'The Deux-Sèvres Monthly' June 2014

CONTENTS

Welcome! to Issue 40 of‘The Deux-Sèvres Monthly’ magazine.

Issue 40? Wow! How time flies...

You’ll be sure to find something to keep you entertained this month. In this busy issue there are many summer fairs, markets, open days and sales listed -‐ you’ll be glad to stop and rest afterwards!

Featured this month is the bustly town of Bressuire which, coincidentally, is the home of

the ‘Grand Prix Automobile Historique’ at the end of the month. We’ve found in the past that the best day to watch the demonstrations is on the Sunday, which leaves Saturday the 28th free to visit other local events. I’m looking forward to it and seeing some of you there!

As this year sees the 100th anniversary of the start of WW1, we’d love to include any stories or information about this historic event. If you have anything of interest, please contact me and I’ll do my best to publish it.

Have a great month and see you next time.

Tel: 05 49 70 26 21Email: [email protected] website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr

THIS MONTH’S ADVERTISERS

C’est un carton! (Workshops)..............................................................................Café des Belles Fleurs..........................................................................................Camping Les Prairies du Lac................................................................................Caniclôture (Hidden Fencing for Dogs)...............................................................Carlill-‐Strover Building.........................................................................................Chez Tante Mabel (Dolls House items, Cakes, Gift Ideas)...................................Chris Bassett Construction..................................................................................Chris Parsons (Heating/Electrical/Plumbing)......................................................Chris the Handyman............................................................................................Christies (English Book Shop and Tea Room)......................................................Christophe Thomas (Fresh Fish & Seafood)........................................................Christophe Valteau (Rabbit meat).......................................................................CJ Electricité.........................................................................................................Cleaning Services by Karen..................................................................................Clean Sweep Chimney Services...........................................................................Currencies Direct (Money Transfers)...................................................................Cut 46 (Hair Salon)..............................................................................................DB Electricité.......................................................................................................D.W Cooper (Carpenter, Roofer, Mason).............................................................David Cropper (Stump Grinding & Jungle Busting)............................................David Watkins (Chimney Sweep)........................................................................D.J Maintenance (Handyman)............................................................................Domaine de l’Enchantoir (Vineyard)...................................................................Double Glazing Installation -‐ Haynes Carpentry..................................................Down to Earth Pool Design (Swimming Pool Design & Construction)................Duncan White -‐ Agent Commerciale..................................................................EcoPower (Solar Thermal Trading Company)......................................................Electricien Anglais en France..............................................................................Emilie Baudrez (French Classes and Translation)................................................Famous Furniture in France.................................................................................Franglais Deliveries.............................................................................................GAN Assurances..................................................................................................George Rayner Computers..................................................................................Give the Dog a Comb (Dog Grooming)................................................................Hallmark Electronique (Electricians & Sat. Engineers)........................................Harris Homes & Gardens.....................................................................................Heather’s Pet Care Services.................................................................................Holistic Therapy -‐ Soul to Sole.............................................................................Homes in France..................................................................................................I C O Electricté.....................................................................................................Insink Plumbing...................................................................................................Jean-‐Pierre Sireau (Parthenaise Beef)................................................................John Pate (Renovations).....................................................................................Jon the Carpetman..............................................................................................Julia Hunt -‐ Agent Commercial............................................................................Keith Banks (Swimming Pool Maintenance).......................................................L’Eco-‐Pain Bio (Organic breads & brioches)........................................................La Deuxieme Chance (Annie Sloan chalk paint supplier)....................................Le Pub des Halles.................................................................................................Lawrence Associates (Renovations etc)..............................................................Leggett Immobilier..............................................................................................Le Petit Cadeau...................................................................................................Le Tour de Finance..............................................................................................Mad Hatter’s Kitchen...........................................................................................Man & Van...........................................................................................................Man For Hire........................................................................................................Michael William Hairdressing.............................................................................ML Computers.....................................................................................................Motor Parts Charente..........................................................................................Musée de Tumulus de Bougon............................................................................Mutuelle de Poitiers Assurances.........................................................................Nathan Foster Building Services..........................................................................Needa Hand Services...........................................................................................Pamela Irving (Massage & Reflexology)..............................................................Pascale Matéo (French Tuition)...........................................................................Philip Irving (Mini Digger hire).............................................................................Plan-‐170 (Professional Scale Drawings)..............................................................Point P (Builder’s Merchants)..............................................................................Poissonnerie l’Ocean (Fresh Fish).......................................................................Poissonnerie Renoux (Fresh Fish)........................................................................Polar Express (Frozen Foods)..............................................................................Premier Autos (Mechanic)..................................................................................Première Classe Removals & Deliveries..............................................................Restaurant des Canards.......................................................................................Rob Berry Plastering Services..............................................................................Robert Walker Plomberie (Plumbing & Heating Engineer).................................Ross Hendry (Interface Consulting & Engineering).............................................Sarl Down to Earth (Fosse Installations & Groundworks)...................................Satellite TV...........................................................................................................SCP Notaires........................................................................................................Siddalls (Financial Advisors).................................................................................Silverwood Books................................................................................................Simon The Tiler....................................................................................................Spectrum IFA Group (Amanda Johnson).............................................................Simply Homes and Gardens................................................................................Steve Enderby......................................................................................................Sue Burgess (French Courses & Translation).......................................................The Craft Cabin (Handmade cards and card-‐making items)...............................The English Mechanic & Son -‐ Tony Eyre............................................................The Market..........................................................................................................Trisha Mobile Hairdresser....................................................................................Val Assist (Translation Services)...........................................................................Venus Rose Yoga..................................................................................................Yoga Vendée....................................................................................................

Emergency Numbers:15 SAMU, Medical17 Gendarmes, Police18 Pompiers, Fire

112 European emergency113 Drugs and alcohol

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<<The Deux-‐Sèvres Monthly>> est édité par Sarah Berry, La Bartière, 79130, Secondigny. Tél: 05 49 70 26 21. Directeur de la publication et rédacteur en chef: Sarah Berry. Crédits photos: Sarah Berry, Clkr, Shutterstock, GraphicStock et morgeufile.com. Impression: Raynaud Imprimeurs, zone industrielle, BP13, 79160, Coulonges-‐sur-‐l’Autize. Dépôt légal: juin 2014 -‐ Tirage: 5000 exemplaires. Siret: 515 249 738 00011 ISSN: 2115-‐4848

© Sarah Berry 2014. All rights reserved. Material may not be reproduced without permission. While care is taken to ensure that articles and features are accurate, Sarah Berry accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction. The opinions expressed and experiences shared are given by individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of the publisher. Please ensure you verify that the company you are dealing with is a registered trading company in France and/or elsewhere.

à plus, Sarah.

What’s On..........................................................................................Getting Out & About.........................................................................Le Coin Français.................................................................................A-‐Z of the Communes in the Deux-‐Sèvres.......................................Hobbies............................................................................................Clubs & Associations........................................................................Health, Beauty & Fitness..................................................................Our Furry Friends...............................................................................Home & Garden..............................................................................French Life.......................................................................................Take a Break.....................................................................................Spotlight On.....................................................................................Communications.............................................................................Food & Drink...................................................................................Motoring..........................................................................................Building & Renovation.....................................................................Business & Finance..........................................................................Property...........................................................................................

79 Renovations....................................................................................................A La Bonne Vie (Restaurant)...............................................................................Abattage Service (Slaughter House)....................................................................Abord Immo (Estate Agent)................................................................................Ace Pneus (Tyre Supplier & Fitter)......................................................................Aerodrome de Couhé-‐Vérac...............................................................................Affordable UK Designs (Kitchens & UPVC Double Glazing).................................AKE Petits Travaux (Builder)................................................................................Alain Miot (Sawmill)............................................................................................Alan Pearce (Plumbing & Heating).....................................................................Andrew Longman (Plumber)..............................................................................ARB French Property...........................................................................................Arbrecadabra.com (Tree surgery)........................................................................Atelier JM Toledo (Rug Repairs & Cleaning)........................................................BH Assurances / Allianz.......................................................................................Bill McEvoy (Plumber / Heating Engineer)........................................................Blevins Franks Financial Management................................................................British Mobile Mechanic (John Purchase)...........................................................

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...continued.

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The Chaplaincy of Christ the Good Shepherd, Poitou-‐Charentes, hold English speaking monthly services.

• 1st Sunday at 10.30am: The Little Stone Church in Chef-‐Boutonne. Followed by tea & coffee.

• 2nd Sunday at 11.00am: the home of Ann White, Jassay• 4th Sunday at 10.30am: the Presbytery Rooms, rue de la Citadelle, Parthenay (opposite St Croix Church). Followed by tea & coffee, and a 'bring and share' lunch.

A warm welcome awaits everyone for a time of worship and fellowship. For further information about location of churches and what else is happening near you, please take a look at our website www.church-‐in-‐france.com or contact us by email: [email protected].

1st June -‐ Open Garden, Plant & Garage Sale + Vide Grenier10am -‐ 5pm at 5 rue du Gardou, 79330 Geay. Situated on the D938T -‐ look out for the balloons! Contact: 05 49 96 22 92.3rd June -‐ Quiz Night at Le Pub des HallesSee advert on P.31 for contact details.5th June -‐ Patchwork Expo & Dotty Rose Fabric SaleAt Maison pour Tous in L’Absie. 2pm -‐ 4pm. Browse, buy fabric/haberdashery or join the association. Contact Jenny 09 87 87 84 87.8th June -‐ House Clearance near St Aubin le Cloud10am -‐ 3pm. See advert on P.5.11th June -‐ A Filling Station talk by Rev Richard Fothergrill“What is genuine Christian Renewal?” 7.30pm. See advert on P.5.13th June -‐ Live Music Night ‘The Attic Band’ play at Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux at 8.30pm. See ad on P.31.14th June -‐ Expo of Lacemaking with BobbinsAt Exoudun, 10am -‐ 6pm. Free entry. Exhibition, trade stands & refreshments. 14th & 15th June -‐ Artists’ Studio TourOrganised by Art’Musements. A tour of local artist’s studios. For more info see P.6.15th June -‐ Aidez Association’s Summer MarketAt la salle des fêtes, St Germain-‐de-‐Longue-‐Chaume. 11am -‐ 5pm.17th June -‐ Le Tour de FinanceAn ideal opportunity to ask questions about finance and healthcare in France. At Chateau de St Loup from 10am. Please see advert on P.43 for further info.18th June -‐ Quiz NightAt Restaurant des Canards, Chef Boutonne. See ad on P.30.20th & 21st June -‐ Guiness Book of Records AttemptFundraising event, see P.7 for further details.21st June -‐ Fête de la MusiqueInternational music event. Search locally for events in your area.21st June -‐ The Mad Hatter’s BallAt The Mad Hatter’s Kitchen, Caunay. Evening dress, 4 course menu and live music. See advert on P.30.21st & 22nd June -‐ Moving Vehicles FestivalHeritage cars, motorcycles, trucks, tractors, military vehicles, fire engines at La Mothe Saint Heray. www.lefanalrouge79.jimdo.com.22nd June -‐ Rose du matinWalk and picnic through the vines of Puy Notre Dame. See ad on P.30 for details.22nd June -‐ Free Concert by Les ChanterellesThe Amity Singers join the Coulon based choir. At Coulon church, 7pm.25th June -‐ Book & Coffee MorningAt 45 rue du Bois Baudron, 79100 Mauzé Thouarsais from 10am.28th June -‐ Summer FairAt The Market, Luché sur Brioux. See ad on P.6.28th June -‐ NALA’s Summer FairAt Chateau de Puybelliard, 10am -‐ 7pm. See advert on P.7 for details.28th June -‐ Open House at Abattage ServiceSee how poultry is prepared to cook + other trade stands. From 10am. See advert on P.31 for details.28th & 29th June -‐ Grand Prix Automobile Historique, BressuireSee website: www.automobile-‐club79.com for info.

What’s Coming Up...

The Filling Station ~ Poitou-‐CharentesThe Filling Station is a network of local Christians of all denominations who meet together regularly for spiritual renewal and evangelism purposes. ALL WELCOME.

Please see our bilingual website for details of meetings and spring programmes www.thefillingstationfrance.com or contact 05 49 87 89 16 or email: [email protected]

ALL SAINTS, VENDEE - Puy de SerreWe hold two services each month, on the 2nd and 4th Sundaysat the church of St Marthe, Puy de Serre, at 11am.

After each service, tea and coffee is served in the parish room and everyone is invited to a `bring and share` lunch. For details of all our activities, our Services in the west of the Vendée, copies of recent newsletters and more information, please check our website: www.allsaintsvendee.fr

5th July -‐ First Aid Course in EnglishAt SDIS79 HQ in Chauray. See P.17 for further info.5th July -‐ Live Music NightWith rock group, ‘Coffees and Cigarettes’ at Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux.5th & 6th July -‐ 24 hours VTT (Mountain bike race)at Lake Lambon, Prailles. See www.arp79.com for more information.20th July -‐ 50th Anniversary Air ShowAt Couhé-‐Vérac airground -‐ see back page for details.

The Rendez-‐Vous Christian Fellowship A warm welcome awaits you at our meetings in the Vendée on the 1st & 3rd Sunday in the month at 11am. We meet at The Barn, off the D960B between Pouzauges and Chantonnay. Meetings last about an hour and are followed by a time of fellowship with refreshments. To find out more please contact Chris Taylor 09 60 49 78 50 or Des Vine 05 49 74 18 27 or visit: www.therendezvous.fr

June 2014What’s On...

4 | The Deux-Sèvres Monthly

The National Holidays, Religious and Feast Days 2014

Sunday 8th June ................. Pentacost (Pentecôte)Monday 9th June .............. Pentacost (Lundi de Pentecôte)Sunday 15th June ............... Fathers’ Day (Fête des Pères)Saturday 21st June ............. World Music Day (Fête de la Musique)Monday 14th July .............. National Day (Fête Nationale)Friday 15th August ............ Assumption of Mary (Assomption)Sunday 5th October ............ Grandfathers’ Day (Fête des Grand-‐pères)Saturday 1st November ..... All Saint’s Day (Toussaint)Monday 11th November ... Armistice Day (Armistice)Thursday 25th December ... Christmas Day (Noêl)

Dates in blue are celebration days, not public holidays

06

http://www.church-in-france.com/

http://www.church-in-france.com/

mailto:[email protected]


http://lefanalrouge79.jimdo.com/f

http://lefanalrouge79.jimdo.com/f

http://www.thefillingstation.france.com

http://www.thefillingstation.france.com

http://www.arp79.com

http://www.arp79.com


Paperback JanBooks in English

1st June: Café des Belles Fleurs, Fenioux 79160 2pm -‐ 4pm4th June: Cafe Cour de Miracle, Vouvant 85120. 2.30pm-‐ 4.30pm5th June: Brasserie Vue du Chateau, Bressuire 79300. 11am -‐ 1pm5th June: Bar le Palais, St Aubin 79450. 2pm -‐ 5pm 6th June: Bar de la Paix, Thouars 79100. 11.30am -‐ 2pm6th June: Tipsy Bar, Coulonges 79160. 4pm -‐ 6pm11th June: Le Don Jon Bar, Moncontour 86330. 4pm -‐ 6pm12th June:Pause! Cafe, L’Absie 79240. 2pm-‐ 5pm13th June: Jan’s home, La Ferriére-‐en-‐Parthenay 79390. 11am-‐ 4pm14th June: Café Le Chauray, St Maixent l’Ecole 79400. 10am -‐ 1pm15th June: Salle de Fêtes, St Germain de Longue Chaume 10am-‐5pm25th June: Jan’s home, La Ferriére-‐en-‐Parthenay 79390. 11am-‐ 5pm26th June: Le Relais des 2 Moulins, Clessé 79350. 4pm-‐ 6pm

For more info contact Jan on:06 08 30 73 29 or email: [email protected]

Mr T’s Friterie

With regular venues at:• Aulnay 17470 (from 6pm) • Matha 17160• Gourville 16170

See www.frying2nite.com for details or call 06 02 22 44 74

Open 6.30-9pm(incl. Bank Holidays)

• St Hilaire de Villefranche 17770• St Jean d’Angély 17400

Reel Fish & Chips

Sun 1st Etusson Village Fete 12H30 -‐ 14H00Weds 4th & 18th Etusson Canteen 18H30 -‐ 21H00Thurs 5th St Martin de Sanzay 18H30 -‐ 21H00

Reduced dates this month as REEL FISH AND CHIPS are charity fundraising -‐ by trekking Mount Everest up to 5500m. Sponsorship and donations accepted at our venues for Cancer Research and The Heart Foundation.

Tel: 06 04 14 23 94 ~ www.reelfishandchips.net

Open 6.30-9pm

Fish 4 Chip

Mondays: Bar Tilleuls, Champniers (near Civray)Tuesdays: Sauzé-Vaussais (Main square)Wednesdays:Chef Boutonne (near Chateau)Thursdays: Sauzé-Vaussais - Evening. (Main square)Fridays: Mansle (Car park of Simply Supermarket)

Tel: 06 37 53 56 20 ~ www.mobilefishandchipsfrance.com

Open 6 - 8pm

La Vendée Chippy

Wednesdays: Bar ‘Auberge le St Vincent’, St Vincent SterlangesThursdays: Bar ‘La Rando’, Mervent.Fridays: Bar ‘Au Bon Coin’, Thoursais Bouildroux

For more info please visit website: www.lavendeechippy.com

Open 6 - 8.30pm

+ 7th June: Bar Le Lys @ La Chapelle aux LysMondays:Tuesdays:

Wednesdays:Thursdays:

Fridays:Saturdays:

Sundays:

• Benet 85490• Lencloître (1st Monday in month) 86140• Lezay 79120• Coulonges-sur-l’Autize 79160• Thouars 79100• Bressuire 79300• Parthenay 79200• Sauzé-Vaussais 79190• Niort 79000• La Mothe Saint-Héray 79800• Thouars 79100• Melle 79500• Bressuire 79300• Chef-Boutonne 79110• Airvault 79600• Niort 79000• Coulon 79510• Saint-Maixent-l’École 79400• Neuville-de-Poitou 86170• Coulon 79510

Local Markets

Phot

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isa

Robe

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Top Hat Quiz & Curry

2nd June: Limalonges5th June: Chef Boutonne9th June: Theil Rabier 11th June: Aigre12th June: ChampniersTel: 05 45 71 70 91 ~ more info at www.tophatquizzes.com

From 7pm

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http://www.frying2nite.com

http://www.frying2nite.com

http://www.lavendeechippy.com

http://www.lavendeechippy.com

http://www.tophatquizzes.com

http://www.tophatquizzes.com

Getting Out & About...


Studio Tour between the rivers l’Autize and l’EgrayOn the weekend of 14th/15th June, fourteen artists (painters, photographers and sculptors) from over seven communes will open their studios, and some of them their gardens, to the public between 2pm and 7pm each day.

A leaflet of the tour containing the addresses of the artists and photos of some of their works will be available in shops and public places. And from 31st May there will be an exhibition of a work by each of the artists at the ‘Bar à Thym’, La Véquière (on the D745 between Champdeniers and Béceleuf, for those of you without GPS!) Tel: 06 85 12 90 05.

And, if you would like to meet the artists in a festive atmosphere, on Saturday 14th June starting at 7.30pm there will be an apero-‐concert with a free glass of rosé and a meal for 10€ at the ‘Café du Centre’, Béceluf. Reservations would be appreciated for the meal (contact Bruno Guilbaud on 06 03 22 32 52).

The tour is organized by the associauon Art’Musements. Contact Nathalie Delbois: 05 49 05 32 61.

SUMMER MARKETSUNDAY 15th JUNE

Organised by Aidez Association

Salles des FêtesSt Germain-de-Longue-

Chaume (79200) Open from 11am - 5pm

Good variety of 30+ stalls

Money raised will benefit local French Charities. Free Entry

Above: Alain Simonnet’s studio in Coulonges-sur-l’Autize.

Art''m

usements

FREE Music For ALL!Imagine an evening of outdoor entertainment on a warm summer solstice. Entry is free, the musicians perform for free and anyone can play any music without paying performing rights fees. Debutant musicians and singers can perform alongside seasoned professionals. All around is the spirit of festival and encouragement, while everyone joins in the massive celebration of music that occurs all over France on the same day and in over 100 other countries.

This isn’t one of John Lennon’s dreams or some pagan ritual -‐ This is ‘La Fête de la Musique’.

On 21st June every year events spring up in streets, parks, bourgs, hospitals and a plethora of venues with all musical styles. Initiated nationally by Jack Lang, the Ministère de Culture, in 1982, within three years it grew into a European event and then went global. Now you can find a ‘Fiesta’, ‘Festa’ or ‘Music Day’ from Montevideo to New York, Nairobi, Madrid, Glasgow, Istanbul and across to Sydney, to name a few.

But the size of the town may not reflect the size of the fête. In Paris, along with the spectacular shows one can ‘sérénade sur pavé’, while in the Haute-‐Vienne village of Maisonnais-‐sur-‐Tardoire (87440) the bourg opens at 6pm for a free variety concert with more than twelve acts over three hours, with the usual buvette, food and even local ice-‐cream for a warm summer’s evening.

So wherever you are, go along to support your artistes and join in with all that enthusiasm in this wonderful worldwide celebration of music.

Bon fête! More info on www.fetedelamusique.culture.fr and local culture/tourism web sites.


Le record du GoëlandOn June 20th-‐21st, L’Association des Randonneurs du Val d’Argent (REVA) will attempt to beat the Guinness Book of Record’s record for the longest distance travelled on horseback or carriage in a relay over 24 hours.

L’Association le Goëland Amities Pays de la Loire, who will profit from this event, represents people touched by a rare genetic illness called Fragile X Syndrome (the second cause of intellectual deficiency after Trisomy 21). The association endeavours to inform the public of the syndrome, is involved in the development of research and helps sufferers. They created a farm in Roussay to provide a range of activities, which has welcomed 38 adults since 2008. A second specialised centre for life-‐skills is planned in the Loire region.

Edgar is the ambassador for the ride (see photo right). He is 14 years old, has a lovely smile, big brown eyes and is a nephew of one of the REVA volunteers. For several years his parents didn’t have any answers to the questions raised by their son’s different behaviour. But, after learning that another family member had just been diagnosed with Fragile X, Edgar was screened and found to be a sufferer too.

Edgar loves horse riding and his favourite horse is Fauvette and they will be participating in the final stage of the relay.

Leaving Friday, June 20th at 6.30pm from Longeville, Conches-‐sur-‐Mer and arriving Saturday June 21st at Le Pin near Cerizay. The randonnée is free and the pace of the relay will be controlled and calm with both horses and riders in mind and will be on public paths and off paved roads. Many associations have helped and bio degradable balloons can be purchased for two euros and will be released at the end of the event (prizes for the winner).

For more information please email: [email protected]

CONCERT'A'COULONLe'Chœur'de'Femmes'Chanterelles

invite la choraleAmity Singers de Jersey

ILES%ANGLO%NORMANDESGrand Programme de Musiques variées

du XVIème au XXème siècleMusique sacrée Jazz Gospel et Chansons Folkloriques

Eglise de CoulonDimanche 22 juin à 19 h

Entrée'libre

2nd Sunday Club, 5th Season!We are now in our 5th season with the 2nd Sunday Club which started in May 2010. Last year was a challenging one with the decision taken to have a committee created and a fee for membership, along with the purchase of insurance to cover any eventuality on our club runs.

Last year was also a challenging year for my husband, Ian, and I as he was diagnosed with primary liver cancer and has been undertreatment for it ever since. We sold our old Triumphs and went for more modern bikes for their reliability.

Our committee consists of :-‐• Caroline Self President• Penny Homewood Secretary• Ian Self Treasurer• Dave West Web Master

Our members now total a round 40 peop le w i th approximately 25 bikes. The membership fee is 10€ per rider and per passenger and 5€ for associate members.

This season we plan to start from different starting points to vary the routes we ride, which will be published on the club's website www.2ndsundayclub.fr.

One of the charities that we are supporting is ADAPEI, which is based just outside La Caillere St Hilaire and we were pleased to meet with them on Easter Saturday to present them with a donation.

We always welcome new members and if you are interested please contact Penny Homewood on [email protected] or Caroline Self on [email protected]

Happy and safe biking everyone.


Combined Services Support Group(CSSG)We had a most enjoyable day at Le Ferriere-‐en-‐Parthenay last month selling tea, coffee and cakes and we also had a Tombola stall and a brocante space. Apart from a short howling gale and a spurt of torrential rain, a great day was had by all. Many thanks to those of you who supported us by donating cakes and goods, and then went on to spend your money with us for a good cause.

We will be holding a Summer Garden Party at La Bourrichere, St Pardoux on 27th July. If you would like to have a trade stand at this event, please contact John Blair at [email protected]. The cost of a stand is 10€. Reel Fish and Chips will be there and cakes have been requested from our regular cake makers to enjoy with your tea or coffee. Keynotes Choir have agreed to sing for us and 3+1 will be there to entertain you. Please come along and enjoy the day.

So, where shall we be this summer?Here’s a list of events so far...

1st June: Plant and Garage Sale in Geay, with our tombola15th June: Aidez Summer Market, St Germain with tombola28th June: Race Night, Fenioux with a chicken and chips supper (This is a ticket only event, please email: [email protected]).27th July: La Bourrichere, Summer Garden Party.

The next breakfast meeting of the Combined Services Support Group (CSSG) will be on 14th June, at Cafe des Belles Fleurs in Fenioux. If you would like breakfast prior to the meeting, please contact Pauline Tonks at [email protected] and she will be pleased to make your reservation. Breakfast is at 10am, the meeting is at 11am.

We are always looking for more friends to join our busy group, so come along to any of the above and be assured of a warm welcome.

Contact CSSG by email: [email protected]

by Terri Laverick

Contact ‘The DSM’ magazine...

Call Sarah on 05 49 70 26 21 oremail: [email protected]

Vocabulary / vocabulaire :

by Sue Burgess

un feu de joie...................................... bonfire

allumer................................................ to light

une bûche........................................... log

une allume-‐feu................................... a fire-‐lighter

les braises........................................... embers

les centres........................................... ashes

la flamme............................................ flame

la fumée.............................................. smoke

des chamallows grillés....................... toasted marshmallows

sauter.................................................. to jump

il n’y a pas de fumée sans feu............ there’s no smoke without fire

il n’y a pas le feu................................. it’s not urgent

un feu de cheminée............................ a chimney fire

un feu de forêt................................... wildfire

éteindre le feu.................................... to put out the fire

une allumette..................................... a match

un briquet.......................................... a cigarette lighter


Saint John’s Day BonfiresThe summer festival of Saint Jean (fête de la saint Jean) is traditionally accompanied by large bonfires (feux/feux de joie). The festival celebrates St John the Baptist and is held on the 24th June.

The festival is close to the summer solstice (le solstice d'été) which has always been celebrated and, as with many other festivals, la fête de la Saint Jean has its origin in Pre-‐Christian festivities.

Le Bûcher de la Saint-‐Jean (St John's log) used to be celebrated in Paris. The bonfire was traditionally lit by the King of France himself on the Place de Grève -‐ now known as Place de l'Hôtel-‐de-‐Ville. The tradition lasted until 1648 and Louis XIV was the last king to officiate.

In most of the parishes of France the Fête de la Saint-‐Jean was traditional. There were games (jeux) and rites of passage (rites de passage) which were also the moment to welcome youngsters who had reached their teens as members of the singles club (la bachellerie) of the village. The King and Queen of the Youth (le roi et la reine de la Jeunesse) were elected. There was always an evening party (une veillée) with lots of singing and dancing around a large bonfire made of logs (bûches) which the youngsters had gone round the houses begging for (mendier) a few days earlier.

In the Poitou Charentes and the Limousin when the flames died down (baisser), the boys in particular used to jump over the fire to show what they were capable of. This tradition was carried on until very recently in some of the villages around Niort (and may still be carried out today).

Le Coin Français

ARTICLES....Nous sommes toujours à la recherche de

nouveaux articles à publier pour les éditions futures. Avez-vous une expérience à

partager? Quoi qu'il en soit, que ce soit long ou court, nous aimerions vous lire.

Vous pouvez appeler Sarah au 05 49 70 26 21 pour proposer des idées ou les envoyer par courriel

à: [email protected]


Qui est pour le tennis?Ce mois-‐ci verra le début de Wimbledon, l'un des quatre événements «Grand Chelem» dans le calendrier du tennis et le seul événement à être joué sur gazon.

Les premiers championnats de Wimbledon ont été joués en 1877 après le désir de jouer au tennis compétitivement, conduisant à la création de clubs de tennis. Les championnats nationaux américains simples dames ont eu lieu en 1887 et la Coupe Davis, une compétition annuelle entre les équipes nationales, date de 1900 .

Le tennis a une longue histoire dérivée du jeu français «le jeu de paume», mais sa considération comme sport moderne peut être datée de deux origines distinctes.

La première, en 1859, quand un avocat basé à Birmingham, le major Thomas Henry Gem et son ami Batista Pereira, jouèrent à un jeu sur une pelouse à Edgbaston qu'ils nommèrent "pelote", d'après un jeu de balle espagnol. En 1872, les deux hommes s'installèrent à Leamington Spa, et avec deux médecins de l'hôpital Warneford jouèrent à la pelote sur la pelouse derrière l'hôtel “le Manor House Hotel”. Pereira rejoignit le Dr Frederick Haynes et le Dr A. Wellesley Tomkins pour fonder le premier club de tennis sur gazon dans le monde, et jouèrent à ce jeu sur les pelouses à proximité. Ils formèrent de Leamington Tennis Club en 1874 et créèrent les règles originales du jeu. L'un des premiers tournois de tennis semble avoir eu lieu dans le parc du Maquis Hall en Juillet 1884.

La deuxième origine remonte à Décembre 1873, le major Walter Clopton Wingfield conçut un jeu similaire pour l'amusement de ses invités lors d'une réception mondaine (garden party) sur sa propriété de Nantclwyd au Pays de Galles. Il fonda le jeu sur l'ancien sport de tennis en salle ou vrai tennis (real tennis/"royal tennis"), qui fut inventé en France au 12ème siècle et joué par des aristocrates jusqu'à l'époque de la Révolution française.

Voyant le potentiel commercial du jeu, Mjr Wingfield tenta de le breveter en 1874, mais n'y parvint jamais. Le tennis se répandit rapidement parmi les classes aisées en Grande-‐Bretagne et aux Etats-‐Unis et depuis de nombreuses années fut principalement un sport du monde anglo-‐saxon.

L'Open d'Australie, l'Open français, Wimbledon et l'US Open sont devenus et sont restés des événements les plus prestigieux du tennis. Ensemble, ces quatre événements sont appelés le Grand Chelem et gagner un tel tournoi, en remportant ces quatre titres en une année civile, est la plus haute ambition de la plupart des joueurs de tennis.

L’Open d’Australie: 13 -‐ 26 janvier 2014L’Open français: 25 mai -‐ 8 juin 2014Wimbledon: 23 juin -‐ 6 juilletL’US Open: 25 août -‐ 8 septembre 2014

« Cream Tea »C'est devenu la tradition en Angleterre pour profiter d'un «cream tea» ou des fraises et de la crème tout en regardant les Championnats de tennis de Wimbledon.....

Un thé à la crème comprend une tasse de thé avec du lait et un scone de fruit, coupé en deux, beurré et recouvert de confiture de fraise, surmonté de crème chantilly (ou de crème fraîche épaisse). La recette est ci-‐dessous -‐ alors pourquoi ne pas l'essayer pour vous ?

Pour en faire 6-‐8:• 50g de beurre• 225g de farine• 3 cuillères à café de levure• 1/2 cuillère à café de sel• 30g de sucre en poudre• 50g de raisins secs/fruits secs• 150ml de lait• 1 oeuf battu avec un peu de lait

Préparation:1. Préchauffer le four à 400F/205°C/Gaz : th. 6-‐72. Graisser généreusement une plaque de cuisson avec du beurre

puis saupoudrer de farine.3. Tamiser la farine dans un grand saladier, ajouter le beurre en

cubes, la levure et le sel.4. Frotter rapidement le beurre dans la farine du bout des doigts

jusqu'à ce que le mélange ressemble à une fine chapelure.5. Ajouter le sucre et les fruits secs, bien mélanger.6. Faire un puits au centre et à l'aide d'un couteau, ajouter

suffisamment de lait pour faire une pâte molle et flexible.7. Si la pâte est trop collante saupoudrer avec un peu de farine.8. Renverser la pâte sur une planche farinée et la pétrir très

légèrement jusqu'à ce qu'elle soit lisse puis étaler-‐la légèrement pour obtenir 2cm/¾" d'épaisseur.

9. Découper des ronds de 7,5 cm/2" de diamètre ou des triangles à l'aide d'un couteau pointu.

10. Les déposer sur la plaque du four et badigeonner avec le mélange d'oeufs et de lait battu. Cuire dans le haut du four chaud pendant 15 minutes ou jusqu'à coloration dorée et bien levés.

Laisser refroidir sur une grille avant de manger et servir avec du beurre, ou une montagne de confiture et de crème.C'est délicieux!

View from Court 12 at Wimbledon

Photo: Carine06, WikiCommons

A-Z of the Communes in the Deux-Sèvres...LA FERRIÈRE-EN-PARTHENAY

La Ferriere-‐en-‐Parthenay is a commune on the edge of the Deux-‐ Sèvres bordering the Vienne. The inhabitants of la Ferriere-‐en-‐Parthenay are the Ferrariens and the Ferrariennes. The main road from Poitiers to Nantes, the N149 crosses the commune, as does the river Vendelogne.

La Ferrière gets its name from the richness of its soil in iron. From the earliest times, itinerant founders worked on the iron and later the iron was used to supply the forge at La Peyratte.

The existence of a Roman camp probably gave its name to the farm of le Châtelier. In the forest of Magot, where there is a tumulus, a flint axe has been discovered.

The church of La Ferrière was given between 1037 and 1039 to the abbey of Cormery, by a certain Simon of Parthenay Larchevêque. He got important privileges for the creation and expansion of the market town around the church. The church that we can see today was rebuilt in the 1830s. At the edge of the Forest of le Roux, the hamlet of la Verrerie reminds us of the glassmakers of La Ferrière who in 1466 obtained from the Abbess Sainte Croix of Poitiers permission to cut the ferns used for their ovens on her lands at Vasles. There were two open quarries for iron which were exploited for a long time. A stone quarry occupied a few workers and the tile and brick works at Magot supplied the local masons. Two lime kilns were working in La Ferrière in 1860.

La Forge à fer (the Iron Forge) at La Peyratte owes a lot to La Ferrière. La Ferrière supplied the iron and the wood for burning which was cut from the local woods. These famous woods welcomed hunters like Louis XI in the spring 1470 and François I in 1543.

Today the châteaux and manor houses are private residences.

A VOIR / MUST SEE• The Church -‐ dedicated to Saint Vincent, the patron saint of wine-‐growers. The three bells are called Vincent Léonce, Maire and Rémy. A legacy from Monsieur Bertrand Arthur allowed a clock to be installed in August 1917.

• The Town Hall, which was built in 1875 as the boys' school. • The Wash-‐houses. Lavausseau wash-‐house was built in 1858. Access is by a small sloping pathway. It was renovated in 1997.

• La Cacault wash-‐house is closer to the centre and easier to get to. It was built in 1909. Its roof was restored in 1999.

• La Salle des Fêtes. The old salle des Fêtes nicknamed «La Baraque» (the shed) was built by the Germans during the war and used as a canteen. After they left dances, films and wedding breakfasts rhythmed its life until 1970. The present salle des Fêtes was inaugurated in October 1969. It is currently undergoing complete renovation and refurbishment.

by Sue Burgess

More A-Z of the Communes of Deux-Sèvres next month...


Above: Historical image of La Place du Champ de Foire Above: the church at La Ferrière-en-Parthenay. Photos copyright: www.laferriere79.fr

Hobbies...More from local writer Alison Morton... Please see back issues of ‘The DSM’ if you would like to see previous articles.

Doing your ResearchYou’ll be writing your story and you'll discover you need to find out whether DNA testing existed in the 1980s or when the Romans swapped from segmented armour to chain mail. Or did they? And when did people start using zips in clothes?

Research comes in many shapes and sizes, from seeking out a forensic pathologist and requesting an interview, to spending hours searching through history books, contemporaneous accounts and academic articles on the internet and in the library. Fiction writers are often distracted, going for the shiny bits, poking at one idea before dropping it and moving on to the next glittering thing. Sometimes they become experts in their chosen subject almost to academic level. However, if you’re fascinated by your research area, it's likely that your passion will come through onto the page for the reader to enjoy.

The most difficult thing about research is knowing when to stop, to let it go, so that you can get on with your story. Known as ‘research thrall’ among writers, it’s a bit like Golum and the Ring. So, set a time limit for each session as well as for the whole book writing project. I try to limit it to roughly a third of my writing time.

With their ability to check facts at a few clicks of the mouse, readers expect you to be accurate. But although detail is important, 90-‐95% of what you have dug up shouldn’t end up in your book. You don’t want to be one of those writers who feels compelled to jam in every last detail about what kind of buttons that regiment wore on their jackets, how the corn was ground to go into the bread the heroine was eating, unless, of course, it’s vital to the story. It doesn’t matter that you took 10 hours, 10 days or 10 years to learn all this stuff, the reader doesn’t want an ‘info dump’ in the middle of an absorbing story.

Drip-‐drip is the best way, leaving little flashes of colour, hints about atmosphere and setting, whispers of sounds woven into the action. Most readers understand a castle on a hill. Have your heroine dirty her skirt when crossing the muddy yard, tread carefully avoiding the horse-‐droppings, smell the harsh lye soap from the laundry women’s tubs, step back when the lord rides through the stone gateway. Bet you can see that castle courtyard…

If there are strange words or technical terms, use them carefully and explain without explaining. “She turned her back to me and took her time running her fingers over the pommel and down the creamy wire-‐inlaid grip of a ceremonial pugio dagger in the open glass display cabinet. The grooved, waisted blade was flat and wide with razor-‐thin edges. It was twenty centimetres of meanness.” (PERFIDITAS).

By adding ‘ceremonial’ and ‘dagger’ to pugio the reader then understands the Latin word. The detail gives us an idea of the almost ritualistic significance of the weapon and the character’s reaction to it shows there is danger and a distinct threat.

So whether you’re writing historic fiction, a space adventure or a coming of age in the Australian outback, your story needs to have strong elements of both good research and good writing.

Happy writing!

Alison Morton writes alternate history thrillers, blogs about wriNng and Romans at hPp://alison-‐morton.com/blog/


WW1 CENTENARY QUILTThis is a community project based in the UK, to commemorate, in fabric and thread, those who served with the Commonwealth Forces during the First World War.

If you would like to take part by embroidering a square with details of a family member or of someone who died in the war, please visit: w w w . s p a n g l e fi s h . c o m /firstworldwarcentenaryquilt. In return for a small donation, you will be sent the fabric, thread and instructions. High standards of embroidery are not necessary, as you can see by my example!

Profits are to be divided and donated to HelpforHeroes and Q4IS (Quilts for Injured Servicemen)

www.normandie-tourisme.fr

http://alison-morton.com/blog/

http://alison-morton.com/blog/


Lost But Never Forgotten...My father, Mr G.W.D Slack fought in the Normandy invasion. Like many others who served for our country in the Second World War he seldom spoke of his experiences. However there is one story he would recount to me as a child….

He had been given a heavy army pedal bike which he carried onto a boat, then carried it onto a loading craft and on arrival at Sword beach, Normandy, he then carried it ashore. After crossing the beach, under fire from the enemy, he was

still carrying his pedal bike which, of course, was very heavy by this time. He made his way to the road and was about to ride away, when he was told to get rid of his heavy load (the pedal bike) and walk, as there are mines everywhere.

My father often told me this story. So it came as no surprise that when he passed away in October 2013 he had left me his medals and this poem. I think this poem tells a lot a b o u t a m a n ’ s thoughts after the Second World War.

Lest we forget.

It’s always difficult writing this article because I am often writing before things have happened and anticipating the audience reaction. This was the case with our play in April, ‘Entertaining Angels’. I expected the play to be a success but your comments and emails exceeded my wildest expectations! Thank you for your appreciation and we are so glad you really enjoyed the play. Some of your comments can be seen on our website as will be news on the autumn production.

Keynotes have a very busy year ahead. The next performance will be in support of the Aidez Association Summer Market which will be held on the 15th June at St Germain-‐de-‐Longue-‐

Chaume. Lin Adams and her team always put on a good “do” so come along and hear us sing at about 2pm and perhaps join in, I’m sure you’ll know most of the songs.

Our full programme can be seen on the website but I will keep you up-‐to-‐date month by month through this article.

The Art SceneThe art group will be continuing during the summer months both at our normal venue in Secondigny and introducing a number of Plein Air sessions. Our latest programme for June and July, which will cover a wide range of topics, can be seen on our website.

As I mentioned last month, the Reaction Theatre Alternative Calendar Girls calendar appeal has now closed and thanks to your enormous support, we reached our target and 10,000€. We will be sharing the funds equally between Leukemia and Lymphona Research in the UK and the French Cancer research organisation ’Fondation de France’. Arrangements are being made to present the cheques to the two charities, so watch the local press for some smiling faces.

If you would like to join any or all of our sections, membership is a mere 12€ per year, possibly the bargain of the century.

Information on Reaction Theatre membership, Reaction Theatre and Keynotes performances past and future and The Art Scene meetings can be seen on www.reactiontheatre.fr or contact me for more information.

When you were only twenty,

They took you there for free,

In an old and battered L.C.I.,

Across the stormy sea,

They packed you up with goodies,

A mortar and a bike,

and sent you out all innocent,

to face a bit of strife.

They dropped you in the water,

with quite a resounding splash,

and you waded onto Sword beach,

For there was no going back.

They sent you across the sand there,

between two tapes of white,

and you dropped into the sand dunes,

with a mild attack of fright.

There were Warwicks to the left of you,

To the right the K.O.S.L.I.s,

and you wondered if ahead there was

a very quick demise.

Or might perhaps good fortune

have arranged things nice and calm,

so you could mount your trusty steed,

and cycle into Caen.

Alas, the best laid plans of man,

so often go awry,

'The road is mined, there is no way',

the stalwart sappers cry.

'Detour across the marshes',

so your valient leaders tell,

and so to your unridden bike,

you had to say farewell.

And thence through many a cornfield,at a crouching crawl you roam,While lying neath a hawthorn hedge,soon seemed like home from home,Then like the good old Duke of York,and his ten thousand men,they marched you up Lebisey,and they marched you down again.

Nigh Norfolk House you tarried,while the Generals studied form,doing reccies to the Chateau,still through fields of waving corn,until at crack of dawn one morning,with support from many a gun,you went back up to Lebisey,and got Gerry on the run.

When you were three and sixty,you went back there once more,by luxurious Sealink ferry,a return ticket well assured,the sea was like a millpond,so there was no mal-‐de-‐mer,and the only horror waiting,were the toilets at Honfleur.

You walked the length of Swordbeach,on a bright and sunlit day,oh so different from the last time,three and forty years away,you saw many well known places,for your memory had it right,but you had just one sad failure,you didn't find your bike.

by George Slack

Clubs & Associations...

FRANGLAIS at ThouarsWe are a French-‐English speaking group who meet at Centre-‐Socio-‐Culturel, Anne Desrays, Thouars on Wednesdays 7.30pm – 9.30pm. We welcome English speakers who want to improve their French. Come along or contact [email protected] for more information.

The Harmonics Singing GroupBased in the Salle d’Annexe in Civray. We meet each Wednesday 2pm-‐4pm. No experience necessary, just a willingness and commitment to learn. We sing all sorts of music in several languages. Contact: Dave Lee: 05 49 87 53 93 / [email protected]

Capella GroupIf you enjoy singing and would be interested in starting a close-‐harmony group near Chef-‐Boutonne, please get in touch! Email me, Christine for further information: [email protected]

We meet twice a month -‐ one for workshops and the other for informal chats and a light-‐hearted competition entry. If you would like to join us,

visit our websitewww.ttlphotographygroup.com

BOOK Group...meeting 2nd Thursday of the month from 3pm at Christies Tea Room & Bookshop, Gençay, 86160.Take a look at the Book Group page on the website: www.chezchristies.com for more information.

Alone in France?We are a group of people living alone in the l'Absie area who meet on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays at 11am for coffee at the Pause! café in l’Absie. Our lunches are at different venues each month. A warm welcome awaits you. More details from Frank 05 49 69 80 47.

ALL GIRLS TOGETHERCalling girls 18-‐80 for fun, laughter & support. We meet alternate Wednesdays at Fontenille, 2-‐5pm. Ring Viv for further information: 05 49 27 51 98. All Welcome.9/4: Jewellery Sale & 23/4 Coffee, chat & Restaurant Review.

Book Club Thouars. Do you enjoy reading a cracking story? And talking to others about it? Do you live in north 79, south 49 or north 86? Come along to our book club. Contact Alison Morton at [email protected] for details.

GARDENING CLUBWe meet every third Tuesday of the month, 14.30 with free tea/coffee & biscuits at Le Bon Vertoef, 28 Grand Rue, 79110 TILLOU. (nr Chef-‐ Boutonne). Everyone welcome for garden talk! For further information Mike Curtis 05 46 33 66 17 (eves)

Le Tallud Boules en boisare offering sessions every Wednesday (16h-‐18h) from April to September at the parc de loisirs, Le Tallud. Everyone welcome. Details from Rosemary Williamson via email: [email protected]

ARE YOU A MODEL RAILWAY ENTHUSIAST?If so, join a group of like-‐minded friendly modellers who meet on a monthly basis to visit member’s layouts and swap information. If you are interested please contact Gerry Riley for more information on 05 49 63 34 01.

Rubber BridgeAny Bridge players interested in making up an informal occasional 4? Email David Rowe: [email protected] or phone 05 49 63 26 57.

Hypnotherapy Slimming Group (Near Bressuire)Slimming group including Hypnotherapy, Metabolic, lymphatic and dietary ideas to let go of that weight once and for all ! Call Pamela Irving Dip MHCAH on 05 49 65 55 25 or e mail [email protected]

CLE helps you unlock the secrets to a happy and comfortable lifestyle in France. We provide information and organise

workshops, visits and charity events, enabling members to make new friends in the ex-‐patriot and French communities.

www.cle-‐france.com. Tel: 05 49 87 19 85

Can you help local French children? Jeff Wos is a teacher in le Collège Notre-‐Dame de Bressuire. He helps to organise trips to England for their pupils, but there are an unlucky few who won’t be going, and Jeff is looking for your help.

He needs a few friendly English people for an afternoon tea (2 hours), talk and fun with small groups of 11-‐12 year old pupils, between 16th -‐ 20th June.

If you are English, living near Bressuire and interested then please contact Jeff on 05 49 74 46 20 or [email protected]

Fitness Class with JamesA fun & lively Aerobic/fitness class run on a voluntary basis. Tuesday evenings 7-‐8pm at Salle De Fete in La Chappelle St EIenne. All ages, naIonality & gender welcome. 15€ membership for the year which covers insurances & room. For further details please email James: [email protected]








Nails by NicolaWith the summer on its way, we are often busy with visiting guests, holidays, children or just making the most of the glorious weather. We don't always have time to make sure our nails are looking and feeling great, but summer is the perfect time to show off our nails and experiment with new bright colours or traditional classics.

If you are finding that time flies by, why not take advantage of a time saving, ultra convenient and super easy solution to maintaining a flawless look to your nails............Wonderlack, a semi permanent nail polish solution.

Delivering a flawless, shiny finish in a wide choice of c o l o u r s , t h i s s e m i permanent nail polish can last up to three weeks. Even for hard working hands this fabulous solution gives the ultimate answer to chipped or peeling nail polish problems.

A semi permanent nail polish can be applied after any luxury manicure and pedicure. The application is simple and similar to that of a normal nail polish except finished with the Wonderlack varnish using a UV curing lamp. It’s simple, effective and mess free, plus it has the added advantage of zero drying time so there is no need to be waiting around in the salon for your nails to dry and it avoids finding smudged nails later on.

This semi permanent nail polish is a worry-‐free solution and lasts so much longer -‐ it’s an ideal solution for holidays, trips back to the UK etc.....no need to worry whilst you’re away for that special occasion. This is also a great solution for those who have hard working hands and feet....no need to hide your nails away just because you enjoy time outdoors or in the garden and no feet to hide in your fabulous summer shoe collection.

I have many happy clients who have taken advantage of this service and I can highly recommend a semi permanent nail polish solution. With the professional advice and aftercare I can offer you this is the ultimate in stress-‐free nail care.

So why not take advantage of this wonderful service and put your nail care worries to the bottom of your list this summer? Take advantage of this excellent offer -‐ book a luxurious manicure with Nails by Nicola and receive a Wonderlack manicure for free!

Health, Beauty & Fitness...


Yoga and the Art of Creating The Life You Want...

There are energy centres within your body, we call them 'Chakras', and they are a key aspect of Yoga. In fact, they are absolutely foundational. You have 7 main Chakras that run up your body from base to crown, each one corresponding to a colour of the rainbow. Without doubt, regular Chakra meditation will transform and uplift your life in ways that you never dreamt possible.

So here's a brief overview of your first chakra, the base chakra, muladhara...

This chakra is located at the base of the spine and is connected to the earth. It governs our most basic survival needs and sense of belonging. When it is blocked we are anxious, lethargic and insecure.

When balanced we are confident, full of energy and able to get new projects 'off the ground' easily...

“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.” Kahil Gibran

Abbey teaching at Venus Rose Yoga Sanctuary situated at the foot of The Melusine Tour in Vouvant.

Regular Group and Private Classes are held at The Yoga Sanctuary from Monday to Saturday. Morning Class: 11.30am-‐1.00pm and Afternoon Class: 2.00pm-‐3.30pm.Limited places available so please call and book.

Call Venus Rose Yoga: 06 35 15 60 60Email: [email protected]: www. thevenusyogaexperience.com

FREE INTRODUCTORY SESSION at

THE YOGA SANCTUARYCentre de Yoga et de Meditation

BEGINNERS WELCOMEWith Our Compliments

Call Now on 06 35 15 60 60

Chakra Meditation

Muladhara Shodhana (meaning 'to make pure' in Sanskrit)

Sit quietly and comfortably...

Close your eyes...

Feel the presence of the earth beneath you...

Cover yourself in a fountain of golden light...

Bring your awareness to your root chakra, muladhara at the base of your spine...

Inhale...

Exhale...

Softly and smoothly through the nose...

Visualize this chakra filled with red light...

Open your eyes...

Om Shanti...

Namaste

For daily inspiration follow me on my new blog: ‘Beauty Is The Way’: [email protected] and make it part of your new beauty regime! Siret No. 798-‐232-‐781 00012

Yoga SECRETS



Refresh Your First AidThe First Aid course, which should have been carried out in February, is now scheduled for the 5th July at Service HQ Chauray near Niort.

This course (which will be mainly in English) is one of two levels certified by the French authorities (i.e. for those with a responsibility to carry out First aid at a work place and this one for the general public.) A certificate will be given which is recognised throughout France.

The day will include how to use a defibrillator and practical hands-‐on instruction.

The emergency ambulance service is controlled by the Department and most of the personnel are volunteers. The target time for attendance is 20 minutes! I can assure you that they really do appreciate the fact that when they arrive and attend to a patient

they find that there is someone who has prepared the scene and can give good answers to any queries they h a v e , i t g i v e s t h em confidence in what they need to do.

Registration can be done through Service HQ or me, John Hoyland. The cost is 40€, with a deposit via cheque of 20€ payable to SDIS79 at the time the of booking. (This sum is set by the authorities and is in line with other organisations.) Full details of the day and directions will be sent out to those attending in due course.

To register please contact Anne Cestor (who speaks good English) at SDIS79 on 05 49 08 18 49 or email: a.cestor@sdis79 or me at [email protected].

Those previously registered will be included.

Cancer Support Deux-Sèvres (CSDS)

Cancer Support Deux-‐Sèvres has enjoyed a good and long-‐standing relationship with Niort Hospital’s Palliative and Oncology units in assisting patients suffering from Cancer. They identified a growing need for support and assistance with translation for these patients during their consultations.

In response, they invited us to enter into a formal arrangement whereby members of the Cancer Support Deux-‐Sèvres team could accompany their patients as translators during hospital visits. A contract to this effect was drawn up by the hospital which was formally signed by all parties in April this year. We have previously entered a contract with Parthenay hospital and are working towards the same south of Niort.

At the same time we made a donation of 5000€ to be shared between the EMSP (Equipe Mobile Soins Palliatifs) Oncology, Pneumonology and Gastroenterology departments. This donation will enable them to buy aids and equipment not covered by their normal budget.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to everyone who has donated to our association in order to make this possible... A big Thank You to all.

We have made donations to several hospitals in the past and are planning to make donations to Cancer researchers in the Deux-‐Sèvres. We are an active group supporting Cancer sufferers during their illness, treatment and rehabilitation and are always looking for volunteers, especially fluent french speakers.

If you feel that you would like to help cancer sufferers in your area and are interested in joining us or would like more information you can contact our President, June Searchfield.

Cancer Support Deux-‐Sèvres is affiliated to Cancer Support France(CSF). Donations can be made directly to CSDS.

by Denise Langford. Vice president.

Cancer Support Deux-SèvresAims to improve the lives of people affected by Cancer in the Deux-Sèvres. Contact June Searchfield on 05 49 64 59 96

Don’t Forget... our copy deadline

is the 15th of the month!

Our Furry Friends...

Tina Hatcher

Adoption Appeal...If you're looking for a cuddly cat to adopt Jessy, a one year old male, might fit the bill.

More details about Jessy and other cats looking for homes can be found at www.nosamislesanimaux.com

Nos Amis Les Animaux 85480 (NALA 85480). Tel: 07 70 31 54 59Email: [email protected]

Association GaliaDid you know that homeless animals outnumber homeless people 5 to 1? Or that only 1 in 10 dogs will spend its whole life in one home? It’s not surprising to see an unwanted dog/cat roaming the streets in even the smallest of towns. There are around 17 dogs to every 100 people in France, one of the highest ratios in the world.

Around 40 per cent of French people list their dogs as the most important thing in their lives (even more important than their lovers) and the French spend some €3 billion on them annually; there’s at least one ‘poodle-‐parlour’ (salon de toilettage) in every town.

On the other hand, many dogs are kept outdoors and some are almost permanently penned or chained. This is a heartbreaking reality we live with, but sometimes people find a way to help those dogs and cats in need, such as Association Galia in Fontenay le Comte.

Founded in 2008, Association Galia successfully re-‐home about 250 dogs each year and, sadly, the abandonment of dogs is on the increase. We are often in danger of going over the limits of our licence and have to rush to find foster families, this is due to the fact that we operate a NO Kill policy at our refuge.

When we receive a pooch at the refuge the first thing we do is check for the microchip, you would be amazed at how many do not have them despite it has been law here that all dogs born after 6th January 1999 must be given an official identifying number. This rule is designed to make it easier to find the owners of stray dogs and to reduce the incidence of ‘dog trafficking’.

Around 100,000 dogs are abandoned by their owners every year, many at the start of the long summer holiday or after the hunting season is over, and stray dogs are regularly rounded up and taken to the local pound (fourrière) to be destroyed.

The refuge in Fontenay le Comte does not have enough kennels, nor enough volunteers to help with the day to day cleaning and dog walking. Sadly, some of our pooches only get to go for walkies at the weekend, our regular daily helpers try so very hard to give each dog some 1 to 1 time so that they feel that someone cares for them and they are so grateful. If you could see the happy smiley face and the furious tail wagging when you have given them a kind word or rubbed their tummy, your heart would be captured.

How you can help......• Become a volunteer • Become a foster home• Join the association• Make a donation or sponsor a dog• Promote and advertise the refuge

As well as your help, we also always need blankets and towels.For more information, contact us...

Refuge de l'association GaliaChemin des perchées (ancienne déchetterie), 85200 Fontenay Le ComteTel : 02 51 52 06 19 or 06 28 18 13 72Email: [email protected]galia.forumactif.com


http://nosamislesanimaux.com/

http://nosamislesanimaux.com/

http://association-galia.forumactif.com/

http://association-galia.forumactif.com/

FIDEL..FIDEL is a calm sweet natured boy who is very affectionate and loves his cuddles.

Amazingly, given his awful previous existence, he is completely non-‐aggressive and just adores being in human company. However, we feel he would be more comfortable in a family with children over 5 years old, as the younger ones tend to frighten him with their noise and activity.

He's good with other dogs but we haven't had an opportunity to assess him with cats or other animals.

FIDEL is house-‐trained, non-‐destructive and walks nicely on his lead without pulling -‐ as yet he has not been assessed off his lead, so a safe and secure garden would be needed as he loves to play. He travels well in the car but, although normally non-‐barking, he DOES bark in the car -‐ it's the only time he does!!

FIDEL has been microchipped, neutered, vaccinated (not rabies) and treated for worms, fleas and ticks. An adoption fee of 120€ will be asked for towards his veterinary costs to date and Orfée will conduct a home visit prior to adoption.

If you would like more information about FIDEL please contact MARY: 05 49 50 69 41, email: [email protected] or CAROLINE: 05 45 96 02 79, email: [email protected]

HOOF (Horse Orientated Open Forum)HOOF is open to anyone with an equine interest.

You do not need to own a horse! We meet about once a month for talks, visits etc. Interested?

Contact Jo Rowe on: 05 49 64 30 59

Equine Rescue FranceWe are always looking for new members and

we are in need of donations so we may continue to help equines in France. Please

support the ERF. Please contact Equine Rescue France via their website:

www.equinerescuefrance.org

APPEAL

Nipper..... Hello! I am a young lady of nearly five years old.

My owner recently died and I am looking for a new home with owners that can give me lots of affection.

I am very friendly, was brought up with a kitten and am good with children. I enjoy running around in the garden and playing ball.

Nipper is not neutered/vaccinated/chipped and is currently being fostered near Chef Boutonne. For more information please contact Sue Wardle on 05 49 07 26 05.

For further information on other cat and dogs for adoption, please go to www.hopeassoc.org

Phoenix Association rescue and re-‐home animals in need. Please visit our website: www.phoenixasso.com for more details.

FREDA is one of many Phoenix kittens looking for homes.......

Freda was born to a feral cat, who decided to bring her kittens to l ive on someone's doorstep! Luckily, the mother chose well, and t h e k i n d p e r s o n contacted Phoenix for advice.

We've managed to take Freda and her siblings in, but we know that this will be one of the first litters of many, as by July and August, we'll be receiving several calls a day about abandoned kittens.

You can help Freda and the cat population by ensuring that your own cats are sterilised. If you're feeding any feral cats, it's then your responsibility to ensure they too are sterilised.

Please visit our website on www.phoenixasso.com for details of all of our cats and dogs waiting for homes.

MAYDAY MES AMIS

If you know of an animal in need in the l'Absie area or if you would like more information about Mayday Mes Amis please email: [email protected]

Refuge SPA de SAINTESroute des GAUTHIERS,

17100 SAINTESTel: 05 46 93 47 65 ~ www.spa.de.saintes.free.fr/






http://www.hopeassoc.org

http://www.hopeassoc.org

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Spotlight On...Next month we The Marais PoitevinDeadline: 15th June.


by Vanda LawrenceTHE AMATEUR GARDENERIt's June again and isn't it lovely to have that extra couple of hours in the evening to work in the garden? Much needed, I might add -‐ there is always something to do!

The potatoes are coming up nicely but it will be necessary to spray with Bordelaise (Bordeaux) Mixture. This leaves a blue film over the leaves and prevents mildew. It is also effective on strawberries and tomatoes.

Outdoor tomatoes need staking when you plant them to support the weight of all those lovely tomatoes soon to be hanging there. At the same time it's a good idea to insert a 4" flower pot in the ground beside each plant, with the top at soil level, so that when you feed and water the plants all goodness goes straight down to the roots where it is needed.

Begin harvesting strawberries as they ripen and, if you wish to increase your stock plants, encourage runners to root by anchoring with a stone or piece of bent wire. Remove runners if you prefer to grow isolated plants, because it's too easy for the strawberry bed to become overcrowded.

For convenience I plant my cherry tomatoes amongst the annuals in the flower bed nearest the back door, but how about a tub of strawberry plants there too -‐ readily available for picking as the fruit ripens? Try interplanting these with 'frilly' leafed lettuce plants -‐ they look good and are handy for pulling the odd leaf or two for a garnish rather than lifting a whole lettuce from the

potager.

Window boxes, planters and hanging baskets should all be planted up by now, so it won't be long before we are

awash with their colour. Likewise, summer bedding plants will be in-‐situ and shrubs will begin flowering in the warmer weather so the bees and butterflies will be happy.

My roses are flowering but I need to spray against blackspot and rust. Also aphids, of course; greenfly and blackfly are a real pest but

apparently interplanting roses with Alliums, Catnip, Parsley or Thyme will help deter the little blighters.

Another nuisance in the garden is Bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis). Pretty white trumpet flowers I grant you, but they smother and choke hedges and shrubs in the garden, and will quickly climb up and cover walls and fences. Dig it out as

soon as you see it! The roots can go down several feet, so be as thorough as possible. Even a tiny piece of root left behind will continue to grow and spread. Glyphosate weedkiller will work down and kill the roots, so if this weed has already started to grow around other plants, untwine it, lay it on the ground and spray it. (Do not spray this weed killer on a windy day because overspray will damage nearby plants). Alternatively, I have heard you can cut the bottom off a plastic lemonade bottle, push the untwined bindweed growth into the bottle then push this firmly into the ground. Now open the top of the bottle and spray the glyphosate inside -‐ Voila! Sounds like a good idea, doesn't it?

Lastly, the pond. Our fish are up looking for their food each evening and the water lilies are coming along. If you have a water lily or other pond plant in need of division, now is the time to do it -‐ another little job to fit in during these longer evenings.

Happy gardening. See you next month.


French Life...

Life on the Farm...Hi everyone. This month we thought we would have a change from the normal hatches, matches and dispatches and look at a particular animal instead. We have decided to throw a bit more light on the humble rabbit or lapin.

If you’re thinking of breeding your own, here is little information to help you on your way...

Whether it’s for meat, a pet or for show, remember that they are prolific breeders, the phrase “breeding like rabbits” can be very true if you are not careful! Firstly, choose your breed. Good breeding stock is the key to producing good youngsters. It can be worth going to a breeder rather than buying from the markets. Some of the most popular meat breeds and those that we favour are New Zealand White (which usually reach a fully grown weight of 4.5 -‐ 6kg live weight), Flemish Giants (5 -‐ 9kg) and Californian (4 -‐ 6kg). Cross breeds as with many animals, can produce a better product.

Once you have selected and purchased your rabbits, arrange suitable shelter, food and drinkers and the rest is left to the rabbits. Your rabbits will need hay, pellets (about 125 – 175g per day), and perhaps some dry bread and water, introducing fresh fruit and veg gradually when a little older (no lettuce though as it will give them an upset stomach).

So where to start.. always put the Doe to the buck rather than the buck to the doe. This can be done from about 8 months of age. If you put the buck in the doe’s hutch she will fight to defend her territory -‐ sometimes fatally. Rabbits differ from a lot of other animals in that they do not come on heat and then mate. The rabbit comes on heat as a response to mating. If the doe isn’t ready she won’t let him mate, if she is ready he’ll have done the business before you even have the hutch door shut! There is no romance in the rabbit world -‐ no flowers, chocolates or meals in fancy restaurants! They can be left together for a while but ensure you remove the doe before she kindles (gives birth).

Gestation is approximately 31 days from conception. She will usually make a nest with straw and her belly fur a few days before (although we have experienced nest building two weeks before, so there are no set rules). You may not realise until you see movement in the nest that she has actually given birth to the kits which are naked and should not be disturbed. If the doe feels threatened she could eat the young so do not touch! The kits will grow fur and open their eyes after about 10 days. Whilst the doe is feeding her young she will need an increased amount of food.

Litter sizes vary and can be as little as 1, but normally range from 6 -‐ 12. It’s not uncommon for a doe to have a litter of 17 and as this may prove difficult for her to feed them all, she may select the healthiest kits and sadly push the weaker or ill ones out of the nest.

The young can be weaned from four weeks but we prefer to leave them until they are 8 -‐ 10 weeks old before taking them away from mum. Where possible it’s best to split them into male and female just in case of interbreeding.

In the commercial world the doe is put to the buck once the kits are three weeks old. This means they could have six litters a year but we prefer to limit the numbers to two or three to give her time to recover.

Like all animals, rabbits can suffer with a variety of ailments which include Myxomatosis (common in wild rabbits) and Coccidiosis (which you can vaccinate against if you wish). It’s best to separate domestic from wild animals to lessen spread of disease. Remember, if medication is given there may be a withdrawal period before you are able to eat the meat.

Timescale from birth to table will depend on the size of rabbit you want. For the breeds we keep it about 16 weeks. Most poultry abattoirs are also set up to kill and prepare your meat (for about 3€). Of course you can do this at home if you feel proficient in doing so. Expect to lose about 50% of the weight in preparation.

Rabbit is a great low fat, low cholesterol meat but if roasted can be a little dry so it is best suited for stews, casseroles, paella, pies and puddings, or if you do fancy roasting it, then cover it in bacon or something similar to keep it moist. As well as a great tasting meat you can also make rillets, and use the offal to make paté. If you have the time perhaps cure the skin and make glue (but it’s a very long process).

So whether you decide to give it a go for yourself or pick one up next time you are in the supermarket or farmers market, there is a huge choice of recipes to choose from. Hope you enjoy!

by Peter & Jenny Sebborn.

Peter & Jenny Sebborn. Breeders of pigs, lambs and poultry. La Gauteliere, 79220, Pamplie. Tel: 05 49 28 38 57.

Above: Californian Rabbits

Photo: Ervinpospisil, WikiCommons


Across:7. Keeping busy, bringing energy to penultimate part of Shakespeare play? (6)8. Girl almost related to a star? (6)10. Study of who is responsible mixing in with a small part of the action (7)11. Faith added after writer gives small change (5)12. The first man to take the mickey out of a lady? (4)13. Six gangsters, for example, found in containers (5)17. It looks like a small piece of land is no longer for rent (5)18. Sheltered spot for an old-‐fashioned sort of chap? (4)22. Note in oral medley to compose slow piece (5)23. Cart her off! It’s in the contract! (7)24. Putting together Boer War scene without any iron (6)25. Buys a round of batches of umber? (6)

Across:8. The part of a golf course bordering the fairway (5)9. A musical entertainment given by a single performer (7)10. The arch of hair on the lower forehead (7)11. Pleasurable social event (5)12. To appropriate fraudulently (8)13. Plastic construction toy with many parts (4)15. Make healthy again (4)17. A carefully thought-‐out strategy (4,4)21. Give supporting evidence (5)22. Summer sport (7)24. Very hot red peppers (7)25. River mouth (5)

Down:1. Soft creamy white cheese (4)2. Surpassingly good (6)3. Spicy Spanish pork sausage (7)4. Gardening tool (6)5. Range (5)6. Die of food deprivation (6)7. Understate the importance or quality of (4,4)12. Recover through digging (8)14. Amounts of time (7)16. Ballroom dance (6)18. Device used to stop a ship from moving (6)19. With considerable certainty (6)20. Storage box with a lid (5)23. Made of transport (4)

With thanks to M.Morris

Down:1. Can past changes make a full strength brand? (7)2. The right thing to do is halt ice formations (7)3. A day to remember in hospital department. What a happening! (5)4. Fence cross about pressures to use end of brush (7)5. Taking a coat off what you might call a miserly person is very hard (5)6. Paradise without ecstasy is still a good place to be (5)9. Feeling of sorrow for confusing nice teen under pressure (9)14. As to underesumaung the locauon for shock..... (7)15. ......predict the finish to be after what is left (7)16. Set read turns out to be the most loved (7)19. Note weak assembled at sign of fire (4)20. Stopper may cause fissure, so they say? (5)21. Unknown among villains going to raves (5)

DSM Toughie Crossword

DSM Easy Crossword

1) Who wrote the novel “Rob Roy”?

2) How many children in the Von Trapp family in “The Sound of Music”?

3) In the “Peanuts” cartoon, what is Snoopy’s brother called?

4) According to legend what did St Patrick expel from Ireland?

5) In terms of swimming speed, what is the slowest fish?

6) Which vegetable is used to make Eggs Florentine?

7) In Blair’s first government, Tony Banks was minister for what?

8) Of the Three Tenors, two are natives of the same country, which?

9) Matt Groening is responsible for which cartoon family?

10) Which is the nearest seaside resort to London?

11) Who was lead singer of the group Kiss?

12) Which solder of the Peninsular Wars was played on T.V. by Sean Bean? Find the answers on our website: www.thedeuxsevresmonthly.fr

Quiz-tastic! Monthly quiz by Roland ScoT.....how many can you get?

Copyright RJS 2014.

Take a Break...


Spotlight On...


If you’ve come across the town of Bressuire before, chances are you’ll have heard about two of its most famous events -‐ the Highland Games and the Grand Prix Historique.

Fancy hitching up your kilt for a weekend of everything Scottish? Hammer-‐throwing, caber-‐tossing, bagpipes, marching bands, dancing and French and Celtic food? Sorry, but the Games are held every two years and the next one is not due until June 2015! Make a note of it in your diary, though, because Bressuire will then have the honour of hosting the Highland Games World Championships.

The 9th Grand Prix Automobile Historique, however, held over the weekend of 28/29th June, is one event definitely not to be missed this year. The Circuit Alain Métayer, around Place St-‐Jacques, will throb to the evocative sounds of classic racing cars and sports cars from the 1930s to the 1950s. Feast your eyes on famous names like Bugatti, AC Cobra, Triumph, Jaguar, Lotus, Panhard and Peugeot – and entry to the event is free!

The grand prix -‐ sponsored this year by your very own ‘The Deux-‐Sèvres Monthly’ -‐ is not a race but a series of demonstrations with speeds restricted to 70kph, which gives you plenty of opportunity to get up close and personal with both cars and drivers. On the Saturday there will also be a special celebration to mark 80 years of the Citroën Traction Avant. You know, the one that looks a bit like a WW2 German staff car!

But there’s more to Bressuire than kilts and cars and it’s easy to get around on your own, all year round, with the help of green direction markers on the ground and a brochure from the local tourist office.

The first must-‐see site is the Eglise Notre Dame, with parts dating back to the 12th Century. The rounded vaulting of the nave is in the Plantagenet style of the Angers area while the choir was rebuilt in the 16th Century, creating a huge sanctuary lit by stained glass windows and later decorated with frescos in the 19th Century. The 56-‐metre high Renaissance bell tower rises high above the town and the surrounding countryside.

BRESSUIREBRESSUIRE

Top: The Highland Games. Photos Copyright AJEF Highland Games France

by Mick Austin

The Grand Prix Automobile Historique

Eglise Notre Dame Coulée Verte

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Next stop is the Art and History Museum, located in what was once the town’s grain granary. As well as the old buildings, documents and works of local artists, on the first floor you’ll find 18th and 19th Century French earthenware galleries and ceramics from the Middle Ages. On the ground floor, in the Galerie des Arcades, the Les Amis des Arts association regularly features exhibits of works by contemporary artists, sculptors, painters, ceramicists and calligraphers.

Then it’s the Château de Bressuire, built on a rocky promontory and dominating the town and the Dolo river valley. One of the main military sites of the Poitou province in the Middle Ages, its history is linked to that of the Beaumont family. The castle was built in stages, with a first perimeter wall dating from the 11th Century and a second – including 38 towers – from the 13th Century. The ruins of the main L-‐shaped building, built in the 15th Century, still have its staircase and chimneys in an inner area. Set slightly back stands a 19th Century Troubadour-‐style castle in which temporary art exhibitions are held every year.

Set within the castle are the jardins thématique, which are free to visit all year round. Check out the former glasshouse overrun with honeysuckle and then follow the mineral path through time with a romantic pergola, Baroque sundial, Renaissance square and finally into Hortus Conclusus, an enclosed medieval garden where flowers, fruits and medicinal and aromatic plants grow side by side in raised beds.

Continue following the green markers and you come to le Verger des Sculpteurs (the Sculpture’s Orchard), a park where contemporary sculptures stand next to some 50 apple trees of different species. Every two years the Bressuire International Symposium of Sculpture allows both French and foreign artists to use the site to create works in wood, stone, metal etc. The next symposium is due in 2015. (www.vergersculpteurs.fr)

Your mini tour ends with a visit to La Chapelle St Cyprien. The chapel was given to the Saint-‐Cyprien Abbey in Poitiers in 1028 and its main features include frescos and a crypt supported by a single central pillar.

Things to SeeCrèche Animée. Abbot Rochard was self-‐educated and fascinated by electricity and mechanics. He spent more than 30 years building a model Palestinian village that shows daily life at the time of Christ. There’s a 30-‐minute automated show in the manger created by volunteers who restore and maintain all the 120 characters in this lifelike show. Details from the tourist office or call 05 49 72 80 95.

Gare de fret. Situated in a former warehouse in the old freight station is an 8.5m x 2.5m model depicting the railway system in the 1950s. A must for adults and children. Details from the tourist office.


Did you know?Bressuire is the birthplace of famous glassblower and window restorer Max Ingrand (1908-‐1969). He was Artistic Director for FontanaArte in the early 1950s and came up with design classics like the Fontana table lamp.

He produced many stained glass panels for religious buildings, hotels and public places and was awarded the French Legion of Honour.

The fabulous stained glass panels at Saint-Pierre Church ,Yvetot, produced by Max Ingrand.

Photo: www.patrimoine-histoire.fr

The Château of Bressuire

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http://www.vergersculpteurs.fr

http://www.vergersculpteurs.fr

Leisure AmenitiesA pleasant walk for the family is the Coulée Verte at the foot of the Bressuire château. You’re bound to come across legendary goblins in the Vallon des Douves, some beavers too fat to scarper at your approach and some strange sculptures among the apple trees. Call in at the tourist office for details on the 20-‐plus walking tours available.

If you find life easier on two wheels, why not rent a bike at Vélo Cité in Bressuire and discover the Pays du Bocage Bressuirais via cycle tracks or mountain bike tours. Details from the tourist office.

If it’s raining try the 12-‐lane indoor bowling at the Bocapole or swimming at the Centre Aquatique Coeur d’O with its seven pools and a spa centre offering hot tubs, steam room and sauna.

Contacts• Tourist office: 6 place de l’Hôtel de Ville, 79300 Bressuire. Tel: 05 49 65 10 27. Website: www.tourisme-‐bocage.com and www.ville-‐bressuire.fr

• Musée de Bressuire. Tel: 05 49 74 32 24. Website: www.musee@ville-‐bressuire.fr

• Bocapole bowling. Tel: 05 49 80 30 55• Grand Prix Historique. Website: www.automobile-‐club79.com• Le Centre Aquatique Coeur d’O, Boulevard de la République. Tel: 05 49 80 71 90.

Mick Austin is a freelance journalist based in the Pays-‐de-‐la-‐Loire. He has had his work published in several expat magazines and newspapers and has also written the Mayenne Tourist Board’s only English-‐language brochure. He also runs a gîte business at www.gitefortwo.com

Bressuire is in the dept. of Deux-‐Sèvres in the region of Poitou-‐Charentes

Population: 18764 in 2011

Airports: Poitiers (82 minutes), La Rochelle (117 minutes), Nantes (88 minutes) & Tours (137 minutes)

Fishing LakesCycle RoutesPicnic LocationsBars & Restaurants

CashpointFuel StationsCampsiteSupermarkets

Nearby places to visit:• Old historical towns of Parthenay (32km) and Thouars (30km)• Niort, capital of the department (73km)• Saumur (63km)

Airvault: 35 minsArgenton-‐les-‐Vallées: 20 minsCerizay: 8 minsLa Forêt-‐sur-‐Sèvre: 20 minsMauléon: 25 minsParthenay: 35 minsThouars: 35 mins


LOCAL ADS*LOCAL ADS*LOCAL ADS*LOCAL ADS* LOCAL ADS*LOCAL ADS*LOCAL ADS*LOCAL ADS* LOCAL ADS*LOCAL

The orchard sculptures, photo: www.coeurdubocage.fr

BRESSUIREFACT FILE...

http://www.gitefortwo.com

http://www.gitefortwo.com

Every Saturday morning for the past three years I have been working on a fishmonger’s stall in the traditional Bressuire market. I have lived in France with my parents for 13 of my 19 years, currently being educated in Nantes.

As I am studying advertising and marketing, I recently did a six week work experience placement with ‘The Deux-‐Sèvres Monthly’ magazine, promoting local businesses. The market traders at Bressuire have been very supportive and believe in a very strong community spirit. I now feel very much a part of that community and I’m keen to spread the word.

Starting their working day in the very early hours, the market traders bring fresh produce from local farms and collect freshly caught fish and seafood from ports in the West and the North. They then prepare their stalls (some arriving as early as 7am), ready for their first customers.

Other stalls sell freshly baked bread, organic products, Spanish tapas, meat, dairy products and even English cupcakes. You can also buy local wines and on a Tuesday morning, the regular wine tasters have a little terrace where you can relax and appreciate the merchandise and there is also a traditional French restaurant across the road.

My job on the fish stall involves giving information and suggestions, weighing, preparing and selling the fish and seafood to our French and English customers. It can be difficult early on cold winter mornings, but there is such a friendly and busy atmosphere that we soon warm up! Even though my studies have taken me further afield now, I hope to be able to keep my part time job and continue to be part of the local community.

by Jessica MorrisBRESSUIRE MARKET


Organising Your PC. Tidying Your Files and Folders

All of the information on your PC is stored in files and these files have a name and an extension. This extension is separated from the file name with a dot (Full Stop) and is normally three characters long. It is always the last full stop and the characters that follow it that are the file name extension.

Microsoft Windows uses this file name extension to determine what program to open the file with when you double-‐click on it. Here are some examples of file name extensions that you may know: .jpg for jpeg -‐ this is an image file (normally a picture or photo), .txt for text file, .doc for document file, .mp3 for an MP3 encoded music file; .avi for "audio-‐visual interleaved" or a video or movie file.

Regardless of the file type, you may organise them into folders just as you would organise files, pictures or documents into folders in a filing drawer. It is normal to keep your Documents in the folder called 'My Documents', your Pictures in the folder called 'My Pictures' etc. Inside each of these folders you may also have other folders to help arrange your documents or photographs.

So, in the 'My Documents' folder you may have the subfolders: Family, Household Letters, Insurance Letters, Bank Letters, Recipes and/or Holidays, each of these folders may also have folders to further help arrange the information, so Household Letters may have Electricity, Water, Telephone and Rates & Taxes. By creating a set of folders you may organise your documents, pictures, music and videos however you wish, making retrieval of your information quick and easy.

Most of us are in too much of a hurry to meticulously file every item when we create it, so our 'My Document' folder can become cluttered. Using Windows or File Explorer it is quite easy to tidy up our files into folders so that we can find them quickly each time we need to refer to or edit them.

To do this, organise the desktop display of your PC for this task by opening two Windows/File Explorer Windows and dragging and dropping the files from one window, the source, to another, the destination window -‐ displaying the folder the file should be filed in.

Here is how: 1. Open Windows Explorer -‐ How? -‐ use the icon on the taskbar this will open the first Windows/File Explorer screen.2. Resize the screen until it takes up half of the PC screen:

a) How? if the top right hand corner of the window looks like this (see left) use the centre icon to reduce the size of the window from full screen.

b) Then, placing your mouse pointer on the right hand vertical edge of the window, you will notice the pointer changes. c) At this point hold down the left mouse button, whilst sliding the mouse to the left to reduce the width of the window, to that of half of the screen. Then release the left mouse button when it is the correct size. d) If the top right hand corner looks like this then you should follow steps 2.b through 2.c above.3. Now open the second Windows/File Explorer Window; a) How? Right click the Windows/File Explorer Window on the taskbar and select either 'Windows Explorer' for Windows XP/ Vista/7 and 'File Explorer' for Windows 8/8.1. This should open another Explorer Window slightly offset from the first one.4. Slide the newly opened Window to the right hand side of the screen a) How? Move the mouse pointer to the title bar of the new Window and left click and hold the left mouse button down whilst sliding the Windows Explorer Window into position to the right hand side of the screen.5. You should now have two Explorer windows open, one on the left that will contain the files you wish to organise, known as the source window, and one on the right known as the destination window where you will move or copy the files to. In the left hand window click to open the folder containing the files you wish to Organise/File or Tidy.6. In the right hand window open the folder you would like to move the files to.7. In the left hand window choose the files you want to move by left clicking on them whilst holding down the 'Ctrl' button on your keyboard.8. Now drag the selected files from the left hand window to the right hand window. Do this by holding down the left button on one of the highlighted files and dragging it into the right hand window. This should take the other highlighted files at the same time, giving you a count of the number of files to be moved by the mouse pointer. Once you are in the correct position, simply release the left mouse button to move the files.Using the technique described above you are able to visually sort your data into manageable units called folders, and further sub-‐divide these folders to create a neat nested filing system for each of your file types.

Ross Hendry is the proprietor of Interface Consulting and Engineering, who has over 42 years experience in Communications, Computer Technology and Direct Marketing. (See advert below).

by Ross Hendry

Communications...


Useful English Language Numbers... Cancer Support Deux-Sèvres: 05 49 64 59 96French State health insurance advice line: 08 11 36 36 46Elizabeth Finn Care (Grants and advice if in Financial need): 04 68 23 43 79Orange Helpline: 09 69 36 39 00EDF International Customer Service: 05 62 16 49 08CLEISS (Social security advice between countries): 01 45 26 33 41Funeral Information (AFIF): 01 45 44 90 03 or www.afif.asso.fr

Passport Advice: 0044 208 082 4729


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French Village Diaries

Love is in the air chez nous as my husband and I have just celebrated 16 years of wedded bliss. We got engaged in Ireland, married on the banks of the River Thames and now, three houses, one son, two cats, one dog and many feathered friends later, have spent the majority of our married life in a small village in France.

We celebrated, not on the actual day -‐ our lifestyle means he is often away for work and that has to take priority over birthdays and anniversaries -‐ with the purchase of a freezer!

If you include the not-‐so-‐small freezer section of the fridge/freezer in the kitchen this is now four freezers he’s treated me to since finding ourselves the owners of an orchard in France and yes, they are all still in use. I know a freezer is an unusual gift, and wouldn’t be ideal for many ladies, but I was over the moon. I regularly remind him how lucky he is to have such a low maintenance wife -‐ I don’t need regular dates at cocktail bars, expensive restaurants or even gifts of shoes, clothes or handbags, but another freezer to fill with our home-‐grown and homemade produce wins my heart every time. I also know without a doubt how lucky I am to have him -‐ for an office man in the IT world he regularly sorts out anything mechanical from lawnmowers to oil-‐fired boilers to car engines and obviously keeps our IT gadgets ticking over nicely too.

This time of year is the perfect time to sort out and use up those bits lurking at the bottom of the freezer to ensure plenty of space for this year’s pickings. We have pretty much eaten all the potager soups I made last summer and we are down to just one or two pots of frozen tomato purée that has been delicious added to casseroles, pasta dishes and used as pizza topping all winter. With extra freezer space I’m hoping to be able to make and keep more this summer. However, my poorly looking seedlings really seem to be suffering from a lack of sunshine at the moment, just like we are. We also seem to have been invaded by snails and I’ve been warned to expect lots of pests and beasties, due to the mild winter and lack of serious frosts and snow. Be warned snails, I’m prepared to fight!

In one freezer I did find some old bags of frozen plum halves (that will

make a great tangy jam) plus some pots of apple and quince purée from last autumn that I wasn’t too sure what to do wi th . I dec ided to experiment with purée jam; defrosted them, added an equal amount of sugar and boiled rapidly for about five minutes. It didn’t make a huge quantity of jam, but it

was delicious on a fresh baguette for breakfast so I don’t

expect it will last too long. Waste not want not!

For recipes please email me at [email protected] or visit www.frenchvillagediaries.com

by Jacqueline Brown.


Food & Drink...


With Wimbledon just around the corner, I thought I’d look out the scone recipe for a Cream Tea! Delicious!

Makes 6-‐8:• 50g butter• 225g all-‐purpose flour• 3 tsp baking powder• 1/2 tsp salt Preparation:1. Heat the oven to 400F/205C/Gas 62. Generously grease a baking sheet with butter then sprinkle with

flour.3. Sieve the flour into a roomy baking bowl, add the cubed butter,

the baking powder and salt. 4. Quickly rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the

mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.

5. Add the sugar and the dried fruits, mix well.6. Make a well in the center and using a dinner knife, stir in enough

milk to make a soft, pliable dough.7. If the dough is too sticky sprinkle with a little flour.8. Turn the mixture on to a floured board and knead very lightly until

just smooth then lightly roll out to 2cm / 3/4" thick.9. Cut rounds with a 7.5cm /2" cutter

or cut into triangles with a sharp knife.

10. Place on the baking tray and brush with the beaten egg and milk mixture. Bake near the top of the hot oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown and well risen.

Cool on a wire rack before eating and serve with butter, or lashings of jam and cream.

• 30g caster sugar• 50g sultanas or dried fruit• 150 ml milk• 1 egg beaten with a little milk

http://britishfood.about.com/od/glossary/ss/What-Is-The-Difference-Between-Raisins-Sultanas-And-Currants.htm

http://britishfood.about.com/od/glossary/ss/What-Is-The-Difference-Between-Raisins-Sultanas-And-Currants.htm

Pape and His Rolling Stonesby John Sherwin

The red wines of Chateauneuf-‐du-‐Pape…It was a wet Wednesday night and business in the surreal demi-‐monde of the mobile fish-‐and-‐chip van was quiet. Billy served up my sausage and chips, and our minds, as one, turned to the ma�er of wine. Billy, out of le�-‐field, menuoned Chateauneuf-‐du-‐Pape. I said I’d think about it,

and I have.

When Pope Clement 5 relocated the papacy to Avignon in the southern Rhone in 1308 he found that the local wines were, shall we say, not that good. When John 22 took over, being a trencherman who liked a drop, he was sore irked. But his vinous advisors noted that the terroir around and about should be conducive to making excellent wine. Two factors in particular stood out: the types of soil and the mistral wind.

The mistral, which whistles down the Rhone valley at up to 80kph for an average of 170 days a year, acts as a natural ‘cleansing’ agent – there are no dank conditions here where various rots and mildews might affect the vine.

When people talk of the soil of CdP they normally refer to the large, smooth stones, similar in size to those used by the Scots in the ‘sport’ of curling, which aeons ago were rolled down the Rhone from the Alps. The usual riff is that they store (as well as reflect) lots of Provençal sun during the day and release it at night, giving the grateful plants a double dose. (If you ever walk a few steps in these vineyards, you will understand that vine growing here is not only not for the faint of heart, it is definitely not for the weak of ankle.) While this is perfectly true, many vineyards around CdP do not have these monster pebbles, but sand, fine stones and gravel. No matter, all good for the vine. So, while building his ‘new castle’ (‘chateauneuf’), John 22 encouraged the development of vineyards in the area.

CdP was the first French wine area to be ‘appellation controlée’, in 1936, with its 13 named grape varieties, and boy do they never let you forget it. The 13 include white varieties (white production is only about 5% of total) and some real oddballs. In practice, the reds rely heavily on Grenache (80% of plantings) with Mouvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault making guest appearances. This constant reference to the 13 varieties together with the hefty bottles embossed with papal insignia count as ‘savvy’ in the woefully inadequate world of French wine marketing.

What of the wine itself? Not all is great, by any means. Some can be weakly flavoured, or too hot and strong – unskilled winemaking. The best, however, can be drunk young or cellared for twenty years, due to tannins which although silky and enveloping in their youth have enough backbone to stand the test of time.

Good producers: Chateau de Beaucastel, Domaine Gourt de Mautens, Domaine de Marcoux, Clos des Papes, Château Rayas, Tardieu-‐Laurent, Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe.

But yet another conundrum: is it to be Sauternes or Barsac with that deep-‐fried Mars bar ? I’ll get back to you…

John Sherwin, French Wine Tours. Tel: 02 51 66 13 05 ~ E: [email protected] ~

www.french-wine-tours.com


ACE Service!Fully trained and insured, the original tyre-‐fitting business, Ace Pneus, has been running successfully now for 5 years. Due to demand the business expanded into fitting towbars and batteries last year and to repairing alloy wheels and refurbishing headlights the year before.

Offering a friendly and honest service, David Ace is available to discuss your needs and help out with any enquiry.

During opening hours he will pick your car up from ‘The Market’, Luché sur Brioux (see advert, page 6), where you can relax in comfort whilst your car is being repaired -‐ special menu prices for Ace Pneus clients.

Eighty Years of TractionWell, 2014 seems to be a year for big automotive birthdays, and this month I am looking at a real old timer, the Citroën Traction Avant.

Even if you didn’t know what it was called, the Traction is instantly recognizable, mainly due to being immortalised by Maigret, and at the grand old age of 80, their robust construction means they are still going strong.

The Traction is deeply entrenched in modern French history, and indeed in the history of car production and design.

“Avant”, as you will know, living in France, refers to the fact that the Traction is front wheel drive. In modern terms this is not particularly noteworthy, but when the Traction Avant launched in April 1934 it was a radical innovation at a time when almost all cars used rear-‐wheel drive.

Although the idea itself was nothing new, even in the 1930s, Citroën claims the Traction Avant set the standard for handling and road holding in a front-‐wheel drive vehicle. It was also the first time such a layout had been paired in a production car with a monocoque body. The all-‐steel frame was central in reducing weight and giving the Avant a low centre of gravity.

The Traction was just as innovative under the skin. In addition to unibody construction, the Traction boasted a totally flat floor thanks to a front-‐wheel drive layout consisting of a four-‐cylinder engine mounted backwards between the front wheels and the firewall, and a manual transmission installed at the front of the car. The low-‐slung arrangement also eliminated the need for running boards to step into or out of the vehicle. These features made them ideal for use as limousines and taxi cabs, and they were popular among drivers and passengers alike.

In spite of the Traction’s expensive development process which contributed to Citroën filing for bankruptcy in 1933 and being purchased by Michelin, the car was first presented to the public at the 1934 edition of the Paris Motor Show.

The Traction proved a popular model for Citroën, with over 759,000 models built during over twenty years of production, despite dealers unanimously telling Citroën that they thought buyers would be put off by the aerodynamic body.

The name Traction Avant is widely used to describe any model of the lineup, which over the years includes many different engine and body style variants, but the car was initially launched as the Citroën 7CV, denoting the puissance fiscale of the original engine.

During the war years the production of the Traction continued alongside trucks being built for the French army, and the cars were widely used by the French and German armies across Europe but also as far as Russia, Libya and Tunisia. Later on, the Traction was used by members of the French Resistance, who reportedly didn’t hesitate to borrow privately-‐owned cars when their own Traction either broke down or was wrecked.

Production eventually stopped in 1957, and it is amusing to note that until 1953, the only colour available was black. Today a Citroën Traction Avant is still a usable daily drive, but not without quirks. Rust is a major enemy, and servicing and maintenance require stamina due to inaccessibility.

Pre-‐war Tractions are rare these days, and prices for restored coupes and convertibles can range as high as £110,000, but postwar cars still change hands more reasonably, anywhere from £10,000-‐£20,000.

The Traction is being celebrated on 28th June as part of the Grand Prix Historique de Bressuire, so come along and see them en masse for yourself!

by Helen Tait-‐Wright

Contact Helen at: [email protected].

Motoring...

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Building & Renovation...




Gros Œuvre y Menuiseries y Bois y Panneaux y Couverture y Isolation y

Carrelage y Outillage y Environnement y Livraisons

Zone Artisanale Bellevue 79130 SECONDIGNY

Tél : 05 49 63 51 32 Fax : 05 49 95 66 30

www.pointp.fr

Ouvert du Lundi au Vendredi : de 8 H à 12 H et de 13 H 45 à 17 H 30 Le samedi : de 9 H à 12 H



Business & Finance...

If you work or have worked in France, you are entitled to a French pension. This is actually one of the things you pay contributions for! Many people confuse contributions and income tax. Although they both hurt, they are not the same. Contributions are what you pay towards healthcare, unemployment, pensions, etc and you pay that to either RSI, MSA, URSSAF, etc and it is a percentage of your turnover (if you are auto-‐entrepreneur) or a big amount each year if you are micro, SARL, etc.

So how does it work and more importantly how much could you get? This article will only give you a broad view, so for more in depth details, please contact me.

The Great Principle of PensionsThe system itself is a bit of a shambles because it is the workers who pay for the pensioners! That was OK in the 1960’s as there were four workers for one pensioner but now the ratio is 2:1 and forecasted to be 1.2:1 by 2030. This is why successive French governments are doing reforms all the time (average one per year).

The main principle in France is that provided you have worked for 42 years you can retire from 62 years old (both men and women). However, in order to have worked one year, you need to accumulate four quarters (4 x 3 months) so the French government count the number of quarters, not the number of years. As an auto-‐entrepreneur, you need to earn a minimum amount per year to at least register one quarter.

How Is It Calculated?There are two pensions: The basic old age pension and the complementary pension. Both are government pensions and are an obligation to contribute towards!

Basic PensionIt depends on what job you do, so you could contribute to either RSI., MSA., CNAVPL, etc (each type of job has its own pension scheme) but how much you will get is calculated the same way and based on three criteria:1. The average of your best 25 years of salary2. A percentage between 0 -‐ 50 depending on how long you have

worked during your life (at 67 years old, it is automatically 50%). Note that the years you have worked outside of France count as long as you can prove them (salary slip for example).

3. The number of quarters you have worked in this particular job type divided by the reference of number of quarters (42 years so 168 quarters). E.g. You could have worked as an Artisan for ten years and as a gardener five years, so ten years with RSI and five years with MSA so you would get two different basic pensions (one from RSI and one from MSA).

This is the formula: (average wage X 50 %*) X (Number of quarter’s worked/ 168 semester)*if you have worked 42 years during your life.

E.g. My best 25 years average wage was 15000 euro and I worked in France and the UK (need to be able to prove it) for a total of 42 years (so I am entitled to 50%) and I have worked as an Artisan (RSI) for 28 years (112 quarters) so my basic pension from RSI will be (15000 x 50%) x (112/168) = 4999 euro per year. This amount is to be added to other basic pensions (maybe also from UK) and the complementary pension. In any case, the maximum amount you can get from your basic pension is 50% of your average earning.

Complementary pensionThis one is a bit easier to understand. When you pay your contributions, you buy some points. The more you earn, the more you contribute and the more points you have.

The value of the point for RSI is 1.1777 euro for 2014 so when you retire you multiply the number of points you accumulated by the value of the point. The value of the point changes each year and is reduced if you have not worked enough years. Note that the value of the point when you buy it is 17.309 euro! Yes, it is not a joke, it is worth 10 times less when you get it back!

Obviously, different jobs, different complementary pensions and different value of points... It would be too easy otherwise!

Private savingsYou must have gathered by now that the best way to get a good pension is to do it yourself! So what type of pension schemes are available for you in France?

Assurance vie: Yes, I know, I keep going on about this wonderful saving account but this is because it is brilliant, not just because I get a commission for it. This is the most popular one for pensions because it is flexible (you can stop and start your regular payment into it, the money stays available, etc.) and offers tax advantages once you retire. Basically, you save regularly when you work and when you want to retire, you can either take it out as a lump sum or as regular revenue or both. And if you had the policy for more than 8 years, this revenue will be tax free up to a certain limit per year.

PERP:This is only good in order to reduce your income tax during your working life as the government gives you a rebate depending on what tax scale you pay. If you are taxed at 5.5% and you put 1000€ per year into a PERP, your tax is reduced by 5.5% of 1000 so 55€. So it’s only good if you are taxed at 30% or 40%. It is not flexible as it is transformed automatically as an annuity when you retire and you can’t access it before you retire.

Contrat MADELINSame as PERP but for self-‐employed and even less flexible.

Conclusion: The pension system in France can be quite complicated to understand and you deserve a medal if you have understood it all from my explanation above. The problem is that it’s never the same whether you are a farmer, an artisan, a trader or an employee. If you really want to know roughly how much you will get, you can contact me as we have a software which can calculate it for you. However, because the government are changing the rules all the time (and never in our favour!) you will be better off opening a saving account then hope for the best!

Don’t hesitate to contact me to see which saving scheme would be more appropriate for you.

FRENCH PENSIONS

BH Assurances, 22 rue Jean Jaures, 16700 RuffecContact Isabelle Want:

Tel: 05 45 31 01 61 /Mob: 06 17 30 39 11Email: [email protected]


Many people take financial advice to protect their assets from tax and inflation and to provide financial security. What many do not realise, however, is that their choice of adviser is probably the most important financial decision they need to make.

For security and peace of mind, choose an advisory firm which abides by national and international regulations, with advisers who are professionally qualified to a high degree. They should also be experienced at advising expatriates in your area.

While France has its own regulation system, the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) – formerly known as the Financial Services Authority (FSA) – is considered one of the most rigorous regulators in Europe. Using a firm authorised and regulated by the FCA gives you reassurance that it can be trusted to advise you in a wholly appropriate way, and that the investments they recommend are also well regulated.

The Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union enables regulated entities within one EU country to conduct business in another EU country. This is done through a ‘passport’ obtained under the EU’s Insurance Mediation Directive.

Using a UK incorporated company, fully authorised and regulated by the FCA, with a passport to provide advice in France, is ideal for

British expatriates who need financial planning involving both countries.

A UK based adviser is unlikely to be familiar enough with the tax rules in France and financial planning needs of expatriates here, so his recommendations may not be suitable for you. You need an adviser who lives locally and has in-depth and up-to-date knowledge of French and UK tax and estate planning concerns, and how the two tax regimes interact.

Qualifications and high professional standards are also very important. The FCA requires all advisers it regulates to have obtained the Diploma for Financial Advisers. This involves considerable professional study and various examinations.

In summary, three key things to look out for when choosing an adviser are regulation, qualifications, and personal, local experience. You should accept nothing less for your and your family’s financial security!

Blevins Franks Financial Management Limited (BFFM) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK, reference number 179731. Where advice is provided outside the UK, via the Insurance Mediation Directive from Malta, the regulatory system differs in some respects from that of the UK. Blevins Franks Tax Limited provides taxation advice; its advisers are fully qualified tax specialists. This article has been approved and issued by BFFM.

by Brad Warden, Partner, Blevins FranksBe Careful Who You Trust With Your Money


by Sue Cook

Ask Amanda.“Who is “Ask Amanda”?”

As it has been over two years since I introduced myself to ‘The Deux-‐Sèvres Monthly’ magazine readers, I thought a reminder of who I am would be helpful.

Along with drawing on the resources of The Spectrum IFA Group, one of Europe’s leading independent intermediaries, I have 25 years of experience in financial services.

For over 15 years I have specialised in personal financial planning. Whilst in the UK I worked for several UK high street banks as a f inanc ia l advisor, attaining the following Certificate for Financial Advisers (CeFA-‐) qualifications: C.E.F.A I, C.E.F.A II, C.E.F.A III & CEMAP.

After a permanent move to France in 2006, I have been addressing the unique financial planning needs of expatriates and those with cross-‐border interests. I have a detailed knowledge of the French rules and regulations for tax efficient investments, pension organisation, inheritance planning and French mortgages.

In making recommendations we have access to some of the world’s most respected international banking, investment management and insurance institutions, bringing customers a widespread range of services.

There are no consulting fees for providing you with advice or ongoing service. Our Client Charter outlines how we work and what you can expect from us. Please do not hesitate to ask for a copy of this.

Whether you want to register for our newsletter, attend one of our upcoming road shows (June 17th & 19th) or speak to me directly, please call or email me on the contacts below and I will be glad to help you. We do not charge for reviews, reports or recommendations we provide.

What is ‘Le Tour de Finance’

As Le Tour de Finance in this area approaches you may wonder why you should attend. Well, I thought I would give you an overview to answer some of your questions.

Le Tour de Finance came about as a number of professionals realised that there was a need for the ex-‐pat community living in France and other countries to have their questions answered.

Our mission is to bring information and ease to those who have chosen to make France their home. We want to be the chosen forum for all those with financial concerns and questions who are living in these countries. If you have questions about residency rules, healthcare changes, how best to invest your hard-‐earned money then there will be professionals at the event who can answer them.

Le Tour de Finance will be presented in your local area, because we believe that information about foreign exchange transfers, pensions, taxation and healthcare should be available where you live so you know you are talking to people who understand your needs and concerns.

After the presentations you will have the opportunity to meet other people in your area over a free buffet lunch and also talk one to one with the professionals.

So come along to Saint Loup-‐sur-‐Thouet on 17th June and see for yourself.

Thinking about placing an ad?

Why not take advantage of our Special Packages for New Advertisers?Call Sarah for more details: 05 49 70 26 21

Amanda Johnson, The Spectrum IFA Group. Tel: 05 49 98 97 46Email: amanda.johnson@spectrum-‐ifa.comwww.spectrum-‐ifa.com/amanda-‐johnson

or “Ask Amanda” at [email protected]



David Hardy is Regional Manager of Siddalls France, Independent Financial Adviser, specialised in tax, inheritance, pension and investment planning for the British community in

the Poitou-‐Charentes since 1996. Tel: 05 56 34 75 51www.siddalls.fr

CONTRIBUTIONS....We are always looking for new articles for consideration in future issues.

Do you have an experience to share? Are you a tradesman with a Top Tip? or perhaps an avid reader who would like to contribute a book review? Whatever it may be, either long or short, we would love to hear from you.

You can call Sarah on 05 49 70 26 21 with any ideas, or send them on an email to: [email protected]

Wealth Tax in FranceWealth Tax (Impôt de Solidarité sur la Fortune) is an annual tax on the sale value of your assets, based on their value on the 1st January each year.

The taxable threshold for any household is €1,300,000 worth of assets although a 30% allowance is given against the value of a principal residence. Mortgages as at 1st January can be offset and house contents can be valued at a set 5% of total assets, or their real value.

ExemptionsCertain assets are currently exempt, however, from ISF including antiques, collector’s items and fine art.

Importantly, ‘business assets’ can be also excluded, however, they must be an asset used for a registered business which provides your main source of income and not simply designed to hold and manage your personal wealth.

Up to now, it has been our understanding that UK qualifying pension funds can be excluded as an asset for Wealth Tax calculations, since that fund can never be turned into an asset. However, the last UK Budget proposed to relax pension rules and diversify pension options, therefore it is less likely that exemptions will be accepted for certain forms of pension plan.

Since 2011, new legislation has confirmed that any assets held in trust must be part of a Wealth Tax return if the trust has a French resident settlor or beneficiary.

New ResidentsFrench law has now given all new residents of France exemption from French Wealth Tax on all assets held outside France, until the 31st December of the fifth year following your year of residence.

How To DeclareAll households owning taxable assets worth between €1.3 million and €2.57 million, make a Wealth Tax declaration as part of their Income Tax return. Those with taxable assets that exceed €2.57 million must make a separate tax return by 15th June each year accompanied by a cheque for the amount of tax due.

Should you wish further information on how to reduce, or potentially eliminate your Wealth Tax liability, or require a review of any other financial areas it is best to seek sound professional advice first.


by David Hardy

Property...

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Where Once Weavers Spun

According to French legend, the enchanting town of Parthenay was created by a wave of the wand of the fairy Melusine who was deemed to be half woman with a serpent's tail!

What is known is the tales of Melusine were worked into a collection of “spinning yarns” as told by ladies while doing their spinning! And with its origins firmly routed in medieval times, Parthenay had its own thriving community of weavers -‐ perhaps the basis for this long told tale?

A medieval walled town, Parthenay was once the capital of the hilly and wooded area which occupies the centre of the Deux-‐Sèvres département. Medieval pilgrims walked past the weavers' homes on their way southwards towards Compostela. Today it is still possible to reach the top of the gatehouse, which provides views over the river and lower part of the town. It’s castle was built in the 13th century on an easily defended site surrounded by the river Thouet -‐ this was the time of the 100 years war after all!

It was only in the 19th century that the town was extended beyond the medieval citadel, with wide boulevards and squares constructed following the line of the old town wall and to the east of the town. It became known for the breeding of cattle and indeed the Parthenais breed is named after it. Today Parthenay continues to be a thriving and busy market town -‐ and it is the gateway towards the Loire valley which lies northwards.

At its heart remain narrow streets lined with medieval timber-‐line houses with vegetable plots climbing the slopes which rise on either side of the street. Many of these original properties retain ground floor wooden shutters which once folded down to form market stalls!

For sale in the historic heart of Parthenay is a superb 14th century half timbered, pink rendered house (reference 37124, photo left). Currently being run as a very popular B&B business, this charming home has five bedrooms and three bathrooms. As you enter from the street, you encounter a door to the first B&B room with large bedroom, its own living room with stone

chimney, fitted kitchen and shower room. On the first floor are the kitchen, dining and living rooms leading to a beautiful courtyard. There are two further B&B rooms and at the top of the house are two more bedrooms as well as a luminous music lounge and study. This gorgeous house embodies the spirit of a bygone age, with a steady stream of clientele (and income), and is for sale at 371,000€.

Some 20kms further along the river Thouet is St Loup Lamairé with its stunning château. Situated on the edge of its grounds and currently for sale is another charming four bedroom property (41994). A must see at 158,050€ with its generous four bedroom, two bathroom accommodation, this home oozes character set off by a walled enclosed courtyard, open barn and attached annexe, the latter currently being used as a games room and for entertaining, but could easily be converted into further living space.

Joanna Leggett is Marketing Director at Leggett Immobilier.You can view their full portfolio of properties for sale in France at

www.leggettfrance.com


by Joanna Leggett

http://www.leggettfrance.com/

http://www.leggettfrance.com/

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