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aug sept

2021

the senses

inside: Escape to the seaside Remarkable caves Family fun & much more

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~ Passionate about life in south west France ~

Protect your right to live in France Apply online now for a Withdrawal Agreement Residency Permit, even if you missed the 30 June deadline. Applies only to UK Nationals living in France before 1 January 2021 TIME IS RUNNING OUT, FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT GOV.UK/LIVINGINFRANCE

living editor’s letter | 3

to our August / September issue

ugust in our corner of France normally brings with it hot, sunny days but, as I write this, the long-term forecast is looking rather mixed. Like many others, we bought water butts for our garden after the earlier threats of a drought, but recent storms have kept every receptacle overflowing - perhaps they will come into their own later in the year! With the vagaries of the weather in mind, we’ve put together a magazine full of activities and ideas that can be enjoyed whatever the forecast. Whether you find yourself sheltering from the heat or the rain, our exploration of troglodytic traditions here in France takes us to some surprising, and beautiful, sites where the skills of both ancient and modern craftsmen have created awe-inspiring structures. As it is summer, apparently, we also head towards the coast in search of the elusive sun, finding some delightful off-thebeaten-track spots along the Charente estuary for those not quite ready to mix with crowds. And if you can’t find the sun, it makes a wonderful road trip. Don’t forget to take your bucket and spade with you as we scramble among the boulders and dig in the sand, renewing our love for rockpooling, or pêche-à-pied. As many of us know, this is the perfect activity for British summers and could come into its own here this year. We also have our regular mix of family fun, delicious recipes, local news and so much more. With vaccinations now available throughout the region, we very much hope that you are all able to have a safe and happy late summer. And if you would like to ensure that you never miss an edition of LIVING you can subscribe over the page.

A bientôt!

editor

British nationals: June was spent campaigning, successfully, for the residency application window to stay open longer. You can now apply for residency until the end of September see francerights.org for all the necessary information.

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4 | living contents

50 28 36

Summer Boarders The Hays family making the most of summer beside the river

Puzzle Break Our unique crossword by Mike Morris

Nikki Legon’s Cuisine We head off on a tasty tour of holiday destinations

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Snippets Local news from around the region

Sea Breeze Roger Moss meanders along the Charente estuary, away from the crowds

Shore Thing Jessica Knipe discovers the simple delights of pêche-à-pied

Grands Crus & Classés Join wine expert Caro Feely as she dives a little deeper into an arcane world...

Living Property Pages A profile of Verteuil-sur-Charente

Petal Power Peonies - planning for colour in spring

Here they come.... Part two of our guide to live music events

Pardon!

Going Underground

Summertime bonheur with Emma-Jane Lee

Troglodyte homes are found in some remarkable settings

Business Directory

Practical Advice Your questions answered

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the senses

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Sea Breeze

18 | living places to visit

Yearning for the coast, but hoping to avoid crowds? The Charente estuary could just be the perfect spot WORDS & photos: Roger Moss

he River Charente, as we discovered in previous issues, makes an entertaining travelling companion, so we felt it was high time we set off to see what the river still had in store after flowing past the historic former naval port of Rochefort. We were surprised by what we discovered among the final meanders which herald the Charente’s transformation from river to estuary. As you approach Rochefort a skeletal outline rises beyond the skyline like some vast alien life form. Heading towards it will bring you face to face with the Pont Transbordeur de Martrou. Now painstakingly renovated, France’s last remaining transporter

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bridge looks truly astonishing when towering above you. For almost 70 years its deck, suspended on steel cables from a truck moving along a track high overhead, carried road traffic across the Charente until 1967, when the nearby Viaduc de Martrou took over the task of providing a final road crossing before the Atlantic coast. Once it was retired, the transporter bridge was scheduled for demolition, but determined public campaigns to save it proved successful and in 1976 it received Monument Historique protection. Today it has an easier life, transporting only foot passengers and cyclists, who have a choice of nearby dedicated routes. If you’ve reached this spot by car

then you’ll probably soon be joining those driving across the viaduct, keeping your eyes on the road while your passengers get to enjoy elevated views of the transporter bridge and the surrounding landscape (including protected nature reserves) from over 40m above the river. On the other side lies the Aeroport de RochefortCharente-Maritime (which shares its runway with the adjacent air force base), but take the first exit towards

Carrelets near Fort Lupin (right)

living places to visit | 19

Port des Barques’ Plage des Anses offers low-tide bathing

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24 | living days out

Whether you’re a seafood lover or a rockpool rambler, the shoreline offers rich rewards when the tide retreats words: jessica Knipe

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Photo LEFT:© Alison BOISSARD / CMT; above: © Chrystelle Ecale / rochefort ocÉan

Shore thing

Low tides around the île d’Oléron uncover treasure troves of oysters and mussels, with gorgeous views to boot

hile you might not be allowed to copy Molly Malone and sing ‘cockles and mussels, alive, alive-oh!’ to sell your catch down narrow, cobbled streets, there can be few more satisfying experiences than a day at the beach gathering your own lunch from the sea. It’s free, it’s fun and what’s more it’s accessible to just about everyone, if you know where to look and follow the rules. When the summer comes to an end, the Atlantic coast’s tidal charts promise a few days with higher than average coefficient numbers. Put more simply, when the tide goes out the water retreats – sometimes over hundreds of metres – leaving bare vast stretches of sand and rock pools, known as the ‘estran’, or foreshore. The higher the coefficient, the further out the tide will go.

living days out | 25

Enter enthusiasts of ‘la pêche à pied’, or fishing without a boat, line or hook. With its wide beaches, rocky inlets and rich estuaries, the coast of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine is particularly well suited to the pursuit of ‘cockling and winkling’. “Our region is blessed with several renowned shore fishing sites...” says Anne Cigolotti, who is in charge of Heritage & Environment at the Écomusée de Port des Barques (17). “The first thing we hear most people say as they arrive is: ‘Ah – smell that fresh sea air!!’ With the proper preparation, it can be a very rewarding day out.” Boots on and bucket in hand, sun kissed and sea-salt swept, ‘la pêche à pied’ brings with it a feeling of freedom (more than ever this year, after having been inside for so long), as well as the rewarding sensation of fending for yourself, foraging from the bounty of

the Earth to feed yourself for free. To ensure that it remains a sustainable pleasure, though, we need to follow a few pretty strict rules. ‘Pêche à pied’ activities are heavily regulated, and rightly so if the sea’s ecosystem is to be protected, and to be sure you won’t be in danger of eating shellfish from contaminated waters. Before you head out, then, you should first go fishing for some information about when and where to go, and what you’ll be allowed to remove. First there are the obvious responsibilities, like replacing any stones you might lift to find crabs, not trampling the shells on rocks, and definitely never leaving any rubbish behind. Then there are the rules concerning the size of what you can take home – removing creatures that are too young will not only disrupt population numbers but will also leave you hungry,

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18 || living 28 living places places to to visit visit

Village Troglodytic de la Madeleine (24)

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living places to visit | 21

La RoqueGageac (24)

ng i o G underground

Troglodyte homes have been around a long time, and in some remarkable settings

ur earliest ancestors lived their entire lives with the constant threat of being attacked by wild animals, not to mention other Neanderthals. More extreme weather would have taken its toll, too, so eventually some of our prehistoric forebears decided to adopt a cave-dwelling lifestyle. Who would have believed that a million or so years later many of their descendants would still be doing likewise? Or almost. The property market isn’t exactly awash with naturally occurring caves suited to modern living, but right here in France there are countless examples of troglodyte dwellings which were originally hewn from solid rock and now serve as living accommodation. Many, though, began with decidedly non-residential purposes in mind, like stone quarrying, as was the case below Blaye (33) around Gauriac and Marmisson. Here, among the cliffs which overlook the Gironde, you’ll find troglodyte homes once occupied by river fishermen, who took advantage of abandoned excavations which had contributed to the vast quantities of stone needed to construct the city of Bordeaux. Their scale is as nothing, though, compared to what lies further up the estuary at Meschers-sur-Gironde, whose limestone cliffs rise to around 30m above the waves and

Église monolithe, Aubeterre-surDronne (16)

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38 | living nikki legon’s cuisine

With holidays abroad off the menu for many, Nikki takes us on a tasty tour of her favourite recipes that remind her of vacations past….

Nikki Legon's

cuisine Raratouille Provençale

Ratatouille Provençale ‘‘The smell takes me to the wonderful markets in the south of France with their vibrant vegetable stalls just calling out to make ratatouille.’’

Tasty Tapas

1 large onion 3 cloves of garlic 3 tbsp olive oil 1 branch of thyme 1 bay leaf small bunch of basil, chopped 1 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp sugar freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

serves 4

2 aubergines 2 courgettes 3 peppers - 1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow 3 large tomatoes 400g tin chopped tomatoes

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METHOD Cut the aubergines and courgettes into 1.5 cm chunks. Peel the peppers or grill until blackened if you prefer a smoky

flavour. Cut them in half, remove the membrane and seeds, cut into 1.5cm chunks.Cut a small cross on the base of each tomato, pour boiling water over, leave for 30 seconds, then place into ice cold water. Peel the skin when cool enough to handle. Quarter the tomatoes, scrape away the seeds then cut into 1.5cm chunks. Place a deep frying-pan over a medium heat and, when hot, pour in 2tbsp of olive oil. Brown the aubergines on all sides, until the pieces are soft, remove from the pan and set aside. Fry the courgette, until soft and golden and set aside. Repeat with the peppers,

living nikki legon’s cuisine | 39

Paella “My take on paella as I love the mix of meat and shellfish, you may prefer one or the other…” serves 6

olive oil for frying 1 chorizo, peeled and sliced 6 boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks 500g boneless pork, cut into chunks 1 red and green pepper, diced 1 large white onion, diced 4 cloves of garlic, diced 3 large tomatoes, diced 1 bay leaf 1 tsp smoked paprika 1 tsp chilli pepper

150ml white wine 1 pinch of saffron threads, 200g green beans, soaked in a little water 1 litre chicken stock 500g paella rice salt and pepper 6 large prawns 150g frozen peas 12 small shrimps, peeled and veins removed 1 bunch of parsley leaves, chopped lemon wedges to serve

powder with the white wine, stirring until the onions soften. Add the soaked saffron and the water it was soaked in. Add the green beans and half the chicken stock. As it begins to boil add the rice, sprinkling it around the meat. Cook uncovered without stirring for 10 minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, add the rest of the stock. Reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 10 minutes. Top with the large prawns and the frozen peas which will defrost in the heat. Add the shrimps a few minutes before serving; they will METHOD only take a minute to warm through. In a paella pan or a large frying pan add a Once the paella is done and all the good splash of olive oil. Add the chorizo, liquid absorbed, let it stand for a couple chicken and pork, and cook till browned of minutes for the tasty socarrat (the all over. Add the peppers, onion, garlic, light crunchy crust of rice on the tomatoes, bay leaf, paprika and chilli bottom of the pan) to form.

Tasty Alla Tapas Spaghetti Carrettiera to Share

‘‘Long Spanish lunches with friends start with tapas before we move onto paella”. There is nothing simpler – just take your pick from the suggestions and serve with thinly sliced toasts. The amount will depend on your number of guests (and their appetites!). Cold cured meats (chorizo, salami, prosciutto, mortadella, pepperoni). Hard cheeses (blue cheese, Manchego) Olives (kalamato, Spanish green olives) Sliced boiled eggs

taking care not to overcook any of the vegetables. Finally, fry the onion for 2 minutes then add the garlic and fry a further minute. Stir in the wine vinegar and sugar, then tip in the tomatoes along with a 400g can of chopped tomatoes and the basil, thyme leaves and bay. Return all the vegetables to the pan, season to taste, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Transfer to a casserole dish, cover and heat in the oven at 150°C for 30 minutes. For a taste of Morocco, add a small can of drained chickpeas and 2 tsp of harrisa paste when cooking the onions.

Sicily,Italy Spaghetti Alla Carrettiera ‘‘My husband loved this spaghetti we were served in a quaint little café in Sicily – it is so simple but so tasty.’’ serves 2

2 tbsp olive oil 1 garlic clove 2 red chillies small jar of black olives 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley 200g chopped tomatoes 1 tbsp small capers Pecorino Romano or veg. equivalent 200g spaghetti 2 tbsp breadcrumbs, fried in olive oil salt to taste

METHOD Finely chop the garlic, chillies and parsley. Halve the tomatoes and remove the seeds before cutting into small cubes. Slice the olives, removing the stones, and finely chop the washed capers. Add the olive oil to a frying pan, add the garlic and cook a few seconds. Add the tomatoes, parsley and chillies and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the olives and capers, take off the heat and season with salt. Boil the spaghetti in salted water as per the instructions on the packet and add to the sauce using a little cooking liquor to loosen. Pour into a large serving dish, grate over the Pecorino and sprinkle with the breadcrumbs.

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50 | living in the garden Paul Gauguin: ‘Bouquet of Peonies On A Musical Score’, 1986

in the garden

Petal Power We celebrate the far from humble peony – one of the highlights of early summer in the garden. Colours include peach and coral

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living in the garden | 51 New hybrids expand our choices

hanks to our fortunate combination of a favourable, sunny climate and fertile soil there’s no shortage of contenders for the Ultimate Bloom title in our gardens, which awaken from their winter slumbers with a veritable explosion of colour, raising our spirits and heralding the return of another summer. Our senses are assailed by a succession of sights and sometimes scents, as roses, wisteria and fruit blossom compete with rhododendrons, camellias and others, but few individual plants pack quite such overwhelming visual firepower as our friends the peonies. They therefore make a highly attractive addition to our gardens (although don’t assume that the ravishing beauty which stole your heart

at the garden centre will necessarily have been native to France). So, what exactly are we dealing with? Well, the peony (or paeony) is a flowering plant in the genus Paeonia – the sole genus in the family Paeoniaceae, in fact. Most of what we encounter are herbaceous perennial plants or ’pivoines herbacées’ which, once established, typically grow to around 1 metre in height, while the other main group is what we know as tree peonies, or ‘pivoines arbustives’ – long-lived woody shrubs with the potential to reach 3.5 metres or more, with a significant spread. Best to give them some elbow-room, then. The plants turn out to have a significant global presence: between them Asia, Central and Southern

HOMME VERT Garden design, hard landscape construction and planting service based in Montmoreau (16). Kew trained, RHS show garden contractor & designer, 30+ years’ experience. Full references available. Richard 07 88 29 54 37 richard@boisbourdeau.fr www.boisbourdeau.fr Siret: RCS Angoulême 851 973 198 00019

Charles Rennie Mackintosh: ‘Peonies’, c 1920

Europe and North America are home to nearly 40 types of native peonies. They also have a surprisingly long and fascinating history, the seed pods of the Chinese herbaceous perennial common peony (Paeonia lactiflora) having been used medicinally in China prior to the 7th century, when they became prized for their ornamental qualities and were placed under Imperial protection. As the Emperor’s gardeners began creating ever more showy blooms they were celebrated in Imperial works of art such as tapestries, silks and porcelain. A century or so later peonies found their way to Japan when Chinese traders began exchanging valuable roots of the plants for other commodities. Closer to home, several varieties of

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