1
2
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Welcome! to Issue 30 of
‘The DeuxSèvres Monthly’ magazine.
Yipee! The Sun-‐dance I did last month has worked wonders, summer has finally arrived -‐ as have the holidays and holiday-‐makers. For both Rob and I, the summer months are the busiest, so no holidays yet for us. We are hoping for some rest and relaxation after the Anglo-‐ French Trade Fair at the end of September, but until then, it’s full steam ahead (steam being the operative word when its 35˚!). All this sunshine is wonderful, but please don’t forget the suncream. A minimum SPF of 15 is recommended, and of course, something much higher for children and babies. I’m sure many of you will have family and friends visiting this month, so have fun and enjoy the time together.....
à plus, Sarah. Tel: 05 49 70 26 21 Email: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
Emergency Numbers: 15 SAMU, Medical 17 Gendarmes, Police 18 Pompiers, Fire
112 European emergency 113 Drugs and alcohol
CONTENTS
What’s On.....................................................................................4 Hobbies, Clubs & Associations.....................................................6 Getting Out & About....................................................................7 Take a Break...............................................................................17 A-‐Z of the Communes in the Deux-‐Sèvres.................................18 Health, Beauty & Fitness............................................................19 Our Furry Friends.......................................................................20 The Great Outdoors...................................................................23 French Life, Food & Drink..........................................................27 Motoring....................................................................................31 French Adventures.....................................................................34 Communications........................................................................35 Building & Renovation...............................................................37 Business, Finance & Property....................................................42
THIS MONTH’S ADVERTISERS 79 Renovations.....................................................................................................40 A2B Food Services............................................................................................... 28 A La Bonne Vie (Restaurant)................................................................................ 30 Ace Pneus (Tyre Supplier & Fitter)...................................................................... 33 Affordable UK Designs (Kitchens & UPVC D/Glazing)......................................... 2 AKE Petits Travaux (Builder)................................................................................ 40 Alan Pearce (Plumbing & Heating)..................................................................... 38 Andrew Longman (Plumber)............................................................................... 37 Angie Weston (Mosaic Workshops).....................................................................7 A.P.S. Automobiles (FORD Garage)...................................................................... 32 ARB French Property........................................................................................... 44 Arbrecadabra.com (Tree surgery)........................................................................23
...continued.
Bar/Brasserie Vue du Chateau............................................................................ 28 Bijoux en Fleurs (Handmade jewellery).............................................................. 7 Bill McEvoy (Plumber / Heating Engineer).......................................................... 37 British Mobile Mechanic (John Purchase)........................................................... 33 Café des Belles Fleurs.......................................................................................... 30 Caniclôture (Hidden fencing)............................................................................ 21 Centre Régional ‘Résistance & Liberté’............................................................... 11 Chateau St Michel (Holiday and Wedding Venue).............................................. 44 Chez Remert Snack.............................................................................................. 27 Chris Bassett Construction.................................................................................. 40 Christies (English Book Shop and Tea Room)...................................................... 9 Cleaning Services by Karen.................................................................................. 44 Cottage Services.................................................................................................. 25 CSB Construction................................................................................................. 40 Currencies Direct (Money Transfers)................................................................... 42 Cut 46 (Hair Salon).............................................................................................. 20 DB Electricité....................................................................................................... 41 David Cropper (Stump Grinding & Jungle Busting)............................................ 23 DJ Jeff (Professional DJ)....................................................................................... 8 D J Maintenance (Handyman)............................................................................ 41 EcoPower (Solar Thermal Trading Company)...................................................... 44 EJ’s Mobile Jet Washing Service.......................................................................... 31 Electricien Anglais en France.............................................................................. 41 French Tuition (Pascale Terry)............................................................................. 16 Futuroscope......................................................................................................... 40 Gardening & Cleaning Services (Dean Smalley).................................................. 44 George Rayner Computers.................................................................................. 36 Give the Dog a Comb (Dog Grooming)............................................................... 21 Glass 2 France...................................................................................................... 2 Hallmark Electronique (Electricians & Sat. Engineers)........................................ 41 Heather’s Pet Care Services................................................................................ 21 Home and Garden Care (John Etherington)........................................................ 25 Homes In France (Tony Murdoch)....................................................................... 47 Insink Plumbing................................................................................................. .. 37 James Harris (Plasterer)....................................................................................... 38 John Snee Groundworks..................................................................................... 39 John Spray Maçonnerie (Stonemason)............................................................... 40 Jon Crocker Photography..................................................................................... 43 Keith Banks Pool Services.................................................................................... 37 La Deuxieme Chance (Annie Sloan chalk paint supplier).................................... 38 La Petite Épicerie (General Groceries & British Produce)................................... 28 Leggett Immobilier.............................................................................................. 46 Les Ecuries du Saumort (Horse Riding School).................................................... 20 Le Petit Pillac (Holiday Accommodation)............................................................ 44 Les Jardiniers du Poutou...................................................................................... 7 L’Immobilier de l’Autize....................................................................................... 46 Man & Van (Keith McNie).................................................................................... 33 Mad Hatter’s Kitchen.......................................................................................... 27 Man For Hire........................................................................................................ 23 Mark Sabestini Renovation & Construction........................................................ 39 MB Plumbing & Building Services....................................................................... 37 Michael Hobson (Painter & Decorator)............................................................... 38 Michael William Hairdressing.............................................................................. 19 ML Computers..................................................................................................... 36 Motor Parts Charente.......................................................................................... 33 Mutuelle de Poitiers Assurances......................................................................... 31 Nathan Foster Building Services.......................................................................... 40 Needa Hand Services........................................................................................... 38 Pamela Irving (Massage & Reflexology).............................................................. 19 Philip Irving (Mini Digger hire)............................................................................. 39 Polar Express (Frozen Foods).............................................................................. 28 Premier Autos (Mechanic).................................................................................. 33 Puy Rond Camping.............................................................................................. 10 Restaurant des Canards....................................................................................... 27 Rob Berry (Plasterer)........................................................................................... 38 Robert Walker Plomberie.................................................................................... 37 Ross Hendry (Interface Consulting & Engineering)............................................. 35 Sarah Berry Online (Graphics & Website Design)............................................... 36 Satellite TV (Nigel Gubb)...................................................................................... 36 sarl Down to Earth (Groundwork & Construction)............................................. 39 Sawmill -‐ Alain Miot............................................................................................. 40 Sentinel Security Systems.................................................................................... 44 Siddalls (Financial Advisors)................................................................................. 43 Simon Bienz (Carpenter / Joiner)........................................................................ 40 Simon The Tiler.................................................................................................... 37 Spectrum IFA Group (Amanda Johnson)............................................................. 42 Steve Enderby...................................................................................................... 38 Sue Burgess (French Courses & Translation)....................................................... 16 The English Mechanic & Son -‐ Tony Eyre............................................................ 33 The Market.......................................................................................................... 9 Total Renovation Services (Michael Dominey)................................................... 38 Tracey Bowring (Hairdressing & Nails)................................................................ 19 Val Assist.............................................................................................................. 16 Vendée Carriers................................................................................................... 33 Vendée Pools....................................................................................................... 45
© Sarah Berry 2013. All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without permission. While care is taken to ensure that articles and features are accurate, Sarah Berry accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction. The opinions expressed and experiences shared are given by individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the publisher. Please ensure you verify that the company you are dealing with is a registered trading company in France and/or elsewhere. <<The Deux-‐Sèvres Monthly>> est édité par Sarah Berry, La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny. Tél: 05 49 70 26 21. Directeur de la publication et rédacteur en chef: Sarah Berry. Crédits photos: Sarah Berry, Clkr et morgeufile.com. Impression: Raynaud Imprimeurs, zone industrielle, BP13, 79160, Coulonges-‐sur-‐l’Autize. Dépôt légal: aôut 2013 -‐ Tirage: 5000 exemplaires. Siret: 515 249 738 00011 ISSN: 2115-‐4848
Page 3
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
What’s On... August 2013 1st August -‐ Top Hat Quiz & Curry at Chef Boutonne See www.tophatquizzes.com for more information. 3rd August -‐ Karaoke Night At Bar/Brasserie Vue du Chateau, Bressuire. Please see advert on P.28 for details. 4th August -‐ Saxophone concert ‘Sax en Fête’ At Logis de la Chausée, Gourgé at 5pm. See full details on P.8. 5th August -‐ Top Hat Quiz & Curry at Limalonges See www.tophatquizzes.com for more information. 7th August -‐ Top Hat Quiz & Curry at Aigre See www.tophatquizzes.com for more information. 8th August -‐ Top Hat Quiz & Curry at Champniers See www.tophatquizzes.com for more information. 9th August -‐ Cockney Themed Night At A La Bonne Vie, Le Beugnon, 7.30pm. See advert on P.30 for info. 9th-‐10th August -‐ Mad Hatter’s Music Festival A fab weekend event at Mad Hatter’s Kitchen, Caunay. See advert on P.8 for details. 11th August -‐ Jazz Concert & Craft Market At Chateau of Cherveux. Entry fee 12€ (5€ for Under 12s) includes a free guided tour of the Chateau. The market opens at 2.30pm, visits start at 3.00pm and the concert in the courtyard begins at 4.30pm. Ample free parking, no need to reserve. Contact Jim Hutchison on 05 49 06 16 48. 13th August -‐ Picnic ride at La Chapelle Thireuil With Les Ecuries du Saumort -‐ please reserve a place on 05 49 05 30 75. 14th August -‐ Kiddies Craft Morning At The Market, Luché-‐sur-‐Brioux. For details see advert on P.9 15th August -‐ Village Family Fun Day At Loubillé, 79110 from 12 noon. For more info, please email: frenchvillagediaries@gmail.com. 16th August -‐ Pie night At Bar/Brasserie Vue du Chateau, Bressuire, with music from Guitarist/Sitarist Didier Ramdine. See advert on P.28. 16th August -‐ Music/Bistro Night At Mad Hatter’s Kitchen, Caunay. With A Vee & Andy Em. See advert on P.27. 18th August -‐ Disco Night with DJ Jeff At Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux at 8pm. See advert on P30 for details. 21st & 25th August -‐ Les Murs ont des Oreilles See full details on P.5 “Walls Have Ears”. 24th August -‐ Live Music Night with Daddy Mass At Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux at 8pm. Please see advert on P30. 30th August -‐ Traditional Folk Dancing Evening At the pigeonnier de Pouzay (Béceleuf), free entry, all welcome. For details please call 06 81 23 55 19. 30th August -‐ Jazz & Blues Evening At A La Bonne Vie, Le Beugnon, 7.30pm. See advert on P.30 for info. 30th August-‐6th September -‐ Expat Camping Rally At Puy Rond camping, Cornet 79300. See advert on P10 for details. 31st August & 1st September -‐ Walks of Discovery Chance for Artists to come together and paint local sights. See full details on P.10.
Monthly services at the English speaking Church in Deux-‐Sèvres Jassay The Chaplaincy of Christ the Good Shepherd, Poitou-‐Charentes, has a Home Group Service at Jassay commencing at 11.00am every 2nd Sunday in the month. It is held at the home of Ann White, where a warm welcome awaits everyone for a time of worship and fellowship. Chef-Boutonne Church Services on the 1st Sunday of each month at 10.30am at The Little Stone Church in Chef-‐Boutonne. After each service tea or coffee is served and an opportunity to meet other people in the area. Parthenay Church Services on the 4th Sunday of each month at 10.30am in the Presbytery Rooms, rue de la Citadelle, Parthenay, opposite St Croix Church. After each service, tea or coffee is served and everyone is invited to a 'bring and share' lunch. For further informabon about locabon of churches and about what else is happening near you, please take a look at our website www.church-‐in-‐france.com or contact us at office.goodshepherd@orange.fr
The Filling Station ~ Poitou-‐Charentes The Filling Station is a network of local Christians of all denominations who meet together regularly for spiritual renewal & evangelism purposes. ALL WELCOME. Please see our website for details of meetings and spring programmes www.thefillingstation.org.uk or locally contact 05 49 87 18 58 or email:michael.willis@sfr.fr
What’s Coming Up...
7th September -‐ les Jardiniers du Poitou 5th Annual Produce Show Find full details on P.7 8th September -‐ Fun Dog Show at St Pardoux, 79310. (See ad on P.9) 21st September -‐ The DSM Anglo-‐French Trade Fair See advert on P.2 for details. Some Trade stands still available. Please call Sarah for information: 05 49 70 26 21. 21st September -‐ Hope Association Party in the Park In aid of the Winky (blind kittens) Fund, 12.00pm -‐ 12 am at the Salle Polyvalente, 16450 St Laurent de Ceris. For details call Verity Lineham on 05 45 20 79 31. 29th September -‐ Annual Book Fayre With Art & Craft stalls + fish & chips, contact paperbackjan@gmail.com for details or if you would like a place.
Page 4
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Looking for Authentic, Fresh Products from Our Region?
Paperback Jan Books in English
1st Aug: Brasserie Vue du Chateau, Bressuire 79300. 10am -‐ 12pm 1st Aug: Bar le Palais, St Aubin le Cloud 79450. 2pm -‐ 5pm 2nd Aug: Bar de la Paix, Thouars 79100. 12pm -‐ 2pm 2nd Aug Le Tipsy Bar, Coulonges-‐sur-‐l’Autize 79160. 4pm -‐ 6pm 3rd Aug: Cafe Le Chauray, St Maixent l’Ecole 79400. 10am -‐ 1pm 4th Aug: Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux 79160. 2pm -‐ 4pm 7th Aug: Café Cour de Miracle, Vouvant 85120. 2.30pm -‐ 4.30pm 8th Aug: Pause! Cafe, L’Absie 79240. 2pm-‐ 5pm 9th Aug: Jan’s home, La Ferrière-‐en-‐Parthenay 79390. 11am -‐ 4pm 28th Aug: Jan’s home, La Ferrière-‐en-‐Parthenay 79390. 1pm -‐ 6pm 29th Aug: Le Relais des 2 Moulins, Clessé 79350. 4pm -‐ 6pm 30th Aug: Le P’tit Bar Boucard, Ménigoute. 4pm -‐ 6pm For more info contact Jan on: 06 08 30 73 29 or email: paperbackjan@gmail.com
Mr T’s Friterie
Open 6.30
-9pm
With regular venues at:
F oire 16170 (27th month) • Aulnay 17470 (from 6pm) • Rouillac • St Hilaire de Villefranche 17770 • Gourville 16170 • St Jean d’Angély 17400 • Loulay 17330 • Matha 17160
+ Bignac Campsite - 6th & 20th August + Aulnay Saveurs Nocturne - 2nd August
+ See www.frying2nite.com for details or call 06 02 22 44 74
Reel Fish & Chips Traditional English style Fish & Chips
2nd Aug Village Hall, Tigne 18H30 - 21H00 7th Aug The Canteen, Etusson 18H30 - 21H30 9th Aug Bar Tabac, Bouille-Loretz 18H30 - 21H00 10th Aug Bar Vue du Chateau, Bressuire 18H30 - 21H00 21st Aug The Canteen, Etusson 18H30 - 21H00 22nd Aug Bar Tabac, St Martin de Sanzay 18H30 - 21H00 23rd Aug Bar Tabac, Genneton 18H30 - 21H00 Tel: 06 04 14 23 94 or visit: www.reelfishandchips.net
Open Fish 4 Chip Fish, Chips & mushy peas!
6-8pm
Mondays: Bar Tilleuls, Champniers (near Civray) Tuesdays: Sauzé-Vaussais (Main square & can be eaten in local bar) Wednesdays: Chef Boutonne (near Chateau) Thursdays: Sauzé-Vaussais - Lunchtime & Evening. (Main square & can be eaten in local bar) Fridays: Mansle (Car park of Simply Supermarket) Tel: 06 37 53 56 20 or visit : www.mobilefishandchipsfrance.com
The Thursday weekly market of La Mothe St-‐Héray fulfills all these functions. In addition this summer, a novelty. On the 1st Thursday of July, August, September and October, the market will run throughout the day. Local residents and residents of nearby villages and tourists can take advantage of this opportunity to find products that will delight the taste buds and other small pleasures. Do not miss this opportunity! Information : 05.49.05.01.41.
Local Markets • • Tuesdays: • • • Wednesdays: • Thursdays: • • Fridays: • • Saturdays: • • • • • • Sundays: Mondays:
Benet 85490 Lencloître (1st Monday in month) 86140 Lezay 79120 Coulonges-sur-l’Autize 79160 Thouars 79100 Parthenay 79200 Sauzé-Vaussais 79190 Niort 79000 Thouars 79100 Melle 79500 Chef-Boutonne 79110 Airvault 79600 Niort 79000 Coulon 79510 Saint-Maixent-l’École 79400 Neuville-de-Poitou 86170
Photo: Lisa Roberts
“Walls Have Ears" Classical Music Festival The 11th edition of the Classical Music Festival Les Murs ont des Oreilles will take place between the 21st and 25th August. The festival aims to present classical works in a slightly more informal and private setting, often in private houses or places where concerts are not usually held. The artists are of a high quality and the concerts are very popular so booking is advised (05 49 64 73 10 or 05 49 64 82 45). Tickets are 10€ full price, and 9€ reduced rate (students, unemployed). Free for the under 14s. A three concert pass is available for 23€ or 4 concerts for 30€. • Wednesday 21st August, 8.30pm at Cuvier Hall, Museum of Airvault: "Offenbach et la diva Hortense" • Thursday 22nd August, 8.30pm at Chillou Church: “Bach, Biber, Geminiani Baroque Sonatas” • Friday 23rd August, 8.30pm at Marnes Church: Brahms "Spring Sextet" • Saturday 24th August, 8.30pm at Assais Church: "Septet op.20" Beethoven” • Sunday 25th August 5pm at St Loup sur Thouet Church: "Les Claviers Réunis", organ and trumpet, Mozart piano quartet, Bach 5th Brandenburg Concerto.
The National Holidays, Religious and Feast Days 2013 Thursday 15th August....... Friday 1st November......... Monday 11th November... Wednesday 25th December.
Assumpbon of Mary (Assomp&on) All Saint’s Day (Toussaint) Armisbce Day (Armis&ce 1918) Christmas Day (Noël)
Page 5
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Hobbies, Clubs & Associations... Book Club Thouars. Do you enjoy reading a cracking good story? And talking to others about it? Do you live in north 79, south 49 or north 86? Come along to our book club..... Contact Alison Morton at info@bookclubthouars.fr for more details.
Cycling Group Do you enjoy cycling? I am a keen cyclist and looking for others to meet up with me for outings once or twice a week. Purely for leisure and very informal with a coffee stop en route. I live at Pamplie, near Secondigny. Contact: steve.coupland@hotmail.com / 05 49 28 24 06
Zumba & Line Dance (bilingual)
Now taking registrations for 2013/2014 season. FREE first class. Classes at Bressure; Salle de gym Coeur d’O, and Breuil-‐Chausée; la Broglienne Contact Caroline at www.wingyboots.com or call 05 49 74 13 17
Open Door Lending Library Over 7000 fiction and non-fiction books and DVDs Open Tuesday and Friday mornings from 10am to midday at 18 rue Pierre Pestureau, Civray (86400) Individual membership 6€, family membership 10€ www.opendoor-civray.com
Book Group....meeting 2nd Thursday of the Alone in France? We are a group of people living alone in the L'Absie area who meet regularly for coffee and lunches. We meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 11am for coffee at the Pause cafe in L'Absie. Our lunches are at different venues each month. There's a warm welcome if you'd like to join us. More details from Frank 05 49 69 80 47.
Franglais Thouars The Thouars ‘Franglais’ group meets every Wednesday from 19.30h to 21.00h, in the Association’s centre at 7 rue Anne Desrays, Thouars, for conversation in English and French. We welcome those of all nationalities who would like to participate. Either come along to see us one evening, or contact us at: Mobile: 06 52 21 92 34 ~ Email: jcbed@orange.fr
Association Meridien Green We are an Anglo-‐French group which was founded in 2001 for mutual understanding of each other's language and culture. We meet twice weekly in the Salle des Associations in St Coutant, 79120. The best way to find out more is to visit our website -‐ www.meridiengreen.asso.fr or contact Maureen Dalby: 05 49 29 94 50. The name of our group comes from the fact that St Coutant is on the Greenwich Meridian! Le Tallud Boules en bois are offering sessions every Wednesday from 16h to 18h from April through to September 2013 at the parc de Loisirs, Le Tallud. Everyone is welcome to come and play or learn the game of boules en bois. We have all the equipment, just turn up for half an hour or more for a bit of exercise and socialising. Details from Rosemary Williamson rw.williamson@orange.fr
The Harmonics Singing Group. Based in the Salle
d'Annexe behind the mairie in Civray. We meet each Wednesday from 2.00pm to 4.00pm. No experience necessary just a willingness and commitment to learn. We sing all sorts of music and in several languages, whatever the music dictates. We are a small and friendly group who would love to meet you. Contact: Dolly Ait Boualou: 05 45 22 89 32 or sylvia.murray@wanadoo.fr
Through the Lens Group Local photography group meets on the last Monday in each month to chat about all things photography! New members welcome. For further information contact: Ian Gawn: 02 51 00 84 52 or Brian Preece: 05 49 72 09 94
month from 3pm at Christies Tea Room & Bookshop, Gençay, 86160. Take a look at the Book Group page on the website: www.chezchristies.com for more information.
Craft Café Creatif
Do you enjoy knitting or sewing, crochet or papercraft, but prefer to do it in the company of others, over a cup of tea and a piece of cake? if so, why not come and join us in L'Absie for an enjoyable afternoon with like minded people. For further details contact Margaret on 02 51 69 50 32 or email knight.margaret@orange.fr
2nd Sunday Motorcycle Club www.2ndsundayclub.fr If you would like to attend our coffee mornings please contact us via the website........New members always welcome!
Rubber Bridge:would any of you bridge players out there in the Deux-Sèvres, be interested in making up an occasional 4? Email David Rowe: djfrowe@hotmail.com or' phone 05 49 63 26 57.
Les Amis Solitaires We are a group of people living alone in France. We meet up for coffee mornings from 11am. Every 2nd & 4th Thursday, The Lemon Tree, Sauzé Vaussais. Every 3rd Thursday in Ruffec. More details from Gwen on 05 49 87 91 79 ~ email gwanshep@gmail.com A R E Y O U A M O D E L R A I L W A Y ENTHUSIAST? If so, join a group of likeminded modellers who meet on a monthly basis to visit members' layouts and swap information. We are based on the DeuxSevres/Vendee border but also have members in the Vienne and Charente. If you are interested please contact Gerry Riley for more information on 05 49 63 34 01. Secondigny Running Club... Put the bounce back in your step. Join our friendly and supportive running group. All abilities welcome. Email Kelly for more details: kellyencezelle@hotmail.co.uk
Page 6
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Getting Out & About... Les Jardiniers Du Poitou by Terri Laverick Les Jardiniers du Poitou Gardening club meetings are held every month in the Salles des Fetes in Verruyes (79310), and usually have between forty to fifty attending members each month. We are a friendly group of people, some very experienced gardeners, and some, like me, mere beginners (although, honesty compels me to say that I have been a “beginner” for many years!).
If you fancy joining the gardening club, come along to the Produce Show or alternatively, we have our next meeting on 24th October. You will receive a warm welcome.
The club was formed in the beginning of 2009 and has grown in strength since, and we have members from all around the region. We have been on visits to nurseries, garden shows, had talks from local experts and also from members of the club. One of our favourite visits is the annual Mushroom Hunt at a local chateau. The July meeting covered a talk on pests and diseases, a talk on growing asparagus (from a novice gardener), and another of our members, who has a deep interest in the local weather, gave a talk on the information he has collated over the past ten years which showed that our perceptions of previous years were not always correct. Some years were not as good as we thought and others were far better. Last year our annual Produce Show moved to the Chateau Le Theil, 79450 near St-‐Aubin-‐le-‐Cloud. It was a great success and we shall be there again this year on 7th September where once again we will be entertained by the Keynotes Choir. The produce show committee have completed most of their organisational work and now await the day with bated breath, hoping that there will be plenty of items of produce on show and lots of visitors to gaze in amazement at the size, quality and quantity of exhibits. Future events planned are a trip to the Chateau Villandry to see their magnificent gardens and then a little later, our annual Christmas picnic-‐ style lunch, with probably a Christmas type gardening presentation to round the day off.
Page 7
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Donʼt forget to mention ʻThe DSMʼ when responding to an advert!
Saxophone Concert in
Gourgé
The 2013 summer programme of La Chaussée des Arts will feature the accomplished Saxophone/Piano duo HARAR with Paul Lacombe (Saxophones) and Thomas Amilien (Piano). Their concert SAX EN FÊTE will take place Sunday 4th August at the Logis de la Chaussé, 79200 Gourgé, starting at 5.00 p.m. Paul Lacombe, a native of Ethiopia, spent his youth in Parthenay where he was introduced to the Saxophone at the age of 11 at the École de Musique. At the age of 17, he had already completed the first part of his studies at the Conservatoire de Poitiers. He moved to Montpellier where he worked with David Vincent and then to Versailles where he received his first prize with special mention. 2006 found him at the Conservatoire Supérieur de Musique de Paris where he graduated with a Diplôme Supérieur de Musique in 2009. Paul-‐Fathi works solo, with orchestras, and in a variety of eclectic jazz and modern music groups. He is reputed to be one of the world´s best soprano saxophone players, his technical skills are unique. He teaches saxophone at several conservatoires in the Paris area, has been invited to play in more than 20 countries and actively supports UNICEF´s work for the cultural education of children around the world.
piano accompaniment at the Conservatoire in Créteil and has specialized on lyrical themes. He regularly accompanies Valéria Altavar and Elise Dabrowsky in a repertoire of Lieder and Opera. He is co-‐founder of the Compagnie des Rugissants, a group working on interpreting selected monumental lyrical works from the 20th Century to the present. As part of this activity he directed his first Opera ‘Von Heute auf Morgen’ by A. Schoenberg. The productions include the use of videos to study new lyrical forms. He was musical director of the film Surgir by Grégoire Letouvet. He wrote Séquences parallèles for 3 singers, piano, a dancer and a video installation for the Festival Poitevin de Création Contemporaine -‐ Le souffle de Equinoxe. The HARAR duo was formed by Paul Lacombe and Thomas Amilien after they had met as students in Poitiers. HARAR studies, interprets and reinterprets saxophone music from the early 19th Century to the present time. The programme of SAX en FÊTE features an overview of Saxophone music including early European pieces requiring exceptional technique, Argentinean tunes and exquisite Spanish melodies. We are looking forward to a fascinating eve n i n g w i t h t wo exc e pt i o n a l musicians with local roots and world-‐ wide fame. ADMISSION 12,00 € Reservations are recommended: Tel 05 49 63 91 31
Thomas Amilien started studying music in Poitiers but soon went on to the CRR in Paris to specialize in Piano accompaniment, orchestration and composition. There, he also studied orchestra direction with Alain Sabouret and Philipe Nahon. Thomas teaches
Page 8
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Church Wall Paintings
personages and their actions rather than stand alone works of art. However, that being said, they are works of art in their own right.
by Howard Needs Information about church wall paintings can be found in part on the internet, in specialized books and sometimes a good dissertation can be found in churches. I started to take an interest in them about four years ago when we happened to visit two churches in the Indre whilst on a trip more devoted to George Sand. The churches in question at Nohant-‐Vic and Gargilesse house two well preserved collections of paintings and on examining my photos at home I started to search for more information and so became involved with these paintings , Peintures Murales, as an amateur photographer.
Also these days most of the churches of that time have lost their paintings due to age or enthusiastic renovations by new brooms sweeping clean. One can find everything from dubious scraps of paintings on walls to collections covering more than half the wall surface of the church. All are faded, all are damaged to a greater or lesser extent, practically all have been restored. However, my own reaction when entering a church and allowing my eyes to adjust to the lighting is being so thankful to the people who have funded restorative work and to the skill of the restorers and their patience and love of old things.
Really there are two types of paintings, ‘fresques’ are executed using a moist fresh lime based substrate and natural mineral pigments and the later ‘peintures murales’ which have more in common with normal paintings, using a dry substrate and a mixture of mineral and other pigments. The fresques are more durable due to the absorption of the pigments by the substrate but have to be right first time. Churches from the 10th century and earlier through to perhaps the 16th century used the paintings as theological instruction and reminders for an an-‐alphabet population. The walls were covered with scenes from the bible and the lives of the saints, covered inside and sometimes also outside, particularly in the porch or entrance. If you have in mind the wonderful frescos of the Italian c h u r c h e s y o u w i l l b e disappointed because what we have here are the works of itinerant country artists who were more adept at producing the stylized representations required by the local clergy and containing all sorts of clues as t o t h e i d e n t i t y o f t h e
I am a photographer and I take and print photos because I like to reproduce what I, with my eye, see; the form and patterns of colours and objects. With the fresques one might say that I am reproducing the artistry of another, however, there is a personal expression in the work where the precise choice of details and the manner of processing and printing will put an emphasis on that which the photographer sees with his internal visualization. What I have chosen to do is to restore or emphasize the contrast and colour and using existing lighting and long exposures to get details of the wall surface and its blemishes. This doesn't result in the best quality photograph but I hope I show something of what the artist produced all those hundreds of years ago, not from a theological point of view but from a human point of view -‐ how did they view the world, what did they wear, what tools did they use, did they have a sense of humour? Photos that I have taken of wall paintings here in France are currently being shown in the Château de Coulonges-‐sur-‐l'Autize until mid September and can be seen as part of a guided tour of the Château and its museum which is conducted in French and English. Please contact the Coulonges-‐sur-‐l’Autize tourist office for times and details on 05 49 06 10 72. www.ville-‐coulonges-‐sur-‐lautize.fr/loffice_de_tourisme.html
Page 9
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
News from the Pays de Gâtine!
Carnets de Croquis
The French Social Assistant
On Saturday 31st August and Sunday 1st September 2013 we are proposing several guided “walks of discovery” for those interested in local heritage and nature, and especially for artists who would like to plant their easels or open their sketchbooks at the most beautiful sites in the communes of Ardin, Béceleuf, Faye-‐sur-‐Ardin, Fenioux, Puy Hardy and St Pompain.
by Julia Salvat
The Antennes Médico-‐Sociales (otherwise known as the AMS), are the offices where you can make contact with the social assistants. They have six branch offices in the Deux-‐Sèvres. For the Gâtine, the branch office is in Parthenay and there are 14 smaller welcoming points dotted around the area where you can make an appointment to see a social assistant. The AMS is responsible for helping anyone who has need of assistance in sorting out matters of health, work, housing, home help, child protection and aid for the elderly and handicapped. Their job (and that of the social assistants) is to ‘accompany, listen, inform and help’ and they work closely with various partners and local offices. As they are involved with people of all ages and every aspect of life, they are an important French office to know about. It’s for this reason the Pays de Gâtine has asked them to present their work to the English speakers of the area on 21st October 2013 at 10.00am in the Salle des Fêtes de Viennay. Via a presentation and case studies of different situations they will try to provide a picture of how their services work in France to guide and inform English speakers. Further information will be sent out nearer the date but in the meantime please look at the website www.gatine.org: Guide for Newcomers.
Lavoirs (where the week’s washing was done communally), footbridges, pigeonniers (you can house several thousand pigeons in them), porches, farms, river banks, copses, rabbit warrens ... The valleys of l’Autize, Fenioux, Saumort conceal numerous treasures awaiting creative eyes and hands to commit them to canvas and paper. This event is free, it is not a competition and there are no prizes (but photos of your works will be used by the communes in their tourist publicity, if you allow). All artists are welcome including the young and beginners of any age). At the end of the afternoon on the Sunday there will be an exhibition of all the works at the Pigeonnier de Pouzay (Béceleuf). There will also be a lunch (12€) at the Pigeonnier for the artists at midday on Sunday. GPS Pouzay : 46° 28’ 43” N -‐ 0° 32’ 10” O. For Information and enrolment, please email gatineautizecommunication@orange.fr or call: 05 49 06 81 44 or 06 81 23 55 19
Julia SALVAT, Pays de Gâtine. Tel: 05 49 64 25 49 ~ Email: julia.salvat@gatine.org Website: www.gatine.org
Page 10
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Fête de la Nature Fours à Chaux
by Dorothy Hassell
The “Fête de la Nature” was held on our doorstep on Sunday 26th May. At Benet (85), our neighbour, Jean-‐Marie, offered his fields and his orchard for the fête, organized by him and the local mayor’s office. We were also able to visit his limestone kiln. In 1860, the Vendée and the Deux-‐Sèvres was covered with limestone kilns. The new railway lines put the coal from the Faymoreau mine at their disposal. A railway line came to Benet in 1869, and in 1873 a new l i m e s t o n e k i l n w a s erected to replace a smaller one. The new kiln was specifically made for Faymoreau’s coal. The kiln and quarry employed 50 people, all skilled workers. Its electrification was finished in 1920 and it had to be modified in 1958 when Faymoreau’s coal mine could no longer supply the coal. The coal had to be brought from the north of France, and then from Poland and the USSR. As transport became expensive, the Benet kiln struggled to survive and was eventually shut down in 1980. Jean-‐Marie bought it in 1982 and had it listed in 1994. This year was the first time it had been opened to the public and 1500
people came to see it! The Fête de la Nature was RE ADER quite a success and included: ’s R EPOR • Guided visits of the kiln and the quarry, arranged T in both French and English. M. Wilcox showed us the flora, and particularly • the wild orchids growing in the quarry. • M. Pellerin, a geologist, explained in situ all the rock strata and fractures, and showed us some beautiful fossils. The old Faymoreau mine is now a museum and you can see more fossils at their current exhibition. • Beekeepers brought the hives from their grandfathers and fathers and also some contemporary empty hives so we could have a look inside. • Some truffles were buried in a plot and some very clever dogs had to retrieve them in less than a minute. Well done Kiva, Dolly,
Teeva and the others! We had tea and pain d’épices, and it was a great day. We hope for further open days in the future. In the meantime we have the ‘Benet Medieval’ to look forward to on the 15th of September!
Page 11
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
The Lost Roman Military Camp at Aunedonnacum (Aulnay)
by Tony Barrett
Responding to the Gallic revolts of 27BC and 21BC the Romans were forced to build a new major military camp (a castrum), at the junction of the Roman road that runs from Bordeaux to Autun and another Roman road leading to Lyon. This crossroads situated at Aunedonnacum, the imperial “frontier”, where the Argenson ancient forest separated the former provinces of the Pictones and Santones and proves that the unrest had shaken the whole region.
A reconstructed artefact of the camp situated on the roundabout just south of Aulnay on the D950
Driving north from St.Jean d’Angely towards Poitiers on the D950 it is hard to believe as we pass the church at Aulnay de Saintonge that this was near to the site of a very important Roman military camp built nearly two thousand years ago.
Only detected by aerial photography in 1976, this camp is unique because it is one of the few Roman camps inside occupied Gaul at the beginning of the 1st century, and the only one whose overall plan is known of throughout the South West and Central West of France.
Detected by aerial photography conducted in 1976 by Jacques Dassié.
The installation of this Roman camp on the outskirts of this ancient forest was not accidental; it also met the strategic criteria obvious to ensure the crossroads remained in the control of the Romans. Indeed, the primary function was not to facilitate the transit of trade, but the rapid movement of the Roman legions in times of wars, uprisings and other insurgencies. That's why these "channels that were controlled by the imperial administration" i.e. "by military means". The military presence of the Romans in the region "border" between the two Celtic tribes of Pictones and the Santones and was assured by a very large garrison then comprising of around two thousand men (three Cohorts). Their presence was exercising a real deterrent effect on the entire region, since there were no reports of rebellion after the revolt of the year 21 AD. Despite its ephemeral presence, (less than twenty years) the camp played both a strategic role in military matters and the role of a crossroads that gave birth to the present town of Aulnay de Saintonge, located in the north-‐ eastern department of Charente-‐Maritime. The castrum (fort) of Aunedonnacum (Roman name of Aulnay de Saintonge) was originally built in 21 AD on the southern slope of a hill overgrown with a huge hardwood forest, the ancient Argenson Forest. This remarkable castrum was located at a place called “Rocheroux" a few hundred meters west of the later Romanesque church St. Pierre d'Aulnay and the Office of Tourism. The legionary camp is purely a creabon of Roman origin exclusively military, and extended over an area of over 6 hectares. The dimensions: " T h e c a m p d r e w a rectangle of 292 meters (north-‐south) to 217.5 meters, surrounded by a double ditch (2.50m wide) on an area of 6.35 hectares and 5.4 hectares of inner surface". It was built at the bme of Emperor Augustus and lasted well beyond the reign of Tiberius. A~er the establishment of the Pax Romana, which had largely contributed to pacify the Civitas Santonum, which later became the province of Saintonge, the military camp was abandoned about the year 43 AD. during the peaceful reign of the Emperor Claudius. To be honest, there is little evidence of the Roman Camp today, just fields. The D221 follows roughly the Via Principalis through the camp. Footnote: "Aulnay de Saintonge" is an ironic name, since Aulnay has never been part of the province of Saintonge, but originally in the Poitou. It was not until the early nineteenth century that "Saintonge" was added, possibly a mistake by the Post Office.
Page 12
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Combined Services Support Group (CSSG) by Terri Laverick The Reaction Theatre’s next production is possibly going to be called “What the Dickens?” I say possibly because we are still very much in the planning stages and also considering the availability of actors, stage craft and back stage people and support functions. Paul Chandler, who directed “The 39 Steps” aided by one or two others, are working on a production which will be centered around Charles Dickens and the Christmas period. It will include sketches, music and singing and will involve our members in not only the Theatre section but also the Keynotes, The Art Scene, Costumes and Props. Interested in joining in the fun? Send me an email. We are still selling the Reaction Theatre Alternative Calendar Girls Calendar and it is pleasing to be able to report that we have now sold over 700 which will generate a profit of over 7,000 euros for our English and French Cancer Charities. As the calendar covers the remainder of 2013 and the whole of 2014 it is still a very good buy and more importantly, for a very important charity. We recently had a theatre group based in Paris asking if we had any props or scenery left from our Calendar Girls production that we could lend them and when they heard we had produced a calendar they asked for two to be sent to them express delivery! If you go to the apple festival in Secondigny later this year you might recognize our sunflowers, which were used in the final scene of the play on “Johns Hill”. Bits of our scenery end up in many different places, which is a credit to those of our members who spend many hours building and painting them. Our singing groups, The Keynotes, completed two performances in July and have more booked for September. Margaret, our musical director, is extending our Friday afternoon sessions with special tuition for beginners and extra tuition for our more advanced singers. We have French and English members and sing songs in both languages, but not at the same time. Come to think of it, yes we do but that’s another story. If you fancy joining us just send me an email, don’t be shy, if I can do it anyone can!!
Well, time seems to have come round very quickly since I last wrote for the magazine. The summer appears to have arrived at long last and the steady stream of visitors has begun in earnest, which means it goes very quiet on the meetings front. Our one outing in July was the bi-‐monthly meeting which was held at the vineyard of Pierre and Brigitte Van Den Boom in Le Puy Notre Dame. Some of us gathered at the Aire de la Martiniere just north of Thouars so that we could travel in convoy for those not sure of the destination. No business was discussed, but a committee meeting will shortly be organised to discuss progress on the Beer Fest. On arrival of our group of 25, Pierre did a tour of the vines, tufa tunnels and wine making areas and gave a talk on the making of wine and the history of the vineyard, this was for the benefit of those who had not been before. It is well worth a trip to a vineyard if you enjoy wine, and sampling the produce is usually the best part of the trip, although not for the driver! After the trip round the vineyard, we gathered in the Salle and were given a taste of many of the wines produced there. The lunch, a very nice buffet, was accompanied by wine and the dessert was also served with a pleasant rosé wine which blended well with the fruit salad. It gave us an understanding of how the flavours of wine can enhance and compliment different foods. The “Beer Fest” organisation is coming along well; the beer has been ordered, several types of sausages have been tested and we now know what sausage we shall be providing on the day! The choir and musicians have been booked and best of all, tickets should be on sale shortly. Please remember to keep 19th October 2013 free; entry will be by ticket only, so watch this space for further information.
Don’t forget our Calendar is still for sale at the following four venues and will remain so for the rest of the year: Restaurant A La Bonne Vie at Le Beugnon, Café des Belles Fleurs at Fenioux, Pause! Cafe at L’Absie and Cafe Cour du Miracle at Vouvant. So let me have your news and views and if you want to join any or all of our groups, send me an email. John Blair: johnblair@btopenworld.com
Contact ‘The Deux-‐Sèvres Monthly’ La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny.
Tel: 05 49 70 26 21 ~ Email: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr or see our website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
For a full list of our advertising rates, please phone 05 49 70 26 21 for an advertising pack or download from our website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
Page 13
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
ARTicles
by Josie Bounds
Kandinsky’s continued path to the absolute Wassily Kandinsky Cossacks 1910-11
In Munrau-‐Steffelsee 1908 we can see how Kandinsky begins to strip away the representational, reducing recognisable elements of the landscape. Although we can recognise this is a painting of the landscape, the colour palette Kandinsky uses here shows us his heightened sense of colour, where he is beginning to push the boundaries, and the colour patches give the picture its special depth and perspective.
Wassily Kandinsky Landscape with Red Spots 1913
This was an intense period of time for Kandinsky; Europe felt like it was on the brink of destruction through the constant changing political and social ideals. Pre First World war paintings by Kandinsky often conveyed a world, which was on the verge of destruction. In Landscape with Red Dots and Black Lines 1913 Kandinsky is moving away from any form of figuration in his compositions, these paintings were Kandinsky’s response to what was going on around him. ‘Painting is like a thundering collision of different worlds that are destined in and through conflict to create that new world called the work.’ Painting with Three Red Spots 1914 and Black Spots 1921 are both characterised by a powerful sense of movement, created by contrasting light and dark areas of colour, linked by diagonals. Conventional perspective has disappeared. Instead, forms and colours are layered and juxtaposed, interacting to create a swirling, three-‐dimensional effect. In 1921 Kandinsky left Russia, he had fallen out of favour with the Russian Revolutionary Artists, his paintings were rejected because they were seen as too individualistic and bourgeoisie.
Wassily Kandinsky Munrau-Steffelsee 1908
Wassily Kandinsky Black Lines 1913
Wassily Kandinsky Munrau Mountain Landscape 1910
The influence of Cezanne can be seen through colour and form, like Cezanne, Kandinsky uses blocks of colour to reduce the painting into what he would later on describe as it’s very essence. We can see Kandinsky moving away from the representation towards a more abstracted image. For example, Munrau Mountain Landscape 1910, Kandinsky has simplified the mountains to triangular pyramids. His use of blocks of colour flattens and simplifies the composition. Cossacks 1910-‐11 Kandinsky is moving further away from the representation, within the composition he has simplified the shapes, you can still sense traces of the landscape, but the overall effect of the painting is abstract.
Wassily Kandinsky Painting with Three Spots 1914
Wassily Kandinsky Black Spots 1921
Find Josie Bounds at Le Studio, 79240 Le Busseau www.monpestcoeur.info Page 14
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY More from local writer Alison Morton... Please see back issues of ‘The DSM’ if you would like to see previous articles.
The Next Book
You’ve written your book, edited it, sent it off to your agent/ publisher or published it yourself. It’s selling online and in shops and the sales figures are growing steadily. You’ve been blogging and tweeting and doing guest posts to support your marketing. You’re immersed in your book’s world; you love your characters, you know the places they live intimately and you know what drives them.
Item For Sale? B/W advert only 15€ incl. photograph.
Time to throw all that away, unless you’re writing a series. Time to write the next book, or if you’ve started, to crack on with it. But just before you do, consider two things: fear of success and using lessons learnt. Fear of success If your first book was successful – good reviews, satisfactory sales, fame – you may hesitate to start tapping on the keyboard again. You’re nervous to follow it up, nervous you can’t write something as good, nervous of your readers’ expectations. You worry you’ll be revealed as a one-‐book wonder. This isn’t quite writer’s block, it’s more a case of “success block.” You’re more worried about how successful your second novel will be than of actually finishing it. You’re more haunted by the success of your past work than focused on your current or future work. Most writers produce at least one duff book. Well, not duff, but one a little duller, less stylish, less enticing for the reader. But the next one may be a diamond. The more books you write, the better you get and the more likely you are to produce attractive and exciting books. Using lessons learnt Writing a second book is different from the first in some ways and exactly the same in others. The most immediate lesson comes from comments, notes and amendments from the editor of your first book. I ran more checks for consistency in character behaviour and timeframes in my second book as a result. My critique partner had checked the first book carefully for overwriting and so I was very aware of that particular danger when writing the second. And another plus -‐ sometimes I had taken my editor’s comments personally on the first manuscript, but this time I was much more objective. We were on the same team and had a common goal. The other big advantage is that you know what the process is. However you’re published, you know what’s coming and can prepare in advance. The positive side of the fear of success is that thanks to readers’ willingness to write reviews you have an idea of what they like and want. Many have been kind enough to discuss in detail what they liked about INCEPTIO and what they would like different in future books. Gold dust for any author! You have absolutely no idea if your second novel will be as unique, more resonant, or just downright better than the first. Will it sell more copies, touch more lives or get more stars on Amazon and Goodreads? But if it continues to exist only in your head, then you’ll never know... Happy writing!
Contact ‘The Deux-‐Sèvres Monthly’ La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny.
Tel: 05 49 70 26 21 ~ Email: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr or see our website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
Cookery for Self-Caterers The recently revised French Holiday Cookery Book is aimed at British self-‐catering holiday-‐makers going to France. The book is split into sections for no cooking, cooking on one hob, cooking on two hobs and desserts. There is a useful glossary at the back and all ingredients are translated into French with more comprehensive information on fish and shellfish. The book is the brainchild of travel photographer Liz Garnett who has spent 20 years travelling regularly to France as well as two years living in Calais. “The book came about because I either camp or go self-‐catering when I travel around France. I have always taken piles of cookery books and wanted to create the ultimate cookery book for when I am travelling in France. All the recipes are simple and the book easily fits into a handbag and all ingredients are translated into French” said Liz Garnett.
Above: Author Liz Garnett
So what are you waiting for? French Holiday Cookery is available from www.lulu.com and will soon be available from Amazon.
Alison Morton writes alternate history thrillers, blogs about wriZng and Romans at h\p://alison-‐morton.com/blog/
Page 15
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Congés: the word of the month by Sue Burgess
Probably the most common use of the word congé (plural congés) is holiday, vacation, leave. In August you will see the sign Congés annuels (annual holidays) on the doors of many shops and other establishments. “Quand seras-‐tu en congé?” (When will you be on holiday/ vacation?) “Lundi est mon jour de congé” (Monday is my day off.) “Pierre sera en congés pendant deux semaines” (Pierre will be on holiday for two weeks.) “Je serai en congé la semaine prochaine” (I'll be on holiday next week). Congés payés are paid holidays. In France every salaried worker has the right to paid holiday whatever type of contract he may have. There is just one condition -‐ the worker must have worked in the company for one month. The worker accumulates 2 and a half days of holiday per month. The year, as far as paid holiday is concerned, runs from the 1st June to the 31st May and so you need to work in the company for the whole of this period to have the right to the full number of days. So 12 months of work give the right to 12 x 2.5 days (working days are Monday to Saturday, Sunday is not counted and neither is 1st May) or 30 days, and so 5 weeks. Unpaid leave is congé sans solde. Sick leave is congé maladie and of course we can also find congé maternité or congé paternité or even congé parental.
Vocabulary / Vocabulaire : congé annuel....................................
annual holiday
congé formation...............................
study leave
congé maladie..................................
sick leave
congé maternité...............................
maternity leave
congé parental..................................
parental leave
congé paternité................................
paternity leave
congé sabbatique.............................
sabbatical leave
congé sans solde............................... unpaid leave être en congé parental.....................
to be on parental leave
être en maladie, en congé maladie...
to be on sick leave informal be off sick
jour de congé ...................................
day off
prendre congé .................................. take leave prendre un jour de congé ................
take a day off
The word congé also means notice. Donner son congé means to hand in one”s notice. “J'ai donné mon congé la semaine dernière” (I gave (handed in) my notice last week). Congédiable (adjective) means due for discharge, able to be dismissed; congédier is to dismiss. If you are out for the evening, when you are tired, you can also prendre congé de quelqu'un (to take one's leave of someone). “Il est tard, nous allons prendre congé” (It's late, we're going to go). And so with that, je prends congé de vous jusqu'au mois prochain (I'll leave you until next month).
Please mention ʻThe DSMʼ when responding to an advert Page 16
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Take a Break... DSM Easy Crossword Across: 8. Synthebc silk-‐like fabric (5) 9. Narrow band of rubber used to hold things together (7) 10. Make steady progress (7) 11. Overwhelming feeling of fear (5) 12. Provide with sufficient finance (8) 13. Item of footwear (4) 15. Newborn human (4) 17. Summer bedding plant (8) 21. Spanish title or address for a man (5) 22. Precisely accurate (7) 24 . Area disputed between Pakistan and India (7) 25. Precise (5)
DSM Toughie Crossword Across: 1. All going well when Fanny up and died disastrously (4,3,5) 7. Copper put out badly in A and E gets newsreader’s assistance (7) 9. Bend respectfully, they say, if you want to get a large branch (5) 10. Badly made dairy product from the Low Countries (4) 11. Grabbed a handful of eggs before the newspaperman (8) 12. PS. Replacement extracting promise from downhill runner (6) 14. Going on about Viagra tediously inside got on my nerves (6) 17. Being willing, struck an attitude after hissing character returned (8) 19. Got nothing from period of inactivity, but reached final leg (4) 22. Sweet containing energy for relative development (5) 23. Guides emerging from wild storm in North East (7) 24. Demonstration of one pair’s tent construction (12)
Quiz-tastic!
Down: 1. Ensnare (4) 2. Wealthy or powerful businessman (6) 3. Supply the motivation for (7) 4. Type of fuel (6) 5. Glad (5) 6. Offensively unpleasant smell (6) 7. Frozen dessert (8) 12. Russian peasant woman’s headscarf (8) 14. Horse shoer (7) 16. Expel, drive away (6) 18. Person with special knowledge or ability who performs skillfully (6) 19. Permanently large area of frozen land (6) 20. An act punishable by law (5) 23. Short ballorina’s skirt (4)
Down: 1. Fit up a side embroiled in notoriety (5) 2. Common eccentric can’t sue in this fashion (7) 3. Bar charts can be a device to provide support (4) 4. Rarebit better with new recipe? I’ll be the judge of that! (7) 5. Sounds like Homer’s usual complaint -‐ needs a raise? (5) 6. Died unexpectedly after church, and was told off! (6) 8. Once upon a time, units used were windless water suppliers (4) 12. Pressure mounts on journalist before worker can become a bore (6) 13. A number of those in the woods are creeps (7) 15. A kind of toil employed about the last message in the Middle East (7) 16. Joint or border? The same difference (4) 18. This pea resembles a container for a weapon (5) 20. Large number out of bounds in trouble with ship’s officer (5) 21. First family member to be converted to ancient culture? (4)
With thanks to M.Morris
New monthly quiz by Roland Sco].....how many can you get?
1) Which musician presents the TV programme “Later With...”?
8) Which part was played by Lois Maxwell in the James Bond films?
2) Which folk singer and comedian began his career at The Boggery in Birmingham?
9) Which Shakespeare character is the son of King Priam and the lover of Cressida?
3) Which drug, used to treat heart disease, is prepared from foxgloves?
10) What is Lysergic Acid Diethylamide more commonly known as?
4) In the TV series “ The Likely Lads”, who played Bob? 5) Which film star was known as “the man with a thousand faces”, and was the first to portray ‘ The Phantom of the Opera’ on screen? 6) Which British actor appeared in “Kind Hearts and Coronets”, “Star Wars” and “ Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy”? 7) Who collaborated with Jim Henson in the creation of The Muppet Show?
11) What is Leslie Grantham’s most famous TV role? 12) Who sang with E.L.O on their only No. 1 British hit “Xanadu”? As always, assuming you have 12 correct answers, each answer or part of an answer has a connection. Award yourself an extra point if you can spot it. Copyright RJS 2013. Find the answers on our website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr Page 17
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
A-Z of the Communes in the Deux-Sèvres A-Z of the Communes of the Deux-Sèvres. by Sue Burgess CLUSSAIS LA POMMERAIE Situated in the heart of the Poitou-‐Charentes in the canton of Sauzé-‐Vaussais, the commune of Clussais la Pommeraie is half way between Poitiers, Niort and Angoulême. There were 600 inhabitants in 2010. The church is situated in Clussais and there was certainly a first church here in the 10th century. The first church was certainly built by the monks of the abbey of St Junier de Nouaillé-‐Maupertius. The present church dates from the 12th or 13th century and legend has it that this church was built by the Fairy Melusine during the night. According to the legend, the inhabitants of la Pommeraie had begun to build a church but Melusine preferred Clussais. Every night she took the stones from the Pommeraie in her apron and left them at Clussais. One night her apron tore and she dropped the stones which formed ‘le Montail’, a mound of red earth still visible near Clussais. After the revolution, the church was in a pitiful state. Some restoration work was done in the 19th century and the bell tower was made safe in 1841. The edifice is notable because of its strange proportions. The bell tower porch, with its two bells, dominates the long nave with its large buttresses.
COMBRAND Combrand is situated in the North East of the Deux-‐Sèvres, near to the towns of Cerizay (5km), Mauleon (10km) and Bressuire (18km). Combrand has a very dynamic economy with more than 250 jobs particularly in the wood industry. There were 1141 inhabitants in 2010. The first traces of human life in Combrand go back to the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras. Hunting tools and everyday articles have been found in the area and particularly in the village of Puy Gazard. The name Combrand appears in a series of 12th century charters. The first church, of which some ruins remain, was built at this period. The chateau of la Patellière dates from the 15th century. In 1794, during the first Vendée war, General Marigny, one of the Vendée leaders, was shot to death in the Logis de la Girardière of Combrand. His grave can be seen in the cemetery of the commune today. The chateau of Soulier was owned by Charles le Roux, artist and MP for the Deux-‐Sèvres during the 19th century. A VOIR / MUST SEE • The Church of Saint-‐Jean • The Château de La Pastellière, (15th century), listed historical monument. It was used as a military hospital for the wounded Vendéens during the first Vendée war in 1793.
The rows of seats are not all of the same length. They get shorter as you go towards the choir and this gives you the impression that the nave is even longer. The marsh of Clussais-‐la-‐Pommeraie is a remarkable ensemble of wet fields and prairies which are situated in a dip where ditches drain water towards the Bouleure, a tributary of the river Dive. The marsh is rich with flora and fauna and many endangered species can be found here (tree frog, crested newt, the copper-‐coloured butterfly of the marshes, the Gentian and the shrike). A VOIR / MUST SEE • Notre-‐Dame de Clussais church. The long nave and the round apse. • The Château de La Girardière where Marigny was shot. He is buried in the cemetery where there is a monument. Right: The nave (photo by JP Berthonneau)
• On the edge of the commune practically in Caunay, the miraculous fountain of Fontadam
More ‘A-‐Z of the Communes of the Deux-‐Sèvres.’ next month...
Page 18
THE DEUX-SÉVRES MONTHLY
Health, Beauty & Fitness...
Are the Old Ways the Best? ‘The Marie Antoinette Diet: Eat Cake and Still Lose Weight’ written by Karen Wheeler is based on the eating habits of the 18th-‐ century French Queen and generations of French women since. The author, a cake-‐loving former fashion and beauty editor, gained 10kg (1st 8lb) while living in France and was determined to lose it for health reasons. A light-‐bulb moment occurred while reading a biography of Marie Antoinette. The French Queen liked sweet things and ate cake for breakfast, but seems to have known instinctively what scientific studies have recently shown: for example, it is not what you eat, but when you eat it. Inspired by Marie Antoinette’s eating habits, and using a recipe for the health-‐boosting bone broth that the Queen ate for dinner every evening, the author created a diet that allowed her to lose 10kg in 10 weeks – while eating normally most of the time. A recipe for painless and delicious weight loss, it is peppered with interesting snippets of French history and served up with a lot of modern science and useful health tips. Discover: • The benefits of a 12-‐hour night fast • Why diets that ban dessert are doomed to failure • What we can learn from the 18th-‐century diet • How to kill cravings for junk food • The (deeply unfashionable) meat that can help weight loss • The fats that you should be eating (they’re not the ones that you might think) • Nutritious and slimming soups for every season Karen Wheeler: Karen Wheeler wrote for the Financial Times How To Spend It magazine for over a decade and is a former fashion editor of The Mail on Sunday. She also edited the health and beauty section of The London Magazine for five years. She is the author of three bestselling travel memoirs about her life in rural France. Dr. Mabel Blades: Dr. Mabel Blades BSC RD is a registered dietician and nutritionist and a member of the British Dietetic Association. She is the former editor of Nutrition and Food Science and has written numerous papers and articles as well as a book on nutrition and health. For more information or review copies: Tel 07815 609597 or email Lucy@sweetpeapublishing.com
Page 19
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
2013 Beauty Recommendations... Samantha’s Tips to Using the Correct Eyeshadow Colour for Your Eye Colour
• For blue eyes stick with brown, rose, lavender and neutral shades. For special occasions blue-‐eyed women can try metallics, both silver and gold work well plus icy pink and turquoise. When creating these looks always start with a neutral ivory base shadow and bring darker shadow into the outer corner. • Gorgeous green eyes look amazing using shades like lavender, plum or lilac. Gold and copper are fantastic for highlighting green eyes. Brown or dark green eyeshadow with flecks of gold are also terrific choices. • For medium brown eyes you can truly wear almost any eye colour; green, violet or bronzed colours are my personal favorite for medium brown eyes. • Dark brown eyes look incredible with charcoal, plum and forest green and also dark brown shades. A tip for all eye colours is to use your chosen darker shade as an eyeliner by gently sweeping it under the bottom lashes line. Samantha's recommended product is Mac eyeliner brush 266.
Emma’s Summer Hairstyles for Kids
Fabulous hair isn’t always just for adults. For the summer holidays why not let your child try out a new style. A great hairstyle always starts with a great haircut, so find a stylist that understands how to work with children
•For Girls a cute classic Bob French style is beautiful and easy to manage. Ask for the bob to be layered just slightly on the tips. This should help the ends roll under easily on their own, but by using a round brush when drying can create a full shiny bob with bounce. • For Girls with long hair take a peak at www.princesshairstyles.com to follow step by step guides of different ideas in braiding and hair up-‐styles for princesses. • For Boys, long hair is all the rage these days, having a messy textured look with a sleek side fringe. But also in at the moment, and a favorite of my son’s, is James Arthur’s influence the quiff: hair is short around the back and sides using a number 2 or 3, then the long hair on top blow-‐dried backwards, trained into a quiff using a pomade or wax. Teenagers could add a chunky highlight to the front to complete the trend. Before the kids go back I highly recommend investing in a leave-‐in conditioner spray with Tea tree oil, in order to prevent nits. Charente Hair & Make Up Tel: 05 45 31 56 93 / 06 50 04 37 30 ~ www.charentehairandbridal.com
Our Furry Friends... HOOF (Horse Orientated Open Forum)
HOOF is open to anyone with an equine interest. You do not need to own a horse! We meet about once a month for talks, visits etc. Interested? Contact Jo Rowe on: 05 49 64 30 59
Equine Rescue France
We are always looking for new members and we are in need of donations so we may continue to help equines in France. Please support the ERF.
Please contact Equine Rescue France via their website www.equinerescuefrance.org
Page 20
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
MAYDAY MES AMIS Mayday Mes Amis has been formed to help animals in need in l'Absie and the surrounding area. For more information please email: jill.zub@sky.com. HELP REQUIRED! Hope Association is looking for dry storage with easy access for their ever increasing number of book donations, preferably within 10kms of Sauze Vaussais, Clussais La Pommeraie and Lezay. Please contact soomog4hope@gmail.com. www.hopeassoc.org.
Phoenix Associason, who rescue and re-‐ home animals in need, has a new website. Please visit: www.phoenixasso.com and find out what you can do to help animals in need in south west France!
Adoption Appeal: TOY. A One and a half Year Old Boxer x Labrador Boy Funny that Toy should be called Toy, as all he wants to do is play! He'll never be able to t e l l u s w h a t h a p p e n e d , b u t somewhere in his past, he must have sadly had a swipe to the head, which has left him blind in one eye and deaf on that side. Has it affected his looks or his behaviour? Oh not a jot! (the only treatment he requires are eye drops and eye cleaning). Toy would absolutely adore another lively dog to play with -‐ all he wants to do is have fun, fun fun! Toy is very friendly with cats too. Children, of course, are great as far as he's concerned! If you are interested in adopting Toy please call Jackie & Andy on 05 53 52 06 23 or email Jackie.Axford@gmail.com More photos and videos of Toy are on the Phoenix website
Farah, a beautiful 3yr old Doberman Farah is a big gentle girl and very different now to when she was first brought into dog psychologist and trainer Julie Stansbridge. Several sleepless nights later and Farah has recovered from the stress of not being wanted by her owner and finding herself far away from her old home.
This lovely mature female needs an owner who adores and understands the breed, and has the time to spend with her, she hates to be left alone or shut away. Farah has no particular problems and is not an aggressive dog, but she would be better suited to living with another older bitch and not a male. Farah has been sterilized, micro-‐chipped (250268500337577) and primo vaccinated and there will be an adoption fee. She can be vaccinated for rabies to obtain her full Passport should this be required, when she has her booster vaccination. This is an opportunity to own a specialist breed by someone who is experienced. Kindness and understanding are essential and where possible a home visit will be required. Julie Stansbridge will also be happy to talk to any interested parties about Farah. If you think you can give Farah a good home, please call I s a b e l l e n o w o n 0 9 7 7 4 8 7 1 4 3 o r e m a i l a s s o . o r f e e @ l a p o s t e . n e t f o r m o r e i n f o r m a b o n . www.associason-‐orfee.forumacsf.com/f49-‐english-‐corner
Page 21
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
No Good Deed Goes Unpunished! A few years ago a cat had a litter of kittens in a barn in a small hamlet. She and the kittens were “adopted” by its owner and his neighbours. Some of the kittens became house cats while the mother and some others enjoyed the freedom of the barn, whilst still permitting their human subjects to bring them food. Over the years the population expanded until one day the people decided that something had to be done and so they contacted one of our volunteers. To cut a long story short, they caught the cats and took them to one of our friendly vets, where NALA had them sterilised and identified. One of the inhabitants of the hamlet looked after them until they had recovered from the operation and then released them. Job done, end of story except...... the hamlet invited the volunteer to dinner to thank her and there she was approached by someone who told her of an urgent situation... A few winters ago an octogenarian who had some cats of her own discovered some very young kittens deposited in her garden. Clearly they had been dumped there by someone who was relying on the lady's good nature to take care of them. She couldn't just leave them to die, so she took them in and raised them. She didn't have the financial means to sterilise them and she found other kittens in her garden in subsequent years. Little by little her feline population grew until she had over thirty. Sometimes her cats (and those of her neighbours) disappeared, were poisoned, were found dead or returned home with appalling injuries. Some of the neighbours were unhappy about the number of cats and made complaints to the mayor. However, no solution was found and drastic measures were being envisaged for the following Friday, which is when, just by chance, someone from that town met our volunteer at that dinner. Once the urgency of the situation was explained to her, our volunteer contacted us and we met with this person to see if there was anything that we could do. As a result of our meeting we went to see the octogenarian to discuss the situation and see if we could find a solution that was acceptable to her. She agreed that we could take away some of the cats to be adopted so that she would be left with five, sterilised and identified. This happened during the weekend, so we had to wait until Monday before we could go any further. First thing on Monday, we contacted the legal department of the national association 30 Millions d'Amis where a very helpful lady answered our questions and gave us advice. She also contacted the Mayor of the town to discuss the matter and reported back to us. We then arranged an appointment with the Mayor, which took place on the Wednesday. In the meantime we made an appeal for help on our website and Facebook page. Through this we discovered that another local association l'Ecole du Chat Libre Caillerot was also involved and had already found other associations, adoptants or foster homes for many of the cats. On Wednesday we met with the Mayor and explained our proposal to capture and place the majority of the cats, leaving the lady with five sterilised and identified cats. We also arranged with her neighbours that they would keep an eye on the situation in case of further difficulties. This proposal would solve the problem without any unnecessary expense for the town. The Mayor found our proposal acceptable, so the cat exodus began. By the end of Wednesday over twenty cats had been caught and taken away to the associations, the foster homes or to vets for sterilisation or treatment. As a result the Mayor cancelled his intended actions. Over the next few days most of the other cats were caught and hopefully there will be no more problems in the future.
Thanks go to all the volunteers who helped catch the cats and also to the people who were willing to adopt a cat or act as a foster family. This nationwide mobilisation that saw cats being reserved from as far away as Nice and Paris shows the power of social media such as Facebook in bringing people together to solve a problem. On a more sombre note, it's necessary to look at the causes of this problem and see what lessons we can learn. Firstly, people should not abandon animals in the gardens of animal friendly people hoping that they will be looked after. Not only is abandoning an animal illegal, but an animal is its owner's responsibility and part of that responsibility is dealing with the consequences of unwanted reproduction. If you don't want your cat to have babies then get it sterilised: it's less worry for you and it's better for your animal's health. Secondly, the private individual should not have to deal with the problem of stray or abandoned animals: this is the responsibility of the Mayor. They should have a contract with a fourrière and should publish at the town hall the procedures to follow if one finds a stray animal. Most importantly, harming or killing pets is illegal and punished by a prison sentence or a fine. We are carrying out a survey to find out how many pets have disappeared or been injured or killed in the town. If it proves necessary we shall inform the gendarme Nos Amis Les Animaux 85480 (NALA 85480). Tel: 07 70 31 54 59
Email: nala85480@hotmail.com www.nosamislesanimaux.com
APPEAL Banjo is 16 months old and a very sweet dog weighing just over 13 kilos. He is fine with other dogs, cats and good with well behaved children. He is house-‐trained and loves cuddles. This little dog will make a perfect, loyal family pet. He has the enthusiasm of youth and enjoys exercise. He would benefit Banjo from a family used to dogs and willing to put in the work and training necessary for all youngsters. Currently being fostered in Niort (79). There is an adoption fee of 120€ which includes the first primo vaccination (not rabies yet), neutering and worming. If you’re interested in adopting Banjo, please contact Isabelle now on 09 77 48 71 43 or email asso.orfee@laposte.net for more information. For more dogs and particularly kittens for adoption, please go to www.hopeassoc.org After a successful May 2013 Book Sale the Hope Association has been able to make donations to the following organisations: SPA Limoges, Levriers and Co., Poor Paws, Felin pour l’autre and L’ecole du chat libre de Poitiers. Donations are also on their way to the following: Association Orfee and Twilight Maison Retraite pour Chiens. Thank you to everyone who volunteered and helped at the event and also to the public who support the Hope Association. These donations will make a difference to many animals lives. Page 22
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
The Great Outdoors...
Bonne Pêche
by Simon Tee
Today my topic is “using the right tools for the job”. Balancing your equipment allows all the individual parts to work to their maximum efficiency and you, the angler, to get more pleasure out of your hobby. Choose a rod with the right level of sensitivity and thickness for your target fish. The line weight is the maximum amount of force the line can take without snapping (bear in mind that heavier line is more visible to the fish). Reels are a lengthy topic, but simply a spinning reel is easier to use whereas a bait-‐caster is more accurate, works with heavier lines, but can leave you with a mess of line if you don’t master the technique. With all reels you set drag; that is the amount of resistance a fish feels when it pulls on the line. If you fish for small fish, under about 5lb, you should use a feeder rod or a float rod. These rods are thinner and more sensitive, ideal as you are relying on the rod to detect the bite. Use a feeder rod for fishing on the bottom; it has a highly sensitive tip, the movement of which indicates the bite. Feeder rods come with different sized fluorescent tips, the heavier is used for fishing in moving water. A float rod is generally longer, aiding with distance as you are casting out a very lightweight float, which of course is your bite indicator. I would suggest a rod length of about 12 or 13ft for roach and rudd fishing and using line of about 2-‐6lbs.
Carp rods are a thicker diameter (a higher test curve). The higher the test curve, the further you can cast out (good for big waters) and the bigger the fish you can handle. When carp fishing you don’t need such a sensitive rod as it’s the setup of the reel and bite alarm that tells you when you have hooked a fish. Use a fixed spool bait-‐runner reel so that you can free spool (allow the fish to take the bait and travel with it long enough to get a good hook set). Next month I’ll talk about terminal tackle – what goes on the end of your rod and line. Meanwhile, now that the sun has finally emerged, fishing during the day will only benefit your suntan. Target early morning, sun rise or the last few hours as the sun starts to set. Feed the swim patiently, stepping up the bait as the fish move in. And don’t forget to fish the margins, no-‐matter how shallow. When the bites seem to stop, it could be because a large fish has moved in – be prepared for the fight.
Bonne pêche, Simon Simon Tee is the proprietor of 2 coarse fishing lakes in Secondigny (www.francefishinggites.com)
Small Colour advert only 34€
For either rod I would suggest you use a fixed spool reel with a rear drag system (this puts only a small amount of pressure on the spool, and once the fish bites you can either turn the handle or engage the main drag).
CONTRIBUTIONS.... We are always looking for new contributions for consideration in future issues. Do you have an experience to share? Are you a tradesman with a Top Tip? or perhaps an avid reader who would like to contribute a book review? Whatever it may be, either long or short, we would love to hear from you. You can call Sarah on 05 49 70 26 21 with any ideas, or send them on an email to: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
Page 23
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
THE AMATEUR GARDENER
by Vanda Lawrence
At last summer is here -‐ beautiful sunny days, balmy evenings, fresh produce from the vegetable plot and beautiful flowers in the flower garden. Apart from generally keeping the weeds in check and dead-‐heading, all our hard work earlier in the year has paid off. Our most important task in the garden now is keeping everything watered. I like to use this time to look at the garden as a whole and decide which plants are not well-‐sited, maybe because they are growing too tall or too straggly, which plants are just past their best and need removing and what new plants would be a good addition to each particular flower bed. I usually choose fragrant plants, be it in flowers or foliage, but these days my criteria also includes being bee-‐friendly. These insects need all the help we can give them to increase their ever-‐ dwindling numbers. There are about 20,000 different species of bees in the world and all of them are under threat at the moment, mainly because of pesticides. Bees live in colonies with three types of bee in each colony: the queen, the worker bee and the drone. Worker bees are all female as, of course, is the queen. All drones are male and their only job is to mate with the queen. Her only job is to lay eggs. Worker bees do exactly that -‐ clean the hive, collect pollen and nectar to keep the colony fed, and look after the offspring. Bumble Bees often nest in the ground or in attics under roof-‐beams. If you are interested there is an identification chart and photos of all the common species on-‐line at http://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-‐bees/ identification/. Also, if you spend time in the UK you might like to take part in their Bee Watch survey. Carpenter Bees are solitary. They build nests for themselves and only feed their own young. They are so-‐called because they bore through soft woods to lay their eggs. These wood tunnels can be up to 10' long and can have several 'rooms' where the bees store their eggs and food.
Honey Bees on the other hand like large communities and their colonies can live for several years because they huddle together, eating honey to survive the winter months. The Honey Bee queen begins laying eggs in mid-‐late winter, as the days begin to get longer. She rarely leaves the hive after the mating period during which she makes several flights to mate with drones. The queen lays one egg into each cell built by the worker bees. The egg hatches into a larva which is then fed by 'nurse' bees (these are worker bees whose specific job is to maintain the interior of the colony). After about a week they seal the larva into its cell to begin the pupal stage and another week later it will emerge as an adult bee. Bees produce honey by collecting nectar from flowers. Nectar is a clear liquid, 80% of which is water with complex sugars. The bees store the nectar in a second stomach then return to the hive where the 'workers' remove the nectar. Within their digestive system worker bees break up the complex sugars to simple sugars and store in the honeycomb cells. Most herbs will attract bees and we all know the pleasure of sitting near the fragrant lavender bed listening to the lazy buzzing of bees moving from flower to flower collecting nectar. Echinaceas are also a good choice; not only are they bee-‐friendly but they are beautiful flowers with a lovely fragrance and their young petals look and taste lovely in summer salads. Echinacea tincture is also very good for colds. Another useful bee-‐friendly addition to the flower bed is the perennial, Helenium, also know as 'Sneezeweed' because in past times its dried leaves were used to make snuff. These days it is known to produce high amounts of pollen, which could be another reason for its common name. Helenium attracts bees, butterflies and hoverflies with its abundant supply of nectar. It is a good ploy to encourage hoverflies into your garden because, even though the adults are in competition with bees for pollen and nectar, hoverfly larvae eat greenfly -‐ as many as 50 per day!! That's not to be sneezed at! (... sorry, couldn't resist that one). So now, if I sit by the lavender bed and send up a few zzz's do you think my other-‐half will think it's the bees? Bye for now ....
Photo Below: The early bumblebee (Bombus pratorum) is one of the smaller bumblebees. It can be found throughout Europe, except for the Iberian peninsula. The specimen in the picture is a fully grown worker (female) – measuring 14 mm from head to abdomen. It is landing on an Echinacea purpurea flower. Source: Wikipeadia Commons © Bernie.
Page 24
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
CHARITY PARACHUTE JUMP!
WHY?
WHEN? WHERE?
To raise funds for Pepis Dog Refuge, Pedrera, Seville. Tuesday 23rd July 2013. La Rochelle and Ile de Ré.
Since Pepi’s Dog Refuge opened in Seville, Jane and Alan have helped hundreds of dogs. They have spent their life savings on caring for them; the sick, the injured, vaccinations, castrations, rehomings...the list is endless. They never have a day off. In the past year Jane and Alan have had more than their fair share of bad luck. First of all a Parvo outbreak, a canine killer disease, then someone threw poisoned meat into the kennels and several dogs became ill and some died. Severe rain in September 2012 caused the first mud slide straight through the kennels. A second one hit the property in November 2012 and Alan became ill at the beginning of 2013. Since then, their car has died and their electricity generator packed up. In May 2013 Jane suffered horrendous pain and was admitted to hospital. The last straw was the loss of their home. The house is subsiding after the numerous mud slides, and they have been warned to move out as it is dangerous! The cost of running Pepi’s Dog Refuge is enormous and no financial help from the government is offered. All funding is by way of fundraising and donations.
On Your Bikes...
The Le Mans 24 hour Velo Race is fast approaching, held at the Le Mans Bugatti Circuit on 24/25th August. “Les Templiers”, a team of eight English & French cyclists from the Civray area are raising sponsorship from private donations towards research and awareness of testicular cancer, and have corporate assistance to help fund partial event costs (cycling attire). Each team member has paid their own entry fee and equipment costs.
David Brennan has chosen to help Jane & Alan by taking part in a tandem parachute jump. His aim: to raise 6,000€. It will cost 5,000€ to fence an area of land where the refuge can relocate to and it will cost a further 1,000€ to buy a new electricity generator. Without the use of the generator it’s impossible to use power tools and there is not sufficient electricity for the day-‐to-‐day running of the Refuge. Currently Jane and Alan only have a small generator which powers some lighting at night. David is hoping for your sponsorship -‐ any amount will help this Refuge and the dogs it cares for. He would love to hear from you. If you run a business, why not sponsor David and get some free publicity! Sponsor David via Paypal -‐ david.brennan@sfr.fr Here’s the website, view the video – thrilling stuff! www.parachutisme.net
If you would like to sponsor ‘Les Templiers’, you can do so via the link below and all donations will be very gratefully received. https://www.justgiving.com/LesTempliers24HR
Page 25
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Life on the Farm...
Now that the summer fruits are in abundance we have decided to start a ‘Rumtopf’. Basically this is a way of preserving soft fruit for the winter. You need a large pot with a lid -‐ you can buy specific pots for this and we managed to pick up two at a vide grenier. Any soft fruit can be used and it was traditional to do this in order of the seasons i.e. strawberries, currants raspberries etc. Then add sugar (half the weight of the fruit) and finally, the interesting bit, cover it all with dark rum. The pot doesn’t need to be filled all in one go but added to as the summer progresses. The lid needs to be a good fit. Leave the full pot for a few months to be used over winter -‐ I can’t wait. by Peter & Jenny Sebborn.
Well, after a long wait it appears that summer has arrived. Beautiful clear skies, nice and hot and dry. It affects everyone in a positive way; happy smiling faces, the animals love lying in the sun, but we keep a careful watch on the pigs as they are prone to sunburn, especially the pink skinned variety. The vegetable garden has come into full production with tomatoes, cucumbers, French and runner beans to name but a few. Finally we must mention those damn weeds. I wish I could produce vegetables that were so prolific. We had a batch of Guinea fowl and chicken eggs in the incubator but sadly nothing hatched. We checked the eggs afterwards only to find that most had fully formed chicks in them. We suspect that there is a problem with the humidity control so we need to get it checked out. It is so disappointing when that happens. The latest batch of meat birds (chickens) have come back from the abattoir. Some of them coming in at over 3 kilos. We are so pleased with them that we have invested in some 9 month old breeding stock so we can produce our own eggs rather than buy them in. Next to go in the incubator is more Guinea fowl eggs now we have found where she is laying. (We will use a different incubator this time).
We are trying to wean the last of the lambs in preparation for the ewes to go back with the ram. It is proving a difficult job as there is nothing more determined than a lamb that wants its mother’s milk. They have been over and under fences, and this morning I found one that had gone through the fence and was wearing it. Time to beef up the defences I think! By the time you read this all of our hay will have been cut and bailed ready for winter. It appears to be a good year for hay so it should keep the prices down for those of you who need to buy it. Last year we split the hay 50/50 with the farmer who cuts it, but ended up buying most of his share back. So this year we will keep it all and pay him for cutting and bailing it. The gosling with the funny foot is doing well and getting around as if there was nothing wrong in the first place. Watering is now taking up a lot of our day with the polytunnel needing water three times a day and the pigs needing a daily shower, as well as copious amounts of water both to drink and for their wallow. We had a picnic for the Chasse guys -‐ 25 people in total. We cooked a whole pig in the ground, South Pacific style. A great day was had by all, which included French horns and trumpets, gifts of flowers and wine and two chickens (live)! The day ended with a shooting competition -‐ only air rifles but still an interesting combination after a few glasses of wine. Jenny came out top lady and got a bulls eye or the mouche as the French say. She beat most of the men (thankfully not me) as well. The wine obviously steadied her hand -‐ I’d better watch my step now I know she’s such a good shot! See you next month.
Peter & Jenny Sebborn. Breeders of pigs, lambs and poultry. La Gauteliere, 79220, Pamplie. Tel: 05 49 28 38 57.
Annual Subscription Costs: 28€ within France, 18€ UK addresses. (Unfortunately the cheaper ‘printed papers’ rate cannot be applied to addresses within France, only when sending abroad) Please tick:
‘The Deux-Sèvres Monthly’
‘The Vendée Monthly’
Full Name: Postal Address: Postcode:
Country:
Tel: Email: Please make cheques payable to SARAH BERRY.
Page 26
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
French Life, Food & Drink... French Village Diaries
by Jacqueline Brown.
I’d like to start this month’s piece by saying “ Thank You” to all of you who contacted me with helpful hints to try when making scones that actually rise. I’ve had a busy few weeks, but I will be trying them again soon, so fingers crossed. This year I have found that most things in the garden and orchard have been a little late to get going, but boy have they made up for it in quantity and quality when they do. The cherry harvest was fantastic and an added bonus to it being late meant that for the first time in our nine years in France my parents were able to eat our own fresh cherries. If I’m honest they did much more than just eat them, they helped with the picking, washing, stoning, preserving AND eating of them. They were also very useful with the broad bean shelling, but as my Grandad was an allotment man many years ago I think they had a bit of experience, despite the ‘Grow Your Own’ bug skipping their generation. The raspberries definitely seem to have benefited from the rains earlier in the season as this has been the best crop, both in terms of size and quantity of fruit and they are delicious -‐ especially when eaten in the potager. It won’t be long now before the pears and plums start to ripen and as some of the plum trees are so laden with fruit, (the branches are touching the ground) I’m going to be busy. Drying this years cherries was very successful, so I think I will try doing the same with stoned plums too. The courgettes also timed their arrival with Mum and Dad’s visit, but as they don’t quite share my passion for them, I quickly found them taking over the kitchen (the courgettes, not the parents). Adrian and I then spent a few days away, so returned to find the potager was also bursting with courgettes and squash, putting me in a state of courgette nirvana. I have yet to make a start on the chutney and relish making, but I have established an early morning routine of soup making and baking before it gets too hot. I’m also not ashamed to admit to serving up courgette omelette for breakfast, griddled courgette salad for lunch and roasted garden veggies (including courgette) with couscous for dinner. You can’t beat meals freshly harvested from the garden. I am again helping to organise our village family fun day this summer. As usual this will be held from 12 o’clock on the 15th August in the park behind the church in Loubille 79110, just south of Chef Boutonne. Please bring your own picnic to be eaten on the village trestle tables set out in the shade of the trees. Games to amuse young and old will be supplied; badminton, table tennis, cricket and pétanque. This is a free event and everyone is welcome. If you would like more information please email frenchvillagediaries@gmail.com For recipes please email me at frenchvillagediaries@gmail.com or visit www.frenchvillagediaries.com
Page 27
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
For a full list of our advertising rates, please phone 05 49 70 26 21 for an advertising pack or download from our website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
Contact ‘The Deux-‐Sèvres Monthly’ La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny.
Tel: 05 49 70 26 21 ~ Email: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr or see our website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
Page 28
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
A Village of Dance & Fishing
Our Chickens...
The village of Vix, located just off the D938 between Fontenay-‐le-‐ Comte and Marans, is a lively place in the Summer months. Proud of their heritage, the inhabitants share their love of folk dancing and fishing with many visitors each year.
I'm going to tell you a story about our chickens. It started at the end of April 2013 when Daniel and I, together with our neighbours, Mick & Vanda bought some chickens.
Established for 25 years, the village has its own traditional Vendéen Folk Dance group. With a mix of men, women and children all wearing rustic costume, the village hosts public events four times a year following the theme of a traditional local marriage.
We chose four black Marandaise hens and four common red hens, both breeds reputedly good layers. They have each been given a coloured leg ring for identification and have been 'baptised':-‐ Mick & Vanda’s hens, Eeny is red, Meeny is green, Miny is blue and Mo is yellow. For our hens it is yellow for Lily, green for Rosa, Prune wears blue and Cerise has the red bracelet.
Guests are seated in the atmospheric and lovely Grange du Grand Montnommé, a 300 year old large rustic barn decorated with objects from days gone by. The meal of locally produced fare is served by the dancers whilst the musicians take to the stage for singing and entertainment. The guests are invited onto the stage after dinner if they have a talent for entertainment, so bring your mouth organ, fiddle or best singing voices! Payment for this soiree is au bidon, but a price of €18 per head for adults and €10 for children over the age of 5 is suggested. The bidon is passed around towards the end of the evening and guests pay the suggested price, plus a little extra if they feel the evening has been worth it. The evening starts at 7.15pm and has a varied finish time, usually around 1am. Places are limited so best to reserve in advance. Wheelchair users can be accommodated, but please mention this on booking. In addition to the dance group, this lively village also has a group of local experienced fishermen, who still teach and keep alive the traditional ways of net catching the fish that live in the rivers and canals surrounding Vix. Join them every Wednesday from 15h to 22.30h at La Grange du Grand Montnommé for a short film and then you will be accompanied to the local river bank to board traditional fishing boats for a guided tour of how the forefathers of the locals caught their supper. It’s a wonderful chance to see the flora and fauna of the Marais, from the peace and tranquility of a boat gently moving along the waterway.
by Dany Soulard
They peck grain and granules, are very fond of salads and bread, cackle all day long and sleep comfortably together at night in a roomy, locked shed to avoid nocturnal visitors. They also lay eggs of course, although not regularly as yet because they are still young. The eggs of the Marandaise hens are dark speckled brown while the eggs of the red hens are larger, cream coloured. The egg of a Marandaise hen After all the bad weather of the last few months, summer has finally arrived with very high temperatures. The chickens are doing well and enjoying their new habitat, but early one July morning, beautiful Cerise was found dead; Rosa and Mo were a little tired-‐looking but went out into their run with the others. The following morning Mo couldn’t descend from the perch -‐ she was very poorly. Mick, Daniel and I took her to the Vet who diagnosed an attack of red mites. These tiny insects have been feeding on the hens' blood and have caused anaemia. Unfortunately it was too much for Mo who died at the Vet's surgery.
A meal in the barn follows, again, consisting of local fare and hopefully some fish! Children are welcome and life jackets will be provided. The tariff for the fishing experience on its own is €5 per person. For the fishing including the meal , the cost is €15 per adult and €10 per child over 5 years. For more information and reservations in English contact:-‐ Julie Briggs 02 51 51 56 79 or juliebriggs85@orange.fr In French contact:-‐ Mme Pousseau 02 51 00 61 26.
Dates for your Diaries...
• Dancing Spectacular Fridays: 2nd/16th/30th August. • Fishing every Wednesday until 28th August. From 3pm.
Hens Eeny, Mo and Cerise
The red mites are a nuisance and to stop any further infestation the coop had to be thoroughly cleaned and treated. So on return to the hen-‐house there followed a full-‐scale cleaning operation: burning of all the straw, complete removal of all the contents of the coop followed by top to bottom pressure washing and then disinfecting everywhere and everything. For the chickens themselves the Vet prescribed medication to destroy any remaining parasites together with a disinfecting powder for their bodies; also a course of vitamins to deal with the anaemia. They are of course under close supervision all day. They are much better now but our girls are probably so shocked by all the confusion to their household, they are on strike -‐ they have not laid a single egg since the events! Follow-‐ups to this story will come in future issues...
Page 29
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Let’s Get Out of These Wet Clothes and Into a by John Sherwin. Dry Martini If the only thing the recent appalling weather has achieved, it has kept me inside improving my drink-‐ mixing abilities -‐ or more accurately minimising my inabilities. You’d think, wouldn’t you, that there’s not much to mixing a drink? Think again, my dears, as much thought should be applied for a successful outcome. Let me share with you the results of my recent research. I’ve always fancied the idea of a Mint Julep. Ah, the deep south of crinolines and Rhett Butler. From the memory of rather too many films, it seems that to fully enjoy a Mint Julep you have to be world-‐weary, smoke cigars, wear a white suit and sweat a lot. The white suit is always the problem for me as it brings to mind that holier-‐than-‐thou, more-‐in-‐sorrow-‐than-‐in-‐anger, ex-‐MP. Anyway. Dissolve a tablespoon of sugar in double the amount of warm water. Add ten or so small, fresh mint leaves and leave to infuse for an hour. Add a double of bourbon whiskey, stir a lot, remove mint leaves, add lots of ice, and new mint leaves to garnish. If the Bloody Mary made its name as a morning pick-‐me-‐up, then logically it should be able to serve such a purpose at any time of the day, not just the evil sparrow hours. The following should be useful measures when you have a few friends round. Half bottle vodka; two pints tomato juice; two tablespoons tomato ketchup (stay with me now); four tablespoons each of lemon and orange juice; tablespoon Worcester sauce; teaspoon celery salt (optional). You have to put the vodka, ketchup, Worcester sauce and celery salt into a container and stir like a demon until the ketchup emulsifies, then add in everything else with lots of ice. In case you think this is getting a tad (how much is a tad?) alcohol-‐ heavy, then let me turn briefly to one of the most delightful non-‐ alcoholic concoctions I know, the Gunner. This came into being in colonial India, but was best known as the Hong Kong ‘cocktail’ after a vigorous game of hockey or cricket. A simple 50:50 mix of ginger ale and ginger beer, a good dash of Angostura bitters, (some use a little lime juice too, up to you), lots of ice. The main ingredients of beer and ale might be a problem to find. Ask any mates driving over to come stocked up, or call Claranne’s Pantry on 06 33 24 90 92. So, to the classic Dry Martini. Five measures (at least) gin to one Martini Rossi dry to be stirred vigorously in a jug half-‐ filled with ice. Serve in classic Martini glasses (or smallish wine glasses) which you have previously filled with water and left in the fridge for a couple of hours. Discarding the water before doing anything else, donut. And when the wet and cold and dreariness come again, as come they must, you’ll hear me muttering to myself, paraphrasing the great Marlon -‐ I could have had class. I could have been a bartender. Da-‐dah.
John Sherwin, French Wine Tours. Tel: 02 51 66 13 05 Email: johnsherwin@orange.fr ~ www.french-wine-tours.com
Page 30
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Motoring... Stunning 29 year old Redhead
by Helen Tait-‐Wright
With 80s night approaching at the Bar/Brasserie Vue du Chateau in Bressuire as I write, there have been some interesting posts on LIFT about people’s memories of that time. One of these threads was about posters, and some of the popular posters of the time were images of the most iconic 80s Supercars ..... the Porsche 911 Turbo, Lamborghini Countach and the Ferrari Testarossa. I had them all on my bedroom wall, red cars on a black background, and although it is the Porsche that has always been my favorite, it is the Testarossa that we have owned.
most notably the arcade games OutRun, and in the TV series Miami Vice, as Sonny Crockett's undercover car from season three. The car has subsequently become synonymous with 1980s "yuppies" and is an icon of 1980s retro culture. Ours has now gone to a new home, but we enjoyed the experience! Contact Helen at: helen@stodel.org.
The Testarossa went into production in 1984. The Testarossa name, which means "red head" in Italian, comes from the red-‐painted cam covers on the flat 12 engine. The striking wedge-‐like body shape is instantly recognisable, and was a departure from the previous more curvaceous Ferrari shapes. This was a result of engineering and wind-‐tunnel testing to improve the handling. The big side air intakes, or strakes as they are known, were needed to cool the rear mounted side radiators, as well as providing a strong design statement and make the Testarossa a massive 78 inches (nearly 2m) wide at the rear (trust me when I tell you that this is not practical on French country roads!). The rear mid-‐engine, rear wheel drive layout keeps the centre of gravity in the middle of the car giving increased stability and cornering ability, and I can also tell you that as a result, this is a superb track car. Plastic bumpers, steel doors and an aluminium body also keep the body weight down, enhancing the acceleration, and 0 -‐ 60 is quoted as 5.2 seconds. With the 4.9 litre engine out of the way behind the passenger compartment, luggage space is limited in the front, although, we know from experience that a 2 foot digger bucket fits in perfectly!!!! The Testarossa was the definition of ‘Supercar’ in its era, the innovative benchmark against which all contemporary sports cars were measured. In 1992 production of the Testarossa ceased after almost 7200 units were sold making it one of the most popular and most easily identifiable Ferrari models ever. So, what was it like to own a Testarossa? Two words spring to mind -‐ frustrating, and exciting! Frustrating because you were never sure if everything was going to work or not, and inevitably it would let you down at the most embarrassing moments -‐ memories of having to push it off a ferry, or away from petrol pumps spring to mind ..... and exciting because when it was working it was a real head-‐turner, the performance was awesome and the engine noise in a class of its own. For a supercar, it was relatively easy to work on, and Chris did most of the maintenance himself (tyres cost a fortune!). As Ferrari's range-‐topper during the 1980s, the car made appearances in numerous video games, Page Page 31
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Perpetual Motion; The Royal Enfield Bullet
by Roger Meek
The British motorcycle industry has a long and convoluted history stretching back into the 19th century. Much has been written about the successes and failures of what was for a time, the world’s foremost producer of motorcycles. A recent publication ‘The Strange Death of the British Motorcycle Industry’ by Steve Koerner (Crucible Books ISBN 978-‐1905472-‐03-‐02), a re-‐working of the authors PhD thesis, provides perhaps the most detailed insight to date into the collapse and concludes that the principal cause was company managements’ ignoring data showing that post-‐WW2 world demand was for small go-‐to-‐work motorcycles. Instead they pursued a policy of producing mostly large comparatively expensive models for what was a declining world market. In a sense there is nothing really new here. It was already known that the Japanese manufacturers’ approach to producing motorcycles was based on ‘what people wanted’ whilst the British factories’ attitude was `what do we want to make’. First to go were most of the smaller factories, who either became insolvent or were taken over by one of the two industry giants, BSA or Matchless (AMC). By the mid-‐1970s most, including the industry giants, had disappeared. Ironically, today, Triumph is the largest UK owned motor vehicle manufacturer, annually producing around 80,000 high quality motorcycles using the most up-‐to-‐date technology. The new Triumphs are all modern designs, even the latest Triumph Bonneville only looks like the old version. However, until very recently you could still buy a new (old) British motorcycle, not one made in England (although not all modern Triumphs are either) but in India -‐ the Royal Enfield Bullet, which was available in both 350 and 500cc form. The Bullet was first produced in the early 1930s but not associated with the name until 1949. It is a motorcycle with an odd and convoluted history. Representatives from the Indian Government travelled to England in the early 1950s to purchase motorcycles for the Indian military. After visiting the various British factories they decided on the 350cc Bullet, built at Royal Enfield’s factory at Redditch. Apparently the order was so large that Royal Enfield set up a factory in India in partnership with Madras Motors to assemble the Bullet under licence, although by 1957-‐58 Enfield had sold the tooling and manufacturing rights to the Indian factory. After the demise of Royal Enfield in England in the early 1970s, the Indian factory just kept on making the Bullet and has continued to do so until the present day, albeit with a recently revised engine. Indian made Bullets were initially exported back to the UK in 1977 with the original 350cc single cylinder motor and 1930s designed Albion 4-‐speed gearbox. The factory has since operated a programme of continual improvements, especially to the electrics,
improving reliability. Later the 5 0 0 c c m o d e l w a s a l s o imported, which has a top speed of around 80mph, rather more than the 350’s 70mph. The chassis was originally designed by Royal Enfield for competing in low speed trials events and hence has good low as well as high speed stability and, coupled to the engines ability to plonk along at low speeds, makes for relaxed riding. More recent upgrades include a new English designed 5-‐speed gearbox and electric start. However, the latest major change was a consequence of EU emission legislations that required a new engine design that pass the emission tests. Apparently it was not possible to modify the old motor. Only the 500cc Bullet is available in France and with limited model specifications (what do we want to sell?). A much greater model range is available in the UK, including café racers, trials versions and replicas of military motorcycles, where they are also substantially cheaper (www.haywards.co.uk). The Royal Enfield Bullet now holds the unique position of having the longest continuous production run of any motorcycle in history with worldwide sales at record levels. So for the time being at least, the future of the Bullet, an evocative motorcycle that rekindles memories of Britain in the 1950s and ‘60s, shows no sign fading into history.
Above: Examples of Royal Enfield Bullets with the original Redditch designed engines. The 2005 bike (left) has the 500cc engine with electric start and latest 5-speed gearbox. The 350cc version is a 1989 model with original Albion 4-speed gearbox and unique patented neutral finder.
Roger can be contacted via his website: www.rogermeekherpetology.com
Page 32
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Page 33
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
French Adventures... Life in Rural France
While sitting in a stranger’s house, after washing and feeding an old lady with no teeth, cleaning up cat vomit, clearing litter trays and lightly toasting a piece of bread for a bird, I think back to times gone past... My day used to consist of waking at 5am and getting the children up, driving them to a friend’s house for onward transportation to school. Then 2 hours travelling to London. When there, I would be organising work schedules, production, order creation, outwork and keeping all the clients happy. I held meetings and spent all day rushing around. I then spent 2 hours driving home, picking up the children, making dinner and then bed, ready to do it all again the next day. Now my days consist of walking dogs, cleaning up poo, talking to parrots, getting chickens up before it's light, cooking boiled eggs for Great Danes, keeping wild cats out, keeping guest cats in, staying in cold houses, creaky houses, big houses, grand houses, spotless houses, at home houses. Knocked over by goats, chased by sheep and finding chickens who have forgotten where their home is.
So while everything was available at the touch of a button I never really appreciated it until now. There is nothing you can rely on to work here and just a hint of a storm and the power sulks. Taking the rubbish out now means a 15 minute walk to the end of the road several times. Putting the heating on means chopping the wood, bringing it in and lighting the fire. Getting ready for winter means banging nails in and hanging blankets at doors and entrances, duct taping up holes. Double glazing means sticking plastic up at the window and laying duvets on the floor in the loft. The luxury of having hot running water is beyond utopia and the immense happiness at having a 20 year old car that starts first turn of the key makes life worthwhile. I have definitely realised the real value of life and any materialistic tendencies have fizzled away into the distance. Life in rural France is definitely different, interesting, eventful, stressful and hard -‐ but that's just life on the funny farm.
There are houses with well water, tap water and bottled water. Electricity is a hit or miss thing. The lights dip when the kettle goes on and putting on more than one appliance trips the whole system. I've swapped my suit for a waterproof coat, court shoes for wellies, briefcase for a wheelbarrow. Doing my hair now means teasing straw and hay out of it, running my fingers through it and forcing it into a scrunchie. Making my face up means smiling. Having a nice soak means taking the dogs for a walk in the rain, and holding a meeting consists of me giving the chickens a good talking to when trudging around in the dark with a torch gathering them up. A dual-‐flush system now means pressing the button twice and watching the trickle of water reluctantly make its way out and try lamely to make its way down the hole, anything more than a wee doesn't usually make it. I spend many hours driving around the french countryside in search of places hidden deep in woodland, out of the way spots, down tiny tracks, some with grand entrances and some with no entrance at all. Getting lost is an everyday thing even with a SatNav. Turn left often leads you across a field, take the next right has been the entrance to a cowshed. Then there's the fog which creeps across in seconds creating a blanket of white making driving impossible above 10kmh....
Heather Rosemary offers Pet & House Si…ng services (see advert on p.21) and keeps a blog of her everyday tales. To read more ‘Life on the funny farm’ go to: hyp://wordsfromthefunnyfarm.blogspot.fr.
Page Page 34
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Communications... Email Security
Respect your Friends and Family’s privacy -‐ use the Bcc field
7. Email Addresses are private Property, only the owner of an email address has the right to choose with whom they share their address!
Recently some of my customers have been unfortunate and had their email accounts hacked. This is a horrible experience that ends in the loss of their recent email and usually their address book/contacts list.
What is the alternasve? If you put everyone' email address in the Bcc field instead, all of the risks detailed above would have been eliminated -‐ so what is the Bcc: field?
The hackers use the email addresses they have stolen to create all sorts of mischief, by sending out bogus emails (possibly containing malware) seemingly coming from the victim of the hacking, promoting some product/website or giving a story, designed to part their friends from their cash, such as "we were in a car accident/hotel fire in Spain and have lost everything, please send cash to" .. .. .., I am sure you know what I mean.
Bcc stands for Blind carbon copy. It's a field, just like the To-‐field in your e-‐mail application/service. The difference is that the addresses you send the e-‐mail to are hidden and can't be seen by anyone but the original sender.
by Ross Hendry
This sort of hacking can be easily prevented simply by having a very strong password. However, hackers are able to acquire people’s email addresses far easier than going to the effort of hacking email accounts. Because many people, whilst keeping in touch with their friends/family, send out or forward amusing emails, unfortunately they do this by adding the email addresses of everyone to either the 'To:' field or the 'cc:' field, in this way everyone is able to see everyone else's email address and may copy them. What's the harm in this? Well, when one of these funny emails is sent out, it could be forwarded to millions of other people. You probably would’nt know 1% of these people, so how do you know that one of them is not a hacker, or someone who collects email addresses and sells them on? Here are 7 reasons not to use the "to:" or "cc:" field for bulk email: 1. The people on your list don't want the others to get their address. They gave it to you only. 2. If even just one person of those you e-‐mailed gets an e-‐mail virus, every person on that list is at risk of getting it. E-‐mail viruses check for all addresses that person has in his/her e-‐mail. 3. One of the people you send to might be a spammer, or just send the whole list to someone who sends spam. 4. Someone among the recipients might start sending advertisements to everyone and not even realize that it is spamming. 5. There is a very high risk that someone chooses "Reply to all" and sends their reply to everyone on the list. 6. You have breached people's privacy and put them at risk of spam and viruses.
But my e-‐mail application doesn't have a Bcc-‐field! Yes, it does. In many applications the Bcc-‐field is hidden and you need to choose to show it. It's usually very easy to turn on and use. Just check out the help service of your email. When sending out bulk email, I normally put my own email address in the To: field and everyone else's email addresses in the Bcc: field. If I am actually forwarding an email from someone else, I try to remove the emails of those already displayed on the one I am forwarding; or if I cannot easily remove them, I simply copy the email content only, and paste this into a new email, to send to my contacts. If you really cannot find the Bcc box for your email service, please contact me and I will advise/show you where/how to find it and if necessary turn it on. You may email me at this address rs.hendry@gmail.com If you know people who do this regularly, you can direct them to this website, it could help them to change their ways http://whybcc.com. I was asked to write this article by Jan Smith (Paperback Jan) who like me, tries to maintain the security of her customers by respecting their email addresses. If you have any issue that you would like me to write about, please do not hesitate to contact me, either by email or telephone as I would be pleased to discuss your idea. Ross Hendry is the proprietor of Interface Consulting and Engineering, who has over 42 years experience in Communications, Computer Technology and Direct Marketing. (See advert below for more information).
Page 35
Colour Advert Size A or B, only 38€ per month or from 33,33€ per month for 12 months.
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Contact ‘The Deux-‐Sèvres Monthly’ La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny.
Tel: 05 49 70 26 21 ~ Email: info@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr or see our website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
Useful English Language Numbers...
Cancer Support Deux-Sèvres:
05 49 64 59 96
French State health insurance advice line:
08 11 36 36 46
Elizabeth Finn Care (Grants and advice if in Financial need):
04 68 23 43 79
Orange Helpline:
09 69 36 39 00
EDF International Customer Service:
05 62 16 49 08
CLEISS (Social security advice between countries):
01 45 26 33 41
Association La Porte Ouverte (Open Door):
05 49 87 97 36 or www.opendoor-civray.com
Funeral Information (AFIF):
01 45 44 90 03 or www.afif.asso.fr
Passport Advice:
0044 208 082 4729 Page 36
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Building & Renovation...
Page 37
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Small B/W advert only 30€
Page 38 38 Page
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Page 39
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Page 40
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
USEFUL VOCABULARY: brick................................. breeze block.................... cement............................ chimney............................ chimney cap..................... concrete........................... damp-proof membrane.... delivery date..................... downpipe (guttering)......... expanding p/u foam filler... filler................................... framework......................... gravel................................ grout.................................. gutter................................. ladder................................ lime................................... metal rail............................ meter, electricity or water... partition wall...................... plaster............................... plasterboard...................... rafter..................................
brique (f) to render.......................... parpaing (m) to renovate...................... ciment (m) roll................................... cheminée (f) roof.................................. chapeau de cheminée (m) roof tile............................ béton (m) RSJ................................. couche isolant (f) sand................................ délai de livraison (m) sandblaster...................... tuyau de descente (m) sandstone........................ mousse expansive polyurethane (f) scaffolding....................... enduit (m) screed............................. charpente (f) setting agent.................... gravillon (m), gravier (m) shovel.............................. mortier (m) skirting board................... gouttiere (f) staircase.......................... échelle (f) staple gun........................ chaux (f) steel................................. rail metallique (m) stone............................... compteur (m) tarpaulin.......................... cloison (f) trestle.............................. plâtre (m) wall.................................. plaque de plâtre (f) wheelbarrow.................... chevron (m) window............................
ARTISANS & TRADESMEN... Do you have any top tips you can share with our readers? We would love to include them in this section!
enduire (v) rénover (v) rouleau (m) toit (m) tuile (f) poutre en fer (f) sable (m) sableuse (f) grès (m) échafaudage (m) chape (f) fixateur (m) pelle (f) plinthe (f) escalier (m) agrafeuse (f) acier (m) pierre (f) bache (f) tréteau (m) mur (m) brouette (f) fenêtre (f)
For more details, please see the ‘Submit Article’ page on our website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
Page 41
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Business, Finance & Property... Ask Amanda.
Money Talk...
Q: “Is it true that even though I live in France, new legislation is coming which means I can use my UK Will when I die an d w ill pay less inheritance tax as a result?”
Central Bank divergence to drive currencies in 2013
A: From August 17th 2015 European law will allow British Nationals the option of electing to use their UK wills in France. The inheritance tax regimes for France and the UK are quite different and professional advice should be sought before deciding which option is going to be correct for you. Under the UK system each person has £325,000 of tax allowances before paying death duties on their estate, whilst in France it is 100,000 Euros per child per parent. Clearly the more children you and your spouse have the greater the allowance before paying death duties in France. You also have the tax advantages in France of using an Assurance Vie, where you can leave additional money per beneficiary outside of your inheritance tax bill. As you can see, where you pay inheritance tax is not a straightforward decision and opting to use a UK Will is not necessarily a good idea for everybody. Although the new regulation is still two years away, understanding how you can maximise your inheritance tax allowances now, coupled with an understanding of which regime will suit your personal circumstances better after August 2015, is a sensible idea and getting the right advice is very important. I offer a free consultation in the privacy of your own home to discuss your circumstances and explain how to maximise your tax free allowances here in France. It is very important to manage your money so that it works hard for you, after all, you’ve worked hard to earn it and have already paid tax on it, so why would you choose for your loved ones to pay more than they need to when you are gone? Please call me on the numbers below for an appointment or more information, or if you have any questions that you feel I may be able to help you with, please “Ask Amanda” or use the contacts below and I will call you to discuss your questions and arrange the most appropriate answer. Amanda Johnson, The Spectrum IFA Group. Tel: 05 49 98 97 46 Email: amanda.johnson@spectrum-‐ifa.com or “Ask Amanda” at finance@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
by Sue Cook
For the first time since the 2008-‐09 financial crisis, monetary policy in America and Western Europe is beginning to diverge and it will have large ramifications for the Pound and Euro. The American Central Bank, the Federal Reserve, has recently suggested it will scale back asset purchases as the economic picture continues to improve over in US. Recent economic data supports a picture of a gradual but sustained recovery, unlike the picture in Europe which remains one of economic weakness. The Fed has conditions attached to any reduction in the current monthly $85 billion per month asset purchase scheme: the unemployment rate continuing to fall towards seven per cent, which recent data suggests will happen in the first quarter of 2014 at the current pace of job creation. The problem that both the European Central Bank and Bank of England are facing is a recovery much weaker in the UK and Euro zone than the one underway in America. Talking about tighter monetary policy at this point could derail the meagre economic recovery. Confirming to the markets, businesses and consumers that monetary policy will remain highly simulative for a good while yet has become very important to keep confidence levels on an upward trend. This explains why both the ECB and BOE recently unveiled a new weapon in the central bank armoury -‐ forward guidance. Forward guidance works by pre-‐committing the central bank to a certain policy for a set amount of time, a year for example, or by tying monetary policy to an economic outcome much like the Fed has done with the unemployment rate. The rationale behind the move is to make sure the Federal Reserve tapering asset purchases does not kill off growth on this side of the Atlantic. Any actual action by central banks is likely to be many months away, but because markets are forward looking, policy decisions six months away have an impact on currencies now as market participants adjust behaviour and positions in anticipation of the move. Diverging monetary policy in the US on one hand, and the UK and Euro zone on the other means that the Dollar remains a currency of strength and is highly likely to continue to strengthen whilst the Euro and Pound move in the opposite direction. If both the Euro and Pound are set to be weak in the coming months, what does that mean for the GBP-‐EUR exchange rate? That depends in a large part on the new Bank of England Governor Mark Carney. The market expects him to be highly dovish in his approach, which translates into a weaker currency. We will find out more details in August, but quite how much Sterling will continue to fall rest squarely on his shoulders.
Page 42
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Page 43
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Small Colour advert only 34€ Page 44
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
Page 45
THE DEUX-SÈVRES MONTHLY
So Who Bought in PoitouCharentes Last Year?
by Trevor Leggett, Chief Executive
The Leggett Immobilier team were lucky enough to be given a sneak preview into the results of the 5th "Investing & living abroad" research which is published each year by BNP Paribas international buyers. It always makes fascinating reading as it is the only research of its kind and it lets us see how many houses in France are purchased by international buyers each year. Although the statistics don't drill down to differentiate the Deux-‐ Sèvres from the other departments within the region, they do give us an insight into the Poitou-‐Charentes region as a whole. The overall picture across France shows that in 2012 international buyers were down by 29% with 10,663 sales compared to 15,073 the previous year. This is not unexpected given the ongoing crise financiere but what was notable was that these buyers were spending far more money with an average purchase price of €384,000 compared to €320,000 two years previously. The number of people requiring a mortgage also dropped from 25% to 20% showing that many more cash buyers were coming into the market. This leads us to believe that there are some "canny" buyers who see France as a bit of a safe haven and a good long term investment when you compare property here to other countries, or indeed other asset classes (just how much return are you getting from your bank account at the moment?). Turning to our region of Poitou-‐Charentes, the top three international buyers of property were the UK, Belgium and Netherlands, and we were the 7th most popular region in France -‐ PACA, the Rhone Alpes and then Paris won those particular Gold, Silver & Bronze medals.
End
What was most interesting though was that there was only one region in the whole of France where the number of sales to international buyers actually went up in 2012 -‐ you guessed it, Poitou-‐Charentes. While PACA saw a 31% reduction, the Rhone Alpes fell by 40% and Paris saw sales drop by 4% we actually saw a rise by 4%. It just shows what discerning taste all these overseas buyers have! We saw 350 sales last year compared to 337 in 2011 with an average purchase price of €145,000, showing what great value property is here in western France. As we said earlier, buyers from the UK led the way and make up 78% of the market followed by Belgium (13%), the Netherlands (5%) and Germany (4%). The UK buyers actually jumped from a 70% market share from 2011 which reflects the increase in sales we have seen here at Leggett Immobilier. On a personal note the overall research issued by BNP Paribas allowed us to accurately calculate that our market share has jumped from 5% to 10% in the last 12 months. One in ten houses sold in France last year to buyers from the UK were done so through Leggetts and this is a statistic we are mightily proud of. We are actively recruiting in both Deux-‐Sèvres, Charente-‐Maritime and Vendée and you can see full details on our website. Who knows, you could even be adding to the BNP Paribas statistics yourself in 2014! Leggett Immobilier is one of the leading estate agents in France. You can access all their local property listings and articles at www.frenchestateagents.com/poitou-‐charentes-‐property.
Page 46
47
theme park
Futuroscope is one of the best-loved leisure parks in France and the only one of its kind in Europe. It is the ideal place to relax in, with 60 hectares of tranquil green countryside and 25 original experiences you won’t find anywhere else: films in giant format, thrill-filled attractions, 3D rides with 4D effects, games, live shows, open-air activities, and more… The spectacular theatres inside Futuroscope are gigantic sculptures and their futuristic lines blend in smoothly with the surrounding landscape. Discovery and thrills guaranteed for everyone, young and old!
BERGERAC
Easy access!
-3 €
per person
The voucher is valid for adult, senior citizen (aged 60 and over) and child (aged 5 to 16) for 1 day dated-entry tickets and must be handed in at the Futuroscope ticket booths between the 16th february 2013 and the 5th January 2014* (1 to 5 visitors per voucher). Discount does not apply to packages, group tickets, and undated entry tickets (visa/ season). Offer may not be combined with other offers and backdated. *Please check opening dates on futuroscope.com
By road, by train and plane
futuroscope • com Futuroscope_Creation/Fotolia/Studio Ludo/S LAVAL/Robothespian-© Engineered Arts Limited 2012 - D LAMING, Architecte - Chorégraphies : Mourad Merzouki - CCN Créteil et du Val-de-Marne/Compagnie Käfig. Société du Parc du Futuroscope, capital de 6 504 455€, siège social : BP 2000 - 86130 Jaunay-Clan, RCS de Poitiers B 444 030 902.
48