The Bugle Limousin - Dec 2013
32
December 2013 Issue #50 INSIDE > > > BILINGUAL - White Christmas We take a look at the British obsession with the idea of a perfect white Christmas >> Page 16 NEWS - Baby found living in boot of car Mechanics at a garage dis- covered a baby apparent- ly living in the boot of a woman's car >> Page 3 NEWS - France reach World Cup Following a dramatic 3-0 win against the Ukraine in the second leg of their play-off, France will be heading to Rio next year >> Page 12 Your indispensible guide to the region's Businesses >> Centre Pages Limousin © 2006 - cap21photo (Flickr) UK set to axe expat Winter Fuel Payments >> continued on page 7 The Winter Fuel Payment, received by British pensioners living in France, will be scrapped from 2015. Under a new "temperature test", France is now considered too hot to be eligible for the payment. T he British chancellor, George Osborne, has announced that pen- sioners living in “hot” countries will no lon- ger receive the Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) from the winter of 2015. Until recently, only those who gained entitlement to the annual pay- ment before they left the UK could claim it from abroad, but an EU rul- ing last year meant that anyone who is able to prove a “genuine and suf- ficient link to the UK” now qualifies for the WFP when they reach pension age. As claims flooded in from across Europe, the Work and Pensions Sec- retary, Iain Duncan Smith, was irate: “We will fight these ridiculous EU rules. It is ludicrous we could have to pay more pensioners living in hot countries,” he said at the time. In a statement to the Commons ear- lier this year, Osborne explained how the government planned to get around paying the allowance to expat pen- sioners: “We will link the Winter Fuel Payment to a temperature test. People in hot countries will no longer get it; it is after all a payment for winter fuel. Paying out even more money to people from all nationalities who may have worked in this country years ago but no longer live here is not a fair use of the nation’s cash.” Whilst many would agree that those living in tropical climates should pos- sibly not receive the WFP at the Brit- ish taxpayer's expense, those of us liv- ing in France may question whether it really is that “hot” here. After all, as this is being written in mid-Novem- ber, much of France is covered by a carpet of snow! As details of the chancellor's “tem- perature test” emerged, it would ap- pear that pensioners living in France A couple have won a landmark ruling against a wind farm which must now be taken down >> Page 10 Don’t let the banks cash in! www.hifx.co.uk Save time and money by sending your international money transfers the easy way and benefit from: Consistent bank beating exchange rates online or over the phone. Move money, pay people and settle bills within seconds. Make and track payments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Norton security used by 97 of the world’s top 100 banks. Develop a habit that saves you money! HiFX Plc is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009, registration 462444, for the provision of payment services. Anti-government protests against planned eco-tax Violence, protests and revolt have engulfed France in what is becoming a winter of discontent for President Hollande. >> Page 8
description
Your local newspaper for Central France. News, views and events from across the region.
Transcript of The Bugle Limousin - Dec 2013
December 2013Issue #50
INSIDE > > >
BILINGUAL - White ChristmasWe take a look at theBritish obsession with the idea of a perfect white Christmas >> Page 16
NEWS - Baby found living in boot of carMechanics at a garage dis-covered a baby apparent-ly living in the boot of a woman's car >> Page 3
NEWS - France reach World CupFollowing a dramatic 3-0 win against the Ukraine in the second leg of their play-off, France will be heading to Rio next year >> Page 12
Your indispensible guide to the region's Businesses >> Centre Pages
Limousin
© 2
006
- cap
21ph
oto
(Flic
kr)
UK set to axe expat Winter Fuel Payments
>> continued on page 7
The Winter Fuel Payment, received by British pensioners living in France, will be scrapped from 2015. Under a new "temperature test", France is now considered too hot to be eligible for the payment.
The British chancellor, George Osborne, has announced that pen-sioners living in “hot” countries will no lon-ger receive the Winter
Fuel Payment (WFP) from the winter of 2015. Until recently, only those who gained entitlement to the annual pay-ment before they left the UK could claim it from abroad, but an EU rul-ing last year meant that anyone who is able to prove a “genuine and suf-ficient link to the UK” now qualifies for the WFP when they reach pension age. As claims flooded in from across Europe, the Work and Pensions Sec-retary, Iain Duncan Smith, was irate: “We will fight these ridiculous EU rules. It is ludicrous we could have to pay more pensioners living in hot countries,” he said at the time. In a statement to the Commons ear-
lier this year, Osborne explained how the government planned to get around paying the allowance to expat pen-sioners: “We will link the Winter Fuel Payment to a temperature test. People in hot countries will no longer get it; it is after all a payment for winter fuel. Paying out even more money to people from all nationalities who may have worked in this country years ago but no longer live here is not a fair use of the nation’s cash.” Whilst many would agree that those living in tropical climates should pos-sibly not receive the WFP at the Brit-ish taxpayer's expense, those of us liv-ing in France may question whether it really is that “hot” here. After all, as this is being written in mid-Novem-ber, much of France is covered by a carpet of snow! As details of the chancellor's “tem-perature test” emerged, it would ap-pear that pensioners living in France
A couple have won a landmark ruling against a wind farm which must now be taken down >> Page 10
Don’t let the banks cash in!www.hifx.co.uk
Save time and money by sending your internationalmoney transfers the easy way and benefit from:
Consistent bank beating exchange rates online or over the phone. Move money, pay people and settle bills within seconds. Make and track payments 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Norton security used by 97 of the world’s top 100 banks.
Develop a habit that saves you money!
HiFX Plc is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority under the Payment Services Regulations 2009, registration 462444, for the provision of payment services.
Anti-government protests against planned eco-taxViolence, protests and revolt have engulfed France in what is becoming a winter of discontent for President Hollande. >> Page 8
DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
2 ♦ IN THIS EDITION
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So, this is our fiftieth edition. If I were playing cricket for England I would be raising my bat to
the balcony at this point (and I'd also be England's highest scorer, but let's not dwell on The Ashes first Test calamity!!) There have been a few standing 8-counts along the way, if you'll allow me to mix my metaphors, but we've stayed on our feet and I'm very proud of what we have achieved. In fact, I'm already looking forward to edition 100!! The British government chose an unwise time to unveil their “temperature test” which they have used as a reason not to award the Winter Fuel Payment to British pensioners living in France (see pages 1 and 7). As I was reading about how “hot” France was, the snow was falling in mid-November and my kids were in the garden making snowmen. I understand that times are tough and the government is on a spending squeeze, but it does not make
me nostalgic for my youth. I honestly now can't remember the point at which snow stopped being the most exciting thing in the world and turned into a logistical pain in the proverbial. Snow used to be the perfect present: no school and unlimited fun. I would spend hours outside building, playing, throwing, kicking... nowadays my first thought is about de-icing the car! I also have a theory about the temperature of snow: I think snow gets colder as you get older. My eldest came in the other day after a mammoth session outside (she had practically cleared the lawn of snow and built her own mini version of the Terracotta Army). I suddenly realised just how long she had been out there and the bad parent alarm went off in my head - she was only wearing thin woollen gloves. I grabbed her hands to warm them up... and they were hot. Not just not cold, but actually hot! After 5 minutes of clearing the snow off my car my hands are freezing, but now that I think about it, we used to put an old pair of socks over our hands, head down the park and spend all afternoon up to our elbows in snow. I don't recall suffering frostbite at any point...
sense to tell anyone who has lived through a winter in France, with the possible exception of parts of the south coast, that it is significantly warmer here than 'back home' in January. The savings are not even that significant: tens of millions from an overall WFP budget of a few billion! My politics may be changing as I get older, but I do think it would make more sense to means test the allowance in some way. What is the point of giving two hundred quid a year to Lord Sugar to help him keep Jack Frost from the door? There must be more pensioners living in the UK with six-figure incomes than there are pensioners living abroad and claiming the WFP...? For me, that would be a more sensible place to start, but then maybe that's why I have a paper round and not a seat in parliament! I was watching my children playing in the snow and pelting each other with snowballs - fortunately their aim is not up to much yet! - and it made
Hmm, I'm worried I might sound like I'm auditioning for Grumpy Old Men. What the hell, I've just thought of another gripe! “I have a good idea, Daddy. Why don't I ask Father Christmas for [insert expensive product from sparkly advert]?” Four years old and my daughter is already a willing victim of the marketing companies. Paint it pink and call it princess and she will want anything. OK, I'll stop complaining now I promise. All that remains is for me to wish all of our readers a very Happy Christmas!!
Until next month!
Steve Martindale, Editor
INSIDEthis edition
1 & 3-6 Local News7-13 National News14 French Life15 Practical16 Bilingual17 Letters to the Editor18-19 Classifieds20 Notice Board21 Clubs & Associations22-24 What's On
B1-B8 Business Directory
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2013
3 LOCAL NEWS ♦
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Your link with home
Baby found living in boot of carMe c h a n -
ics at a g a r a g e in Ter-r a s s o n
(Dordogne) made a horrific discovery this month when they were alerted to “bi-zarre noises, like moans” coming from the boot of a car they were working on. They opened it to discover a baby girl, who was na-ked, lying in her own ex-crement, dehydrated and feverish. More worryingly, the child's mother, who lives in the nearby village of Brignac-la-Plaine (Cor-rèze), did not initially see the problem. Guillaume Iguacel, the mechanic who found the girl, told news agency AFP that he was still reeling from the dis-covery. “We were deep-ly shocked because she didn't find this abnormal. We told her to remove the little girl [from the boot] and give her something to drink right away. I'm still having trouble sleeping, it was a horrifying sight, seeing this little girl in her own excrement, not able to hold up her head, white as a sheet.” The girl was taken to
hospital where doctors said she was suffering from de-layed growth and mental problems. The baby's mother and her partner, who are both Portuguese, have been ar-rested and charged with child abuse and endanger-ing a minor - crimes that could lead to a 10-year prison sentence if they are convicted. As more details of the case became appar-ent, it is now believed that the baby may have lived its entire life in the boot of the car. The mother allegedly told police that she had given birth in secret and hidden the baby’s existence from everyone, including her partner, the girl’s fa-ther. Speaking through his lawyer, the father denied any knowledge of the baby, claiming that until he lost his job as a stonemason, he would regularly leave the house at 6am, not return-ing until 6pm, and does not hold a driving licence. He therefore claimed not to use the car. During a press confer-ence, state prosecutor Jean-Pierre Laffite said: “The infant isn't the right size or weight for her age. She
is suffering from signifi-cant developmental delays. It appears she was hidden from all points of view - family members, neigh-bours and the authorities - apparently since birth. It's a situation that defies belief.” The couple have 3 other children, aged between four and 10, who despite being described as happy and well looked after, have been taken into care. In Brignac-la-Plaine, a village of around 900 peo-
ple, the couple's neighbours could not believe what had happened. “They are just like everyone else, educat-ed, no dirtier than you and me. At their house, which I have visited several times, it is the same. I can't believe it because we all thought, as did the family apparently, that they had three children, not four. We would have seen her pregnancy!” None of the neighbours ever reported seeing a pram or even hearing a baby's cries. “Thinking about it,
this summer, she did put covers over the back of the car, as you would to protect a child from the sun,” said one neighbour. “Besides that, I've never seen a baby seat in the car, although I recall that in August the husband thor-oughly washed the car with a Kärcher. I've been here three years and I've never seen him do that before.” ■
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Hunters find safe If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise... and this was certainly the case for a group of hunters from Monestier-Merlines in the Corrèze re-cently when they stumbled across a safe! After a day's hunting with la chasse, they came across the small safe, measuring 50cm across, in a remote area of forest. They immediately alerted the local gendarmes who found the safe had been forced open, but still con-tained a number of cheque books and bank cards. Prints were taken from the safe and gendarmes scoured the surrounding area for other discarded items. The investigation finally led them to believe that the safe had been stolen from a house in Aubière in the Puy-de-Dôme a few days previously. The safe and its contents are on their way back to the Puy-de-Dôme, with inves-tigators left scratching their heads as to why the thieves had brought it all the way over to northern Corrèze be-fore abandoning it. ■
DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
4 ♦ LOCAL NEWS
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New ministry for ruraldevelopment proposed
Be Lim card unveiled for 16 to 20-year-olds
In December, the group Nouvelles ruralités, led by the presidents of
the conseil général of 4 departments of central France, will submit its report on rural affairs. At the heart of the report will be proposals for the cre-ation of a new Ministry for Rural Development. The group is made up of the heads of the conseil général of the Creuse (23), Allier (03), Cher (18) and Nièvre (58) departments, all at the heart of cen-tral France. “This should be done in the same way as has been done for cit-ies,” explained Jean-Paul Dufrègne (Allier). “With a framework that allows us to define axes of de-velopment. We don't see why there shouldn't be a ministry for rural devel-opment, given that there is already a ministry for towns.” “We want the visions of
local politicians and resi-dents to be better repre-sented. We want to build and put forward a new vi-sion of rurality, escaping from the parochial views held by many city dwell-ers,” added Patrice Joly (Nièvre). “We are for a develop-ment of rural life which does not sacrifice the im-portance of the individual departments,” said Jean-Jacques Lozach (Creuse). “It should be about bring-ing the departments to-gether with a common and united voice,” contin-ued Jean-Pierre Saulnier (Cher). “It is crazy that we sometimes see deci-sions taken on a national level that are so cata-strophic on a local level.” Much work remains to be done to bring local pol-iticians onside and create the exact framework of a new ministry that would give rural areas a louder voice in government. ■
The conseil ré-gional of the Limousin has launched a
new “Be Lim” payment card for young people aged 16 to 20 years old. The Be Lim card re-places and builds on the “Cheq'up” where any-one living in the Lim-ousin aged between 16 and 20 received a book of vouchers worth €50 to use for reductions on items such as cin-ema and theatre tickets, books and CDs as well as sports and leisure ac-tivities. These reductions are now automatically loaded onto the Be Lim payment card, giving up to €8 euros off cinema tickets or €12 off sports. The new Be Lim cards are not limited to this, however, and can
also be used as virtual wallets: money can be loaded onto them which can then subsequently be used to withdraw cash or make a pay-ment. It can even be possible for those re-ceiving SAS grants to gain access to the €300 monthly entitlement. “This card allows us to simplify a number of processes and we are hoping to agree other partnerships, most nota-
bly with shopkeepers,” explained president of the conseil régional, Jean-Paul Denanot. In order to apply for a Be Lim card, visit www.belim.fr and fill out the online forms. When the necessary paperwork has been sent, your card will arrive in the post, pre-loaded with the €50 of benefits previously distributed under the Cheq'up scheme. ■
Welcome en Limousin continues to grow Welcome en Limousin, the association that helps promote tourism and the local economy to the English-speaking community, has held its annual general assembly and the signs are positive. Cyril Boissier, president of the as-sociation, congratulated everyone on “very satisfactory results for the year 2012-13”. The focus of Welcome en Limousin re-mains its presence at Limoges International Airport, where it managed to distribute 15,000 of its members' leaflets and flyers from its self-service desk in the main terminal. In the last 2 years, the number of businesses signed up with Welcome en Limousin has also been on the rise, from 73 in 2011-12 to 99 in 2012-13, with the number expected to reach 130 for the year 2013-14. Much of the increase has come from businesses established in the Creuse and Corrèze departments. Along with its new mascot, Leafy, a team from Welcome en Limousin attended The France Show again this year, the largest show in the UK dedicated to all things French. The association has had a presence at the event, which attracts 18,000 visitors in London over 3 days, since 2011. ■
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2013
5 LOCAL NEWS ♦
Ivan PetleyHandmade 3-D hardwood puzzles
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Find us at the following markets in December:1st - St-Sulpice-Laurière (87370)
1st - Isle (87170), Maison du Temps Libre8th Néoux (23200)
7/8th - Aubière (63170)
13/14/15th - Cournon (63804)14/15th - Tulle (19000), Salle Latreille23rd - Aubusson (23200), Hôtel de ville
Local team of rescuers head to the Philippines
Health centres the solution to rural healthcare
Following the carnage caused in the Philippines by Typhoon Haiyan, aid agencies across the world have been sending teams to the region.
The Limousin is no different and in mid-November a local team of 16 rescuers from the Pompiers de l'Urgence International (PUI) took off from Limoges. Their desti-nation was the town of Tacloban on the is-land of Leyte, an area particularly badly hit by the typhoon, which swept through with winds gusting well over 300 kph. “They are reporting a catastrophic situ-ation,” said Pascal Buisson, a member of the PUI based back in Limoges and coor-dinating with the rescue team. “It is much worse than the 16 person team had imag-ined.” Part of the team's mission, along with helping to find and care for survivors, is
to work alongside the French consulate in Manila to track down French nationals who have been reported missing. Speaking on France Info radio station, Philippe Besson, a pompier from Limoges and a founder of the PUI, said that he was “very surprised by the seriousness of the situation”, adding that the damage was “like a tsunami and an earthquake rolled into one”. And he should know, having worked in Turkey and Indonesia in the aftermath of both types of disaster. “The logistics of it are very difficult,” he contin-ued. “You have to find a vehicle and occa-sionally we have to syphon fuel from other damaged vehicles to get around. That's just the way it is.” A second PUI team of 13 people have since joined their colleagues to reinforce the rescue efforts. ■
Many parts of rural France have been suffering in
recent years from a lack of doctors and other health-care professionals. Today's ageing population has in-creased medical needs, but the country's GPs are also getting older and there are not enough young profes-sionals replacing them. Part of the problem is that recent graduates pre-fer to work in hospitals. Besides the decreasing so-cial status of GPs, hospitals also often have preferable working conditions: fixed hours, better holidays, less time on call, etc.
One answer to the prob-lem are mixed discipline multi-doctor health centres – maisons de santé pluri-disciplinaires. As the name suggests, these are centres where GPs, dentists and other healthcare profes-sionals all work under one roof. The advantage for the doctors is that there is usu-ally cover, meaning that holidays are easier to take and working hours are less fluid. It has long been predicted that these maisons de santé are the answer for rural ar-eas suffering from a lack of healthcare professionals. If this is indeed the case, then the Limousin will soon be
very well served indeed. There are currently 7 such centres in the Limousin according to the regional health authority (ARS), but a further 30 are either un-der construction or being planned. A good example is the commune of Le Dorat, where plans for a maison de santé pluridisciplinaire date back to 2007. Le Do-rat has 3 GPs who have been based in the town since the mid 1980s and in recent times the commune has been thinking about the future - work on the centre is due to start soon with completion planned in 2015. “We have got around
5 years before the question of finding replacements becomes a problem,” said Philippe Jardel, GP and also mayor of the town. “But we need to plan these things in advance. We un-derstand that the young do not want to work like we did, sometimes in isolation in remote areas, and that's without mentioning the hours!” Le Dorat is aiming to gather 4 doctors, 6 nurses and 5 dentists under one roof, along with a physio-therapist, podiatrist, speech therapist and dietician. “The most important thing is that everyone works in collaboration with each other,” explained An-thony Ponticaud from the ARS. “We need procedures in place and to make sure that patient care is coordi-nated.”
Local politicians have been the driving force be-hind the building of these new centres, but it is young healthcare professionals that will run the centres and staff them. “That is absolutely essential for this to work. Otherwise we will be left with walls and an empty shell,” con-
cluded Anthony Ponticaud. “A number of key players in the project are also at the heart of training young professionals: GPs offer rotations to many 4th year students, and these stu-dents will hopefully then see the benefits of working in tandem with other pro-fessionals.” ■
DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
6 ♦ LOCAL NEWS
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www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2013
7 NATIONAL NEWS ♦
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Winter Fuel Payments to be removedmay be justifiably angry at the decision to label this coun-try “hot”. Under the test, the WFP will be withdrawn from pensioners living in coun-tries where the average win-ter temperature is considered higher than the warmest area of the UK - the south-west of England. This seems like a fair test, but the government's own data suggests that under this rule, pensioners living in France would qualify. An examination of the raw data used by the Depart-ment for Work and Pensions (DWP), which was provided by the University of East An-glia, shows clearly that the average winter temperature of France and Corsica is 5.08°C, while the south-west of Eng-land is 5.6°C. When pressed, the DWP later admitted that it had included France’s over-seas departments (départe-ments d'outre-mer - DOMs). These far-flung places, in-habited by roughly 30 UK pensioners, include tropical islands such as Guadeloupe, Martinique and La Réunion as well as French Guyana in South America, where average annual temperatures are in the mid-20s. By adding these loca-tions, the average temperature of “France” nudges above that of Cornwall. Brian Cave, of Pensioners Debout and www.votes-for-expat-brits.com, said: “It’s clear that the DWP added in the DOMs figures for France, because the university did not include them. I find that scientifically dishonest and a corruption of the figures to
suit their ends. Spain has the largest number of WFP claim-ants with France next, and they made sure those two countries were removed.” The government defend-ed its use of the data on the grounds that the DOMs are considered part of France - and therefore the EU - and that British pensioners living there can claim the WFP. An e-petition protesting against the new “tempera-ture test” has so far gathered over 14,000 signatures (http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/peti-tions/52121). As the petition has more than 10,000 signa-tures, it received an official government response:
The Government remains committed to protecting key support for older people for the life of this Parliament, in line with Coalition Agreement. Winter Fuel Payments are non-contributory and were originally introduced to give older people in the UK the re-
assurance they can keep warm during cold weather. However, following a European Court judgment, Winter Fuel Pay-ments are now also made to eligible people living outside the UK in another European Economic Area (EEA) Mem-ber State and Switzerland. To help return to the origi-nal policy intention, the Gov-ernment intends to bring in an eligibility criterion, effective from winter 2015/16, based on country of residence with Winter Fuel Payments going only to eligible people living in EEA countries with colder climates.
The latest available statis-tics show that Britain paid about £3.1 million in Winter Fuel Payments to expats in France in the winter of 2011-12, the largest amount after Spain where almost £6 million was paid out. Both figures are small when compared to the estimated total cost to the gov-ernment of £2 billion.
Rubbing salt into the wound, figures have emerged showing that hundreds of MPs have together claimed a total of £200,000 on expenses to pay their energy bills, with some politicians claiming up to £6,000 each for gas and elec-tricity in their second homes. ■
FN protests disrupt Remembrance dayThe 11th of November is a day of remembrance in France as in Britain, yet it is a day President Hollande will surely want to forget this year. 70 protestors were arrested as the president made his annual speech in Paris and calls were made for Hollande to resign. Armistice celebrations at the Elysée Palace were brought to a halt as protestors, many of whom were far-right activists, booed the president, citing the eco tax, rising levels of unemployment and the malaise of the French economy as their major concerns. Cries of “socialist dictator” and “we don't want your law” could be heard as the protestors tussled with police. Members of the Front National (FN) were confirmed among the protestors. Later in the day, Marine Le Pen, leader of the FN condemned what she termed the “arbitrary arrests” of many protestors. Le Pen had little support, however. Over 1,300,000 French people lost their lives in the First World War and politicians were quick to condemn the actions of the protestors. “Today on the Champs-Elysées, several dozen individuals linked to the far right ... did not want to respect this moment of contemplation and gathering,” commented Interior Minister Manuel Valls. ■
Amaryllis Barton
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Mass protests against planned eco-taxThe aptly named
place de la Ré-sistance in Qui-mper, Brittany was this month
the centre of public vio-lence, protest and revolt in what is becoming a winter of discontent for President Hollande. Around 15,000 work-ers from farming and fish-ing unions bearing red and white Breton flags came together to protest against the newly imposed eco-tax. Minister of Finance Jean-Marc Ayrault had predicted a “spiral of violence” when the highly unpopular tax was introduced, but even he could not have predicted the historic response to the measure. The eco-tax is set to be imposed on all HGVs weighing over 3.5 tonnes. Such vehicles will be equipped with an on-board computer which will cal-culate the amount of eco-tax payable to state cof-fers. The aim is reduce the carbon footprint of freight transport on French roads, specifically on a 15,000km road network identified by transport ministers. Of course, this tax is just one more nail in the coffin for the French economy; France has paid an extra 30 billion euros in taxes this year alone. The government had
hoped to take the sting out of the tax by delaying its introduction until January 2014. Once again, however, Hollande, who now has the lowest popularity ratings since records began, mis-judged the public response. To make matters worse, even Hollande's ex-part-ner and mother of his four children, Ségolène Royal, voiced support for the pro-testors. The promised delay did not deter protestors from launching stones and flow-erpots at police, or even from starting fires and set-ting up barricades at eco-tax boundaries. Police respond-ed with tear gas and water hoses in the latest episodes of protest which are taking a bitter turn against govern-ment policies; in October a protestor's hand was torn off by a police tear gas canister. One Breton protestor, a chicken farmer from Rospor-den, claimed he was taking part in such violent protests because he had “nothing left to lose”. “It's up to us to take the initiative now,” he said, since increasing travel costs could put him, and others like him, out of a job. “If I fall, I won't be alone,” he concluded. And indeed the violence spread to surrounding ar-eas as other regions became aware of the tax's implica-tions. In Lanrodec (Côtes-
d'Armor), on the road linking Saint-Brieuc to Brest, pro-testors marked the historical relevance of their anger by wearing red caps, which orig-inally were the symbol of the protests against Louis XIV tax hikes in the 17th century. The protestors set fire to the eco-tax boundaries, setting alight bins and car tyres in an attempt to melt the structures'
supports. Further north in Avesnes-sur-Helpe, a fire at an eco-tax boundary put a Route Nationale out of action. In addition, over 45 speed cam-eras were damaged across the north-west of France. As the violence escalated, the leaders of the protest claimed they were “ready to talk” with Ayrault, who
spoke of the need for a “dialogue” with protestors; Ayrault even offered a “fu-ture pact with the Breton region”. Significantly, how-ever, this meeting was held with the region's prefect, Patrick Strozda; no member of the government was actu-ally present. Protestors claim the tax will be Hollande's “cem-
etery”, while government ministers hastily assured the public the problem is one of communication. Even though the tax has been “suspended for the time be-ing”, with Le Monde saying its application will be post-poned until next summer, public discontent is set to stay. ■ Amaryllis Barton
Commentary - What does this mean for France? November has been a month of reckoning for France and for French politics. The country has been named the “sick man of Eu-rope” by commentators across the continent in the wake of the downgrading of the French economy from AA+ to AA by Standard and Poor's. In itself, this downgrading is likely to have little effect; two years ago, France was downgraded from AAA rating, as Britain has been. However, France's latest move to AA is a damning indictment of Hollande's leadership: in a statement, the credit ratings agency directly attributed the downgrade to Hollande's taxation reforms. Hollande was elected on a tidal wave of opposition to austerity, but as a result of the demands of the EU deficit reduction com-mission, Hollande has been forced to re-think. With cabbages blocking roads at the end of October, red-bonneted protestors taking to the street in November, and, to add insult to injury, Hollande's ex-partner coming out against him, the president's political capital couldn't be lower. Thus, with several successive u-turns in a month, Hollande really has nowhere left to turn. Whilst the eco-tax riots are hugely concerning from a political perspective, they represent just one of the poorly conceived taxa-tion measures Hollande has attempted to introduce. At the other end of the spectrum, there is the 75% tax on incomes above 1 mil-lion euros. Although receiving popular support (89% of Le Figaro readers were in favour of it), this tax has had little effect other than to infuriate French football clubs. Hollande has essentially found himself introducing either popular but ineffective taxes, or implementing potentially useful taxes which are immensely unpopular. It seems the president can do nothing right. The eco-tax would have brought in approximately €1 billion which will now have to be found elsewhere. In addition, the govern-ment wasted around 800 million euros on equipment to implement the eco-tax. French taxpayers will have to dig deep to find this money as taxes are imposed in other less controversial ways. It will be all Hollande can do to stop “revolt turning into revolution”, suggests Marine Le Pen, who is arguably one of the few winners from this turbulent affair. ■ Amaryllis Barton
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Commuters find novel way to learn English
Couple in wind farm victory
Many bored commuters try to put a positive spin on their lengthy journey in and out of work each day by claim-ing, “I don't mind, it's a bit of me time” or “It's great, I
get to read so much more these days”. To those of us who no lon-ger take the 05:53 into Waterloo every morning this often sounds like the kind of statement that would make even a government spin doctor blush!
A group of French commuters, however, are signing up to a novel way of filling their time on the rails travelling to and from Paris, with English lessons taking the place of texting, snooz-ing and snoring in specially created “classrooms” on SNCF car-riages. The scheme, which is currently being piloted on two test routes, is aimed at regular commuters travelling to and from the capital who want to make better use of the “dead” time while on the train. “It’s much more constructive than having a weekly two-hour lesson,” said businessman Jérôme, who has signed up for 40 lessons at a cost of €690. “Doing it four times a week means I will be learning a lot of new vocabulary that I can put to use as soon as I get to the office,” he told Europe 1 radio. Committed commuters try their best to ignore the passing scenery and their snoring compatriots as they take their classes in small groups of three sat around a table with their teacher. Despite being a practical use of time, public lessons do have one drawback: “Sometimes you get a bit scared of sounding like an idiot in front of all the other travellers,” admitted one student. The courses are run by SpeakWrite English-language school and come in two options: an intensive “Locomotion” course of forty 45-minute classes, and the more relaxed “On Track”, com-prised of thirty 60-minute sessions. ■
In what could prove to be a landmark ruling, a Belgian couple living in northern France have
won a legal battle to have 10 wind turbines taken down be-cause they spoil the “bucolic and rustic” view from their home. In a judgement which could have widespread im-plication across Europe, Erik and Ingrid Wallecan success-fully argued that the 100-me-tre-high structures were ruin-ing their quality of life. Judges in Montpellier ruled that the turbines’ loca-tion blighted the countryside, causing the “total disfigure-ment of a bucolic and rustic landscape”. Besides “spoil-ing the view”, they noted both the “groaning and whistling” and “unsightliness of white and red flashing lights”. The owners of the wind farm, La Compagnie du Vent (The Wind Company), a subsidiary of the energy giant GDF Suez, have been ordered to pay the Wallecans €37,500 in damages and to remove the wind farm within four months or face a fine of €500 per day per turbine. La Compagnie du Vent said it would appeal the judgement. Erik Wallecan, a retired vet bought the Château de Flers in the Pas-de-Calais depart-ment in 1996 with his wife Ingrid. At the time, the châ-teau was run down and the couple spent a decade restor-ing the listed building and 42 acres of land to its former glory. They also transformed part of the building into a guesthouse. In 2007, they were hor-rified to discover that their view had been blighted by the construction of 10 wind turbines. “The first evening when we arrived in the châ-teau after their construction, it was a firework display; we wondered where these lights were coming from. We were not even aware that these (wind) projects existed,” Mrs
Wallecan told Le Monde. “Every day we have to suf-fer the visual and noise pol-lution. I can see the turbines from everywhere in the cas-tle, from every room,” added Mr Wallecan. “People are often too scared to take action and suf-fer in silence,” said Philippe Bodereau, Mr Wallecan’s lawyer. “Today we are say-ing non: justice has been done and this shows all those who suffer wind farms with a sense of powerlessness that the fight is not vain, that one can have one’s life respected - one’s right to peace.” The couple's victory has not been welcomed by ev-eryone locally, however, with Jean-Luc Faÿ, mayor of a group of villages including the château, saying that each turbine represented €12,000 a year for the community. This money, he said, has helped to
fund a new swimming pool and sports hall, but that “due to two people, there is a knife under the throat of an area of 6,700 inhabitants”. Supporters of wind farms have said opponents are ex-aggerating the impact of turbines and are opposed to progress. “We accept the presence of telephone emit-ters, electricity lines and py-lons, water towers, grain si-los,” the Federation of Wind Energy said. “Some wind-mills have now been classi-fied as historic monuments... Why not one day wind tur-bines as well?” There have been a num-ber of high-profile protests against planned wind farms in recent years as the govern-ment pushes on with plans to reduce its dependence on nu-clear power and shift towards renewable energy sources. France has pledged to triple
its number of wind turbines by 2020; there are currently 4,000 turbines spread across 1,127 sites. In August, a French court banned a local council from erecting turbines near the Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey in Normandy, after Unesco warned their construction could cost France’s most visited provincial tourist site its World Heritage status. A plan to build a vast offshore wind farm within view of several Normandy D-Day beaches has also been con-demned as “an insult to the memory of the thousands who died there”. In 2012, an-gry villagers from Ferrières-Poussarou, in the Hérault department of southwestern France, held their mayor hostage for a day and a night after learning of his plans to build 10 new turbines in their commune. ■
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German firm guilty over faulty implantsA court in the southern
city of Toulon has ruled that TUV Rheinland, the safety standards
firm which certified sub-standard breast implants sold by French company PIP, had “neglected its duties of checking and vigilance” and ordered it to pay compensa-tion to victims. Six implant distributors and 1,700 women had sued TUV Rhe-inland for €50 million, arguing that anything but a cursory in-spection would have uncovered the problems with the implants. Following their victory, the plain-tiffs in the civil case will be given an initial payment of €3,000 per victim which the court estimated should cover the costs of surgery to have the implants removed. Individual medical and financial assessments will now be con-ducted on each plaintiff which could result in further compensa-tion payouts. Only when these as-sessments are finished will TUV Rheinland know the exact sum to it will be liable for. The company said it was “shocked” by the deci-sion and is appealing the ruling. A number of French and British women were among the plaintiffs, although it is thought the majority came from South America. The le-gal action against TUV Rheinland is the women’s only chance of financial compensation as PIP is no longer solvent. Following the most recent ruling, it is expected that the door is now open to many more compensation claims against the German company. PIP, which at the height of its powers was the world's third big-gest supplier of breast implants, is accused of cutting costs for over a decade by using an ille-gal concoction of industrial and agricultural silicone not fit for
use on humans. At around €5 per litre, it was seven times cheaper than medical-grade silicone - a cost-cutting measure that saved the company millions of euros per year. The scandal emerged after sur-geons warned authorities there was an abnormally high rupture rate among PIP implants. Gen-darmes searching the business in southern France then found cans of industrial silicone in a van. Soon afterwards, the company was closed and its products taken off the market. When Mr Mas was finally arrested, he denied that the implants posed any health risks, calling the women who com-plained “fragile people, or people who are doing this for money”. An estimated 300,000 women in 65 countries are believed to have received the implants, which are twice as likely to rupture as other brands - more than 4,000 women have reported ruptures. In France, the health ministry has advised all 30,000 women with implants to remove them and is footing the bill. In Britain, of the 47,000 women who received the implants, only those those is-sued by NHS doctors are being replaced for free. Previously, the then Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, told private clinics that they had a moral obligation to do the same. PIP's founder Jean-Claude Mas is on trial for “aggravated fraud” in a separate case, along with 4 of his former senior staff. It is one of the biggest court cases in French legal history - over 5,000 victims have joined the action against the former French cosmetic implant manufacturer, and are being rep-resented by about 300 lawyers. A ruling on the case is expected in December.
Jan Spivey, a British woman who received PIP implants as part of reconstructive surgery follow-ing breast cancer in 2002, told the BBC she was “delighted” with the ruling. “Of course TUV has some responsibility and should be held to account. They're the organisa-tion that gives the CE certifica-tion for safety, and that was what my surgeon relied on when he gave the implants to me. Anybody that gives safety certification for a product that is going to make women very sick does have re-
sponsibility.” During the trial, the court heard that a PIP employee in charge of quality control had only a cook-ing diploma; another in charge of the lab had previously trained as
a pastry chef. Lawyers for TUV Rheinland had argued that it was never the German firm's job to check the actual implants, and their task was only to inspect the manufacturing process. ■
France's cosmetics and plastic surgery industry is among the biggest in Eu-rope. An estimated 21,000 breast augmentations are carried out each year and between 400,000 and 500,000 women in France currently have breast implants - the most popular cosmetic operation after liposuction and anti-wrinkle procedures. A study in 2009 found that although French women are the slimmest in western Europe, they also have the biggest complexes about their bodies and the toughest standards on weight.
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France defy the odds to beat the Ukraine France will join England
at next year's World Cup in Rio de Janeiro fol-lowing their dramatic
win against the Ukraine in a play-off match. Beating the Ukraine 3-0 in Paris, France became the first European team in history to overturn a 2-0 first-leg play-off deficit. “It's the magic of football!”
said manager Didier Deschamps. “Four days ago we were very bad but the players responded well. It was important for French football to be in Brazil. When we've got the ingredients we can do great things.” Coming into the match know-ing that only a near-perfect dis-play would do, the 1998 World Cup champions and 2006 run-ners-up, had plenty of pressure on their shoulders. Almost 90 per cent of respondents to a poll in Le Parisien had expected France to crash out of qualifying. But ninety minutes later, the country was celebrating as two goals from Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho either side of a controver-sial Karim Benzema goal earned France a thrilling victory that will live long in the memory. Ukrainian supporters will ar-gue that Benzema's goal was scored from an offside position, and it was. French supporters will
say that justice was done, point-ing to the goal that was disal-lowed a few minutes earlier when the Real Madrid striker looked to be onside. Two-goal star Mamadou Sakho insisted he was no hero af-ter his brace helped to send France to the World Cup finals. “There's pure happiness and we've written a page in French football history
with this,” the 23-year-old said. “A lot of people didn't believe in us but there were also plenty who did. I don't see myself as a hero; the team was the hero in this one. I'd never previously scored a double in my career! We're going to Brazil and we have to take on board the lessons from all of our matches, not just this one.” So unlikely was it that France would be boarding the plane to Brazil, a number of celebri-ties had made rash promises, although to their credit, most of them followed through. Antoine de Caunes, the host of the French TV show Le Grand Journal on
Canal +, announced live on air that he would present his show in English and “fully dressed as an Englishman” if les Bleus won. Sure enough, he turned up for work the next day sporting “Brit-ish” and a comedy accent. MP Philippe Gosselin came to the French National Assem-bly wearing flip-flops as he had promised and Cyril Hanouna,
host of the French TV show Touche pas à mon poste! (Don't touch my television!) dyed his hair blond. No one came close to Doria Tillier, Le Grand Journal's weather forecaster, however, who promised she would present the following day's forecast “à poil” - naked - if the team won! View-ers were initially disappointed to discover that the following day's forecast was presented from the town of “Poil” in central France, although there did follow a long-distance shot of the presenter run-ning across a field wearing noth-ing but her boots and a smile! ■
Paris cafés favour the beautiful Former waitresses at a restaurant run by Thierry and Gilbert Costes have confirmed what many have long suspected: that trendy Parisian restaurants have a policy of seating “ugly” people out of sight and moving the “beautiful” diners to the front of the restaurant. The Costes group run a number of establishments across the capital including Georges, in the Pompidou Centre, and Café Marly, overlooking the Louvre. “The good-looking ones are led to the good places, where they can be easily seen,” the waitresses told Le Canard enchaîné, an investigative and satirical weekly. “As for the non good-looking ones, it is imperative that they be dispatched to the corners of the room.” They also claimed that failing to obey these rules would result in reprimands such as: “What are these ugly mugs doing at this table? Everyone can see them when they come in. It’s very bad for our image.” ■
Brangelina Nouveau voted world's best rosé Château Miraval Rosé 2012, the wine produced by Hollywood's first couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, has been voted the world's best rosé. The wine, cultivated at the couple's 1,200-acre vineyard at their estate in Provence, was ranked 84th in Wine Spectator's Top 100 Wines of the Year and is the first rosé to ever make the top 100. According to the magazine, the rosé is both “refined and elegant, offering pure and concentrated flavours of dried red berry, tangerine and melon. The focused finish features flint and spice notes, with a hint of cream”. When the first bottles of Château Miraval went on sale earlier this year, all of the 6,000 bottles that were released sold out within an impressive five hours. ■
Hollande's popularity at record low After hitting a record low approval rating of 26% in October, President François Hollande's popularity has plunged to new depths this month, with just 15% of the public supporting the Socialist leader.
The poll, conducted for the Huffington Post and i>TELE, asked how respondents judged Hollande's actions as president. The results were damning: just three per cent of respondents to the survey said they had a very positive opinion, while 12 per cent said it was positive. Seventy-six per cent said they had a somewhat negative or very negative opinion; 9 per cent would not comment. The poll put unemployment at the top of their concerns (36%), well ahead of taxes (13%) and immigration (9%). ■
Man jailed over fake wines A man has been jailed at a court in Bordeaux for selling fake bottles of Mouton Rothschild wine on eBay. The scam, involving bottles which featured labels that “were very likely forged in China”, was exposed thanks to a Europe-wide investigation by specialist officers working for six different police forces. It is the latest in a long line of recent convictions for wine fraud, and according to unofficial industry estimates quoted by Sud Ouest newspaper, counterfeit wine accounts for some 20 per cent of all international sales. Also in November, Laurent Ponsot, a Burgundy winemaker and famed forgery hunter, estimated that 80 per cent of auctioned wines allegedly coming from Burgundy’s most prestigious domains, including his own, are fakes. ■
French economy downgraded again France has been hit by a second downgrade by ratings agency Standard and Poor's (S&P) in two years, this time down to AA from AA+. S&P directly attacked Hollande's economic policies, questioning the socialist government's capacity to repair the country's stuttering economy. The agency noted that “high unemployment is weakening support for further significant fiscal and structural policy measures”. Unemployment is currently around 11%, with 3.29 million people out of work, an all-time high. Holger Schmieding, chief economist in London for the German bank Berenberg, said the lack of progress in France, especially compared with positive steps made in smaller, weaker countries such as Spain, Portugal, Ireland and Greece, “makes it ever more obvious that France is Europe’s real problem”. ■
Double DRenovations & Home Improvements
All types of building work, groundwork,renovations, decorating and maintenance
Telephone: 05 55 65 00 29 06 33 19 99 64 Email:- [email protected]
Fosses septiquesRoofingTiling
Kitchen and bathroom fittingConservatories
Plaster boardingMasonryCarpentryetc. etc.
Covering depts: 03, 23, 63, 87
siret: 510 357 155 00017
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2The Bugle8 Page Pull-out Section
Your indispensable guide to finding local businesses & artisans
December 2013
Accommodation >> B1Activities & Leisure >> B1Animals & Pets >> B1Antiques/Brocantes >> B1Auto Services >> B2Building Services Architects >> B2 Carpenters/Joiners >> B2 Electricians >> B2 Fosses Septiques >> B3 General >> B3-B4
Groundworks >> B4 Painters & Decorators >> B4 Plasterers >> B4-B5 Plumbers >> B5 Sandblasters >> B5Chimney Sweeps >> B5Computers/Satellites >> B6Food & Drink >> B6Garden Services >> B6Gifts & Crafts >> B6-B7Handholding Services >> B7
Health & Beauty >> B7Insurance & Finance >> B7Language Services >> B7Online Shopping >> B7Pest Control >> B8Property Maintenance >> B8Property Sales >> B8Retail & Commerce >> B8Transport/Removals/Storage >> B8General >> B8
Accommodation
The Linden HouseSelf-catering gîte in Creuse
Sleeps 6-8Prices from €250/week
La Petite MaisonBeautiful 2-person gîte in
the heart of Creuse.Perfect for house-hunters &
holidaymakers alike.05.55.80.04.31
SIRET: 518 135 009 00018
Activities & Leisure
Animals & Pets
CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...
[email protected] 05.55.41.17.76
Flying Lessonswww.flyinginfrance.com
See page 24
The OrchardKennels & Cattery
(Farges, nr. Aubusson)Small & friendly, English run.
Viewings welcome.Certificat de capacité.
Also available: Pet foods, treats & accessories.
Mon - Sat: 9.00 - 7.00Contact Dave Grant: 05 55 67 58 87
www.the-orchard.eusiret: 504 584 228 00010
The Caring CatteryRochechouart
05 55 03 76 87 / 06 30 02 35 73Only 30 mins from Limoges airport.
Established, purpose built securecattery. Large individual/family units, tiled
floors, shelving, adjoining outside areas. Heated, individual needs catered for. NEW - purpose built isolation unit.
Certificate of Capacity. Contact Barbara:[email protected]
SIRET: 494 125 016 00019
ZE DOG (& CAT) HOUSEFamily, cage-free boarding for dogs and cats.
Positive dog training and counseling.We make sure that “Ze Dog (& Cat) House” is a real
home from home for your companions so that they, as well as you, spend a great time on holiday!
June Altman, Le Puytren, 87800 MeilhacTel: 05 55 58 87 94 or Mob: 06 61 01 12 21
Email: [email protected] de capacité n° 87-203 RCS Limoges 750 912 057
Dog Holidaysat Valhalla Farm
5 Star Accommodationin our Home (Dept 23).
4 Walks each day & lots of T.L.C.Contact Karen & Darren
Tel: 05 55 80 95 18 / 06 52 58 17 [email protected]
www.valhallafarm.orgSIRET: 511 629 610 00011
ChamplongChatterie
Caring, quiet accommodation just for cats
JUNCT 22 off A20, Arnac la PosteAlison & Ray
Tel: 05 55 60 27 [email protected]
SIRET: 520 896 671 00010
Youradverthere
05 55 41 17 76
Youradverthere
05 55 41 17 76
Youradverthere
05 55 41 17 76
Please mention The Bugle when responding
to adverts
La Grange BrocanteSeillant, 36310 Chaillac
We sell a range of quality new and second-hand goods to suit a variety of tastes and budgets.
Second hand furniture, clothing, books, CDs/DVDs, toys, new items, gifts & English greetings cards.
We also purchase items.Thursday-Sunday, 14h00-17h30
Antiques/Brocantes
DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
B2 ♦ DIRECTORY
siret: 503 169 237 00016
Entreprise Hines Building ServicesAll Internal & External Works, completed to a high standard.
We also supply KWIKSTAGE scaffold for hire - either DIY or full scaffold service provided.See website for more info - www.entreprisehines.com - 05 55 89 69 46 - [email protected]
AutoServices
Le Mécanique Anglais
30 years’ experience● All Makes & Models
● Repairs ● Servicing ● CT’s● Specialist in: Vehicle
Diagnostics and Auto ElectricsCovering 87/24/16 - I can come to you
Email: [email protected]
TEL: 05 53 62 50 46SIREN: 514 423 532
The English Mechanic
Car Breakers - C.R.A.L.Buy/Sell/Scrap
Spare Parts for Sale05.55.48.21.33 - see pg 15
RING BILL!Registered Car Mechanic
05.55.81.31.85See Display Ad below
BuildingServices
Architectural Services
ArchitecturalDRAWING SERVICE
Renovating yourFrench property?
New build?Dossiers prepared
Permis de Construire Déclarations PréalablesTel: 05 53 52 36 05lavieilleabbaye@orange.frwww.latuspeter-architecturaldrawings-24.com
SIRET: 493 770 358 00015
CHARTERED STRUCTURAL
ENGINEERPre-purchase & Structural Surveys.
Verbal & written reports.Structural calculations & drawings.Redevelopment ideas & solutions.Tim Haw B.Eng C.Eng M.I.Struct.E05 53 56 72 59 / 06 58 04 21 94
+44 (0)7910 283 965Web: www.versineer.com
Email: [email protected] Reg No. 5245744
www.masterplans.euWe offer a comprehensive Architectural
Drawing Service for your projects.Supplying all the necessary drawings, elevations &
photo realisations for your application. We also offer a floor plan service. Dossiers compiled for: -
● Certificat d'urbanisme● Déclaration préalable● Permis de construire
05 55 80 72 83 / 06 33 07 29 [email protected]
siret: 790 016 984 00011
BuildingServices
Carpenters/Joiners
SHUTTERS / VOLETSMade to Measure
WoodworkPine Window Shutters from €35
Pine Ledge and Brace Doors from €69Bespoke items made
www.scrollart.co.uk05 55 14 12 43
Oradour-sur-Vayres (87150)Siren 527 854 749
Nicholas HemmingWood Craft
www.nicholashemming.co.uk02 48 63 15 09 - see main ad pg 11
Le CharmeDe Chêne
Handmade solid oak joinery and furnitureOur joinery expertise includes barn
doors, barn door frame openings, stair-cases, kitchens, windows & doors. We also make handmade furniture.
Every item is bespoke andmade to measure.
Please visit our website for recentinstallations and references.
02 54 25 65 0806 16 91 64 67
SIRET: 510 156 763 00011
Youradverthere
05 55 41 17 76
Youradverthere
05 55 41 17 76
Youradverthere
05 55 41 17 76
BuildingServices
ElectriciansELECTRICIAN
Philip EvansFully Qualified
French ElectricianAll electrical work covered, from
a light switch to a full rewireLimousin, Charente& Dordogne covered
Emergency Callouts 24/7Tel: 06 36 35 56 44or 05 55 78 16 28
Email: [email protected]: 533 235 016 00011
Pink ElectriqueRuth & Geoff Kowalczyk
All electrical work, home automation & security. Project management. See our website for more
information. French qualified and insured.30+ years worldwide experience.Departments covered: 23, 36, 87.
Tel: 05 55 63 10 68 Mob: 06 64 59 48 64Email: [email protected]
www.pink-electrique.frSIRET: 788 709 871 00016
ONE STOP NON STOP Qualified Electrician
All aspects of electrical work carried out,including industrial 3 phase systems.
EDF supplies arranged.Consuel certification arranged.Call-outs 24/7. Free estimates.
TEL: 05.55.09.87.24EMAIL: [email protected]
siret : 750 401 531 00022
Lumiere Serviceet Energie
Steven Rofe - 20 Years experience• NICEIC approved Electrician for
8 years in the UK• Wiring of new installations(including liaising with EDF)
• Rewiring existing houses/barns• External & garden lighting
• All aspects of electrical works• Fully insured - (10 year Decennale)• Departments covered 19,23 & 87
05.55.69.75.67 / 06.89.47.69.71email: [email protected]
Siret No. 501.792.386.00010
Please mention The Bugle when responding
to adverts
50,000 sq ft of covered showrooms & 2 large external display areas- All reclamation bought & sold- Demolition undertaken- Specialists in oak beams- Metalwork & stonework- Indian stone fl ooring- Plywood, all in 8x4 sheets. Internal, external and marine grade ply available
Open Mon-Sat 8.30am to 6pm - www.reclamation-yard.comOnly 1km from Confolens on the D952 Ansac-sur-Vienne road
TLHCAR-PARTS
New Replacement parts - Discount Prices - Weekly delivery
Tyres - Exhausts - Service Kits - Brakes - Shocks - Batteries - Oils etc.
Tel: UK (0044) 07907 652 827Machine engineering, cylinder heads etc.
New trailers and parts - Towbars - Quality used car spares, engines, doors, wings etc.
Mail order service - PaypalDelivery to Northern & Central France
From £15Email: [email protected]
BARWICKÉLECTRICITÉ
SHAUN BARWICK QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN
Available for all types of electrical workSmall jobs, new builds, renovations, rewires
Consuel assistance andcertification service available
Fully insured with 10 year workmanship guarantee
Based near Châlus (87230)Covering departments 87 and 24
Tel: 09 72 35 74 73Email: [email protected]
Siret: 794 282 368 00016
SALAMANDREélectricitéKeith SLOPER
Tel: 05 55 64 94 20Mob: 07 86 38 09 61* Qualified electrician
* All types of electrical works carried out
* Free estimates* Fault finding
* Consuel certification arranged* Temporary and permanent
EDF supplies arranged* Departments 23 and 87
No Siret: 494 916 760 00015
Please mention The Bugle when responding
to adverts
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2013
B3 DIRECTORY ♦
CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...
EduardRenovations, Painting, Gardens, Plumbing, Electrics, Groundworks
05 87 77 93 [email protected]
10 Navaleuil87330 Mezières-sur-Issoiresiret: 753 367 275 000 17
Advertise your business here
Fosse France SolutionsDO YOU NEED A NEW FOSSE SEPTIQUE?
HAS YOUR FOSSE FAILED ITS INSPECTION?IS YOUR EXISTING FOSSE ILLEGAL?
If you have answered YES to any of thesequestions then help is at hand.
We offer the very latest in:sewage treatment systems, compact
filter systems and micro-stations
For a professional and friendly service,contact: Philip Allen
Tel: +33 (0)2 54 24 88 35Email: [email protected]: www.fossefrancesolutions.com
Siret No: 502 254 972 00016
BuildingServices
Fosses Septiques
BuildingServices
General
Steve JohnsFosse Septique Specialist
20+ years experience All aspects covered:
Paperwork and permissions arranged Installations (full/part)
Upgrades (to current regs) Inspections
Digger and dumper hire Groundworks, foundations, driveways, etc.
Building & Renovation servicesFree devis and site visit
05.55.64.11.73We guarantee to beat any like for like quote !
siret: 514 556 208 00015
EduardGeneral Building Services
05 87 77 93 46See main ad below
Magnetic Double Glazingwww.sarant.eu
05.55.60.62.97 - see ad below
LES VIDANGES LIMOUSINES▪ Emptying septic tanks
▪ Unblocking pipes▪ Cleaning wells
▪ Group rates availablebetween neighboursCall David - 24/24 7/706 49 66 44 25
87800 JourgnacSiret N° 750 725 780 00019
ADVERTORIAL
Regular advertiser, Leggett Immobilier, was recently voted “best estate agency in France” and we asked their
Chairman, Trevor Leggett, to explain the secret of their success. Not only did he explain that his company handles the sale of one in every ten French houses sold to UK buyers but he told
us that they are actively recruiting in our region. Mr Leggett explains: “The International Property Awards are sponsored by Virgin Atlantic and the judging panel is made up of 70 of the most respected names in the prop-erty industry. Leggett Immobilier com-peted against a number of real estate companies in France to receive this
recognition and were the clear overall winner. The judges took almost three months with their deliberations and were looking at customer service, in-novation, marketing and overall excel-lence and Leggetts led the field in all areas which was pleasing. “The property market in France has held up surprisingly well, despite the crise financière that we have been suf-fering since 2008 - we have not seen the huge drop in prices suffered by some of our near neighbours. Readers of The Bugle will know that Central France offers some of the best value property in the country and we suspect that international buyers will start in-creasing again from 2014 onwards. “We have around 10,000 proper-ties for sale across France with around 1,000 of these spread out over the three departments of the Limousin. They range from a cracking barn to renovate for just €14,000 right up to a dozen or so country estates for €1 million and over. Vendors know that no other agency in
Leggett Immobilier voted as best estate agency in France
France offers their property the kind of international exposure that we do. Last month we attended property exhibitions in London, Birmingham, Brussels and Bordeaux and our clients' properties are regularly featured in papers, maga-zines and online. This mixture of local knowledge and international marketing skill is why we now have a 10% market share of all UK buyers in France.
“Our company has grown massively over the last couple of years - we had 67 agents in 2010 and now that figure is over 200. We aim to double this over the coming years and see Central France as one of our key areas for growth. Any-one interested in joining us should email [email protected]. You will need to be highly motivated, bilingual, professional and you must love property!” ■
WASTE REMOVALSERVICES
• house and barn clearances• dechetterie runs• rubbish removal
• cash paid for scrap • general labouring service
• 7.5 tonne tipper for hire • mini digger hire - with/without driver05 55 37 45 35 / 06 74 21 47 71
siret 532 981 198 00015
R & B ConstructionALL ASPECTS OF
RENOVATION & CONSTRUCTION* Autumn Discounts *
Orders now being taken for 2014 • House & barn renovations
• Garage/loft conversions• Bathroom/shower rooms• Doors/windows • Roofing
• Patios/decking • Plumbing & ElectricalSee our website:
http://www.rb-first-construction.comTel: 05 55 37 74 06 (Dave)Tel: 05 55 69 75 67 (Steve)(Depts 23, 87 & 19) siret: 501 792 386 00010
KWIKSTAGE Scaffold Hire
DIY or FullScaffold ServiceSee our website
or phone for details05 55 89 69 46www.entreprisehines.com
[email protected]: 503 169 237 00016
Davis & Davis30 years' Experience in Construction,Renovation & Project Management
Quality Workmanship GuaranteedInternal/ External Developments
Barn conversions, loft conversions, new-build, drylining, plastering, rendering, spray rendering,
tiling, installation of kitchens/ bathrooms,painting, carpentry, replacement doors &
windows, velux installation, groundworks, landscaping, decking & much more...
No job too big (or small). Give us a call for a free competitive quote.
05 55 60 29 50 / 06 04 13 30 57email: [email protected]
Based Arnac-la-Poste - Covering depts 87, 23 & 19Siret: 498 203 652 00017
ENTREPRISE SMITH BUILDING SERVICES
Established, QualifiedBuilder/Electrician30 years experience
All internal & external building, electrical and plumbing works
from start to high quality finish.
Tel: 05 55 89 00 89Mob: 06 04 06 55 28
email: [email protected]: 533 577 128 00010
GODSONTravaux Publics
www.pilgrim23.com05.55.62.61.12 - pg 3
Lovejoy’sScaffolding Hire
Strong, fully adjustablecup-lock scaffolding
Collect and erect yourself to save costs or delivery and
erection includedTel: 05 55 68 22 04 www.limousin-builders.com
Siret 789 209 236 00015
Monte Sarginson House Renovations
Inside & Out Experience in Roofing, Tiling
Floors & Walls, Plumbing,Fitting Kitchens & Bathrooms,
Stonework & Rendering,Painting & Decorating Tel: 05 55 63 88 70
Mob: 06 21 34 18 20 Siret no 507 516 748 00013
DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
B4 ♦ DIRECTORY
« LE PLATRIER »Chris the Plasterer
A genuine plastererFrench and English spoken
Traditional PlasteringRendering, Floor Screeding
Stud partition dry liningLime mortar stone pointingFOR A QUOTATION
CALL05 55 63 53 0606 23 29 48 19
[email protected] Bourg, 23360 Nouzerolles
SIRET: 504 612 441 00015
GLEN VINEYPLASTERERQuality Plasterwork,Internal & External
Plasterboarding, Partitioning, Skiming, Solid Plastering, Floor Screeding,
Rendering: Mono Couche/Coloured RenderWaterproofing Render SystemsTel: 06 45 18 86 10
(18 Years Experience)Email: [email protected]
Siret: 527 736 326 00010
Multiskilled ArtisanGraham Carter Plastering• Plastering • Rendering • Stud Walling
• Tiling and associated works• Bespoke polished concrete surfaces for Window Sills, Shelves, Fire Surrounds etc. • General Renovation interior and exterior of buildings to customer's specification.
Tel: 05 55 76 69 32Mob: 06 43 11 95 87
Siret No. 513 415 091 00018
Le Plâtrier du LimousinThe friendly and reliable
plastererRegistered in France.
Fully insuredoffering 10 year guarantee.
Call Stuart on: 05 55 80 92 91
[email protected]: 534 396 908 00012
BuildingServices
Plasterers
Youradverthere
05 55 41 17 76
BuildingServices
General
[email protected] 05.55.41.17.76
Tel: 05.55.80.83.30Email: [email protected]
Web: LCE23.com
Septic tanks Electrics Renovationsystems designed with permissions &paperwork included and independent
approval with certifi cation.
diagnostic report and remedial works – consuel approvals - liaison with ERDF for changes. full re-wires, new-build, additions, modifi cations.
bathrooms & kitchensfrom design to completion; ceilings;
partition walls; drylining.
BuildingServices
GroundworksMini-Digger with driver
See Main Ad pg B5
BuildingServices
Painters/Decorators
Simon CarterMontluc Painting
& DecoratingQualified craftsman with over 25 years UK
experience, newly relocated to Haute VienneSpecialist services: Interior & exterior
painting, wallpapering, plastering & boarding, floor restoration, tiling.
FREE QUOTES
Tel: 05 87 19 91 50Mob: 07 81 26 88 65
Web: www.sjcmontluc.frEmail: [email protected]
siret: 792.130.932.00017
La NoneixConstruction& Property Services
Established, Professional and Personal Building Services. Fully
registered with décennaleinsurance covering all works.
●Renovations ●New builds●Roofing ●Stonework
●Carpentry ●Ground worksLarge or small projects undertaken
- please view our website.Contact: Paul or Joanne Rands
05.55.66.44.06www.lanoneix.com
[email protected]: 501 144 596 00019
La Coterie EntrepriseApproved septic tank installer
05.55.80.83.30www.lce23.com
See our main ad - pg 7
Eurl Réno-GénROOFING
SPECIALISTSAll types of roofingExternal insulation
Carpentry workDormer windows
Velux windowsZinc guttering
Chimney repointsLead flashing, etc.
Contact Phil Andrews:
Mob: 06 42 38 54 22Tel: 02 54 30 11 20
Email: [email protected]: 509 180 410 00011
Double DRenovations & Home
Improvements05 55 65 00 29 - pg 12
Skilled WorkmanBuilding Renovations & Small Jobs
• Velux Windows • Roof Repairs• Tiling • Plumbing • Plaster boarding
• Garden Projects & MaintenanceFor more info please call Barrie
05.55.02.66.58 / 06.76.09.68.37Or visit my website
www.bw-renovations.co.ukSIRET: 501 338 230 00011
Entreprise Hines
Building & Renovation ● Roofing - New & Repairs ● Masonry ● Plastering ● Dry Lining ● Sand Blasting ● Equestrian Buildings ● Digger/Scaffold Hire ● ... and much, much more28 years qualified experience
05.55.89.69.46www.entreprisehines.com
[email protected]: 503 169 237 00016
Youradverthere
05 55 41 17 76
Tersannes Timberwww.gatesinfrance.com05 55 60 14 18 - see pg 8
French LilyKitchens & Interiors
05 55 80 92 91 - see pg 5
Dave Cardwell - Builder05 55 98 24 12
See our Display Ad - pg 10
RSW EntreprisesFosse Septique Specialist
05.55.80.00.57See our Display Ad - pg 10
T J Renovations30 years experience in building trade
Full refurbishments undertaken• Stone/Brickwork • Patios• Repointing • Studwork
• General Repairs & MaintenanceAll areas in the Limousin covered
Contact Tim 05 55 61 08 02 / 06 52 23 89 54web: www.builderinthecreuse.co.uk
Email: [email protected]: 750 068 116 00011
INSTALLATION23- Electricity- Plumbing
- Air conditioning and heat pump- Small renovations
(bathrooms, kitchens, etc.)Dutch and English spoken
E-mail: [email protected]
Mob. 06 40 56 96 12Tel. 05 55 67 57 64
Siret: 753 054 030 00014
DAVID LEEGeneral BuilderAll exterior and interior
work undertaken including:• Plasterboarding • Plastering • Rendering • Tiling• Blockwork • Bathrooms and Kitchens • Septic tanksAs seen on Channel 4's Grand Designs Abroad
Covering Limoges and surrounding areasFree Estimates
Mob: 06 08 07 95 24Email: [email protected]
Siret: 453 965 493 00027
TraditionalBuilding Services All aspects of renovation/
restoration coveredincluding bespoke joinery
and lime plastering.All work is fully insured.
References available. Ring Andy on 05 44 19 15 57 Ring Will on 05 55 37 45 35
siret: 532 981 198 00015
Tony HallGeneral Builders
All types of building work undertaken
Over 35 years experienceReferences available
Décennale Insurance - All areas coveredTél: [email protected]
Siret: 504 350 604 00014
Masonry& MoreGeneral building
Renovation & maintenance Reliable, good quality work
30 years expBased central 23 - will travel
Martin Sprague05 55 61 93 07
martin_sprague_1@ hotmail.comSIRET: 531 768 182 00010
HarlequinDevelopments
All aspects of renovationand refurbishment, big or
small, undertaken. Harlequin Developments are a
Distributor and Installer for Solarventi, solar dehumidifying and water heating products, as well as a range of other renewable energies
05.55.68.67.5606.06.60.46.97
SIRET: 494.501.067.00016
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2013
B5 DIRECTORY ♦
Please mention The Bugle when responding
to adverts
Advertise your business here
BuildingServices
Plumbers
H20 CREUSEHeating & Plumbing engineer05 55 63 89 23 - see pg 12
Rick FifePlumbing &
Heating EngineerAll aspects of Plumbing and Heating work undertaken.
23 Years Qualified(Previously UK CORGI registered
– Oil / Natural Gas / LPG)Established and registered in
France for 9 years.Areas Covered: North Creuse (23)
& South Indre (36)Tel: 05 55 62 34 66
Email: [email protected] Hours: 8:30 – 18:00
Please give us a call to discuss yourrequirements. If you get the answer machine
we WILL return your call the same day.siret: 494 380 264 00015
Martin WaltersPlumberCaught out last winter?
Don't worry!We can now offer
winter checks, drain downs, caretaking,
general DIY, key holding, as well as our usual
friendly plumbing services.
Tel 02 54 24 84 62Siret 522 804 723 00016
A. IvesPlumbing & Heating
Installations & AlterationsBathroom suites,
Showers, Kitchens, Tiling, Complete wetroom installationsEmergency work undertaken
06 02 37 62 57 SIRET 538 689 530 00011
BuildingServices
Sandblasting
Sand and BlastWe provide a fully operated
sandblastingservice for wood, stone and metal.
Perfect for stripping away years of grime or paint. Contact us for a free quote or
see our website.www.sandandblast.com
05.55.78.43.71 / [email protected]
SIRET: 488 522 921 00037
CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...
Youradverthere
05 55 41 17 76Your
adverthere
05 55 41 17 76
Chimney Sweeps
Chimney Sweeping• Flue ways cleared
• Birds nests, vermin & debrisremoved
• Smoke evacuation & gas tightness tests
• Official certificates of cleaningissued (Certificat de Ramonage)
www.stovesellers.com05 55 63 78 72
Siren: 502 409 949
MARK COLYER
LIMOUSIN PLASTERINGLIMOUSIN STUKADOORS
20 years experience in: ● Solid Plastering ● Skimming
● Dry Lining ● Rendering● Plasterboard Studwork
Specialising in bothFrench lime plastering and
English plastering techniques.10 years tiling experience.
Covering Creuse (23), Haute-Vienne (87), Northern Corrèze (19) & Southern Indre (36)
For a free quotation & friendly advicecall Mark or Mareike on
05 55 54 95 [email protected]
siret: 539 941 450 00014
Unique chicken coops from €165
Solid handmade chicken houses made to order, ranging from 2 nesting boxes to 6 nesting boxes. All come stained and have protection from predators and the
weather. Delivery is possible.
Dave Cardwell, professional builder/designer, is able to undertake all building works, including bespoke handmade Abri’s, Carports, Field Shelters, Stables or Animal Housing. Whatever your needs, look no further!
Whether you require basic stables or desire a complex design, we can create to an exact brief. Digger and driver also available for hire. Our company is based on the belief that our customers' needs are of the utmost importance. We are committed to meeting those needs
and as a result, a high percentage of our business is from repeat customers and referrals. If you would like to find out more information regarding our products and services, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We would welcome the opportunity to earn your trust and deliver you the best service for price. Let's discuss your ideas! Your free consultation is just an email or call away.
Dave Cardwell - professional builder/designerADVERTORIAL
Before...
Before...
Dave Cardwellwww.limousinbuilder.webs.com
[email protected] 55 98 24 12 - 06 06 44 35 28
Find us on facebook:www.facebook.com/CardwellArtisan
CLEAR CHIMNEY SERVICESAll types of chimneys cleaned
Clean and EfficientCertificat de Ramonage issued
with every chimney sweptWoodburner repairs/installation
Accredited Flue liner InstallerChimney repairs/maintenance
Fabrication & welding to E.N. 287
TEL. 02 54 06 40 [email protected]
siren 535 199 483
TOUTE SWEEPChimney Sweep Service* All types of chimneys cleaned
* Brush & Vacuum* Smoke Tested * Fully Insured
* HETAS Approved andmember of NACS
* Official certificates of cleaning issued (Certificat de Ramonage)
* Clean, tidy, professional& friendly service
Contact Barry Manning Tel: 05 55 66 14 11 Mob: 06 31 59 81 08
[email protected] - BLOCKED FLUES AND
CHIMNEY FIRES CAN BE FATAL... DON'T TAKE THAT RISK!
SIRET: 534 351 754 00013
DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
B6 ♦ DIRECTORY
Gifts & Crafts
** NOW OPEN!! **LE DORAT (Pl. Charles de Gaulle)
Vera Laine Gift Shop & Salon de Thé
Large selection of gifts, candles, mugs, shabby chic homeware, cards, plus leather goods, jewellery and hair
accessories. Affordable prices!Fresh homemade cakes and
free WiFi now available!We look forward to meeting you!
Contact Jay:06 35 91 03 [email protected]
26, Ecurat 23150
Atelier d'Art du JardinOpen Fri, Sat, Sun and Bank Holidays
11h00 to 18h00 Artisan art for your garden.
Cream teas on the terrasse. RDV for weekday visits SVP.
2km from Chénérailles and the Chateau Villemonteix
tel: 05 55 81 31 85
email: [email protected] www.atelierdartdujardin.net
Garden Services
Paul Foster Jardins06 23 90 45 82 / 05 87 19 85 85
www.paulfosterjardins.comsee main ad pg 10
Cross Cut Tree Surgeonsfor all your tree requirements
[email protected] / 06.78.38.42.44
see main ad opposite
Youradverthere
05 55 41 17 76
Computers & Satellites
For all your TVand satellite
installations and repairs(Sky TV, Internet etc.)
Call Patrice:06.79.07.91.56
[email protected] dependable service
Based Séreilhac (87)siret: 353 613 227 00035
NO FIX... NO FEE !!IT Support for Creuse, Haute-
Vienne, Indre and Viennewww.indre-it.com02.54.25.65.08 06.16.91.64.67
We provide a fast and friendly service either at the client's home, via remote software or computers can be left with us and collected
when the work is complete.● Ordering/Installing wireless & broadband
● Fixing results of a virus attack● PC healthchecks ● Virus , trojan , worm
removal and protection● Backups/Disaster recovery
● Hardware/software upgrades.● Website and graphic design.● Printer/scanner assistance.
Maydaycomputer services - pc • mac • network05 55 68 47 33 / 06 82 26 31 54
see pg 15
Big Dish Satellitewww.bigdishsat.com
05 55 78 72 98see main ad - pg 13
GOODWINSATELLITE
SALES & INSTALLATION OF ALL SATELLITE SYSTEMS & AERIALS. FAULT FINDING.Dept 23 & surrounding areasTel: 05 55 62 05 61
Mob: 06 06 47 89 66Email: [email protected]
siret: 453 067 910 00019
CreusetecSatellite Systems
05 55 66 60 21"Tooway" High speed internet via satelliteTV Satellite Sales, Service & Installations.
TV Receiver & Electronic Repairs.Dish alignments. Sky/Freesat/TNT/FTA. Most of depts 23,03,63,87,36 covered.
[email protected]://www.creusetec.com
SIRET: 510 117 328 00011
Food & Drink
Le Snack Shackwww.lesnackshack.fr
05.55.68.24.19see main ad - pg 11
26, Ecurat 23150
Atelier d'Art du JardinOpen Fri, Sat, Sun and Bank Holidays
11h00 to 18h00 Artisan art for your garden.
Cream teas on the terrasse. RDV for weekday visits SVP.
2km from Chénérailles and the Chateau Villemonteix
tel: 05 55 81 31 85
email: [email protected] www.atelierdartdujardin.net
C’est cheeseFind us at local markets selling a
small and tasty selection of excellent quality english cheeses.
Also available online.For more information, see our website:
www.cestcheese.fr09.66.87.02.74
[email protected]: 409 679 578
Le Relaisde
l'AblouxBar - Restaurant
PizzeriaPizzas to eat in
or take away36170 SACIERGES-ST-MARTIN
02 54 47 56 74
CARRACIOLA SARDOA new Italian bar/restaurant
in St-Etienne-de-FursacWinter opening times: 12-2pm 6pm-10pm
(Closed Sun/Mon/Tue/Wed) - Closed from 30/11/2013Lunch menu: 12-2pm Thu - Sat
Pizza/pasta restaurant: 6.30-9.30pm Thu - SatFunction room available with catering
for your special occasionSee our web site for menu, future events
and opening times:web: www.carraciola.com
e mail: [email protected]: 05 55 63 86 05
Find us & more details on: facebook.com/carraciolaWe Look forward to meeting you!
JJ’s Cafe Bar Some customer quotes: ‘...more than just a bar’
‘....a bit like Allo Allo and Cheers!’ Come and see for yourself - Open all week.
See our Notice Board events listings 39 Place du Champ de Foire
36140, Aigurande 02 54 06 30 77
www.frenchweb.eu/jjscafebar/ [email protected]
SIRET: 508 754 314 00013
Restaurant
AUX CEPESLA veytiZoU, 87130
Neuvic-entier
▪ Menu du jour
▪ Carte
▪ Our famousFish & Chips
Tel: 05 55 69 33 38Open Monday to Saturday
from 12pm to 2pm and from 6pm to 9pm
RIVE DROITE8 rue Ledru-Rollin
36200 Argenton-sur-Creuse
02 54 24 01 06Restaurant - Pizzeria
● Italian Specialities● Traditional Cuisine
● Home-made DessertsMoules de bouchot AOC
available from July to DecemberHigh Quality Food, a Warm
Welcome and a FriendlyAtmosphere await
Closed Sundays & Mondays
Petticoat Lane5 Rue Nationale – 16150 Chabanais
Tel: 05 45 29 03 99Visit: www.petticoatlaneshop.com
E-mail: [email protected] items now in StockEnglish groceries, Fresh British Beef &
Steaks (to order only), Gammon Steak,Bacon, Sausage & Cheddar Cheese.
Wide range of frozen items includingvegetarian.
Traditional English beers, Sherries & Wine.Cards for all occasions.
Opening hours: Mon - Thur 10am – 6pmFri 10am – 7pm, Sat 9am – 6pm
Visit us and compare our prices
Le CreusoisBar/Restaurant
Les Genêts, AzerablesHigh quality British & French food
at reasonable prices.Menu du Jour €12, Traditional Pub
Food, Vegetarian dishes, Childrens & Snack menus also available05.55.63.90.79
www.lecreusoisbistro.comSIREN: 483 988 853
Le Pub58, rue d'Orjon, Argenton-sur-Creuse
02.54.60.02.14 - see pg 6
Please mention The Bugle when responding
to adverts
BAILEYSBar & Restaurant
5 Rue de L’Abreuvoir AubussonTraditional French and English dishes
Menu du Jour 16€, 4 courses incl. wine.Open Thu, Fri & Sat
12pm-2pm and from 7pmRestaurant Menu - Takeaway Service.
05.55.66.37.10Book club open when bar is open
The CodfatherBritish Fish & Chips in France
www.traditionalfishandchips.euSee main ad pg 8
Oh My CodFish and Chipswww.ohmycod.fr
05 55 80 34 26 - see pg 10
Le Moulin du BreuilBAR, RESTAURANT, TERRASSE
23140 PIONNAT05 55 80 37 70 - see pg 4
[email protected] 05.55.41.17.76
ZESTUXSPECIALIST CMS WEB DESIGN
www.zestux.com06 79 26 75 65 - See main ad pg 4
Sat-ElecFormerly Electrosat
UK & French Satellite TVDishes & Freesat boxes always in stock
Terrestrial digital aerial installationsFrom a single outlet to multi-point systems
TOOWAY BROADBANDApproved Supplier
Wi-Fi, Data Networks, CCTVFor sales, service or advice
Call Mike G on 06 30 28 81 43 We only use our own qualified staff No call out charge Free quotations All areas covered
Quality work from qualified Staff5 Place de la Republique Sauviat-sur-Vige 87400
siret no 798 364 600 00014
ARBO GESTIONQualified Climbing Pruner
Tree pruningFelling / Dismantling
Depts 36/87/23Tel: 06 87 13 75 66
Email: [email protected]: 798 029 690 00012
WWW.CARDBUBBLE.COMBUY YOUR BRITISH
GREETINGS CARDS ONLINE!
QUALITY CARDS AT UK PRICES!
FREE DELIVERY ON ALLORDERS OVER €10 WORLDWIDE
siret: 751 978 917 00019
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2013
B7 DIRECTORY ♦
AMMARACall Alex, your English
nail technician now Gel nails starting
from €40 a set Tel: 06 22 93 14 [email protected]
siret: en cours
Princesse FrançaiseHair Jewellery & Accessories
www.princesse-francaise.com05 45 30 32 93 - see pg 8
CONTINUED NEXT PAGE...
Cross Cut Tree Surgeons27 years experience Free quotes and advice We will not be beaten on price or standard of work
Fully qualifi ed arborist - Fully insured Covering depts: 87, 23, 86, 36, 19 & 16 Reliability [email protected] 05.55.60.62.14 / 06.78.38.42.44
for all your tree requirements
siret: 530 840 958 00017
The ExchangeRochechouart
SECOND HAND BOOK SHOP. GREAT SELECTION OF GIFTS, CARDS, CANDLES
AND HAND-CRAFTED PRODUCTS500+ DVD's now in stock
Tue 2.30pm - 5pmThu, Fri 9:15-12 & 2:30-5pm
Sat 9 - 1205 55 78 19 24
www.theexchangerochechouart.com9 rue Dr Charles PoitevinSIRET 484 479 480 00010
Très JolieLadies fashion accessories
05 55 78 62 29 / 06 04 08 29 53see main ad pg 12
'CARTES DE CHRISTINE'HAND-CRAFTED CARDS FOR ALL OCCASIONS
Quality product at affordable prices.Customized, if required, especially for you.
Available blank or with either Englishor French greetings.
Email: [email protected] ME AT THE FOLLOWING MARKETS:
PEIGUT & PANAZOL (Weekly)CHALUS, CHASSENEUIL & CONFOLENS (Monthly)
Tel: 06 86 89 81 02siret 528 539 448
Ivan Petley3D Puzzle Maker
Handmade, fully interlocking,multi-layered 3D puzzles from just €9.
Keyrings €2 plus other unique gift ideas.Customisation and personalisation possible.
Come and visit the workshop by appointment.Tel: 05.55.80.29.88
Les Bregères, 23150 [email protected]
HandholdingServices
Sophie ArsacFrench lessons
& handholding services05.55.89.15.74 - pg 16
A HELPING HAND Translation/interpretation
Dealing with utilities/banksPermis de construire
Sourcing/supervising artisans1-2-1 conversation classes
05 55 62 50 38Jonathan Critchley - [email protected]
siret: 792 285 025 00013
Health & Beauty
La Petite PlaceHair salon, Le Dorat
05.55.60.87.37See our Display Ad - pg 4
OSTEOPATHY & [email protected]@eircom.net
05 87 41 07 93 - see pg 4
Insurance & Finance
SiddallsFinancial Solutions & Expert Advice
05.56.34.75.51See our Display Ad - pg 15
HiFXInternational money transfer
www.hifx.co.uk
Please mention The Bugle when responding
to adverts
ADVERTORIAL
Electrosat has now become Sat-ElecWe have a new SIRET No
798 364 600 00014 and are registered with the Chambre de Métiers et de
l'Artisanat (Haute-Vienne). We are still based at 5 Place de la République, 87400 Sauviat-sur-Vige and Mike G's telephone no is 06 30 28 81 43.
What do we do? Well, all things sat-ellite, Wi-Fi Data networks, CCTV and much more. We have been installing sat-ellite dishes for over 25 years throughout Europe from our base in the UK. Not just domestic dishes, but dishes up to 7 metres. Our staff are able to give you the benefit of this knowledge. There are a lot of changes coming up in the Satellite world over the next few months and also a lot of rumours and half truths. In a nutshell, we believe that Li-moges and to the north will require a 60-80cm dish and as you go further south, the dish size will increase. Probably to 1.2-1.4 metres in France although to the far south-
east and south-west this may vary. If you are able to receive Channel 5 now in the rain, then your dish will probably be OK. However, if you can’t get Channel 5, lose pictures when it rains or lose pictures in the evening then you really need to call Mike G on 06 30 28 81 43. He has a stock of new dishes and LNBs in Sauviat. We also design and install hotel or apart-ment systems.
TOOWAY BROADBAND
We are approved Tooway resellers and have a demonstration system set up in our office, so please call if you want to see it working. Prices are very good as are the speeds: 20MB download and 6MB upload with costs as low as €29.90 per month + hard-ware and installation. If you are only in France for 6 months of the year, then turn it off and pay nothing till you come back. There is also 24/7 technical sup-port, 365 days a year with a UK call centre. We can also supply SES or Avanti sys-tems if required.
Why use us?
• We only use our own qualified staff• We have over 25 years of experience
in the business• We don’t have a call out charge• We guarantee all our installations Mike G about to install a dishUnsuitable for new channels
LanguageServices
FRENCH CLASSChénérailles
Native qualified teacher
- Small groups- 1 to 1
Elisabeth Sicard05 55 80 44 [email protected]
Free trial lesson!
German lessonsoffered by experienced
language teacher.For students and adults of all grades - beginners welcome.
For more information please phone Ms Margret Holste:
06 95 02 52 43La Tuilerie, 87400 Moissannes
EasyfrenchFREE FRENCH LESSONS
Training institution in partnership with the State.Lessons in either of our premises or at your home.
12 rue Thiers, 87300 Bellac or11 ave Cruveilhier, 87130 Châteauneuf-la-Forêt
06 75 56 99 06 – 05 87 77 90 [email protected]
www.easyfrench.fr
FRENCH / ENGLISHLESSONS
• Classes adapted to yourneeds and level
• State registered teacherestablished 10yrs near
St-Léonard-de-Noblat (87400)• Free taster class and
funding [email protected]
Tel: 05 55 56 62 84http://moulindurateau.webplus.net/
page20.htmlsiret: 490 323 243 00017
OnlineShopping
Crave4Goodswww.crave4goods.com
see pg 3
DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
B8 ♦ DIRECTORY
Experienced home help nurse
offers compassionate care for children,elderly people and sick people.I can also help with householdchores and look after your pets
when you are away.Please contact Ms Angelika Knauer:
05.55.30.40.26
PropertyMaintenance
Les Bons Voisinswww.LBVfrance.com
Help with all property related issuesSee main ad pg 8
PropertySales
Cendrillon - BourganeufBilingual Estate Agent in Creuse
www.limousin-bilingual.com05 55 54 95 85 - see pg 4
Houses on Internetwww.housesoninternet.com
05.55.65.12.19See our Display Ad - pg 3
Retail &Commerce
Stove Sellerswww.stovesellers.com
05.55.63.78.72See our Display Ad - pg 11
AlinéaMeuble & Déco05.55.57.09.34
see advert on pg 2
Eco EntrepotGet down The Shed
87230 Bussière-Poitevine05.55.68.74.73 - see pg 7
Soie et BoisDepot Vente des Vêtements
Dress agency and gallery, specialising in designer and high quality pre-owned
clothes for women and children, together with accessories, footwear, jewellery, gift
items, and hand made furniture.4 rue Principale, St Mathieu, 87440
[email protected]: 05.55 48.28.89
SIRET: 510 995 681 00010
Moulin de TintinFurniture, interiors & gifts
www.moulin-de-tintin.com05.55.79.57.60 - see pg 4
Transport,Removals & Storage
Man & VanTransport
Genuine/Reliable/HonestLocal + Europe + UK runs
Goods In Transit Insurance14m3 capacity
4.2m load lengthFrench Spoken
05 55 33 21 5987150 Oradour-sur-Vayres
www.frenchvanman.euSiret 530 213 644 00012
Parking ForLimoges AirportCheaper parking for all
types of vehiclesBook now!!
www.parkinglimoges.com05 55 03 37 96
MAN + VANFiat Ducato with 11m² load capacity
Collections / DeliveriesRemovals / Brico Runs
All over France.Competitve hourly rate incl fuel.
Please ring or e-mail for a quote. Based nr Aubusson Dept 23
05 55 83 02 77 / 06 81 33 07 [email protected]
SIRET: 523 955 151 00015
The Man With A Van Affordable Moves/ Single Items
Regular UK runs - check website Europewide/ Limousin based18m3 van / 4.5m load area
E: [email protected]: www.themanwithavan.infoTel: (+33) 07.61.21.85.15
Siret : 532 526 001 00013
General
Carrefour dubois Limousin
www.chauffagebois-limousin.com05 55 63 72 45 - see pg 12
BABY/INFANTEQUIPMENT FOR HIRETo raise funds for the SPA dog rescue
centre in Guéret.
High chair, buggy, play pen, travel cot, fire guard,
stair gate etc.Each item will incur a hire charge
of 7 euros, plus a refundable8 euros deposit.
For more INFO or to HIRECall Jean: 05 55 54 96 36
French LilyKitchens & Interiors
05 55 80 92 91 - see pg 5
Pest Control
Central France Pest Control
Dératisation, Déinsectisation,Désinfection
02 48 60 83 72 / 06 74 33 02 38www.applicateur3d.com
Email: [email protected]
Curative and preventativerats, mice, moles, flies, woodworm,
bed bugs, fleas, wasps, hornets
La Petite Barre, 18210 Bessais Le FromentalSIRET No. 498 544 741 00024
ADVERTORIAL
A simple solar energy system that runs on its own, even when you are not there! – And provides a free heat
supplement in winter. The Solarventi air panel was invented more than 20 years ago by Hans Jørgen Chris-tensen, from Aidt Miljø, with the backing of the Danish government. He wanted to use the sun’s energy for airing and ventilation of the thousands of holiday homes on the West coast of Jutland, - houses that were left empty and unheated for long periods - houses with damp problems, mould and bad odours - houses that left their owners with discomfort, lots of work and expense. He wanted a system that would be safe, simple, without the need for radiators, water and/or mains electricity. Slowly but surely, the first Solarventi model came together.
How it worksThe principle behind Solarventi is simple: a small, built-in, solar cell powers a 12V fan that is connected to an air vent, a control unit and an on/ off switch. Whenever the sun shines, the air in the solar panel is heated and the fan, receiving
power from the solar cell, introduces warm, dry air into your home at the rate of 20 to 100 cubic metres per hour. The initial models were more than capable of keeping the cottages dry (and ventilated), even with the limited sunshine hours avail-able in Denmark during the winter season. Since that time, the technology has really come along in leaps and bounds. Now, more than 20 years later, the 3rd and 4th genera-tion Solarventi have exceeded all expecta-tions. In Southern Europe, Solarventi is not only used for ventilation/dehumidification pur-poses; with far more winter sunshine hours, it also provides a substantial heating supple-ment. Several technical and governmental studies show that incoming air temperature can be increased by as much as 40°C.
A DIY Solution?The installation process is very straight-forward and should only take two or three hours. All that is needed is a drill, hammer and chisel to make a hole in the wall. Roof installations are also possible. In fact, the So-larventi was originally designed to be a DIY
product - in Scandinavia it still is. There are no electrical or water connec-tions and it can be safely left running, even when the property is empty. Solarventi re-quires no maintenance - if the property is unoccupied during the hot summer months, then it can be left running at low speeds for ventilation and dehumidification purposes or simply switched off. With a range of panel sizes, and the op-tion for wall or roof mounting, Solarventi is suitable for all types of buildings, caravans or even boats!! Following the patenting of its design in 2001, Solarventi has only recently been actively commercialized. Over the last six years, Solarventi units have been installed in more than 24 countries and demand is in-creasing rapidly. From Greenland to Austra-lia, Solarventi is finally getting the recogni-tion it deserves. ■
SOLARVENTIAvailable in the LimousinFrom Harlequin DevelopmentsTel: 05 55 68 67 56Mobile: 06 06 60 46 97
“SolarVenti”- the solar solution to damp and humidity
Leggett Immobilierwww.leggettfrance.com05 53 56 62 54
see main ad - pg 7
Please mention The Bugle when responding
to adverts
Youradverthere
05 55 41 17 76
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2013
13 NATIONAL NEWS ♦
As the rest of France pro-tested about tax hikes,
five youngsters in Bor-deaux found another way to put two fingers up to the state: they stole a llama from a circus. A member of a Franco-Italian circus, the llama, known by all as 'Serge', was earlier this month taken on a tram ride through Bordeaux in the early hours of the morn-ing. Initially, the circus manager, John Beaut-our, made a complaint against the youngsters, who had just left a near-by nightclub and were drunk when they stole the llama. After Serge's tour, normal service was brought to a halt and several trams were evacuated. Transport of-ficials were called and
the llama was put back under lock and key; the five teenagers escaped, doubtless hoping to avoid the same fate. However, after a huge internet response, which resulted in Serge becom-ing an internet star in the process, Beautour with-drew his complaint. “If there had been disrup-tion as a result of the lla-ma's escapade, I'd have had to cover my back, but, as it is, I take back my previous comments.” The five Bordelais youngsters had origi-nally intended to steal a zebra, but, as Beautour explained, “zebras are difficult to manoeuvre”. Other circus animals were also released by the five youngsters although none managed to make a break for freedom. The singer Serge Lama, after whom this
llama was named, was particularly amused by the events: “Well, you can't say I don't have young fans anymore,” he told Le Parisien. How-ever, Serge the llama
is also set to become a music sensation in his own right. The popular song “Papoutai” (“Dad-dy where are you?”) by Stromae has been adapt-ed to “Oukilémonlama”
(“Where's my llama gone?”). And with over 2 million views on You-Tube, llama-mania won't be stopping anytime soon. ■ Amaryllis Barton
The mystery of the “ghost pig of Al-derney” may have been solved with the revelation that the beast could have swum across to the tiny Chan-
nel Island from mainland France. Tess Woodnutt, a farm owner on the island, said she first became aware of the boar in Sep-tember, when she was on holiday and received a call from a fellow islander saying one of her 40 pigs had escaped. Her son Jake immedi-ately went to the farm and soon established no pigs were missing and, after tracking the boar to a nearby farm, he managed to catch it on camera. “We put out some food and I hid in a trailer and it came in to feed,” he said. “There’s no doubt it was a wild boar.”
The 150kg mustachioed black animal only makes fleeting appearances at dusk leading lo-cals to name it the “Ghost Pig”. Although many initially believed that the boar was an iron age pig, a cross-breed that has been historically farmed on the island, experts now believe this theory to be wrong. “Iron age pigs are a cross between a wild boar and a Tamworth,” explained Alan Woodnutt. “They look a bit like a wild boar but this ani-mal was not the progeny of an iron age pig.” Steve Shaw, who was Alderney harbour master for 25 years, said he did not believe it would be possible for a wild boar to get to the island by boat without the crew noticing, and he had never heard of a wild boar being found on any vessel. With Alderney lying only 11km off the coast of Normandy, where there are large numbers of sangliers, most now agree that the boar must have swum across from France. Boar are competent swimmers and will take to the wa-ter to escape if they feel threatened. Duty Inspector Kieran McGrath from Guernsey Police said islanders should contact them if they spotted the animal and should not approach it themselves, as any wild boar could be dangerous when cornered. ■
In the latest adventure featuring Asterix and Obelix, the indomitable Gaul is heading to Scotland for the first time. November saw the publication of five
million copies of Asterix and the Picts, the 35th book in a series that started in 1959. Asterix and the Picts, released in 15 coun-tries and 23 languages, including Scots and Gaelic, is the first of the series not written and illustrated by at least one of the series' creators, Alberto Uderzo and René Goscin-ny - it is the work of writer Jean-Yves Ferri and artist Didier Conrad. Goscinny died in 1977 and Uderzo, who is now 86, took over the writing after his death before retiring 2 years ago. Although the story is based on real histo-ry, referring to the early Celtic people who inhabited ancient Scotland, as you might expect from the series, stereotypes abound with malt whisky, bagpipes, red hair and the Loch Ness Monster all taking centre stage. The book begins with a typically French scene as our heroes are searching for oys-ters on the beach when they find a tattooed, red-headed hulk frozen in a block of ice. He turns out to be Mac Oloch, a pict who has floated from “far-away” Scotland. As the local women take a shine to the red-haired
arrival, the men of the village are keen to help him get home. And so Asterix and Obelix accompany Mac Oloch up north to win back his loved one, Camomilla, from the wicked Mac Abbeh and of course also fight off the inevitable Roman invasion. Since the first adventure was published in 1959, 352 million copies have been sold, 130 million of them in France, and the se-ries has been published in 110 languages and dialects. The release of the book coincides with the ongoing independence debate in Scot-land ahead of next year's referendum, something that has not gone un-noticed. “We are animated by an endorsement from such a prestigious character, but, as ever, we would have to check that he is regis-tered to vote,” the “Yes Scotland” cam-paign said in a statement. For his part, new writer Jean-Yves Ferri has laughed off sug-gestions that Asterix is throwing his weight behind Scottish independence: “I went to Scotland to show the idea to the Scots. They were happy we thought about them and asked me 'Why Scotland?' And in par-ticular they thought it was because of this referendum, when in fact not at all,” he told Reuters TV. ■
Serge the llama: internet sensation
Asterix the Gaul heads to Scotland
Mystery of Alderney ghost pig solved
© 2
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DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
14 ♦ FRENCH LIFE
Tune in to ournext show: 09h35
WEDNESday 4th DECEMber
The Bugle, live on France Bleu Creuse
Who on earth knows what to do in the garden in De-cember? The
gardening magazines are full of lovely images, but the reality is much less romantic, in general! So much depends on your soil, the position of the garden, the trees in it, the altitude, the weather and of course... how much time you have available during daylight hours (so much less at this time of year for those of us who work). I wouldn't presume to give you any hard and fast pieces of advice, so the fol-lowing are suggestions, which you can take or leave.
GrassWhen to stop mowing depends so very much on the weather. Some years the grass carries on growing right the way through the winter, and other years it stops. Be pru-dent about mowing and, if you must, choose a dry afternoon and make sure the mower blade is set on a high setting or else you are li-able to pull clumps out and end up with a shorn, muddy patch! Leave some areas on the fringes of your
garden longer, to shelter the littler members of the wildlife world.
Garden wasteA healthy garden naturally pro-duces a lot of 'waste': mowings, weeds, leaves, unwanted seed-lings, clumps which need dividing up every few years, old potting compost, etc., etc. Though I hate to admit it in public, I'm a terrible one for leaving clumps of prun-ings & weeds in untidy piles 'to be collected later', which can stretch rather a long time! In the mean-time, things can find these piles a great place to hibernate, thus forc-ing me to wait until the hiberna-tion period is over. My resolution this year is to move any such piles into places where they won't be problematic. Then the hedgehogs and other charmers can sleep in safety. Be prudent also about light-ing bonfires where the material has hung around for a while, for the same reason. Most other things can go on the compost heap, and if it's not ready for use, this is a good time of year to turn the heap.This speeds up de-composition and helps reactivate it. There should be a good layer of
veg plants (tomatoes, courgettes, etc.) and annuals from the flower borders. Don't forget to add some chicken manure from your hens, or a kindly neighbour. This is really quite concentrated, so a little goes a long way - ideal for those of us with a bad back who don't fancy humping barrow loads of horse manure around.
Protect the soil surfaceIn advance of it getting cold, pro-tect the soil with a layer of mulch, bracken, compost or manure. You can also just prune down perenni-als to about a foot high, and put the stems directly around the base of the plants. This gives a habitat to invertebrates and insects, and helps insulate the plants from the effect of cold. It can, of course, be composted in the late spring, when the weather has warmed up.
BramblesThese are such lovely rogues; beautiful flowers, fruit, great for wildlife, but like all their ilk, they need to be controlled, and the win-ter is a good time to stop new canes touching the ground and rooting to form new plants. The new roots
In the garden - jobs for Decemberby Michelle Pierce
are quite fragile, and can be pulled up easily by hand, so just mosey on out into the garden with a pair of good gardening gloves and see where they are encroaching. Same with other members of the rubus family, and perennial weeds like nettles. Cut these back and put them on the compost heap (with-out the roots, of course).
WeedingSo far, round here, it has been re-ally quite warm and humid, so the new crop of weed seedling are germinating and growing like crazy. Save yourself some work by hoeing them out small, or stifling them with a good mulch. Other-wise they'll have the advantage over you come the spring. If the weed seeds are germinat-ing, then why not some veg seeds? Give it a go but be ready to whip a fleece over them. Cool loving spe-cies such as mustards and oriental greens have sprouted for me in the last 2 weeks.
Soon, more typical winter weather should arrive, leaving gar-deners to admire the winter flow-ering shrubs, those with good stem
colour, interesting leaves or good berries. These include hollies, wil-lows and dogwoods, amongst oth-ers. Recently I went to a friend's house on a pouring wet Saturday afternoon and was just entranced by her garden - full of shrubs and trees of the most marvellous co-lours - buttery yellows of gingko biloba, fuchsia pinks of spindle, persian ironwoods... the list went on and on, against a backdrop of greens. Definitely made me green with jealousy, too! My New Year's resolution is to have more of these marvels in my own garden!!! Remember, if you can't find anything of interest in your garden over the winter, then something needs changing!
Good gardening! ■
Just how charitable are charities...?
With an u p c o m i n g visit to Asia to look forward
to, my thoughts have turned to the cuisine we’ll be re-acquainted with. For a long time I’ve kept an open mind about eating insects, mainly because billions of people around the world have been eating them for a very, very long time. In fact, it pops up on a regular basis on news programmes that the future of protein for mankind is insects. It set me thinking about how funny it is which foods we recoil from. For example, we eat crustaceans such as crabs and lobsters, but aren't they just fancy bugs? As I understand it, insects
and crustaceans belong to the same group of creatures: arthropods. Something to bear in mind when you’re tucking into your seafood platters on Christmas Eve!
********
It seems to happen every year, nearly always at Christmas, that yet another natural disaster strikes somewhere in the world, at a time when we hope that things will be a bit more peaceful. To make matters worse, it is usually in areas that are the worst equipped to handle it. The stories we’ve all seen on the television reports coming from the Philippines are truly heartbreaking.
Images have been all over the news channels showing towns and cities torn into tiny pieces. They seem to appear with alarming regularity and once the fury of nature has been and gone, what's left could come from almost anywhere. Once again in November, the world was faced with a human catastrophe of epic proportions. Helplessly, we watch the harrowing TV footage, wondering if there is anything we can do, or contribute, to aid the rescue operation. Times may be tough, but here in France we are fortunate to live in a prosperous country, blessed by relatively benign weather. Our storms are tiny compared
with those in Asia; it is little surprise that two-thirds of the estimated 1.3 million people killed by natural disasters in the first decade of this century lived on the Asian continent. Inevitably, the initial reaction of many people is to want to help in some way and send money to one of the charities working on the ground in terrible circumstances, bringing relief to the injured, homeless and starving. Yet, as the multi-billion-pound aid industry appeals for more and more money, I increasingly think that with the desire of these giant organisations to display their logos in front of the world's massed media, they can sometimes do more harm than good. We have already seen examples of charities exaggerating the number of deaths and the gravity of disasters while raising money.
in the Philippines, get proper help? Personally, I would only give money to an organisation whose core activity is emergency work, which doesn’t spend huge sums on fund-raising, which doesn’t overpay its executives, and which is open about the difficulties of delivery. Médecins Sans Frontières is one such body, it even limits fund-raising when it has raised enough after disasters.
******** Is it me, or are the Christmas decorations going up earlier here in France? I saw the first lights going up in early November this year, and I’m sure it was later last year. Methinks we need to keep an eye on this, it could be the start of Christmas creeping into November, and that’s just plain wrong! That’s about it for another year, they each seem to pass faster than the previous one. All that remains is to wish you and yours all that you would wish for yourself, and hope that 2014 brings you all that you hope for. ■
Arthur SmithHarlequin Developmentswww.harlequindevelopments.comTel: 05.55.68.67.56Mob: 06.06.60.46.97
Personally, it makes me question the approach of the aid industry, where the big players increasingly resemble corporate giants. These charities try to follow in the steps of Mother Teresa while their senior executives pocket six-figure salaries and preside over slick publicity machines. The truth is that this has become a highly competitive sector; why else, after all, are the charities so desperate to be first on the scene and get their names into news reports? With so many aid groups fighting to help the same people, there are inevitably logistical problems like bottlenecks at key entry points which overall hamper relief efforts. Incredibly, the locals, who are usually the people best placed to know what is needed on the ground, often get elbowed aside by the big global organisations. Also, crucially, very few in the relief industry admit how little money trickles down to those most in need - one expert suggested ten pence in every pound donated! After the recent disaster in Haiti, the country's prime minister said 40% of aid received went on supporting those doling out donations. So what can we do to make sure those in need, such as the survivors of the typhoon
Regular environment contributor, Arthur Smith from Harlequin Devel-opments, considers why we are so squeamish about eating insects. He also looks at the response to the recent tragedy in the Philippines and asks what it says about today's charitable organisations.
The first AGM of Les Jardins de Sirius will take place on
December 14 at 2.30pm. Any-one interested in coming along is welcome. Please contact me by mail or phone 05 45 89 36
54 for details of the venue.
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2013
15 PRACTICAL ♦
Centre de Recyclages d’Automobiles du Limousin - Les Tourettes, 87440 SAINT-MATHIEUWE WILL COLLECT YOUR SCRAP CAR FOR FREE - WE BUY & SELL SECOND HAND CARS (RHD OR LHD)
SPARE PARTS FOR SALETEL: 05.55.48.21.33 - ENGLISH SPOKEN - Email: [email protected]
Car Breakers - C.R.A.L.
Maydaycomputer servicespc • mac • network
Operating system supportApplication support
Network supportSystem security
Virus and Malware removal-
Call for friendly no-obligationassessment and advice
-Haute-Vienne & surrounding areas
05 55 68 47 33 06 82 26 31 54Phil Monaghan - [email protected] 500 443 536 00015
IT Postbox - your computer questions answered
Tax Tips for French Residents
Hello Phil,
Would appreciate any help if possible.
I have a Toshiba laptop [Windows XP] which now has a vertical thin bright blue line 6cm in on the left side of my laptop screen with a 6cm thick vertical line [lighter in colour] attached to it, which can also be seen when online. Can these lines be removed or is my laptop screen on its way out?
Kind regards
Gillian Blades
This is a classic sign of the display malfunctioning. However, it may stay like this for quite a long time before deteriorating further. I have also known situations where the problem has gone away! The cost of repair, around 150€, may get you thinking about investing in a new laptop.
Hope that helps Gillian!
My wife wants a tablet computer for Christmas but I’m confused as there are so many to choose from.
Anon
This is a huge subject and the choice of tablet should be driven by re-quirement first and price second. Establish what the user will want to do and create a list. Then check to see where any chosen product is positioned against the list. There are many cheaper tablets hitting the market and care should be taken in choosing in this area as poor perfor-mance can be the reason for lower pricing. The majority of Apps (ap-plications) are designed for either Android or IOS. Android is the system used by Samsung, Kindle, Asus, for example, and IOS is used by Apple. In either case the choice and quality of Apps is similar. The difference comes with how the dif-ferent systems allow you to config-ure applications and presentation. Android is very open whereas IOS is quite regimented but both work
very well in their own way for the user.
I am moving into the area soon and will eventually order a broadband service. Can I use a 3G dongle in the meantime? A person in the Orange shop was very keen to sell me one of these and said that it can be used any-where.
Anon
I think that Orange sales assistants must be on mega commission for selling 3G dongles !!!!
3G dongles work by connecting to the mobile phone network and con-verting the signal into an internet connection for your computer. And so, the first thing you need to know is whether your new home has a 3G signal. Mobile phones display the network name and signal to which they are connected. E.g. Orange has the following connections available: Orange 3G, Orange E, and Orange F (Orange users may also see Connect F when out of range of an Orange service). If you can’t receive the 3G signal then life will be slow! Con-nection speeds below 3G are similar to speeds for dial-up.
With the help of Phil Monaghan from Mayday computer ser-vices, we are pleased to bring you the IT Postbox. If you have any computer-related questions you would like answered, send them in to [email protected] and our resident expert will do his best to get them answered.
With the ever-changing worldwide econ-omy, fluctuating stock markets and in-terest rates, it is not easy to keep track of what is happening and its effect on
your money. However, there is one thing that it is cer-tain – we all have to pay tax. The French taxation sys-tem is different to what you may be used to in the UK and there are some important facts to know if you are resident in France and, therefore, liable for French taxes. Siddalls have put together a quick guide to French tax to help you keep your tax liability to a minimum.
Tax tips for UK expatriates tax resident in France
1. On becoming French tax resident it is your responsibil-ity to make yourself known to the tax authorities and to declare fully your income, capital gains and wealth. Once you have made your first tax return your local tax office will automatically send you a declaration in future years. 2. Take advantage of French tax free bank accounts for immediate access deposit funds. The main ac-counts are the Livret A (maximum holding €22,950 per person) and the Livret de Développement Du-rable (maximum holding €12,000 per person).
3. Take steps to place long-term investment funds in tax efficient structures to keep taxable income to a minimum. “Unsheltered” investment income is li-able to income tax and “social taxes” and may also be liable to healthcare contributions, if you do not qualify for free access to the French system. 4. French inheritance tax may not be as bad as you fear. The allowances for assets passing to children may be lower than the UK but so are the rates. There are ways of reducing, and possibly removing, any liability to French inheritance tax on assets passing to children. 5. “Do as the French do”. They take active and sensible steps to avoid unnecessary taxation. Seek advice from a qualified financial adviser, fully authorised in France, who will have access to a range of solutions and products tailored to your specific circumstances and needs.
David Hardy is Regional Manager of Siddalls France, Independent Financial Adviser, specialised in tax, inheri-tance, pension and investment planning for the British community in the Limousin since 1996. Telephone 05 56 34 75 51 - Email [email protected] www.sid-dalls.fr
DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
16 ♦ BILINGUAL
FRENCH LESSONS WITH A NATIVE FRENCH SPEAKERIndividual/Group lessons, all levels - Skype lessons via the internet also available
Free trial lesson !Lessons in Aigurande (36), Dun-le-Palestel and La Souterraine (23)
Other services offered include: help with notaires, arranging new utilities (electricity etc), locating tradesmen, liaison with French administration etc. I can also be your French contact in France when you are away!
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Contact Sophie ARSAC to discuss your requirements 05 55 89 15 74 (E-mail: [email protected])
The Bugle thanks local French teacher, Sophie Arsac, for the translation of this month's bilingual article on another topi-cal aspect of Franco-British culture.
Across:5. Donkey (3)6. Insect (7)8. Feather (5)9. April (5)11. Minutes (7)14. Wharfs (5)15. Useful (5)17. Shoulders (7)18. Friend (3)
Clues in English - answers in French
Down:1. Uncle (5)2. Years (3)3. Napkin (9)4. Tin (5)7. Ambitious (9)10. Wall (3)12. Wasp (5)13. Lead (5)16. Sea (3)
Bilingual Crossword
Bilingual crossword solution can be found on page 20
For many of us, snow is synonymous with Christmas. Songs, movies and Christmas cards all present images of
a “white Christmas”, with a perfect carpet of snow on the ground. This is no different in the UK, where it is fair to say that we are obsessed with the idea of a “white Christmas” - in fact huge amounts of money are bet every year on whether or not it will snow on 25th December. For most parts of the United Kingdom, Christmas is right at the beginning of the period when it is likely to snow. Looking at history, the coldest weather is more likely to occur between January and March than in December. On average
Pour beaucoup d’entre nous, la neige est synonyme de Noël. Les chants, les films, les cartes de vœux… tous offrent l’image d’un
«Noël blanc», avec son tapis de neige qui recouvre parfaitement le sol. Il en va ainsi au Royaume-Uni où il faut bien avouer que nous sommes obnubilés par cette idée de «Noël blanc». Est-ce qu’il neigera le 25 décembre? Les paris vont bon train et de très importantes sommes d’argent sont mises en jeu chaque année. Sur la plus grande partie du territoire au Royaume-Uni, le jour de Noël coïncide quasiment avec l’arrivée de la neige car, si nous considérons le passé, le froid ne s’installe pas en décembre mais plutôt entre janvier et mars. La moyenne des
snow falls on five days in December, compared to 7.6 days in January, 6.8 days in February and 6 days in March. White Christmases were more frequent in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially before the change of calendar in 1752 which effectively brought Christmas day forward by 12 days. Climate change has also brought higher average temperatures over land and sea and this generally means that there is less chance of a white Christmas today. So what exactly is a white Christmas? For many people, it means a complete covering of snow falling between midnight and midday on 25th December. However, the definition used most widely, notably by those placing and
jours de neige est de cinq en décembre tandis qu’elle est de 7, 6 en janvier, 6,8 en février et 6 en mars. Les Noëls blancs étaient plus fréquents aux 18ème et 19ème siècles, notamment avant 1752. En effet, depuis le changement de calendrier, Noël est célébré douze jours plus tôt. Le changement climatique a également entraîné la hausse de la moyenne des températures sur terre et sur mer, ce qui amenuise désormais les chances d’avoir un Noël blanc. Alors qu’appelle t’on exactement un «Noël blanc» ? Certains pensent qu’il suffit que la neige du 25 décembre tombe entre minuit et midi et recouvre le sol. Cependant, une définition est plus répandue, notamment dans le milieu des
taking bets, is for a single snowflake (perhaps among a mixed shower of rain and snow) to be observed falling in the 24 hours of 25th December at a number of specified locations. Consequently, even 30cm of snow on the ground at Christmas is not considered as a white Christmas unless fresh snow falls on Christmas Day. Despite cold weather in the weeks before Christmas last year, 2012 was not a white Christmas in the UK. The last official white Christmas was 2010, but there is still time to place a bet for 2013. At the time of writing, Ladbrokes are offering odds of 5/1 for a white Christmas in London or Cardiff, 4/1 in Belfast and 7/2 in Edinburgh. ■
bookmakers: il suffit d’observer un seul flocon de neige, lors d’une pluie neigeuse par exemple, au cours des 24 heures que dure le 25 décembre et à partir de l’un des postes d’observation répartis sur le territoire. Noël est alors déclaré «blanc». Ce qui n’est pas le cas même si la neige recouvre le sol sur 30 cm mais qu’elle n’est pas tombée le jour même. Malgré les semaines de froid qui précédèrent le 25 décembre au Royaume-Uni, 2012 n’eut pas de Noël blanc dont la dernière apparition officielle date de 2010. Il est encore temps de faire un pari pour 2013. A l’heure où j’écris, la société de paris Ladbrokes a fixé des cotes de 5/1 pour Londres ou Cardiff, 4/1 pour Belfast et 7/2 pour Edimbourg. ■
Dreaming of a white Christmas
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www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2013
17 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ♦
Managing Editor: Steve MartindaleEditor-in-Chief: Steve MartindaleRegistered Address: Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois FranceSIRET: 514 989 748 00017Printed by: Rotocentre 348, rue Marcel Paul 45770 Saran FranceMonthly circulation: 13,000 copiesAll copyright, unless stated otherwise, is reserved to The Bugle. Reproduction in whole or part of any text without permission is prohibited.
Directeur: Steve MartindaleRédacteur-en-chef: Steve MartindaleSiège Les Quatre Chemins 23150 St-Yrieix-les-Bois FranceSIRET: 514 989 748 00017Imprimé par: Rotocentre 348, rue Marcel Paul 45770 Saran FranceTirage mensuel: 13,000 copiesTous droits réservés. Toute reproduction, totale ou partielle, des articles et illustrations du présent numéro est strictement interdite.Dépôt légal à parution.
The Bugle cannot accept responsibility for the claims of advertisers or their professionalism. We strongly advise readers to verify that the company you are dealing with is a registered trading company in France or elsewhere in the world.
Advertise your business here
SUDOKU - EASY SUDOKU - MEDIUM SUDOKU - HARD
The solutions to this month’s Sudokus can be found on page 19
Letters to The
EditorLe Puy BatardBy Email
PBBy Email
Steve HudsonEymetBy Email
An Appeal for Volunteers over the Christmas Period
Can I buy a house directly from the owner...?
Legality of speed cameras?
Le Puy Batard, a non-profit organisation which welcomes the
disabled for their holidays at their house in Sainte-Feyre, Creuse, is looking for helpers
Hello
We have been house hunting in the region and wondered why we can't just approach the vendor of
a house we may be interested in directly? Do we have to use the agent that showed us the house as it does add quite a sum to the purchase price?
ED - We contacted our resident lawyer, and she had this to say:
The “bon de visite” is the document signed by the buyer with the estate agency which proves that they have visited a certain property (usually a property the agency
Dear Sir,
I have just finished reading the November issue of your Dordogne newspaper. I must say
that I thoroughly enjoyed the read, it being informative, wonderfully balanced and well put together. It got me thinking about a matter that has infuriated me for years which is Front Facing Speed Cameras, as covered on page 4 (Two-way mobile speed cameras unveiled). Firstly, can I say I have no qualms regarding the traditional cameras which photograph the rear of a speeding vehicle but to photograph the front of an approaching vehicle to my mind contravenes the Human Rights Act. This may seem heavy handed but to quote from the act “Human rights are conceived as universal (the same for everyone)”. These rights may exist in local, regional, national and international law. The key wording here is “the same for everyone”. This arguably can be construed as a law exempting one group from prosecution cannot be used to prosecute another group
over the Christmas period (December 23rd to January 4th). Accommodation can be provided if necessary and it is possible to help out for just a part of this period. To find out more about Le Puy Batard visit www.puy-batard.org and if you think you can help please
has a mandate for). This document is the proof that the agency has put the buyer in touch with the seller. If the buyer then contacts the seller directly, thus bypassing the estate agency (for example, to avoid paying the agency commission), the bon de visite will serve as proof of the intervention of the agency and can be used in any legal proceedings to demand the payment of the commission. This is provided that the agency has signed a mandate with the seller and that this has not expired or been terminated early.
For more information on this topic, contact:
Laure CHAVERON, Avocat36 avenue Pierre Leroux, 23600 BoussacTéléphone: 05 55 82 18 99E: [email protected]://avocats.fr/space/laure.chaveron
(the law should be balanced and fair, which I believe is an extract from somewhere in the act). Briefly with this in mind, Front Facing Cameras identify an offending vehicle by taking a photograph of the front number plate (or indeed the driver to confirm identification of the offender). A car (lorry or bus) must, by law, display a front number plate. A motorcycle, by the same law, does not have to display similar identification (also the rider and passenger have to wear a helmet, obscuring their features). There is no way that the same camera used to prosecute the driver of a car, etc. can be used to prosecute a motorcyclist. Hence the law is not balanced. There is of course the argument that the cameras used in these new cars can be swivelled to catch the rear number plate of a speeding motorcycle but I have severe concerns that this
contact Jean-Pierre Déchoz on 05 55 81 12 05 or at a ccue i l@puy-ba t a rd .o rg There are no special skills required and it is a great way to meet French people and speak French. Don't worry if your skills are not perfect, Jean-Pierre speaks excellent English!
facility is feasible, for many reasons. Just as a matter of interest, my concerns were aroused by a mobile camera in Lincolnshire where it was used on a motorway to photograph oncoming vehicles. The operator mentioned to me that motorcyclists would speed through often tens of miles an hour over the limit but were never prosecuted. Please do not think for one moment that I advocate speeding or any form of driving that falls below a reasonable standard and I am playing devil's advocate in writing this, it is just the unfairness of this system that concerns me and I await to see if anyone challenges this type of camera on these grounds.
Regards,
Steve Hudson, Eymet
DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
18 ♦ CLASSIFIEDS
Laying Chickens - Free to a good home 12 Laying chickens (started laying April 2012), used to scratching outside and eager eaters of garden and kitchen waste, free to a good home in January 2014. New owner collects – take all 12 or just a few! Contact Jan or Richard for more information. Tel: 05 55 69 42 39 Email: [email protected] Puppies looking for loving homes Beautiful Anglo-Poitevin
rescue puppies (chip/vac/vet, good with cats) are looking for loving family homes after spending 12 happy weeks with their mother and siblings. (Mum’s chip: 250269500568873). 2 left. Contact for further information on adoption fees and conditions. Tel: Katharina on 06 66 24 85 49 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: HEINIGER – Professional Clippers Horses /cows/ sheep shearing & clipping machine. Model ‘Handy’ 230volts with separate heads for sheep shearing, purchased new, complete with original box /manual, hardly used and in perfect working order. 150 euros (no offers). €150.00 Tel: 05 55 69 28 22
FOR SALE: Compressors Doosan/Ingersoll Rand Due
to ill health and retirement 2 Compressors for sale purchased 2012 with the intention of hiring to a local French Artisan. Although both compressors are 7/26E they are marked as Doosan which is the later only working for 5 hours and Ingersoll Rand which has worked for only 21 hours. They are both equipped with hose, breaker and 4 tools. They are both as new and cost 8000€ each in France. Parts manuals included with both. NO TVA. Each 2995€. Both 5500€. Tel: 02 54 37 76 24 FOR SALE: 12 glass roof tiles Perfect condition. Email
10-12 kilo - 2.40 each. Near to Chenerailles. Can deliver up to 70 BALES if required. Tel: Steve or Rosie 05 55 41 59 42 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Fibre optic Christmas tree 6ft with cascading starburst effect, indoor use only. In full working order and little used. €35.00ono Call Clair on 05 55 64 83 13 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Stainless steel flue liners 6 x 1m length, diameter 200mm and 1 x 800mm x 200mm. 125mm diameter pipe of various lengths, 125mm double bend. One heater, 125mm to run off a log fire. €80 or nearest offer for the lot. Please email for photos if required. €80.00ono Email: [email protected] SALE: Infra-red Sauna Seats 4 to 5 people. Dimensions: 1750 x 1350 x 1900 (mm). Power 2350. Interior light. Radio CD player. Email for photos. €950.00 Tel to view 05 55 81 31 85 FOR SALE: Yamaha Clavinova PR903 Electric piano/keyboard
in cherry with matching stool. Excellent condition as new. €1,800.00 Tel: 05 55 08 21 59 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Cash Register Casio Electronic. Model SE - S10. Almost new. €55.00 Tel: 05 55 80 37 70 FOR SALE: Oil Fired Central Heating Boiler Geminox. Model TL 357S. Output 33kw. €600.00ono Tel: 05 55 80 37 70 FOR SALE: SAMSUNG 40inch LED HD Smart TV Less than a year old. (We now find our lounge requires a larger screen!) €350.00 Text 06 41 99 57 40 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: 3 wall brackets for flat screen televisions All brand
new still in boxes. 1 large for 30"- 63" TV 49 euros; 2 medium for 32" TV 29 euros each. Tel: 05 45 31 19 84 FOR SALE: Invicta Woodburner Insert Fire - 11 kW 6 years old, in good working order. €350.00ono Tel: 05 55 63 37 67FOR SALE: Pair of Cast Iron Fire Dogs €15.00 Tel: 05 55 76 25 43 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Artika Z100 Pressure Washer 85 bar, 400 litre/hour - hardly used. €25.00 Tel: 05 55 76 25 43 Email: [email protected]
item, which can be sold separately. Cash sale only and buyer collects (Bourganeuf area). Tel: 05 55 64 22 25 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Chateau style white painted single bed With sculpted wood (flowers and birds) on the head and baseboard. Mattress and base as new. Email for photos. €150.00 Contact Jo on 06 78 17 27 78 Email: [email protected]
FOR SALE: Aluminium Greenhouse 3m long x 2m wide x 2m high. Sliding door to one end and opening. Window in roof. Buyer to collect. Will throw in some shelving and a paraffin heater. Between Gueret and Ahun off the D50. €260.00 Tel: 05 55 80 04 31 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: 3yr old ENGLISH PLUM TREES Bought from good UK nursery, planted last winter to create orchard, no longer required due to change of plans. Grafted on semi-dwarf rootstock (St Julian A) to give a small to medium tree: Victoria, Jubilee (similar to victoria, larger fruit), Rivers Early Prolific (early, small, black, good flavour), Marjorie's Seedling (late, large, purple, good flavour). 15euros each. Also available 3yr old Plum or Pear semi-dwarf rootstocks for grafting on your own variety of plum, peach, nectarine, gage, apricot (St Julian A) or pear (Quince A) to create small to medium tree. 4euros each (or 3euros if take several). Tel: 05 55 62 25 18 or 06 40 30 86 17 (Nr. Gouzon, Creuse) FOR SALE: GAZEBO 3m x 3m. Steel tube frame with polyester cover (beige). Brand new - still in box. BARGAIN BUY - 90 EURO. Tel: 05 55 64 46 27 (St. Dizier Leyrenne) Email: [email protected]
FOR SALE: Solid Fuel Range 'Rosieres 18076' €300.00 Tel: 05 53 52 89 62 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: TUXEDO Moss Bros. Mans Evening Jacket. Cream, size 44L. AS NEW. Bargain. Purchased for Christmas last year and worn twice only for special occasions. €50.00ono Tel: 0555 787902 (near Rochechouart) FOR SALE: 4 Oven Gas Aga - Green Very good condition. W: 760mm H: 860 mm L: 1500mm. Buyer collects. €1,500.00 Tel: 06 95 02 52 43 FOR SALE: JTNatural range - Basin with infinity plate Brand new - the item is still wrapped and on the pallet. When installed there is a slight gap around the plate to allow the water to drain. This gap also makes it easy to remove the plate for cleaning underneath it. Beneath the plate is a standard 90mm waste outlet. The infinity
for photos. €50.00ono Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Very Strong Galvanised Metal Roof Rack Length 10ft 5inches/3175mm Width 5'5inches/1650mm. 4 anchor points on each side, 17 fixed tie hooks, 10 cross bars and a ladder roller bar. Suitable for transportation of heavy ladders, building materials, etc. €200.00 Tel: 05 55 80 70 93 Dept 23 (near Aigurande) Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Tile cutter Including
case, good condition. €50.00 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Makhita 2200W Angle Grinder €40.00 Tel: 05 55 63 43 69
FOR SALE: Antique Meridienne (chaise longue) Very attractive frame in good condition but will need to be re-upholstered. Please no time wasters photos on request. (Nr Magnac Laval) €200.00ono Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Furniture Pine kitchen table 6ft x 3ft + 2 chairs good condition 50.00€; 2 x Bridle holders 5.00€ for the two; 2 x Saddle racks 10.00€ for the two; TV Phillips (old style heavy) 20inch screen 25.00€; Pine TV unit 2 glass doors & a draw 25.00€; Pine bedroom cabinet 1 door, 1 draw 15.00€; 4 x Mahogany, regency style chairs vgc 40.00€; 2 seater settee, green with white spots, slight wear mark on one cushion wooden base, good condition 40.00€; Piranha table + 1 carver chair and 2 chairs 35.00€; White wooden wine rack 12 bottles (heavy) vgc 20.00€. Tel: 02 54 36 71 96 (Dpt 36 Chaillac) Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: 4 Country chairs painted white with flower and fruit motif Original cane seats. 80€ the 4. Email for photos. €80.00 Contact Jo on 06 78 17 27 78 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Antique French Bed
Measuring 188cm x 112cm on metal casters. €150.00ono Tel: 05 55 69 49 28 FOR SALE: Double bed (4ft, 6 in) and 2 latex mattresses All in excellent condition and hardly used. The price: €35 for each
plate is used to cover the waste thereby creating the illusion of no waste and a very contemporary finish. Colour: White. Please email for further details and images. We are based near Le Grand Bourg 23240. €375.00 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Vulcan Stove Fan
Brand New In Box - Helps distribute warm air from your wood burner. No batteries or electricity, it works from the heat of your stove. €170 including postage or €165 collected in person near St-Junien 87. Email for more info. Email: [email protected] SALE: Armitage Shanks Belfast Butler Sink Condition - Used/ Good. 460mm D x 600mm W x 260mm H. Colour White. Please email for further details and images. We are based near Le Grand Bourg 23240. €125.00 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Brand new, boxed - Sarreguemines basin / Vasque a poser "Cookie" Table top mounting basin. 445mm x 445mm x 130mm. Colour White. Please email for further details and images. We are based near Le Grand Bourg 23240. €45.00 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Plumbing Fittings New English indirect cylinder, lagged. 1050mm x 450mm. with immersion heater. €98. 75 gallon water tank. 900mm x 550mm x 600 mm. €48. 7 thermostatic radiator valves. €45 the lot. Regent electric water heater. €48. Matt black steel super flue. 900mm x 150mm. €29. Tel: 05 53 52 03 02 (Sarlande) FOR SALE: 2 Folding Bikes With Bags Approx. 800mm long, 750mm high, 240mm wide (folded). Ideal for camping van or large boot car. € 240 for the pair. Excellent condition. €240.00 Tel: 05 53 52 03 02 (Sarlande) FOR SALE: Double Yoke/Oak Light Fitting On chain. 4 light fittings. 1180mm long. Good condition. €188.00 Tel: 05 53 52 03 02 (Sarlande) FOR SALE: Yamaha Electone Dual Keyboard Organ Multi menus. Superb condition. €375.00 Tel: 05 53 52 03 02 (Sarlande) FOR SALE: Various Large Royal Paris tapestry canvas 136cmx98cm The lady and the Unicorn €45. Small portable De Longhi Electric radiator unused €15. White sideboard with 2 cupboards and two drawers excellent condition €35. Tel: 05 55 81 74 25 FOR SALE: Hat/coat/brolly stand with centre mirror €100.00 Tel: 05 55 03 11 40
FOR SALE: Two Decathlon b’Twin bikes With helmets and
padlocks, one lady’s and one gents. Never used. €70 each. Tel: 05 55 81 74 25FOR SALE: BELLING COUNTRY RANGE 100 DFT
Dual fuel range cooker. Brand new & unused. 100 cm; 7 burner gas hob including wok burner; 1 conventional oven; 1 fan oven; separate grill; minute minder. Cream with glass lid/ splash back. This is a current model retailing at 1033 euros (£899) - see Curry's website. Priced for quick sale at only 825 euros. €825.00 Call Damien on 07973 641665 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: 2 Convector Heaters 2000W Adjustable – beige - near new condition (boxed). BARGAIN BUY £15 each. Tel: 05 55 64 46 27 (St. Dizier Leyrenne) Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: ‘Graco’ Folding Highchair Lovely clean condition.
€19.00 Tel: 05 55 64 46 27 (St. Dizier Leyrenne) Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: ‘Graco’ Folding Highchairs Lovely clean
condition. €19.00 Tel: 05 55 64 46 27 (St. Dizier Leyrenne) Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Deville Poele a fioul/Oil Heater 8kw. Reservoir 12 litre (uses central heating oil). Economical. Loc: between Confolens 16 St Junien 87 €250.00 Tel: 05 45 71 19 37 FOR SALE: Small bales of hay
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FOR SALE
Classified AdvertsClassified adverts are currently free for all small items (less than €500). For other types of classified adverts a small fee does apply:
● Items more than €500 are charged at €5 per month ● Accompanying photos are charged at €2.50 per monthTo place a classified advert, please email [email protected] with the details you would like included in your advert.
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www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2013
19 CLASSIFIEDS ♦
FOR SALE: Hay Square bales 2 euros. Standard round bales 15 euros. Can deliver (for cost). Based Etagnac (16). Tel: 05 45 31 12 68 FOR SALE: VHS Videos 51, all in very good condition inc some unused, looking for a good home. All in original packaging. Email for list of titles and to make an offer. No reasonable offer refused. Tel: 05 55 64 83 13 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: English TV - AVTEX L185DR Ultra slim 18.5in LED DIGITAL TV/DVD. (Unwanted "freebie" with our new caravan.) €230.00 Tel/text 06 41 99 57 40 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Fisherprice vibrating chair (up to 2 years old) Nr St
Yrieix La Perche. €15.00ono Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Cuve / IBC 1000ltr Only had water in and only a couple of months old. €95.00ono Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Brand New Sink Unit Top quality stainless steel modern round bowl and drainer, still with protective film in original packaging. Change of kitchen plan necessitates sale. Cost E130, will accept E80. €80.00 Tel: 05 55 03 04 49
FOR SALE: 1996 Landrover Discover Petrol/LPG automatic €1,000.00 Tel: 05 53 52 89 62 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Jaguar S type Special Equipment model
Registered UK June 2003, 2.5 V6 Petrol, Jaguar service history, history file, the colour is Jaguar Ice Frost. Full leather interior in cream with Walnut dash and door cappings. Automatic, all the usual Jaguar refinements including electric doors and mirrors, electric memory seats, trip computer, PAS, climate
control, Jaguar sound system with multi change CD, ABS, traction control, cruise control, heated front seats, fully alarmed. Both the Interior and exterior are in good condition. The colour is Jaguar Ice Frost. Although it has done 137500 miles it has given excellent service, has been very well looked after and represents good value for money. €3,250.00 Contact Peter on 05 55 78 66 41, evenings Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: BMW K1200S Motorcycle 2005 35,000 kms,
full dealer service history, new battery, new front brakes, new updated clutch, superb condition, comes with extra seat. 16220 Rouzede. €7,500.00ono Tel: 05 45 65 96 20 FOR SALE: TRIUMPH SPITFIRE 1500 1980, 76,000
miles, Inca yellow. Engine and gear box in very good condition with no faults. Chassis completely rust free. Very little body rust - bottom of driver's door needs some attention. New soft top, new minilite wheels and tyres, stainless steel twin exhaust system, reupholstered. New walnut dash to replace original. Replacement fuel tank. Comes with tonneau and soft top apron covers. Full history shows thousands spent on her. This car can be made road legal with little effort or enjoyed as a restoration project to bring her up to first class condition. I brought her out from UK but have found I do not have the time she deserves (still UK reg). Will supply many photos to interested party. €3,000.00 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: McCormick F135D tractor 1960 Comes with Carte
[email protected] FOR SALE: Alfa Romeo 156 Sportswagon 2.4 JTD Diesel. March 2002. 203,000 km. Manual. 5 doors, 5 seats. Good car! Grey metallic inside black leather. Very well maintained. €2,500.00 Tel: 05 55 81 30 00 FOR SALE: Set of 4 steel wheels for Renaults Wheels are 6 1/2 J X 15 H2 and are fitted with Gislavad Eurofrost5 winter tyres that have never been used sized 195/65 15 T. €300.00 Tel Dave on 05 55 67 58 87 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Citroen Xsara Picasso SX RHD. reg 2000. 1600cc petrol. 1 year 3 months CTA. UK plates. 86000 miles. Good reliable runner. FSH. €900.00ono Tel: 05 55 03 11 40 FOR SALE: Suzuki Wagon R+, 1,3 GL Comfort 4/2003,135 000
km, 5 door, petrol, E 4, LHD, green metallic, non smoker, very good condition. Radio, air conditioning, central locking, electric windows. €1,950.00 Tel: 06 95 02 52 43 FOR SALE: Toyota Yaris SOL D-4D 2007 LHD In showroom
condition. 3 doors, blue graphite metallic, manual transmission. ‘Smart Entry and Start’ - Full Toyota service history from new. 95,000 kms. One lady owner. €6,450.00 Tel: 05 55 08 21 59 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Bailey Oaklahoma Senator Caravan 2002 4 birth
with fixed bed. Power mover, 3 way fridge & cooker (with oven). Shower, toilet. Blown air heating. Heki roof light, mosquito blinds. Outside gas point & on board water tank.
Grise, and two spare rear wheels with tyres. Fully serviced, all oils and filters, etc. are done, new battery, great little tractor for light work. 16220 Rouzede. €2,500.00ono Tel: 05 45 65 96 20 FOR SALE: Suzuki Carry Van
Year 2000 1.3 Petrol. RHD Still on UK plates. Very cheap to insure in France (we only pay €10 per mth). Great Utility van, very spacious. Starts first time. Needs converting onto French plates. Open to serious offers (no time wasters). Call for more information or to arrange a look. Tel: 05 55 64 87 92 FOR SALE: Landrover Discovery 1 300Tdi 1999,
166000 miles, 7 seater, full leather seats, blue, RHD, French registered. CT 03/2014, good condition, new gear box 2011. Air con, heated front and rear screens. Very reliable. Sorry to see it go but downsized. Contact for more info and photos. €2,750.00 Tel Chris on 05 55 66 48 35 (evenings) Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Renault Twingo Expression, 1.2 16V, petrol,
LHD, gold yellow, 11/2002, 128 383 KM, sun roof, non smoker, radio, just passed German controle technique, very good condition. €1,585.00 Tel: 05 55 30 40 26 FOR SALE: THULE: Bike carrier for three bikes mounts on towbar Weight of unit: 12 kg app. Max. load permissible 45 kg. Rear lights in working order. Pivots away from tailgate for access without removing bikes. Buyer collects. €100.00 Email:
Could be used as tourer or static for renovation project. €4,500.00 Call Tony on 06 42 95 44 08 or 05 55 09 19 83 FOR SALE: June 1998 Ford Mondeo Ghia X 5 door hatchback Automatic V6 24 Valve 2544cc Petrol/ chocolate brown with full black leather interior/ ABS/ traction control/ cruise control/ aircon/ electric drivers seat/ heated front seats/ electric windows/ electric sun roof with screen/ 5 good tyres/ RHD but registered in France on French plates. 2 years control technique (passed 25/09/2013). Alternator/ battery/ front discs and pads new in 2012. 112749 miles. Lots of service history available.Only selling as surplus to requirements. €500.00 Tel Judi or Paul 05 55 41 55 89 FOR SALE: Roof racks In good condition for Renault 19 or 21. €20.00 Tel: 05 55 89 21 37 (evenings please)FOR SALE: Marchal Snow Chains Used twice. They fit various wheel sizes of 14 inches to 16 inches - too many to list. Telephone or email with your tyre size. €25.00 Tel 05 55 76 25 43 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Weissenfels Snow Chains Never used - still in cellophane wrapped box. They fit various wheel sizes of 13 inches to 15 inches - too many to list. Telephone or email with your tyre size. €50.00 Tel 05 55 76 25 43 Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: 2 Roof Bars Should fit any car with factory fitted roof rails. Excellent condition, with keys. €25.00 Call Dave on 05 55 64 83 13 FOR SALE: Roof Bars Maximum carrying weight 100kgs. Fits PEUGEOT PARTNER / CITROEN BERLINGO 2003/08. Haute-Vienne 87460. €35.00 05 55 69 49 28 Speak to Paul or Pauline FOR SALE: Hobby Excellent Caravan 460 UFE. Purchased and registered in France 2008. 4 berth. Double fixed bed. Water reservoir 50 litres. Extract Hood. Powrtouch Mover. Large Awning. Rear reversing camera. Good condition. Photo available. €12,900.00 Tel: 05 55 60 10 56 FOR SALE: FORD IVECO 75E15 CARGO 7.5 Tonnes WAGON M Reg (1994) 216,914
Kms. Will carry three large horses with living space and professionally fitted ramp. In very good order but requires some cosmetic work and minor welding around cab area. Change of circumstances forces sale hence price. Dept. 36. €2,500.00 Telephone: 0254 24 81 12 FOR SALE: Mahindra Tractor FS 254I 2008 25 hp. 140 hours. Front end Loader. Back Hoe. PTO for other attachments. Good condition. Photo available. €8,900.00 Tel: 05 55 60 10 56 or 05 55 60 06 19
FOR SALE: Eau claire fibreglass canal and river cruiser Boat all
on one level, 2 main cabins sleeping 2 and 3. Fully equipped, kitchen with fridge, cooker, water heater, shower room with handbasin and lavatory. Central heating, gas fired 6/9 conducted air, easy access. Motor Yanmar 3JH3E with marine drive SD 31 easy access. Electricity 12 volts DCS. 2 water tanks 200 litres each. Moored in Clamecy. €28,000.00 Tel: 05 45 71 53 02 Email: [email protected]
FOR SALE: Licence IV covering whole of Creuse area Enables sales of beverages and spirits in Bars/Restaurants etc Email: [email protected] FOR SALE: Licence 4 €4,000.00ono Tel: 06 76 52 26 47
WANTED: House/Shed/Garage clearances All single items purchased. Tel: 02 48 56 74 73 WANTED: Classic car pre 1980 Must be in good condition. Email: [email protected] WANTED: Wanted to buy Digger/Excavator Tel: 02 48 56 74 73 WANTED: Gate or pair of gates Can collect. Tel: 02 48 56 74 73 WANTED: Roof racks for Citroen Xantia Tel: 05 55 89 21 37 (evenings please)
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Deadline:15th of themonth for
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DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
20 ♦ COMMUNITY
BugleNoticeBoard
JJ’s Café BarAigurandeMusic Club
2nd Sat of every month. 8.30 pm.Next event: 14th December
JJ's Music club is for musicians of all levels and genres entryis free, there is no membership and is open to everyone who
loves music. You can also buy fish and chips from the van in the market square (from 6.30 - 8.30) and eat them in the comfort
of JJ's. The club starts from 8:30, but we are open for all those who want to come earlier to eat. In fact we hardly ever shut !!!!
JJ's Cafe Bar, 39 Place du Champ de Foire, 36140 Aigurande
Tel: 02 54 06 30 77www.frenchweb.eu/jjscafebar/
Email: [email protected]
CARRACIOLA SARDO... will close for the festive season on
30th November, re-opening on 5th March 2014 (please see our website for 2014 opening times).
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Yearto all our customers - See you in 2014 !!
STEVE AND ELENAweb: www.carraciola.com
e mail: [email protected]: 05 55 63 86 05
Vera Laine Gift Shop & Salon de ThéLE DORAT (Pl. Charles de Gaulle)Large selection of gifts, candles, mugs,
shabby chic homeware, cards, plus leather goods,jewellery and hair accessories. Affordable prices!
HOMEMADE CAKES and FREE WIFI now available!
Knitting GroupKnitters, expert or beginners, meet every Wednesday at 2pm for a little knit and natter. All welcome, please
feel free to drop in or call Jay for more details.Alternatively, follow "Veralaine" on Facebook.
Contact Jay:05 87 77 95 59 / 06 35 91 03 83
Cartes de ChristineHand-crafted cards for all occasionsFind us every week at Piégut market.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.Thank you everyone for your support
throughout the year.You can also find our cards atMagazin Artisanat, Confolens.
Petticoat LaneChristmas items now in stock
We will be at the following Christmas Markets :-Sunday 1st December - Aigre
Tuesday 3rd December - CivrayFriday 6th December - Confolens
We will also be at the Panazol Sunday marketon the 8th and 22nd December
We would like to wish all our old & new customers “Merry Christmas & Happy New Year”
Please note we will be closed26th December and 5th to 12th January.
5 Rue Nationale – 16150 ChabanaisTel: 05 45 29 03 99
Wanted: Person or Persons to keep an eye on a property in
Le Menoux,Argenton-sur-Creuse...
... whilst owner is not in residence. This will involve liaison with Electric/Water for meter
readings as well as just a quick check -up every now and then. As time progresses there
will also probably be a need for ChangeoverServices as it is likely the property will be let
as a Holiday Let in the near future.Contact Ray Baker by email at [email protected]
Atelier d'Art du Jardinis open every Fri, Sat, Sun & bank holiday
from 11h to 18h.Artisan art for your garden.Cream teas on the terrasse. RDV for weekday visits SVP. 2km from Chénérailles andthe Chateau Villemonteix
26, Ecurat 23150tel: 05 55 81 31 85
email: [email protected] www.atelierdartdujardin.net
Très JolieFashion Accessories
Where to find me in December: Every Wednesday - Piégut Market
Lots of new Autumn/Winter accessories now in.New stunning Jewellery Scarf designs, a great affordable gift.
Hat & scarf sets, snoods, ponchos and lots more.Great little gifts starting from €3.
Most items now stocked at the 'Coeur et Etoile', St-MathieuPostage available, please email or call for details.05 55 78 62 29 / 06 04 08 29 53
Le Moulin du BreuilRestaurant, Bar, Terrasse
23140 PIONNATChristmas at Le Moulin du Breuil
Monday 9 December - Sunday 15 DecemberCelebrate Christmas early with friends and family
BUY ONE GET ONE FREE MENU4-course meal for just 30€ (for 2 people)
Reserve early to avoid disappointmentLunchtimes and evenings
Join us on facebook: www.facebook.com/lemoulindubreuil and follow us on twitter: @lmdb_pionnat
Tel: 05 55 80 37 70Mail: [email protected]: www.lemoulindubreuil.com
Pianist/ vocalist available forevents/ gigs/ private parties etc...
New Orleans old time jazz n blues n boogie...Call: 07.61.21.85.15
Barbara from the Caring Catterywould like to wish all my customers
and the readers of The BugleFun at Christmas and the best of Health
and Good Fortune in 2014.
RESTAURANTAUX CEPES
La VeytizouOn the main road (D979), Between Limoges & EymoutiersOur famous Fish & Chips every day of the week
*******************Next Open Mic Night: Sat 14th Dec
We would like to thank you all for entertaining us with your wonderful music in 2013!
*******************Christmas Lunch
Wed 25th Dec - 13h00 one service onlyArrive at 12h30 for a Champagne cocktail!
Choice of entrée - traditional free-range roast turkey with all the trimmings - fromage - trou normond -
home-made desserts - wine - coffee. Just €35!!By reservation only.
*******************New Year's Eve featuring The Music Machine
Mouth-watering buffet of home-made savouries & dessertsAll for just €15 - BOOK NOW!
*******************For more information, please ring Sue:
05 55 69 33 38
Le Relais de l'Abloux36170 SACIERGES-ST-MARTIN
Wed 1st January 2014New Year's Day Meal
By reservationmail: [email protected]: "le relais de l'abloux"
Tel: 02 54 47 56 74
Le BelleriveHotel - Restaurant - Café-Bar29 Avenue de la Tour, 87470 Peyrat-le-Château
Sun 8th - Sun 15th DecemberClosed for refurbishmentFriday 20th December
Christmas Fun Quiz (with mince pies!)Tuesday 24th December
4-course dinner & wine - €45 per personTuesday 31st December
New Year's Eve Party - €15 per person7th - 31st January - Open lunchtimes only
For details of all our events, go to:www.facebook.com/hotellebellerive
Email: [email protected]: 05 55 36 20 63
KWIKSTAGE Scaffold HireExclusive Offer to readers of The Bugle
10% offany scaffolding ordered for any time during 2014,
if ordered & deposit paid before end of March 2014.
05 55 89 69 [email protected]
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2013
21 COMMUNITY ♦
CLUBS, CHARITIES & ASSOCIATIONSChurch Notices
Monthly Worship in EnglishIf your journey of life has brought you here to France, why neglect your journey of faith? We look forward to giving a warm welcome to everyone from whatever Christian tradition (or none) on the 3rd SUNDAY of the MONTH at 3pm. Where? At the Temple in Thiat (in the north of the Haute-Vienne) – we are part of the Parish of the Basse-Marche of the Eglise Protestante Unie de France. The Temple is on the main road close to the Mairie. After worship there is tea/coffee and cake – and a chance to chat.If you want to know more contact Rev Derek Lawson on 05 55 68 53 03 or Rev Stephen Sawyer on 05 49 84 33 86.English-speaking church services GuéretCome as you are... This is an invitation to join us at our CHURCH SERVICE IN ENGLISH. Whether you have a faith or would just like to attend a church service you are welcome at 3pm on the 2nd Sunday of each month at the Eglise Evangélique, 9b Place Bonnyaud, Guéret, 23000.We welcome all who want to join a group of English-speaking Christians for a time of worship and learning together. Children are very welcome. For more details contact Jim & Pat Scott on 05 55 67 54 78 / email [email protected] or Ian & Becky Jefferies on 05 55 61 10 23 / email [email protected] together in Limousin La Souterraine Area We hold a time of fellowship and Bible study every Tuesday afternoon. Barbara and Cedric look forward to welcoming you. Tel: 05 55 71 09 04The International Free Church in CreuseThe church presently meets at 10, La Chaudronnière, a small hamlet mid-way between Crozant and Eguzon. Sunday worship meetings are held on the first and third Sundays of the month at 10.30am. Fellowship meetings, for mid-week prayer, bible study and discussion are at the same venue every Thursday at 7.30pm. For further information contact Eric Sutton tel 05 55 89 26 62
Fitness & FunPENSOL Indoor Carpet Bowls We meet on Wednesdays at 2.30pm-5.00pm. Come along for a fun afternoon, a warm welcome in a warm hall, refreshments and equipment provided. Ladies and Gents welcome. The venue is the salle polyvalente at PENSOL - 87440 on the D67 between Marval and Dournazac, clearly indicated from the village, or from Piégut-Pluviers take the D91. Come and have a free trial, with our slightly smaller Bowls and 33` carpet. NO heavy lifting. Established club and club Leader. Registered and insured. Please phone Hilary for any enquiries on 09 72 23 13 20 or [email protected] Chi, Pakua & QigongTai Chi, Pakua & Qigong classes organised by the ACAMIES (association culturelle d'arts martiaux internes et d'exercices de santé). Wed: Jarnages, 18h30-20h, Salle Polyvalente. Thu: Bétête, 19h-20h30, Domaine de Tournessac. OPEN DAY Sun 6th Oct at the salle de la mairie, Jarnages from 9h-12h.Individual classes, courses, massage & treatments also available. Contact: 06 48 00 02 07http://acamies.e-monsite.comKeep FitAmazing abs, breathtaking buttocks! Come and join our group at the CAPE in Pontarion. We are all ages, all sizes, men & women, but are serious about keeping fit.Our “monitrice” is English and will happily provide bilingual instructions. We meet every Thursday at 8p.m. in Pontarion Town Hall, for a one-hour workout.Come for a free trial, or call 05 55 64 98 87 or 06 32 42 95 68 for more details.Indoor Bowling at Oradour-sur-VayresIf you already play or have never tried indoor bowling then come along to a meeting. It's great fun and easy to play. If you have never played it before we will show you how. We meet every Monday evening starting at 18.30 hrs at La Chapelle, avenue des Chapelles, 87150 Oradour-sur-Vayres. Come and try it - it's free. If you require further information or directions to
our venue please contact me - Email: [email protected] or telephone: 05 55 08 41 75Zumba! Regular zumba classes across depts 36, 18 & northern 23. For more info tel 06 58 37 17 04 - email [email protected] and for details of classes visit www.zumbazumba.frIndoor Short-mat Bowling at Cussac 87150....and now Outdoor too!As the premier bowls club in the Haute-Vienne, we are going from strength to strength with members seeking us out and travelling great distances to continue their love of bowls or simply to 'try us out'. Our reputation as a "very friendly and welcoming club" goes before us. If you've never tried the game, just come along and take a look; there is far more to it than first appears!We are a formally registered association within the French system and benefit from assistance from our local commune by use of a wonderful indoor venue. AND NOW...the use of a synthetic outdoor court where Flat-green, Crown and Short-mat can be played. Just imagine the summer evenings with a drink in your hand, watching fellow bowlers enjoying the quiet of village, interrupted only by the 'click' or 'tunk' of bowl against bowl!Our regular sessions indoors are Wednesday evening at 8pm and Thursday Mornings at 10am. Outdoor sessions will be arranged as the spring arrives so keep in touch. Serious bowlers and beginners are welcome - club bowls are available for use.For further information contact [email protected] or telephone 05 55 50 40 89.Association Equilibre, le mouvement du corpsYoga for all levels: Tue 18:30 Aubusson, Pied au plancher (Espace Philips); Wed 18:30 Vallière, salle polyvalante. Pregnancy/Post Natal: Tue 17:00 Aubusson, Pied au Plancher (Espace Philips) For further information tel 06 83 24 62 72 or visit www.spaequilibre.yolasite.comChinese Gym & KarateMondays & Thursdays 19h30-21h at the DOJO, Allée Jean-Marie Couturier, Aubusson. Warm and friendly atmosphere. For more info tel 06 08 92 30 53Tai Chi at Boussac and La ChâtreTai Chi classes in Boussac (Tue 18.15 - 19.45) and La Châtre (Thu 18.15 - 19.45). The first two lessons are free, the subscriptions are 36 euros per month and members can go to both venues having paid this fee. The style is that of Yang. All ages and abilities welcome, but folk must bear in mind that they will be on their feet, doing the equivalent of what one might classify as light exercise, for about an hour and a half. For more information contact 05 55 65 08 20.Gym Bien-êtreWould you enjoy an afternoon of gentle exercise with a cheerful, light-hearted group? Each week we exercise a different group of muscles, do a little country dancing & some floor exercise and laugh a lot. The aim of the activities is to increase suppleness and mental agility. We meet every Tuesday afternoon upstairs at the Capitole in Rochechouart between 2pm and 3.30pm. It isn’t necessary to speak French because you can copy but you will learn some. Come for 2 weeks’ free trial. For details contact: [email protected] to Meditate Learn to meditate and meet other like-minded people. Simple mindfulness technique. Dechen Choling, Le Mas Marvent, St-Yrieix-sous-Aixe, 87700. Also, ongoing regular group meetings and events. Contact tel Christina 05 55 03 82 01 www.dechencholing.org
GardeningLes Jardins de SiriusBased in Pressignac, Charente, we are a small association of people who are keen on gardening. As well as finding plants an endless source of interest, we believe that the simple fact of gardening has numerous positive benefits for health, stress, social interaction - in other words, our daily lives - and we'd like to encourage this aspect. Currently, we run flower/plant sessions in old people's homes on a regular basis. From June (weather permitting) we are hoping to run gardening sessions once a month. If you'd like to
get involved, have more info on the association or become a member, please contact Michelle Pierce on 05 45 89 36 54 or at [email protected]
Les petits jardiniers du Limousinhttp://jardiniers-du-limousin.webs.com Do you love gardening or are you keen to learn more about it? Then why not come along and join Les Petits Jardiniers? We’re a friendly group of English, French and Dutch residents and normally meet on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 2.30pm in the salle de fêtes in St-Amand-le-Petit, between Peyrat-le-Château and Eymoutiers. Our meetings are held mostly in English and we have guest speakers, organise garden visits and swap plants and seeds. Annual membership is 15 euros pp or 20 euros per couple or pay as you go for 3 euros per meeting. For more information or to be put on our mailing list for our quarterly newsletter or monthly agenda contact Carolyn at [email protected] or Gill at [email protected] Agenda for 2013: 12th Dec Xmas party, Gardeners Question Time and Quiz.Agenda for 2014: 16th Jan Presentation entitled 'Plateau de Millevaches'; Feb No meeting; 20th Mar Planting for Night and Day; 17th Apr Electrifying your garden: a guide to outdoor lighting/fountains; 15th May Invasive plants - Friends or Foes?; 19th Jun Visit to two gardens 'From field to fantastic garden'; 17th Jul Demonstration - flower arranging; 21st Aug Summer lunch; 7th Sep Annual Show; 16th Oct AGM and Splitting perennials to double your plants; 20th Nov Visit to the Musée des distilleries, Limoges; Tba Dec Gardeners' Question Time and Christmas party..Club Liseron – Gardening ClubMeets on the 2nd Mon evening of the month at 19.30 at the Salle des Fêtes in Massignac. We're a mixed bunch of English & French, who are united by a passion for gardens and gardening, sharing plants, seeds and information. More info from Sally on 05 45 21 30 20 or Craig on 05 45 89 33 50 or [email protected] Plantes etcWe are an association of independent, ethically-minded and passionate plant producers. Our aim is to encourage consumers to know more about the plants they buy, how they were produced and their needs, thereby avoiding the disappointments that so often come with mass produced plants. It's not just about us selling you plants - we want them to thrive and do well for you! Current members include plantspeople specialising in unusual shrubs & trees, butterfly plants, heritage vegetables and flowers, irises, perennials and drought-tolerant plants. For more info contact Michelle Pierce 05 45 89 36 54 or vitist www.auxplantesetc.jimdo.com
IntegrationInternational Apero ReseauWe meet each Saturday from 11.30am-1pm at Baileys Bar/Restaurant, 5 Rue de L'Abreuvoir, Aubusson.These meetings offer the opportunity to: exchange views - make new friends - share experiences - have fun together - help and advise one another - help intergrate newcomers. Discussions in English (all nationalities welcome).For more information please contact Catherine 06 86 17 80 88 or Liz 05 55 66 22 92.Learning Together – Apprenons EnsembleOur main aim is to foster understanding and good relations amongst the local French-speaking and English-speaking populations. To this end we are offering courses of tuition in English and in French, and organising social and cultural events and visits. LANGUAGE CLASSES (take place at the Maison des Associations, Rochechouart) Beginners and Intermediate - Mon am; French/English Conversation – Tues am; Advanced
and Children’s – Wed am; Conversation (St-Junien) - Thur. SOCIAL EVENTS Games Night (Rochechouart) 1st Thur; Games Night (St-Junien) 2nd Thur; Lunch Club – Last Thur. FORTHCOMING EVENTS - More details in Association Newsletter. For more details visit www.learningtogether.me or contact Sue Ratcliffe 05 45 31 50 86The Melting PotMembers of the Ambassador's Club of the Welcome en Limousin Association. We are a group of around 70 members, both French and British, who meet with the aim of sharing things and trying to integrate with the French community. We meet every week at the Ancienne Ecole in Darnac, on a Wednesday morning from 10am - 12noon, except for the first Wednesday, when we meet in the evening at 8pm. We hold information meetings, plant swaps, BBQ's, games nights, visits and have guest speakers about topics relevant to living in France. Contact: www.meltingpot-limousin.comCharente Limousine ExchangeThe Charente-Limousine-Exchange (CLE), founded in 2003, aims to improve the provision of French language courses and to share experiences and skills among members who live in Charente, Vienne and Haute-Vienne. CLE provides information to members living and/or working in France and works with local communities and organisations to tackle practical issues through forums and workshops, as well as organising a wide range of cultural and social events throughout the year. The recent launch of English lessons has been well attended by Confolentais. If you would like to know more about this group of volunteers, please look on our new website www.charente-limousine-exchange.com or contact the Chairman, Barry Leech, on 06 35 96 77 46.
Libraries & BooksBaileys Book ExchangeBaileys Bar/Restaurant, 5 Rue de L'Abreuvoir, Aubusson.Large selection of English books, plus a few French books and DVDs. Swap (for each swapped book a small charge of 20cts applies) or buy books from as little as 50cts. ALL money received donated to S.P.A. de la Creuse Dog Refuge Guéret. Books available during opening hours, please check Baileys Restaurant Ad for details.Sale of Second-hand Books, La Croisille-sur-BrianceOn the 18th of every month, during the monthly market at La Croisille-sur-Briance (87130), there is a sale of second-hand books (both English and French) from 9am to 12 noon, at the old garage in La Place - next door to the pharmacy. All proceeds towards the restoration of the church.St Jean English Library, La SouterraineThe St Jean English Library and Information Centre is now well-established in the beautiful medieval building of the Porte de Puy Charraud, 10 Rue de Portail, La Souterraine. We now have just under 10,000 books, catering for a wide range of tastes, both fiction & non-fiction, plus a large collection of DVDs and CDs, and you can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, together with a selection of delicious home-made cakes, in our cafe, Caxtons, where we also have regular exhibitions of work by local artists, both French & English.The Library runs classes in French, for English speakers, with a professional teacher, and also organises Anglo-French conversation groups in association with the Municipal Library in La Souterraine. We have a number of thriving special interest groups, such as the Gardening Club, Photographic Society, Friendship Group, etc. and we have an ever-changing selection of interesting items for sale in our Brocante on the ground floor.We also provide support & assistance in bureaucratic and administrative matters for both existing British residents as well as newcomers to the area, so whatever your interests, don’t hesitate to pay us a visit, when you will be assured of a warm welcome.The library is open from 9.30 -12.30 on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Contact tel 06 06 43 47 64 or email [email protected] Our website is www.frenchweb.eu/biblioThe English Library, Dun-le-PalestelThe English Library, which has now been established for over 5 yrs, is situated in the Route des Rateries, beside the Bibliothèque Municipale, Parc Benjamin Bord. The library is a very welcoming meeting place, where you can come and enjoy a cup of tea, or coffee, whilst you browse through our collection of around 7,500 books, DVDs and talking books. Our opening hours are Thursdays, 10h00 – 16h00 and Saturdays 10h00 – 12h30. Also, on the first Tuesday of every month, 10h00 – 12h00, you are invited to join us for our Club Franglais, which welcomes people from all nationalities, to chat in French, English or any language you wish(!) whilst enjoying a cup of tea, and a piece of home-made cake. We host a range of other activities too, including the Café Philo, and Club Scrabble, More information can be found on the Entente Cordiale website at www.ententecordiale-creuse.org or email us at [email protected]
MusicMusic Club Boussac3rd Saturday of the month at the Grand Café des Sports, 26 place de l'Hôtel de Ville. All musicians
and singers wishing to join in an evening of free fun and entertainment are most welcome, as are those who simply enjoy listening to live music. A PA system and drum kit is available, so all you need to do is bring along your own instrument to have a good time."Oh My Cod" fish and chips is available in the square or Philippe, the bar owner, provides a charcuterie. All food can be eaten in the café.Contact: Bev or Dave Calladine at [email protected] or Mervyn or Rosie Wood at [email protected] for more info.Upcoming dates: 21st December.L'Orchestre Philharmonique de La SouterraineIf you or one of your family are interested in playing in an orchestra and think your standard might be adequate do get in contact with us. We meet weekly on Friday evenings in La Souterraine (apart from the summer holidays) to rehearse. Most of our concerts are around Xmas or May-July. Our members come from all over Limousin so lifts to and fro may be possible if necessary. Contacts: French language Marie-France Martinie 05 55 30 76 23 / English language Alan Kerr 05 55 56 34 52Club de MusiqueTakes place on the last Fri of each month from 8pm at La Grange, Chassignolles (5mins from La Châtre). Open to all musicians, singers, groups and audience. PA and drum kit available. Bring your instrument, mic and join in a great French / English musical and social evening. Bar, hot and cold snacks. Meals available if reserved – see website for contact details of La Grange. For more info email: [email protected] http://www.clubdemusique.frThe HarmonicsThis is our 6th season of singing as a group. Our music is varied classical, madrigals, spiritual, songs from the shows etc and we sing in French, English, Swahili, Latin - whatever the music demands. Our concerts are in support of a variety of charities including the British Legion, L'Oregon at Civray and Retina and thus non profit making. We meet Wed 14h – 16h in the Salle d'Annexe behind the Mairie in Civray. Interested? We'd love to see you so contact: David Lee tel 05 49 87 53 93 email [email protected] or Dolly Ait Boualou email [email protected]
Support
Alcoholics AnonymousIf you or someone you know has a drinking problem, there are now English-speaking meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous at Limoges, Périgueux and the recently opened meeting at Civray.Alcoholics Anonymous is a Fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership and A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. For details of the meetings or other information contact Roger 05 55 76 22 65 (Limoges), Ewen 05 53 05 76 62 (Périgueux) or Angela 05 49 87 79 09 (Civray).Other meetings in South-West France can be located on our web-site at aafrancesud-ouest.comCancer Support France, Charente PlusOffers free and confidential support to English speakers affected by cancer in departments 16, 17 & 86. Our helpline number is 06 45 35 32 30. If you need any more information, please get in touch via [email protected] Support France, Haute-VienneWe offer free and confidential support to English speakers affected by Cancer in the Haute-Vienne (87). Our helpline number is 06 04 43 39 87. If you would like more information or would like to become a member or help in any other way, please contact Sue Ware 05 55 00 31 15, [email protected] Cancer Support France, CreuseIf you are English-speaking and need support or information, please phone Helpline number 06 06 47 18 60.The Creuse Branch is now under the umbrella of Haute-Vienne.
Phoenix appeal forJACK – up to 11 year-old Miniature Pinscher
Cross - seeks a home! You should never judge a book by its cover, so they say, and it couldn't be more true when it comes to Jack! If you like your dogs small and sweet, to overlook this one would be to miss out. Jack is funny, affectionate and healthy and would make a loving companion. Jack is good with dogs, OK with cats (may chase them outdoors), chipped (250268731006247), vaccinated and neutered. Jack's foster mum is Jackie in Thiviers, Dordogne, and you can contact her on 05 53 52 06 23 or email [email protected] Please someone give this quirky little fella, who can't help the way he looks, the chance he deserves.
Check out our ADOPTION PAGE at www.phoenixasso.comor FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/PhoenixAssociationFrance for other Phoenix animals available for adoption.
We rely on you to help us keep these pages up to date,
so please do inform us of any
changes to clubs and associations
that you run or are members of.
Many thanks!!
The first AGM of Les Jardins de Sirius will take place on December 14 at 2.30pm. Anyone interested in coming along is welcome. Please
contact me by mail or phone 05 45 89 36 54 for details of the venue.
DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
22 ♦ WHAT’S ON
SEASONS GREETINGS!!
Mulled wine and tasty Christmas nibblesWith the cold nights and Christmas just round the corner I thought I would share this wonderful mulled wine recipe with you, ideal if you have friends or family over for the festive period. A mulled wine recipe on its own just didn’t seem right, so I added a couple of recipes for some tasty pre-dinner nibbles.
Recipe provided by Brett from Le Moulin du Breuil (23140 Pionnat)www.lemoulindubreuil.com - 05 55 80 37 70
Mulled wine
Method1. Put all the ingredients into a pan and heat until hot but not boiling, simmer gently for ten minutes, stirring until all the sugar has dissolved.2. Remove from the heat and leave for an hour or so to infuse. (Alternatively, you can make it the day before and leave it to infuse overnight.)3. Strain the liquid through a sieve into a clean saucepan and heat gently.4. Place a slice of the orange in your heat-proof glass or cup, pour over the mulled wine and serve.5. Add a dash of vodka, rum or cognac for that extra kick.
Parmesan and black pepper popcorn with Parma ham and sageA surprisingly tasty take on the traditional caramel or salty popcorn which has become a firm family favourite.
Method1. Cook the pop-corn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then remove any kernels that didn’t pop.2. Mix all the ingre-dients through the warm popcorn and serve.
Smoked bacon roly-poliesFor this recipe you can either make the pas-try yourself or use pre-made pastry from the supermarket.
Method1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/ gas mark 42. Place the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl, then rub in the 75g cold diced butter using your hands.3. Add the milk gradually while mixing until just combined. Turn out the dough on to a floured surface and roll into a rectangle 1cm thick.4. Melt the remaining 25g of butter in a saucepan. Brush the dough with the melted butter, spread the smoked lardons on top of the dough, leaving a 2cm edge on one of the long sides of the dough.
5. Mix the onions, cheese, parsley and garlic together, spread evenly over the dough and lardons.6. Brush the bare edge of the dough with water, and then roll into a spiral, sealing the edge brushed with water to the body of the roll. Wrap the roll in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.7. Cut the roll into slices and place spiral side up on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden in colour.
1 Bottle of red wine1-2 Cinnamon sticks5g Root ginger5g Candied orange peel7 Green cardamoms12 Whole cloves80g Demerara sugar1 Orange, slicedFor an extra kick add a dash of rum, vodka or cognac tofinish (optional)
1 x 85g Packet of microwave popcorn50g Parmesan cheese, finely grated½ tsp Coarsely ground black pepper100g Parma ham, finely sliced5-6 Sage leaves, finely sliced
For the pastry250g Plain flour, plus extra for dusting3 tsp Baking powder½ tsp Salt75g Unsalted butter, diced and cold, plus another 25g 200-250ml Semi-skimmed milk
For the filling250g smoked bacon lardons, finely sliced1 Medium sized onion, finely diced100g Cream cheese100g Cheddar or Gruyère cheese, grated½ Bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped1 Clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
Short-mat Bowls in Haute-Vienne The tail end of September heralded our Open Crown Green Competition on the outdoor synthetic grass court at the rear of Cussac gymnasium. Although not patronised by as many non-club players as anticipated we, nonetheless, had a quality turnout of players trying to overcome the difficulty of bowling across two cambers to end up close to the jack. Very different from short-mat or flat-green bowling. Eventual winners of this pairs competition were Paul Simpson partnered by vice-president Mike Ellingham, although they were pushed all the way by Reg Wall and 'rising-star' Terry Gathercole. In fact it might have been a different story if the forecast rain had not arrived when it did. Sponsors AXA Assurance were pleased with the response and Chargé de Clientèle Janet Mills indicated that they may well want to be involved again. Winter means the start of the 'serious' bowling and the club's competition ladder is now under way with intense action at each of the twice-weekly playing sessions, sitting comfortably alongside the progressive social 'team bowling' which is the mainstay of the club. The playing sessions are on Wednesday evenings from 8.00pm and Thursday mornings from 10.00am. It is worth noting that new enrolments for annual membership during the period from now until 31st December will carry through for the whole of 2014. It will also be possible for brand new members to attend this year's Christmas lunch day which was such a success last year. Why not come and join us!
To celebrate our recent 4th birthday, The Bugle gave away three pairs of tickets to Futuroscope Theme Park. All we asked in return was that you sent us in your favourite joke (extra marks were awarded for a seasonal theme!)
The jokes that made us laugh the most won the tickets and here they are!!
Futuroscope Ticket Giveaway Winners!!
Haunted French pancakes give me the crepes !
A physics teacher addresses the class: "When things get hot, they ex-pand, when they get cold they shrink. Who can give me a good ex-ample of this?"Pupil: "The summer holidays are about two months long, but the Christmas holidays only last a fortnight, Sir!"
Q: Why dont witches have babies?A: Because their husbands have Halloweenies!!
www.thebugle.eu ○ THE BUGLE ○ DECEMBER 2013
23 WHAT’S ON ♦Sun 8th Dec ABJAT-SUR-BANDIAT Marche de Noel Come and join us at the Capitolet in Abjat-sur-Bandiat (24) for this year's Christmas Market from 10h-18h. We have BBQ, cakes, sandwiches, refreshments, tombola and most important of all Pere Noel, who will be handing out sweets throughout the day.ALL the proceeds will be going to Bansang Hospital Gambia, as last year, and information about the hospital can be found on our website www.bangsanghospitalappeal.org We have had another amazing year of fund-raising and raised a phenomenal 7323 euros for our hospital. I would like to thank all of those who have given their time and encouragement to help me to make this possible. Our Plant Sale was absolutely brilliant even though it must have been one of the coldest wettest days in May (!) and we had fantastic support at the Vide-Greniers and Horse Racing evenings which we have organised throughout the year. All this wouldn't have been possible without your generosity so I thank you on behalf of Bansang and wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy and Prosperous New Year.
Sun 8th Dec LA TRIMOUILLLE Christmas Market Father Christmas will be doing his shopping at the La Trimouille (86290) Christmas market on Sunday 8th December. Open from 10am to 6pm at the Champ de Foire! As well as visits by Father Christmas there will be a variety of stands selling Christmas presents and goodies, a bouncy castle for children, tombola, mulled wine, crepes and oysters.
Sun 8th Dec ORADOUR-SUR-GLANE Christmas Market
Sun 8th Dec SAINT-SULPICE-LES-FEUILLES Christmas Market
Sun 8th Dec SAINT-VAURY Christmas Market All day. Gymnase de Saint-Vaury.
Sun 8th Dec SAINT-VICTURNIEN Christmas Market
Fri 13th Dec BOUSSAC Anglo-French Christmas Carol Service Christmas carol service (Chants de Noel) in the Eglise Sainte Anne at 19h30. Alan Nicoll, the Scottish bagpiper, will be wearing his kilt to pipe us all into the church and after the service to the Maison Paroissiale, where free festive refreshments will be served including mince pies and hot mulled wine.Every year the community joins together in the packed church to sing French and English carols and listen to readings in both languages, so come and start your Christmas celebrations with us in Boussac. For more information visit www.aipbboussac.fr or tel 05 55 65 03 69.
Fri 13th to Sat 14th Dec FELLETIN Christmas Market Gymnase municipal. Fri 9h-23h; Sat 10h-18h.
Fri 13th to Tue 24th Dec LIMOGES Christmas Market Artisans & producers will be exhibiting in little wooden chalets around the place de la Republique.
Fri 13th to Thu 19th Dec LIMOGES Christmas Market 70 exhibitors. Place de la Motte.
Sat 14th Dec MERINCHAL Christmas Market Salle des fetes du chateau de la Mothe from 9h-18h.
Sat 14th Dec RANCON Christmas Market
Sat 14th Dec SAINT-JUNIEN Christmas Market
Sat 14th to Sun 15th Dec SOUS-PARSAT La Maison du Pere Noel As night falls in an enchanted setting meet Father Christmas with his sleigh and visit his house (17h30-19h).
Sun 15th Dec ARNAC-LA-POSTE Christmas Market
Sun 15th Dec BOSMIE L'AIGUILLE Marche de Noel et Foire a l'Orange Organised by the Comite des fetes et le Comite de Jumelage de Bosmie-l'Aiguille. Gourmet produce, crafts, sales of Spanish produce from the region of Pedralba (oranges, clementines, olive oil...) Salle Georges Bizet from 9h-19h. Free entry.
Sun 15th Dec CHAILLAC-SUR-VIENNE Marche de la Saint-Nicolas
Sun 15th Dec CHATEAUPONSAC Christmas Market
Sun 15th Dec DOMPIERRE-LES-EGLISES Christmas Market
Sun 15th Dec DUN-LE-PALESTEL Christmas Concert Christmas concert organised by the Entente Cordiale with the participation of the Association Danse et Tradition, the Regis Reynaud Trumpet Ensemble and the Vocalise Choir. Mulled wine and mince pies will be offered after the concert.Eglise de Dun-le-Palestel. 17h. Free entry (there will be a collection by the Association "Les petits Marchois" for the paediatric department at Gueret Hospital).
Sun 15th Dec GOUZON Christmas Market Salle polyvalente from 9h-17h.
Sun 15th Dec MAINSAT Christmas Market
Sun 15th Dec NEXON Christmas Market
Thu 19th to Mon 23rd Dec SOUS-PARSAT La Maison du Pere Noel As night falls in an enchanted setting meet Father Christmas with his sleigh and visit his house (17h30-19h).
Fri 20th Dec CHATEAUNEUF-LA-FORET Christmas Market Salle Bartholdi from 18h.
Fri 20th to Mon 23rd Dec GUERET Atelier de Noel Artisanal gifts. 10h-18h. Chambre des metiers.
Fri 20th Dec GUERET Concert des eleves du conservatoire 19h. Conservatoire Departemental E. Goue. Free entry.
Fri 20th Dec to Sun 5th Jan LIMOGES La patinoire de Noel
Ice rink - place de la Republique. Free skating & skate hire.
Sat 21st Dec AUZANCES Christmas Market
Sat 21st Dec BELLAC Christmas Market In the streets of Bellac from 16h-22h.
Sat 21st Dec CHALUS Christmas Market From 14h.
Sat 21st Dec DUN-LE-PALESTEL Christmas Market
Sun 22nd Dec CHASSENON 22e Foire de Noel Gourmet produce & crafts. 9h-18h.
Sun 22nd Dec EYMOUTIERS Christmas Market Halle - 10h-18h. 12 local artisans and artists. Crepes & mulled wine.
Sun 22nd Dec PIERRE-BUFFIERE Christmas Market
Mon 23rd Dec AUBUSSON Christmas Market Parvis de l'hotel de ville, salle de le bourse du travail et rue Vieille from 10h-19h.
Mon 23rd Dec CONFOLENS Marche de Noel des producteurs 17h.
Mon 23rd Dec LA SOUTERRAINE Christmas Market Christmas market with over 150 exhibitors, the perfect opportunity to find those last-minute Christmas gifts.
Mon 23rd Dec SAINT-LEONARD-DE-NOBLAT Christmas Market Town centre & Halle Marchande from 17h.
Tue 24th Dec LA CHATRE Christmas Market
Sun 29th Dec LIMOGES The Saints Innocents Traditional Fair This four-century-old traditional fair was created in 1566 by a royal edict of Charles IX. Nowadays, street peddlers still gather in the city's main streets for the great popular market of the winter season. 8h-19h.
CONCERTof
Carols by CandlelightYou are invited to a concert of carols and
readings to celebrate Christmas
on Sunday, 22nd December 2013 at 5:30pm
Come as you are to:The Evangelical Church,
9b Place Bonnyaud, GuéretJoin with us to sing carols, listen to the
Christmas story and meet with others who want to celebrate the real reason for Christmas.We invite you to join us afterwards for tea,
coffee and mince pies.
For further details please contact:Ian and Becky Jefferies – 05 55 61 10 23
[email protected] and Kerry Gunston – 05 55 41 18 27
[email protected] and Pat Scott – 05 55 67 54 78
DECEMBER 2013 ○ THE BUGLE ○ www.thebugle.eu
24 ♦ WHAT’S ON
Sat 30th Nov to Sun 1st Dec ANZEME Art Exhibition and Sale An exhibition of fine art from a group of local artists and craft(wo)men will be held on Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December (from 10am to 6pm) at the Salle des Fetes in Anzeme (Creuse). There will be lots of great ideas for your Christmas shopping: turned wood and carved wood objects; paintings; home decoration; decorated ceramics and wood; “emaux de Briare” mosaics; art photography; wooden mobiles; earrings; necklaces; bracelets; pendants; dream catchers; earthenware; sculptures... We look forward to welcoming you in Anzeme!
Sat 30th Nov to Sun 1st Dec ARGENTON-SUR-CREUSE Franco-German Christmas Market Halle de la Grenouille. 9h30-19h30.
Sat 30th Nov FLAVIGNAC Christmas Market
Sat 30th Nov LUSSAC-LES-EGLISES Christmas Fayre Christmas Fayre from 2p.m. at the barn of Tina and Jane, 5 La Trigalle, 87360 Lussac-les-Eglises. Come along and enjoy mulled wine and mince pies. Christmas carols, cards, cakes, tombola. Various tables (no charge) to fund-raise for charities in France. Admission Free. Contact Tina or Jane 05 55 60 69 23 for info.
Sun 1st to Tue 31st Dec BOURGANEUF Boutique de Noel
Fri 6th Dec CONFOLENS Marche d'hiver Market Hall. 17h-21h. Music by Vis-a-Vis.
Sat 7th Dec BOUSSAC AIPB Cake Stall AIPB will have their annual stall at the Boussac Marche de Noel selling delicious home-made cakes and marmalade in aid of the Telethon, a most worthwhile cause. The market is held in the Quartier Pasteur and AIPB will be there from 10h. For more information visit www.aipbboussac.fr or tel 05 55 65 03 69.
Sat 7th Dec BOUSSAC Christmas Market
Sat 7th Dec EYMOUTIERS German Christmas Market All morning in the halle.
Sat 7th to Sun 8th Dec NOUZERINES Christmas Market Sat pm; Sun from 10h. Salle des Fetes.
Sat 7th Dec SAINT-MATHIEU Christmas Market 11h-19h.
Sat 7th to Sun 8th Dec SAINTE-FEYRE Marche de Noel - Parc Animalier Les Loups de Chabrieres Christmas market at the wolf park. Come and do a spot of Christmas shopping: games & toys, crafts, regional produce... Free entry to the park. From 10h. www.loups-chabrieres.com
Struggling for ideas for Christmas presents? Look no further than the Christmas Shop at the tourist office in Bourganeuf! With 100% Limouzi products, including gift baskets, local produce, souvenirs and games for the whole family there are plenty of original ideas for your Christmas gifts.
Sun 1st Dec JARNAGES Marche de la laine Wool market. 7h-13h.
Sun 1st Dec LE DORAT Christmas Market
Sun 1st Dec LUSSAC-LES-EGLISES Christmas Market All day. Salle polyvalente.
Sun 1st Dec ROYERE-DE-VASSIVIERE Christmas Market 10h-18h. Salle polyvalente.
Sun 1st Dec SAINT-LAURENT-SUR-GORRE Christmas Market / Car Boot Nearly 80 exhibitors and animations. 9h-18h. Free entry for visitors. 'Surprise' visit by Father Christmas 14h30. Contact: Office de Tourisme de la Vallee de la Gorre - Tel 05 55 00 06 55 - Email [email protected] - Visit www.tourisme-valleedelagorre.com ("Acceuil" - "Calendrier")
Mon 2nd to Mon 30th Dec GUERET Boutique Idees Cadeaux Noel Christmas Gift Ideas Shop at the tourist office:
jewellery, leather goods, decorations, linens, books, local products...
Tue 3rd Dec SAINT-JUNIEN Concert: I love America! Concert by the Orchestre de Limoges et du Limousin: Dvorak, Stravinsky & Barber. Pole Culturel de la Megisserie. 20h30. Reservations: tel 05 55 02 87 98.
Wed 4th Dec GUERET Foire aux Jouets Toy Fair organised by the Secours Populaire de Gueret. Salle de la Mairie from 10h-18h30.
Fri 6th to Sat 7th Dec CHABANAIS Pantomime: Aladdin Theatre Chabanois presents a traditional British Panto "Aladdin". Friday 6th December at 20.00Saturday 7th December at 15.00 Salle des Fetes Chabanais. Adults 6€, Children 4€ (Under 5s FREE) To reserve your seats in advance and grab a chance to win 2 free tickets call 05 45 94 10 71 or Facebook Theatre Chabanois Theatre Chabanois is a bilingual community theatre group formed in 2009 with about 30 members so far. A cast and crew of all ages (10 yrs to over 80), abilities and talents. We are always looking for new members, not only those with thespian tendencies but those that are willing to help back stage and front of house. Everyone is welcome to join us; whatever you bring to the group you will be sure of a warm welcome and much fun on a Monday evening at the Salle des Fetes in Chabanais at 7pm.
UPCOMING EVENTS ACROSS THE REGION
CONTINUED ON PAGE 23 >>
