normandy advertiser - august 2011
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The Advertiser, Normandy's English-language monthly newspaperTRANSCRIPT
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publishers of August 2011 - Issue 20
www.normandyadvertiser.com
NORMANDYADVERTISER
Tourist industryenjoys a welcomeboost as theFrench choose to holiday at home
Visitors flock toregion for Tour de France and1,100th birthdaycelebrations
Gîte and B&B owners optimistic as bookings start to rise after slow start to summer
Full speed aheadfor tourist season
Photo: © M
AXPPP
What’s OnThe pick of the top events
For childrenTeach them to be gourmetsp6-7 p10
Try ridingPonies, horsesand festivals p8-9
FULL STORY
PAGES 2-3
2 News Normandy Advertiser August 2011www.normandyadvertiser.com
TOURISM leaders and B&B owners havereported a positive start to the summertourist season in Normandy, helped bymajor events including the Tour de Franceand the region’s 1,100th anniversarycelebrations.
Research by Normandy regional touristboard (CRT) shows two-thirds of ownersand managers are happy with the season sofar and looking forward to excellent figuresfor the rest of the summer holidays.
The CRT gathers figures from the man-agement of hotels, B&Bs, campsites andgîtes. Some 40% of these are seeing moreBritish visitors than last year, and 43% arereporting more Americans.
Laure Gébert, from Michèle Fréné
Conseil, the company co-ordi-nating the 1,100th aniversary festival, said:“We got off to a really good start in April,and every event is being well-attended.
“Thousands of people are coming toNormandy from the rest of France and allover the world to join in. It has given atremendous boost to tourism in Normandy.
“With the holiday season now properlyunder way, we expect more and more
THIS year marks Normandy’s 1100thanniversary, and the occasion is beingmarked across the region with a series of celebrations.
There has been a tremendous proliferationof festivities to celebrate the anniversary.More than 200 events are taking place inevery corner of the region, under the generaltitle of ‘Happy Birthday, Normandie’.
Exhibitions, re-enactments, concerts, lectures, visits, dinners, festivals, treasurehunts, and son-et-lumière shows will takeplace in abbeys, castles, gardens, squares,sports grounds, village halls, even on railway platforms and onboard trains.
Local restaurants are serving medieval-inspired meals, to be downed with Normancider; Jersey joined in with a Norman market; and there’s even a cocktail called‘Drakkar rouge’ (red longship).
Join the marks a
With theheight ofsummerupon us,HEDLEYGRENFELLBANKSlooks at howthe region’stourismindustry isperformingthis year
Les Médiévales de Domfront in August willfeature medieval food, artefacts and jousting - even the children get to join in
Welcometo yournew-lookAdvertiserDear reader,
From this edition wehave changed ourprinters and have usedthe opportunity to givethe newspaper a revamp.
You will still find thesame popular mixture ofnews, features andcommunity articles andcontacts inside but with afresh new design.
We hope you enjoy theedition and, as always,welcome your feedback.Email us at [email protected]
THE Pavillon Bleu (Blue Flag) laureate isawarded to the best beaches in each department. Marked on ecology, safety,cleanliness and accessibility, a Blue Flagbeach will have many desirable features,including staff, sanitary facilities, disabledaccess and low pollution.
Normandy’s Blue Flag beaches are:Calvados (14): Colleville Montgomery,
Courseulles-sur-Mer, HonfleurManche (50): Agon Coutainville,
Barneville-Carteret (pictured), Bréhal,Gouville-sur-Mer, Les Pieux, Portbail,Siouville Hague
Seine-Maritime (76): Criel-sur-Mer,Hautot-sur-Mer, Le Havre
Photo: Guerre et Chevalerie
Where are region’sbest beaches?
visitors between now and October.”According to industry analysts
Protourisme, the French themselves arestaying at home this year – 85% of Frenchpeople will holiday in France and many ofthem will head for Normandy.
Other Europeans are pouring in; bookingsfrom Eastern Europe in particular haveincreased.
Dave and Jan Tarbuck, who run the B&BLe Mesnil de Créances in the Manche, onthe Cotentin peninsula directly oppositeJersey, said: “The season started well; wewere pretty full in May-June, which was arelief after a poor 2010.
“Early July has been slow, but bookingsare picking up. Let’s hope it will turn out tobe a good year.”
Thomas Dowson has a B&B and a gîte atBlangy-sur-Bresle (Seine-Maritime). Hesaid: “May was quiet, but June started well,and bookings have picked up. It looks as ifBritish people are booking later. The Dutchare still coming, and we have high hopes ofa good season.”
Stay-at-homeFrench boostNormandytourism
The Normandy Advertiseris published byEnglish Language Media Sarl, Le Vedra, 38 rue Grimaldi, 98000 Monaco. Directrice de la publication: Sarah Smith. Printed at Nice-Matin, 214 Route de Grenoble, 06290 Nice Cedex 3. Mensuel Depôt légal – a parutionISSN: 2106 - 7902TToo ccoonnttaacctt aa rreeppoorrtteerr,, eemmaaiill::[email protected] oorr aaddvveerrtt qquueerriieess ccaallllFFrroomm FFrraannccee:: 0800 91 77 56 (freephone)FFrroomm UUKK:: 0844 256 9881 –4p/min
Contact us
News 3Normandy Advertiser August 2011 www.normandyadvertiser.com
THE project to turn the Mont Saint-Michelback into an island continues, with a slightchange in the timetable.
The new car park on the mainland and thetourist shuttles to the island were expected tocome into service progressively fromNovember 2011.
Local authorities, however, have decided towork through the winter and bring the wholescheme into operation for the first long week-end of 2012, beginning on April 28. From thatdate, access to the island will be by free shut-tle, on foot or in ‘Maringottes’.
A Maringotte is a horse-drawn double-decker bus, carrying up to 50 passengers. Unlikethe standard shuttles, there will be a charge forthe two-kilometre crossing to Mont Saint-Michel on a Maringotte, but they are expected
to appeal to a large number of tourists. As wellas providing an original experience, they willshow off the local horse breeds; the teams willbe made up of Percherons, Norman Cobs andBreton post-horses.
The shuttles will continue to use the existingcauseway for another two years, until the newcauseway and bridge are completed in 2014.The last 120 metres of the new route will besubmerged at the highest tides producing whatis picturesquely called “total insularity”.
However, a word of warning – the new carpark is several hundred metres from the damwhich regulates the flow of the riverCouesnon, and the shuttle service will departfrom the dam.
Special arrangements for the handicappedare currently under development.
party as region special birthday
Horses will be a draw for visitors to island
Heritage plan for D-Daybeaches has new urgency
In Bayeux, the sound and light show ‘Rendez-vous à la Cathédrale’ has been improved,and will be shown every night. As well as spectacular illumination of the cathedral,images of historic events are projected on the facade of the Hôtel du Doyen opposite.
In the autumn of the year 911, there wasgreat commotion in the little town of Saint-Clair-sur-Epte, where the Ile-de-Francemeets Picardy and Normandy. King CharlesIII (the Simple) had come to make peacewith the invading Vikings.
Under the treaty agreed that day, theNorseman chief Rollo was given thesuzerainty of the region ‘between the Epteand the sea’ – which is now Haute-Normandie. In return he was expected todefend the kingdom against other Vikings,undergo baptism and pay homage to theKing.
The first two were agreed, but Rollo couldn’t bring himself to kneel down andkiss the King’s foot, so he turned to one ofhis vassals and said: “Kiss the King’s foot onmy behalf.”
The vassal bent down, grabbed the King’s
foot and raised it to his lips, tipping HisMajesty off the throne in the process.
In that way, the future Duchy, Province andRegion of Normandy was born, precisely1100 years ago.
In June, Saint-Clair-sur-Epte saw areconstruction of the events; a medievalvillage sprung up overnight on the banks ofthe Epte, and a party of 20 Vikings marchedfrom La Roche-Guyon to Saint-Clair, wadingacross the river waist-deep, as they did in911.
They were met by the King and Queen ofFrance and surrounded by 100 Frenchmenand Normans in full costume. The village, acommune of 900 inhabitants, splashed out€50,000 from its budget for the celebrations.
For more information and a calendar ofevents, go to the festival website: www.happybirthdaynormandie.com
EFFORTS to have the D-Day beaches listed asa world heritage site are gathering pace, andthe region will find out this autumn if the bidmakes it to the next stage in the process.
The official proposal has been made by theBasse-Normandie region and the Mémorialmuseum in Caen, and is supported by ex-min-ister Simone Veil.
It will go forward to national selection in theautumn, and if chosen will be submitted nextyear to the international jury of world heritagebody Unesco.
Interest in the idea was re-awakened by theannouncement of a government plan to builda vast wind farm off the coast, near Junobeach. As Unesco has recently forbidden sucha plan in the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, thelisting of the invasion beaches took on a newurgency.
Next April, the Boy Scouts of America areholding their jamboree in Normandy, andhope to assemble 3,000 people on OmahaBeach to spell out the words “Normandie,Land of Liberty”.
Photo: Amarok
Photo: Office de Tourism
e Bayeux
4 News Normandy Advertiser August 2011www.normandyadvertiser.com
NORMANDY students haveput in another impressiveperformance in this year’sbaccalauréat.
A young Rouennais, 17-year-old Anthony Rougier apupil at the Lycée FerdinandBuisson at Elbeuf, managedthe near-impossible feat ofaveraging 20/20 on all hispapers.
This does not mean thatAnthony did not make a sin-gle mistake in all his exams –he only managed a score of18 in maths, for example –but he took extra optionalsubjects (Latin and music)which bumped up the average.
Nevertheless, Anthony isone of only about 30 of the650,000 candidates nationallyto obtain full marks.
Dorothy Sue Edwards, fromLe Havre, was the oldest can-didate in Normandy to passthis year, securing her bacpro at the age of 60, thanks tothe oral catch-up tests.
The pass mark in the bac is10/20, so the average of 16.8achieved by Victoria Castro,from Ouistreham (Calvados),is impressive when you dis-cover that she is only 13.
She is so young that noschool curriculum couldaccommodate her, and shehas been home-schooled allher life. Victoria also playspiano and cello, and has adiploma in computer music.
Last year Déesse, a pupil atthe Lycée Camille Saint-Saënsin Rouen, passed her bac-caleuréat at 14 years old,instead of the usual 18.
Bac successfor our topcandidates Ginette still
a cut aboveIF YOU are retired and livenear Alençon, we can suggesta hairdresser who really understands the problems ofageing hair. After all, she is81 herself.
Ginette Baiété opened hersalon in Rue Saint-Blaise 45years ago. Her son, Olivier,runs it now, but Ginette stillcomes in every Saturday tohelp with the weekend rush.
Water limitsstill in placeHOSEPIPE restrictions remainin place throughout Basse-and Haute-Normandie.
Although June was acomparatively wet month,water tables in most ofNormandy remain low, at thelevel normally expected at theend of the summer and thelong-range forecast gives littlehope of improvement.
The ban on using hosepipesapplies daily between 10.00and 20.00.
Giraffe setto be starof Rouenriver bankTHE MAYOR of Rouen hasannounced the winner of acompetition to redesign theleft bank of the Seine, in theheart of the city.
The local architectural firmIn Situ has designed a seriesof parks and meadows whichwill join the quaysides to theupper levels of the area. Itwill include space for theannual fair, Foire Saint-Romain, as well as askatepark, volleyball courts, aswimming pool in summerand an ice rink in winter.
The old river port and itsindustrial buildings will bereplaced, but there will stillbe moorings for boats.
The Waddington peninsula,in the heart of the old dock-land, will be landscaped andavailable for outdoor eventssuch as concerts, circus andthe visits of tall ships.
The most controversial feature of the plan is theGiraffe, a 30-metre towerconnecting the upper andlower levels, and overlookingthe river opposite the historiccentre; a sort of mini-EiffelTower which may one daybecome the symbol of Rouen.
Work on the project willbegin with the first, centralphase in Summer 2012. Therest of the left bank andWaddington will beredeveloped in 2013. Thewhole project is expected tocost €18m.
PROPERTY values in Normandy are stabilising, after asharp drop at the beginning of the recession. House pricesfell 6.5% last year, but have regained 6% since.
According to Notaires de France, Calvados is the mostexpensive Normandy department to buy a house, at anaverage price of €189,000, followed by Seine-Maritime(€173,900), Eure (€167,700), Manche (€143,000) andOrne (€114,600).
Brits buying in Normandy (and there are still plenty ofthem) seem to go for holiday homes, with small, low-maintenance gardens and little need for renovation. Thismeans there are still bargains for those envisaging a permanent move and prepared to put in some work.
House prices recovering
THE WIFE of Orne préfet BertrandMaréchaux was involved in a terrifying inci-dent when she was held hostage on a train bya man wielding two Japanese swords.
Céline Maréchaux, who is a senior manag-er for SNCF, was travelling on a trainbetween Nantes and Toulouse when a youngarmed man tried to stop a number ofpassengers from leaving the train when itarrived at Bordeaux.
Most of them managed to get out, leavingsix, including Mrs Maréchaux, held hostagefor more than two hours.
The GIPN (National Police InterventionGroup) was quickly on the spot, along withsix CRS vehicles, fire engines, the local
préfet, the director of security for theBordeaux area and a representative of thepublic prosecutor, whose presence wasdemanded by the hostage-taker.
Mamadou Berthe, 25, who had left prisonjust a week earlier, was demanding a reviewof his conviction for assault against policeofficers.
Police negotiators and the préfet himselfboarded the train, and eventually thehostage-taker was disarmed.
Mrs Maréchaux was taken to anambulance, but appeared to be none theworse for the incident. At a press conference,the préfet of the Gironde, Patrick Stéfanini,praised her great self-control.
Préfet’s wife held hostage
The station at Bordeaux wasthe scene of hostage drama
THREE men lifted a greenleather Chesterfield sofa froma display in front of a furni-ture shop in Granville. Policefound the thieves a fewminutes later, lounging onthe sofa on the beach.
Sofa thievestake a seat
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News 5Normandy Advertiser August 2011 www.normandyadvertiser.com
THE 1100th birthday of Normandy will see severalvisits to our coasts by a replica Viking longship,the Dreknor.
The name comes from drekki, Norse for dragon,and Nor from Normandy. The story of the shipdates from 1999 when Marc and NathalieHersent of Cherbourg, inspired by the visit to theport by the Tchaika, a reconstructed Cossack galley, decided to build a Scandinavian longship.
Several of these boats have been recoveredfrom Viking grave sites and exist in museums,notably the Oseberg and Gokstad boats in Oslo.The Oseberg has long, fine lines and rich decoration, while the Gokstad is more imposingand majestic, designed for battle. It was thisocean-going version that provided the basis forthe construction of Dreknor.
The Dreknor visited Trouville in July, and will beat Saint-Valéry-en-Caux (Seine-Maritime) onAugust 20-21 for the Fête de la Mer et desMarins.
Dragon boat willstar at festival tomark anniversary
NORMANDY’S long-established equestrian linksextend to the gendarmes aswell: the GendarmerieNationale has a cavalrydetachment in Etretat(Seine-Maritime) withofficers working all over theregion.
The GendarmerieNationale is the oldest regiment in the Frencharmy, and its origins are inthe cavalry. The base atEtretat is one of 12 cavalrybases in France.
Horses can often go wherevehicles have difficulty, andthe gendarme mounties areused for patrolling forestsand beaches, and come inuseful for search and rescuemissions in difficult terrain.
A police officer on horse-back can see much furtherthan one on foot, and thehorses pick their way overdifficult ground with aninstinct no 4x4 can match.
The same ability to seeabove head height makes themounties especially useful atevents which attract largecrowds of people. In the
summer season inNormandy, they patrolplaces such as Deauville andattend large local gatherings;in the Manche. They havebeen seen at the Foire deLessay, which attracts400,000 visitors over threedays, and at the Fête de laCarotte in Créances, whereup to 40,000 people pack thestreets and foot patrols findit difficult to move about.
Becoming a mountie takes
a lot of work; basic policetraining for at least a year,success in the exams forunder-officer status, sixmonths’ special training, anda high standard of horse-manship are needed beforeselection can take place.
After that, in addition tonormal police duties, themountie has a horse to takecare of, day and night. It’shard work, but, they allagree, it’s well worthwhile.
Mounties’role in lawand order
Did you know?
Photo: FranceinPictures
THOUSANDS of spectators lined the streetsof Lisieux to watch an exciting sprint for thefinish line in the Normandy stage of the Tourde France.
It was Norwegian Edvard Boasson Hagen,who won the stage, and the leader’s yellowjersey went to Thor Hushovd, who followedhim in.
The longest stage of this year’s Tour – 226km– started from Dinan in Brittany and passedclose to the Mont Saint-Michel before climb-ing through hills to Vire, Falaise and onthrough the Pays d’Auge to Lisieux.
Stages involving Lisieux (there have been
four since 1964) have always produced a sprintfinish; this year was predicted to be too longfor that to happen, but once more spectatorswitnessed a dash for the line.
There was a British element in the win, too:Hagen rides for Team Sky, whose principal isDave Brailsford. This is only the team’s secondyear, and a stage win is an important mile-stone for them.
Lisieux has close links with the Tour deFrance. Every year, mayor Bernard Aubril – akeen cyclist – organises a celebratory gather-ing for competitors, 48 hours after they crossthe finish line on the Champs-Elysées.
Thousands turn outas Tour visits region
TRAFFIC police in the Eure have invested in avery special new car, a Renault Mégane thatwas designed for racing.
The Brigade Rapide d’Intervention’s new RSCoupe de France is capable of 0 to 260kph in30 seconds. Not only is it blindingly fast, but it
is also equipped with cameras to provide hardevidence of offences.
Let’s hope you never see its other feature: amessageboard above the rear window reading“Gendarmerie Nationale: Suivez-moi” (policecar: follow me).
Lisieux was the finishing point for the longest stage in this year’s Tour de France
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Police car is built for speed
6 What’s On Normandy Advertiser August 2011www.normandyadvertiser.com
notice board
NORMANDY Jelly is a casual monthlyco-working event for homeworkers,freelancers, small business owners andoffice-based people.
The group meets on the first Tuesdayof every month at the Jug and Jazz inGer, Manche, from 10.00 until 15.00.
The next meeting is August 2, and following that, September 6.
There is free wifi, workspace and anominal charge for unlimited tea andcoffee. Places are limited, so you mustbook. Find out more attinyurl.com/normandyjelly
Homeworkers’ chance to gel
Club centres ongrowing interest
August 15 – Donkey races andfestival 10.00 to 18.00.Donkeys, donkeys, donkeys; thisevent features an exhibition ofthe three Norman breeds ofdonkey, old trades that useddonkeys, donkey rides, donkey-cart rides; and finally the 30thrunning of the Great AnnualDonkey Race.
Altogether a busy and colourful day out.
Entrance from €2;under 12s FREECall 02 32 44 38 86
OUT ANDABOUTAugust 15 – Fête de
la Moisson (HarvestFeast) from 10.00.
More than 120 vintage tractors, old
and new farm machinery, local
poultry breeds, a blacksmith, a farrier, a
baker and a basket-maker at work;
harvesting withscythes, threshing,
ploughing old and newstyle; barrel organs,
pony rides,processions, folk
groups, fireworks – it's allhappening at Bolleville for the bank holiday.
Entrance is FREE.The day starts with a church serv-ice at 10.00, the exhibitions open at 11.00 and the
demonstrations and other attractions begin at 14.00.Of course, there’s also a market of local produce, and
plenty to eat and drink.Call 02 32 70 46 32
Eure
FAMILYGisay-la-Coudre
Bolleville
August 13 – Guided tour of private courtyards15.00.One of the joys of French towns is the glimpsethrough half-open doors of a hidden world. Everycourtyard has its small history, its architectural surprise, its endearing detail. Dieppe is a warren of private corners, so many in fact that thistour is different each year.
The commentary will be in French, but these secretplaces speak for themselves. Don’t forget your camera!Meet at 15.00 at the Office de Tourisme, Pont Ango.Adults €5; students 12-25 €3; under 12 FREECall 02 35 06 62 79 www.dieppe.fr/agenda_interactif/evenements
CULTUREDieppeSeine-Maritime
August 20 & 21 – “De Pomme, de Terre” festival celebrating apples, cider, country crafts andmore, 14.00-19.00.Demonstrations of the old-fashioned way of crushing and pressing apples. Cider museum withtasting sessions; demonstrations of building with torchis (Norman mud brick), pottery andceramics, ploughing, and visits to the orchard cellar.You can buy cider, calvados, pommeau, applejuice, perry, apple jam, cider vinegar and honey.
The farm, le Manoir du Val, is open every day in July and August, but this is their big show day.Entrance FREE, cider from €2.Call 02 32 43 45 19
EureWORTH VISITING
Saint-Aubin-le-Guichard
Eure Lisors
Photo: © FranceInPictures.com
Photo: Carole Head
Photo: © FranceInPictures.com
August 14 & 15 – The Medieval Normandy Festivalat Mortemer Abbey is a chance to sample life in theMiddle Ages.There will be a well-populated militarycampsite with knights, men at arms, wenches andchildren; professional stuntmen giving fighting demonstrations and jousting; artisans at work; andstories of courtly love played out in the cloister.Children are encouraged to join in and can borrowcostumes.There will also be a medieval market.Open both days 11.00 to 19.00.
Entrance to the abbey grounds costs €3; and aguided tour of the interior is another €3.Call 02 32 49 54 34 / 02 32 49 54 37 [email protected]
WORTH VISITING
SET up a few years ago by gardeningwriter Mike Bisson, Bocage Gardenersis an informal club of gardeningenthusiasts in the Bocage area ofNormandy.
The club’s membership centres onVire in Calvados, but visits arearranged to gardens, plant nurseriesand châteaux from Bayeux and Saint-Lô down to Domfront and across toAvranches. The group has even ven-tured as far as Pont d’Ouilly in theOrne – one of the members there,John Willott, is a well-known dahliaexpert. Last year he gave a talk anddemonstration on growing andexhibiting dahlias and included aguided walk around his very well-stocked garden, pictured above.
The Bocage Gardeners are mainlyenthusiastic amateurs – with a fewvery friendly experts – who are happyto offer advice on all aspects of gardening. The meetings also facilitateexchanges of seeds, plants and cuttings grown by the members andthere’s a big collection of gardeningbooks which members can borrow.
Membership of Bocage Gardeners isfree, although there is occasionally anentrance charge to go into a châteauor garden. The club is run by themembers for the members, who arerelied upon to come up with goodideas for visits and activities. Aninformal committee exists to ensuremeetings are arranged and communicated efficiently.
While principally aimed at English-speaking residents of Normandy,Bocage Gardeners extends a warm
welcome to all nationalities, especiallyFrench gardening enthusiasts. Thereare currently about 60 members, withabout 35 people attending most visits.
Recently the group met at the LaPaix Lavender Farm, just outsideVassy at Saint-Germain-du-Crioult,Calvados. A walk around the lavenderfields was followed by a talk aboutlavender oil extraction, the best lavender varieties for the purpose(there are more than 400 of them) andcoffee and cakes at the lavender farmcafé. In the afternoon, the group wenton to the gardens at the Château dePontécoulant, just a few miles away atVassy where, after a picnic lunch,those with sufficient stamina not onlywalked around the extensive groundsbut took advantage of a guided tour ofthe château too.
Upcoming visits include the Jardinsde Castillon-Plantbessin, just south ofBayeux, near Balleroy, and a walkaround the topiary garden created byone of the members. Then, in the latesummer, there will be a talk by MikeBisson on taking cuttings, when thegroup will also have the chance to seehow his garden has developed overthe last year or so. September hasplanned visits to other members’ gardens, one of which is alongside alively stream and the marshier areasare being reclaimed to provide walksthrough newly-planted avenues oftrees, examples of bog planting andwell-managed herbaceous borders.
To find out more, conact CaroleHead on 02 33 59 53 16 or [email protected]
Seine-Maritime
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Promote your community event, send details to [email protected]
What’s On 7Normandy Advertiser August 2011 www.normandyadvertiser.com
August
Calvados
CULTUREFalaise
Calvados FAMILYCabourg
August 7 – Afternoon Tea in period costume 15.00.Cabourg saw its greatest days as a fashionable resort at the end of the 19th century.The young Proust spent his summershere, and the Impressionist painters revelled in the play of light and movement in the view of the sea from what is now thePromenade Marcel Proust.
From 15.00 the Compagnie Théatrale Grains de Sable will provide entertainment and at teatime the Trio 1900 will strikeup the great classics of salon music, as originally played by the White Star Line Orchestra, which later went down with theTitanic.A nostalgic event in the capital of nostalgia, part of the “Musicales de Normandie”.FREE entry, charge for tea.Call 09 53 23 27 58
August 12-14 – Festival des Jeux games festivalActivities centre around castle builders and knights,with events and shows in town and inside the castle.
An exhibition, running until October, with events inthe summer months, was designed with help from thecastles of Colchester, Rochester, Dover and Norwichand the Tower of LondonCall 02 31 41 61 44www.chateau-guillaume-leconquerant.fr
All Summer – The Jardin des Plantes in Avranches is spectacular. Opened in 1796, it has gradually developed since, and has everything you could wish for in a park.There are 13 separate gardens, a ruined abbey, a large number of spectacular trees (many, including a famous cedar, were lost in the storms of 1987 and 1999, but their replacements are already impressive), and that staple of French parks, pictorial flowerbeds in what is called mosaïculture.
Above and beyond all this, however, is the site – a hillside facing west towards the Bay of Mont Saint-Michel, with probably the most wonderful panorama in France.The river Sée winds towards the sea in the foreground and Mont Saint-Michel itself is silhouetted against the sunset. On summer evenings the park is softly lit,and hidden loudspeakers play gentle classical music as the sun goes down.You'll think you’ve died and gone to heaven.Entrance FREE from 08.00 until nightfallCall 02 33 79 57 00 www.ot-avranches.com
MancheGARDENSAvranches
CalvadosFAMILYVillers-sur-Mer
August 5-7 – Viking Invasion 10.00-18.00.Normandy celebrates its 1100th birthday this year, but
the Normans arrived well before that as North Men, theVikings.
For two days the marsh of Villers (dry at this time ofyear) will be the scene of a Viking invasion and camp.More than 80 re-enactors in full costume will show youhow to work wood, horn and leather the Viking way.
Entrance is FREE for the invasion, but they are sure tobe selling things.Call 02 31 87 01 18
OrneFAMILY
Argentan
Every Tuesday and Thursday, untilSeptember – Haras du Pin Les Mardis duPin, Les Jeudis du Pin open from 14.15; showat 15.00.
Stallions, mounted or in hand; mares, foals,caracoling horses; a carousel of coaches; anda procession of carriages demonstrating theskill of their drivers – these are among themany spectacles on offer.The collection ofhorse-drawn vehicles is itself a listed part ofthe national heritage.
Even if you’re not a horsey person, this is ashow not to be missed.The very best of anything is always worth seeing. If you’re notin the Orne, the same thing happens onThursdays at the Haras National in Saint-Lô(Manche).
Spectacle only: €6; visit, discovery circuitand show: adult €13, student €11, child €9.Call 02 33 36 68 68 [email protected]
August 5-7 – Les Médiévales festival withstreet entertainment, medieval market, music,drums, troubadours and a medieval banquet(dinner and show – book in advance).The festival takes place every other year, and features free performances in various cornersof the town.Contact and booking: 02 33 38 56 66
OrneWORTH SEEING
Domfront
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8 Horses Normandy Advertiser August 2011www.normandyadvertiser.com
THE PAST 20 years have seen equestrianismenjoying a huge surge in popularity through-out France, with the numbers of registeredriders increasing by almost 400%. The FrenchEquestrian Federation (FFE) now has morethan 650,000 riders on its books. For Britishresidents who wish to take up riding seriously,however, it is worth bearing in mind that therules governing the sport here are differentfrom those in the UK.
The first port of call is the local poney club,which will generally welcome children asyoung as four. Anyone attending a riding clubis required to have a licence pratiquant, whichcosts €25 for children and €36 for adults.
Sarah Pugh runs a riding club at Saumort inthe Poitou-Charentes region. She says:“Children join a pony club at any age fromfour upwards, starting on Shetland ponies,often riding without stirrups for some timeuntil their balance is sound.
“The clubs link in with the school calendarand lesson costs include an annual subscrip-tion, an FFE licence and a fee for the term.During the holidays, the clubs run daycourses, but normal lessons stop. Annual costscan vary immensely from region to region, butin my area the cost would be around €1,000.”
Most clubs provide the pony and tack, butyou will need to hire or borrow a riding hatand wear suitable footwear. Riders in Franceare quickly taught how to groom a pony orhorse, as they are expected to get their horsegroomed and tacked for lessons, unlike in theUK, where it is done for you.
More experienced riders who wish to partici-pate in one of the many competitions that takeplace all over the country need a licence com-pétition from the FFE and are expected to passriding tests. “The FFE have a fantastic country-wide system called Galop tests,” says Ms Pugh.“The main ones are Galop 1-7, which most
people take. In order to compete at a higherlevel you have to have passed these tests.”
In theory, riders taking the Galop 7 shouldpass practical and theory tests in French, butmany riding clubs simply watch them to verifytheir skills and, if they are satisfied, apply for acompetition licence.
Alternatively, British residents in France whoare experienced riders can ask the BritishHorse Society for documentation showing thatthey have competed in affiliated competitionsin the UK.
“There is no such thing as an unaffiliatedevent in France,” explains Ms Pugh, “otherwisethe showjumping competitions are very simi-lar to the UK.”
A competition licence costs €80 and youapply through your riding club. You mustprovide a medical certificate and, for children,a parental permission form must be signed.
For youngsters, there is no shortage of localpony competitions and they can lead to partic-ipation in national events for under-18s, suchthe annual competition held in July at the ParcEquestre Lamotte-Beuvron in the Sologne.
Xavier Bourdon, PR manager for Pixizone,an equestrian events company, says: “TheFrench national pony championships cover alldisciplines – showjumping, eventing and dres-sage – with many categories depending on theage of riders and the level of skill.”
In August, Lamotte-Beuvron is host to theSologn’Pony French national breeding champi-onship, featuring pedigree breeds such as NewForest, Shetland, Welsh Cob and Connemara,and also some competitions. This year’s cham-pionship takes place on August 18-21.
Young riders with talent who wish toprogress to senior showjumping events willneed parents with deep pockets.
A good three-year-old pony with showjump-ing potential will cost between €20,000 and€50,000, while the very best will commandprices up to €100,000, or even more for ananimal with a proven record in competition.On top of that, there are the costs involved instabling and transporting animals to events.That is why many competitors are children offormer riders and landowners. On the other
hand, showjumping horses can still be com-peting at 10 years old or more.
Sarah Pugh, though, points out: “You can doa lot more competing here without your ownhorse than in the UK. Some people do chooseto buy their own, but not all.
“Many have their own land so can keep ahorse at home, but if they want to competethey have the horse in livery at the club, andthat can be quite expensive.”
Equestrianism is extremely well-organised inFrance, but it is also true that it is quite tightlyregulated. Even Ms Pugh, a very experiencedriding instructor who set up a small livery andriding club at Saumort eight years ago, hadofficial hurdles to overcome.
“The main problem was that initially myEnglish qualifications were not recognisedhere, so all I could do was hire horses to peo-ple to ride alone,” she said.
“The regulations here were enormously strictand complicated. Over the years, my husbandZak and I have managed to establish a smallloyal customer base of liveries and riders by
HorsesenseRiding and competing in equestrian eventsare becoming increasingly popular in France,but in order to enjoy them to the full, you haveto stick to the rules, as JOHN GILMORE explains
RIDING in France is en plein boom, saysthe Fédération Française d’Equitationwith an increasing number of licenceseach year and it the country’s third mostpopular sport.
Nearly one person in three rides regu-larly or occasionally and surveys showriding is parents’ preferred pastime fortheir children. Half the population saythey would consider a horseback holiday.
You can get information on riding onthe French Horse and Country site, aimedat the English-speaking community,www.frenchhorseandcountry.com
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Jump to it
Horses 9Normandy Advertiser August 2011 www.normandyadvertiser.com
word of mouth. Now, though, I have the rightto teach, the right to run shows and to awardGalop tests. The insurance costs are not tooscary, so we are hoping the business willexpand and we’ll be able to do some ridingholidays too.”
It is important that anyone thinking aboutinvesting in riding, and especially of buying ahorse, is aware of the commitments involved,particularly the costs. Otherwise, things cango badly wrong.
Ann Heighington, who runs the Anglo-French equestrian charity Epona Trust in LaLucerne d’Outremer, near Avranches,Normandy, says: “Ponies and horses arrive atour trust as a result of financial difficulties or afamily split. Sometimes the animal is neglectedand may have to be removed from the owners.
“We provide hay to animals that are leftwithout feed and we also pay for vets to visit asick animal if the owners have no money orrefuse to pay. Any equine that comes to therefuge will be provided with housing, feed andmedication.”
IN NORMANDY there are more than 300equestrian centres across the region, fromRouen to Cherbourg and Alençon.
Many offer leisure riding, horse trails andlivery stables, but there are 12 specialisedpony clubs operating under the banner of the Ecole Française d’Equitation and 18 others which offer special children’s sections.
Prices for children’s lessons start at €600during the school year from September toJune, depending on whether you ride all yearor for only some hours from day to day.
Riders with the talent to progress to moreserious jumping at junior or senior levelwould benefit from the instruction of NicolasDuprez, who is in charge of the advancedlevel training at the Deauville InternationalEquestrian Complex.
Top international showjumping riders fromthe Normandy region include: PénélopeLeprévost, Patrice Delaveau and Olivier
Guillon (the team who won the silver medalin the World Equestrian Games at Lexington,Kentucky, last year), Kevin Staut, TimothéeAnciaume and Franck Schillewaert.
Major competitions this summer:August 4-7: National Showjumping GrandPrix of Ezy-sur-EureAugust 5-7: National Showjumping GrandPrix de Saint-Lô (Manche)August 13-15: Saint-LôAugust 18-20 and 23-25: August of Auvers(Manche)September: 9-11: National ShowjumpingGrand Prix de Saint-James (Manche)
Contact addresses:Comité Régional d’Equitation de Normandie Telephone: 02 31 84 61 87, email: [email protected]: www.chevalnormandie.com
Poney Club of Cabourg (Calvados)Tel: 02 31 91 80 94, email:[email protected]
The Poney Express of Cotentin (Manche)Telephone: 02 33 22 40 46, email: [email protected]
Sarah Pugh Telephone: 05 49 05 30 75, website: www.saumort.com
Advanced level:Deauville International ComplexTel 02 31 14 04 04email: [email protected]: www.pole-international-cheval.com
The Epona Trust:Telephone 02 33 61 88 41email: [email protected]
Where to go riding in Normandy
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FE P
SV Left: a competitor clears a fence at the Sologn’Ponyevent, held in August. Above: youngsters are introducedto riding with the Fédération Française d’Equitation
10 Food Normandy Advertiser August 2011www.normandyadvertiser.com
A collection of restaurants in Normandy
Advertising Feature
To advertise your restaurant with us call 0800 91 77 56
SUMMER holidays should be the perfect timefor relaxed, happy, al fresco meals, a time tointroduce your children, grandchildren andother assorted small people to healthy, abun-dant seasonal produce and regional speciali-ties. But unless they are long-time gourmets,your efforts are unlikely to elicit coos of appre-ciation, rather groans of disgust.
“Don’t like that.”“Yuck! I want baked beans.”“I hate tomatoes.”“What’s that funny stuff on the lettuce?”Until they were about four years old, our
children and grandchildren ate just about any-thing, from snails to quails and olives.Everything we offered was tried and enjoyed.Then their tastes seemed to change.
We tried to fight back in a subtle way, start-ing with getting them to help Grandad in thepotager. At Easter they dug, planted andsowed seeds, and when summer came theyreaped the rewards of their efforts, pickingand digging up all the produce.
We extended this education to market visits
where they chose less familiar things. At thethe fish stall it was gambas or squid, at thecheese stall there was “mouldy” cheese orcreamy goat cheeses.
Then they moved on to the fruit stall wherewe encouraged them to try nectarines if thepeaches were too “furry”. Apricots were “cool”and melons were always popular. What aboutreine-claudes? They look sour but taste likehoney. Sometimes closing your eyes andtrusting helps.
In France we are lucky because merchantsrealise the importance of encouraging futurecustomers. Samples and smiles are always onoffer for nervous young palates. Here, withpatience and imagination, fussy kids can beturned into shoppers and cooks and even realfoodies. Simple things such as allowing chil-dren as young as two to make dressing for asalad, tossing it messily and serving it on theirown, make them feel good.
I must confess that, having been a teacher for30 years, I rely on my training and instinctswhen it comes to helping children to be braveand creative with food. Of course this usuallyinvolves a bit of risk and a lot of mess, butwhat fun it is to be allowed to wear a chef ’s hatand to be trusted with Granny’s big knife and,with careful supervision, to be allowed to cutup the vegetables they have picked or boughtfor a ratatouille inspired by the film. Suddenlya child who has been unable to look at anaubergine becomes an addict.
Let them cook what they have picked or cho-sen, let them taste what you have chosen wheneating out – and remember that we all have totry a new taste about 15 times before weaccept it.
How to turnyour childreninto gourmets
After she was chosen asfirst BBC Masterchef in1990 JOAN BUNTING wassoon writing a foodcolumn and doing BBClocal radio. Now the former advisory teacherhas retired and hasmoved permanently toher home in France but isstill keen to tell Advertiserreaders about good food
Quick, easy and delicious corn cobsJoan’s grandson Haydon was already playing his part in the kitchen at the age of seven
Now for a recipe loved by all ages in thishouse. Fun and simple to do, it can becooked in the oven or under the grill aswell as on the barbecue.
Barbie Sweetcorn(serves 8)
8 corn cobs with husks250g butter1 tsp Dijon mustard2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs
2 tbsp lemon juiceSeasoning
Mix together all the butter ingredients(clean hands are fine). Peel back the cornhusks but leave intact, remove the silkand soak the cobs in water. Rub a table-spoon of the butter on each cob. Coverwith the husks then wrap in foil.
Cook on the coals, or in the oven, for10-15 minutes or until tender, unwrap andserve with any remaining butter.
Business 11Normandy Advertiser August 2011 www.normandyadvertiser.com
FINANCE
Judy can be contacted through The Advertiser or by email: [email protected] She is also on Twitter at @NormandyBizGp
MY first home office was a desk in theloft in our previous house. I kitted it outwith a computer, a desk and a phoneextension, plus a spare dining chair and Iwas away.
What I hadn’t bargained for was that itwas baking hot in the summer and socold in the winter that I sat at the keyboard trying to type with gloves on.The chair gave me a bad back, as therewas insufficient support to work at adesk for more than half an hour at atime.
What I also hadn’t thought about wasthe loneliness of being shut away. I hadbelieved that peace and quiet wouldmake me more productive. It didn’t. Ifound any excuse to pop down to thekitchen – a cup of tea, or even cleaningout the cutlery drawer all found theirattractions in the bid to be less isolated.
My office now is a small area off thesitting room. I am part of the comingsand goings in the house, and I don’t feel“shut away” as I did previously. Thebonus is that when the weather is lovely,I can pick up my wireless laptop andcordless phone and enjoy working in thesunshine. If I need to work in theevening, I can watch TV at the sametime with my husband and neither of usfeel cheated of company.
One woman who is very generous withher time and expertise in the area ofhome-working is Judy Heminsley, whosebook Work from Home is a down-to-earth,practical and friendly guide and a must forthose who run a home office. Although acouple of the chapters (notably aboutfinance and red tape) are aimed at the UKmarket, there is plenty to help those of uswho work from our maison in France.
Real practical hurdles we face – such asfeeling isolated, time wasting and man-aging your family, who may think youare interruptible at any time simplybecause you are at your kitchen table orat your desk under the stairs – all theseare covered and more. Here are somemore practical tips from her book:
Remember health and safety rulesapply to your home office too. Trailing
cables, that sticking up bit of worn car-pet, sticking drawers... if you are hurt,you cannot earn.
How much room will you need? Youneed at least enough space for a desk, achair, and some storage – unless you arerestoring furniture, or repairing carengines for example. The importantthing is that you feel comfortable andthat your workspace enables you to beproductive.
If possible, choose a space with a win-dow where you will get some naturallight. If you need artificial lighting,ensure it doesn’t cause glare by reflectingoff your PC screen.
Make sure your chair is decent. Youmay be sitting there for hours at a time(though you should schedule in regularbreaks to stretch and walk about). If yourbudget won’t stretch to new, look in thebrocantes, vide greniers or on websitessuch as Le Bon Coin for a second-handoffice chair. Judy Heminsley advises toget a swivel chair on castors, as this ismuch less tiring than pushing back anormal chair. Armrests could be a nuisance, especially if it stops you tucking the chair under the desk.
On the subject of IT equipment, beaware that France doesn’t use the Qwertykeyboard, so you may find yourself typinggibberish if you touch type on the FrenchAzerty board. If you would prefer a UKcomputer, there are providers inNormandy – check the directory pages orthe Normandy Business Group.
If space is at a premium, consider a lap-top rather than a full-sized PC. You canalso buy a multi-function printer that actsas fax and photocopier too. Watch thecosts of replacement ink cartridges foryour printer – some are eye-wateringlyexpensive and your running costs will bemore than the initial purchase price.
Next month, I’ll be focusing on howto keep motivated, and how to cope withcold calling. As ever we welcome yourthoughts and input – do get in touch.
JUDY MANSFIELD has lived and worked in Calvados fornearly nine years. She is an agent commercial, andworked at an estate agency in Lisieux for several yearsbefore branching out into business development,primarily for currency specialists First Rate FX andlatterly for small businesses in Normandy.
Setting up a home office
You need a place in your house that makes you feel comfortable and productive
To win a copy of Working from Home,share your own top tip on how towork from home by email:[email protected] beforeAugust 20. We will select a favouriteand print a selection of your ideas ina future issue of The Advertiser
Photo: nyul - Fotolia.com
Joining forces
Joanna Reintjes, from AFA Expertise, responds:As a conjoint collaborateur it is assumed that you will be working full time (and it is a requirement that you are“available” full time). You may benefit from maternityrights, should you decide to have more children.
The status of conjoint collaborateur for a husband-and-wife business (Pacs included) recognises the partner work-ing in the business, allowing them:
a) social cover to work in the business; b) provision of their own pension rights. If your husband is running an enterprise individuelle then
you can either be a conjoint collaborateur or be “employed”with a salary. The social charges that you pay for eitherchoice can be deducted from your husband’s results, provided that he is on the réel regime rather than the micro.
There are various choices available which affect howmuch you pay in extra cotisations (social charges):
Option 1 – Standard basis – equivalent to one third of thesocial security limit (€11,784 currently). The cost of a fullyear’s charges will be €3,022 for an artisan’s conjoint.
Option 2 – One third or half of the business owner’s netincome, without a profit share. So if your husband earns€30,000 per annum and you opt for a third, you pay your cotisations on €10,000 – €2,565 for the year. Your husband’s social charges will not change.
Option 3 – One third or half the business owner’s incomewith profit share. So if your husband earns €30,000 perannum and you opt for a third with profit share, you payyour cotisations on €10,000 profit share, so €2,565 for theyear; but your husband’s charges will be worked out on€20,000 profits, so he will pay less in cotisations.
What will I be entitled to?With these social contributions, you will each build upyour own pension rights. But please note that the retirement rights and the validation of “quarters” under theFrench retirement system are calculated according to theamount of income on which you pay your charges: so to beable to validate four quarters annually, the incomes forboth of you should not be lower than 800 times the hourlyrate of the Smic minimum wage (€7,200 for 2011).
Your own self-employmentIf you chose to run your own business it can only be on avery limited basis if you are a conjoint collaborateur. Youshould not provide the same services nor work for the sameclients, otherwise your businesses could be amalgamated by the tax office, and that could take you overthe VAT threshold (if you are not currently in a VAT regime).If you are employed part-time, there are fewer restrictions.
You will need to work the figures through with youraccountant to make the choice that is right for you.
My husband has been a self-employed artisan in theOrne for the last year. I have two children, and nowthat they are at school, I have been advised tobecome a conjoint collaborateur. What would thismean financially and could I start up a part-timebusiness alongside being a conjoint collaborateur?
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Sponsored by
12 Directory Normandy Advertiser August 2011www.normandyadvertiser.com
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Electrician All works guaranteed and carried out to
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Qualified bilingual teacherSmall groups, 1 to 1 online,
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Crafts at Les LandesSpinning and other crafts.
Half, Full day tuition orresidential B&B
www.crafts-at-leslandes.comtel: 00 33 (0)2 33 960904
SIRET No 489 459 438 00011
Help with theFrench system
• Paperwork, Phone calls• Translation, InterpretingCall Hilary Reynolds
00 33 (0) 2 33 59 17 07www.leapfrogservices.net
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Lifetime experienceof the French system.Privacy Guaranteed
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FRENCH LESSONSConversation and grammarPrivate lessons for 1, 2 or 3
Native French TeacherTel: 02 31 32 28 83
near Livarot dept 14http://frenchcourse.canalblog.com
JS MenuiserieJohn Shipton - 02 33 55 15 90Carpenter/Joiner
All kinds of handmade furniture and carpen-try work. From door fittings to kitchens.
email: [email protected] 499 313 658
English Carpenter/JoinerMichael Bambridge BSc
Very experienced in renovation and carpentry including stairs and furniture
Tel: 02 33 50 40 24Email: [email protected]
Siret: 48131662800017
Stuart Upton CARPENTRY & ROOFING
Full 10 year Insurance Backed GuaranteeTel: 02 33 64 89 28 / 06 06 43 52 28Email: [email protected]
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Penny Graphicswebsites from
75€including design, hosting and
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pennygraphics.net02 33 90 92 15
SW COMPUTERSPC repairs,upgrades, sales.help with
internet connections, call out or bring to us.Tel: Mark 02 33 90 64 93
Mob: 06 72 66 61 51www.swcomputers.eu
Siret: 48397386300028
LOW COST PRINT IN NORMANDY
Business Cards - Leaflets - Flyers - Postcards -Banners - Vehicle Graphics - Colour Labelswww.AardvarkPrintandDesign.com
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For All Your Building &Renovations WorksLarge or Small Projects
( Many can be Viewed )Backed up by 10 year Insurance
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DEVILLE PROPERTYSERVICESBarn & attic
conversion specialists. We undertake all aspects ofrenovation & improvement
projects.We legally employ English
speaking staff& do not sub-contract.
Full 10 year insurance backedguarantee.
TEL: 02 31 67 76 90www.devilleservices.com
Areas: 14 , 50 , 61 Siret: 5026366000018
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BUILDERAll building works undertaken.
Mini digger, Full Registered,10 year decennale insurance.
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MesnilRenovation
Areas 14/50/61Full / Part Renovations,
carpentry, masonry, plaster-ing, tiling, kitchens, replace-
ment windows and doors.www.buildersnormandy.com
Tel. 02 31 09 26 54Siret 48423125300010
GENERAL BUILDERRoofs, Loft conversions,Plumbing & Electrical,
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TIMBER PRESERVATIONEradication of rot andwoodboring insects
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David Pickering CompleteBuilding Services
Specializing in Installation of FosseToutes Eaux - Mini Digger/Dumper Hire
Email: [email protected]: 02 33 17 24 82
Mobile: 06 20 14 73 69 Siret: 481 189 991
Chenil du Val KennelsSmall, friendly, professional kennel
Special care/attention for your pets.Quarantine alternative
Contact Angie: Tel 02 33 17 17 61Between Periers/Coutances/St Lo
Email: [email protected] 50993743900016
GOLDENWAYINTERNATIONAL PETS
World Wide PetTransporter / Relocator
Ministry approvedNo. 61195004 – 61195001Offices CDG Airport Paris
Offices and Kennels NormandyTel: 01 48 62 87 25 CDG ParisTel: 02 33 38 41 32 Normandy
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Acorn Kennels & Cattery
Qualified and professional careof your pet while you are away
www.AcornKennelsandCattery.comTel: 02 33 49 63 22
Siret: 479 825 168 00012
ANIMAL COURIERSExperienced couriers specialisingin pet travel between France / UK /
Spain or within France. Pet passport advice.
Tel: 0044 (0) 1483200123Email: [email protected]
Web: www.animalcouriers.com
NORMANDY KENNELSSmall, caring and qualified
English run kennels and catteryContact Jon or Sue Tel 02 31 67 93 48
Near Vire Dept 14www.normandykennels.com
[email protected] 48914001200019
Chenil Les Mille Calins
English Run5 Star accommodation
for Dogs/CatsComprising of underfloor
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YOUR PET, PEACE OF MIND FOR YOUwww.goldenwaypets.comTelephone 02 33 37 49 19Emergency 02 33 38 41 32
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Find registered tradespeople quickly and easily
English-speaking firms near youFor your security, we check that the French businesses in this section are officially registered with the authorities
NORMANDYADVERTISER
Advertise here ALL YEAR from just €165HT
Call free on 0800 91 77 56
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NORMANDY DIRECTORY
Directory 13Normandy Advertiser August 2011 www.normandyadvertiser.com
BRITISH BEDSBY BEAUX
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WOODBURNERSAsh Grove Stoves
Supplier ofHunter - Villager
- Clean Burn - Fire Visible - Boiler versions available- Deliveries all over France- Prices on our website
Lowest Prices Guaranteed
Tel: 00 44 (0) 1392 861579www.ashgrovestoves.com
WOOD STOVE STUDIOWood burning stoves and Cuisinieres from
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LE BON CHOIXDEPOT - VENTE
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DIRECT LOISIRSN°1 in all of France for direct
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DIRECT LOISIRS can offer sitesto rent or buy in small
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Visit our permanent display in Gavray.ZA Route de Coutances
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MOVINGTO OR FROM
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& from FranceFull or part loads, 4wks free storage,
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Contact:Anglo French RemovalsTel: +44 (0) 1622 690 653
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INVICTA INTERNATIONALLIGHT HAULAGE SERVICESStore Collections, General Removals,
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D & KREMOVALSLight Removals to and from
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we move, you save! 0044 (0)1327 264627 UK
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Web: www.pjmselfstorage.comSiret: 41153948300020 - Regions: All of France
BERTIN COUVERTURE15 Years experience in roofing and zinc
New and restauration / Chimney Sweep02 33 38 28 86
With 10 years insurance - Siret: 50792761400010
Chimney SweepWood StoveInstallationProperty
ManagementIain Davison
www.propertycarepeople.comTel: 02 33 14 09 55
Email: [email protected]: 494799968
ROOFING SPECIALISTCCoommpplleettee wwoorrkkss//rreeppaaiirrss uunnddeerrttaakkeenn
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Siret: 502368103
CHIMNEY SWEEPBlack Cat Services
Expert English Sweep, Mess FreeRegistered, Insured.
Certificate de Ramonage IssuedTel : 02 33 50 84 91
Email: [email protected]
Chris HuttENGLISH TV INSTALLER
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Email: [email protected]: 491 624 367
CHIMNEY SWEEPPROPERTY MANAGEMENT
DEPT 50Stephen Ramsbottom - 0233172361
e-mail: [email protected]
siret: 51114827200012
ELECTRICIAN / PLUMBERand HEATING ENGINEERFrench Registered - Over 35 years experience
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ENGLISHLANGUAGEFUNERALS
Your needs, your wishes09 65 35 17 56
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Seans Garden ServicesLawns – Hedges – TreesOvergrown plots cleared.
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GARDEN MAINTENANCEGarden Clearance - Grass Cutting
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Est 1994Tel: 02 33 90 92 28
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Le Chateau deCrosville sur Douve
Welcomes you to our newrestaurant
Varied menu each weekOpen Thurs, Fri & Sat evenings
Sunday lunchtimesTel: 02 33 41 67 25 / 06 98 76 60 60
Photos onwww.chateaucrosville.com
email:[email protected]
LE BREWERY10 years of brewing in Normandy
Art is an AleGreat beer for all occasions
www.le-brewery.comTel: 02 33 37 77 26
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AllianZ InsuranceCAR HOME
HEALTHInsurance in Lower Normandy Christophe Marie, Vire - Tel: 02 31 68 01 96
Email: [email protected] Siret N° ORIAS 07/022 348
FRENCH INSURANCE - IN ENGLISH
For people who live in/ own property in
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14 Property Normandy Advertiser August 2011www.normandyadvertiser.com
DIY tips
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AUGUST is a month whenwe would all like to be out onthe terrace but mosquitoes,wasps, ants and flying insectscan take the pleasure of a gar-den barbecue away. Here are a few tips to claim
your patio area back fromnuisance insects.
WaspsIf you are eating outside thelast thing you want is to haveto wear or do anything spe-cial to protect yourself frominsects. Instead we suggestthree easy tips: Use simpletraps, apply repellent toexposed body parts and elim-inate any nests you find.
You can buy ‘lure traps’ sothe pests are more likely to gofor these than your food. Ifyou use a trap, add a coupleof drops of washing-upliquid. This reduces the sur-face tension of the water sowasps actually sink in andcannot skate on it.
Also, look for nests underthe tiles on your - and yourneighbour’s - roof. Use anexpert to get any removed.AntsPest control experts adviseputting sugar in an area so
the ants go there instead of toyour patio.
A glass of elderflower cor-dial, for example, left to standaround for a few hours willcatch a lot of black ants.MosquitoesIt makes sense to keep the
grass cut as short as possibleand remove any containerswith stagnant water in whichmosquitoes love to breed.
Used alone, no method islikely to be effective. Plantsaround your terrace willattract insects so you could
move these on to your lawn ifyou have visitors.
Mosquitoes pick up onbody functions such as lacticacid, CO output and bodyheat so there is very little wecan do other than usingrepellent. You can usecitronella candles and amixture of different productson the market. Lemongrass isanother natural mosquitorepellent which can be plant-ed around the patio.
For a more environmentallyfriendly option, you couldbuild a bat house. Batsnaturally control mosquitoesand the houses are oftenavailable from garden centresand bird box suppliers.
You can also build yourown using scrap wood. Seetinyurl.com/bathouseguide
Follow the instructions toput the houses up at thecorrect height and amount ofsunlight, then sit back andwatch in the sunset as thebats do their work.FliesElectronic fly killers buzz inthe corner of the patio butavoid those which have anelectric current as the insectswill explode. This isunpleasant to look at andsmell and you can end upwith bits of leg and body in
your food. Glue boards whichyou buy in a hardware orcamping shop are probablythe most effective.
Fleas and tics If you suddenly start gettingbitten in the garden or grasssurrounding your patio, a foxor other wild animal may beregularly following the sametrack through your garden. Aprofessional would spray aresidual chemical on to thearea and you can make surethe animal doesn’t return byputting something in its way.
Tips compiled with help fromSimon Berenyi of Wasp Kill UK– www.waspkilluk.co.uk
MANY old houses throughout France have old terracottatiled floors. This lovely flooring can, over time, becomestained and dull and, being porous, can be difficult to clean.However, instead of replacing it with more practical mod-
ern tiling, have a go at restoring the tiles and bringing themback to their former glory.
The first step is to get rid of any old dirt and watermarks.There is only one way to achieve this and that is throughelbow grease and scrubbing. Use either a stone floor cleaneror black soap and warm water. Apply the soap or solutionand leave for at least 15 minutes, then go back over the areawith a scrubbing brush. If marks are stubborn, apply puresoap to them, wait and scrub again. Finish this step bymopping up the residue and rinsing the floor with warmwater, then dry mop the floor.
Next, prepare the floor for oiling. The tiles must becompletely dry after the first step – it is worth waiting atleast a couple of days to make sure this is the case – and thefloor should be protected during this period. Once dry, thefloors must be as free from dust as possible.
Traditionally, boiled linseed oil is used for protectingterracotta floors. It also gives them a nice finish. To make theoil easier to apply, leave it overnight somewhere warm andapply to a warm floor that has either been heated upnaturally by the sun or turn on the heating in the room a fewhours before application. Apply freely with a paintbrush –the more the tiles absorb the more resistant they will be.
After application, wait for about 20 minutes and check tosee whether there is any excess oil. If so, go over these patch-es again with a brush to spread it out. If, after another 20minutes, there are still patches of excess oil, remove with apiece of cloth. Leave the tiles overnight, or for at least eighthours, before applying a second coat.
Once the two coats have been applied and have dried, it isa good idea to apply a coat of oil-based stone floor sealer.
Finally, test the floor for water-tightness. Simply pour asmall amount of water onto a tile and check 15 minutes laterwhether it is still visible or not. If it is, your floor is watertight. If it has been absorbed then it is wise to apply anothercoat of sealer.
Maintain the floor by mopping up any spills straight away,hoover and mop when needed and every year test forwater-tightness.
Bring back shineto terracotta tiles
Outdoors or in, terracotta tiles can be difficult to clean
Photo: antmoose/Flickr
Reclaim your garden and enjoy the great outdoors withoutbeing troubled by mosquitoes. Follow our tips.
Tell nuisance insects tobuzz off this summer
Photo: Kzenon - Fotolia.com
Photo: LaurenWebb14
- Flickr.com
Build your own bat house
Property 15Normandy Advertiser August 2011 www.normandyadvertiser.com
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Buying or selling a property in or around Normandy? We can help.
Our website www.connexionfrance.com carries details ofmore than 14,000homes for saleacross France.
We also featureproperties for salein this dedicatedsection of TheAdvertiser everymonth. Use thecode under each
property to find out more on the website.For sellers, the adverts are also displayed across a range
of popular English-speaking websites which ensures theyare seen by thousands of potential buyers EVERY day.
Prices start at €119TTC for a year’s online advertising. Online advertisers can also place adverts in The
Advertiser for an extra €60TTC for one month, €150TTC forthree and €275TTC for six.
Contact us on 0800 91 77 56 (freephone in France) oremail [email protected]
More details on all these properties - and howto contact the seller directly - can be found in
the property for sale section of www.connexionfrance.com
Simply enter the code under each home tofind out more
Houses for sale in andaround Normandy
REF: FP-20290EL27
€€194,400
ENERGY RATING = Not given
Conde Sur ItonCare has been taken in the renovation of this beautifulimber framed cottage to providea light and airy and extremelycomfortable 3 bed 2 bath home.Plot just under an acre.
REF: IFPC20776
€€397,000
ENERGY RATING = Not given
AvranchesTwo houses on 8 acres, substantial outbuildings, 2 fishing lakes in the woods.The Cottage - 2 bedrooms The Mill, 30yds away - 4 beds
REF: DOM1293
€€315,000
ENERGY RATING = Not given
Pont-AudemerSpacious `colombage` house setin 2200m2. 6/7 rooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 WCs, kitchen, 2reception rooms, habitable space- 300m2, cave and garage.
New Consumption and Emission Chart- e.g. Energy rating C & F refers to C for Consumption and F for Emissions
AFTER a year of hard work, August is the month when gar-deners can take a rest and enjoy the rewards – with flowersin bloom and an abundance of fruit and vegetables ready toconsume.
Courgettes, aubergines, peppers, tomatoes, beans, onions,radishes, cucumbers, cabbages, spinach and potatoes shouldall have reached maturity by now, and figs, oranges, peach-es, pears and prunes will also be ready for a delicious sum-mer fruit salad.
The hot, dry weather is certainly a better time for lazingaround in the garden than working hard in it, but there area few tasks that can be done this month to keep the gardenin good shape and prepare for the autumn.
Plants will need watering and tidying – but you shouldcheck about water restrictions in your area beforehand. Ifyou are heading away on holiday, consider moving pottedplants to the shade so that they do not suffer in yourabsence, especially with the exceptionally dry weatherFrance has had so far this year.
Keep a daily eye on remontant roses and cut off any wiltedflowers to give others the best chance of flowering later thismonth and through September.
Also on a tidying theme, remember to remove dead leavesand other plant matter on a regular basis. This is particular-ly important if you live near woodland – there are strict ruleson débrousaillement that are designed to prevent forest fires,as too much vegetation on the ground helps fires to spread.There also limits on when you can burn vegetation on yourland, and how close tree foliage can be to buildings. Checkwith your local mairie.
The hot weather encourages aphids and other nasty bugsto spread. Treat your plants regularly and look out for earlysigns of mildew and other fungi and parasites.
Finally, late August is the time to plant spinach, radishes,turnips and parsley.
French August weather proverbs
Temps trop beau en août, annonce hiver en courroux (if theweather is too good in August, prepare for wrath of winter).
Tels les trois premiers jours d’août, tel le temps de l'automne(the first three days of August are a sign of the autumn tocome).
Jamais d’août la sécheresse, n'amène la richesse (a droughtin August will never bring richness).
Enjoy the fruitsof your labour
August brings an abundance of fruit and vegetables
16 Profile Normandy Advertiser August 2011www.normandyadvertiser.com
DOMINIQUE Eudier is a lively, friendly lady with enormous enthusiasm and near-perfectEnglish. She is a freelance licensedinterpreter-guide and lecturer with12 years’ experience taking groupsand individuals around Normandy(where she lives), as well as Brittanyand the Loire Valley.
She explained: “I do tours inEnglish, so English-speakers are mymain clientele. They are mostlyAmericans, British, Australians andCanadians. Sometimes Japanese,South Africans or people fromsouth-east Asia book tours.
“I set up my website five years agoto reach out to individuals, and I’mdelighted to say that this side of thebusiness has developed well; it givesme the chance to meet lots of different people.
“I also work with a large numberof groups, especially those onsteamboat cruises along the Seine.”
The most popular areas for tourscome as no surprise; the D-Day
beaches, Mont Saint-Michel,Monet’s garden at Giverny, and thePays d’Auge are most often requested.
As for her personal favourites,Dominique is less certain.
“It’s hard to say. I like them all! I
especially like doing themed visits,which allow me to give a morein-depth coverage of the subject,and leave my clients feeling they’velearned what they came to find out.”
In order to become a professionalguide, Dominique had to take the
exams organised by the State in thepréfecture of each department toobtain a Carte Professionelle deGuide – this shows that she has asound knowledge of the region.
She said: “I love my job. It’s mypassion, and I think that to be good
at this job, you have to be passionateabout it.
“I was born in Paris, and I livedthere until the end of my studies atthe Sorbonne, and then, after travelling round the world, I settleddown in our family home nearAlençon 25 years ago. So I’m half-Parisian, half-Norman.”
Apart from the well-troddentourist routes, Dominique likes toshow visitors something different.
“The Orne, where I live, is theleast known of Norman departments, but it’s full of riches.It’s off the beaten track.
“There’s the Perche region with itswooded hills and ancient manorhouses; the Suisse Normande andAlpes Mancelles, which are neitherSwiss nor Alps, but full of magnifi-cent scenery; the National Stud atthe Haras du Pin, Alençon and itssuperb lace – wonderful places.
“For history buffs, the Orne wasalso the scene of the grim final daysof the Battle of Normandy.”
Her tours include the landingbeaches, the main tourist sites suchas Mont Saint-Michel, Bayeux,Honfleur, Rouen and the Paysd’Auge, and the back roads of theOrne. She also offeres themed itin-eraries; The Battle of Normandy,William the Conqueror, SaintTeresa’s footsteps, the Plantagenetheritage and more.www.guided-normandy-tours.com
Get inside story on local riches
Tour guideDominiqueEudier is passionateabout showingvisitors aroundthe lesser-known richesof Normandy,as well as thetouristhotspots
When it comes to discovering the treasures ofNormandy, there’s no better person to lead theway than official tour guideDominique Eudier. HEDLEYGRENFELL-BANKS foundout what she believes arethe area’s highlights.