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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Welcome!
to Issue 1 of ‘The Vendée Monthly’ magazine! After two successful years publishing ‘The Deux-‐ Sèvres Monthly’ and many, many requests for something similar in this area, I am pleased to welcome you to our new magazine. We have been overwhelmed by the responses received since announcing our expansion and as a result we have a packed first issue for you. A BIG Thank You to all who have contacted us with ideas and contributions and, of course, to the advertisers who have put their faith in us and the new publication. We shall always strive to keep standards high and if you have any feedback for us, please do get in touch. Enjoy the read and have a wonderful May !
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 Health, Beauty & Fitness.................................................. 12 Our Furry Friends............................................................. 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........................................... 29
This Month’s Advertisers... A2B Food Services .............................................................................................. 19 Abattage Service (Slaughter House -‐ Poultry)..................................................... 18 Affordable UK Design........................................................................................... 2 A la Bonne Vie (Restaurant)................................................................................. 19 AngloInfo............................................................................................................. 23 ARB French Property............................................................................................ 7 An English Nursery in France............................................................................... 15 Bird Property Services......................................................................................... 26 Cafe Cour du Miracle........................................................................................... 18 Corbin Electrical................................................................................................... 27 Currencies Direct (Money Transfers)................................................................... 29 David Watkins (Chimney Sweep)......................................................................... 25 English Spoken..................................................................................................... 24 Evelyne Mallett (French Lessons)........................................................................ 8 Fresco Interiors ................................................................................................... 7 Gardens and Stuff................................................................................................ 15 Gentle Touch Hair & Beauty................................................................................ 12 Glass 2 France...................................................................................................... 26 Heather’s Pet Care Services................................................................................. 13 Hotel Marie Stuart............................................................................................... 20 Insink Plumbing................................................................................................... 26 James Harris (Plasterer)....................................................................................... 27 Julie’s Cleaning Services....................................................................................... 30 K.Neal Renovations.............................................................................................. 26 Le Logis (Rare Breed Pigs).................................................................................... 18 Le Pub des Halles................................................................................................. 19 Mark Sabestini Renovation & Construction........................................................ 26 MCH Groundworks / Construction..................................................................... 27 ML Computers..................................................................................................... 24 Nathan Foster Building Services.......................................................................... 26 Pascale Matéo (French Lessons)......................................................................... 8 Phoenix Trading (Jo Ashforth)............................................................................. 30 Polar Express (Frozen Foods).............................................................................. 19 Rob Berry (Plasterer)........................................................................................... 2 Robert Gough Terrassement............................................................................... 27 Ross Hendry (Interface Consulting & Engineering)............................................. 23 Sandy G (Hairdresser).......................................................................................... 12 Satellite TV (Nigel Gubb)...................................................................................... 24 Segora Writing Competitions.............................................................................. 7 Shaun Grice (Home Renovation)........................................................................ 25 Shaun O’Rourke (Garden Maintenance)............................................................. 15 Simon The Tiler.................................................................................................... 27 Spectrum IFA Group (Amanda Johnson)............................................................. 29 Sue Burgess (French Courses & Translation)....................................................... 8 Taylor Electricté................................................................................................... 27 Tracy Corrie......................................................................................................... 12 Val Assist (Translation Services)........................................................................... 8 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) 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 Vendêee 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: mai 2013 -‐ Tirage: 3500 exemplaires. Siret: 515 249 738 00011 ISSN: 2115-‐4848
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
What’s On... May 2013 1st May -‐ Regular Quiz in aid of NALA (1st Weds of each month) At the Auberge, 1 Place de la Mairie, St Vincent Sterlange, 8pm. Max 6 people per team, 2.50€ p:person. Fish & Chips will also be available. 2nd May -‐ Fresco Interiors Shop Opening At 9 rue du duc D’Aquitaine, Vouvant. See advert on P.7 2nd May -‐ Darts Competition At Le Pub Des Halles, Sainte Hermine at 8pm. For more information please call: 02 51 30 23 95. 5th May -‐ Canal Creepers New Orleans Jazz Band Apero Concert In Coulonges-‐sur-‐l’autize 79160 at 6pm. Contact 05 49 04 33 02 for more information. 6th May -‐ Book Swap Coffee Morning At Le Pub Des Halles, Sainte Hermine, 10am -‐ 12pm. For more information please call: 02 51 30 23 95. 10th May -‐ Gourmet Evening 5 Course Taster Menu at A La Bonne Vie restaurant, 79130 Le Beugnon. See advert on P.19 for more details. 12th May -‐ Clear Your Clutter for Charity At Paperback Jan’s, La Ferriere-‐sur-‐Parthenay 79390. A great big Bring and Buy Sale with entertainment, fish & chips and much more! Please call 06 08 30 73 29 for more information. 12th May -‐ Bring and Buy Plant Sale In aid of Nos Amis Les Animaux (NALA), 2.30pm -‐ 6pm at La Sauvagere, 85390 Mouilleron-‐en-‐Pareds. Please contact NALA www.nosamislesanimaux.com. for more details. 14th May -‐ Quiz Night At Le Pub Des Halles, Sainte Hermine at 8pm. For more information please call: 02 51 30 23 95. 21st May -‐ Help with French Tax Returns Val Assist will be available in the private room at Pause! Café, L’Absie from 10am -‐ 5pm for help completing tax forms. 29th May -‐ PC Course “What Can Google Do For You?” At Pause! Café, L’Absie. Please contact Ross on rs.hendry@gmail.com 31st May to 2nd June -‐ Rendez-‐vous aux Jardins Visit the many Open Gardens in your area. For more information please see details on P.15
What’s Coming Up... 1st and 2nd June -‐ Rendez-‐vous aux Jardins Visit the many Open Gardens in your area. For more information please see details on P.15 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. More information next month.
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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
Wednesday 1st May.......... Wednesday 8th May......... Thursday 9th May............. Sunday 19th May.............. Monday 20th May............. Sunday 14th July............... Thursday 15th August....... Friday 1st November......... Monday 11th November... Wednesday 25th December.
Labour Day (Fête du travail) Victory in Europe Day (Fête de la Victoire) Ascension Day (Ascension) Pentacost (Pentecôte) Pentacost (Lundi de Pentecôte) Nalonal Day (Fête Na9onale de France) Assumplon of Mary (Assomp9on) All Saints Day (Toussaint) Armislce 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
1st May: Café Cour du Miracle, Vouvant 85120. 2.30pm-‐4.30pm 2nd May: Bar le Palais, St Aubin le Cloud 79450 2pm -‐ 5pm 2nd May: Bar La Cabane de Vouhé, Vouhé 79310. 6.30pm -‐ 8pm* 3rd May: Bar de la Paix, Thouars 79100. 12pm -‐ 2pm 3rd May: Le Tipsy Bar, Coulonges-‐sur-‐l’Autize 79160. 4pm -‐ 6pm 5th May: Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux 79160. 2pm -‐ 4pm 11th May: Cafe Le Chauray, St Maixent l’Ecole 79400. 10am -‐ 1pm 12th May: Jan’s home, La Ferrière-‐en-‐Parthenay. 11am -‐ 4pm 16th May: Pause! Cafe, L’Absie 79240. 2pm-‐ 5pm 31st May: 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! • Wednesdays (May 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd & 29th) Bar ‘Auberge le St Vincent’, St Vincent Sterlanges • Thursdays (May 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd & 30th) Bar ‘La Rando’, Mervent. • Fridays (May 3rd, 17th, 24th & 31st ) Bar ‘Au Bon Coin’, Thoursais Bouildroux
For more info please see visit website: www.lavendeechippy.com
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
Vide Greniers
Your Local Markets vide greniers...
• • • •
Benet 85490 Noirmoutier-en-l’île 85330 Jard-sur-Mer 85520 La Roche-sur-Yon 85000
Tuesdays:
• • • • • • • • • •
Le Boupère 85510 Challans 85300 Chantonnay 85110 Montagne-sur-Servre 85290 Noirmoutier-en-l’île 85330 l’île d’Yeu 85350 La Roche-sur-Yon 85000 Les Sables-d’Olonne 85100 St-Giles-Croix-de-Vie 85800 La Tranche-sur-Mer 85360
Wednesdays:
• • • • • • •
Les Essarts 85140 L’Herbergement 85260 Luçon 85400 Rocheservière 85620 Les Sables-d’Olonne 85100 St-Giles-Croix-de-Vie 85800 Soullans 85300
• • • • • • • • • •
Beauvoir-sur-Mer 85230 Bretignolles-sur-Mer 85470 Chantonnay 85110 Noirmoutier-en-l’île 85330 Les Herbiers 85500 La Mothe-Achard 85150 Pouzauges 85700 La Roche-sur-Yon 85000 Les Sables-d’Olonne 85100 St-Hilaire-de-Reiz 85270
Fridays:
• • • •
Moutiers-les-Mauxfaits 85540 Les Sables-d’Olonne 85100 Ste Hermine 85210 Soullans 85300
Saturdays:
• • • • • • • • • •
Bouin 85230 Chantonnay 85110 Coex 85220 Les Essarts 85140 Fontenay-le-Comte 85201 Les Herbiers 85550 Luçon 85400 La Roche-sur-Yon 85000 Les Sables-d’Olonne 85100 La Tranche-sur-Mer 85360
• • • • •
Beauvoir-sur-Mer 85250 Bretignolles-sur-Mer 85470 Olonne-sur-Mer 85340 St Gilles-Croix-de-Vie 85800 Soullans 85300
Mondays:
Thursdays:
Sundays:
1st May 1st May 5th May 5th May 5th May 5th May 9th May 19th May 25th May 26th May 26th May 26th May
Sallertaine 85300 La Roche Sur Yon 85000 St Etienne De Brillouet 85210 Chateau D'Olonne 85180 St Michel En L'herm 85580 Landevieille 85220 Puyravault 85400 Moutiers Les Mauxfaits 85540 St Maixent Sur Vie 85220 Champagné Les Marais 85450 Le Poiré Sur Vie 85170 Montaigu 85600
For more information about Vide Greniers in your area, visit: www.info-‐brocantes.com
Did you know?...
by Vanda Lawrence
Do you ever wonder whether the French have funny old sayings as we English do? I often say that “the rain is coming down like stair rods”. That’s quite easy to understand, but what about “raining cats and dogs”, wherever does that saying come from? As we know, in past times, houses had thatched roofs: thick straw piled high on the outside walls with no ceilings as we know them. In cold weather the animals would climb up to get warm in amongst the straw -‐ mostly mice and bugs I expect but cats and small dogs would too, given the chance. When it rained though the thatch became slippery and the animals would slip off the roof. Hence the saying ‘It’s raining cats and dogs’. Floors were nothing more than flattened dirt. Only the wealthy had brick or slate tiles on the floor. Hence the saying ‘Dirt Poor’. When it was raining cats and dogs (sorry, couldn’t resist!) these slate floors would get slippery so people used to spread thresh (straw) on the floor to help keep their footing. As winter wore on more and more thresh was added until eventually this would slide out of the door when it was opened. To stop this happening a piece of wood was placed in the doorway -‐ you’ve guessed it, a threshhold! More next month …
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Hobbies, Clubs & Associations... ‘Nalliers Welcome’ Welcomes You Nalliers Welcome is a Social Club for the many British residents/ occasional visitors in and around Nalliers – and beyond! Our French neighbours are also very welcome as it is an opportunity for them to practise speaking English, and to assist the British members in speaking French. Whilst we are NOT a language class, we do take the opportunity to converse in French as well as English. Our meetings usually last for approximately 1½ hours (although we have been known to get carried away with chatting and continue for even longer!), and we currently meet at the Salle Polyvalente on a Tuesday evening from 19:15 hours. We currently comprise 40 members – 22 English, 1 Welsh, 3 Scottish, 1 Dutch, 1 Swiss, 1 American and 11 French. Newly-‐ arrived Brits -‐ and those not so new – often get their questions answered concerning medical information, car licensing, shopping etc. In fact our discussions are lively, funny, and invariably centre on shared experiences and useful knowledge passed on. We enjoy a ‘games evening’ on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. Lively games of Darts, Palets, Cribbage, Trionimos and Jenga take place – as well as Scrabble, often using 3 or 4 languages in the same game! (Great for increasing your French vocabulary). On the other Tuesday evenings members volunteer to organise some sort of activity, be it a quiz, game, demonstration or talk. We also organise occasional trips and events. For example we enjoyed a Christmas visit to see ‘ The Moscow Circus on Ice’ at La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon. We have a number of Fish & Chip Suppers during the year and, of course, celebrate Firework Night on or around 5th November. We have an annual Christmas Dinner & Disco for members, family and friends – trying a different venue each year – which is very popular and well attended. Although none of us want to be part of an “ex-‐pat” community, it is enjoyable and can be rewarding to meet up occasionally. Membership at present is €20 per year, but you would be very welcome to come and meet with us, initially at no charge, just to see if you would like to join in on a more regular basis.
“Nalliers Welcome” Anglo/French Social Club Every Tuesday Evening /Chaque mardi soir 7:15pm – 9:00pm / 19h 15 – 21h00 Salle Polyvalente - 85370 Nalliers
Short editorials can be offered to advertisers, free of charge Please call Sarah to find out more.
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
A R E Y O U A M O D E L R A I L W A Y ENTHUSIAST? If so, join a group of likeminded modellers who meet on a monthly basis to visit members' layouts and swap information. We are based on the DeuxSevres/Vendee border but also have members in the Vienne and Charente. If you are interested please contact Gerry Riley for more information on 05 49 63 34 01.
Secondigny Running Club... Put the bounce back in your step. Join our friendly and supportive running group. All abilities welcome. Email Kelly for more details: kellyencezelle@hotmail.co.uk
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
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!
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
Getting Out & About... Writing competitions – why? by Jocelyn Simms
Jocelyn and Gordon Simms announce the 2013 Segora competitions for poetry and fiction. The deadline for all three (poetry, short story and vignette) is midnight, 8th June. Now in its seventh year, Segora was launched to offer several challenges to the writer. Firstly is the need to meet a deadline, thus overcoming the common problem of procrastination. Secondly, editing is vital to perfect a piece for judging and requires all the tools of the trade -‐ analysing syntax, dipping into the thesaurus, clipping the word count. Thirdly, entries must be professionally presented, demanding concentration and computer skills. No wonder writers feel a sense of achievement when the finished product is despatched.
At one time there were few opportunities where, for a modest fee, writers could win prizes, read adjudications and see their work published. Recently international competitions have flourished. This may be due to the ease of accessing information and entering via the internet, and the fact that more people are writing as a hobby. Last year winning Segora entries came from Eire, Sweden, USA, UK, France and Spain. All can be read on our website. This year we will hold a presentation of winning and commended entries – an opportunity to enjoy contemporary writing and to hear plans for the next bilingual LitFest in 2014. Winners will be announced on our website and in ‘The Deux-‐Sèvres and Vendée Monthly’ magazines.
Small B/W advert only 30€
Nothing is quite like the thrill of winning. While disappointment is unavoidable for some, most entrants are motivated to enter other competitions with different judges, themes and deadlines in the hope that success will ultimately be theirs.
Jocelyn and Gordon, both published poets, would like to hear from anyone interested in joining them for creative writing workshops, discussions and readings. Contact Gordon and Jocelyn Simms, Le Moulin de L’Arche, 79150 St Clémenln. Tel: 05 49 80 22 96. Email: gordon.simms@aliceadsl.fr joceynsmms@gmail.com Websites: www.poetryproseandplays.co.uk and www.stclementinlitfest.com
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Learn French with Evelyne by Evelyne Mallet
Oh yes, we do!
It is often said that ‘the French’ don’t work enough. Well, I can’t see how that can be, when we do so much. There’s the obvious faire son travail, faire de son mieux, faire des heures supplémentaires, faire des efforts. When things get too much though, there’s no option but faire grève – even maybe refaire la révolution. Life is all about choices : faire la guerre, faire l’amour, faire le bon choix, ne pas faire trop d’erreurs. Que faire ?
maison...
Faites attention! Know your limits and don’t overdo it : faire une pause, faire la sieste or with lots of bank holidays coming up in May, faire le pont. Why not then faire ses bagages and faire un voyage? Unless you’d rather faire du sport, faire du vélo, faire du cheval. If you’re not into horses, you could consider faire la cuisine, faire un bon repas, faire des gâteaux au chocolat, never mind faire un régime.
Almost forgot! Faire des courses, faire une liste avant?, faire des folies or faire des économies? Faire un chèque – yes, in France we still use cheque books !
Small Colour advert only 34€
Even the weather’s at it : il fait doux, il fait bon, il fait beau, il fait chaud. We all want to get outside, faire du jardinage, (following Vanda’s ‘Amateur Gardener’s’ advice) faire une promenade or faire du bricolage. If you can’t do it yourself, get someone to do the job for you : faire faire le travail, faire réparer le toit, faire repeindre la
After all this frenzy, faites de beaux rêves ! In order of appearance, you’ve had the French for :
Do your work, do your best, do overtime, make an effort, go on strike, have a revolution (once again), make war, make love, make the right choice, make a mistake (or not too many, anyway). What to do ?
Talking about the weather and temperatures: it’s mild, it’s pleasant, it’s nice, it’s warm or hot.
Do some gardening, go for a walk, do some DIY, get the job done by someone else, have the roof repaired and the house (re)painted. Look out! Have a break, have a nap, have an extended bank holiday (=
when a bank holiday falls on a Tuesday or a Thursday, we all want to link that day off to the weekend, by ‘making a bridge’ between the two). Pack your bags, go on a trip, do some sport, cycle, go horse riding.
Cook, have a good meal, make chocolate cakes (what else ??), go on a diet. Go shopping, make a list before? , go berserk (while shopping), save money, write a cheque. Sweet dreams !
Contact Evelyne Mallett: Tel: 02 51 00 47 13
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
THE REPLICA MOSQUITO AT
FONTENAY-LE-COMTE
by Ian Gawn
Last summer I had a call from an old school friend in the UK asking if I could make some arrangements for him and some friends to visit France in their light aircraft. In the end it was just Peter and a friend who flew into Fontenay-‐le-‐Comte for lunch, and I even managed to reintroduce him to his practice nurse of 30 years previously, but that is another story.
“right”, as the full sized original may have a particularly distinctive stance on the ground or in the air. This replica looks perfect in either environment, and the engines may not be original RR Merlins, but they sound pretty good. The only feature that really gives the game away is that the cockpit glazing looks a bit big in comparison with the rest of the aircraft. Otherwise, the design and construction of this very authentic looking replica is an outstanding achievement. So if you hear a slightly unusual aircraft, look around and you may see the distinctive shape of this remarkable aircraft. I saw it
As Peter was about to leave, a French member of the ‘Aeroclub de Fontenay-‐le-‐Comte’ announced the imminent return of “Le Mosquito”. Pete looked at me questioningly, and at that moment what looked like a war time Mosquito light bomber roared across the airfield, made a couple of passes, landed and taxied in. It looked like a Mossie, sounded like a Mossie, but with only two real ones flying in the world it was unlikely to be an original Mosquito – it also looked a bit small. Delighted to have seen this unique aeroplane, Pete took off back to Nottingham, and we packed up lunch and said our farewells. So, what is the story? Well, fifteen or so years ago, five French aviators based around Luçon wanted to buy a twin engine aeroplane but could not find what they wanted so decided to build a replica of the war time Mosquito. Cost dictated that full-‐size was a bridge too far, so they settled on three-‐quarter scale. 2011 saw the first flight of this remarkable aeroplane at Fontenay, although at that time it was still unpainted and in ‘primer’ stage. In April 2012 the replica, now painted in a representative war time colour scheme, was unveiled to the public at a small, free air show at Fontenay-‐le-‐Comte airfield. Replica aircraft often do not look
recently at La Rochelle airport whilst waiting for the Ryanair flight to Stansted. I know which aeroplane I would rather have been in. My friend Pete is sporting a silly grin on his face. He has just secured sponsorship for enough fuel for the Mosquito to attend a fly-‐in at the RAF College Cranwell in August, before it attends as one of the star attractions at the UK national Light Aircraft Association Rally at Sywell, Northampton at the end of that month.
Photos: Ian Gawn
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
ARTicles
by Josie Bounds
Negating the Negative. The introduction and development of Abstract Art in the late nineteenth and twentieth century gave the viewer a distinctive way of considering and interpreting the world around them. Wassily 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. Unlike Zen Buddhism, Christianity has a tradition founded on ceremony, embellishment and decoration, whereas eastern religion and theosophy tend to be more contemplative and devoid of adornment, freeing the individual to focus more on the spiritual rather than be directed by ritual. What prompted such artists to commit to a search for the absolute, the absolute being pure abstraction? Kandinsky, Mondrian, Reinhardt and Klein’s paths diverged, through form, where they chronologically examined the breaking down of representation through abstraction. Kandinsky’s writings, published in 1912, On The Spiritual in Art sets out his manifesto, which became a central foundation of an art emerging in the twentieth century. Kandinsky’s introduction to his revolutionary ideas described every work of art as ‘the child of its own age’ and, in many cases ‘the mother of our emotions’. Kandinsky and Mondrian are not monochrome painters, although their works have been inspirational to both Reinhardt and Klein. The aspiration to create a spiritual environment was realised by Kandinsky and followed on with Mondrian. Reinhardt and Klein’s conception of the spiritual through monochrome reasserts its iconic purpose, which is to serve as an object of contemplation and meditation. The influence and impact of Kandinsky’s manifesto gave birth and form to an abstract art in both Europe and the United States. The Abstract Expressionists produced a form of abstraction during the twentieth century, which communicated both meaning and emotional content, whilst expressing an inner artistic vision that interpreted and included spiritualism with Kandinsky’s tenets. Why does it appear that Kandinsky did not follow his theories through to a complete emptying out and negation of the representational as Piet Mondrian, Ad Reinhardt and Yves Klein did? Zen Buddhism seems ‘to breathe the spirit of nothingness’; many people have regarded Zen as advocating nihilism. These are big points in the development of abstraction and monochromatic paintings. The monochrome painting is sometimes seen as ‘meditative art’. Throughout the late 19th century, the 20th century and 21st century painters have created monochromatic painting, the exploration of one colour, the examination of values changing across a surface, notably the texture and nuances, that express a wide variety of emotions, intentions and meanings. The monochrome has proved to be a durable idiom in contemporary art. The monochrome painting would not have written a notable chapter in history without Malevich Black Square 1914-‐1915. Malevich did not wish to depict reality in his pictures. Non-‐objectiveness was a world where Malevich looked for an art beyond reality. The form of the square was a fundamental foundation of his visual world,
making art of the imagination. Malevich saw his art as his own construct, a pure act of faith and b e l i e f , d e n o u n c i n g traditionalism. It could be argued ‘The Black Square’ gave birth to new direction in modern art. Above: The Black Square 1914-1915
Find Josie Bounds at Le Studio, 79240 Le Busseau www.monpentcoeur.info
The First of Many...
by Carol Edgerley
Local author Carol Edgerley lives in the Vendée, close to La Flocellière. Based on many stories told to her by her Great Aunt, Carol has written a fast-‐paced engrossing novel -‐ the first in a series, entitled ‘Marguerite’. Educated in France and England, Carol spent 25 years in Hong Kong teaching English and French and now happily lives surrounded by her many animals, and says that living in the tranquillity of Above: Carol Edgerley the countryside is a perfect place to write! The sequel to Marguerite is currently in the pipeline...
‘Marguerite’, the summary... Born in 1875, the only daughter of a French Marquis, the headstrong Marguerite was the apple of her father’s eye. Jealous and embittered, her mother schemed to rid herself of the seventeen-‐year-‐old girl through marriage to a much older man. Strenuous efforts to escape such a fate resulted in Marguerite being sent to an Irish Convent in disgrace, to reflect on her disobedient attitude. Instead, the rebellious girl absconded with a man she scarcely knew, and married him in a clandestine Scottish ceremony. To escape the Marquis’ fury, the new husband joined the Indian Cavalry and fled to British India with his now-‐pregnant young wife. Over the years, far from the bright future she anticipated, Marguerite was destined to suffer violence, betrayal, rejection, and finally poverty. Battling against almost insurmountable odds in addition to social bigotry of the time, the young woman regained prosperity through grim determination and her own merit. However, her personal independence came at a price… A fast-‐paced and engrossing story that weaves its way from the top strata of Victorian French nobility, via Ireland, England, Scotland and British India .
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Take a Break... Across: 8. South American cud-‐chewing animal. (5) 9. A state in which all hope is lost. (7) 10. Spanish artist. (7) 11. Female goat. (5) 12. Going without clothes as a social practice. (8) 13. Against. (4) 15. A player’s turn in a game. (4) 17. Decrease in size. (8) 21. Impudent aggressiveness. (5) 22. Large fish. (7) 24. An act of deliberate betrayal. (7) 25. Synthetic fabric. (5)
Down: 1. Turn over. (4) 2. A team’s symbolic figure. (6) 3. An artist of consummate skill. (7) 4. Detestable. (6) 5. Taking drugs. (5) 6. Artillery gun. (6) 7. Crustacean. (8) 12. Propose as a candidate. (8) 14. Old fashioned aircraft. (7) 16. Assorted. (6) 18. An order for goods to be imported /exported. (6) 19. Breath in. (6) 20. Put an end to. (5) 23. Single figure. (4)
VM Easy Crossword
ANAGRAMS... Reshuffle the words below to find place names of the Vendée.
Push comma Annoy n chat Arch onerously Egalitarian ache Belligerents rumors Heros receiver Rare relief
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (9) 8. Is ill amaze _ _ _ _ _ _ n _ _ _ (10) 9. Gone bureau _ _ _ _ _ h _ - _ _ _-_ _ _ (13) 10. buy again _ _ _ _ _ t _ _ g _ _ _ _ _ _ (15) 11. Eye of malcontent _ r _ _ _ _ _ _ l _ _ _- _ _ _- _ _ _ (18) 12. Sleeps sees _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ v _ _ _ _ (13) 13. Nut amigo _ _ _ _ r _ _ _ _ _ (10) 14. Stung felt
Sudoku Corner...
Hard
www.websudoku.com
Easy
_ _ _ _ l _ _ _ _ (9) _ _ _ _ _ _ e _ _ (10) _ u _ _ _ _ _ _ (8) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -_ _ - c _ _ _ _ (15) _ _ _ _ _ _ s _ _ _ (10) _ _ _ t _ _ _ _ (8) _ _ _ _ _ g _ _ _ (9)
Please see website: www.thevendeemonthly.fr for answers
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Health, Beauty & Fitness... Tai Chi - Dispelling Some By Terry Ryan
Myths! Many people have seen, and been intrigued by, images of Chinese people performing the slow, gentle exercises known as Tai Chi (nowadays spelt Taiji). Unfortunately, it is true that in the West, some myths have developed which deserve to be dismissed!
Taiji is thousands of years old
Although based on Chinese martial arts founded in antiquity, historical research places the birth of Taiji firmly in the 1600s. It was created in Chenjiagou, a small agricultural village in Northern China by General Chen Wang Ting. Chen style is the original form of Taiji from which all other styles have subsequently developed.
Taiji is always practised very slowly
Chen style Taiji is based on the philosophy of yin & yang … the complementary opposites which continuously transform into each other in a harmonious manner. As such, it requires a balance between the fast & slow, the gentle and the vigorous etc. This balance of yin & yang has been retained in Chen style Taiji whilst unfortunately, it has been generally lost by the more recent styles.
Taiji is only suitable for older peoples
By modifying the depth of the stances and the amount vigour ('faijin') in the postures, Taiji is appropriate for all ages! In Chen village, many youngsters practise Taiji!
Taiji is not competitive
Like painting, writing or yoga, the main contest is with oneself. As in other walks of life, the main secret of success is … practise, practise, practise !
Taiji can relieve relaxation
stress
and
promote
Happily, this isn't a myth! W h y
not try some Taiji ? Just 'drop-‐in' … it is relaxing, low impact and needs no special equipment. Classes are held in Vendée and Deux-‐Sèvres.
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Cancer Support Vendée
When someone is diagnosed with cancer, many emotions come into play. Perhaps the most all-‐pervasive is fear: fear of the illness, fear of what lies in the future, fear of ignorance, fear of not understanding and fear of being alone.
We in Cancer Support Vendée are here to help English-‐speaking people affected by cancer. We understand the fears of the sufferer and of his or her family. We are all volunteers, many having been affected by cancer either directly or through family members or friends. Some of us have experience of nursing or supporting those with cancer, and some of us are able to help with French interpretation so you understand better what is happening to you. Although we are not medical professionals, nor offer counselling, we are here to listen to you and share your fears, to help shoulder your burden, to help you communicate with the medical team around you and so eliminate those fears of ignorance and of not understanding. Specifically, we aim to: • Offer support to cancer sufferers and their carers by being available to listen on the telephone or to respond by email • Help you to ask questions you need answers to • Guide you to information in English about cancer treatment in France • Visit you at home or in hospital if this is possible If you would like more information, please call our Helpline 02 51 00 58 21, or email csvpresident@orange.fr. If you have some time to spare and are interested to help us as a volunteer and, please contact us for more information.
Our Furry Friends... Meet NALA Nos Amis Les Animaux 85480 is a registered association for the protection of animals and was set up in September 2010. Often called simply NALA we have members of many nationalities but mainly English and French. We are lobbying to improve the treatment of stray and unwanted animals in France. We are in contact with the local and national authorities and currently have a petition that you can sign: http://www.nosamislesanimaux.com/p %C3%A9tition.php . We also provide a free service to people who can no longer look after their pet, whether by choice or necessity. We have placed about 200 animals with new owners, mainly cats. We don't have an animal shelter, so can't deal directly with stray or found cats. We do have some foster families (and would welcome more, hint-‐ hint) who can look after animals if strictly necessary. Before placing a cat with a new owner (or “slave” as the cats tend to think of them) we try to ensure that they are adopting for the right reasons and that they have the appropriate environment for the cat. Once the decision to adopt has been made, we generally arrange for the hand over to take place at a vet's practice so that the new owner can ask any questions and can be sure that they are aware of the condition of the cat and any potential health issues. The cat will be identified by microchip, vaccinated and, if possible, sterilised. We charge a fee to cover the vet's costs. As we benefit from special rates given by the vets, it is cheaper to adopt a fully treated cat from us than to have the same treatments carried out as a private individual.
Available for Adoption:
Caprice.
A very beautiful black and white female cat, about a year and a half old, would lavish affection on whoever cherished her.
Odyssee.
A wonderful white female cat with blue eyes, 2 years old, looking for a good home.
If you would like to adopt a cat from us please contact us on 07 70 31 54 59 or email: nala85480@hotmail.com
On average we lose somewhere in the region of 30€ per animal. We can't ask too much as we have to compete with people who (illegally) give away unidentified, unvaccinated and unsterilised animals for free. So in order to keep going we need members (annual fee 10€), donations (as big or as small as you like) and fund-‐raising events. Amongst the latter we have coffee mornings, afternoon teas and vide greniers: more details can be found on our website www.nosamislesanimaux.com. If you wish to contribute or help in any other way we can be contacted via the website and also on 07 70 31 54 59 (English
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
The Great Outdoors...
Love Your Garden by Babs Kolthammer
What to do in your garden now... After such a long, cold and dreary winter, we can at last hope to see some improvement in the weather. The Daffodils and Narcissi have provided us with some much needed cheerfulness and blazes of colour through April and now the Tulips are taking over with their varieles of hues and forms, giving a touch of optimism to our springtime hopes and gardening plans. The Viburnum and Forsythia have provided a nectar source for early bees and the Camellias have battled frost, snow and wet conditions to provide reds and pinks in many gardens. Farm activity has settled into its usual routine, albeit a bit later than usual and the garden centres are restocked and full of customers at last! My neighbour, who ‘hibernates’ during the winter, has actually begun to prepare his potager, a positive sign indeed! He reminds me every year not to take risks with tender plants during the early part of this month as they can be susceptible to late frosts ……..so be warned! Everyone knows their own garden, aspect, soil and site and tips are given with the best weather conditions in mind -‐ warm, sunny and wet, so don’t plant seeds outside when frost is threatened or the ground is waterlogged. Try to harden off cuttings before planting out in their permanent position (place outside during the day and bring into the greenhouse or inside during the night giving them chance to acclimatize to outdoor conditions). Waterlogged soil can be helped to drain/dry by pricking over with a garden fork or covering in thick black ‘bache’ which also helps to warm the soil and kill the weeds, making it easier to work when you are ready. Now is the time to: Prune early flowering shrubs, such as Forsythia, flowering currant, Weigela and Spiraea as soon as they have finished flowering. Cut the older stems back to ground level and younger stems by a third. The new shoots will give flowers next spring. Clematis Montana, if it is overgrown or taking up too much space, can be pruned to ground level after flowering has finished. Keep an eye on roses for any sign of blackspot, mildew or pest attack, using your preferred ‘treatment’…… a spray of soapy water treats greenfly well, is cheap and eco-‐friendly and a fungicide will deal effectively with the other maladies. Collect any infected leaves and burn them, don’t put onto the compost heap or you may re-‐infect plants when you use the compost.
It has been too wet and cold for many of us to sow potatoes, but they can be planted at any time, they catch up quickly. If you haven’t room for a whole bed of them, they do well in large pots or even in rubbish sacks doubled up and filled with compost. Make holes in the bottom of the bags for drainage and earth up in the usual way when the foliage appears. There’s a huge number of varieties to try, but Charlotte is reliable and can be used in most recipes/dishes. If the weather becomes very wet, keep an eye out for signs of blight. If it appears, remove and destroy the foliage and apply any product containing mancozeb. Bordelaise mixture can be used for this too. If you have over-‐wintered Fuchsias in a greenhouse, conservatory or on a window sill, it’s a good time to take cuttings from the new shoots that will be appearing now. Take a cutting, about eight cms, removing all but the top few leaves and place around the edge of a compost filled pot. Use hormone rooting powder if you wish, (but it’s not absolutely necessary) water well and leave in a warm place. Rooting takes a few weeks and the new plant can be potted on when a good root system can be seen. Cuttings can now be taken from most shrubs, herbs and perennial plants in the same way. Use the new base growth from Delphiniums and Dahlias for the cuttings. Pinch out top growth on Fuchsias and Penstemons to encourage side shoots and bushier plants. Lilies are growing well now, so look out for signs of red lily beetle, picking them off and destroying any that you see. Pile compost up around the lily stem as roots are often produced around the buried stem giving added stability to the plant and enabling the take up of more food and water. Hostas can be divided as they come in to new growth. Protect from damage by slugs and snails by whatever means you prefer! Divide and replant Primulas and Day Lilies. Courgettes, cucumbers and squashes can be sown outside now or transplanted outside from greenhouse sowings. Other crops which can be sown outside now if the weather is not too wet, include, beetroot, carrots, lettuce, radishes, spinach, spring onions, peas, beans, cabbage, rocket etc. If sweet peas were sown under cover last autumn, they will be ready to plant out into tubs with supports now. Keep weeding, feeding and watering when dry…and most of all make time to look at the garden and relax in it with a pot of tea or a glass of wine!
Apply fertilizer to the base of cane fruits and Strawberries. Raspberry canes produce suckers each year which will become new canes……prune out the excess leaving the remainder about 10cms apart. These suckers can appear in adjoining beds and around other plants -‐ you can always dig them out and pass them on to a friend! Pinch out any strawberry runners that you don’t need, those that you want to keep can stay attached and be planted in small pots filled with compost close to the parent plant and when roots have formed can be separated and planted out as new stock or given away. Have some plastic netting handy for when the fruits appear to protect from feasting birds! Rhubarb can be picked now and will benefit from a feed of fertilizer. Cut back older stems on figs to encourage new growth.
Love Your Garden...
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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.
Welcome to this new Magazine. I have a small nursery in the Charente-Maritime. Besides trees, shrubs and plants sold by most Nurseries, I sell English Fruit trees, (Bramley, Cox, Braeburn, Victoria plum) plus a large variety of soft fruit. My Nursery is open by appointment, mainly due to the fact I am out delivering to all areas, or planting trees for my clients. Please call me if you require prices or advice on all aspects of gardening. Mike Curtis, 05 46 33 66 17.
Contact ‘The Vendée Monthly’ La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny. Telephone: 05 49 70 26 21 or email: info@thevendeemonthly.fr
Rendez-vous aux Jardins
Friday May 31st, Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd June 2013. The garden and its creators...
The Ministry of Culture and Communication invite you for the eleventh consecutive year, to visit both public and private parks and gardens, to discover the wealth and enjoy the entertainment that will be reserved throughout the first weekend of June, and on May 31st. The new edition of Rendez-vous aux Jardins specifically explores the theme of the garden and its creators. Programming raises the question of the creation for the garden and puts designers in the spotlight whether gardener, designer, owner, art theorist, writer, philosopher or painter.
Saint-‐Herblain (44)
This year, in commemoration of the four-‐hundredth anniversary of the birth of André Le Nôtre, you can discover many other artists, such as Bühler brothers, Achille Duchêne, Edouard André, Albert Kahn, Gilles clement, Louis Benech, Marie Vaconsin, Garouste... To find a selection of open gardens in your area, please visit http://www.rendezvousauxjardins.culture.fr Parc oriental , Maulevrier (49)
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Spotlight On...
Vendée’s Capital
La Roche-sur-Yon by Sue Burgess
La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon is today the main administrative town (Préfecture) of the Vendée and as its name suggests (“the Rock on the Yon”), sits on the river Yon. Its inhabitants are known as the «Yonnais» or the «Yonnaises». Napoleon I was responsible for turning the little market town into a modern city and for the current layout, based on the shape of a pentagon. The many imposing public buildings (Préfecture, Town Hall, Theatre, Law Courts, High School, St Louis Church) are built around a huge central esplanade called Place Napoléon. The town was founded by imperial decree of 25th May 1804 and replaced Fontenay-‐le-‐Comte as main administrative town (Préfecture) on that same date. The town’s name was changed eight times during the nineteenth century because of political quarrels, becoming known as ‘Napoleon’, ‘Bourbon-‐Vendée’, ‘Napoleon-‐Vendée’, finally reverting to its original La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon in 1870. La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon is an economic centre with many different functions, secondary and tertiary sectors principally, and is the main urban centre of the département. It is also home to 6,000 students as part of the University of Nantes. The town itself is the sixth largest town in the Pays de la Loire region and the most heavily populated of the Vendée. In 2010 the number of inhabitants stood at 52,664 and the extended urban area has a population totalling 115,612.
History Several archaeological discoveries prove that the area was occupied in prehistoric times. A Roman castle was built on
the heights of La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon in order to survey the iron mines situated at la Ferrière and la Thermelière. The town belonged to the Beauvau family and then to the Bourbon family from the 15th century. La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon became a principality when it passed into the hands of the Bourbon-‐Montpensier family and then the Orleans family. The castle, which was built at a strategic point in the Yon valley, was besieged and taken back from the English by Olivier de Clisson during the Hundred Years War. It was partly destroyed during the Wars of Religion and finally burnt down during the Vendée Wars. In 1793 the North of the Vendée rose in revolt against the Republic. La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon remained Republican but the rebels took the town on the 14th March 1793. After the Vendée wars, the town was no more than a small market town most of which had been destroyed. The Imperial decree of May 1804 provided for the transfer of the Prefecture of the Vendée from Fontenay-‐le-‐Comte, the old capital of the Bas Poitou province, to La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon. In 2004, the town celebrated the bicentenary of its founding by Napoleon Bonaparte. Lots of different activities were organised at that time and several commemorative works of art were commissioned including a monumental tapestry, a sculpture and a medal.
Geography
La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon is situated at the heart of the bocage Vendéen, in the Yon valley. The town was built on a granite rock overlooking the valley and this gave the town a strategic position. Napoleon Bonaparte chose La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon as the préfecture because it is situated in a central position in a département which had to be pacified after the Vendée wars. The town has won prizes for being a “Flower Town” with almost 20% of the urban area being covered by green spaces, and has the highest number of trees per inhabitant in western France.
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1
Must See... 1. Saint Louis Church Built between 1817 and 1829 and consecrated in 1830, the church is the largest religious building in the Vendée. Of particular note -‐ a patriotic painting from the first world war where Christ is represented -‐ a French flag on the north tower -‐ Christ represented in “blue white and red” in the stained glass windows. 2. The MYM (Yonnais Municipal Museum) Built in 1877, the museum of La Roche-‐sur-‐Yon contains collections of graphic artwork dating from the nineteenth century, contemporary photography and a large collection of the works of Benjamin Rabier, the creator of “la Vache qui Rit” (the laughing cow) and Gédéon the duck. Benjamin Rabier was born in La Roche-‐ sur-‐Yon.
2
3. Haras de la Vendée (Vendée Stud Farm) Built in 1843 in a tree lined park, the national and county stud farm was designed to hold 200 stallions. Nowadays, it is devoted to tourism, to horse breeding and to the conservation of species. 4. Place Napoléon One of the largest public esplanades in France. Work on the square, on rue Clemenceau and on Place de la Vendée began in 2012. These areas had hardly changed since the 1980s. The works should be finished in 2014 and there will be a large area for plants and water. Mechanical animals will be displayed in the ornamental ponds and members of the public will be able to touch them and play with them free of charge.
3
5. Renaissance House Built in 1566 and listed as a historical monument in 1930. 6. Fontenelles Abbey The abbey was built in 1210 on the outskirts of the town because of the thermal waters of the site.
5
6
4
Photos: Wikipaedia Commons. Sacre-‐Coeur Church, Powerwil85430; Saint Louis Church, Selbymay; MYM, Powerwil85430; Haras de la Vendée, HVdep; Renaissance House, Selbymay; Place Napoléon, Ludo33; Fontenelles Abbey, Selbymay;
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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
French Life, Food & Drink...
by John Sherwin.
Food, Family & Friends - Life in by Helena Boyle the Vendée I have always been interested in food – and particularly in eating…! Since coming to the Vendée and living in a very rural area, there is the opportunity to indulge in not only growing and eating my own produce, but also to keep hens and for curing and smoking local pork to produce bacon, ham, sausages and so on. For those of us who want to become immersed and involved in local French life, eggs, bacon and sausages are an amazing way of doing so. To start with, the neighbours are intrigued that there is an Englishwoman who cooks!!! In fact who not only cooks, but actually produces cakes, bread and real bacon that they can eat and enjoy! We still have an awful reputation as far as cooking goes in many people’s eyes, and it comes as a very pleasant surprise to them to find that, in fact, many of us love cooking and can produce edible offerings. The many eggs that my hens produce are a real intro to my neighbours – the French, I find, are really impressed with anyone ‘foreign’ who fits in and slips into the village way of life. A box of new-‐laid eggs is always welcomed and is an easy way to start a conversation. One of my hens, a beautiful Black Brahma, has caused quite a laugh recently. I bought her from a local fair last autumn as a young pullet. She was very shy, even with the other new hens I had bought at the same time and clearly didn’t realise that she would grow to be much bigger than any of the others – Brahmas are a wonderful, gentle, large-‐ sized hen with gorgeous plumage and feathery feet. Over the years, as a family we have always had a soft spot for this particular breed. For a while she was picked on by some of the others and I had to help her ‘find her feet’. She has grown and grown and is no longer picked on. However, the other morning I was chatting to my French neighbour when we both heard the unmistakable sound of a cockerel crowing and then another one responding. When we went to have a look, following the sound back to my chicken run, lo and behold ‘she’ has turned out to be ‘he’. So, I now have a rooster with the rest of the ‘girls’. It’s notoriously difficult to sex baby chicks and clearly that’s what happened with my Brahma. I‘ll keep you posted… Here’s hoping that the better (slightly) weather continues and it’s possible to do some digging and planting which is so far behind with all the rain and frost – still, plants soon manage to catch up and make up for lost time. Also, it has meant that there’s been more time for baking and other indoor activities – which reminds me: I have a loaf rising which is almost ready to go into the oven, so…here’s to the start of a brand new magazine and much success to it and all the contributors. Looking forward to next month already....
contact Helena Boyle on: labourseguinaise@gmail.com
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Once Upon a Time in the West A short intro to Vendée wine
by John Sherwin
Many, many years ago our ancestors in the Vendée really did walk around in clogs, biceps bulging, legs like tree trunks, clay pipe clenched between blackened teeth: the men were pretty tough too. They didn’t work in the local Leclerc because there wasn’t one; likewise no high street banks, estate agents, dog-‐groomers or flower shops. Our people were – and to an extent still are – farmers through and through. With that never-‐ ending toil came the need for sustenance: jambon-‐mogettes was our meat and two veg; fressure a treat on your saint’s day. The vegetable garden and chicken run were things of pride. If you could go back in time and tell your ancestors you buy your onions, potatoes, garlic, beans and eggs from strangers in a big town, their mouths would gape and clay pipes fall and crack. This self-‐sufficiency, and pride therein, extended to their everyday beverage, wine. And to call wine at that time an ‘everyday beverage’ is no exaggeration when there were no taps to give us clean, healthy water at the twist of a wrist. At the very least, wine was germ-‐free. Every farmer had his vines, enough to keep his family in wine for the year – perhaps his extended family and friends too if he was a larger landholder or tenant. At the harvest, everyone helped out, and if you’re lucky enough to live near some of the remaining family holdings, this is a tradition which, delightfully, continues to this day. Pick one row, stop and have a drink; pick another, stop and have a drink – and so on: hard, hard work, but has to be done. So, enough of the ‘first-‐the-‐earth-‐cooled’ stuff. In the mid-‐1960s, wine makers from four areas in the Vendée made a loose affiliation called ‘Fiefs Vendéens’. Thus began a long journey to recognition – from little more than peasant farmer, with all the humility he had to choke on, to winemaker, with his rightful place amongst his peers. Our wines were granted Vin de Pays status in 1974. A mere ten years later we were promoted to VDQS (Vin délimité de qualité supérieure), known at that time as the ‘waiting room’ for full AOC recognition. The boys in the band felt confident enough to officially apply for AOC in 1991. The boys in the government finally got round to a first inspection of vineyards in 1995. Only in 2011 was AOC status granted to wines made in the designated areas of Mareuil (585 ha), Brem (382 ha), Vix (149 ha), Chantonnay (a late comer to the original group, 57 ha), and Pissotte (42 ha). I intend to take you on a journey through those areas in the next few issues. You will discover delightful, value-‐for-‐money wines, reds, whites, rosés, sparkling. These are wines, and winemakers, that have earned their laurels, and wines which we should support with chauvinistic vigour (cue accordions…). John Sherwin, French Wine Tours Tel: 02 51 66 14 85 Email: john@french-‐wine-‐tours.com www.french-‐wine-‐tours.com
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French Adventures... Countryside Kennel Dream Becomes Reality My name is Gareth Lowbridge, I’m 32 and originally from Grimsby in the north east of England. I recently moved to the Vendee to leave behind my computer programming career in Leeds to start an exciting new chapter in my life. I abandoned the rat race and made a fairly dramatic lifestyle change by setting up a dog boarding kennels near Luçon called ‘Le Chenil de Baspont’. It has taken over three years of hard work and overcoming personal life problems but with a huge effort from my parents, to whom I will be eternally grateful, the kennels are finally open for business. My parents, Tom and Chris, retired to Mareuil-‐sur-‐Lay in the Vendée about 9 years ago so I have been well aware of the beauty of the area for a long time. Having been a dog owner all my life it occurred to me that although dog kennels are abundant in the UK, there was plenty of room for a high quality kennel over here. Meanwhile the grey northern skies, daily bus commute and office walls in Leeds were gradually wearing me down. It was perhaps not too surprising then that I started looking seriously at the possibility of setting up my own kennels in the region. In late 2009 after a lengthy search around the area, my fiancée and I felt that we had found the ideal property in Corpe, near Luçon. We took the plunge and bought it and hoped to be up and running within a year. A matter of weeks later my fiancée pulled out of the deal (and my life) and left me with a dilemma. Aside from the personal heartache, I could not financially afford to continue with the original plan by myself. I couldn’t bear the thought of simply giving up on my dream so I took on the challenge and the mortgage by myself. I accepted that I would need to continue my career in computer programming for a while longer and somehow figure out a way to make the numbers add up. In the last 3 years I have worked as a programming consultant in various places to fund the project, including Qatar in the Middle East, while my dad physically built the kennels and my mum single-‐handedly took on the French administration system. It has truly been a team effort. Unfortunately the difficulties kept coming. In August 2012 my mum was diagnosed with Cancer. I decided that I'd waited more than long enough to join my parents in France and the savings I had managed to accumulate would have to suffice. In November 2012 I loaded up my car to bursting point and moved over here. After a gruelling few weeks of meetings squeezed in between my mum's daily hospital appointments we finally managed to complete the final hurdles of setting up a new business and opened the kennels.
The hard work never ceases. I have built a w e b s i t e f o r t h e b u s i n e s s (www.baspont.com), designed posters, flyers and business cards to promote the kennel and I continue to fight to establish myself as any new business must. At the same time I am striving to learn the language which is not easy, as I’m sure many expats would agree. Despite the uncertainty I remain confident and motivated. I am delighted to be here taking on the challenge with my parents who couldn't possibly have imagined such a stressful retirement and I look forward to meeting many new clients/friends -‐ as well as their owners! So the kennels vision has become a reality. In my family we have always treated our pet dogs as part of the family. In other words we spoil them rotten! I was absolutely determined that my kennels would have to be of such high quality that they would meet my own high standards, not only in terms of the actual buildings but also in terms of the care and attention that would be provided. I am delighted and proud to say that the completed kennels turned out even better than I dared hope. Each room is spacious with heating, music, hygienic rubber flooring and secure outdoor runs. There are just 9 rooms in total meaning I can comfortably provide each dog with the level of attention that I would demand for my own dogs. I give them all two walks a day and provide lots of play time and individual attention. Business is gradually growing and for the first time in my life I now wake up looking forward to my working day.
Le Chenil de Baspont Address: Le Chenil de Baspont, La Frise, Corpse 85320 Tel: 02 51 27 46 24 -‐ Email: gareth@baspont.com Website: www.baspont.com
Contact Gareth on 02 51 27 46 24 or email: gareth@baspont.com
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Motoring... CLASSICALLY FRENCH....
by Helen Tait-Wright
Recently when introducing new friends to our 4 wheeled family, they said “but you live in France -‐ surely there is a deux chevaux somewhere?” There isn’t, at least not in our garage, but it got me thinking about this quirky and iconic French car. My only first hand experience of a 2CV was when I was a student and my friend Rosie had a blue 1970s model called “Mad Dog”. The car designed to mobilise rural France was the perfect student car, and at the weekends we opened the flap up windows and roll back roof and headed off into the Peak District! The 2CV was born as a result of a survey in the 1930s showing that France had a large rural population of people who could not afford a car. Citroën used these results to prepare a design brief for a low-‐ priced, rugged "umbrella on four wheels" that would enable two peasants to drive 100 kg (220 lb) of farm goods to market at 60 km/h (37 mph), in clogs, and across muddy unpaved roads if necessary. The car would use no more than 3 litres of petrol to travel 100 km (78 miles) Most famously, it would be able to drive across a ploughed field without breaking the eggs it was carrying. As a result of the war, the actual car wasn’t unveiled until October 1948. Citroën was flooded with orders, and it had a great impact on the low-‐income segment of the French population. Within months, there was a three-‐year waiting list, which soon increased to five years. The name of the car refers not to the horsepower of the engine, but to its puissance fiscale, which determines its taxable value in France. Production continued until 1990 by which time nearly 5 million examples had been sold. Well, “Mad Dog” is long gone, but the popularity of the 2CV lives on, and they’ve become an affordable classic. But, like the Mini, they were mass produced and cheap so people didn’t value them. Consequently they were neglected, the rust took hold, and these days it’s hard to find a good original example. In a true ‘coals to Newcastle’ story, one company based near Bradford, West Yorkshire, has set up a production line, turning old wrecks back into new cars, and is also making new chassis... and sending them to France to keep the French cars alive! Restored examples today can cost up to £11,000, but are still cheap to run. The 2CV even appeals to the motorsport fraternity, and since 1985, a celebrated 24 hour race has been held at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium. This year’s event is being held on the 19-‐20th October. www.24h2cv.be If this inspires you and you have your own 2CV (and have mastered the special skills needed to drive one so that it doesn’t lose momentum once you have built up any sort of speed) there is also a race series in the UK! www.2cvracing.org.uk But no-‐one will blame you if you just want to have some frugal fun pottering around the beautiful Vendean lanes in your very own French classic ........ . Long live the tin snail, France wouldn’t be the same without her!
Photo: Fotopedia.com
Contact Helen at: helen@stodel.org.
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Communications... Choosing a Telephone & Internet Service in France by Ross Hendry
UKTelecom, Phonexpat and France Telecom/Orange have English speaking support for both technical and customer service issues, and my personal experience of the FT/Orange technical support is one of the best I have experienced.
Who is Best? This is a very subjective question as everyone will have had some experience with poor customer service from their telephone/ internet supplier. What are my criteria for selecting a supplier of this type of service? Firstly cost, secondly customer service, then reliability, finally speed. For many of us the internet is very important, it is our lifeline to our friends and relatives around the world, as well as a primary source of information, and for some of us, booking flights and ferries and shopping and banking. Like in the UK when the telephone service was de-‐nationalised and de-‐ regulated, one company ended up with responsibility for the infrastructure. In the UK it was British Telecom and in France it was France Telecom. Why is this important? Because when I have a telephone line fault I need it fixing quickly, if I am with the organisation responsible for these services then I believe that I get this quicker than the others. In France this is quite necessary as the telephone network is prone to all sorts of faults from lightning strikes to agricultural and building accidents! I would also like the ability to speak with my supplier in my language, especially in matters that are technical. Even my friends that are fluent French speakers find it difficult dealing with technical issues in French. Most of us want a tariff that includes telephone calls to landlines in France and at least the UK and unlimited internet access. Most service providers have a package that will provide all of this, some will also permit the addition of mobile telephones as well. The primary suppliers are France Telecom/Orange, SFR/Neuf, Alice Telecom, Bouygues, UKTelecom and Phonexpat. All of these offer packages from around 30€. The least expensive per month at present is Alice Telecom who have an offer on at 9.99€ per month, excluding the cost of the landline (16€ per month). Most of the contracts are for a minimum of 12 months, especially if there is a competitive offer involved. There are also suppliers that have internet and telephone contracts that suit holiday home owners. These services may be turned on and off to coincide with your visits to your holiday home. They do not generally include calls to landlines in France or the UK and so are expensive for the time they are being used but probably work out less expensive for shorter term visits.
As France is a big country, they have challenges in providing high speed internet to the whole country, especially in rural areas. It is simply that the ADSL used will only work within 8km of a telephone exchange. So, if you find yourself outside one of these areas what are the options? There are basically three available. Dial-‐up internet access is very slow and not suitable if you spend more than 30 minutes per day on-‐line, it is really only practical for sending and receiving email. The other two options are Satellite and Microwave services. Satellite is available from some of the suppliers listed and Wiibox may be able to provide you with the microwave service depending on the geography of where you live as this service relies on line of sight to their distribution aerials. Satellite services are getting better all the time and becoming more competitive on the monthly charges. There are usually quite expensive installation/set-‐up charges of around 300€ to 500€ with monthly charges normally from around 30€ per month for lower internet speeds around 2Mbps, Wiibox are less expensive on the setup and similar to landline providers on the monthly cost starting at around 30€ per month. I have lived here for 5 years now and seen amazing improvements in the services available in this time. With the fierce competition between the companies, it is worth checking that you have the best service you can get for the money in your area. Even if you decide to stay with the same supplier, check that you are getting the maximum speed and best telephone deal they offer because the improvements in technology and competition mean these change quite frequently. I check this every year and although I have stayed with FT/Orange, I have gained improved speed on my internet connection and a slight decrease on my monthly tariff without losing any service. I have compiled a free sheet detailing the contact information for some of the suppliers in France, if you would like a copy please send me an email to rs.hendry@gmail.com 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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THE VENDÉE MONTHLY
Building & Renovation... A Specialist in Home Renovation Hello to you all. My name is Shaun and I have been here in Mervent, 85200 for nearly a year now. I am self employed, as I was in the UK, specialising in home renovations. My skills range from complete kitchen and b a t h r o o m s u i t e i n s t a l l a t i o n s t o plastering, tiling, carpentry and much more. Working on a variety of projects over the past 12 years since leaving school, I have been able to learn these skills and adapt them as time has gone by. If you are thinking of having any renovation works done at your home, I am more than happy to pop round at a time to suit you. Together we can discuss exactly what it is you want. I offer a free, no obligation quotation complete with drawn up plans. Back in the UK, I built up my reputation on establishing a professional, friendly and efficient service. All enquiries are welcome. With a phone call we can start the ball rolling. I get a quote together and then leave it with you to consider. I offer for all potential customers the opportunity to see a portfolio of past jobs to show you what may be possible with your own home and to give you some ideas. Also many of my previous clients are more than happy for me to provide their contact details, so you can have that added peace of mind that S.G Home Installation will provide you with the service you would expect. For further information please see my advert below.
Words F rom T he F luologist! This winter has been one of the longest I have known since starting my sweeping business here in France. It is not so much cold but wet weather that has caused its own problems with chimneys blocking up with clinker like deposits, and has resulted in two chimney fires which have needed attention. The main cause for this is that the wood being used is not properly dry even if the supplier says that the wood has been drying for 2/3 years. Last summer the rain never seemed to stop so the atmosphere was constantly damp and this would have contributed to the wood not drying out properly. Burning damp wood results in the moisture being drawn out in the fire-‐box and if not hot enough will condense inside the chamber and up the chimney flue. It looks like the walls are painted in glossy black paint. This is tar (see photo on right) and can be very volatile. To stop this happening the fire needs to be made to get very hot so that the gasses from the burning wood are vaporised prior to going up the chimney. Splitting the wood down into smaller sections will help this process but better by far is the use of fully dried timber. It is also essential that the chimney is correctly cleaned at least once a year and inspected by a professional chimney sweep who can give advice on the best methods to use. Spring is a good time to have this work done as the chimney is still dry from the prolonged burning season. If you are tempted to use the ramonage blocks from the supermarket, please don’t as they do not clean the chimney properly. The only way to ensure that the chimney is properly clean is to give it a thorough brushing to remove any deposits that may have formed. For further information please contact David Watkins. David Watkins Member of the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps UK.
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
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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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Opening Your Pool
by Brian McHale
The time is fast approaching when the thoughts of many of us turn to that momentous seasonal moment -‐ opening the swimming pool! We approach the pool area with trepidation, what will we find when we pull back that cover? Even if you can get the cover off without emptying the melange of debris that it has collected into the pool, chances are it has already collected a fair bit of debris on its own and possibly a few suicidal small mammals as well! The water will almost certainly be green depending on how long you leave it. If you have gone down the traditional route when winterising and drained down the pool and filtration equipment, you will have the additional task of reconnecting everything, refilling the pool and then checking to see how much frost damage you have incurred during the winter. Use your nets to get all the heavy debris out. Clean all the baskets, close all your connections tight and get the circulation going. You may need to prime the pump by closing all of the incoming pipes, open the pump and fill it full of water and then switch the pump on quickly opening one of the incoming valves. Repeat several times as necessary. Now comes the moment to wake your pool, the 'SHOCK'. Don't waste your money on expensive branded pool products, go to your local Brico and buy a 20 litre bidon of standard 9% javel (bleach), normally costing no more than 15€. Wear some protective gloves and dribble the product into the pool while it is circulating by one of the return jets so that it is circulated throughout the pool. 20
Helpful French Vocabulary... Ball valve -‐ vanne (f) basin -‐ lavabo (m); cuvette (f) bath -‐ baignoire (f) boiler -‐ chaudière (f) breezeblock -‐ parpaing (m) building -‐ bâtiment (m) building land -‐ terrain constructible (m) building permit -‐ permis de construire building site -‐ chantier (m) to build -‐ bâtir / construire (verb) cesspool -‐ fosse d’aisance (f) concrete -‐ béton (m) conduit -‐ gaine (f) connecting to the drains -‐ raccordement aux égout (m) connector -‐ joint (m) to drain -‐ vider (v) damp-‐proof -‐ imperméable damp-‐proof course -‐ couche isolant (f) damp-‐proof membrane -‐ protection soubassement (f) drainage -‐ drainage (m) drainpipe -‐ tuyau d’écoulement (m) flange -‐ collet (m)
litres is more than enough for a large pool (say 10 x 5), if your pool is smaller try half the amount and see how you get on. You will find that within 24 hours your pool has returned to blue but looks milky, this is the dead algae in the pool water and needs to be removed. If you have a sand filtration system this will be achieved by backwashing on a regular basis, which slowly but surely dumps the dead algae. As always the key to any good pool maintenance regime is regular backwashing and rinsing. Your pool is now ready to swim!
Top Tip #1
If your terrace, slabs etc are looking pretty grotty, use a garden sprayer and spray on a 50-‐50 javel/water mixture and leave for 24 hours then pressure-‐wash off for a ‘like new’ finish.
Top Tip #2
If you have scummy marks around the tide mark of your pool, wipe them off using baby wipes. It takes a bit of elbow grease but works wonders.
Contact: Brian McHale of Vendée Pools Tel: 06 31 17 25 60 -‐ email: vendeepools@gmail.com
www.vendeepools.com
hosepipe -‐ tuyau d’arrosage (m) impermeable -‐ imperméable leak; leakage -‐ fuite (f) lintel block -‐ bloc linteau (m) manhole -‐ regard (m) mortar -‐ mortier (m) pump, circulating -‐ pompe de circulation (f) purification -‐ épuration (f) quick setting concrete -‐ béton à prise rapide (m) RSJ -‐ poutre en fer (f) scaffolding -‐ échafaudage (m) screed -‐ chape (f) solid concrete block -‐ bloc plein en béton (m) water meter -‐ compteur d’eau froide (m) pipe -‐ tuyau (m); canalisaEon (f) pipe cuter -‐ coupe-‐tube (m) overflow pipe -‐ tuyau de trop-‐plein (m) to plumb -‐ plomber (v) pressure reducing valve -‐ détendeur (m) pump, heat -‐ pompe à chaleur (f) sewer -‐ égout (m) sink -‐ évier (m) tap -‐ robinet (m) valve -‐ soupage (f) water filter -‐ filtrante de l’eau (f)
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Business, Finance & Property... Ask Amanda. Welcome to ‘Ask Amanda’. I have been writing regularly for ‘The Deux-‐Sèvres Monthly’ magazine and am delighted to be invited to now contribute to the Vendée edition. I want to start by introducing myself. I am Amanda Johnson and have lived in the Loudun area with my family for the past 7 years. I am a Financial Planner working with the regulated Independent Finance company The Spectrum IFA Group. We specialise in helping expatriates understand the benefits and obligations of living in the French system. Bilingual, with 20 years of financial experience in the UK, I am authorised through Orias in France and The Spectrum Group is also registered with the AMF. Living in France is very rewarding but many of the rules and regulations (especially when it comes to taxation, inheritance, retirement planning, buying and renovating your home) differ from the UK. Working closely with colleagues throughout France ensures I can share experiences, best practices and keep you abreast of changes in French financial law. This is why I consider it important to have a servicing strategy of regular face-‐to-‐face meetings with my clients.
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
Over the coming months I will be detailing questions I am asked and providing answers which have helped my customers and I hope will assist you. For a Free Consultation, on Inheritance tax, investments, retirement planning and tax efficient buying or renovating your home, or to review your current circumstances, please contact me on the numbers below. Amanda Johnson, The Spectrum IFA Group. Tel: 05 49 98 97 46 Mob: 06 73 272543 Email: amanda.johnson@spectrum-‐ifa.com Website : w ww.spectrum-‐ifa.com/johnsonloire.shtml or “Ask Amanda” at finance@thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr
Helpful French Vocabulary...Financial agio (m) -‐ bank charge ancien solde (f) -‐ previous balance assurance (f) -‐ insurance assurance-‐vie (f) -‐ life insurance assuré -‐ insured assureur (m) -‐ insurer bancaire -‐ banking banque (f) -‐ bank chèque (m) -‐ cheque chèque de banque (m) -‐ banker’s draft
chèque sans provision (m) -‐ bounced cheque chèquier (m) -‐ cheque book code confidentiel (m) -‐ PIN number code guichet (m) -‐ branch code compte (m) -‐ account compte à terme (m) -‐ deposit account compte bancaire (m) bank account compte courant (m) -‐ current account compte d’épargne (m) -‐ savings account crédit hypothécaire (m) -‐ mortgage
Advert Size A or B, only 38€ per month or from 33,33€ per month for 12 months.
I am frequently asked about Inheritance tax planning and can usually make recommendations to ensure that when you have lost a loved one, any financial loss is kept to a minimum. I can help you optimise your savings by offering a range of investments in major currencies, protecting you from exchange fluctuations and from inheritance tax should the worst happen. I can also review existing pension arrangements giving advice on your future retirement plans.
crédit relais (m) -‐ bridging loan découvert (m) -‐ overdraft dépôt (m) -‐ deposit impôt (m) -‐ tax monnaie (f) -‐ coins/change prélèvement (m) -‐ direct debit prêt personnel (m) -‐ personal loan reçu (m) -‐ receipt relevé de compte (m) -‐ bank statement solde (f) -‐ account balance
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Put Your Future with Phoenix Trading. Want to start your own business in France? Why not become an Independent Phoenix Trader? I am looking for distributors in the Vendée to join my team. Phoenix Trading are a UK based company founded 14 years ago and are the largest direct selling greeting card and stationery company in the world. They sell high quality greetings cards, stationery products and gifts. The simplicity of the product makes the business a perfect opportunity for anyone to earn an income.
Phoenix is like a friendly family that work with you to help you achieve the income you want, but with no targets and the flexibility to fit in with other commitments. You can start your business for 40€ with all the basics to get you started, the equivalent of a meal out for two! The company has been registered in France since 2007 and have subscribed to the VDI (Vendeur a Domicile Independent) statute as well as the FVD (Federation de Vente Directe). There is a massive potential for people to grow small or large businesses in France with only 150 traders here as compared to 10,000 in the UK with the same population. Under the statute Phoenix pays all your cotisations and you receive a free Siret Number. Phoenix is also obliged to provide French accountants for their traders so VDI offers a risk free way to earn an income with Phoenix taking care of social charges and accountancy. There is great team support as well are regular training sessions, monthly newsletters and a dedicated French department at head office. Why not contact me for a FREE info pack and discuss how you could start your business with Phoenix Trading? Jo Ashforth FR-‐20053. Tel:05 49 65 04 09 E-‐mail: joashforth.phoenix@gmail.com
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