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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Welcome!
to Issue 2 of ‘The Vendée Monthly’ magazine! Thank you for all your positive feedback on our first issue. It’s always so good to hear that the hard work is worth it. :-‐) So onwards and upwards to issue 2. Lots more interesting articles and new advertisers are included here this month. As a new magazine in a new area we are keen to hear of any interesting ideas for articles. Also, if you have an experience to share and enjoy writing, why not put pen to paper and have your name in print? Written contributions, long or short, are always welcome. We are still on the look out for new Distribution Points within the department of la Vendée, so if you think of somewhere ideal, please do get in touch. Our current Distribution Points are listed on our website.
Enjoy this month's read and have a great June.
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 Health, Beauty & Fitness.................................................. 13 The Great Outdoors.......................................................... 14 Spotlight On................................................................... 16 French Life, Food & Drink.............................................. 18 French Adventures........................................................... 21 Motoring........................................................................... 22 Communications.............................................................. 23 Building & Renovation...................................................... 25 Business, Finance & Property........................................... 28
This Month’s Advertisers... A2B Food Services .............................................................................................. 19 Affordable UK Design........................................................................................... 2 A la Bonne Vie (Restaurant)................................................................................. 19 ARB French Property............................................................................................ 7 An English Nursery in France............................................................................... 15 Bird Property Services......................................................................................... 26 Blevins Franks Ltd (Tax & Wealth Management)................................................ 29 Cafe Cour du Miracle........................................................................................... 18 Chris Bassett Construction.................................................................................. 25 Corbin Electrical................................................................................................... 27 Currencies Direct (Money Transfers)................................................................... 28 Elliott Gardening Services.................................................................................... 15 English Spoken..................................................................................................... 24 Evelyne Mallet (French Lessons & Translations)................................................. 10 Fresco Interiors ................................................................................................... 7 Gardens and Stuff................................................................................................ 15 Gentle Touch Hair & Beauty................................................................................ 13 Glass 2 France...................................................................................................... 26 Hotel Marie Stuart............................................................................................... 19 Insink Plumbing................................................................................................... 26 James Harris (Plasterer)....................................................................................... 27 Julie’s Cleaning Services....................................................................................... 30 K.Neal Renovations.............................................................................................. 26 La Deuxième Chance (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Supplier)................................... 25 Le Pub des Halles................................................................................................. 19 Mark Sabestini Renovation & Construction........................................................ 26 MCH Groundworks / Construction..................................................................... 27 ML Computers..................................................................................................... 24 Nathan Foster Building Services.......................................................................... 26 Needa Hand Services........................................................................................... 25 Polar Express (Frozen Foods).............................................................................. 18 Rob Berry (Plasterer)........................................................................................... 25 Robert Gough Terrassement............................................................................... 27 Ross Hendry (Interface Consulting & Engineering)............................................. 23 Sandy G (Hairdresser).......................................................................................... 13 Satellite TV (Nigel Gubb)...................................................................................... 24 Shaun Grice (Home Renovation)........................................................................ 25 Shaun O’Rourke (Garden Maintenance)............................................................. 15 Simon The Tiler.................................................................................................... 27 SKY Freeview Installations................................................................................... 24 Spectrum IFA Group (Amanda Johnson)............................................................. 28 Sue Burgess (French Courses & Translation)....................................................... 10 Taylor Electricté................................................................................................... 27 Tracy Corrie (Nail artist)....................................................................................... 13 Val Assist (Translation Services)........................................................................... 10 Vendée Carriers................................................................................................... 22 Vendée Pools....................................................................................................... 32
Emergency Numbers: 15 SAMU, Medical 17 Gendarmes, Police 18 Pompiers, Fire
112 European emergency 113 Drugs and alcohol
Annual Subscription Costs: 28€ within France, 18€ UK addresses. (Unfortunately the cheaper ‘printed papers’ rate cannot be applied to addresses within France, only when sending abroad) Please tick:
‘The Deux-Sèvres Monthly’
‘The Vendée Monthly’
Full Name: Postal Address: Postcode:
Country:
Tel: Email: Please make cheques payable to SARAH BERRY. © 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: juin 2013 -‐ Tirage: 4000 exemplaires. Siret: 515 249 738 00011 ISSN: 2115-‐4848
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
What’s On... June 2013 1st and 2nd June -‐ Rendez-‐vous aux Jardins Visit the many Open Gardens in your area. For more information please see details www.rendezvousauxjardins.culture.fr 1st June-‐31st August -‐ Photo Exhibition: “Rencontres” The work of Françoise Badoux, at La Tour des Laudes, Breuil Barret. For further information please call: 05 49 95 80 93. 1st June-‐13th October -‐ Art Exhibition, Vouvant Title: ‘Almost Yesterday for a poetical form’. Please see P.8 for details. 3rd June -‐ English Book Swap Free book swap open to everyone, 10am-‐midday at Le Pub des Halles, Sainte Hermine. Full English breakfast 8€ breakfast baguette 6€. 7th-‐9th June -‐ Stand Up Paddle Challenge World Series At Sainte-‐Denis d’Oléron, Ile d’Oléron. For more information on the sporting event see P.8. 9th June -‐ Peintres Chez l’habitant Painting exhibition in the homes of Vouvant. 10am -‐ 6.30pm. Please see P.7 for more details. 9th June -‐ Foot Océane Huge football competition involving 5000 children (aged 6-‐8) and 400 football clubs at the beach, Satint-‐Jean-‐de-‐Monts. 10.30am -‐ 2pm 9th June -‐ Summer Market At la Salle des Fêtes, St Germain-‐de-‐Longue-‐Chaume (79200), 1pm -‐ 6pm. Free entrance, 30+ stalls. Organised by Association Aidez. 11th June -‐ Darts competition At 8pm, Le Pub des Halles, Sainte Hermine. Great fun to be had by all. Prize = bottle of champagne for men & women first place. 13th June -‐ Live Music Night “Band in the Attic’ will perform at ‘A La Bonne Vie’ Restaurant, Le Beugnon from 7.30pm. Please see advert on P.19 for info. 16th June -‐ Fathers Day Special Sunday Lunch At A La Bonne Vie restaurant, Le Beugnon. See P.19 for details. 16th June -‐ Marché aux Végétaux de Collection 6th Market for Rare Plants and Collections, with the participation of the Association of Gardeners of France. At Quay Herminier, 44210, Pornic. 10am -‐ 6pm. Tel: 06 10 52 15 62. 18th June -‐ Quiz night. At 8.30pm at Le Pub des Halles, Sainte Hermine. All questions in English and French. Prize for every team! 22nd & 23rd June -‐ International Triathlon 1500 athletes compete in swimming, cycling and running, at Sainte-‐Jean-‐de-‐Monts. See www.saint-‐jean-‐de-‐monts.com 26th June -‐ PC Course “All About Microsoft Office” At Pause! Cafe L’Absie. Please contact Ross on rs.hendry@gmail.com 27th-‐30th June -‐ Salsa Swing Festival 4 day/4 evening event at Saint-‐Jean-‐de-‐Monts. Many demonstrations and lessons. See www.saint-‐jean-‐de-‐monts.com 29th & 30th June -‐ 8th Grand Prix Historique de Bressuire. 2 day Motor Racing event in the heart of Bressuire town. Many classic cars on display and touring the town square.
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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.
Nasonal Day (Fête Na)onale de France) Assumpson of Mary (Assomp)on) All Saints Day (Toussaint) Armissce Day (Armistace 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
2nd June: Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux 79160. 2pm -‐ 4pm 5th June: Café Cour du Miracle, Vouvant 85120. 2.30pm-‐4.30pm 6th June: Bar le Palais, St Aubin le Cloud 79450 2pm -‐ 5pm 6th June: Bar La Cabane de Vouhé, Vouhé 79310. 6.30pm -‐ 8pm* 7th June: Bar de la Paix, Thouars 79100. 12pm -‐ 2pm 7th June: Le Tipsy Bar, Coulonges-‐sur-‐l’Autize 79160. 4pm -‐ 6pm 8th June: Cafe Le Chauray, St Maixent l’Ecole 79400. 10am -‐ 1pm 9th June: Summer Fete, St Germain de Longue Chaume. 1pm -‐ 6pm 13th June: Pause! Cafe, L’Absie 79240. 2pm-‐ 5pm 14th June: Jan’s home, La Ferrière-‐en-‐Parthenay. 11am -‐ 4pm 28th June: Le P’tit Bar Boucard, Ménigoute. 4pm -‐ 6pm *+ Quiz & Fish and Chips
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 (June 5th, 12th, 19th, 26th) Bar ‘Auberge le St Vincent’, St Vincent Sterlanges • Thursdays (June 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th) Bar ‘La Rando’, Mervent. • Fridays (June 7th, 14th, 21st & 28th ) Bar ‘Au Bon Coin’, Thoursais Bouildroux
For more info please visit website: www.lavendeechippy.com
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Rencontres
Photographer, Françoise Badoux exhibits her work from her journey through Southern India, Burma and Vietnam where she encountered many people while travelling alone with just a camera and backpack! You can discover this exhibition until the end of August at: La Tour des Laudes, 85120 Breuil Barret For further informa7on, please contact Françoise Badoux on Tel: 05 49 95 80 93.
Vide Greniers vide greniers...
2nd June 2nd June 8th June 9th June
16th June 30th June
Brétignolles sur Mer (85470) Saint Hilaire de Loulay (85600) & La Roche sur Yon (85000) Talmont Saint Hilaire (85440) & Aubigny (85430) Bazoges-‐en-‐Pareds (85390) St Georges-‐de-‐Pointindoux (85150), Chateau d’Olonne (85180) Venansault (85190) & l’Orbrie (85200) Pouillé (85570) Chateau d’Olonne (85180) & Péault (85320) Le Champ-‐Saint-‐Père (85540), Angles (85750) & L’Ile d’Olonne (85340)
For more information about Vide Greniers in your area, visit: www.info-‐brocantes.com
Short editorials can be offered to advertisers, free of charge Please call Sarah to find out more: 05 49 70 26 21
Did you know?...
by Vanda Lawrence
In the very old days everything was cooked in the kitchen in a big pot hung over the fire. Each morning the fire would be re-‐lit and whatever was available to eat would be added to the pot. There was never much meat available to the ordinary working man so they mostly ate vegetables. Each day they would eat their stew for dinner then leave the leftovers in the pot to go cold overnight, ready to start over again the next day. Sometimes the stew pot would have food in it that had been there for quite a while -‐ hence the old rhyme: Peas porridge hot Peas porridge cold Peas porridge in the pot nine days old! On occasion there might be some pork available, which would really have been something special to our ancestors. At times like these they would hang up their bacon to show off to visitors. It was a sign of wealth that a man could ‘bring home the bacon’. They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around ‘chewing the fat’. Of course, not everyone was ‘dirt poor’. Those with money had plates made of pewter. However, foods with a high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food causing lead poisoning and death. Tomatoes were the biggest culprit and for centuries were thought to be poisonous.
Contact ‘The Vendée Monthly’
La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny. Telephone: 05 49 70 26 21 or email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Hobbies, Clubs & Associations... 2nd Sunday Club
by Caroline Self
Hello to one and all, we are now into our 4th season of the 2nd Sunday Club which my husband Ian and I, along with our French friend, Marc Nicolleau, started in 2010. We had found that the French Moto clubs had only one official run once a year and that was not enough to take our old Triumphs out, so the club was formed. It has now grown to approximately 25 bikes and 40 members, both English and French, and we enjoy meeting up on the 2nd Sunday of every month throughout the year and going for a tour between May and September. In the winter months we meet at different members’ homes for a coffee and a natter. This year there has been a change of circumstances and we sold our aged Triumphs and replaced them with more modern Japanese bikes, albeit 20 years old, but something more reliable is needed to keep the Club Runs going without the breakdowns that plagued us last year! Also, on a more serious note, Ian was diagnosed with cancer in January and is undergoing treatment, which means that we are relying on a couple of regular members of the club to take over the reins when treatment takes over our lives. What a sterling job they are doing too! We always welcome new members plus we would welcome anyone who would like to follow the run in a classic car to join in the fun. We normally meet for the Club Runs at the Casse Croute Vendeen (Tractor Restaurant) on the ring road in Pouzauges at 09.00hrs on the second Sunday of the month, where refreshments are available, and we leave at 10.00hrs. We usually have a coffee stop halfway on the tour and finish up at a restaurant. The run on 9th June will be to Narbonne, Pamproux where one of our club members is holding a barbecue at their home for the club. For any further information please visit our website: www. 2ndsundayclub.fr.
Through the Lens Group Local photography group meets on the last Monday in each month to chat about all things photography! New members welcome. For further information contact: Ian Gawn: 02 51 00 84 52 or Brian Preece: 05 49 72 09 94
“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
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.
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 Page 6
THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Getting Out & About...
Peintres chez l’habitant Sunday 9th June, 10m - 6.30pm, Vouvant With ‘Peintres chez l’habitant’, home-‐owners of Vouvant are opening their doors to artists! Painters and sculptors are exhibiting their artwork in rooms opened by the owners. A tour allows the public to discover improvised galleries, enjoying the intimacy of those rooms. They can visit living rooms, kitchens or gardens. This unusual experience gives another way of seeing artworks in rooms in everyday life.
Fresco Interiors~Pour votre maison
It is a free event and you’ll find a map of the pathway at the tourism information office in the village. This exhibition is open from 10 am -‐ 6.30 pm. In addition to this event, The Cave by Xavier Veilhan will be visible in the Nef Théodelin next to the church. (see page. 8 for further details).
Fresco Interiors is an exciting new business in Vouvant supplying a wide range of quality giftware, home décor, hand painted furniture, carpet & flooring and Autentico natural paints. The business is owned and run by Colin & Alison Millin who have had a house here in France for fourteen years. During this time Ali’s painting & decorating business has thrived and Fresco Interiors will still be providing this service. A number of decorating customers had asked if carpets and furniture could also be supplied and the idea for an Interiors shop selling beautiful things for your home was born. Colin was in the flooring industry in the UK for the whole of his career so is a fountain of knowledge on the subject and is happy to help if you need advice. Ali, being a trained decorator, hand paints furniture for sale in the shop and is also able to offer her advice should you want to try some Autentico natural paint to renovate some furniture yourself. This knowledgable team, together with the extensive range of d é co r a n d g i f t i d e a s , m a k e s Fresco Interiors a w o n d e r f u l a n d friendly place to s h o p f o r y o u r family, friends and also for yourself -‐ plus you get to enjoy a visit to beautiful Vouvant! Do pop in and say “ H e l l o ” i f y o u decide to visit.
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Almost yesterday for a poepcal form 1st June -‐ 13th October 2013, Vouvant
La Roche-sur-Yon Cricket Club
Vouvant will surprise you ! This year, to celebrate its 10th birthday, our association Vouvant Village de Peintres is presenting an exceptional program within the Nave of Théodelin and our village, ranked as one of the most beautiful in France. The project, ‘Almost Yesterday’, has been designed by Thomas Fort, independent art commissioner aged just 20. ‘Almost yesterday, for a poetical form’ is an anticipated wonder about what the world has been. We want to show a new way of seeing the world, inviting the public through a spiritual journey of detachment from what surrounds us. We offer another place in time. Now we are part of this world and we must preserve today what the archeologists of tomorrow will discover. Left: The Cave, Xavier Veilhan, 1998. Wall Carpet, wood and plastic film, Courtesy Frac Nord Pas de Calais. Below: Illustration of Vincent Lamouroux and Stéphane Protic‘s 2013 project.
For the first time our association has the privilege of exhibiting internationally known artists. Never has the Vendée seen wonderful exhibits of this kind. Our exhibition will be displayed from 1st June to 13th October, including The Cave by Xavier Veilhan and an in-‐situ work created by Vincent Lamouroux and Stéphane protic. This programme is completed with events aiming to make culture accessible for everyone. Concerts, contemporary dinner, contemporary dance and literature will contribute to this festive and prestigious season.
If you think the nearest you’ll get to a good game of cricket in the Vendée is IPL on Sky TV or bidding for a Wisden on e-‐Bay , don’t despair ! La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon Cricket Club has been on the scene for six years, playing friendly games against teams from Maillé, Nantes, Central Brittany, L’Oust, Saumur, and various touring sides from the UK. The emphasis is on friendly – we certainly play to win, as do our opponents, but it’s all done within the great spirit of the game. Outdoor matches are played at La Vallée Verte in La Roche-‐sur-‐ Yon: a lovely setting for a classic cricket pitch with a backdrop of mature trees and the Yon River. We do great teas (an essential part of any cricket afternoon), and changing rooms and loos are on site. No slouching over the winter months! We have regular indoor practices in sports stadia in the La Roche area, culminating in a series of indoor 6-‐a-‐side tournaments from January to April. The indoor game is really something to behold, and a great way to expand our enjoyment of the game throughout the year. We are always looking for more players. We’re not professionals, we’re just amateurs with a love of the game and its traditions. Even if you don’t play, we always need experienced umpires, scorers – and cake-‐makers. No harm in giving us a call to see what gives. John on 02 51 66 13 05 or Dave on 02 51 56 49 60.
For more details, contact: Vouvant village de peintres
Tel: 02 51 00 85 89 / Email: vouvant.villagedepeintres@orange.fr Mairie, Place de l’Eglise, 85120 Vouvant
Stand Up Paddle Challenge 2013 Just across the border into the department of Charente-‐Maritime, l’Ile d’Oléron will host the first European leg of the World Cup Stand Up Paddle World Series from 7th – 9th June 2013. The weekend will bring together both professional and amateur competitors from around the world to compete in a variety of Stand Up Paddle events. The Stand Up World Series was established in 2011 and this year will comprise 10 international competitions across five continents, culminating in Hawaii in October 2013. Each event consists of a long distance race and beach sprints. In March, Chile opened the 2013 season with a competition on Grey Lake in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia. This was followed by Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, who held the event on the artificial wave Wadi Adventure. After the first two competitions, Hawaiians Connor Baxter and Kai Lenny are leading the Series. The long distance race (30km for professionals and 16km for amateurs) takes place in open sea between Saint-‐ Denis d’Oléron and Fort Louvois, taking in the Lighthouse Chassiron and the famous Fort Boyard. Last year’s surprise winner was New Zealander Annabel Anderson, beating all the men! Beach sprints will take place at Saint-‐Denis d’Oléron where other activities and discovery workshops are open to the public. More information about the event and the World Series can be found at www.standupworldseries.com
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
ARTicles
by Josie Bounds
Wassily Kandinsky 1866-1944 Kandinsky’s path into abstraction began with the rapid rise of industrialisation and materialism during the late 19th century. Writers, artists and philosophers of this time studied and used the influences of Eastern philosophy, mystics and esoteric religions to discover alternative directions for transforming society. ‘Kandinsky’s approach to abstraction envisioned apocalyptic upheavals that, like spiritual earthquakes, would destroy all matter and permit the viewer to enter an objectless world of feeling and spirit’. The publication of Kandinsky’s ‘On The Spiritual in Art’ began the equation of abstraction, expressionism, and mysticism in the minds of critics and the public. For example, the repeated use of ‘resurrection’ rather than ‘revolution’ or ‘evolution’ in ‘On The Spiritual in Art’ tells us of Kandinsky’s spiritual campaign. This new art, new way of seeing, brings with it a new wisdom born of the artists awareness of his own depths and of the deep and rich universe. This search by 20th century artists was not just for ‘form’ or originality, but also for deep meaning and penetration. Through his painting and writing Kandinsky was trying to make sense of the changing world, which could be seen as dominated by a constant struggle between the forces of good, the spiritual and the forces of evil and materialism. Kandinsky’s use of the spiritual can be identified through his search for the abstract in art, for Kandinsky this existed in working and arguing against the nightmare of materialism. In the early 1900s when in Paris, Kandinsky considered Cézanne to be a father figure. His time in Paris transformed his visual sensibilities. The colouristic abstractions of Cézanne, Matisse and Manet, ‘alerted him to the fact that the apocalyptic vision that he was coming to seek, must be visionary, not only in terms of its spiritual charge, but also in its visual impact’. A number of different factors may account for the rise of abstraction, which took place in the late 19th century. This was in part owing to
Your Book Reviews ‘Marguerite’ by Carol Edgerley This book is something completely different. It is essentially a romance but with thriller tendencies, and all based on true historic accounts of Carol’s own family. Beginning with the birth of Marguerite into a French aristocratic family, the story moves on and into Ireland, England, Scotland and India, all these countries playing very different parts in Marguerite’s passionate and complex life. The love she has for her horses runs throughout the book and helps to keep her sane. Her 4 legged friends give unconditional love, which sometimes is all she has to support her. Marguerite is a fiercely independent character, strong in spirit and physique too, she deals with love, sadness, joy and terror. She brings her children up to the best of her ability dealing with prejudice and financial downfall. Her life is anything but mundane!
the influence of Paul Cézanne, who sought new ways to move from representation to abstraction. Kandinsky wrote ‘the theory of this is to put on the canvas the whole glitter and brilliance of nature, and not only an isolated aspect of her.’ Kandinsky goes on to describe how Cézanne’s colour and form in his paintings realised the existence of something alive, Kandinsky saw Cézanne as being gifted with divining the inner life in everything. Cézannes work brought about a revolution, which could arguably be considered as having laid the foundation stones for 20th century painting, opening the door to modern art. Early on Cézanne explored the subtleties of Impressionism, only to reject them to seek ways to define space, line and colour. Like Cézanne, Kandinsky uses blocks of colour to reduce the painting into what he perceived to be its very essence. Cézanne’s new approach to style and painting was seen as as a radical departure from Impressionism’s tiny dabs of colour. Cézanne’s contribution heralded the arrival of abstract painting, Picasso, Braque, Matisse and Kandinsky all considered Cézanne to be a father figure to them all.
Above: Paul Cezanne Mont Sainte-Victoire, 1904. Above Right: Wassily Kandinsky Munrau Mountain Landscape, 1910
Find Josie Bounds at Le Studio, 79240 Le Busseau www.monpeotcoeur.info
This is the first of a trilogy, if the second and third books achieve the same level of page turning power, this new author will do well. Jan Smith
Are you a bit of a Bookworm? With summer fast approaching, 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.
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Learn French with Evelyne by Evelyne Mallet
Musique!
21st June is the longest day of the year, it’s also the date chosen for the ‘fête de la musique’. The musical event began in Paris in 1982, before reaching the smallest villages. The idea was to encourage everyone to get outside and play music together. It didn’t matter if you did not have an instrument or a musical ear, everyone was invited to join in the street party, even with a saucepan and a wooden spoon. This nationwide racket used to be called ‘Faites de la musique’ – closer to ‘make some noise’ than ‘make music’. Gradually, the event evolved: more and more concerts were organised, all styles of music were played by ‘real’ musicians -‐ amateur or professional. Most events are still free, in keeping with the original idea of a street party, but saucepans and spoons now remain safely in the kitchen and our ears are spared. To say you play a musical instrument, you need to know if that instrument is masculine or feminine – that’s the beauty of the French language! There’s absolutely no logic in this, I’ll give you that. Personally, I blame the Romans (since French is based on latin) and that gets us off the hook. So, you might say: je joue de la guitare, de la basse, de la contrebasse, de la flûte, de la clarinette, de la batterie, de la trompette, de la harpe (for the feminine nouns) but je joue du piano, du violon, du violoncelle, du saxophone, even du triangle (for the masculine). Two more options are possible: je joue de l’accordéon (because of the vowel), je joue des cymbales (because you won’t get very far with just the one!) You might not be a great fan of this distinction between masculine and feminine, but the system is not likely to disappear overnight, so my advice would be: just accept it. When you learn a new noun, try to learn what it means, how it is pronounced and spelt, and also if it’s masculine or feminine, as it will affect all the words around. That will help you sort out your ‘du’ from your ‘de la’, your ‘il’ from your ‘elle’. It requires a little extra effort at the beginning, but with practice, it will just sound right and you won’t have to think about masculine or feminine. The good news is, if, occasionally, you get it wrong, we’ll probably understand you anyway. La fête de la musique and all the summer festivals might give you a chance to discover a few French musicians and singers. There’s more to them than just Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour, you know! I can suggest a few: Barbara, Brassens, Ferrat, Nougaro, Cabrel, le Forestier – among the ‘classics’. Then, in no particular order: Zazie, La Grande Sophie, Jeanne Cherhal, Kaolin, Grand Corps Malade, Calogéro, Bashung, Daho, Zebda, Miossec, Les Innocents, JP Nataf, Delerm, Dominique A, Louise Attaque, M, De Palmas, Alex Beaupain, Thomas Dutronc, Renan Luce, Benabar ... I can’t list them all, but that should get you started. You could listen to their songs, get the words (les paroles, f) from the internet and sing along. You could also learn some French that way. Musique Maestro!
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. Additional (5) 9. Town in Southeastern France on the Rhone River (7) 10. Distraught with fear (7) 11. A telegram sent abroad (5) 12. Quickly and without warning (8) 13. Chair (4) 15. Very offensive in smell or taste (4) 17. Put together (8) 21. Sandy coastline (5) 22. Gives in, as to influence or pressure (7) 24. Freedom (7) 25. Father Christmas (5)
Down: 1. Type of meat (4) 2. Isolate with little hope of rescue (6) 3. Disciple of Jesus (7) 4. Declare null and void (6) 5. A sibling’s daughter (5) 6. Render capable (6) 7. Disturb the composure of (8) 12. Board game (8) 14. One who lives in solitude (7) 16. Close to (6) 18. Scatters in a mass or jet of droplets (6) 19. Yellow fruit (6) 20. A map to assist navigation by air or sea (5) 23. Break in two (4)
VM Anagram Crossword.
All the clues are anagrams; this is a real toughie! Across: 1. BAD 3. HAS 10. WORDS 11. KISER 12. IT NOISIER FIRE 13. GROIN IN AILS (8-‐3) 16. FAT CHALMS SPIN 19. LAYER 20. ALNER 21. DEF 22. TEN
Down: 2. DREAD 4. SUISH 5. STAIR 6. FACT BLOOMER 7. IMPOTENT PAN 8. IN HIMS IN DIG 9. SHRAB 14. CRASS 15. LIPSL 17. MYTHE 18. VERNE
Sudoku Corner...
Please see website: www.thevendeemonthly.fr for answers
Hard
www.websudoku.com
Easy
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Our Furry Friends...
Adopt with Confidence A few months after we started NALA we were contacted by an old lady who was moving into a maison de retraite and couldn't take her pets. So I went round to pick up a “black, male kitten who's put on a bit of weight recently”. One glance was enough for me to realise that I was experiencing a real life “Specsavers” moment. He was black, that was true. “He” was also a mature “she” whose weight gain was going to disappear rapidly in the next few days as she was heavily pregnant. Sure enough three days later, Julia, the cat formerly known as Jules, gave birth to 4 kittens which was perfect timing. Another association had a new born kitten, Isabelle, that needed to be bottle fed, but the lady who was doing it had to go away for a few days so they asked us if we could find someone to take over the task. We decided to see if Julia was up for it.
Another reason is that you get a better behaved kitten. We're not in a desperate hurry to place the kittens as soon as they're weaned: we prefer to leave them with their mother a bit longer so that she can teach them some manners and how to be careful with their claws and teeth. Last but not least, if it doesn't work out between the new family and the animal (that doesn't happen very often as we carefully choose our adopting families) there is always a way back. If, within a month, things don't go well then we'll take the animal back to its foster home. After a month, we're still prepared to take the animal back, but it will have to stay with its new owner until a foster family becomes available. In other words: when you adopt with associations like NALA 85480 you can adopt with confidence! Nos Amis Les Animaux 85480 (NALA 85480). Tel: 07 70 31 54 59 ~
Email: nala85480@hotmail.com www.nosamislesanimaux.com
AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION...Pagnol
Above: Devoted mother Julia and her babies. Right: Isabelle, the step-kitten enjoying her check-up at the vet's'
So one evening I brought Isabelle to Julia's foster family. I was a bit nervous as we didn't know how Julia would react: would she accept Isabelle or would she reject her? With the foster family hovering anxiously over my shoulder, I stroked Julia for a moment or two and then stroked Isabelle to transfer Julia's scent to her before putting her down next to Julia. Julia didn't bat an eyelid and within seconds Isabelle had made herself comfortable and was suckling away. There wasn't a dry eye in the house. That was a while back and all of these kittens have since been adopted for the princely sum of €55 each. You may be surprised that people are prepared to pay for a kitten, when there are many adverts on leboncoin.com for kittens that are being given away for free. So why do people pay to adopt an animal from an association? One pragmatic reason is that it works out cheaper. For that €55 you get a kitten that has been identified (a legal requirement), vaccinated and will have had a check up by a vet. It will also have been treated against fleas, ticks and worms. If you had all that done on a free kitten it would cost you a lot more.
Spare a thought for little PAGNOL who thought he had found his forever home only to be returned because he was too playful with the family’s older dog. Weighing in at only 9.50 kilos this delightful cross is 2 ½ years old born on 1st January 2011. He has been micro-‐chipped (250269802202596), vaccinated, treated for worms, ticks and fleas and neutered. PAGNOL is a very friendly little dog. He is house-‐trained and he would like to have company during the day and not be left alone. He gets on with children, other dogs and cats and even goats! This little dog will make a super pet for a family prepared to put in the work of training him properly. He is intelligent and loves life and deserves a good home. Pagnol is being fostered in dept. 87 and there will be an adoption fee. Please contact Isabelle by email: asso.orfee@laposte.net or on: 09 77 48 71 43 for more information. www.association-‐orfee.forumactif.com/f49-‐english-‐corner
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Health, Beauty & Fitness...
Reaction Theatre Raising Funds for Cancer Research Charities Our return to La Chataignerie proved to be highly successful with nearly three hundred of you coming to the two performances. We were also very pleased to see a number of people who had seen the Calendar Girls performance in Secondigny come to see us for a second time at the La Chataignerie theatre. Although the production is now behind us with the scenery and props stored away, we are still keen to sell more calendars. To date we have sold over 500 calendars with an excess of 5000 euros raised. We don’t charge for our production programmes, but this time we had a voluntary donations box available and thanks to your kindness, raised a few hundred additional euros! A very good start ...but we still need to sell more calendars to reach our target for the donations to the cancer research organizations.
The calendar covers May to December 2013 plus the whole of 2014, so it is still a very good buy and would make a great birthday or Christmas present for those family members who it is often so difficult to find a gift for. They are still for sale through our web site or at the following four venues and will remain so for the rest of the year: • • • •
Restaurant A La Bonne Vie at Le Beugnon Cafe des Belles Fleurs at Fenioux The Pause Cafe at L’Absie Cafe Cour du Miracle at Vouvant
Please give generously and remember that ALL proceeds from the sale of the calendar go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Research Foundation in the UK and La Fondation de France: La Recherche contre Leucemie et Lymphome here in France. Reaction Theatre is taking part in Tim Firth’s show as part of an international effort to smash the record for the most productions of a play in one calendar year which will eventually go into the Guinness Book of Records if successful. Samuel French London, which holds the amateur rights, has received 520 applications from groups wanting to perform the play to date and has issued 322 licenses. Vivien Goodwin, the managing director, said the company had "never experienced a demand like this" for a play. Well in line to smash the record. Thank you for your continued support...
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The Great Outdoors...
Love Your Garden by Babs Kolthammer
At last Spring has sprung... Summer is officially here and the garden is responding well to warmth and sunshine. The soil is still moist and seeds will germinate quickly and weeds will take over if not kept in check……but how uplifting it is to be able to get outside and make a real start. I’m surrounded now by the sound of mowers, cultivators and strimmers and everyone is looking more positive and ‘smiley’….fab!
Scoop out blanket weed and floating debris from ponds and introduce new plants for added interest. Check the ‘scoopings’ for wildlife and if found, return it to the water.
Summer prune side shoots on wisteria and tie in remaining stems. Prune out dead wood on any shrubs to prevent disease developing. Prune plain green shoots from variegated shrubs to prevent them from losing their variegation. Prune plum trees by pinching out tips of side shoots to five leaves. Thin out over abundant fruits on all fruit trees so that they can produce a good crop.
Now is the time to: Plant out summer bedding and sow annuals directly where you want them to flower. Lots of plants available for hanging baskets, but remember to feed them (tomato feed is good) every six weeks or so as the compost uses up nutrients quickly. Cut back foliage on spring bulbs. Cut back dead/old foliage and flower stalks on Hellebores and collect their seed to sow now. Train and tie in climbing roses and ensure that bases of shrub roses are covered with a good layer of soil to prevent root rock in the wind. Spray to prevent black spot development. Tie in new shoots on Clematis, training where you want it to spread. Prune Clematis armandii when flowering has finished.
Sow directly outside now: radish, runner beans, French beans, carrots, mangetout, sweet corn, endive, spinach, peas, salad crops, courgettes, swede, turnips. Sow perennial seeds, potting on when seedlings are big enough to handle. Provide supports for tall perennials such as delphiniums, phlox and sweet peas, putting tops on canes to protect eyes. If you have little time in the garden, feed, weed and water, but above all…enjoy!! Le Pouce Vert
Sow seeds of parsley, coriander, chives and basil and salad leaves… you’ll have useable herbs/salad in just a few weeks. Check fruit trees for woolly aphids, treating with a soap spray if affected, attach sticky moth traps to trunks to prevent codling moths laying their eggs inside developing fruits.
Provide support for raspberry canes and cover these and strawberry plants with netting to prevent birds eating fruit before you have a chance to! Pick off any fruit showing signs of mould before it spreads to other plants. Feed tomato plants with a liquid fertilizer. Pick off side shoots to direct energy to main trusses. Look out for signs of blight and use a bordelaise liquid spray to combat if necessary. Plant marigolds next to tomatoes to prevent whitefly infestation. Divide irises and deadhead camellias and rhododendrons. Take softwood cutting from fuchsias, hydrangeas, geraniums, marguerites, salvia and verbena.
Love Your Garden...
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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
Good and bad neighbours in the vegetable plot... Vegetable
Good neighbour
Bad neighbour
Asparagus Kidney bean, leek, tomato, parsley
-
Aubergine
Haricot bean
-
Beetroot
Dill, kohlrabi, kidney bean, onion Spinach
Broad bean
Dill, artichoke, sweet corn
Carrot
Garlic, dill, cabbage, chives, Mint endive, lettuce, onion, leek, pea, radish, tomato
Chives
Carrot, cucumber
Garlic, shallot, onion
Lettuce
Dill, carrot, cauliflower, Celery, parsley cucumber, squash, leek, radish, strawberry
Parsley
Asparagus, tomato
Lettuce
Parsnip
Onion
-
Pea
Carrot, celery, kohlrabi, cucumber, spinach, haricot bean, sweetcorn, turnip, potato, radish
Garlic, shallot, onion, leek
Potato
Garlic cauliflower, cabbage, broad bean, haricot bean, sweetcorn, pea, horseradish
Carrot, squash, onion, tomato
Spinach
Beetroot, cabbage, haricot bean, lettuce, tomato, pea, strawberry
-
Squash
Sweetcorn, lettuce
Cucumber, potato
Turnip
Pea, mint, rosemary
-
-
Cucumber, Dill, basil, celery, spinach, cornichon fennel, kidney bean, lettuce sweetcorn, onion, pea
Potato, radish, horseradish, tomato
Garlic
Beetroot, carrot, lettuce, leek, tomato, strawberry
Cabbage, broad bean, haricot bean, pea
Leek
Carrot, celery, spinach, lettuce, onion, tomato, strawberry
(courgette etc.)
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Spotlight On...
Fontenay-le-Comte by Sue Burgess
The Vendée River flows through the town of Fontenay-‐ le-‐Comte. The town, which covers an area of 342km2 is a sub-‐Prefecture of Vendée. From its early beginnings the town has been linked to water, the name originating from the fountain re-‐built in 1542 (the Latin ‘Fontiniacum Comitis’). At the time of the Romans and the Gauls, Fontenay had a quality which favoured both the defence of the city and commercial exchange. A ford meant that it was possible to cross the river ‘Vendo’ which later became the river ‘Vendée’. In records from the Middle Ages the town of ‘Fonteneum’ is mentioned. Fontenay belonged successively to three important families: the Viscounts of Thouars, the Sires of Mauleon and of Lusignan. The Poitou (Vendée, Deux-‐Sèvres and Vienne) was given to Alphonse of Poitiers, the King’s brother. Fontenay became the capital of Bas Poitou and an important point of royal support. It was at this time that the affix ‘le Comte’ was added to the town’s name. By the end of the Middle Ages the town had become the second urban centre of Poitou after Poitiers. However, the fortified town of Fontenay was of a modest size and the expansion of its population and economy was not possible because of the lack of space. Despite the hundred years war, Fontenay enjoyed economic prosperity (example: the construction or the reconstruction of Notre Dame, Saint Jean and Saint Nicolas churches). The Renaissance was Fontenay's most splendid period and many of the monuments like the bell tower of the church and a lot of big houses date from this period. In the XVIIth century, Fontenay became a protestant town and its economy started to fail. The town however remained exceptional as far as its architecture was concerned. At the time of the revolution (1790), Fontenay-‐le-‐Comte became the préfecture of the département. In 1793, the town took the name of Fontenay-‐le-‐peuple, then, under Napoleon in 1804, got its name back but lost its place as the main town of the département. In 1960, Fontenay-‐le-‐Comte continued to develop because of industry and crafts. The Emperor Napoleon I and his wife, Joséphine, spent the night of August 7th and 8th, 1808 at Maison Laval on rue Rabelais. (Maison Laval is a townhouse built at the end of the 18th Century). On their way from Rochefort to Nantes, they stopped off in Fontenay-‐le-‐Comte where they were the guests of Mayor Laval who, wanting to give them a dignified welcome, had prepared a triumphal arch over the Pont Neuf bridge. That night, the Emperor learned of the defeat of General Dupont at Bailem. The General's surrender, which seriously compromised the French army's position in Spain, threw the Emperor into a deep rage. If the story is to be believed, the Emperor smashed an earthenware vase placed in front of him.
Personalities of Fontenay-le-Comte:
• François Rabelais (1493–1553) was a monk at Fontenay-‐le-‐ Comte, where he studied Greek and Latin, as well as science and law. He is best known as the writer who created Gargantua the giant. • Georges Simenon (1903 – 1989). The Belgian writer and author of the Maigret series and other books, stayed at the Chateau de Terreneuve during the war. Several stories are based in the Vendée and at least one in Fontenay. There is a Simenon tour.
François Rabelais
Belgian writer, Georges Simenon
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Fontenay-le-Comte was the birthplace of: • Barnabé Brisson (1531–1591) Jurist and politician • François Viète (1540–1603) Mathematician • Mathurin Jacques Brisson (1723–1806) Zoologist and natural philosopher. • Michel Crépeau (1930–1999) Politician (mayor of La Rochelle for many years as well as MP) Barnabé Brisson
Mathurin Jacques Brisson.
History...
The construction of a harbour, with a quay on each side, began in 1839. In 1881 the railway arrived, both important events that play a major part in the history of Fontenay-‐le-‐Comte. The harbour dates originally from the second half of the XIIIth century when the Vendée River became navigable but was little used for trade. The harbour no longer exists although some remains can still be seen. The first stone of the railway station was laid in 1881 and with easier trade and communications a new way of life began, but in 1969 the Niort to Fontenay-‐le-‐Comte line was closed.
Must See... Notre Dame Church in flamboyant Gothic style with a 15th century steeple and a crypt dating from the 11th century. Saint Jean Church Quatre tias Fountain The fountain was built in 1542 by an unknown artist. It would seem that the fountain was at that time a place for different animations. It is a beautiful renaissance style construction. • The Billaud House • The Museum • The Rivalland Tower • • • •
Musée de Fontenay-le-Comte
Église Notre Dame
Tour Rivalland Fontaine des Quatre Tias
Maison Billaud
Photos: Wikipaedia Commons. Notre Dam Church, Selbymay; Quatre Tis Fontain, Aoudot25; Maison Billaud, Selbymay; Musuem, Selbymay Tour Rivalland, Selbymay;
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French Life, Food & Drink... Food, Family & Friends - Life in by Helena Boyle the Vendée What a mixture of weather and temperatures April turned out to be…I did, finally, manage to get my potatoes in – plus some salad crops and herbs, but way behind this year. I just wish there was some consistency, other than the interminable rain! I’d just got used to the lovely sun and blue skies for a week or so when, sure enough, the wet weather returned. At least it’s not so cold any more! Not being able to spend much time outside has meant that I’ve been able to catch up with my bacon and sausage-‐making activities. Compared with the UK, it is very easy to get hold of reasonably priced sides/loins of pork, even in the local supermarkets. Initially, I think the butcher thought I was a mad Englishwoman, when I asked for the sides of pork to have the rind left on, but to be deboned. He asked me a number of times if I was sure??? Now, however, I ring up and he knows straight away : “Ah, it’s Madame B. You want the rind left on…etc!” I decided to cure and smoke three sides this time, to make back bacon – sufficient so that I could freeze a batch ready to take to the UK for my family and still have some left for friends and myself. I find that it’s a very therapeutic process, spread out over a week or so. I prefer a dry cure – this produces nice firm bacon, that doesn’t leak and ooze those horrid white curds that UK supermarket bacon produces, when you grill or fry it, (due to the curing brine being injected into the meat. This reduces the amount of loss in weight!). Dry cured bacon is much less profitable for the producers, as the salt cure draws water out of the meat, meaning there is less at the end of curing than when you start! I can tell you that once you have tasted ‘real’ dry cured bacon, it will spoil you for any other for the rest of time! The sides were cut into pieces about 40-‐45cms long (only because that is the size that fits my largest vacuum packing bags,) and then cured. I use special dry curing salts which I buy online. These are mixed with 10% sugar, and any herbs and spices that you fancy before being rubbed well into the meat – every nook and cranny –
by John Sherwin.
and then placed into the vac pack bag. At this point, I add a large dollop of Black treacle to either side – trying not to get it all over myself, or the outside of the bag -‐ before vacuuming, sealing and refrigerating. The next 5 or 6 days are easy. After the first 12 or so hours water will have begun to leach out of the meat and mix with the treacle. At this point, I give it a helping hand by massaging it into the skin and rind. Then I just turn them each day to ensure that each side spends time in the cure. The fact that they are in a vacuum keeps them well immersed! The end of the curing time is the messy part. I have to open the bags, drain off the cure from the meat, rinse and dry. Then they go into a fridge, uncovered, for another day for the magic ‘pellicle’ to develop. This is a kind of ‘dry outer skin’ (almost) which helps preserve the meat and also helps it absorb the smoke better (if you intend smoking the bacon, as I do). The bacon at this stage is what is called ‘green’ (or unsmoked) in the UK and you can naturally slice it up and eat it as it is. I just much prefer smoked bacon (and many fish too!) Part 2: Smoking & Finishing will follow next month and maybe also some Sausage Making!! The photos show the bacon when it has been smoked and is waiting to be sliced and eaten. I’ll include some of my recipes using it in future columns. Please get in touch if I can offer any help at all, or you want to make any comments or suggestions for future offerings. Hopefully, we will also have good weather, as June is usually much hotter – and enjoy this month.
contact Helena Boyle on: labourseguinaise@gmail.com
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The Belt of Orion Wines of Chantonnay
by John Sherwin
You don’t really expect serendipity to strike on the Paris metro at 9.20 on a Tuesday morning coming into Ecole Militaire. Well, you don’t expect serendipity to strike anywhere at anytime, that’s the whole notion – but just grasp the weirdness of you hanging off one metro strap and a guy you’re sure you know from somewhere, sometime, who doesn’t belong in this scenario, hanging off another metro strap about two metres away. Then it hits you. “Philippe! What the hell are you doing here?” He recognises me and says this is my stop and I say it’s mine too so we both say let’s go have a coffee. He’s toting a case of clinking bottles and a homely Vendée smile, and as we emerge from our warren the Paris air seems kind and the sky blue. He’s in town with samples of his wine to sell to selected restaurateurs, but for now we take our coffee and talk of the Vendée, of Chantonnay, and of his vineyard just outside that town, for it is M. Orion, proud owner of La Barbinière. In 1978, Philippe started with a couple of hectares and a young family. Over time the couple of hectares became thirty and one son became an expert in growing grapes, the other an expert in making something of them. Philippe and sons Vincent and Alban Orion were in business – a real family business, with all the pride that brings. The current 30 hectares of La Barbinière benefit from a variety of soil forms so the most appropriate plots are used for any particular grape variety. In addition, the oceanic climate provides the highest average temperatures for the whole of the Loire Valley.
They produce a complete range of wines. The ‘Silex’ white is a well-‐ balanced blend of Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay with aromas of white fruits: will go nicely with seafood or goats’ cheese. The ‘Silex’ rosé is nicely sharp with aromas of red fruits: a blend of Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Cab Sav: lovely summer aperitif, and great with salads or white meat. The ‘Silex’ red is a blend of Pinot, Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon, and Gamay: complex nose of blackcurrant, black cherry, with smokey and caramelised notes: a treat with game or red meat. ‘La Douée’ is a wonderful dessert wine, 100% Chenin Blanc, with aromas of mango, citrus, and mint: classic matching with foie gras or most desserts. Their ‘Méthode Traditionnelle’ is a mix of Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir: really lovely, light and fresh, with a mix of white and red fruits – it’s bubbly, so match it with anything! T h e v i n e s a re c a ref u l l y nurtured under the shrewd eyes of Alban; the wines are meticulously crafted by the exigent Vincent; the whole is overseen by the patrician eminence grise, Philippe, my erstwhile fellow boulevardier. What better guarantee of quality can there be but these three stars of the belt The Orion family of Orion? Go to www.domainedelabarbiniere.com for online info – but nothing beats going there in person.
La Barbinière
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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French Adventures...
The ‘Frying Scotsman’ lands in Vendée Essentially the story begins when our paths crossed at a well-‐ known Sheep Fair at Priddy, on the Mendips, in Somerset. At that time I was a police motorcyclist and Sarah was working for the Somerset Wildlife Trust in a gazebo offering kids the chance to sketch butterflies. I charmed her with my artwork and so the story begins.... Holidays to France and discovering different areas there led to a hunger for something more permanent as I was approaching retirement and wanted a change in lifestyle. With this in mind Sarah purchased a subscription to a Living in France magazine, which began arriving monthly. One morning, whilst having a coffee, I discovered an article about a mobile Fish and Chip business in the Vendeé being run by Derek Heather, an old colleague, from Somerset. A quick email to get back in touch sparked a flurry of correspondence between the two of us. It was discovered that Derek and his wife Chris were looking towards retirement and as the timing seemed to coincide with ours, a meeting in a hotel restaurant in Bournemouth was arranged. This led to a couple of visits to the Vendée, kindly hosted by Derek & Chris, during which we learned a lot more about the business and could see that it was well established and thriving. They took time out to help and coach us into its method, sharing tips and hints to its success. So the decision was made to take the chance to fulfil the opportunity of a lifetime, and buy the business just after my retirement. The house in Somerset was put on the market, friends and family enlightened about our new, slightly mad, adventure and the hunt for somewhere to live in France started. Thankfully selling the house in the UK went well and we soon found a lovely old place in La Chapelle Thémer to call home. The house needed some work doing to it including building a prep room for the business. Once more Derek came to our assistance and soon the building was taking shape. In January 2013 Sarah gave up her job as a graphic designer and re-‐employed her early years’ catering experience and made the move across the channel. Registering the business, arranging an accountant and getting the vehicles re-‐registered has made us realise that things do take time over here. However, when I realise it is now June and we have been actively selling fish and chips for over three months, I wonder where the time has gone..... We were drawn to the idea of working for only three days a week as this would dramatically improve our work/life balance, meaning
we could enjoy our new environment in this beautiful rural area. However in reality there is plenty to do on the days off including cleaning, ordering, preparing and collecting items. We do get some time to ourselves and make the most of trying to recapture the garden, and continue to make home improvements. We feel we have landed on our feet, having fantastic neighbours and friends who have helped make the transition a good one. Whether it is trips to the déchetterie (which have been many), help with translations or a hand with the home improvements, we have welcomed the help. The language skills are improving as we seek to interact with our customers and friends alike. The business is run from a large, purpose-‐built trailer which is towed to three established venues. The regular evening sites we visit between 6pm to 8.30pm are the Auberge le St Vincent, St Vincent Sterlanges on a Wednesday, La Rando Bar, Mervent on a Thursday and Au Bon Coin Bar at Thouarsais Bouildroux on a Friday. Each location is different and the variety of customers who visit make it very interesting and enjoyable. The introduction of a quiz run by the animal charity NALA 85480 has seen customer numbers grow with their popular quiz nights on the first Wednesdays of the month at St. Vincent Sterlanges. Initially we thought the business would only be of interest to expats and tourists but we have seen the numbers of local French people giving it a go and enjoying not only fish’n’chips but other favourites such as pasties, haggis and black pudding! At times it gets very busy and we are rushed off our feet but we enjoy the challenge and look back at the Monday to Friday, 9 to 5 routine and the weather we left behind with a huge smile on our faces. I am assured things will get a lot busier and hotter but we are really enjoying it and look forward to cooking you Britain’s favourite dish! We are also available for private events such as birthdays and any other social occasions and are open to any suggestions for other regular venues. Please visit our website www.lavendeechippy.com for further information.
La Vendée Chippy -‐ Billy & Sarah Bond Tel: 02 44 39 16 73 Mob: 06 23 49 15 11 Email: enquiries@lavendeechippy.com Web: www.lavendeechippy.com Page 21
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Motoring... Ladies, Get the Lid Down! by Helen Tait-Wright
As we move into June, we all hope for the summer sun to be with us, and what could be a better way to enjoy the weather than getting the convertible out of the garage... There is just something about driving with the top down -‐ maybe the distant memory of a glamorous bygone era -‐ a great feeling of freedom on the open road with the wind blowing through your hair, weather permitting of course. However, I was surprised to learn that a 2010 survey by the AA revealed that women are a third more likely to drive 'topless' than men and it is those in their fifties who are most likely to choose a convertible...... Perhaps this can be attributed to the time of life when the family has flown the nest and they can indulge in a frivolous car rather than needing a practical one. It is also interesting to note that the statistics show that Brits register more open top cars than any other European country, which is odd really given the less than perfect British weather! In a convertible, if the weather becomes inclement, you can raise the top and roll up the windows, and it's these two features that distinguish a convertible from a roadster, which typically has clip-‐in side curtains and a top that is not permanently attached to the body. Somehow, with the top down, a convertible almost always looks prettier than a counterpart hard top or even a Coupe. Maybe it's the "lighter" look that results in not having a roof. Or perhaps it's the promise of adventure that comes from lowering the top and throwing caution to the wind.......... So, if you want to buy into the glamour of a convertible, what should you choose? If you don’t expect to raise the hood at the touch of a button and like a bit of retro motoring, you might want to find a classic Healey, a Triumph, an MG, a Jaguar E Type, or even an Alfa Romeo, several of which can be used on the Historic Rally circuit that is alive and thriving in France. (Another more frivolous survey by Evecars.com showed that men would be most attracted to a woman driving a classic convertible, so ladies, if you are on the look out for a new man, this is the route to go!) Most car manufacturers offer convertible models these days but perennial favorites include the Mazda MX5 and the Audi TT, and the Porsche Boxster is a superb drive if you have a bit more cash to splash. Auto Trader in the UK recently conducted a survey to find the top ten most popular convertibles. The MX5 came in at no 5, the Porsche 911 at 4, the Jaguar XK at 3, Mercedes Benz SL at 2, and at number 1 the glorious Aston Martin V8 Vantage. Until 2011 I was lucky enough to own an XK8 convertible, which I enjoyed very much, although it did feel a little less stable than the hard top model which I also own. I have also driven the Vantage, courtesy of my friend Julia, and I can confirm it is very, very good ..... best get saving! Contact Helen at: helen@stodel.org.
Photo: Julia’s Aston Martin V8 Vantage
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Communications... Protecting Your PC... Surge Protection
by Ross Hendry
It is the time of year for rain storms, thunder and lightning and here in France we seem to get quite a lot more power surges than we did in the UK. A few years ago, the Vendée suffered very badly from these storms and many people on the coast died in floods etc. These storms can cause lightning to strike both power and telephone lines, these in turn can pass power surges and spikes through to our homes.
What can we do to protect our equipment in our home?
Quite frankly if you get a direct hit, there is probably little you can do to protect your equipment from a serious lightning strike, fortunately these are quite rare. Even disconnecting your devices from both the power and telephone lines may not protect you from a direct strike on your property, although this is by far the best method of protection. There are surge protectors available for both individual appliances and to protect your whole house, but which should you choose? Clearly you should protect your whole house if you can afford it, as every device with a printed circuit board is at risk. These whole house protection devices connect to your consumer unit where the electricity enters and is distributed around your home. They are considerably cheaper than you may think with single phase protection around 100€ and triple phase at 150€. There will of course be an installation charge from your electrician who should install the protection -‐ do not do this yourself. If you choose to protect individual items, then you can purchase surge protection strips that will protect several devices. I have always used one of these to protect my audio and TV devices, the one I purchased originally came with insurance (for the first three years) in the event that it failed. Fortunately I never had to make a claim. In the four years I have been providing technical support to expats, I have had to replace numerous PC power supplies and network adaptors that have been damaged by power surges. It is uncertain what the causes of all of these failures were, many happened when thunder and lightning were in the area so may have been caused by this or the remedial work. My experience of these problems happened after the big storm of three years ago when it was not the lightning strikes that caused the damage, but the remedial work carried out by the engineers in
the days that followed. It cost my insurers in excess of 1,500€ to replace the damaged electrical equipment. This consisted of a fridge freezer, Broadband Router/modem, two computer printers and also a high specification desktop PC. My main audio and PC items were protected by an uninterruptable power supply (UPS). These are normally more expensive than a surge protector and are designed to switch to a short-‐term alternative source of power (normally a battery providing power via an inverter) to enable you or the system (some have USB connections to the PC and software that automatically shuts them down when needed) to effect a controlled shutdown, they do offer excellent surge protection as well. For the optimum solution check out the whole house protection with your electrician. If he is French you will need to ask for a ‘parafoudre’. If you choose a less expensive solution here are some examples of the costs of surge protection and UPS :-‐ • 1. Surge protection. One socket -‐ approx 10€ from the Orange Shop amongst others or www.cdiscount.com or of course Amazon, these will normally protect both the power and telephone lines to your Modem/Router. • 2. Surge Protection strip. 6 outlets -‐ approx 20€ also from the Orange Shop or www.cdiscount.com or of course Amazon, many of these also have sockets for the telephone line protection as well. • 3. UPS. 4 UPS sockets and 4 Surge Protected sockets and telephone line protection -‐ from approx 70€ to over 1,000€. I would recommend spending around 125€-‐175€ on a UPS, many of these devices come with insurance for connected devices, some covering up to 75,000€, they also have free data recovery services should you suffer damage to a connected device preventing access to your data enable you to get your data from the damaged drive.
1. 2. 3.
Please do get some form of protection, as these types of problems can result in not only damaging the computer’s power supply unit or network adaptor, but may also result in damage to the whole system, and this means losing your all important data. Remember protection is far more preferable than cure. 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...
CONTRIBUTIONS.... As a new magazine for the local area, we are always looking for new contributions for consideration into future issues. Do you have you an experience to share? Are you a tradesmen with a Top Tip? or perhaps an avid reader who would like to contribute a book review? Whatever it may be - and either long or short, we would love to hear from you. 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
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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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.
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Business, Finance & Property... Ask Amanda.
When I see the Charente melons being planted in the fields near my house, I realise that the winter has finally left us and another year has flown by. To many people who now live in France, each year that passes brings us one step closer to retirement and being able to further enjoy our French adventure. Working and living in France brings different factors to bear than being in the UK and without careful consideration and planning these can result in your pension being lower than anticipated. People often ask me:
“How much is my UK pension likely to be & how can I maximise my pension when I come to retire in France?”
Helping people understand what their pension position is and how they can best manage retirement plans in France is a key part of my role. Here are some of the areas we discuss: • UK state pensions • Work & other private pensions • French retirement options (including returning to the UK) • Inheritance • Peoples increasing life expectancy • Property and other assets as a pension pot • Paying tax on your pensions (how & where) Having left the UK, you may not have paid sufficient National Insurance (NI) contributions or if self-‐employed, paid a different NI class to qualify for a full state pension. You may have pension pots from working at different companies and having moved to France want an opportunity to understand how these will mature and whether they can be better put to work for your retirement plans. Inheritance issues and any property you are thinking of using t o s u p p l e m e n t pension income is also worth noting. Finally, how and where you pay tax on your pensions can be discussed to ensure that the tax you pay is as low as possible.
Money Talk...
by Sue Cook
If the US Dollar is the Cinderella of the currency markets, the Pound and Euro are unfortunately the ugly sisters on recent performance. It has not been pretty in any sense. Both the Euro zone and Britain are fighting it out over who can produce the weakest economic data. After exchanging blows over the Italian election non-‐result and another downbeat budget from the British Chancellor, the tie has swung in the U.K’s favour after a very unseasonal cold snap brought the country to a halt. The narrative driving both currencies is dependent both on the economic climate and Bank of England (BoE) and European Central Bank’s (ECB) responses to the unfolding picture. George Osborne changed how the BoE is able to respond to a deteriorating economy by allowing them to outline future policy ahead of time. The thinking behind the move is that it removes uncertainty over changes in policy and should be good for confidence. In reality it allows the Bank to set policy to stimulate GDP growth and worry less about maintaining the near-‐term inflation target. Whilst in the longer-‐term the announcement by the Chancellor is a good one for both the UK economy and the Pound, in the short-‐term it will keep Sterling depressed across the markets. The ECB is also working hard to maintain stability and promote growth in the euro zone after first the Italian election and then the bail-‐out of Cyprus threaten to de-‐rail best laid plans. The uncertainty over the future Italian government has not helped government bond yields, which spiked and remain at elevated levels. The Cypriot bail-‐out was more traumatic for the Euro, which lost several cents after the initial deal put on the table by the troika was rejected by parliament. Reports suggested Cyprus was on the verge of jumping into bed with Russia and agreeing a separate bail-‐ out deal, bringing geopolitics to an already crowded table. What’s really hurt the Euro since a Troika-‐led deal was finally agreed, is EU politicians suggesting depositors haircuts should be the model for future bail-‐outs. Investors with funds in euro zone banks that could be next in line for any bail-‐out are suddenly looking worryingly over their shoulder.
If you are living and working in France and have not considered your retirement plans, perhaps you would like me to visit you a n d h a v e a f r e e financial health check or email me through “ask Amanda” and I would be happy to help.
Amanda Johnson, The Spectrum IFA Group. Tel: 05 49 98 97 46 Mob: 06 73 27 25 43 Email: amanda.johnson@spectrum-‐ifa.com Website : w ww.spectrum-‐ifa.com/johnsonloire.shtml or “Ask Amanda” at finance@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
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Do You Understand Your Compensation Limits?
By Bradley Warden, Partner, Blevins Franks
Are you aware of what level of protection you will receive in the event there are problems with your bank? For peace of mind you should establish what investor protection you have with each of your banks, and how it works. e same applies for capital you have held in other financial institutions like investment firms, insurance companies etc in the event of institutional failure. So, what protection do banks offer? Under an EU directive, each EU country now provides a bank deposit guarantee of €100,000. In the event a bank fails, your national deposit guarantee scheme (Fonds de Garantie des Dépôt in France) will refund your savings, up to the limit of €100,000. Savings above that amount may be lost.
Many savers with larger cash deposits have spread them out over more than one bank. Others have opted to move capital into arrangements which provide a higher level of investor protection than banks can offer. For example, if you have an investment bond issued by a Luxembourg regulated insurance company, your investment assets are completely protected should the insurance company fail. For advice on asset protection and reassurance that your money is protected as much as possible, consult a wealth manager like Blevins Franks. To keep in touch with the latest developments in the offshore world, check out the latest news on our website www.blevinsfranks.com
Deposits are covered per depositor, so couples with joint accounts have €200,000 protected. e guarantee is per banking group, not per bank account or even per bank. In the UK the deposit compensation limit is £85,000 (to match Europe’s €100,000). Banks in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man are not covered by the UK scheme, even if they are divisions of UK banks. Instead you will need to rely on their local guarantee schemes, which offer lower levels of protection.
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FAIR TRADING IN SECONDIGNY September 2012 saw the first Trade Fair (Foire Commerçiale) in the area for British & French businesses. Organised by ‘The Deux-‐ Sèvres Monthly’, it was the perfect way for businesses to come together under one roof, explain their services, demonstrate their products and meet prospective clients. The idea to mix both English and French speaking businesses worked well and although a large proportion of visitors were English, we had many French speakers too. The event was a huge success and we received well over 500 visitors throughout the day. This year we shall repeat the event and encourage more French speaking businesses on-‐board. The language barrier may be difficult for some, so this year we shall offer translators who will wander around and help with conversations when called for. The location (Lac des Effres, Secondigny) is ideal for this type of event, offering a large sized hall, kitchen facilities, stage, plenty of parking plus other activities such as cycling tracks, fishing, walking, children’s playground etc. ‘Mr T’s Friterie’ will once again supply Fish and Chips, there will be other choices of food vendors plus tea, coffee and cakes. There will be plenty of demonstrations during the day, and lots of activities to keep you all entertained. Stands are available to be booked now. Many reservations have already been made, so please book early to avoid disappointment. Inside and Outside spaces will be available, prices starting from 35€.
21st SEPTEMBER 2013 10.30am -‐ 5.30pm La Salle Alauna 21, Lac des Effres, 79130 SECONDIGNY
It is important to us to organise a day that is well attended and successful for everyone. We shall be doing our very best to achieve this and welcome any ideas or additional feedback on last year’s event.
Photos: Top Left: Outside stalls. Middle Right: La Deuxième Chance demonstrating paint techniques. Bottom Left: Inside the salle
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St. Hilaire-de-Loulay
St. Georges-de-Poitindoux
Le Champ-Saint-Père Pouillé
Talmont St Hilaire
l’Orbrie
Angles
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