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INSIDE > > >NEWS - Champion clucker from CieuxA local Marans chicken from northern Haute-Vienne has been voted France's favourite at the recent nationals >> Page 4
A leaked re-port from the Conseil d'Etat looks to be the fi-
nal nail in the coffin for the proposed high-speed LGV rail link project be-tween Limoges and Poit-iers. Despite at one time looking like the €1.5 bil-lion project was on track, there could now be a long wait before the Limousin is fully integrated into the country's high-speed TGV network. As reported by Le Monde, the Conseil d'Etat has called into question the profitability of the LGV line, describ-ing the project as finan-cially “disastrous”. The LGV project had, for the most part, enjoyed
widespread local politi-cal support and the re-gion's leaders were quick to denounce the leaked report. “This is once again being looked at in terms of pure profitabili-ty,” said Gérard Vanden-broucke, president of the Conseil régional of the Limousin. “In those terms, why don't we stop building roads, renovat-ing schools or financing local train routes which cost €70 million per year? Let's stop all re-gional investment on the basis that it's not profit-able!” “The LGV Limoges-Poitiers will not be prof-itable? What a scoop!” fumed the UMP mayor of Brive, Frédéric Souli-
>> continued on page 3
NEWS - Switched at birth families sueThe case of two 20-year-old girls that were switched at birth has finally come to court, with the fami-lies seeking €12 million in compensation >> Page 7
Despite at one time looking like becoming reality, plans for a high-speed rail link between Limoges and Poitiers - which would have seen the Limousin connected with the country's TGV network - appear dead in the water following a leaked government report.
Winter Fuel Payment to stop in 2015The British government has confirmed that expat pensioners will no longer receive the WFP on the grounds of France being "too hot". >> Page 9
End of the line for the LGV Limoges-Poitiers?
The Bugle Business Directory 8 pages of listings for local English-speaking businesses- your essential guide to finding just what you’re looking for >> Pages 16-23
PRACTICAL - When the cat's away...?We take a look at the prac-tical steps you can take to make your house less ap-pealing to rats and mice and how to keep them safely outside >> Page 13
The Creuse town of Bénévent-l'Abbaye has been awarded a top tourist honour >> Page 3
Well, 2015 is finally h e r e ! ! A very H a p p y
New Year to all our readers and here's hoping that this year finally sees France - and the eurozone as a whole - sort out its financial troubles. I launched The Bugle in 2009 at a time when I thought there was only one way the economy could head from the doldrums it was in at the time. I was right, except that direction was down, down and further down! I haven't gone back over previous editorials, but I have a feeling that most years I will have stated a belief that the coming year will be the one where everything turns around. I am nothing if not an optimist!! So I won't be making any prophecies this year - at least not anywhere they can come back to bite me at a later date. One economic positive
very happy. It reminded me of the time in 2010 that we ran a request to find a bit of information about the provenance of a hurdy gurdy a UK enthusiast had recently acquired. He knew that it had been made in 1889 and that it had been in use in the Bellegarde-en-Marche area. Long shot? Not in the slightest. A French reader of The Bugle, from Paris no less, came forward as the grandson of the owner of the “other” hurdy gurdy in the area at the time and remembered that the instrument in question had belonged to the town postman. He even had a name. Another happy customer! I had occasion to return to the UK in December and, blessedly free from my family - or rather, as my family were sadly unable to come with me - I decided to take the train. I travelled a lot by train in my younger days and when time is not tight, it is my preferred means of transport. Ryanair are brilliant at getting you from A to B at a reasonable price, but very few would claim that the journey was part of the holiday. It has been a long time since I was able to sit back on a train and enjoy the ride - one of the side-effects of young children, unfortunately. French trains, in my experience, are universally
for many readers will have been the recent changes in the Euro-Sterling exchange rate. The pound is going a lot further at the moment and quite a few expats rely on UK income or pensions. Houses must also be looking increasingly cheap to those on the other side of the Channel. Perhaps 2015 will be the year that sees the start of an influx of new expats... no, Steve - no predictions this year! I was delighted with the response to the request run in December's issue to track down a château that had once belonged to the grandparents of a 93-year-old lady living in Australia. We had a very old photo, a vague area to the east of the Creuse and a few first names from over 100 years ago. Within days, a number of people had come forward with the exact location of the building, a visit was planned and a very old lady was hopefully made
excellent. I once spent 6 months commuting weekly by train from central France to Brussels and was only late once - and that was not the fault of the train network. The big downside of long-distance train travel is that it tends to take a little longer than flying, so in that respect, the news that the LGV project will now not be going ahead is a shame (see front page). With Limoges only 2 hours from Paris, central London would in theory only be a little over 4 hours away and when HS2 is completed, you could in theory get to Manchester in around 6 hours, with a couple of speedy connections. Once again, I wish all our readers the very best for 2015!
Until next month!
Steve Martindale, Editor
INSIDEthis edition
3-6 Local News
7-11 National News
12-13 Practical
14-15 Classifieds
16-23 Directory
24 Language & Games
25-27 Community
28 What’s On
3 JANUARY 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu LOCAL NEWS ♦
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Bénévent-l'Abbaye, the picturesque town in the heart of the Creuse that sits on the world famous pilgrim-
age route to Santiago de Compostela, has become the first location in the Limousin to be awarded the prestigious “Petite Cité de Caractère” label. After three agonising weeks' wait, the
committee finally reached its verdict, sparking celebrations in the town that is already a tourist draw in the region. Petite Cité de Caractère is an asso-ciation of elected officials that today has around 100 member towns across the country. Locations applying for member-ship need to meet strict criteria - with par-
ticular attention paid to the safeguarding of classified buildings - as well as under-going an inspection by a team of experts. As a member, Bénévent-l'Abbaye will now be able to use the association's logo on all tourist documentation and will also be eligible to apply for grants to help maintain the town's heritage. ■
er. “I am fed up with the fact that we are putting so much emphasis on this notion of profitability. On that basis, the A89 should never have been built!” With the LGV Limoges-Poitiers project appearing to be a fading prospect, attention will once again now turn to the upgrading of the other major rail link through the region, the POLT (Paris-Orléans-Limoges-Toulouse), an option that has long been favoured by the high-speed route's opponents. The LGV project was created in line with the loi Grenelle de l’Environnement, an environmental policy aimed at favouring more ecologically friend-ly forms of transport such as high-speed rail. Addi-tionally, the désenclavement - literally ‘unlocking’ - of France’s rural areas has been a priority of recent governments. It is hoped that improving infrastruc-ture in France’s poorer areas will open them up to the rest of the country and bring financial rewards in the long term. The 125 km of new high-speed railway would have required 1,100 hectares of land to be acquired by the state, 45 buildings to be demolished (some of which are occupied), as well as the compensation of a large number of farmers and individuals. ■
>> continued from pg 1
LGV Limoges-Poitiers project unlikely to proceed
Happy New Yearfrom The Bugle!!
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JANUARY 20154 ♦ LOCAL NEWS
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Ref 1876 – €13,500. VERY GOOD BARGAIN! Charming cottage to renovate located in a village at 10 minutesʼ drive from Bourganeuf. Ground fl oor: room with chimney. 1st fl oor: room. Con-vertible attic. The water, electricity, phone and the mains drainage are close by to this property
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Ref 1933 - €82,500. Old vicarage with attached barn, hangar and garden in a village 10 min-utes from Ahun. Ground fl oor: kitchen/dining room with chimney, dining room/lounge, wc. 1st fl oor: three bedrooms, shower room/wc. Convertible attic. Vaulted cellar. Attached barn.
Hangar. Garden of 909m². Need to install a septic tank. Exempt from DPE.
Ref 1884 - €141,700. Stone house with cottage, outbuildings, garden close to Lac de Vassiviere. Ground fl oor: kitchen/dining room/lounge. 1st fl oor: mezzanine, bedroom, bathroom/wc. 2nd fl oor: two bedrooms. Oil fi red heating, new septic tank, double glazing. Cottage to renovate.
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Ref 1931 – €210,600. Impressive “Maison de Maitre” located in a village with shops. Ground fl oor: two halls, two kitchens, two lounges, dining room, cloakroom. 1st fl oor: fi ve bed-rooms, two shower rooms/wc. Connected to mains drainage & oil fi red central heating +
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Charges against German soldier for Oradour massacre dropped
A German court has thrown out the case against a former Nazi officer accused of tak-ing part in the massacre at
Oradour-sur-Glane, one of the worst atrocities in France during the Second World War. Many were surprised when charges were brought nearly a year ago and the court in Cologne has now de-cided that there is not enough evidence to proceed with a trial. The accused former soldier, Wer-ner C, whose last name has not been revealed in accordance with German privacy laws, was 19 at the time of the massacre and serving with an SS mech-anised-infantry regiment in the area. He admitted he was present in Oradour-sur-Glane at the time of the atrocity. How-ever, he denied any involvement in the murders. “It's a big disappointment,” said Claude Milord, president of an associa-tion set up for family members of the victims. “We weren't necessarily ex-pecting any punishment, but we were expecting the case to proceed and to hear what he saw and what he did that day. Time passes quickly, the people involved are very old and this process would ideally have taken place much sooner.” The charges were the result of 3 years of tireless work by a team headed by Stefan Willms, who has 15 years' ex-
perience tracking Nazi war criminals. After painstaking research, the team identified 7 soldiers still alive believed to have taken part in the massacre: 1 Austrian and 6 Germans. Three were deemed too ill to ever stand trial. “The investigation will continue for as long as the suspects are alive,” Mr Willms has said previously. The presidents of Germany and France travelled to the village last September, along with the three living survivors of the massacre, in a historic moment of reconciliation - it was the
first time that a German president had visited the village. On 10th June 1944, German soldiers massacred 642 men, women and chil-dren at Oradour-sur-Glane, the largest atrocity committed against civilians in France by Nazi forces. Adolf Diekmann, who commanded the German troops on the ground on that day, was killed in ac-tion shortly afterward during the Battle of Normandy, and a large number of the third company, which had committed the massacre, were themselves killed in action within a few days. ■
Local chicken voted best in the country
A local chicken has been crowned the best in France at the recent French Chicken Championships. The proud owner of the prize-winning poultry is Maurice Res-
tier, based in Cieux, northern Haute-Vienne, whose Maran chicken beat 310 others to become France's favourite. It was the second time that the rare-breed enthusiast had entered this particular chicken into the competition. The judges will have taken into account the beauty of the Maran's collar, which must be well marked and copper-col-oured. The perfect Maran should also be broad, have a rectan-gular body with a long back and a feathered tail that is nether too wide nor too long. Maurice Restier says that he breeds his “pretty chickens” to brighten up his lawn, although claims his greatest pleasure - aside from winning the French Championship - is to “hold high the colours of our beautiful Limousin”. ■
5 JANUARY 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu LOCAL NEWS ♦
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Rochechouart crater larger than thought
Artist's impression of the crater as it would have looked 2 million years ago
Rochechouart may be familiar to many for its stunning Château, or perhaps its contemporary art museum, but it is also
famous in other circles for being the site of a massive meteorite strike over 2 million years ago. The huge crater, which straddles the Haute-Vienne/Charente border, has long attracted sci-entists and one group now believe that the crater left by the impact may have been as wide as 50 km - twice as large as previously thought. The results of years of work have been pub-lished in the respected Meteorological Society journal and were co-authored by Ludovic Fer-rière, a member of the réserve naturelle de l'astroblème de Rochechouart-Chassenon and curator of the world's largest collection of mete-orites at the Natural History Museum of Vienna.
“Since first coming here several years ago, we have closely studied the crater and concluded that it had a diameter of 40 or 50 kilometres,” said Mr Ferrière. “It was by re-studying the na-ture of certain rocks and their range of disper-sion that we have come to this conclusion.” The crater was first discovered in the early 19th century, but it was not until 1969 that the French scientist François Kraut definitively identified the site of impact. Although the new estimation is twice as large as previously be-lieved, some studies have suggested that the crater could have been 200 km wide and even been responsible, at least in part, for the huge extinction event that occurred 200 million years ago when more than half of all known species became extinct. ■ The new aquatic centre in Limoges
will officially open its doors to the public on 16th January and the City of Limoges has now unveiled the
centre's logo and pricing structure. The €50 million project, that took less than 4 years to complete, will be known as Aquapolis and en-try for residents of Limoges will cost €4.40, al-though those from outside of the region's capi-tal will have to pay €5.30 to use the facilities. Under-14s will pay €3.30/€4.20 and children under 3 can go for free. The cost of entry is halved with the purchase of a Family card, valid for 6 months (€22.75 for residents, €26.90 for non-residents) or a pack of 10 tickets can be purchased for €35.20/€40.35. Full details of all prices, as well as information about monthly subscrip-tions and classes, can be found at http://www.vert-marine.com/centre-aquatique-limoges-metropole-87/ Aquapolis – or the centre aquatique de Li-moges Métropole - features an Olympic-sized swimming pool, as well as smaller pools, sau-nas, hammams, jacuzzis, massage rooms and even a gym. Responding recently to questions about the
project's viability, Gérard Vandenbroucke, the newly elected president of the conseil région-al du Limousin, said: “We are in the realms of investment in the future. This is an iconic building, like the Zenith from several years ago. Our youth needed a top-class swimming pool.” The project is one of the biggest undertaken by the city in recent years, but the team behind the project have always said that the primary objective was for the swimming complex to be accessible and affordable for locals. Aquapolis will soon receive national atten-tion when it hosts the French national swim-ming championships in March. The main pool area can seat 800 spectators, with a further 3,500 seats available via temporary removable stands. ■
Aquapolis to open in January
Charroux Literary Festival
August 2015 will see the first ever bilingual literary festival taking place in Charroux, southern Vi-enne. The event, founded by Kate
Rose and Chris Collette, will bring French and English-speaking writers together for a three-day festival (27-29 August) in the small town just west of Pressac - a full programme of events and speakers is due to be released this spring. Patron of the event will be Susie Kelly, who has lived in the Poitou-Charentes region since 1995 and has written five bestselling books about living and travelling in France. Her first two titles, Best Foot Forward and Two Steps Backward, both published by Transworld, sold over 50,000 paperback copies in the UK alone. In 2011, with The Valley of Heaven and Hell – Cycling in the Shadow of Marie Antoinette, Susie switched to digital pub-lisher Blackbird Digital Books, and her inter-national following has been growing steadily ever since. In 2013 her titles achieved the straight flush of occupying the top 5 places in Amazon's French Travel kindle chart. In 2014, her memoir I Wish I Could Say I Was
Sorry became a US Amazon bestseller. “I am delighted to be the Patron of the Charroux Literary Festival,” Susie told The Bugle. “Living in the area and writing about it has provided me with a close connection to the place, the people and the culture. Whether your interests lie in fiction, poetry, history or even song writing, we hope you will find something of interest at this delightful festi-val in a stunning corner of France.” Several high-profile writers are already booked to appear at the event: Isabel Ashdown, Mail on Sunday Novel Competition winner in 2008; Jacqui Lofthouse, a long-established novelist, writing coach and literary consultant; Elizabeth Haynes, the bestselling crime writer whose books include Into the Darkest Corner, Revenge of the Tide and Human Remains; and poet Katherine Gallagher who will be reading from her new collection. ■
For further information about the inaugural Charroux Literary Festival, contact Kate Rose:
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JANUARY 20156 ♦ LOCAL NEWS
Le Pub58, rue d’Orjon, Argenton-sur-Creuse
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7 JANUARY 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu NATIONAL NEWS ♦
Baby switch case reaches courtTen years ago, two French
couples had their worst fears confirmed after DNA tests revealed that
their daughters were switched at birth. The families of the girls, both now aged 20, have taken their case to court in the southeastern city of Grasse, near Cannes, and are suing the doctors and the clinic involved for more than €12 million in dam-ages. The story began in July 1994. Three babies on the same mater-nity ward were suffering from jaundice, but the unit they were in only had two incubators equipped with the special lights required to treat the condition. The baby boy was placed in one of the incubators and the two girls were placed side by side in the other. After treat-ment, the girls were then returned to their mothers who raised im-mediate concerns. Sensing some-thing was wrong, one pointed out to hospital staff that her daughter had light skin but it now appeared much darker. Staff dismissed her concerns, saying that the difference was due to the effects of the lamps in the incubator. Ten years later, worried by the fact that his daughter had darker skin and bore no resemblance to him, one of the fathers ran a pa-ternity test, revealing that he was not her biological parent. More shockingly, however, further tests revealed that neither was his wife the girl's biological mother. A subsequent inquiry estab-lished that the two girls had been switched at birth and were growing up in separate families, just 30 kil-ometres apart. “They took my in-nocence away,” said one of the two girls recently, speaking to Nice-
Matin newspaper. “They took away my dreams, my hopes, my desire to have children.” The two families involved did meet 10 years ago when the mis-take was first uncovered, but it was decided that the girls would remain where they were and they did not stay in touch. “I don’t see my bio-logical daughter anymore,” one of the mothers told Nice-Matin. “The social, educational and cul-tural differences [between the two families] added to the pain of our unconscious rivalry and took their toll on our relations.” She said that she “instinctively loved her biological daughter” from the moment she met her and added that although she officially only has three children, “in my heart I have four”. When the baby switch was first uncovered, the families pressed charges against the clinic where it took place, but as the incident oc-curred more than 10 years previ-ously, the case was dismissed un-der the statute of limitations. They are now seeking compensation in a civil lawsuit, suing the clinic, the doctors who supervised the births, and the auxiliary nurse who made the actual mix-up. The clinic has admitted fault, blaming the baby exchange on the nursing auxiliary who it claims suf-fered from alcoholism, but has said that it will not pay any damages. “There should be exemplary sen-tences,” said one of the mothers after the initial court hearing. “We really hope to get this recognition, so as to free us from all this guilt about not having been able to pro-tect our child, not having insisted when we saw there was a prob-lem.” ■
Insurance renewal law changes come into forceFrom 1st January 2015, it should now be easier to cancel or change your home or car insurance as the
“Hamon Law” finally becomes operative this month. The new law allows consumers to cancel certain types of insurance contract at any time after an initial 12-month period; under previous rules, contracts
were either tacitly renewed, or had to be cancelled within a certain period of time just prior to their renewal date. The law is part of the consumer rights “loi Hamon”, named after Benoît Hamon, the politician who sug-gested the changes. Although initially unveiled in March of 2014, the changes relating to insurance contracts are only now coming into force after the industry lobbied for delays to give them more time to adapt. Whilst home and car insurances are affected by the new law, the rules for cancelling and renewing mutu-elles (health top-up) insurances remain unchanged. The changes come at a good time for consumers as it is believed that home insurance premiums may go up by as much as 5% in 2015 as insurers look to claw back losses from a series of recent natural disasters. The previous insurance cancellation rules were complex and often poorly understood and as a result the French have historically changed their choice of insurer far less often than elsewhere in Europe. With consumers now free to shop around for new insurance at any time, future price rises may be kept in check by increased competition. ■
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JANUARY 20158 ♦ NATIONAL NEWS
Allergy information changes French restaurants will soon be required to provide information on 14 separate in-gredients known to trigger allergic reactions, as part of Europe-wide regulations on food labelling. Under the new rules, consumers must be told if their food contains any of the follow-ing: celery, cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, lupin, milk, molluscs, mustard, nuts, peanuts, sesame seeds, soya and sulphur dioxide. The European Commission had initially wanted details to appear on menus. How-ever, following intense lobbying by the restaurant industry, businesses have been given flexibility on how they provide allergy information. As well as traditional restaurants, takeaways, hospital canteens and care homes will all be covered by the new legislation. Failure to comply with the rules, which are due to be signed into French law in mid-January, could result in heavy fines. The European Academy of Allergy estimates that 17 million people across the con-tinent are affected by food allergies. ■
Latest speed cameras tested
The government has unveiled its latest weapon in the ongoing battle against speed-ing motorists: a new breed of cameras that can take a picture of both the front and rear of a vehicle. The move follows the recent introduction of average speed cameras and mobile speed cameras mounted in unmarked cars. The device is initially being tested for 3 months on a stretch of road near Lyon. Those flashed will not be receiving a fine, but if the tests are successful, the new gen-eration of radars could soon be deployed across the country. Authorities hope that the new cameras will reduce the number of blurred or unusable images. Currently, as many as one third of all images taken are unusable because they are either too blurred or the number plate is not legible. Police say the image taken from the front will always be useful in helping to identify who was driving at the time - but the rear image should improve accuracy. ■
Long-distance local scallops
Much is made these days of food miles - the distance travelled by our food before it hits our plates. So bear in mind that the next time you eat French-farmed scallops in a dish made by Celtigel, the crustaceans may well have travelled from the coast of France to China, before being processed by hand and then shipped all the way back to France to be used in the meal. “It sounds weird, but it's a matter of cost,” said George Brézellec, vice-president of fish-ing cooperative Cobrenord. “We are on wage differences ranging from one to 100.” Fishermen, along with local communities, have now taken on the task of finding an al-ternative to the ludicrous production step. “You could create local jobs and avoid shipping the scallops around the world... at the same cost if possible,” said Mayor of Saint-Quay, Thierry Simelière, where the majority of the scallops used by Celtigel are farmed. He hopes that the work could eventually be assigned to people with disabilities, something that would have the added benefit of attracting European subsidies for the area. ■
103 years old and going strong
The D532 between Saint-Félicien and Lalouvesc is a hard hill climb by most peo-ple's standards; a 10 km stretch of road that rises 450 metres in altitude. The climb is part of the Ardéchoise race, which is one of the largest cycle races in Europe, attract-ing some 12,000 riders each year. Robert Marchand, a former firefighter from Seine-et-Marne, recently completed the climb in a little under one hour. Certainly nowhere near the fastest ascent ever seen, but not bad for someone celebrating their 103rd birthday! The centenarian cyclist is no stranger to the headlines, having already broken the world centenarian speed record in 2012 by covering 24.25 km in one hour, a record he stretched to 26.927 km in 2014. He also holds the centenarian world speed record, covering 100 km in Lyon in 4hr 17mins 27 sec at an average of more than 23 kph. Mr Marchand revealed that he is planning to continue racing until he is 105! ■
Corsica is the must-see destination of 2015
According to National Geographic Traveler magazine, the top destination to visit in 2015 is the French island of Corsica. The sun-drenched Mediterranean island was not the only French location in the magazine's top 20 “must see” destinations, however,
with the Abbey of Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy coming in at 17th place. Corsica was ruled for centuries by the Italians, but was conquered by France in 1769, just before the birth of the island's most famous inhabitant, Napoleon Bonaparte. National Geographic praised the “olive groves and quiet villages that dot the slopes and isolated valleys of the interior” as well as the “undeniable pleasures of the coast or the thrill of visiting the historic La Maison Bonaparte in the city of Ajaccio”. Corsica, the so-called “Island of Beauty”, is an extremely popular tourist destination, but is also plagued by high levels of unemployment and is a hotbed of organised crime. Nationalist sentiment is strong and extremists on the island have been known to have blown up the houses of foreign property investors as a warning to others. Corsicans have a fiery reputation and ten-sions on the island often run high: today the island has the highest murder rate per capita in Europe. Not only is Corsica famous for being the home of Napoleon, the northern town of Calvi also claims to be the birthplace of the explorer Christopher Columbus. ■
France to make payments to SNCF Holocaust victimsThe French government has agreed to
pay €50 million in compensation to the families of Americans and for-eigners who were deported to Nazi
death camps using the country's state-run SNCF trains during the Second World War. The move follows a protracted legal battle af-ter the decision of the US state of Maryland to bar SNCF from bidding for contracts on a $3 billion transport project there. It is believed that, as part of the deal, the US government will work to end other lawsuits and compen-sation claims against SNCF currently in US courts. “The US and France have reached a historic agreement for substantial compensation in connection with the deportation from France during the Holocaust,” said US special adviser on Holocaust issues, Stuart Eizenstat, who spent three years working with French offi-cials on the agreement. “This is another meas-ure of justice for the harms of one of history’s darkest eras.” During the German occupation of France, the Nazi regime used French freight cars to
deport almost 76,000 Jews to concentration camps between 1942 and 1944 - only around 3,000 are believed to have survived. There are around 250 people in the US who are eligible under the rules for the new fund as direct survivors or spouses, according to an advocacy group, but several thousand may also be eligible as heirs to survivors or spouses who died between 1948 and today. The repa-rations equate to around $100,000 each for survivors and tens of thousands of dollars for spouses. Although SNCF is not a party to the agree-ment, it is believed the company will contrib-ute $4 million over the next five years to fund Holocaust memorials and museums in the US, Israel and France. In 2010, the SNCF publicly expressed regret for the role the rail operator played, but insisted it had no control over its operations during the Nazi occupation. France has already paid billions in repara-tions to French victims of the Holocaust. This latest deal, however, will allow compensation for Americans, Israelis and others ineligible under previous agreements. ■
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Winter Fuel Payments to stop in 2015The British govern-
ment has officially announced that the Winter Fuel Pay-
ment (WFP) will not be paid out to British pensioners living in France for the win-ter of 2015/2016, as part of cost-cutting measures. The move had been widely an-ticipated after British chan-cellor, George Osborne, previously announced that pensioners living in “hot” countries would no longer be eligible for the allow-ance. In a statement to the Commons in 2013, Osborne explained how the govern-ment planned to get around paying the allowance to expat pensioners: “We will link the winter fuel pay-ment to a temperature test. People in hot countries will no longer get it; it is after all a payment for winter fuel. Paying out even more money to people from all nationalities who may have worked in this country years ago but no longer live here is not a fair use of the na-tion’s cash.” Whilst many would agree that those living in tropical climates should possibly not receive the WFP at the
British taxpayer's expense, those of us living in France may question whether it really is that “hot” here in winter. In fact, as details of the chancellor's “tempera-ture test” were revealed, it emerged that French expats had reason to be upset. Under the test, the WFP is being withdrawn from pen-sioners living in countries where the average winter temperature is considered higher than the warmest area of the UK - the south-west of England. An examination of the raw data used by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), which was provided by the University of East Anglia, shows clearly that the average winter tem-perature of France and Cor-sica is 5.08°C, while that of the south-west of England is 5.6°C. When pressed, the DWP later admitted that it had included France’s over-seas departments (départe-ments d'outre-mer - DOMs). These far-flung places, in-habited by roughly 30 UK pensioners, include tropical islands such as Guadeloupe, Martinique and La Réunion as well as French Guyana in South America, where aver-age annual temperatures are
in the mid-20s. By adding these locations, the average temperature of “France” nudges just above that of Cornwall. The government defend-ed its use of the data on the grounds that the DOMs are considered part of France - and therefore the EU - and that British pensioners liv-ing there can claim the WFP. “The French state defines it-
self as the mainland and its overseas departments. It is not for the UK government to redefine the territory of another EEA member state,” a spokesman said. More than 95,000 British
pensioners living in France, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Malta, Gibraltar and Cy-prus will now lose the an-nual £100-£300 payment. However, anyone who has not previously claimed the
allowance can still receive the 2014/15 payment if they lodge their claim before 31st March. You must have been born on or before 5th July 1952 and live in the EU or Switzerland. ■
No more tax rises until 2017
France's finance minister has vowed that there will be no further tax rises before the next presidential elections in 2017. “The government will not propose any new measures to raise taxes, not in 2015, 2016 or 2017,” said Michel Sapin at a recent press conference. “From now on the only contributions that will rise will be linked to decisions already taken.” The government has been under pressure to ease the tax burden on struggling house-holds, with figures showing an explosion in recent years in the number of people requesting a deferral or cancellation of part or all of their tax bill: between 2011 and 2013, the number rose by 22% from around 177,000 to more than 216,000. Over the same period, the number of reminders for payment sent out by the French government, i.e. when a payment is overdue, soared from 4.5 million to nearly 10 mil-lion. ■
Chip shop "stink" upsets millionaireS ir Lindsay Owen-Jones,
the former boss of French company L'Oréal, is waging a legal battle
against the owners of a chip shop based just outside his luxury flat in the upmarket French ski re-sort of Val-d'Isère... because he cannot bear the smell! The mil-lionaire, along with three of his neighbours, has asked a court in the Alps to shut down “La Cabane” chip stand for operating illegally and causing “olfactory pollution”. The 68-year-old Welshman owns an apartment at the foot of the slopes in the exclusive Val-d’Isère resort and he and his neighbours say the smell of chip fat drifts up from the stand to their balconies and into their apartments. Laure Sauthier, a lawyer repre-senting Owen-Jones, said it was not just about the smell and that
he and his neighbours were mere-ly trying to apply the law. She said the stand was “built without authorisation and run completely illegally”. According to Sauthier the chip stand is very big, cov-ered by a marquee and built on a no-building area. “When you are in Val-d’Isère, in front of the slopes, it’s a shame not to be able to take advantage of your balco-ny, of this remarkable view, and to constantly have the smell of chips under your nose,” the law-yer said. The chip shop's manager, Valerie Maertens, told reporters that Owen-Jones only came to Val-d’Isère “for three days, three times a year”, whereas her stand welcomed seasonal workers and municipal employees every day of the year. She also accused the millionaire businessman of “legal harassment”; he has now launched no fewer than five cas-
es against the chip shop, all of which have failed. Earlier cases were aimed at forcing the council to shut down the chip stand and were heard by administrative courts. Un-deterred by their failure and the mounting legal costs, Sir Lind-say and his neighbours are now asking a civil court to order it to close. If that fails, they say they will ask the court to appoint an expert to evaluate the fall in the value of their properties caused by the presence of the stand, so that they can ask for compensa-tion, arguing that the “exception-al tranquillity” of the location is marred by the chip stand's “nu-merous chairs and deckchairs, tables, tents and marquees”. “It's a case brought by rich people who live in luxury and comfort, where everything smells of perfume, who want to stop this woman earning a living,” law-
yers for the chip shop's owner told reporters, adding that if Mr Owens-Jones' “precious nostrils” could not take the smell of chip fat, then he should move out of
the “hugely busy” resort. Mrs Maertens appears to large-ly have the backing of the locals, with several papers publishing messages of support. ■
Sir Lindsay was boss of L'Oréal for 18 years
Inventor unveils flatulence pillsA French inven-
tor has attracted worldwide atten-tion after appear-
ing on France's equivalent of Dragons' Den with his range of anti-flatulence pills! Christian Poincheval pre-sented his capsules to the panel of investors, claiming that they made farts smell of roses or violets, and even added a new option for the festive season: “The Father Christmas fart pill that gives your farts the scent of choco-late”! The pills - which contain only natural ingredients such as fennel, seaweed and blue-berries - were rejected by the show’s panelists. The story was soon picked up by other media outlets around the globe, however, bringing a degree of notoriety to their creator, if not massive sales. The pills are sold on the internet under the Lutin Malin (Crafty Imp) brand name and, according to Mr Poincheval, have been ap-
proved by the relevant health authorities. Currently retail-ing at €9.99 for a jar of 60, they also apparently bring other benefits, such as “the reduction of gas and bloat-ing”. “Some buy them because they have problems with flatulence and some buy
them as a joke to send to their friends. Christmas al-ways sees a surge in sales,” said the inventor, according to IBTimes.co.uk. “We're not quite ready to be float-ed on the stock exchange, but we sell a few hundred jars every month. Everyone needs these kind of pills.” ■
Million euro artwork left on French trainIf you have you ever
left something on the train... a book, a coat, a bag... then
you know how annoying this can be. So spare a thought for Franco-Ital-ian art dealer Francesco Plateroti, who left a 13th century Chinese artwork worth over €1 million on a recent TGV service from Paris to Geneva! After presenting the work of art, which dates from the Yuan dynasty (1280 - 1329) in the French capital, Plateroti took the high-speed train back to Geneva, getting off without the precious scroll at Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, a town close to the border with Swit-zerland and the final stop before Geneva. By the time the art dealer had realised his mistake, the train had al-ready left for the border. “I was crushed when I realised I didn't have it
with me,” Mr Plateroti later said. “It was a mas-sive shock.” Train of-ficials contacted their Swiss colleagues, but the scroll could not be found on arrival. Taking matters into his own hands, the dealer has offered a reward for the safe return of the art-work, although this is yet to yield any leads. “Peo-ple take advantage of my misfortune,” said Mr Plateroti. “They are call-
ing me to say they have the painting and that they will send it once I put the reward money in their bank accounts. This all makes having lost the painting a lot worse. I call the Swiss department for lost property three times a day...” The only good news for the dealer is that the artwork cannot legally be sold on or displayed without its certificate of authenticity. ■
11 JANUARY 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu NATIONAL NEWS ♦
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JANUARY 201512 ♦ PRACTICAL
The joys of awood burning stove
A s part of France’s drive to encourage the widespread adoption of energy saving products, as well as renewable
energy equipment and appliances, we’re going to take a closer look at some of the aids that are available to all of us living in France whilst at the same time dispelling some of the commonly held beliefs that expats living in France,
including those not paying any tax, cannot benefit from the tax breaks to which all French national citizens are entitled to. In addition, it’s now ‘game over’ for all those unqualified artisans who have been fitting wood burning appliances with no official accreditation or affiliation to the professional organisations which now govern this specialist industry.
RGE 2015 (Reconnu Garant de l’Environnement)
There has been a global upsurge recently in the interest surrounding ecology and the environment and the promotion of renewable energy appliances such as wood burning stoves. As the most densely forested country in western Europe, France has been investing heavily in the promotion of environmentally friendly products through its programme of financial incentives and fiscal advantages. As of 1st January 2015 the system of public aids such as tax exempt loans (known as éco-prêts à taux zéro) and tax credits (crédits d’impôt) will now only be attributed to householders who engage the services of professionals who hold ‘RGE’ accreditation and whom adhere to a charter supporting the development of renewable energy sources. RGE (which stands for Reconnu Garant de l’Environnement) is a consumer’s charter. It acts to bring participating professionals in the renewable energy sector together under a common agreement and issues the RGE qualification to those businesses that have undergone all the necessary training, who can prove their competences on a technical and client satisfaction level and that undertake a high standard of workmanship. If you have a new appliance fitted you should ensure that the person fitting it is a member of the Qualibois or Qualibat organisations. If not, they will no longer be able to offer you any of the fiscal advantages available, such as the tax credit or reduced rate of VAT to which you are entitled. Insurers are also insisting that installers are qualified and members of these organisations, otherwise they could find themselves to be uninsured in the event of a claim. This type of regulation has been a long time coming in France and up until now just about anybody could fit a wood burning appliance unchecked. If you’re having a new stove, boiler or cooker installed, ask your installer if they are qualified and registered to fit it and if not, why not?
Crédit d’impôt
The tax credit is a benefit to which all residents in France are entitled if the property where the appliance is to be installed is their main residence. The appliance should perform to a pre-defined technical criteria and the installer must of course be RGE accredited. If you are in full-time employment in France then the tax credit will be credited against your tax liability when you fill in your tax return form or ‘déclaration sur les revenus’, usually around May for the preceding year. If you are retired and/or living in France without paying any tax, no matter whether you are a home owner or in rented accommodation, then you can still apply and the benefit will be credited directly to you in the form of either a bank transfer or by cheque. It is important to remember the point that you will still be eligible even if you do not pay tax in France. As long as the property is your main residence you should be able to qualify, but you will need to fill in the declaration form (Cerfa form No. 10330 available from www.service-public.fr) and return it to your local tax administration office, along with a copy of your invoice which should state the conforming specifications of the stove that you have had fitted. Until the end of this year the tax credit will be worth a very enticing 30% of the value of the appliance fitted (including the VAT). You will also be able to benefit from a reduced rate of VAT applicable on the appliance and its installation (5.5% instead of the usual 20%). This is a hugely significant saving and surely worth the trouble of filling out the forms required. Speak to your installer who will be able to talk you through this and advise you on the best product to buy before you take the plunge. Don’t make the mistake, like so many before, of buying a stove only to find out too late that you could have saved 15% on the VAT and claimed a further 30% back! The tax credit only applies if the
Think you’ll need to buy a wood heating appliance this year? Before you do, it would be well worth reading the following text about how you can benefit from some of the tax and loan schemes available in France to help save on this costly but essential purchase.
Limousin-based stove installation specialists, Stovesellers, along with their legal experts, have put together some indispensable facts and figures about a selection of the tax breaks and other benefits available to help us all save a packet this year on the cost of a new wood burner, pellet stove or range cooker. The regulations regarding who can install wood heating appliances and offer benefits such as tax credits and reductions on VAT have also changed, so if you are still deciding on whether to treat yourself to a new one this year, then this useful guide explains all you need to know…
Financial incentives for wood burning
In the garden - jobs for Januaryby Michelle Pierce
It's now official that 2014 was the warmest year in France since record keep-ing began. So why hasn't the garden been burnt to a
crisp? Well, the copious rain and the lack of prolonged vastly hot temperatures during the summer has meant that in the garden the growing season has been length-ened considerably. We have cer-tainly been able to garden right through December - if you're home in daylight hours that is. I've never before had a forest of coriander and lettuce seedings growing outside, unprotected, on Christmas Day!! So evidently, the usual gar-dening advice for the time of year doesn't really seem to ap-ply. First of all, keep on top of
things; the grass hasn't stopped growing so that needs mow-ing. But the lack of winter cold is likely to mean that the little creatures which would normally be hibernating at this time are not, so don't mow all the grass short - leave some longer to act as habitat for insects, and there-fore hedgehogs, etc. One option is to keep the grass paths really short so that you can circulate more pleasantly, and leave other areas completely, or cut them at a different frequency. The weeds have also been self sowing and growing well on bare ground. Hoe them out if they are small, or hand weed if they are too big. Look in a book and see which you can eat in salads. Pay particular attention to weeds with sturdy taproots
like docks and thistles. Once the ground is clear of them, try to keep it in this state by putting down some mulch, some weed suppressant textile or layers of cardboard, if the appearance doesn't bother you. If you have lots of nettles, it's a good idea to remove some of them now, pulling up the long fibrous yellow roots as you go. This action is fabulous for 'rota-vating' the ground. The bulbs are emerging ear-lier than usual, given the mild conditions, so keep a bucket or two of dry material (leaves, straw, chopped hemp, etc.) to shove over them if a frost threat-ens, or else the tender leaves could be damaged. Edge your beds: after all this growth, the creeping type
grasses and plants have made good headway in colonising new territory, and have invaded the edges of many beds so it will save work later in the spring if you get out there now with a spade or a half moon, all the more so given that the ground is not frozen solid and is quite workable. If the weather continues in the same vein, it would seem a good time to transplant herbaceous perennials - after all, the weath-er is more like that of October than January! There's nothing really to stop you - but have a plan B ready in terms of protec-tion, in case it freezes directly afterwards. It might even be worth sowing some trial half rows of things like mustards, spinach, land
cress, etc. to see if they germi-nate successfully. Who knows, we might start sowing a couple of months early? Well, finally, there seem like so many things to do, that I wonder how I ever managed in other Januaries, when, forced by the cold, I was obliged to stay inside and leaf through seed catalogues, old editions of gar-dening magazines, consult pho-tos of gardens that I just had to 'recreate', look at my must-have plants lists, etc., etc. But you're not forced to do anything, so maybe the wood burner and those catalogues will tempt me more than the muddy veg patch. Until the sun comes out...... Good gardening, and all the best for a productive and beauti-ful 2015. ■
13 JANUARY 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu PRACTICAL ♦
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Renting out a UK property as a French residentMany people who leave the UK to set up
home in France will keep their British property, either as an investment or as a “toe-hold”, should they eventually return
to the UK. The question then arises as to how this UK rental in-come will be treated for tax when received as a French
resident.
UK tax French residents are assessed for French income tax on their worldwide income. However, under the UK/France Double Tax Treaty rental income from a UK property remains subject to income tax in the UK. By registering with HMRC, under the “Non-Resident Landlord” Scheme, basic rate tax at 20% should be de-ducted from your rental income (net of allowable expens-es) by your letting agent. If you have no letting agent, and the rent is over £100 per week, then your tenant should deduct the tax. You are still required, nevertheless, to sub-mit UK tax returns to account for the income. By completing and submitting form NRL1, however, it is possible to apply to have the rental income paid to you without tax deducted at source. If your application is accepted you will receive your rental income gross and will be declared on annual UK tax returns and taxed to the extent it exceeds your UK personal tax allowance. Where the rental income arises from a jointly owned property, then each spouse receives half the income (un-less you have formally elected otherwise) and each is el-igible for a UK personal tax allowance to offset against the income received. It should be noted, however, that the UK government is currently consulting on whether the personal allow-ance for non-residents should be restricted.
French tax UK rental income received also needs to be declared on French tax returns, however, under the Double Tax Treaty income tax is not paid twice by way of a French
tax credit. Whilst the tax credit basically means that your rental income will not be subject to French income tax, ensuring the same income is not taxed twice, UK rental income is still taken into account to determine the rate of tax payable on other income, such as non-government UK pension in-come, which may be pushed into a higher French tax band.
French social charges Since the new Double Tax Treaty came into force in 2010, there has been significant confusion over whether French social charges are payable on UK rental income. Under the ‘tax credit’ system described above, the treaty suggests that the tax credit should include a credit for assessed social charges, as social charges are now specifically defined as a form of French ‘tax’ under Ar-ticle 2 of the treaty. However, it would seem that some tax offices in France have been incorrectly interpreting the tax credit due and are looking to impose ‘social charges’ on UK rental in-come. Fortunately, we have seen agreement from local tax authorities that no such taxation should apply, and all those who request reimbursement have received a posi-tive response. However, this message does not seem to have filtered down to all local tax offices! ■
David Hardy is Regional Manager of Siddalls France, Independent Financial Advisers, specialised in tax, inheritance, pension and investment planning for the British community in France since 1996.
ing your house? Prevention might not be the cheapest option of pest control, but effective prevention is al-ways preferable to treat-ment. If one or two get into your house, it’ll be far easier and cheaper to treat than an infestation. Mice and rats can destroy your treasured possessions, spread disease via their ex-crement or even cause fires if they chew through elec-trical cables. Regardless, they cause stress and anxi-ety. A mouse can squeeze through a 5mm hole (think smaller than the width of your little finger) whilst a rat only needs 15mm (think thumb). So fill as many holes as you can in the walls and under tiles, inside and out. Preferably use cement and wire wool - they can’t chew through the wire wool. Avoid expand-able foam, however, as ro-dents can go though it like a hot knife through butter. Outside, keep a minimum 40cm clear path around
your house with nowhere for them to hide. Plants and wood piles look lovely but are perfect hiding places for rodents. Over-hanging branches should be cut back to up to 2 metres from your house. Rodents are neophobic (the fear of anything new) and they don’t like open spaces either. In your ga-rage, basement or attic, avoid placing anything against the wall and pack things in metal or plastic boxes as opposed to bin bags or cardboard cartons. If you store things for long periods of time, rear-range them occasionally and sweep the area, this will stress the critters and they will avoid the newly cleaned area. In the kitchen, inspect behind appliances and cupboards for droppings. Stored food should be kept in sealed containers - tin cans or glass jars with lids are ideal. If not, rearrange them occasionally and clean the shelves. Birds are very messy eat-ers, their grain falls to the floor when they are feed-ing, which is a free meal
to a rodent. Clear up fall-en food if possible. Seed should be stored in air tight containers and don’t store pet food in the same place all the time. There are a lot of rich people out there inventing new gizmos that click, buzz or smell. They’re good for short-term peace of mind, but after a while you’ll realize that most are only good for landfill. Just as weeds are mis-placed plants, so pests are simply misplaced animals. They all serve a purpose in the cycle of life and are generally the food source for the next animal. If they’re outside and don’t bother you, leave them alone. Just make your home as uninviting to rodents as you can and as difficult to enter as possible.
For more information on bed bugs, or how to deal with them, please contact Robert Moon from Applica-teur 3D:
02 48 60 83 7206 74 33 02 38
www.applicateur3d.com
same company supplies and installs the appliance. If you have bought the appliance from a DIY chain or the UK, for example, there’s a good chance that it may not conform and may not be suitable for its intended application in addition to you not being eligible for the tax credit yourself. What’s more, if you then want a professional installer to fit it for you, you’ll be charged the higher rate of TVA (10%) rather than the 5.5% which applies when your installer supplies and fits it for you. It’s a no brainer really and it is usually not worth buying a stove from a cheap online supplier or lugging one over from the UK or elsewhere when you work out what you’ll be saving. Your dealer can explain everything to you before you buy, so don’t be afraid to ask. If you don’t speak French, or even if you do, and might not fully understand what’s being said, then contact us at Stovesellers and we’ll explain it all to you in plain English if it helps.
Éco-prêt à taux zéro (éco-PTZ)
The éco-prêt à taux zéro (zero-interest loan) allows you to finance works improving the consumption of energy in your home. It is awarded under certain conditions relative to your property and the type of work envisaged and is currently valid until the end of this year. It concerns owners of properties built before 1990 and used as the principal residence. There are no special requirements to fulfil but, as with any loan agreement, it is subject to approval by your bank. As with the crédit d’impôt, the éco-prêt loan can be used to finance works including the fitting of wood burners
and other renewable energy appliances, thermal insulation and energy efficient windows, etc. All you have to do get some quotations from local companies and fill in the forms which you can download from the www.service-public.fr website (http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/R12435.xhtml). Take the forms to your bank and, once they are approved, you have two years in which to carry out the works. You can borrow up to €30,000 and can make the repayments over as many as 10 years in most cases. These are just two of the most common public aids which are available to us expats, just as much as to the French themselves, but surprisingly very few of us know much of their existence or how to take advantage of them. It really can be a case of money for nothing with schemes like the tax credit, so if wood heating is on the agenda for this year then speak to a specialist first and ensure that you get all that’s due to you! ■
If you’d like to know more about the topics raised here, take a look at Stovesellers' website for more
information on wood burning stoves and cookers, central heating systems,
chimney installations and chimney sweeps at
www.stovesellers.comor call 05.55.63.78.72
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JANUARY 201514 ♦ CLASSIFIEDS
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WANTED: Assistant Seeking an assistant to help me care for and train my 3 horses for riding and carriage driving. Experience a requirement. Full or part-time. Salary based upon ability and knowledge. Tel: 05 55 41 69 93 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Pet Stock - Over 380 items Are you
looking for a new business venture? Do you have an existing shop, online store, cattery or kennels? All good quality products. Open to offers. Any offer considered. Please email me (Vanessa) for a stock list & photos. Location: Near Le Grand Bourg, viewing welcome. Email: [email protected]
FOR SALE: QUANTITY OF RECLAIMED ROOF TILES Some with a distinctive 'diamond' shape in them but with no makers name moulded into them and these are probably the oldest of the styles. The majority of the tiles have 'ROUMAZIERES and PASCAUD - POLAKOWSKI moulded in. Another style is a JEANDELAINCOURT - MEURTHE & MOSELL DEPOSE tile. Sizes of all tiles approximately 23/24cm
x 40/41cm. 55 euros the lot. €55.00 Tel: 0555 787902 (near Rochechouart)
FOR SALE: Leather sofa 3-seater, brown, with three loose beige fluffy cushions. Good condition. €100.00 Tel: 05 55 80 40 44 FOR SALE: 3 piece suite Brown floral pattern on beige background, 2 chairs and matching 2-seater bed settee. Good condition. €70.00 Tel: 02 48 56 74 73 FOR SALE: Sofa Classic
style. 3 to 4 seater. Feather interiors on seats/back solid. Surplus to requirement. Aigurande area 23. €40.00 Tel: 05 55 80 33 12 FOR SALE: Soft brown leather electric rise and fall armchair Modern looking. Very little used. Cost €970,00 with original invoice. €300.00 Tel: 05 53 28 79 32 or 04 70 06 37 99 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Furniture 4 Beech Carver Chairs. Strong well made chairs, but the finish needs some attention. 60 euros. Solid Oak Refectory Table 6ft x 2ft.6 / 183cm/75cm. 60 euros. Tel: 05 55 03 15 82 FOR SALE: Various - Furniture Pine headboard - 4ft 6in - medium stain - 20€; Ikea pine effect kitchen doors, drawer fronts, side panels, etc. Reasonable offers. Text 06 41 99 57 40 (St Yrieix la Perche) FOR SALE: Dining Furniture DUCAL PINE DINING TABLE, MATCHING
SIDEBOARD and 8 DINING CHAIRS (including 2 CARVERS). Also nest of 3 TABLES and a WINE TABLE. (Table 168 x 103cm, extending to 213 x 103cm, sideboard 173 x 44cm with height 87cm). €325.00 Text or tel 06 41 99 57 40. (St-Yrieix-la-Perche) FOR SALE: MYERS double bed Very comfortable larger size MYERS double bed (ideal for bad backs). Base has four drawers. VGC. Call Lili (Chateauroux area). €180.00 Tel: 06 95 91 53 09 FOR SALE: Large rattan & cane arm chair With
upholstered cushions, made to order for us in Bali, Indonesia. Style is called Princess Chair. €90.00 Tel: 02 54 62 01 87 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Good quality dining room suite Comprising oval table (59 x 36 inches [194 x 90 cm], extending to 76 x 36 inches [194 x 90cm]), 4 chairs plus “carver” chair and sideboard on castors (length 48 inches, width 17 inches and height 31 inches [L 122cm, W 43cm H 79cm])
with 2 cupboards and 3 central drawers. Excellent condition. Tel/email for more more details/photos. €220.00 Tel: Angus on 05 55 71 76 36 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Pine Headboard for double bed Excellent
condition. €18.00 Tel: 05 55 78 79 02
FOR SALE: HZS280 In-line pool/pond pump Mono-phase pump, 50HZ and 280W, pumps 8000 litres/hour to a max height of 8m. Recommended for use with Polaris and similar pool robot cleaners. Only 6 weeks old and used for less than 10 hours. €80.00ono Tel Dave: 05 55 64 83 13 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Grey heavy duty
plastic hostess trolley Ideal for garden use, top and bottom shelves both removable for cleaning. Boussac area. €10.00 Tel: 04 70 06 37 99
FOR SALE: 3 Storage heaters Low-cost as they
charge at night and give heat all day long. All 3 for €380: 1 Noirot 60cm X 29cm X 69cm - €150; 1 Noirot 60cm X 20cm X 69cm - €120; 1 Creda Automatic 60cm X 16cm X 69cm - €100. Based near Cheronnac. €380.00 Tel: 05 55 75 33 29 (9-10 am only) Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: 2 Chandeliers
Are new. €70 for both or one for €40. Original shop price €80 each. Based near Cherronac. Tel: 05 55 75 33 29 (9-10 am only) Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Metabo combination woodworking machine In good order. Table saw, Planer, Thicknesser, spindle moulder and tenon
capability. Single phase, with 3 - 1hp motors used in small workshop for last 6 years. New blades provided together with manufacturers instruction manual and tools. Assistance to get started if required. €550.00 Tel: 06 35 12 10 66 (dept 87) Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Vulcan Stove Fan Distributes hot air from your wood stove without electricity or batteries. Operates using Stirling Engine minimum temperature required - 150C. Brand new in box. St-Junien 87. Can post €11 with signature. Contact Carla. Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Skiwear Girls ImpiDimpi ski suit (mustard colour) size 140cm €20. Boys Nevica ski jacket size 164 cm (UK 32Y) €20. Tel: 05 55 57 20 57 (nr Rochechouart) FOR SALE: Large antique cast iron standing Paris street lamp Ornate vine patterns, glass lantern top. Embossed with “Marquise”. Height: 3.36m. €985.00 Tel: 02 48 56 74 73 FOR SALE: Various - Children's Large quantity of boys clothes 0-13 years all in good condition, some toys. Offers (will not split). 2 booster seats from Halfords as new. Child's desk, wood with lifting desk, wipe clean lid and chair. Good condition 20 euros. Tel: 02 48 56 74 73 FOR SALE: Arabic silk carpet 224cm x 335cm Lovely pattern and colours and in good condition, please ask for photos. €150.00 Tel: 05 55 63 43 69 Email: [email protected]
BY THE 20th with the details you would like include. Your advert will appear online and in the next print edition of The Bugle.
Classified adverts are currently free for all small items (less than €500). For more expensive items and photos a small fee applies:
● Items more than €500 are charged at €5 per month● Photos are charged at €2.50 per month
ANIMALS & PETS
BUILDING MATERIALS& EQUIPMENT
FURNITURE
GARDEN
GENERAL
K I A , T H E O N LY M A N U FAC T U R E R TO O F F E R A 7 YE A R WA R R A NT Y
* Garantie 7 ans ou 150 000 km (1er des deux termes échu) valable pour tous les modèles KIA en France métropolitaine et Corse (hors DOM-TOM) et dans tous les Etats membres de l’UE ainsi qu’en Norvège, Suisse, Islande et à Gibraltar. Hors véhicules utilitaires et véhicules à usage commercial.
NEW KIA DEALERSHIP NEW MODELS TO DISCOVER ON YOUR DOORSTEP
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Venez inaugurer votre nouvelle concession KIA ! Nos équipes se feront un plaisir de vous accueillir et de vous faire découvrir
tous nos modèles garantis 7 ans* comme la nouvelle Picanto, la nouvelle Rio, le Venga, le Soul, la gamme cee’d, le Sportage et le Sorento... Des véhicules qui vous étonneront par leur
design, qualité et leurs équipements de haute technologie, alors réservez votre essai. Avec Kia, vous n’êtes pas au bout de vos surprises !
Consommations mixtes et émissions de CO2 des modèles présentés : nouvelle Kia Picanto : de 4,2 à 5,3 L/100 km - de 99 à 125 g/km ; nouvelle Kia
Rio : de 3,2 L à 6,4 L/100 km – de 85 à 150 g/km ; Kia Sportage : de 5,2 à 7,0 L/100 km - de 135 à 183 g/km ; Kia Venga : de 4,7 à 7,0 L/100 km - de
124 à 164 g/km ; nouvelle Kia pro_cee’d : de 4,3 à 6,3 L/100 km - de 113 à 150 g/km.
EVOLUTION 23 Tél : 05 55 52 82 15 Par RN 145, sortie 48 Mail: [email protected] rue Johannes Gutenberg, 23000 GUERET GPS: 46.1831, 1 .8800
15 JANUARY 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu CLASSIFIEDS ♦
Railway Museum in York in 1975 with certificate of authenticity. €200.00 Tel: 02 54 62 01 87 Email: [email protected] SALE: Lord of the Rings Iron Rings, 1,60 in
diameter, for flower beds or other. 7-8 cm wide. €25 for one, €20 each from 2 onwards. 5 left. Buyer collects (southwest Limoges). Call Katharina 06 66 24 85 49 FOR SALE: Various Full-size (board size 150cm x 100cm) floor standing engineering drawing board with professional engineering head & scale rules 150 euros; Cast iron fire surround (w 92cm, h 125cm) 80 euros; Swan's nest, fire dogs, and cast iron fireback (w 63cm) 150 euros; Black iron fire guard (70cm x 70cm) 25 euros; Cast iron fire front (40cm wide) 15 euros; Portable oil-filled radiator 20 euros; Pair of bar stools 20 euros. Tel: 05 55 60 08 06 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Old two wheel farm cart Great as garden decoration or large planter. €90.00ono Tel: 02 54 62 01 87 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Nardi insert oven Good working condition and has smoked glass oven door. €70.00 Tel: 05 55 60 64 03 FOR SALE: Steel Flue 8 metre length of 150mm stainless steel flexible flue, type 316. Also top plate (for chimney capping), register plate with 3 pre-cut blanked off holes, stove to flue pipe adapter, and top insert. All brand new and in perfect condition. Cost £200. Will sell for £140 or 170 Euros. €170.00 Tel: 0545 89 08 46 (Montrollet) FOR SALE: Uplights Matching pair. Chrome effect colour. 1.8m high. Domed top. Lovely look. Euros 35.00 the pair. Tel. 05 55 64 87 91 after 6pm, or text 0044 7722 032348 FOR SALE: 2 Sleeping Bags Almost good as new and only used 3 times. 15 euros each. Tel: 0555 787902 (near Rochechouart)
pots and 1 salt pot, also 4 x 145ml s/s sauce boats and 2 x 275ml sauce boats and 6 glass vinegar bottles 150€; 12 x Wicker breadbaskets with detachable covers 8€. Contact Mrs M Taylor 05 55 48 92 84 or 06 04 09 03 10 FOR SALE: Wood Burning Fire (excellent condition) SUPRA, Model COLMAR 5-7 Kw. Flue size 125mm (rear). 61cm H, 56cm W,36cm Dp. Chenerailles area. €250.00 Tel: 09 72 31 69 61 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Sewing Machine Husqvarna Viking Sarah. In full and good working order. Buyer to collect please - Bourganeuf area. Photos available if required. €60.00 Tel: 05 55 64 22 25 Email: [email protected] FREE: Tektronix 453 dual trace 50meg 'scope Needs some attention to the power supply, trace dead. But for spares, etc. a good item. Don't really want to throw it away. Will not ship, collection only. Tel: 04 70 06 37 99 FOR SALE: Log burner Lovely blue colour. Good condition. €100.00 Tel: 02 54 24 29 76 FOR SALE: Why take Victorian? 1 sink left like on
photo from French chateau, 1920s, brand Porcher. Good condition, no cracks. With pedestal and original soap holder. Buyer collects (10 min from airport, Bellegarde 87). €50.00 Tel: 06 66 24 85 49 FOR SALE: Various Super Kingsize duvet, unused. 10€. Also John Lewis duvet cover and matching sheet, unused. Pale blue. 15€. Mirror 80 x 65 cm. Painted wood - yellow with small decoration. Matching wall lights, toilet roll holder, shelf and soap dish holder. 40€. Ice cream maker - Philips. Little used. 20€. Text 06 41 99 57 40 (St Yrieix la Perche) FOR SALE: Collection of Pewter Ingots In rosewood case, inaugural edition from 1975 marking the opening of the National
FOR SALE: SKYTEC speakers (2). Ideal PA/D I S C O / K A R A O K E .
150watt. 8 ohm. 44x26x28 cm. Good working order. Bargain 30 euros! €30.00 Tel: 0555 787902 (near Rochechouart) FOR SALE: Folding dog cage 75x53x46 wide. Little used. €20.00 Tel: 05 53 28 79 32 or 04 70 06 37 99 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Various George Foreman Lean Mean Grilling Machine. New still in box. Ideal Xmas gift. 30 euros; Pressure cooker 6lt. Prestige. Never used. 25 euros; Duvet cover double. White background with poppies on. New. Never used. 15 euros; HP printer copier scanner with cartridges. Used 4 times. 30 euros; Dell 15 inch monitor and keyboard. Flat screen. Good condition. 40 euros; Computer table. Pine 3 shelves. H. 79cm W. 90cm. d. 49cm. 8 euros; Rustins wood dye medium oak. 2 x 1lt tins. 18 euros; Unibond wall tile adhesive. 13kg tub. Ultimate grab. 12 euros. Tel: 05 55 03 26 42 FOR SALE: Commercial Kitchen Equipment E500 Commercial Dishwasher 600€ ono; 900 x 300cm Falcon Grill with Shelving and S/S Splashback Plate 400€ ono; Large Hot Counter (approx 1,5 mtr. in length) 4 hot plates and hot cupboard underneath 600€ ono; 22" Firstline Colour TV with remote control 120€ ono; Convection Oven (needs attention) - offers; 12 x 1.5kg Catering Moules Bowls with lids (like new) 75€; 50 wine glasses, 14 x 25cl carafes and 8 x coffee liqueur glasses 50€; 6 x 8" and 6 x 7" Creme Brulee Dishes 25€; Job lot of crockery to include 3 x 16" Giant Serving Plates, 8 x 12" Large Dinner Plates, 25 x 8" Dessert Plates, 19 x 6" Side Plates, Tea & Coffee Cups, Espresso cups, variety of saucers, 2 Large & 3 Small Teapots, 3 small Milk jugs and 1 Large Milk jug, 8 Pepper
WWW.HOUSESONINTERNET.COM
The Bugle CLASSIFIEDS are brought to you in association with
FOR SALE: Suzuki Carry Van - 2001 Mileage 75k
miles/ 1.3 Petrol. RHD (right hand drive) and CT until Sept 2016. Very good condition, and part boarded panels. 5 Door, with 2 sliding doors at each side (for easy access). All 4 tyres are in good condition. Remote Central locking & Alarm. Reliable little van, Very Economical and Very Cheap Insurance (we pay €10 per month with AXA.fr). Ideal for Builder, small business or anyone doing renovation work. €2,200.00 Call Bryan on 05 55 64 87 92 FOR SALE: Subaru Outback 2.5 SE Automatic Metallic
Atlantic Blue. Very good condition. High Spec., including sun roof, alloy wheels, tow bar and black leather interior. December 2005. 83,600 miles. RHD French registered. CT August 2016. Serviced regularly, latest August 2014 – 4 new tyres. €4,950.00ono Tel: 05 55 50 19 16 FOR SALE: Nissan Terrano II 2005 2.7 TD LWB (7 Seater)
Fully French Registered RHD; Diesel; Manual Transmission; 7 Seats (5 fixed and 2 removable); CT until Oct 2015; Recent service in Jan 2014; New all season tyres (4 plus spare); New exhaust; Electric Windows, Remote Central Locking & Alarm; Tow Bar; Large boot space with privacy cover; Ideal vehicle for the coming winter. (Based in Janaillat, Creuse, 23250) €6,250.00ono Contact Bryan on 05 55 64 87 92 FOR SALE: Towbars Towbar for Citroen Xsara Picasso
complete. 60 euros. Towbar for Peugeot 406 complete. 40 euros. Tel: 02 48 56 74 73 FOR SALE: Peugeot 306 H D I Estate L H D Year
2000 French registration. Diesel. 304274 km. Timing belt changed @ 224450. CT 24/07/14. Stereo system. Tow bar. Nice condition. €2,200.00 Tel 05 55 56 21 35 FOR SALE: Yamaha 125 Black off road bike no papers. €500.00 Tel: 02 54 24 29 76 FOR SALE: Mazda Red. Full service history. Two years Control Technique and French registered 1994. Very good condition. €600.00 Tel: 02 54 24 29 76 FOR SALE: Land Rover - Left Hand Drive Headlights A pair of left hand drive headlights for a 300 TDI or early pre facelift TD5. Approx 2 years old and in near perfect condition. Cost almost £100.00, for sale at €60.00. Can post but prefer collection because of the delicate nature. For more info/images please phone. €60.00 Tel: 04 70 06 37 99 FOR SALE: 2002 Dethlleff Camper In good condition, 6
berth, fully winterized, with full size summer awning and half size winter awning. Ideal for living in while renovating your chateau. Caravan is currently not registered but I can deliver within 100km and will pass any inspection required to register. For further details or viewing please email. €6,400.00 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Dog Guard to fit Jeep €60.00 Tel: 05 55 60 64 03 FOR SALE: To fit 1971 VW Beetle 1300, 4 wheels and tyres 2 Town and Country wheels and tyres with snow studs also numerous new spares. €175.00 Tel: 05 55 60 64 03 FOR SALE: Internation 454 tractor with heavy duty topper One owner from new 3600 hours. Recent full service with new oils and filters. Ideal for smallholder. €4,600.00 Tel:
05 55 68 22 04 FOR SALE: Trailer Enclosed timber trailer with sturdy tarp to roof to ensure watertight. Drop down rear door, spare tyre. Internal dimensions - length 3.6m, width 1.4m, height 1.15m. €250.00 Tel. 05 55 64 87 91 after 6pm, or text 0044 7722 032348
FOR SALE: Curtiss DT 25 - 2 door fridge/freezer Height 148cms, Width 58cms, Depth 60cms. Volume Fridge – 197 litres, Freezer – 48 litres. Good working order. €60.00 Tel: 05 55 60 45 90 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Zanussi Washing Machine 1400 spin cycle. Silver colour, 57 cm depth at widest point... too big for my new bathroom. Call Lili (Chateauroux area). €180.00ono Tel: 06 95 91 53 09
WANTED: Companion pony ... for our 12 y.o. mare who has recently lost a true friend. Tel: 05 55 76 27 18 WANTED: Digger or Excavator Any age or condition. Any other plant or machinery considered. Prompt cash buyer. Tel: 02 48 56 74 73 WANTED: Personal trainer Seeking a personal trainer to assist me in creating an exercise regime at home and to keep me motivated, possibly twice a week. Tel: 05 55 41 69 93 Email: [email protected] WANTED: Piano Good price, preferably able to deliver to Chambon-sur-Voueize 23170. Anything considered. Email: [email protected] WANTED: Trailer Reasonably priced trailer wanted for carrying garden and household rubbish to and from the tip! Tel: 0555 787902 WANTED: Trailer - any age or condition Tel: 02 48 56 74 73 WANTED: OLD MOTOR CYCLES Barn clearance, garage clearance. Pre 1966 motor cycles hidden away in barns and garages wanted for cash, any condition, even the rusty ones and non runners. Everything considered. Friendly buyer will call round. Pls tel Martin on 05 55 89 12 96
WANTED
VEHICLES / PARTS
WHITE GOODS
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JANUARY 201516 ♦ DIRECTORY
Business DirectoryYour indispensable guide to finding local businesses & artisans
A simple solar energy system that runs on its own, even when you are
not there! – And provides a free heat supplement in winter. The Solarventi air panel was invented more than 20 years ago by Hans Jørgen Chris-tensen, from Aidt Miljø, with the backing of the Danish government. He wanted to use the sun’s energy for airing and ventilation of the thousands of holiday homes on the West coast of Jutland, - houses that were left empty and unheated for long periods - houses with damp problems, mould and bad odours - houses that left their owners with discomfort, lots of work and expense. He wanted a system that would be safe, simple, without the need for radiators, water and/or mains electricity. Slowly but surely, the first Solarventi model came
together.
How it worksThe principle behind Solarventi is simple: a small, built-in, so-lar cell powers a 12V fan that is connected to an air vent, a con-trol unit and an on/ off switch. Whenever the sun shines, the air in the solar panel is heated and the fan, receiving power from the solar cell, introduces warm, dry air into your home at the rate of 20 to 100 cubic me-tres per hour. The initial models were more than capable of keeping the cot-tages dry (and ventilated), even with the limited sunshine hours available in Denmark during the winter season. Since that time, the technology has re-ally come along in leaps and bounds. Now, more than 20 years later, the 3rd and 4th gen-eration Solarventi have exceed-
ed all expectations. In Southern Europe, Solar-venti is not only used for ventila-tion/dehumidification purposes; with far more winter sunshine hours, it also provides a substan-tial heating supplement. Sev-eral technical and governmental studies show that incoming air temperature can be increased by as much as 40°C.
A DIY Solution?The installation process is very straightforward and should only take two or three hours. All that is needed is a drill, hammer and chisel to make a hole in the wall. Roof installations are also possible. In fact, the Solarventi was originally designed to be a DIY product - in Scandinavia it still is. There are no electrical or water connections and it can be safely left running, even when
the property is empty. Solar-venti requires no maintenance - if the property is unoccupied during the hot summer months, then it can be left running at low speeds for ventilation and dehu-midification purposes or simply switched off. With a range of panel sizes, and the option for wall or roof mounting, Solarventi is suit-able for all types of buildings, caravans or even boats!! Fol-lowing the patenting of its de-sign in 2001, Solarventi has only recently been actively commercialized. Over the last six years, Solarventi units have been installed in more than 24 countries and demand is in-creasing rapidly. From Green-land to Australia, Solarventi is finally getting the recognition it deserves. ■
Units start from €630 TTC
SOLARVENTI - Available in the LimousinFrom Harlequin DevelopmentsTel: 05 55 68 67 56Mobile: 06 06 60 46 97
“SolarVenti”- the solar solution to damp and humidity
Barn conversions, loft conversions, new-build, drylining, plastering, rendering, spray
rendering, tiling, installation of kitchens/ bathrooms, painting, carpentry, replacement doors & windows, velux installation, ground-works, landscaping, decking & much more...No job too big (or small). Give us a call for a free competitive quote.
Entreprise Hines Building ServicesAll Internal & External Works, completed to a high standard.
We also supply KWIKSTAGE scaffold for hire - either DIY or full scaffold service provided.See website for more info - www.entreprisehines.com - 05 55 89 69 46 - [email protected]
19 JANUARY 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu DIRECTORY ♦
GODSONTravaux Publics
www.pilgrim23.com05.55.62.61.12 - pg 3
50,000 sq ft of coveredshowrooms & 2 largeexternal display areas- All reclamation bought & sold- Demolition undertaken- Specialists in oak beams- Metalwork & stonework- Indian stone fl ooring- Plywood, all in 8x4 sheets: internal, external and marine gradeOpen Mon-Sat 8.30am to 6pm - www.reclamation-yard.comOnly 1km from Confolens on the D952 Ansac-sur-Vienne road
ADVERTORIALSAT-ELEC - Satellite &Broadband solutionsPoor or No Broadband? Satellite is
your answer. There are two main providers in Europe. Rent or buy, the choice is yours. DIY or we can
install it for you, again the choice is yours. The equipment is delivered to your door. TOOWAY offers speeds of up to 22M down and 6M up and the monthly rental (dependent on package) starts from €19.95. SES offers speeds of up to 20M down and 2M up and the monthly rental (dependent on pack-age) starts from €10.95. For very light users SES offer a pay as you go option at €7.75 per Giga-byte. Is UK TV reception a problem? We have over 25 years' experience in the satellite industry and Mike G is here to assist you. Call him on 05 55 09 15 73. CCTV - four cameras and a DVR fitted from €800.00 and you can view it from an iPhone or laptop anywhere. Ideal for checking if the gard-ner, cleaner, etc. has come, or for just projecting the view from your window in France on to the wall, as a screen saver to impress your friends in the UK. Now have you wanted a UK phone number
in France? We are able to provide you with a UK phone number with the rental starting from £5.00 per month. There is a wide range of phones to choose from and it will work over Broadband and Satellite Broadband. If you are interested please call Mike T on 03 66 88 06 29.
The two Mikes are happy to preparea custom package for you on all or any
of the above.
Call Mike G on 05 55 09 15 73or Mike T on 03 66 88 06 29
Advertising with The BugleWith 5 years’ experience delivering
print advertising to an expat market, The Bugle represents one of the most
cost-effective ways to let English speakers know about your business. An advert with The Bugle starts from just €11.20 HT per month – that’s less than 37 cents a day to put your business in front of 30,000 people each month. In the Limousin we have more than 300 distri-bution points across the region and surrounding areas where readers can pick up a copy for free. We also distribute 3,500 copies through Limoges Airport, which means that we are in the perfect position to target not only residents and second-home owners, but also tourists and those new to the region. The Bugle is the only English language news-paper dedicated to the Limousin - in fact, today, The Bugle is the only free English language newspaper in France and we are growing all the time. If you would like to discuss any of our adver-tising options further, why not give us a call to-day to find out more about the ways that we can help you grow your business.
We provide a proactive approach to marketing your French property. The future of selling
property is changing, no more leaving it sitting in estate agent windows, waiting for buyers to find the agent's website and request further information. No more listing on websites that don’t have a proactive approach to worldwide marketing. With today’s technology, potential buyers want to research property details 24/7. This means if you want to maximise your property's exposure then it needs to be marketed online and via a range of media platforms. Whilst the French property market still remains slow, as a private seller
you have the ability to offer your property at a more realistic price, without the added estate agent fees that can often make your property appear overpriced. The benefit from our proactive marketing is we offer the opportunity for your property to be listed on a number of high ranking property portals maximising exposure, attracting GLOBAL interest including RIGHTMOVE and social media platforms. We believe in order to provide a more proactive approach to modern day marketing, embracing technology and offering the ability to respond to property enquiries and requests for information, needs to be available 24 hours, 7 days a week. This means
not only office hours but evenings, weekends and holidays... when most potential buyers are researching property. You, as the owner, have greater knowledge of your property and the local area, and can provide a far more detailed response to an enquiry. Deciding where to list your property can be confusing and often expensive with some of the sites that are available. You want value marketing in the knowledge that your property isn’t just listed on a website and forgotten. Our marketing packages mean that you list with us for one fee, there are no other fees during or at the end of your advertising. We manage your listing on all the external sites,
all at a fraction of the price you as an individual may achieve. You can create your property listing on our website, but if you prefer we can do this for you, providing a professional profile of your property. Add unlimited pictures and text and if you have a website link this can also be included. We also offer an ‘A Vendre’ board which provides direct reference to your property on our website so anyone interested can research your property details and make contact. ■
Working for the private property seller offering best value marketing
with over 20 years' experience advising expatriates throughout
Europe on all aspects of financial planning. Represented in Creuse
by Tony Farrell:
Tel: 05 55 89 57 94Mob: 06 15 28 54 82
Email: [email protected] Insurance Services S.A.R.L. Siège Social: 34 Bd des Italiens, 75009 PARIS"Société de Courtage d'assurances" R.C.S. Paris B 447 609 108 (2003B04384)
Directory Advertising is available either in black and white or colour, and in either small (30 words max) or large (45 words max) format.Directory adverts may only contain text - no logos, images or artwork are allowed. The minimum contract length is 6 months.Advertising is payable on publication. All prices are HT.
For more information on any of our advertising options, please feel free to give us a call on 05 55 41 17 76 or send an email to [email protected]
Advertising your business couldn’t be easier. Text only, boxed listings are available in our Business Directory from just €11.20/month. Alternatively, why not spotlight your business with an Advertorial, available from 1/6 Page (€50 HT) up to Full Page (€300 HT). Both Directory Adverts and Ad-vertorials represent a cost effective way to put your brand in front of more than 25,000 pairs of eyes each month!!
Large Directory Ad46mm x 71mm(Actual Size)45 words max
Small Directory Ad46mm x 46mm(Actual Size)30 words max
Complete the alphabetical Sudoku grid to the left using only the letters already shown, then use the result word-search grid to find: A number
How does it work...?Complete the Sudoku grid in the usual manner, using only the 9 letters already shown. Once complete, you will be left with a 9x9 wordsearch grid, in which to find the final piece of the puzzle.
See the completed example to the right, the clue for which is "An English county".
Be careful not to jump to conclu-sions, as with the letters available, the answer could be SURREY, SUS-SEX, ESSEX, or as it turns out in this case... SOMERSET.
SUDOKU - EASY SUDOKU - MEDIUM SUDOKU - HARD
Solution on page 27
The solutions to this month’s sudokus can be found on page 27
CrosswordClues and answers (page 27) in English
Across:1. Afternoon nap in Spain (6)4. Wide street (6)9. Coherent (7)10. Speak (5)11. Playing card (3)12. Exactly the same (9)13. Not as strict (6)15. Armed thief (6)19. Set up or found (9)21. Australian flightless bird (3)22. Stories (5)23. Chosen by vote (7)24. Fervid (6)25. Basement (6)
Down:1. Save from destruction (7)2. Bird of prey (5)3. Haptic (7)5. Strongroom (5)6. Observed (7)7. Join up (5)8. Hints (5)14. Resolved (7)16. Sports contestant (7)17. Booming noise (7)18. More judicious (5)19. Additional (5)20. Large shaggy bovid (5)21. Exalt (5)
Would you like to receive your copy of The Bugle by post each month?
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ JANUARY 201526 ♦ COMMUNITY
CLUBS, CHARITIES & ASSOCIATIONSCharities
Phoenix AssociationPhoenix Association is a registered charity that has existed since 2001 to deal with the sad plight of the ever-increasing number of abused and abandoned animals in France.Phoenix does not have a 'rescue centre' as such. Sadly, many of the animals it saves have only ever known confinement and isolation, so instead, the animals are placed in foster homes all over South-West France while they wait for their loving and permanent forever homes. This gives Phoenix a better chance of assessing the animal in the normality and comfort of a home which leads to the virtually 100% successful adoption rate.Phoenix is not state funded and so relies on fund-raising and donations to cover the very high re-homing and veterinary costs. Phoenix is formed of a committed but fun and positive team of volunteers, and is always on the lookout for more, so if you are interested in adopting an animal, foster caring or becoming a Member, please visit the Contact page of the website at www.phoenixasso.com and www.facebook.com/PhoenixAssociationFrance
Church NoticesMonthly Worship in EnglishIf your journey of life has brought you here to France, why neglect your journey of faith? We look forward to giving a warm welcome to everyone from whatever Christian tradition (or none) on the 3rd SUNDAY of the MONTH at 3pm. Where? At the Temple in Thiat (in the north of the Haute-Vienne) – we are part of the Parish of the Basse-Marche of the Eglise Protestante Unie de France. The Temple is on the main road close to the Mairie. After worship there is tea/coffee and cake – and a chance to chat.If you want to know more contact Rev Derek Lawson on 05 55 68 53 03 or Rev Stephen Sawyer on 05 49 84 33 86.English-speaking church services GuéretCome as you are... This is an invitation to join us at our CHURCH SERVICE IN ENGLISH. Whether you have a faith or would just like to attend a church service you are welcome at 3pm on the 2nd Sunday of each month at the Eglise Evangélique, 9b Place Bonnyaud, Guéret, 23000.We welcome all who want to join a group of English-speaking Christians for a time of worship and learning together. Children are very welcome. For more details contact Jim & Pat Scott on 05 55 67 54 78 / email [email protected] or Ian & Becky Jefferies on 05 55 61 10 23 / email [email protected] together in Limousin La Souterraine Area We hold a time of fellowship and Bible study every Tuesday afternoon. Barbara and Cedric look forward to welcoming you. Tel: 05 55 71 09 04The International Free Church in CreuseThe church presently meets at 10, La Chaudronnière, a small hamlet mid-way between Crozant and Eguzon. Sunday worship meetings are held on the first and third Sundays of the month at 10.30am. Fellowship meetings, for mid-week prayer, bible study and discussion are at the same venue every Thursday at 7.30pm. For further information contact Eric
Sutton tel 05 55 89 26 62
Fitness & FunPENSOL Indoor Carpet Bowls We meet on Wednesdays at 2.30pm-5.00pm. Come along for a fun afternoon, a warm welcome in a warm hall, refreshments and equipment provided. Ladies and Gents welcome. The venue is the salle polyvalente at PENSOL - 87440 on the D67 between Marval and Dournazac, clearly indicated from the village, or from Piégut-Pluviers take the D91. Come and have a free trial, with our slightly smaller Bowls and 33` carpet. NO heavy lifting. Established club and club Leader. Registered and insured. Please phone Hilary for any enquiries on 09 72 23 13 20 or [email protected] Chi, Pakua & QigongTai Chi, Pakua & Qigong classes organised by the ACAMIES (association culturelle d'arts martiaux internes et d'exercices de santé). Wed: Jarnages, 18h30-20h, Salle Polyvalente. Thu: Bétête, 19h-20h30, Domaine de Tournessac. OPEN DAY Sun 6th Oct at the salle de la mairie, Jarnages from 9h-12h.Individual classes, courses, massage & treatments also available. Contact: 06 48 00 02 07http://acamies.e-monsite.comKeep FitAmazing abs, breathtaking buttocks! Come and join our group at the CAPE in Pontarion. We are all ages, all sizes, men & women, but are serious about keeping fit.Our “monitrice” is English and will happily provide bilingual instructions. We meet every Thursday at 8p.m. in Pontarion Town Hall, for a one-hour workout.Come for a free trial, or call 05 55 64 98 87 or 06 32 42 95 68 for more details.Indoor Bowling at Oradour-sur-VayresIf you already play or have never tried indoor bowling then come along to a meeting. It's great fun and easy to play. If you have never played it before we will show you how. We meet every Monday evening starting at 18.30 hrs at La Chapelle, avenue des Chapelles, 87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres. Come and try it - it's free. If you require further information or directions to our venue please contact me - Email: [email protected] or telephone: 05 55 08 41 75Zumba! Regular zumba classes across depts 36, 18 & northern 23. For more info tel 06 58 37 17 04 - email [email protected] and for details of classes visit www.zumbazumba.frIndoor Short-mat Bowling at Cussac 87150....and now Outdoor too!As the premier bowls club in the Haute-Vienne, we are going from strength to strength with members seeking us out and travelling great distances to continue their love of bowls or simply to 'try us out'. Our reputation as a "very friendly and welcoming club" goes before us. If you've never tried the game, just come along and take a look; there is far more to it than first appears!We are a formally registered association within the French system and benefit from assistance from our local commune by use of a wonderful indoor venue. AND NOW...the use of a synthetic outdoor court where
Flat-green, Crown and Short-mat can be played. Just imagine the summer evenings with a drink in your hand, watching fellow bowlers enjoying the quiet of village, interrupted only by the 'click' or 'tunk' of bowl against bowl!Our regular sessions indoors are Wednesday evening at 8pm and Thursday Mornings at 10am. Outdoor sessions will be arranged as the spring arrives so keep in touch. Serious bowlers and beginners are welcome - club bowls are available for use.For further information contact [email protected] or telephone 05 55 50 40 89.Association Equilibre, le mouvement du corpsYoga for all levels: Tue 18:30 Aubusson, Pied au plancher (Espace Philips); Wed 18:30 Vallière, salle polyvalante. Pregnancy/Post Natal: Tue 17:00 Aubusson, Pied au Plancher (Espace Philips) For further information tel 06 83 24 62 72 or visit www.spaequilibre.yolasite.comChinese Gym & KarateMondays & Thursdays 19h30-21h at the DOJO, Allée Jean-Marie Couturier, Aubusson. Warm and friendly atmosphere. For more info tel 06 08 92 30 53Tai Chi at Boussac and La ChâtreTai Chi classes in Boussac (Tue 18.15 - 19.45) and La Châtre (Thu 18.15 - 19.45). The first two lessons are free, the subscriptions are 36 euros per month and members can go to both venues having paid this fee. The style is that of Yang. All ages and abilities welcome, but folk must bear in mind that they will be on their feet, doing the equivalent of what one might classify as light exercise, for about an hour and a half. For more information contact 05 55 65 08 20.Gym Bien-êtreWould you like to be more supple? Come to our gym class on Thursday mornings from 10.30am to 11.30am, where we do gentle exercises to help all our muscles and joints. The classes are held in Rochechouart in the Capitole building, upstairs. Our group is part of a National Federation of Gymnastics. For information contact Pauline at [email protected] to Meditate Learn to meditate and meet other like-minded people. Simple mindfulness technique. Dechen Choling, Le Mas Marvent, St-Yrieix-sous-Aixe, 87700. Also, ongoing regular group meetings and events. Contact tel Christina 05 55 03 82 01 www.dechencholing.org
GardeningLes petits jardiniers du Limousinh t t p : / / j a r d i n i e r s - d u - l i m o u s i n .webs.com Do you have a love of gardening and a desire to learn more about growing plants, flowers, fruit, vegetables and trees in this region? If you do, then come and join our friendly group to meet like-minded people. With a different topic or visit each month there's something for everyone. We meet on the third Thursday of each month (excluding February) in the Mairie at St-Amand-le-Petit (between Eymoutiers and Peyrat-le-Château). Meetings start at 2.30pm and everyone is made very welcome. For more information contact Carolyn at [email protected] or Gerda at [email protected] Agenda for 2015: 15 Jan Monty Don's French Gardens; Feb - no meeting; 19
Mar Summer bulbs, corms and tubers; 16 Apr Hanging baskets: what and how to plant, with demonstrations; 21 May Pruning: the how, what, when and why; 18 Jun Talk by Andrew Williams on permaculture; 13 Jul (MON) Picnic and visit to commercial bio-vegetable grower, including companion planting; 20 Aug Summer lunch at the home of Carolyn Lees; 6 Sep (SUN) 3rd Annual Show at St-Amand-le-Petit; 15 Oct AGM followed by 'Preparing the garden for winter'; 19 Nov Slide show presentation by Michel Peyrat; 17 Dec Gardeners' Question Time and Christmas Party.All meetings (unless stated otherwise) are held on the third Thursday of the month. Meetings start at 2.30pm and are held in the Mairie, St-Amand-le-Petit. Starting times and venues of visits tba.Club Liseron – Gardening ClubMeets on the 2nd Mon evening of the month at 19.30 at the Salle des Fêtes in Massignac. We're a mixed bunch of English & French, who are united by a passion for gardens and gardening, sharing plants, seeds and information. More info from Sally on 05 45 21 30 20 or Craig on 05 45 89 33 50 or [email protected]** The Club has a new president, Véronique Granet, a very dynamic and enthusiastic person. **Aux Plantes, etc.We are an association of independent, ethically-minded and passionate plant producers. Our aim is to encourage consumers to know more about the plants they buy, how they were produced and their needs, thereby avoiding the disappointments that so often come with mass produced plants. It’s not just about us selling you plants - we want them to thrive and do well for you!Current members include plantspeople specialising in unusual shrubs & trees, butterfly plants, heritage vegetables and flowers, irises, perennials and drought-tolerant plants.For more info contact Michelle Pierce 05 45 89 36 54 or visit:www.auxplantesetc.jimdo.comLes Jardins de SiriusBased in Pressignac, Charente, we are a small association of people who are keen on gardening. As well as finding plants an endless source of interest, we believe that the simple fact of gardening has numerous positive benefits for health, stress, social interaction - in other words, our daily lives - and we’d like to encourage this aspect. We run flower workshops
on the first Saturday afternoon of the month. If you’d like to get involved, have more info on the association or become a member, please contact Michelle Pierce on 05 45 89 36 54 or at [email protected]
IntegrationInternational Apero ReseauWe are a group of French and English people who meet each Saturday from 11.30am-1pm at Les Picards Restaurant (formerly Bailey’s), 5 rue de l’Abreuvoir, Aubusson.These meetings offer the opportunity to: exchange views - make new friends - share experiences - have fun together - help and advise one another - help intergrate newcomers. Discussions in English (all nationalities welcome).For more information please contact Catherine 06 86 17 80 88, Francois 07 86 29 97 98, Olivia 05 55 83 30 82 or [email protected]. English and French spoken.Learning Together – Apprenons EnsembleOur main aim is to foster understanding and good relations amongst the local French-speaking and English-speaking populations. To this end we are offering courses of tuition in English and in French, and organising social and cultural events and visits. LANGUAGE CLASSES (take place at the Maison des Associations, Rochechouart) Beginners and Intermediate - Mon am; French/English Conversation – Tues am; Advanced and Children’s – Wed am; Conversation (St-Junien) - Thur. SOCIAL EVENTS Games Night (Rochechouart) 1st Thur; Games Night (St-Junien) 2nd Thur; Lunch Club – Last Thur. FORTHCOMING EVENTS - More details in Association Newsletter. For more details visit www.learningtogether.me or contact Sue Ratcliffe 05 45 31 50 86The Melting PotMembers of the Ambassador's Club of the Welcome en Limousin Association. We are a group of around 70 members, both French and British, who meet with the aim of sharing things and trying to integrate with the French community. We meet every week at the Ancienne Ecole in Darnac, on a Wednesday morning from 10am - 12noon, except for the first Wednesday, when we meet in the evening at 8pm. We hold information meetings, plant swaps, BBQ's, games nights, visits and have guest speakers about topics relevant to living in
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French Conversation Groupat Les Billanges
We are a small group of around a dozen or so who meet fortnightly for an hour and a half on a Tuesday evening in Les
Billanges (87340), with the object of practising and improv-ing our use of the French language. We are accompanied by a retired French schoolteacher and a current French teacher
of English. Discussion is informal, loosely based on everyday topics, including some grammar plus general discussion. We need a few more people to help keep it vibrant and to cater
for inevitable absences.The only cost is only €16 a year membership of Les Billanges Association, which brings with it other social opportunities.
27 JANUARY 2015 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu COMMUNITY ♦
France. Contact: www.meltingpot-limousin.comCharente Limousine ExchangeThe Charente-Limousine-Exchange (CLE), founded in 2003, aims to improve the provision of French language courses and to share experiences and skills among members who live in Charente, Vienne and Haute-Vienne. CLE provides information to members living and/or working in France and works with local communities and organisations to tackle practical issues through forums and workshops, as well as organising a wide range of cultural and social events throughout the year. The recent launch of English lessons has been well attended by Confolentais. If you would like to know more about this group of volunteers, please look on our new website www.charente-limousine-exchange.com or contact the Chairman, Barry Leech, on 06 35 96 77 46.
Libraries & BooksSale of Second-hand Books, La Croisille-sur-BrianceOn the 18th of every month, during the monthly market at La Croisille-sur-Briance (87130), there is a sale of second-hand books (both English and French) from 9am to 12 noon, at the old garage in La Place - next door to the pharmacy. All proceeds towards the restoration of the church.La Souterraine English Library and Information CentreLocated in the historic Porte de Puy Charraud, at 10 rue de Portail, La Souterraine, we are a lively, well-stocked English language library with almost 10,000 books and media available to borrow. We have an attractive cafe which serves tea, coffee and a range of home-made cakes. There is also a regularly changing display of works by local artists and an interesting brocante area on the ground floor.The Library offers classes in French for English speakers with a professional teacher and also organises Anglo-French conversation groups in association with the Municipal Library in La Souterraine. There are also a number of thriving special interest groups, such as the Gardening Group, Camera Club, Friendship Group, etc.We also provide support & assistance in bureaucratic and administrative matters for both existing British residents as well as newcomers to the area. Whatever your interests don’t hesitate to pay us a visit and you will be made most welcome.We are open from 09.30 until 12.30, Mon, Thu, Fri & Sat. For more info tel 05 55 89 57 62 during opening hours or visit www.englishlibrary.frThe English Library, Dun-le-PalestelThe English Library, which has now been established for over 5 yrs, is situated in the Route des Rateries, beside the Bibliothèque Municipale, Parc Benjamin Bord. The library is a very welcoming meeting place, where you can come and enjoy a cup of tea, or coffee, whilst you browse through our collection of around 7,500 books, DVDs and talking books. Our opening hours are Thursdays, 10h00 – 16h00 and Saturdays 10h00 – 12h30. Also, on the first Tuesday of every month, 10h00 – 12h00, you are invited to join us for our Club Franglais, which welcomes people from all nationalities, to chat in French, English or any language you wish(!) whilst enjoying a cup of tea, and a piece of home-made cake. We host a range of other activities too, including the Café Philo, and Club
Scrabble, More information can be found on the Entente Cordiale website at www.ententecordiale-creuse.org or email us at [email protected]
MusicOpen Mic NightIf you like music and have ever fancied getting up and having a go, why not come along to our Open Mic Night at “Le Loch Ness” in La Souterraine town centre every Friday around 8.30pm.L'Orchestre Philharmonique de La SouterraineIf you or one of your family are interested in playing in an orchestra and think your standard might be adequate do get in contact with us. We meet weekly on Friday evenings in La Souterraine (apart from the summer holidays) to rehearse. Most of our concerts are around Xmas or May-July. Our members come from all over Limousin so lifts to and fro may be possible if necessary. Contacts: French language Marie-France Martinie 05 55 30 76 23 / English language Alan Kerr 05 55 56 34 52The HarmonicsThis is our 6th season of singing as a group. Our music is varied classical, madrigals, spiritual, songs from the shows etc and we sing in French, English, Swahili, Latin - whatever the music demands. Our concerts are in support of a variety of charities including the British Legion, L'Oregon at Civray and Retina and thus non profit making. We meet Wed 14h – 16h in the Salle d'Annexe behind the Mairie in Civray. Interested? We'd love to see you so contact: David Lee tel 05 49 87 53 93 email [email protected] or Dolly Ait Boualou email [email protected]
Support
Alcoholics AnonymousIf you or someone you know has a drinking problem, there are now English-speaking
meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous at Limoges, Périgueux and the recently opened meeting at Civray.Alcoholics Anonymous is a Fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership and A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. For details of the meetings or other information contact Roger 05 55 76 22 65 (Limoges), Ewen 05 53 05 76 62 (Périgueux) or Angela 05 49 87 79 09 (Civray).Other meetings in South-West France can be located on our web-site at aafrancesud-ouest.comEnglish-speaking council surgery...for residents of the commune of St-Léger-Magnazeix. Every 2nd Weds in the month, an English-speaking council surgery with councillors Manuela Stroescu and Patrick Johnson will take place at the Mairie between 11am and 12pm.Cancer Support France, Charente PlusOffers free and confidential support to English speakers affected by cancer in departments 16, 17 & 86. Our helpline number is 06 45 35 32 30. If you need any more information, please get in touch via [email protected] Support France, Haute-Vienne (supporting Creuse, too)We offer free and confidential support to English speakers affected by Cancer in the Haute-Vienne (87) and Creuse (23). Our helpline number is 06 04 43 39 87. If you would like more information or would like to become a member or help in any other way, please contact Sue Ware 05 55 00 31 15, [email protected] Finn CareRegistered charity Elizabeth Finn Care is able to offer direct financial assistance to British and Irish nationals or residents who live overseas. We ensure that our help does not affect any means-tested payments.For more information contact: Mary Hughes - Case worker France, Elizabeth Finn Care - tel 04 68 23 43 79 or visit www.elizabethfinncare.org.uk and www.turn2us.org.ukL’Association France Alzheimer DordogneCharitable organisation offering English-speaking support and guidance to anyone dealing with the day-to-day difficulties affecting those with dementia, their families and their carers and assistance with how to access the best provisions of care.English Helpline (available on Tuesday mornings between 10am and midday): 09 64 21 40 86.For more information email [email protected] or visit www.francealzheimer-dordogne.org
EASY MEDIUM HARD
We rely on you to help us keep these pages up to date, so please do
inform us of any changes to clubs and associations that you run or are
members of. Many thanks!!
SOS AnkoAnko was found wandering beside a road... He was in a terrible state, had hardly any fur and was just
skin and bones. At the vet and at the SPA the 9-year-old Rottweiler was pampered for quite a while, so now he has regained some weight. We
urgently seek a home or a foster home for Anko. He is blind, so he needs people who can give him a
stable home. As he cannot see his dog buddies, he is a calm friend, but we would prefer to place him in
a home without other dogs, for the same reason - he cannot “read” their visible signs. For walks, he is easy, it is more us who need some training
to see for a blind dog. Anko is an adorable buddy and after his terrible past we would really love to find a loving home for him.
Any questions, contact either the SPA Limoges on 05.55.48.06.75 or Katharina (volunteer) for information in English on 06.66.24.95.49.
Thank you!
Phoenix dog BRADLEY needs a homeBRADLEY is an 8-year-old male Fauve de Bretagne Cross who just loves his new life at Phoenix since we rescued him from the pound.
He’s a happy-go-lucky, active boy who is good with people and other dogs and he has showed little interest in cats.
He needs lots of love and a secure garden.
Bradley is chipped, castrated, vaccinated and de-parasited and if you’d like to meet him, please contact Margaret & Gary White on 05 45 30 10 39 or email [email protected]
For more photos of Bradley or for details of other animals awaiting homes, visit
FRIDAYAigurandeAixe-sur-VienneAmbazacBessines-sur-GartempeBosmie l’Aiguille (16h - 19h30)BujaleufChâlus (except 2nd Fri)ChâteauponsacChâtelus-MalvaleixCouzeix (16h30 - 19h30)Le Dorat FelletinLimoges (place des Bancs et Beaubreuil)NexonPierre-BuffièreRochechouartSt-Etienne-de-FursacSaint-Sulpice-LaurièreVerneuil-sur-Vienne(15h-18h30)
SATURDAYAixe-sur-Vienne
AubussonBellacBonnatBussière-PoitevineChâteauponsacCondat-sur-VienneEymoutiersFeytiatFlavignacGuéretLa ChâtreLa Jonchère-St-MauriceLa SouterraineLimoges (place des Bancs et place Marceau)Le Palais-sur-VienneMainsat (4th Sat only)NantiatPeyrat-le-ChâteauRochechouartSaint-JunienSt-Léonard-de-NoblatSaint-MathieuSaint-Yrieix-la-Perche
BY DAY1: (prev day if public holiday): Bellac3: Bellegarde-en-Marche3: Châteauponsac5: Bussière-Poitevine5: Chénérailles6: Bussière-Boffy8: Compreignac9: Saint-Sulpice-Laurière11 (Sat if 11 is a Sun): Bessines-sur-Gartempe 13 (Sat if 13 is a Sun): Le Dorat15: Oradour-sur-Glane17: Mortemart18: La Croisille-sur-Briance; La Jonchère-Saint-Maurice20: Chénérailles21: Ambazac; Saint-Sulpice-les-Feuilles22 (Mon if 22 is a Sun): Magnac-Laval23: Razès; St Laurent sur Gorre24: Nantiat25: Blond - St Paul26: Nouic; Rochechouart28: Cieux29: Laurière
All Markets & Foires are in the morning unless stated otherwise. If your local mar-ket is not listed, please let us know - [email protected]
Bistrots d'Hiver10 January - 15 March
The Bistrots d'Hiver are back (see poster below)to liven up winter Sundays
in and around the Plateau de Millevaches.
Organised by the associationPays'Sage, this season sees a diverse
