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PUBLISHERS OF95c | ISSUE 11 | JUNE 2012 NEWS, WHAT’S ON INFO FOR AUDE, GARD, HERAULT, LOZERE, PYRENEES-ORIENTALES

MONTPELLIERWIN TITLE FORFIRST TIME INHISTORY

Bugarach‘end of theworld’ iscalled off

Béziers tobe meccafor gardengnomesBÉZIERS is to hold thefirst-ever world gardengnome festival next year.

Mayor Raymond Coudercsaid the idea was proposedby the Syndicat des Nains deJardin (the garden gnomeunion) and that the festivalwould be the world’s firstinternational gnome fête.

It follows the popularJardins en Fête event, whichwas organised in Béziers onMay 4-5.

The cult of garden gnomesin France has been growingsince it hit the mainstreamin the film Amélie, whichfeatured the heroine’s fatherreceiving a series of photo-graphs of his stolen gnomeposing in various famouslocations all around theworld.

Associations such as theGarden Gnome LiberationFront and the GnomeProtection Association havesince sprung up and theinstances of the (illegal)game of stealing a gardengnome and then photo-graphing it in variousbizarre or exotic locations,and sending the photo-graphs to the bereft ownerhave multiplied.

The mayor of Béziers saidhe hoped the GnomeLiberation Front would notattend in their officialcapacity – they “freed” agnome during last month’sJardins en Fête event.

Champions of France

THE END of the world is officially off – and withit the spotlight comes off Bugarach, the Aude vil-lage supposed to be the one place to be spared.

The village of 189 inhabitants has been the cen-tre of worldwide interest since rumours associat-ing it with the end of the world on December 21,allegedly predicted by the ancient Mayan calen-dars. There has been a buzz around the area, withpeople looking to visit or buy houses or even ask-ing to sell fast-food for all the visitors on the day.

Now a team of American researchers hasshown that Mayan calendars do not end in 2012– some even go beyond 3500.

Archaeologist William Saturno of BostonUniversity, who uncovered the oldest-yet Mayancalendars (from the ninth century), told Sciencemagazine: “The ancient Mayans predicted thatthe world would go on and that in 7,000 yearsthings would be just as they were then.”

Bugarach mayor Jean-Pierre Delord, who issuing website owners for trying to sell Bugarachstones at up to €3,000 each and who turneddown would-be fast-food vendors, said:

“Probably there will be fewer oddballs andmoney-grabbers trying to make a profit.”

He said people would still visit because ofenduring fascination with the village’s craggymountain, the Pic: “For the 40 years I’ve beenhere there have always been pilgrims.”

A local tourist office adviser said it was unlike-ly the news would harm tourism: “Whether peo-ple think it’s the end of the world or not, the factthe village is being talked about is all publicity.

“However, there are a lot of eccentrics who real-ly believe in this and go up the mountain andsometimes it’s difficult to manage; so if they don’tbelieve in the end of the world any more it mightallow for a healthier kind of tourism.”

“We promote Bugarach because it has a beauti-ful mountain and lovely walks.”

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EMERGENCY NUMBERS18: Emergencies: Calls the fire brigade(Sapeurs Pompiers), but they deal withmedical emergencies and are usually thefirst port of call in rural areas. 112:Emergency calls from your mobile: Beready with your name and where you arecalling from and do not hang up until toldto do so. 17: Police (gendarmes) 119:Child abuse. 1616: Sea and lake rescue.01 40 05 48 48: Anti-poison centre (Paris)08 10 33 30 + your department number(eg 24 for the Dordogne): Gas & electrici-ty emergenciesUTILITIES FRANCE TELECOM Websitein English: www.francetelecom.comTo report a fault online: www.1013.fr(click on the UK flag). English-speakinghelpline: 09 69 36 39 00 (from France); + 33 1 55 78 60 56 (outside France).ORANGE: English-speaking helpline: 0969 36 39 00. SFR: 1023(+ 33 6 10 00 10 23 from outside France).FREE: 1044. BOUYGUES: 1034. EDF:24 hour breakdown line: 08 10 33 30 87;Helpline in English: 05 62 16 49 08; Fromoutside France: + 33 5 62 16 49 08;Email: simpleenergywithedf@edf.frGOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONSCAISSE D’ALLOCATIONS FAMILIALES- CAF: www.caf.fr; Tel: 08 10 25 14 10.L’ASSURANCE MALADIE (AMELI, for-merly known as CPAM – the healthservice): www.ameli.fr; Tel: 36 46 (Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm) English spoken. URSSAF:English-language website:www.anglais.urssaf.fr - Aude - 20 rueSaint Michel, BP 605, 11876 CARCAS-SONNE CEDEX 9, Tel: 04 68 11 24 00 |Gard - 6 rue du Cirque Romain, 30923NIMES CEDEX 9, Tel: 04 66 36 48 00 |Hérault - Quartier de la Mosson, 35 rueLa Haye, 34937 MONTPELLIER CEDEX9, Tel: 08 20 00 34 35 | Lozère - Quartierdes Carmes, BP 104, 48003 MENDE, Tel:04 66 47 23 48 | Pyrénées-Orientales -26 rue Petite la Monnaie, BP 59926,66021 PERPIGNAN CEDEX 9, Tel: 04 68 35 75 00PREFECTURE: Aude - 52 rue JeanBringer, BP 836, 11012 CARCASSONNECEDEX Tel: 04 68 10 27 01 | Gard - 10avenue Feuchères, 30045 NIMESCEDEX 9 Tel: 04 66 36 40 40 | Hérault -34 place des Martyrs de la Résistance,34062 MONTPELLIER CEDEX 2 Tel: 04 67 61 61 61 | Lozère - 2 rue de

La Rovère, 48000 MENDE Tel: 04 66 49 60 00 | Pyrénées-Orientales -24 quai Sadi Carnot, 66951 PERPIGNANCEDEX Tel: 04 68 51 66 66OTHER HELP IN ENGLISHCOUNSELLING IN FRANCE: for a quali-fied therapist near you or counselling overthe telephone; www.counsellinginfrance.com SOSHELP: similar to the Samaritans, listenerswho are professionally trained; Tel 01 4621 46 46; www.soshelpline.org NOPANIC FRANCE: for help with anxietydisorders; Tel: 02 51 28 80 25;www.nopanic.org.uk ALCOHOLICSANONYMOUS: Aude - Regular meetingsare held (in French) in Carcassonne |Gard - Regular meetings are held (inFrench) in Nîmes, Alès and Cèze |Hérault - Regular meetings are held (inFrench) in Sète Agde Beziers, Bédarieuxand Lodève. Montpellier: English-speak-ing group (closed) meets Thursdays at18:45-20:15, doors open at 18:30.Ganges: English-speaking meeting(Willing to Grow Group), with meetings(closed) Tuesdays 18:30-20:00 in theFoyer des Jeunes, near the Schools onrue E. Gounelle, 34190 Ganges. |Pyrénées-OrientalesCéret, Le Barcares-Village, Thuir, Vernetles Bains and Perpignan CANCERSUPPORT FRANCE: for advice andsomeone to talk to: www.cancersupportfrance.infoNational Office: email: cancersupportfrance@orange.fr; Tel: 05 45 89 30 05. SOLDIERS,SAILORS, AIRMEN AND FAMILIESASSOCIATION FORCES (SSAFA): InFrance: 05 53 01 64 54. Email:france@ssafa. org.uk AVF: help withFrench life; www.avf.asso.frOTHER INFOYELLOW PAGES: www.pagesjaunes.frSPEAKING CLOCK: 3699. WEATHER:08 92 68 02 + dept. number. LASTINCOMING CALL ON YOUR PHONE:3131, then ‘5’ if you wish to connect. BRITISH CONSULATEBritish Consulate Marseilles: 24 avenuedu Prado, 13006 Marseilles. Open: 09:00-12:00 and 14:00-17:00 Tel: 04 91 15 72 10 (after hours emer-gency call this number for answer phoneemergency service)PUBLIC HOLIDAYS THIS MONTHNone

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Allicance Franco-Anglaise du LanguedocRoussillonAssociation aimed at assisting Englishspeaking newcomers to integrate throughconversation classes and social events.Contact Neil Todd: 04 67 37 99 52www.afal.name

Association EchangesAssociation offering cultural exchanges inFrench or English and bringing togethervarious nationalities for meetings everytwo months. Social events for people inthe area plus English lessons. The mainactivity for English speakers is a "potluck" meal together for informal discus-sion and games and so on. ContactEmma Tikunova: 04 68 60 38 99 or06 01 79 97 27associationechanges@live.com

Appassionata ChoirThe Chorale Appassionata welcomes newmembers. We rehearse in the SallePolyvalente at Bassan,from 19.45 to22.00 every Tuesday. Membership isinternational,- we sing everything - classi-cal to jazz. Contact Rhona Goujon 04 67 36 05 83

ESKA English Speaking Kids AssociationA new non-profit association called ESKA- English Speaking Kids Association -which has been set up in the region tobring together English-speaking childrenof various ages to enjoy different kinds ofactivities in English. All children of allnationalities are welcome to join in theactivities accompanied by their parents orguardians. Meetings take place in Lunel-Viel. 04 67 82 36 62

Languedoc Clubs and Associations

PAGESLANGUEDOC

Prevention needed after burglary rise

Donation plea launched forstricken Canal du Midi trees

The British are among the most enthusiastic pleasure boaters on the Canal du Midi ever since the 1960s

POLICE and local mayors are urgingLanguedoc residents to take preventativesteps to protect their homes from bur-glars – including installing an alarm, orgetting a dog.

Official police figures reveal 17% of allcriminal offences reported inLanguedoc-Roussillon between 2010 and2011 were burglaries.

In Saint-Jean-de-Serres (Gard), a recentwave of burglaries resulted in eight com-plaints made to the local police.

Village mayor Jean-Luc Aigoin said:“We must not become paranoid, but weshould pay more attention to what goeson, and note the number plates of anysuspicious vehicles in order to informthe authorities and raise awarenessamong older people in the area.”

He said reductions in the number oflocal gendarmes did not help to dissuadethieves: “We have 17 policemen for thisarea, with 21,000 inhabitants – we can-not be more efficient.”

“Get a dog” was the advice to Yvette ofVilleneuve-lès-Maguelone (Hérault) whowas burgled twice in one year.

She installed an alarm system after thefirst break-in, but after the second oneshe discovered the alarm had beenripped from the wall, and as a result ofthe two incidents, she can no longerinsure her home.

Bernard, who lives in Pauligne (Aude),maintains that the problem is not con-fined to those living in cities and towns.

“I sold my house in Limoux after beingburgled – it was most upsetting, I

thought we would be safe in a village, Iwas wrong.”

In his new neighbourhood, the resi-dents have a system of co-operationwhere they go on holiday at differenttimes so there is always someone to keepan eye on empty homes in the area.

In Aujargues (Gard), mayor GuyLamadie introduced in 2010 a “citizenparticipation” scheme – a kind of neigh-bourhood watch programme that hascontributed to an almost 30% decreasein crime in the area.

For residents like Yannick, who livesoutside Lunel and who was burgledtwice in the space of a month, the onlyprotection is an alarm system and a dog.“They will scare off most people whocome near my place,” he says.

A PUBLIC fund-raiser seeking tens ofmillions towards saving the Canal duMidi’s trees launches this month.

The iconic trees which line the worldheritage site are being ravaged by the cer-atocystis platani fungus, thought to havearrived in France via ammunition boxesof American solidiers in the SecondWorld War.

It is thought many will have to be cutand replaced over about the next 10years, at a cost of about €200m.

They form an integral part of the land-scape of the canal, which links theMediterranean and the Garonne and hasbeen described by Unesco as “a work ofart” because of the way it blends into itssetting. Listing the canal, the body saidits 17th century creator, Pierre-PaulRiquet, “took great pains to ensure that itwas suitably framed by trees and planta-tions that harmonised with the land-scape through which it passed”.

The canal is considered the greatestFrench engineering feat of its centuryand it is used by about 10,000 boats ayear. The British were responsible for thetrend of pleasure boating on the canalfrom the 1960s and are still among thebiggest users. It accounts alone for athird of pleasure boating in France and isno longer used for freight.

Jacques Noisette, a spokesman forVoies Navigables de France, the statebody that runs the canal, said formerenvironment minister NathalieKosciusko-Morizet had suggested a thirdof the funding might come from thestate, a third from local authorities andathird from gifts. A report by senator

Alain Chatillon will be published aroundthe end of this month, clarifying this andmaking recommendations for solutionsfor financing.

Mr Noisette said there were 42,000trees and that since 2006, when the fun-gus was first spotted, about 2,000 havebeen cut down.

He said: “We know that this year ornext we must move to a rhythm of 4,000a year, but that is not to say all of thetrees will be cut down and changed.Between Toulouse and Castelnaudarythey are healthy, to Carcassonne thereare several small areas of outbreaks, andthen from there to the Mediterranean

there are a lot of trees affected.“However the fact that the fungus is

now spreading faster forces us to speedup the rate at which we are cutting downtrees, which is why we are asking forextra help. A sponsorship association forthe canal is almost ready to receive thefirst gifts.”

When a tree is cut, it can only be re-placed a year later, he said – both cuttingand replanting have to be done in winter– and it is done with a small tree, around4-5m high. “We cut at the time when thesap is at its lowest, and we replant inwinter again so that the roots take holdin the spring. We also do it in winterbecause there are fewer boats.”

Mr Noisette said they are hoping for anenthusiastic response to the call for help,because the canal is well-loved.

“It’s an exceptional heritage, which isalmost 400 years old. All the bridges andlocks and hydraulic mechanisms arebeautiful and still in use. It’s importantculturally, and also has sentimental valueand an economic one. It crosses thewhole of the deep south-west.”

Mr Noisette said the plane trees weknow today date from the end of the19th century. An earlier variety of treespecies along the canal was regularlyharvested for its wood.

“The trees are important aesthetically –they are part of the image – and theroots help hold the banks together andthe leaves create shade for boaters andlimit evaporation of the water.”

If you would like to make a donationsend an email to valerie.mura@developpement-durable.gouv.fr

“The canal is important culturallyand of course hassentimental value,and also an economic one. Itcrosses the whole ofthe deep south-westJacques Noisette Voies Navigables de France

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Inheritance SolutionsFrench inheritance rules may mean that your worldwide estate will not be distributed according to your wishes.

Look after those that matter.Marjorie Mansfield, Regional ManagerTel French Head Office: 05 56 34 75 51Email: bordeaux.office@siddalls.net

www.siddalls.frFrench fi nance in plain EnglishSiddalls France SASU, Parc Innolin, 3 Rue du Golf, 33700 Mérignac - RCS BX 498 800 465. C.I.F. No E001669 auprès de ANACOFI-CIF association agréée par l’Autorité des Marchés Financiers et Courtier d’Assurances, Catégorie B - ORIAS 07 027 475. Garantie Financière et Assurance de Responsabilité Civile Professionnelle conformes aux articles L 541-3 du Code Monétaire et Financier et L 512-6 et 512-7 du Code des Assurances.

CHEFS and grow-ers in the Aude arepromoting thevirtues of the sum-mer truffle – whichthey say is deliciousand a fraction ofthe best-knownvarieties.

The best qualityblack truffles sellfor about €1,000per kilo, makingthem out of mostpeople’s reachexcept for very spe-cial occasions.

Philippe Barrière, a truffleexpert and trufficulteur (truf-fle producer) fromCarcassonne is one of thepeople seeking to make truf-fles more accessible.

He said: “There are over100 sorts of truffle and thetruffe d'été is very close to thetruffe de Bourgogne, but whatpeople have to know is thatit’s always eaten raw, youmustn’t cook it.”

Until now, summer truffleshave been gathered in the wildrather than cultivated, but lastyear certain truffle growers inAude have replanted theirorchards, meaning that thefirst locally cultivated summertruffles should be in the shopsthis month.

Mr Barrière’s favouriterecipe is to grate the truffleinto a mild olive oil with somesalt and a little pepper and mixwell to make a spread whichcan be used on toast as anapéro snack, as seasoning withsalads or with pasta, fish orfoie gras. It has a paler colour

and less defined flavour thana black truffle (nuttier andmore subtle) but at around€350 per kilo it is moreaffordable than its wintercousin.

Both species grow on theroots of the same trees, thepaler version being harvestedin the summer and the dark-er one in the winter. Shavingscan be used to flavour allsorts of light summer dishesincluding carpaccio andrisotto. It is even said thatshavings of summer truffleson fried eggs elevate a simplebreakfast into a celebration ofthe new dawn.

For keen gardeners, it iseven possible to buy truffle-bearing saplings in some gar-den centres, although withoutthe right soil and weatherconditions, the truffles willnot form.

Mr Barrière added: “We’redefinitely going to promotesummer truffles because weknow people are going to lovethem.”

MONTPELLIER grocers are-taking legal action after beingordered to close at night.

A new bylaw, which oppo-nents say was rushed in, bansopening between 2.00-6.00 inthe centre and suburbs.

The city council says this isdue to rising complaints fromneighbours about shouting inthe streets, fights, broken bot-tles and cars parked withmusic playing.

Councillors add it is alsowell known that some of theshops do not respect the banon selling alcohol after 22.00.

About 100 grocers are saidto be affected. Their spokes-man, Mounif Letaïef, saidthey would be suing in theadministrative courts as theyconsider the bylaw discrimi-natory. This is because it doesnot apply to grocer’s shops inoutlying estates, and also be-cause most of the people af-fected are of Arab origin.

They claim the law waspassed secretly and they onlyfound out about it “by acci-dent”. There have been pro-tests, including the shopsstaying open all one night.

The council said it wouldhand out fines if the orderwas not followed.

Fifth tram linebeing plannedWEEKS after the officialinauguration of Montpellier’sthird and fourth tram lines,the city has announced theintended route for a fifth line,running from Prades-le-Lezin the north to Lavérune inthe south-west. The 17kmtrack is scheduled for com-pletion in 2017, with workstarting at the end of 2013.The project will be part-financed by the French gov-ernment (€37m), the region-al council (€50m) and theHérault department (€23m).

Low-cost flightto StrasbourgBUDGET airline Twin Jet islaunching a new route fromMontpellier to Strasbourgfrom June 4, aimed primarilyat business travellers. Therewill be two daily return tripsfrom Monday to Thursday.See www.twinjet.fr

Miracle escapefor A9 driverA 79-year-old driver collidedwith three cars while driving8km in the wrong directionalong the A9 motorway –but miraculously no one wasinjured. He was heading fromNîmes towards Montpellierwhen he reached a motorwaytoll and decided to do a U-turn, then drove at 120kphin the middle lane with carsapproaching head-on.Alcohol tests came back neg-ative and the man was admit-ted to a psychiatric hospital.

Row overclosure oflate-nightshops

Cheaper summertruffles prove hit

The summer truffle sells for €350/kg

Lili the cat saves ownersby meowing during fire

A HUNTER who blew part of his hand offin an accident was saved after he and hisblood-covered dog managed to make it to aroad where a van-driver spotted the dog.

Lyon man Eric Garcia has a second homein Dio-et-Valquières in the Hérault wherehe enjoys hunting, but he may now have togive up the hunt. He warned other hunters:“Be careful!” after his gun exploded in hishands as he had absent-mindedly loaded it

with the wrong calibre cartridge. “You makea mistake, and look what can happen.”

“I was out hunting woodcock and I used acartridge that was too small and it blockedthe gun and then the second cartridgebackfired and the gun exploded.”

Both hands were seriously injured and hewas lucky he was able to get to a roadbefore passing out. “It was incrediblypainful, I was in shock, bleeding really

heavily. And my thumb had been blown off.I could have bled to death in the woods.Mirza my wonderful dog, a Breton Spaniel,was covered in blood too and we managedto get to the road and a driver saw her.”

The driver called rescue services and MrGarcia was airlifted to Montpellier’s handinjury unit at Clémentville Clinic.

“I’ve always loved hunting but I don’tknow if I’ll hunt again. It’s too early to say.”

A WOMAN and her son have been saved from afire after their cat, Lili, woke them with her franticmewing.

Françoise Durand, 64, and her son, 19, had beenfast asleep in their rented house in Paraza in theAude when fire broke out in the kitchen.

They were both awakened when they heard Lilimeowing around 1.10am. The cat was meowing soloudly that they both woke up and realised whatwas happening and managed to escape.

Mme Durand told neighbours that she knew shewas lucky to escape the blaze and, but for Lili,things could have been a lot worse.

Paraza mairie said that Mme Durand had nowfound a new temporary apartment and was justfinishing the last of the paperwork with the insur-ance company.

“The new temporary apartment is very nice; it’s aflat within a house, still in the village of Paraza,and has a courtyard for Lili the cat, her other catand her dog so all’s well that ends well.”

Lili the cat woke owners during fire

Driver raises alarm after spotting shot hunter’s bloodied dog

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SITUATED between Saint-Maurice-Navacelles andBlandas, straddling theHérault and Gard depart-ments, the Cirque deNavacelles is the Languedoc’sequivalent of the GrandCanyon. It was created somethree million years ago by gla-cial erosion, and ranks amongsome of the region’s moststriking natural formations.

This breathtaking sight was

carved out by the glacial riverVis cutting a meanderingcourse through the valley,creating an oxbow lake whichdried up over the centuries.Today, it is an island of landreached by just one narrowroad from which one canlook down 600m at theancient hamlet of Navacelles.

At the foot of the gorge, thevillage nestles on rocks sur-rounded by green swathes of

arable fields encircled bysteep limestone slopes, form-ing a huge natural amphithe-atre that is a geological spec-tacle unique in Europe.

The completion of theMillau viaduct and morerecently the new A75 motor-way has meant that tourismto the area has increased – anestimated 300,000 visitorsmake their way to the siteeach year.

Our own Grand CanyonDid you know? City palm

trees ‘arenot suitedfor ourclimate’

Ryanair may stop flights to Carcassonne

THE Languedoc-Roussillon’s palm trees arelooking less than healthyafter extreme cold andwindy weather at the start ofthe year was followed by aperiod of drought.

In Montpellier, where for-mer mayor Georges Frêcheplanted about 400 palmtrees in 1998 in an attemptto boost the city’sMediterranean image,experts fear that many ofthe trees will not survive.

Ethnobiologist JosianeUbaud said: “The problemis that these palm trees aresimply not suited to our cli-mate, and this is why theysuffer so much in winter.”

Official figures suggest theregion’s rainfall levels weredown 95% this winter andofficial restrictions put inplace mean that, in somedepartments, trees in publicspaces and private gardenscannot be watered.

The infestation of thepaysandisia archon butterflythat has raged for someyears has not helped, either.

THE Hérault has the bestcare homes for retired peoplein all of France, new researchhas revealed.

The winning criteria wasthe affordable cost of homescompared to those in otherparts of France with similarstandards of care, such as theHauts-de-Seine, near Paris.

About 10,000 homes wereanonymously visited in thecourse of the research byFrance Info, which looked atthe personal and medical caregiven to residents, the activi-ties offered, the catering stan-dards, general hygiene, theattitude of staff to residents,and the environment andarchitecture as well as thevalue for money.

The team were not neces-sarily looking for the cheap-est care, but where higherprices were charged, werelooking for evidence that theythe home still represented

value for money. They visited 162 care homes

across the department andnoted that the general qualityof care had improved consid-erably, in line with the rest ofthe country. Some 55 homesscored 10 out of 10.

They also noted, however,that providing better care hadresulted in generally higherprices. On average, it is esti-mated that a care home inFrance costs about €2,000 amonth, around €600 ofwhich usually has to be paidby the family.

Keeping costs affordablewhile pushing standardsupwards is a challenge whichis set to become increasinglyvital. In Greater Montpellierfor example, which is aregion with one of theyoungest populations inFrance, the number of peopleaged over 75 is forecast torise from 7% to 11% by 2030.

RYANAIR, currently underinvestigation by the EuropeanCommission, has announcedit may stop flying to theLanguedoc-Roussillon air-ports of Nîmes andCarcassonne.

The low cost airline’s busi-ness model is to ask localauthorities to subsidise theiroperations by paying largesums to Ryanair, for “promo-tion” or “airport improve-ments” or “business protec-tion”. In return, by dint ofoffering cut-price fares,Ryanair imports large num-bers of tourists who will thenspend money in an area, revi-talising the tourism and serv-ices sector. The Irish compa-ny has just notched up half amillion passengers to Béziers,further to the south.

Ryanair says that its 11routes flying intoCarcassonne, bringing morethan 410,000 passengers ayear to the region, have creat-ed 410 jobs and boosted thelocal economy.

Asked whether Connexionreaders could expect flightsto airports in the Languedoc-Roussillon (including Nîmesand Carcassonne) to continueuninterrupted this summer,Ryanair’s head of communi-cations

Stephen McNamara said:“Absolutely. This is a long-term issue for the airport andwill not affect Ryanair pas-sengers for the foreseeablefuture. Our summer sched-ules are set and will operate.”

The European Commissionis not, however, convincedthat making the opening ofan air route conditional onreceiving local subsidies islegal, and is investigating thecompany to see if it hasinfringed EU competitionlaws on state aid. It is lookingat Ryanair’s dealings with 16

European airports in additionto Nîmes and Carcassonne.

Airport authorities inBéziers, Rodez, Montpellierand Perpignan, which arealso Ryanair destinations, arewatching the progress of theinvestigation very closely.

Michael Cawley, deputyCEO, has been quick tobrand the investigation as a“vendetta against Ryanair”,saying that it was beingforced to close routes againstits will, and that the subsidieswere necessary in order tokeep ticket prices low.

In 2004 the EuropeanCommission ruled thatRyanair’s subsidy agreementwith Charleroi airport (nearBrussels) was illegal, but thatdecision was overturned bythe European Court in 2008.

Ryanair last year announcedit had made profits of justover €400 million.

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Hérault is France’sbest retirement spot

Our summer schedules areset and willoperateStephen McNamara Ryanair’s head of communications

Send a letter to the futureTWO inventors from Béziers have created a service allowingpeople to write a letter to a friend, relative or themselves thatwill not be delivered until a selected date in the future – any-thing from two months to 20 years. Jérémie Desnoyer andLaurent Bernadac had the idea for Lettravenir after watchingWith Love... from the Age of Reason, in which a 40-year-oldcompany boss (played by Sophie Marceau) finds a letter shewrote to herself at the age of 7. Prices start at €2 per year andthe letter can be destroyed later, on the sender’s request.

“

News 5Languedoc Pages June 2012

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A FORECAST forhot and sunnyweather in Junespells further badnews for theregion’s water table– with restrictionsstill in place in theGard and Hérault.

Although theauthorities say thatthe outlook is nowmore positive thanearlier in the year –and the downpourwhich causedflooding in someareas during April went a fair way to making upthe deficit – total rainfall since the beginning ofthe year remains below average.

As temperatures rise further, rain is likely toevaporate rather than sink into the earth, mean-ing that reservoirs are unlikely to fill up anymore before the summer.

June’s weather – and especially the amount ofrain – is important as July and August loom,months in which underground reservoirs veryoften shrink, but demand for water grows as visi-tors to the region increase domestic demand,and fill swimming pools, while farmers and gar-deners water crops and flowers.

It looks as if the current restrictions are set tostay in place this summer. In the Gard, thismeans no watering between 8.00 and 20.00, nocar washing at all, and no filling of privatelyowned swimming pools except for the first time.

In Hérault, this means no watering of lawns,private or public gardens at all, and watering ofkitchen gardens, sports fields and golf coursesbanned between 10.00 and 18.00. Fountains areto be turned off, and cars cannot be washedexcept in commercial car washing stations.

The Pyrénées-Orientales is on a low-level alert,meaning that water consumption is being closelymonitored. At the time of going to press, therewere no water restrictions in Aude or Lozère.

Taxis fined forSpanish pick-upsTAXI drivers in Perpignan have threatenedto form a blockade at the Franco-Spanishborder after drivers were fined heavily forpicking up passengers in Spain. An estimat-ed 60 taxi drivers have demonstrated inPerpignan against fines of more than€1,000 which have been levied by theSpanish authorities against two drivers whocollected passengers from Spain and thenbrought them into France. One driver hadbeen booked by clients to collect them fromthe aiport in Girona. Taxi drivers inPyrénées-Orientales maintain that cross-border fares are legal under European lawand have asked for more clarity on the issuefrom the Catalan authorities.

Hérault wine fuelsEuro 2012 teamA LANGUEDOC winery has been chosenas the official supplier to the French nation-al football team in the run-up to this sum-mer’s Euro 2012 competition, to be held inPoland and the Ukraine. Le Mas des Armesin Aniane (Hérault) is run by the Puccinibrothers and the estate will supply 200 bot-tles of wine to the French squad with thehope that their success in the competitionwill bring more orders. Henri Emile, theFrench team administrator, explained that itis important that the team have continuityin their wine drinking, from training ses-sions and on into the competition.

Unemployment isworst in FranceTHE latest official figures show unemploy-ment in the Languedoc-Roussillon reached13.1% in the last quarter of 2011, significant-ly higher than the national average of 9.4%and putting the region at the top of theFrench league table for joblessness.According to national statistics body Insee,the level of youth unemployment continuesto give cause for concern, with 52% of youngpeople spending at least one month onunemployment benefit during their firstthree years in the work market.

6% rise in peopleregistering to voteTHIS year’s French presidential electionssaw a significant rise in voter figures inLanguedoc-Roussillon, with almost two mil-lion claiming their right to vote – anincrease of 111,000 (6.12%), compared tothe last elections in 2007. An extra 56,000voters signed up in Hérault alone; this risein numbers is partly explained by the factthat the department attracts some 25,000new inhabitants each year.

Roads renamedin nod to historyRESIDENTS in Bagnols-sur-Cèze (Gard)have reached an agreement with La Poste torename some of the town’s roads, in a nodto the old local language. New road signshave popped up with the revised names –described as a “gallicised” version of oldProvençal names and references to Occitanhistory.

Restrictions onwater use still inplace despite rain

Photo: Houbazar/Flickr

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Awards for 18 marinasTHE "Pavillon Bleu" (BlueFlag) label is given outannually to beaches andmarinas which voluntarilyapply to be considered. This year, 18 marinas in

L anguedoc-Roussi l lonhave been awarded theprestigious label. Criteriafor inclusion include cleanwater, proper sanitationand rubbish disposal, theavailability of drinkingwater and environmentinformation for visitors.The Blue Flag charter for

marinas requires people touse the correct selectiverubbish bins, to promisenot to discharge sewageinto the water, or dumptoxic waste into it (ie usedbatteries). It also requirespeople to use environmen-tally-friendly maintenanceproducts and paint on theirvessels. They are alsorequired to report any pol-lution to the authoritiesand do everything they canto respect the flora andfauna, including obeyingall fishing bylaws.

All kinds of innovationsare being used to clean upmarinas including floatingrubbish bins for domesticwaste from pleasure craft,and boats which hoover upfloating waste in marinas.Many marinas are also rais-

ing awareness by holdingmeetings with boat-ownersand organising trips inelectric boats. Many portsalso encourage people touse eco-friendly transportwithin the marina, ie walk-ing or cycling rather thanusing motor vehicles. The "Pavillon Bleu" (Blue

Flag) awards to beacheswere due to be announcedat the end of May.

Aude (11)Port de CarcassonnePort de CastelnaudaryPort de Plaisance deNarbonnePort de Plaisance de GruissanPort LeucateGard (30)Port de BellegardePort Camargue (Grau du Roi)

Hérault (34)Port de plaisance deBouzigues (For the first time)Port de Plaisance de CarnonPort de Plaisance deFrontignanPort de La Grande MottePort de Palavas les FlotsPort de Plaisance du Capd'Agde

Port de Plaisance de VendresenDomitienne* (Vendres-plage) Pyrénées-Orientales (66)Port de plaisance de PortVendresPort d'Argelès sur MerPort Saint Ange de BarcarèsPort de plaisance de Saint-Cyprien

The Blue Flag Marinas 2012 in Languedoc-Roussillon

6 National News Languedoc Pages June 2012

More on these articles - andhundreds more - can be found at

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UPDATED DAILY

Airport thief’s London ‘commute’A BRITISH man who commuted toParis twice a month for theft spreesat Charles de Gaulle Airport hasbeen jailed for a year. “John”, in his40s, targeted luggage, mainly in ter-minal 2C. He took valuables andcash, such as €70,000 in cash fromthe baggage of the Prime Minister ofChad, as well as mobile phones orlaptops. He would stay in an airporthotel before flying back with hishaul, reports said. He was arrestedafter being found with a suitcasebelonging to a Cameroon traveller.

Ayrault re-named tospare Arab blushesNEW prime minister Jean-MarcAyrault is causing blushes in manyArab countries – especially for jour-nalists – as his surname sounds thesame as a colloquial word for penis.

The French Foreign Ministry hasnow put out a new version of thepronunciation, saying it is permissi-ble to pronounce the normally silentL and T letters.

A similar problem arose in Francefor Russian president VladimirPutin, whose name sounds similar toputain, a French slang word for pros-titute and a common swear word.

Spectacles discountfor the over-60sOLDER people on low incomes areto get a special pass that will givethem cheaper spectacles and eyetests. Opticians, health insurers,spectacle manufacturers and glass-

News from across France

Montpellier are French champions

PRIMARY schools are going back to a five-day week, new educationminister Vincent Peillon has said. He wants a return to the pre-2008system by next year’s rentrée (September 2013) but said local mairiescould whether to open school on Wednesdays or Saturdays.

Ending Saturday morning school in 2008 led to longer school days onthe remaining days and this was criticised as tiring for the children byleading parents’ association FCPE, the national Academy of Medicineand a parliamentary report.

However, a government poll of 5,000 parents and school staff lastyear found just 33% wanted to change the four-day week.

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maker Essilor have banded togetherto offer the pass-lunettes as they sayolder people have more need of eye-care, more expensive prescriptionsand they are not well covered bysocial security or health insurance.

The pass will be available to anyover-60s eligible for the Aide à laComplémentaire Santé (a benefit par-tially covering costs of buying top-uphealthcare insurance).

Details will be posted to those whoare already claiming the benefit.

Eurostar plan to addnew destinationsCHANNEL Tunnel train operatorEurostar wants to add around 10new destinations to its service.

At present it serves just Paris,London and Brussels, but is lookingto travel to cities such as

ing five Parisian cafés to permitsmoking on their terraces.

DNF had said the lightweight plas-tic enclosures were just a way for thecafés to get around the law banningsmoking in enclosed public places.

It said the air inside them wasmore polluted than the Périphériqueand president Gérard Audureau nowplans to petition the new healthminister for the law to be clarified.

Air France will cut upto 5,000 jobsAIR France is set to cut 5,000 jobsover the next three years as part of anew business plan aimed to get itback into the black.

Le Figaro said the airline aimed tocut its non-fuel costs by 20% andwould transfer some leisure flights toits low-cost carrier Transavia, cutcosts in economy class and improvecomfort in business class. The num-ber of freight planes would bereduced as would maintenance costs.

However, news site La Tribune saidonly up to 3,000 employees would go– and an Air France spokesmandenied any figures had been agreed.

Le Figaro said voluntary redundan-cy would be open to all staff: groundcrew, cabin crew and, for the firsttime, pilots. The company has 4,000pilots, including 590 over-55s but theretirement age is 65.

Air France says at least 500 pilotshave more than 25 years' service –who will benefit from the maximumredundancy pay-out.

Racers quizzed after two die in rally crashPOLICE are still trying to work outthe cause of a rally car crash thatkilled two people and injured 19spectators at the Riviera village ofPlan-de-la-Tour.

They questioned the driver andnavigator, who are both long-timecompetitors, and are also examiningthe car for any mechanical failure.

The VW Golf ploughed into spec-tators after running straight-on at acorner. A 20-year-old man and a 50-year-old steward were killed. Fivepeople were seriously hurt, with twoyouths fighting for their lives.

(the market value of all goods andservices produced in France in theyear) by the end of last year, slightlyup on the 85.8% announced before.

At the end of last year the govern-ment predicted there would be 1%growth in 2012, a figure it hadrevised down from a previous 1.75%.

Security stepped upfor ‘normal’ HollandeSCORES of specialised police arebeing reassigned to the protection ofFrançois Hollande and others closeto him. The new president, who hassaid he wants to be seen as “normal”,is now having to adjust to the hyper-protected life of a head of state.

Hollande benefited from 15 body-guards during the elections – theyare expected to form the nucleus ofhis Groupe de Sécurité de laPrésidence de la République (GSPR).

President Sarkozy’s GSPR consistedof 80 officers, who will shortly bereassigned to other jobs. The armed,plain-clothes officers consist of threeteams who divide their time betweenprotection, training and rest.

It is not known if Hollande’s pro-tection will be similar. Until now hehas preferred minimal security, withno bodyguard at the primaries andjust four at the start of his campaign.

Court rejects cafésmoking appeal SMOKERS can continue to smoke incafé terraces that are enclosed byplastic sheeting, the Paris appealcourt has ruled.

The court rejected an appeal byanti-smoking group Droits des Non-fumeurs (DNF) who wanted tostrike out a lower court ruling allow-

Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Geneva,Marseille and Lyon, boss NicolasPetrovic told the Financial Times. Itsplans come as German operatorDeutsche Bahn said it will offerChunnel services from late in 2015.

Club red-faced overspelling mistakeA SPELLING mistake has leftOlympique de Marseille football clubwith red faces, as they got the wordorange wrong on their strips.

The reversible jerseys carry a quotefrom a song by Marseille rapperAkhenaton, but it is grammaticallyincorrect. It reads: Et nos cœurs sontoranges, comme au couchant sont lesflots” but the word orange does notneed the “s”, which makes it read“And our hearts are oranges, like thewaves at sunset”. Sports shops acrossFrance have the strips on sale now at€150 for the Techfit version and€90 for the ordinary one. OM willwear them for the first time in aleague match at Sochaux.

Orange is used as part of the club’sfight against racism, echoing fanswho turn their bomber jackets insideout to show the orange lining.

Economy stagnatesin first quarterTHE French economy showed zerogrowth in the first quarter of 2012,official Insee figures show.

On top of this, the body has nowrevised down its growth calculationfor the last quarter of 2011, to 0.1%instead of 0.2%. However an overallfigure of 1.7% has been maintainedfor last year.

French national debt is now calcu-lated to have reached 86% of GDP

Schools go back to five-day week

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MONTPELLIER football club have become Frenchchampions for the first time in the club’s history.

The victory – pipping Paris Saint-Germain – is yetanother sporting success for the city whose handballteam are French champions for the 14th time. Itsrugby team are again for the Top 14 finals.

Montpellier won a nerve-wracking final gameagainst newly-relegated Auxerre 2-1 – with the

match being interrupted three times by angry rivalsupporters. It did not finish until 23.30.

The win is even more special as their €36 millionbudget is a fraction of other teams – and especiallyQatar-owned PSG who spent €42m on one player.

Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud also took thetop goal-scorer title – he and PSG’s Brazilian Nenêboth had 21 goals but Giroud scored fewer penalties.

News 7Languedoc Pages June 2012

Secret gardens open for all Pesticidespraying‘affectingchildren’shormones’

Tiger mosquito warning:remove stagnant water

ABOUT 80 gardens and parks all overthe Languedoc-Roussillon will opentheir gates to the public, many of themfor the first time, for the Rendez-vousaux Jardins weekend, from June 1-3.

The theme for the event will be “thegarden and its images” – whether figura-tive, literary, poetic, musical, cinemato-graphic or even imaginary.

The event is nationwide, organised bythe culture ministry and, in this region,by the Amis des Parcs et Jardins. As wellas visits to green spaces, it will also fea-ture all sort of readings, film shows, talksand other events. A full list of all the par-ticipating gardens is on the website atwww.jardinslanguedoc.com

Véronique Ferhmin, from Amis desParcs et Jardins, said: “Even if people onlygo to a park once a year, the Rendez-vousaux Jardins weekend is a wonderful wayto discover and enjoy nature.”

She is particularly enthusiastic aboutthe wide variety of parks and gardensthat will be open to the public during theevent: “Many of them are normallyclosed to the public, and there are somany to chose from; historic gardens,botanic ones, cultural, shared, artistic –there are even some kitchen gardens.”

One highlight will be the Bambouseraiein Générargues, near Anduze (Gard) – anexotic garden laid out in 1856 by EugèneMazel (see www.bambouseraie.com). Itfeatures bamboo but also streams, bam-boo huts, and groves.

Children love the giant bamboo forest,the maze, the water gardens and the giantbamboo furniture and everyone loves theland art, modern installations using natu-

ral, often living, materials. There is also agreenhouse, and the whole garden iswheelchair accessible.

In Montpellier, the Château de laMogère (www.lamogere.fr) is a stunningexample of a formal French garden com-plete with fountains, classical statues, androws of cypress trees. As you turn eachcorner a new formal setting is revealed.The château is also open to the public.

In the Aude, the Skite Sainte Foy spiri-tual garden will be open to the public(www.photo-frerejean.com). In thegrounds of a 16th century monastery, thegardens are simple and modest, most ofthem supplying the kitchen with organicproduce, but the views are spectacular.The monastery may also be visited, butthe public are requested to keep theirlegs and shoulders covered.

The Château de Flaugergues in Monpel is one of the gardens taking part

Photo: Faustine Ferhmin

PUBLIC health authoritiesin the Gard are warningresidents to be aware oftiger mosquitoes, followingthe recent spell of wetweather.

The species (which hasblack and white stripes) hasbeen seen in the depart-ment and people should beparticularly on their guardagainst them as they canact as a vector, passingdengue fever and theChikungunya virusbetween humans.

Anyone who has recentlycome back from abroadand is suffering from fever-ish aches and pains in their joints (common symptoms of boththese diseases) is advised to contact their GP as soon as possi-ble, and to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. As part of thealert, the authorities are also asking people to ensure that thereis no stagnant water on their property – swimming pools, watertanks, flower boxes, bird baths, water cans and saucers underplants, for example.

Other ways of avoiding bites are to wear insect repellent out-doors (especially at dusk), use insecticide spray or diffusers inbedrooms, use mosquito nets over beds, especially over babiesand children, put the air conditioning on, keep windows anddoors closed especially at night when lights are on in the house,and burn repellent candles.

Mosquitoes commonly lurk at the top of walls just below theceiling, so direct mosquit spray that way before going to bed.

Outside, make your garden mosquito-unfriendly by makingsure weeds are cut back, trees pruned and lawns kept short. Ifyou have a pond, buy mosquitofish and guppies, which eatmosquito lavae. Dragonflies eat mosquitoes as they fly and batsalso enjoy an early evening mosquito snack.

If you haven't already done so, June is the month to buy yourdog a collar against leishmaniasis, which is carried by sand fliesthroughout Languedoc-Roussillon. Infection rates in dogsremain stubbornly high and infection in humans is increasing.

Leishmaniasis in dogs can be fatal if untreated and can spreadto humans whose immune system is weak due to their age or aserious disease such as cancer.

A collar, available from chemists, is 99% effective, costs in theregion of €12 and will also protect your pet from ticks. You willneed additional treatments against fleas and worms.

A MEDICAL professor hasvoiced concern about theeffects of aerial pesticidespraying in the region.

Although the sprays are cer-tified safe to use individually,there are worries about the“cocktail” effect seen whendifferent chemical spraysbecome mixed.

In Languedoc, with ricefields to the east, grain to thewest and the entire regionplanted with vines, each crophas a specific pesticide andthe proximity of the crops isconsidered to represent apotentially hazardous mix.

The head of the region’sagriculture and forestrywatchdog, Christophe Pueyo,said the products used weresubject to very strict controls.

However, Charles Sultan, aprofessor at the CHUMontpellier hospital, saidsome of the official analysismethods were “medieval”. Hesaid he had evidence of chil-dren with extremely highoestrogen levels, potentiallylinked to the chemicals.

Photo: ElGrafo/W

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HÉRAULT 34Margon - Parc et jardin duchâteau de Margon Montpellier - Flaugergues Servian - Saint-Adrien

GARD 30 Concoules - Jardin du Tomple Generargues - Bambouseraie dePrafrance Nîmes - Jardins de la Fontaine Ponteils-et-Bresis - Jardin du masde l’Abri Saint-André de Majencoules -Jardin des Sambucs

Open Gardens

Jardins de la Fontaine

Château de Margon

8 What’s On Languedoc Pages June 2012

June

Pyrénées-OrientalesCanet-en-Roussillon FOOD

June 17 Olive festival, Place Méditerranée, 10.00 – Browse around the stands of the local market, where the producers will introduce you to their olives and olive based products, such as oil, tapenades, bread and wood.

The big stars on the day will be the giants, who will parade through the town.These papier-maché figures, sometimes five metrestall, are dressed in historic costume and each represents a historical figure in the town they come from.They usually come inpairs, often as the king and queen.The Canet giants,Vicomte Guillem de Canet and his wife Gueralda, will be accompanied by

giant friends from Perpignan, Elne,Argelès,Thuir and Tautavel and the “Gralle” traditional music band.Call 04 68 86 72 00 or email infos@ot-canet.fr or visit www.ot-canet.fr

Aude Coursan

FAMILY

June 2Vanessa Hidden, Le Palais des Archevêques, 16.30 – Aspart of the event Musique en Monuments,Vanessa Hidden willbe performing chansons realistes - a style which grew out of thecafe culture of Montmartre in the 1880s, along with a pianorecital by Tristan Michel.Vanessa Hidden studied at theConservatoire de Narbonne and the Conservatoire de Paris.She has performed at Olympia, the Cartoucherie de Vincennes,the Sentier des Halles, and the Théâtre du Gymnase. FREECall 04 68 90 30 65,email culture@mairie-narbonne.fr or visit www.narbonne.fr

June 17 Chevalissimo 2012, Coursan amphitheatre, 18.00 – Thisequestrian show will take you into a wonderful world full ofpoetry, charm, beauty and harmony between men and horses.The gypsy group Los Chiquitans and Caroline Capitta will provide the musical background. Prices: €12 for adults, €6 forchildren 6-10 and FREE for under 6s.Call 04 68 33 60 86 or visitwww.domavaquerafrance.com to book your tickets.

SPORT

Aude Narbonne MUSIC

Gard Vers-Pont-Du-Gard

Photo: Dom

avaquerafrance

Photo: GROUPEF2011

Photo: Yann de Fareins

June 8, 9, 15, 16 Les Fééries du Pont – There are fourchances to see this fabulous sound and light show, entitledThe Fairies of the Bridge.This stunning site on the banks ofthe Gardon will be lit up to music, with fireworks and videoeffects.The theme this year is games – the Olympics, circus

games and video games.The Pont du Gard aqueduct is one of the most beautiful

Roman constructions in the region. It was built in the firstcentury AD to supply water to Nimes.

Call 04 66 37 50 99 or visit www.pontdugard.fr oremail contact@pontdugard.fr

What’s On 9Languedoc Pages June 2012

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Hérault Roquebrun SPORT

June 1-3 The 6666 and Le Grand Raid Occitan – It may be a little late to enter, but why notgo along to watch the hardy runners who take on this rugged terrain in the epic 118km 6666race from Vailhan and the even longer 148km route from Lac du Salagou. If you want to keepup with them for some of the way, you can hire an electric bike from Vélo-cool in Olargues.

There’s a special race rate of just €20 for the day Call 06 63 32 38 18 or visit www.6666occitane.fr for details of the race.

Go to www.velo-cool.com for details of bike hire

Gard Montaren FESTIVAL

June 1-3 Chickpea festival – There will be activities, concerts, games, traditional chickpearecipes, local producers and more... and the star is a giant masked chickpea who will be

roaming the streets. Email info@fetedupoischiche.com or visit www.fetedupoischiche.com to get the full programme.

June 2 - July 1 Fred Fenouil etFrançois Gérard, Les arts enLozères – Two artists are

feature at the art gallery for amonth. François Gérard

brings his wooden or bamboo ethnic paintings andFred Fenouil will be showing

her charming and quirkyfaience sculptures.

Call 04 66 32 14 55 or visit www.les-arts-en-

lozere.com

La Canourgue

ART

Lozère

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At the time of going to press The Languedoc Pages checked, to the best of its ability, that thedetails of events listed on these pages are correct. However, as such information can change,please always check with organisers beforehand that there are no changes to the programme.

Hérault Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert FAMILY

June 2-3 Journée Mediévale – 2012marks the 1200th anniversary of thedeath of Saint Guilhem, so why notjoin residents for their medievalparty? You will be hosted by noblemen and can enjoy the medievalencampment, the parades and battlesof knights.There will also be stalls,ponies, farm animals, demonstrations,workshops, games for children,fortune tellers, and a poet.Call 04 67 57 33 65www.saint-guilhem-le-desert.com

Pick of the rest in LanguedocJune 5, 7, 10, 12, 17 29th Maguelone Festival,Maguelone Cathedral, Montpellier - This festivalof medieval, Renaissance period and baroquemusic will feature six concerts around thetheme “Musical Europe in the times ofCaravaggio”. Prices vary from €25-€45. Call04 67 60 69 92 or visitwww.musiqueancienneamaguelone.comJune 30 Grandes Voix et Jeunes Talents, GelloneAbbey, Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert – Magali Légerand the group Rosalis will perform worksfrom Luigi Boccherini and Joseph Haydn. Emailamis.stguilhem@hotmail.fr, visitwww.amisdestguilhem.fr, call 04 99 61 73 01.June 8 Jean-Charles Agou,Thraux village square,21.00 – This jazz musician has beenperforming for 30 years and has muchmusical experience. He brings along hisquartet for this special al fresco concert.Prices: €6 in advance, €8 on the day orFREE for under 16s. Call 04 66 24 96 02 orvisit contact@culture-maisondeleau.com.June 23-24 Marble and Sculpture festival, 11.00-18.00, Caunes-Minervois – Organised by TheAssociation Les Marbrières de Caunes, thistwo-day event offers exhibitions of sculptures, avisit to the quarries, shows in the streets,workshops, local food and more. Call 04 68 7803 88, email benoit.huppe@wanadoo.fr or visitwww.lesmarbrieresdecaunes.fr.June 1, 3 La flûte enchantée,Théâtre del'Archipel - Mozart’s Magic Flute tells howprince Tamino, accompanied by the birdcatcher Papageno, tries to rescue Pamina, theQueen of the Night's daughter. Prices: €35-45 for adults and FREE for under 26s. Visitwww.theatredelarchipel.org,Call 04 68 51 64 40 to book.June 6-7 25th International Swimming

Meeting, Canet-en-Roussillon – See some of theworld's top swimmers in one of the finalqualifiers for the Olympic Games in London.Prices: €8 for adults, €4 for children 12-17and free for under 12s. Call 04 68 73 54 03or visit canet66natation.com.June 16-21 Uzès dance festival 2012 – Thisyear’s theme is the place of the individual insociety. Visit www.uzesdanse.fr for theprogramme and prices. Call 04 66 22 51 51or email info@uzesdanse.frJune 9-10 Foire expo Gignac, Avenue Foch –This two-day event showcases the localeconomy,with 200 exhibitors from the heartof Hérault, representing home and garden,recreation and tourism and regionalproduce.There are games, activities, and freeentertainment for the whole family.www.cc-vallee-herault.frJune 16-17 17th Rassemblement Harley,Pomas,Aude – Come to the village of Pomas,between Carcassonne and Limoux on thebanks of the Aude River, and enjoy theunique bikes, the food and themusic.Entrance FREEwww.harley-pomas.frJune 18 Guns & Roses, Park&Suites arena,Route de la Foire, Montpellier, 20.00 – Thelegendary American hard rock band is doingjust six concerts in France, so don’t missyour chance to see them perform hits suchas Sweet Child o’mine and Paradise City.Tickets from €49.90 to €69.70.www.ps-arena.comJune 25 Foire à l’Ail, Place aux Herbes, Uzès,7.00-19.00 – Since the middle ages theinhabitants of the town of Uzes andsurrounding villages have been celebratinggarlic, a vital ingredient in French cuisine.Come along and meet the producers.

10 What’s On Languedoc Pages June 2012

A CARAVAN of six Camargue horsesand riders has set off on a six-monthcharity trip that will see them ride upthe west of France and across toLondon.

Franco-British charity SLL WhiteHorses is travelling from SaintesMaries de la Mer to Brittany and thenLondon with disadvantaged Frenchand British youngsters and disabledpeople.

Camargue horses are very goodwith children and the charity wasestablished to donate them to ridingcentres to help children with disabili-ties.

Since 2005, it has also taken Frenchand British young people from disad-vantaged backgrounds or with socio-logical problems and giving them a

sense of purpose by encouragingthem to undertake the gruelling six-month journey.

The 2012 Caravan of Hope set offon May 9 and will arrive in Londonin mid-October. The horses will thengo to Riding for the Disabled centresin the UK and similar French centres.

This year SLL White Horses isemphasising awareness of the naturalenvironment and, for the first time,has no motor escort, replacing thiswith horsedrawn caravans to leave assmall a carbon footprint as possible.

SLL White Horses founder JakkiCunningham said they relied ondonations and added: “It is a privi-lege to see the way the young peopledevelop on the journey.”

www.sllassoc.com

Promote your club or community event - email news@connexionfrance.com

noticeboardCaravan of Hope sets offon six-month London trip

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The Caravan of Hope 2012 hasset off from Saintes Maries de laMer with the youngsters beingaccompanied by horse-drawncarriages. Follow their progresson the White Horses Charity (SLL)Facebook pageLeft: Jakki Cunningham and LukeTucker with Osiris and Rabiolot

What’s On 11Languedoc Pages June 2012

What’s On in the capital

All summer, until August 19 – Thework of two critically acclaimed chroni-clers of everyday British life – photog-rapher Chris Killip and film-maker JohnSmith – go on display as part of a spe-cial UK-themed season of events at LeBal, the cultural space tucked behindthe Place de Clichy (18e). Killip was aprolific photographer in the north ofEngland in the 1970s, witnessing thesocial upheaval and conflict betweenthe working class and politicians duringthe collapse of the industrial era.Smith’s short documentary, The GirlChewing Gum, is based on the comingsand goings in a busy London street. Anumber of associated talks and screen-ings are planned, on Wednesdayevenings in June at 20.00.

www.le-bal.fr

Britishseasonat Le Bal

June 15-17 –French rock legend

Johnny Hallyday plays three nightsat the Stade de France as part ofhis latest tour. Doors open at18.00 and the support act (to beconfirmed) will take to the stageat 19.30.Tickets range from €35to €140.The Stade de France willalso host the Red Hot ChiliPeppers on June 30.

June 30 – One of the city’smost vibrant and colourfulfestivals, attracting locals andvisitors alike, Paris Pridetakes to the streets on thelast Saturday in June, settingoff as usual at 14.00 fromMontparnasse and windingthrough the city to the Placede la Bastille.marche.inter-lgbt.org

June 6-12 – A new addition this year toParis’s cultural calendar, the inaugural

Champs-Elysées Film Festival features 100 screenings and specialevents in the half-a-dozen cinemas that line the famous avenue.The guest of honour is American producer Harvey Weinstein (pic-tured), who will be discussing his work, with retrospective screen-ings of Chicago, Gangs of New York, Kill Bill,The English Patientand Shakespeare in Love. Canadian actor Donald Sutherland – starof the Dirty Dozen, MASH and the Hunger Games – will also bespeaking.The packed programme also includes independent pro-ductions, shorts, exclusive preview screenings of forthcomingreleases and international films from Iran, Croatia, Estonia andIceland among others. www.parisfilmfest.fr

June 7-10 – The Cité Internationale, Paris’s international studentcampus near the Porte d’Orléans, hosts a major marionnette fes-tival, Les Scènes Ouvertes à l’Insolite, for the ninth year running.A generation of young puppet-makers and performers, fromIsrael to Quebec, will be putting on a series of 15 shows overfour evenings, including two open-air performances. M° CitéUniversitaire (RER B) www.theatredelamarionnette.com

EXHIBITION

Rocker Johnny set to fillstadium three times overMUSIC

June 9 - July 29– Every summer,

the vast Bois de Vincennes parkholds a series of mostly free jazzconcerts in the Parc Floral gar-dens on weekend afternoons.Spanning seven weeks, the ParisJazz Festival sees talented jazzperformers take to the open-airstage. Most performances are at15.00 and 16.30 and it is an idealopportunity for a picnic.M° Château de Vincennes (1) orVincennes (RER A). Open daily9.30-21.00. Entry to park is �5 or�2.50 for young people agedseven to 25.A pass for the wholefestival costs �20.The fullprogramme will be online shortlyat www.parisjazzfestival.fr

Jazz andflowers fora summerafternoonMUSIC

New film festival on Champs-ElyséesCINEMA

Paris pride

Photo: Chris Killip

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June 8-9 – Anetwork of

fine arts workshops, backedby the Mairie de Paris, areopening their doors to thepublic for a series of freeworkshops over this week-end. Students’ work will beon display and there is arange of talks and demon-strations from the artists –covering everything frompainting and fabricwork toengraving, sketching, photog-raphy, cartoons, film-making,modelling and architecture.Open 15.00-21.00 on Fridayand 15.00-19.00 on Saturday.The venues are as follows:

48 rue de Sévigné (M° StPaul or Chemin-Vert)

80 Boulevard duMontparnasse (M°Montparnasse-Bienvenüe);

28/30 rue Gauthey (M°Brochant)

158 rue Legendre (M°Guy Mocquet)

5 Place Marc Bloch (M°Buzenval)http://ateliers-beaux-arts.activites.paris.fr

Weekend ofart workshopsARTS

Puppet talent put on a show FAMILY

12 Living Languedoc Pag

WHY is it that the most charming people turninto absolute horrors when they are invited (orinvite themselves) to spend a few days inFrance?

As owners of a cottage in rural Normandy, myhusband and I have been amazed at just howunthinking some visitors can be: demandingcooked English breakfasts every day, loadingour fridge with their cans of beer, complainingabout the farm smells, the flies, the lack of busservices, hogging our small bathroom, or, worstof all, being rude to our wonderful neighboursand local restaurant owners.

After 20 years, we have at last learned thatmany disasters are our own fault: we did notprepare our guests properly, were too anxiousto please them, reluctant to set sensible limitson the visit and far too keen to rabbit on aboutthe delights of our rural lifestyle, making itsound like a glossy magazine fantasy insteadof the sometimes gritty reality.

Here are some useful tips:

PRE-VISIT: Stipulate length of stay,and set an arrival time where possible.Do not leave the departure date open.Suggest they bring a car or hire one at

the airport, otherwise you will do all the driv-ing.

Tell them in advance if the power cuts outwhen overloaded: do not wait until they plugin two hairdryers and a computer. If there isno internet connection or wi-fi, it is sensibleto mention it. If you only have one small bathroom, be

honest. Daily jobs like visiting the déchetterieor bottle bank are good to mention, too.

Ask about dietary problems/requirements.Keep a couple of good local gîte numbers bythe phone (together with medical contacts). Ifthey begin to sound less enthusiastic, you cangently suggest alternative accommodation.

If your house is a second home, make sureyou arrive at least a day before your guests, tocheck for dead mice, spiders, flies, cobwebs.Put clean towels and sheets in their room, plustissues, waste basket, insect repellent, sparequilt in case of chills, books about France andlocal magazines.

Do not go overboard on food preparation –

just have one hearty casserole dish ready plusyour usual groceries and plenty of fruit.Planning meals together (and sending theguests to explore the shops) will be part of thefun. If they ask about bringing gifts, spirits areuseful, maybe some English marmalade,cheese or tea if you live in France all yearround. Champagne is always a winner.

ON ARRIVAL: Have a simple suppertogether and discuss their stay. Tellthem if there will be half-days orevenings when you will be out and

recommend any local sites or trips (withbrochures and local chateaux/exhibitiondetails to hand).

Explain plumbing/power/safety idiosyn-crasies. If they ask how they can help, suggestthey prepare a meal or barbecue. French shopopening hours are a mystery to most non-resi-dents, so explain these as well. Encouragethem to sleep in late, so you can have yourshower in peace and tidy up.

MEALS: Go out for breakfast if possi-ble: croissants and coffee at the local

village café would be a treat. Fetchbaguettes for lunch, use paper or oilclothtablecloths to save on washing.

Accept a paid-for night at a restaurant, gra-ciously, but check the bill. We once let a friendpay for 22 armagnacs – he did not notice the

House guests from hell? HowHaving a home in Franceoften means there is noshortage of friends andrelatives wanting to visit– but entertaining canbe stressful. Secondhome owner SALLY ANNVOAK provides advicefor a tranquil summer

‘Voiy

‘It’s not forpeople wholike beingwaited on’

PAT WARD-LEE (pictured far left) is aretired engineer who owns a second homewith his wife, Sally Ann (pictured right),near Neufchâtel-en-Bray in the Seine-Maritime.

The couple find that relatives are oftenmore demanding than friends: “Twentyyears ago, just after we bought ourNormandy cottage, we received regularphone calls from relatives who thoughtthey ought to come over and check it out –

as if they were doing us a favour. “It is very simple and quite remote, so

not suitable for people who spend theirholidays being waited on at posh hotels, orhave young children who could fall downthe narrow stairs or the well.”

The couple’s favourite guests bring casu-al clothes and walking shoes, are polite tothe local people and restaurateurs, helpwith household chores and stay for just acouple of days.

1

23

“We have learnt that manydisasters are our own fault:we did not prepare ourguests properly, were tooanxious to please themand reluctant to set sensiblelimits on the visit

ADVERTISIN

ACCORDING to those 2011 sales,Brittany, Normandy and theDordogne are the most popularregions for UK holidaymakers; withfamilies, by a ratio of 3:1, the biggestfans. And it is therefore no surpriseto learn that three per cent of breaksincluded a pet, and longer durationsof 14 nights+ accounted for 40% ofall bookings. The final statistics alsoshow that UK holidaymakers toFrance don't plan too far ahead with36 per cent of them making a book-ing within three months of arrival attheir chosen holiday property.

France has been a popular choicefor British family holidays for gener-

ations due to its accessibility, allur-ing culture, world beating wines andsublime food. And a self-cateringholiday in France still representsgreat value for holidaymakers aswell as fantastic opportunity for hol-iday home owners.

Simon Law, VP Property at TheHoseasons Group, commented:"Our booking figures for renownedbrands like cottages4you and FrenchCountry Cottages clearly show thatFrance continues to be one of themost popular European destina-tions, particularly with our databaseof holidaymakers which is one ofthe largest in the industry.

"For property owners, these fig-ures underline the importance ofchoosing the right partner to mar-ket your holiday home and ourowners are secure from the startknowing that they are working witha British holiday letting agency thatis fully licenced and bonded tooperate in France.

"In addition, owners have access toa full agency service from our HeadOffice on the edge of the YorkshireDales as well as support from ateam of 15 bilingual regional man-agers based across France. And ofcourse, superb marketing under-written by a group budget of

£27million is what drives the all-important bookings".

Gerald and Victoire de Malevilleare a great example of owners work-ing very successfully with theHoseasons Group. In 2010, theysecured 34 weeks of bookings andin 2011 sales were up by as much as18 per cent.

Husband and wife team Geraldand Victoire started renting out hol-iday cottages as a way to restoresome of the beautiful buildingsinherited from Gerald's parents andfor him, the properties have becomea business. In 2007 he decided totake a three year break from his jobas commercial development directorat Moet and Chandon to concen-trate on the renovation project andhas big plans for self-catering in the

Dordogne. Gerald was the architectbehind the renovations and person-ally oversaw the building work,whilst his wife Victoire, who has anexcellent eye for colour and design,took care of the decoration and fur-nishings as well as adding the finaltouches to ensure perfection.

To date, the couple have renovatedfour properties within the Sarlatarea of the Dordogne and each hasbeen beautifully restored, combin-ing classic architectural featureswith modern fittings and qualityfurnishings.

Gerald said: "The general standardof the properties has to be high fortoday's holidaymaker. They arelooking for a home from home, withthe facilities they would expect intheir own residence. We take great

Demand for French family breaks remains strongFinal 2011 sales figures from The Hoseasons Group reveal bookingsfor France finished at three times the volume they were 10 years ago.

Living 13ges June 2012

w to deal with visitors

mistake (our group consumed two), and wastoo embarrassed to query the total.

If your friends are unfamiliar with Frenchmenus, start by discussing the desserts andwork back. They can then choose a plain meator fish dish and salad if they are reluctant totry local delicacies. If your guests have a hor-ror of eating live crustaceans, do not orderfruits de mer for yourself. Seeing you tuckingin could make them sick.

TRIPS: Do not take all your visitors tothe same châteaux, museum or gar-dens: before long, you will be bored.

Try somewhere new, and make sure there isnot too much driving. Your guests may not beas good at walking as you (they probably

packed the wrong shoes), so do not embark ona long randonnée unless specifically requested.

Markets are magic – you cannot go wrong.Explain how important they are to your localeconomy. Local veteran car rallies, races, canalor boat trips go down well, but do your home-work first. As we know, in France, openingtimes can change.

LANGUAGE PROBLEMS: If yourguests have little or no French, do notinvite the neighbours for dinner. Bythe end of the meal, you will be

exhausted. Once the wine starts flowing, any-thing could happen. You have got to live here,remember.

Instead, have a few close friends round for

pre-dinner drinks and plan some subjects fordiscussion in advance. The royal family, food,sport and the economy are fairly safe. Avoidfarming topics, as translating these subjectsdelicately is very difficult.

CHILDREN: Set boundaries. Farmingand fishing localities can be full ofdanger for city kids. Find out theirinterests: boats, exciting museums and

seaside, ruins, plant and animal spotting,canoeing. At night, star-gazing is awesome inFrance. Make a point of mentioning the"Green" aspects of your area: no litter, not toomuch noise, good behaviour in restaurants.Make it general though, so their parents donot take umbrage.

Visitors willoften think oft as a gîte, not

your home’

PATRICIA STOUGHTON (above), a journal-ist who writes about French life, culture andhistory, has learned how to cope with gueststhe hard way. With her husband Nigel, she hasowned a holiday house near Quimper,Brittany for 30 years.

She says: “Of course, you want to welcomeyour friends, but visitors will often think of itas a gîte, not your home. Our first guestsstayed for 10 days, which was unexpected.

“One of our worst experiences was when a

guest invited five of his friends, unknown tous, for dinner, while we were out. Anothertime, one harangued a waiter in our localrestaurant. We had to go back and apologise.

“You must set limits: be firm when peopletry to take over the kitchen or speak criticallyabout the French. Our best guests are thosewho go straight to our big map of Brittany inthe kitchen and tell us how much they arelooking forward to learning more about thiswonderful place.”

4 56

BRIAN and Jane Allender have lived in Francefor several years and have had their fare shareof visitors. They say they like to see friendsand show them around the area but over timehave learnt that a few ground rules from thestart help to make the visit more pleasurable.

Brian said: "I would say - first of all - knowyour airports. People say they'll come intoBordeaux but don’t realise that from where weare in the east of the Dordogne it’s a long wayaway and that we have to pay to go on themotorway. Our family's nearest airport in theUK is Gatwick (with flights to Bordeaux) but itis much easier if they catch the train toLondon City Airport and fly into Brive.

“Also make sure that people tell you if theychange their dates. We had one couple whodidn't tell us and as we had other guests arriv-ing at a different airport on the same day wehad to leave them to stay in a hotel at the firstairport so we could drive to the second one.

“We’ve also learnt that it is best not to bebackward in coming forward when asking fora contribution for their stay. Our worst experi-ence was when friends came and didn't give usa penny but did offer to buy us lunch when wedrove them to the airport. On the way wedecided to go to St. Emilion and take them toa château for a wine tasting, only to find thatthey didn't like French wine and so I felt dutybound to spend a fair bit buying a few bottles.To top it all they split the lunch two ways!Funnily enough we haven't seen them since.

“We've found the best solution is to have akitty. It is difficult to ask people but they usu-ally don't mind. In this day and age no-one'sgot bottomless pockets. We go out of our wayto entertain guests but there's a point afterwhich we begin to feel we're being taken for aride. So it's best to nip it in the bud early or itmight mean a friendship going sour. Often theguests don't realise because they are on holidayand forget that you live here and that in actualfact you are not on permanent holiday.

“Another tip is to get hold of a lot of leafletswith ideas for you and them about what you'regoing to do while they're with you. That makesit easier to decide on activities.

“And, finally, I can say from experience thatafter the first few years visitors do begin to tailoff. When you are first here everyone - evenpeople you haven't seen for ages - seem to turnup on the doorstep but now it's really onlyfamily and real friends who come.”

Lay down a fewground rules

Reader tip

NG FEATUREpride in making sure we fit the bestquality bathrooms, kitchens anddecorate the properties to be mod-ern, comfortable and welcoming,whilst retaining the relaxing atmos-phere and traditional features ofthese wonderful buildings.

Victoire added: "The Dordognehas good summer weather andoffers holidaymakers many activi-ties. As Francophiles will know,there are lots of historical places tovisit nearby including the medievalcity of Sarlat with its famous twice-weekly market, many ancientchâteaux including Castelnaud,Beynac and the ancient town ofDomme known as the 'Acropolis ofthe Dordogne' with its quaintstreets, boutiques and restaurants.There are also lots of places forwalking and cycling but it is espe-cially good fun to hire a canoe atnearby Vitrac and drift gently downthe river stopping off at one of the

many pebble beaches to enjoy a lazypicnic or to swim in the Dordogne’sclear and unpolluted waters.

"We chose French CountryCottages when they were recom-mended to us by a satisfied owner.The Dordogne is very popular withEnglish visitors, so it seemed sensi-ble to choose a company that couldmarket our properties to such awide audience and secure bookingson our behalf. We've had some greatphotography taken to show theproperties at their best both onlineand through the brochures, whichare great for getting our propertiesseen by thousands of potential cus-tomers."

Simon continued, "Like Geraldand Victoire, those who travel to thecountry regularly or who alreadyown a property there are always sopassionate about what it has to offerand we are actively encouragingFrancophiles to share their experi-

ences via the France Fan Club blog.Launched in February 2012, wehope this will provide a forum forfans of France to exchange tips andshare their fondest family holidaymemories, inspiring more familiesto enjoy all that France has to offer."

With a major property recruit-ment programme underway, the2012 portfolio is the strongest yet,carefully selected by a skilled teamof holiday letting specialists.Property owners considering lettingtheir holiday home can find moreinformation at www.rentmycot-tage.com or www.je-loue-ma-mai-son.com; if you prefer to call thendial (+ 44) (0) 1282 845541 andask for either David or James whowill be happy to chat through youroptions in either English or French!To get involved in the France FanClub, simply send your tips andmemories to blogmaster@cottages4you.co.uk

14 Mind Matters Languedoc Pages June 2012

Sponsored by

SudokuEasy Intermediate Difficult

Puzzles by websudoku.com

The France quiz

French-themed crossword by John Foley

What’s in a word? by Paul Masters

IF YOU go to an event inthe Salle des Fêtes, thechances are that if you areoffered a drink before themeal, kir will be on the

list. First a glug of crème de cassis in the bot-tom of the glass, and then white wine to topit up. It is such a popular drink, but what isthe significance of the name?

Félix Kir was born in 1876, and wasordained as a priest in 1901. His tal-ents did not pass unnoticed andhe quickly achieved promotionwithin the church.

But it was in politics that hereally made his name. In 1940,this charismatic and at timespugnacious character enteredthe vacuum of local politics inDijon, and the manner in whichhe stood up to the Germanoccupying forces won him con-siderable popularity. He helped,among other things, ensure thesupply of food into the city dur-ing the war years, and, more dra-matically, played an important role

in the escape of 5,000 French prisoners ofwar from the nearby camp at Longvic. Thisled to his arrest by the Germans, and he wascondemned to death for resistance activities.The death sentence was laid aside, however,and he immediately resumed his secret activ-ities. He managed to conceal himself untilthe war in Europe ended.

Public recognition followed, after the war.Canon Kir was elected both as mayor of

Dijon and also as MP for the Côtesd’Or for more than 20 years.

It was Canon Kir’s internation-alism which lead to the twinningof Dijon with over 20 foreigncities, and at receptions for hisinternational guests he was inthe habit of offering the localwhite wine, an acidicBourgogne Aligoté, sweetenedwith crème de cassis, thus pro-moting two local products.

Although he did not invent thedrink, he popularised what was

previously known simply as blanc-cass, and was honoured by having it

renamed after him.

Across

2. Walled city in Brittany whose inhabitants areMalouins (5-4)8. Medieval philosopher and theologian whoseromance with Héloïse has become legendary (7)9. Oiseau for foie gras (3)10. Go cycling – faire du ____ (4)11. Mythical creature with a spiralled horn (7)13. Transfer data from a digital device to a com-puter (6)15. Copenhagen’s amusement park and pleasuregarden (6)18. Post-Impressionist painter whose worksinclude The Card Players and Les GrandesBaigneuses (7)20. Widely-used abbreviation for broadbandtechnology (1,1,1,1)23. As Simone de Beauvoir once wrote, “___ tra-vail, de mourir, quand on aime si fort la vie” (3)24. Letter sometimes highly decorated at thebeginning of a chapter (7)25. In English, a street like this is often a cul desac (4,5)

Down

1. Legendary chanteuse born in Paris in 1915 (4)2. Useful unit of volume when ordering for awood-burning stove (5)3. American dancer _______ Duncan, strangledby her own scarf in a motoring accident in Nice (7)4. Latin hymn sung at matins or at a thanksgiv-ing service (2,4)5. Mayonnaise made with garlic (5)6. Dark, nutty variety of sherry (7)7. Outside, en _____ ___ (5-3)12. White wine made near Nantes in the Pays dela Loire (8)14. Beggar in the parable about a rich man in StLuke’s Gospel (7)16. Printed type slanting to the right (7)17. This month’s Zodiac sign (6)19. English film actor David _____, captured byInspector Clouseau in The Pink Panther (5)21. River rising near Dijon and flowing throughParis to the Channel (5)22. Mediterranean island to which Napoleon wasexiled in 1814 (4)

kir

Photo: monregard - Fotolia.com

1 WHICH tax-exiled French rock star isreportedly facing a €9m demand from thefisc?

2 DISNEY-LAND Pariscelebrated amilestoneanniversaryrecently. Howold is it?

3 WHICHHollywoodcelebrity couple arereportedlyplanning toget marriedin their hometown ofCorrens inthe Var?

4 WHICH stretch of coast in the south of France has recently been awardednational park status?

5 CYCLISTS in which French city havebeen given permission to ignore certainred lights if they are turning right, as partof an experiment?

6 WHICH French presidential candidatereceived the lowest score in the firstround of the elections?

7 WHICH celebrity got into a spot ofbother on a tripto Paris recent-ly, when a friendshe was travel-ling with point-ed a gun at aphotographer?

8 FRANCOISHollande waspreviously the partner of(and has fourchildren with)which otherleading Socialistpolitician?

CROSSWORD ANSWERS. Across: 2 Saint-Malo; 8 Abelard; 9 oie; 10 vélo; 11 unicorn; 13 upload; 15 Tivoli; 18 Cézanne; 20 ADSL; 23 dur; 24 initial; 25 sans issueDown: 1 Piaf; 2 stère; 3 Isadora; 4 Te Deum; 5 aïoli; 6 oloroso; 7 plein air; 12 muscadet; 14 Lazarus; 16 italics; 17 Gemini; 19 Niven; 21 Seine; 22 ElbaFRANCEQUIZ ANSWERS. 1.Johnny Hallyday.2 20 years.3 Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.4 The Calanques. 5 Paris.6 Jacques Cheminade.7 Pippa Middleton.8 Ségolène Royal

Food/Pets 15Languedoc Pages June 2012

Summer hazards for pets in France

IN FRANCE, there are certain wildanimals, insects and snakes that canpose a genuine threat to your ani-mal’s life. While some of these ani-mals tend to live in the southernpart of France, it is prudent to makeyourself familiar with species knownto pose local health risks via yourveterinary clinic or mairie.

The processionary pine caterpillar(chenille processionnaire) is one ani-mal found across France that canpotentially kill your pet. At the startof spring these caterpillars come outof round, white, fuzzy nests built inpine trees and travel across theground in single file, frequentlystopping in writhing circles. Usuallybrown, hairy and about three cen-timetres long; their procession con-tinues throughout the summer.

They should be avoided at alltimes as their fibres can “burn” theskin of any animal (or person) that

touches them. Small animals havebeen known to die from such aninjury. If your pet comes into con-tact with these caterpillars, seek vet-erinary assistance immediately.

In many areas of France, there arepoisonous snakes, including vipers,which are lured out by the hotweather to bask in the sun. Vets rec-ommend that you always keep yourdog on a leash. Even at home, payattention around log piles, swim-ming pool terraces and children’splay areas.

Across France, the wild boar (san-glier) dominate the countryside and,

in recent years, have taken to forag-ing closer to towns and villages. Thewild boar is normally nocturnal,and usually scavenges in groups. Inthe summer months, female boarare extremely protective of theiryoung. A boar – these animals canweigh up to 120 kilos – will usuallyrun away from humans on sight, butsome will become aggressive ifapproached. Dogs may be attacked;male boar have tusks which can

seriously wound a dog. Neverapproach one; veterinary advice is tomake loud noises which will usuallyscare the boar off.

Leishmaniasis is a disease thatmainly affects domestic dogs. It iscarried by a small, yellow sand flythat resembles a mosquito. It is inthe south of France that vets warn ofthis fly. The mosquito bite will typi-cally occur on the dog’s nose or earsand the disease can incubate for a

year. Symptoms include hair arounda dog’s eyes falling out, unusual clawgrowth and weight loss. The diseaseis fatal if left untreated. Products areavailable from vets which should beused to protect against this diseasefrom spring to autumn. It is advis-able to keep your dog inside fromdusk until dawn, when the flies aremost active.

Heartworm disease is another riskassociated with southern areas ofFrance. It is caused by a parasitetransmitted in its larvae stage bymosquitoes. Once the larva maturesthe adult worms reside in – andcause blockages, inflammation anddamage to – blood vessels. Whilemost commonly found in cats anddogs, other animals can be infected.

The infection is undetectable dur-ing the six first months. Symptomsinclude coughing, exhaustion, severeweight loss and fainting. Cats mayshow pneumonia-like symptoms,vomiting and diarrhoea.

The disease, while fatal, is treat-able; early diagnosis can result infull recovery. Pets can be protectedfrom infection with anti-mosquitodrops and collar treatments.

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With summer finally here,SAMANTHA BRICK looksat the dangers posedby other animals to yourpet’s wellbeing

Slash the skin of the duckdiagonally, season well on bothsides.

Bring the port, liqueur andthe honey to the boil, lower theheat and add the cherries.Cover and leave to simmer for10 minutes.

Remove the cherries with aslotted spoon and reserve.Reduce the syrup to about20ml by continuing to bubble itin the pan.

Heat a heavy frying pan untilvery hot. Cook the duck skin-side down for 7-8 minutes.

Discard the resulting fat, thenturn the duck and cook on theflesh side for 5-7 minutesaccording to your taste. Wrap infoil and rest in a warm place.

Wipe out the pan, then allowthe sugar to caramelise over amedium heat, add the vinegarto de-glaze. then add the stockand the cherry syrup. Reduceto about 200ml, check the sea-soning, then add the cherriesto warm through.

Slice the duck breasts andarrange on four warm plates.Spoon over the sauce and addthe cherries.

Duck breast with cherries

Photo: Joan Bunting

METHODINGREDIENTS

CUT OUT & KEEP!

2 large or 4 smallduck breasts(magrets de canard) 300g morello cher-ries (griottes) washedand stoned. You canuse other cherriesbut make sure theyare not too sweet.2 tbsp cherry liqueur100ml chicken stock300ml port (no needto spend a lot, cheapworks fine)3 tbsp sherry vinegar(vinaigre de xérès)1 tbsp brown sugar1 tbsp runny honeysalt and pepper

I SWEAR the cherry orchardssurrounding our hamlet arefitted with timers. On oneday in spring, every singletree bursts into bloom and wefind ourselves floating on afragrant ocean of pale pinkand white. It is equally amaz-ing to me that after whatseems like a very few weekslater I can pick the fruit. Theonly problem then is what todo with the buckets full that Ipick or am given.

I never tasted cherriespicked from the tree until Iwas well past childhood, buteven then, nothing comparedto the summer we visited afriend in Lorraine. We sat inher garden and were invitedto help ourselves. I do notrecall the variety but I doremember the sweet/acid sen-sation that hit my tastebuds.

Because the way cherry

varieties evolved goes back toLucullus in 72BC, it appearsthat most regions of Francehave their own favourite vari-eties and their own recipes.Clafoutis in the Limousinarea, liqueurs and other spir-its in the east, candied inProvence.

There are, though, certainthings that can be made any-where from June’s ruby har-vest. Jam, for example, can bemade from any variety. I alsobottle the dark cherries fromthe orchard and pickle thelight coloured Napoleon ones.

I am glad that some yearsago I invested in a cherrystoner. Though a bit messy touse, it is far less fiddly thanany other method.

For this month’s recipe Ihave gone for a savoury dish– I believe it is a marriagemade in heaven.

Now is thetime forcherries

After winning the first BBCMasterChef in 1990, JOANBUNTING was soon writing a foodcolumn and doing local radio forthe BBC. Now she has retired andmoved permanently to her homein France, but she is still keen totell readers about good food

WHICH WINESHOULD I DRINKWITH THIS?

Caline Montfort, ofJulien de Savignac winemerchants (julien-de-savignac.com),says: I would recommendChâteau Thénac rouge 2008(retail price €17)Côtes de Bergerac. A superband very elegant red wine,full of black and red fruits(red cherries, prunes, black-berry and strawberries).Soft and mature tannins.A complex wine whichmarries beautifully duckwith red fruits.

Wild boar are known to attack dogs – you should never approach one

16 Directory Languedoc Pages June 2012

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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

By advertising in our directory you get the chance to run adverto-rials (the articles you see on these pages). We are currently offeringthese at a two for one price, so two x 1/4 page advertorials, maxi-mum 400 words plus photo, costs just €200HT. A minimum twomonth break between publishing applies and the second advertorialis a repeat of the first. If you wish to change the second there is a€25 fee together with a €15 fee if you want us to provide a photo.

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LANGUEDOC DIRECTORY

ADVERTISING FEATURE

RICHARD Kroon, director and founderof Houses on Internet, is responsible for the innovative and pro-active waythat distinguishes his company from the competition.

Supplying prospective buyers with allthe information on a house you canthink of (along with, on average, 50good-sized photos) and advertising eachproperty worldwide is a standard servicefor Houses on Internet.

However, the company is now addingcustom-made videos of the houses onsale to the services that it offers.

There are two reasons for the company

adding videos when it already shows somany photos. “The first is that seeing avideo you can play over and over again ismuch closer to the experience of anactual viewing than looking at staticphotos,” said Richard.

The other reason is more technical, butjust as important, explained Richard.The videos produced will be visible fromthe Houses on Internet site, but willactually be stored on the global videoplatform YouTube.

A couple of years ago YouTube wasbought by Google and following this thepowerful Google search engine was

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In terms of opportunities to gain aFrench mortgage, a recent article in theFinancial Times states that three leadingFrench banks have now reduced theinterest rates they charge British peoplewho want to buy a house in France. Eversince the financial crisis started, thelending criteria have been, and still are, strict.

“It is harder than it used to be to get aloan approved, yet these banks are stillwilling to lend and now at very attractiverates,” said Richard. “You can downloadthe article in full from the homepage ofthe Houses on Internet website.”

05 55 65 12 19www.housesoninternet.com

New video service to increase private house salesHouses on Internet, the company that helps private homeowners to sell their French properties without using anagent, is expanding its services - and taking property selling to a whole new level

“These two search engines will increase the already impressive number of visitors of 100,000 each month Richard Kroon owns Houses on Internet

Directory 17Languedoc Pages June 2012

ALPACA WOOLand KNITWEAR

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To advertise here callfreephone in

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ColombiersProperty ServicesProfessional Property & Pool Management inHerault. Handyman Services also available.

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Languedoc Pages June 201218 Gardening

INFORMATION YOU CAN TRUST ON LIFE IN FRANCE

2012 Income Tax Helpguide

The 2012 helpguide is now on sale for €9.50 for adownloadable or printed version (printed version does not include p&p)

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Gifts fromthe gardenAS WE speed towards the midsummer night, the longestday of the year, the main tasks are watering, dead-headingand harvesting from the vegetable garden.

To check that you are not over-watering, stick your fingerinto the ground. If it is still damp an inch under the surface,you do not need to water. To save water and ensure that itsoaks right into the earth rather than evaporates off it, waterlate at night or very early in the morning and do not forgetto keep feeding if you want the very best crops and blooms.

Keep a beady eye on squashes like courgettes and melonsas they will explode into giant specimens almost overnightif not picked while still small and tasty. Salad crops shouldbe nicely established and there is still time to plant one ortwo more rows of lettuce for cropping in August. If any-thing does escape and manage to bolt or explode and youdo not have chickens, do not forget the compost heap.

Carrots and potatoes should be starting this month, andwhen picked the same day both can be cooked for just afew minutes in butter, a splash of water and a sprinkle ofsalt. Peas can be blanched and thrown into mixed saladsstill warm.

If you water judiciously, weeds should not be too much ofa problem, but taking a hoe over your vegetable garden willdo more good than extra fertiliser. Just break the dry sur-face, hack out any weeds that have established themselvesand re-form watering trenches to prevent any leaks.

There are two schools of thought on tomatoes. You caneither take out side shoots and just retain one main stemfirmly tied to a stake, or let nature take its course but keepthe plant low. Whichever you choose, they will appreciate asouvenir from the local horse riding stables.

If you have not already got brassicas planted out, now isthe last chance. Do not forget the brussel sprouts forChristmas lunch. Leaks should also be planted out and donot bother trimming the tops or the roots, it does not havethe slightest effect.

If anything in the garden shows signs of infestation,aphids, whitefly, red spider mites etc, try a biological sprayor even just spray with soapy water. Marigolds planted inthe vegetable garden are also said to discourage these pests.Slugs and snails can be caught in beer traps, and don't for-get to net fruit plants and strawberries against the birds.

House plants like yukkas, rubber plants, weeping figs andsmall potted citrus trees can be safely brought outside todecorate balconies and terraces, but be careful not to leavethem in direct sunlight. Most of them will prefer dappledlight or only morning sun. If you re-pot and feed them, youwill be amazed at how much they will have grown by thetime you take them in again after the summer.

GardeningFacts

by SAMANTHA DAVID

Photo: skampixel - Fotolia.com

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Home and Legal 19Languedoc Pages June 2012

LegalNotesAnswered by

BEFORE going any further with your purchase, it is essen-tial you obtain confirmation on whether a farmer has farm-ing rights to the land to be purchased or not.

If you are informed of the presence of a farmer, you willneed to seek advice on the extent of his rights, the nature ofthe contract that has been signed – and, above all, youshould be aware that under certain conditions the farmermust be informed of the sale and will have the right to pre-empt your purchase. It is very important to ensure thenotaire does inform the farmer of the sale as failure to doso could result in a complicated court case with you beingevicted from your home in favour of the farmer whoserights were not respected!

You should also be aware that there is no legal obligationfor an agricultural lease to be in writing, the fact that afarmer works the land and pays for this can be sufficient toprove the existence of an agricultural lease.

In the case of the sale proceeding and the farmer con-firming that he has no intention to purchase in your stead,you should be aware that farmers’ rights are very protectedin France and that it will be very difficult to recuperate theuse of the farmed land. Of course, if ploughing severalhectares of field is not your cup of tea, then this is fine, butif you have plans to build an Olympic-size swimming poolwith pool house and visitors’ cottage, you should be awarefrom the beginning that this may well be impossible.

Indeed, you may own this land but not have the use of itand the farming lease can be passed down through the gen-erations – making it practically impossible to ever envisageobtaining use of the land in question.

If during your pre-purchase negotiations you are assuredthat there is no farmer’s lease, but that the neighbour occa-sionally mows the fields, it is very important to demandthat the notaire obtain a document in writing from thefarmer confirming that he does not benefit from farmer’srights over your land; or, even better, that he be present atthe signing of the deeds and that he sign such a statementthat will be included in the purchase documents.

If you take all these precautions you should be safe fromany nasty surprises. However, please do not forget, onceyou have moved into your home, to make sure that if youcome to a “neighbourly” agreement with the farmer where-by he mows your fields to make hay for his animals thatthis cannot be construed as a farming lease, so always takeproper advice before proceeding.

Farmer working field may have right to pre-empt sale

We are looking at a property to purchase. We havenoticed a farmer working on the fields next door thatseem to be part of the property for sale. What shouldwe be aware of regarding farmer's rights?

Beware: farmerscan have last say

Photo: © dja6

5 - Fotolia.com

SUMMER is the time for relaxing with abook outdoors or enjoying a barbecuewith family and friends. Cleaning, deco-rating and renovating your patio andgarden this month will help you makethe most of the nice weather to come.

The good news is that as long as youmaintain your patio (by pulling outweeds and sweeping off any dust or dryleaves), it will not need to be properlycleaned very often. Investing in a pres-sure washer could be a good move asthey are more powerful than gardenhoses and use less water.

Landscape gardener Jonathan Broad,who is based in Languedoc-Roussillon(www.abroadhorizon.com), says: “Withdecking or a patio that’s well-built, youdon’t need to do much.”

However, you will need to check thatnone of the bricks or stones have comeloose due to rain seeping in throughcracks. Mr Broad says: “For patios ofstone or paving slabs, I will lay them onto sand, not mortar or concrete, as it’sflexible. If you lay it onto concrete and itcracks, the patio will also crack.”

If you have noticed serious cracks inyour patio, the worst-case scenario is tohave to replace it. Mr Broad adds: “Withones made of tiles, some can come loosein winter, so you can just replace a fewtiles, rather than the whole thing.”

As for furniture, if it has not been usedin a while, it might also need cleaning orrepainting. If you have a swing, makesure to grease the hinges.

Compared to patios, wooden deckingtends to need more care – make sure toclean it after summer and again afterwinter. If you are unable to do it your-self, you could contact a gardening pro-fessional. You may also need to treat thewood if necessary. As some parts of thecountry can get very hot in summer andvery cold in winter, this can have aneffect on wooden decking.

Mr Broad says: “Cheap wood can crackand split as it will expand and contractdue to the weather, so you have to con-sider that. I’d really advise using goodquality material. Joints in patios can alsobe broken up by frost.”

Once you have taken care of the clean-ing side, you can look at surroundingyour patio with plants and even decoratewith candles and chimes.

As for hedges, the Royal Horticultural

Society advises pruning them at leastonce a year to maintain them. You canuse hand-held hedge shears for smallhedges, but the job will be much easierwith an electronic one for larger hedges.

Mr Broad adds: “Most hedges will beevergreen as opposed to deciduous as youdon’t want to lose the green in winter. Youcan trim hedges whenever they look likethey need it. In fact, the more often, thebetter, as the denser it will get. You’ll getmore small shoots which will fill thehedge out. If you leave it, it’s a false econ-omy as you might have to pay someone todo it. If you can only do it twice a year,prune them in autumn and spring asthat’s when they grow the fastest.”

It is also a good time to rake up anyremaining leaves in your garden and col-lect them for compost.

It is time to get your patioand decking ready for thoselong summer evenings.REBECCA LAWN looks at what is involved

“Trim hedges wheneverthey look like they needit. In fact, the more oftenthe better. If you leave it,it’s a false economy asyou might have to paysomeone to do itJonathan BroadLandscape gardener

The great outdoors

Decking and patio that has been well-built should require minimal maintenance

Phot

o: C

andy

Box

Imag

es -

Foto

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om

20 Property Languedoc Pages June 2012

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We also feature properties for sale in this dedicated sectionof the paper each month. To find out more about any particular property, go to www.connexionfrance.com andenter the ref: code shown under the property.

For sellers, the adverts are also displayed across a range ofpopular English- speaking websites and are seen by thousands of potential buyers EVERY day. Our 3+3 pack-

age costs just €200TTC and gives you three months onlineadvertising as well as a print advert in three editions of TheLanguedoc Pages. Our 6+6 package is best value at€330TTC and provides the same, but for six months viaeach channel.

Contact us on 0800 91 77 56 (freephone in France)or email sales@connexionfrance.com

New Consumption and Emission Chart- e.g. Energy rating C & F refers to C for Consumption and F for Emissions

Houses for sale across France

PROPERTIES IN LANGUEDOC

The adverts above cost from just €200TTC for three months of web advertising and three months of print advertising. Let our distribution get you a sale. Contact our sales team on 0800 91 77 56 (freephone in France)

or email sales@connexionfrance.com

More details on all these properties - and how to contact the seller directly - can be found in the property for sale section of

www.connexionfrance.comSimply enter the code under each home to find out more

REF: 10765-BB280500E

€€280,500

ENERGY RATING = D

HéraultIdeal for those wanting easymaintenance and outdoor barefoot living in this 100m² villa(2006) with 3 bedrooms on a private parcel of 453m², tiled andlandscaped all around.

REF: 2616

€€499,000

ENERGY RATING = F

Le Tech, Pyrénées-OrientalesBeautiful Mas with 2 houses andpool. First house with kitchen,living room, 2 bedrooms andbathroom. Second house haskitchen, living room and 3 bedrooms and bathroom.

REF: 10765-BM148000E

€€129,000

ENERGY RATING = G

HéraultCharming village house to modernise, offering about 85m²living space including 2 bedrooms, plus a small courtyard and 2 terraces of 6m²and 22m² with superb views.

REF: 10765-L394200E

€€394,200

ENERGY RATING = D

HéraultVery inviting and impeccablevilla of solid traditional construction, renovated with careand taste, on a lovely garden plotwith pool. The home also offers a2 bedroom apartment.

REF: 10765-A313000E

€€313,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Near Béziers, HéraultFormer winegrower’s propertyoffering 4 bedrooms plus anattached and independent gîte/apartment on a 850m² plot withpool.

REF: 10765-V209000E

€€209,000

ENERGY RATING = D

HéraultGreat opportunity with thisdetached villa with pool possible,offering 110m² living spaceincluding the separate studio of20m² and 90m² with 3 bedroomsin the house.

REF: AV1017 ENERGY RATING = C

Lézignan-Corbières, AudeVillage house with independentstudio. Comprising of kitchenliving room, 3 bedrooms andbathroom. Studio of about 22m²,with kitchen living room andbathroom.

REF: 433v

€€290,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Langlade, GardA lot of charm in this, renovatedvillage house with courtyard. Niceliving room, kitchen with storeroom. 3 bedrooms andoffice. Bath and shower room.The courtyard is south-facing.

REF: 5533VM

€€140,000

ENERGY RATING = G

Colombières-sur-Orb, HéraultSet in a small hamlet under LeCarroux, stone house of 82m² in2 parts, with a nice terrace of60m². Vaulted cave at gardenLevel

REF: 10765-PU449500E

€€428,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Near Béziers, HéraultLovely villa including 2 apartments with pool andviews. The home is in perfectcondition. Very interesting forregular summer rental incomes.

REF: 10765-TLM470000E

€€460,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Near Béziers, HéraultNew, detached architect-designedvilla (2001) on an enclosed andlandscaped plot with a pool,offering 3 bedrooms (possibilityof 4) and 2 bathrooms.

REF: IFPC21148

€€325,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Limoux, AudeThis flexible dwelling can beused either as one large housewith up to 5 bedrooms and 2bathrooms, or as a 3 bedroomhouse with a fully independent1-2 bedroom potential gîte.

REF: 10765-PC232500E

€€232,500

ENERGY RATING = D

Near Bédarieux, HéraultOriginally a stone barn, thissolid, spacious, south-facing,detached hamlet home nowoffers 180m² of living space with4/5 bedrooms with stunningopen views.

REF: REF2187

€€118,000

ENERGY RATING = E

AudeEco-friendly stone-built housewith an attached 2-floor barnwhich could easily become partof the house. The property israre in that it has a good frontgarden and a large back garden.

REF: 1175

€€300,000

ENERGY RATING = B

Carcassonne, AudeThis beautiful detached villa issituated in a village on the edge ofCarcassonne. In very good condition throughout withkitchen, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3WCs. Gas heating.

REF: IFPC22287

€€185,000

ENERGY RATING = E

Fa, AudeThis spacious, light-filled familyhome which benefits from 3double bedrooms, kitchen/dinerleading onto partially-covered,south facing terrace, overlooksits lovely gardens.

REF: 2695

€€470,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Céret, Pyrénées-Orientales Spacious property divided intomain home with 3 bedrooms anda two bedroom apartment, pool,3 terraces and parking for 7 cars.5 minutes from the centre of thevillage.

REF: 744

€€370,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Near Carcassonne, AudeBeautiful 4 bedroom villa invery good condition situated ina village just 5 minutes fromCarcassonne. Wonderful landscaped garden with trees,swimming pool. Large garage.

REF: 10765-PN291600E

€€264,600

ENERGY RATING = C and D

Near Olonzac, HéraultDetached split-level house, builtin 1975, situated in a quiet cul desac, two minutes walk to allshops, offering 3/4 bedrooms,office, dining room, 2 bathrooms,garage and cellar. Pool.

REF: JPB602

€€169,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Ginestas, AudeDelightful house over 2 floors,fully refurbished, sold part furnished, situated in Minervois,near the Canal du Midi in a village with post office,bar/restaurant and grocers.

REF: LAR-615

€€486,500

ENERGY RATING = C

Pézenas, HéraultThis detached, luxurious villafrom 1993 sits on a top locationat just 40 minutes from theMediterranean. The house isvery light, in excellent conditionwith all the comfort one needs.

€€97,000

Business / Finance 21Languedoc Pages June 2012

FINANCEAnswered by

A taxing question

I MOVED to France last year and have worldwide property worth about one and a half million euros,although half of that is not in France. Am I likely tohave to make a declaration for French wealth tax?

I WOULD need to have more detail from you to answeryour question fully, as I am unsure of what you mean by“property”. If you mean that to include all your worldlygoods, and not just real estate or buildings, then the simpleanswer to your question is “yes, but not yet”. If, however,you also have separate investments and other trappings ofwealth, the answer could be yes, straight away.

The rules for ISF (Impôt de Solidarité sur la Fortune) havebeen changing over the past 18 months, and they emergedin their new form from January 1 this year. From now on,you do not have to make an ISF return in any form if yournet global wealth is less than €1.3m. ISF will be payable at arate of 0.25% pa on all of your net wealth where it adds upto between €1.3m and €3m, and at 0.5% pa where it totalsmore than €3m. Sorry to labour the point, but the tax islevied from the very first euro. If your net wealth adds up to€1.35m, you pay tax on €1.35m.

No actual wealth tax return is required if your net wealthdoes not exceed €3m. If it is between €1.3m and €3m,there will be a special line on your French income tax formto declare your wealth, and you will receive a bill from theFrench Tax Department, along with your income tax bill. Ifyou are required to file a wealth tax return, ie your netwealth exceeds €3m, then payment must accompany the fil-ing of the return. The French tax authorities have the rightto inspect your wealth tax position going back 10 years, so itis advisable to retain January 1 values for all assets during arolling 10-year period.

There are some notable allowances that you can use toreduce the level of your net wealth. You may reduce thevalue of your principal residence by 30%. Business assets areexcluded from ISF, and antiques over 100 years old, art col-lections and historic cars are also exempt.

Finally, the reason I said “not yet” in my simple answerearlier is that since 2008, newcomers to France are onlyliable to this tax based on the net value of all assets held inFrance for the first five full tax years of residence. So if yourentire net worth adds up to €1.5m, and only half of that isin France, you will pay no ISF until tax year 2017, when youwill declare your wealth on your annual French tax return.Always assuming, of course, that your wealth in France has-not grown substantially in that time, or (more likely) the fischave changed the rules again!

Photo: © U

nclesam - Fotolia.com

ANNETTE MORRIS has lived in Languedoc for over four years. She works as afreelance internet marketing consultant and website developer, helping busi-nesses optimise their online presence. Annette co-runs www.LaFranglaise.comand the Languedoc group of the Survive France network. Last year she startedLanguedoc Jelly, designed to promote the co-working concept to expats andEnglish-speakers in France. In this regular column she shares her tips for thebusiness community and would welcome readers’ questions and feedback.

YOU can offer promotionsand slash prices to bring in asmany new customers as youwant, but good customerservice is all about bringingcustomers back, and aboutsending them away happy –happy enough to pass posi-tive feedback about yourbusiness along to others.Unless you can get some ofthose customers to return orrefer you, your business willnot be profitable for long.

No one likes hearing com-plaints, but how you handle

negative feedback, rectifyproblems or maintain contactwith your customers is signif-icant. Good public relationscan increase sales and gener-ate more leads.

Customer service in Franceis frequently a hot topic, andthe relentless growth of socialmedia means that anyonewith access to a computer canhave their say.

Never going online or notletting anyone take picturesof you is not the way torespond to this online trend.

Hiding your information isnot the solution either. Ifsomeone cannot easily find acompany’s address and phonenumber (for a person, not ananswering service), thechances are they will go else-where. Very few people askfor job references or back-ground information – theyask Google.

If your business name turnsup in news reports, legal dis-putes, embarrassing partyphotos, or other questionablematerial, your business andpersonal e-reputation is atrisk. With the speed of onlinecommunication, reputationsthat took a long time to buildcan be lost in hours.

There are now dozens ofcompanies offering e-reputa-tion management, but if theirservices are out of yourfinancial reach, here are someDIY tips: Get online and establish

a strong positive presenceyou can be proud of Google your own name

regularly, check results inimage search as well as on thetext pages Check social media sites

– free tools such as Twilert,Nutshellmail and Social-Mention will save you time Post your own informa-

tion regularly, tools such asBuffer and Hootsuite are freeand easy to set up Secure your accounts so

that they cannot be used byhackers Keep your LinkedIn and

Viadeo profiles up to date Set up Google alerts to

receive an email when yourbusiness name is mentionedacross the web Check your privacy set-

tings on Facebook so yourposts are only seen by thoseyou want to see them. Do notcreate separate Facebook pro-files for business and person-al use – it breaches theirterms and conditions andmay mean all of youraccounts are suspended with-out notice. Check your business list-

ings on sites open to publicreview - try Google Places,Yelp, Qype, Pages Jaunes andTrip Advisor

Social media now accountsfor more than 50% of onlineactivity, a figure only likely toincrease as more devices andplatforms are developed.

When it comes to managing your business, how you support and communicatewith your customers is a crucial element in the marketing mix. Whether youhave an established brand or are starting out from scratch, promoting yourselfand building the business take a vast amount of work. Winning a new client ormaking a sale is generally not the end of the story.

To contact Annette Morris, call 07 86 14 16 39 or email

Solutions@LaFranglaise.com

www.youseemii.frwww.Google.com/Placeswww.Viadeo.com

Useful WebsitesHow to lookgood online

Make sure your reputationon the web is a good one!

22 Property Languedoc Pages June 2012

PROPERTIES AROUND FRANCE

REF: N134

€€96,000

ENERGY RATING = E

Saint-Angeau, Charente Set in the heart of a charminghamlet, 3 bedrooms, terrace,good condition throughout,parking lot and beautifulenclosed small garden.

REF: LBP176

€€107,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Plaisance, Gers Spacious village house offering3-4 independent apartments.Garden at the back of 1500m²with well. Car park in front withshed and BBQ. Garden shed.

REF: BVI0007074

€€110,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Lesterps, CharenteThis imposing character property is situated on a tinylane and comprises living roomwith fireplace and woodburnerinsert, dining room, kitchen,bathroom WC. 4 bedrooms.

REF: 538

€€117,000

ENERGY RATING = F

Argenton-sur-Creuse, IndreThis charming property is located in a quiet hamlet andcomprises of a kitchen, sittingroom, bedroom, shower roomand separate WC. Upstairs thereare 2 bedrooms.

REF: 1694

€€149,330

ENERGY RATING = E

Marsac, CreuseDetached bungalow in goodcondition sitting in the middleof its grounds with outdoorpool. You enter the property bythe conservatory, through tolounge/dining room.

REF: H2865

€€130,200

ENERGY RATING = E

MayenneAn ideal starter house nearAmbrières-les-Vallées, in thequiet countryside – this fairly-new 3 bedroom house has a separate garage and workshopand lovely garden.

REF: IFPC20430

€€121,000

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Saint-Claude, CharenteSouth-facing convertedporcherie set in a garden enjoying beautiful views overfields and woodland. Largeopen-plan lounge/diner/kitchenarea with central wood burner.

REF: JAB123995

€€157,500

ENERGY RATING = C

Chantonnay, VendéeModernised and detached 5bedroom family home. Spaciousaccommodation throughout,newly installed eco reverse airheating system installed, doubleglazed throughout.

REF: IFPC20001

€€165,000

ENERGY RATING = E

Clamecy, Nièvre Recently-renovated farmhousecomprising of 2 separate livingareas, one being the main housewith independent attachedapartment, suitable as a largefamily house or run as a gîte.

REF: 7377124

€€171,600

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Les Plaines, SavoieDetached house to renovateincluding 2 apartments withcourtyard and garden.

REF: 5376

€€180,200

ENERGY RATING = E

Montmorillon, VienneExceptional split-level propertyoverlooking the River Gartempeand facing a beautiful mill onthe opposite bank of the river.Located in a conservation areaof natural beauty.

REF: IFPC21474

€€195,000

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Bellenaves, Allier Beautiful property (16th – 18th c.) on the outskirtsof this charming village. Formerpart of the Chateau, the 2 properties are now separatedby medieval stone fortifications.

REF: IFPC21680

€€200,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Gorron, MayenneThe farmhouse is set in about 3/4of an acre. The attached barn hasbeen converted into a wheelchair-friendly, 3 bedroomed self contained annex (gîte) withincome potential.

REF: IFPC22334

€€217,500

ENERGY RATING = E

Massérac, Loire-Atlantique This property is situated close tothe river Vilaine in an elevatedposition with panoramic views,mainly to the west. It is contained within its owngrounds with some fruit trees.

REF: P4350

€€220,000

ENERGY RATING = F

St-Savinien, Charente-Maritime This charming property has beenrenovated in a high standard andis full of character with exposedstonework and beams. There is apool with a large surroundingpatio area.

REF: 1397

€€225,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Tardets, Pyrénées-AtlantiquesThis immaculately-presentedhome is located on a quiet laneyet just 2km from the markettown of Tardets. There is a smallbarn separate from the house.

REF: 1535

€€234,300

ENERGY RATING = C

Civray, VienneThis property sits on the outeredge of a hamlet and less than 5mins drive to the market town ofCivray. It offers 190m² of habitablespace, including 4 bedrooms andvarious outbuildings.

REF: IFPC21802

€€245,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Blesle, Puy-de-Dôme Lovingly-restored stone house inprivate garden overlooking fieldsand forests. On the ground floorthere is a large kitchen with Agaand a large lounge which is opento the roof timbers.

REF: ELBES5613MM

€€259,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Elbes, AveyronDetached stone and slate property, built in the 14th century and located in the countryside, with a large gardenbordering a stream. 3 barns .

REF: LB437

€€269,500

ENERGY RATING = E

Pau, Pyrénées-AtlantiquesCharacter house situated on6400m² of land with a pool andlovely views of the countryside.Four bedrooms, outbuildings,swimming pool.

REF: HF326

€€278,250

ENERGY RATING = C

L'Absie, Deux-SèvresTraditionally built, spacious andwell-presented bungalow withcomplete basement apartment,situated within its own enclosedgrounds on the edge of a littlevillage.

REF: 3822

€€280,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Samatan, GersOn a 4800m2 land, the house iscomposed of an entrance, akitchen (+storeroom), diningroom opening onto terraces, asitting room, a shower room,and 3 bedrooms (1 en-suite).

REF: 103188

€€295,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Hautes-PyrénéesLocated in the hills nearBagnères-de-Bigorre, with aview of the Pyrénées, an outbuilding and 8 hectares ofland, is this partly-restored, 19th century farmhouse.

REF: 1318

€€310,000

ENERGY RATING = E

Arlanc, Puy-de-Dôme Magnificent maison de maîtrewith many original features,such as wooden parquet floorsand fireplaces. The propertyoffers spacious accommodationwith a lovely garden.

REF: JM655

€€317,000

ENERGY RATING = E

L'Isle-Jourdain, VienneSuperb house in the centre ofthe village, includes hall,kitchen, dinning, lounge, study,4 bedrooms, 2 with en-suite,outbuildings, garage, barn and agreat garden.

REF: n-RJF164

€€204,000

ENERGY RATING = G

Saint-Vincent-Jalmoutiers Charming 5 bedroom house inthe Dordogne, in excellent condition, benefiting from a sitting room and an additionalreception room leading to thebeautiful flower-filled garden.

REF: IFPC20367

€€230,000

ENERGY RATING = E

Kerguzul, MorbihanThis longère offers open-plan liv-ing with huge granite fireplacewith woodburner in the loungearea, patio doors to garden,dining area with arched window,

and a fully-fitted kitchen.

REF: APS1802

€€249,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Bergerac, DordogneLocated in a hamlet, this lovelyvilla has been the subject ofmodernisation works over thelast few years. Fully-renovatedspacious accommodation is nowon 2 levels.

REF: IFPC22268

€€267,500

ENERGY RATING = E

Callac, Côtes-d'ArmorBeautiful character 3 bedroomfarmhouse with 2 x 2 bed cottages and a large below-ground swimming pool,all set in 10 acres, being 2 acresof established gardens.

REF: DOM1289

€€299,000

ENERGY RATING = Not given

Bolbec, Seine-MaritimeA delightful 1898 detached maison de maître, built from traditional red brick and firestone under a new slate roof.Original features retained.Positioned in a quiet rural area.

Property 23Languedoc Pages June 2012

PROPERTIES AROUND FRANCE

REF: V46291

€€348,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Cahors, Lot Attractive and well-renovatedstone house set in small hamlet,with large gardens, swimmingpool, guest cottage and viewsover the Cahors vineyard.

REF: JEAM

€€355,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Chauffailles, Saône-et-Loire Old house built in 1889, consisting of cellar, garage,entrance hall, kitchen, WC,laundry, office, living room, 4 bedrooms.

REF: PA549

€€365,000

ENERGY RATING = E

Vic-Fezensac, GersA fully restored ‘Gasconne’ stylehouse with a living space of 140sqm, all on 1800m2 of land. This2 story property has a garageand is surrounded by trees.

REF: IFPC20432

€€375,000

ENERGY RATING = E

Évian les Bains, Haute-Savoie Charming farmhouse built in1809, attic, vaulted wine cellarunder the house, laundry room,workshop. Oil central heating,triple glazed, wood stove in living room. Paved courtyard.

REF: IFPC21832

€€381,500

ENERGY RATING = D

Near Pertuis, Vaucluse Once a stable, this stone building has been delicatelytransformed into a spacious‘maison de village’ of character.It has 2 double bedrooms, 1 single and 2 bathrooms.

REF: LA7335297

€€390,000

ENERGY RATING = F

Near Valmorel, Savoie This is a fabulous, recently-builtchalet with exceptional views,close to Valmorel ski resort. Ithas direct access to the slopesand is within easy reach of theshops in the resort.

REF: POC01297

€€400,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Oradour-Fanais, Charente The property is ready to bemoved into and offers manypossibilities – residential, b&b,gites, horses. The two housescan be easily connected. Allamenities at Oradour-Fanais.

REF: V82282

€€406,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Near Moissac, Tarn-et-Garonne Spacious old stone farmhousewith letting gîte, attractiveoutbuildings, swimming pool

all set in gardens. A good familyhome together with income.Rural location with great views.

REF: gognies

€€410,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Gognies-Chaussée, NordSuperb 5 bedroom villa, only 5minutes from the Belgium border and only 26 minutes fromMons. It offers a kitchen/utilityroom, huge living room, 3 cargarage. Good quality facilities.

REF: 1542

€€415,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Viellesegur, Pyrénées-Atlantiques This beautiful old stone housedating from 1859, is full of charmand character and is set in lovelygardens with a large stone outbuilding offering loads ofpotential and a covered pool.

REF: IFPC20682

€€419,000

ENERGY RATING = B

Villepôt, Loire-Atlantique Fully-renovated private longèreoffering luxury accommodationin a charming tranquil settingwith significant land.

REF: LIM-443

€€425,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Dun-le-Palestel, Creuse This unique, very large manorhouse from 1974 is located with-in walking distance of the centreof a charming town. This property has 3 floors and no lessthan 10 bedrooms.

REF: 136

€€429,000

ENERGY RATING = F

Tarn-et-GaronneVery romantic farmhouse nearMontaigu-de-Quercy, withbreath-taking views. Now in useas farmhouse with 2 gîtes andsome camp sites.

REF: P4441

€€436,800

ENERGY RATING = E

St-Hilaire, Charente-MaritimeA beautiful ‘Charentaise’ stylehouse located in a park. Peacefularea. This stunning property hasa living space of 180m2 andincludes a guest house.

REF: 3807

€€440,000

ENERGY RATING = E

L'Isle-en-Dodon, Haute-GaronneThis stone country house hasbeen entirely renovated. It has lotsof style with traditional fireplaces,exposed beams, exposed stonewalls and parquet flooring.

REF: IFPC21455

€€450,000

ENERGY RATING = D

La Motte, VarVilla complex consisting of a 3 bedroom villa and a 1 bedroomed gîte in it's owngrounds of approx 1/3 acre. Allbedrooms are en-suite and thegrounds have a pool, & BBQ area.

REF: dp765

€€465,000

ENERGY RATING = F

Verchaix, Haute-SavoieCottage of traditional construction and clad woodfloors. Living room/dining room,kitchen, 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms or shower, balcony,land, garage and cellar.

REF: HF607

€€472,500

ENERGY RATING = D

Vouvant, VendéeSubstantial 15th century houseand gîte business swimmingpool, mini golf and tennis courtoffering generous income fromboth the French and UK market.

REF: IFPC20376

€€488,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Near Saintes, Charente-MaritimeRecently-updated, architecturally-magnificent house dating from1820, set amongst vines. Thisimpressive house with 285m²accommodation over 3 floors.

REF: GD4154

€€495,000

ENERGY RATING = D

Madiran, GersSpacious, well-renovated Gasconcountry house, together with a 2bedroomed gîte, pool and additional outbuildings, tuckedaway in Madiran wine country.

REF: PIC-502

€€498,000

ENERGY RATING = E

Near Chantilly, Oise This light and spacious detachedvilla from 2004 is located in aquiet district at just 45 minutesfrom Paris. The house wasdesigned and built to the higheststandards.

REF: IFPC17098

€€499,950

ENERGY RATING = C

Near Saumur, Maine-et-Loire This superb stone propertyoffers a warm, spacious familyhome along with an establishedgîte business with developmentpotential for 2 additional gîtes.

REF: 1375

€€325,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Laruns, Pyrénées-AtlantiquesThis quality residence, near thepopular skiing area of thePyrénées, offers plenty of space(7 bedrooms) for a large familyto enjoy the mountains, lake andthe fresh mountain air.

REF: 151227

€€330,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Alpes-de-Haute-Provence In Pierrevert, a 122m² villa ontwo levels with large garage and31m² independent studio flat ontop of the garage. High standard,beautiful amenities.

REF: IFPC21175

€€335,000

ENERGY RATING = C

Vayres, Haute-Vienne Accommodation comprises 4/5double bedrooms, 3 with en-suite.Fully-fitted modern kitchen,office, large lounge, utility room,cloakroom, linen room and 2 separate WCs.

REF: JAB125210

€€343,900

ENERGY RATING = D

Mareuil-sur-Lay, Vendée A superb, detached 4 bedroomriverside residence set on theedge of one of the prettiest villages in Vendée, where shops,bakers and restaurants are a400m walk away.

REF: KPS 1071

€€556,400

ENERGY RATING = D

MorbihanBeautiful and very rare 5 bedroom mill house with swimming pool and a lovely2 bedroom cottage. The main

house is set over 4 floors withwonderful views and its own weir.

REF: M2024

€€447,300

ENERGY RATING = F

Merdrignac, Côtes-d'ArmorThe property consists of, onground floor, a hall, diningroom, fitted kitchen, 2 caves andshower room. The first floor hassitting room, dining room, 2 bedrooms, bathroom, WC.

REF: BVI0004464

€€413,400

ENERGY RATING = C

DordogneThis property is simplyoutstanding. Set in Montpon-Ménestérol, and backingonto open farmland, thisPérigordine-style home is set in itsown magnificent private grounds.

REF: RKP259

€€320,000

ENERGY RATING = B

Brantôme, DordogneUnique, south-facing 5 bedroomcountry house with courtyardswimming pool and manageablegarden. The house has been fullyrenovated using top qualitymaterials.

24 People Languedoc Pages June 2012

AS ONE of just 297 people worldwide to hold the title Master ofWine – the wine industry’s highestqualification – Matthew Stubbs isideally-placed to promoteLanguedoc’s produce as he attendsinternational seminars and tastings.

Now, after writing the first certi-fied course on the wines ofLanguedoc-Roussillon, the Sud deFrance Master Level Programme, hewill be working with local bodiesand the USA’s French Wine Societyof Washington to present the pro-gramme in the US and elsewhere.

The course launched in New Yorkin January this year and there aredates planned for Boston, SanFrancisco, Frankfurt, Hamburg andLondon, as well as in Languedoc.

He said: “For me, this is the mostexciting region in the world.

“We have countless grape varieties,a myriad of soil types and land-scapes, some very old vines, andplenty of water, sun and wind.

“Languedoc is also pretty dynamic:there are incomers from France andother countries who are doing cleverthings, making great quality, won-derful value wines.

“The speed of change is almosttangible. There’s an admirablehumility too, which you don’t findelsewhere. Languedoc’s a placewhere you can ‘have a go’, whethervery experienced or a completebeginner.”

One gets the sense he is genuinely

motivated by what he so clearlybelieves in – Languedoc’s potential:“My ambition is to bring this regionto a wider audience. I want thewinegrowers to get the credit theydeserve, and for Languedoc-Roussillon to be considered equal toother famous regions like Bordeaux,Burgundy and the Rhône.”

He also wants to improve the waywinegrowers sell their wine to visi-tors to their caves and said: “I workwith growers and the Languedoc-Roussillon generic bodies, trainingtheir staff and customers.”

Given the number of tourists who

flock to the south of France,Matthew feels winemakers could bedoing a better job in reaching out tothis captive audience, “although it ismuch better now than when I firstmoved here.

“You don’t have to create a state-of-the-art tasting room, either: simple things can make it more fun,if you do something different, liketasting wine straight out of the tank,this all adds to the experience.

“If they enjoy the visit and yourwine, the chances are they willremain customers for life.”

Matthew’s modest manner belieshis depth of knowledge. The covetedMaster of Wine title was awardedafter a rigorous test of all aspects ofthe wine business. Studying can takefrom three to seven years, depend-ing on how quickly one progresses.

Norwich-born, the 47-year-oldfather-of-two moved to France in2003 after working in the UK winetrade for 17 years, including time ashead of Safeway’s wine department.

He lives with his wife Rachel andtheir daughters in a village inCorbières, near Narbonne.

So what prompted the move across

the Channel? Matthew said: “I had agreat job that came to an end as mycompany was taken over by anothersupermarket chain.

“I could have moved to anothersimilar role in the UK but I felt itwas time for a change.

“I wanted to set up my own busi-ness. Rachel and I had long held anambition to move to France. To us itwas relatively low risk: I could runmy business either from France orthe UK, and the children wereyoung at the time (8 and 3).

“We already had a holiday home inthe Minervois, which helped.

“However, it was a shock goingfrom being salaried to self-employed, not to mention getting togrips with the Kafka-esque world ofa French business start-up.”

The Stubbs’ home has vineyardvistas – appropriate, givenMatthew’s line of work: “I run tast-ings, courses and seminars concen-trating on the wines of Languedoc-Roussillon.”

Matthew set up his wine school,Vinécole, in the Aude, where heteaches in English and French for

students of all levels, from keenamateurs to wine trade staff lookingfor professional qualifications.

Encouragingly, after almost adecade here, he feels there have beenpositive changes in the wayLanguedoc presents its wines tooverseas visitors, with the imagechanging for the better.

“The profile of the region’s wines isimproving enormously. In the past,Languedoc-Roussillon was better-known for anonymous wine sold inbulk, but now it is regarded as aplace making interesting, individual,value-for-money wines across allprice points.

“It takes time to become estab-lished as a classic wine area but Istrongly believe we are 75% there.”

Asked to name some favouritewines, Matthew said: “For me, theareas to watch are La Clape, SaintChinian, Limoux, Terrasses deLarzac, and the Roussillon; I alsohave a soft spot for the Corbières,Picpoul de Pinet and Faugères. I’dlike to see dessert wines – vins douxnaturels – become fashionable againtoo; they’re varied, exciting, relative-ly inexpensive and underrated.”

Master of Wine has taste for funAS an international ambassador forLanguedoc’s wines, formerSafeway head of wineMatthew Stubbs says hisambition is for the region’swinegrowers to get thecredit they deserve. LOUISEHURREN finds out his plans

“My ambition is to bring thisregion to a wider audience ...and for Languedoc-Roussillonto be considered equal to otherfamous regions like Bordeaux,Burgundy and the RhôneMatthew Stubbs Master of Wine

Matthew Stubbs is a firm believer that it can be fun to learn about wine – and that the effort will be repaid in improved quality and increased sales