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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Welcome!
to Issue 3 of ‘The Vendée Monthly’ magazine! Well July is upon us, the Summer is here and family and friends will soon be starting to arrive full of holiday optimism. Our “What’s On” section (P.4) is full of things to do with visitors (or by yourselves of course!) plus don’t forget to visit the Tourist Information offices for further ideas including the many children’s activities in the area. The beaches are one of the favourite places to visit whilst on holiday and the Vendéen coastline has much to offer and we hope to cover this in future issues. Well, it’s time to put this issue ‘to bed’ now, so I wish you all a wonderful July with your visitors and enjoy our beautiful area.
à plus, Sarah.
Email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr or Tel: 05 49 70 26 21. website: www.thevendeemonthly.fr
Contents...
What’s On..........................................................................4 Hobbies, Clubs & Associations..........................................6 Getting Out & About.........................................................7 Take a Break...................................................................... 11 Our Furry Friends.............................................................. 12 The Great Outdoors.......................................................... 13 Health, Beauty & Fitness.................................................. 14 Motoring........................................................................... 15 Spotlight On................................................................... 16 French Life, Food & Drink.............................................. 18 Communications.............................................................. 22 Building & Renovation...................................................... 24 Business, Finance & Property........................................... 27 Emergency Numbers: 15 SAMU, Medical 17 Gendarmes, Police 18 Pompiers, Fire
112 European emergency 113 Drugs and alcohol
This Month’s Advertisers... A2B Food Services .............................................................................................. 18 Affordable UK Design........................................................................................... 2 Agence Mélusine................................................................................................. 30 A la Bonne Vie (Restaurant)................................................................................. 19 ARB French Property............................................................................................ 8 Bill McEvoy (Plumber / Heating Engineer).......................................................... 26 Bird Property Services......................................................................................... 24 Cafe Cour du Miracle........................................................................................... 19 Celtic Inn (Bar & Dining)...................................................................................... 20 Chris Bassett Construction.................................................................................. 25 Corbin Electrical................................................................................................... 25 Cottage Services (Garden Maintenance)............................................................ 13 Currencies Direct (Money Transfers)................................................................... 27 Elliott Gardening Services.................................................................................... 13 English Spoken..................................................................................................... 23 Evelyne Mallet (French Lessons & Translations)................................................. 10 Futuroscope......................................................................................................... 31 Gardens and Stuff................................................................................................ 14 Gentle Touch Hair & Beauty................................................................................ 14 Glass 2 France...................................................................................................... 2 Hotel Marie Stuart............................................................................................... 19 Insink Plumbing................................................................................................... 26 James Harris (Plasterer)....................................................................................... 26 John Snee (Groundworks)................................................................................... 24 Julie’s Cleaning Services....................................................................................... 28 Keith Banks Pool Services.................................................................................... 26 K.Neal Renovations.............................................................................................. 24 L.A Fish & Chips................................................................................................... 19 La Deuxième Chance (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Supplier)................................... 7 Leggett Immobilier............................................................................................... 30 Le Pub des Halles................................................................................................. 20 Ma Maison Parfaite............................................................................................. 30 Mark Sabestini Renovation & Construction........................................................ 24 MCH Groundworks / Construction..................................................................... 25 ML Computers..................................................................................................... 23 Nathan Foster Building Services.......................................................................... 24 Needa Hand Services........................................................................................... 26 Owners Direct..................................................................................................... 29 Pascale Matéo (French Courses and Translation)............................................... 10 Polar Express (Frozen Foods).............................................................................. 18 Rob Berry (Plasterer)........................................................................................... 25 Robert Gough Terrassement............................................................................... 24 Ross Hendry (Interface Consulting & Engineering)............................................. 22 Sarah Berry Online (Websites and Graphic Design)............................................ 23 Satellite TV (Nigel Gubb)...................................................................................... 23 Shaun Grice (Home Renovation)........................................................................ 26 Shaun O’Rourke (Garden Maintenance)............................................................. 14 Simon The Tiler.................................................................................................... 26 Spectrum IFA Group (Amanda Johnson)............................................................. 27 Sue Burgess (French Courses & Translation)....................................................... 10 Taylor Electricté................................................................................................... 25 Tracy Corrie (Nail artist)....................................................................................... 14 Val Assist (Translation Services)........................................................................... 10 Vendée Building Services..................................................................................... 24 Vendée Carriers................................................................................................... 15 Vendée Pools....................................................................................................... 32
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:
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Tel: Email: Please make cheques payable to SARAH BERRY. © 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 Vendêe 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: juillet 2013 -‐ Tirage: 4500 exemplaires. Siret: 515 249 738 00011 ISSN: 2115-‐4848
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
What’s On... July 2013 21st June-‐9th August -‐ Festival Ultrasong 2013 Open air concerts at the Forêt de Notre Dame de Monts. Starting from 9.30pm. See tourist information for further details: www.notre-‐dame-‐de-‐monts.fr 1st July-‐16th September -‐ Summer Exhibition. At the Château de Coulonges, 79160. Photographs of Church wall paintings-‐Peintures murales -‐ médiévales et gothiques" by Howard Needs. Can also be seen during guided tours of the Château which are bilingual. For further information see website: www.ville-‐ coulonges-‐sur-‐lautize.fr 3rd July -‐ NALA Quiz Monthly quiz in aid of NALA 85480 at the Auberge St Vincent Sterlange, starting at 8pm. 4th-‐7th July -‐ Festival of Dance “Salsa del Mar” Salsa dancing courses, workshops, concerts, demos and shows on the beach and streets of Les Sables-‐d’Olonne. Find more info at: www.salsadelmar85.fr 6th July -‐ 5th Birthday Party! Celebrate at A La Bonne Vie, Le Beugnon 79130 with live music and dancing. Please see advert on P.19 for more details. 9th July -‐ Mens & Ladies Darts Competition At Les Pub des Halles, Sainte Hermine. Great fun evening, all levels welcome. Please see advert on P.20 for contact details. 9th July-‐30th August -‐ The Summer House of Dragonflies A day out for all the family in the great outdoors, searching and learning about the Dragonfly. At Chaillé-‐sous-‐les-‐ormeaux, 85310. See www.maisondeslibellules.fr or call 02 51 06 03 15. 15th-‐17th July -‐ The Tour de France Sailing Race This 36th Annual event includes 11 cities in all, one stage arriving at St Gilles Croix de Vie. Please find further details at: www.tourvoile.fr 16th July -‐ Talk “Light up that Fire” Meeting of ‘ The Filling Station’ at 7pm. A talk by Patrick Whitworth of All Souls Church, Bath hosted by the Joie de Vie English speaking Church. At L'Espace Notre Dame de la Vie, Rue Gautte, St.-‐Gilles-‐ Croix-‐de-‐Vie. Tel: 02 51 33 27 81 Email: fraylesnot@sfr.fr 16th July -‐ Quiz Night At Les Pub des Halles, Sainte Hermine. All questions in French & English and a prize for every team. Please see advert on P.20 for contact details. 17th July -‐ Talk “Light up that Fire” Meeting of ‘The Filling Station’ at 7.30pm (refreshments from 6.30pm). A talk by Patrick Whitworth of All Souls Church, Bath hosted by The Rendez-‐ Vous Christian Fellowship. At La Grange, 39 rue du Centre, Thouarsais Bouildroux. Tel: 09 60 49 78 Email:christopher.taylor85@orange.fr 31st July -‐ PC Course “Using the Cloud” At Pause! Cafe L’Absie, 10.15am. Please contact Ross on rs.hendry@gmail.com for further details or to book a place.
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If you have a date you would like included in next month’s “What’s On” listing, please email the details to: info@thevendeemonthly.fr. The National Holidays, Religious and Feast Days 2013
Sunday 14th July............... Thursday 15th August....... Friday 1st November......... Monday 11th November... Wednesday 25th December.
Naoonal Day (Fête Na)onale de France) Assumpoon of Mary (Assomp)on) All Saints Day (Toussaint) Armisoce Day (Armis)ce 1918) Christmas Day (Noël)
Monthly services in the English speaking Anglican Church in the Vendée: Puy de Serre All Saints, Vendée holds two services each month, on the 2nd and 4th Sundays at the church of St. Marthe, Puy de Serre, at 11am. After each service, tea and coffee is served in the parish room and everyone is invited to a ‘bring and share’ lunch. Other services are held in the west of the Vendée, in La Chapelle Achard and La Chapelle Palluau. For details of these, please check the website: www.allsaintsvendee.fr A VERY WARM WELCOME awaits you at ESCOVAL (The English Speaking Church of the Valley of the Loire). Communion Services are held on the 3rd Sunday of each month at La Chapelle de la Bonne Dame de Ranton at 11.30am followed by a Bring and Share lunch. Full details of how to find us can be found on our website at: www.escoval.org or please telephone us on: 05 49 66 79 14. Our GPS address is 46˚59'25.30 N 0˚02'06.22 W.
Paperback Jan Books in English
3rd July: Café Cour du Miracle, Vouvant 85120. 2.30pm-‐4.30pm 4th July: Bar le Palais, St Aubin le Cloud 79450 2pm -‐ 5pm 4th July: Bar/Brasserie Vue du Chateau, Bressuire 79300 10am -‐ 12pm 5th July: Bar de la Paix, Thouars 79100. 12pm -‐ 2pm 5th July: Le Tipsy Bar, Coulonges-‐sur-‐l’Autize 79160. 4pm -‐ 6pm 7th July: Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux 79160. 2pm -‐ 4pm 11th July: Pause! Cafe, L’Absie 79240. 2pm-‐ 5pm 12th July: Jan’s home, La Ferrière-‐en-‐Parthenay. 11am -‐ 4pm 13th July: Cafe Le Chauray, St Maixent l’Ecole 79400. 10am -‐ 1pm 21st July: British Day at La Mothe St Héray 79800. 10am -‐ 6pm 25th July: Le relais des 2 moulins, Clessé 79350. 4pm -‐ 6pm 26th July: Le P’tit Bar Boucard, Ménigoute. 4pm -‐ 6pm 28th July: Horse & Dog Fun Show, Asnois 86250. from 8.30am 31st July: Jan’s home, La Ferrière-‐en-‐Parthenay. 1pm -‐ 6pm For more info contact Jan on: 06 08 30 73 29 or email: paperbackjan@gmail.com
La Vendée Chippy Traditional Fish & Chips in France!
Open 6-8.30pm • Wednesdays (July 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th & 31st) Bar ‘Auberge le St Vincent’, St Vincent Sterlanges • Thursdays (July 4th, 11th, 18th, 25th) Bar ‘La Rando’, Mervent. • Fridays (July 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th ) Bar ‘Au Bon Coin’, Thoursais Bouildroux
For more info please visit website: www.lavendeechippy.com
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Vide Greniers 7th July 21st July 28th July
Commequiers (85220) and L’hermenault (85570) Jard-‐sur-‐Mer (85520) and Saint Christophe du Ligneron (85670) Chateau d’Olonne (85180)
For more information about Vide Greniers in your area, visit: www.info-‐brocantes.com
Art Market from 10am to 7pm every Thursday in July.
Twenty artists confirmed (painters, sculptors, photographers, graphic designers and plastic artists) belonging to the association ‘Vent des Arts’ group who exhibit and sell their works in front of the church of La Tranche-‐sur-‐mer.
Did you know?...
THINKING ABOUT PLACING AN AD? For a full list of our advertising rates, please phone 05 49 70 26 21 or download our Advertising Pack from our website: www.thevendeemonthly.fr
by Vanda Lawrence
In times past June was the favourite month for marriages. Why? Because they took their yearly bath in May and still smelled quite good in June. However, since on a warm, sunny day there would be a bit of a ‘whiff’ starting, the bride would carry a bouquet of flowers to hide body odour. Hence today’s custom of the bride carrying a bouquet. Still on the personal hygiene theme, in those days there were no bathrooms of course, a bath was just a big tub filled with hot water and set in front of the fire in the main room. This water had to be drawn from the well and heated over the open hearth which was all very tiring and time-‐consuming. The man of the house, being the most important, had the privilege of the nice clean water, then the sons and any other men in the household; the women followed, then young children and finally the babies. You can just imagine what the water would be like at this stage -‐ so dirty you could lose someone in it. Hence the old saying ‘don’t throw the baby out with the bath water!’ Another well-‐known term from the old days, still in use today, is ‘upper-‐crust’. This is supposedly derived from when bread was divided according to status. In big houses with kitchens and servants, bread would be cooked in bread ovens with open fires, so consequently the bottom of the loaf would often be a bit blackened. The staff would get the burnt bottom of the loaf and the family would get the top or ‘upper crust’. Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. Supposedly, this combination would occasionally knock an imbiber out for a couple of days, long enough for them to be presumed dead and prepared for burial. They were laid out on the kitchen table while friends and family gathered to eat and drink, and wait to see if he would wake up. Hence ‘holding a wake’. On the same theme, when old cemeteries became full the most ancient graves were re-‐used. Occasionally a disinterred coffin would show signs of scratch marks which made our ancestors worry that they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would then sit in the graveyard all night -‐ ’the graveyard shift’ -‐ to listen for the bell. In this way someone could be ’saved by the bell’.
Short editorials can be offered to advertisers, free of charge Please call Sarah to find out more: 05 49 70 26 21
Contact ‘The Vendée Monthly’
La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny. Telephone: 05 49 70 26 21 or email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr
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Hobbies, Clubs & Associations... MaillÉ cricket club
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
“Nalliers Welcome”
Anglo/French Social Club Every Tuesday evening/Chaque mardi soir 19h15 - 21h00 ~ Salle Polyvalente, 85370 Nalliers
Contact Karen Ross on 02 51 56 14 28 email: j.a.ross@talk21.com 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
Founded 4 years ago by some passionate ex-‐pats who yearned for the sound of leather on Willow, the club is open for players of all standards. The focus is on fun (though winning a game is worth the effort!), age is irrelevant as we seek to create a little piece of England in the Vendée. The club has been wonderfully supported by the mayor of Maillé who has provided us with the sole use of the local Stade. Though a touch small as a cricket ground it does give many of us some inflated batting averages and poor bowling figures!! We play all over the Vendée as well as Brittany and we also have some great weekends hosting touring sides and with enough hospitality we even win some of the games. The one big advantage we have is the ability to create a wonderful social atmosphere with our own club house and catering facilities so spectators can enjoy some classic English tea and sandwiches and be close to watch the "action" under the shade of some trees and a glass of chilled wine. So if you want to have a go or come and see us play please visit our website at www.maillecricketclub.yolasite.com
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!
Vendee Women’s Fellowship Meetings held the third Thursday each month at ‘Le Mangoustan’ in Mervent. We share hobbies and interests and organise trips to places of interest, primarily offering friendship and support to English speaking ladies. Come and join us and you will be sure of a warm welcome. Contact: Carol 02 51 52 10 48 or Shirley 02 51 51 49 39
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.
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 The Filling Station ~ Poitou-Charentes and Vendée 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.the@illingstation.org.uk or locally contact 05 49 87 18 58 or email:michael.willisfr.fr 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.
If you have some time to spare and are interested to help us as a volunteer, please contact us for more information.
Cancer Support Vendée Helpline: 02 51 00 58 21 or email: csvpresident@orange.fr.
La Roche-sur-Yon Cricket Club Friendly cricket club always looking for more players, scorers, umpires and cake-makers! Contact John: 02 51 66 13 05 or Dave: 02 51 56 49 60
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Getting Out & About...
What’s in a name? So what happens when we are not rehearsing for a play? I intend to focus on one of Reaction Theatre’s groups each month giving more in-‐depth information on what we do and an update on important events in the other groups. This month I’m focusing on ‘The Art Scene’. “Art for all ages and talents” but it is also for all tastes and opinions. With this in mind I have tried to expand my knowledge of art and like many of you I have been reading the “ARTicles” column in the Vendée Monthly written by Josie Bounds. Although I spend hours reading art books and watching art programmes, and I was a member of four different art societies in the UK, my knowledge of art is based on what might be called Representational art. Representational art is painting what we can see, with a particular liking for the Impressionists, Monet and Van Gogh. Some people say, “If you’re going to paint life like subjects you might as well take a photograph.” They might have a point. I have hundreds of photos of my grandchildren but nothing pleases me more than completing a portrait of one of them. The other day my three year old granddaughter, Lottie, said “I love your painting of me grandad” what more can you ask? At first I must admit I found Josie’s articles a little bit high-‐brow so I arranged to have a coffee with her at the Pause Café. Josie then agreed to come along to a couple of Art Scene sessions to enlighten us using her slide projector to demonstrate her points. She has a vast knowledge of art history. The sessions were great and caused a lot of debate and some disagreement because like most things in life we all like different things don’t we? We all ended up painting some abstract flowers and still life subjects and the experience proved most stimulating, thanks to Josie for her patience and her help. I’m hoping I can persuade her to join our group permanently, watch this space!
It has been an interesting month. Renovating and trying to keep the business running is not easy, fortunately we no longer dread the thought of rain as the new roof is on and by the time you read this our new shop will be open here in Le Bois de Messé! We have met lots of lovely people and are learning new building vocabulary daily -‐ realising sometimes we use words that aren’t necessarily correct (and not just French!). A customer arrived for a tin of wax, and explained she was making her own “Chalk Paint” with lime!!! Surely that is lime paint -‐ a product we actually bought this week? We were amazed to find it has a very glossy finish and after reading the instructions again we discovered it was a synthetic product used to give a finish that would replicate the look of old lime plaster, which we already have! This proves again that words can be very misleading. “Hoover” or vacuum cleaner? Either way you know what is meant, likewise possibly “chalk paint”? But how can we be sure of what we are getting? There are many products now available labelled as “chalk” or “chalky” but how do they compare? Not all vacuums are made by Hoover, not all cars by Rolls Royce. Sometimes it is the name that confirms the quality of the goods. Have you tried Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ ? Please do, you will be amazed by its quality. Not just for furniture, but for woodwork, floors, ceilings, beams and walls. Available in 79240 L’Absie for all our Vendée customers (please ring first), at our new shop in 79120 le Bois de Messé and at events around the area (see website for details). We hope to see you soon, Rik and Sue Newell www.ladeuxiemechance.com
I’m continuing with my pastel portraits but you will definitely see a more abstract approach to my work in the future however, I don’t think Picasso has anything to worry about! Do read Josie’s columns, you will find them most interesting and look out for her art courses.
The Reaction Theatre Alternative Calendar Girls calendars are 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! Café at L’Absie, Cafe Cour du Miracle at Vouvant For any further information, please contact John Blair by email: johnblair@btopenworld.com
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ARTicles
by Josie Bounds
Abstraction The following definition of abstract art is from the Internet. “There is no right or wrong answer to this question. Abstract art is open to interpretation, and that is one of the beautiful things about it. Abstract art doesn't jump out and declare, "THIS is what I'm all about." Instead, abstract art requires you to have an open, inquiring mind; you must enter the painting and see where it takes you. Abstract art gives you the freedom to explore the artwork and assign your own meaning to the piece. This intensely personal process enriches a viewer's experience of an artwork”. What do you think? In terms of language that artists use to phrase abstraction I have looked at paintings by Gerhard Richter, Robert Ryman and Robert Rauschenberg. The six paintings are homage to John Cage, r e fe r e n c i n g c a g e ’s Lecture on Nothing -‐-‐ "I have nothing to say and I'm saying it." They are c o m p o s e d i n h i s characteristic swiping, blurred style of over-‐painted and obliterated layers suggesting rain and mist, instability and displacement, absence and endings, classical rigor and postmodern ruin. They echo the northern European palette of earnest darkness and piercing brightness that goes back to Casper David Friedrich, but Richter is also a minimalist, a denier of meaning, ideals, and personal signatures. A salient characteristic of modernism is self-‐consciousness. This often leads to experiments with form and work that draws attention to the processes and materials used.
How can painting enter into the world of 3D sculpture? Rauschenberg Bed is a hybrid work, part painting and part sculpture. Playing one process off another Rauschenberg has fused together cast off items and p a i n t i n t h e s t y l e reminiscent of Abstract Expressionism. This work of Rauschenberg has become personal, thought as a self-‐ portrait. Rauschenberg states that, "Painting relates to art and life”, he tries to act in that gap between the two."
Right: Robert Rauschenberg: Bed, 1955.
Find Josie Bounds at Le Studio, 79240 Le Busseau www.monpentcoeur.info
Ryman paintings are c h a ra c te r i s e d by a n e n g a g e m e n t w i t h processes and materials testing and reworking against their outcomes. He proposes that work need not be motivated by a d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n w i t h tradition but can instead b e i n s p i r e d b y t h e inclination to see how f o r m s m i g h t r e t a i n Series # 23 (White), 2004. Oil on r e l e v a n c e i n n e w canvas, 38 x 38 cm circumstances, evidencing this by his study and limitless effects and variations with the minimum of materials and tools. Spatial notion, time is written into this kind of work, for Ryman it has become a form of documentation and accumulation, discursive ramblings, visual and textural based elements. His is a practice marked by a careful, even methodical; working over of the conventions of painting in there most radically reduced possibilities. Page 8
THE VENDÉE MONTHLY celebrations at Puy-‐ de-‐Serre have proved very popular with French Christians and has become an annual event since 2009. We always join in with services during the Week of Christian Unity and hosted a bi-‐lingual service in 2010.
by Ian Wallace
As well as excellent links with neighbouring Anglican churches, ASV is proud of its close relations with the Roman Catholic Church and Pastors of the Église Reformée. Being close French neighbours reflects the meaning of being an expat in the Vendée.
The Anglican ‘Congregations of All Saints, Vendée’ is part of the Church of England. It is part of the ‘Diocese in Europe’ which serves the Anglican and English-‐speaking people throughout Europe plus Morocco and Turkey.
So here we are, All Saints Vendée was born, has grown and is maturing. We are also seeking to have a greater presence in the lives of all ex-‐pats in the Vendée, so take a look at our website, www.allsaintsvendee.fr and come along to an event.
So... what is a traditional (well as traditional as you can get) church doing in the Vendée? The Anglican church in the Vendée started in 2001 when Brian Davies and his wife sent out an exploratory mail shot to identify support for an English speaking church in the area and, as a result, a group of 30 attended a Harvest service which was taken by Brian, already a Lay Reader. This ‘Vendée Fellowship’ (officially part of the Chaplaincy of Poitou-‐Charentes) then held services twice a month with help from various clergy from 2001 to 2004 with a growing congregation. During this time Brian had answered his calling and was ordained in 2004 as a Curate in the Chaplaincy of Poitou-‐ Charentes. By now he was taking three services a month in the Vendée using two worship centres. In 2007 the Pastoral Area of The Congregations of All Saints, Vendée (ASV) was created with Revd. Brian Davies installed as Priest-‐in-‐Charge. The church has continued to grow and a third worship centre was introduced in 2010. With the full co-‐operation of the R.C. Bishop of Luçon we use the churches at Puy-‐de-‐Serre, La Chapelle Achard and La Chapelle Palluau and full details are on our website: www.allsaintsvendee.fr. At the end of 2010, Revd. Brian Davies left the Vendée and moved to help in the Chaplaincy of Aquitaine and since then we have been searching for a new, permanent priest. We have managed in the meantime with a stream of locum priests and a number of retired Vicars, who have become great friends of the church and have helped out when around. But that is only a small part of what we are and do -‐ our primary function is to serve the English speaking community, whether they be Christian of any denomination or not. As in a traditional English parish what we do is for the whole community not just ourselves. If we have a party or social event it's for everyone. When we hear that someone is in difficulty, or are asked to make a hospital visit, we do all we can to help in anyone’s hour of need. The service attendance twice a month at the two churches is about 35 in the west and in the East an average of 65 and now includes a children’s club. Our services always have a social side to them through ‘Bring and share lunches’ or coffee and biscuits. Other activities include House Groups, a Ladies Group various social events including Quiz Evenings, Summer Walks, English Cream Teas, Coffee Mornings and an Annual Summer Fete. We have run two Alpha Courses in the past and another is planned this year. All details are published in our monthly n e w s l e t t e r ‘ T h e Grapevine’ and on our website. The Christmas
Your Book Reviews This month’s book review has been kindly sent to us from Chris Thompson and highlights a French classic. “Adventures prodigieuses de TARTARIN de TARASCON” by Alphonse Daudet. First published in 1872. To those British readers not already familiar with Tartarin my advice is to get to know this colourful character as soon as possible. The books about him have been in constant publication since Daudet’s original conception of him and they are to be found in many languages, including of course English. Tartarin lives in the town of Tarascon on the east bank of the Rhone between Avignon and Arles. He is a middle-‐aged portly character, somewhat given to boastful exaggeration and the focus of much admiration locally because of his stories of past adventures; the majority of them conjured up by his own fertile imagination – a person having much in common with his Shakespearian counterpart Falstaff. In the first of three books concerning this larger-‐than-‐life individual (‘Tartarin of Tarascon’) he embarks for Algiers, probably against his better judgement, on a lion-‐hunting expedition, despite the fact that lions in that particular location have long since disappeared to less populated climes. There, he is swindled out of much of his money and initially only manages to shoot a donkey owned by a peasant woman. He even sets up house with a lady of dubious virtue and, as Sidi Tart’ri, immerses himself in Arab society. The call of the unattainable lion at last rouses him from this domestic bliss and off he goes again in search of the elusive quadruped. Eventually he finds such a beast and shoots it, only to find that it is a poor blind animal and the mascot of the locals. He is then expelled from Algeria with his metaphorical tail between his legs, taking with him the skin of the unfortunate beast, and is followed home to Tarascon by his only real companion; his faithful camel. On his return to his native town, however, all is forgotten and he is feted as a hero and a lion hunter of unprecedented valour. Two other Tartarin books followed – ‘Tartarin sur les Alpes’ in 1885, and ‘Port-‐Tarascon’ in 1890. Today the visitor to Tarascon can visit the little Maison de Tartarin, one of the few museums to be dedicated to a purely fictional character, to see mannequins and furniture of the period, and he is nearly always represented in festivals and carnivals in that area.
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Learn French with Evelyne by Evelyne Mallet
Les Grand Vacances
I like the idea of ‘vacances’ (f) being plural in French. It sounds promising. With July comes ‘les grandes vacances’ -‐ the big holiday. We used to have two and a half months out of school -‐ bliss! Every summer, our parents bought us our ‘cahiers de vacances’ (soon to invade the supermarkets yet again, even before the start of the holiday!) They include a collection of French and maths exercises, with stories and adventures, to keep our brains working. Funnily enough I don’t know anyone who ever finished those books. Obviously, the long summer break wasn’t long enough for some of us. School’s over, time to travel: Partons en vacances! French being a logical language(!), use the verb aller when you indicate a destination; when you’re going somewhere: aller à la mer, à la montagne (f), or au camping (m). Partir en vacances emphasises the going away. En route, our parents suggested all sorts of games to keep us occupied and stop us from asking yet again: C’est encore loin? or C’est quand qu’on arrive? (French equivalent to: “Are we there yet?”) One of those games was to try and work out where the other cars were from, based on the last two digits of their number plates. Needless to say, my parents always won -‐ not only did they know the names of the départements but they could also list the préfecture and sous-‐préfectures (i.e. 85 Vendée, La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon, Fontenay-‐le-‐Comte and les Sables d’Olonne). The plan was we would pick up all that knowledge, but let’s just say there are too many départements for some of us (101 altogether, 96 in metropolitan France and 5 overseas). Maybe my heart wasn’t in it, either. The new plates are just random letters and numbers – game over! The long summer holiday gave us a chance to visit places. Say visiter for a place where you could get a guided tour : visiter une région, une ville (f), un château, un musée (m). Forget about visiting shops and hospitals – unless they’re organising an open day (les portes ouvertes (f), literally open doors) and taking you round everywhere. If there’s no guided tour, do not visit, just go: aller au (x) magasin(s) (m), aller à l’hôpital (masculine too, but starting with a vowel, since we ignore the ‘h’)! Also aller à la poste, à la banque (f). Feel free to go to other places too ! For people, no guided tour either, so instead of ‘visiter’, say ‘aller voir’ -‐ go and see them. Nous allons voir de la famille, des amis = we’re visiting relatives, friends. If you want to be posh, use rendre visite à des amis = to pay friends a visit.
Bonnes vacances !
Contact Evelyne Mallet... Tel: 02 51 00 47 13 ~ Email: evelyne.mallet2@gmail.com
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Take a Break... VM Easy Crossword... Across: 8. Diagonal weave in a textile (5) 9. Extinct elephant (7) 10. Protective dressing (7) 11. Asian country (5) 12. A demonstration of approval by clapping (8) 13. Type of weather (4) 15. A player’s turn in a game (4) 17. Former capital of Turkey (8) 21. A number of members considered as a unit (5) 22. What you can hold in your palm (7) 24. Tropical fruit (7) 25. Verbal greeting (5)
Down: 1. Strong blow with a knife (4) 2. To take a person away against their will (6) 3. Domesticated llama with long silky fleece (7) 4. Hot fragments of wood or coal (6) 5. A blow from a flat object (5) 6. The lady who rode naked through Coventry (6) 7. Bomb fragment (8) 12. Dry French brandy (8) 14. Having a large belly (7) 16. Religious cult of the Caribbean (6) 18. Place of learning (6) 19. Be a mystery or bewilder(6) 20. Long pointed weapon (5) 23. Goods or money obtained illegally (4)
VM Anagram Crossword...
All the clues are anagrams; this is a real toughie!
21
Across: 1. NICE PATRIOT (12) 7. EXPEL AM (7) 9. TRINE (5) 10. METE (4) 11. DIRE FELT (8) 12. PRIEST (6) 14. TRAVED (6) 17. CARE SEED (8) 19. ADDE (4) 22. SPOCE (5) 23. RAT SECT (7) 24. IS NOT DRASTIC (12)
Down: 1. PALET (5) 2. A TRUE AM (7) 3. PEAT (4) 4. TO TIMED (7) 5. TREEN (5) 6. TRICED (6) 8. LIVE (4) 12. ECUSED (6) 13. SERPENT (7) 15. CORE LET (7) 16. SPAS (4) 18. CRAIP (5) 20. STRAD (5) 21. STAF (4)
Sudoku Corner...
Please see website: www.thevendeemonthly.fr for answers
Hard
www.websudoku.com
Easy
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Our Furry Friends... What to do if you find a stray cat or dog...
Hanuki and Hachiro, two beautiful brothers in need of a good home. If you can help, please contact NALA.
The first question that you should answer is whether or not it's really a stray. The legal definition in France is given by Article L211-‐23 of the Code rural et de la pêche maritime For a dog the definition is pretty much common sense, roughly translated, if it's out of earshot of the person responsible for it, no longer under their effective supervision or more than one hundred metres away from them, then it's a stray. Seems reasonable to me. For a cat the definition raises some practical difficulties. Any cat that is not identified found more than 200 metres from habitation or more than 1000m from its owner's home and not under their supervision as well as any cat who's owner is not known found on the public highway or anyone else's property is a stray. As the code rural acknowledges, and cat owners know, cats like to wander and visit someone else's home for some attention or a bite to eat. If they do that often enough and they are not visibly identified then there is a risk that they will be taken for a stray. What should you do if you find a cat that's not identified and without an obvious owner or if one comes visiting? How can you tell if it's a stray? There are no hard and fast rules. If you find a cat in the middle of nowhere and it’s very friendly or its very young then it may well have been abandoned. Evaluate a suspected stray's condition: if it looks clean and the pads of its paws are not worn then it's probably not a stray... unless it's just been abandoned! If its condition is bad and/or deteriorates then it's more likely to be a stray. We have had some success with asking people to put a (safety) collar on the suspected stray with a message saying, “Please get this cat identified as it is suspected of being a stray/ Veuillez faire identifier ce chat parce qu'on soupconne qu'il est en divagation.” If you're fairly certain that it's a stray, then, according to French legislation, you should take it to the town hall where they are obliged to take it and put it in the town kennels. However, some town halls tried to avoid their responsibilities and refuse to accept strays or accept them only to release them soon afterwards. So it helps if you mention that you've informed or will inform an association for the protection of animals about the animal. An alternative is to take it to the vet who should be able to check whether it has been identified. Pet Travel Scheme There is still some confusion about the Pet Travel Scheme for taking cats, dogs and ferrets to the UK. In brief, the animal requires an id chip and a pet passport. Once chipped the animal has to have a rabies vaccination and wait 21 days before it can be allowed into the UK. Dogs also require a tapeworm treatment 1-‐ 5 days before your scheduled arrival time in the UK. Full details are available on the DEFRA site: www.gov.uk/takepet-abroad/overview You should also check with your carrier in case they have any special requirements.
Nos Amis Les Animaux 85480 (NALA 85480). Tel: 07 70 31 54 59 ~
Email: nala85480@hotmail.com www.nosamislesanimaux.com
AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION... Can you offer a good home to this lovely English Setter? TAFY is around 10 years old and was brought into the pound at Thouars because his owner had died. This would normally have meant a one way ticket for Tafy, but fortunately for him he was spotted by a member of the Orfee Association who thought he was too nice an animal to be destroyed and deserved the chance of many more happy years with a good family.
TAFY
Tafy is micro-‐chipped (250269802119410), vaccinated and will be sterilized. Orfee will only be asking for a donation to help cover these necessary veterinary costs. What we need now is for a kind person or family with an understanding of dogs and a safe and enclosed garden to come and offer this lovely boy a good home, he deserves nothing less. Please call Isabelle now on 09 77 48 71 43 or email asso.orfee@laposte.net for more information about how you could adopt Tafy. www.association-‐orfee.forumactif.com/f49-‐ english-‐corner Please note that if you are interested in adopting any of Orfee’s rescued dogs, a safe and secure garden with a wire fence of a good height is always required. We also advise that your new family pet has an identity tag with your contact details and we r e c o m m e n d I D E N T I T A G www.identitag.co.uk.
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The Great Outdoors...
Love Your Garden
cuttings from thyme, sage and mint. Sow green manure in gaps in the veg plot…seeds for various varieties are available in the garden centres.
With the June weather having been so ‘equatorial’ in nature, warm and wet, all plants have put on a huge amount of growth and now seem to be playing catch up to make up for the late spring!
Deadhead all bedding plants, pots and hanging baskets to ensure continuous flowering all summer long; water daily and feed weekly; if gaps are appearing amongst the flowers, poke in nasturtium seeds, they germinate quickly and provide fab colour in a short time…and you can eat them in salads! If bedding plants have become ‘leggy’, trim them right back to reinvigorate them.
by Babs Kolthammer
Weeds are in abundance and I have decided to leave some of mine growing amongst the perennials, because they look good and are great insect attractants. Cutting the grass immediately makes any garden look a thousand times better and the weeds seem to fade into insignificance! My neighbour didn’t plant his first potatoes out until the second week in June, and he’s certain he’ll have as good a crop as any other year! Now is the time to:
Water sweet peas well and mulch to keep the compost moist as they hate drying out; remove faded flowers and any seed pods that form. Trim back lavender bushes after flowering to keep the plant compact; remove seed heads from lupins and delphiniums once the flowers have finished and they will flower again.
Support upright (cordon) tomatoes, tying main stems loosely to canes to prevent them from snapping or bending; if not already done, remove all side shoots, so that energy is diverted to fruit production (side shoots can be used as cuttings by putting them in water until they root then potting up in the usual way); tumbling varieties do very well in hanging baskets and are away from slug pests; feed regularly with a soluble feed, especially plants in tubs or pots as compost soon loses its nutrient value; water frequently.
Trim shrubs such as philadelphus, deutzia, lilac and weigela as soon as flowering has finished, by cutting back the stems that bore flowers. This promotes vigorous new growth from the base that will carry the flowers for next year.
Prune side shoots on figs to four or five leaves, this will ensure a better crop (fig sap can irritate skin, so wear gloves); cut canes back on summer fruiting raspberries right to the base, to make room for new canes which will bear fruit next year. (Autumn fruiting varieties can be cut back at the end of the year and new canes will develop on these plants in the spring). Thin out congested bunches of grapes.
Collect foxglove seed to sow immediately; divide clumps of irises; take cuttings from penstemons, pinks and lavatera; trim the brown faded blooms from rhododendrons, being careful not to damage the new growth underneath; propagate lilies from the bulbils or scales formed at the base of the stem…pop them into pots and forget them and they will be the lilies of the future!
Peas can still be sown now and will crop in about 12 weeks; pick courgettes regularly to stop them turning into marrows; if your cauliflower plants are forming ‘curds’ (florets), bend outer leaves over them to prevent the sun from scorching them and making them split; if you are growing cabbages and broccoli, lay some old matting or hessian around the plants to prevent cabbage root fly crawling into the soil and laying her eggs in their roots. Plant out leeks. Keep picking beans every few days to keep them cropping. Cut back chives to their base, feed and water and they’ll crop again in about four weeks; harvest herbs generally, chop and freeze in the ice cube tray in the freezer ready to use in cooking; take
Remove any suckers seen developing at the bases of roses as they sap energy from the plant; deadhead regularly, spray with fungicide and feed.
If you notice notches appearing on the edges of the leaves of your pot plants, chances are you may have a vine weevil infestation. The adults only come out at night and can be spotted easily and destroyed, but the females lay their eggs in the compost and the larvae, comma shaped, creamy white in colour and with a brown head, eat the roots and quickly kill the plants. Water with a biological control or look for a pesticide which contains imidacloprid that can be used on some plants but check labels for guidance. Don’t forget to keep weeding, watering and feeding and make the most of the opportunities to just sit outside and relax!! Le Pouce Vert.
Love Your Garden...
If you would like to contact me my email is: 123sissinghurst456@gmail.com
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Advert Size A or B, only 38€ per month or from 33,33€ per month for 12 months.
Contact ‘The Vendée Monthly’ La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny. Telephone: 05 49 70 26 21 or email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr
Health, Beauty & Fitness... Blood Dona)ons by Philippa George
Expats living in France can donate blood as long as none of the conditions below apply to them. Why give blood? 3 000 000 blood donations can save 1 000 000 lives a year. There is no artificial product to replace it, so it is essential that people give blood. The blood that you donate is used for most hospitalized patients from victims of road accidents to cancer patients. The blood you donate will be sent to hospitals all over the country. You should not give blood if: • You have lived in any of the Great British Isles for over 12 months between 1980 and 1996 because of the risk of transmitting “mad cow disease”. This rule applies to any nationality, not just British. • You are pregnant. • You have given birth in the last 6 months. • You have been taking anobioocs for the last 2 weeks. • You have had an infecoon in the last 6 days. • You have had a ta~oo or piercing in the last 4 months. • You have had a dental treatment in the last 3 days. • You have done another blood donaoon in the last 8 weeks. • You have had an operaoon in the last 7 days to 4 months. • You have had a trip to a malaria infected country in the last 4 months. • You weigh less than 50 kg. • You have diseases such as: HIV, syphilis and viral hepatitis B and C. For more informaoon visit: www.dondusang.net (This is a French website but it can be translated into English).
Helpful French Vocabulary... accès (m): seizure, fit; attack accident (m): accident allergie cutanée: skin allergy amygdalite (f): tonsilitis apoplexie (f): stroke
appareil (m) hearing aid arthrite (f): arthritis casser (verb): to break cloquer (verb): to blister collyre (m): eye wash / eye lotion
comprimé (m): tablet cou (m): neck dent (f): tooth don du sang: blood donation douleur (f): ache, pain
ébouillanter (verb): to scald échauffer (verb): to overheat eczéma (m): eczema enflure (f): swelling entorse (f): sprain Page 14
THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Motoring... Is this the best car in the world? by Helen Tait-Wright
Think of a car whose body design has essentially remained unchanged since 1948, that is as sought after now as it was then, and that can do practically anything you ask of it, and I give you the Land Rover. I’m not talking about the Chelsea tractor varieties of Freelander, Discovery and Range Rover, good as they undoubtedly are, but the original Land Rover, originally known as the “Series” Land Rover, now know as the Defender. Beloved by the military and emergency services, owned by Royalty and smallholders alike, this is a vehicle that transcends social classes throughout the world and is renowned for its tough but basic construction, and off road abilities. With a selection of different body options, from the Station Wagon with the emphasis on seating, to the Pick Up for load carrying, Hard Tops and Utility Wagons, there really is a Defender for everyone. This is a vehicle that can take you across the desert, through a muddy field and stream, up a 45 degree gradient, winch your mate out of a ditch and tow his car home, then if you feel the need you can go and pick up a couple of sheep from the farmer down the road, shove them in the back and hose it out afterwards, and you can still turn up at a society wedding in it without being looked down upon! Born in the aftermath of the Second World War into a world of rationed raw materials and austerity, the Land Rover had by necessity to be simple, sturdy and multi functional, all characteristics which are as relevant to its popularity today as they were then. Having done the trip from East Anglia to the Deux-‐Sèvres numerous times in our own Land Rover, often towing a heavily laden trailer, we know that it also copes as well on a long journey as off road (although we used to struggle before the new A28 with the lack of petrol stations between Rouen and Alençon, as our model has the less than economical 3.5 ltr V8 engine! Thank goodness for Jerry cans.) They are easy to repair and parts are readily available worldwide, and it is said that 75% of the vehicles ever built are still in use. Second hand models keep a good value and new Defenders start at 26,000 Euros. And it’s safe. Road accident statistics on a model-‐by-‐model basis from the UK Department for Transport show that the Defender is one of the safest cars on the roads, in terms of chance of death in 2 car injury accidents. The figures, based on data collected by police forces following accidents between 2000 and 2004 in Great Britain, showed that Defender drivers had only a 1% chance of being killed or seriously injured and just a 33% chance of sustaining any kind of injury. OK, you are not going to win any prizes in a drag race, and the 0-‐60 time isn’t going to set the world alight, but that really isn’t the point. The Defender is a legend in its own lifetime. As much as I enjoy our fast cars, if I was only allowed to keep one car from our fleet, it would have to be the Land Rover. Contact Helen at: helen@stodel.org. Photo: www.desktopextreme.com
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Spotlight On...
Les Sables d’Olonne
by Mick Austin
It has been ravaged by a succession of invasions -‐ the Normans, the English and finally the Germans in World War Two -‐ but each time it has risen from the depths of despair to now become one of the most vibrant, exciting and sophisticated resorts on France’s west coast. Its sheltered, sandy beaches (including all 3km of the magnificent Grand Plage) and long, rugged coastline make it an ideal holiday destination for all the family. It has all the big-‐town entertainment you would expect -‐ shopping centres, food markets, casinos and great night life, but Les Sables d’Olonne will always be inextricably linked to the sea. It has a thriving fishing port and world-‐class marina that is home to the famous Vendée Globe solo, non-‐stop, round-‐the-‐world yacht race held every four years.
The locals haven’t exactly got webbed feet, but anything to do with water you’re bound to find here. Sailing reigns supreme so if you fancy a trip aboard a double-‐masted schooner (with the chance to handle the vessel) or introductory lessons on a 40-‐foot yacht then head to Port Olona, one of the largest harbours on the Vendée coast.
up on a parascending trip along the seafront!
There are boat trips around the Côte Sauvage and Les Barges lighthouse and sea-‐fishing trips on the likes of an old tuna trawler to catch sea bass and coley. Want something more energetic? How about diving or sea kayaking, trips on a sea scooter (complete with remote instructor!) or even wave skiing lessons from a couple of world champions. Or if you want to see how everyone else does it, why not watch from 80 metres up on a parascending trip along the seafront!
The sporting theme continues with parachute jumping, light aircraft flights along the Vendée coastline, golf, paintball, dirt bike riding and go-‐karting, fishing and the typically French pastimes of boules and pétanque. Away from the seafront, Les Sables d’Olonne has just as much to offer. There’s the Passage district, with its narrow alleyways leading from the quayside towards the ocean or the town centre. The route is lined with typical little fishermen’s houses with windows at ground level, and the old shipowners’ houses. The town centre combines historical heritage with colourful shops and boutiques. The pedestrianised streets encircle the Notre Dame de Bon Port church and turn it into a busy, year-‐ round shopping district. La Chaume is the birthplace of the old town. This sailors’/fishermens’ district, with its narrow alleyways fringed by low, lime-‐washed houses, is undeniably the oldest part of town. Nowadays it’s a picture-‐postcard, lively place to be. Don’t miss Place Sainte Anne, where a 120 sqm mural traces the daily lives of La Chaume’s residents.
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Must See...
• Saint Croix Abbey museum. A former Benedictine priory founded in 1622 and now home to exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. Its 17th century attic is in the shape of an upturned hull. Visit website: www.lemasc.fr • Museum du coquillage. One of the most visited sites in the Vendée, this shellfish museum features a private collection unique in Europe -‐ 45,000 tropical shellfish from all around the world in an array of extraordinary shapes, sizes and colours. Visit website: www.museum-‐du-‐coquillage.com
Saint Croix Abbey museum.
• Zoo des Sables. Situated just a few hundred metres from the Plage de Tanchet with more than 280 animals. Join the zoo team at feeding time for the otters, sea lions, penguins and wolves. Visit website: www.zoodessables.fr
Museum du coquillage.
• Les Halles Centrales. Covered food market in the pedestrian centre where you can wander around stalls packed high with local produce. Open all year round 8am-‐1pm except Mondays off-‐season. • Saint-‐Nicolas priory. Built by the monks of Sainte Croix de Talmont in the 11th Century, the priory was successively pillaged during the religious wars, restored by Richelieu and converted into a fortress, guardroom and gunpowder store. Dominating the harbour entrance and flanked by seven 18th Century cannons, the priory offers splendid views over the bay.
Les Halles Centrales.
Close by...
The Salt Marshes. Visit Les Salines by boat with a two-‐hour tour through the heart of the Olonne marshes. Includes a visit to the Jardin des Salines, where you can watch the workers harvesting the region’s ‘white gold’, as the salt is known, and discover the history of salt mining through the ages. Don’t miss the secret smugglers’ routes! Visit website: www.lessalines.fr
The Salt Marshes.
La Malbrande race course. A national course that hosts many major horse races between June and September. Located 8km south of Les Sables d’Olonne towards Talmont Saint Hilaire. Visit website: www.vendee-‐courses.com
Things you didn’t know you didn’t know....
During the French Revolution, Les Sables d’Olonne remained Republican. The town had six prisons, a revolutionary court and one guillotine! Tourism kicked off in the early 1800s when the first thermal baths and bathing machines appeared. The bathing machine was a device on four wheels like a carriage with canvas walls and pulled by a horse. It was usually rolled into the sea up to its axle so the bather could enter the water away from prying eyes. In 1825, eight wheeled huts of this kind were set up for bathers on the shore facing the Place d’Armes, which is now the Place du Palais de Justice. In the 17th Century, Les Sables d’Olonne was the leading cod-‐fishing harbour in France, with more than 100 boats. The distinctive women of Les Sables (brown hair, dark skin, black eyes) had the reputation of being very well dressed, as can be seen nowadays by their elaborate traditional costumes. Their shortish skirts and petticoats in bright shimmering colours, high-‐heeled clogs called ‘YouYous’, elegant, light head-‐dresses measuring 43cm high and embellished with fine embroidery makes the Les Sables folk costume one of the most colourful in France. Several head-‐dresses are on display at the Sainte Croix Abbey Museum in Les Sables d’Olonne, the Museum of Folk Traditions in Olonne Sur Mer and at the Little Station Museum of Ile d’Olonne.
Tourist Information...
First port of call for up-‐to-‐date opening hours, booking information and places to stay is Les Sables d’Olonne Tourist Office at 1, promenade du Maréchal Joffre BP20146, 85104 Les Sables d’Olonne cedex. Tel: +33 (0)2 51 96 85 85. Email: info@lessablesdolonne-‐tourisme.com
Mick Austin is a freelance journalist based in the Pays-‐de-‐la-‐Loire. He has had his work published in several expat magazines and newspapers and has also written the Mayenne Tourist Board’s only English-‐language brochure.
Photos: Wikipaedia Commons. Blason de la commune Les Sables d’Olonne, Jimmy44; Marché des Halles Centrales des Sables d’Olonne, Stefi123; Coucher de soleil, Jérémy Jânnick; Jardin des Salines de l’Aubraie, Raoul Rives; Le château de la Chaume, Stefi123; muséum du coquillage, JP Guyomard, sailing boat;Remi Jovan, Strets of Les Sables d’Olonne; Demeester.
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
French Life, Food & Drink...
by John Sherwin.
Food, Family & Friends by- Helena LifeBoyle in the Vendée Fabulous!! The wonderful, warm, sunny weather at the beginning of May meant that, at last, I was able to get the planting in order. The potatoes of course have been in for a few weeks and are all showing leaves above ground and growing furiously -‐ clearly making up for having been planted so late this year. Salads are doing well, and I have got tomatoes, courgettes, chillies etc in too. It seems really strange that it’s so much later than last year. Here’s hoping that my tomatoes don’t succumb to blight, as they did last year -‐ one minute they were looking amazing, the next dying before my eyes. Most people round here were in the same boat, so it was a disastrous year all round. Carrying on from where I left off last time with my bacon production…If you remember, I had cured and dried the bacon in preparation for smoking. I have a Bradley smoker, which I keep outside under the old bread oven roof so that it’s always easily available. Nothing is worse than having to get things out of dependences/cupboards etc and assemble them, when you need to use them. (I remember reading years ago, never to keep mixers, food processers, other kitchen equipment in cupboards because if you do after the initial couple of uses, for most people, that is where they will stay! So true…) Having placed the sides of bacon onto racks and then into the smoker, I left them for approximately 6 hours to COLD smoke. There are two methods of smoking: COLD smoking is a method of smoking the meat, in the absence of heat, in order to add flavour, but mainly to help preserve it. In days gone by, before fridges, salting and smoking were really the only methods of preserving available so that people had meat and fish in the winter. Now of course it is done to enhance the taste with extra preservation time being a bonus. HOT smoking is a method of adding flavour and at the same time safely cooking the meat/fish by allowing the temperature of the smoking cabinet/room to rise sufficiently high. Smoking days often attract neighbours, especially if the wind is in the right direction as the smell is irresistible! Several of mine are now converted to an English Breakfast, following samples of bacon and fresh eggs.
After smoking there’s the job of slicing and vacuum packing to do. You can see some of the bacon above, sliced and ready in ‘sixes’ to be packed! Once it is all packed and friends and neighbours have their samples, I freeze it. By the time you read this, I will have transported sufficient quantities back to my family to keep them going for Sunday breakfasts for quite some time! I also cut off several pieces, before slicing, to cook as ‘ham’ for sandwiches and also to eat ‘hot’. An elderly French friend said it brought back memories for her of the ‘pig days’ they had in autumn when she was a child; the pig would be slaughtered and then every bit of it used and preserved in readiness for the winter. Sausages, boudins, hams etc would be prepared with everyone joining in and lending a hand. I am finishing writing this month’s text in England and it really has been a mixed set of weather. Last week it was freezing cold with almost constant rain and then at the weekend, it changed abruptly and so far this week we are all basking (metaphorically) in sunshine with really reasonable temperatures…let’s see if it continues. Hopefully the good weather has also arrived in the Vendée, and we can look forward to a good summer. Here’s to this month’s issue of our Vendée Monthly, and already looking forward to next month! Please get in touch if I can offer any help at all, or you want to make any comments or suggestions for future offerings.
contact Helena Boyle on: labourseguinaise@gmail.com
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Are you a bit of a Bookworm? With summer now here, what better way to relax in the warm sunshine than with a good book? If you are an avid reader and would like to share your books with us -‐ we would love to publish your book reviews here. Please send to us by email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr or alternatively complete the ‘Written Contributions’ form on our website. www.thevendeemonthly.fr. Reviews should ideally be 150-‐200 words long.
CONTRIBUTIONS.... As a new magazine for the local area, 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@thevendeemonthly.fr
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
The English Patient Wines of Pissotte
by John Sherwin
Flight-‐Lieutenant Bobby James was none too happy. OK, he’d bombed some German U-‐boats in La Rochelle. Half the mission accomplished with a nice shiny gold star. The other half not so good. Flying low on the way home, fire from nowhere, right engine gone, parachute out and hope. Now he’s in a filthy ditch with a twisted ankle, a banged-‐up head and a billowing, silky parachute round his face reminding him he should be in Leicester Square with his girl. Just great. “Shut up and I’ll help you. Make a sound and we’re both goners.” Bobby only remembers being shoulder-‐hoisted, painfully, but stifling back the cries. He wakes in daylight in a barn. “Here, coffee. Some bread.” There were barrels and a smell of grape juice turning to wine. Jean Coirier saved a life and made a friend that day, and Robert James, over the days of his recovery, learned about wine and winemakers. He learned that the quiet passion of winemaking is not an oxymoron but -‐ one hopes -‐ a truism. Robert went on to become a wine importer working from (and I’m not making this up) 15 Grape Street, London WC2. Jean would ship barrels of white wine to Robert in London; Robert would keep some for himself to sell on, bottling the rest to send back to Jean. Jean and Robert have slipped away to the tasting room in the sky, but the Coirier family continue as the sole producers of AOC Pissotte wine. In fact, the wine-‐making here dates back to 1895. Just 24 hectares producing on average 100,000 bottles per year. But the important thing for me is that this remains a family concern like the Orions of Chantonnay I reviewed last month. That means pride, attention to detail, commitment to the best possible product in the bottle for the lucky client.
The Orion family
Their vineyards are at the southern edge of the Vendée plains. Good terroir: lots of sun and an interesting blend of clay and silica in the soil. If you are now nodding and smiling and thinking ‘what the heck is he talking about’, then fair enough. It all adds up to a good drop. Their basic range is ‘Origine’. Nicely fruity whites combining Chenin and Chardonnay: lovely aperitif and, natch, great with seafood. The red is from Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Negrette and it would be a sin not to drink it with duck or roast pork. The rosés are, for me, the must-‐have this summer: the smell of wild strawberries from your youth that just makes you well up with pleasure and heady remembrance. If you’re going to swing by and meet Mathieu, grandson of Jean, and leave with only one bottle, then it must be the red ‘Mélusine’. This is an incredibly elegant mix of Pinot Noir, and Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon, aged for twelve months in barrels from the nearby forest of Mervent-‐Vouvant So raise a glass to Jean and Bobby, in thanks for the life of freedom and joy they gave us.
John Sherwin, French Wine Tours Tel: 02 51 66 13 05 Email: john@french-‐wine-‐tours.com www.french-‐wine-‐tours.com
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A Village of Dance & Fishing 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. 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. A willing couple are selected from the audience to dress in a "Wedding outfit". The dance group are the entertainment and the members of the audience are the "guests" for the evening. Starting with over one hours dancing (with audience participation on some dances, although not compulsory!), live musicians with accordions and guitars accompany the dancing. The marriage cortege is followed by a sketch, conducted in the local dialect, patois, which even if you don't understand is visual and funny. More dancing is followed by an aperitif (served outside) of a locally produced Vin d'epines noires, a specialite of the Vendée, and is accompanied by Préfou, a delicious garlic unleavened bread, toasted on a open fire . Some of the more curious audience members are the donkeys and cows owned by local farmers who often "accompany" the singing and dancing in their very own vocal way! 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 f o r m o r e s i n g i n g a n d 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! Simon Cowell eat your heart out!
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. 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: 19th July -‐ 2nd August -‐ 16th August -‐ 30th August. • Fishing every Wednesday from 17th July to 28 August, from 3pm.
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. English speaking dancers will be there on the night and will be happy to guide you through the evening.
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Communications... Protecting Your PC... Protecting your Data - Use a Strong Password
by Ross Hendry
This year I have heard of more and more people's email accounts being "hacked" (this means someone has managed to get into their email account by guessing their password). Beside the fact that your emails are able to be read, edited and deleted by the perpetrator, it means they have the email addresses of your family and friends and can plague them with spam and emails that could contain viruses etc., or link to websites that will seek to infect visitors with malware. The reason is quite simple, hackers, or the criminals that do this sort of thing, have programs that test billions of combinations of passwords (stored in dictionaries of ranked passwords) on people's accounts. Analysis of millions of hacked accounts show that the five most hacked passwords in 2012 were : -‐ 1. 'password'; 2. '123456'; 3. '12345678'; 4. 'abc123'; 5. 'qwerty' Everyone has the same dilemma, how to have a strong memorable password that is not easily cracked! Preferably you need a different one for each account. For many of us that can't remember where we put our spectacles or car keys, this can be a great challenge. My research tells me that a totally random group of characters that contains more than 9 characters such as 'P!w2Tn9Zq#>S' would be virtually impossible to crack, however, trying to remember it, along with another dozen or so similarly random passwords for your important accounts, would be impossible for me and, I would guess, many of you. The best suggestion I have seen is to use a sentence, verse or line from a poem, song or film you like and tweak it with numbers and special characters like this: ‘may the force be with you' becomes 'M@ThF0β3W1¥0'. I have just substituted letters for numbers and special characters like @ for an 'a', β for 'B' or 'b', and ¥ for 'Y' or 'y' then used the first 2 letters of each word, the first letter being a capital letter, the second lowercase or substituted character. In the above I have subbed zero for 'O' or 'o' and 3 for 'E' or 'e', if you keep your substitution rules consistent you can generate complex but memorable passwords. Try this one: 'If I were a rich man' becomes ‘1f1W3@R1M@’. Sentences that are personal to you are best using similar substitution rules as the previous examples. I am pleased to say that there are some excellent free password management software programs available on the internet, and great advice -‐ look at what Microsoft have to say on the subject here
www.windows.microsoft.com/en-‐gb/windows-‐vista/tips-‐for-‐ creating-‐a-‐strong-‐password Symantec have a great tool for generating random passwords, you decide whether to include special characters etc., so that you can generate passwords for virtually any site/account. (www.pctools.com/guides/password). There are many similar free generators online, just search for them. There are also password safes and vaults that permit you to keep your random passwords recorded online (where you will need them). The newer versions will also generate random passwords for you and after installing, place a link on your browser so when pressed it will also complete the login formalities for you from your pre-‐recorded password data. Look at www.splashdata.com/ splashid/ and https://lastpass.com/. The best advice I can give you is have a strong and, if possible, random password for everything. However if this is not possible, at least ensure that your email or bank accounts are covered. Finally, use a password on every PC you own to logon. Yes, I know no one but you uses the computer, but what if it gets stolen? This happened to me during a break-‐in to my home after I had built a new desktop PC and loaded all of our important photos and lots of my music collection onto it. Fortunately it was secured with a strong password so I know that my information was safe. The thieves would have had to erase the hard disk to use the PC as having a logon password causes the data on your hard disk to be encrypted with your password and is therefore not visible to persons sharing your PC unless they are logged on as you. This is also relevant for your tablet and smart mobile phone as these are just as vulnerable as your PC, possibly even more so because they are so portable. A weak or indeed no password is like leaving your house unlocked all of the time with the doors wide open -‐ you are just asking to be hacked. It is far better to spend a few seconds longer remembering and entering a decent password than it is to recover from a bank account that has been emptied, or try to rebuild data that someone has maliciously erased. Ross Hendry is the proprietor of Interface Consulting and Engineering, who has over 42 years experience in Communications, Computer Technology and Direct Marketing.
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Advert Size A or B, only 38€ per month or from 33,33€ per month for 12 months. Contact ‘The Vendée Monthly’ La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny. Telephone: 05 49 70 26 21 or email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr
Useful English Language Numbers... Cancer Support Vendée:
02 51 00 58 21
French State health insurance (C.P.A.M.) 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
Funeral Information (AFIF):
01 45 44 90 03 or www.afif.asso.fr
Passport Advice:
0044 208 082 4729
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Building & Renovation...
Small B/W advert only 30竄ｬ Page 24
THE VENDﾃ右 MONTHLY
Small Colour advert only 34竄ｬ
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Small Colour advert only 34竄ｬ
CONTRIBUTIONS.... CALLING ALL ARTISANS & TRADESMEN! Do you have any top tips you can share with our readers? We would love to include them in this section! For more details, please contact Sarah on 05 49 70 26 21 or email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr
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Business, Finance & Property... Ask Amanda.
Since I started writing in ‘The Deux-‐Sevres Monthly’ and ‘ The Vendée Monthly’ magazines, I have met and spoken to many interesting people who have either already made their permanent move to France or are in the final steps of doing so. They have many questions and here are some of those I have answered over the last year: I have just sold my house in the UK and have some capital, why should I see a Financial Planner? So that all the financial options available to you in France can be explained, allowing you to make an informed decision based on your personal circumstances and aspirations.
I currently spend more time in the UK, why should I see a UK Financial Planner? UK financial rules and regulations differ to France. Talking to an “in-‐ country” specialist and working with a French regulated company will enable you to keep up to date with the current rules relating to your finances and future changes as they arise.
If I need cash at a later date after buying a house here, can I easily release some equity in my French Property? This is a more complicated process than in the UK. The banks look very closely at what your plans for the money are and your personal circumstances. This is especially tricky if you find that your income has reduced since moving to France.
I have made a UK will, is that sufficient in France?
If your main residence is in UK, then a UK will will be fine. However, if your main residence is in France then it is necessary to make a French will.
If I move to France before retirement age, what happens to my UK Pensions until I am old enough to drawn them?
There are many options available to you depending on your personal circumstances and this is an area that the needs looking at very carefully. Being an expatriate does allow you certain flexibility with historic employer pensions.
I have UK investments; can I get tax efficient investments in France?
Yes, the French government give allowances to French residents and I can explain these to you, as well as whether the tax status on UK investments has changed with your move.
How much will it cost me to see a Financial Adviser?
The Spectrum-‐IFA Group charges no fee for consultations. We get paid by the companies we deal with. Please ask for a copy of our client charter which explains how we work.
Amanda Johnson, The Spectrum IFA Group. Tel: 05 49 98 97 46 Mob: 06 73 27 25 43 www.spectrum-‐ifa.com/johnsonloire.shtml or “Ask Amanda” at finance@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
The “Carney Effect” weighing on the Pound
by Sue Cook
With confirmation that the UK economy managed to avoid the dreaded triple dip recession and upbeat comments from outgoing governor Mervyn King in his last quarterly inflation report, you could be forgiven for expecting gains in the pound. However, the foreign exchange markets often work in ways that seem illogical. The pound in fact slid over 2% against the Euro and over 3% against the USD from the highs earlier in the month of May. So why has the pound suddenly gone limp once again? The key driver for the foreign exchange markets continues to be the central Banks and their associated policies. Earlier in 2013 the Bank of England’s dovish rhetoric in combination with a credit rating downgrade helped push the pound significantly lower. However, up until recently the Bank of England have held the status quo and this gave the pound an opportunity to recover some of its losses. The recent dip and nervousness on buying the pound can be, to a good extent, attributed to the approaching change of guard at the Bank Of England. The new governor Mark Carney will assume his post in July and there is an expectation that he will be more aggressive and proactive in relation to utilising monetary policy to help in the drive for growth. A similar aggressive model is evident in the US and Japan currently and the knock on effect has been a devaluing of the currency unit. This explains why investors are reluctant to go long on the pound until there is more clarity on the stance that the BoE will take under Carney. In addition, the economic recovery is still very shaky in the UK and with inflation falling we could very quickly see a move back into further Quantitative Easing and possibly other measures to assist the recovery if growth falters. If we look at the Eurozone, they too have recently cut interest rates from 0.75% to 0.5% but the expectation is that they are less likely to go all in as the Bank Of England could do and this is helping to support the euro. One item that is possible for the European Central Bank to implement is negative interest rates which will certainly be negative for the euro. However it seems at the moment that this is not imminent and they instead will look at targeting lending capabilities for SME’s rather than taking a risk on negative interest rates. Overall the Carney effect is certainly weighing on the pound in the short term and all eyes will be on his first meeting in July.
Sue Cook, Currencies Direct Tel: 06 89 99 28 89 ~ Email: sue.c@currenciesdirect.com
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HOME SECURITY
by Ian Gawn
Recently friends sent us an email about a burglary they experienced in their home in the Vendée. With their agreement, I thought it worthwhile sharing some of their experiences, not to make anyone feel insecure, but to suggest that with a bit of pre-‐planning, it might help avoid a similar upsetting experience. Our friends went out to lunch on Easter Sunday. Pulling into their drive on their return they saw a man on a small motor bike with their safe box (large and heavy and fireproof) balanced in front of him on his bike with the engine running ready to leave. When they realised he must be a burglar, the husband opened the car door and bumped it into the bike. The bike wobbled, the safe dropped to the ground and the villain escaped through the gate. Fortunately the safe and its valuable contents remained with the owners. In the house, they found cupboards and desks wrenched open and one of the bedrooms in a mess. Not a stone unturned, you could say. Conversations with the Gendarmerie revealed that sadly, in the Luçon area at least, there has been an upsurge in burglaries and the burglars are looking mainly for gold (presumably fuelled by Cash for Gold companies) and of course cash. It seems that burglars are moving into rural areas now and perhaps many of us have been far too trusting and at times complacent. We now need to be much more vigilant regarding security. It seems also that the authorities might not yet be fully alert to the threat because they have not needed to in the past. Our friends have listed things that they will try to do each and every time they leave the house and at night. You might consider that some of them could be useful for you too: • Identify weak points of entry and reinforce with bolts etc. They thought their kitchen door was strong enough. It wasn't. • Lock all doors when you leave, if you are on your own in the house, you are upstairs or working in the garden or a remote part of the house. • Hide all jewellery very carefully. Never leave it on view. Put it in a safe and bolt it to the ground/floor. • Always close the gate to your premises. • Take photographs of all jewellery and other valuable objects. Keep receipts if you can. Very valuable items should be stored extremely securely, never in cupboards or wardrobes, even if locked. This person had an implement to wrench locks. • Don't leave car keys exposed. • Lock all barns and outhouses when you leave the house and at night. • If you have workmen in the house don't leave them unattended, even for a short while. In our friends’ case the Gendarmes were interested in who had been working in the house.
READER • Never store cash in the house. They know where ’s to look. Just have enough for your needs and keep REPO R T it with you all the time. • Take photo copies of your passports. • Consider CCTV and having a dog. They don't like dogs. The burglary itself was bad enough, but thereafter there were more problems dealing with the insurers. Our friends had arranged extra insurance for the house contents when insuring their house. They lost an antique gold ring about 150 years old, a ring and a watch that were both bought about 25 years ago. Due to the potentially complicated nature of the conversation they were likely to have, they dealt with an English speaking representative. Bearing in mind that Insurance Companies try to pay out as little as possible from a claim, some of the insurance agent’s comments might be interesting to you: "Oh, you have repaired the kitchen door and all the furniture yourself. Had you contacted us for our workmen to do the repairs then, we would have compensated you for the damage." “I need you to provide me with a photograph, a recent valuation and a receipt for all the articles lost, before I can process your application, otherwise how do I know you are telling the truth? Oh, you don't have any of those....well I have never heard of anyone who cannot provide photos, receipts and up to date valuations!" For articles that are old, it is unlikely that we would have receipts. A quick survey around a restaurant table of 10 people a week or so later, revealed that not one person had any of these things for their valuable articles. Result: They did receive some money as 'Goodwill’ but no-‐ where near the true value of the items. Main messages: • If the worst happens, you might be expecting your insurance company to be forthcoming. You stand a much better chance of some compensation if you take photos of all your valuable items. Store them on your computer but also back them up by some other means such as SD card, CD or memory stick and store that securely away from your computer where you can find it at short notice. • Keep all receipts of anything that you buy and store them ready for retrieval. If you are given a present of something valuable then ask for that receipt as well. (Romantic eh?) • Obtain valuations for valuable items or any items that have sentimental value. Keep the valuation up to date. Have these stored ready for retrieval. • If your house or contents is damaged in any way, as tempting as it might be, do not do any repairs yourself. Let your Insurance company organise them and then you might receive some compensation. Stay safe.
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Vendée Property Appeals to International Buyers
by Trevor Leggett, Chief Executive
The Vendée has always held great appeal for international property buyers and with mortgage rates at their lowest levels since the second world war, this demand is likely to remain steady through 2013. This is an area that boasts some of the most beautiful coastline in western France as well as playing host to four major rivers so coastal and waterside properties are particularly popular. Property prices are amongst the most reasonable in France with a departmental average of €145,000 (compared to France as a whole which has an average of €163,000 excluding Paris). Of course these prices vary throughout the department and you can expect to pay a premium around the coastal sector by Les Sables-‐ d'Olonne closely followed by La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon. If you are looking for a bargain then head towards Fontenay-‐le-‐Comte where the average price is just €110,000. Despite the general economic downturn the Notaires de France report little movement in the price of properties within the Vendée since 2009/10 when houses rose by around 5%. This reflects the fact that the department has never been prone to the highs and lows experienced by other regions. There is a steady demand for property here and British buyers tend to choose the department because it offers a high quality of life combined with beautiful scenery, plenty of sunshine and excellent access to and from the UK. Maxine Enderby of Leggett Immobilier comments: "We have a dozen agents in the Pays de la Loire with over 300 properties for sale, here in the Vendée we have a growing team with a terrific and diverse portfolio which ranges from a renovation project for €33,000 up to a choice of properties around the one million euro mark -‐ and I can assure you that whilst that would get you a small apartment in Paris or on the Cote d'Azur it will buy you something truly special here in the Vendée".
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