel (6) 7. The quality of being wicked (8) 12. A poker hand with five consecutive cards (8) 14. In a rude or violent manner (7) 16. Small pieces of bread or cake (6) 18. Edible tuber (6) 19. Provide a service or favour for someone (6) 20. Put before verbally (5) 23. A unit of length equal to three feet (4)
VM Anagram Crossword...
All the clues are anagrams; this is a real toughie!
21
Across: 1. SCANNER PARTY (12) 7. SPINIER (7) 9. EARTH (5) 10. OGRE (4) 11. DIASTOLE (8) 12. SPOILT (6) 14. EDIBLE (6) 17. CHAIN MOP (8) 19. RIFE (4) 22. FILES (5) 23. RUFFIAN (7) 24. DEVILS PURITY (12)
Down: 1. NIGHT (5) 2. RAWNESS (7) 3. LISP (4) 4. AXE HELD (7) 5. ASCOT (5) 6. GOD SET (6) 8. SEAT (4) 12. FAY PIC (6) 13. PROPOSE (7) 15. ABRIDGE (7) 16. FLOG (4) 18. BAIL I (5) 20. RELAY (5) 21. A NIT (4)
Sudoku Corner...
Please see website: www.thevendeemonthly.fr for answers
Hard
www.websudoku.com
Easy
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Spotlight On...
Tour de Vendée Cycliste by Mick Austin
The Tour de France -‐ the world’s largest annual sporting event -‐ came close to the Vendée in 2013, but for many of us it wasn’t close enough. So make a date in your diary for an event which, while not having quite the glitz and glamour of Le Tour, still packs all the atmosphere and excitement you could legally expect in an afternoon. Write it down now: Sunday, October 6. The Tour de Vendée Cycliste. The 42nd running of the event, part of the UCI Europe Tour, starts in Aizenay at high noon and finishes 202.6kms and around five hours later with three laps of a 4 km circuit in La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon. That means the 70-‐plus riders -‐ well, those that finish – will be averaging around 45kph (30mph). Try that sort of speed for any distance on your next Sunday morning bike ride to understand just how tough this race is. The caravane of colourful floats, cars, media, motorcycles and officials is due to leave the start just before 10am and is scheduled to take around 15 minutes to pass any given spot on the course. The peloton (leading pack) will be around two hours behind, but these times may change depending on how fast the riders are moving. There are ten intermediate sprints, where riders battle it out for points towards a separate trophy and some extra cash. These are fairly evenly spaced out over the 202kms and are always good spectator vantage points. The first is at Apremont (Côte du Château) 13kms after the start with the first riders due around 12h27. The others, with estimated arrival times, are: • Sprint 2: Le Poire sur Vie (Mairie) 12h53 • Sprint 3: Côte de la Salette 13h28 • Sprint 4: Côte du Fossé 14h07 • Sprint 5: Saint Michel Mt Mercure (Côte de L’Orbrie) 14h37 • Sprint 6: Pouzauges (Hotel de Ville) 14h50 • Sprint 7: Puybelliard 15h23 • Sprint 8: Côte du Fuiteau 15h35 • Sprint 9: Côtes des Pouzères 15h47 • Sprint 10: Côte du Moulin des Bois 16h01. With 200 kilometres to choose from, there are countless places where you can take in the action, but for an event lasting just one day, forward planning is key. Try to avoid the start and finish as the whole world and his brother will be there battling for elbow room. Access to the start can be difficult but the early bird catches the worm and it is a good place to get autographs and close-‐up pictures. If you do fancy the finish, again, get there early and don’t move as latecomers will be hovering to nick your spot at the first opportunity. The riders have three 4km laps at La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon so you’ll get a chance to see them all, but remember, the finish line is one place where if you blink you’ll miss it! Why not discover one of the many pretty little towns and villages that dot the route? Decide in advance what it is you want to see and plan accordingly. If you fancy sitting on a quiet bit of road – perhaps on your own –
go prepared with chairs, food and drink, waterproofs and perhaps a brolly to shelter from the rain -‐ or hopefully the sunshine! Or why not do as the French do and book a table at a roadside café or restaurant? Settle down to a plat du jour and a carafe or two of the house wine and take in the atmosphere as the caravane comes through, followed a little later by the riders. And an added advantage is that there’s bound to be a loo nearby! Many spectators like to cut across country to see the race from more than one spot. Plan your shortcuts well and assume others will have the same idea and that every one of those shortcuts will be busy and so will take twice as long to drive. Avoid flat, wide-‐open roads and downhill sections as the riders will be moving far too quickly for you to make out anything but a blur. Much better to find a high vantage point or switchbacks and turns so you’ve got time to get a good look at the riders. Any climbs make a good vantage point. Obviously, this is not the Pyrénées so they won’t be as severe, but the riders will be going slow enough for you to get close enough to see just how hard this kind of racing is. The tougher the climb the more stretched out the riders will be, so the more chance there is of some drama. The Page 16
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three biggest climbs are at Côte du Fossé after 85kms, Saint Michel Mont Mercure (105kms) and Pouzauges feeding station (115kms).
18,800€, of which €7,500€ goes to the winner. The intermediate sprints winner gets 600€.
A final word of warning. These lads in Lycra can move at a fair rate of knots and are bunched together with very little room for error. You won’t be the most popular person around if you’re responsible for a tangled mess of carbon-‐fibre and skin!
* The Tour de Vendée race achieves the highest rating (1.HC) for a one-‐day race from the UCI Europe Tour. The 2013 Tour started in France in January with the Grand Prix Cycliste la Marseillaise and will end on October 20 in the Vendée with the Chrono des Nations -‐ Les Herbiers Vendée.
Otherwise have a great day out. Enjoy the atmosphere of the crowds, the buzz of expectation as the racers arrive, the colour… and hopefully the weather. And what’s more, it’s all free.
Cycling shorts
* Try and get a good look at the state-‐of-‐the-‐art bikes on view. Mostly made from carbon-‐fibre, they can weigh less than 7kgs and cost as much as a small family car!
* There is a feeding station close to the midway point of the race, at Rocade de Pouzanges, where the riders slow down (a bit!) for some lunch on the move. An excellent place to watch and perhaps pick up a souvenir musette, a lightweight bag filled with food and drink handed to riders by team helpers as they pass through. * This will be the 42nd Tour de Vendée. Last year’s event was won by Dutchman Wesley Kreder. There hasn’t been a French winner since 2002, although last year’s runner-‐up, Jonathan Hivert, was just two seconds behind. Total prize money for this year’s event is
2012s Winner, Wesley Kreder State of the Art bikes...
Useful Websites: Tour de Vendée official website: www.tourdevendee.fr La Roche-‐Sur-‐Yon tourist board: www.ot-‐roche-‐sur-‐yon.fr Aizenay tourist board: www.aizenay.eu Vendée tourist board: www.vendeetourism.com
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.
Photos: Bruno BADE © 2013
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Motoring...
VW and the 7 Golfs
by Helen Tait-Wright
Over the past year or so we have added a 2007 VW Golf TDi to our usual ‘fleet’ as a nod to increasing fuel costs, which has prompted me to think about the history of the Golf. As a teenager in the eighties, a Golf GTi was high on our school years’ wish list as a first car, although none of us could afford the insurance. These days the Mk1 Golf is considered to be somewhere between an old banger or a true classic, depending on your point of view. Named after the Golfstrom, the German for gulfstream, Volkswagen has been manufacturing the Golf since 1974 and it has been marketed worldwide across four decades, in various body configurations. The first Golf was presented as a modern front-‐wheel-‐drive, long-‐range replacement for the Volkswagen Beetle. The GTi ‘hot hatch’ and diesel versions were launched in 1976, with the Cabriolet in 1980. The Golf almost single handedly created the ‘Hot Hatch’ genre (other famous examples of which include the Renault 5 Turbo, Peugeot 205 GTi and Ford Escort XR3i), but by putting high-‐performance driving thrills within reach of the average motorist, insurance premiums shot skyward as hot hatches became the transport of choice for boy racers and joyriders across Britain. Sadly of the pre-‐1980 cars there are very few left, mostly due to inferior rust protection, road salting and the general corrosion that has killed most of them off. Post-‐1980 cars are considerably better protected, featuring inner wing liners, better treated metal and thicker paint. September 1983 saw the introduction of the second-‐generation Mk2 that slightly grew in terms of wheelbase, exterior and interior dimensions while retaining, in a more rounded form, the Mk1's overall look.
We have a G-‐reg Mk2 1.8 Auto Golf back in the UK, bought in 2002 to teach my step-‐daughter to drive, and it’s still going strong. Gertrude is the best pool car ever and is regularly borrowed by our friends back in the UK, mostly to the embarrassment of their children. She rattles a bit on start up and the headlining has long since died and been cut away, but she drives superbly and is a really gutsy little car who passes her MOT each year like clockwork. It takes my mind back to the famous 1980’s divorce TV adverts for the Golf featuring Paula Hamilton, where she is seen leaving a house, flinging off her pearls and her wedding ring, but keeping the keys to the car, with the strap line “If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen”! The Golf has continued to evolve since then, with performance derivatives such as the VR6, G60 and R32 keeping the Golf name in the news, and is now on the Mk7 version. One of the keys to the Golf’s success lies in its continuity, says Walter de Silva, VW’s Head of Design. “There are a handful of cars with a design that, like the Golf’s, has been refined, tweaked and enhanced down the decades and thus become timeless.” With over 29,000,000 vehicles sold (figure correct at 2012), the Golf is the world’s third best selling car ever, just ahead of the VW Beetle which it replaced. So, as the advert says, don’t get something “like” a Golf, get the real thing!
Contact Helen at: helen@stodel.org.
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French Life, Food & Drink... Food, Family & Friends - Life in the Vendée by Helena Boyle What a fantasjc August this has been! When the weather is as consistently gorgeous as this, it’s almost impossible to remember that we actually get cold in the winter and need to have heajng on! I had a delivery of logs recently and with a ‘chain-‐gang’ of close friends managed to get 6 stères of wood neatly packed into the garage in just about an hour and a half -‐ and all in blazing sun too! It’s a great feeling to know that, whatever the winter weather throws at us, I have enough wood to have blazing fires throughout the coming winter. Last weekend, I went with some friends to the most amazing concert of baroque music at Thiré. It is usually held annually, outside, in the ‘Jardins de William Christie’, but because rain had been forecast (Hah!!) it was held in the church at St Hermine. The musicians, singers and production were world class -‐ we saw and heard a performance of ‘Le Jardin de Monsieur Rameau’. It could not have been bettered. We are so lucky to be living in the middle of rural France and still have fabulous musical concerts like this available on our doorstep. The garden is at full production with vegetables. I have discovered the most reliable runner bean to grow over here is ‘St Georges’. After several attempts over the past few years with other English varieties, a friend gave me some St George seeds 3 or 4 years ago, when they first came out as a variety and compared with anything else I’ve tried, they are so reliable. Due to the weather and also being away, I wasn’t able to get the young plants in the ground until approximately the 3rd week in July -‐ I usually aim for the end of May, but they have grown at such a speed that they have caught up and even overtaken previous years. I have been picking daily for over 10 days now, getting about 500g -‐ 800g daily, and yesterday alone suddenly yielded 2.7kgs to slice and vac pack for the freezer! Tomatoes are another bumper crop although mine have got a touch of blight now. Fortunately it is only affecting a few tomatoes, so most of the crop is fine. Apart from tomato ketchup (I use Jamie Oliver’s recipe!) I make my own version of Tomato, Chilli & Garlic Jam. The recipe opposite is only a guide, as I often add a whole bulb of garlic cloves, particularly right now when the new season garlic is around. Chillies also vary -‐ not only in size, but in heat! This year’s are extremely hot. It takes about 1 -‐ 1½ hours to cook this down but only needs an occasional stir. The kitchen smells fantastic with all that garlic and chilli. At the other end of the spectrum, I also have a lot of basil, due to the hot summer, and one thing I make a lot of is basil pesto. This is delicious when home made. It doesn’t taste anything like the jars of pesto you can buy in the supermarket! It’s difficult to give exact quantities, as it depends how much basil you have…but try it and see what you think. Good cooking, enjoy what remains of the summer, and enjoy this fabulous part of France. You can contact me on: labourseguinaise@gmail.com
by John Sherwin.
TOMATO CHILLI GARLIC JAM 2 kgs tomatoes 6 (or as you prefer) red chillies, chopped. (with or without seeds) 10 cloves of garlic (can vary depending on your tastes) 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds 2 cms fresh ginger, peeled and grated (optional) 150 ml fish sauce (optional) 175 g sugar -‐ white or soft brown (you may need to add more to taste) 120 mls red wine vinegar (I often use balsamic vinegar) 1 tsp sea salt METHOD OF PREPARATION Slice the tomatoes in half and roast them until most of the water has gone. I then pass them through a ‘mouli’ which leaves the skins behind (not essential) and into a large saucepan. Next, put the chillies, with the garlic, mustard seeds, ginger, fish sauce into the food processor (or by hand in a pestle and mortar) and process as coarsely or as finely as you prefer. Add to the tomatoes in the saucepan and finally add the sugar, vinegar (I prefer a sweetish balsamic) and the salt and mix thoroughly.
BASIL PESTO 2 handfuls basil leaves (approx) 3 cloves garlic peeled (according to taste) Pine nuts -‐ toasted (optional toasting!) Handful parmesan cheese finely grated Good quality olive oil -‐ as needed Lemon juice Salt to taste METHOD OF PREPARATION Put the pine nuts in a small frying pan and dry roast for a minute or two until lightly toasted. DON’T leave unattended, as they burn very quickly and also need to be tossed several times to make sure done on all sides! Leave to cool down, off the heat. Place the basil leaves, garlic cloves, salt and a small amount of oil in a small processor, and blitz to a smoothish paste (as rough or as smooth as you like). Then add the pine nuts, and more oil, if needed, to produce a cohesive mixture. Then tip into a mixing bowl and stir in the parmesan cheese and as much oil as is needed to obtain a good texture. I use lots of freshly grated parmesan, as I love the taste and texture. To store, put into a jar, smooth the top and cover with a good layer of oil to prevent the top from discolouring. Keep in the fridge, and re-‐ smooth the surface and cover with oil after each time you use some.
Helena
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French Vocabulary - Cookery A point: meat cooked medium rare Ail: garlic. Bavette: skirt steak. Brebis (fromage): sheep (sheep's-‐milk cheese). Cabri: young goat. Caillé: clotted or curdled; curds of milk. Canard: duck. Dinde: turkey Dur (oeuf): hard (hard-‐boiled egg). Emincé: thinly sliced Epais(se): thick.
Façon: Farine: Feuilletée: Piment: Poulet (rôti): Raisin: Riz: Saignant(e): Soubise: Tourteau: Traiteur: Vache: Viande:
a way of preparing a dish. flour. puff pastry. red pepper or pimento. chicken (roast). grape; raisin. rice. cooked rare, for meat, usually beef. onion sauce. large crab. caterer; delicatessen. cow. meat.
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Richelieu’s Riches The wines of Mareuil (I)
by John Sherwin
Where would we have been without Cardinal Richelieu (1585 -‐ 1642)? The portrait of him in his ceremonial gowns show a wily old devil with a Charles I moustache and hollow, cynical eyes. Some are born to such things, but others, as Armand Jean du Plessis de Richelieu discovered, have them thrust upon them. The fifth of six children of a noble but impoverished family, he had a grand old time as a young man in the army when circumstances obliged him to take up a family sinecure, the archbishopric of Luçon. Crammed his theology GCSE’s in 1605, bishop in Luçon 1606: fair takes yer breath away. Even lied about his age to get in (he was really 22 when you had to have reached the ripe old age of 23 for the full regalia). Why am I telling you this? Well, Richie was nothing if not serious about his duties as bishop. An important part of his job description was keeping the clergy (and from time to time the great unwashed) well supplied with wine. The better the wine, the easier life was for Rich, so it was with some concern that he noted that vinous standards were falling in the greater Luçon area. He took a carriage ride or two around the diocese and found that the vineyards -‐ which had been established since Roman times -‐ were being neglected. He put a bit of ecclesiastical stick about, and lo!, standards increased. The history of wine is a long and slow and winding one. All of that hard work over a couple of centuries or so came to nought when the great plague of phylloxera ravaged not only the Vendée but almost all French vineyards in the late nineteenth century. Recovery took a long time (oh, a couple of world wars didn’t help) so, in the Mareuil area at least, things only really started looking up in the late 1940s. At the Chateau de Rosnay, the Jard family took over in 1948, five years later (a mere five years) winning a gold medal for Vendée wines at the Concours Général Agricole in Paris. From Gabriel to Gilles to Christian to Olivier, the story and the begetting goes on.
The Orion family
I recently tasted a range of their wines at the chateau (well worth a visit -‐ see website address below). They are not only well-‐made, but also well thought out. For example, the whites in both the ‘Elégance’ and ‘Heritage’ ranges are from Chenin and Chardonnay, but the former is fermented in stainless steel, the latter in oak -‐ subtle differences, but they’re there. Likewise, the three different rosés all represent different styles of fermentation -‐ again, a range of tastes. The reds are what I would call ‘classic’ Vendée blends, based on Cab Franc, Pinot Noir, Gamay, but also our very own, and much neglected Negrette. Lovely food wines -‐ red meats, game, tangy cheese. Prices are entirely reasonable, from €5 to €6 through the whole range: €7.60 if you really want to splash out on a bottle of ‘Ancestrale’ from old vines. I don’t know where our benefactor, the Cardinal, is buried, but I’m sure, if he’s spinning at all, it’s with delight. www.chateauderosnay.fr
John Sherwin, French Wine Tours Tel: 02 51 66 13 05 Email: john@french-‐wine-‐tours.com www.french-‐wine-‐tours.com Page21 21 Page
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Communications... Protecting Your PC... Preventative Maintenance
by Ross Hendry
I think of a Personal Computer as a precision instrument, a complex set of components that work together with even more complex software. I entrust my important documents, photographs and other information to this device, so it is important to me that it runs efficiently and reliably. To ensure that this is the case I try to prevent problems rather than cure them -‐ Preventative Maintenance or PM. This is a simple plan of measures to take at regular intervals that will help keep my PC running at its best. Some are run daily, others weekly and others less frequently.
Preventative Maintenance Check List :
Daily
• Check for Virus and Spyware definitions install them and run a daily scan of your PC • Check for and run Windows and other software updates, such as Adobe Reader and Java • Back-‐up important data you have created
Weekly
• Run Disk Clean-‐up • Run Scan Disk to check the drive for errors and mark any bad sectors -‐ especially important for Laptops and Netbooks • Run a hard disk Defragmentation (In Windows Vista and 7 these are automatically set to run weekly, check that yours is and ensure your PC is on at the scheduled time) • Physically clean your PC, screen, keyboard and mouse and of course your printer and scanner
Monthly
• Back-‐up your operating system and settings • Change your password for critical applications such as on-‐line banking • Clean your input devices. Optical Drives collect dust so get a drive cleaner, the same is true of the good old floppy disks (does anyone still use them?), use a floppy disk cleaner to keep them able to read efficiently and reliably • Still got a ball type mouse -‐ take out the ball and wrap it in sticky tape this should remove all of the grease and dust, check the rollers inside the "ball hole" clean off any dust/fluff that has stuck to the rollers
Annually
• Check for new Hardware Drivers and any Firmware updates and install them (remember to back up first) • Check for unused programs and data and uninstall/remove them. • With the PC turned off, open the PC case and check all fans for dust and noise, clean them carefully, check heat sinks and do the same, any holes to allow air to circulate should be thoroughly cleaned to prevent blockages. Ensure that the PC is not over heating, most BIOS settings have a temperature section, check that the CPU etc is running in the correct temperature range Think of these measures as protecting your investment in the PC itself, but more importantly you are protecting your data and ensuring that it is safe. It is a known fact that PCs are easily replaced, your data is not. I consider my PCs to be just like my car, and I would no more buy a car and never do any Preventative Maintenance or ignore the annual service requirements and feel safe in it. I check tyres, water and oil weekly, brakes monthly, I replace windscreen wipers and filters regularly and have a professional service annually. Many of the daily and weekly tasks can be automated, the time taken to perform these simple items is well invested, when you think what time you will lose if you have to replace your PC or try to reinstate the data you have lost. The regime I have suggested above should help prevent problems. I provide an annual check for my customers, it normally takes less than a hour and I give them peace of mind that their PC is running well and advise them of any problems that may occur and seek to anticipate them and take the necessary remedial action. Why not see if your PC support company/person does the same? I am sure that it is worth the cost of an hour or so a year to have peace of mind, after all it is far less than an annual service on your car and a very small fraction of what it would cost to replace your lost data! Ross Hendry is the proprietor of Interface Consulting and Engineering, who has over 42 years experience in Communications, Computer Technology and Direct Marketing.
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Advert Size A or B, only 38€ per month or from 33,33€ per month for 12 months. Contact ‘The Vendée Monthly’ La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny. Tel: 05 49 70 26 21 or email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr
www.thevendeemonthly.fr
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Building & Renovation...
CONTRIBUTIONS....CALLING ALL ARTISANS & TRADESMEN! Do you have any top tips you can share with our readers? We would love to include them in this section! For more details, please contact Sarah on 05 49 70 26 21 or email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr
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CONTRIBUTIONS... As a new magazine for the local area, we are always looking for new contributions 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@thevendeemonthly.fr
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Business, Finance & Property...
The End of Financial Privacy A key financial theme of 2013 is the global fight against tax evasion and unprecedented political support for automatic exchange of information. The move now is to multilateral agreements which will see several countries all sharing information with each other. There is no reason to believe this approach will not take off on a global basis. Governments will receive much more information on income and assets held overseas, which will help them trace tax evasion and recoup unpaid tax, interest and penalties. The G5 - France, the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy - announced in April that they will pilot a new multilateral tax information exchange agreement, to remove the hiding places for those seeking to evade taxes. Many EU countries indicated they will sign up. The information to be automatically exchanged includes: name and address of account holder; account number; bank details; account balance; gross interest, dividends and other income; gross proceeds from the sale or redemption of assets. The EU’s Savings Tax Directive and Administrative Cooperation Directive provide for automatic exchange of information. There are commitments to extend both of them. From January 2015 information will be shared on payments from investment funds,
by Bradley Warden, Partner, Blevins Franks
pensions, innovative financial instruments, trusts and foundations, employment, directors’ fees, life insurance, property, dividends, capital gains and other financial income and account balances. In June, a Swiss government panel report suggested that Switzerland should be ready to share data on foreign depositors with the EU, even before a global standard is established. More recently, at the G20 Summit in September world leaders committed to automatic exchange of information. They fully endorse a truly global model for multilateral and bilateral automatic exchange of information. They will work together to present a single standard and finalise technical aspects by mid-2014, so that all G20 members will be exchanging information on tax matters by the end of 2015. They called on all other jurisdictions to join them by the earliest possible date. Here’s one example of how exchange of information can affect you. A local French tax office has questioned British expatriates about their National Savings Certificates after receiving information from the UK authorities. These are tax free investments in the UK but unfortunately fully taxable here in France, as with ISAs and PEPs. Financial privacy is fast being consigned to history, but this does not mean tax mitigation is no longer possible in France. With professional advice you can take advantage of tax compliant opportunities to reduce tax on your capital investments and wealth.
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Confidence is on a High in Britain
by Sue Cook
A flurry of positive economic data from the UK has augured well for the British Pound, making it the best performer in August amongst the major currencies. Confidence is on a high in Britain as the economic recovery gathers pace. Ever since the Bank of England governor, Mark Carney, unveiled his ‘forward guidance’ policy, tying up any movement in interest rates to stable figures emanating from the 7% targeted unemployment rate which they expect to materialise by late 2016, markets have responded positively to better manufacturing and construction reports. With consumer confidence also on a high, it comes as no surprise that Sterling has rallied against the Euro breaching the 1.18 level early this month coupled with the best ever manufacturing figure release for 16 months at 57.2. The road ahead looks pretty steady for the pound with business activity and factory orders also on the uptick. Although Sterling has had a bullish run against the US Dollar and the Euro, movements were not as drastic as one would have expected. There is a key element to this -‐ given the fact that developments in Syria have taken a turn for the worse, most investors tend to flock towards more stable ‘safe haven’ currencies, and that is exactly what has happened with the Dollar and the Euro. With capital inflows pouring in, it is likely that this is rendered purely a function of near-‐ term economic upswing for the European continent. This would indicate that the Euro will continue to retain some of its recently found strength in the short term. Psychologically, any talks for the implementation of ‘tapering’ of asset purchases (the quantitative easing programme) by the Federal Reserve should move the relatively calm markets now, indicating that the Euro may be running out of luck as it has failed to rally significantly even when supported occasionally by better than expected economic data. The world will watch in anticipation as Germany goes to the polls to elect a new government on the 22nd September. The events from this election will define how the ongoing three year crisis in Europe would shape up, although currently stable with reports of the Eurozone emerging from recession, but this could flare up rapidly. Europe has already eased debt burdens on bailed out countries in the Eurozone namely Italy, Portugal and Greece. Germany’s new Government and the European Central Bank would take a harsh stance on any further requests for bailouts and reports of non-‐ compliance. Until then expect the Euro to continue to remain slightly weak against the Pound with major movements only showing up after the election. With growth forecasts hiked for the UK on the emergence of an economic recovery and Europe continuing in hushed silence till the German elections, we could see GBP/EUR breach the 1.19 level briefly but the pair will get most of its decisive exaggerated move post the elections depending on the measures that the Troika will take to try and sort out the Eurozone’s predicament.
Ask Amanda. As an expat living in France what considerations should I weigh up when setting out to review my current financial position, future goals & aspirations?
Many people undertook a review of their finances when they left the UK, however, if it has been some time since you looked at your financial situation and are considering a review now, there are several considerations I would recommend you think about: Is the company you talk to regulated in France? Regulation where you live provides you with security and peace of mind. Are you easily able to speak to and meet your financial planner for regular reviews should your circumstances change? Financial relationships should be long term, so if your needs change you can quickly sit down and discuss new circumstances. Are there any charges for reviews, reports or recommendations you may want? You have worked hard for your money so why give it away if you don’t have to? Is the company independent and able to recommend products & services which truly suit your personal requirements? Making sure the recommendations are right for you and not based on any outside pressures ensures you get the correct advice. Does the company have a track record in France? You are likely to be in France for a long time and having confidence that your financial planner will provide ongoing support provides peace of mind. Are products being offered transportable, should you wish to move back to the UK or on to another Country? Portability avoids unnecessary administration and cost should you need or want to leave France in the future. Can you choose to hold investments in Euros, Sterling or US Dollars? Currency freedom allows you to choose how your money is invested. Are terms and conditions available in English? English contracts make it easier for you to understand what you are offered and aid your dependants after you are gone. At The Spectrum IFA Group we do not charge for reviews, reports or recommendations and are proud to celebrate our 10th anniversary in France. If you would like a copy of our customer charter or to speak to me about your situation, please call or email me on the contacts below and I will be glad to help you. Don’t forget to visit us at ‘Le Tour de Finance’ in Saumur on 4th October. For further details, please see the advert on the opposite page or email me on the contacts below.
Amanda Johnson, The Spectrum IFA Group. Tel: 05 49 98 97 46 Mob: 06 73 27 25 43 www.spectrum-‐ifa.com/johnsonloire.shtml or “Ask Amanda” at finance@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
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Why the Vendée? With 101 Départements to choose from why do so many French couples choose to retire to the Vendée? It’s a question you may well ask if you don’t know the area well. Putting the appeal of the sunflowers, vineyards and holidays to one side, let’s look at the reasons why the Vendée is so sought after by international buyers. The Sunny Climate Next to the French Riviera the Vendée has the highest level of sunshine hours in the whole of France. With 2500 sun filled hours on average each year for anyone leaving Paris (or London) they gain over an extra 1000 hours of mood boosting light and the outdoor lifestyle that comes with it. More walks and cycling, along with excellent local healthcare, help to keep retirees here fit. The French Riviera may offer 290 more hours of sunshine but with a much higher price tag and crime levels to match.
the Summer months but Nantes has a reliable timetable of worldwide flights all year. La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon to Paris by train takes under 2.5 hours. For UK business or pleasure, make a quick change to take Eurostar and you are in London in no time. High Speed Internet In the Vendée you can experience living in rural splendour right by the coast but don’t need to sacrifice modern day technology. The internet speed is reliable and enables those of you intending to use the computer for work to gain speeds only dreamed of in some UK towns. ‘Ah, the Vendée!’ sigh my French friends in Paris when we catch up. ‘The weather, the seafood, the beaches …’. Why leave this hidden gem of a département to the French? If you want it all, rural splendour, an area that is not ‘Little England’ and offers plenty of sunshine then look no further.
I recommend that clients who are looking for sunshine (especially in the Winter months) keep to the coastal areas. One of the reasons it is known as the ‘Côte de Lumière’ (Coast of Light) is because of the way the clouds skip the flat coastline leaving it cloud free. Once you pass 20 minutes inland you get a change in the sunshine hours. The micro climate effectively starts in the north of the Vendée and continues down to La Rochelle and keeps to about 20 kms from the coastline. Coupled with a long drive to the beaches, this is why property prices around Fontenay are much lower and homes along the coast prove better investments. Blue Flag, Pine Forested Beaches The Vendée offers over 200km of sandy beaches including the beautiful ‘Plage du Veillon’ which was nominated by the Daily Telegraph as one of the best beaches in the world. This area of the French west coast offers rolling dunes, chic seaside villages and classic French coastal towns in equal measures. There really is something for everyone. Nature is at its best whatever the season with uncrowded beaches, herons and other birds nearby and pine forests to offer welcome shade in the peak of Summer. Excellent Travel Links The autoroute is easily accessible, running through the Vendée up to Paris and to northern Ferry ports. La Rochelle flights are mainly in
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