MAKING YOUR LIFE

IN FRANCE
LESS TAXING

FRENCH NEWS IN ENGLISH SINCE 2002

connexionfrance.com January/February 2024 Issue 255 €6.25

Second-home visa plan: ‘His smell after

the rain’: Book
why is it only for Britons? from dog-lover

Photo: Cédric Sapin-Defour

Americans plead for easier rules P2 is a surprise hit FRENCH LIVING

20 changes Obligatory
Tips on

in France in
how to
compost
as new
2024 to affect law begins
First
P39

your budget baguettes,

Cost of living rises should be more moderate this year
by Liv Rowland
INFLATION and price rises should be less
marked in 2024 than in recent years and prop-
erty tax will rise less steeply in most areas – but
many family budgets in France are still likely to
be stretched. We look at 20 points affecting
households this coming year.
Inflation is expected to continue its down-
ward trend, from around 4.5% year on year in
the last quarter of 2023 to around 2% in 2025,
according to Banque de France estimates.
now the
bistro?
but more second-home owners will face a sur-
charge as more than 2,000 extra communes The case
for Unesco
have been permitted to levy this – at rates from
5% to 50%, though they are not obliged to do so.
Many of these communes are in the south-east,
the Alps or along the Atlantic coast.
A gas price hike linked to increased distrib-
ution costs is predicted on July 1: around 6.3%
listing
for heating, and 11.3% for hot water and cook- The Back Page
ing. Regulated electricity prices are usually
re-evaluated in February and August and are PROFILE
The
set to rise as the effects of France’s ‘tariff shield’

Abaca Press / Alamy

This has a moderating effect on the taxe fon-
cière homeowner’s tax as the theoretical rental
values on which it is based rise relative to
consumer prices, so increases of around 3.9%
are predicted, as opposed to 7.1% for 2023.
Income tax bands will also rise with inflation
so most people should pay the same or less,
depending on salary increases.
In addition, the Economy Ministry claims a
new law moving annual negotiations between
large food suppliers and supermarkets from
March to January will see lower prices on the
shelves agreed as early as possible in the year.
Households will benefit from a second full
year with no taxe d’habitation on main homes
are gradually lifted, though the government
insists this will not be in double figures. Market
prices are starting to come down.
As last year, an ‘energy cheque’ will be sent to French
Steve Jobs
lower-income families to help pay the bills,
probably in the region of €50 to €300, depend-
ing on household incomes.
Grégory Caret, in charge of consumer studies
at UFC-Que Choisir, said: “We are not, I hope,
Photo: Nina Metayer XAVIER NIEL
going to see cost-of-living increases on the INTERVIEW: world’s first female Best Pastry Chef P28
How overcoming gender bias has
scale that we have seen in the last couple of
years, however we will not be seeing inflation L 14574 - 255 H - F: 6,25 € - RD
back as low as we were used to in earlier years.
“We have just had two complicated years,
è Turn to Page 4
made success even sweeter P15

Build a house in Are fewer people Duplicate street Make sense

a weekend with buying top-up names causing of criminal
no heavy lifting health cover? postal problems courts
Photo: Demrea

Property P39 P32 P3 P19

2 News connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024
HIGHLIGHTS
News 1-11
Very light electric vehicles tested in rural areas
AI gives Piaf a new voice so she can narrate her life 3 VERY LIGHT electric vehicles Sous. “Another example is the
Court to take fresh look at legality of speed bumps 4 are being tested to see how they vélo-bus, an electric bicycle
might benefit rural residents. with a body, which can carry six
New law to silence moans about farmyard smells and noises 5
These véhicules intermédiaires children, designed as an altern-
What’s new in 2024 6-8 have an empty weight limit of ative to a school bus.” Tests with
Anti-obesity drug available soon 9 425kg, a motor of 6kw maxi- one of these are due to start in
$74m Monet sale marks 150 years of Impressionism 10 mum, top speed of 45kph and, Tressin, in Nord, in January.

Photo: Brian McCulloch

Why it is vital to regenerate hedgerows
Comment
Giving blood seems fair because one day I might need it 12
‘Please don’t expect an Emily in Paris experience’
Simon Heffer/Nabila Ramdani
Interview: world’s first female ‘best pastry chef’
Readers’ letters
Practical
Your questions
Make sense of French criminal courts
Language
Tips on insurance and how to deal with storm damage
11 in most cases, space for only two. Both of France’s major car-
Cédric Sous, of the state eco- makers have tried to enter the
12-17 agency Ademe in south-west market, with the €8,800 Citroën
France, said the project – named Ami now judged a success – but
13 Extrême Défi – aims to encour- Renault’s Twizzy never took off
14 age carmakers to produce small A Midipile electric quad with inventor Benoît Trouvé and has been withdrawn.
15 electric vehicles instead of less ers can use them for up to six how they might be used.” Millau As well as passenger vehicles,
16-17 efficient large heavy ones. months for free in exchange for in Averyon is one participat- the project is testing some for
It wants to show that there is a recording their experiences. ing town, with volunteers using council use as vans.
18-21 place for them. Mr Sous said: “Many small Birò cars, made by Italian firm The Midipile electric quad,
18 Ten vehicles, from electric- electric cars have been designed Estrima, which cost €13,176, designed near Angoulême, is not
19 powered tricycles through to with an urban environment in or €10,776 for a model without in the first round of tests as most
20 the Citroën Ami – an electric mind but, as with other electric doors. are taking place in the centre
21 ‘licence-free car’ – were rented cars, it seems they have more up- “We’re looking at high tech- and north. It might be used for a
from makers, then handed to take in rural areas, where people nology vehicles that are design- second wave, which is likely to

24 local councils in 13 areas that have space to charge them. ed to be robust, easy to fix and include departments such as
Photo: Lionel Royet, Alpe d'Huez

PAGES then selected testers. The test- “We want to get evidence of comfortable to use,” said Mr Corréze, closer to the factory.

French living
Sleigh rides, dog sleds, swimming...
resorts offer much more than skiing
Include us too in new visa Call for urgent
inquiry into
decision, plead Americans
‘I help people save time and money with

effect of EU
their shopping’
Keeping a divisive French dish alive

“
Dreaming of summertime in Provence

DIRECTORY 22-27
A CHANCE of easier visiting
rights for Britons with second
ownership at the
border. One sena- border change
homes in France hangs in the tor proposed a five-
The unconventional rise of a tech billionaire 28 balance as a decision is taken on year visa, allow- A GROUP of UK MPs is calling
whether to allow an ‘automatic ing visits of up to for an urgent inquiry into the
Fees, syllabus, entry... schools’ international sections 29 visa’ for this group. six months a year effect on travellers of the launch
Foundation shows how giving is good for all 30 Several US readers have asked We are considering for all non-EU sec- of the EU’s new electronic bor-
Third project under way for Périgord ‘cooperative opera’ 31 if they could have a similar rule. ond-home owners. der checks in 2024. They say
Karen Newman, a retired curtailing our This was rejected they are alarmed by potential
Money / Work/ Property 32-39
Photo: Karen Newman

literature professor from time in France by the Senate, with disruption that might follow.
Massachusetts, says she feels one sena­tor saying It is “imperative” to do a thor-
The Back Page 40 “distressed” that only Britons American Ms Berthet’s plan ough investigation into likely
are currently targeted for help.
‘Our special bistros and cafes merit Unesco listing’
She said applying for temp-
Karen Newman was more accept-
able as it was more
effects of the European Entry/
Exit System (EES), says the
Contact Us orary visas, which she and her
husband have done for many
gress – and senators about this targeted and would not create
and provided a template letter “such a big splash”.
European Scrutiny Committee.
Committee chairman Sir Bill
Subscribe / resubscribe at: years for their Paris flat, has to lobby views. Many Britons Arguably, the position of Cash said in a statement: “The
connexionfrance.com become increasingly difficult. told us of the difficulties they British homeowners is unique scale of potential disruption
“The process has changed face visiting second homes as they are the only national- became apparent to us on our
Subscription queries: dramatically,” she said. compared to before Brexit when ity whose country has left the visits to the port of Dover and
Nathalie: +33 (0)6 40 55 71 63* “When we first got our long- they would often come for up to EU, meaning they bought with Folkestone earlier this year.
*Rate set by your operator term visas, we went to the six months at a time. one set of rights which then “We quickly realised this under-
Adverts: sales@connexionfrance.com French consulate, paid a nom- The Schengen area’s basic changed. Insee has previously appreciated issue was one that
Editorial: news@connexionfrance.com inal fee, and a couple of weeks 90/180 days rule for non-EU estimated some 86,000 homes deserved detailed scrutiny.”
later received our visas in our citizens restricts visits to 90 are owned by UK residents. In particular, MPs found
Write to: The Connexion, submitted passports. days without complex ‘tempo- Several lawmakers have suggestions that day-trippers
Le Grande Bretagne, 30 Av. Grande Bretagne, 98000 Monaco “But year by year it has become rary’ visa formalities, which backed help for Britons on these would have to leave their cars to
@ConnexionFrance more complicated, time-con- must be repeated every time. grounds, citing their contrib- complete checks, among other
suming and expensive.” Senator Martine Berthet (Les ution to their French commun- problems, “alarming”, he said.
The Connexion She said this is linked to Républicains, Savoie) proposed ities and the longstanding UK- The launch of EES has been
France using a private firm an ‘automatic visa’ for Britons France relationship. delayed several times from its
Contributors: Liv Rowland, Ken Seaton, Simon Heffer, Nick Inman, Samantha David,
Brian McCulloch, Justin Postlethwaite, Théophile Larcher, Gillian Harvey, Nick Jenkins,
for visa appointments since with second homes and it was The proposals also came after original start date of May 2022
Jared Paolino, Victoria Gibson, Annaliza Davis Sub-editing: Sarah Henshaw 2018, called VFS Global – adopted by the Senate – only to widespread letter-writing by and is not now expected until
Design: Lynne Spaight Proof reading: Richard Henshell Editorial consultant: Bruno Lacombe similar to TLSContact in the UK. be rejected by a pre-debate com- Britons to MPs and senators. after the Paris Olympics.
Annual costs have risen from mittee of MPs when the bill went This letter-writing proved No exact date has been set.
Directrice de la Publication (Managing Editor): Sarah Smith around $200 to $1,500 and there to the Assemblée nationale. effective so we suggest that Non-EU nationals who do not
Rédacteur-en-Chef (Editor-in-Chief): Sarah Smith is the repeated “hassle” of pro- Some 135 French MPs sup- American and other non-EU live in the EU but are visiting will
The Connexion is published by English Language Media Sarl viding updated documents and ported re-inserting it at full readers who feel strongly on this have to submit a fingerprint scan
Registered office: Le Grande Bretagne, 30 av. Grande Bretagne, 98000 Monaco obtaining and travelling to an debate stage, or a similar ver- issue write to the députés and and photograph on their first
Environmental policy: appointment. France has also sion by MP Alexandre Holroyd senators for the areas where they entry into the Schengen area
The Connexion is printed on recycled newspaper. started requiring different, more (French abroad, Renaissance), have homes (see tinyurl.com/ after the scheme starts – or when
Subscribers to The Connexion receive their copy wrapped in costly, medical cover, she said. which limited it to people who find-fr-dep and senat.fr/vos- they leave if already in the area.
biodegradable eco-friendly film. This is fully compostable at home. “We are seriously considering bought before Brexit but wid- senateurs.html). Kiosks and/or notebook com-
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par le Vous devez en demander Campaigners for better rights voted to reject the entire bill. obtain an additional 90 days (see which is intended to remove the
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Printed by Rotimpres, controversial immigration bill ‘automatic visa’ is back for now. that could affect foreigners expertise to send in evidence to
Impressions Rotatives, 17181 Aiguaviva (Girona), Espagne before the French parliament. Ms Ber­thet said visiting rights wanting to move to France, help it understand the effects for
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 The Connexion
Postal chaos as 75 streets in new commune have identical names
A NEW commune formed by
merging five smaller ones has been
left with an address problem – 75 of
its street names now have a double
(or more) with the same name.
There are, for example, four rues
de l’Église, two rues de la République
and two rues Alfred Sisley – after
the 19th-century painter who died
in the area.
The issue has caused delivery
problems for residents in the newly
created commune of Moret-Loing-
et-Orvanne in Seine-et-Marne (Île-
de-France).
The communes started to merge
to provide better services in 2015,
when three joined together. They
were then joined by two others in
EU’s decision on
inheritance law
due in February
A DECISION by the European
Commission on France’s contro-
versial 2021 inheritance law is
due in February, two months
later than originally expected.
A reader from the Tarn
launched a complaint process
with the commission on
December 5, 2022, in the hope of
a decision within a year.
After she complained, several
other people did the same.
The law effectively seeks to
impose French forced heirship
rules on foreigners here, even
when they choose to use an EU
regulation to elect the law of their
country of nationality to apply to
their estate.
The notaire handling the estate
must contact any heirs who have
‘lost out’ in the will under French
inheritance law rules to ask if
they wish to seek compensation
from any part of the estate locat-
ed in France.
They could, for example, ask for
a share of a French house. This
can be especially complicated if
there are children from previous
relationships or if parents and
children are not close.
Our reader is her husband’s
second wife and the couple had
Concern over low take-up
for Covid and flu vaccines
DOCTORS urge people in vul-
nerable groups to get vaccin-
ated against Covid and flu to
avoid pressure on hospitals with
take-up rates for both judged to
be too low.
Existing vaccines are consid-
ered effective against a new
Covid variant JN.1, which made
up 40% of reported Covid cases
in mid-December in France and
is deemed highly transmissable.
Covid infections are rising
with GPs reporting 94,000 new
cases from December 4 to 10.
A Covid booster at least six
months after the last jab is rec-
ommended, particularly for
January 2024
2017. Deputy mayor Jean-Philippe
Fontugne said: “From the start, we
could see that we would have streets
with the same name in the same
commune, which was a problem for
La Poste.
“At first, they were not interested
in doing anything but they quickly
realised that it was a problem when
complaints about the delivery of
mail started to come in.”
The solution adopted by La Poste
was to adopt a lieu dit to be added to
the address.
This is a smaller grouping within
a commune, sometimes a hamlet of
a few homes.
This means that someone living,
for example, at 40 rue d’Eglise in the
drawn up wills using English law
to protect her and leave her more
than allowed under French rules.
The European Commission is
to decide whether the 2021
law breaches EU legislation and
thus an infringement procedure
should be opened.
Normally, it takes just over 12
months from a complaint being
made. Otherwise, within this
time, the complainant should be
told if the case is complicated and
needs more time.
However, our reader has
learned that EU procedures allow
the clock to start running later in
the event of multiple complaints
about an issue.
She should hear by February 15,
a year after the complaints were
grouped on an EU website.
The infringement process starts
with written exchanges over sev-
eral months as the EU seeks
information from the country
and requests compliance if the
breach is confirmed.
If nothing changes, court action
might be taken, which can lead to
a lump sum fine or continuing
fines. However, the EU says 90%
of cases are resolved before going
to court.
over-65s, but only a quarter are
up to date. Flu jabs are down
8% compared to 2022 giving
rise to fears of avoidable deaths,
with Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes,
Ile-de-France and Paca in a
‘pre-epidemic’ phase.
You can have Covid and flu
injections at the same time –
one in each arm and there is no
charge for at-risk groups, such
as over 65s, pregnant women,
people with heart and breath-
ing-related disease and diabetes
and care home residents.
You can be vaccinated at phar-
macies or by doctors, nurses
and midwives.
connexionfrance.com
former commune of Ecuelles would
add ‘lieu dit Ecuelles’ to the address
before the commune.
“It was the first time La Poste had
come across this problem in the
region, and it published an official
notice saying it would serve as a
model for any future merged com-
munes,” said Mr Fontugne.
“It worked well but problems per-
sisted with the delivery of goods
bought over the internet, where
standardised forms often do not
include space for lieu dits, so we
have to start changing names.”
A consultation has been organ-
ised, including meetings with hist-
orians and specialists in place
names. For rues de l’Église, a solu-
AI gives Piaf a new voice
so she can narrate her life
by Liv Rowland
THE latest AI technology is
being used in a new film to
provide the voice of singer
Edith Piaf.
Artificial intelli­gence is not
being used to recreate Piaf ’s
singing – there are many
recordings of that – but, rather,
her speaking voice.
This is used to narrate the
story of her life as the film
moves through the 1920s to
1940s and between Paris and
New York.
It will be combined with a mix
of archive video footage and
new animation.
The film-makers say they hope
to inspire new generations with
Piaf ’s “incredible resilience” and
to give fresh insight into her life.
French writer and director
Julie Veille, who came up with
the idea, said: “When creating
the film, we kept asking our-
selves ‘if Edith were still with
us, what messages would she
want to convey to the younger
generations?’.
“Her story is one of incredible
resilience, of overcoming strug-
gles, and defying social norms.
“We wanted to bring this
timeless story to audiences of
all ages.”
Ms Veille’s company Seriously
Happy is working on the pro-
duction with Warner Music and
says the film will showcase
Piaf ’s “indomitable spirit” and
“uncover aspects of her life
previously unknown”.
The firms declined interviews
or to provide initial images as
the film is still being made and
no release date has yet been set.
It is expected to make the next
big splash about Piaf after the
2007 French biopic La Môme,
starring Marion Cotillard.
Curator of the Edith Piaf
museum Bernard Mar­chois, a
friend of the singer, told The
Connexion he is reserving
judgement about the use of AI
until he has seen the film.
He said: “I hope the film will
News 3
8,000 rues de l’Eglise
tion is to add the name of the
church, so, for example, the road
becomes rue de L’Eglise Notre
THE first street names (or odonymes) in France date from
Dame, said Mr Fontugne.
medieval times and were descriptive or related to a building
“Rue de la Republique is more
or work activity. Names paying homage to a notable person
problematic because adding a spec-
came later.
ific republic number [for example,
Rue de l’Eglise is the most common street name in
rue de La Troisième République]
France, with 8,000 of them, plus 6,000 places de l‘Eglise.
has political implications, so we are
Next are Grande Rue and Rue du Moulin.
discussing what to do.”
There are very few streets named Napoléon, partly as
Residents have put forward their
republicans wanted to remove reminders of the imperial
own preferences, with one suggest- past. New streets are also usually never named after pre-re-
ing ‘rue du soleil’. publican heads of state. However, there are several rues
“We are keen to have more streets Bonaparte, which could refer to him as a simple soldier.
named after women, because there The people most often honoured are Général de Gaulle,
is a big imbalance in the commune Louis Pasteur and Victor Hugo.
at the moment.” A commune from Moselle, Petite-Rosselle, has the short-
The commune is hoping to decide est street names: rues A, B, C and F.
by summer next year.
Mr Marchois said it was not
something she aimed for, but
her natural way of speaking,
typical of Parisians of the day.
Her big break came when she
was singing in the street, near
the Champs-Elysées, he said.
“A lot of people gathered, sur-
prised at the beauty of her
voice. The director of a cabaret
on the Champs-Elysées was
passing and asked her to come
and audition, and she became a
star from one day to the next.
“The next year she was already
a superstar and making plans to
go to America. She was a huge
success and went there nearly
Photo: PA Images / Alamy
every year until she died.”
In the early days, she sang
other people’s songs, such as Les
Mômes de la cloche (1917, by
French songwriters, about street
Edith Piaf is probably the most emblematic of French singers beggars and tramps) but went
get younger people talking tainous coastal area in Algeria. on to write more than 80, and
about her more because it is in Her mother was unable to look record more than 300 in total,
a modern format, but, at the after her and passed her on to including La Vie en Rose.
same time, she does not really live with her grandmother, who However, the latter was regis-
need it as everyone already is said to have neglected her. tered under the name of her
knows Edith Piaf.” Her surname was Gassion but accompanist Louiguy, as Piaf
Mr Marchois said he knew her first promoter, nightclub was not yet signed up with the
Piaf in her later years after owner Louis Leplée, billed her copyright body Sacem.
being introduced by friends. as la môme Piaf due to her Mr Marchois, who also found-
His museum, which opened slight build and 1.47m height: ed two Piaf fan clubs (tinyurl.
in 1968, shows off some of her môme means ‘kid’ and piaf is com/edith-mus), said her great
stage dresses and day clothes, as Parisian slang for ‘sparrow’. success, despite a modest back-
well as artworks, posters and Mr Marchois said: “She start-
letters. It is in a Paris apartment ed as a street singer, like her
ground and immigrant ances-
tors, is inspirational.
where she once lived, a stone’s mother. Her father was an acro- “Now, she is seen as ‘the’
throw from her grave at the bat and her uncles were circus French singer,” he said.
Père Lachaise cemetery. horsemasters. “What people love is her sin-
He said: “She was very funny, “Her mother was Italian and cerity: she does not fake any-
she loved to laugh and have fun Edith had descendants on her thing. She sang her life and
and play practical jokes, but she mother’s side who were Kabyle, people were sensitive to that.
was very disciplined too. which helps us understand her “And she never had a big
“When she was rehearsing voice, which was a very particu- head. She knew she was a star
songs, it was work, work, work. lar one, a Kabyle singer’s voice but didn’t make a fuss about it.
“My strongest memories are – she inherited that. “And she didn’t hide anything
of her songs as she rehearsed, or “Kabyle singers sing with a about her private life – if she
in concert. power that comes from the had a new love, she said so, and
“Each time I was blown away stomach and chest, not just people loved this openness.”
to see this tiny woman with from the throat. Along with La Vie en Rose,
such a powerful voice and “Edith hadn’t taken singing probably her best-loved hit was
incredible presence.” lessons, it was natural for her. Je ne regrette rien.
Born to a poor family of “She learned to sing in the “In that, she is taking stock of
entertainers, Piaf (1915-1963) street and could sing without a her life and career, and says that
had a mixture of French and microphone.” she regrets nothing. It’s like a
immigrant ancestors, including As for her pronunciation, last will and testament in a
from Italy and Kabylia, a moun- with its strongly-sounded Rs, song,” Mr Marchois said.
 4 News connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024

Energy price, food, Court to look again at legality

transport... effects
on budget in 2024
Î Continued from page 1
especially with the energy rises
since 2021, although the shield
helped limit this for French
households.
“From 2022, we saw food prices
rise by 25% over 18 months,
partly linked to bad harvests,
then the war in Ukraine, which
also affected fuel prices.
“I do not see prices reducing
but any increase should be
slower than before.”
Mr Caret said food has
become a larger factor in house-
hold budgets in recent years,
and he did not see this changing
significantly.
In some cases, salary rises have
helped cushion effects, as well as
significant rises to the Smic
minimum wage – €1,406 net in
January – but more people than
of ‘much too big’ speed bumps
THE legality of hundreds of
speed bumps, said to be too high
depend on people knowing or in the wrong places, is to be
they are eligible – and how to tested in a court case.
apply for it. To avoid this prob- It could set a legal precedent
lem with regard to France’s free for hundreds of thousands of
or subsidised healthcare top-up others in the country.
insurance plan CSS, this will The bumps were challenged in
now automatically be offered to legal cases in Toulon in 2020
those on certain benefits for and on appeal in Marseille in
disability, being out of work, or 2022, but complaints were
on youth training schemes. turned down both times.
Owners of two-wheelers on Now France’s top appeal
the road since before 2017 will court, the Con­ seil d’Etat, has
have a new cost, with the sent the case back to the
requirement for a roadworthi- Marseille admi­ni­strative appeal
ness check, at around €50. court. It was told to take anoth-
Many people buying new cars er look at it and, in particular,
are also likely to see higher whether the humps conform
ma­lus charges for ‘polluting’ with traffic-calming regulations
vehicles, now levied on most from 1994.
petrol, but not hybrid, vehicles. The Var’s many large bumps
Transport costs could fall for across the the road are equiv-
some longer journeys with the alent to ‘trapezoid’ traffic calm-
introduction of several new low- ers or dos d’âne (‘sleeping police-
cost air services.
rules and said it must now take
a clear decision to remove
confusion.
It had not given adequate
reasons for its previous ruling,
based on official texts, or clear
definitions of what bumps were
involved. It had also relied on a
guide by traffic experts that did
not have legal standing.
PUMSD president Antonin
Morelle said: “We hope for a
new hearing in six months to a
Court case targets bumps year. The court must decide
men’), which are the subject of whether to order the Var depart-
these 1994 rules, says the associ- ment to rectify its bumps, pay-
ation Pour une mobilité sereine ing attention to their shape.
et durable (PUMSD). “It must take a decision on the
As such, most are illegal, and substance of our case, based this
should be reduced or removed, time on the 1994 decree.
it claims. “It’s going to concern all the
The Conseil d’Etat found sleeping policeman-type bumps,
the Marseille court had not jus- which are quite clearly covered
tified why it assumed that the by that decree.”
bumps did not fall under these The latter, combined with offic-
ial French standards for the
same instal­lations, says they are
only allowed where there is a
maximum 30km/h speed limit
and no more than 3,000 vehicles
on average per day, or 300
HGVs, and they are not on
public transport routes.
They should be no more than
10cm high and 4m wide.
PUMSD alleges most of
France’s 450,000 speed-calming
bumps could be illegal.
Mr Morelle said: “This case is
only about a few hundred in the
Var, but it would set a precedent
which would have an effect
across France.
“There are other ways to make
roads safe.
“Bumps cause pollution
because people brake then
speed up, and it causes more
wear on tyres and consumption
of fuel.”

Visa plan ‘cruel’ to Franco-British couples

ever are now earning the Smic.
French basic pensions and
Aspa pension top-up are also
rising by 5.2%, and family allow-
ance is up 4.6% in April.
It is hard to predict energy
market fluctuations, which
always have a knock-on effect on
other prices, including food,
A flat-rate monthly pass at
about €49 for use on local buses
and trains is being considered.
To help with food costs, work-
ers’ tickets restaurant food
vouchers will, contrary to prev-
PLANS to more than double the income
levels required for foreign family members
We left with since about 2012. It’s a cruel policy and it’s
the UK punishing its own people.
ious plans, still be usable for all of British citizens will affect British-French a set of rights, “People left the UK with a set of rights and
kinds of food, not just food that
is ready to eat.
couples looking to live in the UK and have
been called “cruel and short-sighted”.
now they things have now changed and a lot can’t go
back. It is short-sighted as people may want
have changed
Photo: Clarissa Killwick

which has high production and
transport costs.
“The crisis in the Middle East
could cause rises, but we’re also
seeing a slowing of the economy,
which could cause lowerings.”
The price of oil, in particular,
affects many other prices,
Mr Caret said.
A risk for food prices is poten-
tially poor harvests linked to
climate change causing
droughts or floods.
Rises of 5% or more are also
People with poorly insulated The income needed for a ‘family visa’ is
homes will have improved set to rise from £18,600 to £38,700.
access this year to grants for The £38,700 threshold would also apply to
work to help with this, with the foreigners wanting to work in the UK. They
currently need £26,200, which has already
stopped many lower earners.
Savings can help, including those of the
spouse, if over £16,000: a family needs
£16,000, plus £2.50 for every £1 that their
income is below the threshold.
The threshold rises if there are non-
British children.
Visa fees and a health surcharge, amount-
ing to several thousand pounds extra, are
Photo: Budimir Jevtic_shutterstock.com
Clarissa
Killwick
– including those belonging to the foreign
partner – can be considered.
There are rare circumstances allowing
some flexibility where the effects would be
“unjustifiably harsh” but a UK immigration
expert said they are marginal and altern-
ative means of support, such as from other
family in the UK, are usually required.
Clarissa Killwick, a spokeswoman for
to go back to care for their elderly relatives
or look after grandchildren, and if they
can’t, then who will do it instead?”
A UK Home Office spokesman said the
current levels of immigration are too high,
and it is necessary to “decisively” cut this.
“We have a long-standing principle that
anyone bringing dependants to live in the
UK must be able to financially support
them,” he said.
“The minimum income requirement
ensures families are self-sufficient and do
not need public funds.”
Government sources say it is possible for a

expected for insurance prem- also payable. Brexpats Hear Our Voice, a large support Briton’s spouse to come under another kind
iums, with insurers citing higher For work income to be considered, a and campaign group for Britons in the EU, of visa if they qualify. Then, if they are in the
healthcare costs, more home Briton would need to move back first and said: “They haven’t justified such an enorm- UK with permission to work, their work
damage – for example, from find work, or obtain a UK job offer. ous increase. income can be accounted for in considering
shrinkage after drought – and Their EU spouse would then apply for a “It just goes to highlight how we were a swap to a family visa.
the high costs of vehicle parts. visa to join them and only UK work income protected when we were in the EU, as this UK net migration has climbed signifi-
“This year is also expected to can be taken into account. Other forms of minimum income requirement has existed cantly in recent years, though net migration
see increased unemployment regular income, such as rents or pensions [previously for non-EU family members] from the EU last year was negative.
Improved grants are coming
in France.

Tests start on sustainable ‘white’ hydrogen site

“The Economy Ministry is,
however, optimistic, but this is
contrary to the reality of the
figures and developments.
“Climate change is also going
to bring new costs. We will have
to stop using so much packaging
and we all have to make our
activities greener, but that
requires new investments, at
least in the short term.”
One positive factor for 2024 is
that energy giant Total­Energies,
which supplies fuel to 3,000
service stations in France, has
pledged to continue its cap at
the pumps so prices do not
reach €2/litre.
Financial aid will, in general,
tend to be more targeted – for
example, a €100 fuel allowance
will only be available to low-
er-income drivers who need
their vehicle to get to work, and
only if prices reach €1.95/litre.
Benefiting from such aid can
in for home insulation
maximum doubled to €70,000.
Older people wanting adapt-
ations to stay in their own A SEARCH for usable reserves of natural is hoped that white hydrogen could cut out possibility of using the gas for electricity
homes will benefit from a new hydrogen, also known as ‘white’ hydrogen, production processes altogether. The gas production was mooted.
simplified scheme to obtain aid, has been given the go-ahead in 43 would instead be extracted directly from Both Australia and the US are ahead of
MaPrimeAdapt’. communes in Pyrénées-Atlantiques. natural reserves in the ground, which are France in the hunt for white hydrogen and
Eco-grants are now available White hydrogen, formed by the action of continuously replenished – unlike fossil are ready to start drilling in likely spots.
to install air-conditioning. acid water on iron carbonate-rich rocks, fuels, which take millions of years to form. Exploitable reserves of white hydrogen
In other positive news, the has been known as a geological curiosity. The exploration permit in Pyrénées- might also be found under old coal mines
interest-free loan for home- As governments seek to end reliance on Atlantiques was given to a firm called in France’s Lorraine region following a
buyers is continuing, contrary fossil fuels, however, there is renewed inter- TBH2 Aquitaine. It will start with seismic chance discovery by the Centre national de
to previous plans. est in exploiting it commercially. studies and take “two or three years” before la recherche scientifique (CNRS) when
It will now provide up to President Macron has promised “massive” deciding on sites for drilling. New permits looking for methane in the area.
€20,000 more and be available financing for explorations, saying “France will be needed before drilling actually starts It has been speculated that the world’s
to more people, with income can become one of the pioneers in this and, if reserves are found, it is likely to be a largest reserves might be there, at a depth of
ceilings raised and extra areas energy of the future”. A French hydrogen decade before commercial operations start. 3,000 metres. Française de l’Energie said
of the country covered. industry body claims the gas could repre- Today, there is only one white hydrogen last March it was applying for permits to
House prices are predicted to sent a fifth of French energy use by 2050. gas field in operation in the world, in Mali. start testing for white hydrogen in the area,
continue to fall slightly as the Hydrogen can be used in fuel cells to pro- That reserve was discovered after a failed and in November said the process to get
year begins, variably depending duce electricity and it emits only heat and water drilling operation in 1987 left a hole permits was still on course.
on region, and it is thought water when it burns. However, most hydro- emitting a stream of odourless gas. When a In Pyrénées-Atlantiques, believed to have
recent increases in mortgage gen production currently relies on gas or villager lit a cigarette, it exploded, giving among the world’s largest deposits of the
rates will stabilise. coal, in processes that emit a lot of CO2. him burns. The hydrogen burnt for weeks gas, four other requests to prospect, all
n For more changes this year ‘Green’ hydrogen can be made using before a drilling crew capped the hole. from different companies, are also in the
see pages 5, 6, 7, 8 and 33 renewable energy but at greater expense. It However, it was only in 2007 that the regulatory pipeline.
 The Connexion January 2024
Will gas and electricity
prices rise a lot in 2024?
ENERGY prices are set to rise this year with a
first review of regulated electricity rates expected
in February.
Some of the real market price of electricity for
regulated tariffs, or contracts indexed to them, is
still being borne by the state’s bouclier tarifaire
measure brought in in 2021 to limit steep rises.
However, this is being progressively lifted but
connexionfrance.com News 5
New law to silence townies’ moans
about farmyard smells and noises
MPs have voted in favour of a proposed law
protecting businesses – especially farmers –
The
mooing of Rural areas offer a taste of country life
if a new neighbour moves in and complains cows is TEN small towns and villages are offering town dwellers an
about noise or smells caused by their work. among experience of rural living to see if they might like to move to
It is reportedly aimed at ‘neo-rural’ town- recent the area permanently.

the government says that rises will not exceed
10% due to recent French and EU reforms.
Currently market prices are coming down.
Gas prices in France are no longer regulated,
with former regulated tariff customers at Engie
now on a ‘bridge’ deal. They can fluctuate reguar-
ly and there are predictions of a possible slight
drop at the start of this year. However, a hike is
expected on July 1, of up to 6.3% if you heat with
gas and 11.3% for hot water and cooking.
The July increase is said to be unavoidable
because it relates to making up for increased costs
being incurred in the running of the distribution
network. More detail is expected this month.
A chèque énergie is to be sent out again this year
to lower-income households to help with fuel
bills. Last year, the amount ranged from €48 to
€277 depending on household income.
n This winter the government plans to run tests
on lowering electricity power for two hours to
200,000 homes in Puy-de-Dôme (central France)
through their Linky meters to see if this could be
a way to avoid power cuts in times of high use.
If your home is chosen you will be notified 22
days in advance by post of the time and day and
will receive €10 compensation. Homes of patients
with high-risk health conditions will be excluded
and people will be able to opt out, which was
previously not thought to be the case.
For more on what’s new in 2024: Pages 6-8
ies who move into the countryside, though
it is not explicitly stated.
It is also hoped it will help free up courts
from what Justice Minister Eric Dupond-
Moretti has called “useless cases” about
farmers just doing their jobs.
The text restates a general principle from
case law that people should not cause their
neighbours ‘unusual disturbance’ but says
they are exempt from prosecution if the
issue relates to activities pre-dating the
complainant moving in.
Only 11 MPs from far-left group Nupes
voted against the proposal, which would
add two new articles to the Code Civil.
It will now go to the Senate.
The law, launched by MP and farmer
Nicole Le Peih (Morbi­han), builds on a pre-
vious law laying down a principle that
countryside ‘sounds and smells’ are part of
the nation’s heritage.
That law also aimed to stop excessive
complaints but is widely judged a failure as
regional councils are meant to make lists of
which local smells and sounds are typical,
which only two have done so far.
Mr Dupond-Moretti told MPs the new
law is “common sense”.
“At the Salon de l’Agriculture, I told farm-
ers about my intent-ion to put a stop to the
abusive legal cases that are going on over
Photo: OlgaLucky_shutterstock
causes
of legal
cases
against
farmers
neighbour issues,” he said.
“Some people go to court because of the
sounds of combine harvesters – how are we
to eat bread if we don’t cut wheat?
“One can count several hundred cases
under way against farmers by irritable
neighbours complaining of nuisance linked
to their work – smells of cattle, noises of
tractors, songs of cockerels or mooing cows.”
Farming union FNSEA says there are cur-
rently 490 cases where farmers are fighting
such complaints. It would have preferred the
law to go further and explicitly note that
business activity might ‘evolve’ with time.
In a recent case, the top appeal court con-
firmed damages of more than €100,000
payable by a far­mer to neighbours due to
a 2,800m2 cow barn built, with permission,
in a village centre 100m from homes. The
farmer said the new law might have helped,
as the farm existed before the complainants
moved in, even if the building did not.
A court is now considering if measures
can be taken to reduce the nuisance or if the
barn must be demolished.
Mes Nouveaux Voisins (mesnouveauxvoisins.org) will intro-
duce potential newcomers to residents and associations in
Dordogne so they can be hosted for a short stay.
“The idea is to let people get a feel for the area and what it
has to offer and make the decision to move easier,” said the
project’s manager, Sophie Le Gal. “Many people who have
lived in large towns and cities all their lives are apprehensive
about moving to the countryside. If they have already met
people, it should make things easier.
“We are most interested in attracting working people, rather
than retirees or people who want to buy second homes. We
know there is a significant British population in parts of the
Dordogne and are happy to have them apply to be hosts and
for Britons to apply as people who are considering moving
here. The same goes for other nationalities.”
She said some town-dwellers who moved to the countryside
after the pandemic had gone back to towns.
“If they knew of all the associations and knew more people
locally, it might have made a difference to them staying.”
Taking part are Le Buisson-de-Cadouin (pop 1,950), La
Roche-Chalais (3,000), Nontron (3,000), Saint-Aulaye-
Puyman­gou (1,500), Saint-Cyprien (1,500), Tocane-Saint-Apre
(1,750), Miallet (630), Domme (900), Monpazier (500) and
Verteillac (680).
Hosts will be paid €20 a night and will be asked to share part
of their daily lives, showing visitors where they shop, favourite
walks, etc. Organisers will arrange meetings with associa-
tions. The types of visitors being sought include both salaried
workers and the self-employed, including, for example, people
who work at home on the internet and those who plan to
travel one or two days a week to work in cities.

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 6 2024: What’s new?
Border checks, fuel price caps,
compost... new year, new rules
2024 will see key changes, including new border schemes for is also the year France hosts the Olympics and Notre-Dame is
visitors to the EU and into the UK. News is awaited on the due to reopen. Here, as well as on page 33, we give an
possible easing of visits to second homes (see page 2). This overview of some of the changes and events to expect.
Residency rights and border control
PEOPLE travelling to France in 2024 –
either on short or longer trips – are
likely to see changes due to new laws
proposed as part of France’s immigra-
tion bill, as well as the introduction of
new border controls across the EU.
THE BILL, currently going through
parliament, will bring important
changes if the relevant articles remain
in the final text. These include:
n Foreign non-EU retirees will be
obliged to obtain a 10-year carte de
résident after their fifth year in France.
The criteria for this include living in
France in an ‘uninterrupted’ manner
(without long periods away), having
basic everyday French (this is not
required for over-65s), and signing a
contract to agree to ‘Republican’ values;
n Obtaining a ‘multi-year’ card will
involve passing a language test at A1
level, affecting people such as self-
Cars and driving
ENERGY giant TotalEnergies pledged
to continue its fuel price cap of €1.99
on petrol and diesel until at least the
end of 2024.
A €100 fuel allowance to help low-
er-income drivers who need their
vehicle to get to work will only be
reactivated if fuel prices reach €1.95/
litre. A €100 grant for those who start
car-sharing will apply again but target-
ed at short trips such as home to work
or school.
PÉAGE (toll) costs will rise from
February 1 on French motorways.
The government says the increase
will be less than 3%.
AUTOMATIC flux libre (‘free-flow’)
tolls are to be introduced on the A13
and A14 between Paris and Normandy
by June, covering some 210km. Drivers
can buy badges to use the motorway
via a monthly direct debit, pay online
after their journey, or at certain tabac
shops affiliated with the Nirio system.
IN PARIS, a vote on whether owners
of SUVs should pay more to park in
the city is due on February 2, and is
open to residents who register by
January 8. It would not apply to Paris
residents’ own existing residential
parking spaces and zones.
IN THE second half of the year, the
Paris ring road is set to see changes,
with one lane being dedicated to
Olympic traffic only. Sections of the
A1 and A13 motorways might also
be requisitioned for this as needed.
After the Olympics, if the mairie’s
ideas receive state approval, which is
expected, on weekdays the lane will
be used only for car-sharing, public
transport, disabled drivers, taxis and
emergency vehicles. The roads’ speed
limit could be reduced to 50km/h.
connexionfrance.com
employed and employed workers and the Olympics. It will bring new formal-
those coming to France to join family ities for non-EU, non-French people
members, who typically get a ‘tempo- coming into France for holidays and
rary’ one-year card as their first card; other short stays. People with visas and
n An ‘automatic visa’ right for British residency cards are not affected.
people who own second homes in On first entry to the EU’s Schengen
France. The details would be clarified area after the scheme is implemented
in a decree, but this means if you are (or on exit, if already in the area at the
British and own a home in France (and time), travellers will have to provide
your main residence is abroad) you biometric data, including having a
can come for extended stays of more photograph and fingerprints taken as
than three months without formalities; well as other information about your-
n Children born in France to immi- self and your trip.
grant families no longer become The system will automatically track
French automatically but must apply, people’s comings and goings into the
stating their desire to become French; Schengen area and adherence to the
n A new four-year ‘medical talent’ 90/180 days rule. Eventually, it should
residency card to be created to make it remove the need for passport stamps.
easier for doctors, pharmacists and
midwives to come and work in France. ETIAS – a system of online pre-
authorisation for visiting the EU – is
THE EUROPEAN Entry/Exit System due to follow about six months after
(EES) is due to come into force after EES, in the first half of 2025.
IF YOU use Mont Blanc tunnel, watch MOTORISTS flashed going slightly
out for more planned closures (expect- over the speed limit will no longer lose
ed in autumn) for repairs to the struc- a licence point from January 1. This
ture and safety systems. only concerns speeds logged at less
than 5km/h over the limit after the
A CONTRÔLE technique roadworthi- application of the usual technical error
ness test will become obligatory every margins. Fines will still be issued.
three years for motorbikes and scooters
as well as for three-wheeled vehicles IN SEVERAL of France’s largest cities
and small voitures sans permis. where ZFE low-emissions zones are
Older vehicles, on the road since in place, the rules will be toughened
before 2017, will be affected first. from January 1, banning vehicles with
It will initially relate to safety a Crit’Air sticker of level 4 or above
aspects, but will later include noise (in 2023 it was level 5). This affects
and pollution, as well as the top speed Lyon, Marseille, Rouen and
of 50cc mopeds. It will cost about €50. Strasbourg (Paris’s ZFE already
includes Crit’Air 4). Crit’Air 4 relates
FROM this spring, insurers are to to cars registered before 2006 and
stop issuing the green ‘vignette’ labels two-wheelers registered before 2004.
that drivers traditionally place on
their windscreen. See p32 for more. A RENAULT 5 electric car costing
around €25,000 will be launched in
THE MINIMUM age to obtain a early 2024, before the launch in 2025
driving licence in France is being of a model costing less than €20,000
reduced from 18 to 17. More details called Legend.
of when this will happen are awaited. Citroën’s new ë-C3, meanwhile, will
Meanwhile, in 2024 it should be cost €23,300.
possible to add your French driving These prices are not inclusive of the
licence to the France Identité app. You ‘eco bonus’ reduction of €5,000-7,000,
will be able to use the app and show depending on household income.
your phone instead of your actual This bonus will be restricted to cars
licence if asked by police. made in Europe, which emit lower
CO₂ in their transportation processes.
THE MALUS surcharge level on In other EV changes, the government
‘polluting’ vehicles is being further promises lower-income households
lowered to 118g/km of CO2 instead of will have access this year to a ‘social
123 from January 1. It will now apply leasing’ plan for an electric car, costing
to most petrol cars. €100/month.
The highest possible malus is raised Citroëns, Renaults and Fiats will be
to €60,000 (up from €50,000) and will among the options.
be reached at 194 instead of 226. Also, Finally, an exemption for electric
a cap at 50% of the purchase price is vehicle insurance from a special tax
being removed, so in some cases the on insurance contracts was set to end
malus might be more than the price. on December 31 but has now been
An additional weight-based surcharge extended for another year.
is also being modified and will start at It accounts for a discount of up to
€10 from 1,600kg, as opposed to from 25% on third-party insurance and up
1,800 kg in 2023. to 15% on fully comprehensive.
The Connexion
The reconstructed spire is fitted on
Notre-Dame cathedral in Paris, which
is due to re-open on December 8.
Among other new additions is a unique
‘vaporisation system’, currently being
installed below the roof and in the
spire, to stop fire from spreading.
THE UK is bringing in its own system
comparable to the EU’s Etias, called
the Electronic Travel Authorisation
(ETA) “by the end of the year”.
Costing £10, this will be an online
process to obtain authorisation to
visit the UK. It is aimed at people of
other nationalities, including French,
who do not need visas for short stays
in the UK.
It will not affect British or Irish
citizens – including dual-nationals –
nor those who have long-term UK
residency rights.
A DECISION over a legal challenge on
EU citizenship rights, led by Britons’
rights campaigner Alice Bouilliez from
Gers, is due after a hearing last
November. Ms Bouilliez believes
Britons’ EU citizenship rights, such as
voting in EU elections, should not have
been so easily stripped by Brexit.
Health
THE FRANCHISE médicale, the
obligatory fee which is not reimbursed
(or refunded by mutuelles) on the
purchase of prescription drugs and
certain paramedical services (nurses,
physiotherapists, speech therapists,
podiatrists) could increase from 50
cents to €1 from January.
In December, Finance Minister
Bruno le Maire confirmed the changes
were to take place, but did not give a
specific date.
The franchise on medical transport
costs could also increase from €2 to
€4. However, an annual limit of €50
for prescription medicine and para-
medical franchises will remain.
THE GOVERNMENT aims for about
30 medical buses in early 2024, and
100 by the year end.
There are already 10 médicobus
services in operation, equipped with
everything to give a ‘doctor’s surgery’
service.
NATIONWIDE rollout of a digital
version of the carte Vitale is meant to
be launched this year at an unspeci-
fied date. Currently, a Carte Vitale
app is available on phones, but works
only in a few departments and is not
familiar to all health professionals
even in these areas.
Meanwhile a digital prescription
service, whereby prescriptions should
be printed in a special format with a
smartcode containing the information
– that pharmacists can scan – should
be rolled out for all hospital and
doctors’ appointments this year, but
has also had limited take-up so far.
You are also more likely to see tele-
medicine cabins this year, especially
in pharmacies, with France’s largest
provider of cabins, Medadom, hoping
to hit 10,000 installations overall.
These allow people to have doctor’s
January 2024
PLANT and animal health checks on
goods coming into the UK from the
EU are scheduled to come into force
on January 31, after being put off
several times.
They are also expected to restrict
travellers from bringing in certain
goods to the UK in their baggage.
Examples include French cheese and
charcuterie.
Maurice BSIP SA / Alamy
A telemedicine
cabin
consultations at a distance and pro-
vide basic health information such as
blood pressure and heart rate.
FULLY-reimbursed preventative
health checks are to be available
nationwide from January for several
age groups: 18-25, 45-50, 60-65 and
70-75. Called Mon bilan prévention, the
checks will look at general health, diet,
sleep and addictions, as well as risks of
illnesses common to the age group.
They will be on offer from doctors,
midwives, nurses and pharmacists.
CONDOMS are to be available free
from pharmacies for people aged
below 26. Reusable menstrual protec-
tion, including protective underwear
or menstrual cups for women under
26, will now be reimbursed.
VOLUNTARY vaccinations against
human papillomavirus will be
available from age 11, instead of 14.
PEOPLE who claim certain benefits,
including:
n AAH and ASI disability benefits;
n Allocation de solidarité spécifique
(means-tested benefit for people out of
work whose rights to ordinary unem-
ployment benefit have run out);
n Allocation de contrat d’engagement
jeune (for young jobseekers in training
or volunteering)
will be automatically offered CSS
subsidised top-up health insurance
without having to apply and provide
extra information on their means.
 The Connexion January 2024
Olympics, culture, Springsteen concert and other events
THE OLYMPIC Games in Paris, from
July 26 to August 11, and Paralympics
from August 28 to September 8, will be
the biggest event of the year in France,
with many innovations planned. Among
the novelties to look out for will be:
n The Olympic torch arrives in Marseille
in spring on board the Belem, Europe’s
oldest three-mast sailing ship. From there,
starting on May 8, some 10,000 people
will each be doing 200m stretches as torch-
bearers through every region of France;
n There will be a key role for the Seine –
in the opening ceremony, more than 160
boats will carry the teams from the Pont
d’Austerlitz to Trocadéro, and hundreds of
thousands are expected to line the banks.
Photo: David Bordes / Rebâtir Notre-Dame de Paris
connexionfrance.com
or equestrian events at the Château de
Versailles. The Paralympics will take place
in the same venues;
n The reconstructed spire of Notre-
Dame (pictured) should be complete, and
the cathedral fully open again by the end
of the year;
n There will be sailing events at Marseille
and surfing in Tahiti – the furthest an
Olympic event has ever been held from
the host city. New events include surfing,
skateboarding and climbing;
n An Olympic village is being built in
Seine-Saint-Denis and an aquatic centre is
opening near the Stade de France. Many
buildings forming the ‘village’ will become
social housing afterwards. Meanwhile, a
2024: What’s new? 7
THE world’s leading museum of impress- SEVERAL events celebrating the ties
ionist art, the Musée d’Orsay, is sending an between France and Armenia are to take
‘unprecedented’ number of masterpieces – place this year.
174 – on tour across France and the US to A new section of the Louvre museum
mark the movement’s 150th anniversary. will open devoted to Byzantine art and
In other art events, Normandy’s forêt eastern forms of Christianity.
monumental de Rouen, located from In February, the remains of Missak
Roumare to Canteleu, will show off huge Manouchian, a French-Armenian poet,
sculptures in the open air in a forest setting Resistance hero and Armenian genocide
over four kilometres, from June 2024 to survivor will be placed in the Panthéon.
June 2026. It is the second time such a There is a large community of Armenian
show has been organised. origin here and France recently announced
its support over a continuing dispute with
AMERICAN rock star Bruce Springsteen its neighbour Azerbaijan.
will perform in Marseille in May, in the
only French date of a European tour. Also THIS YEAR’S Tour de France will, for
in May (11), a former winner of TV talent the first time ever, end in Nice, on July

During certain events, athletes will swim
in the river, which has been undergoing a
clean-up. However, the public will not, as at
one point planned, be invited to take a dip
– that will have to wait for 2025;
n To promote France’s culture and herit-
age, many events will be held in museums
and at national monuments – such as fenc-
ing in the Grand Palais, archery at Les
Invalides, volleyball near the Eiffel Tower,
‘Parc des Champions’ in the Trocadero
Gardens will let the public mingle with
the competitors and see medals awarded;
n More than 400km of cycle lanes are
being installed in time for the events,
which will remain afterwards. An ultra-
light railway, with small electric ‘pods’ for
one or two people, is to be trialled, as are
‘flying taxis’ – if they get the go-ahead
from the Transport Ministry.
show The Voice, Slimane, who has since 21, not along the Champs-Elysées in
developed a successful career in France, Paris, as the Olympics will be about to
will be representing the country in start there.
Eurovision. His song is called Mon amour. The Tour will start in Florence on June
29 and have four stages in Italy.
THE 10th Vendée Globe sailing compet- The women’s race will also start abroad,
ition will see 40 skippers taking part in the in the Netherlands, and is short this year
gruelling round-the-world biennial solo – sandwiched between the dates of the
race. It will leave Sables d’Olonne on Olympics and Paralympics and taking
November 10 at 13.02. place on August 12-18.

Public transport and new air and rail routes Politics, voting, elections
IRISH Ferries and Brittany Ferries are to start
Rassemblement
offering a combined ‘Sail-Rail’ ticket for ferry
National’s president,
passengers who want to begin or continue
Jordan Bardella,
their journeys by train.
anticipates a good
Meanwhile, Brittany Ferries is set to add
result for his French
another ship to its Cork to Roscoff route,
far-right party
which is, for the first time, continuing
in June’s European

Photo: Sipa USA / Alamy

through the winter. With two ships from
Parliament elections
March, there will be twice as many weekly
crossings through summer and autumn.
Financial reports from 2023 showed that
while passenger numbers on France-UK
routes had dropped, they had grown massive- BRITISH people who lost their voting rights after
ly on France-Ireland services. being away for more than 15 years will be able to

Photo: Abaca Press / Alamy

Finally, Dieppe ferry port is due to start re-register to vote in time for the next UK general
a €3million upgrade to its terminal in election (likely in spring or autumn). Further informa-
September to host DFDS ferries. tion is expected in January via gov.uk/register-to-vote.
The Danish shipping company has chosen The US Presidential elections will be held on
Dieppe as its operational base. November 5, 2024. All seats in the House of
Representatives are also up for election, as well as
NO REOPENING is expected this year for THE FIRST tests have been carried out on part of the future Métro Line 15, set to open part of the Senate. Americans in France should
the Eurostar service from London to in 2025. The line is part of the Grand Paris Express network, consisting of four new lines request an overseas ballot. Some states require postal
Disneyland Paris, or for the former stops at around the capital and the extension of two existing lines. voting, while others allow ballots to be returned by
stations in Kent at Ebbsfleet and Ashford. The Line 14 extension, linking Saint-Denis-Pleyel (to the north of Paris) to Orly airport, is set email, online uploads or fax.
The firm says it cannot afford it, though to open in June, in time for the Olympics.
the Kent services might reopen in 2025. The expansion of Paris Métro’s Line 11 – extending north-eastwards from Les Lilas to LEGISLATION is expected to be in force from
Rosny-bois-Perrier – is also set to open this spring after facing a number of delays. January allowing French under-18s to use ID cards
A NAVIGO monthly pass, allowing users to Some €400million has been set aside for better disabled access on the Paris Métro by 2027, instead of passports when travelling on organised
access public transport in Île-de-France, is with about a tenth of the stations meant to be upgraded this year. school trips to the UK, as was possible before 2021.
rising from €84.10 to €86.40 on January 1. All new lines that open will have wheelchair access. The UK also says that children of nationalities that
Among other rises, the price of a single would usually need a visa to visit the UK post-Brexit
journey increases from €2.10 to €2.15. A NEW high-speed LGV train line was May 4, to Madrid (Spain) from March 3. will be exempted from this requirement when taking
originally scheduled to open this year from Finally, EasyJet flights from Lille to Alicante part in such trips. Some French schools are reported
SEVERAL new rail services are due to Bordeaux to Toulouse. However, it is taking start from May 1; to have abandoned these trips since Brexit.
launch, including: longer than planned and is still at the stage of n Air Transat (Canadian) is continuing its
n A new low-price service between Paris and environmental studies before work can start. three weekly flights between Marseille THE UK is to be guest of honour at a French forum
Lyon before the summer, operated by Spanish Residents living close to the planned route Provence and Montréal this winter and they for the cultural and creative industries this year.
state-owned rail operator Renfe; are being asked to pay a supplementary tax to will become daily from June; There will also be events to mark the 120th anni-
n French and Belgian state rail operators want partly fund the service. n Qantas is to open direct flights from Paris versary of the entente cordiale agreement on April
to open a line linking Paris Gare du Nord and Charles de Gaulle to Perth, Australia, on July 8. It improved relations between the countries so
Brussels Midi at regular, rather than high, A ‘FIFTH generation’ of faster and more 12, with four flights a week, its first direct much that the term has been remembered ever since.
speeds “by the end of 2024”; eco-friendly TGV trains is set to be deployed. flights to France for 20 years; Celebrations are set to include a Franco-British
n A high-speed Paris-Berlin train service is to The TGV M trains are completely new, not n Volotea (Spanish) will fly from Lyon-Saint literary prize, an artists’ residency scheme between
open in 2024 jointly run by SNCF and just renovated. Exupéry to Kalamata (Greece) and Porto the UK and France, and a programme called
Deutsche Bahn; ‘M’ refers to ‘modularity’, with the possibility (Portugal) from April to October. ‘Lumière!’ to oversee joint cultural initiatives.
n A new Paris-Berlin night train, which of adjusting the number of cars on demand as It also has new routes starting this year from A new partnership between French and UK
launched thrice-weekly in December 2023, will closely as possible to market needs. Lyon to Oslo (Norway), Naples (Italy), museums is also being set up.
become daily. Rhodes(Greece) and Marrakech (Morocco).
AMONG the new options for air travel this New destinations coming up at its hub in THE EUROPEAN Political Community, a scheme
LAST SUMMER, President Macron support- year are: Brest include: Athens (Greece), Barcelona launched by President Macron to bring countries in
ed the idea of a flat-rate pass to use on local n Transavia (French low-cost arm of the (Spain), Faro (Portugal) and Palermo (Sicily). Europe closer, will hold its fourth summit in the
train and bus services in France, which he KLM-Air France group): Paris Orly to Tallinn spring in the UK.
hoped could be negotiated by summer 2024. (Estonia) and Bergen (Norway) from April; THE ‘FLYING Whale’ company in Nouvelle-
A minister suggested it could cost around n EasyJet: Nantes to Alicante (Spain) from Aquitaine, which aims to make giant 100m EUROPEAN Parliament elections will be held on
€49/month. April, to Malaga (Spain) from June 3, to airships, plans to build its first trial craft this June 9, open to French and EU citizens only.
Larnaca (Cyprus) from June 30. year. It says they are an eco-friendly solution Rassemblement National is seen as a favorite in
TER local trains refitted to be entirely battery- From Nice, you can fly to Alicante from for cargo transport. France for those elections and has been fostering ties
powered are set to enter service towards the May 5, to Malaga from June 2, to Cephalonia It hopes it can use this aircraft to obtain with other European far-Right parties with a view to
end of the year between Bordeaux and Mont- (Greece) from June 30. authorisations for the concept and start forming an alliance in the next parliament.
de-Marsan (Landes). From Lyon, you can fly to Alicante from commercial production in around 2026.
 8 What’s new connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024

2024: changes to everyday life Miscellaneous

The Michelin Guide is launching
an award for the best hotels

Home and daily life For m

finance oney, tax an
THE NEXT price re-evaluation despite concerns that some rural THE REPAIR bonus is being chang d
for electricity is expected in areas are not yet connected. doubled for TVs, washing see pa es in 2024,
ge 33

Photo: My Ocean Production_shutterstock

Photo: Norman Pogson / Alamy

February. You can read more
about this, as well as other chang-
es to utility bills, on page 5.
NEW national bans on smok-
ing will be imposed on beaches,
parks and gardens this year, as
well as ‘next to public facilities’,
such as schools.
Expect the price of cigarettes
to increase too – by 40 centimes
per pack from January 1 due to
inflation. Some manufacturers
have taken the opportunity to
impose steeper price rices to
increase their margins.
A LONG-AWAITED rule
standardising chargers for all
mobile devices – to USB type C
– is set to be in force in the EU
by the end of the year.
It will apply to phones, tablets
and e-readers, and to portable
computers from 2026.
HOME and car insurance
premiums are set to rise, as
a two-year agreement by provid-
ers to keep tariffs below inflation
levels comes to an end in
September. Price comparison
website assurland.com updated
its rate increase estimates for
2024 on December 11, predicting
a 5-6% rise for home insurance
and 3.5% rise for vehicle cover.
STAMP prices are set to rise.
This has been blamed on
people using the post less
frequently, as well as inflation.
A timbre vert green stamp will
rise from €1.16 to €1.29; a lettre
services plus (tur-
quoise) will increase
from €2.95 to €2.99; a
lettre recommandée
(registered post) from
€4.83 to €5.36; and
international letters
machines, tumble dryers
and dishwashers.
For vacuums, it increases
from €15 to €40. For some
other appliances, including
laptops, cookers and ket-
tles, it is increasing by €5.
The €180 repair price THE 2024 calendar will give HORSE and pony clubs will
threshold for laptops (the workers five three-day week- benefit from a VAT rate drop
repair must cost at least as much) drops to €150. ends this year, due to the from 20% to 5.5% from
New kinds of appliances will also now qualify, including shavers, timing of public holidays. January 1, in an attempt to
microwaves and printers. You can see a full list at tinyurl.com/ Alongside the usual three- “preserve and support” the
bonus-reparation. day weekends at Easter tradition. This may avoid any
The scheme only works via accredited firms – you can search for (Easter Monday is a bank hol- price increases for stable hire
those near to you at annuaire-qualirepar.ecosystem.eco. iday) and Pentecost Monday, or riding lessons in 2024.
three other public holidays
and drink (not alcohol), rather autonomy. It will be managed by will fall on Monday or Friday SOME tabac shops are to be
than those ready to be consumed the Anah agency. in 2024. allowed to start selling
straight away. In place since 2022, On top of this, two further hunting ammunition from
this rule is now set to SINGLE-use disposable e-cig- holidays fall on a Thursday, January 1, including shotgun
continue during 2024. arettes known as puffs could be allowing workers to faire le shells and smoothbore cart-
banned by the start of the 2024- pont and take an extended ridges. Owners of the estab-
A GRANT scheme 25 school year. MPs have voted weekend break. lishment will first need to
launches this year to for a ban, and the law will now be In May, bank holidays will complete a short course.
help people age-proof debated by the Senate. fall on the 1st, 8th, 9th and “This training will ensure the
their properties. Meanwhile, 2024 might see 20th, although Pentecost is munitions are kept securely
Photo: La Poste

ORANGE is to finally start up to 20g will jump MaPrimeAdapt’ will more take-up in France of not always given as a bank and that only people with
removing the old copper phone from €1.80 to €1.96. replace several previous the Dry January no-alcohol holiday to workers. valid permits can purchase
wires in some communes this benefits, including challenge (le défi de janvier). Category C ammunition,” the
year, with the whole country to THE GOVERN- Anah’s Habiter Facile, Some 48 French addiction AS USUAL, Christmas and Interior Ministry said.
be disconnected by 2030. MENT was looking at ending a Habitat cadre de vie from pen- experts urged the government to summer school holidays are
People are expected to use measure that allows tickets res- sions body Cnav, and a tax credit promote it, saying it has proved on the same dates nationwide, ANIMALERIES – high street
the faster fibre-optic networks, taurant to be used for most food for installations helping with its benefits in the UK. while the winter and spring pet shops – will no longer be
holidays will vary by zone. allowed to sell cats and dogs
Environment: composting, boilers and renovation aid The New Year rentrée is on from this year, apart from
Monday, January 6, and the ‘rescue’ animals in partner-
A NEW law making it obligatory to separate bin for their kitchen waste, such as summer holidays start on July ship with animal shelters.
separate household biowaste from the vegetable peelings, coffee grounds, old 6 and run to September 2. They will still be able to sell
rest of your rubbish begins on January 1. bread and meal leftovers, as well as green Summer holidays this year other small animals, such as
This can be dealt with either by yourself garden waste. will coincide with the rabbits or mice.
– by turning it into compost to reuse on This waste can then be put in compost, Olympic Games in Paris.
your plants – or by the council. although the rules do not make it mand- JANUARY 1 is the delayed
Despite this, there are concerns that atory for individual households. SEPTEMBER sees the start of deadline for people who hunt
much of France will not be ready on time. Blocks of flats should have new contain- a school uniform trial. with guns to declare their
There are currently no sanctions planned. ers where you can place this (often with a Schools in Nice, Reims and firearm ownership on a gov-
Rural communes especially, with fewer brown lid) and councils should offer Tourcoing will be among ernment website, with other
means at their disposal, face more of a collection or deposit solutions for it. those participating, although gun owners having to declare
struggle to adapt to the new law. Councils will have to inform residents by numbers will be limited as the by dates later in the year.
The change has come about because January 1 about how to dispose of this scheme is partly funded by These deadlines have been
EU legislation says that by 2025 biowaste waste, and are also meant to offer financial the state. put back several times.
should not be disposed of in ordinary tips help to people who want to compost at Latest information suggests
and incinerators. home, or offer training in doing it. the kit will consist of five polo THE TOUR Montparnasse
Photo: Daisy Daisy_shutterstock

To bring France in line with this, all
homes must have a way to keep their food
waste separate from other rubbish, and
local authorities must provide a means
to dispose of it.
Households will be expected to have a
SEVERAL measures aimed at helping with
renovations continue this year, including the
interest-free eco-loan, which had been due
to come to an end.
This is still available at high street banks
and allows people to borrow up to €50,000,
repayable over 20 years, for work such as
replacing an old boiler or insulation.
The MaPrimeRénov home renovations
If the waste is collected, it will have to go shirts, two pullovers and two – Paris’s largest skyscraper –
to special treatment facilities where waste pairs of trousers per student. should finally start four years
can be recycled into compost or bio gas. Some schools might person- of renovations this year. They
See p39 for expert tips on avoiding smells alise items with a crest or use were originally expected
and vermin if you choose to compost your only part of the kit: just the between 2019 and 2023, but
biowaste at home. polo shirt and jumper, for have been put off until after
example. The uniform will the Olympic Games.
automatic help to obtain any further aid cost €200, but families will not
Windows filled with microalgae under the CEE energy-efficiency certificates have to pay. THE 80th anniversary of
scheme, subsidised by energy companies. The experiment will be D-Day and the Battle of
For low and medium-income households, monitored for its impact on Normandy is from June 1 to
grants for installing air/water or geothermal areas such as results and class- 16. Normandy Tourism
heat pumps are being doubled to €2,000. room atmosphere. promises “an unprecedented
The grant will now also be available for programme”, including a fire-
reversible air/air heat pumps for summer air THE MICHELIN Guide, work display on June 1 over
conditioning, and more FranceRénov cen- best known for its prestigious the five landing beaches.
Photo: XTU Architects

grant is changing, however, with a greater
focus on large-scale works.
Those applying must show the DPE energy-
efficiency certificate for their home, or have
one done if they do not have one.
It will determine if they can qualify for
smaller work, such as changing to a more
eco-friendly boiler or putting in insulation,
or whether, in the case of homes rated F or
G, they should undertake a more widespread
renovation overseen by a dedicated advisor
called MonAccompagnateurRénov’.
For these properties, the overall maximum
grant is being doubled to €70,000 and the
grant can be for as much as 90% of the total
cost. These households will also benefit from
tres will be opening to provide free help with star awards for fine-dining An artistic installation of
obtaining aid (france-renov.gouv.fr). restaurants, is improving its 1,475 silhouettes will also be
coverage of hotels and launch- on show from spring onwards
THERE were plans to ban the installation of ing a new award for the at the British Normandy
new gas boilers, but this is not now taking world’s best. Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, rep-
WINDOWS filled with microalgae,
effect. However, CEE energy certificate aid It will give key symbols to resenting British deaths
pictured, are to feature in a new student
will no longer be available for them, even if hotels that are “a destination on June 6, 1944.
residence in Paris, set to open in October.
deemed ‘high-performance’. in themselves”, “bring the art An international ceremony
The triple-glazed windows comprise
of hosting to its highest level” on June 6 is expected to be
standard double-glazing with an extra
THE MINISTRY of Agriculture’s budget and offer guests “unique attended by heads of state and
layer filled with warm water connected to a
plan for 2024 includes €110 million for experiences”. surviving veterans.
pump system, in which the microalgae
replanting hedgerows, with the aim of The hotels’ staff should be
will be grown. Microalgae have a variety
increasing them by 50,000km by 2030, dedicated and highly skilled. FINALLY, remember that this
of commercial uses, including in health
In recent decades, hedges have often been As with restaurants, the year is an année bissextile – a
foods, as biofuel, and in the manufacture
of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. pulled up, to the detriment of biodiversity awards will be given after one leap year – so will include
and soil erosion. See p11 for more. or more anonymous visits. February 29 (a Thursday).
 The Connexion January 2024 connexionfrance.com News 9

Anti-obesity drug available soon Cuddly pets bring

AN APPETITE-SUPPRESSING prescription
drug that helps obese people lose weight – so
popular in the US that stocks are running low – is
to be available in France in the coming months.
Wegovy is similar to Ozempic, a drug pre-
scribed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes that
caused alarm among French health officials last
autumn over its misuse by non-diabetics want-
ing to lose weight.
French doctors have been asked to limit
Ozempic to existing patients to protect stocks.
Cycling challenge smashes stereotypes joy to care homes
A WOMAN who suffers from obesity has Anaïs Le Ménahèze
cycled 800km in 12 days to raise aware- and her bicycle
ness about the illness and help people
overcome their prejudices.
Anaïs Le Ménahèze, 30, spent months
preparing for the challenge, set by her
brother, to ride from Nantes to Lourdes OLDER, autistic and disabled
with the support of a specialised clinic. people are benefiting from

Photo:AnimalCâlin
Both drugs are administered by injection and She dubbed her trip La vie en gros! cuddling dogs, rabbits and

Photo: Anaïs Le Ménahèze

are made by the Danish firm Novo Nordisk,
which has committed to invest two billion euros
into making them at its laboratory in Chartres,
south-west of Paris. Up to 500 jobs will be
created at the site in the Eure-et-Loire.
The drugs contain semaglutide, which regu-
lates blood sugar and insulin. It also reduces
appetite and causes the stomach to empty more
slowly so a person feels fuller faster. Weight loss
of 15% is usual. However, many people who stop
using it put on weight again.
Wegovy has also been shown to reduce the
risk of a stroke or heart attack.
Elon Musk is among high-profile users of
Wegovy, which was approved for use against
obesity in the US in 2021 and in Europe last year.
It is available on prescription in the UK at a
cost of around £300 a month.
France’s national health authority recom-
mended Wegovy be prescribed to under-65s
with a body mass index of more than 35kg/m²
as part of a controlled diet and exercise regime.
The authority said initial prescriptions should
be written only by specialist obesity doctors,
or those working in gastroenterology, endocri-
nology, diabetology and nutrition, as well as
specialist obesity or university hospital centres.
Pédale pour avancer face à l’obésité
(The Big Life! Pedal to move forward
on the subject of obesity) and posted her
progress on social media.
Ms Le Ménahèze, a social worker, had
ruled out bariatric surgery to reduce her
stomach size, saying it would not help
the emotional triggers that prompted her
to overeat. She said her attitude towards
her size changed when she was finally
told obesity was an illness.
She told The Connexion: “For me, it
really took the weight off. It made me
feel less guilty about the whole thing.
“I was told there was nothing I could
do about it. I told myself that, in the end,
this illness can be fought like any other.
So maybe there are things we can do.”
She is filming a documentary and
plans to go into schools and colleges
from March to talk to younger people
about the issue and eliminate some of
the prejudices surrounding it.
“What still needs to be done is to edu-
cate people and explain to them that this
is a real disease: it’s not a question of a
other animals.
For the past 10 years, resi-
dents in care homes, as well as
children, and autistic and dis-
abled people, have been offered
animal ‘mediation’ by an
person wanting to put on weight or association called AnimalCâlin.
because they don’t move around or eat a It was founded by Dominique
lot. It’s not necessarily that,” she said. Portal, a former care home
“I’d especially like to change the way worker who found the growing
other people look at us and the way we number of residents made it
look at each other, to bring a positive hard to find pastimes that could
outlook before a negative one, and to include everyone.
show that an obese person can move, can When her then-employer
be dynamic, can have a zest for life. turned down her suggestion of
“That’s what it’s all about, and trying to using animals to help, she
get obese people themselves to feel less launched the non-profit firm.
guilty about the disease.” AnimalCâlin, based in Albi in
Ms Le Ménahèze admits things are the Tarn, also operates in and
changing, with three university hospitals around Toulouse.
working on obesity in Nantes, as well as “The benefits are immediately
small specialised obesity centres. visible,” said Mrs Portal, 65.
“There are lots of people who suffer “As soon as you arrive at an
from this disease or who are overweight, old people’s home with an ani-
but I sincerely believe that not all doctors mal, everyone wakes up. You
see it as an illness – yet.” get the impression that they
have come back to life.
Depending on their physical
and psychological abilities, they
can have contact with an ani-
mal, talk to it, stroke it or touch
it, and do little physical and
motor activities,” she said.
The advantages of animal
mediation include everything
from easing loneliness to refin-
ing motor skills and helping
teenagers who have difficulty
with relationships.
AnimalCâlin also supports
people who are dealing with
cognitive problems or signifi-
cant memory loss, sometimes
helping them to remember
their own pets from years ago.
“I am convinced that our ani-
mals are often a bridge to com-
munication,” Ms Portal said.
“They don’t pass judgment,
they don’t care how we look,
and that changes everything.”

Eco-row breaks out over

artificial surf park project
A DISPUTE has broken out over the ecological
credentials of a proposed artificial inland surf park
to be located 50km from the Atlantic coast.
Planning permission for the park at Canéjan in
Gironde, south of Bordeaux, which would report-
edly use recovered rainwater and solar power to
create waves ranging from 30cm to 1.3metres,
was granted last February.
The double-pool site was due to open in 2025,
with 200 to 300 estimated visitors a day, as well as
top-level surfers who would use it to train for
competitions including the Olympics.
However, three environmental groups lodged an
appeal with the administrative court in Bordeaux
last July, contesting the project’s ecological claims.
They said the ocean and its natural waves were
near enough to make the project unnecessary.
A petition objecting to the plan, estimated to cost
up to €30million of private funds, has gathered
more than 60,000 signatures.
Building work has now been suspended pend-
ing the court’s decision.
The park is the idea of four surf-mad friends,
including former Star Academy musician Édouard
Algayon, and Nicolas Padois, president of the
Ocean Roots surf school in Arcachon.
They launched a social media campaign to
highlight what they claim are the eco and inclus-
ive credentials of the almost four-hectare park.
The brownfield site was previously used as a car
park by an electronic components firm, and it
was sold to Mr Algayon’s father in 2010.
However, critics claim the rainwater should be
going into replenishing natural underground
reserves and stopping this would have conse-
quences for the environment.
They also say claims of energy self-sufficiency
are not accurate and a considerable amount of
Are upcoming Seminar
needed, allowing for evaporation. He said the
changes going to
application had received favourable opinions
from official organisations, including the regional
health agency.
impact me?
He told Sud Ouest: “If [the surf park] didn’t fit in
with respect for the environment, we would never
have gone ahead. It would be against our values.” How to grow, protect and pass
Jean-Luc Arassus, president of the European
Surfing Federation, supports the project, saying on your wealth in France.
it could be used to train surfers for high-level
competitions.
Pierre-Olivier Coutant, three-time French
champion in adapted surfing, said the surf park
was “essential” for teaching disabled people.
Opponents claim the site would waste the
„ How do I optimise my financial
situation when living in France?
17 Venues across France
equivalent of between 59 and 112 Olympic swim- February to April
ming pools of water per year and any rainwater „ Can I keep my UK adviser,
collected would be “marginal”. investments and bank accounts? You’ll find full venue and date information
Théo Tostivint, of the environmental protection
„ What are the latest implications on the seminar page of our website
association Surfrider Foundation Europe, said his
non-profit organisation had several objections. in France for UK private
“This project completely ignores its environ- pensions?
mental impact. It has not had a proper impact „ Who pays tax when I die, and BOOK YOUR SEAT NOW BY PHONE,
assessment and estimates of water consumption EMAIL OR THROUGH OUR WEBSITE
have been poorly carried out. where?
“It doesn’t take all the town planning regula-
tions into account and will burden the region
„ How can I minimise that tax for 0 805 112 163 (N0 Vert)
my family?
with water consumption that we don’t want to see france@blevinsfranks.com
in a leisure park like this,” he told The Connexion.
Mr Tostivint said the foundation was fighting to www.blevinsfranks.com
convince Bordeaux administrative court to with-
draw planning permission.
“If this legal action doesn’t work, we intend to
go on in whatever way we can to prevent this INTERNATIONAL TAX ADVICE • INVESTMENTS • ESTATE PLANNING • PENSIONS
project seeing the light of day,” he said.
If permitted to go ahead, the park would be the Blevins Franks Group is represented in France by the following companies: Blevins Franks Wealth Management Limited (BFWML) and Blevins Franks France SASU (BFF).
BFWML is authorised and regulated by the Malta Financial Services Authority, registered number C 92917. Authorised to conduct investment services under the Investment
first of its kind in France. Services Act and authorised to carry out insurance intermediary activities under the Insurance Distribution Act. Where advice is provided outside of Malta via the Insurance
Distribution Directive or the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II, the applicable regulatory system differs in some respects from that of Malta. BFWML also provides
Nine surf park schemes at locations including taxation advice; its tax advisers are fully qualified tax specialists. Blevins Franks France SASU (BFF), is registered with ORIAS, registered number 07 027 475, and authorised as

local water resources would still be needed. Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Castets, Lacanau, Magescq ‘Conseil en Investissements Financiers’ and ‘Courtiers d’Assurance’ Category B (register can be consulted on www.orias.fr). Member of ANACOFI-CIF. BFF’s registered office:
1 rue Pablo Neruda, 33140 Villenave d’Ornon – RCS BX 498 800 465 APE 6622Z. Garantie Financière et Assurance de Responsabilité Civile Professionnelle conformes aux
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Mr Algayon said the site’s 20,000 square metres and Bordeaux Lac all failed following opposition articles L 541-3 du Code Monétaire et Financier and L512-6 and 512-7 du Code des Assurances (assureur MMA). Blevins Franks Trustees Limited is authorised and regulated
by the Malta Financial Services Authority for the administration of retirement schemes. This promotion has been approved and issued by BFWML.
of roof space could recover double the rainwater on environmental grounds.
 10 Art / Practical connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024

$74m Monet sale marks 150 years of Impressionism

As the Musée Any of the originals that look

Everett Collection_shutterstock
Claude Monet’s home in
Giverny, far left, inspired like Monets are all, in fact,
d’Orsay in some of his most famous from a collection of rather
Paris prepares paintings, such as Water middling quality copies done
a major new Lilies, shown left by his admirers or students.
exhibition to Visitors desperate to see a
as a painter and work with the genuine Monet should head
celebrate 150 years of develop his Normandy home. Impressionists, but had a fight to the delightful Musée de
Impressionism (it will He increased the size of his gar- on her hands in France where Vernon instead, just across the
later transfer to the den and enlarged the pond with the art world was a closed shop river. Here they can find a cir-
US), art teacher and its famous Japanese-style bridge. to women. cular Nymphéas and Effet de
When he extended his studio, They were not admitted to soleil couchant à Pourville
writer Ray Johnstone,
Photo: Ivoha_shutterstock

he equipped it with huge roll- l’École des Beaux-Arts and a (Cliffs of Pourville at Sunset).
pictured, takes a look ing easels, large enough to special permit was required to Nevertheless, Monet’s proper-
at the life and home of handle a monumental idea he paint copies of works in the ty at Giverny is well worth a
its star, Claude Monet was preparing: his magisterial Louvre. Even some cafés fre- visit. The artist once modestly
Nymphéas, or water lily pano- quented by established male claimed: “I am only good at
ramas, which are now on artists were closed to women. two things: gardening and
AT A New York art sale in However, when the work was for much of his career. permanent exhibition in the At Giverny, visitors are greet- painting.” His former home
November, Claude Monet’s first created it was so stylisti- In 1883 — middle-aged but Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris. ed by a splendid, wisteria-cov- shows why ‘brilliant’ might
Le bassin aux nymphéas (Water cally advanced that critics had still often in financial distress In the years leading up to ered farmhouse-studio com- be a more fitting assessment.
lily pond) hit headlines around difficulty interpreting his — he settled in Giverny (Eure) World War One, Giverny plex surrounded by extensive
the world when it sold for objectives and used his title, with his wife Camille, his mis- attracted more than 350 artists gardens and flower beds satu- n Monet’s gardens at Giverny
US$74million — considerably ‘Impressionism’, as a pejorative. tress Alice, and their eight from many different countries, rated with colour. reopen on March 29.
more than the Christie’s pre- Although it was rejected out children. Begging loans from including England, Australia, Inside the pink exterior with ‘Paris 1874: Inventing
sale estimate of US $65million. of hand by the Paris Salon in friends was a demeaning but and the US. its green shutters are a series of impressionism’ runs from
Painted by Monet sometime 1874, today it is acknowledged regular necessity. Quite a few of these foreign large interlinking rooms that March 26 to July 14 at the
between 1917-1919, the work as one of the most famous Then things began to change. painters invested in property in formed the living areas. These Musée d’Orsay, Paris. It will
depicts water lilies from his paintings ever created. The regular exhibitions he had the area, and by the turn of the are painted in hues that reflect later transfer to Washington.
own garden in Giverny, Monet’s output was immense, held in France started to pay century the village had become Monet’s Impressionist palette. The museum is also sending
Normandy and, as was his life- and even when he was living off. And in the United States an international art colony. Astonishingly, however, his 178 of its 400 key Impressionist
long passion, beautifully cap- in England to dodge the draft, it was love at first sight. The It thronged with people hop- home of 43 years does not dis- works on a ‘Tour de France’ in
tures the effects of light. he produced over 100 works. American public took to French ing to meet Monet, all intent play a single Monet original. 2024 to support separate exhi-
French Impressionism was However, these cutting-edge Impressionism like ducks to on exploring his new Impress- While the walls are covered bitions in 34 galleries. Manet’s
named after one of Monet’s ear- paintings, mostly of the Thames, water, and, when Monet exhib- ionist ideas and dreaming of with works by his close friends Le Balcon will go to Bordeaux,
lier studies, Impression, soleil were all rejected for exhibition ited in Chicago, a burgeoning painting with him en plein air. — Manet, Pissarro, Degas and for example, Monet’s La Pie to
levant (Impression, Sunrise), by London’s Royal Academy. and lucrative market was creat- One of Monet’s most dedicat- Cézanne — and, of course, by Clermont-Ferrand and La Rue
shown at what became known Monet sold few of his early ed almost overnight. ed disciples was the US artist the master himself, they are Montorgueil to Douai, and Van
as the ‘Exhibition of the pictures, and his extravagant By 1902, Monet’s finances Mary Cassatt. She was deter- mainly commercially printed Gogh’s La Nuit étoilée to Arles,
Impressionists’ in Paris in 1874. lifestyle kept him in poverty were stabilising, allowing him to mined to develop her career illustrations. the city that inspired it.

Check licence points online Dates for your diary

MOTORISTS can check the
points on their French licence
or download details of its valid-
ity at a new official website.
It replaces a platform called
Télépoints, which was shut in
November after criticism that it
was too difficult to use.
Licence-holders can find the
new website at mespoints.
permisdeconduire.gouv.fr.
To log in, they must first
create an account via the
FranceConnect service, before
specifying their type of licence
and licence number.
They will then be directed to
information showing how
many points are left (in France,
points are deducted from a
maximum of 12 – or six for
Doctors oppose station consultations
new drivers – for speeding and
other road offences).
Users can also download a
relevé d’information restreint
(RIR), which shows what cate-
gory of vehicle they are allowed
to drive, and information such
as if they must wear glasses.
RIRs are sometimes required
for jobs and by insurance firms.
n Drivers would need a health
check when they first receive
their licence – then every 15
years to keep it, under an EU
plan being debated in a bid to
reduce road deaths. Checks
could be more frequent for
over-70s. If agreed, the plan
would take several years to be
put into practice in French law.
MANY legislative changes
come into force this month –
see also pages 6-8. President
Macron says he hopes to hold
a ‘meeting with the nation’ in
January but details of when
or what this may involve
have not yet been revealed.
January 1: New Year’s Day.
Public holiday.
January 6: Epiphany.
In France, the occasion is
celebrated with a galette des rois
(kings’ cake), which is normally
made up of frangipane-filled
puff pastry or is a brioche ring
decorated with candied fruit.
It contains a little figurine
(the fève). Whoever finds it in
their slice gets to wear a crown
supplied with the cake.

FRANCE’S Order of Physicians is “deeply concerned” about plans January 6: Dunkirk Carnival.
to open 300 remote medical consultation centres in train stations. Taking place over three
Rail operator SNCF said late last year that it wants to create the months, the carnival dates back
‘telemedicine spaces’ by 2028 to help combat so-called medical to the 17th century, when it
deserts – regions with inadequate access to healthcare. started as a feast for fishermen.
However the medical practitioners’ regulator does not approve, Events are scheduled until
saying this will “divert health professionals, who will thus be less April 7, including music, danc-
available to practise in the most vulnerable areas.” It suggested ing, processions, sports and the
instead that “rail services to the most isolated areas should be traditional herring throwing.
improved” to attract health professionals to these locations.
January 10: Winter sales.
Fines must be paid before contesting France’s winter sales (soldes
d’hiver) are set to begin at 08:00
MOTORISTS looking to con- date to be set by decree, but no on Wednesday January 10 and
test a parking fine must pay the later than June 30, 2026. finish on Tuesday February 6
penalty first before appealing. There will, however, be a ceil- over most of the country.
This requirement was ing to the fines and exceptions Sale dates are set nationally
deemed unconstitutional in to the rule, including if the car by law and not by individual
2020, but MPs voted to rein- has been stolen, for low-in- shops or companies. There are
state it in December. come households or in instanc- two national soldes periods per
The bill provides for the es involving a parking badge year, the other in summer.
reform to be implemented on a for disabled people.
 The Connexion
Why it is vital to regenerate hedgerows
Hedgerows are good
Photo: GEST
for farmers and the
planet but questions
linger over a new
€110m regeneration
scheme, senator
Daniel Salmon tells
Scheenagh Harrington
A DWINDLING feature of the
French countryside is set to
make a comeback, thanks to a
€110million scheme to regener-
ate hedgerows, but questions
remain over its effectiveness
for ecological transition.
Senator Daniel Salmon, of
the ecology-green party, knows
only too well the many advant-
ages that hedgerows bring.
They include being a hugely
important biodiversity reserve,
as well as acting as a ‘linear
forest’: greenery that is easier to
defend than a traditional forest
in the event of a wildfire.
In July, the Ille-et-Vilaine
senator proposed a law to
create a hedgerow preservation
and replanting campaign.
In September, the govern-
ment unveiled a pioneering
pledge to invest €110million
in replanting and maintaining
the country’s agricultural and
non-agricultural hedgerows,
starting from this year.
The Pacte de Haies (Hedge
Pledge) aims to increase hedges
by 50,000km by 2030, prompt-
ing several questions from
Mr Salmon.
“While €110million reflects a
commitment from the govern-
ment, we still don’t know what
this budget will be used for,” he
told The Connexion.
“Which players will be fund-
French historian honoured with British Empire Medal
WORLD War Two might be slipping out
of living memory, but a French amateur
historian’s determination to shed light on
one event in the conflict has been reward-
ed by King Charles.
Nicolas Bucourt, 38, is among the 2024
recipients of an honorary British Empire
Medal for his efforts to shed light on the
Bruneval raid, known by British forces as
Operation Biting, in Normandy in 1942.
The royal honour came out of the blue.
Mr Bucourt, president of the Assoc-
iation Bruneval Raid: Operation Biting
(facebook.com/brunevalraid), said: “The
UK’s deputy ambassador for France told
me that His Majesty King Charles III
would like to award me the British Empire
Medal for services rendered during the
commemorations of the Bruneval raid.”
Mr Bucourt has been passionate about
the little-known World War Two event
since his interest was piqued as a child,
growing up in Heuqueville, just outside
Bruneval. “I played in the fields, near the
meadows, the cliffs, the beaches and then
the German blockhouses.
“So you realise that the Second World
War wasn’t that long ago, that you were
rubbing shoulders with old-timers who
were themselves witnesses to these events,”
he said. “Then there was the Bruneval raid
monument, which at the time had no
explanation. I wanted to find out more
January 2024 connexionfrance.com News 11
FRENCH NEWS IN ENGLISH SINCE 2002
the exceptionality of renewable
energies.” The Pacte de Haies
also aims to develop the use of
Subscribers save money
hedgerow by-products in the
wood-energy sector, as well + benefit from exclusive
as for mulching, bedding and
timber, potentially offering
farmers new sources of income.
daily web articles
However, some are forced to
cut back hedges after fibre optic
cables were installed next to
their land. Residents in Orne
have launched a petition calling
for the lines to be buried.
When asked what farmers
Daniel Salmon, left, wants sustainable management of hedges think about hedgerows, Mr
Salmon replied: “Everywhere I
ed and for what objectives? To- water tables. Hedges are essen- go, farmers are aware of their
day we have about 450,000km tial because they allow this to disappearance. Now we’re up Here are some recent subscriber
of hedgerows in France, but we
are destroying them at a rate of
happen when it rains a lot.”
The senator said a network
to 23,000km per year.
“We know that if we do not
web-only articles:
23,000km a year. of well-maintained hedgerows, act, this trend will accelerate n ‘Medicines to avoid in n Seven questions about
“You just have to look at the banks and ditches would also because we’re going to see 2024’ list published by France’s new obligatory
state of our planet and all the help moisture infiltrate the more and more farms being French medical review composting law
challenges facing us. subsoil, where it could be built, and every time a farm is n Does insurance cover n Can you bring your
“Even though we still have redistributed during drier expanded it is the hedgerows
ruined food in fridge from own wine to a French
to fight to try and limit global periods by trees. that pay the price.
warming, it is already here and “When you have hedges that “There is an awareness that a power cut in France? restaurant?
In our February issue...
we can already see the conse- stop water flowing, the little we need to save them. It’s just
quences. We have to try to find silty bits that are the most that many French farmers are
the best ways of mitigating and important for soil fertility get caught between a rock and
adapting to it.
“Hedged farmland is one of
the elements that should enable
trapped in the fields. This is
very important for preserving
the quality of our soil.”
a hard place, in a perpetual
race for yields and, above all,
subsidies.
Your questions answered
us to do that.” More hedgerows would help “The hedgerow has to be a n Are non-French citizens n I want to leave different
Mr Salmon added: “For me, a reverse the trend of the ‘open profitable space for the farmer.” able to foster children? amounts out of my UK and
hedge is the Swiss Army knife field’, something that could Returning to the latest n Is a DPE energy French bank accounts to
of ecological transition. also encourage the adoption investment, he said: “A sig- efficiency certificate my children. Can I do this?
“Hedges store carbon, thereby of renewable energies, he said. nificant proportion of this relevant to Airbnb rental? n Why is France not on UK
reducing global warming, and “Hedgerows, especially along funding should be devoted to
n What is the average winter fuel payment list?
they return moisture to the air, major roads, are the ones that the sustainable management
changing the climate. have disappeared the most and of hedgerows, to achieve the income in France, after n Can we leave everything
“Climatic disturbance brings they are the ones that absolute- restoration and good ecological tax and social charges? to our grandchildren?
with it rainfall that will be rarer ly have to be put back. status of existing hedges.”
but often much more concen-
trated and violent, so one of the
“If you have hedges along
those roads, you can’t see the
He also called for new hedge-
rows to be planted with local
PLUS KEY POINTS OF...
crucial issues for the future will
be water management.
photovoltaic panels in farm
fields. You can’t see the wind
species adapted to the soil.
“Under these conditions,
Visas and residency cards for
“We absolutely have to slow turbines, even if they are tall. the €110million will have an self-employment in France
down the water cycle to let as “When you get close enough, impact on the preservation and
Carnival time!
much as possible infiltrate into you can’t see methanisation development of hedgerows for
the ground and recharge the plants. All of this contributes to climate and biodiversity.”
broken down, Mr Bucourt bumped into a
Photo: Association Bruneval Raid : Operation Biting
nephew of one of the paratroopers hiking
through Arnhem. And on a trip to
Canada, he stayed 30 minutes from where
the niece of another veteran lived.
“I say to myself that there really is a bit
of a helping hand here that is encouraging
me to keep going,” Mr Bucourt said.
The British Empire Medal brings him
even closer to the men he is trying to hon-
our. “I didn’t think that, as a Frenchman, I
could receive it. I was particularly touched
Photo: OTGTM-Claire_GAUTIER
because one of the paratroopers in the
Amateur historian Nicolas Bucourt
Bruneval raid was granted it before the
raid. Sergeant Luckner got it for an act of
Our pick of the most
because I thought it was a huge thing that bravery. I feel really privileged.” fun and colourful
had happened where I grew up.” When he receives his honour later this
The daring Bruneval raid saw around 120 year, perhaps Mr Bucourt will finally get end-of-winter celebrations
British troops parachuted in to seize parts to the bottom of how King Charles found
of a new German radar, located near out about his work. “That’s a big question. These and many more practical tips and topics
Bruneval beach, study how it had been When the deputy ambassador told me, I about life in France + full access to our website
subscribe
made, and find a way of jamming it. The was a bit disorientated. I didn’t think to
method they used involved dropping ask him how they got wind of it.”
thousands of aluminium strips, and it was For the moment, he is looking forward to
deployed again for the Normandy landings. the medal ceremony and hoping the inter-
Subscribe now at connexionfrance.com
There was not much information for Mr est it has sparked will enable more people
Bucourt to go on, but several meetings to learn about the Bruneval raid.
over the years have kept him going. They “One day, I would really like to be able to to receive the February edition at your home and
included Alain Millet, who had been have a museum dedicated to these veterans,
researching the raid since the 1970s. The filled with objects from the raid, their
benefit from full access to our web articles.
pair published a book online in 2012. uniforms and their history, just as I’ve Only €69 to a French address
Other strangely coincidental encounters been doing with temporary exhibitions
have happened. Once, when his car had for over 10 years now,” he said. Or call
call Nathalie on 06 40 55 71 63
 12 French life connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024

Giving blood seems only fair because one

day I might need a transfusion myself
Jeanne Labrunie, 19, is
a medical student at France first-hand: Age, health, BSE exposure: who can be a donor in France?
Université Paris Cité. She
talks through her recent
Blood donor AROUND 10,000 blood donations are required each day to
treat patients in France.
Interview by Annaliza Davis You must be over 18 years old and under 70 to give blood,
experience of becoming a but there are a number of other criteria too, related to
blood donor and why she great experience. Put it this way, it weight, medical history, tattoos and piercings, and sex life.
certainly did not put me off! The easiest way to know if you are eligible is to take the
wants as many people as Once you arrive at the centre, there short survey on the EFS website (in French): dondesang.efs.
possible to follow suit is no real paperwork except to present sante.fr/qui-peut-donner? As soon as you choose an option
your ID to confirm your details. that makes you ineligible to give blood in France, an infor-
THE FIRST time I considered Then there is a quick medical check mation box will pop up to tell you.

Photo: Photo Contributor_shutterstock

becoming a blood donor was when
I started medical school.
I saw first-hand how giving blood
really does make a difference in so
many ways, and can save lives.
Having made the decision to do it,
I talked to friends who had already
donated blood to find out what it was
like and what steps to take, and then
went on to the main website of the
Etablissement français du sang (EFS)
to get all the details.
It is very easy to apply to be a donor:
find an appointment at your nearest
donation centre via the website, and
follow the steps. It is well laid out and
before the donation session, which takes
about 10 minutes.
After that, you rest for about 20
minutes, during which you can have
a drink and chat with other donors.
After my first donation, I felt a little
light-headed immediately afterwards,
but it passed quickly. For me, the side-
effects were not intense and did not
limit my day.
As for the waiting time at the don-
ation centre, it can be a bit long,
depending on the day, so be prepared.
It is best to allow half a day. That said,
it goes quickly enough: you can take
a book to read or talk with friends.
One factor that disqualifies a donor is if they spent more
than one year in total in the UK between January 1, 1980,
and December 31, 1996. This is due to the outbreak of BSE
(Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, also known as ‘mad
cow disease’) in the UK at the time.
EFS says that if you fall into this category, there are other
ways to support the blood drive. For example, you can
donate your blood for non-therapeutic use (for teaching
and medical research). Ask at a donation centre or find out France in 1983 due to the AIDS epidemic. This ban was
more by contacting EFS. lifted in 2016, but on the condition that they had not had
Last year, France scrapped a rule that gay men cannot give sex in the past 12 months. In 2019, this was shortened to
blood if they have had sexual relations in the past four months.
four months. Then-health minister Olivier Véran welcomed the change,
The change had been a long time in the making. saying at the time: “We are ending an inequality that was
Homosexual men were banned from giving blood in no longer justified.”

simple to follow.
There are some restrictions, depend-
ing on your age or if, for example, you
are seriously underweight. To make
sure you can donate, part of the
process is to fill in a questionnaire.
“
Most people have already heard that
there are different blood types, so the
blood you donate has to be matched
with the blood type of the person who
will receive it.
Once I had registered and donated, I
I am doing it regularly because it is a way of helping people

Photo: Jeanne Labrunie

It includes lots of information about
your health and medical background,
so it is pretty comprehensive.
Generally, if you are aged between
18 and 70 and weigh over 50kg you are
likely to be eligible. If there is any reason
why you cannot become a donor, they
will let you know, so do not let that hold
you back.
In some places, you can find an
appointment on the same day but
usually you have to wait a couple of
weeks. It all depends on the days of the
blood drives that have been organised
in your area.
The first time I gave blood was at the
donation centre at the Bichât hospital in
Paris, not far from where I live. I went
along with some friends and it was a
discovered that my own blood type is
O-negative, which makes me a ‘univer-
sal donor’. It means that the red blood
cells from my donations can be given
to patients with any blood type.
Only about 8% of the population have
O-negative blood, but about 13% of
hospital requests are for this type. That
was a key factor in my decision to keep
donating, because my blood type is
always in demand and the reserves are
surprisingly low.
I have now donated four times.
Women can give up to four times a
year, and men up to six times a year.
I am doing it regularly because it is a
way of helping people and saving lives
without actually having to do very
much. Another reason, if I am honest,
and saving lives without actually having to do very much
Jeanne Labrunie
is knowing that one day I might have
a medical problem myself that could
require a transfusion. It only seems fair
that I give it to help those who need
it now.
Some people might be nervous about
giving blood but all the staff at the
donation centre are there to help and
reassure you. What is more, you can get
immense satisfaction thinking of the
good deed you will have done – just by
giving your blood you could be saving
three lives.
Having become a donor myself, I have
also persuaded several friends and
family members to do it too, which
feels great. It is a small act that can
make a big difference.
n In June 2022, for the first time in its
history, the EFS had to launch a life-
saving emergency appeal for blood
donations to deal with a historic drop
in stocks.
Reserves fell below 90,000 blood bags
– far short of the preferred stock level
of 110,000.
To help make donating a smoother
experience, the EFS launched a new
website, while also setting a target of
10,000 daily donations, which it has
carried forward into 2023.
This year, the organisation has also
been putting the spotlight on plasma
donations. After a digital campaign
launched in July, it produced, for the
first time, a film dedicated to this
type of donation.
According to a 2022 survey, only 37%
of people in France feel adequate-
ly informed about plasma donation,
compared to 71% for blood.

Career change: Critical letter to editor prompted offer to do better myself

In our series featuring Tony Marsden finally moving over in 1997. I put paid to a lot of my income a tower. I also got to work with
people who have New directions: knew I would have to work, so – because of the uncertainty some lovely actors and to film
started a correspondence course created, there were fewer in special places.
changed career Film to translator with TEFL in preparation. companies working with the However, the translation
in France, Tony In the end, I was lucky UK and needing documents work leaves more freedom and
Marsden, 66, explains clients. It was nice working for enough to get some translation translated. time on my hands. I have a
myself, but the hours were work for a property magazine, However, now I have turned great circle of friends here and,
Photo: Tony Marsden

how he unexpectedly
became a translator
I FELL in love with France in
the 1980s on a tour of Europe
with my then-partner.
I had previously toyed with
the idea of moving to
Germany, having been
schooled from a young age in
German and Latin by my two
older sisters, both of whom
were teachers.
At that time, I was working as
a freelance film technician.
I had always had a keen
interest in both the theatre
and electronics, so had started
sometimes long – and without
a team of students with me, I
had to carry all the equipment
myself. In those days, it was
my career in 1974 as an AV heavier than it is now.
technician and photographer Having injured my back in
at a local college. It was a great the early 1980s, the job started
job, although sometimes the to take its toll. It was time for
hours could be unusual. a change.
Four years on, I joined the In the mid-1990s, my mother’s
staff of the local art college, health deteriorated. I moved
and as my expertise grew, I also house to care for her but her
began lecturing, passing on my worsening condition meant she
knowledge to a younger gener- eventually had to live with my
ation of would-be film-makers. sister, and the house was sold.
In the early 1990s, I decided It seemed the right time to
to go freelance and began make a change. I bought a
working in film for a range of property in France, before
having written to the editor to
point out the poor quality of
the current output.
I did this for 11 years and it
became my main income.
At the time, the internet was
in its infancy, but a friend found
some forums for translators
online. I joined a few and devel-
oped contacts, securing more
translation work in the process.
The majority was for corpor-
ate customers, translating
tender documents, quotes and
other business documents. I
continued happily until 2016.
Sadly, the last few years have
been more of a challenge. Brexit
66, I have qualified for my UK
state pension, and also get a
small pension from France.
This has helped to top up my
income, although I am still
translating too. I have recently
taken on the task of translating
a novel, which could add a
whole new string to my bow.
I love living in France and
enjoy what I do, but I miss
aspects of my old career too.
It was more stimulating to
work with teams of people in
the film and TV industry –
and sometimes I would have to
do something very challenging,
such as go down a mine or up
in the past, I would often be
up socialising until 4:00 then,
when my friends went to bed,
start translating documents to
be delivered at 9:00.
Although sometimes it still
feels like a recent career devel-
opment, in reality translating
has turned out to be the field
I have spent the most time in
professionally.
Before moving to France, I
would do two years in one role,
a year here, four years there.
But I have been translating
for 27 years – the longest I
have stuck at anything. And it
suits me well.
 The Connexion January 2024 connexionfrance.com French Life 13

‘Americans, please Chris Durban has lived in

Paris for almost 50 years

don’t expect an Emily

in Paris experience’
Recent figures reveal the number of Americans settling in France has
tripled since pre-pandemic years. Shedding some light on the expat
experience, Jared Paolino speaks to two US natives now living in Paris.
Although their decisions to move were taken some 50 years apart,
their experiences share interesting overlaps and both emphasise
the need to integrate as effectively as possible
The newcomer: Lily Weaver subsequently decided to major transport infrastructure, which priced studio on the Left Bank. and a friend travelled to France that what Americans can hope
LILY Weaver, originally from in French at university in she feels are lacking in many Imagining what the experience and spent nearly two months to find in France is an improved
Fort Wayne, Indiana, has lived Indiana. American cities, as well as an of moving to France might cycling around the country. quality of life, incorporating
in France since 2019. “The thing that I love about improved work-life balance have been like decades earlier, Ms Durban then enrolled at everything from healthcare to
She spent her first years in France is enjoying the simple and access to healthcare. Ms Weaver guessed that an a university in Montreal, but transportation to fresh food.
the south of the country as a things,” she told The That is not to say her integra- additional challenge would after one year there, she took Like Ms Weaver, she noted
student and then an au pair Connexion. tion into French life has been have been communicating with the leap and transferred to a that most amenities in Paris
before moving to Paris in 2022 However, she is keen to wholly positive. friends and family back home. French university in 1971. are always only a stone’s throw
to work for an international emphasise that this is not She recounted difficulties “Now I can simply FaceTime She financed her studies by away: “I don’t have to get in
development organisation. simply an abstract, romantic navigating French bureaucracy, them, which is very lucky.” working odd jobs, including my car and drive someplace.
Ms Weaver began studying notion, but embedded into making friends, and finding an To other Americans thinking tutoring, childcare and candle- “I just walk up the street.
French in middle school, and a her day-to-day life in very apartment in Paris. The latter, of making the move to France, making. She even spent a What other services do
natural talent for the language “concrete” ways. she said, saw her bouncing Ms Weaver recommends that summer working in a fish- I need?”
propelled her on to an immers- She noted, for example, how between short-term rentals for language-learning should be a packing factory in Norway. Ms Durban also confirmed
ive exchange programme in easy it is to walk between the better part of a year before top priority. One day, she saw an advert- the challenges of staying in
Brittany at the age of 16. She places and the excellent public she eventually secured an over- “Force the experience on isement in a newspaper for a touch with relatives back home
yourself as much as possible,” part-time position translating in the early days.
she said. financial documents from “I was the first on my floor

“
“I think my life would be
very different had I not put
myself in situations where I
had no other choice but to
speak French.”
The long-timer: Chris Durban
I think my life would be CHRIS Durban grew up in
upstate New York.
very different had I not put She started studying French
myself in situations where in fifth grade, which she cred-
its with piquing her interest in
I had no other choice but the country and its culture.
At 16 years old, after spend-
to speak French ing a year saving up by work-
Lily Weaver ing in a local supermarket, she
French to English.
Nearly 50 years later, she has
built a career in financial and
corporate translation, and she
still calls Paris home.
Over the decades, she has
learned first-hand that the
reality of living in France is
very different from film and
TV depictions.
“I think that Americans who
come here are often looking for
an Emily in Paris experience,
or something similar,” she said.
“To me, that’s just a joke.”
Instead, Ms Durban believes
to get a telephone, and it was
quite exciting,” she recalled.
She added that this process
required a lot of form-filling,
as well as a two-to-three year
wait for the request to be
approved and the proper
infrastructure installed.
Like Ms Weaver, she encour-
ages Americans to prioritise
language-learning: “France is
a good place to live for many
different reasons, but you
definitely have to get into the
culture, or at least the language
for starters.”

Avoid sensitive topics and turn on TV: tips for speaking French
Cynthia Spillman
offers advice on
boosting your con-
fidence when
speaking French
I AM one of those infuriating people
who was brought up bilingual, and I
have retained my French.
When I met my husband Peter, he
had failed O-level French twice and
could not even speak schoolboy
French. This irritated him, as when I
was with family, I would launch into
full French flow and he would invari-
ably get left behind.
I grew tired of always translating for
him and, being prone to impatience,
refused to speak French to him,
despite his requests.
Aged 52, he went back to school and
took a GCSE and AS-level, attaining
A-star passes in both.
Based on his experience, here are
some tips to help to improve your
confidence when speaking French.
French formality
Let’s start with the perennial worry of
when to say vous and when to use tu.
The French are formal. If in doubt,
use vous. You can always be corrected!
Vous is used for all formal relation-
ships and is seen as a mark of respect.
Older people, professionals, strangers,
and work colleagues should be
addressed as vous.
You can say tu to children and
friends. Having said that, it always
astounded me that my mother used
vous with her friends of a similar age.
Give it a go
I think it is rude to live in a country
and not attempt to learn the language.
There is no point expecting everyone
to speak English.
If you truly want to embrace the
experience of living abroad, and
become integrated, you must make
the effort. Locals really appreciate it.
Peter says he speaks French comme
une vache espagnole (like a Spanish
cow) – but he carries on regardless.
You do not have to make a speech –
just short everyday phrases such as
bonjour, au revoir and je ne parle pas
courrament le français. Basics, such as
comment allez-vous, will never go awry.
If you ask open questions, then
people must respond.
Find a language class and if there
are not any locally, sign up online.
If you do not understand a word
or expression, say so. If somebody
is speaking too quickly, ask them to
slow down.
Progress and not perfection
Nobody expects you to speak or write
at the standard of Molière. What you
practise, you become good at. It is not
a competition or a race.
Read newspapers, listen to the radio,
and watch plenty of television. You
can cheat and read the subtitles but
your ear will start to become attuned
to French. Immerse yourself in French
as much as possible.
Conversational hot potatoes
The French are private as a nation. It
takes a while to get to know them and
to make sense of cultural differences.
For example, it is fine to volunteer
personal information about yourself,
but do not expect them to respond
with a gush of mutual revelation.
Topics to avoid at all costs (until you
know people better and your French
is at a good enough level to debate)
are sex, religion and politics.
Even if you get on with work coll-
eagues, it might take a while before you
receive an invitation to their home.
Do not take yourself too seriously
I have overheard some true convers-
ational howlers.
My father had mastered French by
the end of his life, but occasionally
made some hilarious mistakes. He
once wanted to say, je veux jeter un
coup d’oeil (I want to have a look), but
instead came out with je veux jeter
une coupe d’huile (I want to throw a
cup of oil).
Peter recently went to the market
to buy food for a dinner party. He
returned with a big grin on his face,
looking pleased as Punch.
He informed me that he had bonded
with the market sellers over use of a
certain word which, unbeknown to
him, had a double entendre. I pride
myself on knowing most rude French
words in existence, but this one foxed
me. And it foxed my French cousins
who came to dinner too.
We peered at Google on our phones
and, indeed, Peter had learned some-
thing new and educated us.
The common thread in these two
tales is that neither my father nor
Peter took themselves seriously. If you
get it badly wrong, just laugh.
I am sure the person with whom
you are speaking will also laugh. You
can always apologise if you inadvert-
ently give offence!
n If in doubt, stick to vous in
conversations.
n Stay away from difficult topics.
n Find a suitable language class and
practise, practise, practise.
n Leave your ego at home. If you get
it wrong, you will not be sent to
the guillotine! It is better to have
tried and made a fool of yourself,
than not to have tried at all.
n Watch as much French TV as
you can.
 14 Comment
Nabila Ramdani is a French-Algerian
journalist, broadcaster, and author of Fixing
France: How to Repair a Broken Republic,
published in Autumn 2023.
connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024
Simon Heffer, the renowned political commentator
and historian, turns his gaze to French politics
Simon Heffer is also a columnist for the Daily and Sunday Telegraphs

W New year but

She is a regular columnist in The Connexion. hat chance of it being une
bonne année for President
Macron? Frankly, it does

Appeal to ‘happy
not look good.

same old woes

His polling rating is irrelevant, as
he cannot stand for office again. But

rurality’ glosses over

he remains the leader of one of the
world’s foremost countries, in one of
the world’s most important trading
blocs. What happens to him, his rep-

real-world problems for a President

utation and tangentially to his coun-
try has ramifications beyond France.
However, the President is plainly
a vain man with a keen sense of his
own self-importance, and has always

hankering for a
FRANCE’S Rural Alliance, the country’s hunt- appeared deeply conscious of his
ing lobby, will be promoting countryside living place in history.
as a formal political party during next sum- He won in 2017 because he seemed
mer’s European Parliament elections. Abaca Press / Alamy to offer something new, consensual,
Beyond farmers with shotguns, candidates divorced from conventional party
include a retired rugby player, a beauty politics and very much for the good

place in history
queen, an Olympic archer and even a former of France.
bullfighting promoter. France, however, proved reluctant
Willy Schraen, centre, with
You do not have to approve of their lifestyles, to change some of its ways and
Rural Alliance candidates
but they have every right to “happy rurality,” assumptions about what the state
said party leader Willy Schraen, as he outlined its goals. They want to stand should or should not do for it, and
up to ecological measures being enforced by EU bureaucrats, such as cutting Mr Macron sailed permanently
nitrogen emissions by shutting down livestock farms. through choppy waters. and if he entertains any hopes of res- nity relations, and particularly
The Rural Alliance resistance naturally puts it at He won in 2022 solely because the urrecting it in 2024 he is deluded. those with France’s growing
loggerheads with those who believe green policies alternative was Marine Le Pen: an Less than two months after those Muslim minority, remain
are essential as the world faces up to the climate Mr Schraen alternative that may well prevail in elections comes the event on which Mr Macron’s greatest headache.
emergency. compares his the election he cannot fight in 2027. France is pinning its hopes on bur- Recently he has felt the effects of
In turn, Mr Schraen compares his prospective He has urged Europe to cohere to nishing its international reputation: the radicalisation of a small minority
MEPs and their supporters to a modern version of prospective meet economic challenges, and it has the Paris Olympics. of French Muslims – the recent mur-
Asterix and Obelix-style Gauls – ones devoted MEPs and their not. He has sought to bring his influ- However, for reasons related to one der of a teacher in Arras, the convic-
to “pétanque and barbecues, apéritif and pork.” ence to bear to end the Ukraine war, of the main difficulties of the year tion of six youths who enabled the
They want to be left alone to enjoy their isolated supporters to a and he has failed. ahead, the Games are already causing murder of another teacher, Samuel
little villages, fields and forests, and to downplay modern version With over three years left in office, concern. Paty, in 2020, and protests at the
the global problems that threaten the very planet he looks horribly like a lame duck. Laurent Nuñez, Paris’s chief of decision of a teacher in the Parisian
we all live on. of Asterix and He must wish the rest of the world police, has outlined strict security banlieue to show her art class a copy
The rhetoric is as darkly witty as it is reactionary. Obelix-style took him more seriously: but it measures over fears of possible ter- of the 17th century masterpiece
The Alliance is a protest movement, and certain- seems reluctant to do so. rorist attacks. People living near the ‘Diana and Actaeon’ by Giuseppe
ly not any kind of serious parliamentary force. It is Gauls – ones Among his other hopes for 2024 venues have been told they will need Cesari, depicting a man encounter-
this lack of political ambition that makes its devoted to must be that the ascent of the a QR code to enter their properties: ing several naked women.
vexed relationship with the Rassemblement Rassemblement National (RN) residents may also be forced to regis- Gabriel Attal, the education minis-
National (RN) so significant. “pétanque should end: but it is hard to see how. ter any visitors to their homes. Large ter, expressed outrage that the teach-
The far-Right party views the Alliance as a rival, and barbecues, Instead of one well-known leader in security perimeters will be set up, all er was attacked for alleged racism,
and members are angry that it will steal votes Marine Le Pen it has two, with Jordan and that her security was endangered

“
from them, especially as the RN tries to deliver apéritif Bardella, its 28-year old president, not by her name and the false allegations
Marine Le Pen as President of France in 2027. and pork” only as well-known as she is but going around social media.
This highlights how amateur the RN really is, ahead of her in public popularity. Mr Macron must wish such divi-
and why the party is completely unfit to field a Mr Macron’s own party, rebranded sions would end, but it is only getting
head of state, let alone form a government. as Renaissance, has a tenuous exist- worse. Attempts to defend the status
Like the Alliance, the RN aspires to la France profonde – the “deep ence. In June’s European Parliament quo – that France has a right to pro-
France” steeped in ancient legends that have little relevance to the modern elections there will be a clear test of its ject a typically French culture rooted
world. They hark back to a land of quaint smallholdings rooted in tradition- viability, and whether the old parties With over three years in western civilisation, and should
al Gallic provincialism. of the mainstream left and right can not censor this simply to placate a
The RN gets a very high rural vote because it promotes cultural myths, recover any of their former vigour
left in office, he looks minority who choose to reject it –
while combining them with the promise of spendthrift economic national- and tempt people away from the RN. horribly like a lame duck. may be justified, but serve only to
ism. Ms Le Pen has pledged to shield labourers, including farmers, from It does not look promising. If the stoke up yet more radicalism.
overseas challenges. She calls it “intelligent protectionism that will fight European elections are a debacle for
He must wish the rest of It remains the President’s, and
against unfair international competition and turn the economy around.” the President, amplifying and con- the world took him more his country’s, gravest challenge.
Big spending and the redistribution of wealth to the rural working class firming the RN’s momentum, a wave He must wish, too, that the euro
will, Ms Le Pen further argues, revive a countryside neglected by city slick- of instability could hit France broad-
seriously: but it seems could be devalued, to make French
ers, not least of all President Emmanuel Macron. side. A European Parliament with a reluctant to do so exports outside the EU cheaper, cre-
The RN is, of course, built on anti-immigrant xenophobia, and this runs sizeable RN contingent would have ating more demand and more jobs.
through all of Ms Le Pen’s idiosyncratic ideas. profound effects in Brussels and on That is highly unlikely, unless the
A believer in what she calls “localism”, she wants to make sure that 80% the populist parties around the June elections are an earthquake.
of meals in schools are sourced from French farms, for example. European Union. France remains over-regulated, its
Sensitive to rural protest groups such as the gilets jaunes – who spent If Geert Wilders’ comrades in the Metro stations within them closed, public sector over-large, its welfare
months rioting around the country as they pushed for lower fuel prices – Netherlands advance, and the AfD in and a massive surveillance operation system over-generous – and all this
Ms Le Pen will slash VAT on petrol from 20% to 5.5%. Germany wins more seats, the whole will begin. undermines its economic health.
Socialist-style RN pledges include scrapping income tax for all under-30s. bloc will have to be reoriented, and Mr Macron has no choice but to Mr Macron knows this and has
The estimated €4billion cost of this measure is “quite cheap,” said Ms Le sentiment among many voters in endorse these measures, denounced tried, with limited success, to intro-
Pen, who added: “You get a lot of votes for that.” Italy, Hungary, Poland, Sweden and as an attack on individual freedom. duce policies for change. He has a
Like the Rural Alliance, she has promised to defy EU-led ecological direc- Austria about the direction of the As Head of State and apprised of the draft bill to limit immigration, and
tives, while offering lukewarm support to the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. EU will not help. latest intelligence, he knows there are plans further economic reforms.
It all adds up to an economically illiterate and ecologically clueless RN For Euro-idealists such as Mr people who, while the rest of the But with the Assemblée nationale
that has far more in common with the Rural Alliance than it would care Macron, that would become a night- world’s eyes are on Paris, would want nearly impossible to manage, the
to admit. If France intends to remain competitive in the world, it needs mare: his earlier ambition to follow to seize the chance to make an inter- new year is likely to disappoint the
dynamic, forward-thinking policies, not village idiot-grade foolishness. Angela Merkel as the de facto leader national spectacle of the wrong sort. President in these hopes, as in so
of the EU has long since evaporated, Apart from the economy, commu- many others.

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 The Connexion
It is not easy to succeed in this job, says
world’s first female ‘best pastry chef’
THE FIRST woman to be
named World’s Best Pastry
Chef insists it takes a strong
personality to succeed in
her business.
January 2024 connexionfrance.com Interview / Comment 15
Vive La Différence
Small things we notice about
life in France By Peter Wyeth
Let’s hear it for the audience
WE ARE fortunate to live only 10

Pitchayaarch Photography_shutterstock
La Rochelle-born Nina minutes’ walk from the Philharmonie
Métayer, 35, was awarded the

Photos: Nina Métayer SAS

de Paris concert halls, overlooking
honour by the International the raucous Périphérique ring road.
Union of Bakers and Pastry While we can stroll there, most
Chefs in October. Taiwan’s Wu audience members have to travel
Tzu Ching, pictured top right, and it still shocks us how late people
was named World’s Best Baker. turn up – sometimes with seconds to
“I didn’t realise straight away spare before the music starts. A nicer surprise is how late
how much impact it would they stay to clap afterwards, showing a genuine appreciation
have,” Ms Métayer told The of the performance.
Connexion. “I’m supported on It makes such a contrast to London audiences, who seem
a daily basis by incredible to grab their coat and hustle out of the door as soon as the
people. I’m lucky to have won conductor turns around to acknowledge the applause.
this title but they all deserve it. Of course, London is such a size that getting the last train
“I’m very happy for them and home can be a real issue, but it does feel as though there is
all our partners who believed more to it than that. Could the difference be the place culture
in us from the start. I’m happy has in the hearts of the French, compared to the British?
to share it with everyone.” We have enjoyed some really magical Philharmonie evenings
She has enjoyed a spectacular where it has felt a privilege to be hearing the concert live. A
rise in the past 15 years but case in point was William Christie and Les Arts Florissants
says little of her career path performing Monteverdi, where we were more than happy to
was planned. keep going to the last clap ourselves. However, in France,
“My initial goal was to live in that habit extends beyond those special nights to a more
Mexico [she did a year-long general willingness to show gratitude to performers.
school exchange there] and In Britain and the US, meanwhile, recent headlines point to
open a bakery. a scourge of anti-social behaviour sweeping theatres, concert
“I fell in love with bread. halls and gigs. Intimidation, verbal abuse and physical
Photo: Abaca Press / Alamy

There is something very magic-
al about it: it has simple ingred-
ients that, when mixed together,
come to life.”
After training, she could not
find the right job in a Parisian
bakery so decided to do a
pastry course to complete
her knowledge.
She credits her time at Hôtel
Meurice in Paris, where she
was taught by pastry chef
Camille Lesecq, for igniting
her passion for the job.
“I saw just how much you can
do with simple things, and how
incredible those things can be.”
Despite the prestigious loca-
tion, it was never Ms Métayer’s
ambition to work in the French
capital’s grand palaces.
“I was lucky enough to have
the doors open in those places,”
she said.
“I always need a challenge
and these places are so
demanding. I’m a little bit
hyperactive and really love
discovering and searching. My
Nina Métayer hopes to inspire a new wave of female chefs
aim is always to do better than
I did the day before.”
She might be on top of the
pâtisserie world now, but Ms
Métayer, a mother of two
young daughters, has also had
to deal with her fair share of
tough times.
“I fought a lot. I faced a lot
of difficulties, but it’s become
easier now,” she said.
“When I started, a lot of
doors closed and some opened,
and that’s why I’m here. You
need a strong personality.
“When you take on a position
of responsibility, you are taking
on a job that was initially made
for a man, so there is compet-
ition and jealousy.
“There’s always this view that
women are less competent. You
assaults by audience members are among reasons almost
half (45%) of UK theatre staff said they had considered
leaving the industry, according to a 2023 survey.
I have yet to come across anything similar in France.
We recently attended an opera that was staged in a big
barn converted by an eminent pianist, near La Châtre in
Indre. It was played without backdrops on a simple platform
get to do things because you’re there weren’t many.” outside the barn doors, in high summer, with chairs spread
a woman or because someone She cited Michelin-starred across the lawn. The acoustics were not the most sophisticat-
wants to help you. chefs Anne-Sophie Pic and ed, naturally, and the performers were not big names, but
“You have to justify yourself Hélène Darroze, as well as fel- the warmth of the audience response to a sincere rendering
all the time.” low pâtissière Christelle Brua. was heart-warming.
She continued: “When you “I don’t know if I’m a pioneer In the French countryside, there are similar concerts virtual-
succeed, when you’re a woman, but I dare to hope I have helped ly every night in summer. The feeling is that audiences are
you have to show it is thanks to other young girls to start out not just grateful that musicians have made the trek from the
your work, like everyone else, on a career.” big cities, but both respect and enjoy the concerts. In itself, I
and not to your pretty smile. She added: “The problem is, I find that one of the most civilised aspects of life in France.
“We still have a lot of room didn’t have an example of how Britain has its Glyndebourne and others springing up all the
for improvement in that area to start a family with a job like time, but would it be wrong to sense the occasion is more
but I have the impression that this. I was always told I had to social than musical, and too romantically foreign to believe
it’s a little bit easier to get make a choice: it was imposs- that in France it is the opposite?
respect than before.” ible to be a mother, a company In her 2023 book On Being Unreasonable, about the erosion
Although she was clearly director and be fulfilled. of manners, order and respect, cultural studies expert Dr Kirsty
thrilled to be the first woman “What I want to convey as a Sedgmen says that 2,000 years ago, Plato was already
to be named World’s Best message is that you can do it. complaining that audiences needed to be controlled with a
Pastry Chef, when asked if she “You can be fulfilled. You stick. In France, at least, it seems he can lay that to rest.
feels like a pioneer, Ms Métayer just have to make sure you
said: “There have been others surround yourself with the
who paved the way for me, but right people.”
 
 
 
 



Forget dry January, it’s time to retouche

 




by Samantha David
JANUARY is the traditional month for
people to flog unwanted gifts.
However hard we try, we sometimes
miss the mark with our presents. Last
year, someone even gave me back one
they did not like (oops, must try harder.)
Maybe it is good to turn an unwanted
present into cash.
  
most of them clean up pretty well. If they getting shirtsleeves taken up (I hate long    
need altering, one of the brilliant things sleeves) feels as if I am going native. The
about France is the couture and retouche government’s new scheme to encourage   
boutiques that do just that. us to use these shops is icing on the cake.


These little shops exist nationwide. I have a heap of clothes needing expert
Some even offer to make clothes from attention: the trim fell off a black velvet   
    
scratch, so if you have ever hankered after evening dress, I tore a chunk off the hem

     
a tangerine kaftan with green sleeves and of a leather skirt, and my cashmere 
purple trimmings, it can be yours as soon cardigan has gone through at the elbows.
  
SIRET 48003796900015

On the other hand, helping the homeless
by donating them to Emmaüs is even
better. There are branches all over France,
and they are treasure troves, stuffed with
bargains.
In an age where we are being urged to
break our addiction to fast fashion, they
are also great places to find funky 70s
jeans, multicoloured jumpers and thick
winter skirts. They are cheap as chips, and
as the modiste can whip it up for you.
I love these places, because they are
human. You can talk to a person who will
help you adapt a wedding dress, mend an
old favourite or rescue an heirloom.
They will even fit garments so you do
not look like you have borrowed them
from a giant.
Fashion-conscious Frenchwomen have
always strived to make the best of them-
selves out of whatever came to hand, and
I cannot wait to use the government’s
bonus réparation to fix them.
Under this stunning scheme, you can
claim between €6 and €25 for every gar-
ment or pair of shoes you get repaired.
Not only are my favourite clothes going
to live a little longer, but the fantastic
shops run by couturières and modistes will
get a helping hand as well.
Definitely a win-win. Forget Dry
January – it is retouche January for me. www.skyinfrance.co.uk
 16 Letters connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024

Talking point: Is France really a meritocracy?

by Nick Inman ment matter, but so do practical
considerations: time and space to do
I ASKED our chimney sweep how homework. A gifted child in a crowded
his daughter was doing. “She’s happy,” he house with nowhere quiet to study
replied. “She has a job in a supermarket.” might still fall behind.
It got me wondering. I hope she is Most teachers are also aware that
doing exactly what she wants, but supp- school favours a particular type of intel-
osing she has other goals. Would she be ligence: learning the code required to
and so to miss out. Applying for grants
also requires skills of literacy and
numeracy to meet the demands of
bureaucracies, and if parents are not
confident with the paperwork, it can
be easy for them to give up.
Even if the student does get a grant,
it will not cover every expense and the
Speeding fines
IN YOUR December article
about radar fines on French
roads (p19), the author adds
a confusing endnote.
The article states: “From
January 1, drivers in France will
cease to face a points deduction
for going up to 5km/h above the
speed limit – but fines will

able to achieve them? Or does success in
France depend on family circumstances?
This country claims to be an
egalitarian, meritocratic society in
which achievement is on the basis of
brains and capacity, not breeding.
Everyone is expected to be able to
reach their potential within society.
That is the purpose of the education
system. The brightest talent rises to the
top and the country is run by the crème
de la crème who have got where they
are, not thanks to their lineage but
because of their ability.
This is both true and not true. Anyone
who flies through their baccalauréat can
go on to higher things. If ordinary
university is too tame, there is always a
grande école. These prestigious schools
take the best candidates, whatever their
background, and produce the super-
charged cadres who run the country.
“My boss is a graduate of a grande
Photo: Gorodenkoff_shutterstock
pass exams. The rich can play the system
by giving their children private lessons
– for years if necessary – so they sit
each exam with an inbuilt advantage.
Let us allow our hypothetical gifted
child to come from a supportive family
and to be so bright she does not need
Many cannot afford top universities
tutoring. She does well at baccalauréat
école,” a friend told me. “He is so intel- and enters higher education, but then
ligent he is like a man with two brains.” discrimination kicks in again.
“So,” I summarised, “if someone in The rich can choose to send their
France is exceptionally clever, there is children to private establishments;
nothing to prevent her from becoming the poorer student has to go down the
a government minister?” public route. And there might be a geo-
“Yes and no,” said my friend. “There is graphical inequality at play: if she does
notional equality of opportunity but then not live in Paris, or near one of the best
there is reality. The playing field is not establishments, she has to live away from
perfectly level. Not everyone has the home, which incurs expenses. The costs
same educational opportunities.” of degrees and a master’s soon add up.
There are sociologists who claim that There is financial aid for poor families,
pre-school education alone determines but every grant is means-tested and it is
adult outcomes. All teachers know how possible for a brilliant student to come
much parental expectations and involve- from a family just above the threshold
family will still have to stump up for
extras, including accommodation,
travel, stationery and sustenance.
The financial burden might cause
them to give up paying for education
that will only produce a return years
down the line.
To get around this, some students do
evening jobs but this can render them
too exhausted to perform well.
A meritocratic country in which
everyone gets a chance and the right
people are in charge? There are routes
to the top for determined people from
lowly backgrounds but the better-off
the family, the more chance its offspring
has to make the big time. The elite set
the rules to reproduce the elite.
Do you agree or disagree with
Nick Inman? Tell us why at
news@connexionfrance.com
remain. This will cancel out the
requirement for foreign
licence-holders living in France
to exchange to a French licence.”
Can you explain why this
slight alteration in regulations
basically means you do not have
to get a French licence? It is
legal to drive on a foreign
licence for one year, after which
you have to exchange it for a
French one. How can what the
article says be true?
William KEMPSTER, by email
Editor’s note: Committing a
driving offence that usually
requires removal of points is one
occasion on which swapping a
foreign licence for a French one
is obligatory, so small speeding
offences will no longer qualify.
It is also worth noting that
holders of UK licences first issued

They said it … Selling old clothes Beware termination charges before 2021 do not have to
exchange after one year.
I READ your article on selling I WOULD like to bring attention to the hidden costs of changing
old clothes (Connexion, internet provider in France. Batteries blunder
It was as if I’d been amputated November) with interest. I have been a customer of Phonexpat, an English-speaking YOUR recent online article
Suzanne Goldschmidt Four years ago, I started a internet provider in France, for over 20 years. The monthly cost about the dangers of faux amis
Mother of nine-year-old Estelle Mouzin, who was murdered by serial Facebook group called LIPS has been in the region of €50 and I have paid additional charges reminded me of a French friend
killer Michel Fourniret in 2003, describes the horror of her daughter’s (Ladies Items Preloved Sales) when suspending and restarting the service for the months it was who had similar problems, with
abduction in court as his ex-wife went on trial for being complicit. for women living in France, to not required. In recent years, the speed has deteriorated and it has amusing results.
Among Fourniret’s other victims was British student Joanna Parrish address the amount of waste become impossible to stream programmes. Otherwise, I have Needing to replace the batter-
that fast fashion is creating. been generally satisfied. ies in his radio, he visited a large
Solo racing has taught Now with 4,000-plus members Earlier this year, fibre arrived in our village and I decided to store but could not find what he
and several other associated change to Sosh at a total cost of €21.99 per month. I informed needed. A kind saleswoman
me to simplify my groups, women can buy and Phonexpat of my decision on October 11 and was told I would asked if she could help. “Yes
relationships. You stop sell their preloved garments be charged for that full month, and that I should return all their please: do you have piles?”
Abaca Press / Alamy

and accessories. It is a safe, equipment. All quite reasonable, and I complied. However, when I At her obvious embarrass-
playing games and get to private group and many checked my bank statement in November, I found Phonexpat had ment, he added, more specific-
the heart of the matter friendships have been made.
There is a ‘same team’ vibe,
taken an additional €49.15 from my account for résiliation (termin-
ation). As I had not been forewarned of this charge, I have twice
ally: “I mean: do you have
electric piles?”
Isabelle Autissier which is fabulous for ladies who asked Phonexpat for a justification. My requests have been ignored. Roger LITTLE, Nîmes
French sailor, celebrated for being the first woman to have completed a are disabled, unable to drive or With the rapid roll-out of fibre now taking place throughout
solo world navigation in competition, in Paris Match who feel isolated living in a for- France, others may wish to change provider too. I suggest that Inclusive language
eign country. We also support anyone who does establishes and agrees all the costs at the outset. THE article in December’s
When the future fills you with the French economy by using Tony MURPHY, Vendée Connexion about the recent
vertigo, you don’t think with your postal agents such as La Poste
and Mondial Relay. We run it Editor’s note: Phonexpat confirmed that a termination fee of €49 is
debate in the Senate over the
use of gender-inclusive
brain, you act with your instincts with no financial gain, unlike applied, adding that this information is transparently available on its lang-uage in French missed the
Vinted and Marketplace. Social website. It noted that termination fees are common in France’s internet most important ‘against’ – it’s
Yannick Jadot media at its best. service provider industry but said that in this case it was happy to bloody stupid.
Politician and environmental activist explains how climate collapse, Penny LUCAS, by email make a goodwill gesture and has since refunded Mr Murphy. Ross ANDERSON, by email
social crises and war are playing to the far-right’s advantage, on France 2

Our pets die better than we do

Loïc Resibois
Terminally ill patient calls for changes to euthanasia laws, on FranceInfo
Dans le passé – 10, 50 and 100 years ago
JANUARY, 2014 JANUARY, 1974 JANUARY, 1924
We’re used to seeing beautiful
Misses with long hair; I chose an ‘Bossnapping’ at tyre factory Soldiers killed in train tunnel First Winter Olympics
WORKERS at a Goodyear tyre factory EIGHT French Army soldiers were killed THE first Winter Olympics
androgynous look with short hair in Amiens took two executives hostage by a goods train and three others serious- were held in Chamonix in
on January 6 when it was announced ly injured when their unit took an the French Alps from
Eve Gilles
Shawshots / Alamy

New Miss France, the first with short hair, hails victory as a win for ‘diversity’ the plant would close with a loss of unauthorised shortcut on a march January 25 to February 5.
more than 1,000 jobs. through a narrow 370-metre railway The event was staged as the
If you think you have to be The bosses’ escape was blocked by tunnel near Château-Thierry (Aisne). International Winter Sports
baca Press / Alamy

wedging a tractor tyre up against the The soldiers, part of a 16-strong unit Week, but it was organised
a playboy to be elected, I’ve meeting room as they arrived for negot- belonging to the 51st infantry regiment, by the French Olympic Committee and
got a few counter-examples iations with union leaders. They were
released the following afternoon.
had lost their way during night manoeu-
vres. The sergeant in charge had sprained
deemed so successful that it was given
official recognition by the IOC two
Edouard Philippe In 2016, the eight responsible for the his foot and abandoned the exercise, years later.
Quip by former PM, tipped to be next president and referencing his ‘bossnapping’ were sentenced to jail for handing over command to a deputy. Some 16 countries were represented,
changed appearance as a result of auto-immune conditions, wins nine months each, a stiff punishment The group was hit shortly after midnight with 16 events contested. Of the 250
annual prize for political humour that shocked many in France. Workers on January 23. The Chézy-sur-Marne athletes, just 11 were female – and figure
When he said he’d been abducted, kept up their fight against Goodyear in
the courts. In 2020, an industrial tribunal
tunnel it was marching through is on the
Paris-Strasbourg line and used by 180
skating was the only sport open to them.
The event marked the debut of 11-year-
I made him repeat it – it was crazy! agreed that the tyre giant was guilty of trains per day, with pedestrian access for- old Sonja Henie of Norway, who went on
“dismissal without a valid economic bidden. The train driver had seen shadows to become one of the greatest figure skat-
Fabien Accidini reason” and a settlement was reached. and tried braking to avoid a collision. ers of all time, despite finishing last.
French student who found British teen Alex Batty, missing for six years, to AFP
 The Connexion January 2024 connexionfrance.com Letters 17

The Connexion letters pages are Is your tax and financial planning
sponsored by ready for 2024? w w w. b l e v i n s f r a n k s . c o m

Amazon issues So long, speed bumps Automatic visas for Tu or vous?

UNTIL I read Tony Hillyard’s
letter in December’s Connexion,
I thought I had just been
unlucky with amazon.fr packag-
es delivered via Colis Privé.
With a recent order, the
driver rang to say he could not
find my property. I repeated
the address and explained the
location but the package was
still returned to the depot.
Tracking showed it out for
delivery on both the two follow-
ing days. Each time I had a call
from the driver but he hung up
when I answered. Multiple calls
back to him went unanswered.
Reporting the problem
generated no response either.
After three days, the package
was returned to Amazon as
‘undeliverable’. By the time a
refund came three weeks later,
the item was out of stock.
It seems there is something
very wrong with Colis Privé’s
systems, processes and driver
training. I have not had prob-
lems with other delivery firms,
even when we just had a lieu-dit
address.
I now buy, where possible,
from other suppliers. If amazon.
fr is the only available option, I
use the point de retrait option
and this has proved successful.
Phillip SPENCER, Lot
second-home owners
NICK Inman’s article (‘Correct
I READ with interest the article on speed bumps in November’s form of address still causes
Connexion and agree wholeheartedly with drivers’ associations that angst’, Connexion, December)
it is time something is done about them. [See also Page 4]. THANKS for continued feedback on recent proposals to give about the difficulty even the
Speed bumps cause unnecessary discomfort, delays for emergen- British second-home owners automatic long-stay visa rights French have when deciding
cy services and damage to vehicles. They are also a major cause of without formalities. Here are just a few of the letters received. whether to tu or vous reminded
pollution to people living nearby due to the constant braking and me of one of the late President
acceleration of passing traffic. It seems strange that government ARTICLE 1 of the First Protocol to the European Convention on Mitterrand’s more memorable
departments, usually so keen to tackle pollution, turn a blind eye. Human Rights provides that every person has the right to peace- exchanges.
Speed humps do nothing for road safety. They simply make ful enjoyment of his possessions. Although the Socialists
motorists reduce speed temporarily, then accelerate. Many are By restricting access to property in France to a limited time favoured the tu form as a badge
sited at the beginning or end of built-up areas where there are period by imposing EU immigration rules not designed for this of equality, the president was a
fewer houses anyway. What is more, they are often thrown down purpose, the French government is in breach. It is suggested that stickler for the respect due to
with scant regard for the vehicles using them. I understand there unrestricted access for up to six months in any tax year would be his office. So, when an old
are regulations that they should comply with, but this certainly is compliant with ECHR. This is an easy way out for the French, comrade-in-arms suggested
not the case in the majority of instances. Councils do as they and solves the problem of the 90/180 rule. they should tutoyer, Mitterrand
please, with no repercussions, and the motorist suffers. Dennis FARRINGTON, by email replied with a glacial stare:
I am particularly concerned about the danger speed bumps pose “Comme vous voulez.”
to motorcyclists, being one myself. During dark winter nights, and WHY do some Britons feel that owning a second home makes Michael DELAHAYE, Adelaide
with bad weather making roads slippery, to be suddenly confront- them entitled to special treatment? It is completely wrong of
ed with one in poor visibility can be unsafe. France to even consider giving such privileges, based on such I FREQUENTLY chime in
It is about time the idiots behind them are brought to account, an unfair and unequal basis as home ownership. It reeks of class with tu when talking to some-
just the same as if any member of the public were to purposefully division. Egalité? I don’t think so! one for the first time.
throw hazards into the road, and replaced by people who can deal If you do not like the current system and feel you are no longer Fortunately, I am over 80 and
with road safety more effectively and for the benefit of all. getting ‘value’ from your property, then sell it. France could use age is respected in the matter,
Dave RILEY, by email extra houses on the market to drive prices down a little and make so long as it does not convey
homes more affordable for more people. any sort of condescendence.
Share Let off steam or share a point
of view on an aspect of French life David GOODFELLOW, Nice I am usually pleased when I
hear a new acquaintance reply
letters@connexionfrance.com or write to:
your Email:
The Connexion, Le Grande Bretagne, I WONDER if those French MPs who recently argued against the with a tu; less so if a stranger
views! 30Please
av. Grande Bretagne, 98000 Monaco
include your name and department of France
amendment granting British second-home owners an automatic
right to spend six months a year in France on the grounds they
does it (but this hardly ever
happens). So long as it does not
or country where you live. Letters used may be edited forfeited their rights when the country voted for Brexit appreciate just signify ignorance or despis-
for space and sense; the Editor’s decision is final. that, as French citizens, they can spend six months in the UK ing of correct convention, it can,
Letters received may be used online and/or in print.
without a visa? And, of course, we did not all vote for Brexit. and does, create an effective
Ulez mistake cost us £600 Rosalind FOX, by email connection between speakers.
Stephen BURROUGH, Charente

I CAN endorse every word

Tony Hillyard wrote. Colis Privé
are a complete disaster.
Every time we are due a parcel,
the firm alleges our address is
wrong or they cannot find the
house. It takes days of emails
and phone calls to resolve. I
have complained, to no effect.
Amazon.fr itself has problems.
It refuses to accept my UK debit
card and my bank cannot
understand why. My wife was
recently double-charged and
had the devil’s own job to get
the payments cancelled.
Nigel WILD, by email
A WARNING for French-registered car owners contemplating
driving around London. Ahead of our own trip, we went on the
Transport for London (TfL) website but our car details were not
Check document dates
I READ your online article ment itself had to be less than
Try this spread
JAN Zuidhof (Letters,
recognised. As it is French-registered, we were not surprised, nor about documents that require six months old. Connexion, December) has
aware this might be a problem. We stayed with friends for three official (certified) translations. I had to get a new authorised obviously not been trying the
nights and expected to be charged £25. We later discovered we had In it, you warned that in copy (the only difference was best grocery shops to procure
been charged £625 (£12.50 x 2 Ulez charges and £300 x 2 Lez). some circumstances the docu- the date of the registrar’s signa- his peanut butter.
We rang the helpline and were told we had not registered the ments need to have been trans- ture) sent out from England, I buy mine from a local organ-
vehicle correctly (we should have added the registration document). lated within the last six months just in time to get it translated ic place. Amazingly, it is made
We cannot remember being asked to do so when setting up the to be used. for the mairie in Lyon. nearby with locally grown
account and are unsure how to do it now. A request for a refund, Sometimes the date on the The reason, of course, is that peanuts. It is additive-free and
enclosing a copy of the registration document, has had no reply. original document is even a French birth certificate (acte inexpensive (considering the
Lena LINTON, by email more important. For my wed- de naissance) is updated when quality). The manufacturer is
ding to my French wife, it was you marry, divorce or have Jean Hervé and it is, in my
Editor’s note: If you car is compliant with low-emission rules, not just the translation of my children, so it makes sense opinion, the best. I am a Brit
you can appeal. First register your car retroactively at birth certificate which had to to demand a recent copy to and have eaten peanut butter
epcplc.com/tfl_registration, with a copy of the carte grise, be dated within the last three prevent bigamy. for many years. Try it, Jan!
then visit tfl.gov.uk/modes/driving/challenge-a-pcn. months, but the original docu- John HOLLOWAY, by email Paula BUCKLAND, by email

You said it …
New app to keep walkers
safe in hunting season
“No signal in a lot of our
woods so unless the app can
stop bullets, it’s neither use
nor ornament” DL
“If people are being injured
accidentally, then guns need to
be swiftly removed from the
offenders permanently! You
don’t need apps!” GY
“I have another chasse app on
my phone, use it when I hear
hunters in area. However, it’s
only any good if the hunters
actually upload info. So fary
no info added to it” AE
“In our area it is widely used.
You might be surprised by the
You can debate and comment on articles via our Facebook
page: facebook.com/TheConnexion. Here is a selection of
recent popular subjects... You can find the original
articles at connexionfrance.com
number of younger chasseurs. block the number! If I get an
Hopefully, these will instill a SMS, I send them all to 33700 –
little more raison in groups” ZB the number for reporting scam
text messages” SM
McDonald’s France to “I have a pleasant chat with
offer fast EV charge points them if I’m not busy. If I’m
“It takes hardly any time at all uninterested in what they’re
to fill up my diesel car while it peddling, I just say ‘no thanks,
takes forever just to place an I’ve everything I need’” PWK
order in McDonalds” AK “‘Attendez une minute SVP.’
“Lithium is bad, junk food is Then go make a cup of tea.” BC
bad” JE
Farmers turn road signs
Tips to avoid cold upside-down in protest
calls in France “What a pointless activity,
“If I get caught unawares, I but typical of the protectionist
speak to them in Welsh” LC French” MM
“This will really make the
“I have my phone set to silent
government think again” PG
for all unknown numbers. I then
“Perhaps you prefer road
blockages and refusal to
deliver to supermarkets?” ZB
Last round of Olympic
tickets on sale
“€400 for a family of four to
watch hockey! Wasted opportuni-
ty to motivate a lethergic nation
to be interested in a sport other
than football or drinking” HT
Medical cannabis gets
go-ahead for pain relief
“Next we need controlled
trials of THC in slowing down
progression of specific chron-
ic diseases” WR
“Way behind rest of Europe” PG
French parenting not superior
CYNTHIA Spillman’s take on ‘superior’ French child-rearing
(Connexion, December) made me see red. She seems to have con-
verted her own upbringing into a generalisation about all French
child-rearing – a million miles from my own observations when
bringing up a daughter here and interacting with French friends.
Yes, children here are brought up to be polite and say ‘please’ and
‘thank you,’ but so are most children from whatever country.
French children are allowed up to all hours, because everyone
eats together – late! I lost count of the number of dinner parties
ruined by my guests’ children running around the table, whining,
too tired to eat (while my own was tucked up in bed) – ruining
any chance of adult conversation. When they literally dropped
with exhaustion to the floor, a coat was placed over them. This
behaviour was repeated in restaurants too.
Encouraged to eat vegetables? I rarely saw one on the plate, the
most common meal for them being chopped-up ham with pasta
and butter. When the pediatrician realised I was making my own
baby food, I was told to switch to jars from the pharmacy, which
at the time contained added salt and sugar.
As for treats, these are are daily in the form of goûter at 16:00:
brown sugar or chocolate squares on bread and butter, or a pain
au chocolat! My British child was given fruit and yoghurt. The
French do not have the corner on child-rearing.
Christine FRATI, Gard
 18 Your Questions
Q& A
Readers’
questions
answered
Send your queries about life here to Liv Rowland
by email to questions@connexionfrance.com
Do I have to update my carte de
séjour if my street name changes?
MY STREET name has changed so
do I legally have to update my carte
de séjour? What happens if I do not
do this? G.D.
BY LAW, you are only required to declare
a change of address if you have actually
moved, which is not the case here.
Where it is obligatory, you should do it
within three months of moving and you
can be fined if you do not do so.
This is not required in the case of
residency cards that last only one year,
such as those for ‘visitors’, or where a
residency card is up for renewal within
three months anyway.
If, however, you still want to change the
card so it shows the new, correct street
name, you can do so at the Foreign
nationals in France site (tinyurl.com/
yk5a35aj) – you click on Je déclare un
How do we open a joint bank account?
WHAT is the procedure for opening a
joint bank account in France? O.D.
THERE are two types of joint account: the
standard joint account (compte joint) or
the compte indivis (literally, ‘undivided’).
Comptes joints operate in the same way
as individual accounts and each holder can
unilaterally deposit or withdraw money,
write cheques or handle direct debits.
All indivis account-holders must give
their permission for every operation.
Ordinary current accounts and share
accounts can be opened as either type of
joint account, but a savings account can
only be joint and not indivis.
Regulated tax-free savings accounts,
including the Livret d’Epargne Populaire
and Livret A, as well as several savings
plans, can only be opened by individuals
and cannot be joint.
The paperwork needed to open either
What are the rules for claiming care benefits?
WHAT are the rules for claiming
financial aid to help pay for care
and other services? I am a French
resident. J.S.
FROM your question, we assume you are
talking about financial aid to pay for a
carer to visit you at home and help you
with daily tasks, for example.
Benefits of this kind are separate from
the healthcare you receive from doctors and
nurses, which is reimbursed by your Caisse
primaire d’assurance maladie health author-
ity. The latter depends on you being regis-
tered in the French healthcare system,
usually linked to employment, having an
S1 form as a retiree of another country (EU
or UK), or living in France continuously for
at least three months.
For benefits to help pay for non-medical
FUTURE QUESTIONS
- SEND IN YOURS...
Questions@connexionfrance.com
connexionfrance.com
changement de situation. You will need
your residency permit, photocopies of
passport pages relating to civil status and
validity dates, a proof of address less than
three months old, such as a utility bill, and
three recent passport-size photographs.
If you are living at another person’s
home, they will have to supply a dated
and signed statement that you live at the
address, and a copy of their identity card
or residency permit and proof of address.
Changing address usually costs €25,
payable via timbre fiscal, which can be
bought online at tinyurl.com/4vjsft5j
or from tabacs – but residency card
procedures for family members of EU
citizens and for Britons Withdrawal
Agreement cards should be free.
A useful website for notifying several
other official bodies of an address change
is tinyurl.com/change-ad.
kind of joint account is the same as a
personal one.
At least two people are needed to open a
joint account and your bank might dictate
an upper limit.
There does not have to be any specific
relationship between them.
Be aware that fees can vary, so it is worth
shopping around.
Each person must provide a photo ID,
proof of address and a specimen signature.
They must all sign the convention
de compte de dépôt account opening
agreement, which should detail all
operating terms and conditions.
You will also have to agree on an address
for the bank to send communications to.
For both kinds of joint account, all hold-
ers are responsible for debts and payment
incidents, though one person can be
named liable for specific events, such as
a bounced cheque.
care, the main source of help is your depart-
mental council, which can assess your
needs. If you have serious dependency
issues, eg. you cannot carry out some
everyday tasks without help, you might
qualify for Allocation personnalisée
d’autonomie (APA), which can go towards
all or some of the cost of having help at
home or making home adaptations.
It is partly means-tested, as is another
form of council help called aide sociale,
which can be allocated to those needing
assistance with essential tasks, especially
where they did not qualify for APA.
You can find out about help and services
(carers, meals on wheels...) at your mairie
and at tinyurl.com/help-points (scroll to
the bottom).
See here, also, for a helpful benefits simu-
lator: tinyurl.com/565yt3wy.
Why is France not listed among
the countries that are eligible
Are non-French citizens allowed
to foster children in France?
for a UK winter fuel payment? What does the process involve?
To receive the next issue at home... subscribe at connexionfrance.com by January 12
TheThe
Connexion
Connexion January
Xxxx 2020
2024
How do I obtain a lightning
certificate for my property?
I HAVE been told I need a lightning certificate
Photo: Scheenagh Harrington
for damage to my home. How do I get this? K.S.
A LIGHTNING certificate (attestation de foudroie-
ment) is an official document that details stormy
weather conditions on a given day and location, with
a particular focus on lightning phenomena.
It is compiled by experts and issued upon request
to the state weather forecaster Météo France for its
services that are closest to the specific storm event.
Private firms can supply certificates too, but they
are all based on data gathered from the Météo-
France network.
Although your mairie website may carry details of
how to request a certificate, it cannot issue one An example of a lightning certificate
directly. mine whether specific policy thresholds for entitle-
An attestation de foudroiement from Météo-France ment to payments have been met or exceeded.
costs €61 and takes up to five days to be delivered, Usually, comprehensive home or car insurance
either by post or email. See tinyurl.com/lightcert. covers the cost of damage caused by bad weather.
Some private firms advertise certificates for around As a rule, insurers will not ask for a certificate if a
€30-€35 and say they can deliver one in 24 to 72 severe weather event affects a very large area of the
hours, but it is advisable to check first that your country, but might if an event was very localised.
insurer will accept such a certificate. In addition, if damage caused by lightning and
Météo-France also produces a similar document thunderstorms happens over the same short period
called a certificat d’intempérie (bad weather certifi- of time, you should need only a single certificate to
cate) that some insurance companies might ask for, cover them all, rather than multiple ones. If in
and which is not geared specifically to lightning. doubt, talk to your insurer.
These help to prove any property damage was It is a policyholder’s responsibility to secure a light-
caused by adverse or extreme weather conditions, ning certificate.
including gales, hail, snow, heavy rain or lightning. For tenants, it depends on who owns the damaged
Note, however, that these certificates are not property (for example, their car). If it is owned by
required in the case of damage caused by incidents
likely to fall under the ‘natural disaster’ heading.
the landlord, then it is down to him or her.
Whether you are a property owner or tenant, you
The latter, such as floods and landslides, follows a should keep all documents relating to the claim for
different procedure and requires the publication of 10 years after the end of the compensation period.
a decree relating to your commune. Some insurers do reimburse the cost of obtaining a
As well as proving there was extreme weather at lightning certificate if compensation is paid out –
the time and place cited in a compensation claim, you can check this directly with them.
the certificates also help insurance companies deter- How to deal with storm damage: Page 21
How can I take part
What should I do if I want to
in a vide-grenier?
work as a tour guide in France?
WE HAVE lots of items we would like
to sell at a vide-grenier. How can we I WOULD like to work as a source of information would
start? L.D. tour guide. How would I go be an adult learning body
about this? M.R. called the Greta CFA (you
VIDE-GRENIERS – car boot-style sales of can do an internet search
second-hand items – are subject to rules. BEING a tour guide in the with this term and your
To take part in a vide-grenier, unofficial general sense – un guide region’s name).
listings sites such as brocabrac.fr or touristique – is not a regulat- However, the ‘official’ job of
vide-greniers.org can help you to locate ed profession in France. a guide-conférencier is highly
sales taking place near you and to contact This means that if you regulated and tour operators
the organiser.
You will need to sign a form to take part,
know your area well, love art
or history and talking to
are legally obliged to use
people with a card from the
which can sometimes be done online. people, then you could set prefecture for this profession
When registering, you should specify the yourself up as an auto-entre- in the case of offering visits to
planned size of your stall: a minimum of prise, a simple self-employ- state museums and historic
two metres is recommended. ment set-up. monuments.
You must certify on your honour you You could organise your The main qualification for
have not taken part in more than two own tours and/or market this is a specific French
vide-greniers in the same calendar year, and yourself to tourist offices, degree and masters course.
you will sell only personal second-hand tour operators and hotels. If you believe your prior
items (not including items you made to sell Skills in several languages experience and other
or that you bought specifically to sell on). – at least French and English (French or foreign) studies
Assuming this is the case, income gener- – are important. It is highly mean you have equivalent
ated is generally not taxable, unless you recommended to take out skills and knowledge, it
make €5,000 in capital gains by selling an professional insurance might be possible to obtain a
item for much more than you bought it. (assurance responsabilité recognition of this via the
Check your home insurance for cover in civile professionnelle). VAE process (validation of
the event of any harm to the public, such If you want to improve experience) run by univers-
as the stand collapsing on someone. your knowledge, there are ities, or VES (for diplomas)
To hold your own vide-grenier, you must various tourism-related run by bodies called Cnams
inform your mairie and fill in a declar- courses you can take. One (tinyurl.com/ves-cnams).
ation form (tinyurl.com/3p4cfph8).
Is DPE energy efficiency
certificate needed for property
How much disposable income
on average do people who live
used for Airbnb rentals? in France have?
 The Connexion January 2024 connexionfrance.com Practical 19

Make sense of French criminal courts John Kitching, a

director of French Law
Consultancy Limited,
answers a reader query

Is tontine affected by inheritance law?

Q: When we bought our prop-
erty in 2014, we had a tontine
clause put into the contract
so that on the death of one
partner, the survivor would
inherit the house. Does that still
stand, given the 2021 changes
to French inheritance law?
A: THE tontine clause is
unaffected by the law
introduced in France in
November 2021 and
will continue to allow the
surviving tontine partner
to inherit the property.
The law change relates
to estates where a non-
French national elects the
law of their nationality in
order to disinherit children
– for example, an English
national electing English
law and leaving their estate
to their spouse, friend or
partner instead of children.
arrangement, is not an
election of foreign law and,
as such, is not affected by
the 2021 change.
However, the tontine
can only apply to certain
specific assets, such as
immovable property, where
the conditions of owner-
ship can be defined and
registered by a notaire.
It cannot be applied to
an entire estate. You are
advised to draw up a care-
fully prepared will to deal
with your overall estate.
It is also worth noting that
inheritance tax is assessed
when a tontine passes
ownership to the surviving
tontine partner, as it would
for a transfer under a will.
If it passes to a surviving
spouse or pacs partner, it
is exempt from inheritance
tax. If it passes to an

WHETHER you admire or
loathe him, Napoleon was
responsible for swathes of
French institutions, from lycées
to departments – and the legal
system is a prime example.
Before the Revolution, the
various systems around the
land reflected the slow unifica­
tion of France.
Church law was mixed with
local customs and a system of
Roman law based on statutory
law in the south and Germanic
law based on royal decrees in
the north. Local aristocrats and
craft guilds also played a role.
When the Revolution came,
many leading revolutionaries,
including Danton and Robes­
pierre, were lawyers, so it is
not surprising that they saw
creating a more unified system
as important – but they failed.
It took Napoleon to effect
lasting change.
His Code civil des français
was completed in 1804 and
covered civil law in great detail.
He also produced codes for
criminal law, established unified
working rules for courts, and
created administrative law.
Codes for commerce and for
specialist areas such as insur­
ance have been produced since,
but are all based on the princi­
ples of the Code civil.
Anyone who has read
Georges Simenon’s Maigret
novels will know one of the big
differences between the Anglo-
Saxon and French legal systems
is the role of the juge d’instruc-
tion (investigating judge), to
whom Commissaire Maigret
must constantly report.
Such a judge is involved in all
very serious criminal cases –
where someone is accused of
un crime (such as murder or
rape) – but is optional in
medium-severity crimes (délits)
or low-level contraventions.
They are appointed by the
local procureur (public prosecu­
tor) to be in charge of investiga­ the Right, senior judges and
tions and can order the police
or gendarmes to follow – or
stop – a certain line of inquiry.
A key moment in any big
case comes when the accused
is questioned by the investigat­
ing judge. This is used by the
public prosecutor to decide if
the case will go to trial.
Statements made to the police
are referred to by the investigat-
ing judge during this process,
and can be used in court, but
it is the judge’s report that
carries the most weight.
Judges can also order meet­
ings, in their offices, between
the accused and witnesses, as
well as reconstructions of
crimes, to try to understand
what happened.
This system has inbuilt
tensions – the police are under
the interior minister, while
judges and prisons fall under
the justice minister.
Our main image
was drawn for
The Connexion by what happened.
artist Perry Taylor. trial judges participate
For more of
his work visit
perrytaylor.fr
In autumn 2023, a number of
police officers got into trouble
for saying that law and order
problems in France lie not with their own lawyer and the pros­
the police but with the judges.
Similarly, the fact that judges
belong to unions, including
some extreme left-wing ones,
has prompted questions about
their impartiality.
During Nicolas Sarkozy’s
presidency, for example, one
union building was found to
have a noticeboard labelled
mur des cons (wall of idiots) on whether or not to believe them.
which photos of various public
figures – politicians, intellect-
uals or journalists, mostly from
police unionists – were dis­
played, as well as photos of
various victims’ parents.
French court procedures
differ significantly from,
for example, English and
Welsh ones.
Broadly speaking, the latter
are adversarial, with the prose­
cution and defence each pre­
senting their version of what
happened, and the judge and
jury, if there is one, sitting
above the fray before deciding
who to believe.
By contrast, the French sys­
tem is inquisitorial, based on
the tradition of law inherited
from the Roman Catholic
church. The idea is that the
court, including defence, pros­
ecution and judges, is there to
find out the truth by inquiry.
The best way of doing so is to
have the accused confess their
crime and, if they do not, to
question everything
about the case to
establish the facts of
During proceedings,
actively.
They read out the
investigating judge’s
report and when wit­
nesses and defendants
are called to the bar, they have
to answer questions from the
judge or judges as well as from
ecution.
If there is a jury, its members
retire with the judge to decide
their verdict. The judge assumes
the role of chairperson and
leads the deliberations.
Where there is no confession
from the accused, witnesses
and experts are cross-examined
so the court can determine
One problem with the system
is how slow it is.
A murder trial where the cul­
Image: perrytaylor.fr
French law would not unmarried, non-pacs
have permitted this but, as partner, it is taxed at 60%.
of 2015, the EU Succession Notaire fees and regis-
Regulation did. The 2021 tration taxes (similar to
prit is arrested with a smoking change seeks to prevent stamp duty) still apply to
gun standing over the victim this where children are dis- register the new title deed
and makes a full confession to inherited. It is contentious, and inheritance. These can
the police and investigating and perhaps will eventually be significant, even where
judge will still take four years be overturned. The tontine there is no inheritance tax.
to conclude. Complex investi­
gations take longer. Call +44 (0) 16 63 74 54 88 for a free initial consultation.
Part of the problem is that frenchlawconsultancy.com
many lower courts were shut
by Rachida Dati when she was
which
justice minister in 2007-2009
as a cost-saving measure. Question from
In addition, court officers
and judges are fonctionnaires a second-home
and work only a 35-hour week
with generous holidays. owner...
The most serious cases are
heard in a cour d’assises, the
top-level criminal court, of
which there is one per depart­
Owning a second home in France
Photo: Shutterstock.com_E. Spek
ment that sits four times a year.
It is the only one using juries Why are rural French houses so cheap?
and, as of 2023, only hears Q: Why are rural properties in France so much cheaper
appeals trials or cases with than in the UK? We are looking to buy a second home but
potential sentences of at least think there has to be a catch...
20 years. A: ONE reason is that France, after World War Two, exper-
Below the cour d’assises, there ienced a wave of migration from the countryside to towns
is the cour criminelle, in which due to demand for labour to rebuild bombed areas and for
a panel of five judges hears factories, and the fact that mechanisation, which arrrived
cases relating to crimes with relatively late in France, meant farms could operate with
a maximum punishment of
fewer people. Many rural properties were either left empty,
15-20 years. or used only as holiday homes. With lots of supply and little
The tribunal correctionnel
demand, prices fell. In Britain, by contrast, the great move
rules on délits and the tribunal to the cities took place in the 19th century.
de police deals with contraven-
Another reason is France’s complicated inheritance laws,
tions, in most cases without
with all children inheriting at least a legally-fixed share of
any actual hearing being held.
their parents’ wealth. For property, this usually means all
Only French citizens aged 23
and above can be jurors (excep­ have to agree to sell, which does not always happen. Some
tions include police officers and might want to keep it as a holiday home, others to rent it or
MPs) and they are chosen at to put off the sale until they are in a more advantageous
random from electoral lists. tax position. The longer it takes to decide to sell, the lower
They are notified by letter, the price is likely to be, particularly if it falls into disrepair
including the date and time of in the meantime.
the start of the session they are In addition, some houses are put on the market in a cond-
to attend and rough expected ition that you are very unlikely to find in the UK. Holes in
length – about two weeks, the roof, no floors, one-tap plumbing and electricity from the
during which a juror might 1920s can still all be found on the French property market.
hear around 10 cases. For people who are not afraid to do some building them-
Jury service is obligatory selves or have tradespeople do it for them, and who have
unless you show a serious savings to fund the renovation, the opportunities are great.
reason, mainly health-related, Many French people have no wish to return to rural life.
why you cannot do it. This changed a bit after Covid lockdowns but anecdotal
Em­ployees are not paid dur­ evidence is that city dwellers who moved to the countryside
ing jury service but financial are generally now spending less time in it.
compensation is given.
 20 Language / Finance connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024

Nothing less than perfect puts Being punctual is not

always polite in France
you on par with the Immortals C’EST COMME ÇA
Curiosities of the French language
by Nick Inman like, except (we hope) the Im- by Annaliza Davis

Photo: Antonin Albert_shutterstock

The Académ
Académie’s
ie’s perpetual
secretary, Amin Maalouf, in mortals themselves.
EVERY academic year, I tell a the traditional uniform of The best that those of us who
new group of French students its members live in the real world can do is
that there are no rules to the be aware of the potential pitfalls
English language. and resolve to correct our aber-
This sentence might gener- rant ways.
ate emails of objection from The Académie’s website
perfectionists of my native (academie-francaise.fr) has two

Photo: Pixel-Shot_shutterstock
tongue, but its truth is easily helpful reference sections. One
demonstrated by a comparison is called Questions de la langue
with French. (questions about the language).
There are many different It goes into immense detail
varieties of English but there is about thorny subjects such as
only one official French. the employment of anglicisms
English evolves according to and when you should say an A NEW year is a fine moment enough time to get ready for
usage – if you want to ditch an and année (I fell asleep reading for reassessing priorities and their guests. My grandfather
obsolete form, split an infinitive that entry). setting good intentions for the would have been livid.

or feminise a word, be my guest.
French, on the other hand,
attempts to stay on the same
strict course and adapt as little
as possible.
I am talking here about the
formal language, by the way,
not the bastardised, street-level
kind of French that serves for
everyday use.
When my friend Arielle says
that something I have just said
n’est pas français, what she
means is that it is not permitted
by the Académie française.
This august body, which was
founded by Cardinal Richelieu
in 1635, meets every Thursday
afternoon to determine the
rules of French so it remains
“pure and elegant”.
One of its early members
put its aims more bluntly: “To
cleanse the language of the filth
it has acquired in the mouths
of the people and among the
Parisian mob.”
Its 40 members – including
one Briton, poet and professor
Sir Michael Edwards, from
Barnes in London – are called
“
No one speaks French as the Académie
would like, except (we hope) the
Immortals themselves. The best that
those of us who live in the real world can
do is be aware of the potential pitfalls and
resolve to correct our aberrant ways
Immortals and there is certainly
something god-like about their
pronouncements.
While they cannot force
anyone to speak properly, from
their appointed armchairs they
can and do condemn the slack
misuse of grammar, spelling,
punctuation and all the rest.
The point is that there is a
right way and a wrong way to
speak French. When you are a
beginner, you can forget about
this and just do what you can
It also picks pedantically over
new arrivals in French. The
Immortals would far rather you
called an email a courriel (three
syllables) or message électron-
ique (six syllables) than the
brisker mail.
The other interesting section
is Dire, ne pas dire – a blog that
dissects in detail “what you can
and cannot say”.
This elocution lesson from
nanny make fascinating read-
ing if your French is good
enough, but I doubt many na-
tive speakers pay attention
to all the information it con-
with what you have. However, tains and adjust their phrasal
when you reach intermediate constructions when ordering
level, you will probably find a beer.
that people you meet will All said and done, I think it
suggest ways for you to stop is wonderfully Gallic that the
murdering their language. Académie exists and makes
It is no excuse that many such a brave attempt to wash
French people who have been people’s mouths out.
speaking the language all their It also helps Arielle to have
lives have fallen into bad habits. somewhere to send me for
Cultivated people will try to instruction when I guffaw at
save you from falling into the her hair-splitting corrections.
same abyss. No one speaks French is perfect as it is, with
French as the Académie would all its many imperfections.
12 months to come.
Often, our resolutions centre
around ensuring we give our-
selves enough time for what
is important.
Time is a curious cultural
phenomenon, starting with
the concept of being ‘on time’.
I grew up in Britain with the
notion that one should ideally
arrive for a meeting or appoint-
ment more or less on time, and
that punctuality is a mark of
respect.
Here in France, I have learned
that while you must be on
time for official appointments,
even when the other party
is consistently late, in other
situations punctuality is often
disregarded.
The quart d’heure de politesse,
for example, defies my British
upbringing. French etiquette
website Grand Courtoiseau
confirms that a polite visitor
who receives a dinner invit-
ation for 20:00 will arrive at
around 20:15 (a little earlier
in rural areas and a little later
in cities) to ensure hosts have
Also, consider il arrive, which
has a literal translation of ‘he
is coming’ or ‘he is on his way’,
but is also used when the per-
son concerned has just woken
up or is two hours away.
Il revient à 14:00 normale-
ment is a disaster. ‘He’s coming
back at 14:00’ would be okay,
but the moment a French
person adds normalement, it
changes everything.
While normalement should
translate as ‘if all goes well’,
experience dictates that a closer
translation is ‘but probably not’.
If your mechanic tells you
your car will be ready at 18:00,
and then adds normalement,
get yourself a back-up plan.
The concept of punctuality
varies a lot throughout the
country, but if you find that
you are always the first to
arrive, and that no one else
turns up for another 10
minutes, you might need to
adjust your habits this year.
Sometimes, in order to be
respectful and polite in France,
you simply have to be late.

Uncertain times ahead likely to reward patient investors

Money Matters
Christopher Davenport
of Kentingtons explains.
kentingtons.com
AS WE move into a new year, let us look ahead
at what to expect from the French economy over
the next 12 months.
First, a caveat: while it is one thing to speculate,
I am also perfectly aware that nobody quite
knows what is around the corner. To quote the
American economist Milton Friedman: “Econ-
omics is the only calling in which one can have
a lifetime reputation as an expert without ever
once being right.”
We can, however, look at what we do know,
and this can be extremely helpful when planning
our personal finances.
Recently, the main French stock market, the
CAC 40, appears to have been defying logic.
With interest rates rising to 4.5% (at the time
of writing) in an effort to slow the economy
and thus inflation, as well as wars in eastern
Europe and in Gaza, you might have been
surprised to see the CAC 40 making all-time
highs in 2023.
It suggests that the French economy must be
reasonably healthy and, given the circumstances, have been moving in, so 2024 may not be quite It is the long-term rental market that is seeing
it is. There are various reasons for that. We
noted in a previous article that since gaining
so simple for the French consumer. In 2023,
energy companies were finally allowed to
the most stress, particularly in large cities such
as Paris or Lyon.
power in 2017, Emmanuel Macron has cut significantly raise their prices, and they are With people unable to afford to buy, there
various taxes. likely to go up again in 2024. This means that has been an increase in demand for rental
This includes taxe d’habitation for all main French residents will have to spend proportion- properties. However, this has been met by a
homes in France, as well as introducing a capital ally more on their utility bills – not a positive reduced supply as many landlords prefer to
gains flat tax for individuals. for overall consumption within the French offer short-term holiday rentals instead, or to
For companies, he has lowered corporation tax economy. exit the market altogether.
from 33% to 25%. Landlords have been put off by increasing
Continuing on the tax theme: in recent years, What about interest rates? property taxes, general expenses and bureau-
the French government has helped to protect The good news is that, at 4.5%, interest rates cracy (such as new norms for energy efficiency),
purchasing power by raising tax bands roughly might now have peaked. which have squeezed yields.
in line with inflation. The bad news is that they have risen through- All of this serves to illustrate the difficulties of
For the 2022 tax declaration, tax bands were out this year, making it more and more expens- investing. Economists tend to get significantly
raised by a generous 5.4%. For the 2023 declar- ive to borrow money. more wrong than they do right. Furthermore,
ation they will again be raised, this time by 4.8%. It is thought that interest rates will remain markets can remain seemingly irrational for
Furthermore, when inflation started to rise around current levels for at least the next six long periods of time.
sharply in 2021, even before Russia’s invasion months, which will be another drag on the Clearly, market volatility makes market timing
of Ukraine, the French state helped to soften French economy. extremely difficult, which is reflected in the
the blow. Interest rates affect housing, as it becomes fact that most actively managed equity funds do
The most significant move Mr Macron made harder and more expensive to borrow money. not beat their benchmarks. Kentingtons, there-
was to put caps on gas and electricity price rises Most mortgages in France are fixed rate, so fore, recommends a more passive, diverse, low-
very early on. Energy price rises contributed to current homeowners do not need to worry cost strategy for the long-term investor.
inflation across Europe, but these caps meant about re-financing. However, the recent rise As the legendary investor Warren Buffet once
French inflation remained consistently one of in interest rates has led to a notable slowdown said: “The stock market is a device for transfer-
the lowest in Europe during 2022 and through in the number of transactions. ring money from the impatient to the patient.”
the first half of 2023. House prices have so far remained relatively The point is, we do not know what will happen
All of these measures have certainly helped the stable, although obviously inflation has reduced in 2024, but we do know that, historically,
French economy. Unfortunately, darker clouds real property values. patience has been rewarded.
 French living
Food Wine Homes Gardens Interviews Events FRENCH NEWS IN ENGLISH SINCE 2002

WHOLE LOTTA LAVA

The remarkable
lives of Katia and
Maurice Krafft,
French filmmaking
volcanologists

Winter escapes
for non-skiers
Katia and Maurice Krafft/Dumont

Mastering French
bread baking
2 Winter breaks connexionfrance.com French Living I January 2024

Sleigh in the snow without

strapping on skis at your
nearest mountain resort
There is so much more to do in French ski resorts than hurtle down a piste at high speed.
Samantha David explores swimming, shopping, dog sledding, snowplough riding, and more

B
ack in the day, winter trips to

Photos: left, A. Baugier, Avoriaz 1800, and inset, Font Romeu

the mountains meant skiing.
Today that has radically
changed, and ski resorts now
offer many amusements and
activities both on and off the slopes.
Whether you seek communion with
nature, cultural refreshment, physical
renewal, full-on fun, or just something
new, ski resorts have it all.
January is a great month to go; all the
Christmas decorations are still up, prices
are reasonable, children are safely occu-
pied at school, and there is a good chance
of snow. Just wrap up warm, because
temperatures will be low. Also pay atten-
tion to footwear. If your feet are warm
and your soles are non-slip, you will be a
happy (snow) bunny. Choose from the
Alps, the Pyrenees, or the Massif Central.
One of the most blissful indulgences is
to go swimming, because so many resorts
have fantastic sports and leisure centres.
Pools with cascades, bubbly jets, slides,
jacuzzis, and tunnels you can swim
through in order to bathe outdoors while
it is snowing. From some of them you
can even survey the ski slopes as you
lounge in hot bubbles. (Do not worry, in them there mountains! As well as Above: in Avoriaz, range of activities to enjoy without skiing. on, keep your balance and cross your fin-
the water is very well heated to keep foodie treats (particularly cheese and steam away your For lovers of the silver screen, the Festival gers that your mighty steed did not eat
swimmers warm). The pool in Avoriaz charcuterie) there are local liqueurs and a troubles in an outdoor International du Film de Comédie from too much lunch before taking you for a
is outstanding but certainly not the only whole range of Scandi-themed household Jacuzzi while watch- 15-21 January, 2024, is a great chance to ride. It is fun, and good for the thighs.
one in its class. items and soft furnishings. You can also ing skiers pass by explore French cinema, from blockbust- If you seek thrills, there is also paraglid-
For a more relaxing aquatic experience, find cowhide rugs and sheepskin throws. above you on chair ers to little-known short features. Some of ing, ice diving or even glacier climbing
check out the larger hotels. Even mid- Courchevel is known as the ski resort lifts; and inset, the screenings are even free. What better available. All of this goes alongside a
priced establishments have their own Karl Largerfeld once decked out with raquette snow shoes way to improve your French? More info non-stop programme of amusements and
pools and spa areas where hotel guests Chanel cable cars. Avenue Montagne in is available at festival-alpedhuez.com. events on and off the snow: fun competi-
can relax while the crowds exhaust them- Courchevel is full of designer shops sell- Alpe d'Huez also has an extraordinary tions, markets, and demonstrations.
selves on the slopes. Then, refreshed and ing chic skiwear made to be seen in rath- church, the Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, Many ski resorts also offer rides in their
extremely clean, you can take the er than skied in, and the jewels to which was inspired by the Winter snowploughs (dameuses), driven by the

cable car or chair lift up to the
slopes. This is often free
for people not wearing
ski boots or carrying
ski equipment,
meaning you can
ride to the top,
admire the view,
take some pictures
and head straight to
the restaurant on
the piste. On a good
day, even in January,
you can find yourself
above the clouds, comfort-
ably installed in a deckchair
on the restaurant terrace, soaking up
some precious winter rays.
As the sun begins to go down, this is
the moment to do a little gentle shopping
before heading to a bar for some après-
ski refreshments. Mulled wine, hot choc-
olate, cold beers and rum grog are all
generally on the menu. If more serious
consumerism grips your heart there are
plenty of suitable places to take your wal-
let for a walk. Generally speaking, wheth-
er you investigate small boutiques,
designer stores, or markets, there is gold
go with them. Brands include
Chanel, Hermès, Louis
Vuitton, Fendi, Dior,
Prada, and Gucci.
It is one of the
most glamorous
places to win-
dow-shop and peo-
ple-watch; activities
which are all the
more pleasurable
for being free.
St. Moritz is another
high-flying shopping
destination, with inde-
pendent boutiques selling
foodie treats like caramel vodka.
If your shopping requirements are more
down-to-earth, however, head to
Samoëns. The Wednesday morning mar-
ket is one of the largest in Haute-Savoie
(08:00 to 13:00) selling fruit and vegeta-
bles, meat and deli products, fish and
bread, as well as clothing, textiles and
regional specialities. It is also less than
half an hour from Cluses, with all of its
large chain stores and supermarkets.
Alpe d'Huez – easily accessible from
Lyon and Grenoble – has an enormous
“
Olympic Games held in Grenoble in
1968. Unveiled in 1970, it is unblinkingly
modern and features an organ in the
shape of a hand, situated behind the altar.
Light filters through a series of stained-
glass windows, illuminating the womb-
like interior. And whilst on the culture
trail, do not miss the Musée d'Huez et de
Avenue l'Oisans, which explains the town's strong
links to Holland amongst other things.
Montagne in Avoriaz is synonymous with skiing but
you could probably spend all winter
Courchevel there, never ski a single yard and still not
get bored. Their leisure centre Aquariaz
is full of is incredibly beautiful, and has an indoor
jungle and fun slides. It really has to be
designer seen to be believed. Join an aqua-yoga
class or simply go for the fun of it. You
shops selling can survey the ski lifts as you lounge in
the outdoor jacuzzis. A truly breath-tak-
chic skiwear ing experience. Outdoor activities in
Avoriaz include sleigh rides and igloo
made to be making, tobogganing and dog sledding,
as well as ski-joëring, which involves
seen in driving a horse while wearing skis.
Beginners usually do this on more or less
rather than flat ground, but do not worry, the horses
will not gallop off ventre-à-terre (gallop at
skied in full speed). You mainly just have to hold
pisteurs or dameurs every evening to
groom the pistes ready for the next day.
These mighty, tank-like machines growl
up and down even the steepest of slopes,
and there is not a child alive who does
not want to ride in one. Very often you
can see them prowling the mountains
after sunset, their lights illuminating the
snow before them. Ask at the Tourist
Office for details.
Indoors, still in Avoriaz, you can go
bowling or even enter a whole new world
when you play Hado, a game in which
everyone wears virtual reality headsets.
No, me neither. But I am up for trying it
out. The climbing wall at the sports
centre looks more familiar to me, but in
truth this might actually be more physi-
cally challenging.
For a slower pace, head to the Pyrenees.
It is not as internationally glitzy and
smart, which is why presidents and celeb-
rities spend quiet time there. Choose a
resort like Font-Romeu (practically on
the border with Andorra) where you will
find a whole host of things to do. One of
the most fun is 'snowtubing' – sliding
down the snow inside a massive rubber
ring. One the world's best inventions if
January 2024 I French Living
you like to slide but do not like falling
over on ice. You can also have a go at
'biathlon', which involves cross-country
skiing and shooting a rifle. Cross-country
skis only attach at the toes of the boot so
are designed to allow you to lope over the
snow at an elegant pace without actually
skidding anywhere. You do this against
the clock, then attempt to fire an air rifle
at a target (the challenge is that you will
be out of breath) before racing off on
your skis again.
You could also ride on a dog sled, or
even have a go at driving one, and if you
really have energy to burn there is
snow-shoeing, driving a snowmobile
(great fun), mountaineering in the snow,
or having a go on a fat bike. This is a
bicycle with fat tyres designed to go on
snow. Be warned, they pick up enormous
speeds. Experienced riders do not wear
body armour for nothing. Otherwise,
you could go riding, paragliding, hot-air
ballooning, ice diving or hiking.
If the mere thought of all that is
exhausting, you could have a go at throw-
ing pots on a wheel. In Font-Romeu in
the Pyrenees, potter Viviane Vignaud
offers a range of one-off classes and two-
day courses. It is not possible, she warns,
to throw a successful pot on your first
attempt as it takes a lot of practice. But
she has developed other techniques
which allow absolute beginners to go
home with their own creations; a bowl or
a plate. A private 90-minute session starts
at €70 for four people. Contact her on
0781 125085 or poteriefr@gmail.com.
There is also a cinema, a casino and the
world's largest solar furnace. This amaz-
ing gigantic mirrored construction
connexionfrance.com
concentrates light onto a focal point
which reaches temperatures as high as
3,500ºC. This energy can generate elec-
tricity as well as power various industrial
plants. Definitely worthy of being in the
background of your next selfie.
If you live far away from the Alps or the
Pyrenees, head for the Massif Central
where the prices are prettier, the pace is
slower and there is room to breathe. You
could try le snakeglisse, an articulated
train of sledges, or le SNOOC, a cross
between sledging and cross-country ski-
ing. Or go snow-shoeing at night. This is
a fantastic experience because with the
lifts stationary and the crowds happily
après-skiing, it is very quiet. The snow is
lit by flambeaux (like Olympic torches)
making the whole experience feel very
traditional. In Chastreix there are medita-
tion walks in snow shoes, with pauses for
yoga, and in Le Mont-Dore you can enjoy
the Sylvatorium de Capucin, a signposted
winter walk designed to awaken your
senses and increase your appreciation
of trees.
In Super-Besse, the leisure centre Les
Hermines has a fabulous pool and spa
offering sauna, hammam, massages and
other wellness treatments. In Bourboule,
the fun pool Sancy'O has an area reserved
for over-18s with a zen pool, a Jacuzzi, a
cold plunge pool, three saunas, two ham-
mams, and a relaxing space for drinking
herbal tea.
With all this choice on offer, there is
only one option this January. Make for
the mountains, any mountains; they all
have plenty of activities on offer for
people who would rather not tie planks
to their feet.
Winter breaks 3
Photo: Lionel Royet, Alpe d'Huez
Dog days in the Alps
A stork
The Grandeat Odyssée
the centre for
is Europe’s most
breeding
exciting and protection
international dog-sled race. It is
at Parc
staged de l’Orangerie
annually in stretch of
across a vast
Strasbourg
the French Alps, and covers hundreds of
kilometres composed of multiple stages.
This year the race kicks off on January 13
and runs, quite literally, until January 25.
It was co-founded in 2005 by Nicolas
Vanier and Henry Kam, and is now man-
aged by Kam's daughter, Annabel. “We
managed to continue during the pandem-
ic, but obviously without spectators. It
meant we reinforced and improved our
online presence and social media. It was
very different. We had the mountains to
ourselves, there were no tourists, no-one
skiing, no-one cheering the teams on.
On the one hand it was nice because we
could take the routes we wanted and race
at all hours. It was more natural, more in
touch with nature, with the dogs, with the
true sport. It was more intimate, much
more an affair between specialists.
“But we missed the public, the media,
the fun and the party atmosphere. Most
of the dogs also love all the fuss and the
excitement.”
This year the race is expanding from
Savoie and Haute-Savoie to include stages
in Isère as well. It is also taking place over
13 days instead of 12. Around 60 teams
and 600 dogs are expected, along with
100,000 spectators. This year is the 20th
edition of the race, meaning that next
year will be its 20th anniversary. To mark
the occasion the race organisers are pub-
lishing a book of race photographs.
“Because it attracts so many spectators,
La Grande Odyssée has obvious direct
financial benefits for ski resorts. The race
takes place after the Christmas school
holidays and before the spring school
holidays start, so it fills what otherwise
might be a gap in bookings, and the
media coverage is like free advertising. It
is a window for the region. It attracts new
visitors even after the race has finished.”
A bit like the Tour de France, the
Above: 'ski-joëring' Grande Odyssée is accompanied by a
(being pulled on ‘village’ of stands selling all sorts of
skis by a horse) Alpine refreshments (hot wine, melted
in Alpe d'Huez cheese and chocolate are the star turns)
If you cannot make it
to the Grande Odyssé
Odyssée
race in the Alps, try dog
sledding at Font-Romeu
in the Pyrenees
and offering all sorts of winter sports
and games to try, including sledging, ice
carving, dog-sled rides, sleigh rides, and
more. The village is open for 2-3 hours
before each departure. There are fire-
works on the first day of the race.
“Lots of children come, because this
party takes place at the start of every
stage in the race. The stages start at dif-
ferent times, sometimes the morning,
sometimes the afternoon, so we post the
details on the race website so that people
can follow us.”
The Grande Odyssée is a high-level race
demanding extreme physical fitness from
both mushers and their dogs. Preparation
can take years. A musher might have up
to 30 dogs. “It is open to both men and
women, and we don't have separate races
for men and women. Around 30% of
competitors are women.”
Frenchman Rémy Coste has won the
race every year since 2018, which is an
extraordinary achievement. He will not
be competing in 2024, however, which
Annabel says is a good thing in some
ways. “It leaves the field open to others,
and will make it more exciting. There will
be eight nationalities of entrants, and hot
contenders include Sissel Wolf Mølmen
from Norway. She and fellow Norwegian
Hans Lindhal placed 2nd and 3rd respec-
tively last year, so are definitely the ones
to watch.
“But there are very promising teams
from Poland and Spain, too, plus a couple
of Frenchwomen, so it's going to be an
exciting race.” Annabel says that although
entrants are in the race to win, they help
and encourage each other. “They give
each other tips, help out with equipment,
and welcome newcomers to the race.”
Around 60 teams will be competing this
January, and as well as the main race,
there are shorter, three-day events
designed to enable less-experienced
teams to participate. “It is a real chal-
lenge, a test of strength and endurance,
mental and physical. No-one earns a
living from racing sled dogs. Professional
teams earn their money by teaching
people to mush, and taking people on
sled rides.”
The full programme, along with the list
of dates and ski stations, is available on
www.grandeodyssee.com.
Photo: Font-Romeu
4 Rencontre
‘I help people to save time and
money with their grocery shopping’
Théophile Larcher talks to Razika, a social media
influencer with hundreds of thousands of followers
who tune in to watch the videos she makes in
discount supermarkets in search of a good bargain
S
he is France’s most popular shop-
ping influencer, with 348,000
followers on YouTube, 168,000
followers on Instagram, and
108,000 followers on TikTok.
In total she has attracted millions of
views across all social media platforms.
She is also a key player in a new
competitive segment of the influencer
economy, in which social media personal-
ities such as @Elise_cm, @Alicia_tv_ or @
anaissanson_officiel battle for supremacy
over the course of countless videos.
She is called Razika – she declined to
give her surname in order to protect
herself from unwanted harassment –
and lives in Alfortville (Val-de-Marne).
But her devoted followers know her un-
der another name, mes_secrets_de_nana
(My lady secrets).
Razika publishes videos about the trips
she makes down the aisles in some of
France’s most popular discount super-
markets such as Action, Lidl or Aldi.
In her clips she lets shoppers know the
new products and good deals currently
on the shelves.
On October 18 alone, she published
three videos, one from Lidl in Santeny
(Val-de-Marne), one from Action in Serv-
on (Seine-et-Marne), and one from Aldi
in Brie Comte Robert (Seine-et-Marne).
Her passion to sniff out the best
bargains has no fixed schedule, but she
has been known to work seven days a
week and late into the night on some
occasions. Although she has left her
job working at the mairie, and earns a
living from the revenues she makes from
posting her videos, she does not consider
it to be a full-time job. She stressed this
several times during her interview with
The Connexion.
How did Mes secrets de nana start?
In 2018, when I was in an Action super-
market. I have always had a knack for
finding things at discount prices and for
getting good deals, so I often looked out
for them when I went shopping. Based
on countless conversations I’ve had with
people who did not know these brands,
I thought making
videos about them
would be a positive
experience for viewers.
I found it challenging
when I launched on
social media because
of all the questions
people and staff asked
me as I wandered in
the aisles. Staff wanted
to know how allowing
such an activity would
benefit them. But
my community grew
over time.
Why do you do this?
It is my daily life. I do not like to say
that it is work because it is a passion
connexionfrance.com French Living I January 2024
Photos: Mes secrets de nana
actually. I spend my days sharing every-
day products. I help people save time
and money with their grocery shopping,
particularly for arrivages (new products
hitting the shelves).
Was it specifically centred on daily
new products at the beginning?
Not necessarily. It was mostly about
deals on everyday products. But as the
popularity of my videos soared, people
started asking lots of questions, and I got
caught up in it. I started exploring new
themes, including arrivages, and shot
more and more videos. I go to shops even
on Sundays. Lidl receives its new lines on
Sundays, for instance.
You are by far the most popular
grocery-shopping influencer across
all social media platforms. Why do
you think you are so successful?
I think because I was the first one to
explore this idea. Many YouTubers have
shot ‘hauls’ – videos that become very
popular for showing viewers their shop-
ping bags of general items, or make-up
and clothes. But nobody was filming
themselves walking in the aisles to find
those products. My strength is that I can
show and tell what I see, the brands, the
prices, the difference in sizes and colours,
for many products. People are walking
with me – virtually – from their couch
at home. I also think people like that I’m
genuine. I have been doing this for five
years but I have not changed. They hear
the same voice and see the same person
presenting products in exactly the same Above and inset, I went to a Lidl in Nice, and in Cannes origin of products, such as
way. I am like the well-known brands’ Razika, of the while I was on holiday. Even on holi- ‘Made in France’ for instance.
sections, I do not change. YouTube channel day I shoot videos. Have you heard of Have you noticed a return to
Mes secrets people doing this? I do not say that “I price as the main selling point?
You have said that you are neither de nana am working”, I say “I shoot videos”. You People have had less and less money
paid by shop brands nor have can sometimes see me walking down the over the past few years. That is not a new
partnerships to promote their aisles around 9 o’clock at night. Supermar- trend. Some viewers criticised me for
products. Do you think this attitude ket staff know me now, and viewers often highlighting products made in China
has contributed to your success? come to talk to me. It is wonderful. or Morocco. But ultimately consumers
I do not sign partnerships because I wish will think about their budgets before the
to remain free to say what I like. I do not Do you think the success well-being of the producer.
want to let myself be influenced by any- of your videos is in part because Organic products are less affordable
one else, or be told what to say. I do not of rising inflation? than previously. That is something I
know if this explains my success. Well, it really shifted during lockdown have noticed.
“
I think for most people, and again once it was lifted. I have also
whether I’m paid or not noticed that people are more interested in There are more and more discount
doesn’t make a difference to watching videos about saving money on supermarkets coming to France
them. Many think I work for everyday household products when rising (TEDi, Primaprix, Toujust, Atacadão).
these companies. inflation prevents them from filling up Does your success come from people
their trolleys. becoming poorer?
You have chosen to focus I actually attract more views for the No. People are sometimes stigmatised
only on discount retailers Consumers videos I make about clothes or home dec- for being poor because they go to Lidl
such as Action, Lidl and oration items than I do for videos about or Action. This should not be the case. It
Aldi, and only go to those will think food. It is maybe a mistake for me not to should actually be the other way around.
in the Ile-de-France make videos that attract the most views. More people should be going to these
region. Why? about their I really do not do it for fame or money. I supermarkets considering that many have
Because these are my local make videos to help people find the best brands with great low prices.
shops. I have expanded the budgets deals, or to save money if they are on a I do not know where the stigma comes
shops over time to include tight budget. These deals exist for home from. Maybe because in Lidl, for instance,
Carrefour and Leclerc before the decoration and household items as well, there were no brands, and people used to
because I want viewers to find what they but this is not what I’m about. take products straight from the cardboard
are looking for, the products they want wellbeing of boxes. This is how it was when I was
that I might not choose for myself. In the past, supermarkets had a mar- younger, but I believe that this stigma has
I do not just shop around Ile-de-France. the producer keting technique that focused on the now passed.
6 Gardens
Seasonal snowdrops are a perfect
showcase for Open Gardens charity
Sheila Cole, a founder
member of the Open
Gardens scheme, tells
Sarah Beattie about her
beloved snow piercers
T
here can be no more potent
symbol for hope and rebirth
than snowdrops enacting
their French name, perce-
neige (piercing snow), or
pushing their way out of frosty ground.
After the tinsel and lights have been put
away, how pleasing it is to be reminded
by these slender leaves that spring will
come, that winter cannot last forever.
Someone who doesn’t want for these
reminders is Sheila Cole. With over 300
different varieties of snowdrops in her
garden, Sheila could be described as a
galanthophile. The former nurse, and
her husband, Ian, bought their house in
Haute-Vienne (Limousin), some twenty
years ago. There wasn’t really a garden to
speak of – just a south westerly facing
slope with a mass of brambles and nettles
and, importantly, a hawthorn tree.
That tree, gnarled and ancient looking,
remains, giving a more mature air to the
garden. Although the garden stretches to
3,000m2, including two orchards a pond,
a parterre, a potager, a summerhouse and
a pergola-covered dining terrace, it’s
the 40 x 40m ornamental garden that
exists simply to give a home to Sheila’s
collecting, with a third devoted to her
beloved snowdrops.
She says she always describes herself
as a plantswoman, she is not a garden
designer. Gardening is in her DNA
though – her mother was a keen gardener
and her sister opens her Kent gardens
regularly under the National Gardens
Scheme (The Yellow Book as the guide
is known). Her right hand man, Ian, as
Sheila calls him, makes compost and leaf
mould to enrich and thickly mulch their
sandy free draining soil.
Sheila plants her snowdrops in aquatic
baskets so they can more easily be lifted,
divided, and kept separate, each precious
variety from another, although she admits
they can be shockingly promiscuous.
“They’re really not that fussy,” she says,
“they’ll grow in most soil but they’ll rot
in wet, heavy clay”.
In my own winter-waterlogged Gascon
clay plot, the only place a snowdrop
grows is in a crack in concrete. When I
tell her, Sheila laughs and says she found
one happily coming up in a bark path
connexionfrance.com
with no soil at all. She dispels the myth Above and left:
that snowdrops need to grow in wood- among the many
land. Native to Europe and the Middle snowdrops in
East, snowdrops are found wild from the Sheila’s collection
Pyrenees right through to the Caucasus are Wendy’s Gold
and Iran, as far south as Sicily and their and Walrus Clump;
northerly limit stretches above the 56th below: Sheila exam-
parallel in Russia. Snowdrops have been ining some winter
cultivated for centuries and there are beauties in her
many garden escapees. Haute-Vienne garden
Sheila’s first snowdrops appear in
December – appropriately she always
sees snowdrop Three Ships arrive on
Christmas Day but it is not usually until
February that she holds her Open Days.
As openings are weather dependent, visi-
tors must check on the website before set-
ting out (further details below). Sheila is
happy to welcome people by appointment
too and she would love to find other
snowdrop fanciers willing to do swaps.
There are some 20,000 varieties so there
are still gaps in her collection. When
pressed to tell me her favourite snow-
drops, she was reluctant – “how impossi-
ble!” – but the old varieties, snowdrop S.
Arnott, with its fabulous perfume, and
snowdrop Benhall Beauty, with its elegant
stateliness, were mentioned. Sheila has
modern coloured snowdrops in green
and yellow. She loves her spring garden
with the red noses of the peonies forcing
through, the nodding aquilegia and espe-
cially the dainty epimediums.
She urged me to look up Beesia, a low
growing plant with a gorgeous leaf which
French Living I January 2024
Photos © Ian Cole
makes lovely dark leathery ground cover
mounds. Like heucheras and tirellas, it
has thread-like wands with tiny white
fairy flowers, like cartoon magic sparkle.
Sheila is not keen on summer, the snow-
drop beds are covered with mulch and
then a handful of annual poppy seed is
scattered on top for a big splash of colour.
Autumn revives her interest and she revels
in asters and salvia jamensis (the florifer-
ous hardy bush type salvias) particularly.
And then it won’t be long before the first
of the snowdrops will be through and
Sheila’s garden will light up again.
Sheila became a founder member of
Association Open Gardens/Jardins
Ouverts following a meeting of the gar-
dening club in La Souterraine (Creuse)
in January 2014. A decade later the
organisation has increased the number
of gardens opening from 15 to 50 and
they open, not just in June as previously,
but all year round depending on the
special interests of the gardeners.
Sheila would like to inspire others to
open their gardens. She takes such pleas-
ure in meeting all her visitors and says she
learns so much from them too. The asso-
ciation has now raised over €150,000 for
seriously ill and disabled children’s chari-
ties. Last year Sheila and Ian were respon-
sible for €1,000 of that – not only do they
open their garden but they are happy to
travel to gardening clubs around France
to give talks and to sell snowdrops. Send
enquiries to ian.cole@snowdrops87.com
IF YOU might consider opening your gar-
den, go to the Open Gardens website and
make contact. Sheila pays tribute to the
association’s support team who help to
promote the openings and events, and
deal with the boring but useful stuff, like
insurance and administration.
When she was first accepted, Sheila
remembers worrying that her garden
wasn’t good enough, fretting about all
sorts of unlikely possibilities. The associa-
tion are used to gardeners being unconfi-
dent or overmodest. They encourage peo-
ple to get involved at whatever level they
feel comfortable with. They’d like garden
co-ordinators all over France to support
garden openers, to find new gardens to
add to the roster, to make links with other
garden groups.
If you don’t want to open your own gar-
den, there are all sorts of ways, beyond
just becoming a member, in which you
can help. Most, but not all, Open Gardens
do teas, so baking and serving, raising
plants for sale or just helping on the gate
are all invaluable roles. Such sales raise
about 30% of the total in any year.
You can also support the association by
becoming a member. For just €15 a year
you can visit any (as many as you like) of
the open gardens for no further payment.
It is important to stress this as some visi-
tors have been confused. You can join at
the gate of the first garden you visit or you
can sign up online (there is a €1 adminis-
tration charge to cover the external trans-
action costs).
For more information and to explore
the gardens to visit, please visit the
website www.opengardens.eu
 January 2024 I French Living
Garden digest
Pergolas: form and function
With France’s official winter sales period
upon us (Wednesday January 10 at 08:00
to Tuesday February 6), now is the time
to snap up a longed-for garden feature
or furniture set at a bargain price.
A pergola (from the Latin pergula, refer-
ring to a projecting eave) can lend shade
and host attractive climbing greenery or
flower colour to either a seated area (ie.
terrace) or walkway. There are plenty
of styles (wood or rust-resistant steel)
and prices to choose from in all leading
French garden centres.
Always carefully consider measurements
before buying, and well as any effect your
new-found shaded area may have upon
your neighbours!
Pergola pictured above: the Mandala
CAR25 by Louis Moulin is made from
steel tubing and is resistant to frost and
UV rays. €239 from Truffaut.
A treat from twitchers
Bird lovers keen to help out feathered
friends during the freezing cold months
can add tasty treats to shop-bought boules
de graisses (fat balls).
Simply melt the fat over a low heat in a
pan and stir in some seeds, wheat, hazel-
nuts, peanuts and raisins, before pouring
into a yogurt pot or a soft silicone mould.
For the love of lemons
Riviera town Menton goes citrus mad
next month, with its annual Fête du
Citron. (February 17 to March 3,
www.fete-du-citron.com) expected to
welcome upwards of 200,000 visitors.
Indulge your own love for lemons by
growing a citronnier (lemon tree). Yes,
you can sow from seed but expect to wait
10 years for fruit although it is better to
buy in a pot then plant into a container
with a mixture of special citrus potting
soil (70%), garden soil (20%) and sand
(10%), then re-pot every couple of years.
Photo: Hans from Pixabay
connexionfrance.com
Photo: Louis Moulin
Main image, some of
Sarah’s lusted-after
lupins; inset: divisions
ready for planting
Main image: Jacques Gaimard from Pixabay; inset, Sarah Beattie
Gardening resolutions for 2024
Sarah Beattie on key jobs for January and inspiration for the coming year
French garden diary
J
anuary is a time for reflection
Insta-jardins and resolve and, happily, in the gar-
Instagram is a brilliant den, this couldn’t come at a better
place to enjoy other moment. While much of the garden
people’s gardens in sleeps and is more subdued, you it’s good to reflect on the failures of the
France, with everyone have the time to pause, to plot and to
from visitors to chambre plan. If it’s not too cold, if the soil is not
d’hôtes owners posting frozen, you can dig up and divide peren-
seasonal snaps and quirky nial plants.
updates from their gar- If you are a novice gardener, don’t be
dens (users can search us- intimidated by this advice and be thrilled
ing the hashtag #jardins, by the idea of more plants for free! Big
#monjardin, #jardinage clumps of day lilies (hemerocallis) are
or #potager). easy: get a fork underneath them all the
Browsing potager way around to loosen the soil, then dig
posters can expand one’s them out and stand the root ball on the
growing repertoire – ground. If the roots are not too congest-
we had never seen this ed, you can pull clumps apart. However,
kiwano (horned melon) if it’s one big solid mass and separating by
and Chayote fruit before hand is never going to happen, plunge
spotting them in the your fork, from the top, into the centre
récolte (harvest) basket of the roots.
of couleurs_au_potager Using a second fork (or spade if you
don’t have a second fork), push it into
the roots, back to back with the first fork.
Then, pulling the two handles away from
each other, split the root ball. Depending
on the size of the clump, you can subdi-
vide the halves. Dig over the space where
the plant was, adding garden compost
and some well-rotted manure to beef up
the bed and replant some or all of your
divisions – space them apart and plant to
the same depth as previously.
Think about how you want your bed to
look – whether you want an enormous
mass of lilies in one spot or whether you
want to create a long continuous edge or
a repeating rhythm. This method works
for a great many perennials. Small clumps
of very fibrous rooted plants can be cut
with an old bread knife. Some herbaceous
plants, as they age, die off in the middle.
You end up with a ring effect, with a bare
earth centre, instead of a pleasing mound.
Pinks, thymes, coreopsis and the Cape
daisies formerly known as osteospermum
are particularly susceptible. Dig up the
entire plant. It should be easy to pull into
separate smaller plants, each with roots.
Pot some up, water and keep in a relative-
ly sheltered spot. Improve the border soil
as before and replant the rest. Keep some
potted plants to place elsewhere and swap
some for something different with a
friend or neighbour.
WHILE surveying your January garden,
past year. In gardening, we can learn
from our mistakes. Sometimes we repeat
them. Occasionally we are serial offend-
ers. I really should stop trying to grow
lupins and delphiniums. They do not
survive in my garden. I have tried from
seed, from bareroots, from plugs and
even by investing in an expensive 3-litre
pot grown plant. I have created microcli-
mates, dug deep and enriched the soil,
created slug barriers of copper, crushed
shell, wool, sand and coffee but all have
failed. I should resolve to give up.
However, I crave those majestic spires
of rich colour and every year, somehow,
I weaken, and buy another, trying
it in a different spot. I have
discovered inky blue annual
lupins can thrive here and
larkspur, although fickle,
might give me a decent
show.
Resolving to get on top
of the weeding is another
fervent wish. Dealing with
deep rooted perennial weeds
now will save you hours of
work in spring. If you have couch
grass, convolvulous or cinquefeuille, now
“
Dealing with deep
rooted perennial
weeds now will
save you hours
of work in spring
Gardening 7
is the time – get a thick kneeling pad and
a small fork as well as your border fork.
Loosen the soil with the big fork all
around your plants and pull up the
weeds. If any perennials have weeds
through them, dig the clumps out and try
to remove all the offending roots. Be as
scrupulous as you can, get up close and
personal with the small fork to remove
any trace.
My nemesis, cinquefeuille, is the worst
culprit with a long, easily broken dark
brown taproot and the ability to send up
to 15 strawberry-like runners from each
plant. It can easily overrun a bed.
If you mulch well, after replanting your
perennials, you can smother annual weed
seeds too – the only snag is that you
might also prevent wanted self-seeders
such as cosmos or antirrhinum.
If you are pruning long whippy shoots
from any shrubs or trees, use them to
make a protective dome over herbaceous
peonies. Push both ends of the branches
into the soil all around the peonies,
arching over the centre. The new
peony leaves will push up
between and hide the support
and the flower heads will
be less likely to flop onto
the ground.
USE THE winter to look
at the shape and flow of your
garden. Re-cut edges of bor-
ders: I continually extend mine to
get more space for flowers. When I first
started, creating flowerbeds in solid clay
was such hard physical work, I wept in
frustration at one point. I managed a
border a spade’s width down the drive –
it’s now a metre wide and years of mulch-
ing has made the soil workable.
Remember as you start a new gardening
year that things take time, you’re not on
a makeover show and, unless you are
extremely fortunate, your time and
resources are finite. Your garden is there
to give you pleasure. Enjoy creating your
paradise, however that looks.
Readers with a gardening query or a col-
umn topic suggestion for Sarah can send
an email to: editor@connexionfrance.com
8 Interview connexionfrance.com French Living I January 2024

‘I wanted to

Photos: left and right, Bruno Lavit; inset, Cédric Sapin-Defour

show that his
death was
not the end’
Théophile Larcher speaks to Cédric Sapin-Defour,
the author of the surprise bestseller everyone is
talking about, which describes in lyrical language
the relationship between him and his dog, Ubac

C
édric Sapin-Defour was the
unexpected French literary
sensation of 2023.
Released on March 29,
2023 in relative anonymity,
his book, Son odeur après la pluie (his
smell after the rain) sold 160,000 copies
in eight months, won animal charity 30
millions d’amis literary prize (known as
the ‘Goncourt des animaux’) and was
selected for another; a success that forced
publishers Stock to reprint it 19 times.
The book tells the intimate 13-year rela-
tionship between him and Ubac, his
Bernese mountain dog, who died in 2017.
The author’s style makes the most of the
beautiful, poetic nature of the French lan-
guage in sentences heavy with meaning.
“When I meet readers, many tell me
‘you’ve put my story into words’,” he told
The Connexion, still amazed at the nation-
wide success and by the intimacy of the
stories readers share with him. After the
sports teacher and mountaineer had writ-
ten six books on mountaineering, it seems
that his tale about Ubac hit a nerve.
In his book, Mr Sapin-Defour struck
a chord with French people for having
avoided clichés and elevated the human-
pet relationship by exploring love, broth-
erhood and camaraderie.
Son odeur après la pluie is to be translat-
ed into many languages for release in
2024, including English, and The
Connexion wonders how translators will
climb this seemingly impossible moun-
tain. We gave it a try (see box, right).
Why this title for the book?
These were the first words I scrib-
bled on a sheet of paper before
I started writing the book.
Each conveys three essen-
tial ideas of existence.
Rain, because it sug-
deserted over the years.
His because it suggests we will be talking
about the life of a species, with all its origi-
nality and singularity. I am often told that
the title is a reference to the smell that any
non-dog owner hates the most but…
This is what my sister, a dog owner,
told me. She found your title very
powerful because of the sense of
emotional attachment it conveys. Yes,
the smell of a dog after rain has a par-
ticularly strong odour, but it is its own.
And over time, you come to love it.
The company of an animal, particularly a
dog, where there is so much affection, is a
permanent presence, particularly with its
smell, the sound of its claws on the par-
quet floor. There is such a void, such an
unfathomable void when it is not there.
The dog’s smell persists, then fades away
slowly, but there is this trace, like an
olfactory comet tail. It can be a balm or
an intense pain when the animal is no
longer around.
But maybe the smell is also an illustra-
tion of the lack of understanding between
the two worlds. Some even like the smell
of a wet dog. I have always compared it to
salted caramel, whereas others perceive it Above, Cédric Sapin- Dogs are a different species, let us not fool Does your book fill a void in the media,
as something disgusting. Defour, and inset, ourselves about that. What is fascinating is politics and law with how society
Ubac the dog the mysterious relationship we have. should treat animals, to show us a
What is the book about? The media If life is all about surrounding ourselves new way to look at the animal world?
have put an emphasis on mourning with things that allow us to live very easi- I think there are two possible traps when
a pet, but I think it is more than this. ly and mechanically, with the absolute writing about the relationship between
I am very happy you brought that up certainty of what we face – and by that I animals and humans. Anthropomorphism
because I have noticed that emphasis too. mean humans – I find that very uninter- (the attribution of human characteristics
Of course, it is one aspect, but it is more esting. Living with a dog is about build- to an animal) and misanthropy (a dislike
about the celebration of life and a joyful ing some sort of mutual comprehension or distrust of people).
testimony of our shared moments, without speaking the same language. I have found myself befuddled at authors
of a shared life. Grieving for As for a friend or a comrade, I claim writing about this relationship, because
an animal is a hot topic responsibility for love and friendship in many feel an obligation to express mis-
right now and the book our relationship. trust or disdain towards human beings
is often mentioned What I know is that I have always avoid- who love animals, because to do otherwise
during such debates. ed terms like owner or master even if, would show disdain for humans. I do

gests the exterior
world, the fresh air,
the elements, and
where I live and grew
up. I wanted readers
to know that we were
about to spend a lot of
time outside.
Smell because the company
of a dog expands our senses. An
animal has a range of sensors far superior
to ours. I wanted here to suggest that the
book will be talking about frictions, two
beings, two species that will be attentive,
available and receptive to what surrounds
us, a sense that I think humans have
But I chose to give
myself a period of
time after his death
before starting the
book because I did
not want death to over-
whelm its content.
I wanted to show that his
death was not the end and
that readers should remember
that life always wins over in the end.
What role did Ubac have in
your life? Was he a comrade?
A friend? Or simply a dog?
He was a dog, first and foremost.
“
during his lifetime, I determined many
of the choices in our relationship.
What do readers tell you about your
book? What has stuck with you?
The universality of its reception. The
more you dive into intimacy, the greater
Beyond Ubac the power for sharing that intimacy.
Behind Ubac lies what love represents to
(the dog), each and every one of my readers, some-
thing that is sometimes not a dog. I am
the hero genuinely marked by the people who talk
to me about their love, and the vast array
of the book of living things and inanimate objects
embodying that love. Apart from Ubac,
is love the hero of the book is love.
not see why loving animals means we are
devaluing our peers. I do not like that ani-
mals are referred to using the vocabulary
of cuteness or the words we use for sweet,
small things. Maybe my rejection of this
caught the attention of readers.
Beyond the world of animals, you
are also a sports teacher and a moun-
tain climber. Isn’t this book question-
ing our relationship with nature?
Precisely, completely, definitely. My previ-
ous books were about that very issue,
questioning our pretension to feel superi-
or to it. The relationship between Ubac
and myself is one that happened in nature
January 2024 I French Living
and I am convinced that that relationship
differs from one built in an urban area.
In nature, an animal is considerably more
equipped than humans, or even mountain
climbers who present themselves as
‘experts’. The presence of animals in
my life forced me to confront this.
Some of our readers will have to
wait for the English version to be
able to understand its beautiful
complexity in French. Is it a book
about a man in love?
Oh yes! In love with life and the species
around me. In love with words, also. I fell
in love with writing and how precise words
can be through my students, when I real-
ised how vulnerable they were if they felt
they did not master words.
And being French, your book reminded
me of a saying about the French lan-
guage being the ‘language of love
and music.’ How good do you think
the English translation will be?
Unfortunately I am very bad at other lan-
guages. It is a great shame because I am
curious to know where the French lan-
guage ranks among the ‘languages of love’.
What is its ability to express nuances,
precision, the smell of perfumes, does it
have more tools in the toolbox than other
languages? I do not know.
What can I say? I do not – absolutely not
Cédric with his dogs
in the mountains
where he lives
An English translation...
A
head of the official release
of Son odeur après la pluie
in English, The Connexion
made an attempt at
translating Mr Sapin-
Defour’s writing style, praised by readers
and critics alike, and often described as
being immensely poetic.
The following excerpt is taken from
page 116:
‘C’est une décision. Lorsqu’il entre dans
une pièce, il ressent sans délai si l’humeur
est à l’accord ou au malaise, je crois
d’ailleurs qu’il la mesure, quelque chose
dans l’air lui énonce et par quel je ne sais
quel tour de passe-passe, il en régule la
teneur pour en faire une plénitude, sa
seule présence est un bienfait, il avale
toutes les biles et par d’invisibles fanons les
filtre en allégresse, j’espère qu’aucune saleté
ne reste en lui ; ceux ne comprenant rien
au chien, surpris d’aller bien, doivent se
connexionfrance.com
– realise how easy or difficult it is to
translate. You imply that it is the latter...
I am not saying it is impossible. There
are professional translators out there
who will do a terrific job, but I am just
curious to see how they will retain the
the power of your French version.
Yes, especially considering that it is a
requirement and something to be vigilant
about, but which is ultimately in vain.
I would not be capable of reading a trans-
lation, whether English or Italian. I will
have to trust the translators they choose.
My publisher has raised the same point
as you. They do not want to ‘betray’ my
style, and they will end up choosing
whoever is the closest to it. We’re lucky
because we can choose the publishing
houses we want to work with.
One last question: what is your
opinion of French expressions
about dogs, such as avoir un
mal de chien (to be sick as a dog)?
I have an allergic reaction when dogs are
associated with negative meanings. For
example when people protest about being
treated like a dog (ça va, je ne suis pas un
chien) I often point out that I do not see
why being a dog would allow unfavourable
treatment. We hurt dogs just as much
when we deify them as when we reify
them [meaning to treat them as an object].
demander ce qui subitement se dénoue
dans leur vie.’
Five members of The Connexion team
– both French and British – submitted
their translations and we chose sub-editor
Sarah Henshaw’s version, which captured
most closely the intensity and emotion of
Mr Sapin-Defour’s words.
She said she spent most of a morning
perfecting it.
‘It’s a judgement call. When he enters
a room, he immediately senses whether
the mood is one of ease or discomfort. I
believe he weighs it up. Something in the
air tells him and, as if by magic, he recali-
brates the atmosphere to make it better.
His mere presence is a blessing. He swal-
lows all the rancour and, as if filtering
it through an invisible gill, releases joy.
I hope it doesn’t taint him. Those who
aren’t used to dogs, surprised to be
feeling suddenly so much better, must
wonder what has imperceptibly loosened
in their life.’
The official release date of the English
translation is not yet known.
Cross-Channel cargo sails
towards greener future
Green news
France-UK eco shipping route
Sailboats could return to cross-Channel
freight routes in 2024, following the suc-
cess of commercial Atlantic crossings.
The firm behind the idea, Brittany-based
Grain de Sail, has been taking French
wines to New York on a specially designed
cargo sailboat since 2020, and importing
cocoa and coffee from Central America
and the Caribbean on the return leg.
With the launch of a new 52-metre boat
on the Atlantic route, it plans to deploy its
older, smaller vessel in Europe, with a
cross-Channel route likely to be first.
“We had an inaugural customer all lined
up for an early start in December, but
unfortunately they pulled out,” said
marketing director Stefan Gallard.
“The timing is a bit unfortunate because
bulk freight rates are now lower than they
have been for years, but we are determined
to push on,” he added. “Our trans-Atlantic
route shows there is a place for small,
wind-powered cargo boats which deliver
goods with a very small carbon footprint,
but essentially for European routes we are
starting from scratch.”
Grain de Sail is considering a weekly
service between Saint-Malo, where its
shipping operations are based, and
Southampton. The crossing time will
depend on the weather, but is unlikely to
be longer than a day. The boat will take 24
hours to unload and load, before returning
to France with a maximum of 26 pallets in
its hold and a crew of three.
Doing good in Dordogne
Dordogne association ARTEEC achieves a
commendable do-good double, combining
eco-responsible recycling activity along-
side ‘social insertion’ and job training for
the unemployed. “We have helped 80 peo-
ple to resume their day-to-day activities, to
build a professional project, to regain their
self-confidence and to find a sustainable
path in which they can flourish,” says a
company statement.
The association, based in Marsac-sur-
l’Isle, sorts flexible plastic – which can be
reprocessed and turned into bin bags – as
well as cardboard and polystyrene recy-
cling. It also runs a ‘ressourcerie’ – a work-
shop with themes such as thrift shops and
book and music libraries. Its aim is to
develop a second-hand consumption
model by reselling unwanted objects.
For further information, including how
to become a volunteer or employee, please
Green news 9
visit their website (French only):
www.arteec.org or call 05 53 46 65 46.
Low-carbon, high-efficiency deliveries
A forward-thinking Nice (Alpes-
Maritimes) logistics company has re-
imagined its urban delivery process from
receipt to destination, in order to reduce
its CO2 emissions. The move also allevi-
ates city centre congestion.
Transcan receives parcels at a warehouse
before grouping them into ‘quartiers’
(neighbourhoods); they are then trans-
ported by electric truck to smaller distri-
bution hubs in the city. Finally the parcels
are delivered by electric ‘cargo’ bikes to
the customer.
“We had the idea of grouping all parcels
in a single vehicle to deliver to the destina-
tion customer as well as to the destination
district,” Franck Cannata, manager of the
transport group, told France 2.
The firm’s streamlined process means
that just four full Renault Electric E-Tech
trucks replace 100 smaller diesel ones, cov-
ering just 100km per day instead of 8,000.
Forty cargo bike riders then complete the
delivery chain.
“
Just because these
games are going to
be held at existing
venues doesn’t mean
they will be sustainable
Winter Olympics get the cold shoulder
Not everyone is thrilled about the
International Olympic Committee’s
decision to support France’s bid to host
the 2030 winter games in the Alps, with
opponents decrying the cost, and the
environmental impact of competitor
travel and artificial snow use.
Fabienne Grebert, chairwoman of the
Ecologists group in Auvergne-Rhône-
Alpes, said: “It’s a scandal to decide to
spend public money without the public’s
consent. And let’s not kid ourselves: just
because these games are going to be held
at existing venues doesn’t mean they will
be sustainable. It’s a financial scandal,
a democratic scandal and an environ-
mental scandal.”
10 Nature
Housekeeping for the housekeepers
Jonathan Kemp explores
some vulture culture in
his latest Gard missive
T
he time of writing, mid-
autumn, is the time when the
vulture team has to do some
housekeeping. Not in our
kitchens, but around the nest
sites of the French vultures. We would, no
doubt, all be divorced if we only cleaned
our kitchens once a year.
The Egyptian vultures (Vautour perc-
noptère) have all left on migration to
Africa about mid-September, and there
is a short window before the Bearded
vultures (gypaète barbu) start bonding
back together. Even the Griffons (Vautour
fauve) are beginning to show interest in
nesting sites, even though they are not
going to actually start mating and laying
until early springtime. For the non-nest-
ing (in the Aude) black vulture (Vautour
moine), there is work to be done – but I
will come to that later.
So to start with the gypas, as we call
them. They will choose a territory, refur-
bish the nest, repeatedly mate and then
lay the egg. One year a pair laid an egg
even in November, but that was unusually
precocious. More often they start sitting
in January. You might ask how it can be
known that the egg has been laid; by
careful watching and being familiar with
body position and behaviour, someone
well practised can pin it down. There is
also the fact that if all is well the egg will
not be left unwarmed by a parent’s body
for long.
Thus I found myself in October guiding
a climber, Laurent, towards a gypa cavity
that was occupied at the beginning of
the year, but abandoned with no hatch
(I could see the nest but to him it was
invisible). The male bird, Corbières, easi-
ly recognisable by a permanent loss of
primary flight feathers on his left wing,
has been present in the area for six years,
and only recently has been joined by a
female. We all thought that he deserved
to be rewarded for his patience.
When I was setting up below, Corbières
flew across the valley, perched in a tree
for five minutes, before circling gently
upwards until too high to follow, even
Protecting bats on the Garonne, a fine feeding place for the only mammals that can fly
Samantha David
B
ats are the only mammals
which can fly. They use
all kinds of landmarks
to travel across large
areas, hunting for food at
night. Most species have a territory
with a radius of around 40kms but
some fly hundreds of kilometres
a night.
The Garonne river, running through
Toulouse, is one example. It is a posi-
tive motorway for bats, says Mannue
Jacquot, the mammal specialist at
Natureo, an association which pro-
tects the environment in Occitanie.
“They also use features like hedges,
lakes and large areas of forest as land-
marks,” she says. “But the Garonne
isn’t only a landmark, the air above it
connexionfrance.com
Vulture Corbières
Florian the climber
‘contemplating’ his climb
with a telescope (at least, my neck
couldn’t take much more vertical sky-
gazing) – and I lost him.
This was good – the birds need to be
reassured that their chosen site is secure
from both avian and human intrusion.
At certain crucial times of the nesting
timetable, disturbance will lead them
to abandon a site.
This year the egg was abandoned, so
we wanted to know why and laboratory
analysis would show whether there was
poisoning from lead deposit, or other
factors. Sadly, when Laurent arrived and
searched there was no egg nor even frag-
ments of shell. There were hardly any
food leftovers either, the ubiquitous
is full of flying insects. So it’s a great
feeding place, a canteen for bats.”
She says bats can see but as
nocturnal animals, have well-devel-
oped hearing which enables them
to fly very fast and very accurately.
“We have equipment which allows
us to observe them in the dusk, using
sound waves to identify where they
are and how they are moving.”
She says bats remain within their
territory but are very happy to share,
they are not aggressive towards each
other. They return to the same resting
places every morning, although they
often have different bases in winter
and summer. Some of them migrate
during the shoulder seasons, moving
south in spring. “They love places
which have stable temperatures like
caves, tunnels, basements and cellars
where they can rest undisturbed. They
are also commonly found in WW2
bunkers, and chateaux.”
Females and their young live in col-
Photo: Bastien Bruno
Bearded Vulture
coprolite
“
The birds
need to be
reassured
that their
chosen site
is secure
onies. Bats give birth to a single baby
which they suckle for a month, until
the baby can fly. “The young start
going out hunting at around 2 months
old. “There are no couples, and no
nests. Female bats give birth wherever
they happen to be, and newborns can
immediately hang on to a perch,
upside down.”
Some people are frightened of bats,
but they are not aggressive, and do
not attack humans. “They do not even
fight each other. They just want to live
their lives. They do not come into the
house and do not carry diseases. If
you trap one or pick one up, they
could bite in self-defence, but all the
native species of bats in France are
very small.”
It is important to note that all bats
and their habitats are legally protected
in France. It is completely illegal to
disturb them, chase them, remove
their resting places, discourage them,
frighten them, or destroy their habi-
French Living I January 2024
ravens (fr. Grand Corbeau) having no
doubt pillaged the site and cleared it all
away. At least that made the visit less
smelly for Laurent. There was an interest-
ing pile of Bearded vulture poo – copro-
lites – full of calcium phosphate from the
bones they devour and which resemble
pieces of chalk. There was also some
sheep’s wool, which the vultures had
gleaned to cradle their precious egg.
A member of the team, Matthieu, went The chick with the ring
to the nest site of a pair of percnos located we put on a day or so before
in the same valley. A camera trap had
been left in the cavity during the ringing ting up the fence. Job done, the circling
of the chick, and he went down to vultures were left in peace.
retrieve it. As to the ‘moines’, there is a big project;
The idea had been to allow the ring which has been many years in the plan-
on the parent’s leg to be read. Alas, just ning. The idea is to build an enclosure
after the ringing the big clumsy chick had for a pair of zoo-recovered moines; create
knocked it over, so it was pointing at the a nest for them and encourage nesting
ground. The few shots that were taken behaviour. They cannot fly and are sterile
gave some insight into how it spent its so will not escape, or produce a young.
time between feeds: pecking around the All this will be visible from above, and
rocky floor, and then being very noisy the hope is that other passing moines,
when the adults came to give it food. It being colony nesters, will spot this and
was never possible to read the ring of be attracted; there will be artificial nests
the adult. constructed in the trees located nearby.
Next on the list was a visit to a fauve It is a method that has worked in Spain.
colony, where a rope had appeared. The work has started. Just as a teaser
Nobody knew who had put the rope (see below), fancy footwork is needed to
there, or why. The Office Français de haul the materials necessary to the remote
Biodiversité was contacted to request site. Anna Terras of the LPO looks
permission to remove the rope, and delighted... I remember going for donkey
agreement was obtained. Two of us rides at Weston-super-Mare and probably
went at the end of the afternoon and felt the same...
after scrambling through the brush at the
top of the cliff we found the rope, which,
it turned out, was attached to another.
Perhaps someone wanted to lower a
camera into the colony; in any case it
was cut clear in the hope that this would
dissuade whoever put it there that there
was no future in the plan. Fortunately,
whilst we were there none of the resident
vultures appeared.
A similar operation was put into place
for the largest fauve colony to be found
in the Aude. A camera had been posi-
tioned (by us) and needed to be
retrieved, and a climber was contacted.
We also wanted to put up a fence to pre-
vent the feral goats that live there from
jumping down on to the nesting ledge
and trampling on the eggs or the vulner-
able chicks. More scrambling through
forest, a slightly hazardous approach to
the top of a cliff, and then Paul set to put- Anna Terras of the LPO helping out
Photo: Laurent Arthur
Grande Noctule
tat. “There are around 35 species flying insects.”
living in Metropolitan France and If you ever find a bat, advice is avail-
they are good for humans because able (in French) at www.sfepm.org/sos-
they eat mosquitoes and many other chauves-souris.html
 January 2024 I French Living connexionfrance.com Cultural digest/Trending 11
Book prize, Posy and Perrier

A round up of the arts and culture stories creating a buzz in France
1. Italian tale claims top literary prize
Among the French literary highlights
of the year is the awarding of the Prix
Goncourt, former winners of which
include Marcel Proust and Simone de
Beauvoir. Deemed the most important
literary award in France, it is selected by
the 10-strong Goncourt academy and
Main image: Gerd Altmann from Pixabay; inset: Aya Nakamura Facebook
Made-up words are a real
trend for the TikTok genera-
tion; below: Aya Nakamura,
the most listened-to artist
3. Posy at the Pompidou in the francophone world
The Bibliothèque publique d’information
(BPI) – the vast public library at the
Centre Pompidou in Paris – is holding
a wide-ranging exhibition dedicated to
British comic book author and press
cartoonist Posy Simmonds.
Developed in close collaboration with
the author, it brings together

1
Main image: Editions Iconoclaste

nearly 130 original pieces by the

then handed out (as it has been since
1914) at a lunchtime ceremony at the
Paris restaurant Drouant. There is a
token €10 cash prize but the real reward
is huge publicity for the book and subse-
quent huge book sales.
It is given to the author of “the best and
most imaginative prose work of the year”
caustic satirist, with previously
unpublished drawings, sketches,
notebooks commented on by the
artist, and film extracts.
Simmonds’ three most celebrat-
ed humorous works are inspired
by (and reworkings of) classic
novels: 1999’s Gemma Bovery
(Madame Bovary), 2007’s Tamara
Drewe (Far from the Madding
Crowd) and 2018’s Cassandra
Darke (A Christmas Carol).
Posy Simmonds: Dessiner la
littérature (Posy Simmonds,
Talking gibberish: a marketing
Drawing literature), runs until
April 1; see www.centrepompidou.fr/en. ploy seducing the French youth
4. A spring in your step
Looking for a refreshing museum visit? The growing trend for making up nonsense words may frustrate the
After being closed for two years during older French generation but it has young fans, says Théophile Larcher
Covid, the Perrier museum in Vergèze
(Gard) reopened last summer featuring
an upgraded visitor experience.
#trending

Y
and the 2023 prize went to Veiller sur elle Enjoy a guided tour of the spring from
(Watch Over Her) by screenwriter and
Image: Posy Simmonds

novelist Jean-Baptiste Andrea, which
jury member Philippe Claudel said has
broad appeal. “It’s high-quality popular
literature,” he said of the romantic tale
of a gifted sculptor, set against the rise
of fascism during Italy’s inter-war years,
right up to the 1980s.
2. Saint-Malo wartime drama
Based on the 2014 novel by American
author Anthony Doerr that won the
Pulitzer Prize for fiction, All the Light We
Cannot See is now a big-budget series on
Netflix. The story revolves around two
main young characters whose paths cross
in 1944 Saint-Malo, which was under-
siege: a blind French girl, Marie-Laure
(played by Aria Mia Loberti) has taken
refuge in her great-uncle’s house – and
Werner Pfennig, a German boy forced
to join and fight for the Nazi regime.
She is sending coded message to Allies
via the radio waves and he is tasked with
tracking her Resistance communications.
Written by Peaky Blinders creator
Steven Knight, much of it was filmed
in the coastal port in Ille-et-Vilaine
(Brittany), as well as Villefranche-de-
Rouergue (Aveyron) and Budapest.
Mark Ruffalo and Hugh Laurie co-star
in a diverting, if sentimental, melodrama.
4 comic duo Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele,
3
ounger generations use more and more
made-up words from trends on social
media or rap songs, often leaving older
generations who denounce their silliness
or stupidity befuddled.
The best example is quoicoubeh, a made-up word
shouted by students from Generation Z (people born
after 1995) that has taken most of France’s classrooms
and playgrounds by storm in 2023.
It was popularised by TikToker @camskolavache in
late 2022. It consists of asking someone a question by
mumbling words to make it incomprehensible, forc-
ing the person being asked to say ‘quoi’ (what?)
before replying back quoicoubeh.
It is only a newer version of a joke past generations
did with coiffeur (hairdresser) with the person saying
‘quoi’ before replying back ‘ffeur’, the only difference
being that quoicoubeh does not mean anything.
Quoicoubeh has been interpreted as both a joke to
whence the naturally carbonated water poke fun but also as a way to defy teachers, parents
flows, as well as the building’s splendid and authority figures – going right up to the Elysée
parkland, before exploring the brand’s Palace since YouTuber Fililala did it to President
long history of innovative advertising Emmanuel Macron.
campaigns and branding. The gag has also thrown up other words such as
The famous green bottle, first created apanyae, the word shouted after someone says ‘hein’?
by wealthy Brit St John Harmsworth, (eh? or what?).
who visited the spring in 1903 and While quoicoubeh has not been listed in any French
decided to bottle it up, is now available dictionary yet, ‘made-up words’ can make their way
in a special limited edition design creat- to dictionaries – such as for ‘nooice’ which was
ed by by Philippe Stark (inset, below). included in Urban dictionary, a crowdsourced
www.perrier.com/fr/visitezlemusee English-language online dictionary for slang words
and phrases.
‘Nooice’ was popularised by popular American
known under the stage name Key and Peele.
“Nooice just simply means something that is
incredible beyond words. What we have done is
given a word to that which cannot be expressed. If
you see something that is too amazing for words,
you just go ‘nooice’,” said Keegan-Michael Key on
The first one has had people argue on X (formerly
Twitter) about its significance. “It came out of my
head just like that. It can mean anything,” said rapper
Jogga to Le Parisien, who has included a dance move
to start a trend on TikTok and maximise visibility.
The second comes from the same observation and
was popularised by rapper Nono La Grinta in his
song Délit.
Mister V, one of France’s most followed Youtubers,
has poked fun at these particular rappers making up
words in a satirical clip that features several rappers.
One of them is called Invento, a rapper that only
speaks with made-up words that he and his crew
understand.
Invento’s song could, however, be linked to a mod-
ern Jabberwocky, a nonsense poem by Lewis Carroll
composed in 1871, which demonstrates that the skel-
eton of a story can be drawn out despite the constant
alignment of made-up words.
Made-up words have proven very rewarding in the
case of Aya Nakamura, the most listened-to franco-
phone artist in the world. Part of Ms Nakamura’s suc-
cess was built on words from her very own vocabu-
lary such as pookie (someone who can’t be trusted),
djadja (a man who lies), tu dead ça (doing something
very well) and catchana (a sex position).
Last July, teenager YouTuber Pink Lily turned the
quoicoubeh phenomenon into a song, reaching
almost 10million views in six months.

“
American talk show Conan in 2018.
‘Nooice’ is not the only time the comic duo joked
about the cultural phenomenon of made-up words,
having argued in other short sketches over whether
the term “p**** on the chainwax” exists or was made
up by a stripper when nobody wanted to ‘bump
Made-up words are being
Image: Musée Perrier, Vergèze, Gard

bump bump bump’.

But made-up words are also being used as a mar-
keting tactic by rappers in the hope that they get used as a marketing
noticed nationwide, increasing their visibility.
Last September, the youth started picking up on tactic by rappers in the
the words ‘skeu skeu’ and ‘la grint’ from two relatively
unknown rappers who released songs. hope that they get noticed
12 Recipes connexionfrance.com French Livin

French bread, Dutch mas

Issa Niemeiier-Brown’s artisanal French bakery in Amsterdam enjoys
international acclaim for its croissants, pastries, and bread. Here he
examines what ‘traditional bread’ means and offers two classic recipes

W
hat is it about French bread? It has to do
with romance, probably. A baguette in
Paris tastes better than a baguette any-
where else, simply because it is in Paris,
wrapped in paper, fresh from the baker’s
oven, picked up on the way back from work, and carried
home for dinner. But part of that romance derives from the
finesse with which some of the French enjoy life – the pure
flavours of the dinner to which the baguette is essential, and
the time taken to savour the meal. The crunch the baguette
provides when broken – not sliced – and shared at the table.
The balance it lends to the cheeses taken out for dessert. The ‘real’ or ‘traditional’ about this
baguette is made to match all of this – simple and pure.
An appreciation for purity and simplicity is not unique to
France. In Southern Italy, for instance, traditional cooking is
based on pure flavours as well. Breads sometimes incorpo-
rate Italian ingredients such as grano duro (strong pasta
flour), potatoes, or olive oil, but very often just stick to the ‘artisanal’ status is prominently displayed. But of course,
basics of flour, water, and salt. Rural breads in Germany are
of high quality as well, combining simplicity and flavour,
though they are much more robust and solid, rather than
light and delicate like the Parisian baguette.
Since the development of modern bakery techniques, and
especially the commercialisation of baking, these kinds of
traditional breads are increasingly difficult to find anywhere
in Europe, even in Paris or rural France and Italy. Flour
mills produce pre-made flour mixes, bakeries are speeding
clientele of gourmands, any
baker with artisanal flair gains
popularity so quickly that quality
soon gives way to quantity and
mass production – reducing their
products to yet another concept
to be exported.
An apparent exaltation of the
traditional is easy to see at baker-
ies throughout Europe. Yet – for
the most part – there is nothing
trend. These bakeries share a mix
of appropriate lighting (with a touch of yellow), calculated
pricing (slightly on the expensive side), and a decor involv-
ing wood veneer benches and factory-produced wicker bas-
kets. Every now and then a label claiming ‘home-made’ or
these are not always protected labels. What about ‘home-
made on a large scale in our factory by people operating
machines’? Or ‘organic’ claims which merely signify the ori-
gin of ingredients without providing any information on the
production process or the product quality? Even a super-
market gets away with just the same techniques. In other
words, ‘tradition’ in the artisan bakery trend is produced
using contemporary production techniques, supported by
contemporary marketing techniques. It is becoming ever

“
up their processes and traditional knowledge is being harder to find something truly traditional.
replaced by that of a growing industry, This raises a further question, what precise-
focused on formulas that can be sold and ly is ‘traditional’? Was bread in the past con-
easily applied in the form of bakery chains, stantly of the same quality? Or did bakers in
such as Le Pain Quotidien, Paul, and others. the past always sprinkle some extra flour on
One of the most important books on bread Baking machines top of their bread to make it look artisanal?
making in France, Le Goût du Pain (The Did customers want to buy the best bread,
Flavour of Bread), was written in 1990 to did not allow for not caring about the price? The answer to all
counterbalance these trends in their initial the same intensive of these questions is a straightforward ‘no’.
phases. The book tried to embrace moderni- But it is true that, historically, bread was pro-
sation, without losing the characteristics of kneading that is duced under different circumstances, which
French bread, most notably its flavour. A
foundation to promote this work still exists
common today led to different results and different flavours
than we currently find. Baking machines of
and its value remains undisputed. And yet it is abroad, in the first half of the twentieth century did not allow for the
highly industrialized countries with a very poor historical same intensive kneading that is common today. Labour was
tradition of bread making, such as the United States or the relatively inexpensive. Flour wasn’t manipulated with the
United Kingdom, that the search for traditional, artisan bread same technological skill. Ovens were floor ovens rather than
made by hand and baked in stone ovens has flourished. rotary ovens. Bakeries were organized differently: as individ-
In the French countryside, most bakeries do not search ual, independent enterprises, based on the artisanal skills (or
for artisanship so much as strive for modernisation, and to the lack thereof) of the baker and his assistants. Customers
improve production facilities and working conditions. In did not expect the same regularity, continuity, or consistency
urban centres like Paris, where there is the largest potential of the bread that supermarkets have accustomed them to.

WHOLEMEAL BREAD BAKED IN A PAN (ABBREVIATED VERSION)

This recipe for a wholemeal bread shows how, with just very
basic ingredients and minimal kneading, it is possible to
make a flavourful and hearty loaf. When the dough is given
more time to develop, only a little pinch of yeast is needed
to let the dough rise. The extended development also gives
time for the gluten to develop naturally. This means that the
dough acquires strength without intensive kneading, and
the flavours and nutrients of the grain are thus maintained.
Ingredients
bread flour 500g (wholemeal, T150)
water 350g (lukewarm)
salt 10g (1.5 teaspoon)
instant yeast 1g (a bit less than a quarter teaspoon)
Method
1. Mix the flour and the water in a large bowl, until
the flour is just hydrated. Leave to stand for about
half an hour. Then add the salt and the yeast, one at
a time. Knead until the salt and yeast are well mixed
in, about three minutes when kneading by hand.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled airtight container
and place in the fridge for ten to 20 hours, until it feels
airy and has increased in size. The exact amount of
time is flexible and can be adjusted to your own
schedule.
2. Fold the dough one time during this resting time, at
least one hour after placing it in the fridge, or
two hours before taking it out. If you are not familiar
with this technique: to fold the dough, place it on a
lightly floured surface. Stretch it out a little towards
a rectangular shape. Fold each side, one at a time,
towards the centre of the rectangle, until it folds
over about two thirds of the length of the dough
rectangle. This stretches the gluten and makes the
dough feel smooth.
Repeat once more, folding the sides of the dough
over the centre. You will feel the dough surface
becomes tense. Return the dough to its container to
complete the resting time. ONLINE
3. Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. You can see a short video on folding
Flatten the dough slightly without degassing it, and dough here: www.gebroedersniemeijer.nl/
then roll up into a roll, stretching it a little as you go en/blog#video-how-to-fold-a-dough
along. Place in a lightly oiled baking tin of at least twice
the size of the dough piece. Cover with a damp dish
towel and leave to stand for 1.5 to three hours, until the
dough feels airy again and has almost doubled in size. Extracted from A Book About
4. Baking: preheat the oven to 220°C and bake for about Bread: A Baker’s Manual
40 minutes or until the crust is golden, and the bread by Issa Niemeijer-Brown
is baked through. If the bread browns too quickly, lower (published by HL Books).
the oven temperature midway through baking but give Photography © Inga Powilleit.
the bread the full baking time. Illustrations © Rachelle Klaassen
ng I January 2024 connexionfrance.com Food notes 13

ster

Images: Lautrec Fête de l'ail rose

BAGUETTE RECIPE ‘BAGUETTE TRADITION’
– ABBREVIATED VERSION
A baguette is one of the finest,
most basic and purest kinds of
bread. This recipe is for a ‘ba-
guette tradition’. A baguette
with a long development and
Photos by Inga Powilleit

rich yet subtle flavour, the ba-

guette has an open structure
and a crunchy crust. It holds a
strong romantic appeal, con-
juring up images of the French
walking home from work with
a baguette under their arm to
be shared at dinner.

Ingredients (for two baguettes)

bread flour 500g (white, T55
or T65)
water 330g (lukewarm) Bigger! Better! Tastier! Why food
attracts the record-breakers
salt 10g (about 1.5 teaspoons)
Instant yeast 1g (a bit less
than a quarter of a teaspoon)
In our regular look at foodie tales, we look at the quirky,
decidedly niche world of food-related record-breaking
Method chon was already well known for the su-
1. Mix the flour and the water in a large bowl, until the flour is just hydrated. Leave preme quality of his mash, due in no small
Food notes

A
to stand for about half an hour. Then knead in the salt and the yeast, one at a part to his apparent aversion to scrimping
time. Knead until the salt and yeast are well mixed in, for about 3 to 5 minutes by on butter – thus for his record-breaking
hand. Place in a lightly oiled container covered with a lid, and store in the fridge. s if the chef ’s lot was not effort, which required 800kg of pota-
2. Leave to stand for 12 to 24 hours. You can be quite flexible with the timing already tough enough, back toes and 80 gallons of milk, he added an
here – it mostly depends on your own convenience. in May 2023, the Nigerian artery-alerting 551 lbs of local Poitou-Cha-
3. Midway through the resting time in the fridge, fold the dough. This should chef Hilda Baci claimed the rentes beurre. Not to be outdone on the
be done at a moment at least two hours after placing it in the fridge and three Guinness World Record for spud front, incidentally, the heaviest potato
hours before taking it out. the longest solo cooking session, after ever grown was a 4.98kg (10 lb 14 oz)
4. If you are not familiar with this technique: to fold the dough, place it on a chopping, peeling and frying her way, whopper from Peter Glazebrook, weighed
lightly floured surface. Stretch it out a little towards a rectangular shape. uninterrupted, through an exhausting at the National Gardening Show at the
Fold each side, one at a time, towards the centre of the rectangle, until it folds marathon of 93 hours and 11 Royal Bath & West Showground
over about two thirds of the length of the dough rectangle. This stretches the minutes. During this time she in Shepton Mallet, Somerset,
gluten and makes the dough feel smooth. Repeat once more, folding the sides of created 100 different dishes. UK, on September 4 2011.
the dough over the centre. You will feel the dough surface becomes tense. Return [Hilda then lost her record While many foodie
the dough to its container to complete the resting time. in November to Alan record-breaking attempts
5. After resting in the fridge the dough should start to feel airy. If it does not, take Fisher, an Irish chef.] – be they produce growing,
it out of the fridge and let it stand for a couple of hours at room temperature. It seems culinary exploits meal preparation or simply
Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and cut into two equal pieces. of all kinds lend them- eating – are personal or
Pre-shape into little rolls. While doing so, pay attention to not degass the dough selves to record-breaking part of a wider publicity
by pressing too hard, but at the same time create maximum surface tension. endeavours, and the French, effort, others are simply for
Let the rolls rest for a few minutes and then shape into baguettes (or bâtards, too, are as keen as moutarde fun or to promote a product
see illustrations below), paying careful attention to close the seam well. to get involved. Back in 2014, the or regional dish. Last summer,
6. Let the baguettes rest on a lightly floured tea towel, making a crease in the esteemed and Michelin star-laden chef Joël for example, allium-addicted residents of
fabric between the two dough pieces and on each of the sides, so the baguettes Robuchon led a team of 200 apprentices the Tarn village of Lautrec fashioned the
have some support and retain their shape. Cover with a second tea towel. Leave at Futuroscope theme park near Poitiers world’s longest pink garlic plait (called
to stand for one to two hours, or until the baguettes feel airy, but still have some (which was celebrating its 25th anniversa- a manouille) and proudly paraded the
strength when touched. In the meantime, preheat your oven to its maximum ry) in creating the largest ever serving of 24.30m garlic snake through the streets
temperature. mashed potatoes (pommes purées). Robu- with enormous civic pride.
7. Just before baking, score three incisions on the top of the baguettes. Ideally,
bake the baguettes by placing them on a well preheated oven stone, ensuring a
beautiful crust. If a stone is not available you can also bake the baguettes on an
oven tray lined with parchment paper. Try to create ample steam at the beginning
Gadget inspector Now available
of baking. You can do so by using a plant mister or by placing a tray with a cup of
boiling water in the oven alongside the baguettes.
8. Bake at 230°C (if possible without convection). Pay attention while baking
and if necessary adjust the temperature. The baguettes should bake for about
20-25 minutes, or until the crumb is well cooked and the crust is well developed
and nicely browned.

Stick the ecologically sound Alsace cabbage speciality

kettle on... in French style
The French may still be relative newcom-
ers to the joys of a cuppa (in the builder’s
tea sense) but they certainly know how to
make a stylish bouilloire.
Vertige is the passion project of the Pays
de la Loire native, Christophe Baudron,
who makes top-of-the-range, ethical and
responsible kettles that are made from bio-
sourced materials and come with a 10-year
warranty. The flagship model is the stylish,
Club kettle, price €289. vertige.fr
is a true winter warmer
Already this winter, your Food Noter has
enjoyed two double helpings of one of
France’s finest – and heartiest – winter
warmers, the Alsace fermented cabbage
and pork dish, choucroute.
There are plenty of decent shop-bought
options available, among them this newly
enlarged (950g) pack from Alsatian cuisine
specialists Stoeffler, with cabbage sim-
mered in a broth expertly flavoured with
beer and spices. www.stoeffler.com
14 Tête de veau connexionfrance.com French Living I January 2024

Keeping a divisive French dish alive

Tête de veau (slow-

Main photo and inset: © Didier Venom; below: Confrérie de la Tête de veau/Facebook
cooked calf ’s head)
was eaten to mark
Louis XVI’s behead-
ing in 1793. The ritual
lives on via defenders
of French gastronomy,
writes Patrice Bertrand

I
n Rungis, south of Paris, Michel
Gineston, manager of the restaurant
Au Veau qui Tète (The Suckling
Calf), carves a steaming calf head
before his customers, presented on
a tray, a parsley bouquet in its nostrils.
Starting at the forehead and working his
way down, he removes the meat, which
easily detaches after over four hours cook-
ing in broth. He places the meat artfully
on plates and finishes by pulling out the
tongue, which also loosens easily. He has
it cleaned in the kitchen, then cuts it into
pieces that he places on the plates along-
side carrots, turnips, leeks or potatoes.
“The recipe doesn’t vary,” explains
Michel Gineston, whose restaurant is stra-
tegically located in the offal pavilion at
Rungis International Market, the world’s
largest fresh produce market. “The basic
principle is to cook a six to seven kilo tion of offal merchants with offices just Above, members hood,” says Alain Martinez. With an aver-
calf ’s head in stock flavoured with herbs above Au Veau qui Tête. “These brother- of the Rungis Paris age membership of 100-200, these broth-
for several hours. That’s all you need for hoods’ origins come from the French brotherhood gathered erhoods all feature rituals and colourful
a good calf ’s head. Revolution. Initially, it was a way of cele- at Au Veau qui Tête signs of membership, starting with their
It’s served with vegetables, accompanied brating the end of the monarchy. Of restaurant; inset, the costumes. The Confrérie de Rungis-Paris
by gribiche sauce (hard-boiled eggs, mus- course, all the calf ’s head brotherhoods confrérie’s pendant; wears the colours of republican France,
tard, oil and vinegar) or ravigote (vinai- continue to meet every January 21, and right, the finished dish with a blue beret, white shirt, red apron
grette with capers, parsley, chervil, tarra- that’s the day they celebrate the most. served up and scarf. They also wear a medal on a

“
gon, shallots or onions).”
Calf’s head, like all
offal, is divisive: some
love it and some hate
it. We’re always happy
to find it in a restaurant
Alain Martinez
President of the Confrérie de la
Tête de Veau de Rungis-Paris
Michel Gineston will undoubtedly repeat
these well-honed gestures on January 21,
the anniversary of the beheading of King
Louis XVI of France in 1793, for the
roughly 200 members of the Confrérie
de la Tête de Veau de Rungis-
Paris, one of hundreds of
French brotherhoods devot-
ed to this cult dish of
French gastronomy that’s
either adored or hated.
These aficionados also
meet throughout the year
to enjoy the dish together,
but 21 January recalls the calf
head’s weighty history.
“It’s literally a revolutionary histo-
ry,” says Alain Martinez, President of the
Confrérie de la Tête de Veau de Rungis-
Paris and communications director for the
Syndicat des Tripiers de France, a federa-
But this revolutionary tradition has been
somewhat forgotten. Today it’s more a
gathering of epicureans and bon vivants.”
Indeed, this tradition dates back to dark
times in French history. In 1794, during
the Reign of Terror, a revolutionary named
Romeau proposed that religious holiday
festivals be replaced by banquets serving a
pig’s head every January 21 and a Bastille-
shaped cake every July 14, the day the
Bastille was taken. The cake was forgotten,
and the pig’s head was replaced by a calf ’s
head around 1848. “It’s an English import,”
says a character in Gustave Flaubert’s
novel Sentimental Education, referencing
English Republicans who, every January
30 in London, ate calf ’s head and drank
red wine in calves’ skulls to celebrate the
beheading of King Charles I on January
30 1649.
A few die-hard republican circles still
perpetuate the tradition. Every year in
Paris, a Club de la Tête de Veau (Calf ’s
Head Club) meets in a top restaurant to
celebrate republican values and Louis
XVI’s death. However, the brother-
hoods, more concerned with
preserving culinary heritage,
keep the tradition alive.
Followers come from all
walks of life. Calf ’s head
with gribiche sauce was
former President Jacques
Chirac’s favourite dish.
His election in May 1995
sparked a French craze for
this old-fashioned recipe.
Restaurants seized the opportunity
to revive it and brotherhoods sprang up
everywhere.
“In every region of France, there’s always
a village with its own calf ’s head brother-
necklace and carry a baton. Membership
is by sponsorship or simple request and
after an official induction: the candidate,
with a calf ’s head mask on his head, is
dragged around in a circle by a string and
then must eat calf ’s head.
“It’s fun, but the real aim is to share the
same epicurean values and to defend offal
products – in other words, everything
from head to toe and not attached to the
carcase,” says Alain Martinez. He adds:
“Our brotherhood members are very
diverse. There are winegrowers, restaura-
teurs, people with an interest in gastrono-
my, and celebrities like Guillaume Gomez,
former head chef at the Elysée Palace
who’s now Ambassador of French
Gastronomy to the President of the
Republic. We’re also starting to get more
and more young people involved, and
that’s great. Today, calf ’s head brother-
hoods are no longer just for old people.”
In a rare move for a brotherhood of this
type, usually exclusively male, the club
also welcomes about twenty women.
“Yes, there are women who love calf ’s
head,” says Alain Martinez.
Normally, one calf ’s head serves four
or five people. At Au Veau qui Tète, you
must order it twelve hours in advance.
At 25 euros per person, it’s usually a main
course, often accompanied by red wine –
Beaujolais or Côtes du Rhône – and
sometimes white wine.
“There are other preparations that are
simpler to make and serve,” says Michel
Gineston, whose restaurant is open every
day from midnight to 17:00, because his
clientele is mainly employees of the facto-
ry where the offal from veal, beef, pork
and lamb is cut up at night to supply
wholesalers and supermarkets. “For exam-
ple, you can buy calf ’s head already boned
and rolled, with a piece of tongue inside,
and cook it for sixty to ninety minutes.
“I serve both, but it doesn’t have the
same taste or flavour at all. When you
cook a whole calf ’s head, you get a wide
range of tastes and sensations that come
from the cooked cartilage, the gelatinous
skin, the soft cheeks, the fleshy tongue
and the melting brains. True connoisseurs
prefer whole calf ’s head. I also think they
enjoy the spectacle of having the veal head
presented and carved up in front of them.”
As the attraction lies in its presentation
and not just on the plate, this dish tends
to be eaten in restaurants by amateurs.
“But another reason is that, despite the
simplicity of the recipe, it’s actually quite
complicated to make”, says Michel
Martinez, who dreams of organising a
major gathering of calf ’s head brother-
hoods at Rungis. “Moreover, calf ’s head,
like all offal, is divisive: some love it and
some hate it. We’re always happy to find
it in a restaurant. At home, it’s difficult to
say: ‘Today, for lunch, we’re going to have
a calf ’s head’”.
“Because,” he says, “there’s always some-
one who doesn’t like it.”
January 2024 I French Living connexionfrance.com Wine and Cheese 15

Photo courtesy of Le Rucher l’Miel

Wine drinking: buy better, not more
Jonathan Hesford has five great tips for maximising your enjoyment and budget

Main photo: Jonathan Hesford; inset: Cécile from Pixabay

A year in the vineyard

M
any of us will have
made a New Year’s
resolution to cut down
on how much alcohol
we drink. A better one,
in my humble opinion, is to drink less
but better.
But what does drinking better wine
Cheese of really mean? It doesn’t have to mean
spending more money, although that
Meet the producers the month:

L
certainly helps at the lower end of the
price range. There are not many good
aurent and Virginie Vallauri, in Brézain bottles for sale under €7.
Pirajoux, north of Bourg-en- Here are my five resolutions to help
Photo: Thomon/Wikimedia

Bresse (Ain), were enthusiastic you drink wine better:

amateur beekeepers for a dec-
ade before they finally took the 1) Get some proper wine glasses
plunge in 2020 and became full-time pro- A good wine glass will improve the
fessionals. “It is a mutual passion,” says enjoyment of most wines. Far too often I
Laurent. “We love working with bees.” see people pouring even quite expensive,
They used to have just 20 hives but now high-quality wines into poorly designed
have around 450, dotted around a dozen glasses. An ideal wine glass is shaped like
local communes. “We move them from From the Alps to the the one in the photo: a nice wide bowl to
time to time. For example, if we want to Pyrenees, hungry skiers release the aromas and aerate the wine
make mountain honey, we take some of this winter will be enjoying but tall enough and with a closed shape
the hives up to the hills. The bees don’t a hearty serving of oozing to prevent those aromas escaping. Only
mind. We move them at night and after a melted raclette cheese as fill your glasses to a maximum of one
couple of hours of exploring their new part of their après-ski fun. third as that will leave space to swirl and
surroundings, they just start collecting But did you know that to hold the bouquet.
food again.” there is a smoked cheese
They gather honey from April to that provides a delicious 2) Choose wines to match your meal
September, leaving enough in the hives to twist on this convivial Don’t get stuck in a rut with one style of
keep the bees going through the winter, winter tradition? wine or grape variety. France has hun-
with a small supplement of sugar syrup. Brézain, which was in- dreds of different Appellations (AOP) Estate-produced wines are not neces- years old is ‘wine infanticide’. On the
Their bees are mostly Caucasian honey vented by Jean Le Gléour, a as well as many interesting regional sarily better than those made by négoci- flip side, don’t keep an expensive bottle
bees, because they have a calm tempera- cheese refiner from Savoie, wines under the IGP labels, which allows ants but they are usually more interesting of wine for a special occasion that proba-
ment and produce large amounts of honey. is wood-smoked with 6-8 innovative producers to try different and unique. While some négociants, bly won’t coincide with the wine being
Together the couple produce a wide weeks maturing to lend it grape varieties or uncommon blends. notably those in the Rhone valley such at its peak. Better to make a special
range of honeys including acacia, spring- a truly distinctive flavour. Often regional dishes work very well as Guigal and Chapoutier, make very occasion for serving such a wine.
time, pine, mixed flowers, linden flower, It looks like a round with regional wines. It can be surprising good wines, in other regions the négoci-
and sunflower. They prepare and pack gourmet cake, but once how well less famous AOPs, especially ants focus on trying to create big-selling 5) Buy wine from a specialist outlet
everything by hand on the premises. the slices are cut off, they lighter reds and crisp whites, taste when brands or shifting low quality wines Don’t rely on your local supermarket
revealing a meltingly served with an appropriate dish. from well-known AOPs. owner to have good taste in wine.
Virginie also makes dehydrated pollen,
creamy paste. Brézain can
spiced bread, honey and hazelnut spread, It’s useful to have a small store of wine In the Languedoc-Roussillon, there are Most of them don’t. Supermarkets like
be enjoyed cold but is best
honey caramel, and honey cookies. in the house, even if you are not a con- thousands of high-quality independent wines which are heavily advertised and
appreciated after a couple
“We also produce royal jelly. It’s not noisseur or frequent consumer. Having a estates and the quality difference can be ordered from large wholesalers.
of minutes’ cooking under
sweet like honey, in fact it’s slightly decent range of different red and white between their wines and those of the Most cavistes (independent wine stock-
a raclette grill flame or
bitter, but a spoonful a day for ten days wine on hand makes it easier to find a négociants can be quite dramatic. ists) will have tasted and selected
stirred into a fondue.
can act as a great tonic,” says Laurent. good match rather than trying to buy a It’s worth noting that Caves all the wines they sell and will
“Lots of our customers use it regularly Local speciality: bottle at the last minute. coopératives are also classed as probably have met the pro-
every spring.” Récoltants but in their case ducer. They will also be
The couple also work with other small Bisque de 3) Try to choose estate-produced wines they generally blend the able to advise you about
businesses, to produce beer made with homard Look at the top of the capsule. It is says wines from all of their when to drink a particu-
lar bottle and what food
their honey, nougat, boiled sweets, soap ‘Recoltant’ or has the letter ‘R’, that means member growers and can
and essential oils, as well as beer. “We like it is a wine produced by a grower. The suffer from having to make to serve with it.
everything to stay very local.” letters ‘N’ or ‘E’ mean that the wine has wine from all the grapes Don’t assume that cav-
They don’t have time to run a shop, but been produced and bottled by they receive. istes only sell expensive
do have a market stall where they sell a négociant who has bought the grapes, wines. If you live in a wine
Photo: www.soupe-marieamelie.fr

their products, and are stocked by local or wine, from someone else and often 4) Drink wine which has region, go and visit your local
bakeries, groceries and supermarkets many different sources. had chance to mature producers. They will be only too
including SuperU. Nearly all red wines and many whites happy to tell you about their wines and

“
At the start they concentrated on pro- do improve with a few years in the let you taste before you buy. You will be
ducing honey, but they are now progres- bottle. You don’t need an encyclopaedic surprised how many really good produc-
sively expanding, and have begun selling knowledge of vintage ratings and ageing ers don’t sell to supermarkets or do
swarms of bees to other bee-keepers. potentials. My rule of thumb is six much advertising.
“But we are fully occupied with the bees. If you want to treat yourself years for red wines and two to three for Also look out for wine fairs. Most wine
We run maybe one guided visit a year, in or your dinner party guests dry whites. regions will stage several public tastings
partnership with the local Tourist Office,
but that’s it.”
to a truly refined and You don’t need You don’t need a perfect underground
cellar or dedicated wine-fridge to age
during the year and organisations like
Vignerons Indépendants arrange salons
sumptuous starter, look no
Laurent and Valerie love working out-
doors, and are passionate about being in
further than lobster bisque, an encyclopaedic wine. Just somewhere dark where the
temperature doesn’t fluctuate throughout
in larger towns in the north of France,
where producers come from all over the
which for extra indulgence
touch with the weather and the seasons.
“We love our jobs.”
can be shot through with a knowledge of vintage the day, unlike the kitchen. Ageing red
wines generally smoothes their
country to present and sell their wines.
This is a great opportunity to stock up
splash of fiery Cognac.
www.lerucher-lmiel.fr A bisque is a soup con- ratings and ageing tannins and gives them more beautiful
aromas. Although some red wine
for the future.
sisting of a smooth, highly
seasoned crustacean coulis potentials. My rule of Appellations do focus on making Jonathan Hesford has a Postgraduate
to which crème fraîche has red wines for early-drinking, such as Diploma in Viticulture and Oenology
been added. You can make thumb is six years for Beaujolais and Saumur, most of the from Lincoln University, New Zealand
your own, of course, but better-known ones became famous and is the owner, vigneron and winemak-
ready-to-heat versions are red wines and two to because of their ageing potential. er of Domaine Treloar in the Roussillon.
perfectly delicious. Serve Drinking Saint-Emilion, Médoc or For more information visit:
with a rouille and croutons. three for dry whites Cahors when they are only two or three www.domainetreloar.com
 16 Interiors connexionfrance.com French Living I January 2024

Dreaming of summertime in Provence

For her new book,

© Bruno Ehrs
Caroline Clifton-Mogg
explores beautiful
summer country homes
including this restored
former farmworker’s
dwelling near Grasse

A
peasant’s house outside
Grasse, dating from the 17th
century, was restored by the
late antique dealer Maurizio
Epifani. ‘Old houses should
be left in their original state as far as pos-
sible,’ he said, ‘and there should never be
heavy restructuring of the exterior, which
should remain integral to the surrounding
environment.’
The late Maurizio Epifani opened L’Oro
dei Farlocchi, his antique shop in Milan,
many years ago, when antique collecting

and selling were still both traditional
and conventional. Imagine, therefore,
customers’ surprise at a shop filled with
fruit machines and 1950s robots next to
antique Chinese chairs and Provencal
armoires. The idea was, he says, to stock
the ‘improbable and the unlikely’, and its
success was both immediate and lasting.
So it is surprising that the house Maur-
izio bought in Provence, near Grasse, was
minimal in style, with a sense of space and
light that seemed a complete contrast to
his shop. Although this area has been well
populated since the 19th century, when
Grasse became the heart of the French
perfume industry, it was once as sparsely
inhabited as the rest of rural Provence.
Maurizio’s house – its core at any rate –
dates from the 17th century and was the
home of a peasant family who worked the
land for the principal landowning family
of the district. Unsurprisingly, over the
centuries, various additions and altera-
tions had been made – so much so that,
by the time Maurizio bought it, he felt
there was little major work to be done.
With his cultivated eye for the old and the
antique, Maurizio always felt strongly that
the essence of the house should stay rela-
tively intact. Equally crucial was not to try
to change the house’s character; it should it
should retain the feeling it had when it was
originally designed – or, as Maurizio put
it, ‘don’t try to transform a country house
into a castle.’ With this in mind, he tried
All photos © Christopher Drake
to do minimal work on the interior. The
main changes were installing a staircase to
link the upper-floor living room with the
garden and the addition of two bathrooms.
Inside, the house is almost austere in its
simplicity. Each room is painted in the
softest of whites and there is little contrast.
Beams and woodwork are painted in the
same colours as the walls, and the floors
have neutral coverings. The blank canvas
allowed him to include interesting pieces
of furniture, much of it from the 18th
century: ‘poor French furniture’, as he
called it – that is, simple country pieces as
opposed to grand antiques. Against this
background he added flashes of colour
and unusual details, as in the living room,
where the windows are flanked by antique
waxed wooden pilasters rather than cur-
tains. These same windows are surmount-
ed by a prancing wooden horse, one of
the ‘animalier’ objects he collected.
This is all in accord with his views on
how the interiors of old houses should be
treated: ‘for the interior, if it has to be refur-
bished, old materials only should be used,
or – if that is not possible – materials that
are as similar as possible to the original,
such as recycled old wooden flooring, old
stone, old fireplaces and so on.’ Textiles also
came within this strict remit. They were to
be thick linens, often old and second-hand,
and in natural colours – beiges, dusty blues,
faded greens and ‘always, always white.’
Simplicity was important to Maurizio:
‘never be excessive with the decoration.
w
Above: All sunshine houses
need shady, outdoor areas
where comfortable seating
and cool drinks beckon.
Here, wicker armchairs are
set beneath a loggia at one
end of the house; right, the
dining room is conscious
of its past incarnation,
housed in a restored
lean-to with a full-length
cupboard for crockery,
wide window openings
carved out of the walls and
a sloping beamed ceiling
painted white; left, there is
comfort, there is style and
there is also simplicity.
Well-upholstered chairs
and sofas sit next to choice
18th-century pieces
cool and quiet as possible. ing the surroundings and adding
The kitchen is as simple as the drawing the bronze deer to overlook the pool.’
room – once again, it is all white, and the The landscape designer Stefano Baccari
central decorative motif is a subtle white was enlisted to ‘modify’ the rest of the
ceramic rendition of an olive tree, which garden, refining the plants and vegetation
grows upwards, spreading its branches to exclude species that are not native to
and leaves over the wall. the area.
Garden life is important here. The The final result is a charming combina-
indoor dining room is surrounded by tion of the simple and the sophisticated,
Extracted from Summers greenery, while the outside dining area is a with something to look at at every turn
in France by Caroline long terrace running down one side of the – very similar, perhaps, to the sensation

Too many fabrics are detrimental – cur- Clifton-Mogg, published house. When Maurizio bought the house, felt by those early collectors at L’Oro dei
tains and bedspreads with heavy patterns, by Ryland Peters & Small the swimming pool was already in place, Farlocchi.
florals, little ton-sur-ton sets.’ An overload (£35, or about €40). as well as an additional wing, which he
of pattern can make an otherwise plain Photography by made into a guest house. Next month: How to use colour, materials
interior seem fussy, and in a hot climate it Christopher Drake © He explained that he had not done much and furniture to create authentic French
is essential that the inside of the house is as Ryland Peters & Small to that area ‘other than refresh it, lighten- country style.
January 2024 I French Living
Off grid: the bastides of southwest France
Medieval art historian Dr Julia Faiers
uncovers the origin story of the
many medieval bastide villages
in southwest France
T
he bastides of southwest
France have become some-
thing of a tourism magnet in
the 21st century. Visitors flock
in their thousands to walk the
medieval streets, explore the churches, and
spend money at the market or shops that
line the surrounding arcades. But what
exactly are bastides, and when, where,
and why were they built?
Bastides (bastida in both medieval latin
and Occitan) were villages created from
scratch, mostly between the 13th and 14th
centuries. The word appears in the histori-
cal record from 1220, in official acts that
refer to bastida seu villa nova (bastide or
new village), showing that this was a new
and different type of village. Typically
the houses and roads were built in a grid
pattern around a central square often
bordered by a covered arcade.
Why were they founded at this time? It is
a myth that the southern countryside was
sparsely populated and unregulated. But
the creation of new towns in the region
allowed the powerful counts of Toulouse
and the kings of France to develop ambi-
tious political plans through the urbanisa-
tion and improvement of the landscape
and its population. In the space of around
120 years, nearly 200 bastides were built
in what is now Occitanie. Cordes was
the first, created in 1222 by the count
of Toulouse Raymond VII, and Revel,
near Toulouse, was one of the last, built
in 1341.
There are many reasons why the counts
of Toulouse, kings, and ecclesiastical elites
instigated this flurry of new-town building
in such a relatively short period. Primarily,
these powerful individuals wanted to har-
ness the potential of the region’s natural
resources to grow the economy and to
consolidate their authority. Building
well-organised and robustly defended
villages to house populations improved
the living standards – and therefore
productivity –of the working population.
Which, in turn, meant more tithes for the
founders and for the church. Monpazier in
Périgord, for example, still has its Maison
du Chapitre. Built at the end of the 13th
century at the highest point of the village,
the house served as a tithe barn for storing
wheat received as tithes for the mainte-
nance of the clergy. In the southwest, the
tithes collected could reach as much as an
eighth of the entire harvest.
For many bastide founders, security
was also a factor. In Armagnac country,
Marciac was created at the start of the 13th
5 on the banks of the Aveyron River near the Roman road that linked Rodez with Cahors, and near the pilgrim
connexionfrance.com Hidden histories 17
1
century to root out the brigands and
thieves that lived in the region’s marshy
forests. Clearing the land to build the town
drove out the miscreants and improved
the security of the wider area.
Local rivalries also played their part.
Alphonse de Poitier, who was working
Photo: Dominique Viet, CRTL Occitanie
for the interests of his brother, King Louis
IX (Saint Louis), in 1252 founded
Villefranche-de-Rouergue in Aveyron for
the sole purpose of countering the power
of the bishops of Rodez and Cahors, while
supporting the count of Rodez. To consol-
idate royal authority in the region, he then
founded Najac in 1255.
These elite founders often chose names
intended to promote the settlement’s
advantages. Some trumpeted their new-
ness – evident in the many bastides with
Villeneuve (new town) in their name:
3
Villeneuve-sur-Lot, and Villeneuve-
d’Olmes in Ariège. For others, their name
does what it says on the tin; hence
Labastide-Murat in the Lot, and Labastide-
Savès in the Gers. Others proudly advertise
their advantageous location; Montastruc in
Haute-Garonne, for example, means
well-situated mountain (astruc literally
Photo: Dominique Viet, CRTL Occitanie
means ‘born under a lucky star’), while
Montfort in the Gers declares its superior
defensive qualities as a ‘strong mountain’.
Other founders named new towns after
places they had admired on their travels,
especially in what are now Italy and Spain,
such as Boulogne (Bologna), Fleurance
(Florence), and Cordes (Cordoba). Bastide
founder Eustache de Beaumarchais named
2 4
Pampelonne after Pamplona, capital of
Navarre, a city which he had once gov-
erned. (He also named a bastide after
himself at Beaumarchès in the Gers).
Tournay was named after Tournai by
Gaston II de Foix following a military
campaign to Flanders.
Some of the new bastides were so suc-
cessful that they had an impact on the
influence and power of neighbouring
landowners. The capitouls (municipal
Photo: Patrice Thebault, CRTL Occitanie
Photo: Dominique Viet, CRTL Occitanie
magistrates) of Toulouse, for example,
were so worried about the economic
growth in the new villages outside of
their direct control that they appealed
to the king in 1344. As a result they
obtained patents that forbade the lords
of Toulouse, Carcassonne, and Cahors
from building a bastide without the
express permission of the king. Despite
this official clamp down, the original
bastides survived wars and famines 1. Revel in Haute-Garonne was founded in 1342 around a square central place bordered by arcades. The covered
over the centuries, and continue to be
inhabited almost 700 years later. wooden hall, topped by a belfry, dates from the village’s foundation.
2. Villefranche-de-Rouergue was founded by Alphonse de Poitiers in 1252 because of its advantageous position
Photo: Jibi44, Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 3.0 licence
route to Santiago. From 1369 it became the administrative and legal capital of the region.
3. Mirepoix in Ariège was built as a bastide in 1279 on the site of a destroyed village, and has an enormous central
place (112m by 55m) surrounded by arcades topped by colombage houses.
4. Cordes (now Cordes-sur-Ciel) in the Tarn, named after the Spanish town Cordoba, was founded in 1222 by
the powerful count of Toulouse, Raymond VII. Cordes was the first bastide to be built in the region.
5. The market hall of Bassoues in the Gers still dominates the central place of this bastide, founded in 1295 by the
archbishop of Auch.
18 Puzzles connexionfrance.com French Living I January 2024

Bilingual cryptic crossword by Parolles

Answers are in French and English
Across
1 Copy small apes (6)
4 Talks foolishly of parking costs (6)
8 Scare married knight shocked by an
enthusiastic kiss (7)
9 Amount of money to get a sculpture, for
example, back from Indonesian island (7)
11 Initiative and daring in undertaking a
business concern (10)
12 One received by that woman yesterday
in Lille (4)
13 Rapid in movement of naval force (5)
14 Former railway worker’s to sell goods abroad
in France (8)
16 Part of record on American deserter found
in the London area (8)
18 Fellow taking English and Russian in Paris (5)
20 Fear for Arsène getting upset regularly before
return game (4)
21 Rector stopping local bird flying into hearse
in Dijon (10)
23 Landlords getting mail (7)
24 Helping to make Cyrillic italics forbidden
by law (7)
25 Worried trader finding delay in Calais (6)
26 Exist essentially in being fashionable at
present (6)
Down
1 Fellow catching academic with Serge’s
mum (5)
2 Revolutionary gripped by friend’s broad,
heavy knife (7)
3 Mysterious oracle describing girl to become
Mark Antony’s lover (9)
5 Elodie’s red mug eventually pinched by a
rake (5)
6 Drink with American singer and
educator (7)
7 Alain’s headband about to be swallowed by
frisky English setter (5-4)
10 French scimitar discovered in decomposed
trirème after constant enquiries at the start (9)
13 Fete miner excitedly and proudly in
Valenciennes (9)
15 Students breaking portion of gate in
Nîmes (9)
17 Baptiste’s to stop soldiers interrupting
painting near the centre of Hyères (7)
19 Upset alas concerning covering initial
increase in Arnaud’s salary (7)
21 Motorists boosted over time by European
map in France (5)
22 French queen needs to restrain earl (5)

French-themed crossword by John Foley

Note all answers are words or names associated with France
Across Down
2 Arbre épineux – often with white flowers (6) 1 Once chubby Michelin symbol (8)
6 Where blue turns to black (4) 2 Bière sans this is shunned by many (6)
7 Hog meat (4) 3 Communication téléphonique (5)
8 Variété de vigne (6) 4 La _____ – quand on parle d’internet (5)
10 Handy topographical item (4) 5 Performance space for actors (5)
11 Charente city noted worldwide for its 9 Range or scale (5)
International Comic Strip Festival – each
January since 1974 (9) 12 Crème ________: so very English on
puddings (8)
13 Bitter or sour (3)
15 Os de poisson (5)
14 Eau de _____: désinfectant chloré (5)
17 Jean Philippe ______, influential 18th-
16 Plain or smooth (3) century composer and music theorist (6)
20 Painter, lithographer and a pioneer of the 18 Plum tree fruit (5)
Romantic movement, Théodore _________,
who died this month in 1824 (9)
22 What Edith Piaf regretted (4)
23 Offenbach opéra bouffe, ‘la belle ______’;
her elopement sparked a major war (6)

Photo: Nitr_shutterstock
24 Fruit of the Juglans regia often used in salads
or cakes (4)
25 Aid for picking up or carrying – a saucepan,
bucket, etc (4)
26 Opened in 2004 the _____ Viaduct in 19 Estimation du coût de travaux (5)
Aveyron department is the world’s highest
road bridge (6) 21 Idyllique ou parfait (5)

Fun French facts Like our quiz?

2 Time shift 3 Here comes the science Buy our quiz books
1 Name that Breton megalith UNTIL 1940, clocks in online at
IT IS 72m long, between 20 France told the same A DOUBLE Nobel Prize-winning physicist connexionfrance.com
Photo: NewPapillon/Wikimedia

Photo: Henri Manuel / Wikimedia

and 25m wide and 9m high. time as clocks in London. and chemist, once said: “Nothing in life HORS SERIE NUMBER 2

People

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This curious construction Q: Do you know why is to be feared, it is only to be under- e
Plac ry
The
Places

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History
Histo uage
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stands at the top of a hill on French?
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Food
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 January 2024 I French Living connexionfrance.com Puzzles 19
Toughnut No.No.23
Toughnut 2 – Scribo Crossmots
- Scribo Crossmots Five French Facts:
These
To complete these dual-language puzzles called ‘Toughnuts’ you need to translate the clue
dual-language
and then decide wherepuzzlesthe
called ‘Toughnuts’
answer require
fits into you toTo
the grid. translate the first
help the clue and thenofdecide
letter where is
the answer
Grandes Ecoles
the answer fits in the chance!
grid. To help the first letter of the answer is provided. Bonne chance! In France, most students emerging from the baccalaureate go on
provided. Bonne
to do a degree at one of the perfectly adequate public universities,
Find a location on the Monopoly board from the highlighted squares.
or get a qualification from another institution of higher education,
For more dual-language puzzles see www.crossmots.com
or simply start work. Anyone who really wants to fly high and has
A Asset (5)

Photo: Stokkete_shutterstock
the brains and determination necessary, will not bother with such
A Largage aérien
(3-4) routine options. He or she would rather compete for admission
A Axiome (5) into one of the country’s grandes écoles (great schools).
A Toujours (3) Everyone knows what a grande école is although there is no
C Caries (5) precise definition. Around 230 of them are members of the
C Lait caillé (5) Conférence des Grandes Ecoles but several are not. What they all
D Of (2) have in common is that they are turbo-charged universities which are unashamedly elitist.
D Déléguer (8) Entrance is extremely competitive and may require a year or two of preparation. Acceptance
E Dégager (5) is the prelude to a demanding work load but the reward is considered worth it. Graduates of
E Emotionnellement the grandes écoles staff the higher echelons of business, science and government. There are
(11) a great many schools offering an education in engineering, the various sciences, business,
E Entrance (6)
economics and technology. There are also specialised grandes écoles for architecture, the
E Space-time (6-5)
G Gelée (3) decorative arts, archaeology and other subjects. By Nick Inman
I Here (3)
I Impératif (10) 1 Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris There are four ENS in France, the best known being
I En ligne (2,4) in the capital. There is another one near Paris, and one each in Lyon and Rennes. Some of the
L Léa (3)
L Citronné (6) students are civil servants who are dubbed ‘normaliens’.
L Allumé (3)
L Se connecter 2 Ecole Nationale de Chartes The name means literally the “national school of charters”
(3,2) as old documents and the methods of historical research are the subject matter. Chartes trains
L Toilette (3) the nation’s civil servant archivists and curators who will work in archives and museums across
M Chasse à the land.
l’homme (7)
M Manne (5) 3 Ecole Nationale d’Administration (ENA) is the incubator of the administrative and
N La nausée (6) governing classes. The bright young things who will run government emerge from here and are
N Stupid (5) known popularly as énarques. It is responsible for the education of Emmanuel Macron among
O Obsolète (8) many others.
O Opter (3)
R Remained (5) 4 Institut d’études politiques de Paris (Paris Institute of Political Science), generally
S Bag (7) known as ‘Sciences Po’. The study of politics is considered a guaranteed stepping stone to a
S Sève (3)
S Spasme (5) share of power. Several recent presidents have been graduates. There are other Sciences Po in
S Avare (6) Bordeaux, Toulouse and elsewhere.
T Feuille de thé
(3,4) 5 Ecole de Guerre (School of War). The army, air force and navy have their own separate
T Testeur/euse (6) grandes écoles. This one brings all the services together as part of the Ecole Militaire (Military
Y Chef de triage School) at the end of the Champ de Mars (home of the Eiffel Tower) in Paris. It prepares trainees
(10) to assume command of a regiment or equivalent.

Test your knowledge of France

For all answers with our Connexion quiz
please turn to
Guess the region... French Living 1 Which company hit the largest French 11 What was the original title of the
France has 13 regions. Every issue we pick a spot, page 24 profits in history in 2022 with €23billion?
A – Total,
Marseillaise?

all you need to do is work out which region it is in... B – CMA CGM, 12 What hymn was the anthem of the French
C – LVMH? monarchy?
Clue: A royal pile 2 Whose tomb in Père Lachaise is often 13 What song did Napoleon use as national
covered with potatoes? anthem during the First Empire?
A – Jim Morrison,
B – Antoine Parmentier, 14 Brass band music from the answer to No
C – Edith Piaf? 13 was sampled and used in what 1988
song by Pet Shop Boys?
3 A small office in Toulouse hosts a Centre
National d’Etudes Spatiales offshoot, 15 Why was the Marseillaise played in
Geipan; what is it ? Monaco on January 23 last year?
A – France’s UFO bureau,
16 Who is the oldest winner of the Monte
B – A Japanese satellite company,
Carlo Rally?
C – A French satellite company?
17 Who has won the greatest number of
4 What object is the most often left on trains?
Monte Carlo Rallies?
A – Spectacles,
B – Phone charger, 18 What unusual Citroën driven by François
C – Luggage? Lecot finished 90th in the 1934 Monte
Carlo Rally?
5 All mustard is yellow…
A – Yes, 19 Why did police motorcyclists stop a car
B – Yes, of course; on the special stage from Sisteron to
C – No? Thoard in 2016?
6 Where would you find the Train Jaune? 20 Which British-made car won the 1964
Monte Carlo Rally?
7 Where would you find France’s highest
railway station?

8 Where would you find the Train des

Photo: romainhut from Pixabay

Pignes?

9 Where would you find the Train de la Profile

Rhune?
Quiz by Ken Seaton who has lived and
10 Where would you find the Train Bleu? worked as a journalist in France since 2009
20 Reviews
French films
A critical eye on new
releases and classics
Un coeur en hiver (1992)
Dir: Claude Sautet
BY 1992, director Claude Sautet was per-
haps still best known among the French
cinema-going public for his 1970 roman-
tic tragedy Les Choses de la Vie, in which
Michel Piccoli and Romy Schneider
played lovers in a flashback-driven tale of
one man’s indecision that ends in regret
and doom.
Un coeur en hiver (A Heart in Winter),
his well-received film about an unre-
solved love triangle set in the world of
classical music, explores the consequenc-
es of a similarly one-sided, non-commit-
tal approach to love's potential. Indeed,
one of the protagonists appears unable
to love full-stop, due to some kind of a
self-protection life choice.
The cast is superb, with Daniel Auteuil
(whom we can glean is the owner of the
unthawed ‘heart in winter’ of the film's
title) superbly introspective as Stéphane
and André Dussollier as the more outgo-
ing Maxime. They are employee and boss
– and squash rivals – in a prestigious vio-
lin restoration firm.
Married Maxime begins an an affair with
a glamorous violinist, Camille (played by
Emmanuelle Béart), for whom Stéphane is
carrying out some violin repair work. But
sure as oeufs are oeufs, Camille becomes
intrigued by, then smitten with, the
unreadable, middle-of-the-road Stéphane
– who appears completely unmoved by
her advances and declarations.
A grown-up treatise on lopsided love
with music at its sophisticated core.
Stream on Apple TV and Amazon Prime.
Do you have a favourite French
romance film? Let us know: email
editor@connexionfrance.com.
Stream: Nouveaux Riches
An out-of-touch conman aims to hustle a
crypto millionaire in this action comedy.
When highway politesse is no laughing matter
Language notes
A
70-something French
acquaintance – a man who,
for record, possesses an
excellent sense of humour –
recently took delivery of his
gleaming new car. Since you ask, it was
one of the seemingly ubiquitous Peugeot
3008s, which appear to be the voiture of
choice for drivers of a certain vintage
keen not only to ‘buy French’ but also to
retain a certain sporty je ne sais quoi
when popping to Leclerc for a four-for-
three baguette deal.
After hearing about all the mod cons
that he would (never) be making use of,
and the excellent deal he’d secured at the
dealership (concessionnaire), I made a
joke (blague) that I wouldn’t have dared
make to a French person with a more
serious or tetchily patriotic outlook: “Je
connexionfrance.com
Music
Silly Boy Blue Eternal lover
TAKING her stage name
from an early David Bowie
song title, Silly Boy Blue
is Nantes-born Paris-
based singer and multi-
instrumentalist Ana
Benabdelkarim, who was
a music journalist before
embarking upon a per-
forming career alongside
producer Pégase (whose
Books - The 20 minute review
We read recent releases with a link to France. To be fair, each gets 20 minutes’ reading time
Miraculous Abundance,
Charles and Perrine Hervé-Gruyer,
Chelsea Green Publishing Co, €24.02;
1603586423
LA Ferme Bec-Hellouin in Normandy is
famous for successfully developing new
organic farming methods, and the owners,
Charles and Perrine Hervé-Gruyer, have
written several books about it.
This one, entitled Miraculous Abundance:
One Quarter Acre, Two French Farmers,
and Enough Food to Feed the World, details
their journey from complete novices to
successful farmers leading the way in sus-
tainable agriculture. In it, they discuss the
various methods they have explored and
developed, including permaculture, bio-intensive agriculture,
forest gardens, Korean farming methods, managing a four-
seasons farm, creating a resilient agro-ecosystem, and using
no-dig methods to enhance the soil.
As well as growing food, the authors
have made their farm landscape beauti-
ful and the book is full of inspiring
Editor’s
ideas for beginners as well as for more
experienced gardeners and farmers.
choice
They also describe the human side of
the farm and their approach to sup-
porting the whole community includ-
ing jobs, crafts, restaurants, eco-tour-
ism, shared work-spaces and biodiversi-
ty. Perrine is also a Green politician, and Charles is a film-mak-
er, writer and teacher. Miraculous Abundance contains a blue-
print for a sustainable future in a post fossil-fuel future in which
there are many more small farms supporting and feeding their
surrounding communities.
This isn't mere pie in the sky but is based on solid science.
Once you've read it you might want to learn more about the
practical details, in which case the farm website has more
information. The authors also run a 'school' teaching their
methods. Having read this book, you may well find yourself
heading to Normandy.
suppose que le constructeur automobile
peut réaliser d'importantes économies en
n’incluant pas de clignotants,” I quipped.
(I suppose the car maker can make great
savings by not including indicators).
This ironic gag was, of course, a light-
hearted if thinly veiled expression of a
deeper frustration about those French
drivers that do not use, or indeed need,
“
indicators when navigating a roundabout
(rond-point) or changing lane (changer de
voie) on the motorway (autoroute).
The joke was met with a knowing
chuckle (petit rire) and the conversation
swiftly moved on to the price of petrol.
The joke was It is hard to figure why the lack of indi-
cating seems so prevalent – but, of course,
met with a the same driver with a laissez-faire attitude
to highway politesse (politeness) – and
knowing indeed sécurité (safety) – is always the
first to klaxoner (beep their horn),
chuckle tempêter (rant and rave) and unveil the
doigt d'honneur (middle finger) when on
(petit rire) the receiving end of unhelpful driving.
French Living I January 2024
song Be Wild was played in space on board
the ISS during a Thomas Pesquet mission
in 2017).
Her stock-in-trade is Lana del Rey-style
melodic washes of synth-pop beneath wist-
ful lyrics (like an increasing number of
chanteuses, she sings in English), as show-
cased on her acclaimed debut album from
2021, Breakup Songs. That year, she was
rewarded with a nomination in the best
newcomer category at the prestigious
Wild Swimming France,
Daniel Stuart,
Wild Things Publishing Ltd,
€18.99; ISBN: 191063624X
THIS second edition of
Wild Swimming France
contains directions to a
thousand different
places to swim if you
don’t like swimming in
the sea, including natu-
ral pools, rivers, lakes,
waterfalls and hot
springs. Over half of
them are completely new entries.
Some of these places are quite well-known,
but others are well off the tourist track, so
start planning your summer holidays now.
The book covers all of France and includes
descriptions, maps, photos, directions and
even grid references. Some of them are not
accessible by road but the author gives esti-
mates for how long it takes to walk, as well as
suggestions for activities like bike rides and
canoeing. There are also addresses of water-
side campsites and restaurants.
This latest edition came out in 2021 – the
first one was published in 2012 – so before
setting out it might make sense to check vital
information with the local tourist office.
(A plunge pool is unlikely to up sticks and
move, but a snack bar might easily go bust).
This is a companion book Paul Webster’s
Wild Guide French Alps which contains all
sorts of ideas for places to go, and activities to
do when you get there. The accent is on find-
ing natural beauty spots; lost ruins, forts,
caves, Alpine plunge pools, isolated farms
selling local produce. If you yearn to camp out
under the stars or snuggle down in a moun-
tain refuge, this book is for you.
Flatter to deceive by learning argot
The French you don’t
learn at school
F
or those keen to truly master the
French language and then con-
verse freely, having a full grasp
of grammar and pronunciation
is obviously the main objective.
Beyond that, however, it is those tricky
holes in one’s vocabulary that need to be
filled. And that means not just standard
words but also argot (slang) ones dotted
into daily conversation by everyone from
the postie to the hairdresser, or on news
reports, interviews and social media posts.
The etymology of the word argot is
unclear but its first usage, according to the
very grandly titled National Centre for
Textual and Lexical Resources (CNRTL),
can be traced to 1701, when this secret jar-
gon was ‘used by [beggars], and intelligible
only to those in their cabal’.
Victoires de la musique ceremony.
Her latest album, 2023’s Eternal Lover, is
an accomplished collection of tunes with a
handful of uptempo songs (reminiscent of
Goldfrapp) interspersed among the moody
torch songs. One might imagine it being
played in the early hours at a chic Parisian
rooftop bar but its sophisticated pop will
bring a touch of glamour to any dinner
party – Silly Boy Blue is deserving of a
wider Anglophile audience.
The Skinny French Kitchen,
Harry Eastwood,
Publisher: Bantam Press,
€3.45 ISBN: 0593066464
HARRY
Eastwood has
been making
delicious diet
recipes since
she burst onto
the small
screen in
Channel 4’s
programme Eat
Yourself Thin. If you have one or two
tiny kilos to lose, this book, published
over a decade ago but still available,
could probably help you do it. The
recipes are French classics, including
Coq au Vin Blanc and Mousse au
Chocolat but cunningly slimmed
down to retain all their taste while
shedding some of their calories.
The recipes are all very easy, and
well described which means they work
every time. Best of all, the author does
not reply on strange ‘reduced fat’ and
‘diet’ butters and oils. She just works
out ways to use less of them. Even if
greed prevents you actually losing
weight using this recipes, they would
probably be a valuable contribution
towards maintaining a slimmer figure.
Recipes like raspberry macarons,
confit de canard, and profiteroles au
chocolat will make your mouth water,
and who knows, you may find yourself
making them just for the sheer pleas-
ure of it. There are plenty of photos
too, not just of the recipes, but also
of Paris, which is an added treat.
Over time, the word’s usage expanded
beyond secret mutterings of the criminal
fraternity to describe any terminology
used by certain professions, such as the
military or journalists, or social class,
group or community. Since such words are
largely niche, they are often florid and fun.
But back to our criminal fraternity...
and two fine examples of argot words
with such origins which are now used in a
figurative sense. Amadouer today is used
to describe the act of winning someone
over by force of flattery (we might say ‘to
woo’). But it is derived from the noun
amadou, a slang term used by beggars to
designate the yellow ointment with which
they rubbed themselves in order to look
ill and induce the pity of onlookers.
Similarly, maquiller – which during the
17th and 18th centuries meant to steal –
today means not only to beautify one’s face
with beauty products but also to change
the appearance of something in order to
deceive – such as a passport or stolen car.
January 2024 I French Living connexionfrance.com
QUOI DE NEUF?
New products, designs and ideas from around France
Wrapped up for winter
FOUNDED IN 1962 in Nay (Pyrénées-
Atlantiques) by beret makers André and Jean
Olibet, Pipilaki became the go-to woolly hat
brand for France’s top skiers.
Today the firm’s output of hats and accessories
continues to combine quality and style; however,
its range now extends beyond cosy headwear to
include scarfs, snoods, ponchos and capes – ideal
for keeping warm even if you are not a skier!
Poncho model pictured: Charline, measuring
130cm x 120cm and available in two colour
schemes. 100% acrylic, price €79.95.
www.pipolaki.com/en
A leather upper hand Delightful doudou
IT’S NOT just the wooden skis made by Marcel Livet that hark
back to the pioneers of French skiing, mountaineering and tradi-
BRETON soft toy maker Moncalin keeps it
100% Made in France (Locronan in Finistère)
tional craft methods, but also their range of leather gloves and
authentic, robust ski mittens. They are made in a long-established
workshop based in the heart of the Pyrenees mountains. Mittens
with their doudous (teddy bears) and other
plastic-free products.
This delightful and eminently huggable Cat
(mouffles) from €129, gloves (gants) from €139. le Chat (colour ‘rose bonbon’) is ideal for the
www.marcel-livet.fr newborn just arrived in your life.
Moncalin also offer a very handy service in
case of disappeared doudous: send them a
photo of a lost beloved and they will do their
best to recreate it. Cat le Chat Price, €90
www.moncalin.com
For your new-
fashioned jardin
GIVE your garden a marvellous modern
makeover with the truly innovative and
eye-catching range of furniture made by
Demain Jardin, who combine design and
durability. This Orage garden chair (60×78×
68cm), available in four colour schemes, is
the result of a collaboration with le Studio
5.5. Price €1,320; two and three-seaters
also available. demainjardin.fr
Shopping/Did you know? 21
Thomas Jefferson
and, inset the muscat
named in his honour
The lasting legacy of
Jefferson’s wine tour
Did you know?
A
merican president Thomas
Jefferson’s wine tour of
France in 1787 left a
lasting impact on France’s
wine sector and participat-
ed in fuelling one of France’s most con-
troversial epidemiological studies.
Mr Jefferson – then a representative of
Virginia – travelled around most
of France, visiting Strasbourg,
Nancy, Lyon, Nice, Aix-en-
Provence, Toulouse, Bordeaux,
Nantes, Rennes and Paris.
For one, many of the wines
from Bordeaux he brought back
to the United States were desig-
nated ‘grand cru’ by Napoleon
III in the classification of 1855,
a testimony to his savviness in
wine-tasting.
The owner of a plantation in
Monticello (VA) with two vine-
yards, wine enthusiast Jefferson
toured France on the advice of
his doctor in order to heal a bro-
ken wrist, but ended up on the
road tasting many of France’s
wine and champagne specialties.
However, the trip also had commercial
implications since the future third presi-
dent looked to bring a similar wine
industry to the United States to compete
with rum and whisky, alcoholic drinks
he despised and thought responsible
for debauchery.
“No nation is drunken where wine is
cheap, and none sober, where the dear-
ness of wine substitutes ardent spirits as
the common beverage. It is, in truth, the
only antidote to the bane of whiskey,”
he said in his notes, as reported in
“Thomas Jefferson On Wine” by
Main photo: Shutterstock/Vkilikov
American journalist John Hailman.
Embarking on his buckboard (horse-
drawn carriage) on February 28, Mr
Jefferson stopped off in the Burgundy
and Beaujolais regions to sip pinot
noirs; he guzzled Hermitage and white
Châteauneuf-du-Pape in Lyon; and
sampled Bellet in Nice before falling for
Château d’Yquem, arguably one of the
best wines of the world, when he stayed
in Bordeaux for four days.
The trip ended in Nantes, Angers,
Tours, Orléans and Epernay where
he quaffed white wines before
a return to Paris on June 10.
Mr Jefferson participated in
introducing wine more widely
on American tables over his two
terms (1801-1809), his personal
notes and accounts having
recorded the buying of 20,000
bottles.
Moreover, his travel notes in
France were some of the first to
notice what Americans will later
call ‘the French Paradox’, an
expression to define their per-
plexity at French people’s dietary
standards while seemingly not
bearing any negative health
consequences.
“Mr Jefferson’s happiness ideal
is not dissociated from the art of living
happily,” said Daniel Royot, emeritus
teacher of literature and American civi-
lization at Sorbonne University.
“Wine could only be part of the
French Paradox’s pursuit of happiness,”
he added.
In return, several winegrowers paid
tribute to the American, naming some
of their products after Mr Jefferson such
as Frontignan Muscat, which marketed
a muscat ‘cuvée du président Thomas
Jefferson’; and Les Vignerons du
Chevalier Georges which released a
red and a viognier wine.
22 History connexionfrance.com French Living I January 2024

Into the fire: volcanologists

Katia and Maurice Krafft
Samantha David discovers the inspirational story and legacy of volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft,
a couple who worked together their whole lives to advance scientific knowledge that continues to save lives

T
he volcanologists Katia and exciting, and they were making new

Maurice Krafft were
ground-breaking scientists
and explorers in the same
mould as Jacques Cousteau.
Both from Alsace, Katia was born in
1942, and Maurice in 1946. They died on
Mount Unzen in Japan, in a pyroclastic
flow from an erupting volcano containing
gases and volcanic matter. These flows can
reach temperatures of up 1,000°C and
speeds of 700kph. Forty-one other people
died in the same disaster.
From childhood, both were fascinated by
volcanoes. Katia nagged her parents for
books about them and trips to see them,
and at Strasbourg University she studied
physics and geochemistry. Maurice discov-
ered volcanoes during a family trip to
Naples when he was seven, and studied
geology at university, also in Strasbourg.
They met in 1966 at the University of
Besançon and got married in 1970.
“They never had children,” says Fabrice
Fillias, the Scientific Director at Vulcania
(a science-themed amusement park. See
www.vulcania.com). “Volcanoes were their
children.” He remembers as a boy attend-
ing a conference given by the pair, meeting
Maurice Krafft and being inspired by their
infectious enthusiasm for volcanoes.
At that time, natural sciences were not as
understood as they are now, and there was
little funding for research. But the Kraffts
were determined to study live volcanoes
on site. They scraped together the money
to visit Stromboli in Italy, where they pho-
tographed the almost-continuous erup-
tions. Back in France, people loved their
photos and videos, and they realised that
this was a way to fund their travels.
“Over the years they visited around 150
volcanoes; they were enormously experi-
enced,” says Fabrice Fillias. “It was rare for
women to be eminent scientists at the
time, but Katia Krafft won priz-
es for her work, and met
Valéry Giscard d’Estaing
(when he was Minister
of the Economy and
Finance) in 1972.”
In 1968, they
created the Centre
de Volcanologie in
Cernay (Alsace),
where they collaborat-
ed with other scientific
organisations including
Photos: left, BFA / Alamy, and inset, Hawaii Volcano Observatory, Wikimedia Commons
discoveries all the time which they wanted
to share with the public.”
Through the EU’s Connaissance du
Monde scheme, they gave talks to around
four million people. Connaissance du
Monde organises cinema screenings of
documentaries about the world, each one
attended by scientists who talk about the
film and answer questions. Screenings are
held all over France and are listed with
dates at www.connaissancedumonde.eu.
“Volcanoes are very beautiful as well as
being an exciting expression of our living
planet. Over time, however, Katia and
Maurice realised that volcanoes could also
claim numerous victims. Even volcanoes
which have slept for decades can erupt,
and they studied ways of recognising
warning signs, like slight earth tremors.”
The Kraffts divided volcanoes into two
types. Red volcanoes emit lots of red lava
fountains and heat, from which it is possi-
ble to escape because this lava tends to
flow at around 5-6kph. Grey volcanoes are
more explosive and emit a lot of smoke
and noxious fumes, and can also throw
enormous rocks into the air. The ash and
smoke goes in all directions and falls very
quickly. It is impossible to outrun the
explosive matter ejected by a grey volcano.
It is possible to build walls and gullies
around some volcanoes, to direct lava
away from settlements, but the burning
gases and scalding ash can travel hundreds
of kilometres. Then, for months after-
wards, it dissolves in the rain and can
cause landslides.
“The couple became a bridge between
scientists in labs and adventurers on the
ground. They returned from their expedi-
tions with extraordinary photos and vide-
os, as well as samples of gases and volcanic
ash, and they also explained all this new
science to the public.”
Katia’s studies of gases could be
used to predict an eruption,
and this became especially
important after the Above, film poster for “When Katia and Maurice Krafft turned
Armero tragedy in 1985. the 2023 film about up to photograph the eruption, the devas-
The Nevado del Ruiz Katia and Maurice tation was horrifying. They fell into anoth-
volcano in Columbia Krafft, Fire of Love; er world. A world where volcanic activity
erupted after lying inset, a volcanologist wasn’t beautiful, it just created victims and
dormant for 69 years. collecting a lava destruction. That was when they decided
Despite repeated warn- sample from to help people in a concrete way. In 1991,
ings by scientists during Kilauea, Hawaii they opened a scientific centre, La Maison
the previous two months de Volcan, in Piton de la Fournaise in La
that it could erupt, the Réunion. They also conceived the idea of

the International
Association of Volcanology
and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior
(IAVCEI), the Smithsonian Institute, and
the US Geological Survey. They had their
first book published in 1971.
They went on to publish another 20
books, produce six full-length documenta-
ry films, and make countless television
appearances, becoming known as the
‘Volcano Devils’. As soon as a volcano
began to erupt, the scientists would rush
there, and as their fame grew, the Kraffts
were invited all over the world.
“At the beginning it was a heady mixture
of science and adventure. Volcanoes are
population of Armero was not
warned and not evacuated. On the
day of the eruption, various inadequate
evacuation efforts were made, but many
people were advised to stay indoors.
Meanwhile, pyroclastic flows from the vol-
cano melted glaciers in their path, sending
four massive mudflows down the moun-
tainside at speeds of up to 50kph.
The sticky, boiling mud engulfed the
town of Armero (population 29,000),
killing more than 20,000 people. A further
3,000 people perished in nearby towns.
The Nevado del Ruiz volcano has erupted
several times since then, and continues to
threaten up to 500,000 people.
“
a theme park called Vulcania, to educate
people about volcanoes in a fun way.
The project to create the park took years.
“Maurice always designed it to attract peo-
ple wanting a fun day out, and then edu-
cate them once they got here. Back then,
that was a very new approach,” says
The couple became Fabrice Fillias. “Every single attraction is
educational in one way or another!”
a bridge between The Kraffts’ 1990 film Understanding
Volcanic Hazards, made in collaboration
scientists in labs with UNESCO and the Office of the UN
Disaster Relief Fund, was presented at the
and adventurers Congress of Mayence and almost immedi-
ately put to good use. In 1991, as Mount
on the ground Pinatubo began to show signs of imminent
January 2024 I French Living
eruption in the Philippines, their
video was shown to officials all over
the country. It convinced sceptics to
evacuate the zone, which saved
around 10,000 lives.
During their careers the Kraffts took
more than 300,000 photos, 300 hours
of film, produced 20,000 texts on
geology, plus numerous lithographs
and articles. Much of this is now
housed at the Natural History
Museum in Paris, but some can also
be seen at Vulcania.
That same year, they were docu-
menting the eruption of Mount
Unzen in Japan when they, and a
fellow volcanologist, Harry Glicken,
were overtaken by pyroclastic flows
from the volcano. When their bodies
were found two days later, lying side
by side near their car, they were
unrecognisable. Harry Glicken’s body
was found further away, suggesting
that he had tried to escape. They were
only identified by personal items such
as Maurice’s watch.
connexionfrance.com
Their ashes were placed in the
Anyo-Ji sanctuary in Shimabara, from
where they were subsequently repatri-
ated to Katia’s family plot in France.
Sadly, the pair died before the
Vulcania project could be finished.
Eventually it was taken over by the
region of Auvergne, and Vulcania
finally opened in 2002.
The Krafft Medal is awarded every
four years by the International
Association of Volcanology and
Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior to
a person who has contributed to the
service of people affected by volcanic
activity. The Centre for the Study
of Active Volcanoes at the University
of Hawaii has also established a fund
in their memory, which helps educate
people at high risk about volcanic
hazards.
Films about their lives include Into
the Inferno (2016) by Werner Herzog,
The Fire Within: A Requiem for Katia
and Maurice Krafft (2022), and Fire of
Love (2023).
Local history 23
Photos: top, United States Geological Survey/© Maurice and Katia Krafft/Dumont; bottom, Vulcania
Coupvray: home of Louis
Braille, its visionary hero
Louis Braille transformed the lives of people with impaired
sight. Annaliza Davis discovers the close relationship he had
with his hometown, where his legacy continues to be celebrated
Secret history of villages
C
oupvray in Seine-et-Marne is
a village of 2,867 inhabitants
on the outskirts of Paris, and
if the name is familiar, it
might be because four of the
six hotels for Disneyland Paris are here.
It has a grander claim to fame, however.
Two hundred years ago, on January 4,
1809, Louis Braille was born here.
Braille is now synonymous with the tac-
tile writing system used by people who
are blind or have low vision, in which let-
ters, numbers and symbols are represent-
ed by a series of raised dots. Louis Braille
himself, however, was not blind from
birth, but lost his sight due to an accident
at the age of three in his father’s work-
shop. The home in which he grew up has
now become a museum (Musée Louis
Braille), where you can try reading
braille yourself.
Despite losing his sight at
such a young age, Braille
excelled in his studies,
becoming a cellist
and organist. Aged
ten, he won a schol-
arship to attend the
National Institute
for Blind Youth in
Top, Volcanologists Paris (the world’s
Katia and Maurice first school for blind
Krafft in Hawaii in children) and during
1987; above, Vulcania his time there, he and his
in Auvergne, the brain- fellow pupils read books
child of Katia and printed with raised letters, howev-
Maurice Krafft er the system was costly so there was not
a huge selection of reading material.
As a teenager, he was introduced to a
code called Night Writing, invented by
Charles Barbier (1767-1841), with the
specific aim of enabling blind people
to read (as he clarified in a letter from
1815). The system was basic but had
potential, and young Louis refined it into
a sequence of 60 patterns based on only
six dots. At the age of 15, Braille had
established a writing system that would
be adopted by the sight-impaired com-
munity around the world.
Braille stayed on at the Institute as a
teacher, expanding his system to include
musical notation, yet his own school did
not adopt the Braille system until after
his death. He taught history, geometry
and algebra there, becoming a professor
Photos: both Wikimedia Commons; left, CC BY-SA 4.0; inset, CC BY-SA 3.0
The place d’Eglise and
the church where Louis
Braille was baptised,
in 1833, aged just 24. In the same year,
he met Charles Barbier, and the two
became friends.
Coupvray remained a key location for
Braille. Not only did he spend summer
holidays here, continuing to work on his
revolutionary reading system aged 13 to
15, he spent his working life within an
hour of his hometown. As a child he was
educated alongside the village children,
his parents taking what we would call a
mainstream approach that was most unu-
sual at the time. It is said that he learned
to navigate his way around the village
with a cane his father made for him, and
he was quite comfortable in Coupvray.
Braille had reportedly always been a
sickly child, and suffered ill-health in
adulthood due to an ongoing respiratory
illness. It now appears that he suffered
from tuberculosis from the age of 24
until he was finally forced to stop teach-
ing and give up his position as a church
organist at the age of 40, dying in 1852
just two days after turning 43.
As well as his birthplace
museum, you can find a
large monument to
Braille in Coupvray’s
town square, now
named Braille Square.
To mark the centenary
of his death in 1952,
his remains were taken
to the prestigious
Panthéon in Paris to be
interred alongside such
eminent figures as Voltaire,
Rousseau, Marie Sklodowska-
Curie, Emile Zola and Victor Hugo.
In a symbolic gesture, however, his hands
remain in Coupvray, buried close to his
childhood home (see inset photo).
It is worth noting that in 2019, it was
decided that World Braille Day would be
celebrated every year on January 4, Louis
Braille’s birthday. He might have lost his
sight as a child, but he was a visionary
in every way.
Quote from Louis Braille:
“Access to communication in the widest
sense is access to knowledge, and that is
vitally important for us if we [people who
are blind] are not to go on being despised
or patronised by condescending sighted
people. We do not need pity, nor do we
need to be reminded we are vulnerable.
We must be treated as equals – and com-
munication is the way this can be
brought about.”
24 The big picture connexionfrance.com French Living I January 2024

Ready for sailing’s ultimate challenge

Samantha David talks

Main photo and below: Pierre Bouras inset, left: Robin Christol
to elite British sailor
Sam Goodchild, who
is preparing for his
first Vendée Globe
round-the-world race

S
am Goodchild is preparing to
fulfil his lifetime ambition of
competing in the Vendée Globe,
a round-the-world sailing race.
Born in the UK, Sam spent the
first part of his childhood living on a boat
in Grenada, so sailing has always been at
the centre of his life. He first arrived in
France in 2011, and became a perma-
nent resident in 2015. “There is a more
structured approach to sailing in France
than in the UK. Here, it isn’t necessary
to own your own boat because there is a
well-developed sponsorship model, and
the infrastructure is better.”
“In the UK it is still a bit of an amateur
sport. They excel in the Olympics, but
the French are very keen on adventures
and doing crazy things. There is just a
different image of sailing in France.”
He learned French during
the first training sessions
he did in France. “I was in a
house with French speakers
and really made the effort to
learn.” These days he and his
French wife speak French
at home in Ploemeur, near brought me to Above: The sailing need quite a lot of psychological stamina
Lorient in Brittany, although France. You have to boat in which Sam because it is three months in a confined
he says he makes an effort qualify, to be in the Goodchild will space on your own. I’m preparing for
to speak English with their race. I’ll be sailing compete is the that with a sports psychologist, working
two children. across the Atlantic solo in April/May and 8 tonne ‘For The with him to see what might be hard for
“When you first arrive in France you there is a lot of technical stuff to prepare. Planet’; left: Sam me, and what might be less hard. It’s
struggle to find a restaurant that’s open, The weather is a major element in the says his main con- about mental preparation.”
and you forget that the shops are closed race. We are a team of two boats and 30 cern is avoiding He admits that having children adds a
for lunch, but I enjoy life here, I feel I people, so we are preparing everything injury during the whole new element to the race. But he
am accepted, and France is home now,” together as a team, but once the race race; right: he adds says his family are very supportive. “I’ve
he says. begins it’s each man for himself.” that managing sleep been working towards this all my life,
Founded in 1989, the Vendée Globe He says his primary aim will be to avoid and nutrition, as well networking, dealing with finance, the
is fiendishly challenging. Out of the 200 injury. “The boat moves a lot in storms, as dealing with physical side of it, the teamwork... so it’s
entrants so far, only 114 have managed to and the sails are heavy so you need a confinement, are not coming out of the blue, and of course
cross the finish line. Sailors attempt to certain level of physical fitness. But the among the race’s we have internet and phones.”
circumnavigate the world solo, non- primary aim is to make sure I don’t do my main challenges Even now, at the beginning of the year,
stop and without assistance. The route is back in or break an ankle. The activities he is completely focused on the race.
44,996kms, and the record so far is 74 days during the race are very diverse; you’re “There isn’t a plan for afterwards. I’m a
and 3 hours. The race starts on November fixing stuff, navigating, you have to professional sailor, so the chances are I’ll
10 2024 from Les Sables d’Olonne. manage your sleep and nutrition, so there remain in the industry, but who knows.”
“This is the dream, doing this is what are quite a lot elements to work on. You www.vendeeglobe.org/en/edition-2024

Quiz answers from page 19 Answers from page 18 and 19 A ACTIF,

A AIR-DROP,
A AXIOM,
1. B – Global freight transporter CMA CGM, which saw profits soar after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. TotalEn- Guess the region Toughnuts A AYE,
ergies was second on €20.5bn and LVMH third with €19bn 2. B – Food scientist Antoine Parmentier showed Château de Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Aquitaine) C CARIE,
that potatoes were edible and created scores of recipes, including mince and mash hachis parmentier. He had was the birthplace of King Henry IV of France and C CURDS,
D DE,
eaten little else but potatoes after being captured in 1763 during the Seven Years War 3. A – The Groupe d’études et was once used as a holiday home by Napoleon. D DELEGATE,
d’informations sur les phénomènes aérospatiaux non identifiés (Geipan) is France’s UFO agency 4. C – Briefcases, E EDUCE,
schoolbags and bags make 30% of the articles recovered by SNCF with mobile phones next along with laptops Bilingual cryptic crossword E EMOTIONALLY,
and tablets 5. C – Mustard comes in different colours and not just from Dijon or Meaux – Moutarde violette from Across: 1 Mimics, 4 Prates, 8 Smacker, 9 Sumatra, E ENTREE,
Brive-la-Gaillarde, moutarde de Bordeaux is brown and moutarde de Beaujolais claret coloured 6. The Train 11 Enterprise, 12 Hier, 13 Fleet, 14 Exporter, E ESPACE-TEMPS,
16 Separate, 18 Russe, 20 Peur, 21 Corbillard, G GOO,
Jaune de Cerdagne runs 63km along a Pyrenean plateau from Villefranche-de-Conflent to Latour-de-Carol 7. At I ICI,
Bolquère-Eyne in Pyrénées-Orientales. The station, at 1,593m, serves the Train Jaune 8. Nice – it links the city 23 Letters, 24 Illicit, 25 Tarder, 26 Inhere.
I IMPERATIVE,
with Digne-les-Bains in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence over 151km. It is said to be named as it is slow that passengers Down: 1 Maman, 2 Machete, 3 Cleopatra, 5 Rouge, I IN LINE,
could get off, collect pignes pine cones, and jump back on 9. At the other end of the Pyrenees from the Train L LEA,
6 Teacher, 7 Serre-tête, 10 Cimeterre, 13 Fièrement,
Jaune and 10km inland from Saint-Jean-de-Luz. It leaves from the col de Sainte Ignace and takes 35minutes to L LEMONY,
15 Portillon, 17 Arrêter, 19 Salaire, 21 Carte, 22 Reine. L LIT,
reach the summit of the Rhune 10. At Gare de Lyon in Paris where it is the station’s fine dining restaurant. It is L LOG ON,
named for the Train Bleu luxury night train that linked Paris to Marseille, Nice and Vintimille in Italy 11. Chant French-themed crossword L LOO,
de Guerre pour l’Armée du Rhin. It was written by Rouget de Lisle in Strasbourg but popularised by soldiers from Across: 2 acacia, 6 ciel, 7 porc, 8 cépage, 10 plan, M MANHUNT,
Marseille marching on Paris 12. Domine, salvum fac regem – it is said to have inspired God Save the Queen 11 Angoulême, 13 sur, 14 Javel, 16 uni, 20 Géricault, M MANNA,
13. The Chant du Départ, written in 1794 by Marie-Joseph Chénier with music by Etienne Méhul. It was sung by 22 rien, 23 Hélène, 24 noix, 25 anse, 26 Millau. N NIAIS,
O OBSOLETE,
French soldiers in both First and Second World Wars 14. I’m not Scared was written by Pet Shop Boys duo Neil Solution No.23 (ABONDANCE)
Down: 1 Bibendum, 2 alcool, 3 appel, 4 toile, 5 scène, O OPT,
Tennant and Chris Lowe. It was first recorded by Patsy Kensit’s band Eighth Wonder, who made it a top 10 hit R RESTA,
9 gamme, 12 anglaise, 15 arête, 17 Rameau, 18 prune,
15. Because French driver Sébastien Ogier had won the Monte Carlo Rally 16. Sébastien Loeb, who won in 2022 S SACOCHE,
19 devis, 21 idéal. S SAP,
at the age of 47 17. Sébastien Ogier, who has won nine races 18. The latest model of Citroën bus, the T45. Starting
from Warsaw it took about 60 hours to cover the 2,614km route in pouring rain. Before arriving in Monaco the Fun French facts S SPASM,
S STINGY,
bus was polished and the 12-strong crew changed into suits to cross the finish line in style 19. Because the driver 1 Cairn de Barnenez, 2 Invading Nazi forces changed T TESTER,
was not a racer – he was in a souped-up Peugeot 205 GTI and had tried to join the run-in to the finish line. He all the clocks in France to conform with Berlin time. Y YARDMASTER.
was later jailed for a month 20.A Mini Cooper S, driven by Paddy Hopkirk with Henry Liddon on the maps The change has never been rescinded, 3 Marie Curie
 The Connexion January 2024 connexionfrance.com Practical 21

Tips on insurance and how Foodies at your fingertips

IF YOU like dining out, trying Bordeaux for €29 per guest,

to deal with storm damage

new foods and meeting people, or a tour of the Libération
the website eatwith.com could market and a cooking class
be for you. in Nice for €137 per person.
Developed in France, it oper- There are hosts all over
ates nationwide and across France, including lots of
Europe and on both English speakers.

Photo: MPH Photos_shutterstock

STORMS Ciaran and Domingos, make a claim, you must have coasts of the US. Search by depart-
Photo: Nico.Stock_shutterstock

between November 1 and 5, comprehensive, multi-risk This site brings ment number, city
were jointly the fifth worst to property insurance that auto- together people or town, how many
hit France, leading to 517,000 matically includes compensa- who perhaps want people (up to a max-
insurance claims – at a cost tion – or standalone cover. to learn to cook imum of 100) there
of €1.3billion. You must claim within 30 days something new, try will be, and the date.
Homeowners were behind of the decree being published. a different national Customers can also
91% of the claims, with damage cuisine or would like filter their results by
to homes making up 84% of If you are without power a personalised tour price and the type
insurance payouts, trade body If your property is without of a food market. of food they want to
France Assureurs says. electricity for more than five The choices on try, as well as if they
As bad weather becomes hours due to a storm, energy offer include a culinary escape have any dietary requirements.
more and more of a year-round grid operator Enedis will auto- with a host in Balma, near Host information includes
risk, we give tips to help you Make sure you are covered for clearing away storm damage matically pay a lump sum of €2 Toulouse, for €39 per person, disabled access, if they are
prepare for storms and deal (excluding VAT) per kVA of an evening of board games family-friendly, if parking is
with any damage. with a small rise to your prem- cate (certificat d’intempéries) subscribed power for every five and international cuisine in free, and if smoking is allowed.
ium for a pack jardin. Separate from Météo-France: tinyurl. consecutive hours of energy
Check your insurance policy garden policies also exist. com/37pwbv3u. See page 18. lost, up to a limit of 40 consec- MONEY-SAVER
Check home and car policies for Direct Assurance also noted Take photographs of the utive five-hour periods.
exclusions, especially if you have
minimum cover.
there can be a high demand for
repairers when an area is wide-
damage and secure your
property if you are able.
Enedis pays your electricity
supplier, which deducts it from Low-cost EV charging tech
“It’s better to check before ly affected, leading to delays. If you repair some damage your next energy bill. Enedis’s
a claim is needed rather than yourself, keep receipts for 24/7 breakdown service is 0972

Photo: Basilico Studio Stock_shutterstock

after,” a spokesperson for the Prepare your property materials as your insurance 675 0+ (department number).
insurance firm Allianz said. To minimise the risk of company will need them.
Home insurance will include damage, there are steps you Alternatively, call in a profess- Frozen food losses
storm cover called garantie can take before a storm hits: ional firm and get a quote. Most standard home insurance
tempête or évènements climat- n cut back trees and overhang- policies, even comprehensive
iques for damage to house and ing branches that could fall on If your vehicle is damaged ones, do not provide for the
contents caused by gales, such your house or car; If a storm brings down a tree loss of frozen food through
as falling trees and damaged or n secure items that might be that does not belong to you on power loss.
torn-off roofs. Heavy snow or blown away by strong winds; to your car, this is force majeure Check if you have electrical
hail is also often covered. n if you do not already have and the tree’s owner is not liable. damage insurance or a house- DISCOUNT retailer Lidl has and €349. Buyers pay for
If water gets into the home them, install shutters or If you have comprehensive hold appliance option, as it become the latest French installation, but can claim tax
due to intense rain, it could fall window guards; cover, your insurer will pay for might compensate you. supermarket to sell low-cost credit (tinyurl.com/bdee9sst).
under évènements climatiques n make sure your roof and the damage to be fixed. EV charging equipment. Not all public EV charging
or otherwise the guarantee for gutters are checked regularly; On average, the excess is €150 Your excess payment Many stores offer recharg- points have integrated cables.
dégâts des eaux (water damage), n pay attention to local to €200. You are not covered The excess on your insurance ing points, but major super- To purchase one can cost
which would also cover issues weather and storm warnings. if you only have third-party policy will remain in place. If a markets Carrefour, Auchan between €90 and €300,
such as burst pipes. In the absence of an alert, insurance. Storm cover can natural disaster is declared, it is and Lidl are the only ones depending on its power level.
External fixtures and fittings, the homeowner is well covered also include towing if your capped at €380 for homes and to sell recharging tech. Lidl’s site has a type 2
such as gates and sheds, might if the event is confirmed and vehicle can no longer be driven. personal property. If your roof Lidl’s website (tinyurl. recharging cable for €129
not be included and the same other residents in the same and furniture are affected, it com/4y2nnbmt) lists two that is suitable for almost all
goes for swimming pools, area have suffered damage, the If your property is flooded doubles to a maximum of €760. wall-mounted charging European stations, and allows
verandas, fencing and trees. Direct Assurance agent said. Storm damage caused by points, suitable for type 2 charging up to 22kW.
A spokesperson for Direct floods – not just rain getting Receiving compensation plugs in the home. Type 2 EV owners can also buy a
Assurance said many home- If your property is damaged into the home – will require After approving a claim, your plugs are the European stand- charging cable that plugs into
owners lack cover for outside You must contact your insurer a natural disaster declaration. insurer will make an offer for ard and have seven pins. Type a domestic socket for €119.
items such as garden furniture within five days by telephone, A natural disaster decree will compensation. Payment is usu- 1, used in the US, have five. Auchan’s wallbox is at
or the cost of clearing away or registered letter or email. be published in the Journal ally made within 10 to 30 days. One Lidl wallbox is rated at tinyurl.com/6a8524yp, while
replacing fallen trees that have They will tell you if a survey- officiel, which specifies the In the event of a natural dis- 22kW, the other is at 11kW, Carrefour’s cable is at tinyurl.
not damaged the home. or is required. They may also locations affected, the type of aster, your insurer has three and they are priced at €499 com/ypzzycsa.
Often you can add such items ask for a bad weather certifi- damage and what caused it. To months to pay compensation.

Buy or sell a car in minutes

Benefit explainer: revenu de solidarité active (RSA) ANYONE looking to buy, sell signed transfer certificate into
or give away a second-hand the app.
IN OUR series on benefits and assistance card holders) or must have a carte de rési- ment of €766 while those with three would vehicle can do the related Buyers must:
available in France, we look at the recently dent (a card renewable only every 10 years). get €1,339. ‘paperwork’ in minutes, thanks n wait for the seller to share
reformed revenu de solidarité active (RSA) Families with more than three children to a new app. the vehicle transfer file;
benefit, which aims to support people Amount: RSA is a flat-rate, means-tested will receive €243 per additional child. Simplimmat.gouv, aimed at n check the information given;
who are getting back into work. benefit. A person’s marital status and For single parents who declare a preg- private individuals, eliminates n validate the file;
whether they have dependent children are nancy, give birth or take charge of a child, the vast majority of the paper- n sign the purchase from the
What is RSA?: This benefit is for residents relevant factors. Every source of a house- or who are separated, divorced or widowed, work from the process. app, so it is officially declared
under the age of 62 who have little or no hold’s revenue is taken into account, includ- increased RSA is available for 12 months. However, the app only works to the authorities;
income. It can act as a supplement for ing overtime, holiday pay, any other benefits This simulator will help determine if you with vehicles that are registered n download the completed and
working people who earn low wages or and even financial gifts. are eligible: tinyurl.com/yc5my8e7. in the AA-123-AA format. signed transfer certificate.
independent workers with low incomes. The flat rate is calculated by deducting a Both vendor and buyer The buyer can also order a
A recent reform means that from January household’s income from a fixed amount. Where to apply: Apply at the Caisse d’alloc- complete the sale declaration new vehicle registration docu-
1, recipients must be registered with the job Until March, for a single person with ations familiales (Caf) or social services together, using the secure app. ment and will immediately
centre and must spend 15 hours a week in no children or housing benefit, the RSA of the department council where you live, When meeting for the vehicle obtain a provisional registra-
training or preparation for work. amount will be €608 a month, rising to using this form tinyurl.com/akd9stdz, or handover: tion certificate.
€1,337 if they have three children. apply online at tinyurl.com/47n3phbe. Sellers must: The new certificate will be
Who can apply: You must be aged between For those who claim housing benefit in To renew your application, you must n bring their vehicle sent to them via the post in
25 and 62. Under certain conditions, adults the same situations, the minimum RSA declare your income every three months. registration document; three or four days.
aged 18 to 24 who are young parents or payment is €535 and the maximum €1,157. n fill in the information Simplimmat is available for
have worked for at least three years may For a couple claiming no housing benefit Good to know: RSA recipients must be required to transfer the vehicle; iPhone (tinyurl.com/thzaue4z)
claim young person’s RSA. and with no children, the minimum would looking for a job, setting up a business n share the transfer file with and Android (tinyurl.com/
Non-French nationals must usually have be €912, rising to €1,519 if they have three or be on work-related training courses. the future owner; 4uup5me2), and covers cars,
held a residency permit allowing them to children. Sanctions, including partial or full n sign the transfer on the app tricycles and quads, two or
work for at least five years (this limit does Couples claiming housing benefit with no suspension of RSA payments, can be to register it; three-wheel mopeds and
not apply to Brexit Withdrawal Agreement children can expect a minimum RSA pay- imposed on those who do not comply. n download the completed and motorbikes.
 Business Directory
Use these pages to find English-speaking tradespeople and firms across France. For your security, we check that all French
businesses listed here are registered. The listings are arranged geographically by the 5 landline telephone zones of France.
Are you a business searching for new clients?
Advertise with us - prices start from just €165 HT for 1 year!
To book a space email: sales@connexionfrance.com or place your advert online at the Directory section of connexionfrance.com

P23 All of France P24 North France P24 South East France P24 South West France P25 Classifieds
All Tel Codes Tel Codes 01 - 03 Tel Code 04 Tel Code 05

COMMERCIAL FEATURE

A swimming pool for life and a return on investment...sounds like a dream!

Buying a swimming pool in France can be a challenging forward process, if the pool professional is with 10-15 year lifespans. Gaius TA has a
experienced and is willing to spend time philosophy of finding the best value, most
experience; multiple pool types and materials coupled listening and putting together a professional sustainable and longest lasting materials
with a wide range of pool companies….. how do you document. This consist of a ‘déclaration to create a beautiful place that can be
ensure that the company you choose will understand préalable’ and ‘déclaration de travaux’ and enjoyed by families and friends for many,
is needed for all in-ground pools under many years to come. Gaius TA can give
your design, dream or desires? Alexander Pearson 100m2 surface area. you an estimate over the phone and if the
(MSc - CIWEM) from Gaius Terra & Aqua («Gaius TA») helps “Timescales of swimming pool installations solutions are not within budget, Alexander
you make sense of the French pool market and bring some often have to be flexible; bad weather can is happy to offer impartial advice and
cause delays to the build, but with the rapid recommendations.
clarity to what should be an extremely pleasurable process. install of a one of our carbon reinforced
ceramic pools these issues, along with bad
“BUDGET is more than often top of the list, builder has Assurance décennale and is a weather can easily be overcome. The whole
especially if the pool is for a holiday home/ member of a professional accredited body, process, from dig to swim can be completed
let,” says Alexander. “Cheap pools are such as the highly respected Fédération in under 10 days.”
readily available in France but often come des Professionnels Piscine. It is also worth Gaius TA was founded by Alexander, a
with unforeseen or miscommunicated requesting references / case studies, and French resident who previously worked for
complications resulting in higher installation, even viewing a completed project first hand. 10 years in the high-end swimming pool
operational and/or maintenance costs. Alexander continues, “Planning and construction industry in the UK. He W: www.gaiusta.com
Often the material costs are mirrored in applications and the bureaucratical pitfalls sees it is apparent that a throw away culture E: alexander@gaiusta.com
the design and installation quality. It is of building or renovating a swimming has crept into the French swimming pool T: (UK) +44 (0)7983806244
very important to make sure the pool pool in France can actually be a straight market, dominated by cheap polyester pools (FR) +33 (0) 777231116

English TV in your

REMOVALS
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 The Connexion January 2024 www.connexionfrance.com ALL OF FRANCE Directory 23
COMMERCIAL FEATURE

Bespoke PA and administration service launches in France

Free up some of your time to
enjoy all that France has to
offer by letting annabel take
care of your personal and
home administration
FOR the past 10 years, annabel has been
providing trusted PA and administrative
services to private clients and small businesses
in the UK including overseeing numerous
house moves. annabel has now arrived in
France and our bilingual team is ready to
provide a tailored PA service to support all
your administration requirements including
an at home, face-to-face service for Paris
based clients.
annabel’s end-to-end consultancy service
incorporates four main areas:
Firstly, the Pre-Move Planning where we
guide clients through the extensive “to do” list
prior to their move delivering the necessary
timeline and task management plan and
providing an early signposting to tax and legal
specialists.
Next is the Move Liaison role providing
a seamless interface and liaison between all
stakeholders including the appointed removal
company, estate agent or agents immobiliers
and notaire.
Closely linked is management of the
Move Administration where we support the
completion of all the legal documentation for
entry including Visas to ensure a smooth and
successful transition into French or English
life. annabel professionally manages all
administration relating to the move including
utilities management; postal redirections,
change of address notifications and refining
(digitally, if required) the clients filing system.
Finally, annabel provides ongoing PA
Services both sides of The Channel and can
assist in administering the set-up and ongoing
support of a client’s business operation in the
UK or France. In addition, by taking care of all
the regulatory paperwork (tax, insurance and
healthcare) and personal administration, we
bring instant order and calm allowing you the
freedom to settle into your new life without
the administration burden.
As one annabel client recently commented,
“I want to pay tribute to the professionalism
of my consultant and say thank you for the
help and support she is bringing daily to our
family and admin at all levels. From the house
maintenance/works; to our logistics and
admin conundrums; to some business admin
management. I have trust and respect for her
competence and gratitude for her permanent
supportive attitude and availability.”
For further information, please visit
www.annabel.co.uk,
or email help@annabel.co.uk,
or call +33 (0)6 51 91 88 93.
We look forward to saying Bonjour soon.

LAWYER IN PARIS
SwissLife
Insurance
Sole practitioner with
27-year international experience
INDEPENDENT BROKERS
Working with selected
advises and represents insurers to find the best
LEARN FRENCH Since 1898, we have specialised companies and individuals policy for your needs
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one-to-one Skype lessons available. insurance and private banking. law, litigation, family law,
Professional language teacher with immigration, and criminal law.
Oxford degree. Please call Marie and Lawrence MOTOR, HOUSE, MEDICAL
On: 05 56 28 94 64 T: +33964006059
www.frenchcourse.fr Web: swisslife-health-insurance.fr E: luis@wolffkono.com TRAVEL, BUSINESS
bordeaux.theatre@agence-swisslife.fr W: wolffkono.com
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as required by
CAF, Courts, Notaires, Prefecture,
(Births, Adoptions, Marriages, Deaths –
NLE
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INSURANCE
in English contact Penny
at G.S.A.R. 05 53 40 15 71
BROKERS
Divorces - Pensions – Wills – Family Law…)
Contact: 06 88 59 91 90
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Services offered in France and UK HEALTH - HOME - CAR -
SWORN BUSINESS - ETC
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& LIVE ANIMALS TRANSLATION
n Payroll n VAT
APIVIA, ALLIANZ,
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World Wide Pet INTERPRETING Website: www.nle-accounting.fr APRIL, CHUBB, POOL FENCE
Relocator SERVICES Email: info@nle-accounting.com The pool security system
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Ministry approved Please contact Hilary Decaumont

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Contact Kasia, Catherine, AFNOR approved.
00 33 (0) 6 10 69 05 53
No. 61195004 – 61195001 Mark or Philip for quotes www.poolparc.com
Email: info@leapfrogservices.net Tel: +33 (0)5 57 80 43 35
Offices CDG Airport Paris
Offices and Kennels Normandy www.leapfrogservices.net Agence International Email: info@wminsurance.fr LIFELONG SWIMMING
Dedicated English speaking W & M INSURANCE BROKERS
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Tel: 02 33 38 41 32 Normandy English speakers UK & French Returns. Self cleaning & remotely monitored
www.goldenwaypets.com • Insurance HMRC agent. Free estimate We are British & understand
Siret: 397549551
• Health insurance of your tax liabilities. the French system too

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• Life assurance T: +44 1323 657320

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VILLAGES •
•
Banking & lending
Business insurance
alexander@gaiusta.com
+33 (0)5 58 55 72 15
IMMOBILIER Tel: 05 61 07 16 84
+33 (0)7 77 23 11 16

Selling your French home? Talk to us! agence.international@axa.fr INSURANCE STOP CLEANING
Local, professional, expert team www.axa-in-france.fr Jean-Marie LECOMTE
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ST HILAIRE DU HARCOUET - 50600
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SUPPORT NETWORK with our hottest buyers Regulated Insurance
(call Angeline: English speaking
contact) - 02 33 49 12 34 all flies, wasps and leaves
Broker Independent - agence.lecomte@axa.fr from your pool surface.
Freephone: 08 05 69 23 23
enquiries@beauxvillages.com not tied to NEED FRENCH LEGAL www.pure-piscines.com
www.beauxvillages.com one company, ADVICE IN ENGLISH? or call 0565 319623
Are you grieving for a loved one best price & quality Tax returns, pension
and needing to talk? We can meet all your schemes (QROPS),
We support the bereaved and insurance needs Estate planning,
terminally ill, face to face Health (top up or private), financial advice.
in the Var, and by telephone House, Car, Business / We are expats qualified in France,
elsewhere in France. FOREIGN EXCHANGE Commercial call to try our unrivalled service TOP PRICE FOR
www.bsnvar.org
info@bsnvar.org
VOTED #1 – RATES AND SERVICE
Email: nchubb@asttral.com
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www.PioneerFrance.com Tel: 04 68 32 41 20 +44 (0)20 3807 8311 Mobile: 06 83 32 65 15
06 24 50 22 74 or sue.davage@wanadoo.fr
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40yrs info@pioneerfrance.com FCA
Web: www.asttral.com www.
£ € $ +33 (0)5 53 07 06 27 £ € $ Siret No: 411 673 106 00018 dtbwealthmanagement.com 82120 Marsac
24 Directory
Taking the paperwork and pain out of a left-hand drive vehicle purchase
At Gary Automobiles near
Lyon, convenience and quality
are assured for customers
buying a left-hand drive car
ARE YOU looking to buy a left-hand drive
vehicle for your new life in France?
Gary Automobiles is an English-owned
motor dealer based just outside of Lyon in
the Rhône-Alpes, specialising in the supply
of quality new and pre-owned, left-hand
drive, French registered vehicles to expats
moving to France.
The company has been operating in
France since July 1 2003 and customers
only ever deal with Gary personally.
Convenience for the customer is a key
element in the company’s ethos, which is
why Gary Automobiles now has the facility
to register your vehicle in your name at
PROBLEM SOLVING
Advice on all aspects of living in
France, buying/selling,
French administration, income tax,
etc...
Competent, experienced.
Contact me now for your free consultation.
Rachel THOMAS-BONNET LLB Hons
+33 (0)6 62 78 39 77
perfidealbion@bbox.fr
Visit me at
www.perfidealbion.com
GARY AUTOMOBILES
Specialists in supplying quality
New and Pre-owned
French registered vehicles
We buy LHD/RHD vehicles
Part-exchanges welcome
Unlike UK LHD specialists we
handle all the paperwork and
re-register the vehicle in your
name at our premises!
French registered, English owned company
Tel 0033 (0)4 74 43 89 51
or 0033 (0)6 84 85 04 61
gary.automobiles@wanadoo.fr
www.gary-automobiles.com
From a UK vehicle LOGBOOK
To a FRENCH vehicle
LOGBOOK – DONE !
PAULPALMER@CAR-REG-FRANCE.COM
WWW.CAR-REG-FRANCE.COM
Tel: 0780493243
Campervans, cars
and vans wanted
Both LHD and RHD.
Also part-exchange. Collection in
the UK or France. Polite service.
Please email, text or telephone
and we will call you back.
sunnyskycars@gmail.com
or Tel +33 (0) 6 17 22 93 23
00 44 738 325 3605
LEGGETT
Property Management offer a
comprehensive property management
and rental service for your holiday home.
www.leggettpm.com
hello@leggettpm.fr
ALL OF FRANCE
their premises – meaning there is no need
to worry about translation and paperwork
issues. Gary will issue your new carte
grise directly from his
office and can even
arrange your French
motor insurance and
transfer your no
claims bonus.
“I remember how hard
it was to understand the
French paperwork and
red tape when I made the
move over to France in
2001. I am happy to assist
fellow expats and take
that burden away,” says Gary.
Reassuringly, they are fully French
registered company with Siret / Siren / and
TVA numbers and only supply vehicles with
European specifications.
For customers wishing to stay over and
ANGLO FRENCH
EURO REMOVALS
Weekly services to and from
the UK and France
Full and part loads
40 years’ experience
Full or fragile packing service
Storage facilities in the UK
and France
UK - 0044 (0)1237 751 293
France - 0033 (0)545 894 957
info@anglofrenchmail.com
www.anglofrenchremovals.co.uk
UK Reg: 5437760
DORDOGNE STORAGE
SOLUTIONS AND
REMOVALS
European specialists France to
France, Spain, Portugal etc.
Removals, Storage,
House Clearance, Car and
Plant Transport.
French registered professional
friendly service.
+33 (0)6 73 96 38 39
www.
dordognestoragesolutions.com
Stockagedss@gmail.com
Siret number 80114632500015
Salisbury Removals Ltd
REMOVALS
UK - FRANCE - UK
• Full and part loads
• Container Storage
• Online Quotations
• Estimates in France
00 44 1722 698090
info@salisburyremovals.co.uk
www.salisburyremovals.co.uk
Company Reg No: 13709611
VAT No: 424046035
www.connexionfrance.com
COMMERCIAL FEATURE
visit the area (easyJet and Ryanair fly into
nearby airports), Gary can come to collect
you from the airport or train station, as
well as arrange
reservations or
advise on local
Lyonnais hotels.
Another part
of the service
offered by Gary
Automobiles is
that they do not
put people under
pressure to make
a purchase. They
understand the
logistics of moving abroad, so if they have
a suitable vehicle in stock they we will keep
it until you are ready to collect – with no
time limitations.
Part exchange with your right hand drive
vehicle is also available, while the company
CRANBURYS
Movers - Shippers - Storers
Full and Part Loads
throughout France
Secure storage
Tel +44 (0)1962 777 684
Email moving@cranburys.co.uk
www.cranburys.co.uk
Greetings Cards
Birthdays, Anniversaries, Special Occasion,
Christmas, Hand-made and Open - From €1.00
Hand Written Service Available
Tel: 07 70 17 73 86
enquiries@englishcardsinfrance.net
www.englishcardsinfrance.net
Siret: 538 583 60000019
Love French Interiors
French Reproduction Furniture.
Hand crafted from Mahogany.
Wide choice of finish options.
Full customisation possible.
Bespoke Design service available.
Delivery throughout France.
www.lovefrenchinteriors.com
0044 (0) 20 3474 0092
Chenil Les Mille Calins
English Run
5 Star accommodation for Dogs/Cats
l Underfloor heated kennels
l Qualified staff
l Top Quality food and exercise
l Only 45 minutes south of Caen
l Convenient Ferry Access
www.goldenwaypets.com
Telephone 02 33 37 49 19
Emergency 02 33 38 41 32
Fax 02 33 38 44 16
The Connexion January 2024
also provides a car sourcing service –
meaning if they do not have the vehicle
you want in stock, they will find it for you.
For further recommendation, here are
some previous customer comments:
“Gary Automobiles made the whole
process as painless as possible.”
Colin Edwards
“I have used Gary Automobiles to source
and deliver a new car in France. Since I
don’t speak French it was a delight to deal
with Gary himself.” Tom Wall
“Gary’s personal and English-speaking
service has been really helpful and taken
the hassle out of buying and keeping a car
in France.” James Greig
Gary Automobiles EURL
Telephone: 0033 4 74 43 89 51
Mobile: 0033 6 84 85 04 61
Email: gary.automobiles@wanadoo.fr Gary at his office near Lyon
www.gary-automobiles.com
SKY IN FRANCE
Sky, Freesat
& French TV
Axa AngloAgence Supplied & Fully Installed
Car, House, Health, INSURANCE
Bank, Savings, Investment Office: 05 63 59 85 16
Going Beyond since 1989
www.skyinfrance.co.uk
02 96 87 21 21
agence.mpsdinan@axa.fr Please see our main
Alex, Richard, Trystan
advert in the Connexion
SWIMMING POOL LEAK
DETECTION AND REPAIR Building restoration
City & Guilds qualified builder
www.fuitedetection.fr Masonary, plastering, tiling,
+33 781 444545 Painting and decorating
Areas: 24, 46
+44 7770 274528 Tel: 06 48 56 22 83
Email: pabroadley@yahoo.co.uk
WIFI Anglais
Keeping you connected
Internet - WiFi - VPN
Web hosting - CCTV
hello@wifianglais.com
AUDE & HERAULT
Pool Specialist 07 78 52 20 46
Weekly maintenance, repairs,
equipment replacement.
Contact Anthony Main 06 62 76 20 93
Email: anthonymain.fr@gmail.com
Siret 48468735500038
DEMPSEY TREE SURGERY
CONTRACTORS
British trained & qualified tree surgeon
All tree work undertaken.
Tel: 05 45 65 96 86 Mob: 06 61 90 04 92
enquiries@dempseytreesurgery.com
www.dempseytreesurgery.com
Working in dept: 16, 17, 24, 87
Siret: 48930027700014
Painter / Decorator DORDOGNE SERVICES
- interior & exterior - All Gardening Work - Cutting
Strimming - Hedge Trimming
Contact Martin Clearance - Property Services
martin.dodson79@gmail.com Depts - 24,46,47
Tel: Bob & Tracy 06 42 82 44 96
07 85 13 93 04 / 06 07 45 62 63 Email: bob.groundwork@gmail.com
Region: GARD/30 siret : 48293447800017
 The Connexion January 2024 www.connexionfrance.com ALL OF FRANCE Directory 25
COMMERCIAL FEATURE

The ‘one stop shop’ for every aspect of your removal needs
Modern methods, old
fashioned values! Company
owner Andrea Watson
explains how removals have
been a significant part of the
Watson European roots for
many years. From humble
beginnings servicing the needs
of road haulage in Europe,
Andrea’s experienced team now
meet the demand for a regular
and professional removals
service.
“OVER the years, our services have
been developed to offer wrapping and
packing services, storage, vehicle re-
location services and customs clearances
specialising in movements between the
UK, France and Spain,” says Andrea.
“Our dedicated and experienced team
aim to provide you with both a friendly and
welcoming experience, while maintaining
a professional and courteous skillset to give
you the confidence in your move from the
point of first contact through to re-delivery,
making your move a stress free and
enjoyable experience.”
Watson European have found that
following Brexit and the UK’s departure
from the EU, the process in how goods
can be moved between the UK and the
EU has changed. Clients also state that
Customs’ requirements can also feel
extremely overwhelming now in addition
to the natural stresses that are already
present when moving overseas.
“At Watson European, we can take
care of all customs formalities from
permanent house moves, second / holiday
home movements and vehicle movements.
We were especially pleased to launch
our new service for ‘HMRC Transfer
Of Residence Relief ’ applications. Our
team will provide information on the
documentation required and provide
up to date information for your specific
needs. We aim to be the ‘one stop shop’
for every aspect of a client’s removal needs,”
Andrea says.
Safely storing your belongings is often an
essential part of your relocation journey.
Whether for a few days, a few months, or
a few years, Watson European have got
you covered with secure, modern storage
solutions at competitive rates.
For clients moving between the UK
and EU, Watson European offer up to 60
days complimentary storage as part of
a relocation package. This sought-after
storage solution is designed to relieve
some of the time-sensitive pressures of
moving internationally.
“Our storage solutions allow you to
travel at your own leisure, take some time
to find the perfect new home and finalise
completion dates with solicitors, says
Andrea. “Or you may simply want to do
some renovations to your new home prior
to the arrival of your belongings knowing
that your possessions are being safely and
securely looked after at our main operating
base in Lincoln, UK or our newly acquired
facility in Gandia, Spain.” Whatever your removal requirements
Andrea concludes with a ‘top tip’ when call Andrea and her team at Watson
European.
considering a home move. “Start by taking
a little bit of time to call our team and have www.watsoneuropean.co.uk
a chat. They will be able to assess your Tel: Office 0044 (0) 1522 686 764
individual needs and get things moving Andy 0044 (0) 7876 504 547
in a positive manner.” Email: enquiry@watsoneuropean.co.uk

CHARITY
ELECTRICIAN
Experienced & French Registered.
Available for all types of electrical work.
Insured and guaranteed.
Areas: 16,17
PHOENIX ANIMAL RESCUE
euroinstallations.com Tel: 05 46 86 07 61
Email: trevor.miell@btopenworld.com
• Rural Broadband Siret No. 49376573200015

• UK & French TV If you are thinking of giving an

Satellite & On-Demand
• CCTV & Alarms
• WiFi Installation
• Home Audio & Cinema
Tel 06 80 55 06 09 SW France
mail@euroinstallations.com
animal a home, please consider
adopting. We have many cats and
annabel offers bespoke PA and dogs looking for loving homes.
administrative services to private Please visit us at:
individuals and small businesses www.phoenixasso.com
help@annabel.co.uk www.facebook.com/
annabel.co.uk PhoenixAssociationFrance
+33 (0)6 51 91 88 93

BASED AT OLD SARUM INFO@SALISBURYREMOVALS.CO.UK

SALISBURY

www.beauxvillages.com
05 56 71 36 59 info@beauxvillages.com

MOVING BACK TO THE UK?

WE WILL HELP GET YOU THERE
LOT-ET-GARONNE €319,500
Ref: BVI71872 A beautiful 4-bed,
2-bath property close to amenities
Fees: Paid by the vendor
Climate class: D Energy class: E
VIENNE €214,920
Ref: BVI68064 A renovated 5-bed,
2-bath house with pool
Fees: 8% paid by the buyer Net price:
€199,000 Climate class: F Energy class: C

Join our team!

We’re recruiting
independent
EXCLUSIVE EXCLUSIVE property consult-
CHARENTE-MARITIME €295,000 DORDOGNE €235,400 ants across all
Ref: BVI72118 Great location for Ref: BVI72578 A delightful 3-bed,
this 4-bed Charentaise property 3-bath cottage with outbuildings areas of South
Fees: Paid by the vendor
Climate class: E Energy class: B
Fees: 7% paid by the buyer Net price:
€220,000 Climate class: F Energy class: C West France.
Want to know more?
Contact Tina Anderson,
Head of Recruitment
tina.anderson@beauxvillages.com

DORDOGNE €756,840 TARN-ET-GARONNE €555,000

Ref: BVI72065 5-bed, 4-bath farm- Ref: BVI70128 3-bed property with
house with tennis court and pool pool, guest house and tennis court

CALL US NOW +441722 698090

Fees: 6% paid by the buyer Net price: Fees: Paid by the vendor
€714,000 Climate class: D Energy class: C Climate class: C Energy class: C

Information on the risks to which these properties are exposed is available on the Geohazards website: www.georisques.gouv.fr
Siret : 501 191 720 00199 Carte prof : CPI 3301 2018 000 027 010 Garantie financière : QBE assurance pour 110 000 euros
 26 Directory FEATURES www.connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024
COMMERCIAL FEATURES

English-speaking insurance agency addresses concerns over health cover

Based in Bordeaux, we are
the only SwissLife agency in
France to work with English-
speaking clients all over
France. We offer a wide range
of healthcare insurance,
general insurance solutions
and private banking, backed
by one of Europe’s leading
insurance providers.
AS you would expect health cover offered
by Swisslife is comprehensive and we
enhance this with our helpful, English-
speaking, customer service.
We are currently offering three principal
types of health insurance cover:
Swisslife Santé Retraités appropriate
for retirees only. There are eight
complementary policies for retirees. After
3 years, 4 years and then 5 years of loyalty,
we automatically enhance your level of
Health Care Insurance, for free and offer
better reimbursements.
Swisslife Santé. This is suitable for
customers aged 18 to retiring age. We
offer nine complementary policies, all
policies also include reimbursements
for bills which are not reimbursed by
the French health system.
Swisslife Hospitalisation only. These are
available for life-long cover but must be
subscribed before the age of 65. The top up
of any bills relates to hospitalisation only.
Swisslife santé Retraités and Swisslife
santé provide full cover which includes
hospitalisation, surgery Dentistry, Optical,
doctor fees, specialists, xrays, Cardiologists,
pharmacy. Essentially anything covered by
the French health system will be reimbursed
by Swisslife.
We understanding that many people
are confused by the need for even a basic
level of protection let alone why one
would need additional cover for expenses
over and above the French state scale of
reimbursement. Hence we explain step by
step the procedures that are relative to an
individual’s situation.
Each case is different and there are many
misunderstandings based on hearsay or
inaccurate translations through a claim
reimbursement. Frequently asked questions
often relate to the care path and why at
times one receives a lower reimbursement
than expected. Medical franchises and
certain common phrases used in the
healthcare industry can lead to confusion.
Why do I need a health cover policy? Will
my medicines be free as they are in the UK?
Declaration de médecin traitant, what is
the importance of this, how do I proceed?
What is the télétransmission system? How
does it operate? What is a dépassement
d’honoraires? (specialists’ excesses). The
importance of requesting a prise en charge
hospitalière before an admission to the
hospital. These are questions which form
part of our ‘day to day’ telephone calls and
emails. We communicate the answers in
clear English.
For more information regarding our
health insurance plans, general enquiries
or questions on sales or claims procedures
contact our main administration office:
+33 (0)5 56 28 94 64
and speak to Marie
Email:
bordeaux.theatre@agence-swisslife.fr
Website:
www.swisslife-health-insurance.fr
(in English)

The American Club of Paris: Where Home is in the Community

Amidst the historical boulevards and the cosmopolitan allure offer a glimpse into the benefits of
membership. You are encouraged to attend,
of Paris, there exists a warm and vibrant community that has engage with the community, and see
thrived for over a century – The American Club of Paris. firsthand the warmth and inclusivity that
the club is known for. These experiences
ESTABLISHED in 1903, this club has just a snapshot; it’s an open invitation for are not just events; they are the beginning
become the epitome of cross-cultural you to become a part of this remarkable of lifelong friendships and professional
fellowship and an esteemed beacon for not social fabric. partnerships.
only Americans in Paris but also a diverse Attending events at The American Club Joining The American Club of Paris is
group of internationals connected to the is a window into a world of exclusive more than attending events; it’s about
United States through family, friends, or experiences and intellectual enrichment. contributing to a storied heritage. As a
professional engagements. From celebrating traditional American member, you’ll be a part of our continued
The American Club of Paris is not just an holidays to organizing speaker events with legacy with opportunities to participate in
association; it’s a community for Americans influential personalities, each gathering is event planning, and influence the club’s
and friends of America in the City of Light. an opportunity to network, learn, and future.
It stands as a testament to international honor. There are luncheons, galas, and Experience the unparalleled sense of
friendship and cultural exchange. The club’s informal meet-ups that allow members to belonging that comes with being a part of
mission is to foster Franco-American make connections, whether professionals, The American Club of Paris – where For more information, please visit online at www.americanclubparis.org,
relationships through social, cultural, and artists, entrepreneurs, retirees, or students. memories are made, friendships are forged, and follow us on Instagram@americanclubparis, www.facebook.com/
business engagements among its members. For non-members looking to explore an and the spirit of America continues to americanclubparis, and www.linkedin.com/company/the-american-club-
This picture of unity and enjoyment is not international community, the club’s events thrive in the heart of France. of-paris-official/

Expat finance expert explains how to beat the rate race in 2024
You can increase your income by using inflation to
your advantage, says Daniel Butcher founder of
DTB Wealth Management.
RISING inflation is generally perceived
with negativity, but in the current climate
it can offer financial gain.
Holders of an Assurance Vie – an
insurance-based investment scheme – or
those who take out such a policy can tap
into the benefits of inflation and expand
their earnings.
An Assurance Vie policy comes with
managed funds to choose from, as well as
a “fonds euro” or euro fund. While it is the
only fund in Europe that is completely
guaranteed – and therefore very secure –
the protection is only for capital, not the
accompanying interest rate. Once hovering
around 6% net fifteen years ago, in these
more austere times it sits at 1.5% net – but
inflation is changing this.
“Inflation has boosted the ‘fonds euro’
interest rates so one can envisage getting at
least 3% net this year,” says Daniel. “There
are ways to top this up with bonuses –
perhaps by having more than 40% of your
Assurance Vie portfolio in higher risk
assets. Adding to the higher rates it is
possibleto reach 3.5% or even 4% net for
the best-in-class schemes.”
Before starting DTB Wealth Management,
Daniel was an inspector at global French
insurance company AXA, managing over
250 British expat clients. Tasked with
assisting expats get the best out of the
French financial system he suggests
those looking into Assurance Vie
options consider all carefully.
As an example Daniel says that Irish
based policies can have inheritance-related
consequences.
“A problem may occur when a policy
holder dies as Ireland Assurance Vie
managers may not have the appropriate
knowledge of French inheritance laws,” says
Daniel. “Whereas in France or Luxembourg
all tax and succession documents are easily
accessible or provided by the insurers this is
not the case in Ireland.
“I would advise British expats in France
not to neglect French Assurance Vie
policies, but anyone with over €100,000
should consider Luxembourg-based bonds
where 100% of securities are protected.”
Overall, it is crucial that expats choose
a knowledgeable, qualified and client-
dedicated advisor, who will match the
best Assurance Vie options with a client’s
specific criteria and portfolio.
Daniel concludes, “DTB Wealth
Management is more than just an
independent financial advisor, we are
regulated in France, with bilingual staff
who have experience of living in both the
UK and France.
“We are in a unique position to support
expats and ensure they have appropriate
and secure financial arrangements
in France.”
Anyone interested to find out more
should get in touch, DTB Wealth
Management would be pleased to assist.
www.dtbwealthmanagement.com
contact@dtbwealthmanagement.com Daniel Butcher founded
06 72 34 48 50 DTB Wealth Management

Helpline volunteers listen when you need someone to talk to

Moving abroad can be an
adventure of discovering
another culture, trying out
new foods and activities,
creating memorable
experiences. It is a brave
step into a new life, a
new beginning.
HOWEVER, there are many challenges.
Sometimes it’s the big stuff, like the stresses
of moving house, ending a relationship,
missing family and friends, or starting a
new job.
Smaller things like adjusting to daily
routines can also be hard in a new city.
And then there is the language and the
paperwork! And, often, some loneliness,
a feeling of being unanchored, insecure,
an outsider.
Even a life set in beautiful Paris – perhaps
strolling its gorgeous avenues or taking
aperitifs with the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop
– can be tough at first.
But you don’t need to go through the hard
things alone. SOS Help runs an English-
language hotline especially geared for
people who are struggling and just need
someone to talk things over with.
Our service is staffed by expatriates like
you who know what it’s like to be in a new
country, away from home. They have also
had to learn a new language and get to grips
with a new culture.
Our trained volunteers are available
from 3 pm to 11 pm every day to take your
call. They offer an empathetic ear and the
opportunity to share your burden and
lighten your load, to simply speak and
be heard.
There is no judgment, no telling you
what to do. Just an opportunity to talk
things through with people who care and
understand.
Perhaps you are struggling with work-
related stress – the demands of a new job
or trying to connect with new colleagues.
Those studying in France may find that the
student experience here is not all that it is
cracked up to be. Sometimes that dream of
love à la française did not turn out to
be blissful romance.
It can take a while to create the same
meaningful connections and networks you
might have had at home.
Volunteers at SOS Help have been
listening to the problems of English
speakers in France since 1974. They know
that while relocating to France can be full
of wonderful moments, between the scenic
views and fresh-out-of-the-oven pastries,
we can all have periods of feeling down.
Whatever your problem, don’t face it
alone. Let us try to help you make sense
of your situation, see things from a new
perspective, and unburden yourself.
We are here to listen.
Just give us a call.
01 46 21 46 46
3 pm – 11 pm SOS Helpline volunteers at
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 28 Profile / Culture connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024

Drop-out, hacker, peep shows, jail: the

unconventional rise of a tech billionaire
Aged just 25, Xavier Niel
launched France’s first
internet provider and
went on to grow his fortune
with a range of other
groundbreaking tech
projects. As he now
turns his attention to AI,
Théophile Larcher reflects
on an extraordinary career
Xavier Niel’s sprawling empire
extends beyond technology and
‘Pirate’, ‘French Steve Jobs’ and other nicknames
telecoms to include newspapers XAVIER Niel’s most popular nickname is the pirate, which dates from his
and real estate early hacking days. One unauthorised biography even takes its title from that
moniker: La voie du pirate (The Path of the Pirate).
Another is an analogy with the former CEO of Apple – Mr Niel is
commonly referred to as the French Steve Jobs by journalists. However,
Mr Niel has publicly spoken of his admiration for another Apple giant,
the US engineer/designer and so-called ‘father of the iPod Tony Fadell.
However, it is as the casseur de monopoles (monopoly breaker) that Mr Niel
would like to be immortalised on his tombstone, according to an interview he
gave to Décideurs TV: “I have an aversion to monopolies that abuse their
position,” he said. “I want to break them endlessly, even if it is unsustainable
from an economic standpoint.”

XAVIER Niel is already an entre- TV screens. Adams identified as the “answer to the

Photo: Abaca Press / Alamy

preneurial legend in France, and his
latest venture looks set to consolidate
the myth – and his money.
Listed as the 365th richest person in
the world by Forbes in 2023, with a
sprawling empire spanning some 800
different companies, Mr Niel’s main
interest is technology.
Last autumn, he announced a
€200million investment in artificial
intelligence, including the purchase
of a supercomputer and the creation
of a dedicated research laboratory.
The project has garnered strong
support from President Emmanuel
Macron, who declared AI a “techno-
logical sovereignty issue” in which
France needs to position itself
“among the frontrunners” alongside
US companies such as OpenAI,
Google and Microsoft.
“When a tech revolution erupts, we
want to be part of it,” Mr Niel said.
“Twenty-five years ago, the revolu-
tion was the internet – and we were
there. Today, it’s artificial intelligence –
and we’re making sure we’re there for
that too.”
Xavier Niel was born on August 25,
1967, in Maison-Alfort (Val-de-Marne)
into a middle-class family. His father
was a patent director in a pharmaceut-
ical company and his mother a book-
keeper.
His career trajectory was set when
he received a Sinclair ZX81 computer
as a Christmas present aged 14.
“It changed my life because I was
given something over which I had
control,” he said in an interview with
La Chaine Parlementaire. “I had a little
sister who ruled the roost in our house.
I was the one who wasn’t listened to or
who had to do whatever she wanted us
to. But this computer, when I asked it
to complete something, it did it. It
obeyed me.”
An average student, he dropped out
rather than follow his peers to univers-
ity and, aged 17, forged his father’s
signature to get a second phone line
installed to the household’s Minitel –
a French computer network, predating
the worldwide web, which was open to
anyone with a telephone and brought
‘online’ banking, travel reservations
(and porn) to the masses.
Mr Niel used it to chat to fellow
computer geeks and helped develop
Minitel Rose, a chat service dedicated
to cybersex. It became one of the most
lucrative on the network.
Clients would call lines he owned and
pay up to 60 francs per hour.
His expertise with computers also
got him noticed by the security service
after he was caught hacking the French
channel Canal+.
As a teen in the 1980s, he claims
to have worked undercover on
cyber issues for the Direction de la
Surveillance du territoire (DST),
during which time he was tasked
with hacking the database of French
Ten years later, in 2012, he moved
into the mobile services market with
Free Mobile, offering unlimited voice
calls, text and data at the lowest price
in France (€19.99/month).
Mr Niel’s decision was motivated,
mobile phones, including then- in part, by revelations that the three
president François Mitterrand. main players in the sector – Orange,
Alongside the sex chat services, Bouygues and SFR – had agreed to
Mr Niel was part-owner of a chain keep prices high to maintain their
of peep shows. One of these was later monopoly. They were ultimately fined
found to be a front for prostitution and €534million for it.
in 2004 he was arrested on charges of Mr Niel said in Free Mobile’s keynote
aggravated procuring (pimping). presentation: “I am going to tell you
While the charge was ultimately something extremely simple. Look at
dropped, Mr Niel spent four weeks in your subscription when you get home.
jail for concealing the misuse of corpo- “If you pay more than €19.99 and do
rate funds in connection with income not call your service provider or come
from the peep shows. to Free, you are the sucker and you
In 1993, when he was just 25, Mr know it.”
Niel invested in France’s first internet Free quickly claimed a million new
service provider, called WorldNet. His customers, depopulating Orange, SFR
timing, when he sold it for €40million and Bouygues of 400,000, 200,000 and
seven years later, was impeccable – just 134,000 clients respectively in several
before the dotcom bubble burst. weeks. The Iliad Group, as a whole,
Under the parent company Iliad, now boasts 45.3 million subscribers,
founded in 1990, Mr Niel launched including in Italy and Poland.
a second internet service business in Mr Niel’s unorthodox journey to
2002 – Free. self-made billionaire makes him
Offering the world’s first triple-play regular fodder for magazine and
package of phone, television and inter- newspaper features.
net on a single broadband connection, More than simply a savvy business-
the Freebox was a huge hit. man who made the internet affordable
At €29.99/month, it wiped out for millions, however, he has spent
competitors such as AOL and Club a large proportion of his fortune help-
Internet, which offered separate ing would be entrepreneurs follow in
subscriptions for each at prices which his footsteps.
were sometimes twice as high. In 2013, for example, he opened 42,
“Whoever gets Free gets it all,” a tuition-free coding school in Paris
screamed the commercials flooding named after the number Douglas
ultimate question of life, the universe,
and everything” in sci-fi classic The
Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. The
school, hailed a techie’s version of a
grande école, has since opened
branches elsewhere in the world,
including the US.
Mr Niel is also behind the start-up
incubator Station F in Paris and, in
March 2010, he co-founded Kima
Ventures, a fund dedicated to invest
in 50 to 100 new businesses a year.
The project prompted Business
Insider to describe Mr Niel and his
co-founder Jeremie Berrebi as the most
active angel investors in the world.
Mr Niel also has interests in the
media, boasting a controlling stake in
Groupe Le Monde, which publishes
not only the daily newspaper of that
name, but magazines such as l’Obs and
Télérama. In 2020, he acquired Groupe
Nice-Matin, as well as the horse-racing
newspaper Paris-Turf.
He is also a share-holder in
Mediawan, a TV content creation firm
and, with a passion for property, is the
main private shareholder in the
international commercial property
company Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield.
His other assets include a five-star
hotel in the ski resort Courchevel
(Savoie) and Lys Chantilly golf course.
Mr Niel was recently awarded the
Légion d’honneur and is regularly
named among the most influential
personalities in technology.
He lives with Delphine Arnault, the
daughter of one of the world’s richest
men, Bernard Arnault, in Paris.

People with regional accents still face widespread discrimination

DISCRIMINATION against
regional accents continues to
be a widespread problem in
France, two experts claim.
The country even coined
the phrase to describe this
particular form of prejudice –
glottophobie (glottophobia).
Most people in the public eye
in France, from politicians to
presenters, talk with more or
term glottophobie. He formed
the word from the Greek for
tongue – glôtta – and the
suffix commonly employed to
describe other forms of discrim-
ination, including homophobia,
xenophobia and fatphobia
(grossophobie).
Michel Feltin-Palas, author of
the 2020 book J’ai un accent, et
alors?, agrees that casting
aspersions on the way a person
speaks, even unconsciously,
should be taken seriously.
“Accents are part of our ident-
ity,” he said. “When we criticise
them, it’s like criticising a black
person for being black, a Jew
for being Jewish, a woman for
being a woman, and so on. It’s
discrimination.” Mr Feltin- American on TV. “By compari- The term glottophobie was
Palas co-wrote his book with son, France lives in a linguistic officially included in the Petit
journalist Jean-Michel Apathie, dictatorship,” said Mr Blanchet- Robert in 2023.
one of very few people in the Lunati, or what the linguist In 2020, former French MP
French media to have kept refers to as “a nationalistic Christophe Euzet, of Catalan
his accent (Basque) for the linguistic ideology”. origin, tabled a bill to make
duration of his 40-year career. He traces the current situation accent discrimination part of
Some 27% of French people back to post-Revolution the criminal code and the
say their accent has been the France, when the Parisian labour code, and punishable
subject of teasing and 16% bourgeoisie, the social class by law. While the bill was
have been discriminated that ultimately devised the signed off by MPs, it is still

less the same neutral tone of
voice, effectively eliminating any
trace of the country’s 30-plus
regional accents in the media
“France has one of the most
authoritarian linguistic policies
in the world,” said Philippe
Blanchet-Lunati, professor of
sociolinguistics at Rennes
University and inventor of the
“
against at work or school Republic, assumed power from awaiting a vote in the Senate.
because of it, according to the aristocracy. In 2018, the far-left politician
figures collected by Mr Feltin- “Politically, the Revolution Jean-Luc Mélenchon caused
Palas for his book. and the Republic pretended to controversy for mocking the
France lags behind countries give a voice to the people. accent of a journalist from
such as the UK and US, where “Linguistically, it gave it to Toulouse, asking other members
France lives in a regional accents have slowly the Parisian bourgeoisie,” said of the press: “Does anyone have
linguistic dictatorship been encouraged to break
through from Received
Mr Feltin-Palas, quoting the
former director of the Petit
a question in comprehensible
French?”
Philippe Blanchet-Lunati Pronunciation and General Robert dictionary, Alain Rey. He later apologised.
 The Connexion January 2024 connexionfrance.com French life in numbers 29

Fees, syllabus, entry... schools’ Five things they don’t tell you...
about the bourgeoisie in France

international sections explained

by Samantha David

What would you add to the list?

Tell us at news@connexionfrance.com
by Samantha David

SOME state schools in France (lycées,

collèges and primaries) include sections
internationales where pupils are taught
certain subjects in a foreign language.
An increasing number of lycées also
include sections européennes ou de langues
orientales, which aim to help pupils

Photo: Henry Sy John_shutterstock

improve a foreign language.
Here are the basic facts about them:
1 Entry requirements
Pupils have to pass rigorous written

Photo: Rawpixel.com_shutterstock
and oral tests to get into a section
internationale. They generally need
language skills at native level to pass. 1. Les dîners hard to avoid any hint of
being ‘overdressed’, although
2 Who are they for? THE BOURGEOISIE adore naturally it is only comme il
Schools offering international or European
many things, including invit- faut to wear an engagement
International sections are officially aimed sections are often highly sought-after
ing people to a dîner très ring or two, as well as papa’s
at pupils who are temporarily resident in simple (just a few langoust-
France, to enable them to adapt to the diamonds. Beige is a safe bet,
ines and some champagne) in terms of colour, although
French system but make it possible to 6 How much do they cost?
or even monochrome
return to schools in their home country. husbands are allowed to dis-
Some international sections are free. The German government subsidises international (smoked salmon, saffron rice, play their fashion sense with
German sections, for example. Anglophone sections must be paid because the UK does carrot salad, a few langoust-
3 Range of nationalities
not subsidise them. However, since fees are only charged for the section, not the entire ines, tangerine soufflé). To
a pale rose cravat. Très chic!
Sections exist in 19 different nationalities – school, they are usually around €3,000 per year. Fees can usually be paid per term. give guests time to finish 4. L’éducation
British, American, Australian, German, their important jobs and get
Arabic, Brazilian, Chinese, Korean, national students, the advantage of the German, English, Spanish, Italian, changed, dîners start as late CHILDREN are encouraged
Danish, Spanish, Moroccan, Italian, BFI (which is treated as an A-level Portuguese and Russian. The Oriental as 22:00. Soyez les bienvenus! to work extra hard at school
Japanese, Dutch, Norwegian, Polish, equivalent) is that students applying language sections are in Arabic, Chinese, as preparation for a lifetime
Portuguese, Russian and Swedish. to universities in the UK do not have Japanese and Vietnamese. In a lycée prof- 2. Le transport of making money and spend-
Some schools include more than one to take any further exams or tests to essionnel, languages offered are German, ing it on the finer things in
international section. All of them also prove their English level. English, Spanish and Italian. SIMPLICITY is also key life. The maxim here is: “If
admit pupils (du secteur) who are not when it comes to transport. you can’t be the first, be the
enrolled in a section internationale. 7 European section basics 10 Getting a place Even if they best!” At the end of the day,
European sections are free and are There are no formal tests to get into a fly first class however, daddy’s contacts
4 Native teachers available in lycées and collèges. They are European section. However, since demand for business, will smooth the path
open to pupils studying for a bac pro or after work to success regardless.
International sections do not offer all outstrips supply by 2:1, in practice schools
massive cars Un coup de main!
subjects, but only two or three (often but bac tech as well as those aiming for a bac only take pupils with average marks above

Photo: iravgustin_shutterstock
are out and
not always including literature and history/ général. Pupils can join at the start of 14/20 and excellent language skills. A
geography). The other subjects are taught 6ième (age 11), 4ième (13) or 2nde (15). motivation letter is often required. Being
simple cycles 5. Les vacances
are in, espec-
in French by French teachers. bilingual and having native-level written HOLIDAYS are also very
The section subjects are taught by native 8 French syllabus and oral language skills is a huge advantage.
ially in the
simple: a few days in an
city. If the
teachers, following their home country’s European sections offer two hours of unspoiled fishing village by
curriculum. These exams are set and extra teaching in the chosen language
11 Special mention machine is
vintage and the sea (St Tropez), taking
marked by the native country. Pupils sit option. These lessons concentrate on Pupils who pass the extra language exercise in the mountains
blessed with a wickerwork
French exams for the other subjects. oral language skills and studying exams get mention européenne added basket on the handlebars, (skiing in Méribel), enjoying
non-linguistic subjects in the chosen to their certificates. some culture (shopping for
5 Bac details
language, although the teachers are
even better. Tous à vélo!
antiques in Marrakech), or
12 Sought-after schools
Until 2022, pupils took the OIB, but now French and teach the French syllabus. 3. L’élégance cycling along the sands (to a
take the BFI (Baccalauréat Français Places at schools with international and/or shack selling Chablis and
International) which is a bac général. 9 Languages available
European sections are highly sought-after THE GREATEST of the GBs fresh oysters on the Ile de
It is not possible to do a bac pro or a bac The languages offered in European as academic standards tend to be high – (grandes bourgeoises) work Ré). Pas plus que ça!
tech in an international section. For inter- sections in général and tech lycées are even for pupils not in a section.

with The Connexion’s in-depth digital

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 30 Philanthropy connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024

Foundation shows how giving is good for all

Giving and An eco project in Alsace Loneliness, tsunamis, terrorism: a handful of major projects
helping is supported by the
Fondation de France 1975: Combatting loneliness in elderly people assisting victims. Its prompt, effective action
With the support of Simone Veil, the then- results from similar experiences helping out
others is a health minister, the Fondation launches the first during the Sahel drought in 1973, in the refugee
year-round national campaign to combat loneliness in the camps in Thailand in 1980, and at a chemical
elderly. Solutions include support networks, plant explosion in France in 2001, among others.
job for the transport services in rural areas, the develop- 2015: United Against Terrorism
ment of home care and new housing options. After the terror attacks in Paris, the Fondation
Fondation de France. 1993: First health centres for young people launches the ‘United Against Terrorism’ fund to
Marketing director Aimed at tackling suicide attempts, addiction,
eating disorders and bullying, the Fondation
assist victims and set up projects to prevent
violence and radicalisation.
Photos: Fondation de France

Frédéric Théret tells contributes to a network of health centres provid-
ing advice/care for young people (espaces santé
Victoria Gibson about jeunes), now firmly established across France.
its philanthropic aims 2004: Tsunami in Indonesia
The Fondation organises fundraising, as well as
2019: Rebuilding Notre-Dame
The Fondation is appointed one of four organis-
ations tasked with managing fundraising and
allocating donations in the aftermath of the
devastating fire at Notre-Dame cathedral, Paris.

AFTER autumn floods devastated or if you are in research or helping focus on the elderly, disabled children, “When you deal with philanthropy, special place in Mr Théret’s heart.
parts of Pas-de-Calais, the Fondation young people or youngsters in educa- health, and medical and scientific you’re dealing with all the problems “We managed to develop 800
de France jumped into action. tion or heritage, if you live in a little research. of the world – with environmental programmes and an initiative in
A message on its website explained village in France and you want to “It was the first organisation in challenges, with poverty, with illness, two-and-a-half months, which was
how it had joined forces with local leave something for the heritage of the France able to give grants. It just with disabilities, with all the worst incredible,” he said.
associations to provide immediate and architectural environment, for exam- didn’t exist before,” said Mr Théret. things that can happen to you,” said “What I like about this story is that
long-term assistance to the most ple, we can help you realise that.” “We had some non-profits and Mr Théret. it was a collective effort.
vulnerable, and how it would also be Anyone can donate, from young people could give a little to those, but “But you’re working with people, “I have very beautiful examples of
helping local associations that had entrepreneurs to mature couples look- grant-making did not exist. building solutions. Even if they’re only individual philanthropy, but in this
been affected by the bad weather. ing to leave a meaningful legacy, and “Soon after, we got a tax deduction, little solutions, even if you’re only case everyone was trying to help. That
Emergency aid, it added, has already the gift can be handled publicly or first for Fondation de France and then helping one child or one woman in was very heartwarming.
been released. anonymously. for all the non-profits too.” difficulty, you’re building solutions. “It was a stressful period but it also
Time and again, the Fondation de The Fondation de France was estab- Fondation de France was set up as a “We cannot change the world, but made people realise they needed each
France has intervened like this to lished in 1969, and there is a reason private non-profit because one of the we can take small steps. And if every- other to get through it. And we did
rebuild lives. It was there in the after- why the concept is relatively new. lessons of the US was that if it is one is taking a small step, for me, get through it. We didn’t save the
math of Hurrican Irma in the French Post-Revolution, Mr Théret explained, driven by the government, people that’s very positive.” world but we did help a lot of people.”
West Indies in 2017, in Syria and such things did not exist “because will assume the taxpayer funds it. He explained that philanthropy like Mr Théret is an advocate of
Lebanon in 2020, and in Ukraine foundations are generally created by “The French government didn’t give this is a win-win for donors, volunteers ‘paying it forward’, and after 10 years
from 2022 onwards. individuals who decide how to do as much as €1 when it established, and beneficiaries. in his role he has learned that even
As a leader in philanthropy for 55 charity for everyone else”. only its name,” said Mr Théret. “Donors are happy because it’s an small contributions can make a big
years, it aims to unite donors and He said: “So France decided to have It receives no public subsidies, active role, it’s full of optimism. difference to people’s lives.
volunteers to improve the welfare of a very strong state instead, and it has depending only on the generosity of “If you give, it’s because you believe “When you start to adopt this
individuals or societies, or to support been well protected by it. But over 200 donors to develop a “philanthropic your gift is worth something and will positive attitude, it really helps. Do
global crises in France and inter- years later, we realised that people in ecosystem” in France. help, whatever the amount. something and it’s worth it. Even if
nationally. France are made to wait a lot – for Over the decades, it has worked to “And the volunteers, the people in it’s a small thing, it’s positive.
The largest independent, grant-mak- the state to decide and intervene, to protect the marine environment; to the field, are amazing. What I love is “Follow your heart and give to
ing organisation in France, it current- provide support for underprivileged ensure more comfortable and secure being a little part in implementing a whatever organisation you want to.
ly manages 12,000 projects and people. For all our problems, we are accommodation for the elderly; and great solution for people.” “You don’t necessarily have to
monitors a further 50,000 per year. always relying on the government.” to advance research into autism, to The Fondation opened an office in choose Fondation de France. But do
Frédéric Théret, director of market- Charles de Gaulle recognised that name just a few projects. New York 25 years ago and one in something. It’s good for you. It’s good
ing and development, said: “We were after World War Two the country was Philanthropic programmes can range Hong Kong last year. It also works for others. It’s good for human beings
created to enhance and develop facing a wide range of economic from a €2million donation to revive a with McGill University in Montreal and solidarity. And it helps incredible
philanthropy and individual and struggles. Impressed by successful French town by developing local infra- to develop links between France and volunteers. It’s really worth it.”
corporate giving in France. philanthropic work in America, which structure and creating residential initi- Canada. In the UK, meanwhile, it has
“We have in-house programmes, but at the time had 15,000 foundations atives, to a landowner donating good relations with Oxford University, n See fondationdefrance.org for
most of the time we produce philan- compared to France’s 250, he and the unused land for a public footpath. developing cross-border exchange more information. The website is also
thropic programmes to help realise then-culture minister André Malraux Recently, the Fondation was behind grants for students. available in English. Anyone can
the wishes of our donors. We provide decided to create a mechanism Solidarité Ukraine, providing financial During the Covid pandemic, it donate to a project or create their
a lot of advice to donors on how to whereby individuals could contribute aid to those affected by the conflict, teamed up with AP-HP and the own. British citizens living in the UK
handle their philanthropy and make to charitable activities. and Solidarité Maroc, which raised Institut Pasteur to form Tous unis can donate via the Charities Aid
the best use of their giving. So, if you On January 9, 1969, the Fondation more than €9million to help in the contre le virus, which raised more Foundation, while US citizens can do
want to create a philanthropic project de France was born, with a strong aftermath of this year’s earthquake. than €40million. The project has a so via Friends of Fondation de France.
COMMERCIAL FEATURE

WHEN lockdown paved the way for UK registered businesses are required For the worker, as they are employed

Working from home in France?

working remotely to become the ‘new
normal’ not least to benefit were
those with dreams of relocating to
How a ‘Portage’ can provide a stress-free France. Suddenly, it seemed possible
to make the move without having the
solution for workers and their clients. conundrum of how to generate an
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Many UK employers were initially
open-minded to the prospect of
employees or contractors working
remotely from France until they
encountered the need to be compli-
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foreign system.
UK companies with employees resi-
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resident there and this heralds being
subject to not only French income tax,
but social charges and often, VAT.
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Similar to umbrella companies in the
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 The Connexion January 2024 connexionfrance.com Community 31

I like to be in an opera...
REHEARSALS are under
Locals asked to lend royal
memorabilia for exhibition
Photos: Patrick Darphin/OPPV
way for a ‘cooperative opera’ A MAJOR exhibition about
version of Hollywood musical French king François I
West Side Story that will bring (shown in painting, right) is to
together professionals and take place this summer – and
passionate amateurs, and residents of Cognac, where
especially younger ones. he was born, are being asked
It will be the third show to participate.
for the Labopéra Périgord- François I, un roi cognaçais
Dordogne cooperative, part (François I, a Cognac king)

Photo: Everett Collection_shutterstock

of the national La Fabrique will be held at the city’s
Opéra network, which sup- Musée d’art et d’histoire from
ports collaborative projects June 7 to December 1.
throughout France. It aims to answer questions
Labopéra aims to introduce about the ruler, including
Amateurs and students get the chance to perform alongside professionals in operatic shows
the art form to the broadest whether the legend about
possible audience and get increasingly polarised but a rehearsals.” As well as putting ation on everyone’s part. It him being born under an oak
them involved in every facet project like this reaches out on a good show, there is has been led by our talented tree is true and why he left
of the production. and brings people together.” another, more unexpected, conductor, whose patience, the city at the age of four. who have objects or local resi-
It staged Carmen in 2022, La Ms Meyzie cited the choir upside for Labopéra and for confidence and kindness bring The exhibition will feature dents who have a story about
Traviata in 2023, and will stage as the best example. Ms Meyzie. out the best in all of us.” many items associated with François I to contribute.
a version of West Side Story on “We’ve got pensioners, farm- “We’re becoming a source of Student Amélie Dauphin, 15, the king, including the Catherine Wachs-Genest,
April 6 and 7 at the Palio ers, teachers, bakers and book- inspiration for young people in said: “The Labopéra project is so-called ‘Pavia sword’, on the museum’s scientific direc-
sports arena in Boulazac. sellers. But when they’re in the the area and helping future an absolutely brilliant adven- loan from the Paris army tor, said: “We already have
Creative director Chloé choir, they’re no longer farm- professionals to emerge,” she ture. The first thing it did was museum, several people who have
Meyzie, 38, came up with the ers or librarians, or policemen said. “Soloists have gone on to make me want to do it all over This ceremonial weapon, replied to us with proposals
idea for Labopéra during the or I don’t know what – they become part of major produc- again. made of steel, bronze, gold for collections. I’m not going
Covid lockdown period and, are Jérémie, they are tions in the performing arts or “What a wonderful discov- and enamel, was stolen from to reveal all but we have been
from the start, wanted it to be Véronique or Valérie, and they to be invited to festivals. ery of what goes on behind the monarch in Lombardy in offered a nice bronze, a hunt-
a community project. are here to sing together.” “That’s why I’m so keen to the scenes: the search for a 1525. It was later exhibited in ing scene, a beautiful bronze
“There are a lot of barriers or The community spirit is keep this project alive and musical performance, the Madrid, and did not return sculpture and a small book.
limiting thoughts that prevent extending to English speakers well, because it’s important.” atmosphere of the rehearsals, to France until 1808, on “People have come to us
people from going to opera,” who are helping out. Her enthusiasm is shared the staging, the installation Napoleon’s orders. with interesting suggestions.”
she told The Connexion. “The joke is that the first by Marie-Laure Lapeyronnie, of the sets, costume fittings, The exhibition will feature Involving the local commun-
“The best way to get them in year was in French, the second 57, a teacher at the regional make-up and hairstyles, and exquisite preparatory draw- ity is crucial, said Ms Wachs-
is to integrate young year was in Italian, and this conservatory. Alongside her then, above all, the stage fright ings of the equestrian statue Genest. “Two years ago, we
people. They become part of year it’s in English, so once colleagues, she has been of the last few days of the king, in Place François held an exhibition on phyllox-
something that’s bigger than again, there’s a lot of language involved with Labopéra from and magic of the first I in Cognac, in 1864. era and we did it in the same
they are, that’s bigger than all work to be done with the cho- the start, with Carmen. performance.” The sketches by sculptor way. It’s a good thing, that
of us. There were families who rus, particularly to make the “It’s a local project that offers Miss Dauphin added: “As a Antoine Etex are fragile and they’re making a contribution.
came to see Carmen and La speech intelligible. unique training to student violinist, it’s a very usually kept in the dark for “In the end, the museum is
Traviata because one of their “Dordogne has a large students, supervised by their enriching experience to play protection, only coming out everyone’s property.”
children, or cousins, English-speaking community, teachers, as well as to amateur in a participatory symphony of storage every five years. Anyone wishing to contrib-
or neighbours had created perfectly integrated into the musicians,” she said. orchestra where amateur and The show will also feature ute in some way should
costumes and sets, or was a orchestra and in the choir. We “The success of the last two professional musicians come items donated by the public, contact the museum before
member of the chorus. have English-speaking support has been considerable at all together under the direction with officials inviting collectors February on 05 45 32 07 25.
“We live in a society that is and that’s a big help for the levels, and meets a real expect- of conductor Chloé Meyzie.”

Village history preserved New moulin for 100-year-old olive cooperative

by amateurs in two books AN OLIVE-pressing coopera- 2012, to ease that burden, and
Photo: Marie Ammirati

tive is celebrating its centenary the new mill is the biggest step.
EIGHT amateurs have turned Lauragais en l’an mil (The this year with the inauguration Although there is more work
the history of their village into Lauragais in the year 1000) to of a new moulin. to do on other parts of the
a two-volume book. Corronsac à l’heure des deux It was installed at the start of building housing the mill, he is
It is the result of more than guerres (Corronsac at the time the season on October 15 and happy to pass the baton to the
two years’ work. The books of the two wars). has already attracted new next generation of millers.
“reveal the origins of our village, The second volume examines growers to the Saint-Cézaire- “We decided to build this
from the remote times of the the contemporary period, sur-Siagne cooperative in the new mill because of the young
Crusades and the fortified highlighting several important Alpes-Maritimes. people involved,” he said.
castles, to today’s consumer local landmarks, including President Jean-Pierre Franchi “Our elders passed on this
society and climate change”, Château de Beauregard, the said: “We’ve had a lot of new heritage to us, and our duty
writes Thierry Ouplomb, 13th and 19th-century church people signing up, about 100.” was to pass on to future gener-
mayor of Corronsac, south of the Nativity of the Virgin, Around 700 olive growers – Jean-Pierre Franchi, second from right,
right, with the new mill ations a heritage that will
west France, in the preface. and the town hall, once home many of them ordinary mem- enable them to ensure the olive
The first volume of Les to the family of sculptor Victor bers of the public – have now the Siagne to turn the mill- replaced by slightly more tree remains important for the
Confidences du temps chronicles Joseph Jean Ambroise Ségoffin. joined. stones, and it was easier to efficient ones. commune of Saint-Cézaire.
the history of the village in the All proceeds from the books’ The cooperative, managed take the olives down to the “It was these machines that “This cooperative is part of
Haute-Garonne, from Le sales will go to a local charity. by an elected board of 15 mill below than to carry them the cooperative was still using our cultural, economic and
volunteer directors, aims to up,” Mr Franchi said. last year,” he said. agricultural heritage. It has an
provide good-quality equip- The cooperative was created “All this in a building that important role to play.
24-hour tree-planting challenge ment and support to a wide
range of local growers.
in 1924, and it bought the
building the following year.
was no longer adapted to
today’s very arduous work. In
“People who had a few olive
trees on their property came to
A GARDENER has completed a challenge to raise awareness of “We have a lot of small pro- It housed a flour mill this old mill, the olives were sign up and, for the first time,
global warming by running for 24 hours while planting at least ducers who come to us, as well upstairs, and the olive oil handled in crates weighing they restored plots of olive
one tree per hour. as big ones,” said Mr Franchi, mill on the ground floor. between 15 and 25 kilos. trees that had not been looked
Clément Chapel, 31, founder of the Ploggathon association, 66. “One customer arrived with In 1979, the council bought “So when you’ve got 10 after until now.
launched the 24 heures de l’arbre (24 hours of the tree) to highlight five kilos and others with two, the old mill from the Saint tonnes to shift, with crates “When everything is more or
the issues of global warming and climate change, and their three or four tonnes. Cézaire olive-growing coop- weighing up to 25 kilos, and less finished, we’ll hold the
increased impact on biodiversity. “It’s the same in terms of age erative for a symbolic franc. you’ve got to put them on the official inauguration and cele-
He set off from Saint-Clément de Rivières, in Hérault, and was groups: there are young people “The commune then created scales and stack them, it’s a brate the cooperative’s 100th
joined during his 127km journey by several friends. and then older ones,” he said. a small but not very functional very physical job. anniversary,” he said.
Mr Chapel and his team set themselves the target of planting 24 The mill was established in building and bought the first “Even younger people had
trees, including apples, apricots and peaches, aiming for at least the 1800s and is located on the mechanical extraction mill. trouble coping.” To find a cooperative olive mill
one every hour. “By varying the tree species, local residents will banks of the Siagne river. “It lasted about 20 years and, Mr Franchi pledged, when he near you, see (right pulldown
be able to benefit from a fruit-growing strategy,” Mr Chapel said. “They used the water from in 1998, the machines were was voted in as president in menu): tinyurl.com/olivepress
 32 Practical connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024

Windscreen insurance Top-up health cover numbers ‘falling’

stickers ‘will end in April’
PLANS to get rid of green car
insurance windscreen stickers
are on track to start on April 1,
information by using it. It can
be accessed via mobile phones
or tablet computers.
by Brian McCulloch 2024, although Health Minister
Aurélien Rousseau has critic-
THE NUMBER of people with- ised these projections as
out a mutuelle top-up health “untenable”. In December, he
insurance policy is reported to called for a more limited
France, doctors rarely have
in-house facilities, so a twisted
knee, for example, will involve
an appointment with a general
physician, an X-ray, either at

the Interior Ministry has said.
However, doubts remain about
the scheme, originally due to
come into force in March 2023,
with insurance firms saying in
December that they are yet to
receive details of practicalities.
An official in the Finance
Ministry, Paul Catoire, who
worked on the inter-ministerial
team implementing the change,
told The Connexion: “When
motorists are stopped they will
no longer have to show an attes-
tation / certificate of insurance.
“Law officers will consult a
national register containing all
policies in force in France to
check the vehicle’s insurance.”
Drivers will receive a ‘memo’
detailing their insurance cover
when they first sign new con-
tracts, but this will not have any
legal standing.
It could, though, be given to
garages when vehicles are
brought in for repair.
Insurers have been calling for
this change for several years.
They have set up the national
database linking registration
numbers with insurance within
72 hours of contracts being
signed and argue that police
will get more reliable insurance
A proportion of existing stick-
ers are fakes, made on photo-
copiers or home printers, and
patrolling officers have to get
close to read details such as the
contract’s expiry date.
Some insurers also wanted all
car insurance to swap to elec-
tronic form, but this seems to
have been scrapped.
Some firms offer dematerial-
ised schemes for policies bought
online.
The 2023 delay was said to
have been due to friction
between the interior, justice
and finance ministries over
both the legal framework for
the abolition of stickers and
the cost of ensuring all patrol
officers had suitable phones
and tablets.
Gendarmes have been
equipped, mainly with tablet
computers in every patrol vehi-
cle, for around five years, but
police officers had not all
received suitable equipment.
Mr Catoire said where drivers
needed ‘green cards’ to drive
outside EU countries (UK is
currently exempt from this
requirement) they would have
to ask their insurance company
for them.
be on the rise again.
Governments have made
efforts to tackle the problem
for years – and progress was
considerable.
The last big survey, in 2019,
showed a record low of 3.6%
of the population – 2.5 million
people – without top-up insur-
ance. Most were from low-
income groups.
Comparable figures from
1996 showed 14% of the pop-
ulation were without a policy.
More recent statistics are
not yet available. They will be
collected in 2025 as part of a
six-yearly review of Europe’s
health services.
However, rising premiums
have led to several press
reports speculating that people
are leaving these policies.
This is despite legislation
requiring all salaried workers,
including those in small firms,
to have a mutuelle.
Many French people have
expressed surprise at the cost
of mutuelles once they retire.
Couples in their 60s now pay
an average €250 a month for
top-up health insurance, which
rises to €300 for the over-70s,
according to a recent survey by
Photo: RVillalon_shutterstock
increase of 4% to 5%.
The government drive to
extend top-up health insurance,
and other measures such as tiers
payant (where most doctors’
Mutuelle firms say rises of at bills, prescription medicines
least 8% are needed in 2024 and treatments, some dental
work and hospital bills are sett-
online broker Meilleurtaux. led without the patient paying
Work-linked health insurance anything) means that not having
plans are much less costly than a policy now raises eyebrows in
individual ones, as at least 50% surgeries and pharmacies.
of the price is usually borne by Nevertheless, some people are
employers. Bosses are also able prepared to gamble on staying
to join collectives to negotiate healthy – not least because
prices down by buying in bulk. standard assurance maladie
In autumn, insurance trade officially covers, on average,
bodies published a joint state- 76.8% of costs, according to
ment as parliament debated the 2019 Health Ministry figures.
health budget, warning that For those with affections de
mutuelle fees will have to rise. longue durée (long-term illness-
They claimed that in 2023 es), this rises to 100%. In pract-
they had seen a 4% increase ical terms, it means that people
in payouts, and had already with conditions such as cancer,
absorbed €1.5billion in addition- multiple sclerosis or diabetes,
al costs without pushing up or who are recovering from the
prices. “Complementary health long-term effects of stroke have
insurance providers are aware little left to pay unless they want
of the major role they play in additional comforts, such as a
providing healthcare for French private hospital room or TV.
people, but they cannot run at a Where injuries or accidents
deficit,” the statement said. come into play, however, can-
Across the sector as a whole, celling top-up insurance can be
increases were estimated at a false economy and can quick-
between 8% and 12.5% in ly drain savings accounts. In
a hospital or an independent
centre under the doctor’s pre-
scription, and another appoint-
ment with the physician to
discuss the results and decide if
physiotherapy or prescription
medicines might help.
It all adds up, and the twisted
knee can end up costing €50 or
more without a mutuelle.
Those requiring hospital stays
– for example, to operate on a
broken bone – can face much
higher bills.
While the state health system
pays 80% of the costs of basic
hospital fees, it does not cover
the fixed €20 per day for meals
and board, nor the charge of
€24 for some medical proced-
ures costing more than €120.
Extra fees, known as dépasse-
ments d’honoraires, above and
beyond the standard fixed state
rates, are also sometimes
demanded by surgeons and
anaesthetists. These are often
opaque or not fully explained
on admittance, so even with a
good mutuelle, a bill of €200
for day surgery is common.
Some mutuelle providers now
offer cover just for hospital
expenses, with premiums of
around €80 to €120 a month.

Did you know?

As a French resident, a UK
citizen can spend up to six
months in the UK; continuously,
should they so wish.
As a UK resident, stays in France / EU
(without a visa) are limited to 3 months.
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 The Connexion January 2024
The Connexion
Money / Tax page
€12,000 in malus
to import SUV:
can this be right?
I HAVE a 2020 Toyota Hilux that I bought from
outside the EU. As I live in France, I need to
register it here and found a professional to
deal with it. I have paid the douanes but
now ANTS registration centre says it wants
€12,000 for a malus penalty. Can this be
right? They said they calculated it based
on a WLTP of 236g/km. E.C.
IT is true that vehicle import costs can be
high, especially when related to a powerful
car coming in from a non-EU country.
There is French import VAT to be paid at 20%.
In some cases, 10% of import duty can also be
payable, depending on treaties. This applies, for
example, for vehicles from the US (rising to 22%
for pickups with long trailer sections) but not for
vehicles from the UK as long as they have been
made mostly in that country or the EU.
There are also fees payable to register the car
with French plates, which vary from one region
to another and are multiplied by the car’s power
in CV (‘tax horsepower’).
Then we come to the malus. This is a penalty
levied on powerful and ‘polluting’ non-electric
vehicles. A 2020 Toyota Hilux is a high-powered
vehicle likely to tot up a high malus. Within
France, this is only payable on sales of new cars;
unfortunately, it also applies on the first registra-
tion of an imported car, even if it is not new.
However, reductions are applied related to how
long ago it was first put on the roads.
The WLTP relates to a testing procedure to
check fuel consumption and CO2 emissions
and 236gCO/km looks from our research to be
appropriate for a 2020 Toyota Hilux.
These malus penalties have varied over the
years, and with second-hand imported cars
officials use the penalty grid that was in force
in the year the car was put into circulation.
The grid in force from March 2020 can be seen
here, tinyurl.com/malus-bareme, and it shows a
fixed amount of €20,000 applied above a level of
212g/km.
As part of the calculation, 10% is taken off this
penalty per calendar year since it went on the
road, so four years. This gives a reduction of
€8,000, leaving €12,000 to pay.
If you think the amount is still incorrect, the
usual procedure with taxes is to pay and then put
in a claim for a refund or reduction, including
supporting documents.
The information on these pages is of a general nature. Do not take action, or refrain from taking
action based on this information. Seek professional advice on the specific facts of your case. No
liability is accepted in respect of these articles. These articles are intended only as a general guide.
Nothing herein constitutes actual financial advice.
connexionfrance.com
Money-themed changes in 2024
French pensions and benefits rise
FRENCH basic pensions will rise 5.2% as of
Photo: Karolis Kavolelis_shutterstock
January, as will the Aspa pension top-up benefit
(the first payment at this rate will be in February).
Benefits such as RSA income support, prime
d’activité, AAH disability benefit and general
allocations familiales will rise by 4.6% in April.
There will be new obligations on people claim-
ing RSA. They will now have to devote at least 15
hours a week to an activity that could lead to them
finding work, such as training and attending
Send your financial queries to sessions to help them apply for jobs. They must
Hugh MacDonald at also be registered with the new France Travail
money@connexionfrance.com. service, which replaces Pôle Emploi (see below).
Please ensure you mark your emails for the There will be exceptions, including for single
attention of Mr MacDonald parents looking after children and the disabled.
Change for jobseekers
How can I check if I have ALL jobseekers will now be registered with
France Travail, the new name for a revamped
benefited from the €100 taxe version of the Pôle Emploi service.
foncière reduction for over-65s? Property ownership declaration
REGARDING the taxe foncière for 2023, I NEW last year, the Biens immobiliers online prop-
thought that as a couple in our principal erty declaration is relevant in 2024 if you have
residence and in our early seventies we were bought property since the last ‘form’, changed
entitled to relief of €100. There is no mention the use of your property, or have a new tenant.
of it on our bill. How can I check that the These changes are expected to have to be
relief has been applied and whether it is declared before June 30, as originally planned last
applied per property or per person? J.M. year before the date was moved back for technical
difficulties, though you do not need to wait. If
THERE is a possible €100 reduction in the case you have sold a property, there is nothing to do.
of people aged 65 to 75 (as opposed to the full The best way to complete this declaration is to
exemption that can apply, on certain conditions, create a personal account at impots.gouv.fr and
to people aged 75 or more). This relates to your use the Biens immobiliers section inside that.
age as of January 1 of the relevant tax year. Details of your property should already be
It is only applied once per property and, if it is there and it is a question of checking and valid-
in place, should be shown in a line on the second ating it. In 2024, the key factor will be how the
page of the bill referring to a dégrèvement. property was being used on January 1, the date
Normally, it should be applied automatically. when liability to local property taxes arises.
The person in question is the one the tax office If you struggle with the procedure, contact
has down as the homeowner and, if the home is your tax office – the one where your property is
owned jointly, it can relate to either. However, it situated if you are outside France – or a branch
could be that you did not benefit because your of France Services (france-services.gouv.fr), or
income was too high. (inside France) call 0809 401 401.
For 2023’s tax, the tax office would look at the Also search our website for articles about this.
revenu fiscal de référence (net taxable income) on Last year, the tax services were lenient over a
your income tax statement for 2022 income. possible €150 fine for non-completion but they
It must be below a ceiling, which rises accord- might not be this year.
ing to the size of the family group. In the case of
a couple without dependants, this is €18,233. Inheritance challenge
If you think a mistake has been made, you can NEWS on the European Commission’s decision
tell the tax office via a private message in your over a challenge to the 2021 French law on forced
space at impots.gouv.fr, choosing je signale une inheritance is expected in February. See page 3.
erreur dans le calcul de mon impôt. Whether you
do this, or do it by letter or in person, you need Taxe d’habitation and taxe foncière
to explain why you believe a mistake has been AS of 2023, taxe d’habitation is levied only on
made – for example, showing proof of age and second homes. If you live in a ‘sought after’ or
your income tax statement. It is possible to claim ‘touristy’ area deemed to suffer housing press-
refunds until the end of the second year after the ures, watch out for a possible increase this year,
one when you were billed. as thousands of additional communes obtained
the right to levy a surcharge on this tax from
2024. Your mairie can inform you if this applies.
Taxe foncière is likely to rise this year by at
least 4.2%, in line with inflation. Local councils
can also further increase – or in a few cases
lower – the overall bill if they wish.
Money 33
Photo: KeongDaGreat_shutterstock
UK state pensions
THERE are question marks over the future of
the voluntary class 2 NICs payment system,
which many people in France use to top up their
future right to a UK state pension.
Announcements about this should come during
the year, though the system is expected to con-
tinue as usual for the UK financial year 2024-25.
The UK state pension is expected to rise to
£221.17/week in April, from £203.85.
Interest-free mortgage loans continue
THE prêt à taux zéro interest-free loan, original-
ly to have been ended by 2024, is being contin-
ued until 2027. This year, it will provide up to
€100,000, as opposed to €80,000 before. It will
be available to more people, with the income
ceilings to access it being raised and more areas
of the country involved.
Banking
PEOPLE in France with HSBC high street bank
accounts will see their accounts moved to Crédit
Commercial de France, which has bought HSBC’s
retail banking operations on the continent.
The popular tax-free regulated savings account
Livret A will remain at 3% interest through 2024.
A new regulated savings plan for under-21s is
to be launched. Savings in this account, called a
plan d’épargne avenir climat, will be invested in
sectors involved in ‘ecological transition’. It will
have a €22,950 ceiling, the same as the Livret A,
and will also be exempt from tax and social
charges. However, its interest rate will not be
fixed by the government but rather fluctuate
depending on the success of the investments. It
is expected to be more attractive than the Livret
A’s current 3% interest rate.
Changes for UK pension lump sums
THERE are changes coming relating to UK
pension lump sum allowances. See page 34.
Capital gains tax proposal
FRENCH MP Daniel Labaronne plans to reintro-
duce his idea of a year-long, or perhaps longer,
removal of capital gains tax on second homes.
The idea was to encourage people to sell houses
they do not often use in order to free up more
housing for families struggling to buy.
He said a housing bill in the spring would present
an opportunity to re-present the plan, which was
rejected as an amendment to the 2024 finance bill.
Income tax bands
THE income tax bands applied to your 2023
income, declared in May-June 2024, will be: 0%
up to €11,294; then 11% up to €28,797; 30%
to €82,341; 41% to €177,106; and then 45%.
 34 Money connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024

Tax, succession, pensions: what’s changing in 2024

This column is by Rob Kay, a
senior partner at Blevins Franks
financial advice group (blevins-
franks.com). Rob has decades of
experience advising UK nationals
in France and features regularly
in the media discussing the
issues affecting expatriates here
HERE we are again at the start of a new year,
wondering what it will bring. The last few years
have certainly been eventful and challenging, so
we would appreciate a calmer one.
Unfortunately, some changes cannot be avoided.
We look ahead at what to expect in 2024 in terms
of personal financial planning.
French tax
Long-term residents of France will know that local
tax rules can change frequently and substantially,
though the last few years have been quiet.
The 2024 Finance Bill did not include any
notable tax developments.
Income tax bands have been adjusted for infla-
tion, as usual, so you can now earn up to €11,294
before you start paying income tax, up from last
year’s €10,777. The top 45% is now applied to
income over €177,106 (previously €168,994).
Social charges are the same as 2023: 9.7% for
employment income; 9.1% for pension income
(reduced to 7.4% for low incomes); and 17.2%
for investment income. Retirees with an S1 form
escape social charges on their foreign pensions
and pay a lower 7.5% rate on investment income.
The flat-rate tax on investment income remains
at 30%, or 20.3% if you have an S1 form.
President Macron has talked about increasing
some succession tax allowances, such as aligning
them for stepchildren, but this is not scheduled
for 2024.
French succession law issue
France imposes a forced heirship regime, which
protects children over spouses. Since 2015, the
EU succession regulation allows foreigners living
in France to opt for the succession law of their
country of nationality to apply on their death,
instead of the local regime.
In 2021, France introduced a law contradicting
the EU legislation. If assets pass under the prov-
ision of a country with no forced heirship rules –
such as the UK – protected heirs (ie. your children,
even if estranged) can claim compensation for
the assets located in France that they would have
inherited under French law. As reported here in
The Connexion, the European Commission has
received multiple complaints about this violation
of EU law. Hopefully, the Commission will open
an infringement procedure against France, but
even if it rules against France, it could take years
for anything to be done. See Page 3.
UK pensions
The only constant of UK pensions is that they
are always complex – and here we have a perfect
example. No sooner has one unpopular allow-
ance been removed than two new ones are
introduced.
The pensions Lifetime Allowance has now been
fully abolished, but instead we have the Lump
Sum Allowance (LSA) and Lump Sum and Death
Benefit Allowance (LSDBA). They come into
effect on April 6 this year.
The UK Finance Bill, published at the end of
November, confirmed that the Lump Sum
Allowance will be set at £268,275 and apply to
lump sums received in your lifetime.
The LSDBA will be £1,073,100 and apply to
lump sums benefits paid on death, even if you
die before age 75. When a lump sum is paid
above these limits, the excess is taxed at the
recipient’s marginal rate of income tax.
A further Overseas Transfer Allowance
(OTA) will restrict exclusions from the overseas
transfer charge on transfers from UK-registered
pensions into overseas pension schemes (Qrops)
to £1,073,100. Any excess will suffer the 25%
Overseas Transfer Charge. Previous overseas
transfers are taken into account when calculating
your available OTA, so your limit could be less
than £1,073,100.
It will be interesting to see what happens if
there is a change of UK government. When the
Lifetime Allowance was abolished last March,
Labour quickly pledged to reinstate it. Elections
must be held within the next 12 months and the
polls look encouraging for the Opposition.
Inflation forecast
There has been no escaping inflation over recent
years, with all of us hit by the high cost of living.
French inflation (measured by the Harmonised
Index of Consumer Prices) peaked at 7.3% last
February. As of September 2023, the Banque de
France expected average annual inflation for 2023
to be 5.8% – virtually the same as 2022’s 5.9%.
For 2024, the central bank anticipates all com-
ponents of inflation will fall (assuming commod-
ity prices ease as expected), reaching 2.2% by
the last quarter. On an average annual basis, it
forecasts 2.6% inflation for 2024 as a whole,
then 1.8% in 2025.
Once inflation returns to normal, however, we
cannot become complacent about inflation risk
and how the rising cost of living affects us over
time, particularly once retired. As a basic illus-
tration, if you have €50,000 in a current account
with no growth, and inflation is 3% every year,
after 10 years its value will have fallen to around
€37,000. After 20 years it will be around €27,500
and after 30 years just €20,555. That is a 59%
reduction in purchasing power.
Unless your savings grow each year, they will
buy you considerably less as the years go by. It
is advisable to invest in assets that are usually
expected to produce enough growth to keep up
with inflation over the medium to long term.
Reduce investment risk to more comfortable
levels by calculating your attitude to risk, then
building a well-diversified portfolio around your
tolerance, circumstances and objectives.
Planning for a secure future
One lesson we have learned over recent years is
that we never know what is around the corner.
Many things happen that we have no power over,
which perhaps makes it more important to take
control where we can.
Start by staying informed about the tax, inherit-
ance and pension reforms that affect you, con-
sidering what you can do to protect yourself if
necessary. Ensure your investment portfolio is de-
signed around your circumstances, objectives and
risk tolerance and has enough diversification.If
you have not yet established an estate plan based
around the French succession regime, do not
delay. Finally, review your wealth management
annually to ensure it is up to date and on track.
n Tax rates, scope and reliefs may change. Any
statements concerning taxation are based upon our,
Blevins Franks, understanding of current taxation
laws and practices which are subject to change. Tax
information has been summarised; an individual is
advised to seek personalised advice.

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 The Connexion January 2024 connexionfrance.com Ideas 35

Sea power trial sees off the worst storms Corks can go in
your compost
by Brian McCulloch A Seaturns prototype moored off the coast of Brest deep. The innovative mooring
system uses ordinary ships’
HARNESSING energy from anchors linked by chains and
ocean waves is a step closer cables. This helps convert the
with the launch of a 10-month surge motion produced by the

Photo: Vinvention
trial off the coast of Brittany. waves into a more productive
Bordeaux firm Seaturns’ rocking movement.
prototype generators have They should ideally be placed
already survived some big in areas of constant wave action
storms, boosting hopes the – the Atlantic coast off France A BIODEGRADABLE wine
The rocking motion moves the water
solution will work equally well is good in winter, but some- bottle cork is being produced
between cylinders to drive an air turbine
when scaled up to commercial times flattens in the summer. for the first time at a factory in
operations. “There are sites off Western Pyrénées-Orientales.

Photos: Seaturns
There have been numerous Australia, New Zealand, South Made from bits of natural and
attempts to produce power Africa, West Africa and South recycled cork, it is bound

from the sea over the years.
Seaturns CEO Vincent
Tournerie said: “We have the
benefit of being able to study
the designs that went before.
“Most of them failed because
they had lots of moving
mechanical parts and so, from
the start, we sought to have as
few moving parts as possible.”
Seaturns’ solution, which is
protected by multiple patents,
is based on a cylindrical tank
orientated perpendicularly to
the wave direction.
Inside is a smaller cylinder,
welded to the end cap. Water is
allowed to fill the space between
the two cylinders and, with the
movement of the waves, it
generates an overpressure to
drive an air turbine for power.
Each device in its final form
should produce 100-200kW of
“
Some of the waves were over three metres high, and the
winds 160km/h, but the Seaturns just rode them out
electric energy, meaning a fleet
of 10 is equivalent to one
medium-power wind turbine.
A fleet this size is expected to
cost around €2 million – slight-
ly more than the equivalent
wind turbine. Over a lifespan
of 20 years, however, it should
produce electricity at the same
price as wind or solar devices.
They are largely made of steel
so can be recycled.
Quarter-sized prototypes
Vincent Tournerie, Seaturns CEO
were placed in the sea in
October as part of a 10-month
trial, and Mr Tournerie said
they have performed well.
“There were two big storms
that hit after they were install-
ed and they coped very well
with them,” he said.
“Some of the waves were over
three metres high, and the
winds 160km/h, but the
Seaturns just rode them out.
“When the waves are too
America where you have waves
all year round,” said Mr
Tournerie. “I am sure we will
be able to make a profit off the
French Atlantic coast, but it
will be more seasonal than
some of these other sites.”
The company has been fund-
ed by a mix of private funds
and grants from government
and European institutions.
high, they pass through them Mr Tournerie estimates that
like a surfer paddling out.” If it will need €800million to
all continues to go to plan, the reach a stage where it starts
company will put a full-sized making money.
Seaturn, with a diameter of six “Finding the money is diffi-
metres and a length of 14 cult,” he admitted. “As an
metres, in the sea in 2027. industrial project, potential
This will serve as a demon- investors have to know it will
stration for clients, and devices take time to get a return on
could be sold from then on. investment. We are not a tech
Seaturns are ideally situated industry, computer-driven
beyond the surf line of a beach, start-up where the returns or
in water that is 20-30 metres losses come much faster.”
together with plant-based glue.
In a bottle, the Sübr cork lasts
as long as traditional ones,
allowing the passage of small
amounts of air to let wine
mature. Once used, however,
it can be composted.
Caroline Thomas, spokes-
woman for Vinventions, said:
“We designed it with industrial
composting platforms in mind,
and they almost always cut
material into small pieces first.
“Obviously, you can also put
it in your home compost, but
if you do not cut it up, it might
keep bobbing up to the surface
for a year or two.”
The factory at Rivesaltes will
produce 200 million Sübr corks
a year.
Prices are estimated at €200-
€300 per 1,000 – in line with
most other mid-range corks.

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 36 Work connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024

Website helps you

Left: Mr Montalto’s tile next to
an original Café de Paris one he
is replacing in Monaco

start own business Right: Colour samples

A FREE website has launched
for people looking to start their
own business, giving details of
any established firms in the
area doing similar work, an
idea of possible income, and
hand-holding through the
administrative processes.
Run by the Union des
Entreprises de Proximité,
your business and how far CRAFTS
in focus
(time or distance) you are
prepared to travel.
For example, a bricklayer in a
rural commune in Charente
comes up with strong compet- Artisan potier – Potter
ition in the village due to the
small number of building pro-
jects, but less competition
within an hour’s drive. A map

Stéphane’s ceramic artworks win

(U2P), it can be accessed via shows how many bricklayers
its homepage or directly at are in each town or village.
creer-reprendre.u2p-france.fr. The next stage asks users to
U2P is one of three bodies estimate their annual sales and

the presidential seal of approval

representing company owners
in France, so is a keen player
in areas such as industry sector
wage scales.
It covers artisans, local shops
and professions libérales – a wide
category incorporating every-
one from lawyers, doctors, dent-
ists and district nurses to free-
lance translators and writers.
Overall, it claims to represent
three million businesses,
employing six million people.
The new website has three
sections: one to judge your
future market, one with a guide
to potential income, and a third
to put you in touch, for free,
with a dedicated adviser.
For the future market, simply
enter your sector of activity
from a dropdown menu. This
will eventually list 96 different
professions, although the site
launched with just 24.
Next, enter the commune
likely percentage of expenses.
Our hypothetical bricklayer,
with estimated sales of €80,000
and 60% expenses, is presented
with five different take-home
pay scenarios for the year,
depending on the statute
chosen for his business.
These range from €30,592
if they have travailleur non
salarié status with help from
the Acre scheme (to get people
into work) to €18,286 for
someone who takes assimilé
salarié status.
The difference in revenues
is due to the amount paid
in subscriptions for health,
pension and social services
into various caisses, which
translate to higher pensions
and better mutual health cover.
Those wishing to contact an
adviser will need to input their
commune details so someone
from the local U2P network

Photos: Theophile Larcher

where you intend to establish can get in touch.

Pay gaps exposed in new report

PRIVATE-sector workers saw equivalent jobs in the private
net wages rise an average 4.9% sector earned, on average, Stéphane Montalto, inset, displays his work in the shop/atelier he has run in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, near Monaco, since 1998
in the decade 2011-21, while 14.5% less than men during the
public employees saw a rise of period. In 1996, they earned by Théophile Larcher craftsmanship was recognised clay spin, it was magical. You and overlooking the Mediterr-
2.1%, a report from state stat- 22.4% less. in 2011 by a prestigious Meill- could see him spinning it and anean Sea, it serves as both
istics agency Insee shows. The report said: “This gap is ANYONE doubting ceramicist eur Ouvrier de France (MOF) spinning it, slowly shaping it a gallery for clients and his
The study includes the effects partially due to structural differ- Stéphane Montalto’s skill need award. The contest is open to into a form,” says Mr Montalto, workshop.
of the Covid pandemic, high- ences in the workplace between look no further than the Café a range of professions, from clearly still bewitched by the Customers can browse trad-
lighting a fall in the private- men and women, in particular de Paris in Monte Carlo. cheesemongers to hairdressers, memory. itional pottery pieces, includ-
sector wage bill in 2020, follow- by the sectors they work and The 68-year-old has been with winners receiving a medal Marais’ work had consider- ing vases and plates, as well as
ed by a sharp rise in 2021. levels of qualification.” charged with replacing its orig- from the president with a dist- able merit. In 2014, some of more unusual works, such as
Similarly, the pandemic led In government jobs, the inal, worn-out ornamental tiles inctive ribbon in the colours of the actor’s ceramics were sold the Café de Paris commission.
to wage rises for public-sector gender wage gap was 11.3%, with an identical new set and the French flag. at auction in Antibes, helping It is hard not be be equally
workers attached to hospitals, compared to 14.3% in 1996. the colours pop yellow, white Mr Montalto said preparation to net his estate some €230,000. impressed by the glass shelf
mainly in the form of bonuses, All statistics in the report were and blue in his nearby Roque- for the illustrious competition Before watching the TV show, holding his many awards.
and then rises agreed in the adjusted to account for changes brune-Cap-Martin studio took a year of planning and Mr Montalto had been indeci- They include the MOF medal,
Ségur de la santé consultation in the purchasing power of the ahead of their installation. three months of making. sive about his career. still in its box.
process, which aimed to euro during the period. “I don’t think I had seen so The result was a set of three Holding a secretarial qualif- Next to it, a letter of congrat-
improve the day-to-day lives An earlier Insee report, much dust in my life,” he says, strikingly contemporary seats, ication, he had flitted between ulations is signed by the then-
of healthcare professionals. published in June, found the theorising that it must have but his work has often also a range of jobs, including for a president Nicolas Sarkozy.
Insee also looked at the average net salary in 2021 was accrued from almost a century incorporated renovation pieces bank and an insurance firm. The walls, meanwhile, are
gender pay gap, finding that €2,520 in the private sector and of Formula 1 cars passing by for historic buildings, especial- However, seeing Marais on pinned with photos of Mr
women doing the same or €2,380 in the public sector. – Café de Paris sits near the ly reproduction balusters from the potter’s wheel compelled Montalto with high-profile
fourth turn of Monaco’s the Belle Epoque period of the him to drop everything and celebrities and politicians.
Law changes simplify accounting Grand Prix circuit.
The tiles are the latest project
late 19th century.
His interest in ceramics
move to Aubagne, the heart
of ceramic work in Bouches-
Here, a beaming François
Hollande; there, Mr Sarkozy
BUSINESS accounting should become easier from this month, in a ceramics career spanning dates back to 1979, when he du-Rhône. hanging the MOF medal
thanks to changes made by the European Commission. more than four decades. happened to watch a report He launched his own business around his neck.
At the moment, accounting obligations depend on the size of the “I am a craftsman in the arts,” on L’Invité du Jeudi – a show in Alsace at 27, not knowing These days, Mr Montalto is
business, with firms split into micro, small, medium and large, is how Mr Montalto defines broadcast every Thursday from whether it would work or not. keen to inspire a new gener-
depending on their sales figures. By raising thresholds, it is hoped himself, although he freely 1978 to 1982 on France 2. “And it has been going for 44 ation of craftsmen and women.
that overall administration will be reduced. admits that he has buckled, It focused on French actor years now,” he says modestly. To that end, he has created
Large and medium businesses will now be defined by sales of broken, cracked and split as Jean Marais at his home in After two years in Alsace, Mr a competition to seek out
€50million a year, instead of €40million, and total assets of many objects as he has created, Vallauris (Alpes-Maritimes). Montalto moved to a small shop talented young potters from
€25million, as opposed to €20million. Small and micro businesses, refurbished or perfected. Marais, who enjoyed a glitter- in Menton, near the port. He the region. The event has taken
meanwhile, will have sales of €15million, instead of €12million, While their professions have ing film and theatre career over was based there for 18 years, place inVallauris in late July for
and total assets of €7.5millon, instead of €6million. some overlap, Mr Montalto’s four decades, was also a talent- mainly selling to tourists. the last two years.
The main accounting section affected by the change is the ceramic work leans more ed painter and sculptor. He took on his current Thanks to such efforts, and
Corporate Sustainable Reporting Directive (CSRD). towards the high end and It was this aspect of his life premises in Roquebrune- Mr Montalto’s continued
A requirement for firms to appoint an auditor will now apply sculptural than the faïencerie that the TV show focused on, Cap-Martin in 1998. Located renown, the future of French
only to those with €10million sales and €5million assets, instead mentonnaise we featured in including lessons with a renown- in the centre of the village at pottery might just be as bright
of the previous €8million sales and €4million assets. this section in November. His ed local potter. “Seeing the the foot of its medieval castle as his tiles.
 The Connexion January 2024
Crumbling ‘holy chapel of
concrete’ has a bright future
Architecture
of France...
Notre-Dame By
THEOPHILE
LARCHER
du Raincy
“HERE is a sad reality. Concrete is not as
enduring as stone,” reads a sign in the en-
trance to Notre-Dame-de-la-Consolation,
the monumental church and crown jewel
of Le Raincy, in the Seine-Saint-Denis
department of north east Paris.
The sign was part of an exhibition held
in September to mark the church’s centen-
ary. It was organised by Restaurer, an
association working to preserve the church
which, as the first in the world to be con-
structed with reinforced concrete, holds a
special place in architectural history.
It was nicknamed the ‘Holy chapel of
reinforced concrete’ by French architect
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris, better
known as Le Corbusier, and designated
a monument historique in 1966.
Both epithets reflect its revolutionary
design, which caused a stir when it first
opened in 1923.
However, this ‘monument to modernism’
has not aged well. At the time of its con-
struction, concrete was still an experiment-
al material and, by the 1960s, deterioration
was marked.
The church has subsequently undergone
a series of renovations, the latest round of
which finished just before the centennial
exhibition.
The project was led by architect Wandrille
Thieulin in something of a departure from
his usual briefs.
“I would never have expected to be work-
ing on a restoration effort on reinforced
concrete,” he said, hailing the church “an
extraordinary and majestic building that
embodies constructivist architecture”.
The renovation, totalling €1.3million,
centred on the facades and pillars, which
had eroded over time.
Over the course of a year, Mr Thieulin
worked on reproducing a concrete made of
gravel similar to that used in the church’s
original construction.
An alternative solution – an experimental
technique using corrosion inhibitors – was
deemed too risky.
The project also incorporated cleaning
the church’s columns, new ramps, and
work on its clock.
The original idea to build a new parish
church in Le Raincy was motivated by the
fast growth of the commune’s population,
which had doubled in 40 years.
The then-parish priest, Felix Nègre,
wanted the new church to celebrate France’s
battle successes during World War One,
notably its victory in the Battle of the
Marne in 1914.
Construction was entrusted to architect
brothers Auguste and Gustave Perret, who
decided to use reinforced concrete to gain
time and keep costs down.
The first concrete block was laid on April
30, 1922, and the church was inaugurated
on June 17, 1923 – its impressive bell tower
rising 43 metres above the town.
It was hailed the “most revolutionary
piece of architecture built in the first third
of the 20th century” by British historian,
architect and critic Peter Collins.
Aesthetically, then, it was an immediate
The church’s concrete bell tower, right,
and luminous interior, above
hit. However, what its admirers – and the
Perret brothers themselves – had not fore-
seen were the problems that the concrete
construction might create in future.
The original mix contained an excess of
lime and water, and coverage of the steel
reinforcing was also deficient.
Christophe Arnion, president of Restaur-
er, told The Connexion: “Pieces of concrete
were slowly crumbling and falling to the
ground, endangering churchgoers.”
Restaurer was founded in 1987 to “intro-
duce, garner interest, protect and assert
the religious and artistic importance of
Notre-Dame du Raincy”, its website reads.
“The organisation was set up to unlock
funds for a first renovation effort,” Mr
Arnion said.
Its efforts were rewarded in 1988, when
four areas were identified as needing inter-
vention, in a project spanning eight years.
Work started with the roof, mainly to re-
new the waterproofing of vaults and repair
cracks, and moved on to the more complex
renovation of the bell tower in 1991. Here,
each repair had to be dealt with on a case-
by-case basis.
Restoring the façades was equally tricky,
and took place between 1992 and 1998.
Unfortunately, the concrete was not the
only aspect of the church in need of TLC.
Its organ has also suffered from a number
of problems over the years, notably water
seepage and damp, but also from the invas-
ive presence of pigeons.
The church’s stained glass windows, mean-
while, which give incredible luminosity to
the church, were removed during restor-
ations, numbered and photographed.
Although few changes of glass or restitu-
tions were necessary, the lead had aged and
has subsequently been renewed.
The windows’ colours move in chromatic
progression from a palette of cold blues/
greens near the entrance to much warmer
blue/red tones in the sanctuary.
Ten large windows, inspired by those in
the church of Saint-Eustache in Paris, were
designed by Marguerite Huré.
Huré was one of very few women in the
industry at the time, and has been credited
with producing the first set of stained glass
using an abstract aesthetic.
In Le Raincy’s church, she used coloured
coatings on clear glass for economy. Nine of
connexionfrance.com Property 37
Property Watch
Department 51:
in
Marne
DEPARTMENTAL CAPITAL: Châlons-en-Champagne
MAIN CITIES/TOWNS: Epernay, Reims,
Vitry-le-François
FOR many people in France, Marne is still haunted by the
terrible battles of World War One that were fought here.
One of the country’s best-known war writers, Maurice
Genevoix, wrote of his experiences as a young infantry officer
in Marne before he was seriously wounded.
Now the horrors of that conflict are long since gone and the
department is best known for it bottles of bubbly, with the
great champagne houses of Epernay and Reims providing a
backbone to the economy and thousands of jobs in the vines.
Reims, which with its suburbs has 319,000 inhabitants
– more than half the department’s population – is not
the prefecture. Instead, the much smaller Châlons-en-
Champagne is, sited near Marne’s geographic centre.
Reims is just over an hour from the eastern outskirts of
Paris by the A4 autoroute, and the department has two other
motorways – the north-south A26, and the A34, running north-
east from Reims to the Ardennes. Trains include a TGV station
Photo: CC‑BY‑SA‑3.0 / Djah
5km outside Reims, on the Paris-Strasbourg line, and another
TGV service stopping at Châlons-en-Champagne.
House prices around Reims are on the high side, reflecting
its proximity to Paris and the attractiveness of the city for
tech-savvy 30-somethings.
Away from Reims, however, they are much lower. An
example is an overgrown plot of 1,225m² with a small stone
house in near-ruin condition. It is on sale in Charmont for
€23,500. A solid-looking, detached, three-bed home, which
looks to date from the 1930s and with decoration from the
1970s, is on sale in Fismes, 35km from Reims, for €49,500.
It comes with a 298m² back garden.
Properties around France
Under €100,000
Photo: FNA_shutterstock
her windows represent an episode from the
life of Mary, mother of Jesus, including the
Annunciation, the Wedding at Cana (with
Auguste Perret depicted among the guests), A traditional house that would A perfect opportunity to own not
and the Assumption. make a perfect lock-up-and-leave, just one house but two, with lots
The final window, called Souvenir de la or great family home in Mayenne. of potential, in Vienne.
victoire de l’Ourcq en 1914, immortalises This property has a garden with This house has a gorgeous back
the departure from Le Raincy, in September stunning views, and is within garden and, with a barn and
walking distance of all amenities. outbuilding, there is the possibility
1914, of some of the Paris taxis famously Located in a popular village. to create further accommodation.
requisitioned to move fresh troops to the Energy: A - Climate class: A Energy: G - Climate class: F
front line for a counterattack to halt €76,000 Ref: A14413 €95,000 Ref: A12838
the German advance on the capital.
Raincéens are not the only people to
appreciate their church’s historical signif-
icance. Mr Arnion said he often acts as a
More than €185,000
guide for architecture students from as far
afield as the US, Norway and Japan, where
a smaller imitation of the church was built
in Tokyo in 1937.
The church is a popular venue on
France’s heritage days too, when many
otherwise inaccessible buildings are
opened to the public.
Mr Arnion says these tours never get
boring for him: “Although it is an
extremely familiar environment for me, This contemporary ski-in, ski-out A renovated typical French
I still sometimes see new details that I apartment is located in a quality winemaker’s home in the Canal
hadn’t noticed before.” 4* residence in Les Menuires. du Midi village of Capestang
While Notre-Dame du Raincy is now safe A sleek 31m² apartment with modern Located in a quiet street, this is a
from any immediate danger, Mr Arnion interior, its own ski locker, and private rare find with a nice-sized garage
cannot help looking forward to the parking, situated in the sought-after and a lovely 200m² garden. Just
opportunities presented by further area of Les Trois Vallées. 30mins from the Mediterranean.
Energy: E - Climate class: B Energy: E - Climate class: E
restoration. These, admittedly, are more
aesthetic than strictly necessary. €185,000 Ref: A07272 €275,000 Ref: A22877CG34
“My dream would be to clean up the Properties available through Leggett Immobilier
interior concrete. It’s not an emergency. frenchestateagents.com Tel: 05 53 56 62 54
We’re dealing with 100 years of dirt and
dust. It’s a major job that would totally Next month: We look at Haute-Marne
change the inside of the building.”
38 PRACTICAL: Property

LegalNotes Old methods

connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024
The replacement blochet in the loft conversion

work best for

Your questions
answered

roof timber
Antonia Ridley-Hughes
of Ashtons Legal,
answers a
reader query.

replacement
Do we need children’s permission to sell?
Q: Does a couple need sole owner of the property.
permission from children to As such, they retain the
sell the French house they right to sell.
stand to inherit a part of? However, if the property
is owned en indivision, the

A: WHERE the couple are
absolute owners, they can
dispose of the property at
their discretion during their
lifetime. They do not need
permission from children.
If you have already written
a will that refers to a house,
just rewrite it as appropriate
once you have sold it.
Permission will be needed,
however, if the children are
part-owners in the home.
This includes, for example,
if they own the nue-propriété
in the property while the
parents own the lifetime
right to use it.
Also, the position is not so
simple on the first death,
unless everything has been
carefully planned. The
devolution of the property
depends on how it is owned,
the nature of the couple’s
relationship, and the applic-
able succession law.
Where the property is
owned en tontine, the
survivor will be treated as
if they had always been the
Tel: +44 (0)113 393 1930  www.heslop-platt.co.uk
contact@heslop-platt.co.uk
property will pass under
French intestacy rules, in
the absence of any will.
Where French succession
law applies, the survivor will
only have an automatic right
to the deceased’s share if
they are a spouse by marr-
iage. A cohabitee or civil
partner is not acknowledged
in the same way.
Furthermore, French law
includes forced heirship
rules, under which a bio-
logical or adopted child is
entitled to inherit a share
of their deceased parent’s
assets.
In either case, a co-owner-
ship will arise and it is likely
the survivor would need to
obtain permission from the
children to sell.
This is even the case for a
spouse, despite inheriting a
portion of their deceased’s
share themselves.
The arrangement can be
particularly complex where
the children are not mutual
to both partners.
DIY
Nick Inman
charts the ups
and downs of
renovating
an old
French
farmhouse
DON’T ask me where it went,
but when I came to convert
the east part of our loft, I
discovered there was a piece
of the roof structure missing.
I doubt if this absent block of
wood disintegrated through rot
and worm because all the other
timbers were still in place.
Their outer shells might have
been munched by 19th-century
vermin but their inner cores
were solid.
The horizontal piece connect-
ing the diagonal of the truss to
the wall, however, had vanished
completely.
It was only a short piece of
timber – just over a metre long
– and the roof was staying up
without it. However, I was not
prepared to leave an obvious
gap, so I set about replacing it.
I used the opportunity to
learn about the structure of a
traditional farmhouse roof.
My roof is held aloft by a kind
of truss known as a ferme avec
entrait porteur pour plancher
bois. This is designed to make
the loft usable, with a wooden
floor and clearance above.
I do not think the original
occupants of the house used
this as a living space because it
had only one tiny cross-shaped
opening in the south wall. This
suggests it would have been
used for storing and drying a
harvested crop instead.
Each part of a roof truss has
a name and a job. My missing
piece was a blochet. It was not
load-bearing, but was placed
there to keep the rest of the
truss tied rigidly to the wall.
It would have been made
of long-lasting chestnut or
oak, and either would do as a
replacement, depending
on what I could get from my
local sawmill.
I took very careful measure-
ments and even did a scale
drawing. The piece I needed
had to be 14cm x 16cm in
cross-section and I would need
to deal with two complications.
First, the end had to slope at
a precise angle and needed a
tenon tongue to slot perfectly
into the existing mortise hole
in a diagonal timber coming
up from the floor.
Halfway along, meanwhile,
my new piece would need a
mortise of its own to receive
a tenon coming from another
timber above.
At the sawmill, I asked if
they had an offcut just slightly
longer than I needed and I
was in luck: they had a chunky
piece of oak that would do fine.
This was cheaper than getting
them to cut a piece to measure.
Back home, I checked all my
measurements again and used
a T bevel to find the right
angle. There are digital tools to
work this out but I wanted to
do it the authentic way. For the
same reason, I cut my piece of
oak with a handsaw and then
set about shaping the joints
with a sharpened chisel and
a wooden mallet.
I tried the fit a couple of times
and made adjustments accord-
ingly, making sure not to cut
away too much wood.
Once shaped, I set my new
blochet in place, tapping it
snugly home into the mortise
before cementing it into the
outer wall.
There was one more job to do.
Two hundred years ago, build-
ers did not use nails if they
could help it and all the timbers
in my house are held together
with stout, tapering pegs about
17mm in diameter.
You can now buy modern
ones cut from acacia, which
is resistant to rot.
I drilled the requisite holes
through my two joints and
with great satisfaction drove
my pegs home with a wooden
mallet. There, good for another
couple of hundred years.
n Next month: flooring flaws

Hens give eggs, meat and help in garden

easily identified by its long, feather-free
Can I pay year’s rent upfront for a discount? neck, is an excellent layer, grows rapidly and
Is it possible to pay rent on ished house on an acre of provides good meat. It can also withstand
an apartment for a full year land are not uncommon in high temperatures – summer heatwaves
so as to receive a discount? small villages, and some will not put it off laying.
country landlords might Sue Adams Do not confuse it with the cou nu de Forez,
A: THERE is nothing stop- accept slightly lower rents Part-time Paysanne a white naked neck, which is less common
ping you paying your flat’s in return for having the and was bred in the Forez region of the

Photos: Sue Adams

rent upfront and I am sure house occupied. Down to Earth Massif Central just after World War Two.
the landlord will not object. Sometimes, rent will be Hens do not need a cockerel, unless you
However, in France, where paid by the state if the IF your French adventure includes any would like to raise chicks, but they do need
most flats are let unfurn- tenant is receiving RSA and form of self-sufficiency, keeping chickens company – so get more than one.
will play an important part. Check with your mairie if there are Sue’s hens lay different-coloured eggs
ished for three years, there other benefits, and that
is no advantage. The rents might be a strong argument Hens are easily acquired from neighbours, any local restrictions on keeping hens – and fouines (stone marten) do most of
and payment schedules for to lower the price too. garden centres and newspaper adverts in unlikely if you live in the countryside their hunting. Both will take a hen or two.
the three years are all set Furnished flat contracts France, though most people buy them and they are for your own use. Fouines and couleuvres (a large non-venom-
out, and if you want to are usually for shorter at the local market, where they are sold You must provide them with adequate, ous snake) will also eat their eggs.
negotiate the rent down- (renewable) periods. Again, individually or en masse. secure housing and should feed them If you prefer a more ornamental hen,
wards, the time to do so is your chances of getting rent Chickens love to eat leftovers and cull balanced hen food along with any scraps which still lays plenty of eggs, specialist
before you sign the contract. reduced by an upfront pay- garden pests. Their droppings are rich in or surplus leafy vegetables. chicken breeders are increasing in number.
In areas where there is ment are slim, especially as nitrogen and other nutrients, which will Sacks of hen food can be bought at your You can also buy hens at poultry shows
strong demand, such as prices usually go up during speed up the decomposition of garden local agricultural or garden supplier. These and agricultural fairs, including rare breeds.
around Paris, your chances summer when there are lots compost. And, of course, you get fresh eggs. are often described as a mélange basse-cour Among the first hens we bought was a
of negotiating are slim. In of tourists. Seasonal worker If you raise the right breed, you can eat and are appropriate for all farmyard fowl. trio of black La Flèche chickens, which have
other areas, it can be more and student lets have their your own free-range chickens too, though They contain mixed grains and some a comb resembling the devil’s horns. The
likely – prices of €600/m to own legal framework, with you might want to ask a neighbouring crushed shells (to help with eggshell form- breed dates from the 1600s. Ours were so
rent a 200m² fully refurb- little room to negotiate. farmer to kill and pluck them for you. ation and digestion), although it is not eccentric that they refused to sleep in their
If your immediate objective is free eggs, unusual to also see oyster shells tossed into hen house and spent every night roosting
Tel: 05 61 57 90 86  brightavocats.com make sure that you buy a poule pondeuse, or a hen run as a nutritional supplement. in a tree, coming down each morning to
a hen which is already producing. Choose We keep our hens in an old pigsty (a lay white eggs all over the garden.
cabinet@brightavocats.com a reliable, locally popular variety. porcherie), but you can buy wooden hen Whatever the colour or size of your
If you have a legal query send it to news@connexionfrance.com One of the most common breeds is the houses online or at your local DIY/garden hens’ eggs, they are all edible. They should
We select two questions to answer in each edition Transylvanian naked neck, commonly centre. Any dry building will do, as long keep for up to a month, although quality
referred to as the cou nu. This brown hen, as you can secure it at night when foxes declines as the eggs age.
 The Connexion
Compost
rat fear is
debunked
A WASTE disposal expert has
dismissed fears that new rules
on domestic composting will
attract rats and smells.
From January, all homes in
France must have a means of
keeping food waste apart from
other rubbish (see page 7) but
not everyone feels confident
about composting it themselves.
Sandra Coiffard, of Charente
waste disposal syndicat Cali-
tom, who has a state-approved
maître-composteur diploma,
said: “There is some under-
standable worry but, really,
composting is a very simple
process.
“To avoid problems, people
need to know a bit about the
natural process by which moist,
organic waste, such as food, is
January 2024 connexionfrance.com Property 39
Simple kit gives you a house in a
weekend – with no heavy lifting
A LONG weekend and two
people are all it takes to erect
a pioneering new lightweight
kit house designed in France.
Once foundations have been
laid and tested, panels made
from wood fibre with plastic
resin exteriors can be put
together quickly without lifting
equipment.
The heaviest parts of the kit,
the wall panels, weigh just 45kg.
Demrea co-founder Issa Dia
said: “We set out to design a Above: Issa Dia with the
house that can be built in three galvanised steel connector
days by two people who have system the panels clip into
no construction experience. Right: CGI of what the kit
“The house is designed from houses look like finished
the start to be very green in
every respect, with hemp or you have to lift heavy parts,
cotton insulation and wood such as lintels or pallets of

converted by micro-organisms
and earthworms into rich com-
post you can use in the garden.
“The micro-organisms come
from the soil and can be seen
as little animals that need food,
in the form of waste, oxygen to
breathe and humidity to drink.”
The process starts as soon as
waste is piled into a heap, either
in a purpose-made composter
or an improvised one. As the
heap grows, the moisture and
weight can squeeze out the air.
“When this happens, there is
a risk you start getting smells,
and things do not compost
properly, so you may get slime,”
said Ms Coiffard.
“The solution is to have
panel interiors for the walls,
and a similar construction
for the flat roof.”
Mr Dia, who has spent most
of his career as an economist
specialising in construction
projects, said the kit was inspir-
ed by discussions on how to
make house-builds easier.
“Over the years, health and
safety regulations have greatly
changed modern construction
sites,” he said.
“Workers seldom have to lift
heavy objects now like they
did in the past, when sacks of
cement were 50kg [they are
35kg now]. However, building
a house still occasionally means
roofing tiles. We wanted to
design something without any
heavy parts, which means you
can build without a crane or
other lifting equipment.”
The company also boasts an
innovative system of fixing the
pre-fabricated panels together
– they clip into galvanised steel
connectors, ensuring water-
proof joints.
The flat roofs can be covered
in 10cm of soil and planted
with grasses, without addition-
tional reinforcing. They are also
easy to install solar panels on.
Currently, the company advert-
ises four different kits, ranging
from a tiny house with 17m² liv-
ing space, to a 70m² property. It
has taken around 20 pre-orders
and is in the process of raising
the final €150,000 it needs to
start production at a factory at
Châteauroux (Indre).
The first commercial kit
deliveries are due to start in the
second half of 2024.
The exterior panels are made
in France by a Dutch company
called Trespa. It uses a high-
pressure process to make the
composite material, which can
be sawn like wood.
Trespa did not respond to a
question about the composition
of the resin, but its website says
its products can be recycled at
the end of their lifespan into,
for example, plastic chairs.
Most resins in composite mat-
erials come from oil, but there
are some vegetable ones too,
usually based on pine tree resin.
Prices for complete houses,
including everything except
furniture and electrical equip-
ment, are set at a competitive
€1,800 per m².
Before the kits arrive, the
building site must be levelled,
Photos: Demrea
and reinforced concrete pillars
installed to take the main
structure. The pillars must
be certified by experts before
building can commence.
These preparations can be
done by the builders them-
selves or by Demrea partner
companies. If the latter, the
standard 10-year house-build-
ing guarantee applies.
Demrea also supplies architect
drawings and specifications
for planning applications, if
desired. For a fee, it can handle
the entire planning process.

Solar panel ‘grant deal’ leaves couple out of pocket

some dry matter, such as dried
leaves and twigs, in thin layers
between the waste. This allows
air into the heap, so things keep
composting nicely.”
She said that, in dry spells,
HOMEOWNERS are advised to check
solar panel deals carefully after two 12 tips to avoid being caught out
compost might need watering Connexion readers say they were duped. 1. Do not respond to cold-callers.
to stop it drying out. Linda and James Stewart-Brown, from 2. Be careful who you give your telephone number to, either
Many experts recommend Duras in Lot-et-Garonne, paid more in person, over the phone, or on the internet. Contact
turning over the heap with a than the going rate for both the panels information is often sold to unscrupulous companies.
fork every few weeks to further and financing, despite taking what they 3. Watch out for callers who claim to be from
oxygenate it, but Ms Coiffard thought were precautions. official organisations or companies such as EDF, or to have

said this is often unnecessary.
Regarding vermin, she said
rats are not attracted to compost
heaps specifically.
“If you have rats in your heap,
it is because they were already
living somewhere in the garden,”
she said. “Like humans, they
like a quiet life, so if they do
appear, the best thing you can
do is turn over the compost
and disturb them. Once a day
will do the trick.”
She also recommends putting
the composter on paving slabs
to stop mice and rats digging
under it. “However, it is import-
ant to leave a gap of half a
centimetre or so between the
slabs so there is some contact
with the soil,” she advises.
“This ensures micro-organisms
and worms can get in.”
While meat and fish waste can
attract flies, burying them in
the middle of the heap should
avoid this.
“It really is easy,” Ms Coiffard
said. “And the end result is very
satisfying.”
Promised grants did not materialise,
and the bank from which they borrowed
€22,900 did not offer the 0% interest
loan they were expecting.
Mrs Stewart-Brown said: “We both
read The Connexion and had heard
warnings about scams in the energy
renovation sector, so we thought we
knew what we were doing.
“We had talked about getting solar
panels but no one we knew locally would
install them. It is difficult to get even
everyday electrical work done in Duras.
“So when I got a cold call, I did not say
‘no’, and the next thing I knew, they had
sent a young salesman round.”
He produced an estimate, which prom-
ised government grants of up to €6,000.
“I signed the deal but then had
doubts,” Mrs Stewart-Brown said.
“I contacted Elsol/Elsun, the firm, to
say I wanted to cancel.
“At the time, I was on a ship [Mr
Stewart-Brown is a cruise ship captain]
and doing it by satellite phone. I got
an aggressive call from the boss saying
it was not possible because they had
already ordered the panels.
“I’m afraid that convinced us to go
ahead.” When the equipment was in,
Photo: AlyoshinE_shutterstock
mandates to call on behalf of such bodies. These organis-
ations do not call or sub-contract selling.
4. Take time to think about an offer and to compare it to
others. If people push you to sign quickly, walk away.
5. Check yourself if government grants promised by the
company exist, if they apply to you, and whether you are
eligible for them. Do this before you sign anything – most 11. Be careful about signing the attestation de fin de travaux.
grants have to be settled before the estimate is signed. First, make sure that the work has been done to a good
6. Check yourself that the company is properly accredited, standard, that you have all the documents associated with it,
especially that it has the ‘RGE’ certification required for and that devices such as smartphone apps to manage
government grants. equipment work. The attestation often unblocks funds
7. Ask the company for references from clients in the area. from the bank to the company, and if they are unscrupulous,
8. Read thoroughly and understand what you sign. Some people you will not see or hear from them again.
find they have signed loan applications without realising. 12. If you are unhappy, your first port of call should be the
9. Do not be afraid to use the 14-day cooling-off period to government’s mediation service: economie.gouv.fr/mediation-
walk away if you have doubts about what you signed. conso. If you feel the company has missold the product or if
10. Do not hand over money or bank details straight away. the work or equipment is sub-standard, see france-renov.
Wait until you get official estimates and bills. gouv.fr/fraudes.
the installer asked her to sign just electricity firm EDF and BNP Paribas Stewart-Brown said she did not realise
five pages of what turned out to be for energy renovation loans] should that grants under the MaPrimeRénov’
a 92-page document. have been 0% interest and not 3.59%. scheme have to be approved with a
She refused and the original salesman “To top it all, the panels have cut our written estimate before agreement to
returned to talk her through it, assuring electricity consumption by just 30%, do the work is signed for.
her the grants and financing had been instead of the 70% we were promised.” “None of this was explained and it
taken care of. Elsol/Elsun did not respond to should have been,” she said. She has
“We now realise that the panels and interview requests. Domo Finance since written to the Ministry for Energy
system should have cost around €15,000 told The Connexion that it could not Transition, with no reply, and intends
at current prices, and the loan from find a complaint from the couple in its to take up the matter with the DGCCRF
Domo Finance [a bank set up by state file, and so could not comment. Mrs consumer protection watchdog.
 The Back Page connexionfrance.com The Connexion January 2024

‘Our special bistros and cafes merit Unesco listing’

A year after its baguettes
were awarded Unesco World
Heritage status, France’s
bistros and cafes are vying to
be next. Brian McCulloch takes
a closer look at the campaign
THEY have been hailed “a unique human
experience”. Now, an association represent-
ing France’s bistros and cafes is bidding

Photos: Pierrick Bourgault

to have them formally recognised by
Unesco as intangible cultural heritage.
The Association pour la reconnaissance
de l’art de vivre dans les bistrots et cafés
de France, formed in 2018, is headed by
Alain Fontaine, who opened Le Mesturet
bistro in Paris some 20 years ago.
His campaign comes as the number
of bistros and cafes in France continues
to dwindle, down from around 450,000
establishments after World War Two,
200,000 in 1960 and 70,000 in 1992 to
fewer than 40,000 today.
“It is very important for me because
when people come into a bistro or a cafe,
they do so informally, to drink, eat and
share a moment.
“It is not a formal setting like a restaur-
ant,” Mr Fontaine said.
“It’s very important to the French, but
also for the whole world, because it’s a
model of sociability that runs counter
to so much anti-social behaviour.”
The difference between a bistro and
a cafe is that the former offers meals
throughout the day, while cafes do not
supply food other than light snacks. In
L’Armagnac bistro and, right, Le Bar Fleuri – both in Paris
France, all bids to be included on the
Unesco list must go through a selection
process run by the Ministry of Culture.
The association has twice applied – and
failed – to be selected, but Mr Fontaine
remains confident.
“There was a huge misunderstanding
between ourselves and the ministry as
to how the forms should be filled in and
the file submitted,” he said, “but we are
starting again from scratch.
“I am hopeful we will be on the French
list of intangible cultural heritage by
summer. Once on there, we are in with
a chance of Unesco recognition.”
Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage
list recognises practices, knowledge,
skills, and other elements that demon-
strate the diversity of humanity’s cultural
Why are so many struggling – or closing down?
heritage, including Spanish flamenco, BISTROS and cafes had a difficult 2023, with some forced to shut in the
Jamaican reggae, and traditional Chinese wake of successive social and health crises.
tea-making. Hardest hit have been those in city centres, which used to enjoy steady
In 2022, it added the ‘artisanal know- custom from nearby offices. After Covid normalised home-working,
how and culture of France’s baguette however, habits have changed. Many establishments report that some days,
bread’, as well as traditional bear festivals especially Tuesdays and Thursdays, are exceptionally busy, but few custom-
in the Pyrenees. ers come on Mondays and Wednesdays and almost none on Fridays.
Mr Fontaine’s description of what At the same time, staff wages have shot up amid concerns there were not
makes French bistros unique includes enough people willing to work in the sector. Inflation has made food more
their galvanised zinc counters serving expensive, with many bistros unable to pass on the full costs to clients.
alcoholic and other drinks, plus trad- Commercial electricity prices have also soared as a result of the war in
itional dishes made on the premises. Ukraine, with some establishments paying 10 times more than before.
He links their steady decline to the Meanwhile, changes to rules regarding lunch vouchers so they can be used
industrialisation of French farming to buy unprocessed food such as pasta in supermarkets, rather than only
and the closure of factories. sandwiches or restaurant/bistro/cafe fare, have also hit revenues.
“Society has changed and I appreciate Banque de France figures from January to October showed a 52% rise
we cannot go back, but that does not in the number of liquidations of restaurants, bistros and cafes in 2023
mean we should just stand by and accept compared to the year before, equating to 5,124 establishments.
the end of something special,” he said.

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