etcetera magazine - February 2020

etcetera I’M FREE - TAKE ME, KEEP ME!

YOUR COMPANION FOR LIFE IN THE FRENCH COMMUNITY

FEBRUARY 2020

Sweet Talk Your Valentine

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PLUS HEALTHCARE EXPERT ADVICE ASTRONOMY ANGLING and much more…

SOWING THE SEEDS OF SUCCESS Indoors or outdoors?

etcetera 1 PARLEZ FRANÇAIS • WHAT’S ON • CLASSIFIED • PUZZLES

hello & welcome

Contents 3

A note from the editors

4

What’s on

10

Craft

12

Language

14

Food

16

Business & assistance

20

Health

23

Garden

30

Farm life

32

Fishing

34

Wildlife

37

Animal

40

Night sky

42

Free time

44

Home

45

Specialist

46

Getting connected

49

Artisans

58

Motoring & removals

60

Property

61

Opinion

64

Classified

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A Note from the Editors CONTACT US: Tel: 05 16 32 13 42 email: editors.etcetera@gmail.com website: www.etceteraonline.org 17 rue des Chaumettes 86290 St Léomer

etcetera magazine

@etceterafrance

Welcome to the February edition of etcetera magazine.

Enjoy this month’s edition with a bumper What’s On section, proving that we don’t all go into hibernation until March! Lots of articles for you ranging from delicious desserts to amazing astronomy (make sure you check out the one on resilience, we all need that at the moment!).

Have a great month,

Gayle and Sam

EU

Useful numbers 15 17 18

SAMU (Medical) Gendarmes (Police) Pompiers (Fire and also trained in medical emergency) 114 Text-message emergency number for deaf/hard of hearing 119 Child abuse 115 Homeless 113 Drugs and alcohol 112 European emergency not always English 1616 Emergency- Sea & Lake 3131 Last incoming call, key ‘5’ to connect Orange English speaking helpline 0033 (0)9 69 36 39 00 Website in English: www.orange.com/en/home Technical assistance for landlines (French): 3900 (+33 9 69 39 39 00 from abroad) SFR 1023 or 00336 1000 1023 (Not English) EDF 0810 333087 EDF breakdown 24 hours +33 (0)9 69 36 63 83 EDF Helpline in English 0033 562164908 (From UK) 05 62 16 49 32 Fax E-mail: simpleenergywithedf@edf.fr CPAM - 08 11 36 36 46 English Helpline Veolia Water Emergency No: 24h/24 et 7j/7 05 61 80 09 02 (press 1 for urgent problems or 2 for a technician) S.E.P Du Confolens (Water) 05 87 23 10 08 Emergency 24/7 Aéroport Int’l Limoges 05 55 43 30 30 SNCF (train times, buying tickets etc) 36 35 Alcoholics Anonymous For contact details of meetings in your area including those conducted in English, visit www.aafrance.net

Please download the pdf from this link now: www.paysruffecois.fr/sante/guide.pdf

HOSPITALS 05 55 05 55 55 Limoges (CHU) 05 55 43 50 00 St Junien 05 55 47 20 20 Bellac 05 49 44 44 44 Poitiers 05 45 24 40 40 Angoulême 05 49 32 79 79 Niort 05 45 84 40 00 Confolens Counselling In France Counsellors, psychotherapists, NLP, CBT etc offering therapy in English to expatriates all over France on www.counsellinginfrance.com SSAFA France 05 53 24 92 38 email france@ssafa.org.uk French Health Insurance. Call the special English-speaking Advice Line provided by Ameli: 0 811 36 36 46 from France (local call price from fixed-phone line). Call 0033 811 36 36 46 from foreign countries (call rates vary between operators).

NHS website : www.nhs.uk/using-thenhs/healthcare-abroad www.ameli.fr No Panic France Helpline: No Panic UK helpline: 0044 1 952 590 545 11h - 23h (French time) 7/7 www.nopanic.org.uk /nopanicfrance@orange.fr English-speaking Crisis Line SOS- HELP 01 46 21 46 46 3pm-11pm 7/7 British Consulate in Paris 01 44 51 31 00 British Consulate in Bordeaux 05 57 22 21 10 www.ukinfrance.fco.gov.uk/en/ Credit Agricole English Speaking Helpline Charente (residents only) 05 45 20 49 60 Anglofile - Radio for British in Charente www.rcf.fr Tues 20h (repeated Sun 11h30).

Angouleme 96.8, Chalais 96.9, Confolens 95.4, Ruffec 95.4, Char. Limousine 104.1, Cognac 89.9

Print 2 copies - one for your home and one for your car - it could save a life.

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listing

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earth

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listing

Online radio for English-speaking expats

HOT TUBS in France OPEN DAY

See our advert on page 27

Saturday 29th February 10.30am to 3.30pm Lieu-dit Puy-Seru, 87510 Peyrilhac

Come and view the Eco Wood Fired Hot Tubs and allow us to share our knowledge and experience of them. Meet the UK Cotswold Eco Tub Team who are supporting the launch of Hot Tubs in France.

Siret en cours

8 etcetera

Pop in for a chat and refreshments, we look forward to meeting you. www.cotswoldecotubs.co.uk Contact Nicola cabey69@live.co.uk (0044) 784 575 4049

listing

etcetera 9

craft

Painted Bottles T

hese bottles make a great vase for flowers or a centre piece for a table.

Minimal effect for maximum effect - perfect!

You will need: ▪ Empty and clean bottles (wine bottles work well thanks to their size) Cleaning Tip - Try soaking the bottles in hot soapy water and get off as much of the label as you can then use peanut butter to scrub the rest of the sticky glue off if needed, the oil helps lift it off.

▪ Cardboard for spray paint ▪ White spray paint ▪ Three colours of acrylic craft paint or chalk paint ▪ Paint brushes

Thanks to Amanda, for more great ideas visit: craftsbyamanda.com

Wed-Fri 10h-18h non-stop Sat 9h-12h NEW

SALON DE THÉ Artisan creations Amazing Choices!

SHABBY CHIC CREATIONS, UPCYCLED FURNITURE, CRAFTS, GIFTS, AUTENTICO PAINT T. 06 14 76 42 84 Fb@chiccreationscc Place de la Fontorse 16500 Confolens

Winter Hours Tues-Sat 10h-16h

Lots of NEW HANDMADE GIFTS now in stock Handmade Tiles - Jewellery - Candles Freshly Made Hot & Cold Light Meals & Homemade Cakes 71 Grande rue, Sauzé Vaussais. T. 05 49 07 78 22 Debbie & David The Lemon Tree T. 06 75 89 95 55 Denise Eyre at The Craft Cabin.

Email: denise.eyre@wanadoo.fr www.thecraftcabin.webs.com

10

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Instructions 1. In a well-ventilated area (outdoors is best) spray paint the clean bottles

Siret 51887685900019

Café & Restaurant Café re-opening 11th Feb Re-opening for ceramic painting, full English breakfasts, plus hot & cold snack lunches, beer or wine available.

Café available to hire for events.

Tues - Sat 10am - 3pm for ceramic painting, full English breakfasts, hot & cold snacks/meals

T: 05 45 30 69 56 E: enquiries@manotceramics.com www.manotceramics.com

white. Start with a thin layer. Let dry.

2. Then repeat 2-3 times, changing your angle frequently, until the bottles are completely covered. Let the spray paint dry.

3. With your chosen colours, paint each bottle. Start at the neck of the bottle, painting around the top.

Then add vertical brush strokes around the neck.

4. Then paint the base of the bottle. Paint with horizontal strokes around the base of the bottle, then add vertical strokes as high up the side of the bottle as you like.

5. Let dry completely. Then add another light layer of paint for best coverage.

NOTE: be very careful where you hold the bottle when you paint all the way around. You can end up with paint on your hand and a large hand print on the bottle!

craft

Thé Bonbons Cadeaux FEB ONLY Tues-Sat 10am-2pm MAR-JAN Tues-Sat 10am-4pm

87190 Magnac Laval Find us on

Tel. 06 72 38 82 20

Encadrement d’Art

A Quintessentially English Experience in the Beautiful Limousin Coffee shop ~ Ladies clothing & accessories Jewellery ~ Tea tree oil products ~ Gifts for friends & home ~ English sweets & greetings cards Fairtrade stockists. Gift Tokens Available.

OPPOSITE ROB’S BROCANTE

Picture framers to La Galerie de Gabriel A large selection of mounts and moldings including made to order bespoke Limousin oak frames

Siret: 493 623 00016

FRAMING

1 Rue du 19 Mars 1962 87150 Oradour sur Vayres

Nick Wiggins - 05 87 41 65 78 email: nicktesswigg@yahoo.co.uk

etcetera 11

language and advice

Parlez Français

French conversation, vocabulary and traditions with Isabelle

MOTS & EXPRESSIONS ESSENTIELS Voici une liste de mots et expressions essentiels, utile si vous êtes en vacances en France ou si vous êtes débutant en français ou même pour vous qui avez peut-être besoin de rafraîchir vos connaissances en français. A utiliser sans modération car cela marque la politesse !

Here is a list of essential words and expressions, useful if you are on holiday in France or if you are a beginner in French or even for those who need to refresh their skills in French. To use widely as it includes the politeness!

GET THE

VOCAB! To greet - saluer Bonjour.

Bonsoir. (in the evening) Salut ! (informal) Coucou ! (between children or very close friends) When leaving Prendre congé Au revoir.

Salut ! (informal)

Bonsoir ! (in the evening) Ciao ! (between friends) Bye ! (between friends) À tout à l’heure ! À plus tard ! À bientôt ! À demain ! À lundi ! À mardi ! À lundi prochain ! À la semaine prochaine !

À la prochaine ! À la prochaine fois !

Wishes – souhaits Bon après-midi !

Bonne journée !

Bonne fin de journée !

Bonne semaine !

Bonne nuit !

Bon weekend !

Bon voyage !

Isabelle works for CONTINENTAL HORIZONS Language Centre in L’Isle Jourdain and teaches French as a foreign language everyday in their many classrooms. Do not hesitate to contact her on 05 49 84 17 73. www.continental-horizons.com isabelle@continental-horizons.com Broaden your horizons with CONTINENTAL HORIZONS!

Isabelle

I’m free But I could be yours…..

From 35€ ttc Contact Sam or Gayle 05 16 312 13 42

12 etcetera

Language School Secretarial and Administration Services Certified Legal Interpreting & Translating Coaching 15 Place d’Armes 86150 L’Isle Jourdain Tél. 05 49 84 17 73 Email: isabelle@continental-horizons.com www.continental-horizons.com siret 483 146 353 00014

In Champagnac la Rivière (87150) Every Monday & Tuesday With Sandrine Durand 05 55 78 16 21 / 06 83 07 66 98 r.sandrine.durand@orange.fr

language and advice To ask the name of someone demander le nom à quelqu’un Comment vous appelez – vous ?

Comment t’appelles – tu ?

Quel est votre nom ?

Quel est ton nom ?

To ask to spell one’s name demander d’épeler son nom Pouvez-vous épeler votre nom SVP ? (s’il-vous-plaît) Peux-tu épeler ton nom STP ? (s’il-te-plaît) Comment s’écrit votre nom SVP ?

comme ci, comme ça.

Pardonnez-moi !

Je vais bien.

Pardonne-moi !

Je ne vais pas bien.

Je vous demande pardon.

GET THE

VOCAB!

Ça ne va pas.

Wanting something Demander un objet

To thank - remercier Je vous remercie (beaucoup).

Je voudrais …., SVP.

Je te remercie.

Je vais prendre …….., SVP.

Merci (beaucoup).

Un kilo de tomates, SVP.

Merci bien.

Merci mille fois.

S’il-vous-plaît, j’aimerais…..

S’il-te-plaît, puis-je avoir………. ?

Merci infiniment.

Est-ce que je pourrais avoir….. ?

Je vous remercie du fond du cœur.

Avez-vous…….. ?

Comment s’écrit ton nom STP ?

Merci pour tout.

Comment on écrit votre nom ?

Je vous en suis très reconnaissant.

Asking for information – Demander un renseignement

To reply to a thank you - répondre à un remerciement

Pouvez-vous m’aider ?

Pouvez-vous me dire….?

Je vous en prie.

Excusez-moi, où se trouve le restaurant ? (singular) / Où se trouvent les toilettes ? (plural) Vous pouvez me dire…. ?

Comment on écrit ton nom ?

To spell one’s name Épeler son nom (Use the French alphabet of course – Bien entendu, utilisez l’alphabet français)

Je t’en prie.

De rien.

Mon nom s’écrit D.A.V.I.D.

C’est normal.

Mon s’épelle D.A.V.I.D.

Mais, ce n’est rien.

C’est le moins que je puisse faire.

Excusez-moi, puis-je vous poser une question ?

Pas de problème.

How are you? Prendre des nouvelles

À tout moment.

Comment ça va ?

Tout le plaisir est pour moi.

Comment allez-vous ?

Il n’y a pas de quoi.

Comment vas-tu ?

Pas de quoi.

Ça va ? Ça va bien ?

Excusez- moi, où est la pharmacie ? (singular) / Où sont les magasins ? (plural)

Et toi ?

To excuse oneself - s’excuser Je vous prie de m’excuser

Et vous ?

Excusez-moi !

Je vais bien.

Excuse-moi !

Pouvez-vous m’expliquer ?

Je voudrais savoir………..

How do we say… in French? – Comment on dit… en français ?

Quel est le mot en français ?

Comment ça s’appelle en français ?

Comment dit-on « x » en français ?

Comment on appelle « x » en français ?

ça va

Je suis désolé (e).

(ça va) bien

Désolé (e).

(ça va) très bien

Pardon.

pas trop mal

Je ne connais pas le mot en français.

Qu’est-ce que c’est ?

Je regrette.

Quel est cet objet ?

FRENCH LESSONS FOR FREE ● Assistance with all admin needs ● Professional efficient & confidential service ● Competitive rates with flexible & friendly support Remy Hickman-Reed 06 37 76 56 51

remyhickmanreed@gmail.com

Groups - Private tutoring - E-learning Contact Alain 05 55 32 41 76 / 06 37 76 54 98 alain.rio@hvformations.org Siret: 824417364 00018

http://hvformations.org

FRENCH COMMUNICATION SERVICES Comprehensive administration, translation and support services for English-speaking people in France…to make life easier.

Call Jenny 06 79 85 58 84 Mail: jenifer@wordsmithcoms.com www.facebook.com/frenchwordsmith Siret 504 587 924 00011

etcetera 13

food

Sweet Desserts WHETHER YOU CELEBRATE VALENTINE’S DAY OR NOT, IT’S A PERFECT EXCUSE TO INDULGE IN A LITTLE DESSERT melted chocolate and stir until well combined. Add the Creme de “whatever you choose,” whisk in the egg yolks. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff and gently fold into the chocolate mixture with a spoon.

Fruity Chocolate Mousse This will become a firm favourite!

Ingredients 125ml Crème entière (double cream) 125g dark chocolate 1 tblsp Crème de Cassis (or Mûre, Framboise, Fraise etc) 2 medium eggs, separated Soft fruit of your choice Method 1. Heat the cream gently in a saucepan until just boiling, then remove from the heat.

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Pour the cream into the

2. Place the fruit in the bottom of the dessert dish (or individual dishes) and gently pour/spoon the mousse over the friut.

3. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for several hours until set.

4. Decorate with more berries.

Serve with chilled pouring cream, and maybe some langues de chat or brandy snap biscuits.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Sweet, light and definitely moreish!

Ingredients 425ml Crème Fraiche 340g good quality white chocolate 225g crushed shortbread biscuits (or similar) 60g unsalted butter, melted 140ml semi whipped cream Pre-heat the oven to 160 degrees fan (optional – see method) Method 1. Mix the crushed biscuits with the melted butter and press the mix firmly to line the base of a medium size loose-bottom cake tin. (You can press the biscuit crumb up the sides of the tin as well, just be sure it doesn’t get too thick in the corner.) Either refrigerate for 30 mins or bake for 5 mins in a medium oven and then allow to cool.

2. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of just simmering water, allow to cool slightly.

3. Beat the crème fraiche in a bowl until smooth and gradually add the melted chocolate, then gently fold in the cream.

4. Pour into the cake tin and refrigerate for 2- 4 hours (or overnight) 5. Remove the cake from the tin and serve with fresh berries or make a puree, made by sieving fruit and mixing with a little orange juice and icing sugar.

14 etcetera

food

to fall in love with…

By Beli n

da Prin ce

Hello from the accidental Chatelaine!

I'm honestly not sure how I find myself here, living in the middle of France in a château.

But here I am, loving to cook at any opportunity and delighted to be able to share that love with etcetera readers

Chateau Kitchen www.chateaumareuil.com

Perfect Chocolate Fondue This recipe is always going to be a winner for anyone who loves chocolate. Easy to make, even if you aren’t the head chef of your kitchen, you can treat your loved one (or just yourself) to this delicious, chocolaty treat.

285g dessert chocolate, chopped.

(The higher quality chocolate you buy, the better! If you buy the cheapest cooking chocolate, it’s not going to taste as good.)

80ml milk 80g heavy cream (crème fraiche or crème entiere) 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (see note for other variations) Lots of dipping options (strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, biscuits, pretzels, dates, figs etc.)

Method 1. In a saucepan, combine the chocolate, milk and cream and heat on low, stirring often, until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Don't let it come to a boil; keep it on low heat.

2. Once melted, stir in the vanilla extract. If needed, stir in heavy cream or milk a tablespoon at a time to adjust for a thinner consistency.

3. Pour the mixture into a fondue pot or small slow cooker to keep warm while serving.

4. Serve with dippers of your choice.

Any chocolate fondue mix leftovers (?!) will keep well stored in the fridge, usually for up to a week.

Just reheat on low and enjoy another chocolate fondue experience!

Diamant Catering

Siret 533144 03600019

If you don’t have a fondue set, you can serve the chocolate in a bowl, it should be a good dipping consistency for 15-20 minutes, or you can keep it warm in a small slow cooker

Hog Roasts, Paellas, Buffets, Barbecues…

We are an event catering company, here for all your catering needs. Weddings, birthdays, family gatherings, all events catered for. Hog Roast - Barbecue - Buffet - Paella - Moules Frites or if you have something else in mind, just give us a call.

T: 09 71 52 20 18 Visit: www.diamant-catering.business.site

M. Cochon PROUDLY PRESENTS PORK PRODUCTS FROM ITS OWN PIGS GAMMON, JOINTS & STEAKS, DRY-CURED BACK BACON, HOT WATER CRUST PORK PIES, PORK PASTIES BRITISH STYLE SAUSAGES Plain, Cumberland, Lincoln, pork & leek !

S U L The usual pork joints, Pigs in Blankets P AND MORE! FREE DELIVERY most areas in Charente, Haute-Vienne, Dordogne, Correze ~ Suppliers to a number of leading restaurants ~

T. 07 69 09 16 03 maisoncochon@gmail.com www.mcochon.fr SIRET 848 719 42300016

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business and assistance

ALLIANZ 4LIFE Formule Epargne Investment Account

INSURANCE

ISABELLE WANT BH ASSURANCES

M

ost of you by now know about the savings account called Assurance Vie which is an investment with tax advantage (revenues and inheritance tax) but did you know that with us, there are different sorts of Assurance Vie depending on what you expect from your money. This article will present you with 1 very innovative assurance vie from Allianz, which is looking for the best growth of capital while protecting you from market crashes. a) Criteria for subscribing: Available to any French resident of 18 to 80 years old who has a minimum of €30 000 to invest.

No maximum. b) How does it work: This Assurance Vie works a bit like a “stop loss”. On the anniversary date of your contract, Allianz looks at how much is on it and takes stock of the amount. If your capital has decreased by more than 10%, Allianz reimburses you up to minus 10%. E.g.: You invest €100 000 on 01/01/2016 and on 01/01/2017 you have only €80 000 left

on it due to a market crash. Then Allianz re-adjusts your contract to €90 000 (100 000-10%).

e) Withdrawals: Partial and full withdrawals possible at any time. No fees for taking your money out.

On the contrary, if the amount has increased, Allianz take stock of the amount and the 10% guarantied is readjusted to this new amount. E.g.: on 01/01/2016, you have invested €100 000 and on 01/01/2017, you now have €115 000, then Allianz recalculates the stop loss of -10% from €115 000 so if in 01/01/2018, you have €100 000, then Allianz re-adjusts your contract to €103 500 (115 000-10%). So not only does it protect you from market crashes but it secures your gains. You can choose a stop loss at -15% or -7% instead of -10%.

f) Adding money to it: Only on the anniversary date of the policy and a minimum of €1500. Or any time if you have taken out the stop loss guaranty which you can do after the first year of the contract.

c) How the money is invested: The money is invested in one of two funds: Allianz Strategy 30 (stop loss at -7%) Allianz Strategy 50 (stop loss at -10%) or Allianz Strategy 75 (stop loss at -15%). All 3 funds have been rated 5 stars by Morningstar (Independent investment notation company). Strategy 75 has made +20.23% in 2019, +38.38% over 5 years.

Allianz Strategy 50 has made +15.11% in 2019, 28.46% over 5 years. Of course, performance of the past is no guarantee for the future! d) Fees: Well yes, I don’t work for free all the time! Entry is 4.50% negotiable.

Usually above €100 000, I take 0%.

Management fee per year is 1.015% + 1.10% for the stop loss guaranty option.

g) Transforming it to Allianz4Life formule Retraite: You have the possibility to transform this contract into the pension version which guaranties income. You have to be over 50 years old and 60 to start getting the income.

Conclusion: With interest rates being at their lowest ever, it is imperative to look at alternative investments that would bring more income without risking it all.

Especially if inflation goes above the % of interest you get. If this happens, you actually lose money without realising it!

Allianz has a solvability ratio that is one of the best on the market at 174% for Allianz France and 200% for Allianz Group so don’t hesitate to contact me for any further information regarding our very large range of investments.

Visit www.bh-assurances.fr/en for all my previous articles (“practical information”) and register to receive our monthly Newsletter. Don’t hesitate to contact me for any other information or insurance quotes.

Isabelle Want Mob•: 06 17 30 39 11 / Email•:isabelle.want@bh-assurances.fr N° Orias 07021727/16005974

16 etcetera

22 rue Jean Jaures 16700 Ruffec Tél:+33 (0)5 45 31 01 61

102 Avenue de la République 16260 Chasseneuil sur Bonnieure Tél:+33(0)5 45 39 51 47

10 Bd du 8 mai 1945 16110 La Rochefoucauld Tél:+33 (0)5 45 63 54 31

2 Avenue de la Gare 16270 Roumazieres-Loubert Tél:+33(0)5 45 71 17 79

business and assistance

Au Revoir to the Sécurite Sociale des Indépendants La mise à jour de la CARTE VITALE

PLUS - Tax Fraud Surveillance 3 year experiment via social media

M

acron promised a restructuring of the independent works social security system in his election campaign. Since the 1st January 2020, the independent workers' system has been merged with the employees'.

Health cover - CPAM This means that for your health cover you are now attached to your local CPAM office – CPAM Haute Vienne, CPAM Charente, CPAM Indre etc…. . You should have received a letter, asking you to update your Carte Vitale. This is only applicable to those independent workers who started before the 1.1.2019. As anyone who started a business after that date is already attached to CPAM. I suggest that when you go to the pharmacy to do your ‘mise à jour’, ask them then to read your card behind their counter and check that it shows your local CPAM, and where you have medical issues, that the 100% ALD status is still in place.

Social/Pension/Financial Assistance If you require guidance or social aid, you will now need to contact different structures.

▪ For the CMU-C, you will need to apply to CPAM. ▪ For your pension demand or information, CARSAT ▪ For your rights to social aid with social contributions, URSSAF The Sécurite Sociale des Indépendants offices and employees will exist for a certain amount of time to assist URSSAF in their new role and come under the URSSAF banner.

Tax Fraud Surveillance via Social Media The most recent Finance law project for 2020 introduces the possibility for the tax authorities to use social media to track tax fraud.

The law would permit the fiscal authorities to collect en masse and exploit data made public by the social media users or on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Le Bon Coin, Airbnb etc.

This facility should allow them to better track fraudulent behaviour and should be used ‘in the sole aim to find the most serious violations.’

An amendment recently adopted specifies that the facility should be limited to occult activities and fraudulent fiscal domiciliation.

Three year experiment The surveillance of the social media networks by the French tax authorities will be in an experimental stage for three years. After this probation period it could be more widespread to not just more serious subjects.

Caution The 2020 law proposition underlines the importance of the right to privacy. The CNIL, the commission that controls data protection rights, ask for the necessity to preserve a strict balance between the fiscal fraud objectives and the respect of the rights and fundamental freedoms of persons concerned. They request that the limitations of the policy be clarified: the freely accessible nature of the content in question, the method of handling or collecting the data. They ask also for the reinforcement of existing guarantees and the need to respect the principle of proportionality, i.e. the exploitation of only the data necessary for the detection of fraud.

SMALL BUSINESS ADVICE

LINDSEY QUERIAUD

OWNER: CAST T: 05 45 84 14 94 lindseyqueriaud@outlook.com

certain cases and where fraud was suspected was social media interrogated.

Where things change is in the generalised nature of this collection of personal data and before any certitude of tax fraud. The tax authorities have developed an algorithm which will be used to distinguish between normal and fraudulent behaviour. This algorithm will develop over time using large volumes of data which will help it to characterise fraud indicators.

Internet users could indeed legitimately feel that they can no longer express themselves freely. After the introduction of the protection of data act in 2018 the French State really has the right to massively collect and process personal data.

Legitimacy This practice of mass surveillance of the social media network raises certain questions. The tax authorities already use information published on social media to complement their on-going fiscal investigation. They use, for example, Google Maps to identify non declared swimming pools. Up until now, only in

etcetera 17

business and assistance FINANCIAL ADVICE

HELEN BOOTH INDEPENDENT FINANCIAL ADVISER deVere France

O

What Next for UK Expatriates? does it mean for expatriates who still have a significant financial hold in the UK? The government currently receives £776.4 billion per annum in tax revenues from its residents. However, there is a possible risk that once the UK leaves the EU, the annual trend of productivity growth will plummet.

This has the potential to culminate in a hefty hit to the tax revenues. After this hit, the government will need to find somewhere else to regain its losses.

n March 29th, 2017, the United Kingdom put into action the withdrawal notice under Article 50 of The Pensions have consistently been an area Treaty of Lisbon. This set into motion an that have taken a large hit from UK taxes, unbinding agreement between the United seen by many as a “Cash Cow” that they Kingdom and the EU. With this, all the can milk for all existing legislation will it's worth. UK Pensions have consistently be copied over to UK pensions have been an area that have taken domestic law, and from been a cause for there UK parliament can concern for a a large hit from UK taxes, “amend, repeal and while now. No seen by many as a “Cash Cow” longer are they improve” individual the gold-plated laws where they safety nets they once were, rather weights deem necessary. sinking further into financial uncertainty.

Until all is settled with the Brexit talks, the Since 2006 many people have begun UK is still under the watchful eye of EU transferring their pensions into QROPS law. This means that the free movement of for better protection of their savings. The capital within the EU is still accessible for government soon realised they were losing now. This leaves one question unanswered approximately £60 million per annum in until the UK finally leaves the EU; what missing tax because of QROPS.

18 etcetera

Since then, to combat this loss, the UK government has made numerous revisions to pension transfer rules and delisted thousands of QROPS from various jurisdictions. Where HMRC deems its rules have been broken, it can charge a 55% tax penalty on the transfer amount, even if you moved funds before the rules were changed. There is a further worry that once the UK leaves the EU it will allow the HMRC to increase taxes on pensions being transferred out of the UK into the EU. Just as it had previously been with residents transferring their pension outside of the EEA incurring a 25% tax.

With Brexit on the horizon, it seems more and more likely that those expatriates who already reside abroad, or are looking to move away from the UK, will no longer be able to have a strong financial hold in the UK without receiving an ever-increasing tax bill. This could have a large impact on many who were once in a stable position.

While Brexit is still in the transitional phase, it might be worth getting in contact with a finance professional who can help you to understand what precautions you can take with regards to your pension and financial hold in the UK, especially if you reside abroad.

business and assistance

Blogging For Your Business

E

very year something new comes along on the social media scene that keeps us distracted - think TikTok! And while many flock to see what all the fuss is about and set up accounts, the tried and tested methods of increasing your business awareness often get sidelined in favour of newer methods.

visitors to see. Just because it sits on your website doesn't mean it ends there. There are many ways to increase the reach of your content through the use of social media platforms and email marketing.

Why blog? As a business owner you know what goes on in your business. You know what your customers want. You have Blogging is one of those old firm helped solve problems for them. You know favourites. As with all forms of digital what goes on in your industry. When you marketing it is subject to trends and create content that shows how you have changes and blogging is no exception. solved a problem or create content updating There are many benefits to You need to create readers on new industry blogging for your business. regular, thoughtful, standards, your readers Particularly if you have a good quality content are learning more about website and can incorporate a you, your business and blog page on your website. A YOUR expertise. This in website is a business owner's turn helps build trust between you and a key asset - remember that social media potential client. Readers want to be sites are rented spaces, you don't own educated in a non salesy way. Plus it them, someone else does. But your website allows them to interact with your business is your asset and you have control over when they ask questions or offer what goes into it. comment.

First, what is blogging? Blogging is taking You need to create regular, thoughtful, ideas, insights, discussion, discoveries and good quality content. So time is required facts and putting them into written form of the business owner to think of and plan (some good quality visuals always help for content throughout the year. support) and then this content is (Suggestion: create a content calendar for published onto your blog space on your 2020.) The internet is full of content, it's website and remains there for future

Sandrine TUYERAS Insurance Agent

ALACIM SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

about how well you write what you are going to say that keeps your readers' attention and engages them. A wellranked website with a regularly updated blog is great for search engines. And yes, even SEO – search engine optimisation has undergone some changes that clearly benefit sites that have great content. And once you start to create ideas and a plan of what you are going to write about for your website, you can then start to to reformat it for your social media platforms.

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Advertise Your Business Call Sam or Gayle on 05 16 32 13 42 or email: editors.etcetera@gmail.com etcetera 19

Saski owns and runs Limelight Fitness and is a personal trainer and sports massage practitioner.

By Saski Ford

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And Breathe…

BREATHING. WE ALL HAVE TO DO IT, BUT DID YOU KNOW THERE IS AN OPTIMAL WAY?

I

’ve talked about breathing in a previous article but a friend of mine recommended a book called the Oxygen Advantage and it’s fascinating.

If we are mouth breathing all through the day and night it is because our body has become intolerant to carbon dioxide. Of course it is, I hear you say, it is a waste product after all. But the author Patrick McKeown explains that:-

When I used to run regularly back in the UK I really struggled with my breathing.

“It is not actually a waste gas, it is the key In fact there would be lots of times when I variable that allows the release of oxygen would have to stop because I didn't think I from the red blood cells to be metabolised could get enough breath in. Then I joined by the body. This is called the a running club and explained this to my Bohr Effect.” teacher and he told me about breathing in through my nose and out through my So it turns out that CO2 is essential in the mouth for a count and with my footfall, so blood, as the more you have in the blood in for 3 out for 3. I was soon running for the more your body can increase its uptake longer periods but not of oxygen. the way he told me. I was It turns out that you The very reason our bodies have doing all mouth breathing because my can breathe too much learnt to breathe dysfunctionally is due to the way we live. nose felt so congested all Chronic stress, sedentary lives, the time. unhealthy diets, overheated homes and It turns out though that you can breathe lack of fitness. Which contributes to too much. Can you believe that!? lethargy, weight gain, sleep issues, Approximately 2-3 times more than we respiratory conditions and heart disease. need. And the way we do that is by So our altered environments compared to constant mouth breathing. Over breathing that of our ancestors, who thrived on causes narrowing of the airways, limiting natural diets, physical labour and far less of a competitive environment, have lead us the body’s ability to oxygenate, to chronic over breathing. constricting the blood vessels and reducing the flow of blood to vital organs This is not the end for us though. Like and muscles. Also if you wake up with a anything learnt, it can be un-learnt too. dry mouth in the morning that's because you primarily mouth breathe through The Oxygen Advantage book sets a the night. program to follow, helping you to retrain

20 etcetera

your breathing to nasal breathing. Using techniques that are similar to the high altitude training that elite athletes do where up the mountain the air is thinner, forcing the body to adapt by increasing the number of red blood cells which improves their cardiovascular fitness, gives improved oxygen delivery to the muscles, reduces lactic acid, lowering the risk of inflammation and injury. Obviously we are at or near sea level and that is duly noted in the book but the techniques used are essentially bringing the mountain to you.

“If you reduce your breathing and regulate the amount of air you take in, you will teach your body to breathe more efficiently, and you will become healthier.

No matter what your athletic baseline is to begin with, better breathing will revolutionise your fitness, your endurance, and your performance.”

A little tip he gives us to help us remember to use nasal breathing through the day…

“Mouths are for eating. Noses are for breathing.”

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health

Resilience

& You

THE ABILITY TO BOUNCE BACK IS IMPORTANT IN LIFE, THOSE LACKING IT MAY TURN TO UNHEALTHY COPING MECHANISMS. THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU CAN BUILD OR BOLSTER IT BY CHANGING THOUGHTS OR BEHAVIOUR PATTERNS

Dr Cathie Woodward is trained as a coach and runs a coaching practice with clients both in the UK and France.

By Dr C athie Woodw ard

W

e all face challenges in our lives, and our capacity for a speedy recovery separates flourishing lives from unhappy ones.

▪ ▪

Consider your time and energy spent dwelling on the incident Did you cope with the incident and were able to move on?

So how can you improve your resilience, and why bother? Resilience is vital to a flourishing life and spending a long time recovering from a problem can cause serious mental health issues. I have spent the last twenty years working with highly successful people - one of their shared qualities was their ability to move on from difficult situations. It is fundamental to success both in business and our personal lives.

When problems occur, we think negatively. Resilient people are aware of their negative thoughts, and can accept them before replacing them with a more Although resilience is important in all positive inner dialogue. The longer you difficult situations, this dwell in article focuses on the more Resilient people are aware of negativity, the practical aspects of life; their negative thoughts, and can longer it will be ▪ falling out with before you move accept them before replacing a friend on from your them with a more positive ▪ losing money problem. inner dialogue However, ▪ professional failure resilience is not Resilience is a muscle that you can ignoring issues, it includes accepting that exercise and improve. It helps you to something bad has happened and taking recover from a difficult situation and steps to move on. create something new.

After reflection resilient people recognise Reflection their negative thoughts and recreate a more positive mental approach and ▪ Think of something that has gone wrong in your life outcome. This is a fundamental

22 etcetera

characteristic of resilience; moving from negative thoughts to positive ideas.

Dealing with the upset Acknowledge what has happened Allow yourself to be hurt/angry by the event ▪ Spend some time reflecting on why and how it happened ▪ Accept that there is nothing that will change the past ▪ Acknowledge your negative thoughts, and start to let them go You now need to reframe your thinking to be more positive and optimistic - this will give you the energy to bounce back.

▪ ▪

Reframing ▪ I am distressed that my friend/son made those upsetting remarks, but I am committed to rebuilding the relationship ▪ I am upset that I lost that work, I am determined to find something bigger and better ▪ I am sad that my back problem is chronic, but I will look for ways of improving my lifestyle In order to develop your resilience you will have to be aware of when it is needed, and practise some of the recommended steps.

Remember that adopting a resilient approach will lead to a more successful, and flourishing, life.

garden

In the Garden This Month FEBRUARY CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE – IT COULD BE UNSEASONABLY WARM OR WE COULD HAVE SNOW AND FREEZING TEMPERATURES – SO DON’T BE BEGUILED BY ANY WARM SPELLS WE MAY GET, ENJOY THE SUN AND PLAN WHAT CAN BE DONE IN A FEW WEEKS’ TIME.

I

t is a month when colour begins to return to our gardens with bulbs and shrubs, catkins on trees and early primroses, and certainly the lengthening days are now giving hope for the spring and summer to come.

been used to. We should take this on board as it could be the pattern to come.

Consider replacing the plants that didn’t cope well with the changing climate. This is not defeatist, this is accepting reality.

Most gardening web sites will advise on plants that respond positively to hot dry weather – I have found several that work for me and these include Salvia microphylla, lavender, roses, asters, agapanthus, dahlias and the ubiquitous crocosmia.

It’s not too late to complete the pruning of fruit trees to improve shape and fruit production, and to give them a winter wash to remove overwintering insects. On a cold dry day take the opportunity to remove overwintered weeds from borders; Plants do give some help in reducing this will help reduce the number that selftemperatures, by shading and seed and fill the garden with their transpiration. In offspring for the rest of the year. It is a good time In planning for the new summer, order to do this some will need to cover open ground with we need to keep in mind the compost or mulch, and let climate/weather changes we have water. But it is crucially the worms carry on the experienced in recent summers important to use good work they have been water wisely; doing through the winter. only water the See if any fences and structures need plants that really need it, water in the repair as this is a good time to do this job morning or evening and water the ground before the structures are covered with under plants’ leaves. All this suggests that plants, as will be the case in a just a few we may now be need to be watering some weeks. It is also valuable now to complete plants at some point in a hot, dry summer; other structures that you may have started however, we still should not be wasting or planned. There’s not a lot extra to do, valuable tap water. The solution is to save and at this time of year it is possible to see more water in butts and large tanks. Now the impact that new structures will make. is the time to be building up these reserves of water.

In planning for the new summer, we need to keep in mind the climate/weather If, like me, you really need to get your changes we have experienced in recent hands dirty by touching soil and having summers – long, hot, dry weeks with contact with growing plants there is still temperatures well above what we have time to put in bare root plants while they

Ronnie is a passionate gardener and now loves sharing her years of experience of success and failures in her own garden and sharing it with you.

Also a keen runner, having been bitten by the ‘Couch to 5K’ bug!

nn

By Ro

r ie Ogie

are still dormant, provided the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged. Soak the plant roots in water before planting, and avoid planting too deep. A cane across the top of the planting hole will act as a guide to help to plant at roughly the same depth as the soil marks you can see at the top of the root ball. Spread the roots and sprinkle with Mycorrhizal fungi, a powder readily available from garden shops. The Mycorrhizal fungi come into direct contact with plant roots and the soil, adding to the plant’s ability to gather nutrients and water from the soil through the fungi.

Cover the roots with soil completely, and then water in to remove air pockets from around the roots.

And don’t forget the birds! It’s a busy time of year for them and food is not as plentiful as in the summer.

etcetera 23

garden

Cornus kousa

Lonicera nitida

Cherry Prunus ‘Kiku-shidare-Zakura

Use lavendar t

A small plot can produce a good supply of food

Designing a Small Garden

Lorne Tracy &

Taylor-M ade Garden s

SPRING IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER AND IT’S TIME TO THINK ABOUT HOW WE MIGHT IMPROVE OUR GARDENS IN TIME FOR THE LONG, HOT SUMMERS THAT MIGHT NEED TO BE DEALING WITH

W

hilst many of us are blessed with larger gardens than we had before we came to live in France, not everyone either has or wants acres of land which will occupy the majority of their time.

Your garden may be relatively small or it may be that you only want to create a garden in the space immediately outside the house and leave the rest as natural meadows.

The main thing to remember when considering a design for a small garden is not to overcomplicate it. Your initial consideration should be to decide what purpose your small garden (or small, sectioned off garden area) is to fulfil. If the main purpose of your garden is to grow fruit and vegetables, the design will be very different from a garden which has the sole purpose of relaxation or entertaining.

The Productive Garden If your aim is to be self-sufficient, this can comfortably be achieved in an area measuring 70 m2 including space for a small greenhouse or polytunnel, 3 large vegetable beds (to allow for crop rotation), compost bin and a small seating area in which to cut off the unwanted leaves and

24 etcetera

too much space. Cornus kousa has a triple stalks or clean off the carrots or even just bonus of stunning autumn colour, large to dream about what you intend to grow white bracts (modified leaves) which look later in the season. Fruit trees can be like flowers from a distance and grown as espaliers against a boundary wall interesting-looking fruit which is edible or in rows as cordons and herbs and although not tasty. The ornamental pear, strawberries can be grown in containers. If Pyrus salicifolia ‘Pendula’ is another you have issues with your back and/or weeping tree and looks joints or simply don’t want to spend Fruit trees can be grown as stunning planted in the middle of a small lawn. Its time gardening on all fours, it is a good espaliers against a boundary leaves are rather willow-like wall or in rows as cordons and it produces creamyidea to build raised white flowers in mid-spring. beds. These can be If you would prefer an evergreen tree as shallower if your plan is to grow crops your centrepiece, Juniperus scopulorum such as tomatoes which will need support ‘Skyrocket’ can grow up to 4.5m in height above ground level or deep if you are but has a very compact, pencil-like form. growing root vegetables.

A Plant Lovers Paradise If plants are your passion and you want to include trees and shrubs as part of your small garden then pay attention to the ones that you choose as many trees and even some shrubs can quickly outgrow a small garden. Trees to include in a small garden which provide much interest include the ornamental cherry Prunus ‘Kiku-shidare-Zakura’ – it has a weeping habit and ensures a beautiful spring display of pink blossom without taking up

Avoid using any hedging which can grow large and encroach on your space – you may love laurel but this is almost as rapid to grow high (thus casting a shadow over your small garden) and wide as Leylandii.

Also beware of Elaeagnus because, although it is attractive and has a very pleasing perfume, once this gets growing, it will need pruning 2 or 3 times during the year to keep it looking neat.

Carefully choose a palette of colours which will work well together and be careful not

Chiminea

garden

a

Lights help create the party feel

to use too many different colours which will clash and look unattractive – whilst pink works very well with blue, silver, lilac and cream, put it alongside orange and yellow and the result may not give the pleasing effect that you are looking for.

Keep the numbers of different plants to a minimum using just your favourite plants from the ones that are suited to the location and aspect of your garden and that will thrive in your type of earth. When it comes to small gardens (or even individual beds in larger gardens), the overall attractiveness will be increased by repetitive use of a small number of types of plants.

and you will have a perfect cool haven unaffected by scorching sunshine in summer. Surround it with subtle lighting and it transforms into a delightful area for evening drinks with friends. Use plants such as the false castor oil plant (Fatsia japonica) with its large lobed shiny leaves, spotted laurel, Sarcococca and Mahonia, which all thrive in the shade and have the advantage of being evergreen. Add a chimenea to provide heat and you could even be enjoying your garden during spring and autumn evenings.

Party Gardens

Who doesn’t love a party? If you want a garden that is going to be the perfect backdrop for your parties then it may be Formality obvious but make sure that there is plenty It is possible to create a formal garden of space for your guests. There’s no point without having a space the size of the in designing the garden with one table that Gardens of Versailles. In fact, small seats 6 if you regularly host parties of 20+ gardens lend themselves very well to people. It may sound obvious but in formal, symmetrical shapes. A 7 x 10 m between the dancing and socialising, garden could easily be designed in a formal people will want to sit down to eat, drink style. Think of creating a centrepiece and chat rather than juggle a plate, drink which could be a fountain, a sculpture or a and bisous all at the same time! It doesn’t small standard tree such as a standard bay, mean that you have to turn your garden standard rose or a tall, slim cypress. Locate into something that resembles an outdoor the centrepiece in the middle of a paved restaurant but just ensure that there are area or a manicured lawn seats scattered this needn’t be a square or around with rectangle, just so long as it is Add a chimenea to provide heat conveniently and you could even be enjoying placed wine symmetrical. This in turn may be surrounded by a low your garden during spring and barrels, tables hedge of lavender or with potted autumn evenings Lonicera nitida (also known plants or sanded as poor man’s box) and then and varnished beds created in each of the 4 corners of the old tree stumps on which to place a glass. garden. Just think ‘symmetry’ and you Lighting is important in a party garden. It won’t go far wrong! doesn’t have to cost the earth; there are some very good quality solar lights Courtyard Gardens available these days and fairy lights always A small courtyard garden with high walls look pretty. If you plan on having ‘pool’ needn’t feel like a dark, uninviting parties but don’t have the space for a full dungeon. Fill it with raised beds and size in-ground swimming pool then aboveluscious shade-loving plants to create a ground plunge pools and hot tubs can be just as much fun. sub-tropical feel. Introduce a dining area

It may also be worthwhile including an area that has some cover over it (be it permanent or temporary) should you prefer that the party doesn’t continue inside your house should the weather take a turn for the worst.

Hopefully this will have given some inspiration for starting to think about redesigning your small garden or creating an individual ‘room’ within a larger garden. If you need more inspiration, Taylor-Made Gardens offers a one-off consultation service, ongoing advice and a full design service to help you make the most of your French garden.

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etcetera 25

garden PAUL SMITH

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garden

Caroline has been a lecturer in horticulture for 20 years and is now running a nursery and 'garden craft' courses in the Haute-Vienne

IT WILL SOON BE TIME TO START SOWING THE TINY SEEDS THAT WILL DEVELOP INTO YOUR TASTY VEGETABLE CROPS – IT IS SUCH A SATISFYING OCCUPATION TO WATCH THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND PRODUCE VALUABLE FOOD PACKED WITH VITAMINS, BUT IF YOU ARE A BEGINNER OR KEEN AMATEUR IT CAN BE A BIT BEWILDERING TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHEN AND HOW TO SOW YOUR SEEDS

S

ome seeds will benefit from being sown early in a protected environment and later transplanted outside, while others do better sown directly into their planting positions without the disturbance of being transplanted. This article will explore the techniques and discuss which types of vegetable will benefit form a variety of different methods.

Indoor sowing is generally used for vegetables that benefit from an early start to prolong their growing season and also to protect the young

plants from pests such as slugs and snails, rabbits and pigeons that can devastate an outdoor crop before they are established.

By Caroline W right

Water from below to ensure that you do not disturb the fine seeds (stand the tray in a shallow ‘bath’ of water until it is soaked through then remove). Seed trays Examples of suitable seeds for will then need to be kept in a warm, light early/indoor sowing include: position until germination occurs (usually Aubergines, tomatoes, chillies, peppers, about 2-3 weeks). The best time to sow heart-forming lettuces, cabbages, and the maximum/minimum temperature broccoli, sprouts, cauliflower. range will depend on the species - this information is usually found on the seed There are two main methods of indoor packet. When they have germinated and sowing; broadcasting the seeds over a have at least one set of true leaves you can seed tray or sowing individually into ‘prick them out’ (transfer them carefully modular cells in multicell trays or pots. into individual modules Broadcasting in a tray is the or pots). Handle them best method for sowing only by the seed leaves – Handle them only by seeds that are too tiny to not the stalk - and lift handle individually - you the seed leaves – them gently with the aid need to use a nice fine seed not the stalk of a dibber. They will or general purpose potting need to be grown on compost (do not use until they are sturdy enough to plant out homemade garden compost for this when the weather warms up sufficiently – as it will contain weed seeds and generally when they have 6-8 sets of possibly plant pathogens), fill the leaves. Here in France you can then plant tray and lightly compress using a presser all of these vegetables outdoors where board or another seed tray to create an they benefit from the minerals in the soil. even surface. Sprinkle your seeds lightly and evenly across the surface making sure Seeds that are large enough to handle that you do not sow too densely, and then individually – for example beans and peas, cucumbers, courgettes and squashes cover with a shallow layer of vermiculite.

garden

create a shallow ‘drill’ (1-2cm deep) in the soil using the corner of a rake or a bamboo cane. Lightly sprinkle your seeds along the line and cover up by carefully raking the soil back over them. Most direct sown veg, herbs and salads are best sown in short rows. Repeat sowing every few weeks so that you have crops at different stages which avoids having a glut of the same thing maturing all at the There are some herbs and vegetables that same time. If the weather is hot and dry do not need to be sown individually – they will tend to ‘bolt’ (run to seed) so such as coriander, parsley, basil, rocket, they may need to be watered. Always loose leaf lettuces; you can simply sow a water late in the evening or early morning small pinch into individual pots or using collected rainwater modules and plant and water the soil out as a clump.

Repeat sowing every few alongside the row of ‘Direct’ sowing is a weeks so that you have crops young plants. Avoid term that refers to at different stages sprinkling water onto sowing your seeds the leaves. straight into the Most of these root vegetables, herbs and ground where you want them to grow and salads will need a soil temperature of at develop. It is the best method for all root least 8 degrees centigrade in order to vegetables that do not respond well to germinate, so wait until the soil starts to being disturbed (carrot, parsnip, salsify warm up from around the middle of etc), and is also suitable for beetroot, March. You can continue until mid-late turnips, radish, rocket, loose leaf salads, May. When they have germinated it is coriander etc. You should prepare a nice usually necessary to thin the seedlings fine tilth or seedbed by raking the soil out a bit to allow space for each one to thoroughly to break down any clods of grow – particularly for things like earth into a fine crumb. Next place out a tight string line or cane as a guide and parsnips, main crop carrots and turnips.

– can be sown two seeds to a small plant pot (10cm pots are good). Fill with good quality seed or potting compost and push the seed down to roughly twice the depth of the size of the seed. Keep in a light, frost free place to germinate – if both seeds germinate then remove the weakest one of them and grow on the strongest until sturdy enough to plant out.

Le Jardin Créatif If you would like to learn more about growing vegetables from seed we have a beginner's course running at Le Jardin Créatif over two afternoons (19th March & 2nd April). We also have a range of horticultural workshops including fruit pruning, shrub pruning, grafting, hedgelaying and plant propagation throughout late winter & spring.

Check out our website for details: lejardincreatif.net Our nursery opens again the first Saturday in March for sale of herbaceous perennials, patio and pot plants, young vegetable plants, a selected range of seeds, pots, trays, vermiculite, fleece and we will have fresh stock of our lovely seed and potting compost. lejardincreatif87@gmail.com www.lejardincreatif.net

Charente Assistance Garden Services

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farm life

Love them or hate them?

RATS. CALL THEM WHAT YOU WANT - SEWER RAT, COMMON RAT, OR RATTUS NORVEGICUS TO BE CORRECT - I STILL CANNOT STAND THEM.

I

even remember the first time I ever really encountered one and I think that’s why I have a real hate for them, well fear of them to be correct, and I am not frightened of a lot of things.

I worked for a horticultural company that produced chrysanthemums for some years. On one occasion one of my colleagues was clearing out one of the beds in the greenhouse and had cornered one, with a pitch fork in hand which he was

30 etcetera

going to use to kill it. This huge rat leapt off the floor, over this chap's shoulder, making an awful screeching sound, and headed straight for me. I discovered years later that they are capable of producing ultrasonic vocalizations. It frightened the life out of me, and after that was glad to keep a distance from them. Although due to the stables next to the greenhouses, I sometimes saw them running along the wall, even during the daytime. This is

quite strange because generally rats are nocturnal.

On one occasion I found one in another greenhouse and refused to work in there. I went and got Fred, the owner's cat, who I am glad to say dispatched said rat for me whilst I and others watched through the glasshouse window. Even living in a city later in life and being told you are only so many feet from one, I was grateful I did not see them again until moving here.

farm life I also remember what I was told when doing a food hygiene course, that rats and mice are incontinent and are therefore leaving a constant trail of their pee pretty much everywhere they go, plus they like to leave tracks and scent for where they’ve been. Charming!

As children we are told that rats caused the Black Death which wiped out a lot of the population of Europe. How? Because when the rats died, their fleas (which were infected with bacterial blood) then found new hosts in the form of us humans, and animals.

When we first arrived here at Le Châtaignier we had a very big problem.

The place had been left for quite a while and rats had well and truly moved in. We were to discover over the following years to what extent. They make great chambers under floors, and ours were in the kitchen.

It seemed one of our walls could have been floating, as a long tunnel had been dug at least 3 meters long. That floor has now been totally dug out. What was bizarre was the things they had used as bedding; old potato sacks, a rubber dog toy, all sorts of strange things. The young couple who owned the place had done some work, but sadly one or two things were lacking. In the bathroom the plasterboard had been put on to the old dirt floor without a waterproof membrane, and the moisture had been sucked up by the board to the point that a rat could run through it. As I sat one morning doing what you do on a toilet, I could hear screeching behind me. I did not feel awfully at ease, and really wanted to vacate the area as quickly as I could, however this was that first call of the day and a full bladder was keeping me in place. Certain expletives were uttered and then all I could do was scream as a very large rat ran out from behind the wall between my legs - it ran round the room several times and headed out under the bathroom door. Most people know the saying that mice are able to go through a hole the size of a pencil, well I tell you that rat went as flat as a pancake and out under that door, with two border collies on the other side barking. I then promptly headed for the bedroom, collected my clothes and moved out of the house, and into one of our cottages. It took three years before I returned, by which time all the bathroom had been ripped out, and also the kitchen.

Rats can have up to 14 babies at a time and a female only takes 21 days to produce all of these; that’s a staggering amount over a year. As soon as they have given birth they can become sexually active again. You could end up with hundreds in a year, and of course they can go on to produce more babies. They also have the ability to extend their pregnancy by up to two weeks if food is not so available. But they are true omnivores and will consume

almost anything. As they can become sexually mature by five weeks, if not controlled things can get out of hand quickly, therefore I am not unhappy when the cat kills a few, and the traps work.

We use humane traps around the place and these should be checked daily. If we catch one, and we quite often do, John then puts the trap in the boot of the car and drops it off in the local wood. I have not had the heart to tell him that by doing this they are very unlikely to live longer than 48 hours. Normally they live in large social groups infesting a location which provides them with the food, and the environmental conditions they need.

Without these things they are unlikely to survive.

In the end I believe it is more humane to use snap traps which kill instantly. Over the years chocolate spread and peanut butter seem to have worked very well for us. We place them next to a wall and ensure that there is no risk of catching anything else.

Karen with her husband John followed their dream and moved to Le Chataignier, a 400 year old house in the beautiful Mayenne region of France, with their five year old son.

Over fourteen years later they have established a smallholding on the site.

By Kare n

Luff

bottle floor, and have since not lost any.

The joy of getting to lay the floor is the best bit, as you need a lot of bottles.

Although I have been known to be found rummaging through the recycling bin, derriere in the air trying to reach another bottle, just past a jam jar, and not quite in reach.

How do we lay our There are very few bottle floor? Well, places here that I Certain expletives were uttered would like to put and then all I could do was scream we dig out the area to about 20 cm bait down, due to as a very large rat ran out from deep, then lay a other animals. We behind the wall between my legs thin layer of sand. have owls on the On top of this, a property and I layer of bottles is would rather they laid top to toe, so they fit snuggly next to had their fill, along with the cat. In fact each other on their sides. Cider bottles owls are very good deterrents, and should work well for this as the curves fit will with be encouraged if you have them in the next bottle. Then another thin layer of your area. sand and then the cement mix of your Someone told me recently that rats can be choice. (In the animal housing John’s even poisoned by pushing bay tree leaves down picked up cement that will not break down their holes, however I have not yet found so easily due to the acidity in the animal out if this is true. urine.) The bottles not only stop the rats they also give great insulation and help Cereals form a substantial part of a rat’s your livestock stay warm through the diet and they love all our animal areas. winter months.

This is why a lot of people keep feed in old freezers etc.

Oh yes, and Happy Chinese Year of Our biggest defence against them however are our bottle floors; we have them in all our animal areas and they seem to have worked a treat. All the animal housing now have these floors and we have even laid one under one of our chicken huts. Last year we lost over a dozen young birds, and discovered that they had been pulled into a rat run situated right under the hen house, which is raised off the floor on pillars of cement blocks. We dismantled the whole thing, laid a

the Rat!

etcetera 31

fishing

Redmire Pool REDMIRE POOL NEAR ROSS-ON-WYE, HEREFORDSHIRE, HAS JUST CHANGED OWNERSHIP AND IS BEING RESTORED TO ITS FORMER GLORY BY NEW OWNERS. IT IS PROBABLY THE MOST FAMOUS FISHERY IN ENGLAND AND FOREVER SYNONYMOUS WITH THREE SUCCESSIVE RECORD CARP ALL OF WHICH SHOOK THE ANGLING WORLD.

The pool is situated on the 120 acre Bernithan Court estate near Rosson-Wye, Herefordshire, and surprisingly is only around 3 acres in size. In March 1934 the then owners of the estate instructed a fish supplier by the name of Donald Leney to stock the pool with 50 yearling carp in a bid to combat the extensive weed in the pool. These fish and stockings he carried out elsewhere, mainly around Southern England, have produced many of the known big carp in England today.

Redmire was not fished until 1950 when a local angler landed a 6 lb carp. The following year Bob Richards, a Gloucester tobacconist, secured permission to fish the pool.

After registering a few blanks, Bob made contact with a true monster using honey paste as bait. He played the fish on his roach rod and 5lb line, eventually beating the huge mirror, whereupon he whisked it up to the manor house to be weighed. Those assembled weighed the fish at 31 lb 4oz, a new record by over 5 lb. It is recorded that Bob took his prized carp home on the bus!

The following year saw the famous Richard (Dick) Walker fishing on Redmire along with members of The Carp Catcher's Club founded

by Dick Walker, Denys Watkins32 etcetera

Pitchford aka ‘BB’ of angling literature and Maurice Ingham the year before.

namesake J. B. Walker of Hythe in Kent and using these materials created the Mk. IV Carp rod, a tool almost as famous as the man When The Carp Catcher's Club himself. This Mk. IV rod, along gained permission to fish Redmire with the lighter Mk. IV Avon Walker was already preparing version are still in production today everything he needed to be able to by specialist makers and good, hook and land the forty pound carp usable second-hand that he was examples will convinced were in Walker was already command prices in the lake. Hours were preparing everything he excess of £300. The spent in needed to be able to hook rods are 10 feet reconnaissance and and land the forty pound long, made in two in his workshop. He carp that he was convinced sections and have made a centrepin test curves of 1 ½ were in the lake reel specifically for lb and 1 lb carp fishing and a respectively. landing net capable of landing anything he was likely to According to a letter sent to J. B. hook. Dick Walker also created an Walker; between June 16th and electronic bite alarm, ‘The Heron’, September 13th those fishing that he used on his successful Redmire accounted for 12 carp over record attempt. Indeed it was ‘The 10lb including the 44 lb fish. The Heron’ that alerted him to the run record carp was caught on Walker’s of the carp that picked up his bait own Mk. IV split-cane carp rod that whilst he was in his tent nearby. he had built himself from a kit supplied by J. B. Walker, and he Walker also made rods from split used a Mitchell 300 ‘half-bail’ reel. cane experimenting with the methods of construction and taper The record capture came about of finished rods. Initially he had before dawn on September 13th built his rods from scratch, but in 1952 when Walker was alerted by 1952 after publishing his book ‘Rod his bite alarm to a run on his rod Building for Amateurs’ he decided that was baited with balanced that splitting, planning and shaping bread paste on a number 2 Model bamboo rods took too much of his Perfect hook to plaited 12 lb line. time. He started to obtain cane The fight took around 10 minutes blanks and fittings from a and towards the end the carp ran

fishing

The Spiritual Home of Carp Fishing

By Clive Kenyon

into a hollow under the angler’s two more unlikely characters you bank. Walker’s companion Peter could ever hope to find yet Thomas used the huge landing net according to their own accounts to block its escape and then after they got on very well indeed. gently feeling his way down the line During this period they discovered to the fish, turned it so it bolted like by accident that carp like a rabbit into the net. Many of the sweetcorn. Rod used some of the carp in Redmire sweetcorn from had been Chris’ sandwiches The capture of a carp of this size as bait and the rest named by the set the angling world alight and is as they say is group as they directly responsible for the kept track of history. current carp obsession that is their On the opening whereabouts. present in the UK, Europe day of the 1980 The record fish and worldwide season Chris Yates was known as hooked and landed ‘Ravioli’, a carp of 51 lb 8 oz however it was re-named ‘Clarissa’ from Redmire Pool , the third by staff at London Zoo where it successive record carp from this spent the rest of its life as an exhibit tiny three acre lake. He had caught and testament to the size of fish the same carp, named ‘The Bishop’ that could be caught.

7 years previously at just under The capture of a carp of this size set Walker’s record. Yates, unlike the angling world alight and is Hutchinson, was a traditionalist directly responsible for the current when it came to fishing. He carp obsession that is present in the followed Walker’s example using UK, Europe and worldwide. It also the same type of Mk. IV cane rod put Redmire Pool on the map and it and a vintage reel. His record carp became a Holy Grail for every was caught on sweetcorn bait and serious carp angler to aspire to. with a lump of Plasticine used as One of those anglers was a young weight. Yate’s record fish was man called Chris Yates of ‘Casting initially refused on the grounds that for Gold’ fame. Yates was already a the body of the fish had not been popular figure in angling when he presented for examination. He joined the Redmire syndicate in returned the fish alive after 1972. He was paired up on his rota weighing and photographing the with carp legend Rod Hutchinson, magnificent carp. The Record Fish

Committee were put under pressure to reverse the decision and subsequently changed their policy on this stipulation.

Redmire had produced three consecutive records increasing the weight by 20 lb over thirty years, each fish being a unique capture.

To put that into perspective; at Conningbrook in Kent the record changed hands seven times in seven years from 2001 to 2008, most being repeated captures of the same fish, known as ‘Two Tone’, pushing the record 8 lbs from 59 lb 7 oz to 67 lbs 8 oz.

Over the successive years Redmire Pool had fallen into disrepair through excessive silting and had been subject to unauthorised and unwelcome stocking of carp from elsewhere. The lake has recently been sold and is being restored to its former glory which includes weaning out all the non-native fish and re-stocking with the original inhabitants and new carp of the same Galician strain as the originals. The legendary venue is also available for mortal anglers to fish at prices from £70 per day.

(Photograph of Redmire Pool kindly supplied by Chris Bell of the ‘Redmire Pool Open Group’ on Facebook. ) etcetera 33

wildlife

Newts

By Mike Geo rge

Mike George is our regular contributor on wildlife and the countryside in France. He is a geologist and naturalist, living in the Jurassic area of the Charente

LAST YEAR WE LOOKED AT POND-LIFE. IN PASSING I MENTIONED NEWTS, AND IT SEEMS THAT MANY OF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT THESE FASCINATING CREATURES.

Most people never see a newt, although newts are by no means uncommon. They are just shy and keep out of our way.

People assume that they spend nearly all their time in the water, being amphibians, but this is far from the case. Most of a newt’s life is spent in damp undergrowth and leaf-litter - in fact they even hibernate in hollows, tunnels or log-piles - and only go back to water to breed.

So in February and March the newts develop their bright mating colours and go in search of ponds. Any pond will do, provided it is not polluted, is gently alkaline, has plenty of water weed and especially that it does not contain fish.

Usually, the newts spend their lives close to the pond of their birth and will return there to breed.

Marbled Newt (Triturus marmoratus), characterised by its green colouration and the male's striking crest.

Romeo and Julinewt As we have seen in previous articles, mating between frogs and toads is always very rough-andready. The largest available male grabs the hapless female, drags her down into the water and it’s all rather “Wham, bam, thank you ma’am” – if the poor female has survived the rough-and-tumble.

Mating is a much more gentle and sedate affair with newts, consisting as it does of courtship and gentle persuasion. It is also silent newts do not indulge in croaking choruses!

This is because fertilisation is internal,

and relies on the lady’s full co-operation and willingness.

The male assumes a splendid matingcolouration, designed to make himself attractive to the female. Mating takes place in water. After a long session of posturing and tail-waving, to waft the necessary pheromones towards his intended, the male and female finally stand nose-to nose. The male then turns his back on the female and drops a package of sperm on the place where he is standing. Then he has to move slowly forward, vibrating enticingly to encourage the female to walk forward the exact distance to situate her cloacal entrance over his ‘wedding-gift’.

He then turns to face her again. If she feels so inclined, she then draws his package up into herself, and the sperm fertilise the eggs inside the female’s body. If she declines (which she may do either by walking away or even by feigning sudden death!) he has to go through the whole ritual again.

As its name suggests, it is the commonest of the newts, but that does not mean it is easy to see. Its length overall is 6 to 9 cm, and an adult can, if it meets with no accidents, predators etc., live for up to 10 years. It favours deciduous woodland and lowland areas.

The Palmate Newt Lissotriton helveticus (Fr: Triton Palmé) ranges up to 10 cm in length, and lives for up to 8 years. It prefers upland heath areas (but with deciduous woodland and water available).

The Palmate Newt and the Smooth Newt do not occur together in nature. Its name comes from the fact that, during the mating season, when it adopts its aquatic lifestyle, it develops webbed forefeet. This webbing is lost at normal times.

The Alpine Newt Triturus alpestris (Fr: Triton Alpeste) is 7-10 cm long, and can live up to 10 years. It is noted for the stunning mating colouration that the male can achieve. It is also quite hardy, and is not confined to high levels except in the south of its range. It is able to survive hibernation under ice.

Once she is fertilised, over the next three months the female will lay up to 300 eggs, each placed individually on an underwater The Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus leaf which is carefully wrapped over the (Fr: Triton Crêté) can be up to 18 cm in egg to protect it. The young hatch and length, and lives for up to 18 years. It has a mature in a few months, feeding on watersmallish crest except in the mating season, fleas, other tadpoles etc, but are very when the male develops a crest along the vulnerable to larger predators such as fish. whole length of its back and tail.

In colder regions the The Marbled Newt tadpoles may not reach Triturus marmoratus Mating is a much more maturity in one season (Fr: Triton Marbré). gentle and sedate affair and will hibernate in The male Marbled immature form in the with newts, consisting as it Newt can reach a pond. They can tolerate does of courtship and length of 14 cm, while freezing conditions gentle persuasion the female can reach quite well.

17 cm. It can live for Newt tadpoles are up to 14 years. slimmer than frog and toad tadpoles, with The last two species are the largest, smaller heads. Also the front legs develop reaching 17-18 cm in length, and look first, unlike frog and toad tadpoles. quite similar. So similar, in fact, that they Newts you may encounter quite often can’t tell each other apart, and there is a hybrid of these two species called Worldwide there are many species of newt, the Triton de Blasius (there is, of course, but in our part of France there are only no English name, as the Marbled Newt five normally found: does not occur in Britain and so the hybrid The Common or Smooth Newt Lissotriton form does not arise!). This sad confusion vulgaris (Fr: Triton Ponctué) spends more gives rise to sterile males, and the females, of its time in water than the other newts. though they lay eggs, have a very small

wildlife

Male of Common newt, Triturus vulgaris

chance of them ever hatching, even if they can find a mate. It doesn’t even enjoy the protection of the law like other newts, being a hybrid.

All of the newts I have described so far pursue a very similar lifestyle, having to enter water to mate and lay eggs, but the adults are free to leave the water when all is accomplished, and in fact, although they look so fragile, much of their life, including hibernation, is spent out of water in damp, leaf-littered, secluded

These secretions can be harmful (though rarely fatal) to humans places. They feed on small invertebrates.

All newts are classified as unendangered, but the Great Crested Newt is declining, and the Alpine Newt is vulnerable. All newts (except the Triton de Blasius) are protected by law - you must not harm or interfere with them in any way.

Smooth Newt tadpole (Triturus vulgaris) showing its gill-branches and tail which it will re-absorb on maturing

The hot one One other creature in our region which is closely related to the newts is the Fire Salamander Salamandre salamandre (Fr: Salamandre Tachetée). This is a striking creature, up to 28 cm long and usually jetblack with orange or yellow splotches.

These are Nature’s warning signs; this creature is protected by toxic secretions, and any animal trying to eat it will be violently ill and may even die. These secretions can be harmful (though rarely fatal) to humans. Like the other newts, the Fire Salamander lives its life in leaflitter in deciduous forests but unlike the newts usually mates on land. The eggs are kept within the female’s body to hatch, and are released as free-swimming

Palmate Newt (Triturus helveticus). One of the smallest (and most fragile-looking) newts. Spends the summer in the water, the winter hibernating on dry land.

etcetera 35

motoring

wildlife Fire Salamander (Salamandra salamandra) hunting in forest undergrowth

Male Alpine Newt (Triturus alpestris) in its breeding colours

The Great Crested Newt, with its wavy, prominent tail, looks like a mini dinosaur!

36 etcetera

wildlife/animal

THINGS TO LOOK OUT FOR IN FEBRUARY ■

This is the month to check your grassy areas for orchid whorls. The Lizard Orchid produces a rosette of leaves 5 to 10 cm across, each leaf a broad spear-blade shape but with the edges rolled inwards. If you find any, mark them and avoid mowing them. You may well be rewarded with some stunning flowers in late June.

■

Depending upon the weather, you may begin to see skeins of cranes migrating north-eastwards. This is a very variable feast, and may be obscured by cloud, so all you will hear is the distinctive honking cries as the birds communicate with each other.

■

Frogs begin their mating frenzy. If you live near a wild pond (with no fish in it) you may well be treated to the sight of the water seeming to boil as a host of frogs struggles for the privilege of fathering the next generation.

The noise of their croaking can be almost deafening.

■

If the weather is warm, you may well see butterflies and other insects. The huge purplish Carpenter Bee is often around early, checking every hole in any wall or log as a possible home. White butterflies start to appear, and a really warm spell can lure out the hibernating species as well (Red Admiral, Peacock, Tortoiseshell etc.)

■

If the weather continues to be warm, we may expect birds to start mating and nesting, and hedgehogs to emerge from hibernation. They could be running into trouble, though.

March and April in Charente can bring some nasty frosts, which they would find hard to cope with.

animal Siret 33105363700053

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Lake

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animal

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Dogs Life 16

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Siret: 822 175 527 0016

K9homeandaway

Chateau des Chiens

CLAUDE'S CAT HOTEL

Siret 51202 4126 00017

Certificates in cat care

Working towards KCAI

Siret: 83302664400017

Dog Boarding in central France A small, personal service. Dogs have the run of the house. Up to 3 guests at time!

I’m free… but I could be yours

Dog boarding, walking and training www.k9homeandaway.co.uk E: deviziano@msn.com T: 02 54 01 18 84 Facebook: k9homeandaway

Doggy & Moggy Holidays & Hydrotherapy Centre O HYD R

We also supply a range of CSJ dog food, see website for details.

Tel : Josie or Sean 05 55 60 27 79 / Email: info@doggymoggyholidays.fr 38 etcetera

GS DO

Caring for your pet, our aim is for their stay with us to be as enjoyable and stress-free as possible.

From one day to several weeks.

ERAPY FO TH

R

HAPPY STAYS FOR DOGS AND CATS

ERY

FULL

www.doggymoggyholidays.fr

R C ON C A AI

TT

Y

Thiat 87320 (10 mins north Le Dorat)

competition

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION N

ext year marks Cancer Support France Haute-Vienne's 10th anniversary, and following the great success of their 2019 calendar, they are celebrating this landmark occasion by producing an anniversary calendar for 2021. The competition is now open and we have already started to receive entries!

Calendar theme for 2021 The theme for the 2021 Calendar Competition is ‘French Life’.

What thoughts do you conjure up when when you think of our lives in France? The countryside and its wildlife? The stunning and historic architecture? Or your simple potager at home? Use your imagination and think what epitomizes life here in France for you.

Landscape - not portrait!

Closing date

Summary of points to remember

The closing date for the competition is midnight on Friday 15th May 2020.

▪ Think French life

How to enter the competition Entries must be sent in digital format only please.

All images (you can enter up to four in total - one for each season) must be the original high resolution files, at 300 dpi, landscape - 3508 x 2480 pixels. When emailing or uploading the image, please save the file using your full name and the season. Entrants must include their full names, address, telephone number and email address.

Send entries via email to: etceteracompetition@gmail.com.

▪ The photo must be landscape orientation (not portrait).

▪ Think about the light and composition.

Full details of the competition can be found in January’s edition of etcetera magazine, which you can also view online at: www.etceteraonline.org Please make sure you read ‘The important stuff’ which includes details of required consent, again all details are in last month’s magazine and are on our website.

The 12 photographs chosen by the judges will be included in the 2021 Cancer Support France Haute-Vienne calendar, with all proceeds going to the charity.

etcetera 39

astronomy

The Night Sky

By Clair Wardla e w

Claire Wardlaw, originally from Edinburgh, lives in the Charente with her husband. Since their move over 4 years ago, Claire has become passionate about Astronomy with the aid and guidance of Astrofarm.

FEBRUARY WINTER SKIES CAN BE - WINTER WOOLLIES AND A LITTLE HOT CHOCOLATE ALLOWING! SOME OF THE BEST EVENINGS FOR LYING BACK AND ENJOYING THE BEAUTIFUL BLANKET OF STARS ABOVE US HERE IN RURAL FRANCE.

rg Happy Sta

azing!

STARHOPPING FROM ORION The winter sky is dominated by several bright and beautiful stars and constellations which we can find fairly easily with a few little pointers to aid our journey around the sky.

The outstanding shape of the constellation of Orion [The Hunter] can be a signpost to many other stunning features In the centre of Orion you will see the belt of three bright stars. This points to the brightest star in the entire [night] sky, Sirius in the constellation of Canis Major [The Great Dog].

It is also known as The Dog Star. To find Sirius follow the line of belt stars down and to the left.

To find Taurus the Bull we can use the belt stars again. Follow an imaginary line up and to the right where the bright red star of Alderbaran can easily be seen. This is the eye of the bull! Onwards, on the same line, you will see the gorgeous open star cluster of the Pleiades [or The Seven Sisters].

The Winter Triangle is an almost perfect equilateral triangle which Orion also helps us

40 etcetera

astronomy

ORION MEISSA bellatrix BETELGEUSE

mintaka ALNIlam The 3 stars of Orion’s belt ALNITAK

rigel

saiph to find. Lots of folks, astronomers, scientists and I, have been keeping a close eye on the star Betelgeuse at the top left of Orion.

Normally it is one of the brightest stars in Orion but, since December it has become much less bright and continues to dim as time passes. It might be worth having a look at it throughout February to watch for any changes in its appearance. Maybe compare it to the other bright reddish star in Taurus, Alderbaran [the eye of the Bull!]. You can find this star if you follow a line to the right and slightly up from Betelgeuse. It is a dying star and their is much speculation currently about whether or not we are about to witness the 'Supernova' explosion of Betelgeuse due to this obvious change in its brightness. It is known as a 'Supergiant' star which will at some time in the future collapse and explode, releasing huge amounts of energy...Anytime from now to 100.000 years.

The Moon and Planets this month....

In the evening of the 9th, around 11pm, the Moon, which was full in the morning, will be close to the bright and beautiful star Betelgeuse. On the evenings of the 27th and 28th, look towards the west, and a little south

planets throughout the months and years to make calculations and come to conclusions about our position in the skies. From his In the mornings from the 18th-20th, at about 'naked eye' observation he 7.30ish, a thin crescent also determined that the Moon will appear to In the evening of the 9th, around Earth revolves annually pass Mars, low in the 11pm, the Moon, which was full in around the Sun and spins southeast. Try to catch the morning, will be close to the on its own axis daily. them shortly bright and beautiful star Betelgeuse. Noticing the changing before sunrise. position of the Planets each Astronomers to Remember! night is something we can still have a try at, here in France.

On 19th February, 1473, Nicolaus Copernicus was born [Kopernic was his birth name], in Astro-Sketching Torun Poland. He was the first astronomer to Sketching details of the Moon can be a very propose that the Earth and other Planets rewarding activity as it can help to develop revolved around the Sun [a Heliocentric the ability to look more closely and observe concept]. He studied the skies for many years more details. For example, you might like to and first circulated his idea amongst a few try sketching the crater on the Moon which trusted friends, given the heretical nature of was named after Copernicus. It's easy to find his idea. It would not be until 1543 that his with binoculars in the north west section of writings De revolutionibus orbium coelestium the Moon. Well defined and 93km wide, (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres) surrounded by dramatic rays, it is a great were published, just before his death. This target to sketch. You can also find many was a period before astronomers had the benefit of telescopes with which to observe beautiful photographs of this crater online to the skies. Copernicus would have studied the help with your sketch. Black paper, white and movements and changing positions of the black charcoal pencils and give it a go! to see the Moon and Venus setting. Always a stunning sight.

etcetera 41

free time

42 etcetera

free time

etcetera 43

home Ÿ We supply and fit a range of carpets to suit all budgets

PM

Ÿ We also fit Karndean, vinyl, wood and ceramic tile

For all your flooring needs

Ÿ Now selling a selection of wool and mixed fibre rugs

Ÿ Over 25 years’ experience, 100% customer satisfaction

CARPETS & FLOORING

Contact Paul on 06 60 07 54 78 or 05 45 84 27 75 www.pmcarpetsandflooring.com

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Full or part loads email: sarahsbazar07@gmail.com 46 Rue d’Argancy, 87320 Bussiere Poitevine

E: frenchpolisherinfrance@gmail.com

Affordable UK Designs

Robert Rose French Polisher in France

Fitted Kitchens, UPVC & Aluminium Double Glazing

FREE PLAN, DESIGN & COSTING THROUGHOUT SOUTH WEST FRANCE (other areas by arrangement) UPVC Windows, Doors & Conservatories in all colours Aluminium & UPVC bi-fold doors Made to UK spec in French styles!

Made in the UK Fitted in France

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Email: scott.braddock1@yahoo.com

www.etceteraonline.org 44 etcetera

SIRET: 513 577 809 00017

home / specialist

specialist

Chimney sweep Certificates issued for every sweep Over 10 years’ experience.

Depts. 16, 17, 79, 86 Registered Chambre de Métiers et de l'Artisanat

Siret 81968203000013

● ● ● ●

Contact Nick on email: nickthesweep@gmail.com or T. 05 45 71 33 36

For all your sewing needs

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Domestic/Commercial locks Safe cracking Lock picking Door & window servicing Car/vehicle lockout service Non-destructive entry Free estimates No call out charge Will travel to all areas Mobile Key Cutting Service

Alpha Locksmiths 06 70 34 79 32

kyriacosdemetriou701@gmail.com

www.cinderssweep.com

Tel 05 45 30 20 11

Email: cinderssweep@gmail.com Tel. 07 68 76 39 99

JUST US

www.facebook.com/latapissiere

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siret: 484 768 700 00029

LOCKED OUT?

Car trimming & upholstery Curtains & soft furnishings Dressmaking Repairs & alterations

Oven Cleaning Specialist Using BIODEGRADABLE products

CLEANING Call Sue - 0780 45 20 22

Your oven will look shiny and new again

Thorough ~ Reliable ~ Trustworthy House cleaning - Gîte changeovers Within 20km radius of Confolens “We treat your property like our own” Siret 793 508 201 0019

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Call Paula: 06 95 84 12 95

New edition every month! etcetera 45

getting connected SATELLITE TV

STUART WALLACE THE FRENCH HOUSE

So, back to business, and it’s housekeeping time. Darren wanted UK TV so bought a Freeview box. Darren was wrong. A Freeview box like this is for terrestrial TV reception in the UK. It cannot be used with a satellite dish. Darren should have purchased a Freesat box. The clue is in the name. Bad Darren.

Also, if I have installed satellite internet for ow the devil are you all? Feeling fit and you and you have a new device to add to the ready to go after doing ‘dry January’?

WiFi network, the WiFi ‘key’ is clearly No, me neither and I didn’t even attempt marked on the back of the modem/router. dry January. Well, that’s not strictly true, I It is not your bank PIN code (yes, honestly), managed the 1st and it is not the name of the decided that I’d proved I device itself (ie. TP-Link could do it, so why You can also watch people 1514), and it is not the continue? I like having being miserable in a fictional activation code that came that sort of inner with your internet kit. square in East London confidence. Knowing I I’m afraid that once I can, so why bother have installed the kit and proving it? left the job, I cannot tell you what it is from memory either.

Anyway, thanks to my sponsors 1664, You can of course, if you wish, follow the Heineken, any producer of Bordeaux red instructions which come with the modem to and Jack Daniels. I couldn’t have done it change the password to something easy without you (although other drinks are available). to remember.

H

If you’re into sport, then 2020 will be a good year for you. There’s the Tokyo Olympics & Paralympics, the European Football Championships and the Ryder Cup. So, if you haven’t got one already, then why not get a satellite dish installed? The football and the Olympics will be free-toair, meaning you won't need something like a Sky subscription package to watch them.

As an added bonus, you can also watch people being miserable in a fictional square in East London, a fictional street near Manchester, a fictional village in Yorkshire or in a fictional part of Liverpool. And that’s before we get to the news! Long live misery on TV…. * Please note that I have a new email address.

For all correspondence, please use tfhsatellite@gmail.com

Home Satellite Services. (H.S.S.)

English Free to Air / Freesat Satellite Broadband Installed English Subscription TV French TV DIY Kits Expert Service

tfhsatellite@gmail.com www.the-french-house.net

@TFHSatTV French House Satellite TV

Based North of Dept 87 Covering 87, 16, 86, 23, 36, 79, 24

Stuart Wallace

T: 05 55 68 15 77 / 07 69 66 98 55 46 etcetera

07800 325 64 Email:

Siret 84173376900019

Siret 480 287 390 00029

Satellite dishes, Sky/TV boxes/HD recorders supplied & fitted.

Dish realignment & upgrades, job satisfaction guaranteed.

A reliable service at sensible rates serving departments: 86, 36, 16 & 87. We can serve certain areas in other dept/s.

Contact Steve for a free no obligation quotation on: @homesatservices

homesatservices032@gmail.com

getting connected CHARLES HODENCQ Electricité Générale French Electrician - fluent English Speaker

Based in Bellac - covering 87 & parts of 86,16 & 23

For all your electrical needs - safety checks, re-wires, new builds, upgrades and complete renovations

05 55 68 62 26 / 06 24 27 01 86 charleselec@gmail.com www.charleselec.eu Siret No: 503121279 00015

T: 05 49 45 74 81 / 06 74 79 49 57 INSTALLATION, REPAIRS & SALES

Satellite Solutions Need a satellite television system installing quickly and efficiently? Having trouble setting up a new smart TV or Hifi system? Got the ability but not the time, or simply having a technophobe moment? We can help. ● Satellite system installation, UK & French ● Television and hifi installation ● Equipment sales for self installation ● Prompt professional service

Siret: 817 844 038 00015

email: robert13560@gmail.com

Robert Foulkes

Jérôme BETUS · Fully qualified registered electrician (bilingual) · All work fully insured with 10-year guarantee · Domestic & commercial installation / repairs · Communications wiring & automation · Safety and conformity checks 86430 Adriers / jbelectric86@orange.fr 06 78 12 02 91

SATELLITE BROADBAND INSTALLATION

SIRET 537398125 00014

Fully Qualified – Fully Insured Trusted – Prompt – Professional All electrical works (Renovations, rewires, additions)

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www.paulwilkinselectricien.com

Email: paul@paulwilkinselectricien.com

Clive Masters

Wood Burning Stoves and much more

T:05 55 78 66 35 Depts. 16, 19, 24, 86 & 87 M: 06 17 32 02 12 E: clive@masters-electricite.com W: www.masters-electricite.com

I offer free &

87190 Magnac Laval T: 05 55 68 08 13 M: 06 25 20 99 13

david.read@wanadoo.fr Siret 490820859RM87

Simple jobs Complete renovations New builds Conformity checks Emergency Call outs Fully insured 10yr guarantee Hedley Marsh 86150 Moussac sur Vienne Tel: 05 49 48 35 49 Mobile: 06 45 74 25 36 Email: hedleymarsh@orange.fr

Siret: 51190455900024

I offer free & friendly advice friendly advice pleasedon’t don’t sosoplease hesitatetoto hesitate contactme me. contact

Domestic, Public & Industrial Work Computer technician French Speaking Offers good free advice

Siret 452 755 390 000 13 - RM 8601

Siret: 451 371 579 00017

Air Source Heat Pumps / Ground Source Heat Pumps / Solar Water Heating / Photovoltaic Electricity / Air-conditioning / Electrical /

All electrical installations inc: n Domestic - renovation & new build n Commercial n Smart installations (thermostats, cameras etc.) n Air conditioning n Data & communications

Contact Paul Ellis: Tel: 09 62 68 09 06 Regions: Mob: 06 70 97 59 56 16, 36, 79, Email: paul.gill@wanadoo.fr 86 & 87

n Wi-Fi solutions

etcetera 47

getting connected siret 440 419 018 00013

PETER AMOR

VIENNE HEATING SERVICES

siret: 48002659000012

ELECTRICIAN

Bathrooms & En Suites / Plasterboard and Plastering / Water Mains & Drainage / Heating Installation Oil, Wood Stoves & Pellet Burners / Servicing & Repairs

Fully Insured French Registered Tel. 05 49 48 16 10 / 06 41 34 49 34 Email: stevepowelljones@orange.fr

Tel: 05 49 91 85 54

Siret: 82450859200014

T: 05 45 89 38 02 E: simon.kershaw@wanadoo.fr

Siret 488 401 290 00017

‘ Repairs Heating Boiler Repairs Bathroom installments

Plumbing and Tiling Services

E: pearce.lynne@orange.fr

Based Dept 79 but will travel

Visit our website for examples of previous and current projects

Mark Gregory

Qualified & registered plumber Bathrooms - Kitchens - Drainage Complete Renovations - Repairs Dry lining - 40 yrs’ experience Based L’Isle Jourdain 86150 Siret: 84879439200011

markgregory1962@hotmail.co.uk

07 66 40 57 95

▪ Complete renovation and new build plumbing installations ▪ Bedroom to bathroom conversions ▪ Italian shower installations, made to measure…..

www.réneauvé.com Email: reneauve@sfr.fr Mobile 06 80 05 17 60 Landline 05 45 31 51 23 Established, fully insured, French registered Artisan.

Check us out with Artisan Central

INSTALLATION ♦ SERVICING ♦ REPAIRS OIL ♦ GAS ♦ SOLID FUEL

Siret: 491827705 00022

05 45 29 68 73 / 06 30 11 86 84 email: gary.moore@orange.fr

3 Rue des Terrasses 87310 St. Auvent

Siret. 80438547400015

ANDREW LONGMAN

Siret 509 768 693 00012

35 years’ experience All work fully insured

PLUMBING REPAIRS ALTERATIONS INSTALLATIONS OVER 30 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE FULLY INSURED BASED IN DEPT 79 - WILL TRAVEL

T: 05 49 29 12 64 / M: 06 79 37 02 08 E: ak.longman@hotmail.co.uk

Advertise Your Business Here

ECOPELLET- THE CARBON NEUTRAL HEATING SOLUTION Space Saving Design Integrated Pellet Hopper Automatic Lighting Fully Programmable, Intelligent Controls Smart innovative Wi-Fi Connectivity to Control Your Boiler from a Distance

ALSO Solar Hot Water & PV Systems to Suit All Budgets

MAKE THE MOVE TO PELLET HEATING 48 etcetera

Contact Sam or Gayle on 05 16 32 13 42

getting connected/ artisans

Homecall PC

Kev Pope, the Computer Man

PC repair on house calls PC building on demand We sell hardware & peripherals

Mob: 06 42 09 16 52 www.bell-computing.com pat@bell-computing.com

ESET SECURITY BROADBAND INSTALLATION SOFTWARE RETAILER ASSISTANCE ON SITE Year round maintenance • Contracts on request

PC repairs, upgrades, internet, home service

Tel: 05 55 78 24 86 Email: contact@homecallpc.com www.homecallpc.com 87150 Champagnac La Riviere

tel: 05 49 50 66 80 e-mail: kpcservice@wanadoo.fr Vant 86510 Chaunay

OPEN MON TO SAT 9AM / 8PM

Siret no: 453 868 275 00026

Websites and Windows Affordable, beautiful, professional websites (designed, created and hosted) Windows and PC problems solved Siret:80020674000022

SIRET: 482 107 943 00011 - TVA INT: 0648210794300011

artisans

TRADITIONAL REPOINTING - HIGH PRESSURE REPOINTING - COLOURED SPRAY RENDERS EXTERIOR PAINTING AND FULL MOBILE SANDBLASTING SERVICE

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05 49 87 09 63 Siret: 48115588500017

Siret 489 815 258 00012

Find us on Facebook: Propoint facades Email: paulchester@club.fr T. 07 81 297 420/ 09 67 351337

Sun Terraces (traditional joinery),

Roofing, Carpentry, Stonework, Renovations & Restorations 30 yrs’ experience

Depts 16, 24, 87 Tel: 05 45 21 63 96 Email: wesley.halton@orange.fr www.facebook.com/wezconstructions

etcetera 49

artisans Petits travaux du Batiment

J. W. Services Siret 832922447RM086

Stuart F Park Painter Decorator Siret: 489 199 661 00013

ALL TYPES OF ROOFING, RENOVATIONS, CONVERSIONS, PLASTERING, STUD WALLS, MAINTENANCE AND REPAIRS

- General Building Work Ruffec, Sauzé-Vassais, Civray & surrounding areas

Painting, Tiling, Wallpaper hanging all types of decorating undertaken Confolens 16 and area 25 years experience.

Contact 05.45.85.78.30 / 06.04.49.04.10 stuart.park@hotmail.fr

H TAYLOR KEITARTISAN Depts 79, 16 & 86

EXTERIOR PROPERTY MAINTENANCE

Steve’s property maintenance

Javarzay 79110 Chef-Boutonne

Building - Renovation - Carpentry Fully qualified stone mason with 25 years’ experience

House Renovations • Barn Conversions Roofing • Masonry • General Building Competitive rates, high quality & reliable workmanship guaranteed

T. 05 17 30 18 35 / 06 33 85 65 66 Email: ktaylor.renovations@gmail.com www.ktrenovations.com Siret: 478 608 105 00029

Advertise Your Business Here

Landscaping / Driveways Roof Repairs / Stonework / Pointing

FULLY INSURED

T. 05 55 50 52 02 E: lowe.steven@orange.fr

No Job Too Small

05 17 34 10 94 / 07 83 87 54 49

Siret 84223310800013

Siret: 828 984 815 0013

HUARD FONTAINE

Based in 87 - will travel

Carpentry - Kitchen/Bathroom Fitting - Tiling & Plastering Highly experienced in most aspects of building repairs & renovations Self-employed since 1989 References available

Mobile: 06 49 86 09 26 E-mail: huardfontaine@yahoo.com

The Maintenance Man @ Chaillac

R & G Builders Prices start from 35€ ttc for a 5cm x 1 column advert

30 years’ experience – UK & France English & French spoken Free advice and estimates / works & PL Insured

Siret No 4825499610019

● Renovations & new builds ● Tiling ● Plant hire

05 55 03 23 39

/ 06 67 98 38 89

One Builder

● Roof repairs & replacement ● Plastering ● Lime pointing russellhainesbuilder@gmail.com

Tout Batiment

www.timhartley.fr Contact Sam or Gayle on 05 16 32 13 42

50 etcetera

Lathus - Le Dorat - Bellac - La Souterraine Dompierre-les-Églises - Saint-Léger-Magnazeix - Magnac-Laval

Registered in France 2001 05 55 60 86 62 / 06 71 78 94 34

Siret 434972303RM87 tim_hartley@hotmail.com

artisans

Do you have a renovation project that needs windows, shutters or doors?

- Free quotes - All our fitters are RGE qualified

Do you have an exterior renovation project?

We can help you decide from a large choice of blinds, fly screens, gates and garage doors

Opening hours: Monday - Friday 9am - 12pm / 2pm - 6pm WWW.MENUISERIES-LA-ROCHEFOUCAULD.FR

TWO AGENCIES AT YOUR SERVICE

etcetera 51

artisans Phone Georgia 0611 169296

ADRIAN AMOS

georgiaayton@hotmail.com

SPECIALIST CARPENTER/JOINER

Based Bussiere Poitevine 87320

BESPOKE JOINERY & RENOVATIONS DOORS-SHUTTERS-STAIRS-FLOORINGKITCHENS

Floor sanding Siret 528 777 519 00018

FULLY EQUIPPED WORKSHOP & 40 YEARS’ EXPERIENCE LOTS OF SOLUTIONS FOR YOUR REQUIREMENTS REFERENCES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

05 45 31 14 58 / 06 63 20 24 93 adrian.luke.amos@gmail.com

FIND US on

SIRET : 508 248 747 000 18

- Plastering By Design

PAINTER & DECORATOR Interior and Exterior

siret no 523 998 557 00020

HILL TOP TILING Interior & exterior tiling Travertine, marble, cement Ceramic, porcelain, mosaics Paul Hill 05 45 24 01 45 hilltoptiling@hotmail.co.uk

Paperhanging and wall tiling Over 35 years in the trade Covers depts 86,16,87 FREE ESTIMATES

Chris Ringguth

Siret 5285994590013

Odd Job Tom

Will travel up to 1hr of Dept 86 Pool maintenance Tree Felling & Stump Grinding Grass Cutting & Odd Jobs

Les Effes, 86150 QUEAUX

hilltoptiling

Email leseffes@hotmail.co.uk T: 05 49 48 27 91 / 06 04 44 32 12

tturnbull80@yahoo.com Siret 8423761 3900015

STONE MASON Advanced City & Guilds Qualified

Siret:530 444 496 00018

05 45 91 26 61 / 06 56 79 25 58 WE NOW CONSTRUCT

TIMBER FRAME HOUSES FROM YOUR PLANS, DESIGNS OR IDEAS. FROM SUPPLY & ERECTION TO FULL TURN KEY SERVICE

All other aspects of building, joinery, dampproofing & timber treatment still available

Dominic Smith

Siret 809 212 483 00014

New structural openings formed Lime pointing ~ Stone building Stone cutting Friendly service

T. 05 45 30 38 98 Email: much.christopher@orange.fr

Based in Benest (16)

Painter / Decorator Siret: 807 715 529 00010

Painting, wallpapering, tape/jointing and tiling

Tel: 05 45 30 04 97 Email : smith.dominic@orange.fr www.facebook.com/d.smithdecoratingservices

BUILDING / MULTI SERVICE

Digital Version of etcetera EVERY MONTH WWW.ETCETERAONLINE.ORG

52 etcetera

All aspects of building work undertaken: 3 Renovations 3 Barn Conversions 3 Plasterboarding / Plastering 3 Brick/Blockwork/Stonework/Repointing

Troy Davey 05 55 60 47 78 06 10 49 49 57 troy.davey@orange.fr siret: 49895173000015

Andrew Hadfield Based 87330 References Available

05 55 60 72 98 07 81 53 71 91 dandahadfield@aol.com siret: 53229047500013

artisans section

RHL SERVICES Plumbing Tiling Plasterboarding etc

Free Devis

All Small Works Covering Depts 16, 86 & 87

T: 05 45 84 27 73 Siret 49463 0296 00023

C&C Carpentry & Joinery CABINET MAKING ~ KITCHENS Siret: 511294373 00010

Free estimates, friendly and reliable service Tel: 06 17 89 06 39 30 years’ exp paul_pickup@hotmail.com Fully

www.limousincarpenter.com

Qualified

3Over 35 years’ experience 3Clean and professional work 3All aspects under taken 3Small works not a problem

For a competitive estimate contact: Robert Fuller Tel 05 55 49 82 96 Mobile +44 78 64 71 69 37 rfplastering@gmail.com Siret 525 171 864 00016

GLEN VINEY

Plasterer

With over 20 years’ experience (8 in France)

Plasterboarding; stud work; rail; skimming boards existing walls; rendering; floor screeding; tiling floors and walls T: 06 45 18 86 10 Email: anitaviney1@btinternet.com Siret 527 736 326 00010

Kitchens & Bathrooms Dry Lining - walls and ceilings Tiling - walls and floors Painting and decorating Wood and Laminate flooring

Siret: 49411778100018

Decennale insured

Fully insured with 10 year guarantee Based in Dept 16 but will travel

Tel. 05 45 31 60 68 / 06 72 90 24 90 Email: allan.hearmon@sfr.fr

etcetera 53

artisans

Siret: 842 248 692 00019

SARL

the roof, the whole roof and nothing but the roof

Experts in working with slate, clay & zinc

Over 40 years’ experience

Malcolm’s experience has been sought after in America and Germany, where his skills have been called upon in the construction of stately and unusual homes.

Experience in re-slating English Heritage buildings and churches.

For a free estimation please call or email:

Strictly Roofing Malcolm Cooke

AABA ROOFING FRANCE Ecuras 16220

06 35 11 27 31

admin@strictlyroofing.fr

www.strictlyroofing.fr

Quality Roofing & Building for you

Assurance Décennale

New roofs ~ Slate and tiling Fiberglass flat roofing ~ Repairs Gutters and facias upvc or zinc All leadwork ~ Timberwork References available

aabaroofingfrance@gmail.com 05 45 63 52 88 / 07 80 08 85 76

www.aabaroofingfrance.com

Siret 53210969100024

After · New Build Specialists

· Barn Conversions

· Groundworks

· Roofing

· Planning & Design

· Fosses Séptiques

· 10 yr Décennale

· Public Liability Insurance

Guarantee

Before

After

Siret: 505 246 777 00039

Before

Before After

For more information, a free quotation, or to discuss your requirements

Visit: www.slm-construction.fr Email: slmconstruction.mcdonald@gmail.com 54 etcetera

or speak to Stuart on

06 38 68 60 14

artisans Siret 800 969 438 00020

JM Roofing

All Insurance work welcome

Carpentry ~ Roofing ■ Clay Tile Roofs ■ All Timberwork

■ Metal Sheet Hangars ■ All Zinc Work

Full 10 Year Décennal Insurance

T. 07 70 37 15 98 Email: jmtoitures@yahoo.com JMToitures

French & English Speaking

Depts covered 16, 17, 24, 79, 86, 87

www.artisancentral.fr/JMToitures

LION ROUGE UPVC WINDOWS, DOORS & CONSERVATORIES SPECIALISTS All sizes, shapes & colours offered Supplied & fitted to the highest standard using premium products

10 YEAR WARRANTY on all products installed

~ COVERING SOUTH WEST FRANCE ~

www.lionrouge.eu

Tel: 05 46 70 25 87

info@lionrouge.eu

etcetera 55

artisans M C SCAFFOLDING

BECK CHERRY PICKER HIRE 17m tracked cherry picker for hire with working IPAF qualified operator

Siret: 80025145600011

Full English Scaffolding Service

All exterior works undertaken Hourly or Daily rates Will travel to all of etcetera’s distribution areas

Safe, secure, adaptable. Meets all safety regs.

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Depts 16, 87, part 24, 17, 79 & 86 Day: 07 85 44 26 66 / Eve: 05 45 66 49 87 martin.clare6@gmail.com

T: 07 84 12 44 97 Siret 82797863600013

AC Kitchens & Bathrooms

Tim Shepherd

Charente / Haute-Vienne / Vienne

Tel : 05.49.87.02.96 shepherd.timothy@orange.fr Siret 752 049 932 00011

Specialist Fitter, over 15 years’ experience PLUMBING - CUSTOM WORKTOP FITTING - CARPENTRY TILING - WOOD & LAMINATE FLOORING - DESIGN SERVICE

www.ackitchens.yolasite.com

Email: antschapman1971@gmail.com 05 17 36 17 74 or 05 55 48 27 17 / Mobile: 06 40 08 08 81 Siret 834026437 00022

ARCHITECT

Glyn Chubb

Staircases, windows, Doors, Gates, Barn Doors, Kitchens

25 years experience

Small jobs no problem!

Plasterboarding / Rendering Renovations

Siret: 502 353 675 00015

Carpenter/Joiner Roofing, plasterboarding, tiling Restoration and general building

Free quotes

email: glynn.chubb79@orange.fr Tel: 05 49 27 67 29 Siret No. 494 068 315 00014

Advertise Your Business

John Hartie B.Arch. A.R.I.A.S, R.I.B.A ORDRE des ARCHITECTES no. 073326 Based in La Rochefoucauld for over 12 years 14 Rue des Bans 16110 La Rochefoucauld T: 05 45 91 73 90 / 06 81 90 18 87 Email: john.hartie@orange.fr Eco-Buildings - New Build Renovations - Barn Conversions

Siret. 500 835 189 000 16

garden care P painting P fencing cleaning P caretaking P maintenance key-holding P admin help P changeovers

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For as little as 35€ ttc per month

RUST REMOVAL - OAK BEAM BLASTING BRICK CLEANING - METAL - CONCRETE & STONE - TIMBER - CHIMNEY RESTORATION 3500 PSI HIGH PRESSURE CLEANER

Contact Sam or Gayle to discuss your advertising needs 05 16 32 13 42 / editors.etcetera@gmail.com

05 55 63 58 85 / 06 42 23 38 57 mandmblastinglimousin@gmail.com www.mandmblasting.com Siret 82184631800011

Roofing / Renovatio Roofing / Renovations

ROOFING SPECIALISTS Fully registered and insured Trading in France since 2007

Call Mark for a free quotation: T: 05 55 44 71 44 / M: 06 78 60 96 16 mumford.toiture@gmail.com Siret no. 493 159 412 00037

56 etcetera

Insurance guarantee on all work. 15 years’ experience

ALL ASPECTS OF ROOFING / RENDERING & POINTING - Zinc / PVC guttering - Anti-moss - Insulation & Plaster boarding - Interior / exterior renovations For a free quotation please contact: Howard

CONTACT: PAUL CHARLESWORTH T: 06 28 28 04 63 E: pmcbatiment@yahoo.fr

(fully bilingual, living in France since 1990, 10 yr décennale Insurance)

Based Saint-Junien. Covering Depts 87-16-24

Tel: 05.55.60.23.70 / 06.85.43.13.58 Email: rcc87@live.fr

Siret : 531 655 231 00 11

Depts: 87,86,16 & 23 Siret: 799 894 860 000 11

artisans

Siret 82184631800011

3 ton Digger Dumper/Tipper & Driver Cherry Picker Hire Hydraulic Concrete Breaking

Minidigger, Driver & Tipper Truck Free estimates

SARL

TER MAC et COUV

Toutes eaux, Micro stations, Compact systems, Special flood zone

Gravel driveways, rubbish/ tree stump removals, trenches etc www.davesdiggers.com

For more information and a quote

please contact Matthew or Mandie Farraway 05 55 63 58 85 / 06 42 23 38 57

Email davesdiggers@aol.com Dave Good 0549 073358/ 0675 180913 Based near CouhĂŠ 86/79/16 siret 5250162590018

Machines & driver 0.75 tons to 13 tons French spoken, 10+ years working in depts. 16, 86, 87

Siret : 484 738 166 00012

EXCAVATION SERVICES

Email: bentham.nigel@gmail.com Tel: 06 48 17 20 94

South West France Fosse We are the only dedicated installer Trained-Approved-Recommended

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Digital version online every month www.etceteraonline.org etcetera 57

motors & removals Walton Coachworks 87600 Vayres Nick Walton MECHANICAL WORK ON ALL MAKES & MODELS IRRESPECTIVE OF AGE • Welding • Servicing • Diagnosis • Stereo & CD installation • LHD lights & tow-bars fitted • Wheel alignment • Replacement tyres & balancing • Interior & exterior valeting

NEW

• Pre-Controle Technique check • Top quality tyres (within 48 hrs) • Parts available same day or in 24hrs - less common cars 3-day delivery walton-coachworks@hotmail.com Tel: 07 87 65 53 11 / 05 55 78 67 02

Siret 8120 15386 00012

Typically 40% cheaper than French prices

Tyre fitting, inc balancing : 12€ Tracking/Alignment : 35€ Car/Van servicing : 75€ + parts E: dixontyres@gmail.com T: 0545 306707

siret 53821341400013

Depts 16, 86, 87 & 24 (Car & van servicing, Towbars & LHD lights) Any make of Car or Van Fully mobile service at your address

Over 38 years’ experience on all makes of vehicle

Digital Version of etcetera WWW.ETCETERAONLINE.ORG

58 etcetera

Based near Chef-Boutonne (79) GPS coordinates: N 46°07'18" W0 °01'03"

•

Fully equipped workshop with state of the art diagnostic equipment

•

Service & repair of cars & light commercials including preparation for Contrôle Technique

• We also supply & fit left-hand drive headlights • Free car loan available

motors & removals

Van Rouge CARS MOTORCYCLES LIGHT TRUCKS

CHABANAIS WORKSHOP Free courtesy cars - Valeting - Car storage with free airport drop offs - Cambelts - Diagnostics - Welding Electrics - Tow bars - Tyre-fitting/Punctures - A/C CT Prep - Garden Tools & Chainsaws Sharpened Email rmbservicesfrance@gmail.com Tel. 06 01 59 60 75 Siret: 815 114 7720 0016

Regular UK trips Part loads and single items Efficient and reliable service 18m3 van with a 4.5m load length

Call/email Ray (+33) 05.87.14.09.84 (+33) 07.61.21.85.15 (+44) 07900-105752

Full and Part Loads To and From the UK

France UK Spain

Relocations in France UK Depot for Deliveries Insured 2 Man Team

Email: vanrouge@mail.com

20m3 Luton Vans with Tail Lifts

Tel: 05 49 07 24 85

Website: themanwithavan.info

Weekly United Kingdom è France è Spain United Kingdom - Kent & Home Counties Storage La Souterraine / Canterbury / Lincolnshire Very competitive rates Fully Insured Call Matt on: 0044 (0)7506 457225 Email: ma.europeanremovals@gmail.com 20+ years experience

F RENCH V AN M AN Scott Marshall 09 82 12 69 73 www.frenchvanman.eu

Siret: 53021364400012

● ● ● ● ● ●

● ● ● ●

Genuine/Reliable/Honest Local • Europe • UK - Full or part loads House/Barn clearances / Antiques Finding & Sales 14m3 capacity | 4.2m load length English & French spoken 87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres Est’d 2007

A Family Run Storage Firm in the Heart of the Limousin

Brexit-busting Super Low Prices!

Secure, dry, insulated storage NEW! 14.5m HIGH CHERRY PICKER

Now storing cars, caravans and camping cars Call Karen for a quote on 09

66 03 52 89

UK & OVERSEAS REMOVALS & STORAGE WEEKLY SERVICES UK - FRANCE - UK

etcetera 59

E

E SIV U L XC

Selection Habitat Character Properties in France DPE: Vierge

Please contact us if you have a character property to sell, we have a devoted team located throughout the area.

EX

Vareilles, Cruese, €124,900* 3-bedroom renovated stone house with garage, double-glazing and stunning countryside views.

Spacious rooms, calm location, pool.

IVE S U CL

EX

IVE S U CL

DPE: Vierge

DPE: C

Chaillac sur Vienne, H-V, €256,000*

3-bedroom detached house with almost 3 acres, a large terrace, mains drains, double-glazed, under-floor heating and a doublegarage. 5km Saint Junien, 6km Rochechouart.

E

E SIV U L XC

L’Isle Jourdain, Vienne, €66,000*

3-bedroom newly-renovated village house with attached garden and two small outbuildings, new electrics, new kitchen and shower room, mains drains, attached garden, insulated walls and attic.

E

E SIV U L XC

DPE: C

DPE: Vierge

Bonneuil, Indre, €295,000*

Mouhet, Indre, €170,000*

10 year-old detached, 4-bedroom (one ensuite) in a cul-de-sac at the village edge. Modern kitchen, underfloor heating, double-glazed, garage, nice garden.

With 6 acres, this old watermill has a double-height reception room, a covered terrace with river views, 3 large bedrooms and a river frontage.

*agency fees charged to the seller

See more online: www.selectionhabitat.com

Tel: 05 65 70 10 49 Email: info@selectionhabitat.com

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property A French property network

365maisonsecure

NEED EFFECTIVE AND SERIOUS SUPPORT TO SELL YOUR PROPERTY?

ALL YEAR ROUND HOME SECURITY, KEY HOLDING & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT Specialising in looking after all property types in the Limousin, North Dordogne & NE Charente.

If you want some help and need peace of mind whilst you are away contact us on:

Tel. +33 622 94 22 19 Siret: 84474214800019 email: 365maisonsecure@gmail.com

Please contact us if you are looking for a property to buy or you have a property to sell in the west Haute-Vienne, or nearby.

www.bellefranceimmobilier.com Françoise 0683297593 / Rebekah 0616834510

French Legal and Property Services

Ask for SEXTANT PROPERTIES Active in L'Isle-Jourdain (86) and South Vienne Free information and advice:

Thomas.courouble@sextantfrance.fr

06 07 89 13 94

PROPERTY SALES IN FRANCE Private Property Sales with Expert Advice

Siret 812 798 668 00024

www.propertysalesinfrance.com

▪ ▪

Sell Your Home Privately on an Established Website With Excellent International Coverage

▪

- Samantha van Dalen Tel. UK: (0044) (0) 7910 199 072 Tel. France: (0033) (0) 645 3004 66 www.frenchlegalandpropertyservices.com

To advertise your property contact us on enquiries@propertysalesinfrance.com

Estate Agents Showcase Your Properties Here New edition EVERY MONTH

W

IN A NI W NG AR SE D RV IC E

Freephone from France: 08 05 69 23 23 Selling your French home?

WE OFFER:

● ● ● ●

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Our local team would be delighted to meet you as soon as possible

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enquiries@beauxvillages.com or drop in at 19 avenue de la République, 86500 Montmorillon

62 etcetera

From 35€ ttc

Contact Sam or Gayle 05 16 32 13 42

opinion

W

ith dazzling clarity, I now see it was mostly Mr Asquith’s fault. A master at the preposterously formal grammar school I attended a thousand years ago, incumbent upon him it was to teach us French. A slender, elegant man with an oddly distracted manner, he stood with his back to our class, one hand in the pocket of his double-breasted jacket, gazing out through the tall windows across the playing fields, and intoned airily, as if to himself, “Être - To Be’ . . . Je suis . . .tu es . . .and so forth . . .” This was just ten minutes into our first ever French lesson.

perhaps outlined the possibilities of foreign travel which this new language would enable - not just Europe but also Canada, Africa or the Caribbean.

Completely out of my depth, I dropped French as a subject at some point, unable now even to recall my chosen alternative.

I think I preferred “Basic Tonsillitis” or something.

It was some twenty years later, on my first French holiday, that the reality of an opportunity not so much lost as wilfully neglected, came home to me when hazily remembered numbers caused me to ask a bemused grocer in Dieppe for forty kilos Absolutely no attempt to inspire us with of carrots. (I have to add that this faux-pas this strange new language, no preamble, pales beside that of an acquaintance who zero context. The school’s oak panelled once bought a house in the Dordogne corridors and giant portraits of former region with an abundant headmasters were orchard. Looking always designed We grappled heroically forward to the jam(successfully) to with the verbs, disfigured the making possibilities she intimidate as much visited the village store, as educate and in this vocabulary and mangled told the chap she had new fug of the grammar just moved into the incomprehension, village and would need a my thirteen-year-old great deal of ‘préservatifs’). Remembering brain turned to porridge. We grappled that always makes me feel better. heroically with the verbs, disfigured the vocabulary and mangled the grammar; all Mr Asquith notwithstanding, that first focus on how to speak French, none at all French holiday did initiate a love affair on why we might want to. with this fascinating country and, having now lived here for almost five years, our If only Mr Asquith had spent that first language skills, always a work in progress, period listing the French words we already of course, are massively improved. used, albeit unknowingly – items I can even get a smile out of the guy in the described as ‘portable’, people looking tax office. ‘pensive’, armies ‘marching’ etc. Or

BRIAN WHITE

Brian White, a jazz obsessive, lives in Indre with his wife, six guitars and an absurd number of moles.

For me there are two strands here.

Obviously, being able to make yourself understood in shops, with neighbours or at your local mairie, is advantageous on a practical level. But I love the simple connection between strangers where there would otherwise be none; language as a verbal handshake. In a world increasingly set to dividing us, this human contact feels somehow important. Inevitably, there are occasional hassles, (does anyone actually need a pluperfect subjunctive tense?), but we would be nowhere else.

Etcetera’s excellent “Parlez français” pages are an invaluable aid as are our extremely kind neighbours and local “Amitié Sans Frontières” group, which brings French and British together in mutual learning.

Moreover, not only is there an enormous morale boost to improving in a second language, there is also the practical benefits – these days I buy fewer carrots.

etcetera 63

listing

64 etcetera

listing

etcetera 65

DO YOU USE

OR

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www.newwave-energies.com New Wave Energies • Siège social : 51, rue Descartes 87000 Limoges Tel : 0 981 324 237 • S.A.S.U. au capital de 50 000 euros • N° de Siret 800 247 274 00035 66 etcetera

ü ü ü ü ü ü

New Builds Approved Fosses Septiques Driveways / Land clearance Renovations Foundations Lake Conformity works Full Public Liability & Civil Décennale Insurance

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68 etcetera