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ISSUE 34
October 2012
publishers of
News and What’s on information for Normandy and the surrounding area
A NEW association has been formed to mark the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy in two years’ time – with the added aim of making sure that young people do not forget the sacrifices that were made to keep Europe free. Many of the events being organised for 2014 will be particularly aimed at young people to give them a sense of the value of peace. The association, called Manche 1944-2014, will be a catalyst for what is expected to be the last big commemoration of the landings as many of the veterans who are still alive are too old to travel from the United States or even from the UK. A spokesman for Manche departmental council said: “We want to give the 70th commemoration the resonance that it deserves, to encourage people to take part and remember, and to tell young people of today the importance of what happened during the Second World War and in particular the liberation of this department. “Our role is to make sure that this major event is well organised and given the thought this particular anniversary deserves.” Turn to P2
Photo: Jeremiah Christopher/Wikimedia
D-Day 70th group aims to remind young of sacrifice
Sunday trading: new rules on way by RAY CLANCY
PFEIFFER AND DE NIRO FILMING IN THE ORNE Village of Gacé to feature in new film P4
THE Manche is set to become the first department in Normandy to draw up a set of guidelines for Sunday opening as more and more shops open their doors in a bid to combat dwindling income caused by the poor economic outlook and bad weather. Shop workers are concerned that over-eager managers are opening on a Sunday without getting the correct permission, refusing to pay extra and leaving them feeling as if they have no choice even though the law says that working on a Sunday should be voluntary. The department has seen a number of protests outside shops such as Carrefour Market in Coutances and Valognes by workers who do not want to work on a Sunday. Since 2009, when shop opening laws in France were relaxed, more are opening on a Sunday in a trend which union leaders say is worrying because it is often part-time workers such as
students and young people who are asked to work and they are not paid enough. Small local food shops such as bakers and butchers have traditionally opened on a Sunday morning and for several years non-food shops in cities and large towns and in designated tourist areas have also been allowed to open for a few hours in the morning. The law says that salaried workers cannot be forced to work on a Sunday and those that do volunteer to work should be paid double time. The situation for those on part-time contracts is less clear. There is also a grey area over seeking permission for opening. Technically a shop should Turn to P2
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Normandy Advertiser
October 2012 Photo: Bouba/Wikimedia
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Contents News What’s On Feature Leisure Time
1-7 8-11 12-13, 24 14
Food and Pets 15 Directory 16-17 Home and Garden 18-19 Property and Finance 20-23
Useful Numbers EMERGENCY NUMBERS 18: Emergencies: Calls the fire brigade (Sapeurs Pompiers), but they deal with medical emergencies and are usually the first port of call in rural areas. 112: Emergency calls from your mobile: Be ready with your name and where you are calling from and do not hang up until told to do so. 17: Police (gendarmes) 119: Child abuse. 1616: Sea and lake rescue. 01 40 05 48 48: Anti-poison centre (Paris) 08 10 33 30 + your department number (eg 76 for Seine-Maritime): Gas & electricity emergencies UTILITIES FRANCE TELECOM Website in English: www.francetelecom.com To report a fault online: www.1013.fr (click on the UK flag). English-speaking helpline: 09 69 36 39 00 (from France); + 33 1 55 78 60 56 (outside France). ORANGE: English-speaking helpline: 09 69 36 39 00. SFR: 1023 (+ 33 6 10 00 10 23 from outside France) FREE: 1044 Bouygues: 1034 EDF: 24 hour breakdown line: 08 10 33 30 87; Helpline in English: 05 62 16 49 08; From outside France: + 33 5 62 16 49 08; Email: simpleenergywithedf@edf.fr GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS CAISSE D’ALLOCATIONS FAMILIALES CAF: www.caf.fr; Tel: 08 10 25 14 10. L’ASSURANCE MALADIE (AMELI, formerly known as CPAM – the health service): www.ameli.fr; Tel: 36 46 (Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm) English spoken. URSSAF: English-language website: www.anglais.urssaf.fr - Calvados - 22 rue d'Isigny, 14045 CAEN CEDEX 9 Tel: 08 20 39 51 40 | Manche - 50013 SAINT LO CEDEX Tel: 08 20 39 55 00 | Orne - Pôle d'activités d'Ecouves, Rue François Arago, 61250 VALFRAMBERT Tel. 08 20 39 56 10 | Eure - Parc d'activité de la Forêt, Rue Henri Becquerel, BP 250 27092 EVREUX CEDEX 9 Tel: 08 20 39 52 70 | Seine-Maritime - 61 rue Pierre Renaudel, BP 2035X, 76040 ROUEN CEDEX 1 Tel: 08 20 39 57 60 PREFECTURE: Calvados - rue Daniel Huet, 14038 CAEN CEDEX 9 Tel: 02 31 30 64 00 | Manche - place de la
Préfecture, CS 10419, 50009 ST LO CEDEX Tel: 02 33 75 49 50 | Orne - 39 rue Saint Blaise, 61019 ALENCON CEDEX Tel. 02 33 80 61 61 | Eure boulevard Georges Chauvin, 27022 EVREUX CEDEX Tel: 02 32 78 27 27 | Seine-Maritime - 7 place de la Madeleine, 76000 ROUEN Tel: 02 32 76 55 00 OTHER HELP IN ENGLISH Counselling in France: for a qualified therapist near you or counselling over the telephone; www.counsellinginfrance.com SOS Help: Similar to the Samaritans, listeners who are professionally trained; Tel: 01 46 21 46 46; www.soshelpline.org No Panic France: for help with anxiety disorders; Tel: 02 51 28 80 25; www. nopanic.org.uk Alcoholics Anonymous: Bilingual meetings French/English: Picauville (50) At: Centre Socio-Culturel, Prieuré (opposite the church) Tel: 02 33 40 66 53, Friday at 20:00 | Alençon (61) At: 22 Rue Porchaine, Alençon Tel: 02 43 24 88 40 Monday at 20:30-22:00 Cancer Support France: for advice and someone to talk to: www.cancersupportfrance.info National Office: Email cancersupportfrance@ orange.fr; Tel: 05 45 89 30 05. Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association Forces (SSAFA): In France: 05 53 01 64 54; Email: france@ ssafa.org.uk AVF: Help with French life www.avf.asso.fr OTHER INFO Yellow Pages: www.pagesjaunes.fr Speaking clock: 3699. Weather: 08 92 68 02 + dept. number. Last incoming call on your phone: 3131, then ‘5’ if you wish to connect. BRITISH CONSULATE British Consular Services, Paris: Postal address: British Embassy, BP111-08, 75363 Paris Cedex 08. Tel : 01 44 51 31 00 Tel (after hours Emergency Service only): 01 44 51 31 00 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS THIS MONTH None
Normandy Clubs and Associations Alliance Anglo-Normande A helping hand to integrate through French lessons, meetings and a social calendar, with members of many nationalities. Based between Livarot and Vimoutiers. secretary.normande@orange. fr www.alliance-anglo-normande.info Amicale Culturelle Européenne Offers cultural events and welcomes all nationalties www.amicale-culturelle.eu president@amicale-culturelle.eu Calvados Polo Club Polo matches and events in Lisieux area (14). Open to non-members. Mme Garmond: 02 31 31 19 85 calvadospoloclub@free.fr
Writers in France Relaxed, friendly creative writing group which meets on first Tuesday of every month at the Bistrot du Coin in Passais kitty.stephens@virgin.net Royal British Legion Normandy/Calvados district branch Goona Naidu: 02 31 78 36 40 Ron Matthews: elronmat@wanadoo.fr www.rblnormandy.wordpress.com "Ville-Beau-Son" Choir Anglo-French choir based in Villebaudon (50). Welcomes enthusiastic singers of all abilities. Meets every Wednesday at 20.30 at the Salle Culturelle. Sylvia Miles: 02 33 59 21 81or 02 33 51 13 20 moulin50410@hotmail.com
A busy shopping street in Dieppe. The CFDT union says more big brands around Normandy are now opening on Sundays
‘Small shop owners may feel threatened by Sunday trade’ From page 1 seek permission from town halls but recently the CFDT, the main trade union for shop workers, managed to prevent Distri Center in Valognes from opening when it alerted the police to the fact that the store was flouting the law. As seven-days-a-week shopping becomes more popular, the CFDT said that there has been an increase in illegal Sunday opening. It said that big brands such as Carrefour Market, Gifi, Intermarché and Distri Center have been flouting the rules and some have been fined for doing so. Shop workers in the Manche are con-
cerned that they may be forced to work on a Sunday. Those that have agreed to work on a Sunday say they are being paid e1 or e2 an hour extra, well below what is legally set down. They also feel they should not be made to feel that they have to work on a Sunday as for many it is still regarded as a day to be spent with the family. CFDT spokesman François Vidal said each outlet interprets the Sunday opening rules differently. “Many of the big names like Carrefour Market are franchises and it is up to each manager to decide if they want to open on a Sunday,” he said. “That means that one Carrefour Market, such as in Coutances, decides to
open on a Sunday and another in Saint Lô does not. It is up to the discretion of the management but there is a growing trend for shops to open on a Sunday. “We are not against Sunday opening. What we want is for all those concerned, including small shop-owners who may feel that their business is threatened by supermarkets opening on a Sunday, to get together under the auspices of the préfecture to hammer out a plan that can be adopted by everyone in the area.” A spokeswoman for the Manche préfecture said that it backs the idea and a meeting will be held as soon as a date can be agreed.
Normandy sees boom in ‘drive-thru’ supermarkets
More supermarkets in Normandy are offering home delivery and internet shopping as part of a national drive to improve sales and services for customers. They are particularly targeting working mothers who can order their shopping on the internet and then collect it during the day when it suits them. Leclerc, Carrefour and Intermarché have all recently opened drive-thru facilities where customers arrive at a special collection point for their order two hours or more after buying it over the internet.
“You place your order at any time and then choose when you want to collect it. Our staff will put the order together and it will be ready at the collection point within minutes,’’ said Laurent Letourner, manager of Leclerc at Agneaux near Saint-Lô. The hypermarket has the first automated collection warehouse with conveyor belts in the whole of Normandy, with another opening in Bayeux soon. “It means that orders can be prepared quickly and we can deal with 700 a day,”
Retailers going bust in every town centre
France’s slow economy is taking its toll on hundreds of little shops that give many towns in Normandy their distinctive characteristics and attract tourists. Many towns have at least one or two boarded up shops and signs declaring “liquidation totale” are becoming more and more frequent. Shops that held sales in the peak summer period in the hope of boosting income say that figures are still down. “There is a lot less demand than in previous years. “The wet July was particularly bad for sales,” said a sales assistant at a clothes shop in the cathedral town of Coutances in the Manche. The department has been particularly badly hit by a huge fall in visitors from France and from the UK. In Villedieu-les-Poêles, a popular tourist town famous for its bell foundry and copper cooking pots, three shops selling traditionally made cookware and artefacts have closed in the last year. Its weekly market on a Tuesday has diminished and the coaches that bring hun-
dreds of people into the town during the summer months have dwindled. “We don’t have any official figures yet but you just have to look around. It is so quiet. Four shops are currently boarded up and the takings in restaurants are down,” said a town hall spokesman. In Saint-Lô restaurants, a travel agent and specialist food shops have all closed in recent months. “It is hard to start a small business in the current economic climate. Commerce in small towns is very tough. “Banks aren’t lending and people are buying more on the internet,” said councillor Ludovic Turpin. Even in the cities the outlook is not promising. The Rouen Chamber of Commerce is calling on officials to reduce car parking costs in the run-up to Christmas to try to attract more shoppers. A spokesman said: “The sluggish economy, poor visitor figures and bad weather have all taken their toll. Small businesses in Rouen are suffering a lot.”
explained Mr Letourner. “It is proving very popular with working mothers as they can order any time when they have a spare few minutes and collect it any time during the day,” he added. Intermarché said that it is currently getting around 200 orders a day for its collection service in the region and it expects a rush in the run-up to Christmas. Carrefour, the first supermarket giant to introduce a drive-thru in Normandy is also extending its collection services and opening more collection points in the coming weeks.
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October 2012
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Region lobbies for sailing role in 2024 Olympic Games bid
which attracts world class competitors from around the globe. “The history of sailing in Le Havre coincides with the beginning of sailing in France with the first national regatta held there in 1840 organised by the SRH which also
participated in the organisation of events in the 1924 Olympic Games,” said a spokesman. He added that Le Havre could also be a contender for the windsurfing events as it has played host to some
major competitions including two French championships. “Le Havre is famous above all as the host town for the start of the Transit Jacques Vabre, a role it has fulfilled since the race began in 1993,” he added.
A team from Normandy that is putting together the World Equestrian Games visited the Olympic Games in London to check out the horse riding events and gain advice on producing a world-class event. They met riders, trainers, judges and breeders to sharpen their knowledge as they begin to step up a gear to be ready for the event which will see 500,000 visitors descend on the horse events and over an extra million visitors to Normandy during the two weeks of the games in August 2014. The centre of Caen will be turned
into a huge equestrian stadium where seven of the eight disciplines on the programme will take place. The 100-mile endurance ride will take place between the Haras du Pin and the bay of Mont Saint Michel which the organisers believe will be one of the most picturesque events ever held since the event began almost 30 years ago. Horseball is being held in Saint-Lô and polo in Deauville. “Our visit to the Olympic Games was consistent with our ongoing strategy for 2014. Our involvement in several different international equestrian
events will allow us to learn vital lessons for our own event,” said Fabien Grobon, managing director of the Normandie 2014 Organising Committee. The team also looked at horse transportation and stabling facilities, both of which are vital for such a big event. Held every four years, alternating with the Olympic Games and under the authority of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), the World Equestrian Games are the biggest horse event in the world.
Laurent Beauvais, chairman of the Lower Normandy Region and of Normandie 2014 said: “The whole region is already mobilised and is committed to rising to the challenge for 2014. “Normandy intends to make these World Equestrian Games a first rate sports event, in which every discipline will find a setting that is favourable to the emergence of excellence. “It will endeavour to display the scope of French expertise in terms of welcome and of the organisation of an event of this scale.”
Photo: Jean-Marie Liot
THE mayor of Le Havre is leading a campaign for the Normandy coastline to be used as the venue for the sailing events if Paris decides to go ahead with its bid for the 2024 Olympic Games. Antoine Rufenacht has written to French president François Hollande pointing out that with new high-speed trains links to the region, Normandy is perfectly poised to host such prestigious events if Hollande is serious about bidding for the Games. He reckons the French should take a leaf out of London’s book in terms of sailing. At London 2012 the south coast seaside town of Weymouth, 100 miles from London, put on thrilling sailing events. Many people reckon that Paris, which was beaten by London for this year’s games, stands a good chance of being awarded the 2024 Summer Olympics as it would be the 100th anniversary of the last time they were held in the city. Mr Rufenacht envisages the sailing events in the Seine estuary and thinks Le Havre would be an ideal host. He also pointed out that, like London, the Olympic Games could be a catalyst for renewal along the valley of the River Seine and leave a lasting legacy. Le Havre has a number of other well known sailing clubs including the SRH, Société des Régates du Havre, the oldest yachting club in France, and Sport Nautique du Havre. Its main sailing quay is named after Eric Tabarly, the record-breaking long distance sailor who won the Transatlantic Singlehanded race twice. Le Havre would be a superb location according to organisers of the annual Normandy International Sailing week
Inquiries launched into flying club crash
Le Havre has extensive experience of putting on major sailing events, such as Normandy International Sailing Week
Normandy seeks advice from London as 2014 horse show plans take shape
Three inquiries have been launched into a flying accident off the coast of Normandy which saw a pilot and his plane plunge into the sea after dropping off parachutists next to a popular beach. The flying club involved has also been condemned for taking too many risks amid calls for it to cease its activities until the results of the official inquires have been made public. The BEA, the French equivalent of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, has launched its inquiry into the accident at Donville-les-Bains on the west Cotentin coast in August when a plane from the nearby Breville airfield ditched into the sea 2km from the beach. The branch of the police responsible for the coastline, the gendarmerie maritime, and the branch responsible for air transport, gendarmerie des transport aériens, have also launched separate inquiries. Local residents’ group the Association de Défense des Riverains de L’Aérodrome (ADRA), claims that the parachute club is not respecting the rules and there is a risk of a much worse accident. The pilot was rescued but local officials are concerned that the plane came very close to crashing on to the beach or a nearby campsite and say they are worried about the increasing number of accidents including the death of a parachutist last year. The communes of Coudeville, Bréville and Bréhal said they will consider banning the activity in the area if the inquiries find the club at fault. A spokesman for the parachute club based at Bréville said it would wait for the result of the inquiries before making an official statement, but he added that the weather was exceptionally good when the accident happened and there was no need to bow to pressure to shut down. ADRA president Armand Heinricher said: “It is scandalous. It was pure luck that the plane crashed into the sea and not on the beach or camping site. A serious situation was narrowly avoided. I don’t agree with the attitude of the club.”
Say cheese: long-serving mayor’s pic adorns Camembert box
Alain Trampoglieri gives mayor of Camembert special edition cheese
The mayor of Camembert has had his portrait stamped on a limited edition label of the famous French cheese to mark 50 years of public service. Jean Gaubert, holding a golden image of Marianne, the national emblem of France found on stamps and euro coins, appears on the label on the top of 100,000 boxes of Camembert some of which are destined for the Elysée Palace and National Assembly in Paris. Mr Gaubert, 74, has been the village mayor for 23 years and was first elected to the local council 41 years ago. He became involved in public life at the age of 24. His familiar face is now stamped on
the boxes of the produce made by local cheesemaker François Duran, the last independent Camembert maker left in the village, which gives its name to the cheese which is the second most popular in France after Emmental. Cheese label collectors, known as tyrosémiophiles in French, are likely to be rushing to get their hands on the limited edition box. The idea came from Alain Trampoglieri, general secretary of the national Golden Marianne awards, which are given each year to mayors who make an extraordinary contribution to their communities. Mr Gaubert said he is extremely fond of the cheese and found it an honour to be pictured on the boxes.
He has campaigned tirelessly over the years for small producers to be recognised after the giant cheesemakers announced they would no longer be making camembert from unpasteurised milk. He was the driving force behind the creation of the Maison du Camembert next to the mairie. It celebrates the origin of the round cheese which was first made by a farmer’s wife in the village, Marie Harel, who was given a recipe by a priest from Brie, whose cheese is also one of the most popular in the country. Mr Gaubert added that it is sad that there is now only one traditional cheesemaker left in the village whose name is known around the world.
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It is not everyday that you see Hollywood actress Michelle Pfeiffer in a supermarket in rural Normandy but along with celebrated actor Robert De Niro she is filming in the region. They are working on the new Luc Besson black comedy thriller Malavita about a retired American gangster who moves his family to Normandy to live under a witness protection scheme after grassing on his mafia boss. Glee star Dianna Agron plays the couple’s daughter. The film also stars Tommy Lee Jones and plenty of the locals. Around 300 people in Gacé in the Orne have been acting as extras and the film crew is likely to be in the village until the end of October but could return later in the year for some smaller scenes. Besson, who is often
described as France’s answer to Tony Scott, has turned Gacé into the village of Cholong-sur-Avre. In the film, De Niro and his wife, played by Pfeiffer, with their two children aged 17 and 14 move to the village and tell locals he is researching a book about the D-Day landings. But in reality he is being hidden by the FBI after the mafia put a e20million bounty on his head. The film looks at their often hilarious attempts at integrating into French life – having come from the more upbeat streets of New York. Despite their best efforts to integrate, the locals soon find out about De Nero’s past. It is based on the book Badfellas by Tonino Benacquista and is scheduled for release in the second half of 2013.
Photo: David Shankbone/Wikimedia
De Niro and Pfeiffer in Normandy for new film
Normandy Advertiser
Robert De Niro plays retired gangster hiding in Normandy
October 2012
Man flees jail by using ladder It took just four minutes and could have come straight out of a novel or film, a daring daylight escape from prison in the middle of the day. In this case the prisoner got clear away and now authorities in Caen have launched an inquiry after the man escaped from the city’s prison using a good old-fashioned ladder on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Video camera footage reveals that during exercise time at 14.30 he climbed on the shoulders of a fellow inmate, scrambled up a wire fence that had become partly detached from the wall of one of the prison buildings, on to the roof and then jumped down into the ditch between the walls that surround the prison yard. There, outside accomplices were waiting with two ladders. One had already been placed inside the 6m high exterior wall, the second allowed him to climb down and escape without being apprehended. It is also thought that accomplices had already cut the wires to sensors on the wall which alert the prison guards to movements. Ali Henni, aged 26 and originally from Marseille, was being held in custody for armed robbery and the
attempted murder of a jewellery shop owner in Caen. He and an accomplice, both of whom wore masks, robbed the Belle Époque jewellery shop but were pursued by the owner. One of them, armed with a machine gun, fired several bullets at the shop owner, one of which hit the large artery of his thigh. Police said that he could have bled to death had it not been for the quick actions of a nearby binman who put a tourniquet around his leg. As well as the manhunt for Henni, a separate inquiry has been launched into security at the prison. The UFAP union is concerned, for example, that inmates have mobile phones which means they can contact outsiders. The inquiry will also look at whether there are enough guards on a Sunday. “Everyone is stunned by the escape. Staff remember someone trying something similar in the 1980s but the escapee was quickly caught,” said a trade union spokesman. Police have warned that the man is dangerous. He is also facing trial over setting fire to the car of a prison guard in Marseille where he was being held before.
Banks stop lending to troubled hospital by RAY CLANCY
ter said. It is understood that the hospital will give priority to paying smaller local suppliers but payments to bigger suppliers are unlikely in BANKS are refusing to lend to one of the near future. Mr Piquemal added that the aim Normandy’s biggest hospitals after its deficit is to reduce the dependency on increased to e119million. The banks but the hospital still needs hospital has taken the extraorto invest money in medical and dinary step of declaring that it computer equipment. Staff are cannot pay its suppliers. concerned that further cuts will The situation at CHU in Caen This is an be made and trade union repreis described as “unprecedented” sentatives believe that it is only a in France with the hospital facing unprecedented matter of time before patient serthe recall of two loans this month situation for a vices are affected. and banks refusing to renew “This is an unprecedented situthem. Urgent talks are now takhospital in France ation for a hospital in France. ing place with banks and the CGT trade union “We cannot see how CHU health ministry to try to find a Caen can continue to function solution to the financial crisis. without help from the state,” said a spokesman The actual provision of services to patients is for the CGT trade union. not currently affected by the financial crisis, Some 500 jobs have already been axed in the the director of CHU in Caen, Angel Piquemal, said. But he described the financial situation as last two years and a major refurbishment programme to remove asbestos from the hospital’s “extremely fragile”. older buildings has not yet begun despite being In a letter to staff he revealed the extent of announced in 2010. the problems, explaining that the hospital’s The CFTC union also said that if the hospital deficit increased by e9.2million last year takis to survive in its present form it will need a ing it to an accumulated total of e119million bailout from the government. despite efforts to reduce spending. It said in a statement: “The CHU is at the He also announced that although basic salabottom, it can’t fall any further. It is staff who ries will be paid the hospital is suspending its are going to suffer financially and also in terms employer contributions. of being in a difficult working environment. “I have no choice but to suspend employer contributions and payment to suppliers,” the let- This will have an impact on patients.”
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D-Day 2014 anniversary will be special From page 1 The 2014 commemorations are likely to see numerous heads of state including French president François Hollande, the British prime minister and whoever becomes the next president of the United States. There is also likely to be a
representative of the British royal family. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected for the event – as well as veterans, the youngest of whom will be aged around 90. Meanwhile, a campaign to relaunch a historic D-Day gunboat in time for the 2014
anniversary has started in the UK. Portsmouth Naval Base Property Trust aims to raise £70,000 to allow MGB 81 to cross the English Channel. It is thought to be the last remaining ship of its kind. It provided cover at sea for US troops landing at Omaha beach in Normandy in 1944.
Normandy Advertiser
October 2012
TRADITIONAL Norman calvados - being a victim of its own success - has been copied by various companies in Finland, much to the fury of the French calvados-makers’ association. President Didier Bédu said: “If we sold Scotch whisky which wasn’t really Scotch whisky, the Scots would be angry, wouldn’t they?” He claims the authorities are passing the buck and although they have employed a lawyer to take the Finnish companies to court, he is not hopeful. “Consumers are being fooled into thinking they’re buying a high quality product from Calvados in France, when in fact they’re buying a cheap rip-off product that’s never been near France,” he said. “They can produce as much apple liqueur or apple brandy as they like as long as they don’t call it calvados or any name that sounds or looks similar. “The legal procedure will be lengthy and expensive which is why we’re asking elected representatives, ministers, the press and the public to help.” However he added: “This is proof of our success in the northern and eastern countries of Europe. This is proof that people love our product.”
Crisis meeting to be held as visitors shun Mont St Michel by RAY CLANCY
The organisation responsible for managing the changes to Mont Saint Michel that have been blamed for a massive drop in visitor numbers this year will be holding a crisis meeting this month. Top of the agenda will be transport and car parking costs as it is being suggested by locals and politicians that the new system needs to change to avoid another bad season. The meeting will hear that visitor numbers have dropped between 10% and 20% since the new car park was opened in May and parking costs for a single vehicle increased from e6 to e8.50. The official line is that the economic outlook and bad weather is to blame but it has been widely reported that a lack of signs, a walk of 2km from the parking to the new shuttle bus stops and a public misunderstanding that the shuttles do not run in the evening are the real reasons people have been shunning one of France’s most visited sites this year. It is hoped that a special parking price for evening visitors of just e2.50 introduced in August might help improve the poor figures. The price for coaches has also been reduced from e55 to e40. But local politicians in Normandy and Brittany who agreed that millions of euros of public money should be spent on the project are running out of patience and said that they no longer have confidence in Laurent Beauvais, president of Basse-
Normandie region and of the Syndicat Mixte de la Baie du Mont Saint Michel. “Something urgent needs to be done,” said François Digard, mayor of Saint-Lô, after visiting the site with a group of fellow politicians, adding that he hopes the meeting will consider reducing prices and do something about the long walk from the carpark. “A reduction of 10% to 15% in parking, a fall of 24% in income for hotels and restaurants, we just can’t have a second season like that,” said Anne-Marie Cousin, a regional councillor and mayor of Torignisur-Vire. Also high on the agenda is the saga over the horse-drawn carriages which were meant to take visitors to the Mont for a supplementary charge. There was a design fault and the carriages have never been delivered, with transport provider Veolia paying a daily fine for failing to provide them. Régina Dutacq, operations director of Veolia Transport Mont Saint Michel, said in a statement that the original carriages will not be used for safety reasons after they were found to be unstable and had steering problems. “It was a difficult decision and we take full responsibility. We are now working on getting a new model for 2014,” she added. More ordinary carriages are expected to be introduced before the end of the year. Meanwhile, most of the 30 horses bought to pull the carriages are running around a field rather than being used at the attraction.
Officials blame the bad weather and economy for the visitor drop
Pig farmers get cash to upgrade THE préfecture in the Orne is allocating grants to pig farmers to help them meet the new European pig-sty regulations which are designed to improve quality of life for farm animals. The deadline for the improvements is January 1, 2013.
Horse fetches half a million
A HORSE less than a year old has been sold for e520,000 in Deauville. The son of two famous racehorses Montjeu and Dibenoise, his value was raised by the death of his father Montjeu last spring, making him the last of the champion’s offspring. He was bought by an Irish consortium of owners and breeders called Coolmore, who owned his father and also own Recital, one of his brothers.
Tocqueville owner dies GUY d’Hérouville, the owner of the Château de Tocqueville (Manche) has died at the age of 84. The château is famous for having been the home of Alexis de Tocqueville who was a writer, diplomat and French politician during the 18th century. Every other year since 1979 the late owner hosted the jury of the Tocqueville Prize, awarded to the author of the book judged to promote humanism and civil liberty.
An aerial view of seals in the bay of Mont Saint Michel
Major study into seals and dolphins By boat and from the air, the populations of dolphins and seals in the sea off Normandy and Brittany between Cherbourg and Saint-Brieuc are being studied as never before. Hundreds of people living in the region are helping to record and study these sea creatures which are regarded as being among the most important colonies in Europe. Members of the Al Lark association have taken 50,000 photographs of dolphins in the last seven years which they are now studying. In particular they are examining the different marks and shapes of dolphin fins. At the same time the Syndicat Mixte de la Baie du Mont Saint Michel, the organisation that is overseeing the transformation of the famous attraction into an island once more, has launched its own study.
Biologist Audrey Hemon has been making twice monthly air trips in a ULM across the bay to study the seals. “We have established that there are over 70 seals in the bay. Some 60 are common seals that come here every summer to breed. There are also around 12 grey seals that are in transit,” she explained. When the breeding season is finished she will begin to analyse the photos and then resume her studies by air in the spring and throughout the breeding season for three years. “The work being done at Mont Saint Michel could change the topography of the area. By following them we can find out if it is affecting the sand banks frequented by the seals,” she added. There are around 600 bottlenose dolphins in the Bay of Mont Saint Michel according to Al Lark.
Worried about the Euro debt crisis? Talk to Siddalls about how to structure your finances in these difficult times Contact your Regional Manager French Head Office: 05 56 34 75 51 Email: bordeaux.office@siddalls.net
www.siddalls.fr French finance in plain English Siddalls France SASU, Parc Innolin, 3 Rue du Golf, 33700 Mérignac - RCS BX 498 800 465. C.I.F. No E001669 auprès de ANACOFI-CIF association agréée par l’Autorité des Marchés Financiers et Courtier d’Assurances, Catégorie B - ORIAS 07 027 475. Garantie Financière et Assurance de Responsabilité Civile Professionnelle conformes aux articles L 541-3 du Code Monétaire et Financier et L 512-6 et 512-7 du Code des Assurances.
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Producers sue over copycat calvados
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citizens in every EU state would have equal rights to vote in the country in which they choose to settle – and equal responsibilities to pay tax there under a plan by a leading French economist to “put in place a real status of European citizenship”. Jacques Attali, who chairs an independent think-tank set up by the Sarkozy government to look at French growth and reform, has also called for a single EU-wide passport. He said it would give the holder access to all the rights of a national in their member state, including voting in presidential and parliamentary elections, provided they lived there for more than 10 years.
Same-sex weddings law ‘by early 2013’
A NEW law to be tabled this month will give homosexual couples the right to get married and to adopt. It could become law early in 2013. Justice Minister Christiane Taubira, the justice minister,
New Lascaux caves facsimile is dropped
Centre national de la préhistoire 2006 © MCC-CNP
Citizens would get EU right to vote
Bulls and horses depicted in the Lascaux paintings was fulfilling a campaign promise by President Hollande and said: “We are well aware of the philosophical and anthropological dimensions around marriage but we feel that they should not break the rule of equality.” The law would extend the rights of marriage, kinship and parentage to same-sex couples and open up adoption either individually or as a
couple. However, they will not have the right to artificial fertility treatment (PMA) and the government has maintained the ban on surrogacy.
Austerity drive linked to job creation plan
A TWIN attack of an austerity budget and action to create jobs is President Hollande’s aim for the next two years. He
BUDGET cuts could halt e50million plans for a giant facsimile of the Lascaux caves in the Dordogne. Culture Minister Aurélie Filippetti said the Lascaux 4 plan near Montignac was not a priority. It was hit along with unbudgeted cultural projects from the previous government – totalling almost a billion euros. Bernard Cazeau, leader of Dordogne conseil général, said the plan was a Unescobacked bid to stop damage to the 17,000-year-old paintings - and would go ahead. told TF1 that his government was in “battle mode” to get France back on track with his main targets being the national debt and joblessness. It means a tough time ahead as the “recovery agenda” would see e30 billion of taxes and spending cuts. The debt would be reduced through a e10bn cut in public spending next year with every ministry apart from educa-
tion, security and justice being hit; e10bn from “large companies” through increased taxes and social charges, and e10bn from the ordinary taxpayer - and “especially better off households”. Jobs would be created with a state-subsidised “generation contract” to get companies to hire young workers and the employment of 60,000 more staff in schools.
Oldest nuclear plant to be closed down
PRESIDENT Hollande has said France’s oldest nuclear power plant, at Fessenheim in Alsace, will close in 2016. He told a Paris environmental conference he wanted to reduce the country’s dependency on nuclear power and said he wanted it cut from the present 75% to 25% by 2025. This means a major increase in renewable energy supply and he said appeals for new wind and solar projects would be launched later this year. He has also rejected seven bids to drill exploration wells for shale gas, citing community fears on water pollution.
Arnault foundation could save 37% tax
FRENCH tycoon Bernard Arnault, the head of the LVMH luxury goods group, has set up a Belgian foundation which could help his children pay minimal inheritance tax after he dies. Arnault, France’s richest man with a e32billion fortune, recently announced he had applied for Belgian nationality and the Protect invest foundation could let him pass on billions of inheritance with no or little tax. His heirs could pay 3% instead of 40% in France.
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Protestors change tactics and hope law will delay power line
Photo: PHOTOPQR/OUEST FRANCE
by RAY CLANCY THE ONSLAUGHT of violent protests against the new high-voltage THT power line being built across Basse-Normandie looks to be cooling, with campaigners hoping a new tactic of taking legal action to stall the project will be more successful. It comes after one man was sent to jail for three months and another was fined e2,000 at the criminal court in Coutances. Philosophy student Michael Garabello, 24, was jailed after being found guilty of aggressive violence in June when two policemen and 25 protestors were hurt during a weekend of resistance in the Manche. The public prosecutor had recommended he should be jailed for eight months as he had a previous conviction for a similar offence in Paris in 2009. Michel Houssin, 51, was found guilty of violently opposing construction work on the line and fined e2,000, of which half was suspended. Both men are appealing. The severity of the court action seems to have acted as a warning to other protestors. A militant’s camp that was being manned day and night in a wood belonging to the previous mayor of Le Chefresne, Jean-Claude Bossard, has been virtually abandoned. “We have decided to change our methods. We held a meeting to discuss where we go after the jailing of a protestor following the clashes in June,” said one militant who did not want to be named. “Our way forward is likely to be less obvious. We can’t risk people being sent to jail and people being hurt. We will still be around, we’ll be taking photos and videos as evidence of the methods being used by the contractors,” he added. Mr Bossard, who has resigned as mayor over the issue confirmed that tactics are changing. “We wish to organise a symbolic opposition and to educate people about the fight against the line,” he said. As the violence calms down the issue is set to become more political and legal. The local branch of the French green party, EELV, said it is going to press for a proper epidemiological study of the health implications of the high-voltage line on people and animals. Yannic Soubien, vice-president of the party in Basse-Normandie, said that as the building of the new nuclear facility at Flamanville is behind schedule there should be no rush to build the power lines and time should be used instead to try to resolve the issues that are concerning people. EELV looks set to become increasingly vocal over the issues. Last month the new national secretary of the party Pascal Durand visited fields in Saint-Pierre-des-Landes in the Mayenne and said that RTE seems to be forging ahead with the construction of the line without concern for the local population. “Their strategy is always the same; install the pylons as quickly as possible when there is no urgency so that residents can do nothing despite the possibility of legal action,” he said, adding that he cannot understand why they are
THT campaigners gathered outside Coutances criminal court to support Michel Houssin, who was fined for violently opposing the line going forward so fast with the construction of the line when there are question marks over health issues. The public inquiry into the line decided that there was no risk to health and no need for a health study to be undertaken. But a number of farmers next to a small section of an existing high-voltage power line between Normandy and Paris are claiming that the health of their animals improved when the power was cut for a month between August and September for work to be carried out. Now the Manche Chamber of Agriculture and the agriculture trade union FDSEA have asked for an evaluation to be done. “This could provide valuable data to see if high-voltage power lines cause problems. If they do then RTE needs to address the issue,” said Rémi Bailhache, president of the Chamber of Agriculture, but he acknowledged that it will be difficult to prove what livestock health issues relate to the line. Legal moves are continuing. Last month, farmer Yves Larsonneur succeeded in getting a court to halt the work being done by RTE in his fields. The court in Coutances ordered that the work on two pylons at Montabot should stop as he had not given his permission. According to a law of 1892 the owner of land must give his permission before work starts even if it is in the public interest. Mr Larsonneur described it as a David and Goliath-style victory. He added that it seems that the law is now more likely to hold up the line than violent protests.
Compensation offer could be extended MORE people living near the new high-voltage THT power line could get compensation if it hampers their view, it has emerged. A commission will start taking details from the end of this month on the impact of the line on people who bought their houses before June 2009, when the public inquiry into the line started. Those living within 200m of the new line have already been promised compensation but this second inquiry
will now look at those which are further afield. No distance has been specified yet for the new commission team which will be headed by an administrative judge. Another commission will also be put in place by the end of the year to examine the economic impact of the building of the line on local businesses. One farmer has already complained that his field of maize was flattened by a
helicopter being used by grid provider Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE) which is responsible for the construction of the new line. A spokesman said that it will be up to those concerned to prove that their business has been affected. The commission will want evidence of their business before and after the construction of the line and it expects to make its first evaluations known early in 2013.
8 What’s On
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Calvados
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Deauville
October 2012
OUTDOORS
October
Photo: ©Sandrine-Boyer-Rallye-Paris-Deauville-2011
Until October 1 Paris-Deauville rally – Every year in October Deauville hosts the Paris-Deauville vintage car rally. Created in 1967, this rally recalls the spirit of the 1920s, when lovers of elegance gathered in the chic Norman seaside town with their beautiful cars. Now in its 45th year, the event sees about 50 vintage vehicles – including Rolls Royces and Aston Martins – dating from before 1940 make the annual pilgrimage from Paris to parade the streets of the seaside resort. This year’s rally includes a special celebration of the classic British manufacturer Bentley. www.deauville.org
Calvados
Port-en-Bessin-Huppain
Honfleur FESTIVAL
October 6-7 Fête de la Crevette – Lovers of shrimp and other seafood will enjoy this traditional weekend festival in Honfleur, dedicated not just to local shrimps but to all things sea and fishing. Freshly caught seafood has been celebrated at this annual festival since 1994, with concerts, sailors’ chants, fresh produce to be tasted and a wide range of activities for children all on a seaside theme.There is also a market selling the latest fresh fish straight out of the Channel. Most of the activities will be along the quayside and are FREE to take part. To find out more, visit www.ot-honfleur.fr
Photo: © laurent hamels - Fotolia.com
Calvados
SPORT
Giverny
ART
Until October 31 From Delacroix to Signac: Drawings from the Dyke collection – The Musée des Impressionismes in Giverny presents an exhibition of 100 works from one of the most astute private art collectors of the 19th and 20th century, James T Dyke, on loan from the National Gallery in London.The selection focuses on the deepest and richest part of his collection, drawings by French artists working from about 1830 to 1930, from Eugène Delacroix to Bonnard,Vuillard and Signac. Open daily 10.00-18.00, from 6.50. www.mgif.fr
Orne
Bellême OUTDOORS
Photos: ©Musée des Impressionismes
October 12-13 D-Day beach Pro-Am – Take part in a golf competition overlooking one of Normandy’s historic D-Day landing spots at Omaha Beach golf course. Local historian Jacques Ravelli will also be giving a talk about the beaches and their history.To find out more, call organisers Swing on 01 41 22 96 00 or see www.omahabeachgolfclub.com
Eure
October 4-7 Les Mycologiades – The Place de l’Europe in the centre of Bellême is the base for the 60th edition of this international mushroom festival. On the agenda are mushroomgathering outings for specialists, school children and the general public alike, training sessions for pharmacists on how to spot dangerous types and the annual Cèpe d'Or competition for young mycologists. A day ticket for the events is 15. The full programme and details of how to register can be found online at www.mycologiades.com
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FAMILY
Seine-Maritime
Rouen
FOOD
October 20-21 Fête du Ventre – Over two days, this massive festival in the historic city centre of Rouen unites chefs, farmers and the food-loving public with hundreds of stands dedicated to gastronomy. More than 120,000 visitors are expected to join in the activities, which include games for the children, street theatre, jazz performances, cider-making and a traditional parade in costume. Everything from snails and seafood to cheese and caramel will be on display. www.feteduventre.com
October 18-November 18 Foire Saint Romain – France’s biggest funfair outside of Paris returns to the south bank at Rouen for the half-term holidays, with more than 200 attractions, shows, rides and stalls. The fair has been a regular feature in the city’s agenda for centuries and this is the last year that it will be held on the bank, ahead of moving to a new, unconfirmed location in 2013. www.foirestromain.fr
Manche
Seine-Maritime Rouen FAMILY
Photo: zigazou76 - flickr.com
October 11-28 Equidays – Calvados’s autumn equestrian festival is your chance to go on a guided visit of local haras and enjoy horseback tours of the local countryside. It takes place in venues around the department, mostly Orbec, Cambremer and Pont l'Evêque.The festival begins with three nights of spectacular showjumping theatre shows at Les Prés Longrais in Victot Pontfol from October 11-13, starting at 20.30. Entry is 20.The full programme is at www. equidays-calvados.com
Eure
What’s On 9
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October 2012
Saint-Lô
MUSIC
October 30-November 4 Polyfollia – The long Toussaint weekend is the time of year when choral singers from all over the world meet in SaintLô to perform together in more than 50 concerts dotted around the town. Audience participation is the key element in many of their performances, and there are also workshops and talks.Tickets range from 16 to 35 depending on the concert. The full programme and booking can be accessed online at www.polyfollia.org
Harcourt
GARDENING
ADVERTISE
IN THIS October 27-28 Les Automnales d’Harcourt – Fifty of the best nursery gardeners and plant collectors from all over north-west France gather in the botanical garden in Harcourt to display their work and share advice. It is a great opportunity to meet like-minded gardening fans and producers and see some beautiful, rare and unusual plants. There will also be a conference on Saturday afternoon on the effect climate change is having on gardening in the region. 4. Call 02 32 46 29 70 or see www.harcourt-normandie.fr
Brocantes/vide-greniers in Normandy this month MANCHE October 6 – Cherbourg 7 – Bacilly, Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët 14 – Saint André de l”Epine, Saint-Lô 21 – Condé sur Vire, Granville 28 – Agon-Coutainville, Granville ORNE 6 – Alençon, Saint-Denis-sur-Sarthon CALVADOS 6 – Bernières-sur-Mer, Condé-sur-Noireau, Giberville 7 – Caen, Cormelles le Royal, Giberville, Honfleur, Mouen, Saint-Arnoult, Saint Martin de Tallevende,Thury-Harcourt,Tilly-sur-Seuilles,Vire 14 – Beuvron-en-Auge, Caen,Touques 20 – Cabourg 27 – Deauville SEINE-MARITIME 6 – Bosc Bordel, Isneauville, Le Havre, Notre
Dame d'Aliermont, Saint Léger aux Bois, Saint Léonard, Saint Pierre lès Elbeuf 7 – Blainville-Crevon, Canteleu, Duclair, Elbeurf, Fécamp, Forges-les-Eaux, Goderville, Grand Couronne, Isneauville, Le Havre, Le Tréport, Notre Dame de Gravenchon, Saint Léger aux Bois, Saint Léonard, Saint Pierre lès Elbeuf, Sainte Foy,Yvetot 14 – Buchy, Doudeville, Saumont la Poterie 21 – Canteleu, Grand Couronne, La Bouille, Le Bourg, Le Havre, Maromme, Montivilliers 28 – Fécamp EURE 6 – Conches en Ouche, Fontaine la Soret, Gasny,Vandrimare 7 – Barneville-sur-Seine, Cintray, Fleury sur Andelle, Fontaine la Soret, Gravigny, Ivry la Bataille, La Couture Boussey, Pont Audemer,Vernon 14 – Cormeilles, Ecos, Perriers sur Andelle 21 – La Ferrière sur Risle 28 – Aubevoye, Le Vieil Evreux, Saint Denis le Ferment
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Looking for ideas of days out or events near you?
ZOOLOGICAL PARKS Cerza in Hermival les Vaux (near Lisieux) Discover 800 wild animals across this vast 60-hectare site comprising prairies and valleys and devoted to reproducing and breeding endangered species. A tour through the park offers visitors a close encounter with animals in the ‘Heart of Africa’ and the ‘Savage Valley’, two walking routes and over safari train excursions. Snacks, a restaurant and a picnic area are also available on site. Events and activities. A 12minute film, both amusing and educational, offers visitors an insight into protecting wild animals and respecting the environment. www.cerza.com
Jurques Zoo (20 min south-east of Caen) In the heart of this 15ha wooded park, take off for an adventure amidst some 650 exceptional wild animal species such as the extremely rare white lion. A total change of scenery awaits you in the African, South American and Australian plains, the land of the wolves, the reptile village and the 'African mountains': a patio overlooking a 130 feet quarry where you can admire some forty different animals. In the summer season, you can even touch the snakes or watch the penguins, the wolves and the monkeys feed. Mini-farm, play areas, inflatable structures, cafeteria, boutique. Gates close 1h30 before closure of the zoo. Not to be missed: a magical world of animals by night on July 27 & 28 July (8pm-midnight)! www.zoodejurques.fr
Naturospace tropical butterfly farm in Honfleur Naturospace, offers you a fascinating journey through an Amazonian garden where tropical butterflies fly in total freedom: a hundred different species from South America, South-East Asia and Africa. Rare plant species can also be admired. Particular care is taken to preserve floral diversity and to present useful tropical plants (fruits and spices). Revel in the splendour of the multicoloured tropical birds as they fly free. Visit lasts: 1 hour. www.natur-aquarium.fr
AQUATIC CENTRES Carpiquet - www.espace-sirena.fr Condé-sur-Noireau www.conde-sur-noireau.com
Kid’s stuff family fun
Douvres-la-délivrande - www.aquanacre.fr Falaise - www.ca-formeo.fr Lisieux - www.lisieux-tourisme.com Thury Harcourt - www.aqua-sud.fr Vire - www.aquavire.fr
INDOOR THEMED PLAYGROUNDS (ideal for the under 12s) Girafou in Bénouville (between Caen and Ouistreham) - www.girafou.com Ouga Ouga in Bretteville-sur-Odon (Caen) www.ougaouga.com Royal Kids in Hérouville St Clair (between Caen and Ouistreham) - www.royalkids.fr
AND A MINE OF OTHER ACTIVITIES Adventure trails, fishing ponds and lakes, aquarium, ten-pin bowling... www.calvados-tourisme.com
What’s on in October? 1 & 28 Trotting races, Vire 6&7 Prawn & Fishing Fair, Honfleur 6, 20, 24 & 31 Trotting races, Caen 8 to 14 Bayeux-Calvados Awards for War Correspondents, Bayeux 14 to 28 ‘Equi’days’- Equestrian Events, throughout Calvados Visit: www.equidays.com 19 to 21 International Horse Jumping, Caen
FESTYLAND AMUSEMENT PARK Enjoy an exceptional day out and the guarantee of thrills, spills and laughter for all! The park retraces Normandy's history in a joyful family atmosphere. A total of thirty attractions cover four different themes). Restaurants, self-service catering and picnic spots on site. www.festyland.com
Visit: www.calvados-tourisme.com
Calvados, the true spirit of Normandy
22 to 24 Yearlings Horse Auctions, Deauville 24 to 30 European Film Festival, Houlgate 27 & 28 Scallop Fair, Villers-sur-Mer
Normandy Advertiser
October 2012
What’s On 11
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What’s On in the capital
October 31-Nov 4 – With the nights drawing in and Christmas almost around the corner, the Salon du Chocolat is a highlight in the capital’s autumn events schedule, bringing together more than 100 chocolatiers, cocoa growers and thousands of consumers at Viparis, Porte de Versailles.The show celebrates all that is unique about chocolate and, as well as demonstrations from world-famous chefs and tastings there is dance, songs and demonstrations of rituals and traditions from cocoa-producing countries. In total, more than 40 live demonstrations and tastings will be presented.There is also a chocolate bookshop and conferences (in French) on chocolate’s history and innovations, plus the unique chocolate dresses fashion show every day at 17.00, where some of the finest designers and most talented chocolatiers work together. Open daily 10.00-19.00. Day passes are 13. www.salon-du-chocolat.com
FOOD
Photo: Ministère de l’Enseignement Supérieur
Photos: Julien Millet
Cocoa Chanel
Skyscrapers and Seine on sleepless night out OUTDOORS October 6 – First launched in 2002, Paris Nuit Blanche (sleepless night) is a night of non-stop art and culture in which hundreds of the city’s galleries, museums, city halls, and even swimming pools open their doors all night to visitors. Light installations, edgy performances, concerts and exhibitions are planned all over the capital and every event is free. Some town halls offer a free continental breakfast to those who stay up until dawn. The banks of the Seine will be a focal point this year, with a special cultural path running from the Radio
FESTIVAL
special fair held in Bercy Village. See www.pucesdudesign.com
Until Christmas – For the last 40 years, the Paris Festival de l’Automne has ushered in the post-summer season here by highlighting some of the best works in contemporary visual art, music, cinema, theatre and other creative forms.Venues across Paris host the season-long event which includes everything from opera and film to dance. It is the largest festival of its kind in the world. festival-automne.com
Cutting-edge cars on show Until October 14 – Le Mondial de l’Automobile is a trade show showcasting cutting-edge vehicle design from all over the world, at Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles. www.mondialautomobile.com
EXHIBITION
Rock legend Slash plays Paris October 20 – The celebrated former guitarist from Guns ‘n’ Roses, Slash, plays a solo concert at the Zénith, Parc de la Villette as part of his world tour. Tickets start at 42.
MUSIC
West Side Story in English THEATRE October 24-December 31 – Exactly 55 years since it first opened on Broadway to rave reviews, the classic musical West Side Story, is being performed in English (with French subtitles) in a twomonth run at the Théâtre Musical de Paris in Châtelet. Performances are nightly at 20.00 and tickets range from 24 to 133 from all the usual outlets.
50,000 expected at France’s ‘Grand National’ October 6-7 – The Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe is France’s most prestigious flat race and attracts the elite of horse racing. It is one of 13 races taking place over a weekend at the Hippodrome de Longchamp in the Bois de Boulogne during the first week in October. More than 50,000 spectators are expected and the event is watched by millions on TV worldwide.The Arc de Triomphe record was broken last year by Danedream, who finished the race in two minutes 24 seconds. Doors open at 11.00 on both days. Entry is 4 on Saturday, 8 on Sunday. Under-18s go free, as do women wearing beautiful hats. Call 01 44 30 75 00 or visit prixarcdetriomphe.com
October 10-14 – Celebrate the making of this year’s vintage with much fanfare at Paris’s only vineyard, on the north-facing hill at Montmartre, which takes on a village feel for this five-day festival.The Fête des Vendanges includes tastings, regional produce for sale, a colourful parade, concerts and fireworks on October 13. www.fetedesvendangesdemontmartre.com
FESTIVAL
Three art fairs, one weekend October 18-22 – This month is a great time for art and design lovers, with three major fairs over the same weekend. FIAC showcases work from 165 international galleries and over 2,500 artists in the impressive Grand Palais from 18-21 (www.fiac.com). Just over the road will be Art & Design Elysées from 18-22 (www.artelysees.fr), while the Cité de la Mode et du Design near the Gare d’Austerlitz has the Chic Art Fair (www.chic-today.com) from 19-22 displaying the best in fashion and design.
ART
Photo: phalenebdlv/Flickr
Photo: Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe
Harvest time at city vineyard Photo: Pierre Lannes/Flickr
Culture festival Design fair from 50s to now ushers in the DESIGN October 4-7 – Les Puces du Design sees specialists in fashion and furniture from the autumn months 1950s onwards present and sell their wares to the public on this
France building in the west to Ivry in the east. Another theme this year is the sky – with 15 buildings in the city centre opening up their roof terraces for sightseers, including the 24th floor of the Tour Zamansky at Jussieu (5th arrondissement, pictured). See the full programme at nuitblanche.paris.fr
12 Practical
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Losing a loved-one is not something we want to think about – but when it happens, it is important to act quickly and practically and understand the formalities to minimise stress at this difficult time. Here we give a step-by-step guide to the main considerations in the days and weeks that follow a death in France FORMALITIES in the first few days after someone dies include the making out of a death certificate and a declaration at the mairie. Note that if you are an employee you have the right to time off due to the death of a close relative. You also have the right to take a break from work to be with a close relative who is terminally ill, called a congé de solidarité familial, during which your contract is suspended and you can claim a daily benefit to partially compensate loss of earnings. Paperwork The first thing required is for a doc-
tor to make out a certificat médical constatant le décès (also known as the certificat de décès) to legally state the person has died. If the death took place at home, it is the doctor called to the house who will sign it. In a hospital, clinic or retirement home a staff doctor will sign it. Violent deaths, including road accidents, must be notified to the police or gendarmerie, who will supply a certificate. In the case of a violent death the body may be transferred to an institut medico-légal, a special type of mortuary, where the body will be kept in a refrigerated facility,
Photo: Subbotina Anna - Fotolia.com
where an autopsy may be carried out, it will then be transferred to a chambre funéraire or mortuaire on judicial permission. Apart from the basic proof of death, this certificat médical will also contain extra information that is important in the following circumstances: admission to a chambre funéraire (private or municipal mortuary), transport of the body before the coffin is sealed, transport abroad after sealing, embalming and cremation. In such cases, the certificate needs to show that there are no medical/legal matters of concern, that the person did not suffer from a list of contagious illnesses and (if they are to be cremated) they did not have a pacemaker. The mairie will give you a document called the acte de décès – ask for about a dozen. It is this acte de décès, rather than the medical death certificate, that you will need to use for most subsequent formalities. Most mairies allow for internet declarations at http://vosdroits. service-public.fr/R1406.xhtml The mairie will provide a permis d’inhumer (burial permit). The burial may not take place until 24 hours after the death and no later than six days (not including Sundays and bank holidays). In the case of a violent death a judge must give permission for the release of a permis d’inhumer after a report by a pathologist and police.
Photo: mayanais/Flickr
Avoid any further distress: know what to do in event of a death A burial can range from 2130 to 7620, says mutuelle Mutac, while
“
It is best to call several funeral firms. If they will not answer questions on the phone, drop that firm
Authorisation to take the body out of the commune where the coffin was sealed must be obtained from the mairie. Funeral planning The death of someone close is always a traumatic experience and further emotional distress can be caused when the death occurs in a country where you are not familiar with both the language and local procedures and administrations. Where possible it is advisable to ask for the help of a native speaker – ideally someone who will remain calm and level-headed to avoid further distress. Take time to choose the right funeral director’s firm. The placing in the coffin (mise en cercueil) usually happens at the place where the person died. Wherever a death takes place, no one can impose removal of the body to the deceased’s home or to a chambre funéraire without permission
from the family. The only exception is where the director of a home attests in writing he was unable to contact family members in 10 hours after the death. In such a case he can arrange a transfer, at the establishment’s cost. A body can stay in a private home or retirement home for up to six days. Unless the deceased made specific provisions, you need to organise the funeral – choose the funeral director’s (pompes funèbres) which will arrange the obsèques – convoy, placing in the coffin, transport of the body etc. A list of firms can be found at the mairie. It is recommended to ask for a devis (estimate) explaining what services are covered and the costs, before signing a contract. Since January 2011 firms are required to use a set format for the estimate (un devis type). Since January 1998, funeral directors’ firms accredited by a préfecture may be selected anywhere in France. A list of certified funeral directors is available from town halls, mortuaries, crematoria and cemeteries. However, beware of guidebooks found in some mairies, as arrangements may exist between town halls and certain funeral directors. Before making arrangements with a particular funeral director, it is best to call several (if they will not answer questions on the phone, drop them). Matters you may want to check on include:
ser
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October 2012
Where possible it is advisable to ask for the help of a native speaker – ideally someone who will remain calm and level-headed to avoid further distress
in the coffin, to return it to the person’s home, to a chambre funéraire etc. The coffin and accessories Placing in the coffin and sealing it Transport of the body after sealing to the cemetery or crematorium etc. The funeral The burial or cremation
cremation ranges from 1920 to 4290 Prices for either: – an equipped oak coffin (cercueil en chêne equipé) for burial in a cemetery (equipped means with inner lining, handles, plaque, screws etc.), or – a coffin equipped for cremation (cercueil équipé destiné à la crémation), or – an equipped and zinc coated coffin (cercueil zingué et équipé), for shipment abroad. The cost of a hearse (corbillard) and pallbearers, as well as the number of pallbearers (porteurs). Transport or repatriation costs if appropriate. After you have made a request to a funeral director you should receive a detailed estimate (devis), free and with no obligation. Do not accept a simple verbal response, a draft or an approximate price scribbled on a business card. By law as of 2011 it should include the following: Preparation and organisation of the funeral Transport of the body before placing
Request an explanation of each cost item: Sometimes an identical service or product may be added more than once. All terms, especially if they use vague expressions, should be explained. Numerous terms may describe a process of preservation using formaldehyde – conservation, thanatopraxie, soins somatiques, présentation, art réstauratif, formolisation or IFT. Other methods of preservation include dry ice (glace carbonique) or a refrigerated bed (which may be used in retirement homes) or in a refrigerated facility in a mortuary. Preservation with formaldehyde is not obligatory (except for repatriation to certain countries, including the UK). Ask for a written description of the coffin (type of wood, thickness, colour, finish) and accessories. If you accept the conditions of the estimate given to you, a purchase order (bon de commande) is then drafted. You are contracting that funeral director and are contractually liable to pay the bill. Any change afterwards on the purchase order must be added to the estimate in your possession or a new estimate must be made stipulating each and every service and material. If the funeral is to be paid for out of the deceased’s estate – where the funeral director can seek payment directly from the bank, up to 3,049 – get the estimate before suggesting this method, as some firms may bill suspiciously close to this limit in such a case. Note that you may incur other expenses: publication in the press, death announcement cards, flower arrangements, monument (if not included in the funeral director’s bill), religious service.
Death in France helpguide – updated The Connexion newspaper has published a 2012 revised helpguide Death in France, from which the information above is extracted. It explains what to do when someone dies, the formalities, financing a funeral, organ donation, choosing a funeral director and much more.
Download a copy for 5 at www.connexionfrance.com or call 0800 91 77 56 for a printed version to be sent to you
Organ donations In France it is assumed you want to donate your organs after you die. When a person dies, medical authorities can use their organs for transplants unless the deceased made his or her wish not to donate known, by registering on the Registre des Refus or by telling their close family, who will be consulted if someone is not on the register. The register is managed by the Agence de la Biomédecine (who can be found at www.agence-biomedecine.fr). In fact however, organs are only taken following about 1% of deaths in hospital, as the person needs to have died in a limited range of circumstances for their organs to be useable. If you are in favour of organ donation, you should tell your close family so they can relay your wishes. In the absence of inscription on the refusal register they will be consulted and their decision will be respected. They can also pass on your wishes if you did not want certain organs to be used. You should also carry an organ donation card (carte de donneur d’organes): this has no legal force but helps clarify your wishes. There is no age restriction to ask for a donor card, but in the event of someone dying under the age of 18, organ removal can only take place upon parental authorisation. To apply for a free donor card visit www.franceadot.org/demande-carte-donneur.php When someone dies and has not opted out of the organ donation process, the medical teams will aim to make sure their organs are maintained in working order. Once the organs are removed care is taken to maintaining the appearance of the body before returning it to the family who will proceed with the burial/cremation process (with the associated costs). The medical costs involved, along with potential transportation between hospitals depending on the availability of the relevant medical team, are covered by the deceased’s social security. Note also that there is a significant difference between donating organs and donating one’s body to science. Léguer son corps à la science means donating one’s entire body for use by a medical school. The body will not be returned to the family. The deceased will have to make financial provisions for their body to be transported to the nearest medical school upon their death.
Key vocabulary Le certificat de décès = death certificate Le bureau d’état-civil = register office Le/la défunt/e = deceased person Une autopsie = autopsy Le médecin légiste = pathologist Une enquête = inquest Le/la dirigeant/e de pompes-funèbres = undertaker/ funeral director La chambre mortuaire = mortuary in a hospital, hospice or clinic where people’s bodies are preserved in refrigerated cases Le reposoir = Room in a retirement home where a person’s body may be kept, before or after being placed in the coffin. Not refrigerated, therefore some preservation technique may be applied. La chambre funéraire = private or municipal mortuary where body may be kept before burial or cremation, often run by funeral directors. Le cercueil = coffin Le corbillard = hearse Le porteur = pallbearer La thanatopraxie = embalming Le rapatriement = repatriation (Entreprise de) pompes funèbres = funeral directors (company) Le maître de cérémonie/ ordonnateur or monteur de convoi = all indicate a person from the funeral director’s firm who looks after the family during the funeral (may be one of the porteurs). Une inhumation = burial – en pleine terre = in the ground – en caveau = vault Une concession funéraire = cemetery plot – concession de famille = family only – concession collective = family and others – concession individuelle = one person only – temporaire = temporary – trentenaire = 30 years – cinquantenaire = 50 years – perpétuelle = in perpetuity Le caveau = vault La tombe = grave La mise en bière/mettre
Photo: mayanais/Flickr
“
Practical 13
en bière = placing in the coffin La veillée mortuaire = wake Les cendres = ashes Une urne funéraire/cinéraire = funeral urn Un columbarium - facility for storing cinerary urns (columbarium) Obsèques = the funeral (the term les funerailles also exists but is less used and implies a grand ceremony) – civiles = civil – religieuses = religious Le deuil/ être en deuil = bereavement / to be bereaved or in mourning Un enterrement/aller à l'enterrement de… = burial/going to someone’s burial/funeral Les condoléances/présenter/offrir/faire ses condoléances = to offer somebody one’s sympathy Une lettre de condoléances = letter of sympathy. Example: Monsieur et Madame X vous prient de recevoir leurs très sincères condoléances et l'expression de leur profonde sympathie. La marbrerie funéraire = monumental masonry – en marbre = made of marble – en granit = granite - en pièrre = made of stone La stèle = headstone La plaque = plaque Gravé(e) = engraved
14 Mind Matters
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Normandy Advertiser
French-themed crossword
What’s in a word?
Easy
Across
Down
2. Stew of haricot beans and pork or other meat, famously made in Castelnaudary (9) 8. Toponymous jeans cloth, serge __ _____ (2,5) 9. Actress Sophia _____, who became a French citizen in 1966 because of legal and tax problems in her native land (5) 10. Tart filled in England with a sweet or savoury mixture, in France with custard (4) 11. Fields in Greek myth which gave their name to Paris thoroughfare (7) 13. Fruits of evergreen oleaceous trees (6) 15. Basic unit of electric current named after French physicist and mathematician (6) 18. Highly-prized delicacy sought by a pig or dog (7) 20. Fabric for which Chantilly was once famous (4) 23. French and German “yes” provide equipment for contact with the other side (5) 24. Scholar and theologian remembered chiefly for his love for Héloïse (7) 25. Dish once served at dinners between main course and dessert (9)
1. Nobel prize-winning Parisian author of L’Immoraliste and La Symphonie Pastorale (4) 2. Waterway such as that built by Pierre-Paul Riquet (5) 3 and 12. Normandy-born English soldier and scourge of the Cathars (5,2,8) 4. Edible bivalve mollusc farmed in the Étang de Thau (6) 5. Composer at Louis XIV’s court who also wrote for plays by 16 down (5) 6. Bread and butter, _______ de beurre (7) 7. Classified ads – petites ________ (8) 12. See 3 14. Useless in French and rarely, too, in English (7) 16. Pseudonym of dramatist Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (7) 17. French Parliament chamber at the Luxembourg Palace (6) 19. Sumptuous meal or a religious celebration (5) 21. Due to their behaviour some of these crustaceans are known in France as dormeurs (5) 22. Four-letter acronymn for broadband (4)
by Paul Masters
biscuit So, where’s the link between the musical encore or the street numbering and the wheaten biscuit? In the meaning, quite simply, where bis denotes “for a second time”. Biscuits were originally placed in the oven twice: once before the bread was cooked, and once again afterwards, as the oven cooled down. The second time was intended to dry them thoroughly rather than to cook them any more: for dried biscuits kept much longer, and were a staple part of the diet on long sea voyages, for instance, in centuries past. And so biscuit, in fact, simply means “cooked twice”.
Intermediate
The France quiz 1 WHICH sports personality turned musician has been named the most popular person in France for the ninth year running? 2 WHICH French actor was thrown off a Dublin flight last year for urinating in his seat, and now stands accused of punching a driver in a road rage incident in Paris? 3 HOW many medals did France win in this summer’s Olympic Games? And in what position did the country end up in the medals table? 4 WHICH hotel in the French capital is being stripped of its famous name because of declining standards? 5 WHEN is France’s next public holiday? 6 WHO is the captain of the French national football team? 7 ROCKY is a power-crazed leader in a new French novel that is causing a stir. On which politician is it based?
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga representing France at the Olympics
Difficult
CROSSWORD ANSWERS. Across 2 cassoulet; 8 de Nîmes; 9 Loren; 10 flan; 11 Elysian; 13 olives; 15 ampere; 18 truffle; 20 lace; 23 ouija; 24 Abélard; 25 entremets Down 1 Gide; 2 canal; 3 Simon de Montfort; 4 oyster; 5 Lully; 6 tartine; 7 annonces; 12 See 3; 14 inutile; 16 Molière; 17 Senate; 19 feast; 21 crabs; 22 ADSL FRANCE QUIZ ANSWERS: 1. Yannick Noah; 2. Gérard Depardieu; 3. 34, seventh place; 4. Paris Hilton; 5. November 1 (Toussaint); 6. Didier Deschamps; 7. Nicolas Sarkozy
Sudoku
by John Foley
Photo: carine06/Flickr
AS the concert ends, the performers acknowledge the applause, but the audience is still so moved, and the performers still so fuelled by the emotion of the performance that they coincide in calling for, and granting a bonus item. This is, of course, the encore. Yet the audience may not be crying out “encore”, but using the shorter but sibilant alternative “bis, bis”. In the street outside, you may notice the word again, written above door ways and entrances. The building may have been number 12, but it has been divided into 12A and 12B, as we would say in English, or Douze and Douze bis. The ancient word bis has this meaning of again, or for a second time, and these are probably the only two surviving uses of a little word with its best days long ago.
October 2012
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October 2012
Tender and juicy lamb is a French speciality
Thick round fillet of lamb stuffed à la provençale
Serves: 4 Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking: 25-30 minutes For the lamb fillet 55ml olive oil 4x225g lamb breasts, trimmed salt and pepper For the stuffing 300g lamb mince 125g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped 55g fresh breadcrumbs 55g black olives, pitted 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 small onions, finely chopped salt and pepper For the garnish small handful of vine cherry tomatoes small bunch of thyme sprigs
METHOD Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan) or gas mark 5. Combine all the ingredients for the stuffing in a food processor and pulse until it comes together. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set to one side. Place the lamb breasts on a chopping board and create pockets in them using a sharp knife. Fill with the lamb mince stuffing and rub their outsides with olive oil. Season the outsides generously and
Photo: Bilic/Photocuisine
for centuries. They feed on a rich variety of plants that are flooded by the huge bay tides, and the high salt levels and iodine-rich content makes their muscles more moist and the meat darker and juicier. Contrary to popular belief, the meat itself does not taste of salt. Agneau pré-salé has been awarded an Appelation d’Origine Controlée label. Similar to French cheeses and champagne, this means that only lambs that graze on certain salt marsh areas can be sold under this name. A leg of salt marsh lamb is delicious roasted – it requires just a seasoning of salt and pepper to bring out its unique flavour – but in this recipe we are taking a different approach, on a provençal theme.
CUT OUT & KEEP!
INGREDIENTS
Lambs grazing on the salt marshes of the Somme and the Mont-Saint-Michel produce meat that is incredibly succulent and has an exceptional taste – and now is a great time of year for buying lamb with the best flavour AUTUMN is an ideal time of year for lamb - it is generally available in France until the end of October and tends to be much more flavourful than spring lamb because of the maturity of the meat. It makes the perfect partner for autumnal produce from the garden - sweet or savoury whether orchard fruit or root vegetables. For an extra-special meltin-the-mouth experience, try salt-marsh lamb (agneau présalé), which is highly prized for being succulently tender and has an incredible flavour because of the unique way the animals are raised. Commonly mistranslated by English-speakers as “ready salted”, these lambs have grazed on the estuary salt marshes of the Somme and the Mont-Saint-Michel bay
Food and Pets 15
tie with kitchen string to secure. Heat a large ovenproof frying pan over a moderate heat until hot. Seal the stuffed lamb breasts in batches until golden brown in colour all over. Once all the lamb breasts are sealed, cover with the cherry tomatoes and
thyme stalks. Transfer to the oven to finish cooking for 12-15 minutes until the filling is cooked. Remove from the oven and let the lamb rest for 5 minutes covered loosely with aluminium foil. Remove the string before serving.
Treats are key when house training dogs
HOUSE training takes time and patience but done the right way, first results appear fast. The first principle is that accidents are the owner’s fault, not the dog’s: the owner should have taken the dog out so that she did not need to go indoors. So never punish your dog for puddles in the house – just clean up any accidents without fuss. The next principle is to prevent the dog peeing inside the house. Do this by watching her like a hawk. At the first sign of wanting a pee (wandering around sniffing things), take her out. Also take her out first thing in the morning, after meals and last thing at night. Puppies should be taken out every two hours; they cannot hold on for longer.
Photo: C. E. Price/Public Domain Images
With encouragement and treats, your dog will soon learn the rules about going to the toilet – but you must keep up the routine, advises SAMANTHA DAVID
Pet Care If you cannot watch your dog, shut her into an outdoors run (weather permitting) or a small easy-to-clean space such as a utility room or kitchen. That way at least accidents will be easy to clean. Only a properly house-trained dog should be given the run of the house. At night, shut your dog into a purpose built dog crate (available on the internet) filled with comfy bedding, toys and a treat. The crate should be big enough for the dog to stand up, stretch, turn round and lie down in
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You can normally train a dog to stay clean indoors within a few days but no bigger. Given that you have walked your dog last thing before bed, she should easily be able to stay dry until the morning. If your dog does not like the crate to begin with, use more treats to change her mind. Kindness and persistence are key. Do not use the crate other than at night. While you are doing all that, you must also reward your dog massively for doing the right thing. The
minute she pees outdoors, pat her, praise her and give her a bit of dog sausage or other titbit. Every single time the dog pees, even if it is 20 times in one walk, you should praise, caress and give treats. It will not take your dog long to figure out that urinating indoors leads to nothing but doing it outdoors leads to a dog treat. While you are doing this you can if you like, simultaneously teach a ver-
bal command. As your dog pees, you repeat the command (I use “go quickly”) over and over. When she finishes, you give the praise and treat. Eventually, when you say “Go quickly” your dog will start sniffing at likely tree trunks. Within a day or two, your dog will be clean in the house. But in order to make this permanent, you have to continue with all elements of the training routine for at least six months. Any backsliding and you have to start the routine again. If a properly house-trained dog suddenly starts wetting the house, the cause could be either emotional or physical. Has someone moved out? Has another pet passed on? If there is no obvious emotional cause, it could be physical. Uncastrated male dogs commonly suffer from prostrate problems and females from urinary infections such as cystitis, which can cause them to make unaccustomed puddles. If you do not have time to train a dog following the above method, the sad truth is that you probably do not have time to keep a dog at all.
Tel. 06 58 01 82 76 Web. www.seulementnaturel.eu Email. marc.somsen@chardeyre.com
16 Directory
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October 2012
Advertise here ALL YEAR from just 75HT Call free on 0800 91 77 56 or email directory@connexionfrance.com
NORMANDY DIRECTORY
English-speaking firms near you For your security, we check that the French businesses in this section are officially registered with the authorities
Directory adverts are available in 3 sizes and in colour or black and white.
B&W Colour
225HT 339HT
GOLDENWAY INTERNATIONAL PETS & LIVE ANIMALS
Hotel Biard
Small boarding Kennels and Cattery Individual, experienced attention for your pet
Carantilly Tel 02 33 57 28 40 hotel.biard@gmail.com www.kennelsnormandy.fr
World Wide Pet Relocator Ministry approved No. 61195004 – 61195001 Offices CDG Airport Paris Offices and Kennels Normandy Tel: 01 48 62 87 25 CDG Paris Tel: 02 33 38 41 32 Normandy www.goldenwaypets.com Siret: 397549551
Yellow
47mm x 75mm
(31-45 words)
call 0800 91 77 56 Orange
Treble
Colour
150HT 225HT
Red
47mm x 50mm
B&W
Light Purple
Double
DB
LB
DG
LG
DP
LP
R
O
Y
WWW.BOCAGE RENOVATIONS.COM For All Your Building & Renovations Works Large or Small Projects ( Many can be Viewed ) Backed up by 10 year Insurance 14 years working in France
Tel: 02 31 67 62 51 Mob: 06 19 91 29 48
Email: ave.goosey@wanadoo.fr Siret: 48877612100011 Ad No. 18516
ANDREW DANIELS Full & part renovations, Drives, Land clearance & Fosse Installation, Footings, Block laying, Digger & Dumper hire Tel Andrew: +33 (0) 679274563 Email: jimdanmoto@aol.co.uk __________________________
DEVILLE PROPERTY SERVICES Barn & attic conversion specialists. We undertake all aspects of renovation & improvement projects. We legally employ English speaking staff & do not sub-contract. Full 10 year insurance backed guarantee.
Project Management - Property Management
Specializing in Installation of Fosse Toutes Eaux - Mini Digger/Dumper Hire Email: david.pickering@wanadoo.fr Tel: 02 33 17 24 82 Mobile: 06 20 14 73 69 Siret: 481 189 991
Siret: 48847516100011
Chenil Les Mille Calins 5 Star accommodation for Dogs/Cats Underfloor heated kennels Qualified staff Top Quality food and exercise Only 45 minutes south of Caen Convenient Ferry Access
www.goldenwaypets.com Telephone 02 33 37 49 19 Emergency 02 33 38 41 32 Fax 02 33 38 44 16
Highly experienced English builder based in Orne All Renovation & Restoration works undertaken
Tel: 02 33 38 63 35 Mob:06 36 78 89 99
anthony.warren@orange.fr www.labigottiere.com Siret: 481 842 532 00014
Small groups, 1 to 1 online, intensive courses, translation Tél: 02 33 65 39 73 Mob: 06 15 76 37 34 www.normandyfrenchtuition.com Ad No. 19261
Electrician
Regions Covered: 50,61,and 14 - Siret: 49427469900011
JS Menuiserie John Shipton - 02 14 16 14 47
Carpenter/Joiner All kinds of handmade furniture and carpentry work. From door fittings to kitchens.
email: jshippo1962@gmail.com siret 499 313 658
HOUSES ON INTERNET
Full / Part Renovations, carpentry, masonry, plastering, tiling, kitchens, replacement windows and doors.
Crafts at Les Landes
www.buildersnormandy.com Tel. 02 31 09 26 54
www.crafts-at-leslandes.com tel: 00 33 (0)2 33 960904
Siret 48423125300010
Qualified bilingual teacher
All works guaranteed and carried out to French regulations standard. Tel: 02 31 67 34 40 Email: morbox@orange.fr
Areas 14/50/61
NORMANDY FRENCH TUITION
Andrew Morgan
Mesnil Renovation
English Run
www.leapfrogservices.net
www.devilleservices.com
Siret 488081233
David Pickering Complete Building Services
Help with the French system Interpreting, phonecalls Admin & paperwork Call Hilary on 00 33 (0) 6 10 69 05 53
Areas: 14 , 50 , 61 Siret: 5026366000018
Eradication of rot and woodboring insects 20 year product guarantee Tel: +33 (0) 679274563 Email: jimdanmoto@aol.co.uk
Nice People In Normandy Planning Applications
Sworn Translations
TEL: 02 31 67 76 90
TIMBER PRESERVATION
www.nicepeopleinnormandy.com nicepeople@fsmail.net 02 33 69 49 36 - 06 33 26 78 82
Rounded
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Colour
Dark Green
} }
75HT 114HT
Light Blue
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Choose from these colours:
Single
HOW TO BOOK AN ADVERT Choose the size of your advert from the examples on the left. You can have a black and white advert; or you can choose a colour from the list below. Finally, you can choose to have rounded corners to the box to help make your advert stand out (See right). Then, when you have made your choice,
Spinning and other crafts. Half, Full day tuition or residential B&B SIRET No 489 459 438 00011
Sell your property to a worldwide audience using our global network. Our fees are the lowest in France, our results are the best. WWW. HOUSESONINTERNET.COM
Tel: 05 55 65 12 19
Normandy Advertiser
Directory 17
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October 2012
ADVERTISING FEATURE
Property business booming despite euro crisis Houses on Internet can help home owners sell their French property without the use of an estate agent
Company founder Richard Kroon
HOUSES on Internet, the successful, fast growing internet marketing company that helps people sell their French property without the use of an estate agent, has not been affected by the on-going euro crisis. “The key to our success is without doubt our extensive global network which enables us to reach prospective buyers wherever they are,” said Richard Kroon, company founder and director. “This does not mean that we are not surprised ourselves about the high number of property sales that we realised in these insecure times.” To date, 2011 was the company’s best year ever, with a turnover increase of approximately 25% compared to the previous year.
“I never expected we could top those numbers so soon, but the reality is that 2012 shows an increase in sales of about 30% compared to 2011,” said Richard. With buyers from Australia, Russia, USA and Canada, as well as from European countries including Switzerland, Germany and Finland, Richard explains that the best way to reach people remains
“
The reality is that 2012 shows an increase in sales of about 30% compared to 2011
Chimney Sweep Wood Stove Installer Property Management
To advertise here call freephone in France 0800 91 77 56 / from UK 0844 256 9881 (4p/min)
bml angloagence.com
Iain Davison
English registered cars House insurance - Health cover
www.propertycarepeople.com Tel: 02 33 14 09 55 Email: property.care@orange.fr
1700 British clients trust us 02 96 87 21 21 contact@angloagence.com Dinan, Brittany
Siret: 494799968 Ad No. 19022
AllianZ Insurance
Tree Surgeon
Insurance in Lower Normandy
Qualified, Insured, Equipped Stump grinder and Woodchipper
Siret N° ORIAS 07/022 348
www.lejardinieranglais.com
CAR HOME HEALTH
Christophe Marie, Vire - Tel: 02 31 68 01 96 Email: christophe.marie@agents.allianz.fr
AXA INSURANCE J. LECLUZE ST HILAIRE DU HARCOUET - 50600
HOME - CAR - HEALTH We insure UK registered cars ENGLISH SPOKEN (call Angeline) - 02 33 49 12 34
englishspokenlecluze.e-monsite.com
the same - clever internet marketing and a top Google ranking. “The advantage of the euro crisis is, of course, that this currency is now relatively cheap for countries outside the euro-zone, which makes buying French property an interesting investment.” Richard has also noted an increase in another group of perhaps unexpected buyers this year - Belgians. In particular those living in the northern part of Belgium, where Dutch is the primary language. “It seems that a lot of these people do not speak English or French and therefore cannot be reached by national or international websites that just try to sell houses in these languages,” said Richard. “For these people it is a huge advantage that we present every property in three languages, including Dutch. And they must be telling each other that Houses on Internet is the place to be, because the number of sales to people from northern
Call Sean 02 31 09 27 00 Email: sean.melanaphy@wanadoo.fr Siret: 50139841600013
Landscape Gardener (est 1994)
*Maintenance *Patios & Decking *Fencing & Walling *Shrubs & Grasses stocked *Mini digger work
Tel: 02 33 90 92 28 Mob: 06 68 74 83 41 markdupee@hotmail.com Siret: 495 098 428 000 16
Cashin Camina Cleanburn Esse Hunter Parkray Stovax on display at our dept 61 showroom
GARAGE VERGER
Professional Service Easy Payment Facility Vehicle Repairs - Pre-MOT Mechanical - Sales -Servicing ZAC Les Tuileries, 27260 Cormeilles
Tel: 02 32 42 05 62 Email: vergercarross@gmail.com
Kilrush Cars Ltd
A large selection of European
L H D eft
and
rive
Cars
One owner - FSH - C.O.C Tel: 00 44 (0) 1252 782883
www.kilrushcars.com
"Where friends meet"
Bar/Restaurant, Lunch, Dinner, Sunday Roast Our contact details are:
Barrage de Vezins, 50540 Tel: 02 33 48 03 48 www.aubergedulacvezins.com email: aubergedulac@ymail.com
Full or part loads, 4 wks free storage, 30 Years experience Bar & Guild Member Contact: Anglo French Removals Tel: +44 (0) 1622 690 653 Email: info@anglofrench.co.uk
www.anglofrench.co.uk
Ad No. 17730
Jeremy Nelson Decorators
The Private Dining Room
Painting, Decorating, Plastering and Garden Maintenance. Prompt and professional.
Supperclub in Normandy
Based in St. Germain de Tallevende (14).
Tel: 02 31 69 26 04 Mob: 06 02 39 83 62 email: nelsonjeza@orange.fr
International food 4 times per year Meet new people Theprivatediningroom@gmail.com
LE BREWERY Art is an Ale
Great pubs! Le Famous Knight 53250 Couptrain
Le Secret Knight 61700 Champsecret
Great beer! le-brewery.com
famousknight.fr facebook.com/pages/Le-Secret-Knight
Tel: 02 33 37 77 26
UK - FRANCE - UK Full and part loads You pack, we move, you save! 0044 (0)1327 264627 UK Email: info@fishfaceremovals.com www.fishfaceremovals.com
Garden Clearance - Grass Cutting Hedge Cutting - Strimming and Weed Killing Tel: Charlie 02 33 91 78 05 Email: charlie.habin@gmail.com St Sever Area Siret 49763502900018
FIVE STAR REMOVALS Light Removals to and from Northern France. Best prices, best service.
T: + 44 (0) 079705 30723 E: classicalternatives@msn.com Ad No. 18445
Exclusive Healthcare Your Helping Hand to the French Health System
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CLASSIFIEDS JOBS WANTED My is Rebecca and I am seeking employment region 14. My background is Customer Service / Animals / Child care. Please call 02 31 09 10 48
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18 DIY
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2012 Helpguide to Local Taxes
October 2012
D I Y tips Sponsored by
INFORMATION YOU CAN TRUST ON LIFE IN FRANCE
Normandy Advertiser
Tree house is an adventure for all Photo: Jonathan Billinger a/Geograph.org.uk
Whether you own or rent a main home or holiday home in France, you will be subject to French local taxes - and this is the time of year when bills are arriving. The Connexion has published a revised helpguide to help you understand what these taxes are, who must pay them, what makes you eligible for reductions or exemptions and the deadlines and means of payment. It includes two pages of reader Questions and Answers
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Building a tree house is a project for the whole family AT HALF-term this month why not get the children involved in building a tree house? Obviously younger ones will not be able to help much with the initial construction, but they could be detailed to make a simple ladder, or tie knots in a thick rope or even make a tin can phone (two empty food tins connected by a length of string). It is possible to construct a tree house even if you do not have a likely tree in your garden by supporting the structure on stilts. It is however fun to have at least some tall vegetation surrounding the tree house. There are lots of designs available, but the simplest remains a few planks nailed to the branches and a rope ladder for access. This is really only suitable for older children however. To find ready-made railings and all sorts of other inspiring used building materials at good prices, find your nearest Emmaüs in the Pages Jaunes (pagesjaunes.fr) as they offer absolutely everything for sale. Alternatively, search the same site for Matériaux de recuperation or ask around locally to track down a dealer in la recupe in your area. These are people who collect building materials from demolition sites and sell them on, and are great places for hunting out old staircases, fantastic wrought iron balcony railings and antique doors. If you do have a suitable tree, such as a plane tree with a wide, sturdy trunk, then you can start by constructing a boxy framework around the tree comprising four legs and the base of a platform. If you bury the supporting posts into wet concrete you will need less cross bracing but if you use an above-ground foundation (ie: a footer) then the posts will last longer. Once you have got some planks down on the platform to make a solid floor, add some railings and attach the ladder. You can also transfer some of the weight from the platform to the base of the tree trunk by using diagonal braces from the outside edges of the platform. The tree house’s future inhabitants might not do a great job of applying wood preservative, but the task will keep them occupied for hours. The important thing is not building the perfect tree house but introducing children to the fun and satisfaction of working with their hands. Source an organic or child-safe product at the DIY store. Good features for children to help with are suspending a tyre from a nearby branch, and putting holes in the corners of an old tin tray so it can be attached to a rope and used to haul feasts up into the tree house. More features, like extended decking, a rope ladder, a roof, a fixed staircase, and a firepole would be great projects for a later date – say, spring half term.
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Home and Garden 19
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October 2012
Facts
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Photo: Grégoire Lannoy on Flickr
Gardening Staging a
spooky party
Black Cat Services Photo: Dan4th Nicholas/Flickr
Keep the lawn raked free of leaves over the autumn
Getting ready for the winter
Expert Chimney Sweep Registered and Insured Mess-free Service Certificat de Ramonage Issued
Steve Bainton-Smith
02 33 50 84 91 steve@baintons.com
Halloween his not as widely celebrated in France as the UK or US, but if you want to arrange a special day for the children, REBECCA LAWN has some tips on preparing the house and where to find materials Jack-o-lantern is the most traditional Halloween decoration, and lots of fun to carve. For other decorations to make with the kids, you may need: different coloured paints, coloured pipe cleaners and marker pens. You should be able to get these from local arts and crafts shops. To make spiders, you will need an egg carton, eight pipe cleaners and some black paint. Cut out each egg cup and paint it black. For the eyes, either use white paint to create little dots or glue on wiggle eyes. For the legs, make four small holes on two sides of the cup and insert a black or coloured pipe cleaner in each hole and stick them to the cup. You then just need some thread to hang the spider. You could also create a whole host of spooky silhou-
online. French sites netbootic.com, ledeguisement.com and fetes-par-fetes.com have a selection of scary decorations. For more choice, check out UK sites which deliver. You do not have to be a crafts expert to create your own decorations – and all the family can get involved. It goes without saying that the
“
You do not have to be a crafts expert to create your own decorations – and all the family can get involved
ettes of ghosts, cats and bats. If you or your children are hosting a Halloween party, make sure to dim the lights and have a CD of creepy noises such as doors banging or ghoulish sounds on in the background. You could even replace lights with black light bulbs, stick up figures that glow in the dark and have orange and white streamers hanging from the ceiling and across windows and doorways. To make your home into a deserted haunted house, you could cover furniture with white sheets, and opt for black decorations and tableware. For your front garden, you could cordon off an area with yellow tape like that which is used at crime scenes. As for trick-or-treating, it is not a French tradition and you could get mixed reactions. In some areas, it is becoming the norm, but if you are not sure, it is probably best to go round to friends’ houses or talk to your neighbours in advance about it, to see if they would agree. And stock up on sweets, just in case. Photo: Public Domain Images
Black Cat Services
THE spookiest month of the year has come round – it is time to get the house ready for Halloween. Although it is not as big tradition in France as it is in the US or the UK, Halloween has gained in popularity over the last few years. The most celebrating goes on in Limoges – there is an annual parade on October 31 where people dress up and carry candlelit pumpkins. The annual Witch Festival in Chalindrey falls just before Halloween, and Toussaint, All Saints’ Day, is the day after. Across the country there are celebrations at cafes, bars and homes. There is even growing demand for pumpkins towards the end of October and some grocery shops and supermarkets have pumpkin carving displays in preparation for the 31st. Patisseries, chocolate shops and bakeries often decorate their shop windows with orange and black displays. However, if you are looking to buy decorations, apart from fancy-dress shops, you are best off buying
Photo: Public Domain Images
OCTOBER is the month to start battening down the autumn hatches, although it is worthwhile keeping an eye on next spring as you do it. Plant bulbs if you have not already done so, including tulips, either in the ground or in pots. If you want a natural-looking drift of colour, throw the bulbs up in the air and plant them where they fall. Bring pot plants inside to avoid any early frosts, acclimatising them slowly if possible. Check over any pots which are staying outside – any cracked ones will break at the first frost. To prevent rot, remove saucers and stand pots on bricks for the winter. Pick any pumpkins or gourds and put them somewhere cool to start drying out. Give the lawn a last feed with a slow-acting fertiliser to encourage root growth. Lay new turf if necessary. Keep the lawn raked free of leaves, to prevent rot, but let them lie on herbaceous beds and borders. Build a leaf mould heap by knocking four posts into the ground and stapling chicken wire around the outside. Pile all the leaves in, topping them up from time to time as the pile mulches down. Clear away the last of the summer toys, barbecues, hammocks, hosepipes, swings and the like. Put them away clean and repaired if you want a trouble-free start to next summer. Clear out and disinfect the greenhouse if you have one, and do not forget to clean the glass before moving plants in for the winter. Check the heater, if you have one. Cabbage can be picked and stored in a frost-free shed, as can the last of the root veg except parsnips. Pick the last of the green tomatoes and take them in for ripening on a windowsill, or make green tomato chutney with them. (They are good cut into thick slices and fried with bacon and eggs, too.) As the vegetable plot clears, dig it over roughly leaving any large clumps, and spread manure. The combined action of worms and weather will break the clumps down over the winter. Then spread manure. Dig over herbaceous beds and borders. Prune currant bushes now, and replant where needed. Also give large rose bushes a light pruning, and make sure they are tied up securely enough to withstand autumn winds. If you have any delicate plants, now is a good time to wrap them in sacking to protect them from the frost. Mulch heavily around the base. If you are looking for a fun garden project, make a bird feeder. There are various designs ranging from the most complex ornithological mansions to a simple bird table in the middle of the lawn. A rewarding bird treat can be made by filling a coconut shell (thread a string through it before you start) with a mix of melted animal fats, seeds and nuts. Once it is set, hang upside down well out of the reach of any neighbourhood felines.
There is growing demand for traditional Halloween pumpkins in grocery shops and supermarkets in France this month
20 Property
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Normandy Advertiser
October 2012
Houses for sale across France
Buying or selling a property? We can help.
Our website www.connexionfrance.com carries details of more than 14,000 homes for sale across France. We also feature properties for sale in this dedicated section of the paper each month. To find out more about any particular property, go to www.connexionfrance.com and enter the ref: code shown under the property.
advertising as well as a print advert in three editions of The Normandy Advertiser. Our 6+6 package is best value at 330TTC and provides the same, but for six months via each channel.
New Consumption and Emission Chart - e.g. Energy rating C & F refers to C for Consumption and F for Emissions
Contact us on 0800 91 77 56 (freephone in France) or email sales@connexionfrance.com
More details on all these properties - and how to contact the seller directly - can be found in the property for sale section of
For sellers, the adverts are also displayed across a range of popular English- speaking websites and are seen by thousands of potential buyers EVERY day. Our 3+3 package costs just 200TTC and gives you three months online
www.connexionfrance.com
Simply enter the code under each home to find out more Properties in NORMANDY
45,000
64,800
86,400
Montigny, Manche One bedroom house to renovate consists of living room, kitchen, bathroom, shed, workshop, garage and garden.
Pont d'Ouilly, Orne One bedroom house consists of large kitchen/dining/sitting room, en suite shower room and separate garden.
Saint-Hilaire-du-Harcouët, Manche Three bedroom house consists of living room, furnished kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, garage and garden.
Ref: 14025D
Energy rating = F & F
Ref: 13516PO
Energy rating = G & D
Ref: 14135D
97,100
117,700
138,600
Mortain, Manche Three bedroom house consists of living room, fitted kitchen, shower room, laundry room, boiler room, wine cellar, three garages and garden.
Périers, Manche Three bedroom house comprises living room, kitchen, bathroom, garden, paddock, garage and outbuildings.
Near Saint-Lô, Manche Two bedroom house partially renovated comprises lounge, dining room, kitchen, shower room and outbuildings.
Ref: MNB01244
Energy rating = e & e
Ref: 13439sdd
Energy rating = f & b
Ref: 13613s
160,000
189,800
217,300
Moulins-la-Marche, Manche Three bedroom house comprises open plan sitting room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, garage and garden.
Saint-Aubin-de-Terregatte, Manche Three bedroom house comprises living room, small sitting area, large south facing conservatory, garage, workshop and 4300m2 of wooded grounds.
Percy, Manche Three bedroom detached house comprises sitting room, fully fitted kitchen, bathroom, shower room, small office and landscaped gardens.
Ref: IFPC22284
Energy rating = E & C
Ref: 13809D
Energy rating = d & e
REF: 700516
234,000
279,575
295,800
Saint-Martin-de-Landelles, Manche Six bedrooms house consists of living room, dining room, fitted kitchen, bathroom, garden, workshop and double garage.
Courcy, Manche Two bedroom farmhouse consists of living room, kitchen with dining area, bathroom, garage, adjoining barn and outbuildings.
Bellême, Orne Five bedroom house consists of living/dining room, kitchen, bathroom, shower room, outbuilding with wine cellar and garage.
REF: MNB01226
Energy rating = B & B
REF: 700005
Energy rating = d
REF: XJN02333
328,600
367,500
384,950
Roullours, Calvados Two bedroom and one bedroom house with outbuildings set on 37 acres of land.
La Baleine, Manche Two semi-detached three bedroom gîtes consisting of large gardens and 18 hole mini-golf course. This property with its commercial activities has a great deal to offer.
Vimoutiers, Orne Four bedroom house and two bedroom cottage currently run as a successful B&B and gîte business.
REF: 700497
Energy rating = E
REF: 700844
Energy rating = F
REF: IFPC22612
424,000
473,000
483,000
Near Bagnoles-de-l'Orne, Orne Stone house and two gîtes set on three hectares of land comprises barn, stable, small fishing lake with carp and two swimming pools.
Juilley, Manche Four bedroom stone house and three bedroom stone cottage set on 9,443 m2 of land.
Dieppe, Seine-Maritime Six bedroom house comprises three independent garages, large courtyard and small garden. Ideal as a B&B.
REF: 13643POJD
Energy rating = f & c
REF: 14075D
Energy rating = c & b
Ref: IFPC22565
535,600
560,000
728,000
Etrépagny, Eure Four bedroomed old mill house consists of living room, kitchen, two bathrooms, shower room, wine cellar, garden, small storage building and small house.
Near Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives, Calvados Six bedroom country house and self-contained apartment set on three and a half hectares of land.
Isigny-le-Buat, Manche Five bedroomed château comprises entrance hall, drawing room, dining room, three bathrooms, shower room, and one bedroom gate house.
REF: 83003151870
Energy rating = e & c
Ref: IFPC22632
Energy rating = d & e
REF: 13857D
Energy rating = e & f
Energy rating = F & C
Energy rating = F
Energy rating = D & D
Energy rating = e & f
Energy rating = A & A
Energy rating = f & e
The adverts above cost from just 200TTC for three months of web advertising and three months of print advertising.
Let our distribution get you a sale. Contact our sales team on 0800 91 77 56 (freephone in France) or email sales@connexionfrance.com
Normandy Advertiser
October 2012
www.normandyadvertiser.com
Business and Legal 21
PAUL PHILLIPS has lived in France for 30 years firstly working in legal practice and more recently (since 2001) in business development. He is a member of The Normandy Business Group and now specialises in setting up and developing businesses in France with his company www.Goldwing-Consulting.com
B.A.Solicitor
(non–practising)
Photo: © camille braja - Fotolia.com
Distance-selling rules are extensive and the penalties can be severe
David Crawford
Photo: © auremar - Fotolia.com
Know web sales rules
Answered by
Legal Notes
Napoleon’s set of laws have greatly outlived him
EU blow for Napoleon’s code
Commercial websites selling goods or services over the internet are subject to the same regulations as businesses involved in distance selling, including reporting requirements (consumer protection, VAT), matters which have to be stated on the website (legal information about the seller and webhoster, general conditions of sale), and the detailed rules about prospecting customers. DISTANCE selling means a sale made without the parties or their representatives being present together. What sort of activities are covered by the regulations? Any trading activity over the internet, which is broad enough to cover: n the purchase of new or used goods for resale, n provision of services for remuneration, (online training, computer repair, etc.) n other services including accommodation, transport, catering and entertainment provided at a particular time or at specified intervals. What kind of information must be published? n for an individual entrepreneur: name, address n for a company: name, type of company (SARL, EURL, SAS etc), address of the establishment or the registered office (not a PO Box), amount of share capital,
n the email address and telephone number, registration number in the Trade Register (RCS) for a business, or in the Artisans Register (RM) , n individual tax identification number (VAT number) n a reference to any applicable professional rules, n name and address of the authority which granted the authorisation to exercise when required, n name of the person responsible for publication of the site (i.e. its owner) and name of the web hosting service. n the general conditions of sale or services: prices (expressed in euros and including VAT), fees and delivery date, method of payment, after-sales service, consumer’s right of withdrawal, duration of the offer, cost of communication with the website, CNIL declaration number (see below). Breaking these obligations is punishable by up to one
year’s imprisonment, a fine of e75,000 for individuals and e375,000 for corporations. Protection of personal data Commercial sites selling goods or services, which collect and store personal information about customers and prospects (name, email, telephone number) are obliged to make a simplified declaration to the French Data Protection Agency – Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL). Right of withdrawal Online shoppers, have a right of withdrawal for seven days, without justification or penalty payment on his part. This also applies to items in sales, secondhand goods and to clearance sales. The seller is bound to refund the cost of the product, plus normal delivery charges, within 30 days after receipt. In 2013, the withdrawal period is extended to 14 days from the day the consumer
takes possession of the goods and the refund must be made within 14 days after receipt. Certain goods and services (e.g. food) are excluded from this right. Product return The seller is obliged to accept the return of the item if the delivery does not comply with the order or is defective. Normandy Business Group is for anyone who already has a business or for those who may be looking to start a business in the Normandy region. Members are English speaking and have an international approach. Are you looking for support? Do you need a sounding board? Are you looking to expand your business or your customer base? Do you want to expand your network? Or simply meet others socially?... If your answer to any of those questions is yes, then Normandy MeetUp is right for you!
Useful Information
FOLLOW us on Twitter - @normandybizgp LIKE us on Facebook - Normandy Biz Group JOIN us on LinkedIn Paul can be contacted through The Advertiser or by Twitter at @NormandyBizGp
It was Napoleon’s ambition to unite the French geographically, linguistically and legally into one nation. The first he achieved militarily and the second by prohibiting the use of regional languages and dialects. However, it can be argued his greatest achievement was his Napoleonic Code which introduced one set of laws for the country. Previously France was divided into so many jurisdictions that it was said that if you crossed the country on horseback you would change legal system more often than you would change your horse. Roughly speaking, those systems north of the Loire were more like our Anglo Saxon common law variety, whereas south of that river they were mainly based on the Roman codes and the Institutions of Justinian. So to unify this, Napoleon brought together four of the best lawyers, two from the north and two from the south, and gave them six months to produce a common code, or set of laws. He also sat in on a number of their deliberations. The result was his famous Napoleonic Code which is used widely throughout the world as France exported the system to its colonies just as the UK did with the common law. Napoleon appreciated his own mortality but said that of all his achievements the one which would be remembered most and last the longest would be his Civil Code. To take one example, Article Three provides that French law shall apply to all real property situated in France. This means those who inherit a deceased person’s French real estate are the “reserve heirs” as defined in the Code. Perhaps the question I am asked most often to advise on by those who purchase homes in France is how can the clients “disinherit” estranged relations who are entitled under the Code. The answer has always been “with difficulty” short of purchasing via a UK registered company with the complications and paperwork thereby involved. But there is now hope of a relaxation from Brussels. With effect from August 17, 2015, two months and 200 years after the battle of Waterloo, UK nationals residing in France will be able to choose the legal system whose rules will govern the devolution of their estates, or “professio juris”. However, the tax laws applying to the devolution of the estate will not change. In France, as in UK, surviving spouses are exempt from inheritance tax. But there is no exempt threshold in France as there is in the UK (where it is £325,000). If you do leave, say, £500,000 to a non-relative it will be taxed at the full rate of 60% and on the whole lot, that is £300,000! In England the tax would have been 40% on the difference between £500,000 and £325,000 = £175,000 X 40% = £70,000. So Napoleon’s Code has changed a lot over the years and it is soon to be altered again in this fundamental way. But it has stood the test of time over 200 years of change.
David Crawford B.A.Solicitor (non–practising)
Fellow of The Institute of Linguists, Director Opalegal Limited, “Merville”, 22 North Parade, Llandudno, Conwy, LL30 2LP, Great Britain
Tel: +44 (0) 1492 877 014 +44 (0) 7813 067 519 David.Crawford@buyingfrenchproperty.com
22 Property
www.normandyadvertiser.com
Normandy Advertiser
October 2012
Properties AROUND FRANCE
54,580
55,000
75,000
Rostrenen, Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany Two bedroom house comprises lounge, kitchen, shower room, laundry room, conservatory and garden.
Quillan, Aude, Languedoc Two bedroom renovated semi-detached stone house comprises kitchen/sitting room and shower room. Ideal holiday home.
Douarnenez, Finistère, Brittany Two bedroom renovated flat consists of open plan kitchen/ living room, shower room and terrace.
Ref: PLM01314
Energy rating = F
Ref: 2091
Energy rating = F & D
Ref: IFPC22361
82,000
87,330
89,100
Near Marseillette, Aude, Languedoc Three bedroom house consists of lounge, kitchen and shower room.
Saint-Nicolas-du-Pélem, Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany Two bedroom house comprises lounge/dining room, kitchen, bathroom, utility room and enclosed garden.
La Coquille, Dordogne Three bedroom house comprises lounge, dining room, kitchen, breakfast room, bathroom, workshop and attached garage.
Ref: 110151645
Energy rating = E & C
Ref: PLM01464
Energy rating = A
Ref: 700720
99,000
102,600
110,000
Quillan, Aude, Languedoc Four bedroom house comprises dining room, kitchen, bathroom and garden.
Near Carhaix-Plouguer, Finistère, Brittany Four bedroom large house comprises lounge, dining room, fitted kitchen, bathroom, utility room and small garden.
Monségur, Gironde Two bedroom town house with commercial premises. In need of modernisation.
Ref: 2082
Energy rating = C & D
Ref: M786-4291476
Energy rating = E & F
Ref: BVI0007338
122,700
126,000
137,000
Maël-Carhaix, Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany Two bedroom house set on approximately two acres of land includes outbuildings.
Ségalas, Lot-et-Garonne Four bedroom farmhouse comprises large living room, kitchen, bathroom, garden and garage.
Quillan, Aude, Languedoc Three bedroom detached house consists of sitting room, dining room, kitchen, large bathroom, terrace and separate garage.
Ref: 3262
Energy rating = E & F
Ref: 83003159960
Energy rating = G & B
Ref: 2229
140,000
165,000
180,200
Isolée, Morbihan, Brittany Three bedroom house consists of living room, kitchen, dining room, bathroom and landscaped garden. In need of modernisation.
Near Corbières, Aude, Languedoc Three bedroom house comprises living room, kitchen, bathroom and two terraces.
Monségur, Gironde Four bedroom Landes-style villa consists of sitting/dining room, kitchen, bathroom, conservatory, garage and woodland.
Ref: IFPC22333
Energy rating = F & D
Ref: AV1012
Energy rating = C
Ref: B 1198
205,000
210,000
216,000
Eymet, Dordogne This three bedroom detached bungalow comprises living/ dining room, kitchen, bathroom, utility room, garage, garden and luxurious swimming pool.
Near Céret, Pyrénées-Orientales, Languedoc Two bedroom house and independent studio apartment includes large garden and swimming pool.
Évriguet, Morbihan, Brittany Three bedroom stone house comprises three reception rooms, kitchen, bathroom and gardens.
Ref: AQU-496
Energy rating = e & c
Ref: 2707
Energy rating = D
REF: 700570
245,000
262,500
280,000
Near Villefranche-de-Lonchat, Dordogne Three bedroom bungalow comprises open plan living room/ kitchen, bathroom, utility room, garage, garden and swimming pool.
Near Bagnols-sur-Cèze, Gard, Languedoc Three bedroom villa comprises living room, dining room, fitted kitchen, bathroom and garden.
Quillan, Aude, Languedoc Four bedroom house comprises sitting room, fitted kitchen, family bathroom, shower room, gardens, building plot and summer house.
Ref: AQU-693
Energy rating = D & B
Ref: 2500vm
Energy rating = C
Ref: 2203
288,900
315,000
315,000
Bieuzy, Morbihan, Brittany Six bedroom house set on two acres of land with swimming pool.
Pujols, Lot-et-Garonne Four bedroom house consists of two lounges, dining room, fitted kitchen, shower room, bathroom and swimming pool.
Near Bagnols-sur-Cèze, Gard, Languedoc Three bedroom restored house consists of reception area with kitchen, two living rooms, dining room and patio.
Ref: 700600
Energy rating = C
Ref: TR100078
Energy rating = e
Ref: 2492vm
320,000
332,000
344,500
Near Bergerac, Dordogne Four bedroom detached house includes living Room, dining room, kitchen, study, bathroom, shower room, integral garage, and swimming pool.
Fougères, Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany Five bedroom house comprises large lounge, fitted kitchen/ dining area, two bathroom, workshop, outbuildings and swimming pool.
Pieusse, Aude, Languedoc Five bedroom house comprises two living rooms, two kitchens, two bathrooms, covered terrace, barbecue terrace and swimming pool.
Ref: IFPC22356
Energy rating = E & F
Ref: CRN00601
Energy rating = D & E
REF: 700722
363,000
363,000
390,000
Near Caveirac, Gard, Languedoc Three bedroom house and studio apartment includes garden and swimming pool.
Limendous, Pyrénées-Atlantiques Three bedroom renovated Béarnaise farmhouse comprises dining room, living room, bathroom, barn and swimming pool.
Capestang, Hérault, Languedoc Five bedroom house consists of three reception rooms, large kitchen/dining room, two bathrooms, two terraces and gardens.
Ref: V788
Energy rating = B & B
Ref: 1609
Energy rating = f & c
REF: IFPC22685
Energy rating = E & C
Energy rating = F
Energy rating = Not given
Energy rating = D & E
Energy rating = D & B
Energy rating = D
Energy rating = d & a
Energy rating = D & B
Energy rating = c
Energy rating = E & C
Normandy Advertiser
October 2012
Properties AROUND FRANCE
415,000
Property / Finance 23
Currency Notes
Finance
Jeremy Cook, chief economist at foreign exchange company, World First, talks about the Euro and other currencies.
Near Pau, Pyrénées-Atlantiques Five bedroom stone house full of character comprises living room, dining room, kitchen, bathroom, four shower rooms, gardens, covered swimming pool and large stone outbuilding. Ref: 1542
www.normandyadvertiser.com
Sponsored by Energy rating = c & c
www.worldfirst.com +44 20 7801 1050 Buying can be made simpler by fixing your rate in advance
What effect will rent charges have? Photo: © JPC-PROD - Fotolia.com
Sète, Hérault, Languedoc Two bedroom villa with stunning views over the lake comprises two living rooms, kitchen, bathroom, shower room, balcony/terrace, garden and swimming pool.
Photo: © Andy Dean - Fotolia.com
445,000
REF: MLP340
Sponsored by
Energy rating = c & a
449,000 Near Beynac, Dordogne Four bedroom house set on seven hectares of land consists of lounge/dining room, kitchen, shower room, separate WC, terrace, conservatory and outbuilding. Ref: FPBC3260C
Energy rating = e & b
472,000 Gironde Five bedroom renovated Maison de Maitre and one bedroom gîte.
Ref: V5820
Energy rating = C & D
486,500 Pézenas, Hérault, Languedoc Five bedroom villa comprises living/dining room, kitchen, two bathrooms, utility room, garage, garden, carp pond, pool house and swimming pool. Ref: LAR-615
Energy rating = c & a
499,000 Near Lalinde, Dordogne A restored three bedroom stone manoir and four bedroom guest house set on one hectare of land with barn, garage, swimming pool and pool house. Ref: FPBS2338M
Energy rating = E & C
499,000 Pézenas, Hérault, Languedoc Five bedroom villa comprises open plan living room, modern kitchen, dining room, bathroom, shower room, landscaped garden and large solar-heated pool. Ref: S944
Energy rating = B & C
510,000 Near Saint-Gilles, Gard, Languedoc Four bedroom villa and two bedroom guest house includes stables and 2,000m2 of land. REF: Z114
Energy rating = D & C
539,700 Duras, Lot-et-Garonne Four bedroom house consists of two reception rooms, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, study, bathroom, two shower rooms and garage. Ref: 71471
Energy rating = C
564,000 Carcassonne, Aude, Languedoc Four bedroom house consists of living room with terrace, kitchen, bathroom, double garage, swimming pool and garden. Ref: 110154179
Energy rating = C&A
Currency options can give protection THE continuing weakness of the euro against the pound has apparently not deterred people in the Eurozone from buying British property. Our latest data survey found that despite the decline of the euro in 2010 nearly half of all our transactions involving clients moving euros into GBP were property related. On the other hand, a fragile euro has created some fantastic opportunities for Britons looking to invest in an overseas property in Europe. Our figures also suggest that the euro’s decline toward the end of last year contributed to a significant increase in property-related transfers from sterling to euro, despite the ongoing climate of austerity in the UK and beyond. The unpredictability of the currency markets has seen an increasing number of people turning to foreign exchange specialists for advice on how they can protect any potential investments from currency fluctuations exposure. However, anyone looking to move large amounts of money overseas needs to make sure that they have the right kind of advice in place to avoid any potential disappointment when it comes to moving day. By using a foreign exchange broker you can set a rate for a transaction happening up to three years ahead – so there are no nasty surprises on the day that you buy your home abroad. A select few companies are also now in a position to be able to offer “currency options” (formerly the preserve of big businesses) to the general market. This means you can set an exchange rate in advance of your property purchase date, but you also guarantee that you will also see any financial benefit if the market subsequently moves in your favour. Whether you are a UK resident looking to buy a property abroad, or if you are a non-UK resident looking to buy a property in Britain, a currency company will ensure the currency exchange happens in the most efficient way possible. They can transfer your money from your domestic bank account into your overseas account, and can convert from and to virtually any currency. If you are selling, they can bring your money home quickly and safely – using their own overseas accounts if appropriate. By using an FSA regulated broker you will have complete peace of mind that your money is safe. With all the other complications associated with buying property overseas, the currency transfer is one thing you need to keep as simple and secure as possible.
For more information about making international money transfers with World First visit the website www.worldfirst.com or call +44 20 7801 1050
You must work out how the finances weigh up We have just bought a holiday home near Deauville and have been thinking about renting it out – but now we are not sure because the tax that we pay as non residents will eat significantly into any money we make. We are basic rate tax payers in the UK, and spend about eight weeks in France each year, but mostly out of season. If we pay CSG on our income, are we then entitled to French healthcover? If you decide to rent out your property then you will need to make an annual declaration to the French authorities, and pay tax in France. The current flat rate for non residents is 20%. It is true that France have now confirmed that they will be adding social charges to the tax liability that non-French residents pay on their rental income and capital gains tax on sale. Until now, this has been restricted to French residents, as the “social charge” (not to be confused with social security for healthcare and retirement). The social charges are however covered by the double tax treaty, and are therefore considered to be a tax available for credit against your UK self assessment return. The difficulty is that, in effect, your final tax bill will be the higher of the two – so even if you pay 20% in the UK – the French tax charge will be higher – currently CSG is 15.5%, but it will be going up under ongoing budget proposals, which is added to the 20% as a non resident. You can however chose which business regime to declare your income in France, which could keep the tax bill down – if you chose “real” accounting, then costs can be deducted against your rental income, including mortgage interest (but with an add back for personal use), advertising, changeover costs and taxe foncière. The other option is the micro which currently gives a 50% flat rate deduction for rental expenses. That said, if the property is not let, or if you make a loss then no French income tax will apply. The CSG (social charge) that you pay is only a “tax” and does not attract healthcare or other social security rights. And far from being a temporary levy, President Hollande has plans to combine income tax and CSG into one rate, which will be deducted at source. If you plan to rent out our advice is to do your sums first to see if it is worthwhile, it might well be – even if only to cover some of your fixed costs and to keep the property aired for when you want to enjoy it yourself!
24 The Back Page
www.normandyadvertiser.com
Normandy Advertiser
October 2012
by SAMANTHA DAVID THE magnificent horses ridden by the Garde Républicaine at French state events traditionally ended up either at the knacker’s yard, butchers’ auctions or the Institut Pasteur, where they were used in the fabrication of serums. There was no state provision for these horses once their work for the Garde Républicaine finished – and this is still the case today. However, thanks to the work of the late Lyne Guéroult, the horses can now retire with grace and dignity to a home in Normandy, whether because they are too old for work, or have become ill or injured, or because they are temperamentally unsuited to the work any more. Ms Guéroult’s widower, Daniel, says: “My wife was a rider. She loved horses and it was her idea to save them. And now she’s no longer alive, I go on with it. I’ll do anything for these horses.” Ms Guéroult started riding at the age of five and never stopped. She was passionate about horses all her life. But when she was just eight, she found out that all the horses of the Garde ended up at the abattoir and horrified, promised herself that she would save them all. She had no idea how to go about it, but she never forgot her promise. She saved up all her life until finally in 1988 she and Daniel had enough to buy an old cider farm in Normandy – the Domaine du Coty Briard, near Lisieux (Calvados). They then started their charitable association, determined to save all the horses they could. At first they went to auctions and bid against the butchers in order to
save the horses. But gradually she persuaded the Garde to give her all their retired horses for nothing. She also persuaded them to let the riders who wanted to and had the facilities to do so, adopt their mounts at the end of their careers. Today, all ex-Garde horses are either adopted by their riders or given to the Association Lyne Guéroult – strictly on condition that the charity meets all the costs
“
My wife loved horses; it was her idea to save them. Now she’s dead, I go on with it. I’ll do anything for them Daniel Guéroult
involved in an animal’s retirement. All the bills are paid for out of charitable donations, legacies and gifts from private individuals. There is no French state contribution. The association was however officially recognised as being “a public service” in 1992 – and in 2000, Lyne Guéroult was awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite in gratitude for her service to the horses of the Garde Républicaine. The horses who arrive at the Domaine du Coty Briard are fully retired from the minute they first walk through the gates. Their shoes are taken off on the first day, and they are never ridden or worked again. It does not matter what age
Photos: Association Lyne Guéroult
Hard-working police horses enjoy happy last days at play in Liseux The horses are fully retired from the day they arrive. Some take it easy, while the younger ones enjoy a race they are or in what stage of health, all the horses are on permanent holiday until they die of natural causes. Some are as young as six years old when they arrive but most are around 12 to 14. Many have breathing problems from the polluted air in Paris, some are injured and quite a few simply never settled into city life. Not all horses will tolerate the traffic, the crowds, the brass bands, and not all horses will stand still for hours on end at a ceremony. Others are there simply because they are old and have served their time. The oldest horse in the stable is Oscar who is 33 years old. The longest resident is Pontcarral, who is 31 and has been there since he was nine. The first horse who came to the domaine was Edy, and he is buried on the property under a large headstone. The charity’s logo featuring him was drawn by Edy’s rider out of gratitude for the retirement. Every horse has its own loose box and is let out to graze in the fields for three to four hours every morning while a team of professional stable hands muck out. Some of the horses spend their time eating grass, the younger ones race each other round the paddocks, and others spend time socialising with other horses. None of the horses wears head collars, let alone saddles and bridles. Once the mucking out is completed the gates are opened and the horses go back to their boxes as and when they feel like it. Most of them are quite keen to go back to their loose boxes – they have spent most of their
lives in boxes and do not especially enjoy the heat and flies of summer, or the rain and cold of winter. In the afternoons, they are groomed and sometimes visitors come. Although none of the horses wears shoes, the farrier comes regularly to trim their feet and the vet also regularly gives them all a check up. And then it is time for their evening rations and hay nets. The association does not rely on volunteers to look after the horses because they say it is a full-time job and cannot be done by unpaid people who may or may not be able to come on any given day. Looking after so many horses costs a substantial sum of money. Apart from the direct costs of horse feed,
and veterinary fees, there are indirect costs such as maintaining the tractor and paying the electricity bill. The association is always on the look out for new members. Annual subscriptions are 31 per person and are deductible from income tax. They also have members who have “adopted” a horse for 48 per quarter and who receive a regular newsletter about their horse. It is also possible to arrange a visit to the domaine to meet all the horses. It is best to go in the early afternoon when the horses have returned from the paddocks, in order to be able to meet them all close up. To find out more about the charity, call 02 31 26 77 72 or visit www.association-lynegueroult.com
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