The Deux-Sèvres Monthly - May 2024

• LOCAL EVENTS

• LOCAL EVENTS

• YOGA

• YOGA

• BEEKEEPING

• BEEKEEPING

• CROSSWORDS

• CROSSWORDS

Magnificent May! Magnificent May!

• RECIPES and more

• RECIPES and more

You

and on death could mean your heirs will pay increasingly more tax, while the Overseas Transfer Allowance may impact British expatriates seeking to transfer their pension overseas. And if the Labour Party are elected to government, it could all change again.

Should you act now to protect your

e windows of opportunity won’t last long.

www.blevinsfranks.com

Welcome to the May issue of the Deux-Sèvres Monthly magazine!

Yet another month goes by, and we’re already nearly half way through the year Working a month in advance all the time means that I no longer have any idea of what month we are in

I was delighted last month to finally have a storm named after me, and I hope my namesake didn’t do any real damage There’s been a definite shift in temperature; there have been at least three nights this week we haven’t needed to use the log burner

We hope you enjoyed last month’s magazine and appreciated the Poisson d’Avril that we included Much as we would like to think that the Tramway of the Deux-Sèvres is reopening powered by hamsters, it’s not real It was a figment of my imagination running wild – probably as result of all the bad weather and being cooped up in the house

After the last magazine went to print we spent a week touring round the Vendée discovering new places and more distribution points. We even managed to stop for lunch in the village where our contributor Karen writes her View from the Vendée, although we only realised that when we got home Our planning could have been better.

May in France is full of holidays and bridge days. You can read more about the background to some of the holidays and some French proverbs this month, as well as Clare’s helpful tips and advice in her wonderful Garden Diary

The what’s on section in the magazine this month has a definite botanical theme, and includes a guided walk along some lines of the old tramway – rodents not included If you have an event planned, feel free to email it to us at info@thedeuxsevresmonthly fr and we’ll try to include it

Thanks once again to our advertisers, without your support we couldn't be able to print the magazine and to all our contributors for their fantastic articles every month And to you the readers for all your support and encouragement over the past year

We look forward to seeing you again in June

Kathleen & Chris

tel: 07 86 99 16 17 email: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr

© K Butler-donnelly 2024 all rights reserved Material may not be reproduced without permission. While care is taken to ensure that articles and features are accurate, we accept no liability for errors or omissions. the opinions expressed by individual authors do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the publisher While we make every effort to ensure that businesses advertising with us are reputable and appropriately registered, you should verify that any company you are dealing with is a registered trading company in France and/or elsewhere and has the correct siret number and insurance Before embarking

event, it is highly recommended that you verify the event details with other sources. the deux-sèvres Monthly est édité par Kathleen Butler-donnelly, 27 rue de la Madoire, Bressuire 79300 tel: 07 86 99 16 17. directeur de la publication et rédacteur en chef: K Butler-donnelly siret: 90043034900028 Crédits photos :adobe stock, istock, Pixabay sauf mention contraire. impression: graficas Piquer sl, 29 al Mediterraneo, Pol ind san rafael, 04230, huércal de almeria, espagne issn: 2115-4848 dépôt légal: à purition

CHURCH NOTICES

The Filling Station - PoitouCharentes. Local Christians of all denominations who meet for spiritual renewal and evangelism Carolyn on 05 45 84 19 03 or www thefillingstationfrance com

All Saints, Vendée - Puy de Serre. We hold two services each month (plus Sunday school), on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at the church of St Marthe, Puy de Serre, at 11h www allsaintsvendee fr

The English Speaking Church of the Valley of the Loire (ESCOVAL) meets at the R C Church in Arçay every 3rd Sunday of the month at 11am (just off the D759, Thouars to Loudun)

Eglise Vie Nouvelle English service (translated into French) every week in the Salle Annexe behind Civray Mairie at 10 30am

Contact 06 25 04 36 51 www vienouvelle-civray com

The Chaplaincy of Christ the Good Shepherd, PoitouCharentes Normally holds Sunday services in English Please see our website for current information: www churchinfrance com

Evangelical Church (ChefBoutonne) Meetings each Sunday at 3:00pm The Evangelical Church, 10 Rue de l’Huilerie, 79110 Chef-Boutonne All are welcome Parking on site Please see our website for more www mission-poitou-charentes com

Local Markets in the Deux Sèvres

Monday am Cerizay 79140 place des Halles

Tuesday a m

Bressuire 79300 place Dupin

Coulonges-sur-l'Autize 79160 Centre Ville

La Creche 79260 rue du Marché

Lezay 79120 place du Marché

Niort 79000 place des Halles

Thouars 79100 place Lavault

Vasles 79340 la place du 25 Août

Wednesday a m Celles-sur-Belle79370 Centre Ville

Niort 79000 place des Halles

Parthenay 79200 rue Jean-Jaurès

Thursday a m Argenton-les-Vallées 79150 place Philippe de Commynes

La Motte St Héray 79800 place Clémenceau

Niort 79000 place des Halles

Sauzé-Vaussais 79190 Centre Ville

Friday a m Coulon 79510 place de l'Eglise

Melle 79500 place Bujault

Niort 79000 place des Halles

Nueil les Aubiers 79250 place Pierre Garnier

Thouars 79100 place Lavault

Saturday a m Airvault 79600 place Saint-Pierre

Bressuire 79300 place Dupin

Cerizay 79140 place des Halles

Champdeniers 79220 Centre Ville

Chef-Boutonne 79110 Centre Ville

Cherveux 79410 Centre Ville

Coulonges-sur-l'Autize 79160 place des Halles

Le Tallud 79200 place de l'Église

Lezay 79120 place du Marché

Mauleon 79700 place du château

Mauze sur le Mignon 79210 place de l'Eglise

Moncoutant 79320 Centre Ville

Niort 79000 place des Halles

Parthenay 79200 rue Jean-Jaurès

Saint Maixent-l'Ecole 79400 place du Marché

THE ENGLISH SPEAKING CHURCH OF THE VALLEY OF THE LOIRE “ESCOVAL”

We meet on the third Sunday of each month at the church in Arçay at 11h00. The services are multidenominational and vary between Matins and Holy Communion - both usually include hymns.

Afterwards there is usually a bring-and-share lunch. Arçay is situated between Loudun and Thouars just off the D759.

www.escoval.jimdofree.com

Contact Geoff Cornwall : gdfrance6052@gmail.com

Jim Burrows : 05 49 22 41 78

Carole Taylor : mumsikins@hotmail.com

Sunday a m

Chatillon sur Thouet 79200 place du Parnasse

Coulon 79510 place de l'Eglise

La Creche 79260 rue du Marché

Niort 79000 place des Halles

Saint-Loup-Lamairé place du Marché

Thénezay 79390 place de L'Hôtel de Ville

Local Markets in neighbouring departments

Monday a m

Doue-la-Fontaine 49700 place du Champ de Foire

Tuesday a m Civray 86400 place Leclerc

Montrueil-Bellay 49260 place du Marché

Mortagne-sur-Sèvres 85290 place Hullin

Surgéres 17700 rue Audry de Puyravault

Wednesday a m Fontenay-le-Comte 85200 place du Commerce

Lusignan 86600 place Isabelle d’Angoulême

Ruffec 16700 Centre Ville

Vihiers 49310 place Charles-de-Gaulle

Thursday a m Aulnay 17470 Centre Ville

Surgéres 17700 rue Audry de Puyravault

Friday a m Civray 86400 place Leclerc

Saturday a m

Doue-la-Fontaine 49700 place René Nicolas

Cholet 49300 place du 8 Mai 1945

Fontenay-le-Comte 85200 place du Commerce

La Châtaigneraie 85120 place de la République

Pouzauges 85700 place de l’Hôtel de Ville

Ruffec 16700 Centre Ville

Surgéres 17700 rue Audry de Puyravault

Sunday a m Aulnay 17470 Centre Ville

Latillé 86190 place Robert Gerbier

Valence-en-Poitou 86700 place du Marché

Regular venues including:

• Argentonnay 79150

• Funny Farm Cat Rescue 79300

• Genneton 79150

• Louin 79600

• Noirlieu 79300

Remember to pick up your copy of The Deux-Sèvres Monthly!

Find us on Facebook: Oh my Lord Franck’s fish and chips or email: lordmaurin@yahoo.com

MR T’S FISH & CHIPS

Regular venues at:

• Aulnay de Saintonge 17470

• Beauvais Sur Matha 17490

• St Jean D’Angély 17400

• Sauzé-Vaussais Hope 79 79190

• La Chaumière, La Chapelle 16140 • Charroux 86250

• Saintes 17100 • Savigné 86400

Remember to pick up your copy of The Deux-Sèvres Monthly!

Tel: 06 02 22 44 74

email: mrt fishandchips@gmail com www.frying4u2nite.com

Fête du Travail Labour Day

Wednesday 1 May 2024

Victoire de 1945 VE Day

Wednesday 8 May 2024

Ascension Ascension Day

Thursday 9 May 2024

Dimanche de Pentecôte

Whit Sunday Sunday 19 May 2024

Lundi de Pentecôte

Whit Monday Monday 20 May 2024

Fête nationale "Bastille Day"

Sunday 14 July 2024

Assomption Assumption Day

Thursday 15 August 2024

Toussaint All Saints Day

Friday 1 November 2024

Armistice de 1918 Armistice Day

Monday 11 November 2024

Noël Christmas Day

Wedn 25 December 2024

THE OLYMPIC FLAME ARRIVES!

On 2 June, the 49th day of the Passage de la Flamme Olympique, the torch will light up towns in the Deux-Sèvres, marking an important stage on its way to Paris. The day's route has been planned to celebrate the spirit of the Olympic Games and the heritage of the towns through which it passes.

Stage 1: Thouars

The day begins in Thouars at exactly 9 05am

The torch starts at Place Levault, located in front of the vibrant les Halles market Its route takes it along Pl Flandres Dunkerque and Rue de la Tremoille before arriving in the inner courtyard of the Château at 9 25 am

The day will be filled with sporting and cultural activities open to all For more information on the day's events, visit thouars fr

Stage 2: Bressuire

At 10 10am, the flame progresses to Bressuire, setting off from Collège Jules Supervielle From Collège Jules Supervielle, the route heads along Rue Malabry towards the Château and then up Rue Gambetta and Rue de la Tourette The arrival at Place de la Libération, in front of Bressuire Théâtre, is expected at 11 00 am

A special taekwondo relay team of 24 participants, including Myriam Baverel, silver medallist at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, will present the martial art along the flame's route Details of the programme can be found at ville-bressuire fr

Stage 3: Parthenay

The relay continues at 11 23am at the Porte Saint-Jacques in Parthenay following Rue Godineau then up Boulevard de la Meilleraye

The torch is expected to reach Place du Drapeau at 11 43 am

The programme includes sports, cultural and fun activities as well as concerts and a participatory music show, culminating in the handover of the Olympic flame You can find the full programme at parthenay fr

Stage 4: Saint Maixent L'Ecole

After lunchtime, the torch will pass from the École Nationale des Sous-Officiers (ENSOA) in Saint Maixent L'Ecole at 2 13 pm Via Avenue Wilson, Place du Chevron, Rue de la Tour Carrée and Avenue Gambetta, the torch will arrive at Place Denfert-Rochereau at 3 04 pm

The ENSOA open days promise cultural and sporting activities and reward participants with concerts on Saturday evening and a flash mob Olympics You can find the programme at saint-maixent-lecole fr

Stage 5: Celles-sur-Belle

The torch starts at 3 17 pm at the Abbaye Royale and follows a picturesque route along Avenue Wilson, around Place du Chevron, Rue de la Tour Carrée and Avenue Gambetta This stage is scheduled to finish at 3 37 pm at the Complexe sportif de la Boissière

Choirs, brass bands and country dances as well as various sports and creative workshops await the participants for a festive day You can find more information at ville-celles-sur-belle com

Stage 6: Coulon

The flame will take to the water at 5 34 pm from l’Autremont and wind its way along the Sèvre Nantais to la Maison du Marais poitevan From there, it continues along Quai Louis Tardy and Rue de l’Église to Place de l’Église, where it arrives at 5 54 pm

During this weekend, there will be sporting challenges, disabled sports activities, musical entertainment and workshops in support of "Support for Célia" Information on the events can be found at ville-coulon fr

Last stage: Niort

The day's events will culminate in Niort, where the torch will set off from the Mairie du Clou Bouchet at 6 25pm The route will take it along the Boulevard de l’Atlantique and the Avenue de la Rochelle, across the river to Port Bionot and back to the Donjon de Niort and Les Halles

The torch will then run down the Esplanade de la République to the Jardin de la Brèche and the Conseil départemental The route ends with the arrival of the torch at 7 20pm on Place Chanzy, where the cauldron will be ceremonially lit

On 1 and 2 June, a two-day event will take place in Niort to celebrate the arrival of the Olympic flame with a sports festival, various cultural and sporting activities and musical performances

Highlights include a special choreography on the theme of disability and sport, an event village with spectacular shows and the lighting of the flame The celebrations will end at the Stade Espinassou with concerts, live broadcasts of the flame's journey and a fireworks display You can find more at vivre-a-niort.com

A common highlight at each location along the route will be the Deux-Sèvres stand, offering a range of activities for all ages as well as the chance to win tickets to the Olympic Games Visit deux-sevres fr for more details

LE PRINTEMPS DES ARTISTES

Weekends in May & June

Saint-Loup-sur-thouet

This exhibition at Les Rendez-Vous de Saint-Loup features the work of talented painters and sculptors It serves as a warm-up to July's festival, offering a visual treat in this Petite Cité de Caractère rendezvoussaintloup com

LES MATINALES: GUIDED MARKET

TOUR

Every Sunday

Niort

Explore the historic Halles de Niort through a guided tour, experiencing its rich scents and vibrant colours Optional tasting of local delicacies available Voted the most beautiful market in Nouvelle Aquitaine in 2019 je-regarde fr

TAKE ON THE CHALLENGE!

Until 5 May

Saint-andré-Sur-Sèvre

In celebration of a year filled with medieval challenges inspired by the Olympic spirit, Château de Saint Mesmin invites families to partake in memory games, shooting events, puzzles, and more Team up for a mystery-solving adventure in the castle! chateau-saintmesmin.com

EXHIBITION - ALINE IVARS

Until 8 May

Magné

Explore Aline Ivars' artistic journey through painting, drawing, photography, and more, exploring themes of time, memory, and the deep connections to our roots, origins, and the natural world Centre Culturel du Four Pontet agenda niortagglo fr

EXPOSITION BÉATRICE HAZARD

Until 10 May

Celles-sur-Belle

Discover Béatrice Hazard's work at the Abbaye Royale, where her paintings evoke a world dressed in dreams, featuring beings adorned with feathers, leaves, or flowers amidst dreamlike landscapes Free entry abbaye-royale-celles com

SPRING AT THE HARAS DE LA VENDÉE

Until12 May

La roche-sur-Yon (85000)

Enjoy rich equestrian demonstrations by artists Ramon Molina, Annouck Sirvent, and Caroline Berger with the Department's cavalry Activities include dressage, vaulting, liberty, and carriage driving initiation for those aged 10 and upwards vendee fr

SITES PATRIMONIAUX CRÉCHOIS

Until 12 May

La Créche

This exhibition features 19 informative panels about Deux-Sèvres' heritage, including churches, historical buildings, and notable figures, set to be installed across the region It complements a newly released discovery booklet with 8 circuits Entry is free and takes place at Cinéma Henri-Georges Clouzot ville-lacreche fr

ANTHONY PLASSE "LE PLI"

Until 20 June

thouars

"Le Pli" by Anthony Plasse is a unique exhibition featuring fifty large photosensitised canvases that underwent a mysterious transformation in La Chapelle Jeanne d’Arc’s crypt This delicate process reflects Plasse's deep engagement with this extraordinary space The space is now recognised as a national contemporary art centre facebook.com/LaChapelleJeannedArc

EXPOSITION - MARYSE "MARZ"

DAOUX: CALYPS'Ô

Until 30 June

Mazières-en- Gâtine

Explore the interactive exhibition Calyps'Ô by artist Maryse "Marz" Daoux

A marine-inspired adventure awaits through the mythical Marzique ocean to discover the enchanting world of Calyps'Ô Free admission during library opening hours mazieres-en-gatine fr

IDA GRINSPAN EXHIBITION

Until 30 September

Fontivillie

This exhibition unveils the harrowing yet inspiring story of Ida FensterzabGrinspan, a young Jewish refugee in France Experience her life from Paris to Auschwitz through a profound display at the old school in Sompt Admission is free Visits by appointment To book, email mairie-fontivillie@paysmellois org fontivillie fr

EXHIBITION "LA SCULPTURE, DÉCOR D’ARCHITECTURE"

Until 31 October

Parthenay

Explore the complex interplay between architecture and its sculptural embellishments via photographs and real-life sculptures The exhibition at CIAP presents a creative and engaging journey into the architectural elegance of Parthenay-Gâtine cc-parthenay-gatine.fr

PINOCCHIO

2 & 3 May

Coulon

A joyful, interactive adaptation of Carlo Collodi's Pinocchio, featuring ingenious staging with masks, puppets, shadow theatre, and magic Celebrates learning through disobedience, offering a schoolfriendly experience for children billetweb fr/theatreaumarais

EXHIBITION - MICHEL LACROIX

3 to 12 May

Parthenay

The ceramist Michel Lacroix transforms glazed earthenware into expressions of joy, travelling and whimsy His sculptures are free from the constraints of utility and celebrate colours, textures and the sheer joy of artistic freedom Exhibition at the Chapelle des Cordeliers michellacroix fr

LES OISEAUX DES RIVIÈRES

3 May - 3 June

La Mothe Saint-Héray

A temporary exhibition at Moulin du Pont l'Abbé, organized by the Groupe Ornithologique des Deux-Sèvres, highlights the bird-friendly habitats along the Deux-Sèvres rivers, showcasing wellknown species la-mothe-saint-heray.fr

FRAGMENTS OF NATURE EXHIBITION

4 May - 3 June

Celles-sur-Belle

"Fragments of Nature" features Eloé Liss's watercolors and Jacky Ruchaud's engravings, capturing nature's essence

The vernissage on 4 May includes music by Naot Maboul and a welcome drink

Free entry; Reservation recommended lagroielabbe com

STAR WARS DAY

4 May

across the Galaxy

Gather your lightsabers and join the intergalactic festivities this Star Wars Day! Unite with fellow rebels in the ultimate celebration of the Force Summon your inner Jedi and raise a toast to the galaxy far, far away May the Fourth be with you! starwars com

WILD PLANTS IN MY VILLAGE

4 May

Fors

A hands-on workshop exploring wild plants in public spaces and private gardens Includes harvesting, cooking demonstrations, and tasting sessions

Hosted by Amandine Geers, part of the "Fors Celebrates Nature" event Free, agenda.niortagglo.fr

GUIDED TOUR - THE PATH OF THE DEUX-SÈVRES TRAMWAY

4 May

argentonnay

Join the 3A (Association d'Animation de l'Argentonnais) for a free, thematic guided tour unraveling the history of the Deux-Sèvres Tramway Explore the ancient paths of Argenton-Château and retrace the tracks of this historic route argentonnay.fr

LES ORCHIDÉES DE LA VALLÉE DU PRESSOIR

Saint Jacques de Thouars

4 May

Take a guided journey through the Espace Naturel Sensible de la Vallée du Pressoir to unearth the fascinating world of wild orchids and their unique interactions with pollinators Uncover the stunning beauty and rich biodiversity of this natural sanctuary dsne org

TALENTS DE FEMMES: WOMEN'S CRAFT EXHIBITION

4 & 5 May

Chauray

Discover an exhibition at the Temple that celebrates the passion and skill of female artisans working in a variety of materials, such as fabric, glass, wood, ceramic, stone, metal, cardboard, leather, and semi-precious stones Admission is €3, with free entry for those under 15 niort soroptimist fr

RETURN TO THE PAST: THE ROARING TWENTIES

4 & 5 May

Sainte Ouenne

Step back into the 1920s with traditional crafts, school class reenactments, a village wedding celebration, and vintage vehicle exhibitions End the weekend with a vide-grenier Free admission facebook.com/SEPSteOuenne

43rd MINERALS & FOSSILS SALON

4 & 5 May 2024

thouars

Visit the Orangerie du Château for an event featuring a variety of stunning minerals, crystals, and ancient fossils With twenty exhibitors, it's ideal for collectors and geology newcomers This year highlights fossil fish and crustaceans Children under 12 get a free mineral or fossil maisonduthouarsais com

CONCERT: REQUIEM DE FAURÉ

5 May 2024

Celles-sur-Belle

On the centenary of Gabriel Fauré's death, experience his Requiem and Cantique de Jean Racine at the Abbey of Celles-sur-Belle With soprano Judith Charron and pieces from Morten Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna Organised by the Association des Amis de l’Abbaye ensemble-vocal-oriana com

BALADE BOTANIQUE

5 May Largeasse

Join us on a botanical walk guided by an expert ethnobotanist to explore edible and medicinal wild flora at Le Rocher Branlant Organized by Bota Sapiens, the walk lasts 2 hours Cost is 12€, free for under 14s bota-sapiens org

VIDE GRENIER 2024

Le Tallud

9 May

Join the vibrant Vide Grenier at Le Tallud for a day filled with discovery and bargains With a welcoming atmosphere for both visitors and exhibitors, enjoy onsite refreshments and food, early morning access for exhibitors, and ample parking letallud.fr

CIRCUIT PATRIMONIAL ET HISTORIQUE

11 May

La Mothe Saint-Héray

Embark on a historic and heritage trail starting from the Moulin du Pont l'Abbé This easy 1h30 tour is perfect for all ages Price is €3 per adult, free for under 18s la-mothe-saint-heray.fr

EXHIBITION - LEWIS EVANS

14 - 31 May

Celles-sur-Belle

This exhibition at the Abbey showcases the unique artistic style of Lewis Evans, whose work reflects personal and planetary concerns with spontaneity and honesty abbaye-royale-celles.com

YOGA WORKSHOP

15 May

Château d'Oiron

Discover the synergy of yoga with nature at the Château d'Oiron This session promotes well-being through contemplation, meditation, and relaxation among the park's diverse tree species Suitable for participants over 16 chateau-oiron fr

CHAMPIONNAT DE FRANCE DE DRIFT

17 - 19 May

argentonnay

Kick off the French Drift Championship with Round 1 at the Karting Circuit Val d'Argenton! Enjoy a spectacle of skill over power on a track famous for close battles, with ample grandstand space for an ideal viewing experience Food, drinks, and parking available on-site driftfrance com

FÊTES DE PENTECÔTE

17 - 20 May

Parthenay

Join the celebration of Pentecost with a sporty twist, themed around the Olympics Enjoy fairground amusements, float processions, musical entertainment, with bars and restaurants over four days of popular festivities

cc-parthenay-gatine fr

HOPE 79 SPRING FAYRE

18 May

Sauzé Vaussais

Join us at the HOPE 79 Spring Fayre for books, music, clothing, and unique items Enjoy handmade treats and crafts, delicious cafe food, a chocolate quiz, tombola, and local homemade goods Just 2€ for quiz entry with the chance to win great prizes See page 10 for details hope79.org

DRAGONFLIES OF THE BRESSUIRE AREA

18 May

Boussais

Take part in a comprehensive dragonfly identification workshop offering indoor learning sessions in the morning, followed by hands-on field experiences in the afternoon Full details available upon registration dsne.org

MEDICINAL PLANTS IN THE VILLAGE

18 May

Prin-Deyrançon

Embark on an educational walk to identify medicinal plants in our everyday surroundings This workshop includes herbal tea tasting and the making a macerated oil Hosted by Au Jardin d'Étoiles Free event, registration required agenda niortagglo fr

NOCTURNAL VISIT - "ENTRE CHIEN ET LOUP"

18 May 21h30

tumulus de Bougon

Enjoy a guided nocturnal visit of the archaeological site "Entre chien et loup " Discover the site's secrets under the enchanting cloak of dusk Reservation recommended tumulus-de-bougon fr

VISIT AT SUNSET

18 May 19h00

Musée du Donjon, Niort

Explore the Musée du Donjon with a unique sunset visit Discover the exterior's historical architecture and enjoy interior animations that bring history to life musees.niortagglo.fr

NIORT JAPAN POP SHOW 2024

18 - 19 May

Niort

This event offers an immersive journey into Japanese and urban pop culture, featuring an array of activities including video games, board games, cosplay contests, manga showcases, dance shows, and live music performances It's an ideal destination for enthusiasts of all ages looking for a rich cultural experience japanpopshow eu

FÊTE DU PRINTEMPS

18 May

Matha (17160 )

Join us at La Vieille Distillerie for the third annual Fête du Printemps The event will feature artisan stalls, charity plant and cake stalls benefiting Association En Route, a licensed bar with English Ales, and an exceptional English Edwardian Style Tea with sittings at 13h and 15h Donations welcome Reserve your tea spot via lavieilledistillerie@yahoo com assoenroute com

VISITE ANIMÉE DE LA CLASSE 1900

19 May

Courlay

Travel back in time at La Tour Nivelle's 1900 classroom for a fun and nostalgic experience Explore the Ernest Pérochon museum and a teacher's lodging on a self-guided tour Admission: Adults €6 50; Children 6-18 years €4 50; Under 6s free tournivelle.fr

FEET, UNE HISTOIRE DES DANSES JAZZ

Louzy

23 May

FEET is an immersive show exploring a century of jazz dance and music

Experience the energy of ballrooms, jazz clubs, theaters, and New Orleans streets With performances by students from Conservatoire Tyndo, Com’Thouarjazz, and the Sax ensemble, this tribute celebrates jazz's rich legacy conservatoirethouarsais opentalent fr

FÊTE DE L'ANGÉLIQUE

26 May

Bessines

Highlights include a producer's market with angelica products, local crafts, "La marquise des anges" contest, recipe competitions, live music, carriage rides, and inflatables Free entry with nearby parking Food trucks and refreshments on site angelique-maraispoitevin.fr

LES MÉDIÉVALES

DE MAULÉON

25 & 26 May

Mauléon

Let Les Médiévales de Mauléon at the Château de Mauléon take you back to the Middle Ages With interactive workshops on mediaeval life, such as the use of spices and plants, games, leather bag making, calligraphy and candle making The event is perfect for families and history buffs alike mauleon fr

FÊTE DES MERES

26 May

throughout France

A day dedicated to celebrating and remembering mothers and mother figures across France, with families often presenting gifts, flowers, and cards to express their love and gratitude fete-des-meres info

VIDE GRENIER

26 May

Largeasse

Join us for a community Vide Grenier offering treasures galore at only 1€/mètre Complete with food and drink stalls, it's the perfect day out Proceeds support Association Un Jour une Chance

Running from 6 am to 6 pm at Le Rocher Branlant largeasse.fr/tourisme-etpatrimoine/lhomme-des-bois

PORTES OUVERTES

Chauray

28 - 29 May

Open Day at the Chauray

Conservatoire Experience live performances in the auditorium, meet students and teachers, and explore courses ranging from contemporary music to classical disciplines Ideal for aspiring amateurs and professionals alike conservatoire niortagglo fr

REACTION POEM & PINTS GROUP

29 May, 3pm

Fenioux

An afternoon of poetry and drinks with Reaction Theatre members and friends

The Reaction Poem & Pints group meets every 3rd Wednesday at 3pm at Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux We share our favourite poems – this month's theme is Sport Everyone's welcome - contact John Round at 05 49 95 03 65 if interested New members always welcome reactiontheatre eu

OLYMPIC FLAME JOURNEY

2 June

Starts in thouars, through Bressuire, Parthenay, Saint Maixent L'Ecole, Celles-sur-Belle, Coulon, ends in Niort

The Deux-Sèvres welcomes the Olympic Flame on its 49th day, featuring a mix of sporting, cultural activities, and special celebrations in each town, culminating in a grand event in Niort with concerts, shows, and fireworks deux-sevres fr

ITALIAN LUNCH CELEBRATION

2 June

Saint Loup Lamairé

Celebrate Italy's National Day with us at Salle du Mirage enjoying an Italian lunch All inclusive (apero, menu, wine, coffee) for 20€ Limited seats available, so please book by 30 May

Email: Gkb79600@gmail.com or text/call 06 21 79 09 54

REACTION BOOK CLUB

5 June

Fenioux

The Reaction Book Club meets on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 3pm in the Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux, but May’s meeting is cancelled due to too many bank holidays! In June the book is The Power” by Naomi Alderman

Everybody welcome reactiontheatre eu

RENDEZ-VOUS AUX JARDINS 2024 7 - 9 June throughout France

Discover the beauty and diversity of gardens across France during Rendezvous aux Jardins This event features guided tours, workshops, and exhibitions, highlighting the importance of environmental preservation and garden heritage

rendezvousauxjardins culture gouv fr

ARK 79 FASHION SHOW

8 June

Salle des fêtes, Clussais la Pommeraie

Enjoy an elegant evening at the ARK 79 Fashion Show Bid on catwalk pieces in our auction Savor a delicious dinner (pre-order necessary, vegetarian options available) and dance the night away

Bar serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks Advance booking and payment necessary 20€ per person ark79.com

1 May 1851, the first "Great Exhibition" in London showcases industrial and artistic achievements symbolizing Britain s progress during the Victorian era This event held at the new Crystal Palace, showcased innovations in various fields and set a precedent for future international exhibitions, that influenced cultural exchange and technological progress in Europe

2 May 1933, the legend of the Loch Ness Monster is sparked in Scotland when a local couple report seeing an enormous creature in Loch Ness This sighting triggers a media frenzy that leads to expeditions and investigations over the decades to find out the truth Despite hoaxes and inconclusive results the myth of the monster persists

6 May 1937, the German airship Hindenburg tragically crashes while attempting to dock in Lakehurst, New Jersey A spark igniting hydrogen gas leads to the airship s rapid destruction, claiming numerous lives and heralds the decline of airship travel

8 May 1945, people all across Europe celebrate Victory in Europe Day, symbolising the defeat of the Nazi regime during the Second World War German troops surrender across Europe including in Prague Oslo and other regions The V-E Day celebrations continue until 9 May when Stalin announces victory over the Nazis in a radio broadcast

11 May 1904, Surrealist Salvador Dalí is born in Figueras, Spain Deeply Influenced by Freud and Parisian surrealism, his works navigate the subconscious with dreamlike imagery Dalí remains a seminal 20th century artist whose distinctive creations continue to spark creativity and defy artistic boundaries

13 May 1882, Georges Braque is born in Argenteuil near Paris As an artist he was initially influenced by Impressionism before shifting to Fauvism, then developing Cubism with Picasso Renowned for his geometric still life paintings and innovative collages he became a modern master by the 1920s contributing to Ballets Russes and exhibiting worldwide In 1961, he made history as the first living artist to display at the Louvre

20 May 1799, Honoré de Balzac, also known as Honoré Balssa, is born in Tours He achieved fame with novels such as Eugénie Grandet and Père Goriot These works were part of his monumental series The Human Comedy, which consists of approximately 90 novels Balzac s writing is renowned for its intricate portrayal of a wide array of characters and aspects of society

20 May 2007, The Simpsons, the longestrunning American sitcom, airs its 400th episode, underscoring its enduring popularity and impact on popular culture Known for its satirical depiction of a working-class American family the show has adeptly addressed a wide range of social political, and cultural issues, making it a significant fixture in television history

21 May 1924 Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb murder Bobby Franks in an attempt to demonstrate their intellectual dominance The crime leads to a trial that captivates the nation and ignited discussions on capital punishment and moral decay Their actions inspired Patrick Hamilton's play "Rope" (1929) and the 1948 American psychological crime thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock

22 May 1859, Arthur Conan Doyle is born in Edinburgh His studies under Dr Joseph Bell inspired the character of Sherlock Holmes Holmes made his debut in 1887 in A Study in Scarlet with works such as The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes following

24 May 1883, The Brooklyn Bridge, an architectural marvel, is opened to the public, connecting Manhattan and Brooklyn Its completion symbolized the technological achievements of the age and facilitated significant urban development The bridge remains an iconic part of New York City s skyline, representing ingenuity and the spirit of innovation

25 May 1977 "Star Wars is released in cinemas and revolutionises filmmaking with groundbreaking effects and storytelling It introduced iconic characters including Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader, winning six Academy Awards, and sparking a global cultural phenomenon This epic and its sequels have profoundly influenced filmmaking and popular culture enduring across generations

May 1913, The premiere of Igor Stravinsky's ballet in Paris causes a scandal due to its avant-garde music scenery by Nicholas Roerich and choreography This ground breaking performance challenged conventional aesthetics and is considered a pivotal moment in the evolution of modern artistry

31 May 1977 the BBC bans "God Save the Queen" by the Sex Pistols due to its controversial lyrics which critique the British monarchy and establishment This act highlighted the punk movement s challenge to traditional values and its role in expressing youth discontent

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Set design for Le Sacre du Printemps - Nicholas Roerich , 1913

Portrait of Sherlock Holmes - Sidney Paget, 1904

Clearing Space, Clearing Mind cleaning

life's complexities

Written by David Murphy - Clinical Hypnotherapist and Life Coach

DavidMurphyHypno@gmail com

See his advert on page 22

Spring Cleaning is a chore to some and a joy to many (or should that be the other way round?) and there’s certainly something to be said for decluttering and sprucing up the places where you spend a lot of time Being in a pleasant and ordered environment can definitely lift your mood, boost your sense of self-worth and increase your motivation So, it’s a great place to start but it’s only the beginning!

You can Spring Clean lots of things in your life, when you stop and think about it, so let’s take a look at three examples – relationships, commitments and habits

Relationships

You may feel that you are in relationships that need to be looked at – Is it possible that one is too intense? Maybe you want to make one of them deeper? Or maybe have a friendship where there is an unspoken issue that needs to be resolved?

Perhaps now is the time to take stock of your relationships and give them a dust or polish?

Friendships count as some of the most important things in our life, so giving a bit of thought to how you might improve them can be a quick (if not necessarily an easy) fix to make your life more pleasurable and fulfilling

Commitments

Some of us find it really hard to say ‘no’ and yet a ‘yes’ rolls off the tongue with such ease that we’re regretting our response before that little three letter word has even fully passed our lips

Well, if that’s you and you can think of a commitment you blundered into, then now is the time to gracefully make your excuses, back away towards the door and get the heck out of Dodge, ‘toot sweet’ (sorry French readers)!

Conversely, you may feel unfulfilled and the exact thing you need is more commitment in your life – you might

Spring Fayre

Saturday 18th May, 10h00 to 16h00

• Come and browse our extensive range of books, music, bric-a-brac, clothing and more for a bargain

• Shop for your favourite treats & crafts made by our volunteers

• Enjoy a cuppa and a cake, or savoury snack in the cafe

• Chocolate quiz - how good is your chocolate knowledge? 2€ donation to participate correct answers win a prize

• Food and craft stands offering local and homemade delights

• Tombola • Crafts made by volunteers and more!!

Shop2 Rte de Vauthion, 79190 Sauzé Vaussais

Open 10am to 4pm, Thursdays & 1st Sunday of the Month

Furniture Barn 1 Rte de la Mare aux Loups Louba 79190 Clussais-le-Pommeraie

Open 11am to 3pm, Thursdays & 1st Sunday of the Month

Email shopseventynine4hope@gmail com

Facebook Groups:

Hope79 Sauze-Vaussais Furniture for Sale

Hope Associaton Charity Shop 79

No RNA: W792009674

want to join a club or group, or volunteer for something that is close to your heart But just a word of caution –don’t over-commit, no matter how enthusiastic you feel Start small and build up rather than race in at 200 mph We’ve all done it, we’ve all regretted it and yet we’re all capable of doing it again – resist the temptation!

Habits

As we all know, habits are hard to break They need focus, determination and commitment to be seen the back of But step one is really WANTING to do it As a life coach and hypnotherapist, one of my first questions when someone says they want to break a habit is ‘are you sure you do?’ because your habits always bring some perceived positives to your life, or they wouldn’t be there in the first place So if you want rid, be aware that you already know the negatives –it’s time to look for the positives, because recognising these, and weighing them against the negatives is often a really good place to start This gives clarity to the problem which gives power to your elbow which is great because, after all, elbow-grease is exactly what you need when you’re spring cleaning

Everyday yoga for everyone

Rebecca Novick

How can I create my own yoga sequence?

In our latest classes in Le Tallud, we have been working on creating our own personal mini yoga sequences It has been a lot of fun and it’s always so interesting to see the different choices that people make and how different we all are For one person, the downward dog pose feels like an easy-going pal – a posture they can happily hang out with – but for someone else downward dog feels like their ‘bête noire’ – a posture they would rather not hang out with at all!

I thought I would share some of the things that we have learned during these sessions so that you can put together your own yoga sequence I suggest that you begin by choosing only 4 postures You can always expand the sequence later So, how should you choose your postures since there are so many to choose from?

One way to categorise yoga postures is by the body’s orientation to the ground We have standing postures; mid-level postures, seated postures, front-lying postures, back-lying postures and four points postures (hands and knees/feet)

Standing postures include: Warrior Pose (I,II & III), Triangle Pose, Palm Tree Pose, Tree Pose, Forward Bend, Goddess Pose

Mid-level postures include: Low Lunge, Lizard Pose, Frog Pose, Camel Pose, Bird Dog

Seated postures include: Boat Pose, Seated Spinal Twist, Staff Pose, Butterly Pose, Churning the Butter

Four-Point Postures include: Plank, Table, Downard Dog

Front ground postures include: Sphinx Pose, Cobra, Crocodile Pose, Bow Pose, Hare Pose, Threading the Needle

Back ground postures include: Universal Spinal Twist, Bridge Pose, Rocking the Baby, Corpse Pose

As you create your 4-part sequence, try to bear the following in mind

1 Create a sequence with postures from at least three of these levels listed above, moving from a standing pose downwards For example, you could choose two standing poses, one four-point pose and one front ground pose

2 Choose one posture in your sequence that is a bit of a bête noire for you The reason for this is that the postures we find the most demanding are almost always the postures that we learn from the most

3 Create as much fluidity and conservation of movement as possible between one posture and the next For example, shifting from Warrior Pose directly into Hare Pose is cumbersome unless you include a transitional pose such as Downward Dog

4 The length of time you stay in any posture is up to you but try to stay in each posture for at least 20 seconds

5 Once you have chosen your 4 postures, begin to practice them every day

6 People often struggle to remember their sequence A good memory trick is to create a ‘story’ with your postures For example, Tree Pose to Warrior II to Downward Dog to Hare Pose could become The Tree shaded The Warrior while his trusted companion Downward Dog chased a Hare through the woods

7 Once you have become familiar with your sequence begin to repeat the ‘double-sided’ postures, meaning those postures that allow you to repeat them again on another side Take the above sequence, for example You can do Tree Pose starting with the left leg up, then shift into Warrior II with left leg behind you, then into Downward Dog and lastly into Hare Pose You could then return to Downward Dog, move up into Warrior II with the right leg behind (perhaps first transitioning through an upward bend) and then back into Tree Pose with the right leg up

Feel free to get creative and create a yoga sequence that speaks you Then practice becomes a lot more fun and interesting!

To learn about group and private classes for yoga and breath coaching please email me at: lavieenyoga@gmail com

Respect yourself, explore yourself

Rebecca

to cook your favourite Indian dishes with Sujatha at Closerie Les Roches

1 day workshops from 9.30am-3pm

groups of 4-6 only €80 per person - lunch included Tel: +33 784372991 or email: info@closerielesroches.com

Book Club

to ai or not to ai – that is the Q uestion

AI – artificial intelligence – seems to be with us Will it be a horror show stripping us of jobs, or will it be a useful tool, shortcutting a lot of donkey work and letting us get on with more important creative stuff?

All my books have been written by the sweat of my brow, all 1,600,000 million words of them, plus fourteen years’ worth of blog posts on my thriller book site and writing and publishing blog My covers have been designed by two graphic artists specialising in book cover design I’ve met them both in the flesh!

A new frontier

We’re not quite sure of the way forward Were the elites and the Church worried by Gutenberg’s invention of a press that could produce multiple copies of texts relatively cheaply and quickly? Perhaps the weavers of the early 19th century – the Luddites – were justifiably anxious about the new mechanised looms

Many wondered about Tim BernersLee’s invention and development of the Internet, yet we have integrated it wholeheartedly into our daily life

But there are downsides Unemployment, violent repression, starvation, breakdown in civil society, marauders, plunderers and scammers The balancing cost is the price we pay for such universal progress

The ethical question of how AI gets its data

Whether voice, images, words or music, it has to acquire knowledge and then process it Many creative people are shocked that their work has been

gobbled up by AI acquisition software without payment or recognition so that AI can use it to form answers Is this a breach of copyright and/or downright plagiarism? Hm

When I asked it to give me an outline for a story, I found ChatGPT regurgitated my publicly available Amazon retailer page description for one of my books All I had done was input character names and a very vague idea of the theme That was weird

In a counter argument, you could say that when studying, we research the work of others, scraping their brain work and “stand on the shoulders of giants ” However, we usually credit them Then there are others who copy essays or even plagiarise other authors to produce their own books But this has been going on since humans learnt to draw and write

The pros and cons Printing, radio, telecommunications, satellite technology, the Internet and smart phones have brought us countless advantages and benefits No more missing your friend in a crowd, no more anxious child stranded when the phone box doesn’t work, no more being unaware of a natural disaster affecting us Warnings of bad weather reach us by text, we can talk in real time to families in Australia, attend events digitally, see the wonders of the rest of the world, respond quickly to events Artificial intelligence offers a great deal, most of which I’m probably not aware of, but it is up to us to master it and set the structure and rules for its use

Governments and regulatory authorities are more aware than those of previous ages; the EU recently agreed a landmark deal on regulation of artificial intelligence Potential misuse and abuse are being examined and legislation introduced Of course, we don’t know how effective regulations and laws will turn out to be, but at least it’s happening

How do I stand as a writer?

I shall continue to write my own stories in my own words based on an outline drawn up by my own brain Some authors may choose to use AI to generate a plot or some themes, but that’s not for me Much as it involves ridiculous amounts of time and energy and numerous versions, I shall continue to write my own back cover and retailer page copy What I flatteringly call my creative spark must remain at the centre of anything I write

When it comes to PR materials, I may well dabble in the AI pond, in particular for images So far I’ve only done it for fun as you saw in the above images But I’ll label them as AI created

For the future, who knows? But for now, my stories will originate in my brain, human and chaotic as it is

Alison Morton alison has compiled a selection of articles from this column into ‘ the 500 Word Writing Buddy ’ , available in print and ebook on amazon and other retailers

EXSiLiuM, her historical novel set in aD 395, is now out

Alison as a Roman – AI created (Copilot)

This month’s book reviews

A French Adventure

by Jennifer Bohnet review by Jacqueline Brown

Having a brand-new Jennifer Bohnet novel in my hands is always a pick-meup, so it’s no surprise I started this book with a huge grin on my face

It’s early summer in Antibes and I warmed to Vivienne, Maxime and Olivia instantly, and was soon drawn into their different backstories as challenges and traumas threw major life changes at them

Vivienne, hit with shocking news just before she arrived in Antibes is left reeling I was so cross on her behalf I began plotting my own revenge for her loathsome ex as soon as I put the book down each night I admit this probably isn’t healthy, but it just shows you how Jennifer ’ s characters get under your skin Happiness for Vivienne was all I wanted for her new chapter in life

Maxime, still grieving for Pierre, is given the opportunity to tackle the darkest moment from her past This might have been something she’d dreamed of for thirty years, but as it became within her grasp, it held the risk of breaking her fragile heart once more I felt for her so much, it was a real emotional shocker as the truth revealed itself

Olivia, about to have the offer of an exciting new business project wonders if it will be enough for her Much as she hates her overbearing mother ’ s interference and would never admit she is right, a special someone to share her life shouldn’t be too much to ask As her stor y gently played out, there were so many times I was willing her to have the strength to do what her heart knew was right I loved ever y minute spent in this uplifting book about strong women taking control of their futures, and as their journey ’ s unfolded it almost felt like I was there with them They had each other to look out for one another, but I d have hopped into the book in a heartbeat, poured them a chilled rosé and given them all a hug Jennifer ’ s knowledge of the south of France French culture and living here as an expat, not only brought the stor y and location to life, but ensured the plot was plausible as well as great entertainment

Cultivating Change

by Caro Feely review by Jacqueline Brown

This is the fourth memoir from Caro Feely set on her family ’ s organic vineyard near Bordeaux and once again, she has written a book that really hit home as I read it and spoke to me on a level not all memoirs do

Cultivating Change is so much more than an update on their family and wine-making journey, it is a punchy, inspiring read that highlights the climate change problem viewed from organic farmers on the front-line Recent summers saw not only severe hailstorms hitting the vineyards around Bordeaux (something that is becoming more common), but the area has also been victim to huge forest fires that devastated acres of woodland as they burned for weeks

As well as sharing their interesting and inspiring life in France, Caro takes us along with her as she attends conferences to speak about climate change issues It is an honest account of the good times as well as their stresses and personal struggles I learned a lot from this book about the issues they are facing on a daily basis, and also ideas on how to make more changes to our life Thermals rather than too much heating and bikes over cars have been the norm for us for many years, but I realise there is more we can do It was good to know that there are others out that who share my fears about the gravity of the situation we have created in the world

I hope that as well as her regular readers enjoying a catch-up on life at the vineyard the climate change element in this book will give it the wider audience it deser ves

La Vie en France

The madness of May

I always find May is a funny month here in France With the longer days and lighter evenings, I want the weather to be sunny and leaning more to summer than spring, but the ice saints are there to remind me to be patient French legend (and our experience) says the feast days of St Mamert on 11th, St Pancrace on 12th and St Servais on 13th May, often bring with them the last nightly frosts of spring, with resonates with my gran’s favourite saying of “ne’er cast a clout ‘till May be out”

In an icy nod to spring cleaning, I’ve recently relocated the contents of the big freezer into a smaller one and treated it to a defrost and clean I’m always a bit nervous about what I might find lurking at the bottom with the twisted freezer bag ties that have long since lost contact with their bag, but I was pleasantly surprised Aside from two bags labelled beetroot stock, (I have a vague recollection of saving the beetroot cooking water many years ago to use in soup making, but the muddy brown colour soon lost its appeal), there was nothing else to be disposed of I was shocked to find we’d already used up all last years stewed fruits, but there were still plenty of bagged cherries to turn into compote for our breakfast bowls and as this year’s blossom is already cheering my days, a bit of careful planning should mean we survive through to our first fruit pickings Summer is on its way

Jacqueline Brown

May is also a month of holidays, but one in which there is no half-term school holiday, just four public holidays and a bridging weekend This year, thanks to Easter being so early, Ascension Thursday is the day after Victory in Europe Day on 8th May, so even more reason to faire le pont on Friday 10th to bridge the gap to the weekend for five days of family fun Let’s all keep our fingers crossed the ice saints are kind to us this year

Some cycling friendly weather would also be lovely for Mai à Vélo, a whole month dedicated to celebrating cycling, encouraging people to adopt the bicycle into their daily life and make it a real alternative to the car Over four thousand events were held all over France last year to sow the seeds of possibility and inspire others to try out cycling Some of the events are organised cycle rides, others are fêtes to celebrate the bicycle with buying and selling second-hand, or workshops to make your old bike roadworthy As bicycles come in many forms: folding, cargo, electric assist, upright or aero, there really is something for everyone and you don’t even need to own one, you can hire them in most cities or tourist sites too

If everyone just swapped out one car journey for a bike ride in May, the benefits to our minds and bodies, as well as the health of the planet, would be huge Every pedal stroke is a winner www maiavelo fr

Sophie Hargreaves

Having a baby in the D eux-S èvres

You may have read my article last summer where I discussed pregnancy care here in France as I expected my first baby As I write this article that baby Emilie is now 6 months old People told me the time goes so quickly and they were so right!

It’s a good time for me to reflect on that experience again of giving birth here in France and what that was like as a British person, a first time mum and self-employed person too I wrote before that I had wanted a natural birth without inter vention if possible just like my alpaca mums had done in the fields last May What an inspiration they were to me having witnessed their births

To fully prepare myself for birth, me and my husband Will went to the 7 one-to-one sessions with my Sage-femme libéral (community midwife equivalent) to prepare for birth and parenthood Whilst these were great I knew I wanted something a little more and had been intrigued about hypnobirthing, so I sought out a course to learn about this and I also felt more comfortable doing this in my native English language, knowing I was doing it alongside my birth prep in French with the midwife

After searching a little I found a great Doula and Hypnobirth practitioner Poppy Child who had an online course that I purchased I chose this course as Poppy s practices focused on what I would call realistic hypnobirthing - she didn’t promise that I could breath my baby out without pain and just with meditation She set up the expectation for pain, but also endurance and belief and understanding of the birthing process through education I shared my whole birthing experience on Poppy s podcast PopThatMumma if you wanted to hear the whole birth stor y

In France, they use a 41 week gestation period, and when discussing “what ifs” with my midwife, induction wasn’t mentioned until 4 2 weeks had been reached Knowing I wanted an inter vention-free birth, this was quite a relief to me to know

The hospital midwives were happy for me to have a long tour of the labour and deliver y ward, including birthing rooms and the rest of the maternity ward in order to help me visualise the birth leading up to the date They were also keen on encouraging movement during labour, and taught

breathing techniques in the one-to-one sessions we had All of this was perfectly in line with the course I d purchased too I was so happy with the care that was given I feel quite privileged to say that I was able to have spontaneous labour, no induction needed I should have known it was coming as my nesting had been tying up all loose ends for my business and making sure the alpaca farm and accommodation was in the best position ticking over That night my waters broke and we made our way to the hospital

I was admitted as soon as their tests confirmed my waters had broken, a contrast to the uK , where a certain level of dilation is needed before admission into the ward I was then left to labour alone and in peace in a private room for a lot of the day with some monitoring periodically I had planned on having pain relief when needed but this wasn t necessar y in the end A wonderful midwife suggested a bath when I first thought I would need some help and this did a lot for me

Those familiar with France will know that meal-time is sacred and true to form the nurses made sure I didn t miss a meal during the day directing me to help myself to breakfast in the kitchen and then bringing me lunch, which was andouillette I hate it, and Will loves it He did what any loving husband would and took the offal based sausage into the ensuite and ate it so I didn’t have to have it in the room for a moment longer whilst I laboured That certainly brought some humour to our day

The best part of it all was after the deliver y of the baby, the three of us; Will, Emilie and I were left in the birthing room for skin-to-skin bonding before any checks on the baby were done We didn’t know her birth weight for quite some time And after this it is usual practice to stay in the hospital for 4 days When I was first told this me and my modern British culture thought this would be absolute torture and I thought I would be climbing the walls Actually, as other mums who’d had their babies in France told me, taking those few days in the newborn bubble where help was a button away was bliss and much-needed It was helpful for a ver y quick recover y and the nurses couldn’t have been kinder

I feel happy that my experience was here in France and lucky that things went to plan

If you want to hear a little more about this, I would point you in the direction of the podcast I mentioned, and I’d also be happy to hear from you and answer any questions you may have about my experience of having a baby here in France

A Sensitive Soul LIFE IN 79

“Désolée, he no longer works here ” “ Well could I have an appointment with another dentist there?”

Désolée there are no vacancies said the dental receptionist in Loudun

Well that was a kick in the teeth Anna my wife amongst her other ailments had been experiencing a distant pain in her jaw For the next few months she tried in vain to find a dental practice that would take her on their books

We would resort to driving around towns in the greater Deux-Sèvres district looking for dental practices When we did find one like a lot of things in France it would be shut and not contactable through telephone or email Things were getting desperate

I am blessed with a fine set of gnashers but Anna coming from Scotland has consumed far too much Irn-Bru and cranachan in her life, with the result that when enjoying a wasabi coated nut one Friday night, an audible crunch was heard and a large fragment of molar fell out

DIY dentistr y was considered; I have some ver y small drill bits and a soldering iron how hard can it be?

But then word got out on the expat grapevine that a practice in Air vault, which is just down the road from us, had taken on three new dentists Before you could say orthodontist Anna was down there making an appointment

Her new dentist is a lovely young Romanian woman, who can speak English as well as French and is a root canal specialist, which unner ved me somewhat As well as having a few pot holes in the back of her mouth filled she was told she was grinding her teeth and given

Stephen Shaw

a gum shield to wear at night (it is sleeping with a heavy breathing p for ward)

While there Anna had taken the opportunity to make an appointment for me Now when it comes to injections, needles, etc g

Ann When an animal is being operated on in Super vet I have to look away or hold a cushion in front of my face and Anna tells me when the op is over So, I wasn't looking for ward to my check-up

The waiting room was heaving with people of all ages and nationalities and after 20 minutes a rather frazzled looking young dentist popped her head round the door and called my name

She apologised as she had had a long day and might start speaking the wrong language As I lay on my back, with my Romanian dentist rootling around my mouth, I wondered why anyone would want to become a dentist bad back bad breath bits of food dental decay and having to deal with big Jessie-Anns like me at 4 o clock on a Thursday afternoon

She said ever ything looked good but she just had to get rid of some plaque and would I need pain relief? I didn t want to make life complicated for her so said no She shoved the sucky thing in my mush cranked up the drill and starting whittling off four years of plaque I have ver y sensitive side teeth and when she started drilling down on these I was twitching like a goodun Even the TV embedded in the ceiling showing footage of beautiful tropical islands brought no relief Laurence Olivier's face as the torturing dentist in Marathon Man kept popping into my mind

On my way out the door I apologised for leaving two been gripping the arms of her ughing fit I had had mid was lovely and could not have een kinder

A special note for receptionists who often get a bad press (in fact the one at my GP’s is a ase in point) But the one at ntist was lovely, smiling s I tried to cobble my French ther (why am I so bad?), even ed up writing my first cheque my way to cocking up the smiling Thank you dental

he car park with my mouth ed at my pathetic French my French cheque (even though me through the process) and ehaviour in the chair

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

The month of May possibly named after Maia the Greek goddess of fertility or after the Latin word maiores for ancestors, heralds the time of growth and renewal June, on the other hand, owes its name to Juno, the Roman goddess of marriage, or derives from "iuniores" (the young) and signals the full bloom of summer and the anticipation of a new beginning

In France, May is characterised by its numerous public holidays It begins with the Fête du Travail on 1 May, which was recognised as a day of rest for all in 1947 and on which the trade unions in Paris demonstrate for workers rights This is followed by VE Day on 8 May, which celebrates the end of the Second World War in Europe Ascension Day, this year on 9 May, commemorates the ascension of Jesus Christ 40 days after Easter This year 9 May falls on a Thursday so many people will take the opportunity to faire le pont and take Friday off to enjoy a long weekend

As a symbol of spring and good luck, the lily of the valley or 'muguet' has been associated with May since the Middle Ages King Charles IX popularised the gesture of giving them to the ladies of his court in the 16th centur y In the 19th centur y, this flower was associated with Labour

of traditions

Day which participants wore as a tribute to the labour movement In 1886 socialists declared 1 May as International Labour Day, which was initially symbolised by a red triangle representing 8 hours of work, 8 hours of leisure and 8 hours of sleep By 1907, the lily of the valley became the emblem of 1 May and in 1941 the day was officially renamed Fête du Travail Today the tradition of selling lilies of the valley tax-free on 1 May continues

The phenomenon of the Ice Saints is an interesting mix of climatology and European folklore that dates back to the early Middle Ages These are the feast days on 11 12 and 13 May for St Mamertus St Pancratius and St Ser vatius These days were traditionally considered a risky time for farmers because unexpected frosts could damage the har vest This belief, which is linked to the so-called red moon meant that people waited until after mid-May to sow sensitive crops even though severe cold snaps are actually quite rare during this time

The Ice Saints are characterised by their significant days in May, which revolve around three historical figures: Saint Mamertus was the Archbishop of Vienne in Gaul who died in 474 and introduced the Rogation Days, times of prayer to prevent disasters Saint Pancratius, was a young martyr who died in 304 at the age of 14 and is considered the patron saint of children Saint Ser vatius was Bishop of Tongeren in Belgium and died in 384

The Fête des Mères is celebrated eve year on the last Sunday in May The origins of this festival date back to ancient times and are similar to the festivals in honour of motherhood an fertility in the Greek and Roman traditions The modern form of Mother s Day in France originated at the beginning of the early 20th centur y in the village of Artas, where ceremony was held in 1906 to honou the mothers of large families

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Covering all areas of France and International SIREN: 818 390 916

- Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen, 1892

The importance of the Fête des Mères was further strengthened during the Second World War as part of broader policies aimed at encouraging population growth However, it was not until 1950 that the festival was given a permanent place in the French calendar

French Proverbs associated with May

“En avril, ne te découvre pas d’un fil; en mai, fais ce qu’il te plaît

In April, don't shed a single thread; in May, do as you please”

"Quand il pleut à la saint Servais, c’est mauvais signe pour le blé"

"When it rains on Saint Servais Day, it's a bad sign for the wheat"

"Avant Saint Servais point d’été, après Saint Servais, plus de gelée"

“Before Saint Servais no summer, after Saint Servais no frost”

"Mai frileux, an langoureux; mai fleuri, an réjoui; mai venteux, an douteux" “A cold May, a languid year; a flowery May, a happy year; a windy May, a doubtful year”

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Muguette

La Cueillette du Muguet - Auguste Louis Lepère, 1890

By Steve Marshall

Taking Better Photographs... Details

There are days when you go somewhere hoping to take some great photographs and all the available options seem to be standard shots you have seen before Think Eiffel Tower Taj Mahal or Houses of Parliament and you can almost certainly see the image On other days the weather or the light is against you and the grand cityscape the great landscape or the stunning group shot are all flat and lifeless Even the Grand Canyon has its bad days

At times like these I stop and look but not at the big picture

As photographers we tend to live with a camera in front of us and our reaction to an interesting image is to capture it I recommend developing the skill of stopping and looking It is not easy because the truly great shot may have gone by the time you tr y to take it

Stop and look and assess what is in front of you What are the potential images? Are their alternative places to work from – not just left and right but also up and down?

And it is almost always worth looking not just at the big pictures but also at the details By details I do not just mean close up images I use it to refer to images that are usually part of something bigger

You still need most of the skills you would use for close ups –which I wrote about in Deux Sevres Monthly in August 2022 And getting close can really help with detail shots You can use a long telephoto lens or crop larger images The ones here have only minor cropping to get the dimensions I wanted

They key to details is in the looking The bolt is on a door to a barn and is far more interesting than the complete barn, which looks like so many other barns in France The bolt probably resembles an awful lot of other bolts, but I liked the straight high light that sets the metal off against the grain of the wood This was taken just after 12 noon and whilst morning and evening usually give the best light some detail shots benefit from the strong midday sun

The black and white photograph was a grab and shoot photograph It was taken indoors in window light as my dog ’ s head came up from his water bowl I was lucky he was not moving faster or I would have missed the light catching on the water drops I also had my camera ver y largely set up so this worked – and that was as much judgement as luck

After I have taken a batch of images I tr y hard to reset my camera to what I consider my standard settings I equate this to putting the handbrake on and locking the car when I stop using it Resetting the camera reduces the times when I have taken a run of photographs and discovered they are poor quality because the last time I had used the camera I had set the ISO to its maximum

The axle end is from an ancient hay rake that is slowly rusting and being reclaimed by nature I tried a variety of images of this some much closer and just including the metalwork For me what mattered was the balance of machiner y with its rust and the growth, both the blotches of moss and the invading brambles

After a number of test shots I set the aperture wide, a relatively low number at F6 3 This was deliberate to ensure the central hub was sharp and the vegetation at the top was alive in being out of focus Looking at it now I think it might have been improved by being angled a little more away from the hub Then the spokes on the right would be slightly more out of focus as they disappear into the brambles

My final example is a detail from the beard of a green man I like the dark shadows between and inside the different elements and the reddish hint of weathering This was just above my head height and I think a small stepladder might have given a better shot

Whatever you like to photograph I ver y much recommend stopping and looking Even if you have grabbed the instant shot, as in my dog ’ s nose, stop and look and there may be a better

If you are interested in looking at images taken by other photographers and having them look at and comment on yours please get in touch at stevemarshall128@gmail com

Send

your snaps & ideas

While you ' re out exploring over the next few months why not take Steve's advice by snapping some photos of beautiful details in the department? Share your snaps on our Facebook page, and we'll showcase the most impressive shots Or if a particular monument or building has ever piqued your curiosity, feel free to contact us, and we'll endeavour to uncover its secret Send your suggestions and ideas to info@thedeuxsevresmonthly fr, and let's explore the Deux-Sèvres together

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in Coulonges-Sur-L’autize, serving a 50km

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image available My dog was having none of it and just stared up asking for a treat

Karen Taylor

VIEW FROM THE VENDÊE

The French art of well wishing

Take yourself back to those first few weeks at secondary school (oh come on, it wasn’t that long ago – was it??) Most of the subjects were familiar – Maths, English, History, Geography – but then you were introduced to Madame M, The French Teacher (so called because no pupils could pronounce her name!) The dreaded foreign language – how would you cope??

But all was not lost You started with Bonjour Mme M as you entered the room, feeling very French Of course at the time we all thought that this simply meant ‘hello’, but as we progressed , we discovered that it was actually translated as ‘good day’ And so followed bon après-midi, bon soir and bonne nuit So far, so good (excuse the pun)

Since moving to France, we’ve discovered that you can put bon in front of almost anything Who hasn’t enjoyed a meal in a French restaurant without someone uttering those immortal words Bon appétit ? So much more appealing than the English equivalent of ‘Enjoy your meal’ In fact so iconic is the phrase, that in the last few years it’s

virtually been incorporated into the English language

Another couple of favourites are bon chance and bon courage Now we’ve all heard of bon chance, but bon courage ?? - that was a new one on us We first came across this cheerily shouted encouragement when we were balancing precariously on some scaffolding as we were giving the outside of our first holiday home a much needed coat of paint Courage? – did they really think that we needed courage to tackle such a task? (To be fair, the scaffolding was pretty rickety!!)

And of course as soon as you mention that you’re going off on holiday, almost everyone you meet will wish you Bonnes vacances, although a few might add Bon voyage when you tell them that you’re heading back to England

(Quick grammar note: No doubt the eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed the variation in spelling for bon, bonne & bonnes Fear not dear reader, the pronunciation remains virtually the same, and who’s going to write any of those phrases anyway??)

David’s Deux-Sèvres delights!

So, after living in France for a good few years, none of these expressions surprise us any more Until last year that is, when we decided to move house Surely not yes, as soon as the Vendu sign appeared on our gate, several of our neighbours wished us Bon déménagement – were they all so happy to see us go??

There are of course dozens of other expressions that I’m sure you’ve all come across whilst in France – bon anniversaire, bonne fête, bonne journée to name but a few But my favourite use of the word bon is not an expression at all, it’s quite simply the word you’ll see at the confectionery counter of any supermarket – yes, bonbons, loosely translated as ‘goodies’

David Smethurst is an experienced independent property consultant based in the southern Deux-Sèvres and speaks English, French and German Here he gives us his top pick of properties in the Deux-Sèvres:

Clussais-La-Pommeraie, Deux-Sèvres REF: BVI70884

Exclusive to Beaux Villages! A beautiful large stone farmhouse with well proportioned reception rooms, a farmhouse kitchen four bedrooms and a self-contained guest annex There is a covered terrace which is perfect for alfresco dining a 9m x 4m heated pool with decking areas and a summer house The substantial fully enclosed gardens are a real feature of this property and have been divided into distinct areas including an orchard with many different fruit trees a woodland with mixed conifer and deciduous trees, a lawn area with flower and shrub borders There is also a garage/ workshop and a storage shed

Fees: paid by the vendor Energy class: C Climate class: C

Saint-Coutant, Deux-Sèvres REF: BVI68619

Exclusive to Beaux Villages! This charming stone longere sits in nearly 6000m² of glorious south-facing, landscaped gardens, all lovingly maintained by its current owners and is ready to move into and enjoy The whole property is very private but part of a small hamlet close to a local town with full commerce This pretty property has a fitted kitchen, back kitchen dining area spacious sitting/dining room, a smaller second reception room and a shower room on the ground floor On the first floor there is a master bedroom with dressing room, a bathroom and two further bedrooms There are several outbuildings ponds and wonderful views

Fees: paid by the vendor

Energy class: E Climate class: B

Loubillé, Deux-Sèvres REF: BVI61474

This lovely village house sits in an easyto-maintain courtyard garden and is ready for you to move into and enjoy straight away It has a large, attached 3bed maison d’amis and is within walking distance of the local boulangerie The property has been sympathetically renovated throughout and has a large fitted farmhouse kitchen, living room, utility room and a hobby room/bedroom on the ground floor On the first floor, there are three spacious bedrooms and a family bathroom There is a workshop/garage, several small outbuildings and an above-ground pool with a large raised decking area This property has so much to offer

Fees: 7% paid by the buyer

Net price: €219,627

Energy class: F Climate class: C

Nuit des Musées 2024

The annual Nuit des Musées is an annual event where museums across Europe stay open late and offer special exhibitions and events in a nocturnal setting

The museums participating on 18 May in the Deux-Sèvres include Air vault, Bougon, Courlay, Mauleon, Niort, Parthenay, Rom, and Thouars They will be ffering a range of free exhibitions, workshops and guided tours to entertain and inspire with exhibitions and activities

For more details on the events and activities organised at each location, see the map on the official website nuitdesmusees culture gouv fr

The grand spectacle of music and culture is back for its 68th edition in Malmö, featuring 37 countries! The semi finals take place on 7 and 9 May with the Grand Final on 11 May Don't miss France's Slimane singing "Mon amour" and the UK's Olly Alexander with "Dizzy"

Whether you love it or hate it, this event unites Europe through music like nothing else Catch live coverage on BBC or France 2, or stream online at eurovision tv to join the celebration!

Exploring the heart of music

with 'Sous les Deux Chênes…Le Petit Festival'

‘Sous les Deux Chênes Le Petit Festival", conceived by Félix and Danielle Schaber-Kohll, promises to be a series of concerts that reflect a lifelong passion for music

Both Félix and Danielle are no strangers to the world of music Throughout their careers as artists and later as teachers in Luxembourg, they have shared their love of music with countless people Now, in retirement, they're using their

Q: What inspired you to found 'Le Petit Festival'?

Danielle: "After moving to Bois-le-Bon, we realised that we had a wonderful opportunity to create something special Music has always been our common language and we wanted to create a place where people could come together to celebrate different musical traditions "

Félix: "Exactly It's about building a community around music and offering something that goes beyond just listening and creates experiences Every concert should be an experience that celebrates the universal language of music"

knowledge and enthusiasm to organise a unique festival dedicated to "world music"

Set in the village of Bois-le-Bon, near Vançais, the new musical event consists of four seated open-air concerts in the months of July and August 2024 But what makes these events so special? We spoke to the founders to find out more

Q: Can you give us a little insight into what visitors to the festival can expect?

Danielle: "Definitely Each of our four concerts will highlight different facets of world music, and on two of these evenings there will be themed dinners Imagine enjoying a Spanish evening followed by a delicious paëlla, or a French evening complemented by a traditional French menu "

Félix: "We have also made sure that our guests can be accommodated comfortably With two large marquees, seating for 144 people and a capacity for up to 200 people, we're prepared to make every event special"

Q: What does the opening of 'Sous les Deux Chênes…Le Petit Festival' mean to you?

Danielle: "It's the beginning of the realisation of a dream We've put our heart and soul into this project and it's incredibly fulfilling to see it come to life It's our invitation to everyone to celebrate music and community with us

Félix: "And this is just the beginning We hope that this festival will become a permanent fixture in the cultural calendar, growing and evolving every

year It's a celebration of music, our lives and the connections we've made "

Danielle: “Felix and I would be delighted to welcome you to Bois-leBon, 1 rue des Groies for this first year the beginning of a dream come true ”

the inaugural event will take place on 22 June 2024 an official opening will take place in the morning and the celebrations that are open to the public will continue into the afternoon You can find detailed information on reservations, concert tickets and more on the website www culture2chenes fr

Danielle and Félix Schaber-Kohll

Now that the evenings are warmer, it is wonderful to be able to spend time outside together Evenings can be magical with appropriate lighting these simple hanging light balls are easy to make and can serve multiple uses

A SIMPLE HANGING LIGHT BALL

You will need

• a short string of LED lightssmaller light balls require shorter strings

• cling film or a small plastic zip lock bag to secure the LED battery back

• plenty of vines I have used wild clematis but you could use periwinkle, willow dogwood or whatever you have available

• garden twine

How to create your light ball

• unravel your LED lights carefully

• wrap the battery section carefully in cling film or zip lock bag

• take your flexible garden vine and start to twist it into circular hoops of the same desired diameter as your finished light ball

• create several hoops and use vine to twist them together into a sturdy ball keep adding more vine until you are satisfied with the strength of your light-ball

• carefully insert the LED string and battery into the light-ball cage and check that you can easily switch the lights on and off You may prefer to find solar LED lights, which will make this easier

• hang your light bulb from a tree or something suitable then wait till dark and enjoy the twinkly magic

I have used multi coloured LEDs but warm white bulbs also look beautiful

At the end of autumn you can replace the lights with bird feeder balls or apples so that your garden birds are well fed throughout winter In spring when birds are nesting you might like to poke suitable nesting material such as dried grass bits of wool Etc

The lights may help encourage nocturnal pollinators to your garden, which in turn might encourage bats

The lights look even more effective when hung in groups They can twist and sway in gentle summer breezes

If you find twining the ball shapes too complicated you may prefer to just create simple hoops, stars, hearts or other shapes you can wrap LED strings around these instead

Here's to plenty of lovely summer evenings outside!

Stay Connected

The latest trends in satellite TV and internet ser vices

Stuart Wallace

Hello I’m back! Whether you are happy about it is an entirely different matter of course I’d like to think you are, but completely understand if you’re not But, I reckon that deep down, you’ve been missing the news from the cutting edge world of what can only be described as satellite TV and satellite internet Mrs W was very pleased that I had to write a column this month It gets me out of her hair apparently It’s nice to be married (I was told to say that), but on the flip side, I’m quite prepared to try a life as a lottery winning bachelor It’s all about balance in life isn’t it? Anyway, onwards dear readers We’ve got stuff to get through I’ll start by reminding you that Freesat is not the same as Freeview Go for the one with ‘sat’ in the name

So, Starlink continues to be impressive Despite the increasing rollout of fibre across the region, there are still many areas yet to receive it So, if you need high-speed internet then Starlink really is the way to go The only potential downside is the lack of an option for a landline telephone service There are other satellite internet options still knocking about which offer this, with Neosat being the most obvious However, unless you really need a landline telephone then don’t Compared to Starlink, it’s rubbish

Please, please, please do not consider using a region 1 Sky minidish (the smaller of the two options) as they are, and have always been, rubbish Yes they work, but they simply do not collect enough signal to be any good in bad weather I attend many call outs to people with such dishes and the same thing is said every time ‘You expect to lose the signal when it rains’ No No you don’t Only in rainfall of biblical

proportions should you expect to see the dreaded ‘no signal’ message when using a proper sized dish

I’ve mentioned this previously, but if you wish to have a recording type Freesat box, then you do not have to purchase a ‘Humax box’ These are no longer in production and haven’t been for well over three years now I visited a client recently who had tracked one down - thinking it was the only option - and paid nearly £500 (yep, GBP) for it!!!

Granted it worked, but for that price I’d want Gary Lineker to present Match of the Day from my sofa! The current Freesat recorders currently start at £229 rising to nearly £300 for the largest hard-drive option Forget Humax

For those interested in this year's Olympic Games - from Paris no less - you will have a variety of options to watch For those watching UK TV, then the BBC is the place to go If watching via French TV, then the national broadcaster (France Televisions) have you covered These are all free services For those who prefer to watch via the internet, then Olympics com has its own channel enabling you to watch both live and past events This is a good option to view events when you’re not at home

Don’t forget that if your TV has a threaded connector on the back, usually located next to the traditional aerial socket, then you don’t need to purchase a satellite receiver like a Sky box or Freesat box Having such a connection on your TV means that the cable from the satellite dish can connect directly to your TV This can be good However, in many cases the TV will not offer a decent Electronic Programme Gguide allowing you to see what is on or coming up This can be bad It really all boils down to how fussed you are about the channel guide What is good though is that if you have a decoder built into your TV, it cuts down on the clutter and cabling This can be especially useful if wall mounting the TV It also means one less remote control

As always, please feel free to get in touch if you would like any further information or would like to discuss your requirements Contact details can be found on the advert

interview with Winemaker Clément Curet

How long have you been a winemaker?

“It’s been 7 years, I didn’t start off as head winemaker I worked at another Domaine for 3 years before starting at Château de Petit Thouars and before that I studied winemaking and viticulture for 2 years ”

How did you get into the wine industry?

“During my Masters in Lyon which encompassed history, geography, anthropology and sociology, we studied wine heritage in the Beaujolais region, more specifically the wine ‘routes’ of Beaujolais When I met with the winegrowers and people in wine tourism, my interest grew Initially I was curious to taste the wines but my curiosity grew and I wanted to understand how wine was made ”

In a world where newer generations are consuming less alcohol with the ‘Sober Curious’ movement and where wine consumption is in decline - do you think it is still important to make wine and if so, why?

“It’s important to make wine because it’s a super product It’s not just about making wines - we cultivate vines It’s just like farming any other fruit like apples - I’m just particularly passionate about grapes People are drinking less, certainly, however people do still drink wines As winemakers, we have to produce wines that are more adapted to consumers, wines with lower alcohol content, smoother and produce more white and effervescent wines that are more in demand It’s a challenge which is no bad thing ”

In the past, we’ve talked about different environmental factors, with climate change you’ve expressed your

concerns. How do you see the future of winemaking?

“You have to think strategically about all the practices you do at the Domaine; having vineyards that are less spread out over distance, regrouping plots to reduce how much fuel is used (the further the plots are, the more you need the tractor to reach them) On a more global scale, it’s important to envisage the Domaine not just as wine producing but also as agroecological, where you plant trees and hedges

When you think of all the natural cultivation aids - all the insects that will help eat aphids or the spiders that will eat worms that harm the vine It’s about re-establishing biodiversity in the vineyard so that nature takes over

We must convince winegrowers to no longer use products that are harmful to the health of animals and humans - we don’t use any products like these at the Domaine It’s difficult to convince growers to change their methods because it’s more time consuming therefore more costly because you need to hire more employees and you get lower yields However if we want our trade to continue, we need to implement these ideas ”

Outside of the Loire, what is your favourite red and white grape variety?

“I have a weakness for Grenache cultivated on arid, poorer soils from the Rhône valley, with a touch of freshness that you find in terroirs such as Châteauneuf du Pape, on north-facing plots I love Château Rayas, Domaines des Tours For whites, a very good question, I really like Savagnin from the Jura region I generally like wines produced in Jura, perhaps because I

find a little bit of the Chenin profile in Savagnin, I know that they are ‘distant cousins’ The wines are incredible ” Why chose the Loire to make wine? Is it for personal reasons that you base yourself here or do you truly believe in the winemaking potential of the area?

“Both, I was born in the area and have lived here, I’ve always seen the Loire River growing up It makes me happy to see the Loire every morning, it’s almost like a big sister that you see all the time and it’s reassuring When I travel I miss seeing the river and am very happy when I return, for example when I did work experience in Champagne Also from a winemaking perspective, there are some amazing terroirs such as claylimestone or truffle soil Chenin from the Loire are some of my favourite wines in the world, of course!”

What makes your winemaking different to others, what’s your secret recipe?

“On the reds, I would say extraction I’m not the only one to use this method but these are the types of wines I like to drink, which have been lightly extracted Certain cuvees are extracted a little longer for the maturation period, to be laid down to drink in 5-10 years For the more accessible wines, the least amount of extraction is better for tastings and customers can enjoy the wines after only a year Freshness is super important in my opinion for reds

With whites, it’s slightly different, because minerality is not as easy to extract from our soils, we usually have the complexity of structure and tension that goes well with minerality, which we don’t have Even if I love the minerality that can be extracted from schist soils in Anjou, this is where you can really observe the influence of terroir

However, it’s all about maceration (the process of soaking grape skins in the juice)in 2023, I am finally able to implement maceration which I have wanted to do for the last 2 vintages When you blend the nonmacerated white to the newly macerated wines, it gives the wine body, thickness, structure, depth, and a taste that lingers in the mouth It produces very different aromas without the wine being necessarily tannic It’s all about the blend It reassures me that Chenin is a very adaptable cépage, a chameleon which can be easily blended ”

What do you think about screw caps vs cork?

“For me, it’s the symbol of new world wines I mean why not for countries such as Australia, South Africa, New Zealand - as

they produce a lot of high turnover wines, they produce millions of hectolitres that are drunk in a year For wines that are to be laid down, I prefer cork Wine corks are both hermetic but have very small holes, which allows for micro-oxygenation of the wines over time Sometimes a wine can be corked, which is unfortunate, which is why you have to choose the corkmaker wisely It’s also cultural in France, or Europe, to use corks; when you unscrew a cap, you take away from years of tradition In French we say ‘déboucher une bouteille’ which means to ‘uncork’ the wine ”

What advice would you give to future winemakers, in one sentence?

“Make wines that you’re passionate about It’s the best motivation when making wines for others if you like drinking them yourself You’ll be driven to work everyday ”

What is the hottest topic in wine at the moment?

“It’s mostly about global warming within the vineyard and fortunately we are talking about it, which is normal It concerns winemakers in the region, specifically newer, younger winemakers Those who are retiring are perhaps less involved It’s all about changing everyday practices The wine industry is a conservative world, so implementing changes takes a long time The fact that this subject is being discussed often is a great sign It will take a while before anything is enacted We need to make using harmful products illegal, such as pesticides I’m hopeful for the future, however!”

www.instagram.com/theloiregirl

• Affordable elegant tableware and tasty take-away lunches available from Tuesday to Saturday. • Home catering services also available. Visit us at 3 rue de La Porte Caillon, 79600 Airvault Contact Lynda Gee: 06 21 79 09 54 email: gkb79600@gmail.com

by Peter Lowth

Demystifying the dark art of Pole Fishing – Part 2

In Part 2, we’ll explore the detail behind pole fishing rigs and floats, getting the perfect set up as well as the dark art of plumbing the depths!

Plumbing the depth of your swim can be easily overlooked in a rush to get fishing It is, however, one of the most important elements of pole fishing, as it gives you a mental map of the lakebed where you’ve chosen to fish

What does plumbing the depth entail?

1 You attach a suitable long or overdepth rig with hook to your top kit

2 Attach the plummet a (small lead with a cork disc on the bottom) to the rig’s hook

3 Lower the overdepth rig on your top kit into the water at various points around the margins of your swim to create the start of your mental depth map

4 Attach pole sections, one at a time, for the distance you want to fish and assess the depth at various points at your preferred distance

You then have a complete picture of the depths in your swim both at the distance you want to fish as well as in the margins

Spending only a few minutes dropping the plummet in the area you want to fish, is simply not enough to get a true picture of the lakebed I would recommend devoting a good 10 or 15 minutes to plumb the depth properly It is also good practice to have two or three top kits set up to fish different depths of your swim This gives you flexibility of fishing at different depths, as the fish will vary the depths at which they feed in your swim throughout the course of a session Plumb up incorrectly and you could waste time fishing off the bottom or way overdepth

Another thing to get right is knowing exactly how deep to fish Dead depth is when your bait touches the lakebed and is the ideal presentation for fish feeding on the lake bed, when you don’t

have wind or tow (ie: movement on the water) When there is wind or tow, you should fish slightly overdepth This means that there is some line on the lakebed to compensate for the wind or tow Your bait and hook act as an anchor and this enables you to remain fishing in your chosen spot, despite the weather conditions

To avoid a static bait, the technique of “lift and drop” is a great method to representing your bait to the fish and more likely to attract bites You simply lift the rig out of the water by 6-8cm (ie: almost the length of the entire float) and it is then dropped back down to induce the bite This method keeps the bait moving and is more effective than having a static bait

The types of rigs and floats to use can be broken down into 4 categories:

1 Margin rigs

• using short, dumpy floats that work well in shallower water at the lake’s edge

2 Bottom rigs using longer-stemmed floats, as the longer the stem the more stable the float at depths of over 3ft

3 Shallow rigs

• using floats that can vary from the size of a pea to short, dumpy floats similar to margin rig floats

4 Through the water rigs

• using lightweight floats to present the bait at different depths as the float sinks through the water slowly

This may all sound complicated and a little daunting, but just remember to take your time and practice with the different rigs and set ups in a friendly fishing environment There are lots of small, private lakes you can visit that will not have the pressure of larger venues crowded with professional anglers or why not book a lesson with a pro to help you demystify this dark art?

Till next month, tight lines!

Peter Lowth is an experienced angler with over 40 years of fishing knowledge in match, predator, coarse and fly fishing Growing up near Bath, fishing local rivers and ponds, he then transitioned to competitive fly fishing and in recent years competed on the UK match fishing circuit He opened Les Forges Fishing venue, located near Pescalis, in early 2023 –www lesforgesfishing com

Examples of pre-prepared hook lengths

Examples of margin, through the water & bottom float rigs

‘A Double Bill of Laughter and Comedy ’

Adrian Blake

This year, the Pommeraie Players, an English amateur theatre group based in Clussais-La-Pommeraie, tried something new, namely a double bill production Performed in English by an English amateur ensemble, two plays were performed in one session, which were repeated on the second day:

''Allo, ‘Allo’ and ‘All Around my Pole’

The evening entertainment began with the first show, which lasted about 60 minutes, with a 20-minute break during which the bar was open and a raffle was organised The prizes were wrapped and therefore remained anonymous The second performance also lasted about an hour

''Allo, ‘Allo’ – This was a very brave performance as the original TV show was so iconic and set a very high bar for future interpretations This performance was based on the Bratwurst sausage episode The costumes were very good and all the favourite characters were present The story is very much dialogue heavy and unfortunately there was no microphone system for the actors I was sitting close to the stage and could hear them well, and I hope that was the case for those sitting further back ‘All Around My Pole’ – The story centred around a misunderstanding between a pole dancing evening class and some of its participants Although the play had a small cast, it benefited from a very strong character in the form of Brenda The actress had a northern accent which really brought out the best in her character The play was a humorous end to an evening of comedy With an admission price of just 8 euros, the audience of over 150, enjoyed some great value entertainment There was plenty of free parking, plus toilets and a bar at the Salle des Fêtes A good tip for next time: the hard plastic seats can be uncomfortable so take a cushion with you

Have you ever struggled to find the right herbs and spices while out shopping? Here’s a handy list that might help!

Have you ever struggled to find the right herbs and spices while out shopping? Here’s a handy list that might help!

allspice Piment de la Jamaïque

anise anis

Basil Basilic

Bay leaf

Caraway seeds

Cardamom

Cayenne pepper

Feuille de laurier

Graines de carvi

Cardamome

Piment de Cayenne

Celery salt Sel de céleri

Chervil Cerfeuil

Chili powder

Chives

Poudre de chili

Ciboulette

Cinnamon Cannelle

Cloves Clous de girofle

Coriander (seeds) Coriandre (graines)

Cumin Cumin

Curry powder Poudre de curry

Dill aneth

Fennel seeds

Graines de fenouil

Fenugreek Fenugrec

Garlic ail

Ginger Gingembre

Horseradish raifort

Juniper berries

Baies de genièvre

Lavender Lavande

Lemon balm Mélisse

Mace Macis

Marjoram

Mint

Mustard seeds

Nutmeg

Marjolaine

Menthe

Graines de moutarde

Noix de muscade

Oregano Origan

Paprika

Parsley

Paprika

Persil

Pepper (black) Poivre (noir)

Poppy seeds

Graines de pavot

rosemary romarin

Saffron

Safran

Sage Sauge

Savory Sarriette

Sesame seeds

Graines de sésame

Star anise anis étoilé

Sumac Sumac

tarragon Estragon

thyme thym

turmeric

Curcuma

Vanilla Vanille

White pepper Poivre blanc

Za'atar Zaatar

Zest (lemon) Zeste (de citron)

Zest (orange) Zeste (d'orange)

Amanda Baughen

a ’ is an intense fear of bees, over whelming and cause One way to combat this rn more about these insects come to manage feelings of stress when encountering them We often meet people who have attended our afternoon taster sessions because they re not sure how they will react when surrounded by thousands of bees Maybe they have always liked the idea of keeping bees but before they commit to the expense of buying the equipment and taking on the care of living creatures they want to experience being near a hive In turn, we don’t want our bees to be disturbed by scared students, so we take good care to explain what is going to take place and what to expect The students get a similar briefing ! It’s much easier to be brave when wearing protective clothing and often people will say Oh it wasn t as bad as I thought it was so fascinating I forgot to be scared a win-win by our reckoning

If you ’ re not knowingly bothered by bees, you may be asking What s there to panic about? The answer is Nothing really except now is the time when you may

see a swarm of bees for the first time and be aware that your heart has started to race There really is no reason to worr y; a dark cloud of buzzing insects may be alarming but they have no interest in you or doing you harm, they have bigger fish to fr y Swarming is a sign of a healthy bee colony reproducing itself One queen and around 40% of the bees leave the original colony, which raises a new queen and continues to grow The swarm cluster is on its way to its new home, identified some time beforehand by scout bees/insect estate agents So coming after you is definitely not on their to-do list!

If you do see a swarm cluster gathered then please get in touch with a friendly beekeeper as they may want to tr y and capture the bees If you are a beekeeper then hopefully you ’ ll be ready for the call, or may even be aware that your own bees have swarmed and you need to collect them If you are prepared for such an eventuality, and have your ‘ swarm box ’ ready, then again, there is no need to panic Preparation is ever ything! During the first hive inspections of the year typically after the Spring equinox on 21 March, you will have been on the lookout for some of the signs that your bees are thinking about swarming (running out of space drone brood queen cups) and can take the appropriate actions

Other concerns and possible panictriggers are Asian hornets These are easily identified by their orange faces dark orange-ended abdomens and yellow legs They are much smaller than the European hornets which look like massive wasps and as they are an invasive species are a real threat to local insect life Plastic bottle liquid traps are now strongly discouraged as they trap too many other insects along with Asian hornets, so traps using cones and mesh walls are now the ideal ones to use

Please contact us to find out more about beekeeping, swarm management, and Asian hornet controls and maybe deal with any concerns you have about our buzzy friends

Amanda and Kevin Baughen, 13 Bees, Confolens www 13bees co uk 05 45 71 22 90

OVERSEAS REMOVALS

Fortnightly deliveries to the Deux-Sèvres.

Hassle-free customs clearance. Careful removal service between UK-France-UK. Full house moves, part loads to single items and vehicles. Free pre-move storage for part loads.

Deliveries accepted on your behalf between 8am-4pm, Monday to Friday. French-speaking crew. Owner operated since 1995. International transport licence.

PLEASE CALL STEPHEN on +44 (0) 7966 287430 or email: smartmovers@hotmail.co.uk

www.smartmovesremovals.com www.facebook.com/smartmovesukfrance

Swarm cluster

Asian Hornets

New beekeepers loving it!

Clare’s Garden Diary

May already, what a busy time for the gardeners May is another of my favourite months It seems to me to have it all Plenty of sunshine usually, often rain too, and often lots of events to visit on the Public Holidays, of which May has aplenty

May Day, 1st May is a holiday and it reminds me of village fetes with a May pole, which I used to read about as a child, I don't think I have ever danced around a May pole, but if I came across one, I certainly would join in Fête de travail, a day off for all workers, combined with Fete des Muguet (the lily of the valley) Our first year here our neighbour Réné appeared at the fence with a mini bouquet for me, with no explanation I didn’t know why it was significant then but was very grateful for the beautiful fragrant flowers I have since planted some in our garden and enjoy watching it grow and flower each spring The irises love the May sunshine of course In our area of France, the soil and climate is just right for irises to flourish The colours are amazing and I always want to plant more! Right by our front door is a patch of white irises They spread and spread, so quite a few friends have

inherited some over the last couple of years To ensure they flower well they need to be divided every 3 to 4 years Plant them quite shallow so the sunshine can reach the rhizome and they will reward you with beautiful stems and blooms once again

Last summer we went to a vide grenier, I forget where now, and there was a stall with a big box containing irises, the lady said take some or better still take them all! I took a few and will see what colour they are this year, as she couldn't remember what she had put in the box Surprise iris, I will try that! My good friend Suze was splitting and moving her deep violet irises one year and I very gladly took a few spares They are the sort which look like velvet, almost too good to be real I planted some with my Mum, when my parents were staying that autumn They are along the wall by the garage, which has a Virginia creeper growing there The combination of the spring green foliage as the creeper comes into leaf and the dark deep violet is wonderful, not one I actually planned but a happy duo together, and I always think of both Suze and my Mum when I walk past them

Happy memories are all around in plant form here, our garden is only 6 years in the making but it has some structure to it now As each additional idea became a project then became a reality, with our hard work, sweat and sometimes tears of frustration, some of joy, it’s a pleasure to look back I’m very fortunate that Martin, my husband has both ideas and can draw me a sketch, as I am not very good at imagining what he means So, over a sketchpad and a glass of wine we often discuss how something can take shape and be put together These

Clare Hill

things generally take twice as long as we first think, or sometimes go into the next year Gardens are certainly a lesson in patience

Nature’s colours and textures in all their glory astound me A walk along the lane with the dogs is a joy in springtime, watching the blackthorn blossom then the hawthorn join in The black redstart birds have migrated back too, and usually nest in our wood store, along with the robins who like it there It’s been such a wet and windy Spring here I have been dodging the rain and managed to dig out our new bed and plant with a mix of roses, lavender, huchera, pelargoniums and erigeron Seeds are waiting to be sown, cosmos, zinnias, and biennial forget me nots The rain has helped along my new additions! Plenty of homemade compost and most recently some grass clippings have gone onto the new bed too

May brings Elderflowers too, and the joy of making cordial This signals the start of summer to me, I usually make plenty of cordial and pop some into the freezer in plastic bottles We leave lots of flowers on the trees so we have a good supply of elderberries for both the birds and making elderberry cordial in the early autumn Full of vitamin C and antioxidants it’s a winter winner

Well in May there is often much talk about the Saints de glace, or ice saints Mamertus, Pancras, and Servais were three Christian saints Because their feast days, on May 11, 12, and 13 are traditionally cold, they are observed as often a risk of frost An old French saying goes: “St Mamertus, St Pancras, and St Servais do not pass without a frost ” Certainly May 2023 was chilly, rainy and unpredictable, as I was

planning my birthday party with an eye to the weather The rain did stop a few days before and I was able to enjoy an afternoon tea party outside

The very end of May sees the Annual “Rendez-vous aux Jardins” from 31 May to 2nd June, with gardens all across France open to the public You can find more details about the entire programme at rendezvousauxjardins culture gouv fr but do look out for promotions locally as well

Jobs for May include;

• Feeding Friday – it helps to get into a routine for regular feeding both ornamentals and edible plants

• Continue sowing annuals into gaps in borders for colour from August into autumn

• Plant or buy hanging baskets, add water retaining crystals and think of feeding Friday too, tomato feed or a homemade tea will work well

• Apply feed to faded spring bulbs to encourage a good display next year, do not cut back but leave the foliage to die naturally

• Plant out tender annuals, but beware; see Ice saints above, (after the last frost)

• Remove faded spring bedding, including wall flowers and forget me nots and add to your compost bin, saving seed where you can for future years

• Deadhead roses weekly, to encourage repeat flowering and feed well Tie in shoots from climbing and rambling roses, as horizontally as you can This will provide more shoots to grow from these main stems, and will provide more flowers

• Continue earthing up potatoes, to protect the shoots from frost damage

• Keep on top of annual weeds, hoeing on a dry sunny day, leaving them to die back on the surface, and then add to compost Keeping on top of annual weeds before they set seed will save work

• Mow lawns regularly, and think about leaving some areas for “no mow May” for the wildlife to thrive

• Prune spring flowering shrubs after flowering Including Flowering Quince, (chaenomeles) Mexican orange (chioisya) and flowering currant (ribes) and forsythia Always check for nesting birds before pruning

• Check over Clematis Montana once finished flowering It can take hard pruning if you wish

• Although it seems like we will never need to water again, do check winter planted fruit trees, and bare root plants for watering needs If windy, the soil will dry out faster and they will need watering over the summer months

• If you have a pond, now is the time to thin out or divide established aquatic plants New additional plants can still be added in May too Blanket weed and other floating weeds can be removed Leave the weeds on the edge of the pond to allow wildlife to go back to the pond, and then add to compost

• I like to take my houseplants outside, remember to bring back inside overnight if its cold Re-pot houseplants if pot bound, one size of pot up is usually sufficient Top dress larger pots with fresh compost

Enjoy your garden It's difficult to sit still sometimes in our gardens, without seeing jobs to be done or dashing out with a pair of secateurs Try to have a few minutes watching the new shoots, new buds and enjoy all you have helped create Until June,

A bientôt,

About Clare Clare along with her husband Martin and their furr y family moved to North Vienne in 2017 With a passion for plants inherited from her family Clare is currently studying Horticulture with the Royal Horticultural Society Previously working in corporate and private banking, Clare now enjoys the tranquility of her garden, where she experiments and nurtures her favorite plants, especially roses An animal lover, Clare shares her home with 4 rescue dogs and a mischievous puppy She also loves brocantes and vide greniers and is a Reiki Master Teacher and a Tai Chi/Qi Gong teacher

Clubs & Associations

Alcoholics Anonymous - South West France

If you or someone you know has a drinking problem, there are now a number of English-speaking meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous in the South West of France

Alcoholics Anonymous is a Fellowship of men and women who share experiences, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism

The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking

There are no dues or fees for AA membership and AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety

For help or information, telephone: 05 31 60 90 95 or visit: www aafrance net

Crafts, Community and Friendship We run regular workshops and events as well as offer community workshop space for crafting and making Learn new skills and share your talents New members welcome Contact us for details: therepairshed@naturalcrafts.eu or telephone 05 49 80 39 57

French Lessons for English Speakers

Hôtel de Ville (Town Hall), 4 Place Leopold Bergeon, 79150 Argenton-les-Vallées

Classes: beginners or intermediate Private lessons on request Contact: rendez-vous79@orange.fr

CHORALE MELUSINE, PARTHENAY - French 4-part choir, established over 30 years (with 4 English members) and always looking for "new blood"! Excellent Musical Director Come to a rehearsal on Tuesday evenings and see if it's for you Contact Keith for info keithandcarol@orange fr 0671 14 16 72

Combined Services Support Group - CSSG is a group of mainly ex services people living in the area who meet socially whilst raising funds to support ex-service charities Former UK servicemen and women, police and firefighters are invited to email Christine Hester at christine hester10@gmail com

Airvault Conversation - Come and practice your French with a friendly group of French and English speakers Every Wednesday at 7pm at the Salle CSC 16 rue Emmanuel Bonnet, 79600 AIRVAULT

Call Christian for more information: 05 49 63 04 78

AFVBC - The newly formed North Charente Maritime Armed Forces and Veterans Breakfast Club meets the second Sunday of every month at 10:15 a m at the Relais d'Aulnay

Reservations with Ann and Allan at walpcs@yahoo co uk

PLAY and LEARN ACOL BRIDGE

If you are interested in learning or playing acol Bridge at Pause Cafe, L’Absie, every second and fourth Friday at 2pm please contact philjan9@hotmail com

Craft Café Creatif - We are a craft group who meet once a fortnight on a Wednesday afternoon at Pause Café, L'Absie Our members knit,crochet,sew, embroider etc We craft and socialize over a cup of tea New members welcome - contact barbarawhitehouse@yahoo co uk

CONVERSATION WORKSHOP FRENCH/ENGLISH IN THOUARS

An opportunity to have a friendly contact, to form friendships,and improve mutual understandings of different cultures Come along every wednesday, from 7 30pm to 9pm, at Centre Socio-Culturel 21 avenue Victor Hugo 79100 THOUARS Contact : v venotbonnet@gmail com or eugene mc cabe@hotmail com

melleran Chanteurs - Amateur singing group that meets every Monday at 6:45 pm at the Salle des Fêtes in Melleran French and English members singing in many languages. New voices are always welcome, especially tenor and bass. For more information, please contact Alison Hudson 05 49 29 65 31

Vasles Netball Club - Want to keep fit, have fun & make new friends? Join us every Monday from 5 30 - 7pm & Thursday 6 30 - 8pm at the Salle Omnisports in Vasles Open to men & women of all abilities and experience Two free taster sessions FB @VaslesNetballClub Email: vaslesnetballclub@gmail com

Acceuil des Villes Françaises - A French association dedicated to welcoming newcomers from all over France and abroad to their new surroundings; helping them integrate, speak French, and feel 'at home' through social events pjhenderson@orange fr www avf asso fr

Les Amis Solitaires is a group of people living alone in France We organise social events and meet for coffee at The Lemon Tree in Sauze Vaussais, 11am every 2nd and 4th Thursday. Contact Pennie on pennietelford@hotmail.com

Royal British Legion - Bordeaux & South West France

Do you need help or advice?

Contact us at: rblbx assistance@gmail com www facebook com/groups/306085566632991

National Helpline 0800 240 200 or email: helpline@cancersupportfrance.org

You can find more details about CSF Vienne & Deux-Sèvres by visiting: vienne cancersupportfrance org/vienne-home www facebook com/groups/1573102762990772

WHY NOT jOIN THE RAF FAmILY?

RAFA Sud-Ouest France

Le Perail, 17250 BEURLAY, France Tel: 05 46 95 38 89 email: admin@rafasudouest fr

Are you single and living in the South Vendee? Would you like to meet others for social events with the emphasis on fun and not dating? We meet in Fontenay-le-Comte on the first Wednesday morning of each month Occasional weekend lunches Find us on Facebook SOLO EN FRANCE (Sud Vendée) or contact Rosalind at soloenfrance@outlook fr for further information

Netball: Clessé Allstars - The Clessé Allstars netball club meets every Monday at Salle Omnisports, Clessé 79350 from 7:00 to 8:30 p m We welcome players and supporters of all ages and abilities Join us for a free taster session before signing up FB @clubdenetballclesse

Clubs & Associations Submission: Include title and 40-word max entry (with contact details) and optional logos if space allows. Free ads rotate monthly; for guaranteed monthly printing, pay a 4.50€ monthly fee (54€ annually). Email submissions to: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr

ALL ENQUIRIES ARE TREATED IN THE STRICTEST CONFIDENCE

Clubs & Associations

Fond farewells and new beginnings:

As accurately predicted by John Blair in the March edition of this column, Reaction Theatre has indeed had its AGM with a new Committee being formed

So now there are five of us One of my new roles involves keeping DSM readers updated about our various activities I would like to thank John Blair for his stalwart commitment to the RT committee and hope I can continue to represent our events to capture readers’ interests! The new committee is already hard at work on behalf of the membership, with fundraising events and concerts being planned for the summer

In case anyone is not aware of our activities: Reaction Theatre is an umbrella organisation covering our Poems and Pints group, Book club, theatre activities and Keynotes choir The café in Fenioux provides the venue for all groups except for Keynotes , who rehearse in the salle at Scillé Each section has its own organiser, and some members belong to more than one group

Owing to the ill health of our Poems and Pints organiser, this group was unable to meet in March, but we are pleased to report he is well on the way to recovery, and will be back in action later this month Keynotes members are hard at work getting to grips with our new songs Some are more challenging than first meet the eye!

Please see the section “What’s on” for more information and visit our website: reactiontheatre eu

Information on the updated website is in both English and French Or if social media is your preferred method of information gathering, you will find us on Facebook: Reaction Theatre Association

And if you enjoyed “Its Showtime” in October 2023, we may have another treat for you in due course The invaluable audience feedback gave us a very clear message for anything you would like to see from us in the future, so watch this space!!

Of course, if you have ever had a secret desire to tread the boards or contribute to any backstage support, please let us know It is a fun filled experience within a group with a great sense of humour That, and willingness to work within a team is all we need! Experience is not necessary!

Hooray! The weather is finally on our side and work at The Repair Shed HQ is progressing well The warmer weather has allowed us to get access to the garden spaces Work on the vegetable garden has started with the land being cleared and construction of the raised growing beds has begun The ground for the orchard is also being prepared, including leveling the land and improving the soil We are grateful to a number of our members who have agreed to allow us to create cuttings from existing fruit trees which we will be nurturing over the coming months, ready to plant in the spring of 2025 If you have any surplus fruit tree saplings or fruit plants that you would like to donate, we would love to hear from you!

We have reached a stage in our journey where we would like to invite people to come and join us with some of our building projects We have a selection of materials that we would now like to transform into items for the garden This might be in the form of bug hotels, bird boxes or slightly larger items such as benches and picnic tables, however we are open to any ideas that you might have We have sourced the materials and have a variety of plans to follow but would love for people to come and join us with the big build Even if you have never picked up a saw or hammer before, we can help you create something wonderful for the garden which can either stay in the community spaces at ShedQuarters or you can take it home for your own green space

If you would like to get involved or learn more about our projects, please get in touch via our website or email us at info@therepairshed fr

Lisa Jones

This year has already been packed with activities and achievements for us, and we're thrilled to share some key moments with you A big welcome to Pen Coulson, who has done a great job distributing our charity tins in the area If you'd like to help by hosting a tin, please contact us!

Our March Bingo night was a huge success, raising €411 with the support of our community A huge thanks to Jan Thorpe for her excellent bingo calling, and to Le Nouveau Bar de la Poste for hosting the event Keep an eye out for our next Bingo nights in June and October 2024

We're also happy to welcome Jim Konig as our new Secretary Our biggest event of the year, the garden party at Chateau Cherveux, is happening on 8 September 2024 We need volunteers to help set up on the 7th, manage parking, run stalls on the 8th, and clean up afterwards We would also be grateful for any donations of baked goods like cakes, scones, sausage rolls, and quiches

In other news, we're pleased to announce that Violet has won her battle with the Local Authority to attend Chailey Heritage School It's been a tough fight, but the persistence has paid off, promising brighter days ahead for Violet and her family

To get involved or learn more, please message 06 04 08 88 01 or email: presidentav@outlook com Your support is invaluable to us

Team Violet

In this month’s edition I thought I should take this opportunity to say thank you and to tell you about the merits of the team of people around me Without their commitment, loyalty, ideas and resoucefulness we wouldn t have an association to help members of our community in their hour of need

Our secretar y ensures all our administrative tasks are up to date as well as monitoring our Facebook page Agendas and minutes are at hand from meetings and our AGM for Sous Prefecture monitoring when needed As you can imagine she and I liaise closely before and after meetings to determine agendas and accuracy of minutes

Our treasurer who is the point of contact with National Helplines has a diverse role Not only does she keep our accounts up to date but also records all enquiries and allocates support Last month she faced a dilemma, as no one was available to give language support for a lady who had an appointment at a Poitiers hospital She decided to put out a request on Pink Ladies in France and she had immediate responses from two ladies willing to give of their time How quick thinking was that and a huge thank you to Yvonne and Helen!

Our training and development lead has the important role of keeping us up to date and preparing for the topics needed by our members She also reports back on any significant changes at a National level

My deputy will turn her hand to any of these roles when someone is on holiday She also attends National meetings, such as the one last November, that I was unable to attend

All of the other members are equally important as they drum up support and look for new volunteers I’m meeting with three potential volunteers this month

At our last meeting I was able to present the Thank You’ card designed by my daughter We now have a consistent response as we offer our gratitude The cards also bear the new National Logo

Philip Buckle

Vienne & Deux-Sèvres

Anne Friend

Seasonal Recipes

Warm Potato & Asparagus Salad with a Fresh Herb Dressing (SERVES 2-3)

This dish would work well alongside grilled meats or fish The dressing is inspired by chimichurri sauce, a South American staple made with parsley and coriander that's served with grilled foods, and can be made using whatever fresh green herbs you have lying around

INGREDIENTS

300g new potatoes

500g green asparagus

1 shallot

A handful of fresh green herbs

4 tbsp red or white wine vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt METHOD

1 Wash and scrub the new potatoes Place them in a saucepan with salted water and boil until tender Drain and set aside

2 Preheat the oven to 200C Trim the bottoms of the

asparagus stems by about an inch and cut each one into half Place the asparagus on a baking tray Drizzle olive oil, sprinkle salt and pepper all over the asparagus Toss them together until all pieces are coated in the oil and seasoning

3 Place the tray in the oven and roast the asparagus for about 12 minutes until it's just turning crispy and slightly brown in places Remove from the oven and let it cool down for a few minutes

4 In the meantime, make the dressing Roughly chop the shallot and herbs Add this to the container of a blender along with the rest of the dressing ingredients and blitz until combined but still somewhat chunky

5 Place the warm potatoes and asparagus in a large bowl Pour the herb dressing on top and toss everything together Serve immediately

Sujatha Otzen

Carrot, Peas & Goat's Cheese Tart

(SERVES 3-4)

Young spring carrots and in season fresh peas are the main ingredients in this tart The turmeric and cumin seeds add something extra to the flavours This tart makes for a great appetizer at the start of a meal or perhaps a simple yet hearty lunch on a sunny spring day

INGREDIENTS

150g peas (fresh or frozen)

3-4 young carrots

1 roll readymade shortcrust pastry (pâte brisée)

150ml cream

2 eggs

100g soft goat's cheese cut into small pieces

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp cumin seeds

Salt and pepper METHOD

1 Blanch the peas in salted water on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes Drain and set aside

2 Trim the carrots, wash and scrub them and then cut them into half lengthwise Set aside

3 Preheat the oven to 180C Grease the bottom and sides of a 20-23cm tart tin Roll out the shortcrust pastry and transfer it to the tin Cut away any excess pastry that's hanging over the sides of the tin

4 Prick the base of the pastry with a fork Cover it with parchment paper, add baking beans (or dry rice/beans) to weigh it down and blind bake the pastry case for 10-12 minutes

5 Take the tin out of the oven, remove the beans and parchment paper and put the tin back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the base is a nice golden brown Remove from the oven.

6 In a small bowl, mix together the cream, eggs, goat's cheese, turmeric powder and cumin seeds Add the peas to this mix Season with salt and pepper

7 Transfer the egg, cream and peas mixture to the pastry shell in the tart tin Top it with the carrot halves Place the tin in the oven and bake the tart for about 35 minutes Remove from the oven, let it cool for a few minutes before releasing it from the tin Serve warm

Strawberry Buttermilk Cake

An easy one-bowl cake very similar to a pound cake or the French quatre-quarts A hint of rosewater in the batter gives it an exotic tinge A great one to make using any fresh berries that are in season, it would be a lovely accompaniment to your afternoon cup of tea It can be made in a cake tin of any shape but a bundt tin definitely makes it look prettier Buttermilk is sold as 'lait ribot' or 'lait fermenté' You can find it in the refrigerated section alongside the bottles of fresh milk in supermarkets

INGREDIENTS

250g butter

250g sugar

4 eggs

250g self raising flour (farine à gateau)

A good pinch of salt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon rosewater

250g fresh strawberries hulled and cut into halves or quarters depending on their size 150ml buttermilk

METHOD

1 Preheat the oven to 180C If using a round cake tin, grease the bottom and sides and line the bottom with parchment paper If using a bundt tin, grease the inside of the pan with butter and sprinkle some flour Spread the flour around the tin making sure all nooks and corners are well coated and tip out the extra flour

2 Melt the butter and set aside to cool down Once cool, add the butter to a large mixing bowl along with the sugar and whisk together for a couple of minutes Add the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract and rosewater Whisk everything until well combined

3 Tip in the flour and salt into the bowl with the wet ingredients Fold it in using a spatula making sure there are no pockets of flour anywhere in the batter Fold in the strawberries

4 Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin Place the tin in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean Leave the cake to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes before taking it out and letting it cool completely on a wire rack

All recipes and food photographs by Sujatha Otzen Born in India, Sujatha is a trained chef who runs runs Indian cookery workshops from her kitchen at Closerie Les Roches in Bouillé-Loretz (79290) For more details check out Sujatha’s advertisement on page 11

TAKE A BREAK

Easy Crossword

(with thanks to rob Berry)

ACROSS

1. A person who is tricked or swindled (6)

4 French port (6)

8 Make a smudge on something (5)

9. Parallelogram with four equal sides (7)

10. Grind teeth together (5)

11. Blow up an image (7)

12. A period of fourteen consecutive days (9)

15 Glaringly obvious (7)

16 A container for holding liquids while drinking (5)

17 Lower back pain (7)

18. The capital of Senegal (5)

19. To say, state or perform again (6)

20. A spring that discharges hot water and steam (6)

DOWN

2 Totally or partially resistant to a particular disease (6)

3. Capable of being moved from one place to another (13)

5 The first mountaineer to scale Mount Everest (6-7)

6. Thick cushion used as a seat (6)

7 A feeling of evil to come (11)

13. Female garment (6)

14 Everything you own, all of your assets (6)

Cr yptic Crossword

(with thanks to Mike Morris)

ACROSS

1. Rita getting into bed with soft Itallan product? Quite the reversel (7)

5 Kids going after raspberry, for example? (5)

8 Goes mad about nothing; so getting the bird (5)

9 Mates MS exchange; get those taken in (7)

10. Old sign turned round after sudden urge to conceal it. (4)

11. Support for lawyer's work? (8)

14. First squeeze any pear to get juice. (3)

16 Get in a muddle making a suggestion?(5)

17 Saving face when put on board without restless legs (3)

19 Domestics getting no publicity for common busts! (8)

20 Given drug to practise sports activity? (4)

23. Forget to take twisty lane in mad run. (7)

25. Gives out in troubled times. (5)

26. Dupe, turning over part of filling of savoury product. (5)

27 Proceeds, giving thanks to royals? (7) DOWN

1 Watches (and compliments) as red rags are shaken (7)

2. Play around although feeling down, showing in hollow concern. (5)

3. Church cut off from there at that time. (4)

4. Americans' rear simpleton. (3)

5 Coat Fred took apart and resolved into components (8)

6 A kind of throw or blanket going on a limb with no cape at first (7)

7 Capricious commando at the limits of stupidity (5)

12 One going into the corner, first dribbling unchallenged near Chelsea end? (5)

13 Holy man really confused about the stars (8)

15. A short piece, Leyla played with opening elements of perfect timing. (7)

18. Gus sees materialising divines appearing. (7)

19 Friend beginning to provoke is for the chop (5)

21. ………..keeping on and on, I'm in the middle like a vegetable! (5)

22. Not in jacket for quick movement (41)

24. Last of those here today, turning up in inept incompetents! (3)

Building & Renovation

7

Building and Renovation Services

SIRET: 51086916700013

All aspects of building work undertaken:

• Roof repairs/new roofs

• Carpentry

• Floor sanding

• Bathrooms & Plumbing

Tel: 07 76 69 46 64 or 05 49 64 41 81

email: buildingandrenovationservices@orange.fr web: renovationservices79.wixsite.com/website

H&R Building & Renovation Services

< Roof repairs

< Carpentry

< Renovations and Refurbishment

< Blockwork and Brickwork

< Boarding and Plastering

< Velux and Dormers

< Groundwork, Patios and Paving

< Kitchens (Howdens) & Bathrooms

tel/WhatsApp: 06 29 62 81 26 email: hjrizzlor@hotmail.com web: tinyurl.com/HeathRutherford

FOSSE AND GROUNDWORKS 79

Need a new fosse, or looking to install a swimming pool? We can offer: with over

• Fosse excavations and advice for self installation.

• Pool excavations and advice for self-installation

• All groundworks, driveways, drainage, land clearance etc

• 2.5 ton excavator hire with or without operator

• 1 ton high tip dumper hire with or without operator

• 3.5t tipper and driver hire

• Tool and sca old hire

ren Lawrence Tel: 05 49 94 64 90

Building & Renovation

Create a buzz and see your business bloom

Advertise here for €40 per month and enjoy the sweet t aste of success! email: adverts @thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr

Insurance and asset management advice in English

Hello, my name is Isabelle Want For the past 10 years, I have been working for Allianz as an asset manager

Being married 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 subjects listed below:

I work in the Allianz offices in Ruffec, La Rochefoucauld, Roumaziere Loubert and Chasseneuil sur Bonnieure and my details are at the end of the article

- INHERITANCE LAW (who inherits, death duties, solutions)

-TAXES (everybody's fear! The month of May tax forms, etc)

-INVESTMENTS (what is available, what rate, etc.)

-LIFE INSURANCE (how to protect your loved ones)

-FUNERAL COVER (preparing for the inevitable, unfortunately!)

-TOP UP HEALTH INSURANCE (why you need it and how much it is)

-INSURANCES (get a free quote to see if you could save money)

Please do not hesitate to contact me for free advice on any of the above or if you think you are paying too much on your insurances and want a free quote We have a dedicated bilingual team to deal with claims

Finally, we have an English website with all sorts of useful information and tips on all of the above subjects: www bh-assurances fr/en

Isabelle Want, BH Assurances

Conseiller Financier/ Asset Manager

Mob:+33(0)6 17 30 39 11

Email: isabelle want@bh-assurances fr N° orias : 07020908/07021727/07004255

Isabelle Want

Our Furry Friends

We featured Har vey in April’s magazine, and said at the time we would be delighted if we could report in a future issue that he had been adopted Christa from Association En Route has given us an update

Nine-year-old Har vey came to the association at the end of December due to health problems in his family that meant they could no longer keep him, and his gentle, clumsy, well balanced nature shone from the minute he arrived in his foster home

He was over weight and suffering from a weakness to one of his back legs so he was put on an appropriate diet and given regular gentle exercise At the

same time we worked with one of our vets exploring what could be done for his mobility and to set up a pain management plan for him If you ever wonder where most of your donations go, it’s in vet fees! Watching Har vey become more active was a joy He loves his walkies and has become a more streamlined, active version of himself He spent three months with his foster family looking for the right home and it was in the Deux-Sèvres Monthly that his new family first saw him

We are lucky that we have the resources to vet potential adopters and wait for a great match We don’t always get it right but believe the work we do pre-adoption helps minimise the chances of something going wrong down the line

Har vey ’ s been with his new family for almost two months (by the time this is published) and has fitted in brilliantly as we knew he would He loves ever yone! He has a new sister who Har vey is helping bounce back following the loss of the family ’ s previous dog, and they ’ re also committed to watch his weight, make sure he doesn’t overdo it because of his leg and to give him the cuddles and attention he loves

Seeing the dogs we help settle into their new lives is the best reward for the

Open every Tuesday 10am - 4pm and the last Saturday of the month 10am - 2pm

Shop and Café Open every Wednesday 11am - 4pm

Oh my lord Francks fish and chips second Wednesday of the month from 12h00

Magasin et Café Ouvert tous les mercredis de 11h à 16h

Oh my lord Francks fish and chips le 2ème mercredi du mois à partir de 12h00

Donations welcome

10am - 12pm Wednesday 11am-3pm

time and energy spent with them and for being able to give them up so that we can move on to help the next dog in need

Association En Route work purely with foster families and are always looking for experienced homes who have the time, patience and understanding to help a stressed dog settle so we can get to know them and find them the right forever home

If you ’ re interested in giving dogs like Har vey a bridge between their old and new lives, please get in touch with En Route or a similar association in your area to learn more about fostering

SHADOW

Shadow is a gentle 8 year old medium sized boy who has been brought up with children and other dogs. He's a bit nervous on first meeting but will love you once he trusts you All he needs is an understanding, but cat free, home preferably with another dog for company Please contact us if you'd like more info

Breed: Labrador cross Sex: Male Age: Adult Date of birth: 01-01-2020

money matters

by Catrina Ogilvie,

Financial planning issues British expatriates overlook or get wrong

This month’s article looks at key issues British expatriates in France often get wrong, to help you get them right

Not doing enough ‘arrival planning ’

If you wait until you are living in France to start your tax planning the delay can prove costly

For example, lump sums are fully taxable in France and generally taxed at scale tax rates up to 45%, potentially plus 9 1% social charges If you take it while still living in the uK , 25% is tax free

Conversely, if you move your pension funds into a more taxefficient investment vehicle in France, and can take your entire pension as one lump sum and meet other criteria it may be eligible for a fixed 7 5% income tax rate So here you are better off waiting until you live in France

Another example is property The way you own your home can impact your heirs thanks to France s succession and inheritance tax regimes, so get this right before you buy

Misunderstanding cross-border taxation of uK pensions

Taxation of uK pensions in France is a widely misunderstood area, particularly regarding what happens on death Many overlook the fact that uK pension funds are not only assessed for French succession tax but, also, if you die after age 75 the uK applies a tax recover y charge on the beneficiaries up to 45%

Making assumptions with tax and succession planning

French taxation differs significantly from uK taxation Don t presume your uK tax planning will be effective here Restr ucture your assets to take advantage of tax-efficient compliant opportunities in France

Succession in France is much more complicated than in the uK , and can be a minefield where children from a previous relationship are involved

Holding investments directly

Consider if you have the right investment structure and if it makes sense to retain uK investments when living in France

Restructuring your assets can prove beneficial

For example, if you own various uK company shares directly and frequently buy and sell them, it all needs to be declared, in Euros for French capital gains pur poses and on Cerfa (form) 3916 If instead you hold shares within an approved investment wrapper in France, such as an assurance-vie the trades will not incur tax consequences if the gains are rolled over, potentially saving a lot of tax and simplifying your tax declarations

Making assumptions, especially with tricky issues like succession and cross-border taxation, without taking professional advice can easily prove costly You don’t know what you don’t know, and it’s easily to overlook small but important details or get something wrong Taking professional advice provides peace of mind that your affairs are in order and suitable for a uK national living in France

Summarised tax information is based upon our understanding of current laws and practices which may change Individuals should seek personalised advice

Keep up to date on the financial issues that may affect you on the Blevins Franks news page at www blevinsfranks com

Ask Amanda

I would like to leave some money to my Grandchildren, who live in the U K I’ve heard that they will be taxed heavily if I do so, is that right?

Inheritance tax planning is a crucial consideration for individuals residing in France and looking to pass on assets to their grandchildren understanding the implications of French inheritance tax and exploring tax-efficient solutions can help optimise the legacy left for future generations One common concern that arises is the potential tax implications for grandchildren inheriting assets, particularly in countries like France where inheritance tax rates can be significant If you are considering leaving money to your grandchildren in u K , it is important to be aware of the tax implications that may apply

One key aspect to be aware of is the double tax treaty between the uK and France regarding inheritance tax under the double tax treaty, individuals subject to French inheritance tax on assets passed to their grandchildren can benefit from provisions to avoid double taxation providing relief and clarity for individuals with cross-border estate planning considerations

Without proper inheritance tax

planning in France assets passed on to grandchildren are subject to taxation

The tax-free threshold for assets left to grandchildren is limited to €1 594 with anything above this threshold being taxed at a maximum 60% It is essential to plan strategically to maximise the tax-free allowance and minimize the tax burden on beneficiaries

One effective solution for minimising French inheritance tax and maximizing the legacy left to grandchildren is the Assurance Vie This investment and savings product in France offers significant tax advantages for beneficiaries making it a popular choice for estate planning

For individuals under the age of 70 nominating a beneficiar y through Assurance Vie allows them to receive up to €152,500 without any French inheritance tax implications Even for individuals over 70, who have a reduced tax-free threshold of €30,500, the Assurance Vie remains a taxefficient option for passing on assets to grandchildren

Despite the age-related differences in tax-free amounts, the Assurance Vie presents an opportunity to optimize

Expert advice

inheritance planning and reduce the tax burden on beneficiaries By leveraging the benefits of this investment vehicle and understanding the provisions of the double tax treaty between the uK and France individuals can navigate the complexities of crossborder inheritance tax and secure a tax-efficient legacy for their grandchildren

In conclusion, for individuals subject to French inheritance tax and seeking to leave a financial legacy to their grandchildren, exploring options like the Assurance Vie and understanding the implications of the double tax treaty between the uK and France are essential steps in effective estate planning By taking advantage of taxefficient solutions and seeking professional advice, individuals can ensure that their grandchildren receive their inheritance in a manner that maximises the value of their legacy while minimising tax implications

Please feel free to contact me to arrange a free consultation to see how I can help you and your family retain more of your legacy

Whether you want to register for our newsletter, attend one of our road shows or speak to me directly, please call or email me on the contacts below & I will be glad to help you We do not charge for reviews, reports or recommendations we provide Amanda Johnson tel : 06 73 27 25 43 e-mail : amanda.johnson@spectrum-ifa.com www spectrum-ifa com/amanda-johnson

Amanda Johnson works as an Independent Financial Adviser with the Spectrum IFA Group tel: 06 73 27 25 43 or email: amanda johnson@spectrum-ifa com www spectrum-ifa com/amandajohnson Whether you want to register for a newsletter, attend a roadshow or speak Amanda directly, please call or email her The Spectrum IFA Group do not charge for reviews, reports, or recommendations

« The Spectrum IFA Group » is a registered trademark, exclusive rights to use in France granted to TSG Insurance Services S A R L Siège Social: 34 Bd des Italiens, 75009 « Société de Courtage d'assurances » R C S Paris B 447 609 108 (2003B04384) Numéro d'immatriculation 07 025 332 - www orias fr « Conseiller en investissements financiers, référence sous le numéro E002440 par ANACOFI-CIF, association agréée par l Autorité des Marchés Financiers »

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