Living Magazine Feb/March 15

Available across Poitou-Charentes ~ Dordogne ~ Haute Vienne ~ Vendée

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feb | March 2015

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Welcome

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Editor: Kathryn dobson FEAtUrES Editor: roger Moss AdvErtiSing: Jon dobson Art Editor: nadia van den rym ProdUction MAnAgEr: Justin Silvester

rEgUlAr contribUtorS: Trevor Bridge, Ron Cousins, Lynette Eyb, Sandie George, Emma-Jane Lee, Nikki Legon, Chris Luck and Stig Tomas. WitH tHAnKS to: John and Gill Bowler, Julia Moss

PHotogrAPHy: Shutterstock or Roger Moss unless indicated. covEr iMAgE: Girolata bay in the Réserve Naturelle de Scandola, Corsica © Irina Kuzmina/Shutterstock. PUbliSHEd by: SARL AMM, 2 Rue Buffefeu, 86400 Linazay FRANCE. Poitiers: 533 624 128. www.ammfrance.com PrintEd by: Rotimpres S.A., Pla De L’estany S/N,17181 Aiguaviva, Espagne. dépôt légal: A parution. iSSn: 0753-3454. All material may not be reproduced without the express permission of SARL AMM. Toute reproduction même partielle du contenu est interdit sans l’accord écrit du magazine. Please ensure you verify that the company you are dealing with is a registered trading company in France and/or elsewhere around the world. Articles in this issue do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine.

February/March 2015

As I write this, France is in shock after the terrible attacks in Paris. I have no doubt that this has caused us all to reflect on our own relationship with France and to re-examine what it means to us to live here. Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité are values inscribed at the heart of every village, town and city, and recent events have certainly caused us to stop and consider their true meaning. So often, when we are caught in the day-to-day routine, it is easy to forget the freedoms we are lucky enough to enjoy as well as the simple pleasures on our doorstep; the beautiful countryside, the rich cultural heritage and the warmth of the people around us. In this edition, we hope to share some more of these pleasures with you as well as help you look forward to the long summer ahead. Join us as we take a trip to Corsica, explore the world of railways and trains, and learn that you are never too old to take a cycling holiday...

À bientôt 56-63MArKEt PlAcEThe best services & suppliers across the region

64WHAt’S on around the region

For All EditoriAl & SUbScriPtion EnqUiriES: [email protected] or telephone + 33 (0)5 49 87 29 71 For All AdvErtiSing: [email protected] or telephone Jon on +33 (0)5 49 87 29 71 SUbScriPtionS StArt At only €32 For Six EditionS see www.livingmagazine.fr for more information

4SnippetsNews from around the region

14the rail thingRailways and trains are part of the country’s heritage as Roger Moss discovers

20corsica: A World Apart Looking for some holiday inspira-tion? We take a peek at one of France’s most popular destinations

28cycling the Atlantic coast Join Helen Millar as she explores the coast’s cycle routes with friends

31on Environmental linesChris Luck investigates what the new LGV line means for local wildlife

34Making an EntranceJust what does your front door say about your home here in France? 37Pardon! Wintry French expressions with Emma-Jane Lee

38nikki legon’s cuisine One pot wonders for entertaining family and friends in winter

42the Wheelbarrow gardenerTrevor Bridge explores the romance of the French cottage garden, the jardin paysan

47Hook, line and SinkerFishing expert Ron Cousins ponders the enduring popularity of the sport

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PrActicAl living

50Useful informationand expert advice

52living Property Pages We visit Rochefort in Charente-Maritime

65UpbeatOur regular look at live music

66 book review with Sandie George

Charente made easyHave you ever wondered what the role of the Conseil Générale is? Do you know how your taxes are spent? Would you like to know the projects the département has identified as a priority? Now these and many other questions are answered in a 32-page booklet primarily aimed at youngsters but equally written in a manner that those from abroad will find easy to understand. Called ‘Le Département et Vous’, the brochure can be downloaded free from www.cg16.fr. While on the website, the November issue of Tonus Charente includes twenty questions and answers (also in French) about the role of the CG and how it spends its budgets. As ever more cuts are made to budgets in 2015, it’s useful to know just where the money is being spent.

LE DÉPARTEMENT ET VOUS

Les compétences du Département

Journées des Moulins VivantsMills are at the very heart of the heritage of the Pays Horte et Tardoire just as their valleys are at the centre of their landscape. Witnesses to a long gone rural life-style, the mills recall the ancient ‘savoir-faire’ and tradi-tional techniques while reminding us of the slower pace of yesteryear. They are a testament to the economic activities of the past, the ancient management of water and energy as well as the changing relationship between farm workers and their masters. At the same time, these mills can feel surprisingly alive; listen to

the symphony of noises from the water, the belts and the gears; breathe in the smells of the grains, nuts, flours and oils; wonder at the endless turning of the wheels, pulleys and millstones. Legacies of the past and their current owners’ pride and joy, the mills of Argence, Bandiat and Tardoire open their doors for free on 21 and 22 February. The programme is available from the Office de Tourisme du Pays Horte et Tardoire; tel: 05 45 63 07 45; www.pays-horte-tardoire.fr.

Festival international de la Bande dessineehead to angoulême between the 29 January and 1 February and you may be surprised who you meet in the streets. Childhood heroes will be in town to take part in europe’s largest comic strip festival. But this event is not just for children, the art form is taken very seriously in France and especially in angoulême which has been hosting the festival annually since 1974. this year the reclusive american creator of Calvin and hobbes and winner of the 2014 Grand Prix, Bill Watterson, will be recognised with his own

exhibition which is just one of the many shows and

events on offer. For full details

visit the website at www.bd

angouleme.com.

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A sharing of cakes & recipes at a Franco-British conversation club based near Rouillac over the last decade has resulted in the publica-tion of ‘Let’s Feast Together’, a compilation of carefully selected French and English recipes. Former English teacher Françoise Waynberger explains: “I found our English friends’ cakes were so delicious that I had the idea of making them known to French people who are often prejudiced against English food! So we started collecting French and English family recipes including cake recipes and seasonal meals, and testing them. We typed them up and took photos. Then we added anecdotes, a list of false friends, cultural differences between our countries and, at the end, a glossary.” With co-authors Nicky Hibbin, Sally Stanford and Lauriane Becuwe, Françoise searched in vain for a publisher. She laughs: “But I was approaching my 70th birthday and I thought it’s now or never! So I emptied my money box and published it myself.” She admits viewing the pile of a hundred books with trepidation but they sold quickly to family and friends and she has since had to order two reprints. The book is now stocked at a local tearoom in Angoulême,

La Brulerie des Valois on rue des Postes, and costs 15€. Françoise is still looking for a publisher to take the book on. “But if I don’t find one, it will be the end of a beautiful adventure, at least, a dream I realised!” For more information, contact francoise. [email protected].

Summer FunAmongst friends

To help you plan your year ahead, we’ve

picked ouT a Few oF our FavouriTe FeSTivalS

9 may – 7 June

7th Festival International de Musique de Chambre en Charente at Chalais – world class chamber music in historic surroundings

22-24 may

40th edition of Musiques Métisses at Angoulême – world music performed on the banks of the Charente.

26-28 June

Respire Jazz – jazz and impro meet in the unique surroundings of the Abbaye de Puypéroux.

26-28 June

Les Sarabandes near Rouillac - street theatre, art exhibitions, games and lighting shows take over a local village.

29 June – 4 July

21st festival Cognac Blues Passions. Tickets are selling fast for Lenny Kravitz (photo below) on 2 June and the full list of acts will be revealed soon.

July - September

11th edition des Nuits Romanes en Poitou-Charentes - free events in and around Romanesque buildings across the region. Watch out for dates near you.

7 July

17th Fête Médiévale at Dignac.Jousting, falconry and all things medieval.

17 July – 9 august

La Guingette Buisonnière is an itinerant festival travelling through Charente.

23-25 July

La Fête du Cognac. Music and Charentaise gastronomy on the quayside of this historic town.

11-16 august

58th Festival de Confolens - world music and dance come together.

29 august – 11 September

Festi’ Classique – classical music concerts held in some of the most prestigious Cognac houses.

4-6 September

Coup de Chauffe at Cognac - street theatre with a festival atmosphere.

18-20 September

Circuit des remparts at Angoulême – classic cars race through the winding streets in this unique event.

19-27 September

Barrobjectif at Barro – a photography exhibition with a difference.Please note that many of the dates are yet to be finally confirmed so visit our website to find a full list of links where you can keep up to date with all the latest news.

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CityMobilLa Rochelle has long prided itself on being at the forefront of sustainable transport and has recently launched a new initiative aimed at maintaining this position. Until April 2015, trials of automatic driver-less vehicles are under-way running between the Technoforum on the west bank of the docks and the Aquarium on the east. Six ten-seater vehicles will transport you for free along the route which also stops at Ville-en-Bois, Médiathèque, Tour St-Nicolas and the Office of Tourism. The constructor Robosoft will have an operator on board to ensure the smooth running of the trips. CityMobil2 is a Eu-ropean project which aims to demonstrate the application of automatic transport in the urban environment. Running from September 2012 to August 2016, it is coordinated by the University of Rome and includes 45 partners to date. For more information ring 0800 567 341 or visit the CityMobil chalet which will be open for 2 hours each afternoon at Place de la Motte Rouge.

Emerging RegionsAfter months of discussion, the politicians have finally con-firmed the new regional map of France where the current 22 regions will be reduced to only 13. In a move to simplify bureaucracy and cut costs, the super-regions will take effect from January 2016 although much about their roles has yet to be decided. For readers of Living, the main change is that Aqui-taine, Limousin and Poitou-Charentes will be joining together. The new name has yet to be confirmed, but a recent newspa-per poll suggested that l’Aquitaine was popular with residents, and Bordeaux will be the capital. There is concern about what this will mean for the extremities of this large region, in particular Poitiers, however the three current Presidents (all socialists) have reassured workers that no jobs will be cut from the 7,000 workforce and that services will not be reduced.

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For chess fans, the 14th Rochefort International Chess Festival will take place on 21-27 February in the Palais des Congrès. Just days

before the major tournament at Cappelle-la-Grande, many players see this as the ideal opportunity to per-fect their game. See www.echiquier-rochefortais.com.

Blow away the winter blues with a visit to La Fête du Mimosa de Saint-Trojan-les-Bains on the 20-22 February. This cheerful yellow flower is the emblem of the Ile d’Oléron which has been celebrated with a 3-day long festival each year since 1959. See www.lafetedumimosa.com.

For all the mystery and romance of a Venetian carnival, take a trip to Étaules, between Saujon and La Tremblade, on Sunday, 8 March. After a year of dedication, the latest creations of Claude Lhéritaud and his team at the Foyer Rural will be unveiled. The fun starts at 10am with the parade through the centre of the town beginning at 3pm. See www.mairie-etaules.fr.

Charente-Maritime


Toll bridge to OléronMembers of the Conseil communautaire de l’Ile d’Oléron voted recently in favour of charging vehicles to cross the 3km bridge to the island despite the 15,000 signature petition demanding the bridge remain free. Tariffs will be between 2 and 28 euros depending upon the season and the size of the vehicle with Oléronnais receiving free passage. Subscribers, second-home owners and businesses will pay 2€ while a normal car will cost 12€ in summer and 6€ in winter. There is real concern that this move will negatively impact businesses on the island as no seri-ous research study was carried out, time will tell. The bridge was opened in 1966 and is the third longest viaduct in France behind those of Saint-Nazaire and the neighbouring Ile de Ré.

Summer FunTo help you plan your year ahead, we’ve


Pedestrianised old portJean-François Fountaine, the Maire of La Rochelle, recently announced that the Vieux Port will be partly pedestri-anised from the autumn of 2015. Only buses and delivery vehicles will be able to enter the area. The circulation was reduced in 2009 when part of the road was given over to pedestrians and cyclists, and on certain bank holidays and in peak season, the quayside is already closed to traffic. While resi-dents and businesses are generally in favour, there is concern that the other already busy routes through the city will become even more congested once the quayside is closed.

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4-6 april

22nd Festival de cerf-volant et du vent de Châtelaillon-Plage – every type of kite imaginable on the golden sands.

4-6 april

The frigate hermione visits la Rochelle before her grand depart for the uSa.

19-20 June

Free Music Festival at Montendre – popular bands play live.

26 June-5 July

Festival international du film de la Rochelle welcomes films from around the world.

July-September

11th edition des Nuits Romanes en Poitou-Charentes. Free events in and around Romanesque buildings across the region. watch out for dates near you.

10-14 July

31st Francofolies de la Rochelle – Johnny hallyday headlines for 2015.

10-18 July

le Festival de Saintes – clas-sical music in the atmospheric surroundings of the abbaye aux dames.

15-30 July

28th edition of Musique en Ré – a mixture of free and ticketed classical concerts across the island.

25-31 July

28th un Violon Sur le Sable à Royan – picnic on the beach before enjoying an evening of wonderful music, all topped off by fireworks, truly one of a kind.

30 July-1 august

Festival humour et eau Salée – Saint georges de didonne. Fun street theatre in this seaside town.

end of august (date tbc)

Return of l’hermione to Rochefort.

16-21 September

le grand Pavois à la Rochelle – the largest in-water boat show in europe, come and dream how to spend your lottery win.

Please note that many of the dates are yet to be finally confirmed so visit our website to find a full list of links where you can keep up to date with all the latest news.

JohnnyHallyday

Charente-Maritime

www.livingmagazine.fr | 9

Dordogne

Discover PÉRIGORD Dronne Belle, a verdant land of gastronomy,

exceptional architecture and rich cultural heritage. Renowned not only

for villages such as Brantôme and Bourdeilles, Site Majeur d’Aquitaine,

but also for spectacular locations such as the Grotte de Villars, the

châteaux de Puyguilhem and Richemont or that of Mareuil, one

of the four Périgord baronies. WWW.PERIGORD-DRONNE-BELLE.FR

Tel: 05 53 05 80 63

Domaine de CampagneSituated in the Bugue canton, the Domaine de Campagne was donated to the state by the last Marquis de Campagne in 1970 and passed to the département in 2007. A vast renovation project has been undertaken on the buildings dating back to the 15th century which now house part of the Pôle international de la préhistoire (PIP) as well as an archaeological laboratory. They also host exhibitions and seminars. Outside, work on the 336 acre park has been equally impressive. Inspired by 19th century English gardens, the park was last re-designed between 1852 and 1862 by a local land-scape artist after which it fell into disrepair. Today, a new entrance leads to the Chemin des Dames, whose staircase of 139 steps is under renovation. From here, visitors can explore the coulée verte, presqu’île, serpentine and potager which are all being managed with a commitment to sustainable development. Entrance to the park is free and it is open daily.

The vacances d’hiver (winter holidays) and vacances de printemps (spring holidays) occur at different times depending upon whether you are in education zone A, B or C. Here in the west of France, we straddle all three zones: Zone A includes Vendée (Nantes), Zone B includes Poitou-Charentes (Poitiers) and Haute-Vienne (Limoges), Zone C includes Dordogne (Bordeaux). The dates for this year are:

Zone A includes Vendée

(Nantes)

Zone B inc. Poitou-Charentes

(Poitiers) & Haute-Vienne (Limoges)

Zone C includes

Dordogne (Bordeaux)

Winter 7-23 Feb 21 Feb -9 March 14 Feb – 2 MarchSpring 11-27 April 25 April – 11 May 18 April – 4 May

Summer holidays for all zones begin on Saturday, 4 July. All dates are inclusive. For the full calendar see www.education.gouv.fr

School holidayS...



19 may-7 June

Printemps au Proche-Orient in Périgueux. Photography, cinema, literature and music from the Middle East.

22-24 may

Festival Jazz Pourpre – jazz in Bergerac.

3-5 July

La Félibrée at La Douze – a traditional fête to promote the langue d’oc.

July

Musique en Périgord Vert (dates tbc). Classical music in historic surroundings.

23-26 July

Festival Itinéraire Baroque en Périgord Vert – concerts of baroque music.

17-18 July

Le Grand Souk. Contemporary bands in and around Riberac.

18 July-3 august

64e Festival des Jeux du Théâtre de Sarlat – a festival of live theatre.

25-26 July

Festival des épouvantails de Meyrals – scarecrows in all shapes and sizes.

27 July-2 august

35ème Festival Cultures aux cœurs at Montignac – international art, dance & music.

27 July-1 august

33rd Mimos at Périgueux – mime artistes from across the globe perform to more than 70,000 visitors.


Deux-Sèvres & Vendée


Meet the BockersWith the World Championships of the High-land Games being hosted by Bressuire this year, the local Bockers are practising hard. Bressuire AJEF (Association sportive des Jeux d’Écosse en France) welcomed its first throwers back in October 2009. Surprisingly there were 6 local heavies who had Highland Games experience, and they were soon competing across France and abroad. Nicknamed the Bockers after the local area, the Bocage Bressuirais, they went on to win official titles in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013. Some members have also represented France in the European and World amateur championships as far afield as the States. Today there are ten throwers in the team who train every Saturday in Bres-suire. From March, they will start to train mid-week as well to build up to the amateur championships at the Bressuire High-

land Games before they settle down to cheer on the pros competing for the IHGF World title. The association is also invited to organise events outside Bressuire and has recently returned from events in Pontivy (56) and

Ascain (64) as well as the Chambord Game Fair. In the photo, Bockers Sebastien and Cédric (wearing the Bockers own blue tartan) are joined by former world champion Bruce Aitken (centre) and Bruce Robb (second left). The Bressuire Highland Games will be held on the 13 -14 June. www.highlandgames-france.eu



L’ HybriusRunning until 29 March, L’Hybrius at the Musée de Tumulus de Bougon (79), the prehistoric museum, is an exhibi-tion with a difference. A collaboration between two local artists, Sylvia Trouvé and Zarco, the sculptures and paintings are all on the theme of hybridisation but, instead of simply admiring them, you are encouraged to touch and play with the works of art. “Each work offers a story inspired by a hybrid plant, animal, human, myth... and there is always a link to find with the Neolithic,” explains Zarco. “The main idea of L’Hybrius is to offer something playful,” adds Sylvia. And why are so many hybrids on display at Bougon? As the exhibition synopsis explains, the Neolithic era is when man started to domesticate changes and started to modify certain species of animals and plants… See www.deux-sevres.com for full details. Please note that many of the dates are yet to be finally

confirmed so visit our website to find a full list of links where you can keep up to date with all the latest news.

deuX SevreS (79)

18-24 May

Festival Ah? at Parthenay and across the Gâtine. Live theatre performances.21 June: 6th Maraisthon at Coulon. Eco-marathon in the Marais Poitevin.

13-14 June

Highland Games at Bressuires featuring the World Championships.

July - September

11th edition des Nuits Romanes en Poitou-Charentes. Free events in & around Romanesque buildings across the region. Watch out for dates near you.

8-19 July

30th edition Festival Ludique International de Parthenay. Games of all shapes & sizes including board games and video games.

11-16 July 28

Festival des Enfants du Monde. Children from across the globe come to Saint Maixent l’Ecole.

26 July

Le marché sur l’eau à Le Vanneau-Irleau. A traditional floating market in the Marais Poitevin (morning only).

29 July – 1 august

Festival De Bouche à Oreille à Parthenay 79) Traditional music and dance from across Poitou- Charentes and Vendée.

vendee (85)

27-29 march

6th edition Festival Acoustic at Le Poiré- sur Vie (85) with Charlie Winston and The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain.

2-4 april

Festival Nouvelle Chanson at Les Sables d’Olonne – voices from across France.

15-16 may

La 7ème Vague at Brétignolles-sur- Mer – live concerts of emerging music.

5-7 June

Festival West Side à Notre Dame de Monts – performances by independent rock artists.

3-4 July

27th Les Feux de l’Eté at Saint Prouant – live rock bands across the weekend.

July & august

17th Nuits Musicales en Vendée Romane – classical music concerts in historic settings.

4 July - 28 august

22nd Le Déferlante along the Atlantic coast of the Vendée. Free live music & theatre events.

20 July-7 august

Les Musicales du Pays de Saint Gilles – free concerts in the area.

22-29 august

Dans les Jardins de William Christie – classical music concerts by Les Arts Florissants.

Traqués, Cachés, SauvéA fascinating new exhibition is on display at the Centre Régional “Résistance & Liberté” (CRRL) in Thouars (79). From March 1942 to August

1944, the Nazi authorities and the Vichy regime methodically tracked Jews in France, deporting 76,000 including 11,400 children. Only 2,500 survived. In the face of the persecution, Poitou – on the border of the zone libre or free zone – became a place of refuge and a transit area on the road to exile. Through the solidarity of the Poitevins with Jewish and non-Jewish resistance organisations, several hundred individuals were saved. Using a wealth of documents and testimonies, the exhibi-tion offers an unprecedented look into the rescue of Jewish families in Poitou. It reveals the diversity of the individual pathways, the motivations and the means of rescue while all the time demonstrating the complexity of the tasks undertaken. For full details of entry hours and ticket prices, see www.crrl.fr or ring 05 49 66 42 99.

Vendée Globe 2016The 2016 edition of the singlehanded non-stop around the world race was presented at the Paris Boat Show recently. The start date has been confirmed as Sunday, 6 November, and fifteen sailors have already confirmed their partici-pation. A further fifteen are expected to join them in the coming months. Bruno Retailleau, President of the Vendée Council and the SAEM Vendée said: “The Vendée Globe is already France’s leading sporting event in terms of media coverage alongside the Tour de France and Roland-Garros with coverage representing 200 million euros. We can also see some other data about the 2012 event, which illustrated how exceptional the impact was for such an ocean race. 9 million unique users looked at the website during the three months of the race and 285 million pages were viewed, 30 million videos watched, 500,000 players joined in with the Vendée Globe Virtual Game, 85 hours of live TV were watched, 1,700 accredited journalists attended the Race Village at the start…” Without a doubt, it will be an important date for Vendée accommodation owners.

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Vendée VéloWith spring around the corner, there’s no better time to plan to explore some new cycle routes. The Vendée Conseil Générale are behind the www.vendeevelo.vendee.fr website which includes maps, cycle routes, practical information and more. With over one thousand kms of cycle paths in the département, and more planned, there is plenty to choose from. Cycle along the Atlantic coast, through the flat and shady Marais Poitevin or pick a more challenging inland route, the choice is yours. If you don’t want to transport your bicycle, the site has a full list of rental places too.

Cycling in the Marais region

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news from around tHe region - news from around tHe region -news from around tHe region -news from around tHe region - news from around tHe region -news from around tH

Each year, January heralds in not only the New Year but also a range of changes from stamp prices to increases in the minimum wage. Here we look at those that most impact Living Magazine readers:. Minimum wage (SMIC) has increased by 0.8 percent so a gross monthly salary is now a minimum of €1,457.52 or €9.61 per hour.. Family benefits such as the return to school benefit have in-creased by 0.7 percent.. RSA (Revenu de solidarité ac-tive), France’s social benefit, has increased by 0.9 percent to €513.88 per month for a single person or €770.82 for a couple without children.. France’s generalised social contribution (CSG), the deduction-at-source tax on most incomes, has been reduced for some 700,000 people. However, 460,000 pension-ers will pass from the lower rate of 3.8 percent to 6.6 percent.

La SourceRegular readers of Living Magazine will know Gitta Ducaneaux and Ietje Vermeijden, the welcoming hosts at Restaurant La Chaumière in Coulonges (86). In search of a new challenge, Gitta and Ietje have recently moved half an hour north to Saint-Aigny (33), a small village in the beautiful Brenne National Park near Le Blanc. Here they have established their new restaurant, La Source, with a bar, two dining rooms and a large terrace.“We are delighted with our new setting, the village is lively with lots of organised activities and we will be holding our own regular events including our very popular music nights,” said Gitta. “All our meals are made from fresh ingredi-ents, bio where possible.” Dishes start at just €10 with lunch menus from €12.50, all ac-companied by water from the same source as La Roche Posay. In the evening choose between La Source (€15) and Découverte (€25) menus. Opening hours are from 9am, perfect for a morning coffee, through to 9pm and will be longer in the summer. Find Restaurant La Source at 2 Le Bourg, 36300 Saint Aigny; tel: 02 54 37 50 42 or 06 45 00 30 64; www.lasource-saint-aigny.com or lasource-saint-aigny on Facebook. Reservations required.

A new bAll for futuroscopeIf you’ve travelled past Futuroscope then you will have noticed that its landmark ball has been missing from the Pavillon du Futuroscope since October 2012. Happily, a new ball has now been lowered into place in an operation costing over 700,000 euros and requiring a huge 700-tonne crane. Designed by Denis Laming (the original architect of the buildings at Futuroscope), the ball’s metal structure weighs 38 tonnes. Its installation marks a new era for the Pavillon which will, from February, become the Fun Xperiences Arena focussing on sport and technology demonstrations. With its cut-out design, the ball is also making an impression when the sun sets and lights are turned on...

Changes. Stamps have increased by 7 percent on average but lettres prioritaires have increased by 15 percent to €0.76. Small parcels of less than 3cms in depth can now be sent via La Poste and no longer need to go via Colissimo, meaning that they reduce in cost. . Train tickets have increased by up to 2.6 percent.. Diesel has increased by 4 centimes per litre. Following emissions reports, a commitment has been made by the government to increase the price of diesel to the same as petrol.. The TV licence has increased by €3 to €136.Electricity has risen by 2.5 percent.. Bisphenol A (BPA), a compound found in plastic, has been made illegal in food packaging following health concerns.. From 8 March, all properties must have smoke alarms installed by the proprietor whether they are resident or not.

© F

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Don’t forget !

Valentine’s Day 14 February

Mother’s Day in UK 15 March

Easter Sunday5 April

vienne (86)

30 may - 6 June

22nd Festival Jazzellerault at Châtellerault

12-13 June:

18th Festival Méluzik à Lusignan. Free festival dedicated to bringing live music to the Pays Melusin.

22-24 may

4th Le Son du Vignoble at Marigny-Brizay/Beaumont. Music in the vineyards.

27 June-13 august

Les Heures Vagabondes. Free concerts sponsored by the Conseil Générale across Vienne.

July - September

11th edition des Nuits Romanes en Poitou-Charentes. Free events in and around Romanesque buildings across the region. Watch out for dates near you.

20-23 July

Festival des Lumières de Montmoril-lon. 18th century arts – music, theatre, story-telling, circus and puppetry in the atmospheric setting of La Maison Dieu.

24-25 July

Festival au fil du son at Civray. Live music in the park on the banks of the Charente.

24 July-6 august

Figaro Si Figaro La! Romeo and Juliette opera performed in a big top at venues across the region.

10-12-14 August

16th edition: Les soirées lyriques de Sanxay. An international cast perform the opera Turandot in this gallo-roman amphitheatre.

18-21 September

Les vacances de Monsieur Haydn at La Roche Posay. A popular festival of chamber music drawing performers from across France.

hauTe vienne (87)

20-22 march

Festival Salsa de Limoges – get those hips moving!

15-16 may

Rock Metal Camp at St Hilaire les Places – it’s all in the name.

4-7 June

17th edition Festival Graines de Rue at Bessines sur Gartempe – live theatre acts and workshops throughout the weekend.

25-27 June

Festival Urbaka at Limoges – street theatre in the heart of the city.

17 July-11 august

Festival 1001 Notes in Limoges – classical music concerts.

31 July-16 august

Festival du Haut Limousin 2015 à Villefavard – classical and jazz concerts by professionals from across France

august tbc

La Route du Sirque at Nexon (87) – circus arts performances at the circus arts school.


In a bid to promote the use of Limoges Porcelaine, the city of Limoges launched the search for the perfect coffee cup in 2014. With a prize fund of 9,500 euros, the competition has been fierce and more than 150 entries were received. From these, eight designers from across France have been chosen to battle it out for the three prizes to be awarded in September this year. The task was to design a cup and saucer for three different types of coffee and a tray for a café gourmande all of which must be capable of being used in a professional setting. The prototypes are now in production before the final judging begins.

BRITISHINSURANCE AGENT DAVID ATKINS

With over 25 yearsexperience our friendly and bilingual sta�

o� er professional advice on:

T: 05 45 70 43 76 F: 05 45 70 43 70E: [email protected]

Grand’Rue 16380 Marthon

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14 | living motoring

www.livingmagazine.fr | 32www.livingmagazine.fr

You don’t have to spend your life going on great railway journeys to be passionate about trains - for many of us it’s in our blood. Photos & Words: RogeR Moss


living Railways | 15


here’s something curiously romantic about trains. Perhaps it’s a hunger for past glory days, when steam was king and Brief Encounter was breaking the hearts of cinema audiences. Today rail

travel has changed almost beyond recognition, yet the idea of Great Railway Journeys is as seductive as ever, particularly in France, where you can still get to some amazing places and see things denied to motorists.

While some countries seem to agonise endlessly over how best to upgrade their ageing rail systems, France has for many years been quietly reaping the rewards of the forward-thinking policies which shaped the post-war campaign of rail regeneration. While some rural areas have witnessed closures of less economically viable lines, the network somehow escaped the draconian scale of losses which the UK experienced during the Beeching era. The result today is an expanding network of Lignes à Grande Vitesse (LGV), backed up by classic regional TER and freight services.

There’s a lot more to the flagship TGVs we now know and love than meets the eye. The concept was born in the 1960s when SNCF wanted something fresh, fast and compatible with its existing urban lines, which would be impractical to modify. Beyond the suburbs, though, entirely new dedicated lines would be required, since safe operation at the dramati-cally higher speeds envisaged would require dead-straight running wherever possible.

However, passing through terrain which would normally be skirted or tunnelled under meant accepting steeper gradients (up to 4%, compared to 1-2% for conventional lines), but the shorter distances cut construction costs – until, of course, you encounter the kind of challenging terrain found on the southern sections of the new Tours-Bordeaux LGV line.

Seen from above, it becomes obvious that high-speed tracks are laid further apart, to minimise buffeting from trains passing in opposite directions with a closing speed of around 600kph. What you won’t see, though, is the sophisticated signalling used to control traffic movements, since at these speeds trackside signals become almost unreadable. Instead special sender units placed at 1500m intervals throughout the network relay

MAIN IMAGE LEFT: Le Petit Train Jaune – the most sensational of SNCF’s rail routes in France, and not for the faint-hearted (see next page)

TOP: This preserved mainline steam loco halfway up a mountain at Valfréjus celebrates the first rail tunnel driven through the Alps

ABOVE: A TGV from Turin arrives in Modane, where customs officers will check passports

BELOw: Local trains and TGVs sit side by side at stations across the country


16 | living motoring


their information direct to the drivers’ in-cab instruments, with fail-safe protection, which is how some routes can operate trains at up to 300kph a mere three minutes apart at peak periods.

As for the trains themselves, you might be surprised to learn that every aspect of the TGV’s original styling was penned by English designer Jack Cooper who spent several years working under celebrated US industrial designer Raymond Loewy before moving to the Alstom company in France. With the exception of the power cars at either end, the 8 or 16-car sets are semi-permanently attached – each pair of cars shares a single wheeled bogie, which saves weight. Achieving high speeds requires the kind of energy efficiency only possible with lightweight units, so power cars employ light alloy construction and even passenger seat frames are cast in magnesium alloy.

To maximise the trains’ operational lifespan any overloading must therefore be avoided, which is why TGV services employ airline-style seat allocations. Their articu-lated approach also prevents trains jack-knifing should a derailment occur, makes things quieter and permits low floor levels, something exploited in double-deck ‘duplex’ designs used on some routes. Cars are also pressure-sealed to prevent passenger discomfort when entering tunnels at high speeds.

Pushing the boundariesGlamorous, high-tech TGVs succeeded in reversing the decline of European rail travel, streaking across borders from Paris to Amsterdam, Brussels, Cologne, Frank-furt, Freiburg, Munich, Stuttgart and Saarbrücken, and from Marseille to Baden Baden, Frankfurt and beyond. Switzerland hasn’t been left out, either, with services

TGV: Faster and FurtherOn 8 Dec 1972 TGV 001 powered by a gas turbine set a world speed record for a train in autonomous traction, at 318 km/h (198 mph). It still stands, although further develop-ment switched to electric power, with overhead cable delivery.1981 saw an attempt - code-named Opération TGV 100 - on the world rail speed record. The target was 360 km/h and on 26 Feb Trainset 16 reached 380 km/h (236 mph).Between November 1989 and May 1990 SNCF carried out high-speed tests, and on 18 May, 1990 (the last scheduled test day) the TGV Atlan-tique hit 515.3 km/h (320.3 mph), setting a new world speed record.On 26 May 2001 TGV-Réseau made a 1067 km journey between Calais and Marseille. Completed in just 3 hrs 29 min, the trip set a world speed record for a non-stop run over 1000 km of 3 hrs 9 min (average speed 317.5 km/h) In June 2001 President Jacques Chirac proudly opened the TGV Méditer-ranée, which now links the English Channel to the Mediterranean. Effectively the last stage of the original TGV Sud-Est, the line takes passengers from Lille to Marseille, a distance of 1000 km (621.4 miles), in just 4h30 - an average speed of 317km/h (197mph).www.railfaneurope.net/tgv/

toP LeFt: a modern tgV on the current Poitiers-an-goulême line

toP MiddLe: the popular ‘P’tit train de saint-trojan’ tourist train on l’ile d’oléronn’

toP right: one of the original rack locomotives which worked the Montenvers Mer de glace railway from Chamonix



into Neuchâtel, Berne, Geneva and Zurich, while routes into Turin and Milan bring Italy within reach. Closer to home, the Perthus tunnel, opened in Jan 2011, brought high-speed services to Barcelona and Madrid via Perpignan. In fact, the only constraints on future expan-sion of the high-speed network are likely to be financial ones.

While the TGVs grab the media spotlight, the Train Express Régional (TER) network provides onward services to outlying areas, plus the vital task of transporting non-intercity passengers and freight. Key routes have dual tracks and most (but not all) are electrified. Somewhat bizarrely, supply voltages were never standardised, so in France you’ll find 1500 and 3000V DC, plus 15 and 25kV AC. Elsewhere, particularly among remote terrain, most routes are single-tracked and employ diesel power.

Use it, or lose it..?It’s an impressive system, but much of it is currently under financial scrutiny, due to insufficient revenues, a reluctance on the part of regional councils to pay operating subsidies and the challenges of

dovetailing timetables into those of main-line services, not to mention high main-tenance costs. If major cuts are proposed then the social and economic effects on rural communities will be significant, and we’ve seen many a government U-turn in the face of public outcry, so we’ll see how things develop. In the meantime, SNCF has been testing small camera-carrying drones to inspect tracks, viaducts and other infrastructure, and to combat thefts of cabling and other metals (which cost it 35 million Euros in 2013) without any disruption to rail services. So, a commit-ment to the system, and the vision which created it are clearly still there.

Missed the last train? PerhaPs not...What happens to redundant lines? In the UK the tracks are usually removed right away, but here in France some simply lie dormant, as if waiting for services to return, which obviously makes things considerably easier for enthusiasts to try their hand at running a railway. Some do so rather well. In the north of the region Le Train du Bas-Berry now operates

1| FUnicUlaire dU caPUcin France’s oldest funicular was built in 1898 and is listed as a Monument Historique. It will carry you to 1245m above the spa town and ski resort of Le Mont Dore, and you can visit the machine room to see just what drives it. Rue du Docteur Moncorgé, 63240 Le Mont Dore. www.sancy.com

2| nice-dignes-les-Bains What better way to see the beauty of Provence than by taking this scenic rail journey par excellence. In winter you can take the Train des Neiges up to the ski resort of Foux d’Allos. www.trainprovence.com

3| Petit train JaUne (see main photo on p16) For over a century SNCF’s oldest and high-est train has been climbing from Villefranche-de-Conflent to Latour-de-Carol via the ski resort of Font Romeu (1750m). The scenery, beside the Parc Naturel Régional de Pyré-nées Orientales, is sensational. www.ter.sncf.com/languedoc-roussillon/loisirs/ligne-touristique-train-jaune

4| traMway dU Mont-Blanc It’s the most extreme rack-railway you’ll ever ride, as you’ll realise long before you step out onto a remote mountainside 2380m above Les Houches. www.compagniedumontblanc.fr

5| le train de la rUne Also in the Pyrénées, the lovingly-restored timber-bodied trains dating from 1924 climb through dazzling Basque mountain scenery to 905m (at a steady 9km/h). www.rhune.com/uk/

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18 | living Railways

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historic steam and diesel railcar services on a route between Argy and Lucay-le-Mâle which closed in the 1980s. www.traintouristiquedubasberry.com/english/.

Further west, between Cholet and La Roche-sur-Yon is the Chemin de Fer de la Vendée, which operates standard gauge steam and diesel hauled services between Mortagne sur Sèvre and Les Herbiers. www.vendee-vapeur.fr. Charente-Maritime also has an historic tourist line - the Train des Mouettes, which runs for 21km between Saujon and La Tremblade. Steam services are hauled by a Schneider tank locomotive built in 1891 and listed as a Monument Historique. www.traindesmouettes.fr.

Currently under way in Charente is an interesting project to run restored 1950s diesel railcars between Confolens and Roumazières. In a future issue we plan to feature the Chemin de Fer de Charente- Limousine, but for now you can follow progress at www.cf-charentelimousine.fr.

Finally, in northern Deux-Sèvres there are plans to invest €5.5 million to accommodate an historic steam locomotive and period rolling stock formerly on the preserved Richelieu–Chinon line. The Gare de Thouars will house a museum and workshops, and with Center Parcs due to open at Loudun the new tourist trains could attract 35,000 visitors each year. Services are scheduled to begin during summer 2015.

Other preserved lines employ (your) pedal power: meet Vélorail. Simply climb aboard a small truck with a friend or two and pedal your way through magnificent countryside, with fitness training as a bonus. You’ll find them throughout France, and in our region at: Confolens, Manot & Roumazières (16), Cozes (17), Corgnac sur L’Isle (28), Commequiers (85), Chauvigny (86) and Bussière-Galant (87). All are listed in detail at www.veloraildefrance.com. Of course, some lines are now little more than distant memories.

We’ve barely scratched the surface, but it’s already obvious that with so many reasons to fall in love with railways, it’s little wonder that we continue to do so.

Drive down the D2020 Rue Nationale between Artenay and Cercottes and you’ll have more than the Paris-Orléans TGV line for close company. Just beyond it is what looks like an endless flyover, but is in fact a surviving section of elevated track constructed for a high-speed alter-native to the TGV. The Aérotrain was developed between 1965 and 1977, when conventional wheeled traction seemed to have reached the limit of its potential. The response was to suspend the train on a cushion of air like a hover-craft, which it effectively became when being manoeuvred between the track and its storage hangar. With no rails and only a central guide to keep things on course, the Aérotrain could reach sensationally high speeds without the energy requirements and costly tracks needed for magnetic levitation (‘maglev’) systems. The first tests were carried out on modified sections of redundant rail track at Gometz-le-Châtel and Limours (Essonne) but in 1969 development shifted to a 18km-long elevated concrete test track north of Orléans. It was conceived as the first section of what would become a high-speed route linking the city with Paris, using something similar to the 26m-long Aérotrain I80, an 80-seat passenger-carrying prototype driven by an aero engine powering a ducted-fan propeller with normal braking being achieved, aircraft-style, by reverse thrust. Other routes planned included Paris-Orly and Paris-Clergy, but in 1975 the government pulled out of the

contracts and instead diverted funding to the TGV, announcing the Paris-Lyon route the following year.

The French Aerotrain project was abandoned in 1977 (and transferred to Pueblo, Colorado) but not before it had achieved some impressive results:Feb 1966: Aérotrain 01 reaches 200 km/h on a 6.7km track south of Versailles between Gometz-le-Châtel and Limours.Dec 1966: Adding rocket power boosts power output to 1,700 hp (1,300 kW) and speed to 303 km/h.Nov 1967: Newly-equipped with a Pratt & Whitney jet engine, Aérotrain 01 attains 345 km/hJaN 1969: Aérotrain 02 reaches a record speed of 422 km/hMar 1974: Aérotrain I80 HV, now powered by a jet engine from a Caravelle airliner, sets a land speed record (which still stands) for air-cushioned rail vehicles of 430.4 km/h.

Footnote:In July 1991 Aérotrain S44 was destroyed by fire in its hangar at Gometz. the following year Aéro-train I80 HV was also destroyed by fire in the hangar at Chevilly. In July 2004 the early Gometz trials were commemorated by the dedication of a sculpture by Georges Saulterre representing the Aérotrain. You’ll find it on a roundabout on the D988, on the site of the original test base.www.aerotrain.fr www.jean-bertin.fr http://aernav.free.fr/Aerotrain/M_Aerotrain.html

This powerful preserved express locomotive hauls occasional steam specials - here it’s seen leaving cahors


www.livingmagazine.fr www.livingmagazine.fr

Our own Wheelbarrow Gardener Trevor Bridge also has a passion for railways: “My interest started in the 1950s. I grew up in Burscough, an agricultural village in Lancashire, which had two major railway lines passing through – the line linking Liverpool with Preston, Carlisle and Scotland, plus the route from Manchester and east Lancashire to the seaside resort of Southport. In the days of steam railways were very busy with both passengers and freight, and there were lots of little branch lines and small rural stations. Just after the war there was little for children to do, but railways filled that gap. We’d spend our spare time watching expresses steaming north to Glasgow and Edinburgh, and in summer there were holiday ‘specials’ bringing people from the mill towns of east Lancashire and Yorkshire to the sea. My father was a railwayman, which gave me access to locomo-tive footplates – I’ll never forget the delight of hurtling along in the cab of an engine with smoke and steam everywhere, or the terrific noise they made. I also spent time in signal cabins

and learnt the bell codes the signalmen used, communicating to each other the impending arrival of trains. By the time I was about ten the signalman would allow me to operate bells, signals and points whilst he sat reading a newspaper. I some-times shudder to think that I was responsible for setting the line for a Scottish express with hundreds of passengers, although the signalman would no doubt have been watching my every move.

This fascination for railways stayed with me. I always wanted to build a model railway based on the area of my childhood. As a child I spent hours with my Hornby Dublo layout but as I got older other interests took over, but in the back of my mind there was always a railway being planned.

Moving to France and acquiring a barn allowed me to bring this to fruition. I never rush things, and spent years planning before work started. I now have a dedicated room in the barn and the baseboard is laid. I’m in the

process of laying track and wiring it. Then will come buildings and scenery. Being a winter-only job – the garden, painting and other jobs take priority in summer – it will take time, but I’m in no hurry, and enjoy designing, building and refining what will be a miniature version of my childhood memories. I aim for accuracy, in both the depic-tion of the landscape and the choice of locomotives and rolling stock, so everything will relate to the time and place that I’m modelling. I look forward to sitting back and watching mighty expresses and little local goods trains steaming past!”

The extravagant styling and materials of higher profile gare SNCF facades suggests that their architects were encouraged to let their imaginations take flight. The Gare de La Rochelle, for example, constructed between 1909 and 1922 replaced two previous struc-tures. It was designed by Pierre Esquié and features a monumental 45m-tall clock tower (a stylistic nod to the town’s Grosse Horloge) plus a booking hall adorned with vast mosaic panels by Auguste Biret. The Gare de Rochefort was built between 1912-1922 and was also designed by Pierre Esquié, this time with elements of Art Déco. This little gem features exterior mosaic work, plus a booking hall covered by a billowing squared cupola with glazed central panels. Meanwhile, to the east of the region lies another rail-inspired landmark. Completed in 1929, the Gare de Limoges-Bénédictins is a real show-stopper, with copper-topped clock tower, lots of carved statuary plus a huge weathered copper dome with Art Déco glass panels. Finally, further north in Tours lies an imposing pale stone and ironwork terminus built in 1896-1898 to a design by local architect Victor Laloux. Inside are faïence panels produced between 1896 and 1898 by Eugene Martial Simas and depicting nearby Loire Valley chateaux, etc.

The Gare de Rochefort

The spectacular Gare de Limoges-

Bénédictins

The Gare de Tours, a Belle-Epoque showpiece

TGV plaque at theGare de La Rochelle


20 | living places to visit


CORSICA:

We all know that France already offers some of the very best of the finer

things in life, so where, then, do the French choose to spend their

precious summer holidays? While the traditional mass migration down

the A7 ‘Autoroute du Soleil’ to the Côte d’Azur still continues each

August, those in search of a more exotic experience have another option,

with the added allure of island escapism: Corsica.

WORDS: ROGER MOSS PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK

A world apart...

F


living places to visit | 21


rance’s largest offshore island shim-mers amid the warm, turquoise wa-ters of the western Mediterranean, just above Sardinia and although it’s

actually closer to Italy than to France, it enjoys full status as a French region, with two départe-

ments – Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud. So how did it become French? Throughout its long history the island has actually passed through many hands. The Phocaeans of Ionia founded Alalia about 570 BC. They were followed by

the Etruscans, the Carthaginians, the Romans, the Vandals, and even the Arabs. Eventually, during the 14th century Corsica fell to the Genoese, who occupied it until 1768, by which time a determined independence movement, under Pasquale Paoli, had made it a real thorn in the side. Genoa responded by simply selling Corsica to France for 40 million francs. The understandable ignominy of this act resulted in a resentment which has been simmering away beneath (and occasionally on) the surface ever

ABoVE: Girolata bay in the Réserve Naturelle de Scandola © Irina Kuzmina

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22 | living places to visit


since, although things seem to have calmed considerably in recent years with increasing tourism revenue and a healthy revival of the colourful Corsican culture.

To French eyes it’s ‘la Corse’ - or l’Ile de Beauté, and those who have fallen under the spell return year after year to explore a startling diversity of scenery (including a surprisingly mountainous interior) spread across an area of some 8,700 sq. km. With this kind of size, it obviously makes sense to concentrate on one particular area for a visit. The north-eastern corner of the island is particularly impressive, where the often tortuous nature of some of the more scenic roads means that following the coastline can take rather longer than you might imagine. It has also ensured that much of it remains totally untouched by commercial development, so if you’re happy to head off and explore then (August excepted) it’s still possible to have a secluded sandy beach all to yourself. Now that’s luxury.

Another pleasure is the discovery of colourful villages like Cargèse, whose colour-washed architecture is enhanced each summer by spec-tacular displays of bougainvillea, which flourish here in the mild climate. Cargèse’s Mediter-ranean mood is further underlined by the presence of a Greek Orthodox church (squaring up to its Catholic counterpart just across the valley), whose cool interior is an unexpected jewelbox of pastel trompe-l’oeil decoration. To the north, beyond Piana, the road winds around the coastline via the famous les Calanches, a spectacular range of red granite peaks which swoop dramatically into clear blue waters 300m below.

Nearby Porto offers a selection of up-market hotels and restaurants set around two small beaches which are divided by a rocky prom-ontory sporting a tastefully restored Genoese watchtower. The more sheltered south beach serves as an embarkation point for a memorable boat trip across the Golfe de Porto, whose great beauty has earned it the prestigious World Heritage Site designation from UNESCO. Apart from sheer scenic value, the one-hour trip also allows visitors to visit Girolata, the archetypal traditional Corsican fishing village, which is inaccessible by road. Nearby is the 1,000 hectare Réserve Naturelle de Scandola, the first of its kind in France, established to protect the wild-life and ecology, both land and sea.

Beyond Porto the coastal road to Calvi is challenging, to say the least, but it brings great visual rewards and a very real sense of personal achievement to those with the staying power to complete it. The locals, not surprisingly, tend to resist the prospect of all that incredible coastal scenery and go instead for the inland route which, whilst appearing far from direct on

TOP LEFT:Red granite outcrops meet the azure sea in the Réserve Naturelle de Scandola© MARTAFR

TOP MIDDLE: Colourful boats in the harbour atAjaccio © Pixachi

bOTTOM LEFT: Sunset over les Calanches de Piana near Porto © Volfoni



the map, turns out in practice to be the quicker option. By way of compensation, this route allows you to appreciate some of the unexpect-edly rich and varied landscapes of the interior.

Turning inland from Porto, the immediate impression is like having been suddenly trans-ported back to southern France, as the Gorges de Spellunca twist and wind their way upwards through a craggy, wooded landscape strongly reminiscent of the Alpes Maritimes. A quick glance at the Michelin map confirms that much of the eastern section of Haute-Corse is in fact designated as a Parc Régional. Beyond Evisa the scenery changes to rich woodland, much of it mature chestnut, as the road continues its relent-less climb through the Fôret d’Aitone, topping off at around 1500m, before swooping back down below the 1000m level beyond the Fôret de Valdo Niello.

This is a country of big landscapes, of moun-tains, forest and an abundance of wildlife, including mouflon - a hardy, brown-coated wild sheep native to Corsica and Sardinia and probable ancestors of the domestic sheep of the Neolithic middle east. Sanglier (wild boar) are another potential road hazard, although you’re much more likely to encounter the infinitely milder-mannered wild pigs, most of whom discovered long ago that tourists can gener-ally be relied upon to provide a tasty snack in exchange for a photo-opportunity.

The scenic drama is sustained as the road descends, via the delightfully named Calacucia and the Scala di Santa Regina, to meet the main north-south route, the N193, which connects the important ancient north-eastern seaport of Bastia with its counterpart Ajaccio on the south-west coast. The route to Calvi soon abandons this, however, in favour of the much improved

N1197 or ‘la Balanina’ - yes, Corsica adopted the French habit of naming their main holiday routes - which heads back towards the coast and the last leg of the journey.

In total contrast to the rugged, mountainous landscapes of the interior, Calvi, seen beyond the gentle curve of a quintessential Mediterranean sandy beach, presents a strikingly sophisticated first impression. Traditional fishing boats have largely been displaced by luxury motor yachts, attracted by the modern 100-berth marina created alongside the smart cafe and restau-rant terraces which now occupy much of the quayside. Things must have changed, too, for

ABOVE: The Latin church

in Cargèse was completed in 1828

© Traveler

TOP RIGHT: Deserted beach

© Dennis van de Water

BOTTOM RIGHT: Lookout post at the

Citadelle, de Calvi. © Jon Ingall


24 | living cycling24 | living PROMOTiOn

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LeTOURdeFinanceleading the way in the money circuit

Are you interested in finding out how to make the most of your money in France? Do you have pressing questions about

making international payments, pen-sions, tax, wealth or the healthcare sys-tem? Why not take the time and come to your local event, bring some friends and make it a great day out?

Le Tour de Finance is the financial fo-rum for British expats which will help you with a range of different financial products and services. Just as Le Tour de France takes a route throughout the regions of France, so too does Le Tour de Finance. We want to reach expats where you live so that you can seek advice particular to your local area. Tax advice, pensions, mortgages, healthcare, schools, business advice and

making the most of your assets are just some of the subjects that expats need to know more about. Le Tour de Finance is the ideal opportunity to find answers to the most pressing questions facing British people living in France.

The forum will bring together key players who assist British expats set-tling or already living in these coun-tries. It will also be an ideal opportuni-ty to socialise by enjoying a free Buffet lunch and meeting people in similar circumstances in your neighbourhood.

Le Tour de Finance is coming to your area next spring and Le Network association will be there to support it. Many business owners in France do not have the time to obtain the answers to all their questions so here is an op-portunity to get a number of experts in one room to obtain those impor-

tant details. If you are interested then contact me direct at [email protected] or go to Le Tour de Finance website www.letourdefinance.com

What is Le Tour de Finance ?



the skippers of the glass-bottomed pleasure boats, as they regard the arrival of the NGV or Navire à Grande Vitesse. These aluminium-hulled high-speed ferries bring around 500 passengers and 150 cars from ports on both the French and Italian mainland.

Away from the quayside, however, Calvi retains much of its historic, low-rise character and lays claim to having been the birthplace of Christopher Columbus (Admiral Nelson, too, would have good cause to remember his visit in 1794, for he left minus an eye). The skyline is still dominated by a vast 15th century citadel, a military stronghold constructed by the Genoese and today housing a regiment of the French Foreign Legion. The narrow streets of the medieval, bastide-like commune are both unpretentious and atmospheric, with a sense of calm detachment from events in the lively port below. There’s no escape, however, from the infectiously upbeat atmo-sphere of the annual Calvi Jazz Festival, which seizes the town during the third week in June. Mighty cactus-covered walls provide the unforgettable backdrop to evening concerts in the giant marquee erected on the quayside beside the citadel. Festival days feature free promenade concerts, spontaneous jams in cafes and the occasional mellow strains of blue-notes wafting across the beaches. Calvi possesses something of a Riviera quality, an analogy which goes a stage further. High in the surrounding mountains which encircle the broad bay is a fascinating selection of small villages in the Haute Ballagne, the equivalent

of the arrière-pays of the Côte d’Azur. Some maintain traditional activities, including centuries-old olive mills, whilst others have been revitalised in recent years by the arrival of artists and craft workers such as glass-blowers, printmakers, potters and luthiers, who welcome tourists to their studios to witness their skilled work. The mountain village of Pigna is just such a community and is also home to a group of musicians who many years ago formed an association to buy and restore a large, ancient house overlooking the valley, the mountains and the coastline. They then created a successful hotel and restaurant business, where they maintain the Corsican folklore and culinary traditions, regularly promoting concerts to perform their songs. In addition, each year they host other acts from throughout Europe and travel over-seas for regular exchange visits to concerts and festivals. Such genuine and constructive enthusiasm for their heritage is infectious and provides a valuable insight into the essential spirit of modern Corsica. Here is an island which despite offering so much to the tourist, remains the least spoilt in the Mediterranean. It offers tremendous opportunities for walkers, cyclists, naturalists and even winter sports enthusiasts. Culinary delights are legendary, with a broad enough selection of regional speciality dishes to satisfy even vegetarian gourmets, while island wine production can also produce some very pleasant surprises. No wonder the French keep coming back. And now that the secret is out, so can we.

Fact FileHow to get tHere:By AirLimoges and Bergerac airports offer charter holidays over the summer.Saturday flights to Ajaccio from Poitiers Biard begin on 25 April and continue until 5 Sept.Another option is from La rochelle, which offers flights from 19 April–13 Sept.

FerrieSCorsica Ferries operates routes between Nice or Toulon and Bastia or Ajaccio. www.corsica-ferries.co.ukMarseille-based operator SNCM offers crossings to Bastia and Ajaccio and from Toulon.

For general information see www.visit-corsica.com/en/

ABoVe: the ochre tones of the ancient port of Calvi, seen from the Citadelle © Stefano ember


24 | living cycling


26 | living PROMOTiOn

Regional airports are often eclipsed by their international counter-parts, but one in particular can more than hold its own in terms of friendliness, customer satisfaction and technical sophistication. As we reported recently, each year well over 300,000 people pass through Limoges International Airport, and its popularity con-tinues to grow steadily. When the first commercial flight touched down in 1971 at what is now known as L’Aéroport International de Limoges, the world was obviously a very different place. The arrival of low-cost operators like Ryanair and Flybe has since opened the skies to everyone, but the airport has more than kept pace with fast changing travel developments, steadily upgrading its services and facilities.

As a result, it’s now significantly better equipped than most com-parably sized regional airports. It’s stylish, too. The main passenger building, completed in 2005, is light, airy and welcoming, with ev-erything needed by passengers and those meeting them immediately obvious. Less so are comfortable conference facilities for local busi-nesses, plus free wifi hotspots. You can enjoy a drink at the airport’s snack bar or enjoy a more leisurely Limousin-sourced meal at the

restaurant Les Hélices, from whose terrace you’ll have an excellent view of flights landing and taking off. Finally, those coming from further afield can relax at the three-star hotel Les Alizés, which is situated conveniently just 100m from the airport entrance.

However, don’t be deceived by the friendly staff and cheerful, laid-back vibe; the airport has a reassuringly uncompromising ap-proach to security, essential in today’s climate. Everyone, including members of the airport’s 90-strong staff, wishing to pass beyond the reception area is subject to the same stringent identity and metal-detection checks as passengers (including x-ray examination of whatever they’re carrying). For the staff it’s all perfectly normal, of course.

With UK-bound and internal French flights leaving all year round, the airport is constantly active, but each summer the ad-dition of holiday flights to popular European destinations adds an extra international dimension. Arranged by French tour opera-tors Top of Travel and Visit Europe, these charter flights get you straight to your summer holiday destination both relaxed and ready to make the most of your time in the sun.

Fly away with Limoges International Airport

For full information on the destinations available and the services offered, simply visit www.airportlimoges.co.uk or like Limoges International Airport on Facebook

Flights to and from the UK Direct Flights

Paris Orly, Nice and Lyon - all year roundBarcelona – April to September

London Stansted, Southampton, Liverpool and East Midlands – all year roundLeeds and Bristol from April to October

living cycling | 25

www.livingmagazine.fr For full information on the destinations available and the services offered, simply visit www.airportlimoges.co.uk or like Limoges International Airport on Facebook

Holiday Destinations 2015

TENERIFE

The ‘Island of Eternal Spring’ not only has the best climate in Spain, but is a place where you can really relax and enjoy yourself. The largest of the Canary Islands, Tener-ife is crowned by Mount Teide, has picturesque villages, incredible landscapes and idyllic beaches. 15/03/15 to 22/03/15

The island of Madeira is a haven of natural beauty where the exotic colours of the flowers stand out from among the blue sea and the emerald green vegetation. Situated in the centre of the Atlantic Ocean, enjoy the lively capital of Funchal before discovering the isle’s charm.25/05/15 to 01/06/15 15/10/15 to 22/10/15

MADEIRA

CROATIA

Renowned for its beaches and its crystal clear, temperate wa-ters amidst an abundant flora, Croatia is also appreciated for its architectural and artistic richness. Fly into Dubrovnik, the Pearl of the Adriatic and one of the most beautiful cities in the world.01/06/15 to 08/06/15 07/09/15 to 14/09/15

Fly into Bastia in the north-east of the island, between the sea and the mountains - the perfect starting point for your holiday in Corsica. From here, visit the charming villages and enjoy the wild beauty of this Mediterranean island. 06/06/15 to 13/06/15

CORSICA

AUSTRIA

Capital city of Austria and located in the east on the banks of the Danube and Wien river, Vienna is known for its quality of life and knows how to mix past and present easily. From the splendid palaces of the Habsburgs to traditional cafés and vibrant nightlife, Vienna has something to offer everyone.08/06/15 to 15/06/15

The Maltese Islands offer an exhilarating contrast of colours: the azure of the Mediterranean, the mellow honey-coloured limestone which characterises the architecture, and clear skies. The Islands are a feast for the senses. Everywhere you go, a unique historic sight awaits. 18/06/15 to 25/06/15

MALTA

PARkINg SPECIAL - only 15€ for the duration of

holidays on this page


28 | living travel


Frightened to cycle on the roads? Not good on hills? Then this is the trip for you. From Royan to the Bassin d’Arcachon and beyond there’s

a series of flat, off road, cycle paths which will make you believe that you can conquer the world. So weekend and novice cyclists do read on.I’m not one of those lycra clad speed

merchants nor am I very young but thanks to my French walking friends, I am fit. We are a group of five, four French women and me the only Brit, who join together for a yearly adven-ture. We normally walk but this year we cycled, thanks to a wonderful book, ‘La Coté Atlantique à Vélo’, which traces the Atlantic coastal route from Nantes right down to Biarritz. It’s an indispensable, compact book of easy to read maps. Even if your French is rusty you’ll understand everything. So fully armed and not liking crowds, we set out during the last week of June, before the season started.We left Angoulême station with our

bikes, saddle bags and helmets on the train to Royan. What you need to know about French trains and bikes is that the

TER’s have limited places for bikes, and they are allowed to refuse to carry them in the rush hour. So get there early, be first on the platform and grab your bike hook to stow your bike. Over the years we’ve only ever had problems once, but it’s best to be on the safe side. The bike hooks look intimidating but as long your bags are well attached there’s no need to unload them. You’ll find as the week goes by the fewer times you unload your bike the better. True to form we’d already managed to change our pre-booked tickets for a five person cheap travel deal. None of us are poor but part of the challenge for all our group excursions is to operate on a budget, so don’t be shy to demand the best deal.The train to Royan takes one hour forty

minutes. On arrival it’s a right turn at the sea and a signposted fifteen minutes ride along the front to the port and the ferry across the Gironde estuary to the Pointe de Grave. This is the promontory from which La Fayette left in 1777 to fight for American independence and the launch point for the frigate l’Hermione’s inaugural voyage in 2015. Setting off on our own adventure we felt equally heroic

Retired writer Helen Millar jumped at the

opportunity to cycle part

of the Atlantic coast with

friends. Would she later

regret her enthusiasm?

Here she shares her

adventure with us…

CyCling the Atlantic Coast

Cap Ferret

GujanMestras

Passing some Atlantic Coast carrelets

Cycle path at Royan

An idyllic moment at Arcachon

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living travel | 29


but we do have a rule that on our brief encounters with ordinary roads we each operate within our own personal safety limits. We are free to walk, take the pavement or chicken out at roundabouts. There are no sissies here. The ferry is perfect, it’s a flat run on to the passenger deck (no unloading of baggage) and a front row bench facing the sea, wind in our hair and we’re on our way. We are soon peddling like teenagers along the first 28km stage of the coastal bike route. What a treat, I had never seen the wide open beaches and endless skies of the Atlantic coast before. Much of the orig-inal town and church of Soulac-sur-Mer disappeared in the sand dunes, only to be disinterred in the 1860s, which gives you some idea of the shifting landscape. Now it’s a charming fifties style beach resort. Soon we’re headed off to L’Amélie

and our first night in a camping club bungalow. In low season holiday villages are usually very happy to let single nights to groups they consider responsible enough not to wreck anything. Anyway there are strict rules and forfaits if you don’t leave the place as you found it. The advantage, of course, for us, is that the

camp is almost empty and the modest pre season rental of 58 euros is split 5 ways.I didn’t tell the others but being a red

haired, fair skinned Brit I was praying for overcast weather. In full sun I wasn’t sure I would make the grade. Do think about this when you plan your trip. A light coloured helmet is best and a long lightweight backpack gives good protection from the sun. You need a neckerchief and a long sleeved shirt, and fingerless cycling gloves. Wind and mild weather can still really burn.From L’Amélie to Hourtin we covered

59kms of cycling track, more than I had ever done in one day, but the going is easy, there’s no fear of getting lost and you can peddle along on autopilot until you hit the next seaside resort of Montalivet-les-Bains. Here our trip took

a surrealistic turn because we’d managed to hit the town in mid Harley Davidson festival. There were reckoned to be ten thousand visitors in town. The place was crammed with motorbikes and ancient bikers, even older than ourselves. They found the prospect of five older women, on bikes and sporting blue cycle helmets very amusing but we gave as good as we got! I spotted several leather clad, blond haired pillion passengers clinging on behind their biker granddads though most of what I thought were Brigitte Bardot look-a-likes turned out to be

CyCling the Atlantic Coast“We are a group of five, four French women and me the only Brit, who

join together for a yearly adventure”

Helen (second left) with her cycling companions

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30 | living travel

men! What fun, what noise, the atmo-sphere was electric. After the shock of finding all this activity amidst the dunes and the wide open spaces, we shared coffee with a raucous group of enthusi-asts before we explored the seafront.There’s one of several memorials to

the Cockleshell Heroes (operation Frankton) on the main esplanade with a bi-lingual explanation of the heroics of the British marines, who scuttled ships in Bordeaux harbour. My four French companions, all keen linguists, asked me to read the English portion out loud but I was interrupted by an irate elderly French man who spluttered and shouted the French inscription with sufficient decibels to blot out my infernal English. It was a sour note. My compan-ions were shocked, then ashamed then angry and the man’s wife looked very sheepish as she slunk away.The man might have been ill or like

that all his life but, once we’d had time to reflect, I realised that amidst all the brave daring of the Brits and the plethora of recent commemora-tions, we’d perhaps neglected the hard times that French men endured during the war. We forget how many were deported to forced labour in Germany, their families scraping together food parcels to keep them alive. It was a timely reminder that this coast, with its cement blockhouses, took the full force of the German occupation.This coastal sandy forest, in both the

Gironde and Les Landes, is almost completely man made. The pine trees planted during Napoleon’s time and ever since, to stabilise the area, are testament to man’s desire to conquer the elements. This vast area has been snatched back from both sand and sea. The rule with this cycle route is that if you cycle parallel to the sea the going is flat, if you cross the dunes towards the sea, it’s obviously hilly. So there are some challenges but walk if you need to and remember that even small traces of sand on tarmac paths can stop a bike dead. Cycle round them!So we continued down the coast to

Hourtin Plage where we stayed in a small and perfect chambres d’hôtes with a bike enthusiast for a patron. He was delighted to meet Les Bonnets Bleus, as he christened us, and he obligingly gave our bikes the once over before the next leg of the trip. What a gentleman. But we hadn’t felt so cosseted the night

before when we’d been betrayed by our planning. We’d rejoiced at arriving

in Hourtin la Ville only to discover that it was many difficult kilometres across the dunes between there and Hourtin Plage where we were staying. We decided that another time we’d measure our distances more carefully to allow for the topographical unexpected. This distance between plage and ville continues down the whole coast, they can be kilometres apart. It’s logical, now we’ve been there, because we’ve seen that their town planners had to allow for a wide band of shifting dunes.We continued down to Le Porge, Lège,

Cap Ferret and Le Bassin d’Arcachon, all more heavily touristic areas favoured by weekenders from Bordeaux. The Bassin is very beautiful with terrace cafés, boat trips and even a tourist train. We treated ourselves to two nights at Arcachon but made a serious mistake, the first day, in taking the main road from our holiday village to the waterfront to explore Claouey, the old Port La Molle and the fishing villages towards Cap Ferret. Whilst it looked like the most direct route, it was very cycle unfriendly and come rush hour on Sunday evening it was full of four by fours. It’s the most frightening ride I’d ever done.We’d learned our lesson, the next day we returned to the cycle paths which crisscross the area. It’s perfectly possible to reach everywhere without ever going on the main roads.The next section between Lège and

Gastes turned out to be longer than expected, 83kms in one day, all however

on the flat. But, of course, we Bonnets Bleus were by then champions and we arrived exhausted but jubilant. Anyway, to compensate, for our last night we booked into a palatial pigeon loft at Mimizan, what luxury, it even had a pool.The final day of any trip can be chal-

lenging. We had to cycle only 28kms inland from Mimizan to Labouheyre to catch the last train back to Angoulême via Bordeaux. It might sound short but often cycle lanes peter out before the town so you must leave time to walk the last, and usually the most dangerous, section. Personally I hate cycling in traffic. But hats off to the tourist boards along our route, everything possible has been done to welcome cycles. By the time we reached Bordeaux we

were invincible so when the conductor of the train tried to deny us access, we waved our tickets, shouted him down and climbed aboard anyway. We’d travelled 450kms in eight days, we’d spent only 340 euros each by sharing chalet rentals and self-catering. We’d crossed ferries, eaten seafood in retro resorts, sea bathed, wondered at the toppled German bunkers that dot the coastline and even drunk cocktails on the shores of the Bassin d’Arcachon. But most of all, we’d got home without mishap and in very good shape and excellent spirits. That same evening we were already planning to explore another section of the Atlantic coast next year. So if you’ve been hesitating, don’t. If we, les Bonnets Bleus, did it, so can you!

Find out moreFor routes and accommodation: La Côté Atlantique à Vélo, Chamina Edition ISBN 978-2-84466-229-3, price 18.50€. www.velodyssey.com

“Hats off to the tourist boards along our route,

everything possible has been done to welcome cycles”

Le Bassin d’Arcachon

© La V

élodyssée - J.DA

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Environmentallines

living WILDLIFE | 31


Massive infrastructure projects inevitably have environmental impacts and with some 300km of new track, the Tours–Bordeaux Ligne à Grande Vitesse (LGV) has provoked controversy since its

construction was first proposed. Chris Luck investigates...

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struction, COSEA, to preserve and protect wherever pos-sible the environment and biodiversity of the areas crossed, using the dictum “Avoid, Reduce and Offset” to formulate their environmental actions. When avoidance is not pos-sible, and the impacts have been minimised, it may thus be necessary to compensate (or offset) for areas affected by the work. Granted and controlled by the State, such compensa-tory measures are aimed at creating or restoring habitats of protected species, which as we will see, are particularly im-portant when traversing a region with such a rich natural heritage. Some 223 protected species have been identified along the route, including many which are rare or already threatened, and 14 Natura 2000 sites are involved. Due to their sensitivity these require even greater protection to minimise adverse impacts.

Where sensitive sites and species are identified they must first be protected from construction work and heavy plant movements. This might mean fencing off or excluding

areas, or relocating species before work commences, and until completion. In some cases it’s necessary to place nets, barriers or scaring devices to prevent species attempting to reinstall themselves in construction sectors. Where species (principally aquatic or amphibious) have to be relocated, suitable alternative habitats must be provided by the creation of ponds, ditches and pools. All relocation and offsetting takes place as close to the track as possible, and there are approximately 3,500 hectares where compensa-tory measures have been implemented. These have been agreed with the parties directly concerned, including nature associations and farming representatives, and approved by administrative authorities. They will then be followed and supported by LISEA throughout the 50-year duration of their concession to operate the line. Perhaps the most out-standing features are the provision and management of 700

On


30 | living WILDLIFE

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hectares for the Little Bustard (a bird red-listed as endangered in France, and whose last migratory population is centred in a few breeding zones in Vienne, Deux-Sèvres and Charente) plus some 720 hectares for the critical-ly endangered European Mink (whose last remaining western European population is in Aquitaine, Charente and Charente-Maritime, with a small number in northern Spain).

Land purchased by LISEA can either be placed under the management of a structure like CREN (Conservatoire Régional d’Espaces Naturels) or man-aged by contractual agreement with the users (agricultural or forestry) of lands with favourable ecological potential for species to adapt to and occupy.

Each site dedicated to species protec-tion is subject to initial ecological analysis and given an objective with a management plan developed in partnership with naturalists and the farming community, and validated by the services of competent authorities (DREAL). Every three to five years an inventory is made, to monitor man-agement of habitats and their species populations and if necessary re-evaluated to take account of changing

requirements. Perhaps the areas of greatest concern

have been rivers and wetlands need-ing to be traversed, and any associated drainage and run-offs, with a regard to species present and water quality, both during and following construction. A wetland (zone humide) is essentially land which is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally to create a distinct ecosystem. With more than half of these habitats already lost in France, it’s important to conserve and manage what remains. The con-struction of the LGV line has involved over 2,000 different projects including the creation of aqueducts and over 130 new ponds for amphibians and other aquatic organisms. During 2013 alone 21,000 fish, 19,000 amphibians, 180 micro mammals (Water Shrew and Southern Water Vole) and 50 reptiles were moved to new quarters. Follow-ing sharp declines, Water Shrew and Southern Water Vole are now both fully protected species in France, so special monitoring traps were used to measure movements for the creation of tunnels and vegetation corridors where they are known to exist. Care needed to be taken even when divert-ing small streams such as the Veude

at Thuré (86) where a fish retrieval operation conducted by la Fédération de Pêche de la Vienne discovered a population of protected White-clawed Crayfish in a temporary bypass chan-nel. This required identifying a safe site for them before setting authorised traps – a total 141 were captured in-cluding females with eggs.

Many important wetland sites will have been seen as little more than a nuisance by people living locally. One such area is Le Bocage Humide de Chaunay (86), where some 120 hectares have been purchased by Réseau Ferré de France (RFF), the company which owns and maintains the French national rail network. The land comprises moderately managed small copses and hedged fields which are cut for hay, and is something of an exception among the département’s

wetlands. With no connection to any river, an alluvial aquifer feeds directly into pools and ditches, creating a large area of seasonal surface water. With a handful of man made ponds left in existence, there are plans to cre-ate another seven on the 45 hectares which has been contracted for 25 years to CREN. They in turn are establish-ing a management plan with farmers

32 | living WILDLIFE


In total there have been more than 230 specific works for the passage of small animals and 500 composite structures for the passage of aquatic and semi-aquatic wildlife and small creatures. In addition two Foundations have been established and financed by LISEA:

La Fondation d’Entreprise LISEA Biodiversité aims to support long-term projects for the preservation and restoration of natural heritage in the départements involved with the line. With 5 million euros allocated for the 2012 – 2017 period, it has participated with initiatives, and in 2013 helped with 31 projects, via 26 structures. They have recently selected another 47 projects to support from the 6 départements crossed by the LGV.

La Fondation d’Entreprise LISEA Carbone also helps finance projects in the 6 départements affected by the line, with a budget of 5 million euros for 2012 – 2017. It operates in three main areas: reducing energy consumption of public buildings, efforts to develop a more responsible mobility, plus transitional energy plans for the agricultural world.

Future Investment

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Chris Luck runs two websites, www.wildlifeinfrance.com and www.planetepassion.eu, packed with information about animal and plant species in France, plus a blog about wildlife and bee-keeping in a natural non-intrusive manner.



who use the land regarding types and timing of any hay cutting to take into account the various species present.

Having had a glance at some specific situations and measures along the route, it’s worth taking a look at the track as a whole, much of which passes through an agricultural landscape of little environmental value, being in-tensively cultivated with cereal crops, vineyards or for timber. The principle negative impact of the line is the fact that it creates a distinct barrier, pre-venting the free movement and mixing of some species, due to the metal fenc-ing either side of the tracks. However,

in my view, discounting the natural re-sources used in the construction, there will be a net long-term gain. Through-out most of the 300km of track, where feasible, there will be a substantial protected zone either side, extending beyond the wire fencing and which will wherever possible be planted with hedges of native species. As most of us will be aware, in recent years we’ve lost most of our hedgerows through-out the region. This same zone, inside and outside metal fences, will also provide a huge total area of chemical-free unmanaged or scarcely managed natural land. This will support a large

number of native plants, grasses, insects, reptiles, bats, micro-mammals and birds, providing a substantial and much needed habitat boost, and a rea-sonably ‘joined-up’ wildlife corridor. Something which frequently follows massive disturbances and movements of soil is the germination of seeds which may have lain undisturbed for tens or even hundreds of years. The seeds have waited to be positioned at just the right depth, sometimes result-ing in the growth of plants rarely seen these days, especially annuals which once flourished in cereal fields before the widespread use of herbicides.

TOP: Hedge planting along the border of the railway line in Charente. © Maud PideritAllium roseum (rosy garlic) is protected in Aquitaine. 5,592 bulbs were transplanted to a new site in 2012/2013.rigHT: The Mediterranean tree frog (Hyla meridionalis) is found between Angoulême and Bordeaux. Tunnels and new ponds have been created to ensure their security.© BiotopeBOTTOM rigHT: The habitat of the fire salamander (Salamandra salamandra) was protected throughout the earthworks and new ponds and passages created.LEFT: Shady chemins on land pruchased by the rFF. © Le bocage humide de Chaunay PAgE 32: Various passages constructed to safeguard wildlife and allow passage across the LgV.


30 | living architecture


PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Medieval doorway, Tours (37); Italianate style in Jausiers (04); Art Nouveau in La Rochelle (17); Provençal decoration, Saint-Rémy (13). OPPOSITE PAgE: Townhouse, Sainte-Foy Tarentaise (73); Marquise, Périgueux (24); Sainte-Marie de Ré (17)


living architecture | 35


Since man emerged from the caves (and probably long be-fore) he’s needed some way to protect himself and his family from unwelcome visitors. Not

surprisingly, this basic human need was initially answered by using a roughly hewn plank or two, sized roughly to fit the entrance. The next advance was to add some form of locking device, starting with horizontal bars of timber – simple, but effective. Things could be scaled-up too, something which made them unwieldy. So to cope with the ex-tra weight, the next step was to suspend the structure on hinges creating what we now think of as a door.

Hinges and locks improved consider-ably with the development of ironwork, which brought with it new ways of assembling things (and gave us the

phrase ‘dead as a door-nail...’). So suc-cessful was this approach that it was ad-opted universally, not only in châteaux and early ecclesiastical buildings, but in surviving townhouses and other medi-eval structures everywhere. In fact, with a few modest refinements like tongue-and-groove jointing for the planks, plus ledge-and-brace reinforcement, it’s be-come something of a design classic, and today you’ll still see it used for everything from country cottages to the humble garden shed.

To ensure a precise fit, these early doors closed against a carefully tooled rebate (in the case of some stone or troglodytic dwellings) or later into a timber frame incorporating a rebate. Suddenly doors were relatively draught proof, even if windows weren’t. How-ever, one of the more obvious limita-tions of the design was revealed when doors were required to provide not only security but also to admit increasing amounts of daylight. In the middle ages it was common practice to incorporate small openings protected by a wrought ironwork grille, but this device served merely to discover who exactly was on the other side of the door, and ham-mering on the heurtoir (see our previ-ous article on door-knockers and other architectural ironwork). Eventually with daily life, in towns at least, becoming

Making an EntrancE

If the windows are the eyes of a building then doors are the mouth – or is it the nose? Either way, over the years they’ve become a fascinating design opportunity.

WOrDS & PhOtOS: RogeR Moss

“...the front door provides

an irresistible opportunity

for home owners and their

architects to express their

personalities and tastes.”


32 | living architecture

a little less lawless and glass becoming viable, it became increasingly desirable to add glazing to doors. The problem to be overcome was the need for timber bars nailed or bolted horizontally to brace the vertical planks and stop them sagging under their own weight. They simply got in the way, particularly where a diagonal bar was added in a Z-style form.

The answer was simple: make the door itself a self-supporting frame, then mount the vertical planks onto it, along with any glazing required. The faithful ledge-and-brace door thus became a framed-and-braced one, and so success-ful was it that it’s a safe bet that you’ll have at least one variant of this par-ticular design in your own home.

As for stylistic developments, through-out history those with wealth, power and education vied to express their cul-ture and sophistication in great archi-tectural works, initially by transforming existing structures, but eventually by creating entirely new ones. Nowhere was this more striking than when Renaissance fever gripped François I during the 16th century, brushing aside the Gothic style favoured by generations of the French Royal family. In future issues we’ll be looking in more detail at the great châteaux of the Loire Valley, but suffice it to say that the Renais-sance was a breath of fresh air whose influence filtered down through the nobility to near-universal adoption. If this sounds far-fetched you only have to look at bourgeois townhouses (hôtels particulars) in towns and cities

throughout France, not to mention country homes, whose elegant propor-tions include tall, narrow windows and doors whose verticality hints at gener-ously proportioned interiors. Think of the ‘French doors’ (portes-fenêtres) and you’ll see what the new door joinery made possible, and how the end results were adopted far beyond the borders of France.

Closer to home, the ‘front door’ provides an irresistible opportunity for home owners and their architects to ex-press their personalities and tastes. The same goes for businesses, of course, who have the budgets to push the limits a lit-tle further than most individuals. France might have no obvious equivalent of the UK’s Arts & Crafts movement, but here the architectural spectrum embraces some of the greatest expressions of both Art Nouveau (which flowered during the Belle Epoque period, c1871-1914) and Art Déco you’ll find anywhere.

Paris and Nancy have some of the most sensational examples of the former, but our own region has countless gems, not least numerous villas along the Atlantic Coast. Later they were joined by Art Déco, and both styles were adopted enthusiastically on a more monumental scale for landmark structures like the Bibliothèque Centrale and École Élé-mentaire Mario Roustan in Angoulême, l’Hôtel des Postes in Poitiers and many Caisse d’Epargne buildings.

Finishing touches include inscriptions on lintels above front doors record-ing a date, some initials or occasionally an indication of the profession of the owner (particularly if he happened to be a stone-mason). The most elegant, quintessentially French touch, though, has to be the wrought iron glazed canopy known as une marquise, more extravagant examples of which adorn hotels, railway termini, etc. Now that’s what I call making an entrance.

PHOTOS CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Ars-en-Ré (17); medieval basics, Montrésor (37); Renaissance elegance, Thiré (85); Barcelonnette (04).


living Language | 37


Emma is a jack-of-all-language-trades, writing

English textbooks, translating, marking exam

scripts and teaching languages. She lives near

La Rochefoucauld with her growing menagerie.

See www.english-tuition.weebly.com

Pardon?

Language expert Emma Lee

ponders the origin of some of the

more wintery French sayings…

Illus

trat

ion

by Ja

ne C

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uin:

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cour

quin

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gspo

t.frIn the middle of winter, our

thoughts may turn to all things warm as we hibernate near our fires and select from our wardrobe of hats, gloves and boots before we

venture outside. All these scarves and wellies got me thinking about French expressions related to all things cosy and warm. You might be scratching your head if you hear that someone has tailored a suit or thrown his woolly hat over the mill, although English can be just as confusing. Yes, that old chestnut! At the drop of a hat, you might find yourself hot under the collar, getting your knickers in a twist over strange French expressions. Now is the time to roll your sleeves up and get to grips with bonnets and pantalons.

During the summer, a friend of mine was telling me about a situation at work and how the other person had left habiller pour l’hiver. I did wonder why, given the heat, she might leave dressed in her winter clothes. Perhaps my puzzled expression caused the subsequent explanation: she’d had a good telling off before she left. It intrigued me enough to wonder why we might say this so I looked up the origins of the phrase. Referencing chopping wood into pieces and stripping the bark off it, the expression has more in common with giving someone a dressing-down, or cutting someone down to size than it did with wearing a big coat in winter. It can also mean ‘talking about someone behind their back’.

Another very similar expression is tailler un costard or tailler un costume or to tailor someone a suit. Whilst you might think this expression fairly strange, it means to bad-mouth someone, to give them a bad reputation. Quite why you’d

tailor a suit for someone if you are giving them a bad reputation behind their back, I’m not sure.

Suits and winter clothes are not the only items in your wardrobe which can be used to express a situation. Prendre

une veste or ‘to take a jacket’ might seem to suggest like good practical advice, especially if you’re from a more humid climate by origin. However, it doesn’t mean to be well prepared for inclement weather as it means to be beaten mercilessly or to undergo a set-back. It’s sometimes used to suggest someone has had a romantic knock-back.

Winter accessories are not just useful to keep you warm, but in talk too. Woolly hats, gloves and shoes are also used in expressions in French as they are in English. If you find a shoe at your foot, or trouver chaussure à son pied, it means you have found the right person for the job or you have found that special someone.

C’est bonnet blanc et blanc bonnet means literally ‘It’s a woolly hat white and a white woolly hat’. Two ways of expressing the same idea. In other

words, you say tomayto and I say tomahto. We may say something a little differently but we mean exactly the same thing.

This is not the only way you can use your woolly hat in French. If you throw your woolly hat over the mill, you accept that you are incapable of solving a problem. Jeter son bonnet par-dessus les

moulins is the exact expression in French. Beware, though. If ladies do it, it can mean throwing caution to the wind!

A rather obscure English insult, “Has your cat died?” might be an expression known to many of us Northerners to suggest that your trousers are too short. With your trouser legs at half-mast, it’s often a sarcastic comment from a friend. In French, you would call half-mast trousers pantalon feu de plancher or ‘trousers fire on the floor’, giving us the lovely notion of trousers that are pulling back up your legs to escape the fire.

If chestnuts and open fires are your thing, you will find a few nutty expressions in French too. If you take the chestnuts out of the fire, or tirer les

marrons du feu, you are profiting from a situation you’re faced with, often dishonestly. Un marron can also be a punch too.

With these great French terms, hopefully you will find a little fun in the language and not find yourself too overwhelmed when you are scratching your head in wonder at the strange images evoked by some of these expressions.

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38 | living nikki legon’s cuisine


cuisineClose the shutters, stoke the fire and share these tasty

one pot wonders with your friends and family…

All reCipes serve 6

Rustic vegetable soup3 tbsp olive oil3 carrots, chopped2 onions, chopped2 leeks, cleaned and chopped3 parsnips or half a celeriac, peeled and chopped1/2 savoy cabbage, sliced thinly and chopped 450g potatoes, peeled and chopped small 250g mushrooms, cleaned and quartered2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes2 cloves garlic, crushed1tsp dried oregano1.5ltrs water, boiled4 vegetable stock cubes

METHOD Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan. When hot, add the carrots, celeriac or parsnips, and onions, fry gently for 8 minutes to intensify the flavour. Add the rest of the vegetables and cook a further 8 minutes stirring gently. Add the tinned tomatoes.Mix the stock cubes in the boiling water to dissolve and pour over the vege-tables. Cook a further 15 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.

TIP: I like to serve this soup with cheesy toasts.

Gratin of fresh root vegetables and squashes3 tbsp olive oil2 leeks, washed, halved & cut into strips

NikkiLegon’sRustic

vegetable soup

Gratin of fresh

root vegetables

and squashes

Green bean salad

with mushrooms

& crispy fried shallots


cuisineChilli con carne

2 small squashes, peeled, seeded and cut into slices4 potatoes, peeled3 courgettes, sliced1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes1 tsp dried oregano1 tsp salt100g butter4 tbsp brown sugar500g grated Emmental cheese250ml milk450ml cream6 tbsp breadcrumbsbutter

METHODPreheat the oven to 190°C.Cook the potatoes for 10 minutes in boiling, salted water, cool and slice. Blanch the remaining vegetables in boiling salted water, cool and dry.Butter a deep baking dish and layer the vegetables, starting with the carrots. Once the carrots are in the dish, top with a sprinkling of brown sugar and dot with a few pieces of butter. Add 3 spoonfuls of chopped tomato followed by a sprinkling of cheese. Continue with each vegetable layer in the same way, finishing with the potatoes on top and a layer of cheese.Mix the milk and cream together in a jug and pour evenly over the gratin. Melt 30g butter, mix into the bread-crumbs and sprinkle this over the top of the gratin. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden.

TIP: This is tasty served with the crunchy green bean salad below.

Green bean salad with mushrooms & crispy fried shallots1kg trimmed green beanssalt3 shallots, peeled and sliced thinly3 tbsp milk1 tbsp flour2 tbsp crème fraîche50g Parmesan cheese, grated freshly ground black pepper1 finely chopped chilli (optional)

METHODPut the sliced onions in the milk, leave for 30 minutes. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, add the green beans and cook until just beginning to soften. While the beans are cooking, fry the mushrooms. Strain the shallots, toss in a little flour and deep fry till golden. Drain the beans, add the mushrooms, crème fraiche and Parmesan. Place into a warm serving dish and pile the crispy shallots on top. Sprinkle the chilli over if using.

Chilli con carne2 tbsp sunflower oil2 onions, chopped2 large garlic cloves, crushed2 medium carrots, finely chopped

2 sticks of celery, finely chopped2 red or green peppers, seeded and finely chopped1 kg beef mince250ml red wine2x 400g cans chopped tomatoes3 tbsp tomato purée1 tsp caster sugar1 tsp oregano2 to 3 fresh red chillies or 2 to 4 tsp chilli powder, depending how you like your heat1 tsp ground cumina good shake of Worcestershire sauce300ml beef stock2 x 400g red kidney beans, drained and rinsed2 squares of dark chocolate, gratedsea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

METHOD Heat the oil in a large, heavy based saucepan with a lid. Fry the onion and garlic on a medium heat until softened, add all the chopped vegetables and cook for 5 minutes. Increase the heat and add the mince, cook until browned, breaking down any chunks of meat with a wooden spoon. Pour in the red wine and boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the tomato purée and cook for one minute to take away the rawness, then add the tomatoes, sugar, oregano, fresh chillies or chilli powder, cumin and Worcestershire sauce.Add the beef stock and both cans of

40 | living nikki legon’s cuisine


red kidney beans, grate over the dark chocolate and season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to simmer and gently cook for 45 minutes or until meat is tender and the sauce is thick.Serve with plain boiled rice or jacket po-tatoes with a spoonful of crème fraîche and tortilla chips.

Boeuf bourguignon 3 tbsp plain flour 2kg braising steak (I use paleron or gîte)1 bottle red wine (full bodied)1 onion studded with 4 cloves 1 carrot, sliced3 bay leaves branch of thyme2 tbsp oil200g lardons2 onions, sliced thinly or 12 very small onions200g button mushrooms2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly4 carrots, sliced thinly75ml cognac75cl beef stock

METHODTo prepare the marinade, pour the wine into a casserole dish with the clove-studded onion, one sliced carrot, bay leaves and the thyme. Cut the meat into

bite size cubes, add to the marinade. Leave in the fridge 8 hours.Put the flour into a bowl and season. Remove the meat from the marinade and dry, toss it in the flour. Place a large heavy based saucepan over high heat, add the oil. Fry the meat in batches, removing each batch from the pan when browned, placing onto a plate whilst you cook the rest. Add more oil if needed.Once all of the meat is cooked, using the same pan, cook the lardons. Fry for 2 minutes, add the onions, mushrooms, garlic and remaining carrots. Add the beef and stir well. Pour in the cognac and carefully set it alight to burn off the alcohol. Next add all of the marinade liquid and the stock. Cook on a low heat for two hours or until tender and thickened. Alternatively, you can also cook in the oven at 140°C for two hours.Serve with creamy mashed potatoes.

Macaroni cheese with chicken and mushroom 700g short macaroni pasta2 garlic cloves, crushed4 tbsp plain flour75g butter2 tsp English mustard powder1 litre milk500g grated cheese, Cheddar or Comté 100g grated Parmesan cheesea little grated nutmeg6 chicken breasts

(omit for vegetarians)8 mushrooms, sliced,add more for vegetarians

METHODPreheat the oven to 220°C.Add the pasta to a pan of boiling, salted water and cook for two minutes less than stated on the packet.Chop the chicken into bite size pieces and fry till golden. Add the mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes more, season with salt and pepper.Heat the milk.Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add all the flour, stirring all the time, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the crushed garlic and slowly add the hot milk, whisking to a thick, smooth sauce. Bring the mixture to the boil then turn down the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally. Add the cheeses, mustard powder and a grating of nutmeg. Mix this into the chicken and mushroom, taste and adjust seasoning. Pour it all into a large buttered gratin dish and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs. Dot with butter and bake for around 30 minutes.

Tip: Serve with the green bean salad for a warming winter meal.

Sticky toffee pudding 175g good quality dates, stoned and chopped1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Red berry hazelnut

meringue layer cake

Boeuf

bourguignon

Macaroni cheese

with chicken and

mushroom

living nikki legon’s cuisine | 41


300ml boiling water50g unsalted butter, softened.80g golden caster sugar80g dark muscovado sugar2 eggs, beaten175g plain flour 1 tsp baking powderpinch of ground cloves 75g chopped walnuts

Sauce115g unsalted butter75g golden caster sugar40g dark muscovado sugar140ml cream

METHODPreheat the oven to 180°C.Butter a baking dish approximately 24cm x 24cm. Make the sauce by putting all the sauce

ingredients into a pan with a pinch of salt and slowly heat until the butter has melted. Turn the heat up and bring to the boil for about 4 minutes until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Pour half the sauce into the baking dish and place in the freezer whilst you make the rest of the pudding.Put the dates and bicarbonate of soda into a heatproof dish and cover with boiling water, leave to soften.Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the flour, baking powder, cloves and a pinch of salt until well combined. Add the dates along with their soaking water plus the walnuts and mix well.Remove the baking dish from the freezer and pour the batter on top of the sauce. Place into the oven for 30 minutes, until firm to the touch. Heat the grill to medium, make a few small holes over the surface and pour over the rest of the sauce. Grill and serve with cream, custard or ice cream.

Jam roly poly500g self -raising flour 100g caster sugar250g shredded suet200g strawberry or raspberry jam

METHODButter a large sheet of greaseproof paper and set aside. Place the flour, sugar, and suet in a bowl and mix thor-oughly. Make a well in the centre then gradually add enough water to form a soft dough (about 250ml). Knead

lightly until smooth.Turn onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to an oblong shape about 1 cm thick. Spread the jam over the dough, leaving a 2.5cm gap around the edges.Roll it up like a swiss roll. Wrap the roly poly in the greaseproof paper making a long pleat in the parchment to allow the pudding to expand as it cooks. Twist the ends and tie with string. Repeat the process with aluminium foil.In a large pan or fish kettle, place a cloth in the base and put an upturned loaf tin or rectangular plate on top of it. Put the roly poly on top, then add enough boiling water so that the roly poly sits clear of the water. Cover with a lid, place over a medium heat and cook for 90 minutes, topping up with water if necessary.Turn off the heat and leave the pudding to stand for 5 minutes before carefully removing foil and paper. Slice and serve with custard.

Nikki Legon is the chef and owner of the Hotel Restaurant Karina in Les Métairies, just outside Jarnac in Charente. She and her husband Austin have transformed an old cognac distillery into a luxury 10-bedroom hotel and restaurant. For more information: www.hotelkarina.net

Sticky toffee

pudding

Jam roly

poly

Enjoy a deliciouslunch or dinner

in our restaurant or on our terrace - choose from our � xed menus or à la carte.

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Open [email protected]: 05 45 36 26 26

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44 | living gardening


Le jardin

paysan

Trevor Bridge explores the romance of the French cottage garden and explains how to design and

nurture your own oasis of tranquillity…


The Wheelbarrow Gardener

living gardening | 43


Ambling through the French countryside on a warm, sunny day, we turn a corner to be presented with a panoramic view

of a beautiful valley. In the distance, an old, honey-coloured stone cottage nestles into the side of a lush, green copse. Blending perfectly into the scene as though it has always been there, the cottage is completely in harmony with the landscape. Approaching, we spot a display of deep blue irises partially masking a lovely old crumbling wall out of which sprout feathery ferns, nodding Campanulas and colourful Aubrietias. Getting nearer, glancing over the wall we see an ancient, gnarled vine growing along the front of the cottage and a rambling rose draped around an old oak door. The summer air is filled with heady fragrance and there is an abundance of old-fashioned flowers. Poppies and lavender line a gravel path, thyme sprouts out of gaps between old stone flags and pastel coloured hollyhocks tower majestically above. A trellis leans haphazardly against the cottage supporting masses of delicate pink clematis. Through the trellis we spy a rickety gate leading to a potager with neatly tended rows of vegetables, fruit bushes and a colourful border of flowers waiting to be picked to brighten the home. A wild hedgerow provides protection on the far boundary, where richly scented honeysuckle and old man’s beard sprawl happily amongst sloe, elder, blackberry and white field roses. This is the cottage garden, le jardin paysan.

Romantic nostalgia to a degree perhaps, but this is doubtless an enchanting way of gardening. Born out of necessity, the original raison d’être

for these gardens was to provide food. Vegetables, fruit bushes, herbs and some hens scuttling about would be the norm, and perhaps a couple of bee hives in an orchard. This is how I remember my grandparents’ garden in north-west England, but sadly this and many others like it have since been sanitised; anything not looking neat and tidy being removed. In France there is still a tradition of maintaining these lovely, productive, country gardens. Whilst orderly gardens behind manicured coniferous hedges are popular, espe-cially around new houses, old practices persist, and with the current inclination towards reverting to a more sustain-able, natural way of living, cottage gardening is increasingly popular.

Cottage gardens blended delightfully with their environment, harmonising homes and their surroundings. Vegetable plots and orchards would be controlled, otherwise gardens had few constraints. Hedges crept up to the house, and flowers, often grown for medicinal or religious purposes, self-seeded and naturalised. With little time for maintenance, the gardens looked after themselves. Fruit trees and flowers were often planted amongst vegetables to attract bees, as was the case here at Le Fayard. There was not always differentiation between crops and ornamentals, culinary plants and flowers sitting side by side. There were no lawns; practical paths led from one place to another, their edges soft-ened by overflowing growth with perhaps a bench against a wall.

The cottage style can be applied to most types and sizes of garden in town

or country and with a modern home as well as an old one. You could have a blank canvas, an overgrown plot or an established garden. When renovating an old house many consider recreating the garden’s charm as essential as sympathetically restoring the building. The aim is to produce an informal garden that appears to have evolved naturally, with traditional materials and dense mixtures of plants weaving through each other without straight lines or bare earth. There should be masses of colour, but old-fashioned, muted shades rather than harsh, lumi-nous modern hybrid tones. Different plants are mingled together instead of blocks of single species. Although lawns are not in keeping, a small grass area surrounded by overflowing plants will be fine. Hedges, fences and paths in straight lines will balance the random planting. Paths should be in local materials such as gravel or natural stone. Some of the new imitation stone slabs are excellent. Leave gaps for mat-forming plants such as thyme. Stone walls are superb and can support trailers. Timber post and rail, picket or chestnut pale fences are ideal. If privacy or shelter is paramount, timber-boarded fences are suitable particularly as they can form a backdrop to plants. Clipped hedges contrast nicely with the informality of the cottage garden plants, but where space permits they can be allowed to grow wilder, a haven for wildlife. Wooden gates are best in a cottage garden whether the boundary is a fence, hedge or wall. If possible have some plants drifting outside the boundary to benefit passers-by. Provide shady, sheltered spaces for simple wooden or stone seats where you can relax and enjoy the garden. Trellises, arches and arbours provide support for climbers, helping to give the garden an established appearance.



Sowing cottage garden plantsAnnuals make a quick colourful show, important in a new garden, and peren-nials provide a strong framework. From March onwards is an ideal time to sow them, once the cold of winter is over and the ground warms up.Soil should be well dug, weed free, raked to a fine tilth, trod lightly and not waterlogged. Direct sowing is excellent for a cottage garden effect, seeds being broadcast over the surface and raked in. Alternatively, shallow drills are marked out to produce natural drifts of flowers. Thinly spread seeds along the drills and rake the soil over. Read seed packet instructions for sowing depths and thinning distances. Once the plants establish keep them weed-free. Thin

and transplant the thinnings to other areas to fill gaps. Water during dry spells. Deadheading prolongs flowering.

ANNUALSCorNfLowerS (Centaurea cyanus) are native annuals producing vibrant blue mini-carnation-like flowers 90cm high. Easy to grow in full sun in well-drained soil, they are a magnet for butterflies and bees.Love-iN-A-miSt (Nigella damascena) is named after its fern-like foliage forming a mist around its blue, purple, pink or white saucer shaped blossoms. A wonderful cottage garden plant native to southern France attaining 40cm in height, Nigella self-seeds well, thriving in sun or partial shade and is a complement to broader leaved plants. Pot mArigoLd (Calendula officinalis) is an easy, fast growing, 50cm high annual with vivid orange flowers and aromatic leaves, ideal for filling gaps in sun or partial shade on well-drained soil. oPiUm PoPPieS (Papaver somniferum) are beautiful with frilly, red, pink, purple or white flowers and attractive seed-heads up to 1m high. They require full sun and well-drained, preferably poor, soil. They self-seed well.

Shrubs such as Lavender and Hydrangea look well in cottage gardens, and, perhaps for a touch of contrasting formality, place a clipped box or yew in a strategic place. Climbing, rambling, shrub and old garden roses are also very much part of the picture. For information refer to Living October/November 2012 and December 2012/January 2013.

Wild life benefits from cottage gardens. Trees, hedges and walls provide shelter; fruit and berries are produced by many plants and flowers rich in nectar offer a generous larder for butterflies and bees.

Cut flowers are important in cottage gardens and excellent ones include: Columbines, Pot marigolds, Lupins, Cornflowers, Delphiniums, Nigella, Pot marigold, Sweet Rocket, Sweet pea and of course, Roses. Don’t be afraid to take flowers as this encourages further blooms to form.

Cornflower water is produced in Provence by steam distillation and used as a natural mild astringent and antiseptic to prevent eye infections as well as an alcohol-free natural toner.

Cottage garden path

Aubretia

opium poppy

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living gardening | 45


Californian poppies (Eschscholzia californica) (see photo below right on p42) have lacy, blue-green foliage and yellow, orange, red or white cup shaped flowers which brighten the cottage garden beautifully and close at night and during cold weather. They prefer full sun and good drainage.poaChed egg plant (Limnanthes douglasii) is a lovely, spreading annual up to 15cm high with cup shaped, yellow centred, white tipped flowers and finely divided leaves. It grows in moist, well-drained soil in full sun. It forms a fragrant carpet at the front of the bed and attracts aphid-devouring hoverflies and bees.sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) are long flowering climbers up to 2m, bearing clusters of red, pink, blue, white and purple blooms. Old-fashioned varieties have intense fragrance. They thrive in sun, but in hot weather prefer partial shade. They require supports such as tripods or trellises. At Le Fayard we grow them along our potager fence to attract bees and other pollinators.

perennialshollyhoCks (Alcea rosea) are well loved traditional cottage garden plants providing structure with their tall racemes of flowers in pink, purple, red, yellow and white. At Le Fayard we inherited every conceivable hue. They prefer full sun, well-drained soil and self-seed well. Once our flowers die and the seeds mature we simply shake them out where we want them to grow. Being drought resistant, they even thrive in gravel next to our house. Staking and tying stops them from collapsing.lupins (Lupinus) are tall perennials producing stately

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spikes of flowers in a wide range of colours. They prefer sun, not too rich, free-draining soil and dislike clay. Soaking their seeds for 24 hours before-hand helps germination. Russell Hybrids ‘Lupin de Russell’ have exceptionally striking blooms of every colour. Columbine (Aquilegia vulgaris), or Granny’s Bonnet, is a charming, old-fashioned cottage garden perennial up to 90cm high with nodding, pink, red, purple, blue, or white flowers. Self-seeding easily, it looks well spreading amongst other plants. It prefers sun or partial shade. Delphiniums (Delphinium elat um), or Pied d’Allouette, are elegant perennials ranging from dwarf varieties to 2m tall. They produce blue, red, yellow and white blooms, the clear blues being my favourite. Sow tall varieties in a shel-tered place to stop them blowing over. Many prefer cool summers, but new varieties are heat tolerant.bellflower (Campanula percisifolia) is a spreading evergreen attaining 1m with beautiful, nodding, blue bell or white

flowers. It prefers well-drained, moist soil in full sun or partial shade. Canter-bury Bells (Campanula medium) are a lovely clump-forming, old-fashioned evergreen biennial with blooms in white, blue and pink.shasta Daisies (Leucanthemum x superbum) are easy perennials to grow in sun or partial shade. Their large daisy flowers and fresh green leaves make a great display and excel in attracting butterflies and bees. Growing to 60cm, they fare best when supported. miChaelmas Daisies (Aster amellus) bear clusters of large, violet flowers with yellow centres in autumn. Easy to culti-vate, they attain 60cm and prefer full sun but are not fussy about soil types.Coral flowers (Heuchera spp), with their attractive, evergreen leaves, often tinted silver, bronze or purple, and feathers of small bell shaped white or red flowers are a favourite of mine. They make good ground cover in well-drained soil and semi-shade.sweet roCket (Hesperis matronalis) has fragrant pure white flowers above dark green leaves and attains 1m. Self-seeding easily, it is perfect for naturalising in sun or partial shade and is attractive to bees and other beneficial insects.sweet williams (Dianthus barbatus) offer both sweet scent and colour with their clustered pink, white and red flowers. Attaining 45cm in sun or part shade, they are a cottage garden favourite, easy to grow and free flowering. foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), or Digital, is a native woodland plant producing purple trumpet flowers attractive to bees. It thrives in shade, self-seeds readily and attaining 150cm looks spec-tacular behind lower plants. laDy’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) is a charming plant with frothy lime green flowers and apple green, fan-shaped leaves, attaining 75cm. It is excellent ground cover in sun or shade on most

soils and looks good self-seeded into gravel or cracks between paving.bearDeD iris (Iris germanica) is a familiar flower locally that provides a delightful display of 120cm tall, delicate, pink, blue, red, purple and yellow flowers above sword-shaped leaves. They are propagated by planting rhizomes - not too deeply as they photosynthesize.Cranesbills (Geranium spp) are ideal for ground cover between upright plants, and look perfect in a cottage garden. Species like ‘Johnson’s Blue’ bear masses of beau-tiful lavender-blue petals, attaining 30cm. There are many similar Geraniums in shades of blue, pink and white.aubretias (Aubretia) are reliable plants forming low, wide carpets of colour that look superb cascading down a stone wall or by a path. They are sold in single colours of blue, purple, lilac and pink or multi-coloured mixes, offered in France as Hybrida Mix.

Trevor is a landscape architect who ran a busy practice in the UK for 20 years. He and his wife Jocelyn moved to an ancient fermette in Poitou-Charentes in 2004 where they garden organically and keep bees and hens.

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living Angling | 47


Have you ever wondered why fishing is so popular? Ron Cousins explains all…

Hook, line & sinker…

25kg carp caught by Anne-Marie Smith from Wales fishing from a

bivvy for a week with husband Gary.

A few days before writing this I had spent five hours sitting at the side of a lake. A howling wind helped torrential rain seek out

any access point through my waterproof clothing and turned holding the fishing rod steady into a feat of strength. When the time came to go home I took a last look at the assorted small fish in my keepnet, returned them to the water, and trudged back to the car across the soggy field. I had really enjoyed my day!

As you read this, there are dedicated carp anglers on the banks of large fish lakes across the region. They have spent days and nights in their bivvy tents waiting for the fish of their dreams to take the bait, a fish so large that help will be needed to hold it for a photograph. More often though, a lengthy session has a fishless ending - but everyone will have enjoyed their fishing and be ready for the next outing.

It isn’t only men who find going fishing, whatever the outcome, irresistible. More and more women are taking up the sport. In France, the Ladies Champion title is fiercely contested and currently held by Pauline Nervet from the Oise. In 2013 the World Carp Classic where 40 countries sent their top carp anglers to take part, was won by duo Lizette Beunders and Bianca Venema from the Netherlands.

So what is it that drives people from all walks of life to take up a rod and fish? Izaak Walton in his 1653 classic ‘The Compleat Angler’ said: “No life is so happy and so pleasant as the life of the well governed angler.” Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the USA from 1929 to 1933, summed up his compulsion to fish when he said: “Fishing is much more than fish. It is the great occasion when we may return to the fine simplicity of our forefathers.” And the late actor Lee Marvin explained the sport’s importance to his life by saying: “I only make movies to finance my fishing.”

The urge to fish cuts across the whole

social spectrum from royalty and captains of industry to men of the cloth and the man in the street. Vladimir Putin is a keen pike angler, when he’s not swinging a golf club Tiger Woods is casting a line, and when Eric Clapton puts down the Stratocaster he becomes a fly caster. Actor Henry Winkler, best known as The Fonz in the TV series Happy Days, is so obsessed with fishing that he has written a book ‘I’ve Never Met an Idiot on the River Bank’ which has been described as the delightful ramblings of a man who loves to fish. The title is a good response to 18th century writer Samuel Johnson’s assertion that a fishing rod is a stick with hook at one end and a fool at the other.

Angling is recognized as the largest participant sport (and growing steadily) either side of La Manche. More people seek to escape the stress of everyday life and create a healthier lifestyle by heading for river, lake or beach. And there is plenty of help at hand for a non-angler who fancies finding out just what is the attraction of this sport that is the passion of so many.

France has a network of Ecoles des Pêches throughout the country providing fishing lessons for all ages in coarse, game and sea fishing. They come under the control of the national body that makes coaching available in all départements.

In Britain, the Angling Trust and Association of Professional Anglers are continually training qualified coaches to go out and teach the skills. The Countryside Alliance’s educational campaign ‘Fishing 4 Schools’ has Parliamentary backing and is aimed at youngsters who might not respond to traditional classroom-based learning but flourish out of doors.

Persuading computer age youngsters to move away from the keyboard and screen to try the great outdoors can be a problem but British fishing tackle manufacturer Korda think they have a solution. The Essex-based company

has joined forces with computer games firm Dovetail to produce a fishing game dubbed the most realistic ever. Some of the biggest names in the sport have been brought in to provide the expertise that allows players to select virtual tackle and test their skills by baiting, hooking and landing fish. Brand manager and keen carp angler Darren Nokes explained that fish behavior within the game replicates real life, and the aim is to encourage young people to get into real fishing through playing the game, which can be tried by visiting www.dtgfishing.com.

No matter how someone starts fishing it is usually a sport for life and as such does much for social bonding with family and friends of all age groups. An angler can fish through a whole lifetime and it is a sport that lends itself well to the enjoyment of those with disabilities.

So how can you enjoy a day in the rain or several days and nights tented up on the side of a lake with maybe neither resulting in a fish being landed? It’s all in the name of this fascinating sport. Fishing - not Catching.

We go to the water to go fishing with the hope that there will be a catch. We go to be at one with nature and blend in with the surroundings. Could catching all the fish in the river have matched the day a kingfisher alighted on my fishing rod or when a heron settled on the opposite bank of the river and demonstrated who was best by plucking out a series of fish while I looked on bite-less? My own fishing journey started when I was 10-years old. Now, more years later than I care to remember, the urge to head for the bank side is just as strong and the excitement when the float disappears under the water just as great as when a boy in short trousers saw it happen for the very first time.

Spring is near so there is no better time to try fishing. But beware, fishing tackle comes with a warning saying ‘Addiction Forming and Can Improve Your Health’!

hop.frLyonAjaccio

easyjet.comLondon GatwickBristolGeneva

flybe.comSouthamptonBirminghamManchester

ryanair.comLondon StanstedDublinBrussels CharleroiPortoEast Midlands

Tel. 00 33 5 46 42 86 70www.larochelle.aeroport.fr

EUROPEANDESTINATIONS13

pub aeroport living DECEMBRE 2014 192 x 139.indd 1 29/12/14 17:51

ExpErt advicE and propErty pagEs PLUS MarkEt

placE - for thE bEst local suppliErs and sErvicEs

practical living | 49

Page 50: Useful Information - all the websites and information you

need in one place Page 52: Talk of the Town - the best properties

across the region with a focus on rochefort in charente-Maritime

Page 55: ask the expert - solar ventilation - a case study from Eco-

power and an update on uk pensions from blevins-franks Page 56: Market Place - all the suppliers and services you need right here in the

region Page 64: What’s On - our spotlight on events near you

50 | living useful info

We’ve gathered together some helpful

telephone numbers and websites to aid

you with your daily life in France

Useful infoiUTILITIESORANGE: English-speaking helpline: 09 69 36 39 00 (Fixed lines only).To report a fault online: www.1013.fr. EDF: 24 hour breakdown line: 08 10 33 30 87 Helpline in English: 02 99 87 10 72 (85); 02 47 25 10 07 (16, 17, 79, 86, 87); 05 56 17 40 70 (24)or see http://residential.edf.com/customer-services/contact/contact-us-by-phone-208807.html; Email: [email protected].

GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONSAllô service public: for general adminis-trative information; tel: 3939: www.service-public.fr.The main government site is found at www.gouvernement.fr.

CAISSE D’ALLOCATIONS FAMILIALES (CAF): www.caf.frCharente (16): Boulevard de Bury, 16911, Angoulême; tel 08 10 25 16 10. Charente-Maritime (17): 4 bis avenue du Général Leclerc, 17073, La Rochelle; tel 08 10 25 17 10. Dordogne (24): 50 rue Claude Bernard, 24011 Périgueux; tel 08 10 25 24 10. Deux-Sèvres (79): 51 route de Cherveux, 79034, Niort; tel 08 10 25 79 10. Vendée (85): 109 Bd Louis Blanc, 85932 La Roche sur Yon; tel 08 10 25 85 10.Vienne (86): 41 rue du Touffenet86044 Poitiers; tel 08 10 25 86 10. Haute-Vienne (87): 25 rue Firmin Delage, 87046 Limoges; tel 08 10 25 87 10.

L’ASSURANCE MALADIE (AMELI, formerly known as CPAM – the health service): www.ameli.fr. Tel: 36 46 or +33 811 70 3646 (Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm) English spoken.

URSSAF www.urssaf.fr; tel 3957 to be directed to

your local office (8am to 6.30pm)Charente (16): Rue Victor Hugo, Zone industrielle n° 3, 16340, Angoulême. Charente-Maritime (17): ZAC de Belle Aire - 12 rue Newton, 17440, Aytre. Dordogne (24): 50 Rue Claude Bernard, 24000 Périgueux.Deux-Sèvres (79): 60 rue des Prés Fau-cher, 79000, Niort. Vendée (85): 11, rue Benjamin-Franklin, 85930 La Roche-sur-Yon. Vienne (86): 3 avenue de la Révolution, 86000 Poitiers. Haute-Vienne (87): 11 Rue Camille Pelletan, 87000 Limoges.For a full explanation of the French Social Protection System in English, see www.adecri.org/FR/publications/brochures.asp.

PREFECTURE Charente (16): www.charente.pref.gouv.fr; tel 05 45 97 61 00. Charente-Maritime (17): www.charente-maritime.pref.gouv.fr; tel 05 46 27 43 00. Dordogne (24): www.dordogne.gouv.fr; tel 05 53 02 25 42.Deux-Sèvres (79): www.deux-sevres.pref.gouv.fr; tel 05 49 08 68 68. Vendée (85): www.vendee.gouv.fr; tel: 02 51 36 70 85.Vienne (86): www.vienne.gouv.fr; tel 05 49 55 70 00.Haute-Vienne (87): www.haute-vienne.gouv.fr; tel 05 55 44 18 00.

OTHER HELP IN ENGLISHCounselling in France: for a qualified therapist near you or counselling over the telephone; www.counsellinginfrance.com.Alcoholics Anonymous: www.aafrancesud-ouest.com. Civray 05 49 87 79 09; Périgueux 05 53 05 76 62; L‘Isle Jourdain 06 07 57 51 10; Limoges 05 55 76 22 65.

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EMERGENCY

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15: SAMU (Service d’Aide Médicale d’Urgence) - Medical emergencies.17: Police (gendarmes). 18: Emergencies: Calls the sapeurs pompiers, the fire brigade, but they also deal with medical emergencies and are usually the first port of call in rural areas. 112: European Emergency number with English speak-ers available. Be ready with your name and where you are calling from and do not hang up until told to do so.114: National centre for emergency calls for deaf and people with hearing prob-lems – SMS and fax only. 115: Help for the homeless.119: Child abuse.1616: Sea and lake rescue.116000: Missing children.01 40 05 48 48: Anti-poison centre (Paris).

Need to talk to someone? Contact SOS Help (similar to the Samaritans with pro-fessionally trained listeners); tel 01 46 21 46 46; www.soshelpline.org.

living useful info | 51

caf

prefecture

help in english

al anon support group: Call Angela on 05 49 87 79 09.cancer support france: for advice and someone to talk to: www.cancersupportfrance.info. national Office: email: [email protected]; tel 0810 240 200. charente plus (16, 86): email: [email protected]; tel 06 45 35 32 30. charente Maritime (17): email: [email protected]; tel 06 79 16 60 83.Deux-sèvres (79, 85): email: [email protected]; tel 05 49 64 59 96. Dordogne est/lot (24, 46): email: [email protected]; tel 06 35 90 03 41.Dordogne sud (24, 47, 33): email: [email protected]; tel 05 53 54 46 67.haute-Vienne (87): email: [email protected]; tel 06 04 43 39 87.ribérac (16, 24): email: [email protected]; tel 05 53 90 62 03.Vendée (85): email: [email protected]; tel 02 51 00 92 97. alzheimer support group: tel 09 64 21 40 86; weekly meeting in Bergerac (24).soldiers, sailors, airmen and families association forces (ssafa): In France: 05 53 24 92 38. Email: [email protected]: help with integration into French life; www.avf.asso.fr.the British charitable fund, paris:www.britishcharitablefundparis.org; email: [email protected]; tel: 01 47 59 07 69.

Other infOYellow pages: www.pagesjaunes.fr. White pages: www.pagesjaunes.fr/pagesblanches.

speaking clock: 3699Weather: 08 92 68 02 + dept. number. last incoming call on your phone: 3131, then ‘5’ if you wish to connect.school holidays: www.education.gouv.fr/pid25058/le-calendrier-scolaire.html

British cOnsulate, BOrDeauXAddress: 353 Boulevard du President Wilson, 33073, Bordeaux Cedex; tel + 33 (0)5 57 22 21 10; http://ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en.

english-language raDiOanglofile: www.rcf.fr, 8pm on Tuesdays and 11.30am Sundays. Podcasts available online, see www.rcf.fr for your local frequency.

cOnsuMer Organi-satiOnsufc Quechoisir: independentconsumers’ association with local branches all over France offer-ing model letters, product tests and advice. Annual membership costs 54€; tel 01 43 48 55 48 www.quechoisir.org.60 Millions de consommateurs (institut national de la consom-mation - inc): The national con-sumers’ associa-tion; www.60millions-mag.com.

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puBlic hOliDaYs in 2015Jour de l’an (new Year’s Day): Thursday, 1 Januarylundi de pâques (easter Monday): Monday, 6 Aprilfête du travail (labour Day): Friday, 1 MayVictoire du 8 mai 1945 (Victory in europe Day): Friday, 8 MayJeudi de l’ascension (ascension Day): Thursday, 14 Maylundi de la pentecôte (Whit Monday): Monday, 25 Mayfête nationale (Bastille Day): Tuesday, 14 Julyassomption (assumption): Saturday, 15 Augusttoussaint (all saint’s Day): Sunday, 1 Novemberarmistice (armistice Day): Wednesday, 11 Novembernoël (christmas Day): Friday, 25 December


30 | living places to see

Built on the orders of Louis XIV, the naval dockyard at Rochefort has shaped the town since 1664. Today the navy has long gone, but the signs of

Rochefort’s illustrious past remain in the military-style centre of today’s Rochefort. 14 east-west streets of 800m length and 10 north-south streets of 1000m are centred around the only block that remained free of buildings: place Colbert. The arsenal was separated from the town by a wall and grand entrance, the ‘Porte du Soleil’, and is today an exceptional heritage site that attracts visitors from around the world. Other claims to fame include being the home of 19th century naval officer and writer Pierre Loti, and Rochefort was also the setting for the popular 1966 musical film ‘Les Demoiselles de Rochefort’.

Place Colbert is an attractive square full of cafe terraces, lawns, flowerbeds and trees - the ideal place to sit and have a coffee. A fountain on one side, dating from 1735, features a sculpture representing the marriage between the river Charente and the ocean, with Charente throwing herself into Neptune’s arms. In the centre of Place Colbert is a tide clock: this bronze square on the ground, encircled by lights, shows whether the tide is high, low, rising or descending according to which lights are lit. The faithful recreation of the frigate Hermione has recently been completed in the town’s docks where she is now being readied for her maiden voyage to the States. While her departure is the culmination of a historic and popular project, there is much else to tempt tourists to the town. Next door, the restored Corderie Royale is an astonishing 373m in length, built in the 17th century

to fabricate the lengths of rope needed to rig tall ships, while nearby the Ecole de Médecine Navale has been preserved as a remarkable museum. The Musée National de la Marine in the palatial setting of the 17th century Hôtel de Cheusses is another essential visit, while a couple of streets away the Musée des Commerces d’Autrefois displays the bygone France of your dreams brought vividly back to life.

Today Rochefort is home to 26,000 inhabitants and part of the Communauté d’agglomération Rochefort Océan. It is also the country’s 6th largest spa town with two thermal spas profiting from 960m3 of water per day bubbling up from 800m below the surface.

Markets

For three centuries, markets have been held in the Avenue Charles de Gaulle and Les Halles on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings from 7am to 12.30pm. The foire is held at the Cours Roy Bry on the second Thursday of the month.

aMenities

Rochefort has a full complement of schools from primaires to lycées as well as several sports complexes including an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The Centre Hospitalier de Rochefort has nearly 500 beds and offers a full range of services.

transport

Rochefort is only 30 minutes by car from La Rochelle whose airport has year-round low cost flights. 35km east is the A10 péage between Bordeaux and Poitiers while a local train links Rochefort with the TGV line at La Rochelle.

€318,860 FAI Beautiful 3 bed house plus separate 3 bed gîte renovated with taste in very

quiet hamlet 20km only from Rochefort. 10x5m in-ground pool, wooded and land-

scaped garden with outbuildings. DPE: C Ref: 44793

€328,600 FAI Superb Charentaise style house with 4 bedrooms, pool, garden & outbuildings

near town with all services and the coast. All set on 2000m2 only 11km

from Rochefort. DPE: E Ref: 42593

€210,600 FAI Pretty, traditional 3 bed farmhouse, renovated, plus pool, barn, large plot of land with stable. Enclosed garden with well water supply, only 16km

from Rochefort. DPE: E Ref: 47689

Talk of The Town

is brought to you by LEGGETT IMMOBILIER

Properties near Rochefort from Leggett Immobilier

CALL 0800 900 324 (fr)0033 (0) 553 56 62 54

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Phot

os: R

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TALk of the town

In each issue we highlight a town in the region to help you get to know the area. Here we visit Rochefort in Charente-Maritime…

immobilierLiving

immobilierLiving

€67 500 FAI. Near Civray, Vienne Typical stone farmhouse with

attached barn for renovation. Full of traditional elements and re-roofed

in 2010. Attached barn offers 128m² and land surrounding property of 2700m² with further outbuildings.

Poitiers is 60 kms. DPE: UnratedRef: 11170

Beaux Villages ImmobilierTel : 00 33 (0)8 05 69 23 23 E : [email protected]

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€298 000 FAI. Near Civray, Vienne Sympathetically renovated stone built

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Ref: 11173

€309 000 FAI. Near Charroux, Vienne Character property with 4 bedrooms

in a quiet location with double glazing and central heating. Mains

drainage. Private garden with terrace. DPE: 175

Ref: 11046

€169 000 FAI. Near Gençay, VienneRenovated with a contemporary

twist, set in a most beautiful part of France, stone built property with 2

bedrooms, one with en suite shower room. Outbuildings provide potential

to extend. DPE: 225 Ref: 10975

Ref 1342: CivrayHOUSE TO RENOVATE - three rooms downstairs, one room upstairs and attic. Barn with hangar and attached land.

Several outbuildings.

DPE: n/a 76 000€ FAI (7.89% fees included)

Ref 1346: Civray CONTEMPORARY HOUSE with hall

opening onto mezzanine, living area and kitchen. Mezzanine with office

space, 3 bedrooms on first floor. Vari-ous outbuildings including a barn and pigeonnier, all set on 7,791m2 of land.

DPE: E295 000€ FAI (5.08% fees included)

Ref 905: Lezay STONE HOUSE in countryside with 135m2 living space. Fitted kitchen,

lounge, office, 3 bedrooms. Attached garden, all set on 3851m2 of land.

Wooded and calm environment. DPE: E

140 000€ FAI (7.1% fees included)

Ref 1323: Couhé PRETTY LONGERE in country setting offering 209m2 living space. Kitchen,

lounge, office and 4 bedrooms. Outbuildings, garden with pool. Set on

2,666m2 of land. Tranquility assured. DPE: n/a


www.argusimmobilier.fr

Visit our offices in Civray and Couhé (south Vienne)Tel: 05 49 87 56 86 - English spoken

14 500€ FAI (9.6% fees included) Charente (16) in the country. Wooded

leisure plot: land, small pond of approx 500m2 & 2 bed mobile home. Set on approx 3150m2 (without noise nor pollution). It is not a building plot.

60 300€ FAI (9.6% fees included)Vienne (86), in a hamlet. Semi detached stone cottage to improve, approx 70m2

living space, 2 beds, attic. Barn, small outbuildings, dovecote, mains drains,

adjoining land, all set on 9033m2.

71 200€ FAI (9.6% fees included)Charente (16). Semi detached village

house with all comforts. 94m2 living space, 2 bed, attic. Adjoining

courtyard & garden with outbuildings, mains drains, all set on approx 275m2.

219 200 € FAI (9.6% fees included)Charente (16), nicely renovated stone village house - approx 195m2. 1 bed flat on ground floor. Upstairs 4 bed

house. 2 garages, heated swimming pool, garden, all set on approx 735m2.


Charente (16) in a town with shops. Building

for income with 3 flats. Ground floor 1 bed flat rented 280€/month. 1st floor 2 bed flat rented 290 €/

month. 2nd floor 2 bed flat. All set

on 328m2.

98 600€ FAI (9.6% fees included)Charente (16). Cottage to improve

with potential, approx 102m2 living space. 3 beds, attics to convert.

Garage 36m2, septic tank, adjoining land with well, all set on 7332m2.

3, place de la Liberté, 16500 ConfolensTel: 05 45 85 45 65 [email protected]

www.sovimo.com

SOVIMO IMMOBILIER

Ref. 33458 Ref. 33475

Ref. 33471

Ref. 33468

Ref. 33461Ref. 33466

DPE: n/a DPE: D

DPE: G

DPE: E

DPE: n/a DPE: n/a

E: [email protected] www.foncierecharentaise.com

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Agence Immobilière / Estate Agency

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La Foncière Charentaise

145 000€ FAI In a hamlet , west of Angoulême.

Pretty stone house to refresh with large barn and south facing garden of 1800m².

Lounge, living room, kitchen, 4 bedrooms, summer kitchen, playroom and

small cottage. Lots of potential at a good price!

REF: 5574 Classe énergie: E

168 000€ FAIVery nice property renovated with many

original features, nice spacious rooms and a touch of contempory style. Large entrance/office, dining room, large living room with

fireplace + mezzanine, fitted kitchen, wc and bathroom. 1st floor: 3 bedrooms one with shower room, wc. Lovely enclosed garden

with covered terrace, garage and workshop. In village with bar/restaurant.

REF: 7067 Classe énergie: C

158 000€ FAI Stylish town house with nice enclosed

garden and terrace near Aigre. Large entrance hall leading to lounge, living room with diner and access to the terrace. Fitted kitchen utility

room, bathroom, wc. 3 bedrooms upstairs, bathroom, wc, 2 more bedrooms in the attic. Garage. Ideal private house near all facilities.

REF: 6917 Classe énergie: E

158 000€ FAI Stone country house in very good condition

throughout but needs modernising. Hall, wc, living room with fireplace, kitchen/

diner with fireplace. Lounge or bedroom downstairs with wc & sink, 4 beds upstairs and bathroom, wc. Utility room & garage at the back. Large barn, hangar and large

courtyard at the front with mature garden at the back. 10 mns drive from Aigre.

REF: 7012 Classe énergie: D

PRACTICAL livingimmobilierLiving

€218 000 FAIExtremely spacious 2 bed duplex

apartment in the centre of Cognac. Lounge of 83m2. Private and

secure parking.DPE: C Ref: 806

€318 600 FAISurprisingly spacious 5 bed

contemporary plain pied in St Julien de l’Escap. Extremely well planned with a superb 47m2 lounge. Garden

with enclosed pool and garage.DPE: n/a Ref: 814

Idimmo, Prestige & Châteaux 42 Rue Grosse Horloge, 17400 St Jean D’Angély

Tel: +33 (0)5 16 51 90 52

€594 000 FAICentre of Cognac.

A rare 7 bed detached Maison Bourgeoise in excellent condition.

Private garden, terrace with jacuzzi, Parking and garage.

DPE: D Ref: 859

€267 500 FAIElegant, spacious and extremely

well renovated 4 bed Town house in Beauvais Sur Matha. Attached

stone barn of 48m2 for conversion if required. Enclosed and very

private well established garden to the rear.

DPE: C Ref: 790

Website: http://adeline.idimmo.net/

PRACTICAL living

FINANCIAL ADVICE<< <<

April will see the biggest reform to UK pensions in almost a century. Initially announced in the March 2014 budget, details were released over the rest of the year. With more options available, you need to understand how they all affect you, and the tax implications in France, to establish what would work best for you.

Key changes from 6th April 2015, for those aged over 55 with defined contribution schemes:

• You will have complete freedom to draw down as much of your pension pot as you wish. The maximum cap on withdrawals and minimum income requirements for income drawdown are removed.

• You can cash in your entire pen-sion without suffering the 55% unauthorised payment charge. UK residents will pay tax at their marginal rate of income tax. For non-residents, taxation usually falls to their country of residence under a double tax treaty.

• You can take a series of lump sums from your pension funds without having to enter into a drawdown policy.

• UK residents can choose whether to take their 25% tax-free cash lump sum all in one go, or have a quarter of any withdrawals paid tax-free.

• The 55% pension ‘death tax’ will be abolished. Your beneficiaries will receive the balance tax free if you die under age 75, or pay income tax, or 45% if taken as a lump sum, if you are over 75. This is extended to annui-

ties, where the payment occurs after 6th April 2015. The changes do not affect people in final salary pensions.

Residents of FranceYou must consider all the French tax implications of each option. French legislation provides some opportunities, since lump sums from UK pension funds are taxed favour-ably. This compares well to French income tax rates and UK taxation, and could allow you to invest more tax efficiently elsewhere.

Capital withdrawn from a pension fund would become exposed to French succession tax, but with professional advice you could avoid exposure to this tax.

This is only a short summary of some of the points of new legisla-tion, so it is important to take spe-cialist advice to ensure you have all the information you need to make an informed decision. You also need to consider your personal situation and discuss effective strategies for you.

Summarised tax information is based upon

our understanding of current laws and

practices which may change. Individuals

should seek personalised advice.

“Mrs M has a stone Charentaise house rented as a gîte in summer and occasionally over the winter season,” says Paul. “There was black mould on the north facing wall and a fine coating of green mould over wooden and fabric surfaces accompanied with a musty smell whenever the property was opened. Oil fired heating set to anti-gel was not helping with the lack of ventilation. Mrs M needed a solution that would not add to her running costs.”

“We fitted SolarVenti panels to each end of the property to get good ventilation coverage,” says Paul, “and, as it was a sunny day, there was an immediate effect.”

SolarVenti is an award winning ventilation system that blows fresh, dry and warmed air directly into buildings to banish humid and damp air reducing mould, musty smells and condensation. It is ideally suited to France with the abundance of bright sunny days even in winter. An in-built photovoltaic panel pow-ers a fan pulling fresh air through holes in the back of the panel where the air is warmed by black absorber

material before being pushed into the building. There are absolutely no running costs.

Larger models can raise the temperature of incoming air by up to 30 degrees, drying the building and supplementing the existing space heating which consequently does not have to work as hard, thereby saving on fuel.

Designed originally for ventilating holiday homes, the system is also excellent for mobile homes, caravans, boats and boat houses, cellars, sous-sols, laundry drying rooms and is particularly good for garages storing machinery, cars or lawnmowers or, in fact, anywhere that would benefit from fresh warmed ventilation.Update from Mrs M: “It is early days but the gîte smells much fresher and as soon as the sun comes out, the air flow into the rooms is impressive.”

TO FIND OUT MORE contact [email protected] Tel: 05 45 32 65 57 HELPING YOU TOWARDS ENERGY INDEPENDENCE

UK Pensions – All ChAnge

TOM COKERTC WILL ADVISOR(Conseiller Testamentaire)Helping English nationals

resident in Francemake their wills

Can also help with Lasting Powers of Attorney

Living Willsand their French equivalents

Former English solicitor05 55 75 08 82

[email protected] Les Petites Doumingeas

87500 Ladignac Le Longsiret 43296410400025

Solar Ventilation: A Case Studysystem Details:2 x SV14 SolarVenti solar panels

location: Charente (16) set up: Wall mounted at each end of the south elevation

A� ordable UK DesignsFitted Kitchens and UPVC Double Glazing

FREE PLAN, DESIGN & COSTING THROUGHOUT POITOU-CHARENTESUPVC windows, Doors & Conservatories made to UK

Spec in French styles

Email: [email protected]

www.a� ordableukdesigns.comSIRET: 513 577 809 00017

Phone: 05 49 42 99 41 Mobile: 0663 71 09 81

Made inthe UK

Fitted inFrance

AdveRToRIAL living | 55

ENERGY ADVICE By Bradley Warden, Partner,Blevins Franks

By Paul from Ecopower

To keep in touch with the latest developments in the offshore world, check out the latest news on our website www.blevinsfranks.com

Mr T‛s FriteriePlat à emporter Fish & Chips

Traditionnel Brittanique

06 02 22 44 74www.frying4u2nite.com

Regular venues at Aulnay, St Jean d'Angély,

Matha, St Hilaire de Villefranche, and Gourville

18h30 - 21h00

We work with local bars at all venues so folk can eat there

or takeaway.Private functions

catering.

Cod/Haddock & ChipsFried in the Traditional way

Steakhouse HamburgersEnglish Tea, Beer, Wine

Eat in or Takeaway

*Terrace* *Air con* *Free Wi� *

Rue de Ste Catherine16410 Dirac

Tel: 05 45 25 96 22Wed to Saturday lunch & Eve

10 mins south east of Angouleme

www.fransons.fr

Food shops

Fish & Chips Food shops

Petticoat Lane5 Rue Nationale - 16150 ChabanaisTel 05 45 29 03 99 ~ Fax 05 45 85 92 25

Monday to Saturday 10am to 6pm

Visit www.petticoatlaneshop.comEmail [email protected]

English groceries, Fresh British Beef & Steak to order only, Gammon Steak,

Bacon, Sausage & Cheddar cheese. Wide range of frozen items including

vegetarian. Traditional English beers, Sherries & Wine. Cards for all occasions.

Check our

website for

market dates

Established 2002The English Shop in

Saintes, celebrating 12 yrs of trade

Largest choice inCharente MaritimeLocally produced

sausages & bacon,cheddar, spices and much

much more...Free book exchange

11 rue Arc de Triomphe - SaintesTel: 05 46 94 24 98

Open Tuesday to Saturday9:30am-12:30

& 2:00pm-6:30pm

Regular temperature controlled deliveries

from the UK of frozen, chilled and

grocery Iceland products

Domaine de la Goujonne 17270, MONTGUYON 05 46 48 32 44

www.anglofoods.com

3 Route des Charrons, La Forge, 87440 St Mathieu

05 55 58 99 63 / 06 88 73 41 98 www.labrocantelaforge.com

Siret: 519 118 55 00013

French & English Fine & Country Furniture • Lighting • Pictures & Paintings • Antique Linens

Antique Toys & DollsVintage Costume Jewellery

Vintage Persian carpets & rugs Ornamental & Unusual Items

Postcards & other collectable itemsItems bought & Sold

Closed for holidays in February & March - see website for details

27,000 copiesMore copies, more delivery points, same price!Call us to find out how to promote your business for as little as 33€ (including tva) per month.

Featured BusinessExplain more about your business with our Featured Business position - a quarter page strip to include your message and photo(s).

Publicise What’s On Festivals, dinners, vide-greniers - whatever your event, advertise it withLiving. Special prices for associations and good causes

And remember, you can register your business for free on www.livingmagazine.fr - just fill in the online form.

HOW TO ADVERTISE:

Ring JOn on 05 49 87 29 71EMAil: [email protected]

We can design your advert for you fREE of charge.

Pay monthly by debit/credit card.

To place your advert please callJon on: 05.49.87.29.71ADVERTISE WITH THE MARKET

PLACE IN MAGAZINE

The MarketPlaCe SWSouth WeSt FranCeLiving

56 | www.livingmagazine.fr www.livingmagazine.fr | 57

Open Thurs, Fri & Sat: 6pm - 9pm

Telephone Orders Welcome 05 49 87 86 62

Between Ruffec & Civray

La SiréneTraditional Fish & Chips LIZANT (86)

Frying Icelandic Cod & Haddock

PLUSPukka Pies, Markey’s Pies,

Hamburgers etcChildren’s Menu,

Homemade Specials & DessertsEnjoy a glass of wine with your meal

EAT-IN OR TAKE-AWAYRe-opens on 19th February

Hundreds of English products at great pricesNow stockists of Crown & Sandtex Paint Homemade food & cakes served All day

Latté - Cappuccino - Draught BeerFull English Breakfast

Fresh Battered Cod & Chips Please refer to our website for opening times

Fresh deliveries every 3 weeks

Brocante

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, what will you be giving the lady in your life to show just how special she is to you? If she is romantic, she’s sure to love jewellery and a heart theme will ensure your message of love is unmistakable. Whether her taste is modern or classic; we have something for everyone.Visit our online store or our boutique in Civray (86) or contact us and we can help you

find the perfect gift. With limited editions and one-off pieces, every purchase is truly unique. Each piece comes with an authenticity card as well as a story card detailing its legend and origins. We believe in quality and choice and offer a wide selection to suit every budget and taste. Our personal touch includes help and advice in the choosing of your purchases and gift wrapping service at no extra charge.

Give the perfect gift, every time, with Victoria Bassey Jewellery

This Valentine’s Day give the gift of love with Victoria Bassey Jewellery! www.victoriabassey.com | T: 05 49 97 01 29 | E: [email protected]

Cafés and shops

[email protected]

2 rue Chemin Vert - 16170 - RouillacTel: 05 45 70 75 01 / 06 37 01 37 63

GALERIE STUDIOExhibits sculptures, paintings and drawings holds Sculpture Courses. Accommodation available. Phone-Email-visit. So...escape!

A Little SomethingBritish foods, decorations, gadgets and café with

a French twist in the heart of Angoulême

35 rue de Genève, 16000 Angoulême05 45 92 42 24

Open from Tuesday to Saturday

10h-17h

Facebook: A Little Something

2015 will be an exciting year for Kelvin and Christine at Sausageland as they launch their own line of 28-day hung HIghland beef from their farm, Celtic Farms. This will be on offer alongside their dry cured bacon and handmade sausages and other pork products. “We are farmers ourselves so our aim is to supply all our free range produce straight from our farm through our outlets. From our pasture to your plate!” says Kelvin.

They are also going to be present at Aigre (16) British market every month from April as well as running a cooked food stall at the Piégut Pluviers (24) market, Here you can enjoy a bacon buttie or sausage sandwich as well as purchase other cooked meats.

Every month there are specials on the website so keep visiting regularly to make sure that you don’t miss out. You can either pick up your order at their shop in Piégut or from one of their regular drop off points across the region.

DROP OFF POINTS:Brantôme, Thiviers, Chabanais, Confolens, St Junien, Ruffec, Tocane, Aubeterre, Villebois Lavalette.

Sausageland - quality meat delivered to you

4, place Yves Massy, 24360 Piégut Tel: 05 53 60 53 47/05 45 62 29 80 www.sausageland.com Facebook: Sausageland

FEATURED BUSINESS

Tina HallManual Therapist

[email protected]

05 55 06 59 12 06 71 46 79 11

ww

w.b

odym

atte

rsba

ckca

recl

inic

.netUK trained Physio with

27 years experience.Former Physio to GB

acrobatics team.

Bussac, 87600 Cheronnac

H.P.C. PH66488siret 497 688 663 00028

For SalePond of half hectare on land of 3.3

hectares with a small wood. 3 cabins (bedroom, living area with kitchen, bathroom and toilet) in Charente.

Tel: C. Vasseur on 06 98 83 26 84

Between Limoges and Angoulême €83,000

Angela StephensSoft Furnishing & Upholstery

Alterations

Repairs

Garment Making

City & Guilds qualified30+ years experience

Tel: 06 81 99 29 63E: [email protected]

www.angela-creations.comBased between

Gençay & Civray (86)

Alison Barker has moved!

Now open in Civray (86)26 rue du Commerce

Tel: 06 82 59 76 [email protected]

Siret: 509 861 902 00013

RENAISSANCE hair, beauty, nails

Website design

Courses

Food Producers & Caterers

To place your advert please callJon on: 05.49.87.29.71


Café serving home-made cakes and lunches with free wifi

Dépôt-vente specialising in clothing and baby equipment

Unique gifts and cards

Always guaranteed a friendly welcome

Find us on FB

Unique gifts and cards

Always guaranteed a friendly

Find us on FB

Just off the market square in Civray (86)24 rue de Commerce. Tel: 05 49 87 68 97Mon Tues Thurs Fri 9am- 5pm, Weds 9am - 12noon

www.ruche-dactivite.com

SAVE MONEY

Currency

Hairdresser

House for sale

Manual Therapist Soft furnishings

Jane Wherrett ACCAUK Quali� ed Chartered Accountant• Bookkeeping to Trial Balance• Bank Reconciliations and

Cash Flow Forecasts• Aged Debtors and Creditors• VAT/TVA returns• Monthly Management

Accounts • Profi t & Loss

and Balance Sheet

Accounting and Bookkeeping Services to suit your business

requirements

Contact JaneTel: 05 45 64 47 30 E: [email protected]

Profi t & Loss and Balance

For personal, professional, affordable Language Assistance :

Post, Emails, Forms, Calls, Meetings, Problem-solving, Interpreting, Translating ... Enjoy your French home

without stress.Contact Mandy DAVISON

05 45 89 39 71www.tournesolpropertycare.com/

language&services.htmlReferences available on the

Testimonials pageSiret: 800359390 00013

Language & Services

Cachette du chatSmall friendly cattery

Condac, Ruffec.Purpose-built heated

Chambers for your catwith its own outdoor run

Each chamber is well equipped to give your cat

all the comforts.Open all year.Visits welcome.

Reg DSV – Certifi cateof capacity

Tel 0545 29 01 310615 66 38 92

[email protected]

PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com

Claude’s Cat Hotel

Our small purpose built cattery offers heated

accommodation with outdoor space in a rural setting.

Les Chaillauds 16220 MONTBRONTel: 05 45 24 01 45

E:[email protected] www.claudescathotel.com

By appointment Mon-Sat 9am-6pm

Catteries

The Anglo-French Advice Workshop New in VERTEUIL (16)

Help for English speakers from a native French speaker

Admin help, phone calls, school problems, advice, organization.

Go-between with artisans, insurance, estate agencies.

Translations from or into French.One-to-One French lessons

French Coffee Club

Contact Thierry 05 45 29 06 55 / 06 76 06 19 52

[email protected]


The MarketPlaCe SWSouth WeSt FranCe


Piano tuning

Photography

ggggMR. PIANO MANPiano tuner technician

With over 50 years in the tradeComplete Renovations

New strings hammers etc. Also repairs and piano tuning

Ex Royal Albert Hall , BBC and Ronnie Scotts

Sales of restored Baby Grands

Cover areas 16 17 49 and west Vienne

Tel: 05 45 21 16 13E: [email protected]

SIRET: 51031234100017

help & advice

avocat

Philippe PEJOINEBilingual Avocat à la Cour

119 Cours Alsace Lorraine, 33000 BORDEAUXTel: +33 (0)5 56 79 23 24

Mob: +33 (0)6 74 28 47 66Fax: +33 (0)5 56 81 75 27


French-quali� ed advocate dealing exclusively with English-speaking clients involved in criminal, commercial, property and international family law cases all over France. Quali� ed in law at Warwick University before lecturing at the university and being awarded post-graduate quali� cations.Connected to notaries, accountants and other English speaking professionals to help you to prosper in France.

Celebrating20 years as an avocat in France

Quali� ed in law at Warwick University before lecturing at the

Pet Products Dog Grooming

Musicians

Stewart HullHaving a party?

Music from rock ‘n’ roll, 60s, swing, ballads and

much more...

Check out my website:www.stewart-hull.com

or call 06 32 07 16 53email:

[email protected]

DMuckyPups MOBILE DOG GROOMER

call Gloria Barret 06 04 45 96 02

[email protected] [email protected]

all dogs catered for from bath & dry with high velocity dryer to dead hair removal, hand

stripping or clipping nails. Check out my website with full details on all services offered... www.muckypupsfrance.moonfruit.com

Siret: 521 791 814 00010

NOW BACK!Covering 16, 17, 24, 86, 87

www.canicloture.fr

Exclusive suppliers and installers of hidden fences and indoor

boundaries. Using unique patented FM radio signal

technology to keep your dog(s) contained and safe, from a small

garden, gateway to a large estate.

Tina HaTcHer8, rue des Hirondelles - 17510 CHIVES

Tel: 05 46 59 06 81 email: [email protected]

Dog getting out more than you?

BUREAUCRATIC NIGHTMARES?

Prompt and practical help with all your administrative problems:

tax returns, healthcare cover, family benefi ts, insurance claims, auto entreprises, notaires, banks, utilities, social security, mairies & more.

Call Alison on 05 49 87 17 60

alison@affi xe.comwww.affi xe.com

Impasse Brisson, Le Souterrain, 16200, Courbillac | Tel: 05 45 67 70 62 | www.couleursdevie.eu

Couleurs de VieBE INSPIRED

Sire

t: 80

2 32

7 63

5 00

016

Come to one of our Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ dedicated work-shops just outside Cognac: Techniques 1 - an introduction to chalk paint. Techniques 2 covers advanced methods - gilding, craqueleur, decoupage, stencilling. Paint a Chair Workshop Day - Pick from our selection of chairs to paint in your own individual

style (and take home).Up-cycle Day - Bring along your own piece to take advantage of our workshop, materials and experience.Paint Swap & Sampling Lunch Experiment with colours and mixing, bring along any part used tins of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™, you may be able to swap with other customers.

All our itineraries & tuition methods have been personally taught and approved by Annie Sloan herself. COMMISSIONS - Please enquire if you have a particular project, kitchen revamp, room decora-tion, or large piece of furniture in mind, we can come to you.For details of all events please visit our website.

On YourMortgagePayments

Famous Furniture in France

A large range of fabulous high back G Plan sofas, chairs and

3-piece suites always available from stock.

Plus a range of quality pocket sprung UK mattresses.

Delivered direct to your door in France - Pay in £’s or Euros.

www.famousfurnitureinfrance.com

Call us on 05 49 83 03 71 or 06 06 86 50 07 Based near Montmorillon (86)

Sarl R.S.M. Distribution

Find us on D727 Jousse 10mins from Civray

Visit our 1000m2 showrooms.In business for 10 years.

Working to a budget?We can help.

Sarl R.S.M. Distribution

B&Q Cooke & Lewis Kitchens in stock.

Flat packed orbuilt up & delivered.

Planning and Design service.Fitting if required.

No mimimum purchase eg; one cabinet, one door.

Weds - Sat 10am - 4pm. Mon & Tues by appointment.Contact Ray, Sonia 05 49 87 67 34E; [email protected]


Satellite TV & Installation

STAR SATELLITEBritish TV in France

BskyB Quali� ed For All Your Satellite Needs

Regions: Dordogne & surrounding Departments

Tel: 05 53 80 63 93Email: [email protected]

Web: www.starsatellite.frSiret: 501 962 666 00019



Furniture & Kitchens Currency

Insurance Double Glazing

English SpeakingAsk for Corinne

For all your insurance needs in France

Special discount for new owners - 50% o� the � rst year

Fully comprehensive covers at competitive

prices and all explained in ENGLISH. We respond quickly to enquiries and

in the case of accidents or claims, we are here to help.O� ces at Champdeniers and St

Pardoux (79). Come and visit us.

Agence MichallonTel: 05.49.25.87.06

[email protected]

Orias: 07007057

Ask about our promotionsMotor, House and Contents,

Health, Business, LifeInsurance and Savings

For all your insurance

needs

AGENCES PHILIPPE BOURDIN3 Place d’Armes, 16700 RUFFEC

Tel: 05 45 31 01 51or

Commercial site at SuperU, 79190 SAUZE VAUSSAIS

Tel: 05 49 07 61 10

Free, no obligation quotes.Ask for Samantha

No ORIAS: 07009808

E: bourdin-ru� [email protected]

Need help?Bring your computers down

to our fast and friendly service or call to arrange a home visit.

Fair Prices - No Fix, No FeeCall Rees Davies

05 49 87 70 20 / 06 72 33 23 15E: support@

poitoucharentesconnect.comwww.poitoucharentesconnect.com

St-Gaudent (86) - covering depts 86, 79 & 16

Tel: 05 55 09 15 73

PC Support

Hello, my name is Isabelle Want. For the past 5 years, I have been working for Allianz as an asset manager. Being mar-ried to an Englishman and having lived in the UK for 8 years gives me a better insight into what British people are

experiencing and what they need. Being French and born in the Charente has enabled me to offer some answers.I am, as always, available for any free advice on the follow-ing subjects: - INHERITANCE LAW - who inherits, how much are death duties, what solutions exist- TAXES - everybody’s fear! Annual tax forms in May, etc.

- INVESTMENTS - what is available, what rate, etc.- LIFE INSURANCE - how to protect your loved ones- FUNERAL COVER - preparing for the inevitable, unfortu-nately!- TOP UP HEALTH INSURANCE - why you need it and how much it is- INSURANCES - get a free quote to see if you can save moneyWe also have a dedicated bilingual person to deal with claims. And, finally, we have an English website with all sorts of useful information and tips on all of the above subjects.

Insurance and asset management advice in English

BH Assurances22 rue Jean Jaures 16700 Ruffectel : 05 45 31 01 61

10 bld du 8 mai 1945 16110 La Rochefoucauld tel : 05 45 63 54 31

102 ave de la République16260 Chasseneuil sur Bonnieuretel : 05 45 39 51 47

Contact Isabelle directly Mobile: 06 17 30 39 11 Email: [email protected] www.info-bhc.comN° ORIAS : 07020908

George WhiteEuropean Transport

Special rates to SW France13.6m / 45ft trailer

Full/Part loadsRemovals - Vehicles - Materials

Owner DriverRHA member

Tel: +44 (0)7768 867 360Fax +44 (0)1773 570 090

Fr Mobile: +33 (0)6 23 03 85 59

www.georgewhiteeuropean.co.uk

Weekly trips between UK and FranceEverything from part loads to full house removalsFully insured and registeredOver 25 years experience in transport and removalsUK depot available for deliveries

Phone David on 05 49 87 15 06 or 05 49 97 09 63e-mail [email protected]

www.buzz-transport.com

REMOVALS - STORAGE - GENERAL TRANSPORT - EXPRESS SERVICESPAIN - UK - FRANCE

1 cubic metre to full trailer loads - Dedicated express loadsWarehouse drop-off service - Single box, part load specialist

Professional export packing service

REMOVALS - STORAGE - GENERAL TRANSPORT - EXPRESS SERVICE

For a free quotation, call or visit our website:+34 952 79 34 22 +34 952 80 76 92

www.murrayharper.com [email protected]

90x19090x200

140x190150x200160x200180x200

www.jandafoam.com [email protected]: +44 (0) 12 54 66 36 63

Luxury Memory Foam Mattress ManufacturerAny size, delivered within 7 days

Weekly services to & from SW FranceInternal moves within France

Containerised StorageRange of Packing services available

Over 30 Years’ Experience

Fully Insured members of the BAR & GUILD of RemoversTel: 0044 1622 690653


www.anglofrench.co.ukUK Registration 543 77 60 UK

‘Your French Connection’EURO REMOVALS

ANGLO FRENCH

Le Parqueteur S.A.S.

Suppliers and Fitters of traditional wood flooring

Sanding, restoration and finishing of wood floors

and staircases

Fourniture et pose de parquets traditionnels

Poncage, restauration et finition des parquets et

escaliers

Free quotation - Devis gratuit

www.leparqueteur.fr E: [email protected] 55 89 55 12 - 06 30 66 84 51

A family business for 30 years, offering a professional service

Packing servicesFull/part loads to and

from the UKVehicles transported

Containerised storageCompetitive prices

Transit liability included

Contact; Stephen Franklin 0044 (0)1283 792838

[email protected]

www.franklinsremovals.co.uk

FRANKLINS REMOVALS LTD

www.frenchvanman.eu

Man & Van Transport

Genuine, Reliable & HonestLocal + Europe + UK runsGoods in Transit Insurance

14m3 capacity 4.2m load length

English & French spoken“extremely professional,

reliable and very good value for money”

05 55 33 21 5987150 Oradour-sur-Vayres

Siret: 530 213 644 00012

BikeHireDirectQuality bike hire across

depts 16, 17, 24, 86 & 87

FREE delivery & collection

Gite Owner? Earn money with us!

05 67 07 11 01 info@bikehiredirect.comwww.bikehiredirect.comwww.bikehiredirect.com

Bike Hire

PMCARPETS &FLOORING

For all your flooring needs • We supply and fit a range of carpets to suit all budgets • We also fit amtico, vinyl, wood and ceramic tile • Over 25 years experience, 100% customer satisfaction• Now selling a selection of wool and mixed fibre rugs Contact Paul on 06 60 07 54 78 or 05 45 84 27 75 www.pmcarpetsandflooring.com


The MarketPlace SWSoutH WeSt France


carpets & Fitting Mattresses

removals and Deliveries

Wood Flooring removals and Deliveries

FURNITURE for France is now in its thirteenth year of supplying quality furniture to properties in France. The company specialises in providing clients with a service that offers good

quality UK-sourced furniture, delivered direct to your property in France from just £99 .

Liaising with its customers from the ini-tial enquiry through to furniture instal-lation, ensures they are kept informed every step of the way. “With 12 years’ experience and thousands of deliveries under our belts throughout France, we have encountered almost everything and put that to good use when helping

customers find the right furniture for their property,” said Brian Muir, the company’s managing director.

Brian welcomes customers from all over France to the company’s showroom near Brive so they can see the large selection of furniture for themselves. They make deliveries throughout France, as well as locally to customers in the Dordogne, the Lot, Charente and Limousin.

Quality Furniture - Convenient Delivery

T: 05 55 22 31 46 or 06 46 49 73 45 E: [email protected] www.furnitureforfrance.co.uk

FEATURED BUSINESS

MORE€€€

FOR THESAME₤₤₤

WANTEDOLD MOPEDS

& MOTORCYCLESAny condition Pre 1985

I am a collectornot a dealer.

Tel Stewart on: 0549 870114

email [email protected]

Renovating your next property?

Dreaming of a new build?Let me help you.

• Dossiers prepared• Permis de construire• Déclaration préalables

Architectural Drawing Service


Peter Latus BA(Hons)

Siret: 49377035800015

Keith Bassett

Part or full renovationsRoo� ng

Plaster boardingAll building works

undertakenTel: 05 49 27 52 99

Mob: 06 74 95 21 00E: [email protected]

Based 79190

GENERAL BUILDING SERVICES

Siret 487 581 209 00011

Architectural designs, planning applications & project management for extensions, renovations,

conversions and new build.

Ian DickinsonBSc (Hons)

Tel/Fax: 05.46.98.22.01e-mail: [email protected]

ArchitecturalDesigner

Departments covered 16, 17, 79, 86

L’Atelier de FerFraser W. Eade

General Engineering

Turning, Milling, Welding

Quality & Precision

Guaranteed

Forgeix, 87200 Saint Junien05 55 71 41 75

[email protected]

Siret: 512 945 874 00018

Chimney SweepService

David Watkins

Tel: 02 51 00 33 01Mob: 06 42 77 40 13E: [email protected]

La Caillere Enterprise, Siret: 517 639 043

www.chimneysweep-vendee-deuxsevres.com

Exclusivelycovering85 & 79

We will collect your scrap car for freeWe sell & buy secondhand cars

R.H.D or L.H.D Spare parts for saleEnglish spoken ~ Special o� ers for 4x4s

Les Tourettes - 87440 SAINT MATHIEUTel: 05 55 48 21 33/ 06 52 80 52 62

[email protected]

CAR BREAKERSC.R.A.L

Pools from 12,400€ ttc - installed in 2 weeks,

free planningCelebrating 20 years of installing pools in France - genuine reas-

surance for the future. We will beat any like for like

quote - just call us.Main agents for Christal Pools

+33 (0)5 65 37 79 647, Ave Georges Pompidou 46300 Gourdon

[email protected] - www.piscine-plus.com

piscine-plus.compools - spas - security - chemicals - accessories

DOWN TO EARTH POOL DESIGN

Sarl

All work completed by us,design, excavation, construction & landscaping on completion.

All work guaranteed.Testimonials available on request.

www.DownToEarthPoolDesign.com Email: [email protected]

Prices from €17,597 for 8x4m

05 49 87 04 13Siret 4933703570011

POOLS BY JONATHANAgent and installer for several

rectangular & shaped pools including Seablue & Astral Pools

FRIENDLY PROFESSIONAL SERVICE

Competitive prices, try me for a quote

Terracing and landscaping service also available

ALL WORK GUARANTEED

www.poolsbyjonathan.com phone 0549840362 mobile 0622361056

SIRET

47994761600021

DOWN TO EARTHConstruction

Sarl

Fosse septique and accredited Micro station installerProfessional, friendly reliable service

with competitive prices.From conception to completion, we will

even do the paperwork.All drainage problems, groundworks patios & driveways.

Established 10 years, french registered & insuredAll work guaranteed - Testimonials available on request

www.downtoearthvienne.com Email: [email protected]

05 49 87 04 13Siret 4933703570011



Architectural Design Currency

Motoring Engineering

Building Services

Pools

Architectural Design

Chimney sweeps

At Vendee Pools we have been installing swimming pools in France for twelve years and during that time have built hundreds of pools with scores of satisfied customers. However we don’t just build high quality poly block pools with a 20 year structural warranty, we also specialise in ‘turn key’ solutions to your dream project. With vast expe-rience in groundworks we can offer terracing, landscaping and building

services to complement your pool project all backed up with qualified tradesmen and decennial assurance.We are official partners of O-Viva, the only infinity pool system with integrated security cover and with COVREX, high quality and super safe pool covers. We also offer a wide range of telescopic and fixed pool abris, delivered as a kit or installed by a skilled team, and all the latest high-tech water sanitiza-

tion and filtration systems. And, if you are on a budget and have some building skills, we also offer DIY pool kits and can help you along every step of the way.If you would like to visit a pool in-stallation near you or speak to some of our satisfied customers please feel free to ask. No-obligation site visits arranged to discuss your projects. Limited spaces available for 2015.

Make a splash with Vendée Pools!

T: 02 51 51 35 67 or 06 31 17 25 60 E: [email protected] www.vendeepools.com

FEATURED BUSINESS

Andrew Quick

Rendering, Pointing, Full and Part Renovations,

Conversions


depts 79, 86 & 16www.building-services-france.com

ROOFINGtraditional, mechanical, slate

Established, registered artisan with Décennale & Civile Responsabilité Insurance

Siret: 499 474 302 00019

ANDY MSGeneral Building ServicesPlasterboarding, Masonry, Tiling, Plumbing, Electricity, Bathrooms & Kitchens from A-ZDept. 16,17

05 46 49 78 30 / 06 70 40 66 01website: andyms.free.fr email: [email protected]:50263448800014

JAMES RICHARDSON

Imajica JoineryESTABLISHED COMPANY,

CONSCIENTIOUS & RELIABLE SERVICEFor a superior fi nish

in wood, tile, plasterboard and general restorationSpecialising in kitchen

fi tting & creative challenges

05 49 87 09 63

Artisan Fully Insured Décennale

Roofing

Specialist

Adrian direct: 06 10 89 49 16Office: 05 45 61 40 15

email: [email protected]

www.robinsbuilders.comSiret N°: 4880506750013

Call now for a free quote.Over 25 years

experience

Antony WherrettElectrical InstallationsGarden and Home Lighting DesignsIntegrated Security AlarmsFire Detection & Entry SystemsPlumbing and Heating

Total Project Management

With 30 years experience I will see your project through from start to fi nish

Contact Tony to discuss your requirementsTel - [email protected]

CesarConstructions BTP

Tel: 05.45.30.69.2816420 Saint Christophe

Stuart NichollsPort: 06.82.10.45.65

3New Builds 3 Renovations 3 Approved fosse septiques 3 Ground works

3Driveways 3Windows and Doors

Insurance DécennaleSiret: 517 604 997 00018

100% client satisfaction to date - references available on request

obert PoolenovationR

Masonry ~Roofing ~ Carpentry Plastering ~ Tiling

Maçonnerie ~ Couverture ~ Charpenterie Plàterie ~ Carrelage

www.charente-renovation.euTel: 05 46 97 75 58 or 06 22 52 94 36

Covering departments 17&16

Siret 482 521 804 0013

All work conforms to current French regulations

Fosse septiques and drainage Certi� cate of conformity guaranteed

05 45 31 19 40 - 06 26 71 45 69

BTP/SERVICES

TERRASSEMENT, CHEMIN D’ ACCES

MINI - PELLE , TRACTO PELLE

Tarifs intéressants, Travail soigné, Devis gratuit

St Laurent de Ceris - MontemboeufSiret 494 719 826 00021

We speak english

The Natural Way To Flow...All our systems are fully approved for use in France and we will

not be beaten on price

For a professional and friendly service,contact Clint: Tel: 05 45 85 47 40

[email protected] www.fossefrancesolutions.com

Independent supplier of a� ordable, reliable, high quality, environmentally friendly micro-stations and sewage

treatment systems for both new builds and properties with a non-conforming fosse.

FOSSE FRANCE SOLUTIONSFosse and Micro-station suppliers

UK registration 07 15 72 91

For the past few years the majority of carpets sold in Europe have been beige or neutral in colour. Even when interior design called for a strong colour on a ‘feature wall’, the demand for beige carpets remained the norm. But, as Jon the carpet man explains, “we are now seeing a shift away fom beige into shades of grey - hence the trademark description of this colour transition as Gre (y/be)eige!” From cool silvers to sophisticated grown up slate - grey is the

new beige!So, living in France - where most flooring styles remain fixed in the 60s - how do you see what’s new and innovative in the world of carpets and flooring? Jon’s wife and business partner Andrea explains: “As a company we keep up to date with what’s available by making regular trips to meet our suppliers. We deal with most of the major manufacturers including Abing-don Flooring and Cormar Carpets in the UK and specialist carpet and rug makers

like Bronte Carpets and Jacaranda.”With 35 years experience in the industry, Jon has an extensive list of trade contacts so is able to provide and install just about anything to do with carpets and flooring. This means that Jon and Andrea also have a huge range of vinyls, laminate, engineered and solid wood flooring.So if you want to see FIFTY SHADES OF GREIGE call Jon or Andrea.PS Jon would also be pleased to bring plenty of other colours too!

FIFTY SHADES OF GREIGE - Get laid on the floor

T: 05 55 73 63 16 E: [email protected] www.jon-thecarpetman.com

FEATURED BUSINESS

The MarketPlace SWSouth WeSt France To place your advert please call

Jon on: 05.49.87.29.71


Building Services

Building Services

Building Services

Carpenter ~ JoinerRenovation

Tiling ~ Drylining

79190 Clussais La PommeraieE: [email protected]

References available Siret: 509 487 534 00018

Carpenter Specialising in

Kitchens, Bathrooms, Renovations & Building

Works

R.S.PAMPHILION05.49.29.58.22

Registered Artisan with Décennale Insurance

LEE FORRESTGeneral Builder

New build or renovation, all types of building and roofing work undertaken. Blockwork,

stonework, plasterboards, tiling, terraces,bathrooms,

kitchens, roofing... Please call or email for

a free [email protected] Aigrefeuille d’Aunis

Tel: 06 81 28 11 57

SIRET: 800900623

R J ELECTRICAL

Fully Qualified and Insured Electrician

covering areas 16,17 and 33.

For all Electrical works.

Tel: 05 46 48 98 40 Mob: 06 64 85 45 02


Siret: 79906596600019

www.robelec16.com

FRENCH QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN

Small jobs tocomplete installations

Fully insured

Call Rob McMinn for free estimates and friendly advice


16 and surrounding areas

Andy CoopeGENERAL HANDYMAN05 49 87 20 76 / 06 95 41 78 [email protected]

Anything you cannot do, or do not wish to do, please give me a call.

Specializing in Gardening, Strimming, Hedge Trimming etc.,

Painting & Decorating, Building Works,

Fencing.

Siret: 752 604 256 00012

Robert Walker PLOMBERIE

Chauffage, Climatisation, SanitaireCentral Heating Installations Boiler ServicingBathroom, Kitchen InstallationsTiling, Solar Powered Hot WaterUnderfloor Heating & Heat Pumps

ROBERT WALKER Tel: 05 49 27 36 98Based South 79All work is fully insured,references can be provided

SIRET: 502 497 365 00010

Peter AmorElectrician

Large or small projects, from new builds, total

rewires (including 3 phase) to

Having additionalsockets/lights installed

to

Conformity Inspections

Tel: 05 49 91 85 54 [email protected]

All departments covered

SIRET: 480 026 560 00012

Tel: 05 49 50 09 06Mob: 06 70 97 59 56

Email: [email protected]: 45275539000013 RM8601

Ellis Electrique

EXPERIENCED QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN

REWIRES, NEW BUILD,ELECTRIC HEATING,

HOME SECURITY, LIGHTNING PROTECTION,

TV & AUDIO. WORK GUARANTEED &

INSUREDAreas: 16, 36, 37, 79, 86, 87

P.D. SmithPlastering & BuildingHigh quality Plaster and

Building Work

All jobs undertaken from renovations to new builds

Specialist in fl at plastering, plasterboarding

Stud Partitioning, rendering and pointing

free quotes, please call06 75 44 02 86

[email protected] no: 511 322 810 00017

ELECTRICIAN

Experienced,French Registered

ElectricianAvailable for all types

of electrical workrenovations, small works,

gate automations etc.Insured and guaranteed

Areas 16, 17, 24, 47


Siret 49376573200015

Career Changing OpportunitiesWith excellent earning potential

We are currently recruiting independent sales agents in

all Vendée, La Rochelle, Bergerac, Périgueux and Pays-de-la-Loire. No vacancies in the Charente.

Full training provided - Call Sarah Edwards: 0666 58 94 66 [email protected]

Looking to buy or sell? We have thousands of properties on our website, local knowledge you can trust.

www.frenchestateagents.com

E: [email protected] Tel: 05 49 07 62 71 Mob: 06 47 67 57 49

www.apsmultiservices.fr

• Stone• Wood• Metal

A.P.S. MULTI SERVICES Siret: 517 487310 00015

• Wood-fi redcentral heating

• Bathrooms• Kitchens

• Renovations• All interior

& exterior work

• CAD drawings

SAND BLASTING PLUMBING GENERAL

BUILDING



Carpenters

Plumbers ElectriciansBuilding Services

Electricians

Plasterers Handyman

+44 (0) 207 220 1746

[email protected]

Authorised by the FCA

CONTACTVIRGINIE AT

PDQFX

CurrencyRecruitment

www.LBVfrance.com e:[email protected] t:+33 (0)5 45 32 42 87

Les Bons VoisinsLes Bons Voisinsproperty management throughout france . no job too small, no project too large

key holding . caretaking . maintenance . supervision . admin helpchangeovers . cleaning . gardening . mail forwarding . translation

friendly people providing professional help to home owners in france

exceptional service at competitive prices

64 | www.livingmagazine.fr64 | www.livingmagazine.fr www.livingmagazine.fr | 57

YY Special Valentine’s Day Meal YY14 February: 25€ per person

Mad Hatter’s KitchenMad Hatters Kitchen serving freshly

made good food just for you!

Thurs and Fri lunches: 3 courses, wine included €12.50 Fri and Sat evening menu €25

Traditional 3 course Sunday lunch €18Fish n Chips, or Curry! eat in or take out Wed’s (order in advance)

All by reservationBED & BREAKFAST AVAILABLE

Please ring or e mail for more info 0549 27 67 29 [email protected] / www.madhattersfrance.eu

Le Logis, Le Breuillac, 79190 Caunay

SAVE THE DATE for our SUMMER FESTIVAL Even bigger & better than last year!

7, 8, 9th AUGUST

Philippe & Yveline offer traditional French cuisine

using fresh local ingredients

À L’ABRI DES PINS Restaurant en Charente

T: 05 45 35 81 27 06 31 64 85 14

www.abri-des-pins.com

Fixed menu from Weekdays 14€

Weekends 21€/26€ (2/3 courses)Open lunchtimes Tues -Sun

Valentine’s & Easter mealsRepas gastronomique

Café Clémence25 bis, route d’Angoulême

16150 Chabanais05 45 31 83 95

Winter hours Sun / Mon / Tue: 11h-14h

Wed / Thurs: 11h - 18h Fri: 11h -20h30 (21h with reservation)

Sat: 11h- 14h & 17h30- 20h30 (21h with reservation)

Freshly cooked foodNew to menu - gourmet burgersLunch menu 12.50€ inclusive

ENTENTE CORDIALEPUB - BAR - RESTAURANT

Meal of the day 12€ Dish of the day 8€Open: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 8h00 –20h00

Wednesday 08h00 –14h00Friday –Saturday 8h00 –01h00

(SKITTLES, Quizzes, Theme Meals, Disco Nights, Live Bands…)

Sunday -Closed

Le Bourg / 24300 Abjat sur Bandiat05 53 56 81 01

[email protected]

Headquarters of the French Conkers Federation

The Irish BelleTea Rooms Confolens

Breakfasts & Lunches to include bacon sandwiches,

baked potato with toppings, a side salad and more.

Also selling Irish/English pro-duce & Gluten-free products.

Come and enjoy the cosy country ambience.

Tues & Weds: 10h-18h Thurs & Fri: 11h-18h

Sat: 11h-16h21 Rue du Maquis Foch,

16500 Confolens 06 14 12 54 61 / 05 45 31 23 31

Freshly cooked food, Menu du jour ,Bar menu, A la carte, Sunday roasts,

& live music

La Brousse, 16700 Londignytel; 05 45 29 05 07

www.aubergedunoyer.com www.facebook.com/aubergedunoyer

Auberge du noyerBar & Restaurant

Open daily except Tues & Weds

2nd Sunday of each month at lunch time

Sunday Roast with all the trimmings!

27th February: Love-Love party for those who need to celebrate Valentine’s Day twice. Red is the colour!

27th March: 1920/1930 partyTake a trip back in time to the age of elegance! Charleston and lots of beads...

www.lemerleblanc-resto-bistro.fr06 21 16 87 4210 rue du LogisFresneau 17160 HaimpsFollow us on

Winter Opening hoursFriday till Monday evening

RESTO - BISTROAgenda - Events

Tune in to AngloFile on RCF Accords, your regional English

language radio programme.Tuesdays at 20h, Sunday at 11h30.

Angoulême frequency 96.8, for otherfrequencies or online see www.rcf.fr

Contributors wanted. [email protected]

Equine Rescue FranceWE DO WHAT WE DO

TO HELP STOP WHAT THEY DO

FUNDRAISERS NEEDEDto help us continue our vital

welfare work

Please take a look at our website

www.EquineRescueFrance.orgReg: 862000830 (Montmorillon)

Does your family member or a friend have a problem with alcohol?Do you wish the drinking

would stop?If so, we can help - you

are not alone.There is now an English

speaking support group in south west France.

Call Angela for more information on

05 49 87 79 09

Vouvant, Bressuire, St Aubin le Cloud, Thouars, Fenioux,

St Jouin de Marnes, L’Absie, La Ferriére, St Maixent,

and Clesse.

Available each month from...

Books in English For Sale or Exchange

Call 06 08 30 73 29 or email: [email protected]

Paperback Jan is on facebook...Siret: 512 891 060 00018

Contact me to arrange your own Book Party

7 Place André Bujeaud, 85210 Saint Hermine


Traditional English FoodLarge choice of beersQuizzes and Events

Lunch & Evening - 3 courses 12€

Closed Wednesdaylepubdeshalles

Alcoholics AnonymousIf you, or someone you know, has a drinking problem, join one of the English-speaking

AA meetings across the south west of France.

Alcoholics Anonymous is a Fellowship of men and women

who share their experience, strength and hope with each

other so that they may solve their common problem and help

others recover from alcoholism.Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help others achieve

sobriety.

Tel: Angela on 05 49 87 79 09 or Roger on 05 55 76 22 65

www.aafrancesud-ouest.com

What’s OnWhat’s ON Page sWsOuth West FRaNce

64 | www.livingmagazine.fr

associations

associations

What’s On

living Music

Hotel Du Diamant Bar, Hôtel & Restaurant

Snacks, lunch and evening meals starting from 4.50€

Live music & theme nightssee website for details

Group bookings taken

www.facebook.com/hoteldudiamantfi nd us on facebook

James & Nicky 05 49 87 20 28 | 6 Rue de Diamant 86460 Mauprevoir

Mauprevoir

www.hoteldudiamant.com

Situated on the village green opposite the church

10 minutes from the Vallée des Singes• Large Garden & terrace •

• Traditional Sunday lunches •

12 Rue Du Cedre 86400 Blanzay See our website for events and opening times

www.aubergedeblanzay.fr

For further details please contact Gavin & Lesley 05 49 87 50 87

Mix of French

& English cuisine

~ Menu du

Jour 12h -14h

~ Snack menu all day

Auberge de blAnzAyCafé de la Gare

Bar ~ Snacks ~ Music ~ Poolopen till midnight

Weekends 12-12, Lunch Tue-Fri

Sunday Lunch ~ ExhibitionsGourville (16170)

Between Aigre & RouillacTel: 0545 622516

FB: le bourg aka cafe de la gare

Music nights: 27 Feb and 27 March ** Watch out for our Spring Fair **

Drop off point for Blightyshop.com

Yvonne and Steve

the people are happy, the weather is nice. The French know all our ’60s and ’70s music, and we have some French material we put in to show we’re willing to sing in French. Music breaks down the barriers. I remember at one fete the sound system guy was really grumpy. He just didn’t like the British. By the end of the night he had completely changed and was very nice to us – we’d played some French songs and he’d appreciated the music; he knew we were musicians and not just people who played music.” Find Dangerous Age on

Facebook: stevestephyvonne

It’s a long way from London’s West End to rural Poitou-Charentes but, as Lynette Eyb finds out, Yvonne Clarke wouldn’t have it any other way.

Dangerous Age

A professional musician all her adult life, Yvonne divides her time between a thriving music teaching business in the hills

of Snowdonia and her French base in Oradour-Fanais on the Vienne-Charente border. Together with her husband Steve, she is well-known on the music scene in south-west France as Dangerous Age, a duo with a vast repertoire of musical styles from pop and rock through to country and ceilidh.

During the summer months, Yvonne and Steve are regulars on the Charente scene, and visitors to the Café le Pont de la Pierre in Bellac or Dirty Harry’s Palais du Rock in Bussière-Poitevine will be familiar with their tunes. It’s something of a departure for Yvonne who spent the 1970s and ’80s supporting the likes of Boney M, Status Quo and Percy Sledge on the London scene.

Music was a natural career for Yvonne – her mother sang with the London Philharmonic Choir, while her dad was an organist at St Paul’s Cathedral. Steve’s parents both played the piano, though neither he nor his parents were formally trained. As a result, “there is no social divide in the music we play,” says Yvonne and, not surprisingly, their four children have followed in their parents’ footsteps.

Son Ross is principal trumpet for the Kazakh National Opera, having played with the likes of Jamie Cullum and the late, great Johnny Dankworth. One

daughter, Jess, is an accomplished cellist, the French-American cellist Yo-Yo Ma among her collaborators. Daughter Jo is a sound engineer, while Steph – who still plays regularly in France with Yvonne and Steve – teaches flute, oboe, sax and clarinet.

All are Francophiles, having grown up in Provence until the family moved back to the UK for music schools and universities. “As they got older, we started looking again at France, and moved to Oradour-Fanais in 2010. I’ve got horses, and we couldn’t keep driving them back and forth to the south of France. The south-west is lush and green, and good for equines.”

“What we found when we moved to the Charente was that there were some very good bands, but quite a lot were single genre bands,” says Yvonne. “We don’t play a particular genre – we play country, pop, reggae, French, rock. If you don’t like country, then it doesn’t matter because the next song will be something new. People seem to like that. Plus, in our area there are a lot of semi-retired and retired expats who are in our age group and into the same music as we were when we were young.” She adds that the vibrant French scene is a welcome change. “In the UK there are a lot of pubs shutting or moving to karaoke and open mic nights, which are cheaper. This is really killing the live music market.”

“In general it’s lovely playing in France because a lot of the venues are outdoors,

MUpBeat


66 | living books

Former BBC books reviewer, Sandie George, takes a look at the latest French and English bestsellers.

THANK YOU FOR THIS MOMENTby VALÉRIE TRIERWEILER publisher Biteback Publishing

News of President Hollande’s infideli-ty broke in January

2014. First Lady, Valerie Trierweiler, learnt of the affair through the press and was subsequently hospitalised. First published in France in September 2014, it promptly became the fastest selling book in French history. This memoir proved incendiary, sending shockwaves for its revelations about the President’s politics and per-sonal life. In a nation that strives not to pry into the private lives of its politicians, this book sparked intense debate.

THE IRON KING (Accursed Kings saga)by MAURICE DRUON publisher HarperCollins

Originally written 60 years ago as part of a series of seven historical novels which set the scene in France in the run-up to the Hundred Years War. Newly republished, ’The Iron King’ is the first in the series. King Philip ‘the Fair’ is cold and silent, as handsome and unblinking as a statue. He governs his realm with an iron hand, but he cannot rule his own family. A lot of the action takes place in Poitou-Charentes.

US by DAVID NICHOLLS publisher Hodder & Stoughton

Douglas Petersen understands

his wife’s need to ‘rediscover herself’ now that their son is leaving home. He thought they would be doing that together. However, she announces she will be leaving too but Douglas decides a holiday of a lifetime is needed for all of them. Perhaps his wife would discover why she fell in love with him. The hotels are booked, the tickets bought, the itinerary planned and printed. What could possibly go wrong?

A CHRISTMAS WEDDING by JULIA STAGGpublisher Hodder & Stoughton.

This is not just a Christmas read

as Julia Stagg takes us back to Fogas with the usual, wonderful characters who are getting ready for Stephanie and Fabian’s wedding on Christmas Eve. The plans seem to be scuppered when both the caterer pulls out and the venue is cancelled. Of course, the village people pull together to save the day, and we also have the treat of recipes for the dishes prepared for the wedding.

THE KIND WORTH KILLING by PETER SWANSON publisher Faber

Delayed in London, Ted Severson meets a woman at the airport bar. Over cocktails they tell each other rather more than they should, and a dark plan is hatched - but are either of them being serious and what would be their chances of getting away with it? This novel starts out a bit like ‘Strangers on a train’ and updated to ‘Strangers on a Plane’. A sublimely plotted novel of trust and betrayal.

LivingRecommended Bestsellers:

Andre Rieu: My Music My Life by Majorie Rieu, publisher Quadrille

Year of Taking Chances by Lucy Diamond, publisher Pan

Autocourse Annual 2014 by Tony Dodgins, publisher Icon

The Final Minute by Simon Kernick, publisher Century

Die Again by Tess Gerritsen, publisher Bantam

Book reviews

*** ***

***

****

****

Grow your business this summer! Advertise in Living Magazine's Ultimate Summer Guide to Poitou-Charentes, the only guide to the region published in Eng lish.

Available for FREE at airports, tourist offices and businesses across PoitouCharentes and the surrounding area, it flies off the shelves and receives rave reviews.

ReroportBergerac - ..--Dordogne Perigord

Documents

Living Magazine Feb/March 15