Simply French Living October 2021 Issue 2

Issue 2

October 2021

Simply French Living Your monthly dose of all things French, written for the community by the community.

€2

HEALTH & BEAUTY

TAMING WILD SKIN AND HEALTH CHECKS

BY AGE TALES FROM HOME & ABROAD

WE VISIT ELMHURST FRENCH STYLED RENOVATION INTERIOR TRENDS

STUDIO LAWSON TALKS CURRENT INTERIOR TRENDS EDITORS PROPERTY PICK

TAXIDERMY

IS IT ETHICAL? WHATS THE ALTERNATIVE?

INSURANCE CONFUSION? THE BEST GUEST HOUSES ON THE MARKET TIA MALCOLM WALKS US THROUGH THE OPTIONS COVER PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS GIRLING

EDITORS WELCOME

Dear Readers, Warmest of welcomes to our second issue of Simply French Living Magazine from my home here in the Deux Sevres, just outside the Charente.

As the last of the sunflower fields are cleared and the grape harvests begin, the landscape here changes dramatically. Fields and more fields as far as the eye can see, ploughed ready for a renewed season, wind turbines in the distance against the communes you see dotted collectively on the horizon with their Église, Chateâu or Manoir taking centre stage. The crisp dewy mornings have begun here in 79, with a hint of warm sunshine still flirting with us in the day and log fires pleading to be lit as the evening draws in, the comfort season Autumn has arrived! That is certainly where we take you this issue.

Simply French Living is the E-magazine for any Francofile, at home here in France or abroad. Our readers from issue 1 spread as far as Japan, New Zealand and even Bermuda.

A pleasure I have as an editor is this chance to thank those that made this issue fabulous. Firstly to our community, we pride ourselves on gathering stories from you, whether that be from those who want to share their journey of renovation, their dream of one day moving to France, their memories, recipes and advice. Thank you to all who have contributed. The fabulous Simply team on both this magazine and the social media platforms, what fantastic ladies to work with.

What does this issue have in store for you? Well, we have comfort food recipes, fantastic guest houses for sale, a beautiful French inspired renovation, interior design, seasonal health and beauty tips, business and tax advice and so much more.

Happy reading

Maria Babbington Creative & Production Editor

Contents 01

Editors

Editors Welcome

Donna Jones Holland - Editor in Chief Maria Babbington -

LIFESTYLE 12 16 17 19 21 41 43 53 67 71

Bathroom Trends

Tia Malcolm -

Get the Look Woodubend

Editor

Taxidermy

Contributors

Studio Lawson Interiors Good Reads - Autumn Parlez Francais Oktoberfest Kids Corner - Halloween

09

Philippa Gratton Sarah MacGilchrist Robert Rideout Jules Smith

Renovation - Bathroom Glory

SollyJo Moore

Renovation Tales - Elmhurst

Graham Walsh

For better oar worse

05

Joyeux Bouddha

Health Checks

Editors property picks Facebook for business Insurance for business Taxation in France High speed rural Friendly face of currency Chateau Maumont Review

33

The Market Gardener Jobs in the garden Healing Herbs

KITCHEN 28 54 55 57 59 63 64

Dani Jones

No Time to Bathe

GARDENING 25 27 29

Fiona Warren

Taming Wild Skin

BUSINESS 23 45 47 49 51 52 65

Annette Seaward

Ingrid Burling

1st visit to France 1965

Autumn Makeup Palettes

Diana Phillips

Leanne Broadhead

For the love of France

Gourd-geous Skin

Pamela Gagiano

Sophie Howard

Astrology

HEALTH & BEAUTY 31 36 37 38 39

Business & Advertising

REAL LIFE 03 07 11 13 70

Creative & Production Editor

From Garden to Plate Oktoberfest inspired The Travelling Kitchener Hostess with the Mostest Comfort food Recipes Parisian Food Event Wine Culture

Siret No.880 941 158 00011

59

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For the love of France Our monthly feature celebrating peoples' love for France

Spotlight on Aubeterre by Donna Jones Holland

We arrived this spring, to temporarily live in the most beautiful village in France and it’s been quite the adventure thus far. Let’s be honest, I didn’t give the village the title, it already owned it ‘lock stock and two smoking barrels’! In fact there are several acclaimed ‘Beaux Villages’ here in the sunflower department of The Charente, however for this issue we are concentrating on Aubeterre-Sur-Dronne.

Firstly, here’s a little information about the department of Charente: Charente is a department in the administrative region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, western France. It is named after the Charente River, the most important river in the department, and also the river beside which the department's two largest towns, Angoulême and Cognac, are sited.

Aubeterre-sur-Dronne is a village in the south Charente, in the region of New Aquitaine, on the border of the Dordogne. The village is located 45 km south of Angouleme. Erected on one of the routes of the pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela, the village developed from the thirteenth century, seat of a viscount dependent on the lord of Angouleme. Balloted between French and English during the Hundred Years War, the viscount was then during the wars of religion, in the sixteenth century. Then, faithful to King Henry IV, the lord of Aubeterre helped his sovereign against the League and then rebuilt the castle of the village became a marquisate.

The old fortified town became a tourist village of choice, rich in a singular heritage, and in its high part, the alleyways lined with white houses dominate the valley of the river which forms a loop around The commune, the Dronne.

Aubeterre-sur-Dronne is a commune in the Charente department in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of South western France. It has been officially listed as "One of the most beautiful villages in France" since 1993. Aubeterre-surDronne immediately appeals to its visitors with its beautiful houses arranged as an amphitheatre and dominating the River Dronne. The charming wooden balconies decorating the facades of certain houses add to the picturesque nature of the place.

The village possesses a remarkable historic building, which is quite unusual: the Saint-Jean monolithic church, an underground church carved out of the rock in the 12th century by the Benedictines. This building has a vault reaching 20 metres high and is the biggest troglodyte church in Europe! This site should not be missed under any circumstances!

In the summer, the sandy beaches along the River Dronne, below the village, are the perfect place for relaxing and swimming. Water sports fans can canoe and kayak to their heart's content on the River Dronne.

The village square is fit to bursting with eateries and drinking holes for the hungry or thirsty local and or tourist.

The Charente Greats Tripadvisor recommends visiting...

There are many small independent boutiques, which appear to have survived the pandemic so far. The Village appears to attract the ‘arty’ type, which means lots of pop up art galleries and the languages spoken are equally French, English and Dutch, which meant we felt both welcome and at home immediately.

Monolithic church of Saint Jean

There are some fabulous walking trails to explore and of course if you are into biking, water sports or camping, Aubeterre is for you! Let’s not forget the Chateaux hunters!

Benedictine monastery

Chateau D’aubeterre sur dronne Canoe and kayak on the dronne river Riberac markets Brantome Musee d’Angouleme Chateau royal de cognac

From the Charente, to the Dordogne and Perigord you just wont be bored! I think the only complaint you’ll have will be not enough time for all that wine tasting!

We won’t be here too long, I know, but but I’ve personally really enjoyed the pretty village and its friendly inhabitants. It’s been lovely getting to know the area and being able to walk out of the house straight into the village throng. The village is certainly lively in the summer months, but quieter once autumn arrives. Fields of sunflowers and corn surround Aubettere, giving the village a lovely yellow hue in the summer, which I will really miss once we leave.

Cognac Meukow Chateau Comtal Remy Martin Musee de papier Les carrieres de Touverac

In the neighbouring village of Saint-Aulaye there is a smaller much quieter river beach, high top ropes and out door swimming pool for those wanting to escape the tourists. Saint-Aulaye is a former commune in Dordogne, France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune Saint-Aulaye-Puymangou. Jeanne Baret, the first woman to travel round the world, retired to Saint-Aulaye, where she died in 1807.

Just 10 minutes from Aubeterre, there’s Riberac (Perigord), a bustling town with all the amenities you might need. For rail travel the town of Chalais is just 12 kms away! Perfect for the commuter! Bordeaux airport is just an hour and a half away and Bergerac airport, just over an hour! So you see Aubeterre is well placed for the happy traveller!

If you would like to find out more

A place you absolutely must visit whilst here?

for each department near

Brantome!

One last word to temp you!

Sunshine!

about what Aubeterre and the surrounding charente has to offer, French tourism offices provide lots of helpful information. There is one Aubeterre, listed below:Aubeterre-sur-dronne Cognac Angouleme Amuse Bouches Sud charente Villebois Lavelette MSAP de Chalais Barbezieux Saint-Hilaire

The Good Life France Part 2 BUYING PROPERTY IN FRANCE WITH INCOME POTENTIAL

By Donna Jones Holland Photo Credit Peter Jones

Life can be a series of fortunate or unfortunate work life events but eventually, one way or another the pull to work for ourselves, becomes so very powerful meaning we can no longer ignore it. We simply want more autonomy in our lives and less of that ‘working for the man’ thing. We ache to escape the rat race, the commute, expensive housing and the stress, to do something more satisfying than that old bump and grind, 9 to 5 nonsense. It’s not that we don’t want to work or work hard, we just want to make the everyday decisions and do it our way! Of course we want a piece of the Good Life pie, why wouldn’t we, but we still need to invest our hard earned money and more than likely still need to earn a crust! After all none of us expect to die young!

When we started this magazine, just last month, we had no idea of how many calls and emails we’d get offering submissions, businesses wanting advertising and many, many questions! It’s been full on.

Ultimately we are an Expat community magazine in France, by the community, for the community, and so writing editorials for those with hidden and commercial property gem, makes total sense to us. We know you are looking and so we are bringing them to you! No need to thank us, after all you are the client in this scenario

So, how do we achieve the Good life, work life balance dream?

Are we just sitting there in hope of a miracle? Praying for the dream property to fall in to our laps? Probably not! We are instead trawling the socials and various French agencies daily, in hope. This could take a while! As I’ve said before, France is vast and finding the dream property is a bit like trying to find a needle in a haystack! Not impossible but you are going to have to put the legwork in, no doubt about that!

The Ancient Gendarmerie is located in Aubeterre Sur Dronne but I won’t ‘drone’ on about the prettiest village in the southwest, because this issue already features her well enough in the ‘Spotlight’ series. So firstly, off you pop and have a read about the village, there’s a good chap!

I was in search of my first property to feature and it actually fell into my lap in more ways than one!

Firstly, I live in one of the buildings and two, the current owner being my Landlord came to me after reading our first issue last month!

Serendipitous! Indeed. So here goes!

Done? Okay good. Now lets chat about this unique property with huge income potential!

The current owner purchased the property a few years back and worked very hard bringing her back to life. After a recent change in his Many Expats move to France personal circumstances, he’s seeking a piece of the Good life heading off to new adventures back and that comes in many forms. in the UK and he has sadly decided Just a little extra space with land to sell up. with to grow your own, or the full blown earning business?

There are several garages and workshops under these apartments and the house. Do with these what you wish! Then there is also separate double garage, workshop and carport, which is usually used by the occupants of the main house but you can work that all out later.

Here are my thoughts: This imposing, commanding cream building towers majestically over the agricultural landscape, at the entrance to the village, across from the local school. As you sweep past in the car, your eyes are immediately turned in the direction of what was once the blue light hub of policing in Aubeterre! No longer an austere building but a welcoming pretty balconied residential estate with planning permission for two more houses on its acreage.

Not enough for you? All properties are privileged to have a lovely balcony view over the Charente countryside. There is also a fabulous raised huge pool, built just last year. I’ve already mentioned the whole ensemble sits in easy care landscaped gardens and there is also further planning permission for two houses to be built , if you so wish!

Most of the hard work is done already and you can get earning straight away!

Holiday lets 4 x apartments 8 weeks €150 per night peak season = €8400 10 weeks €95 per night low season = €6650 Just 18 weeks holiday rentals gets you a small income of nearly €16k!

5 bed house

Just 16 weeks gets you an income of nearly €28k!

Long Term Rental 4 apartments at €600 per month = €28,800 5 bed house at €1200 per month = €14,400 Income €43,200

The income streams for the moment are 3 out of the 4 flats are rented out, as is the main house.

In the past the current owner has made his living by renting all the properties out as holiday lets, or the whole site for wedding parties due to the close proximity of several Chateaux. The potential for wedding accommodation and venue income here is huge.

Income streams can currently vary from 30/45k (residential long lets) a year to 60/70k (peak season holiday lets) a year but there is further scope to invest and improve on this.

Next to the two storey upside down house there is a gym with a large unrenovated under croft and here there is further opportunity to add two more apartments, increase the size of the main house or renovate into offices or whatever suits you as the new owner!

Here are a few little sums for you to consider:

8 weeks peak season x €2250 per week 8 weeks low season x €1250 per week

Currently the property consists of 4 x 2 bed roomed roomy apartments featuring large balconies and pretty shutters. One apartment needs a little updating and one is in need of renovation.

There is also a modern spacious 4 or 5 bed house with a separate study (the 5th bedroom), open plan kitchen, lounge diner and two bathrooms.

You could always live in one of the properties, renting the others out whilst improving on the estates income potential! There are so many options and also plenty of parking for your vehicles however big or fancy they may be!

A service charge of at least €50/100 a month could be levied for ground care and the use of the pool.

Each garage could be charged out at €50 a month.

You can exit the property via a back gate straight into the village thong!

How convenient! The front gate is automated and the whole estate is a secure compound.

The price on the ticket is €865K no agent’s fees but you will have Notary fees to consider.

Please email me Donna@simplyfrenchlivingmagazine. com Quoting: issue2simply1, so I can forward your interest to the owner ASAP. Please do get in touch with us to feature you property with us. These are paid editorials and our marketing and advertising department will be happy to assist.

My 1st Visit to France DIANE PHILLIPS TAKES US BACK IN TIME TO HER FIRST VISIT TO RIOM IN 1965

I was just about 11 years old, in my first year at grammar school, when during a French lesson; we were asked if any of us would like a ‘pen friend’? My hand shot up, as an only child the thought of having someone to communicate with was an exciting prospect. I should point out this was in 1965, no mobile phones, no computers, black and white TV and our telephone was down the road in a red box!

Miss Vernon, our teacher, took our details and matched us with the French children. My pen friend was called Jacqueline Trusson; she lived with her parents and younger brother Remy, in Riom in the Central Massif. I so wish I had a copy of that first letter I wrote introducing my family and myself. At the time I lived in South East London, near Blackheath (where the London marathon starts), my dad worked in the city and mum was a part time hairdresser working at home.

Can you imagine the excitement when a letter with a French stamp on it arrived? Letters back then were handwritten on flimsy airmail paper and usually written in ink as biros were frowned upon. I quickly learned that Jacqueline was my age; her brother was a few years younger, her mother was a teacher and her father managed the local tobacco factory and so our friendship began, lasted many years, until I went off to teacher training college, I must confess to being sad that we lost touch, as I often wonder what she and her family are doing now?

By Diane Phillips

Anyway I digress, after a few months exchanging letters, I was invited to join them for a few weeks holiday the following summer. My excitement levels rocketed and it was agreed that I would fly to Paris to be met by Jacqueline's mother then escorted from Paris to Bretignolles sur mer, where they had their summerhouse! This involved a train journey from Paris to Nantes and then the rest of the family would pick us up from the station for the journey to Bretignolles sur mer.

Thinking back my parents must have been so concerned about their only child a) going on a plane for the first time alone and b) staying with a family we had never met, but all credit to them they fully embraced the idea.

Mum and dad drove me to Heathrow to catch my flight, I was put in the care of a stewardess as a ‘unaccompanied minor' I can still see mum wiping a tear from her eye as I was escorted through to the departure lounge. As I boarded the plane, I think it was BEA or Air France, I was able to spot mum and dad on the terrace waving madly.

Off we went, sweets were brought round for us to suck on during the flight, yes I am that old!

The stewardess escorted me off the plane and to the Air France desk where I met Madame Trusson, her English was worse than my extremely limited French, but with a mixture of sign language we managed. We were on our way out of the airport when we remembered my suitcase was still by the desk, so a quick about turn to collect it before racing to the station. I had no idea how long the train journey would be and initially turned down the offer for food and drink for the journey, but changed my mind when told it would be several hours. The train seemed huge, it was quite a step up to clamber onboard and off we went. The countryside flew past and although the journey was longer than anticipated, I was rather tired when we arrived at Nantes.

Days were spent down on the beach, playing in the sea, cycling to the nearby village to buy provisions and having fun. I was also introduced to drinking wine watered down with my meals, how decadent was that?

My two weeks flew by, I was a bit homesick as I had never been away from home before and sent many postcards to my parents, but could not talk to them as we didn’t have a telephone.

Jacqueline was to return to London with me so her mother took us both to Paris, we stayed one night and they proudly showed me the Eiffel Tower, the Sacre Coeur and other iconic Parisian landmarks! One of my new friend’s relatives was responsible for the gardens near the Eiffel Tower don’t you know! We also visited a wine cave, so wine could be purchased as a gift for my parents. I have honestly turned the house upside down to find some photos of my first time in France, and this is all I can find but oh the precious memories they bring back!

It was definitely the start of my love affair with France.

Di x

From top left: the Atlantic crashing on the rocks, the beach at the end of the road, St Jean de Monts and the boats on the beach.

There were lots of cheek kisses and handshakes as I met the rest of the family and we squeezed into their car for the ride to Bretignolles sur mer. Eventually we arrived at their small bungalow near the beach on the Atlantic coast. I can still remember that name of the road, Rue de la Roche Rouge. The bungalow had two bedrooms, an open plan lounge/dining/kitchen and a tiny shower room with a toilet. The attached garage was full of beach equipment and an old sofa with a minute TV. My love affair with France had begun! I learned to put oil on my lettuce, eat my radishes with butter, and dunk my croissant into my bowl of hot chocolate, the height of sophistication!

From top left: Jacqueline, Jacqueline and her rabbit Frou, Jacqueline and me in my ridiculously large sun hat, brother Remy, Jacqueline, her uncle, Henri (rather handsome) Papa and Mama Trusson and the dog Drim under the table,

Bringing nature into the bathroom creates the ultimate zen experience

Taking a dip in a sumptuous bubble bath is one of life’s simple gifts. A bathroom should have it all! Luxury, relaxed, functional, light, bright and airy.

They say that the kitchen is the heart of the home and in the same sentiment, I would say the bathroom is the escape room. The room that can give you both solitude and romance. If you’re a mum, the luxury of having a pee in peace is rare! Running a bath with mood lighting, candles and bubbles (and maybe the kind you put in a glass too) is the ultimate mummy me time when the brood are tucked up in bed. On the flip side, the same situation with him indoors the other end of the bath is rather nice too!

So, what makes for the perfect setting for that little oasis? I’m a firm believer that every room should have candles and some form of plants or greenery, it softens the room, makes it more homely and just more “together.” The bathroom is no exception. Living in predominantly modern homes previously our bathrooms have always been a comforting luxurious space, but when we moved to the south west of France and planned our renovation, I didn’t have the heart to cover the beautiful charentaise stone walls, even in the bathroom. I scoured the Internet for inspiration for natural stone bathrooms we decided on having a stone wall shower and keeping as much of the stone wall as possibly with the exception of the partition walls which we panelled. We opted to make the beams a feature, add a skylight and make our own vanity unit, light fitting and mirror from local oak. This is our family bathroom (left) and the only finished room in the renovation so far. I have to say, standing in the open shower in such a light setting, surrounded by natural stone is really quite liberating! I was worried the stone may make it quite stark and cold but I think the wood and the wine coloured accents really rounded off the room making it feel quite warm and inviting.

With our next bathroom already in the planning - our en-suite, I’m sticking with the natural theme. This time round I really want a complete oasis, spa feel, lots of greenery, natural light and materials and I wanted to share with you some of my inspiration and potential materials.

My imagination sometimes runs away with me when thinking of room decoration and for high traffic, working rooms, like bathrooms and kitchens it’s important you think about the longevity and upkeep of the materials you have in mind. For instance, is your choice of flooring anti slip. Can you safely treat stone to make it water resistant but still breathable? Do you need to factor in venting?

Will you need to seal wood differently? Will real plants survive with the light in the room, which fabrics will withstand the humidity?

Throughout this article I will touch on all of these points whilst sharing some of my mood board pictures.

Who doesn’t love a walk in shower/wet room!

Adding a rain head shower to a skylight pod… genius! This definitely made the mood board and is going to be a feature in the ensuite. Daylight streaming in for a morning shower and the night sky above in an evening definitely makes it quite a novel yet romantic addition to the room. You can add orchids or bromeliads in this space that thrive in the gentle air spray and humidity from the shower.

I’m a sucker for a living wall, whether real or faux there are a lot of options that are absolutely viable in the bathroom. For real plants use:- pothos, philodendron, dracaena, and anthurium plants. These plants will do well with a little neglect.

Ferns may look beautiful in plant walls, though they lose leaves quite often and can make quite a mess.

Or for under €13 you can purchase these and other varieties of silk and plastic faux living wall panels on Amazon.

These can be glued or screwed discreetly to a wall or inside a framework.

Using wood in a bathroom is quite common but it’s always best if using raw cut, live edged hardwood, that you protect it, but if you want to retain its natural appeal and not use a high gloss or yachting varnish, I would recommend Osmo TopOil. A great product that brings out the natural wood grain, and deeply penetrates the wood, making it water repellent and resistant. this can also be used in the kitchen on wooden serving boards and surfaces it is made from natural plant oils and waxed and is completely food safe.

If you have adequate ventilation in your bathroom fabrics and lighting options are vast! We opted for a chunk of wood in the family bathroom and bought some easy pendants wire kits from Amazon

If you’re using original stone or natural productsfor open shower areas, it’s important that they are waterproof but remain breathable. After repointing our stone with lime mortar we applied a sealant (left) to protect it.

for around €25, drilled through the wood and threaded the wires through. We added different shaped Edison styled bulbs and no shades for a minimalist look.

If using lights directly over the bath, shower or sink it is always advised to use an IP rated fitting of 45 / 65. Light fittings away from direct water sources can be any standard fitting, so shop away!

Lightweight fabrics like cotton and linen are perfect in the bathroom, whether it’s for curtains, chairs or soft furnishing accents.

Next month we explore dreamy kitchens.

MY RENOVATION

BATHROOM GLORY For the last five months we have been breathing life back into our beautiful Maison de maître in the Correze, in the Southwest region of France. Our aim was to retain many of original features where possible and add some quirky interior design elements. I have been working on homes across three continents for a number of years and love to mix period with some unexpected pieces.

The etching of Lady Godiva dates back to 1856, a fabulous addition to what has turned out to be my favourite room thus far.

The bathroom itself was originally a bedroom, providing generous proportions. We managed to retain the wood floors and painted them black for added drama. The claw footed slipper bath was simply painted underneath.

Growing up I lived, for a time, in Hong Kong, so finding a 19th century lacquered Chinese rosewood armoire was a joy, and fits beautifully into the space.

The wallpaper, a conversation piece, depicts 18th century circuses, my playful side.

We added a contemporary walk in shower with bevelled black and white tiles, a nod to art deco.

I have used fabulous Frenchic Furniture and wall paint throughout the house..

Wall colour - moon whispers Floors - Blackjack Doors/woodwork Dazzle Me Window seat and bath Hot as Mustard

Jules

Staying on trend in the bathroom 2021/22 Floating vanity units and raised sink bowls are still very much a thing in 2021 and looks to be a long lasting trend.

Mosaic and glazed brick tiles are so last year! Market trends say large bathroom tiles will be all the rage for the coming year.

Warm, inviting neutral, earthy hues such as beige, tan, brown and mushroom shades will gain popularity as they provide an ideal setting for authentic materials

It’s all about the tub!

Panel baths are replaced with luxury free standing tubs.

The pandemic has reinforced the desire for “rest & relaxation at home.”

What better way, than a soak in the tub.

Backlit mirrors and medicine cabinets have been making a comeback according to Houzz. With many smart options available including motion sensor switch on, clock and even screen uploads and WiFi to show your makeup tutorials or morning schedules.

Waterfall taps as well as hands free fixings are increasingly popular as well as wet rooms and anything that gives that spa like feeling at home. Bathrooms are no longer just a functional space but an oasis of well being and a private retreat to de-stress and relax.

TALES FROM HOME AND ABROAD

By Robert Rideout

ELMHURST A FRENCH STYLE RENOVATION

Before

My wife and I moved into 'Elmhurst' just before the global pandemic struck and like most homes in Greenock Inverclyde's West End, 'Elmhurst' is a former wealthy merchant’s mansion now converted into three dwelling houses. We bought what they call the main door conversion, effectively this part of the house being the grandest, with tall ceilings and beautiful ornate cornice and Corinthian pillars in the Greek revival style.

We had just finished the renovation on a similar property located on Rosemount Street and we really were not looking for anywhere else, as we considered that to be our ‘forever home’. However, as we always follow the local housing market, something was bound to cause a stir and so we were very intrigued when ‘Elmhurst ’became available within touching distance of our budget!

The sellers had an open day and we felt obliged to go and have a look. Of course the minute we walked through the door, my wife Lynn turned to me and said "I want this” and I could absolutely see why! The decor in the hall was very dated but we could both see that this house had once been very special and we were both already reconfiguring it in our heads!

The walk up the steps to the front door was as grand as I've ever seen. Flanked by huge pillars either side of the door in the Corinthian style. The Corinthian style was mirrored inside with the most amazing arch flanked by pillars and pilasters. The cornice work and ceiling roses were incredibly well preserved considering the age of the property, which we believed to be mid1800s?

After As we were guided through the rooms, we could see the raw bones of beauty,but Hall radiator cover potentially it could be so much better.

We left after the first visit with our heads spinning full of ‘what if’s’? We had so many hurdles to jump over, if we were to secure this house for ourselves.

Firstly, we had to have our own home valued and hoped it would be what we thought it might be, which it was! Then we put in the offer on ‘Elmhurst’ subject to our own home selling! Another ‘nail biting’ moment and yet, unbelievably everything went like clockwork and we found ourselves the proud owners of this amazing old house!

Bedroom before

Entrance hall before

Entrance hall after

As I already mentioned, within weeks of moving in the pandemic hit, we were both self employed and found ourselves panicking a bit to begin with, over the uncertainty of what might be? However, as time went by we found ourselves enjoying the slower pace of life and as we were both effectively housebound for months on end, I found time to do those renovation jobs properly, jobs I probably wouldn't have time to do under normal circumstances. The little but important things like polishing brass, painting outside windows and anything that needed fixing really.

Bedroom after

The first real job I did was to try and neutralise our beautiful hallway, which was home to an unfortunate combination of a dark blue patterned carpet and red patterned wallpaper! They clashed so badly and so I felt I had to paint it a colour that would neutralise it! It did and instantly if felt like a different place. This one room success spurred me on and the tiles were next! We had watched Versailles on Netflix and loved the harlequin floors in some of the scenes, so that's what we did and again it was a huge improvement.

Next up was our main bedroom; it had formerly been the ballroom of the house and probably the grandest room in the house? However, at some point the Victorian fireplace had been removed and replaced with a 1950s tiled one! The beautiful cornicing and ceiling rose had sadly also been removed, but I felt I had a duty to try and salvage this amazing room by giving it something back, so I set about finding a correct period fireplace. I eventually found one really cheaply in Ayrshire, which had been removed from an old property of the same era. My plan was to try and recreate one of the grand fireplaces from a French chateau! Why not? Next, I had to find a mirror to complete the look! By pure chance I decided to stop at a salvage yard on the way home one day and there she was, gathering dust! She was the one I was looking for! Perfection! It had beautiful detailing and was suitably huge in scale. I had it brought to the house on a truck and then mounted it above the fireplace, the proportions were just perfect! I pictured framed the fireplace and mirror and painted them to appear as one piece, but it needed more? In the end I found a stunning pediment that was once the top of a wardrobe on eBay, it came from a clothing boutique that had sadly, closed due to the pandemic, again my luck was in! Size wise, it was perfect. I painted the final coat, French grey with gold leaf on all the detailing. The fireplace is over 13 feet tall and the room has a very French feel to it.

Next it was time for our bathroom makeover. It was once the butler’s pantry and sadly there were no redeeming features to speak of, so again I set about giving it a glamour update. The room was stripped out then re plastered in readiness for some décor magic. I then decided to add wall panelling and later I installed the missing ceiling roses after hand painting them. I put a pediment above the door and window; the one above the door is actually the top of an old plaster mirror, which was damaged. I cut the top off, repaired the plaster and mounted it above the door! Honestly, it looks like it has always been there now! I later found an old over mantel advertised locally and it was used on top of a cabinet I built, to hide an old radiator, it was so perfect for the space I used it in, luckily.

Ceiling painting in progress

My next job was the vanity unit upgrade! The unit was an old French antique worth using. I cut out the top and put countertop sinks and taps on it.

Next up was our front bedroom. The front bedroom was formerly the library of the house, the clues to that were where the parquet flooring had been pieced in to hide where the bookshelves had once been. This room was in decent enough condition but again the decor was pretty uninspiring, I stripped of the wallpaper and made good the walls. The cornice in this room was still stunning, so I had just a few little repairs to do, to make it perfect again, using latex moulds to copy the existing. I then set about hand painting the ceiling rose and cornice work and I have to say this has been my most laborious job so far! I was up the scaffold for months painting a small section at a time and at times I felt so overwhelmed by the scale of it. I passed the halfway point, my spirits lifted and I cracked on with renewed vigour. We chose a deep burgundy above and green period style wallpaper below the picture rail and it gives a rich velvety look to the ceiling. I would say to anyone though thinking of taking on an ornate ceiling to be prepared for the long haul, there is no quick way of doing it sadly. If you love the house and want the best results, you must also have the patience of a saint! We still have several rooms to do but we’re working through it room by room, slowly does it.

We really love the French style and have brought a lot of French furnishings into our home including our armoire in our bedroom and some of the pediments above doors. The Escape to the Chateau programme and others like it has been very inspiring for us and we definitely have the make do and mend mentality to boot! Of course just like those chateaux owners, we still have a long way to go, but it’s a beautiful old house and very worthy of our time and effort. In the end, we are just the custodians and it’s our duty to preserve it for future generations to enjoy, just like we are now. Hopefully, someone will recognise our hard work one day and love it as much as we do? Not for a long time yet though eh?

Follow our progress and see more of our renovation so far on Instagram - @versa_tileguy

Do you have a love of french style interiors?

Do you have a renovation project you would love to share?

Get in touch or submit your article to:- submissions@simplyfrenchlivingmagazine.com

GET THE LOOK

If you want to achieve that french lifestyle look, here’s a few options to get you started that won’t break the bank.

High gloss checkered flooring from www.castorama.fr €24.90 per m2

The opulence of the French styled interior can be costly but it doesn’t have to be. There’s things you just don’t skimp on! Things like quality paint and finishing products and you can’t put a price on quality workmanship. Sometimes the DIY approach can end up being more costly if you have to outlay for tools and there’s also the time element to consider, a professional will do it in half the time of a novice. That said, I’m all for having a go and saving a few pennies, especially with the creative stuff. So where can we tighten the purse strings?

Currently mid renovation myself I spend an inordinate amount of time researching suppliers in France and across Europe. The joys of Brexit means the UK is so much harder to do business with now, but not impossible if you’re willing to pay that premium. So where to go in France? Some Brico’s carry a lot of fabulous stock but not so much the decorative stuff.

Here’s a few of my finds:If your budget doesn’t stretch to marble floor tiles, the high gloss stoneware tiles from Castorama (above) are very reasonable. So that desired checkerboard floor you want in the entrance hall is absolutely possible!

Plaster mouldings - I grew up making decorative coving and fireplaces with my parents in the UK, they are the perfect addition to a grand salon or guest suite, finding them in France - not so easy! If you do find it, it’s jolly expensive and made to order, doesn’t transport well and will bend like a banana if you don’t store it correctly and if it drys out too much it’ll be a bugger to fit! Enter albadecor.com… a high density polyurethane alternative in some fabulously decorative styles in coving, panelling and ceiling roses. (Right).

Farrow and ball paint is available across France and in a large range of colours and finishes.

Deep decorative Coving €108 per pack

Wall & ceiling Rail €45.20 per pack

Ceiling Rose €76.25 For specialist mouldings and decorative pieces to add to furniture try Woodubend. There’s more details of their fabulous range in an article overleaf.

Lighting is such an important feature, this glass pendant lantern from Litfad.com is perfect for a grand hallway but they also have a huge range of chandeliers for that grander touch.

lantern pendant €190

Hello, I’m SollyJo the founder of WoodUbend based in LEEDS UK. I have no doubt that some of you will have heard about our innovative products, but it’s likely that some of you have not. So, before we delve into just how WoodUbend came to be, let’s take a look at what WoodUbend is?

WoodUbend mouldings are, for all intents and purposes, decorative wooden mouldings. They have such a high wood content that they can be sanded, stained, drilled, distressed waxed, painted! You name it? WoodUbend delivers! Whatever you can do with wood, you can do with WoodUbend.

Things do change with the introduction of a little heat to wood mouldings. Warm wood mouldings up with a hair dryer, heat gun or even on a griddle and the mouldings become flexible. Hence the name WoodUbend, wood you bend! Whilst in this state, these innovative mouldings can be contoured round and adhered to just about any surface including metal and glass. All you need is wood glue!

As a furniture artist, I’m no stranger to mouldings, both flexible and inflexible, however they can all be a little fiddly to use, a little too difficult. What I was looking for was something that, can quickly and easily uplift any project without any great stress on the creative.

What I was looking for was WoodUbend.

WoodUbend is the culmination of a good many years labour! I remember stumbling across a similar innovative product some years ago whilst in Europe. It was good, but there was certainly room from improvement and anyway, it wasn’t WoodUbend.

So, some tweaking of the formula was needed and we played around with it for quite some time until we got it just right.

I already had a whole host of designs in mind, having worked in the family business restoring listed buildings for a number of years. The old architecture really inspired a lot of my designs, even today this is still evident, there’s a lot of scrolls and corbels to choose from. Of course, we had to supplement these with other styles too as we wanted to make sure there’s something for everyone. From furniture flippers to crafters and even interior designers, there’s a design for you!

Once we had the designs ready, we were raring to go and embarked on signing up retailers to stock our brand new, innovative mouldings.

Sign up they did!

2019 was a bit of a whirlwind year, we were signing up stockists all over the globe and really working flat out just to keep up with demand. It was a crazy time! The small craft shop which I ran furniture upcycling classes out of, soon gave way to boxes and boxes of WoodUbend. We were a small operation with huge ambitions.

When you consider that WoodUbend only became a limited company towards the end of 2019 and now we have over 500 hundred stockists and 15 regional distributors, you get a feel for how quickly it all blew up.

It would have been easier and would have certainly caused me much less of a headache to leave it at that; continue to produce these heat bendable decorative mouldings and be satisfied.

Except I wasn’t, the mouldings were innovative, yes, but I had an idea for further complementary and equally innovative products.

So, the Posh Chalk product range was born.

Originally, we launched with five products lines, smooth and textured metallic pastes, highly pigmented patinas, pigments and the Infuser, a sealer to mix the pigments with. The Pigments proved an instant success – an impossibly fine powder, which when mixed with the Infuser magically transform into incredibly lustrous metallic colours. The real winner is that as the choice is yours, want to mix two colours to create something new? Go ahead.

Looking for a wash? Simply add more Infuser to alter the consistency, for a thicker paste, pop more pigments into the mix.

Like WoodUbend, Posh Chalk went from strength to strength and we have expanded the product line to include even more colours, stencils and decoupage with even more products planned for release.

We really have come so far; all our products are now packaged in eco-friendly protective packaging. The real win however, is our new third generation mouldings, we’ve listened to feedback and tweaked our mouldings slightly. They’re now much more robust, take less time to heat up and have a much crisper, cleaner finish.

In short, the quality of the product is the best it’s ever been. That’s the nature of WoodUbend really, innovation, we’re always striving to improve, never sitting on our laurels.

If you’re interested in purchasing any WoodUbend or Posh Chalk products, simply head on over to the Poshchalk website and search for your nearest stockist using the store locator! We SHIP all over the world!

We’re always on the lookout for new stockists to join our WoodUbend family, all you have to do is fill out the enquiry form on the site and one of our fantastic team will get back to you with the next steps. lots of love SollyJo & Team x

For the next month you can get 20% off woodubend products and free shipping on orders over £50 to both UK and France, using the code SIMPLY20 The coupon and free shipping is valid at www.poshchalk.org.uk

TAXIDERMY We ask, is it ethical in 2021, safe to buy vintage and some beautiful faux alternatives.

Taxidermy, is it art or just morally wrong? Walking around French chateau’s you often see trophy heads mounted in studys or grand halls, or glass domes adorned with exotic butterflies or birds in the drawing room or salon. Wondering around the brocantes you see them often. With the hunt in the UK banned, living in France now it’s a very different story. The Chaise (hunt) occurs across rural France and they have many rights over land whether private, farmland or otherwise. Personally as a sport, I’m not a fan, whether it’s for a trophy or just the game, I think when you kill something for sport you lose a little of your humanity, That said, what about ethical taxidermy? How can it be ethical? That statement in itself is open to interpretation, for instance, some believe ethical taxidermy is rearing an animal specifically for purpose of being preserved and giving it a good life and a humane death. Many ethical taxidermists choose to work with animals killed in road traffic accidents, some say they use animals that have died of natural causes. Unfortunately for the purchaser this is not a heavily monitored industry. How does one check if what they’re buying was ethically sourced? The answer, you can’t! I would suggest plenty of research and finding a company with a good reputation, ask all the questions you feel are necessary and go from there. If taxidermy isn’t for you but you still like the idea of a chateau style statement piece, there are some fabulous faux alternatives.

SHOULD I BUY VINTAGE? When buying vintage taxidermy there are many things to look for. Damage is the obvious one as repairs can be very costly.

Insect infestations are common if specimens are not placed well or maintained. I would always recommend that when buying something this temperamental, to purchase through a known dealer, at least the purchase would come with a guarantee and some traceability. However, walking around brocante stalls here in France you see trophy heads and cases frequently. If you do chose to buy from a market the possibility of bug contamination is higher, but if there is little visible damage you could bag a bargain. When you get it home wrap it thoroughly and put in the freezer for a month, this will kill all potential bugs and larvae.

After a month remove it and brush gently with a wool rug brush.

TAXIDERMY CARE Keep your mount in a dry spot out of direct sunlight. The oils in your own skin can affect the hide so touch to clean with feather dusters, microfibre cloths and soft bristled brushes. Wipe over antlers with a moist cloth and dry with a clean microfibre cloth.

Clean eyes, nose, claws, and teeth with cotton swabs dipped in glass cleaner. For birds, any water will damage and discolour feathers so dampen a rag with lacquer thinner which will evaporate quickly. Professional taxidermists can make repairs but it can be costly. Professionals can offer a body shine product which will protect the hide from dust and help maintain shine, a worthwhile investment if you want longevity from your taxidermy.

FAUX TAXIDERMY Needle felted animals are an amazing taxidermy alternative and can be just as life like. Whether it’s birds, hares or even a whole badger or roe deer, you can find them in needle felt. With craft shop hubs like Etsy, you have the best of both worlds, vintage taxidermy, mini brocante's and the faux animals too. The great thing about buying through these stores is you can sift through the reviews, and see the sales numbers for your piece of mind, and also support small businesses and help individuals thrive. If that’s not more ethical I don’t know what is! To prove how life like needle felted animals are, here are a few from some great Etsy stall holders.

Felt Badger by Sues Eclectic Mix €183.37

Full size greyhound

by Pet Universe €1331.97

Needle felt Hare

by Attery and Mallard €91.69

Sitelle by Melimelodeaine €43.20

Highland Cow by Jojo's Bootique €165.27

As well as needle felt there are so many other options, such as the faux fur sculptures like the highland cow above or a decoupage or fabric sculpture in complimentary colours to your room's decor. Whatever your choice, consider all options and the upkeep of your chosen piece before making a commitment.

Large Deer Head by Near and Dear €186.59

CURRENT INTERIOR DESIGN THEMES Sophie Howard of Studio Lawson shares all of the Interior Design Trends you should be obsessing over.

From plants to Japanese inspiration, you’re bound to find something that you love.

THE HOME OFFICE Home offices are here to stay. More and more people are searching for ‘home office inspo’ on Pinterest with everyone wanting to make their make shift home office spaces a little more permanent and a little more beautiful! When designing yours it’s important to think about how the space is used. How many other people use the space? Does it also need to function as a Bedroom or Dining Room? Home Office spaces share space with other elements of daily life and it’s important to strike the right balance. photo credit:-www.2lgstudio.com

ECO-FRIENDLY DESIGN I would like to think that this isn’t a passing trend and that peoples want to create more conscious homes is a new way of thinking. Eco-friendly design takes into account recycling, upcycling and reusing what we already have and when it comes to buying new (when we have to) making conscious choices and really considering where they’re coming from, how their made and what happens to them after you’re done using them. photo credit:- www.homedit.com

JAPANDI This is a gorgeous mix of Japanese and Scandi design. This trend uses natural materials and a blend of different textures to create a soothing space. My tips for creating a beautiful Japandi space; introduce plants, use natural materials, keep your lines sleek and don’t forget to add texture! photo credit:- côté maison

SLAT DETAIL This trend is the new ‘DIY panelling’ and the perfect way to add texture and interest to your space. It’s also really easy to achieve yourself with hundreds of YouTube videos out there showing you how. photo credit:- www.homies.la Biophilia Biophilia is the re connection of built space, modern life and nature. It helps to rebuild our innate bond with the outside world to make our built environments better and less harmfulto us. I lot of people interpret Biophilia as adding plants to you space, and while adding plants is always a good idea, there is a lot more that goes into a Biophilic space.

STRIPES ON STRIPES Stripes are the new black? Ok maybe not ‘the new black’ but mixing stripes is definitely on trend. Think about using different colours and different stripe thickness. Also think about where you put your stripes, try using a striped headboard against a striped wallpaper, or a striped cushion on a stripped bench. photo credit:-www.housenine.co.uk So there you have it, the latest Interior Design trends to look out for and a few tips along the way to help inspire you. Love them or hate them you’ll be seeing them poppjing up more and more if you haven’t already!

EDITORS PROPERTY PICK THIS MONTH WE BRING YOU A RANGE OF GUEST HOUSES FOR SALE ACROSS FRANCE

www.french-property.com

Ref IFPC29533

Tourouvre (61190) Lower Normandy. €800,000 Carp Fishing Lake & Bed and Breakfast Business 8 Bedrooms - 6 Bathrooms - 7.5ha

www.france.businessesforsale.com Ref 3134166 Olonzac, Hérault, France. €460,000 Minervois House Plus Gite For Sale

www.french-property.com

Ref IFPC30526

Saint-Genis-de-Saintonge (17240) Charente €315,000 Maison de Maitre Style House & Established B&B 4 Bedrooms - 4 Bathrooms - newly renovated

www.france.businessesforsale.com

Ref 3128269

Villefranche-de-Lauragais, Haute-Garonne. €960,000 Château Guest House For Sale

www.capifrance.fr

Ref 724677

Monts-sur-Guesnes 86420. €567,000 Gîte and Chambres d'hôtes 6 Bedrooms - 2ha

www.orpi.com

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Bagnols-sur-Cèze 30200 (Berret - Euze). €825,000 Magnificent estate, hotel and restaurant 22 Suites - 130 covers - 5ha of parkland

www.france.businessesforsale.com

Ref 2974538

Paris, France. €895,000 Bed And Breakfast / Gite In Paris For Sale 15 Bedrooms. - Large walled garden

www.ajp-immobilier.com

Ref 1048

Moulis-en-Médoc 33480. €890,000 Guest house in the heart of the Médoc

www.france.businessesforsale.com

Ref 2876008

Monbazillac, Dordogne, €1,100,00 Chateau With Nine Hole Golf Course For Sale

4 Bedrooms - 4 Bathrooms - newly renovated

www.france.businessesforsale.com

Ref 2920905

Lascaux Dordogne. €665,600 Established Gite business For Sale 3 separate properties with 14 beds in total

THE MARKET GARDENER This month we head over to Chateau de la Coutere, to talk “no dig” gardening with owner Leanne Broadhead

Whether you moved to France just last year or perhaps 20 years ago, at the start of your new adventure, you may have envisaged that you wanted to try to live more of the ‘good life’.

Eat better food, enjoy a slower pace of life, and of course make the most of the beautiful climate. A life in France also offered us the same tantalising possibilities and our number one aim, was being able to grow most of our own fruit and vegetables. This year marked the 25th year of growing my own produce, and now here we are in our second season in the south of France!

Every season will always be a mixture of highs and lows, no matter how much of a seasoned grower you are, as you can never ‘win’ against nature, only work with her. However, in this series I’m looking forward to being able to share with you some of my experience, advice and ongoing progress along the way, so why not let us go along this growing journey together.

For the last two seasons we have establishedour large ‘potager’ or kitchen garden, and over the course of the next six months we will be taking on the new challenge of expanding the ‘plot’ out from the walled garden area, into our pasture, to enable us to set up our market garden. We will become a registered small farmer and will start to sell vegetables, herbs and fruit, to our friends and other local people.

So, as a gardener yourself, what are the most important aspects to you when it comes tovegetable growing? What kind of gardening style do you prefer? When starting this new gardening venture and turning over a new leaf, it was very important for us to hit the ground running. Some of the key concerns were to be time efficient, to enjoy the process, and ultimately grow an abundance of healthy and tasty food for our neighbours, our friends and us to enjoy.

We wanted to create a resilient garden, which cannot only thrive in a testing climate of wet autumns and winters, but also our hot and dry summers.

Number one on the list of creating a successful vegetable garden? Growing in a way that assists nature and enhances soil life, which is essential to growing healthy and nutritious plants. Is all that even possible? Well, I’m here to tell you, ‘Yes it is’, and our results, and those of countless other growers are testament to that.

There is no magic gardening wand, but there is the method known as No Dig Gardening, and for those of you wishing to create a beautiful healthy garden, there’s no better time than autumn to lay the foundations.

Monthly plant focus Beetroot

What is no dig gardening?

Before utilising the no dig gardening method, I had been an organic gardener for over 20 years. Yet, no dig goes beyond organic principles and is essentially what it says, it is gardening with no, or absolutely minimal disturbance of the soil – that’s literally it in a nutshell. The second part is feeding the soil, not the plants you feed the soil. These two things happen simultaneously, because by not disturbing the soil, you do not disturb the soil organisms, many of which are too small to see with the naked eye. No dig gardening takesless effort, results in fewer weeds and produces nutrient-dense produce. Over the coming months we will explore how to start a no dig garden, examine the benefits in more detail, and even cover some winter growing techniques too.

Seeds to sow this month It may be the start of autumn, but you can still sow a few crops this month, which will provide you with food all winter long.

Spinach, claytonia, lettuces, mâche (lambs lettuce), other salad greens, rocket and mustards, peas for shoots, microgreens, garlic(for late spring harvest), chard, radish and even turnips can provide a quip tasty crop all before winter sets in.

Why not check out our YouTube channel, where we share our journey in more detail.

See you next time gardening friends.

Leanne

YouTube – Lifeatchateaudelacoutere Instragram and Facebook @lifeatchateaudelacoutere

Beetroot has amazing health benefits and is a versatile vegetable that can be used just as well in sweet recipes as it can savoury. There is still time to get a crop of small beets before winter, and if they don’t quite grow to size before winter sets in, you can still harvest the leaves for salads and sautéing, and if the winter isn’t too cold, growth will once again speed up from February, giving you a great early spring harvest, right in the ‘hungry gap’. In fact, we will continue to sow beetroot right through November, just for this very purpose.

How to grow in autumn Before sowing, pre-soak the seeds in warm water for an hour and this will speed up germination. You can direct sow the seeds in drills into the ground, or into a seed module tray. I prefer to always sow in a module tray, because I prefer to multi-sow two to three seeds in each module. Beets are a vegetable that like to grow with their friends. You will end up with three to four beetroot plants in each module, which can be planted directly into a garden bed after just a couple of weeks.

Space the plantings 10 inches apart from each other. The first beetroots will be ready within 45 to 65 days after planting out. Harvest the largest beetroots first out of each clump and let the others grow on until they’re a good size too. This will give you two to four weeks of harvest.

Favourite varieties Italian Heirloom Chioggia Ball-shaped, light red in colour, and when they are sliced the flesh consists of contrasting dark pink and white alternating rings with a deliciously mild flavour.

Bulls Blood Red A dual purpose variety grow for both its salad leaves and blood red beets. This beautiful beet has deep reddish-purple leaves, which are very sweet and tender.

JOBS IN THE GARDEN FOR OCTOBER

And just like that it’s October! I love this time of year, not so much the cold and damp, but the changes you see. The beautiful autumn hues of the Acers and fruit trees as they change before leaf fall, luscious reds, yellows and oranges! The red iris berries or the bright purple berries of callicarpa.

The rose hips replacing the beautiful blooms and the crab apples falling.

It’s like a final explosion of colour before the starkness of winter takes hold. Nature giving you the last of its warmth in the colours you see.

Autumn also brings many a job in the garden, here are some of the things you should be doing this next month.

Sow vegetable such as cauliflower, broad beans, lettuce and peas and protect under a sturdy cloche to protect from any early frost and mice.

Plant green manure, Phacelia (right) can still be sown directly to ground in October, it’s flowers provide early spring blooms and are fantastic for bees and other insects Sow Cow Parsley (bottom right), directly to soil, with its burgundy stems it provides great winter interest for floral arrangements.

Plant primula seeds directly to the spot you wish to see them flower. they germinate well in the cold and provide nice early colour in the spring.

Harvest the last of your main crop potatoes, runner beans and squashes.

Stake your taller crops to protect against the harsh winds. In particular your tall Brussel sprouts.

Exchange your pot saucers for pot feet or some bricks to elevate your pots and stop water logging and freezing.

Take hardwood cuttings from trees and shrubs Wrap grease bands around, apple, pear and cherry and plum trees to stop the crawling female winter moth.

Plant your bare rooted fruit trees.

Cut down late raspberry and blackberry canes to the ground..

Hold off pruning until the trees have finished dropping leaves so that damage and infestation is more easily identifiable.

Fleece your bananas, tree ferns and tender palms like Chamaerops Humilis to protect against frost.

WHILST THE VEG PLOT IS RELATIVELY EMPTY, NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO PREPARE THE SOIL FOR NEXT YEAR, EITHER PLANT A GREEN MANURE OR SPREAD A GOOD COVERING OF WELL ROTTED MANURE TO CONDITION THE SOIL OVER WINTER.

From Garden to Plate Garden Pizza

First make your pizza dough and whilst proofing whip up this garden green pesto. Add a selection of sliced tomatoes and mozzarella and hey pesto! A delicious pizza from your homegrown produce.

Pizza Base 400g plain flour, plus extra to dust 1 x 7g sachet fast action dried yeast 1 tsp fine sea salt 1 tsp caster sugar 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to drizzle 1 tbsp cornmeal, polenta or semolina, to roll out Mix the flour, yeast, salt and sugar together in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and add the oil, then add 225ml water to bring together as a dough. Tip onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute, just until smooth. Leave to rest under the upturned bowl while you prepare your pizza toppings.

Garden Pesto ½ small head of broccoli, cut into florets large handful of basil 1 large handful of spinach wilted in boiling water, cooled & water squeezed out 4 tbsp pine nuts 1 garlic clove, grated ½ lemon, zested and juiced 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil large handful of frozen peas, set aside in boiled water until heated through 3 tbsp grated parmesan 3 tbsp soft cheese Cook the broccoli for 4 mins in boiling salted water. Drain, then put in a food processor along with the basil, spinach and pine nuts.

Pulse until combined.

Stir in the garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, peas, parmesan and soft cheese, and season to taste.

Quick 2 Bean Salad 1 lb green beans, trimmed and halved 1 lb yellow beans, trimmed and halved 1 medium shallot, finely chopped 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard ½ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon sugar ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add all beans and cook until crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain.

Immediately plunge drained beans into the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Once beans are cool, drain and allow to dry completely.

In a large bowl, whisk together shallot, lemon juice, tarragon, mustard, salt, sugar and pepper. While whisking, slowly pour in olive oil and continue whisking until emulsified. Add beans; toss to coat.

HEALING HERBS

BY ANNETTE SEAWARD

Medicinal use of herbs in Western cultures has its roots in the Hippocratic (Greek) elemental healing system. Here are some healing herbs found in your herb garden.

Basil: People don’t usually think of basil as a healing herb and yet traditionally, it is called the “king of herbs”.

It is used medicinally as a natural anti-inflammatory and is thought to have mild antiseptic functions. Some healing uses are for flatulence, lack off appetite, nausea and cuts and scrapes. It is also superb on spaghetti and in pesto but then you already knew that. Basil is an annual plant so you will have to start anew each year.

German Chamomile: Chamomile is one of the most popular herbs in the Western world. Its flower heads are commonly used for infusions, teas and salves. These in turn can be used to treat indigestion, anxiety and skin inflammations. As a tea, it serves as a mild sedative to help with sleep.

Sage: Did you know that the genus name for sage is “salvia” which means “to heal”? In the first century C.E. Greek physician Dioscorides reported that sage stopped bleeding of wounds and

cleaned ulcers and sores. He also recommended sage juice in warm water for hoarseness and cough. In modern times, a sage tea is used to sooth mouth, throat and gum inflammations.

This is because sage has excellent antibacterial and astringent properties Feverfew: This perennial is a member of the sunflower family and has been used for centuries in European folk medicine as a remedy for headaches, arthritis, and fevers. The name feverfew comes from a Latin word meaning “fever reducer.”

Its many uses include easing headache pains – especially migraines. This is done by chewing on the leaves. A tea made from the leaves and flowers is said to relieve the symptoms of arthritis.

Parsley: While not one of my favorites, there is nothing like a sprig of parsley to take away bad breath. It is no wonder that this biennial (meaning it lives for two years) is used to decorate and garnish plates in the fanciest of restaurants.

When brewed as a tea, parsley can help supplement iron in a person’s diet, particularly for those who are anemic. Drinking parsley tea also boosts energy and overall circulation of the body, and helps battle fatigue from lack of iron.

Other uses? Parsley tea fights gas and flatulence in the belly, kidney infections, and bladder infections. It can also be an effective diuretic.

Lemon Balm: Lemon balm is a member of the mint family.

Considered a calming herb, it has been used as far back as the Middle Ages to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort from indigestion. Even before the Middle Ages, lemon balm was steeped in wine to lift the spirits, help heal wounds, and treat venomous insect bites and stings.

As with many other herbs in your healing garden, lemon balm promotes relaxation and a sense of calm.

Thyme: Back during medieval times, thyme was given to knights before going in to battle. The purpose was to infuse this manly man with vigor and courage.

These days, thyme used to relieve coughs, congestion, indigestion and gas. This perennial is rich in thymol, a strong antiseptic, making thyme highly desirable in the treatment of wounds and even fungus infections. Thyme is a perennial that does well, even in cooler, Pacific Northwest climates.

Lavender: A tea made from lavender has many uses with one of the foremost being it’s ability to have a calming effect on a person’s mind and body. To that end, lavender can promote a sense of well-being and alleviate stress. It is also useful for dealing with various gastrointestinal issues such as upset stomachs and flatulence.

Because it is a strong antiseptic, lavender tea, when applied topically, can help heal cuts, wounds and sores. It can also be used to mitigate bad breath.

Rosemary: Long ago, rosemary was known as ‘the herb of remembrance.’ Even today, in places like Australia and New Zealand, it is used as a symbol of remembrance since it is known to help sharpen mental clarity and stimulate brain function. You might recall that many statues of the ancient Greeks and Romans show men wearing sprigs of rosemary on their heads – signifying mental acuity.

The needles of the delightfully fragrant rosemary plant can be used in a tea to treat digestive problems. The same tea can also be used as an expectorant and as a relaxing beverage that is helpful for headaches. Other healing uses include improving memory, relieving muscle pain and spasms, stimulating hair growth, and supporting the circulatory and nervous systems.

Peppermint: Peppermint has a long tradition of medicinal use. Archaeological evidence places its use far back as ten thousand years ago. It is commonly used to soothe or treat symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, indigestion, irritable bowel, and bloating and more. The leaves and stems contain menthol which in addition to use medicinally, is used as a flavoring in food, and a fragrance in cosmetics.

The plant is prolific, growing well in moist, shaded areas as well as in sunnier locations. The roots emit runners that can quickly overtake the garden so most gardeners prefer to plant peppermint in pots.

The easiest way to acquire a peppermint plant?

Find a friend or neighbor that is growing peppermint to break off a stem. Place it is a glass of water and in a very short period of times, roots will form an you will have your own peppermint start.

GOURD-GEOUS SKIN THIS MONTH SEES REBECCA CLARIDGE VISIT THE PUMPKIN PATCH FOR YOUR HOME GROWN SKIN CARE FIX

What's the first thing that comes to mind, when you think of October? For a lot of people it can be the end of summer, the start of autumn, changes in the garden, leaves changing colour, nights getting darker early, colder evenings, putting the heating on and keeping warm by the fire. October is one of my favourite times of the year and the first thing that comes to my mind is Halloween! I love to dress up and join in with fun games with my children.

Apple bobbing is great fun, but I have to make sure I have a good waterproof make-up on, so the games don't ruin the look I am going for. When I was training to do advanced make-up techniques, I found prosthetics and gory make-up fascinating. It is something that I have tried to bring into some of my Halloween make-ups, which have been fun (although a bit scary for some of my friends children!).

All the heavy latex and waterproof make-up can be very drying on my skin, so for me it is very important to keep my skin supple and hydrated, especially as I like to have a few trial runs in the weeks leading up to Halloween.

I also think of my garden, especially my veg patch. A lot of tomatoes, beans and cucumbers are coming to the end of their growing season, but squashes, gourdes and pumpkins are now ripe and ready for picking. They are perfect for pumpkin pies, soups, even carving them for Halloween of course. They also make an amazing ingredient to include in DIY skincare recipes. Pumpkin is very nourishing for our skin; it's rich in vitamins A, C and Zinc. These help the skin with healing and contain antioxidants that can help fight the signs of ageing.

Now the evenings are getting colder, it's time to turn our attention to our face. Quite often our face is exposed to all the elements; wind, rain, cold and heat. The weather can really take its toll on our skin's condition. By getting into the habit of using a face scrub once to twice weekly and a face mask once a week, we can help give our skin the much-needed love it deserves. Not only will your skin feel softer and nourished, but it will also look fresher and younger.

This month I have decided to include two skincare recipes, both of which contain pumpkin. The first is a pumpkin and spice facial scrub, which includes the following: -Brown sugar; it contains more of the natural antibacterial properties any glycolic acid than any other sugars, which can help rejuvenate and balance the skin.

-Vitamin E; is a great antioxidant which can have an anti-ageing effect on the skin.

Second is a pumpkin and honey facemask, which includes the following: -Honey; which is a natural humectant (a substance which attracts and retains moisture), it can improve skin tone; it has natural antibacterial properties, making it suitable for all skin types.

-Rosehip seed oil, it is a rich source of omegas 3&6 (it can help regenerate cellular membranes and tissue, making it ideal for scars), and is a natural source pof vitamin A. It has a soothing anti-inflammatory effect, making it suited to even weather-damaged skin.

-Orange essential oil; can repair and protect skin, it can help promote collagen production and has healing properties.

More health and beauty tips from me next month, enjoy the body scrub.

Rebecca x Zen et Beauté Siret 82309157400025

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WEDDINGS IN FRANCE

A SIMPLY WEDDING Alternative wedding celebrations A Pagan Celebration

After Tia met Stuart in York in 1998, their relationship remained friendly and platonic; thanks to a mix up and Tia believing Stuart was Gay. It wasn’t until August 2000 that they kissed and never looked back!

Their original wedding ceremony was more than two decades ago and the wedding was a no frills affair. Fast forward 21 years, a few irritating Covid delays and our very own Tia finally got her perfect ‘I do again’ wedding ceremony, her way.

Tia and Stuart chose to hold their Pagan, Hand fastening vow renewal ceremony at their Friends very pretty Gite complex, La Barauderie, in the stunning Indre et Loire. The ceremony was to be outdoors, quite organic and definitely all-inclusive.

It was also Tia’s wish that her friends like me with special dietary needs (celiac’s disease) felt included in the catering, along with Vegans and diary free.

We arrived in the early evening the night before the wedding and relaxed with Tia, Stuart, Alfie (their vivacious 4 year old) and some of their longer-term friends. We stayed in one of the very comfortable Gite cottages on the complex and just relaxed by drinking fizz, Stuart cooked and we played a very frustrating game of cards! New friends meeting old! 1 am soon came and went!

The next morning we were all probably still a bit too relaxed other than the worry of rain later in the day. I cooked us a decent breakfast, we drank a lot of tea and soon enough it was time to get the tables decorated! Tia had designed her table decorations to suit the outside natural theme of the wedding. We ‘guardians’ got busy helping set up which I have to say was a lot of fun!

Once the tables and bar area were ready, we had to implement plan B and we covered everything in bubble wrap and plastic sheeting! The rain did come; bucket loads of it but the photographers, hairdresser/make up artist also arrived taking Tia away to start the getting ready process!

Pagan wedding ceremonies are called Handfastings and mark the coming together of two people in a formal, loving and equal sexual partnership.

These ceremonies are special occasions and most are regarded as sacred to those who believe in them. Those who share in a Celtic, Wiccan or Pagan belief acknowledges and generally pays respect to the beauty of life and powers of the forces or elements of nature. Celtic, Wiccan and Pagan Ceremonies are steeped in tradition - ancient tradition and ritual, dating back thousands of years.

I rushed to get ready and when I came out of my room, Tia’s other ‘Guardians’ were arriving, again old friends meeting new. The atmosphere was buzzing! Tia showed very little sign of any nerves but did appear to be willing the rain to pass us by!

The Celtic people roamed Europe and the British Isles, taking their traditions and rituals with them and teaching others in their paths as they travelled. They were strong, and loyal and brave, and indeed a very romantic people who had a very deep sense of passion and magic.

Obviously the fizz disappeared a bit too easily whist we watched the make up and hair magic! My dear husband had been given a surprise role in the wedding! Tia handed him a brand-new video camera the night before and told him, he had till 5pm the next day to learn how use it! I wasn’t convinced but I remain hopeful that he did a good job!

They prized liberty above security, but loyalty and beauty above all. The beauty of man, a landscape, or a fine object - and they celebrated in a myriad of ways.

Tia mixed her wedding ceremony up a bit with some traditional elements such as the lovely much longed for traditional Duchesse satin dress and the handsome boys in Malcolm tartan kilts! Ever our individual Tia, she wore customised pink Dock Martin boots instead of heels! She looked absolutely stunning, a 'brave' red haired princess!

As in most cultures and traditions, they believe a wedding is not just an agreement between two people but is effective on three planes:

The ceremony itself was pagan, led and officiated by celebrant Annette Seaward. I was one of Tia's chosen 'Guardians'. I represented the south, which as a Yorkshire woman seemed very strange. The guardians represent the elements of earth, wind, fire and water and north, east, west and south.

The ceremony takes place in a circle with the Guardians stood on their individual compass points. The guests then fill in the gaps. It’s a really friendly, loving, warm, all-inclusive setting. Tia (given away by Alfie… reluctantly) and Stuart stood in the middle facing the celebrant and the ceremony then began, ending in the Hand Fastening.

Left, the hand tie used at Tia’s wedding made by Ceotha (Etsy).

Right, the dressed Bessom

The individual The social The spiritual What are the Four Elements?

Celtic, Wiccan and Pagan Ceremonies of Marriage encompass the love and respect of nature - the four elements which include Mother Earth who brings all things good to this world.

These ceremonies pay respect to these individual elements and each element represents North, South, East or West.

NORTH: Fire SOUTH: Air EAST: Water WEST: Earth

Symbols are used during the ceremony to represent the elements - for example a red candle is used to represent Fire, and incense or a fan represents the Air and your favourite piece of crystal or rock represents Earth.

Family and friends stand in a circle around the bride and groom who kneel or stand before an altar upon which the four elements are placed.

The bride wears a crown of flowers and the groom, ivy. The bride carries a bouquet of herbs to ward off evil spirits together with flowers, which are a symbol of love. The wedding celebrant will bless the circle and invoke the Spirits or Goddesses.

Often the ritual of 'Hand Fasting' is performed, whereby the Bride and Groom's hands are bound by a natural woven thread, fibre or cloth, and just before the 'Giving of Rings' the binding is slipped off with the knot still intact, signifying the fact they will always be 'bound together in marriage'.

Many couples that have a civil ceremony today just incorporate Hand Fasting into their ceremony without any of the other traditions.

Here is a Hand Fasting verse: Now you are bound one to the other with a tie not easy to break.

Take the time of binding Before the final vows are made

Little Alfie stole the show with the singing waiters, I’m sure you’ll agree, he looks so cute in that kilt!

Thank you’s and Instagram Tags; Flowers:

To learn what you need to know To grow in wisdom and love.

That your marriage will be strong That your love will last In this life and beyond.

@the_madness_paper

Dionysus is usually thought of as the god of wine, but he is also the god of faithful marriage. The bride and groom may partake of water, wine, milk and or mead from a breakable-shared goblet, which is called ‘The Invocation’, and often the bride will raise her hands in the manner of the 'Cup and Dagger'.

A friend will also sweep away bad luck and impurities with a straw broom which later in the ceremony, the bride and groom jump over.

There are also some beautiful spiritual verses read during these ceremonies, here's one of them which is usually said during 'The Giving of Rings':

Necklace @Soosiesuz

I take you my heart At the rising of the moon And the setting of the stars.

To love and to honour Through all that may come.

Through all our lives together In all our lives, May we be reborn That we may meet and know And love again, And remember Once the ceremony was over, the partying began and went on until the small hours, full of fun, music, food, cumulating in Tia and Alfie singing their favourite tear jerking song, Pink’s ‘Cover me in Sunshine’ with the Singing waiters!

We wish Tia, Stuart and Alfie lots of love and luck for their continued adventure together!

Donna Holland Wedding Correspondent

Dress: @eglantine_mariages_tours Hair and Makeup @gemwelch2000 Venue @Barauderie Tartan bolero & kilts @Carduuskilts Photography @alexandramezzioni @themezzioni Other photos @theveryunfrenchwife Food: @aufeudetruffier Singers @singingwaitersfrance Decorations: Bride, Annabelle, Elena, Donna, Tamsin Cake Bev

AUTUMN EYESHADOW PALLETS

Tarte Tartelette Amazonian Clay Matte Eye shadow Pallet This pallet is very similar to the bloom eyeshadow pallet and is a great no frills pallet to achieve that everyday natural look. The left side is great for achieving that subtle smoky night time look.

Sephora 39,90€

Too Faced Born This Way The Natural Nudes Eye shadow Pallet This eyeshadow pallet is just beautiful giving you shimmering and matte looks all in one pallet. It is perfect for mature, evening and daytime glam eye looks. designed with every shade you'll ever need.

Sephora 46,00€

Too Faced Mini That's my Jam Eye shadow Pallet The Too Faced eyeshadow pallet has a really glittery base to it. The colours hot pink and purple pop are so vibrant that this would make a perfect starter pallet for you to try out those bolder looks.

Sephora 29,90€

Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance Eye shadow Pallet Anastasia Beverly Hills Modern Renaissance eye shadow pallet is the perfect pallet for autumn. The lovely warm colours of burnt orange and venetian red and the pinks and reds make it a super warm pallet. its a super pigmented pallet so be careful when blending and use cleane brushes.

Sephora 49,90€

Autumn Inspired Eye shadow pallets We all love a fabulous eye shadow pallet and off course they are the wardrobe of the makeup world and of could our very own wardrobes too. All you need to do is open them up and depending on your mood or current fashion you have all the colours at your fingertips.

But shopping for a new eyeshadow pallet can be quite daunting, there are hundreds to choose from and it also depends on what you want from a pallet!

Some people like the option of having twenty different pans whereas others just like the simple quad pallet where you can apply your nudes with a touch of a finger, one thing that is for sure when you find the one, it is a game changes in your makeup bag.

If you have your eye on the trends, one vibe that is going global now is the ethereal Euphoria-inspired Shadows.

Anna sui and Tom Ford have already featured the looks in there SS22 shows. Also watch out for the duo-chrome shades! All these to come in 2022.

Here is a few of my choices that I am loving at the moment and they are perfect with any combination of eye colours, wardrobe choices, and styles this autumn.

PICTURE SOURCE SEPHORA

Taming Wild Skin Oh yes the wild weather is on its way! Wind, rain, snow, sun oh and also the central heating set to ‘parched’ isn’t going to help your precious skin!

by Donna Jones Holland

My skin pre 50 + has never really needed a lot of care over the years but oh boy it does now.

Dull and dry, scratchy and tired! When I lived in Canada I had no choice but to find a skincare routine that worked!

Here’s how to help your skin survive the cold: Humidify your home Skip the hot bath Use a very gentle scrub once a week Always wear a base sunscreen Hydrate your body Moisturise Use lip balm Add a serum Use an eye cream Use a water-based cleanser Eat raw veg Take your supplements Turn down the heating Wear light layers After a shower use pure coconut oil to moisturise the body

Use an oil on your cuticles Remove your shoes and socks inside the house Avoid chemically loaded products Pop on a facial oil before bed Make natural product facemasks Don’t go to bed in makeup Give your face and jaw a regular workout Work up a sweat Cut down on dairy and alcohol Try juicing for a couple of days a week Dap your skin dry don’t rub Cover your face up in windy cold conditions Wear UV sunglasses Do not use Hyaluronic acid on your face during winter and definitely do not go out without a good layer of factor 50 after if you do Consider having a regular hydrating facial.

Have a facial massage which is good for reducing puffiness Steaming the face, opens the pores, releasing toxins and helps the circulation It’s all common sense isn’t it?

Now go forth and practice it!

No Time to Bathe Seriously?

Okay, so I’m a real super soaker, a true wallowing hippopotamus when it comes to bathing.

A bath is so refreshing isn’t it? The ultimate wind down retreat at the end of any day, the best stress reliever! No matter how good or bad your day has been a bath is there for you, no questions asked…. well as long as you have a tank full of hot water that is!

As I said, I like a bit of a fuss at bath time. I add a bath pillow for comfort, light a few candles and make sure I have a bath stand for a book or iPad. Maybe I will watch a movie or just tune out to some classical music? I will line up all those lovely spa treatments for the ultimate pamper session or just look at how pretty they are.

There’s also a good chance that there are no pressing chores to attend to or the house is all decadently mine, there may be the pop of a cork and a glass of cold fizz to congratulate me for just being me!

I take my sweet time at the end of the day, when it’s all so wonderfully quiet, to claim back an hour or so and I soon find myself breathing just a bit slower, my mind calms and my achy body relaxes. Listen ladies, even if your dresses are a bit snug, a bath wont malign you, that bath will still fit your beautiful curves perfectly!

I don’t care for a shower really; its just maintenance wash, quick and invigorating with no fanfare, necessary for the time poor, bless them. A shower is just a ‘wash and go’ by any other name! Job done! Although, I do hear my daughter having a jolly old time, singing her heart out when she showers and she is in there a really, really long time, so maybe it’s just me? Could be! I guess if I’m going to shower in luxury, give me a seat so I can shave my legs in comfort and a rain shower head or two!

I really love a well-done luxury hotel styled bathroom that is easy to clean, well tiled and offers up place for everything to be put away neatly. Neat doesn’t mean boring in my book! I expect deep tub and a double sized shower cubical; I mean you never know I might have a visitor eh, oh and somewhere to hang towels and bathrobes.

A draw or two to hide the toiletries, oh and a view would be just super!

I still prefer a nice white suite, no hideous retro pink for me dear, but I can be temped by a copper bath or painted slipper tub! Thoughtful lighting is also very important to create restful ambience, don’t you think? I’ll need a dimmer switch to hand so I don’t have to wear my glasses when reading, thank you! Harsh lighting will just have me running to the Botox clinic and I’m not quite ready for that yet!

Enjoy your wallow ladies and gents you deserve it!

HEALTH CHECKS

GET AHEAD WINTER HEALTH CHECKS THROUGH THE AGES

Your ages! Yes, I know we have all been avoiding the doctor throughout the pandemic, but now really is the time to make those appointments! No more excuses please!

Autumn is such a great time to get ready for those long dark winter months, emotionally, mentally and of course physically. Age is indeed a beautiful thing but the reality is that once over the big 40, we have to take more care not less.

If you are lucky enough to be able to afford a full body MOT, then these are the checks you should consider yearly:

OVER 50’S

BOWEL CANCER CHECKS MAMMOGRAMS PROSTRATE CHECKS

Blood pressure Skin Mental health Cardiovascular Diabetes Weight Eye Hearing Dental Sexual health Women’s health Cholesterol and Lipids General blood work

Of course you can arrange some of these with your usual doctor but you may have to wait a little while for the appointment at the moment. Nevertheless, make the appointments and make sure you attend them.

Being over 40 isn’t quite like anything you thought it would be I’m sure. You are probably busier than ever,but many of these screening tests can pick up issues early and you can adjust your lifestyle accordingly.

Screening tests do save lives, so do make the time, once you get in the swing of yearly check ups, you wont really think of it as anything other than preventive and necessary. Let’s face it we pay for extra insurance for our white goods, why not put aside a little money for a few extra physical tests for peace of mind?

AFTER 40, THINGS THAT DIDN’T BOTHER US MUCH SUDDENLY BECOME AN ISSUE. TELL YOUR DOCTOR HOW YOU ARE FEELING AND WRITE IT DOWN, SO THAT YOU DON’T FORGET!

Ask your doctor: What supplements do I need?

Is my heart in good shape?

Why am I gaining/loosing weight?

Why aren’t I sleeping well?

Why do I snore?

Why am I always at the loo?

Why am I so tired?

Why am I always coughing?

Obviously for women over 40 it’s important to discuss the menopause and what it means for you. Have up to date blood work yearly as peri menopause can begin in the early to mid 40’s.

A lot of general health screening, starts after you reach50 but if you feel any lumps, bumps, pain, bleeds or anything that just isn’t normal for you report your symptoms to your doctor as soon PAGE 12 | ACTIVITÉS LUDIQUES as possible.

A lot of general health screening, starts after you reach 50 but if you feel any lumps, bumps, pain, bleeds or anything that just isn’t normal for you report your symptoms to your doctor as soon as possible.

Schedule your flu vaccine and ask about the new kid on the block, the Covid booster!

IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO ADOPT A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE! Focus on what you are eating and drinking. Fast lifestyles can mean stressful drinking lifestyles. Check your alcohol intake! If concerned about your drinking, seek help and advice from a local clinic. The same goes with smoking. If you’ve not managed to give it up by now, maybe its time to shout for help.

Stress is a killer, make no mistake and you do know if you are stressed. Small lifestyle changes can help you find some balance in your life. One of the first things to do is talk to your partner, doctor or mental health advisor. Talk to your employer too and look at ways to make changes to your work routine.

Walking, yoga and meditation will help calm your mind. Meal planning and keeping a food diary can help your eating habits or at least show you what foods are making you feel bad or good?

Sleep can become a bit of a battle after 40 and again small changes to your routine can help get you back on track. It may sound obvious but do check the age and condition of your mattress and pillows first!

Your morning routine probably needs to be adjusted and sometimes all it needs is time! More time! Set your alarm to go off a little earlier, stretch gently and then go about your morning routine calmly, giving yourself time to wake up. Drink hot lemon water instead of coffee, always eat a nutritional light breakfast and avoid processed foods. Take a walk if you have time. Make time for sex. Take those supplements. I’ve always found that writing a list of things to be done before I go to bed helps contain any anxiety I may be feeling.

The same goes for an evening routine. On workdays don’t drink alcohol or caffeine. Switch the phone off.

Get outside for a walk in the fresh air! Eat lightly. Read and relax. Keep the same routine where you can.

Whilst it is very easy to sit inside all cosy and warm during later in autumn and winter, don’t. Get out side regularly. Yes wear a scarf and a hat but do move your body even if it aches a bit. Make sure you ventilate your home. Keep topping up your water bottle and rest when you have a cold.

Eat well and take care of each other.

GOOD READS SNUGGLED WITH A GOOD BOOK BY A ROARING FIRE IS THE EPITOME OF AUTUMN NIGHTS. HERES A FEW WE RECOMMEND

Now that summer is over and we’ve finished our ‘by the pool’ reads, its time for us to suggest a few good reads to carry you into the new season! I’ve decided on a mixed bag, noticing that there are too many self help type books on offer! Let me know how you get on with them, as we will be adding a Book Club to our new website and the social platforms!

2. To live in France. (1997) Author - James Bentley

1. Before the Coffee gets Cold.

Author – Toshikazu Kawaguchi

In a small back alley in Tokyo, there is a café, which has been serving carefully brewed coffee for more than one hundred years. But this coffee shop offers its customers a unique experience: the chance to travel back in time.

The ultimate dream book for Francophiles. The orchards of Normandy, the lavender fields of Provence, the fortified villages of the Dordogne, the heights of Savoy, the gorges of the Tarn, the chateau of the Loire, the coastal villages of the Mediterranean--all these natural and man-made splendour’s make up the magnificent geographical and cultural tapestry that we know as France. More than any other Western country--apart, perhaps, from Italy-France has succeeded in maintaining a strong traditional way of life in an age of new technology.

Michael Busselle's dramatic colour photographs and James Bentley's informative commentaries bring this marvellous land vividly to life: its churches and farmhouses, picturesque narrow streets, medieval houses, and ancient fountains, half-timbering in Normandy and the Celtic mystery of the Brittany coast. It celebrates a culture that still retains the highest regard for the good things of life: artefacts well made, kitchen gardens well tended, the small family business, the village shop, robust eating and drinking. Here is the essential France, a fascinating journey to the heart of the true French experience.

3. Everything I never told you.

Author – Celeste Ng Lydia is the favourite child of Marilyn and James Lee; a girl who inherited her mother's bright blue eyes and her father's jet-black hair. Her parents are determined that Lydia will fulfil the dreams they were unable to pursue - in Marilyn's case that her daughter become a doctor rather than a homemaker, in James's case that Lydia be popular at school, a girl with a busy social life and the centre of every party. But Lydia is under pressures that have nothing to do with growing up in 1970s small town Ohio. Her father is an American born of first-generation Chinese immigrants, and his ethnicity, and hers, make them conspicuous in any setting.

When Lydia's body is found in the local lake, James is consumed by guilt and sets out on a reckless path that may destroy his marriage. Marilyn, devastated and vengeful, is determined to make someone accountable, no matter what the cost.

Lydia's older brother, Nathan, is convinced that local bad boy Jack is somehow involved. But it's the youngest in the family - Hannah - who observes far more than anyone realises and who may be the only one who knows what really happened.

4. Normal People Author – Sally Rooney Sheila Heti Connell and Marianne grow up in the same small town in the west of Ireland, but the similarities end there. In school, Connell is popular and well-liked, while Marianne is a loner.

But when the two strike up a conversation awkward but electrifying - something lifechanging begins. Normal People is a story of mutual fascination, friendship and love. It takes us from that first conversation to the years beyond, in the company of two people who try to stay apart but find they can't.

5. How The French Think Author – Sudhir Hazaree Singh The French: serious and frivolous, charming and infuriating, rational and mystical, pessimistic, pleasureloving - and perhaps more than any other people, intellectual. This original and entertaining book shows exactly what makes the French so ... French.

Coming soon Simply French Book Club join our Facebook community to see more.

Parlez Français?

Each month we will be sharing helpful French phrases & conversation. This month‘s theme is health care phrases.

You might from time to time have to go to the doctors or even god end up in A&E "Urgents" here. So we have put a few phrases together you may find helpful in either a domestic or emergency situation.

Health care phrases for everyday Ailments and Emergencies "Je suis en bonne santé” I'm in good health "Je ne me sens pas bien" I'm not feeling well "Je ne me sens pas très bien" I don't feel very well “Je dois voir un docteur” I need to see a doctor "Je voudrais voir un docteur” I'd like to see a doctor “J'ai mal à la tête” I've got a headache “As-tu un cachet?” Do you have any painkillers? (familiar) · “Avez-vous un antalgique?” Do you have any painkillers? (polite) “J'ai la nausée” I feel sick “J'ai envie de vomir” I feel sick “J'ai la diarrhée” I have diarrhoea “J'ai mal au ventre” I've got an upset stomach "Je me suis coupé(e)" I've cut myself Ailments ·“J'ai une douleur ...” I've got a pain in my ... “au cou” neck “au dos” back “dans la potrine” chest “Le genou” knee “Épaule” shoulder “Bras” arm “Poignet” wrist “Dent” tooth “Oreille” ear “C'est douloureux” It's painful “Ça fait mal?” Does this hurt?

“Est-ce cassé?” Is it broken?

“C’est une fracture” it’s broken "C’est une entorse" it’s sprained "j'ai une fièvre" I have a fever

Here are some of the more common diseases you may have or develop over time.

“Je suis diabétique” I’m diabetic “Je suis asthmatique” I'm asthmatic "Je suis cardiaque” I've got heart problems “J'ai de la tension” I've got high blood pressure "j'ai de l'arthrite" I have arthritis "Je suis épileptique" I’m epeilepsy "j'ai une dépression" I have depression Allergies “Je suis allergique à ...”

I'm allergic to ...

“L'Aspirine” aspirin "Paracétamol" paracetamol “Antibiotiques” antibiotics “Gants en latex” latex gloves "Pansement" plasters/band aid "Ruban micropore" micropore tape “Je suis sous traitement” I'm on medication Emergency phrases “J'ai eu ...” I had “une crise cardiaque” a heart attack “une crise d'épilepsie” an epileptic fit “une crise d'asthme” an asthma attack “J'ai besoin d'une ordonnance” I need a prescription

Medical terms “j'ai besoin d'un” I need a "Radiographie" X-Ray "IRM" MRI "Prise de sang" blood test "Échographie" ultrasound

"Grossesse" pregnancy I know when I fell pregnant some of these phrases would have come in so handy!

"Je suis peut-être enceinte" I think I’m pregnant “Je suis enceinte” I am pregnant "Mon eau s'est cassée" my water broke “Je vais accoucher” I’m giving birth "Sage-femme" midwife "Échographie" ultrasound "Maternité" maternity ward In most major hospitals the maternity wing has its own emergency department so you don't have to go through A&E Winter aliments “J’ai un ….”

I have “Gorge irritée” sore throat “Nez qui coule” runny nose "La toux" a cough "Toux séche" dry cough "Toux grasse" chesty cough "Mal à la poitrine" sore chest "Difficulté à respirer" trouble breathing "Une température" a temperature "Grippe" flu "infections pulmonaires" chest infection "Maux et douleurs" aches and pains "Pression des sinus" sinus pressure

Opticians & Eye Doctors in France If you need an eye test in France, you will need to visit an eye doctor or ophthalmologist (ophtalmologue). In general, people don’t visit an optician in France for an eye test, and the cost of glasses or contact lenses are only covered if there is a prescription from an eye doctor.

You don’t need a referral from a GP to see an eye doctor in France. It’s fairly easy to find an ophthalmologist if you live near a big city or town in France, search the yellow pages for Ophtalmologue. In some rural areas, however, they are far and few between, which means that in certain regions, the wait to see an eye doctor can be a waiting period of six months or more.

The difference between a Para-pharmacy and Pharmacies Para pharmacies What they do sell? – personal hygiene, make-up, cosmetics, diet foods, hair care, baby products, beauty treatments, homeopathic remedies, vitamins, and products to help you give up smoking. They also sell the non-pharmaceutical elements of a first aid kit: plasters, tweezers, cotton wool and mild disinfectant sprays. They are unlikely to be allowed to sell medicines (even non-prescription ones).

Pharmacies For the most common and less severe type of health concerns like cuts, bumps, headaches, and stomach aches, the French pharmacist is well-equipped to give you their advice on the best treatment for you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or express your concerns to the pharmacists in France. These health professionals have studied pharmacology for six years and are able to assist you in your drug selection or recommend a doctor/specialist on a case-by-case basis.

Next month we walk you through how to make maintain your vehicles

Business Navigating around business here in France can be extremely daunting even without the added language barrier! However, Simply Business are here to help! Our resident business guru Tia Malcolm has a wealth of experience and knowledge which she shall be sharing with you each month as well as inviting various expert writers in the field of tax, accounting and much more.

Tia Malcom Facebook hints & tips October 2021

Did you know? Facebook has 2.80 billion active users worldwide?

Crazy right?

What I should have said, is Facebook has 1.84 billion active users visiting their popular platform daily and Facebook remains the leading social media platform worldwide, reaching 59.0% of all social platform users. So, how do you get them to notice ‘little old you’ on Facebook if you have a business and are just starting out?

Isn’t that the million-dollar question?

Here are a few hints and tips to help: First things first, do be consistent! It’s best not to just dip in and out when you get the urge to. I know, it does become a little tedious, sometimes boring, because you feel like no one is listening but they, them, he or she really are! I call them ‘bystanders’.

They are sat on the side lines watching you develop, grow and they see you

pushing yourself forward into the lime light. All you need to do is believe in yourself, be consistent and you will crack it!Oh, and it really does take time to get established, just as you would expect it would starting a new job!

Future clients or customer’s, need to get to know you for who you are, what you are selling and that takes time. Rome wasn’t built in a day, now was it?

1. Optimising Reach.

We all know, that just recently Facebook’s algorithms have changed beyond all comprehension. Our natural organic reach appears to be much better, fairer even. Account holders are becoming more creative with the content they share because it’s finally worth it again. At one point if you didn’t pay to promote, your account would barely be visible and you would feel like you were flogging a dead horse, just like me!

Be creative with your content so that your followers stop scrolling and go “OMG, I must share”. Do your research, go scrolling yourself and see what your competitors are doing! A little healthy competition never hurt anyone now did it?

Try not to COPY, that’s boring and frankly not nice. Be original!

Followers love originality and the more likes, loves, saves and shares you get, the more Facebook users will love you and share your content.

2. A business traditionally requires

marketing and advertising to grow and survive doesn’t it?

So, you may want to take some of that budget and invest in social marketing. I mean, why wouldn’t you tap into the biggest advertising platform in the history of mankind?

However, I would personally recommend you initially let your account grow organically. Giving it time to grow naturally is super important.

Once you are happy, give each post time to gain organic traction. Let your posts run for at least 24 hours before boosting your budget religiously and ensure you don’t become ‘boost slap happy’! Boosting posts can become very expensive, as Facebook will try to encourage bigger spends and limit your organic reach. Look at your individual posts ‘insights’ and understand which ones do well before wasting money boosting them? The ones that obtain good traction are the ones worth boosting. Also, look at your account insights as a whole and understand when you get the best traffic, then boost your posts accordingly. Statistics are everything in any business, don’t ignore them!

To boost effectively you need to understand the demographic you are selling to? Who are they? Where are they? What age are they? What are their interests? Just like a traditional marketing campaign, you will need to do your research so that you can target your marketing accordingly.

Video is still king on Facebook, so the more ‘lives’ and videos you do the more reach you will get. It is an effortless way for your followers to see you and to get to know you better, also Facebook sees the time you have spent on videos and are more likely to share them.

3. Create a mixture of posts, share videos, photos, and text. Do not be too ‘samey’ unless you are visually creating a follow on post. If you can manage to share twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening, do that. Check your insights they help tremendously when gauging your audience want.

4. Do not be afraid to repost popular posts. Have you ever noticed that a follower will like your post from a couple of years ago and the traction on it picks up all over again. Often Facebook switch things up date wise and the old becomes the new again! Clever that!

5. Sending out mass invites to everyone on your friends list is very ‘spammy’ and in some cases people get a little hacked off! It’s the easiest way to loose followers and I have no idea why Facebook lets this happen! Instead write a personalized message inviting them to your page and if you find you have friends on your list you do not know, get to know them first!

6. In everything you do on Facebook, be, open, honest, authentic and most of all, be engaging. If people are taking the time to share, comment and like or love your posts say thank you. Take a few minutes out each week to acknowledge your followers. My best advice would be to follow them back and ensure you interact with their posts when you can.

Here are some bullet points for your business pages.

• Perfect your call-to-action • Customise your tabs • Frame your fans • Go live • Brand your business for social media • Plan your advertising campaigns • Use hashtags in the same way you would on Instagram • Create a group and invite your biggest supporters • Engage without baiting • Schedule your posts twice a day • If you make mistakes, learn from them • Have a bot to reply for you instantly • Let people know when your away • Respond to public messages privately • Set time aside to spend time building your customer or fan base on social media • Keep an eye on Facebook insights • Link your Instagram account to Facebook to save time • Link you website to your socials to save time and help with content management • Use Instagram and Facebook shop fronts to help with sales • Do read your comments and keep an eye out for any Troll issues • Report and ban trolls • Do not engage or join in with arguments

If you have any questions, please do ask me.

Tia

Insurance in France Tia Malcolm talks you through the myriad of insurance options available in France

The French have a more ‘Dirigiste’ (interventionist) system to insurance than we are used to, which can often be very confusing. For example, where business insurance is concerned, you will often need liability insurance coverage as standard.

In this article, I will help you understand which of the many insurances are compulsory and what types of optional insurances you can buy, not forgetting all the general business insurances in the next article.

Bank de France regulates insurance in France through the ‘Autorite de Controle Prudentiel et de Resolution’ (ACPR), and there are a huge number of insurers in France, over 260 insurance companies, I believe, and they belong to the French Insurance Federation (Federation Francais de l’Assurance – FFA). French residents are required to have French insurance and there are many optional insurance additions you can add to the basic insurance packages, it just knowing what to ask for!

Here are some of the different insurances you can buy to protect your family, home and life.

HOME INSURANCE IS COMPULSORY If you rent or own your French home, you must have a home insurance policy before moving in.

Some Landlords will insist on seeing evidence of cover before giving you the keys but equally you should ask to see their cover. Most homeowners in France have a multi-risk policy, but you can also purchase separate coverage. Home insurance should cover: • Building insurance – covers damage to the building caused by things such as fire, water damage, natural damage, and vandalism.

Check individual policies for exact coverage. This is mandatory those with a mortgage but not for those who own their home outright.

Again check your landlords building and contents cover especially for multi occupancy homes. Also check the policy for weather damage cover because you may not be covered if a storm hits or you experience an unfortunate natural disaster.

• Public liability insurance – It is compulsory for all residents to insure any damage to third parties and property. Tenants in rented accommodation will usually need this as standard. It’s possible to purchase this type of cover as part of separate thirdparty liability insurance, but home insurance packages often include it.

• Contents insurance – This is optional coverage for personal belongings, but often available for a lower premium when included as part of a multi-risk home insurance policy. Look out for specialist tenant insurance, which could give better cover and peace of mind when renting.

• Construction insurance – it is mandatory to ensure all major construction works carried out on your property, are coveredby a ‘decennial cover’ called ‘Dommages Ouvrage’. This protects against defects in the works carried out. Some multirisk packages already offer this.

You can also purchase it separately.

MOTOR VEHICLE INSURANCE We have found from experience, that you will need insurance for your vehicle even if you are not using it, unless you take all 4 wheels off. The policies either need to be, ‘tiers collision’ (third-party), third-party fire and theft or ‘tous risques’ (fully comprehensive). Whenever you drive your car, carry your ‘attestation d’assurance’. This is issued by the insurer and is usually green and has a detachable square (green) that you must display clearly in the windscreen of your car at all times.

HEALTH INSURANCE All residents in France must have French health cover, France’s Protection Universelle Malade (PUMA) covers the residents of France and cover most expats from the first day of work, other legal residents can have access to cover once they have lived in France for 3 consecutive months or longer.

However, it does include limits and most expats and French residents will take out a top-up insurance for extra cover.

INSURANCE FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN Some home insurances will cover your children at school for any accident, check your policy or ask the provider. If it’s not on you house insurance, then most companies will off it at a very reasonable price. Even though you do not strictly need it for your child to attend school, you will need it if there are any activities outside of school. You will usually get asked for it at the beginning of the new school year.

SOCIAL INSURANCE For people who work in France or study in France and must register for social security this will cover payments. The public social security schemes usually cover, • Sickness, accidents, and disability.

• Parental leave.

• Family benefits.

• Old age French pensions.

• Unemployment.

• Survivor benefits.

You will find that most employers will enrol their employees on the social security scheme. However, if you are self-employed then you will have to insure yourself as self-employed in France.

Optional forms of insurance in France There are two forms of life insurance in France, explained here: Assurance vie literally translates to life insurance, however, it does not work the same way as it does in the UK. This type of insurance is a savings policy that you caninvest in for your retirement or for a longtermproject.

‘Assurance deces’ literally translated as ‘death insurance’, however the company insuring will only pay out, if you can prove a loss in earnings on the death of your loved one. If you take out the insurance just for accidents, they are usually quite low cost for the whole family, its once you add illness the policy will go up in price because they will consider your age and health at the time of application.

If you take out a sizable loan with your bank, they may request you take out life insurance at the same time, in order to pay off any liabilities with the bank after your death. Of course any monies leftover would revert to your estate.

Phew….Hoping I haven’t forgotten anything and I’ve helped you get to grips with the mind boggling options available and what is absolutely necessary.

In next months addition I will explain all about business insurances you will need.

UNDERSTANDING THE FRENCH TAX SYSTEM Sarah MacGilchrist of France Expat Assistance talks us through the mine field of taxation in France.

If I have just bought a house, when do I get notification of my property taxes?

What all householders or house owners need to know about French property taxes?

France has two property taxes, taxes foncières and taxe d’habitation.

Taxes Foncières is a property tax, which the owner pays on their property. There are differingrates depending on the type of property (residential or outbuilding).

The tax levied is based on a figure called the rental value (valeur locative), which is fixed by the local tax office, and the commune where the property is located.

Taxe d’habitation is a local services and infrastructures tax. It is also based on the rental value of the property.

The inhabitant of the property pays it. Television tax (Redevance audiovisuelle) is also included in this bill.

If the inhabitant is an owner-occupier, they pay both Taxes Foncières and Taxe d’habitation. If the inhabitant of the property is a tenant, they only pay taxe d’habitation.

Exoneration of taxe d’habitation: Over the last few years Taxe d’habitation has been mostly phased out for French residents, but not second homeowners. If you are exonerated from taxe d’habitation and you have a television set, you still have to pay television tax (redevance audiovisuelle) Exoneration of taxes foncières: This is for people on a low income over the age of 75.

Property taxes are due in the last half of the year and are paid by the person who owns the property on January 1st of the year it is issued.

When a house is sold, the owner will not receive notification of the property tax due until the 3rd quarter of the calendar/fiscal year following the house purchase. In an extreme example if a house sale takes place on the 2nd of January, the vendor is liable for almost a whole year’s taxe foncière even though the buyer owns it for most of the year.

To offset this injustice, the buyer’s part of the taxe foncière bill is often settled in the notaire’s office on the day of the sale. Using the taxe foncière bill of the year preceding the sale, the notaire will divide the tax by 365 and the buyer will pay the seller their part of the year’s taxe foncière, corresponding to the number of days in that year that they own the house.

Income tax – what all residents should know?

If you are resident in France for more than 183 days in a fiscal year, you must make a tax declaration in France even if your revenue is taxed or originates from abroad. Note that this does not necessarily mean that you have to pay tax in France. There is a double taxation treaty, whichlays down which country receives the income tax from which type of foreign revenue.

You cannot be taxed twice on the same income.

The double taxation treaty between France and UK is not affected by Brexit and is still in force.

All income must be declared including interest and dividends. The art of doing a French tax declaration without losing the will to live is to work out exactly what your revenue sources are BEFORE you sit down to do it. This goes for the paper declarations and the on-line declaration.

Unlike UK, the French fiscal year runs from 1st January to 31st December. The declaration for a year’s income is made in the second quarter of the following year.

French households are taxed on the combined income of the household. The income of the household is divided by the number of people living in the house (adults count as one part and children count as half parts) to arrive at a figure, which is taxable (revenue fiscal de reference).

It is not unknown in expat circles to hear of people who do not make a French tax declaration on the basis that “they pay their tax elsewhere” or “they do not earn enough to pay tax” and they therefore see it as a pointless exercise. It may well be that they fall underneath the threshold for income tax payment or that they pay their income tax elsewhere and have nothing to pay in France, however most residents who make a tax declaration are nowadays exonerated from taxe d’habitation and it is often in their interest to make a declaration in France. If you don’t make the declaration, you are considered as owning a second home and you will pay taxe d’habitation unnecessarily.

How do I make my income tax declaration?

If you have already received a taxe d’habitation or taxe foncière bill you will see a fiscal number (numéro fiscal) in a box on the top left of your tax bill. Contact your local tax office (whose address is on the tax bill) and tell them you want to activate your on-line “espace particulier”. You will need to send them a copy of your passport to do this.

Or go on to the French tax website www.impots.gouv.fr and click on “espace particulier” in the top right hand corner. This will open up a screen where you can apply to have your on-line tax account activated.

Once this is activated and you are known as an income tax payer you will receive an automatic reminder to make your income tax declaration on-line when the portal opens. If you have not got round to activating your account before the portal for tax returns opens (usually end of April), you can make a paper declaration using forms the tax office send you (if they know about you) or using forms which can be downloaded from the Internet.

A French tax form is an intimidating looking document. The declaration system is based on revenue sources (30+ types of revenue on the first page of the tax form alone!).

All French tax residents are also obliged to disclose all their foreign bank accounts and other fund holding financial products, every year. The tax office is not interested in knowing how much money you have in them. They just want to know if they exist.

How do I pay my income tax?

If you have regular revenue in the form of a salary and tax is due on it, you will be taxed using the PAS (prélèvement à la source) system, which is like the PAYE system in UK. It will be your employer who deals with this. For other people who are not salaried but who are paying income tax, a series of monthly or quarterly payments are set up on the basis of their previous years’

Income. In both cases under or over payment are dealt with at the end of the year.

Finally, in spite of their frightening reputation, the French tax authorities can be very reasonable and helpful if you contact them to explain difficulties or to ask for information, and you do this in good time. This is challenging over the phone if you are not a fluent French speaker but the on-line account has a messaging service and, with help from Google translate, it is possible to contact them and resolve difficulties quite quickly in many cases. There is also a written trace and receipt for each message, which avoids any things, which are posted or handed over the counter getting declared “lost”. I observe that written exchanges tend to lead to fewer misunderstandings if it’s still early days for you with French.

HIGH SPEED RURAL In a world where everything is digital, shopping, socialising, work and education, staying connected isnt always easy, The Web Works can help!

High Speed Rural was initially established in the UK out of necessity. We had sold our house and decided to rent a house before our move to France, the rental property location was in the Derbyshire Dales, rather rural and my work was online website development and software based, so as long as I had an internet connection, we were going to be just fine!

I was assured that the property had a high speed connection; foolishly, I should have plugged in and checked! With speeds of 1mbps it was like going back to the dark ages, “watching paint dry” definitely springs to mind!

A solution was needed and fast and after a ton of research, lots of trials with different potential options, I finally put a system together that gave me 30 – 50mbps, without the need for a landline, which, was absolutely unheard of in such a rural location. Needless to say, we became hugely busy installing new systems for rural businesses and consumers all over rural areas of the UK for the next 12 months.

Finally, after much searching, over what seemed like the whole of France, we bought in a beautiful house in South West Rural Aquitaine with no landline, no mobile signal, almost completely isolated! Absolute bliss but how could I work?

This time, BEFORE we bought, I took along one of our systems to see if the location was suitable workwise?

With a little tweaking, I was able to achieve speeds or 20mbps up to 40mbps, which is 40 times faster than what the service that the local providers could offer, so we were able to work online while streaming movies on Netflix and other online channels as if we are on fibre broadband! Result!

As always happens in the rural villages, word soon got around that there was someone in the village who could put an end to the sheer misery of not been able to at least Face time friends and family all over the world and to be able to use the internet like were in the 21st Century!

From there, The Web Works (it does what it says on the box) was born and it didn’t take long for the word to spread further afield and so we are now installing and supplying systems to lots of rural locations in France, which is rewarding in so many ways.

One of our latest clients lives with her 96-year-old mum, who was so upset that she was unable to Face time her grandchildren and great grandchildren in the UK. The look of sheer delight on that ladies face when we connected her iPad to the Internet and made the Face time call was absolutely priceless! There is so much appreciation for what we are doing here in rural France and with no requirement for a landline here either, the systems can be set up literally anywhere!

As a positive knock on effect of having a reliable internet connection, we are now receiving multiple requests to assist clients wanting to promote their business websites and to help them to get listed on page one of Google or other search engines, as well as Social media marketing, all of which we are now providing as a one stop shop solution for businesses here in France! So, if you are a Chateau, Gite, campsite or bed and breakfast owner, wine producer, fishing Lake Owner or any other business, we would love to be able to help you in any way we can.

Drop us an email grahamwalsh@hotmail.com and let’s have a chat!

The Friendly Face of Currency Exchange in France Fiona Warren of Currencies Direct talks us through her journey into the world of currency exchange Our wonderful French adventure, began way back in the spring of 2009 when, after much discussion and indecision, will we or won’t we moments, everything fell into place, enough for us to say “ok let’s do it now”. I had been contracting in IT and my last contract came to an end at the same time as the Mr’s (he worked as a building contractor doing office refurbishments). Our children were the ideal age (if such a thing exists!), 6 and 4 at the time, so we finally took the bull by the horns and made the move.

As we had no idea what we would do long term for work, our initial plan was to rent out our UK home and give it a year to see how we settled in France.

Fast forward almost 13 years; we still have the same tenants living in our house in the UK,my two cute ‘wee bairns’ are not so ‘wee’ any more and we are still here! During that first“trial” year in France, I wrote a monthly journal for another leading Expat magazine, which was really fun to do and is great to look back on to remind me of how strange and new it all was then even now! This is my first foray into writing since then and things have certainly changed!

Our first year was largely spent settling in and enjoying the quality family life that stepping off the “rate race” afforded us. The challenges of French admin were all new back then andthere didn’t seem to be the many ‘handholders’ that are around today to assist! I just had to stumble my way through it all, best I could!

The home paperwork side of life was always my area of ‘expertise’ while the ‘Mr’ cracked on with all the practical stuff. It was a good team effort! Obviously the small matter of earning a living had to be addressed eventually. No getting away from earning a crust and so it was about ten months after arriving in France, that I happened to spot an advert by Currencies Exchange firm, who were looking for a local regional rep here in southern France (covering what was then the Midi Pyrenees and Languedoc Roussillon regions). I was already a client and was familiar with the benefits that an FX broker could offer. So I thought, “hmmm…perhaps I could do this?”

As it was a sales role, I was expected to prepare a presentation to showcase my sales skills.

I based my Power Point presentation on my TV guilty pleasure of that time, Deal or No Deal. It worked, I got the job and the rest, as they say, is history!

I felt incredibly fortunate to have this opportunity and being primarily home based itwas just such a novelty for me. Before we moved I worked in London, commuting a mere 22 miles from home in Surrey, but a journey that usually took more than an hour!The kids were in expensive childcare, which was tough.

That said the one thing looking back, that was easier, was keeping on top of the housework. Now that we are all at home all the time the house stays clean for an average of 6 minutes, after I spend around 4 hours cleaning!

Part of my job involves guiding clients through the whole “why should I use you?” and “are you safe?” process. Understandable, of course. Anyone moving to France from overseas will need to transfer money at some point, whether it’s for a house purchase or rental, transferring an overseas salary or pension or even sending money back “home”. It’s often very helpful and reassuring for clients to speak to someone who is “local” to them, rather than an anonymous person calling from a corporate office. In fact I have lost count of the amount of times I have found myself explaining the ins and outs of FCA regulatory obligations or the benefits of a Forward Contract, whilst wearing a pinny and keeping an eye on the lunch in the oven! That’s why I wanted to help the readers ofSimply French Living magazine by trying to make the whole subject of transferring money less daunting and I am happy to have the chance to be a regular contributor. To make it easy I shall start from the beginning but I’m happy to answer specific questions so don’t be shy! Let know me if there is anything that you need to know? See you next time!

Fiona

Transferring money to or from France or abroad?

For more info Email:simplyfrenchliving@currenciesdirect.com

Oktoberfest When we think of October, we think of halloween, autumn colours and Oktoberfest! So what is Oktoberfest?

Oktoberfest is the worlds at largest and longest beer festival and travelling funfair. Running for almost 3 weeks In Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture and began in 1810, and held mid to late September lasting until the first Sunday in October. Many cities around the world hold their own version of the festival modelled on the Munich festivities.

The origin of the festival is subject to much debate. Some believe it was originally the royal festivities held just outside the city gates for the wedding of the future King Ludwig I to crown princess Therese of SaxeHildburghausen on 12th of October 1810. Others believe it was the proposal of Franz Baumgartner a Coachman, and sergeant in the national guard as a horse racing festival.

At the 100th anniversary of Oktoberfest in 1910, an estimated 120,000 litres of beer were consumed. Three years later, the Bräurosl was founded, which at that time was the largest pavilion to have ever been built, accommodating approximately 12,000 people.

Due to World War I, Oktoberfest was temporarily suspended from 1914 to 1918. The two years after the war, in 1919 and 1920, Oktoberfest was replaced by the so-called kleineres Herbstfest(which can be translated as "smaller autumn celebration"), and in 1923 and 1924 the Oktoberfest was cancelled due to hyperinflation.

The year 2010 marked the Oktoberfest Bicentennial.

For the anniversary, a horse race in historical costumes was held on opening day. A so-called historische Wiesn (historical Oktoberfest) took place, starting one day earlier than usual on the southern part of the festival grounds. A specially brewed beer (solely available at the tents of the historical Oktoberfest), horse races, and a museum tent gave visitors an impression of how the event felt two centuries ago.

Many of the festival traditions are still the same today.

Beer Barrel Tapping - at exactly 12:00 clock the lord mayor opens the first beer barrel in the Schottenhammel tent. Exclaiming, "O'zapft is!" (es ist angezapft—It has been tapped!) the Oktoberfest is declared opened.

Costume and riflemen parade - 8000 participants march in the parade in their historic festival costumes from the Maximilianeum on a seven kilometer stretch to the festival grounds.

Official beer - Only beer conforming to the Reinheitsgebot, and brewed within the city limits of Munich, can be served at the Munich Oktoberfest.

With the cancellation of the Oktoberfest since 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic, this is the first year that the Oktoberfest has not taken place since 1949.

Oktoberfest Rabbit and Ale Stew Autumn comes to the south west of France very slowly at first, but by early October the winds blow, the leaves scatter and our thoughts turn to slow cooked comforting game recipes. Of course it would be remiss of me not to mention our German neighbours and October Fest! What better way to join in their celebrations than with a French ale Stew!

Frozen rabbit is quite easy to find at this time of year in French supermarkets and butchers, you just have to be quick about it! Ask your butcher nicely to portion up your rabbit so you don't have to worry too much about your knife skills!

Ingredients

Method

1 full rabbit portioned

Brown off your floured Rabbit pieces in a little oil with garlic and onions first, then add everything else and transfer to the oven for at least two hours, medium heat.

Serve with a fresh buttered baguette or roast potatoes and French beans !

Seasoned flour for dusting the meat oil for browning shallots carrots celery garlic brown sugar French mustard thyme, rosemary & parsley salt and pepper chicken stock French ale

Best French Ale La Cagole – Marseille Bière des Trois Monts – Nord Pas de Calais Licorne Black Beer – Alsace Triple Grain Blonde – Lyon Barge du Canal – Paris

The Travelling Kitchener

Life between Belgium and the South of France often leads to adventures on route and making a meal from whatever is left in the fridge. Philippa Gratton does it in style and takes us with her on her travels.

Back to the land of the ‘ving and the veng’(vin et vent)… gentle mocking, I am from the North East of England after all! It took us two days to get from Waterloo, Belgium to our house on a hill in the Hérault, not far from Béziers, as this time we planned a bit of a road trip.

After all this time we’ve got the check list of leaving one house for another, down to a fine art… final grass cut, check batteries on the heating thermostat, set up extra video surveillance, turn off unnecessary circuits and water. Of course that is his department, my job to sort out the fridges, use up left over food or decide if it can make the journey in a cold box.

I had a bag of endive to use up along with various salad ingredients, plus eryngii mushrooms, peppers and courgettes. I know I should have been more disciplined when shopping, but it will never happen.

caramelised endives with a creamy Parmesan topping and crispy Serrano ham and a chopped Greek style salad with tahini dressing and Za’atar Sautéed mushrooms, garlic and parsley with truffle oil and Parmesan served with fresh cep and ricotta tortellini, from a packet, enough is enough!

Ooooo, I forgot other bits that wouldn’t travel. I made a nice sun dried tomato pesto from half a jar of sun dried tomatoes, lurking in the now nearly empty fridge.

Actually, I find this ready steady cook approach such fun ‘what have I got and how can I use it’?

Finally ready for off. Alarm set, door locked and heading for Fontainebleau, just south of Paris. All this time over here and we had never visited it.

Arrived at the hotel around 4 pm and sauntered out to take some photos. Our tickets for the actual Chateau visit had been booked online for the next morning. Unfortunately, our first view of the aforesaid eagerly awaited Chateau was disappointing. A part of the facade was covered to hide scaffolding but we did manage to have a stroll around Le Jardin d’Anglais and the Grand Parterre, which was very pretty and provided us with some great views of the other side of the building.

We stayed in a nearby Mercure hotel. Not the most exciting but always dependable and we know what to expect. Covid passports were required to eat in the restaurant and indeed to visit the Château inside. The next morning we arrived for the visit only to realise I had left our paper versions in another bag. Note to selves, upload the codes onto our phones.

Our booking was for 9.30 am. It was at least 10.30 by the time we got in but no one seemed bothered and we spent the next few hours with what seemed to be lots of old people. The grey euro, quelle surprise, there is nothing like self-delusion. A large section of the exhibits and history focused on one of our favourite friends from The Battle of Waterloo…

Napoleon. The interiors, decor and furnishings were splendiferous...is that a word? We did wonder how the older parts had survived the French Revolution.

Napoleon’s throne room

Napoleon? Notice the modern day touch.

It was a lovely visit! Steeped in colour and history. We set off for the spa town of Vichy, which wasn’t so far but ended up taking over 4 hours. The N roads were diabolical, road works everywhere and bizarrely gazillions of lorries going in the opposite direction to us. No wonder there’s a shortage of drivers in the U.K. They are all here!

We eventually arrived in Vichy and checked into our swanky spa hotel. This wasn’t our usual style but we were playing it safe and again our Covid passports were scanned upon arrival.

The town has been known for centuries for the healing powers of its thermal springs so, we couldn’t resist getting a free sample from the spa in the centre of the park, where once again we seemed to be surrounded by very friendly old people. It’s taking time for the penny to drop isn’t it?

We could not visit Vichy without mentioning its more recent modern history. A former hotel, Le Parc, was the HQ of Maréchal Pétain during the Vichy regime and after 1942 also the offices of Pierre Laval.

With the beautiful riverside, central park and buildings we felt Vichy was like a mini Paris but on a human scale for us elderly!

Time for dinner and an early night, as we are off to the Hérault in the morning, on the beautiful AutoRoute de la Méridienne. As soon as I see the Millau Viaduct then I know we are nearly there.

Upon arrival I managed to cobble together dinner using the vegetables left in the cold box, peppers, courgettes, an aubergine, onions and cherry tomatoes served with lamb chops and merguez from the freezer and a quick arrabiata sauce. Not forgetting a nice bottle of local wine.

Let the clean up begin tomorrow!

Ballroom

The town boasts beautiful buildings, a fabulous opera house, and a lovely park running alongside the river and, to our great surprise, a statue of Albert 1st of Belgium. Those pesky Belgians get everywhere?

The Hostess with the Mostest Are you running a B&B or hotel and looking for ways to beat the competition, or a big fan of high tea wanting to make it special for family and friends? Food writer and chef, Ingrid Burling, shares teatime etiquette and original ideas that will bring your guests come back for more.

One of the most important aspects of high tea is the visual glory of it.

We eat with our eyes and believe that what we see heralds the gastric pleasure that will follow. Taking the time to make subtle adjustments to the flavours and presentation will propel you a long way to those muchdesired rave reviews and it's easy to do.

Setting the scene

Your high-tea table can be dressed beautifully using simple means.

Tablecloths can be rustic and napkins can be given a new lease of life with a ribbon, leaves, berries and dried fruit from your garden.

Bring out your family silver if you have it, or if you are just setting up, invest in vintage silver plate cutlery in mix-andmatch settings from Etsy. Many come from estate sales with real history- and so will instantly transport you to romantic times. Each of my own purchases arrived wrapped in tissue paper, with labels explaining its provenance, just wonderful. At only £2 to £7 each 50% less than modern pieces, they also tolerate the dishwasher and are easily replaced if damaged, so this is a very forgiving purchase indeed.

Quirky design Consider taking advantage of innovations to delight the eye: the pretty latte cups from available from www.greengate.dk and www.finenordic.com, will grace any table for ice cream, compote, mousse or jellies. Budget versions from supermarkets like lEclerc (see pics) and Amazon can present anything from condiments, soup, noodles and salad to sorbet .Available in different colours, they too can be mixed and matched.

Marry practicality with originality Dining and hosting can be made easy by striking a balance between the ornamental and practical. Threetiered cake-stands can take the entire contents of a tea, with a teapot warmer nearby, or a double burner for coffee and hot milk, liberating your table and charming your diners.

In our house we use a Lazy Susan, so guests can reach what they need and we, as hosts, can replenish things with ease. They come in marble, slate, wood and glass and can be left on the table to take jam, milk, sugar and sauces at breakfast. Very practical!

Classic floral setting An intimate high tea in a classic floral setting where the desserts do the talking: a blueberry scone crown, clove and mocha fruit-andnut tartlets, and pretty glasses of pineau rosé with basil ice, complete with cocktail stems and your best silverware.

Rustic setting A simple wooden board, terracotta and blue pottery make perfect partners for a rustic Fall tea: chillied smoked bacon and tomato muffins topped with pink peppercorns and a maple glaze, seasonal fruits and a mug of rose chai.

The picture of the milk and tea strainer on a plate Humble little finds from a brocante get a noble make-over with wild berries and burgundy leaves from the hedgerows.

The importance of temperature

Vibrancy makes a meal memorable

Temperature can elevate or ruin the vibrancy of high tea, but how does it make a difference? Here comes the science: The flavour of tea comes out of the tea leaf edges. It does not come out of the top or bottom surfaces of the leaf.

Hot water will disturb the leaf edges, releasing the tannins, but only if the water is actively bubbling. Without this you get a nice cup of dishwater.

Secondly, we know that heating the teapot raises flavour, but have you tried heating the cups too? It makes a dramatic difference.

Third, consider buying a teapot warmer - there is a range on Amazon in many styles and for all budgets. I have three and they have transformed our dining: my terracotta one is used for breakfasts or rustic tea with liqueurs while doing my nails and watching old movies; my glass one is for festive breakfasts, and the silver one for more noble occasions. I also have a double one which keeps an oval dish of pancakes hot for the duration. They take one night lite that lasts for hours and, at under £20, ours earned its keep within its first year. It is now invaluable to us.

Old+new setting Blending the old and the new: modern crockery from a local French supermarket and tarnished vintage silver in mix-andmatch patterns can look beautiful with simple leaves from your garden and a dried rose.

The edibles of a high tea can also be a real talking point: steep the cucumber slices in malt vinegar; flavour the egg with winter savory; anoint the salmon with lemon rind, and scent the ham with sweet chilli and mint. The humble muffin can also be reborn: how about chillied bacon and tomato with pink peppercorns and a maple syrup glaze or chicken, lemon and thyme with crispy croutons?

Even scones can be part of the fun: place the entire dough in a single round on a tray to bake, drizzle with orange icing or chocolate, and serve in wedges. Or bake some sweetened, lavender-scented blueberries in a round of sweet scone dough flavoured with Chinese five spice, crowding the edges up and around it, like treasure.

Serve this with a dollop of cream, and you've got heaven on a plate.

Scandi tea setting Why not sail north for a change and serve your inventions on delicate glassware?

A schmor on rye, with a lemon and mustard chantilly on a little fish plate, followed by multiberry compote with crystalised lemon cream in a tumbler, and a jug of lemon-scented geranium and rose petal tea on a glass warmer.

Look out for my next article in the series: how to make your side dishes stand out - for the right reasons....

Ingrid Burling

Comfort Food

As the dark nights draw in it’s time to break out the comforting foods of autumn and winter for that internal central heating feeling that only the heartiest of meals can provide. Here’s a little selection that will certainly warm the cockles.

Blue Cheese, Pear and Walnut Risotto Risotto makes a perfect one pot, winter warmer supper, especially when served with fresh crusty bread and a light balsamic, rocket salad.

Ingredients

Method

1 cup of arborio rice olive oil 1 to 3 tablespoons of salted French butter 1 or 2 large pears cored and sliced 2 shallots minced 1 garlic clove minced 1/4 bottle of good French white wine salt and pepper 4 cups or a pint of hot chicken or veg stock 50 g to 100 g of crumbled French blue cheese Toasted walnuts to decorate add honey if you like

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a medium heavy bottomed pan, over a medium heat. Add pears and saute until the pears are golden and tender. Reserve.

In a medium saucepan, heat remaining the oil and butter over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and saute for one minute.

Add the arborio rice and stir until all grains are coated and slightly translucent, for about two minutes. Add the wine and stir over medium high heat until all wine is absorbed and the rice is well coated.

Add about 1 cup of hot stock to the rice and stir constantly until almost all the stock is absorbed. Continue to add the stock, one cup at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed, before adding the rest of the stock. Use enough stock to cook the rice until it is just al dente.

Step 3 Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Gently fold in reserved pears. Serve topped with walnuts and drizzled with honey, if desired.

Stove Top Pasta & Meatballs Yep, summer is drawing to a close and our thoughts turn swiftly to Autumn! So, you know that fancy computer pasta you spy in the Deli, pick up and put down again? Well, this time fill your shopping basket with those jewel coloured Italian gems! Use them to spruce up your family favorites! I do!

If you have patience this recipe can be done all on the stove top, so pour yourself a glass or three and wind away some time making this dish!

Ingredients

Method

750 g of ground beef 2 teaspoons of ground or fresh shallots 1 teaspoon of dried herbs or oregano 2 teaspoons of fresh chopped basil and parsley 1/2 teaspoon of chill is flakes 3 garlic cloves minced Salt and pepper

Mix well, pinch a bit and roll into a small ball! Continue with this until you've rolled them all.

Serves 6 greedy people

Recipe copyright humble tart kitchen

Now brown these gently off in olive oil. Shake the pan to loosen every so often and or turn with using tongs.

Take the meat balls gently out of the pan and set aside.

Now slosh some red wine in the bottom of the pan about 1/2 a small glass! Add a good glue of decent balsamic vinegar. Let it bubble for a few seconds. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the meaty/herby bits!

Now add a tin of chopped tomatoes, loads of basil and 100mls of pasata!

Add 1.5 tins worth of hot water and let it simmer for a few minutes.

Now add the pasta and let it cook for ten minutes. Use the lid to create steam to cook the pasta! You can add cooked pasta at this stage if you want! Then add the meatballs back with juices. Add more basil and some buffalo mozzarella balls. Cook for a further 5/7 minutes, test the pasta is cooked and serve!

I just think the colour of pumpkin ravaged food is just divine, so autumnal and lets face it, we throw so much pulp away when carving pumpkins, we might as well use it up!

These one bowl easy, moist fluffy muffins are a lovely treat during all Hallows Eve! Make them small and hide a few for yourself as they will be gone in wave of a broomstick!

Wet Ingredients

Spiced apple cake 4/6 large apples sliced *top of cake 1/2 tablespoon of light brown sugar 2 apples peeled cored & diced *inside the cake 1/4 lemon, rind and juiced (unwaxed) 200g of ground almonds 100g of self raising flour 150 g of sugar pinch of salt 200 g of melted butter a pinch or two each of ginger, cinnamon & clove 1 teaspoon of almond extract 4 large eggs at room temp 2 teaspoons of cornstarch mixed in a dot of water 2 teaspoons baking powder Warm apricot or apple jam for glazing Sliced almonds for the topping Prep your fluted loose bottomed tin and line the bottom or use a loose bottomed deep cake tin Melt the butter and set aside.

Prep your apples and set aside Prepare your lemon and set aside Mixthe cornstarch and set aside Now mix everything bar the apples in together well.

Now gently fold in the apple chunks and then place the slices on top sprinkle the top with sugar and almonds bake at 160 for 45 minutes depending on your oven check the cake is baked all the way through serve warm or cold and wind away some time making this dish!

2 cup measures of pure pumpkin puree 1/4 cup coconut oil 1/2 cup of coconut sugar 1/2 cup of maple syrup 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed mixed with 6 tablespoons of water (whisk) 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients 4 cups of gluten free almond flour 1 cup of oat GF flour (you can grind your own gf oats) 3 teaspoons of baking powder 1 teaspoon of baking soda 2 or 3 teaspoons of homemade autumn spice (cinnamon, clove, ginger) pinch of salt

Method Mix together Pop a small spoonful in your mini muffin wraps or tins just a 1/3 fill and bake for 10/15 minutes medium oven!

Et Voila!

Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup It’s squash season and my absolute favourite has to be butternut squash, roasted, mashed, in a soup or gratin it’s

just delicious! This spiced soup

is a firm favourite amongst family and friends and now it’s yours to try.

If we have guests for lunch I usually put out little dishes of fried potato cubes, various grated cheeses,

shredded ham hock and chicken to add

to the soup and a selection of bread rolls. A little soupy feast which never disappoints!

Ingredients 1 large onion ( I use red) 3 cloves of garlic 250g smoked bacon lardons Sprig of thyme Sprig of Rosemary 2 good sized sweet potatoes 1 medium sized butternut squash

Method 2 small white potatoes Tablespoon of spiracha chilli Pepper 1/2 teaspoon of paprika 1 large glass of white wine Chicken stock (enough to cover veg) Single Cream

Quick comforting autumn starters using what you have grown yourself is just the business, isn't it? We cant ignore the mass of pumpkins and squash around at this time of year, but we can embrace seasonal produce and use it to our culinary advantage! Here's a really simple warm starter to get your guests back down to earth!

Roast sliced pumpkin and or squash with a little herb flavoured olive and nut oil and don't forget to season. Then crumble fresh French goats cheese and winter herbs over the top! How easy is that!

Fry bacon, onion and garlic in a little butter and oil in a large saucepan, add the potatoes and butternut squash and continue to cook for a couple of minutes stirring. Add the liquids, seasoning and spices and bring to the boil. Lower heat and simmer until veg is cooked. Blitz with a stick blender and add cream to thin and make it a lighter colour.

Serve with a drizzle of single cream and a sprinkle of fresh parsley

Le Tour du Monde de Joyeux Bouddha en 80 recettes Joyeux Bouddha’s world tour in 80 recipes is a monthly event which will first be held in Paris, on October 16th 2021, in Paris (75015). Don’t miss it!

Save the date: Saturday, October 16th 2021 from 10am to 9:30pm Address: 11 rue du Laos 75015 Paris (10 min on foot from the Eiffel Tower), métro: La Motte Piquet Grenelle

In his world tour, Joyeux Bouddha (Happy Bouddha) has visited 80 countries and met with many Chefs who shared with him the recipes which represented their country. For the first event, Joyeux Bouddha will be happy to introduce the cuisine and the culture of three country : Tunisia, India and Hong-Kong One of The Paris-Bercy Pullman hotel’s chef, Nguili, will cook some of the best dishes from her native country, Tunisia. Ahlem worked with world known Chef Alain Ducasse. She is a member of “Les Toques Françaises”, a highly private association of French Chefs.

The guests will also discover India through the cuisine of Anshita Gupta. Anshita is a pastry chef formally trained in French pastry art. She believes in preserving

the tradition of fresh home baked food and desserts.

Her love and passion for baking reflects into the soulful cakes and authentic Indian dessert.

All dishes can be enjoyed with selected wines Joyeux Bouddha also invites musicians, craft(wo)men and artists he has met during his long journey…these talented creatives will show their products and arts. 12 exhibitors are expected. A friendly Catwalk will be organized to introduce all exhibitors.

Joyeux Bouddha is a brand of Ho Ho France, a family owned business offering fresh noodles and wrappers for ravioli since 1976 with ingredients 100% made in France.

Celebrating French wine culture with Pam Gagiano

Hello again! Following on from Issue 1, my first wine article and before continuing on with the regions, the various wineries and their wines, perhaps a word or two on tasting first? Do bear in mind that I am a complete novice and to me wine tasting has always been subjective, as people have such differing wine palates and preferences dont they? Indeed! So with this in mind, I decided to take a little 'crash course' on the different aspects of wine tasting.

BORDADO

Believe it or not, one needs to learn how to develop ones wine palate. Initially I thought it was a lot of mumbo jumbo! Turns out, as I followed the steps, hints and tips; it isn't a load of baloney and makes complete sense.

There are four simple steps to follow and actually one could look quite 'pro' in the process!

1 - LOOK - a visual inspection in natural or neutral light.

2 - SMELL - identify aromas by breathing through ones nose.

3 - TASTE - assess flavours i.e.: sweet, bitter, and sour.

4 - THINK - create a profile of the wine to store in your memory.

1. LOOK at the colour, opacity and viscosity (or legs).

2. SMELL the wine by putting your nose to the glass and note what you find e.g. citrus, tropical, red, black, blue fruits, spice, herbs and floral notes etc. Give the glass a swirl or two.

3. TASTE with your tongue, thus you should be able to distinguish sweet, sour, salty and bitter (all grapes have some acidity) you may also be able to feel texture, usually in wines with a higher alcohol content. You will also taste the tannins (natural compounds found in plants), which will give you a feeling of dryness.

4. THINK about the acidity, alcohol, and tannin. Is it balanced, do you like it and would you like more? Will it be good with salad, fish, meat, and dessert? Or just simply to be enjoyed on its own or may be with olives or cheese?

There are so many wines from Provence, it can be overwhelming, and hence I have chosen just two rosés from each of the regions in this article. We will do the same when it comes to the reds, whites and bubbles.

Should you be able to taste either of the below wines, do let us know your thoughts. · Château Simone in the Palette area is arguably the most popular and the most expensive with their Château Simone Palette Rose which will set you back by more than €40 a bottle. Made from Shiraz/Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache Blanc and Cinsaut with 14.5% alcohol. It's a dry wine with a fair amount of acidity and medium intensity with hints of red fruits, herby (thyme) and citrus. On the colour spectrum, on the darker side and should be allowed to breathe before enjoying. It pairs well with pork, shellfish, vegetarian and poultry dishes. · Château Henri Bonnaud Palette rose is an excellent value for money wine at around €20 a bottle and is made from the Grenache, Mourvedre and Cinsault varietals with 14% alcohol. It’s a very dry wine, not too bold, with a medium high acidity and quite smooth. Notes of red fruits, orange, lemon and some peach notes too. This is also fairly dark in colour and pairs well with pork, vegetarian, poultry and shellfish dishes.

Next month:- Rose wines from Coteaux Varois, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence and Bandol regions.

Simply Reviews - Chateau

CHATEAU DE MAUMONT

CHATEAU DE MAUMONT 4 RUE ARISTRIDE BRIAND 16600 MAGNAC-SUR-TOUVRE

Just ten miles south of Angouleme, sitting beside the River Charente is the stunning French owned Chateau De Maumont.

Last year, just after the first pandemic lockdown, we as a family decided on a mini break ‘escape’, so that we could stretch our legs and breathe a little better. Of course, we all now know, just how much being cooped up and unable to go outdoors, for more than an hour a day made us feel? Awful, wasn’t it?

I know I felt more than a little stare crazyduring the first and subsequent lockdowns,as at the time as we were living in a very small one-bed rental cottage in Normandy and hadn’t really seen much of France,since arriving back from Canada, in early 2020. It all felt a little surreal at times. Not quite how we had imagined our return.

Once the Teen and her then 6’4 boyfriend arrived for the summer,

we all really felt the need for more space and a little Covid safe travel within France, even if only for a few days! I’m a bit of a sucker for French Chateaux; I think you know thatabout me by now? I will find any excuse to visit and stay when I can. Of course back in early July 2020, sadly, many hospitality businesses remained closed.

Chateau Maumont, just like millions of wedding centric businesses in France,trading during Covid, had to adapt veryquickly and had already suffered many cancelations. As we all know now, this first lockdown was just one of three and hospitality businesses were continually challenged beyond their wildest nightmares!

My Husband and I wanted to ensure we spent our money with those French businesses in need, best we could and so we got the map out, did a bit of surfing and decided on a 5 day adventure in the south west of France!

It was high time, we stepped out of our ten-year, Normandy comfort zone and I’d always had a wish to travel the whole of France before deciding where we would buy on day.

We excitedly squeezed in the car,including tall, lanky rugby player, glad of the release from Alcatraz! The car had taken quite a bashing on the ship from Canada and also it unfortunately need the air conditioning unit replacing, but these were pandemic times and so it was ‘make do and mend’ and a tad sweaty! Knowing we probably couldn’t eat on route, I packed us up and made sure we had hand sanitizer, masks and wipes! I know it all sounds so normal now but back then we really didn’t understand that little would have changed a year on, did we?

Our journey was fairly painless, around four and a half hours, not a lot of traffic and only one stop for the loo! All in all, a very peaceful journey even with teenagers on board! I a have to say we really enjoyed the changing landscape, creamy houses, sunshine and fields of sunflowers. A much needed antidote to grey everything!

We arrived in the village of Magnacsur-Touvre a little too early for check in, so we decided to have a little walk beside the river and took time to

discover the pretty but quiet village. Eventually, we decided to chance our luck at an early arrival and rang the bell! Two bouncing big mountain dogs, pretending to be cross, greeted us, only we weren’t convinced! Turned out they were to become our best friends and a great source of fun!

The lovely Chatelaine, an ex prima ballerina, greeted us in perfect English, which is never expected but always a relief! She was agreeable to us arriving early and gave us a quick tour of the estate. By mid afternoon the sun was beating down on us and we were ready for a swim in their wonderful pool, after a glass of wine of course.

In my humble opinion the chateau resembles a lovely big Scottish country house. She’s all grandiose business at the front and charentaise styled at the back. There is a warmth and homeliness to every room in the guest part and you can feel the life of the family that owns it everywhere, which I rather love.

There are many odes to their personal travels over the years and that gives the interiors a very unique feel.

Our room was at the front of the house and more of a suite than a room, featuring a huge fireplace and slipper bath, all the trappings. The teens were equally happy with their unbelievable large suite with en suite shower room!

No complaints!

The catering was unfortunately one of the victims of the pandemic but our hostess and her housekeeper did their best to put on a Friday evening spread, which was just what the doctor ordered. The breakfasts were fit for a king or queen and our lovely hostess made a huge effort to include me, the problem celiac at breakfast and I still make her Gluten Free Fruit crumble, over a year on! Her husband, who works in Paris, regularly brought her some rather wonderful fresh baked GF bread home at the weekends, which she happily shared with me! I don’t think I will ever forget my morning walks in the garden with my coffee. The peace I found was priceless. Please do visit when you get the chance, you’ll be very much welcomed with open arms!

We didn’t spend all our time at the Chateau as we decided to do a little house hunting and also wanted to discover the vast stunning cityscape, that is Angouleme. Of course, we also made time for an unforgettably hot and sticky visit to Bordeaux too! Not to be missed but not really a day trip if you can help it! We absolutely loved the southwest and so it’s no surprise that we moved to rent in the area within the year!

KIDS CORNER HALLOWEEN SPOOKY SPECIAL

All Hallows Kids You may or may not be a fan of 'Trick or Treating' and let's face it, even post pandemic we need to be aware of Covid safety when door knocking! Maybe, you'd prefer to stay at home and instead involve the little ones in a little food and craft play? It doesn't have to be all tacky decor or unhealthy sugar highs! Kids will love our little menu below: Halloween Mummified Hotdogs - just shop bought pastry wrapped around tinned hotdogs or franks.

Goggle eyed Cookies - Your usual cookie recipe, decorated with goggly eyes from the craft store and coloured smarties.

Ghostly scary bananas - decorated with chocolate buttons and or raisins.

Shocked Pears - Pealed whole pears decorated with raisins and natural food colouring.

Spider pies - Have a little fun with pastry and make individual pies, using olive slices for eyes!

Finally raid the craft box, save up all those cardboard toilet rolls and get busy making a collection of halloween monsters!

HAVE A SAFE HALLOWEEN!

Toffee Apples

Ingredients 8 crunchy eating apples 400 g of golden caster sugar 1 tsp of white wine vinegar 4 tbsp of golden syrup How to:Place the apples in a bowl and pour hot water over them to remove the wax.

Dry throughly and place a lolly stick through the core.

Pop the apples on a piece of baking parchment paper.

Dissolve the sugar in 100 ml of boiling water.

Then add the vinegar and syrup to 150 c.

Dip your apples in and twist around until covered then leave to harden and cool.

Decorate.

Lets get crafty!

If there’s ever a time to break out the craft box it’s Halloween. Why not try a few of these with your little monsters.

Make your own mummy You will need:-

How to:-

White wool Black card Googley eyes.

Cut out a body shape using a cookie cutter as a template.

Stick on your Google eyes and wrap your wool around your shape. Tape your end when finished.

Decorating Pumpkins Typically carving a pumpkin is absolutely the thing to do onthe run up to Halloween. With really young children whose co-ordination isn’t there yet, operating cutting tools is never going to be risk free even with the best supervision. So why not decorate your pumpkins instead.

Painting, glueing, sticking or some fancy decoupage paper produce some fabulous decorated pumpkin that won’t disintegrate like a freshly carved pumpkin, can be made in advance an look fab stacked by the front door or as table decorations.

FOR BETTER OAR WORSE ‘Guiscriff’ Couple take on the world’s toughest Row! Sponsor a KM for only €5.

At first glance, Dani and Mark Jones, are an everyday hardworking young couple, who settled in the quiet village of Guiscriff, some eleven years ago and are raising a young family. But there is something rather special about these two, who aim to become world record breakers in 2023, when they row 5000km across the Atlantic ocean, starting in La Gomera in the Canaries and arriving hopefully 45 days later in Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, Antigua! They are taking part in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge(TWAC), which has become the biggest race in the rowing Calendar, and is dubbed “the worlds toughest row”.

Mark and Dani’s training is already well underway and they have just launched their fundraising campaign in Brittany, with a 24hrs row-a-thon on their concept 2 rowing machine at the local Gare in Guiscriff. They completed nearly 222km in 24hrs and they are nowsearching for sponsors to help them on their campaign. They have sponsor a KM for just €5, with a chance to win a cash prize and the winning ticket will be picked live on their Facebook page “ For Better Oar Worse” after the race has been completed. They are also offering companies and private persons advertising space on their R25 Ocean rowing boat ‘Cosimo’. The race receives a massive global audience and they are offering sponsorship packages starting at just €250.

Charity Challenge to change lives.

Inspired by Dani’s father, who completed the challenge in a team of four, two years ago, Mark and Dani aim to raise money for causes close to their hearts. Both have sporting backgrounds and have competed at a high level in their specialist fields. They have wisely elected to raise funds on both sides of the channel. UK monies will go to a nationwide charity called Access Sport UK, which sets up projects all over the UK, that enable people from all backgrounds to try different sports. Some Olympic and Paralympic medallists have started off through them, but as with all charities, they need funds to continue. Having been embraced by their local community, Mark and Dani are hoping to raise enough money to fund a community sport project to benefit the people of Guiscriff and the local area. This includes raising money to aid the two schools in Guiscriff to update their sport facilities.

For Better Oar Worse Mark and Dani are team For Better Oar Worse and further details about their journey they are undertaking and their world record attempt can be found on their website: www.forbetteroarworse.com through their Facebook page For Better Oar Worse, or via their webmail: forbetteroarworse@outlook.com or donate on their go fund me page.

So if, on your travels around Brittany, you see a young couple hauling a boat in and out of the lakes at Priziac or Guerledan, give them a shout or a wave, because it will probably be this intrepid young couple, hoping to break a world record whilst rowing 5000km across the Atlantic and hoping to change people’s lives by raising funds for their chosen charity and causes!

OCTOBER READING

ASTROLOGY WITH ANNETTE The new moon in Libra and the ending of some planets in retrograde; guide us to new motivations and beginnings. Take time to think things through. As we head towards the Celtic New Year. There is a communication’s vibe with Mars and Mercury in Libra, so be cautious words are chosen to heal not harm.

Venus in Sagittarius encourages us to take a chance with our personal style or with dating, to step out of our comfort zone and try something new.

Hunters moon is on 20th October the full moon after the Harvest moon, is in Aries and encourages us to step up and be shine in our own way. A cautionary note is to let go of any need for control; this is the month to go with the flow.

The Sun enters Scorpio on 22nd October, urging s to find our spirituality and to really feel our feelings. Mars enters Scorpio on 30th October, boosting libidos and lighting passions in us to achieve our desires.

October 31st Halloween or Samhain, makes the thinning of the veil, and maybe encourages us to connect with our ancestors and to remember them and the lessons they taught us.

Brightest Blessings

Annette

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