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October 2011 - Issue 32www.dordogneadvertiser.com

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Hornet attack

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Beekeepers battlekiller Asian invader

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ing to destroy the hornets. In July two menin the Charente managed to set fire to twohouses after trying to destroy a nest under theeaves of the roof of their semi-detached home.

The effect of the Asian hortnets on bee pop-ulations has been devastating. It is estimatedthat a third of our food supply depends oninsect pollination, most of which is performedby bees and studies of the Asian hornet haveshown that around 30% of its diet is bees, saysLucette Dufour, president of the Dordogne’soldest bee association, Le Rucher du Perigord.“They crave the sugar and protein found inbees and can be very destructive if they getnear a hive.”

Mrs Dufour and her colleagues have been monitoring the Asian hornet since it firstappeared in the Dordogne in 2006.

“They are difficult to track as they moveabout,” she says. “Some parts of the Dordognehaven’t had any this year, others have beeninundated – but we urge everyone to be vigi-lant. If you see them in your garden, put up atrap and destroy the nests.”

Bee-keeping associations suggest that youplace traps a few yards away from beehives.“The Asian hornet waits for the worker bees toreturn after they have been out collecting nec-tar before attacking,” says Mrs Dufour. “It is upto us to make sure these bees make it back tothe hive.”

“Traps need to have a sugary liquid to attractthe hornets – but make sure it is also alco-holic, because alcohol repels bees.”

But while the hornet poses a particularthreat to bees, it also eats other insects such as

butterflies, wasps and flies – and it has nopredators. “My hope is that a predator willevolve to deal with the Asian hornet,” MrsDufour says. “The European hornet is eaten bya number of bird species, but for now theAsian hornet carries on unopposed. That iswhy trapping them and destroying their nestsis so important.”

She acknowledges that the Asian hornet isnow so widespread that it cannot becompletely eliminated, but she stresses thatefforts to keep it under control must bemaintained.

Awareness of the Asian hornet has beengrowing over the past few years and thelocal council, together with the French Natural

THE Asian hornet attacks only when it feelsthreatened, so pursuing and killing them isnot recommended. Doing so makes the hor-net release a scent that others can pick up –rather like a distress call – so will have theeffect of attracting more hornets.

If you spot an Asian hornets’ nest, do notbe tempted to destroy it yourself. The hor-nets are likely to swarm if they feel threat-ened. There is also a chance of the queenhornet escaping and then re-establishing anest elsewhere. Get specialist knowledgebefore doing anything.

Officially, pompiers only remove nests in

public places such as parks, but in someparts of the Dordogne they do appear to beremoving nests free of charge. If they do notcover your area, they should be able to giveyou contact details of specially trainedpeople nearby who will remove them. Localmairies can also help. If all else fails, look inthe Pages Jaunes under ‘destruction de nids defrelons’.

The Asian hornet doesn’t survive thewinter, so if you discover a nest after therehas been a frost it should be safe to move it.Scoop it up and place it on a bonfire thenburn it immediately. If you are stung by a

A HOLIDAYMAKER in Beynac, by theDordogne river, narrowly escaped becominganother statistic in a spate of hornet deaths,thanks to two quick-thinking 15-year-olds.

The man, a lorry driver enjoying his annualbreak, reportedly went into anaphylactic shockafter being stung twice by an Asian hornet (lefrelon asiatique) while he was walking in theforest. The two teenage friends rushed to hisaid and contacted the emergency services whotook him to hospital where he later made a fullrecovery.

But this is just one of a few happy storiessurrounding recent attacks by Asian hornets asfatalities from the stings grow. In June, a man

died in the Médoc after being stung severaltimes; a woman in the Gironde died in Julyafter being stung by a hornet while reading inher bedroom. Two more deaths followed inAugust – a man died in Haute-Garonne aftertrying to bat the insect away at a family barbe-cue and a man in the Haute-Vienne, with nohistory of allergies, suffered anaphylacticshock and died after being stung four times.

Although the news has all been about thetragic impact the Asian hornet has had onpeople, deaths from Asian hornet stings arestill rare.

Nevertheless, experts are calling for everyoneto be vigilant and to take extra care when try-

Warnings onAsian hornetsas more diefrom stings

How to tackle Asian

While stillrare,fatalitiesfrom Asianhornetstings areon theincrease,reportsLUCYSTUBBS

A peaceful rural scene among beehives, but

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News 3Dordogne Advertiser October 2011 www.dordogneadvertiser.com

History Museum and the scientific body theLaboratoire Evolution, Génomes et Spéciation,have been devoting time and effort into sur-veying and trying to control Asian hornetnumbers.

“We’ve been putting up traps in certainsectors and there has even been a study intothe most effective form of bait to use,” says MrsDufour.

She adds, however, that there is something ofa problem: “Everyone is being urged, as a goodcitizen, to destroy Asian hornets’ nests foundon their premises. You can buy a bombe defrelons to destroy small nests, but big onesneed to be professionally removed – and thatcan prove pretty expensive.”

ONE family which has had alot of encounters with theAsian hornets are theBeasleys, who moved to LaChapelle Saint-Jean aboutthree-and-a-half years ago.

“This year is the first onewhere we haven't had to dealwith a nest,” said FrancesBeasley.

When they first moved intotheir house they had no ideathat they were likely toencounter hornets, but thatAugust, as the house wasfull of friends, familyand youngsters, theyheard an ominous dronecoming from the roofand witnessed swarms ofhornets inside the house.

“I called the pompiers,”said Frances. “Theycame out and destroyedthe hornets’ nest. It wasmassive, about one-and-a-half metres wide.They had to take 15 rooftiles off to get to it. Itmust have been therefor years.

“As they were leavingthey warned us, ‘Youhave got an old house sothey’ll be back’.”

Sure enough, the hor-nets returned the followingsummer – this time in a dif-ferent part of the roof – andthey were back again the nextyear.

By this time, the helpfulpompiers were no longer onhand to help out. “I was toldthey didn’t get rid of hornets’

nests any more. In the end, Ihad to phone a private com-pany about an hour’s driveaway and they came and gotrid of it,” said Frances.

In light of the increasedpublicity and apparent con-cern over the rise in hornetnumbers, she said she had

been surprised by thereaction of both pompiersand the local mairie.

“This year someone inthe village had an Asianhornets’ nest in a treeoverhanging the mainroad opposite the mairie.the reaction to it from the

authorities was, ‘tant pis’(never mind!) It was verydangerous. In the end myneighbour got the companyI’d used to come and removethe nest, but I do worry that alot of people are far more atrisk now the pompiers havestopped their free service.”

hornetshornet, you can phone 15 (emergency servic-es) – but don’t panic. Hornet stings areunpleasant but rarely fatal. However, a call tothe emergency services is definitely recom-mended in case of an allergic reaction.

Set traps for hornets from Februaryonwards, they are most effective between Julyand November. A simple trap can be madeusing string and a plastic bottle containingsome sweet alcoholic liquid such as beer.

Full instructions can be found here:www.planetepassion.eu/wildlife-in-france/asian-hornet_vespa-velutina-nigritho-rax_frelon%20asiatique_france.html

beekeepers (below) must beware of invasion by the dangerous Asian hornet (below right)

Nasty shockwelcomednew arrivals

THE Asian hornet is believed to have foundits way into France in a consignment ofpottery from China which arrived in theport of Bordeaux in 2004.

It quickly spread to surrounding areasincluding the Lot-et-Garonne. It was firstspotted in the Dordogne in 2006. Althoughsimilar in appearance to the Europeanhornet, this Asian cousin is smaller and hasyellow feet.

While Asian hornets pose a problem forhumans because of their unpleasant stingand their propensity to swarm around peo-ple, they pose a far bigger threat to theecosystem. Unlike the European hornet,they will attack and destroy entire beecolonies.

In Asia, bees have apparently adaptedtheir behaviour to deal with the threat fromthe hornets; they gather together, surroundand then smother the hornet until it suc-cumbs to heat stroke. It appears that tech-nique does not work in France and there isgrowing concern among bee-keepers thatwhole colonies of bees are being wiped out.

The fact that the Asian hornet has nopredators is also fuelling concerns that thepopulation will spiral out of control ifnothing more is done to control it.

Big threat to theecosystem

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“People aremore at risknow the freeservice hasstoppedFrances Beasley

4 News Dordogne Advertiser October 2011www.dordogneadvertiser.com

OCTOBER is Breast CancerAwareness month and aseries of events will take placeacross the Dordogne to high-light the importance ofjoining the free screeningprogramme.

Breast cancer is the mostprevalent cancer amongwomen in France, with

around 52,000 new casesbeing diagnosed each year,but it is also one of the easiestto treat if caught early.

Doctors estimate thatdeaths from the disease couldfall by as much as 25% if allthose eligible were tested reg-ularly. The majority of breastcancer cases are diagnosed in

women aged between 50 and74 who are eligible for freemammogram examinationsevery two years. Womenunder 50 with a familyhistory of breast cancer canalso join the programme.

Regular self-examination isalso recommended and anyproblems found should bechecked out by a doctor.

Although it is less common,and less well-known, breastcancer can also affect men.

To take part in the screen-ing program, ask your doctoror get in touch with Vitalis,the organisation that co-ordi-nates all cancer screeningservices in France, to requesta mammogram.

Phone Vitalis Dordogne on05 53 35 58 90.

FOIE GRAS producers in the Dordogneappear undecided about how to react to abizarre compromise decision taken by animportant international food fair in Germany.

French foie gras producers will be allowed todisplay their produce at the show – but theywill not be included among entries in the cata-logue of exhibitors.

The ANUGA show takes place in Colognethis month and is believed to be a key marketfor French purveyors of foie gras.

A diplomatic rift was caused in July whenthe organisers announced a ban on foie grasproducts following pressure from German

anti-foie gras groups. The French minister foragriculture, Bruno Le Maire, threatened toboycott the show while rumours startedcirculating that Dordogne factories such asRougie, in Sarlat, might have to lay people offif demand for their product fell as a result ofthe exhibition ban.

The panic appears to have passed, butproducers remain bemused by the decision.

While foie gras production is banned inGermany, it appears that Germans still havequite an appetite for it. Last year the countryimported 100 tonnes of the luxury product,mainly from France.

Tests could save lives

CUSTOMS officers are increasing the number of checksthey carry out on parcels and letters being received or sentfrom the Dordogne. The douanes have told people not tobe surprised if their parcels arrive covered in white tapewith “douanes” on it. Last year customs officers foundalmost 150,000 parcels which contained counterfeit orbanned goods. Items seized include counterfeit designerclothing and drugs. The number one item seized isViagra, which is often imported from India or China.

Crackdown on parcels

No entry for foie gras

Chips bag aportion ofTV stardom

‘Adopt a pet’plea by SPA

Post goeseco-friendly

Parking pain eased

A thrillingtime

AN animal sanctuary inBergerac is calling for peopleto adopt its pets after beinginundated with animals overthe summer.

The SPA, on the route deSainte Alvère has respondedto many calls from the publicwho have spotted lost or straydogs in the Dordogne, butnow the home is running outof space.

To adopt a dog or cat,phone 05 53 27 26 67. Allpets are vaccinated, chippedand neutered before being re-homed. Dogs cost €155, cats€110 and kittens €85.

LA POSTE has introduced anew form of transport intothe Dordogne in a bid to cutcarbon emissions and costs.Following trials of an electricquad bike in Sarlat, morehave been added to the fleetin Montignac, Brantôme,Périgueux and Le Bugue.

La Poste says it aims toreduce its carbon emissionsby 15% between now and theend of 2012.

RESIDENTS in a tiny com-mune near Sarlat arecelebrating after their stationcar park has finally beenenlarged so that regular railusers can park there.

Around 10 people regularlycommute from Saint Cypriento Sarlat or Bordeaux, butuntil recently the station carpark had only four parkingspaces.

Now, nearly six years afterthe station re-opened, andfollowing lobbying of thecouncil by the AssociationPérigord, work on a 10-placecar park has been completed.

FILMING starts this monthfor the psychological thrillerDésordre, starring ex-MissFrance Sonia Rolland. Thefilm will be primarily shot inPérigueux though somescenes will be filmed inRibérac and Tursac.

A FAMILY have employed a lawyer to help them in theirappeal against a fine and the confiscation of their pet fox cub.The Delanes family were given a €300 fine in July and orderedto surrender the cub to the authorities. But the fox, which theyhad taken into their home after finding him lying in the roadalongside his mother’s body, has disappeared. The family arestill prepared to fight for other people’s right to keep foxes.

Family in fox cub battle

MEDIEVAL frescoes showingsome of the key figures fromthe Knights Templar move-ment have been uncovered byrestoration expert FrançoisDuquesne, owner of theChateau Belvès, in what isbelieved to be the only find ofits type in Aquitaine.

The movement began in theearly 12th century when nineknights, all apparently pic-tured in the frescoes, createda religious order.

Originally formed to pro-tect pilgrims travelling toholy sites, the KnightsTemplar were well-known forfighting in the Crusades andfor charitable fund-raising.

Excitingknights

A DORDOGNE couple arefeeling slightly batteredafter having spent sevenweeks being trailed by aBritish film crew.

Dave and Helen Mansfieldrun Dordogne Chippy, amobile chip van which iswell known and loved inmany towns across thesouthern Dordogne.

As veterans of the expatcommunity in the area, theyrecently took part in thefilming of a 12-part seriesof Little England – currentlybeing shown on in the UK.

“It has been great fun, if abit surreal,” explains Dave.“We were filmed at home,driving, selling fish andchips – then last month wewere featured in the TVTimes.”

While the Mansfieldsenjoyed the experience,they admit it was hardwork.

“It was mentally draining,”said Dave. “We had to do

our job and answer ques-tions from the crew at thesame time.

“Film crews like to do twoor three takes of everything,so there was a lot of repeti-tion – but it was fun. Our15 minutes of fame.

“We never expected tomove to France and thenend up on TV.”

Having lived in theDordogne for a number ofyears, the Mansfields werekeen that the show shouldprovide a positive and real-istic portrayal of Britishexpatriates.

“The production companyhave assured us that theydon’t intend to stick theknife in,” said Dave.

“The series focuses on theBritish people working inthe Dordogne and I hope itshows us all in a positivelight.”

Little England can be seenon ITV1 on Monday nightsat 20.00 (UK time).

Dave and Helen Mansfield, seen here at work in theirmobile chippy, are ready for their “15 minutes of fame”

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News 5Dordogne Advertiser October 2011 www.dordogneadvertiser.com

IT might just be a place forscrap or household waste tothe man in the street, but thecontents of rubbish tips cannet the local authorities thou-sands of pounds.

But in this age of financialconstraint, waste manage-ment sites are also proving tobe a magnet for metal thievesand steps are having to betaken to stop them.

One local council deter-mined to hang on to itsincome from scrap has decid-ed to install 24-hour CCTVto keep an eye on things andwill report its findings to thepolice.

Tips in and aroundPérigueux, where securityguards are already employed,will spearhead the plan toprotect scrap metal, which isone of the déchetteries’ mostlucrative waste products andcan fetch hundreds of euros atonne.

Other authorities are keep-ing a close watch on the planand say that if it works theycould follow suit. The

Dordogne has more than 50council-run déchetteries,which are free for residents.Local authorities cover therunning costs of the tips andmake money out of recyclingthe deposited waste.

But the recent rise in thecosts of raw materials,particularly metals such ascopper and iron, has ledthieves to ransack these tips –sometimes in broad daylight.

Jean-Louis Simon, thepresident of the CCAIV(Communauté de communesastérienne Isle-et-Vern) saidthat the scrap metal bins inSaint-Astier were being con-tinually emptied by people –some of whom spend all dayat the tip – removing metalas soon as it has been thrownaway.

“In total, we recovered 9.5tonnes of metal in 2010,” MrSimon said. “But we don'tknow how much scrap wastaken so can’t say how muchmore we would have got.”

Scrap metal can fetch up to€400 a tonne.

CCTV to tipscales onmetal thefts

Rail death‘suicide’

Hope for burglary victimsIF YOU have been the victim of a burglary, a new website mayhelp to reunite you with your stolen possessions. The website,set up by the Gendarmerie de la Dordogne, archives all foundstolen goods and allows you to view them online. If anythinglooks familiar, you simply click on the contact button to findout how to reclaim your belongings.

The site address is http://cambri24.free.fr

School cutsunder fireSOCIALIST former educa-tion minister Jack Lang hassaid education cuts in theDordorgne are deplorable.This year 14 classes haveclosed and more are underthreat. In a newspaper inter-view, Mr Lang described thegovernment’s school cuts as“vandalism”.

Grave issuefor disabledDISABLED people trying tovisit graves in Razac-sur-l’Isle, near Périgueux, havebeen angered by newlyimposed vehicle restrictions.The new rules at Saint-Georges cemetery mean thatcars are allowed only between09.00 and 10.30 and 17.00-18.00. Vehicular access at theweekend has also been limit-ed. The local council says therestrictions are to limit theftsfrom the site and to create amore peaceful atmosphere forvisitors.

POLICE are treating assuicide the death of a70-year-old man whostepped on to a railwayline near Thiviers stationand was hit by a train. Astudy last year by theAgence régionale de santéfound the Dordogne hadthe highest suicide rateamong over-65s inAquitaine, at 44% of thedepartmental total.

THE town of Thiviers, inthe Périgord Vert, attractsmany visitors to walk thepilgrimage route de SaintJacques de Compostelle andto visit the foie grasmuseum in the main square.

But until recently it hashidden the fact that it washome to one of France’sgreatest literary and philo-sophical figures – possiblybecause he once called itspeople avaricious shopkeep-ers who “bored me silly”.

However, there is now aplaque to Jean-Paul Sartre(1905-1980) on his grand-parents’ home and guidedtours to see it.

Born in Paris, Sartre spenta large part of his early yearsliving with his grandparentsfollowing the death of hisfather, but this was not ahappy time for him – hedescribed his grandfather asstern and the householdbeing largely silent andoppressive.

There are still people livingin Thiviers who had parentswho played with the youngSartre. His visits stopped

when he was 12 and hismother remarried, takingthe family to La Rochelle.

Nicky Roberts, who runsthe Hotel de France et deRussie, believes she knowswhy the town has seemedreluctant to celebrate suchan esteemed figure.

She says: “As far as I

understand it, Sartredescribed the town as ‘bour-geois’ and consequently fellout of favour – but at leastnow there is a guided tourthat takes you to see hisplaque.”

In 1963, Sartre revisitedThiviers when he was writ-ing his autobiographicalwork Les Mots, charting thefirst 10 years of his life.

Sartre said of his formativeyears: “I hated my childhoodand everything that remainsfrom it.”

Sartre’s plaque is includedas part of in a walking tourof the medieval town.

For details of conductedtours contact Valerie on05 53 55 12 50.

Thiviers tour revealsSartre’s childhood home

Did you know?

Waxwork of Jean-PaulSartre in the MuséeGrévin, Paris, and hisplaque in Thiviers

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Photo: © Gerrit Zandbergen

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Reminders to recycleDORDOGNE pupils have been given free academic diaries inan attempt to get them hooked on recycling. The diaryfeatures a couple of cartoon characters – one who recyclesand one who creates waste. SMD3, the organisationresponsible for dealing with waste disposal in the department,says that on average each Dordogne resident threw awaynearly 600 kg of rubbish last year.

6 News Dordogne Advertiser October 2011www.dordogneadvertiser.com

FIFTEEN people, all from theRibérac area, have been jailedafter police uncovered adrugs ring in the town. Thedefendants, aged between 22and 43, were found guilty oncharges ranging frompossession to drug traffickingand received a variety of sen-tences including a €5,000fine and a year’s imprison-ment.

During the court case itemerged that between 2007and 2009 the defendants hadsold heroin and cannabis toresidents in Ribérac,Villetoureix, St Pardoux de

ARCHAEOLOGISTS areworking fast to uncover thefoundations of a settlementbelieved to be 3,000 years old.

The settlement was un-covered by workman prepar-ing the ground for the ringroad to the west of Bergerac.

Work on the project hasnow been halted for severalmonths to allow teams ofarchitects to investigate andsalvage what they can.

Local schoolchildren arevisiting the site, which willsoon be be covered up againto allow work on the by-passto resume.

The road is due to be com-pleted next year.

Historic findat roadworks Tourist tax

rise haltedA “CRAZY” tax rise fortourist attractions has beenoverturned after the industrylobbied the NationalAssembly and persuadedMPs to vote against it.

An increase in the price ofan entry ticket to themeparks and other attractionswas among the tax hikes andcutbacks announced inAugust by Prime MinisterFrançois Fillon, all aimed athelping to reduce France’sbudget deficit.

Theme parks have beenaccustomed to adding only5.5 % VAT to ticket prices.Mr Fillon proposed raisingthat to 19.6%, in line with thetax on other luxury items.

However, many, includingformer UMP prime ministerJean Pierre Raffarin,described the so-called taxede loisirs as “a tax on thepoor”, claiming that it wouldhit many families who oftenwent to theme parks neartheir homes because theycould not afford to go awayon holiday.

In the Dordogne, where aquarter of all revenue comesthrough tourism, the news

was greeted with outrage,particularly by those involvedin the tourist sector. Amongthose most concerned wasLaurent Delbos, director ofLe Bournat theme park, oneof the Dordogne’s most popu-lar visitor attractions.

He said: “It would havemeant putting ticket pricesup by 15%. I was very wor-ried about how it wouldaffect our business. Lots ofpeople wouldn’t have beenable to afford the increase.”

Mr Delbos was amongmany in the industry whoprotested to their MPs andtheir campaign was support-ed by lobbyists representingsome of the country’s biggestattractions, such asEuroDisney.

“The MPs got together andvoted against the proposal,”said Mr Delbos. “I’m delight-ed. The idea was crazy andwould have made thingsharder for everyone.”

80 jobs togo at ISOAEIGHTY people are to losetheir jobs at insulationcompany ISOA.

The firm, which had beenexperiencing financial diffi-culties for some time, hasbeen taken over by Azimuth,an Avignon-based companythat specialises in rescuingand turning around troubledbusinesses.

In spite of the job losses,ISOA will continue to operatefrom its two Dordogne sitesin Saint-Astier and Boulazac.

Jail for drugtraffickers

Convict’s TVswitch furyA PRISONER in Neuvic hashad a year added to hissentence after head-butting aprison officer when he dis-covered the television in hiscell was not working. Theman, 26, thought that guardshad deliberately disabled hisset and that his televisionprivileges had been with-drawn. In fact, the interrup-tion in service back in Marchwas caused by technical prob-lems brought about by thedigital switch-over.

Monks hope to restore chapelAN order of monks is looking for donations torestore their chapel. The chapelle de laPeyrouse, near Saint-Félix-de-Villadeix, wasbuilt in the 19th century and has beendescribed as a “mini Saint-Front”, the cathe-dral in Périgueux. Once attended regularly bythe frères de Saint-Gabriel, the chapel has been

unused for many years. Now the brothers havedecided to try to restore it so that services canbe held there again.

The building requires structural repairs tothe roof and façade and replacement of win-dows. To donate or help call 05 53 61 05 83 oremail fsg.lapeyrouse@orange.fr

Battle overFOR MANY years parts ofthe Dordogne have been suf-fering from an invasion ofAmerican bullfrogs whichthreaten native species.

The frogs are about 25 cmlong and can weigh up to akilo. They are hard to controlbecause they eat voraciouslyand breed abundantly.

Until now the battle againstthese dangerous interlopershas not grabbed the head-lines, but it has recentlyemerged that the Périgord-Limousin regional naturepark has been hard at worktrying to eradicate them.

“We employ hunters toshoot them,” says FabienneRenard-Laval, who is respon-sible for maintaining thepark’s ecosystem. “It’s theonly effective way to controlnumbers. Being an exoticspecies, they have no naturalpredators.

“They carry bacteria on

their skins which are toxic toa lot of other creatures.”

Around 5,500 frogs havebeen culled since 2006, butMrs Renard-Laval says: “Wehave been successful inreducing numbers, but I don’tknow if we’ll ever completelyeradicate them.”

The American bullfrog ismost prevalent in thePérigord Vert and the Landes,but the Gironde and Lot etGaronne have also had todestroy large numbers.

No one is quite sure howthe bullfrogs reached theDordogne, but they wereintroduced to France in 1968,when about 10 were placedin a private pond in Arveyres,a little town 30 km east ofBordeaux.

American bullfrogs becamepopular pets for a time, butsince 1997 importing theminto the European Union hasbeen banned.

Victory for France’s leisureand theme parks: children

at Bournat escape a rise of15% in ticket prices

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

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

www.siddalls.frFrench finance 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.

News 7Dordogne Advertiser October 2011 www.dordogneadvertiser.com

TOURIST offices across theDordogne have reported abig rise in visitor numbersthis year.

Factors such as the unrestin the Middle East andshrinking household budgetsmeant that even more Frenchpeople than usual chose toholiday at home, with manyheading to the Dordogne.

Other European holiday-makers also placed Franceahead of more exotic andfar-flung destinations.

In Bergerac, the touristoffice reported a rise of 15%in visitor numbers comparedto 2010 with July – despitethe rain – being the busiestmonth.

While the number offoreign visitors remainedstable, it appears more Dutchand fewer British visited thetown, but what made it sucha booming summer was theincrease in French visitors.

It was a similar picture inPérigueux.

Although the wet weathermay have put a damper onmany outdoor activities,indoor attractions felt thebenefit. The Musée d’Art etd’Archéologie du Périgord,

for example, saw its visitornumbers almost double inJuly.

Other key tourist favourites,such as Sarlat and Brantôme,also reported high visitornumbers.

Although no figures havebeen officially gathered yet,

there is a feeling amongrestaurant and bar ownersthat although more peoplehave come through the doors,they have been on tighterbudgets – meaning that theoverall rise in takings wasnot significantly higher thanlast year.

Photo © B

ournat

Dordogne boostedby holidays at home

Bergerac recorded a rise of 15% in visitor numbers

American frogs

Harvests beat the droughtTHIS year’s drought mayhave been bad for manypeople involved in agricul-ture, but apple farmers andwine-makers are celebratingafter surprisingly successfulharvests.

The apple harvest begantwo weeks early, towards theend of August, with the fruitripening more quicklybecause of the dry spring andmoist July. This early surgeinitially caused problems forsome producers becausemany of their casual fruit

pickers were still on holiday.However, by early Septemberthe fields lining the Route dela pomme du Limousin, whichruns through the HauteVienne, Corrèze and thenorthern Dordogne, were fullof pickers and the harvestwas soon in.

Yields are said to have beenthe same as usual, but theexceptional weather has ledto sweeter fruit.

It was a similar story forapple producers aroundBergerac. They benefited

from an influx of EasternEuropean pickers who wereable to plug the gap whilemany French pickers werestill enjoying their vacances.

Wine-growers were con-cerned early in the summerthat the vines needed morerain, but the wet July fol-lowed by a largely dry Augusthas produced grapes slightlysweeter than average.

Early indications suggestthat the harvest is a good onewith higher yields than wereanticipated earlier in the year.

Photo © Jim

jag - Fotolia.com

Photo © K

aren Barefoot

The American bullfrog: adanger to native wildlife

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8 Food Dordogne Advertiser October 2011www.dordogneadvertiser.com

ONE OF my prized possessions is a breadboard given to my mother for Christmas 1940.It still has the faint inscription: “Waste Not”.

In May 2011 a report to the United Nationsfood and agriculture organisation stated thatthe world’s richest countries waste nearly asmuch food as the entire net food productionof Sub-Saharan Africa.

Globally, one third of food produced forhuman consumption is wasted.

These are shocking facts in times of famine,rising food prices and falling incomes. Let mejust say that in developing countries, food losscaused through production, harvest and processing is the major problem. In developedcountries the big problem is waste. Retailersand consumers throw away perfectly ediblefood in terrifying amounts.

France Nature Environmental reported in2010 that every citizen throws away 20kg offood, 7kg still in its packaging. In the UK eachyear £420 (€475) of food per household iswasted unnecessarily. In North America thefigure is $620 (€430).

I waste food; don’t we all? I am trying hardto reduce it, and believe that living in Francemakes this easier. For example, fruit and vegetables, the most wasted items in the UK,are much easier to buy loose here.

I suspect that people in France struggle withtwo areas of potential waste: bread and cheese.Depending on the size of your household, andyour capacity for both, I think many readerswould agree. That half baguette hangingaround or the leftover pieces of cheese, lurkingin the back of the fridge? Why not put them togood use.

Suggestions for bread:Cut it into slices, put into a plastic bag, add

a little oil and shake, then spread on a bakingtray and bake when cooking something else.Then cool and store in a tin for canapés, or tofloat on soup with cheese.

Bake without oil, then crush and store in anairtight container for crumb coating.

If fairly fresh, crumb in the blender/proces-sor and then bag and freeze, making dishes asbelow.

For cheese:Grate and bag in the freezer for all sorts of

dishes.Soft cheeses can be turned into quiches and

tarts, especially good with red onions.A Provençal recipe blends soft goat and blue

cheese with a little marc or brandy for thecheese board, or as an apéritif with toasts.

For many other suggestions go to www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Here is one of our family recipes that usesboth bread and cheese.

Eat it, don’t bin it

After she was chosen asfirst BBC Masterchef in1990 JOAN BUNTING wassoon writing a foodcolumn and doing BBClocal radio. Now the former advisory teacherhas retired and movedpermanently to her homein France, but is still keento tell readers aboutgood food.

Caline Montfort, of Julien de Savignac wine merchants (www.julien-de-savignac.com), says:Caravansérail 2007 of Domaine Chemins d’Orient. €9.80. Pecharmant. Red wine withcharacter. It is soft, fruity with a spicy note, thanks to the excellent soils of Pecharmant,allowing Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec to express themselves fully. This wine will stand up to the mustard and cheese, but still marrygently with the bread, milk and butter as it remains very soft in tanins.

Which wine should I drink with this?

Fluffy Cheese Pudding - serves 4

SUPPER: Don’t waste leftover cheese and bread – turn it into a delicious family meal

Heat the milk with the butter, then addthe onion and crumbs and leave to soak forat least half an hour or overnight.

Beat the mustard, salt and pepper intothe egg yolks and add these and thecheese to the crumb mixture.

Whisk the egg whites until firm, fold in.

Pour into a litre buttered dish and cook at200°C (400°F) for 40 minutes, lowering theheat if the top begins to brown too much.When the pudding is firm to the touchserve at once with a green salad and bakedtomato halves.

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INGREDIENTS

500 ml milk50 g butter

100g fresh/frozen breadcrumbs 1tbsp grated or finely chopped onion

1tsp mustard Salt and pepper 2 eggs, separated 150g grated cheese

METHOD

Tried and tested by usA Dordogne Advertiser team member has put this recipeto the test, hoping to pass on some handy hints whenyou try the recipe at home: “Georges my eight-year-old son helped me make this easy tea-time treat.The only drawback was the infusion time neededfor the bread and milk mix (one night). A good tipto cut down on washing up is to put the breadslices in the milk with the onion then put in themicrowave for one minute. It is then easy to mash.Whisking the egg white did give the dish a nice souf-flé texture. If I made it again I would add some lardonsfor extra flavour. We served with a rocket and tomato salad.”

A collection of restaurants in the Dordogne

To advertise your restaurant with us call

0800 91 77 56

Wine 9Dordogne Advertiser October 2011 www.dordogneadvertiser.com

Maison des Vins de Bergerac 1 rue des Récollets

24100 Bergerac

Tel 05 53 63 57 55 www.vins-bergerac.fr

Visit the Maison des Vins

and local vineyards

News from the Dordogne’s wine regionBERGERAC

PECHARMANTMONBAZILLAC SAUSSIGNACMONTRAVEL

ROSETTE

"THROUGHOUT history wine and religionhave always worked together," said MrLaperrousaz. "People with religious beliefsalways started vineyards because wine forMass was very important."Depicting monks, nuns, priests, the Pope, the

French catholic priest Abbé Pierre and theformer charitable almshouse Les Hospices deBeaune in Bourgogne, the collection featuresover 300 labels from all over Europe.Mr Laperrousaz started collecting wine labels

by chance when a collector friend of his askedhim to visit a local vineyard to ask for acertain label. "For me it was and is an openinginto the culture of wine," he says. "Collectingthe labels is about meeting people and sharinga common interest. It's another way of talkingabout wine."

The exhibition will be held at the library inSigoulès, beginning at 18.00 on October 3 witha free tasting of Bergerac wines. After this, theexhibition will be open during opening hours(see website given under Exhibtions above).

Wine has been made in France since Romantimes. But after the fall of the Roman Empireand different invasions, wine making becamegenerally less popular and difficult to main-tain. However, it was thanks to the monks,who grew vines around the monasteries andabbeys, that wine-making continued to existand prosper. Bergerac's wine-making industrybegan with Benedictine Monks, who, in theMiddle Ages built a priory near Bergerac andbegan to cultivate vines on the Monbazillachillside. Legend has it that it was these monkswho accidentally discovered Noble Rot, afterthey were busy elsewhere and neglected their

precious vines. Nobel Rot is a

form of grey fun-gus that affectshealthy, ripe,white grapes. Asthe sun dries thegrape skins theystart to turnbrown, wither andthe fungus startsto grow. Thegrapes shrivel andthe skins splitleaving the juicesto evaporate.What is left is asuper-sweet con-centration ofeverything in thegrape except thewater content. Thegrapes are used tomake the famousMonbazillac sweetregional wine.

Wine labels - another way of talking about wine

Harvest celebrations continuethis month in the Dordogne'swine-making region as the festi-val Grain d'Automne gets intofull swing. With music, theatre,story-telling and exhibitions,there's something for everyone.Plus many of the events offerwine-tasting. JANICE MOODYtakes a look at events on offer.

ConcertsSaussignac wine region: The last Jazzen Chais (Jazz in a wine cellar) con-cert of the summer will take place atChâteau Marie-Plaisance at Gageac-Rouillac with the New Meeting quar-tet. Starts at 21.00 on SaturdayOctober 22. €10. Apéritif Gourmand(€6) at 19.00 (reservations essential).Free wine tasting at 20.15.Info/reservation: 05 53 73 12 25.

TheatreMontravel wine region: For somehumorous and cheeky entertainment(in French) make your way toChâteau Moulin Caresse at Saint-Antoine-de-Breuilh for some theatreDames de fumée/Daunas de hum(Smoke ladies) or Commentapprivoiser le vaudou béarnais (Howto tame the Bearn voodoo). Starts at21.00 on Friday October 14. Therewill also be wine tasting of thevineyard's own wines. €10. Free forchildren under 12 yrs. Informationand reservation: 05 53 27 56 75.

Story-tellingSaussignac wine region: Contespanachés (Relaxing stories) by DanielL’Homond takes place at the Salle desfêtes in Thénac at 20.30 on SaturdayOctober 8. Listen to stories and enjoytasting of local wines. €8. Free forunder 12 yrs. Info/reservation:05 53 58 66 05 or 05 53 58 60 06

ExhibitionsMonbazillac wine region: The Wineand religion exhibition will be held atthe library at Sigoulès from October 3- 16. This is an interesting exhibitionof wine labels with a religious themeby Patrick Laperrousaz. Open duringlibrary opening times (see http://www.pays-de-bergerac.com/pages/tic/papi/listing/sigoules.htm). Free.

Other eventsMonbazillac wine region comes intoits own at this time of the year: Theannual Fête des Vendanges takes placeat the Lycée Le Cluzeau at Sigoulès.Events start at 19.00 on FridayOctober 7. Enjoy a free apéritif fol-lowed by a torch-lit procession.Market with free entertainment opento all. For details call 05 53 73 43 60.

For the full programme of eventscall 05 53 06 83 14 or visit www.graindautomne.com or www.cg24.fr

Celebrate the harvest with wine tasting events

Photo: © Cluzeau

Patrick Laperrousaz has been collect-ing wine bottle labels as a hobby for25 years and now boasts a collectionof over 300,000. His collectionincludes labels from all around theworld which are carefully sorted intothemes such as cartoons, flowers,art, women, sport and music. Thismonth his collection of labels with areligious theme goes on display tovisitors and enthusiasts.

TORCHLIGHT: Grape-picking at the Fêtes des Vendanges at Sigoulès

DISPLAY: Mr Laperrousaz among his collection of 300,000 labels

Wok of autumn vegetables with grilled Périgord chestnuts

Serves 4, Preparation time: 30minutes, Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients500g Périgord chestnuts1 bunch of chives4 cl sesame oil2 cl olive oil50 g butter1 carotte de sables (carrot grownin sandy soil)1 celeriac1 carrot1 beetroot50 g Chanterelle mushrooms

1 onion5 g Szechwan pepperFleur de sel de Guérlande (salt)Milled pepper

Grill the chestnuts on a hotplate or wood fire. Wash and chop the chives

then mix them the oils. Peel, wash and cut the veg-

etables into thin strips (julienne). Melt the butter until it

foams, add the vegetables andsauté them for 3 minutes. Add the chestnuts at the last

minute. Serve in a dome shape on

plates and season.

Serve with a Bergerac red wine ofyour choice.

Bergerac red wines include thePécharmant, Montravel, Bergeracand Côtes de Bergerac appella-tions. Whereas Pécharmant,Montravel and Côtes de Bergeracred wines are richer wines andbetter for having matured, theBergerac red is a fine, fruity winethat can be drunk young.

Wok of autumn vegetables with grilled Périgord chestnuts

Photo: © Janice Moody

Photo: © Association Aquitaine de Promotion Agroalimentaire

ALEXANDRA THEVENET has more than 20 years of internationalbusiness experience. She set up and developed the Franco-BritishChamber of Commerce & Industry in the Dordogne between2005 and 2009. She now runs The Link providing assistance toanyone wishing to settle down in France, and also set up abusiness here. Services include translation, language tuition,advice and guidance, along with project management. Here sheintroduces a novel marketing and communication technique.

alex@thelinkservices.fr - +33 (0)6 70 11 58 88 www.thelinkservices.fr

IF YOU’RE not yet familiar with QRcodes, they are similar to the barcodesused by retailers to track inventory toand price products at the point of sale.The key difference between the two isthe amount of data they can hold orshare. Bar codes are linear one-dimen-sional codes and can only hold up to 20numerical digits, whereas QR codes aretwo-dimensional (2D) matrix barcodesthat can hold thousands of alphanumericcharacters of information.QR’s ability to hold more information

and its ease of use make the codes prac-tical for small businesses. When youscan or read a QR code with youriPhone, Android or other camera-enabled smartphone, you can link todigital content on the web, activate anumber of phone functions includingemail, IM and SMS, and connect themobile device to a web browser.

The codes have long been used for arange of products and services – fromNew York City building permits tohaving people support causes or signpetitions, as in the “Restore the Gulf ”campaign in response to the BP oil spill.Calvin Klein replaced their billboardswith them last year.

There are a number of sites for generat-ing QR codes and they’re all free. AnInternet search for QR code generatorwill offer many choices. The QR codereader app that works well on my iPhone

is i-nigma, which claims to be the mostwidely used reader in the world. Itaccommodates virtually any type ofcamera phone. For the Android, you canalso try Barcode Scanner

There are hundreds of ways we coulduse QR codes in our everyday life. TheDordogne boasts a local wine industrywhich could use QR codes to describeflavours, recommend best food for aspecific wine to be drunk with etc.

QR codes could also be used on foodto show how it was sourced, any comple-mentary products and recipe ideas.Cosmetic companies could link to infor-mation on other products or “how to”videos. In print ads, they could link cus-tomers to another medium.

Business cards can use QR codes toprovide all relevant contact detailswhich, once scanned, are automaticallyadded to your smartphone’s contacts list.

Think about how many products andads you come across in a day and con-sider the opportunity offered by QRcodes to be enticed on line. From amarketing perspective it’s a way to addvalue and enhance your customer expe-rience, and connect to your audienceinstantly on another level.

However remember that it’s important

to treat it like any othermarketing tactic. Ensure itmakes sense for your busi-ness, what your goal is.

This could be to collectleads, enhance the customerexperience, offer discounts,promotions or special offers,offer additional content,guidance, education, or justfor fun.

Test it, and if it is notdelivering, rethink yourapproach quickly and easily.

Below are some ways ofusing QR codes that aremostly in practice now, aswell as a few that I believewe will be seeing in the verynear future.

Where QR Codes could be used:The back (or front and back) of your business card.Your brochures and other marketing materials.The sides of trucks and trailers.Product tags and packagingConvention and event nametagsRestaurant menusEvent ticket stubsPoint-of-sale receipts

QR Codes could link to:Installation instructionsSources for parts and serviceDirections to your businessThe process for hiring your professional servicesValuable coupons and special offersRecommendations for complemen-tary products and servicesFree mp3 downloadsCustomer feedback forms

Photo: © Thom

as Pajot - Fotolia.com

10 Business Dordogne Advertiser October 2011www.dordogneadvertiser.com

FINANCESponsored by

We bought our second home in Bergerac 15 yearsago and renovated it over time, using it for seven toeight weeks of the year. Since retiring five years ago,we have lived here 180-190 days a year. Our main res-idence is in the UK. We would like to spend a longerperiod in France each year, but our travel insurancewill not allow this. We would also like to bequeath ourtwo children our house here. Would it be more benefi-cial to have our French home as our main domicile?Advice regarding French inheritance tax bands wouldbe much appreciated.

Most families will benefit from residence in France

Better off in France?

Photo © Liv Friis-larsen - Fotolia.com

Coded messages: what the QR code looks like

While Quick Response or QRcodes are considered a noveltyhere, they’ve been around inJapan for almost a decade andfor a few years in the US.Originally QR was a registeredtrademark of Denso Wave, asubsidiary of Toyota. However,the company has chosen not toexercise its patent rights to QRcodes and that has encouragedtheir widespread use

Secrets of the QR code

YOUR situation is very common indeed. Many secondhome owners who gradually spend more and more time inFrance have to make a decision about where they want tolive. What your travel insurance will cover, however, is notthe main issue, since the financial repercussions are muchmore important. Ignoring them may leave you in breach oftax law in at least one country.

Since you have homes available to you in both countries,one of the deciding factors in the UK/France double taxtreaty is where you spend most of your time, so if you arespending 190 days a year here, the French will view you asalready being residents of France and may ask you why youhave not completed a tax declaration.

The good news is that, generally speaking, most peopleare considerably better off living in France compared to theUK, so moving here is often financially attractive andinheritance tax is no exception. The current inheritance taxthreshold in the UK is £325,000, which is for the entireestate and the tax rate begins at 40%. In France, theallowance is smaller at €159,325, but it is per beneficiaryand the inheritance tax rate starts at 5% and not 40%, withmany paying around 20%, so half that of the UK.

It is technically possible to have two allowances formarried couples in both countries, although this wouldwork differently in France. To keep the comparison simple,based on one allowance, if we assume an estate of £900,000,with two children, the inheritance tax bill would be around33% less in France than in the UK, saving the children over£76,000. With the right investment strategy, the bill couldbe around 95% less in France, saving around £217,000, soclearly financial planning is vital.

There are also other taxes to consider, such as income tax.If we take a married couple where one person is earningaround £50,000 per year, the income tax bill computes toalmost half the income tax bill for the UK. If all thisincome were to be from capital, with careful planning thiscouple might be not paying income tax in France.

Wealth tax is not as scary as people think, and with thenew rules even less so. From 2012 you will need an assess-able estate value of over €1,300,000 to even be assessed tothis tax and 30% of the value of your home is instantlydeductible.

I would suggest that there is very little to worry aboutwhen moving to France from a tax perspective for manywho move here. However, taking professional advice beforedoing so is vital if you are to avoid the various pitfalls andmake use of the numerous advantages on offer.

www.mobile-barcodes.com/about-qr-codeswww.qrcode.kaywa.comwww.qrstuff.comwww.the2dcode.com

Useful Websites

Helpguides 11Dordogne Advertiser October 2011 www.dordogneadvertiser.com

Up-to-date, impartial information on a range of topics for

life in France

Connexion helpguides

...and many more helpguides available

From

€€5To help readers make the most of life in France

The Connexion has produced a series of helpguides on practical topics.

The guides address questions about everyday life in France that we frequently receive at our offices.

These include how to fill out a French income tax form, residential taxes, employing help at home such as a gardener

and letting out your French home. The helpguides, priced €5 and €7.50, are produced independently

by Connexion journalists or in partnership with Conseils des Notaires de France.

Download the helpguides at www.connexionfrance.comor call FREE from France 0800 91 77 56 or for just 4p/min from the UK 0844 256 9881

12 Organic Dordogne Advertiswww.dordogneadvertiser.com

FRANCE is leading Europe in the productionof organic food, as more and more farmersdiversify into ‘bio’ growing methods.

Recent government measures to increase thissector aim for 20% organic food in state catering by 2012, and although it is unclearwhether this target will be reached, the trendis definitely on the rise.

Unsurprisingly, there are big regional differences in the percentage of organic producers. Top is Languedoc-Roussillon, with35% two years ago, followed by Île de Francewith 33% and PACA hot on their heels at 30%.

Outside France, only the USA and Australiahave this sort of growth. The scene in the UKis rather different, with emphasis currentlybeing placed on locally-produced food, ratherthan organic. Indeed, according to the SoilAssociation, the number of organic food producers in the UK fell last year by 4.2%, andsales were down by 5.9%.

I caught up with two expats inLanguedoc-Roussillon who havemade the move to organic. Bothsaid that although they have to workextremely hard, it is worth it andmeans they really feel fulfilled bywhat they are doing.

Catherine Wallace spent 15 yearsin the wine trade in the UK, knowsit inside-out and has plenty of contacts there. For two years sheand her partner searchedLanguedoc-Roussillon for a work-ing vineyard with potential fordevelopment. The right locationin terms of terrain andclimate isvery impor-tant.

Six years

ago they bought Château deCombebelle, in the StChinian AOC, from a fel-low Brit.

“It was a very steeplearning curve,” Catherinetold me. “The best way tolearn is to be very hands-on.”

Although the vineyardalready produced thetraditional red wines ofthe region, Catherinehad a vision: to expandthe range of wineproduced. Her firstrosé was produced in2007 and she has plansto plant some white

varieties soon. This is anexpensive business; to

plant a hectare of newvines costs €30,000, even

with subsidies. “You need to know what you

are aiming for and be realisticabout how much it will cost,” she

advised.Why organic? “We both have total

respect for the environment. We are not onlyorganic, but bio-dynamic and I couldn’t do itany other way. It sums up our whole philoso-phy.”

Sales are going well, and Château deCombebelle’s wine is represented in severalUK outlets, including the Co-op. Promotion isvia wine fairs, but also very much through personal contact, gained through Catherine’sprevious experience.

Sarah and Jim Pearce own and run pick-your-own farm Top Fruits (www.top-fruits.com), an unusual enterprise in France.Running alongside is a pig farm and the original vineyard.

Although they are not totally organic, thePearces are extremely environmentally aware.They bought the property, a fruit farm withsome vines, in 2005. They used an English-

speaking agent in the region,which they knew to beright for their needs. Jimhad been a farm manager in the UK forsome years and already

had a great deal of relevant expertise. It wasthis experience that helped them avert disasterwhen, after their first year in the property, thejam factory to which they sent their peacheswent under.

They had relied on this income to supportthe development of their vineyard, so theyswitched to PYO and have expanded that partof the business over the years.

They brought in pigs to use up the windfallpeaches, and the rest of the farm, including sixbeehives, developed from there. Sarah pointsout that bees need an environment free fromchemicals, so this in itself is a good reason toadopt organic methods.

Sarah explained that one of the main obstacles to becoming completely organic isthe weeds.

“The public don’t like wandering aroundfields and orchards full of weeds, so they simply have to be kept down – the weeds thatis! However, we have to be very careful indeedabout treating the fruit, after all we have customers picking every day.”

The 33-hectare property between Béziersand Narbonne grows a huge variety of produce, from stoned and soft fruits to tablegrapes and vegetables.

They also sell their pork as half-carcasses forthe freezer, and of course there is the wine,which is, however, not organic.

Sarah told me that 95% of the farm’s customers are French, adding that French people haven’t lost the skills of preserving.

“They pick by the bucketful, and as for thepork, they don’t waste a scrap. They are, infact, perfect customers.”

Visiting Brits apparently prefer to pick uppunnets of soft fruit and neat joints of pork,whereas Turkish customers go for the tablegrapes in a big way.

While food producers across thecountry are feeling the effects ofthe stormy economic climate,organic growers are buckingthe trend. In 2008, AgenceBio, the French organicagency, saw more than 300producers sign up to the stateorganic scheme each month,and organic food products represented 1.7% of total foodproduction. By 2010, the number of organic producers hadrisen by a further 23%. While this isstill only a small proportion, it is risingyear on year. JOAN BUNTING reports.

Going Bi inFrance

Organic wine producer Catherine Wallacewouldn’t want to farm any other way

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THE authoritative guide to buying a home in France

Available in English from The Connexion, priced €7.50 or £7 (plus postage and packaging)

Written by the Notaires de France and published by Conseils des Notaires.

See our website www.connexionfrance.com

Organic 13www.dordogneadvertiser.comser October 2011

I also spoke to two young French producers,Julien Laurens and Stephan, known as theCheese Man, who are taking the cautiousroute to organic production.

Julien is a neighbour. A horticulturist bytraining, he inherited land and wanted to dosomething a bit different. Passionate about theorganic movement, he hit upon the idea ofgrowing saffron and last year harvested a trialcrop. But instead of selling it, he took samplesto some of the best chefs in the region andasked for their honest opinions.

They were extremely enthusiastic about itshigh quality and said they would buy as muchas he could produce. He has now extended hisplanting and is looking to add organic herbsnext year.

Julien says he was looking for a niche, something regional but with few producers.The hard work for him comes after harvestingwhen, to get a kilo of saffron, the stamens of150,000 flowers have to be removed – time torecruit the family!

Stephan produces organic goat’s cheeses highon the plateau and sells quite simply door-to-door, visiting the local, often remote hameauxonce a week, with a refrigerated container inthe back of his vehicle. His cheese is so goodand well priced, at €1.20 per cheese, that injust a few months he has developed a largecustomer base.

His other outlet would be farmers’ markets,but he says the cost of getting to them wouldeat into his profits and keep him away fromhis goats. While he is never going to make afortune, he clearly loves his life: a goodenough reason for any enterprise.

www.agencebio.org

www.soilassociation.org

www.bio-dynamie.org

Useful Websites

Goat’s cheese, pick-you-own produceand pig farming are just some examples

of the rising organic market in France

Buying organicproduce inthe Dordogne

Photo: © jerom

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- fotolia.com

THE easiest way to get hold of organic food is, of course,to grow it yourself but if growing your own doesn’t grabyou, then seek out local producers who have done thehard work for you.

AMAP (Association pour le maintien d’une agriculturepaysanne) is a nationwide body aimed at promoting andsupporting local producers and many of its members areorganic farmers.

The organisation has branches in Boulazac, Marsac-sur-l’Isle and Saint Cyprien and will be able to put youin touch with local producers of everything from meatand vegetables to fruit and dairy products.

There is another branch just over the Gironde borderin Sainte-Foy-la-Grande.

For further details of local branches, you can contactBernadette Latour in Boulazac at nanette2@wanadoo.fror Fabrice Amblard in Marsac-sur-l’Isle,tel 05.53.07.83.38 or email: fabrice.amb1@voila.fr

Farmers in the Périgord Vert have now been joined byfarmers in and around Bergerac in selling their producedirect from the farm.

They have a comprehensive website, available inEnglish, listing all the producers under easy-to-usecategories such as “fruit and vegetables”.

Remember, organic farmers should display the AB(Agriculture Biologique) symbol after their name.www.aufildesfermes.com/

Agro Bio Perigord is an organisation that helpsconsumers find places to buy organic products and alsosupports people who want to grow organically. Theirwebsite is bursting with useful information.www.agrobioperigord.fr/

Magasin Bio is an online resource that lists shops sellingorganic produce. The website address is:www.magasinbio.org/annuaire/aquitaine-bio/dordogne-24/

14 What’s On Dordogne Advertiser October 2011www.dordogneadvertiser.com

notice board

CHRISTMAS may seem a longway off, but one couple are alreadyhard at work making sure they getgifts out to some of the world’spoorest people in time for the fes-tive season.

Marion and Ken Reece areorganising a collection on behalfof British charity BlythswoodCare’s Shoe Box Appeal. The cou-ple first became involved with theappeal when they lived inScotland. Now they are hopingthat residents in the Dordogneand Haute Vienne will join them.

“We love the concept of the shoebox appeal. It is a very personalgift from one person to another,from those who have more tothose who have very little or noth-ing,” says Marion. “This box couldbe the only present many receive.”

All items must be small enough

to fit in a standard shoe box.Suggested gifts include toothpaste,soap, hats, scarves, pens, pencilsand sweets. It is up to the personfilling the box to decide on itscontents.

Marion and Ken are looking forpeople in the Dordogne to act ascollection points to enable them togather gifts more easily, althoughthey are also able to travel to col-lect boxes.

All boxes need to reach them byNovember 4 and a final collectionwill be made from the Connectmeeting in Saint Yrieix that morn-ing. If you’d like to take part in theShoe Box Appeal, e-mailmarion.reece@wanadoo.fr or ken-neth.reece@wanadoo.fr

More details of Blythswood andthe appeal can be found at:www.shoeboxappeal.org

Boxing clever tohelp the needy

Promote your community event, send details to dordogne@dordogneadvertiser.com

October 15-16 Patromoniales de la Vallée du Salembre –A weekend of guided walks and activities looking atlocal heritage. On Saturday the walk’s theme will be theMiddle Ages and in the evening there will be a meal andstorytelling. Sunday’s guided walk and picnic will featuremedieval activities and games for children.At 18.00 ashow will take place in the church.Call 05 53 82 60 53

FAMILYChantérac

Périgord Blanc

FAMILYNeuvic-sur-l’Isle

October 7 Vendanges Nocturnes – In theheart of the vineyards of the Bergerac area,this nocturnal grape-picking festival is notto be missed. Starting at 19.00 there is atorch-lit procession to the vineyards wheregrapes are then hand-picked and pressed.This is followed by a blessing of the harvest, various activities and a meal opento all at Le Cluzeau high school.Call 05 53 73 43 60

FESTIVALSigoulès

October 23 Pumpkin festival –Discover dozens of different kinds of cucurbits:

pumpkins, gourds...Take part in the biggest pumpkin and most beautiful creation competition

and don't forget to buy one in time forHallowe’en

Call 05 53 58 79 62

October 7-8 RencontresArtisanales – Over two days localtrades and craftsmen will cometogether to demonstrate whatthey do as well as organise activities for people to take partin.All events will take placeunder the covered market.Call 05 53 73 43 80

Lalinde FAMILY

October 1 Journée des Plantes – Go along to this annual plant fairin the gardens of the Château de Neuvic to discover new plants,

ask for advice and buy new ones for your own garden.Price €4.50, FREE for under 16s

Call 05 53 80 86 65

Issigeac OUT ANDABOUT

October 28, 15.00 and 20.30 Les Flammes de Paris 1789 – This ballet andmusical comedy acts out some of the most important scenes of the FrenchRevolution: the march in Paris, taking of the Bastille, attack on theTuileries Palace.A breathtaking show. Espace Agora, Rue de Soci,Boulzac. Prices €32-€41Call 05 53 02 40 80

Périgord Pourpre

DANCEPØrigueux

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The Phoenix Association is hold-ing a €1 book sale on Saturday,October 29 in the Salle deCommune in Campsegret, on theRN21, halfway between Périgueuxand Bergerac.

All proceeds will go towardshelping the charity to help aban-doned, injured or unwanted petsin the Dordogne.

The association is looking fordonations of books, CDs andDVDs as well as for people to actas drop-off points. Also wantedare keen cooks to donate cakes,quiches, pasties and sausage rollsto sell at the event.

Contact Christine Korzaan on05 53 24 38 08 or email her atbommel@orange.fr, if you havebooks to donate or you can help.

The North Eastern DordogneWomen’s Association is holding amushroom party at the Etang deRouffiac, near Angoisse, onThursday, October 6, starting at10.00 An expert will be on hand tooffer advice on which mushroomsare edible and which to avoid. Apicnic will follow, weather permit-ting. nedwa24@gmail.com

A new Cancer Support Francedrop-in centre has been launchedin the Palais de Justice in Ribérac.It will open on the fourth Fridayof each month from 09.00-12.00 inSalle 1. CSF will also be holding alunch on October 2 in the FoyerRural, Saint- Martin-de-Ribérac.For full details contact TeresaRekowska: csfriberac@gmail.com

Special day for pets

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Care

What’s On 15Dordogne Advertiser October 2011 www.dordogneadvertiser.com

October

Périgord Vert

These pages show events across the four ‘colour’regions of the Dordogne. If you are a visitor to the area

please use the map above to help you identify the location of events

October 26 Discover saffron production in Périgord – Meet14.30 at Tourny, in Montignac, then car-share to the

saffron farm in Saint Genies.There will be a visit andthen tasting session of saffron-based products.

Reservations a must. Price €3Call 05 53 51 82 60

WORKSHOPBourdeilles

October 15 Festival de la Récup – This festival has now beenrunning for five years. It includes activities and workshopsusing recovered items to try to and make people aware ofthe ecological, humane, practical and economic reasons fornot throwing everything away.Call 05 53 03 73 04

Périgord NoirGASTRONOMY

Montignac

October 15-16 La Ronde des Villages – A walk that brings together the local countrysideand culture. Different length circuits over the two days, refreshments provided. Reservationadvisable.Call 05 53 28 81 93

OUT AND ABOUTSalignac-Eyvigues

October 15-16 Chestnut Festival – For more thantwo decades the little town of Villefranche duPérigord has held the Fête de la Châtaigne et duCèpe, a mushroom and sweet chestnut extravaganza.During the two days the town comes to life with entertainments, shows and competitions: the best chestnut cake, the best chestnut, chestnut races,chestnut picking competition and, of course, thechestnut spitting competition.As well as chestnuts,you can sample apple juice traditionally made in public and visit mushroom and chestnut markets.Call 05 53 29 98 37

Villefranche du Périgord FAMILY

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October 1 Conkers Competition –The French conker championshipswill celebrate 20 years of existence this year on the firstweekend of October in Abjat-sur-Bandiat. Hundreds ofpeople will gather together on thevillage square to participate in andwatch the competition.There isalso a car boot sale and local producers’ market. In the eveningthere will be a meal and FREEconcert.Call 05 53 56 81 01

FAMILYAbjat-sur-Bandiat

16 Directory Dordogne Advertiser October 2011www.dordogneadvertiser.com

Find registered tradespeople quickly and easily

English-speaking firms near you

DORDOGNEADVERTISER

For your security, we check that the French businesses in this section are officially registered with the authorities

ABP SasuRenovation & Construction

Swimming pools and buildingsAll trades including new timber frame buildings

Tel/Fax: 05 53 56 68 87Email: abp.renov@orange.fr

Siret: 531 044 139

Paul GentFully Qualified & Insured Builder

including:• Renovation • Masonry

• Plastering • Plus Hard LandscapingTel: 05 53 29 08 86 Mob: 07 60 52 43 40

email: barbgent@gmail.com30km radius Sarlat ( 24 ) Siret : 513 209 189

PLASTERING POINTINGRENDERING &

GENERAL BUILDING“Quality & Reliability” 35 Years Experience

Tel : 05 57 47 48 19Email : pessacweb@yahoo.co.uk

Areas 24,33 Other areas Considered. Based St Foy La GrandeSiret: 482 710 175

ArchitectRenovation - new construction.

Projects, all phases of construction.Sarl d'Architecture

David Besse Architecte dplgGrange Neuve 24140 Saint Martin des Combes.

05 53 82 44 75 - 06 17 51 26 00besse_archi@yahoo.fr

PARKES et DUCELIERArchitectes

UK and French RegisteredArchitects

Dossiers for Permis deConstruireInterior and

Landscape designOrdre des Architectes No. 1867

Tel: 05 53 09 33 45E: mail@parkes-ducellier.comW: www.parkes-ducellier.com

Depts: 16,19,24,33,87 Siret: 488 165 564 00011

HHOOUUSSEE PPLLAANNSSPlans drawn & submittedfor as little as €1,500 HT

Visit:www.houseplansinfrance.com

Tel: 05 55 85 25 63Email:info@houseplansinfrance.com

Landscape ArchitectFREE CONSULTATION

Site analysis, schematic designs,construction plans, cost estimates

construction observation, Contact Michael Stanton

Tel : 05 53 54 63 65www.landplan.fr - E-mail: mike@landplan.fr

Animal CareHouse Sitting Yours/mine

First Aid 4Animals Cert, Referencesestablished Animal Charities

Tel: 06 43 28 32 32animalcarer1@hotmail.fr

Siret ; u47011658505

The Cats InnLuxury Cattery - Cales near Lalinde - Very

Spacious - Lots of Love and Attention

Tel: Paula 05 53 24 14 42www.thecatsinncattery.com

paulaL24150@aol.comSiret No.520 980 269 00010

GOLDENWAYINTERNATIONAL PETS

World Wide Pet Transporter /

RelocatorMinistry approved

No. 61195004 – 61195001Offices CDG Airport Paris

Offices and Kennels NormandyTel: 01 48 62 87 25 CDG ParisTel: 02 33 38 41 32 Normandy

www.goldenwaypets.comSiret: 397549551

ANIMAL COURIERSExperienced couriers specialisingin pet travel between France / UK /

Spain or within France. Pet passport advice.

Tel: 0044 (0) 1483200123Email: animals@animalcouriers.com

Web: www.animalcouriers.com

THE DORDOGNE CATTERY

PENSION POUR CHATS NEARSARLAT, OPEN-AIR, INSULATED

AND HEATEDCONTACT ANNA MASLEN

05 53 31 95 88 / 06 86 94 85 78p.maslen@wanadoo.fr

www.dordognecattery.fr

La Creme de la CremeSmall, Caring, purpose

built DOG FREE catterynear Nontron.

Tel: 05 53 56 05 17email: colfi.day@gmail.com

www.la-creme-de-la-creme.comsiret 51963554400017

WAGS AND WHISKERS

British owned boarding kennels and cattery35 years experience

Tel: 05.65 35.46.51tina.wagsandwhiskers@googlemail.com

SIRET: 500607858

CLOS FLEURILuxury Cattery

Between Bergerac and BordeauxIndividual Love Care and Attention Given

Tel: 05 53 24 16 08Susan.fairweather@sfr.fr

www.closfleurionline.comSiret: 524 348 596 00015

Chenil Les Mille Calins

English Run5 Star accommodation

for Dogs/CatsComprising of underfloor

heated kennels Qualified staff

Top Quality food and exerciseOnly 45 minutes south of Caen

Convenient Ferry AccessSAFETY COMFORT AND CARE FOR

YOUR PET, PEACE OF MIND FOR YOUwww.goldenwaypets.comTelephone 02 33 37 49 19Emergency 02 33 38 41 32

Fax 02 33 38 44 16

By advertising in our directoryyou get the chance to run adverto-rials (the articles you see on thesepages.) 1/3 page, maximum 500words plus photo, €200HT

2/3 page, maximum 1,000 wordsplus photo, €400HT

We will keep you up to datewith features and special events inyour area of France in all our pub-

lications which could help to boostyour business.

Your ad included in our onlinedirectory for FREE.

Want to advertise in our nation-

al paper The Connexion or sisterpapers in other regions? Get 50%off your second directory advert.

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DORDOGNE DIRECTORY

Directory 17Dordogne Advertiser October 2011 www.dordogneadvertiser.com

HOUSES ONINTERNET

Do you want to sell yourhouse quickly?

Our fee is only 2.5%Find out how on:

WWW.HOUSESONINTERNET.COM

Tel: 05 55 65 12 19

For all your electrical requirementscontact

AK Electrical30 years experience/Fully insured

ak-electrical@hotmail.co.ukTel 06 32 31 61 85

siret: 494 064 322 00014

Brian Macey - Electricianmaintenance, breakdowns, renovations,

rewires, new build, interior & exterior30 years experience

Tel: 05 55 97 18 10Email: brimacelectrical@supanet.comSiret: 517 566 196 00013 Regions Covered: 19,24,87

ALL ELECTRICAL/PLUMBING WORK

Underfloor Heating/ AerothermiePremiere service guaranteed

St Yrieux / Brive / Perigueux / SarlatTel: 06 37 09 55 13

Website: http://eurolec24.com/Email: james.gunn@club-internet.fr

Siret: 489 542 589 00010

Kennedy Electricite ServicesInstallation, rewires and repairs.

20+ years experience.Fully insured. No job too small.

Contact Justin or Melissa Kennedy.Tel: 05 55 56 37 36

Email: justin.kennedy@orange.frRegions 87/24 Siret 503 417 04000014

LE FRANCAISCHEZ VOUS

Tailor made tuition in French at yourhome or Castel-Merle, 24290 Sergeac.

Amanda and Emilie MillinshipTel: 05 53 50 04 68

www.lefrancaischezvous.comDordogne

CERTIFIED TRANSLATIONSAll legal transla-tions by French-English speaking sworn translator

Property-legal-birth cert.,driving licences

Administrative helpExpat assistanceValid everywhere

with 25 years of experienceRegions : All FRANCEKaren RENEL-KINGTel: 06 18 03 18 38

Email: karen.king@wanadoo.frWeb:

www.certifiedfrenchtranslation.comFast and affordable

Siret: 38058374000028

LLaa PPeettiittee MMaaiissoonn ddeess LLaanngguueess

38, rue Jean Jaurès, 24800 THIVIERSTel: 05 53 52 49 91

E: lapetitemaisondeslangues@orange.frW: www.lapetitemaisondeslangues.comLearn French and feel at home again !

Small groups, 1to1, weekly orintensive courses and translations

French WithoutTears

Your Own PersonalLanguage Course.

Tuition with Accomodationwww.cours-a-cucugnan.com

Tel: 06 78 15 19 29Siret: 521701474

Tailor Made French LessonsIn Your Home

By an experienced French teacherALL LEVELS

Group, Individual or ConversationTel: 06 83 48 82 05

Siret : 530585181

alan keenan

ti lingall wall & floor tiling, pool surrounds, terraces,

concrete & sand / cement work, plasterboardingTel: 06 19 50 34 28 or 05 53 23 24 54

Email: alankeenano@gmail.comRegions Covered: 24,47 Siret: 47794615600015

MGF CounsellingServices

English Speaking Counselor. M. Glenys Forrester

(B.Sc.psych.) (M.Sc. psych.)

Offering individual /couples counselling.

(Depression, Stress, illness,bereavement etc).

Tel: 05 53 50 07 28Mob: 06 47 17 60 78

Email: mglenys.forrester@gmail.comWeb: www.mgfcounselling.com

Regions Covered: All - Siret: 520 314 824

WEBSITESBoost your business with anaffordable, high-performance

website that you can edit yourselfwww.rob-tomlinson.com

Tel: 05 62 67 39 98rt@rob-tomlinson.com

Regions: All France Siret: 419 490 297 00027

Penny Graphicswebsites from

75€including design, hosting and

domain name

pennygraphics.net02 33 90 92 15

PC-TECHNICASolutions to all your computing needs...

PC Support/Sales & Website Design

Tel: 05 53 59 48 54 Email: contact@pc-technica.fr

www.pc-technica.fr

Voilà!Web Solutions

Exclusive multilingual websites competitively

priced. PersonalisedFacebook, Twitter and

blogs part of a completeservice to make your

business highly visible onthe Internet.

www.voilawebsolutions.comTel: Harvey 05 53 81 03 78

CCAARRPPEENNTTRRYY - BBUUIILLDDIINNGG - RREENNOOVVAATTIIOONN

Excideuil - Hautefort - TerrassonRob Hayward

TTeell:: 0055 5533 5511 9900 8800 MMoobb:: 0066 7700 8899 7722 0066hhaayywwaarrdd..aarrttiissaann@@ggmmaaiill..ccoomm

Siret: 45340867600022

JUST PLASTERINGCeilings, walls, floors

Time served tradesman24, 33, 47, other regions possibleContact Mike Tel: 05 53 58 17 19

Mob: 06 67 03 30 48Email: thewebbsonweb@free.fr

Siret no: 42424381400011

SMALL BUILDING WORKS Repointing, Plasterboarding, windows,

doors installed.Translations, planning permissions.

Tel: 05 53 56 36 89 Email: daveindordogne@sfr.fr www.dordognedave.webs.com

Regions Covered 24,16,87 - Siret: 51913926500010

GENERAL BUILDERChris Danaher

20 Years ExperienceFREE ESTIMATES

Tel: 05 53 05 80 17 Mobile: 06 71 40 35 39danaherone@aol.com Siret:51064303400018

BergeracRenovation & Building

From groundwork, fosseseptiques, masonary,interiors, to rooves.

Free estimates & adviceTel: 05 53 81 60 73

christopher.jarrett@wanadoo.fr

3D CONSTRUCTIONFamily run building company with

over 30 yrs experience

All construction worksundertaken large orsmall incl. masonry,

carpentry and roofingBased nr. Sarlat

Free estimates - References availableTel: 06 31 21 32 04

Email: simon.dobson@neuf.frsiret: 505 346 676 00016

Team of English artisansfor all your renovation needs

in the Perigord NoirEmail: creation.ex@gmail.com

Telephone: Simon - 06 37 21 24 02Glen - 06 71 85 43 24

Siret: 5045 8000 2000 13 - 5206 6045 7000 18

BOIS D'ARBRECONSTRUCTION

______________

Specialists in Traditional Oak frames & Timber houses

______________

* Timber Frame homes - from supply of structural frames,through to turn-key homes

* Extensions, Gazebos, Dormawindows, sun terraces, Garages,

* Specialised in waterproofingtimber roofs, green roofs and

terraces.______________

Tel: 06-72-01-11-06info@boisdarbreconstruction.comwww.boisdarbreconstruction.com

SIRET: 4899 5394 30011

BÂTI-TOP SARL

CONSTRUCTION & RENOVATIONMEDIUM/LARGE PROJECTS

UNDERTAKEN10 YEAR INSURED GUARANTEE

www.bati-top.com05 53 73 02 88 - Siret: 9868562700016

C&C CONSTRUCTION SARLQualified Builder

15 Years Experience10 Years Insurance Guarantee

All Building/Groundworks undertakenTel: 05 53 62 13 38 / 06 63 84 79 99Email: cc-construction@orange.fr

www.cc-construction.fr

RON HARRISONGeneral Builder

City & Guilds qualified, 35yrs experience, reliable, ALL WORK GUARANTEED

Tel: 05 53 80 42 91 Mob: +44 759 286 5010

Email: angelaharrisson@orange.fr25km radius Mussidan(24) Siret: 51352715000017

ADVERTISING FEATURE

NEARLY three years ago Dutchentrepreneur Richard Kroon cameup with a new way to sell Frenchproperty that was better, faster andcheaper than the methods in use atthat time. His company, Houses onInternet, was born a few monthslater and today four people workfull-time and nearly 70 local repre-sentatives work part-time to sell hisclients’ French properties.

The 50-year old marketing andinternet pioneer was one of the firstto recognise the power of the inter-net in 1998 and offered online solu-tions to European businesses thatwanted to attract new markets.

The concept behind Houses onInternet is exactly the same as theone Richard developed for thoseEuropean companies - except nowhe uses today’s modern techniques.

“It is basically the same thing: asan owner (seller) you are looking for

clients (potential property buyers).In the old days this buyer used topass by an estate agent’s window, seea photo he or she liked, and walk in,but unfortunately those days areover,” said Richard.

With economies struggling, manypotential buyers are uncertain ofhow much they can spend on ahouse, which in a lot of casesincreases the average time a proper-ty is on the market.

With non-stop Google advertising,along with putting each house onother leading property websites, theHouses on Internet website reachesover 100,000 visitors per monthfrom over 25 different countriesworldwide.

“After the traditionally slow sum-mer period, sales really have beengoing up again since earlySeptember. The only difference isthat the buyers are not the same as

those we were seeing one or twoyears ago, when the majority wereFrench, British, Belgian or Dutch,”said Richard.

“This majority is shrinking rapidlyand we have been selling propertiesnow to people from countries likethe USA, Canada, Africa, Asia,Russia, Finland, Australia and NewZealand. Our policy to think globaland advertise worldwide definitelyseems to pay off.”

Putting your property on the mar-ket with Houses on Internet is easy.Just visit the website www.hous-esoninternet.com and go to the page“selling a property”. Here you willfind all the information you needand at the bottom of the page is aform you can fill in to sign up.

Richard personally calls everyonethat submits the form. “Some peoplemight still have questions or justwant to share their experiences with

me, so I believe it is important tohave that initial talk,” he said.

From then on, the company’s well-oiled machine starts working for theclient. A local representative calls tomake anappointment andtake a largeselection of pho-tos.

Following thisa questionnaire,in the customer’sown language, issent to gatherinformationabout the house;texts are writtenand translated,and the photosare edited.

The end resultis presented on awebsite that hasbeen speciallymade to sell theproperty, which

will then be viewed by potentialbuyers all over the world.

www.housesoninternet.comTel. 05 55 65 12 19

If you are looking to sell your French home, Richard Kroon’s company, Houses onInternet, will ensure it gains exposure to buyers in over 25 countries worldwide

Target the international property market

Richard Kroon’s website for Houses on Internetreaches over 100,000 visitors each month

18 Directory Dordogne Advertiser October 2011www.dordogneadvertiser.com

DDiissccoovveerr aallll 77 GGoollff CCoouurrsseess

RReedduucceedd ffaarreessbbeettwweeeenn 2200 -- 3300%%

GGoollff PPaassss DDoorrddooggnneeAvailable on line

wwwwww..ggoollff--ddoorrddooggnnee--ppeerriiggoorrdd..ccoomm

G. W.Makeovers & Design

English Kitchens/ Bathrooms/appli-ances direct from UK manufacturersFull range of French kitchens sup-plied Free design/planning service

Installations/Makeovers/Installations Only/Tiling

Granite and Stoneworksurfaces available

Areas: 24 33 47Call 05 53 58 09 32 or

06 58 92 09 97siret: 510 011 554 00019

One stop for all your renovation works. Specialistsin kitchens and bathrooms.

Free devis/quotes.Contact details.

Phone: 06 12 36 33 18 / 06 85 16 35 69e-mail: renovation4u@hotmail.com

Siret: 50281715800012 / 51110545400017

LIMEUILCHURCH

(at Limeuil Haut)ANGLICAN SERVICES

EVERY SUNDAY10.30 AM

Everyone is warmly welcomedTEL: 05 53 31 18 04

www.churchinaquitaine.org

Café ChurchBergerac

An English speaking approachto contemporary Christianity

SUNDAYSSeptember 25, October 23,

November 27

Tea and Cake from 5pmCafe Church from 5.30pm

for about an hourSponsored by and held at L'Eglise

Evangelique Libre de Bergerac, 5 Rue DurouFor more details contact

Reverend Derek & Pam Cook derekcook3@sky.com

05.53.57.83.30www.christiansindordogne.com

MOLE CATCHERNO MOLE - NO FEE!

Call johnthemoleman

tel 05 53 22 07 32 mob 06 06 40 92 97e-mail johnthemoleman@aol.com

siret 51249460000012

Prêt à Plonger Piscine installation, repairs &

maintenance. Bespoke pools, noproject too big or small.

Complete package includinggroundwork, terracing/decking and

pool security.Simon & Julia Holt

0619 071121 or 0553 620152or Julia: 06 32 10 39 92

simon.holt@wanadoo.frwww.pretaplongerpools.com

Siret: 49397835700017

IN DEEPPISCINES

Maintenance, leak detection, servicing, repairs

tel: 05 53 22 79 18 / 06 84 68 84 92email: indeeppiscines@gmail.com

regions: 47, 32, 82, 24, 33 - siret: 504576802100020

TIP TOPGarden &

Property ServicesGarden Maintenance

Hedge Trimming - TreesCutting - Strimming

General Property MaintenanceProperty checks/Keyholding

Photo updatesContact Barry OnTel: 05 53 29 03 52

Mobile: 06 24 07 31 14E: paula.grainger@wanadoo.frDept 24 - Radius 50 kms Sarlat

Siret: 49372365400015

Jardins du Périgord- Design - Creation

- Garden management

High quality work by qualified gardeners

www.jardinsduperigord.com

PISCINE AMBIANCEMore than 20 years

as regional leader in reinforcedconcrete pools.

Thanks to exclusive technologyand no outsourcing, 98% of ourclients readily recommend us!

With PISCINE AMBIANCEinvest in happiness!

PISCINE AMBIANCE - ZAC du Mazaud19100 BRIVE - + 33 (0)5 55 18 98 18

contact@piscineambiance.comwww.piscineambiance.com

24 SERVICESComplete Home and Garden Maintenance

Bourdeilles 24310Tel: 06 02 34 85 38

www.24services.frSiret: 52841725600013

pools-piscines.comSwimming pool construction and repairs

Natural pools - Replacement liners standardand liner 'armé' 150/100

NW Dordogne/South Charentetel 06 89 46 15 08 / 09 77 90 94 51

www.pools-piscines.comsiret 322 963 190 000 36

Roots & ShootsProfessional tree surgeryCall Mark for a free quote

05 53 75 05 48 - 06 89 79 05 02rootsandshoots.fr@gmail.com.

www.roots-shoots.frSiret number 452-803-539-00017

BOUCHERIEA LA FERME

Traditional English family butchers andfarmers in France.

British style Beef,bacon, Sausages,

gammons pork & lambBespoke insulated packaging used for

delivery throughout France.Raymond&Sophie Hicks

www.boucheriealaferme.comTel: 05 55 97 95 66

Mob: 06 45 51 34 58Siret: 509 528 014 00012

SAPEG expertiseet conseil

Registered Chartered Accountants

- Business set up and registration - Business accountancy

- Income tax,Wealth tax- Payroll and legal services

Contact Alain: 05 53 92 50 00Email: a.clisson@sapeg.experts-

comptables.frwww.sapeg.experts-comptables.fr

FRENCH INSURANCE - IN ENGLISH

For people who live in/ own property in

FranceStraight-forward, honest advice onthe best house, car, life & health

insurance policies for youOver 15 years experience inFrench insurance markets

English, Dutch & German spoken.Philippe Schreinemachers

www.insurance.frTel: 33 00 05 62 29 20 00Email: cover@insurance.fr

RCS Auch B479 400 657 - Regions: All France

AXA INSURANCE

J. LECLUZEST HILAIRE DU HARCOUET - 50600

HOME - CAR - HEALTHWe insure UK registered cars

ENGLISH SPOKEN(call Angeline) - 02 33 49 12 34

agence.lecluze@axa.fr

EXECO PARTNERSCertified Accountants (FR)

Serving English Clients in France

Accounting, Payroll, Business Setup and

registration, Individual& Business Taxation

and more...Please feel welcome to contact:

Mr Pierre CHERON(Expert-Comptable)

on Tél: 05.53.54.48.91Email: contact@execopartners.com

www.execopartners.eu

€€ £U RR AR NE SN FC EY R

PIONEER FRANCEBest rates from the market leader

info@pioneerfrance.comwww.pioneerfrance.com/currency

Tel: 05 53 07 06 27

€€ £U RR AR NE SN FC EY R

PIONEER FRANCEBest rates from the market leader

info@pioneerfrance.comwww.pioneerfrance.com/currency

Tel: 05 53 07 06 27

ADVERTISING FEATURE

BOIS d’Arbre Construction SARL isa small limited company located inthe village of Plazac in the PérigordNoir.

Established in 2006 by an Anglo-French couple the company hasenjoyed a natural expansion andnow offers custom-made buildsfrom small extensions, terraces anddecking, garages and balconies toturnkey homes of a high standard.

Bois d’Arbre offers customers thefollowing advantages:

A small professional construc-tion company producing a limitednumber of quality homes per year.

Considerable experience of tra-ditional and contemporary builds.

Solid oak frame constructionswhen preferred.

Quality insulation techniques. Personalised designs to client

specification. Technical solutions and build-

ing permit applications. Stage construction or turnkey

delivery. Full insurance and guarantees.

The company website offers awide range of information on serv-ices, timber-framed homes and agallery illustrating work done forprevious clients. For more detailsvisit the website or contact ShelleySimons directly.

Over the last five years Bois d’Arbre has built up a solid reputation for itswooden houses and supports clients through the entire construction process

Traditional timber frame construction

Despite the advancement of building technology the company’s timber crafting is all hand-hewn in the local workshop

Bois d’Arbre combines age-oldhandcrafting and modern techniques for quality results

06 72 01 11 06 www.boisdarbreconstruction.com info@boisdarbreconstruction.com

“We take pride in offering ourservices as creators of highquality wooden and timber-framed homes

Directory 19Dordogne Advertiser October 2011 www.dordogneadvertiser.com

To advertise here callfreephone in

France 0800 91 77 56 / fromUK 0844 256 9881 (4p/min)

REMOVALS & STORAGEMurray HarperEuropean transport

& storageENGLAND, FRANCE, SPAIN

Scheduled collection anddelivery service guaranteed

Established 30 yearsin the industry

www.murrayharper.comTel: (0034) 952 793 422 or

(0034) 952 807 692info@murrayharper.com

AAccccoommmmooddaattiioonn MMaannaaggeemmeennttSSeerrvviicceess

SSeerrvviicceess IInncclluuddee::

• CCoommpplleettee pprrooppeerrttyy mmaannaaggeemmeenntt

• CChhaannggee oovveerrss

• PPrrooffeessssiioonnaall llaauunnddrryy sseerrvviicceess

• GGaarrddeenniinngg//PPooooll SSeerrvviicceess

• KKeeyyhhoollddiinngg

• SSeeccuurriittyy cchheecckkss

wwwwww..aaccccmmoonnlliinnee..ccoommTTeell:: ++3333 ((00))555533779933556644

EEccooPPoowweerrThe World's

Leading SolarSystems

Tel: 05 53 62 31 35

www.ecopower.eu.com

MAKE YOUR OWNELECTRICTY & SELL IT,

USE ITBE SELF-SUFFICIENT/INDEPENDENT

YOUR POWERSOLAR-WIND-HYBRID KITSWWW.everkinetiq.frinfo@everkinetiq.fr

SECURITY SYSTEMS

Alarm calls up to 4 numbers ifactivated.

NO ANNUAL CONTRACTSOR MONTHLY PAYMENTS.

Wireless or wired.Cameras with 24/7 recording +

Internet access. Security lighting.Tel: 06 27 76 95 91

E: contact@aquitainealarmes.comW: www.aquitainealarmes.com

Regions Covered: 24, 33, 17, 16SIRET 50793843900019

LOCKES GROUNDWORKS& LANDSCAPING

Digger / driver hire Fosse septiquesExcavations, Building, Renovations

Driveways, Fencing, Decking, Pergolas Tel: 05 53 79 77 61 or 06 42 86 85 31

Email: lockes@orange.frWebsite: www.lockes47.com

DIGITAL INSTALLATIONSWe do not only sell & install

We also repair digiboxesNOW!! All freesat systems available

WITHOUT CARD For more information call00 33 (0)5 45 98 25 37

FINNINGER & HELBACH GmbhLe Petit Fouine, 16210 Curac

Tel/Fax: 00 33 (0)5 45 98 25 37email: FinnHans@aol.com

www.digitalsatellitefrance.comSiret: 400 415 246 00026

General BuildingRoofing, loft and barn conversion andproperty renovations. Depts 24, 19, 87

Full team of skilled registered tradesmencharles@hautefortrenovation.com

www.hautefortrenovation.comTel/fax: 05 53 50 12 39Mobile: 06 84 53 08 39

Balcony & Stair Railings

Window & Door Grills.

Manufacture/Repair/Installation.williamsonsteel.com

williamson_steel@yahoo.com05 53 90 20 17

To advertise here callfreephone in

France 0800 91 77 56 / fromUK 0844 256 9881 (4p/min)

Mini digger hire from100 Euros per day HT

Hammer, auger, dumper,roller etc available

Sarlat, Gourdon and Souillac areas

SARL MaximaTel April on 0613232249

or 0553312115see rates at

www.maximalocation.comSiret no. 498 524 032 00022

SURFACESPolished Concrete Floors, Walls, Worktops

Sinks & Furniture

STONE & TILERestoration, Colouring, Sealing.

Web: www.surfaces24.comEmail: info@surfaces24.com

Tel: 06 82 38 21 12 Siret 51500573400014

SAND AND BLASTSandblasting service for Wood,Metal and Stone. Floor sanding

service / hire available. Tel: 05 55 78 43 71 /

06 67 81 63 46www.sandandblast.com

Areas: 87, 16, 24 Siret: 488 522 921 00029

Experienced and registeredCeramic floor and wall tiler

For a professional Service / QuotationContact 2447 CarrelageTel: 05 53 57 12 19

Email: occitane6@orange.frRegions 24/47 and surroundingSIRET: 4844699200014

Phil B EntrepriseAll Building Works Undertaken

Inc Electrical, Plumbing and HeatingBased 47, 24

Email: enquiries@stoves.frTel: 05 53 84 36 81

Mobile: 06 72 02 88 29

www.swansolar.euSupply & Installation of :

• Solar domestic hot water systems • Solar swimming pool systems

• Wood boiler stoves • Plumbing services Tel : 05 53 63 43 87 / 06 06 41 08 85

Email : maswan@live.co.ukAll depts covered Siret 50406233200011

PROPERTY ODD JOBS

Painting + Decorator, General PropertyMaintenance, 25 years experience,

Registered Artisan Tel: 05 53 23 77 05 (Rob)

Regions: Dept 24 - Siret: 501 098 883 00017

E B CreationsMetalwork

All interior and exterior ironwork.Dept 47,33,24 covered.

www.ebcreations.net.Tel: 05 53 83 68 15

email: edward@ebcreations.netSiret No. 452 215 403 00018

Plastering Servicesover 20 years experience in france

we undertakePlastering - Partitioning - Plasterboarding

COMPETITIVE PRICESTel: 05 53 56 27 58

Mobile: 06 02 26 17 75Siret: 381 076 967

STAR SATELLITEBritish TV in France

BskyB Qualified - For All Your Satellite NeedsTel: 05 53 80 63 93

Email: contact @starsatellite.frWeb: www.starsatellite.fr

Regions: Dordogne and surrounding DepartmentsSiret: 50196266600019

ASBESTOS ROOFINGALERT!

Act before EU forces removal andbans DIY disposal

Save up to 75% contractor costs

Contact SiteClear for Cheap, Safe, Legal Solution

FREE CONSULTATION

Tel: 09 62 27 94 39email info@siteclear.eu

Siret no. 51438447800012

Clark Property ServicesGarden, Pool and property maintenance

small projects undertaken reliable service

TTeell.. 00003333 ((00))55 5533 5588 6666 3366EEmmaaiill.. sstteevvee@@ccppss2244..ffrrWWeebb.. wwwwww..ccppss2244..ffrr

Siret. 493688626

BOUCARA CHAUFFAGEPLOMBERIE

PLUMBING - HEATING - BATH-ROOMS - GEOTHERMIE AND

ALTERNTIVE - ENERGY INSTALLA-TIONS - GAS INSTALLATIONS

QUALIFIED ARTISAN - QUALIGAZREGISTERED - FRENCH REGIS-

TERED BUSINESS12 MONTH WARRANTY

ON ALL WORK FULLY INSUREDDEPT 24, 33 AND 47

Contact. Morris WhiteheadTel. 05 53 58 38 62

Email: morriswhitehead@wanadoo.frSiret No. 480 789 197 00013

PLUMBING & HEATINGINSTALLATIONS

SERVICING & REPAIRSRENOVATIONS, AIR-CONDITIONING SOLAR

SYSTEMS - TOTALGAZ APPROVED INSTALLERContact: Wayne MerryMob: 06 85 58 64 65Tel: 05 53 64 34 05

Email:wayne.merry@sfr.fr

HEATHROW LEFT HANDDRIVE CENTRE LTD

Rear Of 55 Cowley Road,Uxbridge UB8 2AE

Tel: +44 (0)208 8487407Tel: +44 (0)1895 81 23 23

Mobile: +44 (0)7811 784766We Specialise in buying

and selling Left HandDrive quality vehicles.

We have a variety of cars mostly onFrench/Spanish and English registrations.

We have over 11 years of professional experiencein the motor trade.

Web: Heathrowlhdcentre.comE: info@heathrowlhdcentre.com

LANDROVER*MG*ROVER*JAGUAR*

AUSTIN-MORRIS PARTSELECTRONIC DIAGNOSTICS &

GEARBOX REPAIRSWWW.LANDYPOINT.NET

0545622720

''MMaassssaaggeess aanndd wweellll bbeeiinngg aatt CCaasstteellnnaauudd llaa CChhaappeellllee''

With

Sophie NALIN, massage practitioner- Relaxing massage with organic oils

- Wave and vibration massage techniques- Energising massage- Shiatsu Amma Assis

Tel: 06 79 67 38 06

Souillac Golf &Country Club

Play golf all year round in theDordogne Valley.

Challenging 18-hole course, driving range, pools, tennis, bar,

restaurant, accommodation

www.souillaccountryclub.com

Tel : 05 65 27 56 00

ADVERTISING FEATURE

ECO Luminaires is an internet-based company in Montignac,Dordogne, which supplies energysaving LED and compact fluores-cent lighting and lamps.

Having just been launched by Glenand Louise Bird, inspiration for thecompany’s creation came when sherealised a good selection of LEDlighting did not exist in France. Italso came through noticing a rise inher electricity bills.

“We rent a gite out at our houseand realised how much the guestsleave lights on, so we changed a lotof our light bulbs a year or two agoto low wattage to save money,” saidLouise.

“If you run 15 light bulbs (50watts) for ten hours it comes to£410.63 a year, but running 10 wattfluorescent lamps for the sameamount of time costs just £82.13,”

she added. “People don’t realisehow much they’re burning withthe 50 or 60 watt bulbs, it’s aconsiderable saving when you thinkabout it.”

LED light bulbs can last up to fivetimes longer yet use five times lessenergy than a normal incandescentlight bulb. Many come with a five-year guarantee, but will not just stopsuddenly after five years. As theynear the end of the life span theywear down and become dimmerover a length of time. “LED lampshave around 50,000 hours of lifespan,” added Louise.

The savings on overheads that thecompany makes because it is web-based means that the customer fur-ther benefits through competitiveproduct prices.

Eco Luminaires also sells a rangeof products in multiple “kit” form in

order to keep costs low.In addition Louise constantly

reviews the latest technologies sothe product ranges reflect the bestin energy saving technology anddesign.

The company offers a range ofhouse lighting products for thekitchen, bathroom, ceiling andmuch more. It also specialises inkitchen cabinet lighting. “This is ourbiggest category and we have a lot ofdesigner, LED lighting that cantotally transform a kitchen,” saidLouise.

“We’ve been to home and kitchenexhibitions and there was no light-ing at all in the kitchens on thestands, so I feel there is a lot ofpotential for our lighting products

here.”To order customers can make a

transaction through the website’sPayPal facility or speak to Louisedirectly to make a bank transfer. Alldeliveries are sent using data track-ing to ensure that Eco Luminairesand its customers can track prod-ucts from depot to destination.

Louise said: “We are dedicated to

providing energy efficient lightingthat not only saves you money but also lasts longer, costs less, looks fantastic and helps the environment.”

05 53 51 97 0306 71 85 43 24www.eco-luminaires.comproduit@eco-luminaires.com

Whether building a new home or renovating anold dwelling the LED lighting products from EcoLuminaires will enhance the look of your home

LED lighting looks good and costs less

LED lighting can improve the look of your home and save you money

FRANCEhas some of

the tightest rules protectingworkers but like everywhere elsepeople are still made redundant andlose their jobs. Here are some guide-lines if this situation were to arise.

Ways employers can terminate a contract

DismissalAN EMPLOYER can dismiss a workerfor professional and individual reasons.These could be for disciplinary reasons,something the employee did wrong, orfor non-disciplinary reasons such as pro-fessional incapacity or non authorisedabsences. These are called licenciementpour motif personnel.

For the employers to use these reasons

they must have proof,based on real events

that can be verifiedand also be suffi-ciently strongcases to justifythe dismissal.Reasons that cannot be used for

dismissal are: ethnicgroup, gender, race, reli-gion, family circumstances,nationality, pregnancy,

adoption, occupational accidents or ill-nesses, taking part in strikes, personaland political opinions, trade unionmembership and activity and health rea-sons except where a person has stated anincapacity to work.

In the case of this kind of dismissal theemployer must invite the person con-cerned to a formal dismissal interview -entretien préalable. This invitation mustarrive by a registered, signed for letterand should give five days notice. The let-ter should state the reasons for the inter-

view, date, time, whether a staff repre-sentative or advisor will be present andalso give a list of advisors the employeecan call upon as well. If the motif for dis-missal is disciplinary then the meetinghas to happen within two months of theevent occurring.

It is not compulsory to attend the inter-view but is advisable as, during thismeeting, the employers must clearly statewhy they plan to dismiss the person andalso listen to the employee’s explana-tions. After the meeting the employee

should receive another registered lettergiving exact reasons for dismissal.

If for any reason the employee feelsthe reasons are unjustified then they canappeal to an industrial tribunal.

Economic redundancy This is used when the reasons for dis-missal are not related to the employeebut perhaps due to changes in the com-pany’s working methods, a change totimetabling which the employee does notaccept or technological changes.This is known as licenciement pour motif

économique. Before taking a decision for this sort of

dismissal the employer must offer, wherepossible, retraining or a change of posi-tion within the company and these offersmust be made in writing.

If in any doubt about an employer’smotives or for advice the legal body LesPrud'hommes is the most recognised tohelp with disputes between employeesand employers. You can get in touchwith them at your local tribunal.

20 Directory Dordogne Advertiser October 2011www.dordogneadvertiser.com

Right and wrong reasons for dismissal

Car boot sale dates for the month

October 1 - Abjat-sur-Bandiat, Le Bugue

October 2 - Bergerac, Brantôme, Carsac-Aillac, Mussidan, Périgueux, Saint-Avit-Sénieur, Verteillac

October 3 - Hautefort

October 8 - Cénac-et-Saint-Julien

October 9 - Cénac-et-Saint-Julien, LesEyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil, Marsac sur L'Isle,Monpazier, Montignac-sur-Vézère, Saint-Astier, Saint-Mayme-de-Pereyol

October 16 - Bourdeilles, Creysse, Le Pizou,Montignac-sur-Vézère, Naussannes, Nontron,Sarlat-la-Canéda

October 23 - Annesse et Beaulieu, Bussière-Badil, Hautefort, Montignac-sur-Vézère

October 29 - Thenon

October 30 - Coulounieix-Chamiers,Groléjac, Saint-Front-de-Pradoux, Sarlat-la-Canéda

October 31 - Groléjac

Car boot sales around the area this month

POLE EMPLOI JOBSPART-TIME EXPORT ASSISTANT Monbazillac Job offer no: 607154V, permanent contract.You will be in charge of the reception and dealing with quotes,orders, export logistics and will use Sage accounting softwarein your role at a small wine production business. Two years’experience, A Levels/HND or import/export secretarial diplo-ma required, and very good English. Pay €11.30/hr, 16Hweek. Contact Pôle Emploi Bergerac, tel 3949.

SALES ASSISTANT BergeracJob offer no: 606546V, two-year contract. Urgently required to work in a company specialising in paint-ing and varnishing. You will have just passed yourBaccalauréat and would like to study for a BTS 'NRC' (clientrelations and negotiation) while you are working. Beginneraccepted. Bac or equivalent (A Levels) in science and technol-ogy and very good English required. Pay is minimum wage,the amount depends on your age. 35H week. Send CV andapplication letter, giving the job offer number, to Pôle EmploiBergerac, 123 Rue Valette, 24112 Bergerac or e-mailape.24026@pole-emploi.fr or EP-PROD.24026@pole-emploi.fr

HOTEL RECEPTIONIST Terrasson-LavilledieuJob offer no: 602217V, permanent contract.You will preferably have training in hotel reception and aremulti-skilled. You will work every other weekend following aschedule to be worked out with the employer. One-two yearsexperience in a similar role preferred. Good English andknowledge of Excel and Word required. Pay €9/hr + 10%,39H week. Send CV and application letter to Mr Jouan atape.24034@pole-emploi.fr or Pôle Emploi Terrasson, 58Avenue Jean Jaures, Pôle des Services Publics, 24120Terrasson-Lavilledieu B.P. 88

ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARY Saint AstierJob offer no: 976573V, six months, prospect of contract. You will take orders by telephone, processing and completing.Good English and six months experience required. Pay €9-10/hr, 35H week. Apply on www.pole-emploi.fr

Photo © legabatch - Fotolia.com

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Directory 21Dordogne Advertiser October 2011 www.dordogneadvertiser.com

CLASSIFIEDS

To advertisehere call

freephone in France

0800 91 77 56/ from UK

0844 256 9881(4p/min)

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies.Vet checked.Pet Passport. Mothers chipnumber 956000008011173. 05 53 29 12 84. turretbank@orange.frwww.turretbank.com. Lacombe 24250DOMME.

FOR SALEBeautifully renovated detached doublestorey house on the outskirts of a pic-turesque Bastide town in theDordogne. Delightful manageablemature garden of approx 1000m2 withflowering and fruit bearing trees: redapples, figs, peaches, pears and cher-ries. Walking distance from all ameni-ties including two bakeries,butchery/traiteur, supermarket and thevillage market (twice a week). Upperlevel: Living/Dining, Kitchen, 2Bedrooms and 1 Bathroom, LowerLevel: Completely self-contained withseparate entrance in addition toaccess from the upper level via aninternal staircase, spacious extra livingroom with Kitchenette, 1 Bedroom withan en-suite Bathroom, Laundry room.Carport. Ideally suited for a small fam-ily with a live-in parent, but also wouldsuit a health practitioner or similar.(Living upstairs, working downstairs).Half an hour from Bergerac.Private sale. 238,000EURContact the owners on +33 553228663or email: gillianmeijer@mac.com

Caves & CastlesGuided Tours

with professional archaeologist Steve Burman

Lascaux II, Font de Gaume & more!www.cavesandcastles.com

cavesandcastles@gmail.comTel: 05 53 50 31 21 - 06 76 46 67 38

PPAAIINNTT -- BBRRAANNDD NNAAMMEETop Quality Uk Emulsion White &

Magnolia 10LTS - Unbeatable PriceLocal Drop Off Points - Dept 24

Ring or Email for Further Details &Prices - Tel: 09 62 21 46 27/

06 78 17 47 53Email:paint4less@me.com

OAKWOOD FLOORINGWide boards

Large stocks availablePrime & Character grades

Oiled & waxed finishesSpecial offersfrom 12 € / m²

www.oakwood-import.fremail: franceoak@gmail.com

tel: 06 80 33 93 57siret 49426348

Furniturefor France

A wide range of quality indoor furniture and sofas

supplied and delivered directto your French property saving

you time and money.New showroom

"Meubles New Ideas"near Brive(19) now open.

For full colour brochureplease e-mail

info@furnitureforfrance.co.uk or call 0033 (0) 6 46 49 73 45 or

0033 (0) 5 55 25 02 68www.furnitureforfrance.co.uk

KKAANNGGAARROOOO KKAARRDDSSLeaps Ahead!

High QualityGreeting Cards300+ Designs

FREE DELIVERYin Europe

*Award Winning Website**Pay Securely Online**Outstanding Service*

*Money Back Guarantee**Many Exclusive Designs*

kangarookards.co.uk

WOODBURNERS.FRTraditional cast iron

multifuel and woodburningstoves. Option for fireback boilers on most

models. Delivered to yourdoor or installed. Also coal

now available.Contact us for renewableenergy air source pumps

to replace your gas oroil fired systems.See our website on

www.woodburners.frTel/fax or Email05 53 84 36 81

Mob 06 72 02 88 29enq@woodburners.fr

Siret no 45204687300017

FRENCH-MODE LtdClassic furniture

made in Italy by Retigritti- Anti-rust treated steel

outdoor Tables and Chairs- Natural quarry cut marble tables

with black cast iron legs, the typicalFrench Bistro and Cafe table.

Brian + Cheri Hewitt Lalinde Affaires

1 Rue Des Martyrs, Lalinde 24150Telephone: 05 53 57 54 06

Brian Mobile: 06 82 09 24 24Cheri Mobile: 06 48 42 04 93

www.french-mode.netemail: french-mode@orange.fr

OAKWOOD FLOORINGWide boards

Large stocks availablePrime & Character grades

Oiled & waxed finishesSpecial offersfrom 12 € / m²

www.oakwood-import.fremail: franceoak@gmail.com

tel: 06 80 33 93 57siret 49426348

U.K. WOODBURNERSAARROWYEOMAN STOVAX

VILLAGERFrance Agent - P.E.P Leisure Ltd

UK 08717174097FR 0553732521

www.pepleisure.comemail: fires@pepleisure.com

Regions All France

Loca PlastowTrading Since 2005

Tool & Plant HireFrom Diggers, Dumpers Rollers

To Small DIY ProjectsFloor Sanders - Rotavators

Scaffolding towers - Mixers

Tel: 05 53 83 40 67Email: loca.plastow@wanadoo.fr

D933 Between Eymet & MiramontSiret 483 433 264

DESIGNERDÉCOR

direct to the Dordogne- curtains, fabric, soft

furnishings, wallpaper- made to measure- delivered direct- top UK brands- competitive pricing- friendly, expert advice

www.fabricgallery.co.uk+44-1904-481101

www.magasinanglais.comBritish food, cards, baby products,

sweets at FANTASTIC PRICES;order online - FREE local delivery!

tel. number 06 45 36 64 90

SIMPLY BRITISHINDEPENDENT BRITISH GROCERS

Large range of food - fresh and frozen,books, greetings cards and gifts

Tel: 05 61 64 98 89Email: simplybritfoix@aol.com

Web: simplybritish.frREGION: Shop 09, mail order throughout France

WOODBURNERSAsh Grove Stoves

Supplier ofHunter - Villager

- Clean Burn - Fire Visible - Boiler versions available- Deliveries all over France- Prices on our website

Lowest Prices Guaranteed

Tel: 00 44 (0) 1392 861579www.ashgrovestoves.com

sales@ashgrovestoves.com

To advertise here callfreephone in

France 0800 91 77 56 / fromUK 0844 256 9881 (4p/min)

MOVINGTO OR FROM

FRANCE?Weekly services to

& from FranceFull or part loads, 4wks free storage,

25 Yearsexperience

Contact:Anglo French RemovalsTel: +44 (0) 1622 690 653

Email: info@anglofrench.co.ukwww.anglofrench.co.uk

George White European TransportSpecial rates to S/W France

13.6m/45ft trailer - Full/Part loadsRemovals/materials/vehiclesOwner driver. RHA memberTel: +44 (0)7768 867 360Fax: +44 (0)1773 570 090

Fr Mobile: +33 (0)6 23 03 85 59www.georgewhiteeuropean.co.uk

SELF STORAGEDOVER

Convenient Flexible Consolidation PointWorking with the Movers Tel: +44(0) 1304 822844

doverinfo@aandsselfstorage.co.ukwww.doverstorage.co.uk

All France

MOVE IN EUROPEThe removal company even the furniture recommendsUK - Europe - Europe - UKwww.moveineurope.com

contact@moveineurope.comTel: +44 121 3503111

Home Tel: 05 53 93 75 52

REFLEX MOODYS LTDSALISBURY

REMOVALSUK - FRANCE - UK

• Weekly Service • Full & Part Loads• Container Storage

• BAR Members• On-line Quotation

• Internet Shopping Deliveries00 44 1722 414350

info@reflexmoodys.comwww.reflexmoodys.comCompany Regn No: UK 5186435TVA / VAT No: UK 864 7217 04

ADVERTISING FEATURE

THERE are three key parts tothe job of tree surgeon, saysMark Wilson of Roots & Shoots.These are tree felling, tree prun-ing and tree planting, andbefore any of these can beundertaken an assessment isrequired.

“Each and every situation isdifferent. I always assess thecustomer’s request by looking atthe physical location and thenthe tree itself, that way I can seepotential hazards and suchthings as dead wood, split andcracked limbs and disease,” said Mark.

Following this initial review heprovides his professional opin-ion to the client, free of charge,recommending the best solu-tion.

Mark is fully insured so he canoffer customers full peace ofmind along with the assurancethat any action taken will be

completed with full satisfaction.Depending on the size of the task

and the location, tree felling andpruning can require a variety of dif-ferent methods in order to completethe job successfully.

Roots & Shoots has a team oftrained groundsmen and is fullyequipped with an access platform,industrial-sized wood chipper and astump grinder - this of course keepsthe cost of hiring equipment down,making its prices incredibly compet-itive.

Before the job begins Mark canalso work out the best solution fordealing with clippings and branchesand so on. These include environ-mentally-friendly options such asusing a horticultural recycling cen-tre or on-site equipment to makechippings and mulch, or even creat-ing a garden feature with your logs.

Have you ever wanted to plant atree or hedge in your garden buthad no idea where to start? Even the

smallest plot can accommodate atree and Mark can advise you. Hisexperience on all aspects of treeand shrub planting will help turnyour vision into a reality, be it agrand tree-lined avenue or a hum-ble shrub border.

Having long standing relation-ships with local pépinières, Roots& Shoots offers realistic and com-petitive prices for a wide varietyof trees and shrubs,both large and small.Mark can also workwith wood in otherways to improve youroutdoor spaces, fromcreating more shade inyour garden to buildingpergolas, fences ordecking.

05 53 75 05 4806 89 79 05 02www.roots-shoots.frinfo@roots-shoots.fr

Pruning and felling are just some of the services that Roots & Shoots offers

Tree surgery in south-west France

Mark Wilson runs Roots & Shoots Roots & Shoots in action with its new chipper

22 Property Dordogne Advertiser October 2011www.dordogneadvertiser.com

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D I Y t i p s

If you want to reduce yourcarbon footprint and heating bills, there are several popular renewableenergy options to choosefrom: solar, biomass orwood-fired, aerothermal and geothermal. FRANCES COOKfinds out more about whateach system involves.

Going solarUSING the inexhaustible nat-ural energy from the sun byinstalling solar thermal panels– either evacuated tube or flatplate – is an effective, pollu-tion-free alternative to fossilfuels.

“A solar thermal system canreduce bills for domesticwater heating by up to 70%,”said Michael Swan, ofDordogne-based Swan Solar.

A stand-alone solar thermalhot water system using evacu-ated tubes is considered oneof the best ways to heat water.“The vacuum inside eachtube provides perfect insula-tion and protects the systemfrom cold and windy weather,so even in these conditions, aslong as it is light it will work,”said Paul Elliott, who runs

Ecopower. It can generatemore than 90% of hot waterneeds.

A 45% crédit d’impôt(money off income tax) isavailable calculated on thecost of materials for a solarthermal system, which takesup to two days to install. A22% tax credit is available forsolar photovoltaic panels,which generate electricity.

To qualify for credits it isvital to use materials of theright specifications, so it isimportant to use a well-estab-lished firm. Detailed factures(bills) should be kept asproof.

Biomass or wood-fired systemsWith almost 17 millionhectares of tree coverage in

France, using a biomass orwood-fired system is a popu-lar choice. There are twotypes of stove: a wood stove,which heats the room it is in,and wood boiler stoves.

The latter can fall into twocategories: a stove which has awrap-around boiler, or woodgasification, wood pellet and

Reduce heating costs andcut your carbon footprint

Installing a solar system attracts moneyoff income tax. Below:

pellets for a biomass boiler

other biomass boilers, whichare normally housed in a sep-arate room from a tank wherethe heat is stored. Tax creditsof up to 36% are offered.

Doubling up onsolar and woodThe combined approach ofinstalling a solar thermal hotwater system and a woodgasification boiler can be aneffective way to heat yourhome. “We save €3,000 peryear on energy bills - basedon a 300m2 house once heat-ed by oil and electricity andnow heated by the sun andwood,” said Mr Swan.

He added that the gasifica-tion boiler and solar panelscomplement each other byworking at different times ofthe year and also heat theswimming pool.

Aerothermal and geothermalAir source heat pumps takefreely available energy fromthe air around your home,and much of the installationwork happens outside, sothere is minimal disruption ormess. “Even though air tem-peratures vary at differenttimes of year, there is always avast amount of thermal ener-gy available,” said Mr Elliott.He added some air sourceheat pumps will operate evenwhen the outside temperatureis -15°C.

Ground source heat pumpstake the heat out of theground, the temperature ofwhich is more stable andhigher than that of the air.

Although extensive diggingup can be disruptive and cost-ly, this type of system is cost-effective for renovations ornew builds where the groundworks are combined withother works.

Tax credits of up to 36% areavailable for heat pumps.

Phot

o: ©

Ele

nath

ewis

e - F

otol

ia.c

om

How to restore oldwooden furniture

BUYING old wooden furniture in an auction or secondhand shop can be an economical way of furnishing yourhome, especially if you are prepared to go for the piecesthat need some work. However make sure the wood isgood quality and that there are no serious faults, or restora-tion will have to be carried out by a professional.

First step in the restoration process is to strip back anyold paint and varnish. If there are several layers, paintstripper is the quickest and most effective solution. Becareful not to leave it on for too long and to wash down thewood with warm water and a cloth afterwards. Once thewood has dried, sand down the surfaces to remove anyremaining paint or varnish.

Next carry out any repairs that need doing. Wood filler isbest for cracks and holes. It is available in different colours,but choose carefully as when dry they can sometimes lookdarker than the wood. Start by cleaning out the cracks orholes and then firmly press in the filler, leaving a smallamount above the surface of the wood. Once it is set,smooth the patch down to the level of the wood with finegrade sandpaper. Continue sanding the rest of the piece offurniture down.

If you would like a natural finish to the wood, gently rubin a light wood stain, following the instructions on the tinand apply furniture wax when dry. To varnish, proceedaccording to instructions on the box and again wax to pro-tect as a final step.

Sometimes the piece of furniture is in good condition bara few superficial stains. In this case, work can be carriedout on those small areas alone. Below are a couple of com-mon problems and solutions.

White SpotsLightly wipe the area with a small amount of methylatedspirits. It is important not to use too much as it can dam-age the finish. If this doesn’t work, use a very fine abrasivein paste form – several applications may be necessary. Assoon as the stain has disappeared, wipe the wood with asoft cloth and apply several layers of hard furniture wax.

BlushingThis is when a white haze appears over the surface of apiece of furniture and is a common problem with old fin-ishes. Blushing is caused by moisture. Firstly, try the sametechniques as for removing white spots. If this doesn’twork, take some No. 0000 steel wool dipped in linseed oiland lightly buff the surface, working with the grain of thewood. Once finished, wipe down with a cloth and applyhard furniture wax.

A small amount of work can transform old wood

Photo:© tiero - Fotolia.com

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Property 23Dordogne Advertiser October 2011 www.dordogneadvertiser.com

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PROPERTIES IN DORDOGNE

The adverts above cost from just €179TTC for a whole year of web advertising and one edition of advertising in The Advertiser. 10,000 copies of The Advertiser are distributed at key points across department 24 including Bergerac

and Brive-Vallée de la Dordogne airports. Let our distribution get you a sale.Contact our sales team on 0800 91 77 56 (freephone in France) or email sales@connexionfrance.com

JARDILAND ROUTE D'AGEN BERGERAC

OPEN 7am-7pm05.53.63.54.70

REF: 39159

€€99,900

ENERGY RATING = Not given

BourgnacThis farmhouse offers a kitchenwith fireplace, a dining roomwith fireplace, 3 bedrooms, ashower room, a wc and storeroom. Septic tank and centralheating.

REF: 12226

€€132,000

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RibéracThis house includes a largelounge with fireplace, a fullyequipped kitchen/dining roomwith patio doors, shower roomwith hand basin and WC and 2spacious bedrooms on first floor

REF: IFPC20066

€€249,000

ENERGY RATING = D & E

ThiviersThis 3 bedroom farmhouse hasbeen fully modernised whilststill retaining the original features of a massive fireplace,wooden ceiling, oak floors.

REF: FPBC3137C

€€302,000

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MontignacThis recent 3 bedroom house isset on the side of a valley nearMontignac, with fabulous far-reaching views. The propertyhas been recently constructedusing recuperated stone.

REF: 141661

€€450,500

ENERGY RATING = D

RibéracA former farm, renovated andrestored in the 1990s with 4large bedrooms, 4 receptionsand 2 bathrooms set in 2800m2

of land near the top of a hilloverlooking the countryside.

REF: 1491

€€215,000

ENERGY RATING = C & E

BergeracThe house offers 2/3 bedroomsand two bathrooms and 2 separate WC's - has pretty decorand has been well renovated andbenefits from oil-fired centralheating.

REF: MCM09035

€€409,950

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RibéracThis charming 4 bedroom househas a series of courtyard gardensthat come into their own in thesummer months. A barn, pooland separate gîte make it a perfect family home

REF: DOM1147

€€354,750

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BelvèsBeautiful 3-bedroom house,large double-volume stone barn,new heated swimming pool andterracing, charming gardens,restored bread oven and diningterrace and fitted kitchen.

REF: BVI0004749

€€227,900

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VerteillacThis 13th century village housewith its 3 bedrooms, largekitchen diner, 2 reception roomsand 2 bathrooms would make adelightful family home.

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Le BugueThe house has a lounge/diningroom/kitchen, bedroom en suitebathroom and entrance on theground floor. On the first floorthere are 2 bedrooms, bathroomand living room.

REF: RAC253

€€480,000

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St-Meard-de-DrôneThis 6 bedroom house is spacious with bright and airyrooms throughout. There is a 2bed gite which is self contained.The terrace looks out onto theswimming pool.

REF: 100356

€€219,000

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DordogneThe house includes a lounge,dining room, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, bathroom, centralhall and lingerie. The terraceprovides views of the garden of850m2 and swimming pool.

REF: IFPC13229

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Manzac sur VernThis is a unique opportunity topurchase a very large 6 bedroom,restored 400 year old Perigordinefarmhouse, with extensivegrounds, in an enviable hilltoplocation with stunning views.

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€€360,000

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RibéracThe property offers 4 bedrooms,large bright living and diningarea and a conservatory whichlooks out onto the pool. Themature garden is nicely laid outand is well stocked with flowers.

Buying or selling a property in oraround Dordogne? We can help.

Our website www.connexionfrance.comcarries details of more than 14,000homes for sale across France.

We also feature properties for sale in thisdedicated section of the paper eachmonth. To find out more about any particular property, go to www.connexionfrance.com and enter theref: code shown under the property.

For sellers, the adverts are also displayedacross a range of popular English-language websites and are seen by thousands of potential buyers EVERYday. Our 3+3 package costs just

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

Houses for sale in and around Dordogne

by STAFF REPORTER

Photo: © Yi Liu - Fotolia.com

Pruning: Trim back to encourage new spring growth

A fiery farewellto summer foliageAUTUMN is here and it is time to enjoy cooler weather andberries and fruit in the garden. Virginia Creeper, Acerpalmatum, Pyracantha and Rubeckia will add vivid colour toyour garden in October. The main tasks this month are toclear any remaining summer bedding plants, plant springbulbs and prepare less hardy plants for colder weather orfrosts. Clean dead leaves from ponds and cover with netting.

In the flower garden, October is the best month to plantbulbs (daffodils, tulips, crocus) and biannually floweringplants such as daisies, wallflowers (stock) and forget-me-nots. Between these you can sow spring flowers. Lavenderand climbing roses can be pruned to encourage new growthand dahlia tubers should be dug up before the first frosts.Geraniums, fuschias and begonias should be brought in to adry, frost-free winter storage area. October is an ideal monthto hoe weeds, mow and repair lawns, lay turf and make rosecuttings. A tip for a long-lasting splash of colour in thespring, is to plant different bulb varieties in layers in one pot.The display should go on for weeks.

In the fruit garden, it is time to prune fruit canes and orderseeds for next year. Pick ripe apples, pears and grapes andstore those unblemished. It is the season to prune trees andplant new apricot, nectarine and peach trees before the soilcools down over winter. Once you have harvested blackber-ries and raspberries, trim down the stems to make room fornext year's growth. Raise and separate rhubarb crowns andprevent strawberry runners running wild. Take wood cut-tings from grape vines, fig trees and gooseberries, and pro-tect young fig trees with netting filled with straw. Beat thesquirrels to your garden hazelnuts and sweet chestnuts oncethey are an orange/brown colour.

In the vegetable patch pick beans, plant cabbages, trimback asparagus leaves and make the beds ready for springplanting. Cut back tomato leaves, exposing fruit to ripen andharvest pumpkins and squashes, putting them first in thesun so their skins harden, then storing in a cool, dry, unlitarea. You can reap your onion crop and fold over the leavesof any remaining to stop them seeding. Potatoes, carrots andbeetroot should be dug up and herbs picked and stored, sav-ing seeds if possible. Dig unused plots , adding manure.

Finally, in the greenhouse, monitor the temperature andservice any heating equipment. Check your potted plants donot become pot bound, and support fruiting tomato plants.

French October weather proverbs : Brouillards d'octobre et pluvieux novembre, font bon

décembre (October fog and November rain means fairDecember weather). A la saint-Denis, l'hiver fait son lit (On Saint Denis' Day

- October 9 - winter sets its course).

24 News Dordogne Advertiser October 2011www.dordogneadvertiser.com

EACH morning begins much as itdid in England – looking out of thewindow to check on the weather.But that is the only similarity to theformer MoD worker BobThompson’s previous life. If it isn’training or excessively windy, Boband his wife Jude go out to play.

They grab some breakfast thenjump in their car for a 20-minutedrive to a field with a hangar in it.In that hangar sits Bob’s pride andjoy, a microlight aircraft, and 15minutes after arriving at the field,the couple take to the skies.

Bob, who lives to fly, is delightedwith their move to France. He says:“Hangarage is cheaper over here andlanding fees are low or non-existent,plus there are hundreds of airfieldsall over the country.”

His passion for microlights iscatching and he is well-known forbroadcasting the virtues of the light-weight craft.

“One woman tourist tracked medown via expat forums to see if I’dtake her husband up in the micro-light for a surprise flight,” he said.

“Unfortunately it rained all thatweek so we couldn’t fly.”

Bob’s adventures are now beingdescribed for a younger generation,courtesy of Jude, who has written achildren’s book, The Mouse and theMicrolight, which features a charac-

ter called Bob along with illustra-tions shot from the aircraft.

Bob discovered the joy of micro-lights when he was working and gotthe chance to train for a full pilot’slicence. “I found flying aeroplanesdull, though,” he says. “I’ve always

been a biker, so when I discoveredflex-wing microlights, which are likea three-dimensional flyingmotorcycle, I was a lot happier.”

He took to microlights straightaway and travelled from the south ofEngland to Belgium while he was

still learning. He once even flewhalfway across Canada in aid ofcharity. These days the microlight ispredominantly for leisure, althoughhe and Jude have flown to the UKwithout any hiccups.

“It runs on petrol from a normalpetrol station and does up to 250miles on a tankful,” says Bob. “Youcan get from our house to the coaston a tankful – although we usuallystop for lunch, which means a refill.”

Their happy flying activities nearlycame to an end recently when theywere told that their current field wasno longer available.

But so highly are they regarded inthe local community that when Bobwent into his local bar and toldeveryone of their plight, the farmersgot together and found a huge fieldfor them to rent just a kilometrefrom their house.

A delighted Bob says: “The airstripis longer than the current one and ison a hill with no trees, which meanswe’ll be able to fly in poor weather.”

The only downside is that Bob andJude are having to dismantle thehangar and then re-assemble it in itsnew home.

“There’ll be no flying for a coupleof weeks till the hangar’s up again,”says Bob. “But after that we’ll beback up in the skies. We’ll probablyhave an open day for the locals tothank them for helping us find anew base – and, of course, I’ll takethem up for a flight if they want.”

Up, up and away for Bob

Former MoD worker Bob Thompson and his wife Jude under the wing of their microlight

Phot

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Ric

hard

Stu

bbs

When aircraft engineer BobThompson retired, he and wifeJude decided to hop over theChannel and begin a new lifein the Rouffignac area of theDordogne. They discoveredthat the sky was the limit.LUCY STUBBS finds out why